Sermon Tone Analysis

the first danger facing *those who are rich* is that they will become *conceited.

Conceited* is from /hupsēlophroneō//,/ a compound verb meaning “to think lofty,” “be haughty,” or “have an exalted opinion of oneself.”

Looking down on those lower on the economic ladder is a distressing trait of fallen human nature.

Rich people are constantly faced with the temptation to put on airs of superiority.

Riches and pride are frequently found together, and the wealthier an individual is, the greater the temptation.

It is exceedingly difficult to be wealthy and have a humble spirit.

The temptation is to view others as mere servants, since wealthy people tend to hire others to do everything for them.

Proverbs 18:23 describes what often transpires: “The poor man utters supplications, but the rich man answers roughly.”

That happens because “the rich man is wise in his own eyes” (Prov.

28:11).

The opposite of being *conceited* is having “humility of mind” (Phil.

2:3).

That virtue was scorned by the haughty Greek culture, with its glorification of pride.

Paul wants the rich in the Ephesian assembly to avoid that cultural iniquity and be humble.[1]

A second danger facing the rich is the temptation *to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches.*

To base *their hope on the uncertainty of riches,* instead of God, is foolish.

Proverbs 11:28 warns that “he who trusts in his riches will fall.”

Proverbs 23:4–5 adds, “Do not weary yourself to gain wealth, cease from your consideration of it.

When you set your eyes on it, it is gone.

For wealth certainly makes itself wings, like an eagle that flies toward the heavens.”

Once again, this is especially a temptation for the rich.

Those who have a lot tend to trust in it, while those who have little can’t trust in what they have, and so are more likely to turn to God in hope that He will supply.

In the parable of the rich fool, the Lord Jesus Christ warned of the foolishness of trusting riches (Luke 12:16–21):[2]

 

Paul urges the rich to consider the end result of properly handling treasure.

By sharing their earthly treasures with others, they are *storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future.*

/Apothēsaurizō/ (*storing up*) could be translated “amassing a treasure,” while /themelios/ (*foundation*) can refer to a fund.

The rich are not to be concerned with getting a return on their investment in this life.

Those who lay up treasure in heaven will be content to wait to receive their dividends in the *future* when they reach heaven.

Those who invest in eternity show that they have taken *hold of that which is life indeed.*

Real life, *life indeed,* is eternal life.

Believers must live their lives in light of eternity.

That is why the Lord Jesus Christ said in Luke 16:9, “Make friends for yourselves by means of the mammon of unrighteousness; that when it fails, they may receive you into the eternal dwellings.”

Christians should invest their money in the souls of men and women, who will be there to greet them and thank them when they arrive in heaven.[3]

/1 Timothy 6.17./

The /rich in this world/ are the members of the Christian community who are wealthy.

/In this world/ can be interpreted to refer either to physical existence as contrasted to spiritual existence, hence TEV “rich in the things of this life,” or to the present age contrasted to the coming one, hence NRSV “who in the present age are rich.”

The word for /charge/ is the same word used in 1.3 and 4.11 (“command”).

In this context it carries the meaning of “warn” or “strongly urge.”

/Haughty/ is literally “to think of exalted things” but with the meaning “to be arrogant,” that is, to act in such a way as to give the impression that one is more important than anyone else.

Other ways of rendering /haughty/ are “in their hearts they think they are great,” “they think that they are chiefs,” or figuratively “have rising hearts.”[4]

When rich believers share, what they actually /lay up/ (as if it were a treasure) is /a firm foundation for the coming age./

The building metaphor with the time reference communicates an important truth.

Responsible living in this life is a necessary building block or stepping-stone to /the coming age./

For the rich, responsible use of wealth (sharing, giving) is evidence of genuine faith.

In this way they “work out their salvation” in this age.

This practical evidence of new life provides unshakable certainty that one’s future hope is secure.

Thus it becomes possible for them to /take hold of the life that is truly life,/ which is the same possibility held out to Timothy (the faithful minister, the faithful believer) in 6:12.

It is true of each that responsible behavior is closely tied to realization of the Christian hope of eternal life.

In the case of wealthy Christians, by exchanging temporary material wealth for spiritual wealth, they may exchange this fleeting life for eternal life.[5]

| /Trust in God leads to:/ | /Trust in riches leads to:/ |

| Peace | Anxiety |

| Service of others | Self-centeredness |

| Satisfaction | Dissatisfaction |

| Humility | Arrogance |

| Certainty | Uncertainty |

| Contentment | Restless greed |

[6]

Verse 10 does not teach that money is the root of all evil, or even that the love of money is the root of all evil; but that the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.

Money itself is not neutral; it is basically defiled.

Jesus called money “unrighteous mammon” (Luke 16:9, 11), and Paul called it “filthy lucre” (1 Tim.

3:3, 8; Titus 1:7, 11).

Money can be invested for eternity by bringing Christ to lost people, or it can send a man to hell by becoming his god.

You find both examples in Luke 16.

Every one of the Ten Commandments can be broken because of money.

Because of a desire for money, people have denied God, blasphemed His name, stolen, lied, murdered, committed adultery, and so on.

A lust for material things makes people wander (err) from the faith, and this leads to shipwreck.

They look for pleasure but find pain and sorrows.[7]

Author Tony Campolo tells how he disembarked from a plane only to discover he was scheduled to speak to a group of women at a World Day of Prayer event he had forgotten about.

He rushed over to the meeting—held at a large, wealthy church—and arrived exhausted, not knowing what to say to the women gathered for the conference.

Before calling him to speak, the leader of the meeting produced a letter from a missionary in Venezuela.

Campolo relates:

She read this letter from this missionary who had a hospital, and they needed $5,000 desperately to put an extension on the hospital because they couldn't handle all the patients.

She turned to me, and she said, "Reverend, would you please lead us in prayer that the Lord would provide for our sister in Venezuela?"

And I said, "No!"

She was taken back by that.

I stood up, and I said, "I'll tell you what I will do"—and it was a good day to pull it off because I was only carrying $2.25—I pulled out my wallet, and I pulled out the two dollars and a quarter, and I slapped it down on the pulpit and I said, "That 's all the money I'm carrying.

Madame Chairman, I want you to put all the cash you're carrying on the pulpit."

And there were about 1,000 women in this group.

I said, "I'm going to ask each of you to do the same.

No checks.

Just the cash you're carrying.

Bring it up.

Lay it on the altar.

We'll count up the money, and if we don't have enough, I will ask God to write out a check for the difference."

The woman took out $110 of unadulterated cash and put it with my $2.25.

A hundred and ten dollars in cash!

Why didn't I marry somebody like that?

I said, "We're on our way; we've got $112.25."

I said, "You're next," and I pointed to a woman on the front row.

She looked around.

I said, "I'm serious.

Come up here and put your money on the altar."

You see, I come from a black church, and you know that's the way you take up an offering, you see.

And she sheepishly came up and put her money on it, and I said, "Okay let's line up and do it one by one."

And they did it!

Money kept on piling up and piling up and piling up.

When it was all over, we counted the cash.

And we had over $7,000, instead of the five that was being required!

And I know we didn't get it all because I could see women giving me dirty looks as they walked by.

And I said, "The sheer audacity of asking God for $5,000, when God has already provided more than $7,000."

/Citation:/ Tony Campolo, from remarks made at the Religious Liberty Council luncheon (6-27-03); source: http:~/~/www.bjcpa.org~/Pages~/Resources~/Pubs~/Campolospeech..html; submitted by Eric Sparrman, Shawnee, Kansas

A husband and wife team of researchers, the founders of /Empty Tomb, Inc./, in Champaign, Illinois, have tracked American and American Christian expenditures as well as global needs.

John and Sylvia Ronsvalle have estimated that $70-$80 billion a year could meet the most essential human needs around the world.