Sermon Tone Analysis

(ESV) —3 If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, 4 he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing.

He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, 5 and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain.

6 But godliness with contentment is great gain, 7 for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.

8 But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.

9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.

10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils.

It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

summarizes a main focus in this passage.

summarizes a main focus in this passage.

In 1993, the hip-hop group, Wu-Tang Clan, released a song entitled, “Cream.”

Cream is an acronym for

10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils.

It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

C.R.E.A.M.

In 1993, the hip-hop group, Wu-Tang Clan, released a song entitled, “Cream.”

Cream is an acronym for Cash Rules Everything Around Me.”

Cash Rules Everything Around Me.

The group depicts black kids moving from poverty in the ghetto to people with lavish lifestyles driving Mercedes.

The word “Cream” has become a slang word for money.

The song says, “Cash rules everything around me, C.R.E.A.M., get the money; dollar, dollar bill,y’all.”

The love of money has landed a lot of people in jail.

The love of money has destroyed marriages.

The love of money has caused people to work all their lives to build up money that is given to the government and medical facilities.

The love of money is misplaced love.

Love God, love people, don’t love money.

(ESV) —24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.

You cannot serve God and money.

Don’t be deceived.

You cannot serve both.

Many people have opted to make more money and have ended up spiritually ineffective.

They would confess with their lips that they want to serve God, but in their life, they would live a CREAM, Cash rules everything around me.

Don’t be deceived.

You cannot serve both.

Many people have opted to make more money and have ended up spiritually ineffective.

They would confess with their lips that they want to serve God, but in their life, they would live a CREAM, Cash rules everything around me.

There is a difference between a need for money and a love of money.

The elders were to receive double honor because their dedication to the church made it difficult to work at another job.

If they devoted time to the church, they could not be out fishing.

They needed money for food, clothing and shelter.

In Ephesus, the love of money fueled the false teachers.

The text doesn’t say how this happened.

It doesn’t say if the false teachers took offerings or required people to pay to go to their seminars.

What it does say is that the love of money motivated those who were leading people astray.

(ESV) —3 If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, 4 he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing.

He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, 5 and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain.

How can godliness be a means of gain?

How can godliness be a means of gain?

There is only one way that godliness can be a means of gain.

One has to redefine godliness.

That is exactly what happened in Ephesus.

First, false teachers depart from the words of Jesus.

If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness,

Notice that these false teachers did not depart from Jesus, they departed from the wholesome or sound words of Jesus.

Notice that these false teachers did not depart from Jesus, they departed from the wholesome or sound words of Jesus.

I have heard people say that what Jesus taught is not for today, that it is a different dispensation.

Paul says, “Don’t listen to a teacher that does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

He does not say, “Don’t listen to a teacher that does not agree with Jesus,” rather he says, “Don’t listen to a teacher that doesn’t agree with Jesus’ words.”

Jesus told the apostles,

Those who say Jesus’ words are not for today disagree with both Jesus and with Paul.

(ESV) —20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.

And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Those who say Jesus’ words are not for today disagree with both Jesus and with Paul.

When we read the words of Jesus, we realize that some of what he taught dealt with the nation of Israel.

One can see that in the text.

We also can see some changes such at the indwelling of the Holy Spirit before and after the day of Pentecost.

Or we might see that Jesus is addressing a specific situation that may not be repeated.

The principles are good for today, but the issue of his day might not be the specific issue that we face.

To discard Jesus’ teachings and regulate them to a different dispensation or to say that what Jesus said was good then, but we are more enlightened now, is to cross a line that Paul does not want Timothy to cross.

Second, false teachers thrive on pride.

he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing.

He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, 5 and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain.

:he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing.

He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, 5 and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain.

Among many false teachers is a real sense of arrogance.

They have it together, they understand, and anyone who says anything else is stupid, ignorant, and below them.

Among many false teachers is a real sense of arrogance.

They have it together, they understand, and anyone who says anything else is stupid, ignorant, and below them.

False teachers don’t like to be challenged and often dismiss those who challenge them.

Pride leads to frustration and frustration breeds a lack of understanding.

Challenging false teachers often needs to be done, but one can expect real pushback.

One danger of false teachers is the way they used the Bible.

Two trends I have seen in dealing with people.

First, they won’t open a Bible and discuss or defend their position from scripture.

Their pride causes them to dismiss any concerns you may have as a waste of their time.

Second, if they do open the Bible, they won’t stay in one place.

You try to explain one passage and they will not interact on that one passage, but jump to another.

“What about this?” they will say.

When you answer that, instead of listening, they will jump to a third passage and so on.

Meaningful conversation does not take place.

Which leads to the third point, false teachers create controversy.

he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing.

He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, 5 and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain.

False teachers crave controversy.

They enjoy getting into it.

False teachers crave controversy.

They enjoy getting into it.

False teachers also fight over words.

If you don’t define it correctly in their eyes, they will spend a lot of time trying to get you to understand what the words mean, rather than engaging in the truth that was intended to be discussed.

It’s not that people don’t understand, that all controversy is wrong, that there isn’t a place for defining words, it’s rather that when you meet an arrogant person who stirs up controversy and if focused on word meaning, you are meeting a person who is dangerous for your spiritual health.

If you engage with this person you may be one of the people described in verse 5,