1 Timothy - Part 4 - The Bling Chapter

1 Timothy 6 - The Bling Chapter

There was guy walking along the street one day with his mate. Up in the

distance he saw his mate's younger brother.

He grabbed his friend's arm excitedly and said, "Check this out. Check this

out. Your brother is so stupid."

And he went up to his friend's younger brother and held out a $2 coin and a

$1coin - one in each hand. He said to the young kid, "You can choose which

coin I give to you. Will it be the $2 coin or the $1 coin?"

Without hesitation, the kid reached out and grabbed the $1 coin.

"See? What did I tell you? Your brother is stupid! I've done this a hundred

times and he never learns!" And laughing, he walked away.

His friend looked at his younger brother in confusion and said, "Why didn't

you take the $2 coin? You know it's worth more."

A slow smile spread over his brother's face and he replied, "Yeah, but the

first time I take the $2 will be the last time I get free money."

Background - dilution disease spreaders trying to make fast buck out of

spirituality.

If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound

instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, 4 he is

conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in

controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife,

malicious talk, evil suspicions 5 and constant friction between men of

corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that

godliness is a means to financial gain. (1 Timothy 6:3-5)

Paul wanting Timothy to make three movements:

1. Invest in life, not money.

Callum - I was brought up being told two things - the purpose of life is to

be happy, and the way to be happy is to have money.

For him, his life purpose became to make money.

For dilution disease spreaders in church in Ephesus, the opportunities of

life were there to squeeze money from.

. Life was there to allow them to make money.

. Paul: money is there to allow us to live life.

"Timothy, don't be sucked in! You don't need things to enjoy life!"

6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought

nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we

have food and clothing, we will be content with that.

What does it mean to invest in life rather than money? Value:

1. Godliness - living in a relationship of trust and dependence on Jesus.

2. Simplicity - not depending on possessions for your quality of life.

3. Contentment - being satisfied with what you have.

How do we grow in simplicity?

1. Ask the question, "Do I need this?"

2. If you haven't used something in 12 months, throw it away.

Illustration of Kelly.

How do we grow in contentment?

Illustration of Brett with cell phone

1. Get into the discipline of thanking God for what you have.

2. Think about those who have less than you, not those who have more.

2. Invest in your inner world not your outer world.

9 People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into

many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and

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

Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced

themselves with many griefs. 11 But you, man of God, flee from all

this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and

gentleness.

Jesus once said: 'where your treasure is, there your heart will be also'

(Matthew 6:21)

The things that you value most will be the things that you tie your soul

and your destiny to.

Paul echoes this: some people have placed so much value on their external

world - the money they have - the possessions they can get - that their

inner life of faith has shrivelled up and died.

'Plunged into ruin and destruction.'

Paul - "Timothy, do you value . really value . your inner qualities - the

character that makes up Timothy when all his stuff is stripped away? Pursue

righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness."

How do we invest in our inner world and not our outer world?

1 key way is to ask this question about your possessions - 'how much would

it knock me if this thing was taken away from me?'

Callum - motor-head (I am not - dip-stick, hub-cap)

. Beautiful midnight blue Ford Falcon

. Mags

. Engine that throbbed attitude

. Turn on the key and testosterone would start flowing.

. "This car belongs to God"

3. Invest in the next life not this life.

12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to

which you were called when you made your good confession in the

presence of many witnesses.

Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor

to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their

hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.

18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be

generous and willing to share. 19 In this way they will lay up

treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so

that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.

The way that we use our money in this life will affect in some way the life

you and I live in heaven.

I once went tramping with a group of friends down near Wellington. We were

to tramp into the bush and up to a hut and stay that night there and come

back the next day. Before we left, one of the guys came up to me with a

cunning idea - "Wouldn't it be great", he said, "if we could tramp six

hours, arrive at the hut and then kick off our smelly socks, get into our

sleeping bags, pull out a pack of cards . and eat ice-cream!"

I said, "Yes, of course that would be nice, but it's never going to happen

because any icecream we take with us will be a melted puddle of chocolate

sludge half an hour into the tramp."

"Ah . we'll see about that!", he replied with a grin.

The next day my friend turned up with his pack . and a four litre container

of tip-top chocolate ice-cream encased in a solid block of ice! He had put

the ice-cream in a bucket of water and whacked it in the deep freeze over

night.

As he put it into his pack, I said to him, "That ice-burg you've got must

weigh more than 5kg. Your pack is going to be so heavy, you are going to

struggle."

But he smiled and said, "it will be worth it at the other end!"

And you know? He was right!

He lugged that melting polar ice-cap up half a mountain, and that night,

miles from electricity we played cards in our sleeping bags with torches

glowing gently and happily ate the fruit of the Tip Top factory.

My mate's was prepared to sacrifice comfort for six hard hours because he

knew it would be worth it at the other end.

Paul: "Timothy - you are going to face temptation after temptation to focus

on what is in your hands right now."

But Timothy - focus on what it's going to be like when you reach your

destination.

Be generous. Sacrifice some comfort. Give up a bit of status. Invest your

money in the lives of others and not yourself.

Sure it might force you to rely more on God to come through.

Sure it will make life more of an adventure.

But by doing this, you will be investing in your destination . and it's

gonna be worth it!