Christian: Conduct regarding money
Life as the church: Book of 1Timothy • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 1:03:44
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An important subject
An important subject
Money impacts physically, spiritually and mentally, no wonder there is much in the bible about it.
(Insert money key words PowerPoint slide here)
Look at those words, would you think they accurately speak about money and what we think or may do with it?
Bible speaks a great deal about money and Paul is instructing Timothy for the church some great truths and reminders.
There are some misconceptions about money to address first:
Money provides ultimate security (Pro23:4-5; Lk12:15)
4 Do not weary yourself to gain wealth, Cease from your consideration of it. 5 When you set your eyes on it, it is gone. For wealth certainly makes itself wings Like an eagle that flies toward the heavens.
God condemns the rich for being, well, rich.
Can’t put a scripture here for there is none that fit. Now it is true God hates dishonest gain (Pro11:1)
Money should not be a priority (Jm4:13)
Wants us not to hoard it, but to be compassionate with it (Jm5:1-6)
There are some good examples of rich people in the bible that used riches in godly way: Job, Abraham, Joseph, David, Solomon, and Barnabas are a few examples.
Rich and poor have some of the same fights:
Envy of others
Greed for more.
This morning as we look at the instructions for godly conduct for the church Timothy is given some good reminders:
Reminders for those who are not rich
Warnings for those who want to get rich
Commands for those who are rich
Reminders
Reminders
Commercials, billboards, print ad’s all tell you of the things that will make your life better. Most of them entail money. But what if you don’t have any? Paul gives some godly conduct instructions for the church for those that are money challenged.
The world wants you to have money, seek for more money, but you know there are those of the supposed church that believe the same too.
(Insert: Prosperity Gospel picture here)
I’m confident you have heard of the prosperity gospel, or health and wealth gospel, Wikipedia says: is a religious belief among some Protestant Christians that financial blessing and physical well-being are always the will of God for them, and that faith, positive speech, and donations to religious causes will increase one's material wealth.
May we know that this is contrary to the scripture and for those who are not rich, Paul gives some godly instructions.
Don’t think that Christianity is just a way to get rich (1Tim6:5-6)
5 and constant friction between men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain.
It was the belief of some then, just as it is of some today that religion as a means to get rich
6 But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment.
Godliness is of great gain when accompanied by contentment (Php4:11-12).
11 Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. 12 I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.
Contentment comes with the proper perspective on life (1Tim6:7)
7 For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either.
Proper perspective is you cannot take it with you, you came in with nothing and will leave with nothing.
Proper perspective is understanding true necessities of this life
8 If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content.
Contentment is knowing to be content with food and covering (clothing) for even shelter is not required for many life (some by choice) without shelter.
Contentment, may you consider(Heb13:5-6)
5 Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,” 6 so that we confidently say, “The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?”
(Transition): Contentment, learning to be and being content is a great help, a great reminder to those who are not rich.
Warnings to those who want to get rich
Warnings to those who want to get rich
We mentioned (Jm4:13) earlier about wanting to get rich and there is dangers in that, so may we take a few to look at what Paul had to say, as well as others.
Start with our passage
9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
Warning regarding pursuing (desiring) riches (1Tim6:9; Pro28:20)
Desire: (N) a strong feeling of wanting to have something or wishing for something to happen.
One commentator stated “those who have a firm resolve, a strong determination. One who is possessed with the thought of getting rich. Such a one will fail
20 A faithful man will have many blessings, but one in a hurry to get rich will not go unpunished.
Hum, the certainty of the fall, or being punished, let me put the verse back up here again.
9 But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction.
The fall:
Temptation: Strong desire to do something, especially something wrong or unwise
Snare: something by which one is entangled, involved in difficulties, or impeded: something deceptively attractive.
Foolish and harmful lusts: Having lust, or eager desire of carnal gratification;
The results:
Ruin
Destruction
The warning about the love of money (1Tim6:10; Mt6:24; Pro28:20)
10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
Notice the wording here, many have said that money is the root of all evil, and that is not what it says.
It is the love of money, not the money itself
It is “a” root; not the root of all kinds of evil
Those with the love of money has dire consequences
They will stray from the faith
24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.
They will suffer many sorrows
20 Committed and persistent work pays off; get-rich-quick schemes are ripoffs.
The more you have, the more you want so you can have more so you want more, it can be a vicious cycle and money becomes an idol, a root of all kinds of evil.
(Transition) Paul is not done with the instructions for conduct regarding money, now he turns to address those who are rich, and not just him, so let’s see what we can learn.
Commands for those who are rich
Commands for those who are rich
So, remember, money itself is not evil, being rich is not evil. Now we turn to some good godly instructions for those who are rich.
17 Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. 18 Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share,
19 storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.
Instruction: Do not be haughty (1Tim6:17; Jm4:6)
Don’t be high minded or conceited , remember everything you have is from God.
6 But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
God gives greater grace to the humble.
Instruction: Do not trust in uncertain riches (1Tim6:17; (Lk12:15-21)
I think it would be smart to stop and dig into a passage some. A parable that our Lord uses.
15 Then He said to them, “Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.” 16 And He told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man was very productive.
17 “And he began reasoning to himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?’ 18 “Then he said, ‘This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.
19 ‘And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.” ’ 20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?’
21 “So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”
Do not trust uncertain riches, that comes from greed, for our life is not made up of our possessions.
Look again at (v.21) Don’t store up riches for yourself for the one who does is not rich toward God.
I would be unfair to stop there, I have to give the rest of Jesus instructions.
22 And He said to His disciples, “For this reason I say to you, do not worry about your life, as to what you will eat; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. 23 “For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing.
then goes back to examples of ravens and the lilies and even Solomon (vv.24-28) then back to some instructions
29 “And do not seek what you will eat and what you will drink, and do not keep worrying. 30 “For all these things the nations of the world eagerly seek; but your Father knows that you need these things.
31 “But seek His kingdom, and these things will be added to you.
Do not seek the temporal (things you eat, drink put on)
Seek His kingdom!
Instruction: Be rich in good works (1Tim6:18)
18 Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share,
Timothy is instructed to instruct the rich to be rich in good works
To be generous and ready to share
Instruction: Store up a good foundation for eternal life (1Tim6:19)
19 storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed.
A foundation not in the temporal, the things than can be eaten, rot away or rust, but fort he future, for that life which is life indeed, that is eternal life.
(Conclusion)
We have addressed the struggling
Don’t be envious, learn to be content
We have addressed the greedy
It will be a snare, that can cause you to stray from the faith and you to suffer many sorrows.
We have addressed the rich
You are blessed, don’t rest, trust in your riches, tap into eternal life which is by love, by cultivating generosity.
(Transition to invitation) (insert invitation slide riches of His grace)
Riches, there is still more riches to speak on today.
According to Eph1:7 (not on a slide, just quote it) - His grace
7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace
Or the riches of His mercy Eph2:4 (not on a slide, just quote it)
4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,
Or the riches of His glory Php4:19
19 And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
True riches found in Christ Jesus (deliver invitation now)
(Song) (Prayer) (Exit)