Every Jackpot is a Good Jackpot

Are you content?

I don’t mean happy.

Happiness is fleeting and it depends on circumstances.

You go to a restaurant and the appetizers are sumptuous.

The entree’ is perfectly prepared and tastes incredible.

The company is good - every one is laughing and happy and it’s a wonderful evening.

But dessert comes and it’s only so so.

And then your liberal cousin Eddie picks an argument with your reactionary cousin Wilhelm.

And what was a happy, fun occasion isn’t happy any more.

Happy is fleeting and depends on circumstances.

But contentment is different.

Are you content?

For many of us today, Paul’s words to Timothy will be a much needed reminder.

However, for a few of us, these words will be a revelation.

Our scripture today is 1 Timothy 6:2b-10.

Go ahead and look it up in your Bibles.

If you are watching by live stream, pick up your Bible too so you can follow along.

If you are here and don’t have one with you, there is no shame in using the one in the pew rack.

And if you don’t personally own a Bible, please take one of ours home as a gift from us.

There’s plenty where that one came from and we’d be blessed if you’d receive the Bible as a gift.

If you’ve ever driven to Macon, you’ve seen the billboard.

It’s at the intersection of Gray Highway and 2nd street across the street from the abandoned Bojangles.

At the bottom of the billboard you’ll see the words, “Every Jackpot is a Good Jackpot.”

It’s a Georgia Lottery Billboard and in giant numbers it tells you what the next Mega Millions and Power Ball jackpots will be.

If you’ve driven that way you’ve seen it.

And I would be willing to bet - pun intended - that when you see the billboard and the numbers are especially large, you do what I do.

You daydream about what you would do if you won the lottery.

One time one of the jackpots went over a billion dollars - what would you do with that kind of money?

Now, here’s the deal.

Let’s suppose when you saw that number, you bought a ticket to play.

You know the odds are astronomical but lightning does strike on occasion, but really, it’s two bucks.

We waste more than that on any give cup of overpriced Starbucks coffee.

It’s not immoral - you won’t die and go to hell - you simply bought a ticket on a daydream.

But what if it becomes something different for you?

Right now you have plenty of food and money to pay your bills and go on all kinds of trips and buy all kinds of toys.

But what if it started burning a whole in your soul that you’ve got to have more money - that what you have - as much as it is - just isn’t enough.

Not because you are in desperate straights to survive, but because being rich sounds like a lot more fun than being comfortable.

I use the lottery as the illustration but what if your entire life revolves around acquiring money?

Not because you are poor and are wondering where your next meal is coming from.

But because you are comfortable - quite comfortable.

And enough has become never enough.

And more always means more and more.

What does...

What does that say about Jesus?

1 Timothy 6:2–10 (ESV)

Teach and urge these things. 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, 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, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain. But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. 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. 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.

We know that the Ephesian church had issues.

We know that Paul sent Timothy to that church to help take care of those issues.

Their problem was their leadership and what they were teaching.

The leadership of the Church - of every Church - is tasked with Proclaiming and Protecting the Gospel.

That’s the foundation of the church.

But the Ephesian elders had picked up the idea that what you believe doesn’t have to affect how you act.

You could simply act any which way and you’d still be OK with God.

They separated the spiritual from the physical.

They believed that what you did in the body should always result in your physical comfort and pleasure.

And as long as you believed the right things regardless really of how you acted, well, you were good with God.

Paul told Timothy - you’ve got to fix this.

1 Timothy 6:2b “...Teach and urge these things.”

We’re going to do a lot of definitions today because words matter - and we need to take those meanings to heart.

Paul says teach and urge.

Teach we know - but urge.

You could say exhort - but what does that mean.

Urge could be rendered console or encourage.

That didn’t bowl you over but it did me, and here’s why.

If you are broken, you are hurting and crying, and someone consoles you - what are they doing?

They are telling you - maybe not in words just yet, but in presence - that everything is going to be alright.

Am I wrong?

For the widow that just lost her husband of decades, would you console her are by saying, “You are right honey, your life is over.

“You will be destitute and you will end up on Medicaid in some decrepit, roach infested nursing home with no one even knowing when you die.”

Is that how you console someone?

“Oh yes, this is the end of your life - I don’t know how you’ll keep on going. I’d probably kill myself.”

No, nobody with an ounce of anything does that.

Console means you tell them, “I know it looks like the end of the world, but it’s not.

“You will be OK.

“Everything will work out.

Listen, listen, you are saying, - “God will see to it.”

Paul is telling Timothy - there are some hurt folks in this church.

They are being beat up in two ways.

People are telling them they don’t believe right and the people around them are living large while they aren’t.

Comfort them Timothy.

Console them with these words from the Lord.

These words that you and I are studying right here, right now, today, were written to console us.

To assure us that God’s got this.

1 Timothy 6:3-4 “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, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing...”

What is the Church’s job?

What is our jobs as Christians?

We are to Proclaim and Protect the gospel.

Can you articulate the gospel in 3 sentences?

Jesus came to seek and to save the lost.

He died on a cross and rose from the grave so that anyone who calls on the name of Jesus will be saved.

And one day, Jesus is going to make all things new.

The gospel is Jesus.

The gospel is only Jesus.

It is not Jesus and...

It is not Jesus but....

It is Jesus.

Teach people and console people with that good news.

Teach people and console people with Jesus.

Jesus is all we’ve got and when we take Jesus at His word, He is all we need.

What is the proof that the Gospel is being taught?

People act differently.

If what you believe does not affect how you act, then you don’t believe it.

If what you believe does not affect how you act, then you don’t believe it.

If you, if your Pastor, if your Church is teaching the sound words of Jesus, you will see church members act differently from everybody else

And it’s because of Jesus.

Jesus makes the difference.

But if you see - watch this - when you see teachers who are conceited and have their own version of the gospel - you’d better watch out.

Because the person following Jesus will end up looking more and more like Jesus.

The person following another gospel will involve themselves in more and more controversies.

A controversy - here’s a definition - listen so you can update your understanding - a controversy is a forceful difference of opinion without necessarily having a goal of seeking a solution.

In other words - you don’t want to fix anything, you just want to argue someone into submission.

A person following another gospel will want to fight over words.

These teachers will not produce followers who look like Jesus.

Instead, you will see people who envy.

Envy, we need to define that to make sure we aren’t people who envy - envy is a state of ill will toward someone because of some real or perceived advantage experienced by someone.

In 2022, someone who teaches a gospel that produces envy might say, “We need to make sure corporations and the rich pay their fair share.”

That’s envy.

These teachers cause dissension - that’s a fancy word for conflict.

They will cause people to slander each other - that’s a great word.

See if you’ve heard the Greek word somewhere else - Blasphemai.

When we slander someone we blaspheme them.

We speak - listen - we speak against someone in such a way as to harm or injure their reputation - that’s what blasphemy is.

When someone blasphemes against God, they are speaking in such a way as to harm or injure God’s reputation.

Evil suspicions - that to have an opinion based on very little or no evidence with the implication of regarding a false opinion as true.

It’s “constant friction,” continuous, never ending, repeated tirelessly, over and over again, ad infinitum, ad nauseum.

You know - network news.

You can’t be happy, unless everyone else is just like you.

So either drag them down or become one of them.

Paul has hard words for these teachers.

They are depraved - that’s immoral.

They are deprived of the truth - they are ignorant.

They think that by believing their right thing - their truth - they can have comfort and pleasure all day every day.

Their best life now.

1 Timothy 6:6 “But godliness with contentment is great gain,”

Contentment doesn’t mean settling, either.

I’ve heard folks say to folks, “Your standards are just too high - no one will ever meet your standards - you need to adjust what you want.”

Jesus isn’t telling us that.

Jesus isn’t telling us to settle for second best.

Jesus is telling us what these people are teaching - what they are offering - that IS second best.

That having your best life now - having all of the possessions and sacrificing God Himself only knows what to have all of this stuff.

That is second best -what are you sacrificing so you can have second best?

Paul’s got a great argument to prove it that our constant struggle for more is only second best.

1 Timothy 6:7 “for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.”

A friend of my from years past wrote a song that went:

You can’t take it with you when you go.

It’ll just be you and God and He’s going to run the show.

All of your possessions will be left behind on earth

Cause I’ve never seen a U-Haul, pulled behind a hearse.

Job said to his wife when he lost everything and she told him to just give up - curse God and die, Job said,: Job 1:20-22

Job 1:20–22 ESV

Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.

King Solomon who is one of the richest kings of all times said, Ec 5:15-16

Ecclesiastes 5:15–16 ESV

As he came from his mother’s womb he shall go again, naked as he came, and shall take nothing for his toil that he may carry away in his hand. This also is a grievous evil: just as he came, so shall he go, and what gain is there to him who toils for the wind?

The writer of the book Hebrews flips the script this way, Hebrews 13:5

Hebrews 13:5 ESV

Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

One of the saddest things I’ve heard in the last several weeks was Oklahoma Senator Jim Inhofe is retiring.

I don’t know much about Jim Inhofe.

I’ve heard his name.

He’s a republican for whatever that’s worth.

If his marriage means anything, he’s been married to the same woman, Kay Inhofe since 1959 - that’s 63 years.

What made his announcement sad to me is Jim Inhofe is 87 years old.

The clock ought to be ticking loudly in Mr. Inhofe’s ears yet day in, day out, he couldn’t give up being a part of the richest, most powerful group of men and women in the world.

At 87, he finally has had enough for some reason.

87 years old - and never content - always keeping a singular focus on more.

The end of the runway is coming up fast on Mr. Inhofe and when his wheels leave the ground.

He’ll be just another body buried in the dirt.

The words on his gravestone may be effusive and rich.

But anyone can have effusive and rich words carved on their headstone, even the poorest people.

One day we will hear that Jim Inhofe has died and on that day, he will be just another dead man.

What is important?

1 Timothy 6:8 “But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.”

What is the prayer Jesus taught us to pray?

“Give us this day our daily bread”

Today’s bread.

What did Jesus teach?

Matthew 6:25 ESV

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

Matthew 6:34 ESV

“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Why not worry?

Because of the Gospel - “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

1 Timothy 6:9-10 “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. 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.”

The literal word order is, “A root for all sorts of evil is the love of money.”

We don’t need to argue that right?

How many good people have we seen end in in jail, in addiction, in poverty, because, no matter how much they had, they never had enough.

Godliness with contentment is great gain

For this church, this is our temptation.

A bunch of type A personalities, doers and go-getters, let’s don’t wait for it to happen, let’s make it happen kind of folks.

We’ve got to be aware of two very deadly words - I want.

I submit to you that one of the bedrock issues in the decline of the United States is this very issue right here - I want.

We aren’t going to study through 2 Timothy because it recaps a lot of 1 Timothy, but listen to this: 2 Timothy 3:1-5

2 Timothy 3:1–5 ESV

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.

Lovers of self.

Lovers of money.

Lovers of pleasure.

But not lovers of Jesus.

So we see broken families.

Broken homes.

Drug and alcohol addiction.

Everyone is on anxiety meds.

Why?

Because the ruler of this world is working hard to lead you astray.

If you drive to Macon there is a big reminder from him that you really want more.

Any Jackpot is a good jackpot.

But Jesus follower, that’s really not us.

In a crowd of confusion and chaos, we must stand out.

Our contentment and peace needs to shine out like a beacon.

Our steadiness and rock solid determination to follow Jesus has to be evident.

And it will be - if our belief really makes a difference in what we do.

It’s true - and the more I live the more I know - “apart from Jesus, you, me, we, can do nothing,” except what everyone else is doing.

And why would we want that?

My brothers and sisters - repent.

We should always strive to do our best because we represent the best.

But Godliness with contentment is great gain.

And my friends who haven’t committed to Jesus yet.

An economic collapse could take every penny you own away from you.

But nothing, and I mean nothing, will ever take Jesus away from you.

Following Jesus and being content with that - it will change your life.