Sermon Outline
Text: 1 Tim 6:3-21
March Madness
Only reason I watched – looking for sermon illustration
Mercer
David and Goliath
Jabari Parker lost, Andrew Wiggins lost
Kevin Canevari – Mercer dancer extraordinaire
Bball – bench player – they are not that good
Christian – bench player – playing the role of Christian vs. actually playing in the game
Thesis: Paul’s exhortation at the end of the letter – brothers and sisters, it’s time to get into the game. This is not March Madness. This is life and death. Eternity hangs in the balance. We need to fight for what is real.
True Doctrine vs False Doctrine
v3 – true doctrine promotes godliness
v4-5 – what is godliness? 1 Tim 3:16
What does false doctrine promote?
v5 – “godliness” as a means for material gain
v6 – godliness with contentment – godliness is an end in itself
True gospel – being with Jesus and becoming like Jesus in the process is the end goal of your life
False gospel – uses “godliness” as a means to some other end
In this case, using godliness as a means to material gain
Pastor of largest Pentecostal church in the world in South Korea (one million members) – accused of embezzling $12 million from his church
v6-8 – food + clothing = contentment
Do we live this way?
Were babies born with smartphones in their hands? When we die, will we take our 401K with us?
No mention of American Dream
2 Masters
Matt 6:24 – God or Money
Money is a neutral word – you can have a lot of it or a little of it
v9-10 – love of money is the problem
v10 – “Craving” – eating foods – craving outweighs actual experience
Think of your favorite meal: starve yourself all day, so hungry, eat a few bites and the law of diminishing returns hits.
Longing for food is better than food itself.
At the end of the meal, you feel nasty and you think, I don’t need to eat that for another year.
Psalms – hunger and thirst for God
Dangerous to crave money over God
What does love of money lead to?
v10 – worst possible outcome – wandering away from faith
How does a love of money lead to a wandering away from the faith?
It happens very gradually. Small steps.
v17 – arrogance
v17 – transfer of hope
v17 – forget the Giver of money
It’s my money, I earned it
Kids – it’s mine – technically not true – parents paid for it
Teach kids to say thank you
Teach adults to say thank you to God
He gave you your parents, gene pool, IQ, opportunities – everything is from God
Two wrong attitudes toward money
Loving money is wrong
Another wrong attitude is to say, money doesn’t matter at all
You have both attitudes in 1 Tim 5
First, loving money
1 Tim 5:3-8
Question arose – which widows should get supported by the church?
Context is financial support for the widows – married women who are now single
Times have changed, but back in the first century, men were the primary breadwinners
Husband dies – surviving widow suffered greatly financially
A genuine widow – no surviving family, not just husband, no children, no grandchildren
Their attitude toward money – it’s my money, unwilling to share with their own family – Paul says, these guys are worse than an unbeliever
Our attitude toward money is a big deal
Second, in 1 Tim 5, you also have the attitude of those who say, money, who cares?
1 Tim 5:9-16
If you are a widow who is at least 60 years old AND v10 – you have raised kids, shown hospitality to strangers, washed the saints’ feet, helped the afflicted and you have a proven track record of doing good works, then and only then you are eligible to receive money from church.
Who should NOT be on the official support list of the church?
Younger widows
Why? They lack a proven track record of good works. Character.
Instead, their behavior reveals a questionable character. Idle, gossips, busybodies, saying things they shouldn’t say. Slander. Cause disunity.
Same thing happened at the church at Thessalonica
What’s their attitude toward money? Irresponsible. Money is not important. God will provide.
They burdened others. Let them work so that you can sit at home and lounge around.
If you are a younger widows, don’t be a burden to the church.
Go get a job, if possible, get married, learn how to sacrifice and deny yourself by raising kids, be well known for good works even toward those outside of your immediate family.
Testimony
Used to think that money doesn’t matter
Easy to say when you have none
Graduated before the dotcom bubble burst – Onflow, Caregiverzone, Kivera, missions was hard, what could have been
What should our attitude toward money be?
Thank God, the Giver – grace
v17 – “uncertainty of wealth” – God may take it away
Don’t put ultimate hope in money
v18-19 – Since it is a gift, money is not something to be hoarded but it is a God-given tool to bless others
How should we use our money?
v18 – do what is good
v18 – be RICH in good works
v18 – be generous
v18 – willing to share
v19 – storing up for themselves a good reserve for the age to come
v19 – take hold of life that is real
Real life vs. false life
v17 – loving money, craving money – produces arrogance
v19 – take hold of life that is REAL – odd phrase
v19 – “age to come” – In a deep and profound way, this life is a dress rehearsal for the life to come.
A love for money is just one indicator of a person who is living a false life
Why is the issue more than just money? Because v11 – run from THESE things (plural)
Run from disputes and arguments over words (v4), envy, quarreling, slander, evil suspicions (v4) and constant disagreement (v5)
v4 – conceited person understands NOTHING
Deeper issue is pride
What do you take pride in? What do you hold onto in order to feel proud? It doesn’t have to be money. Intelligence. Degrees. A title of “doctor” in front of your name.
Luke 1:46-55 – Mary’s Magnificat – Luke 1:51- imaginary world of pride
Spiritual life vs physical life
Real life vs false life
False life or physical life – earthbound, hope is here and now, imaginary, based on one’s pride
Real life or spiritual life – heavenward, living for the age to come, true, based on humility, hungers and thirsts for godliness/Jesus and becomes increasingly godly or like Jesus
Real life – godliness with contentment is great gain
Jesus plus nothing is everything
You have everything but no Jesus and you have nothing
Scary – start in faith and end in sight
Need to fight for what is Real
v11-12
Fight for your soul
Satan is trying everything he can to trip us up
What does it look to fight for your soul?
Two steps: 1) run from and 2) run to
What are we to run from? Run from disputes and arguments over words (v4), envy, quarreling, slander, evil suspicions (v4) and constant disagreement (v5)
Run from the love of money.
Love from anything that may cause you to be proud.
A proud life is a false life. Run from these things – step 1.
Step 2 – what are we to run to? Pursue godliness. Pursue Jesus. Run to Jesus.
What are our weapons? Prayer and God’s Word. Fight to keep these things as the main things of your life.
Invest in the age to come.
Your spiritual life is more real than March Madness, grad school admission, finding a spouse, how much you make
Every day we are battling for souls, starting with our own
Take hold of eternal life, life that is real
Hunger for Jesus.
Crave for Jesus.
Thirst for Jesus.
Let Him satisfy you.
He won’t disappoint you.
Don’t settle for counterfeits.
Godliness with contentment is great gain. Only Jesus.
This is real life.
End with Prayer from 1 Tim 6:13-16