Audio Access Available Above
"Heavenly
Economics" • 6.19.16 • Calvary
Christian Fellowship, Sunday Morning Service
Intro.
- As we conclude this First Timothy, we are
aware that Paul's goal has been to clarify the goals and perameters of
appropriate Christian worship.
- He has addressed this in the church by
correcting abberant doctrinal slides and instructing Timothy on the selection
of bishops and deacons, whose character defines their calling.
- These issues are vital to the success of the
church and Paul makes it clear that this is the goal of his writing in I Timothy 3:14,15.
• I Timothy 3:14,15 : "These things I
write to you, though I hope to come to you shortly; but if I am
delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the
house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of
the truth." : You might term these "General" or
"Congregational" ideals.
- The entire church is to see itself when
gathered, as the church of the living God, the pillar and the ground of the truth.
- As such, within the church, there are defined
"Personal" ideals that must be met. Timothy is taught how to view his
relationship to certain segments of the church in chapters 4-6.
- Every section of the church is covered, from
the general congregation to masters and slaves. Beginning in 6:3, Paul addresses false teachers and
people with a covetous desire for riches.
- Timothy is to stand as a contrast to these
men by heeding Paul's exhortation to flee those attitudes by fighting the good
fight of faith and laying hold of eternal life.
- He's to consider His example, Jesus Christ,
who chose to honor the Kingdom of God over His own life, giving His life unto
death.
- Finally, He is to consider Christ's
exaltation. Jesus is going to appear on earth again, this time as the exalted
King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
- It's against this backdrop that we consider
this final section of First Timothy and the Lord's warning and exhortation to
the rich. Verse 17.
Text
•
I Timothy 6:17 : "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." : It seems as though Paul has already addressed the rich in this
book, but there is a distinction.
-
Earlier verses 6-10 of this chapter, Paul dealt with those who had a desire to
be rich. That is their most pressing goal in life. Here, he is addressing those
that were already rich.
-
Ephesus was a major banking center in the Roman world, some commentators even went
so far as to call it the "Wall Street" of the Roman empire.
-
The fact that Ephesus was also home to the Temple of Diana meant that
"worship" money was abundant. We might consider the Vatican City of
it's day.
-
It follows then that there were very wealthy members within the body of Christ.
Paul doesn't chide them for being wealthy. You can be a Christian and be
wealthy.
-
Paul has something to transmit to them from the Lord. Timothy is to command
them.
-
The same word that is translated "command" here is translated in 5:21 as "charge" and as
"urge" in 6:13.
-
In each case, there is a sense of transmitting an order or duty from the office
of the Commander. These aren't suggestions and Timothy isn't to consider them
as such.
-
In each of these words, whether we are "charged," "urged"
or "commanded," it's best to view them as our marching orders from
the Lord!
-
As with the other words, this is written in the present tense and the
imperitive voice. "You must be consistently commanding those who are rich."
-
To this point in the letter, Timothy has had instructions for the poor, as well
as the middle class. Here he speaks with the rich. They all exist together as
one unit before God.
-
If you are in the church of God, regardless of your position on Earth, you are
His servant! He has particular instructions for every economic reality.
-
These particular people are abounding with material resources. That blessing
comes with very difficult temptations which require biblical perspective.
-
Paul intimates this with his limitation, that they are abounding in this
present age. The Apostle is making sure that Timothy understands that their
abundance is necessarily temporary.
-
No matter how long you have your wealth, it will not transfer to your eternal
station! There isn't a currency in heaven that is affected by earthly means.
"If gold is used as the pavement . . ."
-
What material abundance that you have is from this present age and for this
present age! That has no bearing on how you relate to God or especially, how He
relates to you!
-
I can't think of a better example than the Rich Young Ruler, who came to Jesus
thinking that he could simply procure eternal life from Jesus, the way that he
bought bread!
-
Jesus allowed him to walk away unsatisfied. Paul wants to make sure that the
Ephesian believers avoid the same tragic pitfall.
-
This is why Timothy is instructed to urge them not to be haughty or high
minded. They are not to be arrogant because of their station.
-
We have noted in the past that commands appear because they are needed.
-
It's natural to believe that you are on top of the world and on top of God's
favor list when you have abundance! Timothy has to continually remind them that
this isn't the case.
-
Don't be arrogant because first, you are rich in this present age. For some,
that will be the best that they have because they are unfortunately very poor
in spiritual things.
-
That doesn't ever have to be the case, but it's been often the case that those
with the most have been the least generous in spiritual activities. All of
their wealth is material and temporal.
-
Second, Timothy is to remind them that their riches are fleeting. Paul tells
Timothy to command them not to trust, or put their confidence in uncertain
riches.
-
The NLT uses the word "unreliable." Consider also a few synonyms:
Untrustworthy, unpredictable and undependable! Common knowledge says money is a
difficult master to serve.
-
When you have it, you feel invincible, untouchable, but then, a few health
events can drain your resource to nothing! If your portfolio is tied up in the
stock market, good luck!
-
Soon, you are left feeling vulnerable and lost. This is why we aren't to put
our confidence in riches, but in the living God, who is certain, and who will
never fail or disappoint.
-
Now, please understand at this venture that having riches doesn't deter you
from being Godly or pleasing to God. Paul's point is simply not to identify
yourself with riches as an end!
-
Identify yourself with Christ, who is your true source of riches and understand
that what you have has been gifted to you for your enjoyment! He gives us
richly all things to enjoy.
-
That little word "us" there speaks volumes to me. Paul was a prisoner
at this time. He wasn't rich and yet, because he had Christ, he was in the same
boat as the rich in Ephesus!
-
He had the same privilege. He enjoyed a meal to satisfy his hunger. He had
sunsets to gaze upon. He had a fresh breeze flow through his hair. Because God
had Him, he had it all!
-
Consequently, if you have the blessing of wealth, know for certain it was God
who gave it to you for your enjoyment.
-
You might retort that you were the prime mover with regard to your wealth.
After all, it was your talent, your knowledge, your ideas which brought you
promotion.
-
Truly, if God had not given you the health and the wisdom, where would you have
been? Had he not allowed certain people to meet you, where might you be today?
-
All that we have comes from him. God is always presenting us with abundance
simply for our enjoyment. He doesn't intend for our heads to grow with self
satisfaction or to tie us up emotionally!
-
He gives us all things to enjoy, that we might be blessed on the Earth. Verse 18.
•
I Timothy 6:18,19 : "Let them do good, that they be rich
in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good
foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life." : Verse 17 taught the
rich how to think about themselves before God. Verses 18 and 19 teaches them
what they should do.
-
Let the rich be in the habit of doing good. Let them be always looking to do
good.
-
The purpose is that the rich would be rich in good works. It seems that the
word here is written in a way that expresses ever increasing riches.
-
On this Earth, there is a limit that will be reached in terms of what can be
earned. In your lifetime, there will come a time when you will either retire or
become unable to continue earning.
-
That is never the case with the riches that accrue in heaven. Now, please keep
in mind, that these riches in good works are not done to gain salvation. Heaven
forbid!
-
These good works are done from salvation! They come from a person that is
already saved. These are the only kinds of good works that heaven recognizes. So
let them be ready to give!
-
The words speak of having a desire in readiness to be liberal in distribution.
For those that are rich, let them be looking to give what they have with
liberality!
-
Let them follow the example that God has shown them! God has given to all of us
richly to enjoy. Let the rich follow suit and see their wealth as another
extension of God's graciousness!
-
Timothy is to teach them to be on the lookout, to have an eagerness to
distribute toward the need that they observe and to be willing to share or, as
the KJV reads, "ready to communicate."
-
The idea is that they are not just giving their material goods toward a person
in the body without any real connection to them. They aren't to simply "throw
money at problems and people!"
-
The idea is that they are to share themselves! Enter into a proper godly
relationship with the rest of the body! Don't be aloof, as if throwing money
around is simply the end. That is the means.
-
The end is to touch the need of another and be touched by your brothers and
sisters in Christ! This speaks to another danger with regard to riches:
Alienation.
-
The rich in this world unfortunately have to consider and make distinctions
regarding who really loves them and who really loves their money.
-
The body of Christ is not to be that way and when a wealthy person sees their
wealth as a gift from God and an extension of His care for His people, the wealthy
person can be at ease.
-
He can let his guard down and open his heart to those around him, to share in
God's grace.
-
Such people store or lay aside their treasure for future use. I've often seen
the corrolation between what is expended and what is valued.
-
What you save for and what you eventually invest in, receives great care and
treatment when it is finally in your possession.
-
When I am actively engaged in giving toward something, I find that my heart
follows and it shouldn't surprise me or you! Our Lord said that this would be
the truth of our condition.
•
Matthew 6:19-21 : "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on
earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither
moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." : In the same way that our feelings follow our faith, our hearts
will always follow our treasure! What you truly value will determine your
course in life here as well as there!
- In this case, as we look to invest ourselves
in the heavenlies, a foundation is being poured for the time that is about to
be! This is how the rich seize onto eternal life.
- Paul had told Timothy that he was to lay hold
onto eternal life by pursuing godly attributes and laying down his rights for
the Kingdom.
- In the same way, the rich are laying down
their rights to their own riches for the pursuit of the foundation that they
are pouring in heaven!
- As I consider this, what the Spirit seems to
communicate is that we are to be singleminded in our pursuit of eternal life.
- If I were falling from a cliff and two ropes
suddenly appeared, I would not choose both and trust the strength of both of my
hands.
- No, both of my hands would consolidate their
strength into one rope, so that my strength would be focused upon one outcome.
- That is the idea of seizing onto eternal
life. Let both of your hands grab with all their strength onto eternal life.
- In the years of pondering the plight of the
rich young ruler, I believe this to be his achilles heel. He wanted heaven, but
he wanted to keep one hand on the things of this earth!
- You may not consider yourself wealthy, even
though statistically, you have greater wealth than most of the world's
population, given the impoverished state of much of the globe!
- Don't let what you have on earth hinder you
from having heaven! Be rich toward God. Be well established in heaven. Paul
concludes this letter with one final appeal to Timothy. Verse 20.
• I Timothy 6:20,21 : " O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the
profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called
knowledge—by
professing it some have strayed concerning the faith. Grace be with you. Amen." : That "O" is evocative to me. There
is a yearning for Timothy, not in terms of friendship, but for him to embrace
what has been laid out for him.
- Admittedly, Paul is commanding him to take on
serious, eternally consequential activity!
- From what we have read of some of the people
in Ephesus, there will be doubt, and he will be challenged.
- There are pages and pages of text that could
be spoken here about the value of Christian responsibility over against popular
response.
- We all can know what is right, but pressure
may often keep us from doing what is right!
- I can imagine Paul worrying about this and
yet, like all Christian people, he wanted what was spiritually best for his
younger disciple.
- In that little letter, I hear sympathy,
support and a sincere desire to stand beside Timothy. He knows that what he has
written him will require greater courage than he may naturally possess.
- It will take all that he has to remain
committed to keeping what was committed to his trust. He was to beware that
nobody remove it from him. What he holds is more than valuable. It is sacred!
- What he has is a trust fund of truth that was
to be held by a steward for the sake of a household. In this case, it's the
household of faith and this is the sacred truth of God for His people!
- No wonder he is expected to protect it! You
might find it interesting that the way to protect the sacred trust is not
necessarily to do anything to it, but to keep from adding anything to it!
- Timothy is to protect it by avoiding, turning
aside from profane and idle babblings. These are common, empty useless matters.
Don't be in the habit of fighting about unresolvable matters.
- Avoid these things! Don't entertain them!
When you see that this is the road that someone is wanting to walk down, you
take a turn!
- Avoid these and the antithesis that some had
wrongly called "knowledge." It is opposed to true Christian dogma.
Somehow, it has been given the title for knowledge, but it's not.
- Those that engaged themselves in this have
swerved from the faith. That is the danger to unresolvable scriptural conflict.
- Paul ends, knowing the challenge that Timothy
faced, with a wish for God's grace to be with him. With all that we've seen, we
can know that he needed it desperately!
Conclusion
- As we
conclude, can you not hear the Spirit whispering to you through Paul?
"Send your wealth forward. Set your heart on that which is certain!"
- This is more
than visualization. This is taking God at His Word! I can have a heavenly
account that will pay dividends in eternal currency!
- That will be
the case as I hold on with all my might, guarding the truth that has been
deposited in me with all diligence, refusing to be distracted by non-issues.
- I have
salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. What more do I
need? May you have the grace to say the same!
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