23 I Timothy 6:17-19 - To Whom Much Is Given

Series: I Timothy Sermon Series

January 31, 2021
Christopher C. Freeman

Title: To Whom Much Is Given Text: I Timothy 6:17-19 FCF: We often struggle using wealth correctly Prop: Because God abundantly provides for His people, we must enjoy having and sharing our abundance. Scripture Intro: CSB [Slide 1] Turn in your bible to I Timothy chapter 6. Last week Paul instructed Timothy to flee the love of money and instead pursue Christlikeness. Timothy must be the shepherd of the church there and preach to, lead, grow, and protect them from the lure of these false teachers. This is the job of every Elder in a local church until the Lord returns. This week Paul turns his attention back to the discussion of worldly wealth. He has spoken about money, really since chapter 5. It is apparent that many in the church in Ephesus had a skewed view of money and wealth. Not just the false teachers but even the people in the church. Of course in the 2000 years since this was written, the church has gotten a handle on wealth and every one sees it the way God does now… The words of scripture could not be more relevant for us today – and as people who are citizens of the wealthiest nation in the world – we would do well to listen. I am in I Timothy chapter 6. I’ll start reading with verse 17. I am reading from the CSB today but follow along in the version you prefer or in the pew bible on page 1341. Transition: We keep pendulum swinging back and forth. Two weeks ago we had a easy to understand but hard to live passage. Last week we had an hard to understand, but comforting passage of hope and purpose. This week, we swing back to somewhere in the middle. There is doctrine here – but there is also sharp application. Let’s dive in. I.) Because God abundantly provides for His people, we, without arrogance or idolatry, must enjoy what we have. (17) a. [Slide 2] 17 – Instruct those who are rich in the present age not to be arrogant. i. Coming down off of what we just studied, this may be a little awkward for us. ii. Paul just had this magnificent hymn of praise to God, extoling His transcendence, His sovereignty, His immortality, His unapproachable holiness, and His due honor and dominion. iii. He says amen, and we might think… ok great place to end it right there. But he goes on. iv. Several suggestions have been made, from he forgot to address wealthy Christians to he added this later, or even another author added this later. v. Really, the best explanation is that this is where he intended to go next with Timothy – but he had to break out into a song of praise to God as he spoke of the glorious return of Christ. vi. And so, what we have here is not an afterthought, but really a continuation of all that he had been talking about up to this point. vii. He just told Timothy to lay aside the love of money and the pursuit of earthly things and run after things that are eternal and are treasures. Before that he talked about godliness with contentment being great gain. viii. So now he moves to instruct those in the church who do have a lot of earthly goods. ix. Certainly, if we are not to love money – one could make the logical assertion that to have money means you are guilty of the love of money. x. However, this is simply not the case. But having lots of earthly goods does require a bit of instruction. xi. Paul tells Timothy to command those who are wealthy in worldly goods, first, to not be arrogant or high-minded. xii. Is such a thing a danger for those with wealth? Even for those with wealth who are believers? xiii. Absolutely! xiv. Wealth, power, influence, and class positioning have always been linked down through the millennia. xv. So, what does the gospel do to that? Like every other earthly division – it absolutely destroys it. xvi. Paul tells Timothy to command these wealthier believers that they ought not see themselves as a higher rank, as having better faith, or as having some sort of bigger connection to God. xvii. Indeed, they ought to esteem others better than themselves. They ought to love other believers with the same love with which Christ loves them. xviii. But it is not just arrogance and pride that Paul commands Timothy to warn them of… b. [Slide 3] Or to set their hope on the uncertainty of wealth i. Certainly, a temptation to the wealthy is to depend on money to solve their problems. ii. I believe that this is the great lie we struggle with here in our nation. iii. Although many problems can be solved by spending enough money – the solution to our biggest problems never seem to come with a price tag. iv. No amount of money can raise the dead. No amount of money erases the past. No amount of money can erase our rebellion against a Holy God. v. And Paul brings another weakness of wealth. vi. It is transient. It is fleeting. It is here today and gone tomorrow. As secure as you think you are in diversified investments, and bank accounts – what happens when $1000 is only enough to buy a loaf of bread? What happens if the entire server where your bank account information is stored, is wiped and there is no record of any of your investments? vii. What happens if our nation falls – and the USD is not even real any more. viii. What happens when you die? Can you take it with you? ix. As our Lord said in His sermon on the mount – Moth, rust, and thieves do make all our earthly goods so volatile. x. No – there is nothing certain about wealth. It is not worthy for us to set our hope on it… c. [Slide 4] But on God i. There is a firm foundation. ii. A God who stands outside our world unaffected by it but wholly involved in it. He is the Blessed. He is the Only Sovereign. iii. He is a God who is immortal. iv. A God who owns the cattle on a thousand hills. v. God is our source for all things my friends. Food, clothing, breath, life, and grace. God is the only thing worth hoping in. d. [Slide 5] Who richly provides us with all things i. Everything we have comes from Him ii. Indeed, all good gifts comes from the Father of lights with whom there is no change. iii. Furthermore, he provides RICHLY to us from His bounty. iv. He is THE blessed and we are blessed BY Him. v. Why? e. [Slide 6] to enjoy. i. Wow. ii. Did you get that? iii. God provides to us, richly, all things we have… why? iv. So, we can enjoy them. v. Not to trust in, not to hope in, not to pursue, not to fall in love with – but to enjoy while we hope in Him alone. vi. He didn’t have to do that folks. But He loves us. vii. In this Paul battles the aestheticism present in his day that denied pleasure to gain respect, honor, and meaning in life. viii. Paul says if you have something – it is from God – to enjoy. So, enjoy it. f. [Slide 7] Passage Truth: i. Paul to Timothy returns to his instruction on the balance between earthly gain and heavenly gain. ii. He instructs Timothy that God provides us all things. iii. God is THE example of a generous giver. He has given all we have to us to enjoy. g. Passage Application: i. Therefore, Timothy must instruct his people to not be arrogant about what they have, nor to depend on it, but rather to hope in God. ii. He is the true object on which they must rest their hope. iii. And in this proper view of wealth, they can actually enjoy what they have, like God intended them to. h. [Slide 8] Broader Biblical Truth: i. Zooming out to the rest of scripture we see that if God is the blessed and only sovereign, if God is the Father, the creator, the sustainer, then it must be that every good gift and every perfect gift is handed down from the Father of Lights. ii. He is the giver of all things. In Him we hope, because He gives all things. i. Broader Biblical Application: i. So what should 1st world wealthy American Christians do with such understanding of wealth? ii. Don’t be arrogant about what you have thinking that you are some special class spiritual citizen because you are wealthy. iii. And DO NOT hope in your riches. Because they are volatile. Moth, Rust, Thieves – they all take away our earthly goods. iv. They disappear quickly. v. If these are true of us we are free to enjoy what we have been given. Transition: [Slide 9(blank)] So, God is the giver of all things. So we cannot be arrogant about what we have, because all was given. And we cannot hope in what we have, because all can be taken away. Instead, we must enjoy what we have while we have it, and put our hope entirely on God. But what else accompanies this understanding of wealth? II.) Because God abundantly provides for His people, we must give generously out of our abundance. (18-19) a. [Slide 10] 18 – Instruct them to do what is good, i. This is a general statement but I think this is set against the enjoyment we have of our things. ii. God has provided us richly with all the things we have. He did this so we could enjoy them. iii. But He does not want us to stop with our own personal enjoyment! iv. Enjoy, yes, but live for, be obsessed with, worship -NO v. We ought to be going about taking all that we have been given and turning it toward good. vi. How? vii. Paul gets more specific. b. [Slide 11] To be rich in good works i. All who are in Christ have been given marvelous wealth. He set His treasure in jars of clay – remember. ii. Our value has been woven to His Son. iii. We are blessed people. Favored of God. We have been given grace. iv. That doesn’t mean we are inherently special – we are but jars of clay. First century clay pots could be used as centerpieces for elaborate feasts. But they could also have been used to go to the bathroom in. The pot is not inherently valuable. v. But God put His Spirit in us. He gave us His Son. For that, we have gained infinite value. vi. And so out of THAT abundance – we give. vii. God has given us the power to will and do His good pleasure. viii. He has endowed and continues to endow us with grace to obey Him. Grace to mortify our flesh. ix. And so – out of the abundance we have been given… we GIVE! Richly. x. But how specifically should believers who are already spiritually wealthy, who also are wealthy in earthly goods, how should they be rich in good works? c. [Slide 12] To be generous and willing to share. i. We have been given much – probably because God has a purpose for our wealth. ii. Certainly, it is for our own enjoyment – this is true. But not our own enjoyment alone. iii. It is to give away. It is to further his kingdom for those who have little earthly goods. iv. A couple weeks ago on Wednesday night, one of you shared the guilt that comes along with living in America and having great wealth while missionaries go to foreign lands, preaching the gospel, live on very little. v. Perhaps God is calling you to go – but maybe God is calling you to stay and pay their way. vi. God could miraculously provide money to people. Indeed, we saw last week in Foundations, God miraculously provided food to Elijah with Ravens. But perhaps, and there is no way to know for sure, but perhaps that is also a sad commentary on the state of Israel at the time… that none could or would house the prophet. vii. Be rich in good works, be sure to do good… by sharing all that you have. By giving of yourself and your goods… generously! viii. Most of the time, God uses His people to provide for His people, because in doing so, both parties grow in faith. ix. And that growth is what Paul speaks to next… d. [Slide 13] 19 – storing up treasure for themselves i. It is obvious that Paul is not talking about physical treasures. How could he? ii. He is talking about giving and sharing. Giving and sharing are not typically a paths to great wealth. It just so happens that God loves a cheerful giver and does often reward those who give with more to give. iii. But counter to some who call themselves Christians in our nation – Paul is not outlining a way for you to get rich on earth. iv. Rather he is talking about laying up treasures for yourself… e. [Slide 14] As a good foundation i. What does this mean? ii. The word foundation is fairly simple to understand but how Paul is using it could be twisted here. iii. The word speaks of the substructure of a house or some kind of base on which to build. iv. However, sometimes with this thought comes a nuance of beginning. v. In other words, if we read this and think that our giving and sharing lays a beginning for us – as we keep reading that may start to seem like Paul is saying that we can earn our own eternal life by giving of our wealth. vi. Interpreting this in this way would be catastrophic and condemn any who are poor to hell. vii. So what is Paul saying instead? viii. Rather foundation inherits the strength nuance. That is shore. It is firm. It is solid. ix. This contrasts with the uncertainty of wealth and the futility of hoping in it – but this kind of treasure, this kind of treasure is secure and solid and it is something that you can place your hope upon. f. [Slide 15] For the coming age i. But the hope is not for this life but for the next. ii. And it is not a hope that is tainted with uncertainty or human effort. iii. We are not laying up treasures in hopes to merit the coming age. iv. Rather it is in the laying up of treasures that our hope rests. In the sense that the act of laying them up is only possible by those who are bound for that next age. v. Which is exactly what Paul means when he says… g. [Slide 16] So that they may take hold of what is truly life. i. Our entire existence, these 100 years give or take a couple decades, that we have on this earth is but a mirage. It is a vapor. It pretends to be life when it is instead, walking death. ii. But when the gospel shapes and forms us… iii. When God infuses us with His goodness iv. When God imputes Christ’s righteousness to us. v. When God continues to give grace to us. vi. When even wealth and poverty does not divide us vii. When wealth is not sought or pursued viii. When it is shared for those in need out of love ix. When wealthy people are wealthy in good deeds. x. What happens? They are living a life that is real among the dead. The have been re-born into a Kingdom life that starts now – and will continue forevermore. xi. My friends, earthly goods come from God for our enjoyment. But heavenly treasures come from God through His Son as He conforms people to Himself and compels them in love to share all they have. xii. In this the only difference between heavenly and earthly treasure is that only heavenly treasure has an eternal component. Both are from God, both can be enjoyed now, but only one can be enjoyed in His future Kingdom. xiii. So, enjoy having and enjoy giving. h. [Slide 17] Passage Truth: i. Paul continues this theme that God is the greatest giver. ii. He has given all things to us, including His Son whose gospel works in us to form us and shape us to be conformed to Him. iii. This gift is so abundant that it cannot be contained within us. i. Passage Application: i. Timothy is to instruct his people to follow the Lord’s example and give generously out of their abundance. ii. To do good and be rich in good works. iii. To give generously to those in need, and share what they have. iv. This is how they will make an eternal investment that they can both enjoy now and in the kingdom to come. j. [Slide 18] Broader Biblical Truth: i. Zooming out from this passage, from the bible as a whole we understand from Old to New testament God teaches His people that it is better to give than to receive. ii. God is always giving to His people. He is always providing and protecting them. You’d have to be blind to not see that all the way back to Adam and Eve, and all the way to the churches in Revelation. iii. He illustrates it best at the cross, where He richly provided both righteousness and substitution for His people. iv. And He continues to give us grace that we may live more and more like His Son, let alone earthly blessings. k. Broader Biblical Application: i. So applying this to our lives – what is our response? ii. What can our response be but to be generous givers! iii. To be like our God and give liberally of our bountiful supply. iv. To be sharing with each other. v. To find and help those of the household of faith. vi. To abundantly give our spiritual fruit to all, to edify and help all. vii. To not cling to or hope in riches, but to enjoy what we have – and enjoy sharing what we have with others, laying up treasure for ourselves that will never tarnish. viii. This is truly living the life that will never end. Conclusion: CBC, this sermon hits hard and it hits fast. There is not a person in this room, or watching from home, that is not one of those who are “rich in the present age.” Not a single one. Make no mistake about it, you are the intended target of this instruction. Unemployed, down on your luck, it doesn’t matter – you are wealthier than most of the world. So what does this mean? Should we feel guilt ridden because we have so much? Should we deny ourselves the pleasures of life – should we sell it all and live as a pauper… no. Why? Because God, in His Sovereign providence has placed you exactly where you are to accomplish His will. Of course there are warnings. Don’t be arrogant about your wealth. Don’t rely on it. But we must realize that God has given all that we have for us to enjoy. Now what does this NOT mean? See we have a lot of perversion in our churches in America regarding wealth. First, God gives these things according to His will and providence. It is not because you have faith, or have done something that he is rewarding you with. Rather this is simply His Sovereign prerogative to give out of His abundance and love for His people. That is why pride in what you have is forbidden. Because at its root, it denies the fact that God alone gives and assumes that you had something to do with it. Second, God does not desire for you to have your best life now. God has a much better life, one that is real and eternal, waiting for you, that He has secured it for you in the sacrifice of His Son. Therefore, God is our hope, not for wealth, riches, gain, or earthly happiness – but for life eternal. All that being said – God has given us much. So, enjoy it. Enjoy what He has blessed you with. You don’t earn kudos or bonus points denying yourself pleasures in this life. GOD GAVE THEM TO YOU! Enjoy them. But… God, having been generous to you, expects you to generously give. Not just from your earthly wealth -but from all that you have. He has given you His very Son. So, you must do good, be rich in good works, and yes, to give generously and share what you have. In this way you will store up for yourselves eternal heavenly treasure. But we must again define what this does NOT mean. First, this is not a plea to send your check in so that God can richly bless you with wealth. My friends this prosperity gospel is no gospel at all. It has enslaved many and it continues to impoverish many, worst of all, people think they are serving Christ, when they are only feeding materialism in their own heart – and the wallets of their wolfish leaders. Second, as we mentioned, this is not some kind of credit system where we store up good deeds for God to dispense to us in the next life. Instead – We must see our wealth as tools for which God has given us to use in this life to further His Kingdom and make His name great. We can enjoy what we have and we can enjoy giving what we have generously to others. Why? Because God is our hope not money. His Kingdom and His righteousness is our goal – and giving of our abundance is toward both of those. So lets get down to where the rubber meets the road. Be rich in good works! True Christians, true followers of Jesus Christ, grow in grace. There is definitely a human component as God sanctifies us. We must work out our own salvation. But friends, God has richly supplied to all who are truly His, the power and passion to do His will. His true children can, for a time, grieve the Spirit. They can, for a time, run from God. But that will not last. If you are not rich in good works… you have to start asking yourself, am I a true child of God? And when it comes to money… My friends… GET OUT OF DEBT. I’m not saying you can never be in debt. I’m not saying that there are not wise things to go into debt for… But my friends the less you have tied up in financial obligations the more you can give. And that ought to be our goal. LIVE ON LESS! Supply your needs, prioritize your wants, and make some cuts. We live in a world where you “deserve” to have what you want. Why? Why do you deserve it? God tells us in His word what we deserve… you know what it is? Death. Make sure your needs are provided – and have a couple wants to enjoy what God has given… and then give generously and share with others. When God gives more earthly goods, do not say “hey we got some extra money – what can we buy?” Rather say “hey, we got some extra money – who can we bless?” Leave things for your birthday and Christmas lists, or better yet, keep your want list to 5 things or fewer. And be ok in your heart if you never got them. Oh and here’s something revolutionary. Pray through that list of wants. NOT so that God would give you the money for them… but rather that God would grant you wisdom as to if they should even be on the list. Ask Him to change the desires of your heart to suit His will. Finally, Be wise. If you want to give your money away – there are hundreds of thousands of places you can send it. But that doesn’t mean you should give it. Prioritize God’s people first, specifically among your local church. Even setting aside money for that purpose may be wise. And outside of your local church, be picky with who gets your money. Some causes may be good – but the greatest cause is the spread of the gospel. Prioritize that over others. Support a missionary. And when I say support – I don’t just mean in worldly goods. But pray for them and chat with them as often as you can. And make plans to up your giving occasionally. A $50 commitment 20 years ago isn’t going to go as far today. My friends, God has given so much to us. He expects us to be like Him, as gospel formed people, and generously give out of our abundance.

Episode Notes

Sermon Notes

I Timothy 6:17-19

I.) We, without arrogance or idolatry, must enjoy what we have. (17)

            A.) How might the wealthy be tempted with pride?

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B.) What did Jesus say about the uncertainty of earthly goods?

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C.) T/F God helps those who help themselves.

D.) T/F God gives us all we have to enjoy

E.) What truth is Paul wanting to convey to Timothy, and what is he to do with that truth?

God is a generous giver who provides us with all things to ___________. Timothy must instruct his people not to be ___________________ about their possessions or _______________ in them, but instead to hope in God ____________________, and enjoy His gifts.

F.) What is the message from all of scripture for us?

_____________ good and perfect gift is from God. God _____________ provides for His people. So we must not be arrogant about what we have, nor hope in riches, but rather hope in God alone and enjoy what we have been ________________.

II.) We must give generously out of our abundance.  (18-19)

            A.) What has God provided for us to be spiritually abundant? 

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B.) What ought we to do with our SPIRITUAL abundance?

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C.) How is the treasure we store up a good foundation?

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E.) What truth is Paul wanting to convey to Timothy, and what is he to do with that truth?

God is a generous giver who provides us with ____________ things, including His Son, to enjoy. Timothy must instruct his people to ___________ generously out of their earthly and spiritual ______________________.

F.) What is the message for us?

Every good and perfect gift is from God. God richly provides for His people. So we must give _____________ of our ______________ and ________________________ abundance.

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