“Words to the
Rich”
1 Timothy 6:17-21
(Message #15 in 1 Timothy Series)
INTRODUCTION:
I
have always thought that it would be fun to be rich. The idea appeals to me to
be able to travel to exciting and exotic places, to buy anything my little
heart desires, to have a nice boat, an ultra-light aircraft, a Dodge Ram pickup,
and a Harley-Davidson Road King motorcycle, and to never again have to work for
a living. These all have a certain charm, don’t you think?
In
fact, I have had some talks with the Lord in which I have explained to Him as
sincerely as I know how that I am quite certain that I would be able to handle
wealth. First, I have assured Him that I would continue to be a tither. That is
important! In fact, I would be a double-tither—20%! What do you think about
that? I would be happy to give Him 20% and live on the other 80%. And I told
Him that I would not be stingy like some people but would share the bounty with
some of my close friends and even a few family members (the ones I like). I
explained that if He would make me a wealthy man I would no longer have to go
around and speak to churches and individuals about our vision for working in
Ireland. We could be fully self-supported missionaries.
Moreover,
I promised the Lord that I would not let the money go to my head the way it has
with some people. I would continue to be humble and never throw my weight
around and try to get my own way just because I am the richest guy in the
church. I would never do that. Also, I would not immediately go out and buy a
bigger house and a new car just because I can. I would carefully study the
situation before doing anything like that, because I would not want to come
across as ostentatious or pretentious.
But oddly, God does not seem
to be hearing my prayers on this subject and I cannot figure out why. Surely,
He trusts me by now. I have been a Christian for many years, and He must know
that I would not go off the rails now over something as petty as a little
fortune. I am starting to get the feeling that He does not trust me. Why do you
suppose that is?
The musical, “Fiddler on
the Roof,” has a song to which I can relate. It is sung by Tevye at the
beginning.
“If I Were A Rich Man” Lyrics
Songwriters: Jerry Bock,
Sheldon Harnick
Spoken:
“Dear God, you made many, many poor people. I
realize, of course, that it’s no shame to be poor. But it’s no great honour
either! So, what would have been so terrible if I had a small fortune?”
Sung:
CHORUS
If I were a rich man, ya ba dibba dibba dibba
dibba dibba dibba dum.
All day long I’d biddy biddy bum, if I were a
wealthy man.
I wouldn’t have to work hard. Ya ba dibba dibba
dibba dibba dibba dibba dum.
If I were a biddy biddy rich,
yidle-diddle-didle-didle man.
I’d build a big tall house with rooms by the
dozen,
Right in the middle of the town.
A fine tin roof with real wooden floors below.
There would be one long staircase just going up,
And one even longer coming down,
And one more leading nowhere, just for show.
I’d fill my yard with chicks and turkeys and geese
and ducks
For the town to see and hear,
Squawking just as merrily as they can.
And each loud “cheep” and “squawk” and “honk” and
“quack”
Would land like a trumpet on the ear,
As if to say, “Here lives a wealthy man.” CHORUS
I see my wife, my Golde, looking like a rich man’s
wife
With a proper double chin.
Supervising meals to her heart’s delight.
I see her putting on airs and strutting like a
peacock.
Oy, what a happy mood she’s in.
Screaming at the servants, day and night.
The most important men in town would come to fawn
on me!
They would ask me to advise them, like a Solomon
the Wise.
“If you please, Reb Tevye...” “Pardon me, Reb Tevye...”
Posing problems that would cross a rabbi’s eyes!
And it won’t make one bit of difference if I
answer right or wrong.
When you’re rich, they think you really know!
If I were rich, I’d have the time that I lack
To sit in the synagogue and pray.
And maybe have a seat by the Eastern wall.
And I’d discuss the holy books with the learned
men, several hours every day.
That would be the sweetest thing of all. CHORUS
TRANSITION:
Apparently,
God does not trust very many people with wealth. Did you know that the Bible
talks a lot about the dangers inherent in becoming rich? It seems odd doesn’t it, especially in light
of the teaching of some of these wacko Prosperity Gospel preachers on so-called
“Christian” TV stations. They all claim that God wants every Christian
to be wealthy, to drive big fancy cars and to live in mansions. They give the
impression that this is your right as a child of God, and if you will only have
enough faith God will give you whatever you ask for.
In
this letter to Timothy the Apostle Paul has already had a few things to say
about riches. For example, back in 3:3, 8 Paul said that leaders in the church
should not “love money or be fond of sordid gain.” And earlier here in chapter
six, in verses 9-10 Paul said: “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. For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and
some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves
with many a pang.” So now let’s see what else Paul has to say about
being rich.
MAIN BODY:
Verse
17: Instruct those who
are rich in this present world not to be conceited, or to fix their
hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all
things to enjoy.
- One Sunday
several studies back I mentioned to you that here in this letter Paul
addresses his remarks about riches to two kinds of people: (1) Those who
were trying to get rich through the ministry [6:5-10]; and (2) Those who were
already wealthy [6:17-19]. In the case of the first group he had nothing
but scorn and condemnation. As to the 2nd group…
- “Instruct those who are rich in
this present world” Paul is pointing
out the fact that the here-and-now is not the end of the story.
There is more to come. There is eternity. “This present world” is passing away and will soon be gone and
we should always keep that in mind. Paul is saying that those who have
money and material things right now should not depend on those things
because they will not pass the test of time.
- “…not to be conceited”
The word literally means “puffed up” and is often translated as “proud.”
Just because you have money should not make your proud—grateful, yes, but
proud, NO! Yet rich people are often insufferably proud because they take
pride in the fact that they “made” that money. That is even a part of our
vocabulary: We will say, “How much did you make on that deal?” or
“How much do you make a year?”
- “Instruct
[them]…not to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches”
This is the big pitfall for rich people; they are tempted to start
trusting in their money rather than trusting in God. They rest their hopes
on the security they think their money gives them. “I can relax now because I
have enough to get by even if we have another big recession.” But
what if your kidneys suddenly quit and your liver goes into shock? Or what
if your child is diagnosed with a rare disease for which there is no known
cure? Oh sure, your money can probably get you into a better hospital, but
your money cannot save your life or your child’s. Here are some examples
of famous people who have lost children:
Ø John
F. and Jackie Kennedy had a stillborn daughter, Arabella, in 1956 and a
premature son, Patrick, in 1963.
Ø Mike
Tyson’s four-year-old daughter, Exodus, was strangled by a power cord in 2009.
Ø Eric
Clapton’s four-year-old son, Connor, fell out of a window in 1991.
Ø Vince
Neil, of Motley Crue, lost his four-year-old daughter, Skylar, to cancer 1995.
Ø Singer
Prince and his then wife, actress Mayte, lost their week-old son to a rare
genetic disorder in 1996.
Ø English
Prime Minister Gordon Brown lost his premature daughter, Jennifer Jane, in
2002.
Ø Vice
President Joe Biden’s one-year-old daughter, Amy, died in a car accident (along
with his wife) in 1972.
Ø John
Travolta and Kelly Preston lost their 16-year-old son, Jett, in early 2009.
Ø Roy
Orbison’s two young sons died in a house fire in 1968 (he lost his wife two
years before that in a motorcycle accident).
Ø George
and Barbara Bush lost their two-year-old daughter, Robin, to leukaemia in
1953.
Ø Do
you not know that every one of these people would have gladly given up their money
to have their child back? But money cannot buy everything.
- “…not to fix their hope on
riches…but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy.”
Did you know that God is the ultimate plutocrat?
Do you know what that means? I must be careful here because this word
nearly always has a negative connotation. The word “plutocracy” comes from
the Greek
word πλοῦτος,
ploutos,
meaning “wealth”, and κράτος,
kratos,
meaning “power, dominion, rule.” Thus, plutocracy is rule by the wealthy. Now
God is the most powerful Being in the universe. And He is also the wealthiest
because everything belongs to Him. And as a wealthy Father He gives good
and costly gifts to His children with the intention that they should take
pleasure in them. Christians should be the happiest people in the world
and the ones who enjoy life the most, because “He richly supplies us with all things to
enjoy.”
Verse
18: Instruct them
to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share,
- “Instruct them to do good”
So those with wealth are commanded by Paul to give glory and thanks to God
as the real source of their wealth and to be generous with their riches.
- “…to be rich in good works”
They are to be rich, not like Uncle Scrooge McDuck who just sits in his
vault counting his money, but rather, finding ways to be rich in kindness
and generous deeds.
- “…to be generous and ready
to share” Being a wealthy Christian is a huge
privilege but it is an even bigger responsibility because those material
blessings are to be enjoyed and used for the advancement of the Kingdom of
God, not for extravagant self-centred living. In other words, if God
allows you to become rich it is not so that you can live like a king but
so that you can do the King’s business.
Verse
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.
- “…storing up for themselves the
treasure of a good foundation for the future”
There is a kind of wealth, a kind of riches, that has nothing to do with
one’s bank account at US Bank or Citibank. Paul is not talking about worldly
wealth but about spiritual and eternal wealth, which the world cannot
give or take away. And how is it acquired? In the context it is by obedience
to what has just been said in verses 17-18: (1) To not be puffed-up by
your wealth; (2) Not to trust in money but in God; (3) Use your wealth to
do good for others; and (4) Always be willing to be generous and share
with others. Paul says that obedience to these things will result in a “treasure of a
good foundation for the future.”
- “…take hold of that which
is life indeed” “To
take hold of…” You may recall that we saw this same expression up in
verse 12 of this same chapter when Paul encouraged Timothy to “Fight the
good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which your where
called.” This is the exact same Greek work that Paul uses again,
and once again with the same sense. “The life that is truly life.” Paul
is contrasting God’s definition of “abundant life” with the world’s
definition. God wants His children to grab hold of the real thing, not the
cheap counterfeit offered by the world. But N.B., you cannot take hold of
anything if your hands are already full. If your hands are full of the
world’s stuff you will not be able to take hold of what God wants to give
to you. You must first drop the one to take up the other.
Verse
20: O Timothy,
guard what has been entrusted to you, avoiding worldly and empty chatter and
the opposing arguments of what is falsely called “knowledge”—
- “…guard what has been entrusted
to you” This sounds like a Brinks Security official
talking to one of his armoured car drivers. “You have 20 million dollars’ worth of diamonds in your rig. Guard
it with your life. I’m trusting you with this shipment and I know I can
count on you.” That is basically what Paul is saying to Timothy. But
what has been entrusted to Timothy that is so valuable and needs to be
guarded so carefully? To answer this, we need to see how Paul has used
this word, “entrust” or “entrusted” in other places. This verse is
connected to 1:11 where Paul refers to, “…the glorious Gospel of the blessed
God, with which I have been entrusted.” BAM! There it is! He us
talking about the Gospel message. And then again, down in verse 18 of
chapter 1 Paul says, “This command I entrust to you, Timothy, my son…that
you may fight the good fight.” In other words, that Timothy
should live by and strive to preach and communicate this same precious
Gospel. He must fight for it!
- Now look
again at 6:20. “O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you.”
Clearly Paul is talking about the Gospel and the whole message of the
Christian faith. If we jump ahead to Paul’s second letter to Timothy, we
hear him driving this nail in just a little bit deeper. In 2 Tim. 1:14
Paul writes: “Guard through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which
has been entrusted to you.” Then just a few verses further on
in 2:2 Paul adds, “And the things which you have heard from me in the
presence of many witnesses, these entrust to faithful men who will be able
to teach others also.” So, can there be any question in our mind
what has been entrusted and what must be guarded? You and I, like Timothy,
are charged with guarding and defending the depository of God’s truth, the
Living and Abiding Word of God.
- “…avoiding worldly and empty
chatter and the opposing arguments” Paul is referring,
of course, to the stupid things people say about God and religious
subjects when they do not know what they are talking about.
- “…of
what is falsely called “knowledge” Paul is
here taking a swipe at the Gnostics, a first-century cult that believed
that spiritual insight and enlightenment is gained by mastery of certain
esoteric knowledge called “gnosis” thus the name of the
group. An early form of this heresy had evidently already penetrated the
Ephesian church. Gnosticism taught that salvation came through the
“knowledge” (gnosis) of deep spiritual mysteries, understandable by only a
few intelligent people. Paul makes a point of warning Timothy not to fall
for their arguments.
Verse 21:
…which some
have professed and thus, gone astray from the faith.
Grace be with you.
- “…which some have professed”
Some of the Ephesian believers had already bought into this Gnostic
garbage.
- “…thus, gone astray from the
faith” As a result they had jettisoned their
Christian faith and gone after the Gnostic teachings. However, the two are
incompatible. It is like trying to be a good Muslim and a good Christian
at the same time. It is impossible! We must choose whether to believe in
Christ and the Gospel, or to believe that human religion possesses the key
to salvation and eternal life.
- “Grace be with you [all].”
Paul ends this letter just like he began it, by emphasizing God’s amazing
grace. He began the letter with, “Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and Jesus
Christ our Lord.” Now here at the end of chapter six we have an
abbreviated form of Paul’s normal goodbye used in all his other epistles with
a small difference. The pronoun “you” is in the plural form rather
than the singular, which we would expect. This leads us to conclude that
the contents of this letter were intended for all the believers at
Ephesus, and not for Timothy alone.
CONCLUSION:
The desire for wealth…
- Is a thirst
that is insatiable, like that produced by seawater.
- Is founded
on illusion. It is driven by the desire for security, comfort, and luxury.
- Tends to
make a man selfish and competitive.
- Ends in
worry and anxiety. The more a man has, the more he can lose.
- May easily
lead a man into wrong ways of acquiring money, and therefore may lead him
in the end into pain, regret, and remorse.
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