1 Timothy 6:17-19 says,...
Today's verses are 1 Timothy 6:17-19, which read,
v.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.
Paul is wrapping up this letter to Timothy and he gives some more instruction to the rich of this world which must have been a problem in the church in Ephesus. It is very easy to relate this to America as we put tremendous value on money and possessions.
Note that they are rich in this present world and that distinction is given. There is no rich or poor in heaven. This condition is only here and only for this time. This condition brings about a couple problems or traps: being conceited and fixing hope on the riches rather than God. To be conceited is to have an exalted opinion of yourself, that you are above others because of your riches. To fix hope is to put all your eggs into one basket but Paul points out that tripping and spilling that basket is a high probability this side of heaven. There is great uncertainty in riches, i.e. 2008 for the most recent example.
A man of the church I led at that time came up to me at a high school football game to tell me about what had happened to him. He had lost $40,000 on the stock market. He admitted to me that he hadn't been giving to the church because he didn't trust the church with "his" money and now "his" money was gone. He confessed that it probably would have been better to put "his" riches into God's hands rather than keeping it in his own hands.
What we have on this earth can be here today and gone today but the riches that God gives has benefits now and for eternity. The riches of this world are nothing in comparison to the riches of God.
v.18, 19 - Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, 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.
So we are rich by the world's standards and what are we to do? Well, we don't make those riches something that elevates us above others and we don't fix our hope on those riches that are so uncertain. We use those riches for good and for good works. We are to be generous with what God has provided and be prepared to share so that we can experience what true joy and peace are as we obey and follow God rather than hoarding and hovering over "our" money. The hoarding and hovering keeps us from experiencing life as God wants us to know that is glorifying of Him.
The phrase that I would like to zero in on is "ready to share." We live in this great rich nation but many of us are not able to share because because we are not ready to share. We are living our lives in such a way that there is nothing to share because we are living beyond our means. If we were going to be ready to share than we would need to make some changes in our lifestyle. Know from Scripture that you and I are missing out on life when we pattern our lives after the riches of this world rather than patterning our lives after the instruction of God. To be "ready to share" is not for some future time when you have more money, it is for now. Am I living my life in such a way financially that I can give when needed? If not, what changes need to be made?
Of course, giving is not just financial but that is the focus of this passage. You can be hoarding and hovering over "your" time and not ready to share it also. You can be living your life in such a way that you don't have time for anyone else but yourself, it's "your" time. Realize this morning that you and I are living at a lower level than what God wants us to be at when we go against His instruction. All I could say to the guy at the football game was, "Yeah, the church could have really used that money for the spread of the gospel." He went away sad because he had lost a lot of "his" money and I walked away sad because here was another Christian not following God's instruction and taking matters into his own hands with God's money. Let's pray.
"Lord, these words are not just suggestions for us but commandments and instructions to follow. We want to be a people who are ready to share and therefore we might need to restructure our lives so that our focus is on You and not on ourselves. Change our joy to be glorifying to You instead of always pleasing ourselves. Help us to see our abuses in use and in mind so we are ready to share and to experience real life Your way. Amen."
Pastor Adam
v.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.
Paul is wrapping up this letter to Timothy and he gives some more instruction to the rich of this world which must have been a problem in the church in Ephesus. It is very easy to relate this to America as we put tremendous value on money and possessions.
Note that they are rich in this present world and that distinction is given. There is no rich or poor in heaven. This condition is only here and only for this time. This condition brings about a couple problems or traps: being conceited and fixing hope on the riches rather than God. To be conceited is to have an exalted opinion of yourself, that you are above others because of your riches. To fix hope is to put all your eggs into one basket but Paul points out that tripping and spilling that basket is a high probability this side of heaven. There is great uncertainty in riches, i.e. 2008 for the most recent example.
A man of the church I led at that time came up to me at a high school football game to tell me about what had happened to him. He had lost $40,000 on the stock market. He admitted to me that he hadn't been giving to the church because he didn't trust the church with "his" money and now "his" money was gone. He confessed that it probably would have been better to put "his" riches into God's hands rather than keeping it in his own hands.
What we have on this earth can be here today and gone today but the riches that God gives has benefits now and for eternity. The riches of this world are nothing in comparison to the riches of God.
v.18, 19 - Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, 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.
So we are rich by the world's standards and what are we to do? Well, we don't make those riches something that elevates us above others and we don't fix our hope on those riches that are so uncertain. We use those riches for good and for good works. We are to be generous with what God has provided and be prepared to share so that we can experience what true joy and peace are as we obey and follow God rather than hoarding and hovering over "our" money. The hoarding and hovering keeps us from experiencing life as God wants us to know that is glorifying of Him.
The phrase that I would like to zero in on is "ready to share." We live in this great rich nation but many of us are not able to share because because we are not ready to share. We are living our lives in such a way that there is nothing to share because we are living beyond our means. If we were going to be ready to share than we would need to make some changes in our lifestyle. Know from Scripture that you and I are missing out on life when we pattern our lives after the riches of this world rather than patterning our lives after the instruction of God. To be "ready to share" is not for some future time when you have more money, it is for now. Am I living my life in such a way financially that I can give when needed? If not, what changes need to be made?
Of course, giving is not just financial but that is the focus of this passage. You can be hoarding and hovering over "your" time and not ready to share it also. You can be living your life in such a way that you don't have time for anyone else but yourself, it's "your" time. Realize this morning that you and I are living at a lower level than what God wants us to be at when we go against His instruction. All I could say to the guy at the football game was, "Yeah, the church could have really used that money for the spread of the gospel." He went away sad because he had lost a lot of "his" money and I walked away sad because here was another Christian not following God's instruction and taking matters into his own hands with God's money. Let's pray.
"Lord, these words are not just suggestions for us but commandments and instructions to follow. We want to be a people who are ready to share and therefore we might need to restructure our lives so that our focus is on You and not on ourselves. Change our joy to be glorifying to You instead of always pleasing ourselves. Help us to see our abuses in use and in mind so we are ready to share and to experience real life Your way. Amen."
Pastor Adam
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