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DO YOU WANT TO BE REALLY RICH?
TEXT: 1 Timothy 6:1-23
INTRODUCTION: Paul is warning the early Christians that they need to learn contentment. Even if they are slaves and think that they have nothing, he wants them to know that true riches come from the Lord. If you have the Lord, and He has you, you have everything.
Paul is showing Timothy that pride which comes either from riches or from the desire for the same can cause much heartache. I want to ask you, “Do you really want to be rich?” and if so do you understand what true riches are. This lesson will help you if you let it…
I. THE COVETING OF RICHES. (Vv. 1-9).
Money buys things, but I am afraid that money also buys people. There is a power in money that allows the Lord to call money unrighteous mammon. To personify money this way, giving it life like characteristics, shows just how powerful and controlling money can be. The improper love for money begins with discontentment.
In Paul’s day, the slaves were becoming discontent and it was even affecting the Christian slaves. This does not mean that slavery was the ideal, or to even be desired, but it was during Paul’s day a cultural accepted fact. Paul is telling them not to envy their masters and not to be jealous of their masters, while robbing them of the honor that was theirs. In our case, by way of application, we can become envious of those around us who have more than we have.
A. Coveting Starts With A Strong Desire. (Vv. 1-8).
We must be careful that our desires and passions do not rule us. I know people who will take jobs that take them out of Church so that they can have the things that they want. In a coarser way, I know of people who have murdered to get what they want.
1. A desire to be great. (Vv. 1-3).
Desiring greatness when it absolutely does not involve violating Biblical principles is O.K. But when you have to hurt and destroy others to achieve greatness that is terribly wrong. If you must lie or become dishonest to achieve greatness, then you have not become great at all. In the eyes of God, you have become even smaller.
2. A desire for base gain. (Vv. 4-8).
Never should a Christian be motivated by a desire for wealth or things. There should be a contentment that far exceeds this kind of desire. It is honorable to desire things to provide for those whom you love, or to support the minister of the church, or to help those who are in need; but one should not desire things to impress others, or to control others. You have heard the saying, that “People buy things that they can’t afford, that they don’t even want, to impress people that they don’t even like.” This is not the proper use of wealth.
B. COVETING STOPS WITH A SORROWFUL DESTRUCTION. (V. 9).
Our text says, “they that will be rich fall…” There is no better way to describe the foolish pursuit of riches than this. The rich who selfishly aspire for carnal greatness and riches will fall. Their failure will be great. It may not be detected in this life, but every person has eternity to deal with. The rich man in hell did not even have a drop of water to cool his parched tongue.
1. The coveter has a disturbing path. (V. 9a).
Snares will be in the path of the covetous. One who has a strong desire for wealth will even covet other things. I have personally seen men use their wealth to attract women to their hurt. His misery will for exceed his joy from fulfilling his passions.
2. The coveter has a destructive path. (V. 9b.).
The Scriptures tell us in our text that, “they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.” This speaks of the sure destruction that comes to the wicked rich person. The path did not seem to start out this way. It may have seemed very innocent at first, but led otherwise…
II. THE CASUALTY OF RICHES. (Vv. 10-16).
These verses show how the love of money can be a casualty or a liability rather than and asset.
A. THE SORROWS OF THE CASUALTY. (V. 10).
Our text tells us “they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” Any reliance on anything other than the Lord will involve erring from the faith. When men trust their own abilities more than the Lord, then they are erring from the faith. If they trust their bank account or their properties more than the Lord, they are erring from the faith. The list could continue on, in that anything that you place your trust in other than the Lord is to err.
1. It begins with a love of money. (V. 10a.).
Please notice that our Scripture does not tell us that money is the root of all evil, but instead, “the love of money is the root of all evil”. Money is a very necessary commodity that we must have. But it should never have us. Satan will give you the illusion that if you have money then you have everything. Nothing could be further from the truth. If you only have money, then you really have nothing.
2. It ends with a life of misery. (V. 10b.).
Those who acquire money for base gain are usually very greedy people. When they are like this, they do not usually give more, they just want more. Christians are those who know that their blessings come from the Lord, and their giving is in that spirit. They recognize that their money blessings are an opportunity to do more for the Lord.
B. THE SAFEGUARDS AGAINST THE CASUALTY. (Vv. 11-16).
There are safeguards against money failures. It involves three major things, Fleeing, Following, and Fighting.
1. The safeguard of fleeing. (V. 11a).
One should flee the subtle temptation of going after money. I have seen people who struggled with their finances and asked God for help. He helped them get what they needed and often so much more, and yet they failed to share what God gave them by giving it back into the Lord’s work. With the passing of time these kinds of people become more greedy and removed from the Lord’s work. They also become more miserable.
2. The safeguard of following. (V. 11b.).
There are six wonderful things to follow after as listed in our text:
a. follow after righteousness
b. follow after godliness
c. follow after faith
d. follow after love
e. follow after patience
f. follow after meekness
2.The safeguard of fighting. (Vv. 12-16).
There is no greater protection against lusting after riches than fighting the good fight of faith. If you stay in the faith fight, riches and things will not distract you. When you put Him first, all of those things will be added unto you, so says the Gospel of Matthew.
III. THE COMMUNICATING OF RICHES. (Vv. 17-21).
When one communicates, he makes something known. There is a kind of riches that Paul says should be distributed and communicated. The riches mentioned in this sense are the greatest riches of all. It is being rich in good works. May we make known to others our good works.
A. COMMUNICATE THE RICHES THAT COME FROM GOD.
That which has the greatest value comes from God. Every good gift and every perfect gift comes from above…(James 1:17). If you claim all that God has for you, you will have all that you need. You then share what God has given you with others. Kindness is such a gift. Being a helper to those who need it is such a gift. Working in the nursery is such a gift. Singing in the choir is a means of communicating the riches of good works. Teaching a Sunday school class is such a gift. The list can go on. Just do as Jesus would do…
1. Real riches come from God. (V.17).
Satan will give you that which is counterfeit. He will let you have things to the extent that the things will have you. But if you seek first the kingdom of God, then all these things will be given unto you.
2. Revealing riches communicate our God. (V. 18).
When God enriches you with true riches, you then can share those riches with others and you are then communicating the heart of God.
B. COMMUNICATING THE RICHES THAT COUNT FOR GOOD. (VV. 19-21).
When you are sharing the true riches that God blesses you with, you will be laying those kind of treasures in heaven.
1. By developing a good foundation. (V. 19).
This speaks of the judgment seat of Christ. It is there that the rewards of practicing good stewardship will come into effect.
2. By declaring a great faith. (Vv. 20-21).
We do this by the proper use of the true riches that God has blessed us with.
Conclusion: The Word of God gives us the true definition of real riches. If you learn what God values, then you will know what true riches are.
Sermon By Dr. Max Alderman
