WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.960 Please turn with me once again to the book of 1 Timothy. 2 00:00:04.960 --> 00:00:09.180 We’re in the last chapter now. 3 00:00:09.180 --> 00:00:17.620 Last week we looked at his instruction to slaves and made application from those first two verses. 4 00:00:17.620 --> 00:00:31.240 This morning we’re going to begin actually with the last part of verse 2. 5 00:00:31.240 --> 00:00:41.480 You notice in verse 2 there’s a sentence at the very end of the verse. 6 00:00:41.480 --> 00:00:43.460 There’s two sentences in verse 2. 7 00:00:43.460 --> 00:00:49.400 We’re going to begin with that sentence that begins with “Teach and preach these principles.” 8 00:00:49.400 --> 00:00:56.280 That really should go with the next section. 9 00:00:56.280 --> 00:01:03.540 It’s one of those places where the verse divisions aren’t inspired. 10 00:01:03.540 --> 00:01:07.160 When Paul wrote this letter, he wrote it as a single letter. 11 00:01:07.160 --> 00:01:23.680 And later on, it was divided up into chapters and verses to make it easy for us to find references, so that I can say, turn to 1 Timothy chapter 6, verse 1, or in this case, verse 2b, and you can find that very quickly. 12 00:01:23.680 --> 00:01:30.360 That was done by a man by the name of Robert Estienne during the King James period. 13 00:01:30.360 --> 00:01:36.820 He was the official translator of the Bible. 14 00:01:36.820 --> 00:01:41.400 He was the official translator into Greek and Hebrew. 15 00:01:41.400 --> 00:01:53.100 And so he was the one that actually, they say, as he was making trips back and forth from Paris to Geneva, he did this while he was riding on a horse. 16 00:01:53.100 --> 00:02:10.880 And so the old joke is this must be one of those places where the horse kind of hit a bump, because “teach and preach these principles” isn’t talking about just this idea of how slaves are to show respect to their masters. 17 00:02:10.880 --> 00:02:17.820 This has to do with all the fundamental principles that he’s been teaching throughout this book. 18 00:02:17.820 --> 00:02:23.800 That’s the crucial thing, and you’ll see that in just a moment. 19 00:02:23.800 --> 00:02:26.840 Teach and preach these things. 20 00:02:26.840 --> 00:02:29.800 Teach and exhort these things. 21 00:02:29.800 --> 00:02:31.040 Encourage these things. 22 00:02:31.040 --> 00:02:42.720 Let me read the passage and ask God to bless His Word. 23 00:02:42.720 --> 00:02:46.520 Teach and preach these things. 24 00:02:46.520 --> 00:02:59.880 If anyone advocates a different doctrine, does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, he’s conceited, understands nothing. 25 00:02:59.880 --> 00:03:22.400 But he has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, out of which arise envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions, constant friction between men of depraved minds and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. 26 00:03:22.400 --> 00:03:30.320 But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. 27 00:03:30.320 --> 00:03:35.940 For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. 28 00:03:35.940 --> 00:03:40.960 If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. 29 00:03:40.960 --> 00:03:50.580 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. 30 00:03:50.580 --> 00:04:05.580 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 griefs. 31 00:04:05.580 --> 00:04:07.880 Let’s ask God to bless His Word. 32 00:04:07.880 --> 00:04:12.800 Father, this is a rich passage and there is so much here. 33 00:04:12.800 --> 00:04:17.340 Father, give us grace and help us to be able to teach this clearly. 34 00:04:17.340 --> 00:04:28.460 And Father, as we listen to Your words, we hear it, guide our hearts to the love of Christ our Savior and away from the things of this world. 35 00:04:28.460 --> 00:04:46.120 Take this passage, Father, and use it to awaken our awareness of wrong thinking and, Father, to correct that and to shape our hearts so that we are far more like our Savior, the Lord Jesus. 36 00:04:46.120 --> 00:04:49.260 We ask this, Lord, in Christ’s name. 37 00:04:49.260 --> 00:04:51.380 Amen. 38 00:04:51.380 --> 00:04:59.960 Back when we first began this study some months ago, we talked about the bookends of the book when we were beginning it. 39 00:04:59.960 --> 00:05:18.320 He talks about the reason that he leaves Timothy in Ephesus right in chapter 1, and that is so that he can deal with the heretics that have risen up in the church. 40 00:05:18.320 --> 00:05:21.560 And then the next thing is the great doxology. 41 00:05:21.560 --> 00:05:24.280 And so we have that in chapter 6 as well. 42 00:05:24.280 --> 00:05:29.740 We didn’t get to the doxology, but there’s that reintroduction of the heretics. 43 00:05:29.740 --> 00:05:42.720 And by beginning that way and ending that way, he’s doing that. 44 00:05:42.720 --> 00:05:45.280 Technically that’s called an inclusio . 45 00:05:45.280 --> 00:05:51.200 And so it’s for a purpose and it’s for a reason that he does that. 46 00:05:51.200 --> 00:05:57.680 You can think of that as heavy bookends, and the beginning and end, and then you have all the books in the middle. 47 00:05:57.680 --> 00:05:59.840 Or you can think of it like a sandwich. 48 00:05:59.840 --> 00:06:03.920 You have the bread on the outside and you have all this meat in the middle. 49 00:06:03.920 --> 00:06:06.400 So we’ve been talking about all kinds of things. 50 00:06:06.400 --> 00:06:25.900 We’ve been talking about how the church is to exercise public worship, talked about the qualification of elders and deacons, how the household of God should care for widows, honor elders, and serve as believing servants of God. 51 00:06:25.900 --> 00:06:43.460 And then we come to chapter 6, verse 2b, and Paul puts the second bookend in place, and he comes and he talks once again, he comes back to these false teachers. 52 00:06:43.460 --> 00:06:44.460 Why is that? 53 00:06:44.460 --> 00:06:50.740 Well, he’s told us through the letter a number of important things about these heretics. 54 00:06:50.740 --> 00:06:54.460 He’s told us some of what they’ve taught. 55 00:06:54.460 --> 00:07:04.560 They’ve emphasized all sorts of myths and genealogies and had legalistic rules about food and marriage. 56 00:07:04.560 --> 00:07:14.700 And now, in this passage, he’s going to tell us why they’re teaching these things, what it is that causes them to dispute the very Word of God. 57 00:07:14.700 --> 00:07:20.760 He’s going to tell us what their motives are. 58 00:07:20.760 --> 00:07:26.040 And so that’s what we’re going to be looking at as we study the passage today. 59 00:07:26.040 --> 00:07:29.180 Teach and preach these principles. 60 00:07:29.180 --> 00:07:30.540 Teach and preach. 61 00:07:30.540 --> 00:07:32.960 Teach and preach what? 62 00:07:32.960 --> 00:07:54.280 Well, when you look at verse 3, If anyone advocates a different doctrine… A different teaching, a teaching that is different than what he is to be preaching, that gives us the content of what. 63 00:07:54.280 --> 00:07:56.020 Teach and preach what? 64 00:07:56.020 --> 00:08:00.420 Teach and preach these things, these principles. 65 00:08:00.420 --> 00:08:02.980 What is the things and principles? 66 00:08:02.980 --> 00:08:08.220 Well, in verse 2, what is it that these heretics are objecting to? 67 00:08:08.220 --> 00:08:10.920 What is it that they do not agree with? 68 00:08:10.920 --> 00:08:17.420 It’s the sound words, the very words of our Lord Jesus. 69 00:08:17.420 --> 00:08:31.620 Several times in the study, that’s come up, sound teaching, sound words, and we pointed out that the word that’s translated sound is the word where we get our English word hygiene . 70 00:08:31.620 --> 00:08:34.060 And it is a medical term. 71 00:08:34.060 --> 00:08:36.480 It means healthy or wholesome. 72 00:08:36.480 --> 00:08:41.060 The true gospel of Jesus Christ leads to health. 73 00:08:41.060 --> 00:08:49.900 It leads to the spiritual health of the soul. 74 00:08:49.900 --> 00:08:55.680 And so that’s the first thing that we have to see. 75 00:08:55.680 --> 00:09:01.640 If you’re going to ask the question, is what we’re getting in teaching, is it healthy teaching? 76 00:09:01.640 --> 00:09:04.800 Is it sound teaching? 77 00:09:04.800 --> 00:09:17.260 Well, it’s healthy teaching if it’s moving us toward the truth of the gospel and it’s conforming us to godliness. 78 00:09:17.260 --> 00:09:21.760 It’s causing us to be more like our Savior, the Lord Jesus. 79 00:09:21.760 --> 00:09:27.320 If that’s the case, then it’s producing a holy life. 80 00:09:27.320 --> 00:09:28.620 See, this is the two things. 81 00:09:28.620 --> 00:09:35.990 They’re disputing the words of the Lord Jesus and doctrine that teaches us to be godly. 82 00:09:35.990 --> 00:09:40.490 They’re disputing those things. 83 00:09:40.490 --> 00:09:47.100 And so that’s what causes their spiritual sickness. 84 00:09:47.100 --> 00:09:56.220 And that’s why when we pay attention to genuine truth, it guides our hearts and helps us to be godly. 85 00:09:56.220 --> 00:10:01.200 Godliness. 86 00:10:01.200 --> 00:10:15.760 The second thing to notice here is the symptoms of the spiritual sickness in verse 4a. 87 00:10:15.760 --> 00:10:26.700 The person who disputes the words of Jesus and the apostolic teaching that leads to godliness, a person is a prideful person. 88 00:10:26.700 --> 00:10:28.620 He’s a conceited person. 89 00:10:28.620 --> 00:10:29.880 And he’s stupid. 90 00:10:29.880 --> 00:10:31.720 That’s what he’s saying. 91 00:10:31.720 --> 00:10:33.880 He’s not very bright. 92 00:10:33.880 --> 00:10:36.300 He’s conceited, he thinks. 93 00:10:36.300 --> 00:10:41.340 These people were setting themselves up in the church as the teachers in the church. 94 00:10:41.340 --> 00:10:45.600 They thought that they were the most informed people in the world. 95 00:10:45.600 --> 00:10:47.820 In the room, at least. 96 00:10:47.820 --> 00:10:49.000 Maybe not in the world. 97 00:10:49.000 --> 00:10:53.300 But certainly they thought they were the most important people there in that church. 98 00:10:53.300 --> 00:10:56.880 And so that’s why he’s pointing out their conceit. 99 00:10:56.880 --> 00:11:05.670 It’s their own pride and their prideful thinking that’s keeping them from obeying and receiving the truth of Jesus Christ. 100 00:11:05.670 --> 00:11:07.160 It’s their own prideful thinking. 101 00:11:07.160 --> 00:11:08.960 That happens today. 102 00:11:08.960 --> 00:11:36.460 If you’re reading heretics, if you’re reading the people who twist the Word of God and deny it, either in various religions or the atheists that have become popular or the woke culture that we’re in, any of those who take the Word of God and twist it or reject it or teach something different, it’s pride. 103 00:11:36.460 --> 00:11:39.360 It’s the saying that I really know what is best. 104 00:11:39.360 --> 00:11:41.600 I know what is best. 105 00:11:41.600 --> 00:11:44.580 And this is just old stuff. 106 00:11:44.580 --> 00:11:45.920 It’s out of date. 107 00:11:45.920 --> 00:11:48.200 I know what’s true. 108 00:11:48.200 --> 00:11:55.050 And you always have that kind of prideful element with people who reject the truth of the Word of God. 109 00:11:55.050 --> 00:11:59.880 You always have that conceit and that ignorance. 110 00:11:59.880 --> 00:12:02.420 And the ignorance is a willful ignorance. 111 00:12:02.420 --> 00:12:04.320 They’ve been exposed to the truth. 112 00:12:04.320 --> 00:12:08.700 They’ve heard it, and they have rejected it. 113 00:12:08.700 --> 00:12:15.320 The word conceited literally means wrapped up in fog or smoke. 114 00:12:15.320 --> 00:12:18.240 They’re blowing a lot of smoke. 115 00:12:18.240 --> 00:12:30.320 And it’s just all that pride manifesting itself in the church at Ephesus. 116 00:12:30.320 --> 00:12:34.100 And they like to argue. 117 00:12:34.100 --> 00:12:40.060 They take little technical disputes about the words that are used, the very words of Christ. 118 00:12:40.060 --> 00:12:49.310 And so they twist them or dispute them or argue for them, argue for something different. 119 00:12:49.310 --> 00:12:52.740 And so verse 3, true doctrine is healthy. 120 00:12:52.740 --> 00:12:57.440 Verse 4, it’s another medical type word. 121 00:12:57.440 --> 00:13:01.760 It’s morbid interest, literally sick. 122 00:13:01.760 --> 00:13:09.120 Instead of feeding on the healthy meat of the gospel, he’s got a sickly addiction, an idle speculation. 123 00:13:09.120 --> 00:13:18.520 And he’s fighting over words so that he can come across as being clever. 124 00:13:18.520 --> 00:13:25.640 So that’s the toxic nature of these heretics. 125 00:13:25.640 --> 00:13:33.000 If you remember, well before, I’m going to remind you what Paul says in chapter 1. 126 00:13:33.000 --> 00:13:36.980 But let’s look and see where this kind of thinking leads us. 127 00:13:36.980 --> 00:13:45.120 He’s conceited, he understands nothing, but he has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words. 128 00:13:45.120 --> 00:13:47.200 What comes from that? 129 00:13:47.200 --> 00:13:49.500 What’s the result of that? 130 00:13:49.500 --> 00:14:01.500 Out of which arises envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions, and constant friction between men of depraved men and deprived of the truth. 131 00:14:01.500 --> 00:14:05.580 I don’t think I have to define all those words. 132 00:14:05.580 --> 00:14:13.680 Envy is resenting someone else for something that they have, maybe their giftedness or abilities. 133 00:14:13.680 --> 00:14:18.200 Strife is choosing up sides in the quarrels that they are bringing up. 134 00:14:18.200 --> 00:14:21.480 Abusive language is slandering the people of God. 135 00:14:21.480 --> 00:14:23.240 That’s what he’s talking about. 136 00:14:23.240 --> 00:14:28.440 Evil suspicions is assuming the worst about someone. 137 00:14:28.440 --> 00:14:46.000 And constant friction, it’s the perpetual grating that comes across as they continually stir up these things, the irritation that results in that. 138 00:14:46.000 --> 00:14:53.080 When you look at these things, as you’re looking at this list, this is not the fruit of the Spirit of God. 139 00:14:53.080 --> 00:15:13.800 When you see this kind of result in a church because of teaching that’s being introduced to the church or from any part in the church, if it’s causing something like this, then somebody is rejecting the Word of God, and it’s leading to a lot of unhealthy fruit. 140 00:15:13.800 --> 00:15:15.840 It’s not the fruit of the Spirit. 141 00:15:15.840 --> 00:15:28.980 Back in chapter 1, the Apostle Paul pointed out that the result of their teaching, the apostolic teaching, is love from a pure heart. 142 00:15:28.980 --> 00:15:30.760 Love from a pure heart. 143 00:15:30.760 --> 00:15:36.740 You know, if you love people, you’re not suspicious of them. 144 00:15:36.740 --> 00:15:41.420 You trust them. 145 00:15:41.420 --> 00:15:42.540 Love trusts. 146 00:15:42.540 --> 00:15:49.360 That’s what it says in 1 Corinthians 13, in the list and description of charity, of love. 147 00:15:49.360 --> 00:15:51.740 It is that love trusts. 148 00:15:51.740 --> 00:15:53.200 That’s one of the descriptors. 149 00:15:53.200 --> 00:15:59.340 And if you don’t trust, there’s an indication that you don’t love. 150 00:15:59.340 --> 00:16:05.360 You’re suspicious and always raising some problem. 151 00:16:05.360 --> 00:16:16.620 So there’s all this friction and hatred and discussion that’s coming about because of the pride of these teachers. 152 00:16:16.620 --> 00:16:22.080 And then he tells us in 5b exactly what their motivation is. 153 00:16:22.080 --> 00:16:33.610 These men were spinning all these novel theories and talking about ancient myths and stirring up a following. 154 00:16:33.610 --> 00:16:42.060 They were doing that because they believed that godliness was a means of gain, material gain. 155 00:16:42.060 --> 00:16:46.780 They’re going to use their religion to profit materially. 156 00:16:46.780 --> 00:16:50.880 That’s what’s down in their heart somewhere. 157 00:16:50.880 --> 00:16:57.740 They’re probably not advertising that directly, but that’s their idea and their heart. 158 00:16:57.740 --> 00:17:09.080 You know, when we gave history of Ephesus, religion in Ephesus had been big, big business before the Apostle Paul got there with the gospel. 159 00:17:09.080 --> 00:17:11.540 It was big business. 160 00:17:11.540 --> 00:17:19.580 The Temple of Artemis, we pointed out, in the ancient world it was considered one of the seven wonders of the world. 161 00:17:19.580 --> 00:17:22.560 It was an incredible structure. 162 00:17:22.560 --> 00:17:24.820 And it wasn’t just a structure. 163 00:17:24.820 --> 00:17:34.480 It was the focus of all the worship of the city, and it was the major banking and commercial hub of all of Asia Minor. 164 00:17:34.480 --> 00:17:41.800 All the money, it was like the Swiss bank, and that’s where everybody kept their money, was right there in the Temple of Artemis. 165 00:17:41.800 --> 00:17:47.860 And people who participated in that made money through that religion. 166 00:17:47.860 --> 00:18:07.220 If you remember back in Acts, the union of silversmiths, how much money they were making and how they felt threatened when the Apostle Paul came and started teaching that there’s nothing to the goddess of Artemis, and started teaching the truth of the gospel. 167 00:18:07.220 --> 00:18:09.280 They were threatened by that. 168 00:18:09.280 --> 00:18:27.360 So what has happened in the Ephesian church is people coming out of that background and looking always, all their life, as religion being a means of wealth have coming into the church, and they see this new religion as a new revenue stream. 169 00:18:27.360 --> 00:18:33.040 Here’s a place that we can exploit that nobody else in our city is doing. 170 00:18:33.040 --> 00:18:36.680 This is a new avenue for us to make money. 171 00:18:36.680 --> 00:18:40.980 That’s the way they’re thinking. 172 00:18:40.980 --> 00:18:46.220 You don’t have to look very far to find that kind of thinking today. 173 00:18:46.220 --> 00:18:57.320 I mean, what comes to mind immediately is the televangelist who promised you that you’re going to be financially healthy if you just send in your seed money. 174 00:18:57.320 --> 00:19:02.560 There’s an awful lot of that that goes on, but you don’t have to go there. 175 00:19:02.560 --> 00:19:09.460 There’s this tendency and trap that we can all fall into in our thinking. 176 00:19:09.460 --> 00:19:13.960 And that’s what I especially want us to think about this morning. 177 00:19:13.960 --> 00:19:16.160 Yeah, those guys are out there. 178 00:19:16.160 --> 00:19:16.740 They’re everywhere. 179 00:19:16.740 --> 00:19:19.000 These kinds of heretics are all around. 180 00:19:19.000 --> 00:19:22.480 You can find them on television so easy and on the Internet. 181 00:19:22.480 --> 00:19:27.720 And they’re always out there trying to build up their audience. 182 00:19:27.720 --> 00:19:33.800 But you don’t have to look that far. 183 00:19:33.800 --> 00:19:37.860 Sometimes it just takes so many forms. 184 00:19:37.860 --> 00:19:44.300 I will never be able to apply this to all of our hearts in every way where we might be tempted. 185 00:19:44.300 --> 00:20:00.900 But some of the things that I’ve seen, I remember more than once I’ve seen people in business, especially salespeople, like insurance salesmen, move from church to church in their habit. 186 00:20:00.900 --> 00:20:09.940 They go to this church, and usually pick pretty good-sized churches, because it’s a great place for them to network. 187 00:20:09.940 --> 00:20:14.960 And so they network the church and make acquaintances and connections. 188 00:20:14.960 --> 00:20:17.380 Why are they going to church? 189 00:20:17.380 --> 00:20:21.720 Well, it’s not because of the love of Christ and their desire to be godly. 190 00:20:21.720 --> 00:20:25.700 It’s because here’s a place where they can make some money. 191 00:20:25.700 --> 00:20:28.980 They can network and prosper as a result of it. 192 00:20:28.980 --> 00:20:33.350 I’ve seen people pass through churches, and that’s exactly what they were doing. 193 00:20:33.350 --> 00:20:45.400 And it became, by the time they left the church to go on to other pastors that they thought might be more prosperous, it was very clear what they were about. 194 00:20:45.400 --> 00:20:47.500 It happens a lot. 195 00:20:47.500 --> 00:20:49.460 It didn’t have to be that. 196 00:20:49.460 --> 00:21:03.180 I mean, in our heart, we can think that because we are doing what God tells us to do, we’re going to receive material blessing just for that, as if we are earning, God is indebted to us in some way. 197 00:21:03.180 --> 00:21:04.200 And that happens. 198 00:21:04.200 --> 00:21:15.460 You have to deal with that from time to time as a pastor when you’re talking to people who, as you go through life, you experience the sorrows of life in a sinful world. 199 00:21:15.460 --> 00:21:21.940 And so people come to you and, why is this happening to me? 200 00:21:21.940 --> 00:21:24.600 I faithfully attended Sunday school. 201 00:21:24.600 --> 00:21:27.900 I got all the Sunday school perfect attendance pens. 202 00:21:27.900 --> 00:21:31.640 And now I’ve got cancer. 203 00:21:31.640 --> 00:21:33.820 What’s going on in their mind? 204 00:21:33.820 --> 00:21:39.000 Their mind is that I’m doing these things and I’m earning merit with God. 205 00:21:39.000 --> 00:21:45.700 I should be materially blessed because of the way I’m living for the Lord. 206 00:21:45.700 --> 00:21:53.460 I haven’t really embraced the full gospel if we’re thinking that way. 207 00:21:53.460 --> 00:21:56.280 There’s a temptation like that for all of us. 208 00:21:56.280 --> 00:22:00.440 I wanted to generalize that enough to see that we can all fall into this. 209 00:22:00.440 --> 00:22:03.820 There’s a trap here for every one of us. 210 00:22:03.820 --> 00:22:14.900 So this heart motive of the false teachers is that religion is for gain. 211 00:22:14.900 --> 00:22:21.820 Now what we need to do next is to look at how verse 5 connects to verse 6. 212 00:22:21.820 --> 00:22:25.340 So let’s do that. 213 00:22:25.340 --> 00:22:40.040 They suppose that godliness is a means of gain, and Paul says, the truth is, godliness isn’t just, it’s not a means of gain. 214 00:22:40.040 --> 00:22:48.440 Godliness is the gain, if it’s received with contentment, if you have that with contentment. 215 00:22:48.440 --> 00:22:50.860 Godliness is the treasure. 216 00:22:50.860 --> 00:22:56.220 It’s the grace of God, the Spirit of God at work in your heart. 217 00:22:56.220 --> 00:23:08.980 It is absolutely perfectly sufficient if we receive it, if we recognize what we truly have in Jesus Christ. 218 00:23:08.980 --> 00:23:14.400 True godliness with contentment is infinite profit. 219 00:23:14.400 --> 00:23:16.680 It’s incredibly blessed. 220 00:23:16.680 --> 00:23:21.480 I’m not talking about material wealth in this world or material things. 221 00:23:21.480 --> 00:23:29.140 I’m talking about what we have now spiritually and what we have eternally. 222 00:23:29.140 --> 00:23:38.160 So the false teachers thought that godliness was a way to get rich, but Paul is saying, you think that pays well? 223 00:23:38.160 --> 00:23:40.300 Well, you don’t know anything, really. 224 00:23:40.300 --> 00:23:49.540 It’s godliness itself that yields the incredible, the mega dividends. 225 00:23:49.540 --> 00:23:57.030 The Greek word is megas , which is translated great . 226 00:23:57.030 --> 00:24:00.040 It’s the great dividends. 227 00:24:00.040 --> 00:24:06.520 Not coins that are passing and ultimately worthless. 228 00:24:06.520 --> 00:24:23.080 It was Calvin that said, Godliness is itself a sufficiently great gain to us because through it we enjoy Christ and all His riches. 229 00:24:23.080 --> 00:24:31.340 And then there’s that word that Paul connects with godliness, which is contentment . 230 00:24:31.340 --> 00:24:39.640 Now you see something of a stoic view in what has been taught in 1 Timothy from the heretics. 231 00:24:39.640 --> 00:24:51.560 I don’t know how they were exploiting that exactly, but they were teaching people that they needed to avoid marriage and be ascetic and various practices. 232 00:24:51.560 --> 00:24:55.760 Some of the heretics were teaching that in the church. 233 00:24:55.760 --> 00:25:03.460 And Paul is not embracing that kind of thinking at all here. 234 00:25:03.460 --> 00:25:08.640 He’s teaching us something more important. 235 00:25:08.640 --> 00:25:15.380 The word that he uses is one of the favorite watchwords of the Stoic philosophers. 236 00:25:15.380 --> 00:25:26.380 You know, detach your emotions from the world so that you don’t need anybody at all because you are completely self-sufficient. 237 00:25:26.380 --> 00:25:31.560 And what Paul is saying here is that’s not right. 238 00:25:31.560 --> 00:25:43.560 What is right is that you attach yourself to the Lord Jesus Christ in such a way that you recognize that you are completely sufficient in Jesus Christ. 239 00:25:43.560 --> 00:25:51.560 Jesus Christ is a sufficiency, not us, not ourself, not something we’re working up and self-sufficiency. 240 00:25:51.560 --> 00:25:53.760 It’s Christ’s sufficiency. 241 00:25:53.760 --> 00:26:06.760 Remember in Philippians chapter 4 when Paul writes, I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. … I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. 242 00:26:06.760 --> 00:26:08.540 That’s what he writes there. 243 00:26:08.540 --> 00:26:10.840 Do you remember where he was when he wrote that? 244 00:26:10.840 --> 00:26:14.880 He was in a Roman prison. 245 00:26:14.880 --> 00:26:21.240 Back in the 17th century, there was a Puritan, his name was Jeremiah Burroughs, and he wrote a beautiful book. 246 00:26:21.240 --> 00:26:22.220 I recommend it. 247 00:26:22.220 --> 00:26:24.300 If you find the book, you should read it. 248 00:26:24.300 --> 00:26:29.060 It’s called The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment . 249 00:26:29.060 --> 00:26:34.640 And in the book, he calls contentment a work of the Spirit indoors. 250 00:26:34.640 --> 00:26:38.100 He means it’s an internal work of the Spirit in our hearts. 251 00:26:38.100 --> 00:26:43.680 And he points out in the book, why is it that people are discontented? 252 00:26:43.680 --> 00:26:48.880 Why is it that you’re discontented, apart from all the advertisements it tells you to be? 253 00:26:48.880 --> 00:26:51.000 Why is it that you’re discontented? 254 00:26:51.000 --> 00:26:59.380 It’s because, he says, of pride, and that we think God owes us more than He’s given us. 255 00:26:59.380 --> 00:27:07.200 We become discontented because we think that we are owed something that God has deprived us of. 256 00:27:07.200 --> 00:27:24.520 But when we actually come to the cross of Jesus Christ, and we realize that we deserve nothing from God, nothing from Him, we are sinners who have rebelled against Him and we deserve nothing but judgment of God. 257 00:27:24.520 --> 00:27:30.780 And yet, God has given us everything, His own Son. 258 00:27:30.780 --> 00:27:39.380 He’s given us Jesus Christ who has sacrificed for us. 259 00:27:39.380 --> 00:27:46.420 And why should we desire more? 260 00:27:46.420 --> 00:27:57.500 So Paul gives us a couple of very practical realities that anchor our commitment. 261 00:27:57.500 --> 00:28:08.520 Verse 7, he writes, For we have brought nothing into the world, so we can’t take anything out of it. 262 00:28:08.520 --> 00:28:18.520 That’s echoing the words of Job, you remember, when Job says, Naked I came into the world, naked I’ll return. 263 00:28:18.520 --> 00:28:19.840 What’s Job saying? 264 00:28:19.840 --> 00:28:27.780 He’s saying, everything that I’ve had in this life is a gift of grace from God Himself. 265 00:28:27.780 --> 00:28:34.640 And if God takes something away, well, that’s God’s prerogative. 266 00:28:34.640 --> 00:28:40.460 Every baby enters this world with a naked body and empty hands. 267 00:28:40.460 --> 00:28:46.620 And every casket, as they say, there’s no pockets in the shroud. 268 00:28:46.620 --> 00:28:51.260 There’s nothing that you can carry away from here. 269 00:28:51.260 --> 00:28:54.200 The pagans have tried to do that for years. 270 00:28:54.200 --> 00:28:57.300 The Egyptians with all the treasures they buried with people. 271 00:28:57.300 --> 00:29:05.440 The Indians who took their bows and arrows and sent their people off to the happy hunting ground. 272 00:29:05.440 --> 00:29:07.720 Can’t carry anything with you. 273 00:29:07.720 --> 00:29:08.960 It’s all empty. 274 00:29:08.960 --> 00:29:10.660 Everything stays here. 275 00:29:10.660 --> 00:29:15.860 Pilgrim carries all the things with him that’s necessary for his journey. 276 00:29:15.860 --> 00:29:24.420 But when he comes to the end of his journey to cross the river, he leaves all those things behind. 277 00:29:24.420 --> 00:29:29.820 He has to leave everything behind. 278 00:29:29.820 --> 00:29:36.160 What he goes to is infinite riches. 279 00:29:36.160 --> 00:29:43.320 So, if you get daily provision, If we have food and covering, with these things we’ll be content. 280 00:29:43.320 --> 00:29:51.500 He’s not saying that you shouldn’t enjoy a house. 281 00:29:51.500 --> 00:29:55.120 Covering includes the idea that there’s shelter. 282 00:29:55.120 --> 00:29:58.300 He’s not saying anything like that at all. 283 00:29:58.300 --> 00:30:02.080 He’s not saying that you shouldn’t enjoy the good things that God has given us. 284 00:30:02.080 --> 00:30:07.900 Now, we should receive that with great thanksgiving. 285 00:30:07.900 --> 00:30:21.200 Back in chapter 4, when he was dealing with that asceticism, and I mentioned earlier, he told us that everything that is created by God is good and there’s nothing to be rejected if it’s received with gratitude. 286 00:30:21.200 --> 00:30:28.480 We’re to enjoy the life and the blessings that God gives us, but we’re not to live for those things. 287 00:30:28.480 --> 00:30:30.880 And we’re to be content with what He gives us. 288 00:30:30.880 --> 00:30:32.620 That’s what he’s saying. 289 00:30:32.620 --> 00:30:49.480 Verse 17, if you look down to that for just a second, Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. 290 00:30:49.480 --> 00:30:51.980 That’s the balance here. 291 00:30:51.980 --> 00:30:56.140 So we’re not to live foolishly. 292 00:30:56.140 --> 00:31:03.080 Our Heavenly Father provides today’s bread and today’s shelter, and He’s given us Jesus Christ. 293 00:31:03.080 --> 00:31:08.040 We’re to be content with what He’s given us. 294 00:31:08.040 --> 00:31:11.580 But what happens to us if we fail to do that? 295 00:31:11.580 --> 00:31:16.150 What happens if the person says in their heart it isn’t enough? 296 00:31:16.150 --> 00:31:22.540 Well, we see the tragedy of this covetous ambition. 297 00:31:22.540 --> 00:31:30.540 The text says it pierces us, pierces the soul with ruin and grief. 298 00:31:30.540 --> 00:31:34.480 So look at Paul’s words in verse 9. 299 00:31:34.480 --> 00:31:38.920 But those who want to get rich… Those who want. 300 00:31:38.920 --> 00:31:49.560 I want to get this before I quit, because this impacted me when I was thinking about the word that’s translated those who want , those who desire . 301 00:31:49.560 --> 00:31:55.180 And it’s like someone reaching up as far as they can to get something. 302 00:31:55.180 --> 00:31:58.620 They have set their will on something. 303 00:31:58.620 --> 00:32:03.420 And they’re desiring it, and they’re striving for it with all that they have. 304 00:32:03.420 --> 00:32:17.160 And if it is riches, then he’s saying it is incredibly foolish, because it’s not anything that you’re going to hold on to for very long. 305 00:32:17.160 --> 00:32:22.060 You’re going to be sinking with that. 306 00:32:22.060 --> 00:32:29.060 The next picture that he gives is drowning, actually a ship sinking. 307 00:32:29.060 --> 00:32:34.140 The desires that plunge you. 308 00:32:34.140 --> 00:32:35.300 It’s a maritime word. 309 00:32:35.300 --> 00:32:38.800 It means what drags the ship down to the ground. 310 00:32:38.800 --> 00:32:41.400 They want these things. 311 00:32:41.400 --> 00:32:52.720 They want the gold, and so they’re filling up their little boat with all these gold coins, and they keep filling the boat with those gold coins, and what’s going to happen? 312 00:32:52.720 --> 00:32:56.840 Well, if you get enough of those gold coins in there, well, that boat’s going to sink. 313 00:32:56.840 --> 00:33:03.600 That’s the kind of picture, the word picture, that that word suggests. 314 00:33:03.600 --> 00:33:13.380 It’s the same word Luke uses in Luke 5 when they’re filling their little boat with fish and it begins to sink. 315 00:33:13.380 --> 00:33:17.740 They’re dragged down to ruin and destruction. 316 00:33:17.740 --> 00:33:25.480 Their life is wrecked, wasted. 317 00:33:25.480 --> 00:33:35.720 The root sin, you know, is that the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil. 318 00:33:35.720 --> 00:33:39.880 He doesn’t say that money is the root of all evil. 319 00:33:39.880 --> 00:33:45.260 You know that I have to point that out because of it so often misquoted. 320 00:33:45.260 --> 00:33:58.720 But the love of money, the love of the silver, the love of this desire that leads people away to ruin, that’s what he’s saying. 321 00:33:58.720 --> 00:34:11.400 James Boice, in his commentary on Matthew, the Gospel of Matthew, when Jesus is saying, You can’t serve mammon and God. 322 00:34:11.400 --> 00:34:14.620 You’re going to have to make a choice between mammon and God. 323 00:34:14.620 --> 00:34:16.740 He talks about the meaning of that word mammon . 324 00:34:16.740 --> 00:34:29.460 And mammon originally meant something that a steward was entrusted with that he is supposed to care for and minister properly. 325 00:34:29.460 --> 00:34:40.820 But its meaning changed in its usage so that it ended up what a person is trusting for their security. 326 00:34:40.820 --> 00:34:44.000 And so something has shifted. 327 00:34:44.000 --> 00:34:52.910 They’re no longer looking at the money that they’ve received as something that they are stewards for, for the Lord. 328 00:34:52.910 --> 00:34:59.160 They are actually trusting the money as their security. 329 00:34:59.160 --> 00:35:11.500 They want to build up a little more money in order to be secure, gain a little more security, a little more confidence. 330 00:35:11.500 --> 00:35:12.700 And in what? 331 00:35:12.700 --> 00:35:16.600 In the money, not in the Lord. 332 00:35:16.600 --> 00:35:36.360 You see, that’s why wanting this little bit more, desiring this thing just so that you can be just a little more secure, well, that shift is exactly what idolatry is. 333 00:35:36.360 --> 00:35:37.960 It is covetousness. 334 00:35:37.960 --> 00:35:40.140 And covetousness is idolatry. 335 00:35:40.140 --> 00:35:45.880 Wanting that little more so that you can trust that instead of trusting the Lord. 336 00:35:45.880 --> 00:35:51.080 You see how your trust isn’t in the Lord if you’re trusting mammon? 337 00:35:51.080 --> 00:35:53.620 It’s a root of all kinds of evil. 338 00:35:53.620 --> 00:36:02.720 Not that it causes every evil thing, but it has caused pretty much every evil thing. 339 00:36:02.720 --> 00:36:04.240 You look at this Bible. 340 00:36:04.240 --> 00:36:06.700 Why did Achan disobey God at Jericho? 341 00:36:06.700 --> 00:36:12.220 Because he wanted those Babylonian garments and the silver and the wedge of gold. 342 00:36:12.220 --> 00:36:15.340 Why did Balaam try to curse the people of God? 343 00:36:15.340 --> 00:36:18.680 Because he had been bribed with the Moabite silver. 344 00:36:18.680 --> 00:36:21.400 Why did Delilah betray Samson? 345 00:36:21.400 --> 00:36:25.560 Because of 1,100 pieces of silver. 346 00:36:25.560 --> 00:36:28.840 Why did Gehazi lie to Elisha? 347 00:36:28.840 --> 00:36:32.680 Because he wanted Naaman’s gold and garments. 348 00:36:32.680 --> 00:36:36.700 Why did Judas Iscariot betray our Lord Jesus? 349 00:36:36.700 --> 00:36:41.100 It was because of the 30 pieces of silver that was offered him. 350 00:36:41.100 --> 00:36:48.640 Ananias and Sapphira lied to the Holy Spirit to keep back part of what they said they were pretending to give. 351 00:36:48.640 --> 00:36:57.180 And why did Demas desert the Apostle Paul? 352 00:36:57.180 --> 00:37:02.420 Because Paul says, Having loved this present world, he’s left me. 353 00:37:02.420 --> 00:37:07.340 It’s because of all this temptation. 354 00:37:07.340 --> 00:37:14.100 Paul says, And some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith. 355 00:37:14.100 --> 00:37:17.060 That idea of longing for it, wanting it. 356 00:37:17.060 --> 00:37:18.800 And what’s the result of that? 357 00:37:18.800 --> 00:37:19.820 It’s nothing there. 358 00:37:19.820 --> 00:37:21.480 They fall on their own sword. 359 00:37:21.480 --> 00:37:23.740 They pierce their own soul. 360 00:37:23.740 --> 00:37:25.360 They pierce their heart. 361 00:37:25.360 --> 00:37:27.680 That’s the image that Paul gives here. 362 00:37:27.680 --> 00:37:42.160 They pierce themselves with many griefs, broken families and lost children and tormented conscience and an eternity apart from God. 363 00:37:42.160 --> 00:37:47.740 How do you avoid this temptation and not fall into this trap? 364 00:37:47.740 --> 00:37:58.400 Well, you set your loving heart on Jesus Christ, and the love that you have for Christ pushes these secondary loves away. 365 00:37:58.400 --> 00:38:03.580 See, we examine our own heart and we look to the Lord Jesus. 366 00:38:03.580 --> 00:38:06.300 We are going to celebrate the Lord’s Table today. 367 00:38:06.300 --> 00:38:07.420 And I know I’ve gone long. 368 00:38:07.420 --> 00:38:08.040 I’m sorry. 369 00:38:08.040 --> 00:38:09.320 It’s a lengthy passage. 370 00:38:09.320 --> 00:38:14.100 Probably took too much. 371 00:38:14.100 --> 00:38:20.960 But as we think about the Lord’s Table, let’s conclude these ideas. 372 00:38:20.960 --> 00:38:23.820 How do we break the power of the love of money? 373 00:38:23.820 --> 00:38:29.540 Well, you can’t do it just by trying to want it less. 374 00:38:29.540 --> 00:38:36.540 The only way to do it is to set your love and heart on something that is far better. 375 00:38:36.540 --> 00:38:41.840 And what we have in Jesus Christ is so, so much better. 376 00:38:41.840 --> 00:38:57.360 You look away from all the tinsel of this world that’s passing, and you look to Jesus Christ and all that we have in Him, everything in Him, and we think about what Jesus has done for us. 377 00:38:57.360 --> 00:39:10.320 2 Corinthians 8:9, For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich. 378 00:39:10.320 --> 00:39:19.800 Jesus Christ gave up the glory of heaven with its golden streets and all the things that’s way under our comprehension and imagination. 379 00:39:19.800 --> 00:39:25.700 Jesus Christ who owned the cattle on a thousand hills. 380 00:39:25.700 --> 00:39:32.860 Jesus Christ laid it all down and entered this world naked as a baby in a manger. 381 00:39:32.860 --> 00:39:37.340 And as He grew up, He had no place, He says, to lay His head. 382 00:39:37.340 --> 00:39:43.480 And He goes to Calvary where He was pierced through. 383 00:39:43.480 --> 00:39:47.140 He was pierced through for our transgressions. 384 00:39:47.140 --> 00:39:57.580 If the product of our greed is like us falling on our own sword and being pierced through, Jesus took that on Himself. 385 00:39:57.580 --> 00:40:04.520 That very judgment and all other judgments. 386 00:40:04.520 --> 00:40:11.520 You know, we have the crucified and resurrected Jesus Christ. 387 00:40:11.520 --> 00:40:17.140 You don’t have to strive for the things that are so short of that. 388 00:40:17.140 --> 00:40:21.740 You have the pearl of great price and the treasure hidden in the field. 389 00:40:21.740 --> 00:40:26.440 You have godliness with contentment. 390 00:40:26.440 --> 00:40:38.420 You have the beautiful work of the grace of God in your heart that’s teaching you to be godly, which is what heaven is. 391 00:40:38.420 --> 00:40:44.800 Godliness is the beauty of God’s design at work, worked His way. 392 00:40:44.800 --> 00:40:47.240 It’s something beautiful and glorious. 393 00:40:47.240 --> 00:40:53.380 It’s a little bit of heaven that we can have right now and that we will enjoy forever. 394 00:40:53.380 --> 00:40:55.080 You can have that. 395 00:40:55.080 --> 00:40:59.760 And that with contentment, there’s no gain greater than that. 396 00:40:59.760 --> 00:41:03.380 It’s the power of Christ in us. 397 00:41:03.380 --> 00:41:06.720 It’s the glory of Christ. 398 00:41:06.720 --> 00:41:08.840 That’s for this life. 399 00:41:08.840 --> 00:41:11.140 That’s for the life to come. 400 00:41:11.140 --> 00:41:17.100 As we share the Lord’s Table this morning, that’s what Christ came to give us. 401 00:41:17.100 --> 00:41:19.120 That’s what it all means. 402 00:41:19.120 --> 00:41:21.060 That’s what the cross is. 403 00:41:21.060 --> 00:41:24.280 That’s what His body broken means. 404 00:41:24.280 --> 00:41:26.200 His blood poured out. 405 00:41:26.200 --> 00:41:31.320 The sacrifice He has made for us. 406 00:41:31.320 --> 00:41:34.480 Let me pray for us and ask God to bless. 407 00:41:34.480 --> 00:41:43.740 Father, it’s so easy for us to be distracted with all kinds of things in this world, be caught up with the stuff of this world. 408 00:41:43.740 --> 00:41:48.500 It’s popularity or foolishness or money or a thousand different things. 409 00:41:48.500 --> 00:41:52.000 We are taught every day to be discontent. 410 00:41:52.000 --> 00:41:54.940 The culture around us teaches us that. 411 00:41:54.940 --> 00:41:57.400 We should want something more. 412 00:41:57.400 --> 00:42:01.480 And yet, Father, how can we want more if You’ve given us everything? 413 00:42:01.480 --> 00:42:04.260 If You’ve given us everything? 414 00:42:04.260 --> 00:42:20.140 Lord, help us to see the beauty of godliness, to stretch for it longingly, to reach for what is sure and eternal, that won’t collapse, that won’t fail. 415 00:42:20.140 --> 00:42:22.420 Give us such a heart, we pray. 416 00:42:22.420 --> 00:42:31.340 And Father, as we share the table this morning, bless these elements, the bread and the cup. 417 00:42:31.340 --> 00:42:49.220 And as we take the bread and the cup today, which is a symbol of what Christ has done for us, Father, let our hearts overflow with gratitude that He was willing to take the penalty of our sins and to give us a way. 418 00:42:49.220 --> 00:43:01.320 We who deserve nothing but judgment and hell, He gives such riches and blessing and an eternal inheritance that will never be taken away from us if we are in Christ Jesus. 419 00:43:01.320 --> 00:43:07.980 We will be in the very presence of God who gives every good and perfect gift forever. 420 00:43:07.980 --> 00:43:09.960 We thank You, Lord, for that. 421 00:43:09.960 --> 00:43:14.360 We thank You, God, for such precious treasure. 422 00:43:14.360 --> 00:43:16.200 Bless us this morning. 423 00:43:16.200 --> 00:43:18.640 Give us a right heart before You. 424 00:43:18.640 --> 00:43:20.700 Teach us to be godly. 425 00:43:20.700 --> 00:43:22.560 Change our heart, we pray. 426 00:43:22.560 --> 00:43:26.160 In Christ’s name, Amen.