I Timothy 6:17-19
“The True Life”
Sermon by
Mark A. Horne
One of the things I acquired when I was dating my, now, wife was a love for camping. Camping was not something my family ever did because my father’s idea of a vacation was not “roughing it.” But my wife’s family enjoyed it very much – and – I became somebody whom enjoyed it too. Soon after we were married we organized our own little camping vacations by borrowing the in-laws camper for a week, then buying a small pop-up, and finally upgrading to a little bit bigger travel trailer. Yet, wherever we go we are always awed by theses huge busses that pull into the campsite.
Just this year, we were camping at the beach when a beautiful bus rolled into the campsite. I was at the general store getting some ice when the cashier noticed me with my mouth hanging open. Looking back, I hoped the expression I gave her wasn’t that of coveting. She proceeded to tell me that particular bus was probably worth one million dollars. It was nice. It was so nice that one of its slide outs was a smoked glass sunroom. Talk about camping in luxury. I believe even my dad could have handled a few days in that.
I don’t know what the bank account of the owner of that bus is, but I venture to imagine that is pretty substantial. He most likely would be the type of person Paul is exhorting Timothy to instruct according to our passage we just read. Being a pastoral letter, Paul has been giving Timothy some advice and instructions on many issues. At Ephesus the Judaists were spreading their strange doctrines, placing great stress upon such things as endless genealogies, profane and old wive’s fables, and posing as teachers of the law. The situation was serious due to what we learn from 1:6, 20; 3:3, 6; and 5:17-25. And it is evident from these passages that it was some of the more prominent church-members that had fell into the traps and were causing error in the church. One of the errors that chapter 6 portrays is the issue of money. It is in this chapter that we have the most-wise verse, “The love of money is the root of all evil…” (Verse 10). In verses 3 through 10, Paul explains to Timothy that true godliness is being content with what God has so graciously given us. Paul then begins to give Timothy a charge to “pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness.” And then, in very Paul-like fashion, he returns to the previous subject - this one being money – not with instruction but with a command. And not any kind of command - a charge that a Pastor must make to those who are under his care and are rich in this life.
Brothers, Paul did not tell Timothy “If you feel like it…tell those rich people this” or “if you get up enough courage young Timmy, then tell those who are wealthy this…” No! Paul makes it clear to Timothy – the pastor he left behind at Ephesus: a city that was so rich in wealth that it was second behind Rome and had a theater that sat over 24,000 people - Paul makes it explicitly clear to this pastor that that he should give this charge to those who are rich, and brothers – we better take heed to Paul’s instruction as well.
Since our passage deals with what we should consider as rich, or our treasure – I want us to pocket two “G’s” today. Wouldn’t you like to go home with two “G’s”? I would too. And I think these are the “G’s” even we elders can get excited about:
The first “G” you better hold on to tight, in fact I wouldn’t stick this in your pants or coat pocket, I would stick this in your heart:
1. The first “G” is God – it is God who richly provides us with what we have for our enjoyment, and it comes not from anything we do.
The second “G” is like the first – you better hold on to it tight – place it in your heart:
2. The second “G” is Generosity - generosity and sharing are the foundation of the true life.
I
In verse 17 we learn that it is God “who richly provides us with what we have for our enjoyment.” And when one does not understand this, then there are only two conclusions that can be made – pride has gotten in the way or hope is put into something deceitful. On the bus ride from Hell to Heaven in C.S. Lewis’ book The Great Divorce, the writer of his own dream describes a conversation with whom he calls “Intelligent Man.” This ghost lays out for the dreamer a theory of why hell is spreading out indefinitely. People will not live near one another. Being quarrelsome is not the reason, but the lack of Needs is. It seemed to this Intelligent Man that Hell could be a lot better off if there were a “proper economic basis for community life.” And he was on the bus trip so he could obtain some “real commodities” to bring back to hell to sell. The ultimate goal for the Intelligent Man was not improve hell for the sake of improvement, but “to make a nice little profit.”
Men what do we owe those in our congregations whom have been blessed by God’s goodness if it is not to make them see that they have been blessed by His goodness? All in our congregations are not poor and middle class. Each of us has some that have been blessed with great material possession. Our culture is very similar to the culture of Ephesus – there are not many of us who hurt. Sure, those who are our largest fund givers deserve much respect. I don’t mean to sound cruel or harsh about that fact - or rule out the politeness due them. But brothers think about the souls of those who walk in our churches Sunday after Sunday dropping the coins in the coffers and leave refreshed thinking they have done some good deed – not realizing that they had just paid that many more cents for the entrance into Hell. Instead of putting their hope in God – we let them leave the sanctuary thinking the dollar is the way to Heaven.
When we read in verse 17 that “God provides us with everything for our enjoyment,” it reminds me of the part of the Yahweh passage in Exodus 33:19. God says to Moses: “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion…” John Frame reminds us that God has “Covenant Presence” with us. He “commits himself to us, to be our God and to make us his people. He delivers us by His grace and rules us by His law, and He rules not only from above, but also with us and within us” (The Doctrine of God, 96). Brothers, that means we have the responsibility to try and explain to those who are rich that it is only through God’s goodness that they have what they have. No amount of material possession can provide true happiness like a relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ. It is only in Christ that we experience true joy – that is His compassion, grace, slowness to anger, love, faithfulness, and forgiveness.
Are we guilty of not taking a stand and charging the rich in our congregations to examine themselves for what they put their hope in? I dare say most of us rather than the few, some of us more than others, and all of us at least once. I don’t believe the Holy Spirit would have laid this testimony upon Paul’s heart to write to his brother Timothy if it wasn’t important. I don’t believe it would have been preserved in Scripture if it weren’t important for us as leaders in the church.
But God did preserve it, and in it we find the second point of our passage, the second “G” we must place in our heart: - generosity and sharing are the foundations of the true life. What are our rich brothers and sisters to learn once God has pierced their harden hearts and they have believed in Him? Paul tells Timothy in verse 18 to “command those who are rich to do good deeds, be generous, and share.” Commands that is the same for the poor. Why? Because those who are truly rich in the Lord, are rich in “good deeds” as verse 18 states. When one has his or her heart softened by God, they think of another world, and prepare for that which is to come by being charitable with their blessings.
Brothers, this is nothing new for us to preach. This isn’t just a teaching we learn. This is Christ’s life. Men fully had God’s presence among them when Christ lived on earth. Grace was bestowed to the hungry, sick, and poor. And yet - Jesus does give instruction on how to do good deeds. I am reminded of two verses in the Beatitudes. First Jesus instructs in Matthew 6:3, “But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” And the second from Matthew 6:19&20, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
We as ministers of the Word of God must make it clear to those who are wealthy that they have been blessed for a purpose and that purpose is to bless those around them. We must charge those who rich that the Father sees how they allocate their funds for the work of His kingdom. We must make clear to those who have been endowed with much affluence that God expects them to share what He has given them - for more than they can imagine awaits them when they are called home to glory. Paul tells Timothy in verse 19 that when their heart is devoted to God, they have laid “a firm foundation for the coming age.”
Paul goes even a step further in his instruction to Timothy on this point. He says that as pastors, we aren’t just preaching a means to the end. We aren’t just charging those who are wealthy to do good deeds and share so they can have much more in heaven. No! We are portraying to them what the “life that is truly life” is. We are giving them something spiritual that they can “take hold” of in this present age. Isn’t it interesting that in this last statement Paul expresses the life that one grasps or takes hold of comes by means of letting go of what is considered precious? When the mindset of a culture revolves around “make as much money as you can so that you can have a good, comfortable life,” Paul turns culture on its head and says the true life is letting go of the money.
I believe James Montgomery Boice sheds light of Paul’s teaching when he writes: “Christianity is not a private religion. The grace that draws sinners into a personal, saving relationship with Jesus Christ has implications for all of life. This is one of the strengths of Calvinism – its comprehensive vision for bringing every aspect of human existence under divine authority and thereby directing every human endeavor to the glory of God. Abraham Kuyper identified as ‘the special trait of Calvinism’ its ability to place ‘the believer before the face of God, not only in his church, but also in his personal, family, social, and political life. The majesty of God, and the authority of God press upon the Calvinist in the whole of his existence’” (The Doctrine of Grace, 201).
Oh Brothers, what a duty we have to charge those who are rich not to be arrogant for it is only by God’s grace they have anything. That they should be generous and share for these are the foundations for true life, that of living and looking to be with our Savior in Glory. We must charge the rich to submit - submit to the Lord’s majesty and submit to His authority.
Let Us Pray: Dear Heavenly Father, you are most Holy and your authority reigns in our life. Help us dear Father to be men of courage. Help us to see the needs of those who are wealthy lie in your hands, but so does our duty to them. Father we pray that as men whom you have set to lead your chosen, we will take seriously the responsibility given to us and charge our brothers and sisters as you require in your Word. May your name reign forever. In your Most Precious Name we pray, Amen.