Godliness With Contentment

Temple Baptist Church - 3-3-2013

 

1 Timothy 6:3-6:11a

 

Introduction:

A. In our Laodicean society, we find discontentedness on every hand.

1. Everyone wants everything without working for anything.

2. Everyone wants everything now without being able to afford anything.

3. Too many place their trust and hope in these perishable things.

B. This Laodicean Church Age has affected God’s children in the same ways. We have been and are blessed! We must be careful not to let these blessings becoming cursing’s by:

1. Misplaced values. Placing things above our relationship with and work for Christ.

2. Misplaced trust. Placing our trust in these temporal things instead of in our loving Lord.

C. Then we have the reality and effects of Prosperity Preaching across our land. (6:5) “supposing that gain is godliness”

1. God’s faithful people have hard times financially.

2. Prosperity or the lack of it is not a sign of either God’s approval or disapproval of our lives.

1. We need to have a right perspective of finances.

a. There is nothing wrong with hard work and the financial rewards that go with it. 2 Thessalonians 3:10, 2 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. … (12) Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread. (Notice the reward of work is that THEY eat! In today’s politics, people are demonized for success in business. The laborer is worthy of his hire and these people who have excelled should be properly rewarded. Those who will not work (notice I said “will not”) should not eat.)

b. There is nothing wrong with enjoying the fruit of one’s labors. Ecclesiastes 8:15 Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry: for that shall abide with him of his labour the days of his life, which God giveth him under the sun. (The Bible has no problem with people enjoying the fruit of their labors. That enjoyment should be done according to biblical principles.)

2. Material things are temporal while the eternal are just that: eternal. 1 John 2:15-17 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. (16) For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. (17) And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. ("He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose." ~ Jim Elliot)

3. Material things can be a recipe for disaster. Matthew 6:19-21 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: (20) But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: (21) For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. (As many strange women stole the heart of Solomon, too many things cause our hearts to turn from our God. Where our treasure (things that we value) are is where our hearts will be.)

Matthew 6:31-34 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (32) (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. (33) But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. (34) Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Philippians 4:10-13 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity. (11) Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. (12) I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. (13) I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Hebrews 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.