Date:   10/17/2010

Text:   1 Timothy 6:3-10

Title:   Money: Love Hate Relationship

Theme: We are to be thankful for what God has given us

Introduction:

  When there is an NBA or NFL players pick, it generates much headline news. Besides the interest in who goes where, there is also the interest in how much the top players will earn. We parents like to joke saying we buy that basketball goal set so our children can sign up a huge contract.

  Many of the professional athletes do bring in big money. In 1991, Rocket Ismail, a football player, signed a contract of 18.2 million. Scottie Pippen earned 120 million during his basketball career. Yao Ming's final year contract with the Rockets is about 17.1 million. One can imagine their excitement when they signed the first contract.

  Money is a complicated matter. When we had little, we worked hard to earn more. When we have more, we want more and not sure when to stop. Along the way, we also learn that more money does not mean more happiness. Some have said, ¡§I'd rather go back to the days when we were poor, for we were so much happier then.¡¨

As a pastor, I felt for you when you struggled financially. Then I rejoice with you when I see you being established financially. However, deep inside my heart, I also wonder, if more money will affect your love for the Lord. When we have less, we have little problem tithing to God. But the more money we have, the harder it seems to tithe. To give $10 out of $100 is easier than giving $5000 out of $50,000, right? Is money a panacea or a curse?

  For this reason, there is so much teaching on money in the scriptures. There are more verses on money than on prayer. In the church at Ephesus , money had become an issue because of the false teachers. So, in these few verses, Paul instructed the believers a simple yet profound truth that as followers of Christ, we are to learn to be content with what we have.

I.•  Believers are to know the standards of faith.

In vs.2b, ¡§¡K. Teach and urge these things.¡¨ Vs.3, ¡§ 3 If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness,¡¨ These words indicate that there is a standard in the Christian faith. There is objective, absolute truth. One must not deviate from it, one must teach them.

Because there is this truth, therefore not all teachings are correct or error free. Not all teaching on money matters are correct. Some of our thoughts and opinion on money can be wrong. So, how do we know if certain teachings or opinion are correct, or incorrect?

First, sound teachings come from Christ and his apostles. To us, it means all sound teachings are consistent with what lie in the entire Scriptures. The scripture is the standard we hold onto. When my understanding of money is consistent with the Bible, then I know it is correct.

True, sound teaching promotes godliness. In the scriptures, godliness means a new way of life; being obedient to God's laws in all areas of life. A godly person is one at peace with God and with self, there is that deep spiritual joy and assurance of salvation. Godliness is not a list of do's and don'ts, but living before the face of God. Sound teaching, including those on money, will help us to grow and be mature like Christ.

Secondly, there are false teachings. Vs.4-5, ¡§ 4 he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, 5 and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain.¡¨

First, Wrong teachings deviate from what Christ and his apostles teach; deviating from the teachings in the scripture. Teachings that advocate that a true believer will be free from poverty and sickness is wrong.

The second characteristic of false teaching is that it causes division. Two years ago I was told about a certain preacher, who after speaking at a church, caused a split in that church. When any teaching causes division, or disunity in a church, watch out.

The third mark of false teaching is that it often uses religion or godliness as a means for profit. They collect a fee for their teaching. The false teachers had no interest in godliness. Their only interest was money. It's like a pastor when invited to preach at different churches, his interest is not on how the message would help the congregation, but on how much money he would receive from them. It is like a business. So when Paul was in Corinth , he did not want to give the impression that he was teaching for money, he would not accept any money from the church. And he was criticized for this.

Since false teachers and their teachings are closely connected with money, so Paul began to instruct the believers what their attitude on money should be.

II.•  Believers with limited wealth are to learn to be content.

In John Stott's commentary, the following verses are referred to as instructions to the believers with little. To the false teachers and their followers, religion/godliness is a means to profit. So in vs.6 Paul wrote, ¡§ 6 Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment,..¡¨ Yes, there is great profit in godliness. This godliness is also to include contentment. To be content means not to desire for more than what one has. With godliness plus contentment, there is great profit. The great profit is not monetary, but spiritual and eternal. It is important to remember that the scripture is not talking about one being content with being destitute. To be without food and shelter, to be homeless is an attack on human dignity. It is wrong, abnormal and degrading. John Stott writes that this passage is referring to the Christian poor, those without too much money. There are two reasons for being content.

1.•  We enter and leave the world with empty hands.

The first reason to be content is found in vs.7, ¡§ 7 for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.¡¨ This is a quote from Job 1:21. We remember that Job was a wealthy person. Overnight, he lost his 10 children, 7K sheep, 3K camels, 1K cattle and 1K mules. Plus his body was covered with boils. His wife was so discouraged and urged him to curse God, yet he refused. In the midst of that tragedy, he made the famous statement, ¡§Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.¡¨ We enter the world with empty hands.

John Rockefeller was a wealthy man in the early 1900's. After he died, someone asked his associate, ¡§how much did he leave behind?¡¨ ¡§Everything¡¨ was the answer. A few years ago, when a wealthy women died, she left all her money, in the millions, to her dog. No matter how much money one has, at death, we can't bring any of it with us. We came with empty hands, and we go with empty hands.

2.•  We are to be content with the necessities of life.

The second reason for being content is: ¡§ 8 But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.¡¨ Clothing carries the meaning of covering. So this phrase means that we are to be content with the food, clothes and shelter we have. This also means that we are not to let the desire to have more and more to control and drive us.

In today's world, it is so hard to separate want from need. To have a bigger house, a nicer car, is this a need or a want? And this can become so personal. Yet each one of us has to examine what is the driving force in our live? To get more and more so we can catch up with the Jones next door? Since it is hard for us to separate the need from the want, I like the prayer in Proverbs 30:7, ¡§ 7 Two things I ask of you; deny them not to me before I die: 8 Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, 9 lest I be full and deny you and say, ¡§Who is the Lord?¡¨ or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.¡¨ I think this verse needs no further explanation, it speaks for itself.

III.•  Believers are to be aware of the pitfalls of Greed.

Up to now, Paul was addressing those believers without much money or material possessions. They were urged to learn to be godly and content with the food, clothing and shelter they had. Not to let the desire to have more control and drive us.

But now, he turns to those who find it hard to be content, and coveting more and more money. Their lives are driven by the love of money. The OT is full of instructions against this love for money. Ecc 5:10, ¡§ 10 He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity.¡¨ Pro 28:20, ¡§ 20 A faithful man will abound with blessings, but whoever hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.¡¨ Jesus'' teachings on wealth also echoes the OT. Besides teachings, the scripture is also full of stories of greedy individuals.

  Adam and Eve sinned because they were not content with what they had. They wanted more. Then there was Achan. When the Israelites under the leadership of Joshua, attacked a small city but was defeated. Why? Because one of them, Achan, took from the city what he was forbidden to. Because of one person's greed, the entire army suffered defeat. Not only that, Achan and his family were also destroyed. Judas, for 30 pieces of silver, sold Jesus to the authorities. There was Ananias and Sapphira, in the book of Acts, who sold their land and brought the proceeds to the apostles. Even though they kept a portion for themselves, they told the apostles that they had brought all they had. They were greedy to keep that portion for themselves, furthermore lied and consequently died because of this.

  In vs.9, 10, Paul traces the downfall of the person who is not content. He expressed the destructive force of the love of money. ¡§ 9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.¡¨

  First, they fall into temptation. This is just the opposite of the Lord's prayer, lead us not into temptation. When we are greedy, we lead ourselves into temptations of dishonesty and theft. In order to get that extra money from the IRS, we are tempted to exaggerate our deductions. In order to have that extra money to buy that game from a friend, we may be tempted to steal money from family members.

  Secondly, we end up with many foolish, even harmful desires. We want to be more popular in school, we want more power. At the work place, a person's wealth is frequently directly proportional to the power he has.

  Thirdly, the love of money is the root of all evil. It is important to note that the scripture never teaches that money is the root of evil; but that the love of money is the root of our evil. We can think of evils as: selfishness, cheating, fraud, perjury, robbery and the ultimate evil, violence and murder. We read news of one spouse killing another because of insurance money.

  Fourthly, the Love of money can pull you away from faith and your heart being pierced, leading to ruin and destruction. We see individuals no longer coming to church for worship and fellowship because on Sundays, they need to make that extra money, to stay in the competition.

  The Love of money can bring great worry and destruction to life. Jay Gould, another wealthy person in the 19 th century, when he died, had accumulated $100 million. Yet he said, ¡§I am the most miserable person on earth.¡¨ A rich man committed suicide. In his pocket was $30K and a note, saying, ¡§I have discovered during my life that piles of money do not bring happiness. I am taking my life because I can no longer stand the solitude and boredom. When I was an ordinary workman in NY, I was happy. Now that I possess millions, I am infinitely sad and prefer death.¡¨

We still remember the former top executives of Enron. In order to satisfy that insatiable desire for more and more money, they lied to themselves, to their employees and the public. Leading to the destruction of their integrity, family and even lives. These are the evils of the Love of money.

On the other hand, I admire the owners of Chick-Filet. In order to keep their Christian principles, they are closed on Sundays. And also the one owner of Hobby-Lobby closes their store on Sundays so that the employees can spend time together with the family and for worship.

Conclusion:

   In 1989, Rumeal Robinson, a famous basketball player, earned about $5 million during six years in the NBA league. Now, his money is all gone and committed 11 counts of financial fraud. If found guilty, he will spend 30 years in prison. He is only 43 years old. He lost his money and his integrity. Ismail, lost millions of the money that he earned. Pippen lost his career earnings of 120 million. Former Phillies center fielder, Lenny Dykstra, had to sell his World Series ring to pay creditors.

NBA Players Assn. reported that 6 to 8% of NBA players end up broke, 60% end up in serious financial trouble within five years of retirement.

  Why? According to an article in Bloomberg BusinessWeek, the reasons are: lifestyle, family or bad business ventures. What is common behind these? How to get more? In the process, they lost their bearings forgetting what is really important in life. In order to make more money, to accumulate more wealth, to satisfy that insatiable desire of more, they sacrificed their family, integrity and some even their own lives.

  When we see this and other destructive forces of the Love of money, we can only go back to something very simple: we came with empty hands, so we shall leave with empty hands. Be content with what we have and do not desire more than that. Remember Jesus' words, Matthew 16:26, ¡§ For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? Or what shall a man give in return for his life?¡¨