1 Timothy 6:17-19 (NIV)
by Rom A. Pegram (11/8/09)
As we begin a 3 week series of messages, during this month of stewardship, I want to thank Pastor Mike Slaughter of Ginghamsburg Church for his obedience in writing down some biblical principles of stewardship—so that both pastors and congregations can continue to learn … and grow … and be better stewards in all that we do. I’ve learned a lot from him; I pray that you will, too. Let me begin here:
There was an old mountaineer had lived a full but not exactly saintly life and now was on his deathbed. He summoned his weeping wife. ‘Sara,’ he said, ‘go to the fireplace and take out the third stone from the top.’ She did as instructed. ‘Reach in there,’ said her husband, ‘and bring out what you find.’
Her fingers touched a large Mason jar, and with some effort she pulled it up. The jar was full of cash… ‘Sara,’ said the old man, ‘when I go, I’m going to take all that money with me. I want you to put that jar up in the attic by the window. I’ll get it as I go by on my way to heaven.’
His wife followed his instructions. That night the old mountaineer died. After the funeral, his wife remembered the Mason jar and went up to the attic. There was the jar still full of money and by the window. ‘Oh,’ the widow sighed. ‘I knew I should have put that jar … in the basement.’
We have some funny ideas about money sometimes, don’t we? And, one of the things I want to address right away today … is our tendency to separate our spiritual life with God … from our physical life here on earth; we don’t want to mix God … and something as earthly as money! Yet, as Pastor Dave shared with you last week, that’s exactly what Jesus did! About half of his parables were on the topic of … you guessed it, money! He talked more about money than any other subject … including love (which is what most people relate to Jesus’ teachings). And, so, in good company … as his disciples … we need to do the same…
I want to start out our teaching this month … by reminding you of what we have in Christ (money ð relationship to God)! This will be a good way to ease into what is sometimes ‘a very touchy subject’ (not touchy as far as God is concerned, but as far as some of us are concerned). Well, God promises much to us … regarding our needs being met—our provisions … and we begin to hear about it in our scripture for today. Just listen…
“Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.” – 1 Timothy 6:17-19 (NIV)
This scripture informs us that Paul, while he had written to churches previously about the dangers of loving money, hadn’t really addressed those who were already rich as directly as he wished. I’ve said it before, so now I repeat myself: If you live in the U.S. of A. at this time and in this place, the majority of us—compared with many in the early Church—are rich! Compared to many in our world today … we are rich! (πλούσιος = rich; πλοῦτος = money, possessions, abundance, richness.) Listen to these ways that we’re rich; first…
WE HAVE A POWERFUL PARENT! In Matthew 7:7-11, Jesus says, “Ask, and you will receive; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks will receive, and anyone who seeks will find, and the door will be opened to those who knock. 9 Would any of you who are fathers give your son a stone when he asks for bread? 10 Or would you give him a snake when he asks for a fish? 11 As bad as you are, you know how to give good things to your children. How much more, then, will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” As we build a foundation for an abundant life—the life that God wants for us, we should begin with this understanding: WE HAVE A POWERFUL PARENT … who loves us and cares about us more than any other ever could!
Mike Mair had purchased a 1961 Les Paul (SG body shape), with original PAF (patent applied for—made between ’58-’61—after which they had a patent # applied to them) pickups at a household auction in Lancaster. A customer of Mound City Music had died … and he bought it for $500. At the auction, he found out that one of the original pick-ups had been replaced and put in another guitar that was being sold that day. A young man bought the other guitar … and didn’t care if Mike had the one pick up and replaced it with one he wanted. That kept the ’61 original—that pick-up being worth about $3,000 today…
Mike’s son, B.J., was in need of a bed; he wanted a water bed—the rage of the day. The only way that Mike could afford to buy his son a new bed … was to sell that guitar to buy his son a water bed. They didn’t have much money right then; they were actually on government assistance for housing at that time. Long story short, Mike sold the guitar for $500—what he’d paid for it … knowing that later on, it would be worth much more. Today, that guitar is worth about $40,000. Mike loved his son that much!
“As bad as you are, you know how to give good things to your children. How much more, then, will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” As we grow & build toward the abundant life that God wants us to have, we need to remember that … WE HAVE A POWERFUL PARENT!
WE HAVE THE PROMISE OF PROVISION! Philippians 4:19 tells us, “And with all his abundant wealth through Christ Jesus, my God will supply all your needs.” The truth is … we not only have a powerful parent, but we have a powerful parent who has given us … the promise of provision! The Bible offers example after example that there is no need too great for God to meet!
Do you remember the story of Moses? When God’s people were out in the desert … in need, God provided for them manna & quail to eat … and God pulled water out of a rock to drink!
When the only available resources to feed 5,000 men and their families were a few dried fish and five loaves of bread, Jesus (God) multiplied them to feed the multitudes!
Romans 8:31-32 reminds us, “In view of all this, what can we say? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 Certainly not God, who did not even keep back his own Son, but offered him for us all! He gave us his Son—will he not also freely give us all things?”
Folks, if God was willing to give up his Son, Jesus, to die for us … does not everything else pale in comparison to Love’s ability to provide for your every need? WE HAVE GOD’S PROMISE OF PROVISION…
WE HAVE THE PRINCIPLE OF BIBLICAL PROSPERITY. Proverbs is the book of wise sayings in the Bible. Here’s one for you today: Proverbs 11:28 (TEV) says, “Those who depend on their wealth will fall like the leaves of autumn, but the righteous will prosper like the leaves of summer.” Folks, please understand that I’m NOT talking about a ‘prosperity gospel’ here; I’m talking about God’s desire for God’s people to prosper in life … in every way! ‘The righteous will prosper…’ In other words, those who are following God—submitting to God’s will … will prosper! God doesn’t just care about—and want us to prosper—in one little area of our lives (money); God wants us to prosper as whole people of God!
Here’s the principle: In Jeremiah 29:11 (TEV) God tells us, “I alone know the plans I have for you, plans to bring you prosperity and not disaster, plans to bring about the future you hope for.”
I don’t know of any earthly parent who wants their children … to make average grades in school … or who hope their kids will struggle their way through life … or who dream of their kids growing up to be poor! Do you? All parents—that I know of—desire the very best for their children! And, God is no different…
But, we cannot think that the abundant life is just going to happen … because we call ourselves ‘children of God.’ The Israelites got in trouble with that one. They thought that just because they were ‘children of Abraham’ (and Abraham was so close to God) that they would be covered … no matter what their personal behavior. ‘Didn’t work that way, if you know your Old Testament…
As Christians, we often make that same mistake … expecting to be blessed just because we’re redeemed by the blood of Christ! The truth is, folks, that the abundant life that God wants for us is totally contingent on … what? Obedience! (The ‘Big O’) Ephesians 5:17 (NIV) says, “Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.” Everything we’re talking about today—all of God’ promises for our provision in this life—is dependent upon our submission to God’s will—not our own. There is no room for our agenda; only God’s will do…
So, have we submitted to God’s will for our lives as stewards of what God has entrusted to us (Pastor Dave talked about that last week; it all really belongs to God)? Submission to God’s will … is when we admit that it’s all God’s … and live like it. Have we been obedient to that?
If our FOCUS is faith-filled … instead of me-filled, we’re going to experience the abundant life that God has for us. That, folks, is my prayer for each and every one of us today. And, know this: Jesus is the one who taught us to pray: “Our Father, who art in heaven….” Why? Because Jesus is in the position of power & authority, which means that he can back his promises…
We have a Father in Heaven who has promised to provide us with everything we need. And in Jesus, we have all the resources needed to live an abundant life. Are you ready to take hold of the life … that is truly life? Allow Jesus to be LORD in your life … and LET’S TAKE HOLD OF THE LIFE THAT IS TRULY LIFE … TOGETHER!