1tim6v17-19

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READ 1 TIMOTHY 6:11-21 TEXT: v17-19 [SERIES 25]

Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

The Church/Jesus Christ is likened unto a body/Scriptures
This metaphor is employed mainly to emphasis the unity/church, both between the testaments and also within the church itself

In regards to Jew and Gentile coming together, Paul wrote:
Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; (Ephesians 2:14-15)
Therefore in Christ… neither Jew/Gentile, rich or free etc.,

Again: there must be unity within/church
i.e. within the congregation and the wider church body:
This is so especially in relation to the various gifts we all have:
And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. (1:12:21)
Let not those who are especially gifted despise those who have lesser gifts – we all make up the one, working unit

It is so again when there is persecution among the Lord’s people:
Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body. (Hebrews 13:3)
When one member of the body suffers, then we all suffer
If you stub your toe- it registers in your head!
This picture of the body is then well documented/Bible

We want to view our text using the metaphor of a body
Only we are not necessarily using it of a group/people, but of individuals within that group
A body can become sick and need help
We have all endured rising temperatures etc., and feeling faint
It is an indication that the body is not what it ought to be
Likewise here: There is a sickness among some folk/text
Let’s try and see what it is and how it can be healed
5 main thoughts:

1) THE PATIENTS IN THE TEXT:

A/ These are they that are rich in this world
Being rich in this world is not in itself a cause of concern
It is certainly could not be viewed as a sickness
Many spiritual men both in/out of the Bible were rich
Abraham: Father/faithful
Joseph/Arimathea: Made his grave with the rich in his death
Others/Church History: Various Earls and others etc.,

B/ So in themselves – they do not automatically qualify
But let them not think that they are out of danger
The charge is given here to them as they stand i.e. whether guilty or not – or (use/figure) whether sick or not
They are certainly more likely to be prone to this danger than those who have no riches or power to wield
Of course, any man can be high minded
Some times those who have nothing to proud about at all
(by any one’s standard) are the proudest people on earth
But let this not detract from who is identified here:
Those who are rich in this world

C/ Again – Not targeted at those who are rich in the world/come
These are those who are rich in faith (James 2:5) although poor in earthly matters – perhaps in deep outward poverty
These are they who have laid up treasure in Heaven (Luke 18:22)
These have bought the truth and sold it not (Proverbs 23:23)
They possess the pearl of great price (Matthew 13:46)
They reign as kings in the everlasting kingdom of Christ etc.,
Not that there is no warning for them at all in Scripture
1 Corinthians 10:12 is a universal all time warning to all Christians
But our text is not specifically targeting them

D/ What we have here is an identifying of the outwardly wealthy
Of course, the thought is all relative
Perhaps we do not consider ourselves to be wealthy
We live in modest houses with modest cars unlike movie stars
We can only dream about larger cars etc.,
But what about those who can only dream of finding another meal – or of rain to prevent drought to prevent sickness/early death?
Therefore we must not turn away ourselves from this text
We are comparatively wealthy and certainly wealthy enough to look down upon others and so be high minded
These are the patients/text

2) THE SYMPTOMS IN THE TEXT:
High-mindedness ( proud/haughty)

A/ There are, of course, other causes of these than riches
As said: Some of the poorest may be the proudest
Pride flourishes in many types of soil
But the symptom is still the same:
An undesirable, unhelpful, unwarranted looking down upon others

B/ This is a particularly nasty symptom:
No man has the right to be proud:
* He is a guilty sinner on par with everyone else (Romans 3:23)
* He might even be a worse sinner than others (1 Timothy 1:15)
* He has nothing but what was freely given to him
Especially in earthly riches
Providence placed in him where he could either earn/inherit such
Providence has not yet removed them from him
Providence took away the riches of better men than he

C/ Such haughtiness leads to other sins
It leads to contempt of others
Even those whom God does not hold in contempt
It leads to evil words and deeds against them
As a man thinketh in his heart – so is he (Proverbs 23:7)

D/ It can inflict much damage on the damage on the church
We spoke already about the use of the body to denote unity
There were those/Corinth who despised those with lesser gifts
Paul had to put an end to that – it could wreck the church
All gifts were needed
Someone has the ability to preach the word – fearlessly perhaps
But another who couldn’t preach to save his life has the gift of making folk welcome at the church – or has a listening ear
The first might attract attention –the second is just/important

It matters not how the world views us in this matter
It is ultimately how God views us
And this thought will help us see how we should view ourselves
There is no excuse therefore for being full of pride
Such is described (3:6) as the condemnation of the devil
Severe (though necessary/accurate) comparison to make

E/ Perhaps we might be tempted to think that Paul here is fighting imaginary battles – seeing only potential problems
This is not so: The problem was real
James spoke about the proud rich causing great trouble (5:1-6)
The cries of the downtrodden poor had come up to the ears/Lord
What a mess things were in

F/ Thankfully, though, there are symptoms
They might not be nice (reality: fresh sins arising from mother ones) – but they are identifiable and so something can be done

3) THE DIAGNOSIS IN THE TEXT:

A/ We see the symptoms of pride arising in someone’s heart
Whence is its cause?
We must search deeper with the spotlight of Scripture
Text: Rich men often trust in their riches
Not the possession that is the fault – but the reliance/trust
A man looks with satisfaction at his wealth
Instead of it being a spur to thank God – he praises himself
He adopts the language of Nebuchadnezzar

The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty? (Daniel 4:30)

There is no talk here of asking God for daily bread
Contentment here (v8) does not reside in food/raiment
Nebuchadnezzar is rather looking at the fine buildings and the hanging gardens etc., and his treasure houses etc.,
They do not drive him to his knees in thankfulness
They stand him upon his feet and put his nose high into the air
He sees himself not a debtor – but as a conqueror
He is trusting in his riches and this is seen in his pride

B/ This haughty spirit of Nebuchadnezzar is seen in his contempt towards others – esp. God’s people
With what contempt did he treat the 3 friends/Daniel in the previous chapter
They refuse (for religious reasons/conscience) to bow to his idol and his faces glowers with the deepest rage/anger
Who are these wretched people with their holy Book?
Dare they even think of defying him?
It is as much as he can do to offer them a second chance
When it is politely though firmly declined – he demands that they be cast/the hottest furnace and comes to see them burn

C/ Where there are riches but no haughtiness, then these riches are being rightly handled
It can be done – and is done every day
Just as some of the poorest people are the haughtiest, likewise some of the richest people are the meekest
See how humble Joseph/Arimathea was when he took down the bloodied body of the Crucified Saviour from the Cross
See how some of the “blue bloods” have gone into the slums in evangelism and its associated social work without second thought

D/ I often wonder what the trust of the rich is in their riches:

[i] Are they trusting such to save their souls?
More than once it has been articulated that since the Almighty had looked after the rich well in this life, then He would doubtless do so again in the next
That does not follow
The Rich Man in Hell lifted up His eyes being in torment

[ii] Are they trusting that they can buy their way into any pleasure and therefore do not need God?
Then let them rethink their presumptuous position
Money cannot buy happiness or peace or contentment

[iii] Are they trusting that they can buy their way out of any trouble and therefore do not need God?
Let them rethink their position
Money cannot buy health or stave off war
Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven. (Proverbs 23:5)
Remember the picture of the European Jews lining up during the Holocaust to have their rich jewellery taken from them and to die of hard work and starvation in the concentration camps

So the diagnosis here is an unwarranted trust/riches with the symptom being a proud/haughty spirit towards those without

4) THE CURE IN THE TEXT:

A/ Let us be thankful that such high-mindedness, flowing from an inordinate view about riches, can be cured
Or (Evangelical language) we can be delivered/saved from it
It is simply not on that we should entertain such thoughts or be content that such thoughts should afflict us from day to day
We must be asking ourselves: How can we be free of them?

B/ Part of the cure lies in a recognition that it is wrong
Seen in the charge that is given – not advice, but a charge
Paul had some liberal enough ideas at times
There were things that he gave freedom/conscience on
Tackled in 1 Corinthians 8/14 i.e. meat offered to idols etc.,
But this isn’t one of them
This is a definite “no-no”

C/ Replace the trust in riches with trust in the Living God
Note the stark contrast between the two sources/trust
Riches are so uncertain – they take wings/fly away
God is not uncertain
He Himself is the unchangeable all sufficient God
He has no need to change for any reason
He can see all things – know all things – do all things
Those who trust in Him will never be ashamed
Of course, such a trust must be Bible based
We cannot trust God to (say) give us a Lotto win etc.,
But we can trust Him for our daily bread/needs
Yes…we work to put bread/table…but it also comes from God
We pray for it and we thank Him when we get it

D/ Indeed, we can trust Him for more than our daily bread
Essential though it be – yet it is also basic
Those who seek Him shall not want any good thing (Psalm 34:17)
Our text puts it: God giveth us richly all things to enjoy
That can hardly be bettered!

[i] The Supreme Giver: The Living God
[ii] The Supreme Gift: All things
[iii] The Supreme Result: Our enjoyment

Of course, this is limited by God’s attributes
There is nothing worldly or sensual in the giving
We have already mentioned the Lotto with its worldly wealth
We might add the wicked and sensuous rewards which the Muslim terrorists insist their suicide bombers will enjoy/Heaven
We must also repudiate the Health/Wealth Gospellers within the professing Church/Jesus Christ
But we can think of every honest need that we have

E/ So if we see ourselves as being dependent upon Him, then this will reduce our flighty views of ourselves and low views/others

F/ There is another ingredient in the cure:
Let us be rich in good works etc., (v18)
Get among the people and hurt with them
Sometimes we can ignore this part and be far removed
Allows us to form those uncharitable thoughts here condemned
But let us take the words/hymnwriter and if God answers our prayer then things will be different:

I want, dear Lord, a love that feels for all
A deep strong love that answers every call
A love like thine – a love divine - A love for high or low
On me, dear Lord, a love lie this bestow

Note the link – rich benefits should lead to rich good works
Not God’s will that we should always be receiving without giving
Freely ye have received – freely give

5) THE BENEFIT IN THE TEXT:

A/ The obvious recovery of those who have fallen into this sin
Although the wording/text seems to suggest a prevention rather than cure type situation: Let/rich never trust riches/be proud
Yet there can always be a retreat for those who go down/road
Consider the sinning churches/Asia (Revelation) called to repent

B/ Whether prevention/cure

C/ There is obviously benefit to be had when Christians are humble towards people and rich in good works etc.,
Verses like these: led in times past to hospitals being built etc.,
Our Saviour told a parable to this great end – building it around a Samaritan – to show how the world often outdoes Christians

C/ Whilst Paul reminds us: God is the source of our rich joy – yet let us not lose sight/fact that God is glorified when Christians live for Him – This is the greatest benefit of all

THE END

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