I Timothy 6:17-18
Introduction: Two weeks ago we started a series of lessons regarding money. The first lesson was found in I Timothy 6:9 and we looked at the consequences of a person wanting to be rich, a real temptation for the Christian today. Last week, we looked at a lesson regarding contentment which at it’s core, is a balance or the solution, to a person that’s covetous and wants to be rich. On today’s lesson, we want to see the attitude that Christians should have regarding money.
What should Christians do with their money:
- Trust God For It– I Timothy 6:17 “nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God”. Our trust should not be in the money but in God who is the supplier of that money. God know exactly what we need and he has promised that he will supply all of our need (Philippians 4:19 “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus”). Because that’s the case, we should trust God. Proverbs 3:5 “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart”.
- Deuteronomy 8:17-18 “But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth”. Although this passage is directed at the nation of Israel, this is certainly something that is still true today. We say like in vs 17, “my power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth”, we trust in ourselves. And that is not what God wants, He wants us to trust in HIM. If it wasn’t for God allowing us to have the health, strength, stamina, etc., to do our jobs, we couldn’t have what we have.
- Psalm 84:11-12 “blessed is the man that trusteth in thee”.
- Jeremiah 17:7 “Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is”.
- Enjoy it- I Timothy 6:17 “but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy”. Generally, people don’t need to be told to do something that the flesh loves to do anyways, we need to be told what not to do. We get to enjoy what we have when we realize that it came from God. Many Christians feel guilty for having money and enjoying it and using it on vacations, toys, fun times, etc., don’t feel guilty.
- Ecclesiastes 2:24 “There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.” If this was from the “hand of God”, enjoy it, and use it for His glory.
- Ecclesiastes 5:18-19 “Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God. God was the one that gave riches and wealth for us enjoy.
- Be Ready to Distribute– I Timothy 6:18 “ready to distribute”. (To distribute is to divide among two or more; to deal; to give or bestow in parts or portions.) There is always a need going on in the church, or with another Christian, and we should go about our lives looking for needs and be ready to distribute to the need.
- God provides so that we can give to others- Ephesians 4:28 “Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.” The admonition here is to labour instead of stealing, and the purpose of working is to give to the person that is in need.
- Paul shows the example of a person that is ready to distribute and shows the ultimate example of the Lord Jesus Christ. Acts 20:30-35 “I have shewed you all things, how that so laboring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, it is more blessed to give than to receive”.
- An Example of a ready church- Acts 11:27-30 “determined to send relief to the brethren”. The church at Antioch found out of the need going on in Jerusalem and they sent relief to them by the hands of Barnabas and Saul. This church was ready to distribute.
- Ready- II Corinthians 9:2 “that Achaia was ready a year ago”. These guys had their eyes open for any needs that came up, for a whole year they were looking and waiting.
- II Corinthians 9:8 “may abound to every good work”. This good work involves giving and doing, both are necessary. I Timothy 6:18 “that they do good, that they be rich in good works”. Some people just want to do something in order to appease their conscience, others just want to give, but both are necessary for good works.
- Be willing to Communicate– I Timothy 6:18 “willing to communicate”. (To impart, to give to another). Some people are willing and others are not willing.
- The person that is willing to communicate is looking for a person in need- Provers 22:9 “He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor”.
- Inevitably, someone will ask you for money or for something- Matthew 6:42 “Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away”.
- I John 3:17 “But whoso hath this world’s good, and teeth his brother have need, and shutters up his bowels of compassion from him, how dweller the love of God in him?
- God is always well pleased with a person that is willing to communicate to others. Leave the results to Him. Hebrews 13:16 “But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased”.
- God provides more as we give more- Founder of Hobby Lobby. Proverbs 11:24 “ There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.”
Conclusion: Paul told Timothy to charge them that are rich in this world to do these things. There is no doubt that we are rich in this world in comparison to other countries. With that in mind, it’s easy to trust in our selves or others for our money however, it’s better to trust in God for it. Secondly, enjoy the money that you make, it is the fruit of your labor. Lastly, be ready to distribute and willing to communicate because there is always a need in the church or with brethren, and it’s always better to give than it is to receive.