Joy in God through Money Exceeding Joy in

Joy in God through Money Exceeding Joy in God Series [14] 1 Timothy 6: 6 -10, 17 -19 August 11, 2013 Pastor Paul K. Kim

“DON’T DESIRE TO BE RICH”: WHAT IT DOES NOT MEAN • It does NOT mean that money itself is a root of all evils—the love of money is (1 Tim. 6: 10). • It does NOT mean that we should stop working hard or striving for financial stability (Prov. 10: 4). • It does NOT mean that we should avoid all expansions and developments for more profit (Matt. 25: 14 -30).

THREE REASONS WHY WE SHOULD NOT DESIRE TO BE RICH • Reason #1: You can’t take anything with you. for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. (v. 7) • Reason #2: You can be content with the basic needs met. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. (v. 8) • Reason #3: It will lead you eventually to ruin and destruction. 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. (vs. 9 -10)

THREE CHARGES TO THOSE WHO ARE RICH • Charge #1: Be humble with your possessions. As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty. . . (v. 17 a) • Charge #2: Don’t put your hope on the wealth but on God. . nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. (v. 17 b) • Charge #3: Be rich in good works through generosity & sharing. 18 They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, 19 thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life. (vs. 18 -19)

HOW TO FIGHT FOR JOY IN GOD THROUGH MONEY 1) Be CONTENT with what you have. 5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you. ” 6 So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me? ” Hebrews 13: 5 -6 Ø The starting point of our fight for joy in God is to choose contentment with what we have here and now. Ø This contentment frees us to work hard and strive to earn for our needs and the needs for the Kingdom work. Ø Therefore, we are to live a liberated follower of Christ from the love and lure of money.

HOW TO FIGHT FOR JOY IN GOD THROUGH MONEY 2) Live COUNTER-CULTURALLY from the mainstream values about money. but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. Mark 4: 19 You cannot serve God and money. Matthew 6: 24 b Ø Wisdom begins with awareness of the forceful current of our culture toward affluence and self-indulgence as happiness. Ø If so, we are to daringly swim against the current of this worldly values, choosing to live out Jesus’ values. Ø Therefore, we are to live counter-culturally as joyful, liberated followers of Christ!

Keep Yourself Free from the Love of Money, in truth, is one of the most unsatisfying of possessions. It takes away some cares, no doubt; but it brings with it quite as many cares as it takes away. There is trouble in the getting of it. There is the anxiety in the keeping it. There are the temptations in the use of it. There is the guilt in the abuse of it. There is the sorrow in the losing of it. There is the perplexity in the disposing of it. Two-thirds of all the strifes, quarrels, and lawsuits in the world, arise from one simple cause—money! - J. C. Ryle

HOW TO FIGHT FOR JOY IN GOD THROUGH MONEY 3) Practice RADICAL STEWARDSHIP with your money for God’s glory and your joy. 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. Proverbs 30: 7 -9 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven. . . 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6: 20 -21 Ø Radical stewardship is an all-out style of pursuing God’s glory. Ø In pursuing God’s joy with our possessions, we find a great joy. Ø Therefore, we are to go beyond passive obedience to experience exceeding joy in God!

THREE PRACTICAL QUESTIONS FOR OUR EVERYDAY LIFE 1. In what ways am I convinced that I must not desire to be rich? 2. What must be changed in me to be content with what I have, being free from the love of money? 3. In what ways can I live more counter-culturally about money, practicing radical stewardship for God’s glory and my joy?