Stepping Out in Faith

In 1 Timothy 6, Paul is speaking to Timothy, who is the leader of a local church. So, indirectly, he’s talking to both church leaders and church goers, Christians, about drifting. These are the people who started with Jesus but began to drift back into other directions, or they never allowed Jesus to be the Lord of this area of their lives to start with.

1 Timothy 6
3 If anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, 4 they are conceited and understand nothing. They have an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions 5 and constant friction between people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.

This is a declaration. What you’ve heard and what you’re about to hear is the way (the instructions) of Jesus. If you don’t receive it, you’re either distracted, or arrogant and foolish – strong words.

Then, this contrast happens.

Contentment
1 Timothy 6
6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 

There’s a deception we believe around this.

First of all, our world is primed to try to make us discontent. Newer, bigger, better. We don’t get to take any of it with us. Someone else will one day have to filter through the objects of our accumulation.

Secondly, we are tempted to exchange the blessings that have come into our lives for things that are supposed to bring us contentment. And maybe we are for a moment. However, the problem is that we’re never content for very long. There’s always something more.

Things that God has brought into our lives to bless others often end up being things we consume in an attempt to bless ourselves.

The irony is that this drags us away from experiencing a blessed life, a life that makes an impact. It doesn’t bring us closer to a blessed, impactful life.

Now, God has brought things into this world for us to enjoy. We’re not to reject them. But they are not to become our purpose. We’re not to worship at the altar of the relentless, unrestrained pursuit of more.

And that actually does something worse than distract us, it leads us into a trap.

Temptation
1 Timothy 6
9 Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

Paul is talking about money.

Money isn’t evil, but the love of it – the unrestrained pursuit of it – is.
 
Your money leads you somewhere and tells a story about your life. It’s not inherently evil, but it’s not inherently good either. And money definitely isn’t the only measure of this in someone’s life, but it’s the leading indicator.

And that pursuit or love doesn’t just give you an out-of-balance life, it actually leads you into a trap that you didn’t see coming. It separates you from God and ultimately leads you to a life pierced by grief.
Command

1 Timothy 3
11 But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.
 
Don’t play around with it. Don’t try to flirt on the edges of it. Don’t get in that cage with the lion. Don’t poke the snake. FLEE.

Flee from this and pursue something better.

If we are to be the Jesus followers who live differently from the world and are a witness to the people around us, it’s a command.

1 Timothy 3
17 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.

These words are spoken by Paul and by God because God has a purpose for His people.

God doesn’t want something from you, He wants something for you.

Sacrificial generosity hurts, but it brings us something better in return. We’re called to generosity, and a lack of it isn’t about having a money problem, it’s about having a generosity problem, and because of that, a spiritual problem.

Pastor Michael Hoddy shares how we can all step out in faith and then see what God can do.