Sermon Tone Analysis

Stewardship Series #3 2009

1 Tim.

6:20; 2 Tim 1:14

Guard Your Trust

Let me talk today about a Word we don’t talk much about, that is covetousness.

There is a Malaysian Proverb that says “Give him the leg and he will want the thigh also”

If we think about this word at all, it is usually as wanting what someone else has.

When I was a kid, I would see a kid with a new bike and say, “I want Johnny’s bike”.

My mom would correct me by saying, “no, you want a bike LIKE Johnny’s bike.”

And somehow that was all that mattered.

Well, wanting your neighbors things is definitely coveting, but wanting to keep up with your neighbor is the same thing.

Wanting something simply for status purposes is also the same thing.

“Pastor are you saying that I can’t have nice things or new things or even some extravagant things?”

No, if our heart doesn’t accuse us, then we are good.

I mean that if God’s Spirit gives us permission within, because we can afford and are living obediently and proper in our priorities, then go ahead.

But the key thoughts here in our passage today are priorities, obedience, perspective, and contentment.

The important thing for us to realize is not the question, “is 100% mine or 90% mine”?

The mature understanding is that all that I have belongs to Jesus Christ.

100% belongs to Christ.

With that said, the scripture IS clear that tithing is a Biblical Standard.

And Malachi teaches us that the tithe belongs in the “storehouse” that today is the local church as in the O.T. it was the Temple or local Synagogue.

Scripture teaches that we “owe” or “pay” a tithe and we “give” and offering.

That is to understand that we haven’t given an offering until to the Lord until we have given MORE than a Tithe.

An offering can take many forms.

It can be given, as the Holy Spirit leads, to individuals, to faithful ministries, or to special needs or efforts in the church.

But, a true reading and understanding of scripture reveals that a tithe belongs in the local church for the ministry of that body.

I read something interesting this week, that if the average church increased their giving as individuals to the tithing minimum, that is, if every member would give a full tithe, then the budget of that church would increase by 4 Fold.

That would take New Life’s budget from $190,000 to over $770,000.

Not only that, but this same article stated that the increase in giving to our local SBC churches would generate an additional $85,000,000 in money to missions.

85 Million!

So, what are we talking about here?

Are we saying that people should live in a shack, drive 20 year old cars and eat P,B,&J sandwiches so that we can tithe?

No, that’s not the issue.

God’s plans are always good and doable.

But the problem is not that if we obey god there is nothing left to live on.

The problem is that many of us are so out of order, in wants vs. needs, that we’ve created circumstances where we can’t or thinking we can’t obey God.

So it comes to the word, contentment.

The By-product of contentment is being able to guard the things God has entrusted to us.

Scripture says, “Godliness WITH Contentment is Great Gain.”

We can be godly and obey and not be happy about it and it won’t last long.

Or, we can allow discontentment to drive us away from godliness.

But if we can be content with what we have and what our gift from God can provide for us, then we can follow the Lord in godliness and THAT is Great Gain.

So, Paul gives Timothy, a young preacher and instruction and then again as a more experienced preacher the same instruction; “Guard the trust you have been given.”

(1 Tim.

6:20; 2 Tim 1:14) So, this is a command for every believer, every age, young and old … Guard Your Trust.

Read long with me then from 1 Timothy 6 beginning in verse 5 and down through verse 20.

READ 6:4-20

How can we live a life of Contentment that will enable us to guard the trust we have been given?

*1.

Understanding Contentment*

In England Lord Congelton heard his cook praying to the Lord, “if I only had 5 pounds (about $25) I’d be content” … he thought about it, and gave her the money.

He left the room and paused to listen for her to pray thanks to God … instead he heard … can you finish it for me … “I should have asked for 10”

—Prairie Overcomer

Contentment – what does that mean?

Oxford’s Dictionary says contentment is a state of peaceful happiness or satisfaction

Easton’s Bible Dictionary defines it as a state of mind in which one’s desires are confined to his lot whatever it may be.

2 Corinthians 9:8 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

Easton’s goes on to say that Contentment is Opposed to - 1. Envy

James 3:16 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

- 2. Greed

Heb 13:5 5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,

“Never will I leave you;

never will I forsake you.

- 3. Out of Control Ambition

Proverbs 13:10 10Pride only breeds quarrels, but wisdom is found in those who take advice.

- 4. Anxiety

Matthew 6:34 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.

Each day has enough trouble of its own.

and

- 5. Discontent

1 Corinthians 10:10 10 And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel.

Contentment comes from the INSIDE, birthed by the merging of Humility with the Intellectual Understanding that God is in Charge and is Good, that his promises are sure, and that the Gospel is greater than all things

Contentment also understands our unworthiness

Paul says “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty.

I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want”

Phil.

4:11-12

V7 says we brought nothing in and we take nothing out.

You know it, have heard it said, there are no uhaul trailers on the back of Hearses … “you can’t take it with you” it’s not just an old saying, it is a biblical statement.

Do you Remember what Job said when he was struck with sickness, had lost his wealth and his family …? “naked I came into the world, naked I will leave, blessed be the name of the Lord.”

– i.e. if I have anything I have more than I came in with, if I have nothing I have what I came in with and I’ve truly lost NOTHING …

That, my friends, is internal contentment

V8 talks about necessities … are my basic needs being met?

Vv9-10 teach us that there is danger and temptation in earthly riches.

Young’s literal translation renders verse 9 “those wishing to BE rich, do fall into temptation and a snare”

It noticed the difference in people wanting to gain monetary resources and those who want to BE RICH

Plouteo – be rich, have acquired wealth, proper

People who want to be known as people who are wealthy … influential, prosperous, known …

The idea there is that this type of person finds their identity in who they are and what they have

And when that becomes our desire, v9 says we run the risk of

Falling into – means to experience or fall toward …

Temptation – the word is peirasmos – examination / temptation – to submit to a test to learn the true nature or character of; or a trial given for the purpose to make one stumble

So Desiring to BE RICH can be used by the evil one to reveal the true nature of greed that is at the heart of every sinful man … and can be used to trip or cause to stumble a believer who lets it get in his way

And then it becomes MORE than a temptation, a test or a proving ground …

The next step is it becomes a

Snare – pagis – a trap – snare, danger, control

This word is literally a trap used for entangling birds or mammals …

I’m thinking of those crazy Geico commercials and one has that silly bundle of cash under a box trap …

The purpose of a trap is to catch something for your own purposes NOT for their benefit

What is the result?

Many desires, foolish and hurtful