Simplicity: The Discipline of Selflessness
Notes
Transcript
If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain. But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. 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. 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.
But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.
Scripture: I Timothy 6:3-16
Sermon Title: Simplicity: The Discipline of Selflessness
My message today is on the discipline of simplicity, which is really a disciple of selflessness. So often today we get swept up in fads and buying cool new stuff, that we lose a handle on what simplicity is. I even had trouble doing this topic today when I look at the phone I just bought and the capabilities it has to call, do type and voice text, send pictures to phones and upload on the internet, e-mail, give me directions, surf the web; there are a lot of available resources on this phone, some good some bad, but it is definitely not simple; and I know a newer, “better” version is going to come out in the next three to six months and then I might fall into the temptation of being discontent with something that works just fine. We’re going to take a look primarily at I Timothy 6:3-16 today as we seek to get a deeper perspective on this discipline. I Timothy is the first of Paul’s epistles directed toward his pupil Timothy who was in Ephesus spreading the good news. The context of this letter is mainly to affirm Timothy in his work as well as to teach concerning pastoral ministry. Paul sets forth the primary message for which there is no debate in I Timothy 1:15, and he tells him again in chapter 4; this primary message is saying Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. From here on, Paul describes worship, church leadership, and how to deal with various members in the church. The scripture that I will be using focuses on simplicity which is crucial to the idea of seeking godliness coming once again from I Timothy 6:3-16.
Like any good Reformed sermon, I have developed three points which I hope to clearly communicate the discipline of simplicity through. The first point is that godliness is not a means for financial gain or any other type of selfish gain. The second concerns recognizing contentment, which is rooted in simplicity, runs alongside godliness. The third examines Paul’s charge to Timothy and how we might also pursue godliness in our own lives.
Godliness is not a means for financial or selfish gain
In the first section of our text today, Paul is focusing on the actions of the false teachers that had popped up during this period, primarily in Ephesus where Timothy was planting and nurturing the early church. The question that jumps out to me in verse 5 is “what is meant by godliness being a means of financial gain?” To answer this in part involves looking to the footnotes, where in the NIV study Bible, scholars make connections and references for us as readers to better understand things that would have been understood by the audience at that time. Looking at footnotes points us back to 2 Corinthians 11, where Paul recognized that there were those questioning him and his leadership because he would not accept payment for his teaching whereas other leaders would accept payment based on the worth of their teaching. This directs us to a major point which is that godliness relates to simplicity where we do not seek selfish gain.
In Foster’s Celebration of Discipline, he says that simplicity must begin as an inward reality, which results in an outward lifestyle. The discipline of simplicity as its name states takes discipline, it is not a switch that can be flipped: like instantly deciding to quit buying or wearing brand name clothes, getting rid of a nice car, or giving all unnecessary possessions to the poor. The false doctrines that Paul is proclaiming against in I Timothy all seem to fall under issues of pride; when we seek to perform an outward action of simplistic living without a heart change, we are more than likely going to go after other desires or simply feel good about ourselves. It is not necessarily the possession of certain things that deter from simplicity, but rather the searching out for security in them that leads to attachment for things and a lust for affluence, or wealth and high status, in society. The culture that we live in and which commonly sucks us in frowns upon living merely by the things that God has provided us with and having faith in his sufficiency. We are also challenged with the central point of the discipline to be seeking the kingdom of God and the righteousness of his kingdom first and then everything necessary will come in its proper order; nothing can come before God, including the desire for a simple life-style.
While Paul is addressing and placing his argument against the unsound doctrines of the day, he is also speaking to coming back to a simplistic faith where we allow the sound doctrine of scripture to rule our lives and create a path for godliness which is a working of the Spirit.
Contentment, which is rooted in simplicity, runs alongside godliness
One of the commentaries I used in preparation said that godliness focuses around a deep reverence for God, which to me says that an inner transformation by the Spirit sanctifies us resulting in a change in the way we live outwardly. When we become content with that which God provides, we can seek to live in simplicity. Paul speaks in verse 7 (read verse 7) to something found in the Old Testament in Ecclesiastes chapter 5. There is a recognition that we are born into this world with nothing and will depart this world with the same; our reward is that which we are blessed with in eternal life; all the treasures that we might work and toil for and accumulate on earth are but in the wind, that is they will blow away without meaning. We don’t need money, glory, cars, or fame; that’s not to say that it is bad to be promoted or receive recognition or become famous or wealthy, but rather our lives must be built on contentment and humility that come from a dependence on God. Paul is writing that if we get rich, we may be overcome with a desire for more and more, and the temptation to continually seek that which we do not need or have a right to. The destruction that he speaks of is mainly that which leads us away from the faith.
By keeping ourselves disciplined on the track of simplicity, God will sustain us with the rewards he desires, those that which challenge and grow our faith more deeply rooted in him. It is so easy to get lost in the pursuit of worldly things, things that might even be good. Around this time of year, we celebrate America and the freedoms that we as citizens of this nation hold dear and which have been fought for. But even the desire for freedom and living the opportune life can detract from a greater faith because we have so many un-simplistic things we can dive into. In verse 10, we read that the love of money is the root of all evil; Paul is not saying that it is bad or even wrong to be rich financially, but rather to watch out against temptation and continue to seek the kingdom and the way God may use us to further his kingdom if we are blessed that way.
The contentment that we find by appreciating the simplicity of what God has granted us is not meant to be restrictive and thus it is necessary for Paul to lift Timothy up and express what he should be chasing.
The pursuit of godliness
Paul charges him to be free from unsound doctrine and the desire for wealth that he might use as a measurement of his worth and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. While all these things are amazing virtues and could be preached on forever, they are the simplest marks of a believer that is following in the path set by our Savior. The blessing that we receive in Christ’s death and resurrection is the simplest blessing we can receive because we do not have to do anything to receive it; God grants it to us when we look to him as the provider for the breath we breathe each day. Paul also recognizes how easily humans can be discontented and thus he teaches him to keep it until Christ comes again, furthermore all the days of Timothy’s life.
St. Augustine wrote in The Confessions, “Ambition seeks honor and glory…ignorance and foolishness themselves go masked under the names of simplicity and ignorance; yet there is no being that has true simplicity like thine, and none is innocent as thou art.” To be disciplined in simplicity may not always feel like a winning battle or be considered living the easiest life. However, real life and truly pursuing the kingdom as we are called to much like our brother Timothy means that we have to put our whole faith in a God that provides for every need that we have as his will be done and in his time. The simple life does not mean that we all have to live like Ryan Koch and grow plants for people, but it is meant to be beautiful as we look to the creation which reveals a caring God; study the Word, which reveals a God who teaches us; and as we develop relationships with our neighbors which revolve around the grace that a relational God has blessed us with. Our end goal is that we would seek the kingdom for the glory of God and not our own. Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, that we might allow the spirit to work in us, bringing us closer to the way God created us to live following the example that Christ set.
Lecrae Plug: Chase That (Ambition)
And you can have the money, and you can have the fame.
For me I want the glory, I'm livin' for the Name.
See life is just a picture, I see outside the frame.
I'm livin' for a Kingdom that I ain't never seen.
And imma chase that, (Glory) imma chase that.
Found the key to life and best believe that imma play that.
(Glory) imma chase that, imma imma chase that,
(Glory) imma chase that, imma imma chase that.