In reviewing these verses for the sermon, I saw three points that I wanted to stress. First of all, generally these verses seem to be applied more to the idea that money is evil and they can be "spun" into an anti-wealthy diatribe. I don't think that's the point at all, though to be honest, I think one can argue strongly that one is to use one's financial wealth towards God's wishes... and here I think that wish is confessing and sharing the good news of Christ with all those you encounter.
So the three things I chose to strike upon were a) Contentment, b) Confession, and c) Currency. One cannot and will not be content in this world if all one is fixated upon are things of this world. Wealthy measured in whatever fashion one desires is hollow and unfulfilling without some form of connection with God. We can (and do) fool ourselves into believing that a big house, a big bank account, or any number of things is going to make us happy and satisfied and yet they do not. There is a hole in the soul of mankind that can only be filled by faith and a relationship with the Almighty.
We are called here by the author of 1st Timothy to confess our faith and to witness to others. We confess our trespasses to God the Father and we confess our belief to all that we encounter. These confessions are vital to our walk in Christ. We simply cannot call ourselves Christians if we do not confess both to God and to our fellow human beings.
Since we are called to fixate not upon earthly things but to things of God, we do not place faith in our money, our things, or even our friendships. Rather, we exchange these earthly "currencies" for the currency of God. That is our faith in Jesus as the Son of God and we pronounce Him as our personal Savior.
Just as an economy will crash and fail if everyone hoards their wealth, so will Christianity crash and fail if we do not share our faith with others. Earthly economies are dependent upon money being spent and what is called it's 'velocity' through the economy. The more money that is spent or lent out the more the economy grows; money simply isn't meant to be buried in a mason jar. In the same fashion, our faith will die if we keep our lamp under a basket. God has enriched us beyond belief with this faith that we hold in Christ as our Savior... He does not intend for us to keep it to ourselves. We must spend this Heavenly currency, we must spread this faith far and wide.
Just like money 'multiplying' in an economy, sharing our faith multiples and strengthens the body of Christ. The currency you must deal in here on Earth is not human dollars and cents, but Jesus who died for your sins, my sins, and the sins of everyone that ever was and will ever be.
Be a blessing to someone today... spend some Heavenly currency with them...
In His Grace,
Roy
1 Timothy 6:6-19 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
6 Of course, there is great gain in godliness combined with contentment; 7 for we brought nothing into the world, so that[a] we can take nothing out of it; 8 but if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these. 9 But those who want to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by 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 evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains.
The Good Fight of Faith
11 But as for you, man of God, shun all this; pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith; take hold of the eternal life, to which you were called and for which you made[b] the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 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, I charge you 14 to keep the commandment without spot or blame until the manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which he will bring about at the right time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords. 16 It is he alone who has immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see; to him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.
17 As for those who in the present age are rich, command them not to be haughty, or to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but rather on God who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18 They are to do good, to be rich in good works, generous, and ready to share, 19 thus storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of the life that really is life.
Footnotes:
1 Timothy 6:7 Other ancient authorities read world—it is certain that
1 Timothy 6:12 Gk confessed
