“Contentment In Our Finances”
1 Timothy 6:3-19
Sermon Series: “More…Or Less”
Introduction: Do you remember the proverb I have quoted through the course of this series? It says, “Happy is the man who wants what he has.” That certainly applies to our finances. Are we content with the things God has blessed us with or do we believe the myth of more? Let’s look at what the Bible says about contentment in our finances. Specifically, during the course of this series, we have talked about the fact that perspective is crucial to having contentment so let’s look at five principles that will give us God’s perspective on our finances.
Principle #1: True wealth is godliness that produces contentment (v. 6).
-The point is that there are things that money cannot buy that are more valuable than the things money can buy.
-Godliness is not a means to financial gain (v. 5), but it gives true riches in and of itself.
-We are specifically commanded to flee from material greed (v. 11) and follow after and fight for the things of God?
-Therefore, we must answer the question, “What is our true priority?”
Principle #2: Material things do not last (v. 7).
-If they don’t last, why should we love them and be greedy for them?
-In light of eternity, materialism is a bad financial investment.
-The implication is that we start with nothing and end with nothing so why should live like life is about things in between?
Principle #3: Greed is sinful and destructive (v. 9-10).
-The Bible is very clear that the “love of money” is wrong, not money itself.
-The issue is not how much money we have but how much money has us.
-We can be poor and greedy or rich and greedy. However, we can also be poor and content or rich and content. Contentment is about the state of our heart-not the state of our bank accounts.
-Look at all the phrases Paul uses to describe the results of greed: “fall into a temptation and a snare,” “many foolish and harmful lusts,” “drown men in destruction and perdition,” “a root of all kinds of evil,” “in which some have strayed from the faith,” and “pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”
-God wants us to avoid greed because it is wrong and dishonors Him and also because it is very harmful to us.
Principle #4: God is our source (v. 17).
-God has promised to meet our needs (Philippians 4:19, even the implication of verse 7).
-He says that He will give us “richly all things to enjoy.”
-Do we enjoy what God blesses us with or complain about what we don’t have?
-We are commanded to humbly trust God instead of arrogantly trusting money.
-Is God or money more worthy of our trust? What do our actions indicate we really believe is the answer to that question?
Principle #5: Invest financially in God’s Kingdom (v. 18-19).
-This is the only investment that lasts forever.
-This is the demonstration of what we are trusting.
-We are commanded to “do good,” “be rich in good works,” “ready to give,” and “willing to share.”
-Verse 19 indicates this is preparation for eternity. We must remember that we are stewards who will give an account.
-Our only treasures in heaven are the crowns we lay at Jesus’ feet (Matthew 6:19-21).
