INTRO.- Command the rich. Do we ever have the right to command anyone? Maybe not, but God does. God can command us to do whatever He wants because He is God.
It’s like parenting. Parents can tell their kids what to do and when, but of course, that doesn’t mean they’ll do it. But parents have the right to command, teach, train, and discipline their children. AND SO WITH GOD. In fact, He has even more right to do this with us since He created us and gives us everything that is good. We owe Him more than we owe our parents!
Paul said, “Command those who are rich in this present world.” What did he mean by the word “Command”?
II Timothy 4:1-2 “In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.”
Paul may have meant for Timothy to “preach the Word” to the rich of this world. A preacher can say some things in the pulpit that he might not say personally to someone.
Preaching is like shooting a shotgun: you spray everything in sight with the shot. You don’t aim at one particular person. Of course, if a preacher says, “You rich folks,” someone might get the idea that he was talking to them.
I definitely think that preaching has changed over the years. In the past, if a preacher told us something from the book he didn’t just tell us, HE PREACHED IT HARD! And you sat up, listened and gave it some thought and gave him respect!
Today’s preaching seems to be more like just giving good advice. Often there is little warning about sin from the book. It’s just a bunch of niceties to make people feel better. People don’t like to be told about sin and what to do about it. They prefer to be petted and pampered.
However, the divine command still stands: PREACH THE WORD. CORRECT, REBUKE AND ENCOURAGE. All true Biblical preaching should contain some rebuke and encouragement. People need to be moved and motivated by the preaching of God’s Word.
ILL.- Chuck Colson wrote: Theodore Epp, founder of Back to the Bible radio ministry, realized something was wrong when he stopped receiving critical mail. Convicted that he was not challenging the flock enough, he changed his preaching. "I’m afraid that when I’m pleasing everybody, I’m not pleasing the Lord," he later said, "and pleasing the Lord is what counts."
This is not to suggest that a preacher is only successful when he is upsetting people! But he must be certain that he is first and foremost faithful to the One he serves. He is fulfilling a divine commission when he preaches. Just as an ambassador is entrusted not with his own message but with his superior’s message, so the minister is entrusted with the Word of God. Before it is delivered, therefore, every message should be laid at the foot of His throne with one questions: "Is it faithful to You, my Lord?" AMEN!
PROP.- Paul said to command the rich to do something good with their wealth.
1- Command the rich to put their hope in God
2- Command the rich to be rich in good deeds
3- Command the rich to lay up heavenly treasures
I. COMMAND THE RICH TO PUT THEIR HOPE IN
GOD
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.
The rich in this present world. That’s me. That’s you.
ILL.- Packs Padillia preaches in the Philippines. Do you know how much the average Filipino lives on yearly? $1463 to $1920. Can you imagine? We have it so very good here in America!
Dr. Tagupa, Jonesboro, AR, said we could live like a king in the Philippines with maid service included just on our social security.
ILL.- Brother Ruben Casas is a Hispanic preacher in East LA, California. He preaches for the American Baptist Church. We got acquainted some years ago through sermon central as well. Ruben, of course, was born and raised in Mexico. Here is a part of a letter that he wrote me.
“I remember the time in my homeland when I was working for less than one dollar a day. I came to this country looking for a better future and I found it. I went to school for a few years while I was working, sometimes part-time, sometimes full-time. When the Lord called me to ministry, He opened many doors. I was able to go to college than to seminary to get my Masters in Divinity.
“For many years I served the Lord in the barrio, in the heart of Northeast Los Angeles where gang activity, drive-by shootings, drug trafficking and other criminal activities were rampant. We preached on the streets, in the parks, in parking lots and everywhere we could, besides the church. We were trying to make an impact in the community.
“During those years I received a very small salary from the church. I used to get $800 dollars a month. It was not very much, but it was a whole lot better than what I had ever earned back in my country. I went through a lot of financial struggles. I had to drive a 1971 Ford Pinto, but where I grew up, I had to ride on a donkey. I did not enjoy many material things for many years, but I kept faithfully working for the Lord.
“I also believe God brought me here to bless me so that I can bless other people. God has blessed me so much in so many ways. I just cannot thank Him enough. Every day of my life I gather my family and we thank God for all His blessings. By the way, I still drive an old car, a 1993 Honda Accord. God has been very good to me. The church has more than doubled in size. My salary has also grown accordingly.
“I am not rich according to our standards. I only make about 36K a year. But according to the standards of where I grew up I am certainly very, very rich. I am so grateful to God for all the things He has given me. Sometimes I feel I do not deserve so much. But God is good and He wants me to enjoy his blessings.” We all have it so good!
Hope. In what do you hope? It sounds like Brother Ruben Casas’ hope is in Jesus more than anything else, and consequently, the Lord has taken care of him.
The rich in this present world are not to put their hope in their wealth but rather in God. Why not put your hope in wealth? Because it can be taken away in various ways. Money can be taken away from almost anyone. Our hope must be in something that is more lasting, something that is eternal.
I John 2:17 “The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.”
Matthew 16:26 “What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?”
II. COMMAND THE RICH TO BE RICH IN GOOD DEEDS
18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. Good deeds.
James 1:27 “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”
Do you know of any orphans you can look after? Or how about some widows who are distressed or depressed?
ILL.- Our Louise Smith has been distressed over many things: her health, her house, which she sold, her rent at South Wind Heights, her money, her brother, etc. Can you help her in any way? Several of our people helped her move and had a household sale for her. That helped her tremendously.
God put us there to do good, any where, any time, to any one. But particularly those in need. Do you know of anyone in need?
ILL.- Elaine and I have new neighbors. The husband has Parkinson’s disease and he spends most of his time in a wheelchair. He’s not very mobile. In fact, I don’t know how his wife is able to care for him at times. One Sunday evening his wife called and said, “I know that you are getting ready for church but my husband has fallen out of his wheelchair. Could you help me lift him back into the chair?” My back had been killing me all week (taking Aleve like candy) but I thought, “How could I not help her?”
I went immediately to help. We both grabbed him under his arms and lifted him back into his wheelchair. I told her to call us any time she needed help.
Brothers and sisters, I don’t go around looking to help people, but when the opportunity jumps right into my face, I won’t refuse if I can help.
What kinds of things can we do, should we do for others? We should help the elderly, the handicapped, the down-trodden, the depressed, the financially strapped person, etc.
Galatians 6:9-10 “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”
Any time we’re faced with an opportunity to help someone in any form, we should do it. There may be situations where you could be hindered from helping someone.
ILL.- Elaine and I had a young single guy for a neighbor for about six months. His grass was getting very tall and I thought I’d be a help to him even though he was much younger and stronger, so I mowed his grass.
And then I mowed it a second time and a third. And I guess he thought I was going to keep on mowing. I finally quit. I thought he would get the idea that he needed to mow his own grass. Instead, he just moved away.
Obviously, if you can mow someone’s grass, that is, if you have the time, the money, the energy, then you should do it. There are all kinds of things that “we” rich people could do for others and do them, we must!
James 4:17 “Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.”
We have probably sinned more this way than any other way: failing to do the good for others that we know we should do!
18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.
III. COMMAND THE RICH TO LAY UP HEAVENLY
TREASURES
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.
ILL.- A new York Divorce Lawyer died and arrived at the pearly gates. Saint Peter asks him "What have you done to merit entrance into Heaven?" The Lawyer thought a moment, then said, "A week ago, I gave a quarter to a homeless person on the street." Saint Peter asked Gabriel to check this out in the record, and after a moment Gabriel affirmed that this was true.
Saint Peter said, "Well , that’s fine, but it’s not really quite enough to get you into Heaven." The Lawyer said, "Wait Wait! There’s more! Three years ago I also gave a homeless person a quarter." Saint Peter nodded to Gabriel, who after a moment nodded back, affirming this, too, had been verified.
Saint Peter then whispered to Gabriel, "Well, what do you suggest we do with this fellow?" Gabriel gave the Lawyer a sidelong glance, then said to Saint Peter, "Let’s give him back his 50 cents and tell him to go to ....."
I don’t believe that it works this way, but it gives us the idea that we all could do more in this life with what God has given us. We all could lay more treasures in heaven.
ILL.- When a wealthy woman went to heaven, St. Peter gave her a bicycle to ride over the golden streets. Pedaling along one day, she saw her maid go by in a Cadillac and her gardener was driving a Lexus. Being very upset about this, she asked Peter why her maid and gardener were driving such luxury automobiles and she was only riding a bike. He said, “The kind of transportation you are given in heaven depends on how good a Christian you were on earth.”
Two days she returned to Peter and she was laughing. He said, “What’s so funny?” She said, “Yesterday, I saw my preacher going by on roller skates!” YOU CAN MAKE YOUR OWN APPLICATION TO THIS STORY.
ILL.- One man said: I know a man who is enamored with the stock market. In fact, he is consumed with it. Day-by-day, he is infatuated with his investments, and frustrated by the uncertainty of the markets, and his heart dwells continually upon them.
He is desperately attempting to lay up wealth for his old age, here on earth. His hair is already white, and he surely will be dead and gone within 20-30 years at most; yet, he is living for the moment and has forgotten God. AND MANY PEOPLE DO THIS.
They forget about eternity. They forget that this life is just a preparation for the next life and we should be laying a good foundation for the future.
Matthew 6:19-21 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
CONCLUSION----------------
20 Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care.
Brothers and sisters, we must guard what God has entrusted to us: His Word, His truth, His blessings, His grace. We must guard it by sharing it with others.
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.
Steve Shepherd, Jonesboro Christian Church, AR
jonesborochristianchurch@suddenlink.net
