Character Counts! Money Matters
(1 Timothy 6:17-19)
Theme: A godly character keeps itself free from the love of money.
Purpose: What do I want to happen in the hearer when I preach this sermon?
A. Increased knowledge. After I preach this sermon, the hearer should be able to state that:
1. According to our world character development is not really that important.
2. To a Christian disciple developing a godly character is more than merely ?an important part of life??it IS life.
3. Of all the things that compete for top priority in our lives, perhaps money is the most powerful.
B. Increased insight. After I preach this sermon, the hearer should be able to discern that:
1. To develop a godly character we must diligently pursue it as the central purpose of life.
2. To develop a godly character we must vigorously guard against anything that would rob us of our goal.
3. In this battle for character the key is to put God first in all things.
C. Changed attitude. After I preach this sermon, I want the hearer to determine to put God first in all things and especially in money matters.
Need to be
Surfaced: Our world tells us that character development is secondary?that as long as we can ?get the job done? (whatever that entails) our personal pursuit of character should be kept private.
Solution to
be Offered: God tells us that we must pursue Him with all our hearts, souls, strength and minds. We must guard against anything taking top priority in our lives. Of all that would compete in this area, perhaps money is the most powerful. That is why we must give, not to needs of the church as if it were some secular institution (a social club to which we must loyally pay our dues), but to God Himself as the One who sustains us and provides for our every need.
Introduction. (Get attention, surface need, make a contract to deliver a solution.)
A. Some say that when it comes to being President of the United States of America character does not matter.
1. As long as you can ?do the job? personal integrity means nothing.
2. This reflects our culture?s values:
a) Life is to be enjoyed?that is the central purpose of life.
b) Character development is unimportant?an ethical side dish.
c) For those so inclined, character development is a matter of personal preference, something to be kept private, hidden, and inoffensive to the majority.
B. As disciples of Jesus Christ we say that character does count!
1. We must pursue godly character with diligence.
a) Why?
b) Because character development is not merely, ?an important part of life??it IS life!
2. We must guard our hearts vigorously.
a) Why?
b) Because there are literally thousands of forces at work against us.
(1) Forces that we cannot always see.
(2) Forces that don?t always play fair.
(3) Forces that compete for top priority in our lives!
3. What is the key to developing a godly character?
a) Putting God first.
b) Keeping God first.
C. Of all the competing forces at work against us perhaps none is more powerful than money!
1. Oh boy, here it comes!
2. The annual sermon on giving.
II. We?ve Heard this Sermon Before!
A. The particulars, 1 Corinthians 16:1-2.
1. Who? Each one of us.
2. What? Lay by in store.
3. When? The first day of the week.
4. Where? In church.
5. Why? So no special contributions need be taken up when Paul arrives.
6. How much? As he has been prospered.
B. The wrong way to give, 2 Corinthians 9:7.
1. Grudgingly (with a sour or reluctant mind).
2. Out of necessity (under compulsion).
C. The principles of proper giving.
1. Give as God has prospered you, 1 Corinthians 16:2.
2. Give with understanding?we are stewards of what God has given to us, Luke 16:10-13, 1 Peter 4:10, 1 Corinthians 4:2.
NIV Luke 16:10 "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. 11 So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? 12 And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own? 13 "No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money."
NIV 1 Peter 4:10 Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.
NIV 1 Corinthians 4:2 Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.
3. Give cheerfully, 2 Corinthians 9:7, Romans 12:8, Acts 4:32.
NIV 2 Corinthians 9:7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
NIV Romans 12:8 if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.
NIV Acts 4:32 All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had.
4. Give liberally, 2 Corinthians 9:6, 11, Luke 6:38.
NIV 2 Corinthians 9:6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.
NIV 2 Corinthians 9:11 You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
NIV Luke 6:38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
D. There?s the annual sermon?let?s pass the plates again.
1. We know what you want preacher.
2. You want us to give some more money to the church!
a) We need a new (bigger) building.
b) We need to hire an additional minister.
c) We need _______________.
E. The Bible teaches us to give to God, not to needs!
1. The church is a spiritual organism?the living Body of Christ?NOT a secular institution.
2. We give to God as a part of our character development?learning to trust Him?not as if we are merely paying our annual dues at the club.
3. Preaching is NOT a profession.
a) It is the proclamation of the living, active, powerful Word of God.
b) The purpose of preaching is not to make the hearers loyal members of some social club (faithful dues payers).
c) The purpose of preaching is to build faith in people so that Christ can be formed in each one of us as we encounter God within His Word!
NIV Galatians 4:19 My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you,
NIV Colossians 1:28 We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.
(1) That is why I particularly love the letters of Paul to Timothy and Titus.
(2) They give practical instructions
(a) To evangelists.
(i) I think that I am an evangelist although, to be frank, my official job description does not look much like the biblical description for an evangelist.
(ii) The bulletin says that I am the ?pulpit minister? and I assure you that I have no idea what that means!
(b) On how to help churches grow and prosper in the Lord:
NIV 1 Timothy 1:3-5 As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain men not to teach false doctrines any longer 4 nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. These promote controversies rather than God’s work-- which is by faith. 5 The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.
NIV 1 Timothy 3:14-15 Although I hope to come to you soon, I am writing you these instructions so that, 15 if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.
NIV Titus 1:5 The reason I left you in Crete was that you might straighten out what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you.
(c) With regard to character development and money matters, Paul says this:
NIV 1 Timothy 6:17-19 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. 18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 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.
II. Charge Them That Are Rich.
A. Our parking lot alone proves that we are rich!
B. What am I, your evangelist, supposed to charge you?
1. Don?t be arrogant. (High-minded).
a) Rare word (u`yhlofronei/n).
(1) Used only here in New Testament.
(2) Except some MSS have it at Romans 11:20 Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid.
b) The number one accusation against ?rich Americans? overseas is that we are arrogant.
(1) We?re loud?use more than our fair share of the limited space.
(a) Most of the world?s population doesn?t enjoy six bedrooms for six people.
(b) They are lucky if they have one bedroom for six people!
(2) We?re wasteful?throw more food down our drains than many families eat!
c) The cycle:
(1) God blesses people for their faithfulness.
(2) They forget God in their prosperity.
(3) They begin to believe that they deserve the blessings?arrogance!
(4) God takes away his blessings from them.
NIV Proverbs 30:7-9 "Two things I ask of you, O LORD; do not refuse me before I die: 8 Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. 9 Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ’Who is the LORD?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.
Give us this day our daily bread . . .. Jesus Christ.
It is hard for a rich man to pray that prayer.
2. Don?t hope in the uncertainty of riches.
a) NIV Ecclesiastes 6:1-2 I have seen another evil under the sun, and it weighs heavily on men: 2 God gives a man wealth, possessions and honor, so that he lacks nothing his heart desires, but God does not enable him to enjoy them, and a stranger enjoys them instead. This is meaningless, a grievous evil.
b) NIV Proverbs 11:28 Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf.
3. Hope in God.
a) What are we trying to do? Develop a godly character.
b) What is the key? Put God first in our lives!
4. Do good.
a) Use your earthly wealth (time, energy, talents) to serve God and others.
b) See Gary Tannahill.
5. Take hold of real life?life eternal.
a) Don?t be duped into believing that this economy of things will endure the bon fire!
b) Please, let?s teach our children these principles!
Conclusion. (The purpose of the conclusion is to conclude, not merely to stop.)
A. Some say that when it comes to being President of the United States of America character does not matter.
B. As disciples of Jesus Christ we say that character does count!
1. We must pursue godly character with diligence.
a) Why?
b) Because character development is not merely, ?an important part of life??it IS life!
2. We must guard our hearts vigorously.
a) Why?
b) Because there are literally thousands of forces at work against us.
3. What is the key to developing a godly character?
a) Putting God first.
b) Keeping God first.
C. Of all the competing forces at work against us perhaps none is more powerful than money!
1. The annual sermon on giving.
2. We?ve Heard this Sermon Before!
a) The particulars, 1 Corinthians 16:1-2.
(1) Who? Each one of us.
(2) What? Lay by in store.
(3) When? The first day of the week.
(4) Where? In church.
(5) Why? So no special contributions need be taken up when Paul arrives.
(6) How much? As he has been prospered.
b) The wrong way to give, 2 Corinthians 9:7.
(1) Grudgingly (with a sour or reluctant mind).
(2) Out of necessity (under compulsion).
c) The principles of proper giving.
(1) As God has prospered you.
(2) As stewards.
(3) Cheerfully.
(4) Liberally.
3. There?s the sermon?let?s pass the plates and take up the money we need!
a) The Bible teaches us to give to God, not to needs!
(1) We?re active members of the Lord?s Church?a living organism.
(2) Not merely dues-paying patrons of some social club.
D. Those of us who are rich must guard our hearts.
1. Against arrogance. (High-mindedness).
2. Against placing our hope in the uncertainty of riches.
3. Against failing to place our hope in God.
E. Those of us who are rich must:
1. Do good with the blessings God has given us.
2. Take hold of real life?life eternal.
Final Illustration:
· I know a man who takes his relationship with his God so seriously that he and his wife have made a covenant with each other. For the rest of their earthly lives they will follow these principles:
o No single monthly payment will exceed the amount they give to the Lord (this includes their mortgage payments!)
o They have an accountability partner. Before they make any major purchase (new vehicle, new house, furniture, etc.) they invite this person over for a period of prayer and reflection.
§ Do we really need this?
§ Could we buy something more economical?
o At least once per year they review their family budget to see if they can decrease expenses and increase the amount that they give to the Lord.
o Why in the world would this couple go to radical measure with regard to their money?
§ Because they really believe that character counts.
§ Because they really believe that of all the forces that compete for number one in our lives money is the most powerful.
§ Because they really believe that the key to developing a godly character is:
· Putting God first.
· And keeping Him first.
Final Quotes:
· God promises us that He will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5) ? that is why we must love Him and NOT love money.
· God promises us that He will provide for our every need (Philippians 4:19) ? therefore, if you want something that you do not have you want something that you do not need!
