5/26/13 1 Timothy 6:3-12 The Problem with Stuff

1 & 2 Timothy: Growing Up In The Faith

Week 2: The Problem With Stuff

May 26, 2013

GETTING THINGS STARTED

• Let’s go around the group.  Share one example of someone our culture would consider successful.  Give us a brief summary of this person and why they’d be viewed as a success.
• What are some of the ways our culture defines success?  Be as specific as possible.
• Are our culture’s ideals consistent with God’s standards?  Completely opposite? Somewhere in between? Explain.

By our world’s standards, success can be identified through our cars, our clothes, our possessions, our popularity, or our looks.  Culture looks at the exterior and encourages us to pursue money and stuff and possessions.  The problem is that this is the opposite of what the Bible says our attitude should be toward our stuff.  Let’s find out how Paul addressed this issue.

Read 1 Timothy 6:3-12 (nlt)

³Some people may contradict our teaching, but these are the wholesome teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ.  These teachings promote a godly life.  ⁴Anyone who teaches something different is arrogant and lacks understanding.  Such a person has an unhealthy desire to quibble over the meaning of words.  This stirs up arguments ending in jealousy, division, slander, and evil suspicions.  ⁵These people always cause trouble.  Their minds are corrupt, and they have turned their backs on the truth.  To them, a show of godliness is just a way to become wealthy.

⁶Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth.  ⁷After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. ⁸So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content.

⁹But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.  And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.

¹¹But you, Timothy, are a man of God; so run from all these evil things.  Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. ¹²Fight the good fight for the true faith.  Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have confessed so well before many witnesses.

As mentioned in the previous lesson, 1 and 2 Timothy are letters from Paul to his “spiritual son” Timothy, letters that pass along heartfelt leadership advice and wisdom.  Some of the advice is specific to the context in which Timothy was ministering, as a young pastor among Christians in Ephesus.  But some of the advice is broader and relevant to any Christ-follower, especially those who find themselves in a leadership role.  That is where this lesson’s passage falls.

This passage comes in a greater section addressing the importance of addressing false teachings and false teachers.  Paul leads into this passage by rebuking the false teachers who see preaching the message of Jesus as a means of financial gain.  This leads into verses 6-10, where Paul is describing and alluding to the manner in which these greedy leaders act and think.  Then, in verses 11 and 12, Paul contrasts Timothy’s actions with these ungodly leaders.  While it is a specific passage addressed to Timothy, there is a ton of rich truth that we can discover and apply.

We live in a society consumed by materialism and the collection of “stuff.”  Consumerism has impacted and infected virtually all aspects of our cultural identity.  Paul rightly challenges Timothy to be content in what God has given and to spend his energy not chasing money but pursuing God-centered character.  It’s a timely and important message for us.

Let’s take a closer look at this passage to see what truths we can learn about the risks of materialism and pursuing possessions and stuff.

1. Examine your attitude toward your stuff

• What do you think it means to be content?
• Look at verse 6.  What does God-centered contentment look like?
• Why is it difficult in our culture to be content with what we have?
• When we begin to find contentment in the way God meets our needs, instead of being dissatisfied when we don’t get all of our “wants,” how can this change our overall outlook on our lives?
• Think of one or two things you know you love more than you should.  Could you go a week without them?  How might God use that experience to help you grow spiritually and gain a fresh perspective on what matters most in life?

Our world makes contentment challenging.  We are constantly bombarded by messages that say we must buy something to achieve a certain look, a level of comfort, or a certain status. God-centered contentment means recognizing that God is the source of all good things and will provide everything we need—not everything we want, but everything we need.  If we can begin to express thanks for what God provides us and become content that our needs are met, we begin to free up so much of our mental and spiritual focus, and then we can place a greater emphasis on our service to God.

2. Avoid the trap of loving money and possessions

• Paul makes a bold statement in verse 10.  He doesn’t say money is the root of evil; he says the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.  What’s the difference? What do you think Paul was communicating?
• How might a love of money and a pursuit of money lead someone to do things that were wrong?
• Paul seems to insinuate that other harmful desires go along with greed.  How can being greedy with our money and our stuff lead us to fall into sin in other areas?

Money in itself is not evil.  In our culture, we need money to eat.  We also can use money to serve people, spread the message of Jesus around the world, feed the needy, care for orphans, and an endless list of other efforts that build God’s kingdom.  But when we pursue money above God, we are heading down a path that won’t end well.  When we seek worldly success or material possessions as our highest priority, we are putting money and wealth before God.

3. Pursue God’s definition of success

• Look at verse 11.  What does it mean to pursue righteousness?  What does that look like in your world?
• Can you relate to Paul calling Timothy to fight the good fight in verse 12?  How does staying true to God feel like a fight sometimes, particularly when thinking about materialism, money, and success?
• In your own words, rephrase what Paul is communicating in verses 11 and 12.  How do you think God defines success?

Pursuing money and stuff as your primary goal will always leave you feeling hollow.  Pursue God!  Spend your energy seeking Christ.  He will provide for your needs and give you a life that is rich in ways that matter for eternity: Christ-centered friendships, influence in your community, impact as you serve the needy, and involvement in the lives of people who need forgiveness through Jesus.

ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION

Matthew 19:16-24 (nlt)

¹⁶Someone came to Jesus with this question: “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?”

¹⁷“Why ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good.  But to answer your question—if you want to receive eternal life, keep the commandments.”

¹⁸“Which ones?” the man asked.

And Jesus replied: “‘You must not murder.  You must not commit adultery.  You must not steal.  You must not testify falsely.  ¹⁹Honor your father and mother.  Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ”

²⁰“I’ve obeyed all these commandments,” the young man replied. “What else must I do?”

²¹Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.  Then come, follow me.”

²²But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he had many possessions.

²³Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. ²⁴I’ll say it again—it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!”

• Read Matthew 19:16-24. Why did Jesus tell this man to give away his money?

• Why did Jesus say it’s difficult for a rich person to enter heaven?

Luke 16:13 (nlt)

“No one can serve two masters.  For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other.  You cannot serve both God and money.”

• Read Luke 16:13. Why is it impossible to love money and also love God? Why are the two not compatible with each other?

APPLICATION

• How would you describe your attitude toward your stuff?  Toward money?  Is it healthy?  Or does it need work?

• What comes between you and following Christ as the highest priority in your life?  Is it money?  Or something else?

• What habits or steps might help you become more consistent in placing God as the center of your life, instead of your stuff or money?

• What are some actions we could take that would demonstrate that our things are just things and that what really matters is Christ as the center of our lives?

SUMMARY

Outside of how our society obsesses over sex and sexuality, materialism might be one of the most heavy-handed messages we receive.  Everywhere we turn, we are targeted by marketers.  We see celebrities collecting cars and houses.  Recording artists sing about money, fame, and the all-consuming pursuit of possessions.  It’s easy in this atmosphere to get caught up in the chase for more “stuff.”  The Bible, however, calls us to turn from this and to embrace the ways of God.  This lesson challenged us to do just that.

For Keeps [Memory Verse]

But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction (1 Timothy 6:9 NLT).

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