Episode Transcript
WEBVTT
1
00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:06.120
Ending as we read God's Word From
First Timothy Chapter six, verses three through
2
00:00:06.240 --> 00:00:21.899
ten. First Timothy Chapter six,
versus three through ten. If anyone teaches
3
00:00:21.980 --> 00:00:26.300
a different doctrine and does not agree
with the sound words of our Lord Jesus
4
00:00:26.339 --> 00:00:32.259
Christ and the teaching that accords with
godliness, he is puffed up with conceit
5
00:00:32.340 --> 00:00:38.770
and understands nothing. He has an
unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about
6
00:00:38.770 --> 00:00:44.210
words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil, suspicions and constant
7
00:00:44.210 --> 00:00:50.280
friction among people who are depraved in
mind and deprived of the truth, imagining
8
00:00:50.399 --> 00:00:55.240
that godliness is a means of gain. Now, there is great gain in
9
00:00:55.840 --> 00:01:02.000
godliness with contentment, for we brought
nothing into the world and we cannot take
10
00:01:02.079 --> 00:01:04.870
anything out of the world. But
if we have food and clothing, with
11
00:01:04.950 --> 00:01:11.030
these we will be content. But
those who desire to be rich fall into
12
00:01:11.109 --> 00:01:17.629
temptation, into a snare, into
many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people
13
00:01:17.629 --> 00:01:21.659
into ruin and destruction, for the
love of money is a root of all
14
00:01:21.700 --> 00:01:26.060
kinds of evils. It is through
this craving that some have wandered away from
15
00:01:26.060 --> 00:01:34.489
the faith and pierced themselves with many
pains. The word of the Lord you
16
00:01:34.569 --> 00:01:51.920
may be seated. George demestrol was
a Swiss inventor who lived about a hundred
17
00:01:51.959 --> 00:01:57.959
years ago, seventy five years ago, and this Swiss inventor loved to take
18
00:01:57.079 --> 00:02:02.189
long walks in the woods and he
would go out into the woods often and
19
00:02:02.870 --> 00:02:12.110
enjoy those long strolls with his dog. But the thing that bothered George about
20
00:02:12.189 --> 00:02:19.819
these long walks through the woods was
that he and his dog would come back
21
00:02:20.060 --> 00:02:24.620
covered in burrs, that he would
have to spend hours digging birds out of
22
00:02:24.699 --> 00:02:30.449
his dogs fur and off of his
wool pants. And so, being the
23
00:02:30.530 --> 00:02:36.849
man that he was, this inventor, this curious man, he examined the
24
00:02:37.050 --> 00:02:46.080
burr under a microscope and discovered all
of these small microscopic hooks at the end
25
00:02:46.120 --> 00:02:53.400
of each pointy part of the Burr, and he thought to himself, well,
26
00:02:53.439 --> 00:02:58.520
I think perhaps I can make something
useful out of this, and so
27
00:02:58.870 --> 00:03:05.349
he constructed an artificial fabric that had, on one side thousands of little loops
28
00:03:05.710 --> 00:03:12.110
and on the other side thousands of
microscopic hooks and when put together, these
29
00:03:12.750 --> 00:03:17.500
two pieces of fabric would hold tenaciously
and in one thousand nine hundred and fifty
30
00:03:17.539 --> 00:03:23.580
one, he received a patent for
this invention. The official name is Hook
31
00:03:23.699 --> 00:03:34.169
and loop fastener, but you probably
know it as velcrow. Now velcrow is
32
00:03:34.210 --> 00:03:38.129
a very useful article. In fact, you probably have something with you that
33
00:03:38.210 --> 00:03:43.560
has velcro on it tonight. Maybe
the clasp on your Bible cover or something
34
00:03:43.719 --> 00:03:47.319
on your purse or on your kids
clothing or your kids shoes. Lots of
35
00:03:47.759 --> 00:03:55.310
useful applications for VELCRO. And it's
so simple and so effective and hold so
36
00:03:55.509 --> 00:04:02.710
tenaciously, and all of this coming
from God's creation, God's example of this
37
00:04:03.069 --> 00:04:12.780
burr that demestro was able to replicate. Now the problem is that we have
38
00:04:14.819 --> 00:04:25.490
on our hearts all these tiny little
hooks that want to cling tenaciously to the
39
00:04:25.769 --> 00:04:30.490
things of this world, that want
to want the the hooks in our hearts
40
00:04:30.730 --> 00:04:38.879
want to hold onto the the things
of the world that that are not meant
41
00:04:38.920 --> 00:04:46.319
to be held onto so so tenaciously. We allow some of the issues of
42
00:04:46.480 --> 00:04:50.000
this world, the things of this
world, to become overly significant in our
43
00:04:50.120 --> 00:04:54.149
lives. You might even be able
to think of a few in your own
44
00:04:54.149 --> 00:05:01.069
life. One of these hook equipped
issues is identity, right. How do
45
00:05:01.110 --> 00:05:10.620
you identify yourself. What is the
basis of your identity? Another hook equipped
46
00:05:11.019 --> 00:05:17.300
issue that is rampant in our world
is that of sex sexual addiction. Other
47
00:05:17.899 --> 00:05:27.970
heart grabbing, Hook equipped issues are
position and prestige and power. You know,
48
00:05:28.089 --> 00:05:32.209
your climb up the corporate ladder,
or even the social ladder, or
49
00:05:32.250 --> 00:05:41.800
even the church ladder can be driven
by these kinds of pursuits. So what
50
00:05:41.879 --> 00:05:46.439
are these hooks? Well, if
we really think about it, we understand
51
00:05:46.480 --> 00:05:51.189
that these hooks are idols. They're
the idols of our hearts. There the
52
00:05:51.670 --> 00:05:56.389
good things that God has given us
that we make into ultimate things that we
53
00:05:57.110 --> 00:06:02.750
put in place of God in our
lives. The idols of our hearts pursue
54
00:06:04.939 --> 00:06:10.779
us and we they hook into those
loops on our hearts, or the hooks
55
00:06:10.819 --> 00:06:15.740
on our hearts hook comb to the
loops on those idols and they drag us
56
00:06:15.740 --> 00:06:19.810
away, they entice us, they
take us away from God. So every
57
00:06:19.850 --> 00:06:26.209
single one of us will struggle throughout
our lives to not allow these idols to
58
00:06:26.290 --> 00:06:34.600
become hooked into our soul. We
don't want them to become over important,
59
00:06:35.720 --> 00:06:44.639
to begin to smother us. And
in God's word we find a remedy for
60
00:06:44.759 --> 00:06:48.470
these kinds of Hook and loop fasteners
on our hearts. We find an answer,
61
00:06:48.670 --> 00:06:54.589
we find instruction about these idols.
And in the passage that we look
62
00:06:54.589 --> 00:06:59.110
at today we look at two,
two primary idols that we struggle with in
63
00:06:59.269 --> 00:07:04.540
our lives, and I'm going to
call them the idol of words and the
64
00:07:04.660 --> 00:07:11.860
idol of wealth. And I really
think probably the idol of words could probably
65
00:07:11.939 --> 00:07:18.730
be better described as an idol for
knowledge or an idol that battles with the
66
00:07:18.850 --> 00:07:30.000
truth. But an idol of words
and an idol of wealth, and the
67
00:07:30.160 --> 00:07:36.560
false teaching that Paul speaks about mm
in this passage is involves a battle for
68
00:07:36.680 --> 00:07:42.920
the mind and the love for money
involves a battle for the heart. And
69
00:07:43.079 --> 00:07:46.430
so that's our road map for the
next few minutes. These two idols,
70
00:07:46.470 --> 00:07:51.670
idols of the words, idol,
idol of words and idol of wealth.
71
00:07:53.790 --> 00:07:58.350
And what the Holy Spirit teaches us
today through a servant, the Apostle Paul,
72
00:07:58.470 --> 00:08:05.660
is that the preventative agent for both
of these is contentment. There is
73
00:08:05.779 --> 00:08:16.810
a formula for prevention of heart disease
and it's found at the theological and spatial
74
00:08:18.009 --> 00:08:24.810
center of this passage, in verse
six. Now there is great gain and
75
00:08:24.009 --> 00:08:33.320
godliness with contentment great gain, and
godliness with contentment, living a life that
76
00:08:33.480 --> 00:08:39.440
is fully satisfied with God and with
what God provides, is what it means
77
00:08:39.639 --> 00:08:45.830
to glorify God and enjoy him forever. This is what sets us on a
78
00:08:45.950 --> 00:08:50.509
trajectory toward the fullest expression of contentment
with our God and King in heaven.
79
00:08:52.110 --> 00:08:58.100
Paul says that godliness with contentment is
great gain. Godliness is the manner in
80
00:08:58.179 --> 00:09:05.740
which redeemed centers reflect the image of
God. As he continues his work in
81
00:09:05.779 --> 00:09:09.019
us, we are transformed more and
more into the image of Christ and we
82
00:09:09.139 --> 00:09:16.610
begin to live out the righteousness that
he has imputed to us. So a
83
00:09:16.730 --> 00:09:24.759
while back couple in our church came
to me and held up their newborn baby,
84
00:09:26.440 --> 00:09:30.200
which I had seen in the neck
you at the hospital but hadn't seen
85
00:09:30.240 --> 00:09:33.440
in a few weeks and they were
finally able to come to church with their
86
00:09:33.519 --> 00:09:37.240
new baby and they proudly held the
baby up to me after the service and
87
00:09:37.360 --> 00:09:43.230
said doesn't she look a lot like
her dad? And and I looked at
88
00:09:43.269 --> 00:09:52.830
him and I said I sure hope
not, but he she did. She
89
00:09:52.980 --> 00:09:54.940
looked like her dad. She she
had his nose. It was very clear
90
00:09:56.700 --> 00:10:01.659
and she's just a little dolls.
He's a beautiful little baby. But that's
91
00:10:01.700 --> 00:10:07.019
the idea that Paul has in this
passage about godliness. That godliness is that
92
00:10:07.100 --> 00:10:11.850
that way that we reflect our heavenly
father, so that more and more,
93
00:10:11.929 --> 00:10:16.490
as people look at us as we're
we're so we're held up before others,
94
00:10:16.090 --> 00:10:20.970
they would they would see God in
us. They would say, doesn't doesn't
95
00:10:20.009 --> 00:10:24.360
she look more and more like God? Doesn't he look more and more like
96
00:10:24.919 --> 00:10:33.080
Christ? That's what Paul is after
when he speaks of godliness. AS WE
97
00:10:33.240 --> 00:10:35.909
GROW UP IN CHRIST, we look
more and more like him, we're conform
98
00:10:37.029 --> 00:10:43.590
more and more to his image.
When the good of my life, my
99
00:10:43.830 --> 00:10:48.110
happiness, my comforts, my glory, my riches are more in God than
100
00:10:48.149 --> 00:10:56.100
in myself, that is godliness.
A Godly man trusts in God and relies
101
00:10:56.220 --> 00:11:03.610
upon the promises of God, and
that's where contentment comes from. Jeremiah borrough
102
00:11:03.850 --> 00:11:09.730
was a seventeen century pureritan pastor and
in his book the rare jewel of Christian
103
00:11:09.769 --> 00:11:15.809
contentment, he defines contentment. Now
I'm going to read to you is definition,
104
00:11:15.929 --> 00:11:20.480
but I just have to say that
there are books that will read,
105
00:11:20.559 --> 00:11:26.000
that will pick up where the title
of the book sometimes is all you need
106
00:11:26.039 --> 00:11:28.039
to read to get the message of
the book. Now, certainly there was
107
00:11:28.080 --> 00:11:33.830
a lot in borough's book that that
teaches in destructs, but just that title,
108
00:11:33.990 --> 00:11:43.710
the rare jewel of Christian contentment.
What a what a beautiful title,
109
00:11:43.830 --> 00:11:46.710
what a way to direct us to
God, what a what a way to
110
00:11:46.029 --> 00:11:52.259
to tell our hearts how precious it
is that that we would be content in
111
00:11:52.379 --> 00:11:58.820
God's promises and in his provision.
And so borroughs defines Christian contentment this way.
112
00:11:58.860 --> 00:12:05.809
He says Christian contentment is that sweet
inward, quiet, gracious frame of
113
00:12:05.970 --> 00:12:15.490
spirit which freely submits to and delights
in God's wise and fatherly disposal in every
114
00:12:15.610 --> 00:12:22.159
condition. Let me just read that
again. Christian contentment is that sweet inward,
115
00:12:22.480 --> 00:12:28.440
quiet, gracious frame of spirit which
freely submits to and delights in God's
116
00:12:28.519 --> 00:12:37.549
wise and fatherly disposal in every condition. So contentment is an inner peace,
117
00:12:37.750 --> 00:12:41.230
isn't it? It's a it's an
inner piece based on the truth of God's
118
00:12:41.230 --> 00:12:46.740
goodness, not affected by our circumstances. And if that's the case, then
119
00:12:46.860 --> 00:12:54.059
in the strictest sense we can only
purely attribute contentment to God. He's the
120
00:12:54.179 --> 00:12:58.539
only being that is truly content in
all the universe. He is the self
121
00:12:58.049 --> 00:13:05.450
sufficient one. However, when he
claims us as his and makes us his
122
00:13:05.690 --> 00:13:11.610
through faith in Jesus Christ, we
become more and more satisfied in him.
123
00:13:11.960 --> 00:13:20.519
Finding our sufficiency and satisfaction in Christ
is the key to contentment. So the
124
00:13:20.600 --> 00:13:26.080
two idols that Paul mentions in this
passage attack our hearts and strive against our
125
00:13:26.159 --> 00:13:30.269
contentment. They would sink their hooks
into our souls, they would drag us
126
00:13:30.269 --> 00:13:35.509
away from finding satisfaction with God,
and they are fed by unhealthy cravings and
127
00:13:35.669 --> 00:13:43.019
desires. And we can easily be
deceived into thinking that contentment is having more
128
00:13:43.740 --> 00:13:52.700
than what we already have. But
as we dive into this text, we
129
00:13:52.860 --> 00:13:56.330
discover that content it comes not from
having more of what we want, but
130
00:13:56.610 --> 00:14:03.289
wanting less than what we already have. Contem it comes by subtraction of desires,
131
00:14:03.409 --> 00:14:07.169
not by addition of more. It's
a it's a focusing of our desires
132
00:14:07.409 --> 00:14:16.360
upon Christ, upon God who provides
for all of our needs. In our
133
00:14:16.440 --> 00:14:20.480
hearts are always under attack. So
the first idol that attacks our hearts from
134
00:14:20.519 --> 00:14:24.629
this passage again is the idol of
words. Me Read for you again,
135
00:14:24.669 --> 00:14:31.350
versus three through five. If anyone
teaches a different doctrine and does not agree
136
00:14:31.389 --> 00:14:33.950
with the sound words of our Lord
Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with
137
00:14:35.070 --> 00:14:39.700
godliness, he is puffed up with
conceit and understands nothing. He has an
138
00:14:39.700 --> 00:14:46.179
unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels
about words, which produce envy, dissension,
139
00:14:46.500 --> 00:14:50.500
slander, evil, suspicions and constant
friction among people who are depraved in
140
00:14:50.620 --> 00:14:56.210
mind and deprived of the truth,
imagining that godliness is a means of gain.
141
00:14:58.370 --> 00:15:03.929
We look at this passage, we
discover that the idol of words is
142
00:15:03.090 --> 00:15:09.480
all about what. What words can
get me? What knowledge can get me?
143
00:15:09.639 --> 00:15:15.120
How I'm benefited from this knowledge or
these words that I'm able to use
144
00:15:15.200 --> 00:15:20.470
and manipulate and construct thoughts from.
It's it's a lack of contentment with the
145
00:15:20.629 --> 00:15:26.750
truth. And yes, the world
will send us all manner of messages that
146
00:15:28.389 --> 00:15:33.990
teach a different doctrine and teach a
false way to understand the world and are
147
00:15:33.990 --> 00:15:39.220
in complete opposition to the sound worlds
of our words of our Lord Jesus Christ.
148
00:15:39.820 --> 00:15:43.899
But the threat that Paul's talking about
is not from the world, the
149
00:15:43.019 --> 00:15:48.580
pet the threat that Paul is talking
about is from inside. It's from inside
150
00:15:48.580 --> 00:15:56.009
the church. He's talking about those
who spell message, false messages, in
151
00:15:56.129 --> 00:16:02.009
the church. Now, if you're
like me and you have an image in
152
00:16:02.049 --> 00:16:10.759
your mind of those who opposed Christ
and his day, the kind of teacher
153
00:16:10.960 --> 00:16:17.120
that Jesus faced, the false teacher, it would be those pharisees or Sadducees
154
00:16:17.200 --> 00:16:21.669
or scribes that taught that religion was
a was the way to God, that
155
00:16:21.750 --> 00:16:25.710
keeping the law was the way to
earn your righteousness. And you can imagine
156
00:16:25.750 --> 00:16:33.340
them fairly identifiable by their their clothing
perhaps, or their long beards or the
157
00:16:33.740 --> 00:16:41.980
phylacteries that they wore on their heads
or their wrists, easily identifiable. And
158
00:16:44.820 --> 00:16:51.330
here in the wild, wild west
of Tucson, we recognize the bad guys
159
00:16:51.450 --> 00:16:55.409
by their black hats. Right they
wear the black hats. The good guys
160
00:16:55.450 --> 00:17:04.759
wear the white hats. So you
might think that a false teacher is easily
161
00:17:04.920 --> 00:17:10.720
discerned, easily detected, easy to
spot, easy to stay away from,
162
00:17:11.519 --> 00:17:15.269
easy to quiet. But in reality, from the outside the false teacher looks
163
00:17:15.349 --> 00:17:26.109
just like the one who speaks the
truth. You can't spot a false teacher
164
00:17:26.230 --> 00:17:29.910
by how they look. You,
you fought. You spot a false teacher
165
00:17:30.059 --> 00:17:33.299
by the words that they speak,
the words that come falling out of their
166
00:17:33.380 --> 00:17:38.019
mouths. And a false teacher teaches
something other, something different than the truth
167
00:17:38.700 --> 00:17:44.490
of the sound words of Christ.
If anyone teaches a different doctrine, it
168
00:17:44.690 --> 00:17:48.809
is not agree with the sound words
of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching
169
00:17:48.849 --> 00:17:56.450
that accords with godliness. He is
puffed up, conceited, etcetera. So
170
00:17:56.170 --> 00:18:04.200
let me make sure we're clear on
this. The sound words of Christ tell
171
00:18:04.279 --> 00:18:12.390
us things, oftentimes that we don't
want to hear. We're told that were
172
00:18:12.470 --> 00:18:22.829
sinners, that were rebels at heart. And we are sinners and we are
173
00:18:22.990 --> 00:18:30.819
rebels until God makes us alive in
Christ. He must regenerate our hearts or
174
00:18:30.940 --> 00:18:37.380
we will only continue and rebellion and
sin and we are consumed with ourselves in
175
00:18:37.619 --> 00:18:45.769
our desires and what fulfills our fleshly
desires apart from him, apart from his
176
00:18:45.970 --> 00:18:49.809
work. So false teachers in the
Church won't tell you that. False teachers
177
00:18:49.849 --> 00:18:55.009
in the church will tell you there's
another way to be saved. In fact,
178
00:18:55.089 --> 00:18:59.400
you may not even need to be
saved or rescued. You you're not
179
00:18:59.519 --> 00:19:07.079
so bad, you're not all that
bad, the little effort you can pull
180
00:19:07.160 --> 00:19:12.069
yourself up or, as Paul reveals
in this passage, their message may be
181
00:19:12.230 --> 00:19:15.710
more along the lines of I know
this world's a struggle and you go through
182
00:19:15.750 --> 00:19:19.069
many difficulties and if you just buy
my book on seven steps on how to
183
00:19:19.150 --> 00:19:27.500
get out of that, you'll be
fine. They think godliness is simply a
184
00:19:27.660 --> 00:19:33.299
way or a means to financial gain. And the truth is that once were
185
00:19:33.339 --> 00:19:38.450
set free from ourselves and these crazy
cravings for more, our attention and our
186
00:19:38.529 --> 00:19:45.690
desires are finely focused on God.
If anyone teaches anything that feeds our fleshly
187
00:19:45.849 --> 00:19:52.490
desire, they're teaching a false gospel. Any want any any time that someone
188
00:19:52.609 --> 00:19:56.799
tells you that life or happiness or
salvation is about you or about something that
189
00:19:56.920 --> 00:20:00.480
you do, something that can be
accomplished on your own apart from God,
190
00:20:00.039 --> 00:20:08.269
they are teaching you a different doctrine. That kind of teaching, that false
191
00:20:08.390 --> 00:20:12.470
doctrine, will never satisfy. It
will never fill you with what you want.
192
00:20:14.589 --> 00:20:19.789
You need the truth. Only the
truth that Jesus alone saves you will
193
00:20:19.829 --> 00:20:25.420
truly satisfy your heart. Every false
teaching will lead, as Paul says to
194
00:20:25.539 --> 00:20:32.180
be, for you to be puffed
up with conceit and understanding nothing, having
195
00:20:32.180 --> 00:20:42.609
an unhealthy craving for controversy and quarrels. These quarrels and controversies producing envy and
196
00:20:42.809 --> 00:20:52.599
dissension and slander and evil suspicions and
constant friction among people. And I know
197
00:20:52.759 --> 00:21:00.279
I've focused primarily on issues of salvation, but there are other ways that false
198
00:21:00.359 --> 00:21:12.230
teaching enters into the church, through
gossip, through slander, do other evil
199
00:21:12.509 --> 00:21:22.460
words, and then the promoting of
those with others around you. These things
200
00:21:22.539 --> 00:21:30.259
all tear apart. They tear down, they do not build up. This
201
00:21:30.420 --> 00:21:36.490
this use of words, this idol
of words, trying to misuse words or
202
00:21:36.529 --> 00:21:42.250
misrepresent the truth or just completely lie, are imput that. It's all emptiness
203
00:21:44.089 --> 00:21:52.640
and it just creates a loud clamor
in the church that is disruptive. I
204
00:21:52.839 --> 00:21:57.759
liken it to this. In our
office at the church over at Rencon,
205
00:21:59.480 --> 00:22:03.869
we have a water cooler that uses
those, think they're about three gallon blue
206
00:22:04.390 --> 00:22:08.029
jugs. You know that you have
to put up on top and the water
207
00:22:08.150 --> 00:22:12.750
flows through. Well, one of
our one of our members, had a
208
00:22:12.869 --> 00:22:18.900
toddler whoever time every time he'd come
to the office, he would head straight
209
00:22:18.019 --> 00:22:26.140
for those blue jugs, the empty
ones, and he'd start banging them around
210
00:22:26.140 --> 00:22:29.900
and knocking them around and kind of
like playing bowling with these big water bottles.
211
00:22:30.730 --> 00:22:33.849
And I always knew when that guy
was at the church because I could
212
00:22:33.849 --> 00:22:38.450
hear him from my office because those
were clangor clanging around in the hallway.
213
00:22:40.490 --> 00:22:45.279
Well, he didn't. He didn't
go to the full jugs. He wasn't
214
00:22:45.319 --> 00:22:49.359
big enough to knock him over for
one thing, thank goodness. But he
215
00:22:49.480 --> 00:22:52.799
also they wouldn't make noise. Right, you hit a full jugging that goes
216
00:22:52.880 --> 00:22:56.960
thud, Thud, thud, but
you hit those empty ones and they're like
217
00:22:56.039 --> 00:23:00.029
a Bongo drum there just you can
go crazy on them, and he did.
218
00:23:02.829 --> 00:23:07.430
Well, that's that's what these evil
words are, that's what these this
219
00:23:07.910 --> 00:23:12.259
these empty words do, is they
make a loud, clamoring noise, this
220
00:23:12.539 --> 00:23:22.500
loud disruption in the church and they
bring they disrupt the piece and they bring
221
00:23:23.420 --> 00:23:33.289
an uncertainty and in an anxiety to
the body of Christ. Once false teachings
222
00:23:33.410 --> 00:23:38.930
gets its hooks into the church,
it will divide family and friends and the
223
00:23:40.009 --> 00:23:52.039
church. Quarreling over words, creating
controversy straining at theological GNATS. Not that
224
00:23:52.160 --> 00:23:55.990
there's not a need for Orthodoxy and
correct theology. There is, in fact,
225
00:23:55.990 --> 00:24:00.829
that's the way these things are combated, as with the truth. But
226
00:24:00.950 --> 00:24:07.430
there's a balance that needs to be
maintained. So we have to be careful
227
00:24:07.950 --> 00:24:18.500
with our words and to come back
always with the sound words of our Lord
228
00:24:18.539 --> 00:24:26.609
Jesus Christ, teaching doctrine, using
words, using thoughts, concepts that accord
229
00:24:26.769 --> 00:24:33.130
with godliness and the sound words of
our Lord Jesus Christ. We just keep
230
00:24:33.210 --> 00:24:37.890
coming back to that, coming back
to that. That's where our contentment comes
231
00:24:37.970 --> 00:24:41.680
from, that's where our godliness comes
from. Not a longing for something new,
232
00:24:41.839 --> 00:24:48.799
not a longing for something fashionable,
something that's the hottest idea in the
233
00:24:48.880 --> 00:24:57.269
theological market, but for the sound
words of Jesus Christ, to come back
234
00:24:57.390 --> 00:25:03.869
to the words of Christ in in
the preaching of the word and in Sacrament,
235
00:25:03.950 --> 00:25:06.950
the Gospel and word, the Gospel
and Sacrament, to come to the
236
00:25:07.109 --> 00:25:11.380
means of grace. They are our
place, they are our source of contentment.
237
00:25:14.660 --> 00:25:21.730
Godliness, with contentment is great gain. And there's a second idol that
238
00:25:21.809 --> 00:25:26.609
Paul addresses in this passage, and
that idle is equally destructive the idol of
239
00:25:26.690 --> 00:25:33.609
wealth versus seven through ten. For
we brought nothing into the world and we
240
00:25:33.650 --> 00:25:37.440
cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing,
241
00:25:37.519 --> 00:25:41.359
with these we will be content.
But those who desire to be rich
242
00:25:41.559 --> 00:25:45.640
fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmless desires that
243
00:25:45.799 --> 00:25:51.190
plunge people into ruin and destruction.
For the love of money is a root
244
00:25:51.190 --> 00:25:53.670
of all kinds of evils. It
is through this craving that some have wandered
245
00:25:53.710 --> 00:26:03.859
away from the faith and pierced themselves
with many pangs greed, avarice, the
246
00:26:03.980 --> 00:26:07.259
desire to be rich, the love
of money. It's one of the Ten
247
00:26:07.380 --> 00:26:19.329
Commandments. It's one of the seven
deadly sins. When asked once how much
248
00:26:19.329 --> 00:26:25.210
money is enough money, John Dee
Wrecka Rockefeller, perhaps the richest American to
249
00:26:25.329 --> 00:26:33.440
ever live, replied just a little
bit more. The desire to be rich,
250
00:26:33.599 --> 00:26:36.400
the love of money, is a
root of all kinds of evil.
251
00:26:36.480 --> 00:26:40.599
It causes those who are hooked by
it to fall into temptation, into a
252
00:26:40.680 --> 00:26:45.960
snare, into many senseless and harmful
desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction.
253
00:26:45.039 --> 00:26:52.349
A few years ago, my family. Part of my family was,
254
00:26:52.990 --> 00:26:57.069
well still are, living in southern
California. My older two older kids were
255
00:26:57.109 --> 00:27:03.259
living out there. One had graduated
from college and one was still in college,
256
00:27:03.980 --> 00:27:07.819
and because they were there and a
lot of events were happening in their
257
00:27:07.940 --> 00:27:11.859
lives, we knew that we were
going to be in southern California a number
258
00:27:11.859 --> 00:27:19.009
of times and so I purchased for
myself and my then sixteen year old son
259
00:27:21.569 --> 00:27:30.880
annual passes to Magic Mountain and I
love Thrill Rides. I think they're blast
260
00:27:30.039 --> 00:27:33.839
and and he and I would go
every time we were out there. is
261
00:27:33.839 --> 00:27:38.880
about a forty minute drive from from
Pasadena, and we would enjoy the day
262
00:27:38.880 --> 00:27:42.319
and a couple Times Melissa and Jonathan
got to go with us as well and
263
00:27:42.440 --> 00:27:48.069
we made a family day of it. My wife never went. She doesn't
264
00:27:48.069 --> 00:27:51.829
care for that sort of thing.
It would make her sick. So we
265
00:27:51.910 --> 00:28:00.900
enjoyed we enjoyed the time without her, but our past allowed for I don't
266
00:28:00.900 --> 00:28:03.140
know if it was more than once, but we only did it once.
267
00:28:03.180 --> 00:28:07.660
We went to we went to Hurricane
Harbor, which is the the the water
268
00:28:07.819 --> 00:28:14.849
park that's part of six flags magic
mountain and there's a ride there called better
269
00:28:14.890 --> 00:28:21.730
check this the tornado and the tornado
was was this kind of ride. So
270
00:28:21.930 --> 00:28:26.359
my son and I got on the
same raft and you your launched down this
271
00:28:26.559 --> 00:28:32.079
a hundred thirty two foot tunnel and
you come out of the tunnel into this
272
00:28:32.279 --> 00:28:36.319
big, giant, huge funnel,
and so you spin around the funnel and
273
00:28:36.359 --> 00:28:41.430
then you finally drop through the hole
in the middle and plunge to your destruction.
274
00:28:44.950 --> 00:28:52.630
Well, so, in this passage, Paul describes a truly destructive downward
275
00:28:52.910 --> 00:29:00.579
spial, spiral caused by greed.
He you can hear it in his words.
276
00:29:00.660 --> 00:29:03.299
You can hear what happens, he
says in verse nine. But those
277
00:29:03.339 --> 00:29:10.289
who desire to be rich fall into
temptation, into a snare, into many
278
00:29:10.450 --> 00:29:18.450
senseless and harmless desires that plunge people
into ruin and destruction. Read and the
279
00:29:18.569 --> 00:29:21.849
love of money is the and the
desire to be rich is a denial that
280
00:29:21.970 --> 00:29:26.519
God will provide for you all that
you need. The idol of wealth is
281
00:29:26.559 --> 00:29:30.559
about more than just the desire for
more money, isn't it? It's about
282
00:29:33.079 --> 00:29:38.430
you controlling your circumstances. It's about
the lack of contentment with present circumstances.
283
00:29:38.470 --> 00:29:48.150
It's desiring less of something, that, something, that which is difficult and
284
00:29:48.309 --> 00:29:51.910
more of what is comfortable. Right, we want to avoid the things of
285
00:29:51.990 --> 00:29:56.700
life that are difficult and we want
to really have a lot of the good
286
00:29:56.819 --> 00:30:03.019
things. The love of money,
greed, gets its hooks into us,
287
00:30:03.980 --> 00:30:07.690
and when it does, there are
two things that happen. We get our
288
00:30:07.730 --> 00:30:15.529
hooks into more things and those hooks
pierce our hearts with many pangs. You
289
00:30:15.609 --> 00:30:21.440
know, the greatest judgment that God
can give to us, could bring upon
290
00:30:21.599 --> 00:30:26.079
us in this life, is what
Paul mentions in Romans. One the greatest
291
00:30:26.119 --> 00:30:30.440
misery of all is for God to
give you up to your hearts desires and
292
00:30:30.519 --> 00:30:37.309
lust, to turn you over to
your own counsels. God has set eternity
293
00:30:37.470 --> 00:30:41.789
in our in our hearts, and
we were meant for eternity. And when
294
00:30:41.829 --> 00:30:45.990
we settle for the temporal, our
hearts break and grieve. Our hearts were
295
00:30:47.029 --> 00:30:52.619
meant to be inhabited by God and
accepting anything less plunges us into despair and
296
00:30:52.859 --> 00:31:02.619
destruction. So here's a good question
to ask to yourself to determine if this
297
00:31:02.700 --> 00:31:08.089
is something you might struggle with.
When you meet people in the course of
298
00:31:08.170 --> 00:31:18.880
daily life, do you search after
their's or them do you? Do you
299
00:31:19.079 --> 00:31:23.720
start thinking about their how they can
and benefit you, what they have that
300
00:31:23.759 --> 00:31:29.200
might benefit you, what they offer
that might benefit you, how knowing them
301
00:31:29.440 --> 00:31:33.509
is a good thing for you?
or or are you after them? Are
302
00:31:33.589 --> 00:31:37.430
you searching after them? Are you
wanting to know them? Are you wanting
303
00:31:37.470 --> 00:31:44.589
to be in relationship with them and
and enjoy the fellowship of a saint,
304
00:31:44.869 --> 00:31:48.059
if they're a believer and not,
if not, then then to share with
305
00:31:48.099 --> 00:31:51.980
them the love that you have for
Jesus Christ. Are you more after there's
306
00:31:52.059 --> 00:32:00.450
are you more after them? So
let's go back a minute and think about
307
00:32:00.970 --> 00:32:07.049
hooks and loops, velcro. So
what? What is your heart stuck on?
308
00:32:09.849 --> 00:32:14.049
Is it the idol of words,
being the smartest person in the room,
309
00:32:14.089 --> 00:32:19.319
raising controversy and division wherever you go, teaching or practicing something other than
310
00:32:19.359 --> 00:32:24.359
the truth? Here's one that I
struggle with. You always have to fix
311
00:32:24.519 --> 00:32:31.990
someone else's speech, the words that
they say, or fix their understanding about
312
00:32:32.029 --> 00:32:36.069
something, stopping in the middle of
a conversation and making sure they'd got it
313
00:32:36.269 --> 00:32:44.339
right. Or are you hooked into
less trial and more comfort, more stuff,
314
00:32:45.220 --> 00:32:52.900
more power, more influence? The
An adulte the preventative medicine to these
315
00:32:52.980 --> 00:32:57.980
hooks is contentment. So think about
this for a moment. When when we
316
00:32:58.140 --> 00:33:05.529
travel, we we put up with
some inconveniences. We know that. We
317
00:33:05.650 --> 00:33:07.809
know that the room at the air
BNB is not going to be the same
318
00:33:07.809 --> 00:33:14.519
as our bedroom at home. Shower
might be a little tighter, they might
319
00:33:14.559 --> 00:33:22.359
not have the same soap. Traffic
is bad, airlines run late. We're
320
00:33:22.480 --> 00:33:27.670
we put up with convenience as while
we're traveling. But how about when we're
321
00:33:27.750 --> 00:33:32.789
traveling through life? How about the
inconveniences that are we content and what God
322
00:33:32.829 --> 00:33:40.349
has provided is fitting that we saying
whatsoever God or Daineth whatsoever. God ordaineth.
323
00:33:40.430 --> 00:33:44.700
It'll come to pass and God is
in control of it and God is
324
00:33:44.740 --> 00:33:49.299
providing for us and God will carry
us through the various trials of various struggles,
325
00:33:49.339 --> 00:33:55.289
the various setbacks that we experience,
where we're pilgrims headed toward a destination
326
00:33:55.410 --> 00:34:05.970
that's worth any convenient inconvenience that we
might experience. The destination is not simply
327
00:34:06.490 --> 00:34:15.880
heaven, but it's who we get
when we get there. We get Jesus,
328
00:34:17.440 --> 00:34:22.719
and you find contentment in Christ.
The writer of Hebrew says, fix
329
00:34:22.800 --> 00:34:25.590
your eyes on Jesus. The author
and perfector of your faith, who,
330
00:34:25.670 --> 00:34:30.190
for the joy set before him,
endure the cross scorning its shame that he
331
00:34:30.349 --> 00:34:34.590
sat down at the right hand of
the father, so that you might be
332
00:34:34.750 --> 00:34:37.739
strengthened, that you might not grow
weary in your walk, that you might
333
00:34:37.780 --> 00:34:45.619
not lose heart. So if you
can think this way, and I I
334
00:34:45.739 --> 00:34:53.369
want to be careful, I don't
want to be theologically incorrect, but we
335
00:34:53.650 --> 00:35:04.809
we should understand our whole source of
contentment is the fact that Christ was put
336
00:35:05.010 --> 00:35:12.440
on the hook so we could be
taken off the hook. So he was.
337
00:35:12.679 --> 00:35:22.150
He was literally impaled to a cross. This one who who defines godliness,
338
00:35:22.829 --> 00:35:28.190
this one who was content to do
his father's will all his life.
339
00:35:28.230 --> 00:35:31.349
He even said it is my food
to do the will of the father,
340
00:35:34.630 --> 00:35:39.340
this one who was sinless, was
impaled, was hooked, was stuck to
341
00:35:39.539 --> 00:35:45.420
a cross, so that you and
I, all that would all that would
342
00:35:45.420 --> 00:35:50.369
have faith in him, all who
would come to him by faith, would
343
00:35:50.369 --> 00:35:53.570
be set free from the hooks of
our lives. We would be taken off
344
00:35:53.769 --> 00:35:57.610
the hook for our sin. We
would not have to go through death,
345
00:36:00.530 --> 00:36:07.199
because he was willing to. He
who is God, did not cling to
346
00:36:07.400 --> 00:36:10.480
equality with God, but emptied himself, covering his glory for a time.
347
00:36:10.920 --> 00:36:21.590
He left perfect contentment behind to enter
into our discontent and to offer his life
348
00:36:21.590 --> 00:36:31.269
as a sacrifice in order to bring
us into contentment. HMM. So he
349
00:36:31.590 --> 00:36:43.780
he unhooked from the Glories of Heaven, became a man and then was put
350
00:36:43.900 --> 00:36:50.610
on the hook, put on the
Cross to free us from the things that
351
00:36:50.769 --> 00:36:53.210
hook us, the things that would
drag us away from God, so that
352
00:36:53.329 --> 00:37:00.639
we could be brought into perfect contentment. This is the one who we trust,
353
00:37:00.760 --> 00:37:04.599
this is the one we come to
for contentment, this is the one
354
00:37:04.679 --> 00:37:13.880
where we find our hope. He
is worthy of your trust. Trust him
355
00:37:14.039 --> 00:37:17.510
for your contentment, trust him for
provision.
