Lesson 6 Pastoral Epistles (Part 3)

Introduction: In our previous lesson, part 2 of our study, we saw

1. The servant’s responsibility to His master:
   1. The preacher’s responsibility to his flock.
   1. Proper response to the rejecters
      1. Reject those that that reject the truth of God’s words.

In our study today we are going to look at:

• Contentment and the lack thereof.

Slide 3

1 Timothy 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.

            Slide 4

1. This is what we need: “godliness with contentment is great gain”
   1. A truth that God tells us: godliness is gain when found with contentment.
   1. If you want gain, seek godliness with contentment.
   1. Godliness is living in the will of God, not in my will.

                        Slide 5

• 1 Timothy 4:8 For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

                        Slide 6

• Proverbs 15:16 Better is little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble therewith.

                        Slide 7

• Hebrews 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

                        Slide 8

• Philippians 4:11-13 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

            Slide 9

• Context is servants/slaves to masters!

Slide 10

1 Timothy 6:7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.

            Slide 11

1. The value of earthly possessions:
   1. Job 1:21 And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.

                        Slide 12

• Luke 12:20-21 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.

Slide 13

1 Timothy 6:8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

            Slide 14

1. The necessities of life: “food and raiment”
   1. Proverbs 30:8-9 Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.

                        Slide 15

• Matthew 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread.

            Slide 16

• “let us be therewith content”
  • That which we are to be content with is less than most of us find in our estimation of contentment

Slide 17

1 Timothy 6:9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.

            Slide 18

1. “But they that will be rich”
   1. Strike at money!
      1. those that love money: 1 Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

                                    Slide 19

1. Like Lot of old:

                                                Slide 20

1. Genesis 13:10-13 And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar. Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other. Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom. But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.

                                                Slide 21

• “Lifted up his eyes”

            Slide 22

• “fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition”
  • Temptation: to lie, cheat, soften the message, outright change the message, etc.

                        Slide 23

• Thorns:
  • Matthew 13:22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.

                                    Slide 24

1. Proverbs 1:17-19 Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird. And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for their own lives. So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof.

                        Slide 25

• Lusts: after property that is not theirs, or prosperity, etc.
  • Ephesians 4:22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;

                                    Slide 26

1. Here’s the deceitfulness: 1 John 2:15-17 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

                        Slide 27

• Destruction
  • Example, Balaam: Numbers 31:8 And they slew the kings of Midian, beside the rest of them that were slain; namely, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, five kings of Midian: Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with the sword.

                        Slide 28

• Perdition: entire loss
  • Job 27:8 For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul?

Slide 29

1 Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

            Slide 30

1. “For the love of money is the root of all evil”
   1. A hated verse by the world and the religious world.
      1. Newer bibles: “for the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.”; ESV: “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil”

                        Slide 31

• When we fall in love with money, we will do anything to gain it.
  • The root feeds the appetite of the plant
  • It is our motive for all we do or don’t do

                        Slide 32

• Proverbs 1:19 So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof.

                        Slide 33

• Titus 1:11 Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake.

            Slide 34

• “which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith”
  • Like Demas:2 Timothy 4:10 For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.

            Slide 35

• “pierced themselves through with many sorrows”
  • Pierced themselves: like a man that stabs himself.
    • Ulcers, worry, loss of sleep, loss of contentment, etc.

                        Slide 36

• Like the servant of Elijah: 2 Kings 5:27 The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.
• The context of verses 1-10: Servants/Slaves to their masters.

Slide 37

Conclusion:

1. Get Godliness with Contentment!
2. Remember Nothing Came, Nothing Leaves!
3. Be Content with That Which God Provides!
4. Be on Guard against the Danger that Lurks!
5. Love the Lord and You Will Not Love Money!