CONTENT 1 Timothy 06IN CHRIST 6:6-19 EXPLORATION 1 Timothy 6:6-19
6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out. 8 If we have food and clothing, we will be content with Central these. 9 But those who want to be rich fall into temptation, TRUTH a trap, and many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and by craving it, some have Wealth wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. 11 But you, man of God, flee from these things, does not and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, provide the and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take happiness it hold of eternal life to which you were called and about which you have made a good confession in the presence of promises us. many witnesses. 13 In the presence of God, who gives life Contentment to all, and of Christ Jesus, who gave a good confession is found before Pontius Pilate, I charge you 14 to keep this command in making without fault or failure until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 God will bring this about in his own time. Christ Lord. He is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings, and the Lord of lords, 16 who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see, to him be honor and eternal power. Amen. 17 Instruct those who are rich in the present age not to be arrogant or to set their hope on the uncertainty of wealth, but on God, who richly provides us with all things to enjoy. 18 Instruct them to do what is good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and willing to share, 19 storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of what is truly life. Prepare for your group meeting by reading the passage two times.
54 // Explore the Bible: Students Talk it Out Explore .01 HOW WOULD YOU FINISH THE OPTIONS FOLLOWING STATEMENT: “IF I HAD MORE MONEY, I WOULD ...”? .01 Name that Tune
.02 HOW DOES OUR CULTURE Create a playlist of famous songs about money to INFLUENCE US TO THINK ABOUT play for your students to start your group meeting. MONEY? GIVE EXAMPLES. You could play the songs on stereo, from a Bluetooth speaker you bring to your meeting, or simply from your phone or tablet speaker. Play a short clip of each song and call on the first student to raise his or her hand to answer the artist and the name of the song. Make sure you listen to the clips you plan to play prior to your group meeting to make sure the This week’s content is appropriate for your group. Try to mix up the clips you play with both old and new songs FOCUS to make it more challenging for your students. One of the most famous songs about money is The O’Jay’s “For the Love of Money.” Consider reading a Not a day goes by when we are not segment of the lyrics to this song to your group as bombarded with the message that more they illustrate something Paul said about money in money and possessions would fix all our 2 Timothy. Today we will see that wealth does not problems and make us happy. Every day provide the happiness it promises us. Contentment we see advertisements claiming that some is found in making Christ Lord. product would make our lives better. Furthermore, television, popular music, .02 Expensive Building and social media are constantly sending us the message that there are other people Search the internet for some of the most expensive in the world who have more possessions buildings in the world. Save some pictures on your and money than we do and if we were a phone or tablet or on a PowerPoint presentation bit more like them we would be happier. to show your students. Show your students the In that sense, our culture is not all that pictures of the buildings first then let them guess different today than Ephesus, a wealthy how much they think each cost to build. Give them city in which false teachers were claiming the correct answers. Point out that when we see that following their teaching would make pictures like this, if we are honest, there is part people rich and happy. The problem with of us that wishes we had the money to visit these these messages, of course, is that they are places. In other words, sometimes seeing great lies. Wealth does not provide the happiness wealth stirs in us a desire to be wealthy ourselves. it promises us. Contentment is found in While wealth isn’t sinful in and of itself, the love making Christ Lord. of money, Paul says, is the root of all kinds of evil (1 Tim. 6:10). Today we will see how wealth does not provide the happiness it promises us. Contentment is found in making Christ Lord.
Session 6 // 55 CONVERSATION
06Read 1 Timothy 6:6-10. .03 LOOK BACK AT VERSES 3-5. WHAT WERE THE FALSE TEACHERS IN EPHESUS CLAIMING THAT THEIR TEACHING WOULD LEAD TO (V. 5)? WHAT ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF SIMILAR CLAIMS MADE TODAY?
At the outset of 1 Timothy, Paul said something similar about the false teaching in Ephesus to what he says in 1 Timothy 6:4—that it produced unhealthy arguments (1 Tim. 1:3-6). However, in verse 5, Paul highlights a particularly deceptive claim of the false teachers: that godliness leads to wealth. At first glance, this might not seem like a stretch to us as the Bible promises rewards to those who trust and obey God (see Deut. 28:1-14). However, it’s important to understand that God’s definition of blessing and ours are often very different. True blessing is to be accepted and loved by God—not to have lots of money and possessions. Make sure your students see that the message the false teachers of Ephesus were spreading is alive and well today—that if you obey God He will give you lots of money and stuff. Some call this the prosperity gospel, but no matter what people call it, it is a lie. In fact, the prosperity gospel makes God a tool that people can use to get what they want. God is not a tool. He is Creator and Sustainer of all things and Lord of all. And through Jesus, He offers us something far greater than money or stuff—Himself.
Literary Context: How did Paul exemplify his own teaching on money and possessions? For more information, see the Literary Context note in the Commentary.
.04 WHAT DOES PAUL SAY WE OUGHT TO BE CONTENT WITH (VV. 6-8)? HOW IS SUCH CONTENTMENT “GREAT GAIN” (V. 6)?
.05 WHAT IS THE END RESULT OF LOVING MONEY (VV. 9-10)? WHY MIGHT NOTING THIS BE PARTICULARLY RELEVANT TODAY?
We live in a culture that is obsessed with money and possessions. This has always been the case, but today we have more means than ever before of falling into discontentment. Social media, for instance, gives us a window into the lives of people who are wealthier than us which often motivates us to think of ways to make more money so we can attempt to live similar lifestyles. The problem with this is that there will always be someone who has more than us. This is why Paul’s teaching on money is so life-giving. If we could see through the lie that money and stuff will satisfy us, we would be able to put a stop to the endless cycle of wanting more and more and find that we have more than enough in Jesus Christ.
Leader Pack / ITEM 3: As you close out 1 Timothy, this would be a good time to point to the 1 Timothy Overview poster to remind students of the occasion, purpose, and themes of this letter.
56 // Explore the Bible: Students COMMENTARY
1 Timothy 6:6-10 6-8. Paul warned against greed and depending on one’s wealth for security. He reminded Timothy that true contentment can only be found in godliness. The word but in verse 6 contrasts his next statement with what he had written previously regarding those “who imagine that godliness is a way to material gain” (v. 5). Lasting contentment has nothing to do with material wealth or worldly success.
Paul gave two reasons for pursuing godliness. First, there is the obvious reality that we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out. None of the world’s luxuries can be carried into eternity. No one stands before God adorned in earthly riches. It is futile for a follower of Christ to chase worthless things. Second, godliness and contentment are nurtured through simplicity. Some people spend their lives trying to amass wealth and possessions. They equate success with having a certain standard of living. Paul reminded Timothy that having food and clothing is sufficient. Believers can be content with these.
LITERARY CONTEXT
If anyone proved that faithfulness to God does not earn us a comfortable and easy life, it was Paul himself. He constantly faced hunger, need, and violent opposition for his faithfulness to God (2 Cor. 11:21-29) during his missionary journeys. Paul, however, learned to delight in these things as they forced him to lean more heavily and more fully on Christ (2 Cor. 12:9-10). A brief review of Paul’s missionary journeys demonstrates that he embodied his own teaching on contentment.
9-10. A desire to be rich is both a temptation and a trap. The Greek word that Paul used for trap referred to a snare that suddenly and unexpectedly catches an animal. The trap of greed springs quickly and holds tightly. The slippery slope of greed starts as a temptation, becomes a trap, then turns ultimately into a tragedy. It will plunge people into ruin and destruction. Paul reminded Timothy that following unchecked desires leads people into a sea of devastation.
Money itself is morally neutral. There is nothing wrong with money. The matter of money is indeed a matter of the heart. The love of money and a craving for riches is symptomatic of a heart that puts its trust in a currency that God does not accept. A love of money erects an idol in the heart that exalts itself above God’s sufficiency.
Paul said some people who craved money had wandered away from the faith. He did not mean they had lost their salvation. Rather, they were like sheep who wandered away from the shepherd, seeking greener pastures. These believers followed their desires and experienced self-inflicted injuries, having pierced themselves with many griefs. Instead of finding contentment, they ended up restless and wounded.
Session 6 // 57 CONVERSATIONcontinued
.06 PAUL HAS SOME STRONG WORDS TO SAY ABOUT MONEY IN VERSE 10. HOW 06DOES THE LOVE OF MONEY CORRUPT PEOPLE AND DAMAGE RELATIONSHIPS?
Money itself is not evil. The love of money, however is evil and leads to all kinds of destructive practices. Countless sinful behaviors, practices, and attitudes can be tied to a love of money. We don’t have to look far to see that this is the case in our culture as one of the most profitable industries today is pornography—an industry that makes people into sexual objects for financial gain. The love of money has been at the root of most of history’s most glaring sins and problems—slavery, genocide, discrimination, and so on. It’s easy, however, to look at such glaring evils and think that we don’t have a problem with loving money. And yet we often let money and possessions get in the way of our friendships and damage our relationships with our family members. Chances are there isn’t a student in your group who hasn’t been upset with a parent or caretaker because they asked for money and didn’t get it. Paul’s point in verse 10 is that we need to deal with our selfish attitudes toward money now, because if we don’t it could lead to devastating damage to our relationships and even our own souls in the very near future.
Discipleship Moment: How has your attitude toward money and possessions changed since you came to know Jesus as your Lord and Savior? Consider sharing an example from your own life as a means of encouraging students toward contentment in Christ.
Read 1 Timothy 6:11-16.
.07 IN CONTRAST TO THE FALSE TEACHERS THAT CLAIM THAT GODLINESS LEADS TO RICHES, HOW DOES PAUL TELL TIMOTHY TO LIVE (VV. 11-12)?
.08 WHAT TRUTHS DOES PAUL REMIND TIMOTHY OF IN VERSES 13-16? WHY MIGHT TIMOTHY HAVE NEEDED THIS REMINDER? WHY MIGHT WE?
Rather than giving into the pressures around us to desire more and more money and stuff, Paul challenged Timothy to strive to grow in Christlikeness (v. 11). The way Paul describes the rewards of trusting and living for Jesus could not be more drastically different than the results of loving money (vv. 9-10). When we are facing constant temptation to love money and possessions, we need to root ourselves more deeply in the eternal hope and joy that comes through the good news about Jesus. This is why Paul reminds Timothy that Jesus gives life (v. 13), that He is coming back (v. 14), and that He is the “King of kings” and “Lord of lords” (v. 15). Remind students that either Jesus will be Lord of their lives or money will (Matt. 6:24). Encourage students to choose Jesus—He is a far better master (John 10:10; Matt. 11:28-30).
58 // Explore the Bible: Students COMMENTARY
1 Timothy 6:11-16 11. Instead of pursuing greed, Paul admonished Timothy (and us) to pursue godly virtues and spiritual goals. Paul contrasted the man of God with the false teachers (vv. 3-5) and the lovers of money (v. 10). The verbs flee and pursue are vivid. Flee from false teachings and the love of money as if something is chasing and endangering us. And evil is. The desires of the flesh and the pride of possessions constantly hound us to give in to the worldly system based on greed. Instead, we must pursue intentionally the specific virtues of righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness. Righteousness is upright conduct before God and others. Godliness is conforming our lives to the character and person of God displayed by Jesus Christ. Faith here refers to faithfulness or dependability. It describes the person who, despite all the changes and circumstances of life down to the very end, is loyal to God. Love is that virtue that works for the good of others over self, striving to give rather than to receive. Endurance is the sticking power to stay in the race when the going is tough, knowing that one will be victorious in the end. Gentleness is power under control. Each of these virtues manage false prophets from without and greed from within.
12. Paul added two more verbs of importance in verse 12. The first is fight, an athletic or a military metaphor with an emphasis on a disciplined and determined struggle, requiring one’s best to prevail and take the victory. The English word agonize comes from it. It’s in the present tense, indicating an ongoing fight.
The other verb in this verse is take hold; its tense reflects a single, completed event. That indicates we can take hold of eternal life as a completed, final action with assurance. Confession refers to speaking out one’s faith, to announce one’s belief. A Christian confession announces one’s dependence on Jesus Christ.
13-16. Paul turned from a series of admonitions to Timothy to give advice to those already rich. The preceding words on wealth in vv. 6-10 were spoken to those who aspired to wealth. As a final thought Paul spoke a word to those who already had it. The constructive advice here balances the more extreme prohibitions of the earlier passage. He did not condemn wealth, but he showed the added temptations the wealthy face. He was vitally concerned that Christians have the right attitude toward their wealth and make the proper use of it (see also Luke 12:13- 21; Ps 52:7).
Session 6 // 59 CONVERSATIONcontinued
06Read 1 Timothy 6:17-19. Historical Context: How wealthy was Ephesus? Did that play a part in Paul’s encouragement to Timothy on this subject? For more information, see the Historical Context note in the Commentary.
.09 DO YOU THINK OF YOURSELF AS WEALTHY? WHY OR WHY NOT?
.10 HOW DOES PAUL ENCOURAGE TIMOTHY TO INSTRUCT THE WEALTHY TO USE THEIR WEALTH? WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THIS?
You probably don’t think of yourself as wealthy and your students probably don’t either. The following statistics, however, tell a different story. Be sensitive to those students in your group who might be living in poverty as you share these statistics. The average household income in the United States is $60,000 a year. The average annual income across the globe is around $10,000 a year. In other words, the average American is almost six times as wealthy as the average person on the planet. We don’t like to admit it, but many of us are, by comparison to the rest of the world, quite wealthy. Perhaps none of us think that we are wealthy because of what we discussed earlier—we are surrounded by messages from social media and pop culture that tell us that if we were wealthier we would be happier.
Paul, however, paints a different picture of wealth. He says that wealth never follows through with the security and the joy it promises us. Therefore, Paul suggests that those who are wealthy, which includes many of us, take a different attitude toward their money and possessions. Paul suggests that we refuse to put our trust in our wealth, and instead generously give from what we have for the good of others and the advancement of Christ’s kingdom.
It’s likely many of your students don’t have access to very much money. That, however, doesn’t exempt them from Paul’s challenge to be generous. We all have been given resources: time, energy, money, and spiritual gifts. God calls us to be generous toward our neighbors with these gifts. As you close out your group meeting, challenge students to refuse to make excuses for why they can’t be generous and instead to brainstorm ways that they might be generous with what God has given them.
Leader Pack / ITEM 11: Remind students of their new identity in Christ by referencing the Titus 3:5 verse poster. Challenge them to consider how their new identity should shape how they think about their money, gifts, and resources.
60 // Explore the Bible: Students COMMENTARY
HISTORICAL CONTEXT
Ephesus was a center of travel and commerce in the ancient world and possessed one of the largest seaports. It was known for the Temple of Artemis and the Library of Celsus. It was also famous for its beautiful homes called terrace houses. These homes were beautifully decorated and had luxurious bedrooms, kitchens, and bathrooms. Ephesus was one of the wealthier cities in which Paul planted churches. While this wealth may have influenced Paul’s writing to Timothy, it is important to note, however, that not everyone in the church was wealthy (see 2 Tim. 2:8-15) and Paul’s teaching on wealth was likely primarily motivated by false teaching that was damaging the church (1 Tim. 6:3-5).
17. Paul’s beginning reference to the present age suggests that the wealthy can have their wealth only for a time. It is good for this present world, but it does not convert automatically into blessedness in the next. In this verse Paul contrasted right and wrong responses to the possession of wealth. A wrong response involves an arrogant attitude and the making of wealth as the hope of one’s life. As a deterrent to trusting in riches, Paul mentioned the transitory, uncertain nature of wealth. The word uncertain contains a reminder that it is by no means clear that riches will continue with the one who has them. The right response is to hope in a God who richly provides His people with all their needs. The statement implies that God does not give wealth to promote pride but that we might use and enjoy it in His will (see also Jas 2:5; 4:13-14; 5:2-3). Paul’s sound advice walks the straight line between a world-denying asceticism and a self- centered indulgence. The advice promotes gratitude toward God for the benefits He bestows.
18. Paul mentioned four ways to use wealth wisely. To do what is good involves using wealth in a positive way instead of letting it feed a life of personal luxury. To be rich in good works pointed the wealthy in the direction in which they were to be truly rich, in the doing of good deeds. These two verbs probably include more than benevolence. The need for benevolence is emphasized in the next pair of terms. To be generous demands a liberal sharing of wealth with others. One who is willing to share shows that the generous act of giving is to spring from internal generosity. Paul was suggesting that genuine wealth is found in what we give, not what we have.
19. Paul outlined the outcome of such generosity by stressing two truths. First, he stressed that giving generously to the needy stores for the giver a future treasure. Paul was not advocating that the giver could earn salvation or favors from God. Good works are solid evidence of salvation and assure us that we have eternal life. Paul may have based these thoughts on such words as contained in Matt 6:19-21. The godless, on the other hand, lay up treasures for themselves of a different kind (Jas 5:1-5). Second, Paul stressed that generous actions allow the giver to lay hold of eternal life in the here and now. Paul had urged Timothy to lay hold of this in v. 12. Here Paul expressed that taking hold of eternal life is a goal of the unselfish giving he had commanded. Christians who enter the life of love by unselfish behavior will enter gloriously into God’s presence in the life to come.
Session 6 // 61 Wealth does not CENTRAL provide the happiness it promises us. Contentment is found 06TRUTH in making Christ Lord. NOW WHAT?
.11 WHAT ARE SOME THINGS GOD HAS GIVEN YOU? MAKE A LIST (DON’T JUST THINK ABOUT MONEY AND MATERIAL THINGS BUT ALSO SPIRITUAL GIFTS AND OTHER RESOURCES).
.12 HOW WILL YOU USE THE THINGS GOD HAS GIVEN YOU TO LOVE AND SERVE YOUR NEIGHBORS? HOW WILL YOU USE THESE THINGS FOR HIS KINGDOM?
.13 WHAT THINGS DO YOU DESIRE MOST THAT KEEP YOU FROM BEING CONTENT? HOW MIGHT THE GOSPEL CHANGE YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON THESE THINGS?
.14 HOW MIGHT WE HELP ONE ANOTHER FIGHT THE TEMPTATION TO LOVE MONEY AND STUFF?
For an expository verse-by-verse sermon outline/discussion guide that complements this session by diving into the Psalms, see LifeWay.com/etbsum19psa. For free training, go to MinistryGrid.com/web/ExploreTheBible.
62 // Explore the Bible: Students Daily DEVOTIONS
Challenge your students to choose five days this week to set aside time to dig deeper into God’s Word in the devotions included in their Daily Discipleship Guides (item 005646504). These devotions are perforated so that your students can tear them out if you prefer to hold on to their Daily Discipleship Guides for them. A summary of their devotions is provided below so you can review what they will be studying on their own.
As Christianity spread, so did the nature of the servant-master relationship. This is addressed in verses 1-2. Then Paul described the argumentative habits of the false teachers, as well as their Day One corrupted mental condition, and giving into materialism. As we 1 TIMOTHY 6:1-5 see this warning about false doctrine, we would be wise to test and examine any teaching we hear for ourselves to make sure it is sound and that it promotes godliness.
Materialism is a common problem in the United States, and was Challenge also an issue Paul addressed in his letter. He addressed greed TO LEADERS and its dangers in this passage. It’s not necessarily money that Day Two is the root of evil, but rather the love of money. As believers, 1 TIMOTHY 6:6-10 we need to practice contentment and flee from the evils of Memorize. materialism so we don’t fall into the trap that leads to ruin and destruction, as is mentioned in verse 9. 1 Timothy 6:10 Connect. We encourage Not only is a warning given to Timothy in verse 11, but there is also a challenge given for him to pursue six things: you to keep up Day Three righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness. with the Daily Then, in the following verses we see a charge of urgency Devotions your 1 TIMOTHY 6:11-16 (vv. 13-14), and the section ends with praise and adoration students have being given to God. in their Daily Discipleship Guides by These verses are to address how those who were already wealthy completing the should handle their wealth. Paul gives a series of instructions to Timothy for this particular audience of wealthy individuals. daily Bible Day Four They were to understand that wealth was uncertain and they readings. 1 TIMOTHY 6:17-19 should look to God for true riches. They should also “be rich in Consider good works” and willing to give and store up treasure in heaven sending a group (Matt. 6:19-21) rather than on earth. text or message to encourage Paul’s final charge to Timothy is to literally “guard the deposit.” them to This is a banking term and probably refers to the task of complete this resisting false teachers, living a pure life, and sharing the week’s daily Day Five gospel. He also challenges him to avoid talk that is not God- devotions. 1 TIMOTHY 6:20-21 honoring. His final greeting is somewhat brief, possibly because of the importance of focusing on the matter at hand rather than on Paul’s friends. Session 6 // 63