Love Of Money
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"Love of Money" by John Fitzgerald
Love of Money
by John Fitzgerald
1 Timothy 6:6-19
Have you ever noticed that when you get a raise in salary or come into unexpected money that it’s never enough? Even when you are making a pretty decent income and have other sources of revenue, there never comes a time of financial security. When your money pile seems strong something always rocks the boat. A child gets sick, the vehicle breaks down, your job has a downturn, and suddenly money disappears.
What does scripture have to say about this ongoing challenge with finances? Part of the problem is a culture we live in. It takes a lot of money in maintaining health care insurance, a nice place to live, food on the table, clothes for all seasons, and phones, computers, televisions, plus vehicles. In some ways, instead of complaining about our money going out for so many things, we should be grateful to God for our high standard of living. There are high percentages of people living in this world who do not have highways to travel upon, uncontaminated water, and can access quality medical care. Only in America are there blessings of a wonderful lifestyle. What has kept this a great country is the imagination of individual citizens to create something new. Somewhere today one of our countrymen is working on the next innovation which will lift up the existence of folks everywhere.
There is nothing wrong with working hard and having enough money to support a family. The problem arises when there is love of money. It this continued pursuit of having more and more. All of us in the United States are guilty of never having enough. We continually dream about new goods and services to be purchased. This fascination for having it all has done destructive things to our country. We have a terrible problem with gambling and playing the lotto. Visions of obtaining unbelievable wealth without working for it occupies our minds and hearts. My wife and I recently drove through a lot of territory on a Sunday morning for my preaching engagement. It is a terrible commentary when you drive through the countryside and churches have empty parking lots while a casino commands attention from all comers.
Church attendance in America is down while lotto fever is up and we wonder why there are so many problems in our nation. Scripture teaches a new and different ethic than merely gaining more wealth. St. Paul in our Bible lesson from 1 Timothy makes it clear what our goal concerning money should be. 1 Timothy 6:7-9 says: For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.
We should be content with what God has given us and not continually scheme on getting rich quick according to scripture. The real challenge comes in determining how much money is enough? Some people make the mistake in claiming scripture says, money is a root for all evil. That is not what the Bible states. Look again at 1 Timothy 6:10 in your Bible and you will see an important clarification. 1 Timothy 6:10 reads: "For the love of money is a root for all kinds of evil." It is love of money not cash itself which causes the problem.
Jesus taught another way to approach life. Instead of being caught up in the love of money, Christians are to take on His Cross. Bearing the Cross means having a different mindset of sacrificial love rather than dreaming about more money. Following Jesus means we put into practice this teaching from our Lord found in Matthew 16:24-26:
Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?
John Fitzgerald lives in Leesburg, Ohio, with his wife Carolyn and has served as pastor at the Leesburg Friends Meeting for the past 27 years. Cornfield Cathedral (Fairway Press, 2013) is the second book authored by Pastor Fitzgerald. John has earned a Master's of Ministry Degree from the Earlham School of Religion in Richmond, Indiana.
*****************************************
StoryShare, September 25, 2016, issue.
Copyright 2016 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to the StoryShare service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons, in worship and classroom settings, in brief devotions, in radio spots, and as newsletter fillers. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
"Love of Money" by John Fitzgerald
Love of Money
by John Fitzgerald
1 Timothy 6:6-19
Have you ever noticed that when you get a raise in salary or come into unexpected money that it’s never enough? Even when you are making a pretty decent income and have other sources of revenue, there never comes a time of financial security. When your money pile seems strong something always rocks the boat. A child gets sick, the vehicle breaks down, your job has a downturn, and suddenly money disappears.
What does scripture have to say about this ongoing challenge with finances? Part of the problem is a culture we live in. It takes a lot of money in maintaining health care insurance, a nice place to live, food on the table, clothes for all seasons, and phones, computers, televisions, plus vehicles. In some ways, instead of complaining about our money going out for so many things, we should be grateful to God for our high standard of living. There are high percentages of people living in this world who do not have highways to travel upon, uncontaminated water, and can access quality medical care. Only in America are there blessings of a wonderful lifestyle. What has kept this a great country is the imagination of individual citizens to create something new. Somewhere today one of our countrymen is working on the next innovation which will lift up the existence of folks everywhere.
There is nothing wrong with working hard and having enough money to support a family. The problem arises when there is love of money. It this continued pursuit of having more and more. All of us in the United States are guilty of never having enough. We continually dream about new goods and services to be purchased. This fascination for having it all has done destructive things to our country. We have a terrible problem with gambling and playing the lotto. Visions of obtaining unbelievable wealth without working for it occupies our minds and hearts. My wife and I recently drove through a lot of territory on a Sunday morning for my preaching engagement. It is a terrible commentary when you drive through the countryside and churches have empty parking lots while a casino commands attention from all comers.
Church attendance in America is down while lotto fever is up and we wonder why there are so many problems in our nation. Scripture teaches a new and different ethic than merely gaining more wealth. St. Paul in our Bible lesson from 1 Timothy makes it clear what our goal concerning money should be. 1 Timothy 6:7-9 says: For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.
We should be content with what God has given us and not continually scheme on getting rich quick according to scripture. The real challenge comes in determining how much money is enough? Some people make the mistake in claiming scripture says, money is a root for all evil. That is not what the Bible states. Look again at 1 Timothy 6:10 in your Bible and you will see an important clarification. 1 Timothy 6:10 reads: "For the love of money is a root for all kinds of evil." It is love of money not cash itself which causes the problem.
Jesus taught another way to approach life. Instead of being caught up in the love of money, Christians are to take on His Cross. Bearing the Cross means having a different mindset of sacrificial love rather than dreaming about more money. Following Jesus means we put into practice this teaching from our Lord found in Matthew 16:24-26:
Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?
John Fitzgerald lives in Leesburg, Ohio, with his wife Carolyn and has served as pastor at the Leesburg Friends Meeting for the past 27 years. Cornfield Cathedral (Fairway Press, 2013) is the second book authored by Pastor Fitzgerald. John has earned a Master's of Ministry Degree from the Earlham School of Religion in Richmond, Indiana.
*****************************************
StoryShare, September 25, 2016, issue.
Copyright 2016 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to the StoryShare service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons, in worship and classroom settings, in brief devotions, in radio spots, and as newsletter fillers. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
