Turn to 1 Timothy chapter 6. The title of the lesson is, The
Obedient and Content Servant. The word of God touches on every
area of a believer's walk in this
life. How we are to treat one another
in the home. How we are to treat one another
in the workplace. And that's what Paul is going
to deal with Timothy here in the workplace. And how we treat
one another here. The Word of God does not leave
us in the dark. It does not leave us in the dark.
We are not left to ourselves to figure it out. We have plain
instructions in the Word of God on faith and conduct. Clear,
very clear instructions in the Word of God. And here Paul in
writing to Timothy, and he's writing under the inspiration
of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is moving Paul
to write about our conduct here, the servants. And the word servant
here, it said, let as many servants, that means slaves. That's talking
about slaves to their masters. That's what it's talking about
because they practiced it in that day. So it says here, let
as many servants as are under the yoke that is under the servitude
of another. We all serve someone, don't we?
We all serve someone. You know, when I started my business
years ago, I thought I'm going to be in business for myself.
That is the last thing you're in business for. I found out
I had more bosses called customers than I ever had when I was punching
the clock. Those customers were my bosses.
At one time, I counted up how many customers I had in one year.
I had like between 40 and 50 customers. I had between 40 and
50 bosses that year instead of one. So I learned the lesson
that we all serve someone. And he says here, let as many
servants who are under the yoke, under servitude, count their
own masters, whether they're believers or not, whether they're
kind or not, whether they're even kind or not. They count
their own masters worthy of all honor, that is, obedient to their
lawful commands. It doesn't matter whether he's
a good master or a bad master. He says, you count them worthy
of all honor, that the name of God and His doctrine, His teachings,
the gospel, what we have in the gospel, be not blasphemed. And
the reason Paul gives here is that His obedience is for the
glory of God who has saved them and us. There ought to be a difference
in the conduct of believers and unbelievers. That's powerful. There's a real
difference in the conduct of believers and unbelievers. And
I thought about this and I was writing this out yesterday or
day before yesterday. And this is important. Our conduct
must be such that we can give a good witness to the power of
God's grace in us. My conduct should not destroy
my witness of the gospel. And I thought of this Scripture.
This Scripture came to my mind as I was thinking of this thought. In 1 Peter 3, verses 1 and 2,
it says, Likewise ye wives, Be in subjection to your own husbands,
that if any obey not the word, the gospel, they also may without
the word, the gospel, be won by the conversation, the conduct
of the wife." In other words, when the husband is observing
his wife, he's like, there's something to this. There's something
to this. where the same can apply to the
employee or hear the slave and the master looking at him and
say, there's got to be something to this, because his conduct
is totally different than the rest. While they behold your chaste
conversation coupled with fear, And then Colossians chapter 3
verse 22-24 sheds a little more light on what Paul is saying
here. He's saying, "...servants, obey
in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eye service
as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing God." You're
working before God. God put you there. God put you there. Now, I realized
this years ago. I ended up working at a place,
and I thought, why in the world am I here? I was so miserable.
But this dawned on me. God put me here. I mean, it came
to me so strong that it changed my attitude. It literally changed
my attitude, and it changed everything about that place. God put me
here. You are light. The Lord said,
you are the light of the world. But as singleness of heart fearing
God, and whatsoever you do, do it, listen, heartily, as to the
Lord, and not unto men." It doesn't matter who's watching, but the
Lord is. You're doing this as unto the
Lord, knowing that of the Lord you shall receive the reward
of the inheritance, for you serve the Lord Christ no matter where
you are. whether you're standing in a pulpit like me, or you're
working in a shop or a school or wherever it is, you're working
as unto the Lord. See how important this is? I
was telling Jeremy this morning, I said, you know, I was speaking
a little bit about this lesson. I said, we can witness the doctrine
of election. We can say God chose a people
and then turn right around and destroy that testimony by our
conduct. I said, we can totally destroy
it. And that's why Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit
here, is writing about this. And they that have believing
masters, in verse 2, who are of the household of faith,
that's what he's talking about, who are partakers of the same
heavenly calling. Let them not despise them because
they're brethren. Don't despise them because, you
know, I'm a believer and my boss, the one I'm employed by, is a
believer, and I shouldn't despise him for expecting me to work.
Our oneness in Christ, now listen, our oneness in Christ does not
do away with the order of God's authority. It doesn't do away
with that. Because when I punch the clock,
even though He may be my brother in Christ, He is my employer. And I should work diligently
for Him, not just because He's my employer, but because He's
a brother. He's a brother in Christ. We should not, and listen, we
should not expect special treatment from a brother. We shouldn't
expect special treatment. We should expect to work diligently
just like, or even more so because he is a brother. And he says
here, and they that have believing masters, let them not despise
them because they're brethren, but rather do them service. do them service, work for them
diligently, be more diligent because of our relationship to
one another in Jesus Christ. Because they are faithful and
beloved, partakers of the benefits, these things teach and exhort,
hold to and encourage them among the brethren." You hold to this
and you teach this. Now, he warns him about those
who are contrary to sound doctrine, who are contrary to the gospel. And he says in verse 3, "...if
any teach otherwise..." And Paul here, he picks up on this warning
that he started with in chapter 1. They misuse the Word of God
for their own gain. And this is why they teach otherwise,
it's for their own purpose. Matthew Poole wrote this, this
is good, on this subject, "...if any teach otherwise." If there
be any person who either more publicly or more privately shall
take upon him to instruct people otherwise, some of the most dangerous
teaching in the church isn't done from the pulpit, but in
informal private conversations." This brought to my mind of a
situation I knew of years ago where a young man A young man
who had professed that God had called him to preach, he started
having Bible studies in his home apart from the pastor and the
church. And some of the things he was teaching was different,
had a little slant on it, and it was starting to cause problems.
And that's what he's saying here, those who teach otherwise, that's
dangerous. It's dangerous if you start meeting
like that apart from the pastor. Satan is going to put his hand
in, I promise you. Satan's going to stick his hand
in there because you have left the order of God's authority. And usually someone, pretty much
always, someone who does that is wanting to express their opinion
around the pastor. I've seen it happen. I watched
it happen. So he says here, if any man teach
otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words." Gospel. Gospel
words. He says, "...even the words of
our Lord Jesus Christ, and the doctrine, the teaching, which
is according to godliness." Now, this person, he says, is proud. Here's the root of the problem.
Here's the root of the problem. Pride. Pride. One of the things that God said
He hated was a proud look. I hate a proud look. And the
scripture says, Pride goes before a fall and a haughty spirit before
destruction. Pride is the root of this problem. This person wants to be heard.
This person wants the preeminence. This person wants to go around
God's order. And he's saying here, he's proud
knowing nothing. He doesn't know what he's talking
about. You know, usually the people
who think they know it all don't know anything. Isn't that something? The know-it-alls know nothing.
It's those who sit at the feet of Christ and say, Lord, teach
me, teach me. This morning, I pray that you
came here this morning with the attitude and the prayer, the
Lord teach me something this morning. Impress upon my heart the truth. Instruct me. Let me leave here having learned
of God this morning. All thy children shall be taught
of God. Teach me, I'm your child. Teach me. He's proud, he knows nothing.
In verse 4, he's proud, he knows nothing, but doting. You know
what that word means, doting? Sick with a fever. This person,
he says, is spiritually sick. He has a distemper. It's like
a spiritual fever, a wicked fever. And he's going about questions
and strife of words, Words? He's just making a big deal over words?
Brethren, what we make here is over Christ. It's over the Gospel. But he's talking here over words
like justification, you know. Some say, well, you know, I believe
the Ten Commandments is the rule of life. You know, you can start
down that road, then you get strife and envy, and you get,
I mean, you get all this stuff going. Satan's in it. When you hear someone speaking,
and it's causing nothing but strife and words and railings,
and hear evil surmising, that's wicked opinions is what that
means. These people are known by the effect or fruit of their
conversation, what it produces. They are tares among the wheat. Now listen, here's the root,
here's the root of the problem. You know, you never really see
the root until you start digging. Generally, it takes a while before
you realize the root of the problem. And here's going to be the root
of the problem. In verse 5, perverse disputings. Disputings that have no meaning.
It says, "...disputings of men of corrupt mind, meddling into
things they know nothing of, leaving the simplicity," as Paul
wrote in one place, that's in the Lord Jesus Christ, "...destitute
of the truth, destitute of Christ who is the truth." Christ is
not in them. The Spirit of Christ is not evidenced
in this way. It's not evidenced in this way.
at all. Here's the root of the problem.
Supposing that gain is godliness. Here's the problem. It's this
love of money. It's this love of gain. It's
this love of material wealth. Here's the root of the problem. Supposing that gain is godliness. Simon Magus was a good example
of this. He tried to buy the gift of the
Holy Spirit because he saw that he could make money at it. He
could make money. Somebody wrote this. Christianity is presented today
on the basis of what you will gain by following Christ, personal
success and happiness, a stronger family, a more secure life. They believe that godliness is
a means of material gain. Isn't that the Joel Osteen's
of our day? And all these other televangelists,
they live in luxury. They're worth multi-millions
of dollars. They promote this health and
well-being lifestyle. God wants you to be this. God
wants you to be rich. God wants you to have this. There's no such thing as a broken
and contrite heart. It's what God wants you to be. That's today's false Christianity. It's false Christianity is what
it is. And Paul says this, "...from such withdraw thyself." Don't
even go around them. Don't associate with them. Don't
invite them into your house. Don't go to their house. In one
place, John said, Don't bid them Godspeed. Send them down the
road. There are some people you don't
need to say, Have a good day. Don't bid them Godspeed. When
they bring a different gospel, they put a twist on the gospel,
another gospel, don't bid them Godspeed. Don't have anything
to do with them. Scripture says evil companions
corrupt good manners. Then He gives us in verse 6,
He gives us the evidence of true godliness. You see, they teach,
they preach that godliness is gain. This is how they justify
wanting more and more and more. This is how they justify it.
It's, you know, God is blessing me. You know, how? By looking
at all this stuff I've got. It's a blessing of God. No, it
isn't. Faith is a blessing of God. Contentment
is a blessing of God. Repentance is a blessing of God.
Now, if He blesses the work of your hands, so be it. But if
he doesn't, so be it. Does it matter? It really doesn't
matter, does it? But godliness, he says in verse
6, but godliness, and this encompasses the whole gospel. This is Christ
in you. Godliness with contentment is
great gain. Great gain. And this contentment
has nothing to do with With anything outwardly, it has absolutely
zero to do with anything material. Nothing. Nothing. It has everything to do with
my relationship in union to the Lord Jesus Christ. It's like
Mephibosheth said when the king came back and Ziba had lied on
him and the king came back and he was going to divide it up
between Ziba and Mephibosheth. And Mephibosheth said, give it
all to Ziba. I got the king. I have the king. Let him have it all. Let him
have it all. I'm content with where the Lord
has placed me. I'm content with what the Lord
has given me. Now listen, this is learned. It's not automatic. You know,
when the Lord saves a sinner, this is not automatic. It's a
learned behavior through trials and time. It's learned. And let me read this to you from
what Paul said in Philippians 4, 11 and 13. Paul said, Not
that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned. It's a learned
behavior. I have learned in whatsoever
state I am to be content. I know how to be abased. I know
how to be poor. I know how to be broke. You know
how to be broke? I know how to be broke and I
know how to abound. We complain when we are broke
and we forget the Lord when we abound. Paul said, I've learned
how to be both. I've learned how to not to have
anything and I've learned how to have it and use it right.
Use it and let it go when it goes. I've learned how and I
know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things
I have learned Both to be full and to be hungry. Not to boast
when I'm full and not to complain when I'm hungry. Both to abound
and suffer need. I've learned how to handle that.
I've learned how to suffer need and not complain about it. It's
the Lord, He's put me here. In a little while, I will abound. I can do all things through Christ
who strengthens me. I can abound and I can suffer
need properly through Christ who strengthens me. But godliness with contentment
is great gain. Lord, give me this. Give me this. And here's an undeniable fact
in verse 7. For we brought nothing into this
world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. I saw on the news, and I thought
of this when I read this, this submarine that went down to the Titanic, this billionaire,
this billionaire and his son, I think he took his son with
him. I think they paid $250,000 a seat. He's penniless now. They
died. He's penniless. You go over into Egypt. You go
over to Egypt. Go into those tombs of those
pharaohs. You go into those tombs and they
have, you know, gone into them and shown us what's in there.
All these riches that was put in the tomb for them to take
with them into the next life, it's still in the dirt. It's
still in the grave. Every penny, every ounce of gold,
You know, the servants that ended up having to die with them because
they were going to go in the next life and serve them, they're
still in that grave. Not one penny goes with them. And Paul was pointing this out.
For we brought nothing into the world, and it's certain we carry
nothing out of this world. Real contentment. Excuse me. Real contentment looks
at things eternal, not temporal, as Paul said in 2 Corinthians
4.18, while we look not at the things which are seen. What did David say Thursday night
in Psalm 119? Turn my eyes from beholding vanity. while we look not at the things
which are seen, but at the things which are not seen, for the things
which are seen are temporal." And if that's what you and I
are looking at, we're going to be disappointed, we're going
to complain and carry on like untaught children. "...for the things which are
seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal."
That's what we see by faith, Christ, and what we have in the
end. And having food and raiment, let us be there with content,
satisfied, happy, happy. A content heart is one that is
humbled and satisfied with the simple necessities of life. The
simple necessities of life. Having food and rain, you know,
I've got a nice suit on. I'm gonna eat a nice meal after
this. Could I really want more? Could I really want more? I wrote
this down this morning. Our attitude ought to be all
this and Christ too. I know that the culture that
we live in is directly set against our contentment. The commercial world does not
want you to be content. They don't want you to be content.
You know, when I used to play a lot of racquetball, they came
up with a new racket every year. I never played any better, like
golf clubs. I've had several sets of golf clubs and I ain't
played one bit better. It's not the clubs, it's me.
But it's that discontentment that they're always working on
in human nature. As I told you Thursday, the advertising
world knows human nature. And they're working on that discontentment
that's in human nature. And the reason human nature is
discontent is because God's absent. He's the only one who can satisfy
the soul. He's the only one who can make
me content, whether I have little or much. But this culture has said against
our contentment, bigger and better. How many times do you see this?
New and improved. New and improved. We should have
got it right the first time. Real contentment is evident.
I had to write this down because, you know, I look at myself first,
but real contentment is evidence. You know, one of the ways it's
evidenced is by our spending habits. It really is. But they that will be rich, they
that will be, that means at all cost, at all cost. fall into temptation and a snare. The desire to be rich is the
danger part. It's that danger part. Their
desire will move them to do anything to get rich. They will sell their
soul. Sell their soul. And they fall
into many foolish and hurtful lusts, carnal worldly lusts.
You can buy a lot of lustful things with money. You know that.
You can buy a lot of lustful things. You have the lust of the flesh,
lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. You can buy a lot of
it. And they drown men, listen, they drown, which drown men in
destruction and perdition. Those who swim in an ocean of
money sooner or later drown in it. sooner or later. The rich man lifted up his eyes
in hell being in torment. He didn't lift them up in a motel
somewhere, in a luxurious motel. He lifted them up in hell. And
it wasn't his riches that damned him. It was his love of it. His
love of it. For the love of money, it says,
for the love of money and inordinate affection for money is the root
of all evil. Because it can fulfill a lot
of desires. I thought this If you could take a dollar bill
out of your pocket, just a dollar bill, if you could take it out
of your pocket, and if it could talk of all that it has bought,
it would probably be appalling. That dollar that's in your pocket
may have bought drugs, prostitution, a hit on somebody, paid off a
judge somewhere. That same dollar, it's in your
pocket. And it's not the dollar that's dirty. It's the love of
it. And people will do anything to
get it. They'll do anything to get it.
Spurgeon said once, he said, don't make a dog out of yourself
trying to get a bone. Listen, for the love of money
is the root of all evil. Which while some coveted, you
see, love and covet goes together. Paul said, covet the best gifts. Covet that relationship with
Christ. Because what you love, you covet.
And after they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves
through with many sorrows. And the best example I can give
to you of that is Judas. Judas sold our Lord for 30 pieces
of silver. That's all it was worth to him.
He coveted that money. You know, he held the bag. He
was a treasurer. And he coveted that money in
that bag. It's not money that's evil. It's
the love of it. Peter, do you love me? He said, more than these. Those are good instructions,
aren't they? The Holy Spirit has given them to us this morning.