Misunderstood • Week 8

Welcome to the Willow Ridge Sermons Podcast, where you can listen to audio from our most

recent sermons and more. Thanks for listening, and be sure to add this show to your library

if you'd like to automatically receive new episodes each week.

Well, good morning. If you have your Bibles, and I hope you do, I want to invite you to join us

in 1 Timothy chapter 6, verse 10 is where we are going to be. I want to echo something that

1 Timothy 6:10

Pastor Dave said. If you're a first-time guest, if you're a guest, we're excited for you to be here.

We're so grateful and honored that you chose to be here with us today. At the end of the service,

my wife Erin and I will be in the back here to my left at that black table. Would love for you to

swing by there, stop by there, just so that we can personally thank you, maybe learn your name.

And if you do have any questions about us as a church, we would be happy to answer those.

I do appreciate Pastor Dave preaching for me last week. We were gone away with about 45 of our high

schoolers and adults up at Black Mountain, North Carolina, serving up there. Be in prayer. We'll be

leaving this coming Wednesday to go back up to Black Mountain, North Carolina. This time with about 64

middle school, high schoolers, and adults to go up there to continue to serve in Black Mountain.

It is a wonderful time, a wonderful trip. Church, I'll let you know, you know this, but just to reaffirm

this to you, you have some absolutely wonderful students who love the Lord, who love this church,

who love serving others, and doing that very, very, very well. It's great to know that as a pastor,

when I get to go on these trips, and I count it as a privilege and an honor to do so,

to go and serve our students and adults while we are there, that here's what I know. I know that I'm

going to come back absolutely exhausted, right? I just slap worn out exhausted, and I have, but I'm

also going to be able to come back without a week filled with drama and issues and phone calls to

parents and all that. And so, yet again, we didn't have any of the things where Satan wants to creep in

and take control, and just a wonderful, wonderful time of ministry up there, and look forward to going

back up there with another group this coming week. I do want to encourage, you know, I told Aaron when

I got back, it's like, you know, I haven't seen internets, you know, spotty at best, really didn't

know all tons of things are going on, but heard about everything that was happening in Texas from

there. But also, just kind of a quick update about that area of western North Carolina, and to remind

you to be praying. I mean, as we drove within a mile and a half from the home there, the Black

Mountain Children's Home, there's still people living in tents, there's still people living in sheds,

there's still tons of outreach that is needed in that community to come alongside a lot of people who

are struggling right now. There's still national chains that haven't opened, there's still mom

and pop's stores that have not opened as well. So please, please, please keep them on the forefront

of your mind and on your prayers. Texas, North Carolina, Tennessee, right, everywhere that experiences

these and experience the loss that's there. Children's ministry is gaining ground, they're continuing to

get their feet back underneath them as they not only provide, but as they help to grow these kids that

they're allowed to nurture and to care for, both in the skills and training that they need in life

that they haven't gotten, but also in knowledge and relationship of Jesus Christ. And so please

continue to pray for them. I want to read our verse this morning, and then we'll go to the Lord

in prayer. God's Word says in 1 Timothy 6.10, for the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils.

It is through this craving that some have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many

pangs. Would you pray with me? God, we come to you this morning, Lord. Thank you for what a wonderful

privilege it is to gather in this building together. That I thank you that we could come together as a

church family, or to sing songs to you of praise to you. God, I hope you are honored and glorified in it.

God, I thank you what a wonderful privilege it is to be able to sit here, each one of us,

and open the Word, God's Word, your Word to us that displays your heart for your people.

God, I pray that as we study, as we talk, as we share, as we teach this morning, it will not be for an

intellectual pursuit, Lord, but it would be for a change of heart. God, may of all of us who know

Christ as our Lord and Savior be drawn closer to Him. God, if there's anyone who does not know Jesus,

Lord, we pray that today is the day of salvation. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Amen. One other

announcement that I build in, and obviously I'm out of practice because I missed last week, but if you

do not have a copy of God's Word, right, as the rest of us turn there, we do have some free copies of

God's Word that we would like to give you. And so after the service is over with, you can stop by that

table. We have some of those, and would love for you to take part and to get one of those. So today,

we're going to talk about every church member's favorite topic. Money, all right? Money. Here's

what I'll say. Here's, let's, let's go ahead and, and, and let's, let's, let's roll it out and talk

about it, all right? People are like, all churches do is talk about money. Well, if you don't want to

hear it, let me just tell you as a pastor's perspective, we don't like talking about it

any more than you like hearing about it, but God's Word gives it to us. And so if God's Word gives this

to us, it's good and it's needed. And so we're going to dive in and, and talk about money. This week,

I did some research and, and, and read a lot about other people's views and other people's thoughts

about money. Some thoughts and some views that, that changed the way I thought. I thought that

was a very good insight and some that I just like to laugh at. And so Forbes has posted a list of the

top 100, their top 100 quotes concerning money and finances. I'm not going to read all 100, but I

believe there are, there are eight, some that'll make you think and, and hopefully a couple in here

that'll, that'll make you laugh, all right? Here's what Will Rogers said concerning money.

Too many people spend money they earned to buy things they don't want to impress people they don't like.

All right. Jonathan Swift. A wise person should have money in their head, but not in their heart.

That's good. Ralph Waldo Emerson said, money often costs too much. The comedian Steve Martin

said this, I love money. I love everything about it. I bought some pretty good stuff. Got me a $300

pair of socks. Got a fur sink, an electric dog polisher, a gasoline powered turtleneck sweater.

And of course, I bought some dumb stuff too.

Warren Buffett. I'll tell you the secret to getting rich on Wall Street. Y'all might want to write this

down. Just kidding. You try to be greedy when others are fearful, and you try to be fearful when

others are greedy. The great mind, Yogi Berra, said this. Make sure you hear the word I am saying

correctly. A nickel ain't worth a dime anymore. Five cent to ten cent. Ben Franklin. Money never made a man

happy, yet nor will it. The more man has, the more he wants. Instead of filling a vacuum, it makes one.

Now, y'all know. Talk about money in the church. Who do we have to quote?

We'll get to Jesus and the Bible. But we're going to quote Dave Ramsey.

Dave Ramsey says this, financial peace isn't the acquisition of stuff. It's learning to live on less

than you make so you can give money back and have money to invest. You can't win until you do this.

John Piper may be my favorite pastor of all time. My favorite Christian preacher, writer of all time.

I've always been fascinated with him. Since the day that I got saved, he was one of the first

national preachers to be given to me. And I listened to CDs that a friend of mine had burned of John Piper

and hear him talk about the nations, talk about the desire for God and what it would have been to have

a heart for God of reckless abandonment of all else. And then about 15 years ago, if you go to a

Christian bookstore and you go to the section, you go under P's, you're going to find a long list of John

Piper books. And about 15 years ago, I was reading something about him specifically with his church,

Bethlehem Baptist, which is in Minneapolis, Minnesota. If you listen to him, you'll notice he's not from around

there. He's actually from Greenville, South Carolina. Sounds like a good South Carolinian in his accent.

And they were talking about, they asked him, they said, with the millions of dollars that you've made

writing these books, how do you stay humble? And he said, it's very simple. He said, because I've never

made a penny off of a book that I've written. He said, I make a salary. My church pays me

to be their pastor. And that's the salary that I make. And every penny of profit that comes off of

these books goes into an account that is overseen by a board of directors or board of trustees.

And in the month of December, we gather together, we eat a steak dinner, and we give it all away.

Money. Money.

Giving it to worldwide organizations to bring the gospel to men and women and children who'd never

heard. Money. There are lots of thoughts that you maybe came in here this morning about money.

Lots of things that you've been taught. Lots of things that you practice.

A penny saved is a penny earned.

Putting away a portion of every paycheck for retirement.

Building your, the debt snowball, right, that begins to come and do.

Personally, I like Ralph Waldo Emerson's quote,

money often costs too much.

As we talk about this topic, we're going to look at what God's word says and then try to base

our understanding and our implication off of money with what God's word.

Our verse this morning is found in 1 Timothy 6.10.

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils.

It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with

many pangs.

Well, if you haven't been with us this summer, and I see we got some guests that are here.

What we're doing is we're working through this summer series is looking at verses from the

Bible that are typically misunderstood or misapplied and looking at them in the context of God's

word and trying to fully understand them.

Now, the issue with this verse is not necessarily a misunderstanding while some do, but is instead

a misquoting of this verse, when this verse is often quoted, here's what we find, here's what we hear.

Money is the root of all evil.

Money is the root of all evil.

The problem with that is, that's not what we find from the Apostle Paul in 1 Timothy.

Let's look back at it.

There's a lot that's left off.

For the love, the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils.

It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with

many pains.

Here's what Paul doesn't do, and in fact, here's what the Bible doesn't do.

It doesn't denounce money.

The Bible doesn't teach that money is bad.

The Bible doesn't teach that it's wrong to have money.

The Bible doesn't even teach that it's wrong to be rich.

You can be wealthy.

You can have a lot of money.

You can be financially successful.

That's not at all here what Paul is talking about.

If that were the case, then maybe the most appropriate thing we could have done this morning

has greeted you all out the door and said, do you consider yourself wealthy?

And if you said yes, come on in.

If you said no, we'll just hang out at Waffle House this Sunday, right?

We'll catch back up with you.

But that's not what it is, you see, because the issue is the warning from Paul affects both

the poor, the rich, and everyone in between.

The warning is the love of money.

That's what we find at the heart of the issue here in this text.

It's not, do you have money?

It's where does the love of money come from, and what does it create?

And the Bible does warn numerous times on this.

If you've got your Bible open, hold your space here in 1 Timothy, but flip over to Matthew 6.

Jesus is teaching in the Sermon on the Mount, and in verse 19, here's what he says.

Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal,

but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

The eye is the lamp of the body.

So if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light.

But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness.

If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness.

Verse 24.

No one can serve two masters.

For either he will hate the one and love the other,

or he will be devoted to one and despise the other.

You cannot serve God and money.

You see, you can hear this overlap from Matthew to 1 Timothy.

It's not that the obtaining money and having money is wrong.

What we begin to understand is where is the desire of your heart?

Here's Jesus' challenge.

What has your heart?

In those first three verses in Matthew 6,

we see that the two opposing sides.

Treasure on earth or treasure in heaven.

What will last?

What will destroy?

Be destroyed.

Where is your heart?

You see, now we've crossed the lines.

Now we've crossed the line from wealthy to poor to in between.

Those who wish they had more.

Those who feel like they can't get enough.

Those who just want to get by.

We begin to deal with not solely the actions of how someone spends or how someone saves or how someone gives.

But we begin to deal with the heart of how someone spends, how someone saves, how someone gives.

You see, it's not just about polishing up and correcting the outside of a person.

It's what lies at the true heart.

So do you have a kingdom heart?

Or do you have an earthly heart?

Does your heart think of and desire for the matters of the kingdom of God?

Seeing his word spread?

Seeing people come to faith?

Or does your heart long for the earthly pursuits of what this world has to offer?

Is your heart an eternal heart or a selfish heart?

Does your mind think through the matters of eternity and what will come to be and what will have come to pass?

Will your mind think through what God has in eternity with him?

Or in all honesty, does your mind lift through that your heart focus on in this moment is as good as it gets?

Do you have a fleshly heart?

A heart that seeks to gratify the desires of your flesh?

Or a heart filled and moved and shaped by the Holy Spirit?

Who acknowledges that the ways of you are the ways of you and they're wrong.

But the ways of God that are in you, praise him for it.

And Jesus, give me more of those.

You see, the question I have for you this morning.

A question that honestly, no one in this room can answer.

But you and the Holy Spirit is what has your heart.

What's remarkable is look at your money.

It'll probably point you in the direction of where your heart is.

When we understand the control money can have, I think is the warning that Paul and Jesus give us in these two passages.

The control it can take into someone's life is tremendous.

I mean, when you think about it, how much money do we all want?

More.

The less money you have, the more money you want.

Well, guess what?

The more money you have, guess what?

The more money you want.

And when the love of money is left on the throne of your heart and mine,

the warning of God's word is,

that becomes the master you serve.

That's what Jesus tells us.

No one, Jesus.

Jesus has never been wrong, nor will he be.

No one can serve two masters.

No one.

He will either hate one and love the other,

or be devoted to one and despise the other.

Who's your master?

Who's your master?

Second thing, flip back over with me to 1 Timothy.

The second thing Paul addresses

is that the love of money becomes a root for all kinds of evils.

Let's look at some context here by looking back at verse 9.

We're 9 and 10.

Put them together.

But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation.

Into a snare.

Into many senseless and harmful desires

that plunge people into ruin and destruction.

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils.

It is through this craving

that some have wandered away from the faith

and pierced themselves with many pangs.

Here's the warning for us, church.

The warning for you.

The warning for me.

Be careful.

Be careful what you crave.

Be careful what you crave.

My job this past week

was to serve alongside Tricia Evans

and we worked in the kitchen every single day

cooking for 45 people breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Erin asked me

in the kindness of her heart yesterday

what would you like for dinner?

And I said

anything

as long as

I'm not the one cooking it.

Right?

Anything.

And then like

I'm gonna

like

homemade

crust

from scratch

chicken

pot

pie.

I get to have it again for lunch today.

All right.

So anyway

that's what I crave.

I just didn't want what I had fixed.

That's what I got.

Be careful

what you crave.

In these verses

I find it interesting

that what Paul

here is warning

for Timothy about

is about false teachers

in the church.

Here's the identity.

Here's one of those

detective issues

on false teachers.

False teachers

almost always

talk about money

and how you

and particularly

them

will always get more of it.

This is Paul's warning

about false teachers

in the church.

We see

that times

continue

in to build

on themselves.

And Paul

gives the warning

that that escalates

over time

again

and again

within here.

His first warning

in this passage

he says

this desire

to be rich

look at this

it's going to lead you to

when your desire

or when your heart

places money

on the throne

here's what begins

to happen.

It's temptations

it's snares

it's harmful

or destructive

or the word

in its original context

deadly desires.

like this

is literally

what Paul

is talking

about here

is this

can begin

as innocent

it leads

into an area

that's slippery

you step

into a moment

that says

I got you

and then it

destroys you.

It destroys you.

This isn't

oh man

don't worry

about that

like you

go get yours.

it's when

your heart

begins to elevate

the idol

of wealth

of money

and you

and I

don't see it

happening

but it's

oh that looks good

what I would do

and then it's

what we do

and then it's

what we become

and it has

us

and Paul

warns

over

and over

again

his second

warning is

that be

careful

be careful

because these

temptations

these snares

these desires

they ruin

lives

they ruin

lives

greed

will ruin

your marriage

will ruin

your family

it'll ruin

your career

it'll ruin

your church

time

and time

again

is it useful

is money

useful

absolutely

but don't

let it

becomes

what destroys

and then

in his last

warning

get this

get this

many

many

will

wander

from

their

faith

as a

result

of

the

idol

they

have

created

the

destruction

the pulling

away

Paul

pleads

with

Timothy

you see

we

I'm glad

we can

I'm glad

we can read

these quotes

I'm glad

that we

can

laugh

at

Yogi

Barra

and

Steve

Martin

but the

truth

is

it

brings

us

into

this

path

look back

at verse

10

he says

it is

through

this

craving

that

some

have

wandered

away

from

the

faith

and

pierced

themselves

with

many

pains

he's

saying

that

because

of

this

what

you've

done

is

you've

inflicted

this

onto

you

he says

why

not

money

is

the

root

of

all

evil

it's

why

your

love

for

money

is

a

root

for

all

sorts

of

evils

it's

not

just

greed

that

it

builds

but

it

builds

idolatry

it

builds

lust

it

builds

lying

over

and

over

and

over

again

in

the

original

language

this

word

for

craving

here

means

to

reach

out

and

cling

to

you

see

our

desire

has

removed

from

what

do

I

want

to

our

desire

has

moved

to

what

can

I

not

live

without

and

in

that

we

try

to

make

it

our

salvation

if

money

if

money

is

what

you

crave

if

money

is

what

you

desire

if

money

is

what

you

want

then

that

becomes

your

mindset

and

then

that

mindset

becomes

to

your

craving

it

becomes

your

heart

of

what

you

have

to

have

and

then

money

is

what

you

will

reach

out

to

and

put

your

hope

in

and

now

your

money

becomes

that

false

God

who

can

not

save

you

can't

it's

incapable

of

so

what

do

we

do

what

do

we

do

with

money

is

it

okay

to

make

more

is

it

okay

to

have

a

lot

like

what

do

we

do

with

this

whether

we

want

it

or

not

we

have

to

have

it

got

to

have

it

to

buy

groceries

we

got

to

have

it

to

pay

our

power

bills

we

got

to

have

it

to

pay

our

mortgage

we

got

to

have

it

to

send

our

kids

off

to

school

we

got

to

have

it

to

fund

work

all

over

the

world

like

what

do

we

do

with

this

and

I

want

to

give

you

guys

four

things

this

morning

that

will

help

point

you

to

what

I

believe

is

a

biblical

approach

to

money

there

are

studies

that

we

can

do

I

recommend

Dave

Ramsey

with

Financial

Peace

University

wonderful

opportunities

we

can

have

he

draw

from

God's

word

as

we

deal

with

money

as

we

operate

with

money

that

you

and

I

can

apply

to

our

life

to

prevent

us

from

falling

into

this

pattern

that

we

find

in

1

Timothy

6

number

one

be

wise

be

wise

Proverbs

1

7

says

the

fear

of

the

Lord

is

the

beginning

of

knowledge

fools

despise

wisdom

and

instruction

be

wise

when

it

comes

to

money

well

how

do

I

do

that

Bo

will

you

apply

what

God

says

do

what

God

says

there

may

be

people

in

this

world

that

are

smarter

than

you

and

me

they

know

things

that

our

minds

can't

possibly

fathom

in

areas

of

science

and

mathematics

and

all

literature

and

all

sorts

of

things

but

what

God's

word

promises

us

is

the

wisdom

of

his

the

Holy

Spirit

and

that

what

you

and

I

regardless

of how

much

or little

education

that we

have

we

can

be

wise

and

do

what

God

says

we

think

about

it

money

fire

a

hammer

words

in

a hand

of

someone

wise

there

is

much

positivity

that

can

be

done

but

in

the

hands

of

someone

foolish

there

is

much

destruction

that

can

take

place

so

what

you

and

I

have

to

agree

on

is

that

we

will

begin

with

be

wise

wisdom

comes

from

God

and

that

the

first

step

is

fear

of

the

Lord

that's

who

we

long

for

that's

who

we

cling

to

the

second

the

second

be

thankful

be

thankful

first

Thessalonians

5

18

give

thanks

in

all

circumstances

for

this

is

the

will

of

God

in

Christ

Jesus

for

you

give

thanks

in

all

circumstances

here's

what

all

means

all

means

all

all

means

regardless

of how

much

or how

little

is in

the

bank

account

all

means

in

spite of

how

much

you

wish

your

paycheck

said

versus

how

little

it

says

that

you

and

I

are

to

be

thankful

in

all

circumstances

that

we

see

what

we

have

we

see

what

we

believe

that

we

have

earned

we

see

what

we

have

worked

toward

in

that

in

that

in

spite

of

how

much

or

how

little

it

may

be

that

we

come

before

God

and

we

thank

him

that

we

have

a

heart

of

gratitude

when

it

comes

with

what

he

blessed

us

with

that

we

are

trusting

and

we

are

leaning

into

his

wisdom

and

his

understanding

for

what

we

do

with

this

and

in

this

whether

it

is

a

nickel

or

whether

it

is

five

million

God

thank

you

so

much

for

the

blessing

that

you

have

given

me

blew

my

mind

blew

my

mind

two

years

ago

we

were

in

India

and

at

the

end

of

the

service

they

had

a

table

in

front

of

the

stage

and

they

had

an

offering

basket

and

they

called

people

to

bring

their

offering

up

front

and

they

told

me

to

stand

there

beside

it

which

I'll

be

honest

with

you

was

a

little

uncomfortable

but

I

noticed

that

some

that

there

was

a

plate

and

people

would

put

money

into

it

but

then

there

was

like

this

bucket

and

particularly

the

women

of

the

church

which

the

church

was

about

75%

women

would

come

in

and

would

reach

down

into

their

pocket

and

I'm

thinking

change

right

and

they

would

scoop

it

out

and

they

would

put

in

what

was

in

their

pocket

and

then

they

would

walk

away

after

the

service

was

over

with

I

didn't

feel

like

it

was

my

place

but

I

was

really

curious

because

I

didn't

hear

the

clang

clang

clang

you

know

that

you

think

I

was

really

curious

what

was

in

that

bucket

do

you

know

what

was

in

that

bucket

rice

rice

and

do

you

know

who

was

thankful

right

the

pastor

who's

going to

feed

his

family

with

that

and

broke

my

heart

over

my

sin

and

his

thankfulness

for

rice

rice

give

thanks

in

all

circumstances

number

three

number

three

be

content

be

content

ecclesiastes

5

10

he

who

loves

money

will

not

be

satisfied

with

money

nor

he

who

loves

wealth

with

his

income

this

also

is

vanity

or

other

translations

say

foolish

foolish

be

content

in

much

or in

need

be

content

find

satisfaction

because

here's

the thing

for you

and I

we talk

about

finding

satisfaction

with

where

we're

at

and

that's

a

partial

truth

it's

a

partial

truth

we

do

need

to

find

satisfaction

with

where

we

are

but

here's

how

we

need

to

find

satisfaction

with

where

we

are

because

we

have

Jesus

and

no

amount

of

deficit

can

take

that

away

and

hunger

pains

cannot

capture

that

from

us

that

we

find

contentment

we

find

satisfaction

because

of who

he is

and

where

we

are

in

him

Ephesians

Ephesians 2 · chapter mention

chapter 2

tells us

that right

now

right

now

that

you

and

I

are

seated

with

Christ

Jesus

be

content

and

last

be

generous

be

generous

2nd

Corinthians

9

6

through

7

the

point

is

this

whoever

sows

sparingly

will

also

reap

sparingly

and

whoever

sows

bountifully

will

also

reap

bountifully

each

one

must

give

as

he

has

decided

in

his

heart

not

reluctantly

or

under

compulsion

for

God

loves

a

cheerful

giver

Acts

2

44

through

45

and

all

who

believed

were

together

and

had

all

things

in

common

and

they

were

selling

their

possessions

and

belongings

and

distributing

the

proceeds

to

all

as

any

had

need

be

generous

be

generous

here's

what I

found

about

generosity

there

I don't

know

that

I've

ever

met

a

true

Ebenezer

Scrooge

I

think we

all like

to spend

too much

right

we

you know

when it

comes to

generosity

what

you and

I

find

is that

there

are

circumstances

or

individuals

that we

like to

be

generous

to

and

then

maybe

other

circumstances

and

other

individuals

that we

like to

be not

so

generous

to

but

the

Bible

calls

us

and

we

can

read

verse

after

verse

after

verse

to

be

generous

so

I

want

to

challenge

you

this

morning

in

closing

with

four

areas

of

your

life

to

examine

to

begin

to

be

generous

number

one

from

the

Bible

give

to

the

church

give

to

the

church

here's

what

I'll

say

all

of

you

may

give

and

may

give

tremendously

to

the

church

I

have

no

clue

I

stand

here

today

and

I

know

what

one

family

gives

at

Willow

Ridge

Church

one

mine

that's

it

but

I

do

want

to

tell

you

that

what

it

means

to

grow

and

to

be

generous

and

to

see

in

what

we

see

in

scripture

and

what

we

see

from

the

command

of

God

and

what

we

see

from

the

body

of

Christ

is

a

group

of

individuals

who

are

gathered

together

who

are

like

minded

God's

word

says

has

everything

in

common

and

they

give

for

the

gospel

work

and

this

is

why

I

believe

church

membership

is

very

important

because

when

you

become

a

member

of

the

church

of

a

church

and

there

are

thousands

of

great

churches

right

around

here

but

when

you

become

a

member

of

a

church

what

you

are

saying

is

I'm

a

part

of

this

particular

family

as

we

are

unified

for

the

work

of

the

gospel

and

we're

going

to

join

together