What is a Biblical Lifestyle?

The philosopher Soren Kierkegaard, I love that name, once told a story about a group of thieves that broke in one night to a jewellery store.

But they didn't take anything. Instead, they just switched all the price tags on the jewellery.

Next day, the shop opened and things looked a little bit different, but nobody could quite work out what had happened.

So it was business as usual, except it wasn't, because for the rest of the day, people were leaving that store in a number of different ways.

People had gone in thinking, having spent a lot of money, thinking that they were coming out with very valuable jewels, whereas in fact they were going away with all the cheap stuff.

On the other hand, there were the people that couldn't afford the great treasures and had spent very little.

In fact, they were coming out of the store with the most valuable, precious things of all.

Our world places value on material wealth.

It places value on money and the security that money promises.

There's nothing new about that.

But the gospel calls us to think again.

The gospel reverses those values.

It's like when Jesus comes on the scene and everything that Jesus and his kingdom that he promises represents,

it's like all of those price tags in life have been suddenly jumbled up.

Everything is turned upside down.

If you get a pot of water and you boil a kettle and you fill the pot of water with boiling hot water from the kettle,

and then you get a live frog and drop the frog in the boiling water,

the frog will, or at least it will try to escape the boiling water.

However, if you get the same pot and you fill it with cold water,

and you get the frog and drop it into the water, it will be quite happy because it's nice and cool.

But if you then put it on the hob and then gradually bring it to boiling point,

the frog won't actually notice until it's too late.

Why? Well, because the frog's instincts are geared towards detecting sudden change, not gradual.

Now, as I share that with you, let me tell you a couple of things.

Firstly, while I have a number of different hobbies, frog boiling isn't one of them.

So I haven't actually tried this out.

I read about it.

But secondly, let me tell you why I share that with you.

It's this.

You see, I think probably most of us, probably all of us, would to some degree or another,

agree with the proposition that actually, of all the different things in life that could be important to us,

money, whilst it might be important at times, is not the most important thing.

And actually, I don't think it's just Christians that would go along with that belief.

I think actually most people would, to some extent, agree with some of that.

That would say actually, you know, okay, whilst we might prize money and the things that it offers,

and whilst we might think that material possessions might be quite important,

they're not the most important thing.

I think most human beings would actually probably go along with at least some of that.

But the thing is, we must hold that in principle, but we live in a world, and I ought to say,

there's nothing new about this.

It's as old as time itself.

We live in a world in which we're surrounded with a conflicting message, and it's ever so subtle.

And it's a message that actually says the very opposite, that the most important things are actually the pursuit of wealth,

and the pursuit of financial security, and the peace of mind that that can bring.

And it's actually the accumulation of possessions, those things that actually really matter.

Now, whilst maybe most of us, Christian or not, would want to distance ourselves from the bold claim that actually money is everything,

the reality is different.

So whilst we might have in our minds and in our hearts this conviction that actually money is not the most important thing,

when we then find ourselves in the culture that surrounds us,

our sensitivities may not be tuned in always to what's going on.

And you don't have to go very far to hear an advertising message or a claim or something.

It comes up in conversation, where we're led into this climate that actually says that, you know,

material stuff is rather more important than we actually want to think it is.

And the pursuit of wealth, actually it's something that perhaps we ought to be thinking a bit about more.

And it's subtle when we don't notice it,

and we don't notice it because we become desensitized because we are exposed to it and its subtlety all the time.

We need to be aware of it.

And that is certainly what Paul was trying to say.

In 1 Timothy, it's one of the, what is known in the New Testament as the pastoral letters, pastoral epistles,

that were written from one church leader to another.

And here Paul writes to Timothy as a church leader to another church leader,

saying to him of a number of, addressing a number of different pastoral issues,

life issues that he can encounter as one who's been put in charge of leading a church.

And Paul is saying to him about the importance of remembering the life that we're called to as Christians

and how our attitude to wealth and material possessions fits into all of that.

And so he says this, let me read it to you again.

Command those who are rich in this present world,

not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth,

which is so uncertain,

but to put their hope in God,

who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.

Notice that he begins that by saying,

command those who are rich.

Now, in listening to this,

we might be very tempted,

ever so tempted to think,

well, that's okay,

because I don't really fall into that category.

So I can kind of listen in on this,

but these words clearly aren't targeted directly to me myself.

I'd want to challenge that.

And the reason I want to challenge it

is certainly in 2018,

in the UK,

we can probably safely say

that by virtue of living in the UK in 2018,

it is highly likely that we are part

of the richest 20% of the world's population.

We can look at all sorts of statistics

that will actually confirm that.

The point is,

it's a very basically simple one,

but it's a really important one.

If we think that these words don't apply to us

because we're not really wealthy

in the sense that Paul was writing to Timothy here,

actually, we need to think again,

because we are.

In global terms,

we are stinking rich.

So we need to bear in mind

that these words are definitely,

definitely for us.

But it's not just Paul's words to Timothy

that say this.

Jesus says the same things.

In fact, Jesus had more to say

about the themes of money and wealth

than he had to say about pretty much anything else,

even prayer and faith.

Time and time again,

he told stories to draw attention to that theme.

One of the most well-known stories

that Jesus told was the parable of the sower.

And he said the kingdom of God

and its operation,

it's growing or not growing within the world,

has about it similar dynamics

of, if you can imagine,

somebody going out to plant seed.

And as they plant seed,

some of the seed falls on stony ground,

some of it falls on good soil,

some of it,

some of it, he says,

falls among thorns.

And then as the seeds begin to grow,

so the thorns grow up around them,

and the thorns choke those plants from growing.

And then Jesus says this.

He says that the thorns in that story,

and it's one of the few parables

that Jesus then went on

and actually explained to his disciples

the meaning of.

Most of the time,

Jesus didn't do that.

He just let people work it out for themselves.

But here's one where he was asked,

what does that story mean?

And he went on to say,

he said,

the thorns represent

the worries of life

and the deceitfulness of wealth

as things that can choke

the growth of God's word

and God's plans within our lives.

Notice that Jesus doesn't just say

the thorns represent wealth,

but he says the worries of life

and the deceitfulness of wealth

are both things that can choke

our growth in God.

You see, the point is,

is whether when you think of money

and possessions,

it's something that worries you

because it's something that you haven't got,

or whether it's because

when you think of it,

actually you think,

yeah, I've got so much,

and you're really wealthy

because it's something you have got.

It doesn't really matter.

The point is,

is those things,

whether it's things we worry about

or things that actually

we just accumulate

and that we have,

they're equally dangerous.

They can choke,

to come back to that image,

just like a thorn

choking the growth of a plant.

These things,

whether they're things

we worry about

or things that we just

go after all the time,

they can choke our growth.

Whether we have wealth

or whether we don't have wealth,

it's the preoccupation with it

that is the point

that Jesus addressed

and which Paul is addressing

in his letter to Timothy.

So what are the dangers?

Well, isolate two of these things,

and if you've read the book

that our current series

is based on,

or if you're reading it

or if you're following it

in your growth group,

giving, unlocking the heart

of good stewardship,

then if you're reading this,

then you may have already read

this section

that I'm about to read to you.

Because in this book,

the writer says

that there are two key dangers

when it comes to the theme

of wealth and possessions.

The first danger

is materialism.

Materialism being

a sense of preoccupation

with owning

and accumulating stuff.

Whether we're talking

about possessions

over what we've got,

or whether we're talking

about worrying

about what we haven't got.

The theme remains the same.

It means the preoccupation

with those things.

Let me read to you.

According to Webster's

New College Dictionary,

materialism is defined as,

I quote,

a theory that physical matter

is the only

or fundamental reality,

that the highest values

or objectives

lie in material well-being.

He goes on to say,

materialism begins

with what we believe.

Not merely what we say

we believe,

but the philosophy of life

we actually live by.

Hence,

while any true Christian

would deny belief

in the philosophical

underpinnings of materialism,

they couldn't be a Christian

if they didn't,

they may nonetheless

be preoccupied

with material

rather than

spiritual things,

and therefore,

in fact,

be a practicing

materialist.

Practicing materialists

may say

whatever they wish

about the spiritual realm.

They may go to church

every week,

serve communion

or preach,

but if they

center their lives

around the accumulation

of things,

they are,

despite their

most heated denials,

materialists.

And a question

that I think

that presents

each and every

one of us with

is what might

that look like

in terms of

our own lives.

Yes,

we may lay hold

to that principle

that it's not

material things

that matter,

that we believe

that it is the spiritual

that is most important,

but how does that

translate into reality?

When we leave

this place,

when we face

the rest of our lives,

when we go into

our workplaces,

when we go into

the shops,

when we go online,

when we pick up

our iPads,

our laptops,

or whatever,

what is it

that actually drives us?

What is it

that preoccupies us?

What does our

lifestyle actually

spell out?

Not just what we say

we think we believe,

but what does

the reality

of our lives

look like?

Honestly,

when we think about

the things

that preoccupy us

and the things

that set the map,

the direction

for our lives

throughout the week.

That's the first danger.

Materialism,

a sense of

preoccupation

with things

material

and the accumulation

of or the worry

about those things.

Whether we've actually

got them or not,

what is it

that we spend

our time

thinking about most?

The second danger,

the second danger

when it comes to this

is what we might call

asceticism.

If materialism

is a preoccupation

with or worry

over accumulating

things,

asceticism

means

the preoccupation

with denying

the good

immaterial stuff.

And in its

extreme form

it can lead

to a mindset

whereby I think,

well,

we must never

ever enjoy ourselves.

We must never

have that sort of thing

because it's

almost bad

to ever spend

any money

or it's bad

to have anything

for ourselves.

There's a story

that's told,

a wonderful story

about a farmer,

his wife was

approaching

a round figure

birthday

and he thought

he wanted to

treat her

but he didn't

really want to

spend that much

money.

He knew that

for years

off and on

she'd mentioned

how she'd always

fancied going up

in one of those

open cockpit

planes.

So he went

over to an

airport that he

knew of

and managed

to talk

to somebody

who had

one of these

open cockpit

planes

with seats

in it.

One for the

pilot

and then another

one behind that

for the first

passenger

and then one

behind that

for another

passenger.

And he made

inquiries and

said he would

really like to

treat his wife

to a trip up

in one of these

on her birthday.

And he said,

yeah, we can do

that for you.

When is it?

And sure enough

that was convenient

for that particular

day.

He said, how much

would it be?

They said, 500

pounds.

He said, you're

joking.

He said, I want

to speak to the

pilot.

Well, eventually

they managed to

get the pilot

to come out

and he said,

I'd like to do

this for my wife

for a birthday

but there's no

way I'm paying

500 pounds.

He said, well,

how much were

you wanting to

spend?

He said, how

about 50?

He said, you're

joking.

He said, I'm

not doing that.

He said, no,

that's how much

I'm prepared to

spend.

The pilot

thought really

quickly.

He said, I'll

tell you what,

I'll take you

up for 50

pounds.

For half an

hour.

But on one

condition.

That when we're

up, your wife

and yourself,

neither of you

must make a

single sound.

I don't want you

here to shriek

or holler out

anything.

If you can

remain completely

quiet for the

full half hour

of the flight,

flight, then I'll

let you have it

for 50

pounds.

What he

didn't tell

him was he

was actually a

bit of a

stunt pilot.

So the

farmer wanted

to grab the

deal, he

said, I'll

tell you what

it's on.

I'll give you

a 50 quid

cash now.

And provided

we fulfill what

you've just said,

then that's it.

If we do make a

sound, either of

us during the

course of the

flight, well,

then we owe you

another 450.

They shook

hands, deal

was done.

Day of the

birthday, the

flight came

around.

The husband

told his wife

what he had

done, what he

had arranged.

Obviously

didn't mention

any of the

conversation that

had taken

place.

And she was

delighted.

So they

arrived at the

airport, got

to the plane,

got on board,

and the pilot

started off.

And they

went up into

the sky, and

this pilot was

determined that

he was going to

win this one.

Up he went,

looped the loop,

up, down,

tumbled around,

through this thing

all over the

place to the

point that the

actual pilot was

getting scared.

And yet to his

astonishment, over

half an hour of

stunt after stunt

after stunt, there

was not a sound

from the back.

And eventually he

decided he would

have to just cut

his loss.

So he was just

coming into land,

and as he did

so, he shouted

back to the

farmer.

He said, well,

I guess you

win.

It's 50 pounds,

that's it, you

don't know me

anymore.

And just as he

was touching the

ground, the

farmer shouted

back to him, he

said, you almost

won, you almost

won.

I almost shouted

when my wife

fell out.

we might think it's

a good thing to

try and cling

hold of every

last thing.

We might think

there's something

virtuous about it,

but it's not a

truly authentically

biblical approach

to wealth, to

money, and to

possessions.

Christians.

And in fact, we

haven't got time to

go into detail, but

when we look at the

whole scriptural

narrative, the story

of the Old

Testament of people

of God, and the

whole culture into

which Jesus came, and

which Jesus indeed

affirmed, it was a

culture that liked to

party, that liked to

feast.

We see so many of the

festivals in the

Hebrew tradition,

because they were a

people that actually

would celebrate the

goodness of life in the

material world, and

would do so lavishly.

So asceticism, when

it means that sense

of despising the

material, and

being suspicious of

any sense of

embracing wealth as a

good thing, it

misses what is

essentially at the

heart of what Paul is

talking about here.

There is the danger of

preoccupation.

preoccupation in the

material sense of

things, where we only

ever think about either

accumulating more

stuff, or we worry

about the stuff that

we don't have.

Or there can be the

preoccupation that

effectively translates as

denying any goodness

in anything material.

Paul says, guard what

has been entrusted to

your care.

Guard what has been

entrusted to your

care.

See, wealth brings

with it responsibility.

What we have, and we

may think it's a lot, we

may not think it's a lot.

Globally, it is a lot.

What we have carries

with it responsibility.

Responsibility to use

before God.

responsibility before God

with the things that he

has entrusted us with.

One last story.

The composer, Liszt,

years ago, was asked to

perform at court on the

piano before the Russian

czar, Nicholas I.

first.

And as he was in the

middle of his first

sonata, he noticed in

the corner of his eye

that the Russian czar was

actually chatting with one

of his aides.

Liszt continued to play his

way through the sonata, but

as he noticed that the

chatting between the czar

and his aide was not

stopping.

He found himself more

and more irritated.

Eventually, Liszt stopped

playing midway through the

piece and just placed his

hands on his lap.

Suddenly, the czar stopped

talking.

And he sent his aide to

inquire what the problem

was.

Liszt replied,

when the czar speaks,

everyone should be silent.

There were no more

interruptions after that.

See, recognising the

greatness of that which

we are in the presence

of changes how we act.

Recognising the goodness,

the greatness of that which

we have been given and

which has been entrusted

into us.

And recognising not only

that we have so much,

but recognising that we

are allowed to have so

much and that God is

there and is present in

our lives changes the

way in which we

approach the way we

handle those things and

the way we live our

lives.

God, says Paul, what

has been entrusted to

your care.

And so as we pray now,

let's do that.

Let's reflect on what we

have.

Let's reflect on the way

in which we tend to

approach that which we

have.

And let's entrust it to

God as he has

entrusted it to us.

Commerce back.

For thereich software, yes,

we are Jesús.

Thank you.

Look,

for the

누� wprowad wydru the

government had more

adjustments and

exactly what they

want to do.

I'm going to

bring your

results.

Take care.

Take care.

Take care.

Michael Pyram,

take care.