In May of 1987, the Irish rock band called U2, released the words sung by their lead singer Bono: “I have climbed the highest mountains. I have run through the fields. I run, I have crawled, I have scaled city walls. But I still haven’t found what I’m looking for.” In many ways that song describes a yearning still found in our culture today. Unfortunately, you can’t find the truth when looking in the wrong place. Someone has said, “Nothing is really LOST, it is just in a location that is different than you are looking!” Today we want to ask, “Where should I be looking for answers?
Key Principle: We cannot and will not find what we are looking for by focusing on the things of this world – because real life is in the next!
What I don’t mean is “being so Heavenly minded we are no earthly good!” I mean that our focus cannot be on satisfaction as it is defined in the present world. We are looking too short term. I can satisfy myself with a Danish every three hours throughout the day. I will be ever larger, but seemingly satisfied. Then, when I go to the doctor’s office for a checkup, I will find that I am not very happy about what I encounter with his scale. Life is like that. Truth is like that. I must look past the short term to the longer term. Life is a breath, a fog that dissipates by mid morning. My body quickly fades away. My mind loses its sharpness. My eyes turn dark. All that would be terribly depressing were it not that I know Jesus as my Savior and Lord of my life. When I, at last, shed the shell of this body, I will be with Him in Heaven. I will behold the wonder of His presence, and I will be glad.
Heaven’s truth is not about living with my head in the clouds. It is about living with my life fixed on a priority that looks longer than today’s satisfaction. It is about seeing the longer view and yearning for fulfillment in the words and smile of my Master. It is not about now – it is about then….
If that is true, is salvation only about when I die? No! It is about how I see everything now! It is about watching God work now so that I may know Him better for later. Jesus and I will share later why I passed through things in the “foyer of the physical” on my way to the warm home of Heaven. I don’t have to completely understand “why” things happen. I need to respond to them as He called me to respond. Paul told Timothy some of the responses that show my focus. In God’s plan, as revealed in His Word:
1. The unbelieving boss should find Jesus in his believing workers – because they are concerned about being a witness for their true Master. (1).
6:1 “All who are under the yoke as slaves are to regard their own masters as worthy of all honor so that the name of God and our doctrine will not be spoken against.”
In the text of 1 Timothy 6:1-2 it is clear that Paul was addressing those among the slave population that had come to Christ. These were not employees – they were clearly slaves. Yet, Paul doesn’t address the issue of slavery per se, he addresses the behavior of people that were currently in bondage. He told slaves that were in such a state to buy their way out if possible in Corinth – but even that wasn’t to attain freedom for themselves. His point was that they should seek freedom for a greater opportunity to serve Jesus! (1 Corinthians 7:21-23).
In 6:1 the admonition is to the slave of an unsaved master. It may have been easy for that slave to think that his master needed to “earn” the right to be well cared for, since that owner was lost. It was easy to rationalize that the pagan owner hadn’t “earned” the right to be served with all diligence. Freedom in Christ is freedom still, and it may have engendered a greater dissatisfaction with their place in society that was no doubt unfair. Yet, that was NOT to be their focus.
Paul redirected the slave to two focal points: the high regard for the name of the Lord, and the satisfaction that the teachings of Christ (didaskalia: precepts and instructions) did not draw away their faithful service. Paul was concerned that the slave understand they had an opportunity to present their Heavenly Master to their earthly master – but they needed to show a testimony in consistent, diligent service. Though we do not have the Roman institution of slavery, we do have “daytime masters” in the employment of our everyday work life. It is absolutely essential that we understand the principle in the verse: “The testimony platform of the believer is consistent and diligent service!” This theme echoed what Paul wrote to the Thessalonian believers: “attend to your own business and work with your hands as we commanded you so that you will behave properly toward outsider and not be in any need.” (1 Thess. 4:11b-12).
Testimony Principle: I can share most effectively when my walk clearly demonstrates the marks of God’s ownership and obedience to Jesus’ teaching.
2. The believer working under a brother should be looking for ways to serve out of the privilege of blessing a brother. (2)
6:2 “Those who have believers as their masters must not be disrespectful to them because they are brethren, but must serve them all the more, because those who partake of the benefit are believers and beloved. Teach and preach these principles.”
It would be easy to carry discussions from the early house church communities about God’s salvation and man’s dignity into a slacker attitude on the job. If the master is no better than why should I feel the need to serve him with all diligence? If he knows Jesus, my testimony doesn’t seem like it would be an issue! Yet this is one of the moment that Paul reveals another “Heaven perspective” that characterizes the obedient believer: Serving my brother is my privilege, not a chore.
Rufus Wainwright wrote it, and the Hollies, the Osmonds, Neil Diamond, and a host of others sung it – ”The road is long, With many a winding turn, That lea
ds us to who knows where, Who knows when, But I’m strong, Strong enough to carry him – He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother.
The short term perspective is that I do what I want, serve who I want, care about who I want, and take little regard for my brother or sister in Christ. I have my own problems. Let them take care of themselves. That is NOT the longer term perspective. The Heaven perspective is that I have an opportunity in the needs of another. They don’t have to earn the right to be my brother – God made them that. Their need constitutes my opportunity to serve Jesus. I serve Him by serving them! This is NOT a natural feeling – so Timothy was commanded to teach and persuade concerning this truth!
Brother Principle: I can serve most effectively when I grasp the privilege to serve my dear brother or sister in Christ and begin to do it, I release powerful work of God through me!
3. My spiritual family of a local church must keep looking for ways to understand and live out God’s truths (3-5).
6:3 “If anyone advocates a different doctrine and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, 4 he is conceited and understands nothing; but he has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, out of which arise envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions, 5 and constant friction between men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain.”
We need to be aware of the teaching and counsel that the leaders of our local church offer to people. There will always be those who will use the Bible for purposes other than what it was written for – to give us the essential truths that guide us to finding and then following God. We are to surrender to His will. Yet, sadly, we need to acknowledge that our guard must be up inside the body of believers as well as outside in the world.
Paul offers a note of caution, because the enemy will spread “tares among the wheat” (Mt. 13), we need to recognize that some will come in to the body posing as real believers that:
* Are in the body out of self interest: The words in verse 4 “he is conceited (Gr: tuphoo: “to raise in a smoke”) and understands nothing;” reflect a self interested person that has no real spiritual perception, yet they are in the church body.
* Desire to derail the discussion into dead end controversies. Verse 4 again warns “but he has a morbid interest (Gr: “noseo: to be fixated to the point of an imbalance or illness) in controversial questions (Gr: “zaytasis”: a matter of controversy) and disputes (Gr: “logomakhia”: to wrangle about empty and trifling matters) about words. People of this sort seem to keep things stirred up and leave the boundaries of real seeking of God. The discussions bring out the fleshly works of “envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions, 5 and constant friction between men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth”. There is a key not to be missed here: If the fruit of the discussion is works of the flesh, the problem may be the discussion itself. The platform may be used by both the enemy and the magnetic pull on our old nature to tear away at the body.
* A desire to personally feed an appetite for gain. The underlying purpose of these teachers is found in the phrase: “who suppose that godliness is a means of gain.” This seems to be the real issue. Gain (Gr: “porismos”: acquisition) may be a financial idea, or a power one. People stir things up to gain power, and sometimes to gain money. Believers need to carefully watch out for those stirring the pot.
Family Principle: I can stand most effectively for Christ when I filter the opinions of those around me through the Word of God and consistent adherence to it’s principles.
4. We can look to the Lord to meet our true daily needs and recognize the truth of contentment’s power (6-8).
6:6 “But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. 7 For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot * take anything out of it either. 8 If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content.
The formula for “joy in the foyer of life” begins with godliness (Gr: eusebia: taking God seriously) and adds contentment (Gr: “autarkeia”: a perfect condition of life in which no aid or support is needed; sufficiency of the necessities of life; a mind contented with its lot). Paul goes on to note that we don’t truly own anything. We came with nothing and take nothing. That kind of thinking must be posed in the mind of one that sees life after, or it will lead to a debauched life in the here and now. Because Paul knew that life would go on, and we need only the basic necessities to accomplish our task – he could feel a sense of privilege for anything more God granted!
Another note of caution here, Some will be led away and choked off by the “cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches”. (Mt. 13; 1 Timothy 6:9-10). 6:9 But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”
How sad that so many chase after fulfillment in the delights of this world at the expense of their true purpose – to serve the Lord and bring joy to Him!
Contentment Principle: I can select most effectively what I delight in when I recognize this life is the appetizer, not the main course!
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5. Obedient believers can be deeply fulfilled in Christ. It involves five conscious acts:
6:11 “But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate, 14 that you keep the commandment without * stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which He will bring about at the proper time –He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion ! Amen. 17 Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. 18 Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, 19 storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed. 20 O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you, avoiding worldly and empty chatter and the opposing arguments of what is falsely called “knowledge “—21 which some have professed and thus gone astray from the faith. Grace be with you. NASB
1. Stifling the yearning for things in this life (11a). Paul simply told Timothy to “flee” (Gr: “pheugo”: vanish from the scene) from the yearning for fulfillment in this life. The idea is intentional withdrawal from things that would aid Timothy to deepen his yearning for more. He did not live an austere life un-necessarily, but needed to back off things that drove him into discontent with serving the Lord Jesus.
2. Refocusing on six important changed views:
6:11 “But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness.
- Right choices. The term “pursue righteousness” (as defined by the Word);
- Taking God seriously. The idea is underlying the term “godliness”;
- His view of the world – things as HE says they are – is in view in the term “faith”.
- His desire to use you selflessly acting for others is what the term “love” means.
- His desire to reveal Himself as you faithfully remain under the troubles of this life can be found in the term “perseverance” (hupomeno: to remain under)
- Responding to Him with tenderness (11b).
3. Affronting in my heart the plan of the world to get you to see this life in their eyes. The fight must cause you to grab what God says about real life, confirmed in those who led you (12b). This includes remaining in the fight without giving in to the world’s view (13-14) as Jesus is about to prove them wrong (15-16)
4. Teaching those who are still caught in the wrong view of this world (17-19).
5. Defending truths passed into the hands of God’s people (20-21).
Remember, we cannot and will not find what we are looking for by focusing on the things of this world – because real life is in the next! That is where you find what you are looking for!
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