If I Were a Rich Man

1. Read: 1 Timothy 6:6-10 “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”

2. About the Text:

1) In the musical “Fiddler on the Roof” Tevya sings a song titled “If I Were a Rich Man.”

2) This song is really a prayer and conversation with God about Tevya’s desire to be rich.

3) In it he sings about all the wonderful things he would do if he had money.

i. Build a big fine house.

ii. Give his wife all of the comforts that she desires.

iii. Be a leader in the community.

iv. Give God service.

v. One statement in his song reveals his true motives: “The most important men in town would come to fawn on me.”

vi. His desire for riches was really about his pride.

4) Talking about money can be uncomfortable because our pride is involved with it.

5) The Bible has some things to say about wealth that we need to listen to.

6) Paul discusses those who would be rich.

7) He also discusses those who are rich in this world’s goods.

8) Notice he says in verses 17-19 “Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.”

9) God has some very definite and specific things to say about this area of our life.

10) If we would be obedient to God’s will, we will listen to Him.

3. Ref. to S, T, P, O, and A.

1. We do not truly own anything. God owns everything.

i. Deuteronomy 10:14 “Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens is the LORD’S thy God, the earth also, with all that therein is.”

ii. Psalm 24:1 “The earth is the LORD’S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.” Also in 1 Corinthians 10:26.

2. God tells us that true and abiding riches simply cannot come from this earth.

i. Matthew 6:19-21 “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

ii. 2 Corinthians 8:9 “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.”

3. Neither our wealth, nor our lack thereof, proves that we are acceptable to God.

i. Proverbs 30:8, 9 states, “Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.”

ii. It is not our outward possessions that indicate a good relationship with God, but our inward attitude. Psalm 51:17 “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.”

4. It is possible to be rich and be faithful to God, but this is usually accompanied with an extraordinary attitude.

i. Notice the attitude of Abraham after recovering the people and possessions of Sodom in Genesis 14:21-23 “And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself. And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth, That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich:”

ii. Notice the attitude of Moses in Hebrews 11:24-26 “By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.”

iii. It is easy to point out that it is not a sin to be wealthy; it is much more difficult to point out that God commands us not to DESIRE to be wealthy.

1. To give to the poor. This is perhaps the most emphasized use in the New Testament.

i. Ephesians 4:28 “Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.”

ii. Acts 20:33-35 “I have coveted no man’s silver, or gold, or apparel. Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me. I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

2. When we give to the poor, we prove our love for God according to the scriptures.

i. 2 Cor.8:8 “I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.”

ii. 1 John 3:17 “But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?”

3. To further the work of the church. 1 Corinthians 16:1, 2 “Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.”

4. To have the necessities of life.

i. God wants us to have the necessities of life. Matthew 6:33

ii. He wants us to be content with these basics. 1 Tim.6:8 “And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.”

5. To take care of one’s family. 1 Tim.6:8 “But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.”

6. To enjoy God’s creation. 1 Tim.6:17 “Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;”

1. Riches prevent some people from entering God’s kingdom.

i. Mark 10:23-25 “And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.”

ii. Repeated in Matt.19:23ff; Luke 18:24ff

2. Riches are deceitful.

i. Matthew 13:22 ” He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.”

ii. Mark 4:19; Luke 8:14.

3. Riches lead to many temptations. James 5:1-6 “Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten. Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth. Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter. Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.”

4. Riches lead to covetousness. Luke 12:13-21 “And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me. And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you? And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

5. Riches will not endure as they will ultimately decay and be destroyed. James 1:9-11 “Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted: But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away. For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.”

6. The rich are more tempted to hold back from God. Mark 12:41-44 “And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.”

7. Riches

i. 1 Tim.6:6-10 “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”

ii. 1 Tim.6:17-19 “Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.”

1. We are a wealthy people. We are the rich men of which Tevya sang. Let us remember God’s word and what it says about . . .

i. Our relationship with God in respect to wealth.

ii. The reasons God has given for wealth.

iii. The problems associated with material wealth.

2. Invitation