1 Timothy 6:6-19 “The
Poured Out Life”
Recently, Dave and I have
gotten into watching reruns of the TV series Lost.
Have any of you here watched
those?
I don’t watch much TV, but
there is something about this series that is addictive.
The gist of the story is that
a plane crashes on some deserted island
of undetermined location.
After nearly a week, the 47
survivors
begin to realize that rescue may not be coming,
that they may have to live together for a while.
As they begin this new life
on the island,
one of the interesting things is how they handle
possessions.
Within a few days, they
decide to go through some of the luggage that survives the crash.
Suddenly, things like fancy
clothes, makeup, jewelry,
and even cash and credit cards become unimportant.
Instead they’re looking for
food, water, work clothes, sturdy shoes and boots,
and containers to hold water. The possessions that they thought were so
important before are tossed aside.
The
Bible has a lot to say about how we handle our possessions.
That’s
because possessions can have such power over us.
We
accumulate more and more stuff. We think
our stuff will provide safety, security, and happiness.
When
that begins to happen, we have let our possessions
possess us.
We
need to remember that we are always in danger of letting possessions possess us
–
it’s
called idolatry.
I
remember years ago when I was in a Sunday School class
where we
were discussing idolatry.
Up to
that point I had only thought of idolatry as worshipping some false god.
The
golden calf image from the movie 10 commandments always came to mind.
But
idolatry is really about our priorities.
When
our stuff - and our desires for that stuff -
becomes
the top priority of our lives - that is idolatry.
Prioritizing
something before God is nothing new.
It is
one of our oldest and most persistent sins - as anyone who has ever read the
Bible knows well.
In the
life of the Christian, God must be front and center.
Anything less than that is idolatry. It’s no
wonder that this letter addresses these desires that so often lead into
idolatry. Today’s scripture is from the
first Letter to Timothy, from Paul or one of his associates.
Paul
is the wise mentor and teacher to young Timothy.
From
reading the letter, it’s clear that Paul has developed a close relationship
with
Timothy in their shared work of the gospel.
It is
much like a father’s relationship with a trusted son.
In
this part of the letter, which is near the end, there’s practical advice about
life together in these earliest Christian churches - advice not only to the
church, but also to individuals.
Some
of the advice comes in the form of wisdom sayings - practical proverbs.
There
are some that are probably familiar to you:
“We
brought nothing into the world, so that we can take nothing out of it.”
“For
the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.”
These
proverbs or wise sayings were common sayings during this period of history,
stemming from the Greek culture of the times.
Be careful of your priorities. Be
in control of your desires.
Good
advice for any culture. But what makes
this letter different, is that it takes on a distinctly Christian flavor.
The
point the author is making loud and clear is that material riches
are no
foundation for the future. Material
riches do not keep us safe, make us happy, or solve our problems.
These
are uncertain riches. Our hopes must be
set on God who richly provides.
A good foundation for real living comes when we generously share with
others.
There is an old legend told that makes this very
point.
There
once was a man lost in the desert, just dying for a drink of water.
He
stumbled upon an old shack - a ramshackle, windowless, weather-beaten old
shack,
sitting
in the blistering heat of the desert sun.
As he
glanced around he saw a pump about thirty feet away from the front door -
an old
rusty, water pump. He stumbled over to
it, grabbed the handle,
and began
to pump up and down, up and down.
Nothing came out.
Disappointed,
he staggered back. Then he noticed off
to the side an old jug.
He
looked at it, wiped away the dirt and dust, and read a message that said,
“You
have to prime the pump with all the water in this jug, my friend.
P.S. Be sure you fill the jug again before you
leave.”
He
popped the cork out of the jug and sure enough, it was almost full of
water.
Suddenly,
he was faced with a decision.
If he
drank the water, he could live.
Ah,
but if he poured all the water in the old rusty pump,
maybe it
would yield fresh, cool water from deep down in the well,
all the
water he wanted.
He
studied about the possibilities of both options. What should he do?
Pour
the water into the old pump and take a chance on fresh, cool water?
Or
drink what was in the old jug and ignore its message?
Should
he waste all the water on the hopes of those flimsy instructions written,
no
telling how long ago?
Reluctantly
he made his choice. He poured the water
from the jug into the pump.
Then
he grabbed the handle and began to pump, squeak, squeak, squeak.
Still,
nothing came out. Squeak, squeak, squeak.
A
little bit began to dribble out, then a small stream, and finally it gushed!
To his
relief, refresh, cool water poured out of the rusty pump.
Eagerly
he filled the jug and drank from it.
He
filled it another time and once again drank its refreshing contents.
Then
he filled the jug for the next traveler.
He
filled it to the top, popped the cork back on, and added this little note:
“Believe
me, it really works.
You
have to give it all away before you can get anything back.”
(Living Above the Level of Mediocrity, by Charles R. Swindoll)
That
is the paradox of our Christian faith -
And
that is the lesson from today’s scripture.
What we have and what we are only becomes treasure
when we give it away.
It is in pouring out that we are filled up.
It is in letting go that we receive.
Recently
I read something in one of my devotional books
that
addresses some of the same issues
that Paul
was dealing with in all these young churches.
I
can’t say this any better than the author wrote it,
so I’m
going to read a little of what he wrote:
“Christians
have to be clear where they stand with regard to property and goods.
They
should not condemn them, since they are good things.
But
they should be ruthless and radical
towards
the possessive instinct in themselves. . . .
If I
do not act ruthlessly against my possessiveness I will be possessed by it.
It
will lead me and govern me.
I will
be caught up in an unending spiral of desire,
fulfillment,
and greater desire and soon both my surrender to God
and my
openness to my neighbor will have been thrown aside. . . .
The
surrender to God in adoration and to one’s neighbor in availability
imply a
letting go which is the opposite of the acquisitive hanging on.
We
have to be very honest with ourselves about the possessive instinct.
Unless
we root it out from the depths, it will take charge and oust every fine feeling
in our hearts and leave only selfish concern.”
(Resources for Preaching & Worship Year
C, compiled by Hannah Ward & Jennifer Wild, p. 250)
Paul
really meant it when he said when he warned us about the desire to be rich.
He
really meant it when he said: “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of
evil. . .”
Conquering
these desires is critical to becoming disciples who follow Jesus.
Conquering
these desires enables us to be rich in good works,
to be
generous and ready to share.
It is only when we live a generous life, a poured out
life,
that we take
hold of the life that really is life, as Paul writes in this letter.
To
take hold of the life that really is life very often consists of how we share
the small things.
Every
day we have this opportunity to live the poured out life that really is
life.
One of
my favorite preachers, Dr. Fred Craddock, who is also a retired Disciple
minister,
notes
that life consists of a series of seemingly small opportunities.
He
writes, “Most of us will not this week christen a ship,
write a
book, end a war, appoint a cabinet, dine with the queen,
convert a
nation, or be burned at the stake.
More
likely the week will present no more than a chance to give a cup of water,
write a
note, visit a nursing home, vote for a county commissioner,
teach a
Sunday School class, share a meal, tell a child a story,
go to
choir practice, and feed the neighbor’s cat.”
(Luke: Interpretation, by Fred B. Craddock,
p. 192)
This
week, I invite you to take a look around you.
Where do you see the opportunity to live the poured out life?
To
take hold of the life that really is life?
Start
here. Can you sign up for pumpkin duty
to help us raise money for outreach?
Will
you commit to being here next Sunday for our Punkin Chunkin party?
Will
you help teach our children?
Will
you take a turn hosting Sunday a.m. Coffee Time?
Will
you help in a service project coming up in October or November?
Will
you write a note or offer a kind word to someone in the congregation?
But it
only starts here.
The
poured out life of generosity and sharing goes wherever you go.
Will
you listen to a colleague at work?
Will
you let someone in when you’re driving?
Will
you help your neighbor with an errand?
Will
you forgive someone who has hurt you?
Will
you be patient with a child? Will you
invite a friend to church?
Will
you pray for someone?
This is the poured out life. And THIS is the life that really is
life.