We’re looking this week at how our views of money change as followers of Jesus. Here are the words of Paul, one of the first Christian leaders, to his protégé, Timothy.
But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. 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. (1 Timothy 6:17-19 ESV)
A Christian author, NT Wright note that we give lip service to the maxim that “money can’t buy happiness” and then give life-service to the opposite.
We don’t need to prove it, we’ve all seen this kind of thing.
One example, when someone is quite wealthy, they might buy more homes. But since they can’t be everywhere at once, they need to get security systems or guards, repair people, landscapers and more.
With more wealth comes the need for lawyers, accountants, investment advisors, and all the work and stress of coordinating them properly.
A friend owns a home by the lake, which is beautiful. But the amazing view comes at a cost, as they are constantly replacing shingles after every windstorm.
Another example: Justin Bieber’s incredible success and wealth may also be his downfall. He is able to try and buy happiness in cars, drugs, and surround himself with friends so dazzled by it all that they won’t try to stop him. But we’ve seen recently, that it’s not working. His wealth has turned into a trap, a snare.
Is Paul saying money is bad? Or houses by the lake, or pop music? No, but money is also not good, or happiness, in and of itself.
This is why Paul says carefully, the love of money is the root of many evils.
Money isn’t the good to be loved. It represents the good, it’s just a piece of paper, metal or computer data used to exchange for actual goods and services. The further our modern currency gets from the actual goods it was meant to represent, the closer it gets to an idol for worship in and of itself. Money is a stand-in for actual goods, and becoming less and less grounded in reality since treasuries no longer actually have to have gold on hand for every dollar they print.
What are idols? They were things like statues worshipped for rain, sun, fertitility, whatever people wanted to control. They stand in for a real relationship with God who can’t be controlled. They allow us to become ungrounded from reality, since we elevate ourselves to the status of controlling nature through our gods.
If we pursue money alone, we are pursuing something at the whim of the markets that is ultimately meaningless. We can see this as the Canadian dollar recently plugned below 90 cents US. Manufacturers who signed contracts at $1.00, bought supplies at $0.95 and got paid at $0.90 have all seen just how subjective money can be when it’s unhinged from the actual goods it is meant to represent.
The risk is that we’ll pursue this kind of thing in life, and worship things in our lives whose value is constantly in flux, hardly eternal. They may not be little statues anymore, but idols are very much objects of worship today.
That’s why Paul states the obvious truth: we brought nothing into this world, we cannot take anything out. Despite that, we regularly treat money, possessions in life as if they are permanent and of eternal value.
Question: When have you seen someone’s love for money lead to evil?
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This week we’ve studied four practices of the first church community. Should we copy them?
Some try – indeed sell everything, gather daily, etc. just like in this book. But most don’t.
Most Christians agree this sets a pattern and principles, and those principles are what is meant to be emulated, not the exact circumstances.
Churches in our world today will take on these practices in various ways.
The Apostles’ Teaching and Fellowship
Some churches have many readings from the Bible, a short sermon. Some have one short reading, and a very long sermon about it. Some focus on studying the bible in groups at home, others in groups at church, others in groups on GO Trains like us. What matters is continuity with the apostles’ teaching.
Breaking of the Bread
Some do this weekly, others less frequent. Some have one common cup, or even a precious chalice, while others have individual portions in smlall cups. Some consider it a symbol and reminder, others see it as a precious moment of heaven touching earth when God’s actual presence is made tangible.
Prayers and Worship
Some churches focus on common prayer – many people praying the same things at once. Others focus on individual prayer, everyone praying using their own words and thoughts.
Common Life
Some churches try to live this out verbatim, but not many. I know some people building a co-living building, where many families will live in their own spaces, but share eating and cooking areas, playrooms, etc. They are trying as much as possible to share life in this way. But others see this as a practice of generosity – retaining ownership, but sharing as others have need.
There is lots of variation within each practice. What matters most is that the practice is preparing them for their mission…living and telling the good news of Jesus in the world.
These practices are essential to being a church, a community of people following Jesus. You might have been surprised, many of the most visible elements of modern church life are missing!
But for any church, these are the principles they need to continually recover and refocus. Our church is going the opposite way – starting with these practices, preparing us for our mission in the first place, and then our challenge comes later in maintaining this focus.
Challenge: With whom can you gather to start adopting these practices? As a small group, and as a large group. Which of these four would you find hardest, and easiest?
