The only God to invest in is Jesus Christ who bids us follow.
Overseers and deacons, or the love of money? The assigned epistle for this sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost is a choice of two. Of course, do not try to do both. My money (pun intended) would be on the second option, for two reasons:
- The readings on either side also deal with money (Amos prophesies against the idle rich, and Luke has Jesus narrating the tale of the rich man and Lazarus).
- This initially sounds a lot simpler than crafting a sermon on the qualifications of bishops (pastors) and other workers in the Church.
But let us manage the challenge of 1 Timothy 3 first in case your prayer and preparation or other extenuating circumstances make it more necessary or appealing as the Word to be preached this Sunday. I have most often heard these sections treated on occasions that call for meditation on the role of church workers, particularly at services of installation or ordination of ministers of the Word of God in Christ. If the flock you deliver your message to is deliberating on church and ministry, in the middle of ministers, or considering the pastoral office for any reason, then, of course, the chapter 3 pericope is ripe for treatment.
I invite you to focus particularly on the first verse of 1 Timothy 3 as, in fact, does the author of the letter. This is one of the five “faithful sayings” in the epistles to Timothy and Titus (we saw another in the epistle pericope a couple of weeks ago, 1 Timothy 1:15, and the others are at 1 Timothy 4:8-9, 2 Timothy 2:11-12, and Titus 3:5-8). “Pistos ho logos,” or “faithful [is] the saying,” which sets off all of these statements, is a formula that highlights more than simply good advice. The apostle is deliberately drawing attention to a wisdom saying that has currency in the earliest Christian Church. “Jesus Christ came to save sinners,” is as central to the faith as the baptismal regeneration, adoption, and inheritance promise of Titus 3, as the poetry that underscores the faithfulness of God in 2 Timothy 2. So, also is the way in which the Lord serves His Church with the shepherds, the elders, the overseers called to deliver His gifts to His people.
This episcopal office is called a “kalon ergon,” a noble task, a good work. Why this description? It is certainly not of the fine or honorable trappings attendant with the vocabulary used in the Greek language to describe aristocrats in their upper-class adornment. The apostle is not saying the bishop is to necessarily be a gentleman. Nor is he saying the job itself is fine, as if a brass ring to strive after, the high rung of a leadership ladder, or any worthy achievement for the accolades of God or men. He is saying there is a virtue in it, though, one to “aspire” to (the Greek verb is “oregetai,” to aim at or to stretch out to). This is evocative of historical reality, dear preacher. Imagine being a minister of the Word in a hostile cultural environment. It would be a stretch to aim at such a life, the more so as you might get literally stretched, in crucifixion like your Lord or in some lesser punishment on behalf of your people. The bishop throughout the early centuries of Christendom represented the local church. When the church was scapegoated or the mood otherwise turned sour, the bishop might well be in the position to suffer nobly the gift of martyrdom, as did Polycarp, Ignatius, Cyprian, and if tradition is true, Timothy himself.
The low-hanging gospel fruit to pair with this notion from 1 Timothy 3 is the teaching of our Lord in John 10, where He calls Himself the “kalos poimēn,” the good shepherd, of which the “episkopoi” (the elders) are undershepherds. He lays down His life for the sheep, all the way to being stretched by crucifixion in substitution for His flock (John 10:11, 17-18). A sermon crafted to focus on the “erga” (the works) of undershepherd and Good Shepherd will drive the hearer ever more to appreciate not the work of the pastor, minister, bishop, or elder, which is indeed “kalon” (good, fine, noble), but only insofar as that minister delivers the “erga” of Christ. It is the Lord’s doing, His deeds, His work (particularly His sacrificial work) that is “kalon” (and may well be matched by a call to your own bloody witness).
He lays down His life for the sheep, all the way to being stretched by crucifixion in substitution for His flock.
But, moreover, recognize this pericope also has affinities in general with the money talk of the Old Testament and Gospel pericopes, if only because one of the several descriptions (or better, demands) of clergy is that they be “aphilargyron” (not a lover of money, 1 Timothy 3:3) and “mē aiskhrokerdeis” (not shamefully greedy or craftily acquisitive, 1 Timothy 3:8). The other bits to avoid (like being puffed up or being a neophyte) lead to being deceived by the Devil (1 Timothy 3:6-7), a warning echoed in connection with greed in the alternative pericope (1 Timothy 6:9; see also Hebrews 13:5). This leads us into some thoughts about that selection, 1 Timothy 6:6-19.
The deceitfulness of riches chokes the Word of God (Mark 4:19). As pastoral qualification in a pastoral epistle, this bears repeating for you, a preacher and likely shepherd of your congregation. No kidding, you might say, pastors do not get paid much! The point is that they should not (gasp), and this is more than just a public face or civil righteousness. It matters to the soul (as the other readings this week reflect, of course). That is also why Christian wisdom extends the warning against love of money beyond the clergy to all people, all hearers. Why is it so difficult for the rich to inherit the Kingdom? Because money is a god that invites our fear, love, and trust. The more one has, the more difficult it is to rely on the source of all blessings, the creator rather than the created. And reliance, dependency, is at the heart of Kingdom politics. This is not just a moral reminder to check a generosity box, much less an obligation to model behavior for your congregants, leading the pack as a leader by leading them to give with a free hand. Much the contrary to the “do, do, do” of moral obligations is the “trust” and “thanksgiving” of reliance, dependency, and acknowledging need. The fact is, it is harder to rely, harder to acknowledge need, harder to trust the Lord when you have cash in the bank or property to sell.
That is law, the kind of law that needs to be preached not just to those who rely on material wealth, but to all who rely on first article gifts (the gifts of creation which all people receive; 1 Timothy 6:7-8) as their object of fear, love, and trust. The gifts themselves (money, for example) are not the problem. They are good, a good that reveals the Creator’s love and provision for the self and for the neighbor. Consider all the Creator’s good gifts. He has made me and all creatures, has given me body and soul, eyes, ears, and all my members, reason and all my senses, and still takes care of them. I love myself. I love my Creator more as the origin of myself, as the preserver of myself. Besides these, He gives with a free hand shoes and clothes, food and drink (the list goes on), for all of which it is my duty to thank and praise Him, serve and obey Him. This is most certainly true!
To love the gift in and of itself instead of the giver, however, is idolatry pure and simple. This is why the love of money is an important piece to differentiate in the 1 Timothy 6 text. Substitute fear, substitute trust, and it is plain that what Paul is talking about is faith. Where do you put your trust? Money, and for that matter all First Article gifts, are uncertain (1 Timothy 6:17), not the sort of treasure to invest in for the future (1 Timothy 6:19). The future the apostle refers to in that verse is not a short-term plan for a yield in this brief life, but is, rather, eschatological. Trusting in any created thing for this life will yield only destruction (Matthew 16:24-28). The only God to invest in is Jesus Christ who bids us follow.
What is the gospel that cures the deceit of riches? Surely the answer is not simply to encourage generosity and giving instead of hoarding and trusting in wealth. What the lesson teaches is an attitude which is itself embodied in the Christ who is the good news for the convicted rich as well as the self-justifying paycheck-to-paycheck anxious pew sitter. With man this is impossible. With Christ all things are possible!
And Christ is, therefore, the gospel to focus on. Meditate on the ways Christ’s poverty is on display in the gospels. This will help you respond to your own anxieties about money and, in turn, your people’s. For starters, His birth was on the margin, in a stable. His parents were poor (for example, it is simple to interpret the Mary of John 2 as a wedding coordinator for those of little means). Our Lord reflects autobiographically in Matthew 8 that the Son of Man has no place to lay His head. He led a rag tag group who relied on little (funded by the generosity of women, Luke 8). And, of course, Jesus raises the poor over the rich frequently in His Kingdom preaching. This is why Paul can crystalize and operationalize that Kingdom preaching in a summary like 2 Corinthians 8:9: “You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you by His poverty you might become rich.” When you are swimming in the Word of God in Christ that plays that opposites game, you are dealing with the theology of the cross. The cross is where Christ’s poverty (for your ultimate gain!) is on full display. So, do not fail, preacher, to center your preaching on that!
Whether you go with 1 Timothy 3 or 1 Timothy 6 this week, avoid the pitfall of lesson and lecture by remembering your task. Deliver the Christ who confessed before Pontius Pilate (1 Timothy 6:13) under whom He also suffered, becoming the poor one that you might become rich. God bless you in your sermon craft this week!
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Additional Resources:
Craft of Preaching-Check out 1517’s resources on 1 Timothy 3:1-13 (alt. 1 Timothy 6:6-19).
Concordia Theology-Various helps from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, MO to assist you preaching 1 Timothy 3:1-13(alt. 1 Timothy 6:6-19) .
Lectionary Kick-Start-Check out this fantastic podcast from Craft of Preaching authors Peter Nafzger and David Schmitt as they dig into the texts for this Sunday!
The Pastor’s Workshop-Check out all the great preaching resources from our friends at the Pastor’s Workshop!
