WEBVTT 00:00:04.559 --> 00:00:06.959 Welcome to the MetaCurch Podcast. 00:00:07.120 --> 00:00:08.080 My name's Clayton. 00:00:08.160 --> 00:00:10.320 I'm the pastor here at MetaCurch. 00:00:10.400 --> 00:00:17.920 And my hope is that today's podcast finds you at the perfect time in your life that God uses it to inspire and enlighten you. 00:00:18.079 --> 00:00:20.559 I hope that you enjoy today's message. 00:00:25.199 --> 00:00:26.559 Well, I want to welcome you in. 00:00:26.719 --> 00:00:28.399 If you are new with us, my name's Clayton. 00:00:28.480 --> 00:00:29.839 I'm the lead pastor here. 00:00:30.079 --> 00:00:38.719 We are in week three of a series where we have been dealing head-on with one of the most significant issues we deal with as a human. 00:00:38.880 --> 00:00:41.280 We've been talking about insecurity. 00:00:41.520 --> 00:00:48.479 Everyone with a pulse knows the feelings of insecurity, the power that it holds over our lives. 00:00:48.640 --> 00:01:04.239 And when you put it in the context of us as followers of Jesus, it makes insecurity even more dangerous because, as I remind you every week, God created each and every one of you on purpose and with purpose. 00:01:04.400 --> 00:01:18.079 It is no accident that you're here on planet Earth, and God has placed something inside of you that He wants to partner with you to unleash to a world that needs what we have been given by God. 00:01:18.239 --> 00:01:22.879 And insecurity is one of the primary things that will hold you back from living that out. 00:01:23.120 --> 00:01:26.400 There's a reason that insecurity is so powerful. 00:01:26.640 --> 00:01:35.519 For years, psychologists have known there are two primary drivers of human behavior, and that is the search for significance and security. 00:01:35.840 --> 00:01:42.959 You will search for significance and security until either you find it or until the day you die. 00:01:43.200 --> 00:01:44.799 We have to have those things. 00:01:45.040 --> 00:01:49.840 Throughout the summer, we went through a series called Pursuit, all about how to live a significant life. 00:01:50.079 --> 00:01:54.000 Now we are gonna talk about where security comes from. 00:01:54.239 --> 00:02:00.560 A long time ago, famous psychologist Abraham Maslow, he put together the human hierarchy of needs. 00:02:00.719 --> 00:02:03.120 We often call this Maslow's hierarchy of needs. 00:02:03.359 --> 00:02:19.039 If you look where security is, it is second from the bottom, which means there's only one thing more fundamental that you need in order to thrive in life, and those are your physiological needs, like oxygen and water and food and shelter. 00:02:19.360 --> 00:02:30.400 Once you have the base necessities, the next thing you need to be able to find meaning in life, to live a life of purpose, is you need psychological security. 00:02:30.560 --> 00:02:39.759 Throughout this series, we have tried to dig down to really where our insecurity is rooted, and we have found that when we are young, everyone goes through a period. 00:02:39.919 --> 00:02:41.439 For some people, it's very short. 00:02:41.599 --> 00:02:44.080 You're born into really difficult circumstances. 00:02:44.319 --> 00:02:52.240 For the average kid in the West, this usually lasts for several years, where we live in security. 00:02:52.479 --> 00:02:59.520 Our needs are always met, we're taken care of, the people in charge of us are trustworthy, nobody ever really lies to us. 00:02:59.759 --> 00:03:02.000 This is like a period of innocence. 00:03:02.240 --> 00:03:09.199 But all of us before the age of 10 years old experience real psychological pain for the first time. 00:03:09.439 --> 00:03:18.240 And it's the moment that something happens that makes us realize that the world is not always safe and people can't always be trusted, the future's not always predictable. 00:03:18.400 --> 00:03:20.960 In other words, we're not always secure. 00:03:21.199 --> 00:03:38.719 And this is when insecurity first enters the picture, and once it is there, it is there for good until you can find a true and lasting source of security, which is why you will search for security until your dying breath. 00:03:38.960 --> 00:03:46.400 What we're doing in this series is we are exposing the lies that the world tells us where we can find security. 00:03:46.639 --> 00:03:50.240 So far in week one, we saw the lie was that religion can bring security. 00:03:50.400 --> 00:03:54.000 Last week we looked at relationships and whether they can bring security. 00:03:54.240 --> 00:03:58.159 Today, the lie is money brings security. 00:03:58.400 --> 00:04:15.840 We're looking at money and material possessions, and you're marketed to every moment of your life that if you just get newer and shinier and bigger and better and make a little bit more and get a little more status and a higher promotion, you'll finally be secure. 00:04:16.000 --> 00:04:17.279 But is that real? 00:04:17.839 --> 00:04:19.680 We're gonna find out, but first let's pray. 00:04:19.920 --> 00:04:21.920 Jesus, we love you and we thank you for loving us. 00:04:22.079 --> 00:04:22.959 We give you this time. 00:04:23.199 --> 00:04:24.879 Holy Spirit, we know that you're here. 00:04:25.040 --> 00:04:28.879 You're desperate to speak to us and challenge us and change us. 00:04:28.959 --> 00:04:41.920 And so I just ask that wherever we're at on our faith journey, and Metachurch is a place for anyone at any part of their faith journey, that all of us would be humble enough to open our minds and our hearts and allow you to speak. 00:04:42.000 --> 00:04:42.480 We love you. 00:04:42.560 --> 00:04:45.439 And we pray these things in Jesus' name, and everyone said. 00:05:00.879 --> 00:05:04.240 Money a lot, just because I have a lot of things to pay for. 00:05:04.800 --> 00:05:06.399 Material things not so much. 00:05:06.480 --> 00:05:09.360 I'm definitely like the type of person to easily get rid of stuff. 00:05:09.519 --> 00:05:17.360 So I definitely say that it's one of my top three things, but it's constantly mutable with other things that become more important. 00:05:18.000 --> 00:05:24.079 I wish I could say it was like a little bit, but I'm gonna be honest, like lately, without a doubt, um, it's a lot. 00:05:24.240 --> 00:05:24.720 It's a lot. 00:05:24.879 --> 00:05:34.639 I feel enough security that like if you know I have a bad month or a crazy bill comes up, something happens with my car, that you know, once I see that checking account lower, I feel immediately panicked. 00:05:34.800 --> 00:05:37.519 So definitely that's where all my security is financial. 00:05:38.399 --> 00:05:41.120 Uh what are some of your biggest financial fears? 00:05:41.519 --> 00:05:46.959 Like not being able to provide for a family, I guess when I get to the age where I would have one. 00:05:47.279 --> 00:05:48.879 So I guess that would be my biggest one. 00:05:50.079 --> 00:05:54.399 Uh not having enough money and not being able to provide for my family. 00:05:54.720 --> 00:05:57.920 Uh definitely never being able to own a home. 00:05:58.720 --> 00:06:02.959 What role do your finances play in your security and emotional well-being? 00:06:03.360 --> 00:06:05.839 I try to keep little things separate. 00:06:06.160 --> 00:06:11.279 Um, I don't attach my emotional well-being with my financial well-being. 00:06:11.680 --> 00:06:18.720 Uh I'm fortunate enough to be okay financially right now, but I remember there was times where I wasn't, and it's always the only thing that's on my mind. 00:06:19.040 --> 00:06:22.720 Whenever you're not financially secure, I mean it's just extremely stressful. 00:06:22.800 --> 00:06:23.920 It's really hard emotionally. 00:06:26.079 --> 00:06:32.240 Money can be deeply emotional, and it's one of the first things that we look to for our security. 00:06:32.480 --> 00:06:36.560 For some people, money represents the ability to live out your dreams. 00:06:36.720 --> 00:06:41.759 For other people, it is more about safety in case everything goes wrong. 00:06:42.000 --> 00:06:54.879 It doesn't always flesh out this way, but often people who grew up with quite a bit of money, they view security in their finances as being able to live out their dreams or to reach their goals. 00:06:54.959 --> 00:07:01.360 And often people who grew up without money, they find security and money for survival. 00:07:01.680 --> 00:07:15.360 It's it's very common to see someone who makes high six figures in their adult life, and yet they grew up impoverished and they live with the fear of losing everything every single day of their life. 00:07:15.600 --> 00:07:24.560 And it's not just money that causes insecurity, it's also about the material goods and the status symbols that money can buy us. 00:07:24.800 --> 00:07:32.720 We find security in always wearing the right brands or carrying the right purses, driving the right cars or living in the right neighborhoods. 00:07:32.879 --> 00:07:34.399 And so let me just ask you, right? 00:07:34.480 --> 00:07:41.040 We come here to Meta, not to like check the box, oh, I went to churches, we come here to get really honest and to see God changing us. 00:07:41.199 --> 00:07:44.800 So let me ask you to be honest, have you ever thought something like this? 00:07:45.120 --> 00:07:51.759 If I could just make fill-in-the-blank amount of money, I'd finally be secure. 00:07:52.000 --> 00:07:59.680 If I could just get to 50,000 a year, if I could just get to 70, if I could just get to six figures, I would finally be secure. 00:07:59.759 --> 00:08:13.759 Or maybe it's more like if I could just buy the house in that neighborhood, or if I could just drive this make of car, or if I was only made manager at work, or if my 401k hit a certain amount. 00:08:14.000 --> 00:08:15.759 Let me make another observation. 00:08:15.920 --> 00:08:26.160 Most of us have probably thought along those same lines, and if you've thought that way, odds are it's not the first time that you have thought that way. 00:08:26.399 --> 00:08:34.639 And if you've thought that way twice, you've probably thought that way four or five times, which means it's a pattern and it's a common pattern in our life. 00:08:34.879 --> 00:08:36.559 Let me make one more observation. 00:08:36.720 --> 00:08:49.039 If you are in that pattern of thought, odds are your salary today was a benchmark that you thought was going to bring security just a few years ago. 00:08:49.600 --> 00:08:59.360 And so we think if I can just get to 50, but we get to 50 and we adjust our lifestyle to it, and 18 months later, we feel just as broke as we were at 30. 00:08:59.440 --> 00:09:08.879 And so we go, if I could just get to 75, and we get to 75 and we're climbing that ladder, and our lifestyle adjusts to it, and all of a sudden we're still living paycheck to paycheck. 00:09:08.960 --> 00:09:19.440 And if I can just get to, and if I can just get to it, if I can just live here, and if I can just drive this, and if I can just wear this, and we find out that enough is never actually enough. 00:09:20.159 --> 00:09:24.240 There's actually a term for this, it's called the hedonic treadmill. 00:09:24.399 --> 00:09:26.080 The hedonic treadmill. 00:09:26.159 --> 00:09:27.840 Now you know what a treadmill is, right? 00:09:27.919 --> 00:09:30.399 It's the thing that you hang your clothes on, right? 00:09:32.080 --> 00:09:35.840 A treadmill allows you to run while staying put, right? 00:09:36.000 --> 00:09:36.720 You don't go anywhere. 00:09:36.799 --> 00:09:38.639 I do a lot of my running on a treadmill. 00:09:38.720 --> 00:09:40.720 You run, but you stay in place. 00:09:41.039 --> 00:09:45.440 Hedonism is the constant pursuit of more and more pleasure. 00:09:45.600 --> 00:10:00.879 And so the hedonic treadmill is the constant pursuit of more wealth or material goods, thinking it will bring happiness or security, only to adapt quickly to what we have, leaving us craving even more. 00:10:01.440 --> 00:10:10.879 Imagine yourself running on a treadmill, and there is a finish line like you would in a race, and it's right out in front of the treadmill. 00:10:11.039 --> 00:10:12.879 This is what this pattern is like. 00:10:13.120 --> 00:10:14.960 The finish line is security. 00:10:15.120 --> 00:10:18.720 The finish line is going from 50,000 a year to 75,000 a year. 00:10:18.879 --> 00:10:26.320 And you think, man, if I can get to 75, if I can run a little harder and sweat a little bit more and grind a little bit more, then I can get there. 00:10:26.480 --> 00:10:34.480 But you know this: you will never cross that finish line because you're not actually going anywhere. 00:10:34.720 --> 00:10:55.440 You are stuck, and so you run and you run and you work and you grind and you're making movements in your salary, and you're upgrading your houses, and you're driving nicer cars, and you're wearing nicer brands, but you're standing still stuck in the same insecurity that you had when you began. 00:10:56.240 --> 00:10:57.279 This is really tough. 00:10:57.360 --> 00:11:01.120 So you finally buy your dream house, and maybe you had this, you know? 00:11:01.279 --> 00:11:08.879 You grew up in like two bedrooms, you grew up in apartments, and you buy a three-bedroom house, and when you first buy that house, you feel like you bought the Taj Mahal, you know? 00:11:09.039 --> 00:11:11.919 You just sit on the ground like three bedrooms, man. 00:11:12.080 --> 00:11:12.960 This is crazy. 00:11:13.120 --> 00:11:14.960 I got a half bath, you know? 00:11:15.120 --> 00:11:16.080 That's wild. 00:11:16.240 --> 00:11:17.679 Half of a bathroom, you know? 00:11:17.840 --> 00:11:22.159 You grew up with one bathroom, you're like, now I got two bathrooms, and on top of it, I got a half bath. 00:11:22.240 --> 00:11:25.360 All you do is potty in there, no showers, it's a half bath. 00:11:25.600 --> 00:11:27.679 Like, I made it, you know? 00:11:28.000 --> 00:11:29.279 Got a two-car garage? 00:11:29.519 --> 00:11:30.080 Say what? 00:11:30.240 --> 00:11:32.000 Like, this is this is wild. 00:11:32.240 --> 00:11:38.000 And bet in 24 months you will walk in that same house like a little claustrophobic in here, right? 00:11:38.080 --> 00:11:39.120 Like, is this small? 00:11:39.279 --> 00:11:40.559 Did we buy a small house? 00:11:40.720 --> 00:11:43.440 Do I need a three, do I need more garages than two? 00:11:43.519 --> 00:11:45.440 I think I need another, maybe four-car? 00:11:45.919 --> 00:11:49.200 I only have one car, but do I need a three-car garage? 00:11:49.759 --> 00:11:51.679 You just adjust to it, right? 00:11:51.919 --> 00:12:01.519 And smart companies, they market to you this way where you buy the latest and greatest smartphone, and you're always within 12 months of a newer, even smarter phone coming out, you know? 00:12:01.679 --> 00:12:06.960 And they can like zoom their phone all the way to Venus, you know, and you're like, is my camera blurry? 00:12:07.039 --> 00:12:08.080 This is wild, right? 00:12:08.159 --> 00:12:08.960 I need a new phone. 00:12:09.039 --> 00:12:09.919 I haven't paid this one off. 00:12:10.000 --> 00:12:11.200 I need a new phone though, right? 00:12:11.279 --> 00:12:11.840 This is. 00:12:12.000 --> 00:12:21.919 I remember when my oldest was in middle school and uh realizing that they could tell what model iPhone you had in a split second by the camera on the back. 00:12:22.320 --> 00:12:33.440 Everyone looking, everyone comparing, everyone trying to measure up, you're on the hedonic treadmill, and most of us in the West live on this treadmill. 00:12:33.679 --> 00:12:53.600 And we swear the finish line to our significance and security is right on the other side of a little more money, a few more possessions, one more big purchase, but when those upgrades come, as hard as we are running, we're stuck in the same place, stuck in our insecurity. 00:12:54.080 --> 00:13:01.679 We live in a culture of fear, a culture of comparison, and it makes it almost impossible to find contentment. 00:13:01.759 --> 00:13:11.759 And so money and material possessions, far from bringing security, end up creating some of our greatest insecurity. 00:13:12.240 --> 00:13:23.519 You see, we can stack up more and more money, bigger and better possessions, higher and higher tiered status symbols, but the fear and the comparison driving us never goes away. 00:13:23.759 --> 00:13:27.679 Our insecurity is rooted so much deeper than what money can address. 00:13:27.919 --> 00:13:41.759 See, the problem with your higher salary and your bigger house, with your brand new car and your designer goods, it's not the money, it's not the house, it's not the car, it's not the clothes, it's you. 00:13:43.440 --> 00:13:44.320 It's me. 00:13:45.759 --> 00:13:49.600 And wherever we go, there we are. 00:13:50.320 --> 00:14:06.080 And so if you haven't found a solution to the deepest levels of your insecurity, if you haven't rooted your security in something true and lasting and maybe even eternal, then everywhere we go, our lack of security will come with us. 00:14:06.799 --> 00:14:13.200 This is why the great wisdom book of the Old Testament says, anyone trusting in his riches will fall. 00:14:14.080 --> 00:14:17.759 It's the righteous who will flourish like foliage. 00:14:18.080 --> 00:14:22.480 Anyone trusting in their riches will fall. 00:14:22.720 --> 00:14:31.759 All series we have seen that worldly promises to bring us security fall short because insecurity is not a physical problem. 00:14:32.080 --> 00:14:35.360 It cannot be solved by physical or worldly means. 00:14:35.440 --> 00:14:38.159 It is a deeply spiritual problem. 00:14:38.799 --> 00:14:47.519 It goes all the way back to where your insecurity originated from, which is sinful people, broken people existing in a broken world. 00:14:47.600 --> 00:14:54.879 And if our insecurity is at root a spiritual problem, then it requires a spiritual solution. 00:14:55.279 --> 00:15:02.639 If we go to the Christian scriptures, what we call the New Testament, we have two letters that the Apostle Paul wrote to a young church leader named Timothy. 00:15:02.799 --> 00:15:15.919 And in what we call 1 Timothy, he outlines some ideas on money and material possessions that if we really understand them and adopt them into our lives, could bring us the security that we are so desperate for. 00:15:16.080 --> 00:15:30.799 In this section in particular, Paul is calling out false heretical preachers who have shown up in Timothy's congregation and they are spreading all kinds of lies and falsehoods that are against God and against Scripture. 00:15:31.039 --> 00:15:46.000 He's going through a list explaining what these kind of teachers are like, and he gets to the end of that list, and he says that these teachers are the kind of people who imagine that godliness is a way to material gain. 00:15:46.799 --> 00:15:57.200 These are the kind of false teachers and preachers who imagine that godliness is a way to material gain, to money and material possessions. 00:15:57.519 --> 00:16:01.200 This is what we call today the prosperity gospel. 00:16:01.440 --> 00:16:06.639 And Paul says that is a heretical view of the gospel. 00:16:07.039 --> 00:16:18.879 That our godliness, just because you obey enough and you give enough to the church and you attend consistently enough and you're pious enough, that that does not guarantee you health, wealth, and prosperity. 00:16:19.120 --> 00:16:29.679 The false teachers were saying if you can just appear checking all the religious boxes like you are godly enough, then you're gonna get the mansion and the Rolex and the money. 00:16:29.759 --> 00:16:32.399 You're gonna have all that your heart desires. 00:16:32.559 --> 00:16:39.279 And not only is that not in Scripture, it is exactly against many of the teachings of Scripture. 00:16:39.440 --> 00:16:41.360 And so watch what Paul does. 00:16:41.600 --> 00:16:45.440 He takes that idea and he flips it on its head. 00:16:45.679 --> 00:16:56.799 It says these false teachers imagine that godliness is a way to material gain, but godliness with contentment is not material gain. 00:16:57.919 --> 00:16:58.799 It's something deeper. 00:17:00.320 --> 00:17:01.840 It's something that's lasting. 00:17:02.399 --> 00:17:04.319 It's great gain. 00:17:04.960 --> 00:17:09.200 That term, great gain, it's like super abundance. 00:17:09.359 --> 00:17:13.039 It's all that you could ever need or even ask for. 00:17:13.200 --> 00:17:17.119 It's God providing richly for his children. 00:17:17.519 --> 00:17:20.480 Godliness plus contentment. 00:17:20.640 --> 00:17:30.240 It's really interesting because Paul is writing to the known world at that time, and and Greek philosophy and Greek Stoics were very prominent. 00:17:30.319 --> 00:17:31.839 They were putting out lots of writings. 00:17:32.000 --> 00:17:43.279 Paul wrote this letter to Timothy in Greek, Koine Greek, and he used the word for contentment that was like a favorite term amongst the Greek scholars and the pagan philosophers. 00:17:43.440 --> 00:17:45.279 They loved the idea of contentment. 00:17:45.359 --> 00:17:53.680 And what they meant was positioning yourself in life where you could be fully reliant only on yourself. 00:17:54.160 --> 00:18:03.200 Earning enough and getting enough status and enough influence and enough resources where you didn't have to rely on anybody else. 00:18:03.359 --> 00:18:06.319 You were content in and of yourself. 00:18:06.799 --> 00:18:09.920 Paul flips this idea on its head. 00:18:10.160 --> 00:18:14.400 He's saying it's godliness combined with contentment. 00:18:14.559 --> 00:18:34.720 You see, the problem with the Stoics' view of contentment is it puts you right back on the treadmill, trying to earn enough and be enough and garner enough status, and you trying to work your way to self-reliance when we know that you cannot provide your own deep and long-lasting security. 00:18:34.880 --> 00:18:37.119 Instead, he says it's godliness. 00:18:37.279 --> 00:18:44.319 It's not being fully reliant on yourself, it is submitting yourself to God and becoming fully reliant on him. 00:18:45.359 --> 00:19:02.480 And here's what this does that we've seen all series long is it gets your eyes off of you, your possessions, your relationships, this world, and get your eyes up on Jesus and on eternity. 00:19:02.880 --> 00:19:05.519 That's what godliness plus contentment is. 00:19:05.680 --> 00:19:17.039 It's not looking down at what the world can offer you to provide security, it is looking up at what God can provide for you, and God can provide all that you need. 00:19:17.839 --> 00:19:33.279 You see, when we start living with this kind of perspective, what we at Metachurch call a pilgrim's perspective, the daily recognition that this world is actually not your home, that your home is in eternity, that this 80 years is just an investment into the eternal kingdom of God. 00:19:33.440 --> 00:19:38.240 On the other side of this life, it scales your desires. 00:19:38.960 --> 00:19:43.119 It puts your material possessions and money in the correct scope. 00:19:43.440 --> 00:19:47.039 And you begin living with the kind of outlook that Paul had. 00:19:47.279 --> 00:19:54.000 He says, Next, Timothy, remember, we brought nothing into the world and we can take nothing out of the world. 00:19:54.640 --> 00:19:59.279 And so if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these. 00:20:00.720 --> 00:20:02.000 Paul has a different perspective. 00:20:02.160 --> 00:20:16.319 He's saying, in light of the fact that this world is not our home, that our short time on earth is nothing compared to forever with God, in light of that, it's crazy to spend all of your time in comparison to others. 00:20:16.880 --> 00:20:24.319 In light of eternity, it's simply impractical, impractical to be greedy for more and more and more. 00:20:25.599 --> 00:20:31.039 For Paul, he's not looking for the right salary number to hit self-sufficiency. 00:20:31.519 --> 00:20:42.960 Our starting place is that we have enough and we are enough, and our future is secure, not because of us, not because of our money or material possessions, but because of Christ. 00:20:43.759 --> 00:20:48.880 See, Paul lived in the world and the world 2,000 years ago was wrestling with these same impulses. 00:20:49.039 --> 00:20:50.400 He understood it very well. 00:20:50.640 --> 00:20:56.160 He begins to describe the hedonic treadmill, the constant search for more that can never satisfy. 00:20:56.480 --> 00:21:02.559 He says, those who want to be rich, that's their goal. 00:21:02.799 --> 00:21:06.480 That's their purpose, that's their aim, that's what they're living for. 00:21:06.720 --> 00:21:09.519 Above all else, they want to be rich. 00:21:09.839 --> 00:21:13.359 For those people, they fall into temptation. 00:21:13.759 --> 00:21:15.759 They fall into a trap. 00:21:16.240 --> 00:21:23.519 They fall into many foolish and harmful desires which plunge people into ruin and destruction. 00:21:24.960 --> 00:21:32.400 That kind of life where you are constantly looking for money and material possessions to bring you your security, Paul says, it's a trap. 00:21:32.880 --> 00:21:43.519 It's the hedonic treadmill, the culture convincing you to step on board and start running as hard as you can, but it will not get you anywhere. 00:21:45.039 --> 00:21:50.880 And so let's just take a quick introspective check as we continue walking through this letter to Timothy. 00:21:51.680 --> 00:21:55.839 Does your money and your material possessions have you trapped? 00:21:57.759 --> 00:21:59.759 Do you have insecurity that you? 00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:08.960 Have convinced yourself, or the culture has convinced you, or the community around you has convinced you that if you just make a little bit more money, you'll finally be secure. 00:22:09.200 --> 00:22:12.559 If you're finally able to afford the right neighborhood, you'll be secure. 00:22:12.720 --> 00:22:15.200 If you can just get a new car, you'll be secure. 00:22:15.440 --> 00:22:17.359 Have you bought into those lies? 00:22:17.519 --> 00:22:19.839 Have you fallen into the trap? 00:22:19.920 --> 00:22:34.960 It could be painful to admit that that's where we're at, that we're running like hell on this treadmill and not getting anywhere, and we know that's true because we thought at 25k a year that if we got to 50, our problems would be solved, but we're at 50 and we think it won't happen till 100. 00:22:36.079 --> 00:22:37.119 Are we on the trap? 00:22:37.200 --> 00:22:39.599 It can be painful, but we have to address reality. 00:22:39.759 --> 00:22:45.119 And once we bring reality into God's light, he can do miracles with it. 00:22:45.759 --> 00:22:47.039 And so what do we do? 00:22:47.279 --> 00:22:53.119 Because your life matters too much to be stuck on this trap, to be stuck on this loop. 00:22:53.440 --> 00:22:58.480 It matters too much to God, it matters too much to your family, it matters too much to your community. 00:22:58.720 --> 00:23:03.200 You matter too much to this movement here at Metachurch. 00:23:04.160 --> 00:23:13.759 The world needs the people of God walking confidently in full security that comes not from this world, but from who we are in Christ. 00:23:14.640 --> 00:23:20.559 The world needs secure Christians to live on purpose and with purpose. 00:23:21.440 --> 00:23:23.119 And so, what do we do about this? 00:23:23.279 --> 00:23:23.839 You know? 00:23:24.160 --> 00:23:28.880 Because one set of solutions is, you know, if if money is the problem, let's just let's get it all out. 00:23:28.960 --> 00:23:34.880 Let's go to the banks, let's clear out our money, let's get some gasoline, let's get a burn pit, let's get some matches, let's light it up. 00:23:35.039 --> 00:23:36.079 Is that the problem? 00:23:36.319 --> 00:23:38.400 What are we actually supposed to do? 00:23:38.559 --> 00:23:41.599 Paul's gonna share his perspective on money. 00:23:41.839 --> 00:23:48.480 He says, for the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. 00:23:49.359 --> 00:23:57.519 Now, how many of you thought that that verse says, money is the root of all evil? 00:23:58.000 --> 00:24:07.839 One of my grandmas growing up had a little framed saying on one of her walls, and it said, money is the root of all evil. 00:24:09.119 --> 00:24:21.119 If that's true, if it's the actual money, if it's the paper bills and the metal coins, which I mean none of you carry, the numbers on the app that you pull up on your phone. 00:24:21.279 --> 00:24:24.160 If the money's the problem, I have a solution. 00:24:24.400 --> 00:24:33.200 Let's let's go to the bank, stay open tomorrow, let's let's pull out all the money, let's get a burn pill, let's get some gasoline, let's get some matches, we can take care of the money. 00:24:34.160 --> 00:24:35.680 Is that the solution? 00:24:36.079 --> 00:24:41.039 Says, for the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. 00:24:42.400 --> 00:24:46.000 It's about your aim, it's about your purpose, it's about your intention. 00:24:46.799 --> 00:24:50.400 Those who want to be rich fall into a trap. 00:24:50.559 --> 00:24:53.680 That's their highest aim, their greatest purpose. 00:24:53.759 --> 00:24:56.000 That's what their life is aimed at. 00:24:56.319 --> 00:25:00.160 The love of money, it's a root of all kinds of evil. 00:25:00.960 --> 00:25:07.200 The way that the love of money represents itself is different in different people's lives, but none of it produces good. 00:25:07.759 --> 00:25:20.079 And for all of us, when our security is found in our money, it will drive us into insecurity, which will sabotage the significant life that God has created for us to live. 00:25:20.319 --> 00:25:32.160 Verse 10: the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and by craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and have pierced themselves with many griefs. 00:25:32.400 --> 00:25:33.920 And so, what are we supposed to do? 00:25:34.160 --> 00:25:38.559 Because there's kind of two spectrums to this of misguided teaching. 00:25:38.640 --> 00:25:41.200 And one side we've seen it's the prosperity gospel. 00:25:41.359 --> 00:25:47.599 And if you just give enough and attend enough and are faithful enough and pray enough and read your Bible enough, then you know, God will just give you everything that you want. 00:25:47.759 --> 00:25:50.880 You'll you'll stack paper on paper on paper, you'll have it all. 00:25:51.279 --> 00:26:02.160 The other side of the spectrum is the poverty gospel, which is if you have anything, if you own anything, if you have money in the bank, then you are inherently giving into evil. 00:26:02.480 --> 00:26:04.400 Now I want to say something very clearly. 00:26:04.559 --> 00:26:15.519 Throughout time and even today, God does ask people to take a vow of poverty, to rescind themselves of all of their material possessions, commit themselves solely to the Lord. 00:26:15.680 --> 00:26:17.839 God asks people to do all kinds of things. 00:26:18.079 --> 00:26:32.400 As I read scripture, I don't believe that's normative, but it's not a bad exercise to ask yourself if Jesus asked you to take a vow of poverty, how would you feel about it? 00:26:34.960 --> 00:26:42.720 That might be diagnostic of what kind of a hold your money and material possessions have on your life. 00:26:43.039 --> 00:26:47.039 If he asked you to walk away from it, could you? 00:26:48.160 --> 00:26:51.839 Do you own your money or does your money own you? 00:26:52.720 --> 00:26:57.440 Do you own your possessions or do your possessions own you? 00:26:58.480 --> 00:27:04.319 See, Paul isn't saying that inherently to be a Christian you cannot have wealth. 00:27:04.480 --> 00:27:13.599 We know that because in the same chapter in verse 17, he says this to Timothy instruct those who are rich in this present age. 00:27:13.759 --> 00:27:14.559 And that's important. 00:27:14.720 --> 00:27:17.440 See, Paul's always living with eternity in view. 00:27:17.599 --> 00:27:31.599 And so for Paul, you can be at the very bottom rung of the socioeconomic ladder and be the trillionaire in eternity, because everything you have, you give to the Lord and you live every day to serve and build his kingdom. 00:27:31.759 --> 00:27:33.039 So he makes a distinction. 00:27:33.119 --> 00:27:37.039 He's like, I'm not talking about who has the most jewels in their crown in heaven. 00:27:37.200 --> 00:27:54.480 Those who are rich, right now, to not be arrogant, to not set their hope on the uncertainty of wealth, but to set their hope on God, who richly provides us with all things to enjoy. 00:27:56.000 --> 00:28:14.559 You see, if you leave a biblical sermon on money and material possessions, and you leave thinking that you should now feel guilty for the things that you have, either someone has not preached the full scope of what the Bible says, or you are leaning into unnecessary guilt. 00:28:15.119 --> 00:28:28.640 See, you hear about being generous and not having money own you, and we have such a guilt complex in the West these days, anyway, as you're walking out to your car and you're like remote starting it so you get some air conditioner when you get in there, and you get in and you feel so bad, you're like, you know what? 00:28:28.960 --> 00:28:30.559 We're driving home without the AC. 00:28:30.640 --> 00:28:31.759 We don't deserve it really. 00:28:31.920 --> 00:28:33.039 We don't deserve it. 00:28:33.200 --> 00:28:34.960 I, you know, I'm just gonna crash the car. 00:28:35.039 --> 00:28:35.440 I don't know. 00:28:35.519 --> 00:28:36.319 I don't need it. 00:28:36.480 --> 00:28:39.359 Just just throwing money out the window, you know? 00:28:39.599 --> 00:28:44.799 Woe is me and all of my God gives it to us to enjoy. 00:28:46.480 --> 00:28:47.359 It's okay. 00:28:47.519 --> 00:28:49.200 It's okay you have a house. 00:28:50.559 --> 00:28:55.599 Is your house a source of blessing for you and those in community with you? 00:28:56.079 --> 00:29:02.640 Is it useful for raising up your family and building the next generation and inviting people in and building the kingdom of God? 00:29:02.960 --> 00:29:10.559 Or is it a source of comparison and insecurity because it's never big enough and it's never clean enough and it's not in the right neighborhood? 00:29:10.880 --> 00:29:14.240 Do you own your house, even if you rent it? 00:29:14.559 --> 00:29:19.200 Do you have ownership of it, or does it have ownership of you? 00:29:20.799 --> 00:29:25.200 God has given us these things to enjoy, to use. 00:29:25.920 --> 00:29:31.200 And when you have the correct perspective, then he says, tell those who are rich. 00:29:31.440 --> 00:29:35.279 Like, use it, enjoy it, be fruitful. 00:29:35.920 --> 00:29:50.559 When you have a proper perspective, and when your security comes not from your money and material possessions, but from Jesus and Jesus alone, then your money and material possessions become fuel on the fire of the purpose that God has placed inside of you. 00:29:50.799 --> 00:30:00.720 When you're looking for your security in your money and material possessions, then they become sources of insecurity that keep you from living a life on purpose and with purpose. 00:30:01.200 --> 00:30:09.599 Now, here's my concern: is Paul told Timothy, instruct those who are rich right now on earth. 00:30:09.920 --> 00:30:14.960 And like a hundred percent of you were like, I'm sure this is great, it just doesn't apply to me. 00:30:15.200 --> 00:30:25.359 If this is instruction for those who are rich, then I'm gonna take like a six-minute daydream, and then I'll just scoop back in when Pastor starts talking about normal people, you know? 00:30:27.200 --> 00:30:30.400 And that's me, you know, I never feel rich. 00:30:30.640 --> 00:30:35.920 And all of us have friends that are like richer than us, and we live in a culture that's constantly comparing. 00:30:36.079 --> 00:30:40.799 And so, you know, you make 50k, but your friend makes 150k, and they're your rich friend, right? 00:30:40.960 --> 00:30:48.400 But what you don't realize is your friend who makes 150K has a friend who makes 450K, and they never feel rich because they have a rich friend. 00:30:48.559 --> 00:30:50.480 And so let's just get down to brass tacks. 00:30:50.720 --> 00:30:52.799 Are we rich? 00:30:53.119 --> 00:30:56.799 Paul is writing this almost 2,000 years ago. 00:30:57.440 --> 00:31:04.160 And here's a fact: you may not believe this, but if you read ancient history, you would come to this conclusion as well. 00:31:04.480 --> 00:31:13.680 If there were a time machine, you would not trade places with the wealthiest person on planet Earth in Paul's day. 00:31:13.920 --> 00:31:19.119 You would not trade places with the kings and queens of the ancient world. 00:31:19.359 --> 00:31:21.759 Their lives were so difficult. 00:31:22.240 --> 00:31:25.920 We live with so much convenience and so much affluence. 00:31:26.319 --> 00:31:31.519 You also have to understand that God is not like the American God. 00:31:32.000 --> 00:31:34.480 God is not like the Texas God. 00:31:35.200 --> 00:31:38.880 He is Yahweh, the creator and sustainer of the whole world. 00:31:39.599 --> 00:31:43.599 The average income in San Antonio is right at$50,000 a year. 00:31:43.680 --> 00:31:46.079 You may make more than that, you may make less than that. 00:31:46.319 --> 00:31:54.880 But if you make$50,000 a year, you are richer than 98.1% of the global population. 00:31:57.039 --> 00:32:00.480 I say that to remind you we're gonna stand before God someday. 00:32:00.559 --> 00:32:05.839 And if your excuse was like, I just did I didn't really have enough money to do much for your kingdom. 00:32:06.640 --> 00:32:14.880 That excuse will fall flat because at 50k you have more money than 98.1% of the earth. 00:32:14.960 --> 00:32:19.279 At 30,000 a year, you have more money than 97% of people on earth. 00:32:19.599 --> 00:32:30.720 We are unbelievably wealthy, we're unbelievably affluent, and we don't know it because we're running hard and we're not making any progress. 00:32:31.599 --> 00:32:39.440 We're stuck on a treadmill trying to run the race, wondering why it never satisfies. 00:32:40.400 --> 00:32:44.160 Paul gives more instruction, and since now you know that you're rich, you can listen up. 00:32:44.319 --> 00:32:48.880 It says, instruct those who are rich to do what is good. 00:32:49.680 --> 00:32:52.720 To be rich in good works. 00:32:54.960 --> 00:33:03.359 What if you started measuring your wealth, not by your 401k, but by how many righteous good works you did that day? 00:33:04.319 --> 00:33:07.839 Instruct them to be generous and willing to share. 00:33:08.400 --> 00:33:19.039 And if you do this, you will be storing up treasure as a good foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of what is truly life. 00:33:19.920 --> 00:33:22.640 Paul lived every day with his eyes on eternity. 00:33:23.039 --> 00:33:25.680 To him, that was the realest reality. 00:33:25.839 --> 00:33:32.079 And if you want to live your most powerful life today, then you will work to make eternity your realest reality. 00:33:33.119 --> 00:33:40.640 And that makes this time on earth an opportunity for investment into the kingdom that is to come. 00:33:41.119 --> 00:33:45.359 Storing up a foundation for yourself in the coming age. 00:33:45.599 --> 00:33:53.519 If you are rich in this present age, God has given you a lot, He's given you resources, He expects you to enjoy them, but you cannot enjoy them while you're living in insecurity. 00:33:54.640 --> 00:33:56.960 Here's what Paul wrote to the church in Corinth. 00:33:57.119 --> 00:34:03.440 He said, Don't you know that the runners in a stadium all race, but only one receives the prize. 00:34:03.519 --> 00:34:06.640 So run in such a way to win. 00:34:06.880 --> 00:34:16.400 This is a metaphor that Paul used consistently that this life is like a marathon, and we are to run it well, and we are to keep our eyes on the finish line. 00:34:16.559 --> 00:34:21.679 And Paul said, the finish line is Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. 00:34:21.840 --> 00:34:30.880 We keep our eyes on him, we find our security in him, we find our value and worth by looking at a cross that he took for us. 00:34:31.199 --> 00:34:41.679 You were valuable enough to the God of the universe that he came down into our brokenness and exchanged his perfect life for your broken and sinful life. 00:34:41.840 --> 00:34:45.519 We find our worth and value by keeping our eyes on him. 00:34:46.159 --> 00:34:48.480 He can offer true security. 00:34:48.719 --> 00:34:51.679 He can even offer you life after death. 00:34:51.760 --> 00:34:55.760 And he proved that by walking out of his own tomb. 00:34:56.320 --> 00:35:01.679 We find our security by looking at Jesus, who he is, and what he has done. 00:35:02.079 --> 00:35:07.519 You see, the problem is Paul's saying, run the race to finish well. 00:35:09.360 --> 00:35:14.239 But you will never get to the finish line if you're running on a treadmill. 00:35:14.639 --> 00:35:21.679 It's like everyone on your marks, and everybody on the West just like steps off the line and onto a treadmill and is like, let's do this. 00:35:22.880 --> 00:35:30.480 I know you're working, I know you're grinding, I know you've got goals, and you think that next financial goal is gonna finally bring you security, and I know you're sweating. 00:35:30.559 --> 00:35:32.400 Woo, we sweat over our finances, right? 00:35:32.559 --> 00:35:34.239 I know you are after it. 00:35:35.440 --> 00:35:37.519 But what if you looked to Jesus? 00:35:38.480 --> 00:35:40.639 And what if you got off the treadmill? 00:35:42.079 --> 00:35:45.119 And what if your running actually took you places? 00:35:47.519 --> 00:36:04.320 I can't tell you how many people following the path of Jesus, which requires the highest levels of integrity, the highest levels of charity, the highest levels of generosity, who give up a lot of money, who give away a lot of money, who refuse to take shortcuts. 00:36:04.480 --> 00:36:10.800 And in the short run, maybe they don't live even as financially prosperous of a life, but they live a secure life. 00:36:12.639 --> 00:36:17.360 And a secure life is a life that money simply cannot buy you. 00:36:17.519 --> 00:36:24.960 Here's what Jesus said Don't store up for yourself treasures on earth where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. 00:36:25.119 --> 00:36:32.639 Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 00:36:32.800 --> 00:36:37.440 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 00:36:39.039 --> 00:36:41.199 Your insecurity is rooted in sin. 00:36:41.519 --> 00:36:49.679 And until you find someone who can solve that problem, you will continually be searching for security until the day that you die. 00:36:50.800 --> 00:36:53.519 Jesus wants your heart. 00:36:54.159 --> 00:36:59.599 And when your eyes are on Jesus, you are storing up treasures in eternity. 00:36:59.760 --> 00:37:01.440 Your heart is with Jesus. 00:37:01.599 --> 00:37:08.639 Jesus can solve the problem of insecurity, not moment by moment, but once and for all. 00:37:09.440 --> 00:37:13.519 All the money in the world cannot buy what Jesus offers you. 00:37:13.679 --> 00:37:17.679 Here's how Jesus' close friend Peter described it in a letter that he wrote. 00:37:17.920 --> 00:37:29.599 Peter wrote, For you know that you were redeemed from your empty way of life, inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold. 00:37:30.400 --> 00:37:37.039 You were redeemed with the precious blood of Christ, like that of an unblemished and spotless lamb. 00:37:37.360 --> 00:37:53.920 The hedonic treadmill, that is an empty way of life, inherited from our ancestors, inherited from our culture, inherited from what is shown to us all around us all the time, and probably even in your own family. 00:37:54.239 --> 00:38:04.559 Just trying to get a little bit more and a little bit more and a little bit more, never stopping to realize that enough will never be enough. 00:38:05.599 --> 00:38:09.519 What silver and gold cannot afford you, the blood of Jesus can. 00:38:56.159 --> 00:39:12.960 Paul said to the Romans, For I am persuaded that neither death or life, angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 00:39:13.119 --> 00:39:23.840 You realize when you were little, you lived in security that came from someone who loved you for most people, a mom and dad. 00:39:24.719 --> 00:39:32.880 And the only one who can offer you an experience in security is a relationship with your Heavenly Father. 00:39:33.199 --> 00:39:39.039 And your Heavenly Father, he owns it all, he has it all, he sees your needs. 00:39:39.360 --> 00:39:41.840 And if you trust him, he will provide. 00:39:42.559 --> 00:39:43.280 Let's pray. 00:39:43.920 --> 00:39:51.039 Right where you're at, if you would just bow your head and close your eyes, we like to close service with a little time for reflection. 00:39:52.320 --> 00:39:54.960 We come here to get brutally honest. 00:39:57.679 --> 00:40:02.000 The things that are hidden in our life are often destroying us from the inside out. 00:40:02.159 --> 00:40:08.079 And scripture says Jesus stands at the door and he knocks, and he knocks, and he knocks. 00:40:08.400 --> 00:40:13.840 And he allows you to decide whether you're gonna open up, let him in, expose what's real. 00:40:14.320 --> 00:40:21.679 And if you will, if you'll get brutally honest, bring things into the light of God, you have a real chance at redeeming those things. 00:40:23.440 --> 00:40:24.639 And so let's get honest. 00:40:28.239 --> 00:40:30.239 What are you looking for security in? 00:40:31.840 --> 00:40:38.880 What are you convinced monetarily will finally bring you contentment if I just make this much money? 00:40:39.119 --> 00:40:46.480 If I can just build a house in this neighborhood, if I can finally lease a new car, if I can finally wear these brands, then I will be secure. 00:40:46.559 --> 00:40:51.119 I'll be secure in who I am, I'll be secure in what I'm doing, I'll have confidence. 00:40:53.679 --> 00:40:59.760 And if you're really honest and you've lived a long enough life, you know you've thought that before. 00:41:01.440 --> 00:41:04.079 It was a lie then, and it is a lie now. 00:41:05.199 --> 00:41:08.480 Money cannot bear the weight of your security. 00:41:09.760 --> 00:41:13.920 Your material possessions cannot bear the weight of your confidence. 00:41:15.199 --> 00:41:17.599 True security comes from Christ. 00:41:19.920 --> 00:41:24.960 And I wonder if there's anyone here today who has not taken the first step toward security. 00:41:25.039 --> 00:41:28.400 And the first step is a relationship with Jesus. 00:41:29.039 --> 00:41:34.320 You see, we all have an ultimate problem that is driving our insecurity, and that's the problem of sin. 00:41:34.639 --> 00:41:37.039