IDEA: We can deal with covetousness when we take the focus off the present age and focus on the age to come.
TEXT: "You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s" (Exodus 20:17).
"You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife; and you shall not desire your neighbor’s house, his field, his male servant, his female servant, his ox, his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s" (Deuteronomy 5:21).
PURPOSE: To help listeners understand how a shift in attitude can change the direction of their lives.
Suppose you took seriously what the tenth commandment is saying. If you were speaking to a Christian who was wealthy, what counsel might you give that person as far as his or her wealth is concerned?
I. We might think that it would be good for that person to take a vow of poverty.
It is easy to assume that poor people, because they are poor, are closer to God than are rich people.
Although there is some truth in that, it’s a half-truth, and therefore an untruth.
II. Paul gives counsel to wealthy Christians.
"Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life" (1 Timothy 6:17).
Paul tells wealthy people two things they are not to do.
They are not to be haughty or arrogant. Why?
They are not to trust in uncertain riches. Why?
Paul gives the wealthy people some positive things to do.
They are to put their hope in the living God who provides richly all things to enjoy. Paul is not against our enjoyment of life.
They are to do good.
They are to be rich in good deeds and be generous and willing to share.
III. Wealthy people, like all of us, are to invest what is temporal in what is eternal. In this way they will lay up treasures in heaven.
People with wealth often focus on the present world (v. 17) and try to lay up investments that will keep them secure. But these people are to lay up investments for the coming age so that they can take hold of that which is eternal.
We sometimes think that the "good life" comes from wealth and being able to spend it. But the good life comes in having wealth and investing in people who are eternal.