The sermon closes out a series on 1 Timothy by turning to Paul's charge to the rich in 1 Timothy 6:17-21. The preacher frames the passage against the backdrop of Jesus' parable of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16, using the stark contrast between the two men's fortunes in this life and the next to illustrate Paul's central concern: how believers who possess wealth in "this present age" ought to relate to it in light of the "future age" that is to come. The sermon argues that the phrase "in this present age" is deliberately eschatological — it signals that the present order of things is temporary and will give way to an eternal state in which the true value of a life is revealed. Lazarus, destitute in this age, is carried to Abraham's side; the rich man, sumptuously clothed and feasted in this age, finds himself in torment, unable even to secure a drop of water. The sermon insists this reversal is not a blanket condemnation of wealth as such — Scripture nowhere teaches that riches are inherently sinful — but a warning about where the rich man had set his hope. From this framework the sermon draws three lessons Paul presses on the wealthy.

The first lesson is that believers must not be proud of having money. Paul instructs the rich "not to be haughty" (1 Timothy 6:17), and the sermon connects this to Jesus' question in Mark 8:36, "For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?" The sermon works through the logic of this text carefully: taken alone, the first half of the question would suggest worldly gain is profitable, since money genuinely purchases comfort, security, and even good things like education and healthcare. But Jesus weighs the whole world against a single soul, and the sermon presses the congregation to see that no accumulation of wealth in this present age can outweigh eternal loss. Since all people, rich and poor alike, stand equally condemned by sin and are equally offered salvation by grace, no earthly asset can ground a Christian's boasting; the only proper boast is in belonging to Christ.

The second lesson is that believers must not put their trust in money, because, as Paul writes, riches are uncertain (1 Timothy 6:17). The sermon develops this at length, walking through scenarios of market crashes, currency collapse, and even the failure of nations, to argue that wealth can never be made fully secure, no matter how it is diversified or protected — echoing Jesus' teaching in Matthew 6:19-21 that treasures on earth are subject to moth, rust, and thieves. The positive counterpart to this warning is trust in God, "who richly provides us with everything to enjoy" (1 Timothy 6:17). The sermon appeals to Jesus' teaching on the birds of the air, who neither sow nor reap yet are fed by the heavenly Father, to argue that God's providential care, not financial security, is the proper ground of a believer's confidence — for oneself, one's children, and one's future.

The third and climactic lesson is that believers must not hoard money but must be generous, doing good, being "rich in good works," and "ready to share" (1 Timothy 6:18). The sermon frames generosity as a diagnostic test: it reveals whether money functions as a servant or a master, and whether the heart truly treasures God above wealth, much as the rich young ruler's refusal to sell his possessions exposed his divided allegiance. The sermon draws on Acts 4, where the early church's generosity ensured no one among them lacked, to show how money rightly used becomes an instrument of gospel witness. Crucially, generosity does not purchase salvation; eternal life remains a free gift, received only through grace. Rather, having received that gift, believers are transformed to give as they have been given to, "storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future" (1 Timothy 6:19) — an imperishable inheritance contrasted with the fragility of earthly wealth. The sermon closes by urging the congregation to set aside a portion of what they have for the needy, to pray for opportunities and readiness to give, and to hold their possessions loosely as those whose true home and true riches lie beyond this present age.

Bible Verses Used

• 1 Timothy 6:17-21: The sermon's main text, in which Paul instructs the rich not to be haughty, not to trust in uncertain riches, and to be generous, storing up treasure for the future age.

• Luke 16:19-31: The parable of the rich man and Lazarus frames the sermon's argument that present wealth and poverty are reversed in eternity based on one's relationship to God.

• Mark 8:36: Jesus' question about gaining the world yet forfeiting one's soul is used to argue that no amount of wealth outweighs eternal loss, grounding the call not to be proud of riches.

• Matthew 6:19-21: Jesus' warning against treasures on earth subject to moth, rust, and thieves reinforces Paul's teaching that riches are uncertain and unworthy of trust.

• Acts 4:32-35: The early church's generosity toward the needy illustrates how money rightly stewarded becomes a tool for good works and gospel witness.