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The Dangers of Poverty and Prosperity
Proverbs 30:1-9
I have a comfortable flat, a 7-seater car; I can buy new clothes, eat out sometimes, and can travel for leisure. I can also buy things beyond just necessities. I’m rich and not poor at all. Yes, others are richer. They have bigger flats, posher cars, finer clothes, and eat at fancier restaurants. So if I’m rich, they’re richer. Now, why do I say we’re rich? Because the truly poor don’t own their homes. They have used clothes. They may eat the same food every day if they can eat. And they can’t travel. So in Singapore - and in this congregation - there may be a few who are poor - but hardly. Most of us are rich and very rich. But the problem is this - we don’t think riches are dangerous. We may even deny our prosperity - especially when we compare.
Have you ever considered how the first commandment and the last are two sides of the same coin? When we don’t truly honor God, we won’t be satisfied with him or his provision. So the prayer in this passage is a prayer for satisfaction. We’re not sure who Agur was. Verse 1 says he was the son of Jakeh. He wrote these words to Ithiel and Ucal whom we know less about. But his prayer concerned poverty and prosperity. He wanted spiritual prosperity and a satisfactory provision.
Solomon incorporated these wise proverbs into his and we can see why. Agur was spiritual and had spiritual desires. He was humble. In verse 2, he acknowledged he was sinful and unwise - that he was more foolish than other men. But he was worshipful. In verses 4-5, he acknowledged the power of God. He believed in God and trusted him. And he knew the shortness of his life, verse 7 - he’d die one day. But before that happened, he prayed to be a spiritual man. So what can we learn from this humble, worshipful, faithful, thoughtful, and prayerful man? We can learn 2 things: Firstly, his holy perspective on spiritual and material poverty and prosperity. Secondly, his holy fear of not loving God.
Firstly, we learn his holy perspective on spiritual and material poverty and prosperity. He said in verses 7-8 - “Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die. Remove far from me vanity and lies” Many people don’t have this perspective - including Christians. Many find their happiness and security in what they have. That’s why the prosperity gospel is so popular - serving God for material blessings - and this ultimately shows what we worship - money. It’s a paganized Christianity. But Agur feared money. He knew its danger and he knew what was more important. That’s why he begged God for 2 things - remove vanity and lies and give me neither poverty nor riches. Now, we may ask why only 2 things? Remember, these 2 things cover all prayers - sustain me spiritually and physically.
The first prayer shows his desire for a holy condition. He said in verse 8 - “remove far from me vanity and lies.” The word “vanity” is a different “vanity” from Ecclesiastes. That “vanity” means frustration; this “vanity” refers to falsehood and lies - like the third commandment - “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord in vain.” You shall not use it falsely, worthlessly, emptily. The word “lies” refers to the twisting of the truth - like the lies of the false prophets. So Agur desperately wanted God to remove from him a life which is falsely lived. Before he died, he wanted a meaningful and holy life - to be rescued from the lies of wealth and poverty to trust God. When Satan tempted Eve - he lied to make her think God was not good - that his gifts were inferior. Her work was easy in the garden. She ate all kinds of fruit. She had a loving companion. She talked to God daily. There was no lack. But Satan made her think the garden and God were not good enough. He caused dissatisfaction. This is what Agur was afraid of. “I beg you, O God, before I die, at least let me trust that you’re good - that your provisions are good, that you’re enough; that I won’t believe the lies of the devil.” He wanted spiritual prosperity.
And that’s why he desired average circumstances; “give me neither poverty nor riches.” Now, riches are not bad. 1 Timothy 6:17 says that the living God gives us richly all things to enjoy. Poverty is also not bad. James 2:5 says, “hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom he hath promised to them that love him?” But this was the problem. Riches lie to the rich person that God’s not necessary; or worse, God’s pleased with you because he’s given you riches. Riches are like steroids. They suppress certain illnesses that give the appearance of health. Riches suppress discontentment but don’t actually address it. Riches lie. Similarly, poverty also lies. God’s no help - he doesn’t provide; he’s not happy with me - that’s why I’m poor. So don’t follow him - his laws can’t be kept! Steal! Complain! So knowing the extremes, Agur asked for average circumstances. And many Christians don’t ask for this. Yes, riches aren't bad. Abraham was rich and loved God. Job was rich and he loved God. Melchizedek was a priest and king - receiving tithes. But dearly beloved, we’re not Abraham, Job, or Melchizedek. They pursued God first. Seek ye first! But 1 Timothy 6 tells us that riches can be a snare. Those who long to be rich, fall into temptation; they’re trapped by their foolish and harmful desires. These lusts plunge people into ruin and destruction. Delilah was tempted by money. She destroyed Samson to get rich. Her lust for money and his lust for her destroyed them. Gehazi, the servant of Elisha, lied to get money from Naaman. He and his family became lepers. Judas did it for money. But when his 30 pieces of silver couldn’t ease his conscience, he hanged himself. Ananias and Sapphira wanted a generous reputation without being generous. They were judged. JC Ryle said that money is the most unsatisfying possession. So Satan’s lies are that riches can make one happier than God can.
To be sure, poverty’s also not bad. It’s good for the soul. James asked - “Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?” Poverty encourages faith. Paul said in Philippians 4 he learned to be content in whatever state he was in. He could live with nothing or with everything. He could be hungry or full. Paul knew how to be rich and poor. Both were fine. God was still good. When Job lost all things, he said, the Lord giveth, the Lord taketh away, blessed be the name of the Lord. But we’re not Paul, neither are we Job. There are those who because of poverty have stolen. There are those who are dissatisfied who steal - like Achan. The lie of poverty is this - that God is not good. Knowing the snare of prosperity, it’s right for some of us to pray - give me not riches. We pray often enough, give me not poverty. But do we pray give me not riches? And that’s a test of your spiritual desires. Being average is good. It cultivates contentment. And we must realize that middle class in Singapore is rich. Have you believed the lie that you’re not rich? Do you have a roof over your head? Can you buy new clothes? Can you eat out sometimes? Can you buy things beyond necessities? Can you travel? You’re not poor or average - you’re rich. But are you content?
And that’s why we ought to pray in verse 8 - “feed me with food convenient for me.” If we want to be spiritual before we die; this is something we must beg from God - that we’d be average and satisfied with a daily provision. That’s what the NIV says - give me only my daily bread. Or the ESV - feed me with the food that is needful for me. I like the NLT where it says - give me just enough to satisfy my needs. The picture we get from the Hebrew is even better. The verb translated as “feed” is literally tear - as in tear bread in portions and distribute it for my needs. Agur’s prayer is Christ’s model prayer - give us this day our daily bread. And both these prayers - Proverbs 30 and the Lord’s Prayer - are bold demands for God to give our rightful portion. Give us. Feed me. They’re bold. And this must lead to a perspective change. We think it’s bold to ask God for more money. That’s not hard for him at all! He owns the cattle on a thousand hills! But it’s even bolder to ask God for a heart change - that we’d be satisfied with whatever he promised to provide us in body and soul. It’s a perspective change - I reject the devil’s lie that average is not enough! I reject the devil’s lie that more is better! I boldly beg God for a spiritual perspective that daily provision is best! He begged God for a holy perspective on spiritual and material prosperity.
But secondly, he begged God because he had a holy fear of not loving God. When he prayed to be neither rich nor poor, it was for specific reasons. Verse 9 - if he was full, meaning rich, then he might deny or neglect the LORD. He feared apostasy. And that was Moses’ fear. When Israel was at the end of their exodus, he prepared them to enter Canaan. There, they’d have wells they didn’t dig; vineyards they didn’t plant; olive groves they didn’t cultivate; and cities they didn’t build. Moses feared they’d deny God. Because already in the wilderness they complained - they had manna they didn’t produce, water from the rock, clothes that didn’t need patching - but they complained and wanted to return to Egypt. Moses feared that it’d be even worse in Canaan - they’d forget God when they were rich. Deuteronomy 8:12-14,17 - “Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein; and when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied; then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the LORD thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage…And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth.” Dearly beloved, money can do that. This should be our very real fear. Israel did apostatize. They forgot the LORD and worshiped idols. Jesus said, you can’t serve God and mammon. He used the example of money many times. The rich young ruler went away sorrowing. It’s easier for a camel to enter the eye of a needle than a rich man to enter heaven. You see, the first and tenth commandment are bookends. If you serve God, you use money well. If you serve money, you have no use of God. You will serve one and hate the other.
Agur also feared discontentment - “lest I be poor, and steal.” Of course he’s speaking about real poverty - about destitution - the kind Naomi and Ruth experienced. Friends, I don’t know your circumstances; but I’d say this boldly - none of you are truly poor. Many of us have not experienced poverty like that. In Washington DC there was an exclusive school attended by children of politicians and judges. Asked to write an essay on poverty, one little girl of a junior politician started her piece with: “Once there was a poor little girl. Her father was poor, her mother was poor, her nanny was poor, her maids were poor, her butler was poor, her chauffeur was poor. In fact, everybody in the house was very, very poor.” That’s not poverty. Poverty is when you have to decide whether to pay rent or buy food, go to the doctor or buy books for the children, walk to school or send the child to work. Those kinds of choices are marks of destitution and poverty. This is something we should fear - but in the case of many Singaporean churches, it’s sad that I’ve to substitute the word “discontentment” for “destitution.” You know, there are those who thirst for the word of God in parts of the world, but have no money to buy the Bible; we have many Bibles and apps but don’t read them. Many desire to worship God in church, but can’t afford the money for transport; while many of us begrudge not having parking in church. But I better not say so much here. But this was not the attitude of the Psalmist. “To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary. Because thy lovingkindness is better than life…”
And Agur most of all feared blasphemy. He feared that he would take the name of his God in vain. His greatest fear was not being rich or poor; his greatest fear was that riches and poverty would cause him to believe in lies. He feared that he would believe the lies and blaspheme God. Like Naomi - “I went out full, I came back empty. The Lord has dealt very bitterly with me.” On the other hand, Job lost everything, eventually without property, living at the city’s garbage dump for food. His wife urged him to curse God and die. But Job knew better - “the Lord gives and takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord.” And even though he didn’t understand everything, he knew he had a redeemer. You know why? Vanity and lies were removed far from him. He knew he had a redeemer.
Dearly beloved, how can you apply this sermon? And why this sermon? I have been concerned with several things in the past few years I have been here. I love the fellowship here and the desire that the church has for godliness. But I am also concerned. Whether young or old - in the wealth that we have, your ability for spare cash and allowances, your access to paid internet and mobile devices, your freedom to travel and eat out and even party - you have opened yourselves to much temptation and you have ensnared yourselves. You’re living in sin. Why? Because you have the opportunity to carry out your sin. You have spare income, and it has caused tensions at home how to spend it. Buy another property, invest here and there - these are rich people’s problems. And it has caused dissatisfaction. And also, those of you who are less well off - you have compared and found yourself angry. You are controlled in your hearts by envy and bitterness. But last week, we have come away from the Lord’s Supper vowing in our hearts to deal with your sins, did we not? We had contemplated on the Lord’s Supper as a reminder that we are headed to the better marriage supper of the Lamb - that this world is not our home. Perhaps the Lord will use this word to make you ask the difficult questions in your lives - to wean yourselves from the world.
And this is where the rubber meets the road. What can you do? Obviously, pray as Agur prayed. Do you dare pray for average circumstances? Maybe you don’t know the dangers of wealth. When you have a spiritual perspective, and you are truly spiritual, you will use money well because you love God. Consider also if our church a place where destitute people can find a home? Will they be welcomed, helped, cared for? How about the poor believers in other countries?! We who have so much can give - yes, responsibly and wisely, but also with loving hearts. But if we love the poor, are we giving so the diaconate can eliminate poverty in the household of faith? Listen carefully, as one writer has put it, “God can have our money and not have our hearts, but he cannot have our hearts without having our money” (R. Kent Hughes). And if you’re dissatisfied, believing the lie that you’re not rich, will you repent of your faithlessness? Will you once again remember the Lord Jesus Christ and the blessing that you have in him?
Dearly beloved, no one is empty who has the Lord Jesus Christ. The one who thirsts is never truly thirsty when he has living water. The one who’s hungry is full because Christ is the bread of life. But many of us are trying to create our garden of Eden on earth, when Christ has promised us paradise in heaven. No garden will satisfy us here if we are not satisfied in Christ. Eve had everything, more than you; but she had nothing, because she believed Satan’s lies. If only she has taken the fruit from the tree of life she would have a better paradise with mansions and streets paved with gold. But no, Christ was not good enough. She lusted after the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Dearly beloved, do you know why we have an inheritance? Because our king left his riches, to become poor. He has merited all our clothing, when his were stripped from his body as he lay naked at the cross. He purchased all the food and drink that we have, when at the cross he thirsted. He gave us the homes that we live in, when he had no place to lay his head. Remember, the bread that we have here on earth, is nothing compared to the marriage feast we’ll have in heaven. He offers us that bread dipped in his precious blood - why do we betray him for 30 pieces of silver?
Dearly beloved. Most of us here are rich and it’s dangerous for our souls. Do you desire spiritual prosperity? Will you pray for an average circumstance for your sakes. Will you give what you have for his kingdom? Will you be satisfied with a daily provision? Will you repent of your trust in lying words?
1. A Holy Perspective on Spiritual and Material Poverty and Prosperity
A. Desire a holy condition
B. Desire an average circumstance
C. Desire a daily provision
2. A Holy Fear of not Loving God
A. Fear apostasy
B. Fear discontentment
C. Fear blasphemy
Conversation for Change:
- Do most Christians fear poverty more than not loving Christ? Why or why not?
- What can you in your abundance do for God’s kingdom to wean yourself from pride and self-sufficiency?
- Why do you not often pray this prayer?
* As a matter of courtesy please advise Rev. Mark Chen, if you plan to use this sermon in a worship service. Thank-you.
(c) Copyright 2022, Rev. Mark Chen
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