Wednesday Bible Study
RICHES & POVERTY FROM THE HAND OF GOD.
October 5, 2005
1. POVERTY- A privilege or punishment?
A lot is said in Proverbs about such issues as wisdom, truth and poverty.
Proverbs 6:10-11 What seems to be the intended message of the writer for these verses? -Life is not all about rest and relaxation.
Proverbs 21:17 How can pleasure bring poverty to a person’s life? -A person is irresponsible to their commitments. -A person depreciates life, i.e. they appreciate life less and less.
Proverbs 23:21 How should people be held responsible for their decisions? Who should hold them responsible? What role does the Church have in this process?
-Drunkenness: alcohol & drug abuse.
-Gluttony: over-indulgence of anything.
-Drowsiness: Laziness; unwilling to work.
Poverty extends beyond merely financial standing. A person can change their ways and become productive in life and receive their due. However, God’s word shows another kind of poverty in spite of what we might have. Spiritual poverty makes humanity destitute. Without God a person is spiritually poor.
2 Chronicles 15:3-4 What happens to a person’s (or nation’s) life around them if God is not on their agenda? How did Asa respond to the challenge set before him? Does leadership make a difference?
Psalm 74:9 Even though God possessed the nation, yet He would not protect it. How does this verse describe the spiritual poverty of the time?
Apart from ministering to spiritual poverty, Christians have also realized the importance of the “felt” needs of the poor. In meeting the needs of others there is a sense of poverty being a blessing to both the giver and receiver.
Proverbs 19:17 calls us to give kindness to the poor.
Matt. 19:17 Jesus challenged the rich young ruler to sell all he had and give to the poor.
Gal. 2:10 Paul reiterates his desire to remember the poor.
In what ways do we give to the poor?
2. RICHES- Blessing or curse?
For some people, having money or things is corruption- they don’t know how to handle it. On one hand, some may squander their means on instant gratification. Others may squander their means on material things of the world. Among Christians there will always be differences of opinion on handling or mishandling finances. However, the scriptures teach that there are worse things than mishandling one’s finances.
Deuteronomy 8:13-14, 18 What is the number one danger of amassing wealth?
-The person will forget God- the giver of riches.
Ecclesiastes 5:19 “AS FOR EVERY MAN TO WHOM GOD HAS GIVEN RICHES AND WEALTH, AND GIVEN HIM POWER TO EAT OF IT, TO RECEIVE HIS HERITAGE AND REJOICE IN HIS LABOR- THIS IS THE GIFT OF GOD.”
What is the gift of God? Whatever we have received and are able to enjoy. The pursuit of happiness is God’s gift to us.
Matthew 19:23 The rich young ruler shared the same opinion so many about riches.
-Riches were an indication of merit and God’s blessing.
BUT
-Jesus makes clear that materialism or money would not bring salvation.
-What we have is wholly by God’s grace- rich or poor.
Psalm 49:10 “FOR [GOD] SEES WISE MEN DIE; LIKEWISE THE FOOL AND THE SENSELESS PERSON PERISH, AND LEAVE THEIR WEALTH TO OTHERS.”
All face the same end. However, what we do with what we have is what will matter most.
Are we willing to glorify God in times of poverty?
Are we willing to glorify God in times of plenty?
Philip Yancey recalls an account he read of a spiritual seeker who interrupted a busy life to spend a few days in a monastery. The monk who showed the visitor to his cell said to him, “I hope your stay is a blessed one. If you need anything, let us know, and we’ll teach you how to live without it.”
3. RICHES FROM GOD’S HANDS
Ephesians 3:8 What are the “unsearchable riches of Christ?”
Kenneth Wuest (Word Studies in the Greek New Testament)
-“that which cannot be traced out”
-Wealth in Christ- the whole salvation found in Him.
-Unfathomable- cannot be fully comprehended.
Romans 8:17-18- “FROM SUFFERING TO GLORY”- how does this impact a person’s life? Would a suffering person consider this God’s glory revealed in their life?
Colossians 2:3- As we know Christ better, what do we discover for our life?
2 Peter 1:3- Peter tells us that we have everything we need for life and godliness. What is the pre-requisite of this? It is found in our knowledge of Him.
Are there particular “riches” that you have discovered in your journey with Christ? In what ways do these “riches” transcend worldly wealth and material possessions?