The Dangers of Wealth
Is your hope in wealth?
In "Doctrinal Discussion" Jason Lindahl writes:
One of these was Job, a respected leader in his ancient community. In Eastern poetical language, he said, “Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me . . . when I washed my steps with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil” (29:2-6). Job confessed that he fully expected to die in this blessed state: “Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the sand” (29:18). However, his story illustrates that wealth, by itself, is a lousy source of security. In chapter 28, Job wrote about the wealth of precious stones and metals hidden in the earth and the means men use to mine them. Perhaps some of his own wealth was related to this mining. However, Job went on to explain that wisdom's value is much greater than all of this earthly wealth. He understood the principle that “the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding” (v. 28). Job's hope was not in his wealth, but in God.
Source: Building Christian Relationships: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 32.
Is it wrong to want to be rich?
In "Biblical Perspective" Larry Grile writes:
The desire and purpose to be rich is neither spiritual nor legitimate. The desire to have money and possessions exposes men to unexpected temptations and traps them in unwanted trials and adversities. The lure of riches will tempt men to violate conscience and compromise ethics. Part of the problem of desiring to be wealthy is that it creates endless possibilities and therefore breeds many other desires for all kinds of worthless and harmful things. Things that we do not need and things that we should not want begin to overwhelm our lives, saturate our minds, absorb our time, and drain our money. Finally, all these things converge to overwhelm the soul and sink men down into ruin and eternal damnation.
Source: Building Christian Relationships: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 29.
When there is a vacuum in our souls
In "God's Word for Today" Gordon Snider writes:
If there is a vacuum in our souls, however, covetousness will fill it! So having warned us against its danger, Paul urged the believer to fill the soul with higher qualities (v. 11)! To do so requires strenuous effort — active engagement (v. 12). People who live on with this world in view will succumb to the temptation of covetousness (vs. 7, 14-16). That is how Jesus avoided the materialism of His day (v. 13). He focused, not upon His standing before His peers, but upon His standing before His Father. Living in the presence of God lessens the attraction of earthly valuables! Paul wanted to make it clear, however, that possessions are not the danger, but our attitude toward them. He assumed that some people will be entrusted by God with greater wealth than others. Being so entrusted, however, can prove to be our damnation unless we develop and live by a godly theology of abundance. A key component of such a theology is a spirit of giving. If those who are blessed with this world's goods have truly learned the dignity of all humanity, they will find that they will want to enable the less fortunate.
Source: Building Christian Relationships: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 29.
Jesus' Advice
Read Luke 12:27-34
“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (v. 34).
More than anything else, Christian holiness is a matter of the heart. Jesus is concerned with where our heart is. The heart that He has “fixed” is concerned not with earthly toys, but with heavenly joys (Ps. 112:7). Those who are pure in heart will invest less on things that will fade away, but more on what will shine in eternity's day (Luke 12:27). Sanctified believers have learned that outward garments may be soiled, but true heart holiness cannot be spoiled (Luke 12:28). Jesus said, “Do not be concerned about what you eat and drink, nor be troubled in what you think” (Luke 12:29). Kings and kingdoms will pass away, but the kingdom of God is here to stay (Luke 12:30, 31). Some live for nothing but pleasure; God's people live for heavenly treasure (Luke 12:32, 33). Henry Van Dyke wrote a classic short story, “The Other Wise Man.” He told of a fourth wise man that missed seeing the baby Jesus because he stopped along the way to help others. Over the years he used the treasures he had reserved for the King of kings to help the poor and oppressed. Thirty-three years later he came to Jerusalem at the time of the crucifixion of Jesus. After selling his last treasure to save a young woman from being sold into slavery, a falling roof tile hit him, and he entered into paradise. There he heard one saying to him, “Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye hast done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye hast done it unto me” (Matt. 25:40). The last, lost wise man found his King. (Richard Grout)
Is your heart right with God?
This devotional is the Tuesday, March 28, 2017 entry of Opening the Word.
Discussion
Discussion is an often-used teaching method that may not even seem to need mention in this setting. Yet experience has shown that there is a real art in creating good discussions. Consider the following suggestions to encourage better discussions in your lessons:
- Avoid asking “Yes/No” questions. Such closed questions do not encourage thinking or discussion. Instead, ask how or why questions.
- Address questions to certain individuals. Often, a few persons are more talkative (and possibly considered more knowledgeable). If you do not actively seek the participation of others, the few can dominate the lesson.
- Ask a second person to add on to the answer of the first. Or, ask that person to provide a counter-argument for the sake of discussion.
- Re-work your questions for clarity. An easy trap for the teacher while studying a scripture is to develop a question based on several presuppositions, but to fail to lead the class through the same train of thought before asking this question.
Christians and Money
Lesson 5 - April 2, 2017
Focus Text: 1 Timothy 6:6-21
Central Truth: Biblical stewardship recognizes that all our possessions belong to God.
Objective: By the end of this lesson my students should be able to identify several ways in which the use of money can show they are good stewards.
Lesson Outline:
- Avoid Materialism (1 Timothy 6:6-10)
- Establish Right Priorities (1 Timothy 6:11-16)
- Use Riches Rightly (1 Timothy 6:17-21)
The Work Ethic of Apostle Paul
In "Doctrinal Discussion" Jason Lindahl writes:
Paul himself set the example by working as a tent-maker and providing for his own needs whenever possible during his missionary journeys. As God's minister, he had the right to earn his living by preaching the gospel, but he wanted to practice the sermon he had preached to the Thessalonians: “If any would not work, neither should he eat” (2 Thess. 3:10). Of course, Paul was willing to receive support and gifts from fellow believers when willingly offered, as he mentioned in Philippians 4:14, 15. (Notice that Paul received this help while laboring at the laziness-plagued Thessalonian church.) Paul went on to thank the Philippians for their most recent gift, which, of course, he was receiving while in prison and unable to work. It is not wrong to graciously accept a gift as a blessing from God when He chooses to send one our way. God has proven over and again that, while He expects us to be diligent in our work, His overflow of blessings to us will far exceed anything that could ever be earned.
Source: Building Christian Relationships: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 26.
How does God's Word speak to the 21st century work culture?
In "God's Word for Today" Gordon Snider writes:
Among the many things that have changed in my life-time is the employment picture in the USA. It used to be that a person spent an entire working career with one employer. The employee felt a certain amount of loyalty to the employer, and the employer felt a certain amount of responsibility for the needs of the employee, either because the employer had a generous heart, or because he was under contractual constraints with a union. Today, long-term commitment in the marketplace seems largely a thing of the past. And the resulting “dog eat dog” atmosphere makes it even more difficult for the employee to work “as unto the Lord.” It is important to remember that the biblical principles concerning master/servant weren't written under ideal conditions either. By almost any standards slavery is far worse than today's selfish employment theater, but whatever the social conditions of the day, the principles of God's Word remain the same. Be careful! Thoughtful attention to today's lesson may require an attitude change when you head to work tomorrow!
Source: Building Christian Relationships: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 22.