February 14, 2011
Wealth of Wisdom Week 4
Posted by Michael
Learn:
Proverbs 21:13 – Whoever shuts their ears to the cry of the poor will also cry out and not be answered.
Proverbs 14:21 – It is a sin to despise one’s neighbor, but blessed is the one who is kind to the needy.
Proverbs 19:17 – Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward them for what they have done.
Proverbs 22:9 – The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor.
Proverbs 11:25 – A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.
Luke 16:19-31
“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’ “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’ “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’ “‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”
Main Idea:
The reason why we talk about hard work, spending wisely, and not going into debt is not so we can make ourselves feel secure. It’s so we can be generous and help those who cannot help themselves. In Luke 16 Jesus tells a parable of two men. One is unnamed and is wealthy. That, in itself, is not a problem. The problem is he showed off his wealth and did not care about honoring God through it. The other man is a beggar named Lazarus who is unable to support himself. Every day the rich man saw Lazarus and refused to help him. They both die and the rich man goes to hell while Lazarus joins Abraham’s feast. Even while in agony, the rich man will not show Lazarus dignity. He looks right past him and asks Abraham to send Lazarus on an errand for him. There is absolutely no remorse in the rich man’s heart even in hell. Money has the ability to dehumanize people. If we’re not careful, money can breed self-entitlement. Everything we have comes from God, and because we’ve been blessed, we must bless others.
Know What: There are no “self-made” men or women. Even if we have worked hard in life, everything we have is a gift from God.
So What: The highest good of financial freedom is the ability to bless those who are in need.
Now What: Be generous. Use your money to bless others because it matters to God.
Discuss…
1. Why do you think there are so many proverbs about helping the poor? According to the proverbs above, what are some benefits we receive when we help the poor? What are the consequences for not helping?
2. Who are some people who have blessed you financially over the course of your life? How has their generosity impacted you?
3. Why did Jesus make it a point to call the beggar by name in the parable in Luke 16 (the only time Jesus named a character in one of His parables)? How did money dehumanize Lazarus in the eyes of the rich man?
4. Why do you think the rich man refused to acknowledge Lazarus even in his torment? If the rich man did go to heaven, do you think he would enjoy it? Why or why not?
5. What lesson or point from this parable impacted you the most? How can you take this lesson and apply it to your life?
6. What are some ways you have worked hard to get where you are today (this is not a trick question… It’s okay to acknowledge hard work!)? What gifts were given to you freely by God to make that hard work possible? How often do you acknowledge God’s gifts in your life to others?
7. How have you seen money breed a sense of entitlement in people, either in yourself or someone else? How can you guard your heart and mind against the idea that you are somehow “self-made”?
8. If you had all the money in the world, what cause would you most like to contribute to? Is there anything stopping you from contributing to that cause right now, even if you think what you have to offer is very little?
9. What is the most helpful thing you learned in the Wealth of Wisdom series? How have you (or will you) put it into practice?
Next Steps…
Isaac said that being generous is not an exact formula. There is no magical amount of money you can give to “be generous”. This week, ask God what generosity looks like for you personally. There is a lot to be done, but it’s not the job of one person to do it all. It’s the responsibility of the entire body of Christ. Individually, our job is to simply do what God asks of us.
