𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗠-𝗨𝗣

• What is one thing you cannot live without? Why?

• Tell us about a recent purchase that either exceeded or fell short of your expectations. What happened? • Are you the type of person who is thrifty and likes to save a lot? Why or why not?

𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗗

𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘥 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘪𝘮, “𝘛𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘺 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘮𝘦.” 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘪𝘮, “𝘔𝘢𝘯, 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘮𝘦 𝘢 𝘫𝘶𝘥𝘨𝘦 𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘳𝘣𝘪𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶?” 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮, “𝘛𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘨𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘵𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴, 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘯𝘦’𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴.” 𝗟𝗨𝗞𝗘 𝟭𝟮:𝟭𝟯–𝟭𝟱

(Read also 𝗟𝘂𝗸𝗲 𝟭𝟮:𝟭𝟲–𝟮𝟭.)

Wealth and possessions are challenging topics to discuss. Throughout history, we see the effects of discontentment and the ungodly desire for more, which are rooted in greed and self-centeredness. Families and relationships are torn apart, our morality is sacrificed, and priorities and devotions are misplaced. Something similar happened to a man who approached Jesus while He was teaching crowds in Jerusalem. This man appealed to Jesus’ authority and influence to speak into a delicate matter within his family. Jesus proceeded to tell him and the crowd the parable of the rich fool. Today, let’s look at how God challenges us to think beyond our wealth and possessions.

𝟭. 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗯𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀.

𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮, “𝘛𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘨𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘵𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴, 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘯𝘦’𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴.” 𝗟𝗨𝗞𝗘 𝟭𝟮:𝟭𝟱

In the parable of Jesus, the rich fool was only concerned about gaining wealth for himself, forgetting that God is the one who gives us the ability to produce wealth (Deuteronomy 8:18). He was so focused on personal gain, unaware that his life would end that very night, and he would be unable to enjoy his wealth. Jesus warned the crowds that this man is like those who only think of themselves and are not rich toward God (Luke 12:21). There is nothing wrong with being rich or having wealth. In fact, this is how we can be a blessing to others (2 Corinthians 9:11). But when we only concern ourselves with wealth instead of the things of God, we are missing out on the fullness of life. According to John 10:10, where can we find abundant life?

𝟮. 𝗪𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴-𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺.

“𝘚𝘰 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘭𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘶𝘱 𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘩𝘪𝘮𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘵𝘰𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘎𝘰𝘥.” 𝗟𝗨𝗞𝗘 𝟭𝟮:𝟮𝟭

What’s the difference between something eternal and long-term? A long-term object or thought has an eventual end. When the rich fool awed at the abundance of his possessions, he proudly declared how he would live in comfort for many years. While there is nothing completely wrong with that, this is not the totality of life. More than the physical and external things of this world, we are also to think about our inner man, our souls, and the eternal. According to Matthew 6:33, how can we enrich our souls? What are some practical things you have done or regularly do to enrich your soul?

𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗟𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡

• Why is it important to recognize that God is the one who gives us the ability to produce wealth?How will this affect how you plan about and use your finances?

• Reflect on Luke 12:22–31 this week. How will the truths in this passage change your perspective of and attitude toward your possessions?

• Are you rich toward God? What does this mean for you and how can you grow in this area starting this week?

𝗣𝗥𝗔𝗬𝗘𝗥

• Thank God for sending Jesus to us, who helps us become rich before God and live a life beyond what the world offers. Pray that you will experience the abundant life He offers every day.

• Ask God to help you understand more and more what it means to be rich toward Him. Pray that as you work and earn, you will have an eternal perspective about life and money.

• Pray that as you grow in having the right perspective and understanding in terms of your finances, God will use you to bless others and lead others to Him.