Against All Odds Week 10

AGAINST ALL ODDS – 10
A Warning to the Rich

How God Views Wealth
Deuteronomy 28:11-19
Matthew 19:23-26 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for
someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a
camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the
kingdom of God.”
25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can
be saved?”
26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things
are possible.”

I Timothy 6:5 and constant friction between people of corrupt mind, who have been
robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.

 God doesn’t care about our net worth.
Proverbs 30:7-9 “Two things I ask of you, Lord;
    do not refuse me before I die:
8 Keep falsehood and lies far from me;
    give me neither poverty nor riches,
    but give me only my daily bread.
9 Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you
    and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’
Or I may become poor and steal,
    and so dishonor the name of my God.

 He does care about how we get it.
Proverbs 19:22 What a person desires is unfailing love ] ;
    better to be poor than a liar.
Proverbs 10:22 Lord brings wealth, without painful toil for it.

 He does care about how we use it.
Proverbs 11:24-25 One person gives freely, yet gains even more;
    another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.
25 A generous person will prosper;
    whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.

James 5:1-6 Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is
coming on you. 2 Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. 3 Your gold
and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like
fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. 4 Look! The wages you failed to pay the
workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters
have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. 5 You have lived on earth in luxury and self-
indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. 6 You have
condemned and murdered the innocent one, who was not opposing you.

Written to rich oppressors who were:
(1) hoarding their wealth,
(2) ripping off their workers,
(3) opulent without generosity, and
(4) crushing the weak.
How To Handle Wealth
Without Being Destroyed By Wealth
1 Timothy 6:17-21 in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in
wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with
everything for our enjoyment. 18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds,
and to be generous and willing to share. 19 In this way they will lay up treasure for
themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the
life that is truly life.

(1) Don’t be arrogant
(2) Don’t put your trust in it
(3) Be generous with it
How To Pursue Wealth
Without Being Destroyed By Wealth
(1) Don’t be consumed by it

1 Timothy 6:6-10 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing
into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we
will be content with that. 9 Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and
into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For
the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have
wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
Proverbs 23:4 Do not wear yourself out to get rich; do not trust your own cleverness.

(2) Live within your means
Proverbs 21:17 Whoever loves pleasure will become poor; whoever loves wine and
olive oil will never be rich.
Proverbs 22:7 The rich rule over the poor,
    and the borrower is slave to the lender.

Proverbs 13:7 One person pretends to be rich, yet has nothing; another pretends to be
poor, yet has great wealth.
Proverbs 12:9 Better to be a nobody and yet have a servant
    than pretend to be somebody and have no food.

(3) Live below your means
Proverbs 21:20   The wise store up choice food and olive oil, but fools gulp theirs down.

(4) Give off the top
Proverbs 3:9-10   Honor the Lord with your wealth,
    with the firstfruits of all your crops;
10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing,
    and your vats will brim over with new wine.

(5) Enjoy what’s left

1 Timothy 6:17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant
nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who
richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.