Embracing Christ's Love: Wealth, Humility, and Inclusion

Devotional

Day 1: Wealth and Church Division: A Historical Reflection

In the past, Anglican churches often reserved seats for the wealthy, creating divisions based on financial status. This practice serves as a reminder of how easily societal hierarchies can infiltrate spiritual communities. Today, while physical barriers like pew doors may no longer exist, the attitudes of entitlement and exclusion can still manifest in subtle ways. It is crucial for communities to remain vigilant against these attitudes, ensuring that the church reflects the inclusive love of Christ rather than societal hierarchies. By doing so, we can create a space where everyone, regardless of their financial status, feels welcomed and valued. [01:05]

James 2:1-4 (ESV): "My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, 'You sit here in a good place,' while you say to the poor man, 'You stand over there,' or, 'Sit down at my feet,' have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?"

Reflection: Consider your own community or church. Are there subtle ways in which financial status influences how people are treated? How can you personally contribute to creating a more inclusive environment?

Day 2: Spiritual Richness Over Material Wealth

James emphasizes that God often chooses those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith. This challenges us to value spiritual richness over material wealth and to recognize the dignity and worth of every individual, regardless of their financial status. In a world that often equates success with wealth, it is important to remember that true richness comes from a deep and abiding faith. By valuing spiritual wealth, we align ourselves with God's perspective and open our hearts to the transformative power of His love. [04:03]

1 Samuel 16:7 (ESV): "But the Lord said to Samuel, 'Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.'"

Reflection: Reflect on your own life. Are there areas where you prioritize material wealth over spiritual growth? How can you shift your focus to cultivate a richer faith?

Day 3: The Dangers of Wealth and Power

Wealth and power can lead to exploitation and injustice, as seen in both biblical times and today. James warns against the tendency to favor the wealthy, who may exploit and oppress, while neglecting the poor, whom God has chosen to be rich in faith. This is a call to examine our own biases and behaviors, ensuring that we do not insult the poor by treating them with disdain. By aligning our actions with God's heart for justice and mercy, we can create a more equitable and compassionate world. [09:14]

Proverbs 22:16 (ESV): "Whoever oppresses the poor to increase his own wealth, or gives to the rich, will only come to poverty."

Reflection: Think about your interactions with others. Are there ways in which you might unconsciously favor those with wealth or power? How can you actively work to treat everyone with equal respect and dignity?

Day 4: Emulating Christ's Humility

Jesus' life exemplifies humility and love for the marginalized. As followers of Christ, we are called to emulate His example, prioritizing relationships and service over status and wealth. Jesus, who came from a position of ultimate wealth and glory, chose to associate with the lowly and the marginalized. Our challenge is to follow His example, recognizing that true wealth is found in being heirs to God's kingdom, a promise made to those who love Him. [14:10]

Philippians 2:5-7 (ESV): "Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men."

Reflection: Consider how you can serve others in your daily life. What are practical ways you can demonstrate humility and love to those who are marginalized or overlooked?

Day 5: True Wealth in God's Kingdom

True wealth is found in being heirs to God's kingdom, a promise made to those who love Him. Our lives should reflect the values of this kingdom, characterized by love, humility, and service to others. By focusing on our spiritual inheritance, we can live in a manner worthy of the kingdom we are called to inherit. This perspective shifts our priorities and helps us to live with purpose and intentionality, grounded in the eternal promises of God. [15:30]

Matthew 6:19-21 (ESV): "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Reflection: Reflect on where you are investing your time and resources. Are they aligned with the values of God's kingdom? How can you make changes to ensure that your life reflects the true wealth found in Christ?

Sermon Summary

In reflecting on the historical practices of Anglicanism, where wealth dictated one's place in the church, we are reminded of the persistent issue of favoritism based on financial status. This practice, though seemingly distant, is not entirely absent from our modern context. We may not have physical barriers like pew doors today, but the underlying attitudes of entitlement and exclusion can still manifest in our communities. The challenge is to recognize and address these attitudes, ensuring that our churches reflect the inclusive love of Christ rather than societal hierarchies.

James, in his epistle, challenges us with rhetorical questions that highlight God's preference for the poor in spirit, those who are rich in faith rather than material wealth. This teaching echoes Jesus' own methods, using hyperbole to emphasize the radical nature of discipleship. The call is to prioritize devotion to Christ above all else, making our love for Him so profound that all other attachments pale in comparison.

The reality is that wealth and power often lead to exploitation and injustice, as seen in both biblical times and today. James warns against the tendency to favor the wealthy, who may exploit and oppress, while neglecting the poor, whom God has chosen to be rich in faith. This is a call to examine our own biases and behaviors, ensuring that we do not insult the poor by treating them with disdain.

The correction to these misplaced affections lies in emulating Christ's humility and love. Jesus, who came from a position of ultimate wealth and glory, chose to associate with the lowly and the marginalized. Our challenge is to follow His example, recognizing that true wealth is found in being heirs to God's kingdom, a promise made to those who love Him.

As we consider our own actions and attitudes, let us be reminded of the hymn that speaks of Christ's condescension, His willingness to leave His glory for our sake. This should humble us and inspire us to live in a manner worthy of the kingdom we are called to inherit.

Key Takeaways

1. c&t=65s'>[01:05]
2. God's Preference for the Poor in Spirit: James emphasizes that God often chooses those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith. This challenges us to value spiritual richness over material wealth and to recognize the dignity and worth of every individual, regardless of their financial status.

3. The Dangers of Wealth and Power: Wealth and power can lead to exploitation and injustice, as seen in both biblical times and today. We must guard against favoritism towards the wealthy and ensure that our actions align with God's heart for justice and mercy.

4. Emulating Christ's Humility: Jesus' life exemplifies humility and love for the marginalized. As followers of Christ, we are called to emulate His example, prioritizing relationships and service over status and wealth.

5. True Wealth in God's Kingdom: True wealth is found in being heirs to God's kingdom, a promise made to those who love Him. Our lives should reflect the values of this kingdom, characterized by love, humility, and service to others.

** [01:05]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:05] - Historical Church Practices
[02:14] - Modern Reflections on Entitlement
[03:14] - The Influence of Wealth in Churches
[04:03] - God's Choice of the Poor
[05:28] - Jesus' Teaching Style
[06:11] - Devotion to Christ
[07:31] - Wealth and Faith
[08:30] - Social Dynamics in the Early Church
[09:14] - Wealth and Injustice
[10:18] - Treating the Poor with Dignity
[11:29] - The Significance of a Name
[12:22] - Insulting the Poor
[13:55] - Jesus' Humility and Love
[15:30] - True Wealth in God's Kingdom
[17:22] - Closing Reflections

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:

James 2:5-7
Luke 1:52-53
Luke 14:25-27

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Observation Questions:

What historical practice in Anglicanism was highlighted in the sermon, and how does it relate to the issue of favoritism in the church today? [01:05]
According to James 2:5, who does God choose to be rich in faith, and how does this contrast with societal values? [04:03]
How does the sermon describe the relationship between wealth, power, and exploitation, both in biblical times and today? [09:14]
What rhetorical device does Jesus use in Luke 14:25-27, and what point is He making about discipleship? [05:28]

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Interpretation Questions:

How does the historical practice of reserving church seats for the wealthy serve as a warning for modern churches about favoritism and entitlement? [02:14]
In what ways does the sermon suggest that wealth and power can lead to injustice, and how should Christians respond to this reality? [09:14]
How does Jesus' example of humility and association with the marginalized challenge contemporary Christian attitudes towards wealth and status? [14:10]
What does it mean to be "rich in faith" according to James, and how can this perspective shift our understanding of true wealth? [04:03]

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Application Questions:

Reflect on your own church experience. Have you ever witnessed or felt the effects of favoritism based on wealth or status? How did it impact your view of the church community? [02:14]
Consider your personal biases. Are there ways in which you might unconsciously favor those with wealth or status? How can you work to change this mindset? [09:14]
Jesus prioritized relationships and service over status and wealth. How can you emulate His example in your daily interactions and decisions? [14:10]
Think about a time when you felt spiritually rich despite lacking material wealth. What contributed to that feeling, and how can you cultivate it more regularly? [04:03]
How can you actively participate in creating a church environment that reflects Christ's inclusive love, especially towards those who are marginalized or less fortunate? [01:05]
Identify a specific way you can support or advocate for someone who is experiencing injustice or exploitation. What steps can you take this week to make a difference? [09:14]
Reflect on the hymn mentioned in the sermon about Christ's condescension. How does this perspective inspire you to live humbly and serve others? [17:02]

Sermon Clips

you don't have to go too far back in anglicanism in the british isles to find the situation where the wealthy in a parish paid an annual rent so as to secure a well-placed seat in the church. that seat or that pew often came with its own door and with its own key so as to prevent anybody from sitting in mrs jenkins pew. after all the rich who had secured their riches by whatever means were entitled, so it was thought, to that kind of thing. [00:00:53]

money still does the talking far too loudly in christian circles. money still talks and talks very loudly in christian circles, and where it does, and when it does, the glory of christ will eventually depart. it will. the description, the illustration, and then he makes application of it verse 5. and i won't take long on this. listen, he says, my dear brothers, listen. [00:02:55]

hasn't god chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith? he says i want you to listen and i want you to think about this. it's very, very important. question number one: hasn't god chosen those who are poor in the world, in the eyes of the world, to be rich in faith? and of course the answer to that rhetorical question is so clearly yes. [00:03:54]

devotion to jesus is to be so striking and so stirring that devotion to anyone else will appear almost like hatred by way of comparison. so in other words, in some situations where two sides of a truth exist, but one side outweighs the other, far outclasses the other, it merits stating it as if that was the only truth. [00:06:19]

isn't it the rich who are exploiting you and dragging you into court? and the answer to that again is this is generally the case, but not invariably so. james is not for a moment suggesting that the only litigation that was taking place, that the only animosity that was expressed, was an animosity that came from people who were wealthy. [00:08:36]

wealth is on the side of power. power and wealth combined to grind the poor into the dust, and the temptation is always for those in the position of power, wealth, and influence to treat in a disparaging way those who do not have the wherewithal to defend themselves. and so many of these christian people were on the receiving end of that thing. [00:09:46]

you have insulted the poor, and how have they done so? by treating them in a disparaging manner, causing harm to them, to those upon whom god has set his love, those to whom you will notice he has promised his kingdom. and for the readers of this letter to even approximate to what james describes in the illustration is to find themselves on the wrong side of the equation. [00:12:44]

the correction to our misplaced affection, to our misguided thinking, to our insulting behavior, is to number one, consider how jesus came from a position of unassailable wealth and glory and moved graciously, kindly, quickly, and consistently, reaching out to the poorest and the lowest. to consider also the basis upon which god chose to save those to whom james writes. [00:13:28]

he didn't set his love upon you, he writes in deuteronomy 7, because you were the most significant group, because you were the largest group. he set his love upon you because he loved you. in fact, he came and redeemed you from egypt when you were frankly just a bunch of slaves. he came and redeemed the slaves out of egypt. [00:14:26]

he has chosen us to inherit the kingdom, a kingdom that he's promised to those who love him. if we're kids of the kingdom, we're supposed to act like the king, and the king took off his crown and didn't show any airs and graces and didn't hang around just with a certain group who fit his framework. it's very challenging. [00:15:25]

down from his glory, ever living story, my god and savior came, and jesus was his name, born in a manger, to his own a stranger, a man of sorrows, tears, and agony. and the refrain goes oh how i love him, how i adore him and so on. and one of the following stanzas contains the phrase what condescension. [00:16:26]

what condescension, that christ would condescend to come down here, and when i think of that, it condemns me at every point when i'm tempted to ride my high horse. maybe you feel that way too. [00:17:06]

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Embracing Christ's Love: Wealth, Humility, and Inclusion

Devotional

Day 1: Wealth and Church Division: A Historical Reflection

Day 2: Spiritual Richness Over Material Wealth

Day 3: The Dangers of Wealth and Power

Day 4: Emulating Christ's Humility

Day 5: True Wealth in God's Kingdom

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Embracing Christ's Love: Wealth, Humility, and Inclusion

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