Faith in Action: Prioritizing God Over Wealth
Summary
### Summary
Today, we delved into the book of James, focusing on the theme of putting faith into action. James emphasizes that faith is not just about knowing theology or scripture but about practicing it in our daily lives. This practice leads to three significant outcomes: growing closer to God, developing the character of Christ, and experiencing the life of the Kingdom of God.
James is straightforward in his approach, urging us to examine our relationship with money and possessions. The issue is not the amount of money we have but our relationship with it. James warns against the dangers of accumulating wealth for its own sake, highlighting that it can lead to judgment and spiritual decay. He uses strong language to describe the fate of those who hoard wealth, emphasizing that their riches will rot and testify against them on the day of judgment.
We are all wealthy compared to the rest of the world, and thus, this message applies to us. The temptation to live like the arrogant rich is real, and we must guard against it. James calls us to examine our values and priorities, urging us to seek a rich relationship with God rather than accumulating earthly treasures. Jesus' teachings align with this, as He warns against storing up treasures on earth and serving two masters.
Ultimately, the call is to seek the Kingdom of God first and to find contentment in godliness. This involves learning what the Bible says about money and applying those principles in our lives. By doing so, we can experience the abundant life that Jesus promises, a life that is not defined by material wealth but by a rich relationship with God.
### Key Takeaways
1. Faith in Action: James emphasizes that true faith is demonstrated through action. It's not enough to merely know scripture or theology; we must practice our faith daily. This practice leads to a closer relationship with God, spiritual growth, and experiencing the life of the Kingdom of God. [01:35]
2. Relationship with Money: The core issue is not how much money we have but our relationship with it. James warns that accumulating wealth for its own sake can lead to spiritual decay and judgment. We must examine our values and ensure that our relationship with money does not overshadow our relationship with God. [06:46]
3. Universal Wealth: Compared to the rest of the world, we are all wealthy. This message applies to everyone, regardless of how much we think we have. The temptation to live like the arrogant rich is real, and we must guard against it by seeking a rich relationship with God. [17:24]
4. Jesus' Teachings on Money: Jesus warns against storing up treasures on earth and serving two masters. He teaches that our loyalty should be to God, not money. By seeking the Kingdom of God first, we can handle our money in a way that honors Him and experience true contentment. [31:59]
5. Contentment in Godliness: True wealth is found in godliness with contentment. We should practice gratitude for what we have and seek to know God more deeply. By doing so, we can experience the abundant life that Jesus promises, a life defined by a rich relationship with God rather than material possessions. [46:11]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[01:35] - Faith in Action
[03:17] - The Kingdom of God
[04:46] - The Starting Point
[06:46] - Relationship with Money
[09:06] - Poverty and Happiness
[10:46] - Questions to Consider
[11:44] - Arrogant Rich
[12:38] - YOLO Mindset
[14:28] - More and Better Stuff
[16:40] - Wealth and Temptation
[20:58] - Accumulating More
[22:53] - Power and Control
[27:18] - Comfort and Pleasure
[28:41] - Identity and Purpose
[31:59] - Jesus' Teachings on Money
[35:17] - Serving Two Masters
[36:39] - Guard Against Greed
[38:19] - The Rich Fool
[39:49] - Judgment and Reality
[41:28] - Wake Up to Reality
[43:01] - Change Your Ways
[44:39] - Jesus' Vision for Money
[46:11] - Seek the Kingdom First
[47:42] - Godliness with Contentment
[49:23] - Closing Prayer
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. James 5:1-3 (ESV) - "Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure in the last days."
2. 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."
3. 1 Timothy 6:6-7 (ESV) - "But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world."
#### Observation Questions
1. What does James warn will happen to the riches of the arrogant rich in James 5:1-3?
2. According to Matthew 6:19-21, where should we lay up our treasures and why?
3. In 1 Timothy 6:6-7, what is said to be "great gain" and why is this significant?
#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why does James use such strong language to describe the fate of the arrogant rich? What is he trying to emphasize? [09:49]
2. How does Jesus' teaching in Matthew 6:19-21 align with James' message about wealth and possessions? [31:59]
3. What does it mean to have "godliness with contentment" as described in 1 Timothy 6:6-7, and how does this contrast with the pursuit of material wealth? [47:42]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your current relationship with money. Do you find yourself prioritizing material wealth over your relationship with God? How can you shift your focus to seek a richer relationship with God? [06:46]
2. James warns against the dangers of accumulating wealth for its own sake. What practical steps can you take to ensure that your financial decisions honor God and do not lead to spiritual decay? [09:49]
3. Jesus teaches that we cannot serve two masters. How can you ensure that your loyalty remains with God rather than money? What changes might you need to make in your daily life to reflect this? [35:17]
4. Consider the concept of "godliness with contentment." What are some specific ways you can practice gratitude for what you have and find contentment in your current circumstances? [47:42]
5. James calls us to examine our values and priorities. What are some areas in your life where you might be tempted to live like the arrogant rich? How can you guard against these temptations? [17:24]
6. How can you apply the principles from this sermon to your work and possessions? What does it look like to handle these things in a way that honors God? [44:39]
7. Reflect on the idea that true wealth is found in a rich relationship with God. What steps can you take this week to deepen your relationship with Him and experience the abundant life that Jesus promises? [46:11]
Devotional
Day 1: Faith in Action
True faith is demonstrated through daily actions that reflect our beliefs. James emphasizes that faith is not merely an intellectual exercise but a lived experience. When we put our faith into action, we grow closer to God, develop the character of Christ, and experience the life of the Kingdom of God. This means that our daily choices, behaviors, and interactions should reflect the teachings of Jesus. It’s about embodying the principles of love, compassion, and justice in our everyday lives. By doing so, we not only strengthen our relationship with God but also become a living testimony of His love and grace to those around us. [01:35]
James 2:17-18 (ESV): "So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, 'You have faith and I have works.' Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works."
Reflection: Think about one specific way you can put your faith into action today. Is there someone you can help or a situation where you can show Christ-like love and compassion?
Day 2: Relationship with Money
The core issue is not the amount of money we have but our relationship with it. James warns that accumulating wealth for its own sake can lead to spiritual decay and judgment. He urges us to examine our values and ensure that our relationship with money does not overshadow our relationship with God. This involves being mindful of how we use our resources and whether our financial decisions align with our faith. It’s about prioritizing God’s Kingdom over material wealth and recognizing that true contentment comes from a rich relationship with God, not from accumulating possessions. [06:46]
1 Timothy 6:9-10 (ESV): "But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs."
Reflection: Reflect on your current relationship with money. Are there areas where you need to realign your financial priorities to better reflect your faith and values?
Day 3: Universal Wealth
Compared to the rest of the world, we are all wealthy. This message applies to everyone, regardless of how much we think we have. The temptation to live like the arrogant rich is real, and we must guard against it by seeking a rich relationship with God. James calls us to examine our values and priorities, urging us to seek the Kingdom of God first. This involves recognizing our blessings and using our resources to serve others and advance God’s Kingdom. It’s about finding contentment in godliness and being grateful for what we have, rather than constantly striving for more. [17:24]
Proverbs 30:8-9 (ESV): "Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, lest I be full and deny you and say, 'Who is the Lord?' or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God."
Reflection: Consider how you can use your resources to serve others and advance God’s Kingdom. What is one practical way you can share your blessings with someone in need today?
Day 4: Jesus' Teachings on Money
Jesus warns against storing up treasures on earth and serving two masters. He teaches that our loyalty should be to God, not money. By seeking the Kingdom of God first, we can handle our money in a way that honors Him and experience true contentment. This means making financial decisions that reflect our faith and values, rather than being driven by materialism or greed. It’s about trusting God to provide for our needs and using our resources to further His purposes. By doing so, we can experience the abundant life that Jesus promises, a life defined by a rich relationship with God rather than material possessions. [31:59]
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 your financial decisions and priorities. Are there changes you need to make to ensure that your loyalty is to God and not to money?
Day 5: Contentment in Godliness
True wealth is found in godliness with contentment. We should practice gratitude for what we have and seek to know God more deeply. By doing so, we can experience the abundant life that Jesus promises, a life defined by a rich relationship with God rather than material possessions. This involves cultivating a heart of gratitude and contentment, recognizing that our true worth and fulfillment come from our relationship with God. It’s about finding joy in the simple blessings of life and trusting God to provide for our needs. [46:11]
1 Timothy 6:6-8 (ESV): "But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content."
Reflection: Take a moment to practice gratitude. List three things you are thankful for today and reflect on how you can cultivate a heart of contentment in your daily life.
Quotes
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "The theme of James is all about putting your faith into action. All about putting your faith in action. It's not about just talking a good game about your faith. It's not about just learning theology or learning the scripture so you can talk about it, so you can feel good about it, so you can know it. But it's actually, James wants to help you, help us practice our faith. To be not just Christians or not just followers of Jesus, but to be practicing Christians." [00:10] (39 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "The gospel is not just an invitation to be saved so that you go to heaven one day, but it's an invitation to follow Jesus and to experience real and eternal life today in this dark world. But that can only happen if you practice your faith." [03:17] (18 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "The Holy Spirit is the powerhouse of the Christian life. Why do we know that? I don't know why we know mitochondria. I don't know. It's stuck. It's so sticky. Nothing else stuck. What is a vow? I don't know. But you need to know the Holy Spirit is the power source of the Christian life." [05:54] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "The problem isn't money and possessions. It's your relationship with money. And I'll just say this. If you've ever traveled to a third-world country, you see poverty firsthand, and most of the world is that way. And so I've been to Kenya and Rwanda, and the worst place was probably the Congo." [06:46] (20 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "The issue is not how much is in your bank account or how much you have, little or a lot. It's your relationship with your money and your possessions. I want you to be thinking about that as we get into this." [09:06] (13 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
### Quotes for Members
1. "When we walk with Jesus, we sense his presence. And so he wants us to put our faith into practice so that we can grow close to God. But also he wants us to put our faith in action so that we grow in the character of God. We experience spiritual formation. One of the main things that God is doing in you is he is developing the character of Christ inside of you. He's actually making you become like Christ very slowly." [01:35] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "The problem is the way that arrogant rich people value money and possessions. The amount of value that they apply to money and possessions. That is the core issue. Storing up treasures on this earth is the way Jesus says it. And when you store up treasures on this earth, it reveals that you love and live for money. Because it takes a lot of time and effort and desire to do that." [21:54] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Jesus said, don't store up treasures on earth. Second thing he said was, no one can serve two masters. There's a problem when you serve two masters, because your loyalty will be divided. You can't love God and love money. And so the goal is not just, well, money's bad, God is good. You got to go, no, no, no, no, no, no. It's actually harder to go, how do you follow Jesus with your whole heart, mind, strength, and soul, and handle your money?" [35:17] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "You are a fool to store up treasure on earth, but have a poor relationship with God. You hear that? The foolishness, the foolishness was not being accountable to God, not giving credit to God, to ignoring his devotion and relationship with God and devoting his whole life to making money. That's the key. What made him a fool is not the amount he had, because guess what? Your heart can be just as greedy even if you don't have much. But if you don't have a relation, a strong, rich is the word he used, a rich relationship with God, you're a fool." [38:19] (44 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "Seek the kingdom of God first, and he will give you everything you need. Seek the kingdom of God first, and he will give you everything you need. You know, that, that means a lot. It means you need to seek to know God and care about your devotion to God. Make sure you're getting, you have practices set up in your life to get to know God." [44:39] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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