with the rich and famous

1. Lesson 8

2. KEY TEXT
“For the love of money
is a root of all kinds of
evil, for which some
have strayed from the
faith in their greediness,
and pierced themselves
through with many
sorrows”
1 Timothy 6:10

3. People,” it has been said, “spend money they don’t have, for things they
don’t need, in order to impress people they don’t like.
” How much truth that statement contains is debatable; what isn’t
debatable, however, is that money can have a powerful influence over all
of us. Because personal financial habits comprehensively represent an
individual’s values, money is actually a spiritual matter. No doubt that’s
why the Bible spends a lot of time talking about it.

4. Also, fame frequently accompanies wealth. Motion picture stars,
outstanding athletes, and national politicians often possess both.
Famous people exercise influence, which is one form of power.
Jesus, however, was not impressed by anyone’s wealth or power.
He simply sought to reach these wealthy people for the same
reason that He tried to reach everyone else: He wanted them to
have the kind of riches that money cannot buy.
BILL GATES
Benefactor
MICHAEL JORDAN
Athletes
BRAD PITT- ANGELINA JOLIE
Best paid Actors

5. Richly Blessed
As fallen human beings, we are subject to jealousy, especially toward those
who have more money than we do (regardless of how much money we
ourselves might have already). The Bible, however, does not unconditionally
disparage wealth or the wealthy. As with so much else in life, problems arise
not from things themselves but from the way in which we relate to them.
WARREN
BUFFETT
BILL
GATES
CARLOS
SLIM
The richest men of the World ,
according to the FORBES Magazine

6. 1. Biblical advice on
wealth.
2. Jesus’ advise on
wealth.
3. Jesus and the rich:
 Nicodemus.
 The publicans.
 The rich young
man.
“So King Solomon surpassed all the
kings of the earth in riches and
wisdom” (1 Kings 10:23)
If “the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil” (1Ti. 6:10), then can
a rich person be also a true Christian?
This week we are
studying…

7. “Beware that you do not forget the Lord your God by not keeping His
commandments, His judgments, and His statutes which I command you
today, lest—when you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful
houses and dwell in them… then you say in your heart, ‘My power and
the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.’ And you shall
remember the Lord your God, for
, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your
fathers, as it is this day” (Deuteronomy 8:11-12, 17-18)
“
, and You reign over all. In Your
hand is power and might; in Your
hand it is to make great and to give
strength to all. “Now therefore, our
God, we thank You and praise Your
glorious name. But who am I, and
who are my people, that we should
be able to offer so willingly as this?
For
”
(1 Chronicles 29:12-14)

8. The Bible states that all riches come from
God. He gives them away when He
believes it is appropriate.
There are many examples of material and
spiritual rich people in the Old Testament:
Job, Abraham, Lot, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph,
Solomon, Daniel, Nehemiah…
On the other hand, Nebuchadnezzar’s
story is an example of the consequences
of thinking that we earned everything
“by my mighty power and for the honor
of my majesty” (Daniel 4:30) and not by
God’s grace.
We are stewards. We administer the
blessings God gives us.

9. “but the worries of this life, the
deceitfulness of wealth and the
desires for other things come in
and choke the word, making it
unfruitful” (Mark 4:19 NIV)
“But woe to you
who are rich, for
you have received
your consolation”
(Luke 6:24)
“No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and
love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other.
You cannot serve God and mammon” (Luke 16:13)
“It is easier for a camel to go
through the eye of a needle than for
a rich man to enter the kingdom of
God” (Mark10:25)
“For what profit is it
to a man if he gains
the whole world, and
loses his own soul? Or
what will a man give in
exchange for his soul?”
(Matthew 16:26)

10. E.G.W. (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 3, cp. 33, pg. 402)
He had over-reached in trade, had made sharp
bargains, and had not exercised mercy or the
love of God. He had robbed the fatherless and
widow, and defrauded his fellow men, to add
to his increasing stock of worldly possessions.
He might have laid up his treasure in heaven
in bags that wax not old; but through his
covetousness he lost both worlds. Those who
humbly use to the glory of God the means
that He has entrusted to them will receive
their treasure by and by from the Master’s
hand with the benediction: “Well done, good
and faithful servant: ... enter thou into the
joy of thy Lord.” Matthew 25:21”

11. “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must
the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should
not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:14-15)
Nicodemus rebelled against any suggestion that
knowledgeable Israelites like himself should
require conversion. Jesus, however, persisted,
presenting Nicodemus with the eternal choice
between judgment and salvation. Fearing
denunciation and ridicule, Nicodemus refused to
accept Christ’s invitation. The interview had
apparently failed. That spiritual seed, however,
lay buried, slowly germinating beneath his
heart’s soil.
At the cross, Nicodemus remembered Jesus’
words. He surrendered his heart, position and
wealth before his Savior.
He then used his contacts and wealth to support
the Church In Jerusalem in hard times. He finally
died poor in this world way, but rich in heavenly
treasures.

12. “Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house,
because he also is a son of Abraham; 10 for the Son of Man has
come to seek and to save that which was lost.”” (Luke 19:9-10)
The publicans were tax
collectors for Rome. They
were considered to be
sinners. They usually charged
more than was necessary just
to feather their own nest.
Zacchaeus was a chief tax-collector at Jericho. He also accepted
Jesus’ calling. He didn’t quit, but he amended his mistakes and
became a truthful publican.
He could be rich in this world and have heavenly treasures at
the same time, by God’s grace.
We learn from Zacchaeus’ story that having or lacking riches
does not prepare us to go to Heaven; only accepting Christ’s
righteousness does.
Matthew quit tax collecting to become
one of the 12 apostles.

13. “Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to
the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” But when the
young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great
possessions.” (Matthew 19:21-22)
“Very few realize the strength of their
love for money until the test is brought to
bear upon them. Many who profess to be
Christ’s followers then show that they
are unprepared for heaven. Their works
testify that they love wealth more than
their neighbor or their God. Like the rich
young man, they inquire the way of life;
but when it is pointed out and the cost
estimated, and they see that the sacrifice
of earthly riches is demanded, they
decide that heaven costs too much. The
greater the treasures laid up on the
earth, the more difficult it is for the
possessor to realize that they are not his
own, but are lent him to be used to God’s
glory”
E.G.W. (Counsels on Stewardship, cp. 30, pg. 150)

14. “The rich left alone without any effort to save them
become shut up more and more to their own ideas. Their
own train of thoughts and associations lose eternity out
of their reckoning. They grow more proud and selfish,
hardhearted and unimpressible, suspicious that every
one wants to get money, while the poor are envious of the
rich, who need pity rather than to be envied.
E.G.W. (Evangelism, cp. 17, pg. 556)
Bring these all
under the power
of saving truth,
and the work of
the upbuilding of
the kingdom of
God will go
forward with
much greater
success”

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