LG Discussion Guide (April 3-7)
April 2, 2017: “Real Faith: Wealth”
James 5:1-6
Wealth. You are considered wealthy because you are in the top 10% of the wealthiest people in the world! You likely have an
income between $50,000 to $200,000/yr., you have a house, a car or two, a wardrobe of clothes, three meals a day, and many
possessions. Compared to the other 90% of the earth’s inhabitants, you are rich. The question is “what are you doing with your
wealth?” Are you stewarding your wealth in a God-honoring way? Are you being just and generous to all people at work, in your
neighborhood and community, and in our world? Are you concerned about the injustices that you see around you in the world,
using your riches to lift the poor, afflicted, orphan, widow, hungry, or oppressed? These questions and many more will be the
focus of tonight’s discussion.
THE TARGET THIS WEEK:
To discuss how to use our wealth to the Glory of God as we bring about justice and generosity to hurting people.
SERMON REVIEW
We are called to bring justice to the afflicted and help to the poor, even as we share the gospel of Christ.
DISCUSSION
1. Read James 5:1-6.
James has in mind the unjust wealthy, but these can serve as clear warnings to us as wealthy believers.
How so?? What must we guard against as followers of Jesus?
2. Read Ps 89:14 and Isa 1:16-17.
God is righteous and just….and will always treat His creation accordingly. How should this direct us??
In Isa 1:16-17….what very specific things is God commanding His people to do as they live their lives?
3. Read Luke 12:16-21.
What key truth is Jesus teaching us through this parable?
How are we to “take inventory” of whether we’ve become “barn-builders” and poor toward God’s purposes?
(See also James 2:15-17 for further insight.)
?????? WHAT WILL WE DO AS INDIVIDUALS AND AS A LIFE GROUP to be rich toward God, by
bringing justice to the afflicted and help to the poor, demonstrating and sharing Christ’s gospel ??????
SCRIPTURES USED
Jas 5:1-6 Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. 2 Your riches have rotted and your
garments are moth-eaten. 3 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. 4 Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you
kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. 5 You
have lived on the earth in luxury and in self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. 6 You have
condemned and murdered the righteous person. He does not resist you.
We are called to bring justice to the afflicted and help to the poor
Ps 89:14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne
Isa 1:16-17…learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause.
Lk 12:16-21 And Jesus told them a parable, saying, "The land of a rich man produced plentifully, 17 and he thought to himself,
'What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?' 18 And he said, 'I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger
ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have ample goods laid up for
many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry."' 20 But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you
have prepared, whose will they be?' 21 So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God."
Jas 2:15-17 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be
warmed and filled," without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not
have works, is dead.