MONEY,
RICHES, AND WEALTH
Neh.
Why
did they loan their money to them without usury (interest – see Deut.
When
you loan money to your fellow Christians, do you charge interest, and why?
Eccles.
Do
you love (have a strong devotion to;
center your attention and/or activities on) money, and why?
Are
you going to college so you can get a degree so you can make a lot of money
because you love money and abundance?
Amos 2:6 How does the prophet
describe the greedy Israelites?
Could
you ever see yourself doing this? Why?
Micah
[The priests were
already comfortably provided for by the law, so that charging for instruction (and
instruction of anything they knew would please and gain them money) was over
and above what they needed.].
Do you know of religious or church leaders who teach topics or slant
their sermons just to motivate people to give them money?
If so, how or why did you come to that conclusion?
Matt. 10:9-11 What does Jesus tell His 12 disciples as He sends them out
to heal and evangelize?
Have you ever thought that it was wrong for
full-time Christian workers to be financially supported by other people,
especially by those to whom they minister? Why?
Matt. 26:14, 15 What
was Judas willing to do because he was greedy?
Have
you ever betrayed or in some way wronged another person because you were
greedy? Or, do you know someone who has?
Do
you view people or money as more important to you, and why?
Matt.
28:11-15 What did the Jewish religious leaders do to
persuade the Roman guards to lie about what happened to Jesus’ body after He
was resurrected?
Has
anyone ever tried to bribe you with money or with anything else so that you’d
lie for him/her?
If
so, what did you do, and why?
Lk. 3:10-14 What did John tell the soldiers to do?
Do you think it is right for Christians to ask for
a raise from their employer or even to go on strike for greater pay or
benefits, and why?
Lk. 16:13-15 Who
can’t you serve if you’re serving/living for mammon (money), and why?
What
does Luke say that the Pharisees loved (were
devoted to; gave themselves over to)?
Though the Pharisees (Jewish religious leaders)
possessed a lot of money and this was highly esteemed by people (because
they thought it was evidence of God blessing the Pharisees for their righteousness),
what did God think?
God
views loving (being devoted to) and
going after money as detestable, but how do you view it, and why?
Jn. 12:6 What was Judas, and
what did he used to do with the group’s money?
Have
you ever been entrusted with someone else’s or a group’s finances?
If
so, did/do you ever have thoughts of stealing from it?
If
you ever would be entrusted with someone else’s finances, do you think that you
would ever be tempted to steal from it, and why?
Acts
What did Ananias and Sapphira do?
What
sin did they commit? Would
there have been anything wrong with keeping some of the money and letting the
apostles know that they were only getting a part of it, and why?
Why
do you think they secretly kept back part of the money?
1 Tim. 3:3 What
must an overseer be free from?
Why
do you think that this is a qualification for a spiritual leader?
Would you ever change your theology/teachings or
views/counseling if someone gave you a large sum of money or a high position in
a church to do so, and why?
1 Tim. 6:6-10 What
is a means of great gain?
What
should we be content with?
What
do those who want to get rich fall into?
Give
some examples of temptations and foolish and harmful desires of those who want
to get rich.
What is the love of (devotion to; affection for, as seen by
one’s attention, priorities, and/or activities on) money a root of?
Could you explain how this is so?
What
has happened to some who have longed for money?
Have any of the above ever been true of you? If so, what happened?
What should we do instead, vs. 11?
Is
this what you are pursuing? If so, how?
2 Tim. 3:1, 2 Who will be characterized
as lovers of money?
Are
the people around you today generally characterized by the love of money?
What
are you doing to keep this from being true of you?
Are
you working overtime or two jobs because you love money and what money can buy
for you instead of loving and doing God’s will of evangelizing the spiritually
lost, helping to build up other Christians spiritually, and being more
Christ-like in character yourself?
Heb. 13:5 What should our character/life
be free from, and why?
How
does what God says here affect you and your love for money, and why?
What
does God say we should be content with? Are
you, and why?
Gen. 12:1, 2, 5, 16 What
does it say about Abram in 13:2?
Do
you think that this was part of God’s promise in 12:2?
Does God seem to be opposed to a person being rich, if obtained legitimately and if given by God (24:34, 35) and not worshipped as a god, and why?
Does 14:21-23 seem to indicate that Abram was not
hungry for riches?
Gen. 26:12-14 What does it
say about Isaac?
How
did Isaac obtain his wealth or by whom?
Therefore,
is God opposed to wealth if He is the giver of it, 1 Sam. 2:7?
Job 1:1-3; 42:12 What
does 1:3 say about Job?
What does it say the Lord did in 42:12?
Does
it seem like Job was greedy or stingy, and why?
How
do you feel about Christians who are wealthy, and why?
Does
it look like Abram, Isaac, and Job made it their goal to become rich, and why?
Psa. 49:10, 16-20 What did the Psalmist say about
the ungodly, rich people?
Realizing
this, do/will you ever envy ungodly rich people, and why?
Prov. 10:4, 22; 22:2 What
makes a person rich from a human viewpoint?
What
makes/causes a person to be rich from a divine viewpoint?
What is your viewpoint, and why?
Prov.
Do
you want friends who like/love you for whom you are or for what they can get
out of you, and why?
Prov.
Why
do you think that this is the case?
Prov. 28:6 Who is better than
whom?
Do
you agree, and why?
Prov. 28:20 What
does it say about the person who makes haste to be rich?
[“to
make haste to be rich” – means to get involved in get-rich-quick schemes or
questionable or shaky investments,
Have
you ever tried to get rich or thought about getting rich quick through
dishonest, shaky, or questionable means?
If so, when and why?
Eccles. 5:12-14 What
does it say about the rich man?
Why
do you think that this is so?
Jer.
Do
you know of rich people who violate this? If
so, why do you think rich people do this?
Matt. 19:21-24 What
did Jesus say about rich people?
Why
do you think that this is so?
Matt. 27:57-60 What
rich man became a disciple of Jesus?
Does
he seem to be a generous and humble person, and why?
Do
you know of any humble, generous, rich followers of/believers in Jesus?
Lk.
Are
life and happiness primarily in material things and riches or in your obedience
to (e.g., evangelizing the spiritually
lost, building up other Christians spiritually, and being Christ-like in your
own character) and dependence upon God, and why?
Lk. 12:15-21 What
does God say about the person who lays up treasures “for himself” and is not
rich toward Him?
Can
you picture yourself doing what this rich man did? Why?
Lk. 16:19-25 What
do you think is the point of this story?
Who would you rather be, and why?
Does
the way you live and deal with your finances reflect this? If so, how?
Jas. 1:9-11 What
is the rich Christian to glory in?
[The rich person has to humble himself by acknowledging his sinfulness and need of trusting Christ as Savior in order to be forgiven and go to heaven, something that money cannot buy. The result of this humiliation gains him salvation, which he should glory in].
Why do you think it is so hard for most rich people
to humble themselves?
To
what does James compare the withering of flowering grass – vs. 11?
What
makes riches here in this life seem so insignificant?
1 Tim. 6:17, 18 What was Timothy to instruct
rich Christians not to be, then to do?
Do
you know of any rich Christians who are doing what these verses say?
Jas. 2:5, 6 What did James have to
say about the poor and the rich in this passage?
What
are your feelings about rich people (non-Christians especially), and
why?
1 Ki. 3:5-13 What does God commend Solomon for not asking for himself in
verse 11?
What
would you have asked for, and why?
Psa. 52:5, 7; Prov.
When
you need protection from adversity, what or whom do you trust in, and why?
Psa. 62:10 What are we not to set
our heart upon?
What
is your heart set/fixed upon for your security, and why?
Prov. 11:4 What
won’t riches do in the day of wrath (God’s judgment day)?
What
will profit? Which
are you pursuing? How,
and why?
Prov. 22:1 What is to be desired
more than great riches?
Do you agree with this, and why?
Prov. 22:4 What is the reward of humility
and the fear of the Lord?
Does
knowing this motivate you to be humble and God-fearing (hating sin,
Prov. 30:8, 9 What was Agur wise in desiring?
Do
you agree with Agur and desire the same for yourself? Why?
Eccles.
What
would you do with all this if God gave this gift to you, and why?
Matt.
In what way are riches deceitful?
Have
they ever or are they now deceiving you?
What
can you do to prevent this deception in your life?
Heb. 11:24-26 What
did Moses consider as greater riches than the treasures of
Why
did he view it this way?
Do
you view treasure/money this way (as less important than rewards in heaven
due to your being persecuted for Christ)? Why?
Prov. 23:4 What are we not to
weary ourselves to gain and to cease from our consideration?
Are you wearing yourself out by working two jobs or by working overtime in order to gain wealth?
Does accumulating wealth occupy your mind very often? If so, how often, and why?
What should occupy your mind, Col.
3:2, 3; Phil. 4:8, and why?