Impoverished to Wealthy

Matt Williams | Nov 17, 2019

Topics: Generosity, Idolatry

Study Guide

Through the wealth that Jesus has lavished on us through his death and resurrection, we have to acknowledge and teach ourselves that we are poor in this world while wealthy in Christ. Our spiritual wealth overflows with the removal of condemnation, the indwelling of the Spirit in us, our future hope, sacrificial community, and the opportunity to be included in God’s mission. A life following Jesus doesn’t make our physical life easy, but it does remove our attachment to this world we can see and attach us to the indefinite riches of the eternal.
Application

Mark 10:17-25

  1. What in your physical life makes you feel wealthy? Is it your money, security, or comfort? Or maybe a relationship, social status, accomplishments, or reputation?

  2. Our abundance of resources and opportunity can blind us to our poverty and need and make us think we are self-sufficient. What circumstances or physical things make you feel most self-sufficient?

  3. Part of our role in this world is to remind ourselves that we are poor and in need. What would it look like practically to teach yourself to be dependent and to accept your poverty?

  4. As we move from impoverished to wealthy, we receive the riches of:

    • Our condemnation removed
    • The Spirit indwelling in us
    • Future hope
    • Sacrificial community
    • Being included in God’s mission

    How are you living in the benefits of these riches? Which of these is not a regular part of your life? What needs to change for you?

Key Points

  • If you don’t obey and follow God’s Word, you can have all the physical riches in the world and even live a morally right life while still being ultimately poor.

  • The man in Mark 10 thinks he is wealthy because of his physical possessions and that his stuff is important and valuable. He doesn’t know the things he has are actually getting in the way of him having real wealth that can only be found in Jesus. He’s not clear that he is actually poor.

  • It’s easy for us to fall into the lie of physical wealth because it seems available for us to trust in when really it will fail us.

  • In an affluent culture, we need to teach ourselves to look past our abundant resources and accept that we are poor. Find poverty so you can find true wealth.

  • As we move from impoverished to wealthy, we receive the riches of having our condemnation removed, the Spirit dwelling in us, future hope, sacrificial community, and being included in God’s mission.

  • The Holy Spirit is like our personal indwelling tour guide who moves, directs, guides, and confronts us through life.

Other Scripture References

2 Corinthians 8:9

2 Corinthians 6:10

1 Timothy 6:17