Spreading The Wealth

Spreading the Wealth!

Have you ever thought about what you would do if you struck it rich? Won the lottery, rich uncle died and left you a fortune? What would you do? Pay off bills, new home, new car, clothes?

Expression: ÒFROM RAGS TO RICHES.Ó

ThatÕs a common American expression, isnÕt it?

We know what it means---someone began life in virtual poverty and grew to become wealthy and/or successful.

They did on their own. They did it through sheer determination, ingenuity and hard work.

They are those who pulled themselves up by their own bootstraps.

Many people want to ÒLive THE AMERICAN DREAMÓ

What is the American Dream?

Freedom, wealth, new home, new car, nice family, comfortable life?

We can buy what we want, when we want, any quantity we want?

Are you living the American dream? Are you rich?

Boston Globe reported: WorldÕs average (mean) income is $7K; median is $1700

Please help me out by completing this sentence,

Compared to most people in the world, ÒI am rich, becauseÉ..Ó

Health? Family? Friends? Stuff? American? Educated? $$$? Investments? Real Gold, Silver in my SAFE?

Are you rich? Depends on the measuring stick doesnÕt it?

Church marqueeÕ: We are NOT rich because of what we own,

We are rich because of who owns us!

1 Timothy 6:17

17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.

ÒRich, RichlyÓÉcomes from a Greek word- Òpla see ous Òwhich means incredible abundance,

extreme wealth, enormous affluence, great prosperity, immense riches, extravagant lavishness.

Paul to TimothyÉ GodÉ pours out on us incredible abundance, extravagant lavishness

Colossians 3:16-3:16

16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

God pours out on us as incredible abundance, extreme wealth, enormous affluence, great prosperity, immense riches, and extravagant lavishness through His riches in Christ. What are we suppose to do with those riches? ÒTeaching and admonishing one another.Ó

Spread the wealth aroundÉletÕs do it!!!

Titus3:4-6

4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,

5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;;

Did you get it? He pours out on us incredible abundance, extravagant lavishness through Christ!

What is this lavishness?

2 Peter 1:11

11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

You may be thinking, ÒI am not worthy.Ó

ÒAll my righteousness is as filthy menstrual rags.Ó Isaiah

ÒI have sinned and come short of the glory of God.Ó

ÒI realize the wages of my sin in death.Ó

If you are, then you may be getting a little glimpse of this abundance we have in Christ.

So WHAT gives me this lavishness, this abundance, an entrance into this everlasting kingdom?

Romans 7:23-25

23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

We are asking the wrong question. It is not WHAT gives me this lavishness, itÕs WHO!

The answer is Jesus the Christ!

Ephesians 1:1-14

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.

4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he[b] predestined us for adoption to sonship[c] through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and willÑ 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.

7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of GodÕs grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding,

9 he[d] made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillmentÑto bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.

11 In him we were also chosen,[e] having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.