Sermon Notes

July 28, 2024 AM
Paul Gotthardt
(#28 in series)

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Undivided: Warnings About Mishandling Wealth 

James 5:1-6

James presents multiple tests to help people see if they have genuine saving faith.

• The __ or hearer test (1:22-23)
• The silent or talker test (1:26-27)
• The  __ and works test (2:14-18)
• The wisdom and behavior test (3:13-18)
• The __ or ungodly test (4:1-6)
• The wealth and wickedness test (5:1-6)

Three key statements for understanding finances from a biblical perspective:

1) God owns __.

2) God blesses us with work, resources, and the ability to make money.

3) We are __ of what God has entrusted to us.

James is not condemning wealth or rich people. He is condemning the __ of wealth, the __ of wealth, and the __ of wealth to get your own way.

Big Truth: How we handle wealth reveals our __ in this life and our type of __ in the next.

What are the sins of mishandling wealth?

• We sin by __ wealth. (vv. 2-3)
• We sin by failing to properly __ others. (v. 4)
• We sin by __ wealth on self-indulgence. (v. 5)
• We sin by condemning/__ innocent people who get in the way. (v. 6)

Reflection/Response:

• Am I hoarding wealth or stewarding wealth?
• Am I withholding money I owe or using someone’s distress to my advantage?
• Is God convicting me of self-indulgence or squandering resources?
• How far am I willing to go to keep what is “mine”?