Blessings Can Be a Curse

Start Up

This weekend, we finished up our “Honest Slogans” series by talking about wealth and affluence. It’s common for people to talk about being #blessed. But blessings can sometimes be a curse, depending on what we do with it. Wealth can be powerfully good, but it can also lead to apathy and indifference if we’re not careful.

• When you compare yourself to someone who’s “rich,” what stands out to you as an opportunity they have that you don’t?
• When you compare your life to the billions of people on this planet who look at us as “rich,” what stands out as an opportunity you have that they don’t?

Discuss Together

Read a letter Jesus wrote to the church in Laodicea, found in Revelation 3:14-22.

• How would you describe the tone of this letter? What words or phrases stand out?
• Why does Jesus tell this church they are lukewarm?
• How do you think America and American culture is similar to Laodicea?
• In what ways does wealth give the illusion of self-sufficiency? Have you experienced your spiritual life changing based on how “in control” you feel and financially stable you are?
• The Laodiceans were distracted by stuff. What kind of stuff are you most prone to being distracted by?
• How could the Laodiceans move from being lukewarm to red hot or refreshingly cold? What should they have been doing with their wealth and resources?
• Tax returns show that the wealthier people are, the less generous they become. Does that surprise you? Why or why not?
• Do you think most people would use the word “generous” to describe Christians? Why or why not?
• Where is Jesus in your life right now? Is He at the center or on the sidelines? Explain.
• Jeff mentioned three ways the church at Laodicea was lukewarm: They were self-sufficient; they were stuff-distracted; and they were self-focused. Of those three areas, where do you have the most room to grow? Name one step you can take to be more red hot or refreshingly cold.