Blessings Can Be a Curse

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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?

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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.