Jesus The Wealthy Saviour #1 Revisiting Prosperity: Jesus as the Wealthy Savior
The primary focus of our discourse centers on the concept of wealth as it pertains to the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, encapsulated in our new series titled "Jesus the Wealthy Savior." We endeavor to redefine the understanding of wealth, provision, and prosperity among believers, steering clear of notions that equate prosperity with greed or manipulation. Instead, we propose a framework where prosperity aligns with stewardship, divine provision, and the fulfillment of kingdom purposes. It is crucial to recognize that the biblical narrative does not depict Jesus as impoverished or struggling; rather, it illustrates Him as a figure whose ministry was underpinned by substantial financial support and resources provided by God. Throughout this series, we will examine various facets of Jesus' relationship with wealth, culminating in a deeper understanding of how believers can approach financial stewardship in a manner that honors their faith and purpose. The current discourse commences with the introduction of a transformative series entitled Jesus the Wealthy Savior, designed to recalibrate the perceptions of believers regarding wealth, provision, and prosperity through the lens of Jesus's life and ministry. The series aims to dismantle preconceived notions of prosperity being synonymous with greed or manipulation, instead presenting it as a profound alignment with divine stewardship and kingdom purpose. This nuanced understanding underscores that many believers may comfortably accept Jesus's role as holy and humble while simultaneously grappling with the concept of Him as financially resourced and supported. This juxtaposition is critical, as scriptural narratives do not depict Jesus as impoverished or struggling; rather, they illustrate a Savior whose divine mission was undergirded by substantial resources. As such, the forthcoming messages in this series are poised to liberate believers from guilt-laden perspectives surrounding wealth, encouraging an understanding of prosperity that transcends mere material gain and aligns with spiritual stewardship and purpose.
Transcript
Brothers and sisters, we're starting a new series of messages under the series name, Jesus the Wealthy Savior.
Speaker A:Now this series is designed to reframe how we as believers see wealth, provision and prosperity through the life of Jesus.
Speaker A:Not prosperity as greed or as manipulation or access, but prosperity as alignment, stewardship, provision and kingdom purpose.
Speaker A:Many believers are comfortable seeing Jesus as holy, sacrificial, humble and powerful, but uncomfortable seeing him as well provided, resourced and financially supported.
Speaker A:Yet Scripture does not present Jesus as poor, struggling or just barely getting by.
Speaker A:It presents him as a saviour whose ministry was funded, sustained, stewarded and multiplied by God.
Speaker A:Jesus did not come to glorify poverty, he came to redeem humanity, including how we think about provision, work, money and stewardship.
Speaker A:This series will help us as believers break guilt based thinking about wealth, separate holiness from lack, understand kingdom provision and see prosperity as a tool, not a God.
Speaker A:We're going to go through a series of four one, Gold, frankincense and myrrh.
Speaker A:His first offering where we see how Jesus life began with provision.
Speaker A:In the second message in the series, Jesus and his Financial Supporters, we unpack Jesus's ministry and how it was sustainably funded through through people God positioned.
Speaker A:And then third in the series, the treasurer, Judas carried Jesus Ministry had structure, accountability and financial systems.
Speaker A:And fourth, multiplication miracles as wealth principles where we learned that Jesus taught multiplication, stewardship and overflow through miracles.
Speaker A:Now each message will ground teaching in Scripture.
Speaker A:Correct false humility narratives, teach godly prosperity, not worldly access and also call believers to responsible kingdom stewardship.
Speaker A:Let us get into the first message titled Gold, frankincense and Myrrh.
Speaker A:His first offering before Jesus preached a sermon, before Jesus healed the sick, before Jesus called disciples, he received wealth.
Speaker A:Now that's a powerful thought.
Speaker A:Jesus first recorded interaction with the world was an offering not lack.
Speaker A:Heaven introduced Jesus to earth with provision.
Speaker A:Matthew 2:11 records that the Magi brought gold, frankincense and myrrh.
Speaker A:These were not symbolic trinkets.
Speaker A:They were high value international trade commodities.
Speaker A:Gold is financial wealth, frankincense is priestly worship as a commodity and myrrh is rare medicinal burial spice.
Speaker A:This tells us something very critical.
Speaker A:God did not send His Son empty handed into the world.
Speaker A:We'll say that again.
Speaker A:Jesus, I mean God did not send His Son empty handed into the world.
Speaker A:Jesus did not start life dependent on charity.
Speaker A:He started life with provision already assigned to his destiny.
Speaker A:God funded the assignment.
Speaker A:Before the assignment began, Jesus was born into a family that would flee to Egypt, live in exile and relocate safely.
Speaker A:That required resources.
Speaker A:The gifts from the magi were not sentimental.
Speaker A:They were strategic funding.
Speaker A:God always finances what he authorizes.
Speaker A:God always finances what he authorizes.
Speaker A:Jesus did not need to beg to fulfill his mission.
Speaker A:Provision arrived before the need fully manifested.
Speaker A:This teaches believers God is not reactive, he is proactive.
Speaker A:Provision often comes ahead of Count's understanding.
Speaker A:Wealth in God's hands is assignment driven, not ego driven.
Speaker A:Poverty is not a requirement for holiness.
Speaker A:Let's say that again.
Speaker A:Poverty is not a requirement for holiness.
Speaker A:Some believers assume being poor equals being holy, having resources equals being compromised.
Speaker A:But Jesus life contradicts this thinking from birth.
Speaker A:If poverty were holy, God would not have allowed wealth to greet his son.
Speaker A:If poverty were holy, heaven would have avoided material resources.
Speaker A:Instead, Heaven announced Jesus with abundance.
Speaker A:The issue is not wealth.
Speaker A:The issue is who wealth serves.
Speaker A:The gifts reveal Jesus multidimensional wealth.
Speaker A:The three gifts Jesus received reveal layers of kingdom, prosperity.
Speaker A:Gold was financial capacity.
Speaker A:Frankincense represented spiritual authority and worship.
Speaker A:And myrrh represents purpose, sacrifice and destiny.
Speaker A:True godly prosperity is not just money.
Speaker A:True godly prosperity is provision, purpose and preparation.
Speaker A:Now Jesus was financially resourced, spiritually anointed and purpose aligned.
Speaker A:From bir what this teaches believers about godly prosperity?
Speaker A:A God is not threatened by your provision, he assigns it.
Speaker A:B Wealth is a servant to purpose, it is not a replacement for God.
Speaker A:And then C Provision often arrives disguised as gifts from the people you did not expect.
Speaker A:And D Jesus did not reject wealth, he stewarded it.
Speaker A:Here are some questions for reflection.
Speaker A:1.
Speaker A:Where have you associated lack with holiness?
Speaker A:2.
Speaker A:Have you rejected provision because of false humility?
Speaker A:And 3.
Speaker A:Can you trust God to resource your calling without guilt?
Speaker A:Here are some practical applications we can take from this message.
Speaker A:Let us take time to thank God for provision already present in our lives.
Speaker A:Let's ask God to align our resources with our assignment.
Speaker A:And we need to stop apologizing for being provided for.
Speaker A:Let us start stewarding it.
Speaker A:Let us pray.
Speaker A:Lord Jesus, you entered this world already resourced, already prepared, already provided for heal our thinking where we have made lack holy and provision suspicious.
Speaker A:Teach us to steward wealth with humility, wisdom and purpose.
Speaker A:May our resources serve your kingdom and never replace you in Jesus name.
Speaker A:Amen.
