Do you ever feel haunted by the power and influence of the wealthy. We wrestle with the problem of prosperity. The riches of the world are seductive and deceptive, trying to pull our focus away from God. Jesus asked the question in Matt. 16:26, "What can a man give in exchange for his soul?"
1) To whom and why was this written—49:1-4 a) A universal audience: written for all the Gentiles of the world—49:1-2 b) A universal teaching: written to make all the Gentiles think—49:3-4
2) Death is inevitable for all people; the dilemma is universal—49:5-13 a) A rhetorical question from the wise—49:5 b) The actions and attitudes of the foolish—49:6-13
3) The futures of the unrighteous and the righteous contrasted—49:14-15 a) The future destruction of the unrighteous—49:14 b) The future restoration of the righteous—49:15
4) Remember that you can't take it with you—49:16-20 a) Don't be intimidated/threatened by the wealthy—49:16 b) The wealthy take nothing with them, not even their glory—49:17-18 c) They join their ancestors in eternal darkness—49:19 d) They are like unwise animals—49:20 (cf. 49:12)
5) Things to remember (think, feel, do): a) The problem of the wicked is not their wealth, but their misplaced focus and faith. i) It does no good to re-distribute the wealth to others, as some are foolishly suggesting. b) The hope of the righteous is better than the false security of the wicked. c) The destiny of the righteous is far better than the fleeting glory of the wicked. d) Jesus stated, "It is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matt. 19:23) It is only by the grace of God that anyone can enter.
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By God's amazing grace alone, Phil was drawn to salvation in Jesus Christ as a college freshman. He began his pastoral ministry as an assistant pastor (working specifically with youth and music) in 1983 while in seminary. He became the senior pastor here at Calvary in December...
