On Radical Wealth

Today’s sermon will challenge you to realize that you are in the top 1% of wealthy people on earth. Before you compare yourself to the CEO’s who take 20 million per year in bonuses and declare yourself “dirt poor” I invite you to do some reading. In the sermon my time is limited. I have been personally challenged by David Platt’s book “Radical” and would like, in turn, to share some of his resources with you.

Platt’s website provides additional articles, sermons an research, which you could read, listen or watch, as pastor Platt takes down the “prosperity gospel.”

http://www.radicalthebook.com/resources.html

In a special way I want you to spend time on Chapter 6 “How much is enough?” Greed is a “blind spot” of American Christianity, and the power of money is the most abusive influence in our lives.

In the late 1950's Billy Graham held an evangelistic crusade in New York City. The meeting drew record crowds and thousands made public decisions concerning their relationships with Jesus Christ. Billy Graham preached the gospel in its purest and simplest form. Reinhold Niebuhr, Professor at Union Theological Seminary in New York, was asked what he thought about the Graham Crusade, and he said "Graham's preaching has set back Christianity 200 years." Billy Graham was asked his response to Niebuhr's statement, and he replied "if we have set back Christianity 200 years, we have failed, for our intent was to take it back 1900 years and to the cross."

It’s time we take our Christianity “back” 2000 years. It is our intent to rediscover the Radical Roots, the Original DNA, the unadulterated pure Gospel of Jesus and fellowship of the first century Apostolic church. And the topic of wealth, possessions, money, giving cannot be omitted.

We have addressed in our Living Radical series your personal testimony, the public Voice we should have, the Discipleship, Friendship, even health. More is to be addressed, and before we proceed we must talk about how we handle God’s money. Are we living as dispensers of God’s Grace into lives of others? Do we understand that “stewardship” means “distribution” of God-given wealth, time, resources?

Do you count what comes in to give thanks, and what goes out to bless others? What changes do you need to make to “cap” your spending to be set free? Have you ever considered that while you are saved by trusting in God’s promises, it is your treatment of the poor that evidences genuine of your salvation, the transformation by the Spirit for the love of others? Examine your “roots.” Live Radical Christianity!