NOOMA Rich

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013 Rob Bell
NOOMA Rich
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013 Rob Bell
 Do you feel blessed?
“I keep seeing this bumper sticker that’s popular where I live. It says, ‘God Bless America.’
Every time I see one, I think God has. God has blessed America.”
Why or why not?

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Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant
nor to put their hope in wealth, …

1 Timothy 6:17 (NIV)

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 What do you generally associate with someone who’s considered rich?
“Now I always assumed this verse was for somebody else,
I mean, specifically somebody rich.”
Do you consider yourself rich?

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“Maybe you have this sense, you look around and you have
this sense that you don’t have that much
because you see people that have even more. Is what you have, your stuff, outdated and not-good-enough?
But it’s a dangerous thing when we start to think that ‘our’ world is ‘the’ world.
We’re bombarded with all of these images of the newest models Compared to what or who?
and the latest styles and, after a while, our stuff,
it starts to seem kind of average, outdated, not-good-enough.”

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Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant
nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God,
who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.

1 Timothy 6:17 (NIV)

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 Do you believe everything you own is in some way a gift from God?
“That phrase, the God who richly provides us with everything – all that we have is a gift.
Food – gift. Clothes – gift. Roof – gift. That breath that you just took – it’s a gift.”
Everything?

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Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant
nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God,
who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.
Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds,
and to be generous and willing to share.

1 Timothy 6:17-18 (NIV)

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 Are you generous?
“So the first Christians picked up on this in a letter called Ephesians.
With your money?
One of them wrote that we’re saved by the grace of God through faith in Christ
in order to do ‘mitzvoth,’ in order to do good deeds. We’re saved to do good works.
Your time?
And so we’re commanded to do ‘mitzvoth’ and to be generous and willing to share.”
Your stuff?

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Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant
nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God,
who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.
Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds,
and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure
for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age,
so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.

1 Timothy 6:17-19 (NIV)

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“Now, when some hear the phrase ‘laying up treasures,’ Are you content?
they start to think of money and wealth and mansions,
but Jesus never even used the word ‘mansion.’ If not, what will it take?
Nowhere in his teaching is it about, or is the point about getting more stuff.
It’s not the goal here on earth and it’s not the goal someday in heaven. Do you think it’s possible to live out the kind of generosity
For Jesus, it’s about being content.” Jesus talked about without being content?

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“Let’s be honest. It’s easy to go to a church service,
it’s easy to read the Bible, it’s easy to discuss who believes what
and who’s right and who’s wrong. It’s easy.
Do you consider yourself a follower of Jesus?
But when Jesus talks about his followers, he talks about people who are generous,
people who clothe the naked, take food to the hungry,
Do you live the kind of life that Jesus described his followers would live?
take water to the thirsty, people who visit the prisoner,
people who invite the stranger in, people who give their time,
people who give their energy, people who give their money.”

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“The best question isn’t, ‘What can I get?’
To take the way of Jesus seriously,
is to realize that the best question is, ‘What can I give?’ What can you give?
Because all of us can give something – here, now, today,
and then tomorrow and then the next day. Who are you going to bless?
What can you do to be more generous? What is the next step for you?
You have been blessed. What can you give? Who are you going to bless?”

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“May you come to see that you’re rich.
And your possessions, they’re luxuries that most of the people in the world don’t have.
And may you do what Jesus says, may you step into your divine responsibility to give,
and when you do, may you take hold of the life that is truly life.”

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100% of the proceeds from “Rich” will be donated to charitable organizations
that clothe the naked, take food to the hungry, and take water to the thirsty.

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NOOMA Rich 013 Rob Bell
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