Breathing Room | A Real Kind of Rich
Breathing Room-A Real Kind of Rich
Sermon Recap
This week, we explored what it really means to feel rich. Paul writes to Timothy, “Command those who are rich in this present world to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.” (1 Timothy 6:17–19).
We learned that being rich isn’t about how much you have—it’s about how much room you have. Breathing room. Margin between your income and expenses, time and energy. Real wealth isn’t about “more”; it’s about “enough.” And the best way to feel rich is to practice generosity—to live with open hands, trusting that everything we have is a gift from God.
Go a Little Deeper
In 1 Timothy 6, Paul challenges the assumption that wealth equals security or happiness. He warns against putting our hope in riches, which are “so uncertain,” and invites us to put our hope in God instead—the One who “richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.”
A few key insights:
· Wealth is temporary; character is eternal. Paul reminds us that we “brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.” True gain isn’t in accumulation but in contentment.
· Generosity is spiritual formation. When we give, we resist the lie that our worth or safety depends on what we own. It’s a practice of freedom.
· The tithe was never about math—it was about meaning. The first 10% represented the whole. It was a declaration that everything belongs to God.
· Simplicity makes room for joy. The more we cling to “more,” the less we experience the life that is “truly life.”
Discussion Questions
1. When you think of being “rich,” what usually comes to mind? How does Paul redefine that idea?
2. What does it look like for you to “put your hope in God, who richly provides”?
3. How does practicing generosity (time, money, or attention) shape your heart?
4. What might it look like to create more breathing room in your life—financially or otherwise?
5. What’s one step you can take this week to pursue “the life that is truly life”?
Suggested Practices
1. Pray the Prayer — Revisit the prayer we prayed together on Sunday. Let it guide your heart toward contentment and generosity this week.
2. Simplify — Get rid of something in your home that no longer serves you as a small act of simplicity. For more inspiration, visit www.becomingminimalist.com.
3. Learn Together — Join us for Dollars & Sense this Wednesday and next at 6:30PM at the church.
4. Give Regularly — Consider setting up a regular gift at www.emmauschurchsc.com/give as a way to practice open-handed living.
Closing Prayer
God of every good gift, Teach us to live with open hands and full hearts. Free us from the grip of “more,” and lead us into the peace of “enough.” May we be rich in good deeds, generous in spirit, And willing to share what we have So that we might take hold of the life that is truly life. Amen