Introduction

I. This series of lessons is based on the beloved song, “It Is Well with My Soul.”

II. What comes to your mind when you hear the expression, “It is well with my soul”?

III. Few people in the world would attach the word “poverty” to this expression.

IV. Jesus presented the common worldview on the subject in His parable of a rich man (Luke 12:16-19).

Discussion

I. Why is poverty well with my soul?

A. Because it was well with my Lord.

1. Of all the things our Lord could have chosen to become, He chose to be poor for our sakes (2 Corinthians 8:9).

2. He became as poor as anyone can be (Matthew 8:20).

3. His mission included preaching the Gospel to the poor (Luke 4:16-21).

B. Because it was well with God’s servants.

1. Job blessed the name of the Lord in poverty (Job 1:20-21).

2. Lazarus was faithful to God throughout a life of physical misery (Luke 16:19-25).

3. The apostle Paul learned to live in poverty (Philippians 4:10-13).

C. Because it is well with Christianity.

1. The Founder of Christianity was born among the poor, lived among the poor, was received among the poor, worked among the poor, commissioned the poor, and died as a poor man.

2. In the first century, Christianity was welcomed among the poor (1 Corinthians 1:26-29).

3. Reaching and helping the poor is one of the missions of Christianity (Galatians 2:9-10).

II. What can “true poverty” (non-dependence on the material) do for you?

A. It can help you be content (1 Timothy 6:7-9).

B. It can help you see your real value (Genesis 1:27).

C. It can help you see the real value of others (Proverbs 22:2).

D. It can help you see the real needs of others (Acts 3:1-8).

E. It can help you see the real value of God and heaven (Matthew 5:3).

Conclusion

I. Is poverty well with your soul?

II. Not only can you answer this question, but you must answer!