Lesson Commentary for each week

Transcription

1 LifeSource Lesson Commentary for each week Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible, copyright 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003 by Holman Bible publishers. Used by permission. This material is provided to help you as the leader prepare for each week s Group Bible Study. The commentary provides insight and explanation on the Bible passages to aid you in leading group discussion and teaching the lessons in place of the video teacher. Also included are interactive questions to help you apply the Scriptures to your life and your new class. Spend time reading and responding to the commentary each week. Look for ways to make the Scripture a part of your daily living through learning and application. This will greatly impact the way you lead the class. It will also show through to the class members, encouraging them as they prepare each week in their Personal Bible Study. You will soon need to choose what curriculum your class will follow after the conclusion of LifeSource. Go to to see what choices are available from LifeWay. Explore the Bible and Bible Studies for Life are two options that provide commentary and teaching plans similar to what you find in LifeSource.

2 Week 1 Work Matters Life Impact To help you develop a right perspective regarding things that matter by: describing the origins and values of work; and committing to practice a biblical work ethic. Biblical Truth Work was ordained by God before the fall and is beneficial and satisfying to workers as well as honoring to God. Background Passages Genesis 1:24-31; 2:8-17; Psalm 127:1-5; Proverbs 6:6-11; 21:5; Colossians 3:18 4:1 Focal Passages Genesis 1:26-28,31; 2:15; Psalm 127:2; Proverbs 6:6-8; 21:5; Colossians 3:22 4:1 Lesson Outline Work Is God s Idea (Gen. 1:26-28,31; 2:15) Work Is Beneficial (Prov. 6:6-8; 21:5) Work Should Be Kept in Its Proper Perspective (Ps. 127:2) Work Honors God (Col. 3:22 4:1) Spiritual Preparation Through Personal Bible Study Why do some people dread Mondays? Why do they call Wednesday hump day? Why do they rejoice when Friday rolls around? What is so special about weekends? The answers are as obvious as = 4. On Mondays they go back to work; Wednesdays mark a workweek s halfway point; Friday is weekend eve ; and on the weekends they don t have to go to work. While some of us are retired or for other valid reasons have no formal employment, all of us have some work to do. It may be primarily mental, physical, spiritual, or a combination of all three. What is your attitude toward your work? Reflecting on biblical answers to the question, Why should I value work? may indicate the need for a change in both attitude and action. On a scale of 1 (it s a necessary evil) to 10 (I d pay to get to do my work), how much do you value your work? Work Is God s Idea (Gen. 1:26-28,31; 2:15)

3 26 Then God said, Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the animals, all the earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth. 27 So God created man in His own image; He created him in the image of God; He created them male and female. 28 God blessed them, and God said to them, Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and every creature that crawls on the earth. 31 God saw all that He had made, and it was very good. Evening came, and then morning: the sixth day :15 The LORD God took the man and placed him in the garden of Eden to work it and watch over it. Mark the following statements true (T) or false (F). After studying this section, review your answers. God did not originally intend for people to work. When we work constructively and creatively, we reflect God s image. God s purpose for us involves work. Work is punishment for sin. Work is a gift from God. Before considering the notion that work is God s idea, maybe we should remind ourselves that creating the universe and all that is in it also was His idea. Therefore the main questions about what matters in life revolve around who God is and what He wants, not who we are and what we want. How easily we forget that God is the Creator and we are the creatures! We function best when we remember this, pay attention to God s Word, and obey His teachings. Let s pay attention to what Genesis 1 teaches about God and humans. Up to this point in Genesis, God s creative acts are reported in impersonal language Let there be. But the creation of humankind is recorded in personal language Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness. This signals that the creation of humans was distinctive. These humans would correspond uniquely to God who created them. The terms image and likeness both emphasize the idea of resemblance or similarity. Since they can be used as synonyms, the use of both seems to emphasize that we really and truly are created in God s image. This was God's crowning act of creation. After several of God's creative acts, the record reports And God saw that it was good" (1:10,12,18,21,25). After the creation of humans, God saw that it was very good (v. 31). Genesis does not spell out directly all that being created in God s image means. Since God is a Spirit, image cannot mean physical form. The early chapters of Genesis make clear, however, that humans are created with the capacity for a personal relationship with their Creator, with the freedom to choose, and with an ability to weigh the consequences of choices. These abilities obviously require the capacity for rational thought and, many would agree, a sense of morality. At least in these ways, humans correspond to their Creator.

4 An abundance of ink and paper has been used in efforts to explain the use of the plural Us and Our in verse 26. All the explanations raise questions of their own. Perhaps this is a prophetic glimpse of the New Testament revelation of the Trinity God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (The Spirit of God is mentioned in verse 2.) The next verse reverts to the singular, God created man in His own image, affirming the unity of God God is one. While we do well to explore matters such as the meaning of being created in God s image and the use of plural pronouns in identifying God, let s honestly acknowledge that Scripture often does not satisfy our curiosity. God has told us precisely what we need to know but not always what we would like to know. So what does God want us to know? He created us for a purpose. He made us in His image, so part of that purpose involves living in relationship with Him. It also involves carrying out our Creator s assignment. Verse 26 shows that God intended for humans to be the dominant species on earth. We are to rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the animals, all the earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth. According to verse 28, that assignment formally is given to humanity. It is prefaced with the words Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. To subdue the earth involves work, both mental and physical. To begin that work, the LORD God took the man and placed him in the garden of Eden to work it and watch over it. Most of us are aware of what happens to orchards and gardens when they are not tended. Plants generally are prolific and compete for sunlight and nutrients. The quicker growing plants, if not cut back, can choke out and replace more valued plants. Furthermore, experience has shown the relationship of pruning to increased productivity. Since animals can wreak havoc on a garden, part of the work included protecting it. The point is that humans were created to do work. Some mistakenly think work is a punishment for sin. Genesis 1 3 reveals that when God made the assignment to work, sin had not yet entered human experience. One punishment of sin was that work would become painful labor (3:17), but God did not assign work itself` as a punishment. Work is a gift from God and a means of joining Him in His creative work. God provided an environment for humanity that is filled with potential for meaningful, creative, and productive work. Work Is Beneficial (Prov. 6:6-8; 21:5) 6 Go to the ant, you slacker! Observe its ways and become wise. 7 Without leader, administrator, or ruler, 8 it prepares its provisions in summer; it gathers its food during harvest :5 The plans of the diligent certainly lead to profit, but anyone who is reckless only becomes poor. Perhaps the most obvious benefit of doing work today is remuneration. Regardless of the nature of our employment, most of us look forward to payday. We take pride in working to support our families and ourselves. Work has other benefits as well. It can forge a bond between ourselves and our fellow workers. Many affirm that even in less-than-desirable working conditions, they enjoy their

5 relationships formed at work. Another benefit is being recognized for dependability and competence on the job. For many of us, the best reward for having done good work is a sense of fulfillment and even joy. The writer has identified the following benefits of work. Which have you experienced? What other benefits would you include? pay relationships with coworkers recognition for dependability and competence fulfillment and joy from a job well done other: other: Admittedly, a number of workers find no joy in their work. They see a paycheck as the only benefit. Some seem to think that they should be paid regardless of how much work they do or how well they do it. Others have not been properly recognized for exceptional efforts, so they feel justified in doing only the minimum amount of work required to get by. Some do as little as they can because they resent an obnoxious boss. Still others refuse opportunities to work, preferring to live off the responsibility and generosity of others. What does Scripture say about people who do not work as they should? It says that even ants are smarter than people who don t or won t work. Read again Proverbs 6:6-8. These words are addressed to a slacker, a lazy person, one who deliberately avoids hard work. I have known some individuals who were capable of doing excellent work and, when they stuck to their jobs, performed very well. The problem was that they kept coming unstuck. They often would stop work to or call friends, visit a coworker, socialize in the break room, and even do church work rather than their assigned tasks. Maybe they are not lazy, but they are slackers as far as work is concerned. Ants do what they are supposed to do. They do not have bosses telling them what, when, where, and how to do their work. They do not need to attend motivational meetings. When it is time to work (summer for ants) and opportunity is at hand (harvest time), they are busy doing beneficial work, work that benefits them and the nest. Scripture tells us to observe the ant s ways and become wise. Ants provide a great example of doing work that benefits themselves and others of their kind. To become wise in the biblical sense means more than simply noticing that laziness is against an ant s nature. Biblical wisdom is practical. We are wise when we not only see the ant s example but also follow it. Proverbs 21:5 addresses the matter of slackers in a different way. It contrasts the results of being diligent and of being reckless. Diligent workers do not live just for the moment but plan for the future. They not only devise a plan but also work to implement that plan and bring it to fruition. Their work is profitable and beneficial, both short term and long range. The Hebrew term translated diligent carries the ideas of alertness, determination, and eagerness. To me that word calls to mind workers who do more than is required and who carry out every task to the best of their ability. Some people adopt the motto never volunteer, but the workers who consistently move toward work rather than away from it generally get ahead. When diligent workers find spare time, they offer to do additional work or to help others who are behind. The term for reckless is more literally hasty. It describes people who are in a hurry. These

6 are impatient with the notion of thinking through a plan and sticking to it. The idea of deferred gratification repels them. They want the rewards without the necessary effort; so they take shortcuts, often doing no more than they absolutely are required to do. To impress a boss they might make excuses, blame others, or even take credit for what others achieve. Their minds are on the easiest way to get through the workday. Such folk may call in sick and go out to enjoy the day. Somehow they never grasp the truth that work actually is beneficial. Therefore, they make an uncomfortable bed and have to lie in it. They deprive themselves of the personal and financial benefits of being diligent on the job the reckless end up poor. Work is the means by which wise men and women meet their own needs and the needs of their families. God has ordained that productive work is the primary means of meeting human needs, including the needs of people who cannot work. Work Should Be Kept in Its Proper Perspective (Ps. 127:2) 2 In vain you get up early and stay up late, eating food earned by hard work; certainly He gives sleep to the one He loves. Psalm 127 is attributed to Solomon and is a strong affirmation of God s sovereignty, particularly in the outcome of all human efforts. In short, without His blessings, all we do is for nothing. The reckless mentioned in Proverbs 21:5 may seize upon Psalm 127:2 as justification for not working hard. They might say, See, it s in the Bible. Don t knock yourself out on the job! The idea of coming to work early and laboring after hours is absurd to them. The wise could answer, You need to read verse 1 before verse 2. That verse warns that apart from the Lord, our most strenuous efforts are in vain. The point is that we kid ourselves if we trust in our own efforts to make our future secure. The Hebrew word for vain in verse 2 basically means deceptive. When we fail to live in dependence on the Lord, we lose a proper perspective on our work. We tend to seek security and success in our own efforts and wisdom. We lose sight of who we are and who God is. The idea of working from early to late may make us think of a workaholic, but the point is not really that hard work is wrong. The point is that expending exceptional effort can signal that we are depending on our efforts rather than on the Lord. The determination to succeed, to get ahead, to gain wealth, to receive recognition, or to have power can tilt our lives out of balance. Suppose you were a tightrope walker carrying a pole for balance and crossing a high wire. If your perspective and attitude toward your work were on one side of the pole and your perspective and attitude toward other elements of your life were on the other side of the pole, might you: fall because too heavy an emphasis on work throws you off balance. fall because too light an emphasis on work throws you off balance. wobble and teeter because of a constant shifting of balance between work and other elements. cross fairly smoothly with only occasionally needing to catch yourself and rebalance. If your walk would not be smooth and balanced, what can you do to establish a more biblical work ethic?

7 Scripture encourages diligent work, but we need verse 2 to help us keep work in its proper perspective. Each day, even each breath we take, is a gift from the God who created us. If we depend on ourselves to meet our needs rather than on Him, we deceive ourselves. Yes, we are to work hard. Yes, sometimes we will have to work extended hours and extra days. Throughout all that, however, we are to live with awareness that all we have or will have is ultimately a gift from God. The words He gives sleep to the one He loves seem to imply that if we fail to depend on the Lord we may have difficulty getting enough sleep at night. Most of us have tossed and turned in bed as our minds kept anxiously spinning over matters beyond our control. When we bring our burdens and cares to the Lord in trusting prayer, He calms our restless spirits. We are to do the best we can under God and leave the results to Him. Psalm 127:2 does not guarantee that we will be incredibly successful or attain impressive wealth, but it does assure us that the Lord is adequate for every need we may face. Secure in His love and trusting in His promises, we can sleep. Work Honors God (Col. 3:22 4:1) 22 Slaves, obey your human masters in everything; don t work only while being watched, in order to please men, but work wholeheartedly, fearing the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, do it enthusiastically, as something done for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord you serve the Lord Christ. 25 For the wrongdoer will be paid back for whatever wrong he has done, and there is no favoritism. 4:1 Masters, supply your slaves with what is right and fair, since you know that you too have a Master in heaven. Colossians 3:1 4:1 contains Paul s God-inspired instructions to believers about Christian living. The contents can be summarized in two statements. (1) Believers are to walk with God and allow Him to shape them into what He created them to be (3:10). (2) Believers are to do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus; that is, do what He would have them do in the way He would have them do it (v. 17). In 3:22 4:1 Paul spelled out what those statements mean in terms of our work. In short, our work should honor God. The instructions pertaining to work are addressed to Christian slaves and masters. Today, we correctly view slavery as one of the terrible examples of what commonly is called man s inhumanity to man. So how are we to understand Paul s seeming support of that despicable practice? While we do not have all the answers, we can make some educated guesses. First, slavery was virtually a universally accepted institution in Paul s day. It was tightly woven into the social and economic fabric of Rome. Had Christian leaders spoken out against slavery or encouraged slaves to rebel against their masters, Christianity would have been characterized as a frightening revolutionary movement. The slave population was huge, and any attack on the institution of slavery was viewed as treason and was brutally crushed. Nevertheless, Jesus teachings on love and justice served as the leaven that eventually caused slavery to be banned in much of the world.

8 Second, and perhaps more to the point, Paul wrote to explain how Christian slaves and masters were to live out their faith in their respective roles. While not all believers have good or even acceptable work situations, they are to operate on biblical principles. The instructions to slaves and masters provide principles that we can apply to the roles of employees and employers. Employers expect employees to obey them, to carry out their assigned duties. Employees expect employers to pay them an agreed wage, to make reasonable demands, and to treat them with respect. As employees become more proficient and productive, they expect employers to show their appreciation in both tangible and intangible ways. Sounds good, right? However, factor sinful human nature into this arrangement and you get a pretty good picture of real life in many workplaces. Work truly can be painful labor (Gen. 3:17). Read Colossians 3:5,8-9 and you will recognize some elements that characterize all too many places of work. Many employers and employees fall far short of ideal expectations. Today, employees have options slaves did not have. They have legal recourse in the event of sexual harassment and certain forms of discrimination. Some have labor unions. They also have the privilege of quitting, though economic realities may limit that option. Aside from all of that, how are Christian employees to respond to overbearing, manipulative, and unfair treatment by their superiors at work? In a sense, the Christian response is to change employers. That does not mean we quit and find another job, though some may need to do that. Rather, we are to acknowledge that the Lord is our real Boss, and to do our work for Him. When we do that, we work in a manner that pleases the One who saved us. We fear (v. 22) the Lord s displeasure because of the quality of our work, not our employer s displeasure. We move out of the ranks of the resentful and the get-by workers; we work wholeheartedly and enthusiastically. The latter term is literally from the soul ; and joined to the former term, the idea expresses with all your heart and soul. Regardless of our earthly employers unfairness and lack of appreciation, we give our best effort as something done for the Lord and not for men. Is taking this approach really fair to us? If this earthly life were the whole story, then perhaps not; but we know better than that. We live not only for time but also for eternity. We know that we will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord. Therefore, we gladly serve the Lord Christ by giving our best efforts even when our employers do not deserve it. Those who mistreat others will get what they deserve in due time. The Lord will see that they are paid back for whatever wrong they have done. How are Christian employers to operate? They are to compensate employees with what is right and fair. They are to operate in business as though the Lord were their only stockholder. Their primary objective is to please Him, not other people, including earthly stockholders. All employers have a Master in heaven, and Christians are to act accordingly. When believers think and act as the Lord s servants, they honor the Lord. Whether employee, employer, self-employed, or not gainfully employed, every believer s work is to be done in honor of the Lord. Reflect on your work of the last few days. If given the opportunity to present that work to the Lord, what words of honor, explanation, or apology might you attempt to include with the presentation? Biblical Truths of This Lesson in Focus We can practice a biblical work ethic by affirming and acting on these biblical truths:

9 Our earthly work and how we do it matters to our Creator. Work is a way we reflect God s image and experience His blessings. God intends for us to keep a proper perspective on work. We are to fulfill our work responsibilities in ways that bring honor to God. Concept Study: How is God s image reflected in the human activity of working constructively and creatively? The first two chapters of Genesis present God as a worker. His work of creation is so vast on both the macro and micro scale that science continues to make amazing and awesome discoveries of just how creative He is. According to His own purposes, He created humans in His image. Part of what that means is that we are created for work. God, therefore, assigned work to the first humans. Today, when we work constructively and creatively, we are reflecting God s image.

10 Week 2 Money Matters Life Impact To help you develop a right perspective regarding things that matter by: distinguishing between the temporary value of money and the eternal value of the kingdom of God; and determining to make the kingdom of God the top priority of your life. Biblical Truth Believers are to pursue God s kingdom above all else and exercise wise stewardship over their financial resources. Background Passage Luke 12:13-48 Focal Passages Luke 12:16-21,27-28,31-34,42-44,48b Lesson Outline Realize Material Wealth Doesn t Last (Luke 12:16-21) Trust God to Meet Your Needs (Luke 12:27-28) Pursue God s Kingdom Above All Else (Luke 12:31-34) Be a Good Steward of All You Have (Luke 12:42-44,48b) Spiritual Preparation Through Personal Bible Study Most of us agree that money matters. All who insist money doesn t matter likely would change their tunes if suddenly they had no money. Our problem is not that we don t think money matters but that we think it matters too much. The majority of Christians struggle to find or maintain a biblical perspective on money and all it represents. Why the struggle? In our culture money is a means of keeping score, and the score separates winners from losers. One reason some people live beyond their means (using credit) is that they want to show they are winners. Perhaps more significantly, money also is believed to be the means for achieving the good life a life characterized by security, comfort, and convenience. The assumption is that those things bring happiness. To the contrary, many wealthy people testify that their riches failed to provide them the inner peace, satisfaction, and fulfillment they expected. A good question for us to ask is How does God want me to view and handle money? Or put another way, How can I make sure the money I own doesn t own me? The teachings of the Lord Jesus in Luke 12 can help us answer that question. Permission granted to reproduce for use in a small group Bible study only. May not be distributed for hire.

11 Realize Material Wealth Doesn t Last (Luke 12:16-21) 16 Then He told them a parable: A rich man s land was very productive. 17 He thought to himself, What should I do, since I don t have anywhere to store my crops? 18 I will do this, he said. I ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and store all my grain and my goods there. 19 Then I ll say to myself, You have many goods stored up for many years. Take it easy; eat, drink, and enjoy yourself. 20 But God said to him, You fool! This very night your life is demanded of you. And the things you have prepared whose will they be? 21 That s how it is with the one who stores up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God. We can make sure the money we own doesn t own us by realizing that material wealth doesn t last. Sure, we readily agree that material wealth doesn t last. Sometimes it does not even last to the next paycheck! More to the point, it belongs to the temporal realm. Material wealth and all it represents do not last into eternity. While we know that to be true, are we living as though wealth does last? For example, the estimated church-giving level of Southern Baptists is around 3%. Giving records in many churches reveal that approximately 80% of the folk give around 20% of the total gifts. That ratio holds true in congregations with and without wealthy members. We tend to hang onto our money, hoping to come to a time out there somewhere where we can take it easy; eat, drink, and enjoy ourselves. All of us need to review the parable of the rich fool in Luke 12: The context of the parable is instructive. Luke 11:37-54 records a clash between hostile Pharisees and Jesus. In chapter 12 Jesus turned from His dialogue with the Pharisees and began to address His disciples. A huge crowd had gathered and was listening. Jesus warned against Pharisaical hypocrisy (vv. 1-3), affirmed the need to fear God rather than people (vv. 4-7), explained that only those who confessed Him on earth would be welcome in heaven (vv. 8-9), and promised the presence of the Holy Spirit (vv ). In summary, Jesus was teaching about spiritual matters that impact eternal destiny. A man in the crowd abruptly and rudely interrupted Jesus message. Not too unlike us, the man was not interested in what Jesus wanted to say to him but rather in what he wanted to say to Jesus. The man asked that Jesus tell his brother to divide the inheritance with him (v. 13). Evidently the man s father had died, and the older brother would not give his younger brother what he thought he deserved. Whether the man or his brother was in the wrong is a matter of speculation. Jesus refused to deal with the inheritance problem. However, His next words to the crowd dealt with the man s spiritual problem a problem all too common today. Just as Jesus had used the Pharisees attacks to teach about hypocrisy, He used the man s interruption to warn against the mind-set of always wanting more Watch out and be on guard against all greed because one s life is not in the abundance of his possessions (v. 15). To press home that truth, Jesus told the crowd a parable about a rich man. The parable is straightforward and readily understood. The yield of a rich man s land exceeded all expectations. No doubt Jesus listeners were thinking That s the way it goes; the rich get richer, and the poor get poorer! Permission granted to reproduce for use in a small group Bible study only. May not be distributed for hire.

12 When the unexpected occurs, a wise course of action is to consider options. That seems to be what the wealthy man was doing What should I do? He could have considered using part of the bounty to reward his servants who worked the land. He could have thought about giving some of it for distribution to the poor. Evidently, such thoughts never crossed his mind. He only considered options that would enable him to conserve the unexpected increase for his own use. He decided to provide larger barns in which he could store all his grain and his goods. Read again verses and notice the number of times himself, I, my, and myself appear. Jesus was describing a totally self-centered person. A literal translation of verse 19 says the man was speaking to his soul (see KJV). However, the word is well translated myself (and life in v. 20) in the HCSB, for no spiritual meaning is intended. The man was saying in effect that he had it made. He had attained his life-long goal. He anticipated many years in which he could take it easy; eat, drink, and enjoy himself. His life was rooted in this world. He believed in materialism, lived for the present, and took no thought of God or eternity. He absolutely failed to realize that material wealth is strictly temporal; it does not last beyond one s last breath. May I challenge you to use the parable as a mirror? When some unexpected money comes your way, what do you do with it? It may come from putting in overtime, a raise, a promotion, a bonus, a tax refund, an inheritance, a gift, or whatever. Is your first response to thank God and ask Him how He wants it used? Or do you automatically think of ways you can better feather your own nest? Jesus declared God s evaluation of people who live only for themselves and for this present world You fool! The Greek word for fool means one without reason. While we do not dwell on our own mortality, we all know that one day we will die. Hopefully, we are aware any day could be our last, for no one is guaranteed tomorrow. The duration of any earthly life is no more than a drop in the ocean of eternity. To live for this temporal life only, making no preparation for the life to come, is the height of folly. God told the foolish man that he would enjoy none of his material wealth. It would all go to others because this very night your life is demanded of you. Jesus applied the parable s message That s how it is with the one who stores up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God. How do we become rich toward God? The key is truly allowing the Lord to be our Lord. We are to follow the guidance He gives through His Word and His Spirit about how we are to invest our resources and ourselves in His kingdom. Those investments last forever. So let s begin anew to ask Him, Lord, what do You want me to do with my money? Then let s trust Him and use it as He directs. Mentally or on paper, take a brief inventory of your checkbook, pay stubs, and other financial dealings. Plot on the following graph the point that would seem to best represent your wealth quotient. Lots that won t last Little that won t last Little that will last Lots that will last Trust God to Meet Your Needs (Luke 12:27-28) 27 Consider how the wildflowers grow: they don t labor or spin thread. Yet I tell you, not Permission granted to reproduce for use in a small group Bible study only. May not be distributed for hire.

13 even Solomon in all his splendor was adorned like one of these! 28 If that s how God clothes the grass, which is in the field today and is thrown into the furnace tomorrow, how much more will He do for you you of little faith? We can make sure the money we own doesn t own us by trusting God to meet our needs. That may be easier to say than to do when funds are stretched and we can foresee needs we are not sure we can finance. In 12:22-26 Jesus addressed such concerns. He said in effect that worrying is not worthwhile, for it accomplishes nothing at all. God provides food for the ravens each day, and His people are more precious to Him than birds. Jesus continued by using wildflowers as an illustration of God s lavish provision. The flowers don t worry about how they look; neither do they work so they can look better. God takes care of that. The grass with its wildflowers was commonly thrown into the furnace (used in ovens as fuel for baking bread). It literally was here today, gone tomorrow. The contrast is obvious. If that s how God clothes the grass how much more will He do for you? Grass is strictly temporary; God s people have been given eternal life. That gift is immeasurably costly to God. The issue for us is whether we can trust the God who gave His Son to die for our sins also to provide for us in this life. To what extent do His next words describe us you of little faith? Faith is the crux of the matter. In 12:29-30, Jesus said that unbelievers are anxious about material security and thus devote themselves to the physical and material sides of life. God already knows what His people need. He wants us to obey Him and to trust Him to meet our needs in ways He deems best. Some of us are under great financial pressure and may even think God has deserted us. I can recall praying, Lord, my wife and I have tithed all our lives and are seeking to serve you. Why are we having such a hard time financially? Over a period of time, He answered that prayer. He revealed to us that we were confusing wants with needs. Even worse, we were trusting credit cards rather than our Lord to provide for us. We repented and decided to pay cash for everything. If we thought we needed something and could not pay cash for it, we would conclude we really did not need it. We learned the Lord is faithful to meet the needs of His children when they trust and obey Him. Let s honestly ask whether we have decided to attain a certain standard of living and have put that goal ahead of biblical teachings about helping others and investing in God s kingdom. Are our financial dealings primarily self-centered or family-centered rather than God-centered? If so, we will have anxiety over finances rather than peace and confidence, just as people who do not know the Lord. Jesus was not giving in these verses a comprehensive lesson on economics but a straightforward lesson on faith. Elsewhere, Scripture teaches the importance of diligent, honest work, giving to help people in distress, and giving tithes and offerings. As we follow biblical teachings, we can trust God to provide what we need. A friend of yours, not yet a believer but making serious inquiries about God and your faith, caught the last couple of minutes of a sermon on the radio. The preacher spoke about God s providing for the Christian s needs. The friend asks you how you trust God to meet your needs. You respond by saying Permission granted to reproduce for use in a small group Bible study only. May not be distributed for hire.

14 Pursue God s Kingdom Above All Else (Luke 12:31-34) 31 But seek His kingdom, and these things will be provided for you. 32 Don t be afraid, little flock, because your Father delights to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Make money-bags for yourselves that won t grow old, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Rather than eagerly and anxiously seeking to satisfy life s needs by making material gain our priority, we are to make God s kingdom our priority. By so doing, we can make sure the money we own doesn t own us. What did Jesus mean by seek [God s] kingdom? Unbelievers concentrate on pursuing the things of this world (vv ). The Lord wants His people to pursue kingdom goals. This means to live under His reign, to do His will, to carry out His purposes, to live by His standards in short, to be His people. As we do this, we have the promise that life s necessities will be provided. Does the thought of dedicating yourself to doing God s will frighten you? Are you fearful He will make some costly demand on you that will cause hardship or bring heartbreak? Seeking God s kingdom certainly calls for some personal adjustments, and some personal sacrifice is involved. Nevertheless, to walk in obedience by faith is to experience the best your loving Heavenly Father has planned for you. Jesus encouraged His little flock, for the number of believers at that point was quite small. Many believers today have the support and encouragement of a number of fellow church members as well as Christian friends in other congregations. Nevertheless, as we seek to live for Christ in our everyday world where unbelievers outnumber believers, sophisticated scoffers may try to intimidate us. Jesus tender words echo to us down through the years: Don t be afraid, little flock, because your Father delights to give you the kingdom. The Greek verb tense (aorist) indicates that the Father already has given the kingdom to His people. Believers are in His kingdom, having joyfully accepted His reign over them. We can be confident of the Lord s presence and provision at every step of obedience on our journeys of faith. We need not fear anyone or anything. One aspect of being kingdom people is to practice unselfish generosity. Rather than His people acting like the rich fool of 12:16-21, Jesus desires them to use their financial resources to help others. Verse 33 affirms this use of money as providing for us treasure in heaven. This is one means of becoming rich toward God. The only resources we will keep throughout eternity are those we give away in this present life. Financial security on earth is a myth because governments, economies, businesses, and personal budgets can be devastated. The security of treasures in heaven is absolute. We serve God by helping people with their material needs. Still, perhaps the greatest service we ever render is helping people come to faith in Christ. Our tithes to our churches and offerings to missions will provide blessings on earth and eternal dividends in heaven. That being true, how sad for Christians to focus on the temporal side of life and fail to make God s kingdom their top priority! God s kingdom is infinitely more valuable than material wealth. How can we truly put the Lord s kingdom first in our finances? Verse 34 explains that it is a matter of the heart. We have to decide what matters most to us. Is our profession of faith in Jesus Permission granted to reproduce for use in a small group Bible study only. May not be distributed for hire.

15 as Lord real? Have we chosen under His grace to follow Him as Lord? Have we given Him our hearts? If so, then we will not have much trouble giving Him control of our finances, for our treasure follows our hearts. Renew your commitment to Him and experience afresh the joy of walking with Him in carrying out His kingdom purposes. Your friend in the previous activity also is your tax accountant and has access to your financial records. While poring through all your documentation, will your friend most likely conclude that you talk about God s kingdom but don t invest in it? invest in the kingdom on a minimal level, perhaps as much for tax advantages as anything? have made the kingdom one of your higher priorities? pursue God s kingdom above all else as seen by the treasure you have invested there? other: Be a Good Steward of All You Have (Luke 12:42-44,48b) 42 The Lord said: Who then is the faithful and sensible manager his master will put in charge of his household servants to give them their allotted food at the proper time? 43 That slave whose master finds him working when he comes will be rewarded. 44 I tell you the truth: he will put him in charge of all his possessions b Much will be required of everyone who has been given much. And even more will be expected of the one who has been entrusted with more. We can make sure the money we own doesn t own us by using all that God has entrusted to us in ways that acknowledge our accountability to Him. Jesus preceded these verses with two parables (12:35-40). The first is about servants being ready to serve their master regardless of how late he returned from a wedding banquet. The second is about a burglar s unpredictable timing and stresses the need to be prepared for an accounting whenever the Master appears. Jesus was teaching His people always to be ready for service to their Master (v. 35). Some opportunities for service present themselves at inopportune times, but the Lord will bless those who are alert to serve Him. He will indeed appear at an unexpected time, and each of us will give an account to Him of our stewardship of life. Peter asked whether these teachings were for the disciples or for everyone (see vv. 1,41). While Jesus did not directly answer, the teachings seem to have a universal application. That certainly is the case in the verses that follow. Luke 12:42-48 is a parable in which Jesus described a slave who is a faithful and sensible manager of a household. He is one who is careful to use his master s resources and authority as the master desires. This manager takes proper care of each person in the household. At his master s return, he will be rewarded and given even more responsibility. Jesus also described a slave who abused his managerial assignment. He did what he wanted to do, not what the master wanted. He made irresponsible choices and wasted his opportunities. He beat other slaves and adopted an eat-drink-and-be-merry philosophy of life. The master would come unexpectedly and give him what he deserves (vv a). Permission granted to reproduce for use in a small group Bible study only. May not be distributed for hire.

16 We know all of us will meet the Lord face to face and give an account to Him for how we have chosen to live our lives. In our consumer-driven economy, we are bombarded with messages telling us we deserve the best and latest models of everything houses, cars, vacations, appliances, conveniences, and the list goes on. This is the siren song of materialism. To buy into this way of life is to miss the point of what life is all about. It is about investing our best in advancing the work of God s kingdom, not our convenience. Jesus concluded this parable with the solemn warning Much will be required of everyone who has been given much. And even more will be expected of the one who has been entrusted with more. Believers in the United States have been entrusted with more ways and means for advancing God s kingdom around the world than any other group of believers in history. Mentally or on a separate piece of paper begin listing what God has entrusted to you (possessions, abilities, areas of influence, and so forth). Probably all of us would have to acknowledge that we have much, meaning that more is expected of us. On the continuum below, mark how you are doing in investing your best in advancing the work of God s kingdom. Personal Convenience Kingdom God s May God grant us grace to bring all our abundant resources and possibilities before Him, asking His guidance in helping us use all we have and are in ways that best honor and please Him. Biblical Truths of This Lesson in Focus Believers should be rich toward God. Believers should trust God to give them, in ways He deems best, the necessities of life. Believers lifestyles should reflect a conviction that God s kingdom is infinitely more valuable than material wealth. Believers are accountable to the Lord for using all they have to honor Him and to advance His kingdom. Identify one to three steps you will take to make God s kingdom the top priority of your life Concept Study: Stewardship Stewardship is a fundamental part of being a disciple of Jesus Christ and relates to all we are and all we have. It involves the dedication to God of time, talents, energy, and material possessions. It recognizes God as Creator and Owner of all, and it affirms that all God has provided for us has been given to us as stewards and trustees of His good gifts. Furthermore, stewardship is God s plan for the church in carrying out the Great Commission. God intends for His people to be involved personally and fully in making disciples of all peoples. Stewardship of time, talents, energy, and possessions propels the church into the world with the gospel. Permission granted to reproduce for use in a small group Bible study only. May not be distributed for hire.

17 Week 3 Life Matters Life Impact To help you develop a right perspective regarding things that matter by: believing that all people have value; and deciding ways you will be involved in promoting human life, health, and wholeness. Biblical Truth Following Jesus example, believers are to be involved in promoting human life, health, and wholeness. Background Passage Matthew 9:18-38 Focal Passages Matthew 9:18-31,36-38 Lesson Outline Life Is Important (Matt. 9:18-19,23-26) Health Is Important (Matt. 9:20-22) Wholeness Is Important (Matt. 9:27-31) Involvement Is Important (Matt. 9:36-38) Spiritual Preparation Through Personal Bible Study Each day we are confronted with the fact that not everybody values human life. Abortion, euthanasia, genocide, physical and sexual abuse, shootings, and violent crime demonstrate the devaluation of human life in today s world. Bullies and manipulators abound in every arena of life. Scam artists take advantage of the vulnerable. Terrorists try to outdo one another in taking lives in an effort to influence governments. In a world marked by such demeaning and deadly acts, we Christians must beware of the tendency to withdraw. We need to act on the biblical truth that all people have value in God s sight. Use the occasion of this Sanctity of Human Life lesson to decide ways you will be involved in promoting human life, health, and wholeness. Life Is Important (Matt. 9:18-19,23-26) 18 As He was telling them these things, suddenly one of the leaders came and knelt down Permission granted to reproduce for use in a small group Bible study only. May not be distributed for hire.

18 before Him, saying, My daughter is near death, but come and lay Your hand on her, and she will live. 19 So Jesus and His disciples got up and followed him When Jesus came to the leader s house, He saw the flute players and a crowd lamenting loudly. 24 Leave, He said, because the girl isn t dead, but sleeping. And they started laughing at Him. 25 But when the crowd had been put outside, He went in and took her by the hand, and the girl got up. 26 And this news spread throughout that whole area. Do you hate interruptions as much as I do? When I tackle a project and struggle with it until I am on track and making progress, I want to be left alone. Interruptions can cost much time and effort in trying to get back on track. I have to admit, though, that the Lord is teaching me to view interruptions as opportunities for ministry. That lesson is one I haven t learned completely, but I m working on it. Matthew 9 presents beautiful examples of Jesus positive responses to interruptions. The first interruption came after some of John the Baptist s disciples asked Jesus a question. As He was answering them, a man barged into the group and fell to his knees before Jesus. The man blurted out that his daughter was dying and begged Jesus to come and lay His hand on her to restore her to health. Mark 5:41-42 describes the daughter as a little girl of 12 years; and Mark 5:22 identifies the man as Jairus, one of the lay synagogue leaders responsible for planning services of worship and caring for the building. Literally, Matthew s account reads My daughter is dead, or My daughter has now come to the end. Mark and Luke explained that Jairus told Jesus his daughter was dying. Then as they went toward Jairus house, some people met them saying the child had died. Jesus told Jairus to trust Him, and they went on to the house. (See Mark 5:22-42; Luke 8:41-56.) Does Matthew contradict Mark and Luke? Not at all. Matthew was led of the Spirit to report this event concisely, whereas Mark and Luke were led to give a fuller account. Matthew omitted some details to stress immediately what was significant, namely, that the child had died and that Jairus believed Jesus could make her live. What the Lord did not do when Jairus interrupted Him is instructive. He did not rebuke the man for his lack of manners or tact. He did not tell the man to wait his turn. He did not ignore the man. He showed no irritation at being interrupted. Instead, He gave the man His full attention. On hearing his request, Jesus and His disciples got up and followed him. Why do you think Jesus did this? Obviously, He recognized this was a matter of life and death. The Lord s response is what we would expect of One who deeply values human life. The Lord also was responding to the father s faith. I wish I knew exactly why the Lord does not heal all children. A funeral director once said to me, I deal with death all the time; but when the deceased is a child, it just doesn t seem right. I agree. However, the Bible affirms that the Lord does all things well. He can take the worst events of human experience and weave them into a pattern for accomplishing His good purposes. As we continue to trust Him, He grants us peace. Hopefully, we will understand many puzzling events of life by and by. According to the custom of that time, the family of a deceased person hired flute players along with at least one wailing woman to express the family s grief. A family as prominent as Jairus would no doubt have hired several of these professional mourners. Other friends and neighbors would join in, making quite a din. When Jesus and the father arrived, a crowd already had gathered and was lamenting loudly. Permission granted to reproduce for use in a small group Bible study only. May not be distributed for hire.