READ PRAY Family Wrship Guide Week 41 This week we cntinue ur study f First Timthy. Timthy was a yung pastr in the church at Ephesus. Paul wrte this letter t Timthy t tell him hw he shuld lead the church. Paul was the missinary wh had planted the church at Ephesus and preached there fr three years (Acts 20:31). Read 1 Timthy 6:17-19. Paul begins by speaking t thse wh are rich in this present age. By using the phrase this present age, Paul is reminding us that there is anther age t cme. This wrld is nt all there is. Believers shuld nt put their hpe in the fleeting riches f this age, but in Gd, wh richly gives us all things (6:17). Paul tells rich peple nt t be haughty, anther wrd fr prud r arrgant. (6:17) Sme f these rich peple were tempted t think f themselves as better r mre imprtant than the pr. Paul reminds them that they shuld nt bast in their riches, but they shuld nly bast in Gd, fr everything they have is a gift frm Gd. Paul then tells us that we shuld seek t d gd, t be rich in gd wrks, t be generus and ready t share (6:18). If we are truly trusting in Gd, we d nt feel the need t keep all f ur pssessins fr urselves. That frees us up t give generusly t ther peple in need. Rather than seeking t be rich with the riches f this age, we shuld seek t be rich in gd wrks. Material wealth will nt bring eternal blessing, but a life lived fr the glry f Gd and the gd f ther peple will (6:19). Questins: Hw can yur family be rich in gd wrks? Hw can yu share generusly with ther peple wh are in need? Are yu trusting in yur riches, r are yu trusting in Gd? Bttm Line: If we truly trust Gd, we will give generusly t thse in need. This week we are praying fr the ministry f Restratin Academy, a Christian schl lcated in Fairfield. They prvide a safe, gspel- centered envirnment where students experience quality academic instructin and redemptive discipline, develp character, learn apprpriate scial skills, and develp curage t pursue their Gd- given callings fr their life. SING Let s cntinue in wrship by singing Frever Reign written by Reuben Mrgan and Jasn Ingram. This sng reminds us that the riches f Gd s lve will always be enugh. Even in a wrld fighting fr ur affectins, we can hld strng t the truths we find in scripture. In Philippians 3:8, Paul says, Indeed I cunt everything as lss because f the surpassing wrth f knwing Christ Jesus my Lrd. Fr his sake I have suffered the lss f all things and cunt them as rubbish, in rder that I may gain Christ. Paul understd what it meant t knw Christ. He fund his cntentment in Him. As we sing let s rejice in wh Gd is, and hw he prvides fr ur every need. Our Gd is gd, and He is enugh. MEMORIZE 1 Timthy 6:17 As fr the rich in this present age, charge them nt t be haughty, nr t set their hpes n the uncertainty f riches, but n Gd, wh richly gives us everything t enjy. SUGGESTIONS These suggestins were created by the age- grup ministry leaders as a way t help parents better cmmunicate the biblical truths discussed in the Family Wrship Guide. These suggestins are intended t help parents facilitate Gd- centered discussins with their children. Parents shuld prayerfully use these suggestins, and any ther means necessary, t help their children discver the truths f Gd s wrd and wrship Him tgether. Cpyright 2011 The Church at Brk Hills www.brkhills.rg 1
Preschl Befre yu begin, grab yur Bible, a large jar r can, glue, paper, stickers, scissrs, etc. Ready 1 Timthy 6:17 with yur child. Create a giving jar yur family can use t cllect mney fr a needy family. As the jar fills, decide as a family where t cntribute the mney and help yur children invest themselves in the prcess. Here are sme examples t help yur children take a persnal interest in raising mney t purchase items fr the prject: D chres that are in additin t their regular chres and respnsibilities at hme. Set up a lemnade stand r car wash. Have a garage sale r bake sale. Finally, give yur children the chance t experience sacrifice in rder t give. T make the lessn real, let the children take the whle jar pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters and all t the stre t pay fr the gifts. Yur child will see the direct cnnectin between their little sacrifices and their ability t give. Remember t explain t yur preschler that Gd is lving and merciful and He wants us t be lving, giving, helpful and merciful t ther peple t. Gd wants us t shw His lve t everyne. Gd knws every need we have and cares fr us and wants us t care fr thers t. Children Read 1 Timthy 6:19-21. Discuss sme f the vcabulary with yur child(ren). What des haughty mean? It means prud. What des this present age refer t? It means ur lives nw, as ppsed t eternity, when we will be with Gd frever. Name smene that yu think is rich. Why are they rich? Mst peple think that anyne wh has mre than them is rich. But think abut these things: 75% (r 3 ut f 4) f families in the wrld live n $3,000 r less a year (accrding t UNICEF). That means that the family has less than $8 a day t spend n 4 peple. The average American family makes $47,000 a year, which ends up being $129 a day t spend n the same 4 peple. The average family in Shelby Cunty makes $65,000 a year, which ends up being $178 a day t spend n 4 peple. That s $170 mre than mst f the wrld s ppulatin. A Chick- fil- A Kid s meal csts arund $3, a McDnald s Big Mac csts abut $5, and a pair f kid s jeans at Old Navy csts abut $15. 3 ut f 4 families in the wrld will never be able t buy any f these things. S wh is rich? Yu are! Almst every American is rich, very rich! We tend t think f rich peple as millinaires, mvies stars, famus athletes, but that is a wrng view f wealth. Gd has blessed peple living in America with great wealth, and we must be careful t lve Gd and nt ur stuff r mney. What des Paul tell Timthy t warn the rich Christians abut? Pride, trusting in wealth r mney instead f Gd. Why are these issues that rich peple will specifically struggle with? If yu are rich, yu can easily think that yu are better than thers wh have less. It is als much harder t depend n Gd fr everything when yu have plenty f mney t buy the things that yu need. What is yur first reactin when yu see a persn in an ld, beat- up car? Or maybe a kid at schl wh wears ld clthes that are nt cl and maybe even a little t small fr them? If yu avid them r are maybe even a little afraid f them, that is pride. Pride is very bad, because it keeps us frm getting t knw peple that Gd lves and that we shuld lve, t. Read James 1:17. Wh gives us all f the gd things in ur life? Gd des. They are actually His, but He gives them as gifts t us, His children. We shuld remember this and nt be prideful, but willing t share and help thers. Read Matthew 6:19-21. Where des Jesus say that we shuld stre up things fr urselves? In heaven. Here s anther way t think f this hw we spend ur mney shws what we think is mst imprtant t us. This is ur treasure. D yu always want mre things fr yurself, r d yu want t give t help thers? Als read 1 Tim 6:8. Paul says that we shuld be cntent with fd and clthing. Ww, what a challenge! Paul gives three cmmands t the rich (t us). What are they? T seek t d gd, nt t seek mre mney r things T be rich in gd wrks (Gd has a very different view f what is valuable) T be generus and ready t share (Gd blesses us s that we can use ur mney t bless thers) Discuss as a family hw yu are already beying these three cmmands. Then think abut ways that yu can pssibly d mre t fulfill these cmmands. Especially in light f the upcming hlidays, yur family may want t cme up with a specific amunt f mney r a prject where yu can intentinally be generus with what Gd has given yu. Pray and thank Gd fr His blessings and prvisin fr yur family. Pray fr thse wh live in impverished areas f the www.brkhills.rg 2
wrld. Ask Gd t give yu great cntentment and giving hearts. Students Read 1 Timthy 6:17-19. As we lk at these verses, it is imprtant fr us t knw their cntext. Why is Paul fcusing n riches and wealth? Des this seem ut f place? G back and read 1 Timthy 6:2b- 5. What kind f teachers is Paul talking abut in these verses? Nw read 1 Timthy 6:6-10. What is Paul s fcus in these verses? What des it mean t be cntent? What are the things that will ultimately last? Things f this wrld? In verse 9, des Paul say that it is wrng t be rich r t desire t be rich in the things f this wrld? Why? What des the lve f mney lead t? (Vs. 9-10) In the next few verses, Paul kind f changes the tne f his teaching t Timthy. Read 1 Timthy 6:11-16. What is Paul s fcus in these verses? What des Paul tell Timthy t d in respnse t the things in the preceding verses? Why wuld Paul tell Timthy t flee and fight against the things that he spke f in verses 2b- 10? Hw des this apply t verses 17-19? Nw t verses 17-19. What is Paul encuraging the rich t d? What are they t be rich in? If yu are fcusing n being rich in gd wrks, hw will that effect any desire t gain mre wrldly riches? D yu think it is easier t fcus n the things f Gd when yu are fcused n ther peple rather than yurself? Are yu as a family seeking after wrldly wealth? What can yu d t fcus mre n the things f Gd? What is ne thing that yur family can d t fcus n smene else and blessing them? Cpyright 2011 The Church at Brk Hills www.brkhills.rg 3
Oh, I m running t Yur arms I m running t Yur arms The riches f Yur lve Will always be enugh Nthing cmpares t Yur embrace Light f the wrld frever reign My heart will sing n ther Name Jesus, Jesus Oh, I m running t Yur arms I m running t Yur arms The riches f Yur lve Will always be enugh Nthing cmpares t Yur embrace Light f the wrld frever reign Cpyright 2010 Hillsng Publishing Due t cpyright limitatins, we are nly allwed t print the lyrics t this sng with n chrds. We encurage yu t dwnlad an mp3 f this sng frm itunes. Prayer Week 41 Lives/Church This week we have been studying Paul s teaching n gdliness and cntentment. We have seen that gdliness and cntentment g hand in hand and prduce genersity tward thse in need. Pray that Gd make us a peple wh are s delighted in Christ that the pleasures f sin lse all f their appeal. Pray that Gd wuld make us a peple wh treasure Christ s highly that we will gladly lse all that we have in rder t gain Christ. Pray that these sentiments wuld nt be mere wrds, but that they wuld translate int hly living and sacrificial lve fr the glry f Gd and the gd f ur neighbr. Lcal Lcal Church: Trinity United Methdist - Andrew Wlfe Fcus: Restratin Academy - a Christian schl lcated in Fairfield. Mnday: Pray fr the gspel t be platfrmed cntinually thrugh the faculty, staff, and students wh are Christ-fllwers at Restratin Academy t all the students and the Fairfield cmmunity. Tuesday: Pray fr healing and spiritual grwth fr their greatest at-risk students, especially thse frm Grace Huse and The Lvelady Center. Wednesday: Pray fr Gd s cntinual prvisin fr the schl s financial supprt. Mst students attend n schlarship. Thursday: Pray fr the restratin and revitalizatin f the cmmunity f Fairfield where the schl is lcated and pray fr the many faculty members wh have mved int the cmmunity t be invlved in that prcess and t shw the gspel thrugh their lives. Friday: Pray fr academic and spiritual success fr the current senirs as they make pstsecndary plans. Saturday: Pray fr the safety f all Restratin Academy students, faculty, and staff and their families. Glbal Shrt Term Teams: East Asia Partner: Brk Hills Mid-Termers Ginna Caldwell and Hannah Gilstrap serving in Macednia Mnday: Ginna and Hannah wrk in a cffee shp engaging lcals, building relatinships and sharing the gspel. Pray fr Gd t give many pprtunities t make friends and share the gspel. Tuesday: There are many cultural challenges in the area Ginna and Hannah are trying t effectively share the gspel in. Pray fr Gd t pen the hearts f the Macednians and fr creative access fr the girls t cnnect with peple. Wednesday: Ginna has made friends and shared the gspel with a girl named Sunchica. Please pray fr Sunchica t hear the gspel and becme a Christ fllwer. Thursday: Exhaustin is a reality the girls face n the field. Pray fr Gd t strengthen and restre their team in their time f rest. Friday: Being away frm their families has been difficult. Pray fr Gd t give Ginna and Hannah peace and cmfrt as they are away frm their family. Saturday: Pray fr the Macednians wh need t knw Christ. Pray fr many t hear and fr the church t grw because f the ministry f which Ginna and Hannah are a part. Frever Reign by Jasn Ingram, Reuben Mrgan Yu are gd, Yu are gd When there s nthing gd in me Yu are lve, Yu are lve On display fr all t see Yu are light, Yu are light When the darkness clses in Yu are hpe, Yu are hpe Yu have cvered all my sin Yu are peace, Yu are peace When my fear is crippling Yu are true, Yu are true Even in my wandering Yu are jy, Yu are jy Yu re the reasn that I sing Yu are life, Yu are life, In Yu death has lst its sting Oh, I m running t Yur arms, I m running t Yur arms The riches f Yur lve Will always be enugh Nthing cmpares t Yur embrace Light f the wrld frever reign Yu are mre, Yu are mre Than my wrds will ever say Yu are Lrd, Yu are Lrd All creatin will prclaim Yu are here, Yu are here In Yur presence I m made whle Yu are Gd, Yu are Gd Scripture Memry As fr the rich in this present age, charge them nt t be haughty, nr t set their hpes n the uncertainty f riches, but n Gd, wh richly gives us everything t enjy. 1 Timthy 6:17 Cpyright 2011 The Church at Brk Hills