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  Sermon Based Small Group Lessons:  Road To Financial Freedom

 Eternal Investing: Giving Back.

  2008 January 27

 

 

Preparation

1.  Print off copies of the daily homework for each group member.

2.  Read through the questions.

3.  Don’t force the group to reveal anything they’d be
            uncomfortable sharing.

4.  Pray that God will use this lesson.

 

 

Meeting Schedule

1.  Fellowship time & snacks

2.  Share prayer requests

3.  Pray (taking turns with short sentence prayers is good if group members are comfortable).

4.  Begin the lesson.

            a.  Share the title (above)

            b.  Ask the Ice Breaker Question

            c.  Follow the guide, reading the Scripture and asking the questions.

 

 

Ice Breaker Question

 

            If someone were to find your check book, what is one thing they’d learn about you?

 

 

Focus Scriptures

Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.   1 Cor. 4:2

 

            Question:  What have we been given?

 

No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.    Matt. 6:24

 

            Question:  Why do you think God chose money as the other possible master?  Why not pride or lust or

                                    anger?

 

As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins.   "I tell you the truth," he said, "this poor widow has put in more than all the others.  All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on."   Luke 21:1-4

 

            Question: Is your financial condition more like the poor widow or like the rich?  (Here in the US, likely you are the rich!)

 

            Question:  So then, what can we take from this story?  (faith and trust in God to provide.)

 

 

Sermon Outline

 

1.  Our investment (spending) decisions say more about what’s in our heart than what is in our bank account.

 

            For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.   Matthew 6:21

 

            Question:  What comes first, the chicken or the egg… Is our heart already in what we give to or does

                        our heart follow our financial gift?

 

            Question:  What decisions do we need to make in the future that will equip us to give?

 

 

2.  The principle of God’s ownership is universal; our pattern of management is personal.

 

                    Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops;  then your barns will be filled

                   to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.  Proverbs 3:9-10

 

 

                   Many believers today give out of what is left.

 

                   Question:  How can we give the “first fruits” of our income?   (Ideas:  making a commitment in

                               advance,  budgeting it, setting it aside, automatic bank draft or e-give)

 

 

3.  The tithe is the starting line of Christian stewardship, not the finish line.

 

                   The New Testament model focuses more on our heart, but the validity of the tithe as a

                   reference point is still implied by the words of Christ in Matthew 23:23

 

                        "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices….  But you have neglected the more important matters of the law--justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.”       Matthew 23:23

 

                                    Question:  What do you think God would have us do if we realize we need to tithe, but can’t because

                                    of some bad decisions we’ve made?

 

                        Pastor Les said that more was expected today because we are to give as we have been blessed.  Question:  What do we have today that they didn’t in the Old Testament?  What more do we have and how should this impact our giving?

 

                   Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion,

                   for God loves a cheerful giver.    2 Corinthians 9:7

 

                   Question:  What would you do if you realized you weren’t a cheerful giver?

 

                   Pastor Les said that some have the spiritual gift of giving.  Question:  How would a person discover

                               that gift?  (Possible answers:  By receiving great spiritual blessing, by being financially blessed

                               by God in order to give beyond a tithe.)

 

 

Closing Questions

 

1. What do you think keeps most believers from being generous givers?

 

2.  What is God calling you to do as a result of today’s study?