Sermon-Based Small Group Lessons

When God Gets Personal with My Stuff: Zacchaeus

Dr. Les Hughes

March 1, 2009

 

 

Summary: Life-Changing Lessons

 

1.  When God gets personal with my stuff, I must acknowledge that it’s not MY stuff

2.  God will use my attitude toward possessions to tangibly help others in need.

3.  God will use my attitude toward possessions to tangibly help others in need.

 

 

Scripture

 

Luke 19:1-10

 

 1Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. 4So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.

 

 5When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today." 6So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.

 

 7All the people saw this and began to mutter, "He has gone to be the guest of a 'sinner.' "

 

 8But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount."

 

 9Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."

 

 

Opening Question

 

Have you ever turned to God for a specific need and got to see Him work in a way that was visibly God’s answer?

 

Digging for Truth

 

1.  What do you believe makes many people uncomfortable about hearing sermons on money?

 

2.  Les said that this financial meltdown has highlighted what’s been true for several years now… We’ve relied on money and possessions more than we’ve relied on God.  Share your thoughts and why.

 

3.  Les said, “Take away the references to God and most people don’t care. Take away our money and people panic.”  Jesus said, “You cannot serve both God and possessions. If you serve one, you will hate the other.”

 

4.  Read the passage above, Luke 19:1-10.  What do you think caused the transformation in Zacchaeus’ life?

 

5.  Life-Changing Lesson #1 says, “When God gets personal with my stuff, I must acknowledge that it’s not MY stuff.”  Our present economic climate reveals a lot about our attitude toward finances.  Are you able to treat your financial loses as God’s loss or do you consider it your loss?  It is much easier when we consider ourselves as stewards of our finances, and not the actual owner.

 

6.  Les shared that the current generation is less concerned about finances and material things than the middle age generation.  Do you think this is true?   What evidences do you see of this?  Is it a good thing?  Is there anything negative about it?

 

7.  Lesson #2 says, “My attitude toward possessions will not earn salvation, but is one supernatural result of my salvation.”  Do you believe Zacchaeus was better off before or after his encounter with Christ?  Why or why not? 

 

            (Rhetorical Question, give them a moment to think this over.)  Is our answer convicting about how we handle our own finances?

 

8.  Les said that “True repentance and faith brings about a new mindset on how to use our money and power.  Greed turns to generosity.  Self-preserved status turns to sacrificial service. Money turns from a security blanket to an opportunity to serve and bless others.”  Who do you know of that truly reflects this attitude of generosity?

 

9.  Lesson #3 says, “God will use my attitude toward possessions to tangibly help others in need.”  One church family recently decided to stop eating out on Sunday and to give that money to a family that is out of work.  Have you seen other actions that believers are making to help others?

 

10.  Les shared that people are reacting more from fear than from actual financial loss.  Do you believe this to be true?  Do you believe God wants us to operate out of fear? 

 

11.  When Sam Houston was saved, he made a pledge to support his church.  When asked about this, he said, “My pocketbook was baptized, too.”  Do you think the billfolds and checkbooks of most believers today got baptized?

 

            What keeps most believers from trusting God with their finances?

 

12.  2 Chronicles 7:14 says, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

 

            What do you think God is looking for in order to “heal our land”?

 

 

Closing Thought

 

What can we do this week to show God that we truly trust Him with our finances?