MOC: Day 1, Unit 9
Notes
Transcript
UNIT 9 Life Long Goal
UNIT 9 Life Long Goal
You will become like Christ in your relationship to material things, God's agenda for your life, friendship and control of your speech.
Summary of God’s Work in You
Summary of God’s Work in You
Christ’s life in you springs from the mental quality of sincerity, which deals only with reality. God’s goal for you is found in His original intention for a perfect humanity. You spiritual growth can be measured only by Christ’s relationships with his father and with other people. Christ enables your growth as God intended it in His roles as a Son of Man.
What You Will Do to Develop Appropriate Relationships to People and Things
What You Will Do to Develop Appropriate Relationships to People and Things
You will evaluate your relationship to things according to the teachings of Christ and you will seek freedom from possessions.
You will study God’s provision for His children and work to develop a deeper trust in His provision for your needs.
You will evaluate your single-mindedness and determine to follow God’s agenda.
You will review the Christlike virtue of temperance and seek God’s help in the discipline of your tongue.
Scripture Memory Verses
Scripture Memory Verses
20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.
1. Begin today’s lesson by reading the Bible verses and the name of Christ for today. Work on your memory verse. Then use the suggested prayer on the left to begin your study.
1. Begin today’s lesson by reading the Bible verses and the name of Christ for today. Work on your memory verse. Then use the suggested prayer on the left to begin your study.
15 Then He said to them, “Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.”
15 Then he said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.”
Jesus Example
Jesus Example
Jesus place little value on the world’s goods.
Born in a stable.
Carpenter: profession of choice during His life time.
At His death, Jesus’s only material possession was the garment that the soldiers cast lots.
58 And Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”
2. Which of the following best describes Jesus’s example regarding things?
2. Which of the following best describes Jesus’s example regarding things?
JESUS EXAMPLE
JESUS EXAMPLE
Jesus was detached and free from the love of the world’s things. He chose a lowly life and saw no value in accumulating things.
OBSERVATION
OBSERVATION
The brevity of Jesus ministry on Earth is a reminder of what our life is.
Life is too short to spend it on temporal things.
Jesus Teaching
Jesus Teaching
He contrasted true riches with unrighteous mammon.
Luke
11 “Therefore if you have not been faithful in the use of unrighteous wealth, who will entrust the true riches to you?
Jesus was not saying that it is wrong to have things. He was warning against becoming materialistic—letting things become more important than God.
Differing Views: Spiritual vs. Carnal
Differing Views: Spiritual vs. Carnal
God’s intentions is for us to love people (prioritizing relationships) and use things, BUT a materialist loves things and uses people.
Money is not the root of all evil; THE LOVE OF IT IS. The problem with wealth is not in having it:
Money is not the root of all evil; the love of it is. The problem with wealth is not in having it. It is how we get it. It is how we guard it. And it is how we give it.
IT IS HOW WE GET
WHY WE GET.
HOW WE GUARD IT.
WHERE AND HOW WE SPEND OR GIVE IT.
He warned against where we store treasures: HERE OR HEAVEN
20 “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal;
The heart is ground zero for what’s important in life for you.
21 for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Matt
3. If you were completely honest with yourself, where would you say most of your treasures are?
3. If you were completely honest with yourself, where would you say most of your treasures are?
___ In heaven
___ On earth
___ I don’t think I have any treasures.
Some probing question as to where your heart is:
Some probing question as to where your heart is:
What is the center and cause of most of your family fights?
How often do you hear yourself talk about money matters?
What do you worry about most of the time?
What is the basis of your security? Really?
Learning from the Parable of the Rich Fool
Learning from the Parable of the Rich Fool
Luke 1
16 And He told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man was very productive. 17 “And he began reasoning to himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?’ 18 “Then he said, ‘This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 ‘And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.” ’ 20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?’ 21 “So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”
Problem: greed
How did Jesus described the rich man? FOOLISH!
God’s punishment for the man’s greed demonstrated that it is foolish to focus on accumulating wealth when life is short and temporary. Man instead need to work on what’s eternal.
QUALIFICATIONS OF A DISCIPLE
QUALIFICATIONS OF A DISCIPLE
33 “So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions.
EXAMPLES:
33 “So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions.
Levi (not Matthew)
28 And he left everything behind, and got up and began to follow Him.
But did he really leave everything behind? Read
29 And Levi gave a big reception for Him in his house; and there was a great crowd of tax collectors and other people who were reclining at the table with them.
He still had a house to entertain Jesus.
What Levi left was his profitable job and not his possession.
Your source of income can be counted as “your everything.”
2. The rich young ruler
21 Looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him and said to him, “One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”
What was the man promised?
The man was promised treasures in heaven on divesting himself of earthly treasure.
OBSERVATION: This man was making his wealth his god. He loved it more than he loved God.
In God economy, giving is a PLUS and NOT A MINUS.
WARNING: do not use Godly principles as the means to get rich because if such is the case your heart is still focus on getting RICH materially.
4. Turn to the Lifelong Helps (p.226) and review the Bondage to Freedom list related to possessions.
4. Turn to the Lifelong Helps (p.226) and review the Bondage to Freedom list related to possessions.
Pray as you read through that list.
Is there anything God is asking you to get rid of because it has BECOME a false god to you?
Respond in whatever way God may direct you.
Below briefly described your freedom (or lack of freedom) that you sense regarding possessions.
TRUTH FROM SCRIPTURE:
24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.
What is one God’s greatest rivals for attention?
A wise way of spending money is supporting ministries, specially your home church.
15 Then he said to them, “You like to appear righteous in public, but God knows your hearts. What this world honors is detestable in the sight of God.
THE MIND OF CHRIST PLACES GOD ABOVE EVERYTHING IN THE WORLD.
THE MIND OF CHRIST PLACES GOD ABOVE EVERYTHING IN THE WORLD.
What is the remedy for materialism?
What is the remedy for materialism?
Give it toward the cause of Christ.
5 For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.
Give to the needy.
42 “Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you.
Give it away secretly.
2 “So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 3 “But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.
Let the Word of God transform your perspective and attitude toward material possession.