Date: March 2-3, 2013
Series: Fearless Generosity
Message: Don’t Bank On It
Passage: Luke 18:18-30
INTRODUCTION – 5 MINUTES
What would change someone’s belief about a Christian? Knowing their doctrine or seeing them be generous?
Leader note: There are people who believe both sides of this – is it just one or the other? Both? How much of each one?
OBSERVATION – 20 MINUTES
Observation: Read Luke 18:18-30. What do you learn about the heart of the rich young ruler?
Leader note: You may want to look at the parallel passage in Mark 10:17-27 as well as there are some additional descriptions.
Commentary:
- Fixed on earthly things
- Sacrifice to a point – there is a boundary
- His version of what gives him eternal life was – keep money and have eternal life by being obedient
- Is it working for him? Yes and no – He thinks so, “I’ve kept these things since I was a little boy” (Kept the relationship with others commandments) but didn’t keep the relationship to God commandment. (God gets first place, etc)
- Coming to Jesus and asking because he’s not super self-confident that it’s working. He’s hoping Jesus would affirm what he’s doing. He thinks he’s good – that’s why Jesus stings him with that.
What is the rich young ruler’s god?
- Money
- Jesus asks him to walk away from the rival god and he can’t.
- He thinks it brings happiness but separates him for God – makes him sad
What do you learn about money?
- Rival God – because Jesus says so.
- Gives satisfaction
- Status
- Safety
- Somebody, (if you have a lot of money you’re not just smart you’re everything)
- Money can create distance from God
- True treasure is in heaven
- The people around him needed to hear this also, because people believe if you’re young, good looking, and wealthy (by our definition this is a blessed)
- They need to believe that, it makes sense
What makes someone generous?
- When you’re generous it’s because you understand the treasure in heaven
- Hands open vs. clenching
- Difference between commandments- heart issue
- Fully integrated into your life
- Everything – all in
UNDERSTAND – 20 MINUTES
Where do we see where money controls people and they’re blind to it?
Leader note: Remember to consider those who both have a lot of money and those who are struggling to make ends meet. Either way – they are most likely looking to money as what will save them, help them, get them through, provide safety and security, is the answer, is worth a sacrifice to get, etc.
- First answer to any problem is money – money is the solution
- Pressure put on kids, education
- Rich people problems – people wanting the money, storage units, boats, garages
- Problems in relationships
- Politics
- Influence
- Power
- Those in financial need – looking to money to solve all problems, “if only I had their money, more money, enough money”
APPLICATION – 20 MINUTES
Where do you feel you are generous in your life? What principle do you struggle with?
Leader note: Ask the questions in this order as so many people run to the negative. Help them find answers to both questions. A good follow up question is, what is something in your life you couldn’t give up if you were asked to? Or, if everything you owned today was gone tomorrow, including savings for retirement, for kids’ college what would you miss most?
What would it look like to give that up freely? What holds you back?
Leader note: Your group may answer this question as part of what they struggle with. If not, this is another way to try to help them answer what is holding them back from fearless generosity.
LIVE IT OUT
What would change in our community if we were able to live a fearlessly generous, “all in” lifestyle?