STEWARDSHIP (PART 2)


READ LUKE 12:13-21

13 Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”

14 Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” 15 Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”

16 And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. 17 He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’

18 “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. 19 And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’

20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’

21 “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”

DISCUSS

  1. What stands out to you from the passage?

  2. What is it about the person in the crowd’s question that may have lead Jesus to tell this parable?

  3. What does the man’s self talk in verse 18 and 19 reveal about what he thinks life is all about?

  4. Where do you see the ‘build bigger barns’ mentality in our world today or in your own life?

  5. What realities is the man in the parable forgetting about?

  6. What do you make of Jesus’ warning in verse 21?

READ LUKE 12:32-34

32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

  1. Why is understanding God’s generosity to us central to us loosening our grip on wealth?

  2. What do these verses have to say to someone who says “it would be in-genuine to give money away if deep down i don’t really want to?

APPLY

  1. If Jesus were to say directly to you “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed” What parts of your life do you think he would be referring to?

  2. Next week we will be taking some time to anonymously pledge what we are planning on giving away to advance the gospel (locally and globally) and to alleviate poverty and injustice. What do you need to think through or pray through in order to be prepared to do that?

    PRAY: That that we would be people free of greed who find our treasure in God alone.