Bethesda Chapel 2003
SG Bible Study #10

Money and You

Suggested Opening Song:
I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold
I’d rather be His than have riches u told
I’d rather have Jesus than houses or lands
Id rather be led by His nail-pierced hand

            Than to be the king of a vast domain
            Or be held in sin’s dread sway
            I’d rather have Jesus than anything
            This world affords today

I’d rather have Jesus than men’s applause
I’d rather be faithful to His dear cause
I’d rather have Jesus than worldwide fame
I’d rather be true to His holy name

Sharing as desired on an individual basis (Optional)
Jesus says that His coming was in order that we might have life and live it to the fullest – Jn. 10:10.  How has this past weeks been?  Fulfilling?  Full of what?  Filled with what?

Prayer
Pray for each other based on the sharing made.

Scripture Reading
Matt. 6:24-34

Introduction:
Money is important.  We should value it.  Believing it is good, we should treasure it.  Having said this, we need to recognise that since it is not eternal, we should not see it’s importance as an end in itself.  Instead, we should use it for eternal purposes.  This means to say that coins, gold, silver and notes used in the buying or selling of goods and services must be gauged by that which God Values.

Discussion:
1.      Who are the poor?  Why are they poor?  Relate stories of people you know of in Singapore whom you consider to be poor.  How does that story (those stories) tell us?  How does it affect us?

 

2.      Matt. 6:25 says, "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?’
a.           
Do you find this helpful for yourself? (If so, why?  If not, why?)

 

b.             Do you think it is helpful for the ‘really poor’ (If so, why?  If not, why?)

 

c.             “Don’t let worries worry you”.  Do you find this statement worrying?

 

d.              If it is not wrong to worry about the necessities of life, what do you think Jesus was trying to say?  (Compare Phil. 4:6)

 

3.      Matt. 6:33 -  ‘Seek first the kingdom of God and all these things will be added to you.’  What does it mean to seek first the kingdom of God?  Looking back at the previous verses, what are ‘all these things’ and how does it relate to our modern-day lifestyle?

 

4.      Matt. 6:44 – ‘Do not worry about tomorrow. . . . ?’  Is saving for the rainy day considered as ‘worrying about tomorrow’?  If so, would we fall into the danger of Jesus looking us in the eye and saying, ‘O men of little faith’?  If not, why not?

 

5.      A quote says, “Money is not everything.  But it beats what’s second.”  What do you think?  Can you coin a phrase that speaks of the importance of God while at the same time acknowledging the importance of money?

 

6.      We sung in the earlier hymn, “I’d rather have Jesus, than silver or gold.”  Do we really mean what we are singing?  Someone once said that Christians lie a lot through their singing.  What does it mean to choose God over money?  Sell all?  Walk in the steps of Mother Theresa?

 

7.      Ever heard of the phrase, ‘As poor as a church mouse’?  What’s does it mean?  What is it’s implication?  Acts 3 records Peter as saying, ‘. . . Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.’  Observing at certain churches today, someone surmised, “No longer can the church say, ‘Silver and gold have I none and neither can it say, ‘In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.’”  The writer was hitting against the apparent lack of power in churches as against its growing wealth.  Do you think he made a fair statement?

 

8.      Our speaker says in his sermon that it is the small decisions that gives us the assurance and blessings that God provides daily, rather than just the big decisions. The small decisions provides us with the strength to make the right decisions when it comes to the bigger decisions.  Discuss:
a.       How do you think we can make the right decisions for Christ in our everyday life?

 

b.      Would such small decisions be important or would the bigger decisions be more important?

 

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