Verse 3-4: Do you think it’s important to prepare yourself to be ready to serve as a Christian or is it good enough to just wait for God to call you up to respond? Why or why not?
What is something in your life that you have a detailed plan for? How did you develop the plan? Why did you choose that particular area to have a plan?
Why did Paul send Titus instead of a Macedonian to the church in Corinth?
Read Matthew 25:1-13. What lesson can we learn about being prepared?
“At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some giver? of your oil; our lamps are going out.’ “ ‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’ “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’ “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.”
Matthew 25:1-13 NIV
Verse 5: How do you budget to give in your own life? How do we prepare ourselves to be cheerful givers? What can cause us to be hesitant givers? Are you a cheerful giver, a guilt-ridden giver, or a non-giver?
Verse 6: What is the state of your retirement funds? How did it get there? Where are areas you could have done better and how could you have improved it?
What do we miss out on when we don’t give? What do we gain by giving? Have you invested your money in a way that will reap eternal rewards?
“For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. Now after a long time, the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming, I should have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’”
Matthew 25:14-30 ESV
Verse 7: Why would God love a cheerful giver? Why can’t he just be happy we give anything at all?
When you give, do you give of your best for do you hold back for yourself? Why? What does God think about that?
“When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not evil? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that not evil? Present that to your governor; will he accept you or show you favor? says the Lord of hosts. And now entreat the favor of God, that he may be gracious to us. With such a gift from your hand, will he show favor to any of you? says the Lord of hosts. Oh that there were one among you who would shut the doors, that you might not kindle fire on my altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you, says the Lord of hosts, and I will not accept an offering from your hand.”
Malachi 1:8-10 ESV
Verse 8-9: What are some areas where you wish you had more? Do you ever feel like you’d be happier if you just had one more thing? Do you believe that God has given you everything you need, not just to allow you to survive, but to allow you to abound in every good work? Where can you be putting your resources to work for God?
Verse 10-11: In what ways does God enrich us to be generous?
Verse 12: Have you ever met someone who was a particularly thankful person? What made them thankful? How can we be more thankful?
Verse 13-15: Have you ever felt unappreciated or uncared for? Are you the type of person who is quick to show appreciation and caring for others? Are those things related?