The Standard (Part 13) - Put God First

Pastor Rocklyn Clarke - Sunday April 13, 2008

© 2008 Life Church Ministries, Inc.

http://www.LifeChurchMinistries.org/

 
V Introduction
* Bible Reading 4/6 - 4/12: Deut 29:1 - Jos 7:15; Luke 11:37 - 15:32; Psalm 78 - 81; Prov 12:19 - 13:1
> Review
V New Material
> Preparation
V The Standard - Mat 5 - 7 (cont.)
V Put God First
V Where Are You Storing Your Treasure? - Mat 6:19-24
* Passage - Mat 6:19-24
* Exegetical Idea: Where should you store your treasure? In heaven, where your heart should be focused.
V Analyze the Exegetical Idea
V Explain It: What does this mean?
* Our hearts will be drawn to wherever we accumulate the things we value. We need to ensure that our hearts are drawn to the one we intend to serve - God.
* This instruction was being given to disciples - men and women who had already made a commitment to follow Jesus.
* Jesus focused on negative behaviors to avoid because the context of their ministry together provided the positive behaviors they were to adopt.
V Prove It: Is it True? Do I believe it?
* Yes - personal story.
* Parable of the rich fool - Luke 12:13-21
* Lazarus and the rich man - Luke 16:19-31
* Danger of pursuing riches - 1Tim 6:3-10
* Command those who are rich - 1Tim 6:17-18
* Rich will fade away - James 1:9-11
* Listen you rich people - James 5:1-6
V Apply It: What difference does it make? So What?
* Our possessions can steal our hearts away from the Lord.
* Homiletical Idea: Store up heavenly rather than earthly possessions.
V Purpose
* Understand how our possessions and the things we do to get them affect our spiritual lives.
* Choose behavior that will keep our hearts focused on God.
V Breakdown
V The wrong process:
* You accumulate treasure on earth
* Your heart becomes increasingly focused on your stuff
* You increasingly become a servant of money
* You stop being a servant of God
V The right process:
* You accumulate treasure in heaven
* Your heart becomes increasingly focused on heaven
* You increasingly become a servant of God
V How do you store up treasure in heaven?
* Use wealth to win people to Jesus - Luke 16:1-15
* Fund ministries that win people
V Fund your own ministry to win people
* Don't worry about taxes - Rom 13:1-7
V Don't Worry - Mat 6:25-34
* Passage - Mat 6:25-34
* Exegetical Idea:
V Analyze the Exegetical Idea
V Explain It: What does this mean?
* God will take care of our needs so we should not allow them to distract us from serving him.
* This instruction was being given to disciples - men and women who had already made a commitment to follow Jesus.
* Jesus focused on negative behaviors to avoid because the context of their ministry together provided the positive behaviors they were to adopt.
V God doesn't deal well with second place -
* No other gods - Ex 20:1-6
V Prove It: Is it True? Do I believe it?
* Yes - God has taken care of us personally.
V Apply It: What difference does it make? So What?
* Worrying about our own needs will make God's Word unfruitful in our lives - Mat 13:1-9, 18-23; Luke 8:4-15
* Homiletical Idea: Attend to God's business first.
V Purpose
* Understand how to put God's business first.
* Practice putting God's business first.
V Breakdown
* Break the progression that leads to serving money.
* Stop prioritizing your material well-being
* Start prioritizing God's Kingdom - put God's business first.
V What does it mean to put God's business first?
V Key Areas:
V Your possessions
V Give God the best of the first - Ex 23:19; Ex 34:26
* Take God's portion out of your account ASAP.
* "Complete Business" - a business with boundaries.
V Store up treasure in heaven.
* Use wealth to win people to Jesus - Luke 16:1-15
* Fund ministries that win people
V Fund your own ministry to win people
* Don't worry about taxes - Rom 13:1-7
* Your time
* Your relationships
* Your goals
V Resources For Putting God's Business First:
V You need the following:
* Kingdom consciousness
* Kingdom context
* Kingdom comrades
V Actively cultivate a Kingdom consciousness
* The Word
* Prayer
* Worship
* Fellowship and Relationship Building
* Holiness
* Serving
* Discipleship and Evangelism
V Establish a Kingdom context first
V Your congregation
* Other believers who are also putting God's business first
V Establish Kingdom comrades as soon as possible
* Your life group - the team you serve on
* Chase God's "dream" - then your own.
V What will you look like in your new setting?
* A follower of the traditional "make money" script?
* A Kingdom agent?
* The choice is yours!
V Discussion Questions / Topics (based on the indicated scriptures)
V Scripture References: Mat 6:19-34; Luke 16:1-15
* Reflect on your lifestyle. Where is your treasure? Where is your heart?
* Are people who do illegal or immoral things the only ones who are serving money, or is it possible to serve money legally and morally?
* Are you serving God or money? How so?
* Do you worry about food or clothing? Do you worry about other things?
* In what ways do you seek God's Kingdom first? In what ways has God's Kingdom slipped to second place or worse in your life?
* Are you using worldly wealth to gain friends for yourself? When it's gone will you be welcomed into eternal dwellings?
* How are you using your money to build God's Kingdom? Are you producing disciples for Jesus? Are you supporting ministries that are successfully making disciples?
V Witnessing Activities For This Week's Life Group Meetings
V Make sure that everyone knows about Life Church 101:
V Sunday April 20, 2008 - 2 P.M. - 5:30 P.M.
* Location: 1430 Tremont St. #3B in Roxbury
* Saturday April 26, 2008 - 10 A.M. - 1:30 P.M.
* Other witnessing / works activities as determined by your life group leader.