transformed in my possessions

---

GET INTO THE STUDY 10 minutes GUIDE: Direct the group to look at the picture (PSG,

SESSION 3

TRANSFORMED IN MY POSSESSIONS

p. 36). DISCUSS: Question #1 (PSG, p. 36): What personal possession do

The Point

you most value?

Possessions don’t last. Your

GUIDE: Direct attention to

relationship with God does.

The Bible Meets Life (PSG, p. 37). Note the author’s

The Bible Meets Life

story about the man who was

We are physical beings, and we live

buried with his motorcycle and

in a physical world. It’s natural, then,

trophies.

that we fill our lives with physical objects. We seek to possess things,

Introduce The Point (PSG,

but those things have a way of

p. 37): Possessions don’t

possessing us. Jesus calls us to seek a different type of treasure: treasures that

last. Your relationship

last beyond this physical life. When we focus on God and follow Him, we find

with God does.

and invest in far greater treasures.

Comment that we seek to

The Passage

possess things, but if we aren’t careful, those things

Matthew 6:19-24

have a way of possessing us.

The Setting

Emphasize that Jesus calls

As Jesus continued to instruct His disciples in the Sermon on the Mount, He

us to seek a different type of

introduced them to a difficult challenge they would face. As they served

treasure: treasures that last

Him, they would be tempted to give priority attention to their possessions.

beyond this physical life.

Overcoming such a powerful temptation would require them to be disciplined

SAY: “When we focus on God and follow Him, we find and invest in far greater treasures.”

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S e ss i o n 3

so they would not turn their possessions into idols. Instead, they would use their possessions so they could serve Him well as citizens of the kingdom of God.

© 2015 LifeWay

Matthew 6:19-21

STUDY THE BIBLE

19 “Don’t collect for yourselves treasures on earth, where

Matthew 6:19-21

moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal.

10 minutes

20 But collect for yourselves treasures in heaven, where

neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don’t break in and steal.

READ: Note that we continue in our study from the Sermon on the Mount. Invite a

21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

volunteer to read Matthew 6:19-21.

KEY WORD: Treasures (v. 19)—Greek thesauros (see English thesaurus); literally, a deposit; wealth considered so precious we want to store it up and keep for ourselves.

GUIDE: IN ADVANCE,

Invest in eternal treasures.

collect several items to

Verse 19. Jesus taught about the need to invest in heavenly treasure by making a striking comparison. He showed the monumental difference between treasures on earth and treasures in heaven. Because the difference is so drastic, He warned against collecting treasures on earth. In encouraging followers not to collect treasures on earth, Jesus didn’t imply we should not have any interest at all in resources. Serving Him requires resources. He encouraged us to seek Him for what we need so we can carry out His work effectively (John 15:16). When resources become treasures, however, something harmful happens in us. Instead of taking the resources He gives us and managing them so we can serve Him, we find ourselves hoarding up treasures that in some ways become like idols for us. Growing disciples do well to give serious attention to Jesus’ instruction about laying up treasures on earth. In Jesus’ comparison, He emphasized that treasures on earth don’t last very long. In His day, people treasured fine fabrics and precious metals. They also treasured food and tried to make sure they would have plenty of it stored in their homes. Each one of those treasures had an enemy. A tiny moth could destroy the most expensive piece of fine fabric. Even a precious garment that was a family heirloom could be ruined by a single moth attack. Similarly, rust could gradually gnaw away most precious metals. In the original language, the word for rust carried the idea of eating or consuming. Rust, vermin, or mildew could eat away at the precious items stored away as a treasure.

(Examples: car keys, jewelry, a

represent earthly treasures.

© 2015 LifeWay

jar of coins, a checkbook, etc.) Display these items for the group. (LEADER PACK: Point to the “treasures” on Item 3: “Treasures On Earth.”) Then direct attention to the KEY WORD feature on PSG page 38. Review the definition of “treasures” (v. 19). Note especially the phrase so precious we want to store it up and keep for ourselves.

S U G G E S T E D U S E | W E E K O F J U N E 19

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THE POINT

Possessions don’t last. Your relationship with God does.

GUIDE: Without calling for public responses, ask group members to ponder whether or not they have any possessions that qualify as “treasures” according the KEY WORD definition. Clarify that Jesus was not implying we should not have any interest at all in material things. Serving Him requires resources. He encouraged us to seek Him for what we need so we can carry out His work effectively (John 15:16). Place possessions in their proper perspective by reviewing the bullet points on PSG page 39. >> We do not own anything; we are merely managing what God has blessed us with. >> We should see the possessions God has given us as tools to use for His kingdom. >> We make a better investment—an eternal investment—when we use these possessions for God’s kingdom work.

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S e ss i o n 3

Food didn’t fare any better. Wherever food could be stored, thieves could be found. Usually people stored their food inside their homes. Thieves eager to take the food would dig through the mud walls in order to make their way into the place where the food was kept. In short order, food that had been stored away and treasured could be gone. Today, we have many more items we turn into treasures on earth. Each carries the same risk of not lasting very long. For example, changes in fashion trends can render an expensive garment almost worthless. Likewise, a drastic change in the stock market or interest rates can instantly reduce the balance in our account. Verse 20. Instead, Jesus instructed kingdom citizens to collect heavenly treasure. When we do, we’ll find that we won’t ever run the risk of having it disappear. Treasures in heaven are immune from the damage caused by moths, rust, thieves, or any other enemy. Therefore, they will last a long time. In fact, they will last for eternity. No wonder Jesus called them treasures in heaven. The reality that this treasure belongs in heaven brings up an important question. What kind of treasure fits that description? The question can be answered by remembering what will go from the earth to heaven. Of course, the answer is simple. Only people will go from here to there. Therefore, when we treasure our opportunities to grow toward maturity in Christ, we take to heaven a life of devotion to Him. His love in us that we treasure in our walk with Him will last through eternity too. And we cannot forget the treasure of His love shared through us. The people who have received the gift of eternal life because we have shared the treasure of the gospel will be in heaven as well. Verse 21. Jesus hinted at the next question we must consider as we take inventory of our treasures. How can we know what we sincerely treasure? Answering that question can be difficult because of the different angles we can take as we try to answer it. Jesus made our dilemma somewhat easier for us by reminding us that we’ll see what we genuinely treasure when we look in our hearts. In the Bible, the heart is considered to be the center of the personality. All emotions, motivations, and affections emanate from the heart. For that reason, looking into our hearts can give us the right starting place for determining our treasures. By looking into our hearts, we can get a grasp © 2015 LifeWay

on what brings out our passions, what makes us take the paths we choose, and what causes us to love with all our hearts. We can see what our hearts are set on and determine whether we’re eagerly collecting treasure in heaven or treasure on earth. Perhaps a way to test our hearts is to ask ourselves the following question. If we had no restrictions placed on us at all, if we had all of the resources we could ever need, and we had all of the time we could ever wish for, what would we want to do with our lives? When we answer that question, we have identified what we treasure most. Therefore, making sure our hearts are set on serving the Lord is an important feature in transforming what we treasure most.

DISCUSS: Question #2 (PSG, p. 40): How does our culture reflect the truth of Jesus’ statement in verse 21? (Alternate: How do we go about collecting treasures in heaven?)

TRANSITION: “When we set our hearts on heavenly treasure, we keep a clear focus on Christ and serving Him.”

Matthew 6:22-23 22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eye is good, your

STUDY THE BIBLE

whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of

darkness. So if the light within you is darkness—how deep is that darkness!

Matthew 6:22-23 10 minutes READ: Invite a volunteer to

KEY WORDS: Lamp of the body (v. 22)—literally, a portable lamp that

read Matthew 6:22-23.

would give enough light to help a person find his or her way in the darkness.

Keep a clear focus.

SUMMARIZE: Jesus’ teaching

Verse 22. Jesus turned attention from the heart to the eye. However, His shift in imagery didn’t change the point of His instruction. He still wanted the hearers to keep in mind the need to make Him and His kingdom their priority. By shifting attention to the eye, He helped them to understand the value of seeing their possessions in a way that would honor Him as kingdom citizens. In the Old Testament, the eye was a word picture as well as a literal reality. For God’s people, it brought to mind a crucial spiritual goal. It helped them to express their need to concentrate on what mattered most—a close relationship with Him. For example, God’s people who wanted to please Him would ask for His strength so they could center their attention on His Word (Ps. 119:18). By keeping their eyes fixed solely on the Lord, they would have the right perspective on the world and how to live in it. © 2015 LifeWay

helps us to think about the eye as a lamp that would allow light inside the body. The literal eye allows light in so we can see clearly. By the same token, the spiritual eye allows spiritual light to come in for a clear perspective on Christ and His direction for us. As a result, letting light into the eye will have an effect on how we view everything in our lives.

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THE POINT

Possessions don’t last. Your relationship with God does.

Our spiritual eye needs to be single-focused. As we walk with Christ and grow in Him, we will be able to see clearly how best to serve Him and to handle our possessions wisely.

GUIDE: Call attention to verse 23. Note the contrast between a good eye in verse 22, resulting in spiritual light, and a bad eye, which results in spiritual darkness. Note that we know a bad eye is at work when we start losing our spiritual focus.

DISCUSS: Question #3 (PSG, p. 41): What symptoms do we experience when we are losing our spiritual focus? (Alternate: How do these verses contribute to Jesus’ teaching about possessions?)

Jesus took the word picture one step further. As He taught His disciples, He helped them to think about the eye as a lamp that would allow light inside a person’s body. The literal eye would let light in so they could see clearly. By the same token, the spiritual eye would allow spiritual light to come in for a clear perspective on Him and His direction for them. As a result, letting light into the eye would have an effect on how they viewed everything in their world. In the context of Jesus’ instruction about treasure, spiritual light would enable them to gain a healthy perspective on their possessions. They would be able to see their possessions as resources to be used instead of treasures to be worshiped. The picture of the eye as a lamp can enable believers to understand the important lesson Jesus taught. How we perceive the world around us affects how we react to whatever comes our way. The brighter the lamp, the better our perception will be of the world around us. In turn, we will have the insight we need so we can make wise decisions and take positive steps in a direction that will glorify Him. That’s why He taught that a disciple’s eye needed to be good. In other words, it needed to be single-focused. The light would be able to make its way into their lives only through an eye focused exclusively on God. In other words, their perception of the world around them needed to be enlightened by their relationship with the Lord. As their walk with Him grew deeper and more intimate, they would be able to have healthy spiritual eyes to see clearly the best way to serve Him. In terms of possessions, a good eye would enable them to see their need to be characterized by generosity. Such a healthy perspective on possessions would underscore the fact they had taken in the light of truth in Him. He intended for spiritual light to flood their lives. The insight they gained from Him would show them the path for handling their resources wisely. Verse 23. By contrast, greediness would reflect the sad fact that light had still not invaded the darkness inside them. It would show that they had not allowed the lamp of His presence to shine into their lives. If the eye didn’t allow the light to come in, then He considered the eye to be bad. The effect of such an eye would be devastating. Instead of being enlightened, a person would be engulfed by spiritual darkness. By bringing up a bad eye and blindness that results from darkness, Jesus taught what happens when we take our eyes

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S e ss i o n 3

© 2015 LifeWay

away from Him and focus on self-serving priorities. We run the risk of making our priorities into idols that can lead us to make poor choices. When it comes to our possessions, focusing our gaze on nothing more than our money leaves us in the dark as to what really matters most. With such a darkened perspective, we’re bound to make foolish decisions and take actions that we’ll regret once we allow the light of our relationship with Him to shine on what we have done. While the tendency to take our eyes off Jesus can have a disastrous effect on our choices, Jesus pointed to another outcome that’s even more devastating. A worse situation arises from living in spiritual darkness and deceiving ourselves into believing that we are walking in the brightest light possible. Like Jesus warned, such self-deception results in the worst version of spiritual darkness. That’s what happens when we try to keep one eye on Jesus and the other eye on our possessions at the same time. Such divided loyalty always leaves us with a difficult dilemma on our hands. Instead of deciding to focus on Him and use our resources so we can serve Him faithfully, we usually give our complete allegiance to our money. When we make that choice, we go on to manipulate spiritual truth so it affirms our self-indulgent attitude about our possessions. As a result, we find ourselves living in even greater spiritual darkness. When such a devastating version of spiritual darkness engulfs us, we tend to make foolish decisions about kingdom priorities. For instance, we choose not to make sacrificial commitments to legitimate support of global mission causes because we consider the venture to be a waste of our money. Or we refuse to share anything with people in need because we’ve determined that they should suffer the consequences for the poor choices they have made.

GUIDE: Help the group understand several actions to help believers maintain a clear focus on Christ and His work. Review the numbered statements on PSG page 42. 1. Fix your eyes daily on Christ (Heb. 12:2). 2. Renew your mind daily through the Word (Rom. 12:1-2). 3. Confess any selfish pursuits, interests, or goals that cloud your vision (Ps. 119:36-37). 4. Pray and ask for godly Christ-centered vision (Matt. 7:7). 5. Invest in others and build up treasures in heaven (Matt 6:20-21).

TRANSITION: “Our clear focus must be fixed totally on serving the Lord and Him only if we are to maintain a transformed perspective on our possessions.”

© 2015 LifeWay

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THE POINT

Possessions don’t last. Your relationship with God does.

STUDY THE BIBLE Matthew 6:24 10 minutes

Matthew 6:24 24 “No one can be a slave of two masters, since either he

will hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot be slaves of God and of

READ: Invite a volunteer to read Matthew 6:24.

money. Stay totally committed to God.

SAY: “Jesus was very clear: if you are serving money— chasing after it and filling your life with all it can give you— you’re not serving God.”

DISCUSS: Question #4 (PSG, p. 43): In what ways do we try to serve both God and money? (Alternate: When have you felt the tension of trying to serve two masters?)

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S e ss i o n 3

Verse 24. With this verse, we come face to face with a foundational decision that every growing follower of Christ has to make. We have to make up our minds about whom or what will control our lives. That’s what Jesus wanted understood as He brought up slaves and masters. Slavery requires complete submission to one master alone. It’s an all-encompassing lifestyle that consumes one completely. A slave lives and breathes in order to please a master who exercises complete, exclusive power over absolutely everything he or she does. As this verse shows us, Jesus expected His followers to take seriously His challenge about being a slave. Jesus didn’t want His hearers deceiving themselves into thinking they could maintain divided loyalty. Without His warning, they could easily have told themselves they could serve two masters, just like some people tackle two jobs at one time. But being an employee is different from being a slave. An employer expects a certain amount of work for a stated level of pay. Once the work is done, the remainder of an employee’s time each day can be spent as he or she sees fit. Quite by contrast, a master expects absolute and unqualified devotion from slaves. A slave who tries to live with competing loyalties will eventually cave in to the tension and surrender to one master and rebel against the other. With Jesus’ stark contrast regarding love and hate, He brought into His instruction a timeless warning. Everyone will have to make a choice regarding whom or what they will serve. For Jesus, divided loyalty is nothing more than a myth. A Christian who thinks and behaves otherwise will have a rude awakening about absolute devotion. The time will come when we will have to make a choice about our master. In the instruction about possessions that Jesus had given so far, He had spoken about two kinds of treasure and two © 2015 LifeWay

kinds of eyes. So we’re not surprised that Jesus went on to speak of two kinds of slavery. Either a person will be a slave to God, or the person will be enslaved to money. We can’t serve both at the same time. We become slaves to God when we give our lives to Him as new believers. The moment we receive His free gift of salvation through Christ, we lay our lives at His feet. When we’re born again, He intends for us to devote ourselves to Him in discipleship. Being a disciple means learning how to walk with Him so we can follow Him without reservation. As we grow as disciples, we learn to use the resources He gives us so we can carry out His plan. In other words, we use our possessions as we obey Him. The more we know Him, the more we love Him and want to obey Him without question. But if we determine we’re going to be a slave to money, we can rest assured it will become the sole reason for our existence. As we serve money, we grow to understand how to collect more of it, store it up for ourselves, and keep away as many enemies of it as possible. In the process, we use everything, even God, in our effort to live out our obedience to it. Over time, we start to make decisions that ignore God in favor of our possessions. Eventually, we will find ourselves having a bad attitude toward God as our love for money becomes more obsessive. The more we have, the more we will want. In that way, money will enslave us. Jesus’ warning about slavery to our possessions is reflected in Paul’s warning to Timothy. Paul appointed Timothy to serve as pastor of the church at Ephesus. In his letter to Timothy, he highlighted areas to be addressed in order for the church to grow toward spiritual maturity. One area Paul brought up had to do with loving money. He warned Timothy that an inappropriate affection for money would take a Christian down the dangerous path toward evil. He went on to assert that such a love for money had shipwrecked the faith of too many believers (1 Tim. 6:10-11). Paul affirmed what Jesus taught about our slavery. The choice has been made, and a line in the sand has to be drawn. Either we will serve the Lord, or we will serve money. We can’t have it both ways. Disciples who are maturing in Christ have come to see He has set us free from slavery to sin. Surrendering to Him stands tall as the best expression of our liberty in Him. When we surrender ourselves to Him, we live out the reality of being a citizen of the kingdom of God. As we live for Him, we come to see that our possessions will not last for long. However, our relationship with Him will last for eternity. Therefore, we do well to surrender to Him completely and to use our resources to serve Him as our master. © 2015 LifeWay

GUIDE: Note that because of fear, money is an area where many believers have compromised instead of being fully committed to Christ. Many Christians fear that God will not provide. Call attention to the passage God has used repeatedly to help the author trust God with his finances (PSG, p. 44): “I have been young and now I am old, yet I have not seen the righteous abandoned or his children begging for bread” (Ps. 37:25). Stress that money and possessions are temporary, but God is faithful and has promised to never abandon us.

DISCUSS: Question #5 (PSG, p. 44): How can we work as a group to stay focused on the things that last?

DO: Invite volunteers to share their responses to the activity “Where Is My Treasure?” (PSG, p. 44).

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THE POINT

Possessions don’t last. Your relationship with God does.

LIVE IT OUT 5 minutes GUIDE: Emphasize The Point: Possessions don’t last. Your relationship with God does. Review Live It Out (PSG, p. 45; see text to the right). Invite group members to think about which application speaks most to where they are in their spiritual journey.

Wrap It Up GUIDE: Point to the display of “treasures” you used earlier.

LIVE IT OUT What will you do this week to make your relationship with God a priority over your possessions and finances?

>> Memorize. Write down the text of Psalm 37:25 on several self-stick notes. Stick the notes at several spots in your home where you will be sure to see the verse multiple times each day. Read the verse aloud each time you see it. At midweek, begin to say the verse as you move from room to room. Let this verse strengthen your faith and drive out fear especially as it relates to your money.

>> Invest. One way to invest in God’s kingdom is through

giving to your church. Take the one percent challenge; begin giving to a specific kingdom cause one percent of your income above your tithe to your church.

>> Focus. Ask two or three friends to review with you

the five steps mentioned under Matthew 6:22-23. Determine what specific steps each of you will take in each category to keep a clear focus on Christ and His kingdom’s work. Establish a goal for each category, and keep one another accountable.

Invite group members to place in their hands a personal possession they have with them. (watch, ring, wallet, etc.) State that each item represents all of our possessions. Invite each group member to pray a silent prayer to place their possessions under the lordship of Christ. PRAY: “Father, we want to serve you above all else. Strengthen us to remain totally committed to serving You and Your kingdom. Amen.”

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S e ss i o n 3

© 2015 LifeWay

kleptes consistently describes

SHARING THE GOOD NEWS

a non-violent criminal who

Your possessions won’t

perpetrates his crimes stealthily

last, but your relationship

and in secret.

with God will last forever.

ILLUSTRATOR PHOTO/BOB SCHATZ

The Greek word for robber is lestes and primarily describes

only secured through faith

the armed bands of brigands

and trust in Jesus Christ.

who were intentionally brutal in carrying out their activities. These were marauders who usually operated outdoors attacking View from Patmos; the Romans would exile political prisoners on this island.

caravans and individual travelers. The word appears 15 times in the New Testament and underscores

The following excerpt is from the

the element of violence.”

article “Thieves and Robbers” (Win. 2012-13), which relates to this

Read the article “Storing Up

session and can be purchased at

Wealth, Banking in the First

www.lifeway.com/biblicalillustrator.

Century” in the Summer 2016

“We tend to view the terms thieves and robbers as interchangeable, but Jewish law technically distinguished between them, as does the New Testament. The Greek word for “thief” is kleptes from which we derive our English term kleptomaniac. Appearing 16 times in the Greek New Testament,

A relationship with God is

Each week, make yourself available either before or after the session to speak privately with anyone in your group who wants to know more about becoming a Christian. See the article, “Leading Someone to the Greatest Decision of All,“ on page 2 for guidance in leading a person to Christ.

issue. Previous articles “Lamps

Remind group members that

in Ancient Israel” (Win. 1996),

page 2 in the PSG offers

and “Mammon” (Win. 1996)

guidance in how to become a

relate to this session and can be

Christian. Encourage believers

purchased at www.lifeway.com/

to consider using this article

biblicalillustrator. Look for Biblical

as they have opportunities to

Illustrator for Bible Studies for Life.

lead others to Christ.

Subscribe to Biblical Illustrator at www.lifeway.com/biblicalillustrator, or call 1-800-458-2772.

>> Get expert insights on weekly studies through the Ministry Grid (MinistryGrid.com/web/BibleStudiesFor Life). >> Grow with other group leaders at the Groups Ministry blog (lifeway.com/groupministry). >> Additional ideas for your group are available at BibleStudiesFor Life.com/blog. © 2015 LifeWay

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