Breaking Ground
What are you most looking forward to in the fall? Why?
The Dig
This Sunday, we continued our series Jesus’ Money, where we’re exploring several of Jesus’ teachings concerning how we should see, think about, & interact with money.
Begin by reflecting on your experience with giving & the Church.
What have you been taught about generosity & the Church over the course of your life? What role have you been taught that generosity & giving plays in the Christian life?
What lessons have you been taught on how much to give & who to give to when it comes to following Jesus? How did these lessons impact you & those around you?
Read Mark 12:41-44.
Why does Jesus point to this poor widow as the epitome of generosity? How might this have challenged his audience’s preconceived notions about what it means to be generous?
Why does Jesus contrast this widow with other, wealthier people when it comes to giving? What does this contrast reveal about the upside-down nature of generosity in his Kingdom (as opposed to how our broader world measures generosity & wealth)?
How does this brief story challenge some of the most common lessons in the church concerning what it means to be generous (re: how much to give, tithing, who we give to, etc)?
Close by reflecting on how this week’s teaching might speak to you in this season.
Where do you struggle to adopt the posture towards generosity that Jesus praises here? Where do you struggle with adjusting how you measure generosity to reflect Jesus’ teaching?
How can you, in this next season, become more generous in a way that reflects the poor widow’s example? How might doing so help you become more like Jesus in how you think about & treat your wealth?
Getting Out of the Hole
Take time each week to reflect upon the Sunday sermon.
- Read Mark 12:41-44. Make note of any emotions that come up or internal responses you have to specific moments in the story. Reflect on which characters you find it easiest to identify with.
- Why does Jesus point to this poor widow as the best example of what it means to be generous? Do you think this would’ve surprised the disciples? Does it surprise you?
- How does Jesus use this widow & her example to turn upside-down our thoughts on generosity? How does it challenge the way that our world measures generosity when it comes to money?
- How can Jesus’ teaching reveal where our worldviews concerning money & generosity don’t match up with his own? Where might we need to change in order to better reflect Jesus with our generosity in this next season?
Journal, reflect, & pray on how God might be speaking to you through each week’s teaching. Share your experience with your growth group next week!
Additional Resources*
Centered Set Church by Mark D. Baker
Practicing the Way by John Mark Comer
TheBibleProject.com
Coming Up This Week:*
Sunday, August 9th: Join us next week as we conclude our series Jesus’ Money!
* Please see mye3.org for details.