Next Steps
Bible Study Guide
Friends, Welcome to Join the Journey 2.0 – Next Steps! We are excited for our journey over the next five weeks in God’s Word looking at what Jesus has to say about our time, talent, and treasures. We are all going to be challenged to take a next step as Jesus leads us to be more sacrificially generous with all we have. Jesus wants your heart and I pray this study helps captivate your heart for love and good deeds. This study is designed to be used to take the Sunday messages deeper during our series from the weeks of September 25 to October 23. It’s designed to be used in community as a group “to spur one another on towards love and good deeds” in the name of Jesus Christ (Hebrews 10:24) or as a private devotional. May God bless you richly as you take next steps along your journey! Pastor Tim Ahlman Vicar Jake Boessling
A Study for Journey Group Life or Personal Self-Reflection! 1
Week1 Next Steps:
JOIN THE JOURNEY OF GENEROSITY
We believe lies. We believe lies about ourselves, others, God and God’s creation. Lies imbed themselves on all of our hearts. One of greatest lies our culture believes is that more of the world’s stuff will fulfill us. We move from one “hit” of worldly stuff to the next. This is so apparent in our culture. None of us are exempt. You know this fact so deeply that you probably want to stop thinking or meditating on this topic right now. We are all guilty. What are you going to do with your guilt? When I was disciplined as a young child I remember fleeing to my room, throwing my head under my pillow, 2
and trying to hide from my guilt. I thought if I could just hide well enough my sin would eventually go away. It’s silly and illogical. I know this now. My Dad would eventually come into my room, pull me from under my pillow, and say, “I love you, son. I forgive you. More importantly, Jesus loves you. Now listen and obey my word.” That’s the way some of us are with this topic. We’re guilty of living the lie that stuff will satisfy our deepest desires. We’ve stuffed the pillow over our head in an attempt to hide from the guilt. Allow your Heavenly Father to remove the pillow, hold you close and say, “I love you, my child. I forgive you. Now listen and obey my word. Allow me to help you stop believing the lies of this world.”
“I love you, my child. I forgive you. Now listen and obey my word. ” 3
Week1 Opening BIG Question:
WHAT ARE THE LIES THAT YOU ARE CURRENTLY BELIEVING?
Watch Video With Pastor Tim and Vicar Jake Go to Youtube. Search “Christ’s Greenfield”. At the top, click on Christ’s Greenfield link. Then select the playlist tab. Select Join the Journey 2.0. Watch week 1.
Open Up the Word: Read Luke 12:13-21 Discuss Verse 13 – What is surprising about the person in the crowds demand of Jesus?
Verse 15 – What are you currently coveting? What gives your life meaning? How does your time, talent and treasure allocation align with your life purposes?
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Verse 16 – What does the rich man fail to do when his land produces plentifully? What is his first response based on verse 18? How does this response make total sense? How would you disciple this individual if he professed to be a follower of Jesus?
Verse 19 – Have you ever said these same words to your soul? Share stories as led by the Holy Spirit.
Verse 20 – How do you respond when God calls you a fool? Pause - Honestly assess yourself. Would others call you a generous person? How would they know?
Verse 21 – How is Jesus calling you to be rich toward God?
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Week1
Next, watch: “The Genius of Generosity” VIDEO #1 - https://www.rightnow.org/Content/Series/927#1
Take the Next Step: Share what God’s Word is calling you to do. What is your one main life-changing takeaway?
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Next Step Prayer: Father, I have believed lies. I’ve sought happiness in the things of this world. I’m selfish. Please forgive me. Please daily show me what it means to be generous. Thank you for your generosity shown to me in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. Holy Spirit, moment by moment help me to follow Jesus. Amen
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Week2 Next Steps:
EXPERIENCE TRUE LIFE
Anxieties fill our world. Police shootings. ISIS terrorist attacks. Unemployment rates. Presidential candidate pitfalls. Facebook posts. Parental hopes. Name another and another anxiety that fill your head and heart throughout the week leaving you on edge and distracted from Jesus. What do you do when you experience anxiety? Worship should be a time of experiencing no anxiety but complete peace. On our journey with Jesus, we experience the love of Jesus in worship as he dishes out 8
his grace, mercy, Word, baptismal promises and sacramental presence as we eat and drink his body and blood at the Lord’s Supper. Worship is a time to give over your anxieties to Jesus and receiving his lasting grace. What do you do when you experience anxiety? Journey Groups and Bible studies is another place where we get to gather with friends around the Word to lay down our anxieties through prayer and conversations. What anxieties do you need to ask God to help you with when it comes to the topic of finances and generosity? Jesus listens. Jesus cares. Tell Him.
Worship is a time to give over your anxieties to Jesus. 9
Week2 Opening BIG Question:
HOW DO YOU HANDLE YOUR ANXIETY?
Watch Video With Pastor Tim and Vicar Jake Go to Youtube. Search “Christ’s Greenfield”. At the top, click on Christ’s Greenfield link. Then select the playlist tab. Select Join the Journey 2.0. Watch week 2.
Open Up the Word: Read Luke 12:22-34 Discuss Verse 22-23 – Anxiety. What are you most anxious about in your daily life?
Verse 24 – What does Jesus teach us about the true life of the ravens? (12:24)
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Verse 25-26 – Explain how anxiety positively and negatively affects you from having true life?
Verse 27 – What does Jesus teach you about finding true life when you look at the grass that grows in your yard?
Verse 28-31 – What correlation does anxiety have with your faith life? How have you experienced Jesus generosity towards you over the past two years?
In the video, Vicar Jake said, “True lasting life is experienced solely through the life and death of Jesus. As people experienced Jesus, they were always empowered to respond.” How has your experience with Jesus led you to respond in generosity in your time, talent and treasures?
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Week2
Verses 32 – What is the kingdom of God?
Verse 33 – Jesus told the disciples, “Fear not, little flock…sell your possessions, and give to the needy.” Who are the needy among you or that you could seek out in faith to be generous towards?
Next, watch: “The Genius of Generosity” VIDEO #2 - https://www.rightnow.org/Content/Series/927#2
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Take the Next Step: Time, talent and treasures. Pick one of these three areas you struggle to fully experience helping others with. Commit to taking time each day this week to ask God to help you take a sacrificial next step over the coming weeks. Share your “one� with the group asking them to pray for you as well. 13
Week2
Next Step Prayer: God, creator, redeemer, sustainer. You are God and I am not. I thank you that I have had the opportunity to experience your grace, love, mercy and forgiveness. I confess that sometimes I get anxious over little things that get me off kilter. I confess that I get anxious over bigger things that I try to control and think that I can handle on my own. It’s not true. I need you. I need you. I need you. May I trust in you by faith this week as we walk together day by day. In Jesus Name, Amen.
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Week3 Next Steps:
JOIN THE JOURNEY OF GENEROSITY
Let’s be honest – generosity is hard. It’s much easier to hoard our stuff. It’s much easier to guard our time and talents from others. The reason is simple – we’re sinners. Sin equals selfishness. Do you want to hear a secret principal that few discover? You own nothing. Nothing. It’s all God’s. We know this. We often reject this. Is this secret principal changing you? How are you revealing the secret to others? 16
A man recently wrote a $2,500 check. He gave it to me to give to one of our new staff members. He wanted our leader to experience what it feels like to manage the resources of another. The generous man is going to reach out to me soon to hear how our new staff member used the resources to expand God’s kingdom. Talk about generosity. Yet, this is what God does with us each and every day. He gives His resources to us to be used to expand His kingdom. Are you ready to give God your generosity report?
He gives His resources to us to be used to expand His kingdom. 17
Week3 Opening BIG Question:
WHAT IS YOUR GENEROSITY REPORT TO GOD?
Watch Video With Pastor Tim and Vicar Matt Go to Youtube. Search “Christ’s Greenfield”. At the top, click on Christ’s Greenfield link. Then select the playlist tab. Select Join the Journey 2.0. Watch week 3.
Open Up the Word: Read Luke 12:35-48 Discuss Verse 35 – How do you balance “giving an account” for how you used God’s resources with God’s free gift of grace in Jesus?
Verse 37 – Notice the role reversal. The master serves the servants. How is the master currently serving you?
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Verse 39 – Is the master’s house in jeopardy of being broken into? How so?
Verse 40 – How do you understand the return of the Son of Man? Are you expectant? Slightly unnerved?
Verse 44 – What does it mean that the “master sets him over all his possessions?”
Verse 45 – What warning is given in this verse? How do you apply this to your life?
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Week3
Verse 47 – How do you understand the different punishments that are given to those who “know” and others who “do not know” the Father’s will? What does this mean for you?
Verse 48 – What have you been given? What’s is God’s requirement for you?
Next, watch: “The Genius of Generosity” VIDEO #3 - https://www.rightnow.org/Content/Series/927#3
Take the Next Step: Share what God’s Word is calling you to do. What is your one main life-changing takeaway?
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Next Step Prayer: Jesus, you are my master. Thank you for your relentless love, grace and forgiveness. You have entrusted me with much. Help me to manage it appropriately. Help me to be ready for Your return by stewarding the resources and people You have placed in my life. Thank you for being such a good master. Amen.
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Week4 Next Steps:
EXPAND THE INVITE LIST
Let’s throw a party. Ok. Streamers bought, food ordered, alcohol purchased…check! Now, who to invite? Usually we think first about inviting our friends, family and those we will feel most comfortable with. Jesus always wants to expand the invite list. The expansion comes by expanding the invite list. For the party on the new heaven and new earth to come, Jesus desires more and more people, actually, all people, to be dancing and enjoying His company for all eternity. Jesus says, “When you have a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid” (14:12). Jesus expands the invite list to “the 22
poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind” (14:13).
At church, are you comfortable in “my” pew, “my” worship style, “my” worship time, “my” group of friends. Those are the wrong pronouns. Focus should be on Jesus. What would it take for you to expand the invite list to invite others different than yourself or just others who aren’t on your invite list right now to get added? We know… there are struggles of expanding the invite list. It’s uncomfortable. It’s costly. It can be awkward. It costs too much money to invite everyone else in. But it’s worth it. To expand the invite list, it cost Jesus his very life for the world. And in the end, nobody wants to be left off God’s invite list. And praise be to Jesus, He has expanded the invite list through you over the past two years. Jesus always wants to expand the invite list even more over the next two years.
Jesus always wants to expand the invite list.
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Week4 Opening BIG Question:
HOW DOES GOD DECIDE WHO MAKES THE INVITE LIST FOR A PARTY HE IS THROWING?
Watch Video With Vicar Jake and Vicar Matt Go to Youtube. Search “Christ’s Greenfield”. At the top, click on Christ’s Greenfield link. Then select the playlist tab. Select Join the Journey 2.0. Watch week 4.
Open Up the Word: Read Luke 14:12-24 Discuss Verse 12 – Why does Jesus say to expand the invite list?
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Verse 13 – In Jesus’ expanded invite list, which type of person makes you the most uncomfortable?
Verse 14 – What reward is there for expanding the invite list?
Verses 15-17 – Have someone in your group summarize these verses. Set the stage of the story.
Verse 18-20 – What excuses does the world make for not accepting Jesus’ invitation for true life?
Verse 21 – What surprises you about Jesus’ response?
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Week4
Verse 23 – What is Jesus’ desire for His banquet room party?
Verse 24 – What do Jesus’ final words in this text stir up in you as you read them?
Next, watch: “Work Like a Doctor, Live Like a Nurse” http://www.generouschurch.com/764
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Take the Next Step: Expand your invite list. Who is one person, one neighbor, one friend, one enemy, or one person who needs to know about Jesus or re-connect with Him? How are you going to include them this week in your party of life with Jesus?
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Week4
Next Step Prayer: Lord, I need your help. I want to see the invite list expanded so that more and more people from this valley and this world would be living a hopeful eternity verses a hopeless one. Jesus, help me. Holy Spirit, help me see with your perspective the daily need to love every single person I come in contact with seeing them as someone God has on his invite list. Thank you for going before me, God, to prepare hearts and minds before I ever open up my mouth to share your Word with them. In your powerful name, Jesus, Amen!
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Week5 Next Steps:
THE JOURNEY IS COSTLY
Does God view you as a generous person? Is your time, talent and treasures daily surrendered to bless others? Is your life a fragrant offering that points all to the suffering servant, Jesus? (Pastor Tim) My two youngest kids recently lost one of their front teeth. It’s cute when you’re 8. No inhibitions. No shame. They are excited to be growing up. Yet, let’s be honest – they are excited for the “tooth fairy” to visit. The “tooth fairy” gives them money to save to get what they 30
want. I recently came to my youngest, Nyleah, and said, “Are you going to give 10% of what you made to Jesus at school chapel this week?” She smiled and said, “Oh, yeah, Dad. I almost forgot.” Who in your life is inviting you to be generous? This is not about money. It’s all about Jesus. It’s all about your heart wholly surrendered to Jesus. Who is holding you accountable toward sacrificially giving of your time, talents and treasures? I have two retired pastors who hold me accountable. I pray you have someone.
It’s all about your heart wholly surrendered to Jesus. 31
Week5 Opening BIG Question:
HOW DOES GOD MEASURE GENEROSITY?
Watch Video With Pastor Tim and Vicar Jake Go to Youtube. Search “Christ’s Greenfield”. At the top, click on Christ’s Greenfield link. Then select the playlist tab. Select Join the Journey 2.0. Watch week 5.
Open Up the Word: Read Luke 14:25-33 Discuss Verse 26 – What do you need to “hate” in order to follow Jesus?
Verse 27 – What is your sacrificial cross to bear in order to follow Jesus?
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Verses 28-32 – What tower are you trying to build? What war are you trying to win?
What are the obstacles that will keep you from completing the tower or winning the war?
What is your legacy? Will you be known as a sacrificially generous Jesus follower?
What needs to change in your life in order to fulfill the legacy that Jesus desires you to leave?
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Week5
Verse 33 – What is Jesus inviting you to “renounce” in order to be His disciple?
Next, watch: “The Genius of Generosity” https://www.rightnow.org/Content/Series/927#4
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Take the Next Step: Share what God’s Word is calling you to do. What is your one main life-changing takeaway?
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Week5
Next Step Prayer: Dear Jesus, thank you for making me your child in the waters of baptism. I trust you. You will meet all of my needs. Help me to renounce everything to follow you. Show me what the sacrificially generous life looks like day by day. Amen.
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The disciples experienced the love of Jesus, were empowered by Jesus to do what He did, and the kingdom of God expanded! Luke 10
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