Bible Reading
Luke 12:32-34“Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”
[49:56]“Sell your possessions, and give to the needy.”
[50:03]“Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.”
[50:06]“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
[50:16]Psalm 136:1-9“Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.”
[55:55]“Give thanks to the God of gods, for his steadfast love endures forever.”
[56:05]“Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who alone does great wonders, for his steadfast love endures forever.”
[56:10]“To him who by understanding made the heavens, for his steadfast love endures forever.”
[56:15]“To him who spread out the earth above the waters, for his steadfast love endures forever.”
[56:15]“To him who made the great lights, for his steadfast love endures forever.”
[56:26]“The sun to rule over the day, for his steadfast love endures forever.”
[56:26]“The moon and stars to rule over the night, for his steadfast love endures forever.”
[56:39]Luke 12:16-21“And he told them a parable, saying, ‘The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought to himself, “What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?”’”
[52:52]“And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.’”
[53:08]“And I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.’”
[52:52]“But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’”
[53:20]“So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”
[53:34]Observation questions
- In Luke 12:32-34, what does Jesus say the Father wants to give the “little flock” before Jesus tells them to sell possessions and give to the needy? [49:56]
- What does the rich man decide to do with his abundant harvest, and what does he expect his larger barns to provide for him? [52:52]
- What repeated phrase appears throughout Psalm 136:1-9, and what parts of creation are named as evidence of that love? [55:35]
- What temporary things are named as examples of things that wear out, and what eternal reality is set against them? [54:12]
Interpretation questions
- Why does Jesus begin the call to generosity with “Do not be afraid” and the Father’s good pleasure to give the kingdom? How does this order protect a believer from thinking that giving earns God’s love? [49:56]
- The rich man’s land produced plentifully, yet Jesus calls him foolish. What makes his response to abundance foolish: the harvest itself, his planning, his self-centered security, or something else? [53:20]
- What might it mean in everyday life for temporary resources—such as money, time, possessions, and strength—to be invested in God’s steadfast love that endures forever? [57:07]
- Why is it important that a person receiving help ultimately remembers that God helped them rather than mainly remembering the name or generosity of the helper? [01:03:42]
Application questions
- Jesus calls his people a “little flock” and tells them not to be afraid because the Father delights to give them the kingdom. Where does fear most often tighten your grip on money, possessions, time, or security? What would it look like to bring that fear honestly to the Father? [49:56]
- The rich man assumed that stored abundance could let him “relax, eat, drink, and be merry.” Are there particular possessions, savings goals, achievements, or plans that you may be tempted to treat as your deepest security? [52:52]
- Everything with a beginning eventually wears out, including our bodies, possessions, and abilities. What temporary gift has God placed in your hands right now that could be used to make his enduring love visible to someone else? [55:03]
- A bag of food, a hospital visit, a kind word, or time with a grieving person may not solve every problem forever, but each can remind someone that God has not forgotten them. Who in your life may need that reminder this week, and what small, tangible act of care could you offer? [57:41]
- The desire to matter can easily become a desire to be noticed. In what situations do you find yourself wanting credit or recognition for serving? How might you practice giving with humility so that God’s love, rather than your name, is remembered? [59:09]
- A life spent loving, feeding, clothing, visiting, and serving others is not lived in vain. As you consider the season of life you are in, what is one way you hope to become more available to love and serve another person? [01:01:07]
