Prayer
Because the primary goal of our time together is to establish relationships and learn how to walk with one another in all that God has called us to be and do, we’d like to begin by praying for one another. So, does anyone have anything you’d like us to pray for or anything to share regarding how you’ve seen God moving in your life that we can celebrate together?
Opening Question
Who taught you to be generous growing up?
David praised the LORD in the presence of the whole assembly, saying,
“Praise be to you, LORD, the God of our father Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Yours, LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things.Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name.
“But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.We are foreigners and strangers in your sight, as were all our ancestors. Our days on earth are like a shadow, without hope. LORD our God, all this abundance that we have provided for building you a temple for your Holy Name comes from your hand, and all of it belongs to you. I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity. All these things I have given willingly and with honest intent. And now I have seen with joy how willingly your people who are here have given to you. LORD, the God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac and Israel, keep these desires and thoughts in the hearts of your people forever, and keep their hearts loyal to you. And give my son Solomon the wholehearted devotion to keep your commands, statutes and decrees and to do everything to build the palatial structure for which I have provided.”
Then David said to the whole assembly, “Praise the LORD your God.” So they all praised the LORD, the God of their fathers; they bowed down, prostrating themselves before the LORD and the king.
– 1 Chronicles 29:10-20
What is our first goal when it comes to money?
In the sermon, we heard a few possible “money goals” people might have. Think about your own financial life as you consider the following:
Are you generally more of a spender or a saver? What motivates you to give, spend or save?
If you had an extra $1000 this week that you had to give to one person or organization, who would you give it to?
What is the most generous gift you’ve ever received from someone?
What was King David’s first goal?
King David believed everything he had came from God and belonged to God.
Do you typically consider your possessions, opportunities, giftings, and talents as coming first from God? If you do, do you believe as David did, that all you are and all you have belongs to God?
How could regarding our possessions and blessings as God’s first help us have faith when we experience brokenness, loss, or lack in some way?
David collected and saved for his son to build a temple. How do you consider future generations in how you save, spend, and give?
How do we begin to live out a new first goal?
In the sermon, Pastor Morgan used an illustration about loaning a vehicle to a friend to highlight that God cares about how we steward all he has given us. In it, he emphasized that he hoped that his friend would honor their relationship by carefully caring for 100% of the minivan, not only a portion of it.
When you tithe or give, do you consciously participate in the practice in some way, by offering a prayer or thought to God?
What has God shown you this week about how to honor him with all he has given you? Is there some change he’s asking you to make or a discipline he’s asking you to persevere in?
What would our lives look like if we did?
Have you participated in a Mosaic Live Big offering before? If you have, what did you think or feel when you learned what the total was that we raised? How did you feel when you watched the recap video?
How has choosing to be more generous impacted your life in the past? How do you hope choosing generosity will shape your future?
Closing Thought
We are still collecting offerings for our Live Big gift to The Christian Resource Center! Spend your final moments together asking God to speak to each person in our church about how he has called them to participate in this year’s offering.