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1. Remember what we discussed in the last session, how are people putting on a show when fasting? Why would they do this? What kind of reward are they seeking? What ought we do instead?

2. Verses 19-20 discuss storing up treasure. What kind of treasure is being stored? How does one store up treasures in heaven? 

3. Take a look at your own life, where are your treasures? How do you know?

4. Why does Jesus start talking about light and an eye in verses 22-23? How does this connect the the rest of the passage?

5. In verse 24 why does it seem that God is opposed to wealth? Is Jesus saying that you can't have wealth? If not then what is He saying?

6. Verses 25-34 suggests that God provides for the plants and animals and so we shouldn't worry. Is Jesus suggesting that we shouldn't work since we should be relying on God to provide for us? If not, then what is He saying?

7. In verse 33 Jesus says "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." How can we live this out in our own lives?

Hey everyone, welcome to session 10! At this time you should have a regular schedule for your group, your members already knowing how the group is supposed to look. Start using that to your advantage. Here is when you should start having other members practice facilitating sessions as well as contribute with whatever gifts come up in your group. In my pilot group we have a member who is apart of the worship team, so he usually leads us in a song every time we meet. Get creative, everyone has something they can bring to the group!

Here is a guide for the discusison questions:

1. Remember what we discussed in the last session, how are people putting on a show when fasting? Why would they do this? What kind of reward are they seeking? What ought we do instead?

   • A very modern look at this is those who brag about their fasts. It is easy to fast in order to be more religious than the people around you, and that is precisely the issue that Christ is getting at here!

   • We are to fast, but our focus needs to be on God not on social credit. Biblically we see fasting used in a few ways. Sometimes it comes with rememberances for historical events, other times it is paired with prayer as a petition to God. It is also used for repentance as well. Notice none of these are for acting more religious, and a majority of fasts in the bible are assocaited with not religious highness, but with spirital growth and/or desperation. 

2. Verses 19-20 discuss storing up treasure. What kind of treasure is being stored? How does one store up treasures in heaven? 

   • This may very well be money, the Greek word used here is θησαυρός (thēsaurŏs) which Strong identifies as "Deposit, i.e. wealth: treasure." If Jesus means literal money, then this is a statement against hording wealth. Not that wealth is evil, but wealth not actively invested into the community is evil. We invest it into heaven by investing it into those around us. By caring for the poor, by taking needy families into our homes, by paying medical bills for the sick, by giving food to multitude of families in every community that struggle with food insecurity. 

   • As long as we live in a fallen world, there will always be those with and those without. This will change when we enter the new Eden because we will finally live in a world when those who have will lovingly share with those who don't.

   • There is also a possibility that Jesus means more than literal money here too. We all have things of worth to us that isn't monetary. It may be my time, my energy, my crop, or my house. In all reality this is something that is very dependent on your heart. Is your focus on the kingdom of God, or is it building up what you have for yourself?

3. Take a look at your own life, where are your treasures? How do you know?

   • What are you not willing to sacrifice for others?

4. Why does Jesus start talking about light and an eye in verses 22-23? How does this connect the the rest of the passage?

   • This passage hinges on the eye being "clear" or "sound." That word there is ἁπλοῦς (haplŏus) which literally translates as "single." Our singular focus needs to be the kingdom of God, and if we do that then we will be full of light, but if our eye is not singularly focused then we will be filled with darkness.

   • Yes this is a passage that we lose something in translation, which is why it's key to take a look at a commentary when reading through these passages, especially when coming upon confusing passages like this one. Stress this to your group!

5. In verse 24 why does it seem that God is opposed to wealth? Is Jesus saying that you can't have wealth? If not then what is He saying?

   • To serve wealth is to hoard it, to store it up all for yourself and see to the growing of that wealth. This is the life of a rich man, the life of a modern day billionaire. In Jesus' ethic your focus needs to be on God, which means sharing that wealth around! 

   • A rich man wouldn't be rich for very long if he gave his money away freely, which is why Jesus later says that it's harder for a rich man to enter heaven than it is for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle. (Mt 19:24)

6. Verses 25-34 suggests that God provides for the plants and animals and so we shouldn't worry. Is Jesus suggesting that we shouldn't work since we should be relying on God to provide for us? If not, then what is He saying?

   • This connects right back into what Jesus has been saying, your focus needs to be on God first and foremost. It's not wrong to work and make a living, in fact God gave Adam a job (to tend the garden and subdue it). Yet that work shouldn't consume us, at the end of the day I'm not a teacher or an accountant (or whatever you do) but rather I'm a servant of God.

   • This is especially true for us, as Americans we are very quick to let our career define us. Additionally we can also get very focused on just paying bills, as if going to work and paying bills is all we were created for. May it never be! We were made to be servants of God, and in that service we become truly alive! Not to mention that God tends to take good care of those who serve Him.

7. In verse 33 Jesus says "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." How can we live this out in our own lives?

   • Our focus needs to be on God alone. We all have sacred cows in our lives that need to be consistently laid down on the alter of Christianity every hour of every day. First thing about what your sacred cows might be (what are the things you are not willing to surrender) and then surrender them to God. This may be a hidden sin, this may be a fun pass time, this may be an hour of sleep, this may be a vacation, it doesn't matter what it is, what does matter is that you lay it on the altar and submit fully to God.

Introduction

This week's passage is all about one core idea: where is your heart?