Things That Matter

Good Day. I teach Sunday School. This quarter, we are studying "Things that matter." The basis for the lesson plan in from the Baptist's Lifeway lessons. But I work on it a bit. See what you think.

Things that Matter. What really matters in Life? I mean really? This series of lessons examine that question. There is nothing really new in it. It’s all stuff we know and it’s the stuff you’d expect to hear in Sunday school. What matters? Because it is familiar, does that make it any less true?January 1-29, 2006 Things that matter:



Work






Money










Life




Character

and Purity.


Jesus said that He came to give us [eternal] life and life more abundant. It is the abundant life that is our subject in these next few weeks. There is an underlying truth in all this. That truth is found in Luke 12: 31 and Matthew 6:33, when Jesus says, “seek ye first the Kingdom of Heaven (God) and all [this other stuff] will be added unto you.” (KJV interpreted by the RWV.) The abundant life is found when we [relatively speaking] forget the world think about God and the things of God. This is not to say that the things of life are not important, they are, but it is in the priority that we place on them that we allow God to walk with us as Christ walked with His disciples and thus allow ourselves to be blessed and have the abundant life that Christ promised.
Today, we examine Money – wampum, dinero, mammon, bread, scratch, etc. taken from:Luke 12:13-48

· Material Wealth Doesn’t Last (Luke 12:16-21)

In Luke 12:13-48 we will see that Material Wealth Doesn’t Last graphically shown to us by the parable of the rich fool. He was truly and literally blessed with great wealth, but lost the priority. Thus, the Master had to say to him:
‘You fool! This very night your life is demanded of you. And the things you have prepared—whose will they be?’


· Trust God to Meet Your Needs (Luke 12:27-28)

If there is now money, how will my real needs be met, not to mention my wants? In Luke 12:27-28, we will see futility of worry by looking at birds and poppies in the field. Jesus in this passage, which Matthew also records as a part of the “Sermon on the Mount, says:
“Consider how the wildflowers grow: they don’t labor or spin thread. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was adorned like one of these! 28If that’s how God clothes the grass, which is in the field today and is thrown into the furnace tomorrow, how much more will He do for you—you of little faith?

Barclay says that the flowers in the story are scarlet anemones. They grow wild in the field coming up rapidly in the spring. Since wood is at a premium in the Near East, it is typically not used to burn in the fire. The brush is, however. So it is with the scarlet anemones, the “wildflowers . . . which neither toil nor spin” yet are cared for by the Father.

· Pursue God’s Kingdom Above All Else (Luke 12:31-34)

So, we are advised to Pursue God’s Kingdom Above All Else wherein we find the key quote: 31“But seek His kingdom, and these things will be provided for you.” The practical question is “how?”

· Be a Good Steward of All You Have (Luke 12:42-44,48b)

One way to begin to do this is to be a Good Steward of All You Have. That is challenging however, isn’t it. We need to do it, though because in the words of Alan Funt, “at some time when you last expect it . . .” the Master will return and ask us “what’s up?”
· Conclusion
The point of the lesson is the priority of money. To help us with that priority, the Master will return and hold us accountable. Will it be “well done . . .? I sure hope so.