Andrew Bauer Rockford Campus August 13, 2023
Seek (Part 6): There Your Heart Will Be
SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE
REMINDERS
The August 2023 issue of the Group Leader Newsletter has been posted. Check it out!
Praise in the Park is tonight (8/13) and Beach Baptism is coming soon. Hope to see you there! Consider attending one or both as a group.
TOGETHER IN LIFE
Share a brief “high-low-buffalo” snapshot of your life with money, where you describe one “high point,” one “low point,” and one unexpected/strange/funny moment (out of place like a “buffalo” walking down your street).
Much like food, money is a constant part of our lives—sometimes in the background and sometimes the center of attention. Take a moment to pray together, asking God to help you discern what our treasures say about where our hearts are, and to convict us about any areas we need to change.
TOGETHER IN THE WORD
THIS WEEK’S KEY PASSAGE: Matthew 6:19–24
Note: We encourage you to read the entire text together as a group out loud.
Big Idea
Thinking about where we invest our time, our money, and our efforts is a great way to learn about our hearts. They gives us clues about where we find our significance, security, and safety. It’s there that we are most tempted to serve “not-gods,” the substitutes for God that demand our worship. Money in particular seeks to rule over us, so we must be extra careful to guard against its influence. Communion is a powerful reminder of where our treasure should be: in Jesus Christ, our true God and savior who died and rose again, and will one day return to make all things new.
Beginning with Next Steps
As we discuss the sermon, let’s keep in mind the “next steps” we’re working toward this week. Answer these three main questions in light of the passage and its relationship to the Gospel message symbolized in communion:
- Who or what is my treasure?
- Who or what do I look at?
- Who or what do I worship?
Bonus: how does my giving reflect my worship?
Warm Up Questions
- Are you more of a spender or a saver? Why?
- How often do you get into conflicts about money, whether with a spouse, a friend, in the marketplace, or even with yourself?
- Where do you think you invest most of your discretionary time, money, and effort? Share the first idea that comes to mind. As we continue our study, you’ll have a chance to update your answer.
Treasures and Intentions
We sometimes talk about “being intentional” about this or that, but Andrew said we are always intentional about where we invest. In other words, what we invest in is never an accident. Even though we may aspire to do better, our investments reveal where we are now. This is why Jesus said, “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
QUESTIONS
- Think of a time this past week where your emotions were unusually strong. What does that incident reveal to you about what you value most?
- Is there anything you invest time and money in but wish you didn’t? Why do you do it anyway?
- Which one of these three—security, significance, and security—do you think about most often? Where do you typically go to find this?
Treasures in Heaven
Jesus gives us three sets of contrasts: heaven or earth, light or darkness, and rule by God or rule by money. In calling us away from treasuring things on earth, He is calling us to treasure something far better. While it may seem like a sacrifice or an obligation, it’s actually a call to what matters most, what we need, and what will contribute to our flourishing.
QUESTIONS
- Thinking again about security, safety, and significance, what do you do that helps you find those things in Jesus Christ?
- Andrew said “There is a treasure war going on in our hearts.” Where have you felt that war in your life lately?
- Take a moment and thank God for the struggle, because it is evidence that He is working in you to free you from these things.
- Are there areas of your life that used to be a struggle, but you have since given over to God? How did that change happen? What is better now as a result?
- Take a moment and thank God for these past victories!
Greed and Generosity
Pause and reflect on these questions from the sermon together:
- When is the last time you confessed greed before God?
- What do you look at during the week? What advertisements capture your attention? How much time do you spend considering your next purchase?
- When is the last time you said “no” to something you wanted and could get (assuming there was nothing else stopping you)?
Our culture thrives on the ability to buy what we want when we want. It’s seen as a public service to bolster the economy, and we often expect to have choices so that what we buy reflects our identity. There are many ways money seeks to control us, but one of the best ways to work against this is to give generously to others. We give generously because God has given generously to us.
Returning to Motivations and Worship
What we worship defines everything else. Wrong motivations can undermine even the good things that we do. We have to do the hard work of examining our motivations, desires, and goals in order to make sure our worship is directed at Jesus, where it belongs. He alone is worthy. He alone is our unshakeable source of security, significance, and safety, and in Him we find everything we need.
QUESTIONS
- How does my giving reflect my worship?
- Recall what you initially said about where you invest your time, money, and effort. What, if anything, would you change about your answer based on today’s discussion?
- What’s one thing you hope to change in this area of your life going forward?
TOGETHER IN PRAYER & ACTION
Spend time in prayer for one another about current struggles and the way forward. Make a plan to revisit this subject in a few weeks to see how things are going. Remember that the truth we celebrated in communion applies here, too: Jesus died on the cross precisely because His heart was fully set on the Father’s will. He refused to store up treasures on earth, being willing to pay the ultimate sacrifice with His body and blood so that we could have a share in His inheritance. If you have put your faith in Christ, He is your treasure in heaven, and everything He has He shares with you. As you work on your patterns of worship and giving, remember that they are a response to what God has already done for you. It is because of His gift that we are able to work on our hearts and what they treasure.
