Bible Study Plan for Leaders: Jesus’ Work, Life, and Ministry

Introduction

The New Testament Gospels Matthew, Mark, Luke and John all talk about JESUS’ work, life and ministry where each narrative is written from their priorities and concerns. The purpose of this assignment is to present a Bible study plan for leaders from the Gospels, observing key passages that address Jesus’ work. This assignment begins with Matthew 6:19-24 chosen because of its contents and context, taken from the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus taught the crowd including his disciples of ‘laying up treasures in Heaven’. The Synoptic Gospels; Mark, Luke and Mathew describe events from a similar point of view as opposed to that of John. For example, Jesus stories of the rich young man and the rich ruler are found in these Gospels, while the Gospel of John focuses on the Divinity of Jesus Christ. John 2:13-17 look at the cleansing of the Temple.

These passages of scriptures are chosen because of their marketplace association. Jesus spent much time in the marketplace teaching on work, money and relationships, He being a carpenter. My interest in using these passages is because I run a workplace Ministry where we help believers to understand that their work is a ‘CALLING.’ The twice a month bible study meeting teach employees, employers, business owners, professionals and would be entrepreneurs to think differently about applying their faith at work.

In Matthew 6:19, Jesus began the session of his Sermon on the Mount with a warning, “Do not keep for yourselves valuables on this world, where moth and rust damage and where thieves break in and steal; showing the seriousness of life on earth and how we must live it. In our bible study meetings, we have a diverse group of people from the marketplace with very different views on work, life and relationships.

As a facilitator, I also look at my faith and how I apply it within the group workplace training. We’re taught, In Christian business, our goal must be people beyond profit. By following Jesus teaching in Matthew 6; 19-24, and observing Kennecott exegesis; Contrasting treasure on earth with treasure in heaven, as we are guided through these passages, the message unfolds as we learn of our earthly lives. Work in the Kingdom and the importance of the relationship with God and his children. This Bible Study Lesson as per the New Testament Gospels creates a chronology of the four canonical Gospels. This lesson allows a learner to be acquainted with the chapters and verses’ contents of the Bible.

Notes to the study group Leader:

Read Matthew 6:19–24 (ESV), and then work through the questions and notes below ahead of time to help you prepare to lead your group. The space below each question may be used for answers.

JESUS says;

“Do not, for yourselves, lay up the treasures you have, on earth, because moths and rust will destroy, as well as thieves can break in and steal. Instead, lay up those treasures, for yourselves, in heaven, because, in heaven, neither moth nor rust destroys, and thieves cannot break in and steal. Furthermore, where you will lay up your treasure, is also where your heart will be. The body’s lamp is the eye. Therefore, if your eye is good, the whole of your body will be full of light. However, if your eye is bad, the whole of your body will be full of darkness. Consequently, if the light in you is darkness, how great is that darkness! You cannot serve two masters, no one can; for either he will not hate both of them with the same level of hate, as well as not love them both with the same level of affection; or else he will despise one and be loyal to the other. Thus, you cannot serve both God and mammon” (Matthew 6:19-24).

SUGGESTED QUESTIONS

1. Why did Jesus warn? “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth.’’
2. What is your treasure?
3. What does Jesus mean when he says for where your treasure is, there your heart will also be.’’
4. Why has Jesus used the moth the rust and the thief as examples?
5. How can treasures be laid up in heaven?
6. How is your vision? (Seeing and serving)
7. Who are you serving?
8. What is Jesus asking of us?

DISCUSSION NOTES FOR LEADER

Kennicott exegesis of Matthew 6:19-24 read; Situated near the middle of the teaching on the Mount, Matthew provides a treatment of materialism that acts as a connecting point between Jesus’ sermon on piety in 6:1-18 and His sermon on priorities in 6:25-34. Contrasting two treasures, two eyes, and two masters, Jesus speaks in familiar rabbinic idiom to unpack rich biblical concepts. By contrasting treasure on earth with treasure in heaven, Jesus calls His disciples to give generously to those in need, understanding that one’s affections will flow in the direction of one’s treasure. By contrasting a healthy eye with an unhealthy eye, He teaches that generosity will fill one’s life with light, while greed will have the opposite effect, filling the heart with darkness. Lastly, by contrasting two masters Jesus teaches His followers that they must choose who to serve, as they cannot serve both God and Money.

GROUP Exercise

Use these questions to encourage discussion.

The notes beneath the questions are not intended as answers to be read aloud. They are notes to help you facilitate the discussion.

1. Why did Jesus warn “not to lay up for yourselves treasures on earth?’’

   People have used this old saying for years to explain a simple fact: You can’t take anything with you when you die. However, we can choose to focus our lives on temporary wealth, but God offers us treasure that lasts forever: a relationship with Him that begins here on earth and continues for eternity in heaven.

2. What are our treasures?

   Treasures can mean wealth such as money, jewels, or precious metals, cars, house, business and relationship. For instance, Achan in the bible treasured silver, gold and a Babylonian above Gods commands, so he possessed what was banned in the Jericho’s conquering. Since Achan valued material things rather than God’s obedience, he ended up losing everything (Joshua 7). Furthermore, Saphira and Ananias treasured what other people thought about them. Both wanted to get honour before people compared to having God’s approval. Their behaviour and attitude were directed to their reputation and honour but ultimately, they lost everything including their lives (Acts 5).

   Cleansing of the Temple: Maxwell bible (John 2:16), states that Jesus Christ went into God’s temple, and chased out all people who were selling and baying in the temple. He further overthrew the tables containing money changers as well as the seats of the people who were selling doves. Later Jesus told them that it was written that God’s house will be known as the prayer’s house; but people have converted it into a den of thieves. Therefore, your treasure is your attitude that is associated with possession. It can also be described as anything that one eagerly strives to gain and that one is most dread to lose.

   Where are your treasures? On earth or in heaven?

3. What is meant by for where your treasure is, there your heart will also be’’.

   It is fact that what someone invest, that person must be committed to. The materials we value usually dictate what we do in daily lives. Anything that an individual treasure occupies his/her emotions and mind and this is evidence that where someone’s treasure is, the heart and mind is also there.

   Luke 12:16-21 NASB, Christ teach a parable which narrate of rich who had a productive land. At the time of harvesting, the rich man began wondering on what to do since he no place remaining to store his harvest. Later he came up with a solution to tear down his small barns and build huge ones which would enable him store all his goods and grains. He concluded that after storing all his harvest, he will say to his Soul that it has many goods laid up for several years in the future therefore, it should be comfortable and eat, drink and be happy. Unfortunately, the lord said to him that he was a fool and that, that very night his Soul was required of him. He asks him who would own what he had prepared. Therefore, this would be to any man who stores his valuables for himself, and is not rich towards the lord.

   What is your treasure? What do you deem most valuable? Is it your prized possession, your jewellery, your car, or your job?

4. What is a moth? Explain the rust.

   Moth: is a group of insects related to butterflies, once a moth gets into a person’s clothes, it makes holes through them. They don’t usually seem harmful but in most cases, they will damage the most elaborate and expensive fabric a person owns.

   Rust; I recently spent some time in Nigeria West Africa and lived close by the Seafront, where there was a new development of executive apartments, after a short time the outside of the building looked old and rusty when I enquired why? I was told that it’s because of the proximity to the Sea, the wind blows the salt from the sea causing the building, and all others close by to rust quickly.

   Thief: With riches as well as money there is much fear of losing such treasures. This means mankind always do everything he can to protect such world treasures. He usually puts bars round his home to ensure that no one access without permission. Additionally, he employs security guards to protect his hidden safes for his jewels and his house. The question is what will the thief do? Will he or she break into the wealthy man’s house and steal what he owns? In this section, Jesus is trying to mean that wealth in the human life is temporary and one can lose talents wealth as well as health just overnight.

   Are you earthly-minded or heavenly-minded?

5. How can you and your group layup treasures in Heaven?

   The way to “lay up treasures in heaven” is to develop Christ like character, once we work tirelessly towards the other people’s salvation to ensure that they too get a chance of inheriting eternal life. Once we sacrificially live for Jesus’ sake by serving Christ’s body, in the workplace, the community, and our neighbours then we store up treasures in heaven.

   Charles Spurgeon quote: ‘‘You must keep all earthy treasures out of your heart, and let Christ be your treasure, and let Him have your heart.’’

   Paul in his teaching encourages servants that the lord has a lifetime gift for people who serve Christ with motivation: he motivates them by stating that whatever they do, they should apply all their heart, as working for God, not for masters who are humans, because they were aware of what inheritance they would receive from the Lord as a reward. He later reaffirms that it was Lord Christ they were serving” (Colossians 3:23–24).

6. How is your vision?

   The eye is believed to be the lamp of the whole body and this means that if the eyes are good, then the whole body will have light. On the other hand, if one’s eyes are poor then the body will be covered by darkness. This means that if the light in a person is darkness, the total darkness is great. (Matthew 6:22-23) CEB

   Collecting riches on the world interferes with our heavenly vision. Sometimes, it makes us fail to see the truth or discern God’s will. James Boice once asked if one was able see spiritual treasures clearly or whether one’s vision of the lord as well as his will for a person’s life was clouded by spiritual cataracts or near-sightedness brought on by an unhealthy preoccupation with things?’’

   William Barclay states that the eye is seen as the window in which light go through to get to individual’s body. The state as well as colour of a window determine the type of light that gets inside a room. With a clear window, undistorted and clean light will easily flood into the room and shall light all its corners. He further says that with a coloured glass window or one which is dirty, frosted, obscure or distorted, the light becomes hindered and fails to light up the room. Jesus says, the light that enters a man’s soul, being and heart depends upon the spiritual state of a person’s eye that light passes through because their eye acts as a window to their entire body.

7. Ask yourself who you are serving.

   People usually believe that they can enjoy and gain the best of either worlds, in this world by acquiring wealth and by living the rich unspiritual life and later have heavenly blessings as well. Jesus in Matthew 6:24 indicated that, no individual can serve two masters since, one will hate one and love the other, or even one will be loyal to the one master and despise the other. In conclusion, he clarified that one cannot serve Mammon and God at same time. Reflecting back on the Sermon Jesus conducted on the Mount, his message to humans was that they should change their minds regarding worldly valuables, the items that they formerly served and repent to serve God alone.

   What does success mean to your team at work?

8. In groups of 4, read the following scriptures (Mark 8:34-38, Luke 14:25-33) then discuss what is meant: Take up your Cross and Follow Me!

   People are summoned to give up themselves entirely and place their whole trust in God and follow Him. They are asked to carry their cross which is similar to following the path which Jesus took. As they take the same path as Jesus, they become willing to lose their lives for the sake of the Jesus Christ’s gospel as well as Jesus’ sake. Humans are called to follow God. Jesus wants all the human hearts and he needs that we can have an intimate link with God like he does.

QUESTION:

• What or who are you following? Is it worldview or Jesus?
• In your place of work, how are Christians viewed? Faith-filled or with scepticism?

CONCLUSION

From our study, we learn that God’s children are to live their life ‘s as disciples in the Kingdom of light. God made work for humankind, and work was made to serve us. As Christians, working in God’s kingdom, we must not become slaves to work and not allow money or possessions to become idols. Christians should serve others, to have a good relationship in the workplace and community, Christ caution us ‘‘not to lay up valuables on the world and rather keep heaven treasures’’ which is relevant in the workplace every time. This Message encourages us to develop Christ like characters.

The Gospel’s good news narrative gives hope and opportunity to change our perception of God’s kingdom and to recognise that ‘WORK’ is a CALLING. We see three examples: one of, Achan, Ananias and Saphira and the misuse of the Temple. The choice between God and Mammon resulted negatively in all 3 cases. God does not condemn us for being wealthy or prosperous. Money is not entirely bad. However, its love can be the root of so much evil. People are warned that they will face a real temptation of laying up treasures or wealth on earth. Jesus said: In Matthew 6:33; NKJ, ‘’But seek he first the Kingdom of God and his: righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.” Amen!