God or Mammon – Lesson Plan
Key Thought: We were programmed for worship. But worshipping self, other people, or things does not bring satisfaction. Only the worship of the Creator brings a true sense of belonging and purpose.
1. Have a volunteer read Matthew 19:21-22.
Image © Pacific Press from GoodSalt.com
a. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
b. What commandment did Jesus show the rich young ruler he was not keeping?
c. Personal Application : Why is there a tendency in us that when we have something we don’t usually want to share it, and we always seem to want more? Share your thoughts.
d. Case Study : One of your relatives states: “Some people take this too far. I’ve seen traveling “bums” who don’t have anything and expect church members to house them, feed them, and take care of them until they decide to wander somewhere else. Have you experienced this?” How would you respond to your relative?
2. Have a volunteer read Psalm 33:6-9..
a. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point is in this passage.
b. Is the material world in itself evil and to be shunned completely?
c. Personal Application : How can we determine whether we are in danger of loving the gifts more than loving the giver? What can we do to protect against giving our affection to material things? Share your thoughts.
d. Case Study : One of your friends states, “Do you think that monks who shut themselves out and away from the world can get closer to God than those Christians who are living normal lives in the world?” How would you respond to your friend?
3. Have a volunteer read I Corinthians 6:19,20.
a. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the main idea of this text is.
b. If everything we own really belongs to God, how should we relate to all our possessions?
c. Personal Application: How do we distinguish between the proper use of what God has given us, and the abuse or misuse of these things? Share your thoughts.
d. Case Study: One of your neighbors states, “I think we should stop making cars that pollute the environment, stop selling furs made of animal skins, stop hunting and commercial fishing, and camp down on all the factories polluting our rivers and skies.” Do you tend to agree or disagree with your neighbor? How would you respond to your neighbor?
4. Have a volunteer read Psalm 86:8,9.
a. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the main idea of this text is.
b. How do we understand the idea that people who don’t believe in the Creator will choose something to worship?
c. Personal Application: How can we distinguish between the good that God has given us in nature, and the perversion of these things by Satan? Share your thoughts.
d. Case Study : Think of one person who needs to hear a message from this week’s lesson. Tell the class what you plan to do this week to share with them.
(Truth that is not lived, that is not imparted, loses its life-giving power, its healing virtue. Its blessings can be retained only as it is shared.”Ministry of Healing, p. 148).
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