How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God. — Luke 18:24-25
One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own? — Luke 16:10-12
Excerpts from the book:
Page 274 - Emerging in the previous chapter were two controversial claims that I will try to support from Jesus’ teaching in this chapter. First, the claim that a selfish spirit will keep us out of heaven. Second, the claim that there are degrees of reward, or degrees of joy, in heaven, depending on how sacrificially generous we were on earth. First, Jesus implies, again and again, that a selfish spirit will keep us out of heaven. Here are five examples to show this truth.
Page 274 - The Rich Ruler and Eternal life: First, when the rich ruler asked Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life, Jesus responded......
Page 275 - The Rich Man, the Beggar, and Two Destinies: A second example is the story of the rich man and the beggar at his gate. Jesus said.....
Page 276 - Failure to Love and Final Judgment: Third, similarly, in Matthew 25:31-46 Jesus warns that a professing follower of Jesus who is indifferent to the needs of the poor will endure “eternal punishment.”...
Page 276 - The Rich Fool Who Loses His Soul: Fourth, again Jesus tells a parable of a rich fool. The man’s fields prosper, and he has more than he can use. Instead of thinking generously he says.....
Page 276 - How to Lose True and Lasting Riches: Fifth, here is one last illustration of how a selfish spirit keeps us out of heaven. After the parable of the dishonest manager (Luke 16:1-9), Jesus draws out these conclusions:.....
Page 277 - It is fairly clear that “true riches” and “that which is your own” refer to the treasures of heaven—the pleasures of the age to come when we enjoy unbroken fellowship with Jesus. Therefore, Jesus is saying that we will not get these true riches if we have not been faithful with
what we were given to use in this fallen world.
Page 277 - The Ground of Our Acceptance with God: That is one implication of what I said in the first sentence of this chapter: A selfish spirit will keep us out of heaven entirely. I hope it is plain by now in this book that I do not believe a sacrificially generous spirit is the ground of our acceptance with God. When Jesus says that a selfish spirit keeps us out of heaven, he does not mean that God watches to see if we show ourselves to be generous before he accepts us into his everlasting favor.
Page 278 - Greater Sacrifices of Love Lead to Greater Joy in Heaven: The other controversial claim emerging in the previous chapter and mentioned in the first paragraph of this chapter is that the degree to which we overcome our selfishness determines, in some measure, the degree of our reward—our joy—in heaven. The more sacrificially generous you are on earth, the greater will be your enjoyment of heaven. The first indication that Jesus means this is found....
Page 279 - The Measure You Use Will Be Used to Measure You: Another indication that Jesus thinks this way about heaven is the way he speaks in Luke 6:37-38:....
Page 279 - First, he confirms what we saw before, that a selfish spirit will rob us of all blessing: “Give, and it will be given to you.” He is not speaking of mere human relations here. He is speaking of the final reckoning with God.
Page 280 - The point I am stressing here is that there are differences in the fullness of delight that each of us enjoys in heaven. Each will be full in heaven, for there are no frustrations there. But the fullness of each will not be the same since the measure that we used to bless others on earth, and that God will use to bless us in heaven, are different for different people.
Page 280 - We will see in the next chapter that this kind of sacrificial generosity is grounded in the goodness of God to us before and while we are generous to others. We are able to love and give because he has already given freely to us and promises to meet every need we have in a lifetime of generosity (Matt. 6:33; 7:7-12; Luke 12:32).
To that end.....
God Bless
(see links on right to download a free copy of the book)
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Demand #35: Lay Up for Yourselves Treasures In Heaven By Giving Sacrificially And Generously
Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. — Matt. 6:19-21
You received without paying; give without pay. — Matt. 10:8
One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own? — Luke 16:10-12
Excerpts from the book -
Page 267 - The more sacrificially generous you are on earth, the greater will be your enjoyment of heaven. Therefore, since Jesus loves us and summons us to maximize our eternal joy in heaven, he demands radical freedom from the love of money and radical generosity....
Page 268 - Sacrifice Is the Measure of a Gift’s Size - The reason I say, “the more sacrificially generous you are” is because of what Jesus said about the widow’s offering...... The point here is that the value of a gift is not measured by its size but by its sacrifice...... But if you sacrifice for Jesus and have little left, then the heart has less to rest in. The heart is more likely to be resting in the hope of heaven. It is more likely to be depending on Jesus than on money.
Page 268 - It is astonishing how much Jesus deals with money and what we do with it. Randy Alcorn reckons that “15 percent of everything Christ said relates to this topic—more than his teachings on heaven and hell combined.”1
Page 272 - Why does Jesus express such a remarkable concern with what we do with our money? The reason for this, it seems, is the basic principle that Jesus laid down.....
Page 272 - Now Jesus says, “You cannot serve God and money.” The meaning of “serve” would, presumably, be the same in these two relationships. So what Jesus is saying is that we should serve God not in the sense of providing a service or giving him help, but the opposite: We look to God to be our helper, our benefactor and treasure. To serve him would be to plan and dream and strategize and maneuver to be in a position to maximize our enjoyment of God and what he alone promises to be for us. God then, not money, becomes the giver and the benefactor in this servant-master relationship. You don’t meet God’s needs (he has none!). You look to God to meet yours.
Page 273 - Therefore, it represents the great alternative to God in our hearts. This is why what we do with our money is so crucial to Jesus.
Page 273 - Selfishness Separates from Heaven, and Sacrifice Heightens Joy in It.... There are two things being said here. One is that a selfish spirit will keep us out of heaven. And the other is that there are degrees of reward, or degrees of joy, in heaven, depending on how sacrificially generous we were on earth. Both of these claims are controversial.....
You received without paying; give without pay. — Matt. 10:8
One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own? — Luke 16:10-12
Excerpts from the book -
Page 267 - The more sacrificially generous you are on earth, the greater will be your enjoyment of heaven. Therefore, since Jesus loves us and summons us to maximize our eternal joy in heaven, he demands radical freedom from the love of money and radical generosity....
Page 268 - Sacrifice Is the Measure of a Gift’s Size - The reason I say, “the more sacrificially generous you are” is because of what Jesus said about the widow’s offering...... The point here is that the value of a gift is not measured by its size but by its sacrifice...... But if you sacrifice for Jesus and have little left, then the heart has less to rest in. The heart is more likely to be resting in the hope of heaven. It is more likely to be depending on Jesus than on money.
Page 268 - It is astonishing how much Jesus deals with money and what we do with it. Randy Alcorn reckons that “15 percent of everything Christ said relates to this topic—more than his teachings on heaven and hell combined.”1
Page 272 - Why does Jesus express such a remarkable concern with what we do with our money? The reason for this, it seems, is the basic principle that Jesus laid down.....
Page 272 - Now Jesus says, “You cannot serve God and money.” The meaning of “serve” would, presumably, be the same in these two relationships. So what Jesus is saying is that we should serve God not in the sense of providing a service or giving him help, but the opposite: We look to God to be our helper, our benefactor and treasure. To serve him would be to plan and dream and strategize and maneuver to be in a position to maximize our enjoyment of God and what he alone promises to be for us. God then, not money, becomes the giver and the benefactor in this servant-master relationship. You don’t meet God’s needs (he has none!). You look to God to meet yours.
Page 273 - Therefore, it represents the great alternative to God in our hearts. This is why what we do with our money is so crucial to Jesus.
Page 273 - Selfishness Separates from Heaven, and Sacrifice Heightens Joy in It.... There are two things being said here. One is that a selfish spirit will keep us out of heaven. And the other is that there are degrees of reward, or degrees of joy, in heaven, depending on how sacrificially generous we were on earth. Both of these claims are controversial.....
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Demand #34: Love Your Neighbor As Yourself and As Jesus Loved Us
But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” — Luke 10:29
Whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. — Matt. 7:12
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. — John 13:34-35
And Piper begins the chapter.................I don’t presume in the previous chapters to have solved all perplexities in the life of love. There are competing claims on our limited time and resources. There are hard choices about what to give up and what to keep. There are different interpretations of what is good for another person. I don’t mean that all of that becomes simple.
Radical Command and Radical Provision - What I do mean is this: Loving God sustains us through all the joy and pain and perplexity and uncertainty of what loving our neighbor should be. When the sacrifice is great, we remember that God’s grace is sufficient. When the fork in the road of love is unmarked, we remember with joy and love that his grace is sufficient. When we are distracted by the world and our hearts give way temporarily to............to finish reading what Dr. Piper has to say about this "demand," click the following link to download this book free of charge -
http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/OnlineBooks/ByTitle/1822_What_Jesus_Demands_from_the_World/
Questions from the workbook - Chapter 34
To what does Jesus change the lawyer’s question in Luke 10:29? What implication does this have on our lives?
What was the lawyer’s question really an attempt at doing? Why does Jesus refuse to address such a question?
What role does Jesus’ death play on our obedience to the command to love?
What’s “new” about the new commandment? How is the new commandment harmonious with he “old” commandment?
How was Jesus “loving himself perfectly” (p. 268) when he died for us? Is it loving for him to ursue his own joy? Why or why not? Should you follow this example (i.e., pursuing your own joy in your loving others)? Why or why not?
*Next week - Laying up treasures for ourselves in heaven!
To that end.............
Whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. — Matt. 7:12
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. — John 13:34-35
And Piper begins the chapter.................I don’t presume in the previous chapters to have solved all perplexities in the life of love. There are competing claims on our limited time and resources. There are hard choices about what to give up and what to keep. There are different interpretations of what is good for another person. I don’t mean that all of that becomes simple.
Radical Command and Radical Provision - What I do mean is this: Loving God sustains us through all the joy and pain and perplexity and uncertainty of what loving our neighbor should be. When the sacrifice is great, we remember that God’s grace is sufficient. When the fork in the road of love is unmarked, we remember with joy and love that his grace is sufficient. When we are distracted by the world and our hearts give way temporarily to............to finish reading what Dr. Piper has to say about this "demand," click the following link to download this book free of charge -
http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/OnlineBooks/ByTitle/1822_What_Jesus_Demands_from_the_World/
Questions from the workbook - Chapter 34
To what does Jesus change the lawyer’s question in Luke 10:29? What implication does this have on our lives?
What was the lawyer’s question really an attempt at doing? Why does Jesus refuse to address such a question?
What role does Jesus’ death play on our obedience to the command to love?
What’s “new” about the new commandment? How is the new commandment harmonious with he “old” commandment?
How was Jesus “loving himself perfectly” (p. 268) when he died for us? Is it loving for him to ursue his own joy? Why or why not? Should you follow this example (i.e., pursuing your own joy in your loving others)? Why or why not?
*Next week - Laying up treasures for ourselves in heaven!
To that end.............
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Demand #33: Love Your Neighbor With The Same Commitment You Have To Your Own Well-Being
. . . as yourself. — Matt. 22:39
From the workbook (click link below to read and/or download a free copy of the book and workbook)
Explain why Jesus assumes we love ourselves. Is he right? Why or why not? How is this profoundly counter-cultural for 21st century America?
When does self-love become sinful pride and selfishness?
Why is the second commandment threatening to our desires to be happy? How is this threat averted?
What, according to Jesus, is to be the new form of our self-love?
Reflect upon the various expressions of neighbor-love that are listed in the final section of the
chapter.
Describe how an authentic love for God will overflow in love for neighbor in each of these ways. Which people in your life could you put some of these suggestions into practice for?
From the workbook (click link below to read and/or download a free copy of the book and workbook)
Explain why Jesus assumes we love ourselves. Is he right? Why or why not? How is this profoundly counter-cultural for 21st century America?
When does self-love become sinful pride and selfishness?
Why is the second commandment threatening to our desires to be happy? How is this threat averted?
What, according to Jesus, is to be the new form of our self-love?
Reflect upon the various expressions of neighbor-love that are listed in the final section of the
chapter.
Describe how an authentic love for God will overflow in love for neighbor in each of these ways. Which people in your life could you put some of these suggestions into practice for?
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Demand #32; Love Your Neighbors As Yourself, For This Is The Law and The Prophets
“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” — Matt. 22:36-40
So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. — Matt. 7:12
From the Workbook: (complete book and workbook available from Desiring God at "no charge" via download at right)
What observations help us see the weightiness and magnitude and seriousness of Jesus’ second commandment in Matt. 22:39?
Why can’t we say that the “Golden Rule” in Matt. 7:7–11 is proof that Jesus was simply a moral teacher whose teaching wasn’t primarily about God?
Explain how the second commandment (to love your neighbor) is the fulfillment or demonstration of the first commandment (to love God).
How can love of neighbor both be the law and the prophets (Matt. 7:12) and be what the law and
the prophets hang on?
When Jesus tells us to love our neighbor as ourselves, who does he have in mind? What is his primary concern and ultimate goal in this demand? Are you failing to be a good neighbor to anybody in your life?
So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. — Matt. 7:12
From the Workbook: (complete book and workbook available from Desiring God at "no charge" via download at right)
What observations help us see the weightiness and magnitude and seriousness of Jesus’ second commandment in Matt. 22:39?
Why can’t we say that the “Golden Rule” in Matt. 7:7–11 is proof that Jesus was simply a moral teacher whose teaching wasn’t primarily about God?
Explain how the second commandment (to love your neighbor) is the fulfillment or demonstration of the first commandment (to love God).
How can love of neighbor both be the law and the prophets (Matt. 7:12) and be what the law and
the prophets hang on?
When Jesus tells us to love our neighbor as ourselves, who does he have in mind? What is his primary concern and ultimate goal in this demand? Are you failing to be a good neighbor to anybody in your life?
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Demand #31: Love Your Enemies To Show That You Are Children Of God
To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. — Luke 6:29-30
Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. — Matt. 5:44-45
Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. — Luke 6:36
Love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great. — Luke 6:35
From the Workbook
What is Jesus after in his demands to turn the other check and to give to the one who asks and to not withhold our tunics? Why? How does this help us define love?
Thinks of some circumstances where what love calls for might not be clear. What does Piper say
should be our default in situations where we are not sure what love calls for? Do you agree with this assessment? Why or why not?
Why is Jesus not saying, in Matt. 5:44–45, “You must first become a person who loves his enemies before you can be a child of God”?
How do we obtain the ability to love our enemies the way Jesus demands?
Think of the three sources of power for love that Piper talks about in this chapter. Have these truths, or other biblical truths, been a source of life and power to love others, even enemies, in your life? If so, describe. If they haven’t, why do you think they haven’t produced Christ- honoring love for enemies?
Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. — Matt. 5:44-45
Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. — Luke 6:36
Love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great. — Luke 6:35
From the Workbook
What is Jesus after in his demands to turn the other check and to give to the one who asks and to not withhold our tunics? Why? How does this help us define love?
Thinks of some circumstances where what love calls for might not be clear. What does Piper say
should be our default in situations where we are not sure what love calls for? Do you agree with this assessment? Why or why not?
Why is Jesus not saying, in Matt. 5:44–45, “You must first become a person who loves his enemies before you can be a child of God”?
How do we obtain the ability to love our enemies the way Jesus demands?
Think of the three sources of power for love that Piper talks about in this chapter. Have these truths, or other biblical truths, been a source of life and power to love others, even enemies, in your life? If so, describe. If they haven’t, why do you think they haven’t produced Christ- honoring love for enemies?
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Demand #30: Love Your Enemies - Do Good To Those Who Hate You, Give To The One Who Asks
Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.” — Matt. 18:21-22
But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you. — Luke 6:27
And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? — Matt. 5:47
From the Workbook:
What is the opposite of forgiveness? Why is this the opposite of forgiveness? Why is it so important to seek rather than resist reconciliation?
God “makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matt. 5:45) without waiting for repentance. How should this knowledge influence the way we live?
What is hate? What are some ways that hate can manifest itself? How does it feel to be hated? How would you respond if you saw a person doing good in Christ’s name to someone who hated them?
Describe why the demands in Luke 6:29–30 are real and radical, yet not absolute descriptions of what love must do in every situation.
Think of an example in your life right now where you have the opportunity to “turn the other cheek” or “give your other tunic” or “give to the one who asks.” Try to biblically weigh what would be the most loving thing to do in this situation. Ask advice from others. Search relevant Scriptures. Act upon your convictions you come to over the course of the coming week.
But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you. — Luke 6:27
And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? — Matt. 5:47
From the Workbook:
What is the opposite of forgiveness? Why is this the opposite of forgiveness? Why is it so important to seek rather than resist reconciliation?
God “makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matt. 5:45) without waiting for repentance. How should this knowledge influence the way we live?
What is hate? What are some ways that hate can manifest itself? How does it feel to be hated? How would you respond if you saw a person doing good in Christ’s name to someone who hated them?
Describe why the demands in Luke 6:29–30 are real and radical, yet not absolute descriptions of what love must do in every situation.
Think of an example in your life right now where you have the opportunity to “turn the other cheek” or “give your other tunic” or “give to the one who asks.” Try to biblically weigh what would be the most loving thing to do in this situation. Ask advice from others. Search relevant Scriptures. Act upon your convictions you come to over the course of the coming week.
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