The Bucket List
Sermon Notes
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
- Matthew 6:19-24
Do Not Worry
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But SEEK FIRST his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
- Matthew 6:25-34
Table Group Resources
Mixer
What are some gratitude practices you have implemented? What benefits did you notice?
Sermon Questions
Scriptures: Matthew 6:19-34; Malachi 3:10
1. Pastor Jared introduced the five uses of money: 1) supporting a lifestyle, 2) repaying debt, 3) paying taxes, 4) saving, and 5) giving. The order in which you place the buckets reveals what’s in your heart. How would you order your actual use of money from priority #1 to priority #5? What does this say about your heart and attitude toward God?
2. Read Matthew 6:21. Share how this verse resonates with you.
3. Pastor Jared shared that we all have something sitting on the throne of our hearts and our money is the roadmap to our souls. With this in mind, what might be taking the place of Jesus as it relates to our finances?
4. Matthew 6:22-24 reminds us "The eye is the lamp of the body," meaning what we crave & covet leads us into either light or darkness. What are your biggest weaknesses when it comes to the use of money? Some examples might include shopping, credit cards, tobacco, alcohol, travel, etc. How do these purchases affect your heart? Are the results temporary or eternal?
5. List some reasons why money is a terrible master. List some reasons why God is a good master. What is one step you can take today to solidify God as master over your finances?
Serve
Have you checked out the 2023 Impact Report yet? God is doing amazing things as we raise up new Go First leaders who want to partner with Him! YOU could be one of them! Click here to check out ways that you can start serving within the walls of the church today.
Pray
Please pray over our Collide Year-End Offering that kicked off this week through December 31. Pray that God’s plans for our church are perfectly revealed as we all step in exactly as we are called. Pray that we begin to posture our hearts in the direction of gratitude in all that we do, generously, one day at a time.
Praise the Lord, my soul,
and forget not all his benefits—
who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
Psalm 103:2-5
