The Treasure Principle by Randy alcorn

Redemption Group Discussion Questions

Chapter 1

GETTING STARTED

1. Whatisonegi.youhavereceivedthatyouespeciallyappreciated?Whydiditbringyousuchjoy?A.erreceivingsuchagi.,howdidyoufeeltowardthegiver?

DIGGING IN

2. Isitsignificantthat15%ofChrist’steachingdealswithmoneyandpossessions?Doesthissurpriseyou?Whyorwhynot?(9)

3. ReadMaMhew6:19-21.Intheseverses,whatarewecommandedtodoandwhatarewecommandednottodo? WhatisthelogicalargumentthatispresentedbyJesusintheseverses?

4. Whatdoestheauthormeanwhenhedescribesyourspendinghabitsas“proofofyourspiritualcondiTon”?(11)Doyouagree?

5. Whatdoesitmeantostoreupforyourselftreasuresinheaven?Whataresomewayswecanstoreuptreasuresinheaven?(15)

LIVING IT OUT

6. SeveralTmes,thischapterspeaksofourjoy.“Inhisjoy,”themaninJesus’storysoldeverythingtobuythefieldwiththetreasureinit(12).Wearecalledtoactin“enlightenedself-interest”becauseitwillbringusthegreatestjoy(16).Isitdifficultforyoupersonallytofindjoyingenerosity?Howmightthisteachinghelp?

7. TheTreasurePrinciplesays:“Youcan’ttakeitwithyou,butyoucansenditonahead”?(18)Doyoubelievethistobetrue?Whyorwhynot?

Chapter 2

GETTING STARTED

1. Haveyoueverlostalotofmoney,lostajob,orfacedaseasonwhenitwasdifficulttotrustGodwithyourfinances?Ifso,whatdidyoulearnalongtheway?

DIGGING IN

2. Readeachoftheversesonpage24—Psalm24:1,Haggai2:8,Deuteronomy8:18,1Corinthians6:19-20.WhatdotheseversescommunicateabouthowbigGodis?

3. TreasurePrincipleKey#2says,“Godownseverything.I’mhismoneymanager.”WhatdoesitmeanthatyouareGod’smoneymanager?Whatdoesamoneymanagerdo?(25)

4. Alcornsays,“Oneofourcentralspiritualdecisionsisdeterminingwhatisareasonableamounttoliveon.”Howmuchthoughthaveyougiventothis“centralspiritualdecision”?(27)

5. TheBiblesays,“Godlovesacheerfulgiver.”WhatdoyouthinkoftheseremarksbyAlcorn?“Thisdoesn’tmeanweshouldgiveonlywhenwearefeelingcheerful.Thecheerfulnesso:encomesduringanda:ertheactofobedience.So,don’twaitun>lyoufeellikegiving—itcouldbealongwait!Justgiveandwatchthejoyfollow.”(28)

6. Read2Corinthians8:1-7.Fromtheseverses,make5-7observaTonsaboutthisreallifestoryofgiving.

7. Alcornsays,“OurgivingisareflexiveresponsetothegraceofGodinourlives.”(31)HowdoesreceivingGod’sgi.ofgracenaturallymoTvateustogive?

LIVING IT OUT

8. Alcornwrites,“…firstandforemost,wegivetoGod(2Corinthians8:5).Beforeanythingelse,givingisanactofworship.”(33)Doyouregularlygivewiththismindset?Whyorwhynot?

9. Aretheiranypersonalbeliefs,ajtudes,oracTonsinyourlifethatneedtochangetobeMerenjoythe“abundanceofjoy”andthe“privilegeofparTcipaTng”ingivinggenerously?

Chapter 3

GETTING STARTED

1. Whatisonegi.youhavegiventhatwasincrediblyfuntogive(donaTon,birthday,anniversary,wedding,workbonus,metaneed,etc.)?Whywasthisasignificantexperienceforyou?(39)

DIGGING IN

2. Jesussaid,“Whereyourtreasureis,thereyourheartwillbealso”(MaMhew6:21).HowisitthatourheartsareconnectedtoouracTons?

3. TreasurePrincipleKey#2reads,“MyheartalwaysgoeswhereIputGod’smoney.”(43)Whydoyouthinkitisimportanttorealizethistruth?

4. ReadMaMhew10:42.HaveyoueverconsideredthatJesushimselfkeepsarecordofevenyoursmallestactsofkindness?(39)Howdoesthismakeyoufeel?

5. Onpages38-41,Alcornwritesaboutthebiblicalideaofeternalrewards.WhatisoneverseorstatementthatresonatedwithyouorrangtrueforyouinthissecTon?WerethereanyversesorstatementsthatmadeyoupauseorraisedquesTonsforyou?

6. Whatwouldbeyourfirstthoughtifyoudiscoveredthatyourchildoryourparentswereconsideringgivingalargeamountofmoneytoaministryorcause?Howwouldyoudescribeyourlevelofexcitement?Whatcounselwouldyougivethem?(45)

LIVING IT OUT

7. AnimportantsecToninthischapterstates:“Godwantsyourheart.Heisn’tlookingfor‘donors’forHiskingdom,thosewhostandoutsidethecauseanddispassionatelyconsideractsofphilanthropy.He’slookingfordisciplesimmersedinthecausestheygiveto.Hewantspeoplesofilledwithavisionforeternitythattheywon’tdreamofnotinvesTngtheirmoney,Tme,andprayerswheretheywillmaMermost.”Howdoesthisstatementchallengeyoutogrowasadisciple,orfollower,ofJesus?

8. WhatisonepracTcalstepthatyouneedtotaketoapplythesetruthsinyourownlife?

Chapter 4

GETTING STARTED

1. Whoinyourfamilypacksthemostbagsforatrip?Doesthiscauseanyfamilyconflict?Doyourecallanyespeciallyfunnystoriesrelatedtothis?

DIGGING IN

2. TreasurePrincipleKey#3says,“Heaven,notearth,ismyhome.”Readthefollowingversesaboutthisconceptoutloud:Hebrews11:13-16,2Corinthians5:20,Philippians3:20.Haveyoueverconsideredthisunderstandingof“home”before?Howmightthisshapeourapproachtolife?

3. Alcornstates,“Wethinkweownourpossessions,buttooo.entheyownus.”Haveyoueverexperiencedthisfeeling?Whatdoesthislooklike—especiallyintermsofdemandingourenergyandaMenTon?(54)

4. Reacttothefollowingstatement:“Nothingmakesajourneymoredifficultthanabackpackfilledwithnicebutunnecessarythings.Pilgrimstravellight.”WhatdoesitpracTcallymeanto“travellight?”(53)

5. God’smoneyhasahigherpurposethanouraffluence,butweo.enseekanaffluentlifestyletofeelsignificant.Whataresomewaystolivedifferentlyinthisregard?

LIVING IT OUT

6. TreasurePrincipleKey#4says,“Ishouldlivenotforthedotbutfortheline”(51).Ifyouwokeuptomorrowmorningandprayed,“Lordhelpmetoliveforthelineinsteadofthedottoday,”howwouldyourdaybedifferent?

7. TreasurePrincipleKey#5says,“GivingistheonlyanTdotetomaterialism”(51).DoyouviewmaterialismasadeadlypoisonyouaredesperatelyseekingananTdotefor?Whyorwhynot? Howdoesgivingcombatmaterialism?(57)

8. Theauthorwrites:“Givingisajoyfulsurrendertoagreaterpersonandagreateragenda.GivingaffirmsChrist’slordship.Itdethronesmeandexaltshim.”(59)Inyourexperience,howdoesgivingtakeyoureyesoffofselfandfocusyouraMenTononGod?

9. Whatisonetakeawayfromthischapterthanyouwanttoimplementthisweek?

Chapter 5

GETTING STARTED

1. YouareahavingaconversaTonwithachildwhohasaveryshortaMenTonspanof30seconds.Sheasks,“Howmuchareyousupposedtogivetochurch?”Whatisyouranswer?

DIGGING IN

2. Readthefollowingversesandbrieflysummarizewhateachsaysaboutgiving:OldTestamentLeviTcus27:30- Proverbs3:9-Malachi3:8-10-Deuteronomy16:17-

NewTestamentLuke6:38- Acts11:29- 2Corinthians8:3- 2Corinthians8:5- 2Corinthians8:7- 2Corinthians9:7- 2Corinthians9:13-

3. Whatareyourthoughtsonthethreeparagraphsthatstartwith“JesusvalidatedthemandatoryTthe…”(62)andendwith“…Heneverloweredit”(63)?Doyouagree?Whyorwhynot?

4. Alcornwrites,“Tithingisn’ttheceilingofgiving,it’sthefloor.It’snotthefinishlineofgiving,it’sjustthestarTngblocks.Tithescanbethetrainingwheelstolaunchusintothemindset,skills,andhabitsofgracegiving.”(64)Whatpointisthewritermaking?

5. Read2Corinthians8:3.Whatdoesthisversesayabouttheroleoffaithinourgiving?IsiteverdifficultforyoutogoaheadandgivewhenyouarehavingtotrustGodtoprovideforyourbasicneeds?

LIVING IT OUT

6. TreasurePrincipleKey#6says,“Godprospersmenottoraisemystandardofliving,buttoraisemystandardofgiving.”Howdoesthiscontradictmainstreamculture?Howdoesthatdifferfromyourcurrentviewpoint?

7. WhataresomepracTcalthingsthatmightchangeifGodtrulygotyourfirst,notyourlast?Anotherwayofsayingthisis:whatwouldyoudodifferentlyifyouprioriTzedgivingtoGodratherthangivingHimwhat’sle.overeachmonth?(62)

8. WhatwouldhappenifanenTrechurchfullofpeoplelivedwiththisperspecTve?Howwouldthoseoutsidethechurchseeus?Whatimpactmightwemakeinourcityandinourworld?

Chapter 6

GETTING STARTED

1. WatchthisscenefromthemovieSchindler’sList,whichtellsofoneman’sheroiceffortstosavepeoplefromthehandsofNazis-hMps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOoWpTxKJGA.Whatdoweseeinthissceneaboutourtendencytomisreadthevalueofourpossessionsandhowtheymightbeusedforgood?

DIGGING IN

2. ReadRomans12:8.Didyourealizethatoneofthespiritualgi.sGodgivestohispeopleisthegi.ofgiving?Aswe’veseen,allChrisTansarecalledtogenerousgiving,butsomereceiveaspiritualgi:ofgivingthatenablesthemtousetheirfinancesincombinaTonwiththeirfaithtoadvanceGod’smission.Whydoyouthinkweshyawayfromtalkingaboutthisgi.,whilewearefinetalkingaboutotherslikethegi.ofteaching,gi.ofadministraTon,gi.ofmercy,etc?

3. Whydoyouthinkwerarelydiscussmoneyasapartofourspiritualgrowthplans,spiritualdisciplines,andaccountability,inspiteofthefactthatJesustalkedaboutitsofrequently?(84)HowmightaredempTongroup“spuroneanotherontoloveandgooddeeds”(Hebrews10:24)inthisareaofourmoney?

4. Read1Chronicles29:6-9.Whyisgenerositysocontagiousandcelebrated?Whyisitnecessaryforsometoleadthewayingenerosity?(86)

LIVING IT OUT

5. WhatdoesitmeantoyoupersonallytorealizethatyouarepartofabiggerdesTnywhichGodisworkingout?IfyouknewthatGodhadplacedyouinthischurchandinthiscityforsucha>measthis,howwoulditimpactyourgiving?(87)

6. ReviewtheTreasurePrincipleandKeysonpage95.Whichofthekeyshasmostimpactedyoupersonally?Why?

7. Asyoureflectonourstudyofgenerosity,what3-5takeawaysdoyouwanttoremember?

8. WhatnextsteporacTonstepdoyouneedtotaketoliveoutyourtakeaways?WhatTmelineseemsappropriatetocompletethatstep?Whocanhelpyoumeetthatgoal?

“Itismoreblessedtogivethantoreceive.”-Jesus

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR GROWTH

BUDGET AND FINANCES

DaveRamseyisawellknownspeakerandcoachonthetopicoffinances.HiswebsitehassomegreattoolsforbudgeTng,creaTngadebtreducTonplan,andgiving.|hMp://www.daveramsey.com/

CrownMinistriesisawellknownbiblestudyonthetopicoffinances.TheirwebsitehassomegreattoolsforbudgeTng,planning,andgiving.|hMp://www.crown.org/

READING (in alphabetical order)

Money,PossessionsandEternitybyRandyAlcorn

Don’tWasteYourLifebyJohnPiper

RichChris>ansinanAgeofHungerbyRonaldJ.Sider

FieldsofGodbyAndyStanley

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