A)
A healthy heart.
Matthew 6v1-6, 16-18
·
Giving
·
Praying
·
Fasting
Thoughts:
We need to look after our hearts with a good diet, exercise and rest.
Our spiritual hearts need good disciplines too. As we focus our giving,
praying and fasting towards the health of our
local part of the Body of Christ, so we will be more prepared to
be more of a growing church. Radical generosity breaks the hold that
money and time and can have over us.
Can you
think of a time when you made someone happy with them not knowing
who did it? Or… What would you like to do to make someone happy
without them knowing that you did it?
Use the
Lord’s Prayer in Matt 6v9-13 to inspire your worship. Ask the
King to come into your meeting.
Jesus
assumes that we will give to the needy (v2), and pray (v5) and
fast (v16). He says,” When you…” not “If you…”But he knows that we need
help in these spiritual disciplines (these ‘acts of righteousness’). A
common theme is secrecy and reward.
Read Matthew 6v1-6, 16-18
Questions:
1. What do
you think Jesus means by ‘secret’‘ giving? What do you think he
means by the ‘right hand - left hand’ picture? What would you hope
the reward from God would be? How do you feel when you see that your
contribution has made a difference?
2.
Assuming Jesus does not mean that we should only pray in
private… Do you find it easier to pray alone or in a group or
either/neither? Can you work out why that may be?
3. A
disciple copies a rabbi or teacher. So Jesus gave them a pattern for
prayer. Matt 6v9-13. In what ways can this prayer be good for
our spiritual heart? Can you think of any of Jesus own prayers …
anything for us to copy?
4. What is
fasting? What does it achieve? Has anyone in the group found fasting
helpful (If you want to be secretive, say, “Someone I once knew
fasted and …”!)
Extra Question:
Wouldn’t it be easier to pray to a visible
God rather than an unseen one? (v6) (refer to John 20v26-31)
Praying
for the Kingdom to come – name a person who needs to respond to the
Good News (Mark 1v215-17)
Challenging question:
How ‘healthy’ is my spiritual heart?
The
cost:
Is my devotion.
My response:
Is to act and not just think about
acting.
You might like to read
Matthew 6v19-34 before the next meeting.
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