Money Talks: Week 3 Discussion Guide

CoreGroup Guide | Money Talks - Week Three
Written by Denee Bowers and Chris Burford


Welcome

Whew! We made it to the last week of our Money Talks series! We hope these three weeks have been a time of opening our hearts to new possibilities when it comes to money. We are ending by talking about generosity and impact. Scripture regularly reminds us that we can’t take our money and possessions with us when we leave this earth, so it’s best to hold them loosely. God invites us to give generously and promises that when we do we can leave a lasting impact on others. 


Opening Prayer

Holy God, we invite you into our time together. We ask that our conversation be filled with grace for ourselves and each other. Give us vision to see how we can make an impact with things you have given us. Your word says that anything is possible with you. Draw us near and guide us as we try to live more generous lives. Amen.



Ice Breaker

Who is a historical figure you find fascinating and why?


The Head

Jesus often taught his followers through parables. Short, relatable stories that helped people understand larger truths about life. This particular parable highlights a way of thinking about money that, while not totally unreasonable, goes against the desires God has for our finances. 

Matthew 25:14-30
14 “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who was leaving on a trip. He called his servants and handed his possessions over to them. 15 To one he gave five valuable coins,[a] and to another he gave two, and to another he gave one. He gave to each servant according to that servant’s ability. Then he left on his journey.
16 “After the man left, the servant who had five valuable coins took them and went to work doing business with them. He gained five more. 17 In the same way, the one who had two valuable coins gained two more. 18 But the servant who had received the one valuable coin dug a hole in the ground and buried his master’s money.
19 “Now after a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The one who had received five valuable coins came forward with five additional coins. He said, ‘Master, you gave me five valuable coins. Look, I’ve gained five more.’
21 “His master replied, ‘Excellent! You are a good and faithful servant! You’ve been faithful over a little. I’ll put you in charge of much. Come, celebrate with me.’
22 “The second servant also came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two valuable coins. Look, I’ve gained two more.’
23 “His master replied, ‘Well done! You are a good and faithful servant. You’ve been faithful over a little. I’ll put you in charge of much. Come, celebrate with me.’
24 “Now the one who had received one valuable coin came and said, ‘Master, I knew that you are a hard man. You harvest grain where you haven’t sown. You gather crops where you haven’t spread seed. 25 So I was afraid. And I hid my valuable coin in the ground. Here, you have what’s yours.’
26 “His master replied, ‘You evil and lazy servant! You knew that I harvest grain where I haven’t sown and that I gather crops where I haven’t spread seed? 27 In that case, you should have turned my money over to the bankers so that when I returned, you could give me what belonged to me with interest. 28 Therefore, take from him the valuable coin and give it to the one who has ten coins. 29 Those who have much will receive more, and they will have more than they need. But as for those who don’t have much, even the little bit they have will be taken away from them. 30 Now take the worthless servant and throw him out into the farthest darkness. People there will be weeping and grinding their teeth.’

• Describe the master in the story in your own words. What kind of person does he seem to be? 
• Which servants do you identify with the most, and why? The ones who multiplied their coins, or the one who buried it in the ground?
• Why do you think the servant who buried their coin is treated and spoken of so harshly at the end of the passage? 

The Heart

“I will make of you a great nation and will bless you. I will make your name respected, and you will be a blessing."

In Genesis 12:2 God tells Abram (who will later become Abraham) that God will bless him. The blessings that are promised, though, are not just for Abram to enjoy. They are for the good of many. In other words, Abram is blessed to be a blessing. Keeping this idea top of mind when considering our own finances may help us unlock a lifestyle of generosity.

• Have you ever been on the receiving end of someone using their blessings (financial or otherwise) to bless you? What was that experience like? 
• How does your thinking shift when you view your money as belonging to God instead of belonging to you? What are some ways you can regularly remind yourself of this truth?
• When you take the long view of your life, what type of legacy do you hope to leave? Are there specific people, organizations, or causes you want to impact? Share more.

The Hands

As we wrap up this sermon series we come back to the idea of starting small. Whether you feel like your finances are a total mess, or like you have a pretty good handle on things, there is always something small you can do to create a better future. 

• Are you currently practicing generosity (giving away money to any person or organization)? In what ways could you grow in that practice by increasing the amount you give, or adding a recipient to your regular giving?
• Think back over the last three weeks. Which of the topics we have discussed do you feel drawn to focus on going forward? 
  • Debt and desire
  • Spending and saving
  • Generosity and impact
• What is one concrete step you are planning to take to set your finances on a new path as a result of this series? 

Closing Prayer

God, we thank you for your generosity toward us in all things. Thank you for your abundant love, your never-ending grace, and the material gifts you have trusted us with. Be with us as we manage our money. Help us to create plans and develop practices that allow us to be generous and leave a legacy. Amen. 


Going Deeper

Make giving fun! If you feel stuck in a rut or you’re just starting out with generosity, try setting aside some money as a “generosity slush fund.” Give it away whenever you see a need. Look for ways you can make an immediate impact and notice how you feel after. You could try this for a month, throughout the season of Lent, or make it an ongoing practice.


CoreGroup Next Steps

Lent Devotional
We will be using Pastor Matt’s book The Methodist Book of Daily Prayer as our Lenten Devotional. Sign up here to receive the daily reading plan and pick up a book at your site.


Saving Grace: A Guide to Financial Well-being
There is still time to sign up for the upcoming financial wellness group! Over the course of 6 weeks, we will focus on strategies for achieving a sustainable financial life discussing specific topics such as saving, eliminating debt, creating budgets, and adjusting spending habits. The group will utilize the curriculum “Saving Grace: A Guide to Financial Well-being” and be taught by a trained facilitator.

Meets in the McCausland Multi-Purpose Room
April 25, May 2, May 9, May 16, May 23, May 30

To get the most out of the group, participants should expect to do about 1 hour of work related to their personal finances between group sessions. Participants are asked to contribute $15 toward the cost of the participant workbook. (We do not want the cost to be prohibitive, so please contact Ashley Pondoff, ashley.pondoff@gatheringnow.org if you need assistance.)  

Register at:  https://tithe.ly/event-registration/#/8383115