Study 2: PRIORITIES & PERSISTENCE: IT MATTERS HOW YOU INVEST
Text: Matt 25:14-30;Luke 12:48; 1 Cor 3:12-15; 4:2
Key Verse: Matthew 25:21
His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. (KJV)
Focus
The things that matter most- in this life and the next- cannot be measured in monetary terms. Investment in God’s kingdom and purposes are priceless and yield returns for eternity. God has given each of us, individually, a trust of TIME, TALENTS, and RESOURCES. All He expects is that we are FAITHFUL to use what we have been given to promote His purposes.
It may be easy to recognize the untapped talents and resources of many teens in your class. But for them to discover and apply their gifts and resources, they need more than advice on how to invest – they need an example. Although you may feel that your spiritual investments are in order, don’t overlook the need to continually re-evaluate your priorities. Have you buried any of your talents and opportunities? Is it apparent to your students that you are investing in eternity?
>>The Basic Message: Explain to students…
• WHAT’S THE BIG IDEA?
God will hold us accountable for what we do with the time, talents, resources, and opportunities He has given us.
• WHY DOES IT MATTER?
How you use your God-given abilities in this life determines your reward in the next.
• HOW DO I LIVE IT?
Make the most of what God gives you to advance His purposes.
>>Note: Matthew 25 contains several parables about the kingdom, and what it takes to be a part of it. More specifically, these stories are among the few passages of the Bible that describe what it will be like when Christ returns and people stand before God in judgement. Included in this chapter are: i. The Ten Virgins (being ready for Christ’s return); ii. The Talents (faithfulness and rewards); iii. The Sheep and the Goats (serving God through passion toward others). This week’s study will consider “The Talents.” It centres on investing our lives, which are worth far more than any amount of money. We shouldn’t leave things to chance. We must purposefully and creatively find ways to make the most with what we have.
>>Study Overview: Explain that today’s study considers…
• How God gives all of us opportunity to invest in His kingdom and purpose.
• God expects us, with His help, to make the most of the abilities and resources He has given us.
• How God will reward us for faithfulness regarding our time, talents, opportunities, and resources.
>>inform and Discuss :
a). Talent and Trust
1. Read or ask a volunteer to read Matt 25:14-18. Why does the master distribute different amounts of talents to the various individuals? [Hint: Every individual is unique, with different kinds of abilities. Each can handle different responsibilities. This doesn’t mean that anyone is better or worse than anyone. It simply means we are different.]
2. What do think the talents represent? [Guide: Explain that talents relate to abilities, time, resources, and opportunities entrusted to us by God. He expects us to use them wisely.]
3. Why do you think the person with one talent hid it and did nothing? [Hint: He may have been embarrassed, self-conscious, or resentful about his lack of “talent.” Perhaps he was afraid to try things. Maybe he was lazy or thought he could get by without doing anything.]
>>Guide: Ask students to describe how people often hide or bury their talents. Perhaps some can give examples of how they neglected abilities or wasted opportunities. Remind them that we become like the last person by refusing to recognize, develop, and use our talents for God’s purposes.
4. What do you think the master expected from His servants? Do you think this was reasonable? Why or why not? (Note: He expected them to make the most they could with what they had been given. He had a right to expect something because it was his money. Although the analogy of master and servant captured in Matt 25:14-18 may be hard to accept, the Bible is intentional in telling the story this way. That’s because, in every sense, we are to be servants.]
5. Read or ask a volunteer to read 1 Cor 4:2. What is required of one who has been given a trust? [Hint: Christ has entrusted us with something valuable and requires us to be faithful.)
b). No Substitute for Knowing Jesus
1. Read or ask a volunteer to read Matt 25:19-22. The faithful workers gained more talents. What meaning does that have for us? [Hint: Their influence and abilities increased as they put their resources to use.]
>>Activity Option: INVEST RESPONSIBLY Ask students to describe how each of us can invest and act responsibly with what we have been given in each of the following categories: *Time [Don’t waste it, give time to Christian service, give as much personal time to God as to hobbies, etc.] *Talents [Use them in church, create new ways to serve and promote Christ, etc.] *Opportunities [Talk about God and faith, invite friends to teens’ ministry events, etc.] *Resources [Use money wisely, take care of what you have, give something away to somebody who needs it, give to missions, etc.]
2. Discuss with students some of the ways in which our investments can grow or multiply. >>Guide: Help students consider the following: i. When we use our abilities, they become more effective. ii. The more we learn to see opportunities in obstacles, the more our investment can create and capitalize on new opportunities. iii. By sharing our material or financial resources we can affect more people for Christ and multiply our influence through others.
3. Read or ask a volunteer to read Luke 12:48. What does Jesus mean when He says that “from everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded”? Does this seem reasonable? Explain. [Hint: The more you have, the more you are expected to do with it. We should make full use of what we’ve been given (talents, resources, etc.) to contribute to God’s purposes.]
>>Note: One day, believers and unbelievers alike will give account to God of what they did or didn’t do in the light of the grace, opportunity, and understanding made available to them.
c). Receiving a Reward
1. Read or ask a volunteer to read Matt 25:23-30. Why do you think the owner was harsh with the one who buried the talent and didn’t invest? [Hint: The lazy person had no excuse. He denied the master a return on the money and denied others any benefit from it.]
2. What does it mean that “everyone who has will be given more. … Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken”? [Hint: God gives greater opportunities to those who have been faithful with what they had. Those who squander their opportunities will miss out on the reward and ultimately suffer loss in God’s kingdom. It’s “use it of lose it’ when it comes to spiritual opportunities.]
3. Review or ask a volunteer to review Matt 25:21, 23. What do you notice about the commendations the master gave to both faithful workers? What does this tell? [Hint: They received the same commendation. As long as a person is faithful with what he or she has been given, they nave equally fulfilled what God asked. No one gets a reward advantage because they are more gifted.] >>Guide: Read or ask a volunteer to read and summarize 1 Cor 3:142-15. Explain that gold, silver, and precious stones represent things that are worthy and enduring to God, while the rest may seem like a lot to us, but won’t last. Then point out that actions that prove worthwhile for God will lead to reward. While worthless and wasted activity will amount to nothing, even if the person is saved because of faith in Christ.
>>Involve Them: Distribute sheets of paper and pens or pencils. Give students a minute or two to write a specific talent, interest, or ability they have that they aren’t using to the fullest: and what they could do to put those talents to the fullest use. Ask the students to keep the sheets in their Bible or a prominent location to remind them to follow up with their talents.
>>Inspire Them: Remind students THE BASIC MESSAGE of this study (Pg 56), even as you explain WHAT the Big Idea behind the study is; WHY it matters; and HOW we can live the lesson captured in this study.
>>Ministry Activity: Give students opportunity to pray individually that God would help them find new ways to invest their time, talents, abilities, and opportunities for Him. Encourage them to focus on one specific thing. (If you used the “Involve Them” above, they can pray for help using that particular talent.) Challenge them not to put limit on God’s ability to use them in unique ways.
>>Invitation Option: Challenge students who may be investing their lives in things that have nothing to do with God’s kingdom and purposes. Provide opportunity for those who need to “settle an account” or “open an account” with God to pray, ask for forgiveness, and receive His gift of eternal life.
>>Teacher Hint: Ask Yourself…
1. Do the students understand that God has gifted each of them with talent and opportunity?
2. Do they understand they are responsible to use their God-given abilities and resources for His purposes?
3. Do they realize that their degree of reward or loss in terms of God’s kingdom will be based on what they did with what they had in life?
>>Daily Dew Drops
Mon: Seek the Main Thing — Matt 6:25-34
Tue: Evaluate Your Life — Psalm 90:12
Wed: No Room for Divided Loyalty — Matt 6:24
Thu: Be Anxious for Nothing — Phil 4:6-8
Fri: Pursue Righteousness — Prov 21:21
Sat: No Shaking! — Psalm 16:8-11
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