Adult
• 4 Sessions of Learner’s Materials
• 4 Sessions of Teaching Materials
• 3 Handouts
1. Mark 10:17-31
2. Luke 12:22-34
3. 2 Corinthians 8:1-15
4. James 5:1-6
There was a time not too many decades ago when the two great taboo subjects in American society were sex and death. A case can be made that death is still a topic most people find uncomfortable, but it hardly needs to be said that sex is no longer a taboo subject. If there is any doubt about that, compare what passed for a "racy" movie forty years ago with what we see routinely on television today.
Is there any taboo subject in our supposedly "open" society? Yes. Money. Everyone talks about money, of course. Most people know far more about the stock market and investments than their parents dreamed about knowing. But because in our society money indicates an individual's worth, most of us probably do not know how much money even our best friends make. We may know the most intimate details of their marital problems, but chances are we do not know their salaries. It is such a sensitive topic that we refrain from discussing it.
Money may not be a taboo subject in church life, but it is certainly unpopular. Many pastors would prefer never to preach about money. Members of the stewardship committee dread calling on certain members during the pledge campaign, afraid that they will hear the oft-repeated criticism, "The only time you call me is when you want money." Many church controversies are about money; for example, is it good stewardship to spend all that money on a new sanctuary, or should we put it into missions?
Ironically, the New Testament writings say more about money than just about any other topic. Indeed, some of the most profound teachings in the Bible address the issue of money. In this unit we will study four of those passages. Perhaps by the end of our study we will understand that forJesus to be Lord, he must be Lord of every facet of our lives, including our money.
by Richard Groves
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