Week 1: The Joy of Giving, August 2nd
Luke 19:1-10: Zaccheus

3 Key Points:

1) Give joyfully, because you are impacting people for Christ.
A) Zaccheus said in Luke 19:8, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”
1) Zaccheus was wealthy as a tax collector. With that kind of donation I am sure it helped many people.

2) Give joyfully, because you will be impacted by Christ.
A) Zaccheus wanted to be right with God. He did not want to worry about worldly materials.
B) “My heart always goes where I put God’s money,” (Randy Alcorn, pg. 43).
1) Zaccheus wanted his heart to be with God and his ministry.
a) Matthew 6:21, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

3) Give joyfully, because you will get Eternal Rewards.
A) Matthew 19:21, Jesus says, “If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.”
1) Zaccheus gives a lot away here on earth, where he will not live long, compared to his eternal life. He has stored his treasure in heaven, which he will have for eternity.
B) Is it bad to give so that you will receive an eternal reward?
1) No, in Luke 14:13-14, Jesus says, “But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
2) So God says to do this, so you can impact the needy and so you can get an eternal reward.

Questions you can ask your child.
1) How could you serve someone to impact his or her life?
2) How could the Lord impact your life through this?
3) Why give now, here on earth?

Week 2: Roadblocks, August 9th
Mark 10:17-31: The Rich Young Ruler

3 Key Points:

1) Material possessions bring false security and false satisfaction.
A) The Young Rich Ruler has everything, but still feels unsatisfied, because he wants to inherit eternal life. When Jesus told him to give everything away the rich young ruler was sad and went his own way.
1) Ecclesiastes 5:10-15 (It is a good read, please read it).
a) If I could only have more I would be satisfied (wrong).

2) Material possessions bring temporary enjoyment.
A) Think about the videogame, toy, doll, movie, purse, etc. you got for Christmas last year. Do you still watch it, play with it, or use it at all?
1) Maybe it got boring or did not match any of your outfits anymore, or you now just hate it. (For me it was DVD’s. I owned more then one should. It consumed my money. So I am letting you know that I was guilty of this, but I have been working to correct it).
2) I am not saying do not go buy anything, but think about what you are spending money on, or what your parents are spending money on for you.

3) Materialism is a poison.
A) The more we own, the greater our possessions have a hold on us.
1) The rich young ruler had, so much that when Jesus asked him to give everything away to inherit eternal life, he could not do it. It had a hold on him.
a) Mark 10:25 says, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for the rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
b) You can get enslaved by our possessions.

Antidote for materialism is giving! (This is a summed up conclusion).

Questions you can ask your child.
1) Could you give everything away if Jesus asked you to for eternal life? (Do not let them answer right away. Maybe make them list everything they have first.)
2) What is your materialism poison right now?
3) What can I start to give, because it is the antidote?

Week 3: Where to Start, August 16th
Woman that gave everything: Mark 12:41-44

2 Key Points

1) A good place to start is with tithing.
A) Leviticus 27:30-32.
1) Giving the first tenth of what you make.
a) Some students might make nothing, so I will encourage them to give pocket change.

2) God prospers me not to raise my standard of living, but to raise my standard of giving.
A) Tithing is just the beginning.
1) “Tithing isn’t the ceiling of giving, it’s just the starting blocks. Tithes can be the training wheels to launch us into the mind-set, skills, and habits of grace giving,” (Randy Alcorn, pg. 64).
a) The woman gave everything she had.
2) Romans 12:2 and 2 Corinthians 8:7-9 (both great reads).

McKenna will tell a testimony about what she is going through right now.