The JESUS Film 24 Day ChallengeSample

"The JESUS Film 24-Day Challenge: Day 16"

Review

Money and possessions compete with God for our attention and passion. That was true in Jesus’ time too, which is why He often discussed money. This irritated the Pharisees, who are described as “lovers of money” (Luke 16:15), so they ridiculed and insulted Jesus.

But Jesus got to the core of the issue. God sees our hearts. The Pharisees might have put on a decent show to convince others of their godliness, but God knew their deep-seated craving for riches. Even though this desire for wealth might have been acceptable to the world around them, it offended God. He alone deserves worship. We are to love Him with all our minds and hearts.

Reflect

• In the parable, Jesus gave us a good lesson from the life of a bad man. Jesus doesn’t condone the actions of the manager, but He does say that at least he had the wisdom to see that money can be used to invest in our future. What does this parable teach us about the wise use of money?
• Jesus told the money-loving Pharisees that God knew their hearts. How should this fact of God’s knowledge affect us?
• What does the story of the rich man and Lazarus teach us about the need to prepare for death? Describe the experience of each of the two men after they died.

Respond

Father, please forgive me for my sinful longings. I pray that You’ll mean more to me than money, and more than becoming famous or well-liked. Teach me to use the money You provide for eternal purposes: I want to use it to help people know You. Help me learn from the destiny of Lazarus and the rich man, recognizing that this life is preparation for eternity. I affirm that I trust only Jesus for my eternal salvation.

In Jesus’ name, amen.