5. Giving

Eat & Connect

CONNECTION ACTIVATION (20 MINS)

If you were 10 times more brave and money was not an issue, what would you do?

Worship

TESTIMONIES (10 MINS)

Revelation 19:10 says “the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy”. In other words, as we share testimonies of what Jesus has done we prophesy that He will do it again.

Are there any testimonies from your group this week or over the last few weeks that you could capture on your phone and share with the church?

If so, send them to luke@stthomas.church so that we can share the stories and more people may receive a breakthrough!

WORSHIP ACTIVATION (20 MINS)

Read 2 Samuel 24:18-25

David refused to bring worship to God that did not cost him something. He wanted to give something from himself in worship. 

What does it look like for us to give something costly in our times of gathered worship?

Sing together “I give you my heart” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNSc-elHyhA)

As you sing you may want to change your posture to communicate with our bodies as well as our words that we want to give everything to God in worship.

Bible

BIBLE STUDY (30 MINS)

Read Luke 21:1-4.

What does the Bible passage teach us about generosity?

In what ways do you currently model generosity?

How do you feel about Jesus teaching on giving through this passage?

How do you know if you're being generous?

“Real giving must be sacrificial. The amount of the gift never matters so much as its cost to the giver, not the size of the gift, but the sacrifice. Real generosity gives until it hurts. For many of us, it is a real question if ever our giving to God’s work is any sacrifice at all. Few people will do without their pleasures to give a little more to the work of God. It may well be a sign of the decadence of the church and the failure of our Christianity that gifts have to be coaxed out of church people, and that often they will not give at all unless they get something back in the way of entertainment or of goods. There can be few of us who read this story without shame”.

If you're giving to church, thank you so much! Can you pray about what more you can give? If you're not currently giving, what would it look like to start giving today?

How is this Bible story a reminder of the Gospel? (That Jesus gave everything for us?)

Prayer

RESPONSE (10 MINS)

How does God’s generosity change you? Is there something you can do as a group that would be a way of you giving together to bless our city?

St Thomas’ is running an Easter Cafe on Easter Saturday, which has loads of opportunities for you as a group to give.  Could you make cakes? Could you organise an easter egg hunt for the kids? Or do you have an idea that you want to do together at the cafe to bless Newcastle?

PRAYER (20 MINS)

Pray the Lord’s Prayer together, pay special attention to the words in bold.

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Amen.

Spend some time praying for each other to be sold-out for Jesus.

With all that we are and all that we have we commit again to give ourselves to you Jesus.

Where my heart is pulled in different directions, make me wholly devoted to you.