Veritas Columbus Sermons

1. There are four core motivations behind most of our spending: Control (security), Comfort (freedom), Power (status), Approval (love). How are these motivations revealed in your spending/use of your resources? What does your spending reveal about your heart? 2. What is your picture of the 'good life'? How does it contrast with God's vision for His people? 3. How does viewing our possessions as stewards rather than owners change our outlook towards generosity? 4. We are always investing in something. How are you investing what God has given you? (Time, money, talents) 5. How does the question "How much do I have to give?" differ from "How can I give more?" 6. How have you seen God transforming your heart to find your comfort, approval, status etc in Him? How has that changed your view of generosity?

– What does it mean to be rich toward God? – The riches of Christ are all a part of our identity now in Jesus. Does your generosity come from an understanding of these true riches we have access to and a desire to put those on display? What else motivates your generosity (or lack thereof)? – Generosity is something that we should do from joy (2 Corinthians 9:7), but it also requires significant intentionality. What disciplines and devices do you have in your life that help to set you up for generosity? – Pastor Nick said that we are all accountable to each other in our generosity (you are accountable to the church and the church is accountable to you). How are you held accountable in generosity by others in the church/Community Group? Are your finances and giving off-limits to others? – Pastor Nick spent several minutes talking about Veritas' budget and spending (Staffing, Ministry, Operations, Missions). While he was discussing it, were your thoughts and feelings more of mistrust in the church's use of m

1- Why do you think the bible addresses money and possessions so often? How would you define biblical generosity compared to our culture's "pay it forward" mentality? 2- What drives your giving? What false hopes do you have about money? What do you think it will provide? How do you see that played out in your life? 3- Think of a time when your generosity towards someone was given with "strings attached." As you reflect on that, what does that reveal about your gift? Were you expecting something in return or were you expecting the gift to be used in a certain way? 4- Grace in tangible. God has freely and abundantly poured out his grace to us. Yet we so easily forget his grace when it comes to money and possessions. What distracts us from this? Do you give God space to work in you when it comes to your giving or do you find yourself fighting for fear and control? Reflect and pray- How am I stewarding what God has given? Is what I'm spending money on adding value to His Kingdom? Take time to pray for in

1. At this point in Matthew's Gospel, Christmas is over. The King has been born into this world, and now it is time for the world to respond. What sort of response(s) would you expect from the world upon his arrival? When you read the rest of Matthew's Gospel (and/or look around you today), how do you see the world responding? How does this relate to what you believe he deserves in response? 2. Joe Liu categorized responses into two main groups with the first being represented by the response of king Herod. This group he labeled as "clinging to control." While some obvious examples of this can be seen in power-hungry men who abuse and misuse their authority, Joe challenged us to consider how we are all clinging to control in some way. When do you fear the unexpected? When do you see yourself trusting more in your own plans than God's? 3. King Herod "had the theology, but not the trust." His head was aware of the identity of Christ, but his heart was unwilling to face the implications of a cosmic Ki

1. Joe talked about how absurd it would have sounded to the Jews that the Jesus they saw live and die, was the promised Immanuel from the prophecy of Isaiah 9:6-7. They were looking for a Powerful Ruler, a Leader, a King to rescue them and bring peace. What do you picture when you hear Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Prince of Peace? How do you want Jesus to be someone different than He is? What are our misconceptions about Jesus and the kingdom He brings, even today? Why is God’s way better? 2. Matthew is clear that Jesus is fully God, the incarnate One. This is quite unbelievable! Do you struggle to believe this? Do you ever doubt? If you haven’t, praise God for your gift of faith! If you have, join the droves among you that struggle to believe. What do you do with your doubt? 3. Why is it essential for our hope that Jesus was fully God? 4. Why is it such a big deal that Jesus was fully human? (See Heb 2:14-18, 2 Cor 1, Psalm 17:15) How does this bring comfort? 5. Has your view of Christ been dimmed?