Luke 19 | Small Group Questions

For the month of November we’re going to talk about Absurd Generosity from the gospel of Luke. This isn’t the only place Jesus talked about money in the Bible. Jesus talked about money a lot in the Gospels. Of His thirty-eight parables, about half of them deal with money and possessions. Jesus frequently used money as a way to grab people’s attention for a deeper issue. In the Gospels, one in every ten verses deal with money. Why so much talk about money? Because our attitude to money reveals a lot about us. For this series I will write some of the small group questions that go along with each sermon. It seemed like a waste to leave them in a file on my computer and not share them with everyone.

Small Group Questions | Giving it ALL back | Luke 19:1-10

We’re in the final part of a four-week sermon series on living a generous life. For this series we’re primarily looking at people who had an encounter with Jesus in the book of Luke. Luke gives us several examples of people who came to Jesus with financial questions. We’ve seen stories of dealing with an inheritance, what to do when you loose a job,  and how to be rich in God’s eyes. Today we’re going to look at a famous story about a man named Zacchaeus who climbs a tree to see Jesus. His experience with Jesus is wild and because of his generosity we’re still talking about this life today. Zacchaeus teaches us to live with an abundance mindset and not a scarcity mindset. 

1) Neal shared a personal story from his twenties when his mentor taught him about tithing. His mentor taught him how to give, what to give, and when to give. When did you first learn about tithing and what was your initial thought? 

2) Read Luke 19:1-4. We learn that Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector. Essentially he worked for the enemy of Israel; the Roman Government. How do you feel about people who take advantage of the poor and make their money off of others? 

3) We learn that Jesus knows Zacchaeus’ name (read Luke 19:5-7). Read Exodus 20:17, Isaiah 43:1, and Jeremiah 1:5. Talk among your group about how Jesus knows your name, life, and every action. How does that impact you're thinking? 

4) During this encounter with Jesus, Zacchaeus committed to give away much of his wealth (read Luke 19:8-10). Zacchaeus did this because he found something better to live for. What hinders you from financial giving? What are the roadblocks? 

5) Most of this series we’ve been examining our relationship with money. Take the time to read Proverbs 30:8-9. This king makes a specific request to God on his relationship to money. What would change if you prayed this prayer daily? 

6) One of the commitments Zacchaeus made was to give half of his possessions to the poor. In Luke 18, Jesus invited the rich young ruler to give to the poor. Look through Scripture and find areas where we are called to care for the poor. 

7) Read Luke 19:10 again. Jesus is clear on why He came to earth. Jesus came with the expressed purpose of seeking and saving the lost (read Matthew 9:12, Mark 2:17, Luke 15:1, & John 3:17) Share some of what Jesus saved you from. 

Close your time in prayer.