DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

“Fat Cats & Fat Wallets”

1.  What TV show or movie depicts a modern-day “fat cat” with a “fat wallet?”  In what ways is this person’s life soft?  What elements or things attached to someone’s life do you consider “luxurious?”  What stuff might make you soft?  What luxuries do you regularly enjoy?

2.  Read James 5:1-6.  Read it again from the Message translation.  What are words easily swallowed, and which ones make you and most others choke?  Why?  What have you learned from our 3-week trek through these six verses?

3.  What is the thinking behind the sounds of muttering, weeping & wailing, and a festal shout — attached to James 5:1-6?  Which sounds do you most relate to?  What would you tell someone who is most often heard muttering?  What would it take for CCC to be a church of a corporate festal shout when it comes to her finances?

4.  Have you figured out what your stuff (and it’s rust/corrosion) might be saying about you?  What have you decided to wrestle with (clothes, tools, shoes, money, media, discretionary spending, etc…) concerning your stuff and Jesus’ Kingdom?

5.  Read James 5:4-5.  Is there anything here for you to consider?  Are you guilty of anything here, or is this for other fat cats with fat wallets?  Why or why not?   Are you in any way uncomfortable with these strong words from James, and how does this make you feel … honestly?

6.  What is going on with James 5:6?  How do you explain this verse?  How might this verse be about Jesus?  Why is your perspective and theology on the person of Jesus important when it comes to your stuff and finances?  How much do you believe you’ve lost yourself, and your identity is in Christ?  Why might the answer to this BIG question determine direction of your stuff and finances?  How honest is your community group being with each other concerning this very hard topic?  What can you pray together? What can you do together?

Last night at supper, Michael said he hoped a time travel machine would be invented in his lifetime.  I asked why.  He said he wanted to go back to when our dog, Lucy, was a puppy.  I actually would like to crank back a few extra notches to before the dog was born!

A time machine.  The thought simmers within me this morning.  I want one.  I would go back to when Brooklynn was born.   I’d set the dial for September 21, 1993.  What a wonderful Fall day that was.  Life was extremely simple and wide-eyed as our first child came to invade our very humble, two-bedroom home at 804 W. Walnut Street in Washington, Indiana.

Brooklynn is 20 now, and speeding towards 21.  I don’t like it.  I don’t like it when boys are hanging out at the house and invading our dinner table.  I’m also struggling with my second-born’s early high school graduation and college considerations for the Fall.   I’d like to slow down… maybe even stop… all of this forward progress.

If I can’t go back in time, couldn’t I somehow just keep them in a blissful time warp?  Isn’t there enough science and technology to help a guy out?  Maybe the new iphone can hook me up.  I’m just feeling such strong resistance to change with my kids.  I’m wondering if this growth and maturation stuff has been completely overrated.  I like the way things are, and I’d rather just keep things frozen in time.  Is there a problem with this?

Sherry, my wife, works with special first-grade children at a local elementary school.  She tells me of kids who have such challenges they may never grow and mature beyond a certain level.  These kids may never be able to leave home.  I began to quickly count my blessings, and decide to go with the natural flow of my growing kids… as hard as it may be.

On February 12, CCC is going to two services.  Much will change for our Body.  I know there are natural fears and anxieties attached to change.  In fact, what’s not to like about how things currently are?  Why disrupt this?  Why change?  Some may like the way things are, and rather we just keep things frozen in such a blissful time.

Going back just a few short years, there were thoughts of closing the doors of Cumberland.  But God has given us increase, growth, purpose, salvation, and a burgeoning maturity.   With the blessings come responsibility.  While we do not want to build a CCC empire, we do want to make room for more people who need Jesus and want to change a struggling world.

I wonder if I set the time travel machine ahead 4-5 years… I wonder where my kids (and perhaps nasty, ugly, no-good son-in-laws) will be.  I wonder how God will move and bless in their lives.  There really is nothing within me that wants to hinder this.

Don’t you wonder where God may take CCC in 4-5 years as a result of going to two services this year?  Who will be saved?  What will be our exponential impact on the community?  How will Jesus drive our need for community even deeper?  I wonder how the messiness of more nasty, no-good, sinners coming to Jesus will affect us?  I can feel a sense of God prompting me to fight through my selfish tendencies in order to see His glory unfolded.  I hope we’ll all do this.

I trust you’re getting ready and excited for a new chapter in God’s history book at CCC.  He has faithfully prepared us for this good work.  Where will you fit in to all of this?  Have you signed up to volunteer and help make our two services happen?  If not, please click here.

For further preparation, we’re also calling the Body at CCC to a 24/7 week of prayer, Feb. 5-11.  Have you signed up for your special time with God?  You won’t want to miss this special, creative, powerful prayer labyrinth set up in our auditorium for you to meet with God and stand on holy ground.

See you on Sunday.  Bring a friend.  Come early for a good seat!  We’ll be finishing up our 3-week trek through James 5:1-6.  I’m anxious to tell you what I’ll be doing with my clothes rack!

Blessings,

Upcoming Events:

Newcomers Lunch
This Sunday!  12pm
Come share a meal with the staff and elders at Cumberland.

Jesus 101 (2 day class)
February 3, 6:30pm
February 4, 9:00am
Find out what we believe.

The Gathering
February 8, 7pm
Prayer & Worship

Attend One. Serve One.
February 12, 8:30am & 10:30am
If you haven’t signed up to serve, click here.

Community Group Kick-Off
February 26, 6:30pm
Come and get connected with a small group, or even start a new one!

Weekly Giving for 1/15/2012
$19,706.05

Weekly Need
$23,000.000

Faith Works
“Battling Flesh-Eating Financial Monsters”
January 15, 2012
Alan Scott – CCC

James 5:3 –
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

“Battling Flesh-Eating Financial Monsters”

1. How was your Christmas?  Give it a score on a scale of 1-10…  Why did you score it as such?  What stuff did you receive that was good and useful?  What stuff did you get that is destined for garage sale fodder?  What stuff did you get for Christmas 2010… can you remember?  How do you decide what stuff in your house is useful, necessary, or wasteful?

2.  Read James 5:1-6.  In what ways are these verse for you, and not so much?  Who is James really writing to here?  Do these verse convict or tick you off?  Explain.

3. If a poverty-stricken, third world person suddenly came to visit your house, what, if anything, would you be embarrassed for them to see?  What would be the testimony of your stuff?  Why is this a fair or unfair question.  In relation to James 5:3, is there any hoarding going on in your life?

4. Can you or your group list the top 10 reasons why anyone would hoard?  What do you think Alan should do with his closet full of shirts?  How clear or “gray” is the Bible on hoarding?  Can you find other verses to consider?

5. How might hoarding actually be a problem of eschatology?  Explain.  What is eschatology, and what is yours?  What is the testimony of your stuff in relation to your eschatology?

6. How does Job 1:21 and Matthew 6:20 go together?  What is God speaking to you about these two verses and living out your faith?  What will you do have a faith that doesn’t neglect James 5:3?  What practical ideas will your community group throw out to fight hoarding and live out a dynamic eschatology?