CreatingCommunity is an email devotion to guide your preparation for worship next weekend. Imagine how much more clear and relevant God's Word will be if you have had an opportunity read, reflect, and dwell in the Word prior to worship. You may do this devotion alone, with others, as a family, or over Zoom as a small group.

This devotion is to be done in preparation for this coming weekend's worship.

Please follow these three steps:

1. Read through the text
2. Respond to the questions (select one of the sets of questions)
3. Offer a Prayer
Matthew 22:15-22
Then the Pharisees went and plotted to entrap [Jesus] in what he said. So they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality. Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?” But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why are you putting me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin used for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. Then he said to them, “Whose head is this, and whose title?” They answered, “The emperor’s.” Then he said to them, “Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” When they heard this, they were amazed; and they left him and went away.
No Experience Necessary Questions:
  1. What scares, confuses, or challenges me in this text?
  2. What delights me in this text?
  3. What stories or memories does this text stir in me?
  4. What is God up to in this text?
Family Questions:
  1. Are you rich? How would you know? Use this calculator to compare your income with others. https://howrichami.givingwhatwecan.org/how-rich-am-i
  2. How do you react to Jesus talking about money? Is money a spiritual issue? Explain.
  3. What does it mean to give to "give to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s?"
Advance Questions:
  1. What topic does Jesus talk about more than any other? The answer is money, wealth, and manna. Why do you think that is?
  2. What is your relationship with money? Complete a money autobiography to learn more. https://www.sneucc.org/files/finance+documents/ecla_personal_money_autobiography.pdf
  3. In what ways are you a spender? a saver? In what ways are you generous? stingy?
Click here to listen to this week's CreatingCommunity video
"Generous God," from Vineyard Worship.
Prayer
Jesus, my Savior, you teach us that good fruit is produced from a good tree. Likewise, kindness flows not from a heart that is made of stone, but from a new heart that is given to us through your spirit. Lord, teach us to be kind in heart, so that love, grace, and charity flow forth like a river. Give us a generosity that reflects your own, through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
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