Investment Secrets from Heaven – Part 2

Review

• Invest in things on earth that will have value in .
• Heaven is not just a place. It’s kingdom.
• The kingdom of heaven extends to the .
• One day there will be a new heaven and a new earth.
• When this happens, the value of our investment will be to all.
• Don’t wait until you can see the value with your eyes.
• Invest now while your work requires .

The California Hussle

Matthew 6:31-33 

• Commuting
• Housing
• Schooling
• Cost of Living
• Gig Economy
• Multiple Jobs
• Dual-Income Work Scheduling
• Status Symbols

Investment Secret # 1

Invest in people’s lives.

• Praying for them
• Serving them
• Spending time with them
• Teaching them
• Letting them see your life.

The Power of Discipleship

• Jesus highest spiritual moments were not with , but with small groups of disciples.
• Formal instruction is not enough for transformation.
• Our Christian growth takes off only when we spend quality time with other Christians outside of church gatherings.
• Discipleship means doing life together.
• Discipleship means exposing to people how you are to life’s ups and downs.
• Discipleship means showing people how God is with you at your worst moments.
• Discipleship means showing people how you respond to conflict and .
• One of the last statements Jesus made to His disciples before He ascended was to make disciples.
• imposes on our lives, which is why it’s an investment.
• While we will see some benefits now, we will not see the full value of discipleship until the life to come.

Knowing the Difference Between Glitter and Gold

• Another way to see the value of discipleship is to understand the consequences we face if we don’t make discipleship a priority.
• We have the capacity to large crowds to the church through marketing, staffing and programming.
• Without a focus on the priorities of the kingdom, ministry will become a transaction:
  • Engaging content for views and likes
  • Amenities for donations
  • Entertaining stage content for butts in seats
• Having business savvy is not wrong. We just have to know the difference between the and the means.

John 6:22-27 

John 6:35

© Joshua D. Smith, Ph.D., 2021