JZ Lesson 1: The Disciple's Values

Lesson 1: The Disciples' Values

Introduction: The purpose of this lesson

♦ Through group members' sharing, we learned what values are and how much influence correct and incorrect values have on a person.

♦ Use everyday examples to understand or examine your current values.

♦ Through Bible study, we can correct our flawed values and establish principles for correct values.

Breaking the ice

1. The group leader encouraged members to share freely, which allowed them to get to know each other and also facilitated discussion on the topic.

• What are values? They are a person's standards for judging the importance, significance, or function of things.

2. A person's values will influence the following aspects of their life:
3. How one views oneself and others—how one dresses, what one possesses, what status one achieves—in order to be considered a "valuable" person, will unconsciously influence how one sees oneself and how one views others.
4. Education and Career: One's values will determine what subjects one chooses to study and what standards one uses to select a job.
5. Mate selection: The criteria for choosing a partner are often related to a person's values.
6. Prioritization: When a person prioritizes making money, they will deal with money-making matters first; conversely, family gatherings, church services, and meals with friends may be declined, and they will tell people, "I don't have time!"
7. Impact on the next generation: Parents' values will subconsciously influence their children.
8. Generally, the more frequently we interact with or the closer we are to people and things, the greater their influence on our values. For example:
9. Parents: According to expert research reports, whether you like your parents or not, their values will still influence your life.
10. Teachers: Especially those teachers we respect and admire the most, every word they say carries authority and will be deeply etched into our lives.
11. Friends: In order to be popular among friends and not be abandoned, what friends pursue naturally becomes what we pursue as well.
12. News figures: Influential individuals, including politicians, movie stars, singers, and successful people. Their thoughts, beliefs, and clothing become standards for others to emulate.
13. Religious beliefs: Different religious beliefs lead to different value judgments about things; some religions see the world as evil, so believers should isolate themselves from it; other religions see the world as the creation of the Father, and we must participate in it, manage and change it well, so that the world returns to God.

• The above information is for the group leader's reference. During the group discussion, the group leader only needs to provide supplementary information and does not need to provide answers to each question.

discuss

From the following three questions discussed, we can gain some insight into the group members' values. Therefore, we should encourage group members to express their views and propose possible solutions, as these are often the struggles they face.

1. Many parents have high hopes for their children's success, resulting in them expecting their children to choose lucrative majors such as medicine, engineering, electronics, and biotechnology, without considering their children's interests and talents. This can create unnecessary pressure on children and even lead to tragedies such as schizophrenia and suicide.
2. Because the prevailing societal trend is to prioritize money and climb the social ladder, this societal value system influences our career/job choices. Some choose high positions and high salaries without considering their own interests, abilities, or family needs. As a result, besides becoming exhausted, this can also lead to family breakdown, with children never seeing their fathers and wives never seeing their husbands, because they have to work long hours every day.
3. Brother Chen's case is already familiar to people in Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia. Brother Chen's choice is also the choice of countless others like us.
4. Do you agree with Brother Chen's choice? The group leader allowed the group members to share freely, but when summarizing, the group leader should emphasize the cost of such a choice.
5. Brother Chen's choice is related to his values; he values his career and making money more than his family, and his marital breakdown is certainly related to his choices. Because:

• ⮕ A marital relationship is not static; it requires communication. Feelings need to be exchanged. If you see each other less often, you will naturally communicate less, and your relationship will become colder and more distant.
• When his wife and children need him most, he is not there. Similarly, when a husband needs his wife's support, she is not there, and over time he will seek other forms of "assistance".
• Human nature is fundamentally corrupt; without a wife and family by one's side, it is easy to fall into those repeated temptations.

Bible study and discussion

1. Do Christians become greedy? The answer is yes. Christians are not immune to the desire for money. The words of Jesus and Paul were not only spoken to non-Christians, but also specifically to Christians. So how can we rid ourselves of greed?

• First, we must be born again (John 3:3). A born-again life is one with the divine nature (1 Peter 1:4). This life enables us to reflect, examine ourselves, and repent to God daily.
• "Repentance" (Greek: Metanoia) means a change of heart and mind. In the past, we acted and lived according to worldly values; now, I am willing to turn back and act according to the values of Jesus Christ. Secondly, constant vigilance and non-greed are a lifelong commitment as a disciple of the Lord, not a temporary choice.
• When Christians act according to the principles of the Lord's word, many choices will become clearer and they will not fall into indecisiveness.

2. Show the group members a concrete example from the Bible: not only can people avoid greed, but the results of not being greedy are often even better.
3. Abraham had priority in choosing the land. First, he was the elder and Lot's uncle; second, he was the one who led Lot away from his homeland, meaning Lot's achievements were due to Abraham. However, Abraham relinquished his right because he wanted to maintain his blood ties with Lot (Genesis 13:8), believing that family ties were more important than land (Genesis 13:9). Furthermore, Abraham was a God-fearing man (Genesis 13:18), which was perhaps an even more important factor that led him to make a wise choice!
4. Lot chose the best place, but instead he was moved to Sodom, a sinful city (Genesis 13:10-13), with terrible consequences. Not only was his righteous heart tormented every day (2 Peter 2:7-8), but it also led to the destruction of his family (Genesis 19).

• On the contrary, Abraham's choice pleased God, who gave him a better and greater land and promised that his descendants would be as numerous as the dust of the earth (Genesis 13:14-17).

3. In addition to seeing the reminders and examples in the Bible, we need to identify three general principles for establishing Christian values.
4. Center your actions on Jesus Christ (Philippians 3:8) or glorify God (1 Corinthians 6:20). Whenever making a choice or acting in any situation, ask yourself, "Will this glorify God? Am I doing this to satisfy myself or to satisfy the heart of Jesus Christ?"

• Calvin once pointed out that the purpose of our lives is to glorify God.

1. Can it benefit or edify others (1 Corinthians 10:24, 33; 9:19) "Do I do things that benefit others?" These "others" can include: family, friends, believers and non-believers. For example, in question (4), do you want your child to make choices that are beneficial to him/her? This benefit is not only economic but also spiritual.
2. It will bring you benefit without subjecting you to its dominion. (1 Corinthians 10:23; 6:12)

• Martin Luther said that Christians are completely free and not under any control. Therefore, whether it's work, money, or emotions, Christians should not be controlled by them. On the contrary, by using them well, they can benefit themselves, bring blessings to others, and glorify God. For example, Christians can earn money well, but they should not be greedy and bound by it, spending all their time on making money, which would harm their body and mind; children would lose their fathers; wives would not see their husbands; and their zeal for serving the Lord would disappear.
• The team leader reiterated that we should establish our values based on these three principles!

Conclusion

Faith played an absolute role in Paul's life, transforming him from a legalist into a messenger who took pride in the gospel (Philippians 3:6-8). Before concluding, the group leader encouraged members to share the changes in their values after believing in the Lord, the struggles and joys that came with these changes. This way, other members could go home with a willingness to change and hope!