The Prison of Comfort
Speaker: Pastor Pierre du Plessis
Read: Luke 12: 16-21 (Voice)
Discussion Questions:
1. What resonated with you as listened to this sermon and reviewed it?
2. Why do you think that despite all we have, we never seem to have enough and are constantly chasing more?
3. Jesus gave Himself generously. What do we need to do to become generous like Jesus? What does a generous heart look like?
4. It was said that a life that is not generous is not true to its nature. What does this mean to you?
5. Read Luke 12: 16-21. What does this Scripture say to you? What does it tell you about the prison of comfort that some live in?
6. Read Matthew 6:19-34. What does this Scripture tell you about a spirit of generosity? Anxiety? And a scarcity mentality?
7. How can living in a comfort zone stifle our spiritual growth? How can a heart of generosity promote our spiritual growth?
On the cusp of Thanksgiving Day, we are reminded that we have so much more than many living in other countries. Yet we live in a culture where, despite our accumulations, we are always chasing more rather than developing a generous heart. Historically, the government protected the resources for the people. But gradually, this kind of centralized fortification diminished and individualism was born. With individualism came a survival tactic towards self-protection, hoarding, suspicion of others, and an overall scarcity mindset that there may never be enough resources, opportunities or success to go around. It also includes a reluctance to share or collaborate. Driven by fear and anxiety, this mindset smothers tendencies towards generosity and promotes the idea of living in a comfort zone, where one is at ease, comfortable, unchallenged by external tensions, and feels good about their situation. In the DNA of the unredeemed soul, the comfort zone that is meant to protect us imprisons us from spiritual growth.
Spiritual growth occurs in the strain that calls for trust over fear. It is based on the full persuasion of the providence of God and the assurance of His presence with us regardless of whatever trial, trouble or fire we may be going through. It requires that we grow in our faith of truly knowing God so that we can step out of the place of self-preservation and trust Him to prove Himself faithful. It requires that we silence the cultural influence over our generosity and live a life of thanksgiving. For if we crave comfort and a place of safety, we will not experience spiritual expansion or
