Planning Your Eternal Estate 

Opener

If someone asked, “How do I know if I will go to heaven after I die?” how would you respond?

Scripture Study

Jesus was asked this very question. Give everyone 10 minutes (while soft music plays) to study Jesus’ response in 3 parallel gospel accounts and jot down notes. 

Matt 19:16-29 in NIV translation, Mark 10:17-30 in the NLT, and Luke 18:18-30 in The Message. 

1. What stood out to you from the reading?
2. Why do you think Jesus started his answer by asking, “Why do you call me good- no one is good but God.”
3. What did Jesus say the man needed to inherit eternal life? Why did he tell him this?
4. When Jesus listed the commandments (to which the man probably lied about keeping them all), which ones did Jesus leave out (see Exodus 20)? How do the ones left out relate to Jesus’ suggestion that the man sell all his things to have treasure in heaven?
5. What does Jesus mean when he says it would be as hard as a camel getting through a tiny hole (impossible) for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God? 
6. Does Jesus’ conclusion mean we must give up everything (literally) or follow all God’s commands to go to heaven? 

Read Ephesians 2:8-9 & Luke 9:23

What does this look like, practically speaking, in our daily lives?

Key Point (Bringing it Full Circle):

Read Romans 10:9-15 

1. Have you declared with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believed in your heart that God raised him from the dead? Do you treasure Jesus and follow Him as Lord over your life? If you have not decided to accept the free gift of salvation Jesus offers, what is holding you back from doing so right now? 
2. After studying these passages, how would you now respond to the question, “How do I know if I will go to heaven?” 

Prayer:

God, thank you that you look at us with genuine love. Thank you that you sent your son, Jesus, to take the punishment I deserve for disobeying you. I am sorry that I am still regularly tempted to treasure other things more than you. Thank you that you are faithful to forgive me no matter how many times or ways I mess up. Would you help me to take up my cross, daily denying myself, to follow you. I praise you that you are coming back to restore all things, getting rid of pain, sickness, decay, and evil. Thank you that you desire to spend eternity with us. Help us have eyes to see opportunities to share this good news with those around us. Amen. 

Unit 8 Bonus: Sharing the Gospel

1. Are there people in your life who need to hear the good news? Have everyone take a minute to pray about who in their lives God may want them to share the good news with. Write down that person’s name and ask Jesus to create curiosity and openness in that person’s heart to the gospel. Pray that He would give you courage and spirit-led words to share the hope you have in Christ.