Ars Longa – Vita Brevis – Deus Eternus – Luke 16:1-13

The aphorism “Ars longa, vita brevis” literally translated is “Art long, life short.” It comes from a quote by Hypocrites and it means that our art and/or what we create and build will outlive us because life is short. In the Parable of the Shrewd Manager, Jesus deals with the same issue, but He has a solution. First, recognize the brevity of your life and it’s relationship to eternity. Second, prioritize accordingly.

The ways of the world are not the ways of God. The thoughts of humans are not the thoughts of God. It is foolish for us to think that we can shrewdly manipulate our way through this life without considering what follows that shrewdly manipulated life. It is the well-lived life that subjects itself to the Eternal God of the Universe and lives to please Him rather than satisfy our temporary desires.

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Matthew 6:19-21




This Bible study was presented to the Agape Life Bible Study Class of the First Baptist Church in Brenham, Texas, on Sunday, March 17, 2024. It is part of a series in a Bible study curriculum called Connect 360, published by the GC2 Press of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. The overall title of the current set of lessons is Jesus Storyteller: Timeless Truths from His Parables. You can find printed and digital versions of this series online at: https://gc2press.org/jesus-storyteller-luke-study-guide/ .Handouts with slide content can be requested at: fromthebackporchintexas@gmail.com . Handouts are also available at: fromthebackporch.org .


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What Do You Treasure? Who Do You Trust?

Jesus said, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Luke 12:34) In Luke 12:13-34 Jesus teaches those who were following Him about the need to trust Him for everything we need. If we treasure material things, then our full love and attention will be focused there and eventually those things will let us down. If we treasure Him, we will have the material things we need – perhaps not all that we want, but definitely all that we need. And He will never let us down. As Paul says in Philippians 4:19, “My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”

WHAT DO YOU TREASURE?

This Bible study was presented to the Agape Life Bible Study Class of the First Baptist Church in Brenham, Texas, on Sunday, September 12, 2021. Handouts with slide content can be requested at: fromthebackporchintexas@gmail.com

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Website – FromTheBackPorch.org

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