Running head: WORTH AND STATUS WORKSHEET 1

Worth and Status Worksheet

Julie Estep

Fresno Pacific
WORTH AND STATUS WORKSHEET 2

Worth and Status Worksheet

The following passages offer a glimpse into many of the issues new Christian communities faced
when asking questions of worth and status. For each of the texts below describe four things:

What seems to be the issue at hand?

Who is involved?

How does this text shape the way we think about relationships in the new
Christian community?

What does this text say about status and worth in the new Christian community?
Do your work on a separate document and submit in the space provided on Moodle.
1. Matthew 12: 46 50: The issue at hand seems to be that Jesus biological mother and
brothers were waiting to talk to Him. Jesus used this opportunity to show that biological
family is good, but everyone in Gods kingdom is to be treated, accepted, and loved as
biological family even if they are not. To God you we are all equal in Christ, therefore we
are all family in Christ.
2. Matthew 13: 53 58: The issue in this passage is that the people of Nazareth did not
believe Jesus to be the Messiah because of His worldly status as the carpenters son.
They could not believe that a carpenters son could prophet or perform the miracles He
has created. This passage shows that we should not put someone down for his or her
worldly status. Status does not define our worth or ability in the new Christian
community.
3. Matthew 19: 13-15: In this passage the issue is the disciples try to keep the parents from
bothering the Lord with their children. All these parents wanted were for the Lord to lay
His hands on their children. Jesus explains in this passage to let all the children come to
Him. Although children are little and small, the kingdom of Heaven belongs to them. In
the world we would not think the kingdom would belong to children. This is a key factor
in what the new Christian church community is all about. We are to treat these children
the ways of the Lord and to treat them as our own, for the kingdom of God belong to
them. Children are precious to the Lord.
4. Mark 9:33 37: In this passage the disciples were arguing who was the greatest. Jesus
explained to them, in order to be first you must be last. If we are first we are not
considered great. That is just the status of the world. The kingdom of God and the new
WORTH AND STATUS WORKSHEET 3

Christian community see the greatest being the least of us. Jesus uses children as an
example because they are usually viewed as the lowest status in the household. We are to
serve others that will make us great, but on the road to becoming great, greatness will not
be our goal. Our hearts will be set on selfless love for others.
5. Luke 6:27 38: Here in this passage Jesus is telling his disciples to retaliate when wrong
is done to you, but to instead love. He explains to his disciples it is easy to love those
who love you. It is easy to give to those who give back to you. It is Jesus mission for us
to love the unlovable and that is His message here. Treat others how you want to be
treated despite the way they will treat you in return. Here Jesus is telling us to be good to
people who are sick, healthy, poor, rich, or anyone and everyone. Give and love without
any thought of gaining something in return and do not judge because you are no better we
are all sinners in need of Gods mercy. This is also His message to the new Christian
community.
6. Luke 10:38 42: Here Jesus is invited to dine at Marthas house. Martha had a sister
named Mary who was frustrating her sister by paying attention to the Lord rather than her
many chores to get done. Martha asks Jesus why He does not care that she is left with all
the workload while her sister is just paying attention to the Lord. Here in this passage
Jesus shows us that he accepts women into His kingdom by saying there is only one thing
to be distracted by and that is to follow the Lord above all else. But here Jesus is telling
the Christian community that He is the only thing that matters; chores that will always be
there should not keep us from following the Lord. This is what truly matters. Yes there
are things to do and because they were sisters they should help each other, but we should
not let worry of things get in the way of our one purpose.
7. Luke 14:12 14: In this passage Jesus is trying to tell the disciples again that we are to
give without thinking we will get something in return. We are instead to invite people
who cannot have a party to invite us to, or to give to people who do not have anything to
give back. This passage shows the Christian community that we are to treat even the least
of these as our equals. Dont just befriend people who have something to offer you, give
to people who do not have anything to offer. In this kind of act of kindness, they will see
Jesus in you and that is being a witness Jesus has called us to be.
WORTH AND STATUS WORKSHEET 4

8. Luke 16:1 9: Here Jesus tells his disciples a story about a manager who is wasting his
employers money. This employer tells the employee to get his report in order or he will
be fired. Worried that he will be fired, the manager starts to ensure a home that will
welcome him in when he is fired. He brings in all the people who owe his employer
money. Once they are there he tells these people to lower what they really owe his
employer. This story is to remind us to use our things to benefit others or make friends.
This impacts the Christian community because it tells us that we do not need to store up
our worldly treasures. We need to use them to help others and in return if we give up our
value of material things we will start to store up heavenly treasures.
9. Luke 22:24 30: Here the issue is the disciples were arguing over who was the greatest
among them. Here the Lord tells his disciples that to be the greatest in status in His
kingdom you must then be the least of all. We must take the role of a servant, just like the
Lord did. The message to the Christian community is the same serve others before
yourself and make yourself less than others, only then you will be great in the kingdom of
God.
10. Romans 8:12 16: In this passage Paul is writing to the Christians in Rome. He is telling
them that we do not have to give into our sinful desires like we think we do. Here Paul
shows us that we are all children of God. We are all brothers and sisters in Christ. The
Christian community is told here that we should all be led by the Spirit of God to be
Gods children. Therefore if we have a Spirit from God we should not be fearful slaves.
11. I Corinthians 11:17 22: Here in this passage Paul writes to the Corinthians telling
them to treat the whole community the same during their weekly meal. He noticed that
the slaves food was getting eating by other people when people were not paying
attention. In this passage the people of Corinth were not treating slaves as their equals.
They were making sure the richer and higher status people were being taken care of and
that was it. The message to the Christian community is to show that we need to treat
EVERYONE as equals. There needs to be a huge emphasis on the word everyone.
12. Ephesians 5:21 6:4: Here this Paul instructs the people of Ephesus that husbands
should love their wives, wives should submit to their husbands, and children should
honor their mother and father. In this passage it makes me think that this is the type of
relationship roles the Lord wants us to take in our families. This helps the Christian
WORTH AND STATUS WORKSHEET 5

community also base their relationships off of this text. It is a building block on how to
treat one another in a marriage and how to treat our parents.
13. I Timothy 2:8 15: In this passage Paul is writing to his loyal child of faith, Timothy.
Here Paul is telling us to not let women go above men, because it is because of Eve that
sin came about. Here it shows us that as women yes we are equal, but we are still
supposed to be submissive. Women were made for man, not man for women. This is
important for the Christian community because it is a fine line to walk because women
try to be leaders above men. Women are meant to be helpmates. Women also need to be
modest with their appearance. Women need to be submissive in this way, because we can
cause men to lust, which causes them to stumble into sin.
14. I Timothy 3:8 13: Here Paul is instructing the deacons of the church have to be
committed to the mystery of faith. Deacons wives must also be respected. They must
exercise self-control and be faithful in everything they do. Deacons must be faithful to
their wives and children. If a Deacon follows these teachings they will be rewarded with
respect from others and will have confidence in their faith for Jesus Christ. This is
important for the Christian community to know because there needs to be strong people
of faith.
15. I Timothy 5:1 16: In this passage Paul instructs Christians to treat elderly men with
respect and to treat young men like they would their own brothers. He also instructs us to
treat elderly women as we would our own mother and to treat young women with all
purity like we would our own sisters. This passage helps us understand how we should
treat relationships within people of the church. This text also spends a long time
explaining how to treat widows. If widows are older with family, they are to help their
children and grandchildren. If a widow is truly alone and above the age of sixty then they
should be put on the list for support from the church, anyone younger should remarry so
that they arent subject to sin. The new Christian community should use these points in
this passage on how to treat others in these situations.
WORTH AND STATUS WORKSHEET 6

Reference

New Oxford Annotated Bible with Apocrypha: NRSV, College Ed. (paper). Oxford Univ. Press,

2010.