Generous Investing
Series: Generous God
Speaker: Steve Jeffrey
Date: 13th August 2023
Passage: Luke 16:1-15
00:00:00 --> 00:00:04 Well, good morning, everyone. We are continuing our journey with Jesus.
00:00:04 --> 00:00:12 As he resolutely set his face to Jerusalem, focused on the way there in order to die for the sins of humanity.
00:00:12 --> 00:00:20 And so I want to begin today by quoting, as I have, in fact, a few times in the past,
00:00:20 --> 00:00:26 quoting one of the greatest philosophical thinkers, one of the sharpest political minds,
00:00:26 --> 00:00:34 one of the most gifted artists and possibly the most quoted individual of the past 100 years.
00:00:36 --> 00:00:42 Arnold Schwarzenegger was born the son of a low-ranking Austrian police officer.
00:00:43 --> 00:00:53 And he was destined for a life of obscurity until his hands wrapped around a barbell for the very first time when he was 14 years old.
00:00:53 --> 00:01:03 By the time he was 18, he was living in London and travelling the world competing in bodybuilding championships.
00:01:04 --> 00:01:11 When he was 18, at that time, his coach, a guy named Wag Bennett, asked the young Arnold,
00:01:11 --> 00:01:14 Arnie, what is it that you want to do with your life?
00:01:14 --> 00:01:25 And Wag said, I've never heard such a clear statement from such a young person.
00:01:27 --> 00:01:31 He said, I want to be the richest and greatest bodybuilder of all time.
00:01:32 --> 00:01:34 I want to live in the United States.
00:01:34 --> 00:01:38 I want to be a movie actor, a movie director.
00:01:38 --> 00:01:43 I want to own an apartment block and I want to be a politician.
00:01:47 --> 00:01:49 His teammates said of him at that point,
00:01:51 --> 00:01:57 whenever Arnold fixed his mind on something, he could never be dissuaded from it.
00:01:58 --> 00:02:03 And whenever you beat him in any way in training,
00:02:04 --> 00:02:07 he would look at you and say, you will never do that again.
00:02:08 --> 00:02:11 He worked and worked and worked to be the best.
00:02:12 --> 00:02:15 That is, the point that I'm trying to make from Arnold Schwarzenegger,
00:02:16 --> 00:02:19 who I don't think is actually the most gifted of artists,
00:02:20 --> 00:02:23 or the sharpest political minds, or the greatest philosophical thinkers,
00:02:23 --> 00:02:30 the point that I want to make is someone so young sees the future and he just goes for it.
00:02:30 --> 00:02:34 He sees life planned out for him.
00:02:34 --> 00:02:36 He sees what he wants for the future to be.
00:02:37 --> 00:02:41 And he works now day in and day out in order for that to be his future.
00:02:43 --> 00:02:46 And so as we open up Luke 16,
00:02:46 --> 00:02:51 Jesus tells a similar story about a manager who saw the future.
00:02:51 --> 00:02:51 So grab your Bibles.
00:02:53 --> 00:02:53 Luke 16.
00:02:53 --> 00:02:58 And also the St. Paul's app has got an outline for today's talk in it.
00:02:58 --> 00:03:00 This is a manager who knew what he needed,
00:03:01 --> 00:03:07 what he needed to do now in order to ensure that his life in the future
00:03:07 --> 00:03:11 was the way that he wanted it to be, that it was secure.
00:03:11 --> 00:03:12 And he just went for it.
00:03:12 --> 00:03:17 So first of all, first point is wise investing if you're looking at the St. Paul's app.
00:03:18 --> 00:03:25 The manager like this in the first century Palestine managed the owner's estate
00:03:25 --> 00:03:28 and also invested his money.
00:03:29 --> 00:03:34 So he was sort of like a chief operation officer and a CFO as well.
00:03:34 --> 00:03:37 This manager has been doing a poor job.
00:03:37 --> 00:03:39 And so he gets a termination notice.
00:03:40 --> 00:03:41 And so at this point he's in trouble.
00:03:41 --> 00:03:46 See, when word gets around that this manager has not done a great job in managing,
00:03:47 --> 00:03:51 he's not likely to get another manager's job.
00:03:52 --> 00:03:55 He's been sitting too long in an office to start digging trenches for a living.
00:03:56 --> 00:04:00 And he won't lower himself personally to start begging on the streets.
00:04:01 --> 00:04:04 And there's no social services in first century Palestine.
00:04:04 --> 00:04:10 And so this is a big question of how am I going to live?
00:04:10 --> 00:04:12 How am I going to live?
00:04:12 --> 00:04:14 How am I going to survive?
00:04:14 --> 00:04:15 Is the question.
00:04:15 --> 00:04:27 And so he makes a decision in that moment that will ensure that his future is secure and that it continues to pay benefits for him.
00:04:27 --> 00:04:29 That's the key idea in this story.
00:04:29 --> 00:04:34 But it's the details around the story that's somewhat distracting.
00:04:35 --> 00:04:36 Here it is, verse 5.
00:04:36 --> 00:05:01 Now the master's response in this is in verse 8.
00:05:01 --> 00:05:19 Now the dishonesty bit is connected to his management experience.
00:05:19 --> 00:05:20 It's connected to the first bit of the parable.
00:05:20 --> 00:05:27 He's commended here by the manager.
00:05:28 --> 00:05:30 Why would the manager commend him for this?
00:05:32 --> 00:05:37 One of the best theories is that the manager had been, in his dishonesty,
00:05:38 --> 00:05:47 had been adding his own fees to the master's investments.
00:05:47 --> 00:05:50 Putting his own slice on top of it.
00:05:51 --> 00:05:54 Now this could be the right reason why he's called dishonesty.
00:05:54 --> 00:05:57 The manager, the master, sorry, was getting interest.
00:05:59 --> 00:06:02 Sorry, the manager was getting interest on the investment.
00:06:02 --> 00:06:08 As well as the master getting interest on the investment.
00:06:09 --> 00:06:17 And so at this point, it's quite, the best plausible option is that the manager, when negotiating here,
00:06:17 --> 00:06:19 is taking his own fees out of it.
00:06:21 --> 00:06:24 And not only does he make these debtors happy,
00:06:24 --> 00:06:28 but he also gives the master a great name around town.
00:06:28 --> 00:06:33 Now whether that's exactly how it worked,
00:06:33 --> 00:06:36 Jesus' point is the man is living his life,
00:06:36 --> 00:06:38 he's using his wealth,
00:06:38 --> 00:06:40 in this moment, his opportunities,
00:06:40 --> 00:06:43 everything he has with an eye on the future.
00:06:45 --> 00:06:48 And the master here commends the manager
00:06:48 --> 00:06:51 because he acted shrewdly.
00:06:51 --> 00:06:57 That is, you have made a really wise decision.
00:06:58 --> 00:07:01 You've acted very cunningly.
00:07:05 --> 00:07:09 But the second half of verse 8 is kind of hard to hear
00:07:09 --> 00:07:11 because what Jesus is saying here,
00:07:11 --> 00:07:12 this is to his disciples,
00:07:13 --> 00:07:15 he's saying this is something that,
00:07:16 --> 00:07:17 you guys don't do that well.
00:07:17 --> 00:07:20 He's saying here,
00:07:20 --> 00:07:23 this is something that Christians fail in.
00:07:23 --> 00:07:24 It's a rebuke.
00:07:24 --> 00:07:25 He says,
00:07:25 --> 00:07:26 for the people of this world
00:07:26 --> 00:07:30 are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind,
00:07:31 --> 00:07:33 more shrewd in dealing with their own generation,
00:07:34 --> 00:07:35 than are people of the light.
00:07:37 --> 00:07:38 He's saying here,
00:07:38 --> 00:07:41 you've got the Arnold Schwarzeneggers of this world
00:07:41 --> 00:07:43 who know what they want to achieve,
00:07:43 --> 00:07:46 they've got their investment portfolio that they want to get,
00:07:46 --> 00:07:48 and they work for it.
00:07:51 --> 00:07:55 They have their life focused on achieving that.
00:07:55 --> 00:07:56 He's saying,
00:07:56 --> 00:07:59 but the people of the kingdom are not so shrewd.
00:08:05 --> 00:08:07 Which gets me to the second point
00:08:07 --> 00:08:09 of what we think life is about
00:08:09 --> 00:08:11 and we are God's investment managers.
00:08:11 --> 00:08:16 The first thing we learn
00:08:16 --> 00:08:21 is that we are all stewards of someone else's resources.
00:08:22 --> 00:08:23 That's what Jesus is saying here,
00:08:23 --> 00:08:25 is that we,
00:08:25 --> 00:08:26 people of the kingdom,
00:08:26 --> 00:08:27 are this manager.
00:08:28 --> 00:08:33 We are stewards of someone else's resources.
00:08:33 --> 00:08:34 We're not the master,
00:08:35 --> 00:08:36 we're the managers.
00:08:36 --> 00:08:42 The word manager here can be translated as steward.
00:08:42 --> 00:08:46 This man is managing someone else's money.
00:08:46 --> 00:08:48 And as a fund manager,
00:08:48 --> 00:08:52 as a steward of someone else's resources,
00:08:52 --> 00:08:56 you can't do whatever you want with those resources.
00:08:56 --> 00:08:58 They're not yours.
00:09:02 --> 00:09:02 See,
00:09:02 --> 00:09:04 if we understand that there is a God,
00:09:05 --> 00:09:07 we'll know that whatever we have
00:09:07 --> 00:09:09 ultimately comes from him
00:09:09 --> 00:09:10 and it's not ours.
00:09:11 --> 00:09:11 Now,
00:09:11 --> 00:09:13 that's pretty hard for us to hear
00:09:13 --> 00:09:14 in our modern society
00:09:14 --> 00:09:16 because we have such an attachment
00:09:16 --> 00:09:18 to our wealth and our possessions.
00:09:18 --> 00:09:19 It's mine.
00:09:19 --> 00:09:20 I've worked hard.
00:09:21 --> 00:09:21 I've done this.
00:09:21 --> 00:09:24 And yet,
00:09:24 --> 00:09:24 as a Christian,
00:09:25 --> 00:09:29 there is a much broader theological picture,
00:09:29 --> 00:09:30 context to put this into.
00:09:32 --> 00:09:33 Christians believe
00:09:33 --> 00:09:35 that God made everything
00:09:35 --> 00:09:37 and that he sustains everything
00:09:37 --> 00:09:39 and that every single human being
00:09:39 --> 00:09:40 has life,
00:09:40 --> 00:09:41 has skills,
00:09:42 --> 00:09:43 has opportunities
00:09:43 --> 00:09:46 that he has gifted us with.
00:09:47 --> 00:09:49 And without those gifts,
00:09:49 --> 00:09:52 we would not make any money at all.
00:09:54 --> 00:09:56 Without the life he gives us day by day,
00:09:57 --> 00:09:59 without the skills he gives us,
00:09:59 --> 00:10:02 we'd have no ability to make money.
00:10:02 --> 00:10:03 Now,
00:10:03 --> 00:10:04 that is particularly hard.
00:10:04 --> 00:10:05 What I've just said
00:10:05 --> 00:10:07 is very hard for anyone
00:10:07 --> 00:10:08 with a Western mindset
00:10:08 --> 00:10:10 to grapple with.
00:10:11 --> 00:10:12 Western individualism.
00:10:13 --> 00:10:14 We just think
00:10:14 --> 00:10:16 poor people in the world
00:10:16 --> 00:10:17 need to pull their socks up
00:10:17 --> 00:10:18 and try a bit harder.
00:10:19 --> 00:10:23 The reality is
00:10:23 --> 00:10:24 if we were born
00:10:24 --> 00:10:26 in a particular time
00:10:26 --> 00:10:26 in this world,
00:10:26 --> 00:10:27 in particular places
00:10:27 --> 00:10:28 in this world,
00:10:28 --> 00:10:30 we would have no ability
00:10:30 --> 00:10:32 to advance ourselves whatsoever.
00:10:35 --> 00:10:36 It's a gift
00:10:36 --> 00:10:39 that what you have now
00:10:39 --> 00:10:39 in this time
00:10:39 --> 00:10:40 and this day
00:10:40 --> 00:10:41 is a gift.
00:10:44 --> 00:10:45 It's a gift
00:10:45 --> 00:10:46 to be healthy enough
00:10:46 --> 00:10:46 to work.
00:10:46 --> 00:10:48 and being born
00:10:48 --> 00:10:49 in this time
00:10:49 --> 00:10:50 and this place
00:10:50 --> 00:10:52 and all its opportunities
00:10:52 --> 00:10:53 is nothing more
00:10:53 --> 00:10:54 than a gift.
00:10:55 --> 00:10:56 We work with the life,
00:10:57 --> 00:10:57 the circumstances,
00:10:58 --> 00:10:58 the talents
00:10:58 --> 00:10:59 that God has given us.
00:10:59 --> 00:11:00 We are stewards
00:11:00 --> 00:11:01 of it all.
00:11:01 --> 00:11:07 Let me just
00:11:07 --> 00:11:09 point you to a prayer.
00:11:10 --> 00:11:11 A prayer
00:11:11 --> 00:11:11 that the
00:11:11 --> 00:11:12 fabulously
00:11:12 --> 00:11:13 wealthy
00:11:13 --> 00:11:15 and powerful
00:11:15 --> 00:11:16 King David
00:11:16 --> 00:11:16 prayed
00:11:16 --> 00:11:18 in 1 Chronicles 29.
00:11:19 --> 00:11:19 Everything
00:11:19 --> 00:11:20 in heaven
00:11:20 --> 00:11:21 and earth
00:11:21 --> 00:11:22 is yours.
00:11:22 --> 00:11:22 Wealth
00:11:22 --> 00:11:23 and honour
00:11:23 --> 00:11:24 come from you.
00:11:24 --> 00:11:24 You are the ruler
00:11:24 --> 00:11:25 of all things.
00:11:26 --> 00:11:27 Who am I
00:11:27 --> 00:11:28 and who are my people
00:11:28 --> 00:11:29 that we should be able
00:11:29 --> 00:11:29 to give as generously
00:11:29 --> 00:11:30 as this?
00:11:30 --> 00:11:31 Everything
00:11:31 --> 00:11:32 comes from you
00:11:32 --> 00:11:34 and we have given you
00:11:34 --> 00:11:35 only what comes
00:11:35 --> 00:11:35 from your hand.
00:11:36 --> 00:11:37 All this abundance
00:11:37 --> 00:11:38 that we have provided
00:11:38 --> 00:11:39 for building
00:11:39 --> 00:11:40 your temple
00:11:40 --> 00:11:41 for your holy name
00:11:41 --> 00:11:43 comes from your hand
00:11:43 --> 00:11:44 and it all
00:11:44 --> 00:11:45 belongs
00:11:45 --> 00:11:46 to you.
00:11:50 --> 00:11:51 As stewards
00:11:51 --> 00:11:52 of God's
00:11:52 --> 00:11:52 resources
00:11:52 --> 00:11:55 what are
00:11:55 --> 00:11:56 his
00:11:56 --> 00:11:57 expectations
00:11:57 --> 00:11:57 conditions
00:11:57 --> 00:11:58 of how
00:11:58 --> 00:11:59 we might
00:11:59 --> 00:11:59 manage
00:11:59 --> 00:12:00 his
00:12:00 --> 00:12:00 resources.
00:12:01 --> 00:12:02 It's a term
00:12:02 --> 00:12:03 we keep using
00:12:03 --> 00:12:03 here regularly
00:12:03 --> 00:12:04 at St. Paul's
00:12:04 --> 00:12:05 radical generosity.
00:12:08 --> 00:12:08 That is
00:12:08 --> 00:12:09 if we are not
00:12:09 --> 00:12:10 being radically
00:12:10 --> 00:12:11 generous
00:12:11 --> 00:12:13 it's fraud.
00:12:14 --> 00:12:15 It's robbery.
00:12:16 --> 00:12:17 It's not just
00:12:17 --> 00:12:18 a lack of
00:12:18 --> 00:12:18 compassion
00:12:18 --> 00:12:19 or it's not
00:12:19 --> 00:12:20 just a lack
00:12:20 --> 00:12:21 of integrity.
00:12:22 --> 00:12:23 It's fraud
00:12:23 --> 00:12:23 and robbery.
00:12:23 --> 00:12:24 In fact Malachi
00:12:24 --> 00:12:25 chapter 3
00:12:25 --> 00:12:25 verse 8
00:12:25 --> 00:12:26 says that's
00:12:26 --> 00:12:27 exactly what
00:12:27 --> 00:12:28 it is.
00:12:29 --> 00:12:30 Will a mere
00:12:30 --> 00:12:31 mortal rob
00:12:31 --> 00:12:31 God
00:12:31 --> 00:12:32 yet you
00:12:32 --> 00:12:32 rob me
00:12:32 --> 00:12:33 but you
00:12:33 --> 00:12:33 ask well
00:12:33 --> 00:12:34 how are we
00:12:34 --> 00:12:34 robbing you?
00:12:35 --> 00:12:36 In tithes
00:12:36 --> 00:12:36 and offerings.
00:12:36 --> 00:12:39 The people
00:12:39 --> 00:12:40 of the Old
00:12:40 --> 00:12:40 Testament
00:12:40 --> 00:12:41 were told
00:12:41 --> 00:12:43 that 10%
00:12:43 --> 00:12:43 of their
00:12:43 --> 00:12:44 income
00:12:44 --> 00:12:44 needed to
00:12:44 --> 00:12:44 be given
00:12:44 --> 00:12:45 away
00:12:45 --> 00:12:46 as a
00:12:46 --> 00:12:47 starting
00:12:47 --> 00:12:47 point.
00:12:47 --> 00:12:48 That was
00:12:48 --> 00:12:48 the starting
00:12:48 --> 00:12:48 point.
00:12:50 --> 00:12:50 The New
00:12:50 --> 00:12:50 Testament
00:12:50 --> 00:12:51 standards
00:12:51 --> 00:12:51 are not
00:12:51 --> 00:12:52 lower than
00:12:52 --> 00:12:52 that.
00:12:53 --> 00:12:53 Especially
00:12:53 --> 00:12:55 when we
00:12:55 --> 00:12:55 have a
00:12:55 --> 00:12:55 greater
00:12:55 --> 00:12:56 hope
00:12:56 --> 00:12:57 when we
00:12:57 --> 00:12:58 have a
00:12:58 --> 00:12:59 greater
00:12:59 --> 00:12:59 revelation
00:12:59 --> 00:13:00 we have
00:13:00 --> 00:13:01 a greater
00:13:01 --> 00:13:01 grace
00:13:01 --> 00:13:02 and we
00:13:02 --> 00:13:03 have a
00:13:03 --> 00:13:03 greater
00:13:03 --> 00:13:03 benefit.
00:13:04 --> 00:13:05 If we
00:13:05 --> 00:13:05 think
00:13:05 --> 00:13:06 that 10%
00:13:06 --> 00:13:07 is an
00:13:07 --> 00:13:08 awful lot
00:13:08 --> 00:13:08 of money
00:13:08 --> 00:13:09 then maybe
00:13:09 --> 00:13:10 we're entirely
00:13:10 --> 00:13:11 thinking about
00:13:11 --> 00:13:11 this investment
00:13:11 --> 00:13:13 idea from
00:13:13 --> 00:13:13 the wrong
00:13:13 --> 00:13:13 way.
00:13:14 --> 00:13:14 The wrong
00:13:14 --> 00:13:15 perspective.
00:13:16 --> 00:13:16 Imagine
00:13:16 --> 00:13:17 I'm an
00:13:17 --> 00:13:18 investment
00:13:18 --> 00:13:19 I'm a
00:13:19 --> 00:13:20 wealthy
00:13:20 --> 00:13:20 man
00:13:20 --> 00:13:21 and
00:13:21 --> 00:13:22 imagine
00:13:22 --> 00:13:23 and
00:13:23 --> 00:13:24 I
00:13:24 --> 00:13:25 get
00:13:25 --> 00:13:26 I sign
00:13:26 --> 00:13:26 you on
00:13:26 --> 00:13:26 to be
00:13:26 --> 00:13:27 my
00:13:27 --> 00:13:27 investment
00:13:27 --> 00:13:28 manager
00:13:28 --> 00:13:29 and I
00:13:29 --> 00:13:30 say to
00:13:30 --> 00:13:30 you
00:13:30 --> 00:13:31 these are
00:13:31 --> 00:13:32 the terms
00:13:32 --> 00:13:33 you get
00:13:33 --> 00:13:34 to keep
00:13:34 --> 00:13:36 90%
00:13:36 --> 00:13:37 of
00:13:37 --> 00:13:37 everything
00:13:37 --> 00:13:37 that's
00:13:37 --> 00:13:38 produced
00:13:38 --> 00:13:39 90%
00:13:39 --> 00:13:39 of
00:13:39 --> 00:13:39 everything
00:13:39 --> 00:13:39 that's
00:13:39 --> 00:13:40 produced
00:13:40 --> 00:13:40 for
00:13:40 --> 00:13:40 your
00:13:40 --> 00:13:41 living
00:13:41 --> 00:13:41 expenses
00:13:41 --> 00:13:43 and you
00:13:43 --> 00:13:43 just need
00:13:43 --> 00:13:43 to give
00:13:43 --> 00:13:43 me back
00:13:43 --> 00:13:44 10%
00:13:44 --> 00:13:44 each
00:13:44 --> 00:13:45 year.
00:13:48 --> 00:13:48 I mean
00:13:48 --> 00:13:49 anyone
00:13:49 --> 00:13:49 want to
00:13:49 --> 00:13:50 sign up
00:13:50 --> 00:13:50 to that
00:13:50 --> 00:13:50 deal?
00:13:51 --> 00:13:52 Anyone?
00:13:52 --> 00:13:56 No one's
00:13:56 --> 00:13:57 going to
00:13:57 --> 00:13:57 knock back
00:13:57 --> 00:13:58 those terms.
00:13:58 --> 00:13:59 That is
00:13:59 --> 00:14:00 how incredibly
00:14:00 --> 00:14:00 generous
00:14:00 --> 00:14:01 this God
00:14:01 --> 00:14:01 is.
00:14:01 --> 00:14:03 But if
00:14:03 --> 00:14:03 we love
00:14:03 --> 00:14:06 money more
00:14:06 --> 00:14:06 as the
00:14:06 --> 00:14:07 Pharisees
00:14:07 --> 00:14:07 did
00:14:07 --> 00:14:09 than God
00:14:09 --> 00:14:10 himself
00:14:10 --> 00:14:10 then frankly
00:14:10 --> 00:14:11 those terms
00:14:11 --> 00:14:11 won't be
00:14:11 --> 00:14:12 enough.
00:14:13 --> 00:14:14 We are
00:14:14 --> 00:14:15 stewards of
00:14:15 --> 00:14:15 money that
00:14:15 --> 00:14:15 is not
00:14:15 --> 00:14:16 ours.
00:14:17 --> 00:14:17 And what
00:14:17 --> 00:14:18 is the
00:14:18 --> 00:14:19 goal of
00:14:19 --> 00:14:19 our
00:14:19 --> 00:14:20 stewardship?
00:14:20 --> 00:14:21 Third
00:14:21 --> 00:14:21 point,
00:14:21 --> 00:14:22 investing in
00:14:22 --> 00:14:22 France.
00:14:23 --> 00:14:23 I think
00:14:23 --> 00:14:24 this is the
00:14:24 --> 00:14:25 amazing thing
00:14:25 --> 00:14:25 here.
00:14:25 --> 00:14:26 Verse 9
00:14:26 --> 00:14:27 is the
00:14:27 --> 00:14:28 goal Jesus
00:14:28 --> 00:14:28 has in
00:14:28 --> 00:14:29 mind with
00:14:29 --> 00:14:30 our stewardship
00:14:30 --> 00:14:31 of his
00:14:31 --> 00:14:31 resources.
00:14:32 --> 00:14:33 The goal
00:14:33 --> 00:14:34 is ultimately
00:14:34 --> 00:14:37 our
00:14:37 --> 00:14:38 happiness,
00:14:38 --> 00:14:40 our love,
00:14:40 --> 00:14:41 our security.
00:14:42 --> 00:14:43 The goal
00:14:43 --> 00:14:44 is a
00:14:44 --> 00:14:45 circle of
00:14:45 --> 00:14:45 friends.
00:14:46 --> 00:14:47 That's
00:14:47 --> 00:14:47 incredible.
00:14:49 --> 00:14:50 He says,
00:14:50 --> 00:14:51 I tell you
00:14:51 --> 00:14:52 use worldly
00:14:52 --> 00:14:53 wealth to
00:14:53 --> 00:14:53 gain friends
00:14:53 --> 00:14:54 for yourselves.
00:14:57 --> 00:14:58 He could
00:14:58 --> 00:14:58 have said
00:14:58 --> 00:14:59 use my
00:14:59 --> 00:15:00 wealth to
00:15:00 --> 00:15:00 gain friends
00:15:00 --> 00:15:01 for me,
00:15:01 --> 00:15:01 but he
00:15:01 --> 00:15:02 says use
00:15:02 --> 00:15:03 wealth to
00:15:03 --> 00:15:04 gain friends
00:15:04 --> 00:15:05 for yourselves
00:15:05 --> 00:15:07 so that
00:15:07 --> 00:15:08 when it's
00:15:08 --> 00:15:08 gone you'll
00:15:08 --> 00:15:09 be welcomed
00:15:09 --> 00:15:10 into eternal
00:15:10 --> 00:15:11 dwellings.
00:15:12 --> 00:15:13 And the
00:15:13 --> 00:15:13 point of
00:15:13 --> 00:15:13 that is
00:15:13 --> 00:15:14 that these
00:15:14 --> 00:15:15 friends will
00:15:15 --> 00:15:16 welcome you
00:15:16 --> 00:15:17 into the
00:15:17 --> 00:15:18 eternal
00:15:18 --> 00:15:18 dwelling.
00:15:20 --> 00:15:21 So this
00:15:21 --> 00:15:22 manager here
00:15:22 --> 00:15:23 puts aside
00:15:23 --> 00:15:24 short-term
00:15:24 --> 00:15:25 financial gain
00:15:25 --> 00:15:25 for the
00:15:25 --> 00:15:26 sake of
00:15:26 --> 00:15:26 gaining
00:15:26 --> 00:15:27 something
00:15:27 --> 00:15:28 that was
00:15:28 --> 00:15:29 long-term
00:15:29 --> 00:15:29 more
00:15:29 --> 00:15:29 valuable
00:15:29 --> 00:15:31 and that
00:15:31 --> 00:15:31 is
00:15:31 --> 00:15:32 networks
00:15:32 --> 00:15:32 and
00:15:32 --> 00:15:33 friends.
00:15:35 --> 00:15:36 Networks
00:15:36 --> 00:15:36 and
00:15:36 --> 00:15:36 friends.
00:15:40 --> 00:15:41 Every
00:15:41 --> 00:15:41 single
00:15:41 --> 00:15:42 wise
00:15:42 --> 00:15:42 investment,
00:15:43 --> 00:15:43 as my
00:15:43 --> 00:15:44 investment
00:15:44 --> 00:15:44 manager tells
00:15:44 --> 00:15:45 me,
00:15:45 --> 00:15:46 and it
00:15:46 --> 00:15:46 makes a lot
00:15:46 --> 00:15:47 of sense,
00:15:47 --> 00:15:48 is where
00:15:48 --> 00:15:48 you put
00:15:48 --> 00:15:49 your money
00:15:49 --> 00:15:50 into something
00:15:50 --> 00:15:51 that will
00:15:51 --> 00:15:52 increase in
00:15:52 --> 00:15:52 value.
00:15:53 --> 00:15:53 I mean,
00:15:53 --> 00:15:53 that's just
00:15:53 --> 00:15:55 no-brainer,
00:15:55 --> 00:15:55 right?
00:15:55 --> 00:15:56 Increase in
00:15:56 --> 00:15:56 value.
00:15:58 --> 00:15:59 And the
00:15:59 --> 00:15:59 point here
00:15:59 --> 00:16:00 is put
00:16:00 --> 00:16:00 your money
00:16:00 --> 00:16:01 into something
00:16:01 --> 00:16:02 that will
00:16:02 --> 00:16:03 truly last,
00:16:03 --> 00:16:04 really last.
00:16:07 --> 00:16:08 Jesus gives
00:16:08 --> 00:16:09 us a very
00:16:09 --> 00:16:10 helpful perspective
00:16:10 --> 00:16:11 here when
00:16:11 --> 00:16:12 he says in
00:16:12 --> 00:16:13 verse 9,
00:16:13 --> 00:16:14 so that
00:16:14 --> 00:16:15 when it
00:16:15 --> 00:16:16 is gone,
00:16:17 --> 00:16:19 when it
00:16:19 --> 00:16:20 is gone,
00:16:20 --> 00:16:21 in other
00:16:21 --> 00:16:21 words,
00:16:21 --> 00:16:22 there is no
00:16:22 --> 00:16:23 investment in
00:16:23 --> 00:16:24 this world
00:16:24 --> 00:16:24 that will
00:16:24 --> 00:16:25 last.
00:16:26 --> 00:16:27 Not a
00:16:27 --> 00:16:28 single investment
00:16:28 --> 00:16:28 will last.
00:16:29 --> 00:16:29 There is no
00:16:29 --> 00:16:30 material thing,
00:16:31 --> 00:16:31 there is no
00:16:31 --> 00:16:32 asset,
00:16:32 --> 00:16:33 there is no
00:16:33 --> 00:16:34 place where
00:16:34 --> 00:16:35 you put your
00:16:35 --> 00:16:36 money that
00:16:36 --> 00:16:36 will really,
00:16:37 --> 00:16:39 really last.
00:16:39 --> 00:16:42 And he's
00:16:42 --> 00:16:42 calling his
00:16:42 --> 00:16:43 disciples here
00:16:43 --> 00:16:43 to put their
00:16:43 --> 00:16:44 money into
00:16:44 --> 00:16:44 something that
00:16:44 --> 00:16:45 will literally
00:16:45 --> 00:16:45 last forever.
00:16:47 --> 00:16:48 Building up
00:16:48 --> 00:16:49 a circle of
00:16:49 --> 00:16:50 eternal friends.
00:16:50 --> 00:16:51 And he puts
00:16:51 --> 00:16:51 it in relational
00:16:51 --> 00:16:52 terms.
00:16:53 --> 00:16:54 Relational
00:16:54 --> 00:16:54 terms.
00:16:55 --> 00:16:55 Use your
00:16:55 --> 00:16:56 money in
00:16:56 --> 00:16:57 such a way
00:16:57 --> 00:16:58 that you
00:16:58 --> 00:16:59 make friends,
00:16:59 --> 00:17:00 eternal friends
00:17:00 --> 00:17:01 for yourself.
00:17:07 --> 00:17:08 What I love
00:17:08 --> 00:17:08 about the way
00:17:08 --> 00:17:09 Jesus puts
00:17:09 --> 00:17:09 it here,
00:17:10 --> 00:17:10 he doesn't
00:17:10 --> 00:17:11 just stay
00:17:11 --> 00:17:12 on the
00:17:12 --> 00:17:12 abstract
00:17:12 --> 00:17:13 level.
00:17:16 --> 00:17:16 Now,
00:17:16 --> 00:17:16 I'm,
00:17:17 --> 00:17:18 as a
00:17:18 --> 00:17:18 forward-thinking
00:17:18 --> 00:17:19 person,
00:17:20 --> 00:17:20 logically
00:17:20 --> 00:17:21 convinced by
00:17:21 --> 00:17:22 the argument
00:17:22 --> 00:17:23 for long-term
00:17:23 --> 00:17:24 investment that
00:17:24 --> 00:17:25 grows in
00:17:25 --> 00:17:25 value forever.
00:17:25 --> 00:17:26 I'm logically
00:17:26 --> 00:17:28 convinced by
00:17:28 --> 00:17:28 that.
00:17:29 --> 00:17:30 But what
00:17:30 --> 00:17:30 Jesus says
00:17:30 --> 00:17:33 next is
00:17:33 --> 00:17:33 what moves
00:17:33 --> 00:17:35 my heart
00:17:35 --> 00:17:36 and it
00:17:36 --> 00:17:37 causes me
00:17:37 --> 00:17:38 to open
00:17:38 --> 00:17:38 my wallet
00:17:38 --> 00:17:40 and I
00:17:40 --> 00:17:40 hope it
00:17:40 --> 00:17:41 does for
00:17:41 --> 00:17:41 you.
00:17:42 --> 00:17:43 You see
00:17:43 --> 00:17:44 how Jesus
00:17:44 --> 00:17:45 describes the
00:17:45 --> 00:17:45 eternal dwelling
00:17:45 --> 00:17:46 in verse
00:17:46 --> 00:17:46 nine?
00:17:49 --> 00:17:50 Friends.
00:17:51 --> 00:17:52 That's it.
00:17:53 --> 00:17:53 Friends.
00:17:54 --> 00:17:55 Not clouds
00:17:55 --> 00:17:56 and harps
00:17:56 --> 00:17:58 and hymns.
00:17:59 --> 00:18:00 Friends.
00:18:00 --> 00:18:04 That's heaven.
00:18:04 --> 00:18:04 Friends.
00:18:04 --> 00:18:05 Friends.
00:18:06 --> 00:18:07 Use your
00:18:07 --> 00:18:08 money now
00:18:08 --> 00:18:09 to gain
00:18:09 --> 00:18:10 friends who
00:18:10 --> 00:18:10 will welcome
00:18:10 --> 00:18:11 you into
00:18:11 --> 00:18:12 eternal dwelling.
00:18:12 --> 00:18:13 Let me just
00:18:13 --> 00:18:13 quote one
00:18:13 --> 00:18:14 commentator who
00:18:14 --> 00:18:15 wrote on this
00:18:15 --> 00:18:15 verse.
00:18:15 --> 00:18:17 It's the main
00:18:17 --> 00:18:17 point of the
00:18:17 --> 00:18:17 parable.
00:18:19 --> 00:18:19 Although these
00:18:19 --> 00:18:20 things, your
00:18:20 --> 00:18:21 property, ability,
00:18:21 --> 00:18:22 time, belong to
00:18:22 --> 00:18:23 this life only,
00:18:23 --> 00:18:24 says Jesus,
00:18:24 --> 00:18:25 yet what will
00:18:25 --> 00:18:26 happen to you
00:18:26 --> 00:18:27 then when you
00:18:27 --> 00:18:27 pass into that
00:18:27 --> 00:18:29 life will depend
00:18:29 --> 00:18:30 on what you
00:18:30 --> 00:18:30 were doing with
00:18:30 --> 00:18:31 them here and
00:18:31 --> 00:18:32 now.
00:18:33 --> 00:18:34 And make sure
00:18:34 --> 00:18:36 that your use
00:18:36 --> 00:18:37 of them brings
00:18:37 --> 00:18:38 you into a
00:18:38 --> 00:18:39 fellowship of
00:18:39 --> 00:18:40 friends which
00:18:40 --> 00:18:41 will survive
00:18:41 --> 00:18:42 beyond death.
00:18:43 --> 00:18:44 See the point?
00:18:45 --> 00:18:47 We look
00:18:47 --> 00:18:49 in the
00:18:49 --> 00:18:49 materialistic
00:18:49 --> 00:18:50 west, we
00:18:50 --> 00:18:52 look to
00:18:52 --> 00:18:53 our money
00:18:53 --> 00:18:54 to give us
00:18:54 --> 00:18:55 security and
00:18:55 --> 00:18:56 significance.
00:18:57 --> 00:18:58 But genuine
00:18:58 --> 00:19:00 security and
00:19:00 --> 00:19:01 significance is
00:19:01 --> 00:19:02 ultimately
00:19:02 --> 00:19:03 relational, not
00:19:03 --> 00:19:04 material.
00:19:06 --> 00:19:07 It's relational,
00:19:07 --> 00:19:08 not material.
00:19:09 --> 00:19:11 In the end,
00:19:11 --> 00:19:11 all we need is
00:19:11 --> 00:19:12 love.
00:19:14 --> 00:19:15 We feel
00:19:15 --> 00:19:16 truly wealthy
00:19:16 --> 00:19:18 when we are
00:19:18 --> 00:19:20 loving people
00:19:20 --> 00:19:21 and surrounded
00:19:21 --> 00:19:22 by people who
00:19:22 --> 00:19:23 love us back.
00:19:23 --> 00:19:24 That's when you
00:19:24 --> 00:19:25 feel truly
00:19:25 --> 00:19:25 wealthy.
00:19:27 --> 00:19:28 And the
00:19:28 --> 00:19:29 older you get,
00:19:30 --> 00:19:31 the more that
00:19:31 --> 00:19:32 value increases.
00:19:34 --> 00:19:35 That's when you
00:19:35 --> 00:19:36 feel truly alive.
00:19:36 --> 00:19:36 love.
00:19:36 --> 00:19:41 And yet the
00:19:41 --> 00:19:41 love that we
00:19:41 --> 00:19:43 all need is
00:19:43 --> 00:19:45 ultimately out
00:19:45 --> 00:19:47 of reach in
00:19:47 --> 00:19:47 this life.
00:19:49 --> 00:19:50 We get a
00:19:50 --> 00:19:50 taste of it
00:19:50 --> 00:19:52 now, just a
00:19:52 --> 00:19:54 taste of it, but
00:19:54 --> 00:19:54 the best is yet
00:19:54 --> 00:19:55 to come.
00:19:57 --> 00:19:57 You see, the
00:19:57 --> 00:19:58 thinking that
00:19:58 --> 00:19:59 heaven is a
00:19:59 --> 00:19:59 place of
00:19:59 --> 00:20:00 harps and
00:20:00 --> 00:20:00 crowns and
00:20:00 --> 00:20:02 gold doesn't
00:20:02 --> 00:20:03 move me in
00:20:03 --> 00:20:03 the same
00:20:03 --> 00:20:06 way as it
00:20:06 --> 00:20:07 being a
00:20:07 --> 00:20:08 place of
00:20:08 --> 00:20:09 people,
00:20:09 --> 00:20:10 relationships,
00:20:10 --> 00:20:10 connection,
00:20:11 --> 00:20:11 love.
00:20:13 --> 00:20:14 A place of
00:20:14 --> 00:20:15 friendships, deep
00:20:15 --> 00:20:16 relationships, real
00:20:16 --> 00:20:16 love.
00:20:17 --> 00:20:18 A love where
00:20:18 --> 00:20:18 there is no
00:20:18 --> 00:20:19 barriers.
00:20:22 --> 00:20:23 And it's a
00:20:23 --> 00:20:24 place that you
00:20:24 --> 00:20:24 can hope in
00:20:24 --> 00:20:25 now and
00:20:25 --> 00:20:26 invest for and
00:20:26 --> 00:20:26 put your
00:20:26 --> 00:20:27 investment into
00:20:27 --> 00:20:27 it now.
00:20:27 --> 00:20:30 the love
00:20:30 --> 00:20:30 that we
00:20:30 --> 00:20:30 have in
00:20:30 --> 00:20:31 this world,
00:20:31 --> 00:20:31 the taste
00:20:31 --> 00:20:32 of the
00:20:32 --> 00:20:32 relationship
00:20:32 --> 00:20:33 we have in
00:20:33 --> 00:20:33 this world
00:20:33 --> 00:20:34 is a
00:20:34 --> 00:20:35 foretaste
00:20:35 --> 00:20:36 of what
00:20:36 --> 00:20:36 will be,
00:20:37 --> 00:20:38 but every
00:20:38 --> 00:20:38 single
00:20:38 --> 00:20:39 relationship
00:20:39 --> 00:20:39 in this
00:20:39 --> 00:20:41 world falls
00:20:41 --> 00:20:41 short of
00:20:41 --> 00:20:41 it.
00:20:42 --> 00:20:43 Fall short
00:20:43 --> 00:20:43 of it.
00:20:46 --> 00:20:47 And it
00:20:47 --> 00:20:47 makes heaven
00:20:47 --> 00:20:48 such an
00:20:48 --> 00:20:48 incredible
00:20:48 --> 00:20:49 prospect.
00:20:49 --> 00:20:50 So I just
00:20:50 --> 00:20:50 want to throw
00:20:50 --> 00:20:51 some barriers
00:20:51 --> 00:20:52 to genuine
00:20:52 --> 00:20:52 and real
00:20:52 --> 00:20:53 love that
00:20:53 --> 00:20:54 we have in
00:20:54 --> 00:20:54 this world
00:20:54 --> 00:20:56 now that
00:20:56 --> 00:20:56 won't be
00:20:56 --> 00:20:57 then.
00:20:57 --> 00:20:59 For instance,
00:20:59 --> 00:21:00 in this
00:21:00 --> 00:21:00 world we
00:21:00 --> 00:21:01 are not
00:21:01 --> 00:21:02 often loved
00:21:02 --> 00:21:02 for our
00:21:02 --> 00:21:03 own sake.
00:21:04 --> 00:21:05 It's actually
00:21:05 --> 00:21:06 quite painful
00:21:06 --> 00:21:06 when we
00:21:06 --> 00:21:07 discover that
00:21:07 --> 00:21:07 people are
00:21:07 --> 00:21:08 not loving
00:21:08 --> 00:21:08 us for
00:21:08 --> 00:21:08 our own
00:21:08 --> 00:21:09 sake,
00:21:09 --> 00:21:10 but actually
00:21:10 --> 00:21:11 using us
00:21:11 --> 00:21:12 to get
00:21:12 --> 00:21:13 something.
00:21:14 --> 00:21:15 It's very
00:21:15 --> 00:21:17 rare for
00:21:17 --> 00:21:17 people,
00:21:18 --> 00:21:19 for any
00:21:19 --> 00:21:19 of us,
00:21:20 --> 00:21:20 to love
00:21:20 --> 00:21:21 another
00:21:21 --> 00:21:21 person
00:21:21 --> 00:21:22 completely,
00:21:22 --> 00:21:23 totally for
00:21:23 --> 00:21:24 their own
00:21:24 --> 00:21:24 sake.
00:21:25 --> 00:21:26 Most of
00:21:26 --> 00:21:27 us love
00:21:27 --> 00:21:28 love to
00:21:28 --> 00:21:29 get something
00:21:29 --> 00:21:29 out of
00:21:29 --> 00:21:29 it.
00:21:30 --> 00:21:31 And in
00:21:31 --> 00:21:32 heaven,
00:21:32 --> 00:21:32 we will
00:21:32 --> 00:21:33 be loved
00:21:33 --> 00:21:35 absolutely
00:21:35 --> 00:21:36 and completely
00:21:36 --> 00:21:37 and fully
00:21:37 --> 00:21:38 for who
00:21:38 --> 00:21:39 we are
00:21:39 --> 00:21:40 without any
00:21:40 --> 00:21:41 barriers.
00:21:42 --> 00:21:42 Another
00:21:42 --> 00:21:43 barrier is
00:21:43 --> 00:21:43 the ability
00:21:43 --> 00:21:44 to express
00:21:44 --> 00:21:45 love without
00:21:45 --> 00:21:45 hindrance.
00:21:46 --> 00:21:47 Pride,
00:21:47 --> 00:21:48 selfishness,
00:21:48 --> 00:21:48 defensiveness,
00:21:49 --> 00:21:49 pettiness,
00:21:50 --> 00:21:50 coldness,
00:21:51 --> 00:21:51 means that
00:21:51 --> 00:21:52 we can
00:21:52 --> 00:21:53 very rarely
00:21:53 --> 00:21:55 express love
00:21:55 --> 00:21:56 without any
00:21:56 --> 00:21:57 hindrance.
00:21:58 --> 00:21:58 It's like
00:21:58 --> 00:21:59 so many
00:21:59 --> 00:21:59 of us
00:21:59 --> 00:22:01 describe it
00:22:01 --> 00:22:01 as having
00:22:01 --> 00:22:01 an ocean
00:22:01 --> 00:22:02 of love
00:22:02 --> 00:22:02 in the
00:22:02 --> 00:22:02 heart
00:22:02 --> 00:22:03 that can
00:22:03 --> 00:22:04 only be
00:22:04 --> 00:22:04 expressed
00:22:04 --> 00:22:05 through a
00:22:05 --> 00:22:05 straw.
00:22:07 --> 00:22:08 It's there,
00:22:08 --> 00:22:08 I just
00:22:08 --> 00:22:09 can't get it
00:22:09 --> 00:22:09 out.
00:22:09 --> 00:22:09 I'm too
00:22:09 --> 00:22:10 afraid to
00:22:10 --> 00:22:10 actually
00:22:10 --> 00:22:11 let it
00:22:11 --> 00:22:11 all,
00:22:13 --> 00:22:14 just in
00:22:14 --> 00:22:14 case you
00:22:14 --> 00:22:15 reject it.
00:22:15 --> 00:22:20 we can't
00:22:20 --> 00:22:20 get close
00:22:20 --> 00:22:21 to expressing
00:22:21 --> 00:22:22 our love
00:22:22 --> 00:22:22 without
00:22:22 --> 00:22:22 hindrance
00:22:22 --> 00:22:23 but in
00:22:23 --> 00:22:23 heaven
00:22:23 --> 00:22:24 we will
00:22:24 --> 00:22:25 love
00:22:25 --> 00:22:26 without
00:22:26 --> 00:22:26 any
00:22:26 --> 00:22:27 form
00:22:27 --> 00:22:27 of
00:22:27 --> 00:22:28 impediment
00:22:28 --> 00:22:29 or sin
00:22:29 --> 00:22:30 or pride
00:22:30 --> 00:22:31 or selfishness
00:22:31 --> 00:22:31 or pettiness
00:22:31 --> 00:22:32 or defensiveness
00:22:32 --> 00:22:33 will be
00:22:33 --> 00:22:33 gone.
00:22:34 --> 00:22:35 We also
00:22:35 --> 00:22:36 struggle
00:22:36 --> 00:22:36 to find
00:22:36 --> 00:22:37 a mutual
00:22:37 --> 00:22:37 love
00:22:37 --> 00:22:38 in this
00:22:38 --> 00:22:38 world.
00:22:39 --> 00:22:39 Is there
00:22:39 --> 00:22:40 anything
00:22:40 --> 00:22:41 more painful
00:22:41 --> 00:22:41 than to
00:22:41 --> 00:22:42 love someone
00:22:42 --> 00:22:42 more than
00:22:42 --> 00:22:43 they love
00:22:43 --> 00:22:43 you back?
00:22:45 --> 00:22:46 It is
00:22:46 --> 00:22:47 very rare
00:22:47 --> 00:22:47 for love
00:22:47 --> 00:22:47 to be
00:22:47 --> 00:22:48 mutual
00:22:48 --> 00:22:49 all the
00:22:49 --> 00:22:50 time.
00:22:50 --> 00:22:51 I mean
00:22:51 --> 00:22:51 all the
00:22:51 --> 00:22:52 time.
00:22:53 --> 00:22:54 In this
00:22:54 --> 00:22:54 life
00:22:54 --> 00:22:55 many of
00:22:55 --> 00:22:55 the people
00:22:55 --> 00:22:56 we love
00:22:56 --> 00:22:58 we love
00:22:58 --> 00:22:58 them more
00:22:58 --> 00:22:59 than they
00:22:59 --> 00:22:59 love us
00:22:59 --> 00:22:59 back
00:22:59 --> 00:23:00 and there
00:23:00 --> 00:23:01 is nothing
00:23:01 --> 00:23:01 more painful.
00:23:05 --> 00:23:05 But in
00:23:05 --> 00:23:06 heaven
00:23:06 --> 00:23:06 everyone
00:23:06 --> 00:23:07 will love
00:23:07 --> 00:23:07 everyone
00:23:07 --> 00:23:08 else
00:23:08 --> 00:23:09 mutually
00:23:09 --> 00:23:09 and
00:23:09 --> 00:23:10 fully.
00:23:12 --> 00:23:12 There's
00:23:12 --> 00:23:13 also the
00:23:13 --> 00:23:13 barrier of
00:23:13 --> 00:23:13 the
00:23:13 --> 00:23:14 unhappiness
00:23:14 --> 00:23:15 of those
00:23:15 --> 00:23:16 you love.
00:23:17 --> 00:23:17 Think about
00:23:17 --> 00:23:18 this for a
00:23:18 --> 00:23:18 moment.
00:23:19 --> 00:23:20 This is for
00:23:20 --> 00:23:20 the parents
00:23:20 --> 00:23:21 in the
00:23:21 --> 00:23:21 room.
00:23:23 --> 00:23:23 Once you
00:23:23 --> 00:23:24 start having
00:23:24 --> 00:23:25 children
00:23:25 --> 00:23:27 sorry guys
00:23:27 --> 00:23:27 I know
00:23:27 --> 00:23:27 you're
00:23:27 --> 00:23:28 launching
00:23:28 --> 00:23:28 into this
00:23:28 --> 00:23:29 real soon.
00:23:30 --> 00:23:31 Once you
00:23:31 --> 00:23:31 start having
00:23:31 --> 00:23:32 children
00:23:32 --> 00:23:33 for the
00:23:33 --> 00:23:33 rest of
00:23:33 --> 00:23:34 your life
00:23:34 --> 00:23:35 you are
00:23:35 --> 00:23:36 never
00:23:36 --> 00:23:36 happier
00:23:36 --> 00:23:37 than the
00:23:37 --> 00:23:37 unhappiness
00:23:37 --> 00:23:38 of your
00:23:38 --> 00:23:38 children
00:23:38 --> 00:23:40 of your
00:23:40 --> 00:23:40 unhappiest
00:23:40 --> 00:23:40 child.
00:23:41 --> 00:23:42 You are
00:23:42 --> 00:23:42 never happier
00:23:42 --> 00:23:43 than your
00:23:43 --> 00:23:44 unhappiest
00:23:44 --> 00:23:45 child.
00:23:48 --> 00:23:49 We can
00:23:49 --> 00:23:50 never be
00:23:50 --> 00:23:50 happier
00:23:50 --> 00:23:51 than the
00:23:51 --> 00:23:51 people that
00:23:51 --> 00:23:52 we love.
00:23:53 --> 00:23:53 Their
00:23:53 --> 00:23:54 heart
00:23:54 --> 00:23:54 becomes
00:23:54 --> 00:23:54 our
00:23:54 --> 00:23:55 heart.
00:23:56 --> 00:23:57 If you
00:23:57 --> 00:23:58 love more
00:23:58 --> 00:23:58 than five
00:23:58 --> 00:23:59 people
00:23:59 --> 00:24:00 in your
00:24:00 --> 00:24:01 life
00:24:01 --> 00:24:01 you will
00:24:01 --> 00:24:02 always be
00:24:02 --> 00:24:02 unhappy.
00:24:04 --> 00:24:05 And that's
00:24:05 --> 00:24:06 why C.S.
00:24:06 --> 00:24:06 Lewis said
00:24:06 --> 00:24:08 if you don't
00:24:08 --> 00:24:08 want your
00:24:08 --> 00:24:09 heart to be
00:24:09 --> 00:24:09 broken
00:24:09 --> 00:24:10 then stop
00:24:10 --> 00:24:11 loving
00:24:11 --> 00:24:11 people.
00:24:14 --> 00:24:15 That's
00:24:15 --> 00:24:15 the only
00:24:15 --> 00:24:15 option.
00:24:16 --> 00:24:17 Just
00:24:17 --> 00:24:18 pull back
00:24:18 --> 00:24:18 from everyone.
00:24:21 --> 00:24:22 Of course
00:24:22 --> 00:24:22 at that
00:24:22 --> 00:24:22 point you
00:24:22 --> 00:24:23 become such
00:24:23 --> 00:24:23 a hard
00:24:23 --> 00:24:25 person and
00:24:25 --> 00:24:25 you are
00:24:25 --> 00:24:26 frankly right
00:24:26 --> 00:24:26 on your
00:24:26 --> 00:24:27 way to
00:24:27 --> 00:24:27 hell.
00:24:28 --> 00:24:28 At that
00:24:28 --> 00:24:28 point.
00:24:31 --> 00:24:31 Love
00:24:31 --> 00:24:32 is such
00:24:32 --> 00:24:33 an incredible
00:24:33 --> 00:24:33 source of
00:24:33 --> 00:24:35 pain but
00:24:35 --> 00:24:35 not in
00:24:35 --> 00:24:35 heaven.
00:24:36 --> 00:24:37 Everyone
00:24:37 --> 00:24:37 will be
00:24:37 --> 00:24:38 perfectly
00:24:38 --> 00:24:38 happy and
00:24:38 --> 00:24:39 filled with
00:24:39 --> 00:24:39 a never
00:24:39 --> 00:24:40 ceasing
00:24:40 --> 00:24:40 joy.
00:24:40 --> 00:24:41 But
00:24:41 --> 00:24:41 ultimately
00:24:41 --> 00:24:42 the
00:24:42 --> 00:24:42 greatest
00:24:42 --> 00:24:42 barrier
00:24:42 --> 00:24:43 to
00:24:43 --> 00:24:43 love
00:24:43 --> 00:24:44 is
00:24:44 --> 00:24:45 separation.
00:24:46 --> 00:24:47 We
00:24:47 --> 00:24:48 want a
00:24:48 --> 00:24:48 love
00:24:48 --> 00:24:49 that will
00:24:49 --> 00:24:49 never be
00:24:49 --> 00:24:50 separated
00:24:50 --> 00:24:50 from the
00:24:50 --> 00:24:50 people that
00:24:50 --> 00:24:51 we love.
00:24:52 --> 00:24:53 Ultimately
00:24:53 --> 00:24:54 that's the
00:24:54 --> 00:24:54 greatest
00:24:54 --> 00:24:54 pain.
00:24:56 --> 00:24:56 My
00:24:56 --> 00:24:57 family is
00:24:57 --> 00:24:58 going through
00:24:58 --> 00:24:59 my extended
00:24:59 --> 00:24:59 family is
00:24:59 --> 00:25:00 going through
00:25:00 --> 00:25:00 that right
00:25:00 --> 00:25:00 now.
00:25:01 --> 00:25:01 Some of
00:25:01 --> 00:25:01 you will
00:25:01 --> 00:25:02 be aware
00:25:02 --> 00:25:02 of this.
00:25:03 --> 00:25:04 Little
00:25:04 --> 00:25:05 Teddy died
00:25:05 --> 00:25:06 a couple
00:25:06 --> 00:25:06 of days
00:25:06 --> 00:25:06 ago.
00:25:08 --> 00:25:08 And so
00:25:08 --> 00:25:09 the separation
00:25:09 --> 00:25:09 of that
00:25:09 --> 00:25:10 love for
00:25:10 --> 00:25:10 my
00:25:10 --> 00:25:11 family,
00:25:11 --> 00:25:11 the grief
00:25:11 --> 00:25:11 that they're
00:25:11 --> 00:25:12 feeling right
00:25:12 --> 00:25:12 now,
00:25:13 --> 00:25:13 a baby
00:25:13 --> 00:25:15 less than
00:25:15 --> 00:25:15 two weeks
00:25:15 --> 00:25:15 old.
00:25:17 --> 00:25:17 That's
00:25:17 --> 00:25:18 the pain,
00:25:19 --> 00:25:19 that's
00:25:19 --> 00:25:20 separation.
00:25:23 --> 00:25:24 We are
00:25:24 --> 00:25:24 made to
00:25:24 --> 00:25:25 desire the
00:25:25 --> 00:25:25 kind of
00:25:25 --> 00:25:26 relationships
00:25:26 --> 00:25:27 and friendships
00:25:27 --> 00:25:27 and love
00:25:27 --> 00:25:28 that is in
00:25:28 --> 00:25:28 the kingdom
00:25:28 --> 00:25:29 of God.
00:25:30 --> 00:25:31 We have
00:25:31 --> 00:25:32 been designed
00:25:32 --> 00:25:32 for what
00:25:32 --> 00:25:33 Jesus says
00:25:33 --> 00:25:34 heaven is
00:25:34 --> 00:25:34 going to be
00:25:34 --> 00:25:34 like.
00:25:34 --> 00:25:36 knowing and
00:25:36 --> 00:25:37 experiencing the
00:25:37 --> 00:25:38 pain of
00:25:38 --> 00:25:38 relations with
00:25:38 --> 00:25:39 this world
00:25:39 --> 00:25:41 is, it's
00:25:41 --> 00:25:42 hard for us
00:25:42 --> 00:25:42 to imagine
00:25:42 --> 00:25:43 what heaven's
00:25:43 --> 00:25:43 going to be
00:25:43 --> 00:25:43 like.
00:25:45 --> 00:25:46 And yet
00:25:46 --> 00:25:49 that's the
00:25:49 --> 00:25:50 problem of
00:25:50 --> 00:25:50 loving this
00:25:50 --> 00:25:50 world.
00:25:52 --> 00:25:53 And
00:25:53 --> 00:25:53 ultimately
00:25:53 --> 00:25:54 it's the
00:25:54 --> 00:25:54 separation
00:25:54 --> 00:25:55 from those
00:25:55 --> 00:25:56 that we
00:25:56 --> 00:25:56 love.
00:25:57 --> 00:25:58 It's one
00:25:58 --> 00:25:58 of the
00:25:58 --> 00:25:59 greatest
00:25:59 --> 00:26:00 difficulties
00:26:00 --> 00:26:00 about getting
00:26:00 --> 00:26:01 older.
00:26:01 --> 00:26:03 as you
00:26:03 --> 00:26:03 get older
00:26:03 --> 00:26:05 your circle
00:26:05 --> 00:26:05 of friends
00:26:05 --> 00:26:06 disappears.
00:26:07 --> 00:26:08 My
00:26:08 --> 00:26:08 grandmother
00:26:08 --> 00:26:09 died at
00:26:09 --> 00:26:09 102,
00:26:10 --> 00:26:10 didn't have
00:26:10 --> 00:26:11 a single
00:26:11 --> 00:26:11 friend left.
00:26:14 --> 00:26:14 All
00:26:14 --> 00:26:14 gone.
00:26:16 --> 00:26:16 Over the
00:26:16 --> 00:26:17 course of
00:26:17 --> 00:26:17 40 years
00:26:17 --> 00:26:18 saw them
00:26:18 --> 00:26:18 all die
00:26:18 --> 00:26:18 off.
00:26:21 --> 00:26:21 That's
00:26:21 --> 00:26:22 the pain
00:26:22 --> 00:26:22 of separation.
00:26:27 --> 00:26:27 So what
00:26:27 --> 00:26:28 would it be
00:26:28 --> 00:26:28 like,
00:26:28 --> 00:26:29 imagine,
00:26:29 --> 00:26:29 what would it
00:26:29 --> 00:26:29 be like to
00:26:29 --> 00:26:30 be completely
00:26:30 --> 00:26:31 sure of
00:26:31 --> 00:26:31 the future
00:26:31 --> 00:26:32 because of
00:26:32 --> 00:26:33 what Jesus
00:26:33 --> 00:26:34 Christ has
00:26:34 --> 00:26:34 achieved for
00:26:34 --> 00:26:35 us.
00:26:35 --> 00:26:36 Imagine
00:26:36 --> 00:26:37 that to
00:26:37 --> 00:26:37 believe in
00:26:37 --> 00:26:39 Jesus is
00:26:39 --> 00:26:39 to be able
00:26:39 --> 00:26:39 to live
00:26:39 --> 00:26:40 with God
00:26:40 --> 00:26:41 and to
00:26:41 --> 00:26:42 live with
00:26:42 --> 00:26:42 friends in
00:26:42 --> 00:26:43 absolute
00:26:43 --> 00:26:44 perfect love
00:26:44 --> 00:26:45 forever
00:26:45 --> 00:26:46 without any
00:26:46 --> 00:26:47 barriers,
00:26:47 --> 00:26:48 forever.
00:26:48 --> 00:26:49 Just imagine
00:26:49 --> 00:26:51 how that
00:26:51 --> 00:26:52 would change
00:26:52 --> 00:26:53 your perspective
00:26:53 --> 00:26:54 of life
00:26:54 --> 00:26:54 right now.
00:26:58 --> 00:26:59 Would we
00:26:59 --> 00:26:59 not use
00:26:59 --> 00:27:00 our worldly
00:27:00 --> 00:27:02 wealth now
00:27:02 --> 00:27:03 knowing what
00:27:03 --> 00:27:04 really lasts
00:27:04 --> 00:27:05 ultimately is
00:27:05 --> 00:27:06 love,
00:27:06 --> 00:27:07 is people,
00:27:07 --> 00:27:08 is relationships,
00:27:08 --> 00:27:09 is friends,
00:27:10 --> 00:27:13 and that
00:27:13 --> 00:27:14 ultimately
00:27:14 --> 00:27:16 as life
00:27:16 --> 00:27:17 moves on
00:27:17 --> 00:27:17 for me
00:27:17 --> 00:27:18 and I
00:27:18 --> 00:27:19 feel the
00:27:19 --> 00:27:20 pain of
00:27:20 --> 00:27:20 loss of
00:27:20 --> 00:27:21 love in
00:27:21 --> 00:27:21 this world
00:27:21 --> 00:27:22 that I
00:27:22 --> 00:27:23 have the
00:27:23 --> 00:27:23 greatest love
00:27:23 --> 00:27:24 to look
00:27:24 --> 00:27:24 forward to,
00:27:24 --> 00:27:26 the best
00:27:26 --> 00:27:26 is yet
00:27:26 --> 00:27:27 to come.
00:27:29 --> 00:27:30 Use your
00:27:30 --> 00:27:31 money now
00:27:31 --> 00:27:32 to create
00:27:32 --> 00:27:32 a fellowship
00:27:32 --> 00:27:33 of eternal
00:27:33 --> 00:27:34 friends.
00:27:38 --> 00:27:39 When people
00:27:39 --> 00:27:40 find hope
00:27:40 --> 00:27:40 and love
00:27:40 --> 00:27:40 and faith
00:27:40 --> 00:27:41 in Jesus,
00:27:42 --> 00:27:42 they will
00:27:42 --> 00:27:43 be your
00:27:43 --> 00:27:43 friends
00:27:43 --> 00:27:43 forever.
00:27:43 --> 00:27:46 I just
00:27:46 --> 00:27:46 think it's
00:27:46 --> 00:27:47 incredible
00:27:47 --> 00:27:48 to imagine
00:27:48 --> 00:27:48 that I
00:27:48 --> 00:27:49 could be
00:27:49 --> 00:27:49 in heaven
00:27:49 --> 00:27:50 and I
00:27:50 --> 00:27:50 could be
00:27:50 --> 00:27:51 in heaven
00:27:51 --> 00:27:51 for a
00:27:51 --> 00:27:51 thousand
00:27:51 --> 00:27:52 years
00:27:52 --> 00:27:54 and people
00:27:54 --> 00:27:55 are being
00:27:55 --> 00:27:56 added into
00:27:56 --> 00:27:57 that over
00:27:57 --> 00:27:58 that course
00:27:58 --> 00:27:58 of time
00:27:58 --> 00:27:59 because somehow
00:27:59 --> 00:28:00 it's been
00:28:00 --> 00:28:00 connected to
00:28:00 --> 00:28:01 my investment.
00:28:07 --> 00:28:07 The radical
00:28:07 --> 00:28:08 investment is
00:28:08 --> 00:28:09 to put the
00:28:09 --> 00:28:10 money that
00:28:10 --> 00:28:10 you are a
00:28:10 --> 00:28:11 steward of
00:28:11 --> 00:28:13 into connecting
00:28:13 --> 00:28:13 people with
00:28:13 --> 00:28:14 their God
00:28:14 --> 00:28:15 who will
00:28:15 --> 00:28:15 love him
00:28:15 --> 00:28:16 and love
00:28:16 --> 00:28:16 you
00:28:16 --> 00:28:18 forever.
00:28:19 --> 00:28:20 Why would
00:28:20 --> 00:28:20 we do
00:28:20 --> 00:28:21 this?
00:28:21 --> 00:28:21 Ultimately,
00:28:21 --> 00:28:22 we are
00:28:22 --> 00:28:23 recipients of
00:28:23 --> 00:28:23 the wisest
00:28:23 --> 00:28:24 of investments.
00:28:25 --> 00:28:26 All of
00:28:26 --> 00:28:26 this hope
00:28:26 --> 00:28:27 and joy
00:28:27 --> 00:28:28 is possible
00:28:28 --> 00:28:29 because we
00:28:29 --> 00:28:30 have
00:28:30 --> 00:28:31 received
00:28:31 --> 00:28:33 ultimate
00:28:33 --> 00:28:34 love and
00:28:34 --> 00:28:34 ultimate
00:28:34 --> 00:28:35 friendship
00:28:35 --> 00:28:35 in Jesus.
00:28:36 --> 00:28:37 2 Corinthians
00:28:37 --> 00:28:37 8,
00:28:38 --> 00:28:39 the apostle
00:28:39 --> 00:28:40 Paul is
00:28:40 --> 00:28:41 encouraging the
00:28:41 --> 00:28:41 church of
00:28:41 --> 00:28:42 Corinth to
00:28:42 --> 00:28:42 give generously
00:28:42 --> 00:28:44 to a
00:28:44 --> 00:28:45 great need
00:28:45 --> 00:28:45 in the
00:28:45 --> 00:28:45 same way
00:28:45 --> 00:28:46 that other
00:28:46 --> 00:28:47 churches had
00:28:47 --> 00:28:47 done previously.
00:28:49 --> 00:28:49 He doesn't
00:28:49 --> 00:28:50 order them
00:28:50 --> 00:28:51 to do it.
00:28:51 --> 00:28:51 He doesn't
00:28:51 --> 00:28:52 order them
00:28:52 --> 00:28:53 to do it.
00:28:54 --> 00:28:55 He shows
00:28:55 --> 00:28:56 them how
00:28:56 --> 00:28:57 they can do
00:28:57 --> 00:28:59 it and he
00:28:59 --> 00:28:59 shows them
00:28:59 --> 00:29:00 love.
00:29:02 --> 00:29:03 He says,
00:29:03 --> 00:29:04 just think
00:29:04 --> 00:29:05 about this
00:29:05 --> 00:29:05 for a minute.
00:29:07 --> 00:29:07 Jesus
00:29:07 --> 00:29:08 Christ,
00:29:08 --> 00:29:09 though he
00:29:09 --> 00:29:10 was rich,
00:29:10 --> 00:29:11 yet for
00:29:11 --> 00:29:12 your sake
00:29:12 --> 00:29:12 he became
00:29:12 --> 00:29:14 poor so
00:29:14 --> 00:29:14 that you
00:29:14 --> 00:29:15 through his
00:29:15 --> 00:29:16 poverty
00:29:16 --> 00:29:18 might become
00:29:18 --> 00:29:18 rich.
00:29:20 --> 00:29:21 What he's
00:29:21 --> 00:29:21 showing the
00:29:21 --> 00:29:22 church of
00:29:22 --> 00:29:22 Corinth there
00:29:22 --> 00:29:23 and he's
00:29:23 --> 00:29:23 showing us
00:29:23 --> 00:29:24 is Jesus
00:29:24 --> 00:29:25 is the
00:29:25 --> 00:29:26 one friend.
00:29:27 --> 00:29:28 He's the
00:29:28 --> 00:29:29 master
00:29:29 --> 00:29:30 but he
00:29:30 --> 00:29:31 became the
00:29:31 --> 00:29:32 one friend
00:29:32 --> 00:29:32 who emptied
00:29:32 --> 00:29:33 himself of
00:29:33 --> 00:29:34 everything
00:29:34 --> 00:29:35 to turn
00:29:35 --> 00:29:36 his enemies
00:29:36 --> 00:29:37 into his
00:29:37 --> 00:29:37 friends.
00:29:40 --> 00:29:41 For the
00:29:41 --> 00:29:41 joy that
00:29:41 --> 00:29:41 was set
00:29:41 --> 00:29:42 before him
00:29:42 --> 00:29:43 he endured
00:29:43 --> 00:29:43 the cross.
00:29:44 --> 00:29:44 We are
00:29:44 --> 00:29:45 his joy.
00:29:48 --> 00:29:48 Jesus
00:29:48 --> 00:29:49 is the
00:29:49 --> 00:29:49 true
00:29:49 --> 00:29:50 steward.
00:29:51 --> 00:29:51 As
00:29:51 --> 00:29:52 recipients of
00:29:52 --> 00:29:53 the ultimate
00:29:53 --> 00:29:54 friendship we
00:29:54 --> 00:29:54 get to live
00:29:54 --> 00:29:55 with him
00:29:55 --> 00:29:56 forever in
00:29:56 --> 00:29:56 perfect love
00:29:56 --> 00:29:58 and he's
00:29:58 --> 00:29:59 calling us
00:29:59 --> 00:29:59 to use
00:29:59 --> 00:30:00 our time,
00:30:00 --> 00:30:01 our talents,
00:30:01 --> 00:30:02 our gifting,
00:30:02 --> 00:30:03 our treasures,
00:30:04 --> 00:30:05 all of it
00:30:05 --> 00:30:08 is controlled
00:30:08 --> 00:30:08 by that
00:30:08 --> 00:30:09 knowledge.
00:30:11 --> 00:30:11 And so
00:30:11 --> 00:30:12 right now
00:30:12 --> 00:30:13 today
00:30:13 --> 00:30:14 you and
00:30:14 --> 00:30:15 I are in
00:30:15 --> 00:30:16 exactly the
00:30:16 --> 00:30:17 same position
00:30:17 --> 00:30:18 as this
00:30:18 --> 00:30:18 shrewd
00:30:18 --> 00:30:19 manager.
00:30:20 --> 00:30:21 The books
00:30:21 --> 00:30:21 were open
00:30:21 --> 00:30:22 and he had
00:30:22 --> 00:30:22 a chance
00:30:22 --> 00:30:23 to act.
00:30:24 --> 00:30:25 He had a
00:30:25 --> 00:30:25 chance to
00:30:25 --> 00:30:26 act.
00:30:28 --> 00:30:29 So what's
00:30:29 --> 00:30:30 your next
00:30:30 --> 00:30:30 step?
00:30:32 --> 00:30:32 What's your
00:30:32 --> 00:30:33 next step?
00:30:35 --> 00:30:35 Make your
00:30:35 --> 00:30:36 eternal joy
00:30:36 --> 00:30:37 complete and
00:30:37 --> 00:30:38 invest in
00:30:38 --> 00:30:38 eternal
00:30:38 --> 00:30:39 friends.
00:30:39 --> 00:30:39 Thanks.
00:30:39 --> 00:31:09 Thank you.