RADICAL GENEROUSITY
Series: Commitment Series 2014
Speaker: Steve Jeffrey
Date: 29th November 2014
Passages:
00:00:00 --> 00:00:06 Gracious Father, we thank you for the indescribable gift that you've given to us in the Lord Jesus.
00:00:07 --> 00:00:15 We thank you that we who, deserving of separation from you for all of eternity, have been brought,
00:00:16 --> 00:00:22 that we might worship you for all of eternity because of the work of the Lord Jesus.
00:00:22 --> 00:00:26 Thank you for your radical generosity towards us.
00:00:26 --> 00:00:41 And we pray, Father, that you would impress upon us what you've done for us in such a way that our hearts would be overflowing with generosity towards others, towards you.
00:00:42 --> 00:00:45 Make us, we pray, a church of radical generosity.
00:00:46 --> 00:00:50 For the glory of your name we pray in Jesus' sake. Amen.
00:00:50 --> 00:01:04 On Sunday the 10th of July this year I told a fictitious story about Wendy J, our treasurer, squeezing juice out of an orange as part of a carnival sideshow.
00:01:05 --> 00:01:07 I want to emphasise it was a fictitious story.
00:01:07 --> 00:01:13 Someone asked me afterwards, when was that carnival down at the concourse?
00:01:13 --> 00:01:14 I said it was a fictitious story.
00:01:14 --> 00:01:27 The punchline was that she was able to squeeze half a cup more juice out of an orange after a 150 kilogram hulk of a man got all of he could out of it.
00:01:27 --> 00:01:33 And it was because she is the church treasurer, that's what she does each week with the offertory.
00:01:33 --> 00:01:45 The reality is that all too often raising funds for ministry and charity is in fact like squeezing out those last drops and making a little bit go too far or stretch far.
00:01:46 --> 00:01:50 This is certainly what's been happening for us as a church this year.
00:01:51 --> 00:02:00 And so this core value that we're looking at tonight, number six in our series of seven of our core values, has particular relevance for us now.
00:02:00 --> 00:02:07 But it's not just for that, that we're looking at it tonight.
00:02:08 --> 00:02:15 And as we look at this core value of radical generosity, I'm basically going to say what I said in July.
00:02:16 --> 00:02:23 I looked at this core value again and figured I couldn't come up with anything better than what I'd said last July.
00:02:23 --> 00:02:27 And with a few adjustments, we're going to hit it again.
00:02:27 --> 00:02:31 And so there'll be things in this that will be familiar to you if you heard me in July.
00:02:31 --> 00:02:39 We're going to see how money exercises power over us, why money exercises power over us and how we can break that power.
00:02:40 --> 00:02:47 It seems that money is a big deal to God, probably because it's a very big deal to us.
00:02:48 --> 00:02:55 Jesus talked about money 10 to 20 times more than he talked about sex, twice as much as he talked about prayer and faith.
00:02:55 --> 00:02:57 One third of his parables are about money.
00:02:57 --> 00:03:05 And of all the things that he could have picked, Jesus sets money up as the alternative God when he says you cannot serve both God and money.
00:03:06 --> 00:03:16 Now, given that money is a big deal to God, it shouldn't surprise us that what the Bible does is it revolutionizes our view of money and possessions and generosity.
00:03:16 --> 00:03:30 For instance, 1 Chronicles 28 and 29, King David is praying in response to the overwhelming generosity of the people of God to build the temple in Jerusalem.
00:03:30 --> 00:03:34 And he says, everything in heaven and earth is yours.
00:03:35 --> 00:03:37 Wealth and honor come from you.
00:03:38 --> 00:03:39 Everything comes from you.
00:03:39 --> 00:03:44 And we have given only what comes from your hand.
00:03:46 --> 00:03:50 What that means is that everything that we have is a gift from God.
00:03:51 --> 00:03:51 Everything.
00:03:53 --> 00:03:54 Totally everything.
00:03:55 --> 00:03:59 Now, that might seem a little bit offensive because you might have worked pretty hard for what you have.
00:03:59 --> 00:04:11 But those verses from 1 Chronicles and others like them in the Bible say that you've been working very hard with abilities, opportunities, circumstances and health that God's provided.
00:04:11 --> 00:04:13 A bunch of other stuff that God himself has provided.
00:04:15 --> 00:04:25 But it's not just that everything that we have comes from God, but that everything that comes from God is still God's.
00:04:25 --> 00:04:27 He still has ownership of it.
00:04:27 --> 00:04:32 God does not give up ownership of something when he gives it to us.
00:04:33 --> 00:04:42 And so we relate to our money and possessions and resources the way an investment manager relates to the wealth of their clients.
00:04:42 --> 00:04:50 If you're an investment manager, you don't operate as if the money that you have been entrusted with is yours to do whatever you want.
00:04:51 --> 00:04:52 There is an accountability.
00:04:52 --> 00:05:01 If you have to invest, you have to invest the money in line with the purposes and the desires and directions and values of the investor.
00:05:01 --> 00:05:09 And so if you take their money and ignore their directions and decide instead to go and buy Ferrari with it, it's called fraud.
00:05:10 --> 00:05:12 And there's an accountability for that.
00:05:13 --> 00:05:21 And so if we deny the investment manager role we have with God's resources and regard ourselves as the owner of it to do what we want with it.
00:05:21 --> 00:05:24 Well, that's called robbing God.
00:05:25 --> 00:05:28 That's how strong the language is that God uses in Malachi 3.
00:05:29 --> 00:05:31 If you've got your Bibles there, Malachi 3.
00:05:32 --> 00:05:41 When referring to God's people's failure to be generous, he says, you have robbed me.
00:05:41 --> 00:05:43 And so chapter 3, verse 8, God poses a question.
00:05:44 --> 00:05:48 Will a man rob God, yet you rob me?
00:05:50 --> 00:05:54 The word rob there is a very rare word in the Bible.
00:05:55 --> 00:05:57 In fact, it's used in only one other place.
00:05:58 --> 00:06:03 It's in Zechariah 5, verse 3, where it's translated as curse.
00:06:03 --> 00:06:09 And it's a word that really means to oppress, to pillage, to plunder.
00:06:10 --> 00:06:12 It's quite a violent word.
00:06:13 --> 00:06:18 And this is what the people of God were doing to God when they weren't being generous.
00:06:18 --> 00:06:21 And so they hear this and they're shocked.
00:06:21 --> 00:06:23 Verse 8 says, how do we rob you?
00:06:24 --> 00:06:27 How could we possibly be doing that to you, God?
00:06:28 --> 00:06:30 What on earth are you talking about?
00:06:30 --> 00:06:34 And God comes back and says in verse 8, in tithes and offerings,
00:06:34 --> 00:06:39 that is how you are pillaging and plundering and raping my purposes for the world.
00:06:40 --> 00:06:42 He says, you are robbing me.
00:06:43 --> 00:06:48 When I say that, I'm talking about your lack of generosity, you know, with the money that I'm giving you.
00:06:48 --> 00:06:50 I'm talking about the fact that you hold on to too much of it.
00:06:51 --> 00:06:54 You spend too much of it on yourself and you don't give enough away.
00:06:55 --> 00:06:58 So when they're keeping it for themselves, they are robbing God.
00:06:58 --> 00:07:01 They're plundering, pillaging, raping God's purpose for his world.
00:07:02 --> 00:07:07 And what's interesting is that according to verse 8, they're oblivious to this sin.
00:07:07 --> 00:07:09 Quite a serious sin.
00:07:09 --> 00:07:12 It's like, what are you talking about, God?
00:07:13 --> 00:07:15 We're confused here.
00:07:15 --> 00:07:23 You see, a great deal of the power that money has over us is that it blinds us to the power that it has over us.
00:07:24 --> 00:07:29 Money is different to other things because we are blind to the hold that it has on us.
00:07:29 --> 00:07:32 Greed is a sin that blinds you to its presence.
00:07:32 --> 00:07:33 I'll show you what I mean.
00:07:33 --> 00:07:34 Verse, Luke chapter 12.
00:07:34 --> 00:07:38 Jesus says, watch out.
00:07:38 --> 00:07:40 And it's a massive explanation, Mark.
00:07:40 --> 00:07:41 I won't yell it at you.
00:07:41 --> 00:07:45 But Jesus says, watch out against all kinds of greed.
00:07:46 --> 00:07:52 There's no other place where Jesus says, watch out for all kinds of sexual immorality.
00:07:52 --> 00:07:54 Watch out for all kinds of adultery.
00:07:54 --> 00:07:59 It's not because adultery is any less sinful.
00:08:00 --> 00:08:08 It's because we're blind to greed and materialism in a way that we're not blind to sexual immorality or adultery.
00:08:08 --> 00:08:10 Jesus doesn't say, watch out.
00:08:10 --> 00:08:11 You might be committing adultery.
00:08:11 --> 00:08:12 You don't know it.
00:08:14 --> 00:08:17 I mean, the reality is, of course, you know it if you're committing adultery.
00:08:20 --> 00:08:22 But we are blind to the sin of greed and materialism.
00:08:22 --> 00:08:26 No one thinks it's their problem.
00:08:26 --> 00:08:30 To this day, and I've had a whack of sin confessed to me over the years,
00:08:31 --> 00:08:35 no one to this day has ever said, Steve, I think I've got a problem in the way I handle my money.
00:08:36 --> 00:08:37 No one.
00:08:37 --> 00:08:39 Not a single person.
00:08:41 --> 00:08:43 But if we take the text of the Bible seriously,
00:08:43 --> 00:08:47 then we should work on the assumption that we are blind to.
00:08:48 --> 00:08:49 Just work on that assumption.
00:08:49 --> 00:08:52 I'm not saying it's necessarily true of you.
00:08:52 --> 00:08:56 I'm saying that the only way to give credence to the text of Scripture
00:08:56 --> 00:09:00 is to always be looking for the blind spot.
00:09:01 --> 00:09:04 And I would say, ask other people to help you look for the blind spot.
00:09:04 --> 00:09:05 I don't think it's anything.
00:09:06 --> 00:09:08 Because it's a blind spot, by nature, we need other people to help us.
00:09:10 --> 00:09:13 Fortunately, the Bible does give us at least one guideline
00:09:13 --> 00:09:19 that we can check ourselves to whether or not our use of money or our money has a hold on us.
00:09:19 --> 00:09:25 It helps us to see if our understanding and generosity and giving to ministry and charity
00:09:25 --> 00:09:30 is in any way in the ballpark of what God thinks it should be.
00:09:31 --> 00:09:33 And it's right there in Malachi 3 verse 8.
00:09:34 --> 00:09:35 It's called the tithe.
00:09:36 --> 00:09:39 Now, the Old Testament Scriptures require that God's people gave
00:09:39 --> 00:09:43 10% of their annual income to the temple.
00:09:43 --> 00:09:46 In actual fact, that was the minimum.
00:09:46 --> 00:09:49 I mean, when you take on all the offerings and festivals and everything else,
00:09:49 --> 00:09:54 it was kind of more like 30% is kind of what they gave away in reality.
00:09:55 --> 00:09:57 Now, historically, it's been raised.
00:09:57 --> 00:10:02 It raised a question of whether or not that tithe is an obligation for Christians.
00:10:03 --> 00:10:06 Because the tithe is only mentioned once in the New Testament.
00:10:06 --> 00:10:11 It's in Luke chapter 11 verse 42, Jesus talking to the Pharisees.
00:10:11 --> 00:10:11 And he says,
00:10:12 --> 00:10:12 Woe to you.
00:10:12 --> 00:10:14 There's that word curse again.
00:10:14 --> 00:10:15 Curse you Pharisees.
00:10:16 --> 00:10:20 Because you give God a tenth of your mint, your rue and other kinds of garden herbs,
00:10:20 --> 00:10:23 but you neglect justice and the love of God.
00:10:23 --> 00:10:27 You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone.
00:10:28 --> 00:10:30 You see, the trouble with the Pharisees
00:10:30 --> 00:10:35 is that they were operating with a legalistic limitation mindset.
00:10:35 --> 00:10:38 They give God 10% and they say,
00:10:39 --> 00:10:40 This 90% is mine.
00:10:40 --> 00:10:41 So God, you can have 10% of the herb garden.
00:10:42 --> 00:10:43 The rest of the veggie patch is mine.
00:10:43 --> 00:10:46 And so God gets the herb garden.
00:10:46 --> 00:10:47 And when all of a sudden there's a need,
00:10:47 --> 00:10:49 you know, there's a family over here that needs food.
00:10:49 --> 00:10:49 They go,
00:10:49 --> 00:10:52 Well, actually, you take it out of the 10% God.
00:10:52 --> 00:10:53 This 90% is mine.
00:10:55 --> 00:10:57 I'm not sharing my veggies with anyone else.
00:10:59 --> 00:11:02 They refuse to go beyond the tithe.
00:11:02 --> 00:11:05 They aren't being motivated by the gospel,
00:11:05 --> 00:11:06 by love,
00:11:06 --> 00:11:06 by justice,
00:11:07 --> 00:11:08 but by a legalistic code of conduct that says,
00:11:09 --> 00:11:10 I've done my bit.
00:11:10 --> 00:11:11 And the 90% is mine.
00:11:12 --> 00:11:17 Now, I don't think we could ever expect God to say to his New Testament people
00:11:17 --> 00:11:20 with greater blessing and greater privileges
00:11:20 --> 00:11:22 and greater hope in the gospel
00:11:22 --> 00:11:23 that you, in fact,
00:11:23 --> 00:11:27 can give less than the Old Testament people.
00:11:27 --> 00:11:35 And I suspect the reason tithing isn't mentioned a whole lot in the New Testament
00:11:35 --> 00:11:40 is because we're not meant to see it as a legalistic mindset,
00:11:40 --> 00:11:42 limitation to our giving.
00:11:42 --> 00:11:44 I believe it's meant to be a baseline,
00:11:45 --> 00:11:45 a guide,
00:11:45 --> 00:11:46 a rule of thumb,
00:11:46 --> 00:11:46 a beginning.
00:11:47 --> 00:11:52 It helps us to see whether we at all are in the range God expects us to be
00:11:52 --> 00:11:56 and from there to see what we can do beyond it.
00:11:58 --> 00:12:01 Now, I also think that Malachi 3 gives us a clue
00:12:01 --> 00:12:03 as to why money has such power over us.
00:12:03 --> 00:12:04 Verse 10,
00:12:04 --> 00:12:07 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse
00:12:07 --> 00:12:10 that there may be food in my house.
00:12:11 --> 00:12:14 Now, the word house there at the end of that
00:12:14 --> 00:12:16 means God's temple.
00:12:16 --> 00:12:20 And God's instruction here is for his people
00:12:20 --> 00:12:24 to give of their gold and their silver and so on
00:12:24 --> 00:12:27 into the storehouse of his temple.
00:12:28 --> 00:12:30 The word house means temple.
00:12:30 --> 00:12:34 The word storehouse in the Hebrew language means treasury.
00:12:34 --> 00:12:35 In other words,
00:12:36 --> 00:12:40 bring your treasure into my treasury.
00:12:40 --> 00:12:44 And when God says bring your whole tithe,
00:12:44 --> 00:12:46 bring your treasure into me,
00:12:47 --> 00:12:48 into my treasury,
00:12:48 --> 00:12:49 into my temple,
00:12:49 --> 00:12:51 into the service of my salvation,
00:12:51 --> 00:12:52 into the worship of me,
00:12:53 --> 00:12:56 the implication is that if you are not taking it
00:12:56 --> 00:12:57 and putting it there,
00:12:58 --> 00:13:00 you've actually got it somewhere else.
00:13:00 --> 00:13:04 Your treasure is in another treasury,
00:13:04 --> 00:13:06 in another temple somewhere.
00:13:07 --> 00:13:10 I'll give you two examples of what I mean by that.
00:13:11 --> 00:13:11 Firstly,
00:13:12 --> 00:13:14 if you find it very hard,
00:13:14 --> 00:13:16 I mean really hard to give money away,
00:13:16 --> 00:13:16 you know,
00:13:16 --> 00:13:17 it's just hard to give money away,
00:13:18 --> 00:13:20 but so incredibly easy to spend money
00:13:20 --> 00:13:23 on clothes and cars and travel
00:13:23 --> 00:13:24 and renovations and entertainment,
00:13:24 --> 00:13:31 then those things are the real treasury of your temple.
00:13:33 --> 00:13:35 You're looking to those things
00:13:35 --> 00:13:38 to give you a sense of identity
00:13:38 --> 00:13:39 identity and desirability
00:13:39 --> 00:13:41 and acceptability and lovability
00:13:41 --> 00:13:43 and awe and experiences
00:13:43 --> 00:13:45 rather than looking to the knowledge and love of God.
00:13:46 --> 00:13:46 Secondly,
00:13:47 --> 00:13:49 there are those who look at people
00:13:49 --> 00:13:50 who spend money on,
00:13:50 --> 00:13:50 you know,
00:13:50 --> 00:13:51 stuff like that
00:13:51 --> 00:13:52 and clothes and homes and cars and travel
00:13:52 --> 00:13:54 and you just sneer.
00:13:54 --> 00:13:54 You know,
00:13:54 --> 00:13:54 you're,
00:13:54 --> 00:13:59 you're kind of proud of the fact
00:13:59 --> 00:13:59 that you've been wearing
00:13:59 --> 00:14:01 and repairing the same pair of undies
00:14:01 --> 00:14:02 for the last 10 years.
00:14:02 --> 00:14:04 You hang out your tea bags to dry
00:14:04 --> 00:14:06 and so you can reuse them again
00:14:06 --> 00:14:08 and you don't own a mobile phone.
00:14:08 --> 00:14:09 You get really,
00:14:09 --> 00:14:10 really frugal
00:14:10 --> 00:14:10 and what you do
00:14:10 --> 00:14:12 is you squirrel all your money away
00:14:12 --> 00:14:12 into the bank,
00:14:13 --> 00:14:14 into investments and savings
00:14:14 --> 00:14:15 and stuff like that,
00:14:16 --> 00:14:17 all for a rainy day.
00:14:18 --> 00:14:19 You're still under the power
00:14:19 --> 00:14:20 and control of money.
00:14:22 --> 00:14:22 You see,
00:14:23 --> 00:14:24 if you find it very hard
00:14:24 --> 00:14:26 to give money away
00:14:26 --> 00:14:28 but very easy to save money,
00:14:28 --> 00:14:29 then ultimately
00:14:29 --> 00:14:31 your bank is your temple.
00:14:33 --> 00:14:34 Rather than God,
00:14:34 --> 00:14:35 you're looking to your bank,
00:14:35 --> 00:14:36 to your accounts
00:14:36 --> 00:14:37 to give you a sense of control
00:14:37 --> 00:14:38 in a very,
00:14:38 --> 00:14:39 very chaotic
00:14:39 --> 00:14:40 and unpredictable world.
00:14:41 --> 00:14:42 Instead of God,
00:14:42 --> 00:14:43 I get beauty and acceptance
00:14:43 --> 00:14:45 because of the clothes that I wear.
00:14:45 --> 00:14:45 Instead of God,
00:14:45 --> 00:14:46 I get control
00:14:46 --> 00:14:47 because of the investments that I have.
00:14:48 --> 00:14:50 It's easy to give money
00:14:50 --> 00:14:52 to whatever is your saviour,
00:14:53 --> 00:14:54 whatever is your hope,
00:14:54 --> 00:14:55 your happiness,
00:14:55 --> 00:14:56 your identity,
00:14:56 --> 00:14:56 your meaning,
00:14:57 --> 00:14:57 your significance,
00:14:57 --> 00:14:58 your security.
00:15:01 --> 00:15:02 Now,
00:15:02 --> 00:15:03 I like
00:15:03 --> 00:15:05 giving money away.
00:15:06 --> 00:15:07 Sort of.
00:15:08 --> 00:15:09 I'll say sort of.
00:15:11 --> 00:15:11 Sometimes
00:15:11 --> 00:15:13 it's a battle.
00:15:14 --> 00:15:16 It's not always joyful.
00:15:16 --> 00:15:20 But I don't have
00:15:20 --> 00:15:21 the same battle
00:15:21 --> 00:15:22 with everything
00:15:22 --> 00:15:23 that I buy.
00:15:25 --> 00:15:26 There's not always
00:15:26 --> 00:15:26 a battle for me
00:15:26 --> 00:15:27 to spend money.
00:15:28 --> 00:15:29 My ongoing battle
00:15:29 --> 00:15:31 is with the temple
00:15:31 --> 00:15:32 called Bunnings.
00:15:33 --> 00:15:34 That's my ongoing battle.
00:15:35 --> 00:15:38 I find it terribly easy
00:15:38 --> 00:15:39 to pay homage
00:15:39 --> 00:15:41 in Bunnings
00:15:41 --> 00:15:42 with my money
00:15:42 --> 00:15:44 in exchange for tools.
00:15:44 --> 00:15:44 tools.
00:15:45 --> 00:15:46 I don't
00:15:46 --> 00:15:49 I find it easy
00:15:49 --> 00:15:50 to spend money
00:15:50 --> 00:15:50 on tools.
00:15:52 --> 00:15:53 Why?
00:15:53 --> 00:15:55 Why is that?
00:15:56 --> 00:15:57 Because
00:15:57 --> 00:16:00 in my family context
00:16:00 --> 00:16:02 and in where I grew up,
00:16:02 --> 00:16:03 I got a sense
00:16:03 --> 00:16:04 of identity.
00:16:05 --> 00:16:06 I got
00:16:06 --> 00:16:07 praise and congratulations
00:16:07 --> 00:16:09 for being useful
00:16:09 --> 00:16:09 and practical.
00:16:09 --> 00:16:13 That's
00:16:13 --> 00:16:14 ultimately the issue.
00:16:14 --> 00:16:14 That's why
00:16:14 --> 00:16:15 I spend money
00:16:15 --> 00:16:16 in that direction
00:16:16 --> 00:16:17 because my identity
00:16:17 --> 00:16:18 is wrapped up in it
00:16:18 --> 00:16:19 in some subconscious
00:16:19 --> 00:16:20 kind of way.
00:16:22 --> 00:16:23 And so the question
00:16:23 --> 00:16:23 for me is,
00:16:23 --> 00:16:24 is my identity
00:16:24 --> 00:16:26 wrapped up in Christ
00:16:26 --> 00:16:27 and who I am
00:16:27 --> 00:16:27 in Him
00:16:27 --> 00:16:28 and what God
00:16:28 --> 00:16:29 thinks of me
00:16:29 --> 00:16:30 or is it because
00:16:30 --> 00:16:31 people think
00:16:31 --> 00:16:31 that I'm useful
00:16:31 --> 00:16:32 and practical?
00:16:33 --> 00:16:34 Where's my identity?
00:16:35 --> 00:16:36 And
00:16:36 --> 00:16:37 the reality is
00:16:37 --> 00:16:38 it's both.
00:16:39 --> 00:16:40 And that's why
00:16:40 --> 00:16:41 the battle rages.
00:16:45 --> 00:16:46 The battle rages
00:16:46 --> 00:16:47 in tools.
00:16:47 --> 00:16:48 In a way,
00:16:48 --> 00:16:49 the battle does it.
00:16:49 --> 00:16:50 I walk into spotlight,
00:16:51 --> 00:16:52 the battle's not raging
00:16:52 --> 00:16:52 for me.
00:16:53 --> 00:16:55 There's no battle there
00:16:55 --> 00:16:56 when I walk into spotlight.
00:16:57 --> 00:16:57 You know,
00:16:58 --> 00:16:59 Nat walks into Bunnings
00:16:59 --> 00:16:59 with me
00:16:59 --> 00:16:59 and she goes,
00:17:00 --> 00:17:02 she walks into spotlight
00:17:02 --> 00:17:02 and I go,
00:17:03 --> 00:17:06 I can easily
00:17:06 --> 00:17:06 spend $100
00:17:06 --> 00:17:07 at Bunnings.
00:17:07 --> 00:17:08 I want her to justify
00:17:08 --> 00:17:09 every cent
00:17:09 --> 00:17:10 that she spends
00:17:10 --> 00:17:10 at spotlight
00:17:10 --> 00:17:13 because there's my battle
00:17:13 --> 00:17:13 but it's not there.
00:17:17 --> 00:17:18 For some,
00:17:18 --> 00:17:19 it's a bookstore.
00:17:20 --> 00:17:22 You find it terribly easy
00:17:22 --> 00:17:24 to buy books
00:17:24 --> 00:17:26 because your identity
00:17:26 --> 00:17:26 is wrapped up
00:17:26 --> 00:17:27 in what people,
00:17:28 --> 00:17:29 people like thinking
00:17:29 --> 00:17:29 that you're smart
00:17:29 --> 00:17:30 or something.
00:17:30 --> 00:17:32 For some,
00:17:32 --> 00:17:33 it's clothes.
00:17:34 --> 00:17:35 That's where
00:17:35 --> 00:17:36 you pay homage
00:17:36 --> 00:17:38 because your identity
00:17:38 --> 00:17:39 is wrapped up
00:17:39 --> 00:17:40 in your appearance.
00:17:43 --> 00:17:44 The point is
00:17:44 --> 00:17:46 money reveals
00:17:46 --> 00:17:47 what we really
00:17:47 --> 00:17:48 worship.
00:17:51 --> 00:17:52 And for me personally,
00:17:53 --> 00:17:53 right now,
00:17:53 --> 00:17:54 the battle's raging.
00:17:54 --> 00:17:55 I've got two bids
00:17:55 --> 00:17:56 on things on eBay.
00:17:56 --> 00:17:57 Two tools.
00:17:57 --> 00:18:00 And I'm kind of hoping
00:18:00 --> 00:18:00 right now
00:18:00 --> 00:18:01 I'm going to get
00:18:01 --> 00:18:01 outbid on them.
00:18:04 --> 00:18:04 Otherwise,
00:18:04 --> 00:18:05 I've got some justifying
00:18:05 --> 00:18:06 to do tonight.
00:18:09 --> 00:18:09 You see,
00:18:09 --> 00:18:10 radical generosity
00:18:10 --> 00:18:11 is not just about
00:18:11 --> 00:18:13 what you give away
00:18:13 --> 00:18:14 but about
00:18:14 --> 00:18:15 what you keep
00:18:15 --> 00:18:16 for yourself
00:18:16 --> 00:18:17 and what you spend
00:18:17 --> 00:18:17 on yourself.
00:18:18 --> 00:18:18 And that is why
00:18:18 --> 00:18:19 Jesus says
00:18:19 --> 00:18:20 you cannot serve
00:18:20 --> 00:18:21 both God and money.
00:18:21 --> 00:18:22 He sets up money
00:18:22 --> 00:18:23 as the alternative God
00:18:23 --> 00:18:25 because it promises
00:18:25 --> 00:18:26 you identity.
00:18:26 --> 00:18:27 It promises you
00:18:27 --> 00:18:28 security and hope
00:18:28 --> 00:18:28 and freedom
00:18:28 --> 00:18:29 and a clear conscience
00:18:29 --> 00:18:30 and control
00:18:30 --> 00:18:31 and good health
00:18:31 --> 00:18:33 but it will never
00:18:33 --> 00:18:34 ever deliver
00:18:34 --> 00:18:35 what it promises
00:18:35 --> 00:18:35 to deliver.
00:18:36 --> 00:18:37 The biggest
00:18:37 --> 00:18:38 saving count
00:18:38 --> 00:18:38 of the world
00:18:38 --> 00:18:40 cannot stop cancer.
00:18:40 --> 00:18:41 It cannot stop
00:18:41 --> 00:18:41 traffic accidents.
00:18:42 --> 00:18:43 It cannot stop
00:18:43 --> 00:18:44 family disintegration.
00:18:44 --> 00:18:45 It cannot stop
00:18:45 --> 00:18:45 broken hearts
00:18:45 --> 00:18:46 and broken marriages.
00:18:47 --> 00:18:48 God is the only one
00:18:48 --> 00:18:50 who can give us
00:18:50 --> 00:18:50 security.
00:18:50 --> 00:18:52 The only significance
00:18:52 --> 00:18:52 we can get
00:18:52 --> 00:18:53 and the only love
00:18:53 --> 00:18:55 that we can never lose.
00:18:56 --> 00:18:59 So it seems to me
00:18:59 --> 00:19:00 that if we do not
00:19:00 --> 00:19:01 have the freedom
00:19:01 --> 00:19:03 because money
00:19:03 --> 00:19:04 enslaves you
00:19:04 --> 00:19:06 if we do not
00:19:06 --> 00:19:07 have the freedom
00:19:07 --> 00:19:08 to joyfully
00:19:08 --> 00:19:09 give our money away
00:19:09 --> 00:19:10 in eye-popping
00:19:10 --> 00:19:10 proportions
00:19:10 --> 00:19:11 it's because
00:19:11 --> 00:19:12 something
00:19:12 --> 00:19:14 besides the Lord
00:19:14 --> 00:19:14 Jesus
00:19:14 --> 00:19:15 is in fact
00:19:15 --> 00:19:16 our functional
00:19:16 --> 00:19:17 Lord and Saviour.
00:19:19 --> 00:19:20 And so how do we
00:19:20 --> 00:19:21 break the power
00:19:21 --> 00:19:21 that money has
00:19:21 --> 00:19:22 over us?
00:19:22 --> 00:19:23 The only answer
00:19:23 --> 00:19:25 is the gospel
00:19:25 --> 00:19:26 of the Lord Jesus.
00:19:26 --> 00:19:27 You see radical
00:19:27 --> 00:19:27 generosity
00:19:27 --> 00:19:28 this core value
00:19:28 --> 00:19:29 of radical generosity
00:19:29 --> 00:19:30 is not a different
00:19:30 --> 00:19:32 subject to the gospel
00:19:32 --> 00:19:33 of the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:19:33 --> 00:19:34 Radical generosity
00:19:34 --> 00:19:35 is a value
00:19:35 --> 00:19:36 that displays
00:19:36 --> 00:19:37 the wonder
00:19:37 --> 00:19:38 of the gospel
00:19:38 --> 00:19:39 in a world
00:19:39 --> 00:19:40 enslaved to money.
00:19:42 --> 00:19:43 Paul puts it
00:19:43 --> 00:19:43 like this
00:19:43 --> 00:19:44 in 2 Corinthians 8
00:19:44 --> 00:19:45 when the Corinthians
00:19:45 --> 00:19:46 were failing
00:19:46 --> 00:19:46 to follow through
00:19:46 --> 00:19:47 in their commitment
00:19:47 --> 00:19:48 to raise money
00:19:48 --> 00:19:48 for ministry of mission.
00:19:49 --> 00:19:49 He says
00:19:49 --> 00:19:50 see that you also
00:19:50 --> 00:19:51 excel in this grace
00:19:51 --> 00:19:52 of giving.
00:19:52 --> 00:19:53 I'm not commanding
00:19:53 --> 00:19:53 you but I want
00:19:53 --> 00:19:54 to test the sincerity
00:19:54 --> 00:19:55 of your love
00:19:55 --> 00:19:56 for you know
00:19:56 --> 00:19:56 the grace
00:19:56 --> 00:19:58 of our Lord Jesus Christ
00:19:58 --> 00:19:59 that though he was rich
00:19:59 --> 00:20:00 yet for your sakes
00:20:00 --> 00:20:02 he became poor
00:20:02 --> 00:20:03 so that you
00:20:03 --> 00:20:04 through his poverty
00:20:04 --> 00:20:06 might become rich.
00:20:06 --> 00:20:07 There's the gospel
00:20:07 --> 00:20:09 right there.
00:20:10 --> 00:20:11 Now everyone
00:20:11 --> 00:20:13 in this room
00:20:13 --> 00:20:15 has set their heart
00:20:15 --> 00:20:16 on something.
00:20:16 --> 00:20:17 Something has your heart.
00:20:18 --> 00:20:19 It could be children,
00:20:19 --> 00:20:19 grandchildren,
00:20:20 --> 00:20:20 status,
00:20:20 --> 00:20:20 career,
00:20:20 --> 00:20:21 physical beauty,
00:20:22 --> 00:20:22 leisure,
00:20:22 --> 00:20:23 investments,
00:20:23 --> 00:20:24 great Australian dream,
00:20:25 --> 00:20:25 tools,
00:20:25 --> 00:20:26 it could be anything
00:20:26 --> 00:20:30 and whatever it is
00:20:30 --> 00:20:33 we will do battle
00:20:33 --> 00:20:35 in order to get it.
00:20:37 --> 00:20:38 We will pay
00:20:38 --> 00:20:39 any cost for it
00:20:39 --> 00:20:41 anything to maintain it
00:20:41 --> 00:20:41 sustain it
00:20:41 --> 00:20:42 and reclaim it.
00:20:43 --> 00:20:44 We will give our lives
00:20:44 --> 00:20:45 for it ultimately.
00:20:45 --> 00:20:46 We will sacrifice
00:20:46 --> 00:20:47 for it.
00:20:47 --> 00:20:49 Some in you know
00:20:49 --> 00:20:49 I will sacrifice
00:20:49 --> 00:20:50 for tools
00:20:50 --> 00:20:51 but I will give
00:20:51 --> 00:20:52 my life away
00:20:52 --> 00:20:53 for my wife
00:20:53 --> 00:20:53 and my kids
00:20:53 --> 00:20:59 because they got my heart.
00:21:00 --> 00:21:02 Jesus came
00:21:02 --> 00:21:03 and he died
00:21:03 --> 00:21:04 for us.
00:21:05 --> 00:21:06 Why would he do that?
00:21:08 --> 00:21:10 At least one answer
00:21:10 --> 00:21:11 is that you
00:21:11 --> 00:21:12 and I
00:21:12 --> 00:21:14 are his heart's treasure.
00:21:14 --> 00:21:17 every other treasure
00:21:17 --> 00:21:18 will insist
00:21:18 --> 00:21:19 that you die
00:21:19 --> 00:21:21 in order to
00:21:21 --> 00:21:22 sacrifice,
00:21:23 --> 00:21:23 in order to purchase it.
00:21:23 --> 00:21:24 You will sacrifice
00:21:24 --> 00:21:26 in order to purchase it
00:21:26 --> 00:21:27 but Jesus
00:21:27 --> 00:21:29 is the only treasure
00:21:29 --> 00:21:30 that sacrificed
00:21:30 --> 00:21:31 to purchase us.
00:21:34 --> 00:21:36 And so the way
00:21:36 --> 00:21:37 we break the hold
00:21:37 --> 00:21:37 of money
00:21:37 --> 00:21:38 over our life
00:21:38 --> 00:21:40 is to think
00:21:40 --> 00:21:41 and to think
00:21:41 --> 00:21:42 and to think
00:21:42 --> 00:21:43 on the radical
00:21:43 --> 00:21:43 generosity
00:21:43 --> 00:21:46 of Jesus Christ
00:21:46 --> 00:21:47 on the cross
00:21:47 --> 00:21:48 until we get
00:21:48 --> 00:21:48 the freedom
00:21:48 --> 00:21:49 to joyfully
00:21:49 --> 00:21:51 give generously.
00:21:51 --> 00:21:52 There is no
00:21:52 --> 00:21:53 other motivation.
00:21:55 --> 00:21:55 When we see
00:21:55 --> 00:21:56 Jesus dying
00:21:56 --> 00:21:57 because he so
00:21:57 --> 00:21:58 loved the world
00:21:58 --> 00:22:00 only then
00:22:00 --> 00:22:01 will we
00:22:01 --> 00:22:02 actually love him.
00:22:03 --> 00:22:04 When we see
00:22:04 --> 00:22:05 we are his
00:22:05 --> 00:22:06 greatest treasure
00:22:06 --> 00:22:08 then he
00:22:08 --> 00:22:09 will become
00:22:09 --> 00:22:10 our greatest
00:22:10 --> 00:22:10 treasure
00:22:10 --> 00:22:11 which is
00:22:11 --> 00:22:12 part of our
00:22:12 --> 00:22:13 mission statement
00:22:13 --> 00:22:13 as a church.
00:22:14 --> 00:22:15 The advice
00:22:15 --> 00:22:16 of the Apostle
00:22:16 --> 00:22:17 Paul here
00:22:17 --> 00:22:17 is
00:22:17 --> 00:22:18 don't sit down
00:22:18 --> 00:22:19 with a calculator
00:22:19 --> 00:22:20 if you want
00:22:20 --> 00:22:21 to break
00:22:21 --> 00:22:21 the power
00:22:21 --> 00:22:21 of money
00:22:21 --> 00:22:22 over your life
00:22:22 --> 00:22:22 and to grow
00:22:22 --> 00:22:23 in generosity.
00:22:24 --> 00:22:24 Sit down
00:22:24 --> 00:22:25 with the cross
00:22:25 --> 00:22:26 and think
00:22:26 --> 00:22:27 about what
00:22:27 --> 00:22:28 Jesus did
00:22:28 --> 00:22:28 what he has
00:22:28 --> 00:22:29 given
00:22:29 --> 00:22:29 and what he has
00:22:29 --> 00:22:30 promised
00:22:30 --> 00:22:31 until it
00:22:31 --> 00:22:32 causes us
00:22:32 --> 00:22:33 to be generous
00:22:33 --> 00:22:34 like he
00:22:34 --> 00:22:35 has been
00:22:35 --> 00:22:35 generous to us.
00:22:37 --> 00:22:38 Now I
00:22:38 --> 00:22:38 recently read
00:22:38 --> 00:22:39 the sad
00:22:39 --> 00:22:39 reality is
00:22:39 --> 00:22:40 that many
00:22:40 --> 00:22:40 Christians
00:22:40 --> 00:22:41 are in fact
00:22:41 --> 00:22:41 not radically
00:22:41 --> 00:22:42 generous.
00:22:43 --> 00:22:43 What that
00:22:43 --> 00:22:44 means is
00:22:44 --> 00:22:45 that although
00:22:45 --> 00:22:46 they profess
00:22:46 --> 00:22:46 faith in
00:22:46 --> 00:22:47 Jesus
00:22:47 --> 00:22:48 they haven't
00:22:48 --> 00:22:49 fully grasped
00:22:49 --> 00:22:50 the significance
00:22:50 --> 00:22:52 of the radical
00:22:52 --> 00:22:52 generosity
00:22:52 --> 00:22:53 of the Lord
00:22:53 --> 00:22:54 Jesus on the
00:22:54 --> 00:22:54 cross.
00:22:56 --> 00:22:57 Same recent
00:22:57 --> 00:22:57 survey
00:22:57 --> 00:22:59 20% of those
00:22:59 --> 00:22:59 who regarded
00:22:59 --> 00:23:00 themselves as
00:23:00 --> 00:23:01 mature or
00:23:01 --> 00:23:01 very mature
00:23:01 --> 00:23:02 Christians
00:23:02 --> 00:23:03 had never
00:23:03 --> 00:23:03 given a
00:23:03 --> 00:23:04 single cent
00:23:04 --> 00:23:05 to any
00:23:05 --> 00:23:06 Christian
00:23:06 --> 00:23:06 ministry
00:23:06 --> 00:23:07 at all.
00:23:10 --> 00:23:10 And what's
00:23:10 --> 00:23:11 more the
00:23:11 --> 00:23:11 average
00:23:11 --> 00:23:11 Christian
00:23:11 --> 00:23:13 gave just
00:23:13 --> 00:23:14 2.7%
00:23:14 --> 00:23:14 of their
00:23:14 --> 00:23:15 income away
00:23:15 --> 00:23:16 to anything
00:23:16 --> 00:23:17 not just
00:23:17 --> 00:23:18 to mission
00:23:18 --> 00:23:18 but to
00:23:18 --> 00:23:19 charity work
00:23:19 --> 00:23:19 and anything.
00:23:23 --> 00:23:24 Because of
00:23:24 --> 00:23:25 the gospel
00:23:25 --> 00:23:26 we should
00:23:26 --> 00:23:26 seek this
00:23:26 --> 00:23:27 core value
00:23:27 --> 00:23:28 of radical
00:23:28 --> 00:23:29 generosity
00:23:29 --> 00:23:29 to shape
00:23:29 --> 00:23:31 our attitudes
00:23:31 --> 00:23:32 and our
00:23:32 --> 00:23:32 actions in
00:23:32 --> 00:23:32 our life
00:23:32 --> 00:23:33 here as a
00:23:33 --> 00:23:33 church.
00:23:33 --> 00:23:34 Radical
00:23:34 --> 00:23:34 generosity
00:23:34 --> 00:23:35 is not
00:23:35 --> 00:23:36 just about
00:23:36 --> 00:23:36 what you
00:23:36 --> 00:23:36 give
00:23:36 --> 00:23:37 it's also
00:23:37 --> 00:23:38 about what
00:23:38 --> 00:23:38 you keep.
00:23:39 --> 00:23:39 Now let's
00:23:39 --> 00:23:40 be frank
00:23:40 --> 00:23:41 we're all
00:23:41 --> 00:23:41 at different
00:23:41 --> 00:23:42 levels here.
00:23:42 --> 00:23:43 Some of us
00:23:43 --> 00:23:43 are sitting
00:23:43 --> 00:23:44 fairly securely
00:23:44 --> 00:23:46 financially
00:23:46 --> 00:23:48 let me just
00:23:48 --> 00:23:49 restate that
00:23:49 --> 00:23:50 every single
00:23:50 --> 00:23:50 one of us
00:23:50 --> 00:23:50 here is
00:23:50 --> 00:23:51 sitting secure
00:23:51 --> 00:23:52 financially
00:23:52 --> 00:23:53 given that
00:23:53 --> 00:23:54 every member
00:23:54 --> 00:23:55 of the
00:23:55 --> 00:23:55 Australian
00:23:55 --> 00:23:55 population
00:23:55 --> 00:23:56 is in the
00:23:56 --> 00:23:57 top 1.5%
00:23:57 --> 00:23:58 of wealthy
00:23:58 --> 00:23:58 people in the
00:23:58 --> 00:23:58 world.
00:23:59 --> 00:24:00 So it doesn't
00:24:00 --> 00:24:00 matter where you
00:24:00 --> 00:24:01 are you're in
00:24:01 --> 00:24:02 1.5%
00:24:02 --> 00:24:03 wealthiest people
00:24:03 --> 00:24:03 in the world.
00:24:03 --> 00:24:04 If you own
00:24:04 --> 00:24:04 one motor
00:24:04 --> 00:24:05 vehicle you're
00:24:05 --> 00:24:05 in the top
00:24:05 --> 00:24:06 half a percent
00:24:06 --> 00:24:08 of wealthiest
00:24:08 --> 00:24:09 people in the
00:24:09 --> 00:24:09 world.
00:24:10 --> 00:24:10 So on one
00:24:10 --> 00:24:11 level
00:24:11 --> 00:24:12 taken in
00:24:12 --> 00:24:13 perspective
00:24:13 --> 00:24:13 we're all
00:24:13 --> 00:24:14 sitting fairly
00:24:14 --> 00:24:14 securely
00:24:14 --> 00:24:15 but some
00:24:15 --> 00:24:16 more secure
00:24:16 --> 00:24:16 than others
00:24:16 --> 00:24:17 you might
00:24:17 --> 00:24:17 say.
00:24:19 --> 00:24:19 And the
00:24:19 --> 00:24:20 Bible says
00:24:20 --> 00:24:20 those have
00:24:20 --> 00:24:21 been given
00:24:21 --> 00:24:21 much as
00:24:21 --> 00:24:22 expected.
00:24:22 --> 00:24:23 Some of
00:24:23 --> 00:24:24 further down
00:24:24 --> 00:24:24 the scale
00:24:24 --> 00:24:25 on that
00:24:25 --> 00:24:25 some of us
00:24:25 --> 00:24:26 are sitting
00:24:26 --> 00:24:27 here thinking
00:24:27 --> 00:24:27 our small
00:24:27 --> 00:24:28 contribution
00:24:28 --> 00:24:29 won't make
00:24:29 --> 00:24:29 any sort
00:24:29 --> 00:24:30 of difference.
00:24:30 --> 00:24:30 I want
00:24:30 --> 00:24:31 to say
00:24:31 --> 00:24:31 radical
00:24:31 --> 00:24:32 generosity
00:24:32 --> 00:24:33 is not
00:24:33 --> 00:24:33 about the
00:24:33 --> 00:24:34 size of
00:24:34 --> 00:24:34 your bank
00:24:34 --> 00:24:34 account.
00:24:34 --> 00:24:35 It's not
00:24:35 --> 00:24:36 about that.
00:24:38 --> 00:24:39 It doesn't
00:24:39 --> 00:24:39 matter what
00:24:39 --> 00:24:40 end of the
00:24:40 --> 00:24:40 spectrum you're
00:24:40 --> 00:24:40 on.
00:24:41 --> 00:24:41 Equal
00:24:41 --> 00:24:42 sacrifice
00:24:42 --> 00:24:43 but unequal
00:24:43 --> 00:24:44 giving is the
00:24:44 --> 00:24:44 biblical
00:24:44 --> 00:24:45 principle.
00:24:46 --> 00:24:46 Equal
00:24:46 --> 00:24:47 sacrifice
00:24:47 --> 00:24:48 unequal
00:24:48 --> 00:24:48 giving.
00:24:49 --> 00:24:49 So sit
00:24:49 --> 00:24:50 down.
00:24:50 --> 00:24:50 I want to
00:24:50 --> 00:24:51 encourage you
00:24:51 --> 00:24:51 tonight.
00:24:51 --> 00:24:52 Sit down
00:24:52 --> 00:24:52 with the
00:24:52 --> 00:24:53 cross on
00:24:53 --> 00:24:54 this
00:24:54 --> 00:24:54 commitment
00:24:54 --> 00:24:54 Sunday.
00:24:54 --> 00:24:55 Make a
00:24:55 --> 00:24:55 decision
00:24:55 --> 00:24:56 to take
00:24:56 --> 00:24:57 one step
00:24:57 --> 00:24:58 forward
00:24:58 --> 00:24:58 in showing
00:24:58 --> 00:25:00 gratitude
00:25:00 --> 00:25:02 in showing
00:25:02 --> 00:25:04 gratitude
00:25:04 --> 00:25:05 of what
00:25:05 --> 00:25:05 Christ has
00:25:05 --> 00:25:06 done for
00:25:06 --> 00:25:06 you.
00:25:06 --> 00:25:06 The
00:25:06 --> 00:25:07 gospel
00:25:07 --> 00:25:08 is to
00:25:08 --> 00:25:09 be your
00:25:09 --> 00:25:09 motivation.
00:25:09 --> 00:25:10 Not even
00:25:10 --> 00:25:10 our current
00:25:10 --> 00:25:11 financial issues
00:25:11 --> 00:25:12 are to be
00:25:12 --> 00:25:13 your motivation.
00:25:13 --> 00:25:13 The gospel
00:25:13 --> 00:25:14 has to be
00:25:14 --> 00:25:15 your motivation.
00:25:16 --> 00:25:16 I want us
00:25:16 --> 00:25:16 to be
00:25:16 --> 00:25:17 joyfully
00:25:17 --> 00:25:18 radically
00:25:18 --> 00:25:18 generous
00:25:18 --> 00:25:19 because it
00:25:19 --> 00:25:20 reflects the
00:25:20 --> 00:25:21 hearts that
00:25:21 --> 00:25:22 are aligned
00:25:22 --> 00:25:22 with God's
00:25:22 --> 00:25:22 heart.
00:25:23 --> 00:25:24 So our
00:25:24 --> 00:25:25 grasp of
00:25:25 --> 00:25:25 the great
00:25:25 --> 00:25:26 eternal
00:25:26 --> 00:25:26 treasure that
00:25:26 --> 00:25:27 Jesus is
00:25:27 --> 00:25:27 will be
00:25:27 --> 00:25:28 reflected in
00:25:28 --> 00:25:29 a life of
00:25:29 --> 00:25:29 radical
00:25:29 --> 00:25:30 generosity.
00:25:30 --> 00:25:31 Especially so
00:25:31 --> 00:25:32 in a world
00:25:32 --> 00:25:32 that loves
00:25:32 --> 00:25:32 money.
00:25:33 --> 00:25:33 And so here's
00:25:33 --> 00:25:34 what I want
00:25:34 --> 00:25:34 you to do
00:25:34 --> 00:25:34 today.
00:25:36 --> 00:25:36 If you are
00:25:36 --> 00:25:37 not, you
00:25:37 --> 00:25:38 might be one
00:25:38 --> 00:25:38 of those 20%
00:25:38 --> 00:25:39 never give
00:25:39 --> 00:25:39 anything.
00:25:39 --> 00:25:40 If you are
00:25:40 --> 00:25:41 not currently
00:25:41 --> 00:25:42 giving, start
00:25:42 --> 00:25:42 giving.
00:25:43 --> 00:25:44 If you are
00:25:44 --> 00:25:45 giving
00:25:45 --> 00:25:46 irregularly,
00:25:46 --> 00:25:47 spasmodically,
00:25:47 --> 00:25:48 start giving
00:25:48 --> 00:25:48 regularly.
00:25:48 --> 00:25:49 Take one step
00:25:49 --> 00:25:49 towards that
00:25:49 --> 00:25:50 direction.
00:25:50 --> 00:25:51 If you are
00:25:51 --> 00:25:51 regularly given
00:25:51 --> 00:25:52 but you're
00:25:52 --> 00:25:53 only giving
00:25:53 --> 00:25:53 a pretty small
00:25:53 --> 00:25:54 portion,
00:25:54 --> 00:25:55 take further
00:25:55 --> 00:25:56 steps towards
00:25:56 --> 00:25:58 that 10%
00:25:58 --> 00:25:59 ballpark that
00:25:59 --> 00:26:00 God seems to
00:26:00 --> 00:26:00 have had there
00:26:00 --> 00:26:01 in the Old
00:26:01 --> 00:26:01 Testament.
00:26:01 --> 00:26:02 If you're
00:26:02 --> 00:26:03 irregular and
00:26:03 --> 00:26:04 already hitting
00:26:04 --> 00:26:04 the 10%,
00:26:04 --> 00:26:05 then just go
00:26:05 --> 00:26:05 beyond it.
00:26:06 --> 00:26:07 It's not
00:26:07 --> 00:26:07 meant to be a
00:26:07 --> 00:26:08 legalistic
00:26:08 --> 00:26:08 limitation.
00:26:08 --> 00:26:09 Take a step
00:26:09 --> 00:26:10 towards extravagant
00:26:10 --> 00:26:11 giving beyond
00:26:11 --> 00:26:12 that 10%.
00:26:12 --> 00:26:13 And so with
00:26:13 --> 00:26:14 the crossing
00:26:14 --> 00:26:16 view and the
00:26:16 --> 00:26:17 principle of
00:26:17 --> 00:26:18 equal sacrifice
00:26:18 --> 00:26:18 but unequal
00:26:18 --> 00:26:19 giving in mind,
00:26:19 --> 00:26:20 I want to
00:26:20 --> 00:26:21 encourage you
00:26:21 --> 00:26:21 to apply the
00:26:21 --> 00:26:22 big gulp
00:26:22 --> 00:26:23 principle to
00:26:23 --> 00:26:23 your pledge
00:26:23 --> 00:26:24 today.
00:26:25 --> 00:26:25 Write a
00:26:25 --> 00:26:26 figure on a
00:26:26 --> 00:26:26 piece of
00:26:26 --> 00:26:28 paper and
00:26:28 --> 00:26:29 your big
00:26:29 --> 00:26:29 gulp is
00:26:29 --> 00:26:29 going to be
00:26:29 --> 00:26:30 different than
00:26:30 --> 00:26:30 my big
00:26:30 --> 00:26:30 gulp.
00:26:32 --> 00:26:33 That is,
00:26:33 --> 00:26:33 write a
00:26:33 --> 00:26:33 piece of
00:26:33 --> 00:26:35 paper, a
00:26:35 --> 00:26:35 figure, and
00:26:35 --> 00:26:36 if it doesn't
00:26:36 --> 00:26:36 cause you to
00:26:36 --> 00:26:36 go,
00:26:37 --> 00:26:39 then maybe you
00:26:39 --> 00:26:40 should try
00:26:40 --> 00:26:40 writing something
00:26:40 --> 00:26:41 else on the
00:26:41 --> 00:26:42 piece of
00:26:42 --> 00:26:42 paper.
00:26:42 --> 00:26:44 And then
00:26:44 --> 00:26:46 pray for the
00:26:46 --> 00:26:47 grace and
00:26:47 --> 00:26:48 enabling of
00:26:48 --> 00:26:49 God to
00:26:49 --> 00:26:50 fulfill it
00:26:50 --> 00:26:50 joyfully
00:26:50 --> 00:26:51 throughout the
00:26:51 --> 00:26:51 year.
00:26:52 --> 00:26:52 You see,
00:26:52 --> 00:26:52 writing something
00:26:52 --> 00:26:53 on a piece
00:26:53 --> 00:26:53 of paper is
00:26:53 --> 00:26:54 one thing.
00:26:54 --> 00:26:55 To joyfully
00:26:55 --> 00:26:56 fulfill that
00:26:56 --> 00:26:57 week after week
00:26:57 --> 00:26:57 throughout the
00:26:57 --> 00:26:58 course of the
00:26:58 --> 00:26:59 year, that's
00:26:59 --> 00:26:59 where it gets
00:26:59 --> 00:27:00 hard.
00:27:01 --> 00:27:01 You know,
00:27:01 --> 00:27:02 when the bills
00:27:02 --> 00:27:02 are racking
00:27:02 --> 00:27:03 up and there's
00:27:03 --> 00:27:03 things you want
00:27:03 --> 00:27:04 to do and
00:27:04 --> 00:27:04 other people
00:27:04 --> 00:27:05 are buying
00:27:05 --> 00:27:05 stuff and
00:27:05 --> 00:27:06 you're not,
00:27:06 --> 00:27:07 that's when
00:27:07 --> 00:27:07 it gets
00:27:07 --> 00:27:08 hard.
00:27:10 --> 00:27:11 Do it
00:27:11 --> 00:27:12 because of
00:27:12 --> 00:27:12 the radical
00:27:12 --> 00:27:13 generosity of
00:27:13 --> 00:27:13 the Lord
00:27:13 --> 00:27:14 Jesus going
00:27:14 --> 00:27:14 to cross
00:27:14 --> 00:27:15 for you?
00:27:16 --> 00:27:17 I firmly
00:27:17 --> 00:27:17 believe that
00:27:17 --> 00:27:18 when the
00:27:18 --> 00:27:18 cross of
00:27:18 --> 00:27:19 Christ is
00:27:19 --> 00:27:20 our motivation,
00:27:21 --> 00:27:22 our experience
00:27:22 --> 00:27:23 in giving
00:27:23 --> 00:27:24 will in fact
00:27:24 --> 00:27:24 be a joy.
00:27:26 --> 00:27:27 So let me
00:27:27 --> 00:27:27 read to you
00:27:27 --> 00:27:28 what Paul
00:27:28 --> 00:27:28 says about
00:27:28 --> 00:27:29 the Macedonian
00:27:29 --> 00:27:30 church in
00:27:30 --> 00:27:30 2 Corinthians
00:27:30 --> 00:27:31 8.
00:27:31 --> 00:27:32 And now
00:27:32 --> 00:27:32 brothers,
00:27:32 --> 00:27:32 we want you
00:27:32 --> 00:27:33 to know
00:27:33 --> 00:27:33 about the
00:27:33 --> 00:27:34 grace that
00:27:34 --> 00:27:35 God has
00:27:35 --> 00:27:35 given the
00:27:35 --> 00:27:36 Macedonian
00:27:36 --> 00:27:36 churches.
00:27:37 --> 00:27:37 Out of
00:27:37 --> 00:27:37 the most
00:27:37 --> 00:27:38 severe trial,
00:27:38 --> 00:27:39 their overflowing
00:27:39 --> 00:27:40 joy and
00:27:40 --> 00:27:41 their extreme
00:27:41 --> 00:27:42 poverty welled
00:27:42 --> 00:27:42 up in rich
00:27:42 --> 00:27:43 generosity.
00:27:43 --> 00:27:44 For I
00:27:44 --> 00:27:45 testify that
00:27:45 --> 00:27:45 they gave
00:27:45 --> 00:27:45 as much
00:27:45 --> 00:27:46 as they
00:27:46 --> 00:27:46 were able
00:27:46 --> 00:27:47 and even
00:27:47 --> 00:27:48 beyond their
00:27:48 --> 00:27:48 ability,
00:27:49 --> 00:27:50 entirely on
00:27:50 --> 00:27:51 their own,
00:27:51 --> 00:27:52 they urgently
00:27:52 --> 00:27:52 pleaded with
00:27:52 --> 00:27:53 us for the
00:27:53 --> 00:27:54 privilege of
00:27:54 --> 00:27:54 sharing in
00:27:54 --> 00:27:56 this service
00:27:56 --> 00:27:56 to the
00:27:56 --> 00:27:56 saints.
00:27:57 --> 00:27:58 The
00:27:58 --> 00:27:58 Macedonians
00:27:58 --> 00:28:01 are models
00:28:01 --> 00:28:02 of radical
00:28:02 --> 00:28:03 generosity and
00:28:03 --> 00:28:04 Paul shares
00:28:04 --> 00:28:05 their radical
00:28:05 --> 00:28:06 generosity with
00:28:06 --> 00:28:06 the church
00:28:06 --> 00:28:07 of Corinth in
00:28:07 --> 00:28:08 order to
00:28:08 --> 00:28:09 inspire them
00:28:09 --> 00:28:09 into the
00:28:09 --> 00:28:09 lives of
00:28:09 --> 00:28:09 radical
00:28:09 --> 00:28:10 generosity
00:28:10 --> 00:28:10 themselves.
00:28:11 --> 00:28:11 And I
00:28:11 --> 00:28:11 believe they're
00:28:11 --> 00:28:12 meant to be
00:28:12 --> 00:28:12 an inspiration
00:28:12 --> 00:28:13 for us
00:28:13 --> 00:28:13 too.
00:28:15 --> 00:28:16 In great
00:28:16 --> 00:28:16 poverty,
00:28:16 --> 00:28:17 they pleaded
00:28:17 --> 00:28:18 for the
00:28:18 --> 00:28:18 privilege of
00:28:18 --> 00:28:19 giving.
00:28:20 --> 00:28:20 They saw it
00:28:20 --> 00:28:20 as a
00:28:20 --> 00:28:21 privilege,
00:28:21 --> 00:28:21 not a
00:28:21 --> 00:28:21 burden.
00:28:24 --> 00:28:24 And so
00:28:24 --> 00:28:25 our core
00:28:25 --> 00:28:25 value of
00:28:25 --> 00:28:26 radical
00:28:26 --> 00:28:26 generosity
00:28:26 --> 00:28:27 reads like
00:28:27 --> 00:28:27 this.
00:28:28 --> 00:28:28 Our
00:28:28 --> 00:28:29 gifts,
00:28:29 --> 00:28:30 possessions,
00:28:30 --> 00:28:31 finances and
00:28:31 --> 00:28:31 time belong
00:28:31 --> 00:28:32 to God.
00:28:32 --> 00:28:33 We will
00:28:33 --> 00:28:33 therefore use
00:28:33 --> 00:28:34 them for
00:28:34 --> 00:28:34 his glory and
00:28:34 --> 00:28:35 not for
00:28:35 --> 00:28:36 our comfort.
00:28:36 --> 00:28:37 We desire
00:28:37 --> 00:28:37 to be like
00:28:37 --> 00:28:38 the Macedonians
00:28:38 --> 00:28:39 whose joy in
00:28:39 --> 00:28:40 Christ through
00:28:40 --> 00:28:41 extremely difficult
00:28:41 --> 00:28:42 circumstances resulted
00:28:42 --> 00:28:43 in rich generosity
00:28:43 --> 00:28:44 towards others.
00:28:45 --> 00:28:46 We believe that in
00:28:46 --> 00:28:47 a world that
00:28:47 --> 00:28:47 loves money,
00:28:48 --> 00:28:49 a lifestyle of
00:28:49 --> 00:28:50 radical generosity
00:28:50 --> 00:28:51 proclaims that
00:28:51 --> 00:28:52 Jesus is our
00:28:52 --> 00:28:53 greatest treasure.
00:28:54 --> 00:28:54 And so as a
00:28:54 --> 00:28:55 church we are
00:28:55 --> 00:28:55 committed to
00:28:55 --> 00:28:56 sacrificial,
00:28:56 --> 00:28:57 enthusiastic,
00:28:58 --> 00:28:58 joyful,
00:28:58 --> 00:28:59 regular giving in
00:28:59 --> 00:29:00 response to the
00:29:00 --> 00:29:01 gospel of grace.
00:29:01 --> 00:29:02 We're committed to
00:29:02 --> 00:29:03 supporting those who
00:29:03 --> 00:29:04 teach the word of
00:29:04 --> 00:29:04 God.
00:29:04 --> 00:29:05 We're committed to
00:29:05 --> 00:29:06 the responsibility of
00:29:06 --> 00:29:07 all Christians to
00:29:07 --> 00:29:07 pay what they
00:29:07 --> 00:29:08 owe.
00:29:08 --> 00:29:09 We're committed to
00:29:09 --> 00:29:10 the responsibility of
00:29:10 --> 00:29:11 all Christians to
00:29:11 --> 00:29:12 provide faithfully for
00:29:12 --> 00:29:12 their family,
00:29:13 --> 00:29:14 being generous to
00:29:14 --> 00:29:14 the poor and
00:29:14 --> 00:29:15 needy and supporting
00:29:15 --> 00:29:17 the wider work of
00:29:17 --> 00:29:18 the advancement of
00:29:18 --> 00:29:19 the gospel in the
00:29:19 --> 00:29:19 world.
00:29:20 --> 00:29:21 So brothers and
00:29:21 --> 00:29:22 sisters, as you
00:29:22 --> 00:29:23 submit your pledge
00:29:23 --> 00:29:25 tonight and as you
00:29:25 --> 00:29:26 under God seek to
00:29:26 --> 00:29:27 fulfill it in the
00:29:27 --> 00:29:29 coming year, may
00:29:29 --> 00:29:30 Paul's words to the
00:29:30 --> 00:29:31 Corinthian church be
00:29:31 --> 00:29:33 ever on your minds
00:29:33 --> 00:29:34 and your hearts.
00:29:35 --> 00:29:36 Excel in this grace
00:29:36 --> 00:29:37 of giving.
00:29:37 --> 00:29:38 I'm not commanding
00:29:38 --> 00:29:39 you, but I want to
00:29:39 --> 00:29:40 test the sincerity of
00:29:40 --> 00:29:42 your love for you
00:29:42 --> 00:29:43 know the grace of our
00:29:43 --> 00:29:45 Lord Jesus Christ that
00:29:45 --> 00:29:46 though he was rich,
00:29:46 --> 00:29:48 yet for your sakes he
00:29:48 --> 00:29:50 became poor so that
00:29:50 --> 00:29:52 you through his poverty
00:29:52 --> 00:29:54 might become rich.
00:29:54 --> 00:29:55 Amen.