Regular & Sporadic Generosity
Series: Vision Series 2025- Rhythms of Grace
Speaker: Steve Jeffrey
Date: 16th March 2025
00:00:00 --> 00:00:01 Well, good morning, everyone.
00:00:02 --> 00:00:03 Great to see you.
00:00:03 --> 00:00:05 If I've not met you before, my name is Steve,
00:00:05 --> 00:00:07 lead pastor here at St Paul's.
00:00:07 --> 00:00:11 And you have caught us in the middle of this series
00:00:11 --> 00:00:13 or towards the end of this series on rhythms of grace.
00:00:15 --> 00:00:18 And we come to the one which is the one
00:00:18 --> 00:00:21 we particularly don't want to talk about in our day and age,
00:00:21 --> 00:00:23 and that has to do with money and giving,
00:00:23 --> 00:00:26 probably because it's one of the biggest idolatries
00:00:26 --> 00:00:27 of our day and age.
00:00:27 --> 00:00:30 It's deeply connected to who we are as people.
00:00:31 --> 00:00:35 So let me pray because this one probably tends to be
00:00:35 --> 00:00:37 the most difficult one for us to hear.
00:00:38 --> 00:00:40 And as I preach, the tendency will be to listen
00:00:40 --> 00:00:44 to the voices in my heart and the voice of society
00:00:44 --> 00:00:48 coming up with all kinds of excuses and reasons
00:00:48 --> 00:00:51 and justifications as to why we don't need
00:00:51 --> 00:00:53 to obey God's word at this point.
00:00:54 --> 00:00:54 So let's pray.
00:00:54 --> 00:00:58 Gracious God, you are magnificent.
00:00:58 --> 00:01:01 You are worthy of all of our honour and praise.
00:01:02 --> 00:01:05 You are the God who has called us,
00:01:05 --> 00:01:09 who has made us and called us as your people
00:01:09 --> 00:01:11 into obedience to you.
00:01:12 --> 00:01:16 Lord, you have gifted us with everything good.
00:01:17 --> 00:01:19 You are a radically generous God.
00:01:19 --> 00:01:22 You are the God who owns all things,
00:01:22 --> 00:01:24 and you have called us to be your stewards.
00:01:25 --> 00:01:29 And yet we are existing in a day and age and a culture
00:01:29 --> 00:01:32 with hearts that love to build our identity
00:01:32 --> 00:01:34 on all sorts of things,
00:01:34 --> 00:01:37 but primarily in this day and age
00:01:37 --> 00:01:40 on the accumulation of things,
00:01:40 --> 00:01:41 of wealth and security.
00:01:41 --> 00:01:43 We love the idea of security.
00:01:43 --> 00:01:45 We love the idea of comfort.
00:01:45 --> 00:01:50 And so, Lord, challenge us that we might lean into you more
00:01:50 --> 00:01:53 and that we might experience your generosity
00:01:53 --> 00:01:56 and joy in you more.
00:01:56 --> 00:01:58 So let us hear your word today.
00:01:59 --> 00:02:03 We pray for whatever is needed for each heart that is gathered,
00:02:04 --> 00:02:06 that you would speak through your word,
00:02:06 --> 00:02:08 by your spirit and bring change.
00:02:09 --> 00:02:10 And we ask it for your glory.
00:02:10 --> 00:02:11 Amen.
00:02:12 --> 00:02:16 It's a well-sighted fact that in the three years
00:02:16 --> 00:02:18 of Jesus' earthly ministry,
00:02:18 --> 00:02:23 he said more about money and possessions and greed and wealth
00:02:23 --> 00:02:27 than he did about faith or sex or family or anything else.
00:02:28 --> 00:02:30 And that in a day and age,
00:02:31 --> 00:02:34 which was when under Roman oppression,
00:02:34 --> 00:02:39 where the family unit and the idea of society
00:02:39 --> 00:02:42 as a collective unit was prominent
00:02:42 --> 00:02:45 in the way that they, in terms of their value system,
00:02:45 --> 00:02:47 and yet he spoke more about money
00:02:47 --> 00:02:49 than he did about anything else.
00:02:49 --> 00:02:52 One-third of his parables are on the topic of money.
00:02:53 --> 00:02:56 Our perspective on money and possessions and wealth
00:02:56 --> 00:02:58 and how we handle them,
00:02:58 --> 00:03:03 therefore, lies at the very heart of Christian discipleship,
00:03:03 --> 00:03:06 which is the concern that we have at the moment
00:03:06 --> 00:03:09 for our vision series.
00:03:09 --> 00:03:17 What we do with our resources will influence eternity.
00:03:18 --> 00:03:21 And God has recorded in the Bible
00:03:21 --> 00:03:27 everything that we need to know about his investment priorities.
00:03:27 --> 00:03:29 What does it mean to be a steward of the resources
00:03:29 --> 00:03:31 that he's given us?
00:03:31 --> 00:03:35 He's recorded everything we need to know
00:03:35 --> 00:03:39 about the high standards he has set for management
00:03:39 --> 00:03:43 and the rewards that he offers his faithful stewards.
00:03:44 --> 00:03:47 The New Testament gives us plenty of examples
00:03:47 --> 00:03:52 of the good that is done by a life of financial generosity.
00:03:53 --> 00:03:55 2 Corinthians 8 and 9,
00:03:55 --> 00:03:57 we see that sacrificial giving is acceptable to God
00:03:57 --> 00:03:59 in verses 11 and 12.
00:03:59 --> 00:04:03 It supplies the needs of others and relieves hardship
00:04:03 --> 00:04:05 in verses 14 and 15.
00:04:05 --> 00:04:10 It stirs up generosity in others in chapter 9, verse 2.
00:04:10 --> 00:04:12 It enhances Christian fellowship and partnership
00:04:12 --> 00:04:14 in chapter 9, verse 14.
00:04:14 --> 00:04:19 And it leads to the praise of God in chapter 9, verses 12 to 15.
00:04:19 --> 00:04:26 But it is what financial generosity does to our own hearts,
00:04:27 --> 00:04:32 our own lives, that is just as important
00:04:32 --> 00:04:38 and why we would include it in our list of rhythms of grace,
00:04:38 --> 00:04:40 Christian disciplines, holy habits,
00:04:40 --> 00:04:44 that it should be a regular thing that we are constantly practicing
00:04:44 --> 00:04:50 to drive the big truths of God down into our heart
00:04:50 --> 00:04:53 and out into the way we view the world.
00:04:53 --> 00:04:59 So Jesus connects our hearts and our wealth
00:04:59 --> 00:05:02 when he encouraged his disciples
00:05:02 --> 00:05:07 to store up for themselves treasures in heaven in Matthew 6.
00:05:07 --> 00:05:12 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
00:05:12 --> 00:05:18 And wherever your heart is will drive the course of your life,
00:05:19 --> 00:05:21 what your value, what your priorities are,
00:05:21 --> 00:05:24 how you behave, what you commit to,
00:05:24 --> 00:05:28 what you say yes to day in and day out.
00:05:29 --> 00:05:32 Maybe we also think that the Apostle Paul was using hyperbole
00:05:32 --> 00:05:36 when he wrote, the love of money is the root of all evil.
00:05:37 --> 00:05:44 The spirit of our age actually prefers Mark Twain's version of that verse
00:05:44 --> 00:05:49 where Mark Twain wrote, the lack of money is the root of all evil.
00:05:50 --> 00:05:55 Maybe we think Paul was overreaching when he wrote in 1 Timothy 6.10
00:05:55 --> 00:06:00 that an eagerness for money causes some people to wander from the faith,
00:06:00 --> 00:06:03 piercing themselves with many griefs.
00:06:04 --> 00:06:06 He must be talking about someone else.
00:06:07 --> 00:06:10 He must be clearly talking about the very rich people.
00:06:12 --> 00:06:15 How could money be that tightly connected
00:06:15 --> 00:06:18 to eternal issues like salvation?
00:06:20 --> 00:06:24 And so we come to Luke 18, James just read out to us,
00:06:25 --> 00:06:28 where Jesus has an interaction with a guy
00:06:28 --> 00:06:32 who through the centuries has become known as the rich young ruler.
00:06:33 --> 00:06:36 He's rich, he's young, and he's a powerful figure.
00:06:37 --> 00:06:40 And in this interaction, there are three things to learn
00:06:40 --> 00:06:41 about money and wealth and possessions
00:06:41 --> 00:06:45 and the life of generosity.
00:06:45 --> 00:06:47 And you'll see them on the screen.
00:06:48 --> 00:06:49 That's our journey today.
00:06:49 --> 00:06:51 First of all, the danger of wealth.
00:06:52 --> 00:06:55 We see that in the middle of the passage, Luke 18,
00:06:55 --> 00:06:57 if you've got your Bibles open at that point.
00:06:57 --> 00:07:00 There's also an outline for today on the St. Paul's app
00:07:00 --> 00:07:02 if you want to follow along and take notes
00:07:02 --> 00:07:04 as we're cruising along as well.
00:07:04 --> 00:07:09 So 24, verse 24, Jesus looks right at this rich young man
00:07:09 --> 00:07:10 and says,
00:07:10 --> 00:07:14 how hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God.
00:07:14 --> 00:07:20 Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle
00:07:20 --> 00:07:24 than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.
00:07:26 --> 00:07:27 Basically, what Jesus is doing here
00:07:27 --> 00:07:29 is using a metaphor of impossibility.
00:07:30 --> 00:07:33 The camel was the biggest land animal
00:07:33 --> 00:07:35 that people knew of that time.
00:07:35 --> 00:07:38 The eye of the needle was the smallest hole
00:07:38 --> 00:07:38 that they could imagine.
00:07:38 --> 00:07:42 And so it's the impossibility of the rich
00:07:42 --> 00:07:47 entering into heaven, into God's kingdom.
00:07:48 --> 00:07:49 That's the impossibility.
00:07:50 --> 00:07:53 And when Jesus speaks about rich people here,
00:07:54 --> 00:07:57 he isn't referring to people
00:07:57 --> 00:08:00 on the Forbes annual rich list in the world,
00:08:00 --> 00:08:01 you know, the billionaires.
00:08:02 --> 00:08:04 He's referring to people like you and me.
00:08:05 --> 00:08:06 When it comes to...
00:08:06 --> 00:08:07 It's interesting in our culture,
00:08:07 --> 00:08:07 whenever it comes...
00:08:07 --> 00:08:09 This is one of the issues
00:08:09 --> 00:08:11 because money and wealth and possession
00:08:11 --> 00:08:13 is such a key issue for us,
00:08:14 --> 00:08:16 is that whenever it comes to wealth,
00:08:16 --> 00:08:20 we always naturally look up the line
00:08:20 --> 00:08:25 and look to people who are wealthy in us.
00:08:25 --> 00:08:28 And we compare ourselves to people who are wealthy in us.
00:08:28 --> 00:08:30 And when it comes to issues of morality,
00:08:31 --> 00:08:32 we always look down the line
00:08:32 --> 00:08:35 and we look at people who are less moral than us.
00:08:35 --> 00:08:38 Either way, we feel better than those people
00:08:38 --> 00:08:41 and we're not quite as good as those people.
00:08:41 --> 00:08:44 And so whenever Jesus is referring to issues of morality,
00:08:44 --> 00:08:45 well, he mustn't be referring to me.
00:08:45 --> 00:08:46 He must be referring to those people.
00:08:47 --> 00:08:48 When he talks about the rich,
00:08:48 --> 00:08:49 he's clearly not talking to me.
00:08:49 --> 00:08:50 He must be talking to those people.
00:08:50 --> 00:08:51 And so we let ourselves off the hook
00:08:51 --> 00:08:53 on every instance.
00:08:54 --> 00:08:55 So I'm a pastor
00:08:55 --> 00:08:59 and my wife is a teacher
00:08:59 --> 00:09:01 and I think I've said this before.
00:09:02 --> 00:09:04 We saw a financial advisor once
00:09:04 --> 00:09:06 and he said to us,
00:09:06 --> 00:09:08 you're not giving me much to work with here.
00:09:09 --> 00:09:11 Come back when you've got other jobs
00:09:11 --> 00:09:13 or you've got more money to play with.
00:09:14 --> 00:09:16 Anyway, so we got rid of him
00:09:16 --> 00:09:17 and got another financial advisor.
00:09:18 --> 00:09:22 Anyway, so if I get my income
00:09:22 --> 00:09:23 and I type it in
00:09:23 --> 00:09:25 so you can actually get this website,
00:09:25 --> 00:09:26 Global Rich List,
00:09:26 --> 00:09:28 where it's not just about the Forbes Rich List,
00:09:29 --> 00:09:31 it's where you can put your income
00:09:31 --> 00:09:34 pre-tax or post-tax
00:09:34 --> 00:09:35 into a website
00:09:35 --> 00:09:38 and it will calculate for you
00:09:38 --> 00:09:41 where you sit on the Global Rich List.
00:09:41 --> 00:09:43 As it turns out,
00:09:43 --> 00:09:46 more than 90% of the world's population
00:09:46 --> 00:09:50 are poorer than my wife and I
00:09:50 --> 00:09:53 based on just income.
00:09:53 --> 00:09:55 Nothing else, just income.
00:09:55 --> 00:09:57 90% of the world's population.
00:09:58 --> 00:10:02 That means that if we own assets
00:10:02 --> 00:10:06 in a place like Chatswood
00:10:06 --> 00:10:07 or our surrounds,
00:10:08 --> 00:10:12 then you are way higher than 10%.
00:10:12 --> 00:10:13 In other words,
00:10:13 --> 00:10:14 what I'm getting at here
00:10:14 --> 00:10:17 is that Jesus may well be having
00:10:17 --> 00:10:19 this conversation with you.
00:10:19 --> 00:10:21 That's the point that I'm making.
00:10:23 --> 00:10:25 It's easier for a camel
00:10:25 --> 00:10:27 to go through the eye of a needle
00:10:27 --> 00:10:31 than it is for us to be right
00:10:31 --> 00:10:32 with our Creator God.
00:10:33 --> 00:10:35 Verse 26,
00:10:35 --> 00:10:37 the disciples hearing this go,
00:10:37 --> 00:10:37 well then,
00:10:37 --> 00:10:40 who then can be saved?
00:10:41 --> 00:10:41 You see,
00:10:41 --> 00:10:42 in their culture,
00:10:42 --> 00:10:44 they thought it was the rich ones
00:10:44 --> 00:10:45 who were particularly blessed by God.
00:10:45 --> 00:10:47 And so if the rich can't get in,
00:10:47 --> 00:10:48 well, who can?
00:10:49 --> 00:10:50 And Jesus responds,
00:10:50 --> 00:10:53 what is impossible with men
00:10:53 --> 00:10:55 is possible with God.
00:10:55 --> 00:10:57 Notice Jesus doesn't say,
00:10:57 --> 00:10:57 oh, well, look,
00:10:57 --> 00:11:00 what is impossible for the rich people?
00:11:01 --> 00:11:02 It's possible.
00:11:02 --> 00:11:03 He actually says,
00:11:03 --> 00:11:05 what is impossible for all people
00:11:05 --> 00:11:08 is possible with God.
00:11:09 --> 00:11:09 That is,
00:11:09 --> 00:11:11 the point he's making here is
00:11:11 --> 00:11:14 salvation is a miracle.
00:11:15 --> 00:11:17 It is in fact an impossibility,
00:11:17 --> 00:11:17 rich or poor,
00:11:17 --> 00:11:20 for anyone to be saved
00:11:20 --> 00:11:21 because Romans 3 says,
00:11:22 --> 00:11:23 all have sinned
00:11:23 --> 00:11:25 and fallen short of God's glory.
00:11:25 --> 00:11:28 It's not possible
00:11:28 --> 00:11:30 for any human beings
00:11:30 --> 00:11:31 to be saved
00:11:31 --> 00:11:34 except that God would intervene
00:11:34 --> 00:11:37 and do the impossible.
00:11:37 --> 00:11:39 That God would intervene
00:11:39 --> 00:11:41 and be radically generous
00:11:41 --> 00:11:44 with those who don't deserve it.
00:11:46 --> 00:11:49 Now, the reason Jesus raises that here
00:11:49 --> 00:11:51 with this rich young man
00:11:51 --> 00:11:54 is because the same thing
00:11:54 --> 00:11:56 that makes salvation
00:11:56 --> 00:11:58 for all of us
00:11:58 --> 00:12:01 impossible
00:12:01 --> 00:12:04 is made even worse
00:12:04 --> 00:12:06 with wealth.
00:12:07 --> 00:12:09 The Old Testament book of Proverbs
00:12:09 --> 00:12:12 is a book really,
00:12:12 --> 00:12:13 it's about wisdom,
00:12:13 --> 00:12:15 it's about how to navigate life
00:12:15 --> 00:12:17 in God's world well.
00:12:19 --> 00:12:21 And it says two really important,
00:12:21 --> 00:12:22 it says lots of things about money,
00:12:22 --> 00:12:22 by the way,
00:12:22 --> 00:12:25 but it says really two important things
00:12:25 --> 00:12:29 about the spiritual power of money.
00:12:30 --> 00:12:31 Not just the, you know,
00:12:32 --> 00:12:33 fiscal power of money,
00:12:33 --> 00:12:35 but the spiritual power of money.
00:12:35 --> 00:12:37 And the first thing it says
00:12:37 --> 00:12:39 is that money is distracting.
00:12:40 --> 00:12:43 Money has this spiritual power
00:12:43 --> 00:12:45 to distract us
00:12:45 --> 00:12:48 from what matters most in life.
00:12:48 --> 00:12:50 distracting us
00:12:50 --> 00:12:51 from asking
00:12:51 --> 00:12:53 the really important questions
00:12:53 --> 00:12:53 of
00:12:53 --> 00:12:56 so what am I here for?
00:12:58 --> 00:12:59 What am I really,
00:12:59 --> 00:13:00 what is my purpose in life?
00:13:01 --> 00:13:02 What am I seeking to accomplish in life?
00:13:04 --> 00:13:05 Proverbs 11.4 says,
00:13:06 --> 00:13:07 wealth is worthless
00:13:07 --> 00:13:09 in the day of wrath,
00:13:10 --> 00:13:13 but righteousness delivers from death.
00:13:13 --> 00:13:16 What that means is
00:13:16 --> 00:13:17 wealth is worthless
00:13:17 --> 00:13:18 in the day of wrath,
00:13:18 --> 00:13:21 is that money can't help you
00:13:21 --> 00:13:24 when the troubles in life hit.
00:13:26 --> 00:13:28 And yet it wants to confuse us
00:13:28 --> 00:13:29 to think that it can.
00:13:30 --> 00:13:31 Because we have this assumption,
00:13:31 --> 00:13:33 the more of it we have,
00:13:33 --> 00:13:35 the greater level of security we have.
00:13:37 --> 00:13:39 It gives us that delusion
00:13:39 --> 00:13:40 that we are safe.
00:13:40 --> 00:13:42 But we're never safe.
00:13:43 --> 00:13:44 We are never safe
00:13:44 --> 00:13:46 from grief and bereavement.
00:13:46 --> 00:13:47 We are never safe
00:13:47 --> 00:13:48 from illness.
00:13:49 --> 00:13:49 We are never safe
00:13:49 --> 00:13:50 from disaster.
00:13:51 --> 00:13:51 And ironically,
00:13:52 --> 00:13:53 you're never even safe
00:13:53 --> 00:13:54 from financial ruin.
00:13:55 --> 00:13:57 Money can't stop death.
00:13:58 --> 00:13:59 It can't stop tragedy.
00:13:59 --> 00:14:01 It can't stop heartbreak.
00:14:01 --> 00:14:03 It can't even stop poverty.
00:14:05 --> 00:14:07 And when it comes,
00:14:07 --> 00:14:10 we are totally unprepared.
00:14:10 --> 00:14:12 Totally unprepared.
00:14:15 --> 00:14:16 Money has the power
00:14:16 --> 00:14:17 to distract us
00:14:17 --> 00:14:18 from the important questions of life.
00:14:19 --> 00:14:20 The other thing it says
00:14:20 --> 00:14:21 is that,
00:14:21 --> 00:14:23 that is,
00:14:23 --> 00:14:23 Proverbs says,
00:14:24 --> 00:14:25 it can distort
00:14:25 --> 00:14:27 our self-image.
00:14:28 --> 00:14:28 So,
00:14:28 --> 00:14:30 Proverbs 30,
00:14:30 --> 00:14:31 verses 8 and 9 says,
00:14:31 --> 00:14:33 Give me neither poverty
00:14:33 --> 00:14:35 nor riches,
00:14:35 --> 00:14:37 but give me only
00:14:37 --> 00:14:38 my daily bread.
00:14:38 --> 00:14:39 Otherwise,
00:14:40 --> 00:14:42 I may have too much
00:14:42 --> 00:14:42 and disown you
00:14:42 --> 00:14:43 and say,
00:14:43 --> 00:14:45 who is the Lord?
00:14:48 --> 00:14:50 What Proverbs is saying,
00:14:50 --> 00:14:51 and you may be able
00:14:51 --> 00:14:52 to see this
00:14:52 --> 00:14:53 in your own life,
00:14:53 --> 00:14:56 to see a person
00:14:56 --> 00:14:58 humbled,
00:14:59 --> 00:15:01 growing in humility,
00:15:02 --> 00:15:05 under a growth
00:15:05 --> 00:15:06 of prosperity,
00:15:07 --> 00:15:08 it would have to be
00:15:08 --> 00:15:09 one of the greatest
00:15:09 --> 00:15:11 rarities in the world.
00:15:13 --> 00:15:14 One of the greatest
00:15:14 --> 00:15:14 rarities,
00:15:15 --> 00:15:15 that is,
00:15:15 --> 00:15:17 the growth in wealth
00:15:17 --> 00:15:19 and accompanying growth
00:15:19 --> 00:15:21 downward in humility
00:15:21 --> 00:15:23 are not connected.
00:15:24 --> 00:15:26 Wealth leads to pride.
00:15:27 --> 00:15:28 It leads to pride.
00:15:29 --> 00:15:30 It puts me in a place
00:15:30 --> 00:15:31 where we say,
00:15:32 --> 00:15:33 who is God?
00:15:34 --> 00:15:35 I don't need God.
00:15:36 --> 00:15:37 Look at me
00:15:37 --> 00:15:38 and look at all
00:15:38 --> 00:15:39 that I have.
00:15:40 --> 00:15:44 I am a self-made man.
00:15:45 --> 00:15:46 And of course,
00:15:46 --> 00:15:48 the Proverbs also says,
00:15:49 --> 00:15:49 give me not poverty
00:15:49 --> 00:15:50 so that I might not
00:15:50 --> 00:15:51 shake my fist at God
00:15:51 --> 00:15:52 and say,
00:15:52 --> 00:15:54 what are you doing
00:15:54 --> 00:15:55 in my life, God?
00:15:56 --> 00:15:58 It puts us in a place
00:15:58 --> 00:15:59 of who is God?
00:16:00 --> 00:16:02 Why do I need God?
00:16:02 --> 00:16:03 That's the danger of wealth.
00:16:04 --> 00:16:04 So,
00:16:05 --> 00:16:06 why is it so dangerous?
00:16:06 --> 00:16:07 Let's go back
00:16:07 --> 00:16:07 to the beginning
00:16:07 --> 00:16:08 of this passage.
00:16:08 --> 00:16:09 We're talking about
00:16:09 --> 00:16:10 Luke 18 here
00:16:10 --> 00:16:11 and unpack it,
00:16:11 --> 00:16:13 why it is so dangerous.
00:16:14 --> 00:16:14 Verse 18,
00:16:14 --> 00:16:15 right at the beginning.
00:16:16 --> 00:16:16 A certain ruler
00:16:16 --> 00:16:17 asked him,
00:16:18 --> 00:16:19 good teacher,
00:16:19 --> 00:16:20 what must I do
00:16:20 --> 00:16:21 to inherit eternal life?
00:16:22 --> 00:16:23 Jesus says to him,
00:16:23 --> 00:16:24 why do you call me good?
00:16:25 --> 00:16:25 No one is good
00:16:25 --> 00:16:26 except God alone.
00:16:27 --> 00:16:28 You know the commandments.
00:16:28 --> 00:16:29 You shall not
00:16:29 --> 00:16:30 commit adultery.
00:16:30 --> 00:16:31 You shall not murder.
00:16:31 --> 00:16:32 You shall not steal.
00:16:32 --> 00:16:32 You shall not give
00:16:32 --> 00:16:33 false testimony.
00:16:33 --> 00:16:34 Honor your father and mother.
00:16:35 --> 00:16:36 All these
00:16:36 --> 00:16:37 I have kept
00:16:37 --> 00:16:38 since I was a boy,
00:16:38 --> 00:16:39 he said.
00:16:40 --> 00:16:41 Now,
00:16:41 --> 00:16:43 if you're a Christian
00:16:43 --> 00:16:43 sitting in the room
00:16:43 --> 00:16:46 and you'd know
00:16:46 --> 00:16:47 anything about
00:16:47 --> 00:16:49 the core message
00:16:49 --> 00:16:49 of Christianity,
00:16:50 --> 00:16:51 when you
00:16:51 --> 00:16:52 read that,
00:16:53 --> 00:16:54 you should be shocked.
00:16:55 --> 00:16:56 You should be shocked.
00:16:57 --> 00:16:58 You should be shocked
00:16:58 --> 00:16:59 that Jesus
00:16:59 --> 00:17:00 says to this guy,
00:17:01 --> 00:17:02 the answer
00:17:02 --> 00:17:03 to his question
00:17:03 --> 00:17:05 of what must I do
00:17:05 --> 00:17:05 in return,
00:17:05 --> 00:17:06 Jesus says to him,
00:17:06 --> 00:17:07 go and obey
00:17:07 --> 00:17:07 the Ten Commandments.
00:17:07 --> 00:17:13 As if somehow
00:17:13 --> 00:17:13 that is how
00:17:13 --> 00:17:15 you get right with God.
00:17:16 --> 00:17:17 Why on earth
00:17:17 --> 00:17:18 would Jesus
00:17:18 --> 00:17:19 say that to him?
00:17:20 --> 00:17:20 Because right
00:17:20 --> 00:17:22 before this interaction,
00:17:22 --> 00:17:24 Jesus tells the story,
00:17:24 --> 00:17:25 another parable,
00:17:25 --> 00:17:26 about a Pharisee
00:17:26 --> 00:17:28 and a tax collector
00:17:28 --> 00:17:29 where the obedient
00:17:29 --> 00:17:31 religious man
00:17:31 --> 00:17:33 pursuing the Ten Commandments
00:17:33 --> 00:17:34 went home
00:17:34 --> 00:17:36 not saved,
00:17:36 --> 00:17:39 not right with God
00:17:39 --> 00:17:41 and the sinner
00:17:41 --> 00:17:42 was saved.
00:17:43 --> 00:17:43 The one who lived
00:17:43 --> 00:17:45 a life of disobedience
00:17:45 --> 00:17:46 was saved.
00:17:48 --> 00:17:49 And again
00:17:49 --> 00:17:50 and again
00:17:50 --> 00:17:51 and again
00:17:51 --> 00:17:52 throughout the New Testament,
00:17:53 --> 00:17:53 we see
00:17:53 --> 00:17:55 it is impossible
00:17:55 --> 00:17:57 to save ourselves
00:17:57 --> 00:17:58 by being good,
00:17:58 --> 00:17:59 by being religious,
00:17:59 --> 00:18:00 by being moral.
00:18:02 --> 00:18:03 So why does
00:18:03 --> 00:18:05 Jesus
00:18:05 --> 00:18:06 not say
00:18:06 --> 00:18:07 to this guy
00:18:07 --> 00:18:08 in this moment
00:18:08 --> 00:18:10 when he rocks
00:18:10 --> 00:18:11 up to him,
00:18:11 --> 00:18:13 what must I do
00:18:13 --> 00:18:14 to inherit
00:18:14 --> 00:18:15 eternal life?
00:18:15 --> 00:18:16 Why does Jesus
00:18:16 --> 00:18:17 not grab
00:18:17 --> 00:18:18 his blackboard
00:18:18 --> 00:18:19 and his whiteboard
00:18:19 --> 00:18:20 marker
00:18:20 --> 00:18:21 and draw him
00:18:21 --> 00:18:22 six boxes
00:18:22 --> 00:18:24 and run through
00:18:24 --> 00:18:26 two ways to live
00:18:26 --> 00:18:28 or run through
00:18:28 --> 00:18:29 for him
00:18:29 --> 00:18:30 the four
00:18:30 --> 00:18:32 spiritual principles
00:18:32 --> 00:18:33 of life?
00:18:33 --> 00:18:34 Why does
00:18:34 --> 00:18:35 he not
00:18:35 --> 00:18:36 say to him,
00:18:36 --> 00:18:37 I'm on the way
00:18:37 --> 00:18:37 to Jerusalem,
00:18:37 --> 00:18:38 I'm going to die
00:18:38 --> 00:18:39 on the cross
00:18:39 --> 00:18:40 to pay a ransom,
00:18:40 --> 00:18:41 to take the penalty
00:18:41 --> 00:18:42 that you deserve
00:18:42 --> 00:18:43 for your sin
00:18:43 --> 00:18:44 and if you put
00:18:44 --> 00:18:45 your trust in me
00:18:45 --> 00:18:46 then you will
00:18:46 --> 00:18:47 have eternal life.
00:18:50 --> 00:18:50 Why does
00:18:50 --> 00:18:51 Jesus not
00:18:51 --> 00:18:52 do that?
00:18:53 --> 00:18:53 Because
00:18:53 --> 00:18:54 that's what's
00:18:54 --> 00:18:55 been said
00:18:55 --> 00:18:56 for
00:18:56 --> 00:18:58 20 centuries
00:18:58 --> 00:18:59 since Jesus.
00:19:05 --> 00:19:05 Well,
00:19:05 --> 00:19:06 because in this
00:19:06 --> 00:19:06 moment
00:19:06 --> 00:19:07 to say to this
00:19:07 --> 00:19:08 rich young man
00:19:08 --> 00:19:09 I've come to die
00:19:09 --> 00:19:10 for your sins
00:19:10 --> 00:19:11 would be
00:19:11 --> 00:19:12 entirely
00:19:12 --> 00:19:13 incomprehensible
00:19:13 --> 00:19:14 to him.
00:19:18 --> 00:19:19 You see,
00:19:20 --> 00:19:21 the rich young
00:19:21 --> 00:19:22 ruler at this
00:19:22 --> 00:19:22 point
00:19:22 --> 00:19:24 is in fact
00:19:24 --> 00:19:25 like
00:19:25 --> 00:19:27 most people
00:19:27 --> 00:19:28 in our
00:19:28 --> 00:19:29 society.
00:19:30 --> 00:19:31 The vast
00:19:31 --> 00:19:32 majority
00:19:32 --> 00:19:33 of people
00:19:33 --> 00:19:33 in our
00:19:33 --> 00:19:34 neighbourhood
00:19:34 --> 00:19:35 are
00:19:35 --> 00:19:38 basically
00:19:38 --> 00:19:38 good.
00:19:40 --> 00:19:41 And to
00:19:41 --> 00:19:42 walk in
00:19:42 --> 00:19:43 and say
00:19:43 --> 00:19:44 you need
00:19:44 --> 00:19:45 a saviour
00:19:45 --> 00:19:46 is
00:19:46 --> 00:19:47 entirely
00:19:47 --> 00:19:48 incomprehensible
00:19:48 --> 00:19:48 to people
00:19:48 --> 00:19:49 in our
00:19:49 --> 00:19:49 day and age
00:19:49 --> 00:19:50 as it was
00:19:50 --> 00:19:50 for this
00:19:50 --> 00:19:51 rich young
00:19:51 --> 00:19:51 ruler.
00:19:55 --> 00:19:55 See his
00:19:55 --> 00:19:56 words,
00:19:56 --> 00:19:57 verse 21?
00:19:58 --> 00:19:58 All these
00:19:58 --> 00:19:59 I have
00:19:59 --> 00:19:59 kept
00:19:59 --> 00:20:00 since I
00:20:00 --> 00:20:01 was a
00:20:01 --> 00:20:01 boy.
00:20:05 --> 00:20:06 In other
00:20:06 --> 00:20:06 words,
00:20:06 --> 00:20:07 I don't
00:20:07 --> 00:20:07 need a
00:20:07 --> 00:20:07 rescuer.
00:20:07 --> 00:20:07 I'm a
00:20:07 --> 00:20:08 good person.
00:20:08 --> 00:20:08 I might
00:20:08 --> 00:20:09 not be
00:20:09 --> 00:20:09 perfect,
00:20:09 --> 00:20:10 but I
00:20:10 --> 00:20:10 don't
00:20:10 --> 00:20:10 need a
00:20:10 --> 00:20:11 rescuer.
00:20:11 --> 00:20:12 You know,
00:20:12 --> 00:20:12 when I
00:20:12 --> 00:20:12 look at
00:20:12 --> 00:20:13 the people
00:20:13 --> 00:20:13 down below
00:20:13 --> 00:20:14 me in
00:20:14 --> 00:20:14 the chain
00:20:14 --> 00:20:14 of
00:20:14 --> 00:20:15 morality,
00:20:15 --> 00:20:15 I am
00:20:15 --> 00:20:16 so much
00:20:16 --> 00:20:16 better than
00:20:16 --> 00:20:17 the vast
00:20:17 --> 00:20:18 majority
00:20:18 --> 00:20:19 of people.
00:20:19 --> 00:20:20 all I
00:20:20 --> 00:20:20 need
00:20:20 --> 00:20:20 here from
00:20:20 --> 00:20:21 you,
00:20:21 --> 00:20:21 Jesus,
00:20:21 --> 00:20:22 is just
00:20:22 --> 00:20:22 a little
00:20:22 --> 00:20:22 bit of
00:20:22 --> 00:20:23 a push,
00:20:23 --> 00:20:23 just a
00:20:23 --> 00:20:23 little bit
00:20:23 --> 00:20:24 of assistance,
00:20:24 --> 00:20:24 just a
00:20:24 --> 00:20:25 little bit
00:20:25 --> 00:20:25 of guidance
00:20:25 --> 00:20:26 to ensure
00:20:26 --> 00:20:27 that I
00:20:27 --> 00:20:27 get over
00:20:27 --> 00:20:27 the line
00:20:27 --> 00:20:28 in the
00:20:28 --> 00:20:28 end.
00:20:30 --> 00:20:31 And yet,
00:20:31 --> 00:20:32 he still
00:20:32 --> 00:20:33 comes running
00:20:33 --> 00:20:33 up to
00:20:33 --> 00:20:34 Jesus.
00:20:36 --> 00:20:36 Despite
00:20:36 --> 00:20:37 the life
00:20:37 --> 00:20:38 that he
00:20:38 --> 00:20:38 has lived,
00:20:40 --> 00:20:41 deep down,
00:20:42 --> 00:20:42 he wasn't
00:20:42 --> 00:20:43 entirely
00:20:43 --> 00:20:43 confident.
00:20:45 --> 00:20:46 He knew
00:20:46 --> 00:20:46 he wasn't
00:20:46 --> 00:20:46 entirely
00:20:46 --> 00:20:47 right.
00:20:47 --> 00:20:47 Something's
00:20:47 --> 00:20:47 wrong,
00:20:48 --> 00:20:48 something's
00:20:48 --> 00:20:48 missing.
00:20:51 --> 00:20:52 Why would
00:20:52 --> 00:20:52 he ask
00:20:52 --> 00:20:53 the question
00:20:53 --> 00:20:54 about securing
00:20:54 --> 00:20:55 eternal life
00:20:55 --> 00:20:56 if he thought
00:20:56 --> 00:20:57 that he had
00:20:57 --> 00:20:58 had it secured
00:20:58 --> 00:20:58 through his
00:20:58 --> 00:20:59 morality?
00:21:02 --> 00:21:03 If we
00:21:03 --> 00:21:05 think we
00:21:05 --> 00:21:06 can get
00:21:06 --> 00:21:06 right with
00:21:06 --> 00:21:07 God by
00:21:07 --> 00:21:08 being good,
00:21:09 --> 00:21:10 we'll
00:21:10 --> 00:21:11 always feel
00:21:11 --> 00:21:12 insecure.
00:21:13 --> 00:21:13 Have I
00:21:13 --> 00:21:14 done enough?
00:21:14 --> 00:21:15 Am I
00:21:15 --> 00:21:15 doing enough?
00:21:16 --> 00:21:18 Even those
00:21:18 --> 00:21:18 who project
00:21:18 --> 00:21:19 an image
00:21:19 --> 00:21:19 that they've
00:21:19 --> 00:21:19 got it
00:21:19 --> 00:21:20 all together
00:21:20 --> 00:21:21 on the
00:21:21 --> 00:21:21 outside,
00:21:21 --> 00:21:22 on the
00:21:22 --> 00:21:22 inside,
00:21:23 --> 00:21:23 they know
00:21:23 --> 00:21:24 better because
00:21:24 --> 00:21:24 in the
00:21:24 --> 00:21:25 deep
00:21:25 --> 00:21:26 recesses of
00:21:26 --> 00:21:27 the heart
00:21:27 --> 00:21:28 that no
00:21:28 --> 00:21:28 one else
00:21:28 --> 00:21:29 sees day
00:21:29 --> 00:21:29 by day,
00:21:30 --> 00:21:31 there is
00:21:31 --> 00:21:32 that dark
00:21:32 --> 00:21:33 corner that
00:21:33 --> 00:21:33 we hope no
00:21:33 --> 00:21:34 one will
00:21:34 --> 00:21:34 ever see.
00:21:36 --> 00:21:37 We know
00:21:37 --> 00:21:37 the things
00:21:37 --> 00:21:37 that we've
00:21:37 --> 00:21:38 done and
00:21:38 --> 00:21:38 the things
00:21:38 --> 00:21:38 that we've
00:21:38 --> 00:21:39 thought that
00:21:39 --> 00:21:39 we could
00:21:39 --> 00:21:40 hide,
00:21:40 --> 00:21:41 but we
00:21:41 --> 00:21:42 cannot hide
00:21:42 --> 00:21:43 them from
00:21:43 --> 00:21:44 our own
00:21:44 --> 00:21:45 conscience.
00:21:46 --> 00:21:49 Jesus is
00:21:49 --> 00:21:49 reminding
00:21:49 --> 00:21:50 this young
00:21:50 --> 00:21:51 man that
00:21:51 --> 00:21:51 his first
00:21:51 --> 00:21:52 and fundamental
00:21:52 --> 00:21:53 problem is
00:21:53 --> 00:21:54 that he is
00:21:54 --> 00:21:54 in fact not
00:21:54 --> 00:21:54 good.
00:21:55 --> 00:21:56 That's where
00:21:56 --> 00:21:56 he had to
00:21:56 --> 00:21:56 go.
00:21:57 --> 00:21:57 No mere
00:21:57 --> 00:21:58 mortal is.
00:21:58 --> 00:21:59 What's the
00:21:59 --> 00:21:59 point of
00:21:59 --> 00:22:00 verse 19?
00:22:00 --> 00:22:01 Jesus then
00:22:01 --> 00:22:01 goes on to
00:22:01 --> 00:22:02 show him
00:22:02 --> 00:22:03 exactly where
00:22:03 --> 00:22:04 he is not
00:22:04 --> 00:22:04 good.
00:22:05 --> 00:22:05 In verse
00:22:05 --> 00:22:06 22,
00:22:07 --> 00:22:08 when Jesus
00:22:08 --> 00:22:08 heard this,
00:22:08 --> 00:22:09 he said to
00:22:09 --> 00:22:09 him,
00:22:09 --> 00:22:10 you still
00:22:10 --> 00:22:10 like one
00:22:10 --> 00:22:10 thing,
00:22:11 --> 00:22:12 sell
00:22:12 --> 00:22:12 everything you
00:22:12 --> 00:22:13 have and
00:22:13 --> 00:22:13 give to the
00:22:13 --> 00:22:14 poor and
00:22:14 --> 00:22:14 you'll have
00:22:14 --> 00:22:15 treasure in
00:22:15 --> 00:22:15 heaven and
00:22:15 --> 00:22:16 then come
00:22:16 --> 00:22:17 follow me.
00:22:18 --> 00:22:19 What's
00:22:19 --> 00:22:19 Jesus doing
00:22:19 --> 00:22:20 here?
00:22:20 --> 00:22:21 Again,
00:22:21 --> 00:22:22 what is he
00:22:22 --> 00:22:22 doing?
00:22:23 --> 00:22:23 I mean,
00:22:23 --> 00:22:24 he has never
00:22:24 --> 00:22:26 suggested to
00:22:26 --> 00:22:28 anyone that
00:22:28 --> 00:22:28 the way to
00:22:28 --> 00:22:29 be saved is
00:22:29 --> 00:22:30 to give all
00:22:30 --> 00:22:30 of your
00:22:30 --> 00:22:31 money away
00:22:31 --> 00:22:32 to the
00:22:32 --> 00:22:33 poor and
00:22:33 --> 00:22:34 become poor
00:22:34 --> 00:22:34 yourself.
00:22:35 --> 00:22:35 He's never
00:22:35 --> 00:22:36 suggested that.
00:22:37 --> 00:22:37 So why
00:22:37 --> 00:22:38 now?
00:22:38 --> 00:22:39 Why now?
00:22:39 --> 00:22:42 Because it
00:22:42 --> 00:22:42 is a
00:22:42 --> 00:22:43 brilliant
00:22:43 --> 00:22:44 strategy to
00:22:44 --> 00:22:45 help this
00:22:45 --> 00:22:46 man see
00:22:46 --> 00:22:47 his heart
00:22:47 --> 00:22:48 and where
00:22:48 --> 00:22:48 he needs
00:22:48 --> 00:22:49 a saviour.
00:22:50 --> 00:22:51 You see,
00:22:51 --> 00:22:51 what Jesus
00:22:51 --> 00:22:52 does here
00:22:52 --> 00:22:53 is he
00:22:53 --> 00:22:54 targets his
00:22:54 --> 00:22:55 deepest
00:22:55 --> 00:22:56 sense of
00:22:56 --> 00:22:57 security,
00:22:57 --> 00:22:58 his deepest
00:22:58 --> 00:22:59 identity
00:22:59 --> 00:23:00 marker,
00:23:00 --> 00:23:01 his idol.
00:23:02 --> 00:23:03 This is the
00:23:03 --> 00:23:04 thing that
00:23:04 --> 00:23:04 he's looking
00:23:04 --> 00:23:05 to,
00:23:05 --> 00:23:06 to give
00:23:06 --> 00:23:06 him what
00:23:06 --> 00:23:07 only God
00:23:07 --> 00:23:07 can give
00:23:07 --> 00:23:08 him.
00:23:08 --> 00:23:08 You see,
00:23:08 --> 00:23:09 for this
00:23:09 --> 00:23:09 rich young
00:23:09 --> 00:23:10 ruler,
00:23:10 --> 00:23:10 money is
00:23:10 --> 00:23:11 not just
00:23:11 --> 00:23:12 some tool
00:23:12 --> 00:23:13 for him,
00:23:13 --> 00:23:14 it is,
00:23:14 --> 00:23:14 in fact,
00:23:14 --> 00:23:15 an identity
00:23:15 --> 00:23:16 scorecard.
00:23:16 --> 00:23:17 It is his
00:23:17 --> 00:23:18 security,
00:23:18 --> 00:23:19 it is his
00:23:19 --> 00:23:19 hope.
00:23:19 --> 00:23:20 This is the
00:23:20 --> 00:23:20 thing that
00:23:20 --> 00:23:21 is, in
00:23:21 --> 00:23:21 fact,
00:23:21 --> 00:23:22 squeezing
00:23:22 --> 00:23:23 God out
00:23:23 --> 00:23:23 of his
00:23:23 --> 00:23:24 life.
00:23:25 --> 00:23:25 And when
00:23:25 --> 00:23:27 Jesus presses
00:23:27 --> 00:23:28 in on him,
00:23:29 --> 00:23:30 he sees
00:23:30 --> 00:23:31 for the
00:23:31 --> 00:23:32 first time
00:23:32 --> 00:23:32 in his
00:23:32 --> 00:23:33 life
00:23:33 --> 00:23:36 that he
00:23:36 --> 00:23:36 hasn't,
00:23:37 --> 00:23:37 in fact,
00:23:37 --> 00:23:37 obeyed the
00:23:37 --> 00:23:38 Tenka
00:23:38 --> 00:23:38 Moans
00:23:38 --> 00:23:39 at all,
00:23:39 --> 00:23:41 that he's
00:23:41 --> 00:23:41 not,
00:23:41 --> 00:23:42 in fact,
00:23:42 --> 00:23:43 good at
00:23:43 --> 00:23:44 all.
00:23:49 --> 00:23:49 Jesus
00:23:49 --> 00:23:50 pushes him
00:23:50 --> 00:23:50 to give it
00:23:50 --> 00:23:51 all up for
00:23:51 --> 00:23:51 the poor,
00:23:52 --> 00:23:53 give it
00:23:53 --> 00:23:53 all up,
00:23:53 --> 00:23:53 in other
00:23:53 --> 00:23:54 words,
00:23:54 --> 00:23:54 give it
00:23:54 --> 00:23:55 all up
00:23:55 --> 00:23:56 for God
00:23:56 --> 00:23:57 and follow
00:23:57 --> 00:23:57 me,
00:23:59 --> 00:23:59 follow
00:23:59 --> 00:23:59 Jesus.
00:24:00 --> 00:24:00 And he
00:24:00 --> 00:24:01 couldn't do
00:24:01 --> 00:24:01 it.
00:24:02 --> 00:24:02 He
00:24:02 --> 00:24:03 couldn't do
00:24:03 --> 00:24:03 it.
00:24:03 --> 00:24:04 Verse 23,
00:24:04 --> 00:24:05 it says,
00:24:05 --> 00:24:06 he became
00:24:06 --> 00:24:08 very sad.
00:24:08 --> 00:24:09 The words
00:24:09 --> 00:24:09 say,
00:24:09 --> 00:24:10 he is
00:24:10 --> 00:24:11 deeply
00:24:11 --> 00:24:12 grieved.
00:24:12 --> 00:24:12 He is
00:24:12 --> 00:24:13 deeply
00:24:13 --> 00:24:14 distressed.
00:24:18 --> 00:24:19 What is
00:24:19 --> 00:24:20 he deeply
00:24:20 --> 00:24:20 distressed
00:24:20 --> 00:24:21 about?
00:24:24 --> 00:24:25 He's
00:24:25 --> 00:24:25 deeply
00:24:25 --> 00:24:26 distressed
00:24:26 --> 00:24:27 because for
00:24:27 --> 00:24:27 the first
00:24:27 --> 00:24:28 time in
00:24:28 --> 00:24:29 his life,
00:24:29 --> 00:24:31 he has
00:24:31 --> 00:24:31 understood
00:24:31 --> 00:24:33 good that
00:24:33 --> 00:24:33 he is
00:24:33 --> 00:24:33 in fact
00:24:33 --> 00:24:34 not
00:24:34 --> 00:24:34 good.
00:24:40 --> 00:24:41 You see,
00:24:41 --> 00:24:42 his money
00:24:42 --> 00:24:44 is just
00:24:44 --> 00:24:44 a means
00:24:44 --> 00:24:45 to an
00:24:45 --> 00:24:45 end for
00:24:45 --> 00:24:46 him as
00:24:46 --> 00:24:46 it is
00:24:46 --> 00:24:46 for any
00:24:46 --> 00:24:46 of us
00:24:46 --> 00:24:47 and his
00:24:47 --> 00:24:48 money is
00:24:48 --> 00:24:49 not just
00:24:49 --> 00:24:49 money for
00:24:49 --> 00:24:50 him,
00:24:50 --> 00:24:51 it is
00:24:51 --> 00:24:52 his worth,
00:24:52 --> 00:24:52 it is
00:24:52 --> 00:24:53 his hope,
00:24:53 --> 00:24:53 it is
00:24:53 --> 00:24:54 his security,
00:24:54 --> 00:24:55 it is
00:24:55 --> 00:24:56 in fact
00:24:56 --> 00:24:56 his
00:24:56 --> 00:24:57 greatest
00:24:57 --> 00:24:58 treasure
00:24:58 --> 00:24:59 and he
00:24:59 --> 00:25:00 does not
00:25:00 --> 00:25:00 want God
00:25:00 --> 00:25:01 to get
00:25:01 --> 00:25:02 in the
00:25:02 --> 00:25:02 way
00:25:02 --> 00:25:03 of that
00:25:03 --> 00:25:05 and he
00:25:05 --> 00:25:06 understands
00:25:06 --> 00:25:06 for the
00:25:06 --> 00:25:07 first time
00:25:07 --> 00:25:07 in his
00:25:07 --> 00:25:08 life that
00:25:08 --> 00:25:08 he has
00:25:08 --> 00:25:08 not obeyed
00:25:08 --> 00:25:08 the Ten
00:25:08 --> 00:25:09 Commandments
00:25:09 --> 00:25:10 at all
00:25:10 --> 00:25:11 because he
00:25:11 --> 00:25:11 has not
00:25:11 --> 00:25:12 even got
00:25:12 --> 00:25:13 past the
00:25:13 --> 00:25:13 very first
00:25:13 --> 00:25:14 one.
00:25:16 --> 00:25:16 You
00:25:16 --> 00:25:16 shall have
00:25:16 --> 00:25:17 no other
00:25:17 --> 00:25:17 gods but
00:25:17 --> 00:25:17 me.
00:25:20 --> 00:25:21 It
00:25:21 --> 00:25:21 wasn't
00:25:21 --> 00:25:22 until
00:25:22 --> 00:25:23 Jesus
00:25:23 --> 00:25:23 took him
00:25:23 --> 00:25:24 to
00:25:24 --> 00:25:24 you
00:25:24 --> 00:25:25 shall
00:25:25 --> 00:25:25 not
00:25:25 --> 00:25:26 covet
00:25:26 --> 00:25:28 and
00:25:28 --> 00:25:28 because
00:25:28 --> 00:25:29 coveting
00:25:29 --> 00:25:29 of all
00:25:29 --> 00:25:30 the Ten
00:25:30 --> 00:25:30 Commandments
00:25:30 --> 00:25:32 coveting
00:25:32 --> 00:25:33 is the
00:25:33 --> 00:25:34 one that's
00:25:34 --> 00:25:34 an attitude
00:25:34 --> 00:25:35 of the
00:25:35 --> 00:25:35 heart
00:25:35 --> 00:25:36 not an
00:25:36 --> 00:25:37 action.
00:25:38 --> 00:25:38 It's an
00:25:38 --> 00:25:38 attitude
00:25:38 --> 00:25:39 of the
00:25:39 --> 00:25:39 heart
00:25:39 --> 00:25:40 and the
00:25:40 --> 00:25:40 attitude
00:25:40 --> 00:25:41 of the
00:25:41 --> 00:25:41 heart
00:25:41 --> 00:25:41 has now
00:25:41 --> 00:25:42 been
00:25:42 --> 00:25:42 exposed
00:25:42 --> 00:25:44 in such
00:25:44 --> 00:25:44 a way
00:25:44 --> 00:25:45 that he's
00:25:45 --> 00:25:45 understood
00:25:45 --> 00:25:47 that God
00:25:47 --> 00:25:47 is not
00:25:47 --> 00:25:48 his
00:25:48 --> 00:25:48 greatest
00:25:48 --> 00:25:48 treasure.
00:25:52 --> 00:25:52 Of all
00:25:52 --> 00:25:53 the things
00:25:53 --> 00:25:54 that Jesus
00:25:54 --> 00:25:54 could have
00:25:54 --> 00:25:55 picked on
00:25:55 --> 00:25:55 let me
00:25:55 --> 00:25:56 just land
00:25:56 --> 00:25:56 this for
00:25:56 --> 00:25:56 us for
00:25:56 --> 00:25:57 a little
00:25:57 --> 00:25:57 bit
00:25:57 --> 00:25:58 of all
00:25:58 --> 00:25:59 the
00:25:59 --> 00:25:59 things
00:25:59 --> 00:25:59 that
00:25:59 --> 00:26:00 Jesus
00:26:00 --> 00:26:00 could
00:26:00 --> 00:26:00 have
00:26:00 --> 00:26:01 picked
00:26:01 --> 00:26:01 on
00:26:01 --> 00:26:03 he
00:26:03 --> 00:26:03 sets
00:26:03 --> 00:26:04 up
00:26:04 --> 00:26:04 money
00:26:04 --> 00:26:05 as
00:26:05 --> 00:26:05 the
00:26:05 --> 00:26:06 alternative
00:26:06 --> 00:26:07 God
00:26:07 --> 00:26:08 when he
00:26:08 --> 00:26:08 said you
00:26:08 --> 00:26:09 cannot
00:26:09 --> 00:26:09 serve
00:26:09 --> 00:26:10 both
00:26:10 --> 00:26:10 God
00:26:10 --> 00:26:10 and
00:26:10 --> 00:26:11 money.
00:26:11 --> 00:26:12 We
00:26:12 --> 00:26:12 are
00:26:12 --> 00:26:12 devoted
00:26:12 --> 00:26:13 to
00:26:13 --> 00:26:13 one
00:26:13 --> 00:26:13 or
00:26:13 --> 00:26:13 the
00:26:13 --> 00:26:14 other
00:26:14 --> 00:26:14 but
00:26:14 --> 00:26:15 you
00:26:15 --> 00:26:15 cannot
00:26:15 --> 00:26:15 have
00:26:15 --> 00:26:16 both.
00:26:16 --> 00:26:16 You'll
00:26:16 --> 00:26:16 be
00:26:16 --> 00:26:17 mastered
00:26:17 --> 00:26:17 by
00:26:17 --> 00:26:17 one
00:26:17 --> 00:26:18 or
00:26:18 --> 00:26:18 the
00:26:18 --> 00:26:18 other.
00:26:19 --> 00:26:19 You
00:26:19 --> 00:26:19 will
00:26:19 --> 00:26:19 never
00:26:19 --> 00:26:19 be
00:26:19 --> 00:26:20 mastered
00:26:20 --> 00:26:20 by
00:26:20 --> 00:26:20 both.
00:26:24 --> 00:26:24 So how
00:26:24 --> 00:26:25 do we
00:26:25 --> 00:26:25 escape
00:26:25 --> 00:26:26 the danger
00:26:26 --> 00:26:26 of money?
00:26:27 --> 00:26:29 Jesus
00:26:29 --> 00:26:30 the rest
00:26:30 --> 00:26:30 of the
00:26:30 --> 00:26:30 Bible
00:26:30 --> 00:26:31 tells me
00:26:31 --> 00:26:31 that
00:26:31 --> 00:26:31 wealth
00:26:31 --> 00:26:32 money
00:26:32 --> 00:26:32 materialism
00:26:32 --> 00:26:33 is
00:26:33 --> 00:26:33 incredibly
00:26:33 --> 00:26:34 dangerous.
00:26:35 --> 00:26:35 It's
00:26:35 --> 00:26:35 one of
00:26:35 --> 00:26:35 the
00:26:35 --> 00:26:36 major
00:26:36 --> 00:26:37 distractions
00:26:37 --> 00:26:37 for those
00:26:37 --> 00:26:37 who
00:26:37 --> 00:26:37 follow
00:26:37 --> 00:26:38 Jesus
00:26:38 --> 00:26:39 and I
00:26:39 --> 00:26:39 would
00:26:39 --> 00:26:39 add
00:26:39 --> 00:26:40 it's
00:26:40 --> 00:26:40 one of
00:26:40 --> 00:26:40 the
00:26:40 --> 00:26:41 I
00:26:41 --> 00:26:41 would
00:26:41 --> 00:26:42 say
00:26:42 --> 00:26:42 it's
00:26:42 --> 00:26:42 got
00:26:42 --> 00:26:42 to
00:26:42 --> 00:26:42 be
00:26:42 --> 00:26:43 close
00:26:43 --> 00:26:43 to
00:26:43 --> 00:26:43 one
00:26:43 --> 00:26:43 of
00:26:43 --> 00:26:43 the
00:26:43 --> 00:26:44 most
00:26:44 --> 00:26:44 primary
00:26:44 --> 00:26:45 distractions
00:26:45 --> 00:26:46 in
00:26:46 --> 00:26:46 the
00:26:46 --> 00:26:47 21st
00:26:47 --> 00:26:47 century
00:26:47 --> 00:26:48 in
00:26:48 --> 00:26:48 Western
00:26:48 --> 00:26:49 civilization
00:26:49 --> 00:26:51 distractions
00:26:51 --> 00:26:51 in
00:26:51 --> 00:26:52 terms
00:26:52 --> 00:26:52 of
00:26:52 --> 00:26:52 following
00:26:52 --> 00:26:52 Jesus.
00:26:55 --> 00:26:55 Now
00:26:55 --> 00:26:56 I've
00:26:56 --> 00:26:56 got
00:26:56 --> 00:26:56 three
00:26:56 --> 00:26:57 things
00:26:57 --> 00:26:57 we
00:26:57 --> 00:26:57 can
00:26:57 --> 00:26:57 do
00:26:57 --> 00:26:57 to
00:26:57 --> 00:26:58 guard
00:26:58 --> 00:26:58 against
00:26:58 --> 00:26:59 the
00:26:59 --> 00:26:59 hazard
00:26:59 --> 00:27:00 of
00:27:00 --> 00:27:01 wealth
00:27:01 --> 00:27:01 while
00:27:01 --> 00:27:02 also
00:27:02 --> 00:27:03 maximizing
00:27:03 --> 00:27:03 the
00:27:03 --> 00:27:04 helpfulness
00:27:04 --> 00:27:04 of
00:27:04 --> 00:27:05 wealth
00:27:05 --> 00:27:05 and
00:27:05 --> 00:27:05 money.
00:27:05 --> 00:27:06 The
00:27:06 --> 00:27:06 first
00:27:06 --> 00:27:06 thing
00:27:06 --> 00:27:07 is
00:27:07 --> 00:27:07 to
00:27:07 --> 00:27:07 assume
00:27:07 --> 00:27:08 that
00:27:08 --> 00:27:08 we're
00:27:08 --> 00:27:09 in
00:27:09 --> 00:27:09 denial.
00:27:10 --> 00:27:10 That's
00:27:10 --> 00:27:10 the
00:27:10 --> 00:27:10 helpful
00:27:10 --> 00:27:10 thing.
00:27:11 --> 00:27:11 You
00:27:11 --> 00:27:12 start
00:27:12 --> 00:27:12 there.
00:27:12 --> 00:27:13 Assume
00:27:13 --> 00:27:14 that
00:27:14 --> 00:27:14 you're
00:27:14 --> 00:27:14 in
00:27:14 --> 00:27:14 denial.
00:27:15 --> 00:27:15 You
00:27:15 --> 00:27:15 and
00:27:15 --> 00:27:15 me
00:27:15 --> 00:27:15 we're
00:27:15 --> 00:27:16 all
00:27:16 --> 00:27:16 in
00:27:16 --> 00:27:16 denial
00:27:16 --> 00:27:16 here
00:27:16 --> 00:27:17 because
00:27:17 --> 00:27:18 Jesus
00:27:18 --> 00:27:18 is
00:27:18 --> 00:27:19 entirely
00:27:19 --> 00:27:19 blunt
00:27:19 --> 00:27:20 because
00:27:20 --> 00:27:21 that's
00:27:21 --> 00:27:21 what this
00:27:21 --> 00:27:21 rich
00:27:21 --> 00:27:22 young
00:27:22 --> 00:27:22 ruler
00:27:22 --> 00:27:22 was.
00:27:22 --> 00:27:22 He
00:27:22 --> 00:27:23 was
00:27:23 --> 00:27:23 entirely
00:27:23 --> 00:27:24 in
00:27:24 --> 00:27:24 denial
00:27:24 --> 00:27:25 and
00:27:25 --> 00:27:25 that
00:27:25 --> 00:27:25 is
00:27:25 --> 00:27:25 in
00:27:25 --> 00:27:25 fact
00:27:25 --> 00:27:26 the
00:27:26 --> 00:27:26 very
00:27:26 --> 00:27:26 nature
00:27:26 --> 00:27:27 of
00:27:27 --> 00:27:27 addiction.
00:27:29 --> 00:27:29 And
00:27:29 --> 00:27:29 addiction
00:27:29 --> 00:27:30 will
00:27:30 --> 00:27:31 constantly
00:27:31 --> 00:27:31 say
00:27:31 --> 00:27:33 I'm
00:27:33 --> 00:27:33 not an
00:27:33 --> 00:27:34 addiction.
00:27:34 --> 00:27:35 I'm
00:27:35 --> 00:27:35 not
00:27:35 --> 00:27:35 addicted to
00:27:35 --> 00:27:36 this
00:27:36 --> 00:27:36 thing.
00:27:36 --> 00:27:36 I don't
00:27:36 --> 00:27:36 have a
00:27:36 --> 00:27:37 problem
00:27:37 --> 00:27:37 with
00:27:37 --> 00:27:37 this
00:27:37 --> 00:27:37 thing.
00:27:37 --> 00:27:40 So
00:27:40 --> 00:27:41 assume
00:27:41 --> 00:27:41 that
00:27:41 --> 00:27:41 we're
00:27:41 --> 00:27:41 in
00:27:41 --> 00:27:42 denial
00:27:42 --> 00:27:42 because
00:27:42 --> 00:27:43 the
00:27:43 --> 00:27:43 dominant
00:27:43 --> 00:27:44 philosophy
00:27:44 --> 00:27:44 of
00:27:44 --> 00:27:44 our
00:27:44 --> 00:27:45 time
00:27:45 --> 00:27:47 is
00:27:47 --> 00:27:47 what
00:27:47 --> 00:27:47 is
00:27:47 --> 00:27:48 known
00:27:48 --> 00:27:49 technically
00:27:49 --> 00:27:50 as
00:27:50 --> 00:27:50 philosophical
00:27:50 --> 00:27:51 naturalism.
00:27:51 --> 00:27:52 That's
00:27:52 --> 00:27:52 the
00:27:52 --> 00:27:52 world
00:27:52 --> 00:27:52 view.
00:27:52 --> 00:27:53 That's
00:27:53 --> 00:27:53 the
00:27:53 --> 00:27:53 dominant
00:27:53 --> 00:27:53 world
00:27:53 --> 00:27:53 view
00:27:53 --> 00:27:54 of
00:27:54 --> 00:27:54 our
00:27:54 --> 00:27:54 day
00:27:54 --> 00:27:54 and
00:27:54 --> 00:27:54 age.
00:27:55 --> 00:27:55 Philosophical
00:27:55 --> 00:27:56 naturalism.
00:27:56 --> 00:27:57 It's
00:27:57 --> 00:27:57 what a
00:27:57 --> 00:27:58 secular
00:27:58 --> 00:27:58 age
00:27:58 --> 00:27:58 is
00:27:58 --> 00:27:58 built
00:27:58 --> 00:27:59 on.
00:28:00 --> 00:28:00 And
00:28:00 --> 00:28:01 what it
00:28:01 --> 00:28:01 does,
00:28:01 --> 00:28:02 philosophical
00:28:02 --> 00:28:03 naturalism
00:28:03 --> 00:28:04 asserts
00:28:04 --> 00:28:04 that there
00:28:04 --> 00:28:05 is
00:28:05 --> 00:28:05 nothing
00:28:05 --> 00:28:06 beyond
00:28:06 --> 00:28:07 the
00:28:07 --> 00:28:07 natural
00:28:07 --> 00:28:08 world.
00:28:09 --> 00:28:09 Nothing
00:28:09 --> 00:28:09 beyond
00:28:09 --> 00:28:09 the
00:28:09 --> 00:28:10 natural
00:28:10 --> 00:28:10 world.
00:28:12 --> 00:28:12 And
00:28:12 --> 00:28:12 the
00:28:12 --> 00:28:13 common
00:28:13 --> 00:28:13 term
00:28:13 --> 00:28:13 that we
00:28:13 --> 00:28:13 use
00:28:13 --> 00:28:14 for it
00:28:14 --> 00:28:14 is
00:28:14 --> 00:28:15 materialism.
00:28:17 --> 00:28:17 And
00:28:17 --> 00:28:17 the
00:28:17 --> 00:28:18 goal
00:28:18 --> 00:28:18 of
00:28:18 --> 00:28:19 materialism,
00:28:20 --> 00:28:20 of
00:28:20 --> 00:28:20 philosophical
00:28:20 --> 00:28:21 naturalism
00:28:21 --> 00:28:21 is if
00:28:21 --> 00:28:21 there's
00:28:21 --> 00:28:22 nothing
00:28:22 --> 00:28:22 beyond
00:28:22 --> 00:28:23 this
00:28:23 --> 00:28:23 world,
00:28:24 --> 00:28:24 then
00:28:24 --> 00:28:25 the
00:28:25 --> 00:28:25 goal
00:28:25 --> 00:28:26 of
00:28:26 --> 00:28:26 life
00:28:26 --> 00:28:27 is
00:28:27 --> 00:28:27 to
00:28:27 --> 00:28:28 consume
00:28:28 --> 00:28:29 as
00:28:29 --> 00:28:29 much
00:28:29 --> 00:28:29 of
00:28:29 --> 00:28:29 this
00:28:29 --> 00:28:30 material
00:28:30 --> 00:28:30 world
00:28:30 --> 00:28:31 as
00:28:31 --> 00:28:31 possible.
00:28:32 --> 00:28:32 As
00:28:32 --> 00:28:33 possible.
00:28:34 --> 00:28:34 To
00:28:34 --> 00:28:34 make
00:28:34 --> 00:28:35 life
00:28:35 --> 00:28:35 as
00:28:35 --> 00:28:35 joyful
00:28:35 --> 00:28:36 and
00:28:36 --> 00:28:36 as
00:28:36 --> 00:28:36 happy
00:28:36 --> 00:28:37 for
00:28:37 --> 00:28:37 you
00:28:37 --> 00:28:38 as
00:28:38 --> 00:28:38 possible.
00:28:39 --> 00:28:40 And
00:28:40 --> 00:28:40 so,
00:28:40 --> 00:28:41 if
00:28:41 --> 00:28:41 you're
00:28:41 --> 00:28:41 one of
00:28:41 --> 00:28:41 the
00:28:41 --> 00:28:42 older
00:28:42 --> 00:28:42 generations,
00:28:43 --> 00:28:43 baby
00:28:43 --> 00:28:43 boomers
00:28:43 --> 00:28:43 and
00:28:43 --> 00:28:44 above,
00:28:45 --> 00:28:45 the
00:28:45 --> 00:28:45 whole
00:28:45 --> 00:28:46 goal
00:28:46 --> 00:28:46 for
00:28:46 --> 00:28:47 you
00:28:47 --> 00:28:47 has
00:28:47 --> 00:28:48 been,
00:28:48 --> 00:28:48 you've
00:28:48 --> 00:28:48 inherited
00:28:48 --> 00:28:49 it from
00:28:49 --> 00:28:49 your
00:28:49 --> 00:28:49 parents
00:28:49 --> 00:28:49 and
00:28:49 --> 00:28:50 your
00:28:50 --> 00:28:50 grandparents
00:28:50 --> 00:28:50 who
00:28:50 --> 00:28:50 came
00:28:50 --> 00:28:51 through
00:28:51 --> 00:28:51 World
00:28:51 --> 00:28:51 War I
00:28:51 --> 00:28:51 and
00:28:51 --> 00:28:51 World
00:28:51 --> 00:28:52 War II,
00:28:53 --> 00:28:53 is
00:28:53 --> 00:28:53 to
00:28:53 --> 00:28:54 have
00:28:54 --> 00:28:55 financial
00:28:55 --> 00:28:56 security
00:28:56 --> 00:28:57 in
00:28:57 --> 00:28:57 life.
00:28:58 --> 00:28:59 Until
00:28:59 --> 00:28:59 you get
00:28:59 --> 00:29:00 almost to
00:29:00 --> 00:29:00 the
00:29:00 --> 00:29:01 end
00:29:01 --> 00:29:01 of
00:29:01 --> 00:29:01 your
00:29:01 --> 00:29:01 life,
00:29:02 --> 00:29:02 and
00:29:02 --> 00:29:02 then
00:29:02 --> 00:29:03 you blow
00:29:03 --> 00:29:04 it all
00:29:04 --> 00:29:04 on
00:29:04 --> 00:29:06 tours
00:29:06 --> 00:29:07 and
00:29:07 --> 00:29:08 trips
00:29:08 --> 00:29:09 and
00:29:09 --> 00:29:09 comforts
00:29:09 --> 00:29:10 and
00:29:10 --> 00:29:11 leather
00:29:11 --> 00:29:11 lounges
00:29:11 --> 00:29:12 that
00:29:12 --> 00:29:13 get to
00:29:13 --> 00:29:14 your body
00:29:14 --> 00:29:14 temperature
00:29:14 --> 00:29:15 and
00:29:15 --> 00:29:16 bigotiva,
00:29:16 --> 00:29:17 it's all
00:29:17 --> 00:29:18 comfort and
00:29:18 --> 00:29:18 security.
00:29:18 --> 00:29:19 If you're one of the
00:29:19 --> 00:29:20 younger generations,
00:29:20 --> 00:29:20 you go,
00:29:21 --> 00:29:21 screw that,
00:29:22 --> 00:29:23 I want it now,
00:29:24 --> 00:29:25 and with the
00:29:25 --> 00:29:25 benefit of credit
00:29:25 --> 00:29:26 and everything
00:29:26 --> 00:29:26 else,
00:29:26 --> 00:29:27 I'm going to
00:29:27 --> 00:29:27 live the
00:29:27 --> 00:29:28 high life
00:29:28 --> 00:29:29 now,
00:29:31 --> 00:29:33 but mainly
00:29:33 --> 00:29:34 so you
00:29:34 --> 00:29:35 splurge on
00:29:35 --> 00:29:36 your resources
00:29:36 --> 00:29:37 and accumulate
00:29:37 --> 00:29:38 experiences
00:29:38 --> 00:29:39 in life.
00:29:40 --> 00:29:40 So one
00:29:40 --> 00:29:41 generation is
00:29:41 --> 00:29:41 financial
00:29:41 --> 00:29:42 security,
00:29:42 --> 00:29:43 another
00:29:43 --> 00:29:43 generation
00:29:43 --> 00:29:44 is
00:29:44 --> 00:29:45 experiences,
00:29:46 --> 00:29:46 and it's
00:29:46 --> 00:29:47 all coming
00:29:47 --> 00:29:47 from
00:29:47 --> 00:29:48 philosophical
00:29:48 --> 00:29:49 naturalism.
00:29:51 --> 00:29:51 Now,
00:29:52 --> 00:29:52 the goal
00:29:52 --> 00:29:53 here,
00:29:53 --> 00:29:54 if you like,
00:29:54 --> 00:29:54 assume that
00:29:54 --> 00:29:54 you're in
00:29:54 --> 00:29:55 denial,
00:29:55 --> 00:29:56 on this.
00:29:58 --> 00:29:58 You see,
00:29:59 --> 00:29:59 in this
00:29:59 --> 00:30:00 country alone,
00:30:01 --> 00:30:01 $20
00:30:01 --> 00:30:02 billion
00:30:02 --> 00:30:05 is spent
00:30:05 --> 00:30:06 every year
00:30:06 --> 00:30:07 keeping us
00:30:07 --> 00:30:08 marinating
00:30:08 --> 00:30:09 in the
00:30:09 --> 00:30:10 materialism
00:30:10 --> 00:30:10 worldview.
00:30:11 --> 00:30:11 $20
00:30:11 --> 00:30:12 billion just
00:30:12 --> 00:30:13 in this
00:30:13 --> 00:30:13 world,
00:30:13 --> 00:30:14 in this
00:30:14 --> 00:30:14 country,
00:30:15 --> 00:30:16 which,
00:30:16 --> 00:30:17 by the way,
00:30:17 --> 00:30:18 is vastly
00:30:18 --> 00:30:19 more than
00:30:19 --> 00:30:19 what this
00:30:19 --> 00:30:20 country gives
00:30:20 --> 00:30:22 annually to
00:30:22 --> 00:30:23 charities and
00:30:23 --> 00:30:24 non-profits.
00:30:25 --> 00:30:27 So the
00:30:27 --> 00:30:27 first thing
00:30:27 --> 00:30:28 to assume
00:30:28 --> 00:30:28 is that
00:30:28 --> 00:30:29 you are
00:30:29 --> 00:30:29 under the
00:30:29 --> 00:30:30 influence of
00:30:30 --> 00:30:31 that very
00:30:31 --> 00:30:32 well-spent
00:30:32 --> 00:30:32 $20
00:30:32 --> 00:30:34 billion to
00:30:34 --> 00:30:34 get your
00:30:34 --> 00:30:35 life aligned
00:30:35 --> 00:30:36 with
00:30:36 --> 00:30:37 philosophical
00:30:37 --> 00:30:38 naturalism as
00:30:38 --> 00:30:38 a philosophy.
00:30:39 --> 00:30:40 Assume that
00:30:40 --> 00:30:41 some of the
00:30:41 --> 00:30:42 message is
00:30:42 --> 00:30:42 having some
00:30:42 --> 00:30:43 level of
00:30:43 --> 00:30:43 impact on
00:30:43 --> 00:30:44 you.
00:30:44 --> 00:30:45 Assume that
00:30:45 --> 00:30:46 the amount
00:30:46 --> 00:30:47 of money you
00:30:47 --> 00:30:47 think you
00:30:47 --> 00:30:48 need is
00:30:48 --> 00:30:49 more than
00:30:49 --> 00:30:49 what you
00:30:49 --> 00:30:50 really need.
00:30:50 --> 00:30:51 And assume
00:30:51 --> 00:30:53 also that
00:30:53 --> 00:30:53 the amount
00:30:53 --> 00:30:53 of money
00:30:53 --> 00:30:54 you think
00:30:54 --> 00:30:54 you can
00:30:54 --> 00:30:55 give away
00:30:55 --> 00:30:56 is in
00:30:56 --> 00:30:57 fact less
00:30:57 --> 00:30:58 than what
00:30:58 --> 00:30:58 you really
00:30:58 --> 00:30:59 can give
00:30:59 --> 00:30:59 away.
00:31:03 --> 00:31:03 The Bible
00:31:03 --> 00:31:04 tells us
00:31:04 --> 00:31:06 that money
00:31:06 --> 00:31:07 makes us
00:31:07 --> 00:31:07 blind.
00:31:09 --> 00:31:10 So assume
00:31:10 --> 00:31:10 you're in
00:31:10 --> 00:31:10 denial.
00:31:11 --> 00:31:11 Secondly,
00:31:12 --> 00:31:12 look to the
00:31:12 --> 00:31:13 rich young
00:31:13 --> 00:31:13 ruler.
00:31:15 --> 00:31:16 To counter
00:31:16 --> 00:31:17 the constant
00:31:17 --> 00:31:18 messaging of
00:31:18 --> 00:31:19 our society,
00:31:20 --> 00:31:20 look to the
00:31:20 --> 00:31:21 rich young
00:31:21 --> 00:31:22 ruler as
00:31:22 --> 00:31:24 an example
00:31:24 --> 00:31:24 for us.
00:31:26 --> 00:31:27 And when I
00:31:27 --> 00:31:27 say that,
00:31:28 --> 00:31:29 you need to
00:31:29 --> 00:31:29 hear me
00:31:29 --> 00:31:29 this,
00:31:30 --> 00:31:31 I'm not
00:31:31 --> 00:31:31 referring to
00:31:31 --> 00:31:31 the guy
00:31:31 --> 00:31:32 that's in
00:31:32 --> 00:31:32 front of
00:31:32 --> 00:31:33 Jesus,
00:31:33 --> 00:31:34 talking to
00:31:34 --> 00:31:34 Jesus.
00:31:35 --> 00:31:35 I'm referring
00:31:35 --> 00:31:36 to the
00:31:36 --> 00:31:36 other rich
00:31:36 --> 00:31:37 young ruler
00:31:37 --> 00:31:38 in this
00:31:38 --> 00:31:38 passage.
00:31:40 --> 00:31:41 Jesus is
00:31:41 --> 00:31:41 around 30,
00:31:41 --> 00:31:42 32 when
00:31:42 --> 00:31:42 he was
00:31:42 --> 00:31:43 heading to
00:31:43 --> 00:31:43 Jerusalem
00:31:43 --> 00:31:44 to die
00:31:44 --> 00:31:44 on a
00:31:44 --> 00:31:44 cross.
00:31:45 --> 00:31:45 The Bible
00:31:45 --> 00:31:46 says that
00:31:46 --> 00:31:47 he existed
00:31:47 --> 00:31:47 with God
00:31:47 --> 00:31:48 for all
00:31:48 --> 00:31:48 of eternity.
00:31:48 --> 00:31:49 He's the
00:31:49 --> 00:31:49 one who
00:31:49 --> 00:31:50 made
00:31:50 --> 00:31:50 everything.
00:31:51 --> 00:31:51 He's the
00:31:51 --> 00:31:52 one who
00:31:52 --> 00:31:52 owns
00:31:52 --> 00:31:53 everything.
00:31:53 --> 00:31:53 He is
00:31:53 --> 00:31:54 the one
00:31:54 --> 00:31:54 who rules
00:31:54 --> 00:31:55 and sustains
00:31:55 --> 00:31:56 everything.
00:31:57 --> 00:31:57 And he
00:31:57 --> 00:31:58 left all
00:31:58 --> 00:31:59 of that
00:31:59 --> 00:32:00 aside
00:32:00 --> 00:32:02 and came
00:32:02 --> 00:32:03 from heaven
00:32:03 --> 00:32:03 to identify
00:32:03 --> 00:32:04 with the
00:32:04 --> 00:32:05 spiritual
00:32:05 --> 00:32:06 poverty
00:32:06 --> 00:32:07 of humanity.
00:32:08 --> 00:32:09 And he's
00:32:09 --> 00:32:10 on the way
00:32:10 --> 00:32:11 to Jerusalem
00:32:11 --> 00:32:12 to die
00:32:12 --> 00:32:12 on a
00:32:12 --> 00:32:13 cross
00:32:13 --> 00:32:15 and into
00:32:15 --> 00:32:15 a
00:32:15 --> 00:32:18 physical
00:32:18 --> 00:32:18 and a
00:32:18 --> 00:32:19 spiritual
00:32:19 --> 00:32:20 and an
00:32:20 --> 00:32:20 emotional
00:32:20 --> 00:32:21 poverty
00:32:21 --> 00:32:22 deeper
00:32:22 --> 00:32:24 than any
00:32:24 --> 00:32:25 other human
00:32:25 --> 00:32:26 being has
00:32:26 --> 00:32:26 ever gone
00:32:26 --> 00:32:28 on the face
00:32:28 --> 00:32:28 of the
00:32:28 --> 00:32:28 earth.
00:32:31 --> 00:32:32 He will
00:32:32 --> 00:32:33 be stripped
00:32:33 --> 00:32:34 of everything.
00:32:36 --> 00:32:37 The one
00:32:37 --> 00:32:38 who is rich
00:32:38 --> 00:32:40 beyond all
00:32:40 --> 00:32:40 measure
00:32:40 --> 00:32:41 will be
00:32:41 --> 00:32:42 stripped of
00:32:42 --> 00:32:42 everything.
00:32:42 --> 00:32:47 and he
00:32:47 --> 00:32:47 does it
00:32:47 --> 00:32:47 for us.
00:32:49 --> 00:32:49 2 Corinthians
00:32:49 --> 00:32:50 8 verse
00:32:50 --> 00:32:51 9 puts
00:32:51 --> 00:32:51 it in
00:32:51 --> 00:32:52 economic
00:32:52 --> 00:32:52 terms
00:32:52 --> 00:32:52 for us
00:32:52 --> 00:32:53 the
00:32:53 --> 00:32:53 gospel
00:32:53 --> 00:32:54 of Jesus
00:32:54 --> 00:32:54 Christ.
00:32:55 --> 00:32:56 For you
00:32:56 --> 00:32:56 know the
00:32:56 --> 00:32:57 grace of
00:32:57 --> 00:32:57 our Lord
00:32:57 --> 00:32:58 Jesus
00:32:58 --> 00:32:58 Christ
00:32:58 --> 00:32:59 that though
00:32:59 --> 00:33:00 he was
00:33:00 --> 00:33:00 rich
00:33:00 --> 00:33:02 yet for
00:33:02 --> 00:33:03 your
00:33:03 --> 00:33:03 sakes
00:33:03 --> 00:33:04 he became
00:33:04 --> 00:33:05 poor
00:33:05 --> 00:33:06 so that
00:33:06 --> 00:33:06 you
00:33:06 --> 00:33:07 through
00:33:07 --> 00:33:07 his
00:33:07 --> 00:33:08 poverty
00:33:08 --> 00:33:09 might
00:33:09 --> 00:33:09 become
00:33:09 --> 00:33:10 rich.
00:33:10 --> 00:33:13 he was
00:33:13 --> 00:33:14 drained
00:33:14 --> 00:33:15 of all
00:33:15 --> 00:33:16 riches
00:33:16 --> 00:33:17 so that
00:33:17 --> 00:33:17 we
00:33:17 --> 00:33:18 though
00:33:18 --> 00:33:19 spiritually
00:33:19 --> 00:33:20 bankrupt
00:33:20 --> 00:33:21 beyond
00:33:21 --> 00:33:22 measure
00:33:22 --> 00:33:23 can
00:33:23 --> 00:33:23 receive
00:33:23 --> 00:33:24 his
00:33:24 --> 00:33:24 riches.
00:33:26 --> 00:33:26 You see
00:33:26 --> 00:33:27 in Jesus
00:33:27 --> 00:33:27 we get
00:33:27 --> 00:33:28 adoption
00:33:28 --> 00:33:29 into God's
00:33:29 --> 00:33:29 family
00:33:29 --> 00:33:29 we get
00:33:29 --> 00:33:30 forgiveness
00:33:30 --> 00:33:30 we get
00:33:30 --> 00:33:31 pardon
00:33:31 --> 00:33:31 we get
00:33:31 --> 00:33:31 eternal
00:33:31 --> 00:33:32 life.
00:33:33 --> 00:33:33 It is
00:33:33 --> 00:33:34 the only
00:33:34 --> 00:33:35 wealth
00:33:35 --> 00:33:36 that makes
00:33:36 --> 00:33:37 you truly
00:33:37 --> 00:33:37 secure
00:33:37 --> 00:33:38 not just
00:33:38 --> 00:33:39 in this
00:33:39 --> 00:33:39 life
00:33:39 --> 00:33:39 but beyond
00:33:39 --> 00:33:40 life
00:33:40 --> 00:33:40 we get
00:33:40 --> 00:33:41 the
00:33:41 --> 00:33:41 affirmation
00:33:41 --> 00:33:42 of the
00:33:42 --> 00:33:42 eternal
00:33:42 --> 00:33:43 God
00:33:43 --> 00:33:43 the
00:33:43 --> 00:33:44 praiseworthy
00:33:44 --> 00:33:45 says
00:33:45 --> 00:33:45 you are
00:33:45 --> 00:33:45 my
00:33:45 --> 00:33:45 much
00:33:45 --> 00:33:46 loved
00:33:46 --> 00:33:47 child
00:33:47 --> 00:33:47 in
00:33:47 --> 00:33:48 Jesus.
00:33:51 --> 00:33:51 It's
00:33:51 --> 00:33:52 the only
00:33:52 --> 00:33:52 security
00:33:52 --> 00:33:53 that this
00:33:53 --> 00:33:53 world
00:33:53 --> 00:33:53 cannot
00:33:53 --> 00:33:54 take
00:33:54 --> 00:33:54 away.
00:33:55 --> 00:33:56 The only
00:33:56 --> 00:33:56 identity
00:33:56 --> 00:33:58 and so
00:33:58 --> 00:33:58 the second
00:33:58 --> 00:33:59 thing
00:33:59 --> 00:33:59 is
00:33:59 --> 00:34:01 we need
00:34:01 --> 00:34:02 to look
00:34:02 --> 00:34:02 to the
00:34:02 --> 00:34:03 rich
00:34:03 --> 00:34:03 young
00:34:03 --> 00:34:03 ruler
00:34:03 --> 00:34:04 until
00:34:04 --> 00:34:04 we get
00:34:04 --> 00:34:07 weepingly
00:34:07 --> 00:34:08 excited
00:34:08 --> 00:34:10 over
00:34:10 --> 00:34:10 what he
00:34:10 --> 00:34:10 has
00:34:10 --> 00:34:11 achieved
00:34:11 --> 00:34:11 for us
00:34:11 --> 00:34:12 what he
00:34:12 --> 00:34:12 has
00:34:12 --> 00:34:12 gifted
00:34:12 --> 00:34:13 to
00:34:13 --> 00:34:13 us
00:34:13 --> 00:34:16 look
00:34:16 --> 00:34:17 to the
00:34:17 --> 00:34:17 glorious
00:34:17 --> 00:34:18 news
00:34:18 --> 00:34:19 of God's
00:34:19 --> 00:34:20 grace
00:34:20 --> 00:34:21 and his
00:34:21 --> 00:34:21 riches
00:34:21 --> 00:34:22 to us
00:34:22 --> 00:34:22 in the
00:34:22 --> 00:34:22 Lord
00:34:22 --> 00:34:23 Jesus
00:34:23 --> 00:34:24 until
00:34:24 --> 00:34:24 it
00:34:24 --> 00:34:25 drains
00:34:25 --> 00:34:26 us
00:34:26 --> 00:34:26 of
00:34:26 --> 00:34:26 all
00:34:26 --> 00:34:27 power
00:34:27 --> 00:34:28 of
00:34:28 --> 00:34:29 all
00:34:29 --> 00:34:29 the
00:34:29 --> 00:34:29 power
00:34:29 --> 00:34:30 of
00:34:30 --> 00:34:30 money
00:34:30 --> 00:34:30 and
00:34:30 --> 00:34:31 possessions
00:34:31 --> 00:34:34 let me
00:34:34 --> 00:34:34 just
00:34:34 --> 00:34:34 swing
00:34:34 --> 00:34:35 this
00:34:35 --> 00:34:35 back
00:34:35 --> 00:34:36 to
00:34:36 --> 00:34:37 what
00:34:37 --> 00:34:37 I
00:34:37 --> 00:34:39 wanted
00:34:39 --> 00:34:39 the
00:34:39 --> 00:34:39 earlier
00:34:39 --> 00:34:40 message
00:34:40 --> 00:34:40 if
00:34:40 --> 00:34:40 you
00:34:40 --> 00:34:41 are
00:34:41 --> 00:34:41 not
00:34:41 --> 00:34:42 in
00:34:42 --> 00:34:42 God's
00:34:42 --> 00:34:42 word
00:34:42 --> 00:34:42 and
00:34:42 --> 00:34:43 meditating
00:34:43 --> 00:34:43 on
00:34:43 --> 00:34:44 his
00:34:44 --> 00:34:44 word
00:34:44 --> 00:34:44 and
00:34:44 --> 00:34:45 experiencing
00:34:45 --> 00:34:46 day
00:34:46 --> 00:34:46 in
00:34:46 --> 00:34:46 and
00:34:46 --> 00:34:47 day
00:34:47 --> 00:34:47 out
00:34:47 --> 00:34:47 the
00:34:47 --> 00:34:48 wealth
00:34:48 --> 00:34:49 of
00:34:49 --> 00:34:49 what
00:34:49 --> 00:34:49 you
00:34:49 --> 00:34:50 have
00:34:50 --> 00:34:50 in
00:34:50 --> 00:34:51 Christ
00:34:51 --> 00:34:51 and
00:34:51 --> 00:34:52 pushing
00:34:52 --> 00:34:52 that
00:34:52 --> 00:34:52 down
00:34:52 --> 00:34:53 in
00:34:53 --> 00:34:53 your
00:34:53 --> 00:34:53 heart
00:34:53 --> 00:34:54 if
00:34:54 --> 00:34:54 you
00:34:54 --> 00:34:54 are
00:34:54 --> 00:34:54 not
00:34:54 --> 00:34:55 doing
00:34:55 --> 00:34:55 that
00:34:55 --> 00:34:55 daily
00:34:55 --> 00:34:56 then
00:34:56 --> 00:34:57 you
00:34:57 --> 00:34:57 must
00:34:57 --> 00:34:58 assume
00:34:58 --> 00:34:58 that
00:34:58 --> 00:34:58 you
00:34:58 --> 00:34:58 are
00:34:58 --> 00:34:59 in
00:34:59 --> 00:34:59 denial
00:34:59 --> 00:35:00 because
00:35:00 --> 00:35:00 you
00:35:00 --> 00:35:00 are
00:35:00 --> 00:35:01 marinating
00:35:01 --> 00:35:01 in
00:35:01 --> 00:35:02 20
00:35:02 --> 00:35:02 billion
00:35:02 --> 00:35:03 dollars
00:35:03 --> 00:35:03 worth
00:35:03 --> 00:35:03 of
00:35:03 --> 00:35:04 advertising
00:35:04 --> 00:35:05 and
00:35:05 --> 00:35:05 it
00:35:05 --> 00:35:05 is
00:35:05 --> 00:35:06 winning
00:35:06 --> 00:35:06 the
00:35:06 --> 00:35:06 war
00:35:06 --> 00:35:07 against
00:35:07 --> 00:35:07 your
00:35:07 --> 00:35:07 soul
00:35:07 --> 00:35:10 if
00:35:10 --> 00:35:10 you
00:35:10 --> 00:35:11 are
00:35:11 --> 00:35:11 not
00:35:11 --> 00:35:12 daily
00:35:12 --> 00:35:12 in
00:35:12 --> 00:35:12 his
00:35:12 --> 00:35:13 word
00:35:13 --> 00:35:14 then
00:35:14 --> 00:35:14 the
00:35:14 --> 00:35:15 messaging
00:35:15 --> 00:35:15 of
00:35:15 --> 00:35:16 our
00:35:16 --> 00:35:16 society
00:35:16 --> 00:35:17 and
00:35:17 --> 00:35:17 where
00:35:17 --> 00:35:17 you
00:35:17 --> 00:35:18 get
00:35:18 --> 00:35:18 your
00:35:18 --> 00:35:18 security
00:35:18 --> 00:35:19 identity
00:35:19 --> 00:35:20 is
00:35:20 --> 00:35:20 most
00:35:20 --> 00:35:21 definitely
00:35:21 --> 00:35:22 winning
00:35:22 --> 00:35:27 and
00:35:27 --> 00:35:27 so
00:35:27 --> 00:35:28 look
00:35:28 --> 00:35:28 to
00:35:28 --> 00:35:29 the
00:35:29 --> 00:35:29 glorious
00:35:29 --> 00:35:29 news
00:35:29 --> 00:35:30 of
00:35:30 --> 00:35:30 God's
00:35:30 --> 00:35:30 grace
00:35:30 --> 00:35:31 and
00:35:31 --> 00:35:32 these
00:35:32 --> 00:35:32 riches
00:35:32 --> 00:35:32 to
00:35:32 --> 00:35:32 us
00:35:32 --> 00:35:33 in
00:35:33 --> 00:35:33 the
00:35:33 --> 00:35:33 Lord
00:35:33 --> 00:35:33 Jesus
00:35:33 --> 00:35:34 until
00:35:34 --> 00:35:34 it
00:35:34 --> 00:35:35 drains
00:35:35 --> 00:35:35 all
00:35:35 --> 00:35:36 power
00:35:36 --> 00:35:37 out
00:35:37 --> 00:35:37 of
00:35:37 --> 00:35:37 money
00:35:37 --> 00:35:38 and
00:35:38 --> 00:35:38 possessions
00:35:38 --> 00:35:40 it
00:35:40 --> 00:35:40 just
00:35:40 --> 00:35:40 becomes
00:35:40 --> 00:35:41 money
00:35:41 --> 00:35:41 and
00:35:41 --> 00:35:41 things
00:35:41 --> 00:35:42 it's
00:35:42 --> 00:35:42 no
00:35:42 --> 00:35:42 longer
00:35:42 --> 00:35:42 my
00:35:42 --> 00:35:43 security
00:35:43 --> 00:35:43 or my
00:35:43 --> 00:35:44 identity
00:35:44 --> 00:35:46 and so
00:35:46 --> 00:35:46 the
00:35:46 --> 00:35:46 third
00:35:46 --> 00:35:47 thing
00:35:47 --> 00:35:47 is
00:35:47 --> 00:35:48 to
00:35:48 --> 00:35:48 have
00:35:48 --> 00:35:48 a
00:35:48 --> 00:35:48 plan
00:35:48 --> 00:35:49 to
00:35:49 --> 00:35:49 use
00:35:49 --> 00:35:50 your
00:35:50 --> 00:35:51 wealth
00:35:51 --> 00:35:52 with
00:35:52 --> 00:35:52 purpose
00:35:52 --> 00:35:52 to
00:35:52 --> 00:35:53 use
00:35:53 --> 00:35:53 it
00:35:53 --> 00:35:53 with
00:35:53 --> 00:35:54 eternity
00:35:54 --> 00:35:54 and
00:35:54 --> 00:35:55 as
00:35:55 --> 00:35:56 stewards
00:35:56 --> 00:35:56 of
00:35:56 --> 00:35:57 God's
00:35:57 --> 00:35:58 resources
00:35:58 --> 00:35:58 resources
00:35:58 --> 00:35:59 while you
00:35:59 --> 00:36:00 have
00:36:00 --> 00:36:00 them
00:36:00 --> 00:36:01 so
00:36:01 --> 00:36:02 here's
00:36:02 --> 00:36:02 a couple
00:36:02 --> 00:36:02 of steps
00:36:02 --> 00:36:03 for you
00:36:03 --> 00:36:03 step
00:36:03 --> 00:36:03 number
00:36:03 --> 00:36:04 one
00:36:04 --> 00:36:05 take
00:36:05 --> 00:36:05 the
00:36:05 --> 00:36:05 time
00:36:05 --> 00:36:06 to
00:36:06 --> 00:36:07 investigate
00:36:07 --> 00:36:07 how much
00:36:07 --> 00:36:08 am I
00:36:08 --> 00:36:08 actually
00:36:08 --> 00:36:08 giving
00:36:08 --> 00:36:09 away
00:36:09 --> 00:36:09 at the
00:36:09 --> 00:36:09 moment
00:36:09 --> 00:36:10 based
00:36:10 --> 00:36:11 on my
00:36:11 --> 00:36:13 wealth
00:36:13 --> 00:36:14 how much
00:36:14 --> 00:36:14 am I
00:36:14 --> 00:36:14 giving
00:36:14 --> 00:36:15 away
00:36:15 --> 00:36:16 and how
00:36:16 --> 00:36:16 much
00:36:16 --> 00:36:16 of that
00:36:16 --> 00:36:17 is going
00:36:17 --> 00:36:17 to
00:36:17 --> 00:36:18 Christian
00:36:18 --> 00:36:18 ministry
00:36:18 --> 00:36:18 and
00:36:18 --> 00:36:19 charity
00:36:19 --> 00:36:19
00:36:20 --> 00:36:20 Christian
00:36:20 --> 00:36:20 ministry
00:36:20 --> 00:36:21 to help
00:36:21 --> 00:36:21 people out
00:36:21 --> 00:36:22 of spiritual
00:36:22 --> 00:36:22 poverty
00:36:22 --> 00:36:23 charity
00:36:23 --> 00:36:23 to help
00:36:23 --> 00:36:24 people out
00:36:24 --> 00:36:24 of physical
00:36:24 --> 00:36:25 poverty
00:36:25 --> 00:36:25 step
00:36:25 --> 00:36:25 number
00:36:25 --> 00:36:26 two
00:36:26 --> 00:36:26 if it
00:36:26 --> 00:36:27 is not
00:36:27 --> 00:36:27 at least
00:36:27 --> 00:36:28 10%
00:36:28 --> 00:36:28 and this
00:36:28 --> 00:36:28 is not
00:36:28 --> 00:36:29 a sermon
00:36:29 --> 00:36:29 on tithing
00:36:29 --> 00:36:30 which is
00:36:30 --> 00:36:31 the biblical
00:36:31 --> 00:36:31 mark here
00:36:31 --> 00:36:33 if it's
00:36:33 --> 00:36:34 not at least
00:36:34 --> 00:36:35 10%
00:36:35 --> 00:36:36 the very
00:36:36 --> 00:36:37 least amount
00:36:37 --> 00:36:38 the disciples
00:36:38 --> 00:36:38 are the
00:36:38 --> 00:36:39 giveaway
00:36:39 --> 00:36:40 work out
00:36:40 --> 00:36:41 how you
00:36:41 --> 00:36:42 can start
00:36:42 --> 00:36:42 moving
00:36:42 --> 00:36:43 aggressively
00:36:43 --> 00:36:44 towards
00:36:44 --> 00:36:45 10%
00:36:45 --> 00:36:47 step
00:36:47 --> 00:36:47 number
00:36:47 --> 00:36:48 three
00:36:48 --> 00:36:49 work out
00:36:49 --> 00:36:50 what sacrifices
00:36:50 --> 00:36:51 you are going
00:36:51 --> 00:36:51 to make
00:36:51 --> 00:36:52 in order
00:36:52 --> 00:36:52 to get
00:36:52 --> 00:36:52 there
00:36:52 --> 00:36:55 as I
00:36:55 --> 00:36:55 said
00:36:55 --> 00:36:56 I think
00:36:56 --> 00:36:56 it was
00:36:56 --> 00:36:57 last
00:36:57 --> 00:36:57 week
00:36:57 --> 00:36:59 if
00:36:59 --> 00:36:59 we
00:36:59 --> 00:37:00 don't
00:37:00 --> 00:37:00 need
00:37:00 --> 00:37:01 to make
00:37:01 --> 00:37:01 sacrifices
00:37:01 --> 00:37:02 to give
00:37:02 --> 00:37:03 10%
00:37:03 --> 00:37:04 then we
00:37:04 --> 00:37:04 aren't
00:37:04 --> 00:37:04 actually
00:37:04 --> 00:37:05 giving
00:37:05 --> 00:37:05 enough
00:37:05 --> 00:37:06 radical
00:37:06 --> 00:37:07 generosity
00:37:07 --> 00:37:08 is about
00:37:08 --> 00:37:09 sacrifice
00:37:09 --> 00:37:10 sacrificial
00:37:10 --> 00:37:11 giving
00:37:11 --> 00:37:11 is not
00:37:11 --> 00:37:11 a percentage
00:37:11 --> 00:37:13 it's
00:37:13 --> 00:37:13 when our
00:37:13 --> 00:37:13 living
00:37:13 --> 00:37:14 standards
00:37:14 --> 00:37:15 change
00:37:15 --> 00:37:16 in such
00:37:16 --> 00:37:16 a way
00:37:16 --> 00:37:16 that we
00:37:16 --> 00:37:17 feel
00:37:17 --> 00:37:17 loss
00:37:17 --> 00:37:18 for the
00:37:18 --> 00:37:18 benefit
00:37:18 --> 00:37:18 of
00:37:18 --> 00:37:19 others
00:37:19 --> 00:37:20 if
00:37:20 --> 00:37:20 our
00:37:20 --> 00:37:21 giving
00:37:21 --> 00:37:21 does not
00:37:21 --> 00:37:21 burden
00:37:21 --> 00:37:22 us
00:37:22 --> 00:37:22 if
00:37:22 --> 00:37:22 it
00:37:22 --> 00:37:23 does
00:37:23 --> 00:37:23 not
00:37:23 --> 00:37:23 cut
00:37:23 --> 00:37:23 into
00:37:23 --> 00:37:23 our
00:37:23 --> 00:37:24 lifestyle
00:37:24 --> 00:37:24 in
00:37:24 --> 00:37:24 any
00:37:24 --> 00:37:25 way
00:37:25 --> 00:37:27 then
00:37:27 --> 00:37:28 you
00:37:28 --> 00:37:28 need
00:37:28 --> 00:37:28 to
00:37:28 --> 00:37:28 give
00:37:28 --> 00:37:29 more
00:37:29 --> 00:37:31 American
00:37:31 --> 00:37:32 pastor
00:37:32 --> 00:37:32 John
00:37:32 --> 00:37:32 Piper
00:37:32 --> 00:37:33 argues
00:37:33 --> 00:37:33 this
00:37:33 --> 00:37:33 point
00:37:33 --> 00:37:34 very
00:37:34 --> 00:37:34 strongly
00:37:34 --> 00:37:36 I
00:37:36 --> 00:37:36 didn't
00:37:36 --> 00:37:37 put it
00:37:37 --> 00:37:37 on the
00:37:37 --> 00:37:37 screen
00:37:37 --> 00:37:37 I
00:37:37 --> 00:37:38 just
00:37:38 --> 00:37:38 want
00:37:38 --> 00:37:38 to
00:37:38 --> 00:37:39 read
00:37:39 --> 00:37:39 it
00:37:39 --> 00:37:39 to
00:37:39 --> 00:37:39 you
00:37:39 --> 00:37:39 just
00:37:39 --> 00:37:39 let
00:37:39 --> 00:37:39 us
00:37:39 --> 00:37:40 sit
00:37:40 --> 00:37:41 it
00:37:41 --> 00:37:41 is
00:37:41 --> 00:37:41 a
00:37:41 --> 00:37:42 biblical
00:37:42 --> 00:37:42 truth
00:37:42 --> 00:37:43 beyond
00:37:43 --> 00:37:43 all
00:37:43 --> 00:37:44 dispute
00:37:44 --> 00:37:44 !
00:37:52 --> 00:37:52 there's
00:37:52 --> 00:37:52 a
00:37:52 --> 00:37:53 biblical
00:37:53 --> 00:37:53 worldview
00:37:53 --> 00:37:53 here
00:37:53 --> 00:37:54 you've
00:37:54 --> 00:37:55 received
00:37:55 --> 00:37:55 everything
00:37:55 --> 00:37:56 you have
00:37:56 --> 00:37:57 including
00:37:57 --> 00:37:57 the ability
00:37:57 --> 00:37:58 to make
00:37:58 --> 00:37:58 the money
00:37:58 --> 00:37:58 that you
00:37:58 --> 00:37:58 have
00:37:58 --> 00:38:00 and
00:38:00 --> 00:38:01 has been
00:38:01 --> 00:38:02 loaned
00:38:02 --> 00:38:03 to you
00:38:03 --> 00:38:04 as a
00:38:04 --> 00:38:04 steward
00:38:04 --> 00:38:05 to use
00:38:05 --> 00:38:06 in ways
00:38:06 --> 00:38:06 that
00:38:06 --> 00:38:07 maximize
00:38:07 --> 00:38:08 the
00:38:08 --> 00:38:09 glorification
00:38:09 --> 00:38:09 of God's
00:38:09 --> 00:38:10 mercy
00:38:10 --> 00:38:10 in the
00:38:10 --> 00:38:10 world
00:38:10 --> 00:38:11 Matthew
00:38:11 --> 00:38:12 25
00:38:12 --> 00:38:13 verses
00:38:13 --> 00:38:13 14
00:38:13 --> 00:38:14 to 30
00:38:14 --> 00:38:15 and it
00:38:15 --> 00:38:15 is
00:38:15 --> 00:38:16 irrational
00:38:16 --> 00:38:17 to think
00:38:17 --> 00:38:17 that giving
00:38:17 --> 00:38:18 10%
00:38:18 --> 00:38:18 of that
00:38:18 --> 00:38:18 money
00:38:18 --> 00:38:19 to
00:38:19 --> 00:38:20 church
00:38:20 --> 00:38:20 settles
00:38:20 --> 00:38:21 the issue
00:38:21 --> 00:38:22 of good
00:38:22 --> 00:38:22 stewardship
00:38:22 --> 00:38:23 in a
00:38:23 --> 00:38:23 world
00:38:23 --> 00:38:24 of such
00:38:24 --> 00:38:25 immense
00:38:25 --> 00:38:25 need
00:38:25 --> 00:38:26 and in
00:38:26 --> 00:38:26 a
00:38:26 --> 00:38:26 country
00:38:26 --> 00:38:27 of such
00:38:27 --> 00:38:28 immense
00:38:28 --> 00:38:28 luxury
00:38:28 --> 00:38:29 and under
00:38:29 --> 00:38:30 the commission
00:38:30 --> 00:38:30 of such
00:38:30 --> 00:38:31 a powerful
00:38:31 --> 00:38:32 Lord
00:38:32 --> 00:38:33 the issue
00:38:33 --> 00:38:34 of stewardship
00:38:34 --> 00:38:35 is not
00:38:35 --> 00:38:37 should I
00:38:37 --> 00:38:37 tithe
00:38:37 --> 00:38:38 in other
00:38:38 --> 00:38:38 words
00:38:38 --> 00:38:39 should I
00:38:39 --> 00:38:40 give just
00:38:40 --> 00:38:40 10%
00:38:40 --> 00:38:42 but rather
00:38:42 --> 00:38:44 how much
00:38:44 --> 00:38:44 of God's
00:38:44 --> 00:38:45 trust fund
00:38:45 --> 00:38:46 dare I
00:38:46 --> 00:38:46 use
00:38:46 --> 00:38:47 to surround
00:38:47 --> 00:38:48 myself
00:38:48 --> 00:38:48 with
00:38:48 --> 00:38:49 comforts
00:38:49 --> 00:38:52 step
00:38:52 --> 00:38:52 four
00:38:52 --> 00:38:53 decide
00:38:53 --> 00:38:54 what you
00:38:54 --> 00:38:54 are giving
00:38:54 --> 00:38:55 to and
00:38:55 --> 00:38:56 follow through
00:38:56 --> 00:38:56 with it
00:38:56 --> 00:38:57 make yourself
00:38:57 --> 00:38:57 accountable
00:38:57 --> 00:38:58 that is the
00:38:58 --> 00:38:59 reason we
00:38:59 --> 00:38:59 say that
00:38:59 --> 00:38:59 is that
00:38:59 --> 00:39:01 giving
00:39:01 --> 00:39:01 is a
00:39:01 --> 00:39:02 spiritual
00:39:02 --> 00:39:03 issue
00:39:03 --> 00:39:04 and like
00:39:04 --> 00:39:04 all
00:39:04 --> 00:39:05 spiritual
00:39:05 --> 00:39:05 issues
00:39:05 --> 00:39:06 we are
00:39:06 --> 00:39:06 accountable
00:39:06 --> 00:39:07 for it
00:39:07 --> 00:39:07 step
00:39:07 --> 00:39:08 five
00:39:08 --> 00:39:10 set
00:39:10 --> 00:39:10 aside
00:39:10 --> 00:39:12 electronically
00:39:12 --> 00:39:13 your
00:39:13 --> 00:39:13 regular
00:39:13 --> 00:39:14 gift
00:39:14 --> 00:39:14 to the
00:39:14 --> 00:39:15 church
00:39:15 --> 00:39:16 and then
00:39:16 --> 00:39:17 on top
00:39:17 --> 00:39:17 of that
00:39:17 --> 00:39:18 you add
00:39:18 --> 00:39:19 spontaneous
00:39:19 --> 00:39:20 gifts
00:39:20 --> 00:39:20 like the
00:39:20 --> 00:39:21 projects
00:39:21 --> 00:39:21 that we're
00:39:21 --> 00:39:21 doing at
00:39:21 --> 00:39:22 the moment
00:39:22 --> 00:39:23 and other
00:39:23 --> 00:39:23 needs
00:39:23 --> 00:39:24 as they
00:39:24 --> 00:39:24 arise
00:39:24 --> 00:39:25 I take
00:39:25 --> 00:39:26 my cue
00:39:26 --> 00:39:26 here
00:39:26 --> 00:39:27 from the
00:39:27 --> 00:39:28 apostle Paul's
00:39:28 --> 00:39:28 teaching
00:39:28 --> 00:39:30 that giving
00:39:30 --> 00:39:31 should be
00:39:31 --> 00:39:32 two things
00:39:32 --> 00:39:34 it should
00:39:34 --> 00:39:35 be regular
00:39:35 --> 00:39:36 and it
00:39:36 --> 00:39:36 should be
00:39:36 --> 00:39:37 spontaneous
00:39:37 --> 00:39:38 it should
00:39:38 --> 00:39:39 be disciplined
00:39:39 --> 00:39:40 and it
00:39:40 --> 00:39:40 should be
00:39:40 --> 00:39:41 free
00:39:41 --> 00:39:43 1 Corinthians
00:39:43 --> 00:39:44 16
00:39:44 --> 00:39:44 2
00:39:44 --> 00:39:47 what it
00:39:47 --> 00:39:47 does
00:39:47 --> 00:39:47 here
00:39:47 --> 00:39:48 it
00:39:48 --> 00:39:48 points
00:39:48 --> 00:39:49 to
00:39:49 --> 00:39:49 the
00:39:49 --> 00:39:49 wisdom
00:39:49 --> 00:39:50 of
00:39:50 --> 00:39:50 planned
00:39:50 --> 00:39:51 regular
00:39:51 --> 00:39:51 disciplined
00:39:51 --> 00:39:52 giving
00:39:52 --> 00:39:56 and that's
00:39:56 --> 00:39:56 what these
00:39:56 --> 00:39:56 whole
00:39:56 --> 00:39:57 rhythms of
00:39:57 --> 00:39:57 grace is
00:39:57 --> 00:39:58 about
00:39:58 --> 00:40:00 it's
00:40:00 --> 00:40:00 about
00:40:00 --> 00:40:01 in and
00:40:01 --> 00:40:01 out
00:40:01 --> 00:40:02 in and
00:40:02 --> 00:40:02 out
00:40:02 --> 00:40:03 in and
00:40:03 --> 00:40:03 out
00:40:03 --> 00:40:03 it's
00:40:03 --> 00:40:03 a
00:40:03 --> 00:40:03 rhythm
00:40:03 --> 00:40:04 and
00:40:04 --> 00:40:04 habit
00:40:04 --> 00:40:04 of
00:40:04 --> 00:40:04 life
00:40:04 --> 00:40:09 as our
00:40:09 --> 00:40:10 income
00:40:10 --> 00:40:10 comes in
00:40:10 --> 00:40:12 rhythmically
00:40:12 --> 00:40:13 so we
00:40:13 --> 00:40:14 send it
00:40:14 --> 00:40:14 out
00:40:14 --> 00:40:15 rhythmically
00:40:15 --> 00:40:17 if it
00:40:17 --> 00:40:18 comes in
00:40:18 --> 00:40:18 rhythmically
00:40:18 --> 00:40:19 and I'm
00:40:19 --> 00:40:19 not sending
00:40:19 --> 00:40:20 it out
00:40:20 --> 00:40:21 rhythmically
00:40:21 --> 00:40:22 there's an
00:40:22 --> 00:40:22 indication
00:40:22 --> 00:40:23 there that
00:40:23 --> 00:40:24 I'm probably
00:40:24 --> 00:40:25 more captivated
00:40:25 --> 00:40:27 by
00:40:27 --> 00:40:28 the
00:40:28 --> 00:40:29 values
00:40:29 --> 00:40:30 of the
00:40:30 --> 00:40:30 world
00:40:30 --> 00:40:30 around
00:40:30 --> 00:40:31 us
00:40:31 --> 00:40:33 sporadic
00:40:33 --> 00:40:34 giving
00:40:34 --> 00:40:35 with no
00:40:35 --> 00:40:36 plan
00:40:36 --> 00:40:37 will most
00:40:37 --> 00:40:38 likely mean
00:40:38 --> 00:40:38 that we're
00:40:38 --> 00:40:39 not treating
00:40:39 --> 00:40:40 finance as
00:40:40 --> 00:40:40 an integral
00:40:40 --> 00:40:41 part of
00:40:41 --> 00:40:41 our
00:40:41 --> 00:40:42 discipleship
00:40:42 --> 00:40:44 to give
00:40:44 --> 00:40:44 radically
00:40:44 --> 00:40:45 generous
00:40:45 --> 00:40:46 lives
00:40:46 --> 00:40:46 with our
00:40:46 --> 00:40:46 money
00:40:46 --> 00:40:47 sorry to
00:40:47 --> 00:40:47 live
00:40:47 --> 00:40:48 radically
00:40:48 --> 00:40:48 generous
00:40:48 --> 00:40:48 lives
00:40:48 --> 00:40:49 with our
00:40:49 --> 00:40:49 wealth
00:40:49 --> 00:40:50 and
00:40:50 --> 00:40:50 possession
00:40:50 --> 00:40:51 actually
00:40:51 --> 00:40:51 needs
00:40:51 --> 00:40:52 joy
00:40:52 --> 00:40:53 we need
00:40:53 --> 00:40:53 more than
00:40:53 --> 00:40:53 just
00:40:53 --> 00:40:54 courage
00:40:54 --> 00:40:55 we need
00:40:55 --> 00:40:55 joy
00:40:55 --> 00:40:56 we need
00:40:56 --> 00:40:56 to be
00:40:56 --> 00:40:57 relaxed
00:40:57 --> 00:40:57 and at
00:40:57 --> 00:40:57 peace
00:40:57 --> 00:40:58 and secure
00:40:58 --> 00:40:58 enough
00:40:58 --> 00:40:59 to do
00:40:59 --> 00:40:59 it
00:40:59 --> 00:41:01 and this
00:41:01 --> 00:41:01 joy
00:41:01 --> 00:41:03 in
00:41:03 --> 00:41:03 radical
00:41:03 --> 00:41:04 generosity
00:41:04 --> 00:41:06 only
00:41:06 --> 00:41:06 comes
00:41:06 --> 00:41:07 when we
00:41:07 --> 00:41:07 look to
00:41:07 --> 00:41:08 the rich
00:41:08 --> 00:41:08 young
00:41:08 --> 00:41:08 ruler
00:41:08 --> 00:41:10 it's
00:41:10 --> 00:41:10 the only
00:41:10 --> 00:41:11 source
00:41:11 --> 00:41:11 of it
00:41:11 --> 00:41:13 it
00:41:13 --> 00:41:13 only
00:41:13 --> 00:41:14 comes
00:41:14 --> 00:41:14 when we
00:41:14 --> 00:41:14 look to
00:41:14 --> 00:41:15 the rich
00:41:15 --> 00:41:15 young
00:41:15 --> 00:41:15 ruler
00:41:15 --> 00:41:16 who
00:41:16 --> 00:41:16 lost
00:41:16 --> 00:41:17 absolutely
00:41:17 --> 00:41:18 everything
00:41:18 --> 00:41:20 so that
00:41:20 --> 00:41:20 we could
00:41:20 --> 00:41:21 gain
00:41:21 --> 00:41:22 absolutely
00:41:22 --> 00:41:23 everything
00:41:23 --> 00:41:24 and the
00:41:24 --> 00:41:25 more
00:41:25 --> 00:41:26 we look
00:41:26 --> 00:41:26 to Jesus
00:41:26 --> 00:41:28 and the
00:41:28 --> 00:41:28 riches
00:41:28 --> 00:41:29 we have
00:41:29 --> 00:41:29 in him
00:41:29 --> 00:41:30 the freer
00:41:30 --> 00:41:31 we will
00:41:31 --> 00:41:31 be to
00:41:31 --> 00:41:32 live
00:41:32 --> 00:41:32 pervasive
00:41:32 --> 00:41:34 and generous
00:41:34 --> 00:41:35 lives
00:41:35 --> 00:41:36 rhythmic
00:41:36 --> 00:41:37 financial
00:41:37 --> 00:41:37 giving
00:41:37 --> 00:41:39 is a
00:41:39 --> 00:41:39 spiritual
00:41:39 --> 00:41:40 discipline
00:41:40 --> 00:41:42 that takes
00:41:42 --> 00:41:44 the knowledge
00:41:44 --> 00:41:44 of
00:41:44 --> 00:41:45 Jesus'
00:41:46 --> 00:41:47 generosity
00:41:47 --> 00:41:48 to me
00:41:48 --> 00:41:49 my
00:41:49 --> 00:41:49 created
00:41:49 --> 00:41:50 God's
00:41:50 --> 00:41:51 generosity
00:41:51 --> 00:41:51 to me
00:41:51 --> 00:41:52 in the
00:41:52 --> 00:41:52 gospel
00:41:52 --> 00:41:53 it takes
00:41:53 --> 00:41:54 that knowledge
00:41:54 --> 00:41:55 in the
00:41:55 --> 00:41:55 head
00:41:55 --> 00:41:57 and
00:41:57 --> 00:41:58 it
00:41:58 --> 00:41:59 pushes
00:41:59 --> 00:41:59 it
00:41:59 --> 00:42:00 down
00:42:00 --> 00:42:01 into
00:42:01 --> 00:42:01 my
00:42:01 --> 00:42:02 heart
00:42:02 --> 00:42:03 it
00:42:03 --> 00:42:03 takes
00:42:03 --> 00:42:03 the
00:42:03 --> 00:42:04 knowledge
00:42:04 --> 00:42:04 that
00:42:04 --> 00:42:05 Jesus
00:42:05 --> 00:42:06 is
00:42:06 --> 00:42:06 in fact
00:42:06 --> 00:42:07 my
00:42:07 --> 00:42:07 greatest
00:42:07 --> 00:42:08 treasure
00:42:08 --> 00:42:09 and it
00:42:09 --> 00:42:09 pushes
00:42:09 --> 00:42:09 it
00:42:09 --> 00:42:10 down
00:42:10 --> 00:42:10 into
00:42:10 --> 00:42:11 my
00:42:11 --> 00:42:11 heart
00:42:11 --> 00:42:15 and the
00:42:15 --> 00:42:15 way it
00:42:15 --> 00:42:15 pushes
00:42:15 --> 00:42:16 it down
00:42:16 --> 00:42:16 into
00:42:16 --> 00:42:16 my
00:42:16 --> 00:42:17 heart
00:42:17 --> 00:42:19 is by
00:42:19 --> 00:42:19 being
00:42:19 --> 00:42:20 regular
00:42:20 --> 00:42:21 and sporadic
00:42:21 --> 00:42:22 with
00:42:22 --> 00:42:22 the
00:42:22 --> 00:42:23 other
00:42:23 --> 00:42:23 greatest
00:42:23 --> 00:42:24 treasure
00:42:24 --> 00:42:24 in my
00:42:24 --> 00:42:25 life
00:42:25 --> 00:42:26 by
00:42:26 --> 00:42:26 giving
00:42:26 --> 00:42:26 it
00:42:26 --> 00:42:27 away
00:42:27 --> 00:42:28 in
00:42:28 --> 00:42:28 eye
00:42:28 --> 00:42:28 popping
00:42:28 --> 00:42:29 proportions