Wealth & Love
Series: WEALTH ON PURPOSE
Speaker: Steve Jeffrey
Date: 9th June 2019
Passage: Luke 16:1-15
00:00:00 --> 00:00:06 Good morning, everyone.
00:00:06 --> 00:00:13 Nick asked us earlier about what you give thanks to God for in the past week.
00:00:13 --> 00:00:19 And I got a message the other day from someone who was sitting in church last week
00:00:19 --> 00:00:22 who, as a result of being convicted in terms of the message,
00:00:22 --> 00:00:29 but also blown away by the gospel, decided to basically quadruple their giving.
00:00:30 --> 00:00:34 And I just want to say that that's what this series is about.
00:00:35 --> 00:00:36 It's about heart work.
00:00:36 --> 00:00:37 It's about doing...
00:00:37 --> 00:00:40 We're not seeking to raise funds for any particular project,
00:00:40 --> 00:00:45 but to do heart work as one of the things that is closest to our hearts
00:00:45 --> 00:00:47 in a materialistic world,
00:00:47 --> 00:00:53 and to sort of rethink about that from a kingdom of God perspective.
00:00:53 --> 00:00:56 That's what we're seeking to do in this series.
00:00:56 --> 00:00:59 So if you'd like to come with me today, which would be great,
00:00:59 --> 00:01:01 you've got an outline here with the Bible verses,
00:01:01 --> 00:01:06 but also an outline in terms of where we're heading with this passage.
00:01:06 --> 00:01:08 We could take some notes, but also on the St. Paul's app,
00:01:08 --> 00:01:10 you can get the same thing and type it all in as well.
00:01:10 --> 00:01:13 Let me pray, and then we'll launch into this text.
00:01:13 --> 00:01:21 Gracious Father, we thank you for the abundance that you have given us in the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:01:21 --> 00:01:23 As we have sung this morning already,
00:01:24 --> 00:01:29 in him we can be satisfied, totally satisfied.
00:01:29 --> 00:01:31 As your prophet Habakkuk says,
00:01:32 --> 00:01:36 that all other things can be stripped away,
00:01:36 --> 00:01:39 but because we have Christ, we have God, our Redeemer,
00:01:39 --> 00:01:41 then we have everything,
00:01:41 --> 00:01:44 everything that we need to get out of bed in the morning and rejoice.
00:01:45 --> 00:01:51 Help us to put our materialism, our money, our resources,
00:01:51 --> 00:01:54 all good things that come from you in their proper place.
00:01:54 --> 00:01:57 We ask that you would do heart work with us,
00:01:58 --> 00:02:01 which would see transformation in our lives and our priorities, we pray.
00:02:02 --> 00:02:03 In Jesus' name.
00:02:03 --> 00:02:04 Amen.
00:02:05 --> 00:02:09 I want to begin today, as I've done a few times before,
00:02:09 --> 00:02:13 reflecting on the life of one of the greatest philosophical thinkers,
00:02:13 --> 00:02:16 one of the sharpest political minds,
00:02:16 --> 00:02:22 one of the most gifted artists and one of the most quoted individuals of the past 100 years.
00:02:23 --> 00:02:30 Arnold Schwarzenegger was born the son of a low-ranking Austrian police officer
00:02:30 --> 00:02:34 and destined for a life of total obscurity, in fact,
00:02:34 --> 00:02:40 until his hands wrapped around a barbell for the very first time at 14 years of age.
00:02:41 --> 00:02:43 By the age of 18, he was living in London,
00:02:43 --> 00:02:47 travelling the world, competing in bodybuilding championships,
00:02:47 --> 00:02:52 and his coach through those years was a guy named Wag Bennett.
00:02:53 --> 00:02:58 And one day, Wag asked the 18-year-old Arnold Schwarzenegger,
00:02:59 --> 00:03:01 what do you want to do with your life?
00:03:03 --> 00:03:10 And he said Arnold's response for an 18-year-old was remarkable.
00:03:10 --> 00:03:13 He said he just looked at me and said,
00:03:13 --> 00:03:16 I want to be the richest and the greatest bodybuilder of all time.
00:03:17 --> 00:03:19 I want to live in the United States.
00:03:20 --> 00:03:23 I want to be an actor, a movie director,
00:03:23 --> 00:03:25 own an apartment block,
00:03:26 --> 00:03:27 and dabble in politics.
00:03:29 --> 00:03:30 18 years of age.
00:03:31 --> 00:03:32 This is my future.
00:03:32 --> 00:03:35 This is what I'm gunning for,
00:03:35 --> 00:03:36 and I'm going to go for it.
00:03:39 --> 00:03:44 And those who trained with him said he was highly focused.
00:03:45 --> 00:03:46 Highly focused.
00:03:46 --> 00:03:50 One day he was doing some sort of press-up thingy
00:03:50 --> 00:03:52 with one of his training partners,
00:03:52 --> 00:03:54 and this training partner beat Arnold.
00:03:54 --> 00:03:56 He did 150,
00:03:56 --> 00:03:57 and Arnold did 149,
00:03:58 --> 00:03:58 or something like that.
00:03:58 --> 00:04:00 And Arnold looked at him and said,
00:04:00 --> 00:04:01 you will never,
00:04:01 --> 00:04:03 ever beat me again.
00:04:04 --> 00:04:04 He said,
00:04:04 --> 00:04:05 no matter what I did,
00:04:05 --> 00:04:06 I couldn't do it.
00:04:07 --> 00:04:08 So focused.
00:04:11 --> 00:04:12 Luke 16.
00:04:13 --> 00:04:18 Jesus tells a story about a man who saw the future.
00:04:19 --> 00:04:21 He knew what he wanted,
00:04:21 --> 00:04:23 knew what he wanted to do,
00:04:23 --> 00:04:24 what he needed to do,
00:04:24 --> 00:04:26 and he just went for it.
00:04:28 --> 00:04:31 He's known as the shrewd manager.
00:04:32 --> 00:04:33 Now,
00:04:33 --> 00:04:33 in Jesus' time,
00:04:34 --> 00:04:35 the manager like this
00:04:35 --> 00:04:38 was like a COO,
00:04:39 --> 00:04:40 a chief operating officer,
00:04:40 --> 00:04:41 and a CFO,
00:04:41 --> 00:04:43 a chief financial officer,
00:04:43 --> 00:04:44 rolled into one.
00:04:44 --> 00:04:46 They not only managed
00:04:46 --> 00:04:48 the whole estate
00:04:48 --> 00:04:52 for an owner of an estate,
00:04:52 --> 00:04:55 but they also invested the owner's money.
00:04:55 --> 00:04:57 They had control over the finances
00:04:57 --> 00:05:00 and chose where it was going to be spent.
00:05:01 --> 00:05:02 And it turns out,
00:05:02 --> 00:05:04 according to this text,
00:05:04 --> 00:05:06 that this manager's been doing a pretty poor job,
00:05:06 --> 00:05:08 and so he gets a termination notice,
00:05:08 --> 00:05:10 and he's now in trouble.
00:05:11 --> 00:05:13 Word gets around that this manager
00:05:13 --> 00:05:17 has not been making some wise decisions,
00:05:18 --> 00:05:20 then it's unlikely that he's going to get
00:05:20 --> 00:05:22 another management role.
00:05:22 --> 00:05:25 And he's been sitting in an office for too long
00:05:25 --> 00:05:27 to start digging trenches for a living,
00:05:28 --> 00:05:30 and he won't lower himself to begging.
00:05:31 --> 00:05:32 And what's more,
00:05:32 --> 00:05:33 there are no social services.
00:05:34 --> 00:05:36 There's nothing here in terms of
00:05:36 --> 00:05:38 center link to fall back on.
00:05:39 --> 00:05:40 So for this manager,
00:05:40 --> 00:05:41 in this moment,
00:05:42 --> 00:05:44 he has a life and death decision.
00:05:46 --> 00:05:47 How's he going to live?
00:05:48 --> 00:05:49 What's he going to do?
00:05:49 --> 00:05:52 And so he makes a decision
00:05:52 --> 00:05:54 in that moment
00:05:54 --> 00:05:57 that will pay benefits for him
00:05:57 --> 00:05:58 into the future.
00:05:59 --> 00:06:00 Not immediately,
00:06:01 --> 00:06:02 into the future.
00:06:03 --> 00:06:04 And that's the point of this parable.
00:06:05 --> 00:06:06 Living now,
00:06:06 --> 00:06:08 making decisions now,
00:06:08 --> 00:06:10 that have long-term benefits.
00:06:12 --> 00:06:14 And what he does next
00:06:14 --> 00:06:15 is the bit of this parable
00:06:15 --> 00:06:16 that I think,
00:06:16 --> 00:06:18 if you get caught up in the details,
00:06:18 --> 00:06:19 gets a little bit distracting.
00:06:21 --> 00:06:21 So here it is,
00:06:21 --> 00:06:22 verse 5.
00:06:23 --> 00:06:24 So he called in each one
00:06:24 --> 00:06:26 of his master's debtors.
00:06:26 --> 00:06:27 He asked the first,
00:06:27 --> 00:06:28 how much do you owe my master?
00:06:28 --> 00:06:29 900 gallons of olive oil,
00:06:29 --> 00:06:30 he replied.
00:06:30 --> 00:06:31 The manager told him,
00:06:31 --> 00:06:31 take your bill,
00:06:32 --> 00:06:32 sit down quickly,
00:06:32 --> 00:06:34 and make it 450.
00:06:35 --> 00:06:36 Then he asked the second,
00:06:37 --> 00:06:38 and how much do you owe?
00:06:39 --> 00:06:41 A thousand bushels of wheat,
00:06:41 --> 00:06:41 he replied.
00:06:42 --> 00:06:43 He told him,
00:06:43 --> 00:06:44 take your bill,
00:06:44 --> 00:06:45 and make it 800.
00:06:45 --> 00:06:50 Now the distracting bit is,
00:06:50 --> 00:06:53 you're working on the assumption here,
00:06:53 --> 00:06:56 that this manager,
00:06:56 --> 00:06:58 is ripping off his master.
00:06:59 --> 00:07:00 You pay me the money.
00:07:01 --> 00:07:04 You give me 450 gallons of olive oil.
00:07:06 --> 00:07:08 That's not really what's happening.
00:07:08 --> 00:07:12 But what happens here is,
00:07:12 --> 00:07:14 what's the crucial focal point,
00:07:15 --> 00:07:17 is the outcome of his actions
00:07:17 --> 00:07:18 creates friendships
00:07:18 --> 00:07:21 that didn't exist before.
00:07:22 --> 00:07:25 He now has connections and friendships
00:07:25 --> 00:07:26 that didn't exist before.
00:07:27 --> 00:07:28 In acting for the future,
00:07:29 --> 00:07:30 he won the favor and the obligation
00:07:30 --> 00:07:32 of his master's debtors.
00:07:32 --> 00:07:35 And the master's response,
00:07:35 --> 00:07:36 in verse 8,
00:07:38 --> 00:07:38 is,
00:07:40 --> 00:07:42 the master commended the dishonest manager
00:07:42 --> 00:07:43 because he had acted shrewdly.
00:07:46 --> 00:07:49 Why would the owner commend the manager
00:07:49 --> 00:07:51 for his action here?
00:07:53 --> 00:07:54 One of the best theories
00:07:54 --> 00:07:56 is that this manager
00:07:56 --> 00:07:58 was putting his own fees
00:07:58 --> 00:08:01 on top of the investment,
00:08:01 --> 00:08:05 getting his own interest share in it
00:08:05 --> 00:08:08 as well as the owner of the investment.
00:08:10 --> 00:08:11 And this could be the reason
00:08:11 --> 00:08:13 why he's been called dishonest
00:08:13 --> 00:08:14 in the beginning.
00:08:15 --> 00:08:18 You are putting extraordinary fees
00:08:18 --> 00:08:21 on top of my assets
00:08:21 --> 00:08:23 and getting a cut yourself.
00:08:24 --> 00:08:27 So he's entering into contracts here
00:08:27 --> 00:08:28 with very high interest.
00:08:28 --> 00:08:31 So the master's getting interest
00:08:31 --> 00:08:33 and the owner's getting interest
00:08:33 --> 00:08:34 and then it all gets found out.
00:08:35 --> 00:08:38 And so what apparently he's done here
00:08:38 --> 00:08:39 is he's now all of a sudden
00:08:39 --> 00:08:40 taking his own cut out of it.
00:08:41 --> 00:08:42 He's not getting anything more
00:08:42 --> 00:08:43 from these deals.
00:08:44 --> 00:08:46 Takes his own fees out.
00:08:46 --> 00:08:50 Not only does he make his debtors happy,
00:08:50 --> 00:08:52 but he also gives the master
00:08:52 --> 00:08:53 a better name in town too.
00:08:53 --> 00:08:56 Now that's,
00:08:56 --> 00:08:57 well that's exactly how it worked,
00:08:57 --> 00:08:59 but it appears that that's how it worked
00:08:59 --> 00:09:00 in the first century Palestine.
00:09:01 --> 00:09:03 But the point of Jesus here is
00:09:03 --> 00:09:04 that this man
00:09:04 --> 00:09:07 is living his life
00:09:07 --> 00:09:10 and using his wealth
00:09:10 --> 00:09:12 with an eye for the future.
00:09:13 --> 00:09:15 This master commended him
00:09:15 --> 00:09:18 because he had acted shrewdly.
00:09:19 --> 00:09:20 It was a good decision.
00:09:20 --> 00:09:23 You've made a wise decision,
00:09:23 --> 00:09:24 a smart judgment.
00:09:24 --> 00:09:25 You're astute.
00:09:27 --> 00:09:29 Or what we might call a rat cunning.
00:09:31 --> 00:09:32 Very, very clever move.
00:09:34 --> 00:09:38 But the rebuke in the second half
00:09:38 --> 00:09:39 of verse 8
00:09:39 --> 00:09:40 is a little bit stinging.
00:09:42 --> 00:09:43 It says this shrewd,
00:09:43 --> 00:09:44 this wise,
00:09:44 --> 00:09:45 this astute action
00:09:45 --> 00:09:47 is one that the disciples
00:09:47 --> 00:09:49 of Jesus fail in.
00:09:50 --> 00:09:52 For the people of this world
00:09:52 --> 00:09:54 are more shrewd
00:09:54 --> 00:09:55 in dealing with their own kind
00:09:55 --> 00:09:57 or with their own generation
00:09:57 --> 00:10:01 than are people of the light.
00:10:02 --> 00:10:03 Jesus is saying
00:10:03 --> 00:10:04 that this manager
00:10:04 --> 00:10:06 is wiser
00:10:06 --> 00:10:08 in the use
00:10:08 --> 00:10:09 of the master's wealth
00:10:10 --> 00:10:12 than his own disciples
00:10:12 --> 00:10:14 are in using
00:10:14 --> 00:10:15 their master's wealth.
00:10:15 --> 00:10:19 in making long-term investment
00:10:19 --> 00:10:21 with their master's wealth.
00:10:27 --> 00:10:28 And that's my second point.
00:10:29 --> 00:10:32 We are God's investment managers.
00:10:33 --> 00:10:34 That's the first thing
00:10:34 --> 00:10:35 we learn here.
00:10:35 --> 00:10:36 We are stewards
00:10:36 --> 00:10:39 of someone else's resources.
00:10:39 --> 00:10:43 The word manager here
00:10:43 --> 00:10:47 is quite literally steward.
00:10:48 --> 00:10:50 This man
00:10:50 --> 00:10:52 is a steward
00:10:52 --> 00:10:54 of someone else's resources.
00:10:54 --> 00:10:56 He is a fund manager
00:10:56 --> 00:10:57 if you like.
00:10:58 --> 00:10:59 When you manage
00:10:59 --> 00:11:01 someone else's funds
00:11:01 --> 00:11:03 you can't do
00:11:03 --> 00:11:05 anything you want
00:11:05 --> 00:11:05 with it
00:11:05 --> 00:11:06 because
00:11:06 --> 00:11:08 it's not yours.
00:11:08 --> 00:11:09 You don't own it.
00:11:11 --> 00:11:12 So first up
00:11:12 --> 00:11:13 Jesus is saying
00:11:13 --> 00:11:14 that if you understand
00:11:14 --> 00:11:15 that there is a God
00:11:15 --> 00:11:16 at all
00:11:16 --> 00:11:17 you've got any concept
00:11:17 --> 00:11:18 that there is a God
00:11:18 --> 00:11:20 you will know
00:11:20 --> 00:11:21 that whatever you have
00:11:21 --> 00:11:22 is not yours.
00:11:23 --> 00:11:25 We are stewards
00:11:25 --> 00:11:26 of God's money
00:11:26 --> 00:11:27 of his resources
00:11:27 --> 00:11:29 and so
00:11:29 --> 00:11:29 we are
00:11:29 --> 00:11:31 stop acting
00:11:31 --> 00:11:33 as if it's ours.
00:11:34 --> 00:11:35 That's pretty hard hitting
00:11:35 --> 00:11:36 because we have
00:11:36 --> 00:11:37 a strong attachment
00:11:37 --> 00:11:37 to our wealth
00:11:37 --> 00:11:39 and our possessions
00:11:39 --> 00:11:41 because we've worked for it.
00:11:41 --> 00:11:42 We have this sense
00:11:42 --> 00:11:44 in the materialistic wealth
00:11:44 --> 00:11:45 of the West
00:11:45 --> 00:11:47 that we believe
00:11:47 --> 00:11:49 in the self-made individual.
00:11:50 --> 00:11:50 It's my money.
00:11:50 --> 00:11:51 I've worked hard for it.
00:11:52 --> 00:11:53 I've worked really hard.
00:11:53 --> 00:11:54 I deserve this
00:11:54 --> 00:11:55 because I work really hard.
00:11:56 --> 00:11:56 How often have you heard
00:11:56 --> 00:11:57 your self
00:11:57 --> 00:11:58 say that?
00:12:00 --> 00:12:01 Jesus says
00:12:01 --> 00:12:01 no.
00:12:02 --> 00:12:03 That's not yours.
00:12:05 --> 00:12:06 If you're a Christian
00:12:06 --> 00:12:08 there is a much broader context
00:12:08 --> 00:12:09 to put all
00:12:09 --> 00:12:11 of this truth into.
00:12:12 --> 00:12:12 As Christians
00:12:12 --> 00:12:13 we believe
00:12:13 --> 00:12:15 that God made everything
00:12:15 --> 00:12:17 that he sustains everything
00:12:17 --> 00:12:18 that we have life
00:12:18 --> 00:12:19 and skills
00:12:19 --> 00:12:20 and opportunities
00:12:20 --> 00:12:21 that he has gifted us with
00:12:21 --> 00:12:24 and without those things
00:12:24 --> 00:12:26 we would not make
00:12:26 --> 00:12:27 any money
00:12:27 --> 00:12:28 at all.
00:12:30 --> 00:12:32 It's not because of us
00:12:32 --> 00:12:33 it's because of him.
00:12:36 --> 00:12:37 Let me just push this point
00:12:37 --> 00:12:38 a little bit further.
00:12:38 --> 00:12:39 It is a gift
00:12:39 --> 00:12:41 that you happen to exist
00:12:41 --> 00:12:41 in Sydney
00:12:41 --> 00:12:43 at this particular time and age.
00:12:44 --> 00:12:45 Absolute gift.
00:12:45 --> 00:12:50 you would understand
00:12:50 --> 00:12:51 it as a gift
00:12:51 --> 00:12:52 if you were born
00:12:52 --> 00:12:53 400 years ago
00:12:53 --> 00:12:57 and living in a
00:12:57 --> 00:12:59 third world country.
00:13:03 --> 00:13:05 Without the gifts
00:13:05 --> 00:13:06 we have no capability
00:13:06 --> 00:13:08 of doing what we do.
00:13:09 --> 00:13:10 Without the life
00:13:10 --> 00:13:10 that he gives us
00:13:10 --> 00:13:11 day by day
00:13:11 --> 00:13:12 we have no ability
00:13:12 --> 00:13:14 to have any form
00:13:14 --> 00:13:15 of possessions.
00:13:15 --> 00:13:16 Without life
00:13:16 --> 00:13:17 it's extremely difficult
00:13:17 --> 00:13:18 to do anything in fact.
00:13:20 --> 00:13:21 If you have health
00:13:21 --> 00:13:22 and able to work
00:13:22 --> 00:13:23 that's a gift.
00:13:23 --> 00:13:24 The fact that you're born
00:13:24 --> 00:13:25 in this time and place
00:13:25 --> 00:13:26 have these opportunities
00:13:26 --> 00:13:27 those are gifts.
00:13:28 --> 00:13:29 We work hard
00:13:29 --> 00:13:30 for what we have
00:13:30 --> 00:13:32 with the life
00:13:32 --> 00:13:32 circumstances
00:13:32 --> 00:13:33 talents
00:13:33 --> 00:13:35 that God has given us
00:13:35 --> 00:13:36 we are stewards.
00:13:38 --> 00:13:38 And I think
00:13:38 --> 00:13:39 that's where
00:13:39 --> 00:13:40 1 Chronicles 29
00:13:40 --> 00:13:41 is really helpful
00:13:41 --> 00:13:42 for us
00:13:42 --> 00:13:42 because this is
00:13:42 --> 00:13:43 the prayer
00:13:43 --> 00:13:45 of the fabulously
00:13:45 --> 00:13:46 wealthy and powerful
00:13:46 --> 00:13:47 King David.
00:13:48 --> 00:13:49 Everything in heaven
00:13:49 --> 00:13:50 and earth
00:13:50 --> 00:13:52 is yours.
00:13:53 --> 00:13:53 Wealth
00:13:53 --> 00:13:54 and honour
00:13:54 --> 00:13:55 come from you.
00:13:56 --> 00:13:56 You are the ruler
00:13:56 --> 00:13:58 of all things.
00:13:58 --> 00:13:59 Who am I?
00:13:59 --> 00:14:00 And who are my people
00:14:00 --> 00:14:01 that we should be able
00:14:01 --> 00:14:02 to give as generously
00:14:02 --> 00:14:03 as this?
00:14:03 --> 00:14:03 Everything
00:14:03 --> 00:14:05 comes from you
00:14:05 --> 00:14:06 and we have only
00:14:06 --> 00:14:07 given to you
00:14:07 --> 00:14:08 what has come
00:14:08 --> 00:14:09 from your hand.
00:14:09 --> 00:14:11 All this abundance
00:14:11 --> 00:14:13 that we have provided
00:14:13 --> 00:14:14 for building you
00:14:14 --> 00:14:14 a temple
00:14:14 --> 00:14:15 for your holy name
00:14:15 --> 00:14:17 comes from your hand
00:14:17 --> 00:14:18 and all of it
00:14:18 --> 00:14:20 belongs to you
00:14:20 --> 00:14:22 still belongs to you.
00:14:24 --> 00:14:25 So if we are stewards
00:14:25 --> 00:14:27 it's not ours
00:14:27 --> 00:14:28 and God calls us
00:14:28 --> 00:14:29 to be radically generous.
00:14:30 --> 00:14:31 And if we're not
00:14:31 --> 00:14:32 radically generous
00:14:32 --> 00:14:35 it's not called
00:14:35 --> 00:14:35 stinginess
00:14:35 --> 00:14:36 or a little bit
00:14:36 --> 00:14:37 tight.
00:14:37 --> 00:14:39 God calls it
00:14:39 --> 00:14:40 robbery.
00:14:41 --> 00:14:42 You're a fund manager
00:14:42 --> 00:14:44 who's taking the funds
00:14:44 --> 00:14:45 and investing it
00:14:45 --> 00:14:46 elsewhere.
00:14:48 --> 00:14:50 You're the dishonest
00:14:50 --> 00:14:51 manager
00:14:51 --> 00:14:52 is what you are.
00:14:54 --> 00:14:55 It's not just a lack
00:14:55 --> 00:14:56 of compassion.
00:14:57 --> 00:14:58 It's not just a lack
00:14:58 --> 00:14:59 of generosity.
00:14:59 --> 00:15:00 It's a lack
00:15:00 --> 00:15:01 of integrity.
00:15:01 --> 00:15:05 Malachi 3.8
00:15:05 --> 00:15:08 Will a mere mortal
00:15:08 --> 00:15:09 rob God?
00:15:11 --> 00:15:11 And yet you
00:15:11 --> 00:15:12 rob me.
00:15:13 --> 00:15:14 But you ask
00:15:14 --> 00:15:14 well how are we
00:15:14 --> 00:15:15 robbing you God?
00:15:16 --> 00:15:17 In tithes and offerings.
00:15:18 --> 00:15:20 As I said last week
00:15:20 --> 00:15:20 the people of the
00:15:20 --> 00:15:21 Old Testament
00:15:21 --> 00:15:22 were told that
00:15:22 --> 00:15:23 10% of their income
00:15:23 --> 00:15:24 as a baseline
00:15:24 --> 00:15:25 need to be given away.
00:15:25 --> 00:15:26 That's the starting point.
00:15:27 --> 00:15:27 That's the baseline.
00:15:27 --> 00:15:29 And I'm not convinced
00:15:29 --> 00:15:30 the standards of the
00:15:30 --> 00:15:31 people in the New
00:15:31 --> 00:15:32 Testament are any
00:15:32 --> 00:15:32 lower.
00:15:33 --> 00:15:34 Especially when they
00:15:34 --> 00:15:35 have a greater hope
00:15:35 --> 00:15:36 a greater revelation
00:15:36 --> 00:15:36 a greater grace
00:15:36 --> 00:15:38 greater benefit.
00:15:40 --> 00:15:40 However
00:15:40 --> 00:15:42 if you're sitting
00:15:42 --> 00:15:43 there at the moment
00:15:43 --> 00:15:44 you're thinking
00:15:44 --> 00:15:44 10%
00:15:44 --> 00:15:46 is a lot of money
00:15:46 --> 00:15:48 then maybe
00:15:48 --> 00:15:49 you're approaching
00:15:49 --> 00:15:50 it from the wrong
00:15:50 --> 00:15:51 direction.
00:15:52 --> 00:15:52 Imagine
00:15:52 --> 00:15:54 imagine this scenario
00:15:54 --> 00:15:55 you go to work
00:15:55 --> 00:15:56 on Tuesday
00:15:56 --> 00:15:57 and
00:15:57 --> 00:15:59 someone
00:15:59 --> 00:16:00 asks you
00:16:00 --> 00:16:01 to manage
00:16:01 --> 00:16:02 their money
00:16:02 --> 00:16:02 for them
00:16:02 --> 00:16:04 and the
00:16:04 --> 00:16:05 terms
00:16:05 --> 00:16:06 of that
00:16:06 --> 00:16:08 were that
00:16:08 --> 00:16:09 every year
00:16:09 --> 00:16:11 you get
00:16:11 --> 00:16:12 to keep
00:16:12 --> 00:16:12 90%
00:16:12 --> 00:16:13 of the returns
00:16:13 --> 00:16:15 and you've
00:16:15 --> 00:16:16 got to give
00:16:16 --> 00:16:16 the owner
00:16:16 --> 00:16:17 10% back.
00:16:18 --> 00:16:19 Do you
00:16:19 --> 00:16:20 think that's
00:16:20 --> 00:16:20 a good deal?
00:16:23 --> 00:16:24 What fund
00:16:24 --> 00:16:24 manager wouldn't
00:16:24 --> 00:16:25 want to sign
00:16:25 --> 00:16:25 on the dotted
00:16:25 --> 00:16:26 line ASN?
00:16:26 --> 00:16:27 You immediately
00:16:27 --> 00:16:27 go
00:16:27 --> 00:16:28 there's got to
00:16:28 --> 00:16:28 be fine print
00:16:28 --> 00:16:29 here somewhere.
00:16:30 --> 00:16:30 There must
00:16:30 --> 00:16:31 be fine print
00:16:31 --> 00:16:31 here somewhere.
00:16:35 --> 00:16:36 That's how
00:16:36 --> 00:16:36 generous God
00:16:36 --> 00:16:37 is
00:16:37 --> 00:16:38 and that's
00:16:38 --> 00:16:38 what God
00:16:38 --> 00:16:39 is offering
00:16:39 --> 00:16:39 us.
00:16:40 --> 00:16:41 But if we
00:16:41 --> 00:16:41 love money
00:16:41 --> 00:16:42 more than
00:16:42 --> 00:16:42 we love God
00:16:42 --> 00:16:43 who gives
00:16:43 --> 00:16:43 us those
00:16:43 --> 00:16:43 things
00:16:43 --> 00:16:45 even those
00:16:45 --> 00:16:45 terms won't
00:16:45 --> 00:16:46 be enough.
00:16:47 --> 00:16:48 We won't
00:16:48 --> 00:16:48 be generous
00:16:48 --> 00:16:48 we won't
00:16:48 --> 00:16:49 give
00:16:49 --> 00:16:50 and it won't
00:16:50 --> 00:16:51 be stinginess
00:16:51 --> 00:16:52 it's robbery.
00:16:53 --> 00:16:53 We are stewards
00:16:53 --> 00:16:54 of money
00:16:54 --> 00:16:54 that is
00:16:54 --> 00:16:55 not
00:16:55 --> 00:16:55 ours.
00:16:56 --> 00:16:57 And I
00:16:57 --> 00:16:57 would suggest
00:16:57 --> 00:16:58 I want to
00:16:58 --> 00:16:58 go a little
00:16:58 --> 00:16:58 bit harder
00:16:58 --> 00:16:59 here and I
00:16:59 --> 00:16:59 would suggest
00:16:59 --> 00:17:00 that includes
00:17:00 --> 00:17:02 the estates
00:17:02 --> 00:17:02 that you've
00:17:02 --> 00:17:03 accumulated
00:17:03 --> 00:17:04 over the
00:17:04 --> 00:17:04 years.
00:17:04 --> 00:17:11 I want to
00:17:11 --> 00:17:12 ask whether
00:17:12 --> 00:17:13 even in
00:17:13 --> 00:17:13 your will
00:17:13 --> 00:17:15 have you
00:17:15 --> 00:17:15 included for
00:17:15 --> 00:17:16 gospel ministry
00:17:16 --> 00:17:17 after you
00:17:17 --> 00:17:17 have long
00:17:17 --> 00:17:18 gone.
00:17:19 --> 00:17:19 Even the
00:17:19 --> 00:17:20 estates that
00:17:20 --> 00:17:20 are in
00:17:20 --> 00:17:21 your name
00:17:21 --> 00:17:21 are not
00:17:21 --> 00:17:22 yours.
00:17:25 --> 00:17:25 Imagine
00:17:25 --> 00:17:26 stewarding
00:17:26 --> 00:17:27 our resources
00:17:27 --> 00:17:27 in such a
00:17:27 --> 00:17:28 way that
00:17:28 --> 00:17:29 in our
00:17:29 --> 00:17:29 wills
00:17:29 --> 00:17:30 we are
00:17:30 --> 00:17:30 also
00:17:30 --> 00:17:31 giving a
00:17:31 --> 00:17:33 portion to
00:17:33 --> 00:17:33 gospel ministry
00:17:33 --> 00:17:35 and charity
00:17:35 --> 00:17:36 after we
00:17:36 --> 00:17:36 have long
00:17:36 --> 00:17:37 gone.
00:17:38 --> 00:17:38 Imagine
00:17:38 --> 00:17:39 continuing to
00:17:39 --> 00:17:40 build rewards
00:17:40 --> 00:17:41 in heaven
00:17:41 --> 00:17:42 when we are
00:17:42 --> 00:17:43 already there.
00:17:46 --> 00:17:47 Next point
00:17:47 --> 00:17:48 investing in
00:17:48 --> 00:17:48 friends.
00:17:49 --> 00:17:49 There's
00:17:49 --> 00:17:50 something even
00:17:50 --> 00:17:52 more amazing
00:17:52 --> 00:17:52 here.
00:17:53 --> 00:17:54 This is the
00:17:54 --> 00:17:54 connection between
00:17:54 --> 00:17:55 wealth and
00:17:55 --> 00:17:55 love.
00:17:56 --> 00:17:57 Verse 9
00:17:57 --> 00:17:59 is the
00:17:59 --> 00:18:00 goal Jesus
00:18:00 --> 00:18:01 has in
00:18:01 --> 00:18:02 mind with
00:18:02 --> 00:18:03 our stewardship
00:18:03 --> 00:18:03 of his
00:18:03 --> 00:18:05 resources and
00:18:05 --> 00:18:05 the goal
00:18:05 --> 00:18:07 is our
00:18:07 --> 00:18:09 happiness,
00:18:09 --> 00:18:10 our love
00:18:10 --> 00:18:11 and our
00:18:11 --> 00:18:12 security.
00:18:12 --> 00:18:13 I tell you
00:18:13 --> 00:18:15 use worldly
00:18:15 --> 00:18:15 wealth to
00:18:15 --> 00:18:16 gain friends
00:18:16 --> 00:18:17 for yourselves
00:18:17 --> 00:18:18 so that when
00:18:18 --> 00:18:19 it is gone
00:18:19 --> 00:18:21 you will be
00:18:21 --> 00:18:21 welcomed into
00:18:21 --> 00:18:23 eternal dwellings.
00:18:25 --> 00:18:26 See what this
00:18:26 --> 00:18:26 manager does
00:18:26 --> 00:18:28 here which is
00:18:28 --> 00:18:28 the astute
00:18:28 --> 00:18:29 wise thinking
00:18:29 --> 00:18:30 is he puts
00:18:30 --> 00:18:32 aside short
00:18:32 --> 00:18:34 term financial
00:18:34 --> 00:18:35 gain for the
00:18:35 --> 00:18:36 sake of gaining
00:18:36 --> 00:18:38 something that
00:18:38 --> 00:18:39 was long term
00:18:39 --> 00:18:39 more valuable.
00:18:41 --> 00:18:42 It's a wise
00:18:42 --> 00:18:43 investment is
00:18:43 --> 00:18:44 where you put
00:18:44 --> 00:18:46 your money into
00:18:46 --> 00:18:47 something that
00:18:47 --> 00:18:48 will increase in
00:18:48 --> 00:18:48 value.
00:18:49 --> 00:18:49 That's called a
00:18:49 --> 00:18:50 wise investment.
00:18:52 --> 00:18:53 And so what can
00:18:53 --> 00:18:54 we put our money
00:18:54 --> 00:18:55 into that will
00:18:55 --> 00:18:57 last forever?
00:18:57 --> 00:19:00 Jesus gives
00:19:00 --> 00:19:01 us a very
00:19:01 --> 00:19:01 helpful perspective
00:19:01 --> 00:19:02 here when he
00:19:02 --> 00:19:03 says in verse
00:19:03 --> 00:19:04 nine so that
00:19:04 --> 00:19:05 when it is
00:19:05 --> 00:19:06 gone.
00:19:07 --> 00:19:08 He's saying
00:19:08 --> 00:19:08 that no matter
00:19:08 --> 00:19:09 what investment
00:19:09 --> 00:19:11 you put into
00:19:11 --> 00:19:12 in this world
00:19:12 --> 00:19:14 it will go.
00:19:15 --> 00:19:16 It will not
00:19:16 --> 00:19:16 last.
00:19:17 --> 00:19:17 You won't take
00:19:17 --> 00:19:18 it with you.
00:19:20 --> 00:19:21 There is no
00:19:21 --> 00:19:22 material thing,
00:19:22 --> 00:19:22 no asset,
00:19:23 --> 00:19:24 no piece of
00:19:24 --> 00:19:25 property where
00:19:25 --> 00:19:26 you can put
00:19:26 --> 00:19:26 your money
00:19:26 --> 00:19:27 into that
00:19:27 --> 00:19:28 will really
00:19:28 --> 00:19:30 really really
00:19:30 --> 00:19:31 last.
00:19:33 --> 00:19:33 And he's
00:19:33 --> 00:19:34 calling his
00:19:34 --> 00:19:34 disciples to
00:19:34 --> 00:19:35 put their
00:19:35 --> 00:19:35 money into
00:19:35 --> 00:19:36 something that
00:19:36 --> 00:19:36 will literally
00:19:36 --> 00:19:37 last forever.
00:19:40 --> 00:19:41 Use your
00:19:41 --> 00:19:42 money in such
00:19:42 --> 00:19:43 a way that
00:19:43 --> 00:19:44 there is glory
00:19:44 --> 00:19:46 in the end.
00:19:46 --> 00:19:46 need.
00:19:49 --> 00:19:50 Now what I
00:19:50 --> 00:19:51 love about the
00:19:51 --> 00:19:52 way that Jesus
00:19:52 --> 00:19:53 puts it here
00:19:53 --> 00:19:54 is that he
00:19:54 --> 00:19:55 doesn't say,
00:19:55 --> 00:19:56 he doesn't just
00:19:56 --> 00:19:56 stay there at
00:19:56 --> 00:19:57 some sort of
00:19:57 --> 00:19:58 abstract level.
00:19:59 --> 00:19:59 Now because for
00:19:59 --> 00:20:00 me personally I'm
00:20:00 --> 00:20:01 logically convinced
00:20:01 --> 00:20:02 I'm just kind of
00:20:02 --> 00:20:03 the way that I'm
00:20:03 --> 00:20:03 wired I think
00:20:03 --> 00:20:05 long term about
00:20:05 --> 00:20:06 most stuff.
00:20:07 --> 00:20:07 And I'm
00:20:07 --> 00:20:09 logically convinced
00:20:09 --> 00:20:10 by the argument
00:20:10 --> 00:20:11 for long term
00:20:11 --> 00:20:12 investment that
00:20:12 --> 00:20:13 grows in value
00:20:13 --> 00:20:14 forever.
00:20:14 --> 00:20:15 Logically,
00:20:15 --> 00:20:16 yeah got that,
00:20:16 --> 00:20:16 that makes sense
00:20:16 --> 00:20:17 to me.
00:20:17 --> 00:20:18 What Jesus
00:20:18 --> 00:20:19 says next
00:20:19 --> 00:20:21 however is
00:20:21 --> 00:20:22 the thing that
00:20:22 --> 00:20:23 if you like
00:20:23 --> 00:20:24 moves the
00:20:24 --> 00:20:26 heart and
00:20:26 --> 00:20:27 causes me to
00:20:27 --> 00:20:28 open the
00:20:28 --> 00:20:29 wallet and the
00:20:29 --> 00:20:29 bank balance.
00:20:30 --> 00:20:30 And I hope it
00:20:30 --> 00:20:31 does for you
00:20:31 --> 00:20:31 too.
00:20:32 --> 00:20:33 Look at how
00:20:33 --> 00:20:34 Jesus describes
00:20:34 --> 00:20:35 the eternal
00:20:35 --> 00:20:36 dwelling in
00:20:36 --> 00:20:36 verse 9.
00:20:36 --> 00:20:40 friends.
00:20:42 --> 00:20:43 Friends.
00:20:44 --> 00:20:46 Use your money
00:20:46 --> 00:20:47 now to gain
00:20:47 --> 00:20:49 friends who
00:20:49 --> 00:20:49 will welcome
00:20:49 --> 00:20:50 you into
00:20:50 --> 00:20:51 eternal
00:20:51 --> 00:20:52 dwellings.
00:20:53 --> 00:20:54 Let me quote
00:20:54 --> 00:20:55 one commentator
00:20:55 --> 00:20:55 who wrote on
00:20:55 --> 00:20:56 this verse.
00:20:56 --> 00:20:58 It is in his
00:20:58 --> 00:20:59 view the main
00:20:59 --> 00:21:00 point of this
00:21:00 --> 00:21:00 parable.
00:21:00 --> 00:21:03 although these
00:21:03 --> 00:21:04 things,
00:21:05 --> 00:21:05 your property,
00:21:05 --> 00:21:05 ability,
00:21:06 --> 00:21:06 time,
00:21:07 --> 00:21:07 belong to
00:21:07 --> 00:21:08 this life
00:21:08 --> 00:21:09 only,
00:21:09 --> 00:21:09 says Jesus,
00:21:11 --> 00:21:11 yet what
00:21:11 --> 00:21:12 will happen
00:21:12 --> 00:21:12 to you
00:21:12 --> 00:21:13 then when
00:21:13 --> 00:21:14 you pass
00:21:14 --> 00:21:15 into that
00:21:15 --> 00:21:16 life will
00:21:16 --> 00:21:17 depend on
00:21:17 --> 00:21:18 what you
00:21:18 --> 00:21:18 are doing
00:21:18 --> 00:21:19 with them
00:21:19 --> 00:21:19 here and
00:21:19 --> 00:21:20 now.
00:21:20 --> 00:21:21 Make sure
00:21:21 --> 00:21:22 that your
00:21:22 --> 00:21:23 use of
00:21:23 --> 00:21:24 them brings
00:21:24 --> 00:21:25 you into
00:21:25 --> 00:21:26 a fellowship
00:21:26 --> 00:21:27 of friends
00:21:27 --> 00:21:29 which will
00:21:29 --> 00:21:30 survive
00:21:30 --> 00:21:30 beyond
00:21:30 --> 00:21:31 death.
00:21:32 --> 00:21:33 A
00:21:33 --> 00:21:33 fellowship
00:21:33 --> 00:21:34 of
00:21:34 --> 00:21:34 friends
00:21:34 --> 00:21:35 that
00:21:35 --> 00:21:36 survives
00:21:36 --> 00:21:36 beyond
00:21:36 --> 00:21:37 death.
00:21:38 --> 00:21:39 Now this
00:21:39 --> 00:21:40 is definitely
00:21:40 --> 00:21:40 what Jesus
00:21:40 --> 00:21:41 is saying
00:21:41 --> 00:21:41 here.
00:21:42 --> 00:21:43 You see,
00:21:43 --> 00:21:43 because we
00:21:43 --> 00:21:44 look to
00:21:44 --> 00:21:44 money to
00:21:44 --> 00:21:45 give us
00:21:45 --> 00:21:46 the security
00:21:46 --> 00:21:47 and the
00:21:47 --> 00:21:47 significance
00:21:47 --> 00:21:49 in our
00:21:49 --> 00:21:49 culture,
00:21:50 --> 00:21:50 but genuine
00:21:50 --> 00:21:51 security and
00:21:51 --> 00:21:51 significance
00:21:51 --> 00:21:53 is relational.
00:21:53 --> 00:21:54 It's not
00:21:54 --> 00:21:54 material.
00:21:56 --> 00:21:57 In the
00:21:57 --> 00:21:57 end,
00:21:57 --> 00:21:58 the thing
00:21:58 --> 00:21:58 we all
00:21:58 --> 00:21:59 need is
00:21:59 --> 00:21:59 love.
00:22:00 --> 00:22:00 Every
00:22:00 --> 00:22:01 single one
00:22:01 --> 00:22:01 of us
00:22:01 --> 00:22:02 needs
00:22:02 --> 00:22:03 love.
00:22:03 --> 00:22:04 We feel
00:22:04 --> 00:22:05 truly
00:22:05 --> 00:22:06 wealthy
00:22:06 --> 00:22:08 when we
00:22:08 --> 00:22:08 are loving
00:22:08 --> 00:22:09 people and
00:22:09 --> 00:22:10 are surrounded
00:22:10 --> 00:22:11 by people
00:22:11 --> 00:22:12 who love
00:22:12 --> 00:22:13 us back.
00:22:15 --> 00:22:16 The person
00:22:16 --> 00:22:17 who has
00:22:17 --> 00:22:18 got great
00:22:18 --> 00:22:18 bank balance,
00:22:18 --> 00:22:18 got a
00:22:18 --> 00:22:20 secure piece
00:22:20 --> 00:22:20 of property,
00:22:21 --> 00:22:21 they got
00:22:21 --> 00:22:22 their retirement
00:22:22 --> 00:22:23 funds sorted,
00:22:23 --> 00:22:23 but is
00:22:23 --> 00:22:24 totally lonely,
00:22:26 --> 00:22:26 doesn't think
00:22:26 --> 00:22:27 for a
00:22:27 --> 00:22:27 moment,
00:22:27 --> 00:22:27 that they're
00:22:27 --> 00:22:28 wealthy,
00:22:29 --> 00:22:29 when all
00:22:29 --> 00:22:30 the relationships
00:22:30 --> 00:22:30 around them
00:22:30 --> 00:22:31 are breaking
00:22:31 --> 00:22:31 down.
00:22:39 --> 00:22:40 And yet,
00:22:40 --> 00:22:40 the love
00:22:40 --> 00:22:41 that we're
00:22:41 --> 00:22:41 seeking for
00:22:41 --> 00:22:42 in this
00:22:42 --> 00:22:43 life is
00:22:43 --> 00:22:44 consistently
00:22:44 --> 00:22:44 out of
00:22:44 --> 00:22:45 reach for
00:22:45 --> 00:22:45 us.
00:22:47 --> 00:22:48 Money can't
00:22:48 --> 00:22:49 buy you
00:22:49 --> 00:22:49 love.
00:22:49 --> 00:22:49 love.
00:22:53 --> 00:22:54 You can
00:22:54 --> 00:22:54 get a
00:22:54 --> 00:22:55 taste of
00:22:55 --> 00:22:55 the love
00:22:55 --> 00:22:55 we're
00:22:55 --> 00:22:56 searching
00:22:56 --> 00:22:56 for in
00:22:56 --> 00:22:57 this
00:22:57 --> 00:22:57 world,
00:22:58 --> 00:22:58 but the
00:22:58 --> 00:22:59 best is
00:22:59 --> 00:22:59 yet to
00:22:59 --> 00:23:00 come.
00:23:00 --> 00:23:00 That's
00:23:00 --> 00:23:00 what Jesus
00:23:00 --> 00:23:01 promises.
00:23:02 --> 00:23:03 The
00:23:03 --> 00:23:03 thinking that
00:23:03 --> 00:23:04 heaven is a
00:23:04 --> 00:23:04 place of
00:23:04 --> 00:23:05 harps and
00:23:05 --> 00:23:06 crowns and
00:23:06 --> 00:23:07 clouds and
00:23:07 --> 00:23:08 gold doesn't
00:23:08 --> 00:23:09 kind of move
00:23:09 --> 00:23:10 me so much
00:23:10 --> 00:23:11 in terms of
00:23:11 --> 00:23:12 wanting to be
00:23:12 --> 00:23:13 there as a
00:23:13 --> 00:23:14 world of love
00:23:14 --> 00:23:15 does.
00:23:15 --> 00:23:16 Heaven is a
00:23:16 --> 00:23:17 place of
00:23:17 --> 00:23:18 friendships,
00:23:18 --> 00:23:19 a place of
00:23:19 --> 00:23:20 deep
00:23:20 --> 00:23:20 relationships,
00:23:20 --> 00:23:21 a place of
00:23:21 --> 00:23:22 real love,
00:23:22 --> 00:23:23 a place where
00:23:23 --> 00:23:24 we love and
00:23:24 --> 00:23:25 we are loved
00:23:25 --> 00:23:26 without any
00:23:26 --> 00:23:27 barriers at
00:23:27 --> 00:23:28 all.
00:23:28 --> 00:23:28 It's a place
00:23:28 --> 00:23:29 to really hope
00:23:29 --> 00:23:30 for and invest
00:23:30 --> 00:23:31 in now.
00:23:31 --> 00:23:32 The love we
00:23:32 --> 00:23:33 experience in
00:23:33 --> 00:23:35 this world is
00:23:35 --> 00:23:36 a foretaste
00:23:36 --> 00:23:37 of what will
00:23:37 --> 00:23:38 be, but it
00:23:38 --> 00:23:40 falls way short
00:23:40 --> 00:23:40 of what it
00:23:40 --> 00:23:41 will be in
00:23:41 --> 00:23:41 heaven.
00:23:42 --> 00:23:43 Love now is
00:23:43 --> 00:23:44 all too often
00:23:44 --> 00:23:45 a source of
00:23:45 --> 00:23:46 pain.
00:23:47 --> 00:23:47 There are
00:23:47 --> 00:23:48 barriers of
00:23:48 --> 00:23:49 loving and
00:23:49 --> 00:23:50 being loved
00:23:50 --> 00:23:51 in this world
00:23:51 --> 00:23:51 that won't
00:23:51 --> 00:23:52 exist in
00:23:52 --> 00:23:52 heaven and
00:23:52 --> 00:23:53 that makes
00:23:53 --> 00:23:54 heaven an
00:23:54 --> 00:23:54 incredible
00:23:54 --> 00:23:55 prospect.
00:23:55 --> 00:23:57 I've got a
00:23:57 --> 00:23:59 list of a
00:23:59 --> 00:24:00 variety of
00:24:00 --> 00:24:01 barriers that
00:24:01 --> 00:24:02 we have now
00:24:02 --> 00:24:03 for love.
00:24:04 --> 00:24:05 One barrier
00:24:05 --> 00:24:06 that we face
00:24:06 --> 00:24:07 now that we
00:24:07 --> 00:24:08 want them is
00:24:08 --> 00:24:09 that we are
00:24:09 --> 00:24:10 often not
00:24:10 --> 00:24:10 loved for our
00:24:10 --> 00:24:11 own sake in
00:24:11 --> 00:24:12 this world,
00:24:13 --> 00:24:14 which the
00:24:14 --> 00:24:15 person who
00:24:15 --> 00:24:15 has got more
00:24:15 --> 00:24:16 and more
00:24:16 --> 00:24:17 possessions and
00:24:17 --> 00:24:18 wealth always
00:24:18 --> 00:24:19 has in the
00:24:19 --> 00:24:19 back of their
00:24:19 --> 00:24:20 mind.
00:24:20 --> 00:24:21 Am I being
00:24:21 --> 00:24:21 loved because
00:24:21 --> 00:24:22 of what I
00:24:22 --> 00:24:23 have or
00:24:23 --> 00:24:24 because of
00:24:24 --> 00:24:25 who I am?
00:24:27 --> 00:24:28 It's painful
00:24:28 --> 00:24:29 when we discover
00:24:29 --> 00:24:30 that people are
00:24:30 --> 00:24:31 not loving us
00:24:31 --> 00:24:32 for our own
00:24:32 --> 00:24:32 sake, but
00:24:32 --> 00:24:33 actually using
00:24:33 --> 00:24:34 us to get to
00:24:34 --> 00:24:35 something else
00:24:35 --> 00:24:36 or to someone
00:24:36 --> 00:24:37 else.
00:24:37 --> 00:24:38 It's very rare
00:24:38 --> 00:24:39 for any of us
00:24:39 --> 00:24:41 to love another
00:24:41 --> 00:24:42 person totally
00:24:42 --> 00:24:43 for their own
00:24:43 --> 00:24:44 sake.
00:24:45 --> 00:24:46 Most love in
00:24:46 --> 00:24:48 order to get
00:24:48 --> 00:24:48 something.
00:24:52 --> 00:24:53 In heaven we
00:24:53 --> 00:24:53 will be loved
00:24:53 --> 00:24:54 absolutely and
00:24:54 --> 00:24:55 completely and
00:24:55 --> 00:24:56 fully for who
00:24:56 --> 00:24:56 we are.
00:24:58 --> 00:24:59 Another barrier
00:24:59 --> 00:25:00 is the inability
00:25:00 --> 00:25:02 to express love
00:25:02 --> 00:25:03 without hindrance,
00:25:03 --> 00:25:05 pride,
00:25:05 --> 00:25:06 selfishness,
00:25:06 --> 00:25:07 defensiveness,
00:25:08 --> 00:25:08 pettiness,
00:25:09 --> 00:25:10 coldness,
00:25:10 --> 00:25:11 means that we
00:25:11 --> 00:25:11 can't do it.
00:25:13 --> 00:25:14 This is even
00:25:14 --> 00:25:15 the case with
00:25:15 --> 00:25:15 those who we
00:25:15 --> 00:25:17 are the closest
00:25:17 --> 00:25:17 to in this
00:25:17 --> 00:25:18 world.
00:25:19 --> 00:25:20 It's like having
00:25:20 --> 00:25:21 an ocean of
00:25:21 --> 00:25:21 love in the
00:25:21 --> 00:25:23 heart that it
00:25:23 --> 00:25:24 can only get
00:25:24 --> 00:25:24 expressed through
00:25:24 --> 00:25:25 a straw.
00:25:25 --> 00:25:30 We can't
00:25:30 --> 00:25:31 even get
00:25:31 --> 00:25:32 close to
00:25:32 --> 00:25:32 expressing our
00:25:32 --> 00:25:33 love fully
00:25:33 --> 00:25:34 without hindrance.
00:25:35 --> 00:25:35 But in
00:25:35 --> 00:25:36 heaven we
00:25:36 --> 00:25:37 will love
00:25:37 --> 00:25:38 without impediment.
00:25:38 --> 00:25:39 All sin,
00:25:39 --> 00:25:39 all pride,
00:25:39 --> 00:25:40 all selfishness,
00:25:40 --> 00:25:40 pettiness,
00:25:41 --> 00:25:42 defensiveness will
00:25:42 --> 00:25:42 be gone.
00:25:43 --> 00:25:44 We also
00:25:44 --> 00:25:44 struggle to
00:25:44 --> 00:25:45 find a mutual
00:25:45 --> 00:25:46 love in this
00:25:46 --> 00:25:46 world.
00:25:46 --> 00:25:47 Is there
00:25:47 --> 00:25:47 anything more
00:25:47 --> 00:25:48 painful than
00:25:48 --> 00:25:49 to love
00:25:49 --> 00:25:49 someone and
00:25:49 --> 00:25:49 not to be
00:25:49 --> 00:25:50 loved back?
00:25:51 --> 00:25:52 It's very
00:25:52 --> 00:25:53 rare for love
00:25:53 --> 00:25:54 to be mutual
00:25:54 --> 00:25:54 at the same
00:25:54 --> 00:25:55 time.
00:25:55 --> 00:25:56 In this
00:25:56 --> 00:25:56 life,
00:25:56 --> 00:25:57 many of
00:25:57 --> 00:25:57 the people
00:25:57 --> 00:25:57 that we
00:25:57 --> 00:25:58 love,
00:25:58 --> 00:25:59 we love
00:25:59 --> 00:25:59 them more
00:25:59 --> 00:26:00 than they
00:26:00 --> 00:26:00 in fact
00:26:00 --> 00:26:00 love us
00:26:00 --> 00:26:01 back.
00:26:02 --> 00:26:02 That is
00:26:02 --> 00:26:03 nothing but
00:26:03 --> 00:26:04 pain.
00:26:07 --> 00:26:07 But in
00:26:07 --> 00:26:08 heaven everyone
00:26:08 --> 00:26:09 will love
00:26:09 --> 00:26:09 everyone else
00:26:09 --> 00:26:10 mutually and
00:26:10 --> 00:26:10 fully.
00:26:11 --> 00:26:12 There's also
00:26:12 --> 00:26:13 the barrier
00:26:13 --> 00:26:13 of the
00:26:13 --> 00:26:14 happiness of
00:26:14 --> 00:26:15 those that
00:26:15 --> 00:26:15 you love.
00:26:16 --> 00:26:16 Think about
00:26:16 --> 00:26:17 this for a
00:26:17 --> 00:26:17 moment.
00:26:18 --> 00:26:19 Once you
00:26:19 --> 00:26:19 start,
00:26:20 --> 00:26:20 and if you're
00:26:20 --> 00:26:20 a parent,
00:26:21 --> 00:26:22 you'll know
00:26:22 --> 00:26:22 this,
00:26:23 --> 00:26:25 once you
00:26:25 --> 00:26:26 start having
00:26:26 --> 00:26:27 children,
00:26:28 --> 00:26:28 for the
00:26:28 --> 00:26:29 rest of
00:26:29 --> 00:26:30 your life,
00:26:31 --> 00:26:32 you are
00:26:32 --> 00:26:33 no more
00:26:33 --> 00:26:34 happier than
00:26:34 --> 00:26:35 your unhappiest
00:26:35 --> 00:26:35 child.
00:26:38 --> 00:26:38 Well,
00:26:39 --> 00:26:39 there's an
00:26:39 --> 00:26:39 incentive to
00:26:39 --> 00:26:40 have kids.
00:26:42 --> 00:26:43 But you get
00:26:43 --> 00:26:43 that,
00:26:43 --> 00:26:44 don't you?
00:26:44 --> 00:26:45 You're no
00:26:45 --> 00:26:46 more happier
00:26:46 --> 00:26:46 than your
00:26:46 --> 00:26:47 unhappiest
00:26:47 --> 00:26:47 child.
00:26:49 --> 00:26:50 We can
00:26:50 --> 00:26:50 never be any
00:26:50 --> 00:26:51 happier than
00:26:51 --> 00:26:52 the people that
00:26:52 --> 00:26:52 we love,
00:26:52 --> 00:26:53 and that's
00:26:53 --> 00:26:53 the reason
00:26:53 --> 00:26:55 why most
00:26:55 --> 00:26:55 of us are
00:26:55 --> 00:26:56 so miserable.
00:26:57 --> 00:26:58 Their heart
00:26:58 --> 00:26:59 becomes our
00:26:59 --> 00:27:00 heart.
00:27:01 --> 00:27:01 If you
00:27:01 --> 00:27:02 love more
00:27:02 --> 00:27:03 than five
00:27:03 --> 00:27:04 people in
00:27:04 --> 00:27:05 your life
00:27:05 --> 00:27:05 at any
00:27:05 --> 00:27:06 one time,
00:27:06 --> 00:27:07 you're bound
00:27:07 --> 00:27:07 to be
00:27:07 --> 00:27:08 miserable.
00:27:10 --> 00:27:11 Someone's
00:27:11 --> 00:27:11 going to be
00:27:11 --> 00:27:11 unhappy.
00:27:16 --> 00:27:17 The great
00:27:17 --> 00:27:18 C.S.
00:27:18 --> 00:27:18 Lewis said,
00:27:18 --> 00:27:20 if you
00:27:20 --> 00:27:21 don't want
00:27:21 --> 00:27:21 your heart
00:27:21 --> 00:27:21 to be
00:27:21 --> 00:27:22 broken,
00:27:22 --> 00:27:22 then just
00:27:22 --> 00:27:23 stop loving
00:27:23 --> 00:27:24 people.
00:27:25 --> 00:27:26 Maybe you
00:27:26 --> 00:27:26 know those
00:27:26 --> 00:27:27 kinds of
00:27:27 --> 00:27:27 people who
00:27:27 --> 00:27:28 have got
00:27:28 --> 00:27:29 that happening
00:27:29 --> 00:27:30 for them.
00:27:31 --> 00:27:31 That is the
00:27:31 --> 00:27:32 only option,
00:27:32 --> 00:27:33 and some
00:27:33 --> 00:27:33 of us,
00:27:33 --> 00:27:34 in fact,
00:27:34 --> 00:27:35 find it so
00:27:35 --> 00:27:36 difficult to
00:27:36 --> 00:27:36 love anyone
00:27:36 --> 00:27:38 because we
00:27:38 --> 00:27:39 are so
00:27:39 --> 00:27:39 broken in
00:27:39 --> 00:27:40 our hearts
00:27:40 --> 00:27:40 inside.
00:27:42 --> 00:27:43 We are so
00:27:43 --> 00:27:44 damaged.
00:27:44 --> 00:27:47 And of
00:27:47 --> 00:27:48 course,
00:27:48 --> 00:27:48 you become
00:27:48 --> 00:27:49 a hard
00:27:49 --> 00:27:49 person,
00:27:50 --> 00:27:51 and let
00:27:51 --> 00:27:51 me say
00:27:51 --> 00:27:52 it clearly,
00:27:52 --> 00:27:53 you are
00:27:53 --> 00:27:53 right on
00:27:53 --> 00:27:53 your way
00:27:53 --> 00:27:54 to hell.
00:27:57 --> 00:27:58 Love is
00:27:58 --> 00:27:58 such a
00:27:58 --> 00:27:58 source of
00:27:58 --> 00:27:59 pain,
00:27:59 --> 00:27:59 but not
00:27:59 --> 00:27:59 in heaven.
00:28:00 --> 00:28:00 Everyone
00:28:00 --> 00:28:01 will be
00:28:01 --> 00:28:01 perfectly
00:28:01 --> 00:28:02 happy and
00:28:02 --> 00:28:03 filled with
00:28:03 --> 00:28:03 a never
00:28:03 --> 00:28:04 ceasing
00:28:04 --> 00:28:05 joy.
00:28:06 --> 00:28:06 The
00:28:06 --> 00:28:07 greatest
00:28:07 --> 00:28:08 barrier to
00:28:08 --> 00:28:09 love would
00:28:09 --> 00:28:09 have to be
00:28:09 --> 00:28:10 the separation.
00:28:12 --> 00:28:12 We want
00:28:12 --> 00:28:13 a love
00:28:13 --> 00:28:14 where we
00:28:14 --> 00:28:15 will never
00:28:15 --> 00:28:16 be separated
00:28:16 --> 00:28:17 from the
00:28:17 --> 00:28:17 people that
00:28:17 --> 00:28:18 we love.
00:28:19 --> 00:28:19 It is
00:28:19 --> 00:28:20 painful knowing
00:28:20 --> 00:28:21 that when
00:28:21 --> 00:28:21 you marry
00:28:21 --> 00:28:22 someone,
00:28:22 --> 00:28:23 it is
00:28:23 --> 00:28:23 highly likely
00:28:23 --> 00:28:25 that one
00:28:25 --> 00:28:25 of you
00:28:25 --> 00:28:25 will bury
00:28:25 --> 00:28:26 the other.
00:28:27 --> 00:28:28 In my
00:28:28 --> 00:28:28 case,
00:28:28 --> 00:28:29 I've got
00:28:29 --> 00:28:29 five people
00:28:29 --> 00:28:30 sitting around
00:28:30 --> 00:28:31 the table
00:28:31 --> 00:28:33 at home,
00:28:33 --> 00:28:33 and it's
00:28:33 --> 00:28:34 highly likely
00:28:34 --> 00:28:35 that one
00:28:35 --> 00:28:36 of us
00:28:36 --> 00:28:37 will be
00:28:37 --> 00:28:37 sitting at
00:28:37 --> 00:28:38 that table,
00:28:39 --> 00:28:39 will see
00:28:39 --> 00:28:40 everyone else
00:28:40 --> 00:28:40 dead and
00:28:40 --> 00:28:41 gone.
00:28:42 --> 00:28:42 One of us
00:28:42 --> 00:28:43 will be put
00:28:43 --> 00:28:43 in that
00:28:43 --> 00:28:43 position.
00:28:46 --> 00:28:47 And as
00:28:47 --> 00:28:47 a type
00:28:47 --> 00:28:47 one
00:28:47 --> 00:28:48 diabetic,
00:28:48 --> 00:28:48 it's
00:28:48 --> 00:28:48 unlikely
00:28:48 --> 00:28:49 to be
00:28:49 --> 00:28:49 me.
00:28:50 --> 00:28:53 I think.
00:28:56 --> 00:28:57 That's
00:28:57 --> 00:28:57 my mother's
00:28:57 --> 00:28:59 experience in
00:28:59 --> 00:28:59 the last
00:28:59 --> 00:28:59 couple of
00:28:59 --> 00:29:00 years.
00:29:01 --> 00:29:01 One of
00:29:01 --> 00:29:02 four
00:29:02 --> 00:29:03 sisters,
00:29:04 --> 00:29:05 all gone,
00:29:05 --> 00:29:06 only one
00:29:06 --> 00:29:06 left.
00:29:08 --> 00:29:08 And that's
00:29:08 --> 00:29:09 the way of
00:29:09 --> 00:29:09 our relationships
00:29:09 --> 00:29:10 here,
00:29:10 --> 00:29:10 love.
00:29:11 --> 00:29:12 But not
00:29:12 --> 00:29:12 there.
00:29:13 --> 00:29:14 Not
00:29:14 --> 00:29:14 there.
00:29:15 --> 00:29:15 We are
00:29:15 --> 00:29:15 made to
00:29:15 --> 00:29:16 desire the
00:29:16 --> 00:29:16 kind of
00:29:16 --> 00:29:17 relationships,
00:29:17 --> 00:29:18 friendships,
00:29:18 --> 00:29:18 and love
00:29:18 --> 00:29:19 that is in
00:29:19 --> 00:29:19 the kingdom
00:29:19 --> 00:29:19 of God.
00:29:20 --> 00:29:20 We have
00:29:20 --> 00:29:21 been designed
00:29:21 --> 00:29:22 for what
00:29:22 --> 00:29:23 Jesus says
00:29:23 --> 00:29:24 heaven is
00:29:24 --> 00:29:25 going to be
00:29:25 --> 00:29:25 like,
00:29:26 --> 00:29:27 knowing and
00:29:27 --> 00:29:28 experiencing the
00:29:28 --> 00:29:28 pain of
00:29:28 --> 00:29:29 relationships in
00:29:29 --> 00:29:30 this world.
00:29:30 --> 00:29:31 It is hard
00:29:31 --> 00:29:31 for us to
00:29:31 --> 00:29:32 imagine it,
00:29:32 --> 00:29:33 hard to
00:29:33 --> 00:29:33 believe in
00:29:33 --> 00:29:33 fact.
00:29:34 --> 00:29:35 Just imagine
00:29:35 --> 00:29:36 what it would
00:29:36 --> 00:29:37 be like to
00:29:37 --> 00:29:38 completely believe
00:29:38 --> 00:29:39 in it,
00:29:39 --> 00:29:39 though,
00:29:39 --> 00:29:39 that that
00:29:39 --> 00:29:40 is what
00:29:40 --> 00:29:40 heaven is
00:29:40 --> 00:29:40 going to
00:29:40 --> 00:29:41 be like.
00:29:42 --> 00:29:42 That is
00:29:42 --> 00:29:43 my future.
00:29:44 --> 00:29:44 Imagine what
00:29:44 --> 00:29:45 it will do
00:29:45 --> 00:29:45 to your
00:29:45 --> 00:29:46 life day
00:29:46 --> 00:29:46 by day
00:29:46 --> 00:29:47 when you
00:29:47 --> 00:29:48 grasp that
00:29:48 --> 00:29:49 that is
00:29:49 --> 00:29:49 the joy
00:29:49 --> 00:29:50 and the
00:29:50 --> 00:29:50 reality that
00:29:50 --> 00:29:50 I'm
00:29:50 --> 00:29:51 shooting for.
00:29:55 --> 00:29:55 Imagine what
00:29:55 --> 00:29:56 it would be
00:29:56 --> 00:29:56 like to be
00:29:56 --> 00:29:57 completely sure
00:29:57 --> 00:29:57 of the future
00:29:57 --> 00:29:58 because of
00:29:58 --> 00:29:59 Jesus Christ
00:29:59 --> 00:29:59 and what
00:29:59 --> 00:30:00 he's done.
00:30:00 --> 00:30:01 Imagine that
00:30:01 --> 00:30:01 to believe
00:30:01 --> 00:30:02 in Jesus
00:30:02 --> 00:30:03 is to be
00:30:03 --> 00:30:03 able to
00:30:03 --> 00:30:04 live with
00:30:04 --> 00:30:05 God and
00:30:05 --> 00:30:06 friends in
00:30:06 --> 00:30:07 absolute
00:30:07 --> 00:30:08 perfection,
00:30:08 --> 00:30:09 perfect love
00:30:09 --> 00:30:10 forever,
00:30:10 --> 00:30:11 love without
00:30:11 --> 00:30:12 any boundaries
00:30:12 --> 00:30:12 forever.
00:30:13 --> 00:30:14 Just imagine
00:30:14 --> 00:30:15 what it will
00:30:15 --> 00:30:15 do with the
00:30:15 --> 00:30:15 way you
00:30:15 --> 00:30:16 live now.
00:30:19 --> 00:30:20 Imagine what
00:30:20 --> 00:30:20 it will do
00:30:20 --> 00:30:21 to your
00:30:21 --> 00:30:22 possessions
00:30:22 --> 00:30:22 and your
00:30:22 --> 00:30:23 money.
00:30:26 --> 00:30:27 Knowing that
00:30:27 --> 00:30:28 real,
00:30:29 --> 00:30:30 what really
00:30:30 --> 00:30:31 lasts is
00:30:31 --> 00:30:31 love,
00:30:32 --> 00:30:33 people,
00:30:34 --> 00:30:34 relationships,
00:30:35 --> 00:30:35 friends,
00:30:35 --> 00:30:39 do not
00:30:39 --> 00:30:39 put your
00:30:39 --> 00:30:40 money
00:30:40 --> 00:30:42 before people
00:30:42 --> 00:30:42 which is
00:30:42 --> 00:30:43 what our
00:30:43 --> 00:30:44 materialistic
00:30:44 --> 00:30:44 society says
00:30:44 --> 00:30:45 you must
00:30:45 --> 00:30:45 do.
00:30:50 --> 00:30:51 Put your
00:30:51 --> 00:30:52 money into
00:30:52 --> 00:30:53 solving people's
00:30:53 --> 00:30:53 needs.
00:30:56 --> 00:30:57 Use your
00:30:57 --> 00:30:57 money to
00:30:57 --> 00:30:58 create a
00:30:58 --> 00:30:59 fellowship of
00:30:59 --> 00:30:59 friends that
00:30:59 --> 00:31:00 will survive
00:31:00 --> 00:31:01 beyond death.
00:31:01 --> 00:31:01 love.
00:31:04 --> 00:31:05 When people
00:31:05 --> 00:31:06 find hope and
00:31:06 --> 00:31:06 love and
00:31:06 --> 00:31:07 faith in
00:31:07 --> 00:31:07 Jesus,
00:31:07 --> 00:31:08 they will
00:31:08 --> 00:31:08 be your
00:31:08 --> 00:31:09 friends forever.
00:31:10 --> 00:31:10 They will
00:31:10 --> 00:31:11 love you
00:31:11 --> 00:31:13 and be loved
00:31:13 --> 00:31:13 by you
00:31:13 --> 00:31:14 without any
00:31:14 --> 00:31:15 barrier.
00:31:16 --> 00:31:17 That's the
00:31:17 --> 00:31:18 radical investment
00:31:18 --> 00:31:18 that Jesus is
00:31:18 --> 00:31:19 calling us
00:31:19 --> 00:31:19 to.
00:31:20 --> 00:31:20 To put the
00:31:20 --> 00:31:21 money that
00:31:21 --> 00:31:21 you are a
00:31:21 --> 00:31:22 steward of
00:31:22 --> 00:31:23 into connecting
00:31:23 --> 00:31:24 people with
00:31:24 --> 00:31:25 their God
00:31:25 --> 00:31:26 who loves
00:31:26 --> 00:31:26 them in a
00:31:26 --> 00:31:27 way that
00:31:27 --> 00:31:28 is incomprehensible
00:31:28 --> 00:31:29 to them.
00:31:31 --> 00:31:33 Now all of
00:31:33 --> 00:31:35 this hope
00:31:35 --> 00:31:36 and joy
00:31:36 --> 00:31:37 is possible
00:31:37 --> 00:31:38 because we
00:31:38 --> 00:31:39 ourselves are
00:31:39 --> 00:31:41 recipients of
00:31:41 --> 00:31:42 this ultimate
00:31:42 --> 00:31:42 love and
00:31:42 --> 00:31:42 friendship.
00:31:43 --> 00:31:43 In
00:31:43 --> 00:31:46 1 Corinthians
00:31:46 --> 00:31:47 8,
00:31:47 --> 00:31:50 the Apostle
00:31:50 --> 00:31:51 Paul is
00:31:51 --> 00:31:52 encouraging the
00:31:52 --> 00:31:53 church in
00:31:53 --> 00:31:54 Corinth to
00:31:54 --> 00:31:55 give generously
00:31:55 --> 00:31:57 to a great
00:31:57 --> 00:31:58 need in the
00:31:58 --> 00:31:58 same way that
00:31:58 --> 00:31:59 other churches
00:31:59 --> 00:32:00 had done.
00:32:00 --> 00:32:01 And he
00:32:01 --> 00:32:01 doesn't order
00:32:01 --> 00:32:02 them to do
00:32:02 --> 00:32:02 it.
00:32:03 --> 00:32:04 He showed
00:32:04 --> 00:32:06 them how
00:32:06 --> 00:32:06 they can do
00:32:06 --> 00:32:06 it.
00:32:07 --> 00:32:07 And what he
00:32:07 --> 00:32:08 does is he
00:32:08 --> 00:32:08 shows them
00:32:08 --> 00:32:09 love.
00:32:11 --> 00:32:12 He says
00:32:12 --> 00:32:16 just think
00:32:16 --> 00:32:16 about Jesus.
00:32:18 --> 00:32:19 Think about
00:32:19 --> 00:32:20 Jesus Christ
00:32:20 --> 00:32:20 that though
00:32:20 --> 00:32:22 he was rich
00:32:22 --> 00:32:24 yet for
00:32:24 --> 00:32:24 your sake
00:32:24 --> 00:32:25 he became
00:32:25 --> 00:32:25 poor.
00:32:25 --> 00:32:26 He divested
00:32:26 --> 00:32:27 himself of
00:32:27 --> 00:32:28 everything so
00:32:28 --> 00:32:29 that you
00:32:29 --> 00:32:30 through his
00:32:30 --> 00:32:31 action of
00:32:31 --> 00:32:31 diversity
00:32:31 --> 00:32:32 himself of
00:32:32 --> 00:32:33 everything that
00:32:33 --> 00:32:34 you might
00:32:34 --> 00:32:35 become rich.
00:32:35 --> 00:32:35 You might
00:32:35 --> 00:32:36 know true
00:32:36 --> 00:32:37 wealth.
00:32:37 --> 00:32:37 You might
00:32:37 --> 00:32:38 know love
00:32:38 --> 00:32:39 without barriers.
00:32:39 --> 00:32:43 Jesus is the
00:32:43 --> 00:32:44 one friend who
00:32:44 --> 00:32:45 emptied himself
00:32:45 --> 00:32:46 of everything to
00:32:46 --> 00:32:46 turn his
00:32:46 --> 00:32:47 enemies into
00:32:47 --> 00:32:47 his friends.
00:32:48 --> 00:32:49 Jesus is the
00:32:49 --> 00:32:51 true steward.
00:32:51 --> 00:32:52 As
00:32:52 --> 00:32:53 recipients of
00:32:53 --> 00:32:53 the ultimate
00:32:53 --> 00:32:54 friendship we
00:32:54 --> 00:32:55 get to live
00:32:55 --> 00:32:55 with him
00:32:55 --> 00:32:56 forever in
00:32:56 --> 00:32:57 perfect love
00:32:57 --> 00:32:57 and he's
00:32:57 --> 00:32:58 calling us
00:32:58 --> 00:32:59 here in
00:32:59 --> 00:33:00 this passage
00:33:00 --> 00:33:00 to use your
00:33:00 --> 00:33:01 money in a
00:33:01 --> 00:33:02 way that is
00:33:02 --> 00:33:02 controlled by
00:33:02 --> 00:33:03 that knowledge.
00:33:03 --> 00:33:07 So friends
00:33:07 --> 00:33:09 right now
00:33:09 --> 00:33:12 right now
00:33:12 --> 00:33:13 you and I
00:33:13 --> 00:33:14 sitting in this
00:33:14 --> 00:33:14 room while we
00:33:14 --> 00:33:15 have breath in
00:33:15 --> 00:33:15 our lungs
00:33:15 --> 00:33:16 we're in
00:33:16 --> 00:33:17 exactly the
00:33:17 --> 00:33:18 same boat
00:33:18 --> 00:33:19 as the
00:33:19 --> 00:33:20 shrewd
00:33:20 --> 00:33:21 manager when
00:33:21 --> 00:33:21 he got his
00:33:21 --> 00:33:22 termination
00:33:22 --> 00:33:23 notice.
00:33:24 --> 00:33:24 The books
00:33:24 --> 00:33:25 are still
00:33:25 --> 00:33:26 open and
00:33:26 --> 00:33:27 you've still
00:33:27 --> 00:33:28 got a chance
00:33:28 --> 00:33:29 to act right
00:33:29 --> 00:33:30 now in view
00:33:30 --> 00:33:31 of the future.
00:33:31 --> 00:33:33 make your
00:33:33 --> 00:33:34 eternal joy
00:33:34 --> 00:33:35 complete and
00:33:35 --> 00:33:36 invest in
00:33:36 --> 00:33:36 eternal
00:33:36 --> 00:33:37 friends.