Title: Old School Giving & Not Robbing God
Meta: There are many possible factors as to why a church may have members that don't give their money sacrificially to meet needs. Many of these factors are problems. But the root of the problem is that we don't love God enough. Love will fuel us to give sacrificially. We will make the most sacrifices for what we love. And if we truly love Christ, there will be proof of it and we will express it. The proof and expression will be in what we sacrifice for Him. 
Tags: money,giving,church,finances

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Well, if you're new to the church,

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each year about the third weekend of January

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we have an annual business meeting.

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And on that Sunday,

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I believe for the entire history of our church,

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I have sought to bring

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a message concerning giving

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money, wealth, possessions...

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because the truth is that there is not

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a lot of preaching from this pulpit

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concerning giving.

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From the very early days,

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I purposely did not want to say much about money,

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nor ever take an offering,

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because I never wanted people to feel like

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they have to give to come and hear the truth.

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In coming here to the East side,

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I didn't want people to feel like

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we were here to make money

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or to extort money from people.

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Because the truth is lots of pastors

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and lots of churches have

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that kind of reputation.

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And in fact, there are numerous churches

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here on the East side,

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and I've heard testimony from some of you

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who have come from those churches,

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that they talk about money

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every single meeting.

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And in fact, sometimes they take offerings

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and then they take another offering

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because not enough came in.

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I've even heard of the doors being locked

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and nobody allowed to leave

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until they raised a certain amount of money.

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Carlos, you told me a story like that.

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So, I recognize that religion and money

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is sensitive, and yet at the same time,

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Scripture has a lot to say about money.

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And so we want to be biblical,

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(incomplete thought)

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It can be really hard to preach on

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1 Corinthians 9 about your responsibility

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to take care of those who preach to you

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because it can seem very self-serving.

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And yet, if we're going to be biblical,

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Scripture speaks about things like that.

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And so, this is the one Sunday

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(incomplete thought)

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where I'm going to kind of let

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all the reservations go

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and speak very plainly.

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And we'll pray as we dive into this.

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Father, I just want to thank You.

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Thank You, thank You

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that there is such a thing as salvation.

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Thank You that You did so love the world

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to send Your Son to rescue folks like us.

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Thank You, Lord.

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To rescue sinners like us.

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Broken.

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Backward.

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Depraved.

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Thank You.

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Father, I do want to ask You,

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Lord, may You heal Papa.

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We pray that You'd take this sickness away from him.

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Father, I pray,

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Lord, give all of us ears to hear

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from this message the part that we need to hear.

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And I pray for that in Christ's name.

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Amen.

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Ok.

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Maybe before we open up our Bibles -

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a couple different things happen.

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I sat with a fellow pastor

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before the holidays,

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and he asked me whether I believe

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that tithing - well, maybe he was

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making a statement about tithing,

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and I said I didn't really believe

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that was the New Testament standard.

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But he asked me this question.

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He said, "do you believe it's still possible to rob God?"

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I said absolutely.

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Some of you may be aware

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that John Piper has said

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on more than one occasion

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that he believes that middle-class Americans

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are robbing God all the time

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by only tithing.

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Then, I had another interesting conversation.

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Do you all know what it means

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to call something "old school"?

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It's an expression used to describe

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the way we used to do something.

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The way in former times;

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the way it used to be;

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that which is characteristic of an earlier time.

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That's how we use it.

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Old school.

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So, I recently stopped by the home

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of one of our deacons.

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And I wanted to find out -

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this was back before the holidays,

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and we were kind of monitoring things closely

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with the financial situation.

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I stopped by his home

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to find out the current status

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of our church's financial situation.

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The truth is that this deacon and myself,

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we rarely talk about what

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specific individuals give.

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Typically, our conversation is about

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the overall giving.

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Like, hey brother, how's the current

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financial situation?

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Questions like that.

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But you know, as we discussed things that day,

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he told me about two categories.

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He made an interesting observation.

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It's that we have in the church

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those who are old school

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when it comes to giving.

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And of course, the other category

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is those who are not old school,

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and maybe he called them "new school."

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He was referring, since this deacon was

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here from the very first day

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that our church existed,

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and was one of the first deacons,

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he has been able to monitor the giving

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all the way back from then.

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And what he was referring to by "old school,"

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is he saw something.

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You know what a bread winner is?

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Bread winner is the person in the family

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who brings home the paycheck.

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Somebody who - it doesn't have to be the husband,

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but whoever it is that has a way

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of producing income.

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That's a bread winner.

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And what this brother/deacon was observing

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was that in the earliest days of our church,

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I can tell you when we first started,

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we had four bread winners in the church.

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There were 12 members when we started the church.

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And there were four bread winners.

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What he was referring to

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is he saw back in the early days of the church,

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he saw a level of sacrifice at that time

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that he refers to as "old school."

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And what he was observing -

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he actually made this statement to me -

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he said if the givers in the church now -

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if the body of believers that meets here now

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gave "old school," -

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if they all did, he said,

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we would have no financial problems.

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Interesting observation.

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As the conversation went on,

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I don't even know what came to his mind

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or what was happening in our conversation

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for a certain individual in the church to come up,

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and he said, oh, that guy - he's "old school."

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And when I hear him say that,

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I thought that and robbing God -

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is it possible to still rob God?

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That was kind of swimming in my mind

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about what to address you all about.

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What this deacon expressed

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is something that I myself have sensed.

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And it seems like what's happened is this.

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That as the church has grown,

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the percentage of "old school" givers

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has decreased.

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It doesn't mean God isn't still adding some.

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But the overall percentage proportionately,

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there's fewer today

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than there were when the church was young.

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And look, I'm not talking about people that just tithe.

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I'm talking about people that may give

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15%, 20%, 25%, 30% of their income.

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And I've asked myself why.

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Why is this?

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And to start out here just

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by way of introduction,

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I want to give you some factors

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that I think are responsible for that decline.

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Perhaps there's a number of factors.

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The first one is this:

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Do you know when we were small?

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There was a real awareness of the needs.

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Why? When you have 12 original members

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plus whatever smattering of children were in there,

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you know, we might have had 20 people

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meeting in the church.

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There was a closeness.

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And there was close communication.

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And so there was an awareness of the needs.

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You know, if we were going to support

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James Dally or Pat Horner,

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there was communication among us.

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And you know the reality is

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that if the church is small

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and you have four bread winners

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or six bread winners

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or eight bread winners in the church,

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and you want to support a pastor

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or buy a building

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or support a missionary,

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it's pretty simple math to say,

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ok, if we want to support a pastor

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at $30,000 a year;

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we want to buy a building for $80,000

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which is going to have a certain amount

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of monthly mortgage payment,

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and then we also want to be involved

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in supporting Pat Horner and James Dally.

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You know if there's only six bread winners

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in the church, it doesn't take

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incredible amounts of calculus to figure,

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oh, if we're going to actually do that,

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we've got six people or eight people

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that are paying into the treasury.

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Well, you kind of get an idea.

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Wow, we're going to have to

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divide that out and that's going to take

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some pretty signficant sacrifice,

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if we actually want to see that happen.

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But you see, as the church grows,

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I think people just become unaware.

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Another deacon was telling me just recently,

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when we went through the financial straits

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at the end of last year,

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he said he had people in the church saying

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they didn't even know there were needs in the church.

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And you know what, brethren?

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Over the years, I have wanted to

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boast in the Lord

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when He has allowed us to meet

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all of our commitments.

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And you know what some people have thought?

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Because the Lord has always been faithful

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to allow us never to miss a commitment

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in the life of our church?

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What some people think is,

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oh, well, we must be well off.

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There must be funds there.

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No, brethren. When I'm thanking the Lord,

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what I'm thanking the Lord for is not

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that we have some big $100,000

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in the savings account.

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What I'm thanking the Lord for

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is that He's stirring up individuals

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in the church to give to meet those needs

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every month.

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The reality is, brethren,

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if we're going to have a building

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and we're going to have lights on

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and we're going to have air conditioning,

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and we're going to actually support

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pastors and church planters and missionaries,

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brethren, the government doesn't support this endeavor.

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You do.

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And when we're small,

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it's easy to grasp that.

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As it grows, it can be easy to not know.

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Or to disappear in the crowd and think,

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well, other people are going to

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00:14:13,546 --> 00:14:15,894
take up that responsibility.

272
00:14:15,894 --> 00:14:18,785
Here's another factor for why perhaps

273
00:14:18,785 --> 00:14:21,244
there aren't as many old school givers

274
00:14:21,244 --> 00:14:22,636
in the church anymore.

275
00:14:22,636 --> 00:14:24,728
It has to do with spiritual gifts.

276
00:14:24,728 --> 00:14:27,501
Now, you know what?

277
00:14:27,501 --> 00:14:31,620
We know every single Christian

278
00:14:31,620 --> 00:14:33,803
is in a place where Christ says,

279
00:14:33,803 --> 00:14:36,139
"Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven."

280
00:14:36,139 --> 00:14:37,666
Don't lay them up here.

281
00:14:37,666 --> 00:14:40,226
Everyone. Every Christian has it said to them,

282
00:14:40,226 --> 00:14:46,731
"Sell your possessions and give to the poor."

283
00:14:46,731 --> 00:14:49,169
But there is a gift.

284
00:14:49,169 --> 00:14:51,080
In Romans 12, there's a gift.

285
00:14:51,080 --> 00:14:53,107
There's a gift of giving.

286
00:14:53,107 --> 00:14:56,031
And it says, I think, in proportion to your faith

287
00:14:56,031 --> 00:14:57,844
kind of modifies everything there.

288
00:14:57,844 --> 00:14:59,444
But in proportion to your faith,

289
00:14:59,444 --> 00:15:01,215
those that have the gift of giving,

290
00:15:01,215 --> 00:15:03,846
they should give liberally.

291
00:15:03,846 --> 00:15:07,232
And here's one thing that could be a factor.

292
00:15:07,232 --> 00:15:09,539
It's that when the church was young,

293
00:15:09,539 --> 00:15:12,995
God saw to it that we had people

294
00:15:12,995 --> 00:15:16,031
with the faith and the giving gift,

295
00:15:16,031 --> 00:15:18,457
which was really necessary when we were small

296
00:15:18,457 --> 00:15:20,539
if we were going to try to do the things

297
00:15:20,539 --> 00:15:22,949
that we wanted to do.

298
00:15:22,949 --> 00:15:28,436
It may be that not as many have that gift

299
00:15:28,436 --> 00:15:32,290
or that faith as the church has grown bigger.

300
00:15:32,290 --> 00:15:33,580
What's the remedy for that?

301
00:15:33,580 --> 00:15:37,387
Well, Jesus gives gifts to men.

302
00:15:37,387 --> 00:15:39,635
I would ask, Lord, that You would give us

303
00:15:39,635 --> 00:15:42,157
sacrificial people.

304
00:15:42,157 --> 00:15:47,069
That may be another factor here.

305
00:15:47,069 --> 00:15:52,433
Here's a third one:

306
00:15:52,433 --> 00:15:55,531
A personal interest in what we support.

307
00:15:55,531 --> 00:15:58,321
You know what I find?

308
00:15:58,321 --> 00:16:04,543
I take us back to the days at Hackberry.

309
00:16:04,543 --> 00:16:09,135
James Dally stood in our pulpit.

310
00:16:09,135 --> 00:16:12,842
Prim Wegmeyer stood in our pulpit.

311
00:16:12,842 --> 00:16:20,315
Pat Horner stood in our pulpit.

312
00:16:20,315 --> 00:16:21,802
Who else?

313
00:16:21,802 --> 00:16:24,040
Richard Denham stood in our pulpit.

314
00:16:24,040 --> 00:16:25,275
Andy Hamilton.

315
00:16:25,275 --> 00:16:26,700
Trevor Johnson.

316
00:16:26,700 --> 00:16:29,678
You know what happened in the early days?

317
00:16:29,678 --> 00:16:32,031
These men that we ended up supporting

318
00:16:32,031 --> 00:16:35,056
actually came, they ate with us,

319
00:16:35,056 --> 00:16:36,769
they fellowshipped with us,

320
00:16:36,769 --> 00:16:39,817
and we knew them personally.

321
00:16:39,817 --> 00:16:42,180
We did things with them sometimes.

322
00:16:42,180 --> 00:16:44,241
I visited Andy over in China.

323
00:16:44,241 --> 00:16:48,253
Carlos and Craig and I visited

324
00:16:48,253 --> 00:16:51,404
Trevor Johnson over in Indonesia.

325
00:16:51,404 --> 00:16:54,981
But there were close ties.

326
00:16:54,981 --> 00:16:56,800
Maybe that's part of it.

327
00:16:56,800 --> 00:16:59,101
There's not as much of a burden.

328
00:16:59,101 --> 00:17:00,860
Brethren, Andy Hamilton years ago

329
00:17:00,860 --> 00:17:05,106
did a series on how to have

330
00:17:05,106 --> 00:17:07,640
a greater burden for missions.

331
00:17:07,640 --> 00:17:09,643
And one of the things that he said is

332
00:17:09,643 --> 00:17:10,800
you need to be informed.

333
00:17:10,800 --> 00:17:12,556
You will never be burdened for that

334
00:17:12,556 --> 00:17:14,092
which you're not informed about.

335
00:17:14,092 --> 00:17:16,221
And it was easy when we were small

336
00:17:16,221 --> 00:17:18,652
to have everybody informed,

337
00:17:18,652 --> 00:17:20,335
because these guys were visiting

338
00:17:20,335 --> 00:17:23,488
and they were able to rub shoulders with us.

339
00:17:23,488 --> 00:17:26,655
But a lot of these guys haven't been here in quite awhile.

340
00:17:26,655 --> 00:17:28,024
That may be a factor.

341
00:17:28,024 --> 00:17:32,022
How do we address that?

342
00:17:32,022 --> 00:17:35,111
Maybe it's the responsibility of each of us as individuals.

343
00:17:35,111 --> 00:17:37,382
Maybe it's the responsibility of us elders

344
00:17:37,382 --> 00:17:39,461
to bring higher visibility

345
00:17:39,461 --> 00:17:41,544
or to make greater efforts to get

346
00:17:41,544 --> 00:17:43,437
these guys back here so we can

347
00:17:43,437 --> 00:17:45,743
get to know some of these guys

348
00:17:45,743 --> 00:17:49,084
on a more personal basis.

349
00:17:49,084 --> 00:17:50,948
Or maybe those are the kind of people

350
00:17:50,948 --> 00:17:52,704
that we should be supporting mostly

351
00:17:52,704 --> 00:17:54,646
are the ones that we can get here

352
00:17:54,646 --> 00:17:56,359
and are willing to come

353
00:17:56,359 --> 00:17:58,901
and get to know us personally.

354
00:17:58,901 --> 00:18:00,219
I've also considered this.

355
00:18:00,219 --> 00:18:01,363
As the church has grown,

356
00:18:01,363 --> 00:18:05,973
perhaps it might be that proportionately

357
00:18:05,973 --> 00:18:07,690
that our church has acquired folks

358
00:18:07,690 --> 00:18:12,230
who are not as well off financially.

359
00:18:12,230 --> 00:18:17,568
But even if that's the case,

360
00:18:17,568 --> 00:18:24,186
that doesn't keep you from giving old school.

361
00:18:24,186 --> 00:18:28,177
Because not having much -

362
00:18:28,177 --> 00:18:30,937
that's not the issue.

363
00:18:30,937 --> 00:18:33,420
You may think about the Macedonians

364
00:18:33,420 --> 00:18:35,458
there in 2 Corinthians 8.

365
00:18:35,458 --> 00:18:36,775
Extreme poverty,

366
00:18:36,775 --> 00:18:38,256
yet they were old school.

367
00:18:38,256 --> 00:18:40,250
Remember the widow with her two mites?

368
00:18:40,250 --> 00:18:41,846
She threw in everything she had.

369
00:18:41,846 --> 00:18:43,597
That's old school giving.

370
00:18:43,597 --> 00:18:46,617
Even though it doesn't amount to much,

371
00:18:46,617 --> 00:18:50,573
but oh, it pleases the Lord.

372
00:18:50,573 --> 00:18:52,647
How about this?

373
00:18:52,647 --> 00:18:55,460
This is another reason why perhaps

374
00:18:55,460 --> 00:18:57,471
we don't have as many old school givers.

375
00:18:57,471 --> 00:19:03,376
An erroneous thinking concerning debt.

376
00:19:03,376 --> 00:19:05,834
We have some individuals in the church

377
00:19:05,834 --> 00:19:09,917
who have come to some sort of conclusion

378
00:19:09,917 --> 00:19:15,898
that as long as they have debt,

379
00:19:15,898 --> 00:19:18,090
they don't have to give.

380
00:19:18,090 --> 00:19:20,731
That God doesn't require them to give.

381
00:19:20,731 --> 00:19:22,265
Now brethren, that simply cannot

382
00:19:22,265 --> 00:19:24,082
be sustained from Scripture.

383
00:19:24,082 --> 00:19:27,209
In fact, I would say this,

384
00:19:27,209 --> 00:19:29,059
that even though I'm not up here

385
00:19:29,059 --> 00:19:32,709
to proclaim the tithe to you,

386
00:19:32,709 --> 00:19:35,841
do you not hear what Malachi 3 says?

387
00:19:35,841 --> 00:19:37,631
What God says is this:

388
00:19:37,631 --> 00:19:40,340
He says test Me.

389
00:19:40,340 --> 00:19:41,629
Prove Me.

390
00:19:41,629 --> 00:19:43,727
In other words, tithe,

391
00:19:43,727 --> 00:19:46,831
and I will pour out blessing upon you,

392
00:19:46,831 --> 00:19:49,508
and I will withhold,

393
00:19:49,508 --> 00:19:53,727
or I will restrain the devourer.

394
00:19:53,727 --> 00:19:54,994
You see what He's saying?

395
00:19:54,994 --> 00:19:57,209
Give. I will restrain the devourer.

396
00:19:57,209 --> 00:19:58,721
In other words, if you give,

397
00:19:58,721 --> 00:20:02,104
I will actually improve your financial situation.

398
00:20:02,104 --> 00:20:05,125
Do you recognize Scripture speaks that way?

399
00:20:05,125 --> 00:20:07,791
There is a person who gives

400
00:20:07,791 --> 00:20:10,840
more than it seems than they ought to give.

401
00:20:10,840 --> 00:20:11,960
He gives freely.

402
00:20:11,960 --> 00:20:14,288
Yet, Scripture says he grows all the richer.

403
00:20:14,288 --> 00:20:15,997
And yet there is the other guy

404
00:20:15,997 --> 00:20:17,859
who withholds what he should give

405
00:20:17,859 --> 00:20:19,183
and only suffers want.

406
00:20:19,183 --> 00:20:20,534
You know what it says there

407
00:20:20,534 --> 00:20:21,797
in 2 Corinthians 8?

408
00:20:21,797 --> 00:20:24,574
One of the things that Paul is really

409
00:20:24,574 --> 00:20:26,804
trying to bring home to the Corinthians

410
00:20:26,804 --> 00:20:28,874
is this: Listen to this.

411
00:20:28,874 --> 00:20:31,569
"The point is this."

412
00:20:31,569 --> 00:20:33,786
I like how he starts that.

413
00:20:33,786 --> 00:20:35,104
"Whoever sows sparingly,

414
00:20:35,104 --> 00:20:36,783
will also reap sparingly.

415
00:20:36,783 --> 00:20:38,027
Whoever sows bountifully

416
00:20:38,027 --> 00:20:40,151
will also reap bountifully."

417
00:20:40,151 --> 00:20:42,148
I always felt this way.

418
00:20:42,148 --> 00:20:43,445
When I had a mortgage;

419
00:20:43,445 --> 00:20:46,117
when I had certain debt for my wife's business,

420
00:20:46,117 --> 00:20:48,593
I felt -

421
00:20:48,593 --> 00:20:50,540
it's another thing in another place

422
00:20:50,540 --> 00:20:53,456
in another time to talk about debt

423
00:20:53,456 --> 00:20:55,545
and whether we should ever enter into it

424
00:20:55,545 --> 00:20:57,457
or there's sometimes to enter into it.

425
00:20:57,457 --> 00:20:58,822
But that's not the issue.

426
00:20:58,822 --> 00:21:00,427
What I'm talking about is this.

427
00:21:00,427 --> 00:21:05,118
I found myself when in debt -

428
00:21:05,118 --> 00:21:07,815
well, for one, I had a desire to give,

429
00:21:07,815 --> 00:21:12,197
but I fully believed that trusting the Lord

430
00:21:12,197 --> 00:21:14,479
and giving was the best path

431
00:21:14,479 --> 00:21:16,377
to eliminating my debt.

432
00:21:16,377 --> 00:21:18,421
In fact, I believe this.

433
00:21:18,421 --> 00:21:21,909
Whoever sows sparingly, reaps sparingly.

434
00:21:21,909 --> 00:21:25,243
I would conjecture from Scripture

435
00:21:25,243 --> 00:21:28,184
that if you're not trusting the Lord in giving,

436
00:21:28,184 --> 00:21:30,699
a big problem with your indebtedness

437
00:21:30,699 --> 00:21:32,731
is probably that God's blessing is not

438
00:21:32,731 --> 00:21:35,264
on your financial situation.

439
00:21:35,264 --> 00:21:38,588
And you can substantiate that from Scripture, brethren.

440
00:21:38,588 --> 00:21:40,340
This idea that if you're in debt,

441
00:21:40,340 --> 00:21:41,711
you shouldn't give -

442
00:21:41,711 --> 00:21:44,352
that's just the opposite way you should be thinking.

443
00:21:44,352 --> 00:21:46,427
There's absolutely no support

444
00:21:46,427 --> 00:21:50,688
for that mindset in Scripture at all.

445
00:21:50,688 --> 00:21:53,501
How about something else?

446
00:21:53,501 --> 00:21:56,069
Maybe another reason we don't have

447
00:21:56,069 --> 00:22:00,506
as many old school givers.

448
00:22:00,506 --> 00:22:01,944
Young people.

449
00:22:01,944 --> 00:22:03,762
You know in the beginning,

450
00:22:03,762 --> 00:22:06,608
none of the bread winners were young people.

451
00:22:06,608 --> 00:22:08,367
But what's happened over the years

452
00:22:08,367 --> 00:22:10,839
is God has brought us a lot of young folks.

453
00:22:10,839 --> 00:22:12,592
Teenagers and twenty-somethings.

454
00:22:12,592 --> 00:22:14,736
You know, we've been a church long enough -

455
00:22:14,736 --> 00:22:16,575
17 years - that we're watching people

456
00:22:16,575 --> 00:22:17,597
grow up before us,

457
00:22:17,597 --> 00:22:19,049
but relatively speaking,

458
00:22:19,049 --> 00:22:21,593
we've been a pretty young church.

459
00:22:21,593 --> 00:22:24,014
And perhaps as the church has grown,

460
00:22:24,014 --> 00:22:25,647
a lot of young people have come in

461
00:22:25,647 --> 00:22:27,857
and what's the deal with young people?

462
00:22:27,857 --> 00:22:31,231
Well, they typically don't have the highest paying jobs,

463
00:22:31,231 --> 00:22:33,557
or they're in college and so they're

464
00:22:33,557 --> 00:22:35,502
trying to prepare for life

465
00:22:35,502 --> 00:22:37,537
or they're trying to get a foothold

466
00:22:37,537 --> 00:22:38,964
in some kind of career.

467
00:22:38,964 --> 00:22:42,060
But again, just as it is if you don't have much money,

468
00:22:42,060 --> 00:22:43,768
I would say to young people,

469
00:22:43,768 --> 00:22:46,681
that in no way keeps you from being

470
00:22:46,681 --> 00:22:48,609
an old school giver.

471
00:22:48,609 --> 00:22:50,538
You can still be sacrificial even if you

472
00:22:50,538 --> 00:22:55,360
don't have much to give with.

473
00:22:55,360 --> 00:22:57,134
How about this?

474
00:22:57,134 --> 00:22:59,050
There are those who feel

475
00:22:59,050 --> 00:23:01,452
that God wants them to give,

476
00:23:01,452 --> 00:23:04,346
but for some odd reason, they just don't

477
00:23:04,346 --> 00:23:08,148
feel like they're supposed to give to the church.

478
00:23:08,148 --> 00:23:11,399
Now look, let's be honest. Let's be fair.

479
00:23:11,399 --> 00:23:14,029
Does Scripture talk about supporting the poor? Yes.

480
00:23:14,029 --> 00:23:16,963
Widows, orphans? Yes.

481
00:23:16,963 --> 00:23:21,097
Is it specifically saying that that should

482
00:23:21,097 --> 00:23:22,921
be done by way of the church?

483
00:23:22,921 --> 00:23:24,585
Well, it doesn't have to be,

484
00:23:24,585 --> 00:23:25,943
but remember this.

485
00:23:25,943 --> 00:23:27,492
In the New Testament,

486
00:23:27,492 --> 00:23:29,981
when the church is now formed,

487
00:23:29,981 --> 00:23:31,322
what do they do?

488
00:23:31,322 --> 00:23:33,425
They sold their lands,

489
00:23:33,425 --> 00:23:37,410
and where did they take the proceeds to?

490
00:23:37,410 --> 00:23:39,950
They laid them at the feet of the apostles.

491
00:23:39,950 --> 00:23:41,326
Do we have a precedent?

492
00:23:41,326 --> 00:23:43,127
Do we have an example in Scripture

493
00:23:43,127 --> 00:23:45,034
that even when it's money for those

494
00:23:45,034 --> 00:23:47,088
who are poor, that channeling it

495
00:23:47,088 --> 00:23:48,889
through the church is very much

496
00:23:48,889 --> 00:23:52,431
a God-given means for that to take place?

497
00:23:52,431 --> 00:23:53,611
Certainly.

498
00:23:53,611 --> 00:23:57,630
Certainly. And brethren, think about this.

499
00:23:57,630 --> 00:24:00,555
When you go to 1 Corinthians 9,

500
00:24:00,555 --> 00:24:03,165
do you know what Paul says to the Corinthians?

501
00:24:03,165 --> 00:24:09,466
If we have sown to you spiritual things,

502
00:24:09,466 --> 00:24:12,264
what?

503
00:24:12,264 --> 00:24:16,744
Should we not reap of your material things?

504
00:24:16,744 --> 00:24:27,704
Brethren, I'm not really certain

505
00:24:27,704 --> 00:24:30,179
how somebody can think,

506
00:24:30,179 --> 00:24:31,849
I'm supposed to give, but I don't

507
00:24:31,849 --> 00:24:34,638
really have a responsibility to give to the church

508
00:24:34,638 --> 00:24:38,489
even though I attend that church regularly.

509
00:24:38,489 --> 00:24:39,840
I take.

510
00:24:39,840 --> 00:24:41,443
I take from the preaching.

511
00:24:41,443 --> 00:24:42,848
I take from the singing.

512
00:24:42,848 --> 00:24:45,085
I take from the place being lit

513
00:24:45,085 --> 00:24:46,634
and cooled or heated.

514
00:24:46,634 --> 00:24:48,375
I take.

515
00:24:48,375 --> 00:24:50,890
But I don't have any responsibility to give.

516
00:24:50,890 --> 00:24:52,582
That isn't what Paul says.

517
00:24:52,582 --> 00:24:54,639
Paul says if we've given spiritually,

518
00:24:54,639 --> 00:24:56,477
isn't there actually a right?

519
00:24:56,477 --> 00:24:58,488
Doesn't he talk about not muzzling the ox?

520
00:24:58,488 --> 00:25:00,545
Does he not talk about the way the priests

521
00:25:00,545 --> 00:25:02,383
were paid in the Old Testament?

522
00:25:02,383 --> 00:25:04,041
He's using those as examples.

523
00:25:04,041 --> 00:25:07,612
That mindset is just foreign to Scripture.

524
00:25:07,612 --> 00:25:09,196
I'm not saying all your giving

525
00:25:09,196 --> 00:25:11,272
has to be confined to the church.

526
00:25:11,272 --> 00:25:13,544
But this idea: where in the Bible

527
00:25:13,544 --> 00:25:16,418
does it say we need to give by way of the church?

528
00:25:16,418 --> 00:25:18,040
Well, certainly we have examples.

529
00:25:18,040 --> 00:25:20,295
Certainly, we have precendent

530
00:25:20,295 --> 00:25:21,929
and we have command.

531
00:25:21,929 --> 00:25:29,213
We have Paul's words to the Corinthians.

532
00:25:29,213 --> 00:25:32,435
Listen, those of you that have that kind of mindset,

533
00:25:32,435 --> 00:25:35,528
if everybody had that kind of mindset,

534
00:25:35,528 --> 00:25:37,548
you would have no paid ministry.

535
00:25:37,548 --> 00:25:41,301
Maybe you think we shouldn't have a paid ministry.

536
00:25:41,301 --> 00:25:44,211
Paul thought that those who

537
00:25:44,211 --> 00:25:46,518
ministered spiritual things

538
00:25:46,518 --> 00:25:50,106
were worthy to be supported.

539
00:25:50,106 --> 00:25:52,366
You know what? If everybody thought like that,

540
00:25:52,366 --> 00:25:53,851
we wouldn't have a building.

541
00:25:53,851 --> 00:25:55,447
Maybe you feel like we shouldn't.

542
00:25:55,447 --> 00:25:58,166
Maybe you feel like we should just be like the Brethren,

543
00:25:58,166 --> 00:25:59,713
and there should be no ministry

544
00:25:59,713 --> 00:26:03,569
and we should just meet in people's homes.

545
00:26:03,569 --> 00:26:04,964
Some people think that way,

546
00:26:04,964 --> 00:26:06,554
but I don't believe that's what

547
00:26:06,554 --> 00:26:09,651
Scripture would teach.

548
00:26:09,651 --> 00:26:13,227
How about this?

549
00:26:13,227 --> 00:26:16,482
Perhaps another reason is

550
00:26:16,482 --> 00:26:18,736
that as the church has increased,

551
00:26:18,736 --> 00:26:21,274
we've just multiplied people -

552
00:26:21,274 --> 00:26:23,487
not everybody, but we've multiplied

553
00:26:23,487 --> 00:26:27,246
people who are spiritually sick

554
00:26:27,246 --> 00:26:30,881
and we've multiplied tares -

555
00:26:30,881 --> 00:26:33,805
professing Christians who really don't know the Lord.

556
00:26:33,805 --> 00:26:36,227
That could be a factor as well.

557
00:26:36,227 --> 00:26:39,003
Brethren, do you remember what happened

558
00:26:39,003 --> 00:26:43,423
when God laid hold on Zacchaeus?

559
00:26:43,423 --> 00:26:46,648
Brethren, it's really what happens when somebody gets converted.

560
00:26:46,648 --> 00:26:49,882
What happens?

561
00:26:49,882 --> 00:26:53,982
He's going to give half of everything he had to the poor.

562
00:26:53,982 --> 00:26:57,632
And if he defrauded anybody, fourfold.

563
00:26:57,632 --> 00:26:59,386
That's what happens to people when

564
00:26:59,386 --> 00:27:03,962
they get converted.

565
00:27:03,962 --> 00:27:05,125
How about another thing?

566
00:27:05,125 --> 00:27:06,746
Perhaps as the church has grown,

567
00:27:06,746 --> 00:27:08,318
we're taking on folks who just

568
00:27:08,318 --> 00:27:11,119
plain and simple come from bad teaching,

569
00:27:11,119 --> 00:27:13,733
bad backgrounds, bad examples

570
00:27:13,733 --> 00:27:15,753
in former churches,

571
00:27:15,753 --> 00:27:18,458
and they just haven't yet recognized

572
00:27:18,458 --> 00:27:23,297
the spiritual sacrifice of New Testament giving.

573
00:27:23,297 --> 00:27:26,243
Brethren, you know what probably the reality is?

574
00:27:26,243 --> 00:27:29,592
That each one of these is

575
00:27:29,592 --> 00:27:32,338
to some degree a factor.

576
00:27:32,338 --> 00:27:34,638
It's not just one.

577
00:27:34,638 --> 00:27:36,389
It's probably all of them

578
00:27:36,389 --> 00:27:39,275
contribute to this reality.

579
00:27:39,275 --> 00:27:41,859
But you know, there was a situation

580
00:27:41,859 --> 00:27:46,732
just recently that my wife was trying to address

581
00:27:46,732 --> 00:27:51,193
in a brother somewhere.

582
00:27:51,193 --> 00:27:54,255
And as the two of us were talking about

583
00:27:54,255 --> 00:27:58,109
the situation, my wife said,

584
00:27:58,109 --> 00:28:02,978
oh, well, maybe the problem is deeper

585
00:28:02,978 --> 00:28:04,859
than what I addressed.

586
00:28:04,859 --> 00:28:06,999
But I addressed it the way I addressed it,

587
00:28:06,999 --> 00:28:09,215
and so she was going to leave it with the Lord.

588
00:28:09,215 --> 00:28:11,979
But it occurred to her, maybe the problem is deeper.

589
00:28:11,979 --> 00:28:14,875
(Incomplete thought)

590
00:28:14,875 --> 00:28:17,424
I believe that a whole number of these

591
00:28:17,424 --> 00:28:18,877
are a problem.

592
00:28:18,877 --> 00:28:22,291
The gifts? That's providence.

593
00:28:22,291 --> 00:28:24,215
But a number of these are problems.

594
00:28:24,215 --> 00:28:25,514
They're problematic.

595
00:28:25,514 --> 00:28:30,825
And I think if you really want to find

596
00:28:30,825 --> 00:28:33,259
and address and help,

597
00:28:33,259 --> 00:28:36,146
we need to go to the root of the matter.

598
00:28:36,146 --> 00:28:38,029
We need to go deep -

599
00:28:38,029 --> 00:28:40,784
as deep as we can go

600
00:28:40,784 --> 00:28:44,049
to try to remedy the situation.

601
00:28:44,049 --> 00:28:46,366
So the question that I ask is this:

602
00:28:46,366 --> 00:28:51,396
at the root - you go deep,

603
00:28:51,396 --> 00:28:55,426
what happens in the life,

604
00:28:55,426 --> 00:28:57,967
in the mind, in the heart, in the soul

605
00:28:57,967 --> 00:29:02,892
of a joyful old school giver

606
00:29:02,892 --> 00:29:07,245
that's lacking in the new school giver?

607
00:29:07,245 --> 00:29:08,941
Because there's a difference.

608
00:29:08,941 --> 00:29:11,167
There is a difference.

609
00:29:11,167 --> 00:29:12,619
What's the difference?

610
00:29:12,619 --> 00:29:17,009
What constrains one person in this church

611
00:29:17,009 --> 00:29:19,198
to be much less willing to make

612
00:29:19,198 --> 00:29:20,969
a significant financial sacrifice

613
00:29:20,969 --> 00:29:22,828
than another?

614
00:29:22,828 --> 00:29:25,524
I mean, brethren, in a people like us -

615
00:29:25,524 --> 00:29:28,181
you say, like what?

616
00:29:28,181 --> 00:29:30,418
Saved by grace.

617
00:29:30,418 --> 00:29:32,645
In a people whose salvation does not

618
00:29:32,645 --> 00:29:35,606
depend on works,

619
00:29:35,606 --> 00:29:38,136
what motivates one person to be

620
00:29:38,136 --> 00:29:41,614
significantly more sacrificial than another?

621
00:29:41,614 --> 00:29:44,923
See, that's the question.

622
00:29:44,923 --> 00:29:47,779
Brethren, I'm going to give you the answer

623
00:29:47,779 --> 00:29:50,765
and I hope it resonates with all of you,

624
00:29:50,765 --> 00:29:54,208
because it's a reality.

625
00:29:54,208 --> 00:29:58,487
Do you remember what Jesus said

626
00:29:58,487 --> 00:30:00,427
when He was calling us to lay up

627
00:30:00,427 --> 00:30:03,624
treasure in heaven and not upon the earth?

628
00:30:03,624 --> 00:30:05,913
Do you know what He said?

629
00:30:05,913 --> 00:30:14,258
He said no one can serve two masters.

630
00:30:14,258 --> 00:30:21,374
You will either love the one -

631
00:30:21,374 --> 00:30:24,023
you remember how He said that?

632
00:30:24,023 --> 00:30:27,315
Isn't that the issue?

633
00:30:27,315 --> 00:30:29,974
You know what, brethren?

634
00:30:29,974 --> 00:30:32,915
We don't love God enough.

635
00:30:32,915 --> 00:30:35,108
Now, brethren, that's not just the problem

636
00:30:35,108 --> 00:30:36,581
in our giving.

637
00:30:36,581 --> 00:30:42,711
That's the problem in our lives altogether.

638
00:30:42,711 --> 00:30:45,302
And brethren, that's not just

639
00:30:45,302 --> 00:30:47,205
new school problem,

640
00:30:47,205 --> 00:30:51,909
although it may be more exaggerated there.

641
00:30:51,909 --> 00:30:54,914
We sing the song, "More Love to Thee."

642
00:30:54,914 --> 00:30:56,260
Do you feel that?

643
00:30:56,260 --> 00:30:57,943
Do you just sing the words on that

644
00:30:57,943 --> 00:31:00,430
or do you feel that?

645
00:31:00,430 --> 00:31:02,512
I need that.

646
00:31:02,512 --> 00:31:03,912
Brethren, you know what it is

647
00:31:03,912 --> 00:31:07,516
that looses sacrifice?

648
00:31:07,516 --> 00:31:09,754
It's love.

649
00:31:09,754 --> 00:31:13,131
That's it.

650
00:31:13,131 --> 00:31:14,404
I mean, think about this,

651
00:31:14,404 --> 00:31:16,871
you either hate the one and love the other,

652
00:31:16,871 --> 00:31:19,590
or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other.

653
00:31:19,590 --> 00:31:22,207
You cannot serve God and money.

654
00:31:22,207 --> 00:31:24,146
He will either hate the one

655
00:31:24,146 --> 00:31:26,454
and love the other.

656
00:31:26,454 --> 00:31:29,508
Brethren, think about love.

657
00:31:29,508 --> 00:31:32,871
Do you know what John said in his first epistle?

658
00:31:32,871 --> 00:31:39,626
By this we know love.

659
00:31:39,626 --> 00:31:42,269
How?

660
00:31:42,269 --> 00:31:46,013
Anybody remember what's said there?

661
00:31:46,013 --> 00:31:48,542
By this we know love,

662
00:31:48,542 --> 00:31:53,946
that He laid down His life for us.

663
00:31:53,946 --> 00:31:56,160
Brethren, do you see the sacrifice?

664
00:31:56,160 --> 00:31:59,569
By this we know love.

665
00:31:59,569 --> 00:32:01,643
When I look at God's people,

666
00:32:01,643 --> 00:32:07,159
and I find people that don't sacrifice,

667
00:32:07,159 --> 00:32:10,316
do you think that says something about love?

668
00:32:10,316 --> 00:32:13,412
It says volumes about love.

669
00:32:13,412 --> 00:32:16,743
By this you know love. How?

670
00:32:16,743 --> 00:32:20,103
Do you know what Christ did?

671
00:32:20,103 --> 00:32:23,437
There He was in the eternal glory.

672
00:32:23,437 --> 00:32:27,648
And He looks down.

673
00:32:27,648 --> 00:32:35,535
He looked down upon our tragedy.

674
00:32:35,535 --> 00:32:38,636
Our brokenness; our hopelessness;

675
00:32:38,636 --> 00:32:40,761
our helplessness.

676
00:32:40,761 --> 00:32:43,352
And you know what it says there in Philippians 2.

677
00:32:43,352 --> 00:32:45,930
He didn't count equality with God -

678
00:32:45,930 --> 00:32:50,588
He didn't say I've got the right to not go down there.

679
00:32:50,588 --> 00:32:54,029
He didn't cling to His rights. Why?

680
00:32:54,029 --> 00:32:56,427
Because brethren, don't you see?

681
00:32:56,427 --> 00:32:58,082
By this we know love.

682
00:32:58,082 --> 00:33:00,013
How? Love can be measured.

683
00:33:00,013 --> 00:33:01,425
How?

684
00:33:01,425 --> 00:33:04,488
By the level of sacrifice.

685
00:33:04,488 --> 00:33:06,226
And it's always true.

686
00:33:06,226 --> 00:33:07,907
What you love the most,

687
00:33:07,907 --> 00:33:10,613
you will make the most sacrifices for

688
00:33:10,613 --> 00:33:17,939
without fail.

689
00:33:17,939 --> 00:33:19,004
He looked down.

690
00:33:19,004 --> 00:33:22,199
He saw our predicament.

691
00:33:22,199 --> 00:33:23,547
And what did He do?

692
00:33:23,547 --> 00:33:25,652
He didn't argue His rights.

693
00:33:25,652 --> 00:33:29,796
He came down.

694
00:33:29,796 --> 00:33:32,195
He saw us under God's wrath.

695
00:33:32,195 --> 00:33:33,736
He saw the condemnation,

696
00:33:33,736 --> 00:33:36,120
the damnation.

697
00:33:36,120 --> 00:33:37,865
He saw our situation.

698
00:33:37,865 --> 00:33:40,068
And what did love do?

699
00:33:40,068 --> 00:33:44,627
It constrained Him though rich

700
00:33:44,627 --> 00:33:48,704
to give and to become poor;

701
00:33:48,704 --> 00:33:52,693
to empty Himself.

702
00:33:52,693 --> 00:33:56,650
Brethren, that's what love does.

703
00:33:56,650 --> 00:33:58,318
He saw it all.

704
00:33:58,318 --> 00:34:02,124
And He came.

705
00:34:02,124 --> 00:34:05,794
Did Jacob have a son

706
00:34:05,794 --> 00:34:09,710
that he loved more than the others?

707
00:34:09,710 --> 00:34:12,005
Did he?

708
00:34:12,005 --> 00:34:14,779
How do we know?

709
00:34:14,779 --> 00:34:16,466
Do you have something in this world

710
00:34:16,466 --> 00:34:18,075
you love more than anything else?

711
00:34:18,075 --> 00:34:20,163
Are we not to love God with all our heart,

712
00:34:20,163 --> 00:34:22,719
mind, soul, and strength?

713
00:34:22,719 --> 00:34:26,164
Is that not the first and the greatest commandment?

714
00:34:26,164 --> 00:34:27,765
Is that not what God wants?

715
00:34:27,765 --> 00:34:30,011
Does God not want our heart?

716
00:34:30,011 --> 00:34:32,675
Do you not hear Jesus?

717
00:34:32,675 --> 00:34:38,135
You will hate the one and love the other.

718
00:34:38,135 --> 00:34:41,205
Brethren, where your treasure is,

719
00:34:41,205 --> 00:34:42,719
that's where your heart is.

720
00:34:42,719 --> 00:34:44,168
And this isn't the idea of,

721
00:34:44,168 --> 00:34:45,844
oh, I have treasure in heaven,

722
00:34:45,844 --> 00:34:47,137
so my heart's there,

723
00:34:47,137 --> 00:34:49,510
like seeing all the gold bars.

724
00:34:49,510 --> 00:34:53,445
Brethren, the treasure in heaven is God Himself.

725
00:34:53,445 --> 00:34:56,503
God wants our heart.

726
00:34:56,503 --> 00:35:01,475
And that's the issue in all of this.

727
00:35:01,475 --> 00:35:05,889
Jacob's love - it can't be hidden.

728
00:35:05,889 --> 00:35:10,117
Why? Because love always expresses itself.

729
00:35:10,117 --> 00:35:11,150
It always does.

730
00:35:11,150 --> 00:35:14,448
There's a coat of many colors.

731
00:35:14,448 --> 00:35:17,457
You see, that's proof.

732
00:35:17,457 --> 00:35:20,658
That's what John's saying.

733
00:35:20,658 --> 00:35:23,094
By this we know He loved;

734
00:35:23,094 --> 00:35:25,215
by this, love was manifest.

735
00:35:25,215 --> 00:35:27,807
How? Because look what Jesus did.

736
00:35:27,807 --> 00:35:29,187
By this, love is manifest.

737
00:35:29,187 --> 00:35:31,810
Look what Jacob did.

738
00:35:31,810 --> 00:35:33,972
Brethren, that's always the case.

739
00:35:33,972 --> 00:35:38,071
Always the case.

740
00:35:38,071 --> 00:35:40,321
I would ask you this.

741
00:35:40,321 --> 00:35:43,032
Take Abraham.

742
00:35:43,032 --> 00:35:45,918
What did Abraham love more?

743
00:35:45,918 --> 00:35:49,823
Did he love Isaac more or did he love God more?

744
00:35:49,823 --> 00:35:52,998
And I'll tell you this.

745
00:35:52,998 --> 00:35:55,002
It's proven.

746
00:35:55,002 --> 00:35:59,139
To say, oh, I love God,

747
00:35:59,139 --> 00:36:01,236
but that doesn't mean that there needs to be

748
00:36:01,236 --> 00:36:05,204
any visible proof of it.

749
00:36:05,204 --> 00:36:08,918
You're creating that in your own imagination,

750
00:36:08,918 --> 00:36:11,939
because it's not true.

751
00:36:11,939 --> 00:36:14,673
Brethren, when we fall in love

752
00:36:14,673 --> 00:36:16,795
with the Lord Jesus Christ,

753
00:36:16,795 --> 00:36:19,833
and we love Him supremely,

754
00:36:19,833 --> 00:36:21,857
your purses, your bank accounts,

755
00:36:21,857 --> 00:36:25,976
your wallets - there's proof.

756
00:36:25,976 --> 00:36:27,676
It will manifest itself.

757
00:36:27,676 --> 00:36:30,499
There's no question about it.

758
00:36:30,499 --> 00:36:32,402
There was a woman

759
00:36:32,402 --> 00:36:36,348
who Jesus said was forgiven much.

760
00:36:36,348 --> 00:36:38,688
She loved much.

761
00:36:38,688 --> 00:36:40,700
She loved much.

762
00:36:40,700 --> 00:36:45,982
Does that just exist in a vacuum?

763
00:36:45,982 --> 00:36:48,718
Or was there proof of it?

764
00:36:48,718 --> 00:36:52,309
You see, He turns to Simon the Pharisee,

765
00:36:52,309 --> 00:36:57,068
and Jesus Himself vindicates her love.

766
00:36:57,068 --> 00:36:58,927
How?

767
00:36:58,927 --> 00:37:04,619
Simon, you didn't wash My feet.

768
00:37:04,619 --> 00:37:12,963
You see, we heard the message earlier.

769
00:37:12,963 --> 00:37:17,089
Jesus gives gifts to men.

770
00:37:17,089 --> 00:37:21,807
Pastor-teachers.

771
00:37:21,807 --> 00:37:24,333
And what? You're going to be a part of the church

772
00:37:24,333 --> 00:37:26,376
and not give?

773
00:37:26,376 --> 00:37:29,767
As much as you do it unto one of the least of these,

774
00:37:29,767 --> 00:37:32,838
My brothers, you do it unto Me?

775
00:37:32,838 --> 00:37:35,040
You see, what happens is,

776
00:37:35,040 --> 00:37:40,673
when we fall in love with the Lord Jesus Christ,

777
00:37:40,673 --> 00:37:44,536
we're willing to wash His feet with our tears

778
00:37:44,536 --> 00:37:46,915
and wipe His feet with our hair

779
00:37:46,915 --> 00:37:51,334
and take the alabaster ointment.

780
00:37:51,334 --> 00:37:55,288
We're willing to give our best.

781
00:37:55,288 --> 00:38:00,407
And brethren, there's no getting around it.

782
00:38:00,407 --> 00:38:01,865
Listen.

783
00:38:01,865 --> 00:38:04,281
Those who would say,

784
00:38:04,281 --> 00:38:08,657
well, I'm in debt.

785
00:38:08,657 --> 00:38:12,305
I don't need to give.

786
00:38:12,305 --> 00:38:13,802
I would say this:

787
00:38:13,802 --> 00:38:18,142
Try that on your wife.

788
00:38:18,142 --> 00:38:21,127
Do you remember how the Lord said

789
00:38:21,127 --> 00:38:24,062
in Malachi?

790
00:38:24,062 --> 00:38:28,023
He said try that with your governor.

791
00:38:28,023 --> 00:38:33,554
Isn't it amazing how we'll do things with God,

792
00:38:33,554 --> 00:38:35,932
that we would never do to the governor

793
00:38:35,932 --> 00:38:37,233
or to our wife,

794
00:38:37,233 --> 00:38:39,504
or to our children

795
00:38:39,504 --> 00:38:42,130
You know what?

796
00:38:42,130 --> 00:38:44,435
I just suspect that those who would say,

797
00:38:44,435 --> 00:38:47,865
well, I haven't given to the church because I'm in debt,

798
00:38:47,865 --> 00:38:49,735
have you taken your wife out to dinner

799
00:38:49,735 --> 00:38:53,392
during that same season?

800
00:38:53,392 --> 00:38:55,721
You see, that's just playing the hypocrite.

801
00:38:55,721 --> 00:38:57,254
And what it's really saying is

802
00:38:57,254 --> 00:39:01,933
I love my wife, but I don't love God so much.

803
00:39:01,933 --> 00:39:04,289
Because brethren, when we give;

804
00:39:04,289 --> 00:39:06,185
when we're giving to the things

805
00:39:06,185 --> 00:39:08,312
that concern Him;

806
00:39:08,312 --> 00:39:10,051
when we're giving to the brethren,

807
00:39:10,051 --> 00:39:13,848
when we're giving to the needs,

808
00:39:13,848 --> 00:39:15,673
when you're giving to His preachers,

809
00:39:15,673 --> 00:39:21,304
when you're giving to the maintenance of His church,

810
00:39:21,304 --> 00:39:24,889
this is speaking about

811
00:39:24,889 --> 00:39:27,134
not just your attitude towards other people;

812
00:39:27,134 --> 00:39:33,408
it speaks about your attitude and your love.

813
00:39:33,408 --> 00:39:36,906
Brethren, I know this for a fact.

814
00:39:36,906 --> 00:39:39,061
There are people who can give.

815
00:39:39,061 --> 00:39:41,441
There are people who can give a lot,

816
00:39:41,441 --> 00:39:42,992
and they can do it without love.

817
00:39:42,992 --> 00:39:44,499
That's true.

818
00:39:44,499 --> 00:39:46,957
Some do give and they give large amounts

819
00:39:46,957 --> 00:39:49,420
from selfish motive.

820
00:39:49,420 --> 00:39:51,325
But hear me.

821
00:39:51,325 --> 00:39:56,880
No one who loves can refrain from giving.

822
00:39:56,880 --> 00:40:00,714
Why? Because love must express itself.

823
00:40:00,714 --> 00:40:02,879
It always does.

824
00:40:02,879 --> 00:40:05,167
God created love like that.

825
00:40:05,167 --> 00:40:09,793
That it's never complete until it breaks out;

826
00:40:09,793 --> 00:40:12,752
until it expresses itself.

827
00:40:12,752 --> 00:40:16,381
God so loved... how?

828
00:40:16,381 --> 00:40:18,317
How do you measure it?

829
00:40:18,317 --> 00:40:20,008
By what He did.

830
00:40:20,008 --> 00:40:23,399
That's always the case.

831
00:40:23,399 --> 00:40:26,409
Do you give less than 10% of your income

832
00:40:26,409 --> 00:40:30,062
to this church?

833
00:40:30,062 --> 00:40:32,145
Think with me.

834
00:40:32,145 --> 00:40:35,671
Is Piper right?

835
00:40:35,671 --> 00:40:40,003
Are middle-class Americans robbing God?

836
00:40:40,003 --> 00:40:42,299
Piper says this:

837
00:40:42,299 --> 00:40:44,484
He says, "We Americans have become

838
00:40:44,484 --> 00:40:47,023
so accustomed to our Western prosperity

839
00:40:47,023 --> 00:40:48,848
and its ways of life that we think

840
00:40:48,848 --> 00:40:53,494
5% or 10% is generous."

841
00:40:53,494 --> 00:40:56,356
Brethren, listen to me.

842
00:40:56,356 --> 00:40:59,883
Do I want to see sufficient funds come in

843
00:40:59,883 --> 00:41:02,793
to take the Gospel to the end of the earth?

844
00:41:02,793 --> 00:41:04,879
I do. I do.

845
00:41:04,879 --> 00:41:07,263
Do I want to support more missionaries? Yes.

846
00:41:07,263 --> 00:41:09,540
Do I want to plant more churches? Yes.

847
00:41:09,540 --> 00:41:12,646
Pastors, evangelism? Yes.

848
00:41:12,646 --> 00:41:17,268
But brethren, my primary objective -

849
00:41:17,268 --> 00:41:20,694
I'd rather have half the money coming in

850
00:41:20,694 --> 00:41:24,045
and have us all like the Macedonians.

851
00:41:24,045 --> 00:41:27,002
What I want brethren, more than enough

852
00:41:27,002 --> 00:41:31,187
to support our financial goals -

853
00:41:31,187 --> 00:41:34,652
I want a church that is in love with God

854
00:41:34,652 --> 00:41:36,940
and pleases Him deeply.

855
00:41:36,940 --> 00:41:40,232
That's my greatest desire.

856
00:41:40,232 --> 00:41:42,039
That's the primary aim:

857
00:41:42,039 --> 00:41:44,335
Not your money, but you.

858
00:41:44,335 --> 00:41:47,845
Brethren, what I don't want is God robbers

859
00:41:47,845 --> 00:41:51,839
in the church.

860
00:41:51,839 --> 00:41:54,286
Because it says a lot about how you feel about God.

861
00:41:54,286 --> 00:41:56,386
That's exactly what Malachi's all about.

862
00:41:56,386 --> 00:41:57,809
Look past the tithing there.

863
00:41:57,809 --> 00:41:59,322
Whatever you think about that.

864
00:41:59,322 --> 00:42:01,559
What God is saying is this:

865
00:42:01,559 --> 00:42:03,886
"I'm a great God.

866
00:42:03,886 --> 00:42:05,732
And I deserve your honor.

867
00:42:05,732 --> 00:42:07,634
I deserve your trust.

868
00:42:07,634 --> 00:42:10,867
I deserve your love."

869
00:42:10,867 --> 00:42:12,205
You see, that's a big issue.

870
00:42:12,205 --> 00:42:18,343
This is the issue behind robbing God.

871
00:42:18,343 --> 00:42:20,467
In fact, why don't you all turn there.

872
00:42:20,467 --> 00:42:21,464
Malachi 3.

873
00:42:21,464 --> 00:42:23,648
We haven't opened our Bibles officially yet,

874
00:42:23,648 --> 00:42:57,922
so let's open them to Malachi 3:8.

875
00:42:57,922 --> 00:42:59,531
Malachi 3:8

876
00:42:59,531 --> 00:43:03,402
"Will man rob God?

877
00:43:03,402 --> 00:43:04,753
Yet you are robbing Me,

878
00:43:04,753 --> 00:43:08,984
but you say, 'how have we robbed You?'"

879
00:43:08,984 --> 00:43:12,978
Typically, we don't like to admit it when we do it.

880
00:43:12,978 --> 00:43:15,519
"...In your tithes and contributions."

881
00:43:15,519 --> 00:43:17,686
Now look, brethren, I'm not advocating

882
00:43:17,686 --> 00:43:20,303
tithing as a strict standard for New Testament giving.

883
00:43:20,303 --> 00:43:22,240
I don't believe the New Testament does.

884
00:43:22,240 --> 00:43:25,079
The New Testament says lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven.

885
00:43:25,079 --> 00:43:27,421
It says sell your possessions; give to the poor.

886
00:43:27,421 --> 00:43:31,592
It says that if people are sowing to you

887
00:43:31,592 --> 00:43:33,773
spiritual things, you have a responsibility

888
00:43:33,773 --> 00:43:38,412
to return with material things.

889
00:43:38,412 --> 00:43:41,637
The New Testament talks about

890
00:43:41,637 --> 00:43:44,062
sow sparingly; reap sparingly.

891
00:43:44,062 --> 00:43:45,710
The New Testament talks about

892
00:43:45,710 --> 00:43:47,271
God loving a cheerful giver.

893
00:43:47,271 --> 00:43:48,952
We see that people sold their lands

894
00:43:48,952 --> 00:43:51,382
and they came and brought the proceeds.

895
00:43:51,382 --> 00:43:53,416
They laid it at the feet of the apostles.

896
00:43:53,416 --> 00:43:54,886
They took care of the needs.

897
00:43:54,886 --> 00:43:56,700
You know that they were taking care

898
00:43:56,700 --> 00:43:59,557
of the needs of the widows in the church;

899
00:43:59,557 --> 00:44:02,456
visiting the widow and the orphan in their affliction.

900
00:44:02,456 --> 00:44:04,055
We see the New Testament.

901
00:44:04,055 --> 00:44:08,518
We see that when Zacchaeus gave 50%,

902
00:44:08,518 --> 00:44:11,566
Jesus didn't say, whoa, that's 40% too much.

903
00:44:11,566 --> 00:44:12,926
He didn't say that.

904
00:44:12,926 --> 00:44:15,435
When the widow threw in her two mites,

905
00:44:15,435 --> 00:44:16,864
He praised it.

906
00:44:16,864 --> 00:44:17,978
He didn't tell her,

907
00:44:17,978 --> 00:44:19,528
you need to walk by the law.

908
00:44:19,528 --> 00:44:21,113
Brethren, the realities that come

909
00:44:21,113 --> 00:44:22,650
into the New Testament is this:

910
00:44:22,650 --> 00:44:24,055
We're released from the law.

911
00:44:24,055 --> 00:44:26,606
We died to that which held us captive.

912
00:44:26,606 --> 00:44:27,934
That's what Scripture says.

913
00:44:27,934 --> 00:44:29,763
We serve in a new way of the Spirit.

914
00:44:29,763 --> 00:44:32,250
Not the old way of the written code.

915
00:44:32,250 --> 00:44:34,426
In other words, brethren, we're constrained

916
00:44:34,426 --> 00:44:41,321
by something beyond law.

917
00:44:41,321 --> 00:44:43,715
Listen to it.

918
00:44:43,715 --> 00:44:45,461
"You're cursed with a curse,

919
00:44:45,461 --> 00:44:46,850
for you're robbing Me,

920
00:44:46,850 --> 00:44:51,544
the whole nation of you."

921
00:44:51,544 --> 00:44:53,395
I don't want to be in that place

922
00:44:53,395 --> 00:44:55,878
where I'm doing things with my money

923
00:44:55,878 --> 00:44:57,843
that brings a curse.

924
00:44:57,843 --> 00:44:59,876
And that's what happens when you rob God.

925
00:44:59,876 --> 00:45:01,966
"'Bring the full tithe into the storehouse

926
00:45:01,966 --> 00:45:03,762
that there may be food in My house

927
00:45:03,762 --> 00:45:06,174
and thereby put Me to the test,'

928
00:45:06,174 --> 00:45:07,418
says the Lord of Hosts,

929
00:45:07,418 --> 00:45:09,441
'If I will not open the windows of heaven

930
00:45:09,441 --> 00:45:12,061
for you and pour down for you a blessing

931
00:45:12,061 --> 00:45:14,243
until there is no more need.

932
00:45:14,243 --> 00:45:17,389
I will rebuke the devourer for you,

933
00:45:17,389 --> 00:45:19,217
so that it will not destroy the fruits

934
00:45:19,217 --> 00:45:21,889
of your soil and your vine in the field.'"

935
00:45:21,889 --> 00:45:23,344
Do you think God can keep

936
00:45:23,344 --> 00:45:25,851
your refrigerator running twice as long

937
00:45:25,851 --> 00:45:27,793
as what it otherwise might?

938
00:45:27,793 --> 00:45:30,640
I absolutely believe that.

939
00:45:30,640 --> 00:45:33,329
Well, He could keep the thing running eternally

940
00:45:33,329 --> 00:45:34,477
if He meant to.

941
00:45:34,477 --> 00:45:37,349
But the reality is there's a blessing

942
00:45:37,349 --> 00:45:38,944
(incomplete thought).

943
00:45:38,944 --> 00:45:42,393
Look, when God says, "you're robbing Me,"

944
00:45:42,393 --> 00:45:45,088
there's a blessing that comes upon people that give,

945
00:45:45,088 --> 00:45:48,178
not because God needs your money.

946
00:45:48,178 --> 00:45:50,773
That's not how we rob God.

947
00:45:50,773 --> 00:45:53,186
It's not like He needs more money in His pocket.

948
00:45:53,186 --> 00:45:54,701
When you rob somebody,

949
00:45:54,701 --> 00:45:58,636
you're taking from somebody what is theirs.

950
00:45:58,636 --> 00:46:01,491
The reality is our money is His

951
00:46:01,491 --> 00:46:03,353
and He could take the whole lot of it

952
00:46:03,353 --> 00:46:04,765
from us at any time.

953
00:46:04,765 --> 00:46:06,585
What is it to rob God?

954
00:46:06,585 --> 00:46:08,270
How can somebody do that?

955
00:46:08,270 --> 00:46:10,855
How can somebody steal something away

956
00:46:10,855 --> 00:46:13,442
that belongs to Him?

957
00:46:13,442 --> 00:46:15,395
Brethren, I'll tell you this.

958
00:46:15,395 --> 00:46:17,011
You come into the New Testament.

959
00:46:17,011 --> 00:46:22,192
You remember the guy there in Luke 12?

960
00:46:22,192 --> 00:46:24,351
God said to him, you fool,

961
00:46:24,351 --> 00:46:27,018
this night your soul's required of you.

962
00:46:27,018 --> 00:46:28,701
What had he not done?

963
00:46:28,701 --> 00:46:30,322
He had not been rich towards God.

964
00:46:30,322 --> 00:46:31,777
You think in the New Testament

965
00:46:31,777 --> 00:46:33,837
it's possible to rob from God?

966
00:46:33,837 --> 00:46:36,950
You better believe it is.

967
00:46:36,950 --> 00:46:39,443
That man was not rich towards God.

968
00:46:39,443 --> 00:46:41,152
Do you see what God wants?

969
00:46:41,152 --> 00:46:43,129
God wants us to be rich towards Him.

970
00:46:43,129 --> 00:46:46,702
But it's not because He needs our stuff.

971
00:46:46,702 --> 00:46:49,321
And the reality is, He doesn't even need us

972
00:46:49,321 --> 00:46:50,877
to give our stuff to others

973
00:46:50,877 --> 00:46:52,331
to help others in their need.

974
00:46:52,331 --> 00:46:54,920
He could use ravens and He could bypass

975
00:46:54,920 --> 00:46:58,539
human instrumentality just as He's done

976
00:46:58,539 --> 00:47:02,171
numerous times throughout Scripture.

977
00:47:02,171 --> 00:47:07,361
But brethren, God wants us to love one another.

978
00:47:07,361 --> 00:47:10,491
He wants to use us as means

979
00:47:10,491 --> 00:47:13,297
to take care of financial needs.

980
00:47:13,297 --> 00:47:15,453
The thing is in all of this,

981
00:47:15,453 --> 00:47:17,908
the way God is robbed,

982
00:47:17,908 --> 00:47:21,260
is we're not trusting Him.

983
00:47:21,260 --> 00:47:23,582
We're not loving Him.

984
00:47:23,582 --> 00:47:27,024
We're not embracing Him as we ought.

985
00:47:27,024 --> 00:47:30,799
Brethren, I'll tell you this,

986
00:47:30,799 --> 00:47:32,426
when you don't give,

987
00:47:32,426 --> 00:47:34,709
it's typically an indication

988
00:47:34,709 --> 00:47:36,464
that you're trusting that money

989
00:47:36,464 --> 00:47:38,556
and you're serving that money,

990
00:47:38,556 --> 00:47:41,016
more than you're loving God.

991
00:47:41,016 --> 00:47:43,595
And that's what Jesus was hitting on.

992
00:47:43,595 --> 00:47:51,913
Brethren, James was recently commenting

993
00:47:51,913 --> 00:47:55,737
on a sermon by Charles Leiter

994
00:47:55,737 --> 00:47:58,266
where Charles just got alone

995
00:47:58,266 --> 00:48:00,877
and he was thinking,

996
00:48:00,877 --> 00:48:03,036
how would my life change

997
00:48:03,036 --> 00:48:05,166
if God was as real to me

998
00:48:05,166 --> 00:48:06,802
as He ought to be?

999
00:48:06,802 --> 00:48:08,268
But I would ask you this.

1000
00:48:08,268 --> 00:48:10,496
How would your giving change

1001
00:48:10,496 --> 00:48:12,289
if you loved God -

1002
00:48:12,289 --> 00:48:13,804
if God was real to you?

1003
00:48:13,804 --> 00:48:15,511
And with the reality,

1004
00:48:15,511 --> 00:48:16,994
with the knowledge of God,

1005
00:48:16,994 --> 00:48:19,435
you saw Him as lovely

1006
00:48:19,435 --> 00:48:22,298
as you ought to see Him?

1007
00:48:22,298 --> 00:48:25,921
And lovable and desirable

1008
00:48:25,921 --> 00:48:27,192
as you ought to?

1009
00:48:27,192 --> 00:48:30,285
How would that free up your giving?

1010
00:48:30,285 --> 00:48:33,055
Brethren, think with me.

1011
00:48:33,055 --> 00:48:36,338
Jesus said, "unless your righteousness

1012
00:48:36,338 --> 00:48:39,318
exceeds that of the Scribes and the Pharisees,

1013
00:48:39,318 --> 00:48:43,577
you will not enter the kingdom of God."

1014
00:48:43,577 --> 00:48:46,585
Now, you think about that.

1015
00:48:46,585 --> 00:48:47,599
What does that mean?

1016
00:48:47,599 --> 00:48:50,175
I can show you they tithed.

1017
00:48:50,175 --> 00:48:52,047
Remember the guy in Luke 18?

1018
00:48:52,047 --> 00:48:53,600
You've got the tax collector.

1019
00:48:53,600 --> 00:48:55,281
You've got this Pharisee over here.

1020
00:48:55,281 --> 00:48:57,115
And the Pharisee's boasting:

1021
00:48:57,115 --> 00:48:59,942
I tithe of all that I have.

1022
00:48:59,942 --> 00:49:00,817
And you know what?

1023
00:49:00,817 --> 00:49:02,404
Jesus didn't deny that.

1024
00:49:02,404 --> 00:49:04,725
Jesus said to those Pharisees,

1025
00:49:04,725 --> 00:49:07,670
"You tithe your annis, your mint, and your cumin."

1026
00:49:07,670 --> 00:49:09,096
They did.

1027
00:49:09,096 --> 00:49:10,201
So what does it mean?

1028
00:49:10,201 --> 00:49:14,090
Well, my righteousness better exceed theirs.

1029
00:49:14,090 --> 00:49:17,903
Does that mean give 11%?

1030
00:49:17,903 --> 00:49:20,366
Brethren, all that's doing is just seeking

1031
00:49:20,366 --> 00:49:26,091
another law to govern your life by.

1032
00:49:26,091 --> 00:49:28,988
Have you never read in Scripture?

1033
00:49:28,988 --> 00:49:35,838
"I desire mercy, not sacrifice."

1034
00:49:35,838 --> 00:49:37,889
And you know where that text comes from?

1035
00:49:37,889 --> 00:49:39,826
I believe it's from Hosea 6:6.

1036
00:49:39,826 --> 00:49:43,594
I love the reading there

1037
00:49:43,594 --> 00:49:45,558
because you know what it says?

1038
00:49:45,558 --> 00:49:50,239
It says that God desires

1039
00:49:50,239 --> 00:49:52,793
maybe lovingkindness;

1040
00:49:52,793 --> 00:49:54,761
the Septuagint says "mercy."

1041
00:49:54,761 --> 00:49:58,458
I desire mercy and not sacrifice.

1042
00:49:58,458 --> 00:50:01,777
A knowledge of God

1043
00:50:01,777 --> 00:50:04,623
rather than burnt offerings.

1044
00:50:04,623 --> 00:50:06,021
I like that.

1045
00:50:06,021 --> 00:50:08,446
A knowledge of God.

1046
00:50:08,446 --> 00:50:10,612
Brethren, this is where we're at

1047
00:50:10,612 --> 00:50:12,788
with our righteousness exceeding

1048
00:50:12,788 --> 00:50:15,195
the Scribes and the Pharisees.

1049
00:50:15,195 --> 00:50:17,588
It comes down to a knowledge of God.

1050
00:50:17,588 --> 00:50:19,079
What does God desire?

1051
00:50:19,079 --> 00:50:21,991
Brethren, God desires the heart.

1052
00:50:21,991 --> 00:50:23,206
It's not you saying,

1053
00:50:23,206 --> 00:50:25,470
well, I'm going to give 12%

1054
00:50:25,470 --> 00:50:27,119
and make sure I'm one step ahead

1055
00:50:27,119 --> 00:50:28,446
of those Pharisees.

1056
00:50:28,446 --> 00:50:33,159
Brethren, you're right there in the camp with them

1057
00:50:33,159 --> 00:50:36,878
if you think like that.

1058
00:50:36,878 --> 00:50:40,915
What He wants you to do is give out of love.

1059
00:50:40,915 --> 00:50:42,692
He wants you to give like you gave

1060
00:50:42,692 --> 00:50:44,531
to your wife when you first met her

1061
00:50:44,531 --> 00:50:46,665
and you were courting her.

1062
00:50:46,665 --> 00:50:48,741
Why? He wants you excited about Him.

1063
00:50:48,741 --> 00:50:50,970
He wants your heart. He wants your trust.

1064
00:50:50,970 --> 00:50:54,143
He wants us to be compelled by mercy.

1065
00:50:54,143 --> 00:50:55,940
He wants us to be compelled

1066
00:50:55,940 --> 00:50:58,260
by pity and compassion.

1067
00:50:58,260 --> 00:51:01,825
He wants us moved upon for things like that.

1068
00:51:01,825 --> 00:51:06,236
Brethren, think with me here.

1069
00:51:06,236 --> 00:51:08,555
God's interested in your giving.

1070
00:51:08,555 --> 00:51:10,957
And you know how I know that? Jesus Christ.

1071
00:51:10,957 --> 00:51:13,206
Well, there's lots of ways we could prove that,

1072
00:51:13,206 --> 00:51:15,522
but Jesus Christ watching that widow give.

1073
00:51:15,522 --> 00:51:17,431
He gathered His disciples around

1074
00:51:17,431 --> 00:51:18,983
and He gave them a lesson.

1075
00:51:18,983 --> 00:51:19,957
Look at her give.

1076
00:51:19,957 --> 00:51:21,396
Look at all the others give.

1077
00:51:21,396 --> 00:51:23,507
Look at her give.

1078
00:51:23,507 --> 00:51:25,837
He said she gave more.

1079
00:51:25,837 --> 00:51:29,267
Why? Because it was 100%?

1080
00:51:29,267 --> 00:51:31,295
That isn't it.

1081
00:51:31,295 --> 00:51:33,707
It's not just the quantity that takes us

1082
00:51:33,707 --> 00:51:37,288
out of the realm of robbing God.

1083
00:51:37,288 --> 00:51:40,382
Brethren, it's when we don't love Him.

1084
00:51:40,382 --> 00:51:43,920
It's when we're not compelled and moved.

1085
00:51:43,920 --> 00:51:45,923
Do we know God?

1086
00:51:45,923 --> 00:51:46,838
This is the thing.

1087
00:51:46,838 --> 00:51:50,160
In our giving, yes, mercy before sacrifice,

1088
00:51:50,160 --> 00:51:52,549
but a knowledge of God

1089
00:51:52,549 --> 00:51:54,395
before burnt offerings.

1090
00:51:54,395 --> 00:51:56,411
Do you know your God?

1091
00:51:56,411 --> 00:51:57,939
Are you aware of Him?

1092
00:51:57,939 --> 00:51:59,457
Do you know what He says?

1093
00:51:59,457 --> 00:52:01,400
In the letter to the Hebrews,

1094
00:52:01,400 --> 00:52:03,180
"do not neglect to do good

1095
00:52:03,180 --> 00:52:04,891
and to share what you have.

1096
00:52:04,891 --> 00:52:08,501
For such sacrifices are pleasing to God."

1097
00:52:08,501 --> 00:52:10,042
I can tell you this.

1098
00:52:10,042 --> 00:52:12,677
If I know that liberal giving

1099
00:52:12,677 --> 00:52:14,621
is pleasing to my Father,

1100
00:52:14,621 --> 00:52:17,068
and I love Him,

1101
00:52:17,068 --> 00:52:20,102
I'm going to give.

1102
00:52:20,102 --> 00:52:21,692
Because He delights in it.

1103
00:52:21,692 --> 00:52:23,529
You know what?

1104
00:52:23,529 --> 00:52:26,453
It's from Him - the Father of lights

1105
00:52:26,453 --> 00:52:28,907
every good and perfect gift comes.

1106
00:52:28,907 --> 00:52:31,452
And we've been made in His image.

1107
00:52:31,452 --> 00:52:33,028
This new man

1108
00:52:33,028 --> 00:52:36,844
being fashioned in righteousness,

1109
00:52:36,844 --> 00:52:38,269
in godliness.

1110
00:52:38,269 --> 00:52:40,297
It's being fashioned like Him.

1111
00:52:40,297 --> 00:52:42,517
If we're going to resemble our Father,

1112
00:52:42,517 --> 00:52:47,180
we too are going to be givers like He is a Giver.

1113
00:52:47,180 --> 00:52:51,962
But you imagine, Jesus watching that widow.

1114
00:52:51,962 --> 00:52:57,279
I hear this in my own ears.

1115
00:52:57,279 --> 00:52:59,690
I kind of take the account of the widow

1116
00:52:59,690 --> 00:53:00,858
and the account of Peter

1117
00:53:00,858 --> 00:53:05,822
and I can snowball them together.

1118
00:53:05,822 --> 00:53:07,296
You remember Jesus words?

1119
00:53:07,296 --> 00:53:11,517
"Peter, do you love Me?"

1120
00:53:11,517 --> 00:53:13,462
That was a hard one,

1121
00:53:13,462 --> 00:53:14,993
because he had just gotten done

1122
00:53:14,993 --> 00:53:16,749
denying the Lord.

1123
00:53:16,749 --> 00:53:19,844
But he said, "Lord, You know."

1124
00:53:19,844 --> 00:53:23,550
But I hear those words to us.

1125
00:53:23,550 --> 00:53:26,489
Can you see the Lord?

1126
00:53:26,489 --> 00:53:29,004
He's near to all of us.

1127
00:53:29,004 --> 00:53:32,967
He watches what you give.

1128
00:53:32,967 --> 00:53:35,925
Hear His voice as you walk out of here.

1129
00:53:35,925 --> 00:53:39,300
Put your name in there instead of Peter.

1130
00:53:39,300 --> 00:53:42,020
"Do you love Me?"

1131
00:53:42,020 --> 00:53:47,007
Lord, You know I love You.

1132
00:53:47,007 --> 00:53:51,307
Are you taking care of your poor brothers and sisters?

1133
00:53:51,307 --> 00:53:54,277
Do you know money that comes in that box

1134
00:53:54,277 --> 00:53:58,441
helps brethren in the church that need help?

1135
00:53:58,441 --> 00:54:05,696
Do you know it supports Matt Wilkinson?

1136
00:54:05,696 --> 00:54:10,937
Not just do you have a love for Mexicans,

1137
00:54:10,937 --> 00:54:12,724
do you have a love for Christ

1138
00:54:12,724 --> 00:54:17,064
that the name of the Lamb who was slain

1139
00:54:17,064 --> 00:54:18,998
would be proclaimed there

1140
00:54:18,998 --> 00:54:21,473
and that He would have the reward of His suffering?

1141
00:54:21,473 --> 00:54:23,435
That's the real issue.

1142
00:54:23,435 --> 00:54:25,051
Love for people will not keep

1143
00:54:25,051 --> 00:54:26,824
the missionary endeavor going.

1144
00:54:26,824 --> 00:54:31,488
It's a love for God above all things.

1145
00:54:31,488 --> 00:54:34,143
Do you hear His voice?

1146
00:54:34,143 --> 00:54:35,398
Do you love Me?

1147
00:54:35,398 --> 00:54:37,378
As much as you've done it unto the least

1148
00:54:37,378 --> 00:54:38,681
of these My children,

1149
00:54:38,681 --> 00:54:40,512
are you taking care of the preachers?

1150
00:54:40,512 --> 00:54:44,557
Are you taking care of Tawfiq, the church planter?

1151
00:54:44,557 --> 00:54:47,288
Brethren, do you know the kind

1152
00:54:47,288 --> 00:54:49,486
of poor people in China that are helped

1153
00:54:49,486 --> 00:54:51,500
by the money we send over there?

1154
00:54:51,500 --> 00:54:53,541
Do you know the poor Papuans

1155
00:54:53,541 --> 00:54:55,430
that are helped by the money we send

1156
00:54:55,430 --> 00:54:57,948
over to Indonesia?

1157
00:54:57,948 --> 00:55:00,246
Do you know the Syrians -

1158
00:55:00,246 --> 00:55:05,192
the darkness of Islam?

1159
00:55:05,192 --> 00:55:08,182
And Dan is over there seeking to set forth

1160
00:55:08,182 --> 00:55:12,027
the light to those who sit in darkness.

1161
00:55:12,027 --> 00:55:14,159
Sometimes we can just be disconnected

1162
00:55:14,159 --> 00:55:15,869
and think it all goes on

1163
00:55:15,869 --> 00:55:18,357
whether I support or not.

1164
00:55:18,357 --> 00:55:20,278
Brethren, do you realize that God

1165
00:55:20,278 --> 00:55:22,988
in the whole outworking of this kingdom of Christ,

1166
00:55:22,988 --> 00:55:27,357
He uses means and He uses money

1167
00:55:27,357 --> 00:55:32,147
to accomplish so much of the Gospel endeavor.

1168
00:55:32,147 --> 00:55:33,598
And Scripture talks this way:

1169
00:55:33,598 --> 00:55:35,585
Not muzzling the ox.

1170
00:55:35,585 --> 00:55:37,796
There is a place for this.

1171
00:55:37,796 --> 00:55:39,911
Do you love Me? Do you love Me?

1172
00:55:39,911 --> 00:55:42,585
I recognize this for myself.

1173
00:55:42,585 --> 00:55:44,337
I recognize this for all of us.

1174
00:55:44,337 --> 00:55:48,248
Whether you're old school or new school,

1175
00:55:48,248 --> 00:55:50,945
a greater fire, a greater passion,

1176
00:55:50,945 --> 00:55:54,063
a greater love for God.

1177
00:55:54,063 --> 00:55:58,204
That is the thing that we need above all else.

1178
00:55:58,204 --> 00:56:00,183
Brethren, I'll just say this as we end.

1179
00:56:00,183 --> 00:56:03,079
One of the greatest incentives of all

1180
00:56:03,079 --> 00:56:05,843
to love God more

1181
00:56:05,843 --> 00:56:09,653
is to dwell much on His love for you.

1182
00:56:09,653 --> 00:56:13,486
I mean, brethren, think about what He's given for you.

1183
00:56:13,486 --> 00:56:16,493
That text ought to blow our minds

1184
00:56:16,493 --> 00:56:20,347
that He would not spare His own Son.

1185
00:56:20,347 --> 00:56:24,582
He didn't spare His Son.

1186
00:56:24,582 --> 00:56:26,525
Would you give your child?

1187
00:56:26,525 --> 00:56:33,332
He didn't spare His Son.

1188
00:56:33,332 --> 00:56:35,388
See, the thing here is not just to say,

1189
00:56:35,388 --> 00:56:39,393
oh yeah, loving God is good.

1190
00:56:39,393 --> 00:56:44,581
But brethren, we need to take our minds to places;

1191
00:56:44,581 --> 00:56:46,604
we need to take our hearts to places

1192
00:56:46,604 --> 00:56:50,044
where that love will be stirred up.

1193
00:56:50,044 --> 00:56:55,420
Do you realize how hopeless you were

1194
00:56:55,420 --> 00:56:58,043
as a condemned sinner?

1195
00:56:58,043 --> 00:57:02,914
Do you realize how certain hell was?

1196
00:57:02,914 --> 00:57:06,431
We're a hellbound race.

1197
00:57:06,431 --> 00:57:09,741
And He doesn't save many.

1198
00:57:09,741 --> 00:57:12,097
Can you imagine this?

1199
00:57:12,097 --> 00:57:17,081
I'm one of the elect!

1200
00:57:17,081 --> 00:57:20,447
When few there be that find it.

1201
00:57:20,447 --> 00:57:23,394
Lord, why me?

1202
00:57:23,394 --> 00:57:25,943
I look at my family members.

1203
00:57:25,943 --> 00:57:27,663
I was worse than a lot of them.

1204
00:57:27,663 --> 00:57:31,021
I look at the friends that I went to high school and college with.

1205
00:57:31,021 --> 00:57:34,520
I was the worst.

1206
00:57:34,520 --> 00:57:37,868
The people that I work with.

1207
00:57:37,868 --> 00:57:42,972
I look at all the guys I went to high school with.

1208
00:57:42,972 --> 00:57:46,492
None of them have been saved.

1209
00:57:46,492 --> 00:57:48,466
I've taken the Gospel to them.

1210
00:57:48,466 --> 00:57:52,016
God has not been pleased to save a single one of them.

1211
00:57:52,016 --> 00:57:54,317
He plucked me out.

1212
00:57:54,317 --> 00:57:55,947
And you're in the same place

1213
00:57:55,947 --> 00:57:57,147
if you're a Christian.

1214
00:57:57,147 --> 00:57:59,733
He plucked you out

1215
00:57:59,733 --> 00:58:02,756
at the cost of the life of His Son.

1216
00:58:02,756 --> 00:58:03,949
He didn't spare Him.

1217
00:58:03,949 --> 00:58:05,101
Not just His life -

1218
00:58:05,101 --> 00:58:06,561
He crushed His own Son.

1219
00:58:06,561 --> 00:58:08,246
God was actually put in the place

1220
00:58:08,246 --> 00:58:09,722
where it was His own hand

1221
00:58:09,722 --> 00:58:13,518
that executed His Son.

1222
00:58:13,518 --> 00:58:14,935
He didn't just turn His back:

1223
00:58:14,935 --> 00:58:15,966
"I can't watch this.

1224
00:58:15,966 --> 00:58:19,989
I can't bear to see what they're going to do to My Son."

1225
00:58:19,989 --> 00:58:21,997
God did this.

1226
00:58:21,997 --> 00:58:26,313
God handed Christ the cup.

1227
00:58:26,313 --> 00:58:28,296
The cup.

1228
00:58:28,296 --> 00:58:31,243
It's a cup that's black with damnation

1229
00:58:31,243 --> 00:58:36,200
and the horrors of an eternity.

1230
00:58:36,200 --> 00:58:38,911
And you recognize, Jesus took that cup

1231
00:58:38,911 --> 00:58:40,366
and He put it to His lips

1232
00:58:40,366 --> 00:58:42,142
and He drank it dry -

1233
00:58:42,142 --> 00:58:43,929
every single drop,

1234
00:58:43,929 --> 00:58:45,816
so that we might be forgiven

1235
00:58:45,816 --> 00:58:50,602
and stand before God.

1236
00:58:50,602 --> 00:58:53,218
You think about God.

1237
00:58:53,218 --> 00:58:55,479
His kindness.

1238
00:58:55,479 --> 00:58:57,598
Think about the kindness

1239
00:58:57,598 --> 00:58:59,467
that after the things we've done,

1240
00:58:59,467 --> 00:59:05,027
He would do such things as He has done.

1241
00:59:05,027 --> 00:59:08,602
I mean, brethren, it's falling in love

1242
00:59:08,602 --> 00:59:12,904
with the One who has loved us this way.

1243
00:59:12,904 --> 00:59:15,498
And loving God like that will release

1244
00:59:15,498 --> 00:59:18,940
all manner of sacrifice,

1245
00:59:18,940 --> 00:59:20,641
to the laying down of our lives,

1246
00:59:20,641 --> 00:59:28,221
not just our wallets.

1247
00:59:28,221 --> 00:59:35,676
And then God comes and He give us money.

1248
00:59:35,676 --> 00:59:39,146
And He says now, if you will take that which I've given you,

1249
00:59:39,146 --> 00:59:41,172
it's not yours, you're just stewards.

1250
00:59:41,172 --> 00:59:44,805
If you will take that that I've given to you,

1251
00:59:44,805 --> 00:59:46,810
and you will actually use it

1252
00:59:46,810 --> 00:59:49,477
for purposes that honor Me;

1253
00:59:49,477 --> 00:59:52,210
show that you love Me and you trust Me;

1254
00:59:52,210 --> 00:59:54,186
to show that you really desire

1255
00:59:54,186 --> 00:59:58,102
My kingdom to come and spread;

1256
00:59:58,102 --> 01:00:00,527
you will store up for yourselves

1257
01:00:00,527 --> 01:00:03,447
treasures in heaven.

1258
01:00:03,447 --> 01:00:07,035
There will be eternal reward.

1259
01:00:07,035 --> 01:00:11,577
I'll make your eternity all the more blessed

1260
01:00:11,577 --> 01:00:16,873
for taking what's Mine - what I gave to you,

1261
01:00:16,873 --> 01:00:19,645
and you use it in ways that please Me.

1262
01:00:19,645 --> 01:00:22,851
And remember that text there in Hebrews 13.

1263
01:00:22,851 --> 01:00:25,067
Very pleasing to Him

1264
01:00:25,067 --> 01:00:28,151
when we look at the needs that concern Him,

1265
01:00:28,151 --> 01:00:31,495
His people, His kingdom,

1266
01:00:31,495 --> 01:00:33,842
and we give.

1267
01:00:33,842 --> 01:00:35,272
Pleasing.

1268
01:00:35,272 --> 01:00:38,927
If you love Him, you want to please Him.

1269
01:00:38,927 --> 01:00:41,551
You hear Christ's voice.

1270
01:00:41,551 --> 01:00:43,984
Do you love Me, John?

1271
01:00:43,984 --> 01:00:45,832
Do you love Me, Mary?

1272
01:00:45,832 --> 01:00:50,326
Do you love Me? Do you love Me?

1273
01:00:50,326 --> 01:00:55,062
Lord, You know I love You.

1274
01:00:55,062 --> 01:00:57,530
What does our life indicate?

1275
01:00:57,530 --> 01:01:00,251
That's the story.

1276
01:01:00,251 --> 01:01:05,511
Father, we pray that You'd give us...

1277
01:01:05,511 --> 01:01:09,549
Oh, Lord, we know that it's a work of the Spirit of God

1278
01:01:09,549 --> 01:01:12,026
to give us the heart; to give us the love.

1279
01:01:12,026 --> 01:01:13,471
We know that the first

1280
01:01:13,471 --> 01:01:15,911
of the fruit of the Spirit is love,

1281
01:01:15,911 --> 01:01:18,253
and we know that the first of all loves

1282
01:01:18,253 --> 01:01:20,443
is not for our fellow man,

1283
01:01:20,443 --> 01:01:24,842
but it is that we might love God

1284
01:01:24,842 --> 01:01:27,868
with all our heart and our mind

1285
01:01:27,868 --> 01:01:33,866
and our soul and our strength.

1286
01:01:33,866 --> 01:01:38,676
Lord, please forgive us that our love

1287
01:01:38,676 --> 01:01:47,353
is often so cold.

1288
01:01:47,353 --> 01:01:49,226
Forgive us when our love is challenged

1289
01:01:49,226 --> 01:01:51,732
by other things.

1290
01:01:51,732 --> 01:01:55,151
Forgive us when our love is challenged

1291
01:01:55,151 --> 01:02:01,102
by greed or covetousness.

1292
01:02:01,102 --> 01:02:07,274
Lord, I pray that You would grant us

1293
01:02:07,274 --> 01:02:12,220
such liberality in sacrifice;

1294
01:02:12,220 --> 01:02:15,762
men and women who not only bring

1295
01:02:15,762 --> 01:02:21,194
all their monetary assets to the altar,

1296
01:02:21,194 --> 01:02:26,507
but their own lives also.

1297
01:02:26,507 --> 01:02:28,656
Lord, I pray that we would be a people

1298
01:02:28,656 --> 01:02:32,683
whose love manifests itself

1299
01:02:32,683 --> 01:02:36,262
as we see love must express itself.

1300
01:02:36,262 --> 01:02:40,267
Lord, give us such love and such expressions of it.

1301
01:02:40,267 --> 01:02:43,612
Lord, I want You to be pleased with this church.

1302
01:02:43,612 --> 01:02:45,425
Please.

1303
01:02:45,425 --> 01:02:47,633
Lord, remove the God robbers.

1304
01:02:47,633 --> 01:02:49,591
Those who would rob You of Your glory;

1305
01:02:49,591 --> 01:02:51,619
rob You of our hearts;

1306
01:02:51,619 --> 01:02:55,072
rob You of our trust.

1307
01:02:55,072 --> 01:02:56,952
Remove that.

1308
01:02:56,952 --> 01:02:58,703
Not by taking individuals away,

1309
01:02:58,703 --> 01:03:01,105
but by giving us the grace to rise

1310
01:03:01,105 --> 01:03:03,479
to where we should be.

1311
01:03:03,479 --> 01:03:04,753
I pray in Christ's name.

1312
01:03:04,753 --> 01:03:05,533
Amen.