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[0:00] So if you found your places, let's start in 1 Peter chapter 2 and just read verse number 5.! The Bible says, Ye also, as lively stones are built up a spiritual house and holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

[0:26] ! In the Old Testament, there was physical animal sacrifices or offerings that were of the crops that they raised on their own land. And they gave, in some cases tithed, in other places they offered a free will offering unto the Lord.

[0:41] But here in this time and day, in this New Testament, the Bible says that we offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to the Lord by Jesus Christ. Our church is built up and fitted together, not for anybody's social enjoyment, not to come and meet a spouse.

[1:01] It's not here to show off your ability or your wardrobe. That's not why we come together. But we are here to collectively offer something up to the Lord Jesus Christ who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood.

[1:16] We want to give Him something. And there's other reasons we come together and it's for our benefit and God instituted this local church. But collectively we owe God something.

[1:27] And it's offering Him some spiritual sacrifices. Now I'll turn to Hebrews chapter 13. Because in this passage there are three distinct sacrifices that are mentioned that are spiritual.

[1:41] They are not carnal. They are not physical things that you raised on your property or that you offered to a priest. Hebrews chapter 13 and verses 15 and 16.

[1:54] Let's read these two verses. And it's speaking of the Lord Jesus Christ again like Peter was. It says, By Him, therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.

[2:09] So there's the first one. He calls it praise to God. And he also equates that with thanksgiving or giving thanks. You may recall reading through the Psalms, a lot of places, not just in the Psalms, but in the Old Testament.

[2:22] You'll see this phrase about a spiritual sacrifice or the sacrifice of thanksgiving. I will offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving, etc. That's one. That's understood. That's already been read in the Bible.

[2:32] But here's another one. Verse 16. But to do good and to communicate, forget not. For with such sacrifices, God is well pleased.

[2:45] So there's praising or offering praise and thanksgiving to God from our lips. That's considered a spiritual sacrifice that we can offer to the Lord that He receives and is accepted by Him according to the Bible by Jesus Christ.

[3:01] Then there's also doing good, but to do good, verse 16, which is good works. Doing good works as to the Lord, not to get saved, not for God to forgive your sins, but doing good because you are saved.

[3:17] You want to please Him. You offer your time. Some of the men came and they offered some of their time and energy and effort of Saturday to get out and do something in the neighborhoods or on the street corner.

[3:28] And that's a good work to do. And it's being done to the Lord. It's not for their own sake and for their own reward. It's for the Lord Jesus Christ, for God to be glorified.

[3:40] That's a good work and there are many others. The third one in verse 16, He says, to communicate, forget not. To communicate is not the fruit of your lips as in conversation.

[3:51] That's not the Bible word there. It's the Bible word for giving. You know of communicable diseases. There's other things that are considered communicable.

[4:02] That is, you can give them out. That's pretty a bad example of this, but you get the idea. That to communicate is to give. And I'll show you that in another passage in a minute. That's the Bible word for giving.

[4:14] So there's three sacrifices that are called spiritual sacrifices. This morning I'm going to take a break from where we were in Genesis chapter 1. And my subject this morning is about giving.

[4:26] Now, it's not about tithing. And just in case, I don't know everybody in here that if you are familiar with these terms and if you even know what I'm talking about when I say tithing.

[4:37] So I want to just touch all the bases before we can move on. The Bible describes tithing as giving God 10% or the first tenth of what God gives to you.

[4:50] It's giving back 10%. It's called a tithe. It even almost sounds like tenth. And so 10% of what you earn or what you're given, you give it back to God and you live off of the other 90%.

[5:03] To some people that sounds insane. To give 10% of your paycheck to the church, to God, just give it away. It sounds insane to you.

[5:15] But it's a Bible principle. It's a Bible doctrine. And it's something that we ought to submit ourselves to as we submit ourselves to the Lord. Just be glad that God didn't say everything that you have is mine, which is true.

[5:30] And that here's what I'd like to do. We'll split it 50-50. Why don't you just be glad God didn't come to you like that? He said you keep 90%. That's not so bad if you think about it from that angle.

[5:44] But I know we don't ever think about it from that angle. And many people say I can't afford to do that. I can't afford to give 10% to the Lord. And I've told you this before.

[5:55] My pastor that I grew up under said you can't afford not to do that. And he believed that. And he believed that your walk with God is dependent upon your obedience to God. And exercising faith and displaying that you trust Him in all things with all of what you have.

[6:10] And he didn't ask for 90%. He asked for 10%. So one reason people are not faithful to the Lord in this area of tithing. I'm just going to park on this for a minute. One reason people aren't faithful in this area is because I believe that they don't put the Lord Jesus Christ first in their life.

[6:28] They put their many subscriptions to their streaming services or platforms or getting a new phone or their vehicle or where they live. They put those other items first.

[6:39] First, I can't afford to give 10% because look at all the expenses I have in my life. And the truth is you're putting other things ahead of the Lord Jesus Christ or obedience to Him.

[6:51] Personal pleasures or your daily gratifications all through the week. Put that first and then you can't afford to give the Lord the tenth that He asked for. Another reason I believe people don't tithe is a lack of faith.

[7:04] That is, they're afraid to give 10% to the Lord. They don't trust that He'll come through and supply their needs. They don't trust that California and the cost of living is through the roof and how could I possibly afford that?

[7:16] And I know the excuses. And I know the temptations. And this isn't my message. You talk about tithing but I am enjoying myself so just bear with me for a minute. There's another form of giving.

[7:28] Another way to give to the Lord. And it's not the tenth that He requires or what would be considered mandatory. But rather a spiritual sacrifice that if you just allow me to use this term, an offering.

[7:41] I know we kind of make them all the same. But something that you offer to the Lord. In the Old Testament there are a variety of offerings. One called a free will offering. Something that was not mandatory.

[7:51] If you don't have it, you don't have to give it. But if you do, you have the choice. It's not something that's demanded. It's free will. You choose. If you have a desire to do so, you can offer it to the Lord.

[8:04] And He can see your heart and He can say, now that's nice. I like to see that. This person offered this to me. It is not a tithe. It's something different. And I want to discuss this with you today.

[8:15] This thought of a free will offering. And what we call it today and when we take up offerings, we call it more of a love offering. We are showing our love and care for a brother or a ministry or a missionary or a particular need that's within the ministry of the Lord.

[8:31] And we offer and we give to that. We don't have to. But we choose to. We want to. And so that's the kind of offering I want to talk to you about this morning. And what I want to do is teach you about this from the Bible.

[8:42] And then I want to show you a real need and a way to exercise obedience in this area of offering a spiritual sacrifice. And before I say anymore, please, please, please, please, don't get your guard up.

[8:57] And don't sit here and just be like, oh, he's just coming after my money. I'm telling you, I'm not. I tell you by hand before God, I'm coming after your heart. That's what I want.

[9:09] I'm not coming after your wallet, okay? So don't put your guard up. Just listen to, as I teach through this passage, of some things about this kind of offering. And then I'll show you and display a need.

[9:21] And then I'll challenge you, I'll charge you to do what you can and be obedient in a certain area. But let's see how this is a biblical, New Testament foundational truth for your lives.

[9:33] Find Philippians chapter 4. Philippians chapter 4. This is going to be my text for the sermon this morning. And I'm going to read through this and then give you four short points from this passage that have to do with this area of a love offering or a free will offering.

[9:52] And then I'll give you a way to make it happen. Philippians 4. Let's begin in verse number 10. We're going to read down to verse 19.

[10:06] Philippians 4 verse 10. If you're there, let's begin verse 10. But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again.

[10:18] Wherein you were also careful, but you lacked opportunity. Not that I speak in respect of want, for I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased and I know how to abound.

[10:29] Everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Notwithstanding.

[10:40] This is Paul charging this church at Philippi. Notwithstanding ye have well done that ye did communicate with my affliction. There's the word again, communicate, giving.

[10:51] Now ye Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only.

[11:02] For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity. Not because I desire a gift, but I desire fruit that may abound to your account. But I have all and abound.

[11:15] I am full. Having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odor of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well-pleasing to God.

[11:28] But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Let's pray. Lord, please help in this time. Help us to understand our biblical responsibility in giving, in the needs of others, in the ministries that you have on this earth.

[11:47] Help us to know our part and to be faithful and obedient and willing as much as lieth in us. Please just teach us these truths. Help them to be placed in each heart.

[11:58] Help us not to allow our flesh, our greed, our pride, our stubbornness to interfere with the work of your Spirit in our hearts. And may we submit ourselves to you in all of these areas.

[12:11] Let me pray this in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. I want to say four quick things from this passage about these kind of offerings. And then we'll shift gears.

[12:22] The first thing I want us to consider is that when God has a... When God's work, meaning ministry, meaning missionaries, preachers, or just folks that are giving themselves to the work of God, that he has moved under hearts, called, placed in the ministry, that kind of thing.

[12:38] When God's work has a need, God uses his people to meet that need. Look at verse number 10. He says, I rejoice in the Lord greatly that now at the last your care of me.

[12:51] These are born-again believers, saints, at this town of Philippi that assembled together. The Apostle Paul has preached to them and given them the gospel.

[13:02] And now they are sending funds and they're communicating of their own to help him in his necessity and afflictions. And he says, Your care of me. They are...

[13:13] They've been doing it for a few times. You saw that when we read through here in verse 14, 15, and 16. Where he says, Ye have well done. Ye did communicate with my affliction. In verse 15, No church communicated with me as concerning giving his...

[13:26] But ye only. And yet when I was in Thessalonica, Ye did it more than one time. Once and again. Nobody else but you. And these are born-again Christians that are taking care of the ministers of God.

[13:40] They communicated. They gave more than once on more than one occasion. When the Apostle Paul was serving in the gospel ministry, it wasn't the government that was taking care of his needs.

[13:53] And it wasn't his pension 401k. It wasn't some great stock option that he had set up that was paying him dividends so that he could stay on the road and continue with the work of God to preach the gospel.

[14:06] No, it was God's people. It was God's people collecting and giving to his work to keep it going. They weren't out there doing it, were they?

[14:17] But they were supporting it from their home base, from their local church. It was God's people sacrificially giving to supply the needs of the ministry.

[14:29] Now, I'll give you some examples. You can keep your place here. But come back to the book of Acts chapter 11. It's just not too far to the left. Acts chapter 11.

[14:40] I want to show you an example of this. After Acts, we're going to look at Romans and see another one. Two quick examples. When God's work has a need, God uses his people to meet that need.

[14:52] Acts 11 verse 27 to the end. The Bible reads, And in these days came prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch.

[15:04] Antioch is far to the north in Syria, Jerusalem being in Israel. And there stood up one of them named Agabus and signified by the Spirit that there should be a great dearth throughout all the world which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar.

[15:19] Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judea, which also they did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.

[15:36] Now, this is not just them taking care of poor people and having a soup kitchen. This is the disciples of the Lord hearing word of a great need and according to their ability, determined to send relief and they did it.

[15:52] They sent it from Syria to Israel. From Antioch all the way down to Israel to Jerusalem, they took care of their need.

[16:03] Now look at Romans chapter 15. One more example of this. Next book to your right. Romans 15. And find verse 25 through 27.

[16:17] Romans 15 verse 25. Paul says this, But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints.

[16:29] For it hath pleased them of Macedonia, believers, and Achaia, believers, to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem. It hath pleased them verily, and their debtors they are.

[16:42] For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things. And there's just another case, and there's more than this, but those will have to do for now, of examples where believers are ministering to the needs of other believers that are, they have it, they don't.

[17:04] And the Lord God is using His people to meet these needs. It's not the government's duty to supply the needs for the work of God. It's God's, it's God's job.

[17:16] It's His duty. And He does it through His people. He does it through laying it on the heart of His people, and then we have the decision to obey or to retract and hold back and say, Oh, I can't do that.

[17:31] God will use His people to fulfill His own work. Come back to Philippians chapter 4. And let's look at another quick thing here. God's work has a need.

[17:44] He uses His people to meet that need. Secondly, God approves of this kind of giving. God approves of this kind of giving. In verse 14, the apostle writes, he says, Notwithstanding, ye have well done that ye did communicate with my affliction.

[18:03] Ye have well done. When God's people give to His work, when they show care for the people of God, God has respect unto that spiritual sacrifice.

[18:14] Do you remember Cain and Abel when they offered their offerings to the Lord? And the Bible said that unto Cain's offering, the Lord had not respect. He did not approve of what Cain offered him. But he worked really hard and he offered it to the Lord and yet he said, I don't have any respect to that.

[18:29] But this kind of offering, taking care of God's people in need and taking care of the ministers and the ministry that God has called them to and being a blessing and a help to communicate with their affliction, God approves of that one.

[18:43] He says, Ye have well done. Does that term ring a bell? Well done. It's the same term that the Lord Jesus quoted in Matthew 25 to the faithful servant.

[18:55] When some money was committed to Him, He used it in a way that was pleasing to His Lord and the Lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant. God approves of this kind of giving, this spiritual sacrifice.

[19:10] In verse number 19, it's called an odor of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well-pleasing. How many things can you write on a piece of paper that you know for a fact from the Bible that are well-pleasing to the Lord that you can do?

[19:29] God approves of this stuff. I want you to get that. He wants to see that in your heart. All right, the third thing from this passage is that God rewards this kind of giving.

[19:41] And I want to show you this in two categories, in two ways. First way is in an earthly way and then secondly, in a heavenly way. The earthly way that God rewards this kind of giving, verse number 19, but my God shall supply all your need.

[19:55] When you give, the promise comes with it that he'll supply all your need according to his riches and glory by Christ Jesus. And this one kind of can take us off into a little Bible study on what the word need is.

[20:09] And I'll give it to you very, very quickly here. If you can, find Matthew chapter 6. Find Matthew 6 and if you want to write down 1 Timothy chapter 6, I'll read that as well, but I'm not going to turn everybody there.

[20:26] Matthew 6, 1 Timothy 6 are the two places I'm going to look at here quickly. Your earthly needs, he promises to supply them. He does not say, I'll supply all your lusts.

[20:38] He does not say everything your heart desires. He does not say, I'll answer every prayer that you offer if you give. He just says, I'll supply your need. That's the promise. Now Matthew chapter 6, here's first, no, you're going to have to keep Matthew 6.

[20:53] We're going to come back here. At the end of the chapter, kind of verse 25 to the end, he tells them, take no thought for your life, what you shall eat, what you shall drink, nor yet for your body, what you shall put on.

[21:04] It's not the life more than meat, the body more than raiment. He's discussing what we call kind of two categories, what you can eat and what you wear. In 1 Timothy 6, it's called food and raiment.

[21:15] Food and raiment. In Matthew 6, here he says in verse 31, therefore take no thought saying, what shall we eat or what shall we drink or wherewithal shall we be clothed? For after all these things do the Gentiles seek.

[21:27] For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have, there's the word, need of all these things. Not lust, not desire, not covet, but this is a need.

[21:38] And the things that he lists are strictly food and raiment. What you eat, what you drink, what you wear. But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you because he promises to supply all your need according to his riches.

[21:55] Therefore take no thought for the morrow, etc. In 1 Timothy 6, I quoted it or mentioned it to you already. We brought nothing into this world. It's certain we can carry nothing out and having food and raiment let us be there with content.

[22:09] So, not going to go any further with that. But the point here is that God will provide your physical needs when you offer this spiritual sacrifice. Now on top of that, you've got your place still in Matthew 6.

[22:21] Back in our passage in Philippians, there's also heavenly, heavenly rewards. God rewards this kind of giving both earthly and heavenly. In Philippians 4 and verse 17, Paul says, Not because I desire a gift, but I desire fruit that may abound to your account.

[22:42] Your account. What are you talking about, Paul? This church at Philippi or these individuals that were giving and communicating with him, they have an account?

[22:57] Tell me more about this account. No, he doesn't. He doesn't tell us anything else about this account. Well, then what is that? What account do you speak of?

[23:08] Is it my Netflix account? Is it my Bank of America account? What account is he referring to? Fruit may abound to your account. Well, I'll cross this back in Matthew 6 again and look at verse 19.

[23:23] Some famous words of the Lord Jesus Christ. 619, Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven.

[23:36] You can't physically go put your money in heaven. So how on earth do you do that? I'll show you in a minute. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, where thieves do not break through.

[23:48] For where your treasure is there, will your heart be also. I'm coming after your heart. I told you that. Look at first, maybe I should have turned you to 1 Timothy 6, because I'm going to go there. Last place on this.

[24:00] 1 Timothy 6. And I'm just going to begin reading if you can find it, find it quickly. In verse 17, listen carefully. Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God who giveth us richly all things to enjoy.

[24:18] Charge them, he says, verse 18, that they do good. There's one spiritual sacrifice. That they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate more good works, more spiritual sacrifices.

[24:32] Notice now verse 19. Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

[24:45] These are laying up treasures in heaven, laying up in store for themselves, something that has nothing to do with the earth. How is it that they laid up in heaven? When they do good, when they're rich in good works, when they're really ready to distribute and willing to communicate.

[25:00] It's the spiritual sacrifices that earn us heavenly rewards. God will take care of your life here on this earth. He promises to supply your earthly needs and he also says you're laying up heavenly rewards.

[25:15] God rewards this kind of giving. And where your treasure is there, will your heart be also. The fourth and final thing I want to say from this text about this spiritual sacrifice is that very thought.

[25:27] Verse 18, God calls it a sacrifice. Peter called it a sacrifice. In Hebrews, it was called a sacrifice. God calls it here through the Apostle Paul a sacrifice, acceptable, well-pleasing to God.

[25:41] If it's a sacrifice, then it goes without saying it costs something. It costs you something. It doesn't mean that you're forfeiting your duty to your spouse or children or to supply their needs and to feed and clothe them.

[26:00] It doesn't mean that you're neglecting the bills that you've accrued so that you can give to something else of God. But no, this simply implies this, that if you're giving of your own to help someone else, to be a blessing to the people of God or the ministry, to meet a need, that is something that is yours.

[26:20] It's not something that has to be given to the children or to pay for their school lunches. You're not taking away from your duties. It's something that you have to give and it could be used for your pleasure.

[26:35] But you're choosing instead to voluntarily use it for God's pleasure. And God says, that's a sacrifice. He sees that as a sacrifice when you willingly give to the work of the ministry in hopes of spiritual ground being gained in the good fight of faith.

[26:56] An offering to God's work is an offering to God and it's well-pleasing to Him. He calls it a sacrifice. Now, there's the four things I want you to learn from this passage that when God's work has a need, He uses His people to meet it, that God approves of this kind of giving.

[27:14] He said it's well-pleasing to Him. He also rewards it both physically here as well as eternally and He calls it a sacrifice because it has to have a cost.

[27:26] It's something that's yours that you don't have to give away. You choose to give away because it's going to be a pleasure to Him. Now, let me say two things about not giving when you have the opportunity because not everybody gives when the opportunity comes and some make excuses, some just decide that they can't and before I say anything, I want to make this note.

[27:49] not giving and not being able to give are two different things and so don't ever feel like I just would wear you out and put all the pressure in the world on you that we all have to just empty our bank accounts.

[28:02] That would be foolish. I know that many of you have a heart for the Lord. I know that many of you in here love to give and you do it cheerfully and joyfully and it's a blessing to you to be a blessing to God's people that come through here.

[28:16] I rejoice when we give offerings to missionaries and to preachers and when they get bigger and bigger it just is like what a blessing. One time I handed a check to a preacher that came through here for a few days and he took the check and looked at it and he's like whoa brother and I just said praise the Lord because it's going to help him and one guy this was a different guy he got a check and he looked at it right down there and he goes and he just said it out loud and I won't give you the details but there was an exact need that had just come on his plate that was kind of like where are we going to get the money for that and this little church had given abundantly to that man and to his ministry and preaching and it covered it in full and he was shocked because he never thought he would get he just thought he'd get a couple hundred bucks help him get up the road to the next place but it covered not just his expenses but it covered a need in his life that was God using his people to meet a need I know you people like to give

[29:17] I know you have good hearts with that and some of you are not in the same position as others to do as much but I'll contend with you all every single one of you that we can all give something when it comes time to give something I'm reminded of the widow in the gospels that gave two mites and Jesus commended her and said she's given all her living and she gave it to the Lord and whether it's two mites or an awful lot more mites we can give something when the need and the opportunity are present now let me say two things about when you don't give look back at chapter number two of Philippians verse when somebody refuses to give and let if the shoe fits you wear it I'm not attacking anybody here but most of the time when somebody refuses to give it's evidence of selfishness and evidence of their own carnality in chapter 2 look at verses 20 and 21 the apostle Paul writes he says

[30:28] I have no man like minded who will naturally care for your state why is that for all seek their own they're selfish not the things which are Jesus Christ's because everybody's mind is on their own life and their own house and their own families and their own cars and they're not thinking about the brothers and sisters and what God has called them to and what they've sacrificed and given up they seek their own and they become selfish and look at this next one chapter 3 they become carnal verse 17 through 19 Philippians 3 17 brethren be followers together of me and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an example for many walk of whom I have told you often and now tell you even weeping they are the enemies of the cross of Christ whose end is destruction whose God is their belly whose glory is in their shame who mind earthly things their carnal their carnal their God is their belly they don't see and think on others now here's the thing we're supposed to look at chapter 2 verse 4 this is the spirit and the attitude that God wants to see in every one of us

[31:45] Philippians 2 verse 4 Paul says look not every man on his own things but every man also on the things of others this is the spirit that God wants to see in his children but what he often finds sadly is selfishness and carnality and if you don't have this mind of verse 4 of looking on the things of others of seeking the things not your own but things that are Jesus Christ if you don't have that mind then according to the Bible you need to be transformed by the renewing of your mind you need to get your mind changed by the word of God you need to start seeing this material that we're covering today and see that God you have a responsibility when these cases and opportunities present themselves even within this local church to be part of it there's another thing I want to point out in Philippians look at chapter 2 again selfishness and carnality those are traits of the old man not the new creature in Christ Jesus in chapter 2 the second thing

[32:55] I want to say about not giving is that it puts the strain and the burden upon others when it's supposed to be shared in Philippians chapter 2 verse number 30 I'll back up a little bit it talks about Epaphroditus in verse 25 Paul said I suppose it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and companion in labor and fellow soldier but your messenger and he that ministered to my wants for he longed after you all and was full of heaviness because that ye had heard that he would have been sick for indeed he was sick nigh unto death but God had mercy on him and not on him only but on me also lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow I sent him therefore the more carefully that when you see him again ye may rejoice that I may be the less sorrowful receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness and hold such in reputation pay attention clearly why are they supposed to hold him in reputation because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death why Epaphroditus not regarding his life to supply your lack of service toward me that man was picking up the slack

[34:08] I read to you earlier in chapter 4 in verse 10 that Paul rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at the last your care of me having flourished again but it sounds like there was a time when that church wasn't caring for him and they were dropping the ball and Epaphroditus saw the need and he was doing everything in his power wearing himself out to the death to supply the need for God's servant the point I'm making is not giving it can be an evidence of your own carnality and selfishness but it's also going to put the strain and the burden upon the other people of God who will be obedient and it's not supposed to be that way somebody else picking up the slack and Epaphroditus suffering greatly which has never been God's will so there's two thoughts about not giving now that I've said all that I want to shift gears and I want to put this in one point to address and an opportunity for this church to be obedient and to do something

[35:16] I didn't make any phone calls looking for places to send money to I didn't go saying God if I'm going to preach this I need to have something to do a couple weeks ago I got a call from our brother that was here with us a year ago and he's in Utah his name is Tyler Decker some of you remember Tyler Decker a young man and I'll give you just a brief story if you don't remember his details he was he grew up sometime in Castaic he was in Portland area he was in Seattle area and his dad now is in Idaho and he was I believe he was in Idaho and he was traveling to Pensacola to go to Bible school several years ago and somehow I think he was working his way back to LA for a little bit before he left and he came through in Utah came through I believe down to 15 through this town of Cedar City and when he was there he just said I felt like the Lord was impressing upon my heart this is Mormon country and there's nobody preaching the gospel and he said I'm on my way to Bible school in a few weeks and here I am feeling like

[36:21] I think God's calling me to come back here and start a church and preach the gospel in Cedar City and so he went to Bible school and he said all three years of school that burden never left him he never got distracted about anything else it got more and more confirmed in his heart that when he graduates get back there and so he did he went to Utah he got a place he started getting busy and trying to get something going for the Lord and things haven't been going good and his wife has been having a lot of health issues and so he felt the Lord was saying you need to get more stable in this ministry and it's not going to go easy you need to get some support you need to get some people behind you to help get this thing off the ground so last year January of last year he came down here on a Sunday and he told us his story showed us some pictures of what the Mormon culture is like and how hard it can be and showed us even some pictures of some brethren that were with him and saved and trying to get going with him well a year has passed I don't know if I told you this we gave him an offering of like $1,700 and another two churches he met with and they also gave him an offering and he's taken some money back to his hometown he's he's just praying about what the Lord would have him do and how to go forward and his truck breaks down on the way home he's forced to spend the night at a hotel and deal with the truck getting that thing fixed to get himself back to his home and so there went a chunk of that money so he gets back to Utah and he gets back to the work and just fast forward through all of this bring him up to this spot that he's at calling me and in his conversation he just kind of bore all of his trials and his hardships on me and just said

[38:02] I feel like my back's up against the wall I believe the Lord wants us here I believe that he'll provide a path forward I believe we're supposed to stay and work but everything's just fallen apart he described his wife Kendra she's been having health problems that were really debilitating and she's supposedly coming around and then they hit this mold issue black mold in the home and found out that was messing with him a little but messing with her a lot and they got that taken care of and now he thinks she's on the rebound and that by the summertime God willing she should be free and clear if everything continues but he said it's been nothing but a battle day to day with just caring for her or she has good days bad days etc some of you know exactly what that's like and they're confident she's moving the right direction but that has held him back some days he couldn't even take jobs he has a business washing windows and he's trying to fill his schedule as much as possible but his work truck is barely staying running he can't take any far trips away that's an issue work is slow over the winter some days he has to stay home because his wife can't care for the kids he says

[39:18] I'm nanny I'm the wife I'm the husband I'm the pastor I'm the everything some days and he's just just wore out with it he described that he's he gets a little support from a few churches that he's already met with and he's seeking to line up meetings with some churches in the northwest he feels like the Lord just keeps putting that on his heart you need to go you need to set these meetings up you need to get some support and so his goal is to schedule more meetings and to raise support and to keep them in Utah and to get stable and wants to get some support so he can free himself up and be more active in the ministry a concern of theirs is their vehicles his work truck again it gets him to work but it's in need of repairs constantly they have a small family car that's not a family car at all it's just a car they had when they first got married and they have two kids they can't travel with this car they can't take luggage with it and so they are in need to do something about that he's been considering renting vehicles to go to his meetings but he said that's going to add up pretty quickly and he has a church that's offered to cover the first couple meetings that he has with a rental car and just to get that ball rolling but they can't continue to do that all the time so long story short with his trying to be anyway it's been a rough go for them and the brother feels like he needs to do something now and he desires to stay with the work in Utah but he believes he needs to hit the road as well and gain some support from churches and so

[40:51] I'd like to help him out I didn't bring this before you right away when he called I decided to pray about it and to sit on it and he even called back and said did you decide anything I said no actually sorry but I decided to just pray about it for a while and to not act too quickly and emotionally or anything like that and I told him that I would announce it I didn't tell him that I was going to do it in this manner but I don't know how much we can help him I don't know how much we should help him we're just one church and I've been praying about it and I had a few ideas and then I hit one that I just felt like I felt like the Lord gave me the green light on it and here's a thought that I have it's maybe a little bit unconventional for a church but what I'd like to do in a few weeks is to take an offering up for them and whatever you are willing to give and able to give that the church will double that with a limit and my limit I'm going to put on it is two thousand dollars

[41:54] I wish it was ten but I think that's a safer enough number and if you're able whatever you're able to give essentially you're giving double because we from the church account will match it and give whatever we can give in hopes of helping him get a vehicle helping him to get some things going that direction and show our love and support for his ministry what I'm going to ask you to do is to number one pray about it to not just say yep we should do that pastor but I want you to pray about it and pray God is there something that I can do and what can I do and what should I do what would you have me do I want you to pray for Tyler and pray for his wife Kendra and I want to in two weeks from now February 15th take up this offering and if everybody here is not showing up the church that day I'm going to know what you're doing but that's the day that I'm going to take up the offering February the 15th to try to be a blessing to this young man and his wife whose heart is given to the

[42:59] Lord completely and he may not have it all figured out I don't he sure doesn't either but he's going to try and I want to help him so I want to take you to one more passage before we quit find 2 Corinthians chapter 8 2 Corinthians 8 and this is my I explained this giving this spiritual sacrifice from the Bible I'm giving you a real life opportunity to be part of this and now I want to charge you quickly from the word of God about what your potential part is in this matter 2 Corinthians 8 look at verse 1 moreover brethren we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia how that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality for to their power

[44:06] I bear record yea and beyond their power they were willing of themselves praying us with much entreaty that we would receive the gift and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints their giving and this they did not as we hoped but first gave their own selves to the Lord amen and unto us by the will of God insomuch that we desired Titus that as he had begun so he would also finish in you the same grace also watch verse 7 therefore as ye abound in everything in faith and utterance and knowledge and in all diligence and in your love to us see that ye abound in this grace also this grace he speaks of is the grace of giving of a spiritual sacrifice again it's not tithing to the local church see that ye abound it's an area in every single

[45:12] Christian's life that they ought to exercise in Acts chapter 11 when we turn there about the disciples it says that every man according to his ability gave Paul is challenging every believer to abound in certain Christian and spiritual virtues of faith and of love but he says you better abound in this one also this is not just the thing you talk about this is something you do again I'm reminded of that widow that gave two mites she could say I'm too poor to give she's far poorer than anybody else in the temple that day and yet she gave what she could give it didn't stop her from abounding in this grace the last verses I'm reading with you is in chapter 9 from verse 6 to the end of the chapter let's consider this as you pray about what you can give in two weeks verse 6 says but this

[46:16] I say he which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully this is verse 7 for every single one of you to come back to and pray about every man according as he purposeth in his heart so let him give not grudgingly or of necessity for God loveth a cheerful giver and God is able to make all grace abound toward you that ye always having all sufficiency in all things may abound to every good work as it is written he hath dispersed abroad he hath given to the poor his righteousness remain forever!

[47:03] and increase the fruits of your righteousness being enriched in everything to all bountifulness which causeth through us thanksgiving to God for the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God whilst by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ and for your liberal distribution unto them and unto all men and by their prayer for you which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you now I know that was a mouthful that and I won't comment on all of it but the one last thing I'll say is that it's going to redound unto many thanksgivings unto God that what right now is going up is oh God help us oh God help us oh God we're trying to serve you and do right would you please help us if the brethren could abound in this grace toward them that cry for help is going to turn oh

[48:11] God praise your holy name I never doubted you I love you I can trust you with my life when God's people do their part now we're finished this morning but the last thing I want you to trust me I am not putting pressure on anybody in this room I am not trying to twist your arm play with your emotions force you from the I know it was all very better and get some other thing right in your life unless wow that's amazing I'm not putting the pressure on anybody I'm not guilt tripping anybody this is only one of what really is many opportunities that comes by this local church in the course of a year or five years for us to offer up a spiritual sacrifice unto God and at some point you have it to give and at some point you won't and so I'm telling you in two weeks I am not checking

[49:11] I am not going to walk around I am not looking I do not want to know but I'm going to give you the opportunity and I think we can be a blessing to this young man and I just feel like this is what we need to do and I don't care what other churches are doing it's none of my business but this is what I believe we should do so whether you surprise me or not I don't really care I think God will I think he'll surprise me and to him be the glory so I'll remind you about this and then you make sure you are here February the 15th I'll try to remind you the date and the plan is to take it to him the last thing is that he mentioned a car I don't pretend that anybody here wants to give a car away but if you know anything about this or have a thought if the

[50:11] Lord strikes you or something on your mind or you're trying to sell something maybe there's a way that we could work something out as well just throwing that out there because not expecting anything just is a reliable family vehicle that they can go to these meetings in so let's be dismissed with prayer that's all I have to say I and it sure does help us to think on others when Paul closed it saying thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift you didn't hold back anything from us and you've been so good to us and abundant you've abounded to us in so many things and

[51:13] Lord it's my prayer that as we're able that you would allow us to be a help and blessing and minister to the wants of our brother and his wife and that you could establish them in the work and that there could be many thanksgivings that go up to God not just from him but from those that are saved down the years through that ministry and through the work that you'll do the prayer church could get soundly and firmly!

[51:41]  established in that town and that Jesus Christ would be glorified and that souls will be saved and may we have a part in that for Jesus sake and for his glory and for his praise for his honor only we ask this in his name amen