WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:15.540 This morning we have a kind of unique first for us at Watermark, which is basically Ed and myself are going to tag team teach this morning. 00:00:16.339 --> 00:00:21.879 I'm Chris. I'm one of the teaching pastor here at Watermark. Ed is one of the elders. 00:00:21.879 --> 00:00:31.960 And so one of the hearts of what we want to do as a church is really to be raising up other people to be able to preach, to be able to lead, to be equipped and have opportunities to grow. 00:00:32.060 --> 00:00:34.019 And that's for all of us in different ways. 00:00:34.100 --> 00:00:43.379 And today Ed is going to be part of us moving forward and training and growing in preaching and developing more people to preach. 00:00:43.960 --> 00:00:47.460 So there you go. Give Ed's first time. 00:00:48.000 --> 00:00:50.399 So it's just really exciting for us. 00:00:50.399 --> 00:00:51.920 I wouldn't clap until afterwards. 00:00:53.859 --> 00:00:58.219 So the way we're going to do it, I'm going to start off and then Ed's going to do a bit. 00:00:58.280 --> 00:01:00.899 I'll do a bit and then Ed will finish at the end. 00:01:01.140 --> 00:01:03.519 But let me just pray for us. 00:01:03.619 --> 00:01:04.780 Just bow your heads in prayer. 00:01:08.200 --> 00:01:14.819 Father, your word is powerful. 00:01:16.099 --> 00:01:17.500 It cuts us to the heart. 00:01:17.500 --> 00:01:21.239 I pray that we would tremble at your word. 00:01:22.379 --> 00:01:28.859 That we'd not be those who just listen and then go away like a man who forgets what he looks like in the mirror. 00:01:28.859 --> 00:01:34.659 But we're those who listen to your word, allow it to examine us, to change us, to challenge us. 00:01:34.719 --> 00:01:37.780 And then we go away and we live out what you call us to do. 00:01:37.780 --> 00:01:44.700 Lord, I pray that as we speak today about the topic of money, that you would just really touch our hearts. 00:01:45.040 --> 00:01:49.120 Open us to see how amazingly good you are and how gracious you are to us. 00:01:49.480 --> 00:01:50.320 In Jesus' name. 00:01:51.040 --> 00:01:51.359 Amen. 00:01:53.480 --> 00:01:53.879 Great. 00:01:54.060 --> 00:01:59.560 So those of you who've been here for a while over the summer know we're going through a series in the book of Proverbs. 00:02:00.480 --> 00:02:02.400 And we've been looking at wisdom. 00:02:02.680 --> 00:02:06.560 And the word for wisdom, does anyone remember the word for wisdom in Hebrew? 00:02:06.560 --> 00:02:09.439 Ooh, wow, good. 00:02:09.819 --> 00:02:10.340 Chokmah. 00:02:10.599 --> 00:02:12.800 Okay, you've got to imagine you've got something in your throat. 00:02:13.800 --> 00:02:14.920 It's chokmah. 00:02:15.479 --> 00:02:22.259 And chokmah, this word for wisdom, means the skill of living well in a complex world. 00:02:22.719 --> 00:02:29.300 It's a world where even if you're moral and you do good things, 00:02:29.560 --> 00:02:33.759 it doesn't always guarantee that you're not going to make stupid mistakes in your life. 00:02:33.759 --> 00:02:38.319 Because even though morality, you don't want to live less than moral, 00:02:38.759 --> 00:02:48.179 but actually 80% of the decisions we make in life are not necessarily decisions that the Bible tells us specifically what to do or not. 00:02:48.739 --> 00:02:51.919 So, like, should I take this job or that job? 00:02:52.239 --> 00:02:53.099 Should I save? 00:02:53.199 --> 00:02:54.019 Should I invest? 00:02:54.340 --> 00:02:55.899 Should I buy iPhone or Android? 00:02:55.900 --> 00:02:58.760 I mean, all these things the Bible doesn't tell you. 00:02:59.439 --> 00:02:59.700 Okay? 00:03:01.379 --> 00:03:11.680 But we need chokmah, wisdom, just to navigate through the paths of life to be able to not be a fool or be simple in our lives. 00:03:11.680 --> 00:03:12.159 Proverbs. 00:03:12.659 --> 00:03:19.300 And if you read the book of Proverbs, Proverbs, as we all know with Proverbs, are not commands. 00:03:19.879 --> 00:03:24.219 They're not promises, but they're observations of the way the world works. 00:03:24.560 --> 00:03:30.420 And when you put the pieces together of the different Proverbs, you see they make a puzzle, a picture which tells you 00:03:30.420 --> 00:03:33.740 this is what living wisely in God's world looks like. 00:03:33.740 --> 00:03:41.260 And so today we're going to look at the challenging topic of what Proverbs says about money. 00:03:42.219 --> 00:03:46.240 And I don't know about you, but one of the things that for me I've realized, 00:03:46.320 --> 00:03:52.200 and I think getting married was part of that stage, was just how much my background, my family life, 00:03:52.400 --> 00:03:54.020 shapes the way I view money. 00:03:54.840 --> 00:03:58.140 You know, my family growing up, if we went into the supermarket, 00:03:58.620 --> 00:04:03.360 we'd head straight to the bargain section to see how many offers we could get. 00:04:03.360 --> 00:04:05.020 Because we're savers. 00:04:05.360 --> 00:04:07.640 We want to save as much money as we can. 00:04:08.560 --> 00:04:11.560 I have other friends who are spenders. 00:04:12.380 --> 00:04:18.800 And they think of people who like walk 10 minutes to get the $2 discount on the MTR, you know, in Central. 00:04:19.280 --> 00:04:22.740 And they think people who walk 10 minutes to do that, like, get a life. 00:04:23.199 --> 00:04:25.020 Like, you only have so much time. 00:04:25.580 --> 00:04:26.960 Spend, enjoy yourself. 00:04:27.120 --> 00:04:28.300 Why worry about $2? 00:04:28.300 --> 00:04:35.020 And so we all come from spenders or savers in our lives. 00:04:35.120 --> 00:04:36.520 And I don't know which one you are. 00:04:37.420 --> 00:04:41.520 But the Bible has some very specific things to say to both of us. 00:04:41.879 --> 00:04:43.920 Actually, can I grab some water, please? 00:04:44.040 --> 00:04:44.420 Thank you. 00:04:45.699 --> 00:04:46.180 Thanks. 00:04:46.180 --> 00:04:54.160 So, we're going to, if you have your passage open with you, we're going to kind of walk through some of these proverbs together. 00:04:55.780 --> 00:04:59.199 And we're going to look at five points this morning. 00:04:59.519 --> 00:04:59.740 Okay? 00:05:00.240 --> 00:05:07.180 We're going to look at the gift of wealth, the dangers of wealth, the opportunity of wealth, true wealth, and our response to wealth. 00:05:07.300 --> 00:05:07.540 Okay? 00:05:07.680 --> 00:05:08.360 That's a lot of points. 00:05:08.360 --> 00:05:13.680 But gift, danger, opportunity, true wealth, and our response to it. 00:05:14.360 --> 00:05:17.360 So, let's start off with the gift of wealth. 00:05:18.060 --> 00:05:20.360 That first verse of Proverbs says, 00:05:20.500 --> 00:05:26.220 The blessing of the Lord makes rich, and He adds no sorrow with it. 00:05:27.060 --> 00:05:30.900 What he's saying is God is not a stingy God. 00:05:31.620 --> 00:05:35.439 The creation of wealth is a good gift from God. 00:05:35.439 --> 00:05:40.019 Everything we have, including our money, comes from God. 00:05:40.740 --> 00:05:41.519 Now, I don't know. 00:05:42.019 --> 00:05:45.540 Do you know, where is the first place in the Bible which talks about money or wealth? 00:05:47.279 --> 00:05:47.720 Anyone? 00:05:47.879 --> 00:05:48.819 Here's a little quiz for you. 00:05:50.920 --> 00:05:51.560 Anyone know? 00:05:53.019 --> 00:05:53.459 Okay. 00:05:53.980 --> 00:05:55.159 I'll let you out of your misery. 00:05:55.439 --> 00:06:00.220 The first place in the Bible where it talks about money and wealth is right in the Garden of Eden. 00:06:00.220 --> 00:06:07.580 When God creates the world, and He fills it not just with Bibles and Christian music, but with abundance. 00:06:08.480 --> 00:06:14.400 And there's this amazing passage in Genesis 2, which I suspect most of us have never really read properly. 00:06:15.000 --> 00:06:18.460 But it says there's this part where God creates some rivers. 00:06:18.740 --> 00:06:19.980 He creates four rivers. 00:06:20.480 --> 00:06:24.280 And these rivers are watering and abundantly flourishing the land. 00:06:24.279 --> 00:06:25.759 And then it says this. 00:06:25.899 --> 00:06:32.359 It says, the first river flows around the whole land of Havilah where there is gold. 00:06:32.839 --> 00:06:35.739 And it says the gold of that land is good. 00:06:36.639 --> 00:06:37.239 Ever read that? 00:06:38.199 --> 00:06:39.839 Ever kind of stop to think about that? 00:06:40.079 --> 00:06:44.199 Because you see, when God creates the whole earth, what does He say about everything that He makes? 00:06:44.459 --> 00:06:46.139 He says, it's good. 00:06:46.399 --> 00:06:48.439 The sky, the sun, the sea, everything. 00:06:48.679 --> 00:06:49.159 It's good. 00:06:49.239 --> 00:06:49.699 It's good. 00:06:49.759 --> 00:06:50.099 It's good. 00:06:50.100 --> 00:06:51.600 And He says, gold, it's good. 00:06:52.080 --> 00:06:54.200 Because gold can be used to trade. 00:06:54.640 --> 00:06:56.460 Gold can help communities to flourish. 00:06:57.160 --> 00:07:05.300 And God, throughout the whole Old Testament, keeps promising that He'll provide materially as well as spiritually to people like Adam, 00:07:05.879 --> 00:07:08.439 to people like Abraham, to David, and many others. 00:07:08.939 --> 00:07:10.220 God's not a stingy God. 00:07:10.220 --> 00:07:17.480 In fact, there's this bit where Jesus in Matthew 6, if you've been in church a while, you know the passage. 00:07:18.080 --> 00:07:21.360 He says, God is even generous to those who don't deserve it. 00:07:22.020 --> 00:07:25.560 You know, He says, He causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good. 00:07:26.100 --> 00:07:29.460 And He sends the rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 00:07:30.300 --> 00:07:31.280 What's He talking about? 00:07:32.200 --> 00:07:34.060 You see, He's not talking about weather patterns. 00:07:34.640 --> 00:07:34.840 Okay? 00:07:35.340 --> 00:07:37.540 What's the sun and the rain about? 00:07:37.620 --> 00:07:39.340 It's an agricultural society. 00:07:39.339 --> 00:07:40.000 And what happens? 00:07:40.199 --> 00:07:46.579 Sun and rain help crops to grow, which then feed, create wealth to feed your families and feed society. 00:07:46.919 --> 00:07:51.339 And He says, God, in His common grace, doesn't matter whether you're wicked or whether you're good. 00:07:51.439 --> 00:07:54.399 God keeps lavishing it down so that you can sustain your life. 00:07:55.620 --> 00:07:58.000 Which shows that God creates. 00:07:58.000 --> 00:08:12.220 God creates and gives us right at the outset of creation and day by day, generously, all of the things that we have so that we can flourish in society and our families. 00:08:12.660 --> 00:08:13.319 Because He's good. 00:08:13.319 --> 00:08:19.920 And the purpose of all of this is actually so that we would give thanks to glorify God. 00:08:20.279 --> 00:08:23.060 You know, Proverbs says, honor God with your wealth. 00:08:24.300 --> 00:08:25.959 And I don't know if you've ever sat down. 00:08:26.040 --> 00:08:27.899 I did this little experiment in the week. 00:08:27.899 --> 00:08:30.179 But I sat down in my flat. 00:08:30.519 --> 00:08:32.879 And I looked at everything that I had in the flat. 00:08:33.299 --> 00:08:35.299 And I started giving thanks for everything. 00:08:35.740 --> 00:08:36.539 Like, literally everything. 00:08:36.620 --> 00:08:37.439 Have you ever tried that? 00:08:38.179 --> 00:08:41.519 Like, you could try this in this room right now to give thanks for everything. 00:08:41.679 --> 00:08:43.519 Like, thank you, God, for shoes. 00:08:44.740 --> 00:08:47.559 Thank you, God, for the person sitting next to me. 00:08:47.779 --> 00:08:49.259 Thank you, God, for glasses. 00:08:49.259 --> 00:08:54.600 Because there's millions of people in the world who don't have glasses, who don't have shoes, who don't have people around them. 00:08:54.899 --> 00:08:59.159 And, you know, once you start doing that, suddenly you realize, man, I was getting tired. 00:08:59.519 --> 00:09:02.360 Like, thinking, okay, thank you, God, for the light bulb. 00:09:02.659 --> 00:09:02.799 You know. 00:09:04.139 --> 00:09:05.360 But you think about it. 00:09:05.379 --> 00:09:07.019 All these things we just take for granted. 00:09:07.159 --> 00:09:09.600 And yet they are gifts of God's grace to us. 00:09:09.600 --> 00:09:12.720 Because day by day, He lavishes them upon us. 00:09:13.679 --> 00:09:15.879 And when you do that, your perspective changes. 00:09:15.879 --> 00:09:21.340 And the thing is, all of it was made for the glory of God. 00:09:21.419 --> 00:09:27.840 Because when you look right at the end of the story in the Bible, when you get into the new creation in Revelation, do you know what it says? 00:09:27.879 --> 00:09:29.720 It says the streets are paved with gold. 00:09:30.259 --> 00:09:34.299 And it says the wealth of the nations are brought in to the glory of God. 00:09:34.740 --> 00:09:36.399 That's the design for wealth. 00:09:36.399 --> 00:09:39.539 It's designed that it's meant to be for flourishing. 00:09:39.759 --> 00:09:42.620 It's meant to be for the glory and thanksgiving of God. 00:09:42.919 --> 00:09:45.639 That's where it's all designed to be. 00:09:45.879 --> 00:09:49.720 But now, Ed is going to talk a little bit about the dangers of wealth. 00:09:54.840 --> 00:10:00.820 So, the danger of wealth is that oftentimes God creates something that is good. 00:10:01.639 --> 00:10:05.460 And in our self-centeredness, we take it and misuse it. 00:10:05.460 --> 00:10:14.300 Rather than seeing wealth as a provision from God and to advance His kingdom, we use it to advance our own kingdom. 00:10:14.299 --> 00:10:23.799 Now, in a very honest song from Bruno Mars, Billionaire, I think this illustrates that the best. 00:10:24.259 --> 00:10:25.979 It goes something like this. 00:10:25.980 --> 00:10:26.980 I want to be a billionaire. 00:10:26.980 --> 00:10:28.920 I want to be a billionaire. 00:10:28.920 --> 00:10:31.860 So freaking bad. 00:10:32.100 --> 00:10:36.300 Buy all of the things I never had. 00:10:37.019 --> 00:10:42.440 Oh, I want to be on the cover of Forbes magazine. 00:10:43.080 --> 00:10:46.940 Smiling next to Oprah and the Queen. 00:10:46.940 --> 00:10:51.820 So when we dissect the song lyrics of Billionaire. 00:10:51.820 --> 00:10:53.280 Yeah, give her a round of applause. 00:10:57.280 --> 00:11:10.140 When we dissect the song lyrics of Billionaire, it is clear that the character in the song, and I'm not claiming it's Bruno Mars himself, but the character behind the song is seeking what something money can offer him. 00:11:10.139 --> 00:11:12.740 No one wants money for money, right? 00:11:12.879 --> 00:11:18.120 You don't, money is just paper, and if you're invested in bitcoins, it's just digital zeros and ones. 00:11:18.879 --> 00:11:20.659 But money is just paper. 00:11:21.039 --> 00:11:26.919 What people are interested in in our world is to potentially misuse money and seek the things behind it. 00:11:27.000 --> 00:11:29.279 And so what is this, what are they seeking in this song? 00:11:30.100 --> 00:11:30.620 Power. 00:11:31.500 --> 00:11:34.360 To be able to buy all the things I never had. 00:11:34.439 --> 00:11:37.720 He doesn't want to be in any material want. 00:11:38.980 --> 00:11:39.460 Identity. 00:11:39.460 --> 00:11:42.940 He wants to be on the cover of Forbes magazine. 00:11:43.240 --> 00:11:48.480 He wants to be identified as a wealthy man and influence. 00:11:49.360 --> 00:11:58.639 He wants to sit next to the Queen and Oprah, two of the potentially arguably most influential people of our time who shaped the social discourse in our society. 00:12:00.200 --> 00:12:04.519 Now, the song Billionaire is obviously an extreme. 00:12:04.519 --> 00:12:09.600 I don't think most of us want to be on the cover of Forbes magazine. 00:12:09.799 --> 00:12:12.600 Most of us don't really target to be a billionaire. 00:12:13.139 --> 00:12:18.179 And most of us probably don't strive actively to sit next to Oprah and the Queen. 00:12:18.480 --> 00:12:20.139 But that would be actually pretty awesome. 00:12:20.139 --> 00:12:27.120 But when we bring it closer to home to all of us, I think all of us do want something for money. 00:12:27.980 --> 00:12:29.299 It could be security. 00:12:29.519 --> 00:12:30.980 It could be significance. 00:12:31.299 --> 00:12:32.740 It may be respect. 00:12:32.740 --> 00:12:40.240 And God in his infinite wisdom has already put in Proverbs what a misuse of wealth can look like. 00:12:40.840 --> 00:12:45.519 So if we look at Proverbs 18, 10, 11, it reads, 00:12:45.519 --> 00:13:02.419 Now, what is this proverb saying? 00:13:03.439 --> 00:13:04.840 First of all, what is a strong tower? 00:13:05.019 --> 00:13:07.279 What does a strong tower mean back in the day? 00:13:07.279 --> 00:13:15.500 The strong tower within a city back in the day was where the armies and the fighting men would congregate. 00:13:15.620 --> 00:13:16.779 That is where they rested. 00:13:17.659 --> 00:13:24.459 When enemies attack the city, the rulers of the time, the rich people of the time, anyone of the time, 00:13:24.539 --> 00:13:28.339 will be running to the strong tower because that's where they have security. 00:13:29.100 --> 00:13:31.019 And the Lord is our security. 00:13:31.879 --> 00:13:36.659 You can see that the righteous man who knows the Lord runs to the Lord, runs into the storm tower, 00:13:36.659 --> 00:13:37.839 and he is safe. 00:13:37.959 --> 00:13:39.779 It says explicitly that he is safe. 00:13:40.579 --> 00:13:47.339 He is in the place of ultimate security with peace of mind even during the storms of life. 00:13:48.139 --> 00:13:50.179 Now, let's contrast that to the rich man. 00:13:51.159 --> 00:13:54.079 The rich man does not run into the tower. 00:13:54.360 --> 00:13:55.059 Where does he go? 00:13:55.919 --> 00:13:58.459 It's because he already thinks that he has enough protection. 00:13:59.159 --> 00:14:02.459 When it says that the wealth is his fortified city, 00:14:02.459 --> 00:14:05.720 you can almost imagine he's using his bricks of cash. 00:14:06.659 --> 00:14:12.179 To build a city, build a wall around him and the world. 00:14:12.980 --> 00:14:18.039 And this world and this fortified city, this bricks of wealth, 00:14:18.480 --> 00:14:21.639 will protect him from the trials and challenges of life. 00:14:22.639 --> 00:14:25.259 But the key point is, it's an illusion. 00:14:26.620 --> 00:14:30.419 He imagines his wall so high that it's not scalable. 00:14:30.419 --> 00:14:32.620 But the key word is imagine. 00:14:34.059 --> 00:14:36.379 Do we have tendencies of the rich man? 00:14:37.699 --> 00:14:40.539 Do you make your money your high wall? 00:14:41.479 --> 00:14:46.279 Do you feel most comfortable if your savings account continues to grow? 00:14:46.959 --> 00:14:51.860 And do you constantly worry about job loss or worry about whether you have enough for the future? 00:14:51.860 --> 00:15:01.399 Continue worry that you don't have enough or won't have enough is a sure sign that money is your high wall. 00:15:01.680 --> 00:15:04.800 I confess that is an issue that I struggle with. 00:15:05.980 --> 00:15:10.019 And for those singles out there, and just putting it in a different context, 00:15:10.019 --> 00:15:15.279 do you feel that you need to get married to someone who is financially secure? 00:15:16.399 --> 00:15:25.559 Do you have anxiety that potentially that your life now may not mirror the type of lifestyle that your parents provided, 00:15:25.699 --> 00:15:30.740 that maybe in this lifetime you may not get the same comforts that your parents provided you? 00:15:30.740 --> 00:15:38.560 Or have you overlooked godly partners because they're not in the right income bracket? 00:15:39.500 --> 00:15:42.440 In Proverbs 11, 28, it also says, 00:15:43.320 --> 00:15:48.799 Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf. 00:15:48.840 --> 00:15:54.419 So this is a comparison between a dead leaf falling out in autumn. 00:15:54.759 --> 00:15:58.460 So the righteous will fall, those who trust in the riches will fall, 00:15:58.460 --> 00:16:01.240 and the righteous will flourish like a green leaf. 00:16:01.460 --> 00:16:03.139 So it's kind of autumn and spring. 00:16:04.500 --> 00:16:06.780 What does it mean to flourish? 00:16:08.560 --> 00:16:10.840 Can money buy you peace of mind? 00:16:11.740 --> 00:16:17.080 Can money buy you deep joy in knowing and walking with the Lord and walking out His plan? 00:16:17.379 --> 00:16:21.360 Can money buy you deep relationships and deep meaningful relationships? 00:16:22.379 --> 00:16:26.019 More practically speaking, bringing this example back to Hong Kong, 00:16:26.019 --> 00:16:30.299 for a rich man that has hoarded wealth his entire life, 00:16:31.000 --> 00:16:32.419 lying on his deathbed, 00:16:34.139 --> 00:16:36.480 alone, or worse, 00:16:37.139 --> 00:16:40.819 with family members squabbling over his inheritance. 00:16:42.460 --> 00:16:44.120 Has that man flourished? 00:16:44.960 --> 00:16:47.779 Sure, he never tasted poverty in his life. 00:16:48.299 --> 00:16:50.559 He probably led a very comfortable life. 00:16:51.559 --> 00:16:53.879 But has that man flourished? 00:16:53.879 --> 00:17:01.419 Now, wealth is also misused as a tool for achieving status and significance, 00:17:01.659 --> 00:17:02.700 or self-promotion. 00:17:03.340 --> 00:17:05.960 In Proverbs 18.23, the author writes, 00:17:06.599 --> 00:17:10.339 The poor uses entreaties, but the rich answer roughly. 00:17:11.279 --> 00:17:13.619 Now, entreaties, I actually had to look this up. 00:17:13.900 --> 00:17:16.099 Obviously, my education is not up to speed. 00:17:16.500 --> 00:17:20.240 But entreaties is defined as an earnest and humble request. 00:17:20.240 --> 00:17:24.900 The poor is humble and earnest when they ask for things, 00:17:25.279 --> 00:17:27.120 and that is because they don't have any standing. 00:17:27.440 --> 00:17:29.000 All they can do is beg. 00:17:29.799 --> 00:17:33.779 But the rich, they're haughty, they're entitled, and they're impatient. 00:17:34.799 --> 00:17:39.099 The temptation for the rich is that when we work hard and achieve a lot of success, 00:17:39.460 --> 00:17:44.299 it's to believe in the lie that you earned it all, you deserve it, you deserve better treatment. 00:17:44.299 --> 00:17:49.539 So imagine that you're a Marco Polo Club member on Cafe Pacific. 00:17:51.220 --> 00:17:57.159 Imagine that they decided one day to shut the express check-in line for Marco Polo Club members, 00:17:57.279 --> 00:18:01.200 or they shut the express entrance line into the airline, 00:18:01.579 --> 00:18:03.119 and you have to wait like everyone else. 00:18:03.759 --> 00:18:06.500 Would you feel like, hey, that's the undeserved. 00:18:06.659 --> 00:18:07.539 I deserve better. 00:18:07.539 --> 00:18:11.079 In the same way, it's that sense of entitlement. 00:18:12.480 --> 00:18:21.460 And oftentimes, I think a really great grave danger of wealth is that when we are comparing ourselves in Hong Kong, 00:18:21.519 --> 00:18:25.480 it's so easy to compare ourselves to other people in our social bracket. 00:18:25.740 --> 00:18:26.659 What schools do you go to? 00:18:26.859 --> 00:18:27.839 Where do you live? 00:18:27.960 --> 00:18:29.240 What car do you drive? 00:18:29.420 --> 00:18:31.139 What job do you have? 00:18:31.319 --> 00:18:32.759 What's your career trajectory? 00:18:33.619 --> 00:18:35.359 And at what point in time? 00:18:35.359 --> 00:18:44.759 And when we feel, when we are not feeling that we're up to speed or up to the benchmark and not matching them, 00:18:45.179 --> 00:18:49.159 we start trusting in our wealth for our significance and not the gospel. 00:18:49.619 --> 00:18:54.159 And it gains a power over us to diminish our compassion towards others. 00:18:54.699 --> 00:18:58.679 And then we start judging others by their earning power and usefulness to us, 00:18:59.159 --> 00:19:04.319 and not by the fact that they're inherent children of God, valued by God. 00:19:04.319 --> 00:19:13.359 So in short, the danger of money, the danger of wealth, is that we use wealth to advance our kingdom instead of God's kingdom. 00:19:13.939 --> 00:19:15.819 And that is not God's design for wealth. 00:19:16.000 --> 00:19:20.079 I'm going to pass it back to Pastor Chris to talk about the intention for our wealth. 00:19:26.019 --> 00:19:29.579 So, how many of you think you've got a problem with money? 00:19:29.579 --> 00:19:34.159 There's one honest person at the back. 00:19:38.819 --> 00:19:45.839 Wealth is this amazing gift from God, but we so easily twist the gift to make it all about ourselves. 00:19:47.019 --> 00:19:51.139 And, you know, I realized that at one point, I've never thought I had a problem with money. 00:19:51.140 --> 00:19:57.220 Until it came to, somebody told me that I could apply for a grant for even my seminary. 00:19:58.220 --> 00:20:05.520 And I thought that as, you know, when you apply for a financial grant, that you've kind of got to be just really poor. 00:20:06.140 --> 00:20:10.160 And so, like, you know, almost just above street level or in just massive debt. 00:20:10.160 --> 00:20:19.340 And so, I was looking at this form which tells you how much you've got to spend and how much you earn and how much you've got in savings. 00:20:19.660 --> 00:20:22.920 And I was trying to think, how could I make myself sound as poor as possible? 00:20:25.800 --> 00:20:29.900 And so, I was like, yeah, well, that account, you know, don't worry, the joint account, that doesn't count. 00:20:30.279 --> 00:20:33.360 And let's just do this one account where I don't have quite so much money. 00:20:33.359 --> 00:20:35.419 And it's amazing. 00:20:36.479 --> 00:20:37.959 I don't have a problem with money. 00:20:39.599 --> 00:20:42.299 But that's because I'm in denial most of the time. 00:20:42.719 --> 00:20:45.559 That actually, I do have a problem with money. 00:20:45.959 --> 00:20:49.139 Because money is a power which can grip your heart. 00:20:50.000 --> 00:21:00.439 And yet, the Bible also says it's an incredible opportunity to be involved and an invitation to be involved in something so much bigger than yourself. 00:21:00.440 --> 00:21:09.820 And so, I want to just think about the opportunity of giving, which giving disarms the power of money in your heart. 00:21:10.920 --> 00:21:14.440 Proverbs 11, 24 to 26 says this. 00:21:14.500 --> 00:21:15.259 It's in your bulletin. 00:21:16.120 --> 00:21:17.559 One gives freely. 00:21:18.480 --> 00:21:20.440 That word literally means scatters. 00:21:21.259 --> 00:21:22.880 And it grows all the richer. 00:21:23.200 --> 00:21:27.039 Another withholds what he should give and only suffers want. 00:21:27.039 --> 00:21:30.220 Whoever brings blessing will be enriched. 00:21:30.440 --> 00:21:34.639 And one who waters will himself be watered. 00:21:36.319 --> 00:21:38.259 It's an interesting verse. 00:21:38.399 --> 00:21:39.399 I mean, what's going on here? 00:21:39.480 --> 00:21:41.319 It's a farming analogy. 00:21:41.879 --> 00:21:42.039 Okay? 00:21:42.420 --> 00:21:43.839 I don't know if any farmers here. 00:21:43.940 --> 00:21:45.759 Hong Kong's not the greatest farming place. 00:21:45.879 --> 00:21:47.500 But just bear with it. 00:21:47.500 --> 00:21:54.019 Because what he's saying is the wise person sees that the way God has set up the world is he's set it up like a farm. 00:21:54.619 --> 00:21:56.859 And he's the owner of the field. 00:21:57.039 --> 00:21:59.019 And we're the laborers in his field. 00:21:59.099 --> 00:22:02.440 And what he does, he gives us seed, capital, resources. 00:22:02.440 --> 00:22:11.980 And the laborer who kind of holds on to that seed and thinks it's his to keep is a fool. 00:22:12.820 --> 00:22:19.559 Because that kind of person, well, you only multiply a harvest if you sow the seed, right? 00:22:20.700 --> 00:22:23.000 You don't get anything bad if you hold on to it. 00:22:23.000 --> 00:22:32.119 You know, imagine a venture capitalist who gives money to you to invest in whatever way. 00:22:32.220 --> 00:22:35.420 And then you spend it on plenty of nights out in LKF. 00:22:37.440 --> 00:22:41.740 When that venture capitalist comes back to you, you haven't just not done your job. 00:22:41.819 --> 00:22:43.619 You've stolen from him, right? 00:22:45.039 --> 00:22:48.500 And yet what should have been invested was withheld. 00:22:48.579 --> 00:22:49.240 And now it's gone. 00:22:49.640 --> 00:22:50.599 And there's no return. 00:22:50.599 --> 00:22:56.339 But if you scatter, if you sow the seed, you get a harvest. 00:22:56.559 --> 00:22:57.319 You get a return. 00:22:57.719 --> 00:22:58.359 You withhold. 00:22:58.679 --> 00:22:59.740 You become poorer. 00:22:59.919 --> 00:23:01.919 And all you're left with is rotting seed. 00:23:02.480 --> 00:23:03.799 That's the image here. 00:23:04.619 --> 00:23:10.240 But the thing that's really interesting is when you sow seed in a farm, what comes back? 00:23:11.119 --> 00:23:13.379 It's not actually just more seed, right? 00:23:13.480 --> 00:23:14.379 You get wheat. 00:23:14.639 --> 00:23:18.559 And then they can make it into bread, which can then cause flourishing in society. 00:23:18.559 --> 00:23:20.359 And people eat and stuff like that. 00:23:20.599 --> 00:23:28.839 And so the harvest, when he talks about getting rich, sometimes the harvest that you reap may be financial. 00:23:29.639 --> 00:23:29.959 Maybe. 00:23:30.379 --> 00:23:33.599 Generous people often receive generosity from others. 00:23:34.259 --> 00:23:35.679 That's generally true. 00:23:36.379 --> 00:23:38.059 But that's not guaranteed. 00:23:38.059 --> 00:23:40.960 And that's not where the Bible's main trajectory is going. 00:23:41.399 --> 00:23:44.659 Because the Bible says there's actually a richer harvest than that. 00:23:44.660 --> 00:23:56.540 What he's saying is those who are generous with their homes, showing hospitality, don't they often just get a greater depth of relationships and community and influence and joy? 00:23:56.840 --> 00:23:59.460 Whereas those who hoard their homes to themselves don't. 00:23:59.460 --> 00:24:12.460 Isn't there a joy of just being able to give to mission and seeing broken lives being restored through the seed that you have sown financially into those missions and ministries? 00:24:12.460 --> 00:24:20.700 Isn't there an amazing joy of just seeing churches planted and whole communities reached? 00:24:20.700 --> 00:24:24.299 And you can be a part of that through sowing seed. 00:24:24.380 --> 00:24:28.220 There's this bigger story that God says, I invite you to be part of. 00:24:29.180 --> 00:24:32.880 And the amazing thing is when you die, just think about this. 00:24:32.920 --> 00:24:36.559 When you die, most of us, after a few years, will be forgotten about. 00:24:37.900 --> 00:24:38.100 Right? 00:24:38.259 --> 00:24:40.120 My brother died 14 years ago. 00:24:40.460 --> 00:24:42.759 I think about him occasionally. 00:24:42.759 --> 00:24:45.779 The next generation, no one's going to think about him. 00:24:46.680 --> 00:24:48.359 That's the reality of life. 00:24:48.859 --> 00:24:50.519 And that's the reality for most of us. 00:24:50.900 --> 00:25:01.259 But the Bible says that with the seed that we've been given, the resources that we have, you can have a lasting, eternal impact and fruit. 00:25:02.779 --> 00:25:08.220 Because you played a part in God's kingdom, which outlasts us in this life. 00:25:08.220 --> 00:25:19.400 And so what happens is where you have sown and lives have been transformed, then when we die and when we meet with Jesus, there'll be a whole line of people with him welcoming you. 00:25:19.819 --> 00:25:21.579 And you'll go, who are those guys? 00:25:22.180 --> 00:25:26.980 And Jesus will turn to you and he'll say, that's some of the harvest that you sowed. 00:25:27.980 --> 00:25:34.680 Because there's a bigger story and a lasting impact with what God has entrusted us so that we can be part of it. 00:25:34.680 --> 00:25:37.740 And that's the point in the parable. 00:25:38.180 --> 00:25:40.000 You know the parable of the talents? 00:25:40.320 --> 00:25:41.779 Those of you who've read the Bible. 00:25:43.480 --> 00:25:44.380 Matthew 25. 00:25:45.060 --> 00:25:48.519 Owner of the field, again, you see farming analogies the whole way through the Bible. 00:25:49.000 --> 00:25:55.480 Owner of the field entrusts his servants with different numbers of talents, which is capital, which is seed. 00:25:55.759 --> 00:25:56.980 And then he goes away on a journey. 00:25:57.320 --> 00:26:02.160 And these workers, they get about kind of sowing it, investing it, getting more, getting returns. 00:26:02.160 --> 00:26:08.560 And then the master returns and says to them, okay, well done, you guys. 00:26:09.640 --> 00:26:11.380 You've just invested. 00:26:11.580 --> 00:26:12.360 You've sown this. 00:26:12.600 --> 00:26:15.380 Now I'm going to give you a whole load more cool stuff to do stuff with. 00:26:16.320 --> 00:26:20.440 But there's this one guy who's like, not sure about this. 00:26:21.060 --> 00:26:24.480 So he takes some money and he kind of buries it in the ground and he hides it. 00:26:25.140 --> 00:26:26.220 And he sits on it. 00:26:26.440 --> 00:26:29.000 The master returns and he's not been sowing it. 00:26:29.060 --> 00:26:30.040 He's been withholding it. 00:26:30.039 --> 00:26:32.259 He's been protecting it for himself. 00:26:32.399 --> 00:26:33.319 It was his wall. 00:26:34.759 --> 00:26:37.720 And, you know, the master returns and he asks him, what have you done with my money? 00:26:38.740 --> 00:26:48.039 And this is really challenging because the servant says, well, I knew that you were a hard man who reaps where you don't sow, gathering where you scattered no seed. 00:26:48.259 --> 00:26:51.000 So I was afraid and I hid the money. 00:26:51.000 --> 00:26:58.019 And what he's saying is he thought the master who represents God is stingy. 00:26:58.660 --> 00:27:03.740 He's not secure enough because he thought God was just out to take from him. 00:27:03.740 --> 00:27:11.279 So the command to be generous and to sow would put so many burdens on his life because of the small finances he had. 00:27:11.539 --> 00:27:14.740 You haven't given me enough is what he was saying. 00:27:14.859 --> 00:27:17.799 Not enough for me to be generous and to sow. 00:27:18.140 --> 00:27:21.259 He was afraid maybe I'm not going to have enough for the future. 00:27:21.259 --> 00:27:25.460 And, you know, he's quite like us in Hong Kong. 00:27:26.299 --> 00:27:29.379 You know, in Hong Kong, we're one of the richest cities in the world, right? 00:27:30.000 --> 00:27:32.660 And yet we all still feel poor, right? 00:27:33.500 --> 00:27:34.559 We all still feel poor. 00:27:34.660 --> 00:27:42.799 We cut corners and we turn a blind eye to the needs of those around us because we're so busy trying to make what we think is going to be enough for us. 00:27:42.799 --> 00:27:52.700 And enough is never enough because what happens is house prices rise, education costs go up, and we're left just chasing and chasing all the time. 00:27:55.139 --> 00:27:59.119 And the thing is, yesterday's wants become today's needs as well. 00:28:00.279 --> 00:28:07.379 And most of the world would look at our worries about money and laugh and say, you think that's a need? 00:28:07.919 --> 00:28:09.200 Like, you need a new MacBook? 00:28:10.019 --> 00:28:11.039 You need a holiday? 00:28:11.039 --> 00:28:11.480 You need a new MacBook? 00:28:12.799 --> 00:28:15.319 They're good things, but they're not needs. 00:28:16.759 --> 00:28:24.039 And yet what God calls us to do is he says, here's a bigger story where I want you to be blessed. 00:28:24.500 --> 00:28:34.299 And if you withhold what you should give to those in need around you, to the church, to mission, to the things of his kingdom, 00:28:35.180 --> 00:28:41.359 God's demands can sometimes feel like it's a burden where he's trying to reap where he hasn't sown into your life. 00:28:42.799 --> 00:28:54.039 And yet, generosity costs, but it costs in a way where God says there's going to be a return of blessing that you will not get if you withhold. 00:28:54.039 --> 00:28:55.940 I've got friends in the UK. 00:28:55.940 --> 00:29:04.640 And for a while, I was living with three other people, and we couldn't afford to pay, all of us together, the tax for our housing. 00:29:05.299 --> 00:29:11.420 And so there were some people in our church who offered to pay for us for three years our tax for the housing. 00:29:11.420 --> 00:29:22.660 And coupled with paying for, like giving to mission work and things that they were doing, they had to put on hold saving to buy a house for three years. 00:29:22.660 --> 00:29:27.759 They chose not to for three years so that we could be blessed through that. 00:29:28.940 --> 00:29:33.440 And you think, wow, did they suffer? 00:29:33.920 --> 00:29:36.600 And you look at them, and they're a joyful couple, I tell you. 00:29:37.000 --> 00:29:38.420 They're an amazing couple. 00:29:39.860 --> 00:29:41.820 They're such a blessing to be with. 00:29:41.880 --> 00:29:43.060 They're such a contentment. 00:29:43.059 --> 00:29:52.940 Because generosity, when it's fueled by a deep security in God's love as your strong tower, is like a child who loves to share their toys. 00:29:53.859 --> 00:29:58.240 You know, there's a harvest of contentment that generosity brings. 00:29:58.720 --> 00:30:01.720 That's what God invites us to be part of. 00:30:02.240 --> 00:30:03.480 It's not to be a burden. 00:30:03.859 --> 00:30:04.960 It's to be a joy. 00:30:04.960 --> 00:30:09.019 But, you know, what's the motivation for this? 00:30:09.120 --> 00:30:13.100 Because the gift of God is money, resources, are gifts. 00:30:13.380 --> 00:30:15.319 We misuse them so often. 00:30:15.819 --> 00:30:20.539 And yet he invites us to be part of this bigger story of an opportunity. 00:30:21.000 --> 00:30:23.519 But then the next point is this true wealth. 00:30:24.480 --> 00:30:25.900 Because here's the challenging thing. 00:30:27.420 --> 00:30:31.559 Have you ever not given money to somebody? 00:30:31.559 --> 00:30:35.419 Whether it's a beggar or charity. 00:30:35.899 --> 00:30:38.779 Because you felt that they were going to misuse the money. 00:30:39.559 --> 00:30:40.299 Anyone ever done that? 00:30:40.720 --> 00:30:42.859 Like, you felt like it's going to go to a gang. 00:30:42.980 --> 00:30:46.099 It's going to go to alcohol or drugs or something. 00:30:46.200 --> 00:30:47.500 So you hold on to it. 00:30:48.079 --> 00:30:48.639 I have. 00:30:49.159 --> 00:30:52.039 And I think there's sometimes a lot of wisdom in that. 00:30:54.419 --> 00:30:59.899 2 Corinthians 8, which is a verse we've often talked about here in church, says this. 00:30:59.900 --> 00:31:07.780 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, but he wasn't entitled. 00:31:08.759 --> 00:31:10.640 He wasn't hoarding it to himself. 00:31:11.300 --> 00:31:15.880 Though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor. 00:31:16.660 --> 00:31:20.340 So that you by his poverty might become rich. 00:31:21.620 --> 00:31:22.800 What does it mean? 00:31:23.180 --> 00:31:25.740 That he became poor. 00:31:26.340 --> 00:31:28.259 It means he became one of us. 00:31:28.259 --> 00:31:31.220 He came into the slum of our lives. 00:31:31.740 --> 00:31:33.720 And do you know why we were poor? 00:31:34.599 --> 00:31:35.700 The Bible says this. 00:31:35.799 --> 00:31:46.740 We were poor because like the laborer who holds on to his seed for himself, we withheld from God the praise, the glory, the honor, the trust that is due to him. 00:31:48.000 --> 00:31:50.559 We sought to make his good gifts about ourselves. 00:31:51.319 --> 00:31:53.799 We trusted them as our high wall instead of him. 00:31:53.799 --> 00:32:00.019 And you know, in the Ten Commandments it says, do not steal. 00:32:00.019 --> 00:32:04.839 Again, I don't think I have a big problem with stealing. 00:32:05.859 --> 00:32:09.500 Occasionally I take somebody's drink who's left it lying around and I drink it. 00:32:09.559 --> 00:32:11.359 But you know, that's about the extent of my stealing. 00:32:14.039 --> 00:32:17.720 But God has entrusted me with so many things in my life. 00:32:17.720 --> 00:32:24.720 And so often I think they're just mine to keep for myself. 00:32:26.240 --> 00:32:32.380 And rather than prayerfully going at what all God has given me and saying, God, how do you want to use this? 00:32:32.680 --> 00:32:36.059 I just go ahead and plan for myself how I want to use it. 00:32:36.120 --> 00:32:38.519 And then maybe I kind of give God a little bit extra on the side. 00:32:38.519 --> 00:32:48.700 But God says, I've invited you to use what I've given to serve, to love, to bless people around. 00:32:49.379 --> 00:32:55.299 You know, I rob God when I don't, I'm not generous to the needy and those around me in a world of inequality. 00:32:56.160 --> 00:33:01.639 I rob God when there are people in need and I fail to see them because I'm so busy. 00:33:01.859 --> 00:33:04.500 And I have opportunities to bless them. 00:33:04.500 --> 00:33:09.039 And there is a wisdom in knowing how to give and what to give. 00:33:09.400 --> 00:33:11.119 And, you know, those are discussions to have. 00:33:11.220 --> 00:33:16.380 But when we withhold, it makes us poor spiritually, emotionally, relationally. 00:33:17.759 --> 00:33:19.880 But here's the thing. 00:33:21.339 --> 00:33:27.079 Christ came to people like me and you. 00:33:27.940 --> 00:33:29.140 And he didn't withhold. 00:33:30.059 --> 00:33:31.079 He scattered. 00:33:31.779 --> 00:33:33.119 He scattered himself. 00:33:33.119 --> 00:33:33.859 Do you know what he says? 00:33:33.859 --> 00:33:38.779 He says, if a seed falls to the ground and dies, it will bear much fruit. 00:33:39.500 --> 00:33:40.579 Do you know what he was talking about? 00:33:40.759 --> 00:33:41.919 He was talking about himself. 00:33:42.359 --> 00:33:46.419 He was saying, I'm going to sow myself into your life. 00:33:47.199 --> 00:33:49.639 God didn't withhold his son for us. 00:33:50.240 --> 00:33:57.019 He said, God so loved you and me that he gave his only son. 00:33:57.299 --> 00:33:58.359 He didn't spare him. 00:33:58.519 --> 00:33:59.799 He didn't hold him back. 00:33:59.799 --> 00:34:05.759 And for a thief like you and me, Jesus was ripped apart on the cross. 00:34:05.759 --> 00:34:10.900 There's an amazing thing, which I don't know if you noticed. 00:34:10.900 --> 00:34:13.400 Who was Jesus crucified with? 00:34:13.400 --> 00:34:18.700 On his right and on his left were two thieves. 00:34:19.039 --> 00:34:19.400 Right? 00:34:20.039 --> 00:34:20.320 Right? 00:34:20.320 --> 00:34:24.780 Who represent you and me on that cross. 00:34:24.780 --> 00:34:31.760 And you know, there was one of those thieves on his right hand who said to him, save yourself. 00:34:32.480 --> 00:34:33.400 Withhold yourself. 00:34:33.600 --> 00:34:34.760 Don't give what's costly. 00:34:34.820 --> 00:34:36.019 If you can, get out of it. 00:34:36.019 --> 00:34:39.759 That thief mocked Jesus. 00:34:40.280 --> 00:34:41.259 He was entitled. 00:34:41.599 --> 00:34:43.579 He chased after money his whole life. 00:34:45.300 --> 00:34:47.840 But there was another thief on the other side. 00:34:48.860 --> 00:34:54.300 And that other thief, he turned to Jesus and he knew, I deserve to be here, not you. 00:34:55.259 --> 00:34:57.139 I deserve death, not you. 00:34:57.920 --> 00:35:01.719 But he turns to him and he says, Jesus, remember me. 00:35:02.539 --> 00:35:04.799 He looks to Jesus for his significance. 00:35:04.960 --> 00:35:06.719 He looks to Jesus for his security. 00:35:07.079 --> 00:35:10.539 He looks to Jesus for forgiveness and acceptance and grace. 00:35:10.839 --> 00:35:11.799 And do you know what happens? 00:35:12.219 --> 00:35:14.519 Jesus says, today you're going to be with me in paradise. 00:35:14.519 --> 00:35:18.460 Today you're going to be richer than you have ever been in your entire life. 00:35:18.460 --> 00:35:25.659 And Jesus says to him, you are mine. 00:35:26.740 --> 00:35:31.559 And when you're mine, you're in a strong tower, which even now death is coming to you. 00:35:31.880 --> 00:35:33.699 You're securer than you've ever been. 00:35:37.800 --> 00:35:40.179 If I had been Jesus, do you know what I'd have done? 00:35:41.599 --> 00:35:47.340 I'd have looked at the robbers like me and I'd have said, they're going to misuse all of my good gifts. 00:35:47.340 --> 00:35:50.380 They're going to think it's all about themselves. 00:35:51.320 --> 00:35:56.920 They're going to trust in the gifts more than in me. 00:35:58.680 --> 00:36:00.579 They're going to think they deserve grace. 00:36:02.100 --> 00:36:05.660 And if it was me, I would have just said, okay, I'll get off the cross. 00:36:06.120 --> 00:36:07.420 Because they don't deserve it. 00:36:09.760 --> 00:36:12.100 That's what Hong Kong society would say is wisdom. 00:36:12.940 --> 00:36:13.620 Save yourself. 00:36:13.619 --> 00:36:17.659 Thank God Jesus is not like that. 00:36:18.960 --> 00:36:25.159 Thank God that Jesus stayed on that cross for you and for me. 00:36:26.759 --> 00:36:32.460 And he's so lavishly generous day after day after day to us. 00:36:32.460 --> 00:36:37.360 With forgiveness, security, provision. 00:36:37.920 --> 00:36:44.880 And he says, now, if you're a Christian, if you're not a Christian, which robber are you going to be? 00:36:46.119 --> 00:36:49.720 Are you going to be the one who keeps saying, I'm entitled, I'm going to stay what I want. 00:36:49.900 --> 00:36:52.500 And if I could get off this, I'd get out of it by myself. 00:36:52.720 --> 00:36:53.539 Live for myself. 00:36:53.740 --> 00:36:55.220 Have my high wall to myself. 00:36:55.619 --> 00:36:57.679 Or the one who says, I need you, Christ. 00:36:57.679 --> 00:36:59.119 I need you, Jesus. 00:36:59.319 --> 00:37:00.379 You're my strong tower. 00:37:03.059 --> 00:37:07.279 Will we be those who are rich in generosity or withholding? 00:37:07.539 --> 00:37:10.699 Because we have one who did not withhold from us. 00:37:10.699 --> 00:37:18.519 If you think, I'm generous with my money. 00:37:19.319 --> 00:37:20.119 And some of you are. 00:37:20.179 --> 00:37:22.599 We just have some amazingly generous people here. 00:37:22.799 --> 00:37:23.679 I give to church. 00:37:23.739 --> 00:37:25.039 I give to many other things. 00:37:26.059 --> 00:37:27.480 Just think about this. 00:37:29.659 --> 00:37:32.839 What other ways in your life do you struggle with generosity? 00:37:32.840 --> 00:37:33.039 Forgiveness. 00:37:34.720 --> 00:37:35.280 Forgiveness. 00:37:36.760 --> 00:37:39.320 Giving people a second chance. 00:37:40.120 --> 00:37:44.720 Giving people the benefit of the doubt when you want to think they don't deserve it. 00:37:46.579 --> 00:37:54.940 The Christian message is, you don't just have kind of, 10% is God's and then I keep the rest. 00:37:55.539 --> 00:37:59.120 Or I give to pay God back for something and then we're quits. 00:37:59.860 --> 00:38:01.360 It isn't give out of guilt. 00:38:01.360 --> 00:38:09.420 It's Jesus says, giving, thanksgiving is the pathway to rich life in me. 00:38:10.160 --> 00:38:12.180 That's what I call you to be part of. 00:38:13.280 --> 00:38:17.220 Ed is going to just talk about now our response to this. 00:38:24.280 --> 00:38:25.900 What do we do with that, right? 00:38:26.420 --> 00:38:29.539 How do we, you know, we hear a message like that. 00:38:29.539 --> 00:38:33.759 And how do we make that, you know, the rubber hit the road. 00:38:35.119 --> 00:38:45.679 As practical applications, I want to share two stories of how Christians have used wealth to advance God's kingdom instead of their own. 00:38:46.519 --> 00:38:51.559 The first story was a story shared first by Greg Balmer and John Cortonez. 00:38:51.559 --> 00:38:54.259 They wrote the book, God and Money. 00:38:55.380 --> 00:39:04.000 So it's a story of a hedge fund manager who works in North America who makes millions of U.S. dollars every year. 00:39:04.000 --> 00:39:14.760 He could practically retire and live the rest of his life lavishly in three months if he saved everything he has. 00:39:15.420 --> 00:39:16.599 But what does he do? 00:39:17.420 --> 00:39:22.000 He intentionally avoids building his net worth. 00:39:22.280 --> 00:39:27.780 He manages his net worth downward and in a gradual pace. 00:39:27.780 --> 00:39:37.180 Instead of saving for retirement over a span of three months, he spans it out so it's 30 years, his working life career. 00:39:38.540 --> 00:39:43.460 And what he does with the excess, he just generously gives to God's kingdom. 00:39:44.519 --> 00:39:45.820 Now, how does he do that? 00:39:46.280 --> 00:39:48.620 He also uses a lot of insurance policies. 00:39:48.619 --> 00:39:51.579 So he buys a huge insurance policy on his life. 00:39:52.219 --> 00:40:00.119 He buys a huge insurance policy on his disability so that in case something happens to him, his family is taken care of. 00:40:01.699 --> 00:40:07.900 There's also another story told to me by a pastor friend of mine about four doctors. 00:40:08.980 --> 00:40:14.539 And these four doctors grew up wanting to really serve the Lord in the poorest of the poor. 00:40:14.539 --> 00:40:22.679 But as they progressed and they kind of grew older and they started having families, kids, how do you do that? 00:40:22.739 --> 00:40:29.219 How do you serve the Lord, serve the poorest of the poor, but still be responsible to your families and take care of them? 00:40:30.199 --> 00:40:33.079 So what they did was incredibly clever and a blessing. 00:40:33.079 --> 00:40:44.940 They pulled their money together so that one of their four friends can rotationally each year go and serve in a missional capacity. 00:40:45.639 --> 00:40:49.639 And the families of that family will still be taken care of. 00:40:53.380 --> 00:41:00.579 At this, preparing for this sermon, I have to confess that my views on wealth has been very challenged. 00:41:00.579 --> 00:41:08.259 I suspect that most of our paradigm that when we think about our income is that when we receive our income, 00:41:08.900 --> 00:41:12.659 we think about it as that's our wealth. 00:41:14.860 --> 00:41:19.480 If you tithe, you may be thinking, okay, I cut a 10% check to the church. 00:41:19.779 --> 00:41:21.599 It's almost like a church membership fee. 00:41:22.059 --> 00:41:24.400 And it's like, it's pretty robotic. 00:41:24.639 --> 00:41:25.159 It's good. 00:41:25.440 --> 00:41:26.340 Okay, I'm good. 00:41:26.920 --> 00:41:29.039 The rest of it, 90%, is mine. 00:41:29.039 --> 00:41:33.940 I'll choose how I want to spend it, how I choose how much I want to save. 00:41:34.480 --> 00:41:37.279 And for those who are savers, you might save more of it. 00:41:37.420 --> 00:41:40.179 For those who are spenders, you might spend more of it or all of it. 00:41:41.619 --> 00:41:43.179 But that is not God's paradigm. 00:41:44.340 --> 00:41:51.300 That is how our views on money get so malaligned with God's view, 00:41:51.300 --> 00:41:54.640 because we see that income as our income. 00:41:56.360 --> 00:42:03.820 God's paradigm is that we see that income, that $100 that we receive, as God's money. 00:42:04.900 --> 00:42:06.039 So it's God's money. 00:42:06.580 --> 00:42:09.580 And we seek the Lord in how much we need. 00:42:09.579 --> 00:42:16.779 You know, how much do we actually need to live the life that he intends for us? 00:42:17.659 --> 00:42:18.819 How much we want to save? 00:42:19.059 --> 00:42:20.340 He does want us to be wise. 00:42:20.799 --> 00:42:24.559 He does want us to plan ahead, but he does want us to save, but in a responsible amount. 00:42:25.699 --> 00:42:28.079 And then how do we give the rest away for his kingdom? 00:42:28.079 --> 00:42:33.319 So there may be some of us who are just starting out in our careers here. 00:42:35.059 --> 00:42:38.480 Maybe the challenge here is praying and seeking the Lord 00:42:38.480 --> 00:42:40.900 and figuring out how much you actually need in your lifestyle. 00:42:41.759 --> 00:42:45.840 And then figuring out how much you need to save incrementally over time. 00:42:46.860 --> 00:42:52.319 And then praying about how he wants to use the rest of that wealth to advance his kingdom. 00:42:52.320 --> 00:43:02.019 For some of us who are reaching peak income, you know, when you're around the 40 years old age, 35, 40, 00:43:02.420 --> 00:43:06.720 you may be earning much more than you actually need. 00:43:07.980 --> 00:43:14.059 And obviously the paradigm we often think about is the 10% check, save the rest, spend X, 00:43:14.380 --> 00:43:18.940 and then cash sweep, any excess cash that we have, we sweep it into our savings. 00:43:19.600 --> 00:43:20.700 And that may be the paradigm. 00:43:20.699 --> 00:43:23.139 But I challenge you. 00:43:24.439 --> 00:43:29.259 Maybe what God wants us to do is we cap the amount that we save. 00:43:30.639 --> 00:43:34.519 Maybe there's a cap amount of savings that we sweep every year 00:43:34.519 --> 00:43:40.679 so that it will become a gradual path towards retirement, successful kind of financial planning. 00:43:42.739 --> 00:43:47.899 I suspect kind of like on the day, you know, lying on our deathbed, 00:43:47.900 --> 00:43:52.400 like the common saying, you know, you're never going to regret working an extra day in your life. 00:43:54.280 --> 00:43:59.119 You probably won't regret being generous in your life on your deathbed. 00:43:59.119 --> 00:44:02.359 How much you need? 00:44:02.359 --> 00:44:02.380 How much you need? 00:44:03.139 --> 00:44:05.239 Man, that's a tough question. 00:44:06.259 --> 00:44:07.719 And so you have to seek the Lord. 00:44:07.880 --> 00:44:09.119 You have to seek the Lord. 00:44:09.339 --> 00:44:11.179 And how much do you actually need? 00:44:11.380 --> 00:44:15.359 And I would also encourage you to seek godly people to speak into your life 00:44:15.359 --> 00:44:17.920 and definitely read the Word. 00:44:17.920 --> 00:44:24.639 But that's between, it's a very delicate and difficult question to answer, 00:44:24.980 --> 00:44:26.579 and you must seek the Lord in that. 00:44:27.760 --> 00:44:33.440 So with that, I want to just, let's take time to pray and seek him. 00:44:33.659 --> 00:44:38.019 Seek him in this knowledge because we need his wisdom and we need his revelation in this. 00:44:38.019 --> 00:44:39.280 So let us pray. 00:44:42.360 --> 00:44:45.139 In Proverbs 38, it reads, 00:44:45.639 --> 00:44:47.480 Give me neither poverty nor riches. 00:44:48.239 --> 00:44:50.259 Feed me with the food that is needful for me, 00:44:50.679 --> 00:44:52.519 lest I'll be full and deny you and say, 00:44:52.619 --> 00:44:53.320 Who is the Lord? 00:44:54.039 --> 00:44:58.259 Or lest I'll be poor and steal and profane the name of my God. 00:44:59.159 --> 00:45:02.940 Father Lord, we pray against self-reliance on wealth. 00:45:02.940 --> 00:45:06.440 We pray that we will also not encounter poverty 00:45:06.440 --> 00:45:10.220 and be placed in a difficult situation and profane your name. 00:45:11.079 --> 00:45:13.840 Lord, guide us on all matters of wealth. 00:45:14.480 --> 00:45:17.220 Align our hearts to see wealth as you see wealth. 00:45:17.820 --> 00:45:19.400 That is, it's all your provision. 00:45:20.579 --> 00:45:22.960 Enlighten us on how much is enough, 00:45:23.760 --> 00:45:25.420 how much to keep for ourselves, 00:45:25.679 --> 00:45:29.039 and give us the wisdom and the courage 00:45:29.039 --> 00:45:32.320 to be generous in our giving to your kingdom. 00:45:33.300 --> 00:45:34.619 In Jesus' name we pray. 00:45:34.920 --> 00:45:35.200 Amen.