WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:01.740 Happy Mother's Day, everyone. 00:00:03.960 --> 00:00:06.719 Is everyone celebrating, having fun celebrating Mother's Day? 00:00:07.820 --> 00:00:10.240 That was very not enthusiastic. 00:00:10.460 --> 00:00:12.620 Do we have a lot of disappointed moms out here today? 00:00:13.800 --> 00:00:14.960 Happy Mother's Day? 00:00:15.759 --> 00:00:16.660 There we go. 00:00:17.140 --> 00:00:17.780 All right, just checking. 00:00:18.519 --> 00:00:20.480 I have an amazing mother. 00:00:20.660 --> 00:00:22.219 She's a very, very generous person. 00:00:22.660 --> 00:00:26.679 I love my mom, and I think, you know, growing up, 00:00:26.740 --> 00:00:29.600 I just saw again and again and again this generous heart in her. 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:33.140 This willingness to help out people when they had needs. 00:00:33.259 --> 00:00:35.679 This willingness to, you know, if someone had a new baby, 00:00:35.840 --> 00:00:38.380 to organize people to cook meals for them for weeks 00:00:38.380 --> 00:00:41.820 so that they wouldn't have to worry about where's our food coming from. 00:00:41.980 --> 00:00:44.140 And just this willingness to open up our house 00:00:44.140 --> 00:00:47.840 and have guests come over and even move in with us. 00:00:48.420 --> 00:00:51.640 And I think, you know, having this day be Mother's Day, 00:00:52.299 --> 00:00:55.900 talking about generosity today is an amazing way 00:00:55.900 --> 00:00:59.519 to remember our mothers in the way that they're generous to us. 00:01:00.000 --> 00:01:02.700 And, you know, today we're talking about money, 00:01:02.859 --> 00:01:05.900 which, you know, Mother's Day, talk about money, I don't know. 00:01:06.280 --> 00:01:07.980 I didn't schedule that one. 00:01:08.739 --> 00:01:11.260 But I think, you know, the theme of generosity 00:01:11.260 --> 00:01:14.140 and on Mother's Day celebrating our mothers 00:01:14.140 --> 00:01:16.560 by talking about generosity is a great way to honor them. 00:01:17.260 --> 00:01:20.299 And so we're in Romans 12 again, just like last week. 00:01:20.439 --> 00:01:22.539 And if you were not here last week, 00:01:23.060 --> 00:01:25.480 Chris Thornton started us out talking about generosity, 00:01:25.480 --> 00:01:27.960 and he did a great job laying the foundation 00:01:27.960 --> 00:01:29.960 for why we're generous 00:01:29.960 --> 00:01:31.960 and what it looks like for us to be generous. 00:01:32.079 --> 00:01:35.280 So I'm not going to go over that foundation again as much this week. 00:01:35.500 --> 00:01:38.359 So if you weren't here, you can check out the podcast online. 00:01:38.460 --> 00:01:39.380 It's on the website. 00:01:40.840 --> 00:01:43.300 But today we're going to look at our generosity. 00:01:43.800 --> 00:01:46.200 Why should we be generous with our money? 00:01:47.060 --> 00:01:49.939 And as we just read, we're looking at Romans chapter 12. 00:01:50.520 --> 00:01:52.280 And I want us to see something at first, 00:01:52.700 --> 00:01:56.799 that God's generosity motivates our generosity. 00:01:58.379 --> 00:02:00.659 As we look at the first verse of Romans chapter 12, 00:02:00.740 --> 00:02:01.200 it says, 00:02:01.540 --> 00:02:03.939 I appeal to you, brothers, by the mercies of God. 00:02:05.040 --> 00:02:06.740 And basically what Paul's talking about here 00:02:06.740 --> 00:02:09.640 is he's referring back to the rest of the letter of Romans 00:02:09.640 --> 00:02:10.719 that he's written so far, 00:02:11.340 --> 00:02:13.379 which we've been discussing for a few months here. 00:02:13.379 --> 00:02:16.319 And we talked about how we have rebelled against God. 00:02:17.719 --> 00:02:19.699 We said, God, we don't want you in our lives. 00:02:19.759 --> 00:02:21.180 We don't want to have anything to do with you. 00:02:21.500 --> 00:02:23.979 We were separated from him relationally. 00:02:24.120 --> 00:02:27.079 We were separated from him on a legal status. 00:02:27.240 --> 00:02:27.799 We were guilty. 00:02:27.919 --> 00:02:29.379 We were deserving of a punishment. 00:02:29.859 --> 00:02:32.759 And God stepped in when we were in this rebellious state, 00:02:33.060 --> 00:02:35.120 and he gave his life for us. 00:02:35.680 --> 00:02:38.539 And he gave us this thing called righteousness 00:02:38.539 --> 00:02:40.079 that Paul talks about a lot. 00:02:40.340 --> 00:02:41.400 And we said this righteousness, 00:02:41.400 --> 00:02:42.939 it's a new relationship with him, 00:02:42.939 --> 00:02:44.500 a right relationship with him 00:02:44.500 --> 00:02:46.859 that's given to us as a gift. 00:02:47.359 --> 00:02:50.259 And he gives us this new legal status with him. 00:02:51.659 --> 00:02:53.379 This, instead of being guilty, 00:02:53.520 --> 00:02:55.599 we're free, we're innocent, we're saved. 00:02:57.879 --> 00:02:59.319 Paul says it in another place, 00:02:59.379 --> 00:03:00.639 in 2 Corinthians chapter 8, 00:03:00.740 --> 00:03:03.240 that God shows his generosity to us, 00:03:03.280 --> 00:03:04.819 that Christ, though he was rich, 00:03:05.099 --> 00:03:06.759 he became poor for our sake, 00:03:06.840 --> 00:03:09.939 that we, by his generosity, might become rich. 00:03:10.439 --> 00:03:11.439 In God's mercies, 00:03:11.439 --> 00:03:12.319 in God's salvation, 00:03:12.500 --> 00:03:15.759 we see the generosity of God. 00:03:16.259 --> 00:03:18.520 And Paul's saying that needs to be our motivation 00:03:18.520 --> 00:03:20.400 for any generosity that we have, 00:03:20.439 --> 00:03:22.960 because anything less than that is going to leave us short. 00:03:23.039 --> 00:03:25.859 It's not going to give us the strength that we need to be generous. 00:03:25.860 --> 00:03:28.000 And Paul says, 00:03:28.400 --> 00:03:30.780 when we see the generosity that God has shown to us, 00:03:30.820 --> 00:03:33.080 when we see the mercies that God has given to us, 00:03:33.180 --> 00:03:35.060 there's only one acceptable response. 00:03:36.640 --> 00:03:37.200 He says, 00:03:37.300 --> 00:03:39.220 I appeal to you, brothers, by the mercies of God, 00:03:39.340 --> 00:03:42.240 to present your bodies as a living sacrifice. 00:03:43.960 --> 00:03:45.420 Now when he says bodies here, 00:03:45.480 --> 00:03:47.440 he's talking about everything that we are. 00:03:47.480 --> 00:03:49.520 We live as embodied beings, right? 00:03:49.520 --> 00:03:52.200 Like, I don't do anything apart from my body. 00:03:52.320 --> 00:03:56.140 I don't sit at home on the couch and think, 00:03:56.320 --> 00:03:59.360 hmm, I'm going to visit my family in the States in my mind right now. 00:04:00.960 --> 00:04:03.660 No, we have a word for what is happening there. 00:04:03.760 --> 00:04:05.460 It's called not visiting my family in the States. 00:04:05.680 --> 00:04:07.219 Because my body is in Hong Kong. 00:04:07.860 --> 00:04:10.040 If I'm not doing it with my body, I'm not doing it, right? 00:04:10.260 --> 00:04:12.920 We don't call up on the telephone and be like, 00:04:13.240 --> 00:04:15.460 I'm making a telephone call with my soul 00:04:15.460 --> 00:04:18.720 and hope that they understand what's going on, right? 00:04:18.720 --> 00:04:21.980 Because we're embodied, we use our mouths and our ears 00:04:21.980 --> 00:04:23.760 and we're there, right? 00:04:24.000 --> 00:04:26.120 And so when Paul says, present your bodies, 00:04:26.180 --> 00:04:28.740 he's talking about everything you are, you. 00:04:30.460 --> 00:04:32.540 That's the acceptable response to God 00:04:32.540 --> 00:04:33.920 and what he has done for us. 00:04:35.700 --> 00:04:36.800 He doesn't say, 00:04:37.920 --> 00:04:39.720 in light of the mercies of God, 00:04:40.300 --> 00:04:42.080 empty your bank accounts, give it all to the church. 00:04:42.120 --> 00:04:45.420 He says, no, give yourself to God. 00:04:45.420 --> 00:04:50.199 And in some ways, I think it would be easier 00:04:50.199 --> 00:04:52.660 if he just said, you know, give all your money. 00:04:54.360 --> 00:04:55.100 And here's why. 00:04:55.160 --> 00:04:57.080 Because that is something, we can do it, 00:04:57.120 --> 00:04:58.640 we can achieve it, we can move on with life. 00:04:59.379 --> 00:05:00.939 If we have enough money, we can get our names 00:05:00.939 --> 00:05:03.500 put on some cool buildings because we paid for them to be built. 00:05:05.780 --> 00:05:07.340 But really, it's just external actions 00:05:07.340 --> 00:05:08.920 and it doesn't require any change of heart. 00:05:08.920 --> 00:05:13.920 If he says, because of what God's done for us, 00:05:13.960 --> 00:05:15.420 just empty your bank account, give it all away, 00:05:16.000 --> 00:05:16.740 go on with life. 00:05:18.819 --> 00:05:20.120 We can do that, we can move on. 00:05:20.480 --> 00:05:21.560 We can check it off the box. 00:05:22.400 --> 00:05:24.960 But he says, no, there needs to be a total transformation of us. 00:05:25.200 --> 00:05:26.560 We need to give ourselves. 00:05:27.860 --> 00:05:29.280 I was talking with someone this week 00:05:29.280 --> 00:05:30.460 and he was actually saying, 00:05:30.840 --> 00:05:32.120 you know, a lot of times in Hong Kong, 00:05:32.620 --> 00:05:34.040 people have lots of money, 00:05:34.120 --> 00:05:36.280 but they have skills and gifts and talents 00:05:36.280 --> 00:05:37.900 that are more valuable than their money. 00:05:37.899 --> 00:05:41.539 And a lot of people don't want to get involved in stuff 00:05:41.539 --> 00:05:44.000 in the ways that they could be the most beneficial, 00:05:44.419 --> 00:05:45.299 so they give their money 00:05:45.299 --> 00:05:47.739 so that they don't have to give their skills 00:05:47.739 --> 00:05:48.759 and talents and abilities. 00:05:51.579 --> 00:05:53.539 Another time I was talking to a Hong Kong banker 00:05:53.539 --> 00:05:55.179 and he said, you know, it's really easy for me 00:05:55.179 --> 00:05:57.539 to just write checks and give to charities all day long. 00:05:58.199 --> 00:06:00.519 I could write checks and write checks and write checks 00:06:00.519 --> 00:06:02.299 until my bank account is down to zero. 00:06:03.579 --> 00:06:05.319 But if I really want to make a difference, 00:06:05.399 --> 00:06:07.439 if I really want to impact these organizations 00:06:07.439 --> 00:06:08.219 that I'm supporting, 00:06:08.579 --> 00:06:11.420 I have to get involved in strategizing with them 00:06:11.420 --> 00:06:13.100 so that they can make the best use of the money 00:06:13.100 --> 00:06:13.800 that I'm giving them. 00:06:14.920 --> 00:06:16.800 He says, there's something more than my money 00:06:16.800 --> 00:06:19.019 that's required if I really want to make an impact. 00:06:21.000 --> 00:06:22.660 And that's exactly what Paul is saying here, 00:06:22.720 --> 00:06:25.899 that God, he wants all of us. 00:06:28.199 --> 00:06:30.019 He doesn't want just our money. 00:06:30.459 --> 00:06:31.819 That's going to come with all of us. 00:06:31.819 --> 00:06:36.659 But he wants our entire lives to be for him. 00:06:38.199 --> 00:06:41.519 You know, there's a pastor in New York named Tim Keller. 00:06:42.279 --> 00:06:43.759 And he has a story about a time 00:06:43.759 --> 00:06:44.980 when he was talking with this lady 00:06:44.980 --> 00:06:48.199 and she felt, she believed 00:06:48.199 --> 00:06:51.039 that we have to be good people 00:06:51.039 --> 00:06:53.500 and then God will accept us. 00:06:53.680 --> 00:06:55.740 And that's what she had believed her entire life. 00:06:55.740 --> 00:06:57.800 And this pastor was explaining to her, 00:06:58.620 --> 00:06:59.560 that's not how it works. 00:07:00.280 --> 00:07:02.740 Our salvation is totally dependent on God. 00:07:03.100 --> 00:07:05.240 God does everything to save us. 00:07:05.680 --> 00:07:08.360 All that we bring is our need for a savior. 00:07:09.379 --> 00:07:11.560 And this woman, she had never heard this before. 00:07:11.620 --> 00:07:12.699 It was revolutionary to her. 00:07:12.740 --> 00:07:14.319 And she sat there and she thought about it 00:07:14.319 --> 00:07:15.300 and she responded, 00:07:15.540 --> 00:07:17.079 that is a terrifying idea. 00:07:19.120 --> 00:07:20.500 And Tim Keller's like, 00:07:20.639 --> 00:07:21.699 what are you talking about? 00:07:21.759 --> 00:07:22.879 This is freeing. 00:07:22.939 --> 00:07:23.560 This is amazing. 00:07:23.560 --> 00:07:24.180 This is great. 00:07:24.280 --> 00:07:24.800 And the woman said, 00:07:24.879 --> 00:07:25.899 no, this is terrifying 00:07:25.899 --> 00:07:28.879 because if there's anything at all 00:07:28.879 --> 00:07:30.759 that I can do to contribute to my salvation, 00:07:31.259 --> 00:07:33.620 that limits how much God can ask of me. 00:07:35.339 --> 00:07:37.340 But if God does everything 00:07:37.340 --> 00:07:40.500 that is required for my salvation, 00:07:41.160 --> 00:07:43.759 there's no limit to what he can ask of me 00:07:43.759 --> 00:07:49.040 because I completely, totally belong to him. 00:07:49.040 --> 00:07:53.760 She nailed it. 00:07:54.560 --> 00:07:56.260 And that's exactly what Paul is saying 00:07:56.260 --> 00:07:58.080 right here at the start today of Romans 12. 00:07:58.400 --> 00:08:00.960 That because God has saved us, 00:08:01.000 --> 00:08:02.439 because he has reached out to us 00:08:02.439 --> 00:08:03.520 when we were far away, 00:08:03.600 --> 00:08:07.000 because he provided what we need for salvation, 00:08:07.000 --> 00:08:08.420 and it's not dependent on us, 00:08:08.439 --> 00:08:09.420 it's dependent on him. 00:08:10.020 --> 00:08:11.340 This life that we have, 00:08:12.040 --> 00:08:15.460 there's no limit to what he can ask of us. 00:08:15.459 --> 00:08:17.500 And the only proper response that we can give 00:08:17.500 --> 00:08:19.919 is to give our entire lives, 00:08:20.039 --> 00:08:22.719 our entire selves to him. 00:08:25.719 --> 00:08:28.159 But I think when we come to this point 00:08:28.159 --> 00:08:31.079 and we think about what it looks like to follow him, 00:08:33.079 --> 00:08:35.240 one of the things that's hardest for us, 00:08:35.659 --> 00:08:37.819 one of the things that's most difficult for us 00:08:37.819 --> 00:08:40.319 to give up is our money. 00:08:41.220 --> 00:08:42.900 And I think there's a lot of reasons for this. 00:08:43.960 --> 00:08:44.900 You know, in the States, 00:08:45.180 --> 00:08:46.960 I don't know if they've got statistics like this 00:08:46.960 --> 00:08:47.420 for Hong Kong. 00:08:47.500 --> 00:08:48.560 I searched and couldn't find them. 00:08:48.940 --> 00:08:49.780 But in the States, 00:08:50.180 --> 00:08:52.680 the average Christian gives less than 3% 00:08:52.680 --> 00:08:53.580 of their income away. 00:08:56.600 --> 00:08:59.320 We serve a God who gave his life for us. 00:09:00.780 --> 00:09:02.900 And yet we find it so hard to be generous 00:09:02.900 --> 00:09:04.160 with our money. 00:09:04.159 --> 00:09:06.899 And I think there's a number of reasons 00:09:06.899 --> 00:09:09.299 that apply to us across the board, 00:09:09.360 --> 00:09:10.399 whether we have lots of money 00:09:10.399 --> 00:09:11.600 or almost no money, 00:09:12.159 --> 00:09:14.379 for why we find it so difficult 00:09:14.379 --> 00:09:15.480 to be generous with our money. 00:09:16.419 --> 00:09:18.399 And so I've listed out some of these reasons 00:09:18.399 --> 00:09:19.819 and I want to go through them with us today 00:09:19.819 --> 00:09:22.419 and see why each of them doesn't really stand up. 00:09:23.620 --> 00:09:24.559 The first one 00:09:24.559 --> 00:09:27.539 is that far too many of us 00:09:27.539 --> 00:09:29.799 have established far too many treasures 00:09:29.799 --> 00:09:30.539 in this world. 00:09:31.500 --> 00:09:32.879 And here's what I mean by that. 00:09:32.879 --> 00:09:33.639 Jesus said, 00:09:34.759 --> 00:09:35.860 wherever your treasure is, 00:09:36.000 --> 00:09:37.139 that's where your heart's going to be. 00:09:37.960 --> 00:09:39.399 So if we take all of our money 00:09:39.399 --> 00:09:41.279 and we invest it in a certain company, 00:09:41.460 --> 00:09:43.000 we're going to pay way more attention 00:09:43.000 --> 00:09:44.080 to that company's stock 00:09:44.080 --> 00:09:44.860 than we would otherwise 00:09:44.860 --> 00:09:48.559 because our treasure is linked with that company. 00:09:50.279 --> 00:09:51.139 In the same way, 00:09:51.200 --> 00:09:52.679 if we take all of our money 00:09:52.679 --> 00:09:54.580 and we dump it into a car, 00:09:54.679 --> 00:09:56.620 we're going to pay lots and lots of attention 00:09:56.620 --> 00:09:57.379 to that car 00:09:57.379 --> 00:09:58.679 because it is valuable to us 00:09:58.679 --> 00:10:00.179 because that's where our treasure is. 00:10:02.879 --> 00:10:04.340 And for a lot of us, 00:10:04.379 --> 00:10:05.939 we've spent our entire lives 00:10:05.939 --> 00:10:07.720 investing our treasures, 00:10:07.860 --> 00:10:08.360 our time, 00:10:08.460 --> 00:10:08.799 our money, 00:10:08.899 --> 00:10:09.419 our talents 00:10:09.419 --> 00:10:11.620 into things that the world says are valuable. 00:10:12.120 --> 00:10:13.720 Things that aren't bad in themselves, 00:10:14.439 --> 00:10:15.939 but things that, 00:10:16.179 --> 00:10:18.120 if we focus on them exclusively, 00:10:18.500 --> 00:10:20.840 can turn our attention away from God 00:10:20.840 --> 00:10:21.500 and towards them. 00:10:22.500 --> 00:10:24.419 Things like education, 00:10:25.139 --> 00:10:25.899 nice cars, 00:10:26.519 --> 00:10:27.120 nice houses, 00:10:27.539 --> 00:10:28.279 nice clothes. 00:10:28.279 --> 00:10:30.919 not bad things. 00:10:31.720 --> 00:10:33.039 But when we put our attention 00:10:33.039 --> 00:10:34.100 on getting these things, 00:10:34.179 --> 00:10:35.339 when we pour our treasures 00:10:35.339 --> 00:10:36.799 constantly into these things, 00:10:37.039 --> 00:10:39.159 our hearts follow where our treasures go. 00:10:40.179 --> 00:10:42.100 And the more we invest our hearts 00:10:42.100 --> 00:10:43.839 into these things, 00:10:43.919 --> 00:10:44.799 the harder it is 00:10:44.799 --> 00:10:46.860 to invest our hearts 00:10:46.860 --> 00:10:47.759 into the things of God. 00:10:50.059 --> 00:10:51.779 And as we follow our treasures, 00:10:52.120 --> 00:10:53.879 we are drawn away from God 00:10:53.879 --> 00:10:54.659 a lot of times. 00:10:55.519 --> 00:10:56.639 And the more bound up 00:10:56.639 --> 00:10:57.719 in the things of this world 00:10:57.719 --> 00:10:58.279 our hearts are, 00:10:58.339 --> 00:10:59.179 the harder it is 00:10:59.179 --> 00:11:01.559 for us to begin to be generous 00:11:01.559 --> 00:11:02.860 with God. 00:11:04.480 --> 00:11:05.459 I think another reason 00:11:05.459 --> 00:11:06.240 that we find it difficult 00:11:06.240 --> 00:11:06.839 to be generous 00:11:06.839 --> 00:11:08.019 is that we believe money 00:11:08.019 --> 00:11:08.919 can bring us happiness 00:11:08.919 --> 00:11:10.740 in a way that few other things can. 00:11:12.500 --> 00:11:13.459 Money is powerful. 00:11:13.600 --> 00:11:14.459 Money gets us stuff. 00:11:14.559 --> 00:11:15.939 Money gives us security. 00:11:16.439 --> 00:11:17.079 Money, we think, 00:11:17.120 --> 00:11:17.899 will give us happiness. 00:11:18.579 --> 00:11:19.120 There's an article 00:11:19.120 --> 00:11:20.500 in the most recent edition 00:11:20.500 --> 00:11:21.240 of Vanity Fair, 00:11:21.659 --> 00:11:22.959 and it was called 00:11:22.959 --> 00:11:24.139 Perfection Anxiety. 00:11:25.139 --> 00:11:26.319 It was about how people 00:11:26.319 --> 00:11:27.539 with lots and lots of money 00:11:27.539 --> 00:11:28.659 think that lots and lots of money 00:11:28.659 --> 00:11:29.379 will make them happy, 00:11:29.480 --> 00:11:30.639 but really it just adds stress 00:11:30.639 --> 00:11:31.179 to their lives 00:11:31.179 --> 00:11:32.019 because everything 00:11:32.019 --> 00:11:33.219 has to be perfect. 00:11:34.659 --> 00:11:36.120 And once you get perfect stuff, 00:11:36.279 --> 00:11:36.939 you have to buy 00:11:36.939 --> 00:11:37.959 newer, better, 00:11:38.279 --> 00:11:39.199 more perfect stuff 00:11:39.199 --> 00:11:41.399 to keep up your appearances. 00:11:42.439 --> 00:11:43.000 And he had this, 00:11:43.100 --> 00:11:44.179 the author had this line 00:11:44.179 --> 00:11:44.699 in the article. 00:11:44.860 --> 00:11:46.419 It was deeply insightful. 00:11:46.600 --> 00:11:46.879 He said, 00:11:46.959 --> 00:11:48.240 we already secretly know 00:11:48.240 --> 00:11:49.919 that money doesn't do 00:11:49.919 --> 00:11:50.459 what it promises. 00:11:51.980 --> 00:11:53.419 Nothing has ever given us 00:11:53.419 --> 00:11:54.199 as much pleasure 00:11:54.199 --> 00:11:55.079 as our pocket money 00:11:55.079 --> 00:11:55.860 when we were 12, 00:11:56.500 --> 00:11:57.799 or our first wage 00:11:57.799 --> 00:11:58.379 at the end of that 00:11:58.379 --> 00:11:59.620 first exhausting week 00:11:59.620 --> 00:12:00.979 paid in folded cash. 00:12:02.059 --> 00:12:03.360 Now we're 10 times richer, 00:12:03.479 --> 00:12:04.719 but we're not 10 times happier. 00:12:05.479 --> 00:12:06.479 If we had billions, 00:12:06.579 --> 00:12:07.879 we don't realistically believe 00:12:07.879 --> 00:12:09.019 that we'd be a billion times 00:12:09.019 --> 00:12:09.579 better off. 00:12:10.240 --> 00:12:12.019 As one art dealer said to me, 00:12:12.399 --> 00:12:13.339 if you want to know 00:12:13.339 --> 00:12:14.419 what God thinks of money, 00:12:15.139 --> 00:12:15.719 look at the people 00:12:15.719 --> 00:12:16.360 he gives it to. 00:12:16.360 --> 00:12:21.680 We believe that having more money 00:12:21.680 --> 00:12:23.320 will make us happier. 00:12:24.039 --> 00:12:24.879 Maybe we don't believe 00:12:24.879 --> 00:12:25.899 that having a billion dollars 00:12:25.899 --> 00:12:27.200 will make us a billion times happier, 00:12:27.300 --> 00:12:28.480 but we believe maybe having 00:12:28.480 --> 00:12:29.639 a couple more million 00:12:29.639 --> 00:12:31.080 might make us a couple times happier. 00:12:31.720 --> 00:12:32.720 And so we seek it, 00:12:32.840 --> 00:12:33.720 and we go for it, 00:12:33.800 --> 00:12:34.860 and we go after it, 00:12:34.899 --> 00:12:35.680 and we know, 00:12:36.379 --> 00:12:37.080 if I'm generous, 00:12:37.300 --> 00:12:38.399 there are things that I want to buy 00:12:38.399 --> 00:12:39.120 that I can't buy. 00:12:39.840 --> 00:12:40.879 There are promises 00:12:40.879 --> 00:12:42.039 that money holds out to me 00:12:42.039 --> 00:12:44.019 that I know I can't get 00:12:44.019 --> 00:12:45.139 if I'm generous 00:12:45.139 --> 00:12:46.240 and if I give stuff away. 00:12:48.080 --> 00:12:49.679 And we hold on to this promise 00:12:49.679 --> 00:12:51.100 that money has, 00:12:51.679 --> 00:12:52.819 seems to offer us, 00:12:53.360 --> 00:12:55.179 and we seek it, 00:12:55.220 --> 00:12:56.059 and we go after it, 00:12:56.159 --> 00:12:57.259 and we aren't generous 00:12:57.259 --> 00:12:58.080 because we believe 00:12:58.080 --> 00:12:58.860 that money will give us 00:12:58.860 --> 00:12:59.379 these things. 00:12:59.480 --> 00:13:00.559 And the author of that article, 00:13:00.899 --> 00:13:02.059 he finished off the article 00:13:02.059 --> 00:13:03.759 saying, 00:13:04.279 --> 00:13:05.240 being able to afford 00:13:05.240 --> 00:13:06.240 everything you desire 00:13:06.240 --> 00:13:07.679 is not by any means 00:13:07.679 --> 00:13:08.620 the worst thing 00:13:08.620 --> 00:13:09.500 that can happen to you. 00:13:10.639 --> 00:13:11.679 But depressingly, 00:13:12.519 --> 00:13:13.419 and more profoundly, 00:13:13.419 --> 00:13:15.360 neither is it the best. 00:13:18.699 --> 00:13:19.679 This is vanity affair. 00:13:19.799 --> 00:13:20.240 This is, 00:13:20.500 --> 00:13:20.819 you know, 00:13:20.860 --> 00:13:22.139 go out here to figure out 00:13:22.139 --> 00:13:23.939 what insignificant things 00:13:23.939 --> 00:13:24.779 are happening in the world, 00:13:24.879 --> 00:13:25.240 right? 00:13:26.240 --> 00:13:27.500 And they've got it figured out. 00:13:27.620 --> 00:13:29.240 Money holds out this promise, 00:13:29.299 --> 00:13:30.479 and it can't deliver on 00:13:30.479 --> 00:13:31.639 the promise that it gives us. 00:13:31.759 --> 00:13:32.819 But so many of us 00:13:32.819 --> 00:13:33.779 hold on to this promise, 00:13:33.839 --> 00:13:34.479 and we believe it, 00:13:34.519 --> 00:13:35.419 and we spend our lives 00:13:35.419 --> 00:13:36.319 seeking it 00:13:36.319 --> 00:13:37.620 and going after it. 00:13:37.620 --> 00:13:39.759 And it's empty. 00:13:41.080 --> 00:13:41.720 It's hollow. 00:13:44.179 --> 00:13:45.279 It's not going to give us 00:13:45.279 --> 00:13:45.860 what it promises, 00:13:46.019 --> 00:13:46.940 but because we believe 00:13:46.940 --> 00:13:47.379 that it will, 00:13:47.720 --> 00:13:48.980 we find it so hard 00:13:48.980 --> 00:13:49.799 to be generous. 00:13:52.299 --> 00:13:53.399 I think a third reason 00:13:53.399 --> 00:13:54.480 that we find it hard 00:13:54.480 --> 00:13:55.220 to be generous 00:13:55.220 --> 00:13:56.700 is that we don't actually 00:13:56.700 --> 00:13:57.340 believe that God 00:13:57.340 --> 00:13:58.259 is generous with us, 00:13:58.259 --> 00:13:59.720 or that he will be 00:13:59.720 --> 00:14:00.560 generous with us. 00:14:01.960 --> 00:14:02.460 You know, 00:14:02.500 --> 00:14:03.320 Paul is saying here 00:14:03.320 --> 00:14:04.299 in Romans chapter 12, 00:14:04.299 --> 00:14:06.159 the primary reason 00:14:06.159 --> 00:14:07.419 why we should be generous 00:14:07.419 --> 00:14:08.699 is because God 00:14:08.699 --> 00:14:09.759 has already been 00:14:09.759 --> 00:14:10.519 generous with us. 00:14:10.579 --> 00:14:11.199 He has given us 00:14:11.199 --> 00:14:11.879 his life. 00:14:12.039 --> 00:14:12.859 He has saved us. 00:14:16.539 --> 00:14:17.839 And I think far too many 00:14:17.839 --> 00:14:18.979 of us far too often 00:14:18.979 --> 00:14:19.419 think, 00:14:20.299 --> 00:14:20.479 yes, 00:14:20.500 --> 00:14:21.399 I can trust in God 00:14:21.399 --> 00:14:22.159 to provide for me 00:14:22.159 --> 00:14:22.579 spiritually, 00:14:23.019 --> 00:14:24.959 but I'm not sure 00:14:24.959 --> 00:14:26.099 that I can trust in him 00:14:26.099 --> 00:14:27.179 to put food on my table 00:14:27.179 --> 00:14:28.159 or a roof over my head, 00:14:28.219 --> 00:14:29.079 so I need to go out 00:14:29.079 --> 00:14:29.939 and I need to work 00:14:29.939 --> 00:14:30.839 for those things myself. 00:14:33.279 --> 00:14:34.000 And we forget 00:14:34.000 --> 00:14:34.600 the fact that 00:14:34.600 --> 00:14:35.539 everything we have 00:14:35.539 --> 00:14:36.360 comes from God. 00:14:38.159 --> 00:14:38.879 Even the fact 00:14:38.879 --> 00:14:39.940 that we're able to work, 00:14:40.519 --> 00:14:40.759 right? 00:14:40.840 --> 00:14:41.059 Like, 00:14:41.120 --> 00:14:41.799 I don't know how often 00:14:41.799 --> 00:14:42.600 you guys think about this. 00:14:42.639 --> 00:14:43.100 It's something that 00:14:43.100 --> 00:14:44.279 I don't think about that much. 00:14:44.580 --> 00:14:45.080 But like, 00:14:46.000 --> 00:14:46.759 there was nothing 00:14:46.759 --> 00:14:47.399 that we did 00:14:47.399 --> 00:14:48.539 to make ourselves 00:14:48.539 --> 00:14:49.659 be born into the situation 00:14:49.659 --> 00:14:50.620 in life that we were born into. 00:14:51.519 --> 00:14:52.480 We could very easily 00:14:52.480 --> 00:14:53.100 have been born 00:14:53.100 --> 00:14:54.360 into a tribe 00:14:54.360 --> 00:14:55.200 in the middle of the jungle 00:14:55.200 --> 00:14:56.879 where we never had access 00:14:56.879 --> 00:14:58.879 to jobs 00:14:58.879 --> 00:14:59.580 or education 00:14:59.580 --> 00:15:00.639 or the outside world. 00:15:01.820 --> 00:15:02.740 Yet God allowed 00:15:02.740 --> 00:15:03.200 each of us 00:15:03.200 --> 00:15:04.300 to be born into a situation 00:15:04.300 --> 00:15:05.320 where we could come here, 00:15:05.920 --> 00:15:06.200 you know, 00:15:06.300 --> 00:15:07.300 be in the place in life 00:15:07.300 --> 00:15:07.940 where we are right now 00:15:07.940 --> 00:15:08.740 where we have roofs 00:15:08.740 --> 00:15:09.200 over our head, 00:15:09.259 --> 00:15:10.240 where we have clothes to wear, 00:15:10.300 --> 00:15:11.259 where we have food to eat. 00:15:11.860 --> 00:15:12.600 All of that 00:15:12.600 --> 00:15:14.120 is a gift of his generosity 00:15:14.120 --> 00:15:15.000 that we did absolutely 00:15:15.000 --> 00:15:15.800 nothing to deserve. 00:15:19.840 --> 00:15:20.320 And yet, 00:15:20.379 --> 00:15:21.500 I think far too often 00:15:21.500 --> 00:15:23.060 we're afraid, 00:15:23.600 --> 00:15:24.520 what if I lose my job? 00:15:26.560 --> 00:15:27.520 I can't give away 00:15:27.520 --> 00:15:28.220 what I have right now 00:15:28.220 --> 00:15:29.060 because I need to know 00:15:29.060 --> 00:15:30.340 that if things go wrong, 00:15:30.340 --> 00:15:31.480 I can take care of myself 00:15:31.480 --> 00:15:32.379 later on. 00:15:34.220 --> 00:15:35.340 And we ignore the fact 00:15:35.340 --> 00:15:36.100 that just as God 00:15:36.100 --> 00:15:37.080 has taken care of us 00:15:37.080 --> 00:15:37.920 up till this point, 00:15:38.000 --> 00:15:38.700 he will continue 00:15:38.700 --> 00:15:39.660 to take care of us. 00:15:43.120 --> 00:15:43.800 And I think 00:15:43.800 --> 00:15:45.639 sort of building on that, 00:15:46.120 --> 00:15:47.139 but I think it deserves 00:15:47.139 --> 00:15:48.139 its own separate mention, 00:15:48.780 --> 00:15:50.399 we also don't believe 00:15:50.399 --> 00:15:52.820 that other Christians 00:15:52.820 --> 00:15:53.379 in the church 00:15:53.379 --> 00:15:55.000 will take care of us 00:15:55.000 --> 00:15:55.460 if we're in need. 00:15:57.300 --> 00:15:57.700 Historically, 00:15:57.700 --> 00:15:59.300 one of the biggest reasons 00:15:59.300 --> 00:16:00.300 that people in the church 00:16:00.300 --> 00:16:00.720 were generous 00:16:00.720 --> 00:16:02.720 is because they knew 00:16:02.720 --> 00:16:03.720 that when they were in need, 00:16:03.879 --> 00:16:04.520 the church would be 00:16:04.520 --> 00:16:05.100 generous to them. 00:16:05.820 --> 00:16:06.600 So if you have like 00:16:06.600 --> 00:16:07.840 Alex, Billy, and Chris, 00:16:08.300 --> 00:16:09.860 and each of them 00:16:09.860 --> 00:16:10.920 has jobs and families, 00:16:11.080 --> 00:16:12.080 and then Chris gets sick 00:16:12.080 --> 00:16:13.700 and loses his job, 00:16:14.660 --> 00:16:15.720 Alex and Billy step up 00:16:15.720 --> 00:16:16.640 and they give to him, 00:16:17.240 --> 00:16:19.240 and then he gets back 00:16:19.240 --> 00:16:19.740 on his feet, 00:16:19.840 --> 00:16:20.440 he's doing okay, 00:16:20.580 --> 00:16:21.780 and then Alex loses his job, 00:16:21.940 --> 00:16:22.660 and Billy and Chris 00:16:22.660 --> 00:16:23.160 give to him. 00:16:23.400 --> 00:16:24.460 And everyone's able 00:16:24.460 --> 00:16:25.080 to be generous 00:16:25.080 --> 00:16:25.640 to each other 00:16:25.640 --> 00:16:26.400 because they know 00:16:26.400 --> 00:16:27.120 when they have needs, 00:16:27.120 --> 00:16:27.620 everyone else 00:16:27.620 --> 00:16:28.440 will be generous to them. 00:16:30.320 --> 00:16:31.220 But today we live 00:16:31.220 --> 00:16:31.840 in this society, 00:16:31.940 --> 00:16:32.440 in this world, 00:16:32.580 --> 00:16:33.879 in this church culture 00:16:33.879 --> 00:16:34.879 where it's all about 00:16:34.879 --> 00:16:35.820 us as individuals 00:16:35.820 --> 00:16:37.620 or us as individual families. 00:16:39.799 --> 00:16:40.539 And we're afraid 00:16:40.539 --> 00:16:41.480 to help out other people 00:16:41.480 --> 00:16:42.080 when they're in need 00:16:42.080 --> 00:16:45.139 because what if I fall into need? 00:16:45.179 --> 00:16:46.000 What if I lose my job? 00:16:46.039 --> 00:16:46.960 Will people take care of me? 00:16:47.360 --> 00:16:47.940 And I think, 00:16:48.700 --> 00:16:49.139 realistically, 00:16:49.320 --> 00:16:49.720 most of us 00:16:49.720 --> 00:16:50.700 don't trust each other 00:16:50.700 --> 00:16:53.100 to provide for us 00:16:53.100 --> 00:16:53.700 if we're in need. 00:16:53.700 --> 00:16:56.280 I once heard a story 00:16:56.280 --> 00:16:57.000 about this pastor 00:16:57.000 --> 00:16:58.520 in California, 00:16:58.740 --> 00:16:59.340 in the States. 00:17:00.440 --> 00:17:01.240 And he said he was 00:17:01.240 --> 00:17:01.660 at a meeting 00:17:01.660 --> 00:17:02.360 with all of the elders 00:17:02.360 --> 00:17:03.000 from his church, 00:17:03.520 --> 00:17:05.120 and they were talking 00:17:05.120 --> 00:17:06.420 about life insurance 00:17:06.420 --> 00:17:08.259 and how each of them 00:17:08.259 --> 00:17:09.120 has life insurance 00:17:09.120 --> 00:17:09.700 their families 00:17:09.700 --> 00:17:10.539 are taken care of 00:17:10.539 --> 00:17:11.140 if something bad 00:17:11.140 --> 00:17:11.680 happens to them 00:17:11.680 --> 00:17:12.140 and they die. 00:17:13.140 --> 00:17:13.880 And all of a sudden, 00:17:13.980 --> 00:17:14.600 one of the elders 00:17:14.600 --> 00:17:15.279 speaks up, 00:17:15.600 --> 00:17:16.000 and he says, 00:17:16.080 --> 00:17:16.240 hey, 00:17:16.240 --> 00:17:18.519 I'm going to go out 00:17:18.519 --> 00:17:19.039 there for myself. 00:17:19.140 --> 00:17:19.799 I'm going to say this. 00:17:20.779 --> 00:17:22.339 You guys can cancel 00:17:22.339 --> 00:17:23.500 your life insurance policies 00:17:23.500 --> 00:17:24.720 because if anything happens 00:17:24.720 --> 00:17:25.500 to any of you, 00:17:25.700 --> 00:17:26.599 I will take care 00:17:26.599 --> 00:17:27.059 of your family 00:17:27.059 --> 00:17:27.900 as if they were my own. 00:17:29.599 --> 00:17:30.440 And another guy 00:17:30.440 --> 00:17:31.339 stands up and he says, 00:17:31.420 --> 00:17:31.539 yeah, 00:17:31.599 --> 00:17:32.220 I'll do that too. 00:17:32.539 --> 00:17:33.799 If anything happens 00:17:33.799 --> 00:17:34.799 to any of your families, 00:17:34.880 --> 00:17:36.000 I promise that I will 00:17:36.000 --> 00:17:36.680 take care of them 00:17:36.680 --> 00:17:37.859 as if they were my own. 00:17:38.039 --> 00:17:38.759 And they go around 00:17:38.759 --> 00:17:39.660 the entire circle 00:17:39.660 --> 00:17:40.599 and every man in there 00:17:40.599 --> 00:17:41.460 stands up and says, 00:17:41.779 --> 00:17:42.500 if you guys, 00:17:42.740 --> 00:17:43.400 if anything happens 00:17:43.400 --> 00:17:43.880 to any of you, 00:17:44.079 --> 00:17:44.900 I will take care 00:17:44.900 --> 00:17:45.420 of your families 00:17:45.420 --> 00:17:46.280 as if they were my own. 00:17:46.440 --> 00:17:47.200 And they all went out 00:17:47.200 --> 00:17:48.240 and they canceled 00:17:48.240 --> 00:17:49.320 their life insurance policies 00:17:49.320 --> 00:17:49.900 because they knew 00:17:49.900 --> 00:17:50.300 that they had 00:17:50.300 --> 00:17:50.920 each other's backs. 00:17:51.940 --> 00:17:52.560 And they said 00:17:52.560 --> 00:17:52.880 they were able 00:17:52.880 --> 00:17:53.640 to take that money 00:17:53.640 --> 00:17:55.600 and give it away generously 00:17:55.600 --> 00:17:57.180 because they weren't 00:17:57.180 --> 00:17:57.700 concerned about 00:17:57.700 --> 00:17:58.240 what would happen 00:17:58.240 --> 00:17:58.860 if something happened 00:17:58.860 --> 00:17:59.120 to them 00:17:59.120 --> 00:17:59.720 because they knew 00:17:59.720 --> 00:18:00.800 this group of people 00:18:00.800 --> 00:18:01.620 that was in that room 00:18:01.620 --> 00:18:02.560 had their backs 00:18:02.560 --> 00:18:03.960 and had their family's backs. 00:18:05.340 --> 00:18:06.360 I think for most of us 00:18:06.360 --> 00:18:06.780 in this room, 00:18:06.900 --> 00:18:08.019 if we had someone 00:18:08.019 --> 00:18:08.680 say that to us, 00:18:08.720 --> 00:18:09.300 we'd be like, 00:18:09.400 --> 00:18:09.780 no way. 00:18:11.360 --> 00:18:12.040 I'll believe that 00:18:12.040 --> 00:18:12.560 when I see it, 00:18:12.600 --> 00:18:13.120 but since I won't 00:18:13.120 --> 00:18:13.860 be around to see it, 00:18:13.859 --> 00:18:16.579 I'll hedge my bets 00:18:16.579 --> 00:18:18.019 and keep my life insurance, 00:18:18.099 --> 00:18:18.359 right? 00:18:20.959 --> 00:18:22.259 We live in this society 00:18:22.259 --> 00:18:25.439 that is very individually focused. 00:18:27.740 --> 00:18:28.959 We don't believe each other 00:18:28.959 --> 00:18:30.159 that we have each other's backs. 00:18:31.919 --> 00:18:32.659 It's sad. 00:18:34.000 --> 00:18:35.039 And Paul says right here 00:18:35.039 --> 00:18:35.859 in chapter 12, 00:18:35.939 --> 00:18:36.500 verse 5, 00:18:37.019 --> 00:18:39.240 that we are one body 00:18:39.240 --> 00:18:39.740 in Christ 00:18:39.740 --> 00:18:40.839 and individually members 00:18:40.839 --> 00:18:41.339 of one another. 00:18:41.339 --> 00:18:41.579 Now, 00:18:41.819 --> 00:18:42.939 if we think about that picture, 00:18:43.259 --> 00:18:44.039 we're all part 00:18:44.039 --> 00:18:44.839 of the same body. 00:18:45.339 --> 00:18:45.500 You know, 00:18:45.500 --> 00:18:46.099 in my body, 00:18:46.859 --> 00:18:47.819 sometimes I get injured. 00:18:48.119 --> 00:18:48.599 In November, 00:18:48.720 --> 00:18:49.699 I had my knees injured 00:18:49.699 --> 00:18:50.500 for a couple months. 00:18:51.699 --> 00:18:52.779 And the rest of your body 00:18:52.779 --> 00:18:53.639 can't go on 00:18:53.639 --> 00:18:54.839 as if nothing happened. 00:18:56.139 --> 00:18:57.179 The rest of your body 00:18:57.179 --> 00:18:57.939 adjusts 00:18:57.939 --> 00:18:59.079 because of that pain 00:18:59.079 --> 00:18:59.599 in your knees. 00:18:59.919 --> 00:19:00.559 Your knees are something 00:19:00.559 --> 00:19:01.799 you don't really think about them 00:19:01.799 --> 00:19:03.119 until they stop working 00:19:03.119 --> 00:19:03.859 like they're supposed to, 00:19:03.939 --> 00:19:04.139 right? 00:19:04.559 --> 00:19:05.379 You take your knees 00:19:05.379 --> 00:19:06.299 for granted all the time 00:19:06.299 --> 00:19:07.180 and then you get pain 00:19:07.180 --> 00:19:07.599 in your knee 00:19:07.599 --> 00:19:08.779 and every single step 00:19:08.779 --> 00:19:09.259 is agony. 00:19:11.059 --> 00:19:12.220 And so for a couple weeks, 00:19:12.319 --> 00:19:13.119 I'd be walking along 00:19:13.119 --> 00:19:14.000 and if there was a railing there, 00:19:14.059 --> 00:19:15.339 I would grab onto the railing 00:19:15.339 --> 00:19:16.200 and spread the weight, 00:19:16.460 --> 00:19:16.759 you know, 00:19:16.819 --> 00:19:17.759 around my arm 00:19:17.759 --> 00:19:18.359 and upper body 00:19:18.359 --> 00:19:19.619 because I wanted 00:19:19.619 --> 00:19:20.299 to take the weight 00:19:20.299 --> 00:19:21.059 off of my knees. 00:19:21.500 --> 00:19:22.379 The stronger parts 00:19:22.379 --> 00:19:22.839 of my body 00:19:22.839 --> 00:19:23.680 picked up the slack 00:19:23.680 --> 00:19:24.480 for the weaker parts. 00:19:25.579 --> 00:19:26.720 If I was walking normally, 00:19:26.799 --> 00:19:27.720 I'd try and readjust 00:19:27.720 --> 00:19:28.559 the weight on my feet 00:19:28.559 --> 00:19:28.940 from the way 00:19:28.940 --> 00:19:29.700 I would normally walk 00:19:29.700 --> 00:19:30.319 so that it would take 00:19:30.319 --> 00:19:31.299 the stress off the parts 00:19:31.299 --> 00:19:31.720 of my knees 00:19:31.720 --> 00:19:32.200 that were hurting. 00:19:33.200 --> 00:19:34.180 I was more likely 00:19:34.180 --> 00:19:34.840 to sit down 00:19:34.840 --> 00:19:35.580 and take a rest 00:19:35.580 --> 00:19:36.420 or take a break 00:19:36.420 --> 00:19:38.819 which took a hurt 00:19:38.819 --> 00:19:39.420 to my pride 00:19:39.420 --> 00:19:40.600 but it gave my knees 00:19:40.600 --> 00:19:41.019 a rest 00:19:41.019 --> 00:19:41.580 and my knees 00:19:41.580 --> 00:19:43.180 needed that rest 00:19:43.180 --> 00:19:44.120 because they were injured 00:19:44.120 --> 00:19:46.660 because my knees 00:19:46.660 --> 00:19:47.319 don't exist 00:19:47.319 --> 00:19:47.940 in isolation 00:19:47.940 --> 00:19:49.000 from the rest of my body. 00:19:49.180 --> 00:19:50.000 My knees are a part 00:19:50.000 --> 00:19:50.480 of the body 00:19:50.480 --> 00:19:51.980 and if that part 00:19:51.980 --> 00:19:52.580 of my body 00:19:52.580 --> 00:19:53.340 is hurting, 00:19:53.500 --> 00:19:53.980 if that part 00:19:53.980 --> 00:19:54.460 of my body 00:19:54.460 --> 00:19:55.860 is not working properly, 00:19:56.140 --> 00:19:57.319 the rest of my body 00:19:57.319 --> 00:19:58.019 needs to adjust 00:19:58.019 --> 00:19:58.680 because of that. 00:20:00.559 --> 00:20:01.340 And Paul says 00:20:01.340 --> 00:20:02.080 in the same way, 00:20:02.200 --> 00:20:04.240 we are one body. 00:20:07.220 --> 00:20:08.160 Some of us are knees, 00:20:08.279 --> 00:20:09.059 some of us are arms, 00:20:09.180 --> 00:20:10.019 some of us are eyes 00:20:10.019 --> 00:20:10.559 and ears 00:20:10.559 --> 00:20:12.019 and toes 00:20:12.019 --> 00:20:16.460 but just like in my body 00:20:16.460 --> 00:20:17.000 when my knees 00:20:17.000 --> 00:20:17.720 started hurting, 00:20:17.940 --> 00:20:18.460 everything else 00:20:18.460 --> 00:20:19.120 had to adjust. 00:20:21.299 --> 00:20:21.900 He says 00:20:21.900 --> 00:20:22.660 if someone here 00:20:22.660 --> 00:20:23.100 is hurting, 00:20:24.340 --> 00:20:25.259 we as the body 00:20:25.259 --> 00:20:27.420 need to adjust. 00:20:27.980 --> 00:20:28.759 We as the body 00:20:28.759 --> 00:20:29.519 need to step in 00:20:29.519 --> 00:20:30.140 and take care. 00:20:30.500 --> 00:20:30.980 Those of us 00:20:30.980 --> 00:20:31.720 who are stronger 00:20:31.720 --> 00:20:32.480 in that time 00:20:32.480 --> 00:20:33.579 need to step in 00:20:33.579 --> 00:20:34.460 and help out 00:20:34.460 --> 00:20:35.200 the ones who are weaker 00:20:35.200 --> 00:20:35.779 in that time. 00:20:37.680 --> 00:20:38.759 And there may be a time 00:20:38.759 --> 00:20:40.000 when we who are stronger now 00:20:40.000 --> 00:20:42.319 have trouble, 00:20:42.579 --> 00:20:43.100 have pain. 00:20:44.039 --> 00:20:45.259 But that's why we have a body 00:20:45.259 --> 00:20:46.039 so that we can support 00:20:46.039 --> 00:20:46.400 one another 00:20:46.400 --> 00:20:47.019 so we can pick 00:20:47.019 --> 00:20:47.720 one another up 00:20:47.720 --> 00:20:49.059 so we can help 00:20:49.059 --> 00:20:49.720 one another out. 00:20:49.720 --> 00:20:52.160 and I think this is something 00:20:52.160 --> 00:20:53.019 that we have lost 00:20:53.019 --> 00:20:54.180 in the church today 00:20:54.180 --> 00:20:55.640 where we don't understand 00:20:55.640 --> 00:20:56.279 that we are a body. 00:20:56.360 --> 00:20:56.900 We see ourselves 00:20:56.900 --> 00:20:57.640 as individuals 00:20:57.640 --> 00:21:00.380 not as individual members 00:21:00.380 --> 00:21:00.819 of a whole. 00:21:03.180 --> 00:21:04.400 And I think if we understood 00:21:04.400 --> 00:21:05.339 that we are a body, 00:21:05.440 --> 00:21:05.960 if we knew 00:21:05.960 --> 00:21:07.500 that everyone has my back 00:21:07.500 --> 00:21:08.779 and so I can have theirs, 00:21:09.000 --> 00:21:10.180 it frees us. 00:21:11.640 --> 00:21:12.519 It liberates us 00:21:12.519 --> 00:21:13.180 to go out there 00:21:13.180 --> 00:21:15.120 and to live life generously 00:21:15.119 --> 00:21:16.819 because if something 00:21:16.819 --> 00:21:17.519 happens to me 00:21:17.519 --> 00:21:18.259 and I lose out 00:21:18.259 --> 00:21:19.339 on all that I have right now, 00:21:19.819 --> 00:21:21.479 I'm not actually losing out 00:21:21.479 --> 00:21:22.419 because I have other people 00:21:22.419 --> 00:21:23.339 who will take care of me 00:21:23.339 --> 00:21:24.379 when that happens to me. 00:21:26.559 --> 00:21:27.299 And I think 00:21:27.299 --> 00:21:28.259 because we've lost 00:21:28.259 --> 00:21:28.939 this view of us 00:21:28.939 --> 00:21:29.459 as a body, 00:21:30.359 --> 00:21:31.299 we lose out 00:21:31.299 --> 00:21:32.479 on our opportunities 00:21:32.479 --> 00:21:33.199 to be generous. 00:21:35.859 --> 00:21:36.519 Another reason 00:21:36.519 --> 00:21:37.279 we find it so hard 00:21:37.279 --> 00:21:37.719 to be generous 00:21:37.719 --> 00:21:38.379 is that we don't see 00:21:38.379 --> 00:21:38.819 what benefit 00:21:38.819 --> 00:21:39.159 we're getting 00:21:39.159 --> 00:21:40.019 from our giving. 00:21:40.019 --> 00:21:42.539 We live in a world 00:21:42.539 --> 00:21:43.920 where the questions 00:21:43.920 --> 00:21:44.700 we ask with our money 00:21:44.700 --> 00:21:45.379 are what profit 00:21:45.379 --> 00:21:46.220 will I get from this? 00:21:46.559 --> 00:21:47.619 How will this benefit me? 00:21:48.200 --> 00:21:48.940 And generosity 00:21:48.940 --> 00:21:49.720 by definition 00:21:49.720 --> 00:21:51.079 does not benefit us. 00:21:51.879 --> 00:21:52.819 It's other focused. 00:21:53.740 --> 00:21:54.579 You're not going to 00:21:54.579 --> 00:21:55.759 give out your money 00:21:55.759 --> 00:21:56.400 as an investment 00:21:56.400 --> 00:21:57.000 and get it back 00:21:57.000 --> 00:21:57.539 with interest. 00:21:58.759 --> 00:21:59.500 It's a gift. 00:22:01.660 --> 00:22:03.119 And we find it so hard 00:22:03.119 --> 00:22:03.799 to do that 00:22:03.799 --> 00:22:04.879 because we've trained 00:22:04.879 --> 00:22:05.879 ourselves so much. 00:22:06.339 --> 00:22:07.119 I give something 00:22:07.119 --> 00:22:07.839 and I get something 00:22:07.839 --> 00:22:08.259 in return. 00:22:08.400 --> 00:22:08.940 And generosity 00:22:08.940 --> 00:22:10.000 is about I give something 00:22:10.000 --> 00:22:11.200 so that someone else 00:22:11.200 --> 00:22:11.799 can get something. 00:22:13.579 --> 00:22:14.400 And our mindset 00:22:14.400 --> 00:22:15.819 is so totally different 00:22:15.819 --> 00:22:17.799 from what's required 00:22:17.799 --> 00:22:18.779 for true generosity 00:22:18.779 --> 00:22:21.440 that we can't wrap 00:22:21.440 --> 00:22:22.019 our heads around 00:22:22.019 --> 00:22:22.519 the idea 00:22:22.519 --> 00:22:23.900 of giving something 00:22:23.900 --> 00:22:24.480 away to help 00:22:24.480 --> 00:22:25.079 someone else. 00:22:27.160 --> 00:22:27.759 And there are 00:22:27.759 --> 00:22:28.640 definitely more reasons 00:22:28.640 --> 00:22:29.359 but the final one 00:22:29.359 --> 00:22:30.160 that I came up with 00:22:30.160 --> 00:22:31.019 for why we find it 00:22:31.019 --> 00:22:32.099 so hard to be generous 00:22:32.099 --> 00:22:33.420 is because being 00:22:33.420 --> 00:22:34.460 truly generous 00:22:34.460 --> 00:22:35.859 requires us 00:22:35.859 --> 00:22:36.660 to get involved 00:22:36.660 --> 00:22:37.220 in the lives 00:22:37.220 --> 00:22:37.819 of other people 00:22:37.819 --> 00:22:39.039 in ways that are 00:22:39.039 --> 00:22:39.420 often discouraging 00:22:40.000 --> 00:22:41.519 frustrating 00:22:41.519 --> 00:22:42.420 and uncomfortable. 00:22:44.700 --> 00:22:45.539 A lot of times 00:22:45.539 --> 00:22:46.200 we can hear about 00:22:46.200 --> 00:22:46.559 a need 00:22:46.559 --> 00:22:47.319 and think 00:22:47.319 --> 00:22:48.140 the easy thing 00:22:48.140 --> 00:22:48.799 to do is to just 00:22:48.799 --> 00:22:49.779 pump money into this. 00:22:50.640 --> 00:22:51.180 Give money. 00:22:51.619 --> 00:22:52.140 Give money. 00:22:52.400 --> 00:22:52.799 Give money. 00:22:53.200 --> 00:22:54.359 But a lot of times 00:22:54.359 --> 00:22:55.079 people's needs 00:22:55.079 --> 00:22:56.079 aren't due 00:22:56.079 --> 00:22:57.019 to a lack of resources. 00:22:58.099 --> 00:22:58.940 It's due to a lack 00:22:58.940 --> 00:22:59.420 of understanding 00:22:59.420 --> 00:23:00.359 of how to use resources 00:23:00.359 --> 00:23:00.980 when they have them. 00:23:02.180 --> 00:23:03.779 Or there's other issues 00:23:03.779 --> 00:23:04.599 that underlie 00:23:04.599 --> 00:23:05.740 the lack of resources. 00:23:05.740 --> 00:23:05.819 resources. 00:23:06.240 --> 00:23:06.880 And so just pumping 00:23:06.880 --> 00:23:07.920 resources and money 00:23:07.920 --> 00:23:08.980 into the situation 00:23:08.980 --> 00:23:09.579 doesn't actually 00:23:09.579 --> 00:23:10.200 fix the problem. 00:23:10.279 --> 00:23:10.720 A lot of times 00:23:10.720 --> 00:23:11.500 it can make it worse. 00:23:14.000 --> 00:23:15.140 And we can give money 00:23:15.140 --> 00:23:15.660 and give money 00:23:15.660 --> 00:23:16.140 and give money 00:23:16.140 --> 00:23:16.599 and find out 00:23:16.599 --> 00:23:17.220 that the problem's 00:23:17.220 --> 00:23:17.660 still there. 00:23:17.960 --> 00:23:18.680 And then it becomes 00:23:18.680 --> 00:23:19.160 frustrating 00:23:19.160 --> 00:23:19.819 because I've done 00:23:19.819 --> 00:23:20.900 so much for this person. 00:23:21.000 --> 00:23:22.000 I've given so much. 00:23:22.799 --> 00:23:23.640 Why isn't the problem 00:23:23.640 --> 00:23:24.140 fixed? 00:23:24.140 --> 00:23:27.580 And a lot of times 00:23:27.580 --> 00:23:28.140 what's needed 00:23:28.140 --> 00:23:31.000 for our generosity 00:23:31.000 --> 00:23:32.920 is for us to step in 00:23:32.920 --> 00:23:33.600 to get involved 00:23:33.600 --> 00:23:34.200 in their lives. 00:23:34.340 --> 00:23:34.480 You know, 00:23:34.520 --> 00:23:35.180 Paul says in 00:23:35.180 --> 00:23:36.020 chapter 12, 00:23:36.080 --> 00:23:36.580 verse 13, 00:23:36.680 --> 00:23:37.540 contribute to the needs 00:23:37.540 --> 00:23:38.040 of the saints. 00:23:38.340 --> 00:23:39.220 We can't know 00:23:39.220 --> 00:23:40.259 what the true needs are 00:23:40.259 --> 00:23:41.180 in each other's lives 00:23:41.180 --> 00:23:43.160 unless we're deeply involved 00:23:43.160 --> 00:23:44.060 in each other's lives. 00:23:47.060 --> 00:23:47.740 We can see 00:23:47.740 --> 00:23:48.500 surface level things 00:23:48.500 --> 00:23:49.380 that appear to be needs 00:23:49.380 --> 00:23:50.759 and try and address those 00:23:50.759 --> 00:23:51.840 without getting deeply involved. 00:23:51.980 --> 00:23:52.640 But a lot of times 00:23:52.640 --> 00:23:53.640 they'll leave us frustrated. 00:23:54.140 --> 00:23:56.660 to truly know 00:23:56.660 --> 00:23:57.500 what the needs are, 00:23:57.660 --> 00:23:58.620 we need to get involved 00:23:58.620 --> 00:23:59.340 in each other's lives. 00:23:59.400 --> 00:24:00.000 And when we do that, 00:24:00.040 --> 00:24:00.680 it gets messy. 00:24:02.460 --> 00:24:03.380 And we get dragged 00:24:03.380 --> 00:24:04.120 into these messes 00:24:04.120 --> 00:24:04.920 that we didn't create 00:24:04.920 --> 00:24:06.160 that we're not responsible for. 00:24:08.520 --> 00:24:09.440 It's frustrating. 00:24:10.280 --> 00:24:11.100 It's uncomfortable. 00:24:11.840 --> 00:24:12.560 It's messy. 00:24:15.840 --> 00:24:17.440 But it's what's required of us 00:24:17.440 --> 00:24:18.480 if we're going to be 00:24:18.480 --> 00:24:19.120 truly generous, 00:24:19.220 --> 00:24:19.920 if we're truly going 00:24:19.920 --> 00:24:20.420 to look out 00:24:20.420 --> 00:24:21.220 for the needs of others 00:24:21.220 --> 00:24:22.920 and not just give 00:24:22.920 --> 00:24:24.080 to satiate our guilt. 00:24:24.140 --> 00:24:24.960 for having more 00:24:24.960 --> 00:24:25.780 while they're having trouble. 00:24:28.780 --> 00:24:30.540 One example of a time 00:24:30.540 --> 00:24:31.520 that this could happen is, 00:24:32.060 --> 00:24:33.100 and I've got to be careful 00:24:33.100 --> 00:24:33.700 with this because there 00:24:33.700 --> 00:24:34.580 might be people in here 00:24:34.580 --> 00:24:35.120 who are struggling 00:24:35.120 --> 00:24:35.700 with this issue, 00:24:35.800 --> 00:24:36.840 but I know it's a very 00:24:36.840 --> 00:24:38.280 common issue in Hong Kong 00:24:38.280 --> 00:24:39.380 is that Filipino maids 00:24:39.380 --> 00:24:40.180 will come over here 00:24:40.180 --> 00:24:41.980 to provide for their families. 00:24:42.720 --> 00:24:43.840 And they want to take care 00:24:43.840 --> 00:24:44.340 of their families 00:24:44.340 --> 00:24:45.120 and they want to give, 00:24:45.240 --> 00:24:46.360 give, give, give, give, give. 00:24:46.359 --> 00:24:48.919 But they've never been taught 00:24:48.919 --> 00:24:49.459 how to budget. 00:24:50.279 --> 00:24:51.819 So they give, give, give, give, give, 00:24:51.819 --> 00:24:52.519 and give away more 00:24:52.519 --> 00:24:53.319 than they actually have 00:24:53.319 --> 00:24:54.279 and then they fall into debt 00:24:54.279 --> 00:24:54.839 and they have trouble 00:24:54.839 --> 00:24:55.519 with loan sharks. 00:24:57.359 --> 00:24:57.839 And you know, 00:24:57.879 --> 00:24:58.539 this is a situation 00:24:58.539 --> 00:24:59.439 if you hear about it 00:24:59.439 --> 00:25:00.139 and you think, 00:25:00.240 --> 00:25:01.279 oh, this person's in debt, 00:25:01.459 --> 00:25:02.359 I have resources, 00:25:02.439 --> 00:25:03.099 I can help them, 00:25:03.819 --> 00:25:05.079 and you give money, 00:25:05.639 --> 00:25:06.719 but then the next month 00:25:06.719 --> 00:25:07.659 you hear that they're in debt again 00:25:07.659 --> 00:25:08.439 because they've just kept 00:25:08.439 --> 00:25:09.240 giving, giving, giving, 00:25:09.359 --> 00:25:09.799 giving, giving. 00:25:09.799 --> 00:25:13.279 And what's needed there 00:25:13.279 --> 00:25:14.059 is not just someone 00:25:14.059 --> 00:25:14.839 to pump money in. 00:25:14.940 --> 00:25:16.180 The issue isn't a lack of resources. 00:25:16.299 --> 00:25:17.799 The issue is not knowing 00:25:17.799 --> 00:25:18.259 how to budget, 00:25:18.440 --> 00:25:20.480 not knowing how to say no 00:25:20.480 --> 00:25:21.819 when people ask for money. 00:25:23.799 --> 00:25:24.819 And what that person, 00:25:25.079 --> 00:25:26.119 what that helper really needs 00:25:26.119 --> 00:25:26.960 is for someone to step 00:25:26.960 --> 00:25:27.539 into their life, 00:25:27.599 --> 00:25:28.480 to come alongside them, 00:25:28.519 --> 00:25:29.779 to say, you know, 00:25:29.819 --> 00:25:30.899 here's how you budget money. 00:25:32.559 --> 00:25:33.919 If someone asks you for money 00:25:33.919 --> 00:25:34.879 and you don't have money, 00:25:34.960 --> 00:25:36.000 it's not a shameful thing 00:25:36.000 --> 00:25:36.559 to say, no, 00:25:36.619 --> 00:25:37.599 I can't give you anything 00:25:37.599 --> 00:25:38.460 because I don't have 00:25:38.460 --> 00:25:39.379 anything more to give. 00:25:39.799 --> 00:25:42.460 But that requires us 00:25:42.460 --> 00:25:44.039 to step in to get messy. 00:25:44.700 --> 00:25:45.700 And I think a lot of times 00:25:45.700 --> 00:25:47.460 it's far too uncomfortable for us. 00:25:48.940 --> 00:25:50.200 It's far too difficult. 00:25:51.559 --> 00:25:52.220 And really, 00:25:52.359 --> 00:25:54.519 if we're trying to be generous 00:25:54.519 --> 00:25:56.019 for ourselves 00:25:56.019 --> 00:25:57.839 and not for the good of others, 00:25:57.899 --> 00:25:58.740 that type of generosity 00:25:58.740 --> 00:25:59.639 will crush us. 00:26:01.019 --> 00:26:02.099 If we're trying to run 00:26:02.099 --> 00:26:02.919 on our own motivation, 00:26:03.039 --> 00:26:03.659 our own strength, 00:26:03.720 --> 00:26:05.259 and not looking at God 00:26:05.259 --> 00:26:06.399 and His generosity 00:26:06.399 --> 00:26:07.599 as our motivation 00:26:07.599 --> 00:26:08.460 for our generosity, 00:26:08.460 --> 00:26:10.779 that type of generosity 00:26:10.779 --> 00:26:12.059 will crush us. 00:26:17.559 --> 00:26:18.240 And God, 00:26:18.480 --> 00:26:20.960 He wants us to be generous. 00:26:23.019 --> 00:26:24.200 He wants us to give our money, 00:26:24.279 --> 00:26:24.980 but He also wants us 00:26:24.980 --> 00:26:25.920 to give ourselves. 00:26:26.460 --> 00:26:26.620 Right? 00:26:26.680 --> 00:26:27.440 We said that already. 00:26:27.880 --> 00:26:28.600 But there's a part 00:26:28.600 --> 00:26:29.340 of His mercies 00:26:29.340 --> 00:26:31.360 that Paul talks about 00:26:31.360 --> 00:26:32.259 earlier in the book of Romans 00:26:32.259 --> 00:26:33.279 that I sort of left out 00:26:33.279 --> 00:26:34.500 earlier in the sermon 00:26:34.500 --> 00:26:35.100 when I was talking 00:26:35.100 --> 00:26:35.960 about God's mercies. 00:26:35.960 --> 00:26:37.740 Paul talks a lot about 00:26:37.740 --> 00:26:39.360 God's mercies towards us 00:26:39.360 --> 00:26:39.980 as individuals. 00:26:41.120 --> 00:26:42.400 But he also talks about 00:26:42.400 --> 00:26:43.600 God's mercies 00:26:43.600 --> 00:26:45.240 to the universe as a whole. 00:26:46.180 --> 00:26:47.200 In Romans chapter 8, 00:26:47.279 --> 00:26:48.100 Paul says that God 00:26:48.100 --> 00:26:48.720 is in the process 00:26:48.720 --> 00:26:49.700 of making all things new. 00:26:51.039 --> 00:26:51.620 That God, 00:26:51.779 --> 00:26:53.579 that God is going 00:26:53.579 --> 00:26:54.680 to restore creation. 00:26:54.779 --> 00:26:55.500 That creation knows 00:26:55.500 --> 00:26:55.860 about this 00:26:55.860 --> 00:26:57.200 and it's crying out 00:26:57.200 --> 00:26:59.460 like the pains of childbirth, 00:26:59.539 --> 00:27:00.380 just waiting for something 00:27:00.380 --> 00:27:01.120 new to be born. 00:27:01.119 --> 00:27:03.599 that it feels 00:27:03.599 --> 00:27:04.659 this, 00:27:04.739 --> 00:27:05.519 this weight, 00:27:06.319 --> 00:27:09.059 waiting for something. 00:27:09.699 --> 00:27:10.579 Waiting for something 00:27:10.579 --> 00:27:11.799 that it knows is coming, 00:27:11.879 --> 00:27:12.659 but it doesn't know when. 00:27:13.379 --> 00:27:14.039 And it knows 00:27:14.039 --> 00:27:14.799 it's going to be amazing. 00:27:17.539 --> 00:27:18.219 And someday, 00:27:18.319 --> 00:27:19.000 God's going to finish 00:27:19.000 --> 00:27:19.379 this work 00:27:19.379 --> 00:27:19.919 and He's going to make 00:27:19.919 --> 00:27:20.559 all things new. 00:27:21.239 --> 00:27:22.239 But it says today, 00:27:22.479 --> 00:27:23.199 He's calling us 00:27:23.199 --> 00:27:23.839 and inviting us 00:27:23.839 --> 00:27:24.959 to be a part of that process. 00:27:25.079 --> 00:27:25.619 He's inviting us 00:27:25.619 --> 00:27:26.279 to join Him 00:27:26.279 --> 00:27:27.159 in what He's doing. 00:27:27.279 --> 00:27:27.939 So when we say 00:27:27.939 --> 00:27:28.639 we're, 00:27:28.639 --> 00:27:29.339 we're inspired 00:27:29.339 --> 00:27:30.159 by God's mercies, 00:27:30.160 --> 00:27:30.440 yes, 00:27:30.519 --> 00:27:31.220 it's God's mercies 00:27:31.220 --> 00:27:32.320 towards us as individuals. 00:27:32.960 --> 00:27:34.240 The fact that He's saved us 00:27:34.240 --> 00:27:35.019 when we didn't deserve it. 00:27:35.060 --> 00:27:36.420 The fact that He's purchased us. 00:27:37.860 --> 00:27:38.620 But it's also 00:27:38.620 --> 00:27:39.040 His doing 00:27:39.040 --> 00:27:40.220 of making all things new. 00:27:41.060 --> 00:27:41.940 There are a lot of things 00:27:41.940 --> 00:27:42.920 that we as a church 00:27:42.920 --> 00:27:44.460 want to do. 00:27:45.019 --> 00:27:45.940 We want to reach out 00:27:45.940 --> 00:27:46.600 to the western side 00:27:46.600 --> 00:27:47.200 of Hong Kong Island. 00:27:47.300 --> 00:27:48.220 We want to be in the schools. 00:27:48.340 --> 00:27:49.200 We want to be in the universities. 00:27:49.540 --> 00:27:50.440 We want to be involved 00:27:50.440 --> 00:27:51.820 in homeless ministries 00:27:51.820 --> 00:27:52.940 and inner city ministries. 00:27:53.200 --> 00:27:53.980 And we want to, 00:27:54.060 --> 00:27:55.220 we want to be out there. 00:27:57.040 --> 00:27:57.519 And again, 00:27:57.580 --> 00:27:58.200 these are things 00:27:58.200 --> 00:27:59.519 that I think are awesome things 00:27:59.519 --> 00:27:59.880 for the kingdom. 00:27:59.880 --> 00:28:00.600 I get excited 00:28:00.600 --> 00:28:01.580 when I hear about the things 00:28:01.580 --> 00:28:02.500 that we as a church are doing. 00:28:04.560 --> 00:28:05.200 And it's true, 00:28:05.280 --> 00:28:06.300 God doesn't need us. 00:28:07.040 --> 00:28:07.940 God doesn't need our money 00:28:07.940 --> 00:28:08.700 to do the things 00:28:08.700 --> 00:28:09.780 that He's going to do 00:28:09.780 --> 00:28:10.160 in the world. 00:28:10.700 --> 00:28:11.700 But there are certain ways 00:28:11.700 --> 00:28:12.480 that we as a church, 00:28:12.600 --> 00:28:12.940 Watermark, 00:28:13.000 --> 00:28:13.900 want to be a part of that 00:28:13.900 --> 00:28:15.040 that we can't do 00:28:15.040 --> 00:28:16.140 without funding. 00:28:19.420 --> 00:28:20.400 And so I want to, 00:28:20.400 --> 00:28:21.440 I want to close today 00:28:21.440 --> 00:28:22.800 by dreaming a little bit. 00:28:24.240 --> 00:28:25.360 I want to think about 00:28:25.360 --> 00:28:27.560 what could it look like 00:28:27.559 --> 00:28:28.779 if we as a church 00:28:28.779 --> 00:28:29.639 decided to be generous. 00:28:31.220 --> 00:28:32.240 If we as a church 00:28:32.240 --> 00:28:33.440 decided that we wanted 00:28:33.440 --> 00:28:34.339 to partner with God 00:28:34.339 --> 00:28:35.539 in what He's doing 00:28:35.539 --> 00:28:36.559 in Hong Kong 00:28:36.559 --> 00:28:37.399 and around the world. 00:28:38.839 --> 00:28:39.659 And statistically, 00:28:40.019 --> 00:28:41.240 I know there are many 00:28:41.240 --> 00:28:42.299 exceptions to this rule 00:28:42.299 --> 00:28:43.000 and a lot of them 00:28:43.000 --> 00:28:43.579 in this room, 00:28:43.940 --> 00:28:44.599 but statistically, 00:28:45.119 --> 00:28:46.619 the more money you have, 00:28:46.700 --> 00:28:47.639 the less likely you are 00:28:47.639 --> 00:28:48.559 to be generous with it. 00:28:48.559 --> 00:28:51.240 And so I want to dream big. 00:28:51.960 --> 00:28:52.740 I want to dream 00:28:52.740 --> 00:28:53.519 of what we could do 00:28:53.519 --> 00:28:55.940 if we gave lots of money away. 00:28:57.480 --> 00:28:58.399 And there are things 00:28:58.399 --> 00:28:58.960 that I'm going to say 00:28:58.960 --> 00:28:59.980 that some of us, 00:29:00.299 --> 00:29:00.559 you know, 00:29:00.599 --> 00:29:01.700 we can't do as individuals, 00:29:01.700 --> 00:29:03.480 but if we feel passionate 00:29:03.480 --> 00:29:03.799 about it, 00:29:03.839 --> 00:29:04.720 we could get together 00:29:04.720 --> 00:29:05.919 and these things 00:29:05.919 --> 00:29:06.779 could become realities. 00:29:07.179 --> 00:29:07.359 Right? 00:29:07.399 --> 00:29:08.259 So I'm going to dream big 00:29:08.259 --> 00:29:09.799 and then we're going 00:29:09.799 --> 00:29:10.259 to close up. 00:29:11.259 --> 00:29:11.940 The first thing 00:29:11.940 --> 00:29:12.819 I want to throw out there, 00:29:13.399 --> 00:29:14.000 church planting. 00:29:15.119 --> 00:29:15.940 Watermark is a part 00:29:15.940 --> 00:29:17.079 of a church planting network. 00:29:17.179 --> 00:29:17.419 I don't know 00:29:17.419 --> 00:29:18.139 if you guys know this, 00:29:18.140 --> 00:29:18.640 but we're part 00:29:18.640 --> 00:29:19.740 of a church planting network 00:29:19.740 --> 00:29:20.900 that has a vision 00:29:20.900 --> 00:29:22.960 of planting over 200 churches 00:29:22.960 --> 00:29:24.560 in the next 10 years 00:29:24.560 --> 00:29:25.300 in the Asia 00:29:25.300 --> 00:29:26.360 and Australia region. 00:29:28.000 --> 00:29:29.060 That's on average 00:29:29.060 --> 00:29:30.620 over 20 churches a year 00:29:30.620 --> 00:29:31.660 for the next 10 years 00:29:31.660 --> 00:29:32.800 and hopefully 00:29:32.800 --> 00:29:33.600 many, many more 00:29:33.600 --> 00:29:34.180 after that. 00:29:35.520 --> 00:29:36.240 These churches 00:29:36.240 --> 00:29:36.980 will be in cities 00:29:36.980 --> 00:29:38.100 that we as a church 00:29:38.100 --> 00:29:38.960 cannot reach 00:29:38.960 --> 00:29:39.600 from Hong Kong. 00:29:40.240 --> 00:29:40.720 They'll be spread 00:29:40.720 --> 00:29:41.280 all over. 00:29:41.560 --> 00:29:42.100 They will reach 00:29:42.100 --> 00:29:43.520 hopefully thousands, 00:29:43.780 --> 00:29:44.380 tens of thousands, 00:29:44.540 --> 00:29:45.160 maybe even hundreds 00:29:45.160 --> 00:29:46.160 of thousands of people. 00:29:48.140 --> 00:29:49.480 And every single one 00:29:49.480 --> 00:29:50.600 of them requires 00:29:50.600 --> 00:29:51.420 funding to get started. 00:29:52.720 --> 00:29:53.460 What if someone 00:29:53.460 --> 00:29:54.220 here today said, 00:29:54.420 --> 00:29:55.500 I want to adopt 00:29:55.500 --> 00:29:56.060 a church plant. 00:29:56.640 --> 00:29:57.759 I want to sponsor it 00:29:57.759 --> 00:29:58.560 for the first few years 00:29:58.560 --> 00:29:59.320 until they can become 00:29:59.320 --> 00:29:59.940 self-sustaining. 00:30:00.060 --> 00:30:01.540 I want to give 00:30:01.540 --> 00:30:02.580 or get a group 00:30:02.580 --> 00:30:03.200 of us together 00:30:03.200 --> 00:30:04.320 and together 00:30:04.320 --> 00:30:06.120 sponsor a church plant. 00:30:06.119 --> 00:30:09.779 And God could use 00:30:09.779 --> 00:30:10.459 our generosity 00:30:10.459 --> 00:30:11.839 to reach thousands 00:30:11.839 --> 00:30:12.359 of people 00:30:12.359 --> 00:30:13.159 around the world 00:30:13.159 --> 00:30:15.339 in these new churches 00:30:15.339 --> 00:30:16.779 that are starting 00:30:16.779 --> 00:30:18.299 in countries 00:30:18.299 --> 00:30:18.839 from Japan 00:30:18.839 --> 00:30:19.399 to Thailand 00:30:19.399 --> 00:30:20.099 to Australia 00:30:20.099 --> 00:30:21.819 to Singapore. 00:30:22.959 --> 00:30:23.799 All over. 00:30:26.159 --> 00:30:27.359 Imagine the impact 00:30:27.359 --> 00:30:28.159 that it could have 00:30:28.159 --> 00:30:29.459 if we were generous 00:30:29.459 --> 00:30:30.539 with what God 00:30:30.539 --> 00:30:31.119 has given us. 00:30:32.379 --> 00:30:33.479 Or another one. 00:30:33.759 --> 00:30:34.219 I don't know 00:30:34.219 --> 00:30:34.979 if you've realized it, 00:30:34.980 --> 00:30:36.220 but we have a group 00:30:36.220 --> 00:30:37.000 of Nepali kids 00:30:37.000 --> 00:30:37.819 that come into church 00:30:37.819 --> 00:30:38.500 here every Sunday. 00:30:40.339 --> 00:30:41.180 And these kids 00:30:41.180 --> 00:30:41.940 come from an area 00:30:41.940 --> 00:30:42.299 of town 00:30:42.299 --> 00:30:43.039 that's in desperate 00:30:43.039 --> 00:30:43.819 need of educational 00:30:43.819 --> 00:30:44.240 reform. 00:30:45.640 --> 00:30:46.880 These kids go to schools 00:30:46.880 --> 00:30:47.579 where they're taught 00:30:47.579 --> 00:30:48.740 verbally and non-verbally, 00:30:49.039 --> 00:30:49.680 you're a problem, 00:30:49.779 --> 00:30:50.259 not a person. 00:30:52.000 --> 00:30:53.279 These kids go to schools, 00:30:53.500 --> 00:30:54.299 even though many of them 00:30:54.299 --> 00:30:55.440 are very bright kids, 00:30:55.660 --> 00:30:56.440 they go to schools 00:30:56.440 --> 00:30:57.819 that crush any desire 00:30:57.819 --> 00:30:58.420 for them to learn. 00:30:58.819 --> 00:31:01.099 They go to schools 00:31:01.099 --> 00:31:02.360 where, you know, 00:31:02.359 --> 00:31:03.879 some kids in these schools 00:31:03.879 --> 00:31:04.579 should be held back 00:31:04.579 --> 00:31:05.139 because they haven't 00:31:05.139 --> 00:31:06.119 learned the material yet, 00:31:06.279 --> 00:31:06.979 but the teachers 00:31:06.979 --> 00:31:07.599 don't want to deal 00:31:07.599 --> 00:31:08.559 with discipline problems 00:31:08.559 --> 00:31:09.599 that will be in the class 00:31:09.599 --> 00:31:10.279 next year if the kids 00:31:10.279 --> 00:31:10.719 stay back, 00:31:10.919 --> 00:31:11.699 so they just push them 00:31:11.699 --> 00:31:12.479 on to the next grade. 00:31:13.579 --> 00:31:14.459 And kids in these schools 00:31:14.459 --> 00:31:15.279 can be in sixth grade 00:31:15.279 --> 00:31:15.759 and not even know 00:31:15.759 --> 00:31:16.119 how to read. 00:31:16.939 --> 00:31:18.119 This area of town 00:31:18.119 --> 00:31:19.279 is in desperate need 00:31:19.279 --> 00:31:20.399 for education reform. 00:31:20.500 --> 00:31:21.119 They need a school 00:31:21.119 --> 00:31:22.119 that will come in 00:31:22.119 --> 00:31:23.159 and will teach the kids 00:31:23.159 --> 00:31:24.139 that you have value 00:31:24.139 --> 00:31:25.019 as a human being, 00:31:25.539 --> 00:31:28.000 that you can contribute 00:31:28.000 --> 00:31:28.659 to society 00:31:28.659 --> 00:31:29.279 when you grow up, 00:31:29.279 --> 00:31:31.019 that God loves you 00:31:31.019 --> 00:31:32.759 and you have worth. 00:31:34.680 --> 00:31:35.599 And there are people 00:31:35.599 --> 00:31:36.799 in this church right now 00:31:36.799 --> 00:31:38.099 who have a vision 00:31:38.099 --> 00:31:38.720 and a dream 00:31:38.720 --> 00:31:39.899 to start a school like that 00:31:39.899 --> 00:31:40.639 in that neighborhood 00:31:40.639 --> 00:31:41.599 that can reach out 00:31:41.599 --> 00:31:42.059 to these kids, 00:31:42.139 --> 00:31:42.899 that can drastically 00:31:42.899 --> 00:31:43.859 impact their lives, 00:31:44.099 --> 00:31:45.019 that can transform 00:31:45.019 --> 00:31:45.579 a community. 00:31:48.440 --> 00:31:49.240 But here's the thing, 00:31:49.299 --> 00:31:50.240 the people with this dream 00:31:50.240 --> 00:31:51.559 are teachers. 00:31:52.539 --> 00:31:53.139 And starting a school 00:31:53.139 --> 00:31:53.920 like this in Hong Kong 00:31:53.920 --> 00:31:54.680 is very expensive, 00:31:54.799 --> 00:31:55.899 a lot more than a teacher 00:31:55.899 --> 00:31:57.160 could sponsor themselves. 00:31:57.160 --> 00:31:58.700 Even if we found teachers 00:31:58.700 --> 00:31:59.640 who could raise support 00:31:59.640 --> 00:32:00.700 themselves 00:32:00.700 --> 00:32:01.540 and come over here 00:32:01.540 --> 00:32:02.220 and teach at the school, 00:32:02.300 --> 00:32:03.000 you still need a venue, 00:32:03.160 --> 00:32:03.840 you still need to get it 00:32:03.840 --> 00:32:04.800 registered by the Hong Kong 00:32:04.800 --> 00:32:05.100 government, 00:32:05.200 --> 00:32:05.820 you still need to get 00:32:05.820 --> 00:32:06.320 curriculum. 00:32:07.740 --> 00:32:08.480 It's expensive. 00:32:10.840 --> 00:32:11.880 But what if someone here 00:32:11.880 --> 00:32:12.100 said, 00:32:12.240 --> 00:32:12.820 I want to sponsor 00:32:12.820 --> 00:32:13.560 a school like that 00:32:13.560 --> 00:32:14.440 for the first two years. 00:32:15.880 --> 00:32:16.580 I want to make 00:32:16.580 --> 00:32:17.460 this dream a reality, 00:32:17.560 --> 00:32:18.340 I want to impact 00:32:18.340 --> 00:32:19.180 this neighborhood. 00:32:21.040 --> 00:32:21.820 It's not something 00:32:21.820 --> 00:32:22.400 that we're going to see 00:32:22.400 --> 00:32:23.220 immediate results from. 00:32:23.279 --> 00:32:23.820 It's not something 00:32:23.820 --> 00:32:24.360 we're going to see 00:32:24.360 --> 00:32:25.180 probably in the first 00:32:25.180 --> 00:32:25.700 couple of years 00:32:25.700 --> 00:32:26.320 results from. 00:32:26.319 --> 00:32:27.359 But it's something 00:32:27.359 --> 00:32:27.939 that in the course 00:32:27.939 --> 00:32:28.480 of a generation 00:32:28.480 --> 00:32:29.519 can totally transform 00:32:29.519 --> 00:32:29.980 a community. 00:32:32.059 --> 00:32:32.919 It's a way that God 00:32:32.919 --> 00:32:34.000 can use us to be a part 00:32:34.000 --> 00:32:34.879 of something much bigger 00:32:34.879 --> 00:32:36.099 than ourselves in Hong Kong 00:32:36.099 --> 00:32:37.460 if we decide 00:32:37.460 --> 00:32:38.279 to be generous people. 00:32:39.279 --> 00:32:40.220 Or maybe we put 00:32:40.220 --> 00:32:40.839 these two dreams 00:32:40.839 --> 00:32:41.439 of church planting 00:32:41.439 --> 00:32:42.079 and starting a school 00:32:42.079 --> 00:32:42.919 together and someone 00:32:42.919 --> 00:32:44.879 either with lots of money 00:32:44.879 --> 00:32:45.839 or lots of connections 00:32:45.839 --> 00:32:46.259 says, 00:32:46.740 --> 00:32:47.339 what if we just go 00:32:47.339 --> 00:32:47.839 to that neighborhood 00:32:47.839 --> 00:32:48.799 and we buy a building? 00:32:49.879 --> 00:32:50.740 And inside that building 00:32:50.740 --> 00:32:51.460 we start a school 00:32:51.460 --> 00:32:52.359 and inside that building 00:32:52.359 --> 00:32:53.339 we can start a new church. 00:32:53.339 --> 00:32:54.799 And with any 00:32:54.799 --> 00:32:55.500 leftover space 00:32:55.500 --> 00:32:55.959 in that building 00:32:55.959 --> 00:32:56.819 maybe we can put in 00:32:56.819 --> 00:32:57.539 businesses that will 00:32:57.539 --> 00:32:58.740 provide jobs for the community 00:32:58.740 --> 00:33:00.079 or businesses that will 00:33:00.079 --> 00:33:00.759 provide services 00:33:00.759 --> 00:33:01.720 that will help the community 00:33:01.720 --> 00:33:02.980 or affordable housing 00:33:02.980 --> 00:33:03.939 for people in the community. 00:33:05.779 --> 00:33:06.740 It would be amazing. 00:33:07.779 --> 00:33:08.659 It would be awesome. 00:33:10.259 --> 00:33:11.379 God could use our generosity 00:33:11.379 --> 00:33:13.119 to transform 00:33:13.119 --> 00:33:14.399 these communities. 00:33:14.400 --> 00:33:16.860 I think, you know, 00:33:16.880 --> 00:33:17.460 if that happened 00:33:17.460 --> 00:33:18.700 it would be amazing. 00:33:18.840 --> 00:33:20.360 We'd need a word 00:33:20.360 --> 00:33:21.700 that's so big 00:33:21.700 --> 00:33:22.300 that it's a word 00:33:22.300 --> 00:33:22.900 you only use 00:33:22.900 --> 00:33:23.420 when you have 00:33:23.420 --> 00:33:24.980 no word for something 00:33:24.980 --> 00:33:27.360 like supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. 00:33:30.240 --> 00:33:31.080 I think these are 00:33:31.080 --> 00:33:33.540 awesome, huge, big dreams. 00:33:35.600 --> 00:33:36.360 They're possible 00:33:36.360 --> 00:33:37.000 because we serve 00:33:37.000 --> 00:33:38.640 an awesome, huge, big God 00:33:38.640 --> 00:33:40.240 who has shown his love 00:33:40.240 --> 00:33:41.120 to us in awesome, 00:33:41.320 --> 00:33:42.420 huge, big ways. 00:33:42.420 --> 00:33:48.539 But this type of generosity 00:33:48.539 --> 00:33:49.060 isn't something 00:33:49.060 --> 00:33:49.539 that we can just 00:33:49.539 --> 00:33:50.320 force ourselves into. 00:33:51.820 --> 00:33:52.640 Something we need 00:33:52.640 --> 00:33:54.140 to understand 00:33:54.140 --> 00:33:56.080 God's mercy to us. 00:33:56.680 --> 00:33:57.660 We need to understand 00:33:57.660 --> 00:33:58.700 the part that we play 00:33:58.700 --> 00:34:00.720 in the work that he's doing 00:34:00.720 --> 00:34:01.120 in the world 00:34:01.120 --> 00:34:02.560 and see how he's inviting us 00:34:02.560 --> 00:34:03.200 to be a part of it. 00:34:07.279 --> 00:34:08.380 I just want to close 00:34:08.380 --> 00:34:09.059 with that quote 00:34:09.059 --> 00:34:09.960 from Vanity Fair again 00:34:09.960 --> 00:34:11.380 because I think 00:34:11.380 --> 00:34:13.019 it's deep. 00:34:13.640 --> 00:34:14.960 I think it's 00:34:14.960 --> 00:34:16.240 really, really 00:34:16.240 --> 00:34:16.900 eye-opening. 00:34:18.599 --> 00:34:19.480 He said, 00:34:19.700 --> 00:34:20.760 if I can find it, 00:34:22.760 --> 00:34:27.900 it's in here somewhere. 00:34:30.780 --> 00:34:31.720 Well, he said, 00:34:32.500 --> 00:34:34.300 we already secretly know 00:34:34.300 --> 00:34:35.320 that money 00:34:35.320 --> 00:34:36.400 can't give us 00:34:36.400 --> 00:34:37.440 everything that it promises 00:34:37.440 --> 00:34:37.980 to us. 00:34:37.980 --> 00:34:40.820 no amount of money 00:34:40.820 --> 00:34:41.659 has ever given us 00:34:41.659 --> 00:34:42.559 the same amount of joy 00:34:42.559 --> 00:34:43.119 that we had 00:34:43.119 --> 00:34:44.240 when we had pocket money 00:34:44.240 --> 00:34:44.960 at 12 years old. 00:34:47.139 --> 00:34:48.159 No amount of money 00:34:48.159 --> 00:34:48.820 has ever given us 00:34:48.820 --> 00:34:49.440 the amount of joy 00:34:49.440 --> 00:34:50.500 that we received 00:34:50.500 --> 00:34:51.360 when we got that first 00:34:51.360 --> 00:34:52.639 paycheck in folded cash 00:34:52.639 --> 00:34:53.300 after our first 00:34:53.300 --> 00:34:54.099 hard week of work. 00:34:55.679 --> 00:34:57.119 We're 10 times richer, 00:34:57.240 --> 00:34:57.659 but we're not 00:34:57.659 --> 00:34:58.480 10 times happier. 00:34:59.980 --> 00:35:00.740 And realistically, 00:35:00.920 --> 00:35:01.679 we don't believe 00:35:01.679 --> 00:35:03.440 that if we were 00:35:03.440 --> 00:35:04.360 a billion times richer, 00:35:04.360 --> 00:35:04.940 we would be 00:35:04.940 --> 00:35:05.940 a billion times happier. 00:35:07.340 --> 00:35:08.180 If you want to know 00:35:08.180 --> 00:35:08.820 what God thinks 00:35:08.820 --> 00:35:09.160 of money, 00:35:10.079 --> 00:35:11.000 look at the people 00:35:11.000 --> 00:35:11.519 he gives it to. 00:35:13.019 --> 00:35:13.539 Let's pray. 00:35:15.820 --> 00:35:16.180 Father, 00:35:16.240 --> 00:35:16.740 we thank you 00:35:16.740 --> 00:35:17.620 for your generosity 00:35:17.620 --> 00:35:18.140 to us. 00:35:18.220 --> 00:35:18.820 We thank you 00:35:18.820 --> 00:35:20.039 for the fact 00:35:20.039 --> 00:35:21.340 that you have loved us 00:35:21.340 --> 00:35:23.180 when we did not deserve it, 00:35:23.220 --> 00:35:24.140 that you have purchased 00:35:24.140 --> 00:35:24.840 our salvation 00:35:24.840 --> 00:35:26.200 entirely 00:35:26.200 --> 00:35:27.920 at a cost to you 00:35:27.920 --> 00:35:29.539 and completely 00:35:29.539 --> 00:35:30.820 freely for ourselves. 00:35:32.220 --> 00:35:33.079 We pray that we would 00:35:33.079 --> 00:35:34.059 recognize the call 00:35:34.059 --> 00:35:34.539 that we have 00:35:34.539 --> 00:35:35.639 to give our lives, 00:35:36.099 --> 00:35:37.039 our entire lives, 00:35:37.099 --> 00:35:37.400 to you. 00:35:38.740 --> 00:35:39.440 And that along 00:35:39.440 --> 00:35:40.000 with our lives, 00:35:40.059 --> 00:35:40.619 we would be generous 00:35:40.619 --> 00:35:41.139 with our money. 00:35:42.220 --> 00:35:42.960 We would not live 00:35:42.960 --> 00:35:43.659 in fear of what 00:35:43.659 --> 00:35:44.059 would happen 00:35:44.059 --> 00:35:44.720 if something happened 00:35:44.720 --> 00:35:45.579 to us after we were 00:35:45.579 --> 00:35:45.820 generous. 00:35:46.519 --> 00:35:47.320 That we would see 00:35:47.320 --> 00:35:47.920 the work you're doing 00:35:47.920 --> 00:35:48.260 in the world, 00:35:48.340 --> 00:35:48.940 that we would partner 00:35:48.940 --> 00:35:49.639 with you in that, 00:35:50.099 --> 00:35:50.800 and that you would 00:35:50.800 --> 00:35:51.559 use our generosity 00:35:51.559 --> 00:35:52.800 to transform the city 00:35:52.800 --> 00:35:53.500 of Hong Kong, 00:35:54.960 --> 00:35:56.200 the continent of Asia, 00:35:56.280 --> 00:35:57.180 and the entire world. 00:35:57.920 --> 00:35:59.119 And in Jesus' name, 00:35:59.380 --> 00:35:59.579 Amen.