WEBVTT

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 Well, good evening. Great to be here. Thanks for your invite. I was really excited that I was able to get out of Glasgow for work reasons, of course, as a minister tonight.

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 But just very exciting to actually be able to get in the car and use it after so long of being very, very local at home.

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 It's great to be back at Brunsfield to see some familiar faces, and I pray that God will bless us tonight.

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 Let me bring you some greetings just from the constituency of FIEC churches that I work for and represent across Scotland and beyond.

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 We've been trying to support churches over this strange time, over the last eight months, with some weekly webinars for church leaders across the UK,

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 trying to update them on the kind of various developments, but also just some of the challenges of leadership at a time like this.

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 And we've had a few separate Scottish webinars to update churches on particular guidance.

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 And I've been trying to send out some summary papers to pastors and others, which hopefully Graeme Shanks and others might have received here as well.

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 But God's work is going on, despite all the restrictions and limitations.

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 We're delighted that we welcomed into FIC family the new church plant out at South Queensferry, which I know you'll be very familiar with, Christ Church there.

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 The work in Aviemore is moving forward.

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 Of course, like everything else, it's been sort of strange and changed in many ways.

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 But it was great that Kenny Rogan and Leslie Rogan, the church planting family there, were able to buy a house in the town this summer.

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 That was a great prayer point for us.

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 And as Kenny said to me, he said, it's exactly where you would buy a house if you're looking at a map of Aviemore and wanted to plant a church.

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 So that's been a huge provision of God.

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 And we pray that will help them to make contacts and to get settled in the community.

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 And we've also been able this year to support revitalisation work in Mary Hill in Glasgow and a cross-cultural worker at Harper Church,

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 along with the just day-to-day and week-to-week kind of pastoral support and connecting of churches and ministries.

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 I just wanted to let you know that despite all the limitations, God is still at work, and I'm sure he is as well, in lots of ways.

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 Well, please do have your Bible open at that passage in 2 Corinthians chapter 8.

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 We'll probably flick over to chapter 9 as well, because both chapter 8 and 9 deal with the subject of giving.

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 You've been doing a topical series, I believe, and tonight's subject is we need to talk about giving.

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 So we're dealing with a taboo subject.

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 So maybe just as well as no children here tonight.

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 Indeed, it's a subject that the Times newspaper once called the last taboo in an article which was subtitled,

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 Why it's okay to talk about sex and death, but never salaries.

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 Or in other words, why talking about personal wealth is one of the last no-go areas in polite society.

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 It's a subject, of course, that we can feel uncomfortable about when we come to discussing it.

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 And to preach on the subject of giving, believe you me, feels like entering a bit of a potential minefield.

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 Listeners perhaps feel an edge waiting for the guilt trip or the high-pressure appeal.

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 Don't worry, there's not going to be one of those tonight.

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 And speakers feel anxious about looking self-interested and not least their own shortcomings.

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 And there are some good reasons why we might have that kind of discomfort as we come to a subject like this.

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 One of the great evils of the Western Church in recent decades has been the exporting of the prosperity gospel to Africa

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 and other parts of the developing world.

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 It's ministers on the God channels promising riches for those who just have enough faith.

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 It's a Christianity, of course, that ultimately produces guilt and, worst of all, disillusionment with Jesus.

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 And ministries, incidentally, that don't even believe their own theology.

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 They tell us that whatever you give, you will get back 10, 20, 30, 100-fold.

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 Which begs the question, why don't they just do that with their own money in the first place?

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 Get back that great increase and save us all the appeals.

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 As John Stott said, we have to have the courage to reject the health and wealth gospel.

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 Absolutely.

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 It's a false gospel.

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 So we're rightly cautious then to avoid any sense of a preoccupation with money.

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 But the other danger, of course, if we go to the other extreme,

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 is that we make money a kind of no-go area in church.

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 But money is a big issue in the world.

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 It's a big issue in our lives, let's face it.

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 It is a key component in everyday living.

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 So we would expect the Bible to have something to say about it.

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 And it does.

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 Lots, in fact.

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 Jesus talked five times as much, or rather the New Testament has five times as much teaching on money

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 as it does in the subject of prayer.

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 Jesus talked far more about money in his ministry than he did about sex.

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 So a church without regular teaching on money would be as negligent as a church who never taught about prayer.

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 So as we go into this subject, and we're going to just pick a few of the kind of main points out of these passages in 2 Corinthians tonight,

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 let's just clear the undergrowth a little bit and establish a few basic truths from the Bible.

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 And the first one is that the material world was created by God and is a gift to be enjoyed.

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 That means that having things and resources and being able to acquire things is legitimate.

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 Indeed, it is a blessing.

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 1 Timothy chapter 4 and verse 4.

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 For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving.

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 God, of course, blessed Israel with material things, good lands, crops, prosperity.

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 Heaven will be a real place.

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 There will be great plenty there to enjoy.

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 So there is nothing wrong with the appropriate possession and use and enjoyment of material things.

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 That's the first point.

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 The second point is that being rich is not wrong, neither is poor to be glorified.

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 There are many godly men and women in the Bible who were wealthy.

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 However, Abraham, Job, Philemon, contrastingly, the ungodly poor are never set up as role models.

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 As Andrew Boner Law very well put it,

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 far better a rich man seeking God than a poor man seeking riches.

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 But of course, wealth does, in a fallen world, present some real dangers to us.

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 It's one of the primary reasons that people turn away from God.

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 Wealth can easily create a self-reliance, a pride, a love of comfort that displaces God in people's lives.

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 And so we need to be wary of it and careful and cautious in our use of it and where our hearts go in relation to it.

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 But being rich in itself is not wrong, neither is poverty some great virtue in and of itself.

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 And then the third and final point as we go into this subject is that the New Testament sees financial giving as a barometer of spiritual health.

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 We saw something of that in the passage that was read to us by Ailey on the screen.

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 Paul writes,

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 I'm not commanding you in this area of giving, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others.

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 Paul is making a link there between their attitude to giving, their earnestness in giving,

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 and to the spiritual temperature, we might say, of their hearts.

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 Luke chapter 12 and verse 34 says,

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 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

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 That is, where your money goes tells you something about where your heart is.

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 That's the word of Jesus himself.

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 But not the order of that verse, which we'd had it on the screen,

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 but the order of the verse says, where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

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 And in closer reading, we might think, is that not a little bit back to front?

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 Shouldn't the order be, where your heart is, there your treasure will be also.

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 After all, surely our money will follow our hearts and not vice versa,

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 as seems to be what Jesus says in Luke chapter 12.

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 But of course, Jesus never fumbles his words.

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 And I think there is something very practical in this about the order that Jesus puts it in.

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 Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

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 That is, where we put our money will influence and shape our concerns.

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 That is, our hearts.

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 If I choose to give money to a mission in India, then guess what?

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 I'm likely to find I'm a lot more interested and concerned about mission in India

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 than I might otherwise have been.

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 If I give a gift to the youth group, you know what?

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 The youth group is probably likely to nudge its way up my prayer list

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 because I've suddenly got a bit of an investment in it.

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 You see, one of the ways that you can start to shape your heart around heavenly things

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 is by making the very cold and practical decision to put some of your cash into them.

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 Where your treasure is, your heart will be also.

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 Now, God isn't some heavenly sheriff of Nottingham.

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 He is not obsessed with your wallets or just taking your cash for its own sake.

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 God, of course, owns the cattle on a thousand hills.

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 And as somebody has said, he owns the hills as well.

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 He is the self-sufficient one.

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 Acts chapter 17.

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 He has no need of anything.

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 He's the one who has made and gives everything to everyone.

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 In 1 Corinthians, Paul asked the question,

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 what do you have that you did not receive?

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 It's a rhetorical question, of course, isn't it?

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 Because the answer is nothing.

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 We enter the world naked and one day we will leave everything behind.

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 So God isn't interested obsessively in some kind of unhealthy way about your bank balance,

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 but he is interested in your heart.

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 He's interested in the kind of people that you and I are.

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 You see, the world around us sees the accumulation of money and possessions

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 as the yardstick of measuring somebody's worth and significance and value and importance.

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 We know that, don't we?

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 We see that all the time.

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 If you've got cash, you will get attention and status and prestige.

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 If you're poor, nobody's that interested in what you think or who you are.

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 But Jesus calls in his people to have a very different set of values.

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 Now notice at the centre of the passage that we read in 2 Corinthians chapter 8,

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 right at the heart of it,

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 where Paul is encouraging and indeed expecting that Christians will give of themselves financially,

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 he traces it all back to the gospel itself.

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 chapter 8 and verse 9.

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 We know this verse so well, don't we?

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 It's a great verse to memorise.

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 Paul says,

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 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,

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 that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor,

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 so that you, through his poverty, might become rich.

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 Jesus gave up his riches unselfishly, generously, out of love for us.

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 Our God is the great giver,

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 giving up even his own son, that indescribable gift,

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 as he has described at the end of chapter 9, for our welfare.

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 Our saviour and Lord Jesus Christ gave up even his own life for your sake and mine.

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 Think of it this way.

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 Your life and my life, if we're Christians tonight,

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 were rescued and turned around because someone who was rich

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 gave up that wealth in order to intervene in our lives.

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 Isn't that amazing?

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 There we were in spiritual rags,

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 and the richest person in the universe gave away his money

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 that we might be showered with blessings

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 and raised up to heavenly places.

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 Paul says it is this gospel truth

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 that should shape and direct us in how we use our wealth.

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 How amazing to be able to give away the resources,

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 the finance that we have,

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 so that other people might have their lives transformed.

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 That is the privilege and the purpose,

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 the prize of the money that you and I give to gospel work.

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 People hear the gospel.

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 They see the love of Christ in action,

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 and through that investment,

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 by the grace of God,

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 they too can move from spiritual ruin

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 to spiritual riches.

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 You see, when you give,

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 you are living out the gospel.

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 So if we think of Christian giving

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 as just another unwelcome tax,

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 if giving becomes a reluctant duty,

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 as Paul describes it in chapter 9,

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 verse 7,

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 something which is done kind of grudgingly

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 under some kind of compulsion,

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 if it's resented,

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 then we have totally lost sight of the gospel.

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 That's why Christian giving

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 isn't based on legalistic commands.

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 That's why Paul says there in verse 8,

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 I'm not commanding you.

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 This isn't something that you're going to be

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 dragged kicking and screaming to do.

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 But if you get the gospel,

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 if you get verse 9,

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 if you understand how God has used his riches

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 to transform your life,

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 then all of a sudden,

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 giving becomes something which is a privilege

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 and a joy and a blessing

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 to be invited to do.

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 Now, in 2 Corinthians,

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 Paul writes to encourage

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 and advise Christians

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 about their financial giving.

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 And in the instance of chapter 8

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 and chapter 9,

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 it was organizing a gift

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 to help struggling Christians elsewhere,

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 poor churches back in Judea.

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 But we also know from Corinthians

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 that Paul expected

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 that Christians would give financially

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 for other causes too,

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 such as the support of gospel workers.

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 that it was right

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 that appropriately gifted

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 and godly people

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 could be set aside

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 for gospel work

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 and paid for

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 by those they served

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 for the work that they did.

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 That is a good biblical principle.

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 Well, very practically,

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 just in the time that we have,

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 let me just highlight

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 three practical points

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 about giving

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 from these verses.

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 So very briefly then.

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 Firstly,

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 plan your giving.

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 Plan your giving.

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 Be organized.

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 Chapter 9, verse 4,

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 Paul says to them,

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 he says,

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 For if any Macedonians

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 come with me

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 and find you unprepared

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 in this matter

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 of organizing a gift,

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 we, not to say anything about you,

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 would be ashamed

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 of having been so confident.

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 So I thought it necessary

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 to urge the brothers

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 to visit you in advance

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 and finish the arrangements

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 for the generous gift

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 you have promised.

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 You see, Paul is saying,

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 you know,

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 get organized in this area.

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 You know,

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 do a bit of preparation.

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 You know,

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 plan ahead here

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 so it's not just

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 a complete disaster

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 or kind of muddle

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 when the time comes

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 to collect this money.

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 Because the fact is,

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 as you and I well know,

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 that if our giving isn't planned,

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 it probably won't amount

00:18:34.399 --> 00:18:35.619
 to that much.

00:18:36.839 --> 00:18:37.159
 You know,

00:18:37.159 --> 00:18:38.599
 a kind of piecemeal approach

00:18:38.599 --> 00:18:40.319
 of what have I got on me

00:18:40.319 --> 00:18:41.279
 on a Sunday morning?

00:18:41.879 --> 00:18:42.079
 Well,

00:18:42.579 --> 00:18:43.819
 it's not going to deliver much,

00:18:43.859 --> 00:18:44.359
 is it really?

00:18:44.819 --> 00:18:45.439
 Never good.

00:18:46.059 --> 00:18:46.480
 Or,

00:18:46.819 --> 00:18:47.199
 just, well,

00:18:47.259 --> 00:18:47.939
 what's left over

00:18:47.939 --> 00:18:48.799
 at the end of the month?

00:18:48.799 --> 00:18:49.440
 Well,

00:18:49.440 --> 00:18:50.099
 that's probably not going

00:18:50.099 --> 00:18:50.680
 to be very much,

00:18:50.759 --> 00:18:51.019
 is it?

00:18:52.519 --> 00:18:53.859
 That kind of approach

00:18:53.859 --> 00:18:54.379
 to giving,

00:18:54.639 --> 00:18:55.680
 kind of haphazard,

00:18:55.839 --> 00:18:56.519
 last minute,

00:18:56.879 --> 00:18:57.200
 you know,

00:18:57.440 --> 00:18:58.339
 end of the list,

00:18:58.680 --> 00:18:59.339
 is not,

00:18:59.460 --> 00:19:00.059
 verse 7,

00:19:00.259 --> 00:19:01.500
 to excel

00:19:01.500 --> 00:19:02.879
 in this grace

00:19:02.879 --> 00:19:03.299
 of giving,

00:19:03.379 --> 00:19:03.659
 is it?

00:19:04.779 --> 00:19:05.279
 That's why,

00:19:05.359 --> 00:19:05.859
 let me say,

00:19:06.000 --> 00:19:06.579
 practically,

00:19:06.819 --> 00:19:07.859
 a standing order

00:19:07.859 --> 00:19:09.619
 is really good.

00:19:10.519 --> 00:19:11.759
 It prioritizes

00:19:11.759 --> 00:19:12.599
 your giving.

00:19:13.359 --> 00:19:14.399
 Verse 5,

00:19:14.680 --> 00:19:15.559
 it kind of makes

00:19:15.559 --> 00:19:16.519
 that statement

00:19:16.519 --> 00:19:17.819
 that giving

00:19:17.819 --> 00:19:19.379
 for gospel work

00:19:19.379 --> 00:19:21.059
 is your first priority

00:19:21.059 --> 00:19:22.440
 or one of your first priorities.

00:19:22.619 --> 00:19:23.200
 It's first

00:19:23.200 --> 00:19:24.460
 to the Lord

00:19:24.460 --> 00:19:26.160
 there in verse 5.

00:19:26.720 --> 00:19:27.400
 To get that,

00:19:27.460 --> 00:19:28.099
 it doesn't have to be

00:19:28.099 --> 00:19:29.019
 everything you give,

00:19:29.400 --> 00:19:30.039
 but it might just be

00:19:30.039 --> 00:19:31.099
 that base amount

00:19:31.099 --> 00:19:31.680
 that you know

00:19:31.680 --> 00:19:33.180
 is regularly established

00:19:33.180 --> 00:19:34.539
 and will go out

00:19:34.539 --> 00:19:35.519
 come what may.

00:19:36.279 --> 00:19:36.660
 Likewise,

00:19:36.859 --> 00:19:37.519
 let me just say,

00:19:37.639 --> 00:19:39.059
 signing the gift aid form.

00:19:39.619 --> 00:19:39.980
 Please,

00:19:40.059 --> 00:19:40.839
 if you're a taxpayer,

00:19:41.079 --> 00:19:41.559
 do that

00:19:41.559 --> 00:19:42.619
 for your Christian giving.

00:19:43.159 --> 00:19:43.819
 It's not getting

00:19:43.819 --> 00:19:45.339
 a gift from the government,

00:19:45.579 --> 00:19:46.500
 it's just getting

00:19:46.500 --> 00:19:47.639
 some of your own money

00:19:47.639 --> 00:19:48.239
 back

00:19:48.239 --> 00:19:49.779
 that can then be used

00:19:49.779 --> 00:19:51.259
 for gospel work.

00:19:52.619 --> 00:19:53.779
 So plan your giving,

00:19:53.899 --> 00:19:54.659
 be organized.

00:19:55.000 --> 00:19:56.019
 Maybe that's the one

00:19:56.019 --> 00:19:57.199
 take-home thing

00:19:57.199 --> 00:19:58.199
 that somebody needs

00:19:58.199 --> 00:19:59.759
 to take away tonight

00:19:59.759 --> 00:20:00.759
 or somebody

00:20:00.759 --> 00:20:01.639
 who's watching this

00:20:01.639 --> 00:20:02.299
 online

00:20:02.299 --> 00:20:03.359
 is simply

00:20:03.359 --> 00:20:04.199
 to get onto

00:20:04.199 --> 00:20:05.619
 their laptop

00:20:05.619 --> 00:20:06.419
 later on

00:20:06.419 --> 00:20:06.939
 or tomorrow

00:20:06.939 --> 00:20:07.759
 and to set up

00:20:07.759 --> 00:20:08.579
 a standing order.

00:20:09.199 --> 00:20:09.579
 That would be

00:20:09.579 --> 00:20:10.419
 a great outcome

00:20:10.419 --> 00:20:11.059
 from this

00:20:11.059 --> 00:20:12.479
 in this area.

00:20:12.619 --> 00:20:14.319
 As simple as that.

00:20:15.299 --> 00:20:16.199
 But secondly,

00:20:16.799 --> 00:20:18.059
 let me say,

00:20:18.659 --> 00:20:19.839
 stretch yourself

00:20:19.839 --> 00:20:21.000
 in giving.

00:20:21.759 --> 00:20:22.439
 You see that

00:20:22.439 --> 00:20:23.899
 in verse 3.

00:20:24.679 --> 00:20:25.679
 He writes of these

00:20:25.679 --> 00:20:26.619
 Christians,

00:20:26.739 --> 00:20:27.739
 the Macedonian Christians,

00:20:27.859 --> 00:20:28.559
 for I testify

00:20:28.559 --> 00:20:29.319
 that they gave

00:20:29.319 --> 00:20:30.500
 as much as they were able

00:20:30.500 --> 00:20:31.979
 and even beyond

00:20:31.979 --> 00:20:34.000
 their ability.

00:20:35.839 --> 00:20:36.599
 Our culture

00:20:36.599 --> 00:20:37.839
 is often one of

00:20:37.839 --> 00:20:39.859
 great self-indulgence,

00:20:39.959 --> 00:20:40.399
 isn't it?

00:20:40.400 --> 00:20:43.080
 I'm worth it.

00:20:43.880 --> 00:20:44.640
 Me time.

00:20:45.360 --> 00:20:46.300
 It's 5 o'clock

00:20:46.300 --> 00:20:46.680
 somewhere.

00:20:47.720 --> 00:20:48.519
 I see that

00:20:48.519 --> 00:20:49.600
 in Facebook sometimes.

00:20:49.759 --> 00:20:49.840
 You know,

00:20:49.880 --> 00:20:50.720
 somebody puts a Facebook

00:20:50.720 --> 00:20:51.380
 post on,

00:20:51.500 --> 00:20:51.960
 you have stacked

00:20:51.960 --> 00:20:52.620
 the dishwasher,

00:20:53.120 --> 00:20:53.880
 time to open

00:20:53.880 --> 00:20:54.259
 the wine

00:20:54.259 --> 00:20:55.080
 and to chill out.

00:20:55.620 --> 00:20:55.980
 Wow,

00:20:56.180 --> 00:20:56.920
 that's quite

00:20:56.920 --> 00:20:58.000
 an undertaking,

00:20:58.180 --> 00:20:58.480
 isn't it?

00:20:58.480 --> 00:21:00.180
 we're very quick

00:21:00.180 --> 00:21:00.940
 to justify

00:21:00.940 --> 00:21:01.579
 ourselves

00:21:01.579 --> 00:21:02.420
 with all sorts

00:21:02.420 --> 00:21:03.259
 of luxuries

00:21:03.259 --> 00:21:03.900
 and treats.

00:21:04.000 --> 00:21:04.480
 And there's nothing

00:21:04.480 --> 00:21:05.240
 wrong with some

00:21:05.240 --> 00:21:06.360
 luxuries and treats

00:21:06.360 --> 00:21:07.460
 in life,

00:21:07.480 --> 00:21:08.299
 but we have to keep

00:21:08.299 --> 00:21:09.799
 that in perspective,

00:21:09.799 --> 00:21:10.440
 don't we?

00:21:11.519 --> 00:21:12.120
 Because you see,

00:21:12.180 --> 00:21:13.160
 there's a real sense

00:21:13.160 --> 00:21:13.779
 in the Bible

00:21:13.779 --> 00:21:15.759
 that this life,

00:21:16.599 --> 00:21:17.860
 this side of heaven

00:21:17.860 --> 00:21:19.480
 is wartime

00:21:19.480 --> 00:21:20.799
 for the Christian,

00:21:21.440 --> 00:21:22.299
 for the spiritual

00:21:22.299 --> 00:21:23.240
 battle that we're

00:21:23.240 --> 00:21:24.000
 engaged in.

00:21:24.799 --> 00:21:26.220
 There is so much need,

00:21:26.779 --> 00:21:28.380
 so much gospel work

00:21:28.380 --> 00:21:30.099
 needing resourced.

00:21:30.519 --> 00:21:31.720
 We live in a world

00:21:31.720 --> 00:21:32.839
 heading for judgment,

00:21:33.099 --> 00:21:34.220
 the clock is ticking,

00:21:34.680 --> 00:21:35.640
 and everywhere

00:21:35.640 --> 00:21:36.720
 Christian work

00:21:36.720 --> 00:21:38.079
 is cash-strapped.

00:21:40.119 --> 00:21:42.420
 The writer Craig Blomberg

00:21:42.420 --> 00:21:44.559
 in his book on giving

00:21:44.559 --> 00:21:45.440
 neither poverty

00:21:45.440 --> 00:21:46.140
 nor riches

00:21:46.140 --> 00:21:48.140
 quotes a survey

00:21:48.140 --> 00:21:48.819
 that was done

00:21:48.819 --> 00:21:49.660
 of Christians

00:21:49.660 --> 00:21:51.059
 in the United States

00:21:51.059 --> 00:21:52.240
 and Christians

00:21:52.240 --> 00:21:53.000
 were asked

00:21:53.000 --> 00:21:54.400
 if they knew

00:21:54.400 --> 00:21:55.900
 that their income

00:21:55.900 --> 00:21:56.700
 next year

00:21:56.700 --> 00:21:58.460
 would be 10% less

00:21:58.460 --> 00:22:00.019
 than it was this year,

00:22:00.519 --> 00:22:01.880
 where would they cut back

00:22:01.880 --> 00:22:03.559
 in terms of outgoings

00:22:03.559 --> 00:22:04.519
 and their finances?

00:22:05.220 --> 00:22:06.500
 And the number one answer,

00:22:06.640 --> 00:22:07.440
 and I appreciate this

00:22:07.440 --> 00:22:08.599
 is the United States,

00:22:09.220 --> 00:22:10.380
 but the number one answer

00:22:10.380 --> 00:22:11.460
 was they would

00:22:11.460 --> 00:22:12.559
 eat out less.

00:22:14.259 --> 00:22:15.160
 Well, why not

00:22:15.160 --> 00:22:16.900
 miss one of those meals now?

00:22:17.660 --> 00:22:18.480
 Not all of them,

00:22:18.960 --> 00:22:20.700
 but maybe one or two now,

00:22:21.380 --> 00:22:22.519
 and give the money

00:22:22.519 --> 00:22:24.400
 to a Christian cause,

00:22:24.839 --> 00:22:26.000
 to Christian ministry.

00:22:27.220 --> 00:22:28.319
 I think there's lots

00:22:28.319 --> 00:22:29.759
 of examples of my own life,

00:22:29.799 --> 00:22:30.819
 and I'm not standing here

00:22:30.819 --> 00:22:31.859
 as some great guru

00:22:31.859 --> 00:22:33.039
 in the subject of giving.

00:22:33.420 --> 00:22:34.619
 There are lots of examples

00:22:34.619 --> 00:22:35.220
 in my own life

00:22:35.220 --> 00:22:36.000
 where I could be

00:22:36.000 --> 00:22:37.220
 a little bit more modest

00:22:37.220 --> 00:22:41.440
 and use the savings

00:22:41.440 --> 00:22:43.200
 to invest in gospel work

00:22:43.200 --> 00:22:44.740
 that will last for eternity.

00:22:44.740 --> 00:22:47.620
 So stretch yourself.

00:22:49.559 --> 00:22:50.039
 Thirdly,

00:22:50.240 --> 00:22:51.720
 give spontaneously.

00:22:53.019 --> 00:22:53.700
 It's great to have

00:22:53.700 --> 00:22:54.519
 a standing order.

00:22:55.079 --> 00:22:55.720
 I want to just

00:22:55.720 --> 00:22:57.220
 underline that point.

00:22:58.019 --> 00:22:59.000
 It's very sensible.

00:22:59.220 --> 00:23:00.059
 It's very helpful.

00:23:00.299 --> 00:23:00.940
 The church

00:23:00.940 --> 00:23:02.259
 or Christian ministry

00:23:02.259 --> 00:23:03.220
 can then plan

00:23:03.220 --> 00:23:03.759
 on the basis

00:23:03.759 --> 00:23:05.559
 of a stable income.

00:23:06.720 --> 00:23:07.819
 But there are times,

00:23:07.940 --> 00:23:08.240
 of course,

00:23:08.299 --> 00:23:08.859
 when we can make

00:23:08.859 --> 00:23:10.880
 that extra special gift,

00:23:10.940 --> 00:23:11.380
 isn't there?

00:23:11.380 --> 00:23:13.800
 Maybe we have a windfall

00:23:13.800 --> 00:23:15.520
 or some savings

00:23:15.520 --> 00:23:16.440
 come to fruition.

00:23:17.480 --> 00:23:18.380
 And before we just

00:23:18.380 --> 00:23:19.160
 splurge it

00:23:19.160 --> 00:23:20.860
 on some big extra treat,

00:23:21.660 --> 00:23:22.740
 just think about

00:23:22.740 --> 00:23:23.660
 who could be helped

00:23:23.660 --> 00:23:24.700
 by that gift

00:23:24.700 --> 00:23:25.800
 or perhaps a share

00:23:25.800 --> 00:23:27.100
 of that gift.

00:23:27.600 --> 00:23:28.380
 The missionary

00:23:28.380 --> 00:23:29.740
 who needs a new car.

00:23:30.680 --> 00:23:31.420
 The ministry

00:23:31.420 --> 00:23:32.000
 that needs

00:23:32.000 --> 00:23:33.160
 a new data projector.

00:23:34.040 --> 00:23:34.840
 The repair

00:23:34.840 --> 00:23:35.600
 in the church

00:23:35.600 --> 00:23:37.260
 that never has

00:23:37.260 --> 00:23:38.120
 been able

00:23:38.120 --> 00:23:38.820
 to get done.

00:23:38.819 --> 00:23:40.839
 And let me say

00:23:40.839 --> 00:23:41.399
 that in those

00:23:41.399 --> 00:23:42.439
 kind of spontaneous

00:23:42.439 --> 00:23:44.439
 extra gifts,

00:23:45.339 --> 00:23:46.200
 there is something

00:23:46.200 --> 00:23:47.200
 very liberating,

00:23:47.359 --> 00:23:48.179
 something particularly

00:23:48.179 --> 00:23:50.200
 joyful about them.

00:23:50.619 --> 00:23:51.460
 Those are the gifts,

00:23:51.579 --> 00:23:51.859
 I think,

00:23:51.919 --> 00:23:52.799
 when we really learn

00:23:52.799 --> 00:23:53.359
 the truth

00:23:53.359 --> 00:23:55.159
 of that old saying,

00:23:55.720 --> 00:23:56.500
 giving will never

00:23:56.500 --> 00:23:57.460
 impoverish you

00:23:57.460 --> 00:23:59.259
 nor withholding

00:23:59.259 --> 00:24:00.000
 enrich you.

00:24:00.299 --> 00:24:00.679
 Or,

00:24:01.000 --> 00:24:02.220
 as Paul puts it

00:24:02.220 --> 00:24:03.740
 in verse 15,

00:24:04.659 --> 00:24:05.779
 the one who gathered

00:24:05.779 --> 00:24:07.000
 much did not

00:24:07.000 --> 00:24:07.799
 have too much

00:24:07.799 --> 00:24:08.319
 and the one

00:24:08.319 --> 00:24:08.819
 who gathered

00:24:08.819 --> 00:24:09.220
 little

00:24:09.220 --> 00:24:10.299
 did not

00:24:10.299 --> 00:24:11.419
 have too

00:24:11.419 --> 00:24:12.339
 little.

00:24:14.299 --> 00:24:14.819
 Now,

00:24:14.879 --> 00:24:15.879
 giving generously

00:24:15.879 --> 00:24:17.079
 and sacrificially,

00:24:17.159 --> 00:24:17.879
 this is an important

00:24:17.879 --> 00:24:19.619
 qualification to the above,

00:24:20.099 --> 00:24:21.059
 is not about,

00:24:21.240 --> 00:24:21.460
 however,

00:24:21.639 --> 00:24:22.940
 giving irresponsibly

00:24:22.940 --> 00:24:23.759
 or recklessly.

00:24:24.639 --> 00:24:25.919
 We have to live

00:24:25.919 --> 00:24:26.919
 within our means.

00:24:27.460 --> 00:24:28.019
 You see that

00:24:28.019 --> 00:24:28.919
 in verse 12

00:24:28.919 --> 00:24:30.099
 of chapter 8.

00:24:30.559 --> 00:24:31.440
 He talks about

00:24:31.440 --> 00:24:31.639
 there,

00:24:31.700 --> 00:24:32.659
 the end of verse 11.

00:24:33.119 --> 00:24:33.240
 Now,

00:24:33.379 --> 00:24:34.119
 finish the work

00:24:34.119 --> 00:24:35.240
 so that your eagerness,

00:24:35.240 --> 00:24:36.640
 so that your eager

00:24:36.640 --> 00:24:37.680
 willingness to do it

00:24:37.680 --> 00:24:38.259
 may be matched

00:24:38.259 --> 00:24:39.160
 by your completion

00:24:39.160 --> 00:24:40.200
 of it

00:24:40.200 --> 00:24:41.599
 according to

00:24:41.599 --> 00:24:42.420
 your means.

00:24:43.079 --> 00:24:43.819
 For if the willingness

00:24:43.819 --> 00:24:44.420
 is there,

00:24:44.500 --> 00:24:45.559
 the gift is acceptable

00:24:45.559 --> 00:24:46.620
 according to what

00:24:46.620 --> 00:24:47.500
 one has,

00:24:47.859 --> 00:24:49.120
 not according to

00:24:49.120 --> 00:24:49.700
 what one

00:24:49.700 --> 00:24:51.420
 does not have.

00:24:52.240 --> 00:24:53.079
 That means

00:24:53.079 --> 00:24:54.200
 that we should

00:24:54.200 --> 00:24:55.380
 never get into debt

00:24:55.380 --> 00:24:56.720
 in order to give.

00:24:57.339 --> 00:24:57.859
 And we should

00:24:57.859 --> 00:24:58.980
 never neglect

00:24:58.980 --> 00:25:00.460
 our primary commitments

00:25:00.460 --> 00:25:01.920
 in order to give.

00:25:01.920 --> 00:25:02.420
 Our children

00:25:02.420 --> 00:25:02.920
 should never

00:25:02.920 --> 00:25:03.519
 go hungry,

00:25:03.960 --> 00:25:04.779
 put it that way,

00:25:05.080 --> 00:25:05.840
 because we're giving

00:25:05.840 --> 00:25:06.980
 to some other

00:25:06.980 --> 00:25:08.320
 Christian mission.

00:25:09.360 --> 00:25:10.360
 But all of this

00:25:10.360 --> 00:25:11.279
 in proportion

00:25:11.279 --> 00:25:12.360
 to our wealth

00:25:12.360 --> 00:25:13.380
 and our income

00:25:13.380 --> 00:25:14.860
 can give something,

00:25:15.480 --> 00:25:16.340
 even if it's just

00:25:16.340 --> 00:25:17.820
 the widow's mite.

00:25:18.840 --> 00:25:19.840
 In the Old Testament,

00:25:20.160 --> 00:25:21.100
 the Israelites

00:25:21.100 --> 00:25:22.100
 were commanded

00:25:22.100 --> 00:25:23.759
 to give 10%

00:25:23.759 --> 00:25:24.960
 of their income

00:25:24.960 --> 00:25:26.080
 to God.

00:25:26.320 --> 00:25:27.800
 That was to the

00:25:27.800 --> 00:25:28.460
 temple

00:25:28.460 --> 00:25:29.300
 and the priests

00:25:29.300 --> 00:25:30.300
 and all the things

00:25:30.299 --> 00:25:31.339
 that were needed

00:25:31.339 --> 00:25:32.059
 to resource

00:25:32.059 --> 00:25:32.879
 God's worship

00:25:32.879 --> 00:25:33.579
 and work

00:25:33.579 --> 00:25:34.659
 in the world.

00:25:35.279 --> 00:25:35.960
 Now there is no

00:25:35.960 --> 00:25:37.019
 such legalistic

00:25:37.019 --> 00:25:37.639
 commandment

00:25:37.639 --> 00:25:38.319
 as we've already

00:25:38.319 --> 00:25:40.039
 noted for Christians.

00:25:40.759 --> 00:25:41.599
 But many Christians

00:25:41.599 --> 00:25:42.099
 have nonetheless

00:25:42.099 --> 00:25:43.539
 found it quite a good

00:25:43.539 --> 00:25:44.839
 guide for giving.

00:25:45.659 --> 00:25:46.460
 Indeed, if anything,

00:25:46.599 --> 00:25:47.279
 we are so much

00:25:47.279 --> 00:25:48.019
 more blessed

00:25:48.019 --> 00:25:48.879
 as Christians,

00:25:49.119 --> 00:25:50.240
 so much more aware

00:25:50.240 --> 00:25:51.419
 of God's goodness

00:25:51.419 --> 00:25:52.980
 that it would be

00:25:52.980 --> 00:25:54.319
 strange in one sense

00:25:54.319 --> 00:25:54.960
 to want to be

00:25:54.960 --> 00:25:55.839
 less generous

00:25:55.839 --> 00:25:57.200
 than an Old Testament

00:25:57.200 --> 00:25:57.919
 Israelite

00:25:57.919 --> 00:25:59.279
 was asked to be.

00:25:59.279 --> 00:26:00.700
 That, of course,

00:26:00.759 --> 00:26:01.399
 is very much

00:26:01.399 --> 00:26:02.779
 for your conscience

00:26:02.779 --> 00:26:04.059
 and your heart.

00:26:05.019 --> 00:26:05.480
 Of course,

00:26:05.539 --> 00:26:06.319
 not everything

00:26:06.319 --> 00:26:07.480
 that you might

00:26:07.480 --> 00:26:08.399
 give financially

00:26:08.399 --> 00:26:10.240
 to the Lord's work

00:26:10.240 --> 00:26:11.019
 might just go

00:26:11.019 --> 00:26:12.059
 to one particular

00:26:12.059 --> 00:26:12.539
 ministry

00:26:12.539 --> 00:26:13.579
 or one particular

00:26:13.579 --> 00:26:14.220
 place.

00:26:14.680 --> 00:26:15.879
 You might give

00:26:15.879 --> 00:26:17.240
 directly to support

00:26:17.240 --> 00:26:17.940
 a particular

00:26:17.940 --> 00:26:19.099
 Christian organisation

00:26:19.099 --> 00:26:20.019
 that you have

00:26:20.019 --> 00:26:20.819
 a heart for

00:26:20.819 --> 00:26:22.160
 or an interest in

00:26:22.160 --> 00:26:22.639
 or a particular

00:26:22.639 --> 00:26:23.160
 missionary

00:26:23.160 --> 00:26:23.819
 that you have

00:26:23.819 --> 00:26:25.460
 a relationship to.

00:26:26.059 --> 00:26:26.740
 That's good

00:26:26.740 --> 00:26:27.359
 and fine.

00:26:27.359 --> 00:26:29.339
 But let me

00:26:29.339 --> 00:26:30.079
 encourage you

00:26:30.079 --> 00:26:30.500
 just as we

00:26:30.500 --> 00:26:31.519
 come to the end

00:26:31.519 --> 00:26:33.500
 to make the

00:26:33.500 --> 00:26:34.500
 local church

00:26:34.500 --> 00:26:35.500
 a priority

00:26:35.500 --> 00:26:37.279
 for your giving.

00:26:38.859 --> 00:26:39.679
 Make that

00:26:39.679 --> 00:26:40.359
 the heart

00:26:40.359 --> 00:26:41.399
 of your giving

00:26:41.399 --> 00:26:43.619
 for the simple

00:26:43.619 --> 00:26:44.159
 reason

00:26:44.159 --> 00:26:45.519
 that the local

00:26:45.519 --> 00:26:46.279
 church will

00:26:46.279 --> 00:26:47.740
 only be supported

00:26:47.740 --> 00:26:49.059
 by its members.

00:26:49.059 --> 00:26:51.259
 The world

00:26:51.259 --> 00:26:51.980
 will help

00:26:51.980 --> 00:26:52.960
 fund many

00:26:52.960 --> 00:26:53.940
 good charitable

00:26:53.940 --> 00:26:54.599
 causes

00:26:54.599 --> 00:26:56.679
 but it won't

00:26:56.679 --> 00:26:57.359
 fund the local

00:26:57.359 --> 00:26:57.779
 church.

00:26:57.940 --> 00:26:58.619
 It won't fund

00:26:58.619 --> 00:26:59.200
 the gospel.

00:26:59.519 --> 00:27:00.460
 Only Christians

00:27:00.460 --> 00:27:01.319
 will do that.

00:27:02.599 --> 00:27:04.240
 We can't expect

00:27:04.240 --> 00:27:05.179
 local churches

00:27:05.179 --> 00:27:06.799
 elsewhere to fund

00:27:06.799 --> 00:27:08.019
 what we could

00:27:08.019 --> 00:27:08.879
 pay for

00:27:08.879 --> 00:27:09.819
 here.

00:27:11.099 --> 00:27:12.019
 Greenview,

00:27:12.240 --> 00:27:13.139
 my home church,

00:27:13.480 --> 00:27:14.779
 is my primary

00:27:14.779 --> 00:27:15.519
 responsibility

00:27:15.519 --> 00:27:16.480
 when it comes

00:27:16.480 --> 00:27:17.299
 to my giving

00:27:17.299 --> 00:27:18.279
 along with

00:27:18.279 --> 00:27:18.519
 the other

00:27:18.519 --> 00:27:19.240
 members there.

00:27:21.680 --> 00:27:22.919
 Let me finish

00:27:22.919 --> 00:27:24.039
 by quoting

00:27:24.039 --> 00:27:25.079
 a great

00:27:25.079 --> 00:27:25.899
 Christian author

00:27:25.899 --> 00:27:26.500
 of the last

00:27:26.500 --> 00:27:27.099
 century,

00:27:27.740 --> 00:27:28.779
 A.W. Tozer.

00:27:29.940 --> 00:27:30.319
 And we'll

00:27:30.319 --> 00:27:31.460
 close with this

00:27:31.460 --> 00:27:31.980
 and just the

00:27:31.980 --> 00:27:33.119
 final verse

00:27:33.119 --> 00:27:34.279
 from verse

00:27:34.279 --> 00:27:34.919
 7 of the

00:27:34.919 --> 00:27:35.500
 passage.

00:27:36.440 --> 00:27:37.240
 Tozer says

00:27:37.240 --> 00:27:37.700
 this,

00:27:38.740 --> 00:27:40.099
 As base

00:27:40.099 --> 00:27:40.599
 a thing

00:27:40.599 --> 00:27:41.259
 as money

00:27:41.259 --> 00:27:42.279
 often is,

00:27:43.159 --> 00:27:43.720
 yet it can

00:27:43.720 --> 00:27:44.619
 be transmuted

00:27:44.619 --> 00:27:46.079
 into everlasting

00:27:46.079 --> 00:27:46.740
 treasure.

00:27:47.299 --> 00:27:48.319
 It can be

00:27:48.319 --> 00:27:49.259
 converted into

00:27:49.259 --> 00:27:50.039
 food for the

00:27:50.039 --> 00:27:50.899
 hungry and

00:27:50.899 --> 00:27:51.779
 clothing for the

00:27:51.779 --> 00:27:52.079
 poor.

00:27:52.839 --> 00:27:53.859
 It can keep a

00:27:53.859 --> 00:27:54.980
 missionary actively

00:27:54.980 --> 00:27:56.259
 winning lost men

00:27:56.259 --> 00:27:57.059
 to the light of

00:27:57.059 --> 00:27:58.460
 the gospel and

00:27:58.460 --> 00:27:59.460
 thus transmute

00:27:59.460 --> 00:28:00.379
 itself into

00:28:00.379 --> 00:28:01.619
 heavenly values.

00:28:02.879 --> 00:28:03.980
 Any temporal

00:28:03.980 --> 00:28:05.139
 possession can be

00:28:05.139 --> 00:28:06.059
 turned into

00:28:06.059 --> 00:28:07.639
 everlasting wealth.

00:28:08.779 --> 00:28:09.799
 Whatever is

00:28:09.799 --> 00:28:10.440
 given to

00:28:10.440 --> 00:28:11.700
 Christ is

00:28:11.700 --> 00:28:12.460
 immediately

00:28:12.460 --> 00:28:13.879
 touched with

00:28:13.879 --> 00:28:14.899
 immortality.

00:28:14.900 --> 00:28:21.380
 faith in

00:28:21.380 --> 00:28:22.320
 faith, in

00:28:22.320 --> 00:28:23.180
 speech, in

00:28:23.180 --> 00:28:24.040
 knowledge, in

00:28:24.040 --> 00:28:25.259
 all earnestness

00:28:25.259 --> 00:28:25.900
 and in our

00:28:25.900 --> 00:28:26.860
 love for you.

00:28:27.920 --> 00:28:29.100
 See that you

00:28:29.100 --> 00:28:30.960
 excel in this

00:28:30.960 --> 00:28:32.060
 act of grace

00:28:32.060 --> 00:28:33.259
 also.

00:28:33.880 --> 00:28:34.700
 And may God

00:28:34.700 --> 00:28:35.240
 bless these

00:28:35.240 --> 00:28:36.580
 thoughts from

00:28:36.580 --> 00:28:37.100
 his words.

00:28:37.099 --> 00:28:39.399
 to

00:28:39.399 --> 00:28:42.179
 wie

00:28:42.179 --> 00:28:42.299
 you

00:28:42.299 --> 00:28:42.639
 can

00:28:42.759 --> 00:28:55.699
 see that

00:28:55.699 --> 00:29:01.059
 here's a