WEBVTT 00:00:00.440 --> 00:00:07.919 Father, once again, as we continue to be in your presence, we acknowledge that we are 00:00:07.919 --> 00:00:15.419 way better at seeing sins in other people's lives than recognizing very obvious sins in 00:00:15.419 --> 00:00:16.019 our own lives. 00:00:16.879 --> 00:00:24.620 And we confess before you, Father, that often we think we're smarter than your word, and 00:00:24.620 --> 00:00:31.140 it never dawns on us, Father, that actually your word is very wise and that our problems 00:00:31.140 --> 00:00:34.899 with it is its deep truthfulness and reality and wisdom. 00:00:35.700 --> 00:00:40.760 So, Father, we ask that the Holy Spirit would do a gentle but powerful work in our lives 00:00:40.760 --> 00:00:46.260 this morning, that you would so tune our hearts and open our hearts that we might be responsive 00:00:46.260 --> 00:00:49.960 and open to what you want to teach us through your word. 00:00:49.960 --> 00:00:54.620 And so, Father, we ask these things in the name of Jesus, your Son and our Savior. 00:00:55.100 --> 00:00:55.399 Amen. 00:00:55.840 --> 00:00:56.579 Please be seated. 00:00:59.859 --> 00:01:05.319 You're supposed to begin a sermon with something catchy to get your attention, and that's very 00:01:05.319 --> 00:01:07.480 easy this morning because I'm going to talk about money. 00:01:10.079 --> 00:01:13.799 And just if you're wondering why I'm going to talk about money, it's not because I was 00:01:13.799 --> 00:01:18.040 looking at the church finances and I thought it was time for me to give you a talk on that. 00:01:18.040 --> 00:01:22.300 It's not because I'd like a raise, although I'm not opposed to a raise. 00:01:23.100 --> 00:01:24.640 It has nothing to do with this. 00:01:24.880 --> 00:01:29.100 One of the things we do at Church of the Messiah is that it is our hope and belief, our hope 00:01:29.100 --> 00:01:34.240 that God's word will set the agenda for the sermon, and that really all I'm supposed to 00:01:34.240 --> 00:01:38.380 do is just try to make clear to you as God's herald what God's word says. 00:01:39.160 --> 00:01:43.020 And the Bible, we preach through books of the Bible, which is how, you know, the Bible is 00:01:43.020 --> 00:01:45.200 written as books, and we preach through books of the Bible. 00:01:45.200 --> 00:01:48.240 And today the text talks about money. 00:01:48.680 --> 00:01:52.540 In fact, I have to confess, when I was first picking the book of Philippians, which I thought 00:01:52.540 --> 00:01:56.980 would be a good book to study while we were in lockdown, I'd completely and utterly forgotten 00:01:56.980 --> 00:01:59.840 that part of the book of Philippians talked about money. 00:01:59.879 --> 00:02:01.300 But it ends by talking about money. 00:02:01.640 --> 00:02:04.879 So we're going to talk about money in terms of what the Bible says to us. 00:02:05.280 --> 00:02:10.560 Now, if you are here, and I have to also be conscious that people listen to this sermon 00:02:10.560 --> 00:02:15.759 through our webpage afterwards, the audio is recorded, and you can get it as a podcast. 00:02:16.500 --> 00:02:21.099 I tell my non-Christian friends when they're curious, I say, if you're having trouble falling 00:02:21.099 --> 00:02:22.479 asleep, you can just put me on. 00:02:22.580 --> 00:02:27.439 I've had decades of experience of putting people to sleep, and I'm sure it will work with you. 00:02:27.879 --> 00:02:32.800 But you can, for those listening online, if you are a seeker, you're trying to figure out 00:02:32.800 --> 00:02:37.640 what the Christian faith is, and you've come to this service with a friend, or you're listening 00:02:37.639 --> 00:02:40.899 online, we want you to know that we don't want you to give us any money. 00:02:41.539 --> 00:02:45.039 Like, in fact, actually, it would make us happy if you don't give us money. 00:02:45.679 --> 00:02:47.000 We would like to serve you. 00:02:47.079 --> 00:02:50.679 If during the lockdown there's anything you need that we can try to help you with, we'll 00:02:50.679 --> 00:02:51.339 try to help you. 00:02:51.719 --> 00:02:56.359 And once the lockdown's over, and we can once again have coffee and cookies after the service, 00:02:56.819 --> 00:03:01.619 we hope you stay and you have lots of cookies and lots of coffee and lots of tea, but we 00:03:01.619 --> 00:03:02.339 don't want your money. 00:03:02.939 --> 00:03:06.560 Because the fact of the matter is, is that what we really want is for you to know Jesus. 00:03:06.560 --> 00:03:12.259 And I can tell you, no big surprise, that once you come to know Jesus, he's going to 00:03:12.259 --> 00:03:13.819 start to talk about every area of your life. 00:03:13.900 --> 00:03:18.080 He's going to talk about your time and your peace and your anxiety and also talk about 00:03:18.080 --> 00:03:18.300 money. 00:03:18.420 --> 00:03:20.759 But what we really want is for you to know Jesus. 00:03:20.920 --> 00:03:22.500 So don't give us any money. 00:03:23.180 --> 00:03:25.439 No pressure at all, no obligation. 00:03:26.039 --> 00:03:26.460 So money. 00:03:27.680 --> 00:03:32.939 We all know, because it's constantly in the advertisements, we all know that money has lots of power. 00:03:33.020 --> 00:03:36.300 It's one of the reasons that we like money, because it has lots and lots of power. 00:03:36.560 --> 00:03:39.920 So the advertisements are about, you win the lottery, just think of all the things you 00:03:39.920 --> 00:03:41.819 can do, all the fun things you do. 00:03:41.900 --> 00:03:44.240 You'll only have friends, you'll only be happy, you'll only smile. 00:03:44.759 --> 00:03:46.099 We all know about the power of money. 00:03:47.620 --> 00:03:51.340 Whenever I think about the power of money at a personal level, I think about my friend 00:03:51.340 --> 00:03:53.740 Tom, who's now gone to be with the Lord. 00:03:54.159 --> 00:03:58.800 Tom was the wealthiest man that I've ever known, or at least, I mean, maybe I've known somebody 00:03:58.800 --> 00:04:00.500 who's wealthy or just didn't realize they were wealthy. 00:04:00.500 --> 00:04:05.680 But you counted his money in the tens of millions, okay? 00:04:05.800 --> 00:04:09.620 Not millions or thousands, but the tens of millions. 00:04:10.319 --> 00:04:14.180 And back when he was still alive, there was a restaurant called High's, which is where 00:04:14.180 --> 00:04:16.160 a lot of powerful people went. 00:04:16.199 --> 00:04:17.560 It was a very expensive steakhouse. 00:04:17.959 --> 00:04:20.860 And he liked to take me there for lunch occasionally. 00:04:21.019 --> 00:04:26.920 So there's all these deputy ministers, very rich people, Tom and me, as the exception, because 00:04:26.920 --> 00:04:28.819 I wasn't rich. 00:04:28.920 --> 00:04:29.379 Still I'm not. 00:04:29.960 --> 00:04:32.720 Anyway, whenever we went into the restaurant, it was so funny. 00:04:33.080 --> 00:04:36.120 Every time we went, he always said, George, you're not allowed to order the cheapest thing 00:04:36.120 --> 00:04:36.580 on the menu. 00:04:36.840 --> 00:04:39.960 If you order the cheapest thing on the menu, I'm going to tell the waitress not to give 00:04:39.960 --> 00:04:41.980 it to you, and I'm going to order you something more expensive. 00:04:42.100 --> 00:04:43.160 He always said that at the beginning. 00:04:43.259 --> 00:04:44.360 He was the type of guy he was. 00:04:45.020 --> 00:04:46.960 But this is where I noticed the power of money. 00:04:47.400 --> 00:04:51.620 He'd get the menu, not every time, he'd look through it. 00:04:51.620 --> 00:04:57.160 And then the waitress would come and he'd close and say, I don't like anything in the 00:04:57.160 --> 00:04:57.399 menu. 00:04:57.800 --> 00:04:58.720 Here's what I'd like. 00:04:59.759 --> 00:05:00.420 I'm not making it up. 00:05:00.560 --> 00:05:01.240 Here's what I like. 00:05:01.720 --> 00:05:03.959 And he said, for an appetizer, I'd like this and this. 00:05:04.420 --> 00:05:06.160 And I don't want just three or four of them. 00:05:06.259 --> 00:05:07.399 I'm really hungry for it. 00:05:07.459 --> 00:05:08.620 I'd like a big pile of it. 00:05:08.720 --> 00:05:10.920 And then for my main course, I'd like this. 00:05:11.340 --> 00:05:13.019 And he described exactly what he wanted. 00:05:13.439 --> 00:05:17.379 And I would never in a million years think that that's what you say to a waitress, especially 00:05:17.379 --> 00:05:18.480 in an expensive restaurant. 00:05:18.480 --> 00:05:20.519 But they always just said, thank you, Tom. 00:05:21.620 --> 00:05:25.780 And we'll make it happen because that's the power of money. 00:05:26.759 --> 00:05:27.860 So here's the thing. 00:05:28.540 --> 00:05:29.980 We all know the power of money. 00:05:30.500 --> 00:05:34.300 And if I tell you that one of the things that we're not as conscious of is the power of money 00:05:34.300 --> 00:05:39.759 in us or the power of money, like the power of money in you or the power of money over 00:05:39.759 --> 00:05:44.620 you, the fact of the matter is, is that if I say that, we can all start to think of people 00:05:44.620 --> 00:05:48.860 we know, whether it's through the media or even people in our own lives, that money has 00:05:48.860 --> 00:05:50.620 a grip on them and it's not very pretty. 00:05:50.620 --> 00:05:51.840 It's not very good. 00:05:51.879 --> 00:05:52.660 It's a bad thing. 00:05:53.740 --> 00:05:58.079 But nothing in the Bible text this morning is going to make any sense to you unless you 00:05:58.079 --> 00:06:03.980 realize that the Bible comes with a particular assumption, not an assumption, a knowledge 00:06:03.980 --> 00:06:11.540 that money has a great power in you and in me and over you and over me. 00:06:11.680 --> 00:06:14.680 Whenever I say you, I'm always thinking of myself as well. 00:06:14.680 --> 00:06:15.639 I'm not going to keep saying me. 00:06:16.840 --> 00:06:22.759 The Bible knows that money has a profound power in you and over you. 00:06:23.240 --> 00:06:27.660 And I'm going to give you a simple thought experiment because most people don't realize 00:06:27.660 --> 00:06:28.340 the power of money. 00:06:28.400 --> 00:06:31.800 I'll give you a simple thought experiment for you to realize the power of money has in 00:06:31.800 --> 00:06:31.960 you. 00:06:32.579 --> 00:06:36.280 Let's say right now, all of a sudden, your eyes start to glaze over a little bit and 00:06:36.280 --> 00:06:38.139 I think, of course, I'm starting to put you asleep. 00:06:38.139 --> 00:06:41.099 But actually, God is coming to you and giving you a very direct message. 00:06:41.180 --> 00:06:45.680 And he says to you this, the next 12 months, you're going to give away $10,000. 00:06:48.800 --> 00:06:49.539 $10,000. 00:06:52.240 --> 00:06:54.500 And then you say, well, you know, God, I only make $40,000. 00:06:54.979 --> 00:06:55.599 Okay, that's fine. 00:06:55.680 --> 00:06:56.439 $4,000. 00:06:56.639 --> 00:06:58.539 The next 12 months, you're going to give away $4,000. 00:06:58.540 --> 00:07:06.340 Let's say it was that God left the building and as people walk by, all of a sudden, he 00:07:06.340 --> 00:07:10.439 encounters them and says, I want to show you the power of money in your life. 00:07:10.700 --> 00:07:14.800 And so, your next 12 months, you have to give $10,000 away. 00:07:15.560 --> 00:07:17.280 No options, no way to get out of it. 00:07:17.300 --> 00:07:17.840 $10,000. 00:07:18.480 --> 00:07:22.939 Now, instantly, most people will start, if you actually think it's not a joke, most of 00:07:22.939 --> 00:07:27.040 you will start to feel a bit sick, a bit panicky. 00:07:27.040 --> 00:07:31.580 And most of us will start to think of all the different reasons why this is completely 00:07:31.580 --> 00:07:32.780 and utterly impossible. 00:07:32.980 --> 00:07:37.660 My life would be over if I had to give away $10,000 within the next 12 months. 00:07:39.439 --> 00:07:43.000 We, in a sense, it would be something very, very traumatic. 00:07:43.180 --> 00:07:44.100 We would feel sick. 00:07:44.560 --> 00:07:45.759 We would feel ruin. 00:07:46.280 --> 00:07:50.160 We would feel anger if we had to give away $10,000. 00:07:51.620 --> 00:07:56.020 So, that begins to give you a bit of, and we'd have all these excuses as to why it was 00:07:56.019 --> 00:07:57.279 completely and utterly impossible. 00:07:57.419 --> 00:08:03.379 But what all that is doing, you see, it's only when you give money away with no reward 00:08:03.379 --> 00:08:09.680 that you start to understand the power that money has over you and in you. 00:08:10.359 --> 00:08:12.759 So, in light of that, listen again to the text. 00:08:12.859 --> 00:08:17.399 If you turn in your Bibles to Philippians chapter 4, and we'll start reading at verse 10. 00:08:18.179 --> 00:08:19.979 I'm not going to read all the text today. 00:08:20.179 --> 00:08:23.099 It's been read, but I'm going to focus on particular things. 00:08:24.799 --> 00:08:28.519 Just to be very, very clear, what's happened in the text is this. 00:08:28.699 --> 00:08:31.739 Remember, as the letter's coming to an end, Paul is in chains. 00:08:33.019 --> 00:08:37.579 He's under, in a sense, there's no room in the dungeon, so he's under a house arrest, but 00:08:37.579 --> 00:08:38.279 it's real arrest. 00:08:38.340 --> 00:08:41.879 He's in chains, and he has guards with him all of the time. 00:08:41.879 --> 00:08:46.600 And back in the Roman world at that time, if you'd had to go do hard time, they didn't 00:08:46.600 --> 00:08:48.460 pay for you to do hard time. 00:08:48.519 --> 00:08:49.740 They didn't pay for your meals. 00:08:50.120 --> 00:08:51.620 He still has to pay for his meals. 00:08:52.980 --> 00:08:55.820 So, he's been going through a very, very hard time financially. 00:08:56.659 --> 00:09:00.240 And he's thanking the Philippians, and he's saying to the Philippians, you know, one of 00:09:00.240 --> 00:09:03.740 the things I love about you, the church in Philippi, is that right from the beginning, 00:09:04.179 --> 00:09:09.240 you were in both a prayer and financial partnership with me, and your finances helped me time and 00:09:09.240 --> 00:09:10.080 time and time again. 00:09:10.080 --> 00:09:15.600 And he's not trying to give them any, he says, I understand that for, and we, he knows, and 00:09:15.600 --> 00:09:17.560 they know, but the text doesn't tell us why. 00:09:17.900 --> 00:09:22.420 But for some reason, they weren't able to give him money for a period of time, but they 00:09:22.420 --> 00:09:26.960 have now given him a substantial financial gift to relieve his great need. 00:09:27.700 --> 00:09:29.160 And so he's talking about money. 00:09:29.540 --> 00:09:31.020 So listen to how it begins here. 00:09:31.700 --> 00:09:36.940 I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. 00:09:37.320 --> 00:09:39.960 You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. 00:09:40.080 --> 00:09:41.600 So for whatever reason, we don't know. 00:09:41.660 --> 00:09:45.280 It doesn't matter why they weren't able to give money to him for a period of time, but 00:09:45.280 --> 00:09:46.560 now they've given him a gift. 00:09:47.100 --> 00:09:51.580 Verse 11, not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation 00:09:51.580 --> 00:09:52.840 I am to be content. 00:09:53.420 --> 00:09:56.560 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. 00:09:57.060 --> 00:10:02.720 In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance 00:10:02.720 --> 00:10:03.280 and need. 00:10:03.279 --> 00:10:07.500 I can do all things through him who strengthens me. 00:10:08.579 --> 00:10:13.899 Now, I don't know if you notice that there's something in this text which is more than a 00:10:13.899 --> 00:10:14.699 little bit odd. 00:10:14.700 --> 00:10:24.080 We all understand that we would need help from God to handle hunger, and we'd need help from 00:10:24.080 --> 00:10:25.520 God to handle poverty. 00:10:26.280 --> 00:10:28.200 But notice what happens in the text. 00:10:28.379 --> 00:10:31.740 Paul doesn't just say you need help from God to handle poverty. 00:10:32.440 --> 00:10:35.580 You need help from God to handle plenty and abundance. 00:10:36.360 --> 00:10:37.220 Look at it again. 00:10:38.180 --> 00:10:41.280 Verse 12, I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. 00:10:41.279 --> 00:10:46.319 In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance 00:10:46.319 --> 00:10:47.059 and need. 00:10:47.579 --> 00:10:50.000 I can do all things through him who strengthens me. 00:10:50.339 --> 00:10:51.980 So the first point is this. 00:10:52.079 --> 00:10:53.860 It's a very, very surprising point. 00:10:54.720 --> 00:10:57.919 You need the Lord's strength to handle plenty and abundance. 00:10:59.179 --> 00:11:02.179 You need the Lord's strength to handle plenty and abundance. 00:11:03.000 --> 00:11:07.039 And just by the way, I mean, I know that in Canada there's poor and there's rich, and 00:11:07.039 --> 00:11:09.579 obviously, and those differences matter, by the way. 00:11:09.580 --> 00:11:15.400 I mean, one of the things which is very, very, increasingly our society is becoming callous 00:11:15.400 --> 00:11:18.620 to the very bottom end of the spectrum. 00:11:19.420 --> 00:11:22.080 But that's a whole other topic of conversation. 00:11:23.720 --> 00:11:27.840 But from a world perspective, we're rich. 00:11:28.780 --> 00:11:31.360 And from an historical perspective, we're very rich. 00:11:31.360 --> 00:11:35.620 And so many of us could really be described as plenty. 00:11:35.759 --> 00:11:40.279 In fact, probably for most of us in this room, unless you've chosen to fast, you've never 00:11:40.279 --> 00:11:43.340 had to miss a meal or go a day without food. 00:11:43.399 --> 00:11:44.600 Not everybody here in this room. 00:11:44.659 --> 00:11:46.919 I know for a fact that wouldn't be true of everybody in the room. 00:11:47.320 --> 00:11:50.519 But for most of us, we've never had to miss it unless we've chosen to fast. 00:11:50.759 --> 00:11:55.800 We haven't been, had no food at all in the house and no money to buy any food or be in 00:11:55.800 --> 00:11:58.220 a country where there's famine and there's no food to be had. 00:11:58.220 --> 00:11:59.240 We have plenty. 00:12:00.480 --> 00:12:03.420 And so the text is saying something which is very, very surprising. 00:12:03.620 --> 00:12:07.620 You need the Lord's strength to handle plenty and abundance. 00:12:08.600 --> 00:12:15.639 Now, if you think about it for a second, this fits in with another problem that we human 00:12:15.639 --> 00:12:18.060 beings have that we rarely think about, especially Canadians. 00:12:19.100 --> 00:12:23.000 If you were to go once, you can finally go to, well, you go to a patio and you have a beer 00:12:23.000 --> 00:12:27.820 this afternoon and you get into a conversation, appropriately socially distanced with the 00:12:27.820 --> 00:12:28.940 tables around you. 00:12:29.139 --> 00:12:31.820 And you've been having a really, really, really hard time. 00:12:32.539 --> 00:12:37.980 You're financially, you don't qualify for the government money and you're just in a very, 00:12:38.080 --> 00:12:39.639 very, very hard time financially. 00:12:40.019 --> 00:12:43.919 And if you were to share over the beer, why is God doing this to me? 00:12:44.980 --> 00:12:46.220 Like I'm a good person. 00:12:46.220 --> 00:12:49.820 Why is God doing this to me that I'm having this problem financially? 00:12:50.560 --> 00:12:54.620 Like everybody at the other table would go, that's like, that's a good question. 00:12:54.879 --> 00:12:59.660 Like that's the type of question you talk about like over a beer, over a coffee or around the 00:12:59.660 --> 00:13:00.019 barbecue. 00:13:00.200 --> 00:13:02.240 It's a question that every Canadian understands. 00:13:02.420 --> 00:13:05.440 Why is it that God, why is God doing this to me? 00:13:05.519 --> 00:13:10.320 Why is it that I'm financially strapped or I'm in the midst of financial ruin? 00:13:11.040 --> 00:13:12.639 But here's the interesting thing. 00:13:12.639 --> 00:13:17.480 Why is it that we ask this question, why am I financially strapped? 00:13:17.539 --> 00:13:22.679 But why is it that no Canadian ever asks themselves, why is God blessing me with so much money? 00:13:24.699 --> 00:13:27.439 Like why is it that we only ask one question and not the other? 00:13:29.299 --> 00:13:36.019 In fact, if you were to say at the same bar a week later, I don't know why God is blessing 00:13:36.019 --> 00:13:38.879 me with these tens of thousands of dollars. 00:13:39.019 --> 00:13:40.319 Like I just don't understand it. 00:13:40.320 --> 00:13:42.680 Like nobody would understand that question. 00:13:44.020 --> 00:13:46.320 They wouldn't even know how to start to respond to it. 00:13:47.980 --> 00:13:53.740 You see, one of the things it reveals is that most human beings, in fact, I would say all 00:13:53.740 --> 00:13:59.600 human beings, whether we're conscious of it or not, walk around with one particular sentence 00:13:59.600 --> 00:14:01.020 rooted deep in our soul. 00:14:02.600 --> 00:14:05.280 I am owed. 00:14:05.279 --> 00:14:10.319 I am owed. 00:14:11.679 --> 00:14:15.439 So if I'm not having the money that I think I need, it's a problem. 00:14:15.600 --> 00:14:15.839 Why? 00:14:15.980 --> 00:14:18.819 Because I am owed. 00:14:19.860 --> 00:14:24.319 And if I'm having lots of finance, if I'm having financial plenty, I don't think anything 00:14:24.319 --> 00:14:24.939 at all about it. 00:14:24.980 --> 00:14:25.220 Why? 00:14:25.879 --> 00:14:28.279 I am owed. 00:14:28.279 --> 00:14:35.959 Now, part of the human dilemma is this, that as we all know, people who very clearly act 00:14:35.959 --> 00:14:41.019 out of a belief of I am owed are completely and utterly miserable to be around. 00:14:43.019 --> 00:14:44.500 It ruins relationships. 00:14:44.500 --> 00:14:50.580 But the fact of the matter is, is what's ruined the relationship is somebody being, in a sense, 00:14:50.659 --> 00:14:56.200 far more public or up front with an attitude that human beings have. 00:14:56.240 --> 00:14:57.539 It's a human problem. 00:14:59.120 --> 00:15:03.820 Now, this is connected to another interesting thing about the text. 00:15:03.899 --> 00:15:08.259 And one of the things I'm going to tell you is that there's this text is mistranslated. 00:15:08.259 --> 00:15:13.860 And it's mistranslated because even in the original language, it seems to say nonsense. 00:15:15.200 --> 00:15:21.279 And so what the translators do is, and it's completely reasonable because they basically, 00:15:21.500 --> 00:15:25.720 when they're translating the Bible into English, they can't assume that you have somebody who 00:15:25.720 --> 00:15:30.059 knows the original language who can make things clear to you as to why it says the particular 00:15:30.059 --> 00:15:30.840 thing it says. 00:15:31.360 --> 00:15:32.779 So it changes a word. 00:15:33.659 --> 00:15:34.580 And I'm going to read this. 00:15:34.580 --> 00:15:41.060 If you go back and read verse 11, I'll translate accurately one of the words in there. 00:15:41.240 --> 00:15:44.759 And then you'll see the problem it would have if they translated it accurately. 00:15:44.860 --> 00:15:45.580 It goes like this. 00:15:46.060 --> 00:15:46.600 Verse 11. 00:15:47.300 --> 00:15:51.900 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am 00:15:51.900 --> 00:15:53.360 how to be autonomous. 00:15:56.280 --> 00:15:56.720 What? 00:15:56.720 --> 00:16:04.560 I have learned in whatever situation I am to be autonomous. 00:16:05.060 --> 00:16:07.460 I know how to be brought low and I know how to abound. 00:16:07.779 --> 00:16:13.680 In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of being autonomous in the facing 00:16:13.680 --> 00:16:15.279 plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 00:16:15.340 --> 00:16:16.139 So what's the secret? 00:16:16.300 --> 00:16:18.139 How has he learned to be autonomous? 00:16:19.160 --> 00:16:19.980 Verse 13. 00:16:20.360 --> 00:16:22.920 I can do all things through him who strengthens me. 00:16:23.000 --> 00:16:23.660 You go, what? 00:16:23.659 --> 00:16:26.399 That's not what autonomy means. 00:16:27.740 --> 00:16:34.439 You can't be autonomous if you're getting your autonomy from God giving you strength. 00:16:35.539 --> 00:16:37.139 It doesn't make any sense. 00:16:39.219 --> 00:16:45.600 If you were to see my sermon notes, it's very interesting because, in fact, actually, the 00:16:45.600 --> 00:16:50.319 word that Paul uses here, you sort of have to wonder if you could go back in a time machine 00:16:50.320 --> 00:16:54.620 and he's dictating this letter to somebody writing it down. 00:16:55.420 --> 00:16:59.560 And I haven't talked about it in different weeks, but, you know, there's lots of different 00:16:59.560 --> 00:17:00.140 times in this. 00:17:00.320 --> 00:17:04.019 Because he's dictating the letter to somebody who's writing it down, there's lots of different 00:17:04.019 --> 00:17:07.080 times where the grammar is atrocious. 00:17:07.200 --> 00:17:07.799 It's terrible. 00:17:08.140 --> 00:17:12.640 Because what obviously has happened to Paul is he's gotten excited or he's gotten emotionally 00:17:12.640 --> 00:17:13.180 moved. 00:17:13.180 --> 00:17:18.519 And just like us, when we're emotionally moved or excited, our sentences don't often make 00:17:18.519 --> 00:17:20.400 – they get all broken and our grammar is bad. 00:17:20.440 --> 00:17:22.640 It's often reflected in the text and they smooth it over. 00:17:23.000 --> 00:17:25.080 And I haven't talked about it very much, but it's there. 00:17:25.420 --> 00:17:28.840 But in this case, you have to wonder, he's in Caesar's household. 00:17:29.420 --> 00:17:31.160 He's chained between Roman guards. 00:17:31.160 --> 00:17:37.400 And this word autonomy was a technical word that was used in a very popular philosophy 00:17:37.400 --> 00:17:37.880 at the day. 00:17:38.259 --> 00:17:42.300 And you have to wonder if maybe the person who'd been having arguments about it and they'd 00:17:42.300 --> 00:17:46.580 been upholding this doctrine of autonomy, if they were in the other room while Paul's 00:17:46.580 --> 00:17:47.200 dictating it. 00:17:47.300 --> 00:17:52.580 And so just to mess with their heads, he said, I've learned the secret of autonomy and it's 00:17:52.580 --> 00:17:54.320 depending upon the strength that God gives. 00:17:54.400 --> 00:17:56.000 Like, I'm just guessing. 00:17:56.980 --> 00:17:57.660 But here's the thing. 00:17:57.660 --> 00:18:01.500 If you were to look at my sermon notes, one of the things that you would see in all of 00:18:01.500 --> 00:18:06.400 my sermon prep notes is at some point in time you would see a capital letter A and above 00:18:06.400 --> 00:18:10.259 it a little tiny four, as if I'm talking about A to the fourth power. 00:18:11.180 --> 00:18:15.040 And what that is, it's a reminder for me to try to ask the question, how does the text 00:18:15.040 --> 00:18:18.420 connect to how most Canadians think? 00:18:19.120 --> 00:18:21.140 And here's how most Canadians think. 00:18:21.220 --> 00:18:25.700 It's a very similar idea to what was very prevalent to Paul in the exact same time. 00:18:25.700 --> 00:18:28.080 And how Canadians think generally is this. 00:18:28.600 --> 00:18:33.360 The most important thing is for them to be who they really are and who they were meant 00:18:33.360 --> 00:18:35.059 to be, to be authentic. 00:18:37.000 --> 00:18:41.519 And not only is it important for people to be authentic, they have to be authentic in 00:18:41.519 --> 00:18:43.880 a way which shows autonomy. 00:18:44.500 --> 00:18:45.519 And we all know what this is. 00:18:45.960 --> 00:18:46.680 It's the very thing. 00:18:46.759 --> 00:18:54.180 Like, nobody can tell me how I should be happy, how I will be happy. 00:18:54.180 --> 00:18:58.080 Nobody can, only I know the real me deep within. 00:18:58.259 --> 00:19:01.120 Only I know the me that wants to come out. 00:19:01.279 --> 00:19:07.460 Only I know what I need to do to be happy, to be whole, to be complete, to be fulfilled, 00:19:07.660 --> 00:19:09.940 to be the person that I was meant to be. 00:19:10.039 --> 00:19:11.320 Only I know that. 00:19:11.680 --> 00:19:17.840 And nobody can tell me, my boss, my husband, my wife, my mom, my dad, my kids, my neighbors, 00:19:18.019 --> 00:19:19.200 definitely not the Bible. 00:19:19.400 --> 00:19:20.560 Good grief, gag. 00:19:20.559 --> 00:19:22.099 Like, definitely not. 00:19:22.399 --> 00:19:28.440 Only I know who I really am and what I need to be who I am. 00:19:28.500 --> 00:19:32.240 And I have to do it on my terms, not your terms, my terms. 00:19:32.659 --> 00:19:41.079 And when this is said in Hollywood and in the academia and in media and at the Tim Hortons 00:19:41.079 --> 00:19:46.279 and at the Starbucks, at the bar, at the shopping center, everybody, as this is being said, 00:19:46.379 --> 00:19:49.440 everybody just nods their head because we understand this is wisdom. 00:19:49.440 --> 00:19:52.779 And so the first A is authenticity. 00:19:53.039 --> 00:19:54.000 The second A is autonomy. 00:19:54.160 --> 00:19:58.720 And the third A is actualization because we say that I need to pursue this. 00:19:59.220 --> 00:20:00.820 I need to pursue this. 00:20:00.880 --> 00:20:07.500 It's right that I pursue this to become autonomous, to become authentic on my terms, not yours. 00:20:08.320 --> 00:20:13.820 And the fourth A is this, because what we expect in this project is approval. 00:20:13.819 --> 00:20:13.899 Approval. 00:20:15.740 --> 00:20:16.980 Applause would be even better. 00:20:17.419 --> 00:20:18.759 But approval and acclaim. 00:20:19.399 --> 00:20:22.399 What we expect when we say this is, way to go, girl. 00:20:22.639 --> 00:20:23.679 Way to go, guy. 00:20:24.439 --> 00:20:25.519 Two thumbs up. 00:20:25.740 --> 00:20:26.299 Way to go. 00:20:26.799 --> 00:20:30.759 And in fact, one of the reasons you know that this is so important is because in Canadian society 00:20:30.759 --> 00:20:38.640 right now, one of the ways to create a deep rift in a family, a deep rift in friends, 00:20:38.779 --> 00:20:44.279 maybe a rift which will continue not just for a day or a week or months, but maybe even years, 00:20:44.839 --> 00:20:51.619 is if you, in your autonomy and authenticity project, and you're trying to actualize that, 00:20:51.700 --> 00:20:52.960 make it actually happen. 00:20:52.960 --> 00:20:54.920 And I don't know what it is. 00:20:54.980 --> 00:20:58.600 Maybe it's that you're spending too much or you go on a trip or you quit your job or you 00:20:58.600 --> 00:21:02.799 feel that, you know, you need to let the inner you be out and be sexually free. 00:21:02.940 --> 00:21:07.559 So you need to have, you know, sexual relations with different people or, you know, whatever. 00:21:07.819 --> 00:21:11.799 And if one of your friends says, I don't know if what you're doing is right. 00:21:12.620 --> 00:21:15.840 How dare you? 00:21:17.200 --> 00:21:18.279 How dare you? 00:21:18.279 --> 00:21:22.500 How dare you? 00:21:24.779 --> 00:21:32.480 Actually think that what I'm doing to be the me that I am meant to be is, how dare you? 00:21:34.460 --> 00:21:40.799 And in fact, if that, if you go and then tell your friends, I'm doing this and I, you know, 00:21:40.859 --> 00:21:43.559 I have to be me and I'm starting to work on it. 00:21:43.619 --> 00:21:46.019 I'm, I'm overcoming things and I'm doing this and that. 00:21:46.019 --> 00:21:47.539 And they don't approve. 00:21:47.720 --> 00:21:50.720 And every one of your friends will go, oh, they don't approve. 00:21:51.779 --> 00:21:53.960 How dare they not approve? 00:21:55.920 --> 00:21:58.519 How dare they not approve? 00:22:01.480 --> 00:22:03.700 So here we have this very, very funny text. 00:22:04.539 --> 00:22:07.900 I know the secret of autonomy and it comes in God's strength. 00:22:07.900 --> 00:22:13.640 Now, I don't know if you noticed as I tell you this. 00:22:14.740 --> 00:22:15.960 By the way, I'm not going to go. 00:22:16.720 --> 00:22:21.380 You see, it's very interesting here because this is now where I, if I was a certain type of pastor, 00:22:21.480 --> 00:22:26.900 I'd thunder against this autonomy project and say how bad and terrible it is. 00:22:26.920 --> 00:22:29.120 But the word of God constrains us. 00:22:30.100 --> 00:22:30.480 Right? 00:22:30.519 --> 00:22:31.700 Because what does the word of God say? 00:22:32.120 --> 00:22:33.980 I've learned the secret to autonomy. 00:22:33.980 --> 00:22:37.779 I've learned the secret to autonomy. 00:22:39.000 --> 00:22:42.599 So it means we have to take a pause a little bit about what's going on in our culture. 00:22:42.700 --> 00:22:44.019 Because you see, it's not all bad. 00:22:44.120 --> 00:22:49.000 But the fact of the matter is, is that our cultural autonomy and authenticity project, 00:22:49.220 --> 00:22:52.620 the problem with it is, not just that many people can't do it, 00:22:53.000 --> 00:22:56.779 and lots of sorrow in our society is that people feeling trapped. 00:22:57.500 --> 00:22:58.440 They're trapped. 00:22:58.620 --> 00:23:02.220 They have this sense of the autonomy, the authenticity, but they're trapped. 00:23:02.220 --> 00:23:03.460 They're trapped by finances. 00:23:03.620 --> 00:23:04.339 They're just trapped. 00:23:04.600 --> 00:23:06.740 They're trapped by a relationship or an obligation. 00:23:06.900 --> 00:23:08.360 They're just trapped, and it creates sorrow. 00:23:08.700 --> 00:23:10.980 But that's not the tragedy of the autonomy project. 00:23:11.140 --> 00:23:14.120 The tragedy of the autonomy project is, if you think about it for a second, 00:23:14.259 --> 00:23:16.400 it can never happen because it's contradictory. 00:23:18.759 --> 00:23:23.700 But because everybody in Canada believes it, nobody actually notices the contradiction. 00:23:23.920 --> 00:23:24.740 What's the contradiction? 00:23:28.079 --> 00:23:30.539 How can I be autonomous if I need your approval? 00:23:30.539 --> 00:23:38.059 How can I be autonomous if I need your applause? 00:23:39.940 --> 00:23:45.299 And if I have sorrow and anger because you don't give me applause, 00:23:45.859 --> 00:23:49.159 how can what possibly I am seeking be autonomy? 00:23:49.160 --> 00:23:58.779 It's inherently frustrating and inherently won't work. 00:24:00.140 --> 00:24:02.660 And we Canadians are caught in an even bigger dilemma. 00:24:02.779 --> 00:24:03.540 What's the bigger dilemma? 00:24:04.180 --> 00:24:08.360 What do Canadians think about people who don't give a hoot about what they think? 00:24:08.880 --> 00:24:10.140 We don't want to be that person. 00:24:10.740 --> 00:24:13.340 We call them A begins with J. 00:24:13.339 --> 00:24:16.199 A. You can figure out what the next three letters are. 00:24:16.959 --> 00:24:22.919 We call them A, something that begins with A, and anyway, I won't say the rest of it. 00:24:23.059 --> 00:24:23.159 Right? 00:24:23.720 --> 00:24:28.399 So the fact of the matter is, is our autonomy project can't possibly work because it's not 00:24:28.399 --> 00:24:29.220 actually autonomy. 00:24:29.919 --> 00:24:33.599 The approval is an absolutely essential part of that project. 00:24:33.599 --> 00:24:37.740 And yet at the same time, if we say, okay, well, we're just going to have A3. 00:24:37.939 --> 00:24:41.159 We're just going to have authenticity, autonomy, and actualization. 00:24:41.519 --> 00:24:42.639 And we're not going to care. 00:24:42.719 --> 00:24:46.240 But the fact of the matter is, is that we Canadians look at people who never at all care, 00:24:46.359 --> 00:24:48.339 even remotely, about what anybody thinks. 00:24:48.459 --> 00:24:50.259 Nobody wants to be that person. 00:24:51.759 --> 00:24:52.980 And so we're trapped. 00:24:54.879 --> 00:24:56.539 Here's what the Bible is telling us. 00:24:56.539 --> 00:25:15.279 Your true autonomy project, in quotes, is only found in Jesus, in his saving work, in his grace, 00:25:15.920 --> 00:25:16.839 and in his strength. 00:25:17.680 --> 00:25:18.039 Right? 00:25:18.119 --> 00:25:21.879 I can do all things through him who strengthens me. 00:25:26.539 --> 00:25:31.440 The thing which is so amazing, then, about this text is this. 00:25:31.500 --> 00:25:32.920 If you just think about it for a second. 00:25:37.079 --> 00:25:40.379 One of the things which is so remarkable and wonderful about the Christian faith, 00:25:40.720 --> 00:25:45.200 and that Canadians actually are often embarrassed about the thing which is one of the most wonderful 00:25:45.200 --> 00:25:47.259 things about the Christian faith. 00:25:48.720 --> 00:25:52.759 And part of the reason that we're uncomfortable with it is that we don't think we can perfectly 00:25:52.759 --> 00:25:53.639 describe it. 00:25:53.639 --> 00:25:55.579 But you don't need to perfectly describe it. 00:25:55.579 --> 00:25:59.039 You need to live it and appreciate the beauty of it. 00:26:00.000 --> 00:26:05.639 Even if it means that you need to just trust that people who have IQs beyond the stratosphere, 00:26:05.799 --> 00:26:11.179 like a Calvin or Aquinas, they had at least a bit of a sense about this mystery. 00:26:11.279 --> 00:26:17.319 But one of the wonderful things about the Christian faith is its understanding through Jesus 00:26:17.319 --> 00:26:22.240 that the true God and living God that actually exists is the triune God. 00:26:22.240 --> 00:26:30.380 You see, only the triune God, it's only if there's a triune God that there, in fact, can be uniqueness 00:26:30.380 --> 00:26:33.380 and that there, in fact, can be generosity. 00:26:33.579 --> 00:26:38.900 You see, the fact of the matter is that Canadians, at a deep level, value generosity, even if we 00:26:38.900 --> 00:26:39.599 don't practice it. 00:26:39.620 --> 00:26:40.380 How do we know this? 00:26:40.720 --> 00:26:45.400 Just imagine now for a moment you're walking down the street and there's a patio out there. 00:26:45.400 --> 00:26:49.100 And as you come up to the patio and you can hear your friends talking because you recognize 00:26:49.100 --> 00:26:54.040 their voice and you hear them talking about you and you just pause for a second because 00:26:54.040 --> 00:26:54.900 they're talking about you. 00:26:54.940 --> 00:26:56.900 And if one of them says, you know the problem with Bob? 00:26:57.060 --> 00:26:58.060 He's so cheap. 00:26:58.059 --> 00:27:00.819 Look, I've never met a more miserly person. 00:27:00.980 --> 00:27:02.779 And they can give you some very colorful language. 00:27:03.119 --> 00:27:05.559 And all the other friends say, yeah, you know that's the problem with Bob. 00:27:05.619 --> 00:27:06.399 He's so cheap. 00:27:07.480 --> 00:27:10.879 Almost every Canadian would be deeply mortified. 00:27:12.940 --> 00:27:16.980 Because in our heart of hearts, we know that generosity is a good thing. 00:27:18.919 --> 00:27:20.500 But consider the problem. 00:27:21.119 --> 00:27:25.240 If the only God that exists is Allah, well, how can Allah be generous? 00:27:25.240 --> 00:27:29.500 In fact, how can he really value uniqueness and difference? 00:27:29.640 --> 00:27:31.000 Like, why would he even create anything? 00:27:31.980 --> 00:27:35.039 Think about the fact of the matter of, think about most Eastern religions. 00:27:35.200 --> 00:27:40.160 That the fact of the matter is in Eastern religions, the existence of difference isn't something 00:27:40.160 --> 00:27:44.059 to be celebrated, but a problem to be overcome. 00:27:45.039 --> 00:27:50.500 Because originally everything was one and there was some cosmic tragedy by which the one became 00:27:50.500 --> 00:27:50.900 many. 00:27:51.500 --> 00:27:54.140 And we have to get away from the many and back to the one. 00:27:54.140 --> 00:27:56.259 But think of the triune God. 00:27:56.620 --> 00:28:00.480 From all eternity, there is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 00:28:00.600 --> 00:28:05.980 From all eternity, the Father is the Father, the Son is the Son, and the Holy Spirit is the Holy Spirit. 00:28:06.340 --> 00:28:09.140 And from all eternity, there is love and reciprocity. 00:28:10.020 --> 00:28:14.800 There is generosity of giving and generosity and receiving of generosity. 00:28:14.799 --> 00:28:20.159 There is affirmation and praise and glory and delight from all eternity with no sense that 00:28:20.159 --> 00:28:23.500 at some point in time, the Father is going to think that this is a problem and he has 00:28:23.500 --> 00:28:26.460 to squash the Son or remove the Holy Spirit. 00:28:26.539 --> 00:28:30.539 But from all eternity, there is the Father loving the Son and the Holy Spirit. 00:28:31.099 --> 00:28:37.879 And from all eternity and out of the overflowing of their unity and their difference and out of 00:28:37.880 --> 00:28:41.080 the overflowing of their generosity, they create all things. 00:28:41.560 --> 00:28:45.100 And human beings are made in the image of the triune God. 00:28:45.340 --> 00:28:50.360 And from all eternity, even today, even after evil and rebellion, the triune God is the one 00:28:50.360 --> 00:28:51.760 who maintains us in existence. 00:28:52.160 --> 00:28:54.020 And how has the triune God created us? 00:28:54.220 --> 00:28:59.080 The triune God has created us so that every fingerprint is so unique it can be used to convict 00:28:59.079 --> 00:29:04.559 you of a crime and that your DNA is so unique it can be used to convict you of a crime. 00:29:05.220 --> 00:29:10.740 And the same God who's made you completely and utterly unique out of the overflow of his 00:29:10.740 --> 00:29:14.919 generosity and of his uniqueness and of his difference and of his conversation. 00:29:14.919 --> 00:29:17.619 And he creates you and sustains you. 00:29:18.259 --> 00:29:20.659 It is only this God that redeems you. 00:29:21.639 --> 00:29:22.899 And will glorify you. 00:29:23.619 --> 00:29:28.639 The overflowing and unending generosity is the very nature of the triune God 00:29:28.640 --> 00:29:34.000 who created you, sustains you, and who alone can redeem and glorify you. 00:29:38.940 --> 00:29:42.080 And how does the Bible describe what Jesus does for us? 00:29:42.100 --> 00:29:44.600 In Philippians, it's very interesting that they talk about money here. 00:29:44.700 --> 00:29:46.940 But earlier on in the letter, what is it they describe? 00:29:47.040 --> 00:29:51.640 They describe how God, the Son of God, sets aside his glory and prerogatives and the riches 00:29:51.640 --> 00:29:55.700 of heaven and the riches of his praise, sets it all aside but maintaining fully God. 00:29:56.000 --> 00:29:57.000 He empties himself. 00:29:57.000 --> 00:29:58.640 In other words, he becomes poor. 00:29:59.059 --> 00:30:03.440 And he becomes poor and empties himself and has less and less and less and less so that 00:30:03.440 --> 00:30:08.200 he can walk among us and suffer all the trials and temptations we do without sin and all the 00:30:08.200 --> 00:30:09.839 shame that we do only without sin. 00:30:10.119 --> 00:30:15.339 And he continues to not only empty himself but take upon himself our debt that when he dies 00:30:15.339 --> 00:30:21.019 upon the cross, he dies bearing our debt and our curse and our shame. 00:30:21.019 --> 00:30:23.700 And he descends even into the depths of death. 00:30:23.700 --> 00:30:29.660 And then he rises from the dead and he does it all for you and me in the uniqueness of 00:30:29.660 --> 00:30:30.220 who we are. 00:30:30.579 --> 00:30:33.240 How does 2 Corinthians chapter 8 verse 9 describe it? 00:30:33.500 --> 00:30:40.139 He, though he was rich, he became poor so that you through his poverty might become rich. 00:30:40.140 --> 00:30:43.700 That is how the gospel is described. 00:30:46.580 --> 00:30:56.300 You see, only the gospel answers the true longing in your heart to be you, to be free, to be loved, 00:30:56.980 --> 00:30:59.480 and to hear, well done, my child. 00:30:59.480 --> 00:31:06.700 You see, that aspect of our autonomy, which is really our autonomy project, which is real 00:31:06.700 --> 00:31:13.599 and true, is that we have this sense that we need to be unique and that being unique isn't 00:31:13.599 --> 00:31:21.380 a problem to be solved, but should be part of love and should be part of friendship and 00:31:21.380 --> 00:31:26.380 should be part of marriage and should be part of the state, that our uniqueness is not a problem 00:31:26.380 --> 00:31:27.500 to be solved. 00:31:28.680 --> 00:31:36.200 And that to be appreciated for others, by others for your uniqueness is a true and good longing. 00:31:36.460 --> 00:31:39.640 And to hear that well done is a true and good longing. 00:31:40.300 --> 00:31:44.860 And the problem is, is that our autonomy project keeps us far from the true and living God and 00:31:44.860 --> 00:31:49.260 the true Savior that is provided by the triune God. 00:31:49.259 --> 00:31:54.839 God, because at the end of the day, the triune God who creates you unique, sustains you unique, 00:31:55.039 --> 00:31:58.980 redeems you, not so you will all have the same fingerprints and all have the same DNA. 00:31:59.339 --> 00:32:02.579 And in heaven, you will not all have the same fingerprints and the same DNA. 00:32:03.200 --> 00:32:05.119 He restores you to humanity. 00:32:06.299 --> 00:32:12.859 And the true longing of our heart to be you, to be free, to be loved, to be generous, 00:32:12.859 --> 00:32:16.379 and to hear well done, my child is only found in the gospel. 00:32:19.819 --> 00:32:23.379 How does this relate just wrapping it up to the power of money over our lives? 00:32:23.879 --> 00:32:26.139 Look at that game, what it says here in verse 13. 00:32:26.619 --> 00:32:29.039 I can do all things through him who strengthens me. 00:32:29.559 --> 00:32:32.599 So what is the very nature of the strength that will come from Jesus? 00:32:33.639 --> 00:32:34.479 Well, think about it. 00:32:34.799 --> 00:32:35.779 What did Jesus do? 00:32:36.139 --> 00:32:41.419 Though he was rich, he became poor so that you through his poverty might become rich. 00:32:42.320 --> 00:32:45.360 The Lord's strength is his generous gift to you, 00:32:45.759 --> 00:32:49.680 and his strength is the strength to become generous and free. 00:32:52.740 --> 00:32:55.240 The Lord's strength is his generous gift to you, 00:32:55.560 --> 00:32:58.759 and his strength is the strength to become generous and free. 00:32:58.840 --> 00:33:00.220 It's not the strength to become rich. 00:33:00.259 --> 00:33:01.600 It's not the strength to become poor. 00:33:02.700 --> 00:33:05.560 See, that's one of the things which is so wonderful about the gospel. 00:33:06.700 --> 00:33:09.100 The gospel doesn't say if you're really holy, 00:33:09.099 --> 00:33:13.619 You'll sell everything you have and live a very poor and simple life. 00:33:13.719 --> 00:33:17.259 And the gospel doesn't say, if you want to know who the really holy people are, 00:33:17.319 --> 00:33:18.500 it's the very, very rich people. 00:33:18.599 --> 00:33:21.759 It's the people who count their wealth in tens of millions or hundreds of millions 00:33:21.759 --> 00:33:24.159 or in tens of billions, and they're the really holy people. 00:33:24.199 --> 00:33:29.019 And the Bible says, no, the Bible is completely irrelevant to that. 00:33:29.119 --> 00:33:31.480 I mean, this is such a wonderful thing which is freeing about it. 00:33:31.500 --> 00:33:33.839 If you're a young person, you're trying to provide for your family, 00:33:33.899 --> 00:33:37.619 the Bible doesn't say that it's wrong to have ambition to get promotions 00:33:37.619 --> 00:33:39.319 to be able to provide for your family. 00:33:39.539 --> 00:33:42.539 If you're thinking of coming up with an artistic process 00:33:42.539 --> 00:33:44.659 and it ends up making you very, very wealthy, 00:33:44.799 --> 00:33:46.739 you write the theme song for the next Friends 00:33:46.739 --> 00:33:49.459 and you can retire for the rest of your life on one song. 00:33:49.599 --> 00:33:51.219 It doesn't say that that's wrong. 00:33:52.439 --> 00:33:55.679 If you come up with a business idea, if you get promotions in the government 00:33:55.679 --> 00:33:59.000 and you end up making more money, the Bible doesn't say that that's wrong. 00:33:59.679 --> 00:34:03.959 If you choose to become very, to be a low-income worker, 00:34:04.059 --> 00:34:06.139 to serve others or to do something for ministry, 00:34:06.140 --> 00:34:09.220 the Bible doesn't say that that's either wrong or good. 00:34:09.920 --> 00:34:13.640 What the Bible says is that money has power over you and in you 00:34:13.640 --> 00:34:15.619 and you need the Lord's strength to handle poverty 00:34:15.619 --> 00:34:19.440 and you need the Lord's strength to handle prosperity. 00:34:22.039 --> 00:34:23.559 And what type of strength will he give you? 00:34:23.599 --> 00:34:25.599 He will not give you the strength just to become rich. 00:34:25.660 --> 00:34:30.019 But what the strength is, is the strength is that which is in keeping with who he is in the gospel. 00:34:30.640 --> 00:34:33.119 The strength is his generous gift to you 00:34:33.119 --> 00:34:36.920 and his strength is the strength to become generous and free. 00:34:38.500 --> 00:34:39.559 Just wrap it up now. 00:34:40.539 --> 00:34:42.420 I don't know where any of you are here in the room 00:34:42.420 --> 00:34:47.179 and I don't know those who might listen to this online. 00:34:47.799 --> 00:34:50.500 There's no better time now than to give your life to Jesus. 00:34:50.859 --> 00:34:53.699 You all know how I am owed just ruined your life. 00:34:53.699 --> 00:34:59.279 You all know that your autonomy project is doomed. 00:34:59.739 --> 00:35:02.460 But what you really long for can only be found in Jesus. 00:35:02.599 --> 00:35:05.159 There's no better time now than to give your life to Jesus. 00:35:05.299 --> 00:35:06.579 And I've just put a prayer up here. 00:35:07.000 --> 00:35:09.219 You can go online later on and see it for yourself. 00:35:09.359 --> 00:35:10.899 And if you have never given your life to Jesus, 00:35:11.039 --> 00:35:13.199 I suggest you pray a prayer like this. 00:35:13.819 --> 00:35:15.000 At the end of the day, if all you say, 00:35:15.079 --> 00:35:17.119 Jesus, be my Savior and Lord, that's all that's needed. 00:35:17.519 --> 00:35:18.500 It's not magic. 00:35:18.500 --> 00:35:23.440 Lord Jesus Christ, I reject my autonomy project. 00:35:23.780 --> 00:35:25.539 I reject my belief that I am owed. 00:35:26.179 --> 00:35:28.460 Thank you that you died upon the cross for me 00:35:28.460 --> 00:35:30.460 and the saving grace that you offer. 00:35:31.119 --> 00:35:34.019 Jesus, please come into my life and be my Savior and Lord. 00:35:34.159 --> 00:35:35.360 I hold nothing back. 00:35:36.139 --> 00:35:38.980 Thank you that you will never let me go or leave me. 00:35:39.579 --> 00:35:41.380 Help me to stay close to you every day. 00:35:42.019 --> 00:35:43.239 Fill me with the Holy Spirit. 00:35:43.360 --> 00:35:43.579 Amen. 00:35:45.699 --> 00:35:47.960 Just in closing, for those of us here, 00:35:48.500 --> 00:35:49.780 who are Christians, 00:35:51.059 --> 00:35:56.260 the Lord challenges us to be generous. 00:35:58.000 --> 00:35:59.559 The closer we are to Jesus, 00:36:00.340 --> 00:36:02.760 the more the Holy Spirit has his role in our lives, 00:36:03.179 --> 00:36:05.219 the more generosity is obvious. 00:36:08.340 --> 00:36:10.559 Back at the last summer job that I ever had, 00:36:10.980 --> 00:36:13.019 I worked with a contractor, 00:36:13.239 --> 00:36:15.699 and mainly he hired me because I could dig ditches 00:36:15.699 --> 00:36:16.880 and lug things and stuff. 00:36:16.880 --> 00:36:19.579 But he asked me to help him do some hammering with a deck. 00:36:20.160 --> 00:36:20.920 And he said, 00:36:21.119 --> 00:36:25.460 George, just place the boards slightly closer than usual apart. 00:36:27.480 --> 00:36:28.640 And I said, what's that? 00:36:28.780 --> 00:36:30.019 And then he went off, 00:36:30.059 --> 00:36:31.019 and I went back to him and I said, 00:36:31.079 --> 00:36:33.820 Rex, I have no idea what that instruction means. 00:36:34.640 --> 00:36:35.160 He said, what do you mean? 00:36:35.200 --> 00:36:36.220 Just a little bit less, 00:36:36.660 --> 00:36:37.920 like a little bit closer than usual. 00:36:38.059 --> 00:36:39.320 I said, I have no idea what usual is. 00:36:39.400 --> 00:36:40.360 Is it supposed to be like this? 00:36:40.400 --> 00:36:40.940 Is it supposed to be like this? 00:36:40.940 --> 00:36:41.700 Like, I have no idea. 00:36:41.699 --> 00:36:42.419 I had no idea. 00:36:43.980 --> 00:36:46.980 So he nailed a couple for me so I could figure out what it was. 00:36:47.379 --> 00:36:48.619 And that's what tithing is. 00:36:49.460 --> 00:36:50.219 Okay, there's a general, 00:36:50.339 --> 00:36:51.859 God is going to make you more generous. 00:36:52.379 --> 00:36:53.480 You're going to start to have less, 00:36:53.719 --> 00:36:55.939 money will have less power over you and in your life. 00:36:56.079 --> 00:36:57.719 You'll get the strength that comes from Jesus 00:36:57.719 --> 00:36:59.239 as you're put by the gospel. 00:36:59.639 --> 00:37:00.859 Like, what does generous mean? 00:37:01.279 --> 00:37:01.859 Like $2? 00:37:03.139 --> 00:37:03.899 10%. 00:37:03.899 --> 00:37:04.839 Rough rule of thumb. 00:37:06.199 --> 00:37:07.079 Rough rule of thumb. 00:37:07.079 --> 00:37:11.579 And if you wait until you have enough money to be generous, 00:37:11.699 --> 00:37:12.739 you'll never be generous. 00:37:13.360 --> 00:37:13.619 Never. 00:37:14.420 --> 00:37:15.159 Never happen. 00:37:16.579 --> 00:37:17.360 It's a decision. 00:37:19.119 --> 00:37:20.259 I invite you to stand. 00:37:21.079 --> 00:37:21.960 I'm going to say this. 00:37:22.000 --> 00:37:23.099 You don't have to pray it with me. 00:37:23.940 --> 00:37:25.759 But I'm going to invite you to pray it with me 00:37:25.759 --> 00:37:27.219 as a closing prayer 00:37:27.219 --> 00:37:31.119 to sum up what we've talked about here in the sermon. 00:37:33.039 --> 00:37:33.860 If the Lord is, 00:37:33.940 --> 00:37:35.219 it's not a sign of your holiness 00:37:35.219 --> 00:37:36.619 if you pray it out loud with me 00:37:36.619 --> 00:37:37.940 and it's not a sign of your 00:37:37.940 --> 00:37:40.019 complete and utter rejection of Jesus 00:37:40.019 --> 00:37:41.259 if you don't pray it out with me. 00:37:41.319 --> 00:37:42.339 It's a matter of freedom. 00:37:42.819 --> 00:37:44.339 But if the Lord has put it upon you, 00:37:44.940 --> 00:37:46.079 I think the fact of the matter is 00:37:46.079 --> 00:37:47.380 is that every single one of us 00:37:47.380 --> 00:37:49.739 would like to die to the belief that I am owed. 00:37:50.259 --> 00:37:52.039 And every one of us would like to die 00:37:52.039 --> 00:37:53.460 to be free 00:37:53.460 --> 00:37:56.539 and not have money have power over us or in us. 00:37:57.079 --> 00:37:58.940 Free to have very little money 00:37:58.940 --> 00:38:00.179 or free to have more money 00:38:00.179 --> 00:38:01.500 and be able to handle it well 00:38:01.500 --> 00:38:03.259 in a way that is generous and free 00:38:03.259 --> 00:38:05.380 and meets the needs of the church 00:38:05.380 --> 00:38:06.820 and the needs of God's people. 00:38:07.460 --> 00:38:08.860 And so if he has put it on your heart, 00:38:08.920 --> 00:38:09.720 if you would join with me 00:38:09.720 --> 00:38:11.019 in praying this prayer in closing. 00:38:11.940 --> 00:38:14.579 Lord, please grip me with the gospel 00:38:14.579 --> 00:38:16.760 and fill me with your strength. 00:38:17.280 --> 00:38:19.559 Please help me to put money's power 00:38:19.559 --> 00:38:20.920 in my life to death 00:38:20.920 --> 00:38:23.599 and grow in me a great generosity 00:38:23.599 --> 00:38:26.280 for the gospel ministry of my church 00:38:26.280 --> 00:38:27.380 and your people. 00:38:27.740 --> 00:38:29.079 All for God's glory. 00:38:29.519 --> 00:38:29.880 Amen. 00:38:30.519 --> 00:38:32.320 Father, pour out your Holy Spirit upon us 00:38:32.320 --> 00:38:34.160 with might and power and deep conviction 00:38:34.160 --> 00:38:35.780 that we might grow into the people 00:38:35.780 --> 00:38:37.240 that you are preparing us to be 00:38:37.240 --> 00:38:38.200 for all eternity. 00:38:38.940 --> 00:38:40.620 And we long and yearn 00:38:40.620 --> 00:38:42.380 to see Jesus face to face 00:38:42.380 --> 00:38:43.559 and hear his well done. 00:38:44.340 --> 00:38:45.600 And all God's people said, 00:38:46.340 --> 00:38:46.580 Amen.