Okay, folks, well, great to be together this morning.
Let me just add my welcome.
My name's Graham.
I'm the pastor here at the church.
And let me encourage you to have that passage
in 2 Corinthians 8 open in front of you today.
What a passage this is.
And I really hope this thrills us as a local church
as we get into God's word again today.
But let's pray as we come to this passage.
Father, thank you for this new day.
Thank you for the gospel that we celebrate this morning,
that Jesus came, he lived, he died.
For our sins, he rose, he lives, he is at your right hand.
And so it's to him that we look today.
And we just pray that we would grow this morning
in our insight and in our understanding
and in our love for him,
all stemming from him who loved us
and who gave himself for us.
So Father, thrill our hearts this morning.
Help us leave with a greater picture of who you are.
And this is our prayer that we make confidently
in Jesus's name.
Amen.
So I've got an American friend called Randall.
What an American name that is, right?
Randall.
Randall, before retiring, was a pastor
on the west coast of the United States.
And Randall once told me the story
about an older man in his congregation who died.
And one day, a number of months later,
Randall's phone goes.
And it's the lawyer for the man who's just died.
And he tells Randall that the man had left the church
a sum in the region of $100,000 in his will.
Now, Randall was, as you can imagine,
so incredibly thankful for the man's generosity.
What an incredible heart that is.
But sometime later,
Randall was walking through the local hospital.
And he, as the story goes,
he notices this man's name on the wall
amongst the list of names
of the hospital's major benefactors.
And it turned out that this man
had also left the local hospital a donation in his will,
a sum in the region of $10 million.
And here's what Randall realized in that moment.
And here's what he relayed to me.
Here was his line.
He realized in that moment
that the local hospital had pitched this man
a better vision of what to do with his money
after he died than he had as his local pastor.
And here's the two morals of the story.
Number one, what grabs the heart opens the wallet.
Right?
Remember that?
Take that all the way through
with this sermon this morning.
What grabs the heart opens the wallet.
And it's true for every single one of us here today.
No matter what you think about the God of the Bible,
no matter what has brought you here today,
all of us, what grabs the heart opens the wallet.
Have you ever thought about the fact
that what we do with our money
and what we don't do with our money
preaches visible sermons to the world around us
about the things that we love most?
You ever thought about that?
It's why people are happily paying £600
for a platinum ticket to go and see ACDC at Murrayfield
when they come in August.
It's why, if you're a Fulham fan,
you will happily pay £3,000 for an adult season ticket
to go to Craven Cottage for the year
and see 19 Premier League games
that only last 90 minutes.
That doesn't even include your halftime pie,
which I don't imagine in Fulham is cheap.
And here's my favourite.
It's why Carl Lagerfield,
the fashion designer for the House of Chanel,
when he died,
he left lots of money to his cat, Chupette.
And if you're on the ball,
you'll know that Chupette now has her own maids,
diamond necklaces,
and she even has her own Instagram account.
Our wallets follow what we worship.
And here's the moral of the story number two.
If that thing that grabs our hearts
is the gospel,
just imagine the kingdom possibilities.
And that's what the next few weeks are going to be,
just allowing God through his words
to grip our hearts with a vision
for radical generosity.
So come with me to 2 Corinthians A
and let's meet a church
who have been completely gripped
by this vision.
This is not a random blog post on giving
that Paul has dropped into the middle of his letter.
So often I think when I used to read
2 Corinthians 8 and 9,
that's what I used to think it was,
like he couldn't think of anything else to say.
So he thought,
why not do my sermon on giving?
If you look at verse 19,
Paul's talking about an offering.
Do you see it there?
In the text, verse 19,
he's talking about an offering.
Verse 3,
he calls it a service
to the Lord's people.
Do you see it?
So God has put something big
on Paul's hearts.
Now here is the thing
that's going on in the background here
of 2 Corinthians 8 and 9.
Paul has been collecting money
from all these churches
that he's planted,
or God through him has planted,
around what is modern day Turkey and Greece.
He's been gathering money
to support the Jewish Christians
back in Jerusalem
who are going through
some severe persecution
and trials.
If you want to get this
a modern day equivalent,
maybe think of this
like a first century equivalent
of a just giving page.
Okay, that's what Paul's doing here.
And he's not primarily interested
in the figure
of this collection.
This isn't Red Nose Day.
This is not Lenny Henry
with his totalizer.
What he's really concerned about,
his heart,
is in the thing
that this collection represents.
Now if he can get
Gentile Christians,
so Gentile,
just that word meaning non-Jew,
if he can get Gentile Christians
to show unity
and concern for
Jewish Christians
over the other side
of the sea,
what a witness
to the watching world
of the unity
that Jesus has created
between people
from all over the world
who follow him.
Right?
Different generations,
different ethnicities,
different social classes,
the vast majority
of whom
all across the world
will never meet each other.
And yet,
because of their faith
in Jesus,
they are united together
as a family.
Do you not know
one of the most special things
if you've ever had
that experience?
Remember before we came
to Brunsfield,
Alex and I spent
five months in Malawi
meeting people there
who are just so different
from me
in so many different levels
and yet instantly
you've got the biggest thing
in your life in common with.
It's incredible.
This is really special.
And maybe it counters
the accusations
of the false teachers
who are saying
that not only is Paul
unimpressive,
but the message
that he preaches
is actually divisive.
So if Paul can pull this off,
if he can get people
over on one side
of the world
to care about
the welfare of people
on the other side
of the world
because of their
common faith in Jesus,
then this is going to be
a massive win
for the gospel
and its credibility
in the eyes
of the watching world.
What seems to have happened
in the background
is that the Corinthians
had initially bought
into this ethos
of the collection.
However,
on the passing of time,
that enthusiasm
to be part of this giving
had just fizzled out
and Paul wants them
to get back in the game.
How is he going to do that?
Well, come with me
to verse nine.
What is the motivation
for giving?
And we're going to camp out
here for a little bit
because really this is
the motivation
and the bedrock
for everything
that follows
over the next chapter
and a half.
How can a church
cultivate
a culture
of generosity?
That's our question.
The only thing
that's going to work
is when God's people
capture a renewed sense
of who God is.
Are you ready for this?
A little stretch
as we hang out
in verse nine?
Here's the stretch.
Our God, friends,
is Trinity.
You take in the panoramic view
of the Bible,
you find here is a God
who has eternally existed
as Father,
Son,
and Holy Spirit.
He is one God,
three persons.
Why is that important?
We'll come to the opening pages
of the Bible
and you find that
because God has eternally existed
as Father,
Son,
and Spirit,
He is a God
who gives.
Opening pages of the Bible,
this God longs
to give life.
Here is a God
who's so radically different
from anything
that our finite minds
can comprehend
or concoct.
Here is a God
who is a giving God.
He longs to give life.
In particular,
here is,
as we get into the story
of the Bible,
here is a Father
who longs
to give
His Son.
Do you see it in verse 9?
The index of how much
the Father loves us
is how much He gave
to accomplish
our salvation.
If ever you're in doubt
as to whether God
the Father loves me,
we just look at
what He gave.
He gave His Son
and the Son
gave His life
on the cross
to save us
from the penalty
for our sins.
And the Son rose
and the Father
and the Son
give the Spirit.
And the Spirit,
He opened our eyes
to the work of the Son.
Remember chapter 4,
verse 6,
He shone into our hearts
to give us light
and life.
The only reason
that there's a gospel,
the only reason
that we're here
this morning
is because God exists
as Father,
Son,
in Spirit.
The only reason
is because this God
is a giving God.
You got it?
Stretch.
And Paul's particularly
talking in verse 9
about the gospel.
Look at it here.
He that was rich,
and he's talking
about Jesus,
he that was rich
became poor.
Now take that in.
Our hearts need that
this morning.
Jesus,
the one who inhabited
heaven's glory.
He left it.
He came down
and he stepped down
into our world,
into our mess,
into our brokenness,
into our sin.
Christmas time,
he stepped into poverty
and scandal
in Bethlehem.
His life,
he gives himself
to serve the lowly
and the outcast.
And his death,
he gave himself
even to the most
humiliating place
over to death
on a Roman cross.
He that was rich
became poor.
Why?
So that we who are poor
through what he has done
for us
might become rich.
He's talking
materially here.
He's talking
spiritually.
Now the rhythm
of verse 9,
it's got a rhythm
to it,
doesn't it?
He that was rich
became poor
so that we who are poor
might become rich.
The rhythm of it
tells you that he wants
people to remember it.
More than remember it,
though,
he wants us
to cherish it.
And these words
have been the anthem
of the church
down the generations,
have they not?
Some of us will remember
that old hymn,
Thou who was rich
beyond all splendor,
all for love's sake
becameth poor.
Darkness to light,
guilty to acquitted,
orphans to children.
That word rich,
it needs to grab
our affections
today.
That God
has given us
every
spiritual
blessing
in Christ.
This is not
he that was rich
became poor
so that we
who are poor
might get in.
No,
we have been given
every spiritual
blessing
in Jesus
this morning.
We are,
no matter what
your material
circumstances
are saying,
you are in Christ
if your faith
is in him,
you are rich
beyond your
wildest imagination,
spiritually speaking.
Now have you
ever heard that
phrase,
I'm trying not
to look at anyone
when I'm saying
this,
board of London,
board of life.
You heard it?
Board of London,
board of life.
Love it in Fife,
they have that
board of London links,
board of Fife,
love it.
Board of London,
board of life.
But we talk about
things like that,
don't we?
As if there are
places on this
earth that can
provide endless
fascination
and fun.
And all you need
to do,
looking at no one
in particular,
all you need to do
is spend more than
five minutes on the
tube down in London
and look at the
faces of the people
and that bubble
is instantly
burst for you,
right?
But that word
rich,
when Paul uses it
here,
means,
dear friends,
that truly there
is an endless
ocean of depths,
of wonder and
glory when we
bask in what
Jesus has done
for us.
In the words of
C.S. Lewis,
we are people
who are far
too easily
pleased.
We are,
by nature,
inward-focused
people.
We throw out
the boomerang
of praise because
we're praise-hungry
creatures we long
to worship.
We throw out
the boomerang
and it just
comes straight
back to us.
When it comes
to loving ourselves,
the Bible assumes
that we are
doing just fine.
But when God
saves us and
he puts his
spirit in us,
he begins that
grand and
gradual process
of turning us
from the
inward-looking
self to the
outward-looking
self so that
we begin to
reflect more
of his heart.
We are not
designed to
look inward.
We are designed
to look outwards,
not self-serving.
We are designed
to be as we
reflect the heart
of God,
self-giving
people who
love our
neighbour as
ourselves and
love the Lord
our God with
all our heart,
soul, mind
and strength.
He turns us
outward.
He turns us
into give
people who
long to give
this God,
this holy
God praise.
Now what does
Paul want for
this church in
Corinth?
See verse 9.
He wants them
to excel,
not in the
act.
He wants
them to
excel.
Notice the
language,
he's picked
it very
carefully,
in the
grace of
giving.
In other
words, this
is not
something we
have to
do because
God is this
kind of God.
It's something
that we get
to do.
And when a
church gets a
heart for
generosity,
what a
special spirit
inspired thing
it is.
Can I suggest
that there is
no more
wonderful community
to be part of
than a
church who
has grasped
God's grace.
It's got
under their
skin and
they turn
outward and
just want to
give away
praise.
And so here's
two things that
happen to a
church when the
gospel gets
into our
blood steam
real quick.
Firstly, the
gospel creates
in us a big
heart for
places and
people.
So as far as
churches being
gripped by the
gospel go,
come with me to
verse 1.
Here it is,
says Paul,
exhibit A.
Paul says
verse 1,
do you see
them?
Let me tell
you about the
believers in
Macedonia.
Do you see
it?
So Corinth,
remember the
map, was in
this region to
the south
called Achaia
and Macedonia
is that area
to the north.
So when he
says Macedonia
here, this is
an umbrella term
for the churches
in Thessalonica,
Berea and
Philippi.
churches who
are going
through, do
you see it,
a period of
severe trial
and extreme
poverty and
yet here is
the amazing
thing.
They jump at
the chance of
joining in this
collection for
saints, brothers
and sisters,
the other side
of the world
who are also
going through a
really hard
time.
Do you see
what he says?
They urgently
pleaded with
us to let
them play a
part.
They wanted
in on this.
And this is
the opposite
of what so
naturally comes
to us all,
is it not?
Listen, our
kids at home,
they have a
sweetie drawer
in the bottom
shelf of the
cupboard in the
kitchen.
See, occasionally
when it's been
topped up,
they've hit the
jackpot, the
stocks are high,
they'll occasionally
offer me a
squashy or
something.
But see,
when those
supplies are low,
it's a totally
different story.
Right?
It's what we all
do, isn't it,
with our things.
But imagine
the scenario
whereby they
actually begged
me to accept
their sweets.
They came to
me, they
longed that I
would have
them, even
when they
had next to
none.
It just flips
the way that we
naturally think.
So when Paul
says they gave
beyond what
they were able,
they earnestly
begged us to be
part of this,
that's what he's
saying.
It speaks of
what?
Loving
sacrifice.
We care.
What a
description of
a church.
How does a
church get to
be like that?
Would you
not long
love to be
part of a
community like
that?
He tells us
how it gets
to be like
that.
Verse 5,
because they
gave themselves
first of all
to the Lord,
and otherwise
they were
gripped by
this God of
grace and
what he's
done for
them in
Jesus.
And from
there, by
the will of
God, also
they bought
into this
collection.
Here is a
deeply
generous
church.
Now what
did they
hear there
was over
in Jerusalem?
Verse 14,
they heard
there was
a need.
Do you
see it?
And they
responded.
And so
Paul says,
cheeky
chappy that he
is to the
Corinthians.
So you
kind of want
to follow
their example
as well.
Because you
are going
through a
spell of
plenty.
Now remember
we said
Corinth is
like Manhattan
and Benador
rolled into
one.
Here's the
Manhattan
bit.
Corinth is
a place
because of
where it
is on
the map.
This is a
place where
money is
easily made.
Remember
verse 10,
Paul says
that you
had that
desire last
year.
You're
plenty.
You
long to
be part
of this
and be
part of
supplying
their
need.
And Paul
is saying
you stop
doing it.
Go ahead
and finish
what you
started.
You can
argue that
this is one
of the
major themes
of this
letter.
He wants
them to
buy back
into
this
collection.
Because what
is God's
heart for
his people?
See verse
14 there?
It's
equity
that all
his people
are provided
for all
over the
world.
And that's
a principle
that's written
into and
woven all
the way
through the
fabric of
the Old
Testament when
God tells
his people
how he
wants them
to live.
Paul quotes
there from
Exodus 16.
It's the
episode where
God provided
manna and
quail daily
as his people
wandered in
the wilderness.
God's showing
and saying
that I'm
going to
provide and
I'm going
to provide
for all
of you.
Friends,
the gospel
creates a
big heart
for places
and people
and secondly
it creates
in us
a deep
desire for
honour and
service.
And still
talking about
this collection
once we
hit verse
16 down
Paul begins
to talk
about people.
Do you see
it?
Why?
I take it
he wants
the
Corinthians
and everyone
else in
earshot of
this letter
to be
reassured
because this
is handling
money in
Old Testament
times,
right?
There's no
bank transfers.
You're physically
going around
with this.
He wants
them to be
reassured that
the best
people are
on the
case.
So often
when Paul
does that
in his
letters
here's a
little tip
he's not
name dropping
like we
would do.
He's holding
up people
as people
worth
emulating.
And up
pops our
friend Titus
again.
Do you see
him?
We met
him at
chapter 2.
We met
him last
week in
chapter 7.
What a
guy.
Notice
verse 16.
And is it
not so
refreshing when
people compliment
others behind
their backs?
Here's what
Paul says
at verse
16.
just like
God did
with
Nehemiah
all those
years before
when Nehemiah
was in
Susa
and God
stirred in
him a
desire to
go back
and help
God's
people in
Jerusalem.
Here is
God doing
it again
and he's
doing it
in the
heart of
Titus.
God has
put this
where?
Into his
heart.
And Titus
is coming
to Corinth
presumably
with this
collection
money because
he too
wants the
Corinthians
to buy
into it
as well.
Now see
the two
others
mentioned
here.
The first
brother
verse 18.
Just see
how he
has spoken
about.
Of course
brothers
is just
that term
for a
fellow
Christian
man.
That's
what that
term
means.
Verse
18.
He is
praised
by all
the
churches.
A man
of good
standing.
There's
brother
number
one.
Verse
22.
Another
brother.
How is he
described?
Great
word if
you get
this in
Scrabble
with a
Z.
Zealous.
Now
people,
if you
read the
commentators,
they've
got their
thoughts on
who these
brothers were.
Why are
they nameless?
I just
wonder if
it's as
simple as
this.
The fact
that they're
not named
is the
whole point.
In a
city like
Corinth,
we've seen
this as
we've
traveled
through this
letter,
we're
chasing a
name and
chasing fame
is the
name of
the
game.
How
refreshing
is it to
read about
two men
who don't
want any
of the
limelight?
And he
also talks
to see
about how
everything
that's being
done is
being done
above board
and he
also talks
about how
everything
that's being
done is
being done
with huge
enthusiasm
and it's
all flowing
from this
deep desire
to help.
Verse 20,
what does
Paul say?
We want to
avoid any
criticism.
So he's
saying we're
going above
and beyond
to do what
is right
in the
sight of
the Lord
and just
notice what
he says
next,
and of
man.
So Paul
cares about
how God,
the all
seeing God
sees what's
going on
here.
He cares
about the
witness to
the watching
world.
And it's
true today
in our
culture,
isn't it
friends,
that what
really gets
us going
as a
culture is
when people
are trusted
with money
and then it
comes out,
it's proven
to be true
that they
were dishonest
with that
money.
You take
your pick
as you look
at the
headlines.
Can I
say it's
why we
as a
church,
we take
the
production
of our
yearly
accounts
really
seriously.
It's why we
produce that
and make it
known for
absolutely
anybody,
anyone can
take that.
It's why we
take things
like safeguarding
really seriously
here.
Just want to be
above board
because we
realise if it
goes wrong
in these
areas,
the witness
to the
watching world
will be
seriously
damaged.
because Paul
knows,
let's say
for example
that if
they leave
Corinth with
300 denarii
and they
turn up in
Jerusalem
with 200
denarii,
then the
game's over
as far as
the credibility
of the
gospel goes
in the
eyes of
the
watching
world.
So Paul
is saying
that we're
doing
everything
above board,
we're doing
everything to
be right in
the sight of
God and
in the sight
of man.
What a
wonderful
lesson for
us in
life,
as
believers,
as we
witness to
the
world.
The
gospel
creates in
us to
see a
big heart
for places
and people
and it
creates in
us a
deep
desire for
honour
and service.
And so
just as we
begin to
wrap this
up this
morning,
here's two
questions as
we begin to
think about
maybe the
real application
for this
for us
today.
Let me
just give
you really
quickly a
what and
a where.
You ready
for these?
A what and
a where.
And this
is going to
lead us
really well
into next
week's
chapter.
A what and
a where.
Here's the
what.
Really simply,
what are our
means?
Which is
another way of
saying what
has God
given us
and how
can we
use it
for His
glory?
This is not
about a
figure as
much as
it's about
firstly the
receptiveness of
our hearts.
Notice what
he says,
verse 12,
the word
beginning with
W that he
uses there.
He talks
about a
willingness.
Are we
willing?
That's the
question that
Paul's asking.
Are you
willing,
Corinthians?
Are you
willing?
Every generation
since you will
read this.
God calls us
to be faithful
stewards with
what He's
given us.
Whenever that
is right now,
He's called us
to be faithful
stewards.
So friends,
are we
willing?
I say we're
going to be
thinking about
giving next week
a bit more.
I just
say as
somebody who's
just about
to hit 40,
I wish I'd
put this
habit into
my life
earlier than
I did.
See,
when I
started earning
out of
university and
I started
getting money
and all that
stuff,
not knowing
what to do
with it,
I wish
someone had
come along
in my life
earlier on
and said,
it's all
God's.
Because if
you can
establish
when you
have a
little,
it will
be part
of just
what you
do when
God entrusts
you with
more.
And you
might think,
I've not
got anything
just now.
Maybe the
circumstances
of your
life are
so that you
think,
actually what
I can
give,
what I
can do
is really
small.
We all
go through
those phases.
God is
sovereign over
the seasons.
But friends,
this principle,
this willingness
to give
God,
to think
about everything
that we have
as God's,
if you can
put it in
your life
sooner rather
than later,
it will stand
you in great
stead.
What are
our means?
And it
takes us to
the second
question,
which really
is going
to be a
bridge to
next week.
Where is
the need?
And how
can our
means be
the answer
to that
need?
Two angles
on this,
maybe think
about it,
and you can
just pray
about this
over the
next week
or so.
Think about
the need
in here.
I know we
heard at
the age
GM a few
weeks ago
about the
financial need
of the
church.
We're going
to carve
out some
time next
Sunday
morning to
hear more
about that
in detail,
and you
can be
praying about
that over
the course
of this
week.
But it's
more than
just we
want to
make ends
meet.
It is we
realize what
God is doing
amongst us
here.
Honestly,
being the
pastor here
for a number
of years,
and the
spiritual growth
that I'm
seeing amongst
us is
wonderful.
It's more
than we
want to
make ends
meet.
It is
actually how
can we
take full
advantage of
the things
that God
has for
us,
those good
works that
he has
prepared in
advance that
we can
walk in.
Can I give you
some thoughts?
We'd love to
be able to
invest more
in women's
ministry.
Right?
We would
love to get
our trainee
program back up
and running
again.
as we
seek to
keep being
a training
and sending
church.
And Al
prayed for
Archie.
If you heard
in the prayers
at the beginning
there's someone
who's going
to peoples
that we have
sent to be a
blessing to
another church.
We don't want
to be a
church that
hoards.
We want to
be a church
that gives.
In terms of
people wanting
to train for
ministry,
here's my
observation.
See,
five years
ago,
I would say
that we had
the funds,
but there were
no people
coming forward
and saying,
actually,
when I think
about full-time
ministry,
God's not
put that
in my
heart.
We had
the funds,
but not
the people.
Can I
just say
now,
it's
completely
flipped.
And it's
wonderful to
hear some
of you
coming forward
and saying,
actually,
I would
love to
consider
full-time
ministry.
Friends,
could you,
what God
has given
you,
could you
be an
answer
to that
need?
To see
more people
trained
and sent.
But this
is bigger
than just
money,
you've got
to understand
that.
Let Titus
encourage you
in prayer
this week.
Do you
see what
he's saying?
Verse 16,
what is the
Lord laying
on your
heart?
What is the
Lord,
has the
Lord put
in your
heart?
What are
the areas
of our
country that
God is
putting on
your heart?
What are
the projects
that God is
putting on
your heart?
What are
the missions
opportunities
that God
is putting
on your
heart?
What are
the opportunities
that work
that God
is putting
on your
heart?
Friends,
where are
the needs?
What do
we look
out and
see?
Where are
the needs?
What are
our means?
And where
is the
need?
And talking
of which,
just as we
close, let
me tell you
about a
lady who
used to be
part of
this church
family,
some of us
will remember
her,
called Rita.
Now that's
a generational
name, isn't
it?
Rita.
All I can
tell you about
Rita, people
will remember
her, she
was the
smallest lady
you'll ever
meet,
with the
biggest heart
for God
I've ever
seen.
Right?
And she
saw a need
in this
church.
She saw
that when
we have
church
lunches
upstairs,
in the
upstairs
hall,
she saw
that sometimes
an older
generation
couldn't get
up those
stairs to
join in
everyone
else.
And she
saw that
this was
creating a
divide in
our church
between the
old and
the young.
And she
wanted to
help.
And so for
her 90th
birthday,
we had it
down at
Braith's
Hells Hotel,
if you go
out that
way.
We had a
massive party,
she didn't
want any
presents,
she encouraged
people to
give towards
the start
of a church
lift project.
And that
money there
was the
seed fund
to the
lift that's
out there.
Now if you
go out that
door, if you
stay long
enough and
those doors
are locked,
you'll be
forced to
go out that
side.
You'll see
the lift,
that was
Rita's
birthday money
that was the
seed fund for
that lift.
And she
died a matter
of weeks,
if I'm right,
in my head,
a number of
weeks after her
90th birthday.
But friends,
what a legacy.
She used her
means and
she realised
there was a
need and
she put two
and two
together.
And what a
blessing she
has been to
our church
family.
Because what
grabs the
heart opens
the wallet.
and so if,
friends, let
me encourage
you, do
not leave
this morning
without doing
business with
the Lord.
Cherish, if
you can
remember in
your head,
cherish that
verse that
he who was
rich became
poor so
that we
who are
poor might
become rich.
Let's pray
then.
Philippians
chapter 1
verse 9.
Paul writes
this,
and this is
my prayer,
that your
love may
abound more
and more
in knowledge
and depth
of insight
so that you
may be able
to discern
what is best
and may be
pure and
blameless for
the day of
Christ,
filled with
the fruit
of righteousness
that comes
through Jesus
Christ to the
glory and
praise of
God.
Lord, we
thank you
this morning
that we
have savoured
the truth
that there
is simply
none that
compares to
you.
A God
beyond our
wildest
imaginations
or expectations.
Father, would
you thrill
us with
the gospel
here today?
Lord, for
some of us
perhaps who
the fire in
our hearts
has gone
cold, may
a fresh
sense of
your love
for us
come.
Lord, would
your spirit
be moving
amongst us
as we think
about our
means and
as we think
about needs
that exist.
Lord, may
we be
continued to
be a church
that is marked
by radical
generosity.
Father, thank
you that you
are a radically
generous God.
And we pray
all of these
things in
Jesus' wonderful
and in his
powerful name.
Amen.