WEBVTT

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 How many of y'all been watching a lot of football lately?

00:00:05.360 --> 00:00:08.859
 How many of you saw the Eagles play last week against the Rams?

00:00:09.120 --> 00:00:10.500
! Did anybody see that game?

00:00:10.759 --> 00:00:13.000
 If you did, you probably didn't forget it.

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 If you didn't, you missed out on something.

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 How many of you are Eagles fans and dare to raise your hand as an Eagles fan down here?

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 Listen, I am by no means an Eagles fan and they were going to lose.

00:00:26.839 --> 00:00:29.539
 The Rams were going to beat them and I was happy about it.

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 Unfortunately, the game goes until there are zeros on the clock.

00:00:38.460 --> 00:00:41.859
 And let me tell you, you know what I left.

00:00:45.859 --> 00:00:47.900
 This little group down here is laughing.

00:00:48.120 --> 00:00:48.719
 Thank you, Larry.

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 Because I always leave this thing down there.

00:00:52.679 --> 00:00:57.299
 Let me tell you, the game goes until the very final play.

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 And you know what happened on the final play?

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 The Rams were kicking a field goal to win the game.

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 It wasn't even that long of a field goal.

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 They were going to win the game.

00:01:08.519 --> 00:01:11.560
 If you don't know what a field goal is, just tune this part out for a minute.

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 We'll get to the good stuff in just a second.

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 But this is Texas and probably most of you know what a field goal is.

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 Listen, it's an easy kick, all right?

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 Especially from where they were lined up.

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 Not all field goals are easy.

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 But this one was going to work.

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 The Rams were going to win.

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 And the Eagles blocked it.

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 This team like did a deal with the devil or something.

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 I don't know how they keep winning.

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 Makes me mad.

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 Anyway, more likely the Cowboys probably did a deal with the devil and now they're paying for it.

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 I don't know.

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 Look, the truth is sometimes, and coaches will tell you, the last play of the game matters even more than the first play.

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 You got to keep playing all the way through the whistle.

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 Anybody know what that means?

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 Play through the whistle?

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 You got to keep going until it's over.

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 Sometimes what happens at the very end is just as or more important than anything that happened before.

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 So, we've been talking about generosity.

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 And several weeks back, we started working on this together.

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 Let's kick off our Sunday sermon again with this call and response.

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 Ready?

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 I say the black.

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 You say the red.

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 God gives.

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 We give back.

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 How do we give back?

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 When it's open, I've still.

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 That's right.

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 And these are principles that we draw from Jesus' teaching on generosity.

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 Today, we're going to look at an example called the widow's coins.

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 The widow's coins.

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 Would you take your Bible and turn to Mark chapter 12, verse 41?

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 As you're turning there, we're thinking about the last play, the end, what happens right before it's all over.

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 So, let's look at what Jesus did as his final play, so to speak, before he started his passion week, in which he was crucified,

00:03:19.259 --> 00:03:22.620
 willingly laid down his life for all of you and for me.

00:03:22.620 --> 00:03:32.300
 What was the last thing he did in his public ministry, as abbreviated, as short as that was on this earth?

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 About 33 and a half years, it seems.

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 What was the last thing he did?

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 We're going to look at it.

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 Mark chapter 12.

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 You'd think that this would be some big headliner miracle, that they'd all be writing about it in the papers the next day.

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 Jesus fed 5,000.

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 This time, he's feeding 10,000.

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 Jesus raised five guys from the dead.

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 He could do anything.

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 What did he choose to do as his final moment of public ministry on this earth?

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 For his last play of the game, so to speak, he points us to a poor widow dropping in two tiny coins.

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 And he teaches us that that's what greatness looks like.

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 Let's look at Mark chapter 12, verse 41.

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 Mark 12, 41.

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 I'm reading out of the Christian Standard Bible.

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 It should be very similar to what you're reading.

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 Sitting across from the temple, the temple treasury,

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 Jesus watched how the crowd dropped money into the treasury.

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 Many rich people were putting in large sums.

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 Then a poor widow comes along and drops in two tiny coins worth very little.

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 Summoning his disciples, Jesus said to them,

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 Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others.

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 For they all gave out of their surplus.

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 But she, out of her poverty, has put in everything she had.

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 All she had to live on.

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 And that's it.

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 That's the end of Jesus' public ministry on this earth.

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 These others contributed out of their abundance.

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 Their surplus.

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 But this woman, highlighted by Jesus, probably not noticed by anybody else,

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 gave out of her nothing.

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 Her very little.

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 Her poverty.

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 Her poverty.

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 And she gave in all she had to live on.

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 What's happening here?

00:06:09.759 --> 00:06:11.879
 Well, they're probably in the court of women.

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 So if you think of Jerusalem, you think of the big temple,

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 and everybody's coming in to contribute,

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 to support the work that they thought God was doing through the temple.

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 Women were only allowed into the court of women.

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 That's why it was called the court of women.

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 Just wanted to clear that up.

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 Where men and women could come to give offerings.

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 There were many other courts around the temple.

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 The women were not allowed into them.

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 This was often common in that time of the world.

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 Women were very oppressed.

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 Very different than it is today.

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 The fact of a woman being allowed to work a job like women can work today,

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 or vote like women can work today,

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 is very, very rare, very uncommon back then.

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 And so in this time of female oppression,

00:07:03.939 --> 00:07:10.759
 Jesus highlights a woman and her sacrificial gift.

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 What were the offerings?

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 Offering boxes that she's putting things into.

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 It was something that looked a little bit like this.

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 There were these 13 trumpet-shaped offering boxes lining this court of women.

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 And people would come and drop their offering into it.

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 Oftentimes they would make a big show out of it.

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 They would pray some rich flowery prayer,

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 highlighting this great gift that they were giving,

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 and that was normally the rich, influential, powerful people doing that.

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 And so this woman doesn't do anything like that.

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 She has down to her last two coins,

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 and she said in her mind seemingly,

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 God can use these far greater than I can.

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 So I'm going to go and offer this up to God.

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 And I've got a sneaking suspicion that as Jesus witnesses this,

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 and he highlights it,

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 and he uses her as a teaching opportunity for his followers,

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 he probably took care of her after.

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 God probably intervened and blessed her for her sacrifice.

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 Here in Mark, he even highlights the value.

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 He says these were worth very little.

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 Mark is writing probably to a Roman audience.

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 When we look at this gospel of Mark,

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 one of Jesus' followers,

00:08:47.899 --> 00:08:51.179
 he's probably writing seemingly to the church in Rome

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 to hear about what Jesus did,

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 and what he taught, and what he said.

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 And so he's explaining to them,

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 these coins were tiny in size,

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 almost worthless in value,

00:09:05.139 --> 00:09:07.500
 but they were massive in meaning.

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 And Jesus teaches us this is the kind of generosity

00:09:11.740 --> 00:09:14.159
 that heaven notices.

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 If you want God to take notice

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 of how much you're giving back to him,

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 then give this way.

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 That's why we've been highlighting

00:09:26.779 --> 00:09:29.240
 from the very beginning of this series on generosity,

00:09:29.519 --> 00:09:32.059
 man, I imagine when I got up on the first Sunday and said,

00:09:32.360 --> 00:09:34.259
 we're going to be starting a series on generosity,

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 everybody's thinking, great,

00:09:35.600 --> 00:09:36.899
 he's just going to be begging for money

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 for the next however many weeks.

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 Because oftentimes that's what churches do, right?

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 And that is not right.

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 It's not what Jesus did.

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 What we're doing is trying to form

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 or conform our lives to who Jesus was,

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 how he lived,

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 and he was as generous as he could possibly be.

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 You and I should mimic the same kind of generosity.

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 He held nothing back from us.

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 And that was the attitude that this widow had.

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 She held nothing back.

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 So number one,

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 if you're keeping notes in your outline in the bulletin,

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 if not, don't worry about it.

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 Just listen up here.

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 Number one,

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 true generosity is measured by sacrifice,

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 not surplus.

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 True generosity is measured by sacrifice,

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 not surplus.

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 Surplus.

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 If you understand what surplus is,

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 you have all you need,

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 and then you have a little more.

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 And usually,

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 wealth is determined by how much surplus you have.

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 How wealthy or rich you are in the eyes of others

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 depends on how much you have

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 beyond what you actually need,

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 what you actually have to have.

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 We look at net worth and all these different things.

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 Nobody puts my net worth on the internet

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 because nobody would care.

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 Or yours,

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 more than likely.

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 And often,

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 we're not looking at a surplus,

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 we're looking at a deficit.

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 Right?

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 That's the opposite.

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 It means you don't quite have enough

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 of what you need.

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 And sometimes we find ourselves there.

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 But true generosity is not measured,

00:11:15.440 --> 00:11:17.480
 is measured by sacrifice,

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 not by surplus.

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 God's not looking at how much you have extra.

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 He's looking at how much are you willing to give to Him

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 and let Him take over.

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 What does that exactly mean?

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 Well, we're going to look at this.

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 We're going to try to understand what He's teaching us

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 from Mark chapter 12.

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 The teachers of the law,

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 in this story in Mark 12 that really happened,

00:11:47.680 --> 00:11:50.340
 were taking advantage of people,

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 especially widows,

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 especially widows with surplus,

00:11:56.080 --> 00:11:57.060
 wealthier widows,

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 who'd had rich husbands,

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 and they died,

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 and they left this money to their wives,

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 and so they have these widows coming,

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 and the teachers of the law

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 were taking advantage of these people.

00:12:07.800 --> 00:12:10.080
 Now, that's totally unbelievable, right?

00:12:10.740 --> 00:12:12.139
 You would never think

00:12:12.139 --> 00:12:13.879
 that a Bible teacher

00:12:13.879 --> 00:12:15.360
 would take advantage of anybody.

00:12:15.360 --> 00:12:19.519
 If you think that,

00:12:19.580 --> 00:12:21.240
 you haven't been paying attention to the news.

00:12:21.899 --> 00:12:23.000
 Because unfortunately,

00:12:24.019 --> 00:12:26.779
 people who lift themselves up

00:12:26.779 --> 00:12:28.940
 as experts on the Word of God,

00:12:29.980 --> 00:12:31.419
 and oftentimes it seems like

00:12:31.419 --> 00:12:32.620
 the more well-known they get,

00:12:32.700 --> 00:12:34.100
 the more successful they get,

00:12:35.259 --> 00:12:37.620
 maybe the more vulnerable

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 or prone they get to

00:12:39.300 --> 00:12:41.560
 abusing this power

00:12:41.560 --> 00:12:43.399
 that they collect around themselves.

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 So this is not a new thing,

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 and it's not hard for us to understand

00:12:48.299 --> 00:12:50.319
 that these religious leaders

00:12:50.319 --> 00:12:52.559
 were taking advantage of vulnerable people

00:12:52.559 --> 00:12:54.319
 because they still do it today.

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 And that's why those of us

00:12:57.720 --> 00:13:00.039
 who God has called to a leadership position

00:13:00.039 --> 00:13:02.559
 and allowed to be in a leadership position

00:13:02.559 --> 00:13:03.319
 in His church,

00:13:03.419 --> 00:13:05.199
 we have to be extra careful,

00:13:05.899 --> 00:13:07.480
 extra intentional

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 to walk with Him daily

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 and keep running back to Jesus

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 because when we start to stray,

00:13:15.299 --> 00:13:17.019
 we can abuse our power

00:13:17.019 --> 00:13:18.299
 and affect people

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 in ways that others can't.

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 So it's a serious thing.

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 And Jesus is stepping into this moment

00:13:26.039 --> 00:13:28.879
 when teachers of His law,

00:13:29.539 --> 00:13:30.960
 His Old Testament law,

00:13:31.340 --> 00:13:32.759
 were taking advantage of people.

00:13:34.439 --> 00:13:35.939
 2 Corinthians chapter 8.

00:13:37.480 --> 00:13:38.279
 We're going to be there

00:13:38.279 --> 00:13:39.179
 for just a little bit,

00:13:39.319 --> 00:13:40.200
 so if you want to flip over

00:13:40.200 --> 00:13:41.560
 to 2 Corinthians chapter 8,

00:13:41.680 --> 00:13:42.440
 we're going to be there

00:13:42.440 --> 00:13:43.379
 right here on this point,

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 and then we're going to go there

00:13:44.160 --> 00:13:45.140
 on the next point as well.

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 Go back to it.

00:13:46.980 --> 00:13:48.140
 2 Corinthians 8.

00:13:48.220 --> 00:13:49.580
 You can keep a finger in Mark 12

00:13:49.580 --> 00:13:50.220
 if you'd like to.

00:13:51.780 --> 00:13:53.140
 Paul is teaching us something

00:13:53.140 --> 00:13:54.020
 that's very relevant

00:13:54.020 --> 00:13:55.200
 to what we're talking about here.

00:13:55.740 --> 00:13:56.800
 That true generosity

00:13:56.800 --> 00:13:58.200
 is measured by sacrifice,

00:13:59.000 --> 00:14:00.320
 not surplus.

00:14:00.320 --> 00:14:02.740
 Jesus wasn't after

00:14:02.740 --> 00:14:04.540
 the wealthy widow's surplus.

00:14:07.280 --> 00:14:08.860
 That was the teachers of the law.

00:14:08.960 --> 00:14:10.020
 That was the Pharisees,

00:14:10.120 --> 00:14:10.900
 the rabbis,

00:14:11.300 --> 00:14:13.980
 many of whom were corrupt,

00:14:14.680 --> 00:14:15.920
 and most of whom

00:14:15.920 --> 00:14:17.500
 were trying to get more money.

00:14:17.600 --> 00:14:19.440
 See, these guys weren't paid a salary.

00:14:19.440 --> 00:14:23.100
 And so that system

00:14:23.100 --> 00:14:24.600
 that was set up

00:14:24.600 --> 00:14:26.960
 by this new Jewish way

00:14:26.960 --> 00:14:30.720
 lended itself

00:14:30.720 --> 00:14:31.560
 or provided

00:14:31.560 --> 00:14:32.680
 for these guys

00:14:32.680 --> 00:14:33.220
 to go out

00:14:33.220 --> 00:14:34.580
 and abuse the system

00:14:34.580 --> 00:14:37.420
 and go guilt trip people

00:14:37.420 --> 00:14:38.380
 into giving them

00:14:38.380 --> 00:14:39.220
 their money.

00:14:40.240 --> 00:14:40.860
 And whoever was

00:14:40.860 --> 00:14:42.240
 the most effective at that

00:14:42.240 --> 00:14:44.120
 was the wealthiest widows.

00:14:44.220 --> 00:14:44.740
 They had these things

00:14:44.740 --> 00:14:45.400
 called patrons.

00:14:45.880 --> 00:14:46.700
 And without spending

00:14:46.700 --> 00:14:47.300
 a lot of time

00:14:47.300 --> 00:14:48.240
 on that kind of culture,

00:14:48.240 --> 00:14:49.799
 these were wealthy people

00:14:49.799 --> 00:14:51.480
 who would get followings

00:14:51.480 --> 00:14:51.919
 of people

00:14:51.919 --> 00:14:52.720
 who were dependent

00:14:52.720 --> 00:14:54.340
 on them for money

00:14:54.340 --> 00:14:55.940
 and often their livelihood.

00:14:56.519 --> 00:14:57.419
 So the more money

00:14:57.419 --> 00:14:58.299
 you got,

00:14:58.460 --> 00:14:59.360
 the more groupies

00:14:59.360 --> 00:15:01.320
 or posse you had

00:15:01.320 --> 00:15:02.879
 because people would be

00:15:02.879 --> 00:15:03.960
 hanging on to you

00:15:03.960 --> 00:15:05.440
 for the gravy train

00:15:05.440 --> 00:15:06.680
 so they could get

00:15:06.680 --> 00:15:07.440
 your money.

00:15:07.779 --> 00:15:08.940
 You were their patron.

00:15:09.879 --> 00:15:10.980
 So these rabbis

00:15:10.980 --> 00:15:12.000
 needed to go out

00:15:12.000 --> 00:15:13.500
 and find wealthy patrons

00:15:13.500 --> 00:15:14.560
 and man,

00:15:14.600 --> 00:15:15.240
 it would be hard

00:15:15.240 --> 00:15:16.680
 to get some savvy,

00:15:17.000 --> 00:15:18.120
 rich, wealthy man

00:15:18.120 --> 00:15:19.600
 but some of these widows

00:15:19.600 --> 00:15:20.759
 who had never been

00:15:20.759 --> 00:15:21.519
 in the marketplace

00:15:21.519 --> 00:15:22.600
 and never learned

00:15:22.600 --> 00:15:23.799
 these ways

00:15:23.799 --> 00:15:24.600
 of doing business

00:15:24.600 --> 00:15:25.360
 and what was fair

00:15:25.360 --> 00:15:26.120
 and what was not,

00:15:26.360 --> 00:15:27.919
 maybe they were easier marks,

00:15:28.220 --> 00:15:28.919
 easier prey.

00:15:29.679 --> 00:15:30.840
 So this is what was happening.

00:15:31.580 --> 00:15:33.320
 And Jesus ignores

00:15:33.320 --> 00:15:34.360
 all of that

00:15:34.360 --> 00:15:36.299
 and he focuses in

00:15:36.299 --> 00:15:36.980
 on the woman

00:15:36.980 --> 00:15:39.159
 who was worth nothing.

00:15:39.840 --> 00:15:40.659
 She couldn't be

00:15:40.659 --> 00:15:41.740
 a patron to anybody.

00:15:41.740 --> 00:15:45.240
 nobody could depend

00:15:45.240 --> 00:15:46.940
 on her wealth.

00:15:48.000 --> 00:15:49.500
 2 Corinthians chapter 8,

00:15:49.980 --> 00:15:50.860
 Paul teaches us,

00:15:51.180 --> 00:15:51.940
 I want you to know,

00:15:52.060 --> 00:15:52.940
 dear brothers and sisters,

00:15:53.460 --> 00:15:54.799
 what God in his kindness

00:15:54.799 --> 00:15:56.200
 has done

00:15:56.200 --> 00:15:57.019
 through the churches

00:15:57.019 --> 00:15:58.740
 in Macedonia.

00:15:58.840 --> 00:15:59.659
 We talked about this

00:15:59.659 --> 00:16:00.399
 a few weeks ago

00:16:00.399 --> 00:16:02.180
 but I want to come back to it

00:16:02.180 --> 00:16:03.399
 because it's very relevant

00:16:03.399 --> 00:16:04.580
 to what we're talking about today.

00:16:05.659 --> 00:16:07.539
 These churches in Macedonia,

00:16:08.159 --> 00:16:08.659
 now remember,

00:16:08.860 --> 00:16:09.599
 he's not writing

00:16:09.599 --> 00:16:10.319
 to these churches

00:16:10.319 --> 00:16:11.000
 in Macedonia,

00:16:11.179 --> 00:16:11.959
 he's writing

00:16:11.959 --> 00:16:12.659
 to the churches

00:16:12.659 --> 00:16:13.419
 in Corinth.

00:16:14.579 --> 00:16:15.319
 Be like if somebody

00:16:15.319 --> 00:16:16.399
 came here to Henrietta

00:16:16.399 --> 00:16:16.799
 and said,

00:16:16.879 --> 00:16:17.099
 listen,

00:16:17.539 --> 00:16:18.439
 I want to talk to you

00:16:18.439 --> 00:16:19.059
 about the churches

00:16:19.059 --> 00:16:20.139
 in Burke Burnett

00:16:20.139 --> 00:16:20.639
 for a minute,

00:16:20.899 --> 00:16:21.079
 okay?

00:16:21.459 --> 00:16:22.620
 Let me tell you about them.

00:16:23.579 --> 00:16:24.500
 So we're getting it

00:16:24.500 --> 00:16:24.959
 in context

00:16:24.959 --> 00:16:25.779
 and he says,

00:16:26.000 --> 00:16:27.419
 these guys in Macedonia

00:16:27.419 --> 00:16:28.980
 are being tested

00:16:28.980 --> 00:16:30.179
 by many troubles.

00:16:31.000 --> 00:16:31.819
 Let me lead out

00:16:31.819 --> 00:16:32.679
 of the gate with that.

00:16:32.839 --> 00:16:33.879
 They don't have it easy.

00:16:34.319 --> 00:16:35.500
 They're having a hard time.

00:16:35.500 --> 00:16:35.620
 Now,

00:16:36.519 --> 00:16:38.860
 they are very poor.

00:16:40.679 --> 00:16:41.220
 Now,

00:16:41.279 --> 00:16:42.399
 he emphasizes that

00:16:42.399 --> 00:16:43.120
 because the people

00:16:43.120 --> 00:16:43.639
 in Corinth

00:16:43.639 --> 00:16:44.960
 that he's writing to

00:16:44.960 --> 00:16:46.379
 were not poor.

00:16:46.860 --> 00:16:47.799
 Maybe there were some

00:16:47.799 --> 00:16:49.460
 but most of them

00:16:49.460 --> 00:16:50.279
 had some money.

00:16:51.539 --> 00:16:53.120
 Probably upper middle class

00:16:53.120 --> 00:16:54.679
 is about what they were.

00:16:55.559 --> 00:16:56.259
 So he said,

00:16:56.639 --> 00:16:57.539
 these people in Macedonia

00:16:57.539 --> 00:16:58.179
 are poor

00:16:58.179 --> 00:17:01.379
 but they are also filled

00:17:01.379 --> 00:17:03.179
 with abundant joy

00:17:03.179 --> 00:17:05.619
 which has overflowed

00:17:05.619 --> 00:17:07.599
 in rich generosity.

00:17:08.059 --> 00:17:08.740
 Do you see

00:17:08.740 --> 00:17:09.759
 the difference there?

00:17:09.960 --> 00:17:10.440
 He said,

00:17:10.559 --> 00:17:11.259
 they're poor

00:17:11.259 --> 00:17:13.460
 but they're rich.

00:17:14.599 --> 00:17:15.480
 They're poor

00:17:15.480 --> 00:17:16.960
 in earthly means

00:17:16.960 --> 00:17:18.259
 but they're rich

00:17:18.259 --> 00:17:19.980
 in generosity.

00:17:20.980 --> 00:17:22.319
 And that's what God

00:17:22.319 --> 00:17:23.559
 wants to do for you.

00:17:23.960 --> 00:17:25.919
 He wants to make you rich,

00:17:26.240 --> 00:17:27.240
 make you wealthy.

00:17:28.119 --> 00:17:28.559
 Wade,

00:17:28.619 --> 00:17:29.299
 don't just take

00:17:29.299 --> 00:17:30.019
 a little video of that

00:17:30.019 --> 00:17:31.179
 and then splice it right there

00:17:31.180 --> 00:17:31.480
 and say,

00:17:31.580 --> 00:17:32.700
 God wants to make you rich.

00:17:32.759 --> 00:17:33.620
 I heard Sam say it.

00:17:34.500 --> 00:17:35.400
 I know Wade's

00:17:35.400 --> 00:17:36.220
 going to do that to me tomorrow.

00:17:36.820 --> 00:17:37.700
 I'm kidding with you.

00:17:39.080 --> 00:17:41.039
 God wants to make you rich

00:17:41.039 --> 00:17:42.600
 in what matters.

00:17:43.940 --> 00:17:44.160
 Say,

00:17:44.220 --> 00:17:44.360
 yeah,

00:17:44.400 --> 00:17:45.380
 that sounds about right.

00:17:45.480 --> 00:17:46.320
 Money never matters,

00:17:46.400 --> 00:17:46.720
 does it?

00:17:48.000 --> 00:17:48.960
 Of course it does.

00:17:49.580 --> 00:17:50.480
 But God wants

00:17:50.480 --> 00:17:51.480
 to make you wealthy

00:17:51.480 --> 00:17:52.580
 in the things

00:17:52.580 --> 00:17:53.940
 that matter most.

00:17:55.580 --> 00:17:56.799
 These Macedonians

00:17:56.799 --> 00:17:57.620
 figured that out.

00:17:57.619 --> 00:17:59.879
 And they were rich

00:17:59.879 --> 00:18:02.039
 in being generous.

00:18:03.919 --> 00:18:04.919
 You know what?

00:18:06.079 --> 00:18:07.379
 God supplied their need.

00:18:08.319 --> 00:18:09.119
 How do I know

00:18:09.119 --> 00:18:10.079
 God supplied their need?

00:18:11.039 --> 00:18:11.559
 Well,

00:18:11.579 --> 00:18:12.559
 we could read about them

00:18:12.559 --> 00:18:14.299
 but also because

00:18:14.299 --> 00:18:15.039
 he promised to.

00:18:16.639 --> 00:18:18.359
 My God will supply

00:18:18.359 --> 00:18:20.979
 all your needs

00:18:20.979 --> 00:18:23.500
 according to his riches

00:18:23.500 --> 00:18:24.219
 in mercy

00:18:24.219 --> 00:18:25.779
 by Christ Jesus.

00:18:26.519 --> 00:18:27.459
 That's a promise.

00:18:27.619 --> 00:18:28.119
 from God.

00:18:30.039 --> 00:18:31.399
 He doesn't say

00:18:31.399 --> 00:18:32.199
 he'll supply

00:18:32.199 --> 00:18:33.879
 all your surplus.

00:18:35.219 --> 00:18:36.339
 He doesn't say

00:18:36.339 --> 00:18:37.000
 he'll supply

00:18:37.000 --> 00:18:38.239
 all the extra

00:18:38.239 --> 00:18:39.239
 that you want.

00:18:40.259 --> 00:18:41.419
 He does say,

00:18:41.699 --> 00:18:42.519
 he does teach

00:18:42.519 --> 00:18:43.539
 that when God

00:18:43.539 --> 00:18:44.539
 gives to you

00:18:44.539 --> 00:18:46.679
 in what truly matters,

00:18:46.979 --> 00:18:48.459
 he will give abundantly.

00:18:49.699 --> 00:18:50.179
 He'll give

00:18:50.179 --> 00:18:50.859
 pressed down,

00:18:51.019 --> 00:18:51.739
 shaken together,

00:18:51.959 --> 00:18:52.839
 running over

00:18:52.839 --> 00:18:54.399
 will be God's mercy,

00:18:54.719 --> 00:18:55.259
 his love,

00:18:55.359 --> 00:18:56.000
 his grace,

00:18:56.319 --> 00:18:57.000
 his protection,

00:18:57.000 --> 00:18:57.980
 and even

00:18:57.980 --> 00:18:58.960
 his provision.

00:18:59.619 --> 00:19:00.920
 He will provide

00:19:00.920 --> 00:19:01.980
 for your need.

00:19:02.599 --> 00:19:03.619
 And so the Macedonians

00:19:03.619 --> 00:19:04.400
 figured this out.

00:19:04.799 --> 00:19:05.480
 They figured out

00:19:05.480 --> 00:19:06.799
 this generosity code.

00:19:06.880 --> 00:19:07.819
 They cracked the code.

00:19:08.480 --> 00:19:09.160
 They said,

00:19:09.259 --> 00:19:10.019
 it doesn't matter

00:19:10.019 --> 00:19:10.960
 so much how much

00:19:10.960 --> 00:19:11.740
 we have,

00:19:11.960 --> 00:19:12.880
 it matters

00:19:12.880 --> 00:19:14.039
 who we are.

00:19:14.279 --> 00:19:14.880
 Remember we've been

00:19:14.880 --> 00:19:15.720
 saying this for several

00:19:15.720 --> 00:19:16.200
 months now,

00:19:16.539 --> 00:19:17.779
 God's not as interested

00:19:17.779 --> 00:19:18.960
 in what you do

00:19:18.960 --> 00:19:20.640
 as how and why

00:19:20.640 --> 00:19:21.519
 you do it.

00:19:21.519 --> 00:19:23.299
 because the how

00:19:23.299 --> 00:19:23.940
 and why

00:19:23.940 --> 00:19:25.220
 will determine

00:19:25.220 --> 00:19:25.839
 the what.

00:19:26.839 --> 00:19:27.980
 So if you're going out

00:19:27.980 --> 00:19:28.980
 and living like the devil,

00:19:29.839 --> 00:19:31.139
 you're not doing that

00:19:31.139 --> 00:19:31.700
 for God.

00:19:33.240 --> 00:19:34.480
 You're not doing that

00:19:34.480 --> 00:19:35.240
 for others.

00:19:35.859 --> 00:19:36.619
 You're doing that

00:19:36.619 --> 00:19:37.480
 because you think

00:19:37.480 --> 00:19:38.460
 it'll bring you

00:19:38.460 --> 00:19:38.900
 pleasure.

00:19:40.119 --> 00:19:41.139
 Because it'll bring you

00:19:41.139 --> 00:19:41.839
 what you want.

00:19:43.160 --> 00:19:44.319
 But that's the opposite.

00:19:45.019 --> 00:19:45.900
 Jesus says,

00:19:45.900 --> 00:19:48.160
 if you want to be like me,

00:19:48.200 --> 00:19:49.259
 if you want to follow me,

00:19:49.300 --> 00:19:50.300
 if you want to call yourself

00:19:50.300 --> 00:19:51.940
 a Christian and be my disciple,

00:19:52.100 --> 00:19:52.940
 be my follower,

00:19:53.180 --> 00:19:54.320
 then you've got to

00:19:54.320 --> 00:19:55.540
 understand generosity.

00:19:55.700 --> 00:19:57.080
 We talked about that

00:19:57.080 --> 00:19:58.180
 in week one.

00:19:58.380 --> 00:19:59.500
 He literally teaches

00:19:59.500 --> 00:20:01.200
 if you're not generous,

00:20:01.320 --> 00:20:02.980
 you can't follow me.

00:20:04.120 --> 00:20:05.120
 That's a hard truth.

00:20:05.980 --> 00:20:06.680
 See, I'm just not

00:20:06.680 --> 00:20:07.480
 a generous person.

00:20:08.160 --> 00:20:09.560
 Let God make you one.

00:20:10.700 --> 00:20:11.700
 By nature,

00:20:11.920 --> 00:20:13.519
 I'm not generous either.

00:20:14.180 --> 00:20:14.940
 My wife is.

00:20:14.940 --> 00:20:16.259
 Some of you are gifted

00:20:16.259 --> 00:20:18.320
 with this gift of hospitality

00:20:18.320 --> 00:20:19.360
 and wanting to serve

00:20:19.360 --> 00:20:20.039
 and wanting to go out

00:20:20.039 --> 00:20:20.940
 and be a blessing to people.

00:20:21.039 --> 00:20:22.900
 It's just how you tick.

00:20:23.759 --> 00:20:24.980
 Some of us are not.

00:20:25.980 --> 00:20:27.180
 We really just care

00:20:27.180 --> 00:20:27.900
 about number one.

00:20:27.960 --> 00:20:29.180
 And as long as we're okay,

00:20:29.279 --> 00:20:31.039
 then everything else is okay.

00:20:31.799 --> 00:20:33.580
 So God has to teach us

00:20:33.580 --> 00:20:34.860
 to not be like that.

00:20:35.380 --> 00:20:36.440
 He's got to teach us

00:20:36.440 --> 00:20:38.400
 to change and be generous

00:20:38.400 --> 00:20:40.240
 if we're going to follow him.

00:20:40.820 --> 00:20:42.120
 So there's a principle here.

00:20:42.600 --> 00:20:44.080
 He said they are poor,

00:20:44.079 --> 00:20:45.919
 but they're overflowing

00:20:45.919 --> 00:20:47.240
 in rich generosity.

00:20:47.679 --> 00:20:48.779
 And this fills them

00:20:48.779 --> 00:20:50.019
 with abundant joy.

00:20:50.799 --> 00:20:51.740
 For I can testify,

00:20:52.220 --> 00:20:53.559
 Paul tells this church in Corinth,

00:20:53.839 --> 00:20:55.559
 that these people in Macedonia,

00:20:55.899 --> 00:20:56.859
 they gave not only

00:20:56.859 --> 00:20:57.939
 what they could afford,

00:20:58.519 --> 00:21:00.059
 but far more.

00:21:00.339 --> 00:21:01.319
 And they did it

00:21:01.319 --> 00:21:03.299
 of their own free will.

00:21:04.000 --> 00:21:05.419
 Do you think it's a good idea

00:21:05.419 --> 00:21:08.379
 if we open up the word of God?

00:21:08.799 --> 00:21:09.759
 You can come down here

00:21:09.759 --> 00:21:10.659
 and look at this big one.

00:21:10.859 --> 00:21:11.759
 That's in there too.

00:21:11.759 --> 00:21:13.299
 Same thing I just read.

00:21:14.299 --> 00:21:15.500
 If we open up

00:21:15.500 --> 00:21:16.660
 the big word of God

00:21:16.660 --> 00:21:19.359
 and we see a positive example given,

00:21:20.619 --> 00:21:20.920
 Paul,

00:21:21.059 --> 00:21:23.359
 whose job was to teach churches

00:21:23.359 --> 00:21:24.839
 how to behave,

00:21:25.960 --> 00:21:27.279
 do you think we should

00:21:27.279 --> 00:21:28.339
 follow that example?

00:21:29.079 --> 00:21:29.859
 Y'all talk back to me.

00:21:29.900 --> 00:21:30.640
 Do you think it's important

00:21:30.640 --> 00:21:31.859
 to follow a good,

00:21:31.940 --> 00:21:33.019
 positive, biblical example

00:21:33.019 --> 00:21:33.819
 that was given to us?

00:21:34.379 --> 00:21:34.819
 Yeah.

00:21:34.819 --> 00:21:34.920
 Yeah.

00:21:36.220 --> 00:21:36.700
 Okay.

00:21:37.340 --> 00:21:39.019
 So here's the biblical example given.

00:21:41.620 --> 00:21:43.100
 They gave not only

00:21:43.100 --> 00:21:43.980
 what they could afford,

00:21:44.120 --> 00:21:44.700
 but far more.

00:21:45.920 --> 00:21:47.100
 And they did it

00:21:47.100 --> 00:21:49.120
 of their own free will.

00:21:50.500 --> 00:21:51.620
 That's generosity.

00:21:52.740 --> 00:21:53.519
 That's sacrifice.

00:21:54.240 --> 00:21:55.299
 So the principle

00:21:55.299 --> 00:21:56.539
 we can take away from this

00:21:56.539 --> 00:21:58.660
 is joyful sacrifice

00:21:58.660 --> 00:22:01.100
 equals true generosity.

00:22:01.099 --> 00:22:03.679
 Not reluctant sacrifice.

00:22:04.879 --> 00:22:06.359
 Not somebody just

00:22:06.359 --> 00:22:07.919
 getting it out of you

00:22:07.919 --> 00:22:10.819
 or giving a good pitch

00:22:10.819 --> 00:22:13.039
 and you fall under their spell

00:22:13.039 --> 00:22:13.519
 and it's like,

00:22:13.599 --> 00:22:15.299
 okay, I guess I should do this.

00:22:16.500 --> 00:22:18.000
 Joyfully sacrificing.

00:22:18.679 --> 00:22:19.240
 Saying,

00:22:19.419 --> 00:22:21.779
 God sacrificed so much for me,

00:22:22.000 --> 00:22:23.439
 it's all I can do

00:22:23.439 --> 00:22:25.539
 to just offer it back up to him.

00:22:25.879 --> 00:22:27.279
 How do we give back?

00:22:27.680 --> 00:22:28.460
 Hands open.

00:22:29.119 --> 00:22:29.700
 Eyes up.

00:22:30.599 --> 00:22:31.000
 God,

00:22:31.099 --> 00:22:32.700
 I'm offering it back to you.

00:22:33.139 --> 00:22:34.259
 You want my bank account?

00:22:34.399 --> 00:22:34.899
 It's yours.

00:22:35.220 --> 00:22:36.279
 You want my life?

00:22:36.399 --> 00:22:36.899
 It's yours.

00:22:37.220 --> 00:22:38.180
 You want my kids?

00:22:38.319 --> 00:22:38.899
 They're yours.

00:22:39.220 --> 00:22:40.139
 You want my health?

00:22:40.259 --> 00:22:40.899
 It's yours.

00:22:41.240 --> 00:22:41.579
 Why?

00:22:41.980 --> 00:22:42.680
 That's crazy.

00:22:43.240 --> 00:22:43.839
 What are you doing

00:22:43.839 --> 00:22:44.879
 offering up those things

00:22:44.879 --> 00:22:46.139
 that matter most to God?

00:22:46.420 --> 00:22:47.799
 Because God can handle them

00:22:47.799 --> 00:22:48.759
 way better than we can.

00:22:51.079 --> 00:22:51.480
 God,

00:22:51.559 --> 00:22:52.680
 I'm offering it back to you.

00:22:53.539 --> 00:22:54.500
 What does that look like?

00:22:54.500 --> 00:22:56.000
 I'm going to prioritize

00:22:56.000 --> 00:22:57.259
 what you prioritize.

00:22:58.059 --> 00:22:59.400
 I'm going to do my best

00:22:59.400 --> 00:23:00.960
 to follow your teaching

00:23:00.960 --> 00:23:02.799
 and you're going to train me

00:23:02.799 --> 00:23:04.579
 on how to live this way.

00:23:06.160 --> 00:23:08.240
 If I offer my kids up to you

00:23:08.240 --> 00:23:11.119
 and I train them

00:23:11.119 --> 00:23:11.940
 and teach them

00:23:11.940 --> 00:23:13.380
 how to follow Jesus,

00:23:13.640 --> 00:23:14.519
 I trust

00:23:14.519 --> 00:23:15.839
 that their life

00:23:15.839 --> 00:23:16.960
 is going to go way better

00:23:16.960 --> 00:23:19.079
 than if I try to crack

00:23:19.079 --> 00:23:20.420
 this parenting code on my own.

00:23:21.380 --> 00:23:22.480
 Because I don't know about y'all,

00:23:22.579 --> 00:23:23.900
 maybe you've got it easier than I do,

00:23:23.900 --> 00:23:25.000
 but parenting's not easy.

00:23:25.920 --> 00:23:26.580
 It's hard.

00:23:26.820 --> 00:23:27.759
 And I got good kids.

00:23:27.820 --> 00:23:28.320
 I really do.

00:23:29.060 --> 00:23:29.940
 They're not even listening.

00:23:32.519 --> 00:23:33.140
 They are.

00:23:34.140 --> 00:23:35.300
 Megan gave them those things

00:23:35.300 --> 00:23:35.860
 to draw on.

00:23:36.180 --> 00:23:37.300
 They're all taking sermon notes.

00:23:37.340 --> 00:23:37.900
 That's what they're doing.

00:23:41.460 --> 00:23:42.100
 Parenting's hard.

00:23:42.840 --> 00:23:44.700
 Whether your kids are rascals or not,

00:23:44.800 --> 00:23:45.900
 and they're probably all rascals

00:23:45.900 --> 00:23:46.440
 at some point

00:23:46.440 --> 00:23:47.220
 because we all were

00:23:47.220 --> 00:23:47.820
 at some point.

00:23:47.819 --> 00:23:51.139
 But God can crack

00:23:51.139 --> 00:23:52.679
 this parenting code for you.

00:23:52.759 --> 00:23:54.599
 So offer up your children to him

00:23:54.599 --> 00:23:55.339
 and say,

00:23:55.419 --> 00:23:56.339
 God, teach me

00:23:56.339 --> 00:23:57.439
 how to raise my kids.

00:23:58.119 --> 00:23:59.639
 Teach me how to keep them safe.

00:24:00.279 --> 00:24:01.500
 Teach me what to prioritize

00:24:01.500 --> 00:24:03.179
 in their lives

00:24:03.179 --> 00:24:04.700
 and in how I parent them.

00:24:05.639 --> 00:24:06.539
 That's one example.

00:24:07.379 --> 00:24:09.339
 But this idea of hands open,

00:24:09.559 --> 00:24:11.500
 offering it all back to God,

00:24:11.599 --> 00:24:14.079
 that is joyful sacrifice.

00:24:14.079 --> 00:24:17.240
 God, it's a reward for me

00:24:17.240 --> 00:24:18.839
 to get to give this back to you.

00:24:19.019 --> 00:24:20.500
 You're worthy of so much more.

00:24:21.059 --> 00:24:22.480
 You're worthy of so much better

00:24:22.480 --> 00:24:23.519
 than I can offer you,

00:24:23.779 --> 00:24:25.519
 but you just say

00:24:25.519 --> 00:24:26.879
 that you want what I have,

00:24:26.939 --> 00:24:28.079
 so I'm going to give it back to you.

00:24:28.639 --> 00:24:29.819
 I'm going to offer it back to you.

00:24:29.919 --> 00:24:31.279
 That is generosity.

00:24:33.039 --> 00:24:34.319
 The Macedonian churches

00:24:34.319 --> 00:24:37.359
 are a mirror of this widow

00:24:37.359 --> 00:24:38.619
 that Jesus saw

00:24:38.619 --> 00:24:39.539
 in the court of women

00:24:39.539 --> 00:24:41.359
 dropping in her two coins.

00:24:41.359 --> 00:24:44.879
 they gave everything they had,

00:24:45.099 --> 00:24:46.379
 not from abundance,

00:24:46.659 --> 00:24:47.679
 not from surplus,

00:24:47.919 --> 00:24:48.899
 not from all the extra,

00:24:49.059 --> 00:24:50.159
 not what they could afford.

00:24:50.459 --> 00:24:53.740
 They gave it from their little.

00:24:55.519 --> 00:24:56.619
 All they had.

00:24:57.039 --> 00:24:58.259
 And they offered it back to God.

00:24:58.559 --> 00:24:59.439
 That's generosity.

00:24:59.979 --> 00:25:01.019
 So when we give,

00:25:01.199 --> 00:25:03.240
 it's not about what's left over,

00:25:03.519 --> 00:25:05.319
 it's about what's laid down.

00:25:05.979 --> 00:25:06.579
 Did you catch that?

00:25:06.839 --> 00:25:07.699
 When we give,

00:25:07.799 --> 00:25:10.779
 it's not about what's left over to give.

00:25:11.139 --> 00:25:12.639
 It's about what we lay down.

00:25:13.420 --> 00:25:14.200
 Jesus said,

00:25:14.660 --> 00:25:15.920
 I lay down my life.

00:25:16.839 --> 00:25:17.920
 You lay down yours.

00:25:20.160 --> 00:25:21.940
 I just want to jump back to this

00:25:21.940 --> 00:25:22.619
 for just a moment

00:25:22.619 --> 00:25:23.399
 before we move on.

00:25:23.839 --> 00:25:24.579
 We've been talking about it

00:25:24.579 --> 00:25:25.680
 every Sunday in this series,

00:25:25.920 --> 00:25:27.819
 and it fits right in here today.

00:25:30.799 --> 00:25:32.960
 This bounded set versus centered set.

00:25:33.799 --> 00:25:34.879
 If this is your first Sunday here,

00:25:34.960 --> 00:25:36.299
 then you haven't seen this before,

00:25:36.379 --> 00:25:37.500
 and I'll explain it to you real quick.

00:25:38.220 --> 00:25:39.759
 There's two types of ways

00:25:39.759 --> 00:25:40.519
 of doing religion.

00:25:41.099 --> 00:25:42.339
 There's two types of ways

00:25:42.339 --> 00:25:43.240
 of following Jesus.

00:25:43.579 --> 00:25:44.740
 On the left side here,

00:25:44.819 --> 00:25:45.759
 this bounded set,

00:25:45.960 --> 00:25:47.039
 that circle represents

00:25:47.039 --> 00:25:48.839
 the boundaries that you have.

00:25:48.940 --> 00:25:49.759
 That circle represents

00:25:49.759 --> 00:25:50.359
 the boundaries

00:25:50.359 --> 00:25:51.519
 that a church might have.

00:25:51.940 --> 00:25:53.180
 This is what we believe.

00:25:53.420 --> 00:25:54.619
 This is how we live.

00:25:54.720 --> 00:25:55.680
 This is what we do.

00:25:56.240 --> 00:25:56.960
 This is how,

00:25:58.079 --> 00:25:59.859
 this is what's important to us.

00:26:00.640 --> 00:26:01.920
 And if you look like us,

00:26:02.019 --> 00:26:02.660
 think like us,

00:26:02.740 --> 00:26:03.420
 act like us,

00:26:03.420 --> 00:26:05.019
 then you can be inside our circle.

00:26:05.400 --> 00:26:06.299
 If you don't,

00:26:06.559 --> 00:26:07.460
 then you're on the outs.

00:26:07.460 --> 00:26:09.000
 And unfortunately,

00:26:09.180 --> 00:26:10.079
 that is how churches

00:26:10.079 --> 00:26:11.680
 and religion has operated

00:26:11.680 --> 00:26:13.019
 for most of its history.

00:26:13.980 --> 00:26:15.980
 But it's not how Jesus operated.

00:26:16.880 --> 00:26:19.160
 And it's not how he taught us,

00:26:19.360 --> 00:26:20.140
 his followers,

00:26:20.340 --> 00:26:21.059
 to operate.

00:26:21.440 --> 00:26:21.920
 Instead,

00:26:22.160 --> 00:26:23.759
 he is supposed to be the center.

00:26:24.620 --> 00:26:27.000
 And we don't judge each other

00:26:27.000 --> 00:26:29.240
 based on whether we look like

00:26:29.240 --> 00:26:31.200
 we fit inside the lines or not.

00:26:31.200 --> 00:26:32.559
 Instead,

00:26:32.819 --> 00:26:34.100
 we judge each other

00:26:34.100 --> 00:26:35.600
 whether it seems like

00:26:35.600 --> 00:26:36.980
 we're moving toward Jesus

00:26:36.980 --> 00:26:38.640
 or away from Jesus.

00:26:39.120 --> 00:26:40.380
 There might be somebody

00:26:40.380 --> 00:26:42.580
 who looks totally different than you,

00:26:43.660 --> 00:26:45.539
 believes totally different than you,

00:26:45.880 --> 00:26:47.840
 but you can see that this person

00:26:47.840 --> 00:26:49.720
 is starting to move toward Jesus.

00:26:50.900 --> 00:26:51.960
 You let them in.

00:26:52.779 --> 00:26:53.980
 You go invite them in.

00:26:55.519 --> 00:26:56.720
 By contrast,

00:26:56.980 --> 00:26:58.120
 there might be somebody

00:26:58.119 --> 00:27:00.439
 who fits right inside those lines.

00:27:01.739 --> 00:27:02.959
 And they dress right.

00:27:03.739 --> 00:27:05.299
 And they mostly talk right.

00:27:06.119 --> 00:27:07.919
 And they seemingly act right.

00:27:09.379 --> 00:27:10.599
 But if you've been around them

00:27:10.599 --> 00:27:11.419
 for any length of time,

00:27:11.479 --> 00:27:12.139
 it's pretty clear

00:27:12.139 --> 00:27:13.659
 they're not moving toward Jesus.

00:27:14.219 --> 00:27:15.399
 They're moving away from him

00:27:15.399 --> 00:27:15.879
 in their heart.

00:27:18.579 --> 00:27:19.699
 That's the kind of person

00:27:19.699 --> 00:27:20.359
 we need to say,

00:27:20.739 --> 00:27:20.939
 hey,

00:27:21.579 --> 00:27:22.639
 this isn't what we do.

00:27:23.419 --> 00:27:24.319
 You've got to turn around.

00:27:24.399 --> 00:27:25.219
 You've got to move back

00:27:25.219 --> 00:27:26.459
 toward Jesus.

00:27:26.460 --> 00:27:28.579
 It's a different way

00:27:28.579 --> 00:27:30.440
 of thinking about church,

00:27:30.920 --> 00:27:31.680
 about religion,

00:27:32.059 --> 00:27:33.100
 about what it means

00:27:33.100 --> 00:27:34.680
 to be a follower of God.

00:27:35.759 --> 00:27:37.319
 So let's apply this to giving.

00:27:40.440 --> 00:27:42.180
 Most of us give

00:27:42.180 --> 00:27:44.019
 what fits our budget,

00:27:44.779 --> 00:27:47.039
 not how God's Spirit

00:27:47.039 --> 00:27:49.440
 is leading us to give.

00:27:51.000 --> 00:27:53.299
 Most of us don't even go to God

00:27:53.299 --> 00:27:53.720
 and say,

00:27:53.880 --> 00:27:55.559
 God, what should I give this month?

00:27:56.460 --> 00:27:59.480
 It's just easier to say,

00:27:59.660 --> 00:28:00.960
 this is what I'm going to do.

00:28:01.460 --> 00:28:02.740
 This is what I can afford.

00:28:03.180 --> 00:28:04.960
 This is what makes sense for me.

00:28:05.340 --> 00:28:06.240
 Good night, man.

00:28:06.299 --> 00:28:07.500
 How much more does the church want?

00:28:07.559 --> 00:28:08.400
 I give regularly.

00:28:09.860 --> 00:28:11.039
 That's not what it's about.

00:28:12.000 --> 00:28:13.860
 That's not joyful sacrifice.

00:28:14.000 --> 00:28:14.400
 Instead,

00:28:14.819 --> 00:28:15.500
 should we,

00:28:15.880 --> 00:28:16.819
 and I'm asking questions,

00:28:16.920 --> 00:28:18.000
 I'm not yelling at you,

00:28:18.440 --> 00:28:19.519
 but should we

00:28:19.519 --> 00:28:20.960
 go to God and say,

00:28:21.039 --> 00:28:21.920
 God, what do you want

00:28:21.920 --> 00:28:22.720
 for me this month?

00:28:22.720 --> 00:28:23.759
 Specifically,

00:28:24.160 --> 00:28:25.759
 with my money,

00:28:25.940 --> 00:28:26.759
 with my time,

00:28:27.440 --> 00:28:28.839
 with my emotions,

00:28:28.980 --> 00:28:29.640
 with my energy,

00:28:29.779 --> 00:28:31.480
 what do you want from me this month,

00:28:31.539 --> 00:28:32.019
 this week,

00:28:32.240 --> 00:28:32.600
 today,

00:28:33.319 --> 00:28:34.140
 this weekend,

00:28:34.500 --> 00:28:35.079
 Sunday's coming,

00:28:35.140 --> 00:28:35.839
 I'm going to go worship

00:28:35.839 --> 00:28:37.480
 with my brothers and sisters in Christ.

00:28:37.700 --> 00:28:38.740
 I'm going to sing your name.

00:28:38.940 --> 00:28:39.839
 I'm going to hear it preached.

00:28:39.920 --> 00:28:41.180
 Maybe see somebody get baptized.

00:28:41.559 --> 00:28:43.380
 We're going to see exciting things happen

00:28:43.380 --> 00:28:45.000
 with your people.

00:28:45.000 --> 00:28:48.160
 How do you want me to support that

00:28:48.160 --> 00:28:49.140
 this month,

00:28:49.539 --> 00:28:50.200
 this week,

00:28:50.940 --> 00:28:52.059
 this paycheck?

00:28:53.420 --> 00:28:54.980
 That's centered set,

00:28:55.160 --> 00:28:56.660
 not bounded set.

00:28:57.059 --> 00:28:59.720
 That's listening to what God is teaching you

00:28:59.720 --> 00:29:00.380
 right now,

00:29:00.720 --> 00:29:01.619
 right here,

00:29:02.039 --> 00:29:03.140
 not saying,

00:29:03.299 --> 00:29:03.420
 well,

00:29:03.460 --> 00:29:05.180
 I've given 10% my whole life,

00:29:05.259 --> 00:29:06.500
 so that's what I'm going to stick with.

00:29:06.779 --> 00:29:08.480
 Because that fits inside the circle.

00:29:09.140 --> 00:29:10.279
 It's not about the circle.

00:29:10.579 --> 00:29:11.519
 It's about Jesus.

00:29:12.660 --> 00:29:12.920
 All right,

00:29:12.960 --> 00:29:13.460
 let's move on.

00:29:15.000 --> 00:29:17.440
 here's the question.

00:29:18.559 --> 00:29:19.900
 Are we giving comfortably

00:29:19.900 --> 00:29:21.839
 or courageously?

00:29:23.299 --> 00:29:24.799
 Are we giving comfortably

00:29:24.799 --> 00:29:26.839
 or courageously?

00:29:28.799 --> 00:29:29.259
 Y'all,

00:29:29.299 --> 00:29:29.900
 I promise you,

00:29:29.960 --> 00:29:31.200
 I have to ask myself that question.

00:29:31.819 --> 00:29:32.940
 Because it's way easier

00:29:32.940 --> 00:29:34.559
 for me to just say,

00:29:35.059 --> 00:29:36.319
 here's 10% of my paycheck,

00:29:36.759 --> 00:29:37.640
 going back to the church.

00:29:38.759 --> 00:29:40.519
 What if God wants me to give more that month?

00:29:42.440 --> 00:29:43.619
 What if there's somebody

00:29:43.619 --> 00:29:44.759
 out there

00:29:44.759 --> 00:29:45.759
 with a need

00:29:45.759 --> 00:29:47.440
 and I have the opportunity

00:29:47.440 --> 00:29:48.079
 to meet it?

00:29:48.500 --> 00:29:49.180
 But instead,

00:29:49.319 --> 00:29:50.420
 I pat myself on the back

00:29:50.420 --> 00:29:50.700
 and say,

00:29:50.759 --> 00:29:51.519
 you don't have to do that.

00:29:51.940 --> 00:29:53.140
 You've already given to the church,

00:29:53.220 --> 00:29:53.379
 man,

00:29:53.400 --> 00:29:53.779
 you're good.

00:29:57.160 --> 00:29:58.460
 That's not courageous giving.

00:29:58.920 --> 00:30:00.900
 That's not joyful sacrifice.

00:30:00.900 --> 00:30:04.300
 How do we live generously?

00:30:04.300 --> 00:30:08.860
 Joyful sacrifice is true generosity.

00:30:09.180 --> 00:30:10.960
 That's courageous giving.

00:30:11.759 --> 00:30:12.440
 So Jesus,

00:30:12.740 --> 00:30:14.540
 in his final moment

00:30:14.540 --> 00:30:16.100
 of public service,

00:30:16.519 --> 00:30:17.580
 highlights this widow

00:30:17.580 --> 00:30:19.820
 laying down all that she had,

00:30:20.300 --> 00:30:21.640
 giving it away.

00:30:22.220 --> 00:30:23.540
 Do you know what that was pointing to?

00:30:24.640 --> 00:30:26.800
 Do you know what her joyful sacrifice

00:30:26.800 --> 00:30:27.680
 was pointing to?

00:30:27.680 --> 00:30:30.400
 Jesus on the cross.

00:30:30.920 --> 00:30:33.160
 When Jesus laid down his own life.

00:30:33.500 --> 00:30:33.960
 So Jesus,

00:30:34.200 --> 00:30:35.480
 in his last moments here,

00:30:36.039 --> 00:30:37.860
 before he starts his Passion Week

00:30:37.860 --> 00:30:39.259
 and we see all the events

00:30:39.259 --> 00:30:40.460
 that led up to his death

00:30:40.460 --> 00:30:41.799
 and ultimately his resurrection

00:30:41.799 --> 00:30:42.680
 unfold,

00:30:42.799 --> 00:30:44.680
 before we jump into all that,

00:30:45.759 --> 00:30:47.820
 we see Jesus highlight this moment

00:30:47.820 --> 00:30:50.160
 of true sacrifice

00:30:50.160 --> 00:30:52.720
 that he was then going to show

00:30:52.720 --> 00:30:53.940
 to all of us

00:30:53.940 --> 00:30:56.200
 and carry out for all of us.

00:30:56.579 --> 00:30:58.059
 So our offerings point

00:30:58.059 --> 00:30:59.240
 to Jesus' cross.

00:31:00.819 --> 00:31:03.200
 This is why it's so important to give

00:31:03.200 --> 00:31:06.360
 because we're being like Jesus

00:31:06.360 --> 00:31:07.600
 when we give.

00:31:08.819 --> 00:31:10.339
 Jesus held nothing back.

00:31:10.600 --> 00:31:11.299
 He sacrificed.

00:31:11.640 --> 00:31:12.759
 He laid down everything.

00:31:13.200 --> 00:31:15.279
 We have the chance to do the same.

00:31:15.940 --> 00:31:16.779
 Yeah, whatever, preacher.

00:31:16.900 --> 00:31:17.620
 You just want money.

00:31:17.860 --> 00:31:19.660
 No, I want you to be like Jesus

00:31:19.660 --> 00:31:21.460
 and I want to be like Jesus.

00:31:21.460 --> 00:31:23.259
 And if we do this together,

00:31:23.259 --> 00:31:25.460
 then God can take our sacrifice

00:31:26.039 --> 00:31:27.299
 such as it is.

00:31:27.360 --> 00:31:28.519
 It might be two coins.

00:31:28.740 --> 00:31:29.980
 It might be two dollars.

00:31:30.240 --> 00:31:32.299
 It might be the equivalent of that

00:31:32.299 --> 00:31:34.000
 in today's money.

00:31:35.779 --> 00:31:37.799
 But God can take that sacrifice

00:31:37.799 --> 00:31:40.140
 and do something so much more

00:31:40.140 --> 00:31:43.360
 than it could ever buy you in a store.

00:31:45.039 --> 00:31:46.519
 So our offerings

00:31:46.519 --> 00:31:49.380
 actually reflect and point to

00:31:49.380 --> 00:31:52.140
 the cross of Jesus Christ.

00:31:53.300 --> 00:31:54.320
 I told you we'd go back

00:31:54.320 --> 00:31:56.320
 to 2 Corinthians 8 and verse 9.

00:31:56.920 --> 00:31:59.180
 You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ

00:31:59.180 --> 00:32:00.960
 that though he was rich,

00:32:01.440 --> 00:32:04.500
 yet for your sake he became poor

00:32:04.500 --> 00:32:07.060
 so that you by his,

00:32:07.500 --> 00:32:08.120
 what does that say?

00:32:09.380 --> 00:32:12.200
 Poverty might become rich.

00:32:12.200 --> 00:32:12.279
 Rich.

00:32:13.000 --> 00:32:15.759
 This is what Jesus is offering to you.

00:32:17.360 --> 00:32:19.680
 Richness through his grace,

00:32:20.100 --> 00:32:21.240
 through his forgiveness,

00:32:21.700 --> 00:32:24.740
 but not just a one-time forgiveness of sins.

00:32:24.740 --> 00:32:26.620
 The fullness of God.

00:32:27.000 --> 00:32:28.220
 We now have access

00:32:28.220 --> 00:32:31.620
 to have our lives filled up with God.

00:32:31.880 --> 00:32:33.039
 That's rich.

00:32:34.279 --> 00:32:35.440
 That's wealthy.

00:32:36.720 --> 00:32:37.920
 That's not poor.

00:32:37.920 --> 00:32:41.500
 You get access to all of God in your life?

00:32:42.740 --> 00:32:42.980
 Y'all,

00:32:43.500 --> 00:32:45.519
 that's better than anybody

00:32:45.519 --> 00:32:48.620
 with seven or eight figure bank accounts.

00:32:53.060 --> 00:32:54.480
 Though he was rich,

00:32:55.300 --> 00:32:56.400
 he laid it down

00:32:56.400 --> 00:32:57.779
 as a sacrifice.

00:32:58.860 --> 00:33:00.600
 He became poor

00:33:00.600 --> 00:33:02.180
 like that widow,

00:33:02.920 --> 00:33:04.720
 like that church in Macedonia,

00:33:04.720 --> 00:33:08.819
 so that there was an end goal to it

00:33:08.819 --> 00:33:10.299
 so that you and I

00:33:10.299 --> 00:33:11.640
 could become rich.

00:33:12.640 --> 00:33:13.740
 There's a truth here.

00:33:20.319 --> 00:33:21.640
 The widow's offering

00:33:21.640 --> 00:33:23.620
 pointed forward

00:33:23.620 --> 00:33:25.660
 to his offering

00:33:25.660 --> 00:33:28.220
 and our offerings

00:33:28.220 --> 00:33:29.980
 point backward

00:33:29.980 --> 00:33:31.680
 to his offering.

00:33:32.200 --> 00:33:33.259
 Do you understand that?

00:33:33.259 --> 00:33:35.559
 She was giving.

00:33:36.180 --> 00:33:37.539
 She gave all that she had.

00:33:37.920 --> 00:33:39.240
 She didn't even know it then,

00:33:39.539 --> 00:33:41.740
 but her sacrificial gift

00:33:41.740 --> 00:33:44.240
 was pointing forward

00:33:44.240 --> 00:33:45.019
 to what Jesus

00:33:45.019 --> 00:33:46.700
 was just about to do.

00:33:47.700 --> 00:33:49.299
 2,000 years later,

00:33:50.140 --> 00:33:51.039
 you and I,

00:33:51.160 --> 00:33:52.160
 when we drop something

00:33:52.160 --> 00:33:53.220
 on the offering plate,

00:33:53.680 --> 00:33:54.980
 or if you want to be like me

00:33:54.980 --> 00:33:56.259
 and you go on the little church app

00:33:56.259 --> 00:33:56.960
 and you hit giving

00:33:56.960 --> 00:33:57.740
 and then you give

00:33:57.740 --> 00:33:58.740
 through the app.

00:33:58.900 --> 00:33:59.680
 Super convenient

00:33:59.680 --> 00:34:01.259
 and it works just as well.

00:34:01.259 --> 00:34:03.900
 When you and I

00:34:03.900 --> 00:34:04.940
 choose to give

00:34:04.940 --> 00:34:06.039
 to what God is doing

00:34:06.039 --> 00:34:06.819
 on this earth,

00:34:07.440 --> 00:34:10.019
 we are then pointing back

00:34:10.019 --> 00:34:12.099
 to his gift

00:34:12.099 --> 00:34:12.920
 to us.

00:34:13.719 --> 00:34:14.760
 His offering.

00:34:16.039 --> 00:34:16.980
 That's where we get

00:34:16.980 --> 00:34:17.699
 the inspiration

00:34:17.699 --> 00:34:19.340
 to give our offerings

00:34:19.340 --> 00:34:19.940
 today.

00:34:21.039 --> 00:34:21.280
 So,

00:34:21.960 --> 00:34:23.880
 what's the application

00:34:23.880 --> 00:34:24.360
 of this?

00:34:24.360 --> 00:34:27.099
 the widow gave

00:34:27.099 --> 00:34:28.180
 her last two coins.

00:34:29.160 --> 00:34:29.780
 Jesus gave

00:34:29.780 --> 00:34:30.640
 his final breath.

00:34:31.480 --> 00:34:32.440
 What can we give?

00:34:33.280 --> 00:34:34.300
 What can you and I give?

00:34:34.900 --> 00:34:36.360
 In the same manner,

00:34:36.720 --> 00:34:38.140
 in the same way,

00:34:38.500 --> 00:34:40.260
 with the same level

00:34:40.260 --> 00:34:40.980
 of sacrifice,

00:34:40.980 --> 00:34:42.300
 what can you and I

00:34:42.300 --> 00:34:43.440
 offer up

00:34:43.440 --> 00:34:44.820
 to our Jesus

00:34:44.820 --> 00:34:46.280
 who we say we love

00:34:46.280 --> 00:34:47.900
 and we say we want

00:34:47.900 --> 00:34:48.220
 to follow?

00:34:48.219 --> 00:34:50.259
 Here's the application.

00:34:51.219 --> 00:34:51.659
 Generosity

00:34:51.659 --> 00:34:52.639
 is not meant

00:34:52.639 --> 00:34:53.739
 to be a movement,

00:34:54.119 --> 00:34:54.719
 a moment.

00:34:54.879 --> 00:34:55.519
 Sorry about that.

00:34:55.599 --> 00:34:56.039
 It is meant

00:34:56.039 --> 00:34:56.559
 to be a movement.

00:34:57.639 --> 00:34:58.079
 Generosity

00:34:58.079 --> 00:34:58.759
 is not meant

00:34:58.759 --> 00:34:59.659
 to be a moment.

00:34:59.919 --> 00:35:00.439
 It's meant

00:35:00.439 --> 00:35:01.679
 to be a movement

00:35:01.679 --> 00:35:03.480
 away from myself

00:35:03.480 --> 00:35:04.519
 and toward

00:35:04.519 --> 00:35:05.339
 my Savior.

00:35:06.179 --> 00:35:07.699
 Away from myself

00:35:07.699 --> 00:35:08.779
 and toward

00:35:08.779 --> 00:35:09.599
 my Savior.

00:35:09.759 --> 00:35:10.419
 Hands open.

00:35:10.579 --> 00:35:11.159
 Eyes up.

00:35:11.699 --> 00:35:12.179
 Generosity

00:35:12.179 --> 00:35:13.759
 is a life change.

00:35:14.039 --> 00:35:14.939
 It's a lifestyle.

00:35:15.419 --> 00:35:16.219
 It's an attitude.

00:35:16.419 --> 00:35:16.859
 It's a way

00:35:16.859 --> 00:35:17.359
 of thinking.

00:35:17.360 --> 00:35:18.740
 It's not a moment

00:35:18.740 --> 00:35:20.000
 when I decided

00:35:20.000 --> 00:35:20.860
 to be generous.

00:35:21.240 --> 00:35:22.400
 It is God

00:35:22.400 --> 00:35:23.200
 changing me

00:35:23.200 --> 00:35:24.160
 into a generous

00:35:24.160 --> 00:35:25.180
 person.

00:35:25.519 --> 00:35:26.680
 Moving me away

00:35:26.680 --> 00:35:27.420
 from myself

00:35:27.420 --> 00:35:28.200
 and toward

00:35:28.200 --> 00:35:28.860
 salvation.

00:35:30.519 --> 00:35:31.519
 Saying yes

00:35:31.519 --> 00:35:32.079
 to Jesus.

00:35:32.680 --> 00:35:33.559
 Seeing the gift

00:35:33.559 --> 00:35:34.599
 that he offered

00:35:34.599 --> 00:35:35.220
 up for me

00:35:35.220 --> 00:35:36.120
 and then saying

00:35:36.120 --> 00:35:37.099
 God you take

00:35:37.099 --> 00:35:37.940
 over my life.

00:35:38.360 --> 00:35:39.360
 Such as I have

00:35:39.360 --> 00:35:40.320
 I give it to you.

00:35:40.760 --> 00:35:41.280
 Forgive me

00:35:41.280 --> 00:35:42.000
 for my sin.

00:35:42.280 --> 00:35:43.500
 I receive this gift

00:35:43.500 --> 00:35:44.440
 and then I offer

00:35:44.440 --> 00:35:45.640
 myself back to you

00:35:45.640 --> 00:35:47.120
 as the gift

00:35:47.119 --> 00:35:48.099
 that you want

00:35:48.099 --> 00:35:48.980
 even though it

00:35:48.980 --> 00:35:50.179
 pales in comparison

00:35:50.179 --> 00:35:50.739
 to the gift

00:35:50.739 --> 00:35:51.219
 you offered

00:35:51.219 --> 00:35:52.039
 to us.

00:35:52.519 --> 00:35:53.079
 And that's what

00:35:53.079 --> 00:35:53.880
 we do at salvation.

00:35:54.460 --> 00:35:55.480
 We turn it all

00:35:55.480 --> 00:35:56.779
 back over to God.

00:35:57.319 --> 00:35:58.000
 But then somewhere

00:35:58.000 --> 00:35:58.759
 along the way

00:35:58.759 --> 00:36:00.019
 we start taking it

00:36:00.019 --> 00:36:00.359
 back.

00:36:01.219 --> 00:36:01.900
 And that's where

00:36:01.900 --> 00:36:03.199
 sanctification comes in.

00:36:03.359 --> 00:36:04.099
 That's a big word.

00:36:04.179 --> 00:36:04.619
 What does it mean?

00:36:04.659 --> 00:36:05.519
 It means to be made

00:36:05.519 --> 00:36:05.940
 holy.

00:36:06.500 --> 00:36:07.599
 To be set apart.

00:36:07.699 --> 00:36:08.460
 To be separated.

00:36:08.920 --> 00:36:09.839
 God wants to make

00:36:09.839 --> 00:36:10.719
 you different.

00:36:10.719 --> 00:36:12.559
 not just how

00:36:12.559 --> 00:36:13.399
 you do your hair

00:36:13.399 --> 00:36:14.879
 or the language

00:36:14.879 --> 00:36:15.739
 that you refuse

00:36:15.739 --> 00:36:16.319
 to say

00:36:16.319 --> 00:36:17.359
 or maybe you

00:36:17.359 --> 00:36:18.159
 don't go to bars

00:36:18.159 --> 00:36:19.039
 on Friday nights.

00:36:19.139 --> 00:36:19.679
 I don't know.

00:36:20.279 --> 00:36:21.259
 Whatever you think

00:36:21.259 --> 00:36:22.179
 holy looks like

00:36:22.179 --> 00:36:22.959
 that's not even

00:36:22.959 --> 00:36:23.559
 what I'm talking

00:36:23.559 --> 00:36:23.779
 about.

00:36:23.839 --> 00:36:24.419
 I'm talking about

00:36:24.419 --> 00:36:24.939
 what's happening

00:36:24.939 --> 00:36:25.719
 on the inside.

00:36:26.500 --> 00:36:27.119
 God wants to

00:36:27.119 --> 00:36:27.639
 change you

00:36:27.639 --> 00:36:29.359
 on the inside.

00:36:30.179 --> 00:36:30.839
 So generosity

00:36:30.839 --> 00:36:31.719
 is moving away

00:36:31.719 --> 00:36:32.439
 from myself

00:36:32.439 --> 00:36:33.459
 and towards

00:36:33.459 --> 00:36:34.000
 salvation.

00:36:34.239 --> 00:36:35.259
 Towards sanctification

00:36:35.259 --> 00:36:36.139
 and then toward

00:36:36.139 --> 00:36:37.239
 sacrifice.

00:36:37.239 --> 00:36:38.759
 just like the

00:36:38.759 --> 00:36:39.659
 church in Macedonia.

00:36:39.959 --> 00:36:40.559
 Just like the

00:36:40.559 --> 00:36:41.500
 widow dropping

00:36:41.500 --> 00:36:42.139
 in her last

00:36:42.139 --> 00:36:42.619
 two coins.

00:36:42.799 --> 00:36:43.679
 Just like Jesus

00:36:43.679 --> 00:36:44.659
 laying down

00:36:44.659 --> 00:36:45.439
 his life on the

00:36:45.439 --> 00:36:45.699
 cross.

00:36:45.939 --> 00:36:46.319
 And we have

00:36:46.319 --> 00:36:47.119
 many more

00:36:47.119 --> 00:36:47.879
 examples in

00:36:47.879 --> 00:36:48.339
 the scriptures

00:36:48.339 --> 00:36:49.239
 and in our

00:36:49.239 --> 00:36:49.859
 real world

00:36:49.859 --> 00:36:50.539
 of what

00:36:50.539 --> 00:36:51.099
 sacrifice

00:36:51.099 --> 00:36:52.119
 looks like.

00:36:52.619 --> 00:36:53.179
 That's

00:36:53.179 --> 00:36:53.839
 generosity

00:36:53.839 --> 00:36:54.599
 moving away

00:36:54.599 --> 00:36:55.299
 from myself

00:36:55.299 --> 00:36:55.919
 and toward

00:36:55.919 --> 00:36:56.779
 sacrifice.

00:36:56.979 --> 00:36:57.219
 And you know

00:36:57.219 --> 00:36:57.599
 what the great

00:36:57.599 --> 00:36:58.139
 thing is?

00:36:58.539 --> 00:36:59.019
 Ultimately

00:36:59.019 --> 00:37:00.019
 generosity

00:37:00.019 --> 00:37:00.619
 is moving

00:37:00.619 --> 00:37:01.119
 away from

00:37:01.119 --> 00:37:01.579
 myself

00:37:01.579 --> 00:37:02.299
 and toward

00:37:02.299 --> 00:37:03.439
 satisfaction.

00:37:04.799 --> 00:37:05.500
 Because I

00:37:05.500 --> 00:37:05.979
 can promise

00:37:05.979 --> 00:37:06.279
 you

00:37:06.280 --> 00:37:08.300
 walking in

00:37:08.300 --> 00:37:08.800
 the path

00:37:08.800 --> 00:37:09.260
 that you

00:37:09.260 --> 00:37:09.560
 want to

00:37:09.560 --> 00:37:10.040
 walk in

00:37:10.040 --> 00:37:10.519
 will not

00:37:10.519 --> 00:37:10.760
 bring

00:37:10.760 --> 00:37:11.380
 satisfaction.

00:37:12.780 --> 00:37:13.500
 There is

00:37:13.500 --> 00:37:14.100
 a way that

00:37:14.100 --> 00:37:14.800
 seems right

00:37:14.800 --> 00:37:15.400
 to a man

00:37:15.400 --> 00:37:15.840
 Proverbs

00:37:15.840 --> 00:37:16.580
 teaches us.

00:37:16.760 --> 00:37:17.440
 But the

00:37:17.440 --> 00:37:18.100
 end of that

00:37:18.100 --> 00:37:18.440
 way

00:37:18.440 --> 00:37:19.860
 is death.

00:37:20.460 --> 00:37:21.220
 I was up

00:37:21.220 --> 00:37:21.600
 at Straight

00:37:21.600 --> 00:37:22.140
 Street last

00:37:22.140 --> 00:37:22.480
 night in

00:37:22.480 --> 00:37:23.180
 Wichita Falls.

00:37:23.460 --> 00:37:23.920
 Anybody know

00:37:23.920 --> 00:37:24.360
 about Straight

00:37:24.360 --> 00:37:24.620
 Street?

00:37:25.860 --> 00:37:26.480
 It's a

00:37:26.480 --> 00:37:26.840
 wonderful

00:37:26.840 --> 00:37:27.360
 ministry.

00:37:27.820 --> 00:37:28.380
 Danita Long

00:37:28.380 --> 00:37:28.760
 from our

00:37:28.760 --> 00:37:29.080
 church

00:37:29.080 --> 00:37:30.040
 invited me

00:37:30.040 --> 00:37:30.760
 there and

00:37:30.760 --> 00:37:31.220
 she works

00:37:31.220 --> 00:37:31.580
 there every

00:37:31.580 --> 00:37:32.140
 weekend just

00:37:32.140 --> 00:37:33.019
 about and

00:37:33.019 --> 00:37:33.600
 got to

00:37:33.600 --> 00:37:34.060
 preach to

00:37:34.060 --> 00:37:34.700
 I don't

00:37:34.700 --> 00:37:35.019
 know 100

00:37:35.019 --> 00:37:35.820
 plus kids

00:37:35.820 --> 00:37:37.700
 who have

00:37:37.700 --> 00:37:38.100
 it rough

00:37:38.100 --> 00:37:38.360
 man.

00:37:38.460 --> 00:37:38.620
 A lot

00:37:38.620 --> 00:37:38.840
 of those

00:37:38.840 --> 00:37:39.559
 kids if

00:37:39.559 --> 00:37:39.920
 they weren't

00:37:39.920 --> 00:37:40.880
 there at

00:37:40.880 --> 00:37:41.440
 this spot

00:37:41.440 --> 00:37:42.519
 where they

00:37:42.519 --> 00:37:42.940
 do State

00:37:42.940 --> 00:37:43.380
 Street and

00:37:43.380 --> 00:37:43.700
 they have

00:37:43.700 --> 00:37:44.640
 football field

00:37:44.640 --> 00:37:45.160
 and basketball

00:37:45.160 --> 00:37:45.740
 court and

00:37:45.740 --> 00:37:46.320
 a place for

00:37:46.320 --> 00:37:46.880
 these kids to

00:37:46.880 --> 00:37:47.480
 get off the

00:37:47.480 --> 00:37:47.920
 street get

00:37:47.920 --> 00:37:48.440
 out of trouble

00:37:48.440 --> 00:37:48.820
 and just

00:37:48.820 --> 00:37:49.600
 spend their

00:37:49.600 --> 00:37:50.039
 Friday and

00:37:50.039 --> 00:37:50.300
 Saturday

00:37:50.300 --> 00:37:50.980
 nights there.

00:37:51.500 --> 00:37:52.260
 So I got to

00:37:52.260 --> 00:37:52.559
 go up there

00:37:52.559 --> 00:37:52.960
 and preach to

00:37:52.960 --> 00:37:53.280
 them last

00:37:53.280 --> 00:37:54.260
 night and I

00:37:54.260 --> 00:37:54.780
 preached that

00:37:54.780 --> 00:37:55.420
 exact verse

00:37:55.420 --> 00:37:55.700
 to them.

00:37:55.780 --> 00:37:56.300
 I said listen

00:37:56.300 --> 00:37:57.460
 there is a

00:37:57.460 --> 00:37:58.240
 way that you

00:37:58.240 --> 00:37:58.900
 want to walk

00:37:58.900 --> 00:37:59.640
 there is a

00:37:59.640 --> 00:38:00.300
 way that others

00:38:00.300 --> 00:38:00.900
 want you to

00:38:00.900 --> 00:38:02.200
 walk but the

00:38:02.200 --> 00:38:03.300
 only end to

00:38:03.300 --> 00:38:04.440
 that path is

00:38:04.440 --> 00:38:05.580
 death but the

00:38:05.579 --> 00:38:06.420
 way that Jesus

00:38:06.420 --> 00:38:07.340
 lays out for

00:38:07.340 --> 00:38:08.039
 you that is

00:38:08.039 --> 00:38:08.460
 the one that

00:38:08.460 --> 00:38:08.980
 will end in

00:38:08.980 --> 00:38:09.360
 life.

00:38:09.980 --> 00:38:11.259
 Two teenagers

00:38:11.259 --> 00:38:12.319
 a boy and a

00:38:12.319 --> 00:38:13.000
 girl brother and

00:38:13.000 --> 00:38:14.920
 sister came back

00:38:14.920 --> 00:38:15.579
 talked to me and

00:38:15.579 --> 00:38:16.319
 gave their lives to

00:38:16.319 --> 00:38:17.360
 Jesus last night at

00:38:17.360 --> 00:38:17.779
 State Street.

00:38:17.960 --> 00:38:18.719
 Yeah that is

00:38:18.719 --> 00:38:19.099
 something to get

00:38:19.099 --> 00:38:19.679
 excited about.

00:38:21.860 --> 00:38:22.579
 That is

00:38:22.579 --> 00:38:23.340
 satisfaction.

00:38:23.659 --> 00:38:24.579
 Trust me I was

00:38:24.579 --> 00:38:25.699
 so satisfied after

00:38:25.699 --> 00:38:26.059
 that.

00:38:26.599 --> 00:38:27.460
 Man I felt

00:38:27.460 --> 00:38:28.559
 amazing after

00:38:28.559 --> 00:38:29.279
 that like this

00:38:29.279 --> 00:38:29.940
 was the coolest

00:38:29.940 --> 00:38:30.599
 night I've had a

00:38:30.599 --> 00:38:31.119
 long time.

00:38:32.119 --> 00:38:32.719
 Those kids

00:38:32.719 --> 00:38:33.480
 experience the

00:38:33.480 --> 00:38:34.219
 satisfaction of

00:38:34.219 --> 00:38:34.480
 Jesus.

00:38:35.519 --> 00:38:36.460
 When you move

00:38:36.460 --> 00:38:36.940
 away from

00:38:36.940 --> 00:38:38.480
 yourself and

00:38:38.480 --> 00:38:39.340
 towards salvation

00:38:39.340 --> 00:38:40.500
 towards sanctification

00:38:40.500 --> 00:38:41.480
 towards sacrifice

00:38:41.480 --> 00:38:42.480
 toward the

00:38:42.480 --> 00:38:44.480
 Savior you find

00:38:44.480 --> 00:38:45.659
 satisfaction.

00:38:46.760 --> 00:38:48.000
 Generosity gives

00:38:48.000 --> 00:38:49.420
 us satisfaction.

00:38:49.880 --> 00:38:50.119
 I'm going to

00:38:50.119 --> 00:38:50.699
 close with this

00:38:50.699 --> 00:38:50.940
 song.

00:38:52.340 --> 00:38:53.559
 Matthew West is a

00:38:53.559 --> 00:38:54.559
 Christian singer who's

00:38:54.559 --> 00:38:55.340
 well known in that

00:38:55.340 --> 00:38:55.699
 genre.

00:38:57.000 --> 00:38:58.159
 He has this song

00:38:58.159 --> 00:38:58.699
 called Broken

00:38:58.699 --> 00:38:59.800
 Things and I put

00:38:59.800 --> 00:39:00.400
 it up on the

00:39:00.400 --> 00:39:01.000
 screen for you.

00:39:01.000 --> 00:39:01.980
 If it's true that

00:39:01.980 --> 00:39:02.980
 you God use

00:39:02.980 --> 00:39:04.599
 broken things then

00:39:04.599 --> 00:39:05.579
 here I am Lord.

00:39:07.079 --> 00:39:07.900
 I'm a broken

00:39:07.900 --> 00:39:08.199
 thing.

00:39:09.000 --> 00:39:10.000
 I'm all yours.

00:39:11.539 --> 00:39:12.179
 That's the

00:39:12.179 --> 00:39:12.380
 widow.

00:39:13.340 --> 00:39:13.960
 That's the

00:39:13.960 --> 00:39:14.420
 Macedonian

00:39:14.420 --> 00:39:14.780
 church.

00:39:16.739 --> 00:39:17.579
 That's offering

00:39:17.579 --> 00:39:18.280
 ourselves up.

00:39:18.360 --> 00:39:19.000
 Say here I am

00:39:19.000 --> 00:39:19.219
 God.

00:39:19.599 --> 00:39:20.440
 I'm all yours.

00:39:21.019 --> 00:39:21.539
 I might be

00:39:21.539 --> 00:39:21.840
 cracked.

00:39:21.920 --> 00:39:22.300
 I might be

00:39:22.300 --> 00:39:22.679
 broken.

00:39:23.340 --> 00:39:23.940
 Karen Schaffner

00:39:23.940 --> 00:39:24.679
 was telling us on

00:39:24.679 --> 00:39:25.460
 Wednesday night at

00:39:25.460 --> 00:39:27.400
 our Bible study

00:39:27.400 --> 00:39:28.179
 group our life

00:39:28.179 --> 00:39:29.119
 group on Wednesday

00:39:29.119 --> 00:39:29.739
 night that meets in

00:39:29.739 --> 00:39:30.420
 the fellowship hall.

00:39:30.420 --> 00:39:31.420
 We're talking about

00:39:31.420 --> 00:39:32.400
 broken things and

00:39:32.400 --> 00:39:33.159
 offering it up to

00:39:33.159 --> 00:39:33.840
 God and she said

00:39:33.840 --> 00:39:35.000
 you know light

00:39:35.000 --> 00:39:35.880
 shines through the

00:39:35.880 --> 00:39:36.260
 cracks.

00:39:36.800 --> 00:39:38.180
 That's how God's

00:39:38.180 --> 00:39:40.039
 light shines through

00:39:40.039 --> 00:39:41.300
 the cracks in us.

00:39:41.860 --> 00:39:42.360
 I thought that was a

00:39:42.360 --> 00:39:43.099
 really cool example.

00:39:44.280 --> 00:39:45.400
 So if we just give

00:39:45.400 --> 00:39:46.220
 what we have it might

00:39:46.220 --> 00:39:47.180
 be those two coins.

00:39:48.280 --> 00:39:48.940
 It might be a

00:39:48.940 --> 00:39:51.059
 cracked vessel offering

00:39:51.059 --> 00:39:51.840
 it up to God.

00:39:52.720 --> 00:39:54.200
 He'll take it and

00:39:54.200 --> 00:39:54.860
 he'll do something

00:39:54.860 --> 00:39:55.539
 great with it.

00:39:56.800 --> 00:39:58.440
 Jesus seemed like he

00:39:58.440 --> 00:40:00.360
 lost when he

00:40:00.360 --> 00:40:01.579
 offered up himself

00:40:01.579 --> 00:40:04.140
 to those who

00:40:04.140 --> 00:40:04.720
 didn't know what

00:40:04.720 --> 00:40:05.099
 was going to

00:40:05.099 --> 00:40:05.380
 happen.

00:40:06.280 --> 00:40:07.160
 Seemed like his

00:40:07.160 --> 00:40:07.539
 loss.

00:40:07.680 --> 00:40:08.559
 His team lost.

00:40:10.519 --> 00:40:11.240
 Should have picked

00:40:11.240 --> 00:40:11.940
 a different final

00:40:11.940 --> 00:40:12.280
 play.

00:40:13.280 --> 00:40:13.840
 Should have done

00:40:13.840 --> 00:40:14.519
 something that would

00:40:14.519 --> 00:40:15.000
 have turned the

00:40:15.000 --> 00:40:15.740
 crowd with him

00:40:15.740 --> 00:40:16.420
 instead of against

00:40:16.420 --> 00:40:16.680
 him.

00:40:17.820 --> 00:40:18.840
 He didn't handle the

00:40:18.840 --> 00:40:19.340
 end of the game

00:40:19.340 --> 00:40:19.599
 well.

00:40:20.740 --> 00:40:21.460
 And then they killed

00:40:21.460 --> 00:40:22.019
 him and they buried

00:40:22.019 --> 00:40:22.760
 him and it was over.

00:40:23.840 --> 00:40:24.800
 But it wasn't over

00:40:24.800 --> 00:40:25.240
 was it?

00:40:25.960 --> 00:40:26.920
 He didn't lose.

00:40:27.420 --> 00:40:28.559
 Seemed like he lost.

00:40:28.559 --> 00:40:30.599
 But he turned the

00:40:30.599 --> 00:40:32.039
 ultimate sacrifice

00:40:32.039 --> 00:40:33.420
 into victory.

00:40:33.860 --> 00:40:34.880
 He turned it into

00:40:34.880 --> 00:40:36.119
 satisfaction for you

00:40:36.119 --> 00:40:36.460
 and me.

00:40:36.960 --> 00:40:37.840
 He turned it into

00:40:37.840 --> 00:40:39.380
 something special that

00:40:39.380 --> 00:40:40.360
 we could never

00:40:40.360 --> 00:40:41.000
 replicate.

00:40:42.219 --> 00:40:44.420
 So how do we give?

00:40:46.599 --> 00:40:47.360
 Generously.

00:40:49.759 --> 00:40:50.519
 Generously.

00:40:51.159 --> 00:40:53.000
 Join Jesus in the

00:40:53.000 --> 00:40:54.619
 generosity movement.

00:40:54.619 --> 00:40:54.739
 commitment.

00:40:55.299 --> 00:40:56.219
 God wants to

00:40:56.219 --> 00:40:57.420
 change you.

00:40:59.579 --> 00:41:00.819
 If it's true God

00:41:00.819 --> 00:41:01.839
 that you use broken

00:41:01.839 --> 00:41:03.440
 things, here I am.

00:41:03.980 --> 00:41:04.900
 I'm all yours.

00:41:06.259 --> 00:41:07.259
 Where's God calling

00:41:07.259 --> 00:41:08.059
 you to be generous?

00:41:08.299 --> 00:41:09.099
 Where's God calling

00:41:09.099 --> 00:41:10.719
 you to trust him more

00:41:10.719 --> 00:41:11.779
 deeply by giving

00:41:11.779 --> 00:41:13.279
 yourself away?

00:41:13.759 --> 00:41:14.599
 Is it your finances?

00:41:14.759 --> 00:41:15.460
 Is it your time?

00:41:16.900 --> 00:41:17.719
 Is it service?

00:41:18.059 --> 00:41:18.699
 Talked about picking

00:41:18.699 --> 00:41:19.519
 up your towel last

00:41:19.519 --> 00:41:19.799
 week.

00:41:20.619 --> 00:41:21.679
 What kind of sacrifice

00:41:21.679 --> 00:41:23.179
 is God asking you to

00:41:23.179 --> 00:41:24.359
 make today?

00:41:25.079 --> 00:41:25.980
 Let's say it one more

00:41:25.980 --> 00:41:26.279
 time.

00:41:26.379 --> 00:41:27.019
 God gives.

00:41:28.319 --> 00:41:29.500
 How do we give back?

00:41:29.919 --> 00:41:30.839
 Hands open.

00:41:31.639 --> 00:41:32.599
 God, that's how we

00:41:32.599 --> 00:41:33.359
 want to give to you.

00:41:33.839 --> 00:41:35.359
 Today, right now, we

00:41:35.359 --> 00:41:36.000
 want to open our

00:41:36.000 --> 00:41:36.359
 hands.

00:41:36.679 --> 00:41:37.919
 We want to turn our

00:41:37.919 --> 00:41:38.799
 eyes toward heaven.

00:41:39.559 --> 00:41:41.379
 Say, God, use me to

00:41:41.379 --> 00:41:42.339
 make Henrietta look

00:41:42.339 --> 00:41:43.419
 more like heaven.

00:41:44.379 --> 00:41:46.099
 Use me to make Clay

00:41:46.099 --> 00:41:47.460
 County look more like

00:41:47.460 --> 00:41:47.940
 you.

00:41:48.879 --> 00:41:50.099
 God, how do we do

00:41:50.099 --> 00:41:50.460
 this?

00:41:51.819 --> 00:41:53.219
 How do we take on

00:41:53.219 --> 00:41:55.019
 this level of

00:41:55.019 --> 00:41:55.420
 sacrifice?

00:41:55.579 --> 00:41:56.039
 It's hard.

00:41:56.139 --> 00:41:56.819
 It's not easy.

00:41:56.940 --> 00:41:58.319
 But when we discover

00:41:58.319 --> 00:42:00.059
 this secret, it will

00:42:00.059 --> 00:42:00.759
 become easy.

00:42:01.339 --> 00:42:02.440
 It will become the

00:42:02.440 --> 00:42:03.880
 only thing that seems

00:42:03.880 --> 00:42:06.420
 reasonable and will

00:42:06.420 --> 00:42:08.519
 give joyfully like that

00:42:08.519 --> 00:42:09.460
 church in Macedonia

00:42:09.460 --> 00:42:09.880
 gave.

00:42:10.339 --> 00:42:11.239
 Not out of our

00:42:11.239 --> 00:42:12.259
 abundance, not out of

00:42:12.259 --> 00:42:14.199
 our surplus, but laying

00:42:14.199 --> 00:42:15.000
 down everything

00:42:15.000 --> 00:42:16.480
 sacrificially like you

00:42:16.480 --> 00:42:16.719
 did.

00:42:17.159 --> 00:42:18.019
 Teach us how to do

00:42:18.019 --> 00:42:18.259
 this.

00:42:18.260 --> 00:42:19.100
 It's in Jesus' name

00:42:19.100 --> 00:42:19.500
 we pray.

00:42:20.040 --> 00:42:20.360
 Amen.

00:42:20.620 --> 00:42:21.060
 Church, would you

00:42:21.060 --> 00:42:21.860
 keep your seats just

00:42:21.860 --> 00:42:22.420
 for a moment?

00:42:24.000 --> 00:42:24.840
 Linda, would you come

00:42:24.840 --> 00:42:25.780
 and play something for

00:42:25.780 --> 00:42:25.960
 us?

00:42:26.100 --> 00:42:26.720
 It's June.

00:42:26.860 --> 00:42:27.060
 Sorry.

00:42:27.200 --> 00:42:27.820
 I always pick the

00:42:27.820 --> 00:42:28.620
 wrong person, man.

00:42:29.960 --> 00:42:30.820
 June's going to play

00:42:30.820 --> 00:42:31.460
 some music.

00:42:32.900 --> 00:42:33.820
 Let's keep our seats

00:42:33.820 --> 00:42:34.600
 just for a moment.

00:42:34.700 --> 00:42:35.580
 And for the next two,

00:42:35.680 --> 00:42:37.320
 three minutes, let's go

00:42:37.320 --> 00:42:37.960
 to God in prayer.

00:42:38.500 --> 00:42:39.940
 Let's ask him how he

00:42:39.940 --> 00:42:40.860
 wants us to respond.

00:42:42.560 --> 00:42:44.600
 So try to keep this a

00:42:44.600 --> 00:42:46.240
 quiet time.

00:42:46.239 --> 00:42:47.639
 Maybe not put everything

00:42:47.639 --> 00:42:48.619
 in the purse just yet

00:42:48.619 --> 00:42:49.779
 and slip out just yet.

00:42:49.839 --> 00:42:50.719
 If you can, just keep

00:42:50.719 --> 00:42:52.399
 your seats and do a

00:42:52.399 --> 00:42:53.039
 little business with

00:42:53.039 --> 00:42:53.719
 God right now.

00:42:58.459 --> 00:42:59.559
 As you're praying, I'll

00:42:59.559 --> 00:43:00.179
 ask just a couple

00:43:00.179 --> 00:43:00.619
 questions.

00:43:02.459 --> 00:43:03.379
 First off, is there

00:43:03.379 --> 00:43:04.679
 anybody who says, I

00:43:04.679 --> 00:43:05.439
 need to take that

00:43:05.439 --> 00:43:07.259
 first step away from

00:43:07.259 --> 00:43:07.959
 self and towards

00:43:07.959 --> 00:43:08.419
 salvation?

00:43:09.399 --> 00:43:11.099
 Today's the day I

00:43:11.099 --> 00:43:12.099
 need to give my life to

00:43:12.099 --> 00:43:12.879
 Jesus for the first

00:43:12.879 --> 00:43:13.159
 time.

00:43:13.159 --> 00:43:14.899
 I need him to forgive

00:43:14.899 --> 00:43:15.980
 my sin to make me his

00:43:15.980 --> 00:43:16.339
 child.

00:43:17.539 --> 00:43:18.779
 I put all my faith in

00:43:18.779 --> 00:43:19.159
 Jesus.

00:43:20.259 --> 00:43:21.119
 And I want to talk

00:43:21.119 --> 00:43:21.859
 about that before I

00:43:21.859 --> 00:43:22.379
 leave here today.

00:43:22.460 --> 00:43:23.099
 If that's you, would

00:43:23.099 --> 00:43:23.779
 you slip your hand up

00:43:23.779 --> 00:43:24.139
 right now?

00:43:24.559 --> 00:43:25.379
 I'd love to have that

00:43:25.379 --> 00:43:26.339
 conversation with you.

00:43:28.679 --> 00:43:29.259
 Thank you.

00:43:29.699 --> 00:43:30.679
 What about this?

00:43:33.179 --> 00:43:34.000
 Somebody who says,

00:43:34.079 --> 00:43:34.819
 God's working on me

00:43:34.819 --> 00:43:35.559
 about something.

00:43:36.500 --> 00:43:37.819
 Could be sacrifice.

00:43:40.659 --> 00:43:41.719
 Could be something else,

00:43:41.719 --> 00:43:42.819
 but God's working on my

00:43:42.819 --> 00:43:43.539
 heart about something

00:43:43.539 --> 00:43:44.299
 right now and I need

00:43:44.299 --> 00:43:44.699
 some prayer.

00:43:44.779 --> 00:43:45.419
 Would you slip your hand

00:43:45.419 --> 00:43:46.239
 up and I'll be happy to

00:43:46.239 --> 00:43:46.939
 pray for you as well.

00:43:47.619 --> 00:43:48.139
 Thank you.

00:43:48.459 --> 00:43:48.980
 Thank you.

00:43:49.439 --> 00:43:49.939
 Thank you.

00:43:51.359 --> 00:43:51.899
 Thank you.

00:43:52.359 --> 00:43:52.819
 Thank you.

00:43:53.799 --> 00:43:54.879
 God, you see the hands

00:43:54.879 --> 00:43:55.659
 and there's probably some

00:43:55.659 --> 00:43:56.559
 I missed, but listen,

00:43:57.419 --> 00:43:59.319
 right now, would you just

00:43:59.319 --> 00:44:01.980
 shut out all the

00:44:01.980 --> 00:44:02.459
 distractions?

00:44:03.819 --> 00:44:04.839
 The devil doesn't like

00:44:04.839 --> 00:44:06.000
 us to be open to your

00:44:06.000 --> 00:44:06.839
 voice and your leading.

00:44:06.939 --> 00:44:08.059
 He's going to try to get

00:44:08.059 --> 00:44:08.879
 any number of other

00:44:08.879 --> 00:44:09.959
 thoughts in here to just

00:44:09.960 --> 00:44:11.800
 take our minds off of

00:44:11.800 --> 00:44:12.579
 that and put them on

00:44:12.579 --> 00:44:13.179
 something else.

00:44:13.940 --> 00:44:15.220
 Let us hear your voice

00:44:15.220 --> 00:44:15.740
 right now.

00:44:16.360 --> 00:44:16.960
 Make it clear.

00:44:19.240 --> 00:44:20.260
 Show us what we need to

00:44:20.260 --> 00:44:20.659
 lay down.

00:44:20.820 --> 00:44:22.460
 Show us where we need to

00:44:22.460 --> 00:44:24.619
 open our hands, not hold

00:44:24.619 --> 00:44:25.340
 on so tightly.

00:44:27.420 --> 00:44:28.840
 Show us the sacrifice we

00:44:28.840 --> 00:44:30.260
 can make like you

00:44:30.260 --> 00:44:31.300
 sacrificed for us.

00:44:31.920 --> 00:44:32.760
 It's in Jesus' name we

00:44:32.760 --> 00:44:32.920
 pray.

00:44:32.920 --> 00:44:33.019
 Amen.

00:44:33.019 --> 00:44:33.019


00:44:33.019 --> 00:44:33.019


00:44:33.019 --> 00:44:33.019


00:44:33.019 --> 00:44:33.019


00:44:33.019 --> 00:44:33.019


00:44:33.019 --> 00:44:33.019


00:44:33.019 --> 00:44:33.019


00:44:33.019 --> 00:44:33.019


00:44:39.960 --> 00:44:41.619
 Amen.

00:44:41.619 --> 00:44:41.619


00:44:41.619 --> 00:44:41.619


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00:44:41.619 --> 00:44:41.619