WEBVTT 00:00:00.760 --> 00:00:06.839 If we're going to follow Jesus, then we have to be more like him and be generous in how we live. 00:00:07.560 --> 00:00:14.740 So this morning, I'm just going to share a couple of things that I hope is going to help us to live a new and a generous life. 00:00:15.640 --> 00:00:19.780 I think it goes really well today with the fact that it's Covenant Sunday, 00:00:20.539 --> 00:00:27.400 where we've all prayed a prayer of commitment for this year and for what we're going to do on Mission for God. 00:00:27.399 --> 00:00:36.439 And key to being a generous people, I think, is that we have to be a thankful people that know how to count our blessings. 00:00:37.659 --> 00:00:40.479 Counting our blessings is a bit of an old fashioned term. 00:00:41.500 --> 00:00:44.399 But I think especially in these difficult and challenging times, 00:00:45.480 --> 00:00:51.759 when it can be so much easier to just lament and count the things that we lack in our lives, 00:00:52.480 --> 00:00:54.019 counting our blessings is vital. 00:00:54.020 --> 00:01:02.080 We can look at other people and we can think, oh, if I had this or if I had that, I could be far more generous than I am. 00:01:02.700 --> 00:01:07.520 But if we focus on the lack in our lives, we then develop a poverty mentality. 00:01:08.659 --> 00:01:10.960 And that's not going to help us to be generous at all. 00:01:12.620 --> 00:01:17.240 But if we learn how to count our blessings, I'm sure we're going to be really surprised. 00:01:17.239 --> 00:01:20.759 We're going to be both surprised at how blessed we are. 00:01:21.699 --> 00:01:25.679 But also, I think that we're going to also be surprised at how generous we're not. 00:01:27.819 --> 00:01:33.659 There are tons of things in the Bible and verses that encourage us and remind us to be thankful. 00:01:34.239 --> 00:01:35.939 But I've just noted a couple down. 00:01:37.119 --> 00:01:38.560 Psalm 103 says, 00:01:38.560 --> 00:01:55.219 This is an amazing blessing. 00:01:55.219 --> 00:01:57.480 Because I know what I'm like. 00:01:58.000 --> 00:02:02.079 And I know that when I've lost my temper this week, I know when I've shouted out the kids. 00:02:02.519 --> 00:02:07.099 And I know actually where my mind's gone some days when it's been Groundhog Day of lockdown. 00:02:08.120 --> 00:02:09.199 But you know what? 00:02:09.439 --> 00:02:11.699 Because of the blood of Jesus, I'm free. 00:02:13.280 --> 00:02:17.020 And in Peter, it tells us that we should cast our anxiety on God. 00:02:17.020 --> 00:02:18.980 Because he cares for us. 00:02:19.340 --> 00:02:22.480 The Lord God Almighty, the creator of heaven and earth, 00:02:22.900 --> 00:02:28.160 he loves and cares for us so much that he wants us to cast our anxieties on him. 00:02:28.820 --> 00:02:33.580 We can, as Christians, feel that actually we feel shameful if we have anxiety, 00:02:33.800 --> 00:02:38.040 that we should have it all together and we should be full of the joy of the Lord all of the time. 00:02:38.420 --> 00:02:42.400 But no, the Apostle Peter acknowledges that we're going to have anxieties, 00:02:42.800 --> 00:02:46.300 but that we're not called to carry them and that we have to give it to God. 00:02:46.300 --> 00:02:48.160 So I encourage you to do that too. 00:02:49.340 --> 00:02:55.660 And 2 Corinthians really encourages me because it reminds me that we're going to be renewed every single day. 00:02:56.120 --> 00:02:57.600 God's not finished with us yet. 00:02:57.740 --> 00:03:00.040 I'm so pleased God's not finished with me yet. 00:03:00.800 --> 00:03:06.000 Although he's done an amazing work, he's still not finished with me yet. 00:03:06.600 --> 00:03:09.160 And he's renewing us every single day. 00:03:09.380 --> 00:03:15.260 And he's bringing us on every day from glory to glory until we stand in his presence. 00:03:15.259 --> 00:03:19.699 And finally, one of my favourite verses is in Romans 8, 00:03:20.099 --> 00:03:25.299 when it says that nothing shall separate us from his love, the love that is in Jesus Christ. 00:03:25.679 --> 00:03:29.840 No matter how many times I mess up or how many times I lose my temper, 00:03:30.899 --> 00:03:32.439 nothing can separate me from God. 00:03:33.500 --> 00:03:38.099 But that doesn't mean that I just have licence and you have licence to just live our lives, 00:03:38.259 --> 00:03:39.620 you know, exactly as we want to. 00:03:39.620 --> 00:03:43.759 It's God's love that compels us to live for him. 00:03:44.400 --> 00:03:47.000 And when we fully grasp how much he loves us, 00:03:47.219 --> 00:03:49.960 then we're inspired and challenged to live for him, 00:03:50.159 --> 00:03:53.020 rather than just living for what this world's got to offer. 00:03:53.020 --> 00:03:58.180 Because when we've got a glimpse of his love, that's what inspires us. 00:03:58.980 --> 00:04:00.820 I really want to live for him. 00:04:01.240 --> 00:04:05.439 Because actually this world's got nothing for me, but his love is everything to me. 00:04:05.900 --> 00:04:07.900 And that's what motivates me anyway. 00:04:08.840 --> 00:04:10.939 And helps me to serve him. 00:04:11.439 --> 00:04:15.240 And makes me want to be more generous with my time and with my life. 00:04:15.240 --> 00:04:20.220 I remember when I was young, I used to love hockey and I was on the school hockey team. 00:04:20.519 --> 00:04:22.340 I wasn't very good at keeping to the rules. 00:04:23.040 --> 00:04:26.980 I just loved smashing that ball up the field and throwing myself around the field 00:04:26.980 --> 00:04:30.840 and taking every opportunity to get that ball off my opponent. 00:04:31.699 --> 00:04:35.519 We might well have been losing 10-10 and often we were in our team. 00:04:36.000 --> 00:04:37.960 But we gave everything for that game. 00:04:38.939 --> 00:04:41.980 And we gave everything because we were passionate about it. 00:04:42.120 --> 00:04:43.160 And we loved it. 00:04:43.259 --> 00:04:44.160 And we wanted to win. 00:04:44.160 --> 00:04:47.680 So sometimes I think to myself, I love you God. 00:04:47.740 --> 00:04:49.860 And I really want to be on mission for you. 00:04:50.540 --> 00:04:54.580 But how sometimes do I find it really difficult to give you everything? 00:04:55.000 --> 00:04:57.140 That I need to just withhold something. 00:04:57.300 --> 00:04:59.560 I give you this much, but actually this much. 00:04:59.660 --> 00:05:01.940 I just need to keep to myself and protect it. 00:05:02.360 --> 00:05:04.660 And God says to me, no, give me everything. 00:05:05.240 --> 00:05:10.720 He says to me, when you gave your life to me, Suzanne, what were you giving me? 00:05:10.720 --> 00:05:14.360 Were you giving me a Sunday morning or a Bible study? 00:05:14.360 --> 00:05:18.960 No, when I gave my life to him, I gave my life. 00:05:19.280 --> 00:05:22.920 And everything with it, I try and surrender to him every day. 00:05:23.280 --> 00:05:27.379 And it's this love that encourages me to give everything on that mission field. 00:05:27.379 --> 00:05:33.420 So now what does it look like to have a generous heart and to live a new generous life? 00:05:33.420 --> 00:05:40.199 Over the years, I've learned so much from the people I've worked and lived alongside that have been very generous. 00:05:40.819 --> 00:05:42.819 And a couple of things that I've picked up are. 00:05:43.540 --> 00:05:47.020 The first thing, generous people don't just go the extra mile. 00:05:47.300 --> 00:05:48.200 They live there. 00:05:48.800 --> 00:05:51.900 For generous people, going the extra mile isn't a chore. 00:05:51.899 --> 00:05:54.019 It's an attitude and a way of life. 00:05:54.459 --> 00:05:57.879 And it's not like, oh, OK, then I'll go the extra mile with you. 00:05:58.139 --> 00:05:59.599 It's how can I help you? 00:05:59.719 --> 00:06:01.379 How can we go the extra mile together? 00:06:01.839 --> 00:06:04.239 It's just part of their DNA and their makeup. 00:06:05.079 --> 00:06:06.459 And it's what they've chosen. 00:06:06.899 --> 00:06:09.459 And I think it's because they've learned how to count their blessings. 00:06:10.359 --> 00:06:14.620 You see, when I start to count my blessings, I see my life and the world differently. 00:06:14.939 --> 00:06:18.439 And that's not even the material thing that God's blessed me with. 00:06:18.439 --> 00:06:25.300 Because I'm so aware, actually, that material stuff can just as easily be taken away as given to me. 00:06:25.660 --> 00:06:29.899 But the blessings that I've got in Jesus Christ can never be taken away from me. 00:06:30.199 --> 00:06:32.459 So actually, I'm rich beyond belief. 00:06:34.759 --> 00:06:39.939 Do you know, I'm sure you probably do, the shocking statistic that even in Britain, 00:06:40.339 --> 00:06:42.459 if you're the poorest person that lives in Britain, 00:06:42.680 --> 00:06:46.240 you're still within the top 10% of the richest people in the world. 00:06:46.240 --> 00:06:49.319 This is a shocking but a true fact. 00:06:49.860 --> 00:06:53.220 It no way negates the terrible conditions and the meagre amounts of money 00:06:53.220 --> 00:06:56.420 that a lot of people are having to survive on in this country at the moment. 00:06:57.120 --> 00:07:01.920 However, even for the most poorest people in Britain, 00:07:02.360 --> 00:07:03.900 those that are on social welfare, 00:07:04.540 --> 00:07:07.960 they're still in the top 10% of the richest people in the world. 00:07:08.939 --> 00:07:11.759 So we here at Christchurch are truly blessed. 00:07:12.079 --> 00:07:14.019 And we need to start counting our blessings. 00:07:14.019 --> 00:07:18.799 Often what happens though, is that we start comparing ourselves to other people. 00:07:19.060 --> 00:07:21.479 You know, we can look at our car and think that's a bit of a wreck. 00:07:21.639 --> 00:07:24.379 Look at the neighbour's car and it's, you know, spanking new. 00:07:25.439 --> 00:07:29.240 And also we can then also look on the world of like Facebook and Instagram. 00:07:30.180 --> 00:07:34.039 And we can see the wonderful lives that everybody else are living. 00:07:34.500 --> 00:07:36.459 And the wonderful, beautiful things they've got. 00:07:36.500 --> 00:07:38.979 And the pictures of the wonderful, beautiful things they've got. 00:07:38.980 --> 00:07:42.840 But do you know what? All those pictures have been filtered to an inch of their life. 00:07:43.340 --> 00:07:44.660 And they've been airbrushed. 00:07:44.920 --> 00:07:47.879 Believe me, people just don't look like that when they get up in the morning. 00:07:49.360 --> 00:07:52.540 And we look at those people and we think, oh, they've got a great life. 00:07:52.700 --> 00:07:54.300 And we begin to count our lack. 00:07:54.939 --> 00:07:58.500 And when we start to count our lack, we're not going to be generous. 00:07:58.500 --> 00:08:04.680 But when we count our blessings, we say, dear Lord, thank you. 00:08:04.779 --> 00:08:05.699 I'm so blessed. 00:08:05.860 --> 00:08:08.040 And that makes us want to share our blessings with others. 00:08:09.180 --> 00:08:16.160 The second thing that I've learned is that people that are generous are outward focused and others focused. 00:08:17.139 --> 00:08:21.000 Generosity is being the exact opposite of selfishness. 00:08:21.699 --> 00:08:23.459 Selfish people are self-focused. 00:08:23.459 --> 00:08:28.160 They don't see the needs of other people because they're just concentrating on their own needs. 00:08:29.500 --> 00:08:31.259 So we need to be others focused. 00:08:31.639 --> 00:08:37.440 We need to have our eyes fixed on other people and our hearts open and towards other people too. 00:08:38.460 --> 00:08:40.539 Selfish people are self-serving. 00:08:40.759 --> 00:08:42.659 In other words, they will serve themselves. 00:08:43.120 --> 00:08:44.019 They'll push past. 00:08:44.139 --> 00:08:45.039 They'll get to the front. 00:08:45.179 --> 00:08:46.539 They'll have the best of everything. 00:08:46.860 --> 00:08:48.620 And everybody else, you know, it doesn't matter. 00:08:48.899 --> 00:08:55.379 We've seen horrible examples of this last year with films of people rushing into supermarkets 00:08:55.379 --> 00:09:03.860 and pushing elderly people out of the way so they can strip the aisles, you know, of toilet rolls and food. 00:09:04.200 --> 00:09:12.519 That actually then we've seen film footage a few days later of full bins outside people's homes of unopened and unused food. 00:09:12.519 --> 00:09:13.439 Really shocking. 00:09:13.440 --> 00:09:17.580 But selfish people don't really care what happens to anyone else. 00:09:17.800 --> 00:09:21.480 As long as they get what they want, that's all that really matters to them. 00:09:21.480 --> 00:09:33.220 But can you imagine if a little boy that went up the mountain to hear Jesus speaking along with those 5,000 other people was a selfish person? 00:09:33.220 --> 00:09:39.879 Can you imagine that when the disciples came to him and found him in this little lunchbox with his loaves and fishes in 00:09:39.879 --> 00:09:43.120 and they said, can we have that because we want to feed people with it? 00:09:43.200 --> 00:09:46.820 He'd said, no, I've packed my lunchbox. 00:09:47.080 --> 00:09:49.240 You lot should have been much more organized than you are. 00:09:49.340 --> 00:09:52.639 And all of these people here, frankly, they should have packed their own lunchbox. 00:09:52.920 --> 00:09:53.519 Off you go. 00:09:53.680 --> 00:09:54.360 Go and be hungry. 00:09:54.860 --> 00:09:55.820 What would have happened then? 00:09:56.700 --> 00:09:58.100 But he didn't do that, did he? 00:09:58.800 --> 00:10:00.620 He shared what he got with them. 00:10:00.620 --> 00:10:02.740 And because of that, miracles happened. 00:10:04.139 --> 00:10:07.420 Selfish people won't see God's miraculous work in their lives. 00:10:07.759 --> 00:10:11.000 They won't see God moving in their lives because they're too self-centered. 00:10:11.620 --> 00:10:15.980 But people that are generous and live open lives get to see God's miracles. 00:10:16.840 --> 00:10:20.700 Because that little boy opened up his lunchbox and said to Jesus, 00:10:20.860 --> 00:10:22.379 Jesus, you can have this. 00:10:22.480 --> 00:10:24.200 It's only small, but you can have it. 00:10:24.300 --> 00:10:24.840 Take it. 00:10:26.220 --> 00:10:30.440 God took that and he multiplied it and caused miracle to happen. 00:10:30.440 --> 00:10:36.860 If we live a selfish life, how can we expect God to bless us? 00:10:37.100 --> 00:10:41.860 A bit like toddlers, if we grab onto bits of our life and we say, this is mine, this is mine. 00:10:42.200 --> 00:10:43.320 God can't bless us. 00:10:44.100 --> 00:10:45.660 Generous people don't live like that. 00:10:45.760 --> 00:10:47.180 They live open lives. 00:10:47.660 --> 00:10:48.820 Their lives are open. 00:10:49.320 --> 00:10:51.780 In non-COVID times, their homes are open. 00:10:52.360 --> 00:10:53.500 Their gifts are open. 00:10:53.680 --> 00:10:54.940 And their wallets are open. 00:10:54.940 --> 00:10:56.180 Everything is open. 00:10:57.180 --> 00:11:02.300 And you might think, if I start living a more open life, aren't people going to take advantage of me? 00:11:02.560 --> 00:11:04.020 Are they going to abuse me? 00:11:04.420 --> 00:11:06.000 Well, maybe sometimes they will. 00:11:06.820 --> 00:11:08.500 But we don't do it for people, do we? 00:11:08.520 --> 00:11:09.440 We do it for God. 00:11:09.440 --> 00:11:14.420 So that is the understanding, I think, that generous people have. 00:11:14.500 --> 00:11:19.760 That they realise that if they're going to have a rich and fulfilling life, they have to live it generously. 00:11:20.400 --> 00:11:27.200 If we're selfish and self-centred and we have the attitude that it's all about me, we're not going to be generous. 00:11:27.940 --> 00:11:34.040 But if we're always looking to be open and to serve others and to put people first, we're going to be more generous. 00:11:34.039 --> 00:11:37.959 It's not that we've got to be doormats and let people take advantage of us. 00:11:38.120 --> 00:11:40.279 It just means we have to be generous. 00:11:40.919 --> 00:11:43.299 The reading today was from Philippians 2. 00:11:44.439 --> 00:11:47.120 If you listen to just a few verses from it, it says, 00:11:47.120 --> 00:12:14.399 So basically, don't be selfish in how you live your life. 00:12:15.060 --> 00:12:16.360 And what's vain conceit? 00:12:16.360 --> 00:12:22.399 Well, I think that means don't show off about what you give or what you do, like drawing attention to how generous you are. 00:12:22.480 --> 00:12:24.500 Look, everybody, I'm giving so and so this. 00:12:25.240 --> 00:12:26.919 That's not being generous. 00:12:27.220 --> 00:12:28.779 That is just vain conceit. 00:12:30.759 --> 00:12:37.240 And when Paul says, do nothing out of selfish ambition, but rather in humility, value others above yourselves. 00:12:38.259 --> 00:12:43.100 I think here he's saying when you're generous, it doesn't mean you don't value yourself. 00:12:43.100 --> 00:12:45.620 I think it means you have to value yourself. 00:12:46.360 --> 00:12:48.279 Christchurch family, you are valuable. 00:12:48.680 --> 00:12:49.879 You are children of God. 00:12:50.180 --> 00:12:54.620 Wherever you live or whatever part of society you're from, it doesn't matter. 00:12:54.620 --> 00:13:03.720 Whether you're in charge of a CEO of a big company, whether you're a toilet cleaner or whether you're on benefits at the moment because you've lost your job. 00:13:04.060 --> 00:13:07.720 Whatever background you're from, you are a child of God. 00:13:07.940 --> 00:13:11.940 And you've got immense value because of who Jesus made you to be. 00:13:11.940 --> 00:13:15.820 And we have to know who we are. 00:13:15.880 --> 00:13:19.580 We have to know that we're valuable, not in an arrogant way, but in a confident way. 00:13:19.920 --> 00:13:27.760 Because when we know who we are and what our identity is in Christ, then we can humble ourselves and we can put ourselves first. 00:13:27.759 --> 00:13:32.879 Because actually, if we don't value ourselves, how are we going to value anybody else? 00:13:32.879 --> 00:13:36.439 And then it continues on with, 00:13:36.440 --> 00:13:48.460 In other words, the mindset. 00:13:48.460 --> 00:13:49.840 It's not an action. 00:13:50.440 --> 00:13:52.560 Being generous is not just a momentary thing. 00:13:52.660 --> 00:13:54.320 It's not just a reaction to something. 00:13:54.700 --> 00:13:57.980 It's not, oh, I just see a need, so therefore I'll react to it. 00:13:58.440 --> 00:14:00.280 That's not what this is about, I don't think. 00:14:00.540 --> 00:14:05.259 This is having a lifestyle and an attitude of I'm going to choose to be generous. 00:14:05.800 --> 00:14:08.360 Having the same mindset as Christ Jesus. 00:14:08.360 --> 00:14:11.560 And finally, it goes on to say, 00:14:12.039 --> 00:14:17.899 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every other name. 00:14:19.039 --> 00:14:20.600 Therefore God exalted him. 00:14:21.399 --> 00:14:23.740 Do you know what happens when we exalt ourselves? 00:14:24.300 --> 00:14:28.639 When we start to kind of think we're a bit better than others and we start lording it over other people. 00:14:28.980 --> 00:14:32.279 In my experience, God humbles me if I do that. 00:14:32.899 --> 00:14:35.580 And when we humble ourselves, God exalts us. 00:14:36.000 --> 00:14:37.440 It's an upside down kingdom. 00:14:38.360 --> 00:14:43.379 God humbles us, I think, because he wants to create his character in us. 00:14:43.940 --> 00:14:46.360 He wants to do something deep inside us. 00:14:48.379 --> 00:14:51.940 And generosity values others above themselves. 00:14:52.620 --> 00:14:54.279 Generosity humbles itself. 00:14:54.940 --> 00:14:56.180 Generosity serves. 00:14:56.480 --> 00:14:59.300 And generosity is sacrificial. 00:15:01.379 --> 00:15:03.440 So how do we apply all this stuff? 00:15:04.700 --> 00:15:07.480 Well, God says that we have to be generous to everybody. 00:15:07.480 --> 00:15:10.820 Not just to people that we really like and that we really get on with. 00:15:12.019 --> 00:15:18.600 But does being generous mean that if people treat us badly and like rubbish that we have to just put up with that? 00:15:19.460 --> 00:15:20.940 No, it doesn't mean that. 00:15:21.039 --> 00:15:28.440 But it means that if somebody does treat us badly, that we don't let it determine whether we live our lives in a generous way or not. 00:15:28.440 --> 00:15:33.860 Because if we do that, then we're just living by their standards and we're being controlled by their behavior. 00:15:34.740 --> 00:15:44.700 And Corinthians tells us that we have to decide in our hearts what to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, feeling like we've got to, but as a cheerful giver. 00:15:44.700 --> 00:15:51.120 So ideally, we don't want to just give like off the hoof, you know, something happens. 00:15:51.340 --> 00:15:52.879 Oh dear, we better react to it and give. 00:15:53.120 --> 00:15:57.220 We need to kind of choose to live our whole lives in a generous way. 00:15:57.840 --> 00:16:03.020 Now there may be times in an emergency we do give like that and we are generous in that way. 00:16:03.460 --> 00:16:13.560 But actually, for each of us as Christians, we need to choose and plan our lives so that we're generous to everyone around us and towards each other. 00:16:13.559 --> 00:16:18.259 And you might think, oh no, she's going to start talking about finances. 00:16:18.859 --> 00:16:20.119 And yes, I am a little bit. 00:16:20.939 --> 00:16:24.879 Giving one off gifts to the church, now don't get me wrong, they are helpful. 00:16:25.000 --> 00:16:30.079 If we've got a specific need and we do like a day where we give, you know, a gift day, that's fantastic. 00:16:30.619 --> 00:16:41.559 But actually, on a monthly basis, it's much more helpful to the church to plan and resource really well the missional and outreach work that we're doing at Christchurch. 00:16:41.559 --> 00:16:44.319 By giving a weekly or a monthly amount. 00:16:45.119 --> 00:16:50.139 Therefore, that way we can kind of sort of see what's coming in and kind of know what's going out. 00:16:51.119 --> 00:16:53.079 But I'm not just talking about finances. 00:16:53.439 --> 00:16:54.639 I'm talking about everything. 00:16:55.099 --> 00:16:58.039 I'm talking about your gifts and I'm also talking about your words. 00:16:58.599 --> 00:17:00.939 Are you generous with the words that you speak? 00:17:00.940 --> 00:17:04.559 It's not just enough not to speak badly about people. 00:17:04.559 --> 00:17:11.799 But actually, especially in these times, I think it's really important that we use our words to build one up and encourage each other. 00:17:12.319 --> 00:17:15.119 So maybe send somebody a text or an email or give them a ring. 00:17:15.559 --> 00:17:16.700 Go the extra mile. 00:17:16.700 --> 00:17:25.279 And maybe going the extra mile this year might be just ringing somebody up and asking them to go for a socially distanced walk and a chat. 00:17:25.740 --> 00:17:33.519 Or maybe when things start to get a bit easier to go the extra mile by joining like the welcome team or maybe the technical team. 00:17:34.059 --> 00:17:37.480 They've been so vital this year in putting all our services together. 00:17:37.480 --> 00:17:46.460 Or what about making a massive difference in a child or a young person's life by joining the TLG team or the kids and youth team? 00:17:47.779 --> 00:17:52.039 What about joining Ross and helping out with a living life to the full course? 00:17:52.660 --> 00:17:58.180 Or maybe joining me and the seniors ministry dream team, getting involved in that sort of thing. 00:17:58.779 --> 00:18:01.460 Or maybe joining Helen and the make lunch team. 00:18:01.460 --> 00:18:17.039 You know what, I've been so encouraged that over Christmas, the amount of families that I've heard, you know, that were able to receive food packages and were blessed by Christchurch and the volunteers that went and put packages together for them and delivered them to them. 00:18:17.819 --> 00:18:28.120 If you're already serving on a team in some way, I really want to thank you so much for volunteering your time and your energy to serve God and Christchurch Clevedon. 00:18:28.119 --> 00:18:35.479 And if you're not yet part of a team, I'd like you to think and to pray about how you might get involved this year. 00:18:35.899 --> 00:18:43.119 Even if you're really busy working, maybe just commit something, maybe once a month to serve those around you at Christchurch. 00:18:45.000 --> 00:18:54.779 And also for the mission, the wide mission here that he's given us at Christchurch, to reach out, love and make Jesus known in Clevedon. 00:18:54.779 --> 00:19:00.680 If you call this church your home, then please, please get stuck in. 00:19:05.259 --> 00:19:14.759 So as a people of God, we need to remember that we've saved, we're saved and we're blessed, not just to keep it to ourselves, but to pour it out. 00:19:15.240 --> 00:19:18.279 As a good friend of mine says, we're saved to serve. 00:19:18.279 --> 00:19:21.859 It's not about just a Sunday morning. 00:19:22.259 --> 00:19:26.500 It's not just about the dregs in our wallet and it's not about the small use of our gifts. 00:19:26.619 --> 00:19:28.759 It's about giving our whole life to him. 00:19:29.480 --> 00:19:33.039 So as we finish, I've got a challenge for you all, Christchurch family. 00:19:33.480 --> 00:19:36.920 I want you to begin today by counting your blessings. 00:19:37.200 --> 00:19:41.079 Spend a moment beginning to count all that God has blessed you with. 00:19:41.079 --> 00:19:50.500 And then pray that God would put people in front of you and beside you that you can love and that you can bless and that you can be generous to. 00:19:50.720 --> 00:19:56.139 Whether it's in your workplace, whether it's your neighbours, whether it's at college, wherever it is. 00:19:56.899 --> 00:19:59.000 Because you see, generosity is contagious. 00:19:59.720 --> 00:20:05.000 Over the years, I have met and spent so much time with amazingly generous people, 00:20:05.000 --> 00:20:08.380 most of whom have had hardly any money themselves. 00:20:09.299 --> 00:20:14.980 And it's really inspired me and made me want to be more generous with my life. 00:20:15.420 --> 00:20:16.640 It's a Christchurch family. 00:20:17.619 --> 00:20:20.539 This year, what are you going to invest your time in? 00:20:21.160 --> 00:20:23.740 What are you going to invest your gifts in? 00:20:24.119 --> 00:20:27.299 And what are you going to invest your finances in?