WEBVTT

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 Let's pray.

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 Our gracious Heavenly Father, this morning as we come into Your presence, we come with a

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 of our dependency upon You, with a thankfulness that You have made Your will and Your wisdom

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 clear in the Scriptures, and that You have given to Your children the Holy Spirit who

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 indwells every believer and is actively at work transforming the heart and mind of the

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 believer to be more like Christ.

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 And this morning as we take up the matter of our faithfulness and stewardship and practical

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 instruction from the Scriptures, we are thankful that You who abide in heaven care about this

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 matter and are interested with the heart that we bring to this subject and interested in

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 our faithful submission to Your authority.

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 I ask for the enabling of the Spirit of God.

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 I ask for the faithful prayers of the people of God.

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 And I ask that You are the one that is exalted in what we do as we take the Scripture in hand

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 and explain it plainly and clearly.

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 To Christ be glory.

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 Amen.

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 I have to tell you that it was a distinct blessing for me to sit last week right over there and

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 listen to Pastor Scheer, our senior pastor elect, preach his first sermon on stewardship here.

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 I liked it.

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 I really did.

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 I took pleasure in listening to him handle Scriptures.

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 I've enjoyed listening to him preach.

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 I remember three, four years ago, Pastor Saul, who has been a gospel companion to me throughout

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 the ministry here, or most of it, he said,

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 Pastor, it will be very hard for a man to succeed here if you don't enjoy listening to him preach.

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 And I don't ever intend to bother anybody with that, but I've got to tell you,

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 I enjoyed listening to our pastor elect handle the Scriptures and preach on stewardship.

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 By the way, I do think that that is a basic thing that a person who is a shepherd of God's people should teach on.

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 I've got to tell you, this will probably be the last message I preach on stewardship here.

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 The reason being is that Pastor Scheer, you don't know this, but he's already more or less,

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 fair to say, in charge of our preaching schedule, right?

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 Yeah.

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 He's divided up John a lot differently than I would have done.

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 I would have been on this subject for another three years, but we're going to get it done.

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 He's whacking it off in mega chunks, and I am biting the bullet and trying to chew it and get it together.

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 Next week, you'll see me preach on far more verses than I ever imagined.

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 But when I say that it will be my last stewardship sermon, there is no sorrow in that.

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 There's joy.

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 Not that I have any hesitancy on preaching on the subject of stewardship.

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 But I think it is entirely appropriate that God's people, as they pray and look to the future,

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 anticipate God bringing Pastor Scheer to be the principal agent of the Word here in our fellowship.

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 And I look forward with ambition to him being the one that continues to teach you lessons on the subject of your giving.

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 And I have to tell you that knowing in advance that this will probably be my last sermon on stewardship,

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 guess what it was like to prepare to say the last time, the last things that need to be said.

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 Very hard.

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 And I made it easier on myself in part by having him go first, and then he kind of coached me a little bit.

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 And so, now don't blame him on what I say, but I do want you to understand that this has been thought through together as a collaborative effort.

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 Now, I want you to listen because there's something here at the very beginning that's pretty important.

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 Your stewardship is nothing other than a demonstration of what you really think about God.

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 Let me say it slowly.

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 Your stewardship is nothing other than a reflection of what you think about God.

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 An illustration of that would be in 2 Samuel chapter 24, and I want you to go there just for a moment.

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 And I'm going to kind of press the story together because it's not my primary text.

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 But it is a proof, and listen, listen, everybody.

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 When a pastor says something, at the heart of what he says should be a Bible truth.

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 We agreed?

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 I have opinions about how hot curry should be, but there's not a Bible text on that.

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 Do you follow me?

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 But when I stand up here and I speak as a messenger of the Lord of hosts,

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 there should be a Bible passage that corroborates the statement.

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 And so when I say that your giving is a reflection of what you think about God,

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 it's fair to say, and here's a passage that informs our thinking.

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 2 Samuel chapter 24, we have David who numbered the people,

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 and God gave David choice A, choice B, choice C.

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 And the choice that he actually decided upon as a punishment for his disobedience was a plague.

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 It came upon the nation of Israel, and after a period of time, God says, that's enough.

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 And God said, I want David to go and offer a sacrifice at a particular place.

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 There in verse 18,

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 And Gad came that day to David and said to him,

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 Go up, raise an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Arunah the Jebusite.

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 So David went up at Gad's word as the Lord commanded.

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 And he goes to offer a sacrifice, and when he gets there, by the way,

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 generally when you bring a sacrifice, what did you need to bring along with the sacrifice?

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 You needed to bring wood.

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 If you're going to make a sacrifice, you had to have a sacrifice.

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 You had to have wood.

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 David goes to the threshing floor of Arunah, and when he gets there,

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 he has neither sacrifice nor the fuel, the wood with which to make the sacrifice.

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 And to abbreviate the story, Arunah offers to David his oxen,

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 and he offers the implements of threshing, the wood that was used in threshing the grain.

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 And he says, Listen, you can have it for free.

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 David says, No, no.

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 Look at verse 24.

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 I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God that cost me nothing.

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 The point that I make as we look at this passage is that what we think about God reflects in our giving.

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 Here, David, instead of taking something someone else gave to him as a means of offering,

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 he decided, I want, because of who I know my God to be,

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 I want this to have an effect upon me and be a reflection of my own heart and giving.

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 And so when we come to the matter of stewardship,

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 one of the things that I want you to think through very carefully is this,

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 is your giving is a reflection of what you think about God.

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 With that said, I want you to turn to 1 Corinthians chapter 16.

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 1 Corinthians chapter 16.

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 And as we are making our way to that,

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 I want to tell you that stewardship is not one of those topics that kind of is high on the radar screen for a pastor.

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 It's not like most pastors at least sit in their office rubbing their hands thinking,

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 Wow, if there's anything, I really get cold chills about preaching about its giving.

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 I love doing that.

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 Actually, I like it.

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 And I'll tell you why.

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 Because I am interested in the spiritual well-being and growth of God's people.

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 And if God has a hold of your heart, He also has a hold of your wallet.

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 Does that make sense?

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 He's got a hold of your heart.

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 He has a hold of your wallet.

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 And there's no shame in bringing the matter to you from the Scriptures

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 because the Bible has a lot to say about our giving.

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 And when we really think about our giving,

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 I want you to understand that the way we handle money really sends a clear signal of where we are

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 and where we take our directions from.

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 Do you understand that point?

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 The Word of God should be the thing that informs the behavior of the believer.

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 And so when we look at 1 Corinthians chapter 16,

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 we find Paul towards the end of his letter to the church at Corinth, the first one,

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 he has some very explicit statements about the matter of giving.

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 Let me read just the verse 2, 1 and 2 here to you.

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 Now concerning the collection for the saints,

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 as I directed the churches of Galatia, so you also are to do.

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 On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside

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 and store it up as he may prosper so that there will be no collecting when I come.

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 Now as we look at this passage,

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 I want you to recognize the first point I would make about the matter of biblical giving

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 is that it is part of body life.

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 It is part of body life.

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 I want you to think about that just for a moment.

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 And recognize that when you are listening to a sermon,

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 one of the things that you should be able to determine very soon

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 is where the authority comes in terms of the preaching.

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 What is it relying upon to make its points?

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 When a pastor is engaged in expositional preaching,

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 you should be able to follow along in the Bible and figure out,

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 oh, I see where that came from.

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 There is the passage, and that's the way the passage instructs

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 what is being said and frames it.

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 So as we look at this passage, and I use it as an illustration to prove the point

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 that that exposition of Scripture draws from the Scripture itself,

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 you look here at the words in verse 1, it says,

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 Now concerning the collection for the saints,

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 as I directed the churches of Galatia, so you also are to do.

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 Here is Paul saying something to the church in Corinth,

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 and he says, listen, I have something to say to you about collecting for the saints.

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 And the words that he is engaged in are applicable or are of value to the church.

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 I wonder whether or not you think of yourself as part of a larger entity,

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 or you just think about, well, Maranatha is a place I show up at.

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 I mean, it doesn't make any difference where I show up at.

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 It's just I show up.

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 No.

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 In the thinking of the Scriptures and in the economy of God,

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 he puts us together into family units.

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 How many of you know your family unit?

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 Okay?

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 How many shearers are there?

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 Am I right?

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 There are...

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 Help me out.

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 I lost track.

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 There's so many.

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 Eight of us!

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 There we go.

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 Okay?

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 Actually, I happen to know that there are six Kenoyers,

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 and there are 13 grandchildren, right?

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 Yes!

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 You know, it's like, they're good.

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 We know our family unit,

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 and we are in a lasting relationship with that family unit.

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 Am I right or wrong?

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 How many of you admit that there are people in your family unit that every now and then kind of are a challenge?

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 But they're your family.

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 We are in a family of believers in Maranatha,

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 and being part of the body of Christ means that you're linked together into a unit that God has ordained

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 and put together for His glory.

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 And so I want you to recognize that here is Paul writing to the church,

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 and he is speaking to the church as an entity, not as individuals,

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 but he is speaking to the church as a larger gathering of people

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 that are fit together for the significant purposes of the gospel.

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 I want you to recognize here is Paul writing under the instruction of the Holy Spirit,

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 and as he writes these words,

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 they end up being authoritative to us as Bible believers.

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 Verse, the reason behind a believer's actions should always be a passage of Scripture.

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 Why am I doing what I'm doing?

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 How many of you go to work on an occasion,

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 don't feel like it's the best thing to do and the most enjoyable thing of the moment?

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 How many of you had that happen?

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 And you think about Walt Disney, you know, and you think about the little song,

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 Hi-ho, hi-ho, and you're thinking, that doesn't cut it.

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 But then you think to yourself, hold it,

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 the Scriptures tell me that I am to be a conscientious, hard-working individual,

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 and that the way I work should bring glory to Christ.

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 So our behavior as a believer should really rise out of biblical truth.

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 An illustration of that would be this.

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 In the past, we prayed for President Obama.

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 I prayed for him on a regular basis.

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 Now I pray for a different president.

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 I pray for President Trump.

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 And I will tell you, I don't think either of the men are less deserving or less needy of their prayer,

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 of the matter of prayer.

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 They both equally need prayer from godly people.

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 And it ought to be one of the things that you are engaged on in a regular basis.

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 Why?

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 Because the Scriptures command you to pray for those who are in authority over you.

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 And if you have any question about it, you go to 1 Timothy 2, verse 1 and 2,

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 or you could go to 1 Peter 2, verse 17.

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 We are to pray and to honor those that God puts over us.

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 Another illustration of the fact that our behavior is informed or instructed by the Scripture

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 would be that when we drive into the parking lot,

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 how many of you have noticed that as a general rule,

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 the parking spaces very, very close to the door are generally reserved and not taken?

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 Does anybody know why that is?

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 We do not have handicap signs right out here by the main entrance

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 because once you put a handicap sign there,

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 you permanently lock it down for that use and nobody can park in it.

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 And when someone drives in here Monday and drives in here Tuesday,

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 there's no need for it.

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 But on Sunday morning, why are those parking slots open?

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 Does anybody know?

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 Leviticus chapter 17 says that you are to rise up and stand before the hoary head.

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 Hoary head means great.

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 The Bible tells us that we are to give respect and honor to those who are elderly,

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 and so near parking places are for older people.

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 The Bible tells us that.

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 Now, the point that I'm making here is that when we, as God's people,

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 look for instruction on the matter of giving,

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 it's appropriate for us to seek out counsel from the Scriptures themselves.

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 And I say that because we live in a day and age where there are lots of voices crying out

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 for the subject of giving,

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 and we have a tendency not to pay attention to what the Bible actually has to say on the matter.

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 Here.

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 The believer's first giving should flow through the body God has linked them to.

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 I'll say that slowly and let you think about it.

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 The believer's first giving, I didn't say only, first giving,

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 should flow through the body that God has linked them to.

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 And I say this on the basis of the following passages.

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 That's not going to be an exhaustive string of the passages,

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 but one case would be Acts chapter 5.

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 Does anybody know what happened in Acts chapter 5?

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 It was one of the early consequences to poor stewardship.

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 Ananias and Sapphira brought their giving to the feet of the apostles,

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 and they lied about it, and what was the consequence?

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 They died.

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 In Acts chapter 6, we find that there was another problem in the matter of stewardship,

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 and we see that the illustration that you can glean from this

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 is that giving flowed through the church

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 and was distributed by the leadership of the church to meet the needs.

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 2 Thessalonians chapter 3, verse 6 through 12,

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 we find that the early church had developed quite a habit in the matter of benevolence,

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 so much so that it became kind of, it became,

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 how many of you know what I mean when I use the word entitlement?

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 Do you know people that have kind of an entitlement mentality?

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 Early church had problems with entitlement

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 because people would show up for the church dinner,

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 but they wouldn't go out to work.

00:18:15.259 --> 00:18:16.579
 They wouldn't do anything constructive.

00:18:17.059 --> 00:18:18.440
 And do you know what Paul said to them?

00:18:18.659 --> 00:18:19.220
 Does anybody know?

00:18:20.059 --> 00:18:23.879
 He said, if a man won't work, neither should he eat.

00:18:25.019 --> 00:18:26.259
 And I can tell you over the years,

00:18:26.379 --> 00:18:27.720
 Pastor Saul probably remember this,

00:18:27.720 --> 00:18:30.660
 we on a regular basis have people who call here and say,

00:18:30.740 --> 00:18:32.980
 listen, I need help with my rent,

00:18:33.039 --> 00:18:34.600
 or I need help with my air conditioning,

00:18:34.700 --> 00:18:35.839
 not in January, but you know,

00:18:36.000 --> 00:18:37.559
 I need help, I need help, I need help.

00:18:37.700 --> 00:18:39.160
 My standard statement to them is,

00:18:39.259 --> 00:18:40.019
 I'm glad you called.

00:18:40.579 --> 00:18:42.180
 We would be glad to help you

00:18:42.180 --> 00:18:44.400
 if you show up here and work for us for four hours.

00:18:44.480 --> 00:18:45.019
 We'll pay you.

00:18:46.319 --> 00:18:48.980
 Guess what happens to takers for that benevolence?

00:18:49.900 --> 00:18:50.720
 Does anybody want to guess?

00:18:52.079 --> 00:18:53.360
 We don't have many takers,

00:18:53.359 --> 00:18:58.359
 but the Bible says if a man is unwilling to work,

00:18:59.019 --> 00:19:00.979
 neither should he eat.

00:19:01.500 --> 00:19:04.299
 The early church was the conduit

00:19:04.299 --> 00:19:06.359
 for the matter of benevolence

00:19:06.359 --> 00:19:08.819
 in the early New Testament era.

00:19:09.639 --> 00:19:12.459
 In 1 Timothy chapter 5, verse 3 through 16,

00:19:13.159 --> 00:19:16.899
 we find extended teaching by the apostle

00:19:16.899 --> 00:19:22.719
 on the matter of how families are to care for their own.

00:19:23.359 --> 00:19:28.179
 And it is interesting when you read that passage

00:19:28.179 --> 00:19:31.319
 that before the church is burdened with caring

00:19:31.319 --> 00:19:32.339
 for a situation,

00:19:32.859 --> 00:19:35.000
 the family should be burdened first.

00:19:35.579 --> 00:19:36.339
 Everybody said what?

00:19:37.679 --> 00:19:39.879
 That was one of the most enthusiastic amens

00:19:39.879 --> 00:19:41.079
 I've heard in a long, long line.

00:19:41.379 --> 00:19:42.339
 It just blew me away.

00:19:42.759 --> 00:19:45.799
 That was a Baptist amen to be amended in heaven.

00:19:48.799 --> 00:19:50.359
 Oh, well, I know.

00:19:50.679 --> 00:19:51.759
 I understand.

00:19:52.000 --> 00:19:52.879
 Don't go there, Tim.

00:19:52.880 --> 00:19:53.740
 It's all right.

00:19:53.900 --> 00:19:57.860
 Okay, so here is Paul saying to the church,

00:19:58.700 --> 00:20:02.540
 hey guys, before you step in as a congregation

00:20:02.540 --> 00:20:04.980
 to help in a needy situation,

00:20:05.280 --> 00:20:07.380
 you need to light family members up

00:20:07.380 --> 00:20:08.480
 to step into the deal.

00:20:09.520 --> 00:20:10.860
 And on more than one occasion,

00:20:11.000 --> 00:20:12.320
 I've had people come to me and say,

00:20:12.760 --> 00:20:14.800
 Pastor, the church is not doing this

00:20:14.800 --> 00:20:15.620
 and not doing that.

00:20:15.700 --> 00:20:17.780
 And I, I'm really sorry to hear that.

00:20:18.280 --> 00:20:19.240
 Let me get on that.

00:20:19.240 --> 00:20:23.940
 What they don't know is that by the instruction

00:20:23.940 --> 00:20:24.880
 of the Word of God,

00:20:25.019 --> 00:20:27.359
 I'm obligated to call family members and say,

00:20:27.720 --> 00:20:29.240
 you may not know this, but...

00:20:29.240 --> 00:20:32.299
 And when I explain that to the individuals

00:20:32.299 --> 00:20:34.420
 who are commiserating about something being done,

00:20:34.420 --> 00:20:38.900
 they decide, oh, maybe we ought to help.

00:20:40.120 --> 00:20:42.920
 The Bible has a lot to say about the matter of giving

00:20:42.920 --> 00:20:43.759
 through the local church.

00:20:44.160 --> 00:20:46.259
 2 Corinthians 8 and 9.

00:20:46.900 --> 00:20:47.940
 Philippians 4.

00:20:47.940 --> 00:20:50.640
 And I could work my way through other passages

00:20:50.640 --> 00:20:51.960
 where it becomes very clear

00:20:51.960 --> 00:20:53.720
 that the believer's giving

00:20:53.720 --> 00:20:54.900
 is to flow through the body

00:20:54.900 --> 00:20:56.160
 that Christ has linked them to.

00:20:57.799 --> 00:21:00.880
 I'm not saying that the local church

00:21:00.880 --> 00:21:03.200
 should be the only place that I give,

00:21:03.900 --> 00:21:05.240
 but it's to be the first.

00:21:05.820 --> 00:21:06.700
 Let me put it this way.

00:21:07.680 --> 00:21:10.080
 The local church is God's plan A.

00:21:11.180 --> 00:21:11.960
 Do you understand that?

00:21:12.559 --> 00:21:14.279
 I want you to fix that in your mind.

00:21:14.279 --> 00:21:17.039
 The local church is God's plan A.

00:21:17.940 --> 00:21:19.700
 When Jesus said,

00:21:20.160 --> 00:21:23.279
 I will build my church,

00:21:24.279 --> 00:21:29.799
 He was thinking of the body of believers

00:21:29.799 --> 00:21:31.799
 that would form in every local place

00:21:31.799 --> 00:21:34.900
 and would gather under the teaching of the Word of God

00:21:34.900 --> 00:21:37.740
 and be actively ministering one to another

00:21:37.740 --> 00:21:39.519
 and one to the community around them

00:21:39.519 --> 00:21:41.500
 for the testimony and glory of Christ.

00:21:42.500 --> 00:21:44.220
 When Luke wrote in Acts,

00:21:44.840 --> 00:21:46.860
 and the Lord added daily to their number

00:21:46.859 --> 00:21:48.079
 those that are being saved,

00:21:48.219 --> 00:21:50.279
 that word daily to their number

00:21:50.279 --> 00:21:51.819
 is talking about the local church.

00:21:52.359 --> 00:21:55.019
 And in Ephesians chapter 1, verse 22 and 23,

00:21:55.099 --> 00:21:56.299
 and I want you to look at that passage

00:21:56.299 --> 00:21:58.619
 because it is so profound.

00:21:59.119 --> 00:22:03.179
 Ephesians chapter 1, verse 22 and 23.

00:22:03.180 --> 00:22:19.500
 In verse 22, he says this,

00:22:19.500 --> 00:22:20.920
 And he put all things under his feet

00:22:20.920 --> 00:22:23.759
 and gave him his head over all things to the church.

00:22:23.840 --> 00:22:24.799
 Now, what is the church?

00:22:25.460 --> 00:22:26.740
 Which is his body,

00:22:26.880 --> 00:22:30.539
 the fullness of him who fills all in all.

00:22:30.539 --> 00:22:33.119
 Listen to me.

00:22:35.279 --> 00:22:41.240
 The church is significant far beyond the thinking

00:22:41.240 --> 00:22:44.920
 of many people today who profess to be believers.

00:22:46.279 --> 00:22:52.980
 The church is God's primary agent in this age.

00:22:53.519 --> 00:22:56.099
 And one of the things that needs to be framed

00:22:56.099 --> 00:22:57.759
 clearly in people's thinking

00:22:57.759 --> 00:23:01.019
 is that the local church has preeminence

00:23:01.019 --> 00:23:02.079
 and is significant.

00:23:03.680 --> 00:23:07.339
 It's so easy today to bypass the local church completely.

00:23:08.339 --> 00:23:10.259
 And the pattern shows up

00:23:10.259 --> 00:23:12.640
 in all different kinds of illustrations.

00:23:13.599 --> 00:23:15.480
 I'll give you a couple practical illustrations.

00:23:15.700 --> 00:23:16.900
 I remember when a young man

00:23:16.900 --> 00:23:18.160
 who grew up in our church here,

00:23:18.460 --> 00:23:19.200
 I'll mention him.

00:23:19.200 --> 00:23:23.319
 How's that?

00:23:23.980 --> 00:23:24.660
 Rollin Moeller.

00:23:25.559 --> 00:23:27.640
 Pastor, where is it?

00:23:27.640 --> 00:23:28.200
 Pennsylvania?

00:23:28.779 --> 00:23:29.200
 New Jersey?

00:23:29.319 --> 00:23:29.620
 Pennsylvania?

00:23:29.900 --> 00:23:30.259
 Where is it?

00:23:30.720 --> 00:23:31.140
 Virginia.

00:23:31.279 --> 00:23:31.620
 Thank you.

00:23:32.080 --> 00:23:33.539
 Rollin called me one day,

00:23:33.600 --> 00:23:35.299
 and he was just a little animated.

00:23:35.860 --> 00:23:37.460
 He was fired up

00:23:37.460 --> 00:23:41.180
 because he had had two missionaries,

00:23:41.340 --> 00:23:42.660
 one from Awana

00:23:42.660 --> 00:23:44.460
 and the other from Word of Life,

00:23:44.460 --> 00:23:46.420
 who had gone out from his church

00:23:46.420 --> 00:23:47.539
 to go to their training

00:23:47.539 --> 00:23:49.319
 for being future missionaries.

00:23:50.420 --> 00:23:51.799
 Rollin was stirred.

00:23:52.799 --> 00:23:54.180
 Rollin, if you're listening to this,

00:23:54.240 --> 00:23:55.420
 I'm talking about you.

00:23:56.000 --> 00:23:56.140
 Okay.

00:23:59.140 --> 00:24:00.000
 Hi, Rollin.

00:24:00.940 --> 00:24:02.920
 He was pretty agitated.

00:24:03.180 --> 00:24:04.519
 I said, what's bothering you?

00:24:04.579 --> 00:24:05.720
 He says, I can't believe it.

00:24:06.539 --> 00:24:08.200
 People are going to Word of Life,

00:24:08.259 --> 00:24:09.200
 and they're going to Awana,

00:24:09.360 --> 00:24:11.180
 and they're learning how to raise funds,

00:24:11.180 --> 00:24:14.080
 and they're not at all instructed

00:24:14.080 --> 00:24:16.140
 to call local churches.

00:24:18.080 --> 00:24:19.840
 Did anybody know that I was a little irritated

00:24:19.840 --> 00:24:20.840
 or kind of fired up?

00:24:24.000 --> 00:24:25.360
 I can't understand that.

00:24:29.160 --> 00:24:30.080
 Rollin was upset.

00:24:30.180 --> 00:24:30.759
 He was a young man,

00:24:30.799 --> 00:24:31.620
 and I said, back off.

00:24:32.720 --> 00:24:33.960
 You can't fight city hall,

00:24:34.039 --> 00:24:34.620
 something like that,

00:24:34.660 --> 00:24:36.140
 really important, significant.

00:24:38.240 --> 00:24:39.519
 Do you know why that's happening?

00:24:41.180 --> 00:24:41.860
 Do you know why?

00:24:43.860 --> 00:24:46.120
 It is the normal protocol

00:24:46.120 --> 00:24:48.340
 for people to ask individuals

00:24:48.340 --> 00:24:49.519
 rather than local churches

00:24:49.519 --> 00:24:50.180
 to raise money.

00:24:52.820 --> 00:24:54.019
 Of all the missionaries

00:24:54.019 --> 00:24:55.019
 that I have had the privilege

00:24:55.019 --> 00:24:55.720
 of working with,

00:24:55.759 --> 00:24:56.960
 there's only one that stands

00:24:56.960 --> 00:24:58.180
 at the other end of the fence.

00:24:59.600 --> 00:25:00.640
 It's Tom Wolfe.

00:25:03.120 --> 00:25:04.100
 Tom Wolfe said to me,

00:25:04.200 --> 00:25:06.180
 I will not ask individuals.

00:25:07.480 --> 00:25:08.220
 Only one.

00:25:08.220 --> 00:25:11.720
 Do I think it's wrong

00:25:11.720 --> 00:25:12.720
 to ask individuals?

00:25:13.620 --> 00:25:14.019
 No.

00:25:15.980 --> 00:25:17.339
 But I think it is wrong

00:25:17.339 --> 00:25:18.440
 to not ask churches.

00:25:21.100 --> 00:25:22.319
 Do I think it is wrong

00:25:22.319 --> 00:25:23.819
 for people to go on missions trips

00:25:23.819 --> 00:25:25.539
 without involving the local church

00:25:25.539 --> 00:25:26.640
 in any way, shape, or form?

00:25:27.819 --> 00:25:28.819
 I'm beginning to wonder

00:25:28.819 --> 00:25:29.519
 if that's wrong.

00:25:30.440 --> 00:25:30.839
 Why?

00:25:31.299 --> 00:25:32.120
 What does it say

00:25:32.120 --> 00:25:33.100
 about the local church

00:25:33.100 --> 00:25:34.160
 when you don't even bring them

00:25:34.160 --> 00:25:34.740
 into the circle

00:25:34.740 --> 00:25:36.279
 and ask them for an endorsement?

00:25:36.279 --> 00:25:37.319
 I have people going

00:25:37.319 --> 00:25:38.079
 on missions trips

00:25:38.079 --> 00:25:39.619
 and nobody has ever asked me

00:25:39.619 --> 00:25:40.180
 as a pastor,

00:25:40.519 --> 00:25:42.139
 so what is this person like?

00:25:44.240 --> 00:25:44.420
 Huh?

00:25:48.639 --> 00:25:49.500
 J.D. Greer

00:25:49.500 --> 00:25:52.240
 says this.

00:25:53.559 --> 00:25:54.339
 And by the way,

00:25:54.399 --> 00:25:55.639
 J.D. Greer is not the only person

00:25:55.639 --> 00:25:56.619
 I could recite on this,

00:25:56.680 --> 00:25:57.200
 but here we go.

00:25:57.539 --> 00:25:58.200
 J.D. Greer said,

00:25:58.279 --> 00:25:59.240
 I don't believe Christians

00:25:59.240 --> 00:26:00.359
 should give only

00:26:00.359 --> 00:26:01.619
 to the local church,

00:26:02.220 --> 00:26:03.559
 but I do believe

00:26:03.559 --> 00:26:05.299
 that Christians should give first

00:26:05.299 --> 00:26:06.859
 to the local church.

00:26:08.259 --> 00:26:09.319
 Your local church

00:26:09.319 --> 00:26:11.179
 should not be the only place you give,

00:26:11.279 --> 00:26:12.599
 but it should be the first.

00:26:13.579 --> 00:26:14.059
 And by the way,

00:26:14.099 --> 00:26:15.319
 I'm reminded of that little passage

00:26:15.319 --> 00:26:17.079
 where Paul says this in Galatians.

00:26:17.200 --> 00:26:17.500
 He says,

00:26:18.259 --> 00:26:19.299
 Do good to all.

00:26:19.599 --> 00:26:20.240
 How many of you know

00:26:20.240 --> 00:26:21.119
 the remainder of the verse?

00:26:21.240 --> 00:26:21.700
 Can you help me?

00:26:22.599 --> 00:26:23.519
 Particularly to those

00:26:23.519 --> 00:26:26.059
 who are of the household of faith.

00:26:28.000 --> 00:26:28.819
 God wants me

00:26:28.819 --> 00:26:30.099
 to be a benevolent person.

00:26:30.099 --> 00:26:32.879
 He wants my neighborhood

00:26:32.879 --> 00:26:33.500
 to know me

00:26:33.500 --> 00:26:34.659
 as a benevolent person.

00:26:35.439 --> 00:26:36.699
 He wants people

00:26:36.699 --> 00:26:39.219
 to enjoy the generosity

00:26:39.219 --> 00:26:40.219
 of my heart.

00:26:41.980 --> 00:26:43.059
 The first place

00:26:43.059 --> 00:26:44.279
 that that should be experienced

00:26:44.279 --> 00:26:45.619
 should be in my home.

00:26:46.319 --> 00:26:47.339
 The second place

00:26:47.339 --> 00:26:49.179
 should be in the body of Christ

00:26:49.179 --> 00:26:51.399
 and then around the circle

00:26:51.399 --> 00:26:52.299
 outside of that.

00:26:52.619 --> 00:26:53.599
 Well, we look at the issue

00:26:53.599 --> 00:26:54.699
 and I've got to say

00:26:54.699 --> 00:26:55.959
 that I took a little more time

00:26:55.959 --> 00:26:56.759
 on the matter of giving

00:26:56.759 --> 00:26:57.659
 to the local church

00:26:57.659 --> 00:26:58.619
 than I intended,

00:26:58.619 --> 00:27:00.819
 but it's my last time.

00:27:05.099 --> 00:27:07.519
 And it is far more important

00:27:07.519 --> 00:27:09.000
 and if you're sitting here

00:27:09.000 --> 00:27:10.639
 and your fur is going up,

00:27:11.099 --> 00:27:12.639
 you ask yourself the question,

00:27:12.859 --> 00:27:14.819
 What does the Bible say?

00:27:14.919 --> 00:27:15.619
 Will you do that for me?

00:27:16.199 --> 00:27:18.199
 What does the Bible say?

00:27:18.679 --> 00:27:20.899
 You can be irritated at me

00:27:20.899 --> 00:27:22.500
 because I don't have

00:27:22.500 --> 00:27:23.619
 the right tone of voice

00:27:23.619 --> 00:27:25.139
 or because I'm 68,

00:27:25.359 --> 00:27:26.479
 but at the end of the question

00:27:26.479 --> 00:27:26.859
 is this,

00:27:26.939 --> 00:27:28.179
 is what does the Bible say?

00:27:28.180 --> 00:27:28.259
 Okay.

00:27:29.680 --> 00:27:31.000
 Now, let's come to another

00:27:31.000 --> 00:27:31.460
 little thing.

00:27:32.360 --> 00:27:33.519
 Your giving should be planned.

00:27:34.240 --> 00:27:35.960
 It should be directed

00:27:35.960 --> 00:27:36.980
 through the local church.

00:27:37.080 --> 00:27:37.980
 It should be planned.

00:27:38.080 --> 00:27:38.740
 And you look there

00:27:38.740 --> 00:27:41.019
 at verse 2,

00:27:42.740 --> 00:27:44.220
 on the first day of every week.

00:27:45.140 --> 00:27:46.299
 I'm not going to belabor the point,

00:27:46.400 --> 00:27:47.160
 but the issue here

00:27:47.160 --> 00:27:48.380
 is that the statement

00:27:48.380 --> 00:27:49.660
 on the first day of every week

00:27:49.660 --> 00:27:50.759
 kind of presumes

00:27:50.759 --> 00:27:52.940
 that people had a pattern of giving.

00:27:53.220 --> 00:27:54.220
 How many of you do better

00:27:54.220 --> 00:27:54.840
 with patterns?

00:27:54.839 --> 00:27:55.039
 patterns.

00:27:56.259 --> 00:27:57.240
 I mean, you know,

00:27:57.699 --> 00:27:58.799
 when I feel like it,

00:27:58.879 --> 00:27:59.199
 maybe.

00:27:59.500 --> 00:28:00.039
 I don't know.

00:28:00.899 --> 00:28:01.279
 No.

00:28:01.399 --> 00:28:02.879
 I mean, I really rely heavily

00:28:02.879 --> 00:28:03.500
 on patterns.

00:28:03.619 --> 00:28:04.759
 In fact, I found myself

00:28:04.759 --> 00:28:05.699
 kind of reviewing

00:28:05.699 --> 00:28:07.220
 some of my patterns

00:28:07.220 --> 00:28:08.019
 the other day.

00:28:08.559 --> 00:28:11.539
 I had backed up.

00:28:12.119 --> 00:28:12.740
 Do you know where

00:28:12.740 --> 00:28:13.399
 I'm going with this one?

00:28:13.400 --> 00:28:15.180
 I had backed up

00:28:15.180 --> 00:28:16.500
 without showing

00:28:16.500 --> 00:28:17.540
 adequate attention

00:28:17.540 --> 00:28:19.060
 to all of my mirrors.

00:28:19.940 --> 00:28:21.380
 And I came about

00:28:21.380 --> 00:28:23.000
 a micro inch

00:28:23.000 --> 00:28:24.759
 from hitting somebody else's car.

00:28:25.580 --> 00:28:26.820
 And after that,

00:28:26.880 --> 00:28:27.180
 it's like,

00:28:27.580 --> 00:28:27.860
 oh,

00:28:29.360 --> 00:28:30.200
 Tim,

00:28:30.740 --> 00:28:31.360
 remember

00:28:31.360 --> 00:28:32.700
 driver's ed?

00:28:34.019 --> 00:28:34.580
 How many of you

00:28:34.580 --> 00:28:35.420
 remember driver's ed?

00:28:35.920 --> 00:28:36.360
 Check.

00:28:36.880 --> 00:28:37.680
 First thing you do

00:28:37.680 --> 00:28:38.240
 when you get in.

00:28:38.320 --> 00:28:39.680
 If you want to fail

00:28:39.680 --> 00:28:41.440
 your driver's ed examination,

00:28:41.440 --> 00:28:43.380
 when you get into the car

00:28:43.380 --> 00:28:44.420
 and the other guy

00:28:44.420 --> 00:28:45.320
 belts himself in,

00:28:45.380 --> 00:28:46.180
 what's the first thing

00:28:46.180 --> 00:28:46.820
 you should do?

00:28:48.200 --> 00:28:49.200
 Adjust your mirrors.

00:28:49.380 --> 00:28:49.559
 I mean,

00:28:49.680 --> 00:28:50.720
 go overboard

00:28:50.720 --> 00:28:51.440
 with that thing.

00:28:51.539 --> 00:28:51.640
 I mean,

00:28:51.860 --> 00:28:53.960
 he thinks you're

00:28:53.960 --> 00:28:54.460
 paying attention.

00:28:54.900 --> 00:28:55.680
 So here I am,

00:28:55.820 --> 00:28:57.160
 and I'm saying to myself

00:28:57.160 --> 00:28:57.920
 a little litany.

00:28:58.059 --> 00:28:58.340
 It's like,

00:28:58.860 --> 00:29:00.840
 look both ways.

00:29:01.600 --> 00:29:01.920
 Look.

00:29:01.920 --> 00:29:03.960
 I'm at the point

00:29:03.960 --> 00:29:04.660
 where I pray now.

00:29:04.740 --> 00:29:04.920
 Lord,

00:29:05.060 --> 00:29:05.920
 help me be careful

00:29:05.920 --> 00:29:06.820
 as I drive.

00:29:08.580 --> 00:29:08.880
 Okay?

00:29:11.660 --> 00:29:12.019
 Routine.

00:29:12.920 --> 00:29:13.320
 Plan.

00:29:13.960 --> 00:29:14.640
 Have a pattern.

00:29:15.860 --> 00:29:16.920
 And here we have

00:29:16.920 --> 00:29:18.840
 God giving instruction

00:29:18.840 --> 00:29:19.460
 to the saints.

00:29:19.560 --> 00:29:19.900
 He says,

00:29:20.259 --> 00:29:20.980
 at the first day

00:29:20.980 --> 00:29:21.779
 of every week.

00:29:23.140 --> 00:29:23.539
 Now,

00:29:23.660 --> 00:29:24.259
 the implication

00:29:24.259 --> 00:29:25.060
 behind that

00:29:25.060 --> 00:29:27.080
 is that the people

00:29:27.080 --> 00:29:28.200
 in the church

00:29:28.200 --> 00:29:28.660
 of Corinth

00:29:28.660 --> 00:29:29.420
 as a general rule

00:29:29.420 --> 00:29:30.740
 got paid on a daily basis,

00:29:30.740 --> 00:29:31.759
 but they gathered

00:29:31.759 --> 00:29:32.440
 once a week

00:29:32.440 --> 00:29:33.099
 in the congregation.

00:29:33.700 --> 00:29:34.859
 And so when they gathered,

00:29:35.180 --> 00:29:35.940
 they brought

00:29:35.940 --> 00:29:37.140
 the proportion

00:29:37.140 --> 00:29:38.660
 that God had blessed them with

00:29:38.660 --> 00:29:39.420
 and they brought it in

00:29:39.420 --> 00:29:40.620
 on a regular basis.

00:29:41.740 --> 00:29:42.920
 There are some of you here

00:29:42.920 --> 00:29:43.579
 that are paid

00:29:43.579 --> 00:29:45.680
 every other week.

00:29:46.779 --> 00:29:47.880
 There are some of you

00:29:47.880 --> 00:29:49.160
 that are paid

00:29:49.160 --> 00:29:50.460
 bonuses

00:29:50.460 --> 00:29:52.180
 at periodic times.

00:29:53.099 --> 00:29:54.420
 And as God

00:29:54.420 --> 00:29:56.140
 blesses and prospers you,

00:29:56.220 --> 00:29:56.799
 it's appropriate

00:29:56.799 --> 00:29:58.140
 during that time frame

00:29:58.140 --> 00:29:59.880
 to then respond proportionally

00:29:59.880 --> 00:30:01.160
 as God has blessed you.

00:30:01.200 --> 00:30:01.720
 Let me bring you

00:30:01.720 --> 00:30:02.420
 to another point.

00:30:02.820 --> 00:30:03.420
 Not only are we

00:30:03.420 --> 00:30:04.620
 to give on a planned basis,

00:30:04.720 --> 00:30:05.320
 what we're to give

00:30:05.320 --> 00:30:05.860
 personally.

00:30:08.020 --> 00:30:09.400
 Each of you,

00:30:10.640 --> 00:30:11.880
 Paul is giving instruction

00:30:11.880 --> 00:30:14.000
 that every individual

00:30:14.000 --> 00:30:15.780
 in the local congregation

00:30:15.780 --> 00:30:17.200
 was to give.

00:30:17.200 --> 00:30:18.220
 That instruction

00:30:18.220 --> 00:30:19.240
 was to all

00:30:19.240 --> 00:30:20.840
 who had received

00:30:20.840 --> 00:30:21.720
 something through the week.

00:30:22.080 --> 00:30:23.160
 Look forward a little bit

00:30:23.160 --> 00:30:23.780
 and it says here,

00:30:24.700 --> 00:30:27.160
 as he has prospered.

00:30:27.160 --> 00:30:28.759
 So who is expected

00:30:28.759 --> 00:30:30.380
 to be a regular giver

00:30:30.380 --> 00:30:31.420
 in the congregation

00:30:31.420 --> 00:30:32.340
 of God's people?

00:30:32.480 --> 00:30:34.019
 All those who are making

00:30:34.019 --> 00:30:35.240
 some kind of income.

00:30:36.960 --> 00:30:37.759
 That's who God

00:30:37.759 --> 00:30:38.420
 is speaking to.

00:30:38.540 --> 00:30:39.300
 You are involved

00:30:39.300 --> 00:30:40.500
 in earning a living

00:30:40.500 --> 00:30:41.720
 and you receive something

00:30:41.720 --> 00:30:42.600
 as a result

00:30:42.600 --> 00:30:43.300
 of your labor.

00:30:43.540 --> 00:30:45.400
 As that award

00:30:45.400 --> 00:30:46.340
 or that payment

00:30:46.340 --> 00:30:47.019
 is made,

00:30:47.240 --> 00:30:48.120
 a portion of that

00:30:48.120 --> 00:30:48.680
 is to go back

00:30:48.680 --> 00:30:49.180
 to the Lord

00:30:49.180 --> 00:30:50.380
 on a regular basis.

00:30:51.380 --> 00:30:52.259
 I do want you

00:30:52.259 --> 00:30:52.800
 to understand

00:30:52.800 --> 00:30:53.560
 that your giving

00:30:53.560 --> 00:30:54.720
 is to be of your own

00:30:54.720 --> 00:30:55.340
 free will

00:30:55.339 --> 00:30:56.519
 and it is not

00:30:56.519 --> 00:30:57.319
 to be manipulated

00:30:57.319 --> 00:30:58.439
 or coerced.

00:30:59.319 --> 00:31:00.139
 Your giving

00:31:00.139 --> 00:31:01.539
 is personal

00:31:01.539 --> 00:31:02.899
 and it is not

00:31:02.899 --> 00:31:03.639
 something that is

00:31:03.639 --> 00:31:04.299
 to be manipulated

00:31:04.299 --> 00:31:05.179
 or coerced.

00:31:05.619 --> 00:31:06.279
 I am reminded

00:31:06.279 --> 00:31:06.959
 of what we read

00:31:06.959 --> 00:31:07.759
 in the book of Exodus.

00:31:07.939 --> 00:31:08.419
 Towards the end

00:31:08.419 --> 00:31:09.199
 of the book of Exodus

00:31:09.199 --> 00:31:12.299
 when the offering

00:31:12.299 --> 00:31:13.119
 was taken up

00:31:13.119 --> 00:31:13.679
 for building

00:31:13.679 --> 00:31:14.579
 the tabernacle,

00:31:15.019 --> 00:31:16.119
 it said that God

00:31:16.119 --> 00:31:16.959
 wanted the giving

00:31:16.959 --> 00:31:17.679
 to come from

00:31:17.679 --> 00:31:18.779
 all whose hearts

00:31:18.779 --> 00:31:20.099
 were made willing.

00:31:20.099 --> 00:31:25.879
 I don't know

00:31:25.879 --> 00:31:26.559
 what you give.

00:31:28.559 --> 00:31:29.740
 I have never

00:31:29.740 --> 00:31:31.699
 ever paid attention

00:31:31.699 --> 00:31:32.919
 to what people

00:31:32.919 --> 00:31:33.639
 in this congregation

00:31:33.639 --> 00:31:34.219
 give.

00:31:34.959 --> 00:31:36.039
 If you want to see

00:31:36.039 --> 00:31:36.719
 Tim Knoyer

00:31:36.719 --> 00:31:37.599
 get just a little

00:31:37.599 --> 00:31:38.159
 irritated

00:31:38.159 --> 00:31:38.959
 when he is around

00:31:38.959 --> 00:31:39.879
 fellow pastors,

00:31:41.059 --> 00:31:42.119
 just let that

00:31:42.119 --> 00:31:42.939
 fellow pastor

00:31:42.939 --> 00:31:44.019
 talk about someone

00:31:44.019 --> 00:31:45.079
 in his congregation

00:31:45.079 --> 00:31:46.659
 that is a faithful

00:31:46.659 --> 00:31:47.279
 tither.

00:31:47.279 --> 00:31:49.279
 That is like nails

00:31:49.279 --> 00:31:50.460
 on the chalkboard

00:31:50.460 --> 00:31:51.019
 to me.

00:31:51.339 --> 00:31:52.099
 Do you follow me?

00:31:52.599 --> 00:31:53.759
 Because I don't

00:31:53.759 --> 00:31:54.619
 look at you

00:31:54.619 --> 00:31:56.059
 in that context.

00:31:56.619 --> 00:31:57.819
 You are not graded

00:31:57.819 --> 00:31:59.399
 according to your stewardship.

00:31:59.619 --> 00:32:00.180
 I don't know

00:32:00.180 --> 00:32:00.859
 what it is.

00:32:01.619 --> 00:32:02.539
 I want you to give

00:32:02.539 --> 00:32:02.980
 freely.

00:32:03.460 --> 00:32:04.119
 I want you to give

00:32:04.119 --> 00:32:05.259
 because it is a reflection

00:32:05.259 --> 00:32:06.500
 of what you think

00:32:06.500 --> 00:32:07.160
 about God.

00:32:07.480 --> 00:32:08.639
 End of discussion.

00:32:09.480 --> 00:32:10.379
 And I will preach

00:32:10.379 --> 00:32:11.519
 my heart out out here

00:32:11.519 --> 00:32:13.299
 to see that you love God

00:32:13.299 --> 00:32:14.299
 because I know this,

00:32:14.539 --> 00:32:15.139
 when there's room

00:32:15.139 --> 00:32:15.579
 in the heart,

00:32:15.700 --> 00:32:16.299
 there's room in the

00:32:16.299 --> 00:32:18.019
 wallet.

00:32:18.019 --> 00:32:18.940
 You guys awake today?

00:32:20.139 --> 00:32:21.460
 The last little word

00:32:21.460 --> 00:32:22.419
 that I was hoping for

00:32:22.419 --> 00:32:23.299
 was if there's room

00:32:23.299 --> 00:32:23.639
 in the heart,

00:32:23.740 --> 00:32:24.319
 there's room in the

00:32:24.319 --> 00:32:25.859
 wallet.

00:32:26.419 --> 00:32:27.180
 This thing right back

00:32:27.180 --> 00:32:27.419
 here.

00:32:27.799 --> 00:32:27.879
 Okay?

00:32:29.099 --> 00:32:29.720
 So I'm going to

00:32:29.720 --> 00:32:30.359
 preach my heart out

00:32:30.359 --> 00:32:31.399
 that you are faithful

00:32:31.399 --> 00:32:32.039
 in your stewardship

00:32:32.039 --> 00:32:33.019
 because you love God.

00:32:33.200 --> 00:32:33.700
 Now there's another

00:32:33.700 --> 00:32:33.960
 thing.

00:32:34.460 --> 00:32:35.039
 You're giving us

00:32:35.039 --> 00:32:35.899
 to be proportionate.

00:32:38.279 --> 00:32:38.639
 Proportionate.

00:32:39.279 --> 00:32:39.799
 Everybody gets

00:32:39.799 --> 00:32:40.779
 wrapped up in how much?

00:32:41.700 --> 00:32:42.180
 Well here we go

00:32:42.180 --> 00:32:42.740
 with statistics.

00:32:42.740 --> 00:32:42.880
 statistics.

00:32:44.620 --> 00:32:45.779
 The average person

00:32:45.779 --> 00:32:46.620
 in America gives

00:32:46.620 --> 00:32:47.740
 less than 4%.

00:32:47.740 --> 00:32:49.620
 Okay?

00:32:52.019 --> 00:32:52.880
 Very interesting

00:32:52.880 --> 00:32:53.559
 little statistic

00:32:53.559 --> 00:32:54.779
 and some of you

00:32:54.779 --> 00:32:55.420
 are Googling me

00:32:55.420 --> 00:32:55.740
 already.

00:32:55.839 --> 00:32:56.319
 It doesn't bother me

00:32:56.319 --> 00:32:56.740
 in the least.

00:33:02.180 --> 00:33:03.660
 Those who are not

00:33:03.660 --> 00:33:04.700
 overly wealthy

00:33:04.700 --> 00:33:06.079
 give far more

00:33:06.079 --> 00:33:07.079
 than those that are

00:33:07.079 --> 00:33:08.740
 proportionally.

00:33:08.740 --> 00:33:10.700
 That was not

00:33:10.700 --> 00:33:11.240
 God's plan.

00:33:12.660 --> 00:33:13.519
 As God

00:33:13.519 --> 00:33:14.680
 prospers you

00:33:14.680 --> 00:33:16.460
 the intention

00:33:16.460 --> 00:33:17.380
 that God has

00:33:17.380 --> 00:33:18.460
 in giving you

00:33:18.460 --> 00:33:19.339
 that prosperity

00:33:19.339 --> 00:33:20.799
 is not that you

00:33:20.799 --> 00:33:21.559
 just up your

00:33:21.559 --> 00:33:22.380
 standard of living

00:33:22.380 --> 00:33:25.059
 but that you

00:33:25.059 --> 00:33:25.799
 up your standard

00:33:25.799 --> 00:33:27.240
 of generosity.

00:33:30.599 --> 00:33:31.700
 And what Paul

00:33:31.700 --> 00:33:32.579
 means when he

00:33:32.579 --> 00:33:33.400
 says the statement

00:33:33.400 --> 00:33:34.059
 that he makes

00:33:34.059 --> 00:33:35.200
 there in 1 Corinthians

00:33:35.200 --> 00:33:36.079
 chapter 16

00:33:36.079 --> 00:33:36.579
 verse 2

00:33:36.579 --> 00:33:37.659
 as he may

00:33:37.659 --> 00:33:38.179
 prosper

00:33:38.179 --> 00:33:39.279
 the indication

00:33:39.279 --> 00:33:39.779
 is this

00:33:39.779 --> 00:33:40.119
 is that

00:33:40.119 --> 00:33:41.059
 proportionate

00:33:41.059 --> 00:33:41.379
 to your

00:33:41.379 --> 00:33:41.980
 prosperity

00:33:41.980 --> 00:33:42.519
 is to be

00:33:42.519 --> 00:33:43.259
 the generosity

00:33:43.259 --> 00:33:43.939
 of your heart.

00:33:47.859 --> 00:33:48.619
 So I want

00:33:48.619 --> 00:33:49.279
 to encourage you

00:33:49.279 --> 00:33:49.759
 as God

00:33:49.759 --> 00:33:50.619
 prospers you

00:33:50.619 --> 00:33:51.079
 to grow

00:33:51.079 --> 00:33:51.500
 in giving

00:33:51.500 --> 00:33:51.980
 more

00:33:51.980 --> 00:33:52.559
 than in

00:33:52.559 --> 00:33:52.859
 spending

00:33:52.859 --> 00:33:53.240
 more.

00:33:53.919 --> 00:33:54.399
 Make that a

00:33:54.399 --> 00:33:54.599
 point.

00:33:55.419 --> 00:33:55.839
 There's some

00:33:55.839 --> 00:33:56.039
 of you

00:33:56.039 --> 00:33:56.519
 sitting out

00:33:56.519 --> 00:33:56.960
 here this

00:33:56.960 --> 00:33:57.299
 morning

00:33:57.299 --> 00:33:58.179
 that are

00:33:58.179 --> 00:33:58.579
 at an

00:33:58.579 --> 00:33:59.240
 early stage

00:33:59.240 --> 00:33:59.500
 in your

00:33:59.500 --> 00:33:59.879
 life

00:33:59.879 --> 00:34:00.720
 you still

00:34:00.720 --> 00:34:01.240
 have those

00:34:01.240 --> 00:34:01.819
 school bills

00:34:01.819 --> 00:34:02.460
 hanging over

00:34:02.460 --> 00:34:02.960
 your head

00:34:02.960 --> 00:34:04.019
 and you're

00:34:04.019 --> 00:34:04.359
 living in

00:34:04.359 --> 00:34:04.759
 an apartment

00:34:04.759 --> 00:34:05.179
 you're maybe

00:34:05.179 --> 00:34:05.639
 even living

00:34:05.639 --> 00:34:05.899
 with your

00:34:05.900 --> 00:34:06.259
 parents

00:34:06.259 --> 00:34:06.540
 or who

00:34:06.540 --> 00:34:06.780
 knows

00:34:06.780 --> 00:34:07.340
 but you're

00:34:07.340 --> 00:34:07.680
 thinking to

00:34:07.680 --> 00:34:07.980
 yourself

00:34:07.980 --> 00:34:08.460
 oh I

00:34:08.460 --> 00:34:09.160
 don't know

00:34:09.160 --> 00:34:09.820
 how I'll

00:34:09.820 --> 00:34:10.360
 ever be

00:34:10.360 --> 00:34:10.780
 able to

00:34:10.780 --> 00:34:11.720
 give more

00:34:11.720 --> 00:34:12.360
 I've got to

00:34:12.360 --> 00:34:12.599
 tell you

00:34:12.599 --> 00:34:12.920
 the day

00:34:12.920 --> 00:34:13.380
 will come

00:34:13.380 --> 00:34:15.980
 you conscientiously

00:34:15.980 --> 00:34:16.820
 serve God

00:34:16.820 --> 00:34:17.360
 in the place

00:34:17.360 --> 00:34:17.740
 that he has

00:34:17.740 --> 00:34:18.099
 put you

00:34:18.099 --> 00:34:18.420
 he's going

00:34:18.420 --> 00:34:18.880
 to prosper

00:34:18.880 --> 00:34:19.059
 you

00:34:19.059 --> 00:34:19.260
 he's going

00:34:19.260 --> 00:34:19.480
 to bring

00:34:19.480 --> 00:34:19.840
 you up

00:34:19.840 --> 00:34:21.079
 and as

00:34:21.079 --> 00:34:21.680
 he

00:34:21.680 --> 00:34:22.460
 prospers

00:34:22.460 --> 00:34:22.639
 you

00:34:22.639 --> 00:34:23.079
 the thing

00:34:23.079 --> 00:34:23.500
 that should

00:34:23.500 --> 00:34:24.079
 increase

00:34:24.079 --> 00:34:24.920
 is your

00:34:24.920 --> 00:34:25.460
 proportion

00:34:25.460 --> 00:34:26.019
 of giving

00:34:26.019 --> 00:34:27.680
 let me

00:34:27.680 --> 00:34:27.980
 say one

00:34:27.980 --> 00:34:28.420
 other thing

00:34:28.420 --> 00:34:30.740
 people ask

00:34:30.740 --> 00:34:31.079
 me about

00:34:31.079 --> 00:34:31.539
 tithing

00:34:31.539 --> 00:34:33.619
 and

00:34:33.619 --> 00:34:35.139
 and I've

00:34:35.139 --> 00:34:35.320
 got to

00:34:35.320 --> 00:34:35.639
 tell you

00:34:35.639 --> 00:34:36.319
 that tithing

00:34:36.319 --> 00:34:37.059
 predates

00:34:37.059 --> 00:34:37.679
 the Old

00:34:37.679 --> 00:34:38.000
 Testament

00:34:38.000 --> 00:34:38.440
 law

00:34:38.440 --> 00:34:40.219
 Abraham

00:34:40.219 --> 00:34:40.960
 tithed

00:34:40.960 --> 00:34:42.519
 I think

00:34:42.519 --> 00:34:42.879
 in the New

00:34:42.879 --> 00:34:43.259
 Testament

00:34:43.259 --> 00:34:43.859
 the standard

00:34:43.859 --> 00:34:44.519
 exceeds the

00:34:44.519 --> 00:34:44.900
 matter of

00:34:44.900 --> 00:34:45.279
 tithing

00:34:45.279 --> 00:34:47.420
 and I am

00:34:47.420 --> 00:34:47.739
 not here

00:34:47.739 --> 00:34:48.059
 remember I

00:34:48.059 --> 00:34:48.359
 don't pay

00:34:48.359 --> 00:34:48.879
 attention to

00:34:48.879 --> 00:34:49.359
 who tithes

00:34:49.359 --> 00:34:49.579
 and who

00:34:49.579 --> 00:34:49.900
 doesn't

00:34:49.900 --> 00:34:50.159
 right

00:34:50.159 --> 00:34:51.619
 but I

00:34:51.619 --> 00:34:51.859
 got to

00:34:51.859 --> 00:34:52.359
 tell you

00:34:52.359 --> 00:34:53.420
 Judith

00:34:53.420 --> 00:34:53.739
 and I

00:34:53.739 --> 00:34:54.199
 will tell

00:34:54.199 --> 00:34:54.679
 you without

00:34:54.679 --> 00:34:55.239
 hesitation

00:34:55.239 --> 00:34:56.460
 that as

00:34:56.460 --> 00:34:56.819
 we have

00:34:56.819 --> 00:34:57.279
 grown in

00:34:57.279 --> 00:34:57.659
 the Lord

00:34:57.659 --> 00:34:58.699
 our joy

00:34:58.699 --> 00:34:59.559
 in giving

00:34:59.559 --> 00:35:00.599
 has amplified

00:35:00.599 --> 00:35:01.199
 itself

00:35:01.199 --> 00:35:01.679
 we find

00:35:01.679 --> 00:35:02.059
 pleasure

00:35:02.059 --> 00:35:02.900
 in it

00:35:02.900 --> 00:35:04.579
 does

00:35:04.579 --> 00:35:04.759
 anybody

00:35:04.759 --> 00:35:05.299
 wonder why

00:35:05.299 --> 00:35:05.699
 I preach

00:35:05.699 --> 00:35:06.219
 about giving

00:35:06.219 --> 00:35:06.679
 right here

00:35:06.679 --> 00:35:07.159
 in January

00:35:07.159 --> 00:35:07.599
 I'll tell

00:35:07.599 --> 00:35:07.920
 you why

00:35:07.920 --> 00:35:09.880
 because right

00:35:09.880 --> 00:35:10.699
 now is when

00:35:10.699 --> 00:35:11.139
 there are

00:35:11.139 --> 00:35:11.619
 people out

00:35:11.619 --> 00:35:11.840
 in the

00:35:11.840 --> 00:35:12.299
 lobby that

00:35:12.299 --> 00:35:12.679
 are handing

00:35:12.679 --> 00:35:13.099
 out what

00:35:13.099 --> 00:35:13.380
 does anybody

00:35:13.380 --> 00:35:13.719
 know what

00:35:13.719 --> 00:35:14.000
 they're handing

00:35:14.000 --> 00:35:14.299
 out

00:35:14.299 --> 00:35:16.299
 pastor

00:35:16.299 --> 00:35:16.579
 Saul

00:35:16.579 --> 00:35:17.139
 what are

00:35:17.139 --> 00:35:17.400
 you handing

00:35:17.400 --> 00:35:17.739
 out

00:35:17.739 --> 00:35:19.360
 pardon

00:35:19.360 --> 00:35:20.699
 giving

00:35:20.699 --> 00:35:21.179
 statements

00:35:21.179 --> 00:35:21.900
 and the

00:35:21.900 --> 00:35:22.320
 reason we

00:35:22.320 --> 00:35:22.679
 hand out

00:35:22.679 --> 00:35:22.920
 giving

00:35:22.920 --> 00:35:23.340
 statements

00:35:23.340 --> 00:35:24.019
 in January

00:35:24.019 --> 00:35:24.539
 is does

00:35:24.539 --> 00:35:24.699
 anybody

00:35:24.699 --> 00:35:24.980
 have an

00:35:24.980 --> 00:35:25.340
 idea why

00:35:25.340 --> 00:35:25.559
 we do

00:35:25.559 --> 00:35:25.820
 that

00:35:25.820 --> 00:35:27.759
 because

00:35:27.759 --> 00:35:28.480
 between

00:35:28.480 --> 00:35:28.900
 now and

00:35:28.900 --> 00:35:29.699
 April 15th

00:35:29.699 --> 00:35:30.159
 Brian when do

00:35:30.159 --> 00:35:30.539
 people have

00:35:30.539 --> 00:35:31.159
 taxes that need

00:35:31.159 --> 00:35:31.599
 to be done

00:35:31.599 --> 00:35:34.619
 who yes

00:35:34.619 --> 00:35:35.699
 and see what

00:35:35.699 --> 00:35:36.480
 happens is there

00:35:36.480 --> 00:35:36.859
 is this

00:35:36.859 --> 00:35:38.239
 juxtaposition

00:35:38.239 --> 00:35:38.799
 that's a big

00:35:38.799 --> 00:35:39.519
 what it means

00:35:39.519 --> 00:35:39.980
 is there's a

00:35:39.980 --> 00:35:40.779
 blending of

00:35:40.779 --> 00:35:41.500
 the giving

00:35:41.500 --> 00:35:42.019
 statement that

00:35:42.019 --> 00:35:42.399
 you get from

00:35:42.399 --> 00:35:42.899
 the church

00:35:42.899 --> 00:35:43.399
 with your

00:35:43.399 --> 00:35:44.199
 tax statement

00:35:44.199 --> 00:35:45.379
 and and we

00:35:45.379 --> 00:35:46.079
 want you to

00:35:46.079 --> 00:35:46.359
 have an

00:35:46.359 --> 00:35:46.819
 opportunity

00:35:46.819 --> 00:35:47.239
 to kind of

00:35:47.239 --> 00:35:47.639
 evaluate

00:35:47.639 --> 00:35:48.659
 hey how

00:35:48.659 --> 00:35:48.920
 am I

00:35:48.920 --> 00:35:49.279
 doing

00:35:49.279 --> 00:35:52.039
 fair

00:35:52.039 --> 00:35:52.739
 right

00:35:52.739 --> 00:35:53.539
 nod your

00:35:53.539 --> 00:35:53.739
 heads

00:35:53.739 --> 00:35:54.539
 yes

00:35:54.539 --> 00:35:55.139
 preach it

00:35:55.139 --> 00:35:55.679
 preach it

00:35:55.679 --> 00:35:56.039
 you know

00:35:56.039 --> 00:35:57.019
 get on it

00:35:57.019 --> 00:35:59.000
 I need to be

00:35:59.000 --> 00:35:59.539
 convicted of

00:35:59.539 --> 00:35:59.799
 that

00:35:59.800 --> 00:36:02.460
 okay

00:36:02.460 --> 00:36:03.220
 one more

00:36:03.220 --> 00:36:03.600
 point I'll

00:36:03.600 --> 00:36:03.840
 let you

00:36:03.840 --> 00:36:04.080
 go

00:36:04.080 --> 00:36:08.600
 as you

00:36:08.600 --> 00:36:08.840
 look at

00:36:08.840 --> 00:36:09.500
 this passage

00:36:09.500 --> 00:36:11.380
 I want

00:36:11.380 --> 00:36:11.600
 you to

00:36:11.600 --> 00:36:12.200
 understand that

00:36:12.200 --> 00:36:12.600
 this is

00:36:12.600 --> 00:36:13.420
 prescriptive

00:36:13.420 --> 00:36:14.960
 what I mean

00:36:14.960 --> 00:36:15.400
 by that

00:36:15.400 --> 00:36:16.440
 is God

00:36:16.440 --> 00:36:17.440
 is giving

00:36:17.440 --> 00:36:18.460
 explicit

00:36:18.460 --> 00:36:19.380
 instructions

00:36:19.380 --> 00:36:20.620
 to believers

00:36:20.620 --> 00:36:21.500
 who know

00:36:21.500 --> 00:36:21.720
 him

00:36:21.720 --> 00:36:25.019
 it's for

00:36:25.019 --> 00:36:25.360
 every

00:36:25.360 --> 00:36:26.019
 believer

00:36:26.019 --> 00:36:27.320
 your

00:36:27.320 --> 00:36:27.900
 stewardship

00:36:27.900 --> 00:36:29.119
 your

00:36:29.119 --> 00:36:29.659
 faithful

00:36:29.659 --> 00:36:30.119
 giving

00:36:30.119 --> 00:36:30.539
 to the

00:36:30.539 --> 00:36:30.820
 Lord

00:36:30.820 --> 00:36:31.759
 is part

00:36:31.759 --> 00:36:32.179
 of a

00:36:32.179 --> 00:36:32.739
 normal

00:36:32.739 --> 00:36:33.320
 Christian

00:36:33.320 --> 00:36:33.860
 life

00:36:33.860 --> 00:36:34.900
 and it

00:36:34.900 --> 00:36:35.440
 is an

00:36:35.440 --> 00:36:36.059
 indicator

00:36:36.059 --> 00:36:36.699
 of where

00:36:36.699 --> 00:36:37.199
 you are

00:36:37.199 --> 00:36:37.739
 in your

00:36:37.739 --> 00:36:38.239
 journey

00:36:38.239 --> 00:36:42.400
 if you

00:36:42.400 --> 00:36:42.820
 are sitting

00:36:42.820 --> 00:36:43.340
 here this

00:36:43.340 --> 00:36:43.900
 morning and

00:36:43.900 --> 00:36:44.719
 stewardship is

00:36:44.719 --> 00:36:45.440
 something that

00:36:45.440 --> 00:36:46.400
 as you listen

00:36:46.400 --> 00:36:46.900
 to it you're

00:36:46.900 --> 00:36:47.980
 thinking can

00:36:47.980 --> 00:36:48.840
 he stop

00:36:48.840 --> 00:36:49.519
 soon

00:36:49.519 --> 00:36:50.639
 I got to

00:36:50.639 --> 00:36:51.099
 tell you it

00:36:51.099 --> 00:36:51.679
 may be that

00:36:51.679 --> 00:36:52.039
 you don't

00:36:52.039 --> 00:36:52.380
 know him

00:36:52.380 --> 00:36:53.820
 or it may

00:36:53.820 --> 00:36:54.300
 be that you've

00:36:54.300 --> 00:36:54.739
 lost your

00:36:54.739 --> 00:36:55.539
 first love

00:36:55.539 --> 00:36:57.179
 or it may

00:36:57.179 --> 00:36:57.759
 be that you

00:36:57.759 --> 00:36:58.179
 have been

00:36:58.179 --> 00:36:59.019
 sucked into

00:36:59.019 --> 00:36:59.719
 the swamp

00:36:59.719 --> 00:37:00.679
 of covetousness

00:37:00.679 --> 00:37:01.459
 and I got to

00:37:01.459 --> 00:37:02.379
 tell you it's

00:37:02.379 --> 00:37:02.799
 hard to get

00:37:02.799 --> 00:37:03.179
 out of there

00:37:03.179 --> 00:37:03.779
 without giving

00:37:03.779 --> 00:37:05.779
 but let me

00:37:05.779 --> 00:37:06.259
 say one other

00:37:06.259 --> 00:37:06.559
 thing

00:37:06.559 --> 00:37:09.299
 this passage

00:37:09.299 --> 00:37:10.199
 is only

00:37:10.199 --> 00:37:11.019
 prescriptive

00:37:11.019 --> 00:37:11.799
 for those

00:37:11.799 --> 00:37:12.139
 who are

00:37:12.139 --> 00:37:12.599
 believers

00:37:12.599 --> 00:37:15.279
 the scripture

00:37:15.279 --> 00:37:16.159
 makes no

00:37:16.159 --> 00:37:17.219
 call on the

00:37:17.219 --> 00:37:17.979
 unbeliever

00:37:17.979 --> 00:37:18.939
 to be faithful

00:37:18.939 --> 00:37:19.759
 in stewardship

00:37:19.759 --> 00:37:21.479
 and if you're

00:37:21.479 --> 00:37:21.819
 here this

00:37:21.819 --> 00:37:22.500
 morning listening

00:37:22.500 --> 00:37:23.239
 to the preaching

00:37:23.239 --> 00:37:23.899
 of the word of

00:37:23.899 --> 00:37:24.139
 God

00:37:24.139 --> 00:37:25.179
 that has to

00:37:25.179 --> 00:37:26.019
 do particularly

00:37:26.019 --> 00:37:26.960
 with the matter

00:37:26.960 --> 00:37:27.819
 of faithfulness

00:37:27.819 --> 00:37:28.219
 and giving

00:37:28.219 --> 00:37:28.940
 and you're

00:37:28.940 --> 00:37:29.420
 sitting there

00:37:29.420 --> 00:37:29.779
 and don't

00:37:29.779 --> 00:37:30.099
 know the

00:37:30.099 --> 00:37:30.619
 Lord Jesus

00:37:30.619 --> 00:37:31.539
 yet I got to

00:37:31.539 --> 00:37:32.279
 tell you the

00:37:32.279 --> 00:37:33.099
 first interest

00:37:33.099 --> 00:37:33.879
 that I have

00:37:33.879 --> 00:37:34.679
 and the first

00:37:34.679 --> 00:37:35.259
 interest that

00:37:35.259 --> 00:37:36.319
 Christ has is

00:37:36.319 --> 00:37:37.279
 not in your

00:37:37.279 --> 00:37:37.679
 wallet

00:37:37.679 --> 00:37:42.719
 his desire is

00:37:42.719 --> 00:37:43.599
 that you would

00:37:43.599 --> 00:37:44.279
 come to

00:37:44.279 --> 00:37:45.299
 recognize the

00:37:45.299 --> 00:37:46.960
 dark bankruptcy

00:37:46.960 --> 00:37:47.739
 of your own

00:37:47.739 --> 00:37:50.239
 soul and to

00:37:50.239 --> 00:37:51.019
 recognize that

00:37:51.019 --> 00:37:51.679
 the day of

00:37:51.679 --> 00:37:52.400
 accounting is

00:37:52.400 --> 00:37:53.159
 coming when you

00:37:53.159 --> 00:37:53.679
 will stand

00:37:53.679 --> 00:37:54.119
 before a

00:37:54.119 --> 00:37:54.719
 holy God

00:37:54.719 --> 00:37:57.339
 and he

00:37:57.339 --> 00:37:57.819
 will judge

00:37:57.819 --> 00:37:58.099
 you for

00:37:58.099 --> 00:37:58.559
 your sin

00:37:58.559 --> 00:38:01.319
 and because

00:38:01.319 --> 00:38:02.379
 of that fact

00:38:02.379 --> 00:38:03.019
 of judgment

00:38:03.019 --> 00:38:04.000
 coming someday

00:38:04.000 --> 00:38:04.980
 he sent

00:38:04.980 --> 00:38:05.799
 Jesus Christ

00:38:05.799 --> 00:38:06.279
 into the

00:38:06.279 --> 00:38:06.819
 world to be

00:38:06.819 --> 00:38:07.460
 your savior

00:38:07.460 --> 00:38:09.940
 I love what

00:38:09.940 --> 00:38:10.319
 it says

00:38:10.319 --> 00:38:10.920
 talk about

00:38:10.920 --> 00:38:11.219
 giving

00:38:11.219 --> 00:38:12.559
 2nd Corinthians

00:38:12.559 --> 00:38:13.039
 it says

00:38:13.039 --> 00:38:13.440
 this

00:38:13.440 --> 00:38:15.720
 though he

00:38:15.720 --> 00:38:16.579
 were rich

00:38:16.579 --> 00:38:17.320
 yet he

00:38:17.320 --> 00:38:18.420
 was made

00:38:18.420 --> 00:38:18.960
 poor

00:38:18.960 --> 00:38:20.119
 for your

00:38:20.119 --> 00:38:21.320
 sakes

00:38:21.320 --> 00:38:23.860
 Paul takes

00:38:23.860 --> 00:38:24.519
 two chapters

00:38:24.519 --> 00:38:25.099
 in 2nd

00:38:25.099 --> 00:38:25.500
 Corinthians

00:38:25.500 --> 00:38:26.059
 to hammer

00:38:26.059 --> 00:38:26.639
 the subject

00:38:26.639 --> 00:38:27.139
 of giving

00:38:27.139 --> 00:38:28.099
 and at the

00:38:28.099 --> 00:38:28.840
 center of his

00:38:28.840 --> 00:38:29.280
 argument

00:38:29.280 --> 00:38:30.659
 is Christ

00:38:30.659 --> 00:38:31.079
 who was

00:38:31.079 --> 00:38:31.460
 willing

00:38:31.460 --> 00:38:32.980
 to die

00:38:32.980 --> 00:38:34.200
 for your

00:38:34.200 --> 00:38:34.599
 sins

00:38:34.599 --> 00:38:36.340
 he was

00:38:36.340 --> 00:38:36.840
 willing to

00:38:36.840 --> 00:38:37.519
 give it all

00:38:37.519 --> 00:38:38.659
 for you

00:38:38.659 --> 00:38:40.879
 and if

00:38:40.879 --> 00:38:41.279
 you're sitting

00:38:41.279 --> 00:38:41.719
 here this

00:38:41.719 --> 00:38:42.119
 morning and

00:38:42.119 --> 00:38:42.619
 you do not

00:38:42.619 --> 00:38:43.139
 know Christ

00:38:43.139 --> 00:38:43.699
 I gotta tell

00:38:43.699 --> 00:38:44.559
 you let

00:38:44.559 --> 00:38:45.159
 the matter

00:38:45.159 --> 00:38:46.059
 of stewardship

00:38:46.059 --> 00:38:47.599
 and giving

00:38:47.599 --> 00:38:48.500
 kind of go

00:38:48.500 --> 00:38:49.039
 away to the

00:38:49.039 --> 00:38:49.719
 side and think

00:38:49.719 --> 00:38:50.299
 about this

00:38:50.299 --> 00:38:51.319
 where do I

00:38:51.319 --> 00:38:52.000
 stand in my

00:38:52.000 --> 00:38:52.839
 relationship with

00:38:52.839 --> 00:38:53.399
 the Lord Jesus

00:38:53.399 --> 00:38:53.879
 Christ

00:38:53.879 --> 00:38:56.420
 don't walk

00:38:56.420 --> 00:38:56.980
 out of here

00:38:56.980 --> 00:38:58.599
 if you don't

00:38:58.599 --> 00:38:59.279
 know Christ

00:38:59.279 --> 00:39:01.579
 thinking that

00:39:01.579 --> 00:39:02.139
 the primary

00:39:02.139 --> 00:39:03.159
 focus of this

00:39:03.159 --> 00:39:03.799
 message and

00:39:03.799 --> 00:39:04.440
 its application

00:39:04.440 --> 00:39:05.920
 to you is the

00:39:05.920 --> 00:39:06.500
 matter of your

00:39:06.500 --> 00:39:07.239
 wallet it's your

00:39:07.239 --> 00:39:09.739
 heart Christ

00:39:09.739 --> 00:39:10.479
 Jesus came

00:39:10.479 --> 00:39:12.459
 to save you

00:39:12.459 --> 00:39:14.319
 let's pray

00:39:14.319 --> 00:39:18.339
 Father God

00:39:18.339 --> 00:39:19.000
 this morning

00:39:19.000 --> 00:39:19.899
 as we take

00:39:19.899 --> 00:39:20.259
 up this

00:39:20.259 --> 00:39:20.939
 subject of

00:39:20.939 --> 00:39:21.439
 stewardship

00:39:21.439 --> 00:39:23.919
 we are

00:39:23.919 --> 00:39:24.579
 thankful that

00:39:24.579 --> 00:39:25.059
 your word

00:39:25.059 --> 00:39:26.000
 speaks clearly

00:39:26.000 --> 00:39:26.699
 to believers

00:39:26.699 --> 00:39:27.359
 and gives

00:39:27.359 --> 00:39:28.659
 practical

00:39:28.659 --> 00:39:29.819
 instructions

00:39:29.819 --> 00:39:31.839
 and Father

00:39:31.839 --> 00:39:32.500
 we ask that

00:39:32.500 --> 00:39:32.779
 you would

00:39:32.779 --> 00:39:33.439
 help us to

00:39:33.439 --> 00:39:34.099
 be formed

00:39:34.099 --> 00:39:34.459
 in our

00:39:34.459 --> 00:39:35.479
 thinking and

00:39:35.479 --> 00:39:36.479
 to be convicted

00:39:36.479 --> 00:39:36.979
 by the

00:39:36.980 --> 00:39:37.679
 authority of

00:39:37.679 --> 00:39:38.159
 your word

00:39:38.159 --> 00:39:38.780
 and to

00:39:38.780 --> 00:39:39.360
 trust your

00:39:39.360 --> 00:39:40.019
 wisdom rather

00:39:40.019 --> 00:39:40.380
 than our

00:39:40.380 --> 00:39:40.699
 own

00:39:40.699 --> 00:39:43.760
 I pray for

00:39:43.760 --> 00:39:44.159
 those who

00:39:44.159 --> 00:39:44.679
 are in our

00:39:44.679 --> 00:39:45.099
 congregation

00:39:45.099 --> 00:39:45.860
 this morning

00:39:45.860 --> 00:39:46.179
 that are

00:39:46.179 --> 00:39:46.760
 believers that

00:39:46.760 --> 00:39:47.420
 know Christ

00:39:47.420 --> 00:39:48.820
 but the

00:39:48.820 --> 00:39:49.179
 truth of the

00:39:49.179 --> 00:39:49.599
 matter is

00:39:49.599 --> 00:39:49.820
 is their

00:39:49.820 --> 00:39:50.699
 stewardship is

00:39:50.699 --> 00:39:52.039
 frail and

00:39:52.039 --> 00:39:52.920
 undeveloped that

00:39:52.920 --> 00:39:53.480
 this morning

00:39:53.480 --> 00:39:54.500
 they would walk

00:39:54.500 --> 00:39:54.880
 out of here

00:39:54.880 --> 00:39:55.460
 saying God

00:39:55.460 --> 00:39:56.099
 you being my

00:39:56.099 --> 00:39:57.119
 helper this is

00:39:57.119 --> 00:39:57.619
 going to be

00:39:57.619 --> 00:39:58.179
 something that

00:39:58.179 --> 00:39:58.960
 changes this

00:39:58.960 --> 00:39:59.300
 year

00:39:59.300 --> 00:40:01.900
 I pray for

00:40:01.900 --> 00:40:02.340
 those that are

00:40:02.340 --> 00:40:02.860
 here that don't

00:40:02.860 --> 00:40:03.480
 know Christ

00:40:03.480 --> 00:40:05.460
 that this

00:40:05.460 --> 00:40:06.659
 morning your

00:40:06.659 --> 00:40:07.260
 spirit would

00:40:07.260 --> 00:40:07.980
 bring them to

00:40:07.980 --> 00:40:08.699
 conviction to

00:40:08.699 --> 00:40:09.639
 see the

00:40:09.639 --> 00:40:10.400
 bankruptcy of

00:40:10.400 --> 00:40:11.000
 their soul and

00:40:11.000 --> 00:40:11.519
 to recognize

00:40:11.519 --> 00:40:12.260
 there is no

00:40:12.260 --> 00:40:13.519
 salvation apart

00:40:13.519 --> 00:40:14.079
 from the Lord

00:40:14.079 --> 00:40:14.480
 Jesus

00:40:14.480 --> 00:40:16.480
 that they would

00:40:16.480 --> 00:40:17.179
 cry out and

00:40:17.179 --> 00:40:17.760
 confess their

00:40:17.760 --> 00:40:18.460
 sins and believe

00:40:18.460 --> 00:40:19.360
 in Christ alone

00:40:19.360 --> 00:40:21.139
 we ask this in

00:40:21.139 --> 00:40:21.820
 Jesus name

00:40:21.820 --> 00:40:22.539
 amen

00:40:22.539 --> 00:40:24.199
 you

00:40:24.199 --> 00:40:24.199


00:40:24.199 --> 00:40:24.199


00:40:24.199 --> 00:40:24.199


00:40:24.199 --> 00:40:24.199


00:40:24.199 --> 00:40:24.199


00:40:24.199 --> 00:40:24.199


00:40:24.199 --> 00:40:24.199


00:40:24.199 --> 00:40:24.199


00:40:24.199 --> 00:40:24.199


00:40:24.199 --> 00:40:24.199


00:40:24.199 --> 00:40:24.199


00:40:24.199 --> 00:40:24.199


00:40:24.199 --> 00:40:24.199


00:40:24.199 --> 00:40:24.199


00:40:24.199 --> 00:40:24.199


00:40:24.199 --> 00:40:24.199


00:40:24.199 --> 00:40:24.199


00:40:24.199 --> 00:40:24.199


00:40:24.199 --> 00:40:24.199


00:40:24.199 --> 00:40:24.199


00:40:24.199 --> 00:40:24.199


00:40:24.199 --> 00:40:24.199


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