WEBVTT

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 Good morning. Thank you, Sean. Sorry I'm disentangling from my microphone here.

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 If you would turn in your Bibles to Luke chapter 14.

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 And while you're turning there, I will briefly just bring you greetings from your brothers and sisters at Covenant Fellowship Church out in the Philly suburbs.

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 Sean described it well. I serve on the pastoral team of Covenant Fellowship.

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 And by God's grace, through the years, we've had the ability at Covenant Fellowship to set different guys apart for different areas of ministry.

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 So I've been set apart as part of the pastoral team to lead a separate nonprofit we established almost 20 years ago called Covenant Mercies,

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 which exists to serve alongside our brothers and sisters in the developing world to care for orphans living in their communities.

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 And so I will tell you more about Covenant Mercies and our programs on the other side of the sermon this morning.

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 But it is good to be with you. I enjoyed spending time with Sean yesterday.

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 We did a little Fenway tour and got a little taste of Boston.

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 And just really love coming to different places and experiencing the fellowship of the Spirit together.

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 Immediately, we're brothers and sisters.

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 I know that I'm among family and it is wonderful to be with you this morning.

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 So if you're with me in Luke chapter 14, I want to begin reading in verse 12.

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 And just to set the scene, Jesus has been invited to a dinner party.

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 He's at the table of a Pharisee as we arrive at our text this morning.

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 So beginning in verse 12,

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 He, being Jesus, also said to the man who had invited him,

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 When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or your rich neighbors,

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 lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid.

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 But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind,

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 and you will be blessed because they cannot repay you.

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 For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.

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 May the Lord bless the preaching of his word.

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 We all know what it feels like to be on the receiving end of a kindness that seems to have strings attached.

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 A kindness that seems a little more motivated by self-interest than by a true spirit of generosity.

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 The classic example of this for me is what some guys I'll refer to as the squeegee guys in Philadelphia.

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 I don't know if you've ever had this phenomenon in Boston as well,

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 but there used to be these intersections in Philadelphia.

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 I think they must have made this illegal now because I don't see it anymore.

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 But you'd pull up to a red light,

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 and immediately the guys would be on top of you with their windshield washers,

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 and they'd start putting the windshield washer on your windshield.

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 And, you know, if you were from out of town, you might say,

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 Oh, wow, city of brother love.

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 It's really true.

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 The welcoming committee is here,

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 and, you know, these guys are washing my window.

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 Wow.

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 Well, you would learn very quickly that that wasn't the case,

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 that there was an expectation there as well.

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 And by the way, I don't blame the squeegee guys.

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 They're doing the best they can,

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 and there's something that's commendable about that as well.

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 But you'd learn very quickly,

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 and some of them got very good at kind of halfway doing the job

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 and then finding out whether you had anything for them

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 to determine whether they would finish.

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 My point is, from the perspective of the recipient of such a gesture,

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 you can almost feel like there are certain types of generosity

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 you need to be on your guard against

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 because they're really no more than a thinly-veiled attempt

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 to obligate you to do something in return.

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 Well, this reciprocity ethic,

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 the idea that I'll scratch your back if you scratch mine,

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 was very common in the Greco-Roman world that Jesus lived in,

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 very pervasive in Jewish society of that time as well.

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 And so as Jesus sits at the table of this Pharisee,

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 he knows well the mindset that he's addressing.

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 One would act in a generous way toward others

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 in order to elicit a similar generosity in return.

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 And conversely, if someone extended a kindness to you,

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 you'd feel an obligation,

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 even an ethical obligation, to return the favor.

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 So this reciprocity ethic,

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 it's maybe not quite so pronounced in our modern Western societies,

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 in our modern way of thinking,

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 but it's undeniably present in our world today

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 and in our interactions with one another.

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 If we're honest, we really have to admit

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 that there's very little we do in life

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 that isn't somehow motivated by our own self-interest

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 or influenced by our own self-interest.

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 And on certain levels, that's perfectly okay.

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 Think about the business context, right?

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 I mean, in the business context,

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 if you provide a product or a service for X number of dollars,

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 and I'm happy to part with X number of dollars

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 in exchange for that product or service,

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 that really defines the ideal business transaction.

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 And by the way,

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 if that sounds like an endorsement of free market economic principles,

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 it is.

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 But that's not my point.

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 My point is simply to say

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 that it's not inherently wrong or evil

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 to reciprocate in such a way.

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 However, as Jesus so often does,

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 he goes down beneath the surface here.

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 He comes to us with questions

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 that probe into the depths of our hearts

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 and our motivations

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 and push us beyond these natural human tendencies.

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 See, Jesus calls us here to a selfless love

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 that expends itself for others

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 regardless of what they can give us in return.

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 And I probably don't need to tell you

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 that this doesn't come naturally to us.

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 In our sinful nature,

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 we are bent toward doing things

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 that are in our own self-interest

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 and toward neglecting things

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 that really don't offer any personal benefit to us at all.

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 And so against the grain of his own ancient culture,

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 against the grain of our cultures of today,

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 against the grain of our natural human tendencies

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 and sinful nature,

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 Jesus teaches us here

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 that true Christian generosity

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 goes beyond the bounds of reciprocity.

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 In fact, one of the defining characteristics

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 of generosity that is truly Christian,

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 uniquely Christian,

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 and by that I mean not just human generosity,

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 but generosity that is uniquely driven by our faith,

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 is its intentional focus

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 on those who can do nothing to repay it.

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 Jesus says,

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 you want to know whether your love

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 is truly Christian love?

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 Love those who have no capacity

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 to love you in return.

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 You want to know whether your generosity

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 is like that of your Father in heaven?

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 Give toward those who can do nothing to repay you.

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 This is generosity in its purest form,

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 and Jesus wants to be sure

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 that it's a present and visible trait

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 in the life of his disciples.

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 And so in the balance of our time in the word,

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 I just want to make two observations

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 about this generosity that Jesus commends to us.

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 Just two points.

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 Number one,

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 it takes selfless, Christ-like initiative.

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 This generosity that Jesus commends to us

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 takes selfless, Christ-like initiative.

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 Now, contrary to the way that Jesus' words

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 may sound to us on face value,

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 he's not forbidding us from having our friends over,

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 from being generous toward our families

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 and our loved ones,

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 those we might enjoy hanging out with.

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 In fact, if he was commending that to us,

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 he would be commanding us to violate other scriptures.

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 So he's certainly not saying that.

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 Remember, Jesus is at the table of a Pharisee here.

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 He knows what their practices are.

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 He knows what our human tendencies are,

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 as we've just been reflecting on.

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 And so he's using some hyperbole here.

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 He's using some intentionally strong language

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 to jar us out of our complacency,

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 to jar us out of our comfort zones,

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 and to make a point.

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 And so what point is Jesus making?

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 Well, he's saying that as God's people,

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 our generosity shouldn't be limited

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 to that which is normal.

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 It's normal to be generous toward those

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 who can return the favor to us somehow.

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 As disciples of Christ,

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 we're called to take generous initiative

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 toward those who can't repay us,

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 and listen, I love this,

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 precisely because they can't repay us.

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 I just love the way Jesus explains the reason

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 why we shouldn't invite our friends,

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 our family, the rich,

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 who we might want to hang out with

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 to our little dinner party.

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 He almost as if it should be intuitive to us.

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 He says, no, don't do that.

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 Don't invite them,

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 lest they also invite you and you be repaid.

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 I just want to say, oh yeah,

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 what a tragedy that would be, right?

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 I mean, let's say I invite Elon Musk

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 and his wife to my home,

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 and we have a nice dinner together,

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 and then I get invited to their

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 presumably palatial estate,

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 and maybe Elon says,

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 hey, let's go up in SpaceX.

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 This one's on me.

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 Jesus is not suggesting

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 that that would be a tragedy.

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 What he's saying is,

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 that's the way the world thinks.

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 That's the way the world operates.

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 If your generosity remains only within those bounds,

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 what difference really has the grace of God made?

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 Read with me again in verses 13 and 14.

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 But when you give a feast,

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 invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind,

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 and you will be blessed.

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 Why will you be blessed?

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 Because they cannot repay you.

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 Notice that.

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 He doesn't say you'll be blessed

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 even though they can't repay you,

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 or despite the fact that they can't repay you.

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 No, you will be blessed

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 because they cannot repay you.

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 There's a cause-effect relationship here.

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 The blessing for you

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 is the direct result of the fact

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 that you have selected,

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 as the object of your generosity,

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 those who cannot return the favor.

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 And as you take initiative

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 toward those who can't repay you,

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 fully aware that they can't repay you,

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 God promises that he will repay you

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 for that very same reason.

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 And this, Jesus says,

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 is one of the things

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 that ought to characterize us

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 as Christians

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 and distinguish us from the world.

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 This is a characteristic

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 that differentiates Christian love

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 from love that we might think of

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 as natural and normal

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 even apart from Christ.

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 Earlier in Luke's gospel,

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 Jesus spoke in similar terms

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 when calling us to love

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 even our enemies.

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 I think we have a slide

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 of the verses in Luke 6,

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 so you don't have to turn back there

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 in your Bibles,

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 but beginning in Luke 6,

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 verse 32,

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 Jesus says,

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 if you love those who love you,

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 what benefit is that to you?

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 For even sinners love

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 those who love them.

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 And if you do good

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 to those who do good to you,

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 what benefit is that to you?

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 For even sinners do the same.

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 And if you lend to those

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 from whom you expect to receive,

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 what credit is that to you?

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 Even sinners lend to sinners

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 to get back the same amount.

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 But love your enemies

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 and do good

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 and lend expecting nothing

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 in return

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 and your reward will be great

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 and you will be sons

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 of the Most High.

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 For He is kind

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 to the ungrateful

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 and the evil.

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 Be merciful

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 even as your Father

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 is merciful.

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 Now did you note

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 the similar logic there?

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 How do we demonstrate

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 that we are sons and daughters

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 of the Most High?

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 Well it's not by merely

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 doing the same things

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 that are possible

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 and even normal

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 apart from faith.

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 As Jesus might say,

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 what credit is that to you?

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 How does that distinguish you

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 from the world?

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 The world

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 neglects to show kindness

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 toward those

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 who can do nothing

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 to repay that kindness.

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 But Jesus says,

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 not so with you.

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 It shall not be so for us

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 as His disciples.

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 We demonstrate

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 that we are children

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 of the Most High

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 and disciples

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 of His Son Jesus

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 by taking initiative

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 toward where it wouldn't

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 be natural,

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 where it wouldn't be normal

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 for us to do so.

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 By loving even our enemies.

00:12:50.579 --> 00:12:51.199
 I think sometimes

00:12:51.199 --> 00:12:52.219
 we get so familiar

00:12:52.219 --> 00:12:52.899
 with those words

00:12:52.899 --> 00:12:54.519
 rolling off of Jesus' tongue

00:12:54.519 --> 00:12:57.299
 that it doesn't jar us

00:12:57.299 --> 00:12:57.979
 the way that it should.

00:12:58.079 --> 00:12:58.839
 Loving our enemies.

00:12:58.959 --> 00:12:59.659
 These are the people

00:12:59.659 --> 00:13:01.519
 that we would naturally hate.

00:13:01.519 --> 00:13:03.740
 and in a similar way

00:13:03.740 --> 00:13:05.500
 by intentionally ensuring

00:13:05.500 --> 00:13:06.819
 that our generosity

00:13:06.819 --> 00:13:08.799
 extends to those

00:13:08.799 --> 00:13:10.159
 who can do nothing

00:13:10.159 --> 00:13:11.100
 to repay it.

00:13:12.019 --> 00:13:13.259
 Now let's bring the scene

00:13:13.259 --> 00:13:15.079
 back to our Pharisees' table

00:13:15.079 --> 00:13:18.159
 because a most profound accent

00:13:18.159 --> 00:13:20.919
 is placed on Jesus' exhortation

00:13:20.919 --> 00:13:21.620
 to us here

00:13:21.620 --> 00:13:23.759
 in this simple fact.

00:13:23.840 --> 00:13:24.740
 And it's a simple fact

00:13:24.740 --> 00:13:25.919
 that goes right over the head

00:13:25.919 --> 00:13:27.259
 of His original hearers

00:13:27.259 --> 00:13:29.139
 as they sit around this table.

00:13:29.299 --> 00:13:30.000
 We should see

00:13:30.000 --> 00:13:31.379
 that it doesn't go over our heads

00:13:31.379 --> 00:13:32.559
 this morning.

00:13:32.899 --> 00:13:34.439
 It's even a rich reflection

00:13:34.439 --> 00:13:37.259
 for this Advent season.

00:13:38.000 --> 00:13:40.379
 That simple fact is this.

00:13:41.679 --> 00:13:43.320
 The one who is sitting there

00:13:43.320 --> 00:13:45.080
 with them at this table

00:13:45.080 --> 00:13:47.679
 is Himself God incarnate.

00:13:48.679 --> 00:13:49.980
 He's sitting there with Him

00:13:49.980 --> 00:13:51.740
 because He didn't consider

00:13:51.740 --> 00:13:52.679
 equality with God

00:13:52.679 --> 00:13:53.779
 a thing to be grasped

00:13:53.779 --> 00:13:55.220
 but humbled Himself,

00:13:55.700 --> 00:13:56.980
 made Himself nothing,

00:13:57.120 --> 00:13:57.919
 took the very nature

00:13:57.919 --> 00:13:58.600
 of a servant

00:13:58.600 --> 00:13:59.720
 and took initiative

00:13:59.720 --> 00:14:00.539
 toward those

00:14:00.539 --> 00:14:02.000
 who could do nothing

00:14:02.000 --> 00:14:03.539
 to repay Him.

00:14:04.759 --> 00:14:06.099
 Soon He'll turn His attention

00:14:06.099 --> 00:14:06.939
 toward Calvary.

00:14:07.039 --> 00:14:09.579
 He will move toward the cross

00:14:09.579 --> 00:14:11.299
 and He will endure death

00:14:11.299 --> 00:14:12.139
 on a cross

00:14:12.139 --> 00:14:14.500
 for those who could do nothing

00:14:14.500 --> 00:14:15.819
 to repay Him

00:14:15.819 --> 00:14:17.399
 for His sacrifice.

00:14:18.539 --> 00:14:20.079
 We sang about it this morning.

00:14:20.779 --> 00:14:22.879
 Mild He lays His glory by,

00:14:23.439 --> 00:14:25.599
 born that man no more may die.

00:14:25.600 --> 00:14:26.700
 He left the glory

00:14:26.700 --> 00:14:27.899
 and riches of heaven

00:14:27.899 --> 00:14:28.920
 to seek and save

00:14:28.920 --> 00:14:29.879
 lost sinners

00:14:29.879 --> 00:14:30.960
 like you and me.

00:14:31.639 --> 00:14:33.019
 Who could do nothing

00:14:33.019 --> 00:14:34.440
 to repay Him?

00:14:35.480 --> 00:14:36.740
 Now if you're here today

00:14:36.740 --> 00:14:37.740
 and you're not a Christian

00:14:37.740 --> 00:14:38.980
 or maybe you're exploring

00:14:38.980 --> 00:14:39.659
 what the claims

00:14:39.659 --> 00:14:40.659
 of the Christian faith

00:14:40.659 --> 00:14:42.019
 are all about,

00:14:42.360 --> 00:14:44.159
 I want to be abundantly clear

00:14:44.159 --> 00:14:45.060
 about one thing

00:14:45.060 --> 00:14:45.960
 right here.

00:14:46.480 --> 00:14:48.279
 There is nothing you can do

00:14:48.279 --> 00:14:49.560
 to repay God.

00:14:50.420 --> 00:14:51.620
 You don't come to Jesus

00:14:51.620 --> 00:14:53.080
 as a way of repaying God

00:14:53.080 --> 00:14:53.740
 for the wrongs

00:14:53.740 --> 00:14:54.160
 that you've done

00:14:54.160 --> 00:14:55.000
 or repaying Him

00:14:55.000 --> 00:14:56.139
 for the kindness

00:14:56.139 --> 00:14:57.680
 that He's shown you.

00:14:58.080 --> 00:14:59.020
 You come to Jesus

00:14:59.020 --> 00:15:00.720
 as an act of faith,

00:15:01.240 --> 00:15:02.580
 believing that His death

00:15:02.580 --> 00:15:03.379
 and resurrection

00:15:03.379 --> 00:15:04.520
 are sufficient

00:15:04.520 --> 00:15:05.600
 to cover the penalty

00:15:05.600 --> 00:15:06.660
 for your sins

00:15:06.660 --> 00:15:08.139
 and restore your relationship

00:15:08.139 --> 00:15:08.940
 to God.

00:15:09.020 --> 00:15:09.580
 So we need to see

00:15:09.580 --> 00:15:11.520
 that we don't get this backwards.

00:15:12.680 --> 00:15:13.900
 But for those of us

00:15:13.900 --> 00:15:14.520
 who are already

00:15:14.520 --> 00:15:15.680
 in a position of faith

00:15:15.680 --> 00:15:16.860
 this morning,

00:15:17.200 --> 00:15:18.660
 I trust you see

00:15:18.660 --> 00:15:20.440
 the rich gospel truth

00:15:20.440 --> 00:15:21.460
 that's bound up

00:15:21.460 --> 00:15:23.540
 in Jesus' calling

00:15:23.540 --> 00:15:24.480
 to us here.

00:15:25.260 --> 00:15:26.040
 Be merciful

00:15:26.040 --> 00:15:28.060
 as your heavenly Father

00:15:28.060 --> 00:15:29.200
 is merciful.

00:15:29.360 --> 00:15:30.060
 Take initiative

00:15:30.060 --> 00:15:30.740
 toward those

00:15:30.740 --> 00:15:31.900
 who can do nothing

00:15:31.900 --> 00:15:32.820
 to repay you.

00:15:33.240 --> 00:15:34.600
 Lavish them with love

00:15:34.600 --> 00:15:35.600
 and generosity

00:15:35.600 --> 00:15:36.680
 and kindness.

00:15:37.160 --> 00:15:37.420
 Why?

00:15:38.640 --> 00:15:39.620
 Because that's exactly

00:15:39.620 --> 00:15:40.700
 what Jesus did

00:15:40.700 --> 00:15:42.180
 when He left behind

00:15:42.180 --> 00:15:43.180
 the riches of heaven

00:15:43.180 --> 00:15:44.860
 to come to earth

00:15:44.860 --> 00:15:46.180
 and seek and save

00:15:46.180 --> 00:15:46.880
 lost sinners

00:15:46.880 --> 00:15:48.260
 like you and me.

00:15:48.259 --> 00:15:50.240
 The generosity

00:15:50.240 --> 00:15:51.439
 that Jesus commends

00:15:51.439 --> 00:15:51.919
 to us here

00:15:51.919 --> 00:15:52.960
 takes selfless

00:15:52.960 --> 00:15:54.759
 Christ-like initiative

00:15:54.759 --> 00:15:55.759
 toward those

00:15:55.759 --> 00:15:56.559
 who can do nothing

00:15:56.559 --> 00:15:57.860
 to repay it.

00:15:58.819 --> 00:15:59.899
 Well, second observation

00:15:59.899 --> 00:16:01.000
 about this generosity

00:16:01.000 --> 00:16:02.100
 is simply that

00:16:02.100 --> 00:16:03.819
 it's driven by faith.

00:16:04.419 --> 00:16:05.500
 This generosity

00:16:05.500 --> 00:16:07.779
 is driven by faith.

00:16:09.059 --> 00:16:10.779
 Even as Jesus calls us

00:16:10.779 --> 00:16:11.600
 to a generosity

00:16:11.600 --> 00:16:13.240
 that's not self-interested,

00:16:13.899 --> 00:16:15.240
 He simultaneously

00:16:15.240 --> 00:16:17.000
 lifts our eyes

00:16:17.000 --> 00:16:18.139
 to a reward

00:16:18.139 --> 00:16:19.460
 that can only be seen

00:16:19.460 --> 00:16:20.500
 through the eyes

00:16:20.500 --> 00:16:21.059
 of faith.

00:16:21.620 --> 00:16:22.940
 Again, reading verses

00:16:22.940 --> 00:16:24.840
 13 and 14.

00:16:25.600 --> 00:16:26.799
 But when you give a feast,

00:16:27.279 --> 00:16:27.879
 invite the poor,

00:16:27.960 --> 00:16:28.360
 the crippled,

00:16:28.419 --> 00:16:28.779
 the lame,

00:16:28.860 --> 00:16:29.320
 the blind,

00:16:29.379 --> 00:16:30.580
 and you will be blessed

00:16:30.580 --> 00:16:31.779
 because they cannot

00:16:31.779 --> 00:16:32.559
 repay you.

00:16:33.139 --> 00:16:34.879
 For you will be repaid

00:16:34.879 --> 00:16:36.340
 at the resurrection

00:16:36.340 --> 00:16:37.899
 of the just.

00:16:40.279 --> 00:16:40.799
 Amazingly,

00:16:40.879 --> 00:16:42.120
 as we put off

00:16:42.120 --> 00:16:44.259
 this normal human tendency

00:16:44.259 --> 00:16:45.179
 to be motivated

00:16:45.179 --> 00:16:45.820
 by the things

00:16:45.820 --> 00:16:46.500
 of this world

00:16:46.500 --> 00:16:48.379
 and take initiative

00:16:48.379 --> 00:16:49.500
 instead toward those

00:16:49.500 --> 00:16:50.300
 who can do nothing

00:16:50.300 --> 00:16:51.500
 to repay us

00:16:51.500 --> 00:16:52.860
 in this world's terms,

00:16:53.520 --> 00:16:54.840
 Jesus promises us

00:16:54.840 --> 00:16:56.180
 that we will be

00:16:56.180 --> 00:16:58.180
 repaid in eternity.

00:16:59.020 --> 00:17:00.240
 Now, we embrace

00:17:00.240 --> 00:17:01.260
 this reward

00:17:01.260 --> 00:17:02.140
 by faith,

00:17:02.280 --> 00:17:03.780
 by simply trusting,

00:17:03.980 --> 00:17:04.700
 by believing

00:17:04.700 --> 00:17:06.660
 that what Jesus says

00:17:06.660 --> 00:17:07.279
 to us here

00:17:07.279 --> 00:17:08.600
 is rock-solid truth

00:17:08.600 --> 00:17:09.480
 even though we can't

00:17:09.480 --> 00:17:10.680
 see it and grasp it

00:17:10.680 --> 00:17:12.100
 in the here and now.

00:17:12.099 --> 00:17:14.319
 that what we sacrifice

00:17:14.319 --> 00:17:16.139
 in this life

00:17:16.139 --> 00:17:17.519
 will accrue

00:17:17.519 --> 00:17:18.480
 to our credit

00:17:18.480 --> 00:17:19.740
 in eternity.

00:17:21.219 --> 00:17:22.119
 And this,

00:17:22.740 --> 00:17:23.480
 brothers and sisters,

00:17:23.659 --> 00:17:25.319
 is the great paradox

00:17:25.319 --> 00:17:26.439
 of giving

00:17:26.439 --> 00:17:27.279
 in the kingdom

00:17:27.279 --> 00:17:27.939
 of God.

00:17:28.279 --> 00:17:30.039
 It is a sacrifice

00:17:30.039 --> 00:17:30.879
 to give

00:17:30.879 --> 00:17:31.399
 toward those

00:17:31.399 --> 00:17:32.079
 who can do nothing

00:17:32.079 --> 00:17:32.719
 to repay us.

00:17:32.779 --> 00:17:33.839
 We shouldn't pretend

00:17:33.839 --> 00:17:34.779
 that it's not a sacrifice.

00:17:35.000 --> 00:17:35.359
 It is.

00:17:35.399 --> 00:17:36.559
 It will cost you something.

00:17:36.919 --> 00:17:37.819
 It will cost you

00:17:37.819 --> 00:17:38.359
 the ability

00:17:38.359 --> 00:17:39.740
 to use those same funds

00:17:39.740 --> 00:17:41.139
 toward some other purpose

00:17:41.140 --> 00:17:42.300
 that might benefit you

00:17:42.300 --> 00:17:44.020
 more in the here and now.

00:17:44.720 --> 00:17:45.100
 But,

00:17:45.420 --> 00:17:47.300
 when we consider

00:17:47.300 --> 00:17:48.620
 that sacrifice

00:17:48.620 --> 00:17:49.900
 in light of the

00:17:49.900 --> 00:17:51.120
 eternal reward

00:17:51.120 --> 00:17:53.080
 Jesus promises us here,

00:17:53.280 --> 00:17:54.480
 it really is

00:17:54.480 --> 00:17:56.080
 no sacrifice at all.

00:17:56.600 --> 00:17:57.520
 It's better thought of

00:17:57.520 --> 00:17:58.300
 as an investment.

00:17:58.780 --> 00:18:00.120
 And this is about

00:18:00.120 --> 00:18:01.600
 the most secure investment

00:18:01.600 --> 00:18:03.480
 that you could possibly make.

00:18:05.020 --> 00:18:06.400
 If you think about it,

00:18:06.520 --> 00:18:08.160
 there are many sacrifices

00:18:08.160 --> 00:18:09.400
 that we make in life

00:18:09.400 --> 00:18:10.320
 in the short term

00:18:10.320 --> 00:18:11.519
 for a result

00:18:11.519 --> 00:18:12.160
 that we expect

00:18:12.160 --> 00:18:12.880
 to receive

00:18:12.880 --> 00:18:13.780
 in the long term, right?

00:18:13.980 --> 00:18:14.820
 I happen to be someone

00:18:14.820 --> 00:18:16.180
 who loves gardening.

00:18:16.360 --> 00:18:17.400
 Sean was asking me yesterday,

00:18:17.500 --> 00:18:18.440
 what do you enjoy doing?

00:18:18.759 --> 00:18:19.380
 Well, I love

00:18:19.380 --> 00:18:20.680
 getting out on my day off,

00:18:20.740 --> 00:18:21.700
 especially in the springtime,

00:18:21.759 --> 00:18:22.259
 get some dirt

00:18:22.259 --> 00:18:23.180
 under my fingernails,

00:18:23.240 --> 00:18:24.820
 and I love planting

00:18:24.820 --> 00:18:25.860
 those vegetables

00:18:25.860 --> 00:18:26.460
 in the spring

00:18:26.460 --> 00:18:27.380
 and just enjoying

00:18:27.380 --> 00:18:27.960
 the fruit of it

00:18:27.960 --> 00:18:28.840
 all summer long.

00:18:29.340 --> 00:18:30.500
 A few years ago,

00:18:30.620 --> 00:18:32.440
 I began to really get

00:18:32.440 --> 00:18:33.400
 into planting

00:18:34.019 --> 00:18:35.280
 and cultivating

00:18:35.280 --> 00:18:38.100
 perennial fruit-bearing bushes,

00:18:38.099 --> 00:18:39.159
 especially blueberries.

00:18:39.779 --> 00:18:40.419
 And so when I,

00:18:40.740 --> 00:18:41.919
 we've got about an acre,

00:18:42.079 --> 00:18:43.379
 sorry, I know

00:18:43.379 --> 00:18:45.259
 that's a little weird

00:18:45.259 --> 00:18:46.839
 for city dwellers, I guess,

00:18:46.919 --> 00:18:48.240
 but we've got a whole acre

00:18:48.240 --> 00:18:49.079
 and I love,

00:18:49.179 --> 00:18:50.639
 I got 11 blueberry bushes

00:18:50.639 --> 00:18:51.679
 of different varieties

00:18:51.679 --> 00:18:52.819
 and got them spread around

00:18:52.819 --> 00:18:53.599
 different places

00:18:53.599 --> 00:18:54.899
 in our yard.

00:18:55.299 --> 00:18:56.619
 And I just love

00:18:56.619 --> 00:18:57.339
 getting out there

00:18:57.339 --> 00:18:59.000
 and cultivating these bushes

00:18:59.000 --> 00:19:00.259
 and you've got to do

00:19:00.259 --> 00:19:00.819
 a little research

00:19:00.819 --> 00:19:01.779
 to do blueberries right.

00:19:01.859 --> 00:19:03.240
 So I did my research up front.

00:19:03.539 --> 00:19:04.799
 I had to amend our soil.

00:19:04.939 --> 00:19:05.759
 The blueberries like

00:19:05.759 --> 00:19:06.980
 a more acidic soil,

00:19:06.980 --> 00:19:07.839
 so I had to put the right

00:19:07.839 --> 00:19:08.599
 kind of components

00:19:08.599 --> 00:19:09.740
 into the soil

00:19:09.740 --> 00:19:10.860
 so that they would thrive.

00:19:11.200 --> 00:19:12.460
 They have very shallow

00:19:12.460 --> 00:19:13.120
 root systems,

00:19:13.120 --> 00:19:14.259
 so you want to, you know,

00:19:14.519 --> 00:19:15.819
 mulch heavily around them

00:19:15.819 --> 00:19:17.220
 and keep them kind of wet.

00:19:17.759 --> 00:19:18.819
 But the third thing

00:19:18.819 --> 00:19:19.420
 that I learned,

00:19:19.500 --> 00:19:20.680
 and this is what I want

00:19:20.680 --> 00:19:22.380
 to focus on here,

00:19:22.519 --> 00:19:24.319
 is that when you plant

00:19:24.319 --> 00:19:25.759
 baby blueberry bushes,

00:19:26.460 --> 00:19:28.579
 you need to pinch the blossoms

00:19:28.579 --> 00:19:29.880
 for the first three seasons.

00:19:30.019 --> 00:19:30.759
 That's the advice

00:19:30.759 --> 00:19:31.400
 that you're given.

00:19:31.519 --> 00:19:32.900
 So plant it from a little baby,

00:19:33.240 --> 00:19:34.599
 little stick, basically.

00:19:35.019 --> 00:19:35.759
 It takes root.

00:19:35.759 --> 00:19:37.379
 It begins to leaf out

00:19:37.379 --> 00:19:37.839
 in the spring

00:19:37.839 --> 00:19:39.200
 and blossoms come out.

00:19:39.559 --> 00:19:40.940
 And then they tell you,

00:19:41.059 --> 00:19:41.759
 pinch the blossoms

00:19:41.759 --> 00:19:42.859
 those first three seasons

00:19:42.859 --> 00:19:43.879
 because what you're doing

00:19:43.879 --> 00:19:44.839
 is you're telling the plant,

00:19:45.319 --> 00:19:46.920
 don't focus any of your energies

00:19:46.920 --> 00:19:48.579
 on producing fruit.

00:19:48.799 --> 00:19:49.400
 Those blossoms,

00:19:49.559 --> 00:19:50.599
 I'm guessing you know,

00:19:50.819 --> 00:19:51.879
 are what become the berries

00:19:51.879 --> 00:19:52.559
 after the bees

00:19:52.559 --> 00:19:53.759
 do their miraculous work.

00:19:54.019 --> 00:19:56.660
 So you pinch the blossoms

00:19:56.660 --> 00:19:57.200
 and you're saying,

00:19:57.400 --> 00:19:58.180
 don't spend your energy

00:19:58.180 --> 00:19:59.660
 producing fruit.

00:19:59.759 --> 00:20:00.339
 Spend your energy

00:20:00.339 --> 00:20:01.720
 developing a strong root system.

00:20:01.720 --> 00:20:02.940
 And then if you get

00:20:02.940 --> 00:20:05.519
 a good solid blueberry bush,

00:20:05.579 --> 00:20:06.940
 it might produce fruit

00:20:06.940 --> 00:20:08.360
 for you for 75 years.

00:20:08.799 --> 00:20:11.140
 So I followed that advice.

00:20:11.220 --> 00:20:12.279
 I remember the first two seasons,

00:20:12.339 --> 00:20:13.160
 it wasn't too difficult.

00:20:13.319 --> 00:20:14.680
 There's only a few blossoms.

00:20:14.960 --> 00:20:15.860
 That third season,

00:20:15.940 --> 00:20:16.720
 it was a little harder

00:20:16.720 --> 00:20:17.339
 because, all right,

00:20:17.339 --> 00:20:18.019
 we've been at this

00:20:18.019 --> 00:20:18.640
 for a while now.

00:20:18.640 --> 00:20:19.319
 I'd like to taste

00:20:19.319 --> 00:20:20.400
 the fruit of my labors.

00:20:20.860 --> 00:20:22.799
 And the blossoms

00:20:22.799 --> 00:20:23.960
 are a little more plentiful.

00:20:24.299 --> 00:20:25.120
 But I remember

00:20:25.120 --> 00:20:26.539
 being very intentional

00:20:26.539 --> 00:20:26.839
 and saying,

00:20:26.940 --> 00:20:28.680
 no, I could taste

00:20:28.680 --> 00:20:29.880
 these blueberries now,

00:20:29.880 --> 00:20:31.080
 but I'm going to do

00:20:31.080 --> 00:20:31.800
 what I've been told.

00:20:31.900 --> 00:20:32.380
 I'm going to pinch

00:20:32.380 --> 00:20:33.040
 these blossoms

00:20:33.040 --> 00:20:34.460
 and I will trust

00:20:34.460 --> 00:20:35.360
 that that will produce

00:20:35.360 --> 00:20:36.200
 more fruit for me

00:20:36.200 --> 00:20:36.920
 in the long run.

00:20:37.220 --> 00:20:37.820
 Well, last year,

00:20:37.880 --> 00:20:38.920
 we got 72 pints

00:20:38.920 --> 00:20:39.880
 of blueberries, by the way.

00:20:39.940 --> 00:20:40.960
 So it's working out

00:20:40.960 --> 00:20:41.660
 pretty well so far,

00:20:41.720 --> 00:20:42.140
 although I think

00:20:42.140 --> 00:20:43.340
 we're only scratching

00:20:43.340 --> 00:20:43.880
 the surface.

00:20:44.660 --> 00:20:46.760
 But my point is,

00:20:46.960 --> 00:20:48.520
 what Jesus is saying

00:20:48.520 --> 00:20:50.320
 to us here is,

00:20:50.500 --> 00:20:51.660
 do you want to be satisfied

00:20:51.660 --> 00:20:53.060
 with a couple of handfuls

00:20:53.060 --> 00:20:54.120
 of blueberries now?

00:20:54.840 --> 00:20:56.540
 Or will you believe me

00:20:56.540 --> 00:20:58.120
 that by sacrificing

00:20:58.120 --> 00:20:59.600
 that small pleasure now,

00:20:59.880 --> 00:21:01.940
 you will receive

00:21:01.940 --> 00:21:03.680
 an abundant harvest

00:21:03.680 --> 00:21:05.800
 that you cannot even fathom

00:21:05.800 --> 00:21:07.160
 in this moment?

00:21:08.100 --> 00:21:09.680
 Well, this is a reward

00:21:09.680 --> 00:21:11.500
 that can only be seen

00:21:11.500 --> 00:21:12.360
 by faith.

00:21:12.440 --> 00:21:14.820
 And I believe God is glorified,

00:21:14.900 --> 00:21:16.280
 even uniquely glorified

00:21:16.280 --> 00:21:16.880
 in a way,

00:21:16.960 --> 00:21:18.160
 when we simply take him

00:21:18.160 --> 00:21:18.900
 at his word.

00:21:19.640 --> 00:21:20.480
 Even though we can't

00:21:20.480 --> 00:21:21.420
 grasp it right now,

00:21:21.480 --> 00:21:22.680
 we take him at his word.

00:21:22.760 --> 00:21:23.960
 We say, yes, Jesus,

00:21:24.100 --> 00:21:25.340
 I'm going to live my life

00:21:25.340 --> 00:21:27.060
 in light of that reality.

00:21:27.300 --> 00:21:28.500
 When we fix our eyes,

00:21:28.560 --> 00:21:29.180
 not on the things

00:21:29.180 --> 00:21:29.920
 that are seen,

00:21:30.160 --> 00:21:30.880
 but on the things

00:21:30.880 --> 00:21:31.740
 that are unseen.

00:21:32.299 --> 00:21:33.200
 Because the things

00:21:33.200 --> 00:21:33.799
 that are seen

00:21:33.799 --> 00:21:34.600
 are transient,

00:21:34.759 --> 00:21:35.340
 but the things

00:21:35.340 --> 00:21:36.200
 that are unseen

00:21:36.200 --> 00:21:37.460
 are eternal.

00:21:38.560 --> 00:21:39.759
 So Jesus is lifting

00:21:39.759 --> 00:21:40.560
 our eyes

00:21:40.560 --> 00:21:42.120
 to that unseen reward,

00:21:42.580 --> 00:21:42.940
 which,

00:21:43.320 --> 00:21:44.060
 though unseen,

00:21:44.960 --> 00:21:46.279
 is every bit as real

00:21:46.279 --> 00:21:48.180
 as the tangible sacrifice,

00:21:48.660 --> 00:21:50.140
 only far more lasting.

00:21:51.900 --> 00:21:53.440
 Several years ago,

00:21:53.440 --> 00:21:54.700
 I became aware

00:21:54.700 --> 00:21:55.240
 of a couple

00:21:55.240 --> 00:21:56.340
 in my home church

00:21:56.339 --> 00:21:57.459
 who were sponsoring

00:21:57.459 --> 00:21:58.319
 seven children

00:21:58.319 --> 00:21:58.799
 through our

00:21:58.799 --> 00:22:00.019
 orphan sponsorship program.

00:22:00.259 --> 00:22:00.799
 In a few minutes,

00:22:00.859 --> 00:22:01.459
 I'll tell you more

00:22:01.459 --> 00:22:02.059
 about our orphan

00:22:02.059 --> 00:22:03.039
 sponsorship program.

00:22:03.419 --> 00:22:04.959
 But this couple

00:22:04.959 --> 00:22:05.959
 was sponsoring

00:22:05.959 --> 00:22:06.579
 seven children.

00:22:06.799 --> 00:22:07.459
 And by the way,

00:22:07.500 --> 00:22:07.959
 I don't look

00:22:07.959 --> 00:22:08.579
 through our database

00:22:08.579 --> 00:22:09.119
 to find out

00:22:09.119 --> 00:22:09.679
 how many children

00:22:09.679 --> 00:22:10.659
 my friends are sponsoring.

00:22:10.779 --> 00:22:11.319
 I just stumbled

00:22:11.319 --> 00:22:12.459
 upon this information.

00:22:13.740 --> 00:22:16.099
 And it was notable to me,

00:22:16.159 --> 00:22:17.519
 not just by the number seven,

00:22:17.619 --> 00:22:18.379
 which is very nice,

00:22:18.480 --> 00:22:19.379
 but frankly,

00:22:19.439 --> 00:22:19.899
 we have people

00:22:19.899 --> 00:22:21.259
 who are sponsoring more.

00:22:21.259 --> 00:22:23.740
 What was notable to me

00:22:23.740 --> 00:22:24.379
 is that I know

00:22:24.379 --> 00:22:25.900
 this couple very well,

00:22:25.960 --> 00:22:26.619
 and I know

00:22:26.619 --> 00:22:27.640
 their standard of living.

00:22:27.779 --> 00:22:28.879
 They're just a very normal,

00:22:29.339 --> 00:22:30.480
 I would even say,

00:22:30.619 --> 00:22:32.119
 solidly middle class,

00:22:32.240 --> 00:22:33.740
 working class family.

00:22:34.400 --> 00:22:36.099
 And it was notable to me

00:22:36.099 --> 00:22:37.019
 that they were sponsoring

00:22:37.019 --> 00:22:37.599
 seven children.

00:22:37.700 --> 00:22:38.920
 So once I became aware of that,

00:22:38.960 --> 00:22:39.379
 I just said,

00:22:39.440 --> 00:22:40.180
 I got to drop them

00:22:40.180 --> 00:22:40.940
 a note in the mail,

00:22:41.379 --> 00:22:42.000
 let them know

00:22:42.000 --> 00:22:42.700
 how much I'm,

00:22:42.859 --> 00:22:43.680
 how grateful I am

00:22:43.680 --> 00:22:44.799
 that they're giving

00:22:44.799 --> 00:22:46.059
 sacrificially like that

00:22:46.059 --> 00:22:46.720
 toward our children.

00:22:46.960 --> 00:22:48.099
 So I dropped a note

00:22:48.099 --> 00:22:48.539
 in the mail.

00:22:48.819 --> 00:22:49.400
 Sometime later,

00:22:49.460 --> 00:22:50.480
 we bumped into each other,

00:22:50.480 --> 00:22:52.019
 and they referenced the note,

00:22:52.099 --> 00:22:52.680
 so we had a little

00:22:52.680 --> 00:22:53.740
 conversation about it.

00:22:53.799 --> 00:22:54.819
 And I came to learn

00:22:54.819 --> 00:22:56.160
 that this couple,

00:22:56.299 --> 00:22:57.360
 just like most of us,

00:22:57.380 --> 00:22:58.000
 when we launched

00:22:58.000 --> 00:22:59.220
 the sponsorship program

00:22:59.220 --> 00:23:00.440
 way back in 2003,

00:23:01.180 --> 00:23:03.620
 they started by sponsoring

00:23:03.620 --> 00:23:06.019
 one or maybe two children.

00:23:06.579 --> 00:23:07.819
 And then each year,

00:23:08.039 --> 00:23:09.240
 as the husband,

00:23:09.339 --> 00:23:09.940
 as the breadwinner

00:23:09.940 --> 00:23:10.920
 of that home,

00:23:11.380 --> 00:23:12.500
 would receive a raise,

00:23:12.599 --> 00:23:13.420
 they would just add

00:23:13.420 --> 00:23:15.259
 one more sponsored child.

00:23:15.740 --> 00:23:16.599
 Just kind of based

00:23:16.599 --> 00:23:17.140
 on the premise

00:23:17.140 --> 00:23:18.140
 that the Lord provided

00:23:18.140 --> 00:23:19.319
 well for us last year

00:23:19.319 --> 00:23:20.899
 with the income

00:23:20.899 --> 00:23:21.419
 that we had.

00:23:21.480 --> 00:23:22.139
 Now he's given us

00:23:22.139 --> 00:23:22.559
 an increase.

00:23:22.679 --> 00:23:23.439
 Let's share a little bit

00:23:23.439 --> 00:23:24.139
 of that increase

00:23:24.139 --> 00:23:26.119
 with a child in need.

00:23:26.740 --> 00:23:29.839
 And I was just

00:23:29.839 --> 00:23:31.019
 blown away by this.

00:23:31.099 --> 00:23:31.379
 In fact,

00:23:33.339 --> 00:23:34.939
 because I was bringing

00:23:34.939 --> 00:23:35.679
 this message again,

00:23:35.720 --> 00:23:36.899
 I checked in our database again,

00:23:36.960 --> 00:23:37.539
 and sure enough,

00:23:37.619 --> 00:23:38.779
 this couple's up to 13

00:23:38.779 --> 00:23:40.299
 sponsored children now.

00:23:40.960 --> 00:23:42.559
 So they're investing

00:23:42.559 --> 00:23:43.759
 in a major way

00:23:43.759 --> 00:23:44.500
 in our ministry,

00:23:44.500 --> 00:23:45.179
 even though they're

00:23:45.179 --> 00:23:46.539
 just living a very normal

00:23:46.539 --> 00:23:47.960
 American lifestyle.

00:23:47.960 --> 00:23:50.340
 My point in bringing

00:23:50.340 --> 00:23:52.319
 up their example

00:23:52.319 --> 00:23:52.980
 is not to say

00:23:52.980 --> 00:23:53.500
 that we should all

00:23:53.500 --> 00:23:54.840
 be sponsoring 13 kids,

00:23:54.860 --> 00:23:55.299
 or we should all

00:23:55.299 --> 00:23:56.120
 follow that practice

00:23:56.120 --> 00:23:57.779
 of adding one new child

00:23:57.779 --> 00:23:58.700
 each year.

00:23:58.819 --> 00:23:59.720
 My point is simply

00:23:59.720 --> 00:24:01.279
 to say this is a family

00:24:01.279 --> 00:24:03.259
 not of significant means.

00:24:03.799 --> 00:24:04.740
 The sacrifice

00:24:04.740 --> 00:24:06.200
 they're making is real.

00:24:06.740 --> 00:24:07.900
 They could be using

00:24:07.900 --> 00:24:08.480
 those funds

00:24:08.480 --> 00:24:09.559
 for some other purpose

00:24:09.559 --> 00:24:10.620
 to enhance

00:24:10.620 --> 00:24:11.700
 their own standard of living.

00:24:11.819 --> 00:24:12.259
 And you know what?

00:24:12.299 --> 00:24:12.720
 None of us

00:24:12.720 --> 00:24:13.759
 would even take notice.

00:24:14.079 --> 00:24:15.720
 None of us would say,

00:24:15.819 --> 00:24:15.980
 wow,

00:24:15.980 --> 00:24:17.559
 they're living high on the hog,

00:24:17.680 --> 00:24:18.880
 or that's self-indulgent.

00:24:19.059 --> 00:24:20.640
 We would never know

00:24:20.640 --> 00:24:21.200
 the difference.

00:24:21.339 --> 00:24:22.779
 But this couple

00:24:22.779 --> 00:24:24.620
 is not living

00:24:24.620 --> 00:24:25.599
 in accordance

00:24:25.599 --> 00:24:26.380
 with the things

00:24:26.380 --> 00:24:26.940
 of this world.

00:24:27.019 --> 00:24:27.680
 This is a couple

00:24:27.680 --> 00:24:28.940
 whose eyes are fixed

00:24:28.940 --> 00:24:29.819
 not on the things

00:24:29.819 --> 00:24:30.460
 that are unseen,

00:24:31.279 --> 00:24:32.120
 but on the things,

00:24:32.720 --> 00:24:33.579
 not on the things

00:24:33.579 --> 00:24:34.140
 that are seen,

00:24:34.259 --> 00:24:35.059
 but on the things

00:24:35.059 --> 00:24:36.200
 that are unseen.

00:24:36.380 --> 00:24:37.319
 They are sacrificing

00:24:37.319 --> 00:24:38.620
 in the here and now

00:24:38.620 --> 00:24:40.180
 for a reward

00:24:40.180 --> 00:24:40.980
 that's being kept

00:24:40.980 --> 00:24:41.799
 in heaven for them

00:24:41.799 --> 00:24:42.579
 where moth and rust

00:24:42.579 --> 00:24:43.519
 will not destroy,

00:24:44.000 --> 00:24:44.779
 and where thieves

00:24:44.779 --> 00:24:45.819
 will not break in

00:24:45.819 --> 00:24:46.299
 and steal.

00:24:47.160 --> 00:24:47.720
 Well, I don't know

00:24:47.720 --> 00:24:48.139
 about you,

00:24:48.220 --> 00:24:49.299
 but I want to live

00:24:49.299 --> 00:24:50.519
 my life in light

00:24:50.519 --> 00:24:51.339
 of that reality

00:24:51.339 --> 00:24:52.359
 as well.

00:24:53.500 --> 00:24:54.359
 And when I think

00:24:54.359 --> 00:24:54.879
 of our,

00:24:55.539 --> 00:24:56.279
 when I think

00:24:56.279 --> 00:24:57.920
 of Jesus' exhortation

00:24:57.920 --> 00:24:59.519
 here in Luke 14

00:24:59.519 --> 00:25:00.259
 to be generous

00:25:00.259 --> 00:25:00.920
 toward those

00:25:00.920 --> 00:25:01.779
 who can do nothing

00:25:01.779 --> 00:25:03.039
 to repay us,

00:25:03.079 --> 00:25:04.119
 I really can't help

00:25:04.119 --> 00:25:05.500
 but think of the children

00:25:05.500 --> 00:25:06.940
 who are growing up

00:25:06.940 --> 00:25:08.440
 sponsored in our

00:25:08.440 --> 00:25:10.019
 orphan sponsorship program.

00:25:10.480 --> 00:25:11.700
 If you are sponsoring

00:25:11.700 --> 00:25:12.519
 children through

00:25:12.519 --> 00:25:13.420
 our program,

00:25:13.420 --> 00:25:15.400
 it is virtually impossible

00:25:15.400 --> 00:25:16.900
 that they will ever

00:25:16.900 --> 00:25:19.160
 be able to give back

00:25:19.160 --> 00:25:19.440
 to you,

00:25:19.519 --> 00:25:20.259
 to do anything

00:25:20.259 --> 00:25:21.820
 to repay you

00:25:21.820 --> 00:25:23.300
 for your sacrifice.

00:25:24.039 --> 00:25:25.420
 Well, that is exactly

00:25:25.420 --> 00:25:26.640
 the kind of giving

00:25:26.640 --> 00:25:27.960
 that Jesus is commending

00:25:27.960 --> 00:25:29.900
 to us in this passage.

00:25:30.560 --> 00:25:32.420
 It's precisely this kind

00:25:32.420 --> 00:25:33.460
 of generosity

00:25:33.460 --> 00:25:34.519
 that he promises

00:25:34.519 --> 00:25:35.259
 to repay

00:25:35.259 --> 00:25:37.039
 at the resurrection

00:25:37.039 --> 00:25:38.320
 of the just.

00:25:39.480 --> 00:25:41.240
 And his use of that phrase,

00:25:41.400 --> 00:25:41.900
 the resurrection

00:25:41.900 --> 00:25:42.660
 of the just,

00:25:42.720 --> 00:25:43.540
 immediately puts me

00:25:43.540 --> 00:25:45.560
 in mind of Matthew 25

00:25:45.560 --> 00:25:46.600
 where Jesus talks

00:25:46.600 --> 00:25:48.400
 about the final day

00:25:48.400 --> 00:25:49.380
 and he talks about

00:25:49.380 --> 00:25:50.759
 saying to us

00:25:50.759 --> 00:25:52.720
 that enter into

00:25:52.720 --> 00:25:53.780
 your reward

00:25:53.780 --> 00:25:54.560
 for when I was hungry

00:25:54.560 --> 00:25:55.140
 you fed me,

00:25:55.220 --> 00:25:56.259
 when I was thirsty

00:25:56.259 --> 00:25:56.960
 you gave me something

00:25:56.960 --> 00:25:57.400
 to drink,

00:25:57.480 --> 00:25:58.900
 when I was in prison

00:25:58.900 --> 00:25:59.560
 you visited me,

00:25:59.600 --> 00:25:59.960
 and we'll say,

00:26:00.380 --> 00:26:01.259
 Jesus, when did we do

00:26:01.259 --> 00:26:01.880
 all these things?

00:26:02.280 --> 00:26:02.780
 And he'll say,

00:26:02.920 --> 00:26:03.860
 even as you've done

00:26:03.860 --> 00:26:04.900
 it to the least of these,

00:26:05.000 --> 00:26:05.540
 my brethren,

00:26:06.320 --> 00:26:07.440
 you've done it unto me.

00:26:08.160 --> 00:26:09.019
 Now, I just imagine,

00:26:09.100 --> 00:26:10.380
 this is my imagination now,

00:26:10.380 --> 00:26:12.380
 we're outside of Matthew 25,

00:26:12.860 --> 00:26:14.400
 but I just imagine

00:26:14.400 --> 00:26:15.320
 that Jesus might

00:26:15.320 --> 00:26:16.020
 in that moment

00:26:16.020 --> 00:26:16.920
 pull up a young lady

00:26:16.920 --> 00:26:17.520
 by his side

00:26:17.520 --> 00:26:17.800
 and say,

00:26:17.860 --> 00:26:18.540
 this is Kalkidan.

00:26:18.820 --> 00:26:19.940
 I want you to know Kalkidan.

00:26:20.620 --> 00:26:22.380
 She was born with HIV

00:26:22.380 --> 00:26:23.740
 in Ethiopia,

00:26:24.000 --> 00:26:24.700
 both of her parents

00:26:24.700 --> 00:26:26.280
 had lost their lives

00:26:26.280 --> 00:26:26.780
 to AIDS,

00:26:26.860 --> 00:26:27.860
 she was on a trajectory

00:26:27.860 --> 00:26:29.180
 to die of AIDS as well,

00:26:29.260 --> 00:26:30.360
 but because you gave

00:26:30.360 --> 00:26:30.960
 to her

00:26:30.960 --> 00:26:32.120
 when there was nothing

00:26:32.120 --> 00:26:32.940
 she could give you

00:26:32.940 --> 00:26:33.440
 in return,

00:26:33.580 --> 00:26:34.320
 she was restored

00:26:34.320 --> 00:26:35.100
 to good health.

00:26:35.520 --> 00:26:36.400
 And this also brought

00:26:36.400 --> 00:26:37.260
 a lady named Helena

00:26:37.260 --> 00:26:38.040
 into her life,

00:26:38.100 --> 00:26:39.260
 and Helena shared

00:26:39.259 --> 00:26:40.240
 the gospel with her

00:26:40.240 --> 00:26:41.720
 and led her to faith.

00:26:42.400 --> 00:26:43.640
 Kalkidan is here today

00:26:43.640 --> 00:26:44.839
 because you gave

00:26:44.839 --> 00:26:45.700
 when there was nothing

00:26:45.700 --> 00:26:46.700
 she could give you

00:26:46.700 --> 00:26:47.220
 in return.

00:26:47.940 --> 00:26:48.960
 Or maybe he'll pull up

00:26:48.960 --> 00:26:49.960
 a young man by his side

00:26:49.960 --> 00:26:50.160
 and say,

00:26:50.220 --> 00:26:50.819
 this is Charles,

00:26:50.900 --> 00:26:51.779
 you should know Charles.

00:26:51.940 --> 00:26:54.180
 Charles was born in Zambia,

00:26:54.640 --> 00:26:56.160
 he was able to go to school

00:26:56.160 --> 00:26:57.059
 because you invested

00:26:57.059 --> 00:26:58.339
 in Lighthouse Christian School,

00:26:58.440 --> 00:26:59.099
 he was able to get

00:26:59.099 --> 00:27:00.099
 a quality education,

00:27:00.559 --> 00:27:01.619
 he even gave his life

00:27:01.619 --> 00:27:03.019
 to Jesus as a young boy

00:27:03.019 --> 00:27:04.140
 because of a VBS

00:27:04.140 --> 00:27:06.079
 they did on a school break

00:27:06.079 --> 00:27:07.339
 at Lighthouse Christian School.

00:27:07.339 --> 00:27:08.559
 Later he was able

00:27:08.559 --> 00:27:10.980
 to access a scholarship program

00:27:10.980 --> 00:27:12.179
 and go off to university,

00:27:12.179 --> 00:27:13.199
 he became a teacher

00:27:13.199 --> 00:27:14.079
 and he was able

00:27:14.079 --> 00:27:15.379
 to influence the lives

00:27:15.379 --> 00:27:16.299
 of so many others

00:27:16.299 --> 00:27:17.699
 because you gave to him

00:27:17.699 --> 00:27:18.779
 when there was nothing

00:27:18.779 --> 00:27:19.599
 he could give you

00:27:19.599 --> 00:27:20.759
 in return.

00:27:21.519 --> 00:27:23.899
 My mind can just get going

00:27:23.899 --> 00:27:25.319
 when I think about

00:27:25.319 --> 00:27:26.859
 the ripple effects

00:27:26.859 --> 00:27:28.339
 of the investments

00:27:28.339 --> 00:27:28.959
 we're making

00:27:28.959 --> 00:27:31.159
 into these children's lives now.

00:27:31.279 --> 00:27:32.279
 Think of the ripple effects,

00:27:32.399 --> 00:27:34.039
 think of the future children

00:27:34.039 --> 00:27:34.819
 and grandchildren,

00:27:34.819 --> 00:27:36.019
 of the children

00:27:36.019 --> 00:27:38.099
 that we're giving toward now

00:27:38.099 --> 00:27:39.299
 who will know

00:27:39.299 --> 00:27:40.240
 the love of Jesus

00:27:40.240 --> 00:27:41.399
 because their mother

00:27:41.399 --> 00:27:42.480
 or their grandfather

00:27:42.480 --> 00:27:44.480
 received Christ

00:27:44.480 --> 00:27:46.339
 when he was just

00:27:46.339 --> 00:27:47.000
 a little child

00:27:47.000 --> 00:27:48.079
 running around the community

00:27:48.079 --> 00:27:49.839
 with insufficient care

00:27:49.839 --> 00:27:51.119
 but somebody invested

00:27:51.119 --> 00:27:52.259
 into him.

00:27:52.539 --> 00:27:53.240
 Well I believe

00:27:53.240 --> 00:27:55.000
 part of our reward

00:27:55.000 --> 00:27:55.960
 in eternity

00:27:55.960 --> 00:27:58.019
 will be the joy of seeing

00:27:58.019 --> 00:27:59.919
 with the eyes of eternity

00:27:59.920 --> 00:28:02.600
 the full glorious impact

00:28:02.600 --> 00:28:04.620
 that our acts of kindness

00:28:04.620 --> 00:28:05.560
 and generosity

00:28:05.560 --> 00:28:07.539
 we're able to achieve

00:28:07.539 --> 00:28:08.900
 in this life.

00:28:09.759 --> 00:28:11.940
 It takes the eyes of faith

00:28:11.940 --> 00:28:13.039
 to see that

00:28:13.039 --> 00:28:14.400
 in the here and now

00:28:14.400 --> 00:28:15.800
 and I couldn't be more grateful

00:28:15.800 --> 00:28:17.380
 for the faith

00:28:17.380 --> 00:28:19.120
 that God has given

00:28:19.120 --> 00:28:19.779
 to so many

00:28:19.779 --> 00:28:21.080
 who have invested generously

00:28:21.080 --> 00:28:22.360
 in the work of Covenant Mercies

00:28:22.360 --> 00:28:23.960
 for 19 years now.

00:28:24.039 --> 00:28:25.300
 So I'm going to turn the corner now

00:28:25.300 --> 00:28:26.620
 and just start to introduce you

00:28:26.620 --> 00:28:27.740
 to the ministry

00:28:27.740 --> 00:28:29.100
 of Covenant Mercies

00:28:29.099 --> 00:28:30.779
 which will turn 20 next year.

00:28:31.619 --> 00:28:32.699
 We're about to

00:28:32.699 --> 00:28:35.019
 become young adults I guess.

00:28:36.259 --> 00:28:37.519
 The main centerpiece

00:28:37.519 --> 00:28:38.879
 of Covenant Mercies

00:28:38.879 --> 00:28:39.819
 ministry

00:28:39.819 --> 00:28:40.619
 has always been

00:28:40.619 --> 00:28:41.159
 what we call

00:28:41.159 --> 00:28:42.740
 our orphan sponsorship program

00:28:42.740 --> 00:28:44.759
 and it's through this program

00:28:44.759 --> 00:28:46.079
 that sponsors are able

00:28:46.079 --> 00:28:46.679
 to invest

00:28:46.679 --> 00:28:47.839
 into the life

00:28:47.839 --> 00:28:48.899
 of a fatherless child.

00:28:49.279 --> 00:28:49.980
 So for the purposes

00:28:49.980 --> 00:28:50.759
 of our program

00:28:50.759 --> 00:28:52.359
 we define an orphan

00:28:52.359 --> 00:28:53.500
 as a fatherless child.

00:28:53.799 --> 00:28:54.559
 Sometimes the mother

00:28:54.559 --> 00:28:55.359
 is still alive

00:28:55.359 --> 00:28:56.539
 other times

00:28:56.539 --> 00:28:57.699
 they've lost both parents

00:28:57.699 --> 00:28:58.399
 and grandparents

00:28:58.400 --> 00:28:59.660
 have taken the children in

00:28:59.660 --> 00:29:00.620
 or an aunt or an uncle

00:29:00.620 --> 00:29:02.240
 has taken the children in

00:29:02.240 --> 00:29:03.680
 and then through the teams

00:29:03.680 --> 00:29:04.800
 we build on the ground

00:29:04.800 --> 00:29:05.680
 with our indigenous

00:29:05.680 --> 00:29:06.519
 church partners

00:29:06.519 --> 00:29:07.860
 we're able to go out

00:29:07.860 --> 00:29:08.700
 into the community

00:29:08.700 --> 00:29:09.759
 and to deliver

00:29:09.759 --> 00:29:11.200
 some basic nutritional,

00:29:11.480 --> 00:29:11.700
 medical,

00:29:12.220 --> 00:29:13.440
 and educational care

00:29:13.440 --> 00:29:14.420
 into the lives

00:29:14.420 --> 00:29:15.500
 of the children.

00:29:16.120 --> 00:29:17.620
 Well it is an exciting time

00:29:17.620 --> 00:29:18.040
 for us

00:29:18.040 --> 00:29:19.240
 after 19 years

00:29:19.240 --> 00:29:20.200
 of ministry

00:29:20.200 --> 00:29:21.060
 you might imagine

00:29:21.060 --> 00:29:22.060
 a lot of the children

00:29:22.060 --> 00:29:23.060
 that we started with

00:29:23.060 --> 00:29:24.259
 when we were young

00:29:24.259 --> 00:29:24.780
 as a ministry

00:29:24.780 --> 00:29:25.880
 they were very young children

00:29:25.880 --> 00:29:26.880
 and now they're

00:29:26.880 --> 00:29:27.900
 beginning to graduate

00:29:27.900 --> 00:29:28.760
 from our programs

00:29:28.760 --> 00:29:29.760
 and take their place

00:29:29.760 --> 00:29:30.680
 in society

00:29:30.680 --> 00:29:31.520
 as young adults.

00:29:31.720 --> 00:29:32.700
 So some of them

00:29:32.700 --> 00:29:34.140
 are able to express

00:29:34.140 --> 00:29:35.320
 in their own words

00:29:35.320 --> 00:29:36.260
 the impact that

00:29:36.260 --> 00:29:37.380
 the program has had

00:29:37.380 --> 00:29:38.240
 in their lives

00:29:38.240 --> 00:29:39.240
 so I want to introduce you

00:29:39.240 --> 00:29:39.940
 to a young lady

00:29:39.940 --> 00:29:40.740
 named Masai

00:29:40.740 --> 00:29:42.020
 from our program

00:29:42.020 --> 00:29:43.240
 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

00:29:43.240 --> 00:29:44.320
 she's now a graduate

00:29:44.320 --> 00:29:45.140
 of that program.

00:29:45.620 --> 00:29:46.300
 I'm told there might be

00:29:46.300 --> 00:29:47.140
 a little bit of a delay

00:29:47.140 --> 00:29:47.820
 in the audio

00:29:47.820 --> 00:29:49.240
 of the video

00:29:49.240 --> 00:29:50.860
 but hopefully

00:29:50.860 --> 00:29:52.020
 you'll catch it.

00:29:52.019 --> 00:30:01.400
 My name is Masai Ayyeli

00:30:01.400 --> 00:30:03.400
 I was born in Addis Ababa

00:30:03.400 --> 00:30:05.660
 I'm 17 years old

00:30:05.660 --> 00:30:07.240
 the reason we came

00:30:07.240 --> 00:30:08.460
 to Covenant Mercies

00:30:08.460 --> 00:30:09.039
 is because

00:30:09.039 --> 00:30:10.200
 we were in trouble

00:30:10.200 --> 00:30:12.319
 my dad died

00:30:12.319 --> 00:30:13.319
 and then my mom

00:30:13.319 --> 00:30:14.480
 couldn't find a job

00:30:14.480 --> 00:30:15.859
 we didn't have

00:30:15.859 --> 00:30:16.980
 anything in the house

00:30:16.980 --> 00:30:17.980
 so we left

00:30:17.980 --> 00:30:19.740
 and went to the street

00:30:19.740 --> 00:30:21.220
 that's when

00:30:21.220 --> 00:30:22.180
 Covenant Mercies

00:30:22.180 --> 00:30:22.960
 found us

00:30:22.960 --> 00:30:24.000
 they helped me

00:30:24.000 --> 00:30:24.900
 attend school

00:30:24.900 --> 00:30:26.259
 they got us

00:30:26.259 --> 00:30:27.500
 to where we are now

00:30:27.500 --> 00:30:31.640
 Masai had a little

00:30:31.640 --> 00:30:32.640
 fight with her mom

00:30:32.640 --> 00:30:34.039
 it was very

00:30:34.039 --> 00:30:35.759
 like minor thing

00:30:35.759 --> 00:30:37.059
 and then

00:30:37.059 --> 00:30:38.640
 she said

00:30:38.640 --> 00:30:40.380
 bad things

00:30:40.380 --> 00:30:41.140
 about her mom

00:30:41.140 --> 00:30:41.579
 and then

00:30:41.579 --> 00:30:42.940
 she was cursing her

00:30:42.940 --> 00:30:43.640
 she was feeling

00:30:43.640 --> 00:30:44.460
 really bad

00:30:44.460 --> 00:30:45.420
 and then she

00:30:45.420 --> 00:30:46.180
 left the house

00:30:46.180 --> 00:30:49.840
 when I got

00:30:49.840 --> 00:30:50.560
 on the street

00:30:50.560 --> 00:30:51.539
 I couldn't find

00:30:51.539 --> 00:30:51.960
 a place

00:30:51.960 --> 00:30:52.920
 to spend the night

00:30:52.920 --> 00:30:54.240
 I stayed

00:30:54.240 --> 00:30:55.000
 three weeks

00:30:55.000 --> 00:30:55.820
 on the street

00:30:55.820 --> 00:30:56.860
 and then I found

00:30:56.860 --> 00:30:57.500
 some girls

00:30:57.500 --> 00:30:59.259
 and they befriended me

00:30:59.259 --> 00:31:00.640
 and we begged

00:31:00.640 --> 00:31:01.640
 people to give us

00:31:01.640 --> 00:31:02.480
 money to pay

00:31:02.480 --> 00:31:03.060
 for bed

00:31:03.060 --> 00:31:04.180
 each night

00:31:04.180 --> 00:31:11.920
 Helena kept

00:31:11.920 --> 00:31:13.000
 calling my mom

00:31:13.000 --> 00:31:14.380
 and she couldn't

00:31:14.380 --> 00:31:14.920
 find me

00:31:14.920 --> 00:31:15.980
 for a long time

00:31:15.980 --> 00:31:17.220
 so my mom

00:31:17.220 --> 00:31:17.720
 came

00:31:17.720 --> 00:31:18.519
 and she found

00:31:18.519 --> 00:31:19.380
 me where I used

00:31:19.380 --> 00:31:19.720
 to be

00:31:19.720 --> 00:31:21.320
 she told me

00:31:21.320 --> 00:31:22.060
 Helena been

00:31:22.060 --> 00:31:23.019
 looking for you

00:31:23.019 --> 00:31:23.799
 she wants

00:31:23.799 --> 00:31:24.620
 to talk to you

00:31:24.620 --> 00:31:27.240
 so in our

00:31:27.240 --> 00:31:27.640
 meeting

00:31:27.640 --> 00:31:28.320
 Masai was

00:31:28.320 --> 00:31:29.480
 she was

00:31:29.480 --> 00:31:31.140
 she was so

00:31:31.140 --> 00:31:31.519
 stubborn

00:31:31.519 --> 00:31:32.400
 she said

00:31:32.400 --> 00:31:32.839
 she doesn't

00:31:32.839 --> 00:31:33.240
 want to

00:31:33.240 --> 00:31:35.079
 there is no

00:31:35.079 --> 00:31:35.720
 need for her

00:31:35.720 --> 00:31:36.680
 to talk to us

00:31:36.680 --> 00:31:37.400
 but she just

00:31:37.400 --> 00:31:38.519
 simply came here

00:31:38.519 --> 00:31:39.099
 to tell us

00:31:39.099 --> 00:31:40.319
 that she doesn't

00:31:40.319 --> 00:31:40.660
 want to be

00:31:40.660 --> 00:31:41.420
 part of the program

00:31:41.420 --> 00:31:42.619
 I told her

00:31:42.619 --> 00:31:44.160
 I want to get

00:31:44.160 --> 00:31:44.720
 out of this

00:31:44.720 --> 00:31:45.400
 sponsorship

00:31:45.400 --> 00:31:46.839
 delete my name

00:31:46.839 --> 00:31:48.379
 I was going

00:31:48.379 --> 00:31:48.960
 to leave

00:31:48.960 --> 00:31:49.759
 and she said

00:31:49.759 --> 00:31:50.639
 ok let's pray

00:31:50.639 --> 00:31:51.319
 before we leave

00:31:51.319 --> 00:31:52.900
 but then

00:31:52.900 --> 00:31:53.700
 I asked her

00:31:53.700 --> 00:31:54.660
 if it's ok

00:31:54.660 --> 00:31:55.440
 for us to pray

00:31:55.440 --> 00:31:56.359
 and then we

00:31:56.359 --> 00:31:56.759
 prayed

00:31:56.759 --> 00:31:58.160
 and

00:31:58.160 --> 00:31:59.879
 surprisingly

00:31:59.879 --> 00:32:01.359
 after the prayer

00:32:01.359 --> 00:32:01.979
 she was a

00:32:01.979 --> 00:32:02.579
 different person

00:32:02.579 --> 00:32:03.599
 and then when

00:32:03.599 --> 00:32:04.240
 I asked her

00:32:04.240 --> 00:32:04.639
 to write

00:32:04.639 --> 00:32:05.319
 her goals

00:32:05.319 --> 00:32:07.079
 the goals

00:32:07.079 --> 00:32:07.659
 she was writing

00:32:07.659 --> 00:32:08.339
 was completely

00:32:08.339 --> 00:32:08.779
 different

00:32:08.779 --> 00:32:09.559
 like she was

00:32:09.559 --> 00:32:10.059
 saying she

00:32:10.059 --> 00:32:10.919
 wants to

00:32:10.919 --> 00:32:11.899
 go back to

00:32:11.899 --> 00:32:12.259
 school

00:32:12.259 --> 00:32:13.039
 make peace

00:32:13.039 --> 00:32:13.399
 with her

00:32:13.399 --> 00:32:13.740
 mother

00:32:13.740 --> 00:32:14.659
 and then

00:32:14.659 --> 00:32:15.539
 start old

00:32:15.539 --> 00:32:16.059
 friendships

00:32:16.059 --> 00:32:17.079
 with healthy

00:32:17.079 --> 00:32:17.619
 friends

00:32:17.619 --> 00:32:18.579
 and then

00:32:18.579 --> 00:32:21.159
 start studying

00:32:21.159 --> 00:32:21.839
 hair styling

00:32:21.839 --> 00:32:22.459
 which is her

00:32:22.459 --> 00:32:22.819
 dream

00:32:22.819 --> 00:32:28.439
 since I

00:32:28.439 --> 00:32:29.119
 returned to

00:32:29.119 --> 00:32:29.559
 the Lord

00:32:29.559 --> 00:32:30.179
 he has

00:32:30.179 --> 00:32:30.539
 done a

00:32:30.539 --> 00:32:30.960
 lot of

00:32:30.960 --> 00:32:31.200
 great

00:32:31.200 --> 00:32:31.539
 things

00:32:31.539 --> 00:32:31.879
 in my

00:32:31.879 --> 00:32:32.279
 life

00:32:32.279 --> 00:32:33.639
 I read

00:32:33.639 --> 00:32:34.220
 my Bible

00:32:34.220 --> 00:32:34.980
 I go to

00:32:34.980 --> 00:32:35.539
 church

00:32:35.539 --> 00:32:36.099
 and I

00:32:36.099 --> 00:32:36.579
 obtained

00:32:36.579 --> 00:32:37.119
 some of

00:32:37.119 --> 00:32:37.559
 the Bible

00:32:37.559 --> 00:32:38.119
 classes

00:32:38.119 --> 00:32:39.359
 those are

00:32:39.359 --> 00:32:40.240
 great times

00:32:40.240 --> 00:32:40.819
 the Lord

00:32:40.819 --> 00:32:41.220
 has done

00:32:41.220 --> 00:32:41.899
 great things

00:32:41.899 --> 00:32:42.220
 in my

00:32:42.220 --> 00:32:42.579
 life

00:32:42.579 --> 00:32:44.059
 now my

00:32:44.059 --> 00:32:44.639
 relationship

00:32:44.639 --> 00:32:45.119
 with my

00:32:45.119 --> 00:32:45.879
 family is

00:32:45.879 --> 00:32:46.539
 so much

00:32:46.539 --> 00:32:47.099
 better than

00:32:47.099 --> 00:32:47.480
 it was

00:32:47.480 --> 00:32:47.839
 before

00:32:47.839 --> 00:32:48.859
 it's

00:32:48.859 --> 00:32:49.359
 joyful

00:32:49.359 --> 00:32:51.139
 before

00:32:51.139 --> 00:32:51.639
 we didn't

00:32:51.639 --> 00:32:52.299
 have peace

00:32:52.299 --> 00:32:52.539
 in the

00:32:52.539 --> 00:32:52.919
 house

00:32:52.919 --> 00:32:54.220
 but now

00:32:54.220 --> 00:32:54.720
 we all

00:32:54.720 --> 00:32:55.259
 love each

00:32:55.259 --> 00:32:55.519
 other

00:32:55.519 --> 00:32:56.199
 and live

00:32:56.199 --> 00:32:56.659
 together

00:32:56.659 --> 00:32:57.419
 in peace

00:32:57.419 --> 00:32:58.959
 after I

00:32:58.959 --> 00:32:59.659
 finish school

00:32:59.659 --> 00:33:00.240
 I want

00:33:00.240 --> 00:33:00.639
 to help

00:33:00.639 --> 00:33:01.099
 people

00:33:01.099 --> 00:33:02.039
 who are

00:33:02.039 --> 00:33:02.539
 like I

00:33:02.539 --> 00:33:03.000
 used to

00:33:03.000 --> 00:33:04.039
 be

00:33:04.039 --> 00:33:06.259
 what I

00:33:06.259 --> 00:33:06.720
 want to

00:33:06.720 --> 00:33:07.119
 say to

00:33:07.119 --> 00:33:07.359
 my

00:33:07.359 --> 00:33:07.859
 sponsors

00:33:07.859 --> 00:33:09.259
 I run

00:33:09.259 --> 00:33:09.679
 out of

00:33:09.679 --> 00:33:09.959
 words

00:33:09.959 --> 00:33:10.319
 when I

00:33:10.319 --> 00:33:10.559
 think

00:33:10.559 --> 00:33:10.879
 about

00:33:10.879 --> 00:33:11.220
 them

00:33:11.220 --> 00:33:12.220
 may

00:33:12.220 --> 00:33:12.439
 God

00:33:12.439 --> 00:33:13.000
 retay

00:33:13.000 --> 00:33:13.259
 them

00:33:13.259 --> 00:33:13.959
 may

00:33:13.959 --> 00:33:14.240
 God

00:33:14.240 --> 00:33:14.519
 give

00:33:14.519 --> 00:33:14.759
 them

00:33:14.759 --> 00:33:15.179
 all

00:33:15.179 --> 00:33:15.639
 kinds

00:33:15.639 --> 00:33:15.819
 of

00:33:15.819 --> 00:33:16.079
 good

00:33:16.079 --> 00:33:16.559
 gifts

00:33:16.559 --> 00:33:31.639
 the

00:33:31.639 --> 00:33:31.899
 Lord

00:33:31.899 --> 00:33:32.119
 is

00:33:32.119 --> 00:33:32.539
 great

00:33:32.539 --> 00:33:33.019
 and

00:33:33.019 --> 00:33:33.259
 will

00:33:33.259 --> 00:33:33.460
 do

00:33:33.460 --> 00:33:33.779
 great

00:33:33.779 --> 00:33:34.099
 things

00:33:34.099 --> 00:33:34.440
 in my

00:33:34.440 --> 00:33:34.779
 life

00:33:34.779 --> 00:33:35.119
 I

00:33:35.119 --> 00:33:35.359
 know

00:33:35.359 --> 00:33:35.700
 that

00:33:46.559 --> 00:34:08.259
 there's

00:34:08.259 --> 00:34:08.559
 so many

00:34:08.559 --> 00:34:09.139
 reasons I

00:34:09.139 --> 00:34:09.880
 love to

00:34:09.880 --> 00:34:10.539
 show that

00:34:10.539 --> 00:34:11.639
 video as an

00:34:11.639 --> 00:34:12.019
 introduction

00:34:12.019 --> 00:34:12.799
 of our

00:34:12.799 --> 00:34:13.119
 ministry

00:34:13.119 --> 00:34:13.380
 and I

00:34:13.380 --> 00:34:13.779
 don't

00:34:13.780 --> 00:34:14.380
 I

00:34:14.380 --> 00:34:14.820
 won't take

00:34:14.820 --> 00:34:15.360
 long to

00:34:15.360 --> 00:34:15.780
 highlight

00:34:15.780 --> 00:34:16.040
 them

00:34:16.040 --> 00:34:16.420
 but just

00:34:16.420 --> 00:34:16.920
 briefly

00:34:16.920 --> 00:34:18.100
 obviously

00:34:18.100 --> 00:34:18.660
 Messiah's

00:34:18.660 --> 00:34:18.900
 deep

00:34:18.900 --> 00:34:19.540
 appreciation

00:34:19.540 --> 00:34:20.240
 for the

00:34:20.240 --> 00:34:20.660
 difference

00:34:20.660 --> 00:34:21.220
 that her

00:34:21.220 --> 00:34:22.100
 sponsor has

00:34:22.100 --> 00:34:22.900
 made in

00:34:22.900 --> 00:34:23.360
 her life

00:34:23.360 --> 00:34:24.600
 by persevering

00:34:24.600 --> 00:34:24.940
 with her

00:34:24.940 --> 00:34:25.360
 and giving

00:34:25.360 --> 00:34:25.880
 even through

00:34:25.880 --> 00:34:26.400
 those kind

00:34:26.400 --> 00:34:27.019
 of challenges

00:34:27.019 --> 00:34:28.420
 the emphasis

00:34:28.420 --> 00:34:28.840
 on the

00:34:28.840 --> 00:34:29.240
 family

00:34:29.240 --> 00:34:30.560
 we work

00:34:30.560 --> 00:34:31.120
 with the

00:34:31.120 --> 00:34:31.500
 family

00:34:31.500 --> 00:34:31.860
 and we

00:34:31.860 --> 00:34:32.160
 see it

00:34:32.160 --> 00:34:32.640
 as a

00:34:32.640 --> 00:34:33.000
 provision

00:34:33.000 --> 00:34:33.519
 of God's

00:34:33.519 --> 00:34:33.800
 common

00:34:33.800 --> 00:34:34.140
 grace

00:34:34.140 --> 00:34:35.140
 that family

00:34:35.140 --> 00:34:35.680
 ties are

00:34:35.680 --> 00:34:36.260
 very strong

00:34:36.260 --> 00:34:36.640
 in all the

00:34:36.640 --> 00:34:36.980
 African

00:34:36.980 --> 00:34:37.460
 nations

00:34:37.460 --> 00:34:37.900
 where we're

00:34:37.900 --> 00:34:38.260
 working

00:34:38.260 --> 00:34:38.720
 and so

00:34:38.720 --> 00:34:39.840
 rather than

00:34:39.840 --> 00:34:40.480
 removing the

00:34:40.480 --> 00:34:40.980
 children from

00:34:40.980 --> 00:34:41.780
 that context

00:34:41.780 --> 00:34:42.119
 in an

00:34:42.119 --> 00:34:42.619
 institutional

00:34:42.619 --> 00:34:43.019
 setting

00:34:43.019 --> 00:34:43.400
 we just

00:34:43.400 --> 00:34:43.960
 come alongside

00:34:43.960 --> 00:34:45.119
 the family

00:34:45.119 --> 00:34:45.760
 and it's a

00:34:45.760 --> 00:34:47.000
 beautiful story

00:34:47.000 --> 00:34:47.559
 there of the

00:34:47.559 --> 00:34:48.320
 restoration of

00:34:48.320 --> 00:34:49.320
 that family

00:34:49.320 --> 00:34:50.760
 and then

00:34:50.760 --> 00:34:52.039
 I just love

00:34:52.039 --> 00:34:52.659
 the opportunity

00:34:52.659 --> 00:34:53.260
 to introduce

00:34:53.260 --> 00:34:53.740
 you to some

00:34:53.740 --> 00:34:54.039
 of the

00:34:54.039 --> 00:34:54.579
 godly

00:34:54.579 --> 00:34:55.619
 competent

00:34:55.619 --> 00:34:56.119
 indigenous

00:34:56.119 --> 00:34:56.800
 leaders that

00:34:56.800 --> 00:34:57.079
 the Lord

00:34:57.079 --> 00:34:57.599
 has provided

00:34:57.599 --> 00:34:57.980
 for us

00:34:57.980 --> 00:34:58.280
 so you get

00:34:58.280 --> 00:34:58.559
 to know

00:34:58.559 --> 00:34:59.539
 Helena a

00:34:59.539 --> 00:34:59.900
 little bit

00:34:59.900 --> 00:35:00.199
 there

00:35:00.199 --> 00:35:01.240
 we are

00:35:01.240 --> 00:35:01.679
 blessed

00:35:01.679 --> 00:35:02.980
 with such

00:35:02.980 --> 00:35:03.480
 competent

00:35:03.480 --> 00:35:04.039
 and godly

00:35:04.039 --> 00:35:04.559
 brothers and

00:35:04.559 --> 00:35:05.219
 sisters that

00:35:05.219 --> 00:35:05.539
 we are

00:35:05.539 --> 00:35:06.159
 working with

00:35:06.159 --> 00:35:06.599
 and they are

00:35:06.599 --> 00:35:07.280
 integral to

00:35:07.280 --> 00:35:07.840
 our ministry

00:35:07.840 --> 00:35:08.519
 in covenant

00:35:08.519 --> 00:35:08.780
 mercy

00:35:08.780 --> 00:35:09.300
 so a few

00:35:09.300 --> 00:35:09.559
 of our

00:35:09.559 --> 00:35:10.139
 core values

00:35:10.139 --> 00:35:10.500
 come out

00:35:10.500 --> 00:35:10.779
 in that

00:35:10.779 --> 00:35:11.099
 way

00:35:11.099 --> 00:35:11.859
 even just

00:35:11.859 --> 00:35:12.400
 in telling

00:35:12.400 --> 00:35:13.400
 Messiah's

00:35:13.400 --> 00:35:13.739
 story

00:35:13.739 --> 00:35:15.039
 well through

00:35:15.039 --> 00:35:16.000
 19 years

00:35:16.000 --> 00:35:16.639
 of ministry

00:35:16.639 --> 00:35:17.440
 in sub-Saharan

00:35:17.440 --> 00:35:17.839
 Africa

00:35:17.839 --> 00:35:18.440
 we have

00:35:18.440 --> 00:35:19.059
 learned that

00:35:19.059 --> 00:35:19.699
 effectively

00:35:19.699 --> 00:35:21.179
 breaking cycles

00:35:21.179 --> 00:35:21.759
 of poverty

00:35:21.759 --> 00:35:22.980
 and making

00:35:22.980 --> 00:35:23.579
 a significant

00:35:23.579 --> 00:35:24.319
 difference in

00:35:24.319 --> 00:35:24.759
 the life

00:35:24.759 --> 00:35:25.199
 of our

00:35:25.199 --> 00:35:26.119
 children

00:35:26.119 --> 00:35:27.719
 requires an

00:35:27.719 --> 00:35:28.179
 intentional

00:35:28.179 --> 00:35:29.139
 and increasingly

00:35:29.139 --> 00:35:30.319
 direct investment

00:35:30.319 --> 00:35:31.279
 in the education

00:35:31.279 --> 00:35:32.519
 of our children

00:35:32.519 --> 00:35:33.460
 from day one

00:35:33.460 --> 00:35:34.019
 in our program

00:35:34.019 --> 00:35:34.839
 education has

00:35:34.839 --> 00:35:35.299
 always been

00:35:35.299 --> 00:35:35.799
 important and

00:35:35.799 --> 00:35:36.219
 we've always

00:35:36.219 --> 00:35:36.799
 recognized

00:35:36.799 --> 00:35:37.299
 it's going

00:35:37.299 --> 00:35:37.779
 to be critical

00:35:37.779 --> 00:35:38.319
 to help these

00:35:38.319 --> 00:35:38.859
 children break

00:35:38.859 --> 00:35:40.019
 out of cycles

00:35:40.019 --> 00:35:40.699
 of poverty

00:35:40.699 --> 00:35:42.599
 and yet

00:35:42.599 --> 00:35:43.940
 simply putting

00:35:43.940 --> 00:35:44.599
 a child in

00:35:44.599 --> 00:35:44.920
 a school

00:35:44.920 --> 00:35:45.259
 uniform

00:35:45.259 --> 00:35:45.820
 paying their

00:35:45.820 --> 00:35:46.480
 school fees

00:35:46.480 --> 00:35:47.280
 providing them

00:35:47.280 --> 00:35:48.039
 with the basic

00:35:48.039 --> 00:35:48.820
 necessities of

00:35:48.820 --> 00:35:49.659
 going to school

00:35:49.659 --> 00:35:50.960
 isn't enough

00:35:50.960 --> 00:35:51.800
 in many cases

00:35:51.800 --> 00:35:53.099
 when a hundred

00:35:53.099 --> 00:35:53.820
 other students

00:35:53.820 --> 00:35:54.480
 may be in the

00:35:54.480 --> 00:35:55.079
 classroom with

00:35:55.079 --> 00:35:55.519
 them depending

00:35:55.519 --> 00:35:56.679
 on which program

00:35:56.679 --> 00:35:57.579
 area we're talking

00:35:57.579 --> 00:35:58.699
 about and maybe

00:35:58.699 --> 00:35:59.539
 there's one teacher

00:35:59.539 --> 00:36:00.340
 and a few textbooks

00:36:00.340 --> 00:36:01.699
 to share among

00:36:01.699 --> 00:36:02.619
 those hundred

00:36:02.619 --> 00:36:03.259
 students

00:36:03.259 --> 00:36:04.880
 if our goal

00:36:04.880 --> 00:36:05.800
 and this is the

00:36:05.800 --> 00:36:06.420
 way we define

00:36:06.420 --> 00:36:07.019
 our goal in the

00:36:07.019 --> 00:36:07.599
 life of each

00:36:07.599 --> 00:36:08.619
 individual child

00:36:08.619 --> 00:36:09.880
 if our goal

00:36:09.880 --> 00:36:11.000
 is to restore

00:36:11.000 --> 00:36:11.780
 them to everything

00:36:11.780 --> 00:36:12.719
 God has created

00:36:12.719 --> 00:36:13.480
 them to be

00:36:13.480 --> 00:36:14.639
 as his image

00:36:14.639 --> 00:36:15.199
 bearers

00:36:15.199 --> 00:36:16.940
 then an investment

00:36:16.940 --> 00:36:17.420
 into their

00:36:17.420 --> 00:36:18.480
 education will be

00:36:18.480 --> 00:36:19.840
 critically important

00:36:19.840 --> 00:36:20.380
 for us

00:36:20.380 --> 00:36:20.900
 and a hundred

00:36:20.900 --> 00:36:21.719
 students in a

00:36:21.719 --> 00:36:22.340
 single classroom

00:36:22.340 --> 00:36:23.079
 will be a major

00:36:23.079 --> 00:36:24.039
 obstacle

00:36:24.039 --> 00:36:25.699
 that's why 15

00:36:25.699 --> 00:36:26.500
 years ago now

00:36:26.500 --> 00:36:27.780
 we began

00:36:27.780 --> 00:36:28.820
 collaborating with

00:36:28.820 --> 00:36:29.659
 our partners at

00:36:29.659 --> 00:36:30.400
 Lighthouse Christian

00:36:30.400 --> 00:36:31.500
 School in

00:36:31.500 --> 00:36:32.059
 Zambia

00:36:32.059 --> 00:36:33.320
 in 2006

00:36:33.320 --> 00:36:34.139
 we sponsored

00:36:34.139 --> 00:36:35.199
 just one classroom

00:36:35.199 --> 00:36:35.879
 of kindergarten

00:36:35.879 --> 00:36:36.480
 students

00:36:36.480 --> 00:36:37.519
 and then we

00:36:37.519 --> 00:36:38.359
 just grew the

00:36:38.359 --> 00:36:39.159
 school by adding

00:36:39.159 --> 00:36:40.079
 one new grade

00:36:40.079 --> 00:36:41.179
 each year to

00:36:41.179 --> 00:36:41.799
 the point that

00:36:41.799 --> 00:36:42.739
 today we have

00:36:42.739 --> 00:36:43.799
 children in grades

00:36:43.799 --> 00:36:44.579
 pre-k through

00:36:44.579 --> 00:36:45.879
 grade 7 at

00:36:45.879 --> 00:36:46.759
 Lighthouse serving

00:36:46.759 --> 00:36:47.839
 more than 300

00:36:47.839 --> 00:36:48.739
 students each and

00:36:48.739 --> 00:36:49.739
 every year to

00:36:49.739 --> 00:36:50.480
 receive quality

00:36:50.480 --> 00:36:51.419
 Christian education

00:36:51.419 --> 00:36:51.779
 there

00:36:51.779 --> 00:36:53.679
 we also partnered

00:36:53.679 --> 00:36:55.219
 with our partners

00:36:55.219 --> 00:36:56.019
 there to buy

00:36:56.019 --> 00:36:57.039
 land and develop

00:36:57.039 --> 00:36:57.839
 the campus through

00:36:57.839 --> 00:36:59.259
 the years as the

00:36:59.259 --> 00:37:00.059
 school has grown

00:37:00.059 --> 00:37:00.659
 so I think you're

00:37:00.659 --> 00:37:01.339
 looking at some

00:37:01.339 --> 00:37:02.500
 of the pictures of

00:37:02.500 --> 00:37:03.480
 the campus that we

00:37:03.480 --> 00:37:04.279
 have developed

00:37:04.280 --> 00:37:05.920
 over the years

00:37:05.920 --> 00:37:07.340
 we've been so

00:37:07.340 --> 00:37:08.080
 pleased with our

00:37:08.080 --> 00:37:09.180
 investment into the

00:37:09.180 --> 00:37:10.120
 students there at

00:37:10.120 --> 00:37:11.760
 Lighthouse that a

00:37:11.760 --> 00:37:12.560
 couple of years ago

00:37:12.560 --> 00:37:14.400
 in March 2019 we

00:37:14.400 --> 00:37:15.400
 broke ground on

00:37:15.400 --> 00:37:16.160
 Hope Community

00:37:16.160 --> 00:37:17.460
 Primary School in

00:37:17.460 --> 00:37:18.260
 western Uganda

00:37:18.260 --> 00:37:19.060
 where we have about

00:37:19.060 --> 00:37:19.940
 500 of our

00:37:19.940 --> 00:37:20.740
 sponsored children

00:37:20.740 --> 00:37:22.340
 and this was after

00:37:22.340 --> 00:37:23.300
 spending much of

00:37:23.300 --> 00:37:24.260
 oh first you're

00:37:24.260 --> 00:37:24.680
 looking at the

00:37:24.680 --> 00:37:25.500
 groundbreaking photo

00:37:25.500 --> 00:37:26.180
 that man with the

00:37:26.180 --> 00:37:26.800
 big smile on his

00:37:26.800 --> 00:37:27.740
 face on the far

00:37:27.740 --> 00:37:29.000
 right is Moses

00:37:29.000 --> 00:37:30.240
 Nkwatsibwe he's the

00:37:30.240 --> 00:37:31.180
 pastor of our

00:37:31.180 --> 00:37:32.200
 partner church there

00:37:32.199 --> 00:37:35.339
 and we have had

00:37:35.339 --> 00:37:36.480
 so much joy in

00:37:36.480 --> 00:37:37.699
 developing this

00:37:37.699 --> 00:37:38.519
 school project with

00:37:38.519 --> 00:37:39.319
 them I think you've

00:37:39.319 --> 00:37:40.819
 got a slide of our

00:37:40.819 --> 00:37:42.279
 this is the site plan

00:37:42.279 --> 00:37:43.259
 that Lord willing we

00:37:43.259 --> 00:37:44.419
 will phase in over a

00:37:44.419 --> 00:37:45.879
 period of years and

00:37:45.879 --> 00:37:47.399
 by God's grace we

00:37:47.399 --> 00:37:48.139
 were we've been able

00:37:48.139 --> 00:37:50.259
 to complete phase one

00:37:50.259 --> 00:37:51.239
 very quickly and so

00:37:51.239 --> 00:37:51.739
 you can get an

00:37:51.739 --> 00:37:52.739
 overhead view by the

00:37:52.739 --> 00:37:53.500
 way you can rent a

00:37:53.500 --> 00:37:54.179
 drone in western

00:37:54.179 --> 00:37:55.919
 Africa or western

00:37:55.919 --> 00:37:57.699
 Uganda so the next

00:37:57.699 --> 00:37:58.460
 photo will show you

00:37:58.460 --> 00:37:59.299
 the progress we've

00:37:59.299 --> 00:38:01.119
 made on that campus

00:38:01.119 --> 00:38:03.319
 thus far and we

00:38:03.319 --> 00:38:04.559
 had the joy of

00:38:04.559 --> 00:38:05.639
 opening that school

00:38:05.639 --> 00:38:06.920
 in February 2020

00:38:06.920 --> 00:38:08.920
 for about 90

00:38:08.920 --> 00:38:09.679
 students in grades

00:38:09.679 --> 00:38:10.759
 pre-k through grade

00:38:10.759 --> 00:38:14.139
 one and we plan to

00:38:14.139 --> 00:38:15.400
 add a new grade each

00:38:15.400 --> 00:38:16.440
 each year just as

00:38:16.440 --> 00:38:17.239
 we've done at

00:38:17.239 --> 00:38:18.400
 lighthouse in Zambia

00:38:18.400 --> 00:38:19.739
 and continue to grow

00:38:19.739 --> 00:38:20.719
 that school so that

00:38:20.719 --> 00:38:22.319
 by 2026 Lord willing

00:38:22.319 --> 00:38:23.079
 we'll be doing the

00:38:23.079 --> 00:38:23.779
 same thing grades

00:38:23.779 --> 00:38:25.000
 pre-k through grade

00:38:25.000 --> 00:38:25.779
 seven we'll have

00:38:25.779 --> 00:38:26.599
 hundreds of students

00:38:26.599 --> 00:38:27.619
 that will were able

00:38:27.619 --> 00:38:29.579
 to serve in this

00:38:29.579 --> 00:38:30.659
 severely underserved

00:38:30.659 --> 00:38:33.000
 region of Uganda by

00:38:33.000 --> 00:38:34.980
 that year now our

00:38:34.980 --> 00:38:36.199
 sponsorship program

00:38:36.199 --> 00:38:38.539
 carries the children

00:38:38.539 --> 00:38:40.799
 through grade 12 or

00:38:40.799 --> 00:38:42.079
 the basic vocational

00:38:42.079 --> 00:38:44.460
 school equivalent but

00:38:44.460 --> 00:38:45.319
 in recent years we

00:38:45.319 --> 00:38:46.159
 have also established

00:38:46.159 --> 00:38:46.799
 what we call the

00:38:46.799 --> 00:38:47.920
 Mapalo Scholarship

00:38:47.920 --> 00:38:48.719
 Fund for Higher

00:38:48.719 --> 00:38:50.619
 Education this is for

00:38:50.619 --> 00:38:51.519
 graduates of our

00:38:51.519 --> 00:38:52.659
 sponsorship program so

00:38:52.659 --> 00:38:53.319
 if they're able to

00:38:53.319 --> 00:38:54.579
 graduate from grade 12

00:38:54.579 --> 00:38:56.079
 and they are eligible to

00:38:56.079 --> 00:38:56.879
 continue on for

00:38:56.879 --> 00:38:57.859
 university studies

00:38:57.859 --> 00:38:59.019
 they're also eligible to

00:38:59.019 --> 00:39:00.639
 apply for a scholarship

00:39:00.639 --> 00:39:01.559
 through our Mapalo

00:39:01.559 --> 00:39:02.960
 Fund Mapalo means

00:39:02.960 --> 00:39:04.179
 blessing and it sort

00:39:04.179 --> 00:39:05.119
 of provides the blessing

00:39:05.119 --> 00:39:07.579
 of continuing studies for

00:39:07.579 --> 00:39:08.940
 those students who are

00:39:08.940 --> 00:39:10.940
 eligible well one of our

00:39:10.940 --> 00:39:12.619
 current Mapalo scholars is

00:39:12.619 --> 00:39:14.059
 a young man named Michael

00:39:14.059 --> 00:39:15.579
 Nkata and I think we got a

00:39:15.579 --> 00:39:16.659
 photo of Michael circa

00:39:16.659 --> 00:39:18.179
 2008 when he was first

00:39:18.179 --> 00:39:19.759
 enrolled in our program

00:39:19.759 --> 00:39:21.239
 lost both of his parents

00:39:21.239 --> 00:39:23.400
 raised by his aunt near the

00:39:23.400 --> 00:39:25.259
 school and from the time he

00:39:25.259 --> 00:39:26.320
 was enrolled at Lighthouse

00:39:26.320 --> 00:39:27.280
 Christian school he was

00:39:27.280 --> 00:39:28.400
 just a standout student

00:39:28.400 --> 00:39:29.960
 the teachers were keeping

00:39:29.960 --> 00:39:31.440
 their eye on him through

00:39:31.440 --> 00:39:33.100
 the years well fast forward

00:39:33.100 --> 00:39:34.220
 to today he's now a

00:39:34.220 --> 00:39:35.820
 pre-med student at the

00:39:35.820 --> 00:39:37.500
 University of Zambia on a

00:39:37.500 --> 00:39:38.680
 combined government and

00:39:38.680 --> 00:39:40.039
 Mapalo scholarship so he

00:39:40.039 --> 00:39:42.539
 earned a 75% scholarship

00:39:42.539 --> 00:39:43.240
 through a government

00:39:43.240 --> 00:39:44.460
 scholarship program and

00:39:44.460 --> 00:39:45.700
 then we were just topping

00:39:45.700 --> 00:39:48.160
 up the final 25% to send

00:39:48.160 --> 00:39:49.340
 him on a full scholarship to

00:39:49.340 --> 00:39:51.559
 the University of Zambia in

00:39:51.559 --> 00:39:53.039
 his Mapalo application

00:39:53.039 --> 00:39:54.880
 Michael described his desire

00:39:54.880 --> 00:39:56.820
 to become a doctor and his

00:39:56.820 --> 00:39:58.000
 desire to serve the

00:39:58.000 --> 00:40:00.280
 underserved as a doctor in

00:40:00.280 --> 00:40:01.880
 the following way he said

00:40:01.880 --> 00:40:03.920
 quote being an orphan and

00:40:03.920 --> 00:40:05.519
 being raised in a community

00:40:05.519 --> 00:40:06.820
 of people with low social

00:40:06.820 --> 00:40:09.240
 status has made me want to

00:40:09.240 --> 00:40:10.660
 study hard and be one person

00:40:10.660 --> 00:40:11.720
 who came from such a

00:40:11.720 --> 00:40:13.000
 background and still made it

00:40:13.000 --> 00:40:14.820
 in life and be able to give

00:40:14.820 --> 00:40:17.180
 hope to people where hope has

00:40:17.180 --> 00:40:19.740
 died and I just remember when

00:40:19.740 --> 00:40:21.380
 I was have the pleasure of

00:40:21.380 --> 00:40:23.200
 reading these Mapalo

00:40:23.199 --> 00:40:24.679
 applications as they come in

00:40:24.679 --> 00:40:25.759
 and just being part of the

00:40:25.759 --> 00:40:28.339
 decision process and I

00:40:28.339 --> 00:40:30.019
 remember reading that

00:40:30.019 --> 00:40:31.239
 statement in Michael's

00:40:31.239 --> 00:40:33.059
 application and just being

00:40:33.059 --> 00:40:34.019
 struck with the fact that

00:40:34.019 --> 00:40:35.819
 you know Michael is able to

00:40:35.819 --> 00:40:37.639
 pursue that dream today

00:40:37.639 --> 00:40:39.039
 because somebody gave him

00:40:39.039 --> 00:40:41.679
 hope where his hope might

00:40:41.679 --> 00:40:43.679
 have died because someone

00:40:43.679 --> 00:40:45.239
 gave to him when there was

00:40:45.239 --> 00:40:47.299
 nothing he could do to repay

00:40:47.299 --> 00:40:49.259
 them and all of this in

00:40:49.259 --> 00:40:51.399
 response to Christ who came

00:40:51.400 --> 00:40:53.039
 to us when there was

00:40:53.039 --> 00:40:55.160
 nothing we could do to pay

00:40:55.160 --> 00:40:57.300
 him back well there are

00:40:57.300 --> 00:40:58.539
 many ways that we can

00:40:58.539 --> 00:40:59.700
 respond to this this

00:40:59.700 --> 00:41:01.820
 exhortation from Jesus in

00:41:01.820 --> 00:41:03.340
 Luke chapter 14 and I'm

00:41:03.340 --> 00:41:04.300
 certainly not here this

00:41:04.300 --> 00:41:05.260
 morning to say that

00:41:05.260 --> 00:41:06.720
 covenant mercies is the

00:41:06.720 --> 00:41:08.200
 only way to respond but I

00:41:08.200 --> 00:41:09.880
 do want to invite you to

00:41:09.880 --> 00:41:11.220
 consider whether you might

00:41:11.220 --> 00:41:13.019
 want to join hands with us in

00:41:13.019 --> 00:41:14.539
 a few different ways first of

00:41:14.539 --> 00:41:15.559
 all your sponsorship of

00:41:15.559 --> 00:41:17.780
 children is what enables our

00:41:17.780 --> 00:41:18.920
 partners on the ground like

00:41:18.920 --> 00:41:20.760
 pastor Moses there like Helena

00:41:20.760 --> 00:41:23.900
 and others to you mobilize

00:41:23.900 --> 00:41:25.880
 them as a sponsor to go and

00:41:25.880 --> 00:41:27.440
 and serve in our children's

00:41:27.440 --> 00:41:28.519
 lives and to build that

00:41:28.519 --> 00:41:30.519
 bridge for the gospel into

00:41:30.519 --> 00:41:31.500
 their lives and even the

00:41:31.500 --> 00:41:33.539
 lives of their families so we

00:41:33.539 --> 00:41:36.700
 have a table in the reception

00:41:36.700 --> 00:41:38.000
 area over here where we'll be

00:41:38.000 --> 00:41:39.539
 hanging out afterwards and

00:41:39.539 --> 00:41:41.360
 there are profiles of children

00:41:41.360 --> 00:41:42.680
 who are awaiting sponsors if

00:41:42.680 --> 00:41:43.480
 you'd want to consider

00:41:43.480 --> 00:41:45.099
 sponsoring children I'd be happy

00:41:45.099 --> 00:41:46.340
 to answer any questions that

00:41:46.340 --> 00:41:48.660
 you may have about that the

00:41:48.660 --> 00:41:49.840
 schools that we're developing

00:41:49.840 --> 00:41:51.980
 are we raise funds separately

00:41:51.980 --> 00:41:53.500
 for those schools so we don't

00:41:53.500 --> 00:41:55.160
 utilize the sponsorship funds

00:41:55.160 --> 00:41:57.240
 sponsors give $39 a month and

00:41:57.240 --> 00:41:58.519
 that's a direct investment into

00:41:58.519 --> 00:42:00.600
 the life of that child but we

00:42:00.600 --> 00:42:01.860
 raise funds in other ways to

00:42:01.860 --> 00:42:04.000
 develop those schools and then

00:42:04.000 --> 00:42:05.539
 Lord willing years down the

00:42:05.539 --> 00:42:07.320
 road we will have more of those

00:42:07.320 --> 00:42:08.500
 students who are eligible to

00:42:08.500 --> 00:42:10.180
 continue on for higher higher

00:42:10.180 --> 00:42:11.820
 education studies and so we are

00:42:11.820 --> 00:42:13.860
 building them Apollo fund today

00:42:13.860 --> 00:42:16.860
 with that future day in mind in

00:42:17.400 --> 00:42:18.780
 the end we trust that these

00:42:18.780 --> 00:42:19.940
 young people will become

00:42:19.940 --> 00:42:21.760
 influencers in their home

00:42:21.760 --> 00:42:23.220
 communities influencers in

00:42:23.220 --> 00:42:24.099
 their families in their

00:42:24.099 --> 00:42:25.720
 churches in their communities

00:42:25.720 --> 00:42:27.240
 and those ripple effects that

00:42:27.240 --> 00:42:28.599
 we were kind of dreaming out loud

00:42:28.599 --> 00:42:30.940
 about earlier will take shape

00:42:30.940 --> 00:42:33.620
 through their lives well again I

00:42:33.620 --> 00:42:35.860
 hope you'll stop by the table and

00:42:35.860 --> 00:42:38.039
 consider perhaps sponsoring

00:42:38.039 --> 00:42:39.300
 children we are I didn't even

00:42:39.300 --> 00:42:41.200
 mention we're up to almost 1600

00:42:41.199 --> 00:42:43.419
 sponsored children in those three

00:42:43.419 --> 00:42:46.199
 different countries in fact you'd

00:42:46.859 --> 00:42:48.339
 send me home a very happy man if

00:42:48.339 --> 00:42:49.719
 the 16 kids in there were

00:42:49.719 --> 00:42:51.500
 sponsored and that would push us

00:42:51.500 --> 00:42:53.279
 over 1600 but those are just

00:42:53.279 --> 00:42:56.759
 numbers please we also have some

00:42:56.759 --> 00:42:58.539
 as I mentioned you know we raise

00:42:58.539 --> 00:42:59.779
 funds in other ways for those

00:42:59.779 --> 00:43:00.960
 school projects and different

00:43:00.960 --> 00:43:02.939
 things that we invest funds in

00:43:02.939 --> 00:43:04.799
 outside of sponsorship so we have

00:43:04.799 --> 00:43:06.779
 some merchandise I've got these

00:43:06.779 --> 00:43:08.919
 beautiful do justice love mercy

00:43:08.920 --> 00:43:12.360
 Micah 6 8 t-shirts that that we

00:43:12.360 --> 00:43:14.519
 sell for all the extra small

00:43:14.519 --> 00:43:15.880
 through extra large people on your

00:43:15.880 --> 00:43:18.920
 Christmas list also have these

00:43:18.920 --> 00:43:20.820
 beautiful true Africa photo books

00:43:20.820 --> 00:43:22.740
 dear friend of mine traveled with

00:43:22.740 --> 00:43:24.619
 me several times to all the

00:43:24.619 --> 00:43:26.480
 African nations where we serve and

00:43:26.480 --> 00:43:28.220
 he's just you can we've got one

00:43:28.220 --> 00:43:29.619
 there you can leave through it's a

00:43:29.619 --> 00:43:30.760
 little pricier but you could

00:43:30.760 --> 00:43:33.559
 consider that as well as a gift for

00:43:33.559 --> 00:43:35.740
 someone perhaps and also a gift for

00:43:35.739 --> 00:43:39.559
 us as a ministry regardless of

00:43:39.559 --> 00:43:41.279
 whether you decide to join hands

00:43:41.279 --> 00:43:43.000
 with covenant mercies specifically

00:43:43.000 --> 00:43:46.259
 today may we all grow even this

00:43:46.259 --> 00:43:49.159
 Advent season may we all grow in

00:43:49.159 --> 00:43:51.779
 this generosity that Jesus commends

00:43:51.779 --> 00:43:54.079
 to us may we grow to be disciples

00:43:54.079 --> 00:43:55.959
 who take selfless Christ-like

00:43:55.959 --> 00:43:57.919
 initiative toward those who could do

00:43:57.919 --> 00:44:00.939
 nothing to repay us knowing knowing

00:44:00.939 --> 00:44:02.679
 with the confidence of faith that we

00:44:02.679 --> 00:44:05.000
 will be repaid at the resurrection of

00:44:05.000 --> 00:44:06.380
 the just amen