WEBVTT

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 Father, thank you for your word.

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 Thank you, Father, that your word is a letter directed to us,

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 that you want to speak to us and tell us your heart.

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 Tell us who we really are.

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 Tell us the hope that we have in you.

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 Father, we thank you that you speak, that you speak in a powerful way.

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 And we ask that your Holy Spirit would move mightily within us

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 so that your word might enter into us

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 and that in our day-to-day lives, in our dealings with people,

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 we will bear fruit that brings you glory.

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 And this we ask in Jesus' name, your Son and our Savior. Amen.

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 Please be seated.

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 So, money and God and you and me.

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 Now that I've got your attention.

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 You know, one of the great fears in our culture is that churches just go on and on and on and on and on about money.

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 And the fact of the matter is that there are some churches that go on and on and on and on about money.

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 I can just tell you from experience that most pastors are terrified about talking about money.

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 And in fact, I would say that in general, Anglicans are amongst the most terrified to talk about money.

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 And I have to confess, I have...

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 I'm not afraid of talking about money.

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 I'm getting old and grumpy and cranky and all that type of stuff.

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 So, I don't know.

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 You just talk about money and people unhappy.

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 There you go.

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 That's life.

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 You know.

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 Anyway, why am I a bit shy about talking about money?

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 Because I'm a Canadian, eh?

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 And originally, how we pick sermon topics here, if you're a guest this morning, what we do is we preach through books of the Bible.

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 That's what we do.

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 I'll often ask the congregation to pray as I try to pick the next book that we're going to study together.

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 And so I pick that we're going to do 2 Corinthians.

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 And I divide it up into 19 bits.

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 And I look at the different weeks.

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 And I know that chapter 8 and 9 of 2 Corinthians is going to talk about money.

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 But the way it was originally divided up, because next Sunday and the Sunday after and then Christmas, I do sort of Christmassy Advent sermons.

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 So originally, I was actually going to be talking about money in the first three Sundays of January.

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 I mean, the 8th and on.

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 And I was actually pretty happy about that, because I thought, you know, this is a nice, shy, self-effacing way of talking about money.

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 You're not obviously just trying to talk about money to get the money in at the end of the year.

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 But then, the bishop didn't want to preach.

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 So I preached.

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 And this is the first fall in about five years we haven't had a guest speaker in the fall.

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 So last week, I talked about money.

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 It got moved forward.

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 And this week, I talked about money as well.

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 Because 2 Corinthians chapter 8 and 9 is the longest sustained treatment of money in the Bible.

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 And so, we're going to talk about money.

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 And so here, if you're a guest here this morning, and especially if you, mainly, especially if you haven't given your life to Jesus,

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 this is my opportunity to tell you that if you read 2 Corinthians 8 and 9, what God wants to say to you,

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 as you're trying to figure out, I mean, maybe you got dragged here with a friend, maybe you're a seeker,

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 maybe you've been here for quite a few weeks just trying to figure out what you believe.

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 But the Bible is pretty clear that if you haven't given your life to Jesus, God is actually pretty happy if you don't put any money in the plate

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 or make any donation to this or any other church.

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 So, what we're going to do today then, if you're here in that state, this is a perfect chance to pretend the year is 1886.

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 And unlike 1886, where it would have just been a men's club, you've gone back to some adventurers club and you're an anthropologist.

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 And, you know, the sherry is out, the cigars are out, and an anthropologist is going to report on this strange tribe,

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 smoke the cigar, and how they think about money.

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 And you're that anthropologist, you're getting to sit back there with your sherry and your cigar,

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 listening to how this strange tribe called Christians talk about money.

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 That's the attitude you can have this morning, because we're just going to listen to not what churches do, but what the Bible says.

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 So, if you have your Bibles, turn in them to 2 Corinthians chapter 8, beginning at verse 9.

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 If you don't have a Bible with you, you can go get one here, or you can use the YouVersion app on your phone.

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 And if you go to events, you actually have the sermon notes there now with events this Sunday as well.

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 So, let's read the Bible together.

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 2 Corinthians chapter 8, verses 9.

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 We'll start reading at verse 9.

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 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor,

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 so that you, by his poverty, might become rich.

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 And in this matter, I give my judgment.

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 This benefits you, who a year ago started not only to do this work, but also to desire to do it.

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 So now finish doing it as well, so that your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what you have.

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 And so just want to pause here for a second.

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 And it's very, very interesting that this long section, as I said, it's the longest section in the Bible that talks about money.

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 And it's really interesting.

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 Most of the other places in the Bible, not all of them, but most of the other places that talk about money in the Bible,

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 it's often done, it's not maybe always obvious immediately if you just read it superficially,

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 but it's often done within the context of discussing idolatry.

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 And the great problem that money can have in many of our lives of becoming a type of idol that justifies us,

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 that gives our lives meaning, that just guides, directs, grounds, gives the narrative by which we understand our lives.

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 And money has this great power to do that.

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 And usually in the Bible, when it talks about money, it's dealing with that power of money as an idol.

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 But chapter 8 and 9, it doesn't mention idolatry at all.

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 It's all a discussion around money, all connected to the grace of God.

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 It's very, very interesting.

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 In fact, from a literary level, verse 9, the first verse that I read,

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 that actually casts its light of understanding to the eight verses prior,

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 and to the, I don't know what it is, like 25 verses or something like that,

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 or 35 verses that come afterwards.

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 It's all sort of understood from this perspective of verse 9.

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 So if you could put verse 9 up, could you just all say this with me together?

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 Because if nothing else, this is such a beautiful verse.

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 I'm going to explain it a little bit more in a moment.

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 Such a beautiful verse.

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 It's a really good verse to memorize.

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 Can you say it with me?

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 So just before I explain that, here's the first point.

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 If you could put it up.

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 God's grace is real and shapes me to accomplish things in the real world.

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 God's grace is real and shapes me to accomplish things in the real world.

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 One of the things which is very powerful in our culture is that spirituality and religion should just be private.

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 It's about, you know, that's why in our culture, if somebody was to tell me they have this particular belief in native spirituality,

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 like at a party or something like that,

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 or some type of spells or something that they do or some little type of ritual,

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 if I was to start to actually go after them on that and say,

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 well, how on earth can you believe that stuff?

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 Like what, you actually believe the earth is like on a turtle or something like that?

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 Or that, I don't know, like a fish spit you out and that's how the entire universe came to be?

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 Or like, how on earth can you believe in spells?

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 Like if I was to go after somebody at a party like that in Canada, everybody would hate me.

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 Right?

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 Because in Canada, spirituality and religion is supposed to be private.

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 And, you know, and it's just something, if it gives you a sense of hope and gives you a sense of meaning,

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 and if it doesn't bother anybody, then it's fine.

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 That is a good thing, you know?

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 And people don't actually want to ask the question about things like spirituality and religion.

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 They don't want to ask the truth question.

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 They don't want to say, is this possibly true?

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 In the same way that mathematics is true?

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 Or in the same way that you would say Sir John A. MacDonald was the first prime minister of Canada being true?

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 In the way that lawyers try to explain and try to understand what really happened in the case.

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 And that whole question of truth is a very, Canadians don't like to ask that question whatsoever.

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 And so religion and spirituality is to be very, very private.

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 It's just to be very, very personal.

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 And we get frightened.

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 Canadians get very frightened with the idea that religion might have some type of public impact.

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 Sharia law.

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 It's very frightening to a lot of Canadians that there might be a way of understanding religion and spirituality

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 that has such a bad impact on how we live.

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 And it's in that context, it's very hard for us to grasp that the Christian faith is at the very, very center making a truth claim.

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 Like when we hear,

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 It's not just that the Bible is giving us an interesting story or an interesting idea.

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 It's not telling us that we should try to feel something.

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 It's actually making it a very big truth claim.

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 And if that big truth claim is true, if it's false, then you shouldn't have anything to do with Christianity.

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 Paul actually says that in his first letter to Corinth in 1 Corinthians 15,

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 where he connects the Christian faith as being all rising and falling on the death and resurrection of Jesus.

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 And he says,

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 If Jesus didn't really die on the cross and really taste all there is to taste of death,

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 and didn't really, on the third day, defeat death and that which causes death,

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 and rise so that death no longer has a hold of him.

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 If that didn't really happen, then you guys are really wasting your time.

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 And in fact, you know what?

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 We should just go and have some good food and some good wine and have a good time

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 and just don't bother with all this stuff.

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 So at the heart of this wonderful sounding verse is this very, very big truth claim

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 that if it's not true, you should ignore it.

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 We should all leave.

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 We should all leave.

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 And Tim Hortons fans and McDonald's fans and Starbucks fans,

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 we all divide into our different tribes and just go have a good time and move on.

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 But if it's true, it affects how we understand economics.

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 It affects how we understand politics.

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 It affects how we understand literature and communication and social work

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 and even physics and biology and geology.

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 It's something that if this is true, it has to affect the real world

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 and how we think about the real world and how we live in the real world.

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 Because when it says,

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 For the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, for you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,

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 that though he was rich, what it's saying is that God, the Son of God,

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 the second purse of Trinity, that before there was Jesus, that God, the Son of God,

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 not reincarnation, but that God, the Son of God,

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 lived in heaven with heaven's glory and heaven's splendor

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 and his unbroken relationship and fellowship with the Father.

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 And that he looked down at the earth and human beings were in rebellion against God.

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 Human beings weren't all organizing petitions saying,

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 God, please come and save us.

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 No, human beings, we loved our idols.

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 We loved having God at a distance.

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 We loved doing what we wanted to do.

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 We loved that our king was a God or our queen was a God.

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 We loved these things.

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 But God, the Son of God, looking down at human need

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 and seeing that even though we seem to be both happy and sad,

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 we were in effect deeply poor and that we were going to die

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 and we were separate from God and we would be eternally separate from God

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 and we could not save or help ourselves.

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 And God, the Son of God, in his honor, in his glory,

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 in the riches and splendor and protection and safety of heaven,

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 out of love for us, you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,

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 that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor.

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 And the text is saying that God, the Son of God,

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 takes upon, without stopping being God,

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 he sets aside his appearance as God,

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 his powers as God, his prerogatives as God,

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 his environment as God.

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 He sets all of these things aside, but he doesn't stop being God.

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 He, in a sense, empties himself of all of that,

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 strips himself of all of that,

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 and takes into himself our human nature.

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 And he's born in the womb of a poor Jewish,

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 low-income Jewish girl in an unimportant part of a large empire,

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 not ruled by Jews but by Romans.

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 And Mary was neither Roman, the powerful group,

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 nor did she even part of the linguistic group,

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 which was Greek, which was how most people spoke.

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 And Jesus goes through, I mean, his conception is miraculous,

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 an act of creation by God.

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 But he lives a lower working class life in obscurity.

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 He lives a normal life.

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 And then he has a three-year teaching ministry

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 where many start to think very highly of him,

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 and many hate him.

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 And eventually, the political and educational and legal

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 and cultural and religious and spiritual establishments

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 combine to have him put to death for their good.

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 And many people agreed with it.

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 And you can't be poorer than dead.

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 And so this Bible text is saying this,

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 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,

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 that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor,

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 so that you, by his poverty, might become rich.

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 That God does this spectacular, powerful act.

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 And that's why miracles are so important to the Christian faith.

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 It's the miracles.

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 You know, Jesus says,

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 Is it easy?

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 Is it easy?

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 You know, only God can forgive sins.

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 I've just forgiven that person's sins.

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 Well, to show you that I have the authority to give you people sins,

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 I'm going to heal this guy.

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 And he heals them.

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 And he tells people time and time and time again,

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 I came to die upon the cross.

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 I'm going to go to Jerusalem.

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 There's going to be a time I go to Jerusalem.

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 They're going to capture me.

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 I'm going to let that all happen.

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 I came for this very purpose.

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 I'm going to be denied by people.

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 I came for this very purpose.

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 I'm going to become even poorer.

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 I came for this very purpose.

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 I am going to die upon the cross.

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 I came for this purpose.

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 I'm going to die upon the cross,

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 bearing all human rebellion and sin

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 and all the punishment that that deserves.

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 And I came to die upon the cross for that very purpose.

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 And I will die as the Lamb of God

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 who takes away the sin of the world.

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 And then on the third day,

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 I will rise triumphant over sin and death.

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 And the resurrection of Jesus,

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 all of that's in history.

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 His teaching in history.

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 His words recorded in history.

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 His miracles in history.

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 His death in history.

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 The empty tomb in history.

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 The resurrection appearances in history.

00:16:26.960 --> 00:16:29.620
 It's real in the real world.

00:16:29.620 --> 00:16:36.919
 And now, for those of you who know the first law of thermodynamics,

00:16:37.980 --> 00:16:40.139
 when it says that there's basically,

00:16:40.279 --> 00:16:41.940
 there's no energy created or whatever,

00:16:42.159 --> 00:16:42.580
 there's always,

00:16:42.740 --> 00:16:45.519
 the amount of energy in a closed system is always the same.

00:16:46.399 --> 00:16:48.620
 You have to remember that it says a closed system.

00:16:51.019 --> 00:16:52.740
 Creation is not a closed system.

00:16:52.860 --> 00:16:53.460
 God acts.

00:16:53.460 --> 00:16:56.920
 When you're looking at human origins,

00:16:57.259 --> 00:16:58.879
 when you're looking at about gender,

00:16:59.040 --> 00:16:59.920
 about sexuality,

00:17:00.100 --> 00:17:01.019
 all of a sudden now,

00:17:01.420 --> 00:17:03.460
 God who has acted in real time,

00:17:03.600 --> 00:17:04.579
 in real history,

00:17:04.759 --> 00:17:05.420
 it's real.

00:17:06.900 --> 00:17:09.480
 And it's going to affect how we think about men and women.

00:17:09.819 --> 00:17:11.340
 And how we think about science.

00:17:13.400 --> 00:17:14.940
 And that's what God's intended.

00:17:16.220 --> 00:17:17.940
 And so what the text is saying here

00:17:17.940 --> 00:17:19.259
 is that God's grace is real

00:17:19.259 --> 00:17:22.500
 and it shapes me to accomplish things in the real world.

00:17:22.940 --> 00:17:24.180
 That's why there's going to be,

00:17:24.519 --> 00:17:25.740
 it's going to have an impact

00:17:25.740 --> 00:17:28.740
 on my financial generosity,

00:17:28.740 --> 00:17:29.759
 on money.

00:17:30.099 --> 00:17:31.279
 Because money is real.

00:17:33.299 --> 00:17:34.279
 For some of us,

00:17:34.359 --> 00:17:35.319
 it's way too real.

00:17:35.519 --> 00:17:36.400
 It's way too big.

00:17:36.480 --> 00:17:37.920
 But the text isn't talking about that.

00:17:38.039 --> 00:17:38.379
 It's saying,

00:17:39.180 --> 00:17:39.700
 I just want,

00:17:40.160 --> 00:17:41.200
 Paul is saying,

00:17:41.579 --> 00:17:43.359
 be gripped by this truth.

00:17:44.619 --> 00:17:45.720
 Think about this.

00:17:45.720 --> 00:17:49.980
 God himself does something in the real world.

00:17:51.180 --> 00:17:53.319
 And as grace comes into your life,

00:17:53.380 --> 00:17:56.819
 it's going to mean you do things in the real world

00:17:56.819 --> 00:18:00.980
 that are shaped and pulled and molded and grounded by grace.

00:18:01.640 --> 00:18:03.079
 And that's why in the text,

00:18:03.279 --> 00:18:04.360
 if you go back to the text

00:18:04.360 --> 00:18:05.920
 and look at what it says in verse 10.

00:18:07.019 --> 00:18:08.059
 And in this matter,

00:18:08.319 --> 00:18:09.940
 this is the matter of giving money

00:18:09.940 --> 00:18:13.180
 to help Jewish Christians in Jerusalem.

00:18:13.180 --> 00:18:15.340
 And he's writing to a group of non-Jews,

00:18:15.420 --> 00:18:16.600
 primarily in Greece.

00:18:17.279 --> 00:18:18.860
 And he's saying in verse 10,

00:18:19.279 --> 00:18:20.019
 and in this matter,

00:18:20.120 --> 00:18:21.100
 I give my judgment.

00:18:21.299 --> 00:18:22.320
 This benefits you.

00:18:22.539 --> 00:18:24.160
 That's a hard thing for us to understand.

00:18:24.259 --> 00:18:25.279
 It's not part of this sermon.

00:18:25.400 --> 00:18:26.560
 But Jesus says it's better,

00:18:26.680 --> 00:18:28.500
 it's more blessed to give than to receive.

00:18:29.340 --> 00:18:30.440
 And if that's true,

00:18:30.580 --> 00:18:32.140
 then giving is actually,

00:18:32.360 --> 00:18:33.299
 if this is true,

00:18:33.400 --> 00:18:33.860
 if Jesus,

00:18:34.039 --> 00:18:34.840
 if it's true

00:18:34.840 --> 00:18:37.560
 that generosity benefits us,

00:18:37.779 --> 00:18:39.240
 then bumper stickers that say,

00:18:39.400 --> 00:18:41.460
 he who dies with the most toys wins

00:18:41.460 --> 00:18:44.539
 is the dumbest possible bumper sticker.

00:18:44.660 --> 00:18:45.620
 It's even dumber,

00:18:46.140 --> 00:18:46.620
 it's not dumber,

00:18:46.720 --> 00:18:47.819
 the bumper sticker that says,

00:18:47.960 --> 00:18:50.319
 I stop for elves and fairies

00:18:50.319 --> 00:18:50.720
 and, you know,

00:18:50.779 --> 00:18:52.360
 a whole pile of other imaginary creatures

00:18:52.360 --> 00:18:54.360
 that nobody sees except myself,

00:18:54.579 --> 00:18:55.380
 that's cute.

00:18:56.620 --> 00:18:58.600
 And it's sort of humorous.

00:18:59.259 --> 00:19:01.120
 But it's not humorous when it says,

00:19:01.460 --> 00:19:03.240
 the person who dies with the most toys wins.

00:19:04.920 --> 00:19:07.079
 It's about the generosity,

00:19:07.079 --> 00:19:09.339
 giving is the highest form of living.

00:19:11.439 --> 00:19:11.619
 Anyway,

00:19:11.879 --> 00:19:12.759
 but here it is,

00:19:12.899 --> 00:19:13.220
 verse 10,

00:19:13.319 --> 00:19:13.839
 in this matter,

00:19:13.919 --> 00:19:14.639
 I give my judgment,

00:19:14.779 --> 00:19:15.500
 this benefits you

00:19:15.500 --> 00:19:16.480
 who a year ago started

00:19:16.480 --> 00:19:18.019
 not only to do this work,

00:19:18.339 --> 00:19:20.079
 but also to desire to do it.

00:19:20.139 --> 00:19:23.000
 So now finish doing it as well

00:19:23.000 --> 00:19:24.639
 so that your readiness

00:19:24.639 --> 00:19:25.899
 in desiring it

00:19:25.899 --> 00:19:26.980
 may be matched

00:19:26.980 --> 00:19:28.519
 by your completing it

00:19:28.519 --> 00:19:31.019
 out of what you have.

00:19:32.439 --> 00:19:35.119
 So that's the first big thing here,

00:19:35.119 --> 00:19:36.279
 that God's grace is real

00:19:36.279 --> 00:19:37.219
 and shapes me

00:19:37.219 --> 00:19:38.179
 to accomplish things

00:19:38.179 --> 00:19:38.959
 in the real world.

00:19:39.259 --> 00:19:40.619
 And that's going to affect our money.

00:19:41.479 --> 00:19:42.539
 Now, for some people,

00:19:42.859 --> 00:19:44.579
 what I've just described

00:19:44.579 --> 00:19:45.959
 is deeply frightening.

00:19:47.099 --> 00:19:48.239
 And if we're honest,

00:19:48.579 --> 00:19:49.679
 there have been times in our lives,

00:19:49.759 --> 00:19:50.799
 maybe for us right now,

00:19:50.859 --> 00:19:52.379
 that it's a deeply frightening thing.

00:19:53.979 --> 00:19:56.059
 It's a very, very different thing

00:19:56.059 --> 00:19:57.239
 to think that basically

00:19:57.239 --> 00:19:58.019
 at the end of the day,

00:19:58.159 --> 00:19:58.759
 fundamentally,

00:19:59.719 --> 00:20:01.199
 that religion and spirituality

00:20:01.199 --> 00:20:03.099
 is about having a sense of peace,

00:20:03.199 --> 00:20:04.339
 having a sense of order,

00:20:04.339 --> 00:20:06.720
 having a sense of wholeness,

00:20:06.859 --> 00:20:08.480
 having a bit of a sense of purpose,

00:20:09.199 --> 00:20:10.379
 and maybe helping you

00:20:10.379 --> 00:20:11.439
 do a little bit of good things

00:20:11.439 --> 00:20:12.279
 for other people,

00:20:12.459 --> 00:20:14.139
 and it helps you to be more calm.

00:20:14.619 --> 00:20:15.439
 And all of these things

00:20:15.439 --> 00:20:16.339
 are very, very good.

00:20:16.539 --> 00:20:17.539
 But it's really still

00:20:17.539 --> 00:20:19.240
 all primarily about me, right?

00:20:19.879 --> 00:20:21.039
 And now all of a sudden

00:20:21.039 --> 00:20:22.619
 to talk about a real God

00:20:22.619 --> 00:20:25.139
 who really, in a sense,

00:20:25.339 --> 00:20:27.980
 invades, without human permission,

00:20:27.980 --> 00:20:30.799
 invades our world,

00:20:31.440 --> 00:20:35.940
 and acts on his own terms

00:20:35.940 --> 00:20:37.420
 in our world,

00:20:38.240 --> 00:20:40.120
 a real God

00:20:40.120 --> 00:20:42.460
 who really comes

00:20:42.460 --> 00:20:44.799
 and really acts

00:20:44.799 --> 00:20:46.940
 is very frightening.

00:20:47.940 --> 00:20:50.099
 It's very, very frightening.

00:20:51.220 --> 00:20:52.980
 He's really big.

00:20:52.980 --> 00:20:54.759
 He demands,

00:20:55.160 --> 00:20:56.259
 He can demand

00:20:56.259 --> 00:20:57.339
 all things.

00:20:59.839 --> 00:21:00.819
 And there can be

00:21:00.819 --> 00:21:01.980
 a loss of my freedom

00:21:01.980 --> 00:21:03.319
 and a loss of my identity.

00:21:04.079 --> 00:21:05.200
 And there's a deep fear

00:21:05.200 --> 00:21:07.220
 that many Canadians have

00:21:07.220 --> 00:21:08.799
 that such a real God

00:21:08.799 --> 00:21:10.160
 will threaten their freedom

00:21:10.160 --> 00:21:11.720
 and their identity.

00:21:13.000 --> 00:21:13.660
 Could you put

00:21:13.660 --> 00:21:14.920
 the verse 9 up?

00:21:14.960 --> 00:21:15.720
 Could you all say this

00:21:15.720 --> 00:21:16.700
 with me again, please?

00:21:17.519 --> 00:21:18.299
 For you know

00:21:18.299 --> 00:21:19.080
 the grace

00:21:19.080 --> 00:21:20.740
 of our Lord Jesus Christ,

00:21:21.259 --> 00:21:22.759
 that though He was rich,

00:21:23.160 --> 00:21:24.360
 yet for your sake

00:21:24.360 --> 00:21:25.580
 He became poor,

00:21:25.940 --> 00:21:26.940
 so that you,

00:21:27.140 --> 00:21:28.160
 by His poverty,

00:21:28.519 --> 00:21:29.819
 might become rich.

00:21:30.240 --> 00:21:31.360
 And then just continuing on,

00:21:31.420 --> 00:21:31.920
 listen again

00:21:31.920 --> 00:21:32.900
 to verses 10

00:21:32.900 --> 00:21:33.740
 and following

00:21:33.740 --> 00:21:35.400
 just after this.

00:21:35.500 --> 00:21:36.480
 And in this matter,

00:21:36.620 --> 00:21:38.240
 that's a financial generosity,

00:21:38.840 --> 00:21:40.360
 not benefiting themselves,

00:21:40.360 --> 00:21:41.200
 but in fact,

00:21:41.420 --> 00:21:42.819
 Jewish Christians

00:21:42.819 --> 00:21:44.900
 living in a different continent.

00:21:45.900 --> 00:21:46.559
 And in this matter,

00:21:46.559 --> 00:21:47.519
 I give my judgment.

00:21:47.700 --> 00:21:48.759
 This benefits you.

00:21:49.859 --> 00:21:50.559
 And notice it says,

00:21:50.639 --> 00:21:51.579
 I give you my judgment.

00:21:52.480 --> 00:21:53.339
 It's not a command.

00:21:54.079 --> 00:21:54.879
 It's encouragement.

00:21:55.899 --> 00:21:56.019
 Right?

00:21:57.220 --> 00:21:58.500
 This benefits you

00:21:58.500 --> 00:21:59.399
 who a year ago

00:21:59.399 --> 00:22:00.639
 started not only

00:22:00.639 --> 00:22:01.500
 to do this work,

00:22:01.579 --> 00:22:02.279
 but also

00:22:02.279 --> 00:22:03.899
 to desire

00:22:03.899 --> 00:22:04.839
 to do it.

00:22:05.500 --> 00:22:06.359
 So now finish

00:22:06.359 --> 00:22:07.399
 doing it as well

00:22:07.399 --> 00:22:08.679
 so that your readiness

00:22:08.679 --> 00:22:10.539
 in desiring it

00:22:10.539 --> 00:22:12.000
 may be matched

00:22:12.000 --> 00:22:13.240
 by your completing it

00:22:13.240 --> 00:22:14.440
 out of what you have.

00:22:15.099 --> 00:22:16.220
 Here's the big verse

00:22:16.220 --> 00:22:17.960
 for if the readiness

00:22:17.960 --> 00:22:18.860
 is there,

00:22:19.980 --> 00:22:21.380
 it is acceptable

00:22:21.380 --> 00:22:22.240
 according to what

00:22:22.240 --> 00:22:23.279
 a person has,

00:22:23.680 --> 00:22:24.500
 not according

00:22:24.500 --> 00:22:26.319
 to what he does not have.

00:22:26.839 --> 00:22:27.660
 The readiness,

00:22:28.240 --> 00:22:29.000
 the desire,

00:22:29.519 --> 00:22:30.860
 has to be there first.

00:22:31.100 --> 00:22:32.079
 That's what God's saying.

00:22:32.319 --> 00:22:33.740
 That's what the gospel does.

00:22:33.839 --> 00:22:36.360
 That's what this text does.

00:22:36.779 --> 00:22:37.039
 Like,

00:22:37.120 --> 00:22:37.559
 in a sense,

00:22:37.660 --> 00:22:38.440
 the text is saying,

00:22:38.559 --> 00:22:38.720
 you know,

00:22:38.740 --> 00:22:38.880
 listen,

00:22:38.980 --> 00:22:40.339
 how does salvation work here?

00:22:40.339 --> 00:22:42.480
 God is trying to say,

00:22:42.559 --> 00:22:42.759
 listen,

00:22:42.879 --> 00:22:43.480
 human beings,

00:22:43.559 --> 00:22:44.579
 just try to understand

00:22:44.579 --> 00:22:44.959
 here first.

00:22:45.079 --> 00:22:46.179
 How do you fundamentally

00:22:46.179 --> 00:22:46.619
 know me?

00:22:46.699 --> 00:22:47.720
 I want you to fundamentally

00:22:47.720 --> 00:22:48.179
 know me.

00:22:48.240 --> 00:22:49.619
 I want you to fundamentally

00:22:49.619 --> 00:22:52.000
 understand my word

00:22:52.000 --> 00:22:53.480
 by understanding verses

00:22:53.480 --> 00:22:54.379
 like chapter,

00:22:54.819 --> 00:22:56.419
 2 Corinthians 8,

00:22:56.519 --> 00:22:57.079
 verse 9.

00:22:57.539 --> 00:22:58.059
 First of all,

00:22:58.079 --> 00:22:58.659
 that it is grace,

00:22:58.779 --> 00:22:59.839
 for you know the grace

00:22:59.839 --> 00:23:01.419
 of our Lord Jesus Christ,

00:23:01.539 --> 00:23:02.639
 that though he was rich,

00:23:02.679 --> 00:23:03.699
 yet for your sake

00:23:03.699 --> 00:23:05.259
 he became poor

00:23:05.259 --> 00:23:05.959
 so that you,

00:23:05.960 --> 00:23:07.079
 by his poverty,

00:23:07.500 --> 00:23:08.640
 might become rich.

00:23:09.059 --> 00:23:09.299
 I,

00:23:11.180 --> 00:23:11.880
 the Father,

00:23:12.000 --> 00:23:12.299
 the Son,

00:23:12.340 --> 00:23:13.059
 and the Holy Spirit,

00:23:13.279 --> 00:23:15.000
 we do this for you

00:23:15.000 --> 00:23:15.620
 willingly.

00:23:16.600 --> 00:23:17.660
 We do this

00:23:17.660 --> 00:23:18.740
 voluntarily.

00:23:19.740 --> 00:23:20.940
 We do this

00:23:20.940 --> 00:23:22.259
 freely,

00:23:22.420 --> 00:23:23.420
 out of our freedom.

00:23:26.059 --> 00:23:26.420
 You know,

00:23:26.620 --> 00:23:27.700
 a couple of months ago

00:23:27.700 --> 00:23:28.360
 I had a long,

00:23:28.460 --> 00:23:29.559
 long half an hour talk

00:23:29.559 --> 00:23:30.700
 in my favorite Starbucks

00:23:30.700 --> 00:23:32.480
 with two Jehovah Witnesses,

00:23:32.539 --> 00:23:33.440
 one who had just come back

00:23:33.440 --> 00:23:34.380
 from the mission field.

00:23:35.019 --> 00:23:35.940
 And I began

00:23:35.940 --> 00:23:36.740
 as we got into

00:23:36.740 --> 00:23:37.320
 the differences,

00:23:37.500 --> 00:23:37.680
 you know,

00:23:37.720 --> 00:23:38.200
 between me and me.

00:23:38.200 --> 00:23:38.299
 And I said,

00:23:38.340 --> 00:23:38.759
 one of the things,

00:23:38.920 --> 00:23:39.539
 one of the things

00:23:39.539 --> 00:23:40.080
 I'm not a reason,

00:23:40.160 --> 00:23:40.860
 you can't be a Jehovah,

00:23:40.980 --> 00:23:41.740
 I don't think you can,

00:23:42.140 --> 00:23:42.860
 I would never be

00:23:42.860 --> 00:23:43.620
 a Jehovah Witnesses,

00:23:43.660 --> 00:23:44.799
 it doesn't understand love.

00:23:45.380 --> 00:23:46.960
 It can't account for love.

00:23:48.400 --> 00:23:48.900
 I said,

00:23:48.940 --> 00:23:50.120
 only the Christian faith

00:23:50.120 --> 00:23:51.039
 really accounts for love.

00:23:51.100 --> 00:23:51.660
 They denied it,

00:23:51.759 --> 00:23:52.000
 of course.

00:23:52.080 --> 00:23:52.320
 They said,

00:23:52.360 --> 00:23:53.019
 because we believe

00:23:53.019 --> 00:23:53.400
 the Bible.

00:23:53.500 --> 00:23:53.779
 But I said,

00:23:53.840 --> 00:23:54.000
 no,

00:23:54.059 --> 00:23:54.220
 no,

00:23:54.299 --> 00:23:54.539
 no.

00:23:54.960 --> 00:23:55.340
 You see,

00:23:55.500 --> 00:23:56.320
 the thing is

00:23:56.320 --> 00:23:57.059
 that you just believe

00:23:57.059 --> 00:23:58.460
 there's a single God.

00:23:59.000 --> 00:23:59.320
 And so,

00:23:59.559 --> 00:24:00.120
 why on earth

00:24:00.120 --> 00:24:01.100
 does God create?

00:24:01.440 --> 00:24:02.100
 Is it because

00:24:02.100 --> 00:24:03.160
 he needs to have

00:24:03.160 --> 00:24:03.740
 human beings

00:24:03.740 --> 00:24:04.460
 so he will love?

00:24:04.539 --> 00:24:04.880
 How can,

00:24:05.240 --> 00:24:05.779
 if there's just

00:24:05.779 --> 00:24:06.960
 a single God,

00:24:07.440 --> 00:24:09.380
 how can God be love

00:24:09.380 --> 00:24:10.000
 if there's just

00:24:10.000 --> 00:24:11.380
 a single God?

00:24:11.640 --> 00:24:12.839
 But the Bible reveals

00:24:12.839 --> 00:24:13.859
 that there's the Father

00:24:13.859 --> 00:24:14.339
 and the Son

00:24:14.339 --> 00:24:15.079
 and the Holy Spirit

00:24:15.079 --> 00:24:16.579
 and from all eternity

00:24:16.579 --> 00:24:18.480
 the Father has poured out

00:24:18.480 --> 00:24:19.539
 his love to the Son.

00:24:19.859 --> 00:24:21.059
 And from all eternity

00:24:21.059 --> 00:24:22.440
 the Son has poured out

00:24:22.440 --> 00:24:23.500
 his love to the Father.

00:24:23.859 --> 00:24:24.420
 And there's even

00:24:24.420 --> 00:24:25.279
 Bible passages

00:24:25.279 --> 00:24:26.599
 that sometimes describe

00:24:26.599 --> 00:24:28.339
 the nature of the Holy Spirit

00:24:28.339 --> 00:24:29.240
 is that very

00:24:29.240 --> 00:24:30.740
 interchange,

00:24:30.740 --> 00:24:31.140
 interchange,

00:24:31.480 --> 00:24:32.259
 this constant

00:24:32.259 --> 00:24:33.099
 back and forward

00:24:33.099 --> 00:24:34.160
 and flow of love

00:24:34.160 --> 00:24:35.059
 that that's what

00:24:35.059 --> 00:24:36.259
 the Holy Spirit is.

00:24:36.620 --> 00:24:36.960
 And so,

00:24:37.299 --> 00:24:38.900
 God does not have

00:24:38.900 --> 00:24:40.039
 to create human beings

00:24:40.039 --> 00:24:41.359
 because he needs us.

00:24:41.640 --> 00:24:42.640
 He doesn't relate to us

00:24:42.640 --> 00:24:43.960
 out of need love.

00:24:44.420 --> 00:24:45.480
 He relates to us

00:24:45.480 --> 00:24:46.160
 out of this

00:24:46.160 --> 00:24:47.960
 because he is love.

00:24:48.039 --> 00:24:48.900
 And it is of the nature

00:24:48.900 --> 00:24:50.079
 of love to create.

00:24:50.480 --> 00:24:51.160
 And it's of the nature

00:24:51.160 --> 00:24:52.359
 of love to be generous

00:24:52.359 --> 00:24:54.160
 and to pour yourself out

00:24:54.160 --> 00:24:54.799
 and to go out.

00:24:55.039 --> 00:24:56.680
 And that's who God is.

00:24:57.380 --> 00:24:57.759
 And so,

00:24:57.839 --> 00:24:58.380
 on one hand,

00:24:58.400 --> 00:24:59.079
 it can be very,

00:24:59.200 --> 00:24:59.880
 very frightening

00:24:59.880 --> 00:25:00.940
 to think that God

00:25:00.940 --> 00:25:01.900
 relates to us

00:25:01.900 --> 00:25:03.300
 not out of need love

00:25:03.300 --> 00:25:04.280
 but out of just

00:25:04.280 --> 00:25:05.980
 pure love.

00:25:06.560 --> 00:25:06.960
 Pure,

00:25:07.240 --> 00:25:08.200
 unadulterated,

00:25:08.580 --> 00:25:09.280
 bottomless,

00:25:09.560 --> 00:25:11.800
 unstoppable love.

00:25:11.960 --> 00:25:13.120
 That's how he relates

00:25:13.120 --> 00:25:13.720
 to us.

00:25:14.160 --> 00:25:15.120
 And it's free.

00:25:15.300 --> 00:25:15.980
 It desires.

00:25:16.340 --> 00:25:16.600
 It just,

00:25:16.780 --> 00:25:18.140
 that's how God is.

00:25:18.560 --> 00:25:18.900
 And so,

00:25:19.000 --> 00:25:19.900
 when God's grace

00:25:19.900 --> 00:25:21.380
 comes into our lives,

00:25:21.420 --> 00:25:22.740
 it starts to break down

00:25:22.740 --> 00:25:23.480
 those things,

00:25:23.900 --> 00:25:24.860
 those fortresses

00:25:24.860 --> 00:25:25.780
 and the selfishness

00:25:25.780 --> 00:25:26.640
 in our lives,

00:25:26.880 --> 00:25:28.160
 in our real lives,

00:25:28.240 --> 00:25:29.480
 in how we really live.

00:25:29.480 --> 00:25:30.720
 That's how God's grace

00:25:30.720 --> 00:25:31.319
 is going to work

00:25:31.319 --> 00:25:33.039
 because God wants us

00:25:33.039 --> 00:25:33.819
 to be free,

00:25:34.759 --> 00:25:36.360
 to be voluntary,

00:25:36.960 --> 00:25:37.779
 to be willing.

00:25:38.000 --> 00:25:38.900
 If you could put it up,

00:25:38.980 --> 00:25:40.099
 that's the next point.

00:25:40.640 --> 00:25:41.940
 God's grace is real

00:25:41.940 --> 00:25:43.319
 and shapes me

00:25:43.319 --> 00:25:44.420
 to freely

00:25:44.420 --> 00:25:45.779
 and willingly

00:25:45.779 --> 00:25:47.559
 desire to give.

00:25:47.759 --> 00:25:49.259
 God's grace is real

00:25:49.259 --> 00:25:50.980
 and shapes me

00:25:50.980 --> 00:25:51.960
 to freely

00:25:51.960 --> 00:25:52.940
 and willingly

00:25:52.940 --> 00:25:54.920
 desire to give.

00:25:55.339 --> 00:25:56.500
 God does not need

00:25:56.500 --> 00:25:57.000
 our money.

00:25:57.000 --> 00:25:57.880
 He doesn't need

00:25:57.880 --> 00:25:58.480
 you and me.

00:25:59.480 --> 00:26:01.059
 He loves you and me.

00:26:03.200 --> 00:26:04.039
 That's why

00:26:04.039 --> 00:26:06.359
 he became poor

00:26:06.359 --> 00:26:08.059
 so that you and I

00:26:08.059 --> 00:26:09.240
 through his poverty

00:26:09.240 --> 00:26:10.319
 might become rich.

00:26:10.539 --> 00:26:11.740
 It's an act of freedom.

00:26:14.140 --> 00:26:14.740
 And especially,

00:26:15.339 --> 00:26:16.079
 here's the thing

00:26:16.079 --> 00:26:17.099
 about true freedom.

00:26:18.480 --> 00:26:19.059
 Okay,

00:26:19.099 --> 00:26:19.380
 I'm not putting

00:26:19.380 --> 00:26:20.000
 anybody down.

00:26:20.480 --> 00:26:21.259
 It doesn't take

00:26:21.259 --> 00:26:22.240
 much freedom

00:26:22.240 --> 00:26:22.799
 freedom

00:26:22.799 --> 00:26:23.799
 to just say,

00:26:24.700 --> 00:26:25.140
 you know what,

00:26:25.579 --> 00:26:26.460
 I don't care about

00:26:26.460 --> 00:26:27.440
 my responsibilities

00:26:27.440 --> 00:26:28.440
 as a husband

00:26:28.440 --> 00:26:29.799
 or as a dad

00:26:29.799 --> 00:26:31.380
 or a child.

00:26:31.960 --> 00:26:32.720
 You know what,

00:26:32.779 --> 00:26:33.460
 I'm just going to

00:26:33.460 --> 00:26:34.579
 sit on my butt

00:26:34.579 --> 00:26:35.559
 this afternoon

00:26:35.559 --> 00:26:36.180
 and I'm going to

00:26:36.180 --> 00:26:37.519
 down a 12-pack

00:26:37.519 --> 00:26:38.880
 and eat a whole pile

00:26:38.880 --> 00:26:39.940
 of potato chips

00:26:39.940 --> 00:26:41.500
 and watch football.

00:26:42.640 --> 00:26:42.819
 Well,

00:26:42.880 --> 00:26:43.160
 that's,

00:26:43.940 --> 00:26:44.259
 I mean,

00:26:44.279 --> 00:26:45.339
 you're free to do that,

00:26:45.440 --> 00:26:46.099
 but that's not

00:26:46.099 --> 00:26:47.480
 exactly the high-water

00:26:47.480 --> 00:26:48.720
 mark of human freedom.

00:26:48.720 --> 00:26:49.400
 Like,

00:26:49.400 --> 00:26:51.299
 going out on a

00:26:51.299 --> 00:26:51.759
 Friday night

00:26:51.759 --> 00:26:52.860
 and getting plastered

00:26:52.860 --> 00:26:54.380
 is not the high-water

00:26:54.380 --> 00:26:55.680
 mark of human freedom.

00:26:57.000 --> 00:26:58.360
 The high-water mark

00:26:58.360 --> 00:26:59.180
 of human freedom

00:26:59.180 --> 00:27:00.579
 is to do hard things.

00:27:03.339 --> 00:27:05.100
 The more free you are,

00:27:05.819 --> 00:27:06.539
 you are free

00:27:06.539 --> 00:27:08.220
 to do hard things.

00:27:09.160 --> 00:27:10.160
 You are free

00:27:10.160 --> 00:27:11.500
 to start to try

00:27:11.500 --> 00:27:12.000
 to forgive.

00:27:12.880 --> 00:27:13.819
 You are free

00:27:13.819 --> 00:27:15.559
 to start to be

00:27:15.559 --> 00:27:16.160
 more generous.

00:27:16.600 --> 00:27:17.440
 You are free

00:27:17.440 --> 00:27:19.080
 to keep your promises

00:27:19.080 --> 00:27:20.200
 even to your hurt.

00:27:20.799 --> 00:27:21.820
 You are free

00:27:21.820 --> 00:27:23.779
 to give of your time

00:27:23.779 --> 00:27:24.180
 or to go

00:27:24.180 --> 00:27:24.900
 where you don't

00:27:24.900 --> 00:27:26.140
 by your very nature

00:27:26.140 --> 00:27:27.039
 and flesh want to go.

00:27:27.220 --> 00:27:28.059
 That's the mark

00:27:28.059 --> 00:27:28.820
 of human freedom.

00:27:30.220 --> 00:27:31.660
 And that's what grace

00:27:31.660 --> 00:27:33.080
 brings into our lives.

00:27:34.140 --> 00:27:34.940
 And that's why,

00:27:35.019 --> 00:27:35.340
 in a sense,

00:27:35.420 --> 00:27:36.380
 this text is saying,

00:27:36.759 --> 00:27:37.240
 you know what,

00:27:38.000 --> 00:27:38.680
 when it comes time

00:27:38.680 --> 00:27:39.519
 to pass the plate

00:27:39.519 --> 00:27:40.279
 or when you're thinking

00:27:40.279 --> 00:27:41.380
 about the financial needs

00:27:41.380 --> 00:27:41.920
 of this church,

00:27:42.259 --> 00:27:42.400
 you know,

00:27:42.480 --> 00:27:42.820
 in a sense,

00:27:42.920 --> 00:27:43.580
 God is saying to you,

00:27:43.580 --> 00:27:43.820
 you know what,

00:27:43.820 --> 00:27:44.900
 if you don't want to give,

00:27:45.299 --> 00:27:45.840
 don't give.

00:27:45.920 --> 00:27:46.700
 I don't want your money.

00:27:47.440 --> 00:27:48.519
 That's what God's saying.

00:27:48.580 --> 00:27:49.340
 I don't want your money.

00:27:52.279 --> 00:27:52.720
 You know,

00:27:52.799 --> 00:27:53.980
 quite a few years ago,

00:27:54.019 --> 00:27:54.600
 I got invited

00:27:54.600 --> 00:27:55.740
 into another province

00:27:55.740 --> 00:27:56.420
 to go speak

00:27:56.420 --> 00:27:57.299
 at a variety of things

00:27:57.299 --> 00:27:58.059
 over the weekend.

00:27:59.019 --> 00:28:00.840
 And these two couples,

00:28:00.960 --> 00:28:01.360
 because they wanted

00:28:01.360 --> 00:28:02.120
 to honor me,

00:28:02.580 --> 00:28:03.640
 they wanted to take me

00:28:03.640 --> 00:28:04.299
 out for supper.

00:28:04.779 --> 00:28:05.259
 And I said,

00:28:05.299 --> 00:28:05.420
 okay,

00:28:05.460 --> 00:28:06.160
 you don't have to take me

00:28:06.160 --> 00:28:06.640
 out for supper.

00:28:06.779 --> 00:28:06.880
 You know,

00:28:06.980 --> 00:28:08.720
 I'm a simple guy.

00:28:08.759 --> 00:28:09.279
 I'm quite happy.

00:28:09.340 --> 00:28:09.559
 No, no,

00:28:09.559 --> 00:28:10.320
 we want to take you out.

00:28:10.640 --> 00:28:10.820
 I said,

00:28:10.860 --> 00:28:11.019
 well,

00:28:11.299 --> 00:28:11.559
 okay,

00:28:11.559 --> 00:28:11.920
 listen,

00:28:11.920 --> 00:28:12.460
 you know,

00:28:12.539 --> 00:28:13.799
 there's these sports bars

00:28:13.799 --> 00:28:14.440
 in town.

00:28:14.660 --> 00:28:14.779
 Like,

00:28:14.840 --> 00:28:15.660
 I'm quite happy

00:28:15.660 --> 00:28:17.059
 just going to a sports bar

00:28:17.059 --> 00:28:17.940
 or just like a,

00:28:17.980 --> 00:28:18.119
 you know,

00:28:18.179 --> 00:28:19.099
 a local place

00:28:19.099 --> 00:28:19.559
 where local,

00:28:19.919 --> 00:28:20.200
 but no,

00:28:20.259 --> 00:28:20.619
 they had this,

00:28:20.700 --> 00:28:21.399
 this community

00:28:21.399 --> 00:28:21.960
 had to drive

00:28:21.960 --> 00:28:22.639
 about 20 minutes,

00:28:22.700 --> 00:28:23.019
 half an hour,

00:28:23.099 --> 00:28:23.559
 but there was something

00:28:23.559 --> 00:28:24.079
 the equivalent

00:28:24.079 --> 00:28:25.099
 of the Chateau Laurier

00:28:25.099 --> 00:28:25.859
 for that area.

00:28:26.419 --> 00:28:27.740
 And they had to take me there.

00:28:28.359 --> 00:28:28.799
 And I said,

00:28:28.859 --> 00:28:29.039
 you know,

00:28:29.099 --> 00:28:29.480
 really,

00:28:29.720 --> 00:28:30.000
 I'm,

00:28:30.079 --> 00:28:30.839
 I'm actually,

00:28:31.000 --> 00:28:31.279
 you know,

00:28:31.279 --> 00:28:32.639
 I have nine kids,

00:28:32.839 --> 00:28:33.220
 you know,

00:28:33.500 --> 00:28:34.940
 we don't eat in places

00:28:34.940 --> 00:28:35.980
 like the Chateau Laurier

00:28:35.980 --> 00:28:37.240
 when you have nine kids,

00:28:37.339 --> 00:28:37.639
 you know,

00:28:38.379 --> 00:28:39.019
 we,

00:28:39.220 --> 00:28:40.819
 if you even eat it out at all,

00:28:40.920 --> 00:28:41.879
 it's McDonald's,

00:28:41.920 --> 00:28:42.099
 okay,

00:28:42.099 --> 00:28:43.619
 I'm quite happy at McDonald's

00:28:43.619 --> 00:28:44.180
 or Subway

00:28:44.180 --> 00:28:45.079
 or something like that.

00:28:45.119 --> 00:28:45.779
 I'm quite happy

00:28:45.779 --> 00:28:47.220
 with the pizza deal

00:28:47.220 --> 00:28:48.619
 from the local pizza place.

00:28:49.240 --> 00:28:49.579
 And,

00:28:49.680 --> 00:28:49.839
 you know,

00:28:49.839 --> 00:28:50.559
 just pick up the beer

00:28:50.559 --> 00:28:51.039
 yourselves

00:28:51.039 --> 00:28:52.059
 and save a lot of money.

00:28:52.160 --> 00:28:52.259
 No,

00:28:52.299 --> 00:28:52.379
 no,

00:28:52.399 --> 00:28:53.200
 it had to be the Chateau Laurier,

00:28:53.299 --> 00:28:54.299
 the equivalent of the Chateau Laurier.

00:28:54.480 --> 00:28:55.440
 So they go there

00:28:55.440 --> 00:28:56.319
 and it's just like,

00:28:56.460 --> 00:28:56.980
 I maybe had,

00:28:57.240 --> 00:28:57.399
 you know,

00:28:57.440 --> 00:28:58.359
 I don't go to these places

00:28:58.359 --> 00:28:58.879
 very often,

00:28:59.000 --> 00:28:59.539
 but I've been

00:28:59.539 --> 00:29:00.519
 and you look at it

00:29:00.519 --> 00:29:01.839
 and in today's dollars,

00:29:01.919 --> 00:29:02.139
 I don't know,

00:29:02.159 --> 00:29:02.899
 like the entrees were,

00:29:03.039 --> 00:29:04.119
 the cheapest entree

00:29:04.119 --> 00:29:05.399
 was like 14 bucks.

00:29:05.639 --> 00:29:05.859
 I mean,

00:29:05.919 --> 00:29:06.919
 not appetizer,

00:29:07.159 --> 00:29:07.419
 okay,

00:29:08.159 --> 00:29:09.359
 and it goes up from there,

00:29:09.459 --> 00:29:09.599
 like,

00:29:09.679 --> 00:29:09.819
 you know,

00:29:09.839 --> 00:29:10.679
 lots of money

00:29:10.679 --> 00:29:11.740
 and they literally,

00:29:11.839 --> 00:29:12.500
 they look at the menu

00:29:12.500 --> 00:29:14.059
 and I can hear them gasp.

00:29:17.399 --> 00:29:18.439
 And I say to them again,

00:29:18.500 --> 00:29:18.799
 you know what,

00:29:18.819 --> 00:29:19.559
 we haven't ordered anything,

00:29:19.639 --> 00:29:20.359
 let's just sleep out.

00:29:20.459 --> 00:29:20.539
 You know,

00:29:20.599 --> 00:29:21.039
 there was some real,

00:29:21.099 --> 00:29:22.399
 all these sports bars along here.

00:29:22.459 --> 00:29:23.019
 I'm actually quite,

00:29:23.079 --> 00:29:23.339
 no,

00:29:23.459 --> 00:29:24.439
 they had to do it.

00:29:25.399 --> 00:29:26.159
 Both couples

00:29:26.159 --> 00:29:27.839
 only ordered one main dish,

00:29:27.839 --> 00:29:28.659
 no entrees

00:29:28.659 --> 00:29:29.379
 and shared it

00:29:29.379 --> 00:29:31.319
 and you could just tell,

00:29:32.919 --> 00:29:33.359
 you could just,

00:29:33.419 --> 00:29:33.599
 I mean,

00:29:33.659 --> 00:29:34.179
 God love them,

00:29:34.240 --> 00:29:35.000
 but you could just tell

00:29:35.000 --> 00:29:35.839
 that when it came time

00:29:35.839 --> 00:29:36.559
 to get the money

00:29:36.559 --> 00:29:37.480
 out of their fingers,

00:29:37.659 --> 00:29:38.980
 it was just like this

00:29:38.980 --> 00:29:40.220
 and in a sense,

00:29:40.339 --> 00:29:41.599
 the owner of the restaurant

00:29:41.599 --> 00:29:42.839
 had to sort of pull

00:29:42.839 --> 00:29:44.359
 every single penny.

00:29:44.899 --> 00:29:45.259
 You know what,

00:29:45.299 --> 00:29:46.439
 that was a miserable meal

00:29:46.439 --> 00:29:46.879
 for me.

00:29:47.720 --> 00:29:48.919
 It was really miserable.

00:29:49.079 --> 00:29:50.079
 I didn't enjoy a bite,

00:29:50.179 --> 00:29:51.459
 I didn't enjoy my time

00:29:51.459 --> 00:29:52.659
 because,

00:29:52.980 --> 00:29:54.259
 and God knows your heart

00:29:54.259 --> 00:29:56.519
 and you know,

00:29:56.619 --> 00:29:56.959
 frankly,

00:29:56.960 --> 00:29:58.059
 God is saying here

00:29:58.059 --> 00:29:58.700
 in this text,

00:29:58.779 --> 00:29:59.680
 if you're not interested,

00:29:59.940 --> 00:30:00.220
 you know,

00:30:00.539 --> 00:30:01.579
 it's a grace issue

00:30:01.579 --> 00:30:02.700
 and it's not being judgmental,

00:30:02.740 --> 00:30:03.400
 it's a grace issue,

00:30:03.440 --> 00:30:03.880
 it's being gripped

00:30:03.880 --> 00:30:04.460
 with the gospel,

00:30:04.559 --> 00:30:05.180
 that's what it is

00:30:05.180 --> 00:30:05.559
 and you know,

00:30:05.600 --> 00:30:05.880
 frankly,

00:30:06.079 --> 00:30:07.240
 if you're giving

00:30:07.240 --> 00:30:08.059
 out of some sense

00:30:08.059 --> 00:30:08.779
 of obligation,

00:30:09.000 --> 00:30:09.440
 some sense

00:30:09.440 --> 00:30:10.420
 that you have to do this,

00:30:10.960 --> 00:30:11.740
 if it's some type

00:30:11.740 --> 00:30:12.259
 of manipulation,

00:30:12.500 --> 00:30:13.319
 God's saying in a sense,

00:30:14.120 --> 00:30:14.299
 you know,

00:30:14.400 --> 00:30:14.819
 I'm just,

00:30:15.259 --> 00:30:16.420
 you don't have to give,

00:30:16.539 --> 00:30:17.299
 I don't want it.

00:30:17.680 --> 00:30:18.620
 That's why this willingness

00:30:18.620 --> 00:30:19.460
 is so important

00:30:19.460 --> 00:30:20.100
 in the text.

00:30:20.099 --> 00:30:22.619
 Now,

00:30:22.740 --> 00:30:25.359
 here's another thing

00:30:25.359 --> 00:30:25.799
 that's,

00:30:28.079 --> 00:30:29.500
 here's another big,

00:30:29.759 --> 00:30:30.000
 you know,

00:30:30.859 --> 00:30:31.879
 some people say,

00:30:31.959 --> 00:30:32.199
 George,

00:30:32.259 --> 00:30:32.959
 here's the problem

00:30:32.959 --> 00:30:33.419
 with this

00:30:33.419 --> 00:30:34.139
 and here's the problem

00:30:34.139 --> 00:30:34.639
 with grace,

00:30:34.799 --> 00:30:35.299
 here's the problem,

00:30:35.379 --> 00:30:35.500
 you know,

00:30:35.519 --> 00:30:36.559
 I think religious people

00:30:36.559 --> 00:30:37.539
 are very impractical,

00:30:37.619 --> 00:30:38.759
 doesn't Jesus say somewhere

00:30:38.759 --> 00:30:40.500
 whenever anybody asks,

00:30:40.559 --> 00:30:41.519
 you have to give

00:30:41.519 --> 00:30:42.859
 and George,

00:30:43.099 --> 00:30:44.079
 do you realize

00:30:44.079 --> 00:30:44.919
 just there's this

00:30:44.919 --> 00:30:46.099
 black hole,

00:30:46.240 --> 00:30:47.639
 there's this sucking

00:30:47.640 --> 00:30:49.380
 black hole

00:30:49.380 --> 00:30:50.700
 of human need

00:30:50.700 --> 00:30:52.140
 and George,

00:30:52.220 --> 00:30:53.759
 if you start me

00:30:53.759 --> 00:30:54.960
 down this path

00:30:54.960 --> 00:30:56.740
 of the sucking

00:30:56.740 --> 00:30:58.160
 black hole,

00:30:58.600 --> 00:30:59.720
 bottomless pit

00:30:59.720 --> 00:31:00.820
 of human need,

00:31:00.880 --> 00:31:02.480
 it's going to consume me,

00:31:02.700 --> 00:31:03.680
 grace doesn't make

00:31:03.680 --> 00:31:04.500
 any sense.

00:31:06.680 --> 00:31:07.240
 Well,

00:31:07.300 --> 00:31:07.960
 the Bible here

00:31:07.960 --> 00:31:08.840
 is addressing this

00:31:08.840 --> 00:31:10.140
 particular fear.

00:31:11.880 --> 00:31:12.100
 Let's,

00:31:12.160 --> 00:31:12.700
 could we all say

00:31:12.700 --> 00:31:13.480
 verse 9 again?

00:31:13.780 --> 00:31:14.440
 Could you put it up?

00:31:15.440 --> 00:31:16.200
 For you know

00:31:16.200 --> 00:31:17.060
 the grace

00:31:17.059 --> 00:31:17.799
 of our Lord

00:31:17.799 --> 00:31:18.799
 Jesus Christ

00:31:18.799 --> 00:31:19.599
 that though

00:31:19.599 --> 00:31:20.599
 he was rich,

00:31:20.980 --> 00:31:22.119
 yet for your sake

00:31:22.119 --> 00:31:23.299
 he became poor

00:31:23.299 --> 00:31:24.639
 so that you

00:31:24.639 --> 00:31:25.839
 by his poverty

00:31:25.839 --> 00:31:27.559
 might become rich.

00:31:27.859 --> 00:31:28.679
 And then continue

00:31:28.679 --> 00:31:29.139
 reading on

00:31:29.139 --> 00:31:30.019
 from verse 11.

00:31:31.019 --> 00:31:32.179
 So now finish

00:31:32.179 --> 00:31:33.299
 doing it as well

00:31:33.299 --> 00:31:34.899
 so that your readiness

00:31:34.899 --> 00:31:36.139
 in desiring it,

00:31:36.200 --> 00:31:36.859
 that's in being

00:31:36.859 --> 00:31:38.019
 financially generous,

00:31:38.440 --> 00:31:39.200
 may be matched

00:31:39.200 --> 00:31:40.460
 by your completing it

00:31:40.460 --> 00:31:41.919
 out of what

00:31:41.919 --> 00:31:42.980
 you have.

00:31:43.819 --> 00:31:44.419
 Notice that?

00:31:44.879 --> 00:31:45.940
 Out of what you have.

00:31:45.940 --> 00:31:47.900
 for if the readiness

00:31:47.900 --> 00:31:48.420
 is there,

00:31:48.480 --> 00:31:49.160
 it is acceptable

00:31:49.160 --> 00:31:50.039
 according to

00:31:50.039 --> 00:31:51.820
 what a person

00:31:51.820 --> 00:31:52.640
 has,

00:31:53.019 --> 00:31:53.840
 not according to

00:31:53.840 --> 00:31:54.840
 what he does not have.

00:31:55.740 --> 00:31:56.600
 And then it's very interesting,

00:31:56.640 --> 00:31:57.340
 I do not mean that

00:31:57.340 --> 00:31:58.400
 others should be eased

00:31:58.400 --> 00:31:59.440
 and you burdened,

00:31:59.620 --> 00:32:00.440
 but that is a matter

00:32:00.440 --> 00:32:01.019
 of fairness.

00:32:01.140 --> 00:32:01.920
 And some of your Bibles

00:32:01.920 --> 00:32:02.680
 say equality.

00:32:02.680 --> 00:32:03.740
 Both words are good.

00:32:03.900 --> 00:32:04.820
 I'll explain it in a moment.

00:32:05.799 --> 00:32:06.340
 Your abundance

00:32:06.340 --> 00:32:07.620
 at the present time

00:32:07.620 --> 00:32:09.019
 should supply their need

00:32:09.019 --> 00:32:10.080
 so that their abundance

00:32:10.080 --> 00:32:11.400
 may supply your need,

00:32:11.600 --> 00:32:12.539
 that there may be fairness

00:32:12.539 --> 00:32:13.879
 or equality

00:32:13.879 --> 00:32:15.960
 or interdependence.

00:32:16.639 --> 00:32:17.420
 As it is written,

00:32:18.139 --> 00:32:18.879
 and here he quotes

00:32:18.879 --> 00:32:20.059
 a text about the manna

00:32:20.059 --> 00:32:20.940
 in the wilderness,

00:32:21.559 --> 00:32:22.680
 whoever gathered much

00:32:22.680 --> 00:32:23.759
 had nothing left over

00:32:23.759 --> 00:32:25.759
 and whoever gathered little

00:32:25.759 --> 00:32:26.899
 had no lack.

00:32:27.259 --> 00:32:27.899
 If you could put up

00:32:27.899 --> 00:32:28.379
 the point,

00:32:29.240 --> 00:32:30.519
 God's grace is real

00:32:30.519 --> 00:32:31.899
 and shapes me

00:32:31.899 --> 00:32:32.599
 to understand

00:32:32.599 --> 00:32:33.740
 that nothing I have

00:32:33.740 --> 00:32:34.460
 is mine,

00:32:35.159 --> 00:32:36.000
 it is manna.

00:32:36.000 --> 00:32:40.900
 Whatever my IQ is,

00:32:41.519 --> 00:32:42.859
 whatever my health is,

00:32:43.740 --> 00:32:45.079
 whatever my time is,

00:32:45.400 --> 00:32:46.940
 whatever my bank balance is,

00:32:47.200 --> 00:32:48.220
 whatever my educational

00:32:48.220 --> 00:32:49.460
 achievement is,

00:32:50.079 --> 00:32:52.259
 whatever my EQ is,

00:32:52.660 --> 00:32:53.680
 emotional quotient,

00:32:53.819 --> 00:32:55.299
 whatever my AQ is,

00:32:55.420 --> 00:32:56.539
 my attitude quotient,

00:32:57.099 --> 00:33:00.599
 whatever I'm blessed with

00:33:00.599 --> 00:33:01.859
 because I was born in Canada

00:33:01.859 --> 00:33:03.380
 and not in another country,

00:33:03.740 --> 00:33:04.799
 all of these things

00:33:04.799 --> 00:33:05.519
 at the end of the day

00:33:05.519 --> 00:33:06.139
 it's manna.

00:33:06.299 --> 00:33:06.940
 It's not mine.

00:33:07.220 --> 00:33:07.879
 It doesn't mean when I say

00:33:07.879 --> 00:33:08.299
 it's not mine

00:33:08.299 --> 00:33:09.319
 that it's the government's.

00:33:10.119 --> 00:33:11.379
 No, no, no, no, no, no.

00:33:13.460 --> 00:33:14.160
 Kathleen Wynne

00:33:14.160 --> 00:33:14.960
 and Justin Trudeau

00:33:14.960 --> 00:33:15.720
 and Donald Trump,

00:33:15.839 --> 00:33:16.779
 just to cover the whole

00:33:16.779 --> 00:33:17.740
 political spectrum.

00:33:19.519 --> 00:33:20.259
 When it says

00:33:20.259 --> 00:33:20.940
 it's not mine,

00:33:20.980 --> 00:33:21.420
 it doesn't mean

00:33:21.420 --> 00:33:22.460
 therefore, ha ha,

00:33:22.759 --> 00:33:24.639
 it's Ontario's,

00:33:24.700 --> 00:33:25.720
 Canada's or Trump's.

00:33:25.779 --> 00:33:26.819
 No, no, no, no, no, no.

00:33:27.359 --> 00:33:28.000
 It's manna

00:33:28.000 --> 00:33:29.660
 under my care,

00:33:30.180 --> 00:33:31.480
 not the government's

00:33:31.480 --> 00:33:32.400
 under my care.

00:33:32.559 --> 00:33:33.119
 It's manna.

00:33:33.119 --> 00:33:36.199
 And this is a very,

00:33:36.319 --> 00:33:37.459
 very powerful thing.

00:33:37.579 --> 00:33:38.559
 You see, once again,

00:33:38.779 --> 00:33:40.459
 how does grace work, right?

00:33:41.039 --> 00:33:41.799
 For the grace of our,

00:33:41.939 --> 00:33:42.799
 if we know the grace

00:33:42.799 --> 00:33:43.819
 of our Lord Jesus Christ,

00:33:43.899 --> 00:33:44.719
 that though he was rich,

00:33:44.779 --> 00:33:45.719
 yet for your sake

00:33:45.719 --> 00:33:46.459
 he became poor

00:33:46.459 --> 00:33:47.859
 so that you by his poverty

00:33:47.859 --> 00:33:48.779
 might become rich.

00:33:49.239 --> 00:33:50.959
 Our deepest human need

00:33:50.959 --> 00:33:52.239
 is our alienation

00:33:52.239 --> 00:33:53.059
 from our creator

00:33:53.059 --> 00:33:54.519
 and because we are alienated

00:33:54.519 --> 00:33:55.059
 from our creator

00:33:55.059 --> 00:33:56.279
 from the entire created order.

00:33:56.599 --> 00:33:57.859
 And how is that solved?

00:33:57.859 --> 00:33:59.519
 It's solved by God.

00:34:00.459 --> 00:34:01.439
 How much of it,

00:34:01.500 --> 00:34:02.259
 is it like solved

00:34:02.259 --> 00:34:03.939
 99% by God

00:34:03.939 --> 00:34:04.959
 and 1% by me?

00:34:05.019 --> 00:34:06.799
 No, it's actually solved

00:34:06.799 --> 00:34:09.259
 110% by God,

00:34:09.440 --> 00:34:10.739
 200% by God,

00:34:11.099 --> 00:34:12.480
 0% by me.

00:34:13.239 --> 00:34:14.380
 All by God.

00:34:16.079 --> 00:34:17.159
 And it's this sense

00:34:17.159 --> 00:34:18.239
 of the God's grace

00:34:18.239 --> 00:34:19.420
 coming into our lives

00:34:19.420 --> 00:34:21.440
 and that we're rooted in grace,

00:34:21.519 --> 00:34:22.139
 that that's become

00:34:22.139 --> 00:34:23.339
 the story of our life,

00:34:23.400 --> 00:34:23.900
 that it becomes

00:34:23.900 --> 00:34:24.699
 what shapes us

00:34:24.699 --> 00:34:25.579
 and what grounds us.

00:34:25.579 --> 00:34:26.380
 We start to realize

00:34:26.380 --> 00:34:27.519
 that everything we have

00:34:27.519 --> 00:34:28.639
 is ultimately something

00:34:28.639 --> 00:34:29.719
 that God has given us.

00:34:30.440 --> 00:34:31.039
 And I don't know

00:34:31.039 --> 00:34:32.139
 why God gave some people

00:34:32.139 --> 00:34:32.940
 a lot of resources

00:34:32.940 --> 00:34:34.679
 and others very little resources,

00:34:34.840 --> 00:34:35.739
 but whatever it is,

00:34:36.199 --> 00:34:37.279
 the story of the manna

00:34:37.279 --> 00:34:38.460
 is very, very interesting.

00:34:38.719 --> 00:34:39.199
 And by the way,

00:34:39.219 --> 00:34:39.940
 the story of the manna

00:34:39.940 --> 00:34:41.139
 doesn't show that it's all equal,

00:34:41.279 --> 00:34:42.639
 that it all comes by provision

00:34:42.639 --> 00:34:45.179
 because in the nation of Israel,

00:34:45.279 --> 00:34:46.139
 as in the wilderness

00:34:46.139 --> 00:34:47.059
 and there's no food,

00:34:47.179 --> 00:34:48.099
 every day God,

00:34:48.340 --> 00:34:48.920
 as his provision,

00:34:49.039 --> 00:34:50.000
 for six days of the week

00:34:50.000 --> 00:34:51.699
 he provides this substance

00:34:51.699 --> 00:34:52.219
 on the ground

00:34:52.219 --> 00:34:53.179
 that people could gather.

00:34:53.639 --> 00:34:54.940
 And people who gathered a lot

00:34:54.940 --> 00:34:56.920
 they could gather a lot,

00:34:56.980 --> 00:34:58.000
 they could gather a little.

00:34:58.099 --> 00:34:58.980
 The implication is

00:34:58.980 --> 00:34:59.659
 that at the end of the day,

00:34:59.880 --> 00:35:00.300
 that at the end,

00:35:00.380 --> 00:35:01.240
 the next day it was all,

00:35:01.320 --> 00:35:02.220
 it would rot overnight.

00:35:02.320 --> 00:35:03.440
 You had to pick it up every day.

00:35:03.800 --> 00:35:04.599
 And as a miracle,

00:35:04.720 --> 00:35:05.440
 on the sixth day,

00:35:05.460 --> 00:35:06.860
 it wouldn't rot on the seventh day.

00:35:06.880 --> 00:35:08.000
 It would last for two days

00:35:08.000 --> 00:35:09.340
 to show that it came from God.

00:35:10.639 --> 00:35:11.980
 And so it would create

00:35:11.980 --> 00:35:12.840
 within this community,

00:35:12.940 --> 00:35:13.380
 not only do you

00:35:13.380 --> 00:35:14.280
 take a lot or a little,

00:35:14.380 --> 00:35:15.300
 but if at the end of the day,

00:35:15.440 --> 00:35:15.599
 you know,

00:35:15.659 --> 00:35:16.700
 you picked up not enough,

00:35:17.539 --> 00:35:18.900
 that the community

00:35:18.900 --> 00:35:20.119
 would have enough as a whole

00:35:20.119 --> 00:35:20.820
 so that you could go

00:35:20.820 --> 00:35:21.539
 to your neighbor and say,

00:35:21.579 --> 00:35:22.300
 I forgot to pick up

00:35:22.300 --> 00:35:23.300
 enough manna for supper.

00:35:23.300 --> 00:35:23.660
 And, you know,

00:35:23.700 --> 00:35:25.760
 my cousin Abe

00:35:25.760 --> 00:35:26.780
 has come to visit

00:35:26.780 --> 00:35:27.500
 with his, you know,

00:35:27.519 --> 00:35:28.500
 his 18 kids.

00:35:28.640 --> 00:35:29.000
 And, you know,

00:35:29.140 --> 00:35:29.800
 he can go around

00:35:29.800 --> 00:35:30.760
 and there'd always be

00:35:30.760 --> 00:35:31.340
 enough manna.

00:35:33.460 --> 00:35:34.340
 And so this text

00:35:34.340 --> 00:35:34.880
 isn't teaching,

00:35:35.039 --> 00:35:36.080
 it's teaching us,

00:35:36.340 --> 00:35:37.880
 it's helping the people

00:35:37.880 --> 00:35:38.560
 in Corinth to say,

00:35:38.600 --> 00:35:38.800
 no, no,

00:35:38.840 --> 00:35:39.640
 you're thinking

00:35:39.640 --> 00:35:40.940
 as if, okay,

00:35:41.019 --> 00:35:41.800
 you're Greeks,

00:35:42.340 --> 00:35:43.360
 you're in Corinth,

00:35:43.980 --> 00:35:45.960
 and it's all yours.

00:35:46.860 --> 00:35:47.460
 No, no,

00:35:47.580 --> 00:35:48.460
 God's community,

00:35:48.460 --> 00:35:50.240
 it now involves people

00:35:50.240 --> 00:35:52.019
 in Philippi and Berea

00:35:52.019 --> 00:35:53.420
 and involves Romans

00:35:53.420 --> 00:35:56.380
 and it involves Samaritans

00:35:56.380 --> 00:35:58.199
 and it involves Jewish people

00:35:58.199 --> 00:35:59.420
 and it involves people

00:35:59.420 --> 00:36:00.199
 who are culturally

00:36:00.199 --> 00:36:01.139
 different than you

00:36:01.139 --> 00:36:03.300
 and God only has one people.

00:36:05.059 --> 00:36:06.699
 And God is ultimately

00:36:06.699 --> 00:36:07.780
 giving you manna.

00:36:08.940 --> 00:36:09.740
 And the image here,

00:36:09.820 --> 00:36:10.440
 it's another time

00:36:10.440 --> 00:36:11.320
 that I went out for supper

00:36:11.320 --> 00:36:12.900
 and this was when I was building

00:36:12.900 --> 00:36:13.740
 and helping to build

00:36:13.740 --> 00:36:14.780
 an organization

00:36:14.780 --> 00:36:17.540
 and a donor was there

00:36:17.540 --> 00:36:18.460
 and he wanted me

00:36:18.460 --> 00:36:19.280
 and this other minister

00:36:19.280 --> 00:36:20.120
 to go with a couple

00:36:20.120 --> 00:36:20.700
 of other people

00:36:20.700 --> 00:36:21.620
 who had pretty good

00:36:21.620 --> 00:36:22.760
 financial means

00:36:22.760 --> 00:36:24.840
 and we were going to be doing

00:36:24.840 --> 00:36:26.140
 a whole series of things.

00:36:26.280 --> 00:36:26.440
 In fact,

00:36:26.460 --> 00:36:27.240
 we'd been doing some things

00:36:27.240 --> 00:36:27.620
 the other day

00:36:27.620 --> 00:36:27.800
 and he said,

00:36:27.920 --> 00:36:28.760
 let's all go out for supper

00:36:28.760 --> 00:36:30.160
 and so we all go out

00:36:30.160 --> 00:36:30.540
 for supper

00:36:30.540 --> 00:36:31.600
 and we go to this place

00:36:31.600 --> 00:36:32.540
 and to my horror,

00:36:32.700 --> 00:36:33.760
 it's even more expensive

00:36:33.760 --> 00:36:34.519
 than places like

00:36:34.519 --> 00:36:35.240
 the Chateau Laurier.

00:36:36.460 --> 00:36:36.820
 Like,

00:36:36.920 --> 00:36:37.700
 I look at it

00:36:37.700 --> 00:36:38.120
 and I think,

00:36:38.460 --> 00:36:39.660
 I'm going to maybe have

00:36:39.660 --> 00:36:40.720
 a half salad

00:36:40.720 --> 00:36:41.800
 in this meal

00:36:41.800 --> 00:36:43.000
 because that's probably

00:36:43.000 --> 00:36:43.980
 all I can afford.

00:36:43.980 --> 00:36:45.480
 But I happen to be

00:36:45.480 --> 00:36:46.380
 sitting beside the guy

00:36:46.380 --> 00:36:47.039
 who'd invited me

00:36:47.039 --> 00:36:47.679
 and the other minister

00:36:47.679 --> 00:36:48.300
 and then there's about,

00:36:48.360 --> 00:36:48.880
 I think there's about

00:36:48.880 --> 00:36:49.840
 four or five other people

00:36:49.840 --> 00:36:51.860
 and just as the menu comes,

00:36:52.240 --> 00:36:53.440
 he just whispers to me,

00:36:53.539 --> 00:36:53.880
 he said,

00:36:53.940 --> 00:36:54.159
 listen,

00:36:54.400 --> 00:36:55.099
 this is on me.

00:36:56.719 --> 00:36:57.719
 And then I noticed him

00:36:57.719 --> 00:36:58.539
 go to the other minister

00:36:58.539 --> 00:36:59.340
 on the other side,

00:36:59.780 --> 00:37:00.219
 another young,

00:37:00.300 --> 00:37:01.199
 I was young at the time,

00:37:01.360 --> 00:37:01.699
 a long,

00:37:01.800 --> 00:37:02.420
 long time ago

00:37:02.420 --> 00:37:03.420
 and he whispers

00:37:03.420 --> 00:37:04.280
 to the other guy,

00:37:04.360 --> 00:37:04.960
 this is on me.

00:37:05.039 --> 00:37:05.619
 He doesn't make it

00:37:05.619 --> 00:37:06.079
 for everybody.

00:37:07.059 --> 00:37:07.820
 This is on me.

00:37:08.240 --> 00:37:08.880
 Order what you want.

00:37:08.980 --> 00:37:09.360
 It's on me.

00:37:10.740 --> 00:37:11.780
 That's the image

00:37:11.780 --> 00:37:12.559
 here in the text.

00:37:13.380 --> 00:37:13.500
 Okay?

00:37:13.739 --> 00:37:14.599
 That's the image.

00:37:15.559 --> 00:37:16.300
 He didn't pick up

00:37:16.300 --> 00:37:17.179
 the bill for everybody.

00:37:17.880 --> 00:37:18.840
 He didn't pick up

00:37:18.840 --> 00:37:19.159
 the bill,

00:37:19.280 --> 00:37:19.980
 all of my bills

00:37:19.980 --> 00:37:21.119
 for the rest of my life.

00:37:22.460 --> 00:37:23.619
 He picked up the bill

00:37:23.619 --> 00:37:24.800
 for that particular thing.

00:37:25.139 --> 00:37:26.400
 And that's the significance

00:37:26.400 --> 00:37:27.139
 you see of this

00:37:27.139 --> 00:37:28.579
 particular text as well.

00:37:29.239 --> 00:37:30.219
 Is that the text is saying

00:37:30.219 --> 00:37:31.000
 as grace comes

00:37:31.000 --> 00:37:31.840
 into our lives,

00:37:32.000 --> 00:37:33.179
 it means that we start

00:37:33.179 --> 00:37:33.960
 to look across

00:37:33.960 --> 00:37:34.900
 cultural lines

00:37:34.900 --> 00:37:35.880
 and ethnic lines

00:37:35.880 --> 00:37:36.699
 and race lines

00:37:36.699 --> 00:37:37.579
 to other believers

00:37:37.579 --> 00:37:38.320
 who are all part

00:37:38.320 --> 00:37:39.360
 of this one family.

00:37:39.480 --> 00:37:40.039
 God only has

00:37:40.039 --> 00:37:40.960
 this one family

00:37:40.960 --> 00:37:41.400
 of people.

00:37:41.699 --> 00:37:42.179
 He only has

00:37:42.179 --> 00:37:42.980
 this one body.

00:37:43.460 --> 00:37:44.260
 And that's how grace

00:37:44.260 --> 00:37:45.139
 is supposed to work.

00:37:45.340 --> 00:37:46.699
 The grace is supposed

00:37:46.699 --> 00:37:48.240
 to be the great destroyer

00:37:48.240 --> 00:37:48.960
 of racism

00:37:48.960 --> 00:37:51.159
 and the great destroyer

00:37:51.159 --> 00:37:52.440
 of hating women

00:37:52.440 --> 00:37:53.240
 or hating men

00:37:53.240 --> 00:37:54.099
 or hating anybody.

00:37:54.099 --> 00:37:56.599
 It's to be this great destroyer

00:37:56.599 --> 00:37:57.799
 and to change the way

00:37:57.799 --> 00:37:58.279
 we look

00:37:58.279 --> 00:37:59.619
 and to change our understanding

00:37:59.619 --> 00:38:00.420
 of the resources

00:38:00.420 --> 00:38:01.920
 that it's manna

00:38:01.920 --> 00:38:02.880
 that comes to our hand.

00:38:03.420 --> 00:38:03.940
 And you know what?

00:38:04.339 --> 00:38:04.539
 You know,

00:38:04.579 --> 00:38:05.519
 Shirley can tell you

00:38:05.519 --> 00:38:07.279
 we get a constant stream

00:38:07.279 --> 00:38:08.139
 of requests for money

00:38:08.139 --> 00:38:08.819
 from the church

00:38:08.819 --> 00:38:10.119
 and you can't,

00:38:10.179 --> 00:38:11.259
 you only can deal

00:38:11.259 --> 00:38:12.019
 with what you have

00:38:12.019 --> 00:38:12.819
 but the fact of the matter

00:38:12.819 --> 00:38:13.559
 is that a church

00:38:13.559 --> 00:38:14.819
 has to always be thinking

00:38:14.819 --> 00:38:15.360
 of what it can do

00:38:15.360 --> 00:38:16.339
 beyond its borders.

00:38:17.599 --> 00:38:18.860
 A church that only thinks

00:38:18.860 --> 00:38:19.659
 about using the money

00:38:19.659 --> 00:38:20.279
 for itself

00:38:20.279 --> 00:38:21.400
 isn't a church

00:38:21.400 --> 00:38:22.319
 rooted in grace.

00:38:22.320 --> 00:38:24.559
 But just because

00:38:24.559 --> 00:38:24.960
 you're looking

00:38:24.960 --> 00:38:26.080
 beyond your borders

00:38:26.080 --> 00:38:27.220
 it's, you know,

00:38:27.260 --> 00:38:28.059
 it's why I'm so glad

00:38:28.059 --> 00:38:29.019
 that we have a missionary

00:38:29.019 --> 00:38:29.640
 from our family,

00:38:29.680 --> 00:38:29.800
 you know,

00:38:29.820 --> 00:38:30.900
 people from our church family

00:38:30.900 --> 00:38:31.500
 in Nigeria

00:38:31.500 --> 00:38:32.320
 and we have somebody

00:38:32.320 --> 00:38:32.820
 in Egypt

00:38:32.820 --> 00:38:33.680
 and we have somebody

00:38:33.680 --> 00:38:34.440
 in Zambia

00:38:34.440 --> 00:38:34.880
 and we have,

00:38:35.280 --> 00:38:35.539
 you know,

00:38:35.559 --> 00:38:36.539
 we have somebody

00:38:36.539 --> 00:38:37.500
 in a country

00:38:37.500 --> 00:38:38.640
 that I can't say in public

00:38:38.640 --> 00:38:39.480
 because it's closed

00:38:39.480 --> 00:38:39.900
 to religion

00:38:39.900 --> 00:38:40.760
 and another country

00:38:40.760 --> 00:38:41.780
 that's sort of closed

00:38:41.780 --> 00:38:42.880
 and it's so good

00:38:42.880 --> 00:38:44.660
 and we give to that

00:38:44.660 --> 00:38:45.660
 and we give to other

00:38:45.660 --> 00:38:46.360
 types of things

00:38:46.360 --> 00:38:46.880
 and that's,

00:38:47.019 --> 00:38:47.700
 but we only can give

00:38:47.700 --> 00:38:48.280
 what we have

00:38:48.280 --> 00:38:49.200
 but we can all,

00:38:49.420 --> 00:38:50.000
 we would have

00:38:50.000 --> 00:38:50.300
 a very,

00:38:50.440 --> 00:38:51.340
 very generous heart

00:38:51.340 --> 00:38:53.120
 and always ask God

00:38:53.120 --> 00:38:53.860
 can we give more?

00:38:54.079 --> 00:38:54.740
 Can we give more?

00:38:55.840 --> 00:38:56.019
 Not,

00:38:56.260 --> 00:38:56.600
 not,

00:38:57.000 --> 00:38:57.680
 it's not,

00:38:58.120 --> 00:38:58.280
 Lord,

00:38:58.380 --> 00:38:59.079
 everything is just

00:38:59.079 --> 00:38:59.780
 falling apart

00:38:59.780 --> 00:39:00.519
 and we have to be

00:39:00.519 --> 00:39:01.079
 really tight.

00:39:01.200 --> 00:39:01.300
 No,

00:39:01.360 --> 00:39:02.180
 can we give more?

00:39:03.320 --> 00:39:04.160
 Can we give more?

00:39:04.220 --> 00:39:05.460
 That's the grace question.

00:39:05.720 --> 00:39:06.600
 Can we give more?

00:39:08.160 --> 00:39:08.780
 Now here,

00:39:08.980 --> 00:39:09.880
 just one final thing

00:39:09.880 --> 00:39:10.460
 we have to sort of

00:39:10.460 --> 00:39:11.000
 wrap it up.

00:39:12.100 --> 00:39:12.280
 You know,

00:39:12.400 --> 00:39:13.140
 so normally I have

00:39:13.140 --> 00:39:14.140
 these but George moments

00:39:14.140 --> 00:39:15.059
 I shared it with last week.

00:39:15.120 --> 00:39:16.260
 I start to walk like this,

00:39:16.760 --> 00:39:17.260
 but George,

00:39:17.380 --> 00:39:17.620
 I start,

00:39:17.860 --> 00:39:18.680
 but here's now

00:39:18.679 --> 00:39:20.480
 a but Canada question,

00:39:20.579 --> 00:39:21.539
 not a but George question,

00:39:21.619 --> 00:39:22.599
 but a Canada question,

00:39:23.539 --> 00:39:24.859
 human being question.

00:39:26.239 --> 00:39:27.139
 Here's the problem.

00:39:27.259 --> 00:39:28.259
 Not only do human beings

00:39:28.259 --> 00:39:29.079
 are we grudging

00:39:29.079 --> 00:39:29.399
 and giving,

00:39:29.519 --> 00:39:30.219
 but a lot of times

00:39:30.219 --> 00:39:31.379
 when human beings give,

00:39:31.460 --> 00:39:32.319
 they have a whole pile

00:39:32.319 --> 00:39:32.859
 of agendas.

00:39:34.460 --> 00:39:35.299
 People give

00:39:35.299 --> 00:39:36.179
 to assert

00:39:36.179 --> 00:39:37.059
 their self

00:39:37.059 --> 00:39:37.940
 in giving.

00:39:39.659 --> 00:39:40.699
 People give

00:39:40.699 --> 00:39:43.079
 to justify themselves.

00:39:43.960 --> 00:39:44.819
 People give

00:39:44.819 --> 00:39:46.099
 to show off.

00:39:46.099 --> 00:39:47.799
 People give

00:39:47.799 --> 00:39:48.519
 in some way

00:39:48.519 --> 00:39:49.500
 so they get a pass

00:39:49.500 --> 00:39:50.179
 and having to deal

00:39:50.179 --> 00:39:51.079
 with other things.

00:39:51.719 --> 00:39:52.500
 People give

00:39:52.500 --> 00:39:53.400
 to put God

00:39:53.400 --> 00:39:54.039
 in their debt.

00:39:55.239 --> 00:39:56.259
 I know there were people,

00:39:56.739 --> 00:39:57.239
 those of you

00:39:57.239 --> 00:39:57.739
 who haven't been going

00:39:57.739 --> 00:39:58.380
 here very long,

00:39:58.440 --> 00:39:59.279
 when we walked away

00:39:59.279 --> 00:40:00.079
 from our building

00:40:00.079 --> 00:40:01.639
 because we wanted

00:40:01.639 --> 00:40:02.500
 to honor God

00:40:02.500 --> 00:40:02.940
 and we felt

00:40:02.940 --> 00:40:03.860
 we had to honor God

00:40:03.860 --> 00:40:04.579
 by walking away

00:40:04.579 --> 00:40:05.159
 from our building.

00:40:05.279 --> 00:40:05.779
 I know there were

00:40:05.779 --> 00:40:06.339
 many people

00:40:06.339 --> 00:40:07.179
 who thought that God

00:40:07.179 --> 00:40:07.980
 would give us a building

00:40:07.980 --> 00:40:08.880
 within two years.

00:40:09.019 --> 00:40:09.259
 Why?

00:40:09.940 --> 00:40:10.940
 Because they believed

00:40:10.940 --> 00:40:12.699
 that we had put God

00:40:12.699 --> 00:40:13.360
 in our debt.

00:40:13.360 --> 00:40:18.280
 And we human beings,

00:40:18.840 --> 00:40:20.280
 let's read that

00:40:20.280 --> 00:40:21.079
 verse 9 again.

00:40:22.019 --> 00:40:22.960
 Can we read it again?

00:40:23.559 --> 00:40:24.220
 For you know

00:40:24.220 --> 00:40:24.980
 the grace

00:40:24.980 --> 00:40:26.640
 of our Lord Jesus Christ

00:40:26.640 --> 00:40:27.160
 that though

00:40:27.160 --> 00:40:28.099
 he was rich,

00:40:28.480 --> 00:40:29.720
 yet for your sake

00:40:29.720 --> 00:40:30.960
 he became poor

00:40:30.960 --> 00:40:32.300
 so that you

00:40:32.300 --> 00:40:33.559
 by his poverty

00:40:33.559 --> 00:40:34.940
 might become rich.

00:40:36.120 --> 00:40:37.740
 I can never put God

00:40:37.740 --> 00:40:38.539
 in my debt.

00:40:39.460 --> 00:40:40.039
 The gospel

00:40:40.039 --> 00:40:40.760
 is all about

00:40:40.760 --> 00:40:41.320
 the fact that

00:40:41.320 --> 00:40:42.300
 God does

00:40:42.300 --> 00:40:44.340
 everything for me.

00:40:45.640 --> 00:40:46.620
 He is the one

00:40:46.620 --> 00:40:47.200
 who complete,

00:40:47.400 --> 00:40:48.560
 Jesus is the one

00:40:48.560 --> 00:40:49.340
 who by his work

00:40:49.340 --> 00:40:50.120
 upon the cross

00:40:50.120 --> 00:40:50.840
 has redeemed me.

00:40:50.960 --> 00:40:51.680
 He is the one

00:40:51.680 --> 00:40:52.840
 who gives me grace today.

00:40:53.340 --> 00:40:54.039
 He is the one

00:40:54.039 --> 00:40:54.640
 who will give me

00:40:54.640 --> 00:40:55.320
 grace tomorrow.

00:40:56.800 --> 00:40:58.060
 That I'm to be

00:40:58.060 --> 00:40:59.220
 responsive to grace

00:40:59.220 --> 00:41:00.440
 but I can never

00:41:00.440 --> 00:41:01.660
 put God in my debt.

00:41:02.920 --> 00:41:03.680
 And it's not about

00:41:03.680 --> 00:41:05.100
 me asserting myself

00:41:05.100 --> 00:41:05.680
 in giving.

00:41:06.600 --> 00:41:07.000
 You know,

00:41:07.100 --> 00:41:08.039
 in the early days

00:41:08.039 --> 00:41:08.600
 in this church

00:41:08.600 --> 00:41:09.460
 there was a couple

00:41:09.460 --> 00:41:09.860
 of people

00:41:09.860 --> 00:41:10.860
 when I came to this church

00:41:10.860 --> 00:41:11.099
 you know,

00:41:11.140 --> 00:41:11.960
 there was a couple

00:41:11.960 --> 00:41:12.440
 of people

00:41:12.440 --> 00:41:14.120
 who they'd had

00:41:14.120 --> 00:41:14.320
 a,

00:41:14.740 --> 00:41:15.920
 prior to me coming

00:41:15.920 --> 00:41:16.840
 the rector would go

00:41:16.840 --> 00:41:17.579
 to them at the end

00:41:17.579 --> 00:41:18.099
 of the year

00:41:18.099 --> 00:41:19.680
 to help make up

00:41:19.680 --> 00:41:20.800
 the financial need

00:41:20.800 --> 00:41:22.039
 and I didn't do that.

00:41:22.079 --> 00:41:22.840
 I've never done that.

00:41:23.519 --> 00:41:24.120
 And I know that it

00:41:24.120 --> 00:41:24.720
 sort of bothered

00:41:24.720 --> 00:41:26.079
 this one person.

00:41:27.480 --> 00:41:27.920
 You know,

00:41:27.960 --> 00:41:28.480
 because at the end

00:41:28.480 --> 00:41:28.700
 of the day

00:41:28.700 --> 00:41:29.480
 he liked to assert

00:41:29.480 --> 00:41:30.280
 himself in giving.

00:41:32.240 --> 00:41:33.800
 But here's the text.

00:41:33.920 --> 00:41:34.360
 If you read

00:41:34.360 --> 00:41:35.000
 not only verse 9

00:41:35.000 --> 00:41:35.660
 but just listen

00:41:35.660 --> 00:41:36.280
 to how it goes on

00:41:36.280 --> 00:41:37.519
 from verse 16.

00:41:37.519 --> 00:41:38.599
 But thanks be to God

00:41:38.599 --> 00:41:39.639
 who put into

00:41:39.639 --> 00:41:40.539
 the heart of Titus

00:41:40.539 --> 00:41:41.579
 the same earnest care

00:41:41.579 --> 00:41:42.360
 I have for you

00:41:42.360 --> 00:41:43.480
 for he not only

00:41:43.480 --> 00:41:44.619
 accepted our appeal

00:41:44.619 --> 00:41:45.539
 but being himself

00:41:45.539 --> 00:41:46.219
 very earnest

00:41:46.219 --> 00:41:48.119
 he is going to you

00:41:48.119 --> 00:41:49.019
 of his own accord.

00:41:49.159 --> 00:41:49.780
 With him we are

00:41:49.780 --> 00:41:50.539
 sending the brother

00:41:50.539 --> 00:41:51.199
 who is famous

00:41:51.199 --> 00:41:52.219
 among all the churches

00:41:52.219 --> 00:41:52.880
 for his preaching

00:41:52.880 --> 00:41:53.500
 of the gospel.

00:41:54.039 --> 00:41:54.780
 And not only that

00:41:54.780 --> 00:41:55.500
 but he has been

00:41:55.500 --> 00:41:56.739
 appointed by the churches

00:41:56.739 --> 00:41:57.820
 to travel with us

00:41:57.820 --> 00:41:59.139
 as we carry out

00:41:59.139 --> 00:42:00.940
 this act of grace

00:42:00.940 --> 00:42:02.300
 that is being

00:42:02.300 --> 00:42:03.380
 ministered by us.

00:42:03.940 --> 00:42:04.519
 Grace means

00:42:04.519 --> 00:42:05.019
 it's ultimately

00:42:05.019 --> 00:42:05.699
 from God.

00:42:05.800 --> 00:42:06.340
 It's just being

00:42:06.340 --> 00:42:07.259
 ministered by us.

00:42:07.960 --> 00:42:08.960
 Why is it being done?

00:42:09.360 --> 00:42:10.139
 For the glory

00:42:10.139 --> 00:42:11.239
 of the Lord himself.

00:42:12.219 --> 00:42:13.119
 For the glory

00:42:13.119 --> 00:42:14.219
 of the Lord himself.

00:42:14.920 --> 00:42:15.300
 And to show

00:42:15.300 --> 00:42:15.900
 our goodwill.

00:42:16.759 --> 00:42:17.139
 That's why

00:42:17.139 --> 00:42:17.980
 if you could put up

00:42:17.980 --> 00:42:18.780
 the final point

00:42:18.780 --> 00:42:20.699
 God's grace

00:42:20.699 --> 00:42:21.340
 is real

00:42:21.340 --> 00:42:22.639
 and shapes me

00:42:22.639 --> 00:42:23.199
 to give

00:42:23.199 --> 00:42:24.880
 so people are blessed

00:42:24.880 --> 00:42:26.039
 and the Lord

00:42:26.039 --> 00:42:27.099
 gets all the glory.

00:42:28.780 --> 00:42:29.860
 It's a profound

00:42:29.860 --> 00:42:30.599
 challenge

00:42:30.599 --> 00:42:31.759
 for us to think

00:42:31.759 --> 00:42:32.019
 that

00:42:32.019 --> 00:42:34.199
 we put God

00:42:34.199 --> 00:42:34.759
 in our debt.

00:42:34.880 --> 00:42:35.460
 It's a profound

00:42:35.460 --> 00:42:36.119
 challenge

00:42:36.119 --> 00:42:36.539
 to think

00:42:36.539 --> 00:42:37.219
 that we assert

00:42:37.219 --> 00:42:37.739
 ourselves

00:42:37.739 --> 00:42:38.439
 with our giving.

00:42:38.579 --> 00:42:39.119
 It's a profound

00:42:39.119 --> 00:42:40.000
 challenge

00:42:40.000 --> 00:42:40.959
 to thinking

00:42:40.959 --> 00:42:41.379
 that giving

00:42:41.379 --> 00:42:42.439
 somehow justifies

00:42:42.439 --> 00:42:42.879
 ourselves.

00:42:43.379 --> 00:42:44.059
 It's a profound

00:42:44.059 --> 00:42:44.779
 challenge

00:42:44.779 --> 00:42:45.179
 to think

00:42:45.179 --> 00:42:45.559
 that giving

00:42:45.559 --> 00:42:46.019
 is somehow

00:42:46.019 --> 00:42:46.739
 a matter of us

00:42:46.739 --> 00:42:47.299
 showing off.

00:42:48.319 --> 00:42:49.599
 That the grace

00:42:49.599 --> 00:42:51.000
 comes into our life.

00:42:52.159 --> 00:42:53.359
 It comes into

00:42:53.359 --> 00:42:53.799
 our life

00:42:53.799 --> 00:42:54.919
 to shape us

00:42:54.919 --> 00:42:56.339
 so that we start

00:42:56.339 --> 00:42:56.919
 to die

00:42:56.919 --> 00:42:57.919
 to these things

00:42:57.920 --> 00:43:01.159
 and have a desire

00:43:01.159 --> 00:43:01.180
 and have a desire

00:43:01.180 --> 00:43:02.360
 to give

00:43:02.360 --> 00:43:03.539
 in such a way

00:43:03.539 --> 00:43:04.360
 that we don't care

00:43:04.360 --> 00:43:05.220
 if we get a plaque

00:43:05.220 --> 00:43:06.159
 on it at the end

00:43:06.159 --> 00:43:09.300
 or get our paper

00:43:09.300 --> 00:43:10.280
 in the National Post

00:43:10.280 --> 00:43:10.940
 or the Citizen

00:43:10.940 --> 00:43:11.940
 or the Globe and Mail

00:43:11.940 --> 00:43:13.480
 because we went

00:43:13.480 --> 00:43:14.360
 to a fundraiser.

00:43:15.500 --> 00:43:16.400
 Some of us have been

00:43:16.400 --> 00:43:17.139
 in those pictures

00:43:17.139 --> 00:43:19.240
 but that's not the goal.

00:43:19.760 --> 00:43:20.820
 If they take your picture

00:43:20.820 --> 00:43:21.720
 they take your picture

00:43:21.720 --> 00:43:21.960
 right?

00:43:22.079 --> 00:43:23.559
 But it's not the goal.

00:43:24.519 --> 00:43:25.960
 So just in closing here

00:43:25.960 --> 00:43:26.779
 just to wrap it up

00:43:26.779 --> 00:43:27.500
 I just want to share

00:43:27.500 --> 00:43:29.179
 a couple of little things

00:43:29.179 --> 00:43:33.019
 about being generous.

00:43:33.139 --> 00:43:33.719
 The first one

00:43:33.719 --> 00:43:34.320
 is once again

00:43:34.320 --> 00:43:35.000
 about tithing.

00:43:35.099 --> 00:43:35.519
 I don't think

00:43:35.519 --> 00:43:36.320
 the Bible teaches

00:43:36.320 --> 00:43:37.299
 the New Testament

00:43:37.299 --> 00:43:38.179
 teaches that Christians

00:43:38.179 --> 00:43:38.860
 have to tithe.

00:43:38.980 --> 00:43:39.739
 I think tithing

00:43:39.739 --> 00:43:40.579
 is a rule of thumb.

00:43:40.980 --> 00:43:41.360
 I'll give you

00:43:41.360 --> 00:43:41.900
 an illustration.

00:43:43.460 --> 00:43:44.779
 The last summer job

00:43:44.779 --> 00:43:45.500
 I had before

00:43:45.500 --> 00:43:46.239
 I got ordained

00:43:46.239 --> 00:43:47.400
 a friend of mine

00:43:47.400 --> 00:43:48.199
 hired me to do

00:43:48.199 --> 00:43:49.179
 he had a small

00:43:49.179 --> 00:43:50.099
 construction company

00:43:50.099 --> 00:43:51.380
 hired me to work for him

00:43:51.380 --> 00:43:53.299
 and if some of you

00:43:53.300 --> 00:43:53.820
 have heard before

00:43:53.820 --> 00:43:55.000
 when it comes

00:43:55.000 --> 00:43:55.800
 to being competent

00:43:55.800 --> 00:43:56.460
 with a hammer

00:43:56.460 --> 00:43:57.960
 I have two left feet.

00:43:58.420 --> 00:43:58.880
 I don't have

00:43:58.880 --> 00:43:59.820
 two left hands

00:43:59.820 --> 00:44:00.880
 I have two left feet

00:44:00.880 --> 00:44:02.039
 I'm so incompetent

00:44:02.039 --> 00:44:02.620
 with hammers.

00:44:03.240 --> 00:44:05.380
 But he had to do

00:44:05.380 --> 00:44:05.960
 a lot of work

00:44:05.960 --> 00:44:07.039
 in some rural areas

00:44:07.039 --> 00:44:08.300
 or just outside of Ottawa

00:44:08.300 --> 00:44:09.640
 where he had to have

00:44:09.640 --> 00:44:10.180
 digging done

00:44:10.180 --> 00:44:11.080
 around septic systems

00:44:11.080 --> 00:44:11.539
 and he knew

00:44:11.539 --> 00:44:12.680
 George can dig

00:44:12.680 --> 00:44:14.180
 and George can take

00:44:14.180 --> 00:44:15.400
 shingles up on roofs

00:44:15.400 --> 00:44:16.780
 and George can lug wood

00:44:16.780 --> 00:44:17.740
 and George can do

00:44:17.740 --> 00:44:18.560
 all this simple meat

00:44:18.560 --> 00:44:19.220
 and that was fine

00:44:19.220 --> 00:44:19.960
 I was very happy.

00:44:20.400 --> 00:44:21.220
 But there came a time

00:44:21.220 --> 00:44:21.480
 he said

00:44:21.480 --> 00:44:22.440
 I want you to nail

00:44:22.440 --> 00:44:23.300
 in these boards

00:44:23.300 --> 00:44:24.579
 I think it was part

00:44:24.579 --> 00:44:25.000
 of a deck

00:44:25.000 --> 00:44:25.699
 and I want them

00:44:25.699 --> 00:44:27.240
 to be close together.

00:44:28.500 --> 00:44:28.820
 Okay?

00:44:29.320 --> 00:44:29.840
 So I said

00:44:29.840 --> 00:44:30.500
 I don't know

00:44:30.500 --> 00:44:31.179
 what that means.

00:44:31.800 --> 00:44:32.119
 He said

00:44:32.119 --> 00:44:32.820
 well I want them

00:44:32.820 --> 00:44:33.659
 to be close together.

00:44:34.579 --> 00:44:35.280
 And I said

00:44:35.280 --> 00:44:37.219
 I don't know

00:44:37.219 --> 00:44:37.880
 what that means.

00:44:38.240 --> 00:44:38.440
 He said

00:44:38.440 --> 00:44:39.019
 close together

00:44:39.019 --> 00:44:39.820
 just like you normally

00:44:39.820 --> 00:44:40.880
 do on a deck.

00:44:41.340 --> 00:44:41.440
 I said

00:44:41.440 --> 00:44:43.139
 okay time out

00:44:43.139 --> 00:44:43.840
 Rex

00:44:43.840 --> 00:44:44.760
 like I really

00:44:44.760 --> 00:44:45.539
 literally don't know

00:44:45.539 --> 00:44:46.059
 what you mean.

00:44:46.059 --> 00:44:48.139
 like a 32nd

00:44:48.139 --> 00:44:48.900
 of an inch apart

00:44:48.900 --> 00:44:50.579
 16th of an inch

00:44:50.579 --> 00:44:51.299
 an 8th of an inch

00:44:51.299 --> 00:44:51.920
 a quarter of an inch

00:44:51.920 --> 00:44:52.360
 half an inch

00:44:52.360 --> 00:44:53.219
 I don't know

00:44:53.219 --> 00:44:53.619
 what you mean.

00:44:53.759 --> 00:44:54.340
 I have no rule

00:44:54.340 --> 00:44:55.079
 of I don't know

00:44:55.079 --> 00:44:55.460
 what you mean.

00:44:56.559 --> 00:44:57.179
 Then he realized

00:44:57.179 --> 00:44:57.920
 oh yeah yeah yeah

00:44:57.920 --> 00:44:58.900
 George is completely

00:44:58.900 --> 00:44:59.619
 clueless.

00:45:01.699 --> 00:45:02.559
 Like when it comes

00:45:02.559 --> 00:45:03.239
 to carpentry

00:45:03.239 --> 00:45:04.159
 George is dumber

00:45:04.159 --> 00:45:05.820
 than a bag of rocks.

00:45:06.099 --> 00:45:07.079
 Okay so he took

00:45:07.079 --> 00:45:08.119
 pity on me

00:45:08.119 --> 00:45:08.980
 and he laid them out

00:45:08.980 --> 00:45:09.920
 so I had a rule of thumb.

00:45:10.779 --> 00:45:11.259
 And I think

00:45:11.259 --> 00:45:11.739
 that's the same

00:45:11.739 --> 00:45:12.420
 with tithing

00:45:12.420 --> 00:45:13.099
 in the Bible

00:45:13.099 --> 00:45:13.860
 for the New Testament.

00:45:14.000 --> 00:45:14.420
 You can see here

00:45:14.420 --> 00:45:15.079
 this grace thing

00:45:15.079 --> 00:45:15.900
 some people grace

00:45:15.900 --> 00:45:16.699
 is going to so affect

00:45:16.699 --> 00:45:17.119
 their lives

00:45:17.119 --> 00:45:17.639
 become like

00:45:17.639 --> 00:45:18.299
 Mother Teresa.

00:45:19.059 --> 00:45:19.900
 God doesn't call

00:45:19.900 --> 00:45:20.319
 all of us

00:45:20.319 --> 00:45:20.699
 to be like

00:45:20.699 --> 00:45:21.299
 Mother Teresa

00:45:21.299 --> 00:45:21.960
 where you literally

00:45:21.960 --> 00:45:22.699
 have nothing

00:45:22.699 --> 00:45:23.719
 everything that comes

00:45:23.719 --> 00:45:24.539
 in just goes out

00:45:24.539 --> 00:45:25.079
 for the poor.

00:45:25.840 --> 00:45:26.460
 Most of us

00:45:26.460 --> 00:45:27.199
 aren't called to that

00:45:27.199 --> 00:45:27.699
 but the Bible

00:45:27.699 --> 00:45:28.279
 gives us a bit

00:45:28.279 --> 00:45:29.039
 of rule of thumb

00:45:29.039 --> 00:45:29.759
 as terms of

00:45:29.759 --> 00:45:30.699
 what to look towards

00:45:30.699 --> 00:45:31.719
 what to move towards.

00:45:32.199 --> 00:45:33.679
 The 10% of our income

00:45:33.679 --> 00:45:35.380
 we give to the church

00:45:35.380 --> 00:45:37.079
 that's doing God's will

00:45:37.079 --> 00:45:38.299
 and then beyond that

00:45:38.299 --> 00:45:39.599
 we give to other things

00:45:39.599 --> 00:45:40.159
 that are continuing

00:45:40.159 --> 00:45:41.079
 to do to God's will

00:45:41.079 --> 00:45:41.460
 and that's what

00:45:41.460 --> 00:45:42.199
 we move towards.

00:45:43.500 --> 00:45:43.980
 And that's

00:45:43.980 --> 00:45:44.500
 so when it's

00:45:44.500 --> 00:45:45.000
 talking about

00:45:45.000 --> 00:45:46.460
 generosity in the real world

00:45:46.460 --> 00:45:47.360
 that's the rule of thumb.

00:45:47.679 --> 00:45:48.239
 I think that's what

00:45:48.239 --> 00:45:49.340
 the New Testament teaches

00:45:49.340 --> 00:45:50.480
 and the Bible

00:45:50.480 --> 00:45:51.420
 as a whole teaches.

00:45:52.699 --> 00:45:54.019
 And some grace

00:45:54.019 --> 00:45:55.559
 the grace of giving

00:45:55.559 --> 00:45:57.019
 will be well beyond that

00:45:57.019 --> 00:45:57.460
 and by that

00:45:57.460 --> 00:45:58.480
 I don't mean rich people

00:45:58.480 --> 00:45:59.719
 and many of you know

00:45:59.719 --> 00:46:00.320
 that it's often

00:46:00.320 --> 00:46:01.260
 in poor countries

00:46:01.260 --> 00:46:01.920
 that people are

00:46:01.920 --> 00:46:03.280
 vastly more generous

00:46:03.280 --> 00:46:04.599
 even though they have

00:46:04.599 --> 00:46:05.460
 very little money.

00:46:06.239 --> 00:46:06.860
 And the other thing

00:46:06.860 --> 00:46:07.739
 I guess I would just say

00:46:07.739 --> 00:46:08.239
 to you is that

00:46:08.239 --> 00:46:09.119
 for Louise and me

00:46:09.119 --> 00:46:10.300
 when we got challenged

00:46:10.300 --> 00:46:11.179
 about tithing

00:46:11.179 --> 00:46:12.039
 because we were not

00:46:12.039 --> 00:46:12.860
 even remotely

00:46:12.860 --> 00:46:13.920
 close to tithing

00:46:13.920 --> 00:46:15.000
 the time I was

00:46:15.000 --> 00:46:15.440
 getting paid

00:46:15.440 --> 00:46:16.179
 once a month

00:46:16.179 --> 00:46:17.500
 we just thought

00:46:17.500 --> 00:46:18.139
 we'd take a step

00:46:18.139 --> 00:46:18.500
 of faith

00:46:18.500 --> 00:46:19.300
 to start adding

00:46:19.300 --> 00:46:20.000
 twenty dollars.

00:46:21.279 --> 00:46:22.019
 And you know what

00:46:22.019 --> 00:46:23.320
 the world didn't collapse

00:46:23.320 --> 00:46:25.340
 we didn't all of a sudden

00:46:25.340 --> 00:46:26.719
 have no money to eat

00:46:26.719 --> 00:46:29.259
 and then we trusted

00:46:29.259 --> 00:46:30.320
 God with another twenty

00:46:30.320 --> 00:46:31.259
 in a month.

00:46:31.719 --> 00:46:32.340
 Oh okay

00:46:32.340 --> 00:46:33.500
 we still ate this month.

00:46:34.420 --> 00:46:36.059
 The kids still have clothes

00:46:36.059 --> 00:46:37.099
 and the house

00:46:37.099 --> 00:46:37.759
 still has heat

00:46:37.759 --> 00:46:38.559
 and that we just

00:46:38.559 --> 00:46:39.480
 but you have to begin

00:46:39.480 --> 00:46:41.079
 like begin today

00:46:41.079 --> 00:46:43.260
 or begin tomorrow

00:46:43.260 --> 00:46:45.780
 and begin where you are.

00:46:47.599 --> 00:46:48.420
 And the main thing

00:46:48.420 --> 00:46:48.940
 is to be gripped

00:46:48.940 --> 00:46:49.559
 by the gospel.

00:46:49.699 --> 00:46:50.280
 Just one other thing

00:46:50.280 --> 00:46:51.000
 I want to share with you

00:46:51.000 --> 00:46:51.920
 as a practical matter

00:46:51.920 --> 00:46:53.400
 for Louise and me

00:46:53.400 --> 00:46:54.460
 it's far easier

00:46:54.460 --> 00:46:55.860
 if we pay God first.

00:46:56.280 --> 00:46:57.059
 I'm just sharing with you

00:46:57.059 --> 00:46:57.940
 some practical thing

00:46:57.940 --> 00:46:58.460
 we've learned.

00:46:59.240 --> 00:47:00.539
 When the pay comes in

00:47:00.539 --> 00:47:02.159
 I mean

00:47:02.159 --> 00:47:02.800
 it would either be

00:47:02.800 --> 00:47:03.480
 setting an EFT

00:47:03.480 --> 00:47:03.860
 or just

00:47:03.860 --> 00:47:05.039
 I literally take the money

00:47:05.039 --> 00:47:05.800
 out of the bank

00:47:05.800 --> 00:47:07.139
 when my pay comes in.

00:47:07.179 --> 00:47:07.940
 I do that first.

00:47:08.039 --> 00:47:08.900
 The second thing I do

00:47:08.900 --> 00:47:09.760
 is move my money

00:47:09.760 --> 00:47:10.840
 from the account

00:47:10.840 --> 00:47:11.320
 the bank

00:47:11.320 --> 00:47:12.700
 to the account

00:47:12.700 --> 00:47:13.660
 where I pay my bills.

00:47:13.820 --> 00:47:15.019
 I do those two things first

00:47:15.019 --> 00:47:15.860
 and then I try to live on

00:47:15.860 --> 00:47:16.920
 we try to live on the rest.

00:47:17.980 --> 00:47:18.440
 And that's just

00:47:18.440 --> 00:47:19.500
 a practical thing

00:47:19.500 --> 00:47:19.980
 that I've learned.

00:47:20.139 --> 00:47:20.680
 In the Bible

00:47:20.680 --> 00:47:20.960
 it's called

00:47:20.960 --> 00:47:22.119
 The First Fruits

00:47:22.119 --> 00:47:22.680
 but I just want to

00:47:22.680 --> 00:47:23.500
 share that with you.

00:47:24.240 --> 00:47:25.260
 But the main thing

00:47:25.260 --> 00:47:26.599
 is to be gripped by grace.

00:47:28.539 --> 00:47:30.099
 As God grips us

00:47:30.099 --> 00:47:31.260
 with what he's done

00:47:31.260 --> 00:47:32.519
 for us in his son

00:47:32.519 --> 00:47:35.340
 it changes us

00:47:35.340 --> 00:47:36.579
 for real

00:47:36.579 --> 00:47:37.460
 and for good.

00:47:37.460 --> 00:47:39.260
 And it's not

00:47:39.260 --> 00:47:39.960
 legalism

00:47:39.960 --> 00:47:40.820
 it's not rules

00:47:40.820 --> 00:47:41.519
 it's not earning

00:47:41.519 --> 00:47:42.320
 God's favor

00:47:42.320 --> 00:47:43.840
 it's being gripped

00:47:43.840 --> 00:47:44.840
 by what God

00:47:44.840 --> 00:47:45.699
 has done for you

00:47:45.699 --> 00:47:46.240
 in the person

00:47:46.240 --> 00:47:46.880
 of his son.

00:47:47.760 --> 00:47:48.679
 Please stand.

00:47:55.199 --> 00:47:56.280
 Let's bow our heads

00:47:56.280 --> 00:47:56.780
 in prayer.

00:48:00.079 --> 00:48:01.099
 Father thank you

00:48:01.099 --> 00:48:01.639
 for Jesus.

00:48:02.619 --> 00:48:03.639
 Thank you Father

00:48:03.639 --> 00:48:04.579
 for God

00:48:04.579 --> 00:48:05.480
 the Son of God

00:48:05.480 --> 00:48:06.380
 the second person

00:48:06.380 --> 00:48:06.940
 of the Trinity.

00:48:07.180 --> 00:48:07.960
 Thank you Father

00:48:07.960 --> 00:48:09.720
 that even though

00:48:09.720 --> 00:48:10.579
 we human beings

00:48:10.579 --> 00:48:11.680
 didn't want a Savior

00:48:11.680 --> 00:48:12.740
 didn't think we needed

00:48:12.740 --> 00:48:13.260
 a Savior

00:48:13.260 --> 00:48:14.019
 weren't looking

00:48:14.019 --> 00:48:14.740
 for a Savior

00:48:14.740 --> 00:48:15.780
 hadn't asked you

00:48:15.780 --> 00:48:16.420
 for a Savior

00:48:16.420 --> 00:48:16.780
 Father

00:48:16.780 --> 00:48:17.559
 you knew we needed

00:48:17.559 --> 00:48:18.039
 a Savior.

00:48:18.740 --> 00:48:19.680
 You knew our true

00:48:19.680 --> 00:48:20.500
 and deepest need.

00:48:20.619 --> 00:48:21.440
 You knew that we

00:48:21.440 --> 00:48:23.260
 needed to be reconciled

00:48:23.260 --> 00:48:23.599
 to you

00:48:23.599 --> 00:48:24.559
 that you loved us

00:48:24.559 --> 00:48:26.019
 but we had a big problem

00:48:26.019 --> 00:48:27.260
 and you knew

00:48:27.260 --> 00:48:28.480
 that we had a big problem

00:48:28.480 --> 00:48:29.340
 and we couldn't help

00:48:29.340 --> 00:48:29.780
 ourselves

00:48:29.780 --> 00:48:31.140
 and still you loved us.

00:48:31.300 --> 00:48:32.480
 Still you sent your Son

00:48:32.480 --> 00:48:34.099
 to die upon the cross

00:48:34.099 --> 00:48:34.460
 for us.

00:48:34.460 --> 00:48:36.220
 Still you sent your Son

00:48:36.220 --> 00:48:37.220
 to become poorer

00:48:37.220 --> 00:48:38.380
 than poor could be

00:48:38.380 --> 00:48:39.519
 so that we

00:48:39.519 --> 00:48:40.679
 when we put our faith

00:48:40.679 --> 00:48:41.679
 and trust in your Son

00:48:41.679 --> 00:48:42.019
 Jesus

00:48:42.019 --> 00:48:43.139
 become rich in him.

00:48:43.860 --> 00:48:44.220
 Father

00:48:44.220 --> 00:48:45.320
 we ask that you

00:48:45.320 --> 00:48:46.320
 make us disciples

00:48:46.320 --> 00:48:47.039
 of Jesus

00:48:47.039 --> 00:48:47.800
 who are gripped

00:48:47.800 --> 00:48:48.720
 by the gospel

00:48:48.720 --> 00:48:50.659
 and learning to live

00:48:50.659 --> 00:48:51.639
 free

00:48:51.639 --> 00:48:52.900
 and whole

00:48:52.900 --> 00:48:54.199
 for your glory.

00:48:54.440 --> 00:48:55.340
 Free and whole

00:48:55.340 --> 00:48:56.139
 and generous

00:48:56.139 --> 00:48:57.980
 for your great glory

00:48:57.980 --> 00:48:59.199
 and the good

00:48:59.199 --> 00:49:00.500
 of this created order

00:49:00.500 --> 00:49:01.440
 and the whole world.

00:49:01.659 --> 00:49:01.860
 Father

00:49:01.860 --> 00:49:02.800
 make us such

00:49:02.800 --> 00:49:03.980
 disciples of Jesus

00:49:03.980 --> 00:49:05.220
 this we pray

00:49:05.220 --> 00:49:06.740
 in Jesus' name.

00:49:07.160 --> 00:49:07.539
 Amen.