Father, pour out your Holy Spirit upon us.
Pour out your Holy Spirit upon us.
Father, we ask that you help us by your Holy Spirit
to use the very best of our mind and our heart
and our imagination and our will
to listen to your word and to listen to you.
At the same time, Father, we ask that your Holy Spirit
would humble our imaginations and our hearts and our wills
so that we will acknowledge that unless you move
and work within us, we are powerless.
So, Father, we ask that in your mercy and in your kindness,
you would do this double powerful work
of your Holy Spirit in us this morning.
Father, it's your word.
We want and need to hear you speak to us.
And all this we ask in the name of Jesus,
your Son and our Savior.
Amen.
Please be seated.
We had a hymn sing last night and I had to,
I was, I didn't had to, I had the great privilege of leading it.
Acapella without a mic, so that's why I'm hoarse.
I sang Christmas carols very loudly for 70 minutes last night,
so now I'm hoarse.
Some, you know that I, there's a particular Starbucks
where I usually work on my sermons on weekday mornings.
And so now there's several people there who will often,
not every week, but there's people who regularly ask me
what my sermon's going to be on.
And so this one fellow who's quite a skeptic,
usually he asks me what the sermon's going to be on
and then he gives me a lecture as to why I'm all wrong,
why Christians are wrong.
And this week he said, what's your topic on?
And I said, why is God so bossy about money?
And he literally took a step back and said,
I can't believe you're going to talk about that.
He said, that's absolutely dynamite.
That's, he was actually, it was the first time,
one of the few times I'd seen him a little bit speechless
that I was going to talk about why is God so bossy about money?
And as we all know, one of the great perceptions of non-Christians,
about Christians, but also I think maybe spiritual or not spiritual,
not religious people, of even religious people in general,
is that God is very bossy about money.
Not only is he bossy about money,
he's intrusive, harmful, not helpful,
and not realistic.
And I think that would be a very common view about
religious people in general,
and Christians in particular about money.
So here's my opportunity.
I'm going to just say, if you're a guest here this morning,
maybe as a seeker,
maybe you just got dragged here by somebody,
or if you've been coming to this church for a while,
and you are not a follower of Jesus,
on behalf of Jesus,
I want to say that we don't want you to give us any money at all.
And I'm very serious.
And it's not because your money's not good,
or we don't like you.
Just we really, literally,
this is an opportunity.
I know for some of you,
it's a bit of a scary topic.
You are maybe glad that I'm going to raise it.
But this is a real opportunity.
And you'll hear it's not just me,
it's actually what the Bible says,
is that it would really, really be good
if you give us no money whatsoever.
Instead, after the service,
have as many cookies and as much coffee as you can on us.
We want to be generous to you.
But you'll see in a moment why it is that I say,
please don't give us money.
Now, the fact is that many Christians and many churches,
too many,
are bossy and intrusive and unhelpful about money,
and are fixated about money,
and probably worship money.
I mean, in fact, actually,
one of the judgments that you can see
in a lot of the churches in the city of Ottawa
that are closing,
is that the congregations,
rather than giving their buildings
to, let's say, an immigrant church,
a new Canadian's church,
they sell it to developers
because they want the money.
So, in fact,
it is a problem
in churches
and for Christians
that they're, like,
fixated with money,
bossy about money,
or maybe,
anyway,
it is an issue.
But the question is,
is that a Christian problem
and a human problem?
Or is it, in fact,
what God wants us to do?
I mean,
if you think about it for a second,
just sort of take a little bit of a time out
with this whole question,
the world is pretty bossy about money.
The liberal,
the provincial governments
and the federal governments
don't think we use our money well enough
so they want to make changes
to the Canada Pension Plan.
Every Saturday,
if not more often,
there's regularly
a whole raft of columns
and articles in the newspaper
to tell us
how we should be spending our money,
foolish ways to use money,
smart ways to use money.
In fact,
there's a bit of a human problem
about being fixated with money
and being bossy
and intrusive about it.
But the question is,
is that a human problem
of which Christians share
because we aren't listening to the Bible
or thinking about Jesus
or is in fact
the Bible bossy about money?
Is the God
who is revealed in Scripture
bossy and intrusive
and foolish about money?
So it'd be a great help
if you get your Bibles out
and we're going to look at that.
If you're wondering
why on earth
we're talking about this,
it's one of the things
that we do in this church
is we preach through books
of the Bible.
And that means
we just take the topics
as they come up.
It's not that I have
a fixation with this.
It's just,
in fact,
I'll give you a warning.
We're going to be looking
at two chapters
and 39 verses,
not all today,
but this week,
next week,
and then in January
when we come back
to 2 Corinthians
that talk about money.
And it's just the way
the book moves.
It's just the way
that the flow of the book moves.
So if you get your Bibles,
look to 2 Corinthians
and it's chapter 8,
2 Corinthians chapter 8
and let's start reading it.
Verse 1 and 2.
We want you to know
brothers and sisters,
about the grace of God
that has been given
among the churches
of Macedonia.
That's an area of Greece
at the time.
This is originally a letter
which was written
about the year 56 or 57.
And it's to the areas
that now be known
as Thessalonica,
Berea,
Philippi,
and that's what
he's referring to.
So I'll read the sentence again.
We want you to know,
brothers and sisters,
about the grace of God
that has been given
among the churches
of Macedonia.
For in a severe test
of affliction,
their abundance of joy
and their extreme poverty
have overflowed
in a wealth
of generosity
on their part.
Now here's the first thing,
if you could put it up.
The really surprising thing
is we begin,
when we hear that the Bible
is going to talk about money,
we begin with this
cultural assumption
that the Bible
is going to be bossy
about money,
but the Bible begins
in a very surprising place.
It begins by,
God wants us to know
about grace.
God wants us
to know about grace.
So it's a bit of a surprise
that that's how
it's going to begin.
And some of you
might wonder,
well, what does the Bible
mean by grace?
And Andrew,
if you could put up
the second point.
This is just,
if you go throughout
the New Testament
in particular,
but the entire Bible,
the Old Testament as well,
because the Old Testament
teaches that God
is gracious
and that he is
filled with grace.
He is a God
who is characterized
by grace.
This is, I think,
a very good summary
of how the Bible
teaches what grace is,
God's grace is.
God's grace,
or grace,
is a justice
without compromise
and a love
to the uttermost,
which has real power
to enter into human lives
and change us
for our true good.
I think that's what
the Bible means
by God's grace.
It means,
it is,
God's grace
is a justice
without compromise.
This is very,
very important.
It's not favoritism.
It's not,
you know,
that we're going to favor
one social group
over another.
We're going to favor
one age group
over another.
We're going to favor
one ethnic or national
or racial group
or sexual type
over another.
It is justice
without compromise
and it's also
love to the uttermost.
And it's great,
it's justice
without compromise
and love to the uttermost,
which,
because it's from God,
has the real power
to enter into
your life
and mine
and change us
for our true good.
So,
this
is something
that God
wants us
to know about.
It's not just
something that he does
to amuse himself
like a hobby.
That's a very nature
of God
and he wants us
to know about it
and he wants us
to know about
how it actually
has become
powerfully real
and present
for people's good
in this area
of Macedonia.
Now,
and that's how
it begins,
verse one,
we want you to know,
brothers and sisters,
about the grace of God
that has been given
among the churches
of Macedonia.
Now,
some of you,
if you've come
to the church before,
you'll notice,
you'll know that,
in fact,
I got an email
just recently,
I knew I did it
but I never really
put it in these terms,
but George,
and in fact,
often I start
to walk to the side
and I go,
but George,
and then I raise
the objection
of somebody
and this is often
where I would have
a but George moment,
but I'm not
because the Bible,
in fact,
is implicitly asking
us a question.
The Bible is,
in fact,
saying,
but Canadians,
but Canada,
here's the question,
does money,
having lots of money,
create and encourage
generosity to others?
Does having money,
here's a question
for Canadians,
does having money,
does having lots of money,
having more money,
does that naturally
create generosity
in human beings,
in Canadians?
If we're honest,
I think we'd say
it doesn't.
And it's often
very hard for us
to say that,
and one of the reasons
it's hard for us
to say that,
and this isn't really
a topic of this sermon,
because this whole sermon,
the way it's talking
about money,
isn't talking about
idolatry,
but money is often
a very powerful idol
in our hearts,
in our imaginations,
and idols
don't like to be
talked about bluntly.
When we have an idol
in our heart
and our mind,
it will cause
our mind
and our heart
and our will
to be evasive
and less clear,
because idols
never like to be
brought into the light.
But I think
you would agree
if you look
not only in Canada
but around the world
that the mere presence
of extra money
does not usually
elicit,
just by the money
itself,
a feeling of
now I can be
more generous.
That's not normally
what arises
in people's hearts.
In fact,
if you want evidence
of this,
just go to either
the Citizen
or the Globe and Mail
or the National Post
and read
the financial sections
for the last six months
and see how many times
they say,
this is how you save money
on your taxes
and this is how you
make more money
and you're doing
all of this
so you can be
more generous.
My guess is
that you will find
no articles about that
or maybe you'll find one.
So just for a second here,
this is one of these
time out moments
and it's fine.
God has big shoulders
and God is quite fine.
In fact,
one of the things
about the Gospels
is that Jesus
loves honest questions
but at the same time
if you read the Gospels,
Jesus often asks
honest questions
and so here we have
this cultural fear,
a human fear
that God is going
to be bossy,
intrusive,
hurtful and harmful
and unwise
about money
and as we start
to get into it,
we discover that
in fact,
the Bible
is asking us
a question.
The Bible
is asking me
a question.
Okay,
just to think
about this,
does the mere presence
of more money
in our lives
make us more generous?
So here,
if you could put up
the third point,
Andrew,
what is going on
in this text
is that money
does not naturally
create generosity
to others
but God's grace
grows generosity
to others.
this is cultural dynamite.
Just even within
our own culture,
you know what,
often at a level
of common grace,
having more money
doesn't usually
create generosity
but you know
one of the things
in our culture
that creates generosity?
Love.
I mean,
many of you
can maybe even
think in your own
offices
or your places
of work
that there might
be a woman
who would really,
you could tell
when the card
comes around
to give a gift
for somebody
who's leaving
or something's
happened to them
and getting that
toonie out of
the purse
and letting go
of it for that
person
is really hard.
But that same
person
might talk
about her
daughter's
wedding
and talk
about how
she's hoping
to have a big
raise
so she can
give the money
to her daughter.
So we see
right here
this is a
cultural thing.
It's not that
there's no
generosity
in our culture
but it's not
usually created
by money.
It's created
by something
else like love.
And as we're
going to see
this is actually
sort of a truth
that the Bible
makes clear
that Marxism
doesn't tell us,
queer theory
doesn't tell us
this,
deconstructionism
doesn't tell us
this,
Ayn Rand
doesn't tell us
this,
Nietzsche
doesn't tell us
this,
it doesn't
sort of instill
it within us.
But the Bible
makes this clear.
So the Bible
shows that money
does not naturally
create generosity
to others
but God's grace
grows generosity
to others.
You know
in this text
if you read
1 and 2 again
look at it again
verses 1 and 2
we want you to know
brothers and sisters
about the grace
of God
that has been
given among
the churches
of Macedonia.
How does he know
that God's grace
has been powerful
there?
He says
verse 2
for in a severe
test of affliction
affliction means
basically they're
suffering terrible
persecution.
Their abundance
of joy
and their
extreme poverty
in other words
they're not only
experiencing
persecution
but they're
experiencing
persecution
that's made
them poor
have overflowed
in a wealth
of generosity
on their part.
Look at that.
How can poverty
overflow
in a wealth
of generosity?
But God's grace
creates that.
God's grace
coming into our lives.
The Holy Spirit
as we're going to see
in a moment
part of God's grace
as the Holy Spirit
works
it creates
a generosity.
generosity.
Now some of you
might say
but George
you asked
a challenging
question of me
but George
this sounds like
God is doing
something here
that's actually
making these
people weaker
he's furthering
their oppression
by giving them
less financial
resources.
Well let's go
on and read
verses 3 to 5.
Here's what Paul
says
what the Bible
says
for they gave
verse 3
they gave
according to
their means
of their own
accord
begging us
earnestly
for the favor
of taking part
in the relief
of the saints
and here saints
just means
in the Bible
in the New Testament
if you've given
your life to Jesus
you're a saint
that's how it
describes people
who've given
their lives to Jesus
it doesn't mean
you live well
it means you're
God's
and some of us
anyway
God needs a lot
of work
in a lot of our
lives right
I'll say that again
verse 4
begging us
earnestly
for the favor
of taking
part
in the relief
of the saints
and this not
as we expected
but they gave
themselves first
to the Lord
and then by the
will of God
to us
okay so that's
what the Bible
says
so here's
the context
in this area
that Paul's
talking about
Philippi
Thessalonica
Berea
that area
they
people have
become Christians
and in that
particular pagan
culture context
they've
experienced
ostracism
loss
of status
loss
of business
contacts
that have
greatly reduced
their income
some of the
people
we know
from Lydia
and the
Philippian
jailer
had financial
means
and for
whatever reason
now
the implication
is that
many or all
of them
have lost
their financial
means
and they're
now suffering
poverty
in the context
of persecution
and Paul
is collecting
money
as he goes
around
what we now
call as
Turkey
and what we
now know
of as
Greece
and he's
collecting
money
from these
pagans
who've
become
Christians
because
the Jewish
believers
in Jerusalem
have also
suffered
great ostracism
and persecution
and are in
dire financial
need
and so
Paul is
going along
collecting
money
in what we
now refer
to as
Turkey
and Greece
for the Jewish
believers
in fact
it's actually
a very
very powerful
thing
because
you know
when I
said about
how one
of the
things
that overcomes
the tendency
of money
is love
this is an
aspect of love
because these
men and women
are crossing
language lines
social lines
cultural lines
ethnic lines
geographic lines
to really
love the other
and that's
what God's
grace has
done
as God's
grace has
come into
their lives
rather than
them becoming
more ethnocentric
or you know
more just
cultural centric
or national
centric
it's breaking
down these
barriers
because they
have a
compassion
for people
who are
of a
different
ethnicity
different
culture
just
everything
and as
God's
grace
comes into
their lives
they have
this desire
to give
sacrificially
for the
other
so here's
the point
first number
four
Andrew
the Bible
does not
romanticize
poverty
nowhere in
the Bible
there's no
Walden Pond
there's no
noble savage
there's nothing
like Jean-Jacques
Rousseau
there's nothing
like that
the Bible
does not
romanticize
poverty
or being
poor
but the Bible
tells us
of how
God's grace
frees
dignifies
and empowers
the poor
and the
powerless
the Bible
tells us
of how
God's grace
frees
dignifies
and empowers
the poor
and the
powerless
you see
God's grace
we receive
it
it's a
passive
thing
that
I can't
do anything
to earn
God's grace
it's not
something
that I
can do
that if
I do
enough
good
action
somehow
another
God's
grace
will
I'll
earn
it
like a
prize
it's not
like
you know
saving up
points
or air
mile
points
or aeroplan
points
you get
enough
points
you get
a
flight
there's
nothing
I can
do
it's
something
we receive
passively
but at the
same time
it's something
that when
God's grace
comes into
our lives
it creates
activity
God's grace
comes into
our lives
and as
God's grace
as Jesus
comes and
lives within
us
as the
Holy Spirit
comes within
us
the Holy Spirit
starts to
irrigate
things within
our life
in our
mind
in our
heart
in our
will
in our
imagination
and at
the same
time
that it
starts
to do
this
irrigating
work
within
us
it
creates
this
desire
for the
grace
to continue
to go
out
in different
ways
and that's
as we'll see
in a moment
the gifts
the charisms
that come out
from us
and that's
what's happening
here
you see
what's one
of the things
that we know
about the
poor
well first
of all
people don't
think about
the poor
I mean
one of the
things that's
going on in
our culture
right now
is that there's
very little
talk of the
poor
it's about
middle class
tax cuts
and in fact
you know
on one hand
the fact that
we have a
concern at all
for the poor
in our culture
is something
as I think
that comes out
of our
Christian past
but you know
at the same
time even
what goes on
in our culture
isn't us
sacrificially giving
but us
wanting to
have the
government
spend other
people's money
to help
the poor
do you know
that the
percentage of
people in
Canada that
actually give
enough money
to charity
that they can
claim an
income tax
receipt has
been going
down as a
percentage of
the population
ever since
Revenue Canada
started to
I think it's
about 24
consecutive
years of
decline
in our
country
and often
what we want
is other
people to
give their
money
but the
poor
are irrelevant
they're
invisible
we see them
as victims
and they often
by our culture
they're understood
to be irrelevant
invisible
victims
and powerless
but here we
see that when
God comes
into their
lives
it means
they're not
irrelevant
they're not
invisible
they're not
to see
themselves as
complete and
utter passive
victims that
have no power
but God uses
their limited
resources and
their great
real restrictions
in such a
way that
they are a
true and
noteworthy
blessing
that's why
I say
that the
Bible
doesn't
romanticize
poverty
but it
tells us
of how
God's
grace
frees
dignifies
and empowers
the poor
and the
powerless
and in
fact
look again
at this
text
look again
at verse
four
verse three
again
for they
gave according
to their
means
as I can
testify
and beyond
their means
of their own
accord
begging us
earnestly for
the favor
or the
privilege
of taking
part in the
relief of the
saints
let's be
honest
how does
our culture
understand
favor or
privilege
in our
culture
in a
world
where money
is the
primary
narrative
favor
means
avoiding
pain
privilege
means
avoiding
pain
sorry
there is
two tier
health system
in our
country
because
rich
athletes
and rich
people
don't have
long
waiting
lists
and part
of the
way that
money and
power works
in our
culture
is we
don't even
ask
why is it
that that
rich
person
why is it
that my
my grandmother
has to wait
six months
for surgery
and the rich
athlete has
surgery the
next day
why is it
my neighbor
has to wait
eight months
for surgery
and that rich
person
or that
powerful
person
they had
surgery right
away
like we don't
ask that
question
because
in fact
the idols
of our
culture
make us
blind
to the
fact
and the
normal way
that we
understand
favor
is getting
out of
obligations
and keeping
our money
in our
own pocket
and so here
in the text
we see a
profound
inversion
of how our
culture
and how human
beings normally
by their own
flesh
understand power
these people
as the
graces
come into
their lives
they beg
Paul
for the
favor
for the
privilege
of being
used by
God
to bless
these
others
it's a
very very
very powerful
text
now some
of you might
remember
I mean hopefully
all of you
remember that I
said if you've
come here this
morning and you
haven't given
your life to
Jesus even if
you've been
coming here for
many many
months maybe
even for
years
and you
would not
really describe
yourself as
having given
your life to
Jesus that he
is your
savior and
your lord
and I've
said it
would be
really be
good if
you give
us no
money
and I
get that
from verse
five
did you
notice it
verse five
look at
again what
it says
in verse
five
and this
not as we
expected
in other
words they've
given themselves
and their
money
and this
not as we
expected
but they
gave
themselves
first to
the lord
and then
by the
will of
God
to us
and in
the original
language
first to
the lord
has a
double
sense
it means
the very
first thing
they do
is give
themselves to
the lord
or rededicate
themselves to
the lord
and it
also means
first in
importance
and in
priority
you know if
you've read
Stephen Covey
and looked at
how he does
some of his
time management
and you know
you get the
boulders of
your day
or your week
or your month
or your year
you do the
boulders first
or the huge
rocks first
because they're
the first
the big
things
the things
that are
of the
utmost
priority
and that's
what he's
saying here
what God
desires
as the first
thing that we
do
God desires
as the thing
that we
recognize
is most
important
is to give
ourselves
to him
and the
money issues
they're going to
come down
the pike
and so
if you could
put it up
Andrew
God does not
have any
needs
he does not
need your
money
God loves
you as a
person
and longs
to have
you return
to him
God loves
you as a
person
and longs
to have
you return
to him
remember what
grace is
grace is a
justice without
compromise
and love
to the
uttermost
which has
the real
power to
enter into
human lives
and change
us for
our true
good
and God
desires to
enter in
he desires
to have us
enter into
him
he desires
to have
Jesus
enter into
us
he desires
with the
son and
the Holy
Spirit
to make
his home
within us
he desires
to pour
as we
give ourselves
to Jesus
and now
Jesus comes
and lives
within us
the Holy
Spirit
comes and
lives
within us
and as
this happens
God gives
gifts
God gives
gifts
look at how
it continues
in verses
6 and 7
accordingly
we urge
Titus
that as
he has
started
that is
making a
collection
for money
so he
should
complete
among you
this act
of grace
but as
you excel
in everything
in faith
in speech
and here in
speech it
means speaking
in tongues
it means
speaking
being able
to preach
it means
being able
to teach
the Bible
in knowledge
it can mean
having words
of knowledge
it also
can mean
just knowing
the faith
and having
the wisdom
that all
those Old
Testament
texts about
wisdom
and that
practical
knowledge
that come
as a result
of gifts
of grace
in earnestness
that's a type
of ability
to have some
type of willpower
that keeps in
the same
direction
and in our
love for you
and actually
in the original
language
it's a picture
of the
love of the
you know
of the Holy
Spirit
is the love
between the
Trinity
the Father
and the Son
and it's
the love
within the
congregation
of true
believers
and this
love
which does
characterize
the Trinity
and is to
characterize
Christians
that this
love
is now
present in
them as
well
see that you
excel in this
act of grace
also
in this act
of grace
also
we receive
grace
passively
but it
makes us
active
in risking
in going
in praying
and speaking
in giving
but some
of you
might say
okay George
wow you've
taken us
a long way
from this
question
and I
do agree
that the
Bible has
surprised me
here about
how it
talks about
money
and the
Bible has
asked me
some cultural
questions
which in
fact I'm
not entirely
sure where
to go
with it
it might
very well
be the
case that
money by
itself
actually
doesn't
create
generosity
but maybe
it does
create
something
like
selfishness
but George
isn't the
Bible still
telling us
to give
money
like isn't
isn't
God still
being
bossy
no for
two reasons
the first
is it
makes it
very clear
he's not
God is
not ordering
us around
look at
verse
at verse
eight
I say
this not
as a
command
and in
the original
language
the word
command
has an
implication
of a
command
from God
in the
original
language
I say
this not
as a
command
but to
prove or
to test
by the
earnestness
of others
that your
love also
is genuine
and what it
means here
if you
could put it
up Andrew
is the
next point
the Bible
encourages
us
to let
love
grow
and run
its course
by taking
next steps
the Bible
doesn't command
here
it specifically
rejects it
what the Bible
is doing
here is
encouraging
and you might
say that's
a distinction
without a
difference
no in this
particular case
it's a
distinction
with a
difference
it's a
very very
different
thing
I just
discovered
recently
that an
acquaintance
of mine
who's
becoming
a friend
that just
11 months
ago he
was robbed
by gunpoint
in a
taxi
he was
in a
third world
country
he was
taking a
taxi to
the airport
and the
guy pulled
over in a
dark spot
turned around
stuck a gun
in his face
and said
give me
everything you
have
and
it ended
up
I mean
he told
me about
this now
so obviously
he didn't
die in the
whole thing
and it
ended up
you know
it was
it ended
up
he ended
up getting
out of the
hole
I mean
he did
lose
everything
by the way
he had
to give
everything
his
suitcase
his
credit
cards
everything
but his
passport
which was
sort of
tucked away
in another
part of his
body
and the
guy didn't
notice it
if God
wanted to
he could
show you
up
and he
could say
give me
all you
got
God's
way more
powerful
than a
guy with
a gun
just like
that
he could
just do
it like
that
and he
could
command us
in a way
that would
just mean
we've got
to do
all this
but this
isn't a
text about
commanding
it's a
text of
he's telling
you what
it is
that grace
is
and that
if you
understand
what grace
is and
what God's
grace is
and if that
grips you
all I'm
wanting to
do
I'm just
telling you
about this
I want
to encourage
you
I want
to encourage
you that
as the
love of
God
comes into
your life
and as the
love of
God
moves you
to be
connected
to other
brothers and
sisters
like don't
let the
idols of
your life
freeze you
up
but let
love run
its course
let grace
run its
course
let the
Holy Spirit
run its
course
God
Holy Spirit
is not
going to
hurt you
and the
image of
prove is
it would
be as if
in a month
or two
when the
ice is
getting
harder
and you
go to a
rural area
and maybe
you want
to do
some ice
fishing
with your
kid or
your friend
or something
like that
and you're
a bit
nervous
because you're
like me
a city
slicker
and you're
going out
to a rural
area
and you're
a bit
cautious
on the
ice
but you're
testing the
ice to
prove that
it will
hold you
up
and that's
what the
Bible is
saying
just let
your idols
are making
you afraid
your flesh
is making
you afraid
let love
run its
course
let the
Bible speak
into your
life
let God's
grace go
and as it
starts to
go take
these little
steps to
prove that
in fact God
is dependable
that's what
the Bible
is saying
and that's
the first
reason
the second
is connected
to a question
well George
that's very
interesting that
you say that
grace is
God's grace
is justice
without compromise
and a love
to the uttermost
which has the
real power to
enter into human
lives and
changes for
a true
good
but you're
just saying
that
it's what
the Bible
says
Andrew
could you
put a
point seven
and I'd
like you
to read
this with
me
this is
one of
the greatest
verses
in the
Bible
and if
all you
today
is start
to want
to memorize
that Bible
verse
then I
think I've
done a good
job
could you
say it
out loud
with me
for you
know the
grace of
our Lord
Jesus
Christ
that though
he was
rich
yet for
your sake
he became
poor
so that
you by
his poverty
might become
rich
let's say it
together again
for you
know the
grace of
our Lord
Jesus
Christ
that though
he was
rich
yet for
your sake
he became
poor
so that
you by
his poverty
might become
rich
the Bible
here
points to
a real
person
in real
history
as a
sign that
God's
grace
is real
and the
only reason
that Paul
is writing
this
if you know
anything at
all about
the person
who wrote
this part
of what
we now
call the
Bible
is that
this guy
was a
religious
fundamentalist
who hated
people who
were different
hated the
other
and what
changed him
was meeting
Jesus
after he'd
risen from
the dead
Paul knows
that Jesus
really
I mean
there's no
debate
amongst
other than
a few
kooky
Marxists
that are
still left
nobody
debates
that Jesus
lived
and there's
not really
any debate
about the
fact that
the tomb
was empty
and that
they never
found the
body
and there's
no real
debate about
whether or
not he
was crucified
the debate
comes
and there's
not actually
even much
of a debate
that almost
from immediately
from the
get-go
the message
was that
the grave
was empty
because Jesus
had risen
from the
dead
what the
world won't
accept
is that
the
most
reasonable
solution
to the
facts
is that
in fact
we don't
live in a
closed
universe
we don't
live in a
universe
in a
world
where there's
only cause
and effect
and there's
only human
power
and natural
power
but in
fact there
is a
God who
is outside
of our
created
order
that has
broken
in
that speaks
to us
in fact
that's what
this text
is saying
can you say
it all
out loud
with me
again
for you
know the
grace of
our Lord
Jesus
Christ
that though
he was
rich
yet for
your sake
he became
poor
so that
you
by his
poverty
might
become
rich
this is
even more
powerful
in the
original
language
though he
was rich
we know
that on a
human level
Jesus was
never rich
this is
referring to
the fact
that it
wasn't that
human beings
were all
clamoring for
God to come
and reconcile
us to
himself
it wasn't
that human
beings
had had a
petition
that said
God
we know
we are
powerless
to reconcile
ourselves
to you
and we're
calling out
to you
to do
something
we can't
do
that wasn't
going on
human beings
were at
enmity with
God
they were
ignoring
God
they were
in rebellion
against
God
and Jesus
now
not yet
having taken
on our
flesh
God
the son
of God
in heaven
this text
is talking
about the
pre-existence
of God
the son
of God
and God
the son
of God
in the
glory
of heaven
and the
splendor
of heaven
he was
rich
what does
he do
he comes
into
our
human
life
through
his
how rich
is a
fetus
fetuses
aren't
rich
in fact
there's
probably
nothing
more
powerless
and more
frail
than a
fetus
especially
in the
early
days
of
conception
and
God
the son
of God
takes
upon
himself
our
human
nature
and is
born
as an
act of
miracle
an act
of
creation
from the
stuff
of
Mary
God
works
a
miracle
so that
God
the son
of God
without
stopping
being
God
maintaining
his
nature
as
God
but
sending
aside
the
environment
of
heaven
his
prerogatives
his
privilege
power
all of
these
things
he
becomes
poor
and
he's
born
and
he
lives
amongst
us
and
then
he
dies
upon
the
cross
bearing
our
curse
and
bearing
our
shame
and
as
we
all
know
you
cannot
be
poorer
than
dead
even
a
dead
person
the
only
person
weaker
and
more
poor
than
a
fetus
is
someone
who's
died
five
minutes
after
gates
gives
his
last
breath
his
personal
possession
of
money
is
the
same
as
the
poorest
person
on
the
planet
who's
also
died
poor
so
say
this
text
with
me
again
for
you
know
the
grace
of
our
Lord
Jesus
Christ
that
though
he
was
rich
yet
for
your
sake
he
became
poor
so
that
you
by
his
poverty
might
become
rich
and
so
this
describes
how
God
breaks
into
our
world
and
he
doesn't
break
in
with
a
gun
to
stick
us
up
to
have
power
over
us
that
it's
grace
it's
going
to
be
the
uttermost
justice
without
compromise
love
to
the
uttermost
and
so
Jesus
described
as
God
the
Son
of
God
taking
into
himself
our
human
nature
becoming
what
we
now
refer
to
as
Jesus
fully
God
yet
fully
human
but
one
person
who
lives
a
human
life
and
his
human
life
all
culminates
not
just
in
the
incarnation
not
just
in
being
human
but
culminates
in
death
where
he
becomes
the
lamb
of
God
who
takes
away
the
sin
of
the
world
where
all
of
our
sin
all
of
our
curse
all
of
our
shame
all
of
all
of
the
accusations
against
us
they
rest
upon
him
and
he
dies
in
our
stead
in
our
place
in
our
place
condemned
he
stood
and he
tastes
all there
is to
taste
of
death
and
then
on
the
third
day
he
rises
triumphant
having
conquered
that
which
causes
death
and
death
itself
and
all
hostile
spiritual
powers
in
his
resurrection
and
the
Bible
says
that
he
does
all
of
this
not
for
himself
but
for
you
and
me
isn't
that
what
it
says
say
it
out
loud
with
me
again
for
you
know
the
grace
of
our
Lord
Jesus
Christ
that
though
he
was
rich
yet
for
your
sake
he
became
poor
so
that
you
by
his
poverty
might
become
rich
it
says
might
become
rich
because
we
have
to
respond
to
this
in
faith
we
have
to
say
God
I
cannot
fix
myself
I
cannot
save
myself
in
fact
even
today
this
text
has
made
me
realize
that
I
live
out
of
idle
narratives
and
narratives
about
money
and
narratives
about
power
and
narratives
about
fear
from
you
and
I
can't
fix
that
by
myself
father
and
I
need
to
receive
what
Jesus
has
done
for
me
knowing
that
you
have
done
you
have
done
everything
that
has
to
be
done
and
all
I
can
do
is
receive
it
and
I
call
out
to
you
have
mercy
upon
me
take
me
as
your
own
and
what
is
grace
is
justice
without
compromise
and
love
to
the
uttermost
which
has
the
real
power
to
enter
into
human
lives
and
change
us
for
our
true
good
so
just
wrapping
it
up
this
is a
text
about
financial
generosity
so
to
Christians
who
are
here
I'm
not
going
to
tell
you
to
do
anything
I'm
going
to
say
this
text
shows
that
it's
a
choice
to
be
generous
and
if
we're
waiting
to
have
more
money
to
be
generous
we
will
wait
forever
we
will
wait
to
the
grave
and
I
know
that
some
of
us
here
are
actually
probably
have
crippling
debt
and
what
happens
is
when we
have
crippling
debt
and
I
have
had
a
time
in
my
life
where
I
had
crippling
debt
I
don't
have
it
right
this
second
but
I
I'm
not
talking
out
of
just
reading
it
in
a
novel
I
I've
had
I've
had
collection
agencies
harassing
me
at
home
at
a
time
in
my
life
Miss
Orchard
I
dreaded
a
phone
call
from
Miss
Orchard
and
so
we
think
to
ourselves
well
this
is
a
very
powerful
message
and
I
want
to
be
gripped
by
the
gospel
but
what
I
need
to
do
now
George
as
result
of
this
is
I'm
going to
get
a hold
of
my
finances
and
deal
with
my
finances
and
make
some
money
and
get
out
of
this
debt
so
I
can
be
generous
but
one
moment
what
one
of
the
things
about
going
to
financial
planners
and
all
that
what
they'll
tell
you
is
that
most
people
have
an
over
spending
problem
and
if
all
of
a
sudden
you
give
them
$10,000
of
extra
income
in
no
time
at
all
they
have
a
spending
problem
because
we
have
spending
problems
and
I'm
just
going
to
suggest
to
you
that
if
your
life
is
in
financial
disarray
and
in
chaos
what
you
really
need
is
God's
grace
that's
what
you
really
need
and
you
really
need
to
take
some
small
steps
of
allowing
this
pressure
and
this
desire
to
be
generous
and
you
need
to
take
some
small
steps
and
you
know
I
don't
think
the
Bible
teaches
in
the
New
Testament
that
Christians
have
to
tithe
but
I
think
that
the
Bible
gives
at
least
as
a
bit
of
a
rule
of
thumb
when
the
Bible
here
is
talking
about
being
generous
I
think
the
rule
of
thumb
is
that
we
move
towards
and
we
pray
towards
trusting
that
God
who's
provided
us
every
single
penny
asks
for
10%
of
it
back
and
for
some
of
us
God
will
the
grace
of
God
will
give
us
extra
gifts
of
being
able
to
be
financially
generous
and
so
Andrew
if
you
could
put
up
this
prayer
this
is
a
prayer
for
many
of
us
today
Lord
I
recommit
myself
to
you
please
make
me
a
disciple
of
Jesus
and
I'm
not
sure
if
my
wording
here
is
going
to
be
the
same
as
the
screen
the
screen
is
better
but
please
make
me
a
disciple
of
Jesus
gripped
by
the
gospel
who
is
not
ruled
by
money
and
that's
the
prayer
we
need
to
take
away
with
this
it'll
be
on
the
web
page
if
you're
curious
about
using
that
as
an
aid
to
your
prayer
it'll
be
on
the
web
page
tomorrow
and
for
non
Christians
if
you're
here
you've
heard
what
God
has
done
to
save
you
and
I
just
want
to
encourage
you
that
your
first
prayer
is
to
say
Lord
I
want
to
be
make
me
a
disciple
of
Jesus
and
Father
when
I
give
my
hands
to
Jesus
and
I'm
gripped
by
who
he
is
and
what
he's
done
for
me
I
know
that
he
reaches
across
and
grips
my
hand
and
he
not
only
takes
me
into
himself
but
comes
to
live
within
me
and
gives
me
his
Holy
Spirit
and
the
grace
which
is
justice
without
compromise
and
love
to
the
uttermost
that
will
come
into
my
life
for
my
good
and
for
God's
glory
that
will
begin
to
take
place
because
God
is
real
friends
could
you
please
stand
Andrew
could
you
put
the
Lord
I
recommit
myself
prayer
up
to
you
please
I'm
just
going
to
invite
you
to
pray
this
prayer
out
loud
with
me
and
if
I
stop
saying
it
is
because
I
might
have
the
different
wording
here
than
on
the
screen
so
I'll
just
start
it
and
then
you
guys
if
God
has
put it
on
your
heart
to
pray
it
if
you
would
continue
on
that
would
be
great
we'll
pray
this
prayer
together
and
then
I'll
just
pray
in
closing
let's
pray
Lord
I
recommit
myself
to
you
please
make
me
a
disciple
of
Jesus
grew
life
for
the
good
of
others
the
going
Father
pour out
your
Holy
Spirit
upon
us
deliver
us
Father
from
an
unhealthy
fear
of
you
and
grant
us
Father
a
godly
fear
of
you
a
deeper
knowledge
of
who
you
are
and
your
great
grace
and
love
towards
us
in
our
great
need
for
you
pour
out
your
Holy
Spirit
and
we
ask
this
in
the
name
of
Jesus
your
son
and
our
Savior
Amen