So what I want us to do now is just to move on from that and just to go into what we call our pastoral prayer.
So this is really where I want you to pray with me. I'm not just praying at you or I'm praying to God,
but I want you to pray with me so that we ask our gracious God to work in our lives, in our city, and in our world.
So please, would you bow your heads and just pray with me now.
Now, gracious Father, thank you that today is another day, another morning where you show us incredible grace.
Thank you that before the world was created, you were and are and will be a God of infinite grace.
Thank you that you are enjoying the deepest love with the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit together
in intimate, self-giving, joy-filled, beautiful communion before anything else was created.
Thank you that all creation and all the beauty we see in all that is the fruit of your joyful generosity.
Thank you, you could make everything just a factory standard, but you delight in handcrafting every fingerprint,
every snowflake. You rejoice in giving us fresh grace day after day after day.
And Lord, for some of us who are going through hard times now, some of us who are distracted,
some of us who need comfort and healing and hope, thank you that you loved us so much that you gave,
that you gave your only Son.
And because you've given us everything that we need at the ultimate cost to yourself,
so we want to lean on you today.
We want to trust you today, that you will provide for every need that we have,
spiritual, emotional, physical, relational, because you're a good God.
And Father, I just pray that you would help us in the world that we live in.
Lord, everywhere around us tells us to trust in ourselves, to be self-absorbed.
Father, we pray save us from not being thankful.
Save us from comparing ourselves to everyone else.
Save us from feeling entitled when we are recipients of far more than we could ever deserve.
Save us from holding on to our resources out of fear that we'll not have enough for the future.
Make us a thankful, joyful people.
And Lord, would we be like those people in other countries who see how great the treasure is to know you
above all other things in our lives.
We just want to pray, Father, for our brothers and sisters around the world who are suffering in persecution.
Pray for those in China and those in Turkey that we've heard about and across the Middle East.
We pray, Lord, that they would not just have an easy life,
but we pray that you would be supremely beautiful in their eyes.
That the beauty of Jesus would drive out the fear of man.
Give them courage to stand firm in you.
And would those who persecute them see something more beautiful,
a witness to you that would lead them to repentance and faith.
We pray for the church in Hong Kong.
Pray for Kevin this morning as he speaks at Emmanuel English Church.
Would you anoint his lips, Lord?
Would there be deep unity in the gospel among the churches in Hong Kong?
We want to pray for the local Cantonese speaking church here in Hong Kong.
I pray as I think about Living Grace Christian Church in Yamate.
Thank you that you're drawing newcomers to them, Lord.
We just pray for them as a church that every person there would see themselves as a disciple maker on your mission.
We pray, Lord, that they would have boldness to proclaim the mission you've given them
as they take a mission trip to Macau coming up, Lord.
Would your grace abound to them, we pray.
And Father, I also want to pray in our own community,
and I want to thank you so much for the Mandarin community group in our church, Lord.
I thank you so much that you brought Echo's mom to faith in you during the trip, Lord.
Thank you that's only your grace.
And we want to pray, Father, for Echo and Z as they lead that group,
and for every member in all the struggles and the challenges that they go through in everyday life,
that they would know the height and the breadth and the depth and the width of your love for them.
And they'd deepen in their knowledge of your love.
And they would have spiritual wisdom to know how to serve and love one another
and to reach out to those around them.
Lord, would we be a church which knows how incredible you are
and lives banking our lives on you and seeing your faithfulness day by day.
In Jesus' name, amen.
Can I invite Justin to come and read God's word to us?
Amen.
The scripture reading comes from 2 Corinthians 8 and 9.
Please follow along in your bulletins or on the screen.
We want you to know, brothers, 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
and a wealth of generosity on their part.
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 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.
Accordingly, we urge Titus that he had started so he should complete among you this act of grace.
But as you excel in everything, in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness,
and in our love for you, see that you excel in this act of grace also.
I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine.
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 in this matter I give my judgment.
This benefits you, who a year ago started not only to do this work, but also to desire to do it.
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.
For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have.
For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness,
your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need,
that there may be fairness.
As it is written, whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack.
The point is this.
Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times,
you may abound in every good work.
As it is written,
He has distributed freely,
He has given to the poor,
His righteousness endures forever.
He who supplies seed to the sower,
and bread for food,
will supply and multiply your seed for sowing,
and increase the harvest of your righteousness.
You will be enriched in every way,
to be generous in every way,
which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.
For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints,
but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God.
By their approval of this service,
they will glorify God because of your submission that comes from your confession of the gospel of Christ,
and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others,
while they long for you and pray for you because of the surpassing grace of God upon you.
Thanks be to God for His inexpressible gift.
This is the Word of God.
Thank you so much, Justin.
That's great.
Let me just put this down.
Great.
So we're going through this series,
this kind of challenging series on money and resources.
And we're doing it because we know that in Hong Kong,
this is something that everyone talks about,
but no one really wants to talk about in the church.
And what we've been looking at is actually how money,
as Ed shared earlier,
is one of the greatest idols that we look to to give us status,
to give us comfort,
to give us power,
to give us all the things that we think life is found in.
And yet we've seen,
actually,
that God has got a totally different way of looking at the world,
and He wants us,
with every part of our lives,
including our wallets,
to be people who worship Him in all of life.
And so what we're looking at,
today we're going to finish this series,
and we're going to finish by looking at the Apostle Paul,
and what he says to the church in Corinth.
And some of you may be aware that the Apostle Paul was a church planter.
He was an evangelist.
He went everywhere throughout the Roman Empire sharing the gospel.
Many of you may not know that Paul was also a fundraiser.
That actually,
one thing that Paul saw was actually the gospel in a world that was divided
between Jews and Gentiles on one side,
the rich and the poor.
They would never hang out with each other.
That there were these divisions,
just like in our society,
there were divisions that classified people in different categories.
And what Paul saw was when Jesus died on the cross,
what He did,
He broke down the barriers,
and He brought together a new community made up of every race,
every tribe,
every social economic group.
And as he went around proclaiming this,
he was convinced that this wasn't just a theoretical message.
That as new churches started,
he also saw that in Jerusalem,
there was a Jewish church which was poor.
And then around as he went into the Greek-speaking areas,
and he came to places like Corinth,
he realized it was a wealthier place,
filled with non-Jews.
And for him,
as he went around,
and he saw that actually,
the church in Corinth had a little bit more cash going
than the church in Jerusalem.
And he was convinced,
in fact,
he gave his whole life
to show that actually,
the grace of God doesn't just bring you into Christ's family.
It also means that now,
you are unified with your brothers and sisters across the world,
so that actually,
the love should be poured out,
even crossing boundaries,
from the Gentiles in Corinth
to be given to the Jews
in the city of Jerusalem.
And as people see this counter-cultural gift
that he's calling them to give
to support those churches,
that's a demonstration of the gospel.
And actually,
this passage here,
that we're looking at,
is Paul
basically trying to speak
to this church in Corinth,
which is more wealthy,
and trying to persuade them
to give
to this project
to people that they've never met.
To people that they'll actually
probably get no immediate benefit from.
They're from a different ethnic background.
It's nothing that anyone around them
would ever tell them
was a good idea to do.
And so what we're going to see is
how,
as Paul,
say,
this is actually how the gospel
reshapes entirely
the way that you as the church
live differently
from the people around you.
And so,
that's what we're going to look at.
We're going to look at four things.
And the first thing
we're going to look at
is about this idea of giving
and that the foundation of giving
is grace.
So we're going to start
in verse 9.
And it says,
You know the grace
of the Lord Jesus Christ.
He says,
You know the grace
of the Lord Jesus Christ.
It's not new to you.
You know the gospel.
You have heard this message
again and again.
And sometimes when you've heard
a message,
you kind of tune out
after a while.
But he says,
This is what you know.
You know
that while Jesus was rich,
yet for your sakes,
he became poor.
And you want to think,
how was Jesus rich?
Well,
Jesus had complete
financial freedom.
Did you know that?
He wasn't waiting for his MPF
to come through
just to retire.
He had all the resources
of heaven.
He owned the cattle
on a thousand hills.
He owed all of creation,
belongs to him.
He doesn't need anything
from anyone.
And more than that,
he also has the highest honor,
the highest status,
and he also has this communion
with his Father
and the Spirit together
of just such deep,
intimate love
that they're completely
self-sufficient
in every single category
that you could ever think of.
They don't need anything.
And you know
when you don't need anything,
what we normally do
is we withdraw into ourselves
and put down our shutters
and then just live happily
by ourselves,
don't we?
But Jesus didn't.
You see,
what he says was
that though he was rich,
yet for your sakes,
and he's speaking
to specific people
in the church in Corinth,
he's going to say,
for your sakes,
Watermark,
for you,
Justin,
Julie,
Ellen,
for you,
he became poor.
Out of the overflow
of his riches,
he came down to earth
and you know
what people said?
They said,
oh,
we'll follow you
and Jesus says,
the Son of Man
has got nowhere
to lay his head.
He came
and he came
as the King of Glory
and that nobody
recognized him.
They ignored him.
They rejected him.
They even came
to a cross
where he was stripped,
naked,
humiliated,
and killed.
And yet he said,
I did that
for your sakes,
for you.
Why?
So that people like us
who are poor
could become
into a relationship
with the rich one
and have access
to him
and all
that is his.
You see,
you know,
the fundamental issue
with poverty
isn't actually
about how much money
you've got
in your bank account.
Did you know that?
It's actually
far more
about the access
that you have
and the opportunities
that you have
to particular
relationships
in your life
because relationships
can give you
access to resources.
So,
for example,
that's why
if you're a student
and you feel like
you don't have much money
in your bank account,
you don't classify
probably as the poor
because
probably,
for most of you,
you may have access
to your parents
and your parents
can keep giving you
more money
if they need to.
So,
what the,
and you know,
the poor
don't have relatives
to bail them out.
They aren't in the right
social circles
to access certain jobs,
to access certain education,
to access certain knowledge.
And what Paul is saying here
is each one of us,
because of our sin
and our rebellion
against God,
we were the poor
because we were cut off
from access
to God himself.
And yet,
God himself
and his richness
has overflowed
to bring you
and me
into this relationship
so that we can get
all of his grace
and abundance
flowing to us.
and it's nothing
we deserve.
That is the grace
that he's talking about.
That,
he says,
if you get that,
if you get that truly,
that is going to fuel
your life
in a different way
and that's going to be
the pattern of your life
in a different way.
And so,
Paul is then going to get
very,
he says,
that's the foundation
of everything
that I'm going to share
with you,
Corinthians.
because now he's going
to get practical
about this collection
that he's trying
to collect.
So,
he then says,
second point,
that grace,
if you get how much
Jesus has loved you,
if you get it,
grace leads to action.
And this is verse 10 to 15,
chapter 8.
He says,
a year ago,
you started to do this work
but also to desire it.
So now finish doing it as well
so that your readiness
in desiring it
may be matched
by completing it out
of what you have
and not out of what
you don't have.
And so,
Paul is saying,
okay,
if you understand
this message of grace,
he had written
to these Corinthians
about a year ago
and he told them,
hey,
can you start putting aside
some of this money
for this collection?
And they had responded
with excitement.
They'd said,
yeah,
they weren't pressurized
into it,
they weren't guilt-tripped
into it,
they'd said,
yeah,
let's do it.
But now a year
has gone past
and that kind of initial
excitement has died.
You know,
they're kind of getting
a little bit of cold feet
at this stage.
And isn't it
just really interesting
that how much
of our giving
is actually based
on emotional appeals?
Like,
even in modern society,
isn't it,
they show you a picture
of a poor,
starving child
and therefore you give
just out of emotion?
Or,
you know,
we do ice bucket challenges
and things like that
where we all get
really excited
for a short mile,
but how lasting
is that
in our hearts
and in our lives?
Like,
how many people,
do you remember
the ice bucket challenge?
Yeah?
Like,
how many people
are still,
like,
really supporting ALS?
Right?
Do you see,
like,
we have this,
and so our society
is more,
it's more gives
out of emotion-based
and out of grace-based.
And for the Corinthians,
they were not feeling
the emotion
at this time
because now
didn't feel like
such a good time
to be able to give
because maybe they promised
quite a bit before,
but now some other stuff
has come in,
their school fees
have increased,
maybe inflation's gone up,
and they're looking
at the amount
and they're going,
oh,
that's actually quite a lot,
I don't think
we can afford that.
And so they're going,
hey,
maybe next year,
when we get a bonus
next year,
then we'll be able
to give,
but maybe not now.
And Paul says,
listen,
God is not about
making your life hard.
He's not trying
to make you poor
while the church
in Jerusalem
gets rich
and has jacuzzis
in their houses.
He's looking at your heart
and he's saying,
just give according
to whatever you have,
don't give according
to what you don't have.
But he says,
don't wait
until you think
you've got enough
to give.
Don't wait
until your bonus comes.
If you're a student,
Kevin mentioned this
last week,
don't wait
until you think,
okay,
when I start earning,
then I'll give.
Because listen,
when you start earning,
then it becomes
so much harder
to give.
He's saying,
now is the time
to give
whatever you have
to give.
And if you don't
feel like giving,
he says,
don't wait
for generosity
to kind of
fill up inside of you
and then I'll give.
No,
he says,
actually just start
giving whatever you can
and then pray
that God would actually
start changing your heart
so you actually,
you desire to give it
like the Corinthians
have begun to desire
to do so.
Because you find
it's like brushing
your teeth,
you know,
you never want to do it
but actually once you
start doing it
and then you stop
brushing your teeth,
you miss it,
right?
That's what he wants
to do in us.
So grace,
if you get how much
Jesus has loved
you personally
and us as a church,
it leads to action.
But thirdly,
grace leads
to a harvest.
I'm going to spend
a bit longer
on this.
It says,
as we go into
chapter 9,
verse 6,
whoever sows sparingly
will also reap sparingly
and whoever sows bountifully
will also reap bountifully.
And later on,
he then says,
whoever supplies seed
to the sower
and bread for food
will supply
and multiply
your seed for sowing
and increase
the harvest
of your righteousness.
Now he's using
a farming analogy.
He's talking about seeds.
I brought some seeds
with me.
Let's put it over here.
Whoops.
There you go.
So,
he's talking farming.
We're not farmers
in Hong Kong,
but I think we probably
can get the analogy.
He's saying that
God in his grace
didn't just give you
salvation.
You know,
the word grace
in Paul's day
was not a spiritual
religious word.
It was a normal word.
It was used
for any ways
that actually
the gifts
that were given.
And so he says,
God has given you
not just his son,
he's also given you stuff.
He's given you seed.
And just like a farmer
has seed to sow,
now why does a farmer
go out to sow seed?
Okay, anyone?
That's not a rhetorical question.
Harvest.
Good.
Someone has done geography
or whatever it is.
Okay.
Yes.
Even in Hong Kong
we understand that,
right?
We've seen it on TV.
And yes,
the farmer sows
to get a harvest.
Now,
a farmer still
has to feed himself
so the farmer
can keep some of the seed
for himself
to be able to feed him
and his family.
But he's saying,
if you sow
a little bit,
how much harvest
are you going to get?
A little bit.
This is not complicated.
Okay.
Paul at times
is complicated.
He's not complicated here.
Okay.
So he's saying,
actually,
if the more that I keep
just for myself,
what happens
to the harvest?
It's less, right?
And so actually,
the more that actually
I'm hoarding
thinking I've got to
keep it all for myself,
actually the less
that the fruitfulness
of your life
is going to grow.
And so what he says is,
the more seeds
that you sow,
what's going to happen?
The more harvest
you will have.
Okay, good.
I think we're getting there now,
right?
And so what he's saying is,
like,
we get this.
Okay.
And he's saying,
actually,
that when you give
generously out of your heart,
what God is going to do,
he's not trying to say,
okay,
I want to make you poor
so you have no seed
for yourself,
but he's saying,
actually,
the more that you can be
lavish in giving,
the more harvest
will flow from your life.
And he's saying,
that actually,
God will then
multiply your seed.
He will provide for you
so that you have more
to be able to give.
But what we tend to do
is we go,
okay,
that sounds like
a little bit
of a manipulation technique.
Maybe I'm not going
to have enough.
I've got all these plans
for all the things
that I want to spend
my money on,
right?
And
there's school fees,
there's this,
there's that,
there's Air Jordans
I want to buy,
and there's all this stuff
that I'm thinking.
And so,
what we think is,
oh,
I've got to sacrifice
all of that
and I'm going to lose out
on life.
Because what we believe
is actually
that we don't have
a gracious,
generous,
faithful God.
because sometimes
we feel in our hearts,
we actually think
that if I give
in some way,
that God really
deep in our hearts,
we don't say this,
but actually we believe this,
that deep in our hearts
that God is really
a stingy father
who doesn't really
care for us,
who doesn't really
love us so much.
And Paul wants to say,
do you know the grace
of the Lord Jesus?
That he's given
everything for you.
And he doesn't want us
to give just to burden us.
He wants us to live
generous lives
that will become
cheerful,
joy-filled givers.
Because you test
his faithfulness
like Kevin was talking
last week
and you see
that God is faithful
in abounding
a harvest in your life.
Now,
when I was at university,
I felt God challenge me
in this area
and there was a particular
missions organization
that I felt
he was calling me
to give
and to give far more
than I would ever
normally give.
And so I wrote this check
and I was a student
at the time
and I wasn't a wealthy one
for 500 pounds.
I was like...
And as I was writing it,
I was kind of like,
am I just being an idiot here?
And, you know,
I didn't know
whether I was being an idiot,
but I felt like God
was calling me to do that.
He doesn't always
call me to do that.
But then three weeks later,
I received a letter
from an aunt,
a very distant aunt of mine.
I don't even know
if she's an aunt.
I think she's one
of those relatives
you're not quite sure
where to categorize.
And she'd only ever
occasionally communicated
at Christmas
and given, like,
I think the most generous
was 20 pounds.
Which actually,
in those days,
was not bad.
But then I got this letter
and inside this letter
she said,
hey, I've been going
through some stuff
in my accounts
and I've been...
And I just wondered
if you'd like this.
And I opened the envelope
and there was a check
for 2,000 pounds.
And I went,
my goodness me.
Now,
why am I sharing you
that story?
I'm not sharing it,
so you go away
calculating,
okay,
I put 1,000 in the offering,
that means 4,000.
No.
You see,
I gave not expecting
anything back.
I gave because God
had called me to give.
Not out of guilt,
not out of any kind
of manipulation.
But what I saw
was that God
is gracious
and faithful
in ways that
I didn't even expect
Him to be.
And what He gave me,
and I knew
that from that
He increased my faith
to believe
that actually God
can always provide
for me.
Maybe it's not going
to be exactly
in that way.
In fact,
I've never had that
exactly the same thing
happen again.
But He gives us
in so many ways
so that we can have
more seed to sow
into other people's
lives again.
So generosity
can flow
to more other people.
Paul says it
like this.
He says,
God is able
to make all grace,
all grace,
that's a lot of grace,
abound to you.
Abound.
Is that a little?
No, abound is a lot.
So that having
all sufficiency,
now that word means
all contentment,
all you need,
not all you want,
by the way.
He's not saying
the Ferrari's coming,
right?
But having all
that you need,
all contentment,
at all times,
that's a lot of the time,
in all things,
that's a lot of things,
that you may abound
in every good work.
You see where it's going?
It's going outwards.
And then in verse 11,
He says this.
You will be enriched
in every way
to be generous
in every way
which through us
will produce
thanksgiving to God.
Now this is
an interesting passage.
Do you know
what He's actually
saying here?
I'm going to be
a little controversial maybe.
God wants you
to be rich.
Did you know that?
His call
for generosity
is because God
wants you to be rich.
In fact,
let me even make it stronger.
Jesus died
so that you can be rich
individually
and as a community.
Isn't that exactly
what He said
in chapter 8
right at the beginning?
He said,
for your sake
He became poor.
Why?
So that through
by His poverty
you might become
rich.
Now some of you
are getting a little nervous
at this point.
Before you think
I'm preaching
the prosperity gospel,
I am preaching
the prosperity gospel
but not the prosperity gospel
that says
give your money
to the church
and God will triple
what you want
and what you give
guaranteed.
That's not what I'm preaching
because think
what is your definition
of rich?
If you're anything
like me
the first things
that come into my mind
are like millions
in your bank account,
two Ferraris
on your front drive,
a personal yacht,
right?
That's what I think
when I think
the word rich.
Anyone like me?
Do you know
that is the most
narrow definition
of rich
you could ever imagine?
Like just think about it.
How many wealthy people,
Fiona used to work
in a law firm
with some very high
wealthy individuals
who were getting divorced.
Let me tell you,
when you get to know
people's lives
there is so much tragedy
and poverty
in their hearts.
Like so many wealthy people
are lonely,
insecure,
fearful.
Often the pursuit
of wealth
destroys the very
relationships
that we crave.
Money and possessions
by itself
isn't rich.
You know,
Hong Kong is one
of the wealthiest places
on the planet
and yet it's one
of the most stressed.
That's emotional poverty,
right?
Our relationships
are strained.
That's relational poverty.
We live for stuff
that never satisfies.
That's living
with purpose poverty.
I know you could go
on and on
and yet Paul
wants to bring us
just like actually
when we were in Turkey
we saw these people
as Ellen and Phoebe
were sharing
who had left everything
who saw much
they had left
and yet
you saw in them
this faith
where you went away
saying wow
we have so much
they have so little
but they are so rich.
in faith.
And Paul
does the same thing here
and I'm going to flip back
right to the beginning
of chapter 8 verse 1
because he's going to give
an example
of what it looks like
to be rich.
He says
in a severe test
of affliction
their abundance
of joy
and their extreme poverty
have overflowed
in a wealth
of generosity
on their part
begging us earnestly
for the favor
of taking part
in the relief
of the saints.
Times are hard
for the Macedonian churches
these are a little bit
north in Greece
they're being persecuted
on the outside
and suffering poverty
on the inside
like many of the Turkish
believers
and poverty
is not pleasant
the Bible doesn't
make poverty
ever a goal
that we should detain
but here
what they're doing
you know when you're
going through a hard time
where do you tend
to focus?
just on ourselves
right?
If you're like me
that's what we do
and they're normally
going hey now's not
a good time to help out
just wait
for a little bit later
but because they knew
the richness
of their father
who was so generous
and they knew
who could provide
for them
that he was faithful
Paul says
they had abundance
they had wealth
they were poor
but they were rich
and you see
what they were rich in?
they're rich in
joy
you know they're going
we've only got two dollars
and like one
we've got to keep
for our family
but can we possibly
Paul
like is it possible
for us to be able
to have the grace
that's what the word
favor mean
the grace
the privilege
of being able to share
with our brothers
in need
because we see
what a joy that is
and they're going
hey let's see
guys is there any other way
that we could kind of
I know we've not got much
but could we just
give anything more
maybe we can go busking
on the streets
I don't know
what can we do
so that we can actually
bless these guys
there's going to be
an opportunity cost
if we actually miss out
on this chance
to sow grace
to our brothers and sisters
in Jerusalem
I don't know whether
like when you get a pay rise
the first thought
in your mind is
wow
what an opportunity
I can to save
or spend more
or wow
what an opportunity
that I can give more
but that's the church
in Macedonia
and Paul is saying
it's not about
the amount of money
because like they're poor
I mean they're not giving
exactly very much at all
but he's looking
at the heart
and he's saying
they've just understood grace
and it's just flowing
out of them
in a powerful way
you know
I grew up in a family
which was tight on finances
and I learned to count
my pennies
and when it comes
to giving gifts
I'm usually thinking
how cheap can I go
before I look cheap
you know that
but I went on a mission trip
to India
and I met some nuns
in desperate poverty
and yet they were filled
with this incredible joy
and they'd cook us breakfast
and I found out
they were actually
cooking pretty much
most of what they
most of what they had
so they were actually
taking less for themselves
so that we could enjoy it
and I was feeling
a bit guilty about that
because you know
we have so much
but actually for them
it was a joy
it was a privilege
and I realized
wow in so many ways
I'm actually so poor
and these guys are so rich
because they've understood
God's grace
and Paul himself
this is amazing
Paul is blown away
by this as well
and he says
they gave
they didn't give out of guilt
they didn't give
even because Paul told them
to give
they give first to the Lord
they first said
God what's going to please you
we actually want to obey you
and then out of that
they gave
do we want to be
a rich community
okay
good
I was worried there
for a minute
I thought we might have
to go a little bit longer
do we want to have
a greater impact
in other people's lives
than just eating
the own seed
for ourselves
God wants to change
our hearts
not so that it's
guilt driven
but so we become
cheerful givers
in all of our life
grace leads to action
grace leads to a harvest
grace leads to thanksgiving
he says
for the ministry
of this service
is not only supplying
the needs of the saints
but is also overflowing
in many thanksgivings
to God
ultimately
a generous heart
is not just about
you having a richer life
or even about
other people
being blessed
through it
it's about
the glory
of God
it's about
God is glorified
when his people
are so satisfied
in him
that they can hold
loosely the stuff
that they have
and be generous
with it
when they see
that God is calling
them
and they see
needs around
and as we are
thankful for God's
grace in our life
that overflows
and what Paul
is saying here is
when the Corinthians
were to give
to their needy
brothers and sisters
what would be
happening there
was God
has given them
grace
he's given them
spiritual grace
he's given them
physical grace
and actually
as his grace
then comes and works
in their heart
and changes their heart
it then overflows
with them giving
a gift of grace
to this people
in Jerusalem
and when they
receive the grace
what happens
will happen to them
is they will realize
in a deep way
wow our God
is so gracious
through you
and so as their
faith increases
it releases them
to thank God
that they can see
their God provides
and he's provided
through the Corinthians
and what that does
it creates
them to then
pray
for their
church over there
so deeper unity
amongst these people
who would be divided
normally occurs
and through that
you say
only the gospel
can do that
and Jesus
gets all the glory
you know
my wife is expecting
in October
that's the right response
and a number of you
have actually been
just really generous
towards us
in offering us
baby stuff
they've promised it
so I'm
I'm expecting it
you know
Paul said
action
no
but actually
one of the things
like I was just
talking with Fiona
just the other day
and she was
she was saying
actually
you know
the amount of money
that we could save
from that
how about if we
actually then use that
to be able to
to give to some
missionary friends
in France
so that we can
bless them
and so
as I was thinking
about
I was thinking
that's so much
what this is
that actually
as somebody
shows generosity
us
then we can show
generosity
to somebody else
and then they
through their ministry
will be speaking
and releasing grace
into other people's life
and as you see that
the impact
of someone's generosity
right the way
over in Hong Kong
can impact
all the way
into France
and in somebody's life
that I have no idea
who they are
may result in praise
and thanksgiving
to God
isn't that amazing
to be part of something
so much bigger
than yourself
that's the harvest
God's talking about
so what do we do
with this
do you see
when you get grace
it changes everything
and first I think
as I've just thought
about this
and realized
for myself
but none of us
are as generous
as we should be
I mean let's just
let's just be real
and maybe it's not
just financial
it's maybe other areas
none of us
are rich in faith
and love
and joy
as God wants us to be
and so we need
to repent first
God
I often live
as if you're not
as gracious
as you really are
I need to repent
you're not as generous
and I haven't
I haven't proved
you as faithful
by being giving
so that the seed
of the harvest
can come
but the amazing
thing is this
and this just blows
me away
you know when it says
the grace of the
Lord Jesus Christ
you know it
when did he give
his grace to us
through dying
on the cross
while we were
still poor
you see
Jesus meets us
right where we are
with all of our fears
all of our insecurities
all of our questions
that we have
some of you may have
a lot of questions
he knows where we are
right now
as a church
as individuals
for some people
Jesus may be going
to you
like the rich young ruler
give everything away
but I suspect
for most of us
that's not what
Jesus is saying
Jesus is actually
probably just saying
I want just to take
one step
if you're like me
I want to change
from zero to a hundred
overnight
and I want everyone else
to change the same
but God's not like that
he's so gracious
with us
he's so gentle
with us
he leads us
step by step
so at the end
of this series
as we've been talking
about the grip
of money on our hearts
I want to ask you
what's the area
that God is calling
you to respond in
what's the area
that he's highlighting
in your life
he's not going to
give you a hundred things
he'll probably just
give you one thing
it may be a very
small thing
it may be that
you actually just need
to start talking
about money
with your spouse
or with your community group
it may be that
actually he's calling
you to buy fewer clothes
and give the money away
it may be just
calling you to find out
about the needs
that are around
because when you find out
about needs
then you can be
thinking about them
and praying about them
and asking God
how do you want us
to be generous
but grace leads
to action
and God does not
want us to go away
from this series
just saying
oh that was a nice series
and I'm personally
convinced
but God does also
not want you
to go away
inspired for 24 hours
on an emotional base
okay I need to give
and then three days later
it's like
gone
Jesus wants to meet you
where you are today
and to bring you
to a pattern
of your life
where there is
regular
consistent
wholehearted
life transformed
bit by bit
transformation
of your wallet
transformation
so that grace
and generosity
is characteristic
of us
as a church
and so I think
the first place
that we start
I'm going to close
with this
is to identify
who God is calling
you to give to
there are a thousand
charities out there
who ask you
for your money
there are so many
needs out there
we wonder
oh like
do I just give out
of guilt
but actually
I think God
wants to cultivate
a heart of generosity
in four things
here
these are four things
the Bible calls us
to give to
the family
the local church
other gospel ministry
and mission
and the poor
and the needy
maybe you're already
giving to a lot
of different ways
maybe you need
to just talk
with Julie
or Jeremy
or one of the
mission partners
that we've started
this funds
that we're talking
about
have you got
the other slide
the three funds
that we're looking
at as a church
compassion
for the needs
of those
within the church
missional justice
for those
outside the church
and the supporting
of mission work
that's going on
around Asia
maybe you need
to just find out
from the Filipino
community
or from other
communities
just what are the
needs
how can I start
praying
but let me finish
by saying this
some of us
are very generous
financially
but we often
struggle to give
with our time
because time
is very precious
but you know
Jesus didn't just
write a check
to us
he didn't say
hey there's your needs
let me send you
like a little gift
in an envelope
Jesus came
and he didn't
stay distant
from you
he didn't stay
attached from you
he knows about
where your heart is
and he came
down to you
to cross
every barrier
so that you
might be his
wherever you are
today
he's not a stingy
God
he's a gracious
God
he comes to you
today
so may we be
that rich church
may we be a church
that knows
how gracious
he is
let's pray
what I'd love you
to do is just
think for yourself
I don't want you
to think out of guilt
I don't want you
to think out of
just even a pressure
but say God
what are you calling
me to do
how do you want me
where in my heart
do I see you
as a stingy God
where are you
calling me to
step out in faith
and maybe you
would like to
come up for prayer
like just
during this time
we're going to
play the next song
maybe you just
want to respond
actually by coming
up and asking
for prayer
prayer
this is a hard
topic
but Jesus is so
glorious
he can provide
for everything
father we pray
for our hearts
thank you that you
are generous
to us
thank you for all
that you've given
us
thank you we don't
have to live
guilty lives
but you want us
to live generous
lives
please show us
what that means
please help us
not to live
under a pressure
but actually
out of a joy
to trust you
and prove you
faithful
to prove you
generous
to prove you
more abundant
than we could
ever imagine
would that be
what characterizes
us as a church
I pray
in Jesus name
Amen