We Are Generous | Dylan Long

[00:00:00] Speaker A: Foreign. [00:00:07] Speaker A: Come on. [00:00:07] Speaker B: That's so good. Amen. Generosity is not something we do. It's our culture. It's who we are. We are a generous people. [00:00:16] Speaker B: It's who we are. I'm so excited for this morning. I believe the Lord put a message in me for the room. [00:00:24] Speaker B: Which. [00:00:26] Speaker B: Admittedly came last minute because Pastor Roman, after being back for one week, decided he needed a sabbatical from you again. So he's gone. [00:00:35] Speaker B: I'm kidding. He actually got sick, so he's not here. So I had the privilege of last minute getting to preach. But I got a word. Don't you worry, because preaching isn't something that you just turn on and do. It's a lifestyle you give yourself to. This being a minister, the challenges, there's no turning it off. But I do have a word from the Lord this morning. I'm expecting for what he wants to do in this house as we continue our generosity series. Preaching on generosity can be quite unique, especially if you're part of my generation or the one under. It gets kind of awkward when you talk about generosity, but just because something's been abused doesn't mean that God didn't initiate that thing. [00:01:11] Speaker B: Man can abuse generosity, but does that eradicate generosity from God's heart? Because man abused generosity, does that eradicate it from the Bible? So oftentimes because we're afraid of going into the ditch on one side of the road, we live in the other ditch. And you aren't better than someone because you're living in another ditch. So we have to come to Scripture and go, what is God's heart for generosity? Why does God tell us to give? [00:01:35] Speaker A: Like, I love that. [00:01:36] Speaker B: Our Generosity series is actually going into Christmas time, with last week being the culmination of the Gospel series of the Generosity series. Why? Because Christmas is the greatest picture of generosity. That God would bankrupt heaven for you and me, that he would give Jesus freely for us. That that is the picture of generosity. [00:01:57] Speaker A: God will never call you to do something that he himself didn't do. And as we come to the Scriptures. [00:02:03] Speaker B: Today, we have to remember this is God's idea. [00:02:06] Speaker A: And we'll see that as we come to the scripture. [00:02:08] Speaker B: I feel the Lord stirring something in my heart. If you have your Bibles, turn to Exodus, the last chapter 40. Exodus 40. We're going to start in verse 33. Let's pray for a moment. Jesus, we love you. Holy Spirit, have your way this morning. Would you teach us the Scriptures, Holy Spirit? [00:02:26] Speaker A: Would you open our understanding that we. [00:02:28] Speaker B: Might comprehend the Scriptures? [00:02:32] Speaker B: Holy Spirit, reveal Jesus to us this morning. [00:02:37] Speaker A: Have your way, Holy Spirit. [00:02:39] Speaker B: In Jesus name. Amen. [00:02:44] Speaker A: I believe God is inviting us into. [00:02:46] Speaker B: A greater experience of his glory. We know that just because God is omnipresent doesn't mean that he doesn't manifest Himself in certain places. And we see an example here at the end of Exodus, Starting in verse 33, it says, he raised up the. [00:03:02] Speaker A: Court all around the tabernacle and the altar and hung the screen of the court gate. [00:03:07] Speaker B: So Moses finished the work. 34. [00:03:11] Speaker A: Then the cloud covered the tabernacle of Meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter the tabernacle of Meeting because the cloud rested above and the glory of the Lord filled that tabernacle. So I love this passage because it clearly shows us the moment Moses had built what God called him to build, how God called him to build it. [00:03:37] Speaker B: God's glory filled what he built, which. [00:03:41] Speaker A: That shows you and I. When God calls you to do anything, whether it's business or family, no matter what it is, the means never justify the ends. Just because you build something big doesn't mean God will inhabit that thing. God looks at how we build what. [00:03:55] Speaker B: He calls us to build. [00:03:57] Speaker A: That means this, that oftentimes someone starts a business and the main goal is getting the business scaled and large. Then once it's built, they say, God come and inhabit that. Can I tell you, unless you built it according to how he wanted to, he's not going to inhabit it. [00:04:13] Speaker A: That means when you say, inhabit this, he goes, get rid of the gray areas. [00:04:19] Speaker A: You go, inhabit my business. Okay. Get rid of some gray areas you have in your business. Get rid of some of the lying that we have. Why don't you pay some people a little bit more? Why don't you do it my way? And then I'll fill that. The means never justify the ends. What I realized with God is it's very rare that he tells you to build something and doesn't tell you how. [00:04:38] Speaker B: I guess we aren't sure which is fine. [00:04:40] Speaker A: Okay, Exodus 25. Let's look at Exodus 25. Because this temple that he built was not Moses's idea. We're going to go to the beginning. This is such a bizarre passage where Moses is spending time with God and God goes, hey, Moses, you're going to build me a house. [00:04:57] Speaker B: He's like, okay, cool. [00:04:59] Speaker A: Then he goes on to tell him how to build the house. We aren't going to read it all because it's very detailed. You can read Exodus 20:5. Sometime your own time, the exact size, the exact color, down to every curtain, down to everything that hangs a curtain. Very detailed. He explains what it is, and then he. And in today's math, what? What? What God tells Moses to build would cost about $80 million. [00:05:26] Speaker A: So it's not like, hey, just build something. It's like It'll cost about $80 million to build this dream that God's giving to Moses to build. And then Moses, God goes, hey, Moses, this is how we're going to pay for it. [00:05:40] Speaker B: Your people are going to pay for it. [00:05:41] Speaker A: Yeah, because sometimes God gives us a dream like, okay, God, you pay for it. That's often not how God does it. Actually, I misspoke. Not often. It's never how God does it. [00:05:54] Speaker A: Show me a time in scripture where he asked for a temple to be built, and it didn't require extreme sacrifice. [00:06:00] Speaker B: From the people that were building it. [00:06:02] Speaker A: You won't find it. It's not there. Let's look at what happens. Verse 1. The Lord spoke to Moses, speak to the children of Israel that they may bring me an offering. [00:06:18] Speaker A: Oh, you thought you were giving to a building. [00:06:23] Speaker A: Speak to Israel that they may bring me an offering. [00:06:29] Speaker A: You thought you were giving to a building. [00:06:33] Speaker A: Who is this off? So they're giving to a building, but God goes, you brought me an offering. See, you think you're robbing us by not giving. You aren't giving to us. [00:06:46] Speaker A: Why? Because when God initiates something, when it's his idea, he takes your support as if you gave it to him. [00:06:55] Speaker A: This is not God's idea. [00:06:59] Speaker A: Because the Bible says, unless God builds, you build in vain. And you look at this. God is showing up, which means he is building something here. So it means when I come and give to it, God looks at our giving as if we're giving to him. So our hearts thought, I don't have to give. Speak to God. [00:07:19] Speaker A: Okay, it's quiet. [00:07:20] Speaker B: That's perfect. [00:07:21] Speaker A: For everyone who gives it willingly with his heart shall take my offering. Whose offering? God's. God's offering. Wait, you telling. But I'm giving it to Moses. Exactly. God somehow said, when you come forward and give to Moses, you're giving to me. And then he goes on to say, make sure it's willing. Because if it's not willing, if it's not, willfully, keep your money. [00:07:50] Speaker A: Can I remind you that God doesn't need your money. You need God to have your money. [00:07:59] Speaker A: Bring me an offering. So God's like, hey, I'm gonna build a house for Me, Moses, like, okay, cool. And you gonna pay for it. [00:08:09] Speaker A: God could have just built it. But why does he require generosity of us? Because every time he builds something, he requires it. [00:08:19] Speaker A: I love this approach. $80 million. [00:08:24] Speaker A: And they shall make me a sanctuary. So he goes on to say in verse three, he tells them what to do. And then in verse 8, and let them make me a sanctuary. So bring their offerings willfully that they might make me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them according to all that I show you. That is the pattern of the tabernacle and the patterns of its furnishings, just. [00:08:46] Speaker B: So you shall make it. And then he goes on for the. [00:08:49] Speaker A: Rest of the chapter to explain the. [00:08:51] Speaker B: Intricacies of how he wants it to be made. [00:08:55] Speaker A: So he has this call for generosity, asking people to be willing. If you turn a few Pages to Exodus 36. [00:09:09] Speaker A: Starting in verse two. [00:09:13] Speaker A: Then Moses called Bezel and her friend and. [00:09:20] Speaker B: His friend sounds like a girl's name. [00:09:25] Speaker A: And every gifted artisan in whose heart the Lord had put wisdom, everyone whose heart was stirred to come and do the work. So firstly, I love this because their hearts were stirred to do the work, because they understood. And they weren't building something that was man's, they were building something that was God's. [00:09:43] Speaker A: If your heart's not stirred to do this, I want you to question, who do you think initiated this? [00:09:50] Speaker A: See, their hearts are stirred, these people with skills. And you see it In Exodus 31, the people are bringing their own skill set to not just finances, but their skill set. And I love that about our building because I get to watch the gifts that God has placed. And people come and be an offering as he builds a house for himself. The people that designed the coffee shops, that's worship unto God because they're using the gift God gave them. It's people in this room that have sacrificed and laid things down because they are building a tabernacle for God. So they come and lay it down. Why? Because God stirred them. If you look at Exodus over and over again, talks about how people's hearts were stirred for what he was doing. I encourage you to get behind this. This is not for a few of us. This is what God has called us all into. [00:10:38] Speaker A: And they received from Moses all the offerings of the children of Israel had brought for the work of service and making of the sanctuary. So they continued bringing to him free will offerings every morning. I love this because now it's going over and above necessity every morning. People are like, hey, I've got more to give. I know. I Gave yesterday, but I got some more to give today. Every morning, free will. Not out of necessity, not begrudgingly, but because they believe in what God is building. They believe in what he's doing. So every morning they're showing up. Then all the craftsmen who were doing all the work of the sanctuary came eat from the work he was doing. And they spoke to Moses saying, the people bring much more than enough for the service of the work which the Lord commanded us to to do. So Moses gave a commandment and they caused to be proclaimed out of the camp, saying, let neither man nor woman do any more work for the offering of the sanctuary. And people were restrained from bringing. For the material they had was sufficient for all the work to be done. Indeed, too much. [00:11:47] Speaker A: Think about this. That they. So their spirit is so moved, they're bringing so much. Eventually they like, stop bringing the gifts. Stop giving us money like we have more than enough. So we're like, you have to convince me. That's the problem. [00:12:04] Speaker A: No, it's like they, because they're so generous now, it's not being turned off. They aren't turning it on. They aren't giving to needy. Like, how much do we need? That's the wrong question. [00:12:15] Speaker A: Because then you're giving out of lack. When you're asking, how much do you need? You haven't become generous yet. [00:12:22] Speaker A: Think about this. Why would God tell them to give if he already had enough? [00:12:26] Speaker B: Because generosity was for them. [00:12:31] Speaker A: Are you with me? Like, hey, like, I want to give more. Why? Because I'm generous. [00:12:39] Speaker A: I actually believe and I prophesy there will come a day where this building. [00:12:41] Speaker B: Will be paid off debt free. [00:12:43] Speaker A: And now what we have heard from the Lord is that it will be debt free. And that deadline is the end of February. I believe there's a day we'll stand up on stage and say, stop giving. Giving to the building fund because it's paid off. Why not us? Why can the Spirit not move us to do this? Where we aren't giving begrudgingly, but we actually. Like, I have to get in on that. I have to get in on what God is doing. I want to use what I've got. I want to sow into this God. If you're building a place in the Pacific Northwest, I want to be a part of that. [00:13:16] Speaker A: Too much. Stop giving. Why? Because they become generous. See, I believe it's impossible to become more Christ. [00:13:25] Speaker B: Like, without becoming more generous. [00:13:28] Speaker A: It's not possible. Because that wouldn't. If it were possible, that would mean Jesus wasn't generous. And he was generous. And sometimes people are like, well, I don't have to do this. Or like, immaturity. This is the one example. People are like, God told me to pick up trash, Pastor Dylan. I'm like, yeah, I mean, that's good. But the problem is God had to tell you. [00:13:57] Speaker A: God had to tell you to pick up trash. [00:14:00] Speaker B: Like, Dylan, God told me to tithe. [00:14:02] Speaker A: God had to tell you to tithe. What about the scriptures? God told me to love my friend. God had to tell you to. My point is this generosity should be who we are. Like, they aren't waiting like, or should I give? Like, what if they have too much? [00:14:22] Speaker A: Because that shows that we aren't generous yet. It shows we motivated by lack. It shows I'm not generous. [00:14:28] Speaker B: I'm just going to help you if you in lack. [00:14:31] Speaker A: So your position dictates who I am. [00:14:37] Speaker A: Are you with me? Your position, how you doing, dictates who I am. Instead of me being generous, I allow my surroundings. Like, I want to be proactive with my finances. Like, in a world where you can give to so much and so many things, why not be proactive? I'm like, I'm going to give to the house. Not because of need, because that's who I am. [00:14:56] Speaker A: I want to build a house. Like, I could give to so much. Imagine me using behind the Answers to build. Like, the fact you in this room shows you believe in what God is doing and your finances can build a house that will transform lives. [00:15:10] Speaker A: I wonder that's why they were like, I'll give every day for you. They're like, stop giving. [00:15:16] Speaker B: I believe that will happen in our community because God's stirring hearts in our community. [00:15:21] Speaker A: God's not looking for an exact amount in a bucket. [00:15:27] Speaker A: Otherwise he would have cut them off. The moment they had paid for. [00:15:34] Speaker A: Was never about an amount. [00:15:36] Speaker B: I want to show you another example. If you want to turn with me to First Chronicles. [00:15:50] Speaker B: First Chronicles 29, we're going to start in verse three. [00:15:59] Speaker B: So here's a different story again of. [00:16:01] Speaker A: Another temple or tabernacle being built. [00:16:03] Speaker B: And the Spirit of God reveals this idea to David. In 1st Chronicles 28:12 it says, by the Spirit. [00:16:11] Speaker A: So the Spirit of God reveals it to him. But I want you to watch his Response in verse 3. 29. Verse 3, 1st Chronicles 29:3. Moreover, because I have set my affection on the house of God, I have given to the house of my God over and above all that I prepared for the holy house my own special treasure of silver and gold. I love that verse I have set my affection on the house of God. He's like, david doesn't have to give to this, but his heart is invested, so why would he not? Like I prepared, he goes, even what I prepared, I gave over and above. So when people are critical, like, I'm not giving, it explains where your heart is set. [00:17:01] Speaker A: When we are hesitant to give, it shows where our heart is set. [00:17:08] Speaker B: Billy Graham said this. If you want to see someone's priorities, show me two things, their checkbook and their calendar. [00:17:18] Speaker A: His affection is set. So what I'm saying is, if that's us and we don't have a heart, you just ask God, give me a heart. Show me what you're building. [00:17:26] Speaker A: Because when you realize that this and what's going on in that house, like that's from God. [00:17:32] Speaker A: Suddenly you want to sow into what he's doing. Everyone wants to be his hands and feet till generosity. [00:17:40] Speaker A: You get what I'm saying, God, I'm your hands. If he's like, build me a tabernacle. [00:17:44] Speaker B: Now, God, you do that, not me. [00:17:48] Speaker A: So David brings this and then verse six. Then the leaders of the Father's house, leaders of the tribes of Israel, the captains of thousands and of hundreds. So next, first David, then the leaders bring an offering. We've done that. We had our senior leadership team took time. The pastoral team took time. People have sown into this. They bought. We've raised over $5 million towards this. [00:18:14] Speaker A: God can pay this off. But then you would miss out, because then look at verse nine. Then the leaders come. Then the people rejoice, for they had offered willingly. Again, willingly. If it's begrudgingly, keep it. [00:18:27] Speaker A: Because with a loyal heart, they had offered willingly to the Lord. And King David also rejoiced. See, there's a reality where we come next week, we're inviting the community into doing what the leaders have already done. Next week we're going to invite us all to come and bring an offering. Because that's what happens. You have first King David, then the leaders. Then the community comes and brings an offering to God. Because you know what happens in 2nd Chronicles 5? The glory of the Lord fills that temple. So again, in both stories, you have this God speaks and the glory fills these two temples. What connects the two in both stories? The community's generosity. [00:19:09] Speaker A: This temple, $300 billion. [00:19:15] Speaker A: You heard that correctly. That's the low estimate. Some estimate over a trillion dollars. So God says, hey, build me a temple over $300 billion. And the people are going to bring an offering and pay for it. Could God have done it on his own? Absolutely. Does he look for partnership? Yes. [00:19:35] Speaker A: What a privilege it is that next week we get to come. And that's why we have these cards. Because next week we all going to come together and bring cards and bring it forward and give an offering to what God is doing. So every person, kids ministry is going to be with us. No one gets to miss out on this. We want them to be able to bring an offering. Maybe it's a couple pennies or quarters. Whatever it is, kids ministries, our young adults, our youth, everyone will bring something next week. [00:20:03] Speaker A: As we come together as a community and give to God. You aren't coming forward to put in a bucket for a man. [00:20:12] Speaker A: It was never about a man. I used to think that statement was. [00:20:14] Speaker B: So cringe we're going to continue our worship. It's not cringe, it's true. I've said it too before. Don't worry, Anastasia, just because somebody's cringe. [00:20:23] Speaker A: Doesn'T mean it's not true. [00:20:30] Speaker A: But next week we're all going to come together. I'm so excited for what God's going to do in that time because watch this. In verse 20, then David said to all the assembly now blessed the Lord your God. So all the assembly blessed the Lord God of their fathers and bowed their heads and prostrated themselves before the Lord and the king. See, this turns into a worship service where they prostrate before God. They bowed before him. But what during a generosity session? [00:20:58] Speaker A: See, generosity turns into worship. You were never giving to man. You were giving to God. When God's pleased, his presence fills that place. [00:21:10] Speaker A: There's this rule in scripture, the rule of first mention. We can put up Genesis 22:5. We have to look at when something was first mentioned. It sets the tone for that thing. The first time worship was ever mentioned in scripture. It has nothing to do with the song. It actually has to do with Abraham and Isaac. When God would tell Abraham, take your son up on the hill and sacrifice him to me, which is actually a picture of the cross, that one day, because he carried wood up the cross, one day Jesus would carry his cross up the hill. But when he gets there, he says this. In verse five, Abraham said to the young man, stay here with the donkey. The lad and I will go yonder and worship and we will come back to you. But he's not going to sing a song. He's not going to lift up his voice. What is he going to do? He's going to sacrifice his son. [00:22:08] Speaker A: So we have to let God determine what is worship. One of the signs of worship is sacrifice. [00:22:14] Speaker A: People often go, I don't really feel like worshiping today, so I'm just going to sit down. You finally had the opportunity to worship. [00:22:26] Speaker A: I'm going through something hard. I don't want to worship. You finally had the opportunity to worship. [00:22:33] Speaker A: You know that when you get to heaven, you'll never be able to offer God a sacrifice of praise. In hardship, you know, there's offerings you can give God now you will never. [00:22:41] Speaker B: Get to give in eternity. [00:22:44] Speaker A: Your finances is one. You'll never be able to offer that to God. You'll never be able to offer God a sacrifice of faith. [00:22:56] Speaker A: Hardship. Like, when we come to him, it's worship. Like something in us. Like, do you think God knew that Abraham would give Isaac? Yes. [00:23:09] Speaker A: Have you noticed how sometimes when God speaks to us, even though we obey and it's hard and we obey, something in us dies? [00:23:18] Speaker A: Like, hey, speak to that person on the side of the street. And you're so afraid of sharing the gospel. Everything inside of you is anxiety, fear. And you step out, you go, hey, Jesus loves you. God knew you would obey. But have you ever walked away going, I care a little bit less about. [00:23:34] Speaker B: What people think about me. [00:23:37] Speaker A: Oh, you thought your obedience was about God. [00:23:41] Speaker A: He's forming you. [00:23:45] Speaker A: When you say no to obeying him, you're just saying no to being formed into his image. Oh, you thought you were robbing the church of funds. You're robbing yourself of formation. [00:23:58] Speaker A: Good word, Dylan. [00:24:02] Speaker A: Like, you think God can't pay for it? You think he's running out of cash? I think God needs to form me. I think God needs to form you. [00:24:13] Speaker A: Obedience has a way of crucifying the flesh. God doesn't really protect the flesh. Have you noticed that? Because sometimes we. Like, when I feel generous, then I'll give. [00:24:23] Speaker B: And we like petting the flesh. [00:24:24] Speaker A: Like, okay, you good. Like, one day I'll want to give. One day I want to share the gospel. Normally, that's not how it works. The best way to get rid of the flesh, obey the spirit. [00:24:39] Speaker A: I guarantee the majority of us, when we ask God how much to give next week, this week, when we walk away with these, the goal we're giving it to you today is that we go and pray. [00:24:50] Speaker A: I almost guarantee you God's not going. [00:24:53] Speaker B: To check your bank account first. [00:24:58] Speaker A: He has a way of putting us. [00:25:01] Speaker B: In positions where we have to trust him. [00:25:04] Speaker B: Welcome to faith. [00:25:07] Speaker A: Are you with me? Sometimes he speaks. It's like God, but how he's like, trust me. And why is he doing that? He's doing that to form me. See, Did God want Isaac? When he said, hey, Abraham, sacrifice your son, did God want Isaac? No, he wanted Abraham. [00:25:28] Speaker A: He doesn't want your money. He wants you. [00:25:36] Speaker A: I feel the Lord, he doesn't want your money, he wants you. The fact that you can't give your money shows he doesn't have you. [00:25:48] Speaker A: Of course, you say, but it's this idea of there's an idol in your life. [00:25:56] Speaker A: Why do we give? Because money is not my ruler. [00:26:01] Speaker A: You either serve God or mammon. Isn't that a wild thought? That you serve money. [00:26:08] Speaker A: And generosity is one way that you kill that you see, God will ask for whatever is holding you. Abraham's very wealthy. [00:26:16] Speaker B: God doesn't ask for his money. [00:26:20] Speaker A: Because he would have been like, have it all. [00:26:23] Speaker B: But Isaac, God doesn't want Isaac. [00:26:27] Speaker A: He wants Abraham. And Abraham was formed through that as he obeyed. And he's written about all throughout scripture because of how he obeyed. See, when it comes to the rich. [00:26:40] Speaker B: Young ruler, which is. [00:26:43] Speaker A: Matthew, chapter 19. [00:26:53] Speaker A: Verse 16, then behold, one came and said to him. So this man comes to Jesus that we know is very wealthy. He approaches him and says, good teacher, what good things shall I do that I may have eternal life? And he said to him, why do you call me good? No one is good but one that is God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments. He said to him, which ones? Jesus said, you shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness. Honor your mother and your father. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. And the young man said to him, all these things I have kept from my youth. So every one of the five out of the ten commandments that Jesus lists. [00:27:34] Speaker B: Are all to do with people. [00:27:38] Speaker B: Love your neighbor, don't steal. [00:27:40] Speaker A: All of them are to do with people. He leaves the five that are between God and him. [00:27:46] Speaker A: He says, what do I still lack? I've done it all. And Jesus said, if you want to be perfect, go sell what you have and give it to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven. Come, follow me. But when the young man heard that. [00:28:00] Speaker B: Saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. [00:28:06] Speaker A: This man had everything. Can I tell you that you can have everything in this world and still be in lack? [00:28:13] Speaker A: What do I lack? [00:28:14] Speaker B: Jesus didn't say nothing, bro, you have everything. [00:28:18] Speaker A: Nice house, car, job, family. [00:28:20] Speaker B: Like you. [00:28:20] Speaker A: Good. You have no lack. He said, no, no, you lack something. Freedom from what? You. [00:28:30] Speaker A: You lack freedom. You controlled by your possessions. [00:28:37] Speaker A: See, God gives him an invitation this day. He could have been set free in a moment of obedience. [00:28:44] Speaker A: He could have said, okay, God, I'm following you. He could have had eternal life satisfaction found in Christ, but he couldn't give it up. [00:28:55] Speaker A: See, God invites us into freedom. Like next week, people are invited into freedom as we come and worship together. Can I tell you, next week isn't a giving session. It's a worship service. [00:29:11] Speaker A: Why do you think they fell prostrate in First Chronicles? [00:29:15] Speaker B: Because they were worshipping. [00:29:18] Speaker A: God goes where he's worshiped. I'm excited for the miracles that happen next week in bodies because his presence will show up if we worship. And what I'm saying, my worship has come up and put something into what he's doing willingly because we are moved by his spirit. [00:29:39] Speaker A: He doesn't want your money. He wants you. [00:29:44] Speaker A: What do I lack? Freedom from possessions. [00:29:48] Speaker A: Are you consumed by finances? Like, ask yourself, do we live out Matthew 6:33, Seek first the kingdom of God and He will give you everything else. Do we live that out. [00:30:01] Speaker A: Or do we seek first everything else? [00:30:06] Speaker A: Seek first my kingdom and I will. [00:30:08] Speaker B: Give you everything else. That's somebody that's free. [00:30:18] Speaker B: I love. Second Corinthians 9:6, which many of us know. But it says this, and it's talking about finances. [00:30:24] Speaker A: But this I say, he who sows. [00:30:26] Speaker B: Sparingly will also reap sparingly. The keys can come out and help me, please. [00:30:32] Speaker A: He who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he. [00:30:36] Speaker B: Proposes in his own heart, not grudgingly. [00:30:40] Speaker A: Or out of necessity. For God loves a cheerful giver. [00:30:46] Speaker B: God owns a cattle on a thousand hills. [00:30:49] Speaker B: He doesn't need my finances. I need him to have my finances. [00:30:55] Speaker A: Because I want to be like Christ. Why would I say no to being. [00:30:58] Speaker B: Formed into his image? [00:31:04] Speaker B: He tests us with things like this. [00:31:13] Speaker B: Let's look at Acts, Chapter two. Because some of us are like, well, he's read a lot of the Old Testament. There's not a lot of New Testament. Can I tell you, the New Testament is way more intense. [00:31:24] Speaker B: I was being nice to you by not getting into the New Testament. [00:31:27] Speaker A: I want to read a couple passages. [00:31:28] Speaker B: Being serious, of course, that was a joke. [00:31:30] Speaker A: But Acts, the generosity of the early. [00:31:33] Speaker B: Church is very convicting. [00:31:36] Speaker A: Like, we're going to touch on it briefly. Very convicting. What it looks like we always like, I want to go back to the early church. Do we really want to? [00:31:47] Speaker A: It's pretty uncomfortable. It looks very different. [00:31:53] Speaker A: Like God move. Let's look at the outcome of God moving. [00:31:59] Speaker A: Acts, chapter 2, verse 43. Then fear came upon every soul and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. See that part? We love. [00:32:12] Speaker A: Signs and wonders. [00:32:13] Speaker B: Yes, God. [00:32:17] Speaker A: Now all who believed were together and had all things in common, sold their possessions and goods and divided it among all as everyone had need. [00:32:34] Speaker A: It's like God, give me the signs and wonders, but the selling everything so no one else is in need. That's not really me. [00:32:43] Speaker B: Like, it's. We did that homeless outreach a few weeks ago. [00:32:46] Speaker A: People like, oh, that's not really my thing. I'm like, I didn't know that was an option. [00:32:53] Speaker A: I didn't know we could pick what we liked. [00:32:58] Speaker A: I don't really do homeless outreach. I didn't know. [00:33:00] Speaker B: I get to pick. James 1:27, where pure and undefiled religion is remaining spotless. And to care for widows and orphans. [00:33:07] Speaker A: Or Matthew 25, that when you look at the homeless guy and reject him, you reject Jesus. [00:33:14] Speaker A: Or when you love him, you love Jesus. I didn't know that was optional. [00:33:18] Speaker A: See this verse? Like, I'm not saying I'm here, I'm saying, what do we do with this? Because what we need to do is say, God help us to walk this out. We can't act like it's not there. We don't have to feel bad that we aren't walking up, but we have to go. God help us. What does it look like for me to live a generous life? [00:33:37] Speaker A: We are not caught up and concerned with the things of this world and entangled. But I'm living generous. [00:33:46] Speaker A: They sold all their possessions. So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, breaking bread from house to house, they ate food with gladness and simplicity of heart. Verse 47, praising God and having favor. [00:33:59] Speaker B: With all the people. [00:34:00] Speaker A: And the Lord added to the church. [00:34:02] Speaker B: Daily those who were being saved. [00:34:05] Speaker A: Maybe God adding to us daily people. [00:34:07] Speaker B: That are being saved more than just signs and wonders. [00:34:12] Speaker A: Maybe. [00:34:13] Speaker B: Maybe he's waiting for a generous church. [00:34:18] Speaker A: Isn't that interesting? They healed the six signs and wonders and were generous. [00:34:24] Speaker B: And then God added daily to them. [00:34:29] Speaker A: See, that's convicting. Because some of those people you helping deserve your help. [00:34:38] Speaker A: They messed up. That was their decision. [00:34:43] Speaker B: Imagine if God treated us like that. [00:34:47] Speaker A: It's convicting. Let's look at Acts, chapter 4, verse 31. [00:34:56] Speaker A: And when they had prayed in the place where they were assemblied together was shaken. They were food filled with the Holy Spirit and they spoke the word of God with boldness. Look at what happens when the Holy Spirit fills them. Now the multitude of those who believed was one heart and one soul. Neither did anyone say that any of his things he possessed was his own. [00:35:18] Speaker A: But they had all things in common. Man, that verse scary, annoying. [00:35:28] Speaker A: Are you guys seeing the verse? [00:35:31] Speaker A: What do we do with this? [00:35:34] Speaker A: Do we act like it's not there? It's not a good game plan. Do we feel condemned? No. [00:35:42] Speaker A: But this is where we have to go and how we get there. [00:35:46] Speaker B: God have mercy on me. [00:35:48] Speaker A: Help me God, I'm not there yet. That's where I want to go. [00:35:55] Speaker A: And we live in the tension and allow God to form us. And can I tell you, as you obey you are formed into his image. As you let people in, as you care for people and then look. Verse 33. And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ and great grace was upon them. [00:36:14] Speaker A: Nor was there any among them who lacked for all. Who, who possessors of land or house sold them and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold and laid them at the apostles feet. They distributed to each one as he needed. Verse 37 having land, sold it and brought the money laid at the apostles feet. Am I saying if you have land sell it? I don't know. [00:36:41] Speaker A: But that's what they did. [00:36:45] Speaker A: Like the generosity to go like hey, like I have all this that I worked for, this guy doesn't deserve it. But I care about that person, I love that person. And then the Bible says there was great grace upon them. Can I tell you that one thing grace does for you is makes you generous. I need God's divine empowerment to care. [00:37:06] Speaker B: For people that don't deserve it. [00:37:08] Speaker A: Anyone else? Like the early church said one of the signs of God's grace being in your life was generosity. [00:37:18] Speaker A: See when God shows up in our lives one of the things it doesn't really make sense to sell your land to care for somebody. [00:37:28] Speaker A: Is that mind boggling to anyone else? Is this challenging to anybody else? [00:37:33] Speaker A: Like that's convicting to me. [00:37:38] Speaker A: But when people come into our circles, people come into our realities, they have to experience something different. And one of the things they have to experience is generosity. Many got saved because unbelievers came in and experienced the generosity that was in their lives. So I want to encourage you today that as we come next week and we bring an offering number one, you aren't bringing an offering to man. Someone will be on the stage leading you in generosity. But God will View our gift as if it's to him, which that is not to scare you. That's to make you excited. Wouldn't you rather give to God? [00:38:17] Speaker A: It's like, bro, don't you say, that's to God? I'm like, that's better. No, like, I'm excited to come and bring God an offering. I'm going to put it in a bucket up front, but God's going to receive it. [00:38:32] Speaker A: And it may require sacrifice, but that's worship. We're going to come together and worship. And next week is step two of the process. Which God spoke it do? We believe God spoke. This is his idea. God said, it will be debt free. We will pay it off by the end of February. That's the word we got. That's. That's this part. And we know and we pray that it will be a house of worship. But then we got to build it with worship. How you build something matters. That's why next week we're going to come and worship because we are people of worship. Next week is step two. Next week is generosity. I believe next week we'll go over and above as we bring a pledge. Next week as you come and you pray with your spouse or loved ones of what you bring, you can either bring a gift next week or write a pledge that you believe in your payoff by the end of February. [00:39:26] Speaker A: And I sincerely believe this, that next week there'll be breakthrough in people's lives. [00:39:32] Speaker A: Are you saying if you give, you'll get? I'm saying, no, if you give, you might be set free. [00:39:39] Speaker B: That's a word for somebody. You know, everyone's like, don't you dare say if you give, you'll get. [00:39:43] Speaker A: I'm like, okay, I won't. But if you give, you might be set free. Set free from mammon, set free from. [00:39:49] Speaker B: Being entangled by the things of this world. [00:39:54] Speaker B: Can we stand? [00:39:59] Speaker A: I just sense a grace for generosity coming upon our community. We are already a generous community. But even a greater grace. [00:40:08] Speaker A: Coming upon our community where one of the things that will set our community apart is generosity. [00:40:20] Speaker A: I sense even right now, there's an invitation. There's people in the room that got muddied and got an incorrect view of generosity. You thought you were giving to a church. You thought you were giving to a bucket or a ministry, and you forgot that you were giving to God. God says they will bring me an offering, but they gave it to Moses to a building, yet God says, you brought me an offering. [00:40:45] Speaker A: Some people think that God just wants their Money. Can I tell you no. There's a loving God that wants you. [00:40:52] Speaker B: Free from your money. [00:40:56] Speaker A: There's a loving God that wants you free. You weren't designed to wake up thinking about money, to go to bed thinking about money, to be controlled by something that's unlimited to God. [00:41:08] Speaker A: Think about this. Time is a limited resource to you. You'll never get more time. Money is unlimited to God, yet we use a limited resource to worry about something unlimited. [00:41:21] Speaker A: The enemy wants you trapped and worry about finances because then you waste time which is limited to you. [00:41:33] Speaker A: Is life really about the 2 inch signature on the bottom of your will or is there more to life? Are we really just building towards that or is there more to life? Is there freedom and contentment and joy in the now that we aren't called to look like the world and be called to be in the rat race? [00:41:53] Speaker A: Can we have the ministry team come forward? There's a grace this morning for people that are controlled, fixated. [00:42:04] Speaker A: Not motivated by what God spoke them, but motivated by finances. God in his love longs for you to be free. [00:42:14] Speaker A: Second Timothy 2, verse 4 says if you engage in warfare, don't come entangled with the things of this life. [00:42:25] Speaker A: Jesus, we love you. [00:42:31] Speaker A: We long to live lives of worship, lives of sacrifice. [00:42:38] Speaker A: Lord, we want to build you an inhabitation. [00:42:42] Speaker A: Where your glory falls and transforms lives. [00:42:48] Speaker A: This has never been about finances. This has been been about your glory. [00:42:53] Speaker A: If you need to respond this morning, just respond right now. We'd love to pray with you. Just come forward. The enemy wants you. Thinking and worrying even. Some of us even call up in fantasy of what we wish we would always have. We find our joy in fantasies. [00:43:09] Speaker A: We think that that car or house will bring us the joy. But like Solomon said, that's like chasing the wind. [00:43:18] Speaker A: Oh, I sense that the room, there's freedom this afternoon. [00:43:23] Speaker A: Just respond right now if you need prayer for anything. If it's speaking to you, just respond. [00:43:36] Speaker B: Thank you for joining King Movement Online. I pray and hope that that sermon impacted you deeply. I would love if you shared this with a few friends and family. And before you go, don't forget to subscribe. See you next week.