WEBVTT 00:00:00.959 --> 00:00:04.120 Whenever we put together a sermon series on giving 00:00:04.120 --> 00:00:07.000 and stewardship and looking at time, talents, 00:00:07.080 --> 00:00:09.640 and treasures, it's always an interesting conversation 00:00:09.640 --> 00:00:11.900 that goes on kind of in my heart, in my head 00:00:11.900 --> 00:00:16.120 of, yeah, it's a lot easier, it's not easy necessarily 00:00:16.120 --> 00:00:19.399 to stand up here and just say, you know, be mindful 00:00:19.399 --> 00:00:21.899 to tithe, give your 10%, blah, blah, blah, blah, 00:00:21.920 --> 00:00:25.710 all the things. But God always takes that fear, 00:00:25.809 --> 00:00:27.670 that trepidation that I have to kind of do it 00:00:27.670 --> 00:00:30.570 for the month and really changes a lot of the 00:00:30.570 --> 00:00:32.810 conversation. And it's been interesting, the 00:00:32.810 --> 00:00:34.770 conversations that I've had with all of you that 00:00:34.770 --> 00:00:37.329 have come and talked to me or emailed or called 00:00:37.329 --> 00:00:40.270 or texted some questions on looking at some of 00:00:40.270 --> 00:00:43.369 these passages in a different way. I love breaking 00:00:43.369 --> 00:00:45.810 down a good Jesus narrative about what happens 00:00:45.810 --> 00:00:47.630 with the rich young ruler and all the things. 00:00:48.530 --> 00:00:52.390 But we find ourselves in a very, I'd probably 00:00:52.390 --> 00:00:54.899 say the most... popular set of verses in all 00:00:54.899 --> 00:00:56.899 of scripture. I hate to say that, but we see 00:00:56.899 --> 00:00:59.600 it everywhere, even places it doesn't belong, 00:00:59.899 --> 00:01:02.700 right? You'll see it at wrestling shows, or you'll 00:01:02.700 --> 00:01:06.719 see it on ESPN in the college game day. I saw 00:01:06.719 --> 00:01:09.599 it yesterday, where someone will just put something 00:01:09.599 --> 00:01:14.879 316, right? Where it's really John 316, for God 00:01:14.879 --> 00:01:19.640 so loved the world that he, one and only son, 00:01:19.819 --> 00:01:27.379 that whoever It's always funny that gave his 00:01:27.379 --> 00:01:30.579 one and only son, that whoever believes in eternal 00:01:30.579 --> 00:01:32.780 life, because we kind of forget some of the words. 00:01:32.859 --> 00:01:36.939 So let's dive in to John 3, 16, 16 through 21. 00:01:37.120 --> 00:01:40.379 For God so loved the world that he gave his one 00:01:40.379 --> 00:01:42.659 and only son, that whoever believes in him should 00:01:42.659 --> 00:01:46.140 not perish, but have eternal life. For God did 00:01:46.140 --> 00:01:49.180 not send his son into the world to condemn the 00:01:49.180 --> 00:01:52.079 world, but in order that the world might be saved 00:01:52.079 --> 00:01:56.129 through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, 00:01:56.390 --> 00:01:59.209 but whoever does not believe is condemned already, 00:01:59.629 --> 00:02:02.709 because he has not believed in the name of the 00:02:02.709 --> 00:02:06.329 only Son of God. And this is the judgment. The 00:02:06.329 --> 00:02:09.289 light has come into the world, and people love 00:02:09.289 --> 00:02:11.830 the darkness rather than the light, because their 00:02:11.830 --> 00:02:15.689 works were evil. For everyone who does wicked 00:02:15.689 --> 00:02:18.530 things hates the light and does not come to the 00:02:18.530 --> 00:02:21.969 light, lest the works should be exposed. But 00:02:21.969 --> 00:02:24.289 whoever does what is true comes to the light 00:02:24.289 --> 00:02:28.110 so that it may be clearly seen that his work 00:02:28.110 --> 00:02:32.469 has been carried out in God. So there's more 00:02:32.469 --> 00:02:35.389 to it than just John 3, 16, and 17 for the half 00:02:35.389 --> 00:02:37.689 of you that could actually make it through 17. 00:02:37.849 --> 00:02:41.810 But that's the gospel, right? That God so loved 00:02:41.810 --> 00:02:45.610 the world that he gave the greatest gift ever. 00:02:46.729 --> 00:02:49.550 So we've been talking about our treasures, what 00:02:49.550 --> 00:02:51.830 we treasure, why we treasure, what we center 00:02:51.830 --> 00:02:56.030 on in our life for several weeks. We talk about 00:02:56.030 --> 00:02:59.210 where we've stored our treasures, the importance 00:02:59.210 --> 00:03:03.289 of who we serve with them and how to live generously 00:03:03.289 --> 00:03:07.789 with others. All of that leads to this sermon, 00:03:07.870 --> 00:03:12.490 this final sermon with really probably the best 00:03:12.490 --> 00:03:15.500 teaching I could give today. is the recognition 00:03:15.500 --> 00:03:21.020 that God is the most generous giver ever. Now, 00:03:21.020 --> 00:03:25.340 that's easy to say. He's creator. But he shows 00:03:25.340 --> 00:03:28.659 it in this verse. He shows it in John 3, 16. 00:03:28.780 --> 00:03:31.000 Like I said, perhaps the most famous verse in 00:03:31.000 --> 00:03:34.500 all the Bible. But sometimes its familiarity 00:03:34.500 --> 00:03:38.219 dulls its power. We can say it, but do we actually, 00:03:38.460 --> 00:03:41.479 like, are we listening to the words that we say? 00:03:41.520 --> 00:03:47.120 For God so loved. The world. That when you love 00:03:47.120 --> 00:03:50.860 something, you care for it, you protect it, you 00:03:50.860 --> 00:03:56.280 provide for it. That he gave his only son. Doubles 00:03:56.280 --> 00:03:58.979 down, whoever believes in him should not perish 00:03:58.979 --> 00:04:01.840 but have eternal life. This is the ultimate picture 00:04:01.840 --> 00:04:05.180 of kingdom economics. This is the ultimate picture 00:04:05.180 --> 00:04:07.639 of what we've been talking about, the culmination 00:04:07.639 --> 00:04:11.300 of every aspect of our treasures, of how, where, 00:04:11.379 --> 00:04:16.160 when, who we store it for. Because God didn't 00:04:16.160 --> 00:04:19.699 give out of his scarcity, like we talked about 00:04:19.699 --> 00:04:23.259 last two weeks ago. He gave it out of his abundance. 00:04:24.389 --> 00:04:28.550 For God so loved the world. But if we read other 00:04:28.550 --> 00:04:32.889 parts of Scripture, God is love. So love incarnate 00:04:32.889 --> 00:04:38.470 gave himself for us. Out of the abundance of 00:04:38.470 --> 00:04:42.649 love. He didn't give the leftovers. He gave his 00:04:42.649 --> 00:04:46.389 one and only son. He didn't give it reluctantly. 00:04:47.610 --> 00:04:52.930 But he gave it freely, gladly, for sinners like 00:04:52.930 --> 00:04:57.350 me. And sinners like you. He gave it for the 00:04:57.350 --> 00:05:02.290 church. That's a powerful place to be. That's 00:05:02.290 --> 00:05:05.290 a powerful place to sit. Especially because we've 00:05:05.290 --> 00:05:08.689 been talking about the things that we get in 00:05:08.689 --> 00:05:11.550 life. What we store up. Time, talents, but mainly 00:05:11.550 --> 00:05:16.949 treasures. I don't know about you, but family 00:05:16.949 --> 00:05:21.819 is the greatest treasure in my life. My relationship 00:05:21.819 --> 00:05:25.600 with my wife, my three kids, our dogs, maybe. 00:05:25.879 --> 00:05:30.540 I don't know. But that family is the most important 00:05:30.540 --> 00:05:33.779 thing. It's my family for me, my family, and 00:05:33.779 --> 00:05:36.980 then my church family. That we can use the word 00:05:36.980 --> 00:05:39.800 family, a prayer we pray all the time with people. 00:05:39.860 --> 00:05:42.540 We thank God for bringing friends who are more 00:05:42.540 --> 00:05:47.899 like family into our lives. I understand that 00:05:47.899 --> 00:05:50.740 the idea of family can bring negatives. Can bring 00:05:50.740 --> 00:05:54.519 hardship, hurt, burnt relationships, divorce. 00:05:56.459 --> 00:06:00.199 All of those negative things, God reminds us 00:06:00.199 --> 00:06:04.879 in this verse that we are a part of his family. 00:06:05.920 --> 00:06:08.500 Out of the abundance of love that he has for 00:06:08.500 --> 00:06:11.160 you and for me, the same ones that spit on his 00:06:11.160 --> 00:06:13.660 name throughout this past week when we've sinned, 00:06:13.740 --> 00:06:19.339 gives his one and only son for us. We're going 00:06:19.339 --> 00:06:21.600 to dive a little bit into how this is written 00:06:21.600 --> 00:06:25.319 because the Greek is really phenomenal and it 00:06:25.319 --> 00:06:27.800 really changed for me how I read this verse. 00:06:28.939 --> 00:06:32.220 It starts off with the word hoitos. And the word 00:06:32.220 --> 00:06:35.199 hoitos doesn't just mean that he loves so much, 00:06:35.259 --> 00:06:39.480 but in this way God shows. And I don't know about 00:06:39.480 --> 00:06:41.939 you, but that's an important thing in my life. 00:06:42.000 --> 00:06:46.370 The way that Carrie shows me she loves me. at 00:06:46.370 --> 00:06:50.250 times is way more impactful to my life than saying 00:06:50.250 --> 00:06:53.449 it or reading it or something. And if you think 00:06:53.449 --> 00:06:56.870 about it, you're probably the same way. The way 00:06:56.870 --> 00:07:01.449 people show you that they love you makes far 00:07:01.449 --> 00:07:04.310 more impact in your life than them just saying 00:07:04.310 --> 00:07:07.129 it. Because we can use the word love all the 00:07:07.129 --> 00:07:12.350 time. I love you. You mean so much to me. I love 00:07:12.350 --> 00:07:17.040 Cherry Coke. I hope your love for Cherry Coke 00:07:17.040 --> 00:07:19.980 and your love for your spouse are not the same 00:07:19.980 --> 00:07:23.759 kind of love. Right? I really hope it's not. 00:07:23.860 --> 00:07:27.420 If it is, let's have a conversation. But talk, 00:07:27.480 --> 00:07:30.040 as we learned two sermon series ago, and really 00:07:30.040 --> 00:07:32.480 what Jesus is saying in this past month, is that 00:07:32.480 --> 00:07:38.699 talk is cheap. Actions really show. What people 00:07:38.699 --> 00:07:41.759 mean. How they live their life. How people see 00:07:41.759 --> 00:07:45.160 the way you live your life. Can tell the world 00:07:45.160 --> 00:07:47.519 who you follow, what you serve, what you love, 00:07:47.600 --> 00:07:49.459 what you care about, what you don't care about. 00:07:49.639 --> 00:07:52.420 Let's call a spade a spade the church. So often 00:07:52.420 --> 00:07:54.100 the church is known for what they're against, 00:07:54.319 --> 00:07:59.259 not what they're for. Ooh, sign me up. But as 00:07:59.259 --> 00:08:02.779 a church who loves the Lord, we need to love 00:08:02.779 --> 00:08:06.839 people then. No ifs, ands, or buts. Why? Because 00:08:06.839 --> 00:08:13.339 in this way, God so loved the world. What he's 00:08:13.339 --> 00:08:16.339 saying is this is how much God loved us. He gave 00:08:16.339 --> 00:08:21.560 his son. I love all of you. I wouldn't do that 00:08:21.560 --> 00:08:24.339 for you. And I guarantee you wouldn't do that 00:08:24.339 --> 00:08:29.040 for me. That's a hard thing to ask. And it's 00:08:29.040 --> 00:08:31.870 not the first time we see it with Jesus. Right? 00:08:31.930 --> 00:08:35.309 We see it all the way early on in the scriptures. 00:08:37.269 --> 00:08:42.690 Between who? God and who does he call to have 00:08:42.690 --> 00:08:48.190 someone give up their son? Abraham with his son. 00:08:48.769 --> 00:08:53.309 Go up and sacrifice him. And Abraham, I want 00:08:53.309 --> 00:08:56.350 to believe Abraham was going to do it. In my 00:08:56.350 --> 00:08:59.690 nerdy mind of the things I'm going to ask, the 00:08:59.690 --> 00:09:01.330 people I'm going to find when I get up to heaven 00:09:01.330 --> 00:09:03.470 and ask questions, that's one I want to ask. 00:09:04.450 --> 00:09:06.509 Dude, were you really, if you can say dude in 00:09:06.509 --> 00:09:09.870 heaven, I don't know. But, bro, do you think 00:09:09.870 --> 00:09:15.769 that you could actually do that? Right? And I 00:09:15.769 --> 00:09:18.509 don't know what Abraham's going to say. There's 00:09:18.509 --> 00:09:20.370 probably a long line to talk to Abraham. He was 00:09:20.370 --> 00:09:22.590 a big deal in the Old Testament, right? But I'll 00:09:22.590 --> 00:09:26.480 wait my turn. But that was another way to show 00:09:26.480 --> 00:09:29.820 not only love for God, but love for the plan 00:09:29.820 --> 00:09:34.120 God has. That sometimes God calls us to do crazy 00:09:34.120 --> 00:09:38.080 things. And it's whether we love and trust him 00:09:38.080 --> 00:09:42.899 enough to actually do it. This is how God loved 00:09:42.899 --> 00:09:46.379 us. The generosity of God is not measured. In 00:09:46.379 --> 00:09:50.379 emotion, it is measured in action. If you are 00:09:50.379 --> 00:09:53.019 a kind of person that keeps that love tank that 00:09:53.019 --> 00:09:55.200 you have for other people purely in emotions, 00:09:55.399 --> 00:09:59.299 I'm going to ask that you stop and put your emotions 00:09:59.299 --> 00:10:04.080 to actions, and that's a lot harder. To say that 00:10:04.080 --> 00:10:07.360 you love someone and to show them that you love 00:10:07.360 --> 00:10:10.139 them, if we're being honest, are two radically 00:10:10.139 --> 00:10:14.299 different things. How do we know that a relationship 00:10:14.299 --> 00:10:19.600 has gone cold? When it's just this and not this. 00:10:19.679 --> 00:10:22.179 When it's just talk. You know it's gone real 00:10:22.179 --> 00:10:25.659 cold when there isn't even talk. Then what are 00:10:25.659 --> 00:10:27.340 you really attaching to? Is there even signs 00:10:27.340 --> 00:10:33.120 of life? The generosity of God is not measured 00:10:33.120 --> 00:10:36.860 in emotion but in action. So, God so loved the 00:10:36.860 --> 00:10:41.649 Lord, he gave his only son. Monogenesis, this 00:10:41.649 --> 00:10:44.590 word doesn't mean created, but unique, one of 00:10:44.590 --> 00:10:48.490 a kind, beloved. Jesus is the Father's most precious 00:10:48.490 --> 00:10:57.669 treasure. To give him is to give what costs the 00:10:57.669 --> 00:11:01.049 most. Let me say that again. To give Jesus is 00:11:01.049 --> 00:11:06.090 to give what costs the most for God. And God 00:11:06.090 --> 00:11:08.929 had everything at his disposal. He could have 00:11:08.929 --> 00:11:12.669 gave anything for this. But the reason why he 00:11:12.669 --> 00:11:15.929 sent his son to the cross, out of love for you 00:11:15.929 --> 00:11:19.649 and for me. Like I said, what does that even 00:11:19.649 --> 00:11:25.049 look like in your life? In my life? Jim, if you 00:11:25.049 --> 00:11:27.350 really loved your church, you would sacrifice 00:11:27.350 --> 00:11:31.710 one of your sons to show that love. We engage 00:11:31.710 --> 00:11:36.690 that. It doesn't make any sense. And I love you 00:11:36.690 --> 00:11:38.990 all, but I wouldn't have done it. But that's 00:11:38.990 --> 00:11:42.350 not the call we have. The call God had for us 00:11:42.350 --> 00:11:46.049 is to believe when he says, I am sending you 00:11:46.049 --> 00:11:50.049 my son. And you've got to remember how this conversation, 00:11:50.230 --> 00:11:53.070 where this is coming from. Who's saying this? 00:11:54.289 --> 00:11:56.750 Who's saying this in John 3 .16? I'm not going 00:11:56.750 --> 00:12:01.169 to put lunch on this. It's too easy. Maybe it's 00:12:01.169 --> 00:12:11.100 not. Who is saying this? Jesus. Jesus is saying 00:12:11.100 --> 00:12:14.679 this to who? This is for lunch. Oh, I was way 00:12:14.679 --> 00:12:18.779 too easy. Yeah, Jeremiah, I got you. Jesus is 00:12:18.779 --> 00:12:21.279 saying this about himself. He is telling the 00:12:21.279 --> 00:12:25.320 wise Nicodemus, the Pharisee, for God so loved 00:12:25.320 --> 00:12:30.559 the world, he gave me. That whoever believes 00:12:30.559 --> 00:12:33.980 in me will never perish but have eternal life. 00:12:34.139 --> 00:12:39.960 That word give, gave, means something. Augustine 00:12:39.960 --> 00:12:42.960 wrote this, God had only one son without sin, 00:12:43.139 --> 00:12:47.799 but he had none without suffering. God gave his 00:12:47.799 --> 00:12:51.360 treasure so that we could become his treasure. 00:12:52.179 --> 00:12:55.500 I don't know about you, but that is kingdom economics. 00:12:56.100 --> 00:12:58.759 That is putting the value in the most important 00:12:58.759 --> 00:13:03.580 thing, not in the stuff. Because we put our love, 00:13:03.700 --> 00:13:06.139 we put our desire in the things that perish. 00:13:06.809 --> 00:13:09.570 Yet here we see a contrast. The perishing things 00:13:09.570 --> 00:13:12.090 to a perishing life versus the eternal life. 00:13:12.350 --> 00:13:16.990 Eternal life is not just length of days. Eternal 00:13:16.990 --> 00:13:19.149 life, when we get to heaven, as we read in the 00:13:19.149 --> 00:13:22.629 scriptures, is a fulfillment of life in God. 00:13:23.870 --> 00:13:29.009 Your perfected life. I could probably sit down 00:13:29.009 --> 00:13:30.750 with each and every one of you and go, what do 00:13:30.750 --> 00:13:33.490 you think your perfected life looks like? Just 00:13:33.490 --> 00:13:37.340 looks. Let's just go to skin deep. Okay? And 00:13:37.340 --> 00:13:40.120 I'm sure there will be a laundry list of things. 00:13:40.279 --> 00:13:43.419 And I'm just talking to myself. Right? Like, 00:13:43.419 --> 00:13:46.340 I'm sure there's abs. Right? And maybe in my 00:13:46.340 --> 00:13:49.559 perfected life you'd be able to see them. Who 00:13:49.559 --> 00:13:51.620 knows? Why did you laugh? That was not funny. 00:13:52.159 --> 00:13:55.879 Right? But we have this understanding. What do 00:13:55.879 --> 00:13:57.980 you think your perfected body is going to look 00:13:57.980 --> 00:13:59.840 like? I'm not going to really ask because that's 00:13:59.840 --> 00:14:05.120 weird. But it is something. That changes our 00:14:05.120 --> 00:14:09.379 mindset. That when we get up into glory, what 00:14:09.379 --> 00:14:12.299 Paul says, now we see lit dimly in a mirror, 00:14:12.399 --> 00:14:15.580 soon we will see face to face the greatest treasures 00:14:15.580 --> 00:14:20.860 of our life. The fullness of life with God. By 00:14:20.860 --> 00:14:24.779 nature, because we sin, we are under the condemnation, 00:14:24.820 --> 00:14:27.779 right? Without Christ, we are not spiritually 00:14:27.779 --> 00:14:31.929 neutral. We are already perishing. That's why 00:14:31.929 --> 00:14:34.110 the gospel is so important. That's why John 3 00:14:34.110 --> 00:14:37.789 .16 is such a powerful verse. Because I guarantee 00:14:37.789 --> 00:14:40.590 if I asked you to come up with three people in 00:14:40.590 --> 00:14:43.789 your life that don't know Jesus as Lord, it'd 00:14:43.789 --> 00:14:46.429 take you five seconds to come up with it. Guess 00:14:46.429 --> 00:14:50.190 what? They're perishing. They are condemned already. 00:14:51.129 --> 00:14:53.950 That's why it's so important to bring the gospel 00:14:53.950 --> 00:14:56.909 truth to the people in your life. To the people 00:14:56.909 --> 00:14:59.850 you come and encounter in your life day in and 00:14:59.850 --> 00:15:04.450 day out. But this is the gospel. The rich fool 00:15:04.450 --> 00:15:07.230 hoarded and lost his soul, we learned three weeks 00:15:07.230 --> 00:15:09.870 ago. The rich young ruler clung to his wealth 00:15:09.870 --> 00:15:12.429 and walked away sorrowful two weeks ago. But 00:15:12.429 --> 00:15:16.870 God gave his son. And whoever believes has eternal 00:15:16.870 --> 00:15:20.230 life. This is not only kingdom economics. This 00:15:20.230 --> 00:15:25.350 is the generosity of the kingdom of God. Where 00:15:25.350 --> 00:15:29.529 we could not give enough, God gave everything. 00:15:30.730 --> 00:15:33.210 Our confessions help us understand. In Highbrook 00:15:33.210 --> 00:15:36.529 Catechism question and answer 60, God grants 00:15:36.529 --> 00:15:39.850 and credits me the perfect satisfaction, perfect 00:15:39.850 --> 00:15:42.789 righteousness, and perfect holiness of Christ, 00:15:43.029 --> 00:15:50.450 as if I had never sinned nor been a sinner. Cheryl, 00:15:50.529 --> 00:15:54.529 leave that one up there. I'm going to ask you 00:15:54.529 --> 00:15:59.100 to take seven seconds. And think about your life 00:15:59.100 --> 00:16:04.919 without sin. Just take seven seconds. What does 00:16:04.919 --> 00:16:15.019 your life look like without sin? Anyone want 00:16:15.019 --> 00:16:21.059 to give that a thought? Can't do it, can you? 00:16:22.240 --> 00:16:25.740 It's virtually impossible to think about your 00:16:25.740 --> 00:16:30.039 life without sin. Because it's part of our DNA 00:16:30.039 --> 00:16:33.399 right now. Notice what I just said. That sin 00:16:33.399 --> 00:16:36.460 is a part of our DNA right now. That depravity, 00:16:36.460 --> 00:16:38.820 that friction, that rub that goes on every day, 00:16:38.919 --> 00:16:43.840 every minute. While we've been here, we've struggled 00:16:43.840 --> 00:16:46.039 with it in some way, shape, or form. And we're 00:16:46.039 --> 00:16:48.679 in the house of God. Can't we just go through 00:16:48.679 --> 00:16:51.419 some kind of censor, de -sin for an hour or an 00:16:51.419 --> 00:16:53.480 hour and ten, depending on how long I preach, 00:16:53.639 --> 00:16:55.440 and then we can just pick it back up in the parking 00:16:55.440 --> 00:16:58.840 lot? That's not how it works. Yet, what we read 00:16:58.840 --> 00:17:02.799 is that God grants and credits me perfect satisfaction, 00:17:03.340 --> 00:17:06.299 perfect righteousness, and perfect holiness of 00:17:06.299 --> 00:17:09.619 Christ, as if I have never sinned nor been a 00:17:09.619 --> 00:17:13.579 sinner. What a wonderful gift we all will get 00:17:13.579 --> 00:17:16.940 when we get there. But the ones that try to live 00:17:16.940 --> 00:17:22.000 this now, in this day and age, Pharisees. Mad 00:17:22.000 --> 00:17:25.180 judgmental. No one wants to be around these people 00:17:25.180 --> 00:17:28.759 and gives the church a bad name. Because we have 00:17:28.759 --> 00:17:32.019 to be honest with our sin. Not complacent, but 00:17:32.019 --> 00:17:35.319 honest with our sin. And that's why Jesus was 00:17:35.319 --> 00:17:39.420 given. I don't know about you, but that's generosity 00:17:39.420 --> 00:17:43.900 you can't buy. That's a generosity we can only 00:17:43.900 --> 00:17:47.559 receive. And I know, I look out and see a bunch 00:17:47.559 --> 00:17:50.259 of you. It's hard for you to receive someone 00:17:50.259 --> 00:17:55.380 else's generosity. But this isn't optional in 00:17:55.380 --> 00:17:57.640 our relationship with God. It's the difference 00:17:57.640 --> 00:18:02.680 between darkness and light. This has everything 00:18:02.680 --> 00:18:06.980 to do with submitting our treasures, our stored 00:18:06.980 --> 00:18:11.900 up treasures, for God's generosity. Jesus explains 00:18:11.900 --> 00:18:15.279 why some will reject him. People loved the darkness 00:18:15.279 --> 00:18:18.079 rather than the light because their works were 00:18:18.079 --> 00:18:23.940 evil. This isn't about intellect today, friends. 00:18:24.039 --> 00:18:28.420 It's about affection. Who do you hold in affection 00:18:28.420 --> 00:18:31.859 in your life? The issue is not that people can't 00:18:31.859 --> 00:18:35.980 understand. It's they won't let go what they 00:18:35.980 --> 00:18:41.200 treasure most. I don't know about you, but that's 00:18:41.200 --> 00:18:46.099 convicting. Just like the rich young ruler and 00:18:46.099 --> 00:18:51.319 the rich fool, both, Many of us love the weight 00:18:51.319 --> 00:18:56.880 of our wealth more than the freedom of the gospel. 00:18:57.420 --> 00:19:00.440 Let me say that again. Just like the rich fool 00:19:00.440 --> 00:19:04.900 and the rich ruler, many of us love the weight 00:19:04.900 --> 00:19:08.740 of our wealth more than the freedom of the gospel. 00:19:08.740 --> 00:19:15.119 Let's put that to the test. Tomorrow, sell everything. 00:19:15.140 --> 00:19:20.369 This is just hypothetical. Sell everything. Everything, 00:19:20.430 --> 00:19:23.690 just give it away. Is your relationship with 00:19:23.690 --> 00:19:29.190 God worse or better for it? Now, 99 % of us, 00:19:29.309 --> 00:19:31.769 100 % of us, we'll never know because we're not 00:19:31.769 --> 00:19:35.210 going to do that. But to receive the generosity 00:19:35.210 --> 00:19:38.849 of God, which is ultimately everlasting life, 00:19:39.130 --> 00:19:42.750 what he is doubling down in this past month is 00:19:42.750 --> 00:19:47.150 that we can't hold on to both the gospel truth 00:19:47.150 --> 00:19:50.160 and all of our stuff. mix it together and take 00:19:50.160 --> 00:19:54.559 it with us. We can't do it. But Jesus, as the 00:19:54.559 --> 00:19:57.619 light of the world, exposes our idols, not to 00:19:57.619 --> 00:20:00.319 shame us, but to break the chains and set us 00:20:00.319 --> 00:20:05.220 free to walk in the light as to live in this 00:20:05.220 --> 00:20:09.960 life. What he is saying is when you define yourself 00:20:09.960 --> 00:20:14.539 by your stuff, you are not defining yourself 00:20:14.539 --> 00:20:18.869 by God. But pastor, I give stuff away. Great. 00:20:18.950 --> 00:20:24.329 I tithe. Awesome. Fantastic. I donate to missionaries. 00:20:24.369 --> 00:20:27.509 Fantastic. But are you still defining yourself 00:20:27.509 --> 00:20:30.970 by what you have? Are you defining yourself by 00:20:30.970 --> 00:20:35.549 the light of God? To walk in the light is to 00:20:35.549 --> 00:20:42.049 live a life that is done in God. Works that flow 00:20:42.049 --> 00:20:46.900 out of His grace and bring glory to Him. That's 00:20:46.900 --> 00:20:49.759 where we've been the last four weeks. What are 00:20:49.759 --> 00:20:53.039 you attaching to? And hear me, it is not a bad 00:20:53.039 --> 00:20:55.180 thing to have wealth. It is not a bad thing to 00:20:55.180 --> 00:20:57.579 have stuff. It's not a bad thing to get a new 00:20:57.579 --> 00:21:00.339 car every month, or maybe not every month, but 00:21:00.339 --> 00:21:03.319 you know what I mean. Those aren't inherently 00:21:03.319 --> 00:21:06.599 bad things, but when they define who you are, 00:21:06.700 --> 00:21:10.640 and what's a good test for that? Take them out 00:21:10.640 --> 00:21:12.519 of the equation, and you feel differently about 00:21:12.519 --> 00:21:16.240 yourself. then maybe you're letting them define 00:21:16.240 --> 00:21:22.740 who you are too closely, too impactfully. Because 00:21:22.740 --> 00:21:25.660 what we're called to do, as Jesus is telling 00:21:25.660 --> 00:21:30.220 Nicodemus, we're to live in God's generosity 00:21:30.220 --> 00:21:34.240 every day. So what does that mean? Some practical 00:21:34.240 --> 00:21:38.579 things as I land the plane, as we close out this 00:21:38.579 --> 00:21:42.640 series and look to a new one. First, receive 00:21:42.640 --> 00:21:47.519 before. You give. True generosity doesn't start 00:21:47.519 --> 00:21:50.240 with our wallets. It starts with us receiving 00:21:50.240 --> 00:21:53.500 the gift of Christ by faith. For a lot of you, 00:21:53.519 --> 00:21:55.559 you've done that. You're in the faith. You believe. 00:21:55.700 --> 00:21:58.960 You have professed. Fantastic. Second is to see 00:21:58.960 --> 00:22:03.500 Christ as the true treasure. If God gave his 00:22:03.500 --> 00:22:07.400 son for you, what more do you need to feel secure? 00:22:08.359 --> 00:22:12.779 That one hurts. I get it. And I'm looking at 00:22:12.779 --> 00:22:16.640 myself first. Well, one thing we can do is we 00:22:16.640 --> 00:22:19.880 can hold money loosely. And this doesn't mean 00:22:19.880 --> 00:22:22.319 just invest poorly or anything like that. This 00:22:22.319 --> 00:22:25.000 means be good stewards of it. Possessions are 00:22:25.000 --> 00:22:28.920 temporary. God's kingdom is eternal. Ask yourself, 00:22:29.160 --> 00:22:32.359 what can I give away today to show Christ is 00:22:32.359 --> 00:22:36.299 my treasure? What can I give away today to show 00:22:36.299 --> 00:22:39.579 that Christ is my treasure? Because then number 00:22:39.579 --> 00:22:43.619 four, we live in the light. Generosity isn't 00:22:43.619 --> 00:22:47.119 just about money, but about transparency, living 00:22:47.119 --> 00:22:52.700 open -hearted before God and others. And then 00:22:52.700 --> 00:22:56.440 finally, reflect God's generosity. The Belgian 00:22:56.440 --> 00:22:59.279 Confession, Article 24, reminds us, our good 00:22:59.279 --> 00:23:04.440 works flow from faith. Hear that. It's not before. 00:23:04.519 --> 00:23:07.779 Good works don't get us faith. Good works flow 00:23:07.779 --> 00:23:13.900 from faith. When we give, serve, and love, we 00:23:13.900 --> 00:23:18.359 are mirroring the God who gave us his son. The 00:23:18.359 --> 00:23:24.019 one who your life is defined by. That you are 00:23:24.019 --> 00:23:28.059 defined first and foremost by Jesus Christ. Look 00:23:28.059 --> 00:23:30.880 how that plays out in our life. I've used this 00:23:30.880 --> 00:23:35.250 analogy before. But if you have children, part 00:23:35.250 --> 00:23:38.750 of the mark on your children is you as parents. 00:23:39.470 --> 00:23:42.809 And that could be said many different ways. People 00:23:42.809 --> 00:23:44.490 would be like, man, here come the Holland Donor 00:23:44.490 --> 00:23:47.789 boys. All right. Or they could say, here come 00:23:47.789 --> 00:23:53.829 the Holland Donor boys. Think more so about how 00:23:53.829 --> 00:23:55.869 God says that to you when you show up to work. 00:23:56.710 --> 00:24:00.869 Oh, there goes one of mine. Or, oh, there goes 00:24:00.869 --> 00:24:05.390 one of mine. See how it's different? Or when 00:24:05.390 --> 00:24:08.750 Munster Church gets involved in something. God 00:24:08.750 --> 00:24:12.930 looks down. There goes Munster Church. Or, oh 00:24:12.930 --> 00:24:16.289 no, there goes Munster Church. You see how it's 00:24:16.289 --> 00:24:20.930 different? Reflect God's generosity. When we 00:24:20.930 --> 00:24:24.289 give, when we serve, when we love, we are mirroring 00:24:24.289 --> 00:24:28.650 the God who gave us his son. And here's the final 00:24:28.650 --> 00:24:32.890 point. The story of the rich fool. warned us 00:24:32.890 --> 00:24:35.950 about the dangers of what? Hoarding our stuff. 00:24:36.250 --> 00:24:38.789 The rich young ruler showed us the weight of 00:24:38.789 --> 00:24:43.069 wealth and the tragedy of walking away from Jesus, 00:24:43.170 --> 00:24:48.410 of choosing your stuff over the Savior. But here, 00:24:48.529 --> 00:24:52.190 today, John 3, 16 through 21, Jesus reminds us 00:24:52.190 --> 00:24:55.690 the heart of the gospel, that God is the ultimate 00:24:55.690 --> 00:24:59.990 giver. God's economy is not built on scarcity. 00:24:59.990 --> 00:25:03.470 It's built on abundance. He's the creator of 00:25:03.470 --> 00:25:06.349 all. He doesn't say, do enough and maybe I'll 00:25:06.349 --> 00:25:09.710 love you. He says, I have loved you this way. 00:25:09.869 --> 00:25:14.710 I gave you my son. So friends, when you have 00:25:14.710 --> 00:25:18.390 received that gift, the gift of Christ, you are 00:25:18.390 --> 00:25:22.230 already rich beyond measure. That means you can 00:25:22.230 --> 00:25:27.490 go. That means you can let go of the world's 00:25:27.490 --> 00:25:30.410 barns. We've talked about that. Let go of the 00:25:30.410 --> 00:25:32.990 barns that you think you need stored up, stored 00:25:32.990 --> 00:25:36.589 up, stored up. You can live in an open -handed 00:25:36.589 --> 00:25:40.789 life. You can invest your time and your talents 00:25:40.789 --> 00:25:44.009 and your treasures to the work of God's kingdom. 00:25:44.190 --> 00:25:48.029 Not to earn his love, but because you already 00:25:48.029 --> 00:25:51.920 have it. Let me say that again. We don't give 00:25:51.920 --> 00:25:54.960 to earn. We give because it's already been given 00:25:54.960 --> 00:25:59.400 to us. And I, when the Holy Spirit met me here 00:25:59.400 --> 00:26:02.420 Thursday morning, and here's where this sets 00:26:02.420 --> 00:26:04.779 up the series that we're going to start next 00:26:04.779 --> 00:26:08.569 week. Over the last couple weeks, right, we've 00:26:08.569 --> 00:26:10.369 talked about storing our treasures in heaven, 00:26:10.450 --> 00:26:14.490 serving God, not mammon or not man stuff, not 00:26:14.490 --> 00:26:18.049 man's wealth, the world's wealth, holding wealth 00:26:18.049 --> 00:26:20.769 loosely and being rich toward God. But the question 00:26:20.769 --> 00:26:24.109 now is, okay, we've done it. We want to live 00:26:24.109 --> 00:26:26.750 this life. We've made the commitment. Now what? 00:26:28.200 --> 00:26:30.559 What does a life look like when God generously 00:26:30.559 --> 00:26:34.440 is flowing through his people? How does the church 00:26:34.440 --> 00:26:37.660 live when it is convinced it belongs to Christ, 00:26:37.799 --> 00:26:41.880 body and soul? As Heidelberg Catechism, Lord's 00:26:41.880 --> 00:26:45.640 Day 1 says, well, friends, that's exactly where 00:26:45.640 --> 00:26:49.079 we're headed, into the book of Acts. Our next 00:26:49.079 --> 00:26:52.319 series, Earth, Wind, and Fire, the start of the 00:26:52.319 --> 00:26:55.480 church of Christ. will show us a couple things. 00:26:55.819 --> 00:26:59.460 It will show us how early church lived out kingdom 00:26:59.460 --> 00:27:02.960 economics. They were filled with the Spirit. 00:27:03.099 --> 00:27:06.740 They were sharing life, breaking bread, and boldly 00:27:06.740 --> 00:27:09.220 carrying the gospel to the ends of the earth. 00:27:10.099 --> 00:27:13.400 Because being rich towards God is not just about 00:27:13.400 --> 00:27:16.119 letting go of possessions. It's about taking 00:27:16.119 --> 00:27:19.700 hold of Christ and letting His Spirit shape your 00:27:19.700 --> 00:27:24.750 generous, gospel -centered communities. So let 00:27:24.750 --> 00:27:28.329 us leave here today with hearts filled, hands 00:27:28.329 --> 00:27:32.750 open, and lives that bear witness to the generosity 00:27:32.750 --> 00:27:37.029 of God in Christ. Let's pray.