Morning, church. You are too kind. Okay, I got
a serious question for you. You ready? Did anybody
else hear the jingle, avocados from Mexico, shoeboxes
from Mexico? Anybody get that? Just me. Okay.
Welcome to those of you in Prescott Valley this
morning. We're so glad that you're with us, part
of the family. We get to do this together. It
was amazing out there last night, and we're just
trusting that God's going to do similar this
morning for you. And so welcome. Glad you're
here. Glad we're family. If you're new to either
location, either space, just know that what John
said up top about you being prayed for, it's
not by chance that you are here. It's by design
of God. And just there's this confident belief
that God wants to have a conversation with you.
I think one of the best parts of what happens
here is when I get done speaking and I get off
stage and somebody comes up and goes, hey, when
you said and they'll like, tell me what I said.
And I'm like, I don't think I said that. Right.
And it's this moment. It's just this reminder
that the Holy Spirit is the one that translates.
That whatever is said, the Holy Spirit is going
to have a conversation with you and with your
soul. And so just for you, just know there's
confidence that God wants to talk to you today
and the Holy Spirit is going to talk to you the
way you need to be talked to. That the expectancy
that he is going to have a conversation with
you, that's what we stand on. That's what we
pray for. Because the only thing that will change
your life is the living God meeting with you.
Religion won't change it. Showing up to church
won't change it. Doing this, it's helpful, but
it's not gonna transform you. The only thing
that will transform you is the person of Jesus
Christ. And we just stand on that. We're confident
on that. With that, with that, I got something
to tell you. We don't normally do this, but like
Christmas is coming. And I wanna give you like
a teaser. You know, like if you go to, if you're
a sports fan and you go somewhere, they're like.
We're going to tell you a recap of something.
It's going to ruin the game for you. Don't watch
this video if you haven't seen the game. Well,
this is Christmas teaser, and I'm going to ruin
Christmas for you. You ready? Right? Like, here
we go. Okay, so here's what's happening. We are
going to set up a camera and a microphone in
the park in Prescott Valley next weekend, and
here in the lobby in Prescott. And what we are
asking you, and we're giving you a week's notice
so you can really like get ready for this, okay?
We're asking that you would walk up to that microphone
and you're gonna answer, I know Jesus is good
news because. And then you are gonna fill in
10 seconds, 30 seconds, no more than 30 seconds.
We don't need you to preach, right? Like we got
other people to do that. We just need 10 to 30
seconds of why Jesus is good news to you. And
then here's what we're going to do. We're going
to take good news this Christmas, and we're going
to spread it all over Prescott, all over Prescott
Valley, all over the Quad Cities, right? We're
going to intentionally get good news into people.
Why? Because you ever watch people when they
say, I saw the news, and everybody kind of goes,
uh -oh. Or they groan, or it's like, what happened
now? We're going to flip that and go, no, we
got good news to share, and we're going to share
good news, and we're inviting you to hear the
good news. And so what we're going to do is we're
going to put together all these little clips
of people going, hey, I know, I know Jesus is
good news because. And then it might be stories
of all kinds of things. It could be stories of
healing. It could be stories of you coming out
of depression. It could be stories of you finding
Jesus and him saving you. It can be stories of
life transformation. It can be whatever your
story is in 10 to 30 seconds. That's what you're
going to give. And then we're going to see what
God does with those. We're going to see what
we can do with those. And that's as much as you're
getting on Christmas because that's the lead
up to Christmas. That's next weekend. So you
have time to prepare, fam. You got time to get
ready. Okay, today, we are still in the collection
of the generous life. The generous life carries
this belief to be true, that your life was created
to be bigger than yourself. That your life was
created, that there was an intentionality that
from the beginning of time, God created humans
with an intentionality that their life would
be bigger than them. That their life would display
a generous God in everything that they do. And
obviously... You follow the narrative of scripture.
Because of sin, what happens? We become disconnected
from the generous life. We step outside of the
generous life and it becomes very hard to live
the generous life. The life that God intended.
There is a life for you intended. When Jesus
rescued you, he was rescuing the life he always
intended for you that you would live the life
you were created for in the person of Jesus.
And that life at its core and in its nature is
generous. And that's what we're exploring. That's
what we're talking about. That's what we're leaning
into is how, what did Jesus say about it? We've
been in Luke chapter 10 through chapter 12, just
looking at the words of Jesus and how he describes
it. I came across something this week that kind
of broke down that the American dream now costs
$5 million. So if you are going to live the American
dream, it's gonna cost you a cool five million.
That's when you add up housing. That's when you
add up cars. That's when you add up those things
called children. You know, the gift that keeps
on giving, you just keep giving to them, that
whole thing, right? The idea that medical, there's
all these expenses that keep, and when you add
those up, this one thing that I saw said roughly.
just over $5 million is what it's going to cost
you. I don't know how you feel about that. That
creates anxiety in me instantly. Like, oh my
gosh, I'm never going to live the dream. What
is the dream? Like, how do I live this dream?
Another thing that's interesting with the American
dream, you may go, I don't believe in the American
dream. But it's amazing how many people that
live in America feel that they are entitled to
the American dream. Right? Like they just assumed
that because I live in America, because I got
a job, because I did what I was supposed to,
I will naturally progress into the American dream.
And then when you get whatever the American dream
is, now you got to sustain the American dream.
Right? Like God forbid that you have somebody
in your family that has a long medical journey.
And now that one sliver of that 5 million now
becomes more like 10 million. Right? Or your
kid wants to go to that college. And all of a
sudden what happens is this real thing of anxiety
and worry and concern. And we're just talking
about the financial piece, right? Let alone when
your baby actually goes to college. And you're
like on find my phone all the time trying to
make sure that your baby's where your baby's
supposed to. You know what I mean? Because like
you're just worried. Not that I ever did that.
But isn't it interesting how easily we can get
through? And all you guys are like, we came to
church today and now all I'm doing is thinking
about everything that I got to worry about. Jesus
in John chapter 12, or not John, Luke chapter
12. In verse 13, he says this, someone in the
crowd said to him, teacher, tell my brother to
divide the inheritance with me. Jesus replied,
man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between
you? Then he said to him, watch out, be on your
guard against all kinds of greed. Life does not
consist in an abundance of possessions. So we
talked about this. If you were here last week,
we talked specifically about this passage. We
talked about what stands out to me is all kinds
of greed. That when we talk about things that
can capture our heart, when we talk about things
that we will give our life to pursue, and that
word greed is this idea of this desire that is
so strong that I'm going to do everything to
pursue it and get it, that when we talk about
that and we talk about greed, it's not just talking
about financially. It's talking about all kinds
of things that capture your heart, like control,
like status. The idea that I would have some
kind of success in life. It could also be possessions.
It could also be wealth. And what Jesus says
here at the end, he goes, life does not consist.
So life can't be found in these things that are
outside of God that you are amassing to try and
make it feel like you are experiencing some kind
of life. What Jesus is saying is they will always
let you down. equal this thing called life, which
was the word zoe in the original, which is a
quality of life that God always intended for
you. You know, one where worry isn't the thing
on the table. It's actually peace that's on the
table. It's one where you are free from the attachment
of stuff, whatever it happens to be. And he says
that's where life is found, or it can't be found
as in the abundance of things. Then he goes on
to say in verse 16, and he told them this parable.
The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant
harvest. So Jesus is now telling a story, a story
to emphasize a point, if you like. And he begins
with the ground, the ground of a certain rich
man. What have we already learned about the context
of the story? That this person who Jesus is talking
about is already wealthy. There's not a lack
in his life. He's not lacking for wealth. In
fact, he is already abundantly rich, right? Like
he's already got his needs met. And because he
has his needs met, now what happens is the ground
And what the emphasis is there is the ground
has an abundant harvest. What Jesus is kind of
emphasizing is someone who had no needs, God
blessed them even more. God put more into their
hand. This man did nothing to deserve it, and
yet God abundantly gave a harvest. He thought
to himself, verse 17, he thought to himself,
what? shall I do? I have no place to store my
crops. Then he said, this is what I'll do. I
will tear down my barns and build bigger ones.
And there I will store my surplus grain. And
I'll say to myself, you have plenty of grain
laid up for many years. Take life easy, eat,
drink, and be merry. So it's interesting. The
ground gives an abundant harvest. And what happens
to this individual? is a conversation breaks
out. And the conversation, listen to the words
within this. He thought to himself, what shall
I do? This is what I'll do. I will tear down
my barns. I will store my surplus grain. And
I'll say to myself. You have plenty of grain
laid up. Take life easy. Drink and be merry.
The emphasis as you walk through that is who?
Him. Isn't it interesting that sometimes we think
we're really wise, but all we've done is consulted
ourselves? You ever notice that? Like, oh, that's
a really good idea. And all you've done is like
talk to yourself. I think here's one of the main
kind of thoughts around the generous life. The
generous life. you will never live the life God
intended for you when your life is no bigger
than you. What I mean by that is when I put myself
at the center, when I'm having conversations
with myself, and I'm kind of the captain of my
own ship, what's going to happen is the generous
life that you were created for, it can never
actually take root and fly because what is hindering
it is you. What's interesting is there's no reference
here that this person has a conversation with
the giver of the harvest. There's no conversation
here going, wait a minute, I didn't do anything
to get it, and now I have an abundant harvest.
God, what are you telling me? What do you want
to do with it? How should I use this? Instead,
what does he assume? More for me. And at the
end of it, he goes, in fact, take life easy,
eat, drink, and be merry. I can only reference
my own life. It's interesting watching. the trajectory
of my life through the idea of wealth. And what
I mean by that is my wife and I were missionaries
for a number of years. And the way it worked
as missionaries is we would go to a church like
this and we'd do kind of our presentation, whatever.
We'd stand in the lobby and we'd have our little
flyers and people would come along and take our
flyers. And there were some people that God stirred
the hearts and those people would go, hey, we
feel like we're supposed to support you. And
out of the goodness of them trying to live the
generous life, God provided for our family. Now,
what was amazing was, it was kind of like a pledge,
right? Like they were going, hey, we'll do this
monthly. But you didn't know what you actually
were getting that month until we got a voucher
from the organization we were with because we
were in a different country. The money went to
Florida. Then we got a voucher going, hey, this
is what's in your account. This is what's come
in this month. And sometimes, sometimes what
we received that month was half or maybe a third
of what we thought was gonna come. I don't know
how you feel about that. That creates a lot of
anxiety, right? You know what was crazy? We didn't
worry. Like there wasn't this like, oh no, what
are we gonna do? We only got, there was just
this like. God's going to provide. He put us
here. He's going to provide. So much so that
his provision sometimes, whether you like it
or not, right? Like one time it came in the form
of roadkill bear. Like literally, the bear was
killed on the road and the state dropped it off.
And they go, hey, if you will help process, you
can have some of the meat, to which I went and
learned how to process. Worst smell I've ever
had been around in my life. You know what else
I learned? Don't make steaks out of bear meat.
Make stew, right? But God provided. But you know
what's interesting? As time's gone on and roles
have changed and the way we are paid changes,
right? It's amazing how much I think about money
now. It's amazing how much I am concerned of
if we have enough. It's amazing how much you
get caught up in the, are we able to? And so
it's kind of fascinating that one of the things
that happens is you can actually have more and
be less at peace. You can have more and actually
be not as connected to God, the provider. And
so sometimes I think we look at our lives and
go, well, I'm not where I want to be financially.
You may want to slow down and go, that actually
might be a gift from God in your world because
you have less to worry and steward. What's happened
to this individual is he's been given this whole
new opportunity that he's now stepping into and
his thoughts are not on God, they're on himself.
And so because they're on himself, guess how
big the dreams get? I just want to eat, drink,
and be merry. That's it. Take life easy. Kick
back. To which God goes. Verse 20. God said to
him, you fool. This very night, your life will
be demanded from you. Then who will get what
you have prepared for yourself? That word demanded
this week just like jumped off the page, and
so I kind of started looking at it. The idea
of demanded is this idea that there is a debt
like a credit card debt, and you are going to
pay your debt. And so demanded, what's demanded?
What's demanded from him is his life. Maybe the
lesson for us is this, you guys. Everything you
have, everything I have, everything we will ever
have is on loan from God, including the very
breath in your lungs. It's just on loan. You
don't own it. You know why? Because he's the
owner. He's the owner of your very breath. Well,
that's not a very 2025 message, right? Like this
one is not gonna get a lot of likes on TikTok
or whatever. It's not, why? Because we don't
like to think that we're not in control. And
yet what we find is that this man's life is demanded
by God. I think if we're ever gonna live a generous
life, we have to understand that everything you
have is a loan from God. It's been given by God,
and you are just the one who is stewarding whatever
is in your hand. And that's not just financial.
That's your gifts. That's your talent. That's
your time. That's your breath. Don't miss that
today is a gift from a generous God who wants
to look at you and go, hey, how are you generously
going to live your life? Because I can take my
breath and make it all about me. Or I can take
my breath and go, it's on loan from God, and
I'm going to use it to live the life he intended
all along. And kind of as this part of the story
wraps up, this is how it will be with whoever
stores up things for themselves but is not rich
towards God. Which, just a really simple way,
is what are you investing into? Which we'll talk
about next week. Notice this, verse 22. Then
Jesus said, then Jesus said, I need everybody
to catch this, right? So look at a screen, look
at your Bible, whatever you gotta do. Then Jesus
said to his, wait a minute. Who was he talking
to before? Well, if you go back to the top of
chapter 12, what you find is there was a crowd
of thousands. Jesus is telling the story of the
bigger barns to who? Anyone and everyone, right?
Like I've always assumed that this was just a
passage that flowed one into the other and there's
no, there's a distinction made here and we need
to be really clear on what the distinction is
because the bigger barn story, that's for anybody
in this room. That's whether you know Jesus,
don't know Jesus. That's the masses Jesus is
talking to and he says what? Your life's on loan.
Everything you have is on loan. So steward it
with the idea that you're not in control of it.
Steward it in a way that's bigger than yourself.
Why? Because he's calling them to live a generous
life. But now he switches and he goes, then he
said to his disciples, okay, who are his disciples?
This is why context, this is why it's so important.
If you go back three weeks, chapter 10. Who,
what happened in chapter 10? You might remember
it this way in this conversation. We need 144
people that we're sending out. Do you remember
that conversation? Right? He sent out 72. How
did he send them out? Without a purse, without
any kind of shoes, without any extra clothes.
Don't take a bag, right? Like he had a whole
thing for them. These are the ones who have already
done what? Hey, I'm in. My life is not about
me. It's about you. These are ones that have
already gone, hey, I'm committed to the Jesus
way. I'm following the Jesus way. Okay, with
that in mind, these are followers of Jesus. So
if you're in a room and you go, hey, I get the
bigger barn thing. I kind of left that behind.
Listen up. Then Jesus said this to his disciples.
Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your
life, what you will eat, or your body, about
what you will wear, for life is more. than food
in the body, more than clothes. Did you catch
those first words? Do not. Huh. You know, we're
the most anxious generation. Do you know that?
Time of life, this is the most anxious. That's
what that word worry means, to be anxious. What
is anxiety? In scripture, anxiety is this idea
that inside you are shattering and pulling apart.
You are being separated from the inside. What
does Jesus tell his followers? Don't worry. Specifically
about what? What you're going to eat? What you're
going to wear? What is he saying? Because life,
he's carrying on the theme that he started before.
Life isn't found in those things. He goes, hey,
you can get all worked up, right, about these
things you need. It's fascinating. When you get
a chance and you get to glimpse at some of church
history, one of the early church fathers, Augustine,
in the fourth century, he writes on this idea
of disordered love. And it's specifically connected
to some of the thought process that Jesus is
laying out over these chapters. And the idea
of disordered love in the fourth century was
that there is a correct order to a human's love
structure. And what Augustine was saying is that
God has to be the person, and the thing that
you love the most. And the minute that you disorder
love, if God is not the one that you love the
most, and you disorder that, whatever you put
it into, whatever you choose to love more, what
is going to happen is that you are going to be
standing on something that is unstable, and that
is where anxiety comes from. That when I choose
to put my passion, my desire, my affection towards
something that cannot sustain me, it is not stable
enough, it is not strong enough, it will create
worry and anxiety in my life. Could there be
anything more clear? Then people who pursue money
and they are going to go to the stock market
or go to the housing market or go to whatever
market. And what happens? Inevitably there is
a, because it was never stable enough to what?
Hold, hold what only God can hold. You guys,
that's a conversation that was happening in the
fourth century with the church. You're worried
about all these things. Isn't it stunning that
humans are just humans wherever you find them,
and the struggles are still the struggles, which
is why the Bible is so relevant. When people
are like, the Bible's not relevant, I'm like,
you read it? Because every time I read it, it
reads me. The idea that he's getting at here
is this idea of how I order my love really matters.
And your worry is directly connected to your
disordered love. That if you have God out of
order, and think about it in this context, because
we're like, okay, John, it's church, I should
love my wife. Yeah, you should love your wife.
But you ever seen somebody who has shifted their
wife in place of God? And then they wonder why
their marriage, they're always concerned, like,
is my marriage okay? Are we falling apart? They're
so concerned about their marriage. Why? Because
their marriage was never meant to be the stability
that holds their life. The marriage was never
meant to be a place where they find life. Let's
just be real, right? Like, I think most of us
are grownups. If you're not, put your fingers
in your ears for a second. Sex in our culture
is ridiculous. People are pursuing sex like what?
Like, I will find some kind of life. But it cannot
provide the stability that is needed. It can't.
Right? That's why you have people with addictions
that get into their addiction and go, it's not
working. Well, it can't. You've replaced your
substance. You've replaced whatever your fix
is for what? For the person of God. And don't
think it's just those people because it can be
really easy. Remember, he's talking to who? Followers
of Jesus. He's not talking to the crowd no more.
He's talking to followers of Jesus who go, hey,
you have a problem. And your problem is it's
going to be really easy for you to disorder things
and make them matter more than they should. So
be careful. Be careful what you think about where
your food comes from. Be careful what you think
about the clothes you will wear. And then he
says this. Consider the ravens. I don't like
the ravens. I'm a Steelers fan. We don't like
ravens. We don't like them. They do not sow or
reap. They have no storeroom or barn. Yet God
feeds them. And how much more valuable you are
than birds. So I have a daughter who is obsessed
with birds. She loves them. She tells me facts
about birds I could care less about, but she
knows them all. And it's amazing. God has just
given her an absolute love for birds. So now
guess what's involved in my life? Birds. So we
got to take a trip a couple of years ago. I think
we have a picture of her. We walked down the
street and it's your classic like vendor type
moment, right? But she's like, I got to do it.
Can I please do it? And so we get this picture,
right? San Juan, Puerto Rico. Right up the street
from this to the right of this picture, right?
Like if you're looking at it, it's to the right
behind that red bird. There was a park. And you
guys, there was probably like at least, I mean,
I'm bad with numbers, but let's just say 200
to 300 pigeons. And it's known as Pigeon Park.
You can look it up online. Isn't it amazing that
those birds on her have not woke up one day going,
what are we going to eat today? I wonder if we're
going to get food today. Isn't it amazing that
God has provided in Puerto Rico with those birds
that are on her? But no, no, it gets better.
Like, I don't know how you feel about pigeons.
Some people call them the rat birds. But that
God is providing a meal today, in San Juan today,
for every one of those rat birds. Oh, it gets
better. Because you see, in my house, there's
a cockatiel. I, God, has used me to feed that
one. You know what else is in my neighborhood?
Big old crows. And God feeds them. I mean, think
about it, you guys. All over the planet in jungles,
you will never go. There are birds that will
eat today because God provided for them. I mean,
think about it. The crow in my house. I don't
think he wakes up going, man, I really hope that
John puts his trash out today, God, so I can
go down and tear it apart. I don't think that's
happening. But God knows what they need, and
he provides for them. They eat every single day.
Sometimes it's through people like me feeding
them in my house. Sometimes, sometimes. It's
by these crazy things, all tourists that go across
the country or the world to another country and
buy food to feed these birds. And God must just
laugh like, I got them. They're not going to
go hungry today. And how much more valuable you
are than birds. You know what that means? Hey,
disciples of Jesus, give it away. You don't gotta
store it. You don't gotta hold it. You don't
gotta worry about it. Give it away. Stop living
tight and anxious. Instead, live free and go,
you know what? It doesn't matter because he's
gonna provide tomorrow because he provided today.
You know how I know? Because you're more valuable
than the birds and that bird in my house is still
alive. Told me when I got it, it's like a mortgage,
30 years on that sucker. Don't miss it. You're
more valuable than the birds. Don't miss how
much you mean to the creator of the universe.
Don't get caught up because what is at stake
is the life that he intended for you in the person
of Jesus Christ to live this generous life, to
give away everything in your hand, to live with
no bounds of like, I'm just gonna live like it's
coming back tomorrow. Why? Because it was on
loan to you today. And when we begin to go, well,
actually, I got to worry about my 401k and I
got to worry about, what happens is it eliminates
us. It's a danger to us living the generous life.
I love, consider the wildflowers. Verse 27. Sorry,
I got to read the next two verses because they're
just so good. Who of you by worrying? So who
of you by stressing? can add a single hour to
your life since you cannot do this very little
thing. Isn't that crazy? You living another day
is little to God. Meanwhile, you're down here
putting all kinds of cream on your face to try
and hold it up. Oh, man. Sometimes I say stuff
and I just... I don't even have to look at my
wife. I know the response. She's like, what are
you doing, man? Verse 27, consider, consider
how the wildflowers grow. They do not labor or
spin, yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all
his splendor was dressed like one of these. If
that is how God clothes the grass of the field,
which is here today. and tomorrow is thrown into
the fire, how much more will he clothe you, you
of little faith? I don't know about you. I want
to test God on that one. What does audacious
faith look like? I don't want to get done with
this race, you guys, and show up, and God go,
man, why'd you live such little faith? Why didn't
you take a chance? Why'd you worry about the
things of this world? He says, consider the flowers.
And what's crazy about the flowers? Nobody planted
them. And they're all over the hillside. And
they're temporary. They don't last long and they're
gone. And then you know what happens? They're
taken and they're used. They're used. For heat.
They're burned for heat. So they're providing.
They did nothing to get it. They just receive,
right? And so if you're living there, you're
just receiving the beauty and the generosity
of God because you're just going along one day
and you're like, whoa, look at the flowers. And
it's just the beauty and generosity of God on
display. And then what? What do you do? You just
receive it. There's nothing you can do. And then
you take it and it provides heat. That's the
life. That's the life of the disciple. You did
nothing. You did nothing to receive it. God has
just put it in your hand. You get to admire and
receive the generosity of God. And then guess
what? It's supposed to. It's supposed to, church.
We are supposed to be the heat providers for
our world. God wants to use you to provide the
heat for the world. And here's how. Verse 29.
And do not set, do not set your heart. That's
back to that reordering of love, right? Do not
set your heart on what you will eat or drink.
Do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs
after all such things. And your father. Your
father, not God abstract, that big whatever that's
out there. No, no, no, no. Your heavenly father
who is perfect in nature. He knows what you need.
He sees you. He hasn't lost you. He's got you.
You're more valuable to him. But seek his kingdom
and these things will be given to you as well.
How do we live the generous life? I reorder my
life to seek his kingdom. I reorder my life to
put him first. I'd be curious. Maybe it's a little
test project, church. If we took Jesus at his
word here, I wonder if we could be a pocket of
people, both here, Prescott Valley, that are
known. Yeah, those people don't have anxiety.
How cool would that be? All because we go, he
knows how valuable I am and he'll give me what
I need today so I can give everything else away.
He actually knows my needs of tomorrow too. So
I can rest in that. Because the generous life,
the generous life has to be centered on. Remember
we started with trust? The God that I trust,
I love. Why? Because he loved me first. He loved
me, therefore, what? I trust and now I love.
That's how it's supposed to work. Would you pray
with me? God, we're so grateful for your goodness.
God, your goodness, that's abundant today. As
the psalmist wrote, your goodness has chased
me down all the days of my life. God, would you
remind us, would you let us sit inside of? That
God, when we put you where you should be, when
we reorder the love in our life and prioritize,
when we seek your kingdom first, the rest, the
rest becomes loose. We're not holding on tightly.
God, in these moments as we just sit, Holy Spirit,
would you speak? Would you remind us of the goodness
of God? Would you help us let go? For those of
us that need to, would we restructure and put
you first today? Thank you for loving us first.
Help us to give this life away generously. We
love you and everybody said, amen.