WEBVTT 00:00:03.249 --> 00:00:07.830 So, good things happening around here. I'd like 00:00:07.830 --> 00:00:09.689 for you to take your Bible please and turn with 00:00:09.689 --> 00:00:21.190 me now to the book of Acts. We'll pick up where 00:00:21.190 --> 00:00:25.789 we left off last week in the fourth chapter beginning 00:00:25.789 --> 00:00:32.409 in verse 32. And the congregation of those who 00:00:32.409 --> 00:00:36.770 believed were of one heart and soul. And not 00:00:36.770 --> 00:00:39.829 one of them claimed that anything belonging to 00:00:39.829 --> 00:00:43.329 him was his own, but all things were common property 00:00:43.329 --> 00:00:47.890 to them. And with great power the apostles were 00:00:47.890 --> 00:00:50.310 giving witness to the resurrection of the Lord 00:00:50.310 --> 00:00:54.369 Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all. 00:00:55.049 --> 00:00:57.850 For there was not a needy person among them, 00:00:57.890 --> 00:01:01.729 for all who were owners of land or houses would 00:01:01.729 --> 00:01:04.069 sell them and bring the proceeds of the sales 00:01:04.069 --> 00:01:07.049 and lay them at the apostles' feet, and they 00:01:07.049 --> 00:01:09.950 would be distributed to each as any had need. 00:01:10.950 --> 00:01:14.030 And Joseph, a Levite of Cyprian birth who was 00:01:14.030 --> 00:01:17.829 also called Barnabas by the apostles, which translated 00:01:17.829 --> 00:01:21.209 means son of encouragement, and who owned attractive 00:01:21.209 --> 00:01:23.450 land, sold it and brought the money and laid 00:01:23.450 --> 00:01:29.560 it. at the Apostles' feet. Grace Church Jerusalem 00:01:29.560 --> 00:01:32.239 would certainly have been an appropriate name 00:01:32.239 --> 00:01:34.280 for the fellowship that we're reading about in 00:01:34.280 --> 00:01:37.200 the book of Acts because it tells us in the word 00:01:37.200 --> 00:01:41.780 that abundant grace was upon them all. I cannot 00:01:41.780 --> 00:01:45.480 think of a description that would be more acceptable 00:01:45.480 --> 00:01:51.420 or honoring to God than that. Not all that took 00:01:51.420 --> 00:01:54.650 place in these verses was intended to provide 00:01:54.650 --> 00:01:58.090 a pattern to be followed throughout this age. 00:01:58.890 --> 00:02:01.849 But we can learn a great deal by studying what 00:02:01.849 --> 00:02:06.849 took place in that church in Jerusalem. That 00:02:06.849 --> 00:02:11.210 church experienced abundant grace, and that abundance 00:02:11.210 --> 00:02:14.110 of grace is evidenced in a number of ways in 00:02:14.110 --> 00:02:18.169 our text. Last week we noted the phenomenal unity 00:02:18.169 --> 00:02:22.159 that was present in the fellowship. God Himself 00:02:22.159 --> 00:02:26.520 is the origin of oneness in the Church. It reflects 00:02:26.520 --> 00:02:31.500 His very nature. Furthermore, oneness is an answer 00:02:31.500 --> 00:02:35.419 to Jesus' prayer in John 17, and it is produced 00:02:35.419 --> 00:02:39.400 by the Holy Spirit's work in the lives of God's 00:02:39.400 --> 00:02:45.240 people. Practically speaking, unity or oneness 00:02:45.240 --> 00:02:49.539 is the result of holiness in the lives of the 00:02:49.539 --> 00:02:54.030 Lord's people. And it comes when there is a yielding 00:02:54.030 --> 00:02:58.729 to Christ's lordship on the behalf of all. Whatever 00:02:58.729 --> 00:03:03.330 creates disunity is not of God. It is of sinful 00:03:03.330 --> 00:03:08.289 self. It is an expression of the flesh as we 00:03:08.289 --> 00:03:12.870 saw last week. Now that's subtle. It's subtle 00:03:12.870 --> 00:03:17.330 because it usually begins small, but it quickly 00:03:17.330 --> 00:03:21.259 multiplies. That seems to have been Paul's concern 00:03:21.259 --> 00:03:25.539 in the church in Philippi when he wrote to express 00:03:25.539 --> 00:03:28.300 his concern about two women in the church who 00:03:28.300 --> 00:03:31.099 needed to get along so that then the whole church 00:03:31.099 --> 00:03:36.979 would be of one mind and heart. Each of us has 00:03:36.979 --> 00:03:40.740 a responsibility to preserve and guard the fellowship's 00:03:40.740 --> 00:03:45.120 unity, to deal with divisiveness, distrust, or 00:03:45.120 --> 00:03:48.840 rebellion in ourselves first of all. as well 00:03:48.840 --> 00:03:51.900 as in others, as the Word of God directs us to 00:03:51.900 --> 00:03:56.520 do. We saw last week that God does, however, 00:03:56.740 --> 00:04:01.840 sovereignly allow factions from time to time 00:04:01.840 --> 00:04:06.180 within most churches. That is to provide for 00:04:06.180 --> 00:04:10.759 a sifting of that church so that, as it says 00:04:10.759 --> 00:04:13.879 in 1 Corinthians 11, those who are approved by 00:04:13.879 --> 00:04:19.589 Him can be evidenced. Unity of mind, heart, and 00:04:19.589 --> 00:04:26.110 spirit is so important, so fragile, and so difficult 00:04:26.110 --> 00:04:30.810 to keep and guard that when it is found in a 00:04:30.810 --> 00:04:34.389 church it must be confessed that it is the result 00:04:34.389 --> 00:04:39.930 of God's gracious working. For there is enough 00:04:39.930 --> 00:04:44.110 potential selfishness and carnality in any one 00:04:44.110 --> 00:04:48.870 of us to destroy any church. That should keep 00:04:48.870 --> 00:04:52.370 us, therefore, on careful watch in our own lives 00:04:52.370 --> 00:04:57.449 against such a terrible sin as that. There's 00:04:57.449 --> 00:05:01.069 a second evidence, however, of God's abundance 00:05:01.069 --> 00:05:03.949 of grace in that church that we must look at 00:05:03.949 --> 00:05:07.050 in the text, and that is their powerful witness. 00:05:07.589 --> 00:05:11.529 Verse 33, and with great power the apostles were 00:05:11.529 --> 00:05:14.410 giving witness to the resurrection of the Lord 00:05:14.410 --> 00:05:19.089 Jesus. We saw in chapter 4 earlier a definition 00:05:19.089 --> 00:05:23.569 of what a witness is. In verse 20, Peter and 00:05:23.569 --> 00:05:27.290 John said, We cannot stop speaking what we have 00:05:27.290 --> 00:05:30.850 seen and heard. And so to be a witness in the 00:05:30.850 --> 00:05:34.089 literal sense is to tell what I have seen, what 00:05:34.089 --> 00:05:37.410 I have heard. If I am called into court to be 00:05:37.410 --> 00:05:40.610 a witness on a trial, what I am to tell about 00:05:40.610 --> 00:05:43.699 is not my opinion, not what I've read but what 00:05:43.699 --> 00:05:47.800 I have seen and heard regarding that event. And 00:05:47.800 --> 00:05:50.120 so in our witness for the Lord Jesus Christ, 00:05:50.160 --> 00:05:52.959 we are likewise to tell what we have seen and 00:05:52.959 --> 00:05:56.300 heard, what we have experienced personally, in 00:05:56.300 --> 00:06:00.019 other words, regarding Him. The root of this 00:06:00.019 --> 00:06:04.399 word for witness is our word martyr, which does 00:06:04.399 --> 00:06:08.620 tell us the extremes to which at times a witness 00:06:08.620 --> 00:06:12.970 may be carried. There are times in the history 00:06:12.970 --> 00:06:17.290 of the world when to witness meant to give one's 00:06:17.290 --> 00:06:21.709 life as a faithful martyr for Jesus Christ. That 00:06:21.709 --> 00:06:24.810 was not yet the case, at least, in the Jerusalem 00:06:24.810 --> 00:06:27.910 church, though it was later. Now, what was it 00:06:27.910 --> 00:06:31.449 that they were witnessing, too? Well, it says 00:06:31.449 --> 00:06:34.370 clearly that it was the resurrection of the Lord 00:06:34.370 --> 00:06:37.990 Jesus. That is the distinction, of course, of 00:06:37.990 --> 00:06:41.670 biblical Christianity. We have something to talk 00:06:41.670 --> 00:06:44.149 about which no other religion in all the world 00:06:44.149 --> 00:06:50.029 has We have a living Savior We have one who has 00:06:50.029 --> 00:06:53.110 gone through the portal of death and then has 00:06:53.110 --> 00:06:58.569 come back out alive That was the theme of the 00:06:58.569 --> 00:07:01.269 witnessing indeed the preaching of the early 00:07:01.269 --> 00:07:04.269 church as you read through the sermons in these 00:07:04.269 --> 00:07:07.620 early chapters of Acts You have to be impressed 00:07:07.620 --> 00:07:10.060 with the fact that over and over again what the 00:07:10.060 --> 00:07:13.519 apostles emphasized was the resurrection of the 00:07:13.519 --> 00:07:17.139 Lord Jesus. They talked about His death on the 00:07:17.139 --> 00:07:20.620 cross, but the point that they truly emphasized 00:07:20.620 --> 00:07:24.139 was His resurrection, that He is alive from the 00:07:24.139 --> 00:07:28.300 dead. As they witnessed, it was with great power. 00:07:28.720 --> 00:07:33.699 Literally it says with mega power. Earlier, it 00:07:33.699 --> 00:07:35.759 says, or rather just in the sentence following 00:07:35.759 --> 00:07:41.079 this, it says that with mega grace they ministered. 00:07:41.259 --> 00:07:44.519 Mega grace was upon them, abundant grace. And 00:07:44.519 --> 00:07:46.939 as that abundant grace was upon them, they had 00:07:46.939 --> 00:07:51.019 mega power, an unusual display apparently of 00:07:51.019 --> 00:07:54.540 outward power in miracles and signs and wonders 00:07:54.540 --> 00:07:57.519 that took place, which was appropriate in the 00:07:57.519 --> 00:08:01.959 foundation age of the church. And then as well 00:08:01.959 --> 00:08:05.379 as the outward signs, there was the inward display 00:08:05.379 --> 00:08:08.079 of great power through the conviction of sin. 00:08:10.220 --> 00:08:12.420 I suppose that we would think that those outward 00:08:12.420 --> 00:08:15.300 things would be more important. That somehow 00:08:15.300 --> 00:08:20.060 they display greater power than the inner display 00:08:20.060 --> 00:08:23.959 of power. But that is deceptive. That is not 00:08:23.959 --> 00:08:28.300 so. For it is a much greater display of God's 00:08:28.300 --> 00:08:34.340 power and grace. for a man or woman to repent 00:08:34.340 --> 00:08:39.299 of their sin and to trust Jesus Christ than it 00:08:39.299 --> 00:08:43.080 is for them to be healed of some physical ailment. 00:08:44.419 --> 00:08:47.440 The Apostle Paul speaks somewhat to this when 00:08:47.440 --> 00:08:50.000 he writes to the Corinthians. Look at 1 Corinthians 00:08:50.000 --> 00:08:59.759 chapter 2. He expresses first of all that his 00:09:00.110 --> 00:09:03.669 Coming to them was not with superiority of speech 00:09:03.669 --> 00:09:08.610 or of wisdom. Indeed, he did not desire to know 00:09:08.610 --> 00:09:11.129 anything among them except the message of Jesus 00:09:11.129 --> 00:09:15.710 Christ and Him crucified. He says in verse 3, 00:09:15.809 --> 00:09:19.950 I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much 00:09:19.950 --> 00:09:22.009 trembling. It's difficult, isn't it, to see the 00:09:22.009 --> 00:09:25.450 Apostle Paul in that situation. We can see ourselves 00:09:25.450 --> 00:09:28.370 there. That describes how we feel every time 00:09:28.370 --> 00:09:30.490 we open our mouths to say something for Christ, 00:09:30.490 --> 00:09:34.309 I suppose. But Paul, too, confesses that it was 00:09:34.309 --> 00:09:38.049 with weakness, fear, and trembling that he was 00:09:38.049 --> 00:09:41.570 with them. But he says, my message, my preaching 00:09:41.570 --> 00:09:45.330 were not in persuasive words of wisdom. In other 00:09:45.330 --> 00:09:48.250 words, not with logic, which Paul could have 00:09:48.250 --> 00:09:52.190 used quite keenly. But rather, he says, in demonstration 00:09:52.190 --> 00:09:57.259 of the Spirit and of power. Why? That your faith 00:09:57.259 --> 00:09:59.919 should not rest on the wisdom of men but on the 00:09:59.919 --> 00:10:03.120 power of God. In other words, he says, I was 00:10:03.120 --> 00:10:07.259 with you personally in weakness. I trembled. 00:10:08.019 --> 00:10:11.759 But my speech, my preaching was with the power 00:10:11.759 --> 00:10:15.340 of God so that as you heard the words, God did 00:10:15.340 --> 00:10:18.860 a work in your hearts. He says something very 00:10:18.860 --> 00:10:21.700 similar which gives us further insight to the 00:10:21.700 --> 00:10:24.139 Thessalonians. Turn over to 1 Thessalonians. 00:10:24.440 --> 00:10:33.720 Chapter 1, he says in verse 5, for our gospel, 00:10:34.899 --> 00:10:37.840 by that he means the gospel that he possessed 00:10:37.840 --> 00:10:42.580 and was to deliver to them, says, our gospel 00:10:42.580 --> 00:10:46.740 did not come to you in word only, but also in 00:10:46.740 --> 00:10:53.519 power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. 00:10:54.120 --> 00:10:57.240 Just as you know what kind of men we proved to 00:10:57.240 --> 00:11:00.679 be among you for your sake. He seems to say there 00:11:00.679 --> 00:11:03.379 that God's power was evidenced in two ways. First 00:11:03.379 --> 00:11:07.899 of all, in the conviction of their hearts. So 00:11:07.899 --> 00:11:10.360 that as they heard the gospel, they themselves, 00:11:10.539 --> 00:11:13.340 the Thessalonians, were powerfully brought under 00:11:13.340 --> 00:11:17.360 conviction of sin. But then in Paul's own life, 00:11:17.360 --> 00:11:20.159 he says, you know the holy manner of life in 00:11:20.159 --> 00:11:23.799 which we conducted ourselves. And that too was 00:11:23.799 --> 00:11:28.279 a powerful tool that God used to affect the Thessalonians. 00:11:29.480 --> 00:11:31.440 And so when it says back in the book of Acts 00:11:31.440 --> 00:11:34.139 that with great power the apostles gave witness, 00:11:35.039 --> 00:11:37.419 it means that the Spirit of God was working outwardly 00:11:37.419 --> 00:11:39.960 in signs and wonders and miracles that were being 00:11:39.960 --> 00:11:43.679 performed to some degree. But in a more significant 00:11:43.679 --> 00:11:47.460 sense, the Spirit of God was giving them boldness 00:11:47.460 --> 00:11:51.659 and holiness of life. so that as they preached 00:11:51.659 --> 00:11:54.659 the gospel, the crowds were brought under conviction 00:11:54.659 --> 00:11:59.299 of sin. Need I remind any of us that we cannot 00:11:59.299 --> 00:12:03.960 bring anyone under conviction of sin? That is 00:12:03.960 --> 00:12:08.200 not our job. Our job is to deliver the truth 00:12:08.200 --> 00:12:12.179 to people in the power of the Holy Spirit. And 00:12:12.179 --> 00:12:15.399 as we do that, the Spirit of God is the one who 00:12:15.399 --> 00:12:21.669 brings the conviction. I believe it was the oneness 00:12:21.669 --> 00:12:25.169 of the church, the church's unity, which allowed 00:12:25.169 --> 00:12:27.750 the Holy Spirit to move in such a mighty manner 00:12:27.750 --> 00:12:31.330 as He did in this text. You know, we need to 00:12:31.330 --> 00:12:34.509 remember that power, spiritual power, is not 00:12:34.509 --> 00:12:37.990 an entity that is apart from the Lord Himself. 00:12:39.250 --> 00:12:40.710 In other words, I don't believe that we ought 00:12:40.710 --> 00:12:44.610 to pray for power as though that is some thing, 00:12:44.690 --> 00:12:47.809 some extra thing that God is going to give us. 00:12:48.710 --> 00:12:53.490 For spiritual power is a part of Jesus Christ 00:12:53.490 --> 00:12:57.149 himself. He is in us in the person of the Holy 00:12:57.149 --> 00:13:00.950 Spirit We need not pray for power because the 00:13:00.950 --> 00:13:05.250 power is already there That's why in Acts 1 8 00:13:05.250 --> 00:13:08.509 it says you shall receive power when the Holy 00:13:08.509 --> 00:13:12.330 Spirit has come upon you You and I have trusted 00:13:12.330 --> 00:13:15.830 Christ have the Holy Spirit in us already and 00:13:15.830 --> 00:13:19.669 so that power of God is resident in our lives. 00:13:20.190 --> 00:13:24.009 It is there waiting to be released. You say, 00:13:24.230 --> 00:13:26.529 well, how in the world then do I get to release 00:13:26.529 --> 00:13:32.149 it? Well, the release of it is very normal. That 00:13:32.149 --> 00:13:35.350 should be the normal walk that we experience. 00:13:36.730 --> 00:13:40.389 The real question is, what quenches it? What 00:13:40.389 --> 00:13:43.669 hinders it from being released? And the answer 00:13:43.669 --> 00:13:48.559 to that is very simple. It's sin. It's sin. It 00:13:48.559 --> 00:13:52.899 is when the Holy Spirit is quenched or grieved 00:13:52.899 --> 00:13:58.700 by sin in our lives, by unbelief, or some overt 00:13:58.700 --> 00:14:02.019 action that has displeased God that the power 00:14:02.019 --> 00:14:05.460 ceases to flow. But I believe this, when we have 00:14:05.460 --> 00:14:09.759 confessed our sins and God has therefore faithfully 00:14:09.759 --> 00:14:12.320 and justly forgiven us our sins and cleansed 00:14:12.320 --> 00:14:15.980 us from all unrighteousness, 1 John 1, 9. When 00:14:15.980 --> 00:14:19.539 we have taken that action, But it is very normal 00:14:19.539 --> 00:14:22.340 then for the Holy Spirit to begin exerting the 00:14:22.340 --> 00:14:26.139 power of God through us. It just happens automatically. 00:14:26.220 --> 00:14:30.600 That is the flow that is normal. Now the early 00:14:30.600 --> 00:14:34.539 church had quite a flow, didn't they? As with 00:14:34.539 --> 00:14:37.019 power, they witnessed to the resurrection of 00:14:37.019 --> 00:14:42.960 the Lord Jesus. That brings us to a third evidence 00:14:42.960 --> 00:14:45.139 of the abundant grace that was upon the church. 00:14:45.799 --> 00:14:50.299 That is the evidence of plentiful giving Notice 00:14:50.299 --> 00:14:53.399 if you will the balance between the spiritual 00:14:53.399 --> 00:14:56.700 ministry that we've just spoken about and the 00:14:56.700 --> 00:15:01.519 social ministry To meet the needs among them 00:15:01.519 --> 00:15:06.379 One cannot be ignored to the exclusion of the 00:15:06.379 --> 00:15:10.220 other without becoming unbalanced There are churches 00:15:10.220 --> 00:15:14.279 that have gone both ways There are some who are 00:15:14.279 --> 00:15:17.059 faithfully preaching the truth but have no social 00:15:17.059 --> 00:15:21.539 sense of conscience. There is nothing that seems 00:15:21.539 --> 00:15:24.899 to prick them and probe them regarding the needs 00:15:24.899 --> 00:15:29.659 of society around. On the other hand, there are 00:15:29.659 --> 00:15:32.059 those who have gone so much toward the social 00:15:32.059 --> 00:15:34.059 needs that they now neglect the truth of the 00:15:34.059 --> 00:15:37.419 gospel of Jesus Christ. They preach what is called 00:15:37.419 --> 00:15:41.320 a social gospel, which is not a true gospel at 00:15:41.320 --> 00:15:44.629 all. What we need is a balance, and I believe 00:15:44.629 --> 00:15:48.529 the early church had that balance. They proclaimed 00:15:48.529 --> 00:15:50.649 the resurrection of the Lord Jesus in the way 00:15:50.649 --> 00:15:52.789 of salvation, but at the same time there was 00:15:52.789 --> 00:15:56.690 sensitivity to the needs, especially the needy 00:15:56.690 --> 00:16:00.870 among them. I want to repeat that what we see 00:16:00.870 --> 00:16:03.470 here in these verses is not Christian communism. 00:16:04.889 --> 00:16:07.809 This is not an evidence of liberation theology, 00:16:08.289 --> 00:16:12.299 as some would seem to say. Indeed, Christianity 00:16:12.299 --> 00:16:16.799 and communism are antithetical. They cannot possibly 00:16:16.799 --> 00:16:21.399 fit together. In their very basic teachings, 00:16:21.399 --> 00:16:25.340 they are opposite. For example, the Christian 00:16:25.340 --> 00:16:34.139 says, what's mine is yours. Communism says, what's 00:16:34.139 --> 00:16:38.259 yours is mine. There's a difference in approach, 00:16:38.259 --> 00:16:44.250 and it's basic. What takes place here is an isolated 00:16:44.250 --> 00:16:46.870 incident. We do not see it repeated elsewhere 00:16:46.870 --> 00:16:49.710 in the New Testament in the same way, and yet 00:16:49.710 --> 00:16:52.490 it is a marvelous expression of abundant grace 00:16:52.490 --> 00:16:58.350 from God upon them all. There's real caring that 00:16:58.350 --> 00:17:03.429 is exhibited here. Real caring, not just in word 00:17:03.429 --> 00:17:08.329 only, but in deed and in truth. In verse 32 it 00:17:08.329 --> 00:17:11.410 says that Not one of them claimed that anything 00:17:11.410 --> 00:17:13.670 belonging to him was his own, but all things 00:17:13.670 --> 00:17:17.750 were common property to them. What that means 00:17:17.750 --> 00:17:20.829 is that they shared their goods. That was a customary 00:17:20.829 --> 00:17:25.549 thing. But they were all doing this. But in verses 00:17:25.549 --> 00:17:28.710 34 and 35, where there is similar language, there 00:17:28.710 --> 00:17:31.170 seems to be an extraordinary thing mentioned. 00:17:31.970 --> 00:17:34.690 And that is that those who had the financial 00:17:34.690 --> 00:17:40.119 capability also made the sacrifice of selling 00:17:40.119 --> 00:17:46.400 lands and houses, and they would bring the proceeds 00:17:46.400 --> 00:17:49.480 from those sales and give it to the apostles 00:17:49.480 --> 00:17:53.420 to be distributed in the church as any had need. 00:17:54.240 --> 00:17:56.539 And so they were all involved in a customary 00:17:56.539 --> 00:17:59.819 way of sharing with each other. But then there 00:17:59.819 --> 00:18:02.740 were those individuals who could, who did extraordinary 00:18:02.740 --> 00:18:06.160 things to provide for the needs of the saints. 00:18:07.990 --> 00:18:11.910 That happens, I am pleased to say, within the 00:18:11.910 --> 00:18:15.509 ministry of Grace Church, Roseville. There are 00:18:15.509 --> 00:18:17.930 thousands of dollars that have flowed through 00:18:17.930 --> 00:18:21.890 our church to members and to some others in our 00:18:21.890 --> 00:18:25.289 four years who have been in severe need, when 00:18:25.289 --> 00:18:27.950 it was perceived that the need was real and that 00:18:27.950 --> 00:18:30.089 that was the thing that needed to be done for 00:18:30.089 --> 00:18:32.690 them. Thousands of dollars, and there are some 00:18:32.690 --> 00:18:35.029 of our people who have made great sacrifices 00:18:35.029 --> 00:18:39.680 for the sake of others. It is our custom, as 00:18:39.680 --> 00:18:42.920 you know, when we have communion to take an offering 00:18:42.920 --> 00:18:46.420 for this kind of thing. And that amount of money 00:18:46.420 --> 00:18:49.519 is set aside in a special account and used when 00:18:49.519 --> 00:18:52.859 families in our church run into severe, critical 00:18:52.859 --> 00:18:57.460 needs. That ought to be our concern, to look 00:18:57.460 --> 00:19:01.019 after one another, to care for those needs that 00:19:01.019 --> 00:19:04.420 arise within our fellowship. Now, there is a 00:19:04.420 --> 00:19:07.059 lesson that we see here, and that is that great 00:19:07.059 --> 00:19:12.279 grace Great grace from God upon a fellowship 00:19:12.279 --> 00:19:18.380 leads to unselfish generosity. It leads to a 00:19:18.380 --> 00:19:22.180 willingness to sacrifice. These people that are 00:19:22.180 --> 00:19:25.160 mentioned here, these believers, were still quite 00:19:25.160 --> 00:19:30.339 attached to the temple and to the ordinances 00:19:30.339 --> 00:19:34.819 there. They were undoubtedly giving as they were 00:19:34.819 --> 00:19:38.259 commanded to do in the law at the temple. And 00:19:38.259 --> 00:19:41.559 so what we see here was above and beyond all 00:19:41.559 --> 00:19:45.839 of that. It was a real sacrifice on their part. 00:19:47.079 --> 00:19:52.240 You know, giving itself is a grace. What I mean 00:19:52.240 --> 00:19:56.019 by that, it is an evidence that God's grace has 00:19:56.019 --> 00:20:02.119 taken root in one's life. All of us by our fleshly 00:20:02.119 --> 00:20:08.519 nature are selfish and covetous. And we may dole 00:20:08.519 --> 00:20:12.839 out in a miserly way to someone else, but we 00:20:12.839 --> 00:20:16.339 will not be generous unless the Spirit of God 00:20:16.339 --> 00:20:19.000 has brought God's grace and rooted it in our 00:20:19.000 --> 00:20:23.359 lives. Turn over to 2 Corinthians chapters 8 00:20:23.359 --> 00:20:26.740 and 9 where we're going to spend some time. I 00:20:26.740 --> 00:20:29.720 want to talk a little while this morning regarding 00:20:29.720 --> 00:20:33.539 this matter of our giving, God's grace in our 00:20:33.539 --> 00:20:40.609 lives. Notice in verses 1 and 2 how the apostle 00:20:40.609 --> 00:20:43.009 puts this, brethren we wish to make known to 00:20:43.009 --> 00:20:46.849 you the grace of God which has been given in 00:20:46.849 --> 00:20:49.250 the churches of Macedonia. Now he's not writing 00:20:49.250 --> 00:20:51.430 to those churches, he's writing to the Corinthians. 00:20:53.130 --> 00:20:56.230 He says I want you people to understand how God's 00:20:56.230 --> 00:20:59.329 grace has been given to those brothers of yours 00:20:59.329 --> 00:21:04.039 up north in Macedonia. He says, in a great ordeal 00:21:04.039 --> 00:21:07.279 of affliction, their abundance of joy and their 00:21:07.279 --> 00:21:12.299 deep poverty, what that means is their rock bottom 00:21:12.299 --> 00:21:17.740 abject poverty overflowed in the wealth of their 00:21:17.740 --> 00:21:21.579 liberality. Paul is saying here God's grace has 00:21:21.579 --> 00:21:25.339 been so abundant up there in Macedonia that those 00:21:25.339 --> 00:21:29.019 people though they are dirt poor. have taken 00:21:29.019 --> 00:21:32.539 a generous offering for the needs of the saints 00:21:32.539 --> 00:21:40.539 in Jerusalem." In verse 6 he says, to them, the 00:21:40.539 --> 00:21:44.299 Corinthians, consequently we urge Titus that 00:21:44.299 --> 00:21:46.759 as he had previously made a beginning so he would 00:21:46.759 --> 00:21:51.400 also complete in you this gracious work as well, 00:21:52.039 --> 00:21:55.420 this grace as well, he says. In other words, 00:21:55.500 --> 00:21:58.599 he says to the Corinthians, look, Just like the 00:21:58.599 --> 00:22:03.440 Macedonians, we want you to experience this grace, 00:22:04.359 --> 00:22:06.779 this gracious work of giving. And so he says 00:22:06.779 --> 00:22:09.240 again in verse 7, just as you abound in everything, 00:22:09.420 --> 00:22:11.579 in faith, utterance, knowledge, in all earnestness, 00:22:11.859 --> 00:22:16.059 and in love, we inspired in you. See that you 00:22:16.059 --> 00:22:21.859 abound in this gracious work also. What work, 00:22:22.059 --> 00:22:26.960 Paul? That of giving, that of giving. In verse 00:22:26.960 --> 00:22:29.319 9, he reminds them, you know the grace of the 00:22:29.319 --> 00:22:33.420 Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich yet 00:22:33.420 --> 00:22:37.119 for your sake, he became poor. In other words, 00:22:37.119 --> 00:22:39.759 he points to the great grace of our Lord Jesus 00:22:39.759 --> 00:22:44.799 and he said, look, he was rich. Who could describe 00:22:44.799 --> 00:22:48.720 his riches? And yet he impoverished himself. 00:22:49.500 --> 00:22:54.240 He became poor. He gave up all that he had, his 00:22:54.240 --> 00:22:59.599 riches. Why? That you, through his poverty, might 00:22:59.599 --> 00:23:03.400 become rich. So Paul's point is, if you understand 00:23:03.400 --> 00:23:07.160 the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, then that 00:23:07.160 --> 00:23:12.460 grace will inspire you as well to impoverish 00:23:12.460 --> 00:23:15.880 yourselves as it were, to give sacrificially 00:23:15.880 --> 00:23:19.900 and graciously. And again in verse 19, he speaks 00:23:19.900 --> 00:23:23.740 about this gracious work which he is commanding 00:23:23.740 --> 00:23:29.029 of them. As we look at chapters 8 and 9 of 2 00:23:29.029 --> 00:23:32.009 Corinthians, there are a number of principles 00:23:32.009 --> 00:23:36.410 that God gives us to govern and guide us in our 00:23:36.410 --> 00:23:41.690 giving in this age of grace. I can almost hear 00:23:41.690 --> 00:23:44.029 somebody say, but why don't you follow Jesus' 00:23:44.029 --> 00:23:49.190 example and not talk about money? Do you know 00:23:49.190 --> 00:23:53.809 if I were to follow Jesus' example? I would preach 00:23:53.809 --> 00:23:58.450 on money every other week. For between a half 00:23:58.450 --> 00:24:02.670 and two -thirds of his parables deal with money 00:24:02.670 --> 00:24:06.809 and its proper use. Did you know that? I'm not 00:24:06.809 --> 00:24:08.710 saying Jesus was like some of the television 00:24:08.710 --> 00:24:12.069 preachers that get on the tube and beg. That's 00:24:12.069 --> 00:24:15.710 not what Jesus did. But what he did was to talk 00:24:15.710 --> 00:24:19.730 about the stewardship of one's resources. Why 00:24:19.730 --> 00:24:23.559 did Jesus talk about that so much? Because he 00:24:23.559 --> 00:24:26.180 recognized that the terrible idolatry of the 00:24:26.180 --> 00:24:31.200 human heart is covetousness. And that if we're 00:24:31.200 --> 00:24:35.880 going to worship the true God, that worship is 00:24:35.880 --> 00:24:38.319 going to be evidenced in the way that we treat 00:24:38.319 --> 00:24:43.900 our money. And so up to two -thirds of all the 00:24:43.900 --> 00:24:48.079 parables he told dealt in some aspect with money 00:24:48.079 --> 00:24:53.589 and the way that we handle it. I think you would 00:24:53.589 --> 00:24:55.809 agree that we talk about money very little around 00:24:55.809 --> 00:24:58.250 here compared to what Jesus talked about it. 00:24:59.089 --> 00:25:01.589 But let's look at ten principles of giving as 00:25:01.589 --> 00:25:04.849 they're found in chapters eight and nine of 2 00:25:04.849 --> 00:25:07.230 Corinthians. I will go through these quickly 00:25:07.230 --> 00:25:08.549 because we're going to do something a little 00:25:08.549 --> 00:25:11.829 different this morning. Principle number one, 00:25:12.730 --> 00:25:16.730 giving is to be exercised whatever one's financial 00:25:16.730 --> 00:25:21.740 circumstances. The Macedonians were in deep poverty 00:25:21.740 --> 00:25:25.799 themselves and yet they practiced giving. In 00:25:25.799 --> 00:25:30.059 1 Corinthians chapter 16 he writes, before he 00:25:30.059 --> 00:25:33.279 wrote this chapter, to the same people and he 00:25:33.279 --> 00:25:36.839 says to them, let every one of you lay by him 00:25:36.839 --> 00:25:39.799 in store. Not those of you who are rich, but 00:25:39.799 --> 00:25:43.059 he says let every one of you participate in this 00:25:43.059 --> 00:25:46.390 giving. And so one of the principles of God's 00:25:46.390 --> 00:25:48.750 Word is this, that giving is to be exercised 00:25:48.750 --> 00:25:52.769 whatever one's financial circumstances. Are you 00:25:52.769 --> 00:25:58.309 on welfare? You are to be giving. Giving is to 00:25:58.309 --> 00:26:03.309 be exercised by all of God's children. If any 00:26:03.309 --> 00:26:06.309 of us waits until he can afford to give, he will 00:26:06.309 --> 00:26:10.150 never give. Never give. Because we will never 00:26:10.150 --> 00:26:14.549 be able to afford it. What I mean by that is 00:26:14.549 --> 00:26:18.109 we'll never feel like we can afford it. There 00:26:18.109 --> 00:26:22.029 will always be something challenging us to keep 00:26:22.029 --> 00:26:25.910 the money or to use it in some other way. Principle 00:26:25.910 --> 00:26:30.549 number two. Giving is to be exercised in conjunction 00:26:30.549 --> 00:26:35.589 with personal consecration. Paul says, I testify 00:26:35.589 --> 00:26:40.509 that beyond their ability, they gave of their 00:26:40.509 --> 00:26:44.369 own accord. And they gave themselves, he says 00:26:44.369 --> 00:26:49.670 in verse 5, to the Lord first and to us by the 00:26:49.670 --> 00:26:53.549 will of God. And so giving is to be exercised 00:26:53.549 --> 00:26:57.910 in conjunction with personal consecration. When 00:26:57.910 --> 00:27:00.170 you come right down to the bottom line, God does 00:27:00.170 --> 00:27:03.630 not need my money or your money. After all, it 00:27:03.630 --> 00:27:07.049 is all His. The silver and gold are mine, says 00:27:07.049 --> 00:27:12.950 the Lord. But God does want our hearts. God does 00:27:12.950 --> 00:27:17.690 want our hearts, and God knows that where our 00:27:17.690 --> 00:27:24.529 treasure is, there our hearts will be also. Giving 00:27:24.529 --> 00:27:28.069 must be in conjunction with, partnership with, 00:27:28.210 --> 00:27:31.509 personal consecration. We give ourselves to the 00:27:31.509 --> 00:27:35.730 Lord, we give our treasures to the Lord. Number 00:27:35.730 --> 00:27:39.630 three, giving is to be exercised as a proof of 00:27:39.630 --> 00:27:43.849 love. In verse 8 of chapter 8, the apostle says, 00:27:44.970 --> 00:27:47.609 I'm not speaking this as a command, but as proving 00:27:47.609 --> 00:27:50.849 through the earnestness of others the sincerity 00:27:50.849 --> 00:27:55.269 of your love also. He says, their sincere love 00:27:55.269 --> 00:27:57.390 is evidenced by their giving. He says, I want 00:27:57.390 --> 00:28:00.990 that to happen to you. You say you love the Lord. 00:28:01.049 --> 00:28:02.970 You say you love His church. You say you love 00:28:02.970 --> 00:28:06.150 me as apostle. You say you love the Lord's people. 00:28:06.250 --> 00:28:10.200 He says, now prove it. If you really love the 00:28:10.200 --> 00:28:12.359 Lord, if you love his church, if you love his 00:28:12.359 --> 00:28:17.359 people, he says, prove it by your giving. So 00:28:17.359 --> 00:28:21.579 the third principle is, giving is to be exercised 00:28:21.579 --> 00:28:26.660 as a proof of love. And before, it is to be exercised 00:28:26.660 --> 00:28:33.019 in equality. Verses 12 to 14. He says that the 00:28:33.019 --> 00:28:35.519 readiness is present, it is acceptable according 00:28:35.519 --> 00:28:38.779 to what a man has. not according to what he does 00:28:38.779 --> 00:28:42.680 not have. For this is not for the ease of others 00:28:42.680 --> 00:28:46.380 and for your affliction, but by way of equality. 00:28:47.200 --> 00:28:49.859 At this present time, your abundance being a 00:28:49.859 --> 00:28:53.859 supply for their want, that their abundance also 00:28:53.859 --> 00:28:57.099 may become a supply for your want, that there 00:28:57.099 --> 00:29:00.779 may be an equality. That's one of the principles 00:29:00.779 --> 00:29:04.420 of God's Word, equal giving. Now when I say that, 00:29:04.440 --> 00:29:06.819 I don't mean that everyone gives the same amount. 00:29:06.910 --> 00:29:10.609 That is not God's principle. But His principle 00:29:10.609 --> 00:29:14.289 is that all should give with the same sacrifice. 00:29:16.049 --> 00:29:19.390 To put it another way, we should give proportionately 00:29:19.390 --> 00:29:25.609 to our income. The man who earns $20 ,000 a year, 00:29:25.690 --> 00:29:29.470 if God lays in his heart to give 10%, will give 00:29:29.470 --> 00:29:34.390 $2 ,000. That means he has $18 ,000 to live on. 00:29:35.339 --> 00:29:39.460 A man who earns $100 ,000 a year, if he gives 00:29:39.460 --> 00:29:43.640 $2 ,000, that's the same amount, but he has $98 00:29:43.640 --> 00:29:48.200 ,000 to live on. That is not equal giving as 00:29:48.200 --> 00:29:52.599 God defines it. Equal giving would be the one 00:29:52.599 --> 00:29:57.859 who earns $100 ,000 learning to live with the 00:29:57.859 --> 00:30:01.240 same kind of sacrifice that the one who earns 00:30:01.240 --> 00:30:05.019 $20 ,000 does. To do that, he may need to give 00:30:05.019 --> 00:30:11.859 50 % or more of his money. Giving is to be exercised 00:30:11.859 --> 00:30:15.980 in equality. The idea is that the more I earn, 00:30:17.099 --> 00:30:23.079 the more I give. A businessman friend of mine 00:30:23.079 --> 00:30:26.380 was talking to me a couple of weeks ago in Chicago. 00:30:27.619 --> 00:30:33.200 He related to me how that after college he took 00:30:33.240 --> 00:30:36.299 the trust that his parents had provided for him 00:30:36.299 --> 00:30:39.880 and invested it in a certain way and started 00:30:39.880 --> 00:30:42.640 the business of his own, which today is flourishing. 00:30:43.440 --> 00:30:46.259 And he soon hopes to expand it here to the Twin 00:30:46.259 --> 00:30:53.039 Cities. He says that a number of years ago, he 00:30:53.039 --> 00:30:56.180 and his family came to this place in their giving. 00:30:57.380 --> 00:30:59.920 They decided that they would establish a budget 00:30:59.920 --> 00:31:04.950 for their family. and that they would strictly 00:31:04.950 --> 00:31:08.269 adhere to that budget, and they would turn the 00:31:08.269 --> 00:31:12.690 business over to the Lord. And whatever came 00:31:12.690 --> 00:31:16.609 in above that budget for their needs would all 00:31:16.609 --> 00:31:21.009 be given. Now he told me how much he lives on 00:31:21.009 --> 00:31:23.609 his budget. There's probably not too many of 00:31:23.609 --> 00:31:27.069 us here that have a budget as high as the one 00:31:27.069 --> 00:31:30.450 he's living on. I do not criticize him for that 00:31:30.450 --> 00:31:34.059 or condemn him. That's his decision. But I know 00:31:34.059 --> 00:31:35.960 this as well, there's none of us here that gives 00:31:35.960 --> 00:31:39.059 as much to the Lord's work as he gives to the 00:31:39.059 --> 00:31:42.299 Lord's work. Now, why is he able to give that 00:31:42.299 --> 00:31:45.660 kind of money? Why hasn't the standard of living 00:31:45.660 --> 00:31:49.039 creeped up on him as his income has increased? 00:31:49.099 --> 00:31:52.099 That's the normal way it happens, isn't it? Well, 00:31:52.099 --> 00:31:54.140 it's because several years ago he put a lock 00:31:54.140 --> 00:31:57.980 on it. He said, this is the budget, and whatever 00:31:57.980 --> 00:32:00.400 God brings in above this would be a hundred thousand 00:32:00.400 --> 00:32:03.200 or a million. That's going to the Lord's work. 00:32:05.019 --> 00:32:08.940 I commend him because I believe he has the principle 00:32:08.940 --> 00:32:14.059 that's involved here in equal giving, all giving 00:32:14.059 --> 00:32:18.180 with the same heart of sacrifice. Number five, 00:32:18.480 --> 00:32:22.160 giving is to be exercised with a willing, joyful 00:32:22.160 --> 00:32:26.819 heart. Verse seven of chapter nine, let each 00:32:26.819 --> 00:32:30.140 one do just as he has purposed in his heart. 00:32:30.990 --> 00:32:34.789 Not grudgingly or under compulsion, God loves 00:32:34.789 --> 00:32:38.890 a cheerful giver. So giving should not be something 00:32:38.890 --> 00:32:42.210 that is assigned to me by someone else. I am 00:32:42.210 --> 00:32:45.309 to purpose in my own heart before God what I 00:32:45.309 --> 00:32:48.990 am to give. But having done that, I am to give 00:32:48.990 --> 00:32:52.869 willingly, not begrudge the Lord for what I've 00:32:52.869 --> 00:32:56.390 decided to give. And I am to give it cheerfully 00:32:56.390 --> 00:33:00.559 and with joy. You know, there really is no greater 00:33:00.559 --> 00:33:04.920 joy than to be able to give with a free and generous 00:33:04.920 --> 00:33:08.140 heart to the work of the Lord and the needs of 00:33:08.140 --> 00:33:12.359 others. It truly is, as Jesus said, more blessed 00:33:12.359 --> 00:33:17.279 to give than it is to receive. Many of you understand 00:33:17.279 --> 00:33:21.180 the meaning of that. Number six, giving is to 00:33:21.180 --> 00:33:24.220 be exercised with the expectation of blessing. 00:33:26.280 --> 00:33:31.339 Two times here in chapter 9, he says, He who 00:33:31.339 --> 00:33:38.259 sows shall reap. He who sows shall reap. You 00:33:38.259 --> 00:33:41.359 and I can expect that as we give faithfully to 00:33:41.359 --> 00:33:44.440 the Lord, we are going to reap blessing from 00:33:44.440 --> 00:33:47.960 Him. That does not mean that as I give, God is 00:33:47.960 --> 00:33:51.380 committed to make me a wealthy person. That is 00:33:51.380 --> 00:33:54.220 not the blessing necessarily that is implied. 00:33:54.640 --> 00:33:57.480 He is talking about spiritual blessing. Now, 00:33:57.700 --> 00:33:59.859 you say, well, is God then allowing me to buy 00:33:59.859 --> 00:34:03.299 spiritual blessing? Is that the idea? No. No. 00:34:03.519 --> 00:34:07.400 It's that as I sow or as I give generously to 00:34:07.400 --> 00:34:10.500 the Lord's work, that shows I have the right 00:34:10.500 --> 00:34:14.420 heart attitude. And because I have a right heart 00:34:14.420 --> 00:34:17.659 attitude, God has been able to pour into my life 00:34:17.659 --> 00:34:20.639 a fullness of blessing that otherwise I could 00:34:20.639 --> 00:34:25.739 not receive. Number seven. Giving is to be exercised 00:34:25.739 --> 00:34:29.400 in accordance with need. Verse 12, he says, the 00:34:29.400 --> 00:34:32.099 ministry of this service is not only fully supplying 00:34:32.099 --> 00:34:36.400 the needs of the saints, but is overflowing through 00:34:36.400 --> 00:34:40.880 many thanksgivings to God. What he is saying 00:34:40.880 --> 00:34:44.739 here in part is that in fact the needs of the 00:34:44.739 --> 00:34:49.119 saints were being met. As I consider my giving, 00:34:49.199 --> 00:34:51.559 one of the things I have to put into the cauldron 00:34:51.559 --> 00:34:55.500 of my mind is, what are the needs? What are the 00:34:55.500 --> 00:34:59.179 needs? And then I need to ask the Father that 00:34:59.179 --> 00:35:01.780 He would direct me to do my part that the need 00:35:01.780 --> 00:35:05.500 might be met. And then as each of us obeys the 00:35:05.500 --> 00:35:09.079 Father in that, the needs are met. It's as simple 00:35:09.079 --> 00:35:12.820 as that. I need to give in accordance with the 00:35:12.820 --> 00:35:18.070 need. Giving us to be exercised with the glory 00:35:18.070 --> 00:35:23.010 of God Not to myself in verse 13. He says they 00:35:23.010 --> 00:35:27.230 will glorify God for your obedience I'm not to 00:35:27.230 --> 00:35:29.570 give so that others may know what I give so that 00:35:29.570 --> 00:35:36.349 I can somehow Gain a special place of favor in 00:35:36.349 --> 00:35:40.050 the organization or the church I'm not to give 00:35:40.050 --> 00:35:42.690 so that I can have a big plaque on my wall or 00:35:42.690 --> 00:35:46.079 receive this special notation from someone, but 00:35:46.079 --> 00:35:49.500 I am to give so that God is glorified in my giving. 00:35:51.940 --> 00:35:55.139 Number nine, giving is to be exercised as an 00:35:55.139 --> 00:35:58.639 evidence of obedience. They will glorify God 00:35:58.639 --> 00:36:02.820 for your obedience. It does boil down to that, 00:36:02.960 --> 00:36:07.500 doesn't it? If I am not giving and giving according 00:36:07.500 --> 00:36:10.219 to the principles of God's word, then I am not 00:36:10.219 --> 00:36:14.480 obeying God. I want to be obedient so that I 00:36:14.480 --> 00:36:17.420 can know His blessing, therefore I give." It's 00:36:17.420 --> 00:36:19.400 an evidence of obedience. And finally, giving 00:36:19.400 --> 00:36:23.940 is to be exercised regularly, regularly. In 1 00:36:23.940 --> 00:36:26.059 Corinthians 16, 2, it says, "'Let every one of 00:36:26.059 --> 00:36:27.760 you lay by in the store as God has prospered 00:36:27.760 --> 00:36:31.280 on the first day of the week.'" I don't think 00:36:31.280 --> 00:36:33.599 the point there is that every Sunday we have 00:36:33.599 --> 00:36:35.760 to give, but the point is that according to our 00:36:35.760 --> 00:36:40.039 income, however it comes to us, weekly, twice 00:36:40.039 --> 00:36:44.139 a month, monthly. quarterly, however the income 00:36:44.139 --> 00:36:49.239 arrives, I am to regularly give, not casually, 00:36:49.400 --> 00:36:52.280 but according to a plan that I have laid out. 00:36:52.300 --> 00:36:55.300 Not when I'm in the mood, because I'm rarely 00:36:55.300 --> 00:36:59.380 in the mood, but I'm to do it out of a habit 00:36:59.380 --> 00:37:03.880 to the Lord. Giving is to be exercised regularly 00:37:03.880 --> 00:37:07.199 on my part. I believe that those are the ten 00:37:07.199 --> 00:37:11.960 basic principles of giving in God's Word. There 00:37:11.960 --> 00:37:14.559 are some of us who've had experience in this 00:37:14.559 --> 00:37:17.460 area and I've asked John Benham to come as we 00:37:17.460 --> 00:37:21.440 bring this message to a close and to give a stewardship 00:37:21.440 --> 00:37:25.900 testimony to you. Not because he has perfectly 00:37:25.900 --> 00:37:28.199 applied all of these all of his life because 00:37:28.199 --> 00:37:32.039 he probably hasn't, neither have I. But he's 00:37:32.039 --> 00:37:34.960 learning. I ask him to do this purposely because 00:37:34.960 --> 00:37:37.739 John is coming on our staff full -time, he's 00:37:37.739 --> 00:37:41.690 halftime now, as our church administrator. and 00:37:41.690 --> 00:37:44.550 we'll begin that in a couple of weeks. I felt 00:37:44.550 --> 00:37:47.130 it was important that he be able to share with 00:37:47.130 --> 00:37:49.809 you and he asked that he might be able to do 00:37:49.809 --> 00:37:53.170 this. So listen to the testimony of one person 00:37:53.170 --> 00:37:55.429 and there will be others in our congregation 00:37:55.429 --> 00:37:57.929 in weeks ahead sharing what God has done in their 00:37:57.929 --> 00:38:01.230 lives as well as they've obeyed the word. John, 00:38:02.329 --> 00:38:08.929 you have five minutes, dear brother. I confess 00:38:08.929 --> 00:38:11.989 that I come in weakness and in fear and much 00:38:11.989 --> 00:38:14.210 trembling. It's much easier to turn your back 00:38:14.210 --> 00:38:19.070 that way and lead. Furthermore, I also feel under 00:38:19.070 --> 00:38:21.690 conviction. I confess my mother called me last 00:38:21.690 --> 00:38:25.730 night from Michigan and she's at that age when 00:38:25.730 --> 00:38:29.429 insurance policies are maturing and her statement 00:38:29.429 --> 00:38:35.210 to me was I know it's been a rough life and out 00:38:35.210 --> 00:38:37.670 of a lot of ways with our family financially. 00:38:38.010 --> 00:38:40.230 and there hasn't been much, but I feel I'd like 00:38:40.230 --> 00:38:42.610 to give you a thousand dollars. And I'm going 00:38:42.610 --> 00:38:44.869 to have to listen to this message twice this 00:38:44.869 --> 00:38:49.070 morning. I hope I can keep part of that thousand. 00:38:54.869 --> 00:39:00.150 As I've prepared to assume the position as church 00:39:00.150 --> 00:39:02.829 administrator, I've spent many hours reflecting 00:39:02.829 --> 00:39:07.070 the past few days over God's work in my life. 00:39:07.469 --> 00:39:11.710 and my finances, and I would like to share some 00:39:11.710 --> 00:39:16.389 of that with you this morning. First, I've discovered 00:39:16.389 --> 00:39:18.829 the importance of understanding the principles 00:39:18.829 --> 00:39:22.809 of biblical finance in my own management of that 00:39:22.809 --> 00:39:26.489 which God has given me. As I look back, I have 00:39:26.489 --> 00:39:28.809 found that the times of most severe financial 00:39:28.809 --> 00:39:32.869 stress in our life are times when we neglected 00:39:32.869 --> 00:39:37.599 those principles. As a child I was trained early 00:39:37.599 --> 00:39:40.860 in the responsibility of giving as an act of 00:39:40.860 --> 00:39:46.019 spiritual worship Dying quarter here and there 00:39:46.019 --> 00:39:48.960 as a result of mowing a lawn or delivering papers 00:39:48.960 --> 00:39:53.300 and later a part -time job all these things work 00:39:53.300 --> 00:39:57.320 together to establish habits which Became valuable 00:39:57.320 --> 00:40:00.260 in later life our home was that of a preacher 00:40:00.260 --> 00:40:04.159 not a great deal of money and consequently most 00:40:04.159 --> 00:40:07.309 of or much of what was needed, I had to earn 00:40:07.309 --> 00:40:12.329 myself buying my own music instruments, lessons. 00:40:13.570 --> 00:40:15.869 Neither Marity or I, as a matter of fact, had 00:40:15.869 --> 00:40:18.090 any help financially going through college. We 00:40:18.090 --> 00:40:21.369 both paid our own way. And though it was difficult 00:40:21.369 --> 00:40:24.929 at times, we still maintained the habit of giving 00:40:24.929 --> 00:40:30.130 back to God first, whenever we received money. 00:40:33.579 --> 00:40:39.980 to act on their behalf. They did not follow some 00:40:39.980 --> 00:40:44.719 required format. They did not begin, you notice, 00:40:44.920 --> 00:40:49.460 by confessing their sins. They did not close 00:40:49.460 --> 00:40:54.099 their prayer in Jesus' name. They did not use 00:40:54.099 --> 00:40:56.739 any of the catchphrases that we so often do in 00:40:56.739 --> 00:41:01.300 our praying. No. No. Prayer was real to them. 00:41:01.960 --> 00:41:07.679 It was a spontaneous, joyful use of their access 00:41:07.679 --> 00:41:13.159 to God, that access given to them by Jesus Christ 00:41:13.159 --> 00:41:15.840 because He blazed the trail into the presence 00:41:15.840 --> 00:41:20.579 of God and therefore they could come boldly to 00:41:20.579 --> 00:41:24.760 the throne of grace and find mercy and grace 00:41:24.760 --> 00:41:28.980 to help in the time of need. Is that the way 00:41:28.980 --> 00:41:36.630 prayer is for you? We take that access into the 00:41:36.630 --> 00:41:40.590 presence of God so much for granted. We all have 00:41:40.590 --> 00:41:45.650 to be ashamed of ourselves. Recently I had a 00:41:45.650 --> 00:41:47.469 prayer letter from some missionary friends of 00:41:47.469 --> 00:41:50.050 mine who served the Lord in Ghana, West Africa. 00:41:54.230 --> 00:41:55.929 He says, if you've ever been tempted to tear 00:41:55.929 --> 00:41:58.469 your telephone out of the wall because it interrupted 00:41:58.469 --> 00:42:03.219 you in an awkward time, perish the thought. He 00:42:03.219 --> 00:42:05.380 said you will learn to appreciate the contraption 00:42:05.380 --> 00:42:07.780 if you ever should make a telephone call from 00:42:07.780 --> 00:42:10.719 Ghana to the United States. Listen to what he 00:42:10.719 --> 00:42:14.400 writes. First, many days in advance, you must 00:42:14.400 --> 00:42:17.980 book an appointment for the call and make a deposit 00:42:17.980 --> 00:42:21.480 for how many minutes you wish to speak. Then 00:42:21.480 --> 00:42:24.139 on the day of the appointment, you go to the 00:42:24.139 --> 00:42:27.480 central telephone office in Accra, that's the 00:42:27.480 --> 00:42:30.639 capital city, and confirm your desire to make 00:42:30.639 --> 00:42:35.139 a call. Then the operator attempts to contact 00:42:35.139 --> 00:42:38.199 an overseas operator in the United States. This 00:42:38.199 --> 00:42:40.360 is done by satellite, and sometimes it works, 00:42:40.380 --> 00:42:44.079 sometimes it doesn't. When the operator is contacted, 00:42:45.360 --> 00:42:48.420 then you enter a public booth and shout into 00:42:48.420 --> 00:42:50.599 the receiver, hoping that you can be heard on 00:42:50.599 --> 00:42:53.900 the other end. The shouting also helps the 20 00:42:53.900 --> 00:42:55.760 or so others in the waiting room to hear your 00:42:55.760 --> 00:43:00.380 conversation. He says on this trip, We wanted 00:43:00.380 --> 00:43:04.119 to call Noreen's parents in Kalamazoo. So we 00:43:04.119 --> 00:43:07.179 booked the call for 2 p .m. Ghana time, which 00:43:07.179 --> 00:43:10.360 would be 9 a .m. Michigan time. However, we could 00:43:10.360 --> 00:43:13.900 not get a United States operator until 5. And 00:43:13.900 --> 00:43:17.300 then we were told that the line was busy. Our 00:43:17.300 --> 00:43:19.900 next opportunity came at 6 .30 p .m. and then 00:43:19.900 --> 00:43:24.159 we were told there's no answer. So after a trip 00:43:24.159 --> 00:43:30.389 of 530 miles, A deposit of $50 for a 10 -minute 00:43:30.389 --> 00:43:35.010 call, and waiting four and a half hours, we had 00:43:35.010 --> 00:43:38.449 to admit defeat and cancel the phone call and 00:43:38.449 --> 00:43:45.210 went home. And yet you and I can, as it were, 00:43:45.489 --> 00:43:48.929 pick up the telephone of prayer and we can speak 00:43:48.929 --> 00:43:54.690 to God anytime that we want to do it. What a 00:43:54.690 --> 00:43:57.989 tremendous privilege we have. in our excess. 00:44:00.230 --> 00:44:02.869 When these same convictions grip us as they grip 00:44:02.869 --> 00:44:06.010 that early church, we will know something of 00:44:06.010 --> 00:44:09.889 the power they knew in those early days. When 00:44:09.889 --> 00:44:14.230 we become a praying church, as were they, then 00:44:14.230 --> 00:44:17.050 we will know something of the power which God 00:44:17.050 --> 00:44:23.969 was free to release through them. A praying church 00:44:23.969 --> 00:44:29.550 is composed of praying members. This church can 00:44:29.550 --> 00:44:32.789 only be a praying church to the extent that you 00:44:32.789 --> 00:44:38.730 and I are praying people. A survey was done by 00:44:38.730 --> 00:44:42.769 an evangelistic team several years ago in scores 00:44:42.769 --> 00:44:47.869 of churches throughout the United States involving 00:44:47.869 --> 00:44:52.510 literally thousands of Christians. You know what 00:44:52.510 --> 00:44:56.880 that revival team found out? that the average 00:44:56.880 --> 00:45:03.219 person attending those services prayed every 00:45:03.219 --> 00:45:05.900 day. Now these are born -again Christians. These 00:45:05.900 --> 00:45:08.519 are not nominal Christians. These are born -again 00:45:08.519 --> 00:45:11.840 Christians attending Bible preaching churches. 00:45:13.159 --> 00:45:16.659 The average one of them prayed every day, not 00:45:16.659 --> 00:45:22.480 for an hour, not for 30 minutes, not even for 00:45:22.480 --> 00:45:27.519 five minutes. but for less than two minutes a 00:45:27.519 --> 00:45:36.500 day. We need not wonder when that is the case 00:45:36.500 --> 00:45:41.460 why churches are impotent instead of powerful. 00:45:45.059 --> 00:45:47.719 In your worship folder you should find a three 00:45:47.719 --> 00:45:52.780 -by -five card and on that card are a couple 00:45:52.780 --> 00:45:57.920 of verses regarding prayer. And then this statement, 00:45:59.820 --> 00:46:03.900 I resolve by the help of God to set aside at 00:46:03.900 --> 00:46:08.699 least 20 minutes every day to spend alone in 00:46:08.699 --> 00:46:14.139 God's presence. You say 20 minutes? What do I 00:46:14.139 --> 00:46:18.780 do with 20 minutes? Well, perhaps we've given 00:46:18.780 --> 00:46:21.039 you an idea or two as we've gone through this 00:46:21.039 --> 00:46:24.519 prayer meeting this morning If you really are 00:46:24.519 --> 00:46:27.780 concerned about what to do for 20 minutes call 00:46:27.780 --> 00:46:31.039 the office this week and I Will make available 00:46:31.039 --> 00:46:33.480 to you will mail back to you some information 00:46:33.480 --> 00:46:43.900 that will help you to know And to see what kind 00:46:43.900 --> 00:46:48.599 of a difference It'll make in your life as you 00:46:48.599 --> 00:46:54.239 begin to spend just 20 minutes a day In prayer 00:46:54.239 --> 00:47:04.639 with God Let's bow together Just now in the quietness 00:47:04.639 --> 00:47:07.400 of these moments Maybe you'll want to take a 00:47:07.400 --> 00:47:09.820 pen out and sign the statement. You don't have 00:47:09.820 --> 00:47:12.539 to return it to me. I'm not interested in it 00:47:12.539 --> 00:47:16.019 except to the extent that It'd be kept in your 00:47:16.019 --> 00:47:22.239 own possession as a reminder to you of your commitment 00:47:22.239 --> 00:47:29.260 to the Lord. We must become more of a praying 00:47:29.260 --> 00:47:33.500 church than we are. I thank God for those who 00:47:33.500 --> 00:47:39.699 do pray, but I'm afraid the average in our church 00:47:39.699 --> 00:47:44.889 would not be much, if any. beyond what that revival 00:47:44.889 --> 00:47:47.409 team found in the average evangelical church 00:47:47.409 --> 00:47:51.889 in America. We've got to change that, folks, 00:47:52.389 --> 00:47:54.469 for the sake of our own walk with God as well 00:47:54.469 --> 00:47:57.690 as for the sake of the ministry of this church. 00:47:58.190 --> 00:48:04.869 Father, make us a praying people. Thank you for 00:48:04.869 --> 00:48:07.230 the challenges that you have given to us even 00:48:07.230 --> 00:48:12.469 in recent days, which have taken us to our knees. 00:48:15.019 --> 00:48:18.659 Thank you for getting our attention to remind 00:48:18.659 --> 00:48:23.099 us that this ministry depends not upon our sufficiency 00:48:23.099 --> 00:48:28.559 or power, but upon yours. And I pray that we 00:48:28.559 --> 00:48:32.420 will begin on a regular basis, many of us, to 00:48:32.420 --> 00:48:35.699 pray and thus interact with your power and see 00:48:35.699 --> 00:48:41.539 you work in mighty ways. Lord, we do not pray 00:48:41.539 --> 00:48:46.289 for power. but we pray to be a praying people, 00:48:47.670 --> 00:48:50.730 knowing that the fruit of that will be the release 00:48:50.730 --> 00:48:53.849 of your power in our lives and in our church. 00:48:55.630 --> 00:49:13.369 Amen. I bargained with the church custodian to 00:49:13.369 --> 00:49:15.289 clean the church a week so that the church would 00:49:15.289 --> 00:49:17.710 be cleaned for the wedding and not have to pay 00:49:17.710 --> 00:49:20.909 it. In fact there was no money for a honeymoon 00:49:20.909 --> 00:49:22.869 and we didn't have any money to pay down on the 00:49:22.869 --> 00:49:27.210 apartment we were going to move into. God provided 00:49:27.210 --> 00:49:31.969 gifts of money at our wedding whereby we were 00:49:31.969 --> 00:49:34.030 able to pay the first two months rent on our 00:49:34.030 --> 00:49:38.369 apartment and we received a two -day all -expense 00:49:38.369 --> 00:49:45.619 paid trip for a honeymoon. to Elk River. We might 00:49:45.619 --> 00:49:47.539 have been able to make it three days, but I had 00:49:47.539 --> 00:49:50.699 to get back on Sunday for church because there 00:49:50.699 --> 00:49:53.320 was another $15 check waiting if I would sing 00:49:53.320 --> 00:49:57.739 the solos in the Easter Continent. As we began 00:49:57.739 --> 00:50:01.380 the initial years of our marriage, which we were 00:50:01.380 --> 00:50:03.719 both in college and then later in grad school, 00:50:03.760 --> 00:50:05.599 we were usually out of money when it came to 00:50:05.599 --> 00:50:08.630 the day to buy groceries. Now as you can tell 00:50:08.630 --> 00:50:11.190 by looking at me, God usually provided in some 00:50:11.190 --> 00:50:15.670 way a cash gift or a check. In fact, it became 00:50:15.670 --> 00:50:19.449 an exciting time for us, Grocery Day, because 00:50:19.449 --> 00:50:21.429 we always knew that there would be something 00:50:21.429 --> 00:50:24.769 in the mailbox. We never knew where, but there 00:50:24.769 --> 00:50:28.130 was always a check. And in 22 years, that's never 00:50:28.130 --> 00:50:33.570 failed. These were continual challenges in our 00:50:33.570 --> 00:50:37.690 life and building blocks of our faith. And a 00:50:37.690 --> 00:50:40.489 few years later when I began a business in repairing 00:50:40.489 --> 00:50:44.510 music instruments, it was the intent of providing 00:50:44.510 --> 00:50:47.690 some supplemental income to what at that time 00:50:47.690 --> 00:50:51.789 was a rather meager teaching salary. I remember 00:50:51.789 --> 00:50:56.369 saying, Lord, let this business be yours. You 00:50:56.369 --> 00:50:58.530 take the first 10 % of the gross. I thought that 00:50:58.530 --> 00:51:02.309 was rather generous of me. Just please bring 00:51:02.309 --> 00:51:04.690 in enough beyond that so that I can cover paying 00:51:04.690 --> 00:51:07.639 for the... initial investment of equipment and 00:51:07.639 --> 00:51:11.659 supplies. I really don't care how much I make, 00:51:11.679 --> 00:51:14.760 and I do believe I was sincere about that. But 00:51:14.760 --> 00:51:16.880 if you want to bless this business to provide 00:51:16.880 --> 00:51:19.659 you for your ministry, that's fine. Go ahead 00:51:19.659 --> 00:51:23.860 and do it. I don't believe in tithing, per se. 00:51:24.280 --> 00:51:28.880 I believe in giving. Ten percent for me just 00:51:28.880 --> 00:51:32.179 seemed like a good place to start. Interestingly 00:51:32.179 --> 00:51:35.590 enough, It was a year later when I lost my teaching 00:51:35.590 --> 00:51:39.989 position through what had become common cuts 00:51:39.989 --> 00:51:44.010 in teacher court and decided therefore to go 00:51:44.010 --> 00:51:47.130 to graduate school and that business investment 00:51:47.130 --> 00:51:51.869 paid my way through graduate school. Little did 00:51:51.869 --> 00:51:55.570 I realize then that 18 years later after teaching 00:51:55.570 --> 00:51:58.309 for that amount of time we would end up going 00:51:58.309 --> 00:52:01.909 into that business full time. Now that's when 00:52:02.030 --> 00:52:05.989 the test of faith really became strong and times 00:52:05.989 --> 00:52:10.250 of tension were something else. Lord, we said 00:52:10.250 --> 00:52:13.530 it seems time to retire from teaching and to 00:52:13.530 --> 00:52:17.909 do this full time. This business is still yours. 00:52:19.309 --> 00:52:22.969 What about doing it full time and perhaps being 00:52:22.969 --> 00:52:27.269 more involved in ministry and your work half 00:52:27.269 --> 00:52:32.340 time, let's say in music. So we packed up We 00:52:32.340 --> 00:52:35.000 loaded the truck and drove ourselves to Minnesota 00:52:35.000 --> 00:52:40.119 with no business promised, with literally no 00:52:40.119 --> 00:52:43.260 income, and approximately a month and a half 00:52:43.260 --> 00:52:48.679 salary and savings. The first week we were here, 00:52:49.219 --> 00:52:52.219 I received a phone call from some people, New 00:52:52.219 --> 00:52:54.699 Life Baptist Church as a matter of fact, who 00:52:54.699 --> 00:52:56.980 said, look, we had a band man lined up, we want 00:52:56.980 --> 00:52:59.480 to start a program this year. Would you at least 00:52:59.480 --> 00:53:01.639 work with us long enough to start the program?" 00:53:01.639 --> 00:53:06.539 And I said, certainly. That was the first answer. 00:53:07.219 --> 00:53:09.960 The second Sunday we were in Minnesota, I began 00:53:09.960 --> 00:53:13.840 the ministry at Grace Church, Roseville. The 00:53:13.840 --> 00:53:19.079 second answer to prayer. Now the problem became, 00:53:19.840 --> 00:53:22.699 how do we establish that advertising and public 00:53:22.699 --> 00:53:25.440 relations business whereby we can make the business 00:53:25.440 --> 00:53:28.539 grow? And the third week I was here, a mill levy 00:53:28.539 --> 00:53:31.360 failed in Moundsview, and someone said to me, 00:53:31.480 --> 00:53:35.239 would you lead the struggle to try and save music 00:53:35.239 --> 00:53:38.780 in our district? Now, my first response was, 00:53:38.820 --> 00:53:41.440 I don't have that kind of time. I have a business 00:53:41.440 --> 00:53:44.659 to run. And yet, we said, why not? We'll do it. 00:53:44.980 --> 00:53:47.760 For three months, I literally did not work at 00:53:47.760 --> 00:53:50.320 my business as far as going out and calling on 00:53:50.320 --> 00:53:54.369 schools. And that's the way we survived. What's 00:53:54.369 --> 00:53:57.030 interesting is God had planned something better. 00:53:58.630 --> 00:54:01.769 Because at the end of that three months, we found 00:54:01.769 --> 00:54:05.489 a new way to justify financially keeping music 00:54:05.489 --> 00:54:08.210 in schools. And rather than my having to call 00:54:08.210 --> 00:54:11.409 on schools, I was invited to speak to the state 00:54:11.409 --> 00:54:15.789 convention of Minnesota music teachers. And it 00:54:15.789 --> 00:54:19.489 was given the opportunity to present my business, 00:54:19.909 --> 00:54:22.769 not just to people one at a time. but literally 00:54:22.769 --> 00:54:27.769 every music teacher in the state. So God advertised 00:54:27.769 --> 00:54:31.750 my whole business and blessed that dedication 00:54:31.750 --> 00:54:36.550 to him by literally paying us to advertise the 00:54:36.550 --> 00:54:41.389 business. I confess to you that Psalm Proverbs 00:54:41.389 --> 00:54:45.909 16, 9 took on new meaning. A man's heart devises 00:54:45.909 --> 00:54:49.090 his ways, but the Lord directs his path. And 00:54:49.090 --> 00:54:50.929 I confess to you that over the last three and 00:54:50.929 --> 00:54:52.949 a half years have been many times when we literally 00:54:52.949 --> 00:54:56.750 did not know again what we would do on grocery 00:54:56.750 --> 00:54:59.610 day. I think last Thursday was the last time. 00:55:01.409 --> 00:55:03.909 There are some principles that come through for 00:55:03.909 --> 00:55:09.469 us here that have become firm in our faith. One 00:55:09.469 --> 00:55:14.030 is God cares for his own and he is in control 00:55:14.030 --> 00:55:19.079 and he gives back to us. and blesses us as we 00:55:19.079 --> 00:55:23.079 give to him. And also that he's always preparing 00:55:23.079 --> 00:55:30.360 us for something else. Matthew 6, 19 says, lay 00:55:30.360 --> 00:55:33.699 not up for yourselves treasures in heaven or 00:55:33.699 --> 00:55:37.300 on earth, but lay them up in heaven. Did you 00:55:37.300 --> 00:55:40.199 ever stop to think how can you lay up treasures 00:55:40.199 --> 00:55:43.780 in heaven? What are the means whereby we get 00:55:43.780 --> 00:55:46.570 treasures in heaven? And the only thing that 00:55:46.570 --> 00:55:50.250 I can think of is that when we give, others hear. 00:55:51.130 --> 00:55:53.190 And the treasures that are in heaven literally 00:55:53.190 --> 00:55:59.690 are those who are one because we give. Now all 00:55:59.690 --> 00:56:04.809 of us here at Grace Church are seeing the church 00:56:04.809 --> 00:56:07.630 become our means of storing up treasures in heaven 00:56:07.630 --> 00:56:10.929 through our providing for the training of ourselves 00:56:10.929 --> 00:56:15.469 and others to win others for his kingdom. And 00:56:15.469 --> 00:56:18.429 with God's blessing, I look forward to working 00:56:18.429 --> 00:56:22.889 with you as we face the challenge together of 00:56:22.889 --> 00:56:26.190 faith -building spiritual stewardship here at 00:56:26.190 --> 00:56:33.989 Grace. Thank you. John, thank you for being the 00:56:33.989 --> 00:56:36.269 first of several who will share with us in the 00:56:36.269 --> 00:56:41.130 coming weeks. As I heard John speak, my heart 00:56:41.130 --> 00:56:45.460 was... and I'm sure yours was too in some way. 00:56:47.119 --> 00:56:48.820 Perhaps there's someone out there saying, Pastor, 00:56:49.420 --> 00:56:51.739 I agree in my heart with those principles and 00:56:51.739 --> 00:56:54.579 I want abundant grace to be evidence to my giving, 00:56:54.639 --> 00:57:00.739 but I have so many bills I just can't give. Let 00:57:00.739 --> 00:57:02.559 me suggest a couple of things to you. Number 00:57:02.559 --> 00:57:06.880 one, you can give something to the Lord as evidence 00:57:06.880 --> 00:57:11.500 of your sincerity, and you should. Number two, 00:57:13.210 --> 00:57:16.269 Confess your past poor stewardship, if that's 00:57:16.269 --> 00:57:19.849 the case, and the bad financial habits that you've 00:57:19.849 --> 00:57:25.969 had. And trust the Lord to begin working in your 00:57:25.969 --> 00:57:29.650 life and do your part to work your way out of 00:57:29.650 --> 00:57:33.929 bondage. We're going to spend two or three weeks 00:57:33.929 --> 00:57:37.929 more talking about God's Word in our family finances. 00:57:38.869 --> 00:57:41.829 So that all of us can better understand the principles 00:57:41.829 --> 00:57:44.070 that God has laid down for the handling of our 00:57:44.070 --> 00:57:49.769 money Realize that God's going to honor your 00:57:49.769 --> 00:57:52.190 heart's desire my friend and work on your behalf 00:57:52.190 --> 00:57:55.289 to deliver you He's going to look to you to take 00:57:55.289 --> 00:58:00.349 the first steps if you're sincere Father I pray 00:58:00.349 --> 00:58:02.989 that today our hearts have been stimulated as 00:58:02.989 --> 00:58:07.610 we see the abundant grace which was displayed 00:58:07.610 --> 00:58:12.809 in the Jerusalem Church. Deliver all of us, Father, 00:58:12.869 --> 00:58:17.730 from giving to you out of our leftovers. But 00:58:17.730 --> 00:58:19.730 I pray that you will have such preeminence in 00:58:19.730 --> 00:58:22.889 our lives that you will have first priority in 00:58:22.889 --> 00:58:26.989 our giving as well. May we with David testify, 00:58:27.170 --> 00:58:29.730 I will not offer that which costs me nothing. 00:58:31.130 --> 00:58:33.909 Fill our hearts with your grace. Deliver us from 00:58:33.909 --> 00:58:38.340 covetousness. Allow us to walk, I pray, in obedience 00:58:38.340 --> 00:58:42.039 with you. Work in our lives to deliver any of 00:58:42.039 --> 00:58:46.940 us from financial bondage so that we can be free 00:58:46.940 --> 00:58:51.539 to give as you lay it upon our hearts. In Jesus' 00:58:51.880 --> 00:58:57.219 name, amen. God bless you. We're dismissed.