WEBVTT 00:00:02.540 --> 00:00:10.960 Of all who thee we raise, This our hymn of grateful 00:00:10.960 --> 00:00:54.420 praise, For thy Church for ever. Please be seated. 00:00:56.179 --> 00:00:59.359 Worshiping the Lord is a commitment, and our 00:00:59.359 --> 00:01:01.719 commitments are ones of faith. We worship God 00:01:01.719 --> 00:01:05.400 in that way and please as him. We as a church 00:01:05.400 --> 00:01:08.560 family at this time of the year talk about our 00:01:08.560 --> 00:01:12.379 faith and what we believe God wants us to do 00:01:12.379 --> 00:01:15.420 by faith as a part of this ministry in the following 00:01:15.420 --> 00:01:18.750 year. Now for those of you who are visiting with 00:01:18.750 --> 00:01:20.849 us, we are glad you're here but we want you to 00:01:20.849 --> 00:01:25.870 feel no embarrassment or feelings of compulsion 00:01:25.870 --> 00:01:28.370 as we spend these next few minutes as a church 00:01:28.370 --> 00:01:30.810 family talking about our faith promise commitment. 00:01:31.489 --> 00:01:34.750 This is our second week of this and we have already, 00:01:34.950 --> 00:01:37.870 many of us, indicated our faith promises but 00:01:37.870 --> 00:01:40.549 a good number have not and this is an opportunity 00:01:40.549 --> 00:01:43.719 to do it. I'm going to ask our ushers to pass 00:01:43.719 --> 00:01:45.579 out, or make available at least, to those of 00:01:45.579 --> 00:01:47.980 you who would like one of the Faith Promise forms, 00:01:48.719 --> 00:01:51.980 those forms for you to use. If you are on our 00:01:51.980 --> 00:01:54.180 church mailing list, you should have gotten a 00:01:54.180 --> 00:01:56.939 letter from our elders this last week containing 00:01:56.939 --> 00:01:59.120 one of the forms, so you may not need one this 00:01:59.120 --> 00:02:01.700 morning. That's fine. If you'd like one, just 00:02:01.700 --> 00:02:03.980 lift your hand right now as they work their way 00:02:03.980 --> 00:02:06.959 down the aisles. All of us who count ourselves 00:02:06.959 --> 00:02:09.500 as a part of the Grace Church Roseville family 00:02:10.479 --> 00:02:13.560 share the joys and the burdens of the ministry, 00:02:13.560 --> 00:02:17.159 and of course there are always both. One of the 00:02:17.159 --> 00:02:20.020 joys of our ministry together is that of giving. 00:02:20.780 --> 00:02:22.620 I know some of you thought I would say one of 00:02:22.620 --> 00:02:24.780 the burdens is that of giving, but indeed that's 00:02:24.780 --> 00:02:28.979 not the case. Giving is a joy. Giving is a privilege 00:02:28.979 --> 00:02:33.500 that God gives to us. We are partners in the 00:02:33.500 --> 00:02:37.900 ministry of this local church. When I was a young 00:02:37.900 --> 00:02:41.500 boy about six years of age, My father was still 00:02:41.500 --> 00:02:44.960 working with a team of horses on our farm in 00:02:44.960 --> 00:02:51.099 Kansas. I remember Babe and Bess very well. Those 00:02:51.099 --> 00:02:54.020 were the two horses. Many of you have not had 00:02:54.020 --> 00:02:57.439 the privilege of seeing horses work, but it's 00:02:57.439 --> 00:03:01.620 quite a sight to watch them pull in tandem, doing 00:03:01.620 --> 00:03:04.860 their work, sharing the load. I remember seeing 00:03:04.860 --> 00:03:06.740 them come out of the barn early in the morning, 00:03:06.919 --> 00:03:09.759 get hitched up with all of the paraphernalia 00:03:09.759 --> 00:03:13.099 they had to wear, and then go out into the field 00:03:13.099 --> 00:03:16.099 and come back after a long, hard day's work, 00:03:16.639 --> 00:03:18.800 sweaty and needing to be rubbed down and then 00:03:18.800 --> 00:03:22.319 being put back in the barn for their rest. Well, 00:03:22.319 --> 00:03:25.580 there's a sense in which we are a team like that 00:03:25.580 --> 00:03:29.199 together in this ministry. We all pull together 00:03:29.199 --> 00:03:33.719 so that we can carry our share of the load of 00:03:33.719 --> 00:03:39.180 ministry. Our faith promise is our way of indicating 00:03:39.180 --> 00:03:41.960 what we prayerfully believe that God wants us 00:03:41.960 --> 00:03:46.539 to do in 1987. Please keep in mind that a faith 00:03:46.539 --> 00:03:50.379 promise is between you as an individual or you 00:03:50.379 --> 00:03:55.439 and your family and God. It indicates on your 00:03:55.439 --> 00:04:01.020 part a step of faith linked with sacrifice. As 00:04:01.020 --> 00:04:03.560 David said, I will not offer to the Lord that 00:04:03.560 --> 00:04:07.159 which costs me nothing. And so we want to challenge 00:04:07.159 --> 00:04:10.620 ourselves to give beyond the comfort zone, to 00:04:10.620 --> 00:04:13.639 the point of it costing us of being sacrificed 00:04:13.639 --> 00:04:17.160 in our giving. But then to go beyond that to 00:04:17.160 --> 00:04:19.579 take that step of faith in which we are trusting 00:04:19.579 --> 00:04:25.060 God to meet our needs. It is important for each 00:04:25.060 --> 00:04:28.000 of us to do this and to indicate in advance what 00:04:28.000 --> 00:04:30.699 we're planning to do. That too, by the way, is 00:04:30.699 --> 00:04:33.509 biblical. The Apostle Paul said that we should 00:04:33.509 --> 00:04:36.490 purpose in our hearts what we intend to give. 00:04:38.230 --> 00:04:40.790 As we indicate together what we plan to do in 00:04:40.790 --> 00:04:43.610 the next year, it enables our leadership to do 00:04:43.610 --> 00:04:47.430 adequate planning. These forms that we turn in 00:04:47.430 --> 00:04:51.250 are later destroyed. These are not pledges in 00:04:51.250 --> 00:04:53.709 the sense that someone later contacts you if 00:04:53.709 --> 00:04:56.269 your giving is not up to that amount and says, 00:04:56.269 --> 00:04:59.550 this much is yet due. This is between you and 00:04:59.550 --> 00:05:03.279 the Lord. But we do ask you to complete the form 00:05:03.279 --> 00:05:05.620 and to turn in the top copy, the white copy, 00:05:06.199 --> 00:05:11.360 so that we can calculate it. I'm going to ask 00:05:11.360 --> 00:05:15.079 you to pray with me before we complete the forms 00:05:15.079 --> 00:05:16.939 this morning. And by the way, if you filled one 00:05:16.939 --> 00:05:19.480 out last week, do not fill out one this week 00:05:19.480 --> 00:05:22.459 unless you intend to increase it and then only 00:05:22.459 --> 00:05:25.240 put down the amount you intend to increase. Do 00:05:25.240 --> 00:05:30.000 not duplicate what you said last week. Let's 00:05:30.000 --> 00:05:32.620 pray together the ownership prayer as is found 00:05:32.620 --> 00:05:35.139 in our worship folder. This is a familiar prayer 00:05:35.139 --> 00:05:38.459 to those of us who have been saying it for the 00:05:38.459 --> 00:05:41.100 last several weeks as a part of our fall spiritual 00:05:41.100 --> 00:05:45.379 adventure. Before we complete the forms, and 00:05:45.379 --> 00:05:47.540 I'm going to ask you to do that once we have 00:05:47.540 --> 00:05:51.620 prayed, and then you can fold that white piece 00:05:51.620 --> 00:05:54.199 that you're turning in and put it in the offering 00:05:54.199 --> 00:05:57.480 plate in a few moments. Now let's bow together 00:05:57.480 --> 00:05:59.800 and let's pray this prayer as a congregation, 00:05:59.980 --> 00:06:04.899 the ownership prayer. Your Majesty, thank you 00:06:04.899 --> 00:06:08.560 for what you have entrusted to me to manage on 00:06:08.560 --> 00:06:13.000 your behalf. These possessions, these resources, 00:06:13.639 --> 00:06:18.600 these gifts are not mine but yours. Give me the 00:06:18.600 --> 00:06:21.980 wisdom I need to make them available for the 00:06:21.980 --> 00:06:25.610 work of your kingdom. I am honored to be your 00:06:25.610 --> 00:07:02.569 subject. Amen. Keep my eyes on you When I turn 00:07:02.569 --> 00:07:10.069 my gaze to people they just let me down But your 00:07:10.069 --> 00:07:18.850 love is the strongest thing I've ever found Lord, 00:07:19.069 --> 00:07:29.240 I don't know why I tried To take my life back 00:07:29.240 --> 00:07:38.040 into my hands When all the while for me you had 00:07:38.040 --> 00:07:46.740 the perfect plan So I'll do as you come in I'll 00:07:46.740 --> 00:07:53.339 keep my eyes on you All through my days I want 00:07:53.339 --> 00:08:02.389 you all before me I don't care if wealth or fame 00:08:02.389 --> 00:08:14.310 choose to ignore me Lord I don't know why I tried 00:08:14.310 --> 00:08:22.709 to live my life by my own design when living 00:08:28.939 --> 00:08:38.820 So for now and for all time I'll keep my eyes 00:08:38.820 --> 00:08:50.279 on you Give me the sight to always see you Give 00:08:50.279 --> 00:08:58.120 me the mind to want to please you Give me the 00:08:58.120 --> 00:09:22.259 strength I'll keep my eyes on you When I turn 00:09:22.259 --> 00:09:29.340 to see from where I've come I trip and fall But 00:09:29.340 --> 00:09:42.120 I know that you'll love me I don't know why I 00:09:42.120 --> 00:09:51.840 tried To think my life was a throw away When 00:09:51.840 --> 00:09:59.259 you loved me so much That you chose to pay So 00:09:59.259 --> 00:10:26.750 as I live Thank you, Lisa, for reminding us what 00:10:26.750 --> 00:10:31.429 should be the attitude of all of us today. As 00:10:31.429 --> 00:10:33.330 we receive the offering, may I remind our visitors 00:10:33.330 --> 00:10:35.730 to place your cards in the plates and also the 00:10:35.730 --> 00:10:38.129 faith promise slips should go in the plates as 00:10:38.129 --> 00:10:40.769 we collect the offering today. Let's bow together. 00:10:41.850 --> 00:10:45.029 Lord, today we need to turn our eyes upon you 00:10:45.029 --> 00:10:50.409 as much as ever before in our lives and to focus 00:10:50.409 --> 00:10:54.230 upon the grace that you desire to make real. 00:10:54.779 --> 00:10:58.860 in our experience. Lord, I pray that you will 00:10:58.860 --> 00:11:02.500 open the floodgates in our lives, remove the 00:11:02.500 --> 00:11:06.480 obstacles, the hindrances, and work powerfully 00:11:06.480 --> 00:11:09.080 in us and prove yourself as the faithful God 00:11:09.080 --> 00:11:13.700 that you are, where we can see you in our daily 00:11:13.700 --> 00:11:17.980 lives as well as in the ministry of our church. 00:11:19.600 --> 00:13:50.519 In Jesus' name, amen. Let's continue singing 00:13:50.519 --> 00:13:54.039 together. Hymn number 16, How Great Thou Art. 00:13:54.120 --> 00:13:56.820 We're going to sing all four stanzas. We'll sing 00:13:56.820 --> 00:13:58.860 the fourth verse a cappella and then the instruments 00:13:58.860 --> 00:14:02.580 will join us on the chorus. Number 16, How Great 00:14:02.580 --> 00:14:05.419 Thou Art. Let's stand please as we sing together. 00:15:51.210 --> 00:17:47.599 I thought When Christ shall come with shout of 00:17:47.599 --> 00:17:56.180 acclamation, And take me home, what joy shall 00:17:56.180 --> 00:19:13.769 fill my heart. Please be seated. Let's open our 00:19:13.769 --> 00:19:16.849 Bibles today to the 10th chapter of the Gospel 00:19:16.849 --> 00:19:21.289 of Mark. The title of the message today is Where 00:19:21.289 --> 00:19:24.650 the Rubber Meets the Road. I think the title 00:19:24.650 --> 00:19:26.990 will make itself clear as we work through the 00:19:26.990 --> 00:19:42.039 first part of the message. As he was setting 00:19:42.039 --> 00:19:45.579 out on a journey, a man ran up to him and knelt 00:19:45.579 --> 00:19:48.940 before him and began asking him, Good Teacher, 00:19:49.319 --> 00:19:53.539 what shall I do to inherit eternal life? And 00:19:53.539 --> 00:19:56.980 Jesus said to him, Why do you call me good? No 00:19:56.980 --> 00:20:01.289 one is good except God alone. Jesus is not denying 00:20:01.289 --> 00:20:04.089 his own deity here, he is simply probing this 00:20:04.089 --> 00:20:06.690 man to see if he really understands who Jesus 00:20:06.690 --> 00:20:10.509 is, attempting to lead him to understand that 00:20:10.509 --> 00:20:14.089 he in fact is God and that good is appropriate 00:20:14.089 --> 00:20:17.809 when speaking to Jesus. He goes on to say, you 00:20:17.809 --> 00:20:20.470 know the commandments, do not murder, do not 00:20:20.470 --> 00:20:24.190 commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false 00:20:24.190 --> 00:20:27.349 witness, do not defraud, honor your father and 00:20:27.349 --> 00:20:31.150 mother. And he said to him, teacher, I have kept 00:20:31.150 --> 00:20:34.589 all these things from my youth up. And I think 00:20:34.589 --> 00:20:37.569 the man was sincere in saying that, but he was 00:20:37.569 --> 00:20:42.630 measuring himself externally. This was an external 00:20:42.630 --> 00:20:45.970 righteousness, not heart righteousness. He was 00:20:45.970 --> 00:20:49.569 measuring himself as did the scribes and Pharisees. 00:20:50.089 --> 00:20:52.690 And looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him 00:20:52.690 --> 00:20:57.140 and said to him, one thing you lack, go. and 00:20:57.140 --> 00:21:00.400 sell all you possess, and give to the poor, and 00:21:00.400 --> 00:21:02.819 you shall have treasure in heaven, and come, 00:21:03.160 --> 00:21:07.000 follow me." Jesus put his finger into the heart 00:21:07.000 --> 00:21:11.259 of this young man, took him beyond the external 00:21:11.259 --> 00:21:13.640 measurements he was using so that he might see 00:21:13.640 --> 00:21:17.799 his real heart need. And by the way, Jesus was 00:21:17.799 --> 00:21:19.980 not saying that by doing this he would inherit 00:21:19.980 --> 00:21:24.359 eternal life. Eternal life comes by faith, and 00:21:24.359 --> 00:21:28.309 as it says here, come, follow me. But Jesus wanted 00:21:28.309 --> 00:21:30.589 to remove the obstacle first. Before he could 00:21:30.589 --> 00:21:33.150 follow Jesus, he had to get rid of the covetousness 00:21:33.150 --> 00:21:37.809 of his heart. But at these words his face fell 00:21:37.809 --> 00:21:41.190 and he went away grieved, for he was one who 00:21:41.190 --> 00:21:44.769 owned much property. And Jesus, looking around, 00:21:44.829 --> 00:21:48.450 said to his disciples, How hard it will be for 00:21:48.450 --> 00:21:51.470 those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of 00:21:51.470 --> 00:21:55.690 God. And the disciples were amazed at his words. 00:21:55.869 --> 00:21:58.250 But Jesus answered again and said to them, Children, 00:21:58.289 --> 00:22:01.950 how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God. It 00:22:01.950 --> 00:22:04.529 is easier for a camel to go through the eye of 00:22:04.529 --> 00:22:07.650 a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom 00:22:07.650 --> 00:22:11.490 of God. They were even more astonished and said 00:22:11.490 --> 00:22:15.130 to him, Then who can be saved? Looking upon them, 00:22:15.150 --> 00:22:18.509 Jesus said, With men it is impossible, but not 00:22:18.509 --> 00:22:21.289 with God, for all things are possible with God. 00:22:22.349 --> 00:22:26.349 Let's pray. Lord, I pray that as we examine your 00:22:26.349 --> 00:22:29.730 Scripture, the Holy Spirit would be our teacher 00:22:29.730 --> 00:22:33.529 and would speak to us and would expose whatever 00:22:33.529 --> 00:22:36.210 there needs to be exposed in our lives that we 00:22:36.210 --> 00:22:43.390 might come and follow you. In Jesus' name we 00:22:43.390 --> 00:22:50.509 pray, amen. I was struck last Sunday by Robertson 00:22:50.509 --> 00:22:55.089 McQuilkin's remark about the all -American commandment. 00:22:55.089 --> 00:22:59.569 You remember that? Thou shalt covet, he said, 00:23:00.130 --> 00:23:03.329 using 1 Corinthians 12 .31 as his tongue -in 00:23:03.329 --> 00:23:07.750 -cheek proof text. I smiled at his humor, but 00:23:07.750 --> 00:23:10.289 at the same time, perhaps like you, winced at 00:23:10.289 --> 00:23:14.990 the sharpness of his point. Covetousness is a 00:23:14.990 --> 00:23:19.019 temptation that every one of us faces. especially 00:23:19.019 --> 00:23:22.160 in this culture with its materialistic values. 00:23:23.440 --> 00:23:28.119 We, all of us, struggle daily with this green 00:23:28.119 --> 00:23:33.019 -eyed monster. And sadly, often not very successfully. 00:23:35.079 --> 00:23:38.740 You see, we are wonderfully gifted at creating 00:23:38.740 --> 00:23:43.740 rationales for our own selfish accumulation of 00:23:43.740 --> 00:23:47.359 personal wealth. By the way, the greatest wealth 00:23:47.559 --> 00:23:50.720 that any people have known in the history of 00:23:50.720 --> 00:23:56.519 the world. We give at the office. We hand out 00:23:56.519 --> 00:24:00.759 at the door. We pledge to charity. We put something 00:24:00.759 --> 00:24:03.900 in the offering plate at church. And then, of 00:24:03.900 --> 00:24:06.180 course, we conclude that we've done our fair 00:24:06.180 --> 00:24:09.599 share for others and that we can now lavish the 00:24:09.599 --> 00:24:13.759 remainder on our own pleasurable lifestyles. 00:24:14.119 --> 00:24:17.339 or perhaps save it up to secure for ourselves 00:24:17.339 --> 00:24:22.819 a comfortable future. We reason that we are not 00:24:22.819 --> 00:24:26.759 the ones who are wealthy. We are not rich. After 00:24:26.759 --> 00:24:29.079 all, there are others around us who have much 00:24:29.079 --> 00:24:32.960 more than we have. Why, we're only middle class. 00:24:35.819 --> 00:24:38.279 Beloved, I'm convinced that our attitude toward 00:24:38.279 --> 00:24:42.920 our money and our earthly possessions, however 00:24:42.920 --> 00:24:47.420 much they may be or however little, that that 00:24:47.420 --> 00:24:51.039 is where the rubber meets the road as far as 00:24:51.039 --> 00:24:55.559 our spiritual confession is concerned. That's 00:24:55.559 --> 00:25:01.019 the real test of what we are spiritually. Have 00:25:01.019 --> 00:25:05.559 you carefully, prayerfully considered the stewardship 00:25:05.559 --> 00:25:11.880 of your money and your possessions? Perhaps the 00:25:11.880 --> 00:25:15.319 ownership prayer has struck a sensitive nerve 00:25:15.319 --> 00:25:19.519 in your heart as it has mine over the last few 00:25:19.519 --> 00:25:25.140 weeks. One cannot pray those words for several 00:25:25.140 --> 00:25:30.000 weeks without his heart having a dramatic impact 00:25:30.000 --> 00:25:35.059 being made. By the way, those words are ones 00:25:35.059 --> 00:25:37.180 that you may wish to keep in a more permanent 00:25:37.180 --> 00:25:42.980 form. We're making available to you today a beautiful 00:25:43.210 --> 00:25:45.990 printing, suitable for framing, of the words 00:25:45.990 --> 00:25:50.210 of the ownership prayer. Before we distribute 00:25:50.210 --> 00:25:52.289 them broadly, what I'd like to do is offer them 00:25:52.289 --> 00:25:56.410 to those of you who have sought to incorporate 00:25:56.410 --> 00:26:00.670 that discipline of praying this prayer in this 00:26:00.670 --> 00:26:03.490 fall spiritual adventure. You may not have prayed 00:26:03.490 --> 00:26:06.069 it every day as you had hoped or intended to 00:26:06.069 --> 00:26:08.890 do, but if this has been a discipline that you 00:26:08.890 --> 00:26:11.490 sought to keep over these last weeks, There's 00:26:11.490 --> 00:26:13.930 a free copy for you up here in the front and 00:26:13.930 --> 00:26:16.890 also some tables in the back. I'd like for you 00:26:16.890 --> 00:26:18.509 to take this and maybe you'd want to put it in 00:26:18.509 --> 00:26:23.990 your office or your home as a reminder of the 00:26:23.990 --> 00:26:26.890 ownership prayer that God has indelibly written 00:26:26.890 --> 00:26:30.009 upon your heart during these days. We'd like 00:26:30.009 --> 00:26:32.809 to start by offering them one to a family and 00:26:32.809 --> 00:26:35.589 then if we have some left over we can offer perhaps 00:26:35.589 --> 00:26:38.109 two to a family in case you want to put one in 00:26:38.109 --> 00:26:41.579 your office and in your home. Have you considered 00:26:41.579 --> 00:26:43.480 though the items that are mentioned in this prayer? 00:26:44.579 --> 00:26:48.220 It says, these possessions, these resources, 00:26:48.500 --> 00:26:53.059 these gifts are not mine but yours. What do those 00:26:53.059 --> 00:26:56.700 words mean? What are we talking about when we 00:26:56.700 --> 00:27:01.119 talk about our possessions? Well, let me suggest 00:27:01.119 --> 00:27:05.440 that it refers to all that we own. It's talking 00:27:05.440 --> 00:27:10.390 about our home, our land. The car, the stereo, 00:27:11.529 --> 00:27:14.349 our wardrobe and adornments, the collectibles, 00:27:15.150 --> 00:27:18.710 even the guest room we have in our homes. Those 00:27:18.710 --> 00:27:21.869 are our possessions. There are others that we 00:27:21.869 --> 00:27:24.970 could name. What do we mean when we talk about 00:27:24.970 --> 00:27:28.509 our resources? Well, it includes our bank accounts, 00:27:30.109 --> 00:27:35.109 our safe deposit boxes, inheritances, insurance, 00:27:35.650 --> 00:27:39.549 investments, influence. Yes, our influence. That 00:27:39.549 --> 00:27:43.809 too is a resource that God has given us. When 00:27:43.809 --> 00:27:45.970 we talk about our gifts being the Lord's, what's 00:27:45.970 --> 00:27:49.369 in mind? Well, let's say that it includes our 00:27:49.369 --> 00:27:53.910 skills, the talents God has given us, our spiritual 00:27:53.910 --> 00:28:01.049 gifts, children, friendships, whatever physical 00:28:01.049 --> 00:28:04.769 attributes God may have given us. Our gifts include 00:28:04.769 --> 00:28:09.150 our creativity. and certainly the time that we 00:28:09.150 --> 00:28:15.150 have. You see, by nature, we tend to grasp, to 00:28:15.150 --> 00:28:18.349 hang on to all of these things. And that's the 00:28:18.349 --> 00:28:22.809 real heart of the issue, isn't it? All of us 00:28:22.809 --> 00:28:26.369 struggle with the idea of ownership. Whose are 00:28:26.369 --> 00:28:31.509 these things? We have yet to realize, perhaps, 00:28:32.650 --> 00:28:37.259 that none of these things really is ours at all. 00:28:38.039 --> 00:28:43.619 They are all our kings. And we then are expected 00:28:43.619 --> 00:28:50.559 to use them, to manage them. They are entrusted 00:28:50.559 --> 00:28:56.039 to us, not for our own selfish use, but for His 00:28:56.039 --> 00:29:01.960 use, His purposes. He wants us to make them available 00:29:01.960 --> 00:29:04.440 as it says in that prayer for the work of his 00:29:04.440 --> 00:29:09.720 kingdom. That's why we have them When Jesus comes 00:29:09.720 --> 00:29:15.740 to visit we are reminded to see our things Through 00:29:15.740 --> 00:29:19.799 his eyes Now of course Jesus was there before 00:29:19.799 --> 00:29:21.980 our fall adventure and he is going to be in our 00:29:21.980 --> 00:29:26.109 homes after the fall adventure is over But there 00:29:26.109 --> 00:29:28.609 is a sense in which we have emphasized his presence 00:29:28.609 --> 00:29:31.650 in our homes during these days. He cannot be 00:29:31.650 --> 00:29:34.470 there with that special emphasis without our 00:29:34.470 --> 00:29:36.769 having to see our possessions, our resources, 00:29:36.990 --> 00:29:40.410 our gifts through his eyes to whom they really 00:29:40.410 --> 00:29:45.369 belong. Now there are people who object to this 00:29:45.369 --> 00:29:49.069 kind of thinking. For example, there are some 00:29:49.069 --> 00:29:52.710 who might say, what right does Jesus Christ have 00:29:52.710 --> 00:29:57.420 to my money? possessions and gifts. What right 00:29:57.420 --> 00:30:01.220 does he have? That may sound a little strong, 00:30:01.740 --> 00:30:04.759 perhaps even on the border of blasphemy, but 00:30:04.759 --> 00:30:08.019 might it not reflect the real attitude of our 00:30:08.019 --> 00:30:13.079 hearts at times? What right does Jesus Christ 00:30:13.079 --> 00:30:18.460 have to these things that are mine, we ask. Let 00:30:18.460 --> 00:30:22.920 me suggest that he has rights to them. In the 00:30:22.920 --> 00:30:27.819 first place, He created all things. And so these 00:30:27.819 --> 00:30:30.779 things that we call ours are actually His by 00:30:30.779 --> 00:30:35.180 right of creation. As the Apostle said in Colossians 00:30:35.180 --> 00:30:41.619 1 .16, By Him were all things made. And so anything 00:30:41.619 --> 00:30:44.539 that you and I possess during our brief time 00:30:44.539 --> 00:30:48.700 in this world is actually His by right of creation. 00:30:48.799 --> 00:30:55.279 He made all things. Secondly, I would suggest 00:30:55.279 --> 00:30:57.720 that he has rights to them because he endowed 00:30:57.720 --> 00:31:02.140 all of these things to us. They are his by right 00:31:02.140 --> 00:31:07.000 of prepossession. Before they were ours, they 00:31:07.000 --> 00:31:10.720 were his. He has given them to us for this brief 00:31:10.720 --> 00:31:15.400 span that we call life. As Paul wrote to the 00:31:15.400 --> 00:31:17.440 Corinthians in the fourth chapter and seventh 00:31:17.440 --> 00:31:21.359 verse of the first letter, what do you have? 00:31:21.579 --> 00:31:28.299 that you did not receive? Good question. John 00:31:28.299 --> 00:31:31.700 the Baptist knew this. He is recorded in the 00:31:31.700 --> 00:31:33.700 Gospel of John, the third chapter, the twenty 00:31:33.700 --> 00:31:39.019 -seventh verse. A man can receive nothing unless 00:31:39.019 --> 00:31:45.440 it has been given him from heaven. And James 00:31:45.440 --> 00:31:48.140 echoes the same theme in the first chapter and 00:31:48.140 --> 00:31:50.920 seventeenth verse of his letter. When He says, 00:31:51.599 --> 00:31:54.920 every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift 00:31:54.920 --> 00:31:58.380 is from above, coming down from the Father of 00:31:58.380 --> 00:32:01.740 lights. What right does Jesus Christ have to 00:32:01.740 --> 00:32:04.920 these things? Every right, because they are His 00:32:04.920 --> 00:32:10.940 by right of pre -possession. And thirdly, I would 00:32:10.940 --> 00:32:13.940 suggest to you that they are His by right of 00:32:13.940 --> 00:32:17.559 redemption. For you see, He bought us with His 00:32:17.559 --> 00:32:21.289 own precious blood. The Apostle Paul writes to 00:32:21.289 --> 00:32:24.470 us in 1 Corinthians 6 19 and says, You are not 00:32:24.470 --> 00:32:28.450 your own, you have been purchased with a price. 00:32:29.910 --> 00:32:33.529 If you today claim to know Jesus Christ as your 00:32:33.529 --> 00:32:37.849 Savior and Lord, then you are saying by that 00:32:37.849 --> 00:32:40.789 that you have been purchased or ransomed from 00:32:40.789 --> 00:32:47.660 your lostness, your sin, to belong to Him. That 00:32:47.660 --> 00:32:52.039 ransom price has purchased you and me So that 00:32:52.039 --> 00:32:57.240 we're no longer our own What right does Jesus 00:32:57.240 --> 00:33:01.900 Christ have to these things our money our possessions 00:33:01.900 --> 00:33:07.000 our gifts They are his by right of creation they 00:33:07.000 --> 00:33:09.680 are his by right of prepossession they are his 00:33:09.680 --> 00:33:15.039 by right of redemption Turn with me into the 00:33:15.039 --> 00:33:20.779 Old Testament to 1 Chronicles chapter 29. We're 00:33:20.779 --> 00:33:23.380 going to see that this was a truth that David 00:33:23.380 --> 00:33:33.319 recognized. This is part of David's prayer after 00:33:33.319 --> 00:33:37.000 gathering the materials necessary for the construction 00:33:37.000 --> 00:33:43.000 of the future temple. Notice it says in verse 00:33:43.000 --> 00:33:48.839 9, then the people rejoiced because they had 00:33:48.839 --> 00:33:53.200 offered so willingly, for they made their offering 00:33:53.200 --> 00:33:57.259 to the Lord. Isn't that a great thought? They 00:33:57.259 --> 00:34:00.039 had received a great offering David gave first, 00:34:00.200 --> 00:34:02.440 then the leadership, and then all the people 00:34:02.440 --> 00:34:06.640 gave and the result was so generous, so abundant 00:34:06.640 --> 00:34:09.539 that they all rejoiced because they had given 00:34:09.539 --> 00:34:12.260 their offering to the Lord. It's good for us 00:34:12.260 --> 00:34:15.239 to remember that as we bring our gifts to the 00:34:15.239 --> 00:34:19.619 Lord, we put them in the plate. That we are not 00:34:19.619 --> 00:34:23.139 giving our gifts to the church primarily, or 00:34:23.139 --> 00:34:25.920 to the missionaries primarily. Rather, we are 00:34:25.920 --> 00:34:30.260 giving them to the Lord to be used in the advancement 00:34:30.260 --> 00:34:33.179 of His Kingdom. And notice it goes on to say 00:34:33.179 --> 00:34:35.639 in the next phrase, they made their offering 00:34:35.639 --> 00:34:38.039 to the Lord with a whole heart. They held nothing 00:34:38.039 --> 00:34:42.489 back. And King David also rejoiced greatly. So 00:34:42.489 --> 00:34:44.889 David blessed the Lord in the sight of all the 00:34:44.889 --> 00:34:47.750 assembly. And David said, here's his prayer, 00:34:48.349 --> 00:34:51.309 Blessed art thou, O Lord God of Israel, our Father, 00:34:51.409 --> 00:34:55.210 forever and ever. Thine, O Lord, is the greatness 00:34:55.210 --> 00:34:58.349 and the power and the glory and the victory and 00:34:58.349 --> 00:35:02.690 the majesty, indeed everything, that is in the 00:35:02.690 --> 00:35:06.489 heavens and the earth. Thine is the dominion, 00:35:06.489 --> 00:35:10.739 O Lord. and thou dost exalt thyself as head over 00:35:10.739 --> 00:35:14.920 all. Both riches and honor come from thee, and 00:35:14.920 --> 00:35:18.460 thou dost rule over all, and in thy hand is power 00:35:18.460 --> 00:35:22.300 and might, and it lies in thy hand to make great 00:35:22.300 --> 00:35:25.840 and to strengthen every one. Now therefore, our 00:35:25.840 --> 00:35:28.780 God, we thank thee and praise thy glorious name. 00:35:28.980 --> 00:35:32.840 But who am I? And who are my people that we should 00:35:32.840 --> 00:35:37.739 be able to offer as generously as this? For all 00:35:37.739 --> 00:35:41.920 things come from thee, and from thy hand we have 00:35:41.920 --> 00:35:46.079 given thee." You see, David recognizes that as 00:35:46.079 --> 00:35:48.760 they brought this generous offering, they were 00:35:48.760 --> 00:35:51.880 only returning to the Lord what he first had 00:35:51.880 --> 00:35:59.719 given to them. It was his by right. He was the 00:35:59.719 --> 00:36:03.599 owner. And that certainly is not Old Testament 00:36:03.599 --> 00:36:08.760 doctrine merely. But then someone may object 00:36:08.760 --> 00:36:11.500 by saying don't I have the privilege to enjoy 00:36:11.500 --> 00:36:14.519 the things God has given to me Doesn't it say 00:36:14.519 --> 00:36:17.239 in the Bible somewhere that he's given us all 00:36:17.239 --> 00:36:24.139 things richly to enjoy Amen indeed it does God 00:36:24.139 --> 00:36:27.179 has given us all things richly to enjoy first 00:36:27.179 --> 00:36:33.079 Timothy 6 17 But God has not given us those things 00:36:33.079 --> 00:36:37.679 for us to live luxuriantly and pander our greed. 00:36:38.940 --> 00:36:41.360 You see, the key to that verse is what enjoy 00:36:41.360 --> 00:36:46.460 means. Giving us all things, richly, to enjoy. 00:36:47.699 --> 00:36:50.039 What does it mean to enjoy all of these things 00:36:50.039 --> 00:36:55.179 that God has richly given to us? Well, let me 00:36:55.179 --> 00:36:57.579 suggest in the first place it means to have one's 00:36:57.579 --> 00:37:01.820 needs met. Including, by the way, the need for 00:37:01.820 --> 00:37:07.949 pleasure. God has created us so that we need 00:37:07.949 --> 00:37:11.670 pleasure. Now when pleasure becomes our chief 00:37:11.670 --> 00:37:14.989 end, when it becomes our God, then that is sin. 00:37:15.630 --> 00:37:17.929 But understand that one of our basic human needs 00:37:17.929 --> 00:37:20.909 is pleasure and God gives us all things richly 00:37:20.909 --> 00:37:28.670 to enjoy for our needs to be met. Seek ye first 00:37:28.670 --> 00:37:30.849 the kingdom of God and His righteousness and 00:37:30.849 --> 00:37:33.719 all these things. will be added to you. What 00:37:33.719 --> 00:37:42.420 things? Food, clothing, a place to live. What 00:37:42.420 --> 00:37:44.019 does it mean to enjoy them? It means to have 00:37:44.019 --> 00:37:45.880 your needs met. It's a joy, isn't it, to see 00:37:45.880 --> 00:37:52.179 God meet your needs. I think secondly, to enjoy 00:37:52.179 --> 00:37:56.699 means to be able to give to those who are needy. 00:37:58.159 --> 00:38:00.760 He's given us all things richly to enjoy. One 00:38:00.760 --> 00:38:03.039 of the greatest ways to enjoy what God has given 00:38:03.039 --> 00:38:08.500 to us is to give it. To give it away. I talked 00:38:08.500 --> 00:38:10.800 to a man this last week whose father is in the 00:38:10.800 --> 00:38:13.940 position to be able to give a college in another 00:38:13.940 --> 00:38:18.639 state and he did a million dollars. Why? It's 00:38:18.639 --> 00:38:24.320 a great joy to him to give. Jesus said it is 00:38:24.320 --> 00:38:29.570 more blessed to give than it is to receive. So 00:38:29.570 --> 00:38:32.070 God has given us all these things to enjoy by 00:38:32.070 --> 00:38:37.289 giving to those who have need. And thirdly, we 00:38:37.289 --> 00:38:43.050 enjoy our things by investing them wisely in 00:38:43.050 --> 00:38:46.590 the Lord's work. Turn with me to Luke chapter 00:38:46.590 --> 00:38:51.590 16. Jesus here tells a parable that has left 00:38:51.590 --> 00:38:54.980 a lot of people puzzled. I wish we had time to 00:38:54.980 --> 00:38:57.480 go into it, but actually it was preached to us 00:38:57.480 --> 00:38:59.739 a year and a half ago by Robert Smith when he 00:38:59.739 --> 00:39:01.579 preached here and delivered a great message on 00:39:01.579 --> 00:39:04.519 this text. So I'm not going to take time to do 00:39:04.519 --> 00:39:08.460 it this morning. If we want to enjoy the things 00:39:08.460 --> 00:39:12.199 God has given to us, it means that we will invest 00:39:12.199 --> 00:39:15.320 them so that we can rejoice one day in heaven 00:39:15.320 --> 00:39:19.159 with those who have been won to Christ by our 00:39:19.159 --> 00:39:23.349 wise use of the Lord's money. Notice in verse 00:39:23.349 --> 00:39:27.289 9 as Jesus summarizes the story about the shrewd 00:39:27.289 --> 00:39:31.690 steward He says and I say to you here's the conclusion. 00:39:31.690 --> 00:39:36.269 Here's the application make friends for yourselves 00:39:36.269 --> 00:39:41.849 by means of the mammon of unrighteousness That 00:39:41.849 --> 00:39:44.550 is another phrase for money or the things that 00:39:44.550 --> 00:39:50.019 we have that when it fails they may receive you 00:39:50.019 --> 00:39:54.260 into the eternal dwellings." Isn't that a strange 00:39:54.260 --> 00:39:59.099 thing, so it seems for Jesus to say? Not at all. 00:39:59.960 --> 00:40:02.780 Jesus is saying to us that we need to be shrewd, 00:40:03.000 --> 00:40:06.739 wise, that is, in the use of our earthly resources. 00:40:07.820 --> 00:40:10.480 He's saying that we need to use it in such a 00:40:10.480 --> 00:40:16.210 way as to make friends. who will be able to welcome 00:40:16.210 --> 00:40:19.909 us into heaven when life has failed, when it's 00:40:19.909 --> 00:40:24.769 over. The idea is that as we invest in the Lord's 00:40:24.769 --> 00:40:27.909 work, people that we've even not met are one 00:40:27.909 --> 00:40:32.269 to Jesus Christ, as God's work is advanced in 00:40:32.269 --> 00:40:36.349 other parts of the world, as well as here. And 00:40:36.349 --> 00:40:39.070 one day when we get to heaven, we will for the 00:40:39.070 --> 00:40:41.670 first time be able to see what the investment 00:40:41.670 --> 00:40:47.619 of our money has meant. Those friends will welcome 00:40:47.619 --> 00:40:52.260 us in the eternal habitations. They will say, 00:40:52.280 --> 00:40:55.159 welcome, I am here because of your investment 00:40:55.159 --> 00:40:57.940 in the Lord's kingdom down there on the earth. 00:40:58.199 --> 00:41:04.019 That's what Jesus is saying. To enjoy the things 00:41:04.019 --> 00:41:08.559 that God gives to us. One is very wise to invest 00:41:08.559 --> 00:41:11.119 it in the work of the Lord because then you see, 00:41:11.300 --> 00:41:15.789 one is investing in heaven. And one gets eternal 00:41:15.789 --> 00:41:19.530 pleasure from it, and not merely passing pleasure. 00:41:21.769 --> 00:41:24.929 Well, someone says, what has the use of my money 00:41:24.929 --> 00:41:28.389 got to do with spiritual things? After all, the 00:41:28.389 --> 00:41:32.210 two aren't even related. Ah, how wrong that is. 00:41:33.409 --> 00:41:35.769 Indeed, notice Jesus' words in verses 11 and 00:41:35.769 --> 00:41:39.309 12. If therefore you have not been faithful. 00:41:40.230 --> 00:41:44.510 Excuse me, back up to verse 10. He who is faithful 00:41:44.510 --> 00:41:49.730 in a very little thing is faithful also in much, 00:41:50.750 --> 00:41:53.710 and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing 00:41:53.710 --> 00:41:57.070 is unrighteous also in much. If, therefore, you 00:41:57.070 --> 00:41:59.710 have not been faithful in the use of unrighteous 00:41:59.710 --> 00:42:04.909 mammon, who will entrust the true riches to you? 00:42:05.130 --> 00:42:07.510 And if you have not been faithful in the use 00:42:07.510 --> 00:42:10.409 of that which is another's, who will give you 00:42:10.409 --> 00:42:14.510 that which is your own? You see, what our Lord 00:42:14.510 --> 00:42:16.929 is saying here is that one's faithfulness in 00:42:16.929 --> 00:42:22.929 the use of his money is a direct indication of 00:42:22.929 --> 00:42:29.590 his fitness for spiritual things. That may surprise 00:42:29.590 --> 00:42:32.369 some of you, but that is the teaching of Jesus 00:42:32.369 --> 00:42:36.349 Christ. Now that does not mean that those who 00:42:36.349 --> 00:42:39.869 have a lot of money are therefore naturally qualified 00:42:39.869 --> 00:42:43.019 for spiritual responsibility. It really has nothing 00:42:43.019 --> 00:42:45.920 to do with the amount that one has. The point 00:42:45.920 --> 00:42:53.519 is, how does one use what he has? Jesus says 00:42:53.519 --> 00:42:56.380 if a man knows how to use these little things, 00:42:57.420 --> 00:42:59.619 if he's faithful in these unimportant little 00:42:59.619 --> 00:43:03.179 things, then he can be given the eternal things, 00:43:03.260 --> 00:43:06.219 the true things, the spiritual responsibilities. 00:43:06.860 --> 00:43:15.119 He can be trusted with them. I was never taught, 00:43:15.139 --> 00:43:19.380 as a young person, anything about giving, beyond 00:43:19.380 --> 00:43:21.500 the fact that I should put something in the offering 00:43:21.500 --> 00:43:25.539 plate. And I usually did put something in the 00:43:25.539 --> 00:43:29.159 offering plate. Even through my college years, 00:43:29.219 --> 00:43:31.800 I rationalized that I was a poor college student, 00:43:32.539 --> 00:43:34.760 and therefore, and I was going to a Christian 00:43:34.760 --> 00:43:37.219 college and giving my money to them, so it wasn't 00:43:37.219 --> 00:43:39.619 that supporting the Lord's work. I mean, there 00:43:39.619 --> 00:43:41.619 are all kinds of rationales you can come up with. 00:43:44.059 --> 00:43:46.639 It wasn't really until I was out of college and 00:43:46.639 --> 00:43:50.639 had gone down to Covington, Kentucky in my first 00:43:50.639 --> 00:43:53.360 ministry that God taught me a lesson about this. 00:43:53.639 --> 00:43:58.039 And it came in a rather pointed way. Pastor Wiersbie, 00:43:58.159 --> 00:44:00.000 under whom I worked for those two years while 00:44:00.000 --> 00:44:03.760 he was there, said to me, now, Pastor Call, who 00:44:03.760 --> 00:44:07.000 were very formal in those days, now, Pastor Call, 00:44:08.239 --> 00:44:12.309 you will, of course, tithe your salary. so that 00:44:12.309 --> 00:44:14.670 you can set a good example for the Lord's people 00:44:14.670 --> 00:44:19.590 in our church. I'm sure he didn't hear me suck 00:44:19.590 --> 00:44:24.309 in my breath or swallow hard, but that was the 00:44:24.309 --> 00:44:26.389 first time in my life I had ever been really 00:44:26.389 --> 00:44:31.190 confronted with the concept of tithing, and obviously 00:44:31.190 --> 00:44:37.409 I began tithing. It was not exactly of free will 00:44:37.409 --> 00:44:42.809 at first. I felt some coercion in it, but it 00:44:42.809 --> 00:44:46.070 wasn't long before I began to see the joy in 00:44:46.070 --> 00:44:51.809 giving more than just a nickel or a dime. Our 00:44:51.809 --> 00:44:54.150 family has continued the practice of at least 00:44:54.150 --> 00:44:58.050 tithing through the years. There have been times 00:44:58.050 --> 00:45:00.510 we did not know how ends were going to meet. 00:45:02.929 --> 00:45:05.750 No, we are not wealthy because we've tithed. 00:45:06.210 --> 00:45:08.670 No, we cannot do all the things we would like 00:45:08.670 --> 00:45:11.889 to do. But I want to say this to you as a testimony 00:45:11.889 --> 00:45:14.869 in the part of our family, that we have found 00:45:14.869 --> 00:45:19.090 God to faithfully meet our needs, and even more, 00:45:20.349 --> 00:45:26.030 as we've been faithful in giving. You say, well 00:45:26.030 --> 00:45:28.610 then do you believe that tithing is a legal requirement 00:45:28.610 --> 00:45:33.320 for this age? No, I do not believe that. I know 00:45:33.320 --> 00:45:35.079 that there are some who do, and that's fine. 00:45:35.079 --> 00:45:37.719 I'm not going to argue with them. We all have 00:45:37.719 --> 00:45:42.900 the right to be wrong, including me. I'm not 00:45:42.900 --> 00:45:46.500 going to argue that point. But I do believe this, 00:45:49.440 --> 00:45:52.360 that if I, in this age of grace, with all of 00:45:52.360 --> 00:45:56.360 the privileges that I have in Jesus Christ, give 00:45:56.360 --> 00:45:58.800 less than what a Jew did in the Old Testament 00:45:58.800 --> 00:46:02.809 under law, and somewhere I'm missing something. 00:46:05.329 --> 00:46:09.690 I've overlooked something. Something's not functioning 00:46:09.690 --> 00:46:15.769 in my life very well. I believe that tithing 00:46:15.769 --> 00:46:18.670 is not a legalistic requirement, but it's a good 00:46:18.670 --> 00:46:22.550 goal to start with. And which one should then 00:46:22.550 --> 00:46:31.000 pass up in its giving? As one learns to be faithful 00:46:31.000 --> 00:46:37.920 in these things, God then entrusts spiritual 00:46:37.920 --> 00:46:42.500 responsibilities and opportunities. You see, 00:46:42.599 --> 00:46:44.539 the use of our money and what we do with that 00:46:44.539 --> 00:46:50.880 has direct bearing upon our spiritual opportunities. 00:46:52.159 --> 00:46:55.780 The two do go together. Now, I know that there 00:46:55.780 --> 00:46:57.880 are those who tell you that if you tithe, you're 00:46:57.880 --> 00:46:59.559 going to be prosperous and you're going to be 00:46:59.559 --> 00:47:01.719 wealthy. In fact, I have had material come to 00:47:01.719 --> 00:47:04.480 me that has said if I will send my money to a 00:47:04.480 --> 00:47:07.440 certain place in Oklahoma, that when I send it, 00:47:07.440 --> 00:47:10.719 I will have it double my money back within a 00:47:10.719 --> 00:47:15.380 month. Well, that simply isn't true. But I have 00:47:15.380 --> 00:47:18.000 found this in our experience as a family, that 00:47:18.000 --> 00:47:23.039 when I have been faithful to God in giving, that 00:47:23.039 --> 00:47:26.159 God has always made the remainder go further. 00:47:27.179 --> 00:47:28.460 Some of you are shaking your heads, you know 00:47:28.460 --> 00:47:32.139 what I'm talking about. If one is faithful in 00:47:32.139 --> 00:47:33.940 his giving to God, and by that I mean giving 00:47:33.940 --> 00:47:38.119 the first fruits, not the leftovers, but upfront 00:47:38.119 --> 00:47:42.340 giving the first fruits, giving to God what is 00:47:42.340 --> 00:47:46.659 purposed in the heart, giving to God that sacrifice, 00:47:46.780 --> 00:47:50.960 that step of faith, that if one is faithful in 00:47:50.960 --> 00:47:54.800 doing that, God will see that the needs are cared 00:47:54.800 --> 00:48:00.579 for, and even more. But someone says, can I have 00:48:00.579 --> 00:48:04.139 the best of both worlds? I'll serve God, but 00:48:04.139 --> 00:48:06.360 I also want to retain the right to my money. 00:48:06.880 --> 00:48:10.400 Well, look in verse 13. Jesus said, no servant 00:48:10.400 --> 00:48:13.659 can serve two masters. For either he will hate 00:48:13.659 --> 00:48:16.179 the one and love the other, or else he will hold 00:48:16.179 --> 00:48:18.239 to the one and despise the other. You cannot 00:48:18.239 --> 00:48:24.469 serve God and mammon. Our Lord says it's impossible 00:48:24.469 --> 00:48:29.730 for us to have two authorities in our life. One 00:48:29.730 --> 00:48:33.170 or the other must dominate by the very nature 00:48:33.170 --> 00:48:37.050 of things. He is saying that God will not share 00:48:37.050 --> 00:48:41.269 the throne of our lives with money. No, we can't 00:48:41.269 --> 00:48:43.690 have the best of both worlds. That's impossible. 00:48:45.769 --> 00:48:48.309 By the way, Jesus is not here condemning wealth. 00:48:48.449 --> 00:48:51.199 Please understand that. Indeed, it is the Lord 00:48:51.199 --> 00:48:56.940 who gives power to get wealth. He is not condemning 00:48:56.940 --> 00:49:00.000 wealth, but He is condemning making wealth one's 00:49:00.000 --> 00:49:06.280 God. He is condemning serving money instead of 00:49:06.280 --> 00:49:10.360 using money to serve God. That's what He's dealing 00:49:10.360 --> 00:49:15.159 with. This may come as a surprise to some of 00:49:15.159 --> 00:49:18.360 you, but I believe this. That the judgment seat 00:49:18.360 --> 00:49:22.219 of the Lord Jesus Christ When the life's work 00:49:22.219 --> 00:49:26.699 of every believer will be examined For its worth 00:49:26.699 --> 00:49:30.780 in serving the Lord the King in his kingdom here 00:49:30.780 --> 00:49:35.340 in the world When we stand before him on that 00:49:35.340 --> 00:49:37.940 day as those redeemed by his precious blood and 00:49:37.940 --> 00:49:42.119 we give account of ourselves I believe that our 00:49:42.119 --> 00:49:46.079 financial records will be subpoenaed as evidence 00:49:50.510 --> 00:49:54.210 Our heavenly guest for these weeks is gracious 00:49:54.210 --> 00:49:57.550 and lowly of heart. But remember that he is also 00:49:57.550 --> 00:50:03.190 the Master. He is the King, the Sovereign, to 00:50:03.190 --> 00:50:05.750 whom we owe not only our loyalty and allegiance, 00:50:06.929 --> 00:50:09.889 but who has the right of control to everything 00:50:09.889 --> 00:50:17.150 that we have. Let me suggest a project for you, 00:50:18.110 --> 00:50:21.780 your family, if you're married. sometime during 00:50:21.780 --> 00:50:25.059 this upcoming week. Let me encourage you to take 00:50:25.059 --> 00:50:30.300 a walk through your home. Go through each room 00:50:30.300 --> 00:50:34.039 of your home with your guest, the Lord Jesus. 00:50:36.719 --> 00:50:42.239 Ask Him what He thinks of this room and that. 00:50:43.199 --> 00:50:47.019 And dedicate the contents of that room to Him, 00:50:47.500 --> 00:50:52.300 recognizing His right of ownership. Do you dare 00:50:52.300 --> 00:50:58.079 do that? David Maines, who is the director of 00:50:58.079 --> 00:50:59.960 the Chapel of the Air, has written some helpful 00:50:59.960 --> 00:51:03.340 words regarding this. He says, walk through your 00:51:03.340 --> 00:51:06.320 home and say aloud to Christ, this is your living 00:51:06.320 --> 00:51:09.039 room, Your Majesty. Are you pleased with the 00:51:09.039 --> 00:51:12.300 way it's being used on your behalf? Is there 00:51:12.300 --> 00:51:16.320 anything you would change? Then pause and give 00:51:16.320 --> 00:51:19.239 him opportunity to speak in the quiet, to put 00:51:19.239 --> 00:51:22.599 thoughts in your mind. Then continue the process. 00:51:22.639 --> 00:51:26.300 This is your kitchen. This is your garage. This 00:51:26.300 --> 00:51:31.139 is your guest room and so on. Maybe he will use 00:51:31.139 --> 00:51:34.880 or rather speak words of affirmation regarding 00:51:34.880 --> 00:51:38.460 the way his resources are being used. He might 00:51:38.460 --> 00:51:40.840 challenge you to explore new means of service. 00:51:41.079 --> 00:51:43.780 Possibly he will ask you to remove certain items 00:51:43.780 --> 00:51:46.960 that do not please him. Walk with him through 00:51:46.960 --> 00:51:49.199 all that belongs to him. Don't skip anything 00:51:49.199 --> 00:51:52.940 he wants to see. Tell the Lord that above everything 00:51:52.940 --> 00:51:58.340 else you want him to see you as trustworthy regarding 00:51:58.340 --> 00:52:06.139 these resources. Wilkin called it the all -american 00:52:06.139 --> 00:52:08.119 commandment. If there's any commandment that's 00:52:08.119 --> 00:52:12.179 made to be broken, it's that one, at least in 00:52:12.179 --> 00:52:14.739 the context of what we've talked about today. 00:52:17.079 --> 00:52:19.099 I quote again from David Maines when he says, 00:52:20.260 --> 00:52:22.380 At the end of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus 00:52:22.380 --> 00:52:24.840 asked this question, Why do you call me Lord, 00:52:25.000 --> 00:52:29.039 Lord, and do not what I tell you? Even today, 00:52:29.280 --> 00:52:32.039 the cause of our Master is stymied on many fronts, 00:52:33.019 --> 00:52:35.260 because servants hold their Master's resources 00:52:35.260 --> 00:52:40.039 in tight fists. Stewards have forgotten whose 00:52:40.039 --> 00:52:47.739 name is on the possessions they manage. What 00:52:47.739 --> 00:52:50.199 am I saying today on this sixth Sunday of our 00:52:50.199 --> 00:52:55.679 fall spiritual adventure? Here's the summation. 00:52:58.019 --> 00:53:01.940 Don't view what you have as basically yours. 00:53:03.820 --> 00:53:09.239 Rather, do view all that you have as through 00:53:09.239 --> 00:53:18.480 Christ's eyes. Let's pray together. with our 00:53:18.480 --> 00:53:22.300 heads bowed and our eyes shut, and as the Lord 00:53:22.300 --> 00:53:27.639 brings to His own point and His own summation 00:53:27.639 --> 00:53:31.820 what He wants to say to each of us. What is it 00:53:31.820 --> 00:53:35.760 that you need to say to Him today? Will you take 00:53:35.760 --> 00:53:44.219 a moment right now to speak to Jesus? Will you 00:53:44.219 --> 00:53:47.059 open your clenched fist, if that's the case? 00:53:48.480 --> 00:53:53.380 And say, Jesus, what is in my hand has your name 00:53:53.380 --> 00:53:59.039 on it. Give me the wisdom I need to make it available 00:53:59.039 --> 00:54:16.570 for the work of your kingdom. Lord Jesus, we 00:54:16.570 --> 00:54:19.190 are reminded that it is required of stewards 00:54:19.190 --> 00:54:24.110 that they be found faithful. We have been pointedly 00:54:24.110 --> 00:54:27.269 reminded this morning that we are indeed stewards 00:54:27.269 --> 00:54:32.050 and not owners. I pray that we will live like 00:54:32.050 --> 00:54:38.690 it and give like it. I pray that you will work 00:54:38.690 --> 00:54:45.760 this grace into our lives. that we might be generous 00:54:45.760 --> 00:54:53.420 and joyful as we enjoy the things that you have 00:54:53.420 --> 00:55:05.639 given to us so richly. Amen. We're going to sing 00:55:05.639 --> 00:55:08.699 in closing a hymn that you might not recognize. 00:55:08.800 --> 00:55:13.179 It's number 435. We will sing only the first 00:55:13.179 --> 00:55:16.519 two verses of the hymn. And since the tune may 00:55:16.519 --> 00:55:18.039 be new, while you're seated there, I'm going 00:55:18.039 --> 00:55:20.340 to ask Patsy to play it through once for us. 00:55:21.000 --> 00:55:47.409 435. We'll stand together as we sing. We give 00:55:47.409 --> 00:55:58.809 thee by thine own Whatever gift may be All that 00:55:58.809 --> 00:56:06.710 we have is thine alone Our trust, O Lord, from 00:56:06.710 --> 00:56:40.519 thee Let's pray together. Heavenly Father, I 00:56:40.519 --> 00:56:44.639 pray that in light of Jesus' soon coming and 00:56:44.639 --> 00:56:46.639 the certainty that we shall stand before Him, 00:56:46.639 --> 00:56:49.059 each one of us, and give account of ourselves, 00:56:51.340 --> 00:56:53.760 may we then live this week in such a way that 00:56:53.760 --> 00:56:58.719 we are faithful stewards so that when we stand 00:56:58.719 --> 00:57:03.599 before Jesus and all of the records are opened 00:57:03.599 --> 00:57:09.360 and we are accordingly rewarded. We may hear 00:57:09.360 --> 00:57:13.619 from his lips those coveted words, well done, 00:57:15.059 --> 00:57:20.760 thou good and faithful steward. In his name I 00:57:20.760 --> 00:57:24.559 pray, amen. We're dismissed.