Out of this World Giving, Part 2

Be on guard against greed about any other sin you even say be on guard against adultery. You will get to be a place of degree were so consumes you the air because you are so depend on money. Seems like it's so essential that you end up doing all these things that justifies any disobedience you never even knew that the government greed hides itself. Yet it's a good place to start that he really wants us to be out of this world. Tenderness today on the MetLife pastor Jeannie Greer helps us understand how being a spender saver for Stuart to find what kingdom we serve and if we have truly surrendered our finances to God because if were really getting got our first best, as good stewards, we will need the world with our generosity. Grab your Bible and 10 and let's join Pastor JD as he continues teaching in Matthew chapter 6 expected his followers to be. I popping with generous how weekday was supposed to amaze the world. It's not just that we Christians were first to be a little bit more generous enough little bit kinder a little bit nicer is that her giving was supposed to reveal that we have an entirely different kingdom you been around here. You tell the story of William Borden who in the 1920s, 19, 20 years old, was the heir to the board. No company one of the five biggest companies in America at the time were talking I a young man, you have literally the whole world of the whole world is as oyster and ended in just just immediately get everything in front of, but he felt like God. He got saved in college and Bella gobbles called him to go overseas to share the gospel specifically in the country of Egypt were very few believers of the time.

Live, and so he had to sever all his ties up its members and believed in were cut you out and he said I got obey God.

So he severed his ties he gave away his inheritance that he boarded a ship to go to Egypt where he was planned.

Live the rest of his life.

On the way there.

He contracted meningitis and died within three months of arriving Egypt because he only made it three months somebody right before he died just a few hours before he died, asked him. They said you thought this is a mistake you plug the hole coming to Egypt thing was a waste was so weak that he couldn't even talk got a little piece of paper and he wrote two words that to become rather infamous. Just read the words no regret, no regret. Couple hours later he died is buried in Cairo today, a little nondescript place all the way. I've never been there. One of our teams there and she sent me a picture of his great little out-of-the-way place little little little to show you never notice you're looking for. All it has on one of the richest men in the United States. All it has on it is his name. The years of his very short life, and underneath that one little phrase inscribed in the tombstone apart from faith in Christ there is no explanation for such a life. In other words, his life screams. If eternity is not real. This is a waste. Here is my question for you, and I think it's Jesus's question as well. With that phrase.

Describe your life apart from faith in Christ there is no nation for the way they left. If eternity is not real.

What a waste or what they say about you when you die with us and will he or she with their little bit nicer better little more generous of everybody. Are you living in a way that it just makes sense. If eternity is not not real. These words we were right on your tombstone.

Apart from faith in Christ as inoculation for such a life see where the rubber it's right here.

Most American Christians and churches like this one give on average about 2 1/2% of their income away to charity or the kingdom of God. The average secular person gives away 1.8% right at 1.8 were 2.5, but does not really scream.

We live for a different kingdom, I bring you closer to home here, only 19% of the people of this church, only 19% of those here and are that come every weekend in the survey, we did a few weeks ago a 90% say that they tie, what does that say about what kingdom 81% of the people who were in this church a living for Alyssa. I'm not trying to guilt you into giving us your money. Once you understand that I'm trying to let that 81% to let you know that you're missing out on something McConnell I'm trying to plead with you to not to not cling so closely that Confederate currency my giving your giving ought to scream. I believe in eternity. And I'm living for Jesus's kingdom, not mine.

After Jesus expected what he says next died a lamp of the body dries healthier whole body will be full of light dries bag body before darkness of the light with darkness will be present darkness now.

First it may seem like an odd analogy in your like I don't have any idea about the foggiest idea how that lots of got to do with money usually meets now Jesus say good night's dark flow, like if your highest good, then the benefits of the light benefit, your whole body because now that you can see now your hand knows what it's looking for to get the milk up for Jared to get him a drink at the light benefit your feet, because your feet and run into you notes parts of the furniture and make you scream profanities in the middle the night. You know it's nobodies benefiting from the light on the other hand, if your eyes dark meat. It's bad then your whole body doesn't get the benefit of the light in your hands will know where to reach your feet run in the furniture in the same way Jesus is saying right. If your eye sees money the wrong way in your whole life is going to be filled with the kind of darkness. If the way you see, money is distorted is going to mess up every part of your life if you serve money if you depend on money for security. You look at money for happiness that is going to make a lot of bad decisions that some of you if you are honest to brother, look at your life now and say I think that's true will take a rather rather easy one like on some of got all the men about my age look back and say you know I just when I chose my career I chose it entirely. Mr. Marta made the most money is not a career that fulfills me is not a career that helps people it's not a career. I even think that I'm particularly good at us a little come home refreshed at the end of the day I chose to do what I do, simply because I can make the most money doing it and it is lasted that that adrenaline of making money lasted about 10 years and now it just feels like a huge drudgery. Why did you make that bad decision because your eye was dark because you so exalted and valued that you made all kinds of poor decisions is why some people will compromise their integrity. You realize that people that compromise and she really the finances.

It's not because they're exceptionally dishonest people that like the rest of it is that they got into a position where they knew they could not have both their money and their integrity in order to hang on to the money they had that achieve a little bit order to get that money that they thought that they needed they had to cheat a little bit and faced with the prospect of not having the money or losing their integrity ventures lose their integrity by way most of us have not been at that place and it's scary to think if we got in that place what might actually happen.

We save is the problem always things is that is that how you see money is off.

That's why in Luke's account of this this teaching.

Jesus follows up the I metaphor by saying be on guard against greed.

Jesus said that about any other sin you even say a be on guard against adultery because adultery is not as bad of a sin.

Why does he say be on guard against greed and not be on guard against adultery wonders why because when you commit adultery.

You know you're committing adultery.

You will come say hi to my wife bought about happen. No, but that will happen with great you will get to be a place of degree were so consumes you the unity there because you are so depend on money. Seems like it's so essential that you end up doing all these things it justifies any disobedience you never even knew that the government greed hides itself to be on guard against because it's going to darken your heart and you will serve servers 24.

No man serve two masters. See 81 love the other, devoted one spies your latest cancer from both think about the present in your life which can serve above again the word serve as a religious word. If you worship it you depend on it for provision for security. It takes care of you.

So you will pay what it demands good to what it demands it will dessert you will be doomed to be before three categories of people when it comes to money bring Gallagher's and everyone of you for some of you when it comes to money.

You are what we call a spender you money is happiness significance. This creature comforts. The purpose of money is to make life better now. You money you spend there's others of you. You are savers. The main value of money for you is not happiness.

Now it security later so you get money you save it you like to stockpile it because you never know when the rainy days, and you want to be a make sure that you have a great inheritance, leave your kids later. So your saver. I explained the many times that the way God works is he always makes these two people get married to each other. Savers never marry savers vendors every minute. They always marry each other, and they drive each other crazy and neither of you can understand why in the world why you have such a problem.

Money actually is. You both have same problem money and that is you will serve money instead of God because your your your looking to money to do something that God is supposed to to give you and that's the third option steward.

That's a person who looks to God as their primary source of happiness. God as their primary source of satisfaction and they look at God as her primary source of security. I said yes they spent the money and yes, they save some money, but they hold their money loosely all of their money is surrender to God because they see money is the primary key neither to their satisfaction. In the present norther security in the future. God is in charge of those things they're free to be generous with their money. Now, and to trust God to take care of all that other stuff little Jesus explained that all of it for 26 is over the birds of the sky also regathered the barn, your heavenly Father feeds them worth more than the birds and consider the lilies of the field write what you worry about clothes. Will Jesus could let me make it without Claude observed how the wildflowers in the field grow labor or spin thread. I am it is you know it is there to tell you that not even Solomon all this winter was adorned like one of these. What you should do.

Jesus says in verse 33 is instead of seeking seeking security at the birds instead of seeking beauty like the wildflowers you ought to seek God and let God flow you the way he quickly close wildflowers and take care you wait to hear the birds couple things here. Make sure you notice these two analogies of told you correspond to the two different personality types of my money worshipers to see that the birds, the birds analogy is directed at you.

Savers okay percent by saver program right now right it's right you savers you see money a security is a hey hey God takes care of the birds take care you so you don't have to look the money for this God will do this for you spenders.

I poked spender back little wildflowers. They don't worry about not having a might have latest but close about nice cars live a life without locale beautifully.

God has endowed them is not saying you will spend the money you'll save any money. What is saying is that primarily God is in charge of this makes it because God is in charge of those things I can hold my money loosely and I can actually put the kingdom of God. First, because I'm trusting that he could actually provide for me when it comes to satisfaction and to provide for my security so I can make a personal hold in all things CPC was happening. There is hopeless what this whole teaching is built on the principle get this of abundance in creation just two ways to look at the earth. One is abundance as and we had a generous God who just multiplies her plenty for everybody. The other way is scarcity and that is there's not enough, we better report, we better hang onto a tight what Jesus is showing you here's a you you serve an abundant God, the cow bluntly takes care of the birds look what he does have a bit of flowers, wasted you look all that creativity they got put in their future for flowers. God is a generous God, right the whole Bible screams this the garden of Eden that God put Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. You think a little postage stamp size thing in your backyard is Adam and Eve running naked to the little guy that's not the gardening. You look at the big issue the borders of the Garden of Eden. In the book of Genesis. It was the size of Yellowstone National Park.

So what you're doing with his God put two people in the Yellowstone and said the home I got for you anybody here live on a place equivalent Yellowstone.

That's one God and he's an abundant God blesses boards about right then you see it in places like the children of Israel wandering through the wilderness and God provides food for them and so he drops his stuff and having all manner right fresh bread from heaven.

Every morning there's so much of it that everybody got get as much as they want.

Abundance is overflowing right when God provides me for them. Quail just drop out of the sky so much that you eat it to the point at The meat sweats is a translation of what happened there. Jesus everywhere abundance simple man responds with scarcity.

So all the Israelites are collectors manometers on hang onto them for he got on the provide tomorrow and I got abundance that's happening in Matthew six will confession your patient.

We met you sexually, cynically, cynically, meaning I would be like. Got to cure the birds. Also a dead bird on the side road the other day. I guess God forgot that what maybe that's cutting me your miss reading it what what he saying is hate.

Look at how bountifully, provide for the birds. Look at how God made the flowers, don't you think that God, a God of abundance is going to multiply and bless you don't respond with this fear, scarcity. I got to hang onto today. What I got because God is actually there tomorrow and the God of abundance here today will also be present tomorrow. It will look at last verse in the sermon. What he say what it therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow tomorrow. Be anxious for itself.

Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. I love this Jesus is like, don't worry about tomorrow and were like why Jesus because tomorrow is a lot of problems you like that was exactly what I was worried about about tomorrow with problems and Jesus is like you to Mozilla problems, but tomorrow also has the God of abundance and the God that provided abundantly for you today and you gotta take care of birds abundantly today and the God that close flowers beautifully today. Hey, that same God's good to be with you tomorrow and he will abundantly supply you then also. So you put him first. Today and let him worry about your tomorrow to see that's the question I know that God is important. Everybody in this room almost everybody in this room. The question is, is he first in your life do you serve first. God or money. If you are a spender and chances are, you serve money making.

It is your primary key to satisfaction. If you are a saver. Chances are, you serve money primarily as your security if you are a steward you trust God for both of those things in your very openhanded with your money and you're probably an extravagantly generous person last year to really drive us home. I walk you through a little quiz right and it was spender saver steward quiz and I want to do it again because we are your later. You do a checkup okay and see if you've improved any sum get out of poverty to the seven questions as you be honest, nobody cannot help labile byline okay am I to take us out a great mother put up on screen okay I want you to answer.

You mean jot down your notes just jot down how many times you choose a piercing okay seven questions you number one. Which of these excites you most use beyond its gut reaction A, a four-star vacation across Europe who be maxing out your retirement account for the year. See dinner with your pastor who expresses heartfelt thanks for your sacrificial support of a successful launch right night spender saver set for the dinner was a pastor part is that that steward is which of those which it is your gut reaction. This was most excited right now to hear about a man who at age of 70 is managed is middle-class income 70,000 years for all of his life. Do meager living and careful savings is a current net worth of $8 million. There are people like this your first thought when you hear about this guy is. What a waste while spinning.

It would've been so much more fun. Got $8 million now be 70 years old.

Happy really enjoyed about all that opportunity left on the table. We just wasted it or is your answer be wow you really did well. I hope I can do that.

They rent you can help me do this writer be C he may have missed some key opportunities to experience the joy of generosity. I'm impressed with how he manages money but he probably missed some key opportunities in life to be generous in whatever God put in front of a private number three success list find success.

Success looks like.

Which of these three for you H freezing great food and travel, living comfortably, drama, luxury carmakers are your kids get all the great places that you get to in the world that success will be retirement age 50 menu C :-) does that as a person is successful may limit himself intimately. Well, they were tired of it.success is a C extending payoff on your mortgage and for going some luxuries in order to sponsor a missionary family that success you number four.

Your annual bonuses twice as much as you thought it would be. I twice what your first impulse first impulse is in a line had out shopping or go on a vacation. I said it be I'm putting this on the mortgage to pay that sucker off early.

I was 30 years out to be 26 years. See, thank God for this provision.

I can't wait to give junk this way, even though they those things, but which is your first reaction number five the spending in my life is effortless I just come so naturally that I could give would be bothersome and less bundling you spenders this really does not make any sense to you does it like thereby how do people that like it just pains them to go out to eat like to be saving up money. Why do I throughout the night there savers at the state because it feels better in security. See controlled off a bit about the way it's you know I spend but it's controlled off of the limited feel good about the ways measures six. Saving my life. The other side savings bothersome is it intermediate to get away be.

I'm going to do it because Dave Ramsey told me I had to them and just like I got to what is bothersome be its effortless hello build weldment. My favorite thing to do every month is a transfer that money that that that that that 401(k) or that mutual fund or resist the purposeful live healthy and reasonable goal for which I'm carefully working Jan out a plan to give all the excess away offset what is a reasonable saving going on.

Given the rest away.

Number seven last one, the giving of my life is obligatory, it spikes every year that you did a series spikes for a few weeks because it's obligatory so I feel guilty, be formulaic, meaning you're the kind of person that does work it out for me and plugged it in and disappears on your account every month and you forget about it to you for the formula that it C joyfully overflowing. Now you want to be a genius to realize if you answered a most of those your spender answer be saver if you answer see you most of them you are moving the least very aggressively toward steward spenders and savers both serve money is not the most spending is nothing wrong saving steward, put God first steward says hey became of God first. That's why you look at my finances and it shows you what I most love what I most trust in the kingdom.

I mostly enforce the kingdom of God is at what your finances to clear about you making first again.

I hope you hear my sincerity in this.

It's not about the financial goal is what I've told you if we discover oil underneath the apex campus were all fabulously wealthy. At some point, you know the church is more money and those of you with. We still do this, we would still do this you cannot be a disciple of Jesus until he is first financed. No exceptions. If you think that this is me manipulating. I need you to make in person narrator finances, but I'm asking you, don't let your mistrust of church or me know what that become an optional.

You become an actual site. Jan just give you permission. Right now he just can't get over that become an actual disciple you can't be a disciple must first miss her. By the way, when I say that some of you will reveal that all that is a smokescreen that all the stuff just because you don't want Jesus to be first, there you make him first. Give it somewhere.

I'd rather you become a disciple than what first you lead one in the only way to demonstrate our devotion to him during if you missed any of this message, you can always catch up free of charge@jdgreer.com website you can find a whole host of resources including a weekly podcast called ask me anything about it yet you this really has been if I can say this is a great new resource. Basically, short answers to questions that I get asked a lot a lot of theology questions on their writable parenting questions are leadership questions really try to give your prodigal short answers to common questions.

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