Invest: Be a Giver

this time we'll go and dismiss our kids to little district and for the rest of us happy New Year thank you my wife thank you no it's good to see everybody um it's it's uh John could you on the number one there just bring it down like a bar that'd be great um and then mute the other mics sorry I'm I'm I'm running sound while up here but just to help it out a little bit it's 2025 uh which is also just crazy um it's as close to 2050 as it is 2000 if that makes you feel weird it makes me feel weird because I was like going into high school back at that point but um that's not the point of why we're here today uh we're here because 2,000 years ago a man died on a cross as a servant and three days later Rose as a savior like that's why we're here today that's what we're here that's what we're about and that event it shook the foundation of the world it changed everything in history so that over the course of the next 2,000 years everything would be different everything would be different um I mean even time like that event was so important that even time is based off of Jesus Christ and so you got BC and AD you got before Christ and you have ad anod domini meaning the year of the Lord no one else and nothing else has been more influential in human history than the person and work of Jesus Christ no more books no more songs no more art has been constructed about anything else other than the person and work of Jesus Christ based on surveys and research Christianity is considered the largest religion in the world now whether that's valid or not we're not here to kind of debate that but 2.

4 billion people or around 31% of the world's population claim to be Christian now that includes all Christian denominations and affiliations but that's a lot of people I mean what Jesus did 2,000 years ago still has and is still carrying on Power and change and transformation even today um what we can say based on that research as well is that at least 2. 4 billion have heard the gospel and would declare themselves Christian to a certain degree in second place is Islam at 1. 9 billion people and growing and third is at 1. 2 billion are the irreligious or no affiliation we call those the nuns n o NES not NS now don't get too excited that we're in first place when it comes to this um actually the sad thing currently is that of the 2. 4 billion when you look at the world numbers it's decreasing as the second place and third place are increasing for example in the late 1940s nearly 80% of Americans said they belong to a church today just 45% say the same the analytics company also noted that 32% say that they go to church regularly now even looking at what regularly means is 1.

7 Sundays out of a month that's what's considered regular in today's culture as well but again if we were to be generous and we were to say that 2. 4 billion people say that they are Christian if that's true that still leaves nearly 70% of the 8 billion people that are on the Earth right now now that do not follow Jesus do not follow Jesus now listen to this 3. 2 billion of those people have little to no access to the gospel that's around 41% of the world's population who have never heard of Jesus now that's really hard for us to understand and comprehend because we have access to all information in our fingertips like we can Google and search anything but that's not the reality of the world around us only 20% of Asians for example claim to even know a single Christian not saying that they are Christian but that they whether they even know a Christian only 20% of them say that that's 15% for Muslims would actually know a Christian that means 80% of Asians do not have access to a disciple who can share the gospel with them 85% of Muslims do not have access to a disciple who can share the gospel with them even further of the top 50 unreached people groups in the world of the top 50 which in order to be in the top 50 you have to be a group of more than 12 million inhabitants 46 of them are in What's called the 1040 window which if you don't know anything about about the 1040 window it's 10° North 40° North it's basically Northern Africa the Middle East and then Asia within that 1040 window only 1% of all Mission funding goes to unreach people groups in that 1040 window and that 1040 window makes up the majority of the lostness of our world 97% of mission missionaries go where the gospel is already accessible so they only send 3% of missionaries into that 1040 window that has 46 of the 50 top unreached people groups in the entire world now why do I bring that up why am I talking about unreached people groups on the other side of the world I thought this was a sermon series about how we're going to grow our church how we're going to grow the gospel in our community well I want you to first see the end in order for us to justify the means I want you to first see what the end goal is before we ever start looking at what we need to do here what we need to multiply here what are we doing why are we doing it why are we trying to see 25 people baptized here by the end of 2025 when there's 50 unreached people groups in the 1040 window that only again 3% of missionaries are going to and 1% of funding is going to well this sermon series about our church growing needs to answer that question why why should we grow well for starters it's clear in the Bible that God desires for us to be fruitful and multiply yes and amen and as we see the spread of the church from acts to Revelation one thing is very clear they had the ends of the Earth on their mind the entire time but they still had to start somewhere they still had to start somewhere the growing in depth is not at the cost of growing in width if we only focus on well I just want to be intellectually theological I want to be spiritually mature I want to be able to do all of those things first before we ever spread or multiply well then you're not actually understanding it if you only focus on depth at the cost of width then you're not being a church if you only focus on the width and not the depth you're also not being a church you have to have both in order to understand and that's why we've titled this grow to go is because in order for us to go we have to be able to grow and in order for us to grow we have to have the mindset of being able and willing to go both have to happen we need to be able to grow spiritually absolutely but we also need me able to grow in numbers and locations both depth and width that's not selfish it's practical it's practical for example Andrew Hopper says you can grow a church without going but you cannot go without growing so for example if if we were to say we have 30 people and we want to plant another church so let's take 15 of those people and send them out to plant another church and but we want to be a church planting church and so because we did that that was great that was successful we love that let's take another 15 people and send them out to plant a church if we don't replenish what we sent out what happens the original dies right you just become another two churches of 15 people in two different locations but the original dies so in order to go you have to replenish in order to go you have to grow if we ever want to be able to grow in order to start sending people to the Nations to these unreached people groups to get the gospel to the ends of the Earth we have to first see that here we have to see it replicating and multiplying in and through us here I want you to see the end in order to justify the means again when Jesus tells the disciples in Matthew 28:18-20 as Jesus came to them at the end of his ministry all authority in heaven and on Earth has been given to me go therefore and Make Disciples of all Nations baptizing them in the name of the father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you and behold I Am With You Always to the end of the age now we hear that and and so many missionaries will grab that and say this is this is our mission statement this is what we're called to do we're called to go and make disciples of all All Nations yes and amen if all disciples left and went to All Nations what happens to the equipping mechanisms that are left here it go away it just then becomes a post-christian nation here because the Christianity went somewhere else it has to continue replicating babies are being born people are moving to America like there is still lostness here that has to be converted and reached and discipled up teaching them to observe all that Jesus commanded them so that we can begin multiplying and continue sending and spreading the gospel everywhere all nations all people groups acts 1 18 again when you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you will be my Witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Juda and Samaria and to the end of the Earth now for the disciples who receiv received this mission and vision they had the end of the Earth on their mind it was on their whiteboard when they're in the back room and they're drawing up what are we going to do as a church how are we going to fulfill and execute this mission and vision that Jesus has given us what do we do they had to start in Jerusalem they had to start in Jerusalem when you walk through the book of Acts for the first eight chapters all you hear is in Jerusalem in Jerusalem in Jerusalem it's not until you get to chapter 9 that you start hearing in Judea and Samaria and then by the end of Acts in chapter 28 the Apostle Paul is in Rome which I need to remind you that took 30 years from the resurrection of Jesus until Paul gets to Rome is a span of 30 years you can read those 20 28 chapters in two days and then get frustrated that the church is not growing fast enough but that took 30 years that was the disciples giving a career lifetime of multiplying themselves in order for the gospel to spread from Jerusalem to Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the Earth which at that point what they were considering the ends of the Earth is get to the epicenter of what is controlling the world which is Rome Roman Empire if we can get the gospel to Rome Roman Road system it goes everywhere that's why when you see Paul writing out throughout the the majority of the New Testament all he ever says is I I just I'm going to stop here as I'm on my way to Rome I'm going to stop here as I'm on my way to Rome I'd like to go here the Holy Spirit doesn't tell me to because I need to get to Rome end of the Earth but again that took 30 years and from there he says the gospel is destined for the Gentiles which is translated non-jew or in other words the rest of the world the rest of the world so it's important that we are effective with the gospel here in Indie so that we can go there if we are not effective here we will never get there we'll never get there they're going to cover um the first three weeks of this series is going to help us learn how to be effective here that's what the first three weeks is going to be we're we're going to run seven weeks in this grow too series and the first three weeks is going to be how we invest how we invite and how we impact how we invest how we invite and how we impact so that as we start turning the corner in the last four weeks it'll start showing how we as a church begin to multiply everything multiply everything so that we can eventually say that what he called us to do was to spread the gospel in Indianapolis sure in the midwest sure domestically maybe North America sure but what I hope is that eventually and maybe it does take 30 years in the life of the district church is that we're able to say we are sending people to the unreached people groups around the world so that the gospel fulfills what God has placed it here for that's what we want to see but we need to be able to have the ends in order to justify our means why we are showing up here every single Sunday we're not showing up because we want to raise our family in a good environment we're here because God has placed a mission and a call on every every single individual in this room to fulfill to execute and we're going to show you exactly how we're going to do that and again as I already mentioned Vision 25 the year 2025 we want to see 25 baptisms God can do whatever he wants to do he can baptize more people if by the end of the year we get to the end and he's baptized 17 and we're like man we didn't get to the 25 no we're going to celebrate those 17 absolutely but what we can control is the seed that we cast what we can control is how many conversations we have what we can control is how many people we invite God controls who he draws and God controls who he saves that's not our job but our job and what we are called to do is how many people we tell about Jesus again the Elders of the church are tasked with setting the vision of the church we want to see 25 baptisms by the end of 2025 and everything we do this year every event that we schedule every group that we meet in every sermon that we preach every message that those kids are learning down in little District every prayer that we pray is going to be driving home how do we see 25 people get baptized by the end of this year it's all about that because we want to see Jesus be made much of and what makes much of Jesus is seeing a sinner become a saint that's what makes much of Jesus sure our spiritual maturity hey I don't cuss as much as I used to sure that makes much of Jesus but your spiritual maturity if it's not multiplying and replicating in the making of other disciples let's be honest is it really spiritual mat or is it just behavioral modification that's just a side note take that one home with you we're not here just to make you better we're here to help other people who are dead become alive that's why we're here that's what we're about that's what we want to see ultimately happen and so the Elders of the church are tasked with setting the vision but the church you determines how fast and how far that vision goes the church determines how fast and how far that vision goes if we want to see 25 people baptized what we do collectively will determine whether or not that has an opportunity and we will determine whether that's fast and even how far maybe it's more than 25 people think about it this way you go to a real and you say I'd like to buy a house so that I can raise a family what's the first question that Realtor is going to ask what's your budget what's your budget because that will determine what neighborhoods how much square foot how many bedrooms how many bathrooms how much yard space whether it has a garage or not whether it has a basement and on and on I could go how much do you have in order to execute the vision you have for a home to raise a family maybe a better question the realtor might ask is how big of a family are you wanting to raise how big of a family are you wanting to raise because if you want 10 kids then a two-bedroom one bath might not be big enough and if you want five bedrooms with four and a half baths then you might need a bigger budget in order to afford the vision you have for your family what Vision has God given our church for the work of ministry over the next 30 Years well I can tell you this a two-bedroom one bath is not going to cut it and so where I'm going to tie this this into is how does Gathering seed work into the vision of the Church of casting seed if God's called us to cast seed and cast Nets which ultimately lead to the the the the gospel being sewn and people hearing it and it bringing life in them or a net being cast and them being caught in it well first of all you have to have seed to cast and you have to have a net to cast how much seed you cast and how big your net is or whether you even have a net is going to be dependent upon whether or not we have the ability to buy the Seed and buy the Nets we invest in order to see the mission of God come to fruition at the start and heart of God's people is sown the dis the discipline of generosity and investment I want to show you this with God's help he uses the people of God to fund the mission of God let me show you because I don't want you believing Dwayne's becoming a Prosperity preacher where every Sunday is just you sewing into the Kingdom so that I can buy a bigger house or go on lavish Vacations or buy you know fancy clothes and fly around on private jets I mean we're a long way off from that but when looking for an illustration to describe the kingdom of God and the spread of the Gospel Jesus tells a story about investing investing Jesus actually talked more about money than any other topic in scripture believe it or not it's true according to Desiring God Jesus taught about money more than sex more than Heaven more than hell nearly half of The Parables that he taught were about money about money so there's something to be said about the acquiring and managing of money that reveals the heart of an individual Matthew 61 19-21 puts it this way do not lay up for yourselves Treasures on Earth where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal but lay up for yourselves Treasures in Heaven where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal for where your treasure is there your heart will be also that's why the mission statement of the district is to treasure Jesus and help others follow him because if you treasure Jesus above everything else you will then rightly manage invest and use Earthly treasures at the service of your greatest treasure it's just true all right investing listen to this Parable from Jesus Matthew 25 14- 28 for it will be like a man going on a journey who called his servants and entrusted to them his property to one he gave five talents to another two to another one to each according ording to his ability then he went away he who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them and he made five talents more so also he who had the two talents made two talents more but he who had receiv received the one Talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them and he who had received the five talents came forward bringing five talents more saying master you delivered to me five talents here I have made five more his master said to him well done good and faithful servant you have been Faithful over a little I will set you over much enter into the joy of your master and then he also said or had the two talents come forward saying Master you deliver to me two talents here I have made two more his master said to him well done good and faithful servant you have been faithful over a little I will set you over much enter into the joy of your master he also who had received the one Talent came forward saying master I knew you to be a hard man reaping where you did not sew and Gathering where you scattered no seed so I was afraid and I went and I hid your talent in the ground here you have what is yours but his master answered him you Wicked and slothful servant you knew that that I reap where I have not swn and gather where I scattered no seed then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers and not my coming I should have received what was my own with interest so take the talent from him and give it to him who has the 10 talents now this is a parable we aren't just talking about money here it's an illustration it's a story but the main point is what do you do with Jesus are you shwing an investing the gospel into the lives of others by helping them hear it and learn about what Jesus has accomplished for them that's the process of going and making disciples that's literally what we are called to do treasure Jesus and help others follow him and so he's asking kind of in this illustration here with the investment what are you Jesus in other words or let me say this that's the process of going and making disciples of all Nations what you do with Jesus but that's not just an individual command that command to go and make disciples is not just you sitting in your home thinking how how can I do this how can I make disciples of all Nations how can I be a witness in Indianapolis in the Midwest and North America and the rest of the world it's also a corporate command given to the collective church and actually The Authority given for making disciples is given to the collective church not just the individual not just the individual and other words the organized church is God's primary means for accomplishing the Great Commission the organized Church like us collectively as a body of Christ is how Christ moves throughout entire world that's what the is explaining to us and that's why Paul spends the majority of his time trying to equip the church for the call that it has rather than just spending all of his time meeting with individuals and trying to disciple them he's trying to equip the church for what it is called to do and what it has been entrusted with that's what it's all about and therefore the primary responsibility of each individual Christian is to see the growth maturity and effectiveness of the local church therefore the district church will not become effective ethereally what I mean by that is if we individually are just saying man I really hope the church grows I really hope things work out I really hope that we become effective and start seeing disciples made what you're actually saying in that conviction is if I don't who will that that actually is the question that you should be asking because if we all think everyone else is going to do it and we don't do it that means all of us are not doing anything and therefore the local church is not being the church we should be having the posture man if I don't if I don't initiate this if I don't lead in this way if I don't interact with this person if I don't go and share the gospel here it ain't gonna happen it ain't gonna happen now let me get real practical here God has called you to invest money hold up you can't talk about that Gathering seed and Nets God has called you to invest money into the local church that's what we're going to talk about today you're like is this still the intro yes he's also called you to invite others to come and join in the mission of God and that's what we're going to talk about next week he's also called you to impact with the way you serve how we um I if if investing your money is gathering the seed and Nets inviting others is casting the seed in the Nets how you impact how you serve is the walk watering the seeds and mending the Nets that's that's everything we're going to be talking about but I want to get real practical with you of why I'm telling you that you are called by God to invest money into the district church so that we can see the ends of the world come to know Christ the reason why we invest money is because money is a tool to get the gospel to other people as plain as I can put it the reason why God has called you to be generous is because you are fueling and funding the mission of God which has been entrusted to the local church now what does that money spend on how do he spend the money that you invest what are you called to invest in I'm going to be as practical and show you as much scripture as I can in regards to this number one pastors for the church thank you pastors for the church Ephesians 4: 11-16 he gave talking about God not just like someone he gave Apostles prophets evangelists Shepherds and teachers to equip the Saints for the work of ministry hold up I thought the pastor's job was the work of ministry the pastor's job is to equip the Saints for the work of ministry that's the role of me is to equip the church for the role of ministry the work of Ministry for building up the body of Christ until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God to mature manhood to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ so that we may no longer be children tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of Doctrine by human cunning by craftiness and deceitful schemes rather speaking the truth in love we are to grow up in every way into him that is Jesus who is the head into Christ from whom the whole body joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped when each part is working properly makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love and you're like hold up a second where does that say that we are to invest our money to pay our pastors well again as Paul is sending Timothy to Ephesus he writes a couple of letters called 1 and second Timothy and he tells Timothy I want you to read these among the church and here's what he encourages the church so this is just scripture this isn't just because I pulled and plucked it but verse 17 in 1 Timothy 5 says let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor especially those who labor in preaching in teaching for the scripture says you shall not muzzle an ox when it Treads out the Grain and the laborer deserves his wages and so you're paying me to equip you to fulfill the Great Commission that's part of investing in the church now that you know depending on Church side rolls it into staff and development as long as those things are working towards the equipping of the Saints for the work of ministry to be effective in taking the gospel from Jerusalem to Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the Earth if that's not happening fire them number two what are we investing our money in ministries of the Church Ministries of the church now I'm going to go Old Testament with the on this one because I want you to see that this isn't just a new testament idea but this is a foundation of God's creation of humanity When God says this is my people this is what he instilled in his people in order for his people to operate in such a way that when they contribute it's for the benefit of themselves and it's for the worship of God and how they develop out Ministries so I'm going to take you to Exodus I want you to see Exodus 34 ver or 35: 4-5 Moses said to all the congregation of the people of Israel this is the thing that the Lord has commanded now I I want to show you this again anytime it says this is what the Lord has commanded that should perk up like we should listen Okay like we we don't be guilty of being disobedient so anytime the Lord says uh I'm commanding this we should do whatever that is but this is what I also love about this right after it says the Lord commanded this verse 5 says take from among you a contribution to the Lord whoever is of A Generous Heart let him bring the Lord's contribution gold silver and bronze so in the same vein of the Lord saying I'm commanding this of you he's also instilling in in his people generosity a willingness to contribute when you are living in the joyful Obedience of what God has commanded met with the spiritual maturity that I want and desire to do this when those two things meet guess what is produced joy joy knowing what God has told us to do and then and then spiritually being built up to Desiring to do it and executing it and walking in it happiest place on Earth happiest place on Earth because what's the opposite running from God and saying no I don't want to do what you do and then seeking your own self seeking your own gain wanting to do whatever you want for yourselves both of those lead to death and destruction which is the complete opposite of joy there's more in Exodus look at verses 10-9 let every skillful Craftsman among you come and make all that the Lord has commanded so they first took up a huge contribution we need a bunch of resources then they pulled all the people and their time and their talents and said now take those resources and mix them into Ministry now as they're coming let this let every skillful Craftsman among you come and make all that the Lord has commanded what are they making verse 11 the Tabernacle its tent and its covering its Hooks and its frames its bars its pillars and its bases the ark with its poles The Mercy Seat and the veil of the screen the table with its poles and all its utensils and the bread of the presence the lampstand also for the light with its utensils and its lamps and the oil for the light and the altar of incense with its poles and the anointing oil and The Fragrant incense and the screen for the door at the door of of the Tabernacle the altar um the altar of burnt offering with its grading of bronze its poles and all its utensils the Basin and its stand the hangs of the Court its pillars and its bases and the screen for the Gate of the Court the pegs of the Tabernacle and the pegs of the court and their cords the finely worked garments again for what for ministering in the Holy Place why do we have chairs why do we pay for the rent of this building for the ministering in the Holy place again he goes on the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons for what for their service as priests so even in the Old Testament you have both the contribution of the people for the place of worship and the role of the priests it continues on down in verse 20 then all the congregation of the people of Israel departed from the presence of Moses and they came everyone whose heart stirred him and everyone whose Spirit moved him and brought the Lord's contribution to be used for the tent of meeting which was their building of worship and for all its service which was the ministries of the worship and for the holy garments which was their pastors of worship so they came both men and women all who were of willing heart brought bres and earrings and signant rings and armlets all sorts of gold objects every man dedicating an offering of gold to the Lord again this is foundational to the people of God so when when Jesus enters the scene and then starts the church do you think God all of a sudden changed his mind and said you know what guys don't don't invest your resources just pray for resources going to answer that prayer from the people of God like man doesn't just fall from Heaven anymore he uses us to fuel and fund the mission and again when it comes back to what he's commanded us and then the willing and joyful heart that's where Joy meets I'm telling you right now those who are storing up treasure on Earth where moth and rust destroy I guarant guarantee are not as happy and joyful as those who are storing up Treasures in Heaven I guarantee it again you see this modeled in the first church acts 2: 41-47 so those who received his word were baptized and there were added that day about 3,000 Souls so you get the birth of the church which out of the gate mega church and they devoted themselves to what to the apostles teaching and to the fellowship so they devoted themselves to to those who were laboring in the preaching and teaching of the word and they devoted themselves to biblical Fellowship Community what then was that Community doing as they were devoting themselves to this will they devote themselves to the apostles teaching and fellowship to the breaking of bread and prayers and all Came Upon Every Soul Many Wonders and signs were being done through the apostles all believed were together and had all things in common and they were selling there possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all as any had need day by day attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes they received their food with glad and generous Hearts praising God and having favor with all the people and the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved again God has called us to invest money into the ministries of the church both those who are laboring to equip the Saints for the work of ministry as well as Ministries that are helping to Foster an environment for us to grow spiritually as well as cast seed to those outside well then what does that have to do with the ends of the Earth if it is just the ministries of the local church well again it still calls us to invest money into the ends of the Earth Philippians 4:1 14-20 Paul is writing this letter to the church in Philippi and he's commending them for something what is he thanking them for listen to this it was kind of you to share my trouble you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the Gospel when I left Macedonia no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving except you only even in Thessalon you sent me help for my needs once and again not that I seek the gift so again Paul's like I'm not just trying to be a Prosperity preacher here I'm not seeking the gift for myself but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit I'm seeking the discipleship that comes from what you are investing your money into I have received full payment and more I am well supplied having received from EP alius the gifts you sent fragrant offering a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God and then he commends them when you are generous and you are giving and investing into the mission of God my God Will Supply every need of yours according to his riches and glory in Christ Jesus I think the number one reason why people get nervous about investing their money into the mission and fueling the funding of what God is doing is because they're nervous about whether or not they're going to make ends meet at their for them elves and what Paul is trying to convince them of here is um hey just so you know uh God is going to take care of you God's going to provide everything that you want no but everything that you need everything that you need now again that could be a different measure for sure with the talents in order for one guy to make five more talents he needed five talents in order to do that in order for one to make two more talents he needed two talents in order to be able to go and do that for some depending on the scope of what God has called you to do he's going to provide for you what you need in order to execute what he's called of you and so for some churches that might be hey I'm going to provide you $20 million because of the scope of influence that going to have in reaching Indianapolis the Midwest the North America and the ends of the Earth for others it might be hey I'm going to provide for you $150,000 so that you can make disciples in Indianapolis in the midwest in the North America and the ends of the Earth it might be 25 disciples instead of 250 disciples this year that's okay so long as we are investing what God has called us to invest in he's commanded us to do this and are we willing with stirred hearts with conviction not that we're like waiting to see if this works out and so I'm keeping my money close to chest if that happens guess what it won't work out it won't work out and again I'm not saying this just so that we grow a bigger budget I'm saying this so that we have seed to cast and see disciples come to know Jesus to see Sinners become Saints to see the church be effective in what he has called us to do again this when when when you are understanding how discipleship happens how theel works it actually begins to stir your heart to beg to be a part of this process to look for ways to invest to invite to impact that's why I love when Paul is again the the worst church it's okay to call them the worst church but the worst Church in the New Testament is the church in Corinth they're just jacked up and Paul is trying to help them and the funny thing is is when you actually look throughout all the first and 2 Corinthians there's really two things happening he's trying to stabilize the church with some theological just Foundation like guys you got to stop I don't know if you're aware this you got to stop sinning that's deal not only do you need to stop sinning but you also need to start contributing you need to start contributing because you're not doing that either here's what he says in 2 Corinthians 8: 1-15 we want you to know Brothers about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia like if you ever want to know just a good strategy and it's a it's it's a hard strategy but a good strategy of discipleship is to compare someone who's not doing it well with someone who doing it well just try out hey could you be more like John over here he's awesome shout out to John whereever he's at we want you to know Brothers about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia for in a severe test of Affliction their Abundance of Joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part I just love that it removes any excuse we would ever have of why we cannot give to the mission of God their extreme test of Affliction which meant they're getting tortured they're having physical persecution happen that would be like us saying man I need to like store up money for my medical bills because like if they just keep beating us every single week like we got to make sure we take care of ourselves in addition to that they're not even making money they're just poor people so they're wounded people and they're poor people people and Paul says in that circumstance they took seriously when they read Exodus and they saw that the people of God listened to the command of God and found it a joy as it stirred in their hearts to make a contribution to the mission of God for they gave according to their means as I can testify and beyond their means of their own accord begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the Saints and this not as we expected which is just like Paul saw the church in Macedonia and was like man they got it rough we're not even going to ask them to give which I'll be honest is probably a sin on Paul's part just be honest and I'm going to say this right now I'm sorry that we've not talked more about giving in the eight years of our church because it is a spiritual discipline that provides you Joy and we don't talk about it enough so that's going to change not every week but it's going to change because I want us to be a joyful people I want us to be able to partake in the mission of God and what he's called us to accordingly we urge Titus that as first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us that you should complete among you this act of Grace so he's telling the church in Corinthians this is an act of Grace that we want you to complete we want you to get in on this as you excel in everything in faith and in speech and knowledge and in all earnestness and in our love for you see that you excel in this Grace also also so it's a part of the ministry of the church and again I love this he goes on in verse 8 I say this not as a command but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine so like he wants their discipleship to be genuine for you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that though he was rich yet for your sake he became poor no one gave more than Jesus and you'll never outgive Jesus that though he was rich yet for for your sake he became poor so that you by his poverty might become rich that's the whole I mean again going and making disciples you could be the wealthiest person in the world and if you don't know Jesus you're the poorest person in the world and so what we're trying to help them with is we're trying to get the gospel to them so that actually recognize I am the poorest person in the world but by knowing Jesus and the inheritance that I will receive in eternity I actually become the richest person in the world the richest again Treasures in Heaven not on Earth that's what we're after and in this matter I give my judgment this benefits you this benefits you all right let's land this plane with some general misconceptions I'm going to fly through these um the great thing is I joked about this earlier is new paradigm is not meeting after us so I can preach as long as I want but I do see that the snow has started so we'll try to we'll try to not do that some misconceptions generosity is not a fruit of mature Believers it's the first fruit of genuine Believers think about it when Jesus meets the Rich Young Ruler what does he ask of him sell all your possessions and give it to the poor and what's he respond with sadness because he was extremely wealthy man I don't want to give up everything that I have that makes me sad if he would have follow Jesus the first fruit would have been I'm going to give I'm going to be generous a similar man zakus who was also a Rich Young Ruler meeting Jesus what does he do he gave away half of his goods and then even more than that he said anyone that I've ever stolen from which is basically everyone that he's ever interacted with I'm going to not only return for them what I've taken from them but I'm going to return it fourfold gener like when zakus got saved in that moment and basically in a Bible like like a a small group in his house where he's inviting his friends he doesn't say man like I I gotta once I become mature I'll start being generous it was the first fruit of his genuine belief in Jesus again generosity is not a fruit of maturity but it's a pathway to maturity think about it this way you don't wait to read your Bible once you are mature you read your Bible to mature you don't wait to pray until you are mature you pray so that you mature that's how spiritual disciplines work we don't wait to give until we mature we give so that we mature it's how God worked it out in addition to that generosity is a stewardship of God's resources he gave you to manage again if we're asking the question well I'm looking at my budget I'm looking at my finances I'm looking at my bank account I'm looking at the issue with all of that is we keep saying my it's not ours when Jesus interacts with Paul what does he tell him I'm going to show you how much you must suffer for my sake now again that's not you know um an exciting thing to say but what he's saying is your life is mine and and yes there's going to be a lot of suffering that you're going to you're going to have but you got to remember Paul in all that suffering is unmoved and unshaken most joyful person you'll ever meet in the suffering of him laying down his life and basically following in the same way of Jesus and saying you know what yeah I'm I am not my to live as Christ to die as gain whatever he wants is what I'm going to do if he wants me to give this amount I'm going to give that amount if he doesn't want me to give that amount I'm not going to give that amount if he wants me to work I'm going to work if he doesn't want me to work I'm not going to work whatever he tells me to do that's what I'm going to do because if I follow his command and I stirred in my heart to desire that that's going to be joy for me and that's what I want that's where I want to live homeostasis for the Christian outside of that your life is going to just not be great just in all honesty even as a Christian it won't be great we want to see what he commands us and then follow in with obedience to that stewardship says I'm not the owner of it but I'm going to manage it and invest it however God tells me to stewardship says everything I have is available for God to use and let's just be honest that actually leads you to freedom from materialism freedom from Financial stress what have we already said God's going to provide for you everything that you need so if we say we're too busy we're not trusting God with the time he's allotted for us if we say we don't have enough money then we're spending outside of our means or we're Desiring outside of our means God will provide for us what we need and then what we do with that again in joyful obedience to him is what we are pursuing when it comes to stewardship so then the question is just like the people of God he's commanded us to give and then at the same time we're looking at what's stirred in our heart and so the question is how much then how much do we give if we're called as a church to gather seed in order to have seed to cast and it's coming from every single one of us individually how much do we each individually give well again there's not going to be a one-sized fits-all what I will say the one-sized fits-all is is between you and the Lord You're Going to determine a number you're going to determine a number and I'll just throw this out there as well if whatever that number is doesn't lead to Joy then keep coming back to the Lord just keep coming back to the Lord until you feel like you're in a place where it is joyful again when Paul is encouraging this church in Corinthians in 2 Corinthians he says this to them for you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that though he was rich yet for our sake he became poor so that you by his poverty might become rich in this matter I give my judgment this benefits you who a year ago started not only to do this work but also to desire to do it so he's starting to commend them we've been asking this of you for a while now you're starting to actually be stirred so now finish doing it as well so that your Readiness in Desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what you have what he's saying there is you're starting to want to give now do it now actually give for if the Readiness is there it is acceptable according to what a person has not according to what he does not have for I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened but that as a matter of fairness your abundance at the present time should Supply their need so that their abundance May Supply your need that there may be fairness as it is written whoever gathered much had nothing left over and whoever gathered little Had No Lack what he's saying there is you give according to your means and again if you want to go like the macedonians you give above your means but you give according to your means so if you make a lot give a lot and that's why again like if you want to go based on a tithe it's 10% of your income that's what tithe is in the Old Testament they all gave a 10 or a tithe a 10% of their crops their grain their so forth and so we would look that if you're going to take that as just a rule of thumb we would give 10% of our income to the mission and fueling the mission of God now some would say all right I'm going to work my way up to the tithe and we would say you're probably always going to feel something something in you that it's not enough and I'm not saying this again to get health wealth Prosperity going for the district church I'm saying this for your joy instead of the question being how can we get up to the 10% rather maybe the question should be how do we get to a place of giving that is joyful and that is generous and that is sacrificial even but we're seeing the gospel spread and people coming to know Christ and that's more exciting than me renovating my kitchen that's more exciting than me just uh renewing a a car lease every two years that's more exciting than me just creating a nest EG for when I retired again we're not giving a number I would say the tithe is the floor not the ceiling and from there you're just working it out with the Lord on what that is going to be again this is what he would say the Elder set the vision but the church sets the pace the church determines with its generosity how fast and how far is the vision carried out Vision 25 is believing God for 25 baptisms by the end of 2025 how is that going to happen will we need to cast seed we need to get 250 people into the door for the first time this year we need to get 250 people into the door for the first time this year so that they have a chance to hear the gospel how do we get 250 people in the door we probably need to talk to at least 2500 people so that 250 of them consider it in addition to the 20 500 we need to see that in a 2 mile radius around this church is 25,000 homes 25,000 people population it's about 12,000 homes 25,000 people in just a two- mile radius around the church that's like five times the size of my hometown if you go five mile radius it's 250,000 people when I first looked at all the numbers I just loved it because it fit with 25 in order for us to spread the news of what Jesus has accomplished we need seed we need Nets in order to buy those as a tool to get the gospel out we need money we need money generosity is an act of Grace that ties your heart to the mission where your treasure is there your heart will be also if you treasure Jesus you're going to want to be about what Jesus is doing and you're G to think about it a lot as well let me just throw this out as an illustration if I were to say every one of you give me $1,000 right now and I were to take that ,000 and I'm going to invest it in Bitcoin and I say you can't touch it for a year do you think over that year you're downloading an app that's going to show you what the price of Bitcoin is looking like every single day you're going to be monitoring it you're going to be invested in what's going on with Bitcoin you might even invite other people to partake in Bitcoin because the more demand the price goes up you might even start impacting the cost of bitcoin by going on Reddit and just telling everybody you should get in on this why because your money is invested in it your treasure is invested in it that's why I believe again when you look at scripture the first fruit of genuine belief was their material wealth getting in the game a pathway for discipleship it takes Gathering seed to cast seed and as they were stirred in their hearts in Exodus and Macedonia to contribute to the ministry and mission of God are you stirred in your hearts to contribute 2 Corinthians 9 6-8 and I'll close with this so you can come up this is a true closing Paul says this to the church after he's just just give him a good talking to the point is this all right so he's like if y'all aren't believing me on anything the point is this whoever SWS sparingly also sparingly and whoever SWS bountifully will also reap bountifully in other words if we want to see 25 disciples baptized 25 people baptized by the end of 2025 we're going to need a lot of seed but if we only invest a little bit of seed then we'll only see a little bit of impact a little bit of Effectiveness and therefore he tells them this each one must give as he has decided in his heart not reluctantly or under compulsion for God loves a cheerful Giver I used to church I was at in Tennessee um I mean just some unique people um unique people love them dearly that church actually still supports this church they send us $125 every quarter so uh we we get 500 bucks a month or 500 bucks a year from them um they pass plates every every Sunday but when they pass plates people will like Hoot and Holler I just I I just always at first I was like what are these idiots doing like but they would I mean they'd get the woo I mean just hoot and holl because they were just excited they were cheerful givers like they saw this scripture and they were like yeah I I want to be that I'd rather be a cheerful giver than a scrooge he's like I don't want to give anybody I don't want to give to this I want a new car I want something else I want something nicer God loves a cheerful giver and God is able to make all grace abound to you so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times you may abound in every good work guys that that is my prayer for us as a church this year like just like Paul I'm you're going to suffer and Jesus Promised I'm you're going to show I'm going to show you how much you're going to suffer for my my name's sake but right before Paul said that thing to the Philippian church about thanking them what did he say in Philippians 4:13 it's not just so you can score a touchdown because you do all things through Christ who strengthens you he said I learned to be content in all circumstances because I was well supplied my need was always met and I believe God will meet all of our needs this year when we see what he's commanded us to engage in and we respect respond with a stirred heart and are obedient and in that place man we'll we'll be cheerful we'll be joyful we'll be joyful that's what I want for us today I want a Joyful a joyful year let's pray together father we thank you so much this morning we thank you for what you have done in the life of our people God there's not a person in this room [Music] who would not be here if it weren't for your son Jesus you so loved the world that you sent him to this place to find Sinners to seek and save the Lost and we are grateful to have the opportunity to believe in him to treasure him to follow him all the days of our life and just as you commanded us to go and make disciples of all Nations part of that discipleship is teaching them to observe to obey to joyfully obey all that you have commanded us and this is one thing that you have commanded us you have commanded us to be a generous church that invests in the mission of God and that mission of God has been entrusted to the local church to be effective in its City in its region and to the rest of the world God as we research those unreached people groups in the 1040 window and start praying about which one we will will send people to in the years to come God I pray that right now you begin that process by in in in ingraining in our hearts in our minds right now that we are to invest here so that we grow in order for us to be able to go there for your glory and the Renown of your son Jesus we love you lord it's in your name we pray amen you go ahead and stand with me