Give…And Leave the Results to God

hings That Go Way Beyond what we could calculate and manipulate in the circumstances of life so we we don’t want to be people that doubt what you can do we want to be people that say do it God make a way show me the way help me to follow you in the way until I’m face to face with you Jesus if you feel all that would you say Thank you Lord amen amen have a seat Church welcome and good morning to all of you who are

here on a significant day I guess every day is significant right I was corrected early in my Ministry years when somebody said every day is Resurrection Day because I kind of have a little bit of a depression that hits me after Easter and I’m thinking ah we got a whole year to wait you know it’s over and it’s not over because the same God that the the king of Life what a great label we sang thanks Christian worship team you just took us there and it’s

a truth that I I think is particularly in play today but it’s true all the time isn’t it I I really believe that to be the case today I want to talk about something that all of us know about and all of us have our different opinions about but before since you were so good at raising your hand and waving that kind of thing I want you to take both hands right now and extend them in front of you okay just the hands are out but

here’s what I want you to do I want you to clutch them like this okay if you were had your hands down you’d be grabbing a wheelbarrow okay so you’re tight right so here’s the deal this represents some things that matter to you and me the the things that we’re going to talk about this morning and somewhere in the process of living this Christian Life we come to a place of saying not because we have to but because we have the opportunity to do so okay

Lord have your way it’s all yours anyway for a while I held on to it like was mine but it’s truly it’s yours okay now switch your hands to like this doesn’t that feel better because this kind of gets I get cramps in my fingers sometimes okay you just say okay and look at your hands they’re they’re empty but if you can by faith imagine they’re full of things that God wants to use in your life in my life so that’s what this morning’s about any

questions let me start by a jolting statement maybe you knew this to be true but Jesus said a lot about money said a whole bunch about money in fact more than any other single subject if you were to just analyze the four Gospels nothing said by Jesus the savior of our souls more than money did you know that one sixth one-sixth of the four gospels has to do with this single subject in fact let me break it down further one third of all the Parables there’s

20 something parables depends on how you count one-third of them about this topic Swindoll writes this Jesus was not a fundraiser he’s been accused of that because he talked about money so much and if you’re a fundraiser I don’t care who you fundraise for you know it’s the it’s survive it’s you know produce or Parish that’s the name of the game in that world so but Jesus was not a fundraiser Chuck says he dealt with money matters because Money Matters okay and that changed the whole

subject here I’m talking about it not because it’s comfortable for me that I have to reach into your wallet or your purse today but that and by the way that’s not my plan so relax okay I saw two of you ladies grab your purse get your own purse buddy anyway let me go broader than this for a second God has given us not one or two but three resources he’s given it to all of us to invest my hands are open for a reason in eternity

they are time raise your hand if you got a a watch on the wrist somewhere okay I don’t have one anymore so I’m so free and easy baby now I my watch died so anyway so we got time we have talent do I need to point out people that were up here in front of us leading Us in worship or the greeters in the back or the the piano the every part of all of us it’s not a few it’s all of us we have talent

so we got time we’ve got talent and yes we have Treasures the common thread I want us to see this morning is a verb thread a single word give your time say it with me your Talent and your Treasures right it’s it’s it’s in play today so there’s no hiding bias that we’re going to see in the Bible that our time and our talent and our Treasures are ours to use and in the use of those things it is the the desire of God that all

of us face the question how can I use them how can I I like the word leverage them how would I give of them for his glory and I happen to hold to a personal bias Debbie and I talk about this often if it’s for his glory it’s for my good are good okay you don’t find anything anywhere in the Bible that says well God’s going to get a lot of Glory out of this but I get the shaft not true at all completely opposite of

what the Bible’s teaching is so if it’s for his glory and he gets a he gets Glory from when we use or leverage these things to bring him glory it will be at the same time a reason for you and me to smile to say actually wow that was actually a good choice to let go of it so when you consider this that the Bible says actually devotes 2300 and some change verses on the subject before us that’s two times in case you want a comparison

two times what the Bible says about prayer and about faith how many think prayer and Faith are a big deal in the Christian Life I think everything right prayer and Faith do you realize Jesus said the Bible says broader than Jesus here more than twice as much about this subject giving I don’t even have to assume you’re you’re slightly awake to sort of have a hunch that something big is being said here and that’s what I want us to talk about this morning so let’s begin

our study by jumping in I like to call it the deep end okay we’re not going to wade into this slowly we’re going to jump in first Timothy chapter six so if you don’t have a Bible reach for one in the chair rack it’s not to it’s not to tap somebody on the shoulder and say hey wake up it’s to read okay first Timothy chapter six some of you use an app that’s cool too we don’t show it up on the screen mostly because it’s your

Bible let’s get to know it let’s get comfortable in it first Timothy chapter six as you’re on your way there let me hold up my Bible and show you that this thick part is before First Timothy this little thin Parts all you got left about 12 letters left and once you hit First Timothy in the Bible so you’ll know you’re kind of on the right track Paul is the author of this letter and he’s coaching his successor his successor is not only the one that would

take over as the batons passed to him by the apostle but he’s his son in the faith that’s a big deal Timothy found faith in Jesus Through the Apostle Paul his mother and grandmother were very big part of his childhood influence but his definitely his the impact of his life was the Apostle Paul his name is Timothy and look at chapter six because the Apostle is discussing a whole bunch in fact if you want to read Timothy first and second Timothy read it through the lens

of parting words from a faithful wise Godly leader Paul to Tim we know him as Timothy but I’ll bet he was he was very intimate with him and these are two letters happen to be the Paul the apostles last two letters and their personal letters written to Timothy covering a variety of subjects only in this case he picks up on the subject that you’ll see right away in chapter 6 verse 6. But godliness with contentment is great gain for we brought nothing into the world that’s

why I had you open your hands because that’s how we came into the world like that somewhere along the way we go like this and the plan is for God to say Let It Go we brought nothing into the world we can take nothing out of it but if we have food and clothing we will be content second time he uses that word with that those who want to get rich I won’t have you hold your hand up but I’m guessing some honest ones would say

I do those who want to get rich fall into temptation in a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people to where I got the deep end into ruin and destruction For the Love of Money is a root of all kinds of evil and he lists some of the kinds of evil some people eager for money have actually wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs but you Tim man of God flee from this and pursue righteousness godliness faith love endurance

and gentleness fight the good fight of the faith and take hold of the eternal life to which indeed you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses and Paul would say I was one of them you said I take Jesus I want Jesus that’s the confession we’re talking about here then drop down the page to verse 17. Command those who are rich so he’s covering both those who want to get rich he’s already talked about that in verse 9 verse

17. Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant or to put their hope and wealth which is so uncertain you ever heard of the stock market right we know that what goes up comes down there is not a stock chart that goes like this and it doesn’t stay that way forever it goes like this like a saw which is the wealth so uncertain I broke in mid-sense but put your hope in something better than that God who richly provides us with

everything for our enjoyment command those who are rich that’s who he’s talking here command them to do good to be actually rich in Good Deeds and to be generous and willing to share in this way they will lay up Treasures for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age so that they may take hold you get to clinch your fist one last time take hold of life that is truly life the apostle begins with a powerful principle you can write this down if you’re taking

notes when we give we’re taking a stance against greed okay when we give we’re taking a stance against greed that’s what verses 9 and 10 are talking about you’re saying well greed doesn’t even appear in those oh yes it does watch okay those who want to get rich fall into temptation and trap in many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction For the Love of Money is a root of all kinds of people eager money have wandered from the faith Pierce themselves

with many griefs listen carefully greed is want or desire out of control want or desire that’s out of control it makes greed demanding consuming and controlling and it doesn’t matter if you’re a Believer or not in anyone’s life when you want or desire something that you are just after and if it in the possession of someone else we introduce a different word not for today covetousness you got the car I want the house I want to finish the sentence could that be why this greed idea

has such a potential for controlling and consuming Our Lives could it be why Jesus kind of I’m just going to say he interrupted with a jolt his Sermon on the Mount it was a cool sermon things are on a roll Matthew 5 6-7 and right at the beginning point maybe a third of the way through he interrupts by saying no one can serve two masters either you will hate the one and love the other or you will be devoted to one and despise the other you

cannot serve both God and may I put it in terms that we’ll remember and the money God Mammon is the word Jesus used you know why I pause long because many people have tried it I can do both and you don’t say it out loud but you’re thinking I could be the exception Jesus thanks for the warning I know people that need it and he goes when are you going to get it no wonder the Bible announces boldly greed is idolatry so from this strong start

to Timothy I want us to imagine for a moment eavesdropping on this father-son conversation listen to Paul’s statements verse 7 we start with nothing yet if some never they will not stop and they will stop at nothing at all to get and to acquire and to possess and to have see me Gathering things greed is is in that sense gluttonous so he says in verse 9 words that are important watch out watch out because want isn’t easily Tamed so I want to give I’m not the

first to do this Proverbs does this it personifies wisdom calling wisdom a woman and it’s a helpful sort of imagery that draws you in greed I want to do that right now I want a personify greed and call it want now you know why I could say greed because it’s listed here by Paul in his inspired words want isn’t easily Tamed it’s translated various ways in different translation I’m reading from new international the word want but others use desire and longing and and wishing and eventually

if if it’s not checked want becomes this weird kind of love that he talks about in verse 10. And did you read verse 10 to take it in enough to realize that the fact is the Fallout from this want that becomes a love of stuff is actually something that has frightening implications The Fallout is not hidden from us in verses 9 and 10. Stuff like temptation they’re linked a trap many not a few many foolish and harmful desires think distraction think a runner trying to run

a race and run it well run it to win it right but he keeps getting distracted by I don’t know somebody cheering or somebody any Runner is going to tell you any race a person is going to tell you keep your eyes in front of you you’re not that that doesn’t help you what he or she’s doing over here keep your eyes straight in front of you because it’s a trap otherwise many were told foolish and harmful desires I’m reading from verse 9. It’s true and

then he adds words like ruin and destruction I think wrecking ball when I read that it’s gone we had a house that was built at the end of our street in a farm area and we thought when it was built it was brand new beautiful white farmhouse and we said to ourselves oh good they’re never going to put the street through have you been on Luke Lane Highway lately that’s our street and it went through and guess what happened the people that built that big beautiful

house with five acres guess what the day they signed the thing the next day a wrecking ball came they didn’t even patiently dismantle the house and you know repurpose stuff and I left for work in the morning the house was standing I came home that afternoon gone ruin and destruction suddenly came into Focus we Cruise along through life and Paul says you get this love thing going with things that it doesn’t that that’s unnatural that’s not intended by God it will lead to a sudden and

often Swift ruin and destruction and none of these outcomes satisfied did you notice that they’re kind of like if you think about want it wants something it’s like inside you don’t word it maybe or articulate it but you feel it I want that and so this this want is like a indulged child want makes demands which usually leads to what more want if you if you were tempted to say to like I got the car the Bible says no you you that’s just temporary that’s a

Band-Aid problems deeper than that don’t overlook the most costly of these consequences in verse 10. Are you looking down at the page some people eager for money have checked out and they’ve they’ve left the faith the antidote is already we’ve read it verses 11 and 12. Be a man of God and flee from this stuff pursue righteousness Faith love endurance and gentleness and then it’s he he invites us fight the good fight of faith take hold of eternal life those are the things that will last

that’s why it’s called eternal and the other antidote is in verse 18. We read it near the end command them to be rich in Good Deeds give flee because it’ll kill you fight because it will take a fight Break Free and then the ongoing antidote give I have a confession to make to you right now okay it’s not a huge sin but it is a sin you’re you’re not laughing probably because you’re wondering if I really believe that there’s big and little sins I don’t really

believe that I believe that if you break a law you’re you’re a law breaker right James said so but here it is in verses 9 and 10. I read words that make me nervous most of the time I read them and you and I’m going to be honest and tell you I’m not nervous about you I’m nervous about me I just tell him I look at that and I think okay I gotta tell I gotta tell the people I love you know what you could ask

the finance team they manage all the finances around here I have no idea what anybody gives but me and Debbie and you know what then I’m speaking for myself not Debbie she doesn’t wrestle with this like I do I don’t think but anyway I do know about me and you know what I do every week every week I write a check actually the truth is I use that give app now and it’s easy and quick and I’ve got such bad handwriting so anyway I send money

to the church and I do it for this reason because I almost put money in my pocket today but literally I don’t have any cash in my pocket somebody want to loan me a 20 I’m just kidding yeah just kidding but money likes hanging out right here it it likes let’s just call these Pockets The Good Life and money likes it there for you might be a person doesn’t matter I’m trying to illustrate the point and I don’t want it to get comfortable where there there

I wanted to I wanted to get out of there I want to lose my grip on it and that’s part of why I have such a habit that says I’m not going to stop doing that and when I do it a different outcome happens it’s like God that’s yours you actually we’re going to learn more in a minute there’s even more that’s yours so when we give that’s why we give part of the reason we’re told to give is that it’s a way of saying greed

enough now you’re wise enough you don’t need my help with this but it’s not going to stay away okay so as much as I am swinging for the fence today and hoping to hit a home run in this message you and I could probably hear this message monthly for a long time and be challenged in fresh ways that’s that’s the Holy Spirit what he does so that’s a that’s a starting principle man we are we have a lot more that I could talk about we’re not

going to get it all out but here’s a second giving principle and you’re going to have to change the page here to Mark chapter 12. Let me state it and then turn in your Bible when you give generously okay that’s an easy one to write down now turn to Matthew chapter or Mark chapter 12 all right so it’s the second of four gospels Mark chapter 12. And at the end it’s the last little piece here you probably heard of the day when Jesus was sitting in

the temple and he was people watching I’m going to go to the mall and people watch or Costco you you I like people watching Jesus did it he’s doing it here and he’s people watching as many wealthy ones and a nameless Widow are highlighted and they file in that church I’m not I didn’t even notice to yeah we’ve got a giving box back there years ago we moved from passing the plate as it’s sometimes called to a giving box and I and I the treasure people

the finance people here you know with with great fiduciary concern open it count it together and take care of it manage it that’s why there’s no nefarious stories to tell about finances at Grace Point and there won’t be I never has been that’s just not how we do things we do what Jesus would I have no oh is that I’m not going to say Judy’s name but help her with her phone real quick there it’s okay that guy has a pretty cool voice actually when you

think of that are you in Mark 12 I’m tempted to have you come up here and hold that voice to the mic right here that’d be kind of a fun way to change it up okay so Jesus he’s he’s standing he’s sitting there watching people file by a giving box and and it turns out this way Jesus sat upon opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple I’m reading from verse 41. They were putting their money

into the temple treasury box many rich people threw in large amounts but a poor Widow came and put in two very small copper coins worth only a few cents what he saw stirred him to say something to his disciples verse 43 calling his disciples to him Jesus said check it out I tell you the truth this poor Widow has put more into the treasury than all those others they all gave out of their wealth but she out of her poverty put in everything all that she

had to live on the Widow it turns out was more generous than the high pockets people who gave large amounts According To Jesus how so some of you may be critics or hesitant ones might say how so well the wealthy had a lot of money before and after they gave this Widow I had a True Confession I do not bend over and pick up pennies today I made a decision a few years ago that I would only go for something shiny like a nickel or more

and that’s saying a lot I’m Scottish right okay so there it is this Widow had two pennies just put it in that term I don’t need to bother you with the conversion rate money in the first century it was it was fractional but in releasing it she let go of everything she had all of us get that someone said of that scene God sees not the portion but the proportion I like that could go a long Direction this morning on that Jesus is teaching that when

we give and remember we started with it’s time it’s Talent and it’s money I’m going to be bold and say something your money doesn’t matter as much to you as your time I don’t know anybody that would disagree with that I’m sure some would say no I just need a nickel that’s all I need okay I get it but you know what I’m talking about when you hear of a need do you roll up your sleeves and give of your time to meet the need or

do you look for your checkbook and say I can write a check and take care of that need to make you bad and simply I’m trying to observe something that’s present in our day we we got time but limited amounts some of us have more money than we have time to spend and so it’s easier it’s less sacrificial for me to write a check I won’t even notice it missing but the time is a big deal and Jesus expects us to give generously a third stop

in our study you’re going to have to turn again but you’re doing a great job so go to Second Corinthians it’s probably chapters nine or eight and nine are the giving chapters in the New Testament I guess you could say that about first Timothy 6 where we already spent some time but second Corinthians chapters eight and nine we’re only going to look at chapter nine for a couple of verses here it’s a principle in chapter nine that gives us a vivid analogy to help us remember

this truth this morning when you give give generously okay verse six look on with me remember this second Corinthians 9. Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly whoever sows generously will also reap generously each of you should give what you’ve decided in your heart to give not reluctantly there’s no arm twisting that doesn’t work it’s certainly not a sustainable approach not reluctantly or under compulsion for God loves I always like a sentence that starts that way because I want to be the who he’s describing well

he loves a cheerful Giver there’s the answer look at verse 8 God is able to bless you abundantly so that in all things at all times having all that you need you will abound in every good work that’s really good stuff we’re being described being told about a lesson from the Harvest if you plant a small amount of seed if you’re a gardener or a farmer you use the word so okay you sow a small amount of seed what’s the likely result goes in the ground

that means sewed right when it’s harvest time what’s the amount small right it’s no funny math here so a small amount and you will harvest a small amount right so let’s just say it’s springtime and you you’re coming off a hard winter and you’re a little cautious about because you heard the news and it’s El Nino and it’s going to be really hot and the drought and so go easy this spring and only sew a little bit of seed and you have your reasons so that’s

the approach you take driven maybe a little bit by fear you flirt with the idea that no this is wise but that that bad winter is behind you you’ve got you know this is a new season still you make the choice and you sow sparingly and then summer comes but drought doesn’t wait a minute the forecast was but drought didn’t come in fact there was plenty of timely rain in the growing season okay fast forward it’s harvest time now and you go out there and you

see something that’s downright alarming you have you have really good fruit or vegetables but very few of them not because some died everything you planted grew and it grew big and good and delicious only your cautioned back here that said no I’m gonna I’m gonna plant I’m gonna sow sparingly the law of the Harvest is I don’t care what you want after you’re so little it will not produce a lot verse six gets my attention it pulls me out of my chair maybe it’ll work for

you remember this What would what would cause the Apostle Paul to lead a a verse with those two words remember this he starts the sentence that way could it be he knows something about human nature we’re capable of forgetting why would you say remember this how many of you were a student in high school okay your hands moving a lot today all right how many went on to college or something like that okay quite a few College people as well so it’s like listening to a

lecture and the guy goes on or the gal just goes on and on and I realize some of you are going yeah and so are you Pastor trying to pay attention you’re trying to stay dialed in and then your teacher says hey you guys you might want to get this down in fact you’ll want to remember what I’m about to say and if you’re a smart student what do you do get on your phone start talking no you draw you hang up right there and you

you get serious why because you know something it’s going to be on the test it’s it’s it’s a sure bet in fact you know that principle so much you actually memorize that principle so Paul is saying remember this two principles so sparingly and reap sparingly so abundantly and call your friends to come share the Harvest you’ll reap generously and please don’t don’t leave here thinking Pastor Steve’s heading down that Prosperity Gospel path actually no I’m not that’s that’s way way off I’m heading down the generosity

gospel path that’s what I’m on I think that’s what God wants all of us we reap don’t forget this we reap in relation to what we sow all right I want to leave you with a final principle here two more you guys all doing okay do you want to stand and wiggle for a minute would that be weird let’s do it let’s try it we’ll just say we did it today everybody stand up wiggle and wave at somebody and you at home do the same thing

we’re going to have a good time and if you’re one of those standing right now you’re making a statement preach on Pastor preach on all right that’s good have a seat we’re gonna we’re gonna crank forward okay there we go here’s the third principle you some of you still have your pins out you need to write this down what you give of your time Talent and treasure what you give was in fact given to you whoa does that reset given to you stay right here in

second Corinthians 9 and I want you to look at two verses we just read but I want you to see one word in both verse two two words in both verses verse eight God is able to bless you abundantly here’s the two words so that would you Circle those they’re called a Hina clause in Greek okay you don’t have to worry about the spelling h-I-n-a but it’s got a little doohickey so a Hina Clause known as a purpose Clause you’ll see it again that’s verse eight

you’re going to see it also in verse 11. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion the point here is When God says give he’s saying I’ve given to you and I expect you to follow through on what’s behind this so that so God is able to bless you abundantly verse 8. And he has would you would you give me an amen there okay so is that for the purpose of in all things at all times having all

that he provided you that you need you will hoard it and stash it away right now you will you will abound in Good Works he says the same exact thing in verse 11 you will be enriched by God in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion and through your generosity who gets the glory who gets it him because it’s not you doing it he’s the source of the generosity the seed you sow the seed I sow comes from him we are not

reservoirs people we are rivers Rivers let it flow I’m speaking to myself let it flow let it go so when we give we’re taken from the storehouse that he’s given us to manage it and we’re putting it to work for his Harvest let me get real personal and be done like I haven’t been okay if you say that’s pretty good logic pastor and I think you would agree it is pretty good logic but what what I give in fact you told us about how you give

it’s really coming out of your bank account I mean let’s be honest that’s figurative and it’s compelling but it’s coming out of your bank account how many think that’s accurate right I know you’re cautious now there’s a setup coming okay to which I would say if you believe that really I have a series of questions you need to answer who put it into your bank account hold on if you say my boss or my job or Auto deposit that’s how we do it here at the

church Auto deposit then I have a second question who gave you that job who gave you the job if you say well not to be cute pastor but I applied for the job and I interviewed well and they say we want you so far third question who gave you the credentials or the skills or the degree necessary for you to score that job if you say what my first answer is I did or you even name a college or grad school or seminary then my next

question is who gave you the brains to study and to get good grades and to pass tests and classes and graduate do you see where this is going God gets to rightfully ask the ultimate question who gives you breath will you please today before you’re done with your Bible still open will you read Deuteronomy chapter 8. It’s really important passage in God’s word and it’s where the Israelites just to set your appetite for it they’re a week or two from entering the promised land after wandering

in the wilderness for how long 40 years four decades they’re one one or two weeks away from entering the land and they’re told in Deuteronomy chapter 8. Listen this land’s full of abundance but there’s also Kool-Aid served in this land don’t drink the Kool-Aid once you get there and enjoy the abundance you’re drinking Kool-Aid if you think I did this I’m good I pulled this off this promised land is really cool you’re looking at why Deuteronomy 8 okay I said enough remember it there is a

seed in your pocket or purse because of God and I I think God’s heart would be thrilled if you saw it that way maybe some of you differently than you have I know there’s stuff there’s work for me to do but when we didn’t we didn’t have the breath we needed to do and find the job and have without it being given to us why do we do that weird thing and forget what we have did not come from our job it did not come from

parents it did not come from inheritance I’m hitting all the things it did not come from the lottery or Investments or Talent OR achievement all of those are tempting answers God gave it to you with the expectation of getting it through you I’d like you to Bow your heads if you would with me this is a really important moment in our morning and I’m going to ask you a question that you can answer with the holy spirit’s help only your answer may not be accurate otherwise

okay how much of what God has given you has gotten through you please don’t forg

Transcript machine-generated from the sermon audio, so it may contain errors. 6,316 words.