WEBVTT 00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:01.360 How are we doing today? 00:00:01.760 --> 00:00:02.240 All right. 00:00:02.319 --> 00:00:05.599 No one likes boring preachers, and preachers don't like boring crowds. 00:00:05.679 --> 00:00:07.360 So, y'all gonna be with me on this one? 00:00:07.759 --> 00:00:10.480 Everyone in the house say amen, just so I know you can. 00:00:11.039 --> 00:00:11.759 Praise God. 00:00:11.919 --> 00:00:12.320 Praise God. 00:00:12.400 --> 00:00:15.039 Hey, I want to welcome everyone who is joining with us online. 00:00:15.439 --> 00:00:20.239 Uh, all of those who are joining with us through streaming the Pando app in our correctional facilities. 00:00:20.399 --> 00:00:23.920 Church, help me welcome everyone who's joining with us on the other side of the camera. 00:00:24.239 --> 00:00:25.920 Thankful for y'all. 00:00:26.320 --> 00:00:31.920 You have a Bible, 2 Corinthians chapter 8 is where we're gonna be today, so you can make your way there. 00:00:32.159 --> 00:00:40.799 We are finishing up a series called Above and Beyond, where we're looking at uh the biblical mandate for how we should use and see our finances. 00:00:41.039 --> 00:00:42.479 So, a couple things. 00:00:42.640 --> 00:00:50.079 If you're a first-time guest today, you can just tune out for the next like 30 minutes and come back next week expectant, all right? 00:00:50.240 --> 00:00:58.240 Uh, second thing, though, here is my big takeaways from this sermon series have really been it's not about money. 00:00:58.560 --> 00:01:05.280 It's more about nurturing the great gift from God that says, I can trust him with everything. 00:01:05.599 --> 00:01:14.000 It's further proof of God knowing me, knowing my heart, knowing that I have a propensity toward greed and control. 00:01:15.359 --> 00:01:27.680 It's it's really, honestly, truly, when you boil it down, um living your life, viewing your finances through the lens of Scripture is for us. 00:01:29.040 --> 00:01:34.400 It's for us, it is for our good, and it is for his glory. 00:01:34.879 --> 00:01:37.680 Second Corinthians chapter 8, verse 7 says this. 00:01:38.560 --> 00:01:50.000 Since you excel in so many ways in your faith, your gifted speakers, your knowledge, your enthusiasm, and your love from us, I want you to excel also in this gracious act of giving. 00:01:50.239 --> 00:01:53.359 My question for you is could this verse stand by itself? 00:01:54.159 --> 00:01:55.200 The answer is yes. 00:01:55.519 --> 00:01:57.040 I want you to think about it like this, though. 00:01:57.200 --> 00:02:03.599 What if Paul wasn't writing this to the church in Corinth, but instead he was writing this to the church at United City? 00:02:04.079 --> 00:02:11.439 Said this, since you excel in so many ways, like church, God is doing incredible things here at United City. 00:02:11.599 --> 00:02:13.039 Like he gets all the glory. 00:02:13.120 --> 00:02:18.240 It is an amazing thing what has taken place over the last few weeks, months, years in this church. 00:02:18.319 --> 00:02:20.400 It's all honestly incredible. 00:02:20.639 --> 00:02:30.800 Since you excel in so many ways, your faith, your gifted speakers, which by the way, Pastor Chris is going to be back next Sunday, and the man is nothing if not a gifted speaker. 00:02:31.280 --> 00:02:43.360 And your faith, your gifted speakers, your knowledge, your enthusiasm, and your love from us, United City, I want you to excel also in this gracious act of giving. 00:02:43.599 --> 00:02:51.039 See the first few verses of chapter 8, Paul uses the example to the church in Corinthians of the church in Macedonia. 00:02:51.360 --> 00:02:59.439 He talks about how the Macedonian people gave generously, even though they were very, very poor, and being persecuted like crazy. 00:02:59.680 --> 00:03:02.639 They were being persecuted because of their belief in God. 00:03:02.800 --> 00:03:09.360 They were being persecuted by the people uh who upheld the pagan gods and traditions of that time. 00:03:09.520 --> 00:03:16.479 And because Christ's followers rejected that, those people turned and started attacking and persecuting the Christians. 00:03:16.719 --> 00:03:23.599 They were also being persecuted by Jewish people at the time who opposed followers of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. 00:03:23.840 --> 00:03:28.560 It's important for you to understand because they were in a terrible financial situation. 00:03:28.719 --> 00:03:48.800 And yet the Macedonians, they were so overwhelmed with gratitude for the believers in Jerusalem who previously had come to Macedonia to tell them about the truth of Jesus that the Macedonians gave to the church in Jerusalem, even though all the stuff was going on in their life didn't make it easy. 00:03:48.960 --> 00:03:56.719 So Paul is bringing up the Macedonians to the Corinthian church as an example to follow in this gracious act of giving. 00:03:56.879 --> 00:04:02.879 He talks about the Macedonians and the example that they are to all the believers, and he brings up this offering. 00:04:03.120 --> 00:04:16.240 And it's important for you to know that this offering is not only mentioned right here, it's actually also mentioned in Galatians, in Acts, and in the final chapter of Paul's first letter to the church of Corinth. 00:04:16.399 --> 00:04:22.319 1 Corinthians chapter 16 is talking about the exact same offering that this letter to them is. 00:04:22.480 --> 00:04:32.720 What's happened is the Corinthian church recognized that this generosity and obedience to God, this financial sacrifice, is something that they needed to do. 00:04:32.800 --> 00:04:40.079 So they committed to doing it about a year ago when they got Paul's first letter that we call 1 Corinthians. 00:04:40.319 --> 00:04:46.720 So Paul brought it up back then, and back then the Corinthian church was like, yes, this is God's way of doing it. 00:04:46.800 --> 00:04:47.519 We need to do this. 00:04:47.680 --> 00:05:02.720 And now here we are in 2 Corinthians, about a year later, and Paul is saying to the church in Corinth, hey, um, remember that you acknowledge God's will for your finances and how you should no longer view them as your finances? 00:05:03.360 --> 00:05:14.800 I just want to remind you that it's been a year, and I think you need to be obedient to what you already acknowledged as your next step, which is a massive sermon for all of us today. 00:05:15.120 --> 00:05:21.279 That sometimes your next step is to do the last thing God told you to do, but you haven't done yet. 00:05:21.519 --> 00:05:24.000 Sometimes that is our next step. 00:05:24.160 --> 00:05:26.319 So could this verse stand on its own? 00:05:26.560 --> 00:05:27.040 Yes. 00:05:27.279 --> 00:05:33.360 However, I think it's more powerful and more reflective of the heart of God when you understand the context. 00:05:33.680 --> 00:05:39.279 Church, I'm gonna ask a favor today that you don't hear this as a giving message. 00:05:39.680 --> 00:05:43.040 I want you to hear this instead as an obedience message. 00:05:43.120 --> 00:05:48.879 And with that in mind, I want to point out three things that we learn about obedience in this text. 00:05:49.040 --> 00:05:52.959 The first is this obedience isn't always easy. 00:05:53.279 --> 00:05:55.519 Obedience isn't always easy. 00:05:55.839 --> 00:05:59.920 It's very likely that a bunch of people in this room could amen that statement. 00:06:00.079 --> 00:06:08.000 You have lived this out, and you being personally obedient to what God tells you to do hasn't always proven to be easy. 00:06:08.240 --> 00:06:13.839 And if you're familiar with the Bible, you can even see how obedience isn't easy throughout all of Scripture. 00:06:14.000 --> 00:06:17.600 Look at Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, the people that we talked about a few weeks ago. 00:06:17.759 --> 00:06:25.199 They were obedient to God by not bowing the knee, not worshiping other false gods and idols, and it cost them, they were thrown into a fiery furnace. 00:06:25.360 --> 00:06:26.319 Look at Noah. 00:06:26.480 --> 00:06:29.120 It wasn't easy for him to be obedient for a couple reasons. 00:06:29.360 --> 00:06:31.920 One, God told him to build a massive boat. 00:06:32.079 --> 00:06:35.040 That is not an easy thing to do during this time. 00:06:35.519 --> 00:06:41.839 And secondly, uh, it wasn't easy because he became a societal outcast for being obedient to God. 00:06:42.079 --> 00:06:44.879 You look at Job, who was obedient throughout his life. 00:06:45.040 --> 00:06:53.279 The enemy of God came in and took everything away from Job, and yet still Job walked in obedience, even though it wasn't easy. 00:06:53.439 --> 00:06:57.680 Look at Rahab, who was obedient and stayed when she could have left. 00:06:57.839 --> 00:06:59.759 Leaving may have been easier. 00:06:59.839 --> 00:07:07.920 Look at Mary, the mother of Jesus, who was a servant of God and risking what everyone might think of her by being obedient to Christ. 00:07:08.399 --> 00:07:12.079 Look at the New Testament with Stephen, who was being obedient to God. 00:07:12.240 --> 00:07:16.480 God said, You need to preach my gospel, preach my truth everywhere that you go. 00:07:16.639 --> 00:07:18.079 And so Stephen was doing that. 00:07:18.160 --> 00:07:23.199 And as he was, he was told by the authorities in that location, you gotta stop preaching the gospel. 00:07:23.360 --> 00:07:28.560 And Stephen looked at them and said, Hey, being obedient to you would make me disobedient to my God. 00:07:28.720 --> 00:07:29.680 I'm not gonna do it. 00:07:29.839 --> 00:07:34.319 His obedience ultimately led to being him being killed by stoning. 00:07:34.800 --> 00:07:37.279 Obedience isn't always easy. 00:07:37.519 --> 00:07:41.839 In fact, a major and overarching theme of the entirety of the Bible is this truth. 00:07:42.079 --> 00:07:45.360 Obedience to God isn't always gonna be easy. 00:07:45.519 --> 00:07:50.399 We're actually told that we will have trials, that we will suffer. 00:07:51.040 --> 00:07:54.399 Is this not part of the struggle that you and I have today? 00:07:55.680 --> 00:07:58.720 Like, I think about AJ and Whitney Tabor. 00:07:59.040 --> 00:08:02.959 AJ uh knew that God was calling him to vocational ministry. 00:08:03.120 --> 00:08:10.720 Whether that be to pastor a church or plant a church or lead a ministry or whatever it may be, AJ knew God was calling him to that. 00:08:10.959 --> 00:08:12.160 So what did he do? 00:08:12.639 --> 00:08:16.079 About a year ago, he left his career. 00:08:16.399 --> 00:08:26.879 Like, had a job, left his career, and now he's a resident at United Cities Residency Program, doing an amazing job, walking in obedience to what God has called him to. 00:08:27.120 --> 00:08:35.679 You've heard stories about uh people, I'm looking at David and Danielle Humphrey right here, who at one point God called them to go overseas as full-time missionaries. 00:08:36.080 --> 00:08:38.080 Like that wasn't easy. 00:08:38.399 --> 00:08:45.200 You hear stories about people who God calls to plant a church in a different city or state or country or whatever it may be, and it's not easy. 00:08:45.279 --> 00:08:53.360 Uh here's where I want to pause, though, because it can be really hard for us to connect with those kind of like seemingly big moments of obedience. 00:08:53.519 --> 00:08:57.200 So, what about the daily practices of obedience? 00:08:57.440 --> 00:09:01.440 And I think the point will be proven to you that it's not always easy. 00:09:01.679 --> 00:09:06.559 It's not always easy to deny yourself, even though we're commanded to in Matthew chapter 16. 00:09:06.720 --> 00:09:09.519 It's not easy to pursue righteousness, 1 Timothy 6. 00:09:09.679 --> 00:09:16.240 It's not easy to serve others instead of being consumed by serving yourself and your own wants and your desires. 00:09:16.480 --> 00:09:17.600 Philippians chapter 2. 00:09:17.679 --> 00:09:19.519 It's not easy to forgive people. 00:09:19.759 --> 00:09:23.200 It's just not, but we're commanded to Ephesians chapter 4. 00:09:23.360 --> 00:09:27.279 It's not easy to walk in humility, 1 Peter chapter 5. 00:09:27.360 --> 00:09:31.600 It's not easy to be kind when other people aren't even kind to us. 00:09:31.759 --> 00:09:33.360 Uh Colossians chapter 3. 00:09:33.519 --> 00:09:47.759 It's not easy to be honest, especially when you may see people around you in the workplace or wherever, whose dishonesty seems to be advancing them personally or advancing them professionally in a way, and you know God has called you to be honest. 00:09:47.840 --> 00:09:52.399 It's not always easy to do that, but we're commanded to in Ephesians chapter 4. 00:09:52.559 --> 00:09:54.720 It's not easy to be patient. 00:09:54.879 --> 00:09:56.799 All the parents in the room, amen. 00:09:56.960 --> 00:09:59.279 Come on, somebody help me out. 00:10:00.000 --> 00:10:06.240 It's not easy to be sober-minded, to live sober-minded, 2 Timothy chapter 4 commands us to. 00:10:06.399 --> 00:10:13.120 It's not easy to break the stronghold of addiction, but Titus chapter 2, verse 12 says that that is what obedience looks like. 00:10:13.200 --> 00:10:16.559 It's not easy to love your enemies, Matthew chapter 4. 00:10:16.639 --> 00:10:17.919 Spoiler alert. 00:10:18.720 --> 00:10:24.320 Neither obedience to God nor living out the Christian life is easy. 00:10:25.360 --> 00:10:34.799 I have two sons, a nine-year-old and a six-year-old, and they are both playing football and baseball right now, which means I am helping coach four different teams, alright? 00:10:34.960 --> 00:10:36.639 Like, praise God for that. 00:10:36.799 --> 00:10:44.720 Uh I am sometimes I feel like a full-time dad coach, a part-time Uber driver, just getting them to and from practice. 00:10:44.960 --> 00:10:50.000 And my side hustle, which happens to take about 50 hours a week, is I'm a pastor at United City Church, alright? 00:10:50.080 --> 00:10:52.240 So any other parents in that stage with me? 00:10:52.399 --> 00:10:54.000 Like, praise God, alright? 00:10:54.159 --> 00:10:55.360 Um, it's awesome. 00:10:55.519 --> 00:10:56.000 We love it. 00:10:56.080 --> 00:10:57.120 We love this season. 00:10:57.200 --> 00:11:06.000 Uh, we have a lot of parents who have have kind of gone through this season, and their advice to us is basically like, yeah, it's busy, but you need to enjoy it because one day you're gonna want it back. 00:11:06.320 --> 00:11:08.639 I love the opportunity to get to coach my boys. 00:11:08.720 --> 00:11:15.039 I love the opportunity uh that even whenever we're exhausted to get home from work, it's like straight out the door to go to a practice. 00:11:15.200 --> 00:11:16.960 Which is why I'm talking about it on Sunday. 00:11:17.120 --> 00:11:17.360 All right. 00:11:17.519 --> 00:11:24.399 So last Tuesday, uh I went home to pick up my son Walker for baseball practice. 00:11:24.639 --> 00:11:28.799 Now, my sons, they have responsibilities with practice. 00:11:29.039 --> 00:11:40.000 So if we're going to baseball practice, both Watts and Walker know it is their job, they know this, to make sure they have all of the stuff ready for practice that they'll need. 00:11:40.240 --> 00:11:48.080 So we're going to baseball practice, he needs to have his baseball bag, his bat, his baseball glove, his cleats, his water bottle, whatever. 00:11:48.240 --> 00:11:49.600 Like all of the stuff that he needs. 00:11:49.759 --> 00:11:53.200 They know that it is their job to have those things. 00:11:53.360 --> 00:11:55.919 Like it's not my job to have them, it's their job. 00:11:56.080 --> 00:11:58.000 They have they are responsible for it. 00:11:58.080 --> 00:11:59.039 It's something that they know. 00:11:59.200 --> 00:12:00.639 Last Tuesday rolls around. 00:12:00.799 --> 00:12:04.320 I get home, we have five minutes until we need to get back in the car and go to practice. 00:12:04.480 --> 00:12:06.559 Walker's in the backyard playing with a friend. 00:12:06.720 --> 00:12:09.360 I go out there and I say, Walker, we're leaving in five minutes. 00:12:09.519 --> 00:12:11.600 You need to make sure you have all of your stuff together. 00:12:11.840 --> 00:12:17.360 Five minutes goes by, I change my clothes, I go out into the garage, it's time to leave, and I see his baseball bag. 00:12:17.519 --> 00:12:21.279 It's completely empty, which is not a great start for my guy, all right? 00:12:21.440 --> 00:12:23.840 Um his he doesn't know where his cleats are. 00:12:24.000 --> 00:12:26.159 His baseball glove is somewhere in the backyard. 00:12:26.320 --> 00:12:28.080 He doesn't have his bat put in his bag. 00:12:28.240 --> 00:12:29.759 He definitely doesn't have a water. 00:12:29.919 --> 00:12:33.840 So what ended up happening is we were a few minutes late for practice. 00:12:34.080 --> 00:12:36.240 Like if you know me, I don't love being late. 00:12:36.320 --> 00:12:38.080 I actually hate it very much, all right? 00:12:38.240 --> 00:12:42.559 Um so he knew it was his job, and he still didn't make it happen. 00:12:42.639 --> 00:12:45.039 Even though he had a reminder, so we get to practice. 00:12:45.200 --> 00:12:45.840 We do practice. 00:12:46.000 --> 00:12:49.919 At the end of practice, I'm thinking, like, alright, this is a dad moment right here. 00:12:50.080 --> 00:12:52.399 Uh I make him run after practice. 00:12:52.720 --> 00:12:54.559 Coach Dan is sitting right over here. 00:12:54.639 --> 00:12:55.759 He can attest to this truth. 00:12:55.919 --> 00:12:57.519 I made him run after practice. 00:12:57.679 --> 00:13:06.879 Really, that backfired because it would have been, he had way more fun running around the baseball field with his friends than if I would have been like, get in the truck, we're going home, you know. 00:13:06.960 --> 00:13:08.320 So that's parenting, though. 00:13:08.480 --> 00:13:09.759 Sometimes you just fail. 00:13:10.000 --> 00:13:13.759 Um he he knows it's his job. 00:13:14.000 --> 00:13:15.200 He and Watts both. 00:13:15.279 --> 00:13:17.440 They know that is their job. 00:13:17.840 --> 00:13:19.279 And he still didn't do it. 00:13:19.519 --> 00:13:22.559 And I get it, obedience in that moment for him, it wasn't easy. 00:13:22.720 --> 00:13:29.519 It wouldn't, it's not easy for a six-year-old to forego playing with a friend in the backyard so that he can go be obedient and make sure his baseball stuff is packed. 00:13:29.679 --> 00:13:30.799 Here's what I want you to see. 00:13:30.960 --> 00:13:32.399 This is you and I today. 00:13:32.639 --> 00:13:37.679 See, if you're a Christian, it you're not just responsible for what you do. 00:13:38.639 --> 00:13:43.279 You're also responsible for what you know to do, but choose not to do. 00:13:43.840 --> 00:13:47.279 See, see, Walker, he's not just responsible to go play baseball. 00:13:47.519 --> 00:13:53.679 Like, yeah, he goes out there and hits home runs and runs around, is a good teammate and respectful to his coaches and all that kind of stuff. 00:13:53.759 --> 00:14:02.320 It's not just that he's responsible for what he does, he's also responsible for what he knows to do, but chose not to do, and making sure he was prepared and ready for practice. 00:14:02.480 --> 00:14:04.480 The same could be said of you and I. 00:14:04.559 --> 00:14:05.519 And here's what I believe. 00:14:05.679 --> 00:14:11.120 Weeks one and two of this sermon series, they did a great job of showing you what obedience looks like. 00:14:11.360 --> 00:14:16.000 If you are here for either of those weeks, you know what obedience is. 00:14:16.320 --> 00:14:20.879 Like you know the truth of what you are called to do. 00:14:21.039 --> 00:14:29.919 And in my opinion, what Paul is doing here with the Corinthian church in 2 Corinthians chapter 8 is that it's not enough that they know what to do. 00:14:30.080 --> 00:14:34.399 So Paul is saying, hey, you have to actually do it. 00:14:34.879 --> 00:14:39.840 Like a year ago you understood that you need to do this, but you never did it. 00:14:40.000 --> 00:14:46.240 So I'm reminding you today, it's not just about what you do or don't do, it's what you know to do and choose not to do. 00:14:46.399 --> 00:14:48.159 It's time to make it happen. 00:14:48.399 --> 00:14:57.679 I I think about uh David, King David in the Old Testament, a man who was known for so many unbelievable moments of obedience. 00:14:57.919 --> 00:14:59.679 Like big moments. 00:15:00.720 --> 00:15:06.559 But also as a man who, during different seasons of his life, was defined by disobedience. 00:15:06.879 --> 00:15:11.519 So I think that gives him a lot of authority whenever it comes to this topic. 00:15:11.600 --> 00:15:14.000 Um, God told him to build a temple. 00:15:14.240 --> 00:15:18.480 So David goes out and he is looking for the perfect place to build this temple. 00:15:18.639 --> 00:15:24.399 He finds the perfect piece of land, goes to the person that owns that land, and says, God told me to build a temple. 00:15:24.559 --> 00:15:27.440 I want to purchase this land from you so that I can do it. 00:15:27.600 --> 00:15:31.360 The landowner says, Well, first of all, you're King David, so like I'm kind of in. 00:15:31.440 --> 00:15:32.480 I don't have a choice in the matter. 00:15:32.639 --> 00:15:34.639 And second, like I follow Christ too. 00:15:34.799 --> 00:15:36.639 I think what you're doing is a noble thing. 00:15:36.879 --> 00:15:38.720 Let me gift you this land. 00:15:38.960 --> 00:15:40.080 I would love to do that. 00:15:40.240 --> 00:15:42.399 And David says, No, that really wasn't the plan. 00:15:42.639 --> 00:15:44.320 Let me let me buy it from you. 00:15:44.399 --> 00:15:45.840 I want to purchase it from you. 00:15:45.919 --> 00:15:48.240 And the landowner says, No, no, no, I insist. 00:15:48.399 --> 00:15:51.759 Like I believe in you, I believe in what you're doing, I think this is a good thing. 00:15:51.919 --> 00:15:54.399 Let me just donate the land to you. 00:15:54.559 --> 00:15:56.240 And I love what David says next. 00:15:56.320 --> 00:15:58.960 It really gives him the authority to speak to us today. 00:15:59.120 --> 00:16:06.559 2 Samuel verse 24, he says this I'm not going to make a sacrifice in obedience that costs me nothing. 00:16:08.480 --> 00:16:13.919 Obedience isn't always easy, and it's not always meant to be easy. 00:16:14.799 --> 00:16:16.799 So, one, obedience isn't always easy. 00:16:16.879 --> 00:16:21.279 The second thing we learn about obedience is that obedience doesn't always make sense. 00:16:22.080 --> 00:16:24.159 Obedience doesn't always make sense. 00:16:24.799 --> 00:16:32.559 Second Corinthians chapter 8, verse 2, uh Paul is telling us that the Macedonian church are super poor, and yet they have a ton of joy. 00:16:32.720 --> 00:16:34.559 They're described as being generous. 00:16:34.639 --> 00:16:42.960 And just in case you were wondering, this is talking strictly and purely about financial generosity that the Macedonians led out here in. 00:16:43.279 --> 00:16:44.240 Go to verse 3. 00:16:44.399 --> 00:16:48.399 Paul makes it very clear that although they're really poor, they still give what they could afford. 00:16:48.559 --> 00:16:50.080 I don't understand how that's possible. 00:16:50.240 --> 00:16:54.080 Like by you and I's standards today, what they could afford was nothing. 00:16:54.240 --> 00:16:56.879 So how is it possible that they could give anything, anyways? 00:16:57.039 --> 00:17:02.480 Well, again, this kind of highlights what PC talked about two weeks ago with the idea of first fruits. 00:17:02.639 --> 00:17:10.079 They weren't giving from what was left over or what extra that they had, they were giving out of the priority of obedience. 00:17:10.720 --> 00:17:12.160 That's what they were doing. 00:17:14.079 --> 00:17:22.000 Take it even further, verse 3 says that not only did they give what they could afford, the Bible literally says, but far more. 00:17:22.960 --> 00:17:24.240 That doesn't make sense. 00:17:24.480 --> 00:17:28.960 Like I don't even understand how it's possible that they would be able to do that. 00:17:29.279 --> 00:17:38.480 There is no financial planner in the earth that would look at the situation that the Macedonian church was in and be like, all right, guys, we gotta offload some capital here. 00:17:38.640 --> 00:17:44.799 Like we we really gotta, you know, we're not just talking about giving some money away, like we gotta get rid of some cash, otherwise, people are gonna start asking questions. 00:17:44.960 --> 00:17:46.480 Like, that's that's not what was happening. 00:17:46.640 --> 00:17:53.759 They were deep in poverty, they were being persecuted like from every angle, all over throughout their lives. 00:17:54.319 --> 00:17:59.920 Obedience to God and doing things his way and the way that he instructs doesn't always make sense. 00:18:00.000 --> 00:18:02.160 But church, trusting him does. 00:18:02.559 --> 00:18:04.400 Trusting in him does. 00:18:04.480 --> 00:18:07.200 I believe obedience doesn't make sense in two primary ways. 00:18:07.279 --> 00:18:08.799 All right, I'm gonna go through these quick. 00:18:09.119 --> 00:18:12.000 One is what I would just call the miraculous. 00:18:12.240 --> 00:18:23.200 The Bible is full of countless truths about how God shows up in the midst of circumstances, and the outcome doesn't make sense because of his miraculous nature. 00:18:23.599 --> 00:18:33.519 I think about Abraham and Isaac, whenever God says, You need to bring Isaac, your son, up and sacrifice him to me so that I can know that you trust me, that you depend on me, and that you'll be obedient to me. 00:18:33.680 --> 00:18:41.440 So Abraham takes Isaac, climbs to the top of a mountain, builds an altar to make the sacrifice on, and is getting ready to sacrifice his son. 00:18:41.759 --> 00:18:45.839 And he holds the dagger up in the air, and the Lord stops him. 00:18:47.119 --> 00:18:48.799 He says, Don't touch him. 00:18:49.119 --> 00:18:52.720 And then Abraham looks over and he sees a ram caught in the thicket. 00:18:53.119 --> 00:18:55.519 And God says, Always remember this. 00:18:55.759 --> 00:18:57.039 I'll provide for you. 00:18:58.400 --> 00:19:10.960 And by the way, just for all of us today to make the Bible a little bit more real, that mountain that uh Abraham brought Isaac on top of is still today, by translation, known as the place where the Lord provides. 00:19:11.279 --> 00:19:26.480 I think about stories like Moses in the Old Testament, whenever he, out of obedience, is leading the Israelite people out of captivity, out of Egypt, and they finally get outside the city thinking they've escaped, and they come toe into the Red Sea. 00:19:26.720 --> 00:19:28.559 No way around it, no way through it. 00:19:28.720 --> 00:19:31.279 Moses looks up to heaven and is like, God, what do I do? 00:19:31.440 --> 00:19:35.119 And God looks down at him and says, Put your staff in the water and watch me cook. 00:19:35.279 --> 00:19:42.880 And then Moses puts his staff in the water, God parts the sea in half, the Israelite people go across on dry ground. 00:19:44.079 --> 00:19:49.599 Like God can provide, even when it doesn't make sense. 00:19:50.400 --> 00:19:57.839 We've heard stories about people who begin to walk in obedience in the area of finances in their life. 00:19:58.079 --> 00:20:10.079 And you've maybe heard stories like this that uh we began to give and walk in obedience, and then at the end of the month, we got a random check in the mail for the exact dollar and cent amount that we needed. 00:20:10.799 --> 00:20:26.240 You've heard stories about people who they begin to walk in obedience to the Lord, and then they get a phone call three months later, and they had some hospital bills and some medical debt that they had accrued, and and the hospital says, Hey, we just want to let you know um all of your medical bills have been forgiven. 00:20:26.319 --> 00:20:28.079 You don't owe us anything anymore. 00:20:28.400 --> 00:20:42.640 You've you've heard stories about people who begin to walk in obedience in the area of finance in their life, and then uh they get a uh insurance check from an accident that they were in five years ago, and the insurance company essentially just says, This check is overdue. 00:20:42.720 --> 00:20:44.319 We apologize for the inconvenience. 00:20:44.400 --> 00:20:45.359 Here you go. 00:20:47.039 --> 00:20:49.200 Like y'all have heard stories like that? 00:20:49.440 --> 00:20:50.559 Please hear me. 00:20:50.880 --> 00:20:52.960 These are miracles. 00:20:53.279 --> 00:20:58.160 This is an example of what can happen when you operate in God's economy. 00:20:58.240 --> 00:21:01.839 It doesn't always follow logic, but God doesn't need it to follow logic. 00:21:02.079 --> 00:21:05.119 Like where logic falls off, God picks up. 00:21:05.359 --> 00:21:07.039 Like He can handle it. 00:21:07.200 --> 00:21:11.039 It doesn't make sense, but with God, it doesn't need to make sense. 00:21:11.359 --> 00:21:12.480 These would be miraculous. 00:21:12.559 --> 00:21:13.839 Now, here's my reminder to you. 00:21:14.000 --> 00:21:16.240 Alright, everyone hear me loud and clear. 00:21:16.640 --> 00:21:19.279 Obedience is not transactional. 00:21:20.480 --> 00:21:25.599 So all of those stories that I just said are are things that have happened to people in this church in the last two years. 00:21:26.960 --> 00:21:29.039 And it's absolutely possible. 00:21:29.599 --> 00:21:34.480 But I also just want you to know that doesn't mean that's gonna be how it works out for you. 00:21:34.799 --> 00:21:37.279 Obedience is not transactional. 00:21:37.440 --> 00:21:40.640 You're not obedient to God, so that blank. 00:21:41.759 --> 00:21:44.799 Obedience is not transactional, it's trusting. 00:21:45.279 --> 00:21:47.759 It's trusting in the Lord. 00:21:48.000 --> 00:21:54.960 We we never hear that the Macedonian church are richly financially blessed because of their giving to their Jerusalem church. 00:21:55.039 --> 00:21:59.599 We never hear that, but what we do hear is that they are full of joy and eagerness, that they were. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:06.079 Faithful to give themselves to the Lord and excited to be a part of the church that God had them a part of. 00:22:06.319 --> 00:22:11.519 We give faithfully because God is faithful to us on a daily basis. 00:22:12.079 --> 00:22:13.839 He is trustworthy. 00:22:14.079 --> 00:22:14.559 Amen. 00:22:14.720 --> 00:22:15.200 House. 00:22:16.400 --> 00:22:19.440 Second way that we give, first way is just miraculous. 00:22:19.759 --> 00:22:22.720 The way that obedience doesn't make sense is by the miraculous. 00:22:22.799 --> 00:22:27.920 The second way that obedience doesn't make sense is what I would simply call counter-cultural. 00:22:28.319 --> 00:22:32.400 I believe this is where we find the Macedonians here in 2 Corinthians chapter 8. 00:22:32.640 --> 00:22:39.839 See, their circumstances didn't set them up as good a good candidate to be able to give away a bunch of money, but they did. 00:22:40.000 --> 00:22:46.880 Their situation wouldn't lead anyone to believe that they would have much reason for joy at all, let alone an abundance of joy, but they did. 00:22:47.119 --> 00:22:52.799 Because of their poverty, it didn't make sense that they would have the ability to afford to give, but they did. 00:22:52.960 --> 00:23:00.319 It certainly wouldn't make sense for them to be obedient to God and what he was telling them to do out of their own free will, but they did. 00:23:01.119 --> 00:23:03.599 Nothing about their obedience makes sense. 00:23:04.000 --> 00:23:07.039 Maybe where I notice it the most though is in verse 4. 00:23:07.279 --> 00:23:08.319 And here's my belief. 00:23:08.480 --> 00:23:14.559 I think Paul is incredibly surprised here in verse 4, and he would even be like, Yeah, that doesn't make sense. 00:23:14.720 --> 00:23:26.160 Because what he says is that Paul is writing and he says, They begged us, the Macedonian church, they begged us again and again for the opportunity to give to advance the church. 00:23:26.400 --> 00:23:28.799 Like even Paul is like shook by that. 00:23:28.960 --> 00:23:30.400 He's like, What in the world? 00:23:30.799 --> 00:23:32.880 They begged again and again. 00:23:33.119 --> 00:23:37.440 As a pastor, let me just tell you, like, I would stroke out if this happened. 00:23:37.519 --> 00:23:46.319 Okay, like if I got up here next Sunday and I said, hey guys, uh ushers are gonna come forward and we're gonna prepare for a time of giving. 00:23:46.400 --> 00:23:56.559 And this place like erupted, like shouts of praise, praise God, like, oh, people like going nuts, so thankful for the opportunity to give money to the church to advance the mission of God. 00:23:56.720 --> 00:23:58.319 Like, I'm I'm out. 00:23:58.480 --> 00:24:00.240 Like, I'm, Lord, take me home. 00:24:00.319 --> 00:24:01.920 You know, like it's one of those things. 00:24:02.079 --> 00:24:04.079 Uh, which by the way, you can all do that next week. 00:24:04.160 --> 00:24:04.880 I think it'd be fun. 00:24:05.039 --> 00:24:07.839 Maybe we could prank Pastor Chris and he'd be like, what is going on? 00:24:07.920 --> 00:24:08.400 You know? 00:24:08.640 --> 00:24:12.400 Um doesn't make sense. 00:24:12.640 --> 00:24:14.559 Doesn't always make sense. 00:24:14.720 --> 00:24:19.359 They begged again and again for the opportunity to give. 00:24:19.519 --> 00:24:23.200 Even Paul sees that it their obedience didn't make sense. 00:24:23.440 --> 00:24:27.440 Obedience to God isn't always gonna make sense on paper. 00:24:27.759 --> 00:24:31.440 It's not always gonna add up in a logical and calculable way. 00:24:31.759 --> 00:24:39.039 It doesn't make sense to the world at times, it doesn't make sense to you at times, it doesn't make sense to the people around you at times. 00:24:39.200 --> 00:24:40.960 Like PC talked about it two weeks ago. 00:24:41.119 --> 00:24:45.200 90% with God is more than 100% without God. 00:24:45.440 --> 00:24:47.920 It doesn't make sense, and yet it is true. 00:24:48.079 --> 00:24:54.559 It's because I believe that first 10% has the anointing of the risen Son of God on it. 00:24:54.799 --> 00:25:03.119 And therefore, it is eternal, it's unexplainable, it's sovereign, it's all-knowing, it's all seeing, it's not confined by the world or what makes sense in the world. 00:25:03.279 --> 00:25:05.839 It is simply God being God. 00:25:06.160 --> 00:25:11.599 And here's what I know God has a much better track record of being God than I do of being in control. 00:25:12.160 --> 00:25:16.880 Like he's way better at being God than I am at being in control. 00:25:17.119 --> 00:25:20.319 Obedience doesn't always make sense. 00:25:21.759 --> 00:25:23.519 Obedience isn't always easy. 00:25:24.000 --> 00:25:25.839 Two, obedience doesn't always make sense. 00:25:26.000 --> 00:25:32.079 The third thing we learn about obedience here is that everyone has a next step in their obedience. 00:25:32.880 --> 00:25:38.960 And that is very common language around here, but here's the tension that I kind of deal with sometimes. 00:25:39.920 --> 00:25:43.839 That you may feel like that is an assignment to you. 00:25:44.480 --> 00:25:46.559 That everyone has a next step in their obedience. 00:25:46.720 --> 00:25:50.319 You may feel like here they go, trying to get me to do something else. 00:25:50.480 --> 00:25:53.680 Like you may feel like it's an assignment to you. 00:25:54.880 --> 00:26:04.480 I want to reframe this in your mind a little bit because you you may think of it like if I don't take that next step, then disobedience is winning, and therefore God is distant from me. 00:26:04.559 --> 00:26:06.640 I we're not going down that road. 00:26:07.200 --> 00:26:12.799 You may feel like it's an assignment given, but what I want you to see is that it's not an assignment. 00:26:12.960 --> 00:26:15.200 It's a promise from Almighty God. 00:26:15.920 --> 00:26:19.839 It's a promise that he will never leave you the same as when he found you. 00:26:20.079 --> 00:26:22.559 It's a promise that he is going to walk with you. 00:26:22.799 --> 00:26:26.000 It's what I like to call progressive sanctification. 00:26:26.319 --> 00:26:29.920 I think about the Sermon on the Mount, the greatest sermon ever preached by Jesus. 00:26:30.079 --> 00:26:40.079 And what he did is he started talking about all of these uh Old Testament laws, Old Testament beliefs that um the people of the time really clung to and made them a big deal. 00:26:40.319 --> 00:26:42.480 And then he kind of ups the ante. 00:26:42.640 --> 00:26:46.559 He raised the standard, and I'm sure it like really messed with them a little bit. 00:26:46.720 --> 00:26:51.599 But he said things like, You say, Thou shalt not murder. 00:26:51.920 --> 00:26:55.359 But I say, if you hold anger in your heart, you've already committed murder. 00:26:55.519 --> 00:26:56.480 He ups the bar. 00:26:56.799 --> 00:27:04.160 You say, Thou shalt not commit adultery, but I say, if you've even looked at a woman lustfully, you've already committed adultery. 00:27:04.480 --> 00:27:11.440 You say to get even when someone wrongs you, but I say, if someone hurts your left cheek, give them the right as well. 00:27:11.759 --> 00:27:23.359 You say to love your neighbor, but I say love your enemy even more, which for me personally, as a follower of Jesus, whenever we talk about, well, the tithe is Old Testament, so we don't have to do that anymore. 00:27:23.440 --> 00:27:24.880 We fall under grace and all of that. 00:27:25.039 --> 00:27:29.279 I I just think about the teaching of Jesus and see, he always raises the standard. 00:27:29.519 --> 00:27:33.519 You say tithe, but I say live generously. 00:27:33.599 --> 00:27:35.359 It's certainly not less. 00:27:36.559 --> 00:27:38.640 There's a lot of biblical proof of that. 00:27:38.960 --> 00:27:40.799 He always ups the ante. 00:27:41.279 --> 00:27:48.400 He always desires his followers to move closer and closer to understanding that his ways are higher than our ways. 00:27:48.960 --> 00:28:02.799 His methods are better than our methods, his plans are better, and his standard is to not seek out the bare minimum, but instead to seek out further and further trust and dependence on him. 00:28:03.359 --> 00:28:07.039 He will never leave you like he found you and praise God for that. 00:28:07.119 --> 00:28:09.680 I think about one of my favorite things in the world to do right now. 00:28:09.759 --> 00:28:11.440 I have a two-year-old daughter. 00:28:11.839 --> 00:28:15.440 And she knows how to walk, but she's a little like janky sometimes. 00:28:15.599 --> 00:28:19.279 And so I'll be holding her hand, walking with her anywhere. 00:28:19.440 --> 00:28:20.240 And I love it. 00:28:20.319 --> 00:28:21.920 Her little hand, she's my only daughter. 00:28:22.000 --> 00:28:22.480 I love it. 00:28:22.720 --> 00:28:26.480 And what I notice is I'm always a little bit ahead of her. 00:28:26.799 --> 00:28:29.839 Like just naturally, I'm just a little bit ahead of her. 00:28:30.400 --> 00:28:36.960 And when I'm holding her hand, what I notice is she is holding my hand firm. 00:28:37.440 --> 00:28:42.000 Because just the stability that I have to offer is something she can depend on. 00:28:42.640 --> 00:28:45.359 And I know that it gives her more confidence. 00:28:45.519 --> 00:28:50.640 Like if we start going a little faster, that she's holding on to my hand, so she's a little bit more confident. 00:28:51.279 --> 00:28:56.640 Another thing that I notice is when we're walking, my eyes, as her dad, are looking up. 00:28:57.440 --> 00:28:59.119 I'm looking at what's ahead. 00:28:59.359 --> 00:29:01.200 I am being protective of her. 00:29:01.359 --> 00:29:04.160 I am aware of our surroundings and what is going on. 00:29:04.400 --> 00:29:08.160 I notice sometimes she's looking straight down, just trying to get this right. 00:29:11.119 --> 00:29:14.799 She's confident because she's holding her dad's hand. 00:29:15.680 --> 00:29:17.680 She feels comfort because of that. 00:29:17.920 --> 00:29:21.519 She doesn't have to worry about what's up in front because she knows I'm looking at it. 00:29:23.759 --> 00:29:26.319 How much more we with our Heavenly Father? 00:29:27.920 --> 00:29:31.599 The God who says, I will provide you with that comfort. 00:29:32.319 --> 00:29:34.400 I will provide you with that stability. 00:29:34.640 --> 00:29:38.720 I will provide you with the confidence and the ability to trust me. 00:29:39.279 --> 00:29:52.400 And although sometimes you get so stuck looking down at your current circumstances and the current issues that you're facing and the current bills and the current struggles that you've got, I, as your heavenly father, am looking ahead. 00:29:52.559 --> 00:29:54.240 And I know where we're going. 00:29:54.559 --> 00:29:56.720 I just need you to follow me there. 00:29:57.839 --> 00:30:03.599 How much more our Heavenly Father leads, guides, corrects, and loves us. 00:30:05.519 --> 00:30:06.480 She's beautiful. 00:30:06.640 --> 00:30:07.920 I love my daughter. 00:30:08.160 --> 00:30:14.000 Um she's two, and I'll say this: she's very cute, but she's very, very two, all right? 00:30:14.240 --> 00:30:16.799 Like she's the most two that a kid can be. 00:30:16.960 --> 00:30:18.000 Like, all right. 00:30:18.400 --> 00:30:24.240 Um the thing that she's doing right now is she'll pick up anything. 00:30:24.400 --> 00:30:26.240 It might happen to you in the lobby at church. 00:30:26.400 --> 00:30:28.799