WEBVTT 00:00:03.040 --> 00:00:13.919 Ministering to the heart of Western Arkansas's River Valley for over 165 years, welcome to Chapter and First, the Bible teaching ministry of Fort Smith's First Baptist Church. 00:00:14.160 --> 00:00:19.359 You'll find sermons and teachings from Pastor Greg, our ministry staff, and guest speakers. 00:00:19.600 --> 00:00:21.199 Thank you for listening. 00:00:21.839 --> 00:00:25.359 Nobody messes up a beautiful worship moment like the pastor. 00:00:26.079 --> 00:00:27.920 Thank you, choir and orchestra. 00:00:28.000 --> 00:00:28.640 That was beautiful. 00:00:28.879 --> 00:00:32.640 Turn with me, if you will, in your Bibles to Philippians chapter 4. 00:00:32.799 --> 00:00:40.560 We're going to continue in our study of Philippians, and our theme has been a life worthy of the gospel. 00:00:40.799 --> 00:00:52.079 And the root word of worthy and worship comes from the same concept, and we've been really doing a beautiful job today of focusing on worship with the Lord. 00:00:52.159 --> 00:00:56.799 And so today we're going to talk about another form of worship. 00:00:56.880 --> 00:01:01.759 And hopefully you'll see from Scripture that it is literally worship as we talk about. 00:01:01.840 --> 00:01:07.359 Now let me remind you as we uh before we get started and read in Philippians 4. 00:01:07.519 --> 00:01:14.879 Our theme verse from the book of Philippians is found in chapter 1, and we began and unpacked that early on in the study. 00:01:15.040 --> 00:01:18.000 And here's that verse, just to remind you again on the screen. 00:01:18.319 --> 00:01:21.519 Just one thing, Paul says, one thing. 00:01:21.760 --> 00:01:25.840 Live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. 00:01:26.079 --> 00:01:38.799 Then, whether I come and see you or am absent, I will hear about you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind, working side by side for the faith that comes from the gospel. 00:01:39.359 --> 00:01:44.319 One thing, live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel. 00:01:44.719 --> 00:01:47.040 Well, here's what we'd like to talk about today. 00:01:47.760 --> 00:01:53.359 Since we're doing our church business meeting tonight, we've handed out the budget, we're taking care of all that. 00:01:53.519 --> 00:01:56.159 It begs the question, why do we do that? 00:01:56.400 --> 00:02:00.079 That's more than just uh we always did it that way. 00:02:00.239 --> 00:02:08.159 It's more than just uh the governance documents legally require us to have a budget or whatever. 00:02:08.479 --> 00:02:13.120 This is literally part and parcel of who we are. 00:02:13.599 --> 00:02:18.879 Giving to advance the gospel is living worthy of the gospel. 00:02:19.039 --> 00:02:19.840 Let me have one of those. 00:02:20.000 --> 00:02:20.560 Thank you, Dave. 00:02:20.639 --> 00:02:20.960 Just one. 00:02:21.039 --> 00:02:21.360 It's great. 00:02:21.759 --> 00:02:22.240 Thank you. 00:02:22.719 --> 00:02:34.960 Giving to advance the gospel, which is why we give, that's what our budget is about, that's what tithing is about, and everything else, is living worthy of the gospel, as the theme was stated in this letter. 00:02:35.120 --> 00:02:37.840 Turn with me, if you will, to Philippians chapter 4 now. 00:02:43.120 --> 00:02:44.080 Forgive me for that. 00:02:44.319 --> 00:02:46.560 Philippians chapter 4, verse 10. 00:02:47.120 --> 00:03:01.120 Paul is working towards the conclusion of his letter here, and as he often does with a number of these churches, he thanks them for how they have given financially to his mission's work. 00:03:01.439 --> 00:03:03.759 So here's what the Bible says beginning in verse 10. 00:03:04.000 --> 00:03:11.520 I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that once again you renewed your care for me. 00:03:12.080 --> 00:03:17.680 You were, in fact, concerned about me, but lacked the opportunity to show it. 00:03:17.759 --> 00:03:18.960 Now, what does that mean? 00:03:19.120 --> 00:03:33.680 Well, we understand from Scripture that this church, as you unpack the book of Acts and everything else, when Paul showed up in the city of Philippi and he started planting this church, that this church began to give to his ministry and support him as a missionary. 00:03:33.840 --> 00:03:44.319 And historians tell us that this is well over ten years down the road now, and they are continuing to consistently give to his ministry. 00:03:44.560 --> 00:03:57.120 We also know from the book of Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, that they gave sacrificially to an offering that was sent back to Jerusalem to help the churches and the brothers and sisters in Christ back in Jerusalem. 00:03:57.280 --> 00:03:59.039 And so this is a giving church. 00:03:59.199 --> 00:04:11.280 Now, they don't live in the days of PayPal and here, let me Venmo you that money, and you know, I can't keep track of Paul on Instagram and all that kind of stuff. 00:04:11.360 --> 00:04:20.160 So what he's saying is, because of the logistics of how the world worked back then, it was hard sometimes for them to find out where he was or what her needs were. 00:04:20.319 --> 00:04:25.519 Or it would take weeks, sometimes months, even for a letter to get from one place to another. 00:04:25.680 --> 00:04:31.439 And so they would send messengers back and forth, and Paul would move and somebody would chase him and have to find him and all of that. 00:04:31.600 --> 00:04:44.399 But over the course of that time, even at times when they could not necessarily find him or have a way to get him a gift, this church was consistently committed to giving to him as a missionary. 00:04:45.120 --> 00:04:48.160 You were in fact concerned about me, but lacked the opportunity to show it. 00:04:48.240 --> 00:04:55.600 I don't say this out of need, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I, Paul, am. 00:04:56.240 --> 00:05:01.360 I, Paul, know both how to have a little and I know how to have a lot. 00:05:01.680 --> 00:05:09.360 In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content, whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need. 00:05:09.600 --> 00:05:15.360 I am able to do all things through Jesus, who strengthens me. 00:05:15.839 --> 00:05:23.680 Still, you, church at Philippi, did well by sharing with me in my hardship. 00:05:23.920 --> 00:05:37.120 And you, Philippians, know that in the early days of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving except you alone. 00:05:37.680 --> 00:05:43.920 For even in Thessalonica you sent gifts for my need several times. 00:05:44.160 --> 00:05:54.000 Not that I, Paul, seek the gift, but I, Paul, seek the prophet that is increasing to your account, speaking to the church. 00:05:54.240 --> 00:05:58.560 But I have received everything in full, and I have an abundance. 00:05:58.720 --> 00:06:03.439 I am fully supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you provided. 00:06:03.600 --> 00:06:06.480 In other words, he was the messenger that brought the gift to them. 00:06:06.639 --> 00:06:14.079 And that gift he describes as a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice pleasing to God. 00:06:14.319 --> 00:06:23.600 And then he gives in them this encouragement, and my God will supply all your needs according to his riches and glory in Christ Jesus. 00:06:23.839 --> 00:06:28.079 Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. 00:06:28.399 --> 00:06:29.040 Amen. 00:06:29.279 --> 00:06:38.560 So there Paul talks very plainly about the giving and describes the level and nature and the manner of their giving. 00:06:38.720 --> 00:06:41.360 Paul did this often in a number of letters. 00:06:41.519 --> 00:06:55.600 In the book of Acts, it often describes offerings that came and men like Epaphroditus who brought those offerings, or offerings they took, like the one that the churches in a number of cities took and gave back to Jerusalem. 00:06:55.759 --> 00:07:15.439 So what you see from these passages that just as we are challenged in every part of life to live a life worthy of the gospel, our giving to the church or through the church to advance the gospel is living worthy of the gospel. 00:07:15.600 --> 00:07:22.800 Now let me just show you a few truths that you pull from this part of the book of Philippians, of this letter right here. 00:07:23.040 --> 00:07:30.800 First of all, truth number one, gospel giving is honorable and it is worthy of appreciation. 00:07:31.199 --> 00:07:35.680 Paul is thanking the church in Philippi for their giving. 00:07:35.839 --> 00:07:41.519 He says, I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that once again you renewed your care for me. 00:07:41.759 --> 00:07:48.399 He says in verse 14, Still you did well by sharing with me in my hardship. 00:07:48.639 --> 00:07:58.879 He brags on them again and builds them up in verse 15 that they were the only church that shared with him in the matter of giving and receiving. 00:07:59.040 --> 00:08:02.079 And so he is saying thank you to the church. 00:08:02.319 --> 00:08:08.560 When we give, it is an honorable matter and it is worthy of appreciation. 00:08:08.800 --> 00:08:25.439 Now, if you think about it, in the world out there, if you give to the University of Arkansas or to Arkansas State or wherever it is that you went, or you give to the hospital or whatever, you get all these thank you letters and you get all this stuff and they know who you are and they send you all these letters and they do all this stuff. 00:08:25.680 --> 00:08:37.600 In church life, we've created this situation where we're not allowed to know what anybody gives, and we have this whole big shroud of secrecy and all that happens around there. 00:08:37.759 --> 00:08:48.879 So I can't really step out and say thank you to you the way the hospital or the University of Arkansas or somebody else would when they're doing that, because that's just how we've created that. 00:08:48.960 --> 00:08:56.799 If I started sending letters and saying thank you and thank you, thank you, y'all would freak out and go, the pastor's checking all my tithing records and all that kind of stuff, right? 00:08:56.960 --> 00:08:58.000 I know how that works. 00:08:58.159 --> 00:09:00.639 There is one way that I do know how people give. 00:09:00.879 --> 00:09:13.120 I've preached on tithing many times, carried churches through that stewardship training, and usually here's what happens: somebody will come up and they'll buttonhole me in the hall and they'll start arguing with me about, well, how dare you know what everybody gives and all that kind of stuff? 00:09:13.279 --> 00:09:14.000 How dare you do that? 00:09:14.080 --> 00:09:24.320 How you do all you preachers care about, you know, you kind of do kind of do that stuff, and I'll say, listen, I don't know how much anybody else gives in the church, but I know how much you give now. 00:09:25.919 --> 00:09:34.080 You just you just voluntarily told me that uh you're trying to save money in your house and you don't think, you know, and all that. 00:09:34.240 --> 00:09:38.799 So we don't do that in church life for whatever reason, and that's the convention that we have. 00:09:39.120 --> 00:09:49.279 So this is a setting where I can stop, and right here, I can tell you as a church family, thank you for your faithful giving. 00:09:50.879 --> 00:09:58.720 There are many people in our church, we have an incredible core of people in our church, and many of them have been doing it for decades. 00:09:58.879 --> 00:10:04.639 You are giving sacrificially, and you show up every week, rain, sleet, snow, or shine. 00:10:04.799 --> 00:10:06.320 You are giving to the Lord. 00:10:06.559 --> 00:10:15.120 Your heart is to give to the Lord, and you show up and give scholarships for kids to go to camp and people to go on mission trips and everything else. 00:10:15.440 --> 00:10:19.919 We have an incredible core of people in our church who are faithful givers. 00:10:20.720 --> 00:10:24.159 Listen to me as your pastor, as a brother in Christ. 00:10:24.399 --> 00:10:30.559 I want to model what Paul did when he said thank you to the church, and I want to say thank you for giving. 00:10:31.200 --> 00:10:32.559 Thank you for what you do. 00:10:32.799 --> 00:10:45.360 One of the reasons that we've done those things that we've started doing passing the plate, and we're sharing those ministries, is it's another way to say thank you for how you are making those ministries happen. 00:10:45.759 --> 00:10:49.279 Ministry does not happen without hands serving. 00:10:50.080 --> 00:10:52.799 It's not ministry if it's not covered in prayer. 00:10:52.879 --> 00:10:58.639 It may be good work, but prayer is what makes it ministry from the heart of God, empowered by Him. 00:10:58.879 --> 00:11:04.399 And ministry does not happen without giving and without giving sacrificially. 00:11:04.559 --> 00:11:07.759 And I want to say thank you, church family, for doing that. 00:11:08.240 --> 00:11:10.320 You do incredibly well. 00:11:10.720 --> 00:11:15.200 You are a blessing to the kingdom and the advance of the gospel. 00:11:15.519 --> 00:11:18.480 You guys show up and you give faithfully. 00:11:18.720 --> 00:11:24.799 And there are a number of you who are in the core, you know who you are, Jesus knows who you are. 00:11:25.360 --> 00:11:28.080 Thank you for your sacrificial giving. 00:11:28.559 --> 00:11:34.799 It is an honorable and worthy thing, and you deserve for us to say thank you. 00:11:35.279 --> 00:11:46.480 Just to our television folks and those watching online, uh, folks may not realize this, but but pretty much every month we get a number of checks and gifts that come in. 00:11:46.639 --> 00:11:49.440 We don't ask for those gifts. 00:11:49.679 --> 00:11:56.240 It is our privilege to give this broadcast out on the internet and on television. 00:11:56.399 --> 00:12:02.960 It is something that our church has given as a gift to the River Valley since the early 50s. 00:12:03.279 --> 00:12:11.200 We are one of the longest running churches broadcasting on television in the entire country. 00:12:11.440 --> 00:12:13.919 It is an incredible ministry that our church is given. 00:12:14.000 --> 00:12:16.480 So, our television audience, we love you. 00:12:16.639 --> 00:12:22.720 We do this for you, but I also want to say to you, thank you for when you send those gifts. 00:12:22.879 --> 00:12:25.919 We're not asking you to do that, but thank you for doing that. 00:12:26.000 --> 00:12:27.519 And we want to say thank you to do. 00:12:27.759 --> 00:12:34.960 It is our joy and our privilege to provide this to you, and we pray it is a blessing and an encouragement to you and to your family. 00:12:35.120 --> 00:12:42.799 And I know we have a lot of our homebound folks that watch us online or they watch us on the television broadcast. 00:12:43.120 --> 00:12:48.159 You are a faithful part of our church, and we love you, and we thank you for who you are. 00:12:48.480 --> 00:12:50.240 And I just want to take a minute to say that. 00:12:50.399 --> 00:12:53.200 The Bible models it, Paul models it. 00:12:53.840 --> 00:12:54.720 Thank you. 00:12:55.519 --> 00:12:56.799 Truth number two. 00:12:58.720 --> 00:13:04.799 Truth number two, gospel giving is a never-ending long-term commitment. 00:13:05.360 --> 00:13:08.080 It's a never-ending long-term commitment. 00:13:08.480 --> 00:13:14.320 Sometimes we have moments in life where we give to something, like a building project or whatever. 00:13:14.559 --> 00:13:18.320 And we have started our faith forward giving, and we give once a year to that. 00:13:18.480 --> 00:13:23.279 But here's what happens: people are dying and going to hell every day. 00:13:24.639 --> 00:13:27.600 Our country desperately needs Jesus. 00:13:29.440 --> 00:13:41.919 I mean, again, whatever you thought about the elections and how all those things work, we live in a country today where people are fighting to destroy the lives of innocent babies. 00:13:42.399 --> 00:13:45.279 They are working to do that unfettered. 00:13:45.440 --> 00:13:49.840 They are working to do that by taking tax dollars to do it. 00:13:50.159 --> 00:13:55.039 They are, in effect, neutering children. 00:13:55.200 --> 00:13:56.639 I mean, there's things like that going on. 00:13:56.799 --> 00:13:59.200 We desperately need Jesus in our country. 00:13:59.519 --> 00:14:00.320 I love our country. 00:14:00.399 --> 00:14:05.919 I'm not being critical, but listen, we got to be clear, we desperately need Jesus in our country. 00:14:06.240 --> 00:14:09.360 And so the gospel mission never stops. 00:14:10.000 --> 00:14:11.440 It never stops. 00:14:12.000 --> 00:14:19.519 There are over five billion with a bee people on the planet that need Jesus. 00:14:20.720 --> 00:14:26.000 And we have got to be involved as committedly as missions as we can. 00:14:26.559 --> 00:14:29.360 And so it is a never-ending long-term commitment. 00:14:29.440 --> 00:14:39.759 And so Paul makes it very clear to this church from the early days of the gospel when I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you alone. 00:14:40.000 --> 00:14:46.639 In verse 10, he says, I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that once again you renewed your care for me. 00:14:46.879 --> 00:14:51.360 He is thanking them for the longevity of their commitment in giving. 00:14:51.600 --> 00:15:00.799 That since he has been a missionary, he has been supported by churches, and that giving has given the gospel advance so that he could spend his life doing that. 00:15:00.960 --> 00:15:06.960 And after he planted this church and went out as new believers, this church began to give. 00:15:07.200 --> 00:15:13.039 Listen, we will be doing this unapologetically until Jesus comes back. 00:15:13.919 --> 00:15:30.480 In fact, as we eagerly anticipate the return of Jesus, as it says in chapter 3, we need to keep doing more and more and more and as much as we can advance so that we can advance the gospel so more people go to heaven and less people go to hell. 00:15:31.360 --> 00:15:35.919 And so here he describes this as an ongoing, never-ending commitment. 00:15:36.000 --> 00:15:43.679 And so, Janet and I, just to share a testimony, you need to know that I'm not standing up here telling you something that we don't do. 00:15:43.919 --> 00:15:44.159 Okay? 00:15:44.320 --> 00:15:53.519 We are proud to tell you that from the time we were children, our parents were tithers and gave beyond the tithe, and they taught us to do that. 00:15:53.759 --> 00:16:01.840 I grew up going to church with those little white envelopes and quarters and dimes in there, and they they I never understood. 00:16:02.000 --> 00:16:08.879 If you get that envelope and it's got that little flat half circle on the back side, you know, and the nickels and dimes fall out of that. 00:16:08.960 --> 00:16:11.600 Why do you teach kids to tithe with a hole in the envelope? 00:16:11.759 --> 00:16:13.200 I don't understand that, right? 00:16:13.440 --> 00:16:17.039 I mean, you know, I mean, that's how long we've been tithing that I remember all that stuff. 00:16:17.200 --> 00:16:26.960 We'd go to church and we'd have special times if the church was taking an offering, and they'd do things like give us a little bank that has a church house and it has a store and it has a bank. 00:16:27.200 --> 00:16:29.759 And our parents were teaching us biblical stewardship. 00:16:30.000 --> 00:16:32.879 Son, the first dime of every dollar goes in the church. 00:16:33.039 --> 00:16:38.720 The second dime of every dollar goes in the bank where you're saving what he later named the Addison Corporation. 00:16:38.799 --> 00:16:42.720 That's just your saving for retirement in the future and all that. 00:16:42.960 --> 00:16:48.879 And then he would put, you know, then the rest of it goes in the store, and that's where you can shop from and all that kind of stuff. 00:16:48.960 --> 00:16:51.840 And then you got older, he said, you can't afford that car, son. 00:16:52.000 --> 00:16:56.480 You got to buy this kind of car because you don't have enough money in the store part of your bank. 00:16:56.559 --> 00:16:58.159 And he would teach us all the way through. 00:16:58.320 --> 00:17:00.240 They would teach us all those things. 00:17:00.559 --> 00:17:04.079 And in college, when I was working, I started learning to tithe. 00:17:04.240 --> 00:17:08.960 Janet and I made a commitment when we began our young married life that we were tithing. 00:17:09.039 --> 00:17:14.160 When I we got married on a Saturday, we moved to Knoxville, Tennessee on a Wednesday. 00:17:14.319 --> 00:17:16.640 I started law school ten days later. 00:17:16.880 --> 00:17:19.920 She was working for just a little over minimum wage. 00:17:20.000 --> 00:17:24.799 We were living in married student housing in a building that was built in the 40s. 00:17:25.359 --> 00:17:39.359 I mean, we had cinder block walls and white hospital tile floors, and we were young married, and you know, Paul talking about uh I've learned when I'm hungry and when I'm being fed, I've learned whatever circumstances I am of being content. 00:17:39.440 --> 00:17:42.880 Let me tell you what, we were not content in that apartment. 00:17:44.079 --> 00:17:45.680 It was awful. 00:17:46.799 --> 00:17:50.480 But it's one of those young married stories we tell when we were young, right? 00:17:50.640 --> 00:17:54.000 But even from the beginning, we made a commitment to tithe. 00:17:54.160 --> 00:18:09.440 We tithe regularly, we've always tithed, and when we give sacrificially, when we do things like the Faith Forward offering, I want you to know we give offerings that are the size of multiples of our tithes on that as well. 00:18:10.000 --> 00:18:15.119 We do that because people are dying and going to hell every day. 00:18:15.440 --> 00:18:25.519 And our role as the church, not because I'm the pastor, but because we are saved by the grace of Jesus Christ, is an ongoing commitment to advance the gospel. 00:18:26.160 --> 00:18:27.680 And so that's what we do. 00:18:27.920 --> 00:18:32.640 We give, we go, we share, we pray, we serve. 00:18:32.880 --> 00:18:34.720 It's all part of it. 00:18:34.960 --> 00:18:43.759 It also, this is an interesting point here, it requires an understanding of commitment that is unique, especially in today's culture. 00:18:44.079 --> 00:18:50.079 He makes note of the fact this was not the first church that he planted in Philippi. 00:18:50.559 --> 00:18:57.440 But here's what he says: no other church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving except you alone. 00:18:57.680 --> 00:19:12.400 Then when you get to 2 Corinthians chapter 8 and chapter 9, and they're discussing the need of the church in Corinth to meet their requirement to give, which they're not prepared to do, he praises this church. 00:19:13.119 --> 00:19:17.440 And he says, Listen, as one church gives, it encourages the other. 00:19:17.519 --> 00:19:20.000 And as one believer gives, it encourages the other. 00:19:20.160 --> 00:19:30.079 And he's bragging on this church, and what he's describing is a unique understanding of the importance of giving to the gospel, to advance the gospel. 00:19:30.319 --> 00:19:41.680 And we live in a culture today where it's kind of interesting, only about 15% of the people active in church actually tithe. 00:19:41.920 --> 00:19:50.720 Now, what we mean by tithe is we use that word in a way that sometimes is used to describe consistent giving. 00:19:50.880 --> 00:19:56.480 The tithe, and I've preached on that before back in the spring, it means one tenth. 00:19:56.640 --> 00:20:04.400 And so when I say that Janet and I tithe, we give a tenth of our gross income, and then we start giving offerings above that. 00:20:04.640 --> 00:20:11.519 And we've done that from the time that we were making minimum wage as young married with me in school. 00:20:12.000 --> 00:20:16.319 Our parents taught us to do that, and we get that heritage from them. 00:20:16.559 --> 00:20:26.240 And so what I'm talking about is when I use the word tithe, 15% of the people in an average Bible-believing church tithe. 00:20:26.720 --> 00:20:28.240 Here's what's also interesting. 00:20:28.400 --> 00:20:36.880 All the statisticians who study these things tell us between 35 and 40% of the people claim they tithe. 00:20:39.440 --> 00:20:46.240 I'd rather not give and not say I gave than to not give and say I gave, right? 00:20:46.559 --> 00:20:50.720 There's a verse in Ecclesiastes that describes the danger of that. 00:20:51.519 --> 00:21:04.400 And so here's what it what it what you get is this church, Paul is saying, has a very unique understanding and commitment to sacrificial giving to advance the gospel. 00:21:05.599 --> 00:21:08.799 And in today's world, it is a unique understanding. 00:21:09.119 --> 00:21:17.039 Now we have a lot of people in our church, as I said in the first point, who tithe and give faithfully, and they are giving beyond the tithe and sacrificially. 00:21:17.200 --> 00:21:18.640 And again, thank you. 00:21:18.880 --> 00:21:20.559 We also have a lot of new believers. 00:21:20.720 --> 00:21:22.960 We have people that have been out of church coming back to church. 00:21:23.119 --> 00:21:29.519 We have people new in our church, and we have people that did not have the heritage or parents teaching them to do that. 00:21:29.680 --> 00:21:37.440 We have younger folks that are learning how to do that in real life now that they're figuring out all this adulting stuff and everything else. 00:21:37.519 --> 00:21:38.640 And that's okay. 00:21:38.799 --> 00:21:40.559 That is okay to learn. 00:21:40.640 --> 00:21:43.759 It's a growth process, it's a learning process. 00:21:44.079 --> 00:21:46.640 And so here's what I want you to see, though. 00:21:46.960 --> 00:21:59.759 This is the call of Scripture and what is modeled by believers in Scripture to give faithfully and consistently throughout the entire experience of your life. 00:22:01.599 --> 00:22:04.799 And it is a unique thing to do that. 00:22:05.279 --> 00:22:13.599 People tell me all the time as a pastor, Pastor, we started tithing, and our family, they think we're crazy. 00:22:14.799 --> 00:22:16.559 Well, you are a little bit. 00:22:17.039 --> 00:22:19.920 The Bible calls us a peculiar people, right? 00:22:20.400 --> 00:22:22.640 Because we do things differently. 00:22:23.039 --> 00:22:45.440 But if you're saved by grace, if you understand that I was a sinner and I was on my way to hell, and there was nothing I could do about going to hell, and Jesus came down out of heaven and he lived a sinless life and he went to the cross, and there he took my sin on the cross and he died in my place so that his death could pay the price for my sins as a substitute for me. 00:22:45.599 --> 00:22:49.599 And then he rose again conquering death and sin to offer me salvation. 00:22:49.759 --> 00:22:57.039 How in the world can I not give him out of everything that I have because of what he gave for me? 00:22:57.599 --> 00:23:07.519 And then when I realize that my kids are going to die and go to hell and they need Jesus, and now my little grandbaby, he needs Jesus, and we've already started praying for him. 00:23:07.920 --> 00:23:10.720 And he's going to be raised in church. 00:23:11.119 --> 00:23:20.880 And that church needs to do everything it can do to make that the greatest children's ministry on the planet for my grandson who needs Jesus. 00:23:22.400 --> 00:23:24.559 And I sure do not want my kids. 00:23:24.799 --> 00:23:27.440 Now, praise the Lord, they're in a good church. 00:23:28.559 --> 00:23:35.440 But I don't want my kids raising my grandson in some church where people don't care whether kids learn about Jesus or not. 00:23:36.720 --> 00:23:40.640 Or they go to a place where it's a dirty building or some other kind of thing. 00:23:40.960 --> 00:23:46.799 Man, if you want to know the heritage of our church and how much our church loves kids, you go down and look at our preschool area. 00:23:47.119 --> 00:23:48.720 It's incredible. 00:23:49.680 --> 00:23:58.880 Because people had a unique understanding and commitment of advancing the gospel, and they invested in our church in that fashion. 00:24:00.720 --> 00:24:04.640 But the rest of us have to have that unique understanding and commitment. 00:24:04.880 --> 00:24:08.079 And we've got to understand it is different. 00:24:08.319 --> 00:24:13.519 It is a different style of life when you are giving to the Lord. 00:24:14.240 --> 00:24:23.920 You grow into it and you learn it, but it is the direction that we are called to that is modeled in Scripture. 00:24:24.720 --> 00:24:26.400 Now here's the third tree. 00:24:26.880 --> 00:24:28.480 Here's the third tree. 00:24:33.839 --> 00:24:36.799 First, let me, I didn't, I'm glad that no, no, no, go back. 00:24:36.880 --> 00:24:38.319 I'm glad you reminded me of that screen. 00:24:38.400 --> 00:24:38.880 I missed it. 00:24:38.960 --> 00:24:39.759 I need to do that. 00:24:40.000 --> 00:24:42.079 How do we do this as a church? 00:24:42.240 --> 00:24:43.519 What is the structure of our giving? 00:24:43.680 --> 00:24:44.640 Because again, we've got new people. 00:24:44.720 --> 00:24:45.680 We're learning how to do this. 00:24:45.759 --> 00:24:48.720 So there's three ways that we give in our church primarily. 00:24:48.960 --> 00:24:51.039 The first is the tithes and the offerings. 00:24:51.200 --> 00:24:54.319 That's what the budget is tonight that operates the church. 00:24:54.559 --> 00:25:01.519 We set a budget, it sets the basic direction, the core functions, it funds those things on an ongoing basis. 00:25:01.759 --> 00:25:10.960 All of the tithes and offerings of our church are monitored by our finance committee, who is deeply involved in everything that goes on. 00:25:11.200 --> 00:25:15.680 They look at all the funds, they look at all the lines, they ask all the questions. 00:25:15.839 --> 00:25:17.440 I am grateful for our finance committee. 00:25:17.519 --> 00:25:19.759 They're incredible, they are engaged. 00:25:20.000 --> 00:25:28.559 I know some people have asked about the business administrator position and what are we doing as we're sorting through the end of the year to get through that. 00:25:28.880 --> 00:25:32.000 Our finance committee has stepped up their involvement with us. 00:25:32.160 --> 00:25:35.440 The chairman of the finance committee, we're very grateful for him. 00:25:35.759 --> 00:25:41.680 He comes in two or three times a week and helps us look over those things and works through those things with us. 00:25:41.759 --> 00:25:46.400 So all of those things are accountable, they're manageable, and they are process driven. 00:25:46.559 --> 00:25:50.720 Tonight, that's what the budget is, and it helps affirm that process. 00:25:50.799 --> 00:25:54.079 Tonight you'll also vote on the next round of committees. 00:25:54.160 --> 00:25:56.400 And our committees are working committees. 00:25:56.480 --> 00:26:02.160 They are highly involved, they are engaged in everything we do, and they are encouraged to do that. 00:26:02.319 --> 00:26:04.319 So that's the process of what this is about. 00:26:04.400 --> 00:26:06.240 But we operate the church. 00:26:06.480 --> 00:26:11.519 If we don't give, it makes it difficult to operate the church. 00:26:11.759 --> 00:26:20.319 When churches don't have a unique understanding and ongoing commitment like we talked about in the last time, what happens is it looks like this. 00:26:25.440 --> 00:26:28.079 That's kind of what it feels like doing ministry. 00:26:29.920 --> 00:26:34.319 Can I can I go out there or not? 00:26:34.720 --> 00:26:37.119 Is it gonna rain next week? 00:26:38.640 --> 00:26:42.480 And we're gonna get behind, so I can't do that. 00:26:43.599 --> 00:26:45.599 That's the importance of the tithes. 00:26:45.839 --> 00:26:56.000 The tithes operate the church and they keep us flowing and they build the mechanisms that allow us to do mission trips and everything else, to do children and students and all of those things. 00:26:56.079 --> 00:27:03.519 And when that is a herky-jerky process, it creates herky-jerky ministry. 00:27:03.920 --> 00:27:09.680 We pull back from things, we remove things, we step back because we can't go. 00:27:09.839 --> 00:27:11.680 I heard a phrase this week. 00:27:12.000 --> 00:27:15.680 We will operate that at the speed of your generosity. 00:27:17.359 --> 00:27:18.720 I thought, that's pretty good. 00:27:18.799 --> 00:27:20.160 I'm stealing that. 00:27:20.400 --> 00:27:22.240 Y'all gonna hear that some more. 00:27:22.640 --> 00:27:30.640 After you function the church, then we have two times that we give very specific, planned, purposeful offerings. 00:27:30.799 --> 00:27:32.559 One are our missions offerings. 00:27:32.880 --> 00:27:44.319 Annie Armstrong at Easter, that goes to the North American Mission Board to plant churches, Dixie Jackson that we just took in September, that works with Arkansas Baptists to plant churches, disaster relief, those things we do here. 00:27:44.400 --> 00:27:47.039 And Christmas is the Lottie Moon Christmas offering. 00:27:47.200 --> 00:27:49.039 And so we are, those are very planned. 00:27:49.119 --> 00:27:50.799 They happen the same time every year. 00:27:50.960 --> 00:27:56.079 We try not to nickel and dime you with other stuff and always be begging for stuff and doing that. 00:27:56.240 --> 00:28:03.119 We try to structure it that allows your family to plan and allows you to teach your kids and your grandkids how we give in that. 00:28:03.359 --> 00:28:05.519 Lottie Moon this year, we're very excited about. 00:28:05.599 --> 00:28:07.200 We're gonna do two things. 00:28:07.519 --> 00:28:11.119 The first is we have a family in our church, the Turner's. 00:28:11.279 --> 00:28:16.319 They have kids who are IMB missionaries, International Mission Board missionaries in Germany. 00:28:16.400 --> 00:28:20.480 And what Lottie Moon does is it goes to support people like them on the field. 00:28:20.559 --> 00:28:33.599 And so we're gonna introduce you to them and have a little bit of time where we're gonna get to know them and what they do to help us understand in a specific way Lotti Moon, but also so we understand that this is our church doing that. 00:28:33.759 --> 00:28:43.200 The second thing we're going to do is we have a longstanding relationship with an evangelist, Pastor Fred in Nigeria. 00:28:43.359 --> 00:28:47.519 He was here in the beginning of the year, and I interviewed him on stage and he prayed with us. 00:28:47.759 --> 00:28:58.079 We have a number of people involved to help connect the dots, what missions offering does, we're also going to give you the opportunity to participate in that ministry as well. 00:28:58.319 --> 00:29:11.200 What happens is, as Pastor Fred leads people to Christ and they plant churches, there is a discipleship program for new believers that they use called Mentoring Men for the Master. 00:29:11.359 --> 00:29:14.799 That was written by former pastor of our church, Dr. 00:29:14.960 --> 00:29:15.680 Bennett. 00:29:16.160 --> 00:29:18.240 And that ministry is around the world. 00:29:18.400 --> 00:29:20.880 It's in 28 countries. 00:29:22.000 --> 00:29:28.960 In Nigeria, where Pastor Fred is, we have people that support him and they go help, and we've sent trips before and things like that. 00:29:29.200 --> 00:29:35.920 They have had an explosion of that mentoring men for the master discipleship program. 00:29:36.480 --> 00:29:42.400 They have almost 24,000 men who are in that discipleship program. 00:29:43.599 --> 00:29:48.799 They're already saved, already committed, already attending, and they don't have Bibles. 00:29:49.119 --> 00:29:57.920 The only scripture they're able to get is from the preaching or from the sheet that they have that they're doing their discipleship homework, the scripture that's on there. 00:29:58.079 --> 00:30:01.920 They are 5,600 Bibles short. 00:30:02.799 --> 00:30:08.240 And so we're going to give you the opportunity to help buy some Bibles as you give your Lottie Moon. 00:30:08.400 --> 00:30:13.440 We'll talk some more about that, and it's very clear we're not going to damage Lottie. 00:30:13.680 --> 00:30:18.640 We did this last year with the Jesus film and the Dixie Jackson deal, and both those offerings went up. 00:30:18.799 --> 00:30:22.720 And so that's what we're going to do this year, and we'll talk more about as we move forward. 00:30:22.880 --> 00:30:32.559 And then finally, our Faith Forward offering, which as we move forward next year, will begin to help us do work at our Chaffee land and all of that. 00:30:32.720 --> 00:30:34.240 We'll talk some more about that tonight. 00:30:34.400 --> 00:30:36.480 We'll update you on the categories of those. 00:30:36.559 --> 00:30:41.200 But I wanted to make sure that we're all on the same page on how we structure our giving. 00:30:41.440 --> 00:30:42.960 Truth number three. 00:30:43.519 --> 00:30:48.799 Truth number three, giving is a matter of worship and it's a matter of faith. 00:30:48.960 --> 00:30:51.359 It's a matter of worship and a matter of faith. 00:30:51.519 --> 00:30:54.960 Look at what Paul says here in verse 18. 00:30:55.200 --> 00:31:06.000 I am fully supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you provided, a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice pleasing to God. 00:31:07.759 --> 00:31:16.799 What he says is very clearly that God received that offering as an act of worship. 00:31:17.359 --> 00:31:25.039 When we sing we're worshiping, when we obey a call on our lives that he places on us, we are worshiping. 00:31:25.279 --> 00:31:30.240 And when you give your tithe and your offering, you are worshiping. 00:31:30.480 --> 00:31:32.000 You are worshiping. 00:31:32.559 --> 00:31:35.119 Sometimes that ought to give us a little pause. 00:31:36.240 --> 00:31:38.160 Is that good worship? 00:31:40.160 --> 00:31:58.720 If a tithe is there for me to say, thank you, Lord, for what you've provided in our lives and thank you for salvation, and I'm participating in the advance of the gospel, sometimes we have to evaluate did what I give was in an act of worship based on the status of my life and where we are as a family. 00:31:58.960 --> 00:32:01.279 Now listen, everybody gives differently. 00:32:01.440 --> 00:32:03.119 It's not the same amounts. 00:32:03.359 --> 00:32:07.759 There's not dues, you're not paying fees, it's not some kind of a deal like that. 00:32:07.920 --> 00:32:12.880 Every family's different, and everybody goes through situations and stages of life. 00:32:13.039 --> 00:32:21.279 And so the question is where you are in your family and where you are in your life, are you giving as an act of worship? 00:32:21.839 --> 00:32:26.079 And are you giving a worship gift to the Lord? 00:32:27.519 --> 00:32:28.799 That's what it is. 00:32:29.119 --> 00:32:36.400 Is our gifts, are they a fragrant offering pleasing to God? 00:32:37.759 --> 00:32:39.920 It's also a matter of faith. 00:32:40.319 --> 00:32:45.200 It is a matter of stepping out and giving, especially if this is new to you. 00:32:45.359 --> 00:32:54.319 Now it wasn't that hard for us to start tithing because our parents had taught us to tithe, and we had lived in a church that had a culture of tithing and giving. 00:32:54.559 --> 00:32:55.920 We'd been taught all that. 00:32:56.079 --> 00:33:01.680 And when we started giving, we had that minimum wage salary when Janet had her first job in Knoxville. 00:33:02.000 --> 00:33:04.960 And, you know, it was 10%. 00:33:06.160 --> 00:33:10.160 It was so small, you couldn't even tell it was gone, right? 00:33:10.480 --> 00:33:12.240 And so what happens when we started? 00:33:12.400 --> 00:33:17.839 So then she got another job and got a good job, and we were already tithing, and uh, we got a raise. 00:33:18.079 --> 00:33:26.799 God blessed, and he gave us that, and so 10% of that, man, it felt like a blessing because we had a lot more money because she got a job that paid more. 00:33:26.960 --> 00:33:32.000 And then when I got out and got a job in law school, and we had two jobs, and we're tithing on that, it was great. 00:33:32.160 --> 00:33:34.960 There was no paradigm shift for us in life. 00:33:35.200 --> 00:33:40.079 We started that way, and it always continued that way, and we've always done it that way. 00:33:40.240 --> 00:33:42.240 And so it was just natural for us. 00:33:42.400 --> 00:33:44.880 If you're changing it, this is new for you. 00:33:45.039 --> 00:33:47.200 It's a step of faith, and we understand that. 00:33:47.279 --> 00:33:51.519 So nobody's arm twisting you or telling you you have to do this or that. 00:33:51.680 --> 00:33:55.039 What I'm going to encourage you to do is step out in faith. 00:33:55.839 --> 00:34:01.440 Realize if I'm going to give, he says in a moment that God will supply all my needs. 00:34:01.519 --> 00:34:03.359 And so I'm going to step out in faith. 00:34:03.440 --> 00:34:05.839 I'm going to do more than I'm giving now. 00:34:06.319 --> 00:34:07.599 I don't know what that means. 00:34:07.839 --> 00:34:08.800 Pray about it. 00:34:09.039 --> 00:34:10.159 Ask the Lord. 00:34:10.480 --> 00:34:12.239 For most people, it's a journey. 00:34:12.400 --> 00:34:17.760 I step out and I give this, and God blessed, and I see a testimony, and he provides, and this happens. 00:34:18.000 --> 00:34:19.440 And then I give more. 00:34:19.599 --> 00:34:24.079 And so then I'm going to step out in faith and extend myself more. 00:34:24.480 --> 00:34:29.920 And God blesses that faith and he leaves that journey open for you. 00:34:30.559 --> 00:34:34.079 God doesn't need our money, okay? 00:34:34.400 --> 00:34:36.400 He's growing us as believers. 00:34:36.559 --> 00:34:40.800 Look at what Paul says very clearly in verse 17. 00:34:41.039 --> 00:34:43.280 Not that I seek the gift. 00:34:43.519 --> 00:34:48.719 Paul's already said, look, if we're flush with cash, man, I'm content. 00:34:48.880 --> 00:34:51.199 If we're hungry, we're struggling, I'm content. 00:34:51.280 --> 00:34:52.559 I know God's going to provide. 00:34:52.639 --> 00:34:54.719 I can do all things through Christ, strengthens me. 00:34:54.880 --> 00:34:55.519 I'm good. 00:34:55.679 --> 00:34:58.159 So he says, listen, I'm not seeking your gift. 00:34:58.239 --> 00:34:59.599 I'm not a fundraiser. 00:34:59.760 --> 00:35:01.039 I'm a pastor. 00:35:01.760 --> 00:35:05.119 And I want you to know the Lord and his blessings. 00:35:05.360 --> 00:35:07.519 And I want your faith to grow. 00:35:07.679 --> 00:35:18.880 And one of the ways that happens is when you step out in faith and you give a faith gift as an act of worship and not something that's just easy or you think is easy in your budget. 00:35:19.280 --> 00:35:26.079 Because Paul says, not that I seek the gift, but I, Paul, seek the prophet that is increasing to your account. 00:35:26.480 --> 00:35:31.360 He says, Listen, I want you to know God's favor and blessing. 00:35:31.519 --> 00:35:33.360 I want your faith to grow. 00:35:33.519 --> 00:35:35.599 And so Paul is bringing this up. 00:35:35.760 --> 00:35:36.960 He's talking about it. 00:35:37.119 --> 00:35:38.960 He's not backing away from it. 00:35:39.119 --> 00:35:40.559 He's clear in what it is. 00:35:40.719 --> 00:35:43.039 And he teaches it as a spiritual principle. 00:35:43.119 --> 00:35:48.559 And he says, Listen, I want you to do this because I want God to bless you for your faith journey. 00:35:48.719 --> 00:35:52.079 I want you to understand that God will supply. 00:35:52.239 --> 00:35:59.599 I want you to understand that you can do all things He puts in front of you through Christ who strengthens you. 00:35:59.840 --> 00:36:04.079 Paul says, Listen, as a pastor, this is what I want for you as our people. 00:36:04.639 --> 00:36:06.559 Listen, I want you to know. 00:36:07.119 --> 00:36:12.239 I've had people over the last few months come up and say, Man, Pastor blesses, God bless us with this. 00:36:12.320 --> 00:36:16.719 Here, and they're excited and they're moved, and you can tell God's doing something in their life. 00:36:16.880 --> 00:36:18.960 I want everybody to have that. 00:36:19.679 --> 00:36:21.440