WEBVTT 00:00:01.919 --> 00:00:08.480 This podcast is presented to you by Pastor Jason and Liz Burns in Access Church in Lakeland and Bartow, Florida. 00:00:08.640 --> 00:00:14.320 For more information, visit Access.tv Today, I'm really excited you're with us. 00:00:14.480 --> 00:00:20.399 Today I'm starting a new series of messages that, if I could just be honest with you, is probably my life message. 00:00:20.559 --> 00:00:26.239 In fact, if you said to me, Pastor Jason, I just became a Christian, I want to know what it means to follow Jesus, help me. 00:00:26.399 --> 00:00:34.159 This is what I would teach you because what I'm going to teach you for the next four weeks, God has used to radically transform my life. 00:00:34.320 --> 00:00:35.520 And here's the truth. 00:00:35.759 --> 00:00:38.640 I don't want something in this series from you. 00:00:38.799 --> 00:00:40.000 I want something for you. 00:00:40.159 --> 00:00:42.479 I want something for you, not from you. 00:00:42.640 --> 00:00:50.640 The series we're entitling Open Handed, because I want to teach you how to live when it comes to your finances in a way that God blesses. 00:00:50.799 --> 00:00:58.640 Because you start to see yourself not as a reservoir that holds back what God has, but you see yourself open-handed, saying, God, everything I have came from you. 00:00:58.799 --> 00:01:02.640 It's by you, it's for you, and it is to be used for your purposes. 00:01:02.880 --> 00:01:06.400 Psalm 24, verse 1, David says, The earth is the Lord and the fullness thereof. 00:01:06.480 --> 00:01:17.359 That literally means everything you and I have came from God, it belongs to God, and God invites us to steward it and to use it in a way that furthers what He cares about. 00:01:17.519 --> 00:01:19.439 Now, now here's my heart in this whole series. 00:01:19.599 --> 00:01:23.120 I really do want this for you, and I really don't want something from you. 00:01:23.280 --> 00:01:28.799 But about 20 years ago, God got a hold of my heart in a way that I can't even begin to describe to you. 00:01:28.879 --> 00:01:33.840 And over these next few weeks, I want to talk to you about your money and how to handle your money in a godly way. 00:01:34.000 --> 00:01:40.879 But up front, I want to give you a couple disclaimers that may not be important to you to hear, but they feel important to me to say. 00:01:41.200 --> 00:01:42.159 Here's one of them. 00:01:42.400 --> 00:01:49.599 I make a promise in our next steps class, which by the way, every single month we invite you to join our church through a two-step series called Next Steps class. 00:01:49.920 --> 00:01:55.920 And one of the things I talk about when I talk about money is how we will always be a church that operates with full integrity. 00:01:56.079 --> 00:02:01.200 Well, we're gonna be the kind of church that if money's tight, we're never gonna push that back on you because you're not our source. 00:02:01.439 --> 00:02:02.640 God is our source. 00:02:02.959 --> 00:02:04.079 And this is the cool thing. 00:02:04.239 --> 00:02:09.120 I make a promise in the series that I'll never preach a message needing that Sunday's offering. 00:02:09.280 --> 00:02:15.840 For the last about two years or so, if I could just be real, money at our church has been unbelievably tight. 00:02:16.000 --> 00:02:21.599 Like so, so tight, and our staff's been amazing and they've limited spending, and we've just cut every corner we can. 00:02:21.840 --> 00:02:29.199 The reason it's been tight is not because people haven't been giving, it's because God has blessed us to open two amazing locations of our church. 00:02:29.280 --> 00:02:33.439 And I am so thrilled about what's happening in North Lakeland and what's happening in Bartow. 00:02:33.520 --> 00:02:34.080 It's amazing. 00:02:34.240 --> 00:02:40.560 In fact, one Sunday, no matter where you're joining us, you should just go to a different location and see what God is doing in your church. 00:02:40.719 --> 00:02:41.439 It's amazing. 00:02:41.599 --> 00:02:46.879 But to do it, we went all in financially and then God dropped Bartow on us, and we went all in a second time. 00:02:47.039 --> 00:02:50.960 And so money's been tight, but we've never made it your responsibility. 00:02:51.120 --> 00:02:52.800 God is gonna be the one who provides. 00:02:52.960 --> 00:03:00.800 Every two years or so, I like to do a series on giving, and I was getting worried, like, God, am I gonna be able to keep my promise and talk about money in a way when we don't need it? 00:03:00.960 --> 00:03:03.599 Well, we've had a financial miracle about the last three months. 00:03:03.759 --> 00:03:11.199 Starting in September or October, all of a sudden, unexpectedly, our giving took a major jump forward because of your giving and faithfulness. 00:03:11.439 --> 00:03:15.039 Finances are so much more free now, and I just want to tell you this. 00:03:16.400 --> 00:03:18.800 Because if you don't give, we're gonna be okay. 00:03:18.960 --> 00:03:24.080 But if you don't give, I think you're gonna miss out on what I would call the greatest adventure of your life. 00:03:24.319 --> 00:03:28.879 For the last 20 years or so, I've been on an adventure with God, and I'll never forget the moment it started. 00:03:29.199 --> 00:03:31.120 I was uh working at a different church. 00:03:31.360 --> 00:03:34.400 I was I was a giver, but I was like a giver if it was convenient. 00:03:34.560 --> 00:03:43.280 And I remember I read a book and I watched some sermons, and it so wrecked my heart that when I finished the book, I felt the voice of God say to me, write a check for a thousand dollars. 00:03:43.439 --> 00:03:46.000 A thousand dollars then might as well be a million dollars now. 00:03:46.159 --> 00:03:51.759 I mean, it was so much to me then, but I called my wife and we just said, God, if you say it, we say yes, and I wrote the check. 00:03:51.840 --> 00:03:54.800 And ever since then, I have been on the wildest adventure with God. 00:03:55.039 --> 00:03:57.680 He has blessed, and I've just chosen to live open-handedly. 00:03:57.840 --> 00:04:02.800 Here's the thing there's a lot of messages where I'll tell you up front, like I'm still in process, I'm still working on this. 00:04:03.039 --> 00:04:07.439 This is an area where God has blessed me, and I want you to experience everything I have. 00:04:07.599 --> 00:04:09.039 So here's what I'm gonna do today. 00:04:09.199 --> 00:04:11.360 Sometimes when churches talk about money, people get all weird. 00:04:11.439 --> 00:04:15.120 They like grab their wallets and they're like, grab your purse, Margaret, like they get worried about it. 00:04:15.599 --> 00:04:17.120 We're not gonna manipulate you. 00:04:17.199 --> 00:04:18.560 There's no bouncers in the back. 00:04:18.639 --> 00:04:20.800 They said it was a snow day, they couldn't get here, okay? 00:04:20.959 --> 00:04:21.199 Like there. 00:04:22.079 --> 00:04:22.879 No games. 00:04:22.959 --> 00:04:26.240 In fact, I'm not even gonna tell you any of my stories today. 00:04:26.319 --> 00:04:28.000 I'll save those for the next few weeks. 00:04:28.160 --> 00:04:31.120 Today, I just want to go to the Bible and tell you what the Bible says. 00:04:31.279 --> 00:04:39.680 Now, one of the things that Christians do as a means to not give is one of the things Christians do is they'll say, Well, you know, tithing is an Old Testament principle, it's not a New Testament thing. 00:04:39.839 --> 00:04:41.120 Jesus didn't talk about it. 00:04:41.279 --> 00:04:41.839 Yes, he did. 00:04:42.000 --> 00:04:44.639 Matthew 23, 23, Jesus said, You ought to tithe. 00:04:44.720 --> 00:04:48.480 It's something you should do, but do it and don't neglect the other things that God invites you to do. 00:04:48.560 --> 00:04:50.160 It should be both and not just one. 00:04:50.399 --> 00:04:51.279 Jesus talks about it. 00:04:51.439 --> 00:04:59.600 The New Testament is written from the perspective and the assumption that you are going to be open-handed and generous because you serve a faithful and generous God. 00:04:59.759 --> 00:05:06.399 But to the people who use the Bible as a tool to talk themselves out of giving, today I want to show you what the New Testament says about giving. 00:05:06.480 --> 00:05:13.759 In fact, every verse I have is from the New Testament except for one, which is a prophetic verse from Isaiah that talks about what's happening in the New Testament. 00:05:13.839 --> 00:05:14.079 Okay? 00:05:14.240 --> 00:05:14.959 You ready to go? 00:05:15.040 --> 00:05:19.759 It's gonna be lots of information, and I want to challenge you to say, God, what would you have me do with this? 00:05:19.920 --> 00:05:20.160 Okay? 00:05:20.399 --> 00:05:23.519 A few weeks ago, it was a Wednesday night, right before Access Youth. 00:05:23.600 --> 00:05:30.399 And by the way, parents, if you have a middle or high school student and they don't come to Access Youth, they are missing the best night of the week. 00:05:30.480 --> 00:05:31.680 It is awesome here. 00:05:32.079 --> 00:05:34.000 Come to any of our locations, it's awesome. 00:05:34.160 --> 00:05:36.000 Wednesdays at 6 30, it's amazing. 00:05:36.160 --> 00:05:41.839 But I was working kind of in the office, and one of our amazing staff pastors' daughters was there. 00:05:42.000 --> 00:05:43.519 She's this amazing 16-year-old. 00:05:43.600 --> 00:05:45.120 She's just so smart, so amazing. 00:05:45.279 --> 00:05:48.319 And she came up to me, she goes, Pastor Jason, you're good with money. 00:05:48.480 --> 00:05:49.439 She asked me this question. 00:05:49.519 --> 00:05:53.120 She said, Uh, what's some good financial advice for a 16-year-old? 00:05:53.199 --> 00:05:54.560 I thought, that was cool, good job. 00:05:54.720 --> 00:05:59.360 I said, Okay, um, now if I was answering this question today, I would say, write a jingle for Dr. 00:05:59.439 --> 00:05:59.839 Pepper. 00:05:59.920 --> 00:06:01.199 Did you guys see this story? 00:06:01.360 --> 00:06:02.879 This lady wrote a jingle about Dr. 00:06:02.959 --> 00:06:05.199 Pepper and apparently got two million dollars for it. 00:06:05.360 --> 00:06:07.120 That's good financial advice, okay? 00:06:07.279 --> 00:06:09.040 But here's the three that I told her. 00:06:09.199 --> 00:06:10.560 The first one is just brilliant advice. 00:06:10.720 --> 00:06:11.600 Just marry someone rich. 00:06:11.680 --> 00:06:12.639 That's what you should do. 00:06:13.040 --> 00:06:13.759 Lock it down. 00:06:13.920 --> 00:06:15.439 That's what I did, okay? 00:06:15.680 --> 00:06:21.199 Um number two, learn the power of compounding interest. 00:06:21.279 --> 00:06:30.800 If you don't know what this means, if you can start investing early, over time it'll grow, but it grows very slowly, but at some point it hits a massive curve and your money begins to grow for you so fast. 00:06:30.959 --> 00:06:32.639 Learn the power and take advantage of that. 00:06:32.720 --> 00:06:34.319 And I told her that and she was good. 00:06:34.480 --> 00:06:40.639 And then, like, an hour or two went by, and I was here in Access Youth, and I saw her and I thought, I didn't give her the right answer. 00:06:40.800 --> 00:06:41.519 I really didn't. 00:06:41.680 --> 00:06:42.720 I should have given her a different answer. 00:06:42.959 --> 00:06:45.680 I called her over and said, Come here, I may I gave you the wrong answer. 00:06:45.759 --> 00:06:51.839 I mean, marry someone rich, but the real answer is number three, be an extravagant giver. 00:06:52.319 --> 00:07:00.800 Like, learn to live open-handedly with everything God gives you and watch what God will do in your life and in your finances. 00:07:01.040 --> 00:07:05.360 So many Christians don't get this, and I would think we would nail this by now, right? 00:07:05.519 --> 00:07:13.920 Because, like, if we're trying to become more and more like God, we should be people of faith and people of integrity, people of honor, but we should also be the most open-handed people. 00:07:14.079 --> 00:07:14.480 Why? 00:07:14.720 --> 00:07:16.639 Because God is generous. 00:07:16.800 --> 00:07:23.680 Like, from cover to cover in the Bible and from the rest of time forward, we see that God is a God who is a generous giving God. 00:07:23.839 --> 00:07:30.480 That the most popular verse in the Bible, John 3.16, for God so loved the world that he he gave. 00:07:30.639 --> 00:07:31.279 God is a giver. 00:07:31.439 --> 00:07:36.319 And if God's a giver, I think you and I should be the most open-handed giving people imaginable. 00:07:36.560 --> 00:07:40.639 And I would, I would think that by now Christians would get it. 00:07:40.800 --> 00:07:42.480 But we we just we just don't. 00:07:42.639 --> 00:07:43.600 So here's what I want to do. 00:07:43.680 --> 00:07:53.199 Today I want to take you right to the Bible, and I want to show you what the Bible says, and I'm gonna step on your toes and challenge you, and I'm gonna end by asking you to pray and say, God, what would you have me do? 00:07:53.279 --> 00:07:54.959 And then I challenge you to be obedient. 00:07:55.199 --> 00:07:59.040 The book of 2 Corinthians, Paul writes a letter to a church in a city called Corinth. 00:07:59.120 --> 00:08:01.920 Corinth was this major uh capital of the world. 00:08:02.000 --> 00:08:04.639 It was literally this mega city that exhaled culture. 00:08:04.879 --> 00:08:06.879 The world followed what was happening in Corinth. 00:08:06.959 --> 00:08:08.480 And he writes them these three verses. 00:08:08.639 --> 00:08:12.480 Remember, this is the New Testament, written with the assumption that you're gonna live open-handed. 00:08:12.560 --> 00:08:15.199 And here's what he says 2 Corinthians 9, verse 6. 00:08:15.360 --> 00:08:16.879 Paul says, remember this. 00:08:17.040 --> 00:08:22.800 Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 00:08:22.879 --> 00:08:24.560 Let's just pause here for just a moment. 00:08:25.120 --> 00:08:36.320 Paul says that he uses this agrarian language and he says, I want to teach you what it means to sow what you have, because there is a multiplication effect that happens when you sow. 00:08:36.480 --> 00:08:39.840 If you plant apple seeds, you get a tree that's full of apples. 00:08:40.000 --> 00:08:41.919 Well, the same thing is true with your finances. 00:08:42.080 --> 00:08:47.120 When you learn to sow what God has entrusted to you back to him, there's a multiplication effect on it. 00:08:47.200 --> 00:08:48.720 I'll talk about this in a few weeks. 00:08:48.879 --> 00:08:56.399 Here's what's interesting to me there's the God part of this, but what's fascinating to me about this is social scientists have also studied this principle. 00:08:56.559 --> 00:08:58.639 It's not just true in church and for Christians. 00:08:58.799 --> 00:09:07.759 I read multiple reports this week that said the average American for every dollar you give to some sort of charity or nonprofit, three dollars comes back to you in the short term. 00:09:08.000 --> 00:09:12.480 Like there is something about giving that unlocks giving back to you. 00:09:12.639 --> 00:09:15.919 And if social scientists see it, I mean what what could God's people see? 00:09:16.240 --> 00:09:18.080 So then Paul takes it a step farther. 00:09:18.240 --> 00:09:26.159 He says, each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, and here's why. 00:09:26.320 --> 00:09:29.600 For God loves a cheerful giver. 00:09:29.840 --> 00:09:32.480 I think giving should be the most joyful thing we do. 00:09:32.639 --> 00:09:35.200 In fact, let me hit pause here for just a moment and say this to you. 00:09:35.360 --> 00:09:41.919 If you come to church faithfully, and if you are a tither and you give, but every time you write the check, you find yourself angry at God. 00:09:42.080 --> 00:09:50.000 If every time you type your money giving in on church online or giving online, you find yourself being angry about it and thinking what you could do with it, don't you dare give it. 00:09:50.080 --> 00:09:53.120 Because giving isn't a money issue, giving is a heart issue. 00:09:53.360 --> 00:09:54.639 And I want to challenge you. 00:09:54.879 --> 00:09:57.360 God is after your heart and he wants us to be joyful. 00:09:57.519 --> 00:09:58.480 It should be a gift. 00:09:58.639 --> 00:10:00.159 Everything you have came from God. 00:10:00.240 --> 00:10:03.200 Giving is bringing back to God what belonged to him in the first place. 00:10:03.360 --> 00:10:05.519 It should be a joy for us to give. 00:10:05.679 --> 00:10:07.039 And I want you to notice this note. 00:10:07.120 --> 00:10:09.360 He says, You should give what you've decided in your heart. 00:10:09.440 --> 00:10:14.399 Well, this is interesting because God already decided for you, not reluctantly or under compulsion. 00:10:14.559 --> 00:10:16.879 This is the reason that like there's no games at access. 00:10:17.200 --> 00:10:19.679 There's no manipulation, there's no there's no tricks. 00:10:19.840 --> 00:10:23.360 Um, quarterly we do the special offering that we call the legacy offering. 00:10:23.440 --> 00:10:28.559 And if you paid attention to it, I for weeks will say, hey, it's coming up in three weeks, it's coming up in four weeks. 00:10:28.720 --> 00:10:29.120 Why? 00:10:29.279 --> 00:10:39.600 Because I want you to pray about it, and I don't want you to come to church, see a video of a sad child who's starving on the other side of the world and think, oh, if I don't give, someone's gonna like that's not how we roll. 00:10:39.759 --> 00:10:45.200 Like, be the kind of people who give what God has placed in your heart and be obedient to what he says. 00:10:45.360 --> 00:10:47.840 And when you do it, do it with a joyful heart. 00:10:48.000 --> 00:10:50.159 And here's why the next verse is so powerful. 00:10:50.320 --> 00:10:54.080 It says, And God is able to bless you abundantly. 00:10:54.240 --> 00:10:55.519 Pause here for just a moment. 00:10:55.759 --> 00:11:01.120 All of us spend our money on all kinds of things, and like none of those things can bless us. 00:11:01.279 --> 00:11:03.440 Like, if you have a mortgage payment, I'm happy for you. 00:11:03.519 --> 00:11:04.879 If you got a car payment, good for you. 00:11:05.039 --> 00:11:06.639 You pay the light bill, that's awesome. 00:11:06.720 --> 00:11:11.120 And none of those things are good, none of those things are bad, but none of those things have the potential to bless you. 00:11:11.279 --> 00:11:32.000 It's that when we give open-handedly and cheerfully, it says God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things and at all times, having all that you need, like God, your provider, he goes by the name Jehovah Jirah, the God who takes care of his children that so you have everything you need, you will abound in every good work. 00:11:32.159 --> 00:11:42.399 It's like God wants you to have what you need, and I would say God wants you to have more than what you need, but it's not all for you, and it's not all about you, it's so that you can further what he's about. 00:11:42.639 --> 00:11:47.360 Now remember we said it a moment ago, we said that that God loves a cheerful giver. 00:11:47.519 --> 00:11:48.159 Now, this is fun. 00:11:48.240 --> 00:11:51.360 The Greek word for cheerful is this fun word, it's the word Hilaron. 00:11:51.519 --> 00:11:53.360 Hilaron, there's two definitions. 00:11:53.519 --> 00:11:57.279 The first one is joyous, cheerful, and not grudging. 00:11:57.440 --> 00:12:01.360 God loves a giver who gives with a smile on their face and a heart full of gratitude. 00:12:01.519 --> 00:12:02.639 God, you gave it to me. 00:12:02.799 --> 00:12:04.399 What a joy to give back to you. 00:12:04.639 --> 00:12:06.799 But there's a second definition that I love. 00:12:07.039 --> 00:12:13.840 The second definition for Hileron is one who is won over or already decided. 00:12:15.039 --> 00:12:18.480 Because God gave us a plan for how to give. 00:12:18.720 --> 00:12:23.600 And God loves it when his children say, God, I'll just I'll just do whatever you say. 00:12:23.759 --> 00:12:27.200 You ask me to do something, you always have my yes. 00:12:27.360 --> 00:12:28.399 This is what God loves. 00:12:28.559 --> 00:12:30.159 Now, again, I've said this a few times. 00:12:30.320 --> 00:12:32.799 I would assume by now that Christians would get it. 00:12:32.960 --> 00:12:35.200 I would assume we'd be locked into this. 00:12:35.360 --> 00:12:40.000 I would assume that Christians would far surpass the giving of people who are not in the church. 00:12:40.240 --> 00:12:50.639 In fact, in 2024, which is the last year we have records for at this point, Americans, not Christians, Americans gave$592.5 billion to charities. 00:12:50.799 --> 00:12:53.519 So that would be charities, nonprofits, NGOs, and churches. 00:12:53.600 --> 00:12:58.240 So we we gave almost$593 billion, which is a huge amount of money. 00:12:58.399 --> 00:13:03.679 But what that represents in terms of the percentage of income for the average American is 2.2%. 00:13:04.320 --> 00:13:07.200 Now again, I would assume Christians would far surpass this. 00:13:07.360 --> 00:13:12.399 I mean, the Bible teaches tithing is 10%, and it's the first 10%, and it belongs to God. 00:13:12.559 --> 00:13:18.240 But the average American church-going Christian, check this out, gave 2.8% last year. 00:13:18.960 --> 00:13:20.799 And this blows me away. 00:13:21.039 --> 00:13:32.000 The God of the universe who saved our soul, the God who so loved the world that He gave, invites us to live open-handedly with our resources, and we're no different than the world. 00:13:32.159 --> 00:13:46.559 If I could just be honest for a moment, after pastoring for almost 20 years now, for whatever reason, there's just two areas in our life that for whatever reason we say, God, I love you, God, I worship you, I want to do whatever you say, except for these two areas. 00:13:46.720 --> 00:13:49.120 For single people, it's the area of their sexuality. 00:13:49.279 --> 00:13:52.879 God, I want to do whatever you want me to do, except in this area because I want to have my fun. 00:13:52.960 --> 00:13:54.639 But God, I love you so much. 00:13:54.879 --> 00:13:59.519 And the other area for every other Christian is for whatever reason it's in the area of your money. 00:13:59.679 --> 00:14:00.080 Why? 00:14:00.240 --> 00:14:01.840 Because we think we earned it. 00:14:02.080 --> 00:14:03.279 We think it's ours. 00:14:03.440 --> 00:14:06.320 We think it was the sweat of my brow and the strength of my arms. 00:14:06.480 --> 00:14:08.399 I put the blood, sweat, and tears in. 00:14:08.559 --> 00:14:11.519 I earned it, therefore it belongs to me. 00:14:12.559 --> 00:14:14.559 But can I tell you the truth about your money? 00:14:15.440 --> 00:14:17.840 Money just tells the story of your heart. 00:14:18.320 --> 00:14:24.960 If you were to do an autopsy on me someday, a hundred years from now when I die, and you were to open my heart, you wouldn't know anything about what I care about. 00:14:25.120 --> 00:14:28.159 But if you want to know what I care about, just open my bank accounts. 00:14:28.399 --> 00:14:30.480 Because my bank account will tell you what I care about. 00:14:30.720 --> 00:14:32.799 So does yours, doesn't it? 00:14:33.039 --> 00:14:35.279 Like I care about having a house, so I have a mortgage payment. 00:14:35.360 --> 00:14:37.279 I care about having a car, so I have a car payment. 00:14:37.360 --> 00:14:41.200 I care about my electricity working, especially when it gets to 24 degrees at night. 00:14:41.360 --> 00:14:43.919 I care about that, so I pay my electric bill. 00:14:44.000 --> 00:14:46.080 I care about entertainment, so I buy fun things. 00:14:46.159 --> 00:14:48.320 I care about food, so I enjoy eating out. 00:14:48.480 --> 00:14:50.399 I spend money on all kinds of stuff. 00:14:50.559 --> 00:14:52.879 The issue isn't do you spend your money on things? 00:14:53.039 --> 00:14:57.759 The real issue of your heart is this question it's who or what is first. 00:14:59.039 --> 00:15:02.080 Because first is a declaration of trust. 00:15:02.240 --> 00:15:08.480 First says, God, everything I have you gave to me, everything that I have is yours in the first place. 00:15:08.639 --> 00:15:14.879 So before I trust myself, before I trust my abilities or my provision, I'm choosing to put you first. 00:15:15.279 --> 00:15:21.200 So some 20 years ago or so, I made this decision that God, this is how I'm going to live my life. 00:15:21.360 --> 00:15:28.720 And every time there's any sense of increase in my life, the first 10% or more is given to God. 00:15:28.960 --> 00:15:33.519 Now I want to tell you something that if I could just be vulnerable for a moment, it feels super awkward to tell you. 00:15:33.600 --> 00:15:36.639 Um, my board at the church has asked me to tell you this. 00:15:36.799 --> 00:15:39.440 It feels weird to me, but I feel like you should know. 00:15:39.679 --> 00:15:47.759 Around the same time that we were starting our church, I started my own separate for-profit organization, a company, and God has so blessed it. 00:15:47.919 --> 00:15:52.080 In the early days, that's the only way my wife and I were able to have food for ourselves. 00:15:52.480 --> 00:15:57.679 The church had no money, and so I had to earn the money on the side somehow, and I worked really hard at two different things. 00:15:57.840 --> 00:16:01.360 And God blessed it, and that business took off and grew. 00:16:01.519 --> 00:16:04.720 And as God has blessed, I have lived open-handedly. 00:16:04.879 --> 00:16:10.799 I have way more than tithe on my personal income, way more than tithe on my business income. 00:16:10.960 --> 00:16:12.960 I have way, way, way more than tithe. 00:16:13.039 --> 00:16:17.440 And I just don't, I think 10% tithing is the starting point, and we go up from there. 00:16:17.519 --> 00:16:30.320 And I have lived this way for years to the point, and this is the thing that my board wanted me to tell you, that for like over the last six years, I have given way more than my whole salary from the church back to the church every year. 00:16:30.559 --> 00:16:32.559 Like this, this isn't about me. 00:16:32.799 --> 00:16:37.039 This is about you saying, I listen, people say you can't trust the church, can't trust the church with money. 00:16:37.200 --> 00:16:39.519 It doesn't accrue anything to me whatsoever. 00:16:39.679 --> 00:16:51.120 I'm going to live like this, and I'm gonna lead you in integrity because I want you to experience the greatest thrill ride of your life, which is saying, God, everything I have came from you, so let me live open-handedly with it. 00:16:51.279 --> 00:16:53.360 College students, high school students, look at me. 00:16:53.519 --> 00:16:54.159 Start now. 00:16:54.320 --> 00:17:01.200 Start now, opening your hands and saying, God, any increase in my life, I bring it back to you and see what he'll do. 00:17:01.600 --> 00:17:05.519 Now, some people say, Well, Jesus, why would he care? 00:17:05.839 --> 00:17:07.279 Like he's he's good, right? 00:17:07.519 --> 00:17:08.640 Jesus cared a lot. 00:17:08.799 --> 00:17:10.880 The Bible cares a lot. 00:17:11.039 --> 00:17:24.799 In fact, in the Bible, topics like prayer and faith get mentioned about 500 times, topics like love get mentioned about 700 times, topics like money, stewardship, and giving over 2100 times. 00:17:25.039 --> 00:17:25.440 Why? 00:17:25.599 --> 00:17:29.119 Because your money is inextricably tied to your heart. 00:17:29.359 --> 00:17:30.559 Jesus talks about it a lot. 00:17:30.640 --> 00:17:36.079 In fact, I'm gonna read you three different sections of scripture from what is called the Sermon on the Mount, greatest sermon ever. 00:17:36.240 --> 00:17:38.799 Jesus says this in Matthew chapter 6, verse 24. 00:17:38.960 --> 00:17:42.079 He says, No one can serve two masters. 00:17:42.400 --> 00:17:43.359 Come back to that word. 00:17:43.519 --> 00:17:48.319 Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. 00:17:48.480 --> 00:17:50.319 And then he drops this bomb on us. 00:17:50.400 --> 00:17:55.519 He says, You cannot serve both God and money. 00:17:56.319 --> 00:17:58.720 And we really try hard, don't we? 00:17:58.960 --> 00:18:05.599 We show up to church, oh God, I love you, I love you, I want your will, I want to do your plan and purpose for my life when it comes to our money. 00:18:05.680 --> 00:18:07.599 But we're like, but that's that's mine. 00:18:07.920 --> 00:18:09.039 That's that's me. 00:18:09.200 --> 00:18:11.680 I'm the one who did it, I'm the one who earned it. 00:18:11.759 --> 00:18:18.880 And Jesus comes out and he's like, when it comes to your money, you have to make the decision who sits on the throne of your heart. 00:18:19.119 --> 00:18:24.000 Is it you and your ability to earn, or is it God and his ability to provide? 00:18:24.160 --> 00:18:27.119 And he uses this word, he says, no one can serve two masters. 00:18:27.200 --> 00:18:28.960 The Greek word is this word, kyrios. 00:18:29.119 --> 00:18:31.839 Kyrios is um, it's a difficult word, okay? 00:18:32.079 --> 00:18:37.920 Now, we live in a country that has a really difficult, dark history with slavery and people trying to own people. 00:18:38.160 --> 00:18:39.680 Let me be abundantly clear. 00:18:39.839 --> 00:18:48.000 We believe at Access that every single human being was created and designed in the image of God and is worthy of love and respect and honor. 00:18:48.160 --> 00:18:50.559 That there is no one that stands above any other person. 00:18:50.640 --> 00:18:51.759 That's not how we roll. 00:18:51.920 --> 00:18:56.640 But this language, curios for the word masters, literally means to own someone. 00:18:56.799 --> 00:19:00.000 And Jesus comes out and he's like, something's going to own your heart. 00:19:00.160 --> 00:19:06.640 It's either going to be God and his plan and purpose for your life, or it's going to be your resources, your bank account, and how much you have. 00:19:06.880 --> 00:19:14.319 So the question I think you have to answer based on Jesus' statement is this it's do we have money, or does money have us? 00:19:14.799 --> 00:19:15.599 Do we have it? 00:19:15.759 --> 00:19:20.400 Do we do we earn it and do we live open-handedly, or does money have us? 00:19:20.559 --> 00:19:21.599 Now, why does this matter? 00:19:21.759 --> 00:19:22.319 Here's why. 00:19:22.480 --> 00:19:25.839 Because money is the chief competitor of my heart when it comes to God. 00:19:26.000 --> 00:19:28.640 And I don't want to live in any way that dishonors God. 00:19:28.720 --> 00:19:31.519 If it's all from him, anyways, I'm gonna make it all about him. 00:19:31.920 --> 00:19:36.160 And I wonder, would this be easier if we didn't have social media? 00:19:36.480 --> 00:19:39.680 Would this be easier if I didn't know what all of my friends had? 00:19:40.000 --> 00:19:46.240 Would this be easier if I didn't know about my friends' vacation or the trip they took or the car they just bought or the upgrade of a house they just got? 00:19:46.480 --> 00:19:50.000 Would it be easier for me if I didn't know what everyone else had? 00:19:50.240 --> 00:19:52.160 I think the answer is yes, and here's the lie. 00:19:52.640 --> 00:19:58.480 All of those things we see causes me to live dangerously discontent. 00:20:00.400 --> 00:20:05.200 So what I think is I've got to spend every dollar I have on me. 00:20:05.759 --> 00:20:08.559 People tend, when they get discontent, to do one of two things. 00:20:08.799 --> 00:20:22.319 They either tend to lead towards hoarding, which is like I've got to hold on to everything so I have enough for me, or they tend to lead to the other side, which is I'm gonna spend every single thing I have and then some so I can appear that I'm keeping up with the Joneses. 00:20:23.039 --> 00:20:28.240 In either case, there is this sneaky little subversive sin that creeps into your heart. 00:20:28.400 --> 00:20:29.440 It's the sin of greed. 00:20:29.759 --> 00:20:35.440 A greed's a funny one, because there's lots of sins that we do that you can see, but you can't see greed in the mirror. 00:20:36.000 --> 00:20:36.559 You just can't. 00:20:36.880 --> 00:20:40.319 Like you think it's just normal, you think it's just how I'm living my life, you can't see it. 00:20:40.400 --> 00:20:42.400 You can see it in others, but you can't see it in you. 00:20:42.720 --> 00:20:43.519 Here's the definition. 00:20:43.680 --> 00:20:47.519 Greed is the assumption, it's all for my consumption. 00:20:48.240 --> 00:20:54.799 Greed is the assumption that everything I have, every dollar in my bank, all of it belongs to me, so it's all for me to consume. 00:20:55.039 --> 00:20:57.759 Now remember, Jesus said you can't serve two masters. 00:20:58.000 --> 00:21:03.279 Here's a litmus test to know if you're mastered by your money or if you are mastering your money. 00:21:03.599 --> 00:21:05.599 Here's this it's how you spend your money. 00:21:05.920 --> 00:21:18.400 When you're mastered by your money, you tend to live, spend your money on you, save some for you in the future, and then if there's anything left over, if there's any crumbs left over, we we give a little to God, right? 00:21:18.640 --> 00:21:19.839 This is how most people live. 00:21:19.920 --> 00:21:21.680 It's like we spend as much as we want. 00:21:21.839 --> 00:21:26.960 Most Americans spend between 103 and 105% of their income every single year. 00:21:27.200 --> 00:21:29.200 We live it up and we spend it all on us. 00:21:29.359 --> 00:21:34.880 If there's anything left over, we save, and saving is good, it's just for future us, and then we give. 00:21:35.200 --> 00:21:44.319 But if you're going to do what Jesus said and not be ruled by the master of your money, you've got to flip the script, master your money, and here's how it works you flip it upside down. 00:21:44.559 --> 00:21:48.319 You give first, save second, and you live on the rest. 00:21:48.640 --> 00:21:50.480 You give first, save second, live on the rest. 00:21:50.559 --> 00:21:51.440 Now, this is important. 00:21:51.599 --> 00:21:52.960 Why do we give first? 00:21:53.200 --> 00:21:55.599 Because number one, we're honoring God. 00:21:55.759 --> 00:22:01.359 It all belongs to Him, anyways, and here's a little side note you can't give to someone's That already belongs to them. 00:22:01.440 --> 00:22:04.880 It's not even giving, it's bringing back to God that which belongs to Him. 00:22:05.119 --> 00:22:08.880 We bring the first 10% of any increase in our life back to God. 00:22:09.039 --> 00:22:09.839 Why do we do that? 00:22:10.000 --> 00:22:10.559 This is important. 00:22:10.720 --> 00:22:11.599 Hear me on this. 00:22:11.839 --> 00:22:18.160 Giving when you don't know how it's all going to work out is a declaration of trust in God. 00:22:18.799 --> 00:22:22.559 It takes the onus off of you, it takes the pressure off of you. 00:22:22.720 --> 00:22:28.240 God, if this is your will for my life, I'm gonna live the way you ask me to live and trust that you're gonna take care of me. 00:22:28.400 --> 00:22:34.799 I think you should give first, save second, be wise with your money, be invested in things, and then live on the rest. 00:22:34.960 --> 00:22:40.000 And the reason this order matters so much is this is the area you can actually scale down. 00:22:40.240 --> 00:22:42.559 You can find ways to cut corners. 00:22:42.720 --> 00:22:44.880 If you live first, you will always scale up. 00:22:44.960 --> 00:22:49.119 If you live last and spend your money on you last, you can always find ways to scale it down. 00:22:49.279 --> 00:22:55.599 Now, every time I show something like this, I'll hear from someone that says, I want to, I really do. 00:22:56.000 --> 00:22:57.200 Like I just don't have enough. 00:22:57.440 --> 00:22:58.480 Like I can't figure it out. 00:22:58.559 --> 00:23:00.160 I just the math doesn't math. 00:23:00.240 --> 00:23:00.880 I don't have enough. 00:23:00.960 --> 00:23:02.319 I can't figure out how to do it. 00:23:02.559 --> 00:23:08.000 And here's the thing I've learned in talking to so many Christians when it comes to the giving it's that we're not stingy. 00:23:08.559 --> 00:23:09.839 We're just scared. 00:23:10.799 --> 00:23:11.920 Like we're not stingy. 00:23:12.000 --> 00:23:14.480 We we want to be open-handed, we want to live this way. 00:23:14.799 --> 00:23:17.039 But the truth is it freaks us out. 00:23:17.359 --> 00:23:25.759 And so what we do is instead of pushing the chips into the middle of the table and trusting God and saying, God, I'm all in, we we hoard it all for ourselves. 00:23:26.000 --> 00:23:32.000 And in the same sermon Jesus taught about not serving two masters, just seven verses down, here's what Jesus says. 00:23:32.319 --> 00:23:37.839 He says, So I tell you, do not worry. 00:23:39.599 --> 00:23:40.240 Don't worry. 00:23:40.640 --> 00:23:41.599 Don't worry about your money. 00:23:41.680 --> 00:23:42.720 And he gives some examples. 00:23:43.039 --> 00:23:46.400 Don't worry about what we should eat and what we shall drink or what we shall wear. 00:23:46.480 --> 00:23:47.839 Don't don't worry about these things. 00:23:48.160 --> 00:23:49.359 And let me let me tease this out. 00:23:49.440 --> 00:23:52.400 To the people he was talking to, food was a huge deal. 00:23:52.559 --> 00:23:57.599 Like there were no refrigerators, so the only food and drink that wouldn't spoil would be wine and wheat. 00:23:57.759 --> 00:24:00.079 Everything else had a very short shelf life. 00:24:00.400 --> 00:24:03.680 If you didn't have it in your hands then, you don't know what you're gonna eat tomorrow. 00:24:04.000 --> 00:24:06.240 To those people, he says, Don't worry about that. 00:24:06.319 --> 00:24:07.359 Don't worry about what you're gonna drink. 00:24:07.440 --> 00:24:10.400 And clothes were unbelievably expensive in the time of the Bible. 00:24:10.720 --> 00:24:13.599 Don't worry about these temporary things that come and go. 00:24:13.759 --> 00:24:14.640 He says, Do not worry. 00:24:14.720 --> 00:24:16.079 Now, why does he say don't worry? 00:24:16.640 --> 00:24:18.559 Because I think this picture makes perfect sense. 00:24:18.720 --> 00:24:21.839 When we worry, we hold on tight. 00:24:22.400 --> 00:24:28.240 When we worry, we go from open-handed trusting God to closed fist trusting me. 00:24:28.559 --> 00:24:30.160 Then Jesus takes it a step farther. 00:24:30.319 --> 00:24:33.440 He says, For the pagans run after all these things. 00:24:33.599 --> 00:24:34.960 The pagans are the ones who do this. 00:24:35.039 --> 00:24:38.480 Now, pagans in modern culture is kind of like the devil worshippers. 00:24:38.640 --> 00:24:40.000 That's not what Jesus was saying. 00:24:40.160 --> 00:24:44.799 He was saying the pagans, meaning all of the non-Jewish people that are not following me. 00:24:45.039 --> 00:24:48.400 Jesus saying, like basically, everybody else lives this way. 00:24:48.559 --> 00:24:51.599 Everybody else lives me first, my needs first. 00:24:51.759 --> 00:24:53.759 Everybody else lives closed-fisted. 00:24:53.920 --> 00:24:55.440 But you don't need to live that way. 00:24:55.599 --> 00:24:57.519 And here's why you can live open-handed. 00:24:57.599 --> 00:25:05.119 He says, and your heavenly father, he knows that you need them. 00:25:06.720 --> 00:25:11.359 Your father in heaven, he knows that you need the food and the drink and the clothes. 00:25:11.839 --> 00:25:15.359 Your father in heaven, listen to me, knows that you have bills. 00:25:16.400 --> 00:25:22.559 Your father in heaven knows, college student, that you're trying to figure out how to pay for this semester so you can get to next semester. 00:25:22.720 --> 00:25:30.319 Your father in heaven knows that there is that medical test that's so expensive, and he's gonna come through for you in some way because he loves you and he's good. 00:25:30.480 --> 00:25:32.640 Your father knows what you need. 00:25:33.519 --> 00:25:34.880 And then he hits this conjunction. 00:25:35.039 --> 00:25:39.519 He says, But here's what I want you to do with all that. 00:25:39.759 --> 00:25:41.839 Your father in heaven knows what you need. 00:25:42.079 --> 00:25:50.160 He says, but see, first he uses a word that's about priority. 00:25:50.480 --> 00:26:06.880 He uses a word that says, when you put all of your finances in a certain order, but first, which means move it off the bottom of the list, elevate it to the top of the list, but seek first what his kingdom, his righteousness. 00:26:07.039 --> 00:26:13.039 Essentially, he says, seek first or care first about what God cares about, and then look at the promise. 00:26:13.279 --> 00:26:17.839