WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.319 Welcome to the Awakening Church podcast. 00:00:02.479 --> 00:00:07.040 We pray this message encourages you and provides the hope and light of Jesus Christ. 00:00:07.200 --> 00:00:08.640 Thanks for tuning in. 00:00:19.199 --> 00:00:22.879 Today we are kicking off a brand new series called Life is More. 00:00:22.960 --> 00:00:25.120 Go ahead and say it to your neighbor, Life is More. 00:00:26.879 --> 00:00:31.440 It's the surprising paradox to abundant living. 00:00:31.679 --> 00:00:33.759 The surprising paradox to abundant living. 00:00:33.840 --> 00:00:34.880 Now here's the interesting part. 00:00:34.960 --> 00:00:41.039 When we think about paradox, the paradox of our day and age in which we find ourselves in. 00:00:41.200 --> 00:00:42.240 Think about this. 00:00:42.399 --> 00:00:50.479 Why does it feel like the more we get, the less we have of what really matters most? 00:00:51.679 --> 00:01:02.640 I mean, we have we have more money in America than we've ever had, and yet we have more or less peace and more anxiety. 00:01:03.039 --> 00:01:11.040 We have faster technology, and yet we have less patience as a people. 00:01:11.519 --> 00:01:15.840 We have more things, and yet somehow in that we enjoy them less. 00:01:16.000 --> 00:01:23.840 We're more connected than we have ever been in human history, and yet at the same time we have an epidemic of loneliness. 00:01:23.920 --> 00:01:28.000 We're more lonely and isolated than we've ever been. 00:01:28.480 --> 00:01:37.760 We live hustling, striving, working, and yet we have less time. 00:01:39.280 --> 00:01:40.640 Ever striving. 00:01:41.920 --> 00:01:45.519 But rarely, if ever arriving. 00:01:45.760 --> 00:01:50.799 We live overworked, anxiety-soaked lives. 00:01:53.359 --> 00:01:57.680 And it leaves us empty, doesn't it? 00:01:59.120 --> 00:02:07.840 And then yearning with this question, is this really all there is to life? 00:02:09.680 --> 00:02:12.960 We want to ask and answer this question over the course of our series. 00:02:13.120 --> 00:02:18.159 How do you end up with more of what really matters in life? 00:02:18.719 --> 00:02:23.680 How do we end up with more of what really matters in life? 00:02:23.919 --> 00:02:26.800 Jesus may have asked it this way to us. 00:02:26.960 --> 00:02:32.560 He would say, How do you take hold of life that's like truly life? 00:02:33.360 --> 00:02:43.360 Where we're not just going through the motions, we're we're we're we're living, we're all living and breathing, but we're actually fully alive. 00:02:45.599 --> 00:02:58.000 You know, uh in the Gospel of Luke, we find this incredible account, and as we're gonna read it, you'll see it's as if it could have been pulled right from our times, maybe directly from your lives. 00:02:58.159 --> 00:03:03.120 It's so incredibly applicable to our day in Silicon Valley. 00:03:03.439 --> 00:03:20.800 And Jesus confronts or gets confronted with this situation, and then he tells this parable that begins to unpack how do we experience the more we were made for, and what are the things that actually cause us to miss out on that very thing. 00:03:20.960 --> 00:03:25.439 And so if you got your Bibles, would you open up to the Gospel of Luke? 00:03:25.759 --> 00:03:29.599 The Gospel of Luke, chapter 12, verse 13. 00:03:29.840 --> 00:03:32.639 Uh and in it begins this way. 00:03:33.840 --> 00:03:44.319 Someone in the crowd said to him, now, by the way, there's about multiple thousands of people following Jesus, so this is a big crowd at this moment. 00:03:45.120 --> 00:03:50.639 Someone in the crowd said to him, Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me. 00:03:50.879 --> 00:03:55.759 Hey, my brother, our parents passed away, we're supposed to share this. 00:03:56.000 --> 00:04:04.719 Now, this is such a common thing, and we see it all the time, and it happens in our day, and it happened in their day. 00:04:04.879 --> 00:04:13.840 There's something about money that causes, uh, it just causes this, you know, mess in relationships. 00:04:14.159 --> 00:04:16.800 It can just really mess them up, can't it? 00:04:17.279 --> 00:04:25.439 You know, um I know of uh a friend, um, he was the executor of his parents' will. 00:04:25.680 --> 00:04:31.120 When his parents passed away, um, he wanted to keep their childhood home. 00:04:31.279 --> 00:04:37.439 You know, it's what they all grew up with, but his siblings wanted to sell it, and and he kind of delayed that for a while. 00:04:37.600 --> 00:04:40.240 There was a downturn in the economy when they finally sold it. 00:04:40.319 --> 00:04:44.800 They lost uh several hundred thousand dollars, and guess what? 00:04:44.959 --> 00:04:47.759 His brother sued him for it. 00:04:48.000 --> 00:04:50.879 They're no longer on speaking terms. 00:04:51.519 --> 00:04:54.800 What is it about our money and our possessions? 00:04:54.959 --> 00:05:06.480 There's something there that it can even divide blood of people that you say you love, no, you do love, but something you love more that somehow it gets in the way. 00:05:06.720 --> 00:05:21.120 And I could tell you, after 20 plus years of being a pastor, I've seen that story played out in so many different ways, not just with siblings, but business partners, friends, and the like. 00:05:21.839 --> 00:05:24.639 Someone, you know, teacher, tell us to divide the inheritance. 00:05:24.720 --> 00:05:27.519 Jesus replied, Man, I don't know if he said it that way. 00:05:27.600 --> 00:05:33.680 I gave a little, man, uh, who appointed me judge or arbiter between you? 00:05:33.839 --> 00:05:34.639 Now notice this. 00:05:34.720 --> 00:05:44.240 Then he said to them, and here's so important, watch out, watch out, be on your guard against all kinds of greed. 00:05:44.480 --> 00:05:48.480 Uh, or yeah, be on your guard against all kinds of greed. 00:05:48.879 --> 00:05:50.160 Now this is amazing. 00:05:50.240 --> 00:05:51.519 Now pay attention to this. 00:05:51.680 --> 00:05:54.000 He's gonna say, watch out or beware. 00:05:54.160 --> 00:05:54.800 Notice this. 00:05:54.959 --> 00:05:59.279 Uh watch out means to be vigilant, to take careful notice, to pay attention. 00:05:59.519 --> 00:06:04.160 It's the picture, if you've been to one of those big um water parks. 00:06:04.319 --> 00:06:07.040 Remember Raging Waters when that existed last year? 00:06:07.279 --> 00:06:17.600 Um and I remember when we took our kids uh years ago and the lifeguards, they would do this head up and down and then go back and forth. 00:06:17.839 --> 00:06:20.319 Head up and down and go back and forth. 00:06:20.480 --> 00:06:42.879 They had a system and a plan that they were trained to keep themselves vigilant and to see and keep their attention focused because someone who drowns is the silent killer, and the minute their head goes underwater, there's so much activity, there's so much noise, it's easy to miss, and your eyes get so you know accustomed to all that you're seeing. 00:06:42.959 --> 00:06:46.000 You you often, you know, you you just won't see it. 00:06:46.079 --> 00:06:50.079 And so they have a training to keep their heads up and down to keep them engaged. 00:06:50.160 --> 00:06:52.000 That's this word, watch out. 00:06:52.959 --> 00:06:55.279 Watch out, be on your guard. 00:06:55.920 --> 00:07:01.040 Like, take careful attention to what? 00:07:02.079 --> 00:07:03.680 All kinds of greed. 00:07:04.560 --> 00:07:05.199 Greed. 00:07:05.839 --> 00:07:08.319 Go ahead and just say to your neighbor, are you a greedy? 00:07:08.639 --> 00:07:09.199 I'm just kidding. 00:07:09.279 --> 00:07:12.319 No, that's that's not what we're gonna do. 00:07:12.800 --> 00:07:15.040 But we don't talk about it today. 00:07:15.759 --> 00:07:17.360 Oh, some of you did it anyways. 00:07:17.519 --> 00:07:18.879 Okay, okay. 00:07:19.120 --> 00:07:21.759 We don't talk about greed, do we? 00:07:23.439 --> 00:07:27.920 Because none of us would ever say, maybe one of us would ever say we're greedy. 00:07:28.079 --> 00:07:29.120 No, I'm frugal. 00:07:29.439 --> 00:07:31.120 I'm wise, I'm shrewd. 00:07:31.680 --> 00:07:33.439 I've been smart with my money. 00:07:33.519 --> 00:07:34.879 I am not greedy. 00:07:35.040 --> 00:07:38.560 And it's it here's Jesus saying, we gotta watch out because it's a silent killer. 00:07:38.720 --> 00:07:47.920 You can't notice it, you often don't see it, and if your head is not engaged, if your eyes aren't attentive, it will take hold of you and you won't even know it has a hold of you. 00:07:48.160 --> 00:07:49.600 That's what he's saying. 00:07:49.839 --> 00:07:50.800 Well, what is greed? 00:07:50.959 --> 00:07:52.480 He's gonna say it this way. 00:07:52.720 --> 00:07:55.759 Uh be on your guard against all kinds of greed. 00:07:55.839 --> 00:07:56.240 Why? 00:07:56.480 --> 00:08:01.600 Because life does not consist in the abundance of possessions. 00:08:02.240 --> 00:08:02.879 Life. 00:08:03.600 --> 00:08:06.879 That living, that life that's truly life. 00:08:07.279 --> 00:08:08.560 What matters most? 00:08:08.800 --> 00:08:13.120 What matters most isn't the abundance of our possession. 00:08:13.279 --> 00:08:15.920 Life is not found in our possessions, right? 00:08:16.079 --> 00:08:20.480 And we get this, we know this, and life is more than our possessions. 00:08:20.720 --> 00:08:31.439 Well, Jesus defines greed this way: it's when life, life that's truly life, consists in the abundance of possession. 00:08:31.680 --> 00:08:39.039 Life that's truly life, like when you've made it, when you finally made it, is when you finally own a home in the Silicon Valley. 00:08:39.200 --> 00:08:41.279 When you made it, when you truly made it. 00:08:41.440 --> 00:08:46.320 It's once you've gotten your degree and now you're in that job, you're upwardly mobile. 00:08:46.799 --> 00:09:00.799 Life, truly life, is like when I'm finally able to retire early, when I'm able to drive just the right car, when I'm wearing just the right things and the watch that makes me, that makes everyone else know I'm a somebody. 00:09:01.039 --> 00:09:02.879 Life that's truly life. 00:09:03.200 --> 00:09:08.480 Greed is this is found in the abundance of your possessions. 00:09:09.759 --> 00:09:14.240 Just having more is what constitutes life. 00:09:14.399 --> 00:09:17.440 Now, interestingly enough, you can be poor and greedy. 00:09:18.960 --> 00:09:24.639 Because it's not about how much you have, it's about how much you want to have. 00:09:25.600 --> 00:09:30.240 Life consisting in the abundance of our possession. 00:09:30.399 --> 00:09:31.440 It goes this way. 00:09:31.679 --> 00:09:36.240 If I had blank, then I'd be happy. 00:09:36.720 --> 00:09:39.759 If I had blank, then I'd be happy. 00:09:39.919 --> 00:09:51.600 If I drove that car, if I dated that person, if I if I had that job, if my bank account had X amount of zeros in it, then I'd be happy. 00:09:51.919 --> 00:09:58.559 Today, we the way we talk about it, well, we don't talk about it, but but the way we define it is not greed, but materialism. 00:09:58.879 --> 00:10:03.759 Materialism is money and possessions are the keys to life, happiness, and security. 00:10:04.000 --> 00:10:08.559 Money and possessions, what you have are the keys to life, that's truly life. 00:10:08.799 --> 00:10:22.320 Happiness, like, you know, I can only be truly happy if I'm able to travel, if I'm able to retire young, if I'm able to drive this, if I'm able to have so many days off. 00:10:22.799 --> 00:10:25.519 But ultimately, what we want is security. 00:10:26.480 --> 00:10:27.120 Right? 00:10:27.360 --> 00:10:29.759 Ultimately, what we want is safety. 00:10:30.240 --> 00:10:43.600 And we believe, and here's what Jesus is talking about, we believe security, safety, financial freedom is found in how much money we have in our bank accounts. 00:10:43.919 --> 00:10:50.320 And if I only get X, then I'll be safe and secure. 00:10:50.559 --> 00:11:01.519 Now, here's what's fascinating is materialism ultimately feeds into consumerism because human nature, the way we're designed, is the more we acquire, the more we desire. 00:11:02.480 --> 00:11:07.759 The more we acquire, you just go like, well, if some's good, some's good. 00:11:07.919 --> 00:11:11.120 If some is good, more is better. 00:11:11.360 --> 00:11:14.960 It was like me last night with my kids' Halloween candy. 00:11:16.480 --> 00:11:19.919 If some is good, more is better. 00:11:20.240 --> 00:11:21.600 My wife has the bowl out. 00:11:21.679 --> 00:11:23.759 I'm like, why is the bowl out? 00:11:26.320 --> 00:11:29.039 Well, I took one. 00:11:31.360 --> 00:11:32.879 It was tasty. 00:11:34.320 --> 00:11:38.639 But it didn't quite satisfy, so I decided maybe I'll have one more. 00:11:40.320 --> 00:11:41.600 And then one more. 00:11:42.639 --> 00:11:45.919 And then I did the walk of shame back to my bedroom. 00:11:46.639 --> 00:11:49.600 Materialism gives way to consumerism. 00:11:49.759 --> 00:11:53.440 Consumerism says this the more you consume, the happier you'll be. 00:11:55.039 --> 00:12:03.919 Our economy is built on consumerism to say that you are less than, you will never be more than until you get this and you have to consume this. 00:12:04.000 --> 00:12:09.440 And as you consume it, and the more you consume, the happier you will be. 00:12:09.519 --> 00:12:21.519 And Jesus is saying, watch out, be on your guard, get your head up and down like this, to make sure you're aware of the deceptiveness of greed, materialism, consumerism. 00:12:21.600 --> 00:12:22.000 Why? 00:12:22.240 --> 00:12:25.600 Because there's more to life than having more in life. 00:12:25.840 --> 00:12:28.320 Because there's more to life, and you know this. 00:12:29.039 --> 00:12:30.320 We know this. 00:12:30.799 --> 00:12:35.200 There's more to life than having more in life. 00:12:36.879 --> 00:12:38.240 And yet, isn't it true? 00:12:38.399 --> 00:12:44.080 Most of us live our lives as if if we just got more, we would have the life. 00:12:45.679 --> 00:12:48.960 And we wonder why are we so tired? 00:12:49.519 --> 00:12:55.279 So anxious, ever striving, and yet never arriving. 00:12:55.519 --> 00:13:02.240 Well, Jesus then tells a parable to drive this point home, and he says this the ground of a certain rich man. 00:13:02.480 --> 00:13:05.120 Can anyone raise their hand if they're rich today? 00:13:05.360 --> 00:13:07.759 Okay, isn't that interesting? 00:13:08.399 --> 00:13:10.480 None of us think we're rich. 00:13:10.720 --> 00:13:12.000 None of us do. 00:13:12.639 --> 00:13:15.440 And you know how we define rich? 00:13:16.000 --> 00:13:23.759 As whoever is ahead of us, regardless of where you're at on the scale of richness and poverty. 00:13:23.919 --> 00:13:26.240 It's just the person ahead of you. 00:13:26.399 --> 00:13:30.879 Uh, in fact, you know, I have a friend, uh, he doesn't live in the area, doesn't go to this church. 00:13:30.960 --> 00:13:33.840 It'd be awesome if he tied to the church, that'd be another whole nother story. 00:13:34.080 --> 00:13:36.320 But but he's super wealthy. 00:13:36.799 --> 00:13:38.480 He has three homes. 00:13:39.120 --> 00:13:40.799 And you know what he talks about? 00:13:42.000 --> 00:13:50.159 How poor he is compared to his friends that own, you know, jets and you know, have private islands that they travel to. 00:13:50.399 --> 00:13:57.120 Because there always is somebody ahead of us that we can compare to and realize, well, I'm not really rich, they're rich. 00:13:57.279 --> 00:14:01.440 Biblically, and Jesus would define rich as having more than you need. 00:14:03.279 --> 00:14:11.840 So, just technically, globally, in reality, Silicon Valley, I know we live in a very, very expensive place and it's a challenge. 00:14:12.480 --> 00:14:16.879 But the vast majority of us at Awakening have more than we need. 00:14:18.159 --> 00:14:53.759 If you are able to drive a car, if you're able to get that morning coffee at five dollars a pop, if you're paying for the Netflix accounts, or you're borrowing your parents' Netflix account, if you took a warm shower today, if you went through your fridge and you threw out the arugula or what once was arugula that smells so bad because it went bad in your fridge, and you just have food that you store that's extra that eventually you don't get to, and you just throw out your rich. 00:14:56.080 --> 00:14:59.039 See, we're all rich. 00:14:59.360 --> 00:15:00.879 Many of us are rich. 00:15:01.039 --> 00:15:06.159 The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. 00:15:06.480 --> 00:15:09.440 He thought to himself, what shall I do? 00:15:09.679 --> 00:15:13.600 I have no place to store my crops. 00:15:14.000 --> 00:15:22.080 Now, what he does is what every smart, shrewd, we would call him wise. 00:15:24.159 --> 00:15:27.120 Wise, wealthy person would do. 00:15:27.360 --> 00:15:28.879 Then he said, This is what I'll do. 00:15:28.960 --> 00:15:36.240 I'll tear down my barns, build bigger ones, and there I'll store up my surplus grain, and I'll say to myself, you have plenty. 00:15:36.879 --> 00:15:41.919 You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. 00:15:42.080 --> 00:15:44.960 Take life easy, eat, drink, and be merry. 00:15:45.200 --> 00:15:49.600 This is a first century way of building his investment portfolio. 00:15:49.840 --> 00:16:16.559 If Jesus was going to teach this uh parable to us today in Silicon Valley, he said, a certain wealthy young man or just a Silicon Valley woman who came to the valley to get rich got in on the ground floor of a startup and it went public, and now all of a sudden, his percentage, he got paid out, she got paid out. 00:16:17.519 --> 00:16:19.679 What are you gonna do with all this? 00:16:20.320 --> 00:16:22.080 I mean, that was the dream. 00:16:22.320 --> 00:16:23.679 That was the goal. 00:16:23.919 --> 00:16:27.600 That's why we got here, it came here in the first place. 00:16:29.679 --> 00:16:32.480 Isn't the goal to retire young? 00:16:33.200 --> 00:16:40.559 Travel the world, have enough in the bank account so that whether the economy's up or down, you don't worry or fret. 00:16:42.320 --> 00:16:48.320 See, what we think of as wise, listen to what God says. 00:16:48.960 --> 00:16:55.440 But God said to him, you fool, that's strong, God. 00:16:56.159 --> 00:16:57.279 You fool. 00:16:57.600 --> 00:17:01.039 This very night your life will be demanded from you. 00:17:01.440 --> 00:17:05.200 Then who will get what you've prepared for yourself? 00:17:05.359 --> 00:17:06.640 You're foolish. 00:17:07.440 --> 00:17:08.079 Why? 00:17:08.319 --> 00:17:12.640 Because you never know the time, the hour, how much life you have. 00:17:13.279 --> 00:17:16.480 And this very night your life will be demanded, required. 00:17:16.640 --> 00:17:18.720 In fact, it's an accounting term here. 00:17:18.960 --> 00:17:25.599 It's that your life has been on loan, it's been a gift to you, and now it's time to return it back. 00:17:28.400 --> 00:17:33.039 Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself? 00:17:33.200 --> 00:17:36.559 Now, Jesus is helping us with something that's incredibly important. 00:17:37.359 --> 00:17:42.400 All of us, all of us are stewards and not owners. 00:17:42.880 --> 00:17:50.240 Every single one of us at some point, sometime, will give all that we make and earned away. 00:17:50.640 --> 00:17:58.079 Some will give it freely, and others will give it forcefully, because you cannot take what you make. 00:17:58.400 --> 00:18:02.960 You know, ask the accountant of the billionaire after he died or she died. 00:18:03.599 --> 00:18:06.400 How much did she take with her? 00:18:08.559 --> 00:18:09.599 None of it. 00:18:10.720 --> 00:18:13.680 Because you all leave it behind. 00:18:13.920 --> 00:18:16.480 And then Jesus pulls it all together. 00:18:16.799 --> 00:18:25.759 This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves, but is not rich towards God. 00:18:26.640 --> 00:18:35.920 Who stores up things that his life is all about fundamentally for me, my comfort, my reality, and is not rich towards God. 00:18:36.079 --> 00:18:39.920 And I want you to notice the problem isn't the abundant harvest. 00:18:40.640 --> 00:18:44.480 The problem is our response to the abundant harvest. 00:18:44.960 --> 00:18:46.559 One day we'll all give an account. 00:18:46.720 --> 00:18:48.559 What did we where did it all go? 00:18:48.799 --> 00:18:50.160 What did I spend it on? 00:18:50.319 --> 00:18:54.960 And what has been accomplished for eternity through my use of finances. 00:18:55.440 --> 00:18:59.200 And here's what Jesus is drawing our attention to. 00:19:00.319 --> 00:19:05.039 That life is more than the here and now. 00:19:06.160 --> 00:19:15.279 That life, your life, my life, is more than just this present moment. 00:19:16.640 --> 00:19:21.119 Dallas Willard, he sums up what the scripture teaches about the soul. 00:19:21.200 --> 00:19:28.960 And through the context, when we're reading the word life, it's actually the Greek word for our soul, the immaterial part of our soul. 00:19:29.119 --> 00:19:35.279 You are a never-ceasing spiritual being with an eternal destiny in God's great universe. 00:19:35.440 --> 00:19:36.240 That's true of you. 00:19:36.400 --> 00:19:38.319 You are more than a body. 00:19:39.200 --> 00:19:41.920 And you'll last longer than just this moment. 00:19:42.160 --> 00:19:48.720 You are a never-ceasing spiritual being with an eternal destiny in God's great universe. 00:19:48.880 --> 00:20:00.000 And the question is, is will what you do with your time here on earth invest in the internal reality that you will step in and I will step in. 00:20:00.960 --> 00:20:09.039 See, what we have to remember if we're gonna live for more is that life is more than just here and now. 00:20:09.359 --> 00:20:13.680 And greed, materialism, says now is all that matters. 00:20:14.160 --> 00:20:17.519 Greed gets our eyes focused and going, like, you know what? 00:20:17.599 --> 00:20:19.440 I I'm I'm not quite keeping up. 00:20:19.599 --> 00:20:21.759 I don't have the jet yet. 00:20:24.000 --> 00:20:25.279 Life is more. 00:20:26.079 --> 00:20:29.359 Life is more than just the here and now. 00:20:29.519 --> 00:20:34.000 I want to draw uh just two lessons from the rich fool. 00:20:34.400 --> 00:20:56.799 And the reason is as we read this, and the reality is, is it is so easy to be wise in the world's eyes and yet live anxiety-soaked, unfulfilled lives that are stressed out to the paradox of this age. 00:20:57.039 --> 00:21:06.079 Or we can step into the paradox of abundant living, which is radically different, counterintuitive, counter-cultural. 00:21:06.480 --> 00:21:12.559 The rich fool, two lessons from the rich fool, the rich fool never saw beyond himself. 00:21:13.279 --> 00:21:16.240 It's all about me and it's all for me. 00:21:16.480 --> 00:21:18.880 It's all about me and it's all for me. 00:21:19.039 --> 00:21:22.480 No parable of Jesus uses more personal pronouns than this one. 00:21:22.559 --> 00:21:23.599 Did you notice that? 00:21:23.920 --> 00:21:28.079 I say to myself, it's all about me. 00:21:28.559 --> 00:21:35.039 And we live in a society that's all about the individual. 00:21:35.839 --> 00:21:44.400 It elevates your individuality, and it's all about you and all for you, and you gotta make sure and get yours. 00:21:46.400 --> 00:21:50.240 And Jesus would say, That's the path of the rich fool. 00:21:52.640 --> 00:21:58.640 A fool, by the way, is one who lives as if there is no God. 00:21:59.440 --> 00:21:59.759 Bible. 00:22:00.799 --> 00:22:05.759 A fool is one who lives as if there is no God. 00:22:06.079 --> 00:22:10.240 Now notice, it's not one who believes there is no God. 00:22:11.920 --> 00:22:19.839 See, I think today in the church we have plenty of us who live as if there is no God. 00:22:21.279 --> 00:22:26.240 You sing the songs, you come and do the thing. 00:22:27.440 --> 00:22:33.920 But the reality is, is so many of us have confused our net worth for our self-worth. 00:22:35.519 --> 00:22:39.680 And this upwardly mobile, just trying to make it. 00:22:41.200 --> 00:22:48.640 And we get caught up into uh the the whole sweeping and culture, especially of Silicon Valley. 00:22:49.279 --> 00:22:51.039 Success at any cost. 00:22:53.279 --> 00:22:55.359 And a fool is just lives. 00:22:56.480 --> 00:23:08.400 Or my life, does my life reflect that I am an image-bearer of the God most high, that I'm actually a never-ceasing spiritual being with an eternal destiny in God's grand universe. 00:23:08.480 --> 00:23:13.359 And so I'm gonna leverage this space and this time for all of eternity. 00:23:13.519 --> 00:23:17.119 And my is my life reflecting that reality? 00:23:17.359 --> 00:23:25.200 The fool uh never saw beyond himself, and then the fool never sees and saw beyond this world. 00:23:25.599 --> 00:23:29.119 Now is all that matters. 00:23:29.599 --> 00:23:30.240 YOLO. 00:23:32.240 --> 00:23:34.319 I know it's dated, but whatever. 00:23:35.519 --> 00:23:36.720 You only live once. 00:23:36.799 --> 00:23:37.680 Now think about this. 00:23:37.759 --> 00:23:41.759 You only live once, and so our conclusion is this live it up. 00:23:43.680 --> 00:23:48.720 Live with no regrets by doing things that later you'll regret. 00:23:51.039 --> 00:23:53.680 Man, you just gotta go out there. 00:23:54.799 --> 00:23:59.279 And it's this hedonistic, it's what he said eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow will die. 00:23:59.440 --> 00:24:03.599 And if there is no God, then absolutely, but if there is one. 00:24:05.119 --> 00:24:23.200 And if we will give an account, and if you are more than just a body, but you are a soul, a never-ceasing spiritual being, then maybe you should take into account that reality that this world is not all that there is. 00:24:23.440 --> 00:24:32.160 Jesus would say it this way: what good is it for someone to gain the whole world and yet forfeit their soul? 00:24:33.359 --> 00:24:35.680 And his conclusion, remember? 00:24:36.400 --> 00:24:42.960 This will be how it is for whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich towards God. 00:24:43.279 --> 00:24:47.599 Jesus is uncomfortably clear on this subject. 00:24:48.160 --> 00:24:57.680 When it comes to our possessions and our finances, did you know that 15% of all of his recorded words are around possessions and our finances? 00:24:58.079 --> 00:25:04.240 Did you know he talked more about our possessions and our finances than he did heaven and hell combined? 00:25:04.559 --> 00:25:11.839 And it's not because he needs your money, wants your money, it's because he wants something so much bigger for you. 00:25:12.240 --> 00:25:17.039 He knows the chief competitor for your heart is your money. 00:25:17.359 --> 00:25:18.720 He wants your heart. 00:25:18.960 --> 00:25:31.440 He knows the chief thing that will rob you of the more and the life you were created for, that will draw you into a life of never-ceasing striving and never yet arriving is greed. 00:25:33.599 --> 00:25:39.119 And so Jesus, Jesus says, be rich towards God. 00:25:39.599 --> 00:25:41.279 Be rich towards God. 00:25:42.240 --> 00:25:48.160 The more we're made for is when we begin to understand how do I become rich towards God? 00:25:48.400 --> 00:25:50.000 How do we become rich towards God? 00:25:50.160 --> 00:25:52.319 Well, it's a lifestyle of generosity. 00:25:52.480 --> 00:25:56.000 A lifestyle of generosity is how we invest eternally. 00:25:56.319 --> 00:25:57.599 A lifestyle. 00:25:57.920 --> 00:26:01.039 It's not just like you did it once. 00:26:01.440 --> 00:26:04.880 Because I think almost every single person is like, I'm generous. 00:26:05.119 --> 00:26:05.759 Yeah. 00:26:06.240 --> 00:26:09.119 I gave like 20 bucks to that person on the corner. 00:26:09.440 --> 00:26:10.480 I'm generous. 00:26:10.720 --> 00:26:15.519 And when we think of ourselves as generous, we point back to that one time we were generous. 00:26:16.079 --> 00:26:18.880 A lifestyle of generosity. 00:26:19.200 --> 00:26:22.640 A lifestyle of generosity is something that you consistently do. 00:26:22.880 --> 00:26:25.119 It's a habit, it's a part of you. 00:26:25.440 --> 00:26:38.000 Like um, like if I was to say, I'm an athlete, but I never work out, would I be really an athlete? 00:26:39.119 --> 00:26:39.440 No. 00:26:40.799 --> 00:26:42.319 But we do that with generosity. 00:26:42.480 --> 00:26:46.720 Well, I'm generous, but we're never actually consistently generous. 00:26:47.359 --> 00:26:51.119 Consistently, systematically, like there's a plan. 00:26:52.079 --> 00:26:53.519 There's a plan in place. 00:26:53.680 --> 00:26:54.559 It's significant. 00:26:54.799 --> 00:26:59.039 A lifestyle of generosity is how we invest eternally. 00:26:59.200 --> 00:27:08.160 In fact, Jesus would say, don't store up for your treasure, uh, store your treasure here on earth where moth and vermin destroy, but store up your treasure in heaven. 00:27:08.319 --> 00:27:11.599 Like how you live today matters. 00:27:11.759 --> 00:27:14.160 How you live, yellow, you only live once. 00:27:14.319 --> 00:27:15.839 So let's begin to think about that. 00:27:16.000 --> 00:27:21.599 And our present activity on this planet actually has an effect and impact in eternity. 00:27:22.000 --> 00:27:36.799 And that we leverage today for eternity, and then we begin to understand that all of I, all that I have is God, has been given to me by God, and so I'm simply a steward here now, and so Jesus, what do you have me do? 00:27:37.920 --> 00:27:41.279 I'm entrusted with your good gifts. 00:27:41.519 --> 00:27:51.440 You've given me the thoughts, you've given me the skills, you've placed me here, and eventually I'm gonna give it away, anyways, to somebody else. 00:27:52.720 --> 00:27:54.160 So, how can I leverage? 00:27:54.480 --> 00:27:56.400 How can I steward it for you? 00:27:56.559 --> 00:28:00.400 A lifestyle of generosity is how we invest eternally. 00:28:00.559 --> 00:28:06.960 Uh, Randy Alcorn uh wrote this our use of money and possessions is a decisive statement of our eternal values. 00:28:07.200 --> 00:28:12.559 What we do with our money loudly affirms which kingdom we belong to. 00:28:12.799 --> 00:28:14.559 And what's fascinating? 00:28:15.119 --> 00:28:16.240 Generosity. 00:28:16.720 --> 00:28:19.680 Generosity is the antidote to greed. 00:28:20.480 --> 00:28:23.759 You want to break greed's grip of your heart? 00:28:24.960 --> 00:28:30.160 That materialistic consumer mentality that we all get caught up in. 00:28:30.400 --> 00:28:31.359 We all do. 00:28:32.400 --> 00:28:34.319 Generosity is that antidote. 00:28:34.480 --> 00:28:36.319 In fact, next week we're going to talk about this. 00:28:36.480 --> 00:28:38.880 Generosity is actually the pathway. 00:28:39.119 --> 00:28:44.960 It's actually the pathway for what experiencing, uh enjoying what God has provided. 00:28:45.200 --> 00:28:51.039 Like if you really want to enjoy, you instead of going like, how do I, how come I have so much and yet don't enjoy it? 00:28:51.119 --> 00:28:53.359 He's like, generosity is that pathway. 00:28:53.440 --> 00:28:55.839 And we'll discover that next week. 00:28:56.160 --> 00:28:59.839 Let me just give you some stacked uh statistics on generosity. 00:29:00.079 --> 00:29:04.799 Did you know 44.8% of all Americans do not give anything away? 00:29:05.039 --> 00:29:07.279 In the church, you're like, I think that's better. 00:29:07.440 --> 00:29:10.640 Uh 38% of Christians in America don't give anything away. 00:29:10.799 --> 00:29:11.599 Pretty close. 00:29:11.839 --> 00:29:21.039 13.9% of Americans give less than 2% of their income, and only 2.7% give 10% of their income away. 00:29:21.200 --> 00:29:25.680 Uh millennials, I won't say how many we have in the house, but we reach a lot of millennials, Gen Zers. 00:29:25.839 --> 00:29:34.880 Millennials report to giving less than$50 annually, even though charitable giving ranks as a high priority. 00:29:35.119 --> 00:29:36.319 Well, how's the church doing? 00:29:36.480 --> 00:29:37.359 How are Christians doing? 00:29:37.519 --> 00:29:42.480 Nationwide, Christians today give 2.5% of their income. 00:29:43.039 --> 00:29:47.119 For comparison, during the Great Depression, that number was 3.3%. 00:29:48.799 --> 00:29:54.400 We are less generous today than those who were going through the Great Depression in the church. 00:29:55.119 --> 00:29:58.160 Only 5% of church members give regularly. 00:29:58.319 --> 00:30:01.119 And there's this myth that we buy into, well, you know what? 00:30:01.599 --> 00:30:03.599 When I get more, then I'll give more. 00:30:03.759 --> 00:30:06.400 You know, I just don't have enough right now. 00:30:06.640 --> 00:30:09.359 And actually, the opposite is true. 00:30:09.599 --> 00:30:13.599 Uh, the more you make, the less generous you become statistically. 00:30:13.759 --> 00:30:21.200 Households that make more than 75,000 are the least charitable than making under that. 00:30:21.759 --> 00:30:24.000 And we become less generous. 00:30:24.240 --> 00:30:26.640 A lifestyle of generosity is how we invest internally. 00:30:26.720 --> 00:30:28.079 So, application, what do we do? 00:30:28.240 --> 00:30:29.440 How do we begin to change this? 00:30:29.519 --> 00:30:31.279 How do we begin to live into the more? 00:30:32.160 --> 00:30:35.119 Simply what we have to do is reverse the order. 00:30:35.359 --> 00:30:37.119 Reverse the order of how we're living. 00:30:37.279 --> 00:30:42.319 The normative way that we live today is we consume what you make. 00:30:42.400 --> 00:30:46.880 And in America, the average American lives on 110% of what they bring in. 00:30:47.359 --> 00:30:49.519 That's why we're in so much consumer debt. 00:30:49.759 --> 00:30:54.400 Consume what you make, save if you can, and give if there's anything left over. 00:30:54.640 --> 00:30:58.640 Well, of course there's nothing left over because we're living on more than what's coming in. 00:31:00.000 --> 00:31:03.279 A generous lifestyle reverses the order. 00:31:03.519 --> 00:31:04.720 Give to God first. 00:31:05.119 --> 00:31:06.240 Give to God first. 00:31:06.400 --> 00:31:15.519 Then I'm gonna make this decision up front when the paycheck comes in, not at the end of the month, at the beginning, I'm gonna give to you first. 00:31:15.680 --> 00:31:17.279 I'm gonna have a system for it. 00:31:17.519 --> 00:31:19.680 You know, we talk about it like a tithe. 00:31:19.839 --> 00:31:24.880 The Old Testament talks about a tithe, this giving a tenth of all that you have. 00:31:25.119 --> 00:31:27.359 Most people are living way beyond their means. 00:31:27.440 --> 00:31:29.119 They can't start with a tithe. 00:31:29.279 --> 00:31:30.160 Start with 1%. 00:31:30.960 --> 00:31:31.920 Start with 2%. 00:31:32.400 --> 00:31:37.039 Start somewhere where you're gonna say, I'm gonna give 1%, 2% back to you, God. 00:31:37.279 --> 00:31:40.720 Tithing, by the way, trains our heart to trust God. 00:31:40.960 --> 00:31:43.440 When we give last, it does not take faith. 00:31:43.599 --> 00:31:45.359 When we give first, it takes faith. 00:31:45.519 --> 00:31:46.559 We're trusting God. 00:31:46.640 --> 00:31:52.480 And we're saying, God, we believe that we can't outgive you and that you're gonna take care of us. 00:31:53.279 --> 00:31:55.759 In fact, this is such a big deal. 00:31:55.920 --> 00:31:58.559 The Bible actually invites us to test him. 00:31:58.960 --> 00:32:02.720 Look at Malachi, it invites us to test him, bring the whole tithe in. 00:32:02.960 --> 00:32:08.079 Luke 6 talks about like God will generously give back, like he wants to provide. 00:32:08.319 --> 00:32:12.720 He just doesn't want our stuff to have a chokehold on our lives. 00:32:13.680 --> 00:32:15.759 He wants to provide for you. 00:32:16.319 --> 00:32:22.880 But as long as we're holding tightly to our things, he can't provide for you. 00:32:23.759 --> 00:32:26.160 They have a tight hold on you. 00:32:26.559 --> 00:32:27.839 Give to God first. 00:32:28.000 --> 00:32:29.920 We decided this as a church. 00:32:30.160 --> 00:32:37.279 Uh we said at the very beginning, we're gonna give at least 10% of what comes in outside the doors of a church. 00:32:37.440 --> 00:32:41.519 And when we started awakening 11 years ago, I remember we had an accountant helping us. 00:32:41.680 --> 00:32:47.440 She came out of the um uh the tech world, just incredibly helpful in so many ways. 00:32:47.599 --> 00:32:48.559 But I remember what she said. 00:32:48.640 --> 00:32:50.480 She's like, Ryan, you can't do that. 00:32:50.640 --> 00:32:53.599 You're planning a church with a bunch of college students. 00:32:53.759 --> 00:33:00.480 There's no way you I don't even know if this is gonna work, anyways, because college students don't make any money, you know? 00:33:00.960 --> 00:33:05.599 And you if it's a startup, and so you gotta put all your money into your thing and go back. 00:33:06.480 --> 00:33:07.759 We started with 10%. 00:33:08.559 --> 00:33:14.799 We have watched God provide year over year, every single year over the last 11 years, we've given at least 10%. 00:33:15.119 --> 00:33:20.720 At one point, we gave 26% away that came in outside the doors to local and global. 00:33:20.799 --> 00:33:35.359 This last year is a little over 11%,$261,000 outside the doors of our church, because we made that decision that we're gonna give first and then switch it, save second, and then live on the rest. 00:33:35.599 --> 00:33:39.519 Give first, save second, and then live on the rest. 00:33:40.000 --> 00:33:41.839 Now, here's what's amazing. 00:33:42.079 --> 00:33:48.319 Here's what's so incredible when you make that decision and then you get a step into the more you're made for. 00:33:48.640 --> 00:33:57.599 Like when we started here at Del Mar, we said this is more than a place to meet, but a people to love, and how do we leverage what God has given us to bless this community? 00:33:58.319 --> 00:34:03.519 I mean, every single uh week we bring coffee and donuts to the teachers just to say we love you. 00:34:03.599 --> 00:34:04.720 We throw them a party. 00:34:04.880 --> 00:34:11.039 What's gonna happen this month is students who cannot afford to apply for college, they can't pay the fee. 00:34:11.199 --> 00:34:13.840 We as a church are gonna come alongside them and pay the fee. 00:34:13.920 --> 00:34:18.960 It's gonna be around$10,000 helping like a ton of students apply for colleges. 00:34:19.119 --> 00:34:22.079 What's happening in December is we do a giving tree. 00:34:22.159 --> 00:34:25.440 A number of years later, teachers said, Hey, there's some students in need. 00:34:25.599 --> 00:34:27.360 They will not have a Christmas. 00:34:27.599 --> 00:34:30.800 Would you guys be willing to come alongside and help? 00:34:31.039 --> 00:34:32.239 We said, absolutely. 00:34:32.320 --> 00:34:45.360 And so teachers nominate students here at this school, we get their names, we're gonna come alongside, and we're gonna provide them with a Christmas that they otherwise would not have, and we're able to step into really big needs as well. 00:34:45.599 --> 00:34:56.719 I remember one year uh there was uh a student who lived in a house that did not have electricity for the entire year because they couldn't afford the bill and their back payment and all that. 00:34:56.880 --> 00:35:06.880 We came in, we not only paid their back payment bill, but we paid six months in advance all of their so that they could have light and electricity and heat. 00:35:07.199 --> 00:35:19.599 I remember a student who uh her um uh her she had braces on, and because they couldn't afford to finish the payment to the orthodontists, the orthodontists would not take the braces off. 00:35:19.920 --> 00:35:27.599 So for months and months, her teeth are beginning to hurt in such a way she's just in incredible pain because they can't afford to take the braces off. 00:35:27.679 --> 00:35:31.360 And so we came alongside and said we're gonna pay for that so she could take her braces off. 00:35:31.519 --> 00:35:32.400 A single mom. 00:35:32.559 --> 00:35:42.800 That the tires on her car, they went out, she couldn't drive it anymore, so she couldn't go to work, and we as a church were able to be able to come alongside and put brand new tires on her car. 00:35:43.119 --> 00:35:46.719 I can tell you story after story after story. 00:35:46.880 --> 00:35:59.199 I mean, just a couple weeks ago, Church of the Chimes came to us and said, Hey, there's a gal who uh she's gonna get evicted, and she's connected both at awakening and here, single mom, uh, and so could we come alongside? 00:35:59.360 --> 00:36:04.320 Because the payment feels really big, and we partnered together to help keep her in her home. 00:36:04.480 --> 00:36:07.199 Like, those are things you never regret. 00:36:11.199 --> 00:36:14.880 It's the more we're made for. 00:36:16.000 --> 00:36:19.360 Gosh, man, I really regret that candy last night. 00:36:22.480 --> 00:36:28.639 And and how much of it do we like just think about all the crap we buy? 00:36:30.639 --> 00:36:34.079 The Amazon orders and the different things that are coming in. 00:36:34.239 --> 00:36:40.719 And I'm not saying that all that's bad, it's not, but but there's so much that you look back and like, yeah, I shouldn't have gotten that. 00:36:42.719 --> 00:36:54.079 But when you give generously, you invest eternally, and you get to be a part of what God is doing right now on this planet, and it's amazing. 00:36:54.320 --> 00:37:09.119 And unfortunately, unfortunately, if statistics are true for us in this room, far more of us feel generous than actually are generous. 00:37:09.760 --> 00:37:15.440 Far more of us feel generous than have a lifestyle of generosity. 00:37:17.039 --> 00:37:19.840 And unfortunately, Jesus would call us the ritual. 00:37:21.519 --> 00:37:22.559 The ritual. 00:37:24.239 --> 00:37:26.480 And so for you. 00:37:27.440 --> 00:37:28.559 As we close. 00:37:31.760 --> 00:37:33.920 Would you take Jesus at his word? 00:37:35.360 --> 00:37:40.000 Would you begin to take a step of generosity this week? 00:37:40.639 --> 00:37:41.920 And I don't know what it is. 00:37:42.320 --> 00:37:45.760 Some of you give so generously, it's amazing. 00:37:46.400 --> 00:37:50.480 And many of us, we need to take a next step. 00:37:50.719 --> 00:37:52.639 Maybe it's choosing a percentage. 00:37:52.880 --> 00:37:56.800 Because it forces you to adjust how you live. 00:37:57.840 --> 00:38:04.880 But then you get to be a part of what God's doing in your life and the lives of people around you. 00:38:05.119 --> 00:38:09.599 Heavenly Father, I pray for my friends and pray for us as a church. 00:38:11.440 --> 00:38:14.159 That you would make us a generous church. 00:38:15.119 --> 00:38:21.679 A people of contagious, extravagant generosity. 00:38:22.800 --> 00:38:32.960 And because we have such an extravagantly generous God who gave his only son, that we might have life. 00:38:34.320 --> 00:38:40.719 And so may we just simply become more like you and step into the more that you have for us. 00:38:40.960 --> 00:38:42.480 In Jesus' name. 00:38:43.280 --> 00:38:43.920 Amen. 00:38:45.280 --> 00:38:47.519 We hope you are blessed by this message. 00:38:47.760 --> 00:38:52.159 Please subscribe to our podcast for access to every episode as they're uploaded. 00:38:52.320 --> 00:38:54.400 And hey, we'd love to connect with you. 00:38:54.559 --> 00:39:00.480 Take a next step by filling out our virtual connection card at awakeningchurch.com slash card.