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. 00:00:19.519 --> 00:00:26.800 Last week we kicked off this radical generosity with a sermon called A Grace People. 00:00:26.879 --> 00:00:29.760 Today the sermon's title is Grateful for. 00:00:29.920 --> 00:00:31.039 Would you say that with me? 00:00:32.399 --> 00:00:35.840 In Silicon Valley, everything feels like a competition, doesn't it? 00:00:36.079 --> 00:00:37.200 How fast are you moving? 00:00:37.359 --> 00:00:38.399 How fit do you look? 00:00:38.640 --> 00:00:41.600 How much have you accomplished by now? 00:00:41.759 --> 00:00:43.119 Are you keeping up? 00:00:43.359 --> 00:00:48.880 We track it, post it, refresh it, count the likes, even down to the pity likes from mom. 00:00:50.000 --> 00:00:53.439 Because deep down we're all asking this question: are we winning? 00:00:54.000 --> 00:00:55.679 Are we succeeding? 00:00:58.000 --> 00:01:00.960 There's an incredible question I think we need to ask. 00:01:01.679 --> 00:01:06.719 How will you measure your life? 00:01:09.280 --> 00:01:12.719 Because what if we're measuring the wrong things? 00:01:14.000 --> 00:01:17.359 Or even worse, what if we're actually winning? 00:01:19.840 --> 00:01:22.159 And still lose at what matters most. 00:01:24.000 --> 00:01:27.439 And I believe the same is true for the church. 00:01:27.920 --> 00:01:37.120 Harvest Business School professor Clayton Christensen, uh, himself a Harvard alum and an Oxford Rose scholar, noticed something unsettling about his classmates. 00:01:37.200 --> 00:01:44.000 Uh each year, uh Oxford, Harvard would do these reunion, or every five years, these reunions for these classes. 00:01:44.640 --> 00:01:50.000 Very extravagant uh to get them to come back and obviously donate. 00:01:50.159 --> 00:01:55.040 Um first five years, uh your reunion. 00:01:55.200 --> 00:02:04.640 Notice everybody came back, they're looking great, they're upwardly mobile, you know, titans of industry, married, the picture perfect life. 00:02:04.799 --> 00:02:08.879 The next five years, ten years later, people are missing. 00:02:10.319 --> 00:02:11.439 So where did they go? 00:02:11.919 --> 00:02:22.800 You begin to ask around, and so-and-so is on their third marriage, so-and-so, there's kids aren't talking to them, another person is involved in a scandal, another person's imprisoned. 00:02:25.199 --> 00:02:39.120 And he teaches uh in his course at Harvard uh a the final class is how not just to win in business, but how to succeed in life. 00:02:39.840 --> 00:02:44.960 And he wrote a fantastic book, if you want to read it, called How Will You Measure Your Life. 00:02:45.680 --> 00:02:50.400 Because what you measure reveals what matters. 00:02:52.400 --> 00:02:57.919 What you're currently measuring reveals what matters most to you. 00:02:58.080 --> 00:03:05.599 And in the Silicon Valley, uh, I think in just Western culture, we tend to measure this, summed up in two words. 00:03:05.919 --> 00:03:07.759 Getting ahead. 00:03:08.159 --> 00:03:09.280 What are you doing? 00:03:09.520 --> 00:03:12.639 Well, I'm just trying to get ahead. 00:03:13.039 --> 00:03:15.680 But you know, and so if you're not ahead, what are you doing? 00:03:15.840 --> 00:03:19.039 Well, I'm not getting ahead, I'm just trying to keep up. 00:03:19.199 --> 00:03:21.039 You know, it's a fast-paced world. 00:03:21.120 --> 00:03:22.400 I'm just trying to keep up with them. 00:03:22.479 --> 00:03:23.680 I'm just trying to keep up here. 00:03:23.759 --> 00:03:28.080 I'm trying to get ahead, and but if you're not getting ahead, and if you're not keeping up, what are you doing? 00:03:28.319 --> 00:03:29.759 You're falling behind. 00:03:29.840 --> 00:03:33.039 And now you're like, I'm I'm falling behind, I can't quite keep up. 00:03:33.120 --> 00:03:40.400 I'm just trying to get ahead, and we feel exhausted, overwhelmed, uh, and we just feel like, what in the world am I doing? 00:03:40.560 --> 00:03:41.280 I'm stuck. 00:03:41.439 --> 00:03:51.680 And then the other problem is if you really get ahead, often you realize you didn't end up where you wanted to end up. 00:03:53.919 --> 00:03:56.319 What you measure reveals what you matter. 00:03:56.479 --> 00:04:00.159 And what we measure here in the Silicon Valley is getting ahead. 00:04:00.319 --> 00:04:04.240 And I want to invite us, scripture wants to invite us to ask a different question. 00:04:04.319 --> 00:04:10.879 Instead of how do you get ahead, how do you live lives uh others are grateful for? 00:04:11.520 --> 00:04:19.279 How do you live a life that other people are grateful for instead of getting ahead, grateful for? 00:04:19.439 --> 00:04:26.560 And that's exactly where the apostle Paul leads us next as we're continuing in the letter of Corinthians. 00:04:26.639 --> 00:04:31.279 If you got your Bibles, you can open them up to 2 Corinthians chapter 9. 00:04:31.600 --> 00:04:34.560 Uh it's in your notes as well or on the screen. 00:04:34.800 --> 00:04:43.360 Corinth was the Silicon Valley of the ancient world, a bustling hub of wealth, innovation, moral looseness, city addicted to status, ambition, excess. 00:04:43.600 --> 00:04:52.240 It was through this young church, a year before, they'd made this grand pledge to help the church in Jerusalem, this mother church in crisis. 00:04:52.399 --> 00:04:55.279 There's a famine, persecution, crushing poverty. 00:04:55.519 --> 00:05:01.199 Paul's collecting a donation from the Gentile churches in Asia Minor to come support them. 00:05:01.360 --> 00:05:02.959 They said, We're all in. 00:05:03.120 --> 00:05:05.839 And a year later, they're struggling to follow through on their commitment. 00:05:06.000 --> 00:05:07.199 So Paul writes to them. 00:05:07.360 --> 00:05:23.040 Last week we looked at the Macedonian church, this small podunk church who extreme poverty uh welled up in rich generosity, their severe suffering, yet overflowing joy. 00:05:23.279 --> 00:05:32.079 And once more, Paul is then going to invite us and share how do you live a life that others are grateful for and how do you measure what matters most? 00:05:32.240 --> 00:05:39.279 The sermon really can be summed up in just four words: Principle, practice, promise, and power. 00:05:39.439 --> 00:05:40.959 Principle, practice, promise, power. 00:05:41.040 --> 00:05:41.600 That's the outline. 00:05:41.680 --> 00:05:42.160 You got it with me? 00:05:42.240 --> 00:05:42.959 You were with me? 00:05:43.120 --> 00:05:43.439 Yeah? 00:05:43.759 --> 00:05:44.800 Will you say that with me? 00:05:45.040 --> 00:05:48.399 Principle, practice, promise, power. 00:05:48.560 --> 00:05:49.040 Very good. 00:05:49.199 --> 00:05:50.720 The principle is simply this. 00:05:50.879 --> 00:05:52.879 Paul's going to give us a principle in regards. 00:05:52.959 --> 00:05:55.519 He says, You reap what we sow. 00:05:55.759 --> 00:05:56.720 We reap what we sow. 00:05:56.879 --> 00:05:59.279 2 Corinthians 9, 6 says, remember this. 00:05:59.519 --> 00:06:06.720 Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 00:06:06.800 --> 00:06:10.160 We're talking about generosity, and he says there's a principle at play. 00:06:10.480 --> 00:06:13.120 Sowing and reaping, the law of the harvest. 00:06:13.360 --> 00:06:16.560 What you sow determines what you grow. 00:06:16.879 --> 00:06:19.839 Cassie got me these lovely pumpkin seeds right here. 00:06:19.920 --> 00:06:21.439 I have some pumpkin seeds. 00:06:21.519 --> 00:06:26.480 Now, if I plant a pumpkin seed, what do I expect to grow? 00:06:28.000 --> 00:06:30.800 Well, a plant, a pumpkin plant, but that was close enough, yeah. 00:06:30.959 --> 00:06:33.360 Yeah, a pumpkin, a pumpkin plant. 00:06:33.519 --> 00:06:42.240 I don't plant a seed into the ground and expect, you know, um uh corn or tomatoes or anything else. 00:06:42.399 --> 00:06:49.439 In fact, we did a series that kicked off uh our year called Cultivate, where we talked about this principle in our spiritual lives. 00:06:49.519 --> 00:06:55.199 Here, Paul is applying it now into our entire life of generosity. 00:06:55.360 --> 00:06:56.720 We reap what you sow. 00:06:56.879 --> 00:06:59.439 What you sow determines what you grow. 00:06:59.600 --> 00:07:08.959 Now, here's what's interesting is that the word that the apostle Paul uses where it says, you know, when you sow generously, you reap generously. 00:07:09.279 --> 00:07:12.079 It's the Greek uh word eulogia. 00:07:12.399 --> 00:07:16.480 It's where we get our English word uh eulogy, as you can hear. 00:07:16.800 --> 00:07:20.399 Eleven times it's used for blessing in the New Testament. 00:07:20.480 --> 00:07:21.600 It's only used 16 times. 00:07:21.759 --> 00:07:24.240 Eleven of those times it's used for blessing. 00:07:24.480 --> 00:07:32.000 Four of those times, uh, four other times are right here where it's translated gift or generous. 00:07:32.079 --> 00:07:35.759 Now, a eulogy, this word, is a verbal blessing. 00:07:36.240 --> 00:07:40.000 It's a speaking of life over another person. 00:07:40.560 --> 00:07:50.160 Paul intentionally uses this word when he's talking about generosity, and I want you to feel the difference of this passage if we just read it with blessings. 00:07:50.240 --> 00:08:01.199 So I thought it necessary, this is verse five, uh, to urge you, brothers and sisters, uh, to uh brother to visit you in advance and finish the arrangements for the blessing you had promised. 00:08:01.360 --> 00:08:05.839 Then I'll be ready as a blessing, not as one grudgingly giving. 00:08:05.920 --> 00:08:08.319 Remember this, whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly. 00:08:08.480 --> 00:08:13.360 Whoever sows blessing will also reap blessing. 00:08:13.600 --> 00:08:15.839 This is interesting, though, by the way. 00:08:16.879 --> 00:08:22.319 Because I think this shifts our framework and understanding of generosity, at least it does for me. 00:08:22.639 --> 00:08:26.959 Because I often just think about generosity as like, okay, I got twenty dollars. 00:08:30.480 --> 00:08:32.639 And I'm gonna give you twenty dollars. 00:08:33.279 --> 00:08:33.840 Right? 00:08:35.200 --> 00:08:38.799 I got twenty dollars, I'm gonna give you twenty dollars. 00:08:39.120 --> 00:08:40.320 Let's see here. 00:08:47.360 --> 00:08:48.879 Warren Burger, all right. 00:08:49.200 --> 00:08:50.799 Warren Burger, come on up. 00:08:51.120 --> 00:08:52.799 Warren Burger, come on up. 00:08:56.879 --> 00:08:58.399 Come on, oh yeah, come on up here. 00:08:58.480 --> 00:08:59.360 Lustle on up. 00:08:59.440 --> 00:09:00.080 This will be quick. 00:09:00.240 --> 00:09:01.200 It'll be painless. 00:09:01.519 --> 00:09:03.360 And by the way, you're gonna make 20 bucks on it. 00:09:03.919 --> 00:09:04.399 Is that cool? 00:09:04.799 --> 00:09:05.840 Yeah, okay, good. 00:09:06.080 --> 00:09:11.919 Um, so I uh here's the way I often think about I'm yeah, now you want to be a part of it. 00:09:12.159 --> 00:09:14.320 I'm gonna give you$20, right? 00:09:14.399 --> 00:09:17.440 And who's the focus on me? 00:09:18.080 --> 00:09:20.480 I'm focused on what I'm losing. 00:09:20.960 --> 00:09:23.519 I'm giving it, and so now I don't have it. 00:09:24.240 --> 00:09:25.519 Don't take that, right? 00:09:25.759 --> 00:09:26.720 What are you doing? 00:09:26.879 --> 00:09:27.840 How could you? 00:09:28.080 --> 00:09:28.720 Right? 00:09:30.159 --> 00:09:33.759 This frames is like I get a bless you. 00:09:34.240 --> 00:09:35.360 Here's 20. 00:09:35.600 --> 00:09:37.120 Yeah, you can take it. 00:09:37.440 --> 00:09:39.279 And you can spend it on whatever you like. 00:09:39.440 --> 00:09:40.159 It's yours. 00:09:40.320 --> 00:09:42.000 And you can even treat your friends or not. 00:09:42.159 --> 00:09:43.919 That's all totally up to you, whatever you want to do. 00:09:44.080 --> 00:09:45.279 All right, you can go sit down. 00:09:45.759 --> 00:09:46.399 No, it's yours. 00:09:46.480 --> 00:09:47.200 It's literally yours. 00:09:47.360 --> 00:09:48.080 Literally yours. 00:09:48.240 --> 00:09:48.879 All yours. 00:09:49.039 --> 00:09:50.000 All yours. 00:09:55.360 --> 00:09:57.440 The perspective shift is powerful. 00:09:57.600 --> 00:09:59.759 Giving is actually blessing. 00:10:01.120 --> 00:10:10.480 But when I think about it, and maybe this is for you, when I think about giving, I'm so like, oh, I'm giving that, and it's like I'm focused on me, but I'm like, I get to bless. 00:10:10.960 --> 00:10:16.879 How cool! It's like when I when I'm part of that, when I'm generous, I'm actually blessing, I'm pouring out blessings on them. 00:10:17.039 --> 00:10:22.799 What an amazing way to live and an opportunity that we get to have. 00:10:22.960 --> 00:10:30.639 The principle we reap what we sow, so what you sow determines what you uh grow, and so we get to plant or we get to bless. 00:10:30.960 --> 00:10:34.480 Uh secondly, we reap in proportion to what we sow. 00:10:34.639 --> 00:10:35.120 We get that. 00:10:35.200 --> 00:10:45.120 If I plant one seed or ten seeds or twenty seeds or however many seeds, but if I just if$20, I get to bless this much. 00:10:45.519 --> 00:10:47.600 $40, I get to bless this much. 00:10:47.840 --> 00:10:53.440 We reap in proportion to what we sow, and then thirdly, we never reap in the same season that we sow. 00:10:53.600 --> 00:10:55.600 I remember doing this with cultivate, right? 00:10:55.679 --> 00:11:00.000 I had the seed and I put it in the soil, and this is what we do, right? 00:11:00.960 --> 00:11:12.240 Because we live in this instant, immediate, uh, everything happens right now, culture, but uh nature doesn't work that way, and God doesn't work that way, and we're like, we put it in the ground and go, what happened? 00:11:13.200 --> 00:11:14.320 What's wrong? 00:11:15.440 --> 00:11:17.200 Nothing's wrong. 00:11:18.000 --> 00:11:23.679 The truth is, many of us are reaping today what we sowed five years ago, ten years ago. 00:11:25.039 --> 00:11:29.039 The question for most of us in this room is, what are you sowing? 00:11:30.879 --> 00:11:33.840 And what kind of harvest do you want to reap? 00:11:35.519 --> 00:11:38.639 What kind of harvest do you want to reap in your life five years? 00:11:38.799 --> 00:11:42.960 Oh, let's take it back because you know that's the one year from now. 00:11:44.080 --> 00:11:52.080 What kind of harvest do you want to reap in your life, in your marriage, in your relationships, in your singleness, in your career? 00:11:52.240 --> 00:11:57.440 What kind of harvest do you want to reap one year from now, five years from now, ten years from now? 00:11:57.600 --> 00:12:01.519 You never reap in the same season that you sow, but the law of the harvest is simple. 00:12:01.679 --> 00:12:03.440 We do reap what we sow. 00:12:03.759 --> 00:12:08.320 And Paul says, when it comes to generosity, we reap what we sow. 00:12:08.480 --> 00:12:10.240 The principle, you reap what we sow. 00:12:10.399 --> 00:12:13.840 The practice is then generosity is not losing. 00:12:14.000 --> 00:12:16.399 I didn't lose 20 bucks just now. 00:12:16.799 --> 00:12:18.240 It was sowing. 00:12:18.799 --> 00:12:22.080 The practice, generosity is not losing but sowing. 00:12:22.159 --> 00:12:32.320 He goes on to say, each of you should give what you've decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 00:12:32.799 --> 00:12:35.840 In fact, the word there for cheerful, it's hilarious. 00:12:36.559 --> 00:12:39.120 We translate it in the English hilarious. 00:12:39.679 --> 00:12:41.519 God loves a hilarious giver. 00:12:41.759 --> 00:12:43.440 Years ago, I was sitting with some friends. 00:12:43.519 --> 00:12:52.240 They're some of the most generous humans on the planet, uh, both financially, relationally, with their house, uh, with their time, with their gifts. 00:12:52.399 --> 00:12:59.200 And generally, people who are generous financially are generous in every other area because it's a domino that spills out, spills over. 00:12:59.519 --> 00:13:06.000 And I remember asking them, like, like, what is it that motivates your generosity? 00:13:07.279 --> 00:13:09.519 And they're like, it's easy, Ryan. 00:13:10.480 --> 00:13:20.639 And their eyes lit up, big smiles, and they're like, the joy of getting to partner with God is awesome. 00:13:21.440 --> 00:13:23.519 Like, it is so fun. 00:13:23.759 --> 00:13:29.360 Like, we just recognize that all of our money, it's his, and we just go, God, what do you want to do? 00:13:29.519 --> 00:13:35.279 All of our stuff, all of our time, and we just get a partner with what God's doing in people's lives. 00:13:35.440 --> 00:13:36.960 It's a blast. 00:13:38.159 --> 00:13:40.879 What an incredible way to live. 00:13:42.480 --> 00:13:45.600 Generosity is not losing but sowing. 00:13:45.679 --> 00:13:50.159 Let me give you four words to guide our generosity and giving. 00:13:50.320 --> 00:13:55.519 First, prayerful giving, decided in your heart is what the Apostle Paul says. 00:13:55.840 --> 00:14:05.440 Not just a, you know, I heard a great sermon and I just, you know, feel like either guilty to do it or prompted or inspired. 00:14:05.600 --> 00:14:07.759 But that, like, a God, what do you want me to do? 00:14:07.919 --> 00:14:09.440 All that I have is yours. 00:14:09.679 --> 00:14:13.279 How do you want me to uh steward what you've given me? 00:14:13.759 --> 00:14:20.399 Remember when my daughter was in sixth grade, and she's always had a heart for uh orphans in particular. 00:14:20.480 --> 00:14:33.440 I remember when she was actually in 10th grade, uh, 10 years old, we went to a trip, just her and I and another friend and his daughter to mission in Mexico with an orphanage that now our high schoolers go to at the mission. 00:14:33.759 --> 00:14:41.360 She loved it working with the kids, and then when she's in sixth grade, we actually got to go to Haiti together and serve the kids and community there. 00:14:41.440 --> 00:14:44.159 And she just has this heart for kids. 00:14:45.679 --> 00:14:50.480 And she wanted to like support one of those compassion international kids. 00:14:51.039 --> 00:14:59.679 But there's this like problem, she's in sixth grade, she doesn't have a lot of money, and that starts out with great, but it's like$29.99 a month, and it's coming every month. 00:14:59.759 --> 00:15:04.320 And like, honey, you don't have money, and well, I have birthday money. 00:15:04.399 --> 00:15:05.279 It's like fantastic. 00:15:05.440 --> 00:15:07.519 Take time, pray, figure this out. 00:15:08.639 --> 00:15:23.039 That girl started working babysitting gigs faithfully, building her little empire to support a compassionate international kid. 00:15:23.519 --> 00:15:29.759 She started from sixth grade, now she's graduated and you know, starting as a junior in college. 00:15:30.080 --> 00:15:34.080 One kid had already, you know, aged out and she's supporting another kid. 00:15:34.159 --> 00:15:36.159 It's actually gone up, though, it's$39.99. 00:15:36.240 --> 00:15:38.480 Inflation even impacts generosity. 00:15:38.720 --> 00:15:48.399 Um but if it's if God can do this in a sixth grader's mindset and understanding, how much more should we go? 00:15:48.480 --> 00:15:51.360 Yeah, we're gonna take time and prayerfully give. 00:15:51.519 --> 00:15:53.759 Secondly, priority give. 00:15:55.279 --> 00:15:58.639 We generally give what's left over. 00:15:59.279 --> 00:16:04.559 If there's anything left over, priority giving is give first, not last. 00:16:04.879 --> 00:16:12.960 The norm of the practice that we have in our culture today is consume what you make, save if you can, give if there's any left over. 00:16:13.120 --> 00:16:18.320 And the average American, by the way, lives off 110% of their income. 00:16:18.559 --> 00:16:20.399 So, how much is left over? 00:16:20.639 --> 00:16:22.320 Not a whole lot, actually, none. 00:16:22.399 --> 00:16:23.519 You're in debt. 00:16:23.759 --> 00:16:27.360 Consume what you make, save if you can, give if there's any left over. 00:16:27.679 --> 00:16:31.200 Financial peace says, I'm going to give to God first. 00:16:31.360 --> 00:16:38.799 When I get uh that paycheck, I'm gonna set the first portion aside for God, and then I'm gonna save and invest. 00:16:38.960 --> 00:16:41.519 That's really important, and then live on the rest. 00:16:41.759 --> 00:16:44.080 And some of this feels really overwhelming. 00:16:44.320 --> 00:16:49.039 Or you're up to your eyeballs in debt, and you you're like financial peace. 00:16:49.120 --> 00:16:50.559 No, I'm just you can buy. 00:16:50.799 --> 00:16:51.679 I get it. 00:16:51.919 --> 00:16:54.000 That that's why we're doing this freed up course. 00:16:54.080 --> 00:16:55.200 That's why Nathan's leading it. 00:16:55.279 --> 00:16:56.399 He's gonna be at the front. 00:16:56.559 --> 00:16:57.360 Come talk to him. 00:16:57.440 --> 00:17:01.759 You can find out more information at awakeningchurch.com forward slash event. 00:17:03.200 --> 00:17:04.400 Commercial over. 00:17:05.119 --> 00:17:06.400 Check it out. 00:17:07.839 --> 00:17:10.640 Prayerfully give priority. 00:17:11.359 --> 00:17:19.359 We have so many priorities where you'd say, I'm gonna make generosity a first priority, not a last priority, and then percentage give. 00:17:20.079 --> 00:17:21.359 Choose a percentage. 00:17:23.200 --> 00:17:24.079 Start where you're at. 00:17:24.160 --> 00:17:26.160 Maybe it's 1%, 2%, 10%. 00:17:26.880 --> 00:17:28.559 Here's how Jenny and I do it. 00:17:28.640 --> 00:17:29.359 It's simple. 00:17:29.519 --> 00:17:33.359 We started this from the very first day we're married. 00:17:33.599 --> 00:17:36.160 We just started giving 10% to God. 00:17:37.680 --> 00:17:41.279 When we had a little, and we had a when we had a little bit more. 00:17:41.599 --> 00:17:49.119 When we weren't sure how we were gonna make it through the month, and we knew, okay, we we have what we need to make it through the month. 00:17:49.440 --> 00:17:51.119 My job, it's just pretty simple. 00:17:51.200 --> 00:17:56.000 I get a paycheck and it comes in regularly, so every time I get that paycheck, I have it automated. 00:17:56.160 --> 00:17:59.440 The first 10% goes outside, goes to awakening church. 00:17:59.519 --> 00:18:00.720 My wife's in real estate. 00:18:00.880 --> 00:18:05.599 So when she closes a deal, the first check she writes, she writes it to awakening. 00:18:05.680 --> 00:18:13.839 It's this percentage giving where you just set aside, okay, I'm gonna prayerfully prioritize first, and then choose a percentage. 00:18:14.000 --> 00:18:15.200 Start where you're at. 00:18:15.519 --> 00:18:22.400 Here's what's incredible is some people, and I know uh a couple who now reverse tithe. 00:18:22.640 --> 00:18:36.400 They get so excited about this that they started with 10%, then they moved to 11%, and then they moved to 12%, and they now live, are able to live off of 10% of what they bring and give away 90% of what they bring in. 00:18:36.480 --> 00:18:38.400 And they're like, this is the best ever. 00:18:38.559 --> 00:18:41.039 Do you know how much we get to be a part of? 00:18:41.119 --> 00:18:42.720 It is so fun. 00:18:43.519 --> 00:18:50.559 The early church, Irenaeus church father, said it this way the Jews were constrained to uh regular payments of the tithe. 00:18:50.640 --> 00:19:02.240 That's 10% of giving Christians who have liberty assign all their possessions to the Lord, bestowing freely, not the lesser portions of their property, since they have the hope of greater things. 00:19:02.559 --> 00:19:07.440 We give prayerfully, priority, percentage, and then finally progressive. 00:19:08.160 --> 00:19:16.000 Or you just choose, okay, a little bit, God, God, how how do you want to progressively grow my heart in generosity? 00:19:16.880 --> 00:19:18.079 Would you just ask that? 00:19:18.880 --> 00:19:19.920 Would you have that courage? 00:19:20.079 --> 00:19:21.359 Maybe it's with your time. 00:19:22.079 --> 00:19:23.920 Maybe it's with your words. 00:19:25.119 --> 00:19:27.680 Maybe it's with your talents, your gifts. 00:19:29.839 --> 00:19:33.759 Maybe it's with, okay, there's a percentage that God's like tugging on your heart. 00:19:33.920 --> 00:19:34.799 Ah, this is hard. 00:19:35.279 --> 00:19:37.200 But progressive giving. 00:19:37.680 --> 00:19:38.559 The principle. 00:19:39.920 --> 00:19:41.119 We reap what we sow. 00:19:41.279 --> 00:19:44.799 The practice, giving is sowing, not losing. 00:19:44.960 --> 00:19:48.160 The promise is God's provision for those who practice generosity. 00:19:48.400 --> 00:19:56.480 And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things, at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 00:19:56.640 --> 00:20:03.200 As it is written, He has distributed freely, He's given to the poor, His righteousness endures forever. 00:20:03.440 --> 00:20:11.759 He who supplies seed to the sower, bread for food, will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. 00:20:12.559 --> 00:20:15.599 Provision, God's provision for those who practice generosity. 00:20:15.839 --> 00:20:21.759 The text, Paul tells us, God will abundantly pour out his blessing on you, on generous people. 00:20:21.920 --> 00:20:23.200 Now, what is blessing? 00:20:23.440 --> 00:20:29.359 When Scripture talks about blessing, it's not talking necessarily about a bigger paycheck or a nicer zip code. 00:20:29.519 --> 00:20:32.319 That may happen, but that's not what blessing means. 00:20:32.400 --> 00:20:37.920 It's talking about living under God's favor, his supernatural power resting on you. 00:20:38.079 --> 00:20:53.920 You may or may not have much by the world standards, but you carry something most famous or wealthy people would envy: a depth of joy that isn't tied to circumstances, a peace that money can't touch, and a purpose in life that no title or achievement can give you. 00:20:54.160 --> 00:20:59.039 When we live in generous generosity, God says, I'll bless you. 00:20:59.359 --> 00:21:00.960 I want to bless you. 00:21:01.920 --> 00:21:07.279 And notice, God will meet your every need, not your every greed. 00:21:08.960 --> 00:21:12.559 Said in there, uh having all that you need. 00:21:13.119 --> 00:21:16.000 This word need, it means sufficiency. 00:21:16.319 --> 00:21:20.799 It's the same word used where the apostle Paul says, godliness with contentment. 00:21:20.880 --> 00:21:23.359 That's the same word here, is great gain. 00:21:23.519 --> 00:21:27.119 It's satisfaction with one's situation in life. 00:21:27.279 --> 00:21:30.240 God will meet your every need, not your every greed. 00:21:30.400 --> 00:21:35.920 And there is this lie called the prosperity gospel that says if you sow a seed, God will bless you. 00:21:36.000 --> 00:21:39.039 And so if you sow a hundred dollars, he'll give you a thousand dollars. 00:21:39.119 --> 00:21:41.920 If you sow a thousand dollars, he'll give you ten thousand dollars. 00:21:42.160 --> 00:21:44.960 That is not true, and that's not God's blessing. 00:21:45.119 --> 00:21:48.640 That is somehow trying to manipulate and get God to do something. 00:21:48.720 --> 00:21:50.079 It's called greed. 00:21:51.599 --> 00:21:54.960 And then we live as if God owes us something. 00:21:55.279 --> 00:21:56.640 God, why didn't you? 00:21:56.799 --> 00:22:03.440 God, by the way, owes you nothing and gave You everything that is the gospel? 00:22:03.680 --> 00:22:07.359 He does not owe you anything, he's already given you everything. 00:22:07.599 --> 00:22:10.720 Generosity is God's middle name. 00:22:11.440 --> 00:22:13.359 It's called the cross. 00:22:13.839 --> 00:22:22.559 For God so loved the world that he oh see, the gospel is generosity. 00:22:23.759 --> 00:22:32.880 The gospel is the God who came for you, the God who died for you, the God who took on your greatest pain, your greatest uh suffering. 00:22:33.039 --> 00:22:36.240 He took on death itself that you might have life. 00:22:36.480 --> 00:22:43.200 He's already given you everything, and in Christ, every spiritual blessing is yours. 00:22:44.480 --> 00:22:48.640 It says, God, I in God's heart is I just want to meet your needs. 00:22:49.599 --> 00:22:51.519 I want to meet you today. 00:22:54.160 --> 00:23:05.440 And God is the shrewdest investor on the planet, and God will give you more, not to raise your standard of living, but to raise your standard of giving. 00:23:06.160 --> 00:23:08.079 So that you can give more. 00:23:09.519 --> 00:23:20.880 I was talking with a buddy earlier this week about generosity, and um he said one of the things that helped click for him was there was a question asked, like, how much is enough? 00:23:21.440 --> 00:23:23.119 Like, how much is really enough? 00:23:23.440 --> 00:23:26.319 You just think about that, like, how much is enough? 00:23:26.559 --> 00:23:39.920 Um and our answer honestly is just that person that's in front of us, that family that's in front of us, that couple that's just ahead of you, that that maybe it's the person that's just you know that a step further in their career, how much is enough? 00:23:40.799 --> 00:23:42.559 The answer is always a little bit more. 00:23:42.880 --> 00:23:46.480 And the problem is when you get a little bit more, how much is enough? 00:23:46.799 --> 00:23:48.000 A little bit more. 00:23:48.240 --> 00:23:49.839 And then how much is enough? 00:23:50.160 --> 00:23:51.359 A little bit more. 00:23:54.400 --> 00:24:11.440 And when you realize I am enough because of Christ, and I have enough because of all that he's given me, and so all that I have is his, and he's given me more to be a steward, to be a blessing, to dish it out to those around me. 00:24:11.599 --> 00:24:18.960 And I get the joy of partnering with him and what he's doing on planet earth. 00:24:20.480 --> 00:24:27.680 The principle reap what we sow, the practice, giving generosities, sowing, it's not losing. 00:24:30.720 --> 00:24:40.240 Now, the promise, the power, generosity turns your life into one others are grateful for. 00:24:44.720 --> 00:24:50.880 Generosity turns your life into one that other people go, man, I'm so grateful for. 00:24:51.839 --> 00:24:54.640 In fact, just think for a second. 00:24:55.359 --> 00:24:57.440 Who are you grateful for? 00:24:59.039 --> 00:25:08.400 Who you're grateful for is someone who was generous towards you in some way, gave you an opportunity, helped you, gave of their time, energy. 00:25:08.720 --> 00:25:13.599 Generosity turns your life into someone others are grateful for. 00:25:13.759 --> 00:25:19.359 He says, You'll be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion. 00:25:19.599 --> 00:25:23.279 And through us, your generosity will result in what? 00:25:24.559 --> 00:25:26.160 It's on the screen, it's right behind you. 00:25:26.240 --> 00:25:27.359 It's in yellow. 00:25:27.759 --> 00:25:30.160 It says thanksgiving if you just missed it. 00:25:30.319 --> 00:25:32.480 Your generosity will result in what? 00:25:34.880 --> 00:25:39.920 Your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. 00:25:40.400 --> 00:25:43.359 Many thanksgiving, glorifying God. 00:25:43.599 --> 00:25:53.200 In fact, another translation right here says the service you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord's people, but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. 00:25:53.599 --> 00:25:58.960 Because of the service by which you have proved yourself, others will praise God. 00:26:00.640 --> 00:26:02.559 Others will praise God. 00:26:02.799 --> 00:26:09.119 Generous people reap a harvest of righteousness, impact, and a life others are grateful for. 00:26:09.519 --> 00:26:11.519 Generous people reap a harvest. 00:26:11.680 --> 00:26:14.240 Like, like what kind of harvest do you want to reap? 00:26:14.400 --> 00:26:21.359 Generous people reap a harvest of righteousness, impact, and one that others are grateful for. 00:26:23.200 --> 00:26:27.920 Ella, she's never met her compassion child. 00:26:28.079 --> 00:26:31.599 In fact, there's been a couple now because they've aged out. 00:26:32.880 --> 00:26:51.279 I can guarantee you there is some people on the other side of the world that are grateful for her, grateful for a sixth grader that had stirred in her heart and did said, you know what, I'm gonna start working so that I can bless them. 00:26:53.200 --> 00:26:59.039 And maybe one day she'll get to meet them in heaven and hear their story. 00:27:02.400 --> 00:27:10.160 Let me ask you, how will you measure your life? 00:27:12.559 --> 00:27:16.160 You know, um, we just did the backpack drive. 00:27:18.400 --> 00:27:29.279 Those of you who gave backpacks and school supplies, there are kids that show up onto this campus and they're grateful for you. 00:27:29.759 --> 00:27:37.440 You know how embarrassing it is to be in high school and be carrying your books or carrying them, you know, in a plastic bag? 00:27:37.759 --> 00:27:42.799 Do you know how hard it is to actually excel in school when you don't have the supplies that you need? 00:27:42.960 --> 00:27:49.599 When you don't you can't afford binders and all the things, a calculator and these things that you're needing, the teachers are asking. 00:27:49.759 --> 00:27:55.599 And there are students here because of your generosity, they're grateful for you. 00:27:56.880 --> 00:28:05.680 You know, years ago we started this thing because there's so many kids in need that don't ever have a Christmas and they have some really big needs. 00:28:05.920 --> 00:28:10.160 And so we just started, you know, doing blessings and Christmas for kids. 00:28:10.319 --> 00:28:12.000 And as a church, we'd do this thing. 00:28:12.240 --> 00:28:14.880 We'll do something similar this year as well. 00:28:15.119 --> 00:28:25.119 But when we started, I remember the first year we'd actually get these specific requests from kids, and um this one girl really wanted Nike running shoes. 00:28:26.160 --> 00:28:31.119 And there's some other things in it, and we wanted to bless her, and we got her these Nike running shoes. 00:28:31.759 --> 00:28:37.440 And the thing about being a blessing is you don't always get to hear the story of the blessing, right? 00:28:39.519 --> 00:28:53.920 Years later, it was another Christmas Eve, we're just sharing the end result of this generous season of what God did through our church that are grateful for, and this young woman came up to me and she's like, I was one of those kids. 00:28:54.720 --> 00:29:01.200 I went to Del Mar High School, and you guys gave me running shoes. 00:29:01.519 --> 00:29:03.279 I'm like, you're you. 00:29:05.920 --> 00:29:07.759 You have no idea. 00:29:08.000 --> 00:29:10.240 Home was so hard. 00:29:12.160 --> 00:29:21.359 And those running shoes was just my place where I could go and I could get away and just think, be with God. 00:29:22.880 --> 00:29:29.519 This is like seven years later, and she's like, I still have those running shoes. 00:29:31.680 --> 00:29:39.440 It was a small thing for us, it was a life-changing thing for her. 00:29:40.160 --> 00:29:44.880 Blessed, blessed, blessed, just get to be a blessing. 00:29:44.960 --> 00:29:45.599 How fun is that? 00:29:45.759 --> 00:29:47.599 Just get a dish out blessing. 00:29:47.839 --> 00:29:57.680 And when you give at awakening and you just get to think about we celebrate baptisms, transformed lives. 00:30:00.640 --> 00:30:13.039 There are hundreds and hundreds of people whose lives are transformed by the gospels, whose marriage has been saved, who are experiencing hope and purpose, and they're grateful for you. 00:30:15.039 --> 00:30:16.720 I mean, just our last baptism. 00:30:16.799 --> 00:30:19.920 I wish I could tell like the full God story because it's insane. 00:30:20.240 --> 00:30:31.359 Uh, this young woman searched for purpose, went to South America through some existential stuff and to try to find it, called out for Jesus. 00:30:31.519 --> 00:30:36.079 He met her, she's on a plane back, hoping to find a Bible-believing church. 00:30:36.240 --> 00:30:41.839 That's her prayer, and she sits next to my aunt and uncle flying to California. 00:30:42.240 --> 00:30:43.839 Gets connected here. 00:30:45.200 --> 00:30:48.240 At awakening, two weeks later, she gets baptized. 00:30:48.559 --> 00:30:50.640 She's grateful for you. 00:30:53.599 --> 00:31:02.240 This summer I had the joy of getting to be uh go to our food pantry that happens on the first and third Thursday here. 00:31:02.799 --> 00:31:06.000 And if you've not done it, I really want to encourage you, come by. 00:31:06.799 --> 00:31:08.559 It's humbling, it's powerful. 00:31:08.640 --> 00:31:21.119 When you see a line of a hundred plus cars of people in our community, our neighbors that are lining up to get groceries and the level of food and security that's here all around us. 00:31:21.440 --> 00:31:23.119 There's one couple. 00:31:24.400 --> 00:31:26.880 They're amazing, Gerson and Mildred. 00:31:28.000 --> 00:31:37.599 They've been part of Awakening since 2021, and on the in the fall of 2024, they found a special way to live out their faith serving at the food pantry. 00:31:38.480 --> 00:31:42.480 When they asked why they served, they answered, it was simple. 00:31:42.960 --> 00:31:44.960 God called us to serve our community. 00:31:45.119 --> 00:31:53.759 Both Gerson and Mildred worked jobs that allowed them to choose their day off, and they made deliberate choice, setting aside Thursday so they could serve together at the pantry. 00:31:54.000 --> 00:32:03.359 Week after week, they give up one of their only two days off to back to pack produce, dairy, and dry goods for their neighbors experiencing food insecurity. 00:32:04.079 --> 00:32:11.920 This summer, their daughter Gerald, who is heading to Calberkley, go Bears, join them serving faithfully. 00:32:12.640 --> 00:32:16.240 They bring energy, joy, and the love of Jesus to every pantry. 00:32:16.480 --> 00:32:22.559 Brian, our local opery coordinator, said it this way: They're some of our most faithful volunteers. 00:32:22.720 --> 00:32:26.640 When I see their names on the sign-in sheet, I know the pantry is in good hands. 00:32:28.960 --> 00:32:38.240 The service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord's people, but is overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. 00:32:39.279 --> 00:32:44.559 Radical generosity is the brand of God's church. 00:32:45.519 --> 00:32:49.519 Tertullian, second century North African church father, said it this way. 00:32:50.640 --> 00:32:59.279 It's our care of the helpless, our practice of loving kindness that brands us in the eyes of our opponents. 00:33:00.160 --> 00:33:03.680 Last week we said grace people, grace people. 00:33:03.759 --> 00:33:10.400 When I understand and experience the grace of God, I can't help but just diss it out at grace people. 00:33:11.519 --> 00:33:16.319 Generous people, people are grateful for. 00:33:18.880 --> 00:33:25.519 So let me ask you, how will you measure your life? 00:33:27.119 --> 00:33:28.160 Getting ahead? 00:33:30.240 --> 00:33:31.440 It's exhausting. 00:33:34.240 --> 00:33:35.200 Grateful for. 00:33:37.359 --> 00:33:38.480 Grateful for. 00:33:42.000 --> 00:33:45.200 Thank you for this church. 00:33:47.680 --> 00:33:54.880 And just ask, as we continue in worship, God, as you've stirred our hearts, would you would you help us? 00:33:55.039 --> 00:33:56.160 Would you grow us? 00:33:56.400 --> 00:33:57.920 Would you shape us? 00:33:58.640 --> 00:34:02.319 Would you show us the things that you you just want to work? 00:34:07.440 --> 00:34:10.159 And would you make us a generous people? 00:34:10.559 --> 00:34:21.519 Continue to grow us, to be a church that this school, this city, this area is grateful for. 00:34:22.320 --> 00:34:29.199 May we make you, Jesus, the center of our lives and the expression of our love. 00:34:29.599 --> 00:34:31.199 In Jesus' name. 00:34:32.480 --> 00:34:34.719 We hope you are blessed by this message. 00:34:34.960 --> 00:34:39.360 Please subscribe to our podcast for access to every episode as they're uploaded. 00:34:39.519 --> 00:34:41.599 And hey, we'd love to connect with you. 00:34:41.760 --> 00:34:57.679 Take a next step by filling out our virtual connection card at awakeningchurch.comslash cards.