WEBVTT 00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:06.240 Well, we're making our way to the core of Jesus' teaching in the Sermon on the Mount, which is in the book of Matthew. 00:00:06.480 --> 00:00:23.760 A lot of you have been with us the last few weeks and you know that, but I want to kind of set where we are in Matthew 6 in the context of what's been going on, Matthew 1 through 5, because Matthew is placing this teaching, the Sermon on the Mount, very systematically, an argument and a story that he's laying out. 00:00:23.920 --> 00:00:30.879 And so even yesterday, I just flipped through Matthew 1 through 5 and looked at, you know how sometimes in your Bible they do those little subheadings? 00:00:31.039 --> 00:00:35.920 And so I just looked at the subheadings of like what is Matthew doing up to Matthew 6? 00:00:36.079 --> 00:00:41.439 And here's just real quick what the Bible just sort of lays out for us what Matthew's doing. 00:00:41.679 --> 00:00:45.520 Matthew 1, we get a genealogy of the understanding of Jesus, right? 00:00:45.679 --> 00:00:50.159 This guy came from this guy, from this person, from this person, from this person, on and on and on and on. 00:00:50.240 --> 00:00:56.079 And this is this building this understanding that Jesus was from Abraham and King David's lineage. 00:00:56.159 --> 00:01:01.200 So to the Jewish reader, we would know this was a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. 00:01:01.359 --> 00:01:02.560 So this is Matthew's way. 00:01:02.640 --> 00:01:04.799 Like for us, we read that, we're like, what's that even about? 00:01:05.040 --> 00:01:16.319 For this is Matthew's way from the very first verse of his book to say, yeah, this teacher we're going to talk about, this really wise teacher, he's more than a teacher. 00:01:16.640 --> 00:01:17.920 He's actually the Messiah. 00:01:18.079 --> 00:01:24.799 He's actually God from the beginning that's coming to us as our rescuer and as our Savior. 00:01:25.040 --> 00:01:26.799 Matthew 2, Jesus is born. 00:01:26.959 --> 00:01:31.439 Matthew 3, John the Baptist prepares the way for the ministry of Jesus. 00:01:31.840 --> 00:01:36.560 Matthew 4, Jesus is tempted, begins his ministry, calls his disciples. 00:01:36.799 --> 00:01:39.760 And then Matthew 5, he begins to teach. 00:01:40.079 --> 00:01:43.040 So Matthew lays out this argument in the story. 00:01:43.359 --> 00:01:45.840 This Jesus is more than a teacher. 00:01:45.920 --> 00:01:49.680 So yeah, we're going to hear him teach, but he's more than a teacher. 00:01:50.000 --> 00:01:54.640 So we're in Matthew 6, and Jesus begins to teach us about money. 00:01:54.879 --> 00:01:57.120 Jesus taught a lot about money. 00:01:57.439 --> 00:01:59.280 Because we all deal with money. 00:01:59.439 --> 00:02:03.760 Money affects all of us, pretty much all of the time. 00:02:04.079 --> 00:02:05.200 We have to deal with money. 00:02:05.280 --> 00:02:10.319 We have to use money, spend money, save money, steward money, probably waste money, right? 00:02:10.479 --> 00:02:12.240 Like we are all dealing with money. 00:02:12.400 --> 00:02:16.319 You dealt with money probably this morning in some way at some point already. 00:02:16.560 --> 00:02:20.240 Matthew 6, 19 through 21 says this. 00:02:38.400 --> 00:02:41.439 So point number one is this money and materials, because that's what he's talking about. 00:02:41.599 --> 00:02:42.560 He's talking about more than just money. 00:02:42.639 --> 00:02:49.840 He's talking about money and materials can be a resource, or they can take over your heart. 00:02:50.639 --> 00:02:56.319 So the text is implying that we will all always have a treasure. 00:02:56.879 --> 00:02:58.560 Remember how idols work. 00:02:58.719 --> 00:03:01.520 We repeat this over and over and over in our church. 00:03:01.599 --> 00:03:06.879 Here's how money idolatry or materialism idolatry would work in our hearts. 00:03:07.199 --> 00:03:17.759 If I have that amount of money or that material item, then I will finally be safe, fulfilled, or affirmed. 00:03:18.560 --> 00:03:26.719 So it also means in reverse, it works against you, if I don't have that amount of money or that material item, then I won't be safe. 00:03:27.520 --> 00:03:30.080 I won't be fulfilled or I won't be affirmed. 00:03:30.159 --> 00:03:32.879 I can't be any of those things until I get that. 00:03:33.599 --> 00:03:38.319 So money moves past a resource and becomes a treasure. 00:03:38.639 --> 00:03:44.960 That would be how money operates as an idol or a functional savior in our life. 00:03:46.560 --> 00:03:48.479 I love this quote by Richard Rohr. 00:03:48.719 --> 00:03:49.599 He's a mystic priest. 00:03:49.680 --> 00:03:54.080 He's kind of all over the place theologically, but he has some things nailed down when it comes to materialism. 00:03:54.240 --> 00:04:02.639 Here's what he says: the more we project our soul's longing onto things, the more things disappoint us. 00:04:02.879 --> 00:04:05.199 Happiness is an inside job. 00:04:05.439 --> 00:04:10.240 When we expect to find happiness outside of ourselves, we are always disappointed. 00:04:10.400 --> 00:04:18.240 We then seek a higher or more stimulating experience, and the spiral of addiction and consumption continues. 00:04:19.120 --> 00:04:19.519 Right? 00:04:19.680 --> 00:04:22.319 I mean, we're all like, yep, that's my story. 00:04:22.480 --> 00:04:23.600 Like, I've done that, I've done that. 00:04:23.680 --> 00:04:24.639 I still do that, right? 00:04:24.720 --> 00:04:29.439 But there's also this part of me that says, great, great, Richard Rohr, fantastic, Jesus. 00:04:29.600 --> 00:04:31.040 Thank you for this great teaching. 00:04:31.360 --> 00:04:39.360 But I really do need to save because I need a really big, secure safety net underneath me. 00:04:40.000 --> 00:04:46.079 And I'm 42, and it took me to my late 30s to realize I will never have a big enough safety net underneath me. 00:04:46.240 --> 00:04:51.759 Like it took me to having a little bit of a safety net to realize, oh, there's no safety net big enough for me. 00:04:52.879 --> 00:04:54.639 Maybe you work like that, or maybe you don't. 00:04:54.720 --> 00:04:57.439 Or maybe you own Facebook stock, and this week you're like, uh-oh. 00:04:57.839 --> 00:04:58.079 Right? 00:04:58.160 --> 00:05:01.439 You're like, ah, I don't know how that's gonna go. 00:05:02.959 --> 00:05:04.879 Or have you ever had a bad day? 00:05:05.040 --> 00:05:08.879 You just have a bad day, you're feeling, you know, you're just not feeling good about yourself. 00:05:09.120 --> 00:05:15.199 Just want just a ho hum, just you're not sure about your place in life and what you're doing. 00:05:15.360 --> 00:05:17.120 Like, what am I doing? 00:05:17.600 --> 00:05:20.480 But then your investment statement shows up. 00:05:21.120 --> 00:05:23.920 And you open it up, and all of a sudden you're like, you know what? 00:05:24.000 --> 00:05:24.879 I'm I am pretty good. 00:05:25.040 --> 00:05:25.920 Life is pretty good. 00:05:26.079 --> 00:05:27.040 Like it's okay. 00:05:27.279 --> 00:05:29.199 Like that's how we felt the last two years, right? 00:05:29.279 --> 00:05:32.560 Like you could open that thing up, you'd be like, Yeah, it's alright, I'm okay. 00:05:32.800 --> 00:05:37.199 Every once in a while you open it up and you're like, no, this confirms everything I feared. 00:05:37.279 --> 00:05:37.839 I'm nothing. 00:05:38.000 --> 00:05:39.120 I still have nothing. 00:05:39.279 --> 00:05:40.639 I have no money. 00:05:40.800 --> 00:05:42.480 I still don't have any money. 00:05:42.800 --> 00:05:49.279 We know these feelings, and when it affects us on a deep level, it's well, maybe money is more than money. 00:05:49.600 --> 00:05:55.439 Three weeks ago, I tapped on an advertisement on Instagram for some new jeans. 00:05:55.759 --> 00:05:59.360 I'm looking for some new jeans, just to let you know, just let you in on my life. 00:06:01.199 --> 00:06:05.519 So I'm looking for some new jeans, popped up, clicked on it, a little tap. 00:06:06.000 --> 00:06:08.560 So you know, it goes over to the store and they record that. 00:06:08.639 --> 00:06:21.759 They know I'm looking for jeans because ever since last three weeks, it is really good-looking, rustic looking men in jeans with like a like a truck in front of like a mountain range and like a river. 00:06:21.920 --> 00:06:22.959 Like they know me. 00:06:23.120 --> 00:06:31.199 They know all I follow is like national parks, bears, fly fishermen, and so like they place the gene guy in front of everything else I love. 00:06:31.920 --> 00:06:51.120 And there is this part of me, like deep in my heart, there is this part of me that does think, like on a Tuesday afternoon, or I just not thinking too great about myself and my life, that thinks if I buy these, it's very possible, very possible I will feel fulfilled, right? 00:06:51.600 --> 00:06:52.560 You ever felt that? 00:06:52.800 --> 00:06:56.959 And there is this, I'm pretty sure I'll feel new if I buy the genes, right? 00:06:57.120 --> 00:06:59.040 Or at least I'll feel powerful. 00:06:59.360 --> 00:07:01.040 You know that feeling. 00:07:02.240 --> 00:07:04.399 Maybe money's more than money, right? 00:07:05.040 --> 00:07:12.720 Maybe you naturally have a good attitude toward people with money, and you have a bad attitude toward people without money. 00:07:12.879 --> 00:07:14.160 You would never say that. 00:07:15.040 --> 00:07:17.439 Or maybe reverse, and you wouldn't say this either. 00:07:17.600 --> 00:07:23.360 Maybe you naturally have a bad attitude toward people with money and you have a good attitude toward people without money. 00:07:23.600 --> 00:07:25.040 And you wouldn't ever say that either. 00:07:25.120 --> 00:07:26.240 But maybe it's true. 00:07:28.720 --> 00:07:31.759 See, the imagery here is all this stuff. 00:07:32.000 --> 00:07:33.279 Money and materials. 00:07:33.519 --> 00:07:33.680 Okay. 00:07:34.240 --> 00:07:37.439 An imagery here is like it will be eaten by worms and vermin. 00:07:38.720 --> 00:07:40.560 It will go away. 00:07:41.279 --> 00:07:47.120 And Jesus' reminder, what a good reminder for us is we need a deeper currency. 00:07:48.160 --> 00:07:53.040 Like we need a currency for our hearts that is more profound and lasting and eternal. 00:07:53.600 --> 00:07:59.519 And this isn't Jesus saying seek treasures in heaven and like you're getting merit, and you that's not what it is. 00:08:00.079 --> 00:08:02.800 This is this is you are made for heaven. 00:08:03.040 --> 00:08:05.279 You are headed toward heaven. 00:08:05.519 --> 00:08:10.319 Everything that we accumulate and use here, we're gonna leave it. 00:08:10.639 --> 00:08:12.160 We're gonna leave it. 00:08:12.879 --> 00:08:13.839 So remember that. 00:08:14.000 --> 00:08:15.279 Matthew 6, verse 22. 00:08:15.439 --> 00:08:17.120 The eye is the lamp of the body. 00:08:17.199 --> 00:08:20.800 So if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light. 00:08:20.879 --> 00:08:23.839 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. 00:08:23.920 --> 00:08:27.600 If then the light is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness? 00:08:27.759 --> 00:08:33.519 No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. 00:08:33.840 --> 00:08:37.200 You cannot serve God and money. 00:08:37.519 --> 00:08:44.080 Point number two is this everybody's heart falls under the lordship of some greater treasure. 00:08:44.320 --> 00:08:50.480 All of us, every human being on earth falls under the lordship of some greater treasure. 00:08:51.600 --> 00:08:54.879 The I here is a window into who we really are. 00:08:55.120 --> 00:09:02.000 If we want to know who we really are, you can't just look at what we say, look at what we cast our gaze upon. 00:09:02.799 --> 00:09:09.360 So last week, Fat Bear week concluded, we celebrate Fat Bear Week every year in our church, this time of year. 00:09:09.440 --> 00:09:11.919 If you've been around, you know that I'm sure you were following it. 00:09:12.080 --> 00:09:15.679 I'm sure you were thrilled the last few weeks if you'd watched this. 00:09:15.759 --> 00:09:22.639 And so to catch you up, if you haven't been in our church, uh, this is just part of our fall liturgy, uh, official liturgy. 00:09:22.720 --> 00:09:31.440 And what this is is in Catman National Park in Alaska, this time of year, they've been watching all the grizzly bears who've been feeding at Brooks Falls. 00:09:31.519 --> 00:09:36.720 They start in June, they feed all summer into October, and they've been watching these bears. 00:09:36.879 --> 00:09:42.000 There's some of us do this, not like me, probably not you, but I do. 00:09:42.159 --> 00:09:48.159 And we watch these bears feed at Brooks Falls over the whole summer to get fatter and fatter and fatter. 00:09:48.320 --> 00:09:52.240 All summer, they sit there at this Brooks Falls and they just eat all this salmon. 00:09:52.480 --> 00:09:55.279 It's thrilling, it's thrilling entertainment. 00:09:55.519 --> 00:10:00.480 In the end of the summer, there's a tournament set up by the National Park Rangers of who got the fattest? 00:10:00.639 --> 00:10:01.039 What beard? 00:10:01.200 --> 00:10:03.840 All the bears have numbers and names, it's very organized. 00:10:04.159 --> 00:10:08.399 Well, this year's finals was Otis versus Walker. 00:10:09.039 --> 00:10:10.960 So this is Walker. 00:10:11.200 --> 00:10:17.200 So this is Walker, beginning of the summer, end of the summer, beginning of this summer, end of this summer, okay? 00:10:17.279 --> 00:10:19.679 He accomplished this in one summer. 00:10:20.480 --> 00:10:22.000 Now this is Otis. 00:10:22.399 --> 00:10:23.440 So this is Otis. 00:10:23.759 --> 00:10:26.799 Beginning of the summer, end of this summer, right? 00:10:26.960 --> 00:10:28.399 This is this is devotion. 00:10:28.559 --> 00:10:29.919 This is what this is about devotion. 00:10:30.639 --> 00:10:32.799 So these are the two, they were in the finals. 00:10:33.039 --> 00:10:34.399 Otis versus Walker. 00:10:34.480 --> 00:10:35.600 Well, Otis won. 00:10:35.679 --> 00:10:36.240 He's our champion. 00:10:36.320 --> 00:10:37.440 Otis is our champion. 00:10:37.679 --> 00:10:46.480 The thing about Otis is, and we have seen it every year, third year, so third year, if you've been following us, we always see it about our champions. 00:10:47.039 --> 00:10:49.039 Otis just sits. 00:10:49.600 --> 00:10:53.360 That big old fat bear just sits. 00:10:53.840 --> 00:10:55.360 I mean, look at him in the top right. 00:10:55.440 --> 00:10:58.559 This is literally, he does this all day long. 00:10:59.039 --> 00:11:01.919 He sits and sits and sits. 00:11:02.240 --> 00:11:04.159 He barely moves. 00:11:06.720 --> 00:11:10.559 That's also a joke I can't resist every single year. 00:11:11.440 --> 00:11:14.799 So Otis's, like two people laughed. 00:11:14.960 --> 00:11:17.519 I don't appreciate your lack of laughter. 00:11:19.360 --> 00:11:23.679 Otis's eye, his eye is on the water. 00:11:24.399 --> 00:11:27.919 He gazes on the water for the salmon. 00:11:28.000 --> 00:11:31.200 It's very clear what his treasure is. 00:11:31.519 --> 00:11:33.120 It is not up for debate. 00:11:33.440 --> 00:11:37.200 He cares ultimately about one thing. 00:11:38.639 --> 00:11:43.039 This is where Jesus is leading us, this idea of where do we cast our eye? 00:11:43.200 --> 00:11:44.480 Where do we cast our heart? 00:11:44.639 --> 00:11:45.840 Where are we gazing at? 00:11:46.080 --> 00:11:51.440 Where is our gaze for our heart's fulfillment and peace? 00:11:52.639 --> 00:11:55.519 And Jesus says, you can't have two masters. 00:11:56.559 --> 00:12:03.440 There's this story in Luke 18 where a ruler comes to Jesus and asks, What must I do to inherit eternal life? 00:12:03.679 --> 00:12:03.919 Right? 00:12:04.000 --> 00:12:07.840 He's saying, What makes me right with God when I die? 00:12:08.080 --> 00:12:09.120 How do I get to heaven? 00:12:09.440 --> 00:12:10.960 What makes all this right and good? 00:12:11.120 --> 00:12:13.120 Jesus replies, Why do you call me good? 00:12:13.360 --> 00:12:18.799 It's Jesus' way of saying, like, do you understand I'm not just a teacher, but I'm actually God for you? 00:12:18.960 --> 00:12:19.679 Do you get that? 00:12:19.759 --> 00:12:22.240 And then Jesus says, You know all the commandments. 00:12:22.559 --> 00:12:24.559 The guy says, Yeah, I know them, I've kept them. 00:12:24.639 --> 00:12:31.840 Okay, so not only is he rich, like he's like rich in the world, but apparently he's like rich in religious performance. 00:12:32.399 --> 00:12:43.600 And then it's then Jesus, when he's past that, just like performance stuff, and he says, You can't obey enough, you can't you can't perform enough. 00:12:43.759 --> 00:12:45.519 See, Jesus goes into his heart. 00:12:45.679 --> 00:12:48.480 Listen to the text, Luke 18, starting in verse 22. 00:12:48.639 --> 00:13:02.320 When Jesus heard this, right after the guy said, I've kept them all, I've kept all the commandments, he said to him, One thing you still lack, sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. 00:13:02.559 --> 00:13:03.840 And come follow me. 00:13:05.039 --> 00:13:10.720 But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. 00:13:11.039 --> 00:13:19.360 Jesus, seeing that he had become sad, he said, How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God. 00:13:19.600 --> 00:13:24.720 For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of the needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God. 00:13:24.879 --> 00:13:28.399 Those who heard it said that who could be saved? 00:13:28.960 --> 00:13:32.559 But he said, What is impossible with man is possible with God. 00:13:33.039 --> 00:13:39.120 So this phrase, easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, is it's an idiom. 00:13:39.519 --> 00:13:39.840 Right? 00:13:40.399 --> 00:13:41.519 We have these in our language. 00:13:41.679 --> 00:13:52.159 It would be like verse 25 in American translation would be uh, when pigs fly, a rich man could enter the kingdom of heaven. 00:13:52.240 --> 00:13:53.039 That's how we would say it. 00:13:53.279 --> 00:13:54.720 It'd be the same thing. 00:13:55.440 --> 00:13:55.759 Right? 00:13:55.919 --> 00:14:00.240 The point is that it's God's grace to us. 00:14:01.279 --> 00:14:03.600 It's not our performance or our worldly wealth. 00:14:03.759 --> 00:14:06.720 Those things will never work to make us right with God. 00:14:08.960 --> 00:14:10.480 This man has it all together. 00:14:11.679 --> 00:14:12.639 He's got both. 00:14:12.799 --> 00:14:15.919 He has the worldly wealth and the religious wealth. 00:14:16.399 --> 00:14:18.159 And he's still wondering. 00:14:18.399 --> 00:14:20.159 He still shows up to Jesus. 00:14:20.399 --> 00:14:21.360 Isn't that interesting? 00:14:21.679 --> 00:14:24.240 He's got it all, and he is still wondering. 00:14:24.480 --> 00:14:27.600 He still knows something is missing. 00:14:28.399 --> 00:14:28.720 Right? 00:14:28.799 --> 00:14:30.799 We can build our whole lives. 00:14:31.440 --> 00:14:32.639 We can build our whole lives. 00:14:32.799 --> 00:14:38.879 We can build a family or a career or investment strategy or material that we can build our whole lives. 00:14:39.039 --> 00:14:39.759 We still know. 00:14:39.919 --> 00:14:40.799 Don't we don't we? 00:14:41.200 --> 00:14:41.679 Don't we? 00:14:42.320 --> 00:14:43.919 We still know something's missing. 00:14:46.159 --> 00:14:56.960 And Jesus goes straight to this guy's heart, the idol in his heart, the thing that this guy rests upon for significance and identity and justification. 00:14:57.600 --> 00:14:59.840 And he says, you gotta lose that. 00:15:00.559 --> 00:15:01.279 Lose it. 00:15:01.600 --> 00:15:03.360 That's how you'll find life. 00:15:04.320 --> 00:15:05.200 Give away everything. 00:15:05.360 --> 00:15:10.639 Now, this isn't a call for some universal call for all of us to own nothing. 00:15:12.399 --> 00:15:17.440 No, this is a call for our hearts to be owned by nothing. 00:15:18.720 --> 00:15:37.440 To be so lavished, so lavished by the grace of God, the grace of the forgiveness of sin, all of your righteousness, your very identity secured as a child of God, that nothing can own you. 00:15:38.720 --> 00:15:40.960 It's interesting that the man became sad. 00:15:42.559 --> 00:15:44.879 That he grieved he couldn't let go. 00:15:45.120 --> 00:15:47.679 That's like the saddest thing about the story. 00:15:48.240 --> 00:15:52.000 That he knew he needed to let go and then he couldn't? 00:15:52.240 --> 00:15:56.720 Like he was sad about not being able to do the thing he knew he should do. 00:15:58.480 --> 00:16:14.080 I think it has something to do with the fact that to let go of one treasure that is functional for you, where your sense of identity and security and maybe righteousness is coming from, to let go of that feels like a huge risk. 00:16:15.200 --> 00:16:27.279 To lose that, to lose that, to stop using that for safety or security, for a sense of identity or significance, to let go of that can feel impossible. 00:16:27.600 --> 00:16:32.320 It can feel like you've lost your foundation of yourself. 00:16:34.480 --> 00:16:38.159 But Jesus is saying it's not, and you'll be okay. 00:16:40.000 --> 00:16:47.600 And you'll be amazed how free you become as God becomes your center and your source rather than this stuff that's all gonna be eaten up. 00:16:47.840 --> 00:16:58.720 Point number three is this as we come alive to God as savior and treasure, we grow free of money's tight grip on our hearts. 00:16:58.960 --> 00:17:03.919 And I can just say, I make that point, still learning that point, right? 00:17:04.000 --> 00:17:18.799 Like we make that point saying, yeah, I like I understand it, and I'm still I'm still learning this point of becoming free of money, free of the fear of losing it, free of not having it, free of the fear of giving it away. 00:17:19.200 --> 00:17:36.400 Here are some possible implications toward our stewardship of money and material goods, that we could give joyfully and generosity, that our hearts could be freed up into generosity without greed toward the church and toward the poor, that we could save responsibly. 00:17:36.640 --> 00:17:38.720 But you could save without fear. 00:17:39.039 --> 00:17:42.799 You could save for your future without fear, but responsibly. 00:17:43.039 --> 00:17:47.759 And you could spend appropriately without addiction for today. 00:17:48.000 --> 00:17:51.200 Listen to this passage in 2 Corinthians 8, 1 through 5. 00:17:51.279 --> 00:17:57.680 So Paul's writing to a church about grace and generosity, this connection between the two. 00:17:58.079 --> 00:18:04.000 We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia. 00:18:04.240 --> 00:18:10.400 For in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty. 00:18:11.440 --> 00:18:14.079 Okay, so just stop real quick. 00:18:14.400 --> 00:18:18.559 Severe test of affliction, joy, poverty. 00:18:18.799 --> 00:18:19.359 Poverty. 00:18:19.440 --> 00:18:21.119 We don't usually put those together, okay? 00:18:21.279 --> 00:18:27.519 Just a heads up, overflowed and a wealth of generosity on their part. 00:18:27.680 --> 00:18:38.720 For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means of their own accord, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints. 00:18:38.799 --> 00:18:42.240 So they were begging to be more generous. 00:18:42.559 --> 00:18:50.240 And this not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord, and then by the will of God to us. 00:18:50.880 --> 00:18:53.920 So Paul is saying, there is this church. 00:18:54.640 --> 00:18:56.160 There's this church. 00:18:56.480 --> 00:19:02.559 Affliction, poverty, joy, begging to give. 00:19:03.839 --> 00:19:05.200 How did this happen? 00:19:05.759 --> 00:19:07.039 How does that happen? 00:19:07.279 --> 00:19:09.680 That's not an equation we put together. 00:19:10.000 --> 00:19:15.839 But I can tell you, it did not come by their pastor pestering them or giving a four-part series. 00:19:16.000 --> 00:19:19.279 Like, that's not how this gets developed in our heart. 00:19:19.920 --> 00:19:22.240 Paul tells us in verse 1. 00:19:22.640 --> 00:19:24.240 He tells us in verse 1. 00:19:25.680 --> 00:19:30.079 By the grace of God, it's an act of the grace of God in their hearts. 00:19:30.240 --> 00:19:32.640 He's saying they've been freed. 00:19:33.519 --> 00:19:35.599 Money's not their treasure. 00:19:36.319 --> 00:19:37.839 They're not owned by it. 00:19:38.079 --> 00:19:39.680 So they can let some go. 00:19:41.920 --> 00:19:44.799 A breakthrough happened for them. 00:19:46.640 --> 00:19:47.759 A breakthrough. 00:19:50.160 --> 00:19:53.200 This prepares us to think about where Matthew takes us. 00:19:53.440 --> 00:19:55.599 Matthew 6, 25, and 26. 00:19:55.920 --> 00:19:57.759 We're gonna talk more about it in coming weeks. 00:19:58.000 --> 00:20:01.279 Listen as I close with the message translation of these two verses. 00:20:01.519 --> 00:20:13.680 If you decide for God, living a life of God worship, it follows that you don't fuss about what's on the table at mealtimes or whether the clothes in your closet are in fashion. 00:20:14.240 --> 00:20:22.880 There's far more to your life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. 00:20:24.319 --> 00:20:25.680 Look at the birds. 00:20:26.319 --> 00:20:38.799 Free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God, and you account far more to him than birds. 00:20:39.599 --> 00:20:42.480 See, it's good news to us this morning. 00:20:42.880 --> 00:20:48.640 Because Jesus doesn't just guide us with his teaching, but he absolutely crushes us, doesn't he? 00:20:48.960 --> 00:20:51.200 I mean, you can feel it a little bit right now. 00:20:51.519 --> 00:20:52.640 I feel it. 00:20:53.359 --> 00:20:57.519 He crushes us into our need of him as a savior. 00:20:59.119 --> 00:21:01.440 His sufficiency, his grace to us. 00:21:02.000 --> 00:21:09.759 And none of us are ever going to be completely free of the lure of money to be safety or security or affirmation, identity. 00:21:11.200 --> 00:21:19.119 But Jesus on the cross, all that love of money we have, he remembers it to know more. 00:21:20.319 --> 00:21:26.079 And all of the treasures of his righteousness are given to you forever, permanently. 00:21:26.319 --> 00:21:27.359 They're yours. 00:21:29.599 --> 00:21:39.440 And that makes us an incredibly rich people because we are never condemned, always loved, always rescued, and we are led in the way of greater worship and greater freedom. 00:21:39.599 --> 00:21:40.960 Let's pray together. 00:21:41.359 --> 00:21:43.759 God, thank you for this good word this morning. 00:21:43.839 --> 00:21:47.839 Most of all, for you, yourself, that is our great treasure. 00:21:48.400 --> 00:22:06.880 That while you teach us and lead us, you definitely crush us into our need of you because we are a worldly people with hearts that just can't wait to buy the next pair of jeans that's gonna make us feel powerful or new or to use money or resources to hold on to it a little bit more, just to feel like we're gonna be safer and more secure. 00:22:07.039 --> 00:22:12.559 Help us in your grace to be able to have affliction, to have less or more. 00:22:13.599 --> 00:22:29.519 Enjoy toward greater freedom in you, greater generosity, ability to save without fear, ability to spend without addiction, ability to give without greed. 00:22:29.680 --> 00:22:34.880 God, would you call us into this greater way of living that is a great freedom in your gospel? 00:22:36.240 --> 00:22:39.279 Would you lead us of what it means for our hearts this morning? 00:22:39.440 --> 00:22:44.079 Most of all, would we come to you to understand you are our Savior when it comes to this? 00:22:44.480 --> 00:22:46.799 We are not perfect, we are in need of you. 00:22:47.039 --> 00:22:49.279 You are sufficient and you are enough. 00:22:49.440 --> 00:22:53.119 You are our great treasure of forgiveness and righteousness. 00:22:53.279 --> 00:22:54.720 In Jesus' name we pray. 00:22:54.960 --> 00:22:55.440 Amen.