WEBVTT 00:00:04.639 --> 00:00:07.040 Welcome to the MetaCurch Podcast. 00:00:07.200 --> 00:00:08.160 My name's Clayton. 00:00:08.240 --> 00:00:10.320 I'm the pastor here at MetaCurch. 00:00:10.400 --> 00:00:17.920 And my hope is that today's podcast finds you at the perfect time in your life that God uses it to inspire and enlighten you. 00:00:18.079 --> 00:00:20.559 I hope that you enjoy today's message. 00:00:23.359 --> 00:00:26.480 MetaCurch, thank you so much for joining us today. 00:00:26.559 --> 00:00:31.760 If you're new with us, my name's Clayton, and I have the great privilege of being the lead pastor here. 00:00:31.920 --> 00:00:42.960 Now I'm gonna get to our series, this Whatever It Takes series, because it has been one of the most exciting moments in the history of our movement, in the history of this church. 00:00:43.119 --> 00:00:51.280 And as if things couldn't get better, uh by now, many of you have heard even more exciting news that we just recently announced. 00:00:51.600 --> 00:01:00.320 It has been like over seven months since we have gotten to come together in person, to worship together, and to get into the word together. 00:01:00.640 --> 00:01:07.280 But this week we announced that we are reopening both of our venues on November 1st. 00:01:07.519 --> 00:01:12.959 You guys make some noise in the chat if you are excited to get to come back and to gather in person. 00:01:13.120 --> 00:01:18.959 Now, look, there's gonna be some obvious changes as we continue to navigate through this pandemic. 00:01:19.120 --> 00:01:29.840 You can go on either of our social media sites, Facebook or Instagram, and you'll learn about all the different protocols throughout the coming week and what it's gonna look like to come to service. 00:01:30.000 --> 00:01:35.280 The biggest change that you're gonna notice is that we are changing our service times. 00:01:35.519 --> 00:01:41.200 So uh if you've joined us during this streaming season, you may have never actually come in person. 00:01:41.680 --> 00:01:43.599 We have two different venues. 00:01:43.760 --> 00:01:47.200 We meet at the Helotus 4H event center. 00:01:47.359 --> 00:01:52.000 The new service times there are gonna be 9 45 and 11.30 a.m. 00:01:52.319 --> 00:01:56.879 We're really encouraging people uh to start attending in Helotus. 00:01:57.040 --> 00:02:03.040 Before the pandemic, we had a little bit more room out there because we had just launched that new location. 00:02:03.280 --> 00:02:07.359 We also meet at the 151 saloon right across from SeaWorld. 00:02:07.599 --> 00:02:12.639 The service times there are gonna be 9.45, 11.30, and 115. 00:02:12.800 --> 00:02:17.199 And man, we are so, so excited to see you guys in person again. 00:02:17.439 --> 00:02:36.400 Services are going to look a little bit different, they might feel a little bit different, but it's a small price to pay to bring the body of Christ back together, to lift our voices together, to create space for people who need hope in a time where things often seem so hopeless. 00:02:36.560 --> 00:02:39.280 So make sure that you're following us on social media. 00:02:39.520 --> 00:02:44.000 And uh if you are gonna continue streaming with us, man, we're excited for that too. 00:02:44.080 --> 00:02:48.240 We're gonna keep our streaming and serving going strong. 00:02:48.719 --> 00:02:55.599 Now, we are in a series and we are talking about doing whatever it takes to get people to Jesus. 00:02:55.759 --> 00:03:06.479 And if you've been following with us through this series, you know that we have been raising funds to build out a new permanent space for MetaCurch. 00:03:06.719 --> 00:03:10.479 If you're jumping into this series for the first time, this is week four. 00:03:10.639 --> 00:03:12.080 You're gonna want to get caught up. 00:03:12.159 --> 00:03:18.560 You can do that at metachurch.tv or by going to the MetaCurch YouTube page. 00:03:18.719 --> 00:03:21.759 Now, last week was pledge week. 00:03:21.840 --> 00:03:43.919 And no, I'm not talking about the week where you pick your favorite fraternity or sorority and you go and make your no, this was the week that we asked everyone who's a part of MetaCurch to make a three-year financial commitment to help us take this important next step to create more space for more souls to meet with God's spirit. 00:03:44.159 --> 00:03:46.800 Now, here is where it gets interesting. 00:03:46.960 --> 00:03:48.560 We've made this big ask. 00:03:48.719 --> 00:03:56.719 We built up to last Sunday, and we asked for this above and beyond monthly gift for three years. 00:03:56.960 --> 00:04:06.800 However, to navigate this season of streaming here at MetaCurch, we've actually been pre-recording all of our sermons. 00:04:07.039 --> 00:04:17.519 We do that to give us enough time to edit it together to give you an excellent service and to do our very best in that digital space. 00:04:17.680 --> 00:04:20.319 So here's what that means practically. 00:04:20.639 --> 00:04:31.439 That even though last Sunday was pledge week, we are pre-recording this, which means I actually don't know how many pledges have come in. 00:04:31.600 --> 00:04:43.680 I wish I did, because we could celebrate just how good God was and moving on the hearts of this of this of this church and leading us into generosity, but I just simply don't know the future. 00:04:43.839 --> 00:04:52.879 And so here's what we're going to do tonight, and by tonight I mean October 25th at 6 p.m., I'm gonna be on Facebook Live. 00:04:53.040 --> 00:05:06.639 I hope that you'll join me, and it's then that we will come together and we'll talk about exactly where we are in this process and just how big of a bite we took through our pledge day in getting to our goal. 00:05:06.879 --> 00:05:09.920 Today, I want us to keep digging in. 00:05:10.160 --> 00:05:13.839 Maybe you made your pledge last week, maybe you didn't. 00:05:14.079 --> 00:05:16.639 The question is, what does it look like now? 00:05:16.879 --> 00:05:21.759 Besides going on and setting up your gift to fulfill your pledge, what else? 00:05:21.920 --> 00:05:25.439 What does it mean to continue doing whatever it takes? 00:05:25.680 --> 00:05:36.720 And so today I want us to look in the Old Testament, what we often call the Jewish scriptures, to get a picture of what it looks like moving forward and continuing to do whatever it takes to get people to Jesus. 00:05:36.879 --> 00:05:40.560 My message today is called miracle multiplication. 00:05:40.800 --> 00:05:42.160 Would you pray with me? 00:05:42.480 --> 00:05:46.000 Father, we love you and uh we look to you. 00:05:47.120 --> 00:06:06.480 God, I don't know the numbers yet, but we're gonna thank you in advance because this is your movement, and you've given all of us a role, and you've created all of us with a purpose, and we have a part to play, and a building is just a building, but when we give it to you, it becomes a powerful tool to build your kingdom. 00:06:06.639 --> 00:06:17.199 And so, God, continue to show us ways that we can step up and we can stand in the gap for people who don't yet know you, who are living without hope. 00:06:17.439 --> 00:06:21.839 I ask that you speak to us through your word today, that we'd have receptive minds and hearts. 00:06:22.079 --> 00:06:23.920 We pray these things in Jesus' name. 00:06:24.240 --> 00:06:24.879 Amen. 00:06:25.839 --> 00:06:32.959 Last week I revisited a story in Scripture that I had first taught all the way back in December of 2018. 00:06:33.040 --> 00:06:41.279 And if you watched last week, you know that the first time I preached this in 2018 was the very first time that we talked about the Kmart. 00:06:41.680 --> 00:06:49.120 We talked about how way back then it was a very messy message about a very messy miracle. 00:06:49.439 --> 00:06:54.800 Today I want to revisit another scripture that I touched on recently. 00:06:55.040 --> 00:07:00.879 This was the second sermon that I preached in January of 2020. 00:07:01.040 --> 00:07:07.360 Now am I the only one who feels like January was 47 years ago? 00:07:07.519 --> 00:07:14.879 As I looked back on the sermon I preached the first time we went through this text, it was actually our new year sermon. 00:07:15.120 --> 00:07:17.759 2020, what a year of possibility. 00:07:18.000 --> 00:07:20.639 What miracles is God gonna do in your life? 00:07:20.800 --> 00:07:26.079 Are you finally gonna get the job, meet the girl, kick the addiction, build the wealth? 00:07:26.240 --> 00:07:30.720 It was like, here we come, 2020, and nothing's gonna stop us. 00:07:32.399 --> 00:07:39.600 I looked back at this text, and in January, I saw one aspect of it. 00:07:39.839 --> 00:07:41.759 I saw God's favor. 00:07:42.399 --> 00:07:48.560 I'm looking at it now at the end of October, and what I see is the fight. 00:07:49.120 --> 00:07:51.920 Same story, two different angles. 00:07:52.079 --> 00:07:54.560 And that's just how good God's word is. 00:07:54.720 --> 00:07:58.399 It meets you in whatever season that you find yourself. 00:07:58.639 --> 00:08:04.639 And we know that since January of 2020, our world has been turned upside down. 00:08:05.120 --> 00:08:14.160 We are living in the tension, we're living in the wilderness, we're building it now to do whatever it takes. 00:08:15.040 --> 00:08:19.040 We're gonna be in the book of 2 Kings, chapter 4. 00:08:19.199 --> 00:08:27.439 In verse 1, it says, One of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, Your servant, my husband, has died. 00:08:27.600 --> 00:08:29.920 And you know that your servant feared the Lord. 00:08:30.079 --> 00:08:38.080 And now, here's the tension: now the creditor is coming to take my two children as his slaves. 00:08:38.480 --> 00:08:45.039 The wife of the son of one of the prophets has lost her husband. 00:08:45.120 --> 00:08:52.559 And now she goes to Elijah, the head of all of the prophets, and this woman is desperate. 00:08:52.960 --> 00:08:59.120 With her husband gone at that place, at that time, as a woman, she had no earning potential. 00:08:59.440 --> 00:09:04.799 She was in debt, she owed on probably many things, including her house. 00:09:05.120 --> 00:09:08.720 And there was only one way to keep the house. 00:09:08.960 --> 00:09:15.919 The creditors would come, they would take her sons, they would put her to work, and their work would help pay off of her debts. 00:09:16.080 --> 00:09:25.440 She either was going to lose her possessions and be on the streets, or she was going to lose her sons, lose her sons or lose her house. 00:09:25.600 --> 00:09:26.639 Those are the options. 00:09:26.720 --> 00:09:30.559 It is a lose-lose situation. 00:09:32.320 --> 00:09:36.080 To top it all off, her husband is gone. 00:09:36.320 --> 00:09:40.480 There's no one to stand by her and help guide her through it. 00:09:40.639 --> 00:09:42.480 She goes to the only person she can think of. 00:09:42.559 --> 00:09:52.480 She goes to Elijah, the great man of God, the great prophet who God has worked so many miracles through, and she knows in this moment to not lose, either lose the house or lose the kids. 00:09:52.639 --> 00:09:53.919 She needs a miracle. 00:09:54.080 --> 00:10:00.000 She needs Elijah to stand up and stand in the gap for her situation. 00:10:00.480 --> 00:10:05.600 In verse 2, Elisha asked her, What can I do for you? 00:10:06.080 --> 00:10:09.840 Tell me, what do you have in the house? 00:10:10.000 --> 00:10:13.519 And she said, Your servant has nothing. 00:10:15.200 --> 00:10:20.960 Your servant has nothing in the house except a jar of oil. 00:10:21.200 --> 00:10:25.279 And this is where we really zeroed in for a while in January. 00:10:26.320 --> 00:10:28.159 He asks, What do you have? 00:10:28.399 --> 00:10:30.159 She's asking him for something. 00:10:30.320 --> 00:10:34.480 She's asking for a miracle, but he turns it back and he says, Well, what do you have? 00:10:34.639 --> 00:10:36.080 What do we have to work with here? 00:10:36.240 --> 00:10:38.720 What do you have that God might be able to use? 00:10:38.879 --> 00:10:39.440 What do you have? 00:10:39.600 --> 00:10:42.960 And she immediately says, I have nothing. 00:10:43.279 --> 00:10:47.919 Now she catches herself because that is not a factually true statement. 00:10:48.159 --> 00:10:52.000 It is not factually correct that she has nothing. 00:10:53.120 --> 00:10:59.120 I have nothing except a small, useless jar of oil. 00:10:59.279 --> 00:11:01.360 And it truly was useless. 00:11:01.600 --> 00:11:09.679 When you look back in the Hebrew and the word that is used for oil, this isn't like the oil that could be used in anointing the sacrifices. 00:11:09.840 --> 00:11:13.840 This wasn't like oil that could be used, you know, for something useful like cooking. 00:11:14.000 --> 00:11:16.159 This was the cheapest of the oils. 00:11:16.799 --> 00:11:24.080 It was an oil that was used in bathing, basically, so you just weren't rank all the time in a world that didn't really have anti-perspirant. 00:11:24.240 --> 00:11:26.799 Like this is this is the lowest of the low. 00:11:27.039 --> 00:11:34.720 As a matter of fact, it is so insignificant in her eyes that she knows she has something, but she calls it nothing. 00:11:35.360 --> 00:11:37.600 I have nothing. 00:11:38.879 --> 00:11:39.840 Except. 00:11:41.759 --> 00:11:52.639 And I wonder what it is in your life that God is wanting to use that you have already counted as nothing. 00:11:54.000 --> 00:12:03.600 You guys hear me preach week after week after week after week, for years now, about how God created you on purpose, with purpose. 00:12:03.919 --> 00:12:06.080 It matters that you're on earth. 00:12:06.399 --> 00:12:08.320 You have a job to do. 00:12:08.639 --> 00:12:19.840 God has gifted you and resourced you and set you up to do something significant, not just for the small time you're on earth, but with eternal implications. 00:12:22.320 --> 00:12:24.320 And so many people are missing it. 00:12:25.120 --> 00:12:32.399 Because what God has put on their shelf, the little bit of oil He's given you, you have already counted as nothing. 00:12:32.639 --> 00:12:37.840 And this is how we tend to think God could really do something in my life. 00:12:38.159 --> 00:12:44.720 I could really do something special, I could really do something significant if I just had blank. 00:12:45.279 --> 00:12:50.559 If I was just married, man, if I could just find the right person, then I could really do something for the ministry. 00:12:50.639 --> 00:12:58.799 You know, if I just had a little bit more wealth, I would really be able to give and to be generous and to make wise investments. 00:12:58.879 --> 00:13:03.039 And if I just got the promotion, if I got the promotion, I would have the influence at work. 00:13:03.279 --> 00:13:06.639 If I had the influence at work, then all of a sudden I'd have the respect of my peers. 00:13:06.720 --> 00:13:11.840 If I had the respect of my peers, then I could really be a shining light for the gospel in the workplace. 00:13:12.000 --> 00:13:13.600 If I just came from a different family. 00:13:25.840 --> 00:13:30.480 Man, maybe then my life could be something other than just the status quo. 00:13:30.720 --> 00:13:46.720 If I had just made a few less mistakes, if I just had some different relationships, if I just had some better friends, we have all these ideas where if we could just fill in for the noth in our life, we could really be something for the kingdom. 00:13:48.720 --> 00:14:04.639 And so we have this approach and we see it, we see it in the widow, where we think, God, if you'll just give me the miracle, then I'll have what I need to make my way towards my purpose. 00:14:05.600 --> 00:14:16.720 If you would just give me the miracle, then all of a sudden I'll have all the component parts, I can put all of it together, and then I can get moving me together, move together. 00:14:16.799 --> 00:14:17.679 I love to move together. 00:14:17.759 --> 00:14:37.759 If God would just fill in the gaps and give me exactly what it is that I need, and maybe God isn't giving you the miracle that you so desperately want because he's wanting you to see that he's already given you what you need to get started. 00:14:39.919 --> 00:14:43.519 So many of us have some oil sitting on the shelf. 00:14:43.840 --> 00:14:50.240 So many of us already have the catalyst for the significant thing that God's wanting to do in your life. 00:14:50.480 --> 00:15:05.440 You've already been given the gift, you've already been given the talent, you've already been positioned where you need to be, you already have the circle of influence, you already have it, but you've already counted out the very thing that God is counting on. 00:15:06.879 --> 00:15:20.080 And the widow doesn't know that she already has the very thing that she needs for the miracle that she so desperately wants. 00:15:22.320 --> 00:15:25.679 We're looking to build out a three million dollar space. 00:15:26.480 --> 00:15:47.120 It's a lot of money, and one of the things that we're pretty good at, um, that myself and the the staff that help organize this movement is um when we come to something like trying to raise three million dollars, we are smart enough to know that we're dumb enough that we need someone smart enough to help us. 00:15:47.279 --> 00:15:50.799 And so what we did is we went and we got some consultants. 00:15:50.960 --> 00:15:54.480 And these guys work for one of the biggest consultancies in the entire nation. 00:15:54.559 --> 00:16:09.679 And I I happen to have known one of them from my college days, and and so we had this relationship, and and they came in and and man, they dug into our demographics and they dug into our data, and they they were gonna draw some conclusions to see how close we could get to this dollar figure. 00:16:09.840 --> 00:16:11.679 And you know what they came and said? 00:16:12.159 --> 00:16:18.799 They said, we have never, never's a big word, never's a big word for consultants who this is all they do full-time. 00:16:19.039 --> 00:16:26.080 We have never seen any church with so few wealthy people. 00:16:26.480 --> 00:16:30.960 Can I get a middle class amen in the comments right now? 00:16:31.120 --> 00:16:35.759 We have never seen a church with so few wealthy people. 00:16:36.000 --> 00:16:43.840 Everyone has a percentage of people sitting in the seats every Sunday who can write the six, seven-figure checks. 00:16:44.080 --> 00:16:45.600 Every church has that. 00:16:46.080 --> 00:16:54.960 It's this wild anomaly, metachurch, and so we could uh we could fall for it. 00:16:56.639 --> 00:16:59.120 In that moment, we had to make a decision. 00:16:59.519 --> 00:17:14.079 If we're going to approach it, how the widow initially approached it, if we're going to approach it the way that most of the world approaches it, and say, God, if you'll give me the miracle, then I'll have what I need. 00:17:14.480 --> 00:17:18.400 And we can move forward towards advancing your kingdom. 00:17:18.720 --> 00:17:23.759 Bring me the miracle, then I'll have what I need, and then we can get going. 00:17:24.079 --> 00:17:25.519 We could have fallen for it. 00:17:25.759 --> 00:17:34.960 Like, God, if we could just get like four or five San Antonio Spurs to come here and just give a small percentage of their money. 00:17:35.200 --> 00:17:43.279 Like, if you would just bring, if you would just bless us with like 100 million hair, then we'll have what we need, and then we can get going. 00:17:44.400 --> 00:17:58.799 It's a common way of thinking, it makes sense on the surface, but oftentimes, what God is wanting you to see is you already have what you need as the catalyst for your miracle. 00:17:59.759 --> 00:18:08.000 And after these consultants on the front end had spent time with our data, they came around and they spent time with our movement. 00:18:09.599 --> 00:18:13.039 And they came back and they said something very similar. 00:18:14.559 --> 00:18:24.559 We have never seen any church anywhere that has the people that you have. 00:18:25.359 --> 00:18:30.079 Maybe they don't have the money, but they're aware that they're not attending a church. 00:18:30.240 --> 00:18:38.720 They are a part of a movement, and maybe they don't have the wealth, but they have an unrelenting faith that God is going to see you through. 00:18:38.799 --> 00:18:47.039 And maybe they don't have it all figured out, but they are bought into a vision like we have never seen anywhere we've ever been. 00:18:47.440 --> 00:18:48.960 Do you understand what they said? 00:18:50.559 --> 00:19:13.039 Guys, you have nothing except, and it's a big exception, it's the kind of exception that says it may not look like we have what we need, we may have too little of the wrong kind of oil sitting on the shelf, but we have something that the world can't account for. 00:19:13.440 --> 00:19:20.240 We have God, and God changes everything. 00:19:21.920 --> 00:19:25.599 And many of you have made a pledge, and some of you haven't. 00:19:26.160 --> 00:19:31.440 And some of you didn't pledge because you were furloughed, or maybe you actually completely lost your job, and you shouldn't. 00:19:31.519 --> 00:19:32.160 You're off the hook. 00:19:32.240 --> 00:19:33.440 We give out of what we're given. 00:19:33.519 --> 00:19:35.599 You can worry about that down the road. 00:19:36.720 --> 00:19:44.079 What I'm worried about is that some of you didn't make a pledge because you looked at what you had and you saw it as nothing. 00:19:46.400 --> 00:19:52.160 You could work as hard as you could possibly work, and all you could give is$40 a month. 00:19:52.480 --> 00:20:00.799 All you could give is$20 a month, and you're looking at a$3 million price tag, and you're discounting what God has put in your hands. 00:20:00.960 --> 00:20:02.000 Three million dollars. 00:20:02.960 --> 00:20:05.279 $40 a month isn't gonna make a dent. 00:20:06.000 --> 00:20:11.200 It would actually, it would like be, it would be irresponsible. 00:20:12.079 --> 00:20:17.759 It would almost be like damaging to give that small of an amount of money. 00:20:18.319 --> 00:20:19.279 And I get it. 00:20:19.440 --> 00:20:26.000 40 bucks a month, it's not gonna take that big of a chunk out of three million dollars, according to the world. 00:20:26.799 --> 00:20:29.039 But this isn't the world's math. 00:20:29.279 --> 00:20:32.480 You have to understand this is a spiritual movement. 00:20:32.799 --> 00:20:38.480 We are living in a world fighting a spiritual battle, and the spirit of God is on our side. 00:20:38.640 --> 00:20:41.839 This isn't the world's math, this is God's math. 00:20:42.160 --> 00:20:44.640 God does math differently than we do it here. 00:20:44.799 --> 00:20:46.079 Have you heard of new math? 00:20:46.240 --> 00:20:47.599 My kids have been learning at school. 00:20:47.759 --> 00:20:49.039 I've had to do new math. 00:20:49.119 --> 00:20:50.559 You know how you do new math? 00:20:50.720 --> 00:21:03.599 You do 20 divided by five, and what you have to do is you've got to draw 75 squares and 45 circles, and then you gotta subtract them off of 14 unicorns and then start at negative four and count backwards to 100. 00:21:03.759 --> 00:21:07.599 Almost had to get rebaptized because of new math and learning at home. 00:21:07.839 --> 00:21:09.680 This is God's math. 00:21:10.240 --> 00:21:21.039 It doesn't make sense because it's not supposed to, but in God's math, you take the little bit of oil that you have, you submit it as available to him, and you stand back. 00:21:21.519 --> 00:21:26.880 And you watch what happens when everyone does everything that they can do. 00:21:27.039 --> 00:21:29.599 If it's four grand a month, thank you. 00:21:29.759 --> 00:21:31.440 Follow God, give a sacrifice. 00:21:31.599 --> 00:21:33.759 If it's 40 bucks a month, thank you. 00:21:34.000 --> 00:21:36.240 Follow God, give your sacrifice. 00:21:36.559 --> 00:21:46.799 God can do more with a tiny amount of oil that we will make available to him than all the riches of the world that we hold back for ourselves. 00:21:47.680 --> 00:21:49.519 And so, what are we gonna do? 00:21:50.400 --> 00:21:53.680 Are we gonna wait for God to bring the miracle to move forward? 00:21:53.920 --> 00:21:57.680 Are we gonna trust that God has given us what we need for this season? 00:21:57.920 --> 00:21:59.599 Submit it to him, and stand. 00:22:00.319 --> 00:22:04.079 Back as he does miracles among us. 00:22:04.240 --> 00:22:10.640 And today we're not just talking about miracles, we're talking about miracle multiplication. 00:22:11.440 --> 00:22:17.759 Some of you haven't given a pledge yet, but today you decided I can't give much, but I can be available. 00:22:17.920 --> 00:22:20.480 I can open my hands and I can give it to God. 00:22:20.640 --> 00:22:23.839 I can give my 20, 40, 10 bucks a month. 00:22:24.000 --> 00:22:29.200 I can be a part of this because nothing is too little for the God who owns it all. 00:22:29.359 --> 00:22:31.519 And some of you have pledged and you're given a lot. 00:22:31.599 --> 00:22:34.079 You're giving hundreds of dollars a month to this thing. 00:22:34.160 --> 00:22:37.519 And some of you are still on the fence, but I want to tell you something. 00:22:37.759 --> 00:22:39.119 You have some oil. 00:22:39.279 --> 00:22:40.799 You have something to give. 00:22:41.039 --> 00:22:45.279 And all God wants is for you to see it as something. 00:22:45.680 --> 00:22:51.839 To stop calling what God has already claimed in your life something, calling it nothing. 00:22:54.319 --> 00:23:03.680 And today we're going to learn in the story of the widow that whether you're giving none, a lot, or a little, we all have something else to give. 00:23:04.079 --> 00:23:06.720 We all have something else to offer up to God. 00:23:06.960 --> 00:23:13.599 It's so obvious that it's right in front of us, but many of us, many of us, are missing it. 00:23:14.079 --> 00:23:18.559 She said, Your servant has nothing in the house except a jar of oil. 00:23:18.720 --> 00:23:26.880 In verse 3, then he said, Go out and borrow empty containers from all of your neighbors. 00:23:27.279 --> 00:23:28.640 All of your neighbors. 00:23:28.880 --> 00:23:32.000 And do not get just a few. 00:23:32.880 --> 00:23:38.160 God has not only given you some oil, maybe it's a lot, maybe it's a little. 00:24:15.839 --> 00:24:21.839 Maybe they're co-workers and you enjoy hanging out when you're at the office, but you're not really going to the lake together on the weekends. 00:24:21.920 --> 00:24:27.200 And there's some people who are way out on the edge of your circle, and those are your acquaintances. 00:24:27.359 --> 00:24:28.880 Those are your friends of a friend. 00:24:29.039 --> 00:24:30.960 Those are people who you met through your family. 00:24:31.119 --> 00:24:34.559 Those are your third cousins twice removed that you still kind of keep touch with. 00:24:34.720 --> 00:24:38.720 We all have a circle of influence, and there's more people in there than you think. 00:24:38.799 --> 00:24:40.240 And what did Elijah say? 00:24:40.480 --> 00:24:41.839 He said, What do you have? 00:24:43.599 --> 00:24:44.480 She said, Nothing. 00:24:44.640 --> 00:24:49.279 Well, except I have a little bit of oil. 00:24:49.519 --> 00:24:54.400 She has no idea what God's getting ready to do with the little bit that she's going to make available to him. 00:24:54.720 --> 00:24:56.319 But there's another step. 00:24:58.000 --> 00:25:03.519 He asks her to go out and leverage her circle of influence. 00:25:03.680 --> 00:25:06.000 He didn't say, go to your close neighbors. 00:25:06.240 --> 00:25:09.279 He didn't say call your MySpace top five. 00:25:09.519 --> 00:25:11.519 He said, Go to them all. 00:25:11.759 --> 00:25:13.440 Knock on every door. 00:25:13.599 --> 00:25:17.200 Your closest friend to the guy that's almost a friend of me. 00:25:17.359 --> 00:25:18.559 Go to them all. 00:25:19.599 --> 00:25:20.720 All your neighbors. 00:25:20.960 --> 00:25:24.960 Get all their containers, not just a few. 00:25:25.519 --> 00:25:26.880 We all have some oil. 00:25:27.039 --> 00:25:28.400 We all have something to give. 00:25:28.640 --> 00:25:31.599 And we all have a circle of influence. 00:25:31.920 --> 00:25:34.160 Those are the containers. 00:25:34.559 --> 00:25:37.599 And Elijah said, get them all. 00:25:38.319 --> 00:25:40.880 In verse 5, it says, So she left. 00:25:41.119 --> 00:25:46.640 And after she had shut the door behind her and her sons, they kept bringing containers. 00:25:46.880 --> 00:25:48.240 They kept bringing them. 00:25:48.400 --> 00:25:49.839 They kept bringing them. 00:25:50.079 --> 00:25:52.559 And she kept pouring. 00:25:52.720 --> 00:25:54.000 I have nothing, she said. 00:25:54.240 --> 00:25:55.200 She meant that. 00:25:55.519 --> 00:25:56.799 I have nothing. 00:25:57.039 --> 00:26:02.079 What I have is so insignificant, it is actually like it is no thing. 00:26:02.400 --> 00:26:03.680 I have nothing. 00:26:03.839 --> 00:26:05.519 And God took nothing. 00:26:05.680 --> 00:26:09.519 And now He is multiplying the miracle. 00:26:09.680 --> 00:26:15.359 And they kept bringing, and she kept pouring, and she kept pouring, and she kept pouring. 00:26:16.079 --> 00:26:20.160 You know, I said it earlier, but I preached this in January. 00:26:21.440 --> 00:26:27.599 I preached this two months before the pandemic really went into full swing. 00:26:29.200 --> 00:26:34.559 And when I preached it, I saw the widow and I saw God's favor. 00:26:35.039 --> 00:26:41.519 And I came back and I saw the widow and I didn't see the favor, I saw the fight. 00:26:41.759 --> 00:26:47.680 And when I saw it over here in January, I saw the widow and I saw her destiny. 00:26:47.839 --> 00:26:50.240 She gets her kids back, she gets her house back. 00:26:50.480 --> 00:26:51.759 Man, God can do anything. 00:26:51.920 --> 00:26:55.039 And I came over here and I saw her desperation. 00:26:55.200 --> 00:27:00.799 And I came over here and I looked at a woman who, through a miracle, got a taste of heaven. 00:27:00.960 --> 00:27:10.160 And I came over here and I saw a woman who was willing to fight like hell because there were lives on the line, and she was gonna do whatever it takes. 00:27:12.799 --> 00:27:14.400 Knock on every door. 00:27:16.240 --> 00:27:20.880 Go to every person, every neighborhood. 00:27:21.680 --> 00:27:28.559 Those who she likes, those who she dislikes, those who believe like she does, those who don't. 00:27:29.119 --> 00:27:35.519 She's gonna knock on every door because lives are on the line. 00:27:37.839 --> 00:27:54.640 The only thing that could stop the intake of the miracle was her output of how hard she would work to bring more and more containers to the table. 00:27:54.880 --> 00:27:58.880 In verse 6, when they were full, she said to her son, Bring me another container. 00:27:58.960 --> 00:28:01.519 But he replied, There aren't any more. 00:28:02.079 --> 00:28:04.960 And then the oil stopped. 00:28:05.200 --> 00:28:10.720 And she went and told the man of God, and he said, Go sell the oil and pay your debt. 00:28:11.039 --> 00:28:14.240 You and your sons can live on the rest. 00:28:16.319 --> 00:28:18.240 She gave what she had. 00:28:18.480 --> 00:28:21.359 She thought it was nothing, but it wasn't. 00:28:21.519 --> 00:28:26.000 She had something to give, just a little bit of oil. 00:28:26.480 --> 00:28:29.519 And she sought out who she knew. 00:28:29.759 --> 00:28:32.400 She leveraged her circle of influence. 00:28:32.720 --> 00:28:33.599 Two things. 00:28:33.839 --> 00:28:39.039 She gave what she had, and she sought out who she knew. 00:28:40.079 --> 00:28:48.160 She was willing to do whatever it takes because it was inescapable that lives were on the line. 00:28:49.920 --> 00:28:54.799 If she could not get the containers she needed, she would lose her sons. 00:28:57.039 --> 00:29:03.279 And most of you know me well enough to know I don't actually care about a building. 00:29:04.640 --> 00:29:30.480 The building is just a base of operation for more people to come, to meet Jesus, to find hope, and to get on the path to their own unique purpose and how God is wanting to use them together with a movement full of other jacked-up, purposeful, powerful people to change our city, to change our families, and to change our world. 00:29:31.599 --> 00:29:41.359 And we have to start with the same realization that the widow had, that lives are on the line. 00:29:42.720 --> 00:30:04.559 There is a world that is counting on the movement of Jesus to lay aside all of the tradition and all the unwritten rules and all of the religiosity and all of the other crap that is keeping us from being effective in reaching people who are dying without Jesus' lives are on the line. 00:30:05.200 --> 00:30:13.519 And if we believe that, it's our duty to do whatever it takes to get them to Jesus. 00:30:13.920 --> 00:30:15.680 Here's what I'm asking. 00:30:16.240 --> 00:30:20.480 If you've not given to this vision, make it a priority. 00:30:21.440 --> 00:30:29.680 We ask you to give to the operation of this movement, and we're asking you to give above and beyond that to help us fund a new space. 00:30:30.960 --> 00:30:38.079 And maybe you feel like you shouldn't give, because the amount you can give will be an embarrassment. 00:30:39.440 --> 00:30:42.000 This isn't worldly economics. 00:30:42.400 --> 00:30:44.319 This is God's math. 00:30:44.880 --> 00:30:49.279 And in God's math, He multiplies miracles. 00:30:49.680 --> 00:30:53.359 We all bring what we have to the table. 00:30:53.599 --> 00:30:58.799 Number two, I'm asking you to leverage your circle of influence. 00:31:01.759 --> 00:31:03.119 We're all giving our oil. 00:31:03.279 --> 00:31:05.039 We're all bringing it to the table. 00:31:05.279 --> 00:31:07.440 Now, what if we brought more containers? 00:31:08.799 --> 00:31:15.680 All of us have five, ten, twenty, some of you extroverts, five hundred people in your circle of influence. 00:31:16.559 --> 00:31:19.119 We don't have wealthy people. 00:31:19.359 --> 00:31:20.720 We have very few. 00:31:20.960 --> 00:31:24.880 It shocked consultants that do this all of the time. 00:31:27.039 --> 00:31:38.000 And every major gift we've been given has come from someone who's here, a part of this movement, sharing what God has done with someone in their circle of influence. 00:31:38.240 --> 00:31:43.920 It has brought another container to the table for God to fill. 00:31:44.160 --> 00:31:49.359 Maybe all you've got is 20 bucks a month, and you've convinced yourself it's nothing. 00:31:49.599 --> 00:31:52.000 But what if you have five friends that will match it? 00:31:52.160 --> 00:31:58.079 I'm asking you to leverage the same circle of influence that God has placed in your life. 00:31:58.319 --> 00:32:04.000 Some of you will not hesitate to knock down my door to sell me some thin mints. 00:32:04.079 --> 00:32:09.759 And I promise you, thin mints, as much as they taste like heaven, are not getting anyone there. 00:32:10.880 --> 00:32:12.880 How uncomfortable are we willing to get? 00:32:13.039 --> 00:32:15.119 What conversations are we willing to have? 00:32:15.279 --> 00:32:25.039 And you have to understand, every neighbor who gave a container got the opportunity to be a part of a miracle. 00:32:25.519 --> 00:32:29.759 This isn't a bait and switch to get inside people's wallets. 00:32:30.640 --> 00:32:37.279 This is giving people an opportunity to invest in something that will last for eternity. 00:32:51.119 --> 00:32:58.960 And if we are willing to share what God is doing here, I believe we will see miracle multiplication. 00:32:59.920 --> 00:33:06.000 Maybe you've joined us for the first time, or maybe today for the first time you've decided to give your pledge. 00:33:06.240 --> 00:33:10.799 And maybe you're considering taking this out to some people in your circle. 00:33:11.200 --> 00:33:14.720 We've tried to make it very easy for anyone who wants to be involved to give to this. 00:33:14.880 --> 00:33:18.640 All the information is found at metachurch.tv slash whatever it takes. 00:33:18.720 --> 00:33:25.200 You can also just go to metachurch.tv and click the big red banner right at the top. 00:33:25.440 --> 00:33:31.839 When you go to make your pledge, the first page is the total amount that you want to give over three years. 00:33:32.079 --> 00:33:41.680 The next page, if you don't have an account, we'll have you create one, and the page after that, you'll set up your monthly recurring gift so you can fulfill the pledge that you made. 00:33:41.920 --> 00:33:50.079 Bring your oil, look into your circle, realize the lives are on the line. 00:33:50.799 --> 00:33:58.640 And sometimes we can fall back into an old way of thinking that the church will reach the people. 00:33:59.440 --> 00:34:04.240 Please remember, you are the church. 00:34:05.119 --> 00:34:09.119 You're not funding someone else's building or someone else's movement. 00:34:10.000 --> 00:34:22.639 You are funding yourself, your movement, the most powerful, purposeful, impactful movement that has ever and will ever be on planet Earth. 00:34:22.880 --> 00:34:23.920 Would you pray with me? 00:34:24.079 --> 00:34:25.679 Father, we we love you. 00:34:25.920 --> 00:34:27.840 I ask that we would be bold. 00:34:28.079 --> 00:34:30.159 God, I'm I'm walking the same line. 00:34:30.320 --> 00:34:44.559 I am I am like texting uh the same people in my circle with the same sweaty palms because I'm getting out of my comfort zone to give people an opportunity to join with what we're doing. 00:34:44.800 --> 00:34:46.480 I pray for boldness. 00:34:48.719 --> 00:35:04.000 I pray that today would be the day that many of us would stop discounting the very things you've placed in our life that your desire is to use in our life to move us towards our purpose. 00:35:05.119 --> 00:35:16.719 I pray we would bring all that we are, all that we have, and those that we know, and use all of it to do whatever it takes. 00:35:17.039 --> 00:35:22.320 God, we pray for the people in our city who do not know you, who are living without hope. 00:35:22.559 --> 00:35:31.840 We pray for fractured families, we pray for people who are dealing with dependencies, desperately seeking something to put their faith in. 00:35:32.800 --> 00:35:46.800 We ask for your favor and provision, for your blessing, that you would continue to make a way for us to create as much space for as many souls to meet with your spirit. 00:35:46.960 --> 00:35:47.519 We love you. 00:35:47.599 --> 00:35:49.840 And we pray these things in Jesus' name. 00:35:50.159 --> 00:35:50.800 Amen. 00:35:51.519 --> 00:35:53.840 Now, a couple things, reminders. 00:35:54.159 --> 00:35:59.440 Tonight, October 25th at 6 p.m., I'm gonna be on Facebook Live. 00:35:59.599 --> 00:36:10.880 I hope you guys will join because at that point I'll actually be able to give an update of uh where we're really at in the campaign and just how much progress we've made towards that$3 million mark. 00:36:11.039 --> 00:36:14.400 As always, do not neglect your normal giving. 00:36:14.559 --> 00:36:18.960 We have to stay strong and healthy just functionally and operationally. 00:36:19.119 --> 00:36:22.480 So give, you can give at metachurch.tv or on the MetaCurch app. 00:36:22.559 --> 00:36:24.719 Make sure you're following us on social media. 00:36:24.960 --> 00:36:29.199 And next Sunday, I'm gonna see some of you here in the seats. 00:36:29.280 --> 00:36:33.760 We're asking you to attend early and to attend in Helotus. 00:36:33.920 --> 00:36:37.440 To social distance, we have to service distance. 00:36:37.760 --> 00:36:41.360 We have to spread out evenly across our services. 00:36:41.519 --> 00:36:49.760 Do your part by either coming to the early service at the saloon, or really, it would be helpful for some of you to go out to Helotus. 00:36:49.840 --> 00:36:53.039 It's the same message, the same movement, the same mission. 00:36:53.199 --> 00:36:56.800 We have two uh the two venues, but we have one vision. 00:36:56.960 --> 00:36:57.920 I love you guys. 00:36:58.079 --> 00:36:59.760 Thank you for joining us today. 00:37:00.000 --> 00:37:04.079 Continue to be safe and continue to be the movement. 00:37:07.360 --> 00:37:10.000 Thanks so much for listening to the message today. 00:37:10.239 --> 00:37:15.440 If this was helpful to you and you want to help us get the word out, you can subscribe to this podcast. 00:37:15.599 --> 00:37:18.559 You can rate and review or share it with your friends. 00:37:18.800 --> 00:37:25.440 If you want to get connected further with what MetaCurch is doing, you can go online to metachurch.tv. 00:37:25.760 --> 00:37:35.840 There you can learn how to take next steps, you can learn where our different venues are at if you ever wanted to visit, and you can also give financially to help push this movement forward. 00:37:36.159 --> 00:37:39.599 Man, I love you guys, and I hope you have a great rest of your day.