We have been looking at Reese, 23 and just, as a recap last
year, I launched reach 20 reach, which is a 10-year vision of
10-year, plan of how we're going to extend our reach to reach the
lost. And we talked about how this is
in response to the awareness that the church is called not to
set up camp. Not to be comfortable, but to
make disciples who to spread the good news of Jesus and we're on
a mission that is our mission and so extending our reach, the
restore lost its some new wording but essentially that's
been our mission. Since the founder of this church
and that is indeed, what should be the church?
Global's mission to make Christ know, and the way we looked at
doing that it's creating spaces and places the people would make
Delta G And I recap to what we did last year, we created some
wonderful spaces, youth more dirt or invention land.
I treasure chest Ministry, them online spaces.
I looked at some of the stats of growth there as well.
And places, including our Hatfield site.
And then we looked at the new spaces for this year.
I'll connect Lounge, we're going to launch.
In fact, we got a photo of our connect lounge, if you haven't
seen the sketch here, that's what that's going to look like
at the atrium, where we knock through those doors and have an
amazing place where we can Ensure Can connect into the life
of church and have a host team. They're all people get connected
to connect groups or after all support.
They may need up your book shop, except your so look to the new
space is we're going to be launching this year.
As it relates to our young adults, 18 to 25 and Edward
unpack that for us, really excited about, or the initiative
there in creating the new Sunday evening service, which will be
for young adults, as well. And the last week, we looked at
new places for this year, in addition, to our Hadfield site,
we are launching Ian and you cite this year in a prison in
the mount that we got a picture of the mount prison here as
well. This is involving them as you
heard last week, we've already had a Ministry within in this
prison, but the favor of God is upon us and the call of God is
upon us to extend our reach in that place.
And so we're going to be setting up a site directly in a prism,
really exciting. And so, where we are at now,
this week and next week, I want to shift gears a little bit It
and answer the question, how do you get to play?
How do you get to be part of this?
Because as I hope, you know, by now, one of our key values here
is everyone gets to play. This is a not, this is not
something you just sit back and watch the people on the stage.
Do this is not a spectator sport.
Everyone is a minister of the grace of God.
Everyone is a minister. Everyone here is called to use
the gifts of the Spirit and extend God's Kingdom, right?
You realize that? Yeah, nod your head if you
agree. Good.
And so we have a part to play in making reach happen and here is
the reach brochure, which you had the reach brochure, kind of
looks at all of those things we've looked at over the past
few weeks and there is a bit on how everyone gets to play at the
end and it looks about how we can participate and there's
really two components to how we can participate.
One is bringing, our talents are gifted Use those gifts of Grace
and God's given us. And I've already had so many
conversations as has the team of people saying.
I'm going to get involved with that, want to get involved with
this and we're going to look at that next week as we end the
series. But this week we're going to
look at a subject which you're told never to talk about money.
And if you're new, welcome ah, you know, I was thinking about
the subject of money and the Lord reminded me of Center
parcs. Well, who's in one been sent
box. It's a great player.
Many of you, you know, when you go outside to the Rapids and it
will warm the warm Waters, all warm and then re aside there's a
cold water plunge, you know, the one, I mean and you know who's
been in that plunge pool, it is cutting guns like that, it is
cold and you get out and it's cold.
Anyway, You call this and then you look at this plunge for you.
Like I really want to die but jump into that but everyone
telling me I should. So that's just me.
I'm there pressure all over it now.
So you dive into you jump into it and it's all won't freeze and
then you people want to take this so you can lo you can stay
in there and eventually you acclimatized to it.
I love having these games. I mean it's not when I was a kid
I loved doing it now. Come on more than 15. 20 seconds
anyway you acclimatized to it and the truth is actually those
cold water plunge pools are very good for you.
They're very good for you. In many benefits, many ways you
see where I'm going with this. When you talk about money, it's
a bit like, looking the cold plunge, pool guy, really do want
to jump into that. It's going to be a shock to the
system. Yes, I appreciate it.
It is a bit of a shock to the system but it's good for you.
Okay it might when I talk about money this morning it might make
you go all. Whoa.
But as I speak the holy spirit, will warm it to your heart and
it's going to be good for your life.
Why? Because the truth is money.
The heart of money when we talk about money is about our hearts.
It's A discipleship issue. Let's look at money Jesus.
This some interesting stats out of the 38 Parables.
How many do you think they'll with money?
16 really nice a lot. It is a lot, isn't it out of 10
verses in the New Testament? Why at one out of ten verses in
the New Testament deals with money?
But every out of all the verses in the New Testament, 10% deal
with money. That's a high percentage Fired,
there's five hundred verses on prayer in the scriptures fewer
than 500 and on faith and over 2,000 or money. 15% of all that
Jesus talked about was about money more than Heaven and Hell
combined and you believe it. So I rather think that it is my
duty as your pastor The talk about money, why?
Because it's an issue of the heart.
It's about discipleship. And I want to let you onto a
little secret. The reach vision.
Has a dual purpose. The reach Vision has a dual
purpose. It's extending our reach to
reach the lost and extending ourselves to grow in Christ.
You see reaches about extending our reach to reach the loss, but
it's also about extending ourselves, the growing Christ.
You see by God's grace. He puts in front of us
opportunities and escapades, where we extend his kingdom, but
we're in made, in the process. God grows us to be more like
him. And you see reach is as much
about A discipleship program. As it is about saving Souls.
Do you know that? This church, it we are called
not to be a Christian convert Factory.
We called to be a disciple making body of Christ.
And so when you say yes to being part of this church, you sign up
to becoming a disciple. And so the exciting thing is
that reach presents us with an opportunity, a program to be
discipled and to grow more like Christ.
And part of that has to be there for has to be there for and how
we use our money and Steward our money in the context of that
discipleship program. Are you with me?
I want to do want to start talking about money.
I mean, this talk is going to have a lot of content, but I'm
not going to go too deep but go quite wide.
It's more of a teach than a preach.
There's a lot of things I want to talk teach on, and you might
want to take notes, you might want to re-watch it, but I want
this to be almost like a definitive Guide to Money and
we're going to look at things like the LIE of money. the truth
of given, How we can give? And the different types of
giving, okay? On look at the LIE of money, the
truth of given there's different types of how we can give and how
we, okay? So let's start by looking at
Matthew 6, 1921 because I think you have to set the scene
correctly. When we talk about money, it's
going to be on the screen as well and if your home is going
to be on your device and this is Jesus, talking, he's saying
this. Do not lay up for yourselves,
Treasures on Earth, where moth and rust destroy and where
thieves Thieves break in and steal.
But instead, lay up for yourselves, Treasures in Heaven.
Where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do
not break in and steal for where your treasure.
Is there. Your heart is also, but where
your treasure is there, your heart is also and, and what
treasure is Jesus talking about when he says, do not lay up for
yourselves, Treasures on Earth. Well, we can skip to verse 24
that gives us the answer Jesus says, no one can serve two
masters, either he will hate the one.
And love the other or he will be devoted to the one and despise
the other. Then he says this, you cannot
serve God and money. The Jesus is addressing a heart
attack issue here. He's saying, listen, your heart
should not be divided between God and money because where your
treasure is, if your treasure is the money that you store up for
yourselves here on Earth, that is where your hearts going to
be. I always used to read that
thinking. We shouldn't it be the other way
around where your heart is. You're going to put your
treasure? No, no.
It doesn't work like that. You see where you invest and
where you put your treasure where Your money is that is
where your heart inclines towards because you see, we have
to recognize the importance of our hearts throughout scripture.
The heart is the center of our being.
It is our emotions. It is our reason, it is our will
is like the rudder of our life. It's the Jew North.
If you like of our life our hearts inclinations direct our
thought processes and our resulting decision.
That is the important of our heart.
I'm Proverbs 4:23, says this Above All Else.
Guard your heart, everything you do flows from it, you see in
this everything you do flows from your heart and where your
treasure is, you see there. Your heart is also And that's
why money is such a powerful subject that's why money is so
dangerous. Not money in itself, monies of
tall, but the love of money is the root of all evil.
Because you see the Love of Money would dictate where our
heart is, and where our heart is, will be eight where we go.
It says in Hosea 10 too. That their heart is divided.
Now, they shall be found 40. What does that mean?
It means that we should not be living with a divided heart.
We have not been created to have a divided art.
We've been created to have an undivided heart towards God and
When sin came in he brought division.
Now we look to Holiness in the pursuit series and I said, the
pursue Holiness is a total lie. Undivided devoted heart towards
thought. That's what Holiness is been set
apart for him without an undivided heart, you following
me? And so given that, if you are
saying, yes, I want Jesus at the center and we sang it at, we, we
sang about Jesus earlier. Then, you have to, you have to
address the issue of money in our lives, in order to ensure
that our heart is not divided. and the problem we have with
money, And I include myself in this is that it the lies of
money are so subtle. And especially for us in this
Western materialistic worldview that we live it.
You know, it is so subtle that we often times completely miss
it. So I want to start by giving you
The Tell-Tale signs of the love of money at this is the bit
where we start plunging into the cold pool because some of these
might touch you a little bit. But this is not about
condemnation is not about guilt, it's about conviction which
leads to Freedom. He condemnation of the enemy
would lead you into bondage conviction of the holy spirit
will lead you into Freedom, you see the difference and I've had
to pry continually have to process these four things in my
life because I recognize that the Trap and the danger.
So, with that being said, let's look at these four things.
Number one, the LIE of money money will bring you happiness,
and fulfill you. Now this is very subtle because
if I said, well, money bring you happiness.
You'll probably say to me. No, of course, it won't.
But the way we live our life wouldn't always suggest.
That now of course I am not going to stand here and say that
money. Doesn't take stresses away.
It does, doesn't it? You know, the absence of money
brings us stress when we think about how an early going to pay
those bills, how am I going to buy that thing for my child who
really needs it? like, Money takes away those
stresses. But money doesn't give you
happiness. It is a difference.
I mean the only happened to me yesterday, I'm so susceptible to
this. I was in the petrol for court.
And I hear this this Rumble of a V12 engine.
I could tell the dish with a V8 of B12 who can I don't know if
that's so I should admit, I don't know, but I look around
and there is a yellow SUV Lamborghini of the newer
Lamborghinis with a private play on it.
And a guy, that'll really happy in the car.
Once again, I had Daniel by my side in the card.
If you're wondering what this story goes, have to look at the
talks were a few weeks ago and there was a, there was a, there
was a moment I said, man, I wish I had to get a number giving
because I would feel so good if that's all.
This is your senior pastor speaking.
So I'm the I'm not devoid of any of these things.
I remember, you know, I I had, I mean, some of, you know, our
story I was in business for a long time.
No, we've had nothing. We've had lots with that
everything in between. I remember when I was about to
sell my last cup company and I thought I'm gonna buy an Aston
Martin. I was blessed that I had the
resources to be able to do that. So I went to the Aston Martin
showroom in. Well, it's not there and I said
I would like to test drive the Aston Martin Vanquish on a
50,000 pound. Thought why not?
I know shocking isn't it? But I thought well, I should I
deserve. I worked hard.
You know, why not? So I get in the car and I'm
driving this Aston Martin and I won't lie to you as beautiful
machine. Very good Edge, big.
Well naturally aspirated, which is nice.
Oh, you pet your heads? I know you appreciate some this.
All those are not speak to me after as I'll explain.
And I remember going, you know, where have filled the Galleria
is and you've got the, you got the, you know where I'm going
with this and the guys, like just drop the windows, got the
windows lower it, I was loving it, but this is making me really
happy and then had to pull into well in Garden City, and I don't
know why, but I decided we the route we took.
We had to drive around near John Lewis and this other and I
certainly had the looks not for me.
Of course, the card, tell myself, This is not in my notes
to shock. This is the danger when you got
off your nose. But the point I'm trying to make
here is I offer I decided not to go with the acronym, it was.
And listen, I just want to say if you're watching or you own an
Aston Martin, I'd enjoy it. You know?
I'm not suggesting, it's a bad thing to buy one.
If God says it's okay, then you give the green light then.
Enjoy their generally. I'm not, I'm not being flippant,
you know, I'm not being flippant about it but equally God did not
give me the green light. It wasn't going to be right for
me. There are times when I look at
lasting Martin, the goes by, and I think I should have bought
that Aston Martin when I had the chance, the that chance is gone.
The point I'm trying to make, is it affect us?
We look at our neighbor. We look at the people out there.
We look at the stings. We think if only I could have
that are we if only I had that are my life will be fulfilled.
But it's the LIE of money. Holy spirit, would you help us
have the eyes to see that lie and to hear that lie?
You know, he says in the in scriptures that the devil is he
is the father of Lies. I know, I know, I know
millionaires who have so much on their Never Satisfied.
I was speaking to someone couple years ago and said, I've got a
friend who sold his company. You bought one car that he had
to buy another car and they brought up then he bought an
error code. And seriously he just I have
people who are friends, who are not millionaires.
And but the point I'm trying to make, he said this guy is Never
Satisfied. He is chasing and he's chasing
and you see the LIE of money is that it would satisfy you and be
happy get one number to the other line of money.
Money will give you status and identity.
If only, I looked like that with those clothes that are for
Success, if someone sees me drive up in a nice car, then
they'll know, I've made it if someone walks into my lovely
home then they'll feel like I've got it sorted.
You think the LIE of money is that our status will come from
that when of course we know the opposite is true.
Our status our identity comes from Christ that we are a child
of the Living. God that we are a co-heir with
Christ that were part of a peculiar people.
Yes you are the we're ambassadors that we are a royal
priesthood. That's where your identity comes
from. It doesn't matter how much money
you have, that identity will never change.
And yet, the LIE of money is that money will give you the
space. Is that you so desperately?
Think you need but you will find it, wanting, you will find it
one. That's number two, the LIE of
money who will give you States identity.
Number three. This is a, this is just such a
subtle one, just a little bit, more money will be enough.
It's heard of John Deere Echo, Rockefeller.
Yeah. I mean, 19th century, all Baron
and philanthropist if you if you if you looked at his wealth now
and take into account inflation, all that kind of stuff, he would
be worth three hundred and sixty billion dollars.
I mean, at the mosque is only $165, sorry, Island Musk But do
you know what John D Rockefeller said when someone asked him, how
much is enough money? You know, he said if the little
bit more A little bit more. And you see the problem with
money is when you think you just need a little bit more, let me
tell you. That is a sign that you're
trapped, you're in bondage. Listen, we got to understand.
There's some Kingdom principles that we need to understand here,
whatever you worship. You'll be in bondage to unless
it's Jesus, understand, whatever you worship.
Other than God, you will be put in bondage.
Sookie from worship. If money is your god, in other
words, if it takes the center of your life and your thought
process and you put your trust in it, then it's not going to
give you Freedom, it will put you in bondage and one of these
one of these areas is the lie that you need.
Money is a wonderful tool, but it is a terrible Tyrant money is
a tyrant. Number four.
How you doing? Okay.
Are we signed to acclimatize the cold water yet?
No, not yet. Still shivering money.
Is number four, number lie, number line. 0 number four.
Bye. I blame the fact.
I've only had one cup of coffee today.
I normally by this point of every is that you know money is
more trustworthy than God that's line on.
Before the LIE of money is that our security comes from our
wealth. Now this is a big trap for me.
My bank balance, change my mood like that.
Nobody else. You know, I mean, if my bank
balance looks healthy, the world is, alright with me?
if I can map out the next 10 years, a 10 months, maybe 10
weeks and days, then I'm okay, but if my bank balance doesn't
reflect, What I perceived to be secure then he throws me for a
loop and all of a sudden the scriptures and the truth that I
know that Jesus is my provider seemed to fall out the window,
anybody else experience at then end up.
You see, when you look to money to bring you security right on,
this is the another spiritual Dynamic.
When you look to money to bring you security, what actually
happens is it will give you fear and anxiety.
If you want to know whether or not you are, you are looking at
money for your security and ask yourself the question.
I might full of fear and anxiety about money, if you are, then
you are. And I know that because that's a
walk. I have to go through
continually. And by the way, it's not like,
all of a sudden, you understand, these lies.
And you think right? My life is sorted.
That's buddy. Look at this, a caffeine.
Here we thank you, buddy. Man, you are storing for
yourselves up. Treasures in Heaven brother.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. He made it public.
No, hahaha. Thank you buddy, okay.
It's not like you're going to some of these out overnight and
you'll be free of them. We have to continually work at,
okay? They're the four things, I
desire helpful, right? And the Lord's, Iraq and the
Lord, the holy Island have been prophetic to know this, but in a
room of this size, the Lord has already spoken to a few of you
about where you land on me and that my prayer for you is and
will have opportunity end of the service, do some business with
God. Okay, so let's let's look at
Paradox that not parallel. We put the reverse side of this,
which is the for truth of given. For True, is our given number
one, it positions us for his Blessing.
Now, you know there are scriptures in the Bible that you
look at and as plain as day and I want to reference a couple but
I want to do so sensitively and you'll see why in a moment.
Let's look at proverbs 3:9-10. Wow, is that the time?
Amazing. Right, going to change the
schedule for the next couple of weeks.
This is money, part 1, money part 2 next week.
Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your
crops, then your barns will be filled to overflowing and your
Vats will brim brim over with you. 2 Corinthians 9:6.
The point is this whoever sows sparingly will also reap
sparingly and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bound
to. Now, why do I want to be
sensitive about this? Because there are many parts of
the church who have taken this and turned it into a formula.
They've taken a Godly principle and turned it into a worldly
formula to gain more money. We've all heard those Prosperity
preachers that if you sell one bound will get 10 pounds back
and you know, we might still be alive, but I know that many
people have been caught in that trap.
This this principle I'm talking about is not about a formula as
if God is some kind of calculator.
This is about demonstrating the heart of God that He is wanting
to. Les each one of us.
In response to us, given him an undivided heart.
Are you serious? Now, I know many testimonies
where people have sown financially in something, and
they have been blessed in that area.
And I'm not saying God doesn't do that.
What I'm saying is the danger is, is that we can turn it into
some kind of expectancy from the Lord.
As a I gave you 10 pounds, Lord, I expect 1,000 lb bag.
This is the danger. Now the problem with the
churches in response to this warped message this Prosperity
Gospel is that the chose doesn't want to talk about this
component at all. Lest someone gets offended but
the problem is you can't do that because it's in the scriptures
and I want to make it plain that when we pour Alpha God in all of
our areas, he will is no debtor to no man.
He will pull back it. Do you understand that?
And it's about our hearts. Matthew 6:33, says seek first,
the kingdom of God, and his righteousness and what all those
things that you need will be given unto you.
But yet we don't understand the difference between need and
want, do we mean that's the problem and up there, you know,
and Frank said this famously, no one has ever become poor by
giving. Being generous yield more to us
than we could ever imagine. And you see the enemy would stop
you even by doing this? Now, try and receive when you've
got closed hair. Will you be able to receive from
hands like this, though? What happens when you give
freely? As you can refer, Ali, ra sing.
I'm that are Serb and up. All joking aside, we are going
to extend this to look out for next week.
Please come next week. Because I haven't got to the
punchline yet and it's rather good.
But actually by by God's foreknowledge, he knew that will
do this every two weeks. I think, I think if I'm honest
I'm joking aside. This is a really important
subject and actually no I was trained as a when I was in
corporate land. As a public spokesperson, I got
trained on how to deal with me doing this together and we got
talk about the best time to drop news.
You know. You can hide bad news and a
particular new cycle or you need to wait for a certain cycle when
you want to put good news. And the reality is, is that, if
this is not necessarily a good time to talk about money as it
is, the preacher talking about money, has he seen inflation
hitting on here that the bank of England?
Just put the base rate up again and my mortgage is looking
crazy. Now, humanly speaking, this is
the worst time for me to speak about money.
But I actually think this is the best time for us to be about
money because for many of us, we are caught up in fear and
anxiety about money. And the reason is, is because we
are worshipping money and God wants a status brief and, as I
said to you reaches about extending our reach to reach the
lost, but it's also about extending ourselves to grow in
Christ. And I believe there's over next
couple of weeks this week. And next week, there's going to
be breakthrough as it relates to some of you guys with money.
I mean you can look at the brochure will look at it next
week in more detail around what we're trying to raise and and
why that's important and what that enables us to do.
But let's put all that aside of the moment and say this God is
seeking us and meet included, begin our houses in order.
You could often tell someone's priority by looking at that
Banks though. and their diary, And so I'm grateful to God,
that. Hello.
Good to see you, Fred? Why do worship faster?
Whoo. Let's, let's down guys.