1 00:00:03,320 --> 00:00:05,960 Welcome to the Liberty Baptist Sermon Archives. 2 00:00:06,200 --> 00:00:09,040 The message you're about to hear was preached at Liberty Baptist 3 00:00:09,040 --> 00:00:13,040 Church in Easton, MA. You can find out more about us 4 00:00:13,040 --> 00:00:17,280 or contact us at my libertybaptist.org or just look 5 00:00:17,280 --> 00:00:19,760 us up on Facebook. And now we hope that this 6 00:00:19,760 --> 00:00:22,080 message from God's Word will be a blessing to you. 7 00:00:25,000 --> 00:00:28,240 Moving throughout the New Testament this evening, we asked 8 00:00:28,240 --> 00:00:31,320 the question this morning, what percentage is right? 9 00:00:31,400 --> 00:00:33,520 Amen. What percentage is right? 10 00:00:33,520 --> 00:00:36,440 And of course, we looked at the issue of the tithe being the 11 00:00:36,440 --> 00:00:38,280 10th. And I don't believe there's any 12 00:00:38,280 --> 00:00:41,320 contesting that in the Word of God, even as you go to the first 13 00:00:41,320 --> 00:00:45,920 mention back in Genesis chapter #14 and we tied together the 14 00:00:45,920 --> 00:00:50,120 fact of the tithe being given to Melchizedek was 10% that was 15 00:00:50,120 --> 00:00:54,640 being given to God by Abraham. Then we looked at very briefly, 16 00:00:54,640 --> 00:00:59,040 Jake, who also in his own way was tithing to the Lord as well, 17 00:00:59,240 --> 00:01:03,200 and we saw that all of this was done before the law was given. 18 00:01:03,400 --> 00:01:06,160 Now, why is that important? Because we made a supposition 19 00:01:06,160 --> 00:01:10,440 this morning that the tithe was before the law, The tithe was 20 00:01:10,480 --> 00:01:15,040 during the law, and the tithe was and is for today as well. 21 00:01:15,040 --> 00:01:18,040 And so we started by looking at the tithe before the law. 22 00:01:18,040 --> 00:01:19,800 Then we saw the tithe during the law. 23 00:01:19,800 --> 00:01:21,600 We looked at the book of Deuteronomy. 24 00:01:21,600 --> 00:01:23,120 We considered the book of Leviticus. 25 00:01:23,120 --> 00:01:25,560 And then of course, we also spent some time in the book of 26 00:01:25,560 --> 00:01:30,200 Malachi as well, and we saw that we will literally rob God when 27 00:01:30,200 --> 00:01:33,600 we do not give Him that which already belongs to Him. 28 00:01:33,720 --> 00:01:35,880 Amen. It's not for us to decide 29 00:01:36,000 --> 00:01:39,440 whether we are going to give or how much to give, but rather it 30 00:01:39,440 --> 00:01:41,960 belongs to God. And he has decided already when 31 00:01:41,960 --> 00:01:44,680 we withhold it, we are withholding that which belongs 32 00:01:44,680 --> 00:01:46,720 to God. And so we came to the conclusion 33 00:01:46,720 --> 00:01:49,320 at the end of the message this morning that the percentage that 34 00:01:49,320 --> 00:01:52,600 is right is actually not 10% at all, but the percentage is 35 00:01:52,600 --> 00:01:54,840 actually 100. Now why is that? 36 00:01:54,840 --> 00:01:56,440 Because we have to give all of our money to God. 37 00:01:56,440 --> 00:01:58,800 You can't have anything. 100% of it belongs to Him. 38 00:01:59,000 --> 00:02:00,760 And the answer is yes, that's exactly what I'm saying. 39 00:02:00,760 --> 00:02:02,600 No, I'm just kidding. That's not what I'm saying at 40 00:02:02,600 --> 00:02:04,760 all. But that everything you have, 41 00:02:04,960 --> 00:02:08,199 that everything that you are, that everything that God has 42 00:02:08,199 --> 00:02:11,160 blessed you with, it truly all belongs to Him. 43 00:02:11,160 --> 00:02:15,640 And a stewarding life is this. As God has enriched me, I will 44 00:02:15,640 --> 00:02:18,840 make sure that I do with that which he has given to my trust. 45 00:02:19,040 --> 00:02:22,480 I will do with it rightly. Whether it's the tithe, whether 46 00:02:22,480 --> 00:02:26,320 it's the other 90% that I need to be able to spend in a way 47 00:02:26,320 --> 00:02:29,800 that is good and right and honorable towards God, or 48 00:02:29,800 --> 00:02:33,080 whether it's, as the old saying goes, my time, my talents, my 49 00:02:33,080 --> 00:02:35,720 treasure. That all of it belongs to Jesus 50 00:02:35,720 --> 00:02:38,160 Christ 100% and that we give it to him. 51 00:02:38,160 --> 00:02:40,440 Now I know there's some folks here tonight that maybe aren't 52 00:02:40,440 --> 00:02:41,960 members here at Liberty Baptist Church. 53 00:02:42,160 --> 00:02:44,240 And I want you to know that the point of the message this 54 00:02:44,240 --> 00:02:47,920 evening is not to try to induce you into giving to Liberty 55 00:02:47,920 --> 00:02:50,120 Baptist Church. That is not the point of having 56 00:02:50,120 --> 00:02:52,240 a stewardship Sunday. But I will tell you this. 57 00:02:52,440 --> 00:02:54,960 These are the biblical principles that we see that when 58 00:02:54,960 --> 00:02:58,600 you are in your church, wherever God has LED you or wherever God 59 00:02:58,600 --> 00:03:02,640 does lead you, that this is what the Bible teaches about giving 60 00:03:02,800 --> 00:03:06,600 when it considers the Church of which you are a part of. 61 00:03:06,600 --> 00:03:09,240 And so this is not again a telethon I mentioned. 62 00:03:09,240 --> 00:03:10,600 The Jerry Lewis telethon this morning. 63 00:03:10,600 --> 00:03:13,640 I had so many blank stares this morning that nobody knew from a 64 00:03:13,640 --> 00:03:16,000 certain age bracket who even Jerry Lewis was and what I 65 00:03:16,000 --> 00:03:16,840 think. They don't even know what a 66 00:03:16,840 --> 00:03:18,880 telethon is anymore, all all things considered. 67 00:03:18,880 --> 00:03:21,240 I don't think that's the thing. If I said a GoFundMe, everybody 68 00:03:21,240 --> 00:03:22,520 would know what that is nowadays. 69 00:03:22,560 --> 00:03:24,480 Amen. But that's the way money is 70 00:03:24,480 --> 00:03:27,160 raised now a lot of times. But the idea is this is not a 71 00:03:27,160 --> 00:03:30,400 fundraising scheme. This is not pastor preaching 72 00:03:30,400 --> 00:03:33,040 because the church is about to go under and we need to raise 73 00:03:33,040 --> 00:03:34,720 some quick cash or something like that. 74 00:03:34,880 --> 00:03:37,600 No, these are biblical principles that we must 75 00:03:37,600 --> 00:03:39,520 understand. And whether there's money at the 76 00:03:39,520 --> 00:03:42,000 bank at Liberty Baptist Church, and there is, or whether 77 00:03:42,000 --> 00:03:43,280 there's. No money in the Bank of Liberty. 78 00:03:43,280 --> 00:03:46,320 Baptist Church that these principles are good and right 79 00:03:46,320 --> 00:03:49,280 and we don't give depending on what's the spreadsheet on 80 00:03:49,280 --> 00:03:52,720 Liberty Baptist Church's profit and loss statement, but rather 81 00:03:52,720 --> 00:03:56,240 we give because this is good and right and what the Bible tells 82 00:03:56,240 --> 00:03:58,120 us to do. And so we're going to look this 83 00:03:58,120 --> 00:04:00,320 evening at Matthew chapter 23. So why don't you go ahead and 84 00:04:00,320 --> 00:04:01,520 stand for the reading of God's Word? 85 00:04:01,720 --> 00:04:04,000 Matthew chapter #23 We read 2 verses. 86 00:04:05,400 --> 00:04:11,360 If you are able, turn to Matthew chapter 23 and we'll read verse 87 00:04:11,360 --> 00:04:12,400 one. It says this. 88 00:04:12,400 --> 00:04:15,560 Then Jesus spake to the multitude and to his disciples. 89 00:04:15,560 --> 00:04:18,120 Now stop right there. There's two groups. 90 00:04:18,120 --> 00:04:21,800 They're being spoken to here. He's speaking to the multitudes, 91 00:04:22,240 --> 00:04:24,280 that He is speaking to the disciples. 92 00:04:24,520 --> 00:04:28,600 Now. Verse 23, Matthew 2323. 93 00:04:29,240 --> 00:04:34,000 Woe unto you, scribes. And Pharisees hypocrites, for 94 00:04:34,000 --> 00:04:38,800 you pay tithe of mint and anise and cumin, and have omitted the 95 00:04:38,800 --> 00:04:43,320 weightier matters. Of the law, judgment, mercy, and 96 00:04:43,320 --> 00:04:48,320 faith, these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other 97 00:04:48,880 --> 00:04:52,400 undone. Say, Pastor, what does that have 98 00:04:52,400 --> 00:04:54,360 to do with tithing? Well, we're looking at just a 99 00:04:54,360 --> 00:04:56,800 moment. Doesn't seem to me that Jesus is 100 00:04:56,800 --> 00:05:00,920 condemning tithing here at all. But he is condemning a heart 101 00:05:01,200 --> 00:05:05,640 that maybe is a tithing heart, but not a heart that belongs to 102 00:05:05,640 --> 00:05:06,680 Him. So. 103 00:05:06,680 --> 00:05:09,240 Really, the issue tonight, as we've already seen, is this. 104 00:05:09,440 --> 00:05:12,480 Sure, the tithe is good and right, but God wants more than 105 00:05:12,480 --> 00:05:14,800 your tithe. He wants all of you. 106 00:05:15,320 --> 00:05:18,280 And that includes your heart. So why don't you be seated as we 107 00:05:18,280 --> 00:05:21,200 pray together and we'll do some more exploration of the New 108 00:05:21,200 --> 00:05:24,000 Testament this evening. Heavenly Father, I do thank you 109 00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:25,600 for your word. I pray at you again. 110 00:05:25,600 --> 00:05:29,720 You helped me with this, a very important situation and looking 111 00:05:29,720 --> 00:05:31,640 at stewardship and far more than tithing. 112 00:05:32,000 --> 00:05:34,280 So I pray that you would just help me now as we consider these 113 00:05:34,280 --> 00:05:37,480 things that we do, ask it in the name of Christ, Amen. 114 00:05:38,480 --> 00:05:41,480 So we saw this morning that the tithe was before the law was 115 00:05:41,480 --> 00:05:43,720 given to Israel. We saw this morning that the 116 00:05:43,720 --> 00:05:46,520 tithe was part of the law that was given to Israel. 117 00:05:46,520 --> 00:05:50,720 And we see tonight, thirdly, this evening, we also see that 118 00:05:50,720 --> 00:05:55,520 the tithe was also given during the time of Christ and after the 119 00:05:55,520 --> 00:05:58,360 time of Christ as well. And if you're not following, 120 00:05:58,360 --> 00:06:01,520 that includes us here this evening as well, that the tithe 121 00:06:01,520 --> 00:06:04,320 was not just something that was spoken of in the Old Testament, 122 00:06:04,320 --> 00:06:06,960 but Jesus himself spoke of it as well. 123 00:06:06,960 --> 00:06:10,120 And it's something that is for us, US here today with the text 124 00:06:10,120 --> 00:06:12,280 that we just read. Jesus is talking to the 125 00:06:12,280 --> 00:06:14,640 disciples and he is talking to the multitudes. 126 00:06:14,640 --> 00:06:16,120 He's talking to those who are believers. 127 00:06:16,280 --> 00:06:18,240 He's talking to those who are unbelievers. 128 00:06:18,400 --> 00:06:21,560 And in this statement and he speaking many things in Matthew 129 00:06:21,560 --> 00:06:26,480 chapter #23 he says this, that there is a not a problem with 130 00:06:26,480 --> 00:06:29,040 the tithe. In fact, he is not condemning 131 00:06:29,040 --> 00:06:33,000 the Pharisees for their tithing. You notice what it says here? 132 00:06:33,000 --> 00:06:36,520 It says they are tithing on mint and anise and cumin. 133 00:06:36,520 --> 00:06:39,360 Now this is weird to us. I I was going through the spice 134 00:06:39,360 --> 00:06:41,760 drawer just this afternoon getting some things ready for 135 00:06:41,760 --> 00:06:43,720 lunch. And I was thinking, boy, should 136 00:06:43,720 --> 00:06:46,960 I give 10% of all these shakers that are in here to church? 137 00:06:46,960 --> 00:06:49,480 Could you imagine if we all brought 10% of our spice rack 138 00:06:49,880 --> 00:06:51,360 over to the church and started giving that? 139 00:06:51,480 --> 00:06:54,200 That's kind of strange to us because we tithe with, well, 140 00:06:54,320 --> 00:06:56,600 money, Amen. Please don't tithe your spices, 141 00:06:56,600 --> 00:06:57,720 All right? At Liberty Baptist Church, we 142 00:06:57,720 --> 00:07:00,160 don't have A use for them, but money is OK. 143 00:07:00,160 --> 00:07:02,720 Amen. But, but remember, this is the 144 00:07:03,000 --> 00:07:05,920 Society of which they lived in. It wasn't the fact that they 145 00:07:05,920 --> 00:07:08,760 were going to necessarily tie the money. 146 00:07:08,920 --> 00:07:11,480 They were tithing on their increase, whatever that could 147 00:07:11,480 --> 00:07:13,240 be. That could have been cattle, 148 00:07:13,240 --> 00:07:15,920 that could have been grain, that could have been any number of 149 00:07:15,920 --> 00:07:19,240 things that oftentimes that that tithe was not converted into 150 00:07:19,240 --> 00:07:21,680 money unless someone was coming from a great distance. 151 00:07:21,920 --> 00:07:25,920 And then all of that was used for the Levites and for the 152 00:07:26,040 --> 00:07:29,920 perpetuate perpetuity rather of the temple that all of these 153 00:07:29,920 --> 00:07:32,280 things were being used for that purpose. 154 00:07:32,280 --> 00:07:37,880 And so the Pharisees, they were being so careful in their tithes 155 00:07:38,280 --> 00:07:42,040 that they were literally going through any type of spices that 156 00:07:42,040 --> 00:07:44,440 they could have had. And if they had a spice that 157 00:07:44,440 --> 00:07:47,840 they had not tied on, they were going through and making sure 158 00:07:47,840 --> 00:07:51,560 they gave 10% of cumin. They were making sure they gave 159 00:07:51,560 --> 00:07:54,360 10% of anus. Now you would link to that and 160 00:07:54,360 --> 00:07:56,600 say, man, these guys are really spiritual. 161 00:07:56,600 --> 00:07:58,520 These guys, they are so spiritual. 162 00:07:58,520 --> 00:08:00,400 They're tithing even off of those things. 163 00:08:01,520 --> 00:08:04,440 And once again, Jesus is not condemning the tithe, and this 164 00:08:04,440 --> 00:08:07,400 is important. Was He condemning the heart 165 00:08:07,800 --> 00:08:10,920 behind the one who is tithing? Because what does he say? 166 00:08:11,320 --> 00:08:14,480 You've omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, 167 00:08:14,840 --> 00:08:18,600 mercy and faith, peace He ought to have done. 168 00:08:18,960 --> 00:08:20,680 And not to leave the other undone. 169 00:08:20,800 --> 00:08:23,880 He even says it's not that you shouldn't have done that. 170 00:08:24,480 --> 00:08:27,200 The tithe. It's that as you are tithing, 171 00:08:27,400 --> 00:08:30,480 you should understand that God doesn't need your human. 172 00:08:31,480 --> 00:08:36,320 God doesn't need your spices. Here's what he desires. 173 00:08:36,840 --> 00:08:39,600 He desires a heart that that will do right before him. 174 00:08:39,919 --> 00:08:42,000 And this is what the Pharisees did not understand. 175 00:08:42,000 --> 00:08:44,360 This is what the Pharisees could not grasp. 176 00:08:44,480 --> 00:08:48,520 But Jesus is the principle being preached by the Savior here is 177 00:08:48,520 --> 00:08:51,240 this, that the tithe itself is not a problem. 178 00:08:51,600 --> 00:08:54,440 Jesus very easily here could have abolished the tithe. 179 00:08:54,560 --> 00:08:56,520 He could have said that the tithe is no longer relevant, 180 00:08:56,520 --> 00:08:57,880 that the tithe is no longer leaded. 181 00:08:58,040 --> 00:09:00,720 But this is not what He said. He is really reiterating 182 00:09:00,720 --> 00:09:03,000 something that was said in the Old Testament that I read very 183 00:09:03,000 --> 00:09:06,200 briefly from the end of at the end of the message of First 184 00:09:06,200 --> 00:09:08,960 Samuel, that to hearken is better than the fat of Rams, 185 00:09:08,960 --> 00:09:12,320 that he doesn't need our offerings, he needs our heart. 186 00:09:13,720 --> 00:09:16,600 You know, when you have the heart for God, as he should, the 187 00:09:16,600 --> 00:09:20,240 offering part is easy. If, if I whip people into a 188 00:09:20,240 --> 00:09:23,480 frenzy about giving, you need to give, you need to give, you need 189 00:09:23,480 --> 00:09:25,680 to give, you could give and the heart not be right. 190 00:09:26,520 --> 00:09:30,440 And you'll give for a while, and then you'll stop giving, because 191 00:09:30,440 --> 00:09:33,200 really, that's not the issue. The issue is you need to give. 192 00:09:33,200 --> 00:09:34,480 You need to give. You need to give. 193 00:09:34,480 --> 00:09:37,800 The issue is this you. Need to give yourself to Jesus 194 00:09:38,520 --> 00:09:41,520 in every area of your life. You need to give yourself to 195 00:09:41,520 --> 00:09:43,200 Him. And you know when you fully give 196 00:09:43,200 --> 00:09:46,040 yourself to Jesus Christ, given of your wall. 197 00:09:46,040 --> 00:09:48,680 It's not nearly as hard. In fact, it's almost something 198 00:09:48,680 --> 00:09:53,480 that can be cheerful as it says it said Corinthians that we 199 00:09:53,480 --> 00:09:55,960 could be cheerful givers. And that word cheerful in the 200 00:09:55,960 --> 00:09:59,520 Greek that has the connotation of of hilarity being this, it's 201 00:09:59,520 --> 00:10:00,840 almost like as the plate goes by. 202 00:10:02,160 --> 00:10:04,680 It's time to give. Say, pastor, I've never felt 203 00:10:04,680 --> 00:10:09,040 like that. Well, okay, let's don't. 204 00:10:10,320 --> 00:10:12,080 Okay, maybe you shouldn't be laughing like that when the 205 00:10:12,080 --> 00:10:13,360 plate goes by. Someone might think you're 206 00:10:13,360 --> 00:10:19,440 touched, but the idea is this, that it's a joy to know I get to 207 00:10:19,440 --> 00:10:23,840 be part of what God is doing. I get to be part of missionaries 208 00:10:23,840 --> 00:10:26,320 working around the world. I get to be part of churches 209 00:10:26,320 --> 00:10:28,160 that are being started around the world. 210 00:10:28,280 --> 00:10:31,240 I get to be part of making sure that tracks are being printed 211 00:10:31,240 --> 00:10:34,680 and a website is on, that a church is open, that it's going 212 00:10:34,680 --> 00:10:38,000 to be ready for people to come in and see lives change. 213 00:10:38,680 --> 00:10:41,120 I get to be a part of that and I get to give you that. 214 00:10:41,120 --> 00:10:44,680 That is awesome. And that's what our heart should 215 00:10:44,680 --> 00:10:47,160 be. And so Jesus starts here, not by 216 00:10:47,160 --> 00:10:48,840 condemning the tithe, but he says this you got. 217 00:10:48,840 --> 00:10:51,840 To get your heart right. When it comes to the issues of 218 00:10:51,960 --> 00:10:54,800 all of life, but particularly the tithe as well. 219 00:10:54,960 --> 00:10:57,160 Now turn to Matthew chapter 6. We made mention of this this 220 00:10:57,160 --> 00:11:00,200 morning, Matthew chapter 6. I read this very briefly, but. 221 00:11:01,120 --> 00:11:04,080 I think it's good for us to read it again tonight, but the 222 00:11:04,080 --> 00:11:05,520 Pharisee had a big problem with this. 223 00:11:05,520 --> 00:11:07,760 The Pharisees had, oh, they had such a problem with this. 224 00:11:08,640 --> 00:11:16,520 Matthew chapter 6, verse #1 Take heed that you do not your alms 225 00:11:16,520 --> 00:11:21,240 before men to be seen of them. Otherwise you have no reward of 226 00:11:21,240 --> 00:11:23,920 your Father, which is in heaven. What did the Pharisees do? 227 00:11:24,120 --> 00:11:26,680 They want to make sure that everybody saw him give. 228 00:11:27,480 --> 00:11:30,320 Everybody saw him give. And by the way, I've said this 229 00:11:30,320 --> 00:11:33,040 before, but just as a reminder to you when that offering plate 230 00:11:33,040 --> 00:11:35,400 goes by and if you put an offering in the plate, you know, 231 00:11:35,480 --> 00:11:36,520 put. Put it face down. 232 00:11:37,520 --> 00:11:40,600 That's always a practice that I have done and I hope that others 233 00:11:40,600 --> 00:11:42,680 would do it as well because you don't need the next person to go 234 00:11:42,680 --> 00:11:45,920 by to see what you were given. That's not the purpose of it. 235 00:11:45,920 --> 00:11:48,120 I'm not saying that if you have it face up that you just want 236 00:11:48,120 --> 00:11:50,640 everyone to give, but I, I just, I'm always have the purpose and 237 00:11:50,640 --> 00:11:52,120 the hearts. Like if I'm giving, I just want 238 00:11:52,120 --> 00:11:54,280 it face down. I just don't want everyone to 239 00:11:54,280 --> 00:11:56,400 see what I'm giving. But the Pharisees, what would 240 00:11:56,400 --> 00:11:57,880 they do? They want to make sure everybody 241 00:11:58,040 --> 00:12:00,680 saw them go. Drop in the treasury, they made 242 00:12:00,680 --> 00:12:02,720 sure. In fact, Jesus made a point of 243 00:12:02,720 --> 00:12:05,000 those Pharisees who were putting so much money in the treasury, 244 00:12:05,000 --> 00:12:06,360 he says. You think that they gave a lot? 245 00:12:06,440 --> 00:12:07,760 Look at this little widow lady over here. 246 00:12:08,680 --> 00:12:11,080 She gave a couple mites. How much is that? 247 00:12:11,200 --> 00:12:14,520 Not a whole lot. And she said she gave more than 248 00:12:14,520 --> 00:12:15,040 them. Why? 249 00:12:15,040 --> 00:12:17,680 Because there was an issue of the heart that was right with 250 00:12:17,680 --> 00:12:18,960 her. Verse 2. 251 00:12:19,080 --> 00:12:21,920 Therefore, when thou doest thine alms do not sound a trumpet. 252 00:12:21,920 --> 00:12:24,680 Before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues, in the 253 00:12:24,680 --> 00:12:28,600 streets, that they may have glory of men, Verily I say unto 254 00:12:28,600 --> 00:12:30,840 you, they have the reward. But when thou doest alms, let 255 00:12:30,840 --> 00:12:33,640 not thy left hand know what thy right hand do it, that thine 256 00:12:33,640 --> 00:12:35,960 alms may be in secret. And thy father which seeth in 257 00:12:35,960 --> 00:12:39,720 secret, shall reward himself, himself shall reward thee 258 00:12:39,720 --> 00:12:41,920 openly. Now drop down to verse #19. 259 00:12:43,760 --> 00:12:45,160 You're very likely familiar with this. 260 00:12:45,160 --> 00:12:48,280 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth 261 00:12:48,280 --> 00:12:50,640 and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves breakthrough and steal. 262 00:12:50,640 --> 00:12:53,640 I quote this quite a bit, but lay up for yourselves treasures 263 00:12:53,640 --> 00:12:57,680 in heaven, when neither rot, moth, nor rust doth corrupt, and 264 00:12:57,680 --> 00:12:59,760 where thieves do not breakthrough nor steal. 265 00:12:59,960 --> 00:13:02,720 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be. 266 00:13:02,720 --> 00:13:05,600 Also heard a preacher say this once, and it's so right. 267 00:13:05,800 --> 00:13:07,640 Heaven is a great place to do your banking. 268 00:13:08,760 --> 00:13:10,760 I like that. Heaven is a great place to do 269 00:13:10,760 --> 00:13:12,000 your banking. Meaning what? 270 00:13:12,400 --> 00:13:14,760 A lot of people do a lot of work making sure they can get the 271 00:13:14,760 --> 00:13:17,320 best interest rate, they can be at the best bank, they can get 272 00:13:17,320 --> 00:13:21,120 the best APR, all these different things, APY making 273 00:13:21,120 --> 00:13:22,520 sure they get exactly what they need. 274 00:13:23,040 --> 00:13:25,560 But isn't it really about this life making sure that we're 275 00:13:25,560 --> 00:13:27,720 investing in things that are truly eternal? 276 00:13:28,800 --> 00:13:31,880 And part of tithing is this, I'm investing in something that's 277 00:13:31,880 --> 00:13:33,920 eternal. I'm investing in something 278 00:13:33,920 --> 00:13:38,200 that's far beyond me, that when I'm investing in missions, I'm 279 00:13:38,200 --> 00:13:41,840 investing in people who get saved in Papua New Guinea, I'm 280 00:13:41,840 --> 00:13:44,040 investing in people who get saved in South. 281 00:13:44,040 --> 00:13:46,080 Africa. I read a prayer letter from our 282 00:13:46,080 --> 00:13:48,840 friends in South Africa. The Switzer's just a few days 283 00:13:48,840 --> 00:13:50,560 ago got emailed to me and I'm reading it. 284 00:13:50,560 --> 00:13:53,760 And I read about people who are getting saved in a place that 285 00:13:53,760 --> 00:13:56,640 I've never been, in a place that I can barely even pronounce, of 286 00:13:56,840 --> 00:13:59,240 names of people that I can barely even pronounce. 287 00:14:00,120 --> 00:14:02,760 But I thought, you know what? I got to have a little part in 288 00:14:02,760 --> 00:14:05,280 that. By giving to something that was 289 00:14:05,320 --> 00:14:08,440 eternal, you say, well, how much like, you know, $0.05, you know 290 00:14:08,440 --> 00:14:11,000 $0.05 out of everything that they get for, you know, from 291 00:14:11,000 --> 00:14:13,800 liberty goes that no, no, I don't know what the amount is. 292 00:14:13,800 --> 00:14:16,920 I know what we give them a month as a church, $100 a month to our 293 00:14:16,920 --> 00:14:19,000 missionaries. But this is what I know. 294 00:14:19,760 --> 00:14:22,320 Whatever part I had in that. I got to have a part. 295 00:14:23,600 --> 00:14:28,000 And that is incredible that we get to do that to, to lay up our 296 00:14:28,000 --> 00:14:31,480 treasures in a place where it could have real substance. 297 00:14:32,840 --> 00:14:34,800 Now, there would be some who would say, well, you know, 298 00:14:34,840 --> 00:14:37,640 Pastor, I, I hear what you're saying. 299 00:14:38,120 --> 00:14:39,880 You're talking about Kingdom things here, Jesus. 300 00:14:39,880 --> 00:14:44,120 Is not condemning the tithe and and things like that, but isn't 301 00:14:44,120 --> 00:14:47,360 it true that the New Testament is all about grace? 302 00:14:48,440 --> 00:14:51,040 And it's true the New Testament is all about grace. 303 00:14:51,040 --> 00:14:53,360 Now I would also argue the Old Testament is all about grace. 304 00:14:54,680 --> 00:14:57,760 The Old Testament gets a bad rap when it comes to the issue of 305 00:14:57,760 --> 00:14:59,840 grace. Well, the Old Testament is all 306 00:14:59,840 --> 00:15:01,840 about the law. The New Testament is all about 307 00:15:01,840 --> 00:15:04,000 grace. And I want to say you haven't 308 00:15:04,000 --> 00:15:06,720 really read the whole of the Old Testament if you think the Old 309 00:15:06,720 --> 00:15:10,400 Testament is all law and the New Testament is all grace, for 310 00:15:10,400 --> 00:15:13,880 instance. Noah found grace in the eyes of 311 00:15:13,880 --> 00:15:17,960 the Lord. For instance, there were there 312 00:15:17,960 --> 00:15:20,720 was a nation called Israel that kept turning. 313 00:15:20,720 --> 00:15:23,880 Their back on God over and over and over again. 314 00:15:23,960 --> 00:15:26,880 And what did he do? He kept graciously sending them 315 00:15:26,880 --> 00:15:29,880 prophets to be able to try to turn their hearts back to him. 316 00:15:31,200 --> 00:15:33,480 There's a lot of grace in the Old Testament. 317 00:15:34,080 --> 00:15:35,920 But even if we. Were to be able to make the 318 00:15:35,920 --> 00:15:38,280 argument, OK, well, the Old Testament is about the law, but 319 00:15:38,280 --> 00:15:40,000 the New Testament is all about grace. 320 00:15:40,800 --> 00:15:44,000 Here's where the issue with grace and tithing comes in. 321 00:15:44,000 --> 00:15:46,360 I think this is important. There's a lot of people who make 322 00:15:46,360 --> 00:15:49,360 the argument, well, pastor, I don't give the tithe because the 323 00:15:49,360 --> 00:15:51,000 tithe is the law. And again, we've talked about 324 00:15:51,000 --> 00:15:53,640 why the tithe is not the law this morning, But I give the 325 00:15:53,640 --> 00:15:55,040 tithe. I don't give the tithe because 326 00:15:55,040 --> 00:15:58,000 the tithe is the law. Now I give by grace. 327 00:15:59,960 --> 00:16:01,840 And my argument for that is this. 328 00:16:02,240 --> 00:16:06,920 If you were to give by grace, then honestly, you should be 329 00:16:06,920 --> 00:16:11,040 giving more than 10%. Yeah, it went over as popular as 330 00:16:11,040 --> 00:16:15,800 I thought it would, but grace giving says I'm giving more than 331 00:16:15,800 --> 00:16:17,920 10%. Often times people say they give 332 00:16:17,920 --> 00:16:21,120 by grace do more of a tip than tithe. 333 00:16:22,160 --> 00:16:26,600 Now why is that? Well, because the idea of giving 334 00:16:26,600 --> 00:16:29,400 by grace means is I'm free to do whatever I want. 335 00:16:29,680 --> 00:16:34,360 But that's not what grace is. Grace is not I am free to do 336 00:16:34,360 --> 00:16:37,680 whatever I want. Grace is I know this is what God 337 00:16:37,680 --> 00:16:41,640 has said in His Word, but yet I am going to do over and above 338 00:16:41,640 --> 00:16:44,400 that which God has said does grace. 339 00:16:44,400 --> 00:16:49,600 Compel you to do more than the law or less than the law the. 340 00:16:49,600 --> 00:16:52,640 Bible says, by grace, what are we doing? 341 00:16:52,880 --> 00:16:55,840 Do I need the law to be able to tell me no? 342 00:16:55,840 --> 00:16:58,320 The law's been abolished in a sense. 343 00:16:58,320 --> 00:17:01,560 But the idea behind that is that by grace. 344 00:17:02,080 --> 00:17:04,800 I don't need the law hanging over my head to do right. 345 00:17:05,400 --> 00:17:07,720 Because of the grace that's been done in my life and because the 346 00:17:07,720 --> 00:17:11,720 love I have for God, I'm going to do more say, well, where? 347 00:17:11,720 --> 00:17:14,079 Do you get that idea? Well, the Sermon on the Mount, 348 00:17:15,720 --> 00:17:16,920 what did the Sermon on the Mount say? 349 00:17:16,960 --> 00:17:19,480 Well, we're following the law. We haven't killed anybody. 350 00:17:20,359 --> 00:17:22,680 But Jesus said, boy, it's more than just that, isn't it? 351 00:17:23,680 --> 00:17:25,240 It's about, do you have anger in your heart? 352 00:17:25,960 --> 00:17:27,680 No, Jesus didn't set the bar lower. 353 00:17:27,800 --> 00:17:29,880 What did he do? He set the bar higher. 354 00:17:31,440 --> 00:17:34,240 It's not, you know, I, I, it's not like I've had a it's not 355 00:17:34,280 --> 00:17:36,800 like a committed adultery. I'm committed adultery. 356 00:17:36,800 --> 00:17:41,560 I'm not that bad. Well, have have you lusted then 357 00:17:41,840 --> 00:17:43,680 you have committed that in your heart. 358 00:17:44,480 --> 00:17:47,920 So the idea is not that we are doing less, but we're doing 359 00:17:47,920 --> 00:17:48,360 more. Why? 360 00:17:48,640 --> 00:17:50,720 Because our heart is right. With God. 361 00:17:50,960 --> 00:17:53,640 Now, I'm not saying you. You have to give more than 10%. 362 00:17:53,640 --> 00:17:56,040 That's not what I'm saying here, but I'm saying that the argument 363 00:17:56,240 --> 00:17:59,920 is that we are giving by grace. It ought to be more than 10%, 364 00:17:59,920 --> 00:18:03,400 not less. Aren't you glad God's grace 365 00:18:03,720 --> 00:18:08,920 isn't meager in your life? Aren't you glad when God when 366 00:18:08,920 --> 00:18:13,480 God has grace in your life? It's not like someone trying to 367 00:18:13,480 --> 00:18:16,000 hand out a few pennies. I don't know about you, but 368 00:18:16,000 --> 00:18:18,760 God's grace in my life is like Scrooge Mcduck jumping in the 369 00:18:18,760 --> 00:18:20,800 money bin. You've ever seen that before? 370 00:18:20,960 --> 00:18:22,800 And he's swimming around. It's like there's coins 371 00:18:22,800 --> 00:18:25,040 everywhere, that's what. That's what God's grace is in 372 00:18:25,040 --> 00:18:27,320 our life. It's so extensive that if you 373 00:18:27,320 --> 00:18:29,600 were just to really stop and think about it for a moment. 374 00:18:29,720 --> 00:18:30,440 You think? Wow. 375 00:18:31,320 --> 00:18:34,360 Look at me and look at how. Gracious God has been to me in 376 00:18:34,360 --> 00:18:37,560 my life. So the idea of grace giving is 377 00:18:37,560 --> 00:18:41,480 this is if we were to give by grace that we should be doing. 378 00:18:41,480 --> 00:18:45,680 Above and beyond than just that. But oftentimes people use grace 379 00:18:45,680 --> 00:18:50,280 and excuse to do less. Grace says if I should be 380 00:18:50,280 --> 00:18:54,800 compelled to go a mile, I go to Grace says if I've been wronged, 381 00:18:54,840 --> 00:18:57,960 I forgive 70 * 7. Not just once. 382 00:18:58,600 --> 00:19:02,880 If we give by grace today, should that compel us to do more 383 00:19:02,880 --> 00:19:05,680 or less than the law? One would think it would compel 384 00:19:05,680 --> 00:19:08,840 us to do more. So the principle preached by the 385 00:19:08,840 --> 00:19:14,160 Savior is one of giving and tithing, but also giving by 386 00:19:14,160 --> 00:19:16,720 grace. But it's also something that is 387 00:19:16,720 --> 00:19:19,760 to be performed by. A steward, remember. 388 00:19:19,760 --> 00:19:21,960 Let's bring this. Back to who we are here tonight, 389 00:19:22,320 --> 00:19:25,880 that you and I are called to live the stewarding life. 390 00:19:26,720 --> 00:19:29,320 I read this once someone has said that there are three kinds 391 00:19:29,320 --> 00:19:32,280 of givers, the Flint, the sponge, and the honeycomb. 392 00:19:32,840 --> 00:19:36,200 To get anything out of a Flint you must hammer it and then you 393 00:19:36,200 --> 00:19:39,640 only get chips and sparks. To get water out of a sponge you 394 00:19:39,640 --> 00:19:43,200 must squeeze it, and the more you use pressure, the more you 395 00:19:43,200 --> 00:19:46,600 will get. But the honeycomb just overflows 396 00:19:46,760 --> 00:19:49,720 with its own sweetness. Which one are you? 397 00:19:50,640 --> 00:19:54,360 The idea for me tonight is not to hammer you over the tide. 398 00:19:55,160 --> 00:19:58,520 The idea tonight is not to squeeze you over the tide. 399 00:19:59,680 --> 00:20:02,600 The point tonight is this shouldn't just our heart be 400 00:20:02,600 --> 00:20:05,720 overflowing with the sweetness that God has placed in our life? 401 00:20:06,240 --> 00:20:08,760 And it's not really a problem for us to be able to give 402 00:20:08,760 --> 00:20:14,600 because we know as we give, He gives us so much more in return. 403 00:20:15,600 --> 00:20:17,440 I've never felt like I've missed out. 404 00:20:18,080 --> 00:20:22,600 By tithing, I've never felt like, boy, you know, my life 405 00:20:22,600 --> 00:20:25,480 will be a whole lot more fulfilling if I could just hold 406 00:20:25,480 --> 00:20:29,880 on to this 10% for myself. I would just. 407 00:20:29,880 --> 00:20:33,600 I could just fill. Tonight with stories of over and 408 00:20:33,600 --> 00:20:36,920 over and over again how God provided in our lives in ways 409 00:20:36,920 --> 00:20:41,800 that I don't even understand. For probably 10 or probably 15 410 00:20:41,800 --> 00:20:44,720 years now, I've used Excel spreadsheet to do our budget. 411 00:20:44,800 --> 00:20:47,480 It's what I do. It's just it, it just makes 412 00:20:47,480 --> 00:20:50,320 sense to me. It's simple and you know, I can 413 00:20:50,320 --> 00:20:51,800 track everything on the spreadsheet. 414 00:20:53,680 --> 00:20:55,600 There are months that just doesn't make sense. 415 00:20:56,480 --> 00:21:01,000 And I look at what we give and I look at what other obligations 416 00:21:01,000 --> 00:21:03,440 there are. And it's just, I don't know. 417 00:21:04,160 --> 00:21:08,320 But God provides over and over and over. 418 00:21:08,320 --> 00:21:11,560 And why? Because we are stewards and as 419 00:21:11,560 --> 00:21:15,400 stewards as we just give out of a heart that wants to be right 420 00:21:15,400 --> 00:21:17,800 with Him, He always takes care of us. 421 00:21:18,000 --> 00:21:22,520 We have never lacked. Now again, the the the tithe 422 00:21:22,520 --> 00:21:25,440 itself is not a test of spirituality in the sense of, 423 00:21:25,640 --> 00:21:28,080 well, if you are a faithful tither, that doesn't mean that 424 00:21:28,080 --> 00:21:29,720 you are necessarily right with God. 425 00:21:30,240 --> 00:21:33,560 How do we know that? Well, the Pharisees, they tithe 426 00:21:33,560 --> 00:21:36,680 on their spice rack, and they still weren't right with God. 427 00:21:37,280 --> 00:21:40,040 What about Luke 1812? Do you, do you remember the 428 00:21:40,040 --> 00:21:43,320 Pharisee who was there praying? And there was the publican that 429 00:21:43,320 --> 00:21:46,240 was far away from him, or not too far away from him rather. 430 00:21:46,560 --> 00:21:49,560 And that publican says I fast twice in a week. 431 00:21:50,000 --> 00:21:52,600 I give tithes of all that I possess. 432 00:21:53,280 --> 00:21:56,600 But yet, what do we see at the end of that parable? 433 00:21:56,960 --> 00:22:00,920 That Jesus said that one of them was right with God that day. 434 00:22:01,280 --> 00:22:03,440 Who was it? It was that filthy old public 435 00:22:03,440 --> 00:22:06,440 and that text collector couldn't even raise his eyes up in heaven 436 00:22:07,160 --> 00:22:09,760 says, Lord, have mercy unto me, a Sinner. 437 00:22:10,760 --> 00:22:14,280 My goal tonight is not to tell you you need to tithe because as 438 00:22:14,280 --> 00:22:16,640 you tithe you'll know you'll be right with God. 439 00:22:17,440 --> 00:22:20,040 That's kind of backwards. You know what I'm telling you 440 00:22:20,040 --> 00:22:22,760 tonight? You need to be right with God so 441 00:22:22,760 --> 00:22:25,280 you tithe. That's what the Bible teaches. 442 00:22:25,600 --> 00:22:29,240 It's not get. Get your money in now so we can 443 00:22:29,240 --> 00:22:31,000 bless you and tell you that you're right with. 444 00:22:31,000 --> 00:22:33,040 God, that's the Catholic. Way of looking at things. 445 00:22:33,840 --> 00:22:36,440 That's what they've taught for centuries. 446 00:22:37,000 --> 00:22:39,160 Get your money and it will give you a blessing. 447 00:22:39,160 --> 00:22:41,800 Get your money and it will keep your loved ones out of 448 00:22:41,800 --> 00:22:45,920 purgatory. That awful, awful unbiblical 449 00:22:45,920 --> 00:22:48,360 doctrine that's. What I'm teaching here tonight, 450 00:22:48,360 --> 00:22:52,640 it's what the Bible teaches. My teaching is this, not give so 451 00:22:52,640 --> 00:22:56,040 you can get right. It's get right so you can give. 452 00:22:56,720 --> 00:23:00,280 That's what the Bible teaches. 2nd Corinthians 97 also says 453 00:23:00,280 --> 00:23:03,760 this, Every man according as he purposes in his heart, so let 454 00:23:03,760 --> 00:23:08,120 him give, not grudgingly or out of a necessity, for God loveth A 455 00:23:08,160 --> 00:23:10,800 cheerful giver. The idea even going into Second 456 00:23:10,800 --> 00:23:13,880 Corinthians as it talks about offerings as well as ties, is 457 00:23:13,880 --> 00:23:17,120 that there is a purpose to our giving, that there is a planning 458 00:23:17,120 --> 00:23:19,720 to our giving. That's why we give not at the 459 00:23:19,880 --> 00:23:23,440 last, but rather at the 1st. I'll be honest with you, even 460 00:23:23,440 --> 00:23:25,520 when it comes to the issues of giving, now it's a little. 461 00:23:25,520 --> 00:23:27,480 Different for me now over the last few years because I'm 462 00:23:27,480 --> 00:23:29,680 self-employed. But this was always the case, 463 00:23:29,680 --> 00:23:33,040 even when I received an actual pay stub and the money was taken 464 00:23:33,040 --> 00:23:35,360 out. When it comes to tithing our 465 00:23:35,360 --> 00:23:40,000 family ties before taxes. Again, that's not the other 466 00:23:40,000 --> 00:23:43,120 thing that's very popular. We say, why would you say that, 467 00:23:43,120 --> 00:23:46,360 Pastor? I say that because I want to 468 00:23:46,360 --> 00:23:50,480 make sure that I give from my whole increase, not just from 469 00:23:50,480 --> 00:23:53,600 what I have after the government has taken their part. 470 00:23:53,760 --> 00:23:55,880 Like I said, it's easier for me now because I have to pay taxes 471 00:23:55,880 --> 00:23:57,880 differently. As someone who's self-employed, 472 00:23:57,880 --> 00:24:00,640 just whatever's the number there, that's what it is, 10%. 473 00:24:00,760 --> 00:24:03,440 And by the way, isn't 10% easy? Just move that decimal over. 474 00:24:03,440 --> 00:24:06,000 That's all you got to do, right? That makes it a lot easier. 475 00:24:07,200 --> 00:24:09,280 I'm not good at math, but I can move decimal over a couple 476 00:24:09,280 --> 00:24:12,160 places. I figured that one out, but 477 00:24:12,160 --> 00:24:14,760 here's what I do know and when it comes. 478 00:24:14,760 --> 00:24:17,880 To the issues of the gross and the net, I've just made the 479 00:24:17,880 --> 00:24:19,640 decision this is between you and the Lord. 480 00:24:20,320 --> 00:24:21,960 But we tied off the gross. Why? 481 00:24:21,960 --> 00:24:25,320 Because I want to make sure that my first fruits even are before 482 00:24:25,320 --> 00:24:26,480 the 1st fruits of the government. 483 00:24:26,480 --> 00:24:31,720 Taking from my first fruits now. I can't show you book. 484 00:24:31,720 --> 00:24:35,000 Chapter and verse about that. But I do also know this. 485 00:24:35,600 --> 00:24:37,960 I heard someone say this here at this church years ago and I 486 00:24:37,960 --> 00:24:39,600 believe it. He said this. 487 00:24:39,600 --> 00:24:42,560 He says do you want God to bless you off your gross or do you 488 00:24:42,560 --> 00:24:44,040 want God to bless you off your net? 489 00:24:45,160 --> 00:24:48,280 I thought interesting way of looking at it, I want God's 490 00:24:48,280 --> 00:24:51,560 gross blessings in my life, not just as net blessings in my 491 00:24:51,560 --> 00:24:53,400 life. And so yes, whether that's 492 00:24:53,400 --> 00:24:54,160 popular. Or not. 493 00:24:54,160 --> 00:24:56,600 That's just something that I have put into practice and we 494 00:24:56,600 --> 00:24:58,520 have put into practice as a family over time. 495 00:24:58,520 --> 00:25:00,920 Why? Because I want the first fruits 496 00:25:00,920 --> 00:25:03,600 of everything that I get to belong to him. 497 00:25:03,600 --> 00:25:04,520 Why? You say? 498 00:25:04,600 --> 00:25:06,000 Well put. Pastor, you're just talking 499 00:25:06,000 --> 00:25:09,160 about just a few dollars here or there, right? 500 00:25:09,160 --> 00:25:10,800 You're just talking about a few dollars here or there. 501 00:25:11,760 --> 00:25:17,000 So just give it to him and trust him that he will take care of 502 00:25:17,000 --> 00:25:19,080 you. Stewardship requires that we 503 00:25:19,080 --> 00:25:22,720 understand again that everything we have doesn't belong to us, so 504 00:25:22,720 --> 00:25:29,080 we give as he directs. The steward doesn't even own 505 00:25:29,080 --> 00:25:32,040 anything. The steward just does on behalf 506 00:25:32,080 --> 00:25:37,000 of the man who owns the house, who tells him what to do and 507 00:25:37,000 --> 00:25:39,400 where to do it. Did Joseph own anything in 508 00:25:39,400 --> 00:25:43,880 Potiphar's house? As far as I know, What I do know 509 00:25:43,880 --> 00:25:47,480 is this is that he was such a wise steward that Potiphar 510 00:25:47,480 --> 00:25:50,520 didn't even know what he owned except what was brought to his 511 00:25:50,520 --> 00:25:53,240 mouth. He trusted the steward. 512 00:25:53,760 --> 00:25:57,560 And Joseph did that even without any of it belonging to him. 513 00:25:58,080 --> 00:26:01,040 He just did it because it was right. 514 00:26:01,840 --> 00:26:05,400 What are we to do? Well, you know this, this car 515 00:26:05,400 --> 00:26:08,320 that I have mentioned it this morning, that's not my car. 516 00:26:08,760 --> 00:26:09,600 It's the Lord's. Car. 517 00:26:10,200 --> 00:26:12,840 So if the Lord needs me to use it for his purpose. 518 00:26:13,360 --> 00:26:14,800 Our Lord means be use it for other purpose. 519 00:26:14,920 --> 00:26:18,520 I'm going to use it for him. This apartment that we have, 520 00:26:18,880 --> 00:26:20,840 it's not our apartment, It's the Lord's apartment. 521 00:26:20,840 --> 00:26:22,800 Actually, it's Avalon's apartment, but the Avalon got it 522 00:26:22,800 --> 00:26:24,960 from the Lord too. But we're renting it. 523 00:26:24,960 --> 00:26:27,280 What do I say, Lord? If I can use this in some way, 524 00:26:27,280 --> 00:26:30,640 they'll benefit your ministry, or in any way I want to. 525 00:26:31,240 --> 00:26:34,240 It belongs to you. The, the things that I own, the 526 00:26:34,240 --> 00:26:36,120 things that I have, all these different things. 527 00:26:36,560 --> 00:26:39,720 And again, talking about so much more than money, my time, my 528 00:26:39,720 --> 00:26:43,440 talents, my treasure, my time. It doesn't belong to me. 529 00:26:44,480 --> 00:26:46,720 There are times we get into situations where we think, well, 530 00:26:46,920 --> 00:26:48,560 I don't have time to do this for the Lord. 531 00:26:48,560 --> 00:26:50,080 I don't have time to do that for the Lord. 532 00:26:50,280 --> 00:26:53,000 It's like, well, maybe I should pray about how the Lord would 533 00:26:53,000 --> 00:26:55,440 want. Me to use my time before I 534 00:26:55,440 --> 00:26:58,040 decide I can't do it. Well, I don't want to use my 535 00:26:58,040 --> 00:26:59,320 talents. I don't want to use my talents 536 00:26:59,320 --> 00:27:01,000 for the church, you know, I just, it's not something I want 537 00:27:01,000 --> 00:27:02,080 to do. I don't want to use my talents 538 00:27:02,080 --> 00:27:03,960 to help other people. You just, you always get 539 00:27:03,960 --> 00:27:05,400 yourself in a mess every time you do that. 540 00:27:05,400 --> 00:27:08,680 So I'd just rather not do it. Who gave me those talents in the 541 00:27:08,680 --> 00:27:11,440 1st place? You ought to pray about it, 542 00:27:11,960 --> 00:27:13,720 that's the Lord. What would you have me to do? 543 00:27:14,480 --> 00:27:17,280 My wife's told this story before and I'll tell it on her behalf 544 00:27:17,280 --> 00:27:20,080 this evening. You know, I love listening to my 545 00:27:20,080 --> 00:27:21,840 wife play the piano. I could just sit and listen my 546 00:27:21,840 --> 00:27:26,800 wife play the piano for forever. But you know, the proficiency 547 00:27:26,800 --> 00:27:30,040 that she has at the piano today has not always been the case. 548 00:27:30,600 --> 00:27:33,720 And I'm not saying she was unproficient earlier, but she 549 00:27:33,720 --> 00:27:36,680 has progressed even over time, just playing so much here at 550 00:27:36,680 --> 00:27:38,880 church. And we first got to Westgate, 551 00:27:38,880 --> 00:27:41,640 and Westgate was at the time a Church of around maybe 3-4 552 00:27:41,640 --> 00:27:44,320 hundred people. There were many different piano 553 00:27:44,320 --> 00:27:46,120 players there. There were a lot of them. 554 00:27:46,800 --> 00:27:50,560 And my wife made the conscious decision when she was asked that 555 00:27:50,560 --> 00:27:53,280 when someone asked if she'd play the piano, she said no. 556 00:27:54,000 --> 00:27:56,280 I don't think so. Now, why would that be? 557 00:27:56,880 --> 00:27:58,960 She just felt there were so many other people that were better 558 00:27:58,960 --> 00:28:01,800 than her. Why would she play the piano? 559 00:28:02,720 --> 00:28:06,720 Now to me today, I can't even fathom that. 560 00:28:06,720 --> 00:28:09,200 But this was 20 years ago. You know why? 561 00:28:09,440 --> 00:28:12,000 I know there's other people that can play better, men and women. 562 00:28:12,000 --> 00:28:13,360 They, they can, they can play better than me. 563 00:28:14,400 --> 00:28:18,120 And she said that she got to a place that in her heart she, she 564 00:28:18,120 --> 00:28:22,800 felt that the Lord was making it clear to her, Who gave you that? 565 00:28:24,520 --> 00:28:27,640 And if you don't want to use it, then you don't have to keep it. 566 00:28:29,120 --> 00:28:31,240 Now, I'm not saying that the Lord was threatening her or 567 00:28:31,240 --> 00:28:33,720 anything like that, but the idea is there are many people who 568 00:28:33,720 --> 00:28:35,320 have had gifts that the Lord's given them. 569 00:28:35,320 --> 00:28:36,320 They didn't use them for the Lord. 570 00:28:36,320 --> 00:28:40,280 They lost those gifts because they didn't use them for him. 571 00:28:41,120 --> 00:28:45,280 And she just made very clear, Lord, if you gave me this gift, 572 00:28:45,920 --> 00:28:49,360 then I need to use it for you. It wasn't much long at longer 573 00:28:49,360 --> 00:28:52,240 after that that she got into a rotation of being able to play 574 00:28:52,240 --> 00:28:53,640 offer Tories. And it was much longer than 575 00:28:53,640 --> 00:28:56,480 after that that that our our music director left and all of a 576 00:28:56,480 --> 00:28:58,920 sudden I became the choir director of a 40 voice choir. 577 00:28:58,920 --> 00:29:00,640 You say, how much choir directing experience do you 578 00:29:00,640 --> 00:29:02,240 have? As much as you think that I did 579 00:29:02,240 --> 00:29:03,960 and which was none. And so all of a sudden I'm 580 00:29:03,960 --> 00:29:07,880 directing a 40 voice choir. I needed a piano player and 581 00:29:07,880 --> 00:29:11,720 Diane was able to help and you know, she's been off to the 582 00:29:11,720 --> 00:29:13,280 races ever since. Why? 583 00:29:13,640 --> 00:29:15,880 Because she had to decide, am I going to be a good steward of 584 00:29:15,880 --> 00:29:20,280 the gift that God has given me? And now you would ask her here 585 00:29:20,280 --> 00:29:22,880 tonight, is she boasting of herself, of that gift? 586 00:29:22,880 --> 00:29:24,400 No, it's the Lord that's done it. 587 00:29:24,520 --> 00:29:27,240 Sure, we have to put in work. We have to put in effort, but 588 00:29:27,240 --> 00:29:29,520 the Lord is the one who truly gives us these things. 589 00:29:29,520 --> 00:29:32,360 I could look at a piano for 100 years and not be able to play it 590 00:29:32,360 --> 00:29:35,000 right. I played it for six months and 591 00:29:35,000 --> 00:29:36,840 that was a disaster in and of as it was. 592 00:29:37,840 --> 00:29:40,880 So what am I saying? God has given you these things. 593 00:29:41,200 --> 00:29:42,640 He's giving you specific talents. 594 00:29:43,040 --> 00:29:45,600 He's giving you specific treasures far beyond the issue 595 00:29:45,600 --> 00:29:49,000 of ties and offerings. Are you willing to say, Lord, it 596 00:29:49,120 --> 00:29:54,240 all belongs to you? I put this in the bulletin this 597 00:29:54,240 --> 00:29:56,040 morning, but I'm going to say it again because nobody reads the 598 00:29:56,040 --> 00:29:58,960 bulletin. If I didn't mention that, some 599 00:29:58,960 --> 00:30:00,280 of you wouldn't even know it was in the bulletin. 600 00:30:01,760 --> 00:30:04,560 One of the things that always, it's, it's funny to me, and this 601 00:30:04,560 --> 00:30:07,440 was true with all four of our children, is that when we go out 602 00:30:07,440 --> 00:30:10,640 to eat, you know, they get those kids meals and usually it's 603 00:30:10,640 --> 00:30:13,360 chicken fingers and fries, those kind of things, maybe a little 604 00:30:13,360 --> 00:30:14,720 bit of a pizza, something like that. 605 00:30:15,120 --> 00:30:16,920 You know, Dad's done with his food and they're still kind of 606 00:30:16,920 --> 00:30:19,360 picking at their food and there's a chicken tender there. 607 00:30:19,680 --> 00:30:22,560 And, you know, I'm of the idea no chicken tender left behind, 608 00:30:22,560 --> 00:30:25,400 you know what I'm saying? And So what needs to happen if 609 00:30:25,400 --> 00:30:27,480 the kids aren't going to eat it, Dad's going to eat it. 610 00:30:27,480 --> 00:30:29,440 And sometimes Dad's going to eat it even if they're not done 611 00:30:29,440 --> 00:30:31,520 because, you know, that's the way it works. 612 00:30:31,920 --> 00:30:36,160 And every time I do they they act like I have physically 613 00:30:36,160 --> 00:30:38,480 harmed them in some way. No. 614 00:30:39,680 --> 00:30:41,840 No, that's mine. That's right. 615 00:30:41,840 --> 00:30:43,880 Now I feel like his dad. This is a rite of passage. 616 00:30:43,880 --> 00:30:44,760 I got to take some of your. Food. 617 00:30:44,880 --> 00:30:47,480 My dad took food off my plate. I'm taking food off your plate. 618 00:30:47,720 --> 00:30:49,040 It doesn't matter that I was only at. 619 00:30:49,320 --> 00:30:51,120 Yeah, Yeah. And some of your food, too. 620 00:30:51,120 --> 00:30:54,680 That's right, son. So I would take food off of your 621 00:30:54,880 --> 00:30:56,120 off the plate. All right? 622 00:30:56,480 --> 00:30:58,760 You OK? All right, Let Dad finish this. 623 00:30:59,320 --> 00:31:01,000 Yes, you are all right. You are a good boy. 624 00:31:01,400 --> 00:31:02,240 OK. And quiet. 625 00:31:02,240 --> 00:31:03,160 Thank you for that. So. 626 00:31:03,400 --> 00:31:05,120 I'll take food off their plate. But you know what? 627 00:31:05,120 --> 00:31:07,040 What the irony of all of that is. 628 00:31:07,560 --> 00:31:12,680 They get so upset, they, they, they actually, they physically, 629 00:31:13,000 --> 00:31:19,200 you could see them get angry. I'm the one who paid for it, and 630 00:31:19,200 --> 00:31:23,520 Diane, we are the ones who paid for the food. 631 00:31:23,880 --> 00:31:27,840 You can't have that. Yes I can if I want the whole 632 00:31:27,840 --> 00:31:30,240 plate. If I take it and just want to 633 00:31:30,240 --> 00:31:33,120 pour it right on my face like this, I can do it. 634 00:31:33,120 --> 00:31:34,360 What? Actually, that would be really 635 00:31:34,360 --> 00:31:35,720 stupid if I did. But why? 636 00:31:35,800 --> 00:31:40,400 Because it belongs to me. We've taught the kids something 637 00:31:40,440 --> 00:31:42,360 at home. There have been times that 638 00:31:42,360 --> 00:31:45,280 they've had some electronics or different things like that. 639 00:31:45,880 --> 00:31:49,480 And I remember the first time my parents, grandparents, crazy 640 00:31:49,480 --> 00:31:50,880 grandparents, I had to figure that out. 641 00:31:51,080 --> 00:31:55,000 But parent grandparents would give them tablets and they'd say 642 00:31:55,000 --> 00:31:57,080 this, oh, can I? Can I have my tablet? 643 00:31:57,080 --> 00:31:59,360 I said, whose tablet is it? Who's is it? 644 00:32:00,760 --> 00:32:03,040 Oh, dad, can can we have can we have your tablet? 645 00:32:03,640 --> 00:32:05,840 Say, what kind of controlling monster are you, Pastor? 646 00:32:05,840 --> 00:32:07,320 You eat their food and take their tablets. 647 00:32:08,360 --> 00:32:11,720 The idea is I'm trying to remind them this doesn't belong to you 648 00:32:11,720 --> 00:32:14,720 to just use however you want because I don't want them to get 649 00:32:14,720 --> 00:32:16,640 to the place where they just take the tablets and like kids 650 00:32:16,640 --> 00:32:19,000 walk around like zombies today, watching them everywhere. 651 00:32:19,160 --> 00:32:21,680 They're not even didn't even know human life is around them. 652 00:32:22,320 --> 00:32:23,680 They're just totally focused on that. 653 00:32:23,680 --> 00:32:25,960 So I'm trying to remind them you don't really use that without 654 00:32:25,960 --> 00:32:29,040 our permission, mom and dads, because we will make sure that 655 00:32:29,040 --> 00:32:31,920 you use it properly. What am I saying? 656 00:32:33,120 --> 00:32:36,640 That if it belongs to me, I'm the one that gets to make the 657 00:32:36,640 --> 00:32:40,720 call. Now let's go a level higher than 658 00:32:40,720 --> 00:32:43,600 me. Who's the one that really does 659 00:32:43,800 --> 00:32:47,400 have it all. It all belongs to him. 660 00:32:48,480 --> 00:32:52,520 And we get upset that he'd say 10% belongs to me. 661 00:32:53,840 --> 00:32:59,040 Who are we to be able to say that when He has given us so? 662 00:32:59,440 --> 00:33:02,960 Much and we concentrate on on what's lost, but we never think 663 00:33:02,960 --> 00:33:05,640 about what's gained and what he has gained. 664 00:33:05,760 --> 00:33:10,040 What we have gained in our life is is joy and blessings and 665 00:33:10,040 --> 00:33:12,400 financial rewards and all these different things. 666 00:33:12,400 --> 00:33:14,440 And again I want to be. Careful how I say that because 667 00:33:14,440 --> 00:33:17,240 I'm not just saying you sow that little seed and all of a sudden 668 00:33:17,240 --> 00:33:20,200 will be tenfold or a hundredfold like some of those Word of Faith 669 00:33:20,520 --> 00:33:23,040 heretic preachers will say, no, no, that's not what I'm saying 670 00:33:23,040 --> 00:33:25,240 tonight. What I am saying is this, you 671 00:33:25,320 --> 00:33:29,200 give as you have been given. Unto and God will bless you in 672 00:33:29,200 --> 00:33:32,040 ways you can't even imagine just. 673 00:33:32,040 --> 00:33:38,520 Prove him he is worthy and he has not proven himself 674 00:33:38,520 --> 00:33:42,160 untrustworthy. We said this morning, moreover, 675 00:33:42,160 --> 00:33:45,520 is required and stewards that a man be found faithful. 676 00:33:46,320 --> 00:33:51,160 Now I'll say this and and and when we're going to be done. 677 00:33:53,360 --> 00:33:55,960 I think we've covered this in an exhaustive way this morning and 678 00:33:55,960 --> 00:33:59,720 this evening, but here's what this comes down to. 679 00:33:59,720 --> 00:34:02,280 I'm going to say it again, that it comes down to the issue of 680 00:34:02,280 --> 00:34:06,640 trust. Let's say you needed some money 681 00:34:08,120 --> 00:34:12,760 and you came to me and say pastor, I, I, I, I need, I need 682 00:34:12,760 --> 00:34:14,880 a loan. Now why you come to a pastor, I 683 00:34:14,880 --> 00:34:17,080 don't know, but you're going to say I need, I need some money. 684 00:34:17,800 --> 00:34:20,800 Can can you, can you spot me? Sure, brother. 685 00:34:21,840 --> 00:34:26,480 How much you need 5 bucks? You're probably not too worried 686 00:34:26,480 --> 00:34:28,199 about my answer for that. They're probably the only thing 687 00:34:28,199 --> 00:34:30,480 you're worried about is, is is pastor actually carrying cash? 688 00:34:30,520 --> 00:34:34,040 Because other than that, 5 bucks is is not for the most part, 689 00:34:34,040 --> 00:34:36,000 most for most of us, it's a big deal. 690 00:34:36,600 --> 00:34:38,639 Hey, can I, can I get 5 bucks? Sure. 691 00:34:40,040 --> 00:34:41,880 You trust that you're going to be able to get it. 692 00:34:43,159 --> 00:34:45,840 Why? Because you look at me as I 693 00:34:45,840 --> 00:34:48,159 would look at you and say, yeah, 5 bucks. 694 00:34:48,760 --> 00:34:52,679 You can handle it. Hey, pastor, can can, can you 695 00:34:52,679 --> 00:34:54,440 spot me? I'm a I'm a little light this 696 00:34:54,440 --> 00:34:55,520 month. OK. 697 00:34:55,600 --> 00:34:57,560 How much? 10 GS? 698 00:35:01,560 --> 00:35:03,280 Boy, that's light. That's lighter than air right 699 00:35:03,280 --> 00:35:03,680 there. Yeah. 700 00:35:04,440 --> 00:35:08,720 I'll write you the check. You, you better run after you 701 00:35:08,720 --> 00:35:11,680 cash it, because that thing's going to bounce higher than the 702 00:35:11,680 --> 00:35:16,280 Empire State Building. You know what? 703 00:35:16,680 --> 00:35:18,120 You're you're not going to trust. 704 00:35:18,800 --> 00:35:20,800 You're not even, you're not even going to ask me that question 705 00:35:20,800 --> 00:35:24,240 because you know, like, I don't, I don't think that's, I don't 706 00:35:24,240 --> 00:35:26,400 think that's the case. I don't think he's got what it 707 00:35:26,400 --> 00:35:29,040 takes to back it up. Now, there's a lot of reasons 708 00:35:29,040 --> 00:35:30,960 you wouldn't ask something like that, but I would say you would 709 00:35:30,960 --> 00:35:32,840 just even estimate the person you're asking. 710 00:35:33,440 --> 00:35:36,400 I don't think this is something that that they would be able 711 00:35:36,400 --> 00:35:42,080 even to, to, to do. Here's the issue when it comes 712 00:35:42,080 --> 00:35:49,800 to the issue of trust, $5 to the Lord, $10,000 to the Lord. 713 00:35:51,960 --> 00:35:55,280 Look, you can trust him no matter what the issue is with 714 00:35:55,280 --> 00:35:58,280 your life, He will take care of you. 715 00:35:58,720 --> 00:36:00,800 You look at me and say, pastor, maybe you'll back me up and 716 00:36:00,800 --> 00:36:03,040 maybe you won't. You could look at someone else, 717 00:36:03,040 --> 00:36:05,000 say maybe you'll back me up and maybe you won't. 718 00:36:06,120 --> 00:36:09,440 Do you really think God won't quote back you up if he said, 719 00:36:09,440 --> 00:36:13,480 prove me, I'll take care of you? Do you really think he's going 720 00:36:13,480 --> 00:36:17,320 to require this of you and then when the time comes leave you 721 00:36:17,320 --> 00:36:21,640 holding the bag? Our God is not like we are and 722 00:36:21,640 --> 00:36:24,280 Amen and Amen to that. He's not human. 723 00:36:24,280 --> 00:36:28,880 He is not frail. No, he is all powerful and has 724 00:36:29,000 --> 00:36:33,760 all, all within his hands. You can trust that. 725 00:36:33,760 --> 00:36:37,280 If he says this is what I want you to do with your life, He 726 00:36:37,280 --> 00:36:41,800 will take care of you, Pastor. If I give him my money, what 727 00:36:41,800 --> 00:36:46,720 will, what will happen? He'll take care of you, pastor. 728 00:36:46,760 --> 00:36:50,760 If I gave him my time, if I, if I just rewrote my calendar and 729 00:36:50,760 --> 00:36:52,400 just made his priorities my priorities. 730 00:36:52,840 --> 00:36:55,320 Even thinking about things like going to church, come to church 731 00:36:55,320 --> 00:36:56,400 on a Sunday night or Wednesday night. 732 00:36:56,840 --> 00:36:59,840 I don't have time for that. You know what that question is? 733 00:36:59,840 --> 00:37:03,040 That's a stewardship question. I don't have time for Sunday on 734 00:37:03,040 --> 00:37:04,840 my mind. I don't have time not to come on 735 00:37:04,840 --> 00:37:05,680 Sunday night and Wednesday night. 736 00:37:05,680 --> 00:37:07,240 It has nothing to do with being a pastor. 737 00:37:07,560 --> 00:37:11,000 It's just I need to be in the House of God as much as I can 738 00:37:11,000 --> 00:37:12,840 because I know myself and I know the Lord. 739 00:37:13,040 --> 00:37:14,400 I want to be here when the doors are open. 740 00:37:14,400 --> 00:37:18,480 You know what that is? It's a stewardship issue when it 741 00:37:18,480 --> 00:37:22,960 comes to our treasure or our, our talents, that which God has 742 00:37:22,960 --> 00:37:25,560 given us. I, I don't, I don't know if I, 743 00:37:25,640 --> 00:37:28,200 you know, I don't know, I don't know if I could help out in a 744 00:37:28,200 --> 00:37:30,800 children's ministry. That's a stewardship issue. 745 00:37:31,160 --> 00:37:33,160 Now, again, should everyone serve in a children's ministry? 746 00:37:33,320 --> 00:37:36,560 Probably not. Maybe not everyone's cut out for 747 00:37:36,560 --> 00:37:39,240 the children's ministry, but everyone cut is cut out for 748 00:37:39,240 --> 00:37:41,840 ministry. Everyone's cut out to serve. 749 00:37:42,320 --> 00:37:45,320 And when you say, well, I just don't, I don't, no, I don't, I 750 00:37:45,320 --> 00:37:48,320 don't think I could do that. That's stewardship issue that 751 00:37:48,320 --> 00:37:51,680 God has given you talents that you refuse to use with his 752 00:37:51,680 --> 00:37:54,120 people. That's a problem. 753 00:37:55,040 --> 00:37:57,120 Now, again, I'm not talking about whatever your trade is 754 00:37:57,120 --> 00:37:59,680 that, you know, the church just uses you for free and that's all 755 00:37:59,680 --> 00:38:00,720 that we do. That's not what I'm talking 756 00:38:00,720 --> 00:38:02,520 about. I'm talking about when it comes 757 00:38:02,520 --> 00:38:07,360 to the ministry of Jesus Christ. Are you willing to say, you know 758 00:38:07,600 --> 00:38:10,960 my gift of being able to talk to people and maybe that is a gift 759 00:38:10,960 --> 00:38:13,760 that God's given you. I'm going to use it for the 760 00:38:13,760 --> 00:38:15,560 children's ministries. I'm going to use it. 761 00:38:15,560 --> 00:38:18,000 I'm going to use it on outreach. That's what I'm going to use it 762 00:38:18,000 --> 00:38:19,280 for that that's what I'm going to use it for. 763 00:38:19,680 --> 00:38:22,480 You know, in my gift of being able to, to, to pray. 764 00:38:23,280 --> 00:38:26,440 I'm going to use it to be able to help with some of the prayer 765 00:38:26,440 --> 00:38:28,760 ministries that we have here or, or, or, or to be able to 766 00:38:28,760 --> 00:38:31,400 encourage ladies with a ladies Bible study to make sure that 767 00:38:31,400 --> 00:38:33,480 I'm there to be able to be a part of that. 768 00:38:33,640 --> 00:38:36,560 These are things that God can do with your life, but not if 769 00:38:36,560 --> 00:38:41,000 you're just worried about this little tiny percentage instead 770 00:38:41,000 --> 00:38:44,280 of we're just saying it's not about 10, it's about 100. 771 00:38:44,760 --> 00:38:47,960 Will you give him everything? It's not just tithing in the Old 772 00:38:47,960 --> 00:38:50,120 Testament. It's not just tithing in the New 773 00:38:50,120 --> 00:38:52,200 Testament. It's not just tithing before the 774 00:38:52,200 --> 00:38:53,640 law. It's not just tithing during the 775 00:38:53,640 --> 00:38:55,440 law and after the law. It's about this. 776 00:38:55,880 --> 00:38:57,640 God's economy has always been this. 777 00:38:57,920 --> 00:39:01,280 It all belongs to him. We do right with what he's given 778 00:39:01,280 --> 00:39:03,960 us in time and talents and treasure. 779 00:39:04,320 --> 00:39:08,480 And that's what the stewarding life is the the real issue that 780 00:39:08,480 --> 00:39:12,000 today how, how do we know? How do we know that today is a 781 00:39:12,000 --> 00:39:13,160 success? How do we know that we're 782 00:39:13,160 --> 00:39:15,840 stewarding as we should? Are the are the bank balances at 783 00:39:15,840 --> 00:39:18,560 liberty just going to go through the roof in the next few weeks? 784 00:39:19,520 --> 00:39:21,040 That's not how we're going to judge it. 785 00:39:21,880 --> 00:39:25,080 We'll judge it by are we truly willing to give God our 786 00:39:25,200 --> 00:39:27,760 everything? And as we do, we'll see this 787 00:39:27,760 --> 00:39:31,800 church go far beyond finances and blessings there to see to 788 00:39:31,840 --> 00:39:33,440 be. He will give us opportunities to 789 00:39:33,440 --> 00:39:36,400 serve in ways we can't even imagine if we're the stewards 790 00:39:36,400 --> 00:39:40,200 that he has asked us to be. Thank you for listening to the 791 00:39:40,200 --> 00:39:42,800 sermon from the pulpit of Liberty Baptist Church. 792 00:39:43,120 --> 00:39:46,400 If this message was a blessing to you, or if there's any way we 793 00:39:46,400 --> 00:39:49,560 can serve you, please let us know by contacting us at 794 00:39:49,680 --> 00:39:54,440 info@mylibertybaptist.org. Or you can visit us this Sunday 795 00:39:54,640 --> 00:39:58,320 at 800 Washington St. in Easton, MA. 796 00:39:58,600 --> 00:40:01,400 May the Lord bless you as you grow in His Word.