1 00:00:01,360 --> 00:00:03,680 Welcome to the River City Church Podcast. 2 00:00:03,960 --> 00:00:07,000 Our prayer is that this message would inspire and encourage you 3 00:00:07,480 --> 00:00:11,440 build your faith and point you to the life changing love of 4 00:00:11,440 --> 00:00:14,280 Jesus. May you enjoy the goodness of 5 00:00:14,280 --> 00:00:18,790 God as you follow him today. Good morning, River City. 6 00:00:18,790 --> 00:00:20,750 We are so glad to see you this morning. 7 00:00:20,750 --> 00:00:25,910 If you are new today, if this is your first week here or maybe. 8 00:00:25,910 --> 00:00:28,150 Your second or third but you are still new. 9 00:00:28,150 --> 00:00:31,550 I just want to welcome you. We are so. 10 00:00:31,550 --> 00:00:36,430 Thrilled that you are here with us and to give us a few hours of 11 00:00:36,430 --> 00:00:39,230 your Sunday. We are honored and you are our 12 00:00:39,230 --> 00:00:43,670 guest and so I hope that you. Felt welcomed this morning. 13 00:00:44,290 --> 00:00:47,610 Well, every. Week we start off every Sunday 14 00:00:47,610 --> 00:00:49,570 we start. Off our time of teaching with a 15 00:00:49,570 --> 00:00:53,450 declaration and we say the same thing every week. 16 00:00:53,450 --> 00:00:56,330 And here's why. We do it because we need this. 17 00:00:56,330 --> 00:01:01,250 Reminder that there is no one in this room that doesn't 18 00:01:01,250 --> 00:01:04,970 desperately need a savior. We are all broken. 19 00:01:06,170 --> 00:01:10,410 But there's also Every single person in this room is deeply 20 00:01:10,610 --> 00:01:14,320 loved by God. Not because of what you and I 21 00:01:14,320 --> 00:01:17,760 have done, but because of who he is. 22 00:01:18,000 --> 00:01:25,640 And so together. We are deeply loved. 23 00:01:18,760 --> 00:01:22,480 Repeat after me or with me. We are badly. 24 00:01:26,000 --> 00:01:28,320 Amen. I need that reminder every week, 25 00:01:28,480 --> 00:01:30,720 don't you? It's a good reminder. 26 00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:36,120 Well, my name is Jennifer Adams. My husband Chris and I have been 27 00:01:36,120 --> 00:01:39,200 here at River City for about 2 1/2 years. 28 00:01:39,820 --> 00:01:42,940 If you haven't met me, you have probably met my husband because 29 00:01:42,940 --> 00:01:45,460 Chris is usually out in the foyer greeting. 30 00:01:45,620 --> 00:01:48,780 We are on the greeting team and just a shout out that probably 31 00:01:48,780 --> 00:01:51,060 is our favorite place to. Serve in the church because we 32 00:01:51,060 --> 00:01:53,620 just get to stand out there and smile and greet everybody. 33 00:01:53,620 --> 00:01:56,940 So if you are looking for a place to serve, we would love 34 00:01:56,940 --> 00:01:59,700 some more people on that. Team, come talk to me or grab my 35 00:01:59,700 --> 00:02:02,300 husband in the foyer and we will plug you in. 36 00:02:02,580 --> 00:02:06,260 But we have three boys. Our oldest is just. 37 00:02:06,260 --> 00:02:08,259 Graduated from high school. Hallelujah. 38 00:02:09,440 --> 00:02:13,960 But that's only one down. Our second one is going into 39 00:02:13,960 --> 00:02:18,440 eighth grade and our youngest is going into third grade, so we've 40 00:02:18,440 --> 00:02:21,040 got lots. Of ages and stages represented 41 00:02:21,040 --> 00:02:24,240 in my house is never quiet and never dull. 42 00:02:25,160 --> 00:02:28,320 But my youngest son, Clint, he is 8. 43 00:02:28,800 --> 00:02:32,240 And Clint has a lot of questions. 44 00:02:33,050 --> 00:02:36,530 All the time, Every day, about everything. 45 00:02:36,610 --> 00:02:39,330 Anybody else have a kid like that or raise a kid like that? 46 00:02:40,090 --> 00:02:44,370 It's exhausting and part of it is this stage, but you know. 47 00:02:44,370 --> 00:02:45,890 That's how they learn. I have to explain to his 48 00:02:45,890 --> 00:02:47,690 brothers, this is how he learns. You got to let him ask 49 00:02:47,690 --> 00:02:49,490 questions, you know, If he doesn't know what he doesn't 50 00:02:49,490 --> 00:02:52,050 know. So I've been noticing lately 51 00:02:52,130 --> 00:02:53,650 more. Questions revolving around 52 00:02:53,650 --> 00:02:58,850 money. So hey, mom, do we have enough 53 00:02:58,850 --> 00:03:01,540 money for? Fill in the blank, whatever it 54 00:03:01,540 --> 00:03:06,860 is he thinks he needs a KA wants that week but a couple weeks 55 00:03:06,860 --> 00:03:09,300 ago. He comes up to me and real 56 00:03:09,300 --> 00:03:14,580 serious and he says mom so. Exactly how much money do you 57 00:03:14,580 --> 00:03:18,740 have? So of course I took that as a 58 00:03:18,740 --> 00:03:21,660 teaching opportunity because I'm always looking for teaching. 59 00:03:21,660 --> 00:03:23,580 Opportunities, much to my children's delight. 60 00:03:24,140 --> 00:03:28,620 And I said, listen, Clint, there's two questions that you 61 00:03:28,620 --> 00:03:32,560 never ask an adult. One is how old they are and the 62 00:03:32,560 --> 00:03:35,800 second one is how much money they have, to which he promptly 63 00:03:35,800 --> 00:03:37,120 responded. But why? 64 00:03:38,200 --> 00:03:41,280 So I attempted to. Explain to him and based on the 65 00:03:41,280 --> 00:03:43,600 look on his face, I don't think he was understanding or 66 00:03:43,600 --> 00:03:48,720 comprehending, but those questions told me that he was. 67 00:03:48,720 --> 00:03:53,920 Wrestling with something that there was a concern for him that 68 00:03:53,920 --> 00:03:59,370 we didn't have enough and we live in a. 69 00:03:59,370 --> 00:04:05,370 World that is obsessed with money, it is presented as the be 70 00:04:05,370 --> 00:04:08,250 all. And end all for happiness, 71 00:04:08,490 --> 00:04:12,530 satisfaction, success, whatever you name it, money. 72 00:04:12,530 --> 00:04:15,330 Is presented as the answer and yet. 73 00:04:15,730 --> 00:04:19,930 The chase never ends because we never can seem to get enough 74 00:04:20,050 --> 00:04:23,330 right. It's always there's this enough 75 00:04:23,330 --> 00:04:24,810 idea is just so elusive. It's. 76 00:04:24,810 --> 00:04:28,840 Just right beyond our grasp and if we aren't careful. 77 00:04:29,600 --> 00:04:35,320 This constant pursuit of just a little bit more, it become. 78 00:04:35,360 --> 00:04:37,720 Gets to the point where it's all we can think about. 79 00:04:38,680 --> 00:04:42,120 Now I know that some of you you've already heard me for the 80 00:04:42,120 --> 00:04:43,240 last couple sentences and you're. 81 00:04:43,240 --> 00:04:46,640 Like, oh, I am tuning this one out because she's talking about 82 00:04:46,640 --> 00:04:49,800 money and there's some of you in the room who you're getting a 83 00:04:49,800 --> 00:04:51,920 little nervous. And anxious because I'm talking 84 00:04:51,920 --> 00:04:54,960 about money in church and I just want to encourage you. 85 00:04:55,120 --> 00:05:00,680 Hang in there with me, because I really feel that what God has 86 00:05:00,680 --> 00:05:03,680 given me to share with you today, that it can really. 87 00:05:03,680 --> 00:05:07,400 Bring you some freedom in this area of money. 88 00:05:07,600 --> 00:05:11,240 And I don't know about you, but I could use freedom in this area 89 00:05:11,240 --> 00:05:13,600 when it comes to the topic of the money. 90 00:05:13,960 --> 00:05:19,200 So money can be an idol or it can be an opportunity. 91 00:05:21,040 --> 00:05:23,360 The choice is ours. It just depends. 92 00:05:23,360 --> 00:05:26,790 On how we view it and we are in the middle of a series on 93 00:05:26,790 --> 00:05:29,230 idolatry. So if you if this is your first 94 00:05:29,230 --> 00:05:32,150 week here you have jumped right into the middle of a series. 95 00:05:32,150 --> 00:05:34,310 Actually, we're. Kind of at the tail end of the 96 00:05:34,310 --> 00:05:36,870 series at this point. Next week you don't want to 97 00:05:36,870 --> 00:05:38,870 miss. Next week Johnny will wrap up 98 00:05:38,870 --> 00:05:40,670 the whole series, so it's going to be good. 99 00:05:40,950 --> 00:05:42,390 But. We've been talking about idols, 100 00:05:42,390 --> 00:05:45,710 the things in our life that we put in the place of God, and 101 00:05:45,710 --> 00:05:48,790 there is a working. Definition of an idol that we've 102 00:05:48,790 --> 00:05:50,790 been using every week. We've repeated this. 103 00:05:51,070 --> 00:05:54,070 It comes from Tim Keller's book Counterfeit Gods. 104 00:05:54,310 --> 00:05:56,030 And so we're going to look get it again today. 105 00:05:56,710 --> 00:06:00,910 And it says this and idol is anything so central and 106 00:06:00,910 --> 00:06:04,110 essential. To your life that should you 107 00:06:04,110 --> 00:06:10,510 lose it, your life would hardly. Feel worth living now? 108 00:06:10,510 --> 00:06:14,750 That's a strong definition. And for some of you you can 109 00:06:14,750 --> 00:06:16,830 hear, read that and hear that and you immediately. 110 00:06:16,830 --> 00:06:20,830 Know what that is for you. But there's some of you in the 111 00:06:20,830 --> 00:06:22,750 room, and I know this because I've. 112 00:06:22,750 --> 00:06:25,990 Heard from some of you. There's some of you that have 113 00:06:25,990 --> 00:06:28,390 been hearing this definition over the last number of weeks 114 00:06:28,390 --> 00:06:31,790 and you thought, wow, yeah, I I don't know that I can put my 115 00:06:31,790 --> 00:06:34,310 finger. On anything in my life that I 116 00:06:34,310 --> 00:06:38,270 really feel. That strongly about like if I 117 00:06:38,270 --> 00:06:40,910 lost it I would want to. Die like I don't. 118 00:06:41,270 --> 00:06:44,110 I'm not sure what that would be, so I want to expand. 119 00:06:44,110 --> 00:06:46,870 On that definition, a little bit in Tim Keller's book, it's 120 00:06:46,870 --> 00:06:50,270 actually in the exact same paragraph that we found this. 121 00:06:50,390 --> 00:06:52,810 Working definition that we've been using. 122 00:06:52,810 --> 00:06:57,650 A couple sentences later he says This and idol is whatever you 123 00:06:57,650 --> 00:07:00,890 look at and you say in your. Heart of Hearts. 124 00:07:01,250 --> 00:07:05,010 If I can just have that, then I'll feel. 125 00:07:05,490 --> 00:07:09,090 My life has a meaning, then I'll know I have. 126 00:07:09,090 --> 00:07:15,730 Value and then I'll feel significant and secure and idol 127 00:07:15,730 --> 00:07:19,610 is anything. In our life that we look at to 128 00:07:19,690 --> 00:07:24,090 fill. A need that only God can fill 129 00:07:25,050 --> 00:07:27,130 Now we've covered several idols in this series. 130 00:07:27,130 --> 00:07:30,610 We've talked about success. We've talked about identity. 131 00:07:31,330 --> 00:07:34,930 Last week, RJ talked about. Busyness and distractions, and I 132 00:07:34,930 --> 00:07:37,250 don't know who that one didn't hit and if you missed it, I 133 00:07:37,250 --> 00:07:39,250 would encourage you to go. Back and listen to them. 134 00:07:39,850 --> 00:07:44,410 And then today we are. Doing money because I guess if 135 00:07:44,410 --> 00:07:45,810 we. Haven't stepped on your toes 136 00:07:45,810 --> 00:07:48,210 yet. They left it up to me with the 137 00:07:48,210 --> 00:07:53,370 money topic, but I am one of the newer members of the teaching 138 00:07:53,370 --> 00:07:55,210 team and so some of you are probably. 139 00:07:55,210 --> 00:07:57,890 Assuming that I had to, I just got the short. 140 00:07:57,890 --> 00:08:01,930 Straw, Jennifer. Got money and I'm going to be 141 00:08:02,170 --> 00:08:06,530 transparent with you. I actually chose this topic 142 00:08:06,730 --> 00:08:08,910 well. Let me rephrase that when the 143 00:08:08,910 --> 00:08:11,830 e-mail came out with the with the choices. 144 00:08:12,070 --> 00:08:15,950 To the teaching team, I saw the list and I immediately knew the 145 00:08:15,950 --> 00:08:18,710 Holy Spirit was saying money that was yours. 146 00:08:19,270 --> 00:08:21,990 And I said, Oh no, no, no, no, no, I'm not. 147 00:08:22,510 --> 00:08:25,350 So this is. What I did, I waited to see how 148 00:08:25,350 --> 00:08:27,910 everybody else responded. Somebody else is going to take 149 00:08:27,910 --> 00:08:30,270 money. And you guessed it, nobody else 150 00:08:30,270 --> 00:08:32,789 volunteered to do money. So I got the e-mail. 151 00:08:32,789 --> 00:08:34,710 Hey, Jennifer, we really. Need to know which one you're 152 00:08:34,710 --> 00:08:38,370 going to do, Holy Spirit. OK. 153 00:08:38,409 --> 00:08:42,010 Yeah, Money Jason was like. Yes, you got it. 154 00:08:42,250 --> 00:08:48,490 And quick response and he But here's why I knew the holy. 155 00:08:48,490 --> 00:08:52,650 Spirit wanted me to do money because money is a topic. 156 00:08:52,650 --> 00:08:55,410 That's been deeply personal to me. 157 00:08:56,690 --> 00:08:58,690 Money has been a struggle for a big. 158 00:08:58,690 --> 00:09:03,010 Part of my Christian walk. And when I say struggle, I don't 159 00:09:03,010 --> 00:09:07,560 mean the struggle for not having enough of it, although there. 160 00:09:07,560 --> 00:09:09,800 Have definitely been seasons of my life. 161 00:09:09,800 --> 00:09:12,880 There's parts of my story where that is the story where there 162 00:09:12,880 --> 00:09:15,000 hasn't been enough. But that's not the kind of 163 00:09:15,000 --> 00:09:17,720 struggle I'm talking about. What I'm talking about is there 164 00:09:17,720 --> 00:09:20,680 has. Been a wrestling between me and 165 00:09:20,680 --> 00:09:26,360 God with keeping. Money in its right place because 166 00:09:26,360 --> 00:09:31,280 for so many years, my sense of security was directly tied to 167 00:09:31,280 --> 00:09:34,280 the. Balance in my bank account in 168 00:09:34,520 --> 00:09:36,080 our bank account once I got married. 169 00:09:37,000 --> 00:09:39,080 And at and being married to somebody. 170 00:09:39,080 --> 00:09:41,160 Who had his own business? Guess what Our bank account 171 00:09:41,160 --> 00:09:44,040 does? Up and down, up and down. 172 00:09:44,040 --> 00:09:46,400 And I would find my sense of security just. 173 00:09:46,400 --> 00:09:50,280 Constantly up and down based on my bank account and this has 174 00:09:50,280 --> 00:09:53,880 been an all out battle for a long time between me and God 175 00:09:53,880 --> 00:09:56,840 trying to get the right perspective. 176 00:09:56,920 --> 00:09:58,880 On money but. Through this. 177 00:09:58,880 --> 00:10:00,840 Through the seasons, through the years of. 178 00:10:00,840 --> 00:10:04,120 Walking with him, he God has taught me some really life 179 00:10:04,120 --> 00:10:07,200 changing principles about money and I'm excited to share a 180 00:10:07,200 --> 00:10:10,360 little bit with you. Today, because listen, I really 181 00:10:10,360 --> 00:10:13,960 believe there can be freedom in this area when it comes to 182 00:10:13,960 --> 00:10:16,160 money. Now I want to back up a little 183 00:10:16,160 --> 00:10:18,680 bit. When we talk about idols, the 184 00:10:18,680 --> 00:10:21,480 ones we've been talking about, they're really easy to see. 185 00:10:21,520 --> 00:10:24,160 They're real visible. Idols Kind of your surface 186 00:10:24,400 --> 00:10:26,880 idols. Money, identity, success. 187 00:10:27,290 --> 00:10:30,130 But if you dig a little deeper, there are deeper. 188 00:10:30,130 --> 00:10:33,770 Longings and struggles that really motivate us to. 189 00:10:33,770 --> 00:10:37,330 Chase after the surface idols. I'm going to call them the deep 190 00:10:37,330 --> 00:10:40,410 idols and we're going to put them up on the screen one by one 191 00:10:40,410 --> 00:10:48,330 and they look like this. The next one is seeking 192 00:10:48,330 --> 00:10:51,050 approval, looking for appreciation. 193 00:10:41,970 --> 00:10:45,330 First one is a desire for power or. 194 00:10:52,370 --> 00:10:58,520 The third one is chasing comfort and the last one is a need for 195 00:10:58,520 --> 00:11:01,040 control. Or security. 196 00:11:02,680 --> 00:11:04,040 Now leave us on the screen for just a. 197 00:11:04,040 --> 00:11:06,120 Minute because I want to talk about him as you look at those, 198 00:11:06,280 --> 00:11:09,200 Tim Keller says this that we can find our. 199 00:11:09,200 --> 00:11:13,680 Idols, when we look at our nightmares, what is it that you? 200 00:11:13,680 --> 00:11:19,240 Fear losing the most and each of these deep idols. 201 00:11:19,280 --> 00:11:23,080 On the screen, they generate a different set of fears for us, a 202 00:11:23,080 --> 00:11:27,440 different set of hopes, and they cause us to approach our surface 203 00:11:27,480 --> 00:11:30,200 idols very differently. Now if you if I just lost you 204 00:11:30,200 --> 00:11:31,560 just there, let me. Give you an example. 205 00:11:32,360 --> 00:11:34,560 So when I look at this. List of Deep Idols. 206 00:11:35,280 --> 00:11:38,600 I immediately know which one is most most often. 207 00:11:38,600 --> 00:11:41,320 Mine is. Control the need for security 208 00:11:41,950 --> 00:11:46,430 and because that is usually my deeper need, my deeper idol 209 00:11:46,430 --> 00:11:49,510 motivating. When it comes to money, guess 210 00:11:49,510 --> 00:11:53,190 what I do. I hold my money really tight. 211 00:11:54,230 --> 00:11:59,150 My kids would tell you I'm stingy with it because my 212 00:11:59,150 --> 00:12:02,550 security is tied to my bank account like we talked about. 213 00:12:02,870 --> 00:12:06,150 And so I'm. Holding my money tight now if my 214 00:12:06,150 --> 00:12:10,690 deeper idol, my deeper motivation was approval, I 215 00:12:10,690 --> 00:12:12,370 would. Approach money very differently. 216 00:12:13,010 --> 00:12:17,450 I wouldn't have a problem necessarily spending money if 217 00:12:17,450 --> 00:12:20,250 that meant that I could earn approval. 218 00:12:20,250 --> 00:12:23,050 From it I can impress people look more. 219 00:12:23,930 --> 00:12:28,450 Get into the right circles. You can see two very different 220 00:12:28,650 --> 00:12:32,090 deep idols, but they cause us to approach those surface. 221 00:12:32,090 --> 00:12:36,530 Idols very differently, and the problem is no matter which deep. 222 00:12:36,570 --> 00:12:42,060 Idol is driving you if you are. Looking to money to fill one of 223 00:12:42,060 --> 00:12:45,060 these things. It will quickly. 224 00:12:45,060 --> 00:12:48,900 Money will quickly. Become your master and money 225 00:12:48,900 --> 00:12:51,340 makes. A poor master. 226 00:12:51,340 --> 00:12:53,780 I'm going to read you a verse out of Ecclesiastes. 227 00:12:53,780 --> 00:12:55,820 Ecclesiastes is in the middle of your Bible. 228 00:12:55,820 --> 00:12:59,500 It's right after Psalms and Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. 229 00:12:59,500 --> 00:13:03,340 Was written by King Solomon. King Solomon was the son of King 230 00:13:03,340 --> 00:13:05,920 David. The Bible tells us he was the. 231 00:13:05,920 --> 00:13:09,520 Wealthiest man to ever live, in fact, they say. 232 00:13:09,760 --> 00:13:13,440 That in today's economy, King Solomon would be worth 1. 233 00:13:13,440 --> 00:13:18,960 To two trillion dollars trillion with a T that is a lot. 234 00:13:18,960 --> 00:13:21,680 Of money. And I want you to hear what 235 00:13:21,680 --> 00:13:25,120 Solomon says. This is an Ecclesiastes 510. 236 00:13:25,720 --> 00:13:29,240 He says whoever loves money never has enough. 237 00:13:30,090 --> 00:13:33,810 Whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. 238 00:13:34,050 --> 00:13:38,050 This, too, is meaningless, even with all of. 239 00:13:38,050 --> 00:13:40,450 His money. King Solomon had learned 240 00:13:40,450 --> 00:13:44,930 something to be true that money never satisfies. 241 00:13:46,170 --> 00:13:48,090 We're going to spend a little bit of time this morning in a 242 00:13:48,170 --> 00:13:49,770 passage. In the New Testament, we're 243 00:13:49,770 --> 00:13:51,290 going to look at a story in Luke. 244 00:13:51,570 --> 00:13:53,610 Luke is at the beginning of the New Testament. 245 00:13:53,610 --> 00:13:56,160 You got Matthew, Mark, Luke. And we're going to look at a 246 00:13:56,160 --> 00:14:00,040 story of Jesus. And a man named Zakias. 247 00:14:00,360 --> 00:14:03,760 So it's in Luke 19 if you've got your Bibles, or it will be on 248 00:14:03,760 --> 00:14:06,280 the screen. Luke 19 versus 1. 249 00:14:06,280 --> 00:14:11,320 To 10 says this he entered Jericho and he is Jesus. 250 00:14:11,320 --> 00:14:15,000 OK, so Jesus enters Jericho. He's passing through. 251 00:14:15,240 --> 00:14:18,400 And there was a man named Zakias who was a chief tax collector. 252 00:14:18,400 --> 00:14:19,960 And he. Was rich. 253 00:14:20,610 --> 00:14:23,850 He was trying to see who Jesus was, but he was not able because 254 00:14:23,850 --> 00:14:26,370 of the crowd. Since he was a short man, so 255 00:14:26,370 --> 00:14:29,130 running ahead he. Climbed up a Sycamore tree to 256 00:14:29,130 --> 00:14:32,810 see Jesus since he was. About to pass that way, when 257 00:14:32,810 --> 00:14:35,290 Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, Zach, 258 00:14:35,290 --> 00:14:39,570 he has hurry and come down because today it is necessary 259 00:14:39,570 --> 00:14:43,330 for me to stay at your house. So he quickly came down. 260 00:14:43,330 --> 00:14:47,010 He welcomed him joyfully and all who saw it began to complain. 261 00:14:47,330 --> 00:14:52,360 He's gone to stay with a sinful man, but Zakia stood there and 262 00:14:52,360 --> 00:14:55,360 he said to the Lord, Look, I'll give half of my possessions to 263 00:14:55,360 --> 00:14:56,880 the. Poor Lord, and if I have 264 00:14:56,880 --> 00:15:01,440 extorted anything from anyone, I'll pay back four times as much 265 00:15:01,920 --> 00:15:03,960 today. Salvation has come to this. 266 00:15:03,960 --> 00:15:08,120 House Jesus told him because he. Too is a son of Abraham, for the 267 00:15:08,120 --> 00:15:12,560 son of man has come. To seek and to save the lost. 268 00:15:12,960 --> 00:15:17,640 Now this passage in Luke is the only passage we have about 269 00:15:17,640 --> 00:15:20,350 Zakia. We'd never hear about him again, 270 00:15:20,830 --> 00:15:23,590 but in these 10 verses we can get some. 271 00:15:23,590 --> 00:15:25,230 We learn a. Little bit about Psychias we 272 00:15:25,230 --> 00:15:26,750 learned that he's a tax collector. 273 00:15:27,030 --> 00:15:30,310 He's a chief. Tax collector, Which means that 274 00:15:30,310 --> 00:15:34,070 he most likely oversaw all of the other tax collectors in that 275 00:15:34,070 --> 00:15:36,450 region. And it also says that he was. 276 00:15:36,450 --> 00:15:40,090 Wealthy, so as a tax collector, he was in Jericho. 277 00:15:40,330 --> 00:15:44,490 Jericho was a key. City on some major trading 278 00:15:44,490 --> 00:15:46,290 routes. OK, so there was a lot of 279 00:15:46,290 --> 00:15:49,530 business, a lot of commerce that happened in this area. 280 00:15:49,690 --> 00:15:53,130 And so he had a lot of opportunity to make money and he 281 00:15:53,130 --> 00:15:56,370 was wealthy. Zakius is a so here you have a 282 00:15:56,370 --> 00:15:58,250 tax collector. He is a Jewish. 283 00:15:58,570 --> 00:16:03,880 Man a tax collector, which means he's collecting taxes from his 284 00:16:03,880 --> 00:16:07,840 own people. For for the Romans, who were the 285 00:16:07,840 --> 00:16:12,760 oppressors of the Jews, and for the Jewish people, they viewed 286 00:16:12,760 --> 00:16:17,800 tax collectors as traitors. And not only were they because 287 00:16:17,800 --> 00:16:20,080 they were. Siding with the enemy and and 288 00:16:20,080 --> 00:16:23,720 that the burden that the Romans put on the Jews was very, very 289 00:16:23,720 --> 00:16:27,080 heavy, this tax burden. And so they view tax cutters as 290 00:16:27,080 --> 00:16:29,890 traders, but tax collectors also. 291 00:16:29,890 --> 00:16:33,330 Not only were they siding with the Romans, but they were also 292 00:16:33,330 --> 00:16:37,330 notorious for collecting more than they needed to. 293 00:16:37,770 --> 00:16:40,370 Rome would tell them how much tax to collect, and they would 294 00:16:40,370 --> 00:16:42,930 go out and they'd approach you and say, you got to give me this 295 00:16:42,930 --> 00:16:44,410 tax plus this amount. They would. 296 00:16:44,410 --> 00:16:46,930 Tack on an extra to put in their pockets. 297 00:16:47,170 --> 00:16:49,450 So they were despised and they were hated. 298 00:16:50,090 --> 00:16:54,970 And it makes me wonder, why would a man likes like he? 299 00:16:55,050 --> 00:16:57,450 Why would he? Choose that for his profession. 300 00:16:58,080 --> 00:17:01,440 Why would he want to be a tax collector when he knew his 301 00:17:01,440 --> 00:17:03,040 people? Were going to hate him and 302 00:17:03,040 --> 00:17:07,440 despise him, I think. It's safe to say that his deeper 303 00:17:07,440 --> 00:17:10,800 idol was not approval because. He was not getting that. 304 00:17:11,520 --> 00:17:14,440 Maybe it was power, maybe it was control. 305 00:17:14,440 --> 00:17:16,240 We don't know. The Bible doesn't tell us. 306 00:17:16,760 --> 00:17:20,680 But whatever was motivating him, he was still. 307 00:17:20,720 --> 00:17:22,599 Searching. And that's what we see in the 308 00:17:22,599 --> 00:17:23,119 story. He's. 309 00:17:23,119 --> 00:17:26,319 Still searching because he had learned some of the most basic 310 00:17:26,319 --> 00:17:30,160 lessons of life that you can be. Rich and not happy. 311 00:17:30,960 --> 00:17:34,880 You can be wealthy. And lonely you can be 312 00:17:34,880 --> 00:17:39,080 successful. And not satisfied, There's some 313 00:17:39,080 --> 00:17:43,640 quotes I ran across from wealthy men early in America's history. 314 00:17:43,640 --> 00:17:45,120 And I want you to listen to some of these. 315 00:17:45,560 --> 00:17:49,320 One was from WH. Vanderbilt and he says this the 316 00:17:49,320 --> 00:17:52,760 care of 200,000,000 is enough to kill. 317 00:17:53,760 --> 00:17:58,030 There is no pleasure in it, John D Rockefeller says. 318 00:17:58,030 --> 00:17:59,950 I have made many millions, but they have. 319 00:17:59,950 --> 00:18:04,310 Brought me no happiness. And then Henry Ford, the man who 320 00:18:04,310 --> 00:18:07,070 founded Ford. Motor Company, Listen to what he 321 00:18:07,070 --> 00:18:10,790 says, he says. I was happiest when doing a 322 00:18:10,790 --> 00:18:15,070 mechanic's job. Money will. 323 00:18:15,070 --> 00:18:19,070 Never fill the void. It can bring temporary 324 00:18:19,070 --> 00:18:24,390 pleasures, but in the end it. Just doesn't satisfy no matter 325 00:18:24,390 --> 00:18:27,650 how much we have. We heard King Solomon, he had a 326 00:18:27,650 --> 00:18:31,290 couple trillion dollars. And yet he recognized money 327 00:18:31,610 --> 00:18:34,690 doesn't satisfy, and so we see this with, Sakia said. 328 00:18:34,690 --> 00:18:37,690 He is still seeking something. He has power, He has position, 329 00:18:37,690 --> 00:18:40,090 he has wealth, but he's still seeking something. 330 00:18:40,210 --> 00:18:42,450 He's heard about this Jesus, right? 331 00:18:42,450 --> 00:18:45,770 This rabbi who's doing miracles. He's gathering crowds. 332 00:18:45,770 --> 00:18:49,810 He's got some really interesting teachings and he is searching 333 00:18:49,810 --> 00:18:53,210 and he's seeking maybe. This is the one to fill that 334 00:18:53,210 --> 00:18:55,850 void, and we know he's desperate. 335 00:18:56,690 --> 00:19:00,410 Because he climbed a tree. A respectable man would not have 336 00:19:00,410 --> 00:19:03,050 climbed a tree. He would not have been seen in a 337 00:19:03,050 --> 00:19:04,810 tree. That was not something a man of 338 00:19:04,810 --> 00:19:07,730 his position would do. And yet he was desperate. 339 00:19:07,730 --> 00:19:12,410 And it was up in that tree that he had an encounter with Jesus 340 00:19:12,410 --> 00:19:16,810 that changed everything for him and listen Jesus interaction 341 00:19:16,810 --> 00:19:19,610 with him. Frankly, it was pretty 342 00:19:19,610 --> 00:19:21,490 scandalous. And here's why I say that. 343 00:19:22,540 --> 00:19:24,820 Because A. Rabbi and a rabbi is simply a 344 00:19:24,820 --> 00:19:26,780 teacher. Jesus was a rabbi. 345 00:19:26,780 --> 00:19:30,500 He was a teacher. Rabbis did not associate with 346 00:19:30,500 --> 00:19:33,460 tax collectors. Tax collectors were the lowest 347 00:19:33,460 --> 00:19:36,620 of the low that rabbis lump them in with the murderers and the 348 00:19:36,620 --> 00:19:40,060 robbers and the prostitutes. They were not going to associate 349 00:19:40,100 --> 00:19:43,020 with the tax collector, In fact the rabbis during this. 350 00:19:43,020 --> 00:19:46,340 Time they would not allow a tax collector to be a witness in 351 00:19:46,340 --> 00:19:49,100 court because their. Testimony was not to be trusted. 352 00:19:49,660 --> 00:19:54,300 They were considered societal outcasts, in fact, a lot of 353 00:19:54,300 --> 00:19:56,620 rabbis. Would not even allow a tax 354 00:19:56,620 --> 00:19:59,420 collector. To come in the synagogue and 355 00:19:59,420 --> 00:20:02,500 here you have Jesus. He's walking along. 356 00:20:02,700 --> 00:20:06,540 Zachias is in the. Tree and he stops, not only 357 00:20:06,740 --> 00:20:11,460 looks at Zachias, but actually. Acknowledges him, calls him by 358 00:20:11,460 --> 00:20:15,500 name and says, hey, I need you to come down because I'm going 359 00:20:15,500 --> 00:20:17,900 to your house. This was. 360 00:20:18,210 --> 00:20:20,410 Scandalous. And you can see the people, they 361 00:20:20,410 --> 00:20:22,290 were trying to grumble and complain. 362 00:20:22,290 --> 00:20:26,050 Wait, this is a Sinner? Why is Jesus going with him? 363 00:20:27,930 --> 00:20:31,770 And it was an extravagant grace that Jesus was. 364 00:20:31,770 --> 00:20:34,450 Pouring out on Zachias that day and I want you to look and see 365 00:20:34,450 --> 00:20:37,330 how Zachias responds. Back in verse eight, it says 366 00:20:37,330 --> 00:20:39,890 Zachias stood. There, And he says to the Lord, 367 00:20:40,050 --> 00:20:43,250 I'll give half my possessions to the poor, and if I've extorted 368 00:20:43,290 --> 00:20:48,810 anything from anyone, I'll pay. Back four times as much he he 369 00:20:48,810 --> 00:20:52,050 was had. Received an extravagant grace, 370 00:20:52,810 --> 00:20:57,930 and the result was extravagant generosity on Zakhias's part. 371 00:20:59,290 --> 00:21:03,650 Zakhias learned that day that he needed to have a shift. 372 00:21:04,130 --> 00:21:07,530 In how he had viewed money and I want to look with you at 3 373 00:21:07,530 --> 00:21:10,890 principles that I really think if you can get a hold of these 374 00:21:11,570 --> 00:21:14,650 it will change the way you. View money and it will help you 375 00:21:14,650 --> 00:21:16,530 to. Experience freedom in this area, 376 00:21:16,530 --> 00:21:20,230 and this is the first one. God owns everything. 377 00:21:21,110 --> 00:21:23,470 I am simply. His money manager? 378 00:21:24,590 --> 00:21:27,310 There's lots of verses in the Bible that talk about how you 379 00:21:27,310 --> 00:21:30,910 know we know God is the Creator. He made it all, and he talks 380 00:21:30,910 --> 00:21:34,550 about how he owns it all. There's Job 4111, it says. 381 00:21:34,790 --> 00:21:39,430 Everything under heaven belongs to me, Hag Guy, 28, says. 382 00:21:39,430 --> 00:21:42,030 The silver and the gold, they belong to me. 383 00:21:42,470 --> 00:21:47,040 In Deuteronomy 818, the Lord says The Lord your God gives you 384 00:21:47,040 --> 00:21:50,720 the power. To gain wealth, he owns it all, 385 00:21:50,880 --> 00:21:56,560 and he has entrusted his money, his possessions to us, and we 386 00:21:56,560 --> 00:21:58,840 are. The money managers or the 387 00:21:58,840 --> 00:22:00,960 stewards? Well, what does that mean? 388 00:22:01,680 --> 00:22:05,680 Well, if you are a steward of something, that means that you 389 00:22:05,680 --> 00:22:11,440 need to find out what the owner wants done with his assets so 390 00:22:11,440 --> 00:22:15,360 that you can then carry out those wishes if you've ever met 391 00:22:15,360 --> 00:22:17,320 with a. Financial planner at any point 392 00:22:17,320 --> 00:22:19,280 One of the first. Questions they're going to ask 393 00:22:19,280 --> 00:22:24,640 you Is this What are your goals? For the next 10 years, 20 years, 394 00:22:25,040 --> 00:22:27,680 30, depending on how young you are, you'll see and I'll go out 395 00:22:27,680 --> 00:22:31,880 right And they want to know what your goals are because it's 396 00:22:31,960 --> 00:22:34,320 your. And they want to know how to 397 00:22:34,360 --> 00:22:38,920 advise you and how to manage your money so that your goals 398 00:22:38,920 --> 00:22:41,040 are realized it. Doesn't matter what they want to 399 00:22:41,040 --> 00:22:43,080 do with your money. It's not their money. 400 00:22:43,750 --> 00:22:46,710 They want to know what. Your goals are when we get this 401 00:22:46,710 --> 00:22:50,270 idea that. Listen, it all belongs to God. 402 00:22:50,350 --> 00:22:53,750 It's all of his, we're simply. Managing it. 403 00:22:54,150 --> 00:22:58,190 Here's the rub that means. We've got to talk to him about 404 00:22:58,190 --> 00:23:01,750 our money decisions. That means when we're making a 405 00:23:01,750 --> 00:23:03,150 big money. Decision, we've got to say. 406 00:23:03,150 --> 00:23:04,750 OK, God. I need some guidance. 407 00:23:05,110 --> 00:23:07,270 What do you want me to do here? How do? 408 00:23:07,270 --> 00:23:09,870 You want me to spend this? Where do you want me to invest? 409 00:23:09,870 --> 00:23:11,990 What does this look like? That means there's got to be 410 00:23:11,990 --> 00:23:14,590 some conversations. Means we've got to do some 411 00:23:14,590 --> 00:23:18,430 listening. We've got to be asking the owner 412 00:23:18,430 --> 00:23:21,110 what he. Wants done with his finances. 413 00:23:21,710 --> 00:23:24,230 And there's another part to this though, too. 414 00:23:29,510 --> 00:23:34,110 But there's also really, honestly, a sense of relief when 415 00:23:34,110 --> 00:23:26,350 we really get this idea that. Not only are we talking to God, 416 00:23:26,350 --> 00:23:28,470 because we recognize he owns it and we need some. 417 00:23:35,670 --> 00:23:38,270 He really owns it all. Anyway, there's a story about 418 00:23:38,750 --> 00:23:40,950 John Wesley. John Wesley was an English. 419 00:23:42,280 --> 00:23:44,480 In the 17 hundreds and there's a story where he was out 420 00:23:44,480 --> 00:23:46,880 preaching. And this man comes riding up on 421 00:23:46,880 --> 00:23:49,040 a horse. In a panic, yelling his name, 422 00:23:49,560 --> 00:23:51,400 and John stops and turns around. He's like, what's going on? 423 00:23:51,400 --> 00:23:54,480 He's like John John, your house is burning. 424 00:23:54,480 --> 00:24:00,160 Down and the story goes that John Wesley just paused and 425 00:24:00,160 --> 00:24:03,920 said, well, it's not my house, it's God's house. 426 00:24:04,880 --> 00:24:07,400 And I guess that's the one less thing I have to be responsible 427 00:24:07,400 --> 00:24:11,800 for and the first time I heard. That story, I thought. 428 00:24:12,440 --> 00:24:14,440 Yeah, if I could get that mindset. 429 00:24:15,560 --> 00:24:18,280 If I could get that mindset that it it all belongs to him. 430 00:24:18,280 --> 00:24:20,120 He's responsible. He's going to take care. 431 00:24:20,120 --> 00:24:23,880 I'm just his money manager. It takes a weight off. 432 00:24:25,160 --> 00:24:28,920 Another principle is that my heart always goes where I put. 433 00:24:28,920 --> 00:24:32,560 God's money, My heart follows the money. 434 00:24:33,000 --> 00:24:38,160 This we see in Matthew 6, Matthew 6 verse 19 to 21. 435 00:24:38,160 --> 00:24:41,640 Says this, don't store up for. Yourselves treasures on earth, 436 00:24:41,640 --> 00:24:44,760 We're moth and rust destroy and we're thieves breaking and still 437 00:24:44,760 --> 00:24:47,800 but store up for. Yourselves treasures in heaven, 438 00:24:48,400 --> 00:24:51,480 where neither moth nor rust destroys, where thieves don't 439 00:24:51,480 --> 00:24:55,200 break in and still, and for where your treasure is there 440 00:24:55,200 --> 00:24:56,880 your heart. Will be also. 441 00:24:58,000 --> 00:25:03,160 Listen, we have two options. We can store up our treasures 442 00:25:03,160 --> 00:25:07,360 here, or we can. Store them up in heaven. 2 443 00:25:07,360 --> 00:25:10,620 choices. And whichever one we choose is 444 00:25:10,620 --> 00:25:13,500 going to determine where our heart is, because our heart 445 00:25:13,820 --> 00:25:15,220 follows the money. I'm going to give you an 446 00:25:15,220 --> 00:25:17,940 illustration over here with this rope. 447 00:25:19,820 --> 00:25:21,980 And I think he is all tangled up after first service. 448 00:25:21,980 --> 00:25:27,340 But you know, we. Often live with this illusion 449 00:25:27,860 --> 00:25:29,900 that. The earth is our home. 450 00:25:31,420 --> 00:25:33,620 We act like it is. Like this is it? 451 00:25:34,700 --> 00:25:37,340 And yet, the Bible. Says something very different. 452 00:25:37,580 --> 00:25:40,060 Hebrews 11/13 says this. We are. 453 00:25:40,060 --> 00:25:46,700 Foreigners and temporary residents, Philippians 320 says 454 00:25:46,700 --> 00:25:50,220 our citizenship. Is in heaven, and we eagerly 455 00:25:50,220 --> 00:25:52,900 await the day that we get to see our Savior there. 456 00:25:53,940 --> 00:25:59,580 And so I want you to picture this rope as the timeline of 457 00:25:59,580 --> 00:26:01,060 your. Okay. 458 00:26:01,850 --> 00:26:04,250 And this? Tape that I have on the end 459 00:26:04,250 --> 00:26:05,850 right here. This is your. 460 00:26:05,850 --> 00:26:09,450 Time here on Earth. OK, it's got a beginning. 461 00:26:10,290 --> 00:26:15,130 It's got an end, and it's pretty brief in the grand scheme of 462 00:26:15,130 --> 00:26:16,690 things. Now the rest of this rope. 463 00:26:17,210 --> 00:26:20,530 The rest of this rope represents your eternity. 464 00:26:20,610 --> 00:26:24,050 That will be spent somewhere. Now this particular rope that I 465 00:26:24,050 --> 00:26:25,010 got. Off Amazon. 466 00:26:25,010 --> 00:26:28,650 Thank you, Amazon. Is only 50 feet long, so it ends 467 00:26:28,650 --> 00:26:30,010 right. There in a pile. 468 00:26:30,010 --> 00:26:34,410 But imagine that it goes on forever with no end insight. 469 00:26:35,450 --> 00:26:41,010 The money that God has entrusted us with, we have a choice. 470 00:26:41,290 --> 00:26:47,290 We can either store it up right here with chasing after those. 471 00:26:47,290 --> 00:26:49,850 Deeper idols. Approval. 472 00:26:49,850 --> 00:26:51,250 Comfort. Control. 473 00:26:52,050 --> 00:26:55,450 We can build up things. We can fill up our storage 474 00:26:55,450 --> 00:27:02,600 units, but here's the thing at the end, it's going to end right 475 00:27:02,600 --> 00:27:05,520 here and whatever we store up is not. 476 00:27:05,520 --> 00:27:09,880 Going to go with us into the future because whatever we store 477 00:27:09,880 --> 00:27:14,920 up here on the earth, it will be lost, guaranteed. 478 00:27:16,080 --> 00:27:17,720 You're either going to lose it while you're alive. 479 00:27:18,800 --> 00:27:21,800 Hello, Stock market or you're going to lose? 480 00:27:21,800 --> 00:27:26,710 It when you die, but either way you get past this last piece of 481 00:27:26,710 --> 00:27:31,430 the tape and it's not going anywhere it you've lost it but 482 00:27:31,430 --> 00:27:37,430 whatever we send on ahead, whatever we invest into God's. 483 00:27:38,350 --> 00:27:43,750 It will last forever it. Can't be destroyed, It will 484 00:27:43,950 --> 00:27:47,030 never. End nothing can still it. 485 00:27:47,710 --> 00:27:54,980 And when we really understand this this concept, it helps us 486 00:27:54,980 --> 00:27:58,340 to just live with open hands. Because listen, God has called 487 00:27:58,340 --> 00:28:01,980 us to live for the line and not the dot. 488 00:28:01,980 --> 00:28:03,940 And just imagine that little piece of tape was actually a 489 00:28:03,940 --> 00:28:05,340 dot. I couldn't figure out to way a 490 00:28:05,340 --> 00:28:08,580 way to make it a dot, but God says live for the. 491 00:28:08,580 --> 00:28:11,220 Line and not the dot. Don't be so. 492 00:28:11,220 --> 00:28:14,460 Consumed with what's happening in that short little space, but 493 00:28:14,460 --> 00:28:19,780 live with eternity in mind and when we get that concept. 494 00:28:21,540 --> 00:28:26,450 It results in a life of generosity and we become people 495 00:28:26,690 --> 00:28:29,850 with. Open hands instead of people 496 00:28:29,850 --> 00:28:32,810 with really tight clenched hands. 497 00:28:34,450 --> 00:28:37,730 There's a quote from A W Tozer. He was an American pastor. 498 00:28:37,730 --> 00:28:40,730 In the 1900s. And he says this whatever is 499 00:28:40,730 --> 00:28:44,730 given to Christ. Is immediately touched with 500 00:28:44,730 --> 00:28:49,370 immortality. Whatever we give to God, it 501 00:28:49,370 --> 00:28:53,710 lives. On forever in His eternal 502 00:28:53,710 --> 00:28:56,390 Kingdom, and there are some benefits. 503 00:28:56,390 --> 00:28:59,590 To living like this, there are some benefits to living with. 504 00:28:59,630 --> 00:29:02,590 Open hands to really understanding that it all. 505 00:29:02,590 --> 00:29:05,110 Belongs to God. Anyway, here's the first one 506 00:29:05,590 --> 00:29:08,190 when we. Give this and I and I actually 507 00:29:08,190 --> 00:29:12,190 just said it when we give. It reminds us that it all 508 00:29:12,270 --> 00:29:15,630 belongs to God, that it's not about. 509 00:29:16,830 --> 00:29:20,530 It's about him. In fact, it really is. 510 00:29:20,530 --> 00:29:25,690 Kind of a way of dethroning us. And exalting him when my husband 511 00:29:25,690 --> 00:29:28,930 and I first got married. We've been married for almost 22 512 00:29:28,930 --> 00:29:31,210 years. When we first got married, we 513 00:29:31,210 --> 00:29:34,170 made a commitment early in our marriage that we were going to. 514 00:29:34,170 --> 00:29:36,010 Give regularly. We were going to give 515 00:29:36,010 --> 00:29:39,370 consistently that it was important that we tie the 516 00:29:39,370 --> 00:29:42,450 percentage of our income every. Month and here's what there's 517 00:29:42,450 --> 00:29:47,110 several reasons for but one of. Them is this one because we. 518 00:29:47,110 --> 00:29:51,350 Knew that we needed a regular. Reminder that it was all about 519 00:29:51,350 --> 00:29:53,470 God. That it all belonged to God. 520 00:29:53,950 --> 00:29:56,710 So that every. Time I write that check every 521 00:29:56,710 --> 00:29:58,910 time. I go on to the bank and I make 522 00:29:58,910 --> 00:30:02,270 that transfer. It reminds me that this is not 523 00:30:02,270 --> 00:30:04,990 mine. That it all came from God. 524 00:30:04,990 --> 00:30:08,070 It all it. It's all his because. 525 00:30:08,470 --> 00:30:11,230 Listen, I have a way of just regularly. 526 00:30:11,230 --> 00:30:15,220 Putting myself on the throne over and over and over again and 527 00:30:15,220 --> 00:30:18,340 every time I give it, takes me off and reminds. 528 00:30:18,340 --> 00:30:22,620 Me who sits on the throne that it's all about him, Here's 529 00:30:22,620 --> 00:30:25,660 another benefit of giving is it puts. 530 00:30:25,660 --> 00:30:29,140 Our faith into action, It really puts flesh to it. 531 00:30:29,460 --> 00:30:32,380 Because listen, I can say all day long that I trust. 532 00:30:33,180 --> 00:30:34,620 I trust God. I trust God. 533 00:30:34,620 --> 00:30:37,980 And it's easier to trust. God when things are going well, 534 00:30:37,980 --> 00:30:40,940 right? But do I trust God? 535 00:30:40,940 --> 00:30:45,500 With my finances when it's hard, when I'm not sure how I'm going 536 00:30:45,500 --> 00:30:47,740 to make ends meet. Do I still trust him? 537 00:30:48,100 --> 00:30:50,660 And when he says give and I don't know how I can. 538 00:30:50,660 --> 00:30:53,300 Do that? Do I trust that he's my 539 00:30:53,300 --> 00:30:56,820 provider? Because every time we give, it's 540 00:30:56,820 --> 00:30:58,980 like this tangible thing is saying, you know what? 541 00:30:58,980 --> 00:31:02,300 God, I know. I know that you are my provider. 542 00:31:02,300 --> 00:31:04,420 I know that it might not make sense to me, but I. 543 00:31:04,420 --> 00:31:08,940 Trust you, and I'm putting it into action by giving, giving 544 00:31:08,940 --> 00:31:11,340 into your Kingdom, storing up my treasures. 545 00:31:11,460 --> 00:31:17,250 In heaven, not here on earth. And also giving brings. 546 00:31:17,250 --> 00:31:21,730 Freedom, Listen. Materialism. 547 00:31:22,090 --> 00:31:27,050 Money stuff. I don't know about you, but it. 548 00:31:27,050 --> 00:31:32,210 Can become this vicious of vortex and it just sucks us in. 549 00:31:33,130 --> 00:31:35,730 I'm surely I'm not the only one and I can. 550 00:31:36,210 --> 00:31:37,170 I can just. Feel it. 551 00:31:37,370 --> 00:31:40,770 I can feel it sucking me in, but every time I can. 552 00:31:40,770 --> 00:31:45,310 Step back and give. To God, to his Kingdom, to his 553 00:31:45,310 --> 00:31:48,510 church, to hit what he's. Doing around me every time I do 554 00:31:48,510 --> 00:31:51,270 that it like. Pulls me out of that orbit and 555 00:31:51,270 --> 00:31:54,550 it brings freedom if materialism is a struggle. 556 00:31:54,550 --> 00:31:57,350 For you, I want to encourage you that giving is the. 557 00:31:57,430 --> 00:32:01,230 Antidote to materialism, it pulls you out of that vicious 558 00:32:01,470 --> 00:32:05,990 vortex of stuff. And finally, this might. 559 00:32:06,470 --> 00:32:08,710 Well, I'll say this my favorite, but actually I like all. 560 00:32:08,710 --> 00:32:13,020 Of it, but this one giving is an opportunity to. 561 00:32:13,020 --> 00:32:18,660 Partner with God, I cannot even begin to express to you the. 562 00:32:18,660 --> 00:32:24,060 Joy that comes from giving to God's Kingdom and watching him 563 00:32:24,060 --> 00:32:28,660 do something way above and beyond my wildest dreams, 564 00:32:28,660 --> 00:32:33,620 because I'm obedient to just give until live with open hands. 565 00:32:34,220 --> 00:32:35,340 I want to share a story with you. 566 00:32:35,380 --> 00:32:37,660 There's a couple, a missionary couple. 567 00:32:37,660 --> 00:32:40,700 That my husband and I have known for a long time and they are 568 00:32:40,700 --> 00:32:42,740 missionaries in Australia and we have been. 569 00:32:42,740 --> 00:32:44,540 Supporting them for a number of years now. 570 00:32:44,540 --> 00:32:46,380 We support them monthly. And we don't. 571 00:32:46,580 --> 00:32:48,940 It's not a lot. Listen, it's not most months. 572 00:32:48,940 --> 00:32:51,540 It's not enough. For me to even fill it, but we. 573 00:32:51,620 --> 00:32:54,500 Believe in what they're doing. We believe that God has called 574 00:32:54,500 --> 00:32:56,260 them and we want to be a part of it. 575 00:32:56,700 --> 00:32:59,260 So we give every month to them. Well, a couple. 576 00:32:59,260 --> 00:33:02,340 Months ago I got a their newsletter and they shared a 577 00:33:02,340 --> 00:33:03,140 need. They had. 578 00:33:04,030 --> 00:33:05,910 They've had this car since they first got. 579 00:33:05,910 --> 00:33:10,350 To Australia and it was old. Then and now it's really old, 580 00:33:10,350 --> 00:33:12,590 like they have. Put as many bandaids as they can 581 00:33:12,590 --> 00:33:17,070 possibly put on this car and it they knew it was nearing its end 582 00:33:17,750 --> 00:33:20,550 and so they put a request. Out to their support team, their 583 00:33:20,550 --> 00:33:22,870 family, their friends, those that love them and support them 584 00:33:22,870 --> 00:33:25,390 and said hey, we need you guys to pray with us because we need 585 00:33:25,390 --> 00:33:28,950 God to provide a car and listen when you're a missionary and you 586 00:33:28,950 --> 00:33:30,830 are living off of the support of other people. 587 00:33:30,830 --> 00:33:33,960 It's really hard to save up for stuff like that, and you are 588 00:33:33,960 --> 00:33:36,440 really. Walking out this God, I trust 589 00:33:36,440 --> 00:33:38,240 you to provide for me and provide for my needs. 590 00:33:38,840 --> 00:33:40,760 So we got. That we were praying about it, 591 00:33:40,760 --> 00:33:43,800 and my husband and I felt like we needed to give extra that 592 00:33:43,800 --> 00:33:47,800 month for the car fund. Now listen, I know we're not the 593 00:33:47,800 --> 00:33:49,480 only ones, but this year has been hard. 594 00:33:50,520 --> 00:33:53,560 My husband's business has been slow so that. 595 00:33:53,560 --> 00:33:56,960 Means income has been going down and expenses have only been 596 00:33:56,960 --> 00:33:59,920 going up. Feeding three boys is just 597 00:33:59,920 --> 00:34:01,930 brutal. Groceries are awful. 598 00:34:02,050 --> 00:34:06,650 Right now, everything and my background as an accountant. 599 00:34:06,650 --> 00:34:09,929 I know numbers and so I'm like there's not a like. 600 00:34:10,250 --> 00:34:12,370 We can't give extra like the. It's not even. 601 00:34:12,370 --> 00:34:15,330 Adding up right now as it is, how do we give extra? 602 00:34:15,570 --> 00:34:19,250 But I can tell you I have learned something in my years 603 00:34:19,250 --> 00:34:21,250 of. Walking with God when God asks 604 00:34:21,250 --> 00:34:24,550 me to do something, when he asks me to give whether it be 605 00:34:24,550 --> 00:34:28,389 finances you're giving might be. Giving of your time, giving of 606 00:34:28,389 --> 00:34:30,310 your gifts, your talent, whatever. 607 00:34:30,510 --> 00:34:35,070 When God asks me to give, and it feels uncomfortable when it 608 00:34:35,070 --> 00:34:38,190 feels like it's outside what I can imagine, like I might not 609 00:34:38,190 --> 00:34:39,710 even sure how that I can do that. 610 00:34:40,310 --> 00:34:44,030 I have learned that I better obey because when I obey when 611 00:34:44,030 --> 00:34:46,870 God's asking me to do the hard. Things that's when I have been 612 00:34:46,870 --> 00:34:50,710 able to experience. Him do some amazing things. 613 00:34:51,310 --> 00:34:54,389 And so we gave, we gave extra that month and a few weeks 614 00:34:54,389 --> 00:34:56,550 later. I get an e-mail from her and she 615 00:34:56,550 --> 00:35:00,190 shares how God had provided miraculously for them. 616 00:35:00,190 --> 00:35:03,110 With this car and I can't even. Go into all the details with you 617 00:35:03,110 --> 00:35:05,790 this morning, but it was. A true miracle and I want to 618 00:35:05,790 --> 00:35:07,550 read you just a few phrases that she said. 619 00:35:07,550 --> 00:35:10,150 She said this. She said God provided the and 620 00:35:10,150 --> 00:35:12,190 she had an all. Caps Perfect. 621 00:35:12,990 --> 00:35:16,510 Beyond our wildest dreams, family car to last us for years. 622 00:35:16,670 --> 00:35:18,830 And then she went on to share that her husband had actually 623 00:35:18,830 --> 00:35:22,430 been looking at this exact car, this exact make and model. 624 00:35:22,430 --> 00:35:24,990 Since they had been in Australia because he knew that it would be 625 00:35:24,990 --> 00:35:27,830 the perfect car for their family needs, for their ministry needs. 626 00:35:28,230 --> 00:35:31,590 But she said that she said he had written it off and he it 627 00:35:31,590 --> 00:35:36,830 literally was his dream in. Another life vehicle and God 628 00:35:36,830 --> 00:35:41,980 ended up providing that vehicle for them at way below market 629 00:35:41,980 --> 00:35:43,260 value. They paid. 630 00:35:43,540 --> 00:35:47,420 A fraction of what it was worth. And then she said she said we 631 00:35:47,420 --> 00:35:51,140 felt God's hand completely over this and are really encouraged 632 00:35:51,340 --> 00:35:53,660 and our faith built up through the. 633 00:35:54,580 --> 00:35:58,260 We felt on all sides. I read that e-mail and I got 634 00:35:58,260 --> 00:36:01,030 emotional. Because I was like, wow, look. 635 00:36:01,230 --> 00:36:04,790 At what God did for them not only was their faith. 636 00:36:04,790 --> 00:36:07,670 Built up, but their two young children that are out in the 637 00:36:07,670 --> 00:36:10,630 mission field with them, they're watching their parents walk. 638 00:36:10,630 --> 00:36:12,870 Out in faith and God provide for them. 639 00:36:13,630 --> 00:36:16,430 But then I thought, and it built up my faith. 640 00:36:16,670 --> 00:36:18,670 It reminded me that, yeah, you know what? 641 00:36:18,670 --> 00:36:20,390 That. Is the God I serve. 642 00:36:21,110 --> 00:36:24,110 My God loves to do the impossible. 643 00:36:24,780 --> 00:36:28,020 He loves to go way. Above and beyond my wildest 644 00:36:28,020 --> 00:36:29,900 dreams, and that's the kind of God I serve. 645 00:36:30,460 --> 00:36:33,260 And then there were a lot of emotions happening as I was 646 00:36:33,260 --> 00:36:36,660 reading this. And then it was like the joy 647 00:36:37,260 --> 00:36:41,380 that we, our family, got to be a part of the miracle. 648 00:36:41,380 --> 00:36:43,100 And again. We did not give a lot. 649 00:36:43,460 --> 00:36:45,540 It was a lot. It felt like a lot for us, but 650 00:36:45,540 --> 00:36:48,300 it really wasn't a lot. But we got to be a. 651 00:36:48,300 --> 00:36:52,180 Part of the miracle we got to be partner with God and doing 652 00:36:52,180 --> 00:36:54,140 something miraculous for them because. 653 00:36:54,840 --> 00:36:58,600 We had open hands because we were willing to be generous and 654 00:36:58,600 --> 00:37:01,800 trust that if. We would do what God asked us to 655 00:37:01,800 --> 00:37:04,160 do. God would in turn meet our needs 656 00:37:04,160 --> 00:37:06,200 just as miraculously as He can meet. 657 00:37:06,200 --> 00:37:11,440 Their needs listen when we are obedient and we hold our money 658 00:37:11,440 --> 00:37:17,040 loosely when we recognize that it all belongs to God, and when 659 00:37:17,040 --> 00:37:19,760 we're willing to. Be generous when he asks us to 660 00:37:19,760 --> 00:37:23,640 be generous, it has ripple effects for generations. 661 00:37:24,270 --> 00:37:28,070 And it goes into eternity. Those are the treasures that 662 00:37:28,070 --> 00:37:30,390 gets stored. Up in heaven when we hold it 663 00:37:30,390 --> 00:37:33,470 like this, when we're not holding it tight, when we're 664 00:37:33,470 --> 00:37:37,070 holding it with open hands. And I don't know where you are. 665 00:37:37,230 --> 00:37:41,870 This morning, when it comes to the topic of money, I don't know 666 00:37:41,870 --> 00:37:45,190 what part of this may be resonated with you, but I want 667 00:37:45,190 --> 00:37:49,030 to encourage you that today can be the day where just like the 668 00:37:49,030 --> 00:37:53,090 story of Zachias. That we read about just like 669 00:37:53,090 --> 00:37:55,050 Zachia's. Today can be the day that we 670 00:37:55,050 --> 00:37:58,050 declare. You know what going forward? 671 00:37:58,050 --> 00:38:00,330 I'm going to have a different view of money. 672 00:38:00,810 --> 00:38:03,130 I'm going to be different from today and like that's what 673 00:38:03,130 --> 00:38:04,850 Zachia said. Zachia said. 674 00:38:04,850 --> 00:38:06,570 I'm not doing it the way I used to do it. 675 00:38:07,290 --> 00:38:11,450 I have experienced the extravagant grace of Jesus in my 676 00:38:11,450 --> 00:38:14,170 life and as a result I'm going to live with. 677 00:38:14,170 --> 00:38:18,090 Extravagant generosity, because I understand now where it all 678 00:38:18,090 --> 00:38:21,170 comes from and so I want you to do something very tangible with 679 00:38:21,170 --> 00:38:23,970 me. If you are on the left side of a 680 00:38:23,970 --> 00:38:26,690 row, there is a little. Basket under your far seat and 681 00:38:26,690 --> 00:38:28,170 it has some pieces of paper in it. 682 00:38:28,370 --> 00:38:31,730 I would love for you to take a paper and pass that basket down. 683 00:38:31,730 --> 00:38:35,170 Everybody get a paper if you can, and what I want you to do 684 00:38:35,170 --> 00:38:36,850 is I. Want you to write down today 685 00:38:37,330 --> 00:38:40,690 what is your. Declaration to God today, when 686 00:38:40,690 --> 00:38:44,930 it comes to this topic of money, maybe it was one of those deeper 687 00:38:44,930 --> 00:38:48,270 idols that we talked about that you could relate to power, 688 00:38:48,270 --> 00:38:52,630 approval, comfort, control, and you know you recognize you need 689 00:38:52,630 --> 00:38:55,390 to. Give that up, maybe for you. 690 00:38:55,790 --> 00:38:57,270 You need a. Mindset shift. 691 00:38:57,750 --> 00:39:01,870 Maybe you need a shift from you being the owner to you being the 692 00:39:01,870 --> 00:39:03,190 money. Manager the Stewart. 693 00:39:03,990 --> 00:39:06,870 Maybe you've been challenged this morning that you? 694 00:39:06,870 --> 00:39:11,070 Need to live with your hands more open that you need to be 695 00:39:11,070 --> 00:39:12,830 willing to give? Give more. 696 00:39:12,830 --> 00:39:14,710 Consistently. Give more. 697 00:39:14,710 --> 00:39:17,930 I don't know what the Holy Spirit is speaking to you. 698 00:39:17,970 --> 00:39:21,570 You know that. Maybe you feel like you need. 699 00:39:21,570 --> 00:39:25,330 To have a focus shift from the dot to the. 700 00:39:25,770 --> 00:39:28,610 You need to shift your focus on what you're storing here. 701 00:39:29,050 --> 00:39:32,690 To what you're storing in heaven and in eternity, whatever it is. 702 00:39:32,970 --> 00:39:35,850 Write it down and when you leave today, I'm going to close here 703 00:39:35,850 --> 00:39:37,570 in a few minutes. There is a display. 704 00:39:37,570 --> 00:39:40,690 In that back corner it says no other because we've been talking 705 00:39:40,690 --> 00:39:42,610 about how there are no other gods. 706 00:39:42,850 --> 00:39:44,850 There are some baskets back there and as you leave. 707 00:39:44,850 --> 00:39:48,010 Today I want to encourage you to lay it down and declare, make a 708 00:39:48,010 --> 00:39:50,090 declaration that today going forward. 709 00:39:50,290 --> 00:39:52,890 You're going to look at money differently and that you want to 710 00:39:52,890 --> 00:39:54,770 experience the freedom that God has for you. 711 00:39:54,770 --> 00:39:56,770 Because, listen, God wants us to be people. 712 00:39:56,770 --> 00:40:00,850 With open hands open, with our finances open, with our time 713 00:40:00,850 --> 00:40:04,490 open, with our gifts ready and willing to respond. 714 00:40:04,610 --> 00:40:06,370 When he. Puts an opportunity in front of 715 00:40:06,370 --> 00:40:07,930 us I. Don't know about you, but I 716 00:40:07,930 --> 00:40:11,330 don't want to be so distracted and wrapped up with these. 717 00:40:11,330 --> 00:40:14,410 Counterfeit gods that we've been talking about, these idols that 718 00:40:14,410 --> 00:40:17,280 I'm not. Even aware of what God's doing 719 00:40:17,280 --> 00:40:21,160 and available to respond to him and ultimately. 720 00:40:21,160 --> 00:40:25,800 Every time we live like this, When we live like this and we 721 00:40:25,800 --> 00:40:29,840 are givers and we're generous, giving is an act of worship 722 00:40:31,240 --> 00:40:34,320 every time we get. It's a declaration that we 723 00:40:34,320 --> 00:40:36,920 believe that God is who he says he is. 724 00:40:37,120 --> 00:40:39,600 We believe that the money in our wallets, not ours. 725 00:40:39,600 --> 00:40:41,680 It's his. We believe that he's our 726 00:40:41,680 --> 00:40:44,080 provider, that he will guide us. He will lead us. 727 00:40:44,080 --> 00:40:48,000 He will take care of us. It's a declaration that we. 728 00:40:48,000 --> 00:40:52,720 Are going to partner with him to see his Kingdom advanced. 729 00:40:54,040 --> 00:41:02,050 Listen, giving is a declaration. That I have enough because he is 730 00:41:02,410 --> 00:41:07,970 enough so. It can be an idol or it can be 731 00:41:07,970 --> 00:41:11,170 an opportunity. The choice is yours. 732 00:41:11,570 --> 00:41:14,090 Where will you store up your treasure? 733 00:41:15,130 --> 00:41:18,450 Pray with me. Dear Heavenly Father, we thank 734 00:41:18,450 --> 00:41:23,770 you. Lord that you are enough that 735 00:41:23,770 --> 00:41:28,590 you have what we need. Lord, I pray that. 736 00:41:28,590 --> 00:41:32,750 We would learn to walk out our faith and our trust in you. 737 00:41:33,870 --> 00:41:37,150 Lord, I pray that you would show up in lives here today. 738 00:41:37,150 --> 00:41:40,590 I know there's people in this room who it's a struggle right 739 00:41:40,590 --> 00:41:43,350 now it is a struggle to just pay the bills. 740 00:41:43,350 --> 00:41:46,670 But Father, you see them. Or I pray that everybody in this 741 00:41:46,670 --> 00:41:49,830 room would know that you see them, you have not left them, 742 00:41:49,830 --> 00:41:52,350 you are with them. And what I pray that as. 743 00:41:52,350 --> 00:41:56,290 We talk to you and we communicate with you about our 744 00:41:56,290 --> 00:42:00,210 money, or that you would. Give us the vision that you have 745 00:42:01,530 --> 00:42:04,090 or that we would. Shift our perspective to the 746 00:42:04,130 --> 00:42:08,370 eternal and storing up our treasures in heaven. 747 00:42:08,370 --> 00:42:11,970 When I pray that we would experience the freedom, the 748 00:42:11,970 --> 00:42:17,050 freedom that comes from just holding it loosely, knowing that 749 00:42:17,050 --> 00:42:20,170 we can trust you, we can trust you. 750 00:42:21,290 --> 00:42:22,730 And we ask all these things in your name. 751 00:42:22,730 --> 00:42:25,490 In the precious name of Jesus we pray. 752 00:42:25,570 --> 00:42:29,610 Amen. Thank you for joining us today. 753 00:42:30,170 --> 00:42:32,930 River City Church is all about experiencing and expressing 754 00:42:32,930 --> 00:42:35,650 God's love in our lives and community, and we hope that 755 00:42:35,650 --> 00:42:37,570 you've been able to experience that today. 756 00:42:38,250 --> 00:42:40,850 As grateful as I am that you've spent this time listening in 757 00:42:40,850 --> 00:42:43,890 this morning, this podcast is no substitute for full 758 00:42:43,890 --> 00:42:47,810 participation in a local church. I love it when River City people 759 00:42:47,810 --> 00:42:50,830 listen to other pastors. But it is those who show up week 760 00:42:50,830 --> 00:42:53,510 after week, faithfully giving their support and time and 761 00:42:53,510 --> 00:42:55,350 resources that make all of this possible. 762 00:42:55,990 --> 00:42:59,190 If we can help you get connected to a local church, pray for you 763 00:42:59,470 --> 00:43:02,550 or support you in any way, click the link in the description and 764 00:43:02,550 --> 00:43:05,470 let us know if you'd like to financially support the ministry 765 00:43:05,470 --> 00:43:07,510 of River City. Click the give link on our 766 00:43:07,510 --> 00:43:10,710 website in the description. Don't forget to subscribe and 767 00:43:10,710 --> 00:43:12,390 don't forget to share this with your friends. 768 00:43:12,630 --> 00:43:15,390 Thanks so much for listening. May the Lord bless and keep you 769 00:43:15,510 --> 00:43:17,030 in all grace and peace.