Stewardship - God Gives.

Steve Gentry

[0:00] If this is your first time here, my name is Steve. I’m one of the pastors here. [0:06] Merry Christmas. It’s the Christmas season. We thought we’d sing some carols. [0:11] And just so that the kids know that’s what they used to call a donkey.

[0:16] And that last song, if you’re like me, the simplest things can distract you.

[0:23] Sitting over there. Man, does everybody know that? [0:26] So I just thought I’d make an announcement. Maybe you have no idea what I’m talking about right now. [0:30] And it’s because you’re a better person than I am. That’s probably why. [0:34] If you have your Bibles, open them up to 1 Peter chapter 4. [0:38] 1 Peter chapter 4. For the past few weeks, actually this is week 11 of a 12 week series. [0:46] So we’ll end that next week. Then we’re going to start the new year off with a short series called Starting Points.

[0:53] And then after three weeks, the beginning of February, we’re going to start a series going through the entire book of Ephesians. [1:00] Which will take us all the way through the beginning of the summer. [1:06] And I know you love long serieses, so I give you what you want. [1:10] And so we’re going to go through the entire book of Ephesians to begin the year out. [1:15] Which I’m really looking forward to. I love going verse by verse. [1:17] But just while you get into 1 Peter, I want to talk a little bit, which is going to kind of mix in with what we’re talking about today.

[1:26] This is the Christmas season, and this is the end of the year. [1:30] And every year, the International Mission Board, which we gladly and with joyful hearts support. [1:37] Which takes the gospel to the nations. [1:40] Does an offering in honor of a missionary by the name of Lottie Moon. [1:45] Who is not with us any longer. Hasn’t been for a while. [1:48] But she was a small little lady.

[1:50] Who had a passion for taking the gospel to those who had never heard it. [1:54] And she spent most of her life in China. [1:57] Planning churches. Never married. [2:00] Just spent her life enthralled with whatever God would do with her. [2:05] And she took risks that most of us would never take. [2:07] And she was a great woman.

[2:10] Well every year, the International Mission Board has an offering called the Lottie Moon offering. [2:14] And next Sunday, we are going to take up our regular offering. [2:18] Don’t worry, we’ll still do that. [2:22] Let’s not get crazy here. [2:24] And then we’re also going to have another time of giving. [2:29] To take up money for 3 things.

[2:31] First, we’re going to give a large portion of that offering to the Lottie Moon Fund. [2:38] Which goes directly to the International Mission Board. [2:42] Which I tell you, I’ve been in church a long time. [2:45] It’s the greatest missions organization in the world. [2:48] I’ve been a part of churches that support a lot of mission boards. [2:51] And the most organized, in my humble opinion, the best mission board in the world.

[2:56] And we’re gladly going to give some money to them. [2:58] And then we’re also going to give a part of the offering to our great church planner in Richmond, Fernando. [3:05] Who has New Hope Baptist Church. [3:07] The Spanish name of it is totally fleeting my brain right now. [3:10] So I’m not going to try to massacre it for you. [3:13] But we’re going to give some money to them in the form of gift cards.

[3:18] So that he has a great ministry where he goes to trailer parks. [3:21] And there are immigrants in those trailer parks. [3:23] Many families living in one trailer. [3:25] And we’re going to supply through him to help him grow his church. [3:29] To partner with him. [3:30] So that he can get Christmas dinner.

[3:33] To a lot of those families that may not be able to do it. [3:35] And then thirdly we have some I.M.B. missionaries that we have a partnership with in Southeast Asia. [3:40] No that’s not right. [3:42] It’s somewhere near East. [3:44] Where’s Mike? [3:46] East Asia that’s it.

[3:47] East Asia. [3:48] I can’t say the country publicly. [3:51] But in East Asia where it’s closed off to the gospel. [3:52] And we’re going to give them some great things that will help them with the people in their area reach that culture. [3:58] So that’s next week. [4:00] And I know that some of you care about taxes.

[4:03] Because you have more money than I do. [4:06] This is a great way to give to close your year out. [4:10] If you want to keep it from Uncle Sam. [4:13] Okay so let’s do that. [4:14] And I’m just being logical with you people. [4:16] I mean I’m not going to pretend that I don’t know that’s what happens.

[4:19] Let’s be real. [4:20] So we’re going to do that next week. [4:22] And we’re going to have that offering. [4:24] And I just please give sacrificially. [4:27] But over the past few weeks we’ve been building a foundation of doctrine. [4:33] What we as Christians should believe.

[4:35] What we as a church believe. [4:38] And if you’ve missed those sermons please go listen to the podcast. [4:41] Because what we’ve done is last week and this week and especially this week. [4:45] We’ve moved into an area of how does our belief in the Bible. [4:50] In Jesus. [4:51] In God.

[4:52] In salvation. [4:53] In the Gospel. [4:54] How does it affect the way in which we live? [4:58] In theology they call that how does our orthodoxy change our orthopraxy? [5:05] How does our beliefs change the way that we live? [5:08] And so today we’re going to spend the majority of the time.

[5:11] Talking about the way in which our beliefs affect the way that we live. [5:18] And we’re going to start in 1 Peter chapter 4. [5:21] And I want you to go ahead and go there. [5:23] Starting in verse 10. [5:26] As each has received a gift. [5:29] Okay if you’ve been with us the past few weeks.

[5:31] I just want to really quickly unpack that part. [5:33] And then we’re going to move quick. [5:35] The Gospel of Jesus Christ has appeared to all. [5:38] He has brought salvation. [5:40] He has brought redemption. [5:41] He has given us the greatest gift that we could ever have.

[5:45] And in this season we celebrate him coming to institute that gift. [5:50] And to go towards his death. [5:52] In which he took our sins to the cross. [5:54] And imputed his righteousness to us. [5:56] And then rose again. [5:58] Winning victory over sin and death.

[6:00] So that we could have life. [6:02] And if you trust in that. [6:04] Then you’ve received the greatest gift of all. [6:06] And so as each has received a gift. [6:12] In that, and this is what we’re going to spend today unpacking. [6:15] In that we also come to realize.

[6:19] That everything that we have in this life. [6:22] Has been given to us by the creator of the universe. [6:27] That everything that we have. [6:28] Everything that we own. [6:30] Everything that we do. [6:31] Is in fact something that belongs to him.

[6:34] And through the cross. [6:36] He has redeemed all that we would have simply used. [6:40] To further ourselves. [6:42] To further our name. [6:44] And to further our purposes. [6:46] He’s redeemed that back to where we can now point that back to him.

[6:50] Every gift he’s given us must be used. [6:53] And we talked about this last week. [6:54] For worship of him.

[6:57] Use it to serve one another. [7:00] As good stewards of God’s varied grace. [7:03] Whoever speaks as one who speaks oracles of God. [7:09] Whoever serves as one who serves by the strength that God supplies. [7:14] In order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. [7:18] To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever.

[7:23] So in that. [7:24] What we’re seeing there. [7:26] As followers of Jesus. [7:27] People who have trusted in Christ. [7:29] That God has entrusted us with gifts to bring him glory.

[7:37] There is nothing that you possess. [7:39] There is no ability that you have. [7:41] That is for you to use for yourself. [7:45] Each gift that you have in this life. [7:48] And we have abundantly been given gifts by God. [7:51] Is to be used for his glory.

[7:54] And that’s point number one. [7:55] Just so that we know back there. [7:57] Alright that’s point number one. [7:58] Yes sometimes you have to say it two or three times. [8:01] But I want you now to look. [8:03] And this is going to be on the screen for just a minute.

[8:05] In Romans chapter six. [8:06] Because I know inside of us there is this mentality often times. [8:11] To think. [8:12] Well if God is sovereign. [8:15] And we look to the book of Revelation. [8:16] And we know that he is going to win.

[8:21] If we know that victory is certain. [8:24] What is the point of me then getting involved. [8:28] I can just kind of excuse myself from this. [8:32] The scriptures though do not leave room for us to have that mentality. [8:36] Because what the scriptures do is they lay out that yes God is sovereign. [8:40] And yes God is taking history to a certain point.

[8:43] But the means by which God is bringing the ends of his worship. [8:48] Is by our actions in this life. [8:52] So the mission is critical. [8:54] And we are called through him to be involved. [8:57] And here’s how Paul is going to put it. [8:59] Alright he starts with the gospel.

[9:01] He says for the death he, Jesus, died. [9:03] He died to sin once for all. [9:05] But the life he lives, he lives to God. [9:07] So in other words in the resurrection of Jesus. [9:10] He’s defeated sin. [9:12] But there is life on the other side of that.

[9:14] That is manifested through that resurrection in worship. [9:18] And so Jesus today is living to fulfill the mission of God. [9:23] And he’s living to see that great vision that we talked about last week in Revelation chapter 7. [9:28] He’s living and he’s pushing history towards that. [9:32] And then he says so you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. [9:40] Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body to make you obey its passions.

[9:44] Do not present your members to sin as instruments of righteousness. [9:47] But present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life. [9:52] And your members to God as instruments for righteousness. [9:57] For sin will have no dominion over you since you are not under law but under grace. [10:04] What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? [10:08] By no means.

[10:09] Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves. [10:13] You are slaves of the one whom you obey. [10:15] Either sin which leads to death or of obedience which leads to righteousness. [10:20] And what he’s saying there in verse 16 is the simple fact that if you do not live the mission of Jesus. [10:26] You are not showing the fruit of salvation. [10:30] In Matthew chapter 7 Jesus in the end of the Sermon on the Mount he says.

[10:35] That if you in your life display good fruit then you are his. [10:39] But if you in your life do not display good fruit you will display bad fruit. [10:41] And he says understand that the only good trees that present good fruit are those who follow Jesus. [10:47] And bad trees bear bad fruit. [10:48] And he says good trees don’t bear good fruit. [10:50] Bad trees don’t bear good fruit.

[10:54] Bad trees don’t bear good fruit. [10:55] Sometimes you just get a tongue twister when you think about that. [10:58] But anyway good trees bear good fruit. [11:00] Bad trees bear bad fruit. [11:01] That’s just the way it is. [11:03] And what Paul is saying here is if you do not present your body as an instrument to the mission of Jesus.

[11:08] Then what you are doing is by default living for yourself. [11:13] And if you are simply living for yourself you are a slave to sin. [11:17] Even though you may proclaim, say, and think that you are following Jesus. [11:24] If it does not present itself in a life lived for him through tangible action. [11:31] Then what fruit are you seeing for the gospel? [11:37] It’s not that you have earned salvation.

[11:40] But that salvation has transformed your life. [11:45] And the life that you now live is a life in which you are consumed in worship of God. [11:52] He says but thanks be to God that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart. [12:00] He says it’s basically something that starts from the inside and begins to come out of you.

[12:07] To the standard of teaching to which you were committed. [12:11] And having been set free from sin have become slaves of righteousness. [12:16] And I like the terminology there where he says you were a slave to sin but now you are a slave to righteousness. [12:22] So you are not simply free to yourself. [12:25] You are free to live as God created you to. [12:29] You are free to live as you were designed to.

[12:32] You are free from the guilt that burdened you down. [12:35] You are free from the weight of sin. [12:37] And when you are free from sin you will live right.

[12:43] He says I am speaking in human terms because of your natural limitations. [12:48] For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness. [12:52] Leading to more lawlessness. [12:54] So now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification. [13:00] We talked last week about how the term sanctification is a term that simply means you are set apart for a specific purpose. [13:06] And the specific purpose that Paul is laying out here is the purpose of God.

[13:12] And just to put it very bluntly in 2 Corinthians chapter 5 verses 14 through 21. [13:17] And I will not read those verse by verse but they will be up on the screen.

[13:22] We have been redeemed not for a subjective purpose but for a objective specific purpose. [13:29] And that is that we would be ambassadors of reconciliation to all who need to hear the gospel. [13:37] That we would be messengers of reconciliation. [13:41] That we would take the fact that we have been reconciled to God. [13:44] That we have been given a new relationship with Him. [13:46] That our sin has been forgiven.

[13:47] That we would take that redemption, that reconciliation, that righteousness that Jesus imputes on us as He takes our sin. [13:56] That we would take that good news and we would use everything and every gift that God has given us to further that mission more and more and more. [14:08] What I want you to understand this morning is that I wanted to put it so simply. [14:11] That God, as we saw in 1 Peter chapter 4 verse 11, that God once deserves and will have and must have our glory. [14:22] And we can choose to either willfully give it and trust Him for it. [14:28] Or in the end we will give it and then not get the benefits of it.

[14:32] And that is a relationship with Him forever. [14:35] And there are really four things I want us to understand this morning. [14:38] That God first is glorified through our worship of Him. [14:43] He is glorified through our worship. [14:45] He is glorified through us being satisfied in Him. [14:47] That is where it starts.

[14:48] It begins and ends in worship. [14:50] If we are doing things for other motivations they are not true. [14:53] He is not going to get as much glory out of it. [14:55] Because He wants us to be saturated, to be consumed with Him. [14:59] And then secondly, God is glorified through us becoming disciples. [15:05] A great vision in Matthew 28 begins not by me going and making disciples, but by me becoming a disciple.

[15:12] By me following. [15:14] And we are going to talk about how to do that. [15:16] And then thirdly, God is glorified through us making disciples. [15:21] Discipleship is this interesting thing that you do not become until you begin to make. [15:28] That in the making and seeking to take the gospel out we then become disciples. [15:34] Because that is what Jesus was saturated with in His life.

[15:36] That is what He lived for. [15:37] That is what He died for when He was on this earth. [15:40] And then finally what we are going to do is we are going to break it down into three sections today. [15:44] We are going to get you out of here as soon as I possibly can. [15:46] It is going to be quick and I am going to go fast. [15:47] I promise.

[15:48] I am going to try to suck some helium or something really fast. [15:51] I drank a monster right before this so we are going to be good. [15:53] God gives talents, treasure and time to accomplish all three. [16:00] So the greatest gift that we have is the gift of Jesus. [16:04] But then in that gift we see in 1 Peter 4.10 that there are varied gifts of grace. [16:12] That we are to use.

[16:14] That we have been given to invest. [16:16] That we have been given and entrusted with for God. [16:21] Randy Alcorn puts it this way and I love the way he puts it. [16:25] He says, if God was the owner, I was the manager. [16:29] Because quite often times we look at our lives as things that we develop. [16:32] As things that we are good at.

[16:33] As things that we make. [16:35] As money that we invest. [16:36] But rather God owns it all. [16:38] He is the creator. [16:39] We have been given and entrusted to manage those things. [16:44] I needed to adopt a stewards mentality toward the assets.

[16:49] He had entrusted, not simply given to me. [16:53] A steward manages assets for the owners benefit. [16:56] The steward carries no sense of entitlement to the assets he manages. [16:59] It is his job to find out what the owner wants done with his assets. [17:03] Then carry out his will.

[17:07] Jesus in the book of Matthew gives a parable to really describe it very well. [17:13] And that is the parable of the talents. [17:15] Many of you may have heard this before. [17:17] Where Jesus explains the kingdom of God is a lot like this. [17:20] He says that a master was leaving and he gave to one servant a great number of talents. [17:25] Another servant half those talents and another servant just gives one.

[17:28] Just gives that one talent. [17:31] The two of the servants they go out and they invest. [17:33] They double. [17:35] The master returns and he says, well done good and faithful servant. [17:40] For I have given you little and you have made much. [17:42] He gives them even more responsibility in his kingdom.

[17:46] But then the final servant that was only given one talent. [17:49] He takes it, buries it, hides it. [17:52] He doesn’t use it. [17:54] And he comes back to the master and he says, I knew that you were a hard man.

[18:01] So I hid it rather than invested it because I was so afraid. [18:05] That I would do it wrong. [18:06] That I would think wrong and that you would hurt me because of it. [18:09] And the master takes that one talent away and he casts him out in outer darkness. [18:14] Casts him out of his kingdom. [18:16] What we are really seeing there is this parable that is explaining the life of a believer.

[18:21] That through the way in which we invest the talents that God has given us. [18:24] We are revealing our trust in God. [18:29] We are revealing our view of God. [18:33] When we don’t use the talents for Him. [18:37] What we are seeing is and what we are saying is, God I don’t think I am valuable to you. [18:43] Or God, I am afraid I will do it wrong and you will judge me for it.

[18:48] Never taking into consideration the gospel which proclaims that each and every one of us are very valuable to God. [18:53] And in the gospel in which He redeems us completely from our sins. [18:57] And will not judge us in His wrath. [18:58] But rather will judge us in His love. [19:00] Because Jesus has paid the price. [19:02] We can’t screw it up.

[19:04] There are some Sundays I get up here and I really know the sermons are dud. [19:07] And I really apologize for that happening. [19:09] Maybe this is one. [19:09] But I tell you I will not stand account because I didn’t invest my talent. [19:15] The gospel covers my bad sermons.

[19:18] And I am so thankful for that. [19:20] I don’t have to get up here and be afraid that God is going to be mad at me if I misquote a verse. [19:24] Which you do all the time. Little do you know.

[19:28] But rather I serve a master that has forgiven me. [19:31] And has nothing but love for me. [19:34] And so why not take risks? [19:36] Why not plan a church? [19:39] Why not invest everything that I have? [19:41] I have nothing to lose.

[19:44] But I have worship. [19:45] And the treasure of an even deeper trust in God. [19:49] An even deeper relationship with Him. [19:51] To gain.

[19:55] God has given us foundationally everything that we have in our life flows out of three areas. [20:01] Talents, treasure and time. [20:04] Those are the three things that I believe God has given each and every one of us to invest. [20:08] And I didn’t make that up. [20:10] Jerry Falwell heard it a long time ago. [20:11] I don’t think he made it up.

[20:12] Somebody made it up way before him. [20:14] And that’s what pastors do. [20:15] You know it just works out really well that they’re all tees. [20:17] So they’re easy to remember. [20:18] The first one I want to talk about is talents.

[20:22] God entrusts us with talents. [20:26] To invest. [20:28] To build His kingdom. [20:29] In Ephesians chapter 2. [20:30] Because I know there are varied views on talents and how we use them to build us up. [20:36] Is there specifically something that God has called us to use those talents for?

[20:39] And the answer is yes. [20:40] He’s called us to use them to build His church. [20:43] In this age, the most important thing to God is His church. [20:45] Because those are the people that He’s redeeming to Himself. [20:47] That He wants to see discipled. [20:48] And the church is the greatest idea.

[20:50] The church is plan A. [20:51] There’s no plan B. [20:51] God’s going to build His church. [20:53] In Ephesians chapter 2. [20:55] Paul says that God is building His church up.

[21:00] In the book of Genesis, it says that [21:04] Jesus himself being the cornerstone. [21:06] And the whole structure being joined together. [21:08] Grows into a holy temple of the Lord. [21:10] In Him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Holy Spirit. [21:15] Being built is this concept that I want you to understand.

[21:18] That your talents have been given to you. [21:21] So that you can come into this great history that God is writing through His church. [21:25] Is that you can build the church. [21:29] And you tangibly do that through the local church. [21:32] I talked about that a couple weeks ago. [21:33] Go listen to the podcast.

[21:34] Because I know you want to eat lunch. [21:35] So I’m not going to go there anymore. [21:37] Now, the scripture reveals gifts. [21:41] And I’m going to talk about this for just a minute. [21:42] I’m not going to have time to unpack each and every gift. [21:45] That would take me weeks.

[21:46] But what I want you to do. [21:47] And I want you to pop up on the screen, Laura, if you can, for me. [21:50] The different giftings that I hopefully got to you. [21:56] There we are. [21:57] Ephesians 4.11 gives us four of the gifts. [22:00] And these are kind of offices that certain giftings fit.

[22:04] And I’m going to get more specific as we go out. [22:05] This is a very general listing in Ephesians 4.11. [22:08] That God has given to the church apostles, which is an office. [22:12] It’s not a gifting so much. [22:14] Certain giftings lend itself to that. [22:16] And they did in the first century.

[22:17] It’s somewhat of a controversial topic. [22:19] There is apostleship around today. [22:21] I don’t personally believe so. [22:23] I believe that apostleship was an office. [22:25] That those in the first century church where the foundations were being built on existed. [22:30] But I do believe that certain giftings lend themselves to kind of working as the apostles did.

[22:35] Especially if you look at Paul, where he went around the world planting churches. [22:38] What was that? [22:39] You have a pioneer mentality. [22:42] So that’s kind of a gifting that lends itself to that office. [22:45] Then you have prophet. [22:46] Then you have evangelist.

[22:47] Then you have pastor teachers. [22:48] All those offices have been given in Ephesians 4. [22:51] It’s very specific to minister to the saints so that they can be gifted for ministry. [22:57] Alright. [22:58] So there’s four areas. [22:59] And then let’s put the next one up there.

[23:00] In 1 Corinthians chapter 12, I believe. [23:03] Verses 8 through 10. [23:04] We have certain gifts. [23:06] We have the word of wisdom. [23:07] Word of knowledge. [23:08] Faith.

[23:09] Gifts of healing. [23:10] Miracles. [23:12] Prophecy. [23:12] Distinguishing the spirit. [23:14] Tongues. [23:15] Interpretation of tongues.

[23:16] So if you go to 1 Corinthians 12, Paul is instructing a church that’s just absolutely in chaos. [23:22] I mean, they’re in chaos. [23:23] They’re doing crazy stuff. [23:25] They’re sinning. [23:26] Their services are just bonkers. [23:28] And Paul, through 1 Corinthians 12 through 14, tries to explain to them how to come together to use the spiritual gifts.

[23:36] Those gifts that he has given. [23:38] Those talents and abilities that each and every one of them have in order to further the work of the church in unity. [23:44] Rather than in chaos. [23:47] Then in 1 Corinthians 12, 28, he explains how those giftings affect the church. [23:52] Through apostles, through prophets, through teachers, through miracles, through healing, through helps, through administration, and then finally through tongues.

[24:03] Now, the thing I want us to really understand about these gifts so far is that everybody’s going to fall somewhere.

[24:12] But I don’t believe these lists are necessarily exhaustive.

[24:17] I don’t believe if you look up there and you’re like, well, I don’t think I’m naturally that great at any of that. [24:21] Number one, it might just because you’re lazy. [24:23] But number two, you understand these aren’t exhaustive. [24:27] Some of the gifts that we’re talking about today are kind of a combination of things. [24:32] In other words, look at the list on Romans 12, 6 through 8. [24:36] When you have prophecy serving, teaching, encouraging, giving, leadership, and mercy.

[24:42] Some people have the gift of leadership, but it does not mean that you are necessarily going to be up on a stage leading. [24:51] And I think that’s where we get the spiritual gifts all wrong. [24:54] And really all the time I have is really flesh this one out, but hopefully it’ll be to your advantage and go to the scriptures and grow.

[25:01] Sometimes if you look at the gift of leadership, some of the greatest leadership that we have is behind the scenes by people that never get up on a stage. [25:09] Quite frankly, this is what happens after all the leadership takes place. [25:12] And I’m probably the worst leader they have here, quite frankly. [25:16] But if you were to go to Village Kids, there’s a lot of ladies, maybe a couple dudes. [25:22] I don’t know. I never go back there because it scares me. [25:26] Just chaos would ensue. Children would take over. I would be tied up.

[25:30] Nobody wants me back there. I’m not good with it. [25:34] But there are so many people with the gift of leadership back there that make that happen week in and week out. [25:37] And every week I go back there and there’s something different back there that’s been done by a very gifted leader that you’ll never see on stage.

[25:47] The gift of helps. So many people have that gift. [25:49] And these are people that can simply immediately want to help people.

[25:59] Immediately want to help people. [26:01] It’s just not even a thought. They just jump in. [26:04] But sometimes we get so jaded with life, we don’t want to help anybody anymore. [26:10] And so we squander that gift. [26:12] If you, just inside of you, when somebody is hurting or somebody has a need, somebody’s house just kind of sucks up, [26:19] and something breaks in it, and you just immediately, I need to go help them. Do it!

[26:25] That is a gift of God.

[26:29] But when we look at what we are good at, [26:33] so we have natural inclinations. [26:36] Some of you can cook. Some of you can bake. Some of you can build houses. [26:41] Some of you can take care of children. [26:44] Some of you are, there’s the greatest backbone that your spouse needs. [26:49] Some of you are great at your job, and you run a corporation like there’s no tomorrow.

[26:54] Some of you are great at an aspect in your company, and you’re the best that the company can have. [26:58] But what you need to understand is that all of your gifts come from God. [27:05] And are to be used by God. [27:09] Some of our community group leaders are not that hospitable. [27:12] But they’re good community group leaders. [27:14] So they need people with a gift of hospitality to open their home.

[27:19] Maybe they’ll clean. Because your community group leader hasn’t done that in weeks. [27:23] And you come and you see it, and you’re like, oh no.

[27:27] See, the spiritual gifts, they join together to build the body of Christ as God designed it. [27:33] And when you think that you have no abilities, you’re denying the Word of God. [27:40] And when you think that you have no part to play, you’re hindering the work of the church. [27:46] Do you understand that? [27:48] When you say, oh it doesn’t matter what I do, oh I just don’t need to be involved, you’re hurting the church. [27:54] You’re hindering the growth of the village.

[27:56] And you’re hindering your own discipleship and worship.

[27:59] Now, briefly, and then I’ve got to move on. [28:02] There are gifts in there that people are like, I don’t know about that one. [28:06] That tongue stuff. [28:08] I don’t know. [28:10] Alright, let’s deal with that. I’ll just be open and honest for like three minutes. [28:13] And then I’ll just lie. No, just kidding. That’s what it sounded like, isn’t it?

[28:17] I’m actually going to tell you the truth over the next few minutes. [28:19] Now, there are a bunch of different views on what are referred to as the supernatural or miraculous gifts. [28:26] I don’t like calling them that, because they’re all supernatural in my opinion. [28:30] They’re all miraculous because they’re all from God. [28:33] There are four different views. The first one is the cessationist view. [28:36] Now, in this view, these more supernatural gifts were phased out after the first century and do not exist anymore.

[28:45] Some people would go as far as to say God no longer works miracles. [28:49] Some people would say no one speaks in tongues. [28:51] There is no interpretation of tongues anymore, right? [28:54] That’s a view, alright? [28:56] And secondly, there’s a continuationist view. [28:59] In the continuationist view, the supernatural gifts are given to every generation and should be practiced.

[29:04] But tested according to the guidelines of Scripture. [29:09] Then there is the charismatic view. [29:11] In the charismatic view, the supernatural gifts of healing, miracles, tongues, interpretation of tongues, are given to every generation. [29:18] Contemporary revelations are valued, but always secondary to Scripture. [29:22] Supernatural manifestations are sought, but must show fruit in the spirit of the Gospel. [29:28] And then finally, there is, and I got this list from another guy.

[29:32] I didn’t make it up. I got it from Pastor Mark Driscoll. [29:35] So don’t get mad at me for this word. [29:36] It’s the cares maniac. [29:38] You all know those. [29:40] These are people that would say that the supernatural gifts are given in every generation. [29:44] Contemporary revelations are, in effect, more valued than Scripture.

[29:49] Dramatic supernatural manifestations evidence God’s presence. [29:53] Now, what about the village? [29:56] We have room for two and a half of those views. [29:59] And here’s why two and a half.

[30:05] I’m just going to go in order. [30:08] If you’re a cessationist, I love you.

[30:13] But the Bible just simply does not ever say that. [30:19] I used to be a cessationist.

[30:22] I’m opening the cat out of the bag here. I used to be.

[30:29] Scripture simply doesn’t go there. [30:32] And the Scriptures, and I’ve read the books, the texts that they use, [30:36] you have to eisegete to say that God no longer does the supernatural in our age. [30:41] You do. [30:42] There’s no exegesis that lends to that. [30:44] Not in the Greek, not in the Hebrew, not anywhere.

[30:47] Okay?

[30:49] I am a continuasmatic. [30:52] All right?

[30:56] That’s the only biblical way. [30:58] I believe that the supernatural gifts do exist today [31:01] because I have no biblical reason to not believe that. [31:06] Remember, I’m a devout bibliocist. [31:07] This is my authority. This is what I follow. [31:10] I have no biblical reason to say they don’t exist.

[31:13] All right? [31:15] Now, where I draw my line, [31:19] this is what Charismaniacs are, all right? [31:22] I’ll deal with the cessationist as long as you say, [31:25] as long as you don’t go so far as to say God doesn’t work miracles anymore. [31:30] That’s where you and I part ways, because then nobody can get saved.

[31:35] That’s the problem with that. [31:37] All right? [31:38] Now, all of the supernatural gifts, and I’ve got to move fast, and I’m so sorry. [31:43] Maybe I’ll preach another sermon on this in a couple years. [31:45] But all of the supernatural gifts exist to further the Gospel. [31:52] If they don’t do that, they don’t happen.

[31:57] In 1 Corinthians 14, Paul’s very specific that when you just simply ramble on [32:01] in an unknown tongue, you’re not doing anybody any good but yourself. [32:06] All right? And I love you. [32:06] And there’s some Charismaniacs in here that may differ with me on that. [32:10] That’s an open-handed with me. We’re cool. [32:12] But when you say you have to speak in tongues to be saved, you’re wrong.

[32:17] It’s not in the Scripture. [32:19] It’s not in there. [32:21] You can’t bring that in here. I’m sorry. I love you. [32:25] All right? [32:26] You will never see me waving my coat around and people falling over. [32:31] All right?

[32:33] Because it doesn’t happen, frankly. [32:37] There’s no biblical grounds for it. [32:39] All right? [32:40] So we just simply have to understand the purpose of the gifts, [32:45] the reason for them, and the ends to them. [32:49] All right?

[32:49] I’m not going to come out in the crowd and start knocking people over. [32:51] I know that’s where some of you are afraid. [32:53] You’re like, I saw something on TVN last night. [32:55] You’re not going to do that, are you? [32:57] No. No. [33:00] I believe that when they are displayed, they’re displayed orderly.

[33:03] I believe that when tongues happen, and if they happen, [33:06] there will be interpretation of those tongues. [33:08] Now, have I ever spoken in tongues? No.

[33:13] No. It’s not a gift that I have ever received.

[33:19] But, I leave room for God to give me that gift at any moment.

[33:27] Because I have no biblical reason to think that He can’t, or that He won’t. [33:32] If it will further the Gospel, He’ll do it. [33:36] God still heals. [33:38] Pray for your sick loved ones. [33:41] I’ve seen people healed through prayer. [33:44] I’ve never seen somebody slam on the forehead and it happened.

[33:46] But, I have experienced that.

[33:51] All right? [33:52] I say some of that in joking, but some of it, it just goes so far that it’s not Gospel. [33:58] It’s just that God is not glorified sometimes. [34:00] All right. That’s enough of that. Let’s move on.

[34:04] God entrusts us with treasure.

[34:07] God entrusts us all with what we would see as treasure. [34:11] I’m going to move really fast through this, and then we’re going to close up after I talk a little bit about our time.

[34:17] God entrusts us with money. [34:19] He entrusts all of us with financial gain. [34:22] He entrusts all of us with possessions. [34:26] The question that we must ask in a redeemed mindset is how are we to use them? [34:32] How are we to use the gifts that God gives us under the sun? [34:36] In the book of Matthew chapter 6, Jesus is speaking to the nation of Israel.

[34:42] What He says to them is,

[34:57] In Ecclesiastes 5-10, Solomon writes,

[35:09] You have to understand that your money has not been given to you so that you can build the most comfortable lifestyle possible. [35:20] Your money has not been given to you so that you can own five cars. [35:22] Your money has not been given to you so that you can have the biggest house of anyone you’ve ever seen. [35:27] Your money has not been given to you so that you can have gold-plated walls. [35:31] I saw that on Cribs one time. [35:33] Your money has not been given to you so that you can build wealth and hoard it and hide it, cheat Uncle Sam out of it,

[35:46] and just have it all for you and be consumed by it. [35:51] If you do that, you are not living a kingdom-centered lifestyle where God is concerned in the gospel. [35:59] So what has your money been given for? [36:01] Your money has been given to you for the same reason everything else has been given to you. [36:05] For worship. [36:07] How do you worship with your money is the question.

[36:11] There’s a couple of different ways to look at this. [36:13] There’s a poverty theology, there’s a prosperity theology, and neither one of them are right. [36:18] Some people would say that if you’re a believer, Jesus was giving a mandate when he was talking to the rich young ruler, [36:24] which means you should never have any possessions. [36:27] And some people would read through the Scriptures and look at the book of Proverbs and then look at the gospel, [36:32] and they kind of pervert the gospel a little bit, and they say, if you have true faith, you have a Bentley.

[36:39] I’ve never received that gift either. [36:41] If God would give it to me, I don’t know. [36:44] But here’s the key. [36:46] Your money has been given to you so that you can further the purpose of the gospel. [36:51] It’s the same thing as the spiritual gifts. [36:53] If you saw in the spiritual gifts, there is a gift of giving.

[36:57] How do you know if you have that gift? [36:59] Do you have a lot of money? [37:01] The answer is yes. [37:02] You have that gift.

[37:05] To me, that’s the easiest one. [37:08] It’s like, I have a lot of money. [37:09] I just don’t have the spiritual gift of giving, so I have to keep it all. [37:13] No, you’re just sinning. [37:15] All right? No. No, no, no. [37:18] Now, how you give, then, needs to be strategic, though.

[37:23] It needs to be in a way in which you further the gospel. [37:28] Rich people are godly people, just like poor people are godly people, if they’re following the gospel. [37:35] The rich can be sinful and the poor can be sinful. [37:37] It’s not about how much you have, it’s about how you use it. [37:40] All right? [37:41] In 1 Timothy chapter 6,

[37:44] As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, [37:48] nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, [37:50] but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. [37:55] That kills some of the poverty theology, in my opinion. [37:58] It kills it all, in my opinion. [38:00] We’re not to look at our possessions and curse them.

[38:04] We’re to look at them and realize that God gave them to us. [38:08] Enjoy it for the gospel. [38:12] Now, that has a meaning, by the way. [38:15] They are to do good, to be rich in good works, [38:19] to be generous and ready to share. [38:24] Thus storing up treasures for themselves is a good foundation for the future,

[38:30] so that they may take hold of what is truly life.

[38:36] So, how do you give? [38:38] Because where the world is concerned, all of us are wealthy. [38:42] Where America is concerned, some of us are wealthy. [38:45] Because I know some of you have student loans that you will never pay back. [38:48] You’re like hiding from Sallie Mae right now. [38:51] You’re literally in here hiding from them.

[38:53] [38:54] Mark Driscoll gives us a couple of good ways in which for us to see our wealth [38:59] and to see how we should give, all right? [39:01] And how we should do that as a church. [39:04] Now, I will help you understand a little something here. [39:06] In the New Testament, we see giving as being a very gospel-centered,

[39:11] church-centered thing, all right? [39:14] And here’s what I mean by that. [39:16] If you’re not giving to the church, you’re doing it wrong.

[39:22] All right? [39:23] To put it very bluntly with you, and we’ll see that in a second. [39:25] But the first thing we have to understand about giving [39:27] is that generous giving is sacrificial. [39:32] It’s sacrificial. [39:35] If you don’t have to do without a little something,

[39:39] you’re not giving enough.

[39:43] All right? [39:44] Every time we see it. [39:46] And Paul really unpacks it so well in 2 Corinthians 8 and 9. [39:50] That it’s just astounding how well he puts it. [39:53] And the first thing that he talks about is the fact that the Macedonians [39:57] who were suffering affliction and famine and were extremely poor

[40:02] put an offering together to help the church at Jerusalem [40:05] because they knew that it was their way of worship. [40:10] Generous giving is sacrificial, or it’s simply not generous. [40:14] It’s not generous. [40:15] Now, this is not about a tithe. [40:18] That term is rarely used in the New Testament.

[40:22] All right? [40:22] I will not give you a certain percentage that you’re supposed to give. [40:27] Because if I was to actually give a tithe, it would not be 10%. [40:30] And you’re like, I know, Steve, you’d ask for more. [40:32] But no. [40:33] It’s because the Old Testament tithe was not 10%, it was 25%.

[40:38] Because in the Old Testament, they gave 10% of their income [40:40] and then 15% of their possessions.

[40:43] All right? Look it up. [40:44] When they gave of their crops and their food and their mint, dill, and cumin, [40:49] remember when Jesus says that in the book of Matthew? [40:52] He never says they shouldn’t have done that. [40:53] He just says they ignored stuff that actually mattered more. [40:57] So when we look at the tithe, we’re trying to find ourselves a law.

[41:01] In the New Testament, giving is all about grace, generosity, [41:07] and using 100% of what you have for the Gospel as the Holy Spirit directs you.

[41:17] Generous giving is a spiritual gift. [41:21] All right? [41:21] And some of you will say, I don’t have that gift. [41:25] But here’s the thing about spiritual gifts. [41:27] You don’t just simply use your gift and then forsake all the others.

[41:32] Some are not going to be natural, but it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do them, [41:36] like the spiritual gift of encouragement. [41:38] I’m just not an encouraging person, so I’ll just run around criticizing.

[41:42] Think about that. [41:44] How ridiculous does that sound? [41:46] Oh, I don’t have the spiritual gift of mercy, so I run around condemning.

[41:52] No, just because it’s not necessarily natural doesn’t mean the Holy Spirit’s not going to do a great work in you and discipleship. [41:57] The way that I’ve experienced spiritual gifts is those which I am weak in [42:01] as I grow in worship of Jesus Christ. [42:04] I begin to be stronger in them.

[42:09] Generous giving is a Gospel issue. [42:13] Well, the Gospel’s not all about my money. [42:16] No, it’s not all about your money. [42:17] It’s all about everything. [42:19] It leaves nothing untouched, no corner of your life.

[42:23] Generous giving encourages churches to share with other churches and ministries in need. [42:26] That’s what we do with Fernando. [42:28] That’s what we do with the East Asia mission team that we have over there. [42:35] We desire to be generous and plant more churches and help more churches. [42:40] Right now we’re working with Fernando in Richmond. [42:43] Right now we’re working with Redemption City Church in Boston, which is in an area that’s 99% unchurched.

[42:48] And we give to them monthly. [42:50] 20% of our budget goes to international missions and American church planting. [42:55] Most churches do not do that, especially not this early on, but God has blessed us. [43:01] And I would love to see that percentage grow, quite frankly.

[43:05] Somewhere the Finance Committee just gasped. [43:09] But I would love to see that percentage grow. [43:13] Because I would love for us not to simply impact Rich Fund, but impact the entire world. [43:17] But here’s the key. [43:18] We cannot do it so long as you’re building your own kingdom. [43:22] Don’t have a mentality that the church is simply about the leadership,

[43:26] but rather understand that you find your identity in the church as well. [43:29] And when you give, understand. [43:32] And W.A. Criswell used to say that when he got up this morning, he was in China, he was in Russia, he was in Africa. [43:37] He was all over the world. And how was he doing it? Because he was giving to missionaries all over the world.

[43:44] When you are generous, you can impact the nations. [43:48] We’re going to do that next week. We’re going to impact the nations.

[43:53] From a little church plant in Melothian, Virginia. [43:58] And we’re going to, see, when we get to the kingdom, understand that those $5 that you give next week [44:04] could bring someone to Christ because they give the tools to a missionary on the ground [44:09] to take the gospel to people that need to hear it. [44:11] And in glory you take part in that. [44:14] That’s a vision for the gospel running through your finances.

[44:20] Now how else do we use the finances here at the village? How do they help us? [44:24] Because they help us, number one, do this, do all of this. [44:28] They help us to reach kids over in Village Kids. [44:31] They help us to have a staff that can disciple, that can study, that can put all this together, [44:39] that can administrate. And you say, they’re paying people here, aren’t they? [44:42] They’re paying one right now. That’s me.

[44:46] And I never lie. We’re very transparent about that. [44:49] I have a salary that none of you would quit your jobs for. [44:53] And you’re like, you don’t know how little I make. You don’t know how little I make. [44:57] Right? [44:59] But let me tell you, we have three guys right now working full-time hours, [45:03] and some that are working part-time hours, and maybe I’m wrong,

[45:06] and they’re actually working full-time hours too, I don’t know, [45:07] but they’re doing it while they have full-time jobs outside of here, [45:11] because we simply cannot afford to pay anybody else. [45:14] We would love to have a permanent structure so that nobody has to set up and tear down, [45:17] but we can’t afford it right now.

[45:20] We simply can’t afford it. [45:22] Right? And you say, well, should we pay people? [45:25] Yes, we should, and not just because I’m getting paid. [45:29] But in 1 Corinthians chapter 9 verses 11 through 18, [45:32] and I don’t have time because I’m trying to move so fast, [45:34] and you’re like, you’re not doing a good job of that.

[45:36] Well, I’m trying, okay? [45:38] But in 1 Corinthians chapter 9 verses 11 through 18, [45:41] 1 Timothy chapter 5 verses 17 through 18, [45:44] they say that you need to pay the elders because it is a job, [45:49] and I want you to trust me. [45:52] Ask my wife, it’s a job.

[45:56] Sometimes I work seven days a week. [45:59] If I had something outside of this, I’d have a stroke. [46:03] I’ll just be very honest about that. [46:05] Now, generous giving is about sowing and reaping. [46:09] 2 Corinthians 9, 1 through 5, and Galatians 6, 6 through 10, [46:13] explain to us that God does not promise to make us rich,

[46:16] but he promises to supply our needs, [46:18] but only he knows what our needs are in life and in death. [46:23] That if you sow generosity, you will reap satisfaction.

[46:29] I can’t promise you that if it’s in worship.

[46:33] Generous giving is one of many evidences that someone is truly a Christian, [46:37] Paul says in 2 Corinthians 9. [46:40] Generous giving promotes the worship of Jesus as God, [46:42] because if you’re not generously giving, you’re worshiping money as your God.

[46:47] But I need to be financially secure. [46:50] But, but, but, but, but, who has your heart?

[46:57] Your 401k or Jesus? [46:59] And don’t say that at the detriment of a 401k. [47:02] You should have one. [47:04] Smart people do, by the way.

[47:09] But, where’s your security? [47:12] Is it in your money, or is it in the Gospel of Jesus?

[47:16] Finally, this morning, God entrusts us with time. [47:21] I’m going to move very quickly on this one, and then we’ll be done.

[47:26] Ecclesiastes chapter 1, Solomon, who’s the wisest man that ever lived, [47:31] and I hope to go through that story one time, but he was the wisest man that ever lived. [47:36] At the end of his life, he writes the book of Ecclesiastes. [47:39] And he goes through the book of Ecclesiastes, and even though he was the wisest man that ever lived, [47:43] he was also a sinner, because all of us are. [47:47] And he spent his life pursuing happiness in every way possible.

[47:52] And I finish with time, because he was a man with great talent and with great treasure. [47:57] And with it, he spent his life throwing lavish parties. [48:02] He spent his life building the largest kingdoms and the largest palaces. [48:07] He spent his life seeking knowledge of everything under the sun, reading countless volumes of books. [48:15] He spent his life seeking pleasure in women. [48:19] He had hundreds of wives.

[48:23] Why? I don’t know.

[48:28] You’ll get that on the way home.

[48:31] He spent his life pursuing happiness in every way he could. [48:37] And at the end of his life, he writes the book of Ecclesiastes.

[48:42] In verse 14, the very beginning of the book, he phrases it this way. [48:47] He says, I’ve seen everything that is done under the sun. [48:49] And behold, all is vanity and striving after the wind. [48:57] He says that in life, when you spend your time pursuing happiness in all these different things, [49:04] it’s like you’re chasing the wind. You’ll never catch it. [49:09] And he says it’s all vanity. And the term there is Hebel, which means vanity, but it is also translated as vapor.

[49:18] In other words, it’s fleeting.

[49:23] In James chapter 4, the half-brother of Jesus puts it in a very similar way in verse 14. [49:31] When he says, yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. [49:34] What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.

[49:40] In Ephesians chapter 5, Paul writes,

[49:47] that for at one time you were darkness. And then he goes on and he says, but now you’ve been brought into Jesus. [49:53] And then later down there, he says, look carefully then how you walk. [49:57] Excuse me, no. He says, but don’t take part in unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them, [50:04] for it is shameful even to speak of the things that the sinful do in secret. [50:07] But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible. For anything that becomes visible is light. [50:13] Therefore, it says, awake, oh sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.

[50:17] Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. [50:26] Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. [50:30] Why does Paul say that the days are evil?

[50:34] I don’t know how many years you’re promised. It’s different for everybody.

[50:40] But I know that we all get 24 hours a day. We all get 7 days a week. [50:47] We all get 52 weeks a year. We all get 12 months a year. [50:51] Time and time again.

[50:55] I hear people say the same thing. I don’t have time. I just don’t have time.

[51:02] Yes, you do. You have as much as I do. You have as much as your friends do. [51:08] In that sense, we all have the same amount of time.

[51:12] You make the choice of how to invest that time.

[51:17] So, when we look at talent and we look at treasure, the way that we need to see both of them is that we invest them with time.

[51:27] How much are we praying? How much time are we spending in Scripture? [51:30] How much time are we spending in serving in the church with the gospel? [51:36] Because we all have the same amount of time. [51:39] The question is, how are you using yours?

[51:45] Are you using it to sleep your life away?

[51:49] Are you using it to seek leisure? [51:52] Are you using it to build an idol factory in your home of laziness and familial worship?

[52:04] Are you using it just to kind of piddle around?

[52:09] Can you do something this night? Because it’s really going to further the gospel. [52:13] No. I’ve got to spend a couple of hours that night watching television because that’s just what I deserve after a hard day’s work.

[52:24] We’ve numbed ourselves to the economy of time.

[52:32] How you use your time reflects what your values are.

[52:39] Get on Facebook. Do something valuable.

[52:46] Use your time to invest in the kingdom. [52:51] Because the same people that will tell us that we spend way too much time, way too much treasure, and way too much talent on a Sunday morning worship experience [53:02] are the same people that will take all of their time, all of their treasure, and all of their talent and invest it in a business or a home or this or that. [53:16] I don’t say that to demonize any of those things, but what I say that to say is, where’s your treasure? Where’s your talent? Where’s your time? [53:25] Are you walking as wise in use of them? Because true wisdom that is from God will further the gospel. [53:32] And the question that you have to ask yourself when you look at doctrine, when you look at orthodoxy, when you look at orthopraxy, when you look at how you’re using your life, your time,

[53:42] is am I furthering the gospel of Jesus Christ in the most strategic way I possibly can?

[53:50] Am I in the game or am I sitting on the sidelines?

[53:56] Don’t tell me the reason. [53:59] Because I’ll just tell you. The Savior who’s redeemed you, who loves you.

[54:07] In closing, I just want to say one phrase.

[54:13] Because some of you have wasted a lot of time. [54:16] Some of you have wasted a lot of talent. [54:19] Some of you have wasted a lot of treasure. [54:21] Some of you are doing it right now.

[54:25] Here’s the key.

[54:28] Never get them back.

[54:32] Now hold your arm no matter how young you are. [54:35] But through the cross, God redeems our failures so that we can worship without regret.

[54:45] Give all that waste to Jesus. [54:48] And as he said to the woman caught in adultery, go and sin no more.