Investing in Mission.

Steve Gentry

[0:00] Good morning. Go ahead and have a seat. If you’re new here, my name’s Steve. I am one of the [0:07] pastors here. I’m the teaching pastor. I typically do most of the teaching here on Sundays, even [0:13] though sometimes you get a relief. And maybe you’re thankfully you get somebody else, but today [0:18] you’re stuck with me. If you have your Bibles, go ahead and open them to James chapter 5. We’re [0:29] a few of these invite cards. I’ll tell you, we have a new series starting Easter Sunday called [0:37] Alive. And on Easter Sunday, what we’re going to do here is we’re going to take advantage

[0:41] of the cultural holiday of Easter and preach the resurrection, the true meaning of that day that [0:48] we have kind of redeemed. And we spend that Sunday every year celebrating what we celebrate all year, [0:54] and that is the resurrection of our Lord Jesus. But what’s special about Easter Sunday is typically [0:59] in our culture, that is when most people will at least one day a year go to church. And it’s [1:04] really the one day of the year where people are looking for a church to go to. And so what we do [1:10] here every series is we make these invite cards. And it’s something that we invest in for you so

[1:15] that you can have an easy way to invite people. I don’t know if you know this, but basically the [1:20] stat that they found out through Lifeway and Barna is that 80% of people that come to church [1:25] come through a personal invitation. With all the advertising, all the signage still, [1:31] the number one thing that your friends, your coworkers, your family are going to respond to [1:38] is you actually making the ask and saying, will you come to church with me on Easter Sunday? [1:45] And so what we like to do is be as missional as we should be the rest of the year, but we focus

[1:51] more in on it on Easter because that’s when people are going to come. And so we want you to [1:55] take as many of these as you want after the service. They will be out in the entryway and [2:02] we have many, I mean, we probably were at a couple thousand of these things and want you to take as [2:07] many as you think you can give out and then take a few more than that. And what I’m going to ask [2:12] you to do is over the next two weeks, I want you to partner with me and invite as many people as [2:18] you feel convicted by the Holy Spirit to invite. And what that means is as many people as possible

[2:23] because the Holy Spirit wants them all here. All right. And I want you to actually partner with me [2:29] and let’s be co-laborers over these next few weeks and let’s pack this place out on Easter Sunday [2:34] because I don’t know what’s going to be going on in the rest of the community of churches around [2:39] here that we pray for, but I know that right here on Easter Sunday, the gospel will be preached. [2:46] Jesus is Lord and he is risen from the dead to redeem us from our sin. That is the message. I [2:51] mean, in a nutshell, that’s what I’m going to preach on Easter Sunday morning. Now it’s going

[2:54] to take me 45 minutes to do it for some reason, but that’s what I’m going to do. All right. Nobody [2:59] can quite figure out why these things take me 45 minutes, but they do. I’m just what you got. [3:03] All right. So we’re going to preach that and I want you to invite all your friends, all your family, [3:09] especially those that don’t know Jesus because that’s what we’re here for. We’re here to reach [3:14] those that are far from God and let them know that they don’t have to be that way, that Jesus [3:18] loves them. He died for them. All right. So please, please, please be intentional over these next few

[3:24] weeks, inviting people out for Easter Sunday and even invite them to the Tenebrae service. [3:29] It’s going to be a great time of worship guys. You do not want to miss the Tenebrae service. [3:34] Even if you are like, I don’t even know what that is. That sounds scary. Come and we won’t freak you [3:41] out. I wouldn’t come. I’d stay at home and watch some Seinfeld reruns or something, but come. [3:47] You will not regret it. It’s well worth the time. We have canceled our groups for the week of Easter [3:52] just so that everyone can come to the Tenebrae service on that Thursday night so that everybody

[3:58] will have time. It’s going to be an amazing time of just reflecting on what exactly Jesus did for [4:03] us when he sacrificed on the cross. All right. This morning, what we’re going to do is we’re [4:10] going to do the number one thing everyone likes to talk about, and that’s money. [4:14] You know, I’m going to hit you in the pocketbook. That’s what you really like. That’s what you [4:19] really enjoy. Let’s talk about money at church. That’s what everybody likes to hear preachers [4:23] talk about. But like I say, every single week, as we go through the book of James, the subject

[4:29] matter does not get easier. It gets harder. The deeper you go into the book, which is why most [4:37] people stop at the end of chapter two, they see all faith without works is dead. Okay, well, [4:43] let’s stop there and let’s just make the rest of it subjective. And I’ll say what faith is all about. [4:49] But James does not stop. He gets overly specific. He gets more specific than I’m comfortable with. [4:55] He gets more specific than I’m comfortable preaching about because I know that each and [5:00] every day this is going to impact my life because if faith without works is dead and this is what

[5:08] faith looks like, then some of us should be worried because sometimes I struggle. [5:16] Actually, most times I struggle with selfish ambition. Most times I struggle with planning [5:25] to better myself rather than planning to live for the gospel. [5:30] So realize you are not alone in this journey, and that is why we are coming together [5:36] to study God’s Word. We’re not meant to be lone rangers out there trying to figure out [5:42] how to live this, trying to figure out what the scripture is all about. No, we were destined,

[5:48] designed, created to come together for the worship of God, to come together for discipleship. [5:57] Discipleship apart from lives lived together on a journey is not discipleship. It’s just you.

[6:05] And that’s pretty lonely. That’s a hard place to be because when you’re by yourself, [6:10] this can get very confusing. It can ultimately just become about me. And that’s not what it’s [6:18] chapter four. At the very end, what we talked about last week was about how the fact that [6:23] everything in our lives ultimately is spiritual, that the same attitude that we take into our [6:29] businesses, that we take into our families must be applied as well to the gospel, that there is no [6:36] divide between the sacred and the secular, but rather there’s just God’s creation.

[6:42] There’s everything in my life belongs to him. Everything in my business belongs to him. Everything [6:47] in my career belongs to him. Everything in my family belongs to him. So the attitude that I [6:53] take into planning and strategizing and looking and making my 30 year plan and trying to figure [6:59] out where I’ll be, will I have enough money when I want to retire? How will this work? I must [7:04] necessarily realize that whatever I spend the most time planning is the most important thing to me. [7:12] The thing that I spend my life pursuing will become the thing that I boast in. As James has

[7:18] already showed us, the thing that I spend my life pursuing is the thing that I worship. [7:25] The thing that I spend my life pursuing is my God. And James tells us that we must spend our lives [7:35] pursuing the gospel. Because how you live reveals your very faith. [7:45] Last week we said that James starts with come now and this week he’s going to start with the same [7:51] phrasing. Last week he talked about how we strategically invest in business. This week [7:58] he’s going to hit us in the pocketbook and talk about how we strategically invest in our

[8:04] possessions. And I’ll tell you, there are two ways to go in to how you view possessions. And [8:11] there’s probably some from every crowd in here today. I know from my generation there typically [8:17] tends to be a leaning towards what has now become commonly referred to as the poverty gospel. [8:24] This idea that simplicity is next to godliness. This idea that the answer to greed is fleeing [8:33] wealth. This idea that the answer to temptation is to have none in my life. [8:40] But then there’s the other side which is the prosperity gospel which says that exult in your

[8:46] luxury because if you live right, if you do right, then you are blessed by God. And that is how God [8:53] reveals his blessings. So we have these two extremes and rarely do we find people in the [8:57] middle. If you’re in the middle today it’s because you’re confused. You can say I don’t know which [9:02] team to be on. So I’ll just be on neither. And so you don’t really put much thought into it. [9:08] You just get your paycheck, pay your bills, give your tithe and you’re done. As we saw last week, [9:13] that’s no attitude of somebody that loves the gospel. There’s no planning involved in that.

[9:18] We need to research what is God talking about here. So let’s go James chapter five verse one.

[9:25] And as you can see James has, it’s harsh. Come now you rich. And don’t you love the way he says [9:31] that? By the way, that’s everyone in this room. The world’s standard, we are rich. We are rich. [9:38] All of us. You drove a car here this morning, didn’t you? You’re rich. Come now you rich. [9:44] Weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. Well that’s comforting.

[9:51] Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth eaten. Your gold and silver have corroded [9:58] and their corrosion will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid [10:06] up treasure in the last days. All right. He starts off on a really high note of encouragement [10:14] and then it’s going to get better. No, I’m just kidding. He starts off pretty hardcore on us. [10:19] And for those of us in this culture, passages such as this are very hard for us to read because those [10:25] if you’re in your quiet time and you read through that passage and then you go in and you turn on

[10:29] cable, you’re like, is that going to corrode? Is it going to be evidence against me? Could be.

[10:38] But what is he really talking about? If you look at the history of where James is writing to, [10:43] he spends the first, excuse me, the end of chapter four, speaking directly to people who are in [10:48] business. Remember he’s writing to the churches around from Jerusalem and a lot of the churches [10:54] are important cities where people spend time on business. They’re traders and they’re wealthy. [11:00] As we read through the book of Acts, many much of the early church was made up of traders who were [11:06] wealthy. But then also when we meet guys like Barnabas, we find that there was another contingent

[11:12] in the early church of landowners. In chapter five, he immediately directs his attention towards [11:20] the landowners. Now what was going on in this time is that there were people that owned a vast [11:26] amount of land and these were the people that had farms and vineyards and wheat troughs. These were [11:31] the people that would build and make and sell, but they themselves weren’t doing the selling. They had [11:38] employees that did that and oftentimes these employees were reduced to the level of indentured [11:45] or a form of slavery because they had debt. Much of the parables that Jesus gives us about the

[11:52] master of the kingdom are often referencing landowners who had slaves. They were seen as [11:59] the masters. And so James is speaking directly to landowners in Galilee where he’s going to use [12:06] current events of that time to help us understand what our wealth exists for and how we should use [12:14] our possessions to serve God. So the first thing you have to understand this morning is that the [12:20] use of wealth reveals faith. How you use the wealth that is in your life will reveal the faith [12:34] of what you really trust and believe in. And you say, what do you mean? Well look back at verses

[12:38] one through three. What are we seeing in these verses? James is telling some very harsh words [12:44] to rich people. He spells it out for us. You don’t get much more specific than that. You rich. [12:51] I mean that’s who he says he’s talking to. But notice what he’s talking about. He’s talking and [12:56] using some of the same language that he’s used all throughout the book. Like in chapter one [13:02] where he says that your riches will fade. Then in chapter two he says that you should not show [13:09] partiality based on the garments that you wear when people come into the church service.

[13:15] And the reason that he says that is number one because people would do it because they thought [13:18] they could gain something from them. And number two because the wealthy landowners lived their [13:23] lives getting better treatment than everyone else because everyone was their employees. [13:29] And so when they walked into the service what did they expect? Everyone to get out of their [13:34] seats and give them seats. And so in this text he’s making direct reference to that type of idea [13:41] in saying things like your riches have rotted. And then he says your garments are moth eaten.

[13:49] Directly reflecting what he says in two verse two. The fact that because of their garments they’re [13:54] impartiality. Now he’s showing the heart of that matter which is they’re basing their life and [14:01] they’re putting all of their trust in their wealth. They believe that their wealth will [14:08] ultimately be their salvation. It is a type of functional savior that is working in their lives. [14:14] It is what they have spent their lives planning for and pursuing. And so everything that is around [14:19] them their gold, their employees, their authority, their power, their garments, their food, their wine.

[14:27] If you’re a Baptist grape juice it was wine. Sorry guys but they look at all this stuff and they say [14:38] salvation. At least in their hearts that’s what they’re really saying. [14:43] And James says you are basing your life on things that won’t be around in a hundred years.

[14:52] He says they will actually the fact that they corrode the fact that they’re moth eaten. The fact [14:59] that everything you have will ultimately fade even your authority and power will ultimately be [15:06] evidence against you because you have built these things up in the last days. So what is he [15:15] referencing there? This is what in seminary language you call eschatology or the study of [15:20] the future. He’s saying that we’re living in the last days. These are the days when the return of [15:26] Jesus is imminent. Even then that’s the attitude that the New Testament writers told everyone to

[15:32] have. And he’s saying you have spent your life pursuing that which will fade away and that which [15:38] no salvation can be found in. And in the end when the judge returns when Jesus comes back he will [15:44] look and say the way that you lived your life what you spent your life pursuing will testify against [15:52] you. It will be the evidence that you did not believe in me because you did not find salvation [15:59] in me. You did not find trust in me. You found trust in your bank account.

[16:06] Hard, hard words. It reminds you of what Jesus says in Matthew chapter six in the sermon on [16:12] the mount starting in verse 19. He says do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth [16:17] where moth and rust destroy. You realize this is the half brother of Jesus writing this. He has [16:23] to be reflecting on what his brother said. Where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in [16:28] steel. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust destroys and [16:35] where thieves cannot break in and steal. For where your treasure is there your heart will be also.

[16:44] What do you treasure?

[16:49] Oftentimes the attitude that we take into scriptures that we look at texts like these and we say oh [16:54] that’s not me I don’t really have that much. But what does your life reflect in what you pursue? [17:03] What are you spending your life on? The gospel or stuff?

[17:14] So that begs the question. So is the attitude that we must take to just throw it all away [17:23] and rid ourselves of all this possession? Let’s be honest. If I didn’t have a house I couldn’t [17:28] spend any time on my house. If I don’t have a bank account I can’t fill my bank account. [17:34] So logically you see verses like this and you’re like I know what to do. I’ll just drive a pinto. [17:41] There’s no way I can invest in a pinto. So we start playing these silly, silly games [17:49] where the answer to our problems is building a new law. Because we saw what the old law got us and

[17:57] that was pretty good. Paul says that the law came to condemn us and Jesus came to save us. [18:03] So what are you going to do if you build yourself a new law? Well you’re going to condemn yourself [18:07] because you’re not going to be able to live up to it. [18:11] Realize that the very thing James is preaching against here is selfish ambition. The very thing [18:19] he’s preaching against here is finding your security in your possessions. Well what will happen [18:23] if you flee possessions? You will then find your security in what? Lack of possessions.

[18:30] You’ll just feel guilty of the same thing on the other paradigm.

[18:36] We have to understand the attitude that we take towards our possessions is not simply an acetic [18:42] denial that they exist because they do. They do. Even if all you have is one t-shirt and one pair [18:49] of jeans and I pray you have at least that much because it’s illegal to have less than that. [18:55] You have possessions.

[19:02] Possessions influence the impact of mission. I want to get really specific here. This is where [19:08] we’re going to spend a lot of time. Our possessions will either limit the amount of mission that we [19:15] can have in our lives where the gospel is concerned or will expand the amount of impact [19:20] our lives can have for the mission of Jesus. It will do one or the other. It works both ways [19:27] for those of you that have many possessions and for those of you that have few possessions. [19:31] In my generation there is this huge tendency to believe that aceticism is the way. There’s a huge

[19:38] The books that have come out now by guys with dreadlocks and that make their own clothes [19:42] and they live in the urban center and they say the answers just don’t have anything. [19:47] Then you can really trust the gospel. It’s like this attitude that Jesus came to nullify the book [19:53] of Proverbs or something. What we need to do is we need to build in our lives a theology of [20:00] possessions and wealth. A realization of what do they exist for because if we preach [20:08] that the attitude that you take into suffering is how can God use my suffering to further

[20:15] the mission of the gospel. We must then take the same attitude into wealth. [20:22] How can God use my wealth to further the impact of the gospel. It’s the same thing. No matter [20:29] where you are in life some of you have great possessions. Some of you have student loans [20:34] that have no possessions. You’re like do I just try to find balance between the two. Good luck. [20:43] It doesn’t happen. So what do we do? First off let’s talk about how we view our wealth. [20:52] Do we live our lives pursuing wealth? What I want to do is I want to look like is wealth godly?

[20:58] Can it be? Let’s look in Proverbs. What does Solomon have to say? Start in Proverbs chapter [21:04] 3 verses 9 through 10. These will all be up on the screen. I’m giving them a real workout today. [21:08] Honor the Lord with your wealth. All right so clearly the first few words just say can you [21:15] honor God with riches? Yep. I mean the Holy Spirit and Solomon seem to think so and I think they had [21:20] some pretty good authority especially the Holy Spirit part. Honor the Lord with your wealth and [21:26] with the first fruits of your produce. Then barns will be filled with plenty and your vats will be

[21:31] bursting with grape juice excuse me wine. All right I like making fun of us. It’s a home team for me [21:38] so I like making fun of them. It’s wine. What is Solomon saying here through the inspiration of the [21:46] Holy Spirit? All right it’s clear. I don’t really I don’t feel like I need to exegetically break it [21:51] down for you. All wealth all possessions are blessings from God that are to be enjoyed and used [21:58] to glorify God. Let’s keep going. Proverbs chapter 6 verse 10 through 11. He talks about [22:03] the other end here. A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest

[22:07] and poverty will come upon you like a robber and want like an armed man. All right let me tell you [22:14] be honest most of the theology of my generation comes out of how lazy we are all right and and [22:19] Solomon goes straight to the heart of that. Right he’s not speaking positively here about laziness. [22:27] He’s saying you want to be poor well I know how to make that happen don’t do anything

[22:33] don’t get a job don’t work and that’s how that’s going to happen. Good luck with that

[22:40] and he’s not speaking positively speaking negatively about laziness [22:44] and not seeking to work hard in your life. Let’s keep going. Proverbs chapter 10 verse 4. A slack [22:50] hand causes poverty but notice the other half but the hand of the diligent makes rich.

[22:57] I’m not getting a negative vibe here that I need to just get rid of everything. [23:02] I notice what he’s saying. Proverbs chapter 12 verse 11. Whoever works his land will have [23:06] plenty of bread but he who follows worthless pursuits lacks sense. You love the way Solomon [23:14] says some things you’re a moron. All right Proverbs chapter 13 verse 11. Wealth gained hastily will [23:22] dwindle but whoever gathers little by little will increase it. Proverbs chapter 13 verse 22. All [23:31] you dads out there claim this. A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children but the

[23:37] sinner’s wealth is laid up for the righteous. He gives you both ends of the spectrum. He says if [23:42] you are a good man you will work to leave a legacy behind you so that you can leave an inheritance to [23:49] your children but the gain of the wicked will be left for the righteous because who’s going to be [23:55] around in the end? Not the wicked the righteous. You’re like I don’t understand that. I’ll spell [24:00] it out later. All right Proverbs chapter 21 verse 5. The plans of the diligent [24:08] lead surely to abundance but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.

[24:15] All right so we have this wisdom directly from God about how to prosper in this life [24:27] and I don’t know what scriptural method you’re using but if you compare scripture with scripture [24:33] then it is very hard to find in the scriptures where prosperity is not a form of godliness.

[24:43] All right but

[24:47] there’s another side to that story from the same bible. Remember compare scripture with scripture. [24:54] So sometimes we can read those types of scriptures and say then if I am godly then I will be [25:00] abundantly wealthy and prosperous and so you live your life in pursuit of riches. There’s a tension [25:07] here Proverbs chapter 11 verse 4. Riches do not profit in the day of wrath but righteousness [25:14] delivers from death. Notice the warning there. If you spend your life seeking riches it’s not going [25:21] to help you on judgment day. Proverbs chapter 8 verses 10 to 11. Take my instruction instead of

[25:28] silver and knowledge rather than choice gold for wisdom is better than jewels and all that you [25:34] desire cannot compare with her. Proverbs chapter 23 verses 4 through 5. Do not toil to acquire [25:44] wealth. Be discerning enough to desist. When your eyes light on it it is gone for suddenly it [25:52] sprouts wings flying like an eagle toward heaven. Riches are temporary. If you find your salvation [25:58] in it you will be surely disappointed in the end. Then look at the words of of Job in Job chapter [26:04] 31 verse 24 through 28. If I have made gold my trust or called fine gold my confidence,

[26:12] if I have rejoiced because my wealth was abundant or because my hand had found much, [26:16] if I have looked at the sun when it shone or the moon moving in splendor and my heart has been [26:22] secretly enticed and my mouth has kissed my hand, this also would be an iniquity to be punished by [26:28] the judges for it would have been false to God above. Then look at the words of Jesus himself [26:35] Luke chapter 12 verse 15. And he said to them take care and be on guard against all covetousness [26:42] for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions. Then finally,

[26:49] and I could probably do this all day, the scriptures have more to say about money [26:53] than any other subject quite frankly because God knows our hearts and he knows how we base our worth [27:01] and what we base it on. Proverbs chapter 30 the end of 8 and into verse 9. Give me neither poverty [27:09] nor riches. Feed me with the food that is needful for me lest I be full and deny you and say who is [27:16] the Lord or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of the Lord.

[27:22] This is neither poverty nor riches but God give me yourself because you are riches. Then in [27:30] Deuteronomy chapter 8, this won’t be on the screen, the God has led the nation of Israel into the [27:36] promised land and he says be careful because I am going to bless you abundantly with possessions [27:42] and crops and cattle but he says be careful because soon there will come a day when you [27:47] find salvation in those things and you forget the name of the Lord that gave them to you in the [27:52] first place. You see the tension in our lives. Everything ultimately comes from the hand of God

[28:02] but soon there is a danger that when God blesses us abundantly with possessions we soon look to [28:10] possessions and say things like look at how hard I have worked. Look at how much stuff I have been [28:17] able to buy. Look at all that I have. God says no I have given it to you. Do not forget that it is [28:40] not with God. The tension is with our sin. The tension is in the fact that we do not seek Jesus [28:49] who is supposed to have our identity, who is supposed to have our life, who is supposed to [28:53] have our all. Rather we seek ourselves and we want to praise ourselves. And in that James is

[29:04] warning us against this attitude that says mine. And he says have the attitude of God’s. [29:16] Look in verse 4 of James chapter 5. Verse 4 he says, Behold the wages of the laborers who [29:24] mow your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the [29:32] harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Jesus. You have lived on the earth in luxury and [29:41] in what? Self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. You have condemned [29:51] and murdered the righteous person. He does not resist you. James is talking about the slippery

[29:59] slope of riches. How you view your riches will ultimately lead to how you view and see others.

[30:10] Are people stepping stones for you to get to the position that you want? Are people slaves [30:17] for your authority and they serve under your hand? Are people in your way of getting what you want? [30:27] Or are people the objects of God’s affection? Whom you now live to take the gospel to? [30:38] You see the slippery slope that we live in with the tension of our wealth. You see Jesus didn’t [30:44] come to nullify wisdom literature where all possessions come from God, but rather Jesus [30:49] came to redeem us so that we could see all of our possessions, all of the riches that God has given

[30:54] us. We can enjoy them by knowing the source, knowing where they came from. Then in that [31:03] realization also understand that we don’t reject them, but what do we do? We redeem them and we [31:10] use them to further the gospel of Jesus Christ. You see your possessions, like I said, [31:18] they can either limit or expand the amount of mission in your life for the name of Jesus. [31:23] How can they limit it? Well, you can worship them or you can become a slave to them. [31:30] I tell you, it’s pretty hard to live a life where you can take mission as far as possible

[31:35] in your lifetime when you’re just racked with debt. You just go in debt for things you can’t afford.

[31:42] You’re so limited in what you can do. You have to work more hours. You have to get more jobs. [31:49] There’s no wisdom in that, folks. There’s no wisdom. It will limit the amount of [31:56] missional influence in your life. If you have to live your life a slave to plastic [32:02] or live your life a slave to a house you cannot afford.

[32:08] So you have to really use strategic wisdom in this. You have to understand, [32:13] am I going to be limited or furthered by this purchase?

[32:19] See, some of you could afford huge houses. Some of you cannot. Some of you, no thought has to go [32:25] into it. You just have that kind of money. And some of you, well, you’re living in a house that [32:29] you have four mortgages on and it’s killing you if your eyeballs in debt. Now, understand [32:38] that if you can buy a giant house, God doesn’t say you can’t have it. [32:44] God says, just realize who it came from and who it is to be used for.

[32:53] It’s pretty hard to have eight kids in a three-bedroom house. I’m just saying. [32:58] All right. So if you’re hating on all the people with big houses, [33:01] maybe use some discernment and get to know them first. All right. You know, I mean, I’m just [33:06] saying. All right. Or if you’re hating on people with small houses, maybe there’s wisdom in that [33:13] too. As my father says, don’t be a hater. All right. Oh, dad. Now, where does this ultimately [33:24] go down to? All right. James chapter four, verse three, we’ve already been over this. It says,

[33:28] you ask and do not receive because you ask to spend it on your passions. [33:36] You see, ultimately, this all goes down to a parable. It’s a parable that has had a huge [33:40] impact on the entire team of this church because it is why we do things the way that we do things. [33:44] This parable in the book of Matthew by Jesus, the parable of the talents, a master leaves and he [33:51] spreads his money over a few of his servants and he gives them each a portion to invest [33:57] and work on before he comes back. Two of them invest very wisely and make a huge return for

[34:03] their master. One of them goes and he hides his talent in the sand because he’s like, well, [34:07] I don’t want to lose it. So I’m just not going to do anything with it. And the master comes back [34:12] and two of his servants have given him a great return. And they come back and the master says, [34:19] I will give you authority over much in my kingdom to the one who hit it. He casts into outer darkness. [34:25] It can be very confusing, but realize that how the third guy invested his talent [34:32] revealed how he viewed the master. He didn’t love the master. He hated him.

[34:39] So he didn’t invest. He just hid because he said, well, the master is going to hate me no matter [34:43] what I do. See, there’s no realization that the master has this great love and respect for him, [34:48] that he wants him to use everything that he’s given him to invest into his kingdom. [34:54] You see, that’s how we must view our possessions. If you do not view the wealth that God has given [34:59] you in finances, in family, in love, in spiritual gifts, if you do not view them as tools that God [35:09] has given you to invest into building his kingdom, then you do not understand the heart of God.

[35:18] You see, some of you have been given less, but that does not excuse you. Rick Warren says that [35:25] just because you can’t help a thousand people, it doesn’t excuse you from helping the person [35:31] right next to you. God has given each of you tools to invest in his kingdom. And if you do not, [35:43] it reveals a heart that does not believe the gospel.

[35:49] God does not redeem you to sit there and watch others invest into the kingdom.

[35:59] There are no bleachers in the kingdom of God.

[36:05] There are only joyful participants in his mission.

[36:11] That’s all that exists. If you’re not participating, if you’re not investing, [36:17] if you’re not looking to what you can use and how you can use it,

[36:23] faith without works is dead.

[36:28] You see, the gospel transforms generosity.

[36:35] The gospel takes generosity to the next level. [36:40] And it views us not as just people who give a few dollars here to the Red Cross, a few dollars there [36:45] to some other organization, a few dollars here. And it’s just thoughtless giving. It’s just, [36:51] you know, I’ve done my good deed for the year. I’m good. I probably helped a couple of people. [36:55] You know, it’s good. No, the gospel transforms us into people who strategically invest with [37:03] thought, with planning, with wisdom, so that God can have the best return on what he has given us

[37:11] in investment. And we think and we plan and we find our joy in living for the gospel of Jesus [37:20] because God is our treasure above everything that he’s given us. And when God is your treasure, [37:26] everything that you have, you look at it and you say, how can I use it to build the kingdom? [37:31] How can I use my house? How can I use my car? How can I use my finances? How can I use my amazing [37:36] looks? No? Too far? Okay. Well, you get the point. Nothing’s off base. Everything is spiritual. [37:45] Instead of trying to find meaning in my job, I find meaning in the gospel that I take to my

[37:51] job with me. You see the difference in attitudes here? Do you see how in the gospel, if you’re [37:59] living for the mission of Jesus, it is impossible to become a taskmaster who views people as [38:04] stepping stones to his own kingdom. It’s impossible. Sin tempts you to do that. The gospel redeems you [38:14] from that. You see the gospel transforms our generosity and gives us this life in which we [38:22] can live in investing because we know this is not our kingdom. Look at second Corinthians, [38:26] excuse me, chapter five verses six through 10. In second Corinthians, it says, so we are always

[38:31] of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body, we are away from the Lord, [38:38] for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage and we would rather be away from [38:43] the body and at home with the Lord. So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to [38:48] please him for we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ so that each one may [38:53] receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. Look at Hebrews chapter [39:00] 13 verse 13 through 14. Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he

[39:13] is to come. Do you see the viewpoint here? The viewpoint here is that this world is not my home. [39:22] There’s an old hymn that says this world that ain’t my home. I’m just a passing through.

[39:27] We seek the city that is to come, the city of the kingdom of God, where Jesus will rule and [39:34] for eternity and we will worship right before his throne. That type of mentality keeps you [39:44] from finding heaven right here. Because you see, when we live our lives only investing in [39:50] self-indulgence and in our own comfort and in our own leisure, what are you really trying to do?

[39:57] You’re trying to bring heaven here. You’re trying to make this world so comfortable so that you [40:03] think about what heaven might be like because it’s so great here. What does that say about you?

[40:10] What does that say about you? You find all of your joy here in this world and you do not really [40:18] long for heaven. Do you live your life with a viewpoint, I can’t wait for heaven. I long for [40:28] heaven. I yearn for it. I can’t wait to be before the king. I can’t wait to be in the city that [40:36] will never fade. Or are you comfortable? See, that’s your mentality. Let me fill you in, [40:48] folks. The gospel says you’re not generous. Not that you need to give everything away, [40:53] but everything is available for the mission of Jesus. Because you know your hope is not

[41:00] found in it. So if you lose it, it’s okay. My faith is in Jesus. But more than that, [41:08] you don’t have to lose it, folks. Invest it wisely. Wisely. Because these are talents that come from [41:19] God of heaven. John Piper. He talks a lot in two books. One, Let the Nations Be Glad, and two, [41:28] Don’t Waste Your Life, about those of us in the church developing what he references as a wartime [41:34] mentality for the gospel. It comes from this idea from a book called Flags of Our Fathers by John [41:41] Bradley. Here’s what John Bradley says about the mentality of Americans during World War II. He

[41:49] snapped out of its depression era lethargy almost overnight. Everyone scrambled to be of help. [41:56] Rubber was needed for the war effort. And gasoline and metal. Americans pitched in to support strict [42:03] rationing programs. And their boys turned out as volunteers in various collection drives. [42:09] Soon butter and milk were restricted along with canned goods and meat. [42:14] Shoes became scarce in paper and silk. People grew victory gardens and drove at the gas-saving [42:22] victory speed of 35 miles per hour. Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without became a

[42:32] popular slogan. America sacrificed. Good luck now. But what if that mentality invaded the church [42:46] of Jesus Christ? That all of our possessions exist to further our great mission from our great God [42:56] King. Because you see whether or not your eyes are open, you are in a war. People are going to hell. [43:06] People are dying without Jesus. Do you care? Do you care enough to invest the blessings [43:15] that God has given you? Do you care enough to seek to build a strategic plan for the gospel [43:24] in your life? Or are you just seeking this simplistic lifestyle where you’re the only

[43:29] one that gets any gain from it? Where you just deny, deny because you’re seeking a deeper meaning. [43:36] Who gets benefited from your deeper meaning? You? Sounds like self-indulgence to me. That is not a [43:43] gospel-centered mentality. The poverty gospel is just as dangerous as the prosperity gospel.

[43:53] Because in the end, you’re the only one that gets the benefit. That is not what Jesus came to do.

[44:03] The basis of our hope must be found to be the gospel. See, because James doesn’t just talk to [44:10] the rich. He doesn’t just talk to those with authority. Notice what he says to those who are [44:15] suffering under the hand of those in authority. Starting in verse seven, he says, Be patient, [44:21] therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious [44:27] fruit of the earth, being patient about it until it receives the early and the late rains. You [44:33] also be patient. Establish your hearts for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble

[44:39] against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged. Behold, the judge is standing at the [44:46] door. As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name [44:51] of the Lord. Behold, we consider those blessed who remain steadfast. You have heard of the [44:57] steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and [45:03] merciful. He looks to those suffering under the hand of the tyrants, and he says, Take hope in [45:10] those who are behind you. Take hope in the great history that we have of people who have suffered

[45:18] for the gospel. But what I want to focus on is what he didn’t say. He didn’t look to those who [45:24] were in poverty, those who are suffering with unfair wages, those who had less, those who were [45:29] being treated as slaves. He didn’t look to them and say, The answer is a revolt against the rich. [45:36] The answer is in hating the rich. The answer is in seeking to have as much as they have. [45:44] Do you notice that was in no part of James’s speech to them. Where does James say they find [45:51] their hope? The gospel. James says, Seek the hope of the gospel. But then notice how he finishes it.

[46:01] This is beautiful. He finishes it telling them how to reach the rich with the gospel. [46:09] He finishes it with the same attitude of Jesus Christ. Love your enemies. [46:13] Pray for those who hate you. He says, If you want to be like the Lord, he says, Look,

[46:22] as you have seen the purpose of the Lord, what’s the purpose of the Lord? The gospel. What did [46:27] Jesus do? Suffered. What did Jesus do? Redeemed. He says, For the Lord is compassionate and merciful.

[46:39] Have compassion on the tyrant. Be merciful to the one that’s paying you that unfair wage. [46:47] Show them the gospel by how you invest what God has given you and then trust the Lord for the return on that investment.

[47:03] With much wealth, the gospel. With no wealth, the gospel. [47:12] You see, the hope for the world is not in community service projects. The hope of the world is not [47:23] in political campaigns or bringing down the rich who reach the poor. The hope of the world is in gospel action, [47:30] gospel proclamation, and gospel living.

[47:35] See, you can do all those things without the gospel. But what would happen if we started doing a few of those things with the gospel?

[47:43] What if instead of only helping those people through community service projects that you found convenient and that you like, [47:50] you actually sought the good of that guy you hate down the street?

[47:55] What if you sought the good of your boss that you despise and you cuss out in your mind every day? [48:01] What if you sought the good of those who don’t treat you very well? [48:05] What if the gospel invaded every area of your life and you said everything is up for grabs where Jesus is concerned? [48:11] I just want to invest it for his kingdom. You see, James had a vision for that.

[48:20] And he said, invest in the gospel with everything that you have because we are stewards of his grace. [48:31] See, the Holy Spirit frees us to have a mighty stewardship of the grace that God has given us through Jesus. [48:38] God has graced us with the ability to redeem everything that we have in our lives. [48:44] Everything. But you, by the way that you use it, by the way that you invest it wisely, [48:53] you reveal where your faith really is. Let’s pray. [49:01] Father, we come before you and we love you. Lord, I just want to ask right now,

[49:11] God help me to be a better steward of your grace.

[49:16] I pray that the village wouldn’t be a place where people just come to watch [49:20] or people just come to rest on their laurels,

[49:26] but rather that the village would be a place where people are fed so that they can go out and invest in your kingdom.

[49:36] God, I see a day when greater Richmond is shown the gospel through the lives that are changed here. [49:45] Begin with mine. Change my heart. Help me to love more than I believe I’m capable of. [49:52] Help me to give more than I believe I can. Help me to teach with great passion. Help me to father a legacy.

[50:04] God, I pray that you would just raise up men and women who love your gospel and live to proclaim it.