1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:03,576 Hello and welcome to the Middletown Baptist Church Podcast, 2 00:00:03,688 --> 00:00:06,584 where we are proclaiming the truth to the world. 3 00:00:06,672 --> 00:00:09,672 My name is Pastor Josh, and I want to thank you for listening to 4 00:00:09,696 --> 00:00:10,760 this podcast. 5 00:00:10,920 --> 00:00:14,616 I hope that this podcast can be a blessing to you and strengthen 6 00:00:14,648 --> 00:00:16,300 you in the word of God. 7 00:00:16,720 --> 00:00:17,576 Now come along. 8 00:00:17,648 --> 00:00:21,080 Let's look into the Bible and see what God has for us here. 9 00:00:21,120 --> 00:00:21,700 Today. 10 00:00:23,360 --> 00:00:26,444 We're going to be picking up our study in 2 Corinthians. 11 00:00:26,492 --> 00:00:27,800 It's been a little while. 12 00:00:28,260 --> 00:00:33,532 We broke into some study in December, looking at the greatest 13 00:00:33,596 --> 00:00:35,308 gift that was ever given in Jesus Christ. 14 00:00:35,364 --> 00:00:39,452 And then we looked at how we can use the gift of the Spirit in 15 00:00:39,476 --> 00:00:40,988 our life to serve others. 16 00:00:41,124 --> 00:00:44,476 And then we looked at, for the last three weeks, goals for a growing 17 00:00:44,508 --> 00:00:45,100 church. 18 00:00:45,260 --> 00:00:48,300 And we looked at the first goal being that our church must be 19 00:00:48,420 --> 00:00:53,066 centered in the Gospel, in what we preach, in what we live, 20 00:00:53,228 --> 00:00:54,730 in, what we share. 21 00:00:55,350 --> 00:00:57,086 The Gospel must be the centerpiece. 22 00:00:57,118 --> 00:01:00,558 But then we realize that though many times we can be focused 23 00:01:00,574 --> 00:01:03,566 on the Gospel, we might not be unified in the Gospel. 24 00:01:03,678 --> 00:01:06,718 And so the second aspect of a growing church would be to. 25 00:01:06,774 --> 00:01:08,718 To group, to come together, to. 26 00:01:08,774 --> 00:01:13,294 To unify, to be, as the Bible says, in one accord in our purpose 27 00:01:13,422 --> 00:01:14,670 for the gospel. 28 00:01:14,830 --> 00:01:18,350 And then if we have our individual life centered in the gospel, 29 00:01:18,510 --> 00:01:20,790 we're unified as a church in the gospel. 30 00:01:20,910 --> 00:01:23,814 The next step, Scripturally speaking, in the Great Commission 31 00:01:23,902 --> 00:01:27,702 is to go right, to take that into the world. 32 00:01:27,806 --> 00:01:30,326 Um, and we know the Great Commission is to go and to preach 33 00:01:30,358 --> 00:01:34,182 the gospel to all the world, to demonstrate who Jesus is and what 34 00:01:34,206 --> 00:01:36,054 he has done for us to this world. 35 00:01:36,222 --> 00:01:36,550 And. 36 00:01:36,590 --> 00:01:39,970 And so we are gonna continue on with that here this morning. 37 00:01:40,270 --> 00:01:42,550 The theme go, but how do we go? 38 00:01:42,590 --> 00:01:44,854 We go as ambassadors for Christ. 39 00:01:44,942 --> 00:01:48,032 That's really the theme of 2 Corinthians, chapter 5. 40 00:01:48,166 --> 00:01:50,588 And we're going to be in 2nd Corinthians chapter 9 here this morning. 41 00:01:50,644 --> 00:01:53,644 But I want to recap just a little bit with you, because I know 42 00:01:53,652 --> 00:01:56,332 it's been a while since we've been in Second Corinthians, so I 43 00:01:56,356 --> 00:01:58,988 want to go back to Second Corinthians chapter five. 44 00:01:59,044 --> 00:02:02,316 And we're going to start in verse number 17, our scripture reading 45 00:02:02,348 --> 00:02:03,372 for this morning. 46 00:02:03,556 --> 00:02:06,924 And we're going to see that as believers, and that's the starting 47 00:02:06,972 --> 00:02:08,108 place for going. 48 00:02:08,244 --> 00:02:11,280 To be a believer means to be transformed. 49 00:02:12,500 --> 00:02:16,146 To be a believer means that we are new creations in. 50 00:02:16,188 --> 00:02:17,094 In Christ. 51 00:02:17,262 --> 00:02:20,930 And so 2 Corinthians chapter 5 tells us, verse 17. 52 00:02:21,230 --> 00:02:21,910 It says this. 53 00:02:21,950 --> 00:02:26,214 Therefore, if any man be in Christ, and I, I Love that phrase 54 00:02:26,262 --> 00:02:29,062 in Christ because it speaks of our identity in Him. 55 00:02:29,166 --> 00:02:31,574 We're not just people that go to church. 56 00:02:31,702 --> 00:02:34,582 We're not just people that have had some help in our lives. 57 00:02:34,686 --> 00:02:37,046 We are people that are identified in Christ. 58 00:02:37,118 --> 00:02:38,390 Christ is our life. 59 00:02:38,510 --> 00:02:40,214 Christ is our hope. 60 00:02:40,302 --> 00:02:43,452 Christ is our everlasting destination. 61 00:02:43,596 --> 00:02:45,804 And that is to be with him in heaven forever. 62 00:02:45,932 --> 00:02:46,956 Eternal life. 63 00:02:47,108 --> 00:02:48,892 And so I, I, I thought about it this way. 64 00:02:48,916 --> 00:02:50,556 Verse 17, it says this. 65 00:02:50,708 --> 00:02:53,212 Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. 66 00:02:53,276 --> 00:02:55,196 Old things are passed away. 67 00:02:55,268 --> 00:02:57,612 Behold, all things are become new. 68 00:02:57,716 --> 00:03:01,516 And so when God saves us, and that means we come to him in faith, 69 00:03:01,548 --> 00:03:05,452 we trust in him, and he extends grace and salvation to us. 70 00:03:05,556 --> 00:03:10,000 So when he saves us, he transforms us into a new creation. 71 00:03:10,450 --> 00:03:13,690 And so if you have your notes on the back of your bulletin, I, 72 00:03:13,730 --> 00:03:15,162 I know that that's one of the blanks there. 73 00:03:15,186 --> 00:03:17,578 But I, I want you to understand what that means. 74 00:03:17,634 --> 00:03:18,426 That means this. 75 00:03:18,498 --> 00:03:24,394 We are no longer identified by who we are in our flesh, in our sin, 76 00:03:24,522 --> 00:03:27,146 in our failures, in our inadequacies. 77 00:03:27,258 --> 00:03:27,530 No. 78 00:03:27,570 --> 00:03:32,618 God now transforms us to be a new creation, a new creature in Him. 79 00:03:32,754 --> 00:03:35,770 And that means that we have power given to us. 80 00:03:35,810 --> 00:03:38,160 That means that we have provisions given to us. 81 00:03:38,200 --> 00:03:40,112 That means that we have peace given to us. 82 00:03:40,136 --> 00:03:42,992 There's a lot of things that fall in that category of having a 83 00:03:43,016 --> 00:03:44,512 new identity in Christ. 84 00:03:44,696 --> 00:03:49,200 But with that identity in Christ comes a purpose, right? 85 00:03:49,240 --> 00:03:52,304 God doesn't just save us and change us and say, okay, now just 86 00:03:52,312 --> 00:03:53,952 keep living the life that you want to live. 87 00:03:54,056 --> 00:03:56,336 No, with that transformation comes a purpose. 88 00:03:56,368 --> 00:03:57,488 And what is that purpose? 89 00:03:57,584 --> 00:03:59,312 Well, he goes down further, right? 90 00:03:59,416 --> 00:04:03,120 He talks about the ministry of reconciliation, which means we now 91 00:04:03,160 --> 00:04:05,760 have a job to proclaim that to the world. 92 00:04:05,800 --> 00:04:08,048 Like the ministry of reconciliation means this. 93 00:04:08,184 --> 00:04:12,512 We have a job to reconcile people to Christ, to, to bring the 94 00:04:12,536 --> 00:04:14,160 message of reconciliation to Christ. 95 00:04:14,200 --> 00:04:17,824 And so he says, you have the ministry of reconciliation, verse 96 00:04:17,872 --> 00:04:19,952 19, the word of reconciliation. 97 00:04:20,016 --> 00:04:21,072 That's the gospel. 98 00:04:21,216 --> 00:04:25,780 Then he says in verse number 20, now, then, we are ambassadors 99 00:04:26,360 --> 00:04:27,008 for Christ. 100 00:04:27,064 --> 00:04:27,936 What's an ambassador? 101 00:04:27,968 --> 00:04:31,216 An ambassador is someone who represents somebody else in another 102 00:04:31,288 --> 00:04:31,900 place. 103 00:04:32,280 --> 00:04:36,830 So now we as Christians are, are living in a foreign land. 104 00:04:37,210 --> 00:04:38,114 You say what? 105 00:04:38,202 --> 00:04:39,410 I'm not a foreigner. 106 00:04:39,490 --> 00:04:41,730 I, I live, I'm born and raised in America. 107 00:04:41,810 --> 00:04:42,898 Well, here's the thing. 108 00:04:43,034 --> 00:04:44,466 This world is not our home. 109 00:04:44,538 --> 00:04:48,034 That the Bible says that now that we are saved, we are ambassadors 110 00:04:48,082 --> 00:04:49,602 for Christ in a foreign land. 111 00:04:49,706 --> 00:04:51,522 Because where's your identity? 112 00:04:51,586 --> 00:04:54,290 Where is your residency for eternity? 113 00:04:54,370 --> 00:04:54,706 Heaven. 114 00:04:54,738 --> 00:04:55,026 Right? 115 00:04:55,098 --> 00:04:57,938 You are an ambassador for Christ in this world. 116 00:04:58,074 --> 00:05:02,030 And so the Bible says you are an ambassador for Christ, as though 117 00:05:02,070 --> 00:05:06,526 God did beseech you, plead with you by us, meaning we pleaded 118 00:05:06,558 --> 00:05:07,598 with you to come to Christ. 119 00:05:07,654 --> 00:05:10,446 Now he is pleading with you to be an ambassador. 120 00:05:10,478 --> 00:05:13,614 He says, we pray you in Christ's stead, be reconciled to 121 00:05:13,622 --> 00:05:14,046 God. 122 00:05:14,158 --> 00:05:15,838 And then he explains how that all can happen. 123 00:05:15,894 --> 00:05:16,638 Verse 21. 124 00:05:16,694 --> 00:05:18,542 For he hath made him to be sin for us. 125 00:05:18,566 --> 00:05:20,090 He's talking about Jesus here. 126 00:05:20,470 --> 00:05:25,070 So, so he says, the one who did no sin, who knew no sin, he is 127 00:05:25,110 --> 00:05:27,902 the one that bore the weight of sin on his shoulders. 128 00:05:27,966 --> 00:05:30,978 He's the one that paid the price for you so that you might. 129 00:05:31,034 --> 00:05:34,002 That we might be made the righteousness of God in him. 130 00:05:34,026 --> 00:05:36,914 And so it's not our righteousness, it's Jesus's righteousness 131 00:05:36,962 --> 00:05:40,130 on our account that gives us the opportunity to be on God's side, 132 00:05:40,170 --> 00:05:41,570 to be his ambassador. 133 00:05:41,730 --> 00:05:44,130 So we are ambassadors as we go. 134 00:05:44,250 --> 00:05:46,274 And so the next blank there means this. 135 00:05:46,362 --> 00:05:50,530 We have a new life in Christ, that new life is a new purpose. 136 00:05:50,690 --> 00:05:54,338 That, that new life is a new way of thinking, that new life is 137 00:05:54,394 --> 00:05:55,670 a new way of reacting. 138 00:05:56,100 --> 00:06:00,460 It's a new way of loving, it's a new way of serving, it's a new 139 00:06:00,500 --> 00:06:01,404 way of giving. 140 00:06:01,532 --> 00:06:03,436 We're going to talk all about that in this study. 141 00:06:03,508 --> 00:06:07,596 So he says, this is your new life, this is your new purpose. 142 00:06:07,708 --> 00:06:10,444 And that is God calls us to be ambassadors. 143 00:06:10,492 --> 00:06:11,932 He calls us to be ambassadors. 144 00:06:11,996 --> 00:06:15,948 And so if you are a believer this morning, if you have trusted 145 00:06:15,964 --> 00:06:18,556 in Jesus Christ as your Savior, you have a job. 146 00:06:18,708 --> 00:06:20,924 And that job is to be an ambassador. 147 00:06:21,052 --> 00:06:22,892 Now you might say, well, what does that mean for me? 148 00:06:22,916 --> 00:06:24,540 Do I have to preach every Sunday morning? 149 00:06:24,580 --> 00:06:27,518 Well, that might not be what your role is as an ambassador. 150 00:06:27,684 --> 00:06:30,698 And that's why we talked about the spiritual gifts back around Christmas. 151 00:06:30,794 --> 00:06:31,322 Remember that? 152 00:06:31,346 --> 00:06:33,994 We talked about how different people are equipped different ways 153 00:06:34,042 --> 00:06:38,026 in the power of God to utilize what God has given you in the message 154 00:06:38,058 --> 00:06:39,130 of the Gospel to the world. 155 00:06:39,170 --> 00:06:42,762 So some people might be serving in the area of mercy, some 156 00:06:42,786 --> 00:06:45,850 people might be serving in the area of ministration, some people 157 00:06:45,890 --> 00:06:49,802 might be serving in the area of proclamation of preaching. 158 00:06:49,866 --> 00:06:51,290 And so that list goes on and on. 159 00:06:51,330 --> 00:06:54,308 And the Bible tells us that everyone comes together in different 160 00:06:54,364 --> 00:06:56,560 ways to be an ambassador for Christ. 161 00:06:57,020 --> 00:07:00,280 So that's the purpose, that's the mission. 162 00:07:01,020 --> 00:07:04,964 And so that's the context, the recap of what Second Corinthians, 163 00:07:05,012 --> 00:07:06,068 chapter five was all about. 164 00:07:06,124 --> 00:07:10,548 And it was pushing us towards something called grace giving. 165 00:07:10,724 --> 00:07:11,636 Grace giving. 166 00:07:11,748 --> 00:07:14,084 And, and we left off in Chapter eight. 167 00:07:14,172 --> 00:07:17,140 And it was speaking specifically of how God had materially 168 00:07:17,220 --> 00:07:20,926 blessed the church in Corinth and how he was challenging the church 169 00:07:20,958 --> 00:07:25,390 at Corinth to give back what they had been blessed with, with 170 00:07:25,430 --> 00:07:28,830 their talents and with their treasure, specifically speaking with 171 00:07:28,870 --> 00:07:31,166 their material blessings that God had given them. 172 00:07:31,238 --> 00:07:33,470 And they used the Macedonian church. 173 00:07:33,550 --> 00:07:37,054 So there was another church in Macedonia that was used as an example. 174 00:07:37,102 --> 00:07:40,270 They gave out of their poverty, they gave out of their struggle, 175 00:07:40,350 --> 00:07:43,070 but they did it cheerfully, they did it with excitement, and 176 00:07:43,110 --> 00:07:45,532 God used their investment for the kingdom. 177 00:07:45,686 --> 00:07:47,664 And so we're gonna go to chapter nine, Second Corinthians, 178 00:07:47,712 --> 00:07:48,112 chapter nine. 179 00:07:48,136 --> 00:07:50,256 This is gonna be our main text here this morning. 180 00:07:50,408 --> 00:07:53,632 And we're gonna talk about grace giving as an ambassador for 181 00:07:53,656 --> 00:07:54,256 Jesus Christ. 182 00:07:54,328 --> 00:07:57,840 You know, the way that we live our lives now, as ambassadors, must 183 00:07:57,880 --> 00:07:58,700 be different. 184 00:07:59,000 --> 00:08:00,768 We must think differently. 185 00:08:00,944 --> 00:08:01,280 And. 186 00:08:01,320 --> 00:08:03,984 And one of those things would be thinking about giving differently, 187 00:08:04,112 --> 00:08:06,864 because usually what the world teaches about giving is this. 188 00:08:06,952 --> 00:08:09,488 And by the way, I'm not just talking about financial giving, even 189 00:08:09,544 --> 00:08:12,982 though that would be an area of giving, but I'm talking about 190 00:08:13,006 --> 00:08:13,718 giving in general. 191 00:08:13,774 --> 00:08:16,806 Giving of your time, giving of your. 192 00:08:16,958 --> 00:08:21,382 Of your talents, giving of your family, giving of anything in 193 00:08:21,406 --> 00:08:22,130 your life. 194 00:08:22,510 --> 00:08:25,046 And the Bible says that giving should be different. 195 00:08:25,118 --> 00:08:28,422 As Christians, as ambassadors, we should be giving differently than 196 00:08:28,446 --> 00:08:29,062 the world gives. 197 00:08:29,126 --> 00:08:32,582 The way the world gives in many ways is this, hey, let me give 198 00:08:32,606 --> 00:08:34,530 to you so that you give back to me. 199 00:08:34,830 --> 00:08:36,130 You've heard that before. 200 00:08:36,760 --> 00:08:38,896 Scratch my back, I'll scratch yours. 201 00:08:39,088 --> 00:08:42,288 And it's that idea that the world teaches that, hey, you only 202 00:08:42,344 --> 00:08:45,712 give if you can afford to give, or you only give if you get 203 00:08:45,736 --> 00:08:47,632 something back or if it benefits you. 204 00:08:47,736 --> 00:08:49,940 But the Bible says that there's a different way of giving. 205 00:08:50,600 --> 00:08:52,096 Some people say, you know what? 206 00:08:52,168 --> 00:08:52,400 I. 207 00:08:52,440 --> 00:08:56,176 I will give if it makes sense to me, or I will give if it doesn't 208 00:08:56,208 --> 00:08:56,736 hurt me. 209 00:08:56,808 --> 00:08:59,072 And the Bible says, though, there's a different type of giving. 210 00:08:59,136 --> 00:09:02,296 And so in Second Corinthians, chapter nine, we're going to see 211 00:09:02,408 --> 00:09:08,472 that in our salvation, in our transformation, there is a renewal 212 00:09:08,536 --> 00:09:11,208 of thinking, a renewal of giving. 213 00:09:11,384 --> 00:09:12,792 And so, Second Corinthians, chapter nine. 214 00:09:12,816 --> 00:09:14,260 Let's look at verse number one. 215 00:09:14,960 --> 00:09:17,896 It says, for as touching the ministering to the saints, meaning 216 00:09:17,928 --> 00:09:21,992 the service to other Christians, it is superfluous for 217 00:09:22,016 --> 00:09:25,016 me to write to you, meaning, hey, I don't really need to write 218 00:09:25,048 --> 00:09:26,968 this to you, but I'm gonna write to you anyway. 219 00:09:27,064 --> 00:09:28,136 It's kind of like when I'm teaching. 220 00:09:28,168 --> 00:09:29,646 I said, you guys all know the story. 221 00:09:29,768 --> 00:09:30,690 And then I Tell you the story. 222 00:09:30,730 --> 00:09:31,442 That's what Paul's doing. 223 00:09:31,466 --> 00:09:33,634 He says, you guys know how to serve. 224 00:09:33,762 --> 00:09:35,794 You guys know what it looks like to serve. 225 00:09:35,922 --> 00:09:37,710 You guys know what it looks like to give. 226 00:09:38,090 --> 00:09:40,754 And it's superfluous that I have to do this, but I'm going to 227 00:09:40,762 --> 00:09:41,218 do this anyway. 228 00:09:41,234 --> 00:09:42,226 That's what he says. 229 00:09:42,378 --> 00:09:42,930 Verse 2. 230 00:09:42,970 --> 00:09:47,618 For I know the foreignness of your mind for which I boast of you 231 00:09:47,674 --> 00:09:51,090 to them of Macedonia, meaning, remember the Macedonians that were 232 00:09:51,130 --> 00:09:52,370 the good examples of giving. 233 00:09:52,450 --> 00:09:55,042 The reason why the Macedonians were giving so well is because of 234 00:09:55,066 --> 00:09:56,164 your example. 235 00:09:56,362 --> 00:09:58,768 He says, there was a time where you understood what it meant 236 00:09:58,784 --> 00:09:59,360 to serve. 237 00:09:59,440 --> 00:10:01,984 There was a time where you understood what it meant to give, 238 00:10:02,152 --> 00:10:05,136 but you've slipped, you've regressed. 239 00:10:05,248 --> 00:10:07,840 And he says, I've actually used you as an example for other 240 00:10:07,880 --> 00:10:08,460 people. 241 00:10:09,000 --> 00:10:11,136 And so I know you know what to do. 242 00:10:11,288 --> 00:10:12,320 And so he says, I. 243 00:10:12,360 --> 00:10:15,488 I boasted of you to Macedonia that. 244 00:10:15,544 --> 00:10:19,056 That IKEA was ready a year ago, and your zeal hath provoked 245 00:10:19,088 --> 00:10:19,440 very many. 246 00:10:19,480 --> 00:10:21,542 Meaning you had zeal at one point. 247 00:10:21,696 --> 00:10:24,426 I think all of us, if we are believers for long enough, we've 248 00:10:24,458 --> 00:10:27,674 gone through seasons of zeal for the Lord, of excitement for the 249 00:10:27,682 --> 00:10:32,030 Lord, but it's very tempting because of a lot of reasons, distractions, 250 00:10:32,610 --> 00:10:36,842 pain, difficulties that we might regress in our zeal for the 251 00:10:36,866 --> 00:10:38,442 things that God has called us to do. 252 00:10:38,546 --> 00:10:43,482 And so in the renewal in our salvation comes that passion to change 253 00:10:43,666 --> 00:10:46,090 the old ways and to live in the new. 254 00:10:46,130 --> 00:10:47,580 And so there's that zeal there. 255 00:10:47,770 --> 00:10:50,024 I mean, one of the most exciting things that I can see is 256 00:10:50,032 --> 00:10:52,940 a new Christian and their excitement to do the things of God. 257 00:10:53,440 --> 00:10:56,824 But one of the saddest things to see is a Christian that has waned 258 00:10:56,872 --> 00:10:57,160 in that. 259 00:10:57,200 --> 00:10:57,624 That they've. 260 00:10:57,672 --> 00:10:58,760 They've gone back to the point. 261 00:10:58,800 --> 00:10:59,528 Well, you know what? 262 00:10:59,584 --> 00:11:00,664 What's the use? 263 00:11:00,832 --> 00:11:03,192 Almost we get to a place where there's jaded Christians. 264 00:11:03,256 --> 00:11:05,448 Meaning, yeah, look, we serve here and look what happens. 265 00:11:05,464 --> 00:11:06,500 I get hurt again. 266 00:11:07,920 --> 00:11:11,540 I stretch my neck out too many times and see, I'm paying the price. 267 00:11:12,240 --> 00:11:14,504 And the idea is, is that's not the spirit that we're supposed to 268 00:11:14,512 --> 00:11:15,572 have as believers. 269 00:11:15,736 --> 00:11:16,636 Verse 3. 270 00:11:16,788 --> 00:11:20,652 He says, yet have I sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you 271 00:11:20,756 --> 00:11:24,876 be in vain in this behalf, that, as I said, ye may be ready. 272 00:11:24,908 --> 00:11:29,676 Meaning, look, you were passionate at one point, but we're 273 00:11:29,708 --> 00:11:33,500 sending some people to you to be stirred, to be renewed in your 274 00:11:33,620 --> 00:11:35,500 grace, giving into your ministry. 275 00:11:35,660 --> 00:11:36,220 Verse 4. 276 00:11:36,260 --> 00:11:40,252 Less haply if they of Macedonia come with me and find you 277 00:11:40,276 --> 00:11:42,358 unprepared we. 278 00:11:42,414 --> 00:11:44,822 That we say not ye should be ashamed. 279 00:11:44,886 --> 00:11:46,890 In the same confident boasting. 280 00:11:48,270 --> 00:11:49,830 So he says, hey, I. 281 00:11:49,870 --> 00:11:52,694 I don't want to be ashamed of your testimony. 282 00:11:52,742 --> 00:11:55,670 If they come and find you and you're not in a place where you were 283 00:11:55,710 --> 00:11:58,770 before, you don't have that same zeal that we told them about. 284 00:11:59,470 --> 00:11:59,830 And. 285 00:11:59,870 --> 00:12:00,950 And I thought about that, and. 286 00:12:00,990 --> 00:12:02,310 And I thought about what that looks like. 287 00:12:02,350 --> 00:12:03,302 And again, I. 288 00:12:03,326 --> 00:12:05,814 I think that as Christians, one of the things that we need to 289 00:12:05,822 --> 00:12:06,684 think about is. 290 00:12:06,822 --> 00:12:07,216 Is. 291 00:12:07,288 --> 00:12:10,560 Is how or who we are serving. 292 00:12:10,720 --> 00:12:11,232 You know, we. 293 00:12:11,256 --> 00:12:14,048 We are serving people, but ultimately we're serving God. 294 00:12:14,224 --> 00:12:17,472 And if God was to come and inspect my life, if God was to come 295 00:12:17,496 --> 00:12:20,400 and inspect Middletown Baptist Church, what would he say? 296 00:12:20,440 --> 00:12:21,712 Would he say, hey, you know what? 297 00:12:21,816 --> 00:12:22,784 Great job. 298 00:12:22,952 --> 00:12:23,980 Keep it up. 299 00:12:24,360 --> 00:12:27,552 Or if he walked in our midst, even though we know he's here, we 300 00:12:27,576 --> 00:12:30,192 know that his presence is here, sometimes we forget about that. 301 00:12:30,296 --> 00:12:33,306 And if Jesus walked through those doors and he said, okay, I'm 302 00:12:33,338 --> 00:12:33,626 time. 303 00:12:33,698 --> 00:12:36,346 Time to inspect Middletown Baptist Church, where do we stand? 304 00:12:36,418 --> 00:12:38,310 How many of us would say, hey, you know what? 305 00:12:39,010 --> 00:12:40,138 Praise God, he's here. 306 00:12:40,194 --> 00:12:42,618 How many of us would say, oh, boy, I gotta get some things in order. 307 00:12:42,754 --> 00:12:43,322 I got. 308 00:12:43,346 --> 00:12:43,786 I gotta. 309 00:12:43,818 --> 00:12:45,670 I gotta organize a few more things. 310 00:12:46,690 --> 00:12:48,618 You know, we have family in town. 311 00:12:48,674 --> 00:12:49,706 It was Silas's birthday. 312 00:12:49,738 --> 00:12:52,314 And as people are coming into our house, you know, Alicia and I 313 00:12:52,322 --> 00:12:53,674 are scrambling to get everything ready. 314 00:12:53,722 --> 00:12:56,490 And, you know, I guess we're never really ready to have people 315 00:12:56,530 --> 00:12:57,866 here and get prepared. 316 00:12:57,898 --> 00:12:58,282 They don't care. 317 00:12:58,306 --> 00:13:00,746 But, you know, I'm the type of person, I want to make sure everything's 318 00:13:00,778 --> 00:13:01,178 just right. 319 00:13:01,234 --> 00:13:02,906 And it's not always just right. 320 00:13:02,978 --> 00:13:03,242 All right? 321 00:13:03,266 --> 00:13:04,922 Every time you try to have a plan, it doesn't work. 322 00:13:05,026 --> 00:13:06,890 And so I'm not saying, is your life perfect? 323 00:13:07,050 --> 00:13:07,818 Because none of us. 324 00:13:07,874 --> 00:13:09,498 None of us will have a perfect life. 325 00:13:09,634 --> 00:13:12,138 But the point is, is that, are we living because God's always concerned 326 00:13:12,154 --> 00:13:12,602 about our heart? 327 00:13:12,626 --> 00:13:14,986 Where is our heart in the matter of service? 328 00:13:15,058 --> 00:13:16,634 Where is our heart in the matter of giving? 329 00:13:16,682 --> 00:13:19,210 So he's going to talk about giving here in verse number five. 330 00:13:19,250 --> 00:13:23,002 And we're going to see that in the renewal process, he's going to 331 00:13:23,026 --> 00:13:25,230 give us, number one, a new desire. 332 00:13:25,880 --> 00:13:30,160 Our desire is no longer to only receive, but now we have a new 333 00:13:30,200 --> 00:13:32,784 desire to give to others and to give to the Lord. 334 00:13:32,832 --> 00:13:33,424 Verse 5. 335 00:13:33,512 --> 00:13:36,340 Therefore, I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren 336 00:13:36,840 --> 00:13:41,584 that they would go before you and make up beforehand your bounty. 337 00:13:41,632 --> 00:13:45,232 Whereof ye had noticed before that the same might be Ready as a 338 00:13:45,256 --> 00:13:48,160 matter of bounty and not as a covetousness, but this. 339 00:13:48,200 --> 00:13:52,422 I say, he that soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly. 340 00:13:52,486 --> 00:13:56,810 And he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. 341 00:13:57,310 --> 00:13:57,670 So. 342 00:13:57,710 --> 00:13:59,254 So he says, hey, there's a principle here. 343 00:13:59,342 --> 00:14:02,454 There's a principle that if you are looking to invest into the 344 00:14:02,462 --> 00:14:05,014 kingdom of God and receive these benefits, hey, you need to 345 00:14:05,022 --> 00:14:05,238 give. 346 00:14:05,294 --> 00:14:08,102 Now, he's not talking about this prosperity gospel that if you 347 00:14:08,126 --> 00:14:10,998 give to God, he's gonna give you back more money. 348 00:14:11,054 --> 00:14:12,246 Okay, that's not how it always goes. 349 00:14:12,278 --> 00:14:13,926 But he's speaking of the blessings here. 350 00:14:13,998 --> 00:14:15,174 He's speaking of a new desire. 351 00:14:15,222 --> 00:14:17,958 He's speaking of the desire that I want to invest into the kingdom 352 00:14:17,974 --> 00:14:18,708 of God. 353 00:14:18,894 --> 00:14:21,512 If God has blessed me financially, I want to use that for 354 00:14:21,536 --> 00:14:22,552 the kingdom of God. 355 00:14:22,696 --> 00:14:26,408 Maybe God hasn't blessed me as much as someone else financially. 356 00:14:26,504 --> 00:14:27,496 He talks about that. 357 00:14:27,568 --> 00:14:31,000 He talks about the proportion of which you have been blessed financially. 358 00:14:31,160 --> 00:14:33,464 But again, it's not always about the finances. 359 00:14:33,512 --> 00:14:34,792 It's about how God has blessed me. 360 00:14:34,816 --> 00:14:37,112 Maybe God hasn't given me millions of dollars. 361 00:14:37,256 --> 00:14:39,800 Maybe he's given me an opportunity to serve in certain areas 362 00:14:39,840 --> 00:14:40,216 of the church. 363 00:14:40,248 --> 00:14:41,176 And I can give that. 364 00:14:41,248 --> 00:14:43,720 I can give everything that I possibly can to the Lord. 365 00:14:43,800 --> 00:14:45,400 And so it gives us a new desire. 366 00:14:45,480 --> 00:14:49,472 The renewal in Jesus Christ gives us a new desire to invest in 367 00:14:49,496 --> 00:14:50,500 different ways. 368 00:14:51,800 --> 00:14:53,968 You know, we talk about investments in this world, and I'm 369 00:14:53,984 --> 00:14:54,432 not talking about that. 370 00:14:54,456 --> 00:14:56,260 I'm talking about eternal investments. 371 00:14:56,680 --> 00:14:59,456 But before you're a Christian, you want to invest in things that 372 00:14:59,528 --> 00:15:00,740 are for yourself. 373 00:15:01,080 --> 00:15:03,600 Before you're a believer in Jesus Christ, you want to invest 374 00:15:03,640 --> 00:15:05,456 in things that are going to lift you up. 375 00:15:05,608 --> 00:15:10,144 The Bible says after that renewal, after that transformation, 376 00:15:10,272 --> 00:15:13,952 the new desire is not to lift ourselves up, but to lift God up 377 00:15:13,976 --> 00:15:18,570 and lift others up in that process, to edify, to put others 378 00:15:18,610 --> 00:15:19,354 before myself. 379 00:15:19,402 --> 00:15:21,082 That's the humility of Christ. 380 00:15:21,266 --> 00:15:24,826 And so now it's not, hey, I, I, I just can't afford to give because, 381 00:15:24,898 --> 00:15:28,522 you know, if I do this for that person, I might not be able 382 00:15:28,546 --> 00:15:30,922 to get my extra stuff that I wanted this year. 383 00:15:31,106 --> 00:15:34,218 The Bible says, it's not about you, it's about him and about others. 384 00:15:34,274 --> 00:15:35,930 And so that's what that new desire is. 385 00:15:35,970 --> 00:15:40,266 That new desire is a desire to see God lifted up, others lifted 386 00:15:40,298 --> 00:15:40,634 up. 387 00:15:40,722 --> 00:15:41,882 But then we see another thing. 388 00:15:41,906 --> 00:15:44,686 It's, it's, it's new faith, right? 389 00:15:44,758 --> 00:15:47,850 We, before we are saved, we have faith in something. 390 00:15:48,950 --> 00:15:51,966 After we are saved, our Faith should be in him and him alone. 391 00:15:52,158 --> 00:15:54,654 And so that's what we go back and we look at verse number six, 392 00:15:54,742 --> 00:16:00,290 that, that idea of sowing and reaping, you know, if I trust God, 393 00:16:00,710 --> 00:16:06,286 I'm willing to allow him to give me the, the, the, the bountiful 394 00:16:06,318 --> 00:16:06,878 blessing, right? 395 00:16:06,934 --> 00:16:10,690 I'm willing to invest in him if I trust in him, right? 396 00:16:10,810 --> 00:16:14,802 Let's say, let's say someone came in today and they said, I have 397 00:16:14,826 --> 00:16:19,634 this million dollar idea and all you guys have to do is trust 398 00:16:19,682 --> 00:16:24,546 me and give me this money and I will turn it around fivefold. 399 00:16:24,738 --> 00:16:28,674 But he really didn't show you reason to believe that hopefully 400 00:16:28,722 --> 00:16:32,002 none of you are going to give him your life savings, okay? 401 00:16:32,066 --> 00:16:34,082 You need to do your due diligence because that person is 402 00:16:34,106 --> 00:16:35,732 not trustworthy right there. 403 00:16:35,756 --> 00:16:38,600 There's no reason to believe that person in faith. 404 00:16:39,740 --> 00:16:42,340 And so some of us actually treat God that way. 405 00:16:42,380 --> 00:16:44,740 Some of us say, you know what, a guy's sitting up here on the front 406 00:16:44,780 --> 00:16:47,892 pew and I say, okay, let me tell you, brother, I know where you 407 00:16:47,916 --> 00:16:52,880 work and I know what you drive and I know what you do. 408 00:16:53,500 --> 00:16:55,812 So therefore you should be giving this. 409 00:16:55,996 --> 00:16:57,988 And if you don't, you got some issues. 410 00:16:58,044 --> 00:16:59,840 You're not where you really need to be in Christ. 411 00:17:00,220 --> 00:17:03,156 I have now gone into that person's life and tried to manipulate 412 00:17:03,188 --> 00:17:07,212 his consciousness to and, and be the Holy Spirit in his life, to 413 00:17:07,236 --> 00:17:09,996 try to delegate or to delineate what he should give. 414 00:17:10,068 --> 00:17:11,132 You know what the Bible says here? 415 00:17:11,156 --> 00:17:16,300 It says, every man as he purposes in his heart, so let him 416 00:17:16,340 --> 00:17:16,920 give. 417 00:17:17,620 --> 00:17:19,308 This has got to be a change of heart. 418 00:17:19,364 --> 00:17:20,860 This has to be a change of desire. 419 00:17:20,940 --> 00:17:22,380 It has to be a change of faith. 420 00:17:22,460 --> 00:17:24,348 I could come in and say, hey, this is the person. 421 00:17:24,404 --> 00:17:25,884 This is the percentage you have to give. 422 00:17:25,972 --> 00:17:27,052 This is the amount you have to give. 423 00:17:27,076 --> 00:17:30,028 Give me all your W2s and then we're going to see, you know, that's 424 00:17:30,124 --> 00:17:30,746 right. 425 00:17:30,908 --> 00:17:33,246 But, but again, we're looking at this in the New Testament. 426 00:17:33,278 --> 00:17:35,050 We're seeing that this is a heart issue. 427 00:17:35,510 --> 00:17:36,430 This is a heart issue. 428 00:17:36,470 --> 00:17:37,406 Why you say why? 429 00:17:37,478 --> 00:17:38,990 He says, because they're supposed to give. 430 00:17:39,030 --> 00:17:45,438 Not grudgingly, not with animosity, not with like, oh, I gotta 431 00:17:45,454 --> 00:17:45,582 give. 432 00:17:45,606 --> 00:17:51,450 Another time this week, Pastor's up asking for another project. 433 00:17:52,390 --> 00:17:56,206 It's this, it's this idea that we don't give with a sense of man 434 00:17:56,278 --> 00:18:00,212 apprehension or ah, I, I just wish I could have bought this. 435 00:18:00,316 --> 00:18:01,748 I could have gone on a cruise. 436 00:18:01,844 --> 00:18:03,572 I, I, I could have done this, I could have done this. 437 00:18:03,596 --> 00:18:05,668 And there's all these different elements to that. 438 00:18:05,724 --> 00:18:06,356 That could be. 439 00:18:06,428 --> 00:18:10,040 But he says, don't give grudgingly or out of necessity. 440 00:18:11,180 --> 00:18:13,796 Why, here's the principle behind it. 441 00:18:13,868 --> 00:18:15,524 Here's the heart issue behind it. 442 00:18:15,612 --> 00:18:17,844 For God loveth a cheerful giver. 443 00:18:17,972 --> 00:18:19,444 Now, let me just rewind. 444 00:18:19,492 --> 00:18:21,972 There are some things in scripture that give us what we would 445 00:18:21,996 --> 00:18:23,940 say maybe is a minimum, a good standard. 446 00:18:24,020 --> 00:18:24,608 Right. 447 00:18:24,764 --> 00:18:26,968 You know, obviously, in the Old Testament, we see that there's 448 00:18:26,984 --> 00:18:27,656 the 10%. 449 00:18:27,728 --> 00:18:30,184 We see that there is that example. 450 00:18:30,312 --> 00:18:33,208 And so some people would say to me, well, if I'm not giving 10%, 451 00:18:33,264 --> 00:18:35,096 am I going to get turned away from God? 452 00:18:35,128 --> 00:18:38,392 Well, the truth is, is that God's going to not take away your 453 00:18:38,416 --> 00:18:39,720 salvation if you don't give 10%. 454 00:18:39,760 --> 00:18:40,248 Okay? 455 00:18:40,344 --> 00:18:43,460 So it's not a matter of the law, but it is a matter of the heart. 456 00:18:43,760 --> 00:18:45,944 And so I would say Inspect your life. 457 00:18:46,032 --> 00:18:46,664 10%. 458 00:18:46,752 --> 00:18:48,984 Hey, it's a good number. 459 00:18:49,072 --> 00:18:49,752 I think it's a good. 460 00:18:49,776 --> 00:18:51,784 It's a scriptural number that we can see in the Old Testament as 461 00:18:51,792 --> 00:18:52,420 an example. 462 00:18:52,520 --> 00:18:55,292 But if someone says to me, well, Pastor, I'm giving my 10%, 463 00:18:55,476 --> 00:18:59,596 and I've done it and I'm good and I've checked my box, and God's 464 00:18:59,628 --> 00:19:03,356 pressing upon your heart for more, you really want to get into 465 00:19:03,428 --> 00:19:03,660 the. 466 00:19:03,700 --> 00:19:05,212 The details of the 10%. 467 00:19:05,316 --> 00:19:07,052 So it's actually was a lot more than that. 468 00:19:07,076 --> 00:19:07,356 Okay. 469 00:19:07,388 --> 00:19:07,820 There. 470 00:19:07,940 --> 00:19:09,948 And I don't have time to go into that because this isn't a message 471 00:19:09,964 --> 00:19:12,156 about tithing or giving only financially. 472 00:19:12,188 --> 00:19:14,156 It's about the idea of giving your life to Christ. 473 00:19:14,308 --> 00:19:15,960 But what I would say is this. 474 00:19:16,740 --> 00:19:18,162 Give cheerfully. 475 00:19:18,356 --> 00:19:20,650 You could be giving 50% to the church. 476 00:19:20,990 --> 00:19:24,806 And some say, pastor, be careful, be careful here. 477 00:19:24,878 --> 00:19:26,694 Don't offend somebody, because we. 478 00:19:26,782 --> 00:19:27,526 But here's the truth. 479 00:19:27,558 --> 00:19:30,310 You could be giving 50% of your income to the church, but doing 480 00:19:30,350 --> 00:19:34,166 it in anger and doing it with animosity and doing it with another 481 00:19:34,238 --> 00:19:36,470 purpose outside of the purpose of glorifying God. 482 00:19:36,550 --> 00:19:38,370 And God is not pleased with that. 483 00:19:38,830 --> 00:19:40,930 Pastor Josh might be pleased with it. 484 00:19:41,470 --> 00:19:43,730 Hey, we might be able to build a new building, okay? 485 00:19:43,830 --> 00:19:44,778 But here's the truth. 486 00:19:44,874 --> 00:19:47,610 At the end of the day, at the end of the day, who are we trying 487 00:19:47,650 --> 00:19:48,218 to impress? 488 00:19:48,314 --> 00:19:49,770 Who are we trying to glorify? 489 00:19:49,850 --> 00:19:51,610 Who are we trying to exalt is Jesus Christ. 490 00:19:51,650 --> 00:19:52,362 And so our heart. 491 00:19:52,386 --> 00:19:53,370 It's a heart issue. 492 00:19:53,490 --> 00:19:54,602 Giving is a heart issue. 493 00:19:54,626 --> 00:19:56,490 And he says, here it is a new joy. 494 00:19:56,570 --> 00:19:58,350 There should be joy in giving. 495 00:19:58,770 --> 00:19:59,130 There. 496 00:19:59,170 --> 00:20:00,858 There should be an excitement in giving. 497 00:20:00,954 --> 00:20:02,074 I get to give to the church. 498 00:20:02,122 --> 00:20:03,450 Not, hey, you know what? 499 00:20:03,570 --> 00:20:06,426 I better give, or someone might be coming and checking on me. 500 00:20:06,578 --> 00:20:09,098 I better give or God's gonna strike me down with lightning. 501 00:20:09,194 --> 00:20:12,268 That's not the way that God's economy works. 502 00:20:12,364 --> 00:20:14,876 But what we see is that God is characterized by grace. 503 00:20:14,988 --> 00:20:18,012 But in so doing, we should be characterized by grace as well, and 504 00:20:18,036 --> 00:20:19,520 we should be grace givers. 505 00:20:20,340 --> 00:20:22,844 And so this isn't a message to say, well, if you don't love God, 506 00:20:22,892 --> 00:20:23,628 then don't give. 507 00:20:23,684 --> 00:20:25,372 It's, it's saying this, love God. 508 00:20:25,516 --> 00:20:27,260 It's, it's always at the heart of the issue. 509 00:20:27,380 --> 00:20:30,748 I, I, I hope that none of you are murderers here today, okay? 510 00:20:30,764 --> 00:20:33,080 If you are, there's forgiveness in Christ. 511 00:20:33,460 --> 00:20:38,326 But I will say, you know, we keep an eye out for you. 512 00:20:38,398 --> 00:20:39,730 But, but here's the thing. 513 00:20:41,950 --> 00:20:45,958 Just because we aren't murderers, the Bible says that there 514 00:20:46,014 --> 00:20:48,134 is, there's hatred that can be in our hearts. 515 00:20:48,182 --> 00:20:49,910 Remember Jesus, he took it a little bit further. 516 00:20:50,030 --> 00:20:52,838 He said, hey, hey, you know, you've been told not to murder people, 517 00:20:52,894 --> 00:20:56,450 but also don't hate a brother because it's a heart issue. 518 00:20:57,230 --> 00:20:58,966 Why don't commit adultery? 519 00:20:59,158 --> 00:21:01,414 He says, okay, well, then maybe you don't commit adultery on 520 00:21:01,422 --> 00:21:02,950 the outside, but there's a heart issue. 521 00:21:02,990 --> 00:21:05,696 There's, if you're lusting after another person, you've committed 522 00:21:05,728 --> 00:21:06,656 adultery in your heart. 523 00:21:06,728 --> 00:21:09,440 You see that God is always more interested in the heart. 524 00:21:09,560 --> 00:21:11,360 It's manifested by your actions. 525 00:21:11,440 --> 00:21:15,392 But sometimes what we can do as good Christians and people that 526 00:21:15,416 --> 00:21:18,144 can look the part is we can make sure everything on the outside 527 00:21:18,232 --> 00:21:20,496 looks good, but on the inside, it's not where it needs to be. 528 00:21:20,568 --> 00:21:23,744 He's addressing here in verse number seven, God loves a cheerful 529 00:21:23,792 --> 00:21:24,240 giver. 530 00:21:24,320 --> 00:21:27,216 Only you and God know if you're cheerful as you give to him 531 00:21:27,288 --> 00:21:31,220 in your finances and your time and your talents and your, and your 532 00:21:31,260 --> 00:21:33,172 family and all those areas. 533 00:21:33,356 --> 00:21:36,180 And so God loves a cheerful giver, but he gives you a new desire, 534 00:21:36,260 --> 00:21:37,684 a new faith, and a new joy. 535 00:21:37,732 --> 00:21:40,804 So as we are walking in the spirit, as we are walking in the 536 00:21:40,812 --> 00:21:45,028 renewal in Jesus Christ, we will be characterized as Christians 537 00:21:45,124 --> 00:21:49,092 who have a new desire to give to God, a new faith in giving to 538 00:21:49,116 --> 00:21:51,748 him and trusting him in the sowing and reaping principle. 539 00:21:51,844 --> 00:21:53,960 And then number three, a new joy in giving. 540 00:21:55,020 --> 00:21:56,320 So let's move forward. 541 00:21:56,640 --> 00:21:58,500 I put down this. 542 00:21:58,800 --> 00:22:03,512 As we grow in the knowledge of the goodness of God, we all should 543 00:22:03,536 --> 00:22:06,360 be growing in the knowledge of the goodness of God, how good he 544 00:22:06,400 --> 00:22:06,980 is. 545 00:22:07,600 --> 00:22:08,860 He's amazing. 546 00:22:09,680 --> 00:22:14,648 As we grow in the knowledge of the goodness of God, we then will 547 00:22:14,704 --> 00:22:18,100 see the blessings of giving to God and to others. 548 00:22:18,480 --> 00:22:22,904 When we don't understand the goodness of God, we then sometimes 549 00:22:22,952 --> 00:22:26,280 will not make the connection of the blessing that it is to be 550 00:22:26,320 --> 00:22:27,640 a grace giver. 551 00:22:27,800 --> 00:22:32,888 Why, let's look at it here, verse 8 and God is able to make all 552 00:22:32,944 --> 00:22:42,008 grace abound toward you, that ye always having all sufficiency 553 00:22:42,024 --> 00:22:44,328 in all things may abound to every good work. 554 00:22:44,384 --> 00:22:48,984 Meaning this, as you grow in the grace of God and the goodness 555 00:22:49,032 --> 00:22:52,376 of God, you will begin to see that there's blessings in giving 556 00:22:52,408 --> 00:22:54,740 and not looking at it as losing something. 557 00:22:55,040 --> 00:22:56,296 Going back to the world. 558 00:22:56,368 --> 00:22:57,288 Going back to the world. 559 00:22:57,344 --> 00:23:00,376 What am I losing by helping? 560 00:23:00,568 --> 00:23:01,496 The Bible says. 561 00:23:01,568 --> 00:23:02,552 Another perspective. 562 00:23:02,616 --> 00:23:03,976 What am I gaining by helping? 563 00:23:04,008 --> 00:23:08,296 I'm gaining the blessing of being a part of God's plan and purpose 564 00:23:08,328 --> 00:23:09,540 in somebody's life. 565 00:23:10,240 --> 00:23:12,392 So if I look at someone and they're in need and I go, I could 566 00:23:12,416 --> 00:23:16,162 help them, but it's going to put me out. 567 00:23:16,346 --> 00:23:17,474 The Bible says no. 568 00:23:17,562 --> 00:23:20,830 Think about it as how can I be a blessing to that person? 569 00:23:22,330 --> 00:23:25,474 And let's, let's attach it to our mission. 570 00:23:25,602 --> 00:23:26,270 Go. 571 00:23:27,210 --> 00:23:30,030 Well, we know there's a lot of people in Middletown that need help. 572 00:23:30,410 --> 00:23:33,154 Maybe they need help financially, maybe. 573 00:23:33,202 --> 00:23:35,910 Maybe they need help with resources. 574 00:23:36,330 --> 00:23:39,830 Maybe they need help with connections. 575 00:23:40,680 --> 00:23:43,260 Maybe they need help with a community. 576 00:23:44,120 --> 00:23:46,096 Maybe they need help with parenting. 577 00:23:46,208 --> 00:23:48,288 Maybe they need help with counseling. 578 00:23:48,384 --> 00:23:49,120 What do we say? 579 00:23:49,160 --> 00:23:52,480 We say, well, we'll help them and then when they get fixed, then 580 00:23:52,520 --> 00:23:54,464 they can come here and be a part of us and we'll show them the 581 00:23:54,472 --> 00:23:54,976 love of Christ. 582 00:23:55,048 --> 00:23:57,712 No, we show them the love of Christ by giving them the things 583 00:23:57,736 --> 00:23:58,560 that they need. 584 00:23:58,680 --> 00:23:59,632 Hey, let's feed you. 585 00:23:59,656 --> 00:24:02,112 But we're doing it in the name of Jesus Christ. 586 00:24:02,296 --> 00:24:05,248 The reason why we love you is because Jesus told us to love you. 587 00:24:05,304 --> 00:24:08,238 And Jesus loves you and therefore you can come to know him 588 00:24:08,294 --> 00:24:09,598 in salvation. 589 00:24:09,774 --> 00:24:12,530 We connect the gospel with the giving. 590 00:24:13,110 --> 00:24:16,530 So as a grace giver, we're grace giving the gospel. 591 00:24:17,030 --> 00:24:19,534 And you say, well, how does that look when I give my tithes and 592 00:24:19,542 --> 00:24:20,558 offerings to the church? 593 00:24:20,654 --> 00:24:20,910 That. 594 00:24:20,950 --> 00:24:23,838 That looks that way because you're then investing into the kingdom 595 00:24:23,854 --> 00:24:26,574 of God so that we're able to reach more people, we're able to 596 00:24:26,582 --> 00:24:30,930 go further, we're able to do more things in the name of the gospel. 597 00:24:31,510 --> 00:24:34,894 Folks, I would encourage you individually and corporately as a 598 00:24:34,902 --> 00:24:38,430 church, when we help people, in which we should be helping people. 599 00:24:38,550 --> 00:24:40,958 When we help people, we do it in the name of Jesus Christ. 600 00:24:41,014 --> 00:24:42,130 Unapologetically. 601 00:24:43,110 --> 00:24:47,150 I do this because I love you, not because you deserve my love, 602 00:24:47,190 --> 00:24:49,690 but because Jesus loves you and he called me to love you. 603 00:24:51,750 --> 00:24:54,350 And so we do that in the gospel. 604 00:24:54,510 --> 00:24:56,862 So as we grow in the knowledge of the goodness of God, we see the 605 00:24:56,886 --> 00:24:57,710 blessings of giving. 606 00:24:57,790 --> 00:24:59,870 But then I want you to go back and look with me to verse number 607 00:24:59,910 --> 00:25:00,296 eight. 608 00:25:00,398 --> 00:25:02,560 And God is able. 609 00:25:04,940 --> 00:25:06,020 We could just stop there. 610 00:25:06,060 --> 00:25:13,600 He's able and God is able to make all grace abound toward you. 611 00:25:14,140 --> 00:25:17,360 God has abundant grace upon your life. 612 00:25:17,820 --> 00:25:21,956 But I want you to see this next point as we grow in the understanding 613 00:25:21,988 --> 00:25:23,240 of God's grace. 614 00:25:24,140 --> 00:25:25,642 By the way, what is grace? 615 00:25:25,836 --> 00:25:28,286 Things that God gives us that we do not deserve. 616 00:25:28,398 --> 00:25:31,890 Okay, Salvation and everything else. 617 00:25:32,630 --> 00:25:35,230 As God is able to make all grace abound towards you. 618 00:25:35,270 --> 00:25:40,926 That ye always having all sufficiency in all things may abound 619 00:25:40,958 --> 00:25:41,582 to every good work. 620 00:25:41,606 --> 00:25:44,446 Meaning this, as we grow in the understanding of God's grace 621 00:25:44,478 --> 00:25:47,374 in our life and the scope of God's grace in our life, we begin 622 00:25:47,422 --> 00:25:50,302 to trust in his sufficiency for our life. 623 00:25:50,406 --> 00:25:52,330 Meaning all I need is Christ. 624 00:25:53,210 --> 00:25:54,210 All I need is Him. 625 00:25:54,250 --> 00:25:56,018 He will not let me go without. 626 00:25:56,154 --> 00:25:59,938 He will not let me get to a place in my life where I cannot recover. 627 00:26:00,034 --> 00:26:05,186 He will always continuously, forever pour out grace and be enough 628 00:26:05,258 --> 00:26:06,082 for me. 629 00:26:06,186 --> 00:26:08,642 So therefore we don't look at what we're losing again. 630 00:26:08,666 --> 00:26:11,138 We're looking at what we're gaining in Christ and the sufficiency 631 00:26:11,154 --> 00:26:12,194 of knowing Him. 632 00:26:12,282 --> 00:26:13,410 Folks, some of us need to. 633 00:26:13,450 --> 00:26:14,098 And I'm a love. 634 00:26:14,154 --> 00:26:16,786 I love you when I say this, and I'm saying this to myself. 635 00:26:16,898 --> 00:26:20,240 Some of us need to rely on God more. 636 00:26:20,540 --> 00:26:23,860 Some of us need to trust in Jesus more instead of trusting in 637 00:26:23,900 --> 00:26:26,516 things that we have that give us that security. 638 00:26:26,668 --> 00:26:26,980 How. 639 00:26:27,020 --> 00:26:29,092 I don't know how many of you, when you were growing up, maybe had 640 00:26:29,116 --> 00:26:30,148 a security blanket. 641 00:26:30,244 --> 00:26:31,988 You needed that blanket with you when you were a child. 642 00:26:32,044 --> 00:26:33,060 And, and. 643 00:26:33,100 --> 00:26:35,988 Or maybe some of us have left a security blanket, but we've gone 644 00:26:36,004 --> 00:26:37,700 to something else to give us our security. 645 00:26:37,820 --> 00:26:39,588 And you can fill in the blank for that. 646 00:26:39,644 --> 00:26:41,812 I can sit here and give you a thousand different things that could 647 00:26:41,836 --> 00:26:42,580 give us security. 648 00:26:42,700 --> 00:26:45,392 Folks, the only thing that's going to bring you sufficiency is 649 00:26:45,436 --> 00:26:46,968 forever, is Jesus Christ. 650 00:26:47,024 --> 00:26:49,896 And that's what verse eight is saying says, God is going to pour 651 00:26:49,928 --> 00:26:50,552 out his grace. 652 00:26:50,616 --> 00:26:53,752 And when you understand his grace, you begin to trust in him 653 00:26:53,776 --> 00:26:55,140 because you know that he's enough. 654 00:26:56,320 --> 00:26:58,104 I'm not afraid of losing anything. 655 00:26:58,152 --> 00:27:00,740 I'm not afraid of missing out. 656 00:27:01,680 --> 00:27:02,680 Sometimes I have the. 657 00:27:02,720 --> 00:27:03,864 What do they call it? 658 00:27:04,032 --> 00:27:04,808 Fomo? 659 00:27:04,904 --> 00:27:06,312 Fear of missing out. 660 00:27:06,496 --> 00:27:10,312 Folks, as a Christian, we're not missing out. 661 00:27:10,496 --> 00:27:13,992 This world has nothing to offer. 662 00:27:14,096 --> 00:27:17,608 There's no sufficiency in the things of this world. 663 00:27:17,744 --> 00:27:20,536 The Bible says it is only Christ and Christ alone who extends 664 00:27:20,568 --> 00:27:23,144 as sufficiency to us in every area. 665 00:27:23,232 --> 00:27:25,220 You name it, you name it. 666 00:27:26,400 --> 00:27:28,904 As a pastor, you know, you hear, I don't know what I'm going 667 00:27:28,912 --> 00:27:30,632 to do with my kids. 668 00:27:30,696 --> 00:27:32,712 I don't know what I'm going to do with my spouse. 669 00:27:32,776 --> 00:27:34,408 I don't know what I'm going to do with my own life. 670 00:27:34,464 --> 00:27:36,136 I don't know what I'm going to do with my finances. 671 00:27:36,168 --> 00:27:37,616 I don't know what I'm going to do with my job. 672 00:27:37,728 --> 00:27:39,264 Folks, I'm going to tell you, I don't know either. 673 00:27:39,312 --> 00:27:41,020 But I know God has got it. 674 00:27:42,040 --> 00:27:43,472 God has got our country. 675 00:27:43,576 --> 00:27:44,864 God has got our world. 676 00:27:44,952 --> 00:27:45,904 God is in control. 677 00:27:45,992 --> 00:27:46,864 He is on the throne. 678 00:27:46,912 --> 00:27:48,496 And so the sufficiency is this. 679 00:27:48,568 --> 00:27:50,240 Hey, we can take steps. 680 00:27:50,400 --> 00:27:52,608 We, we, we can take a risk. 681 00:27:52,664 --> 00:27:56,080 We can go, we can trust, because God has got us. 682 00:27:56,200 --> 00:27:58,780 Now what can happen is. 683 00:27:59,800 --> 00:28:02,180 Let me, let me just play the other side of the card. 684 00:28:02,680 --> 00:28:06,062 Well, I'm a Christian and I can make decisions that I want to 685 00:28:06,086 --> 00:28:10,190 make and I can be risky and I can not be discerning and I can just 686 00:28:10,230 --> 00:28:12,222 make decisions and then just hope God blesses them. 687 00:28:12,246 --> 00:28:13,550 That's not what this is talking about. 688 00:28:13,670 --> 00:28:13,998 Because. 689 00:28:14,054 --> 00:28:16,222 Because if you're not resting in the truth of God, if you're not 690 00:28:16,246 --> 00:28:18,782 resting in the righteousness of God, if you're not resting in 691 00:28:18,806 --> 00:28:21,502 his will and His Word, then you can make a ton of decisions that 692 00:28:21,526 --> 00:28:24,190 can pull you away from understanding his sufficiency. 693 00:28:24,350 --> 00:28:28,046 The goodness is, is that God is big enough to even grace us in 694 00:28:28,118 --> 00:28:29,476 our shortcomings. 695 00:28:29,638 --> 00:28:31,752 But a lot of times what happens is that people say, well, 696 00:28:31,776 --> 00:28:32,580 you know what? 697 00:28:33,280 --> 00:28:34,820 God doesn't love me. 698 00:28:35,680 --> 00:28:38,456 And the truth is, is that it might be that he does love you. 699 00:28:38,528 --> 00:28:41,352 And he loves you enough to let you make some decisions in your life. 700 00:28:41,376 --> 00:28:43,500 He gives you the freedom to make decisions. 701 00:28:44,480 --> 00:28:45,816 God didn't create robots. 702 00:28:45,848 --> 00:28:47,992 And so we have to make the decisions that align with Him. 703 00:28:48,016 --> 00:28:52,024 And so as you understand his grace and as you understand his goodness, 704 00:28:52,072 --> 00:28:55,464 you begin to trust in his sufficiency and ultimately, ultimately 705 00:28:55,512 --> 00:28:57,420 to the sufficiency of His Word. 706 00:28:58,000 --> 00:28:59,032 Folks, you know what? 707 00:28:59,136 --> 00:29:02,552 This, this Bible that I'm holding in my hand, the Bible that 708 00:29:02,576 --> 00:29:06,136 you have there in your lap or that you can read on your tablet 709 00:29:06,168 --> 00:29:11,832 or your phone, all things, all scripture is given by inspiration 710 00:29:11,896 --> 00:29:12,664 of God. 711 00:29:12,792 --> 00:29:15,576 And it's profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, 712 00:29:15,608 --> 00:29:17,100 for instruction, righteousness. 713 00:29:17,440 --> 00:29:18,184 It's enough. 714 00:29:18,272 --> 00:29:18,888 This is enough. 715 00:29:18,944 --> 00:29:21,464 You don't have to say, well, I know the Bible says this, but look 716 00:29:21,472 --> 00:29:22,392 at what's going on. 717 00:29:22,496 --> 00:29:24,728 I know the Bible says this, but you don't know my situation. 718 00:29:24,824 --> 00:29:28,070 The Bible says this, but I can't afford folks, that's. 719 00:29:28,570 --> 00:29:30,306 The Bible says this, period. 720 00:29:30,458 --> 00:29:33,698 Thus sayeth the Lord, we trust it, and there's sufficiency there. 721 00:29:33,834 --> 00:29:37,538 What the world is trying to tell us is this, hey, the Bible's 722 00:29:37,554 --> 00:29:38,658 okay, and it could be a. 723 00:29:38,714 --> 00:29:41,618 A thing that you have in your life as a guidebook, but when something 724 00:29:41,674 --> 00:29:44,306 else contradicts it, we might need to pick that. 725 00:29:44,458 --> 00:29:47,186 The Bible says, if something contradicts the Bible, it's not worth 726 00:29:47,218 --> 00:29:49,230 our time, it's not worth our investment. 727 00:29:49,770 --> 00:29:51,042 And so he goes further here. 728 00:29:51,066 --> 00:29:54,402 He says, as we grow in our understanding of God's grace, we 729 00:29:54,426 --> 00:29:55,852 trust in his sufficiency. 730 00:29:55,946 --> 00:29:56,600 And, and so we. 731 00:29:56,640 --> 00:29:57,112 Let's go further. 732 00:29:57,136 --> 00:29:58,340 Let's look at verse nine. 733 00:29:59,040 --> 00:30:01,304 Says, as it is written, he hath dispersed abroad. 734 00:30:01,352 --> 00:30:02,632 He have given to the poor. 735 00:30:02,696 --> 00:30:04,664 His righteousness remaineth forever. 736 00:30:04,792 --> 00:30:08,328 Here in this passage of Scripture, he's actually quoting 737 00:30:08,424 --> 00:30:12,280 an Old Testament passage, and which, which Paul frequently does. 738 00:30:12,320 --> 00:30:16,392 And I think it's important to see that as, as a believer, God has 739 00:30:16,416 --> 00:30:19,816 been faithful not just in one area of our life, but he's been faithful 740 00:30:19,928 --> 00:30:23,058 in all areas of our life, and he's been faithful to those before 741 00:30:23,114 --> 00:30:23,282 us. 742 00:30:23,306 --> 00:30:27,570 And he will continue to stay faithful to us for as long as he 743 00:30:27,610 --> 00:30:28,498 has given us life. 744 00:30:28,554 --> 00:30:31,922 And so I think so many times we forget about the full scope of 745 00:30:31,946 --> 00:30:33,026 God and His goodness. 746 00:30:33,058 --> 00:30:36,802 And so, so he quotes there in Psalm 119, and he says, as it is 747 00:30:36,826 --> 00:30:38,418 written, he hath dispersed abroad. 748 00:30:38,514 --> 00:30:39,858 He hath given to the poor. 749 00:30:39,954 --> 00:30:42,310 His righteousness remaineth forever. 750 00:30:43,130 --> 00:30:47,884 Remember what 2 Corinthians, chapter 5 said, It's his righteousness 751 00:30:47,932 --> 00:30:48,748 on our account. 752 00:30:48,884 --> 00:30:51,240 His righteousness remains forever in our lives. 753 00:30:51,540 --> 00:30:57,452 And so this perspective, this perspective of God's goodness and 754 00:30:57,476 --> 00:31:04,604 his grace allows a believer to live with gratitude, contentment, 755 00:31:04,732 --> 00:31:06,060 and fruitfulness. 756 00:31:06,220 --> 00:31:09,132 Let's see the passage of Scripture that points us to that. 757 00:31:09,236 --> 00:31:13,468 Okay, he says now, verse 10. 758 00:31:13,524 --> 00:31:20,290 Now, he that ministereth seed to the sower, both minister bread 759 00:31:20,370 --> 00:31:24,482 for your food and multiply your seed, sown and increase fruits 760 00:31:24,546 --> 00:31:28,322 of your righteousness, meaning he that ministers, he's that. 761 00:31:28,346 --> 00:31:30,690 He's that sowing that seed to the sower. 762 00:31:30,770 --> 00:31:35,474 He's the one that is ministering the provisions and multiplying 763 00:31:35,522 --> 00:31:39,762 those provisions and giving us fruitfulness, verse 11. 764 00:31:39,866 --> 00:31:44,230 Being enriched in everything to all bountifulness which causeth 765 00:31:44,730 --> 00:31:50,050 through us, thanksgiving to God for the administration of this 766 00:31:50,090 --> 00:31:54,866 service not only supplieth the wants of the saints, but is abundant 767 00:31:54,898 --> 00:31:57,890 also by many thanksgivings unto God. 768 00:31:57,970 --> 00:32:02,082 So the Bible says here that as we have this perspective of grace, 769 00:32:02,146 --> 00:32:06,162 giving and being ambassadors for Christ, it allows us to live 770 00:32:06,186 --> 00:32:07,106 with gratitude. 771 00:32:07,138 --> 00:32:07,954 We see it there. 772 00:32:08,042 --> 00:32:10,274 It says, thankfulness, thanksgiving to God. 773 00:32:10,322 --> 00:32:11,268 Verse number 11. 774 00:32:11,394 --> 00:32:14,864 We live with gratitude like, I'm thankful for what I have. 775 00:32:15,032 --> 00:32:17,008 The world says, don't be thankful for what you have. 776 00:32:17,064 --> 00:32:17,900 Get more. 777 00:32:18,200 --> 00:32:20,016 Be discontent with what you have. 778 00:32:20,088 --> 00:32:22,464 And the Bible says, no, live with gratitude. 779 00:32:22,592 --> 00:32:25,460 And when you live with gratitude, you will live with contentment. 780 00:32:26,120 --> 00:32:29,488 So think of from this perspective, what do I deserve? 781 00:32:29,664 --> 00:32:30,900 I deserve nothing. 782 00:32:31,800 --> 00:32:32,800 What do I have? 783 00:32:32,920 --> 00:32:34,096 I have everything in Christ. 784 00:32:34,168 --> 00:32:36,496 Therefore I can live with gratitude and contentment. 785 00:32:36,528 --> 00:32:37,424 I have enough. 786 00:32:37,592 --> 00:32:38,540 I'm good. 787 00:32:38,920 --> 00:32:41,648 And then what happens is, is that when we live our lives with 788 00:32:41,704 --> 00:32:45,296 gratitude and contentment, what does he say in verse number 789 00:32:45,448 --> 00:32:46,048 11? 790 00:32:46,184 --> 00:32:47,984 Bountifulness comes fruitfulness. 791 00:32:48,032 --> 00:32:50,752 You want to be a fruitful Christian, Live with gratitude, live 792 00:32:50,776 --> 00:32:51,952 with contentment. 793 00:32:52,096 --> 00:32:55,104 When you live that way, God is going to bless us with wonderful 794 00:32:55,152 --> 00:32:56,220 fruit in our life. 795 00:32:56,840 --> 00:32:57,712 Verse 13. 796 00:32:57,816 --> 00:33:02,080 Whilst by the experiment of this ministration that they glorify 797 00:33:02,160 --> 00:33:05,438 God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ. 798 00:33:05,494 --> 00:33:06,478 Meaning when we. 799 00:33:06,534 --> 00:33:09,294 I know that's hard to kind of fathom what he's saying there, but 800 00:33:09,302 --> 00:33:10,302 what it says is this. 801 00:33:10,406 --> 00:33:14,206 When you put yourself into the obedience of the gospel, other people 802 00:33:14,278 --> 00:33:18,062 will glorify God by you glorifying God by you living out 803 00:33:18,086 --> 00:33:20,894 the gospel in your life, by you giving the gospel to other people. 804 00:33:20,982 --> 00:33:23,950 What will happen is that other people will then begin to trust and 805 00:33:23,990 --> 00:33:25,530 glorify God as well. 806 00:33:25,910 --> 00:33:29,902 And so with the gratitude and the contentment and the fruitfulness, 807 00:33:29,966 --> 00:33:30,686 comes the results. 808 00:33:30,758 --> 00:33:32,110 And I want you to see the results here. 809 00:33:32,150 --> 00:33:35,278 Biblically speaking, we see that the needs are supplied. 810 00:33:35,374 --> 00:33:39,214 So, so initially, the needs of the people are supplied. 811 00:33:39,342 --> 00:33:39,678 I. 812 00:33:39,734 --> 00:33:46,110 If you go back to verse number 12 says for the administration of 813 00:33:46,150 --> 00:33:50,190 this service, this type of grace giving not only supplies the 814 00:33:50,230 --> 00:33:51,598 want of the saints. 815 00:33:51,774 --> 00:33:55,010 Okay, so, so what this means is that people's needs are supplied. 816 00:33:55,510 --> 00:33:58,158 People are taken care of with this lifestyle. 817 00:33:58,254 --> 00:34:00,282 When we live in the grace of God, it's. 818 00:34:00,296 --> 00:34:02,470 And we live in the sufficiency of God, people's needs are taken 819 00:34:02,510 --> 00:34:02,822 care of. 820 00:34:02,846 --> 00:34:03,970 No one's gonna go without. 821 00:34:04,590 --> 00:34:05,846 But then we see number two. 822 00:34:05,918 --> 00:34:10,650 We see that there's thankfulness, he says, but is abundant 823 00:34:10,990 --> 00:34:14,118 also by Many thankfulness, thanksgiving unto God. 824 00:34:14,214 --> 00:34:15,734 So there's thankful hearts to God. 825 00:34:15,782 --> 00:34:19,158 So how we can impact our community with this type of living 826 00:34:19,254 --> 00:34:21,450 would be that people's needs are supplied. 827 00:34:22,030 --> 00:34:25,046 Number two, people are thankful to God, not just for us, 828 00:34:25,118 --> 00:34:28,070 but they're thankful to God, which then brings em to a place where 829 00:34:28,110 --> 00:34:29,510 God is glorified. 830 00:34:29,670 --> 00:34:34,054 That that's what we see there in verse number 13 was by this experiment 831 00:34:34,102 --> 00:34:38,374 of this ministration, meaning by living out this ministry, people 832 00:34:38,462 --> 00:34:42,438 glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ. 833 00:34:42,494 --> 00:34:45,702 Meaning the more that you live the gospel, the more people will 834 00:34:45,726 --> 00:34:46,810 glorify God. 835 00:34:47,150 --> 00:34:50,374 Matthew 5:16, Let your light so shine before men that they may 836 00:34:50,462 --> 00:34:53,450 see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven. 837 00:34:53,870 --> 00:34:57,411 The whole purpose is to proclaim the gospel not so that we 838 00:34:57,435 --> 00:35:00,435 can grow the church, but so that we can get glory to God. 839 00:35:00,467 --> 00:35:03,539 And glorifying God would mean that the church grows, but it would 840 00:35:03,579 --> 00:35:07,763 also mean that we give to those in need, that we produce folks 841 00:35:07,811 --> 00:35:09,219 that are thankful to God. 842 00:35:09,299 --> 00:35:13,679 And then ultimately what we see here is this verse 13. 843 00:35:14,139 --> 00:35:17,139 Your professed objection to the gospel of Christ and for your 844 00:35:17,179 --> 00:35:20,499 liberal distribute distribution, meaning your, your 845 00:35:20,539 --> 00:35:24,494 gracious giving on unto them and to all men. 846 00:35:24,662 --> 00:35:28,254 So, so you give verse 14 and by their prayer for you. 847 00:35:28,342 --> 00:35:31,262 And so what happens is, is actually the Bible tells us here 848 00:35:31,366 --> 00:35:39,486 that we lead people by giving them needs, by giving them the gospel 849 00:35:39,598 --> 00:35:42,590 that brings them to a thankfulness to God, which means 850 00:35:42,630 --> 00:35:43,486 God is glorified. 851 00:35:43,518 --> 00:35:46,090 Which means then it says that they're gonna pray for you. 852 00:35:46,550 --> 00:35:48,884 So, so essentially this is discipleship. 853 00:35:49,062 --> 00:35:51,896 It's winning people to Christ and then them praying. 854 00:35:51,928 --> 00:35:53,752 If they're praying for you, that means that they're growing in 855 00:35:53,776 --> 00:35:56,072 their faith and that, that we can understand that there's this 856 00:35:56,096 --> 00:35:58,408 reciprocal giving back and forth. 857 00:35:58,584 --> 00:36:01,992 And so he says by their prayer for you, which long after you, for 858 00:36:02,016 --> 00:36:04,180 the exceeding grace of God in you. 859 00:36:04,640 --> 00:36:06,936 And so there's this wonderful idea that there's going to be prayer. 860 00:36:06,968 --> 00:36:08,536 We pray for them, they pray for us. 861 00:36:08,608 --> 00:36:11,816 And there's this hope that we can see that the, the gospel of Jesus 862 00:36:11,848 --> 00:36:14,840 Christ is spread through the exceeding grace of God in us. 863 00:36:14,880 --> 00:36:19,408 And so he goes on to say verse 15 and this is, this is awesome here 864 00:36:19,544 --> 00:36:22,800 he says he's talking about giving Christians giving. 865 00:36:22,880 --> 00:36:26,400 He's talking about Christians giving materially and all these other 866 00:36:26,440 --> 00:36:26,928 ways. 867 00:36:27,024 --> 00:36:28,752 But then he, he kind of changes it. 868 00:36:28,776 --> 00:36:31,504 He kind of changes to make the bigger picture. 869 00:36:31,632 --> 00:36:36,740 He says verse 15, thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. 870 00:36:37,800 --> 00:36:38,752 So what is he saying here? 871 00:36:38,776 --> 00:36:40,656 He says, if you want to know what it means to be a grace giver, 872 00:36:40,688 --> 00:36:41,700 watch God. 873 00:36:42,410 --> 00:36:45,026 God is the greatest gift giver ever. 874 00:36:45,178 --> 00:36:47,506 And he says, thanks be to God for this unspeakable gift. 875 00:36:47,538 --> 00:36:52,230 Or in the Greek, you could also kind of see it as indescribable. 876 00:36:53,530 --> 00:36:55,602 It doesn't mean that we shouldn't describe it. 877 00:36:55,706 --> 00:36:57,202 It doesn't mean that we shouldn't speak it. 878 00:36:57,226 --> 00:37:00,594 It means that it's so big, the gift that God gives us in salvation 879 00:37:00,642 --> 00:37:03,266 is so big that we cannot do it justice. 880 00:37:03,458 --> 00:37:07,362 We cannot mind the depths of what it means to be resting in the 881 00:37:07,386 --> 00:37:08,610 gospel of Jesus Christ. 882 00:37:08,730 --> 00:37:12,386 You could sit here for days and talk about how awesome the gospel 883 00:37:12,418 --> 00:37:13,890 is and you wouldn't do it justice. 884 00:37:13,970 --> 00:37:15,186 That's what he's talking about here. 885 00:37:15,258 --> 00:37:19,750 So he says, okay, you want to be a grace giver, follow your father. 886 00:37:20,490 --> 00:37:22,178 Now what's this unspeakable gift? 887 00:37:22,274 --> 00:37:25,826 We know that ultimately God is a gift giver in giving us wonderful 888 00:37:25,858 --> 00:37:26,802 things here on this earth. 889 00:37:26,866 --> 00:37:30,354 But the greatest gift that God gives us is that God gives us the 890 00:37:30,362 --> 00:37:32,722 gift of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. 891 00:37:32,826 --> 00:37:34,200 So you could look at it this way. 892 00:37:34,290 --> 00:37:36,300 Jesus is that greatest gift. 893 00:37:36,460 --> 00:37:38,620 God the Father is the greatest gift giver. 894 00:37:38,700 --> 00:37:41,516 Jesus and the salvation that he extends to us is the greatest 895 00:37:41,548 --> 00:37:41,804 gift. 896 00:37:41,852 --> 00:37:42,524 So he says. 897 00:37:42,612 --> 00:37:44,108 And so I think of this. 898 00:37:44,164 --> 00:37:45,692 Paul's explaining how to give. 899 00:37:45,796 --> 00:37:49,532 And the whole time Paul's explaining how to give as a gospel 900 00:37:49,596 --> 00:37:50,204 tool. 901 00:37:50,372 --> 00:37:53,724 He says, man, he's just thinking about the gospel. 902 00:37:53,852 --> 00:37:56,044 He's thinking about what God has done for him. 903 00:37:56,132 --> 00:37:58,716 And so he gets to the end of the style and he just goes, thanks 904 00:37:58,748 --> 00:38:01,120 be to God for this unspeakable gift. 905 00:38:01,680 --> 00:38:04,696 And, and, and by context, we know he's not talking about the gift 906 00:38:04,728 --> 00:38:05,240 that we give. 907 00:38:05,280 --> 00:38:07,720 He's talking about the greatest gift that was given to us 908 00:38:07,760 --> 00:38:08,568 in Jesus Christ. 909 00:38:08,624 --> 00:38:12,808 And that is the salvation that we all have extended to us. 910 00:38:12,864 --> 00:38:19,976 And so how do we understand to be a grace giver? 911 00:38:20,008 --> 00:38:22,540 How do we grow in being a grace giver? 912 00:38:23,280 --> 00:38:25,700 Well, it's understanding what God has done for us. 913 00:38:26,410 --> 00:38:28,754 This next slide's gonna be a little small, so you might not be 914 00:38:28,762 --> 00:38:32,750 able to read it up there, but I will try to read it for you. 915 00:38:33,210 --> 00:38:34,210 Yeah, way too small. 916 00:38:34,250 --> 00:38:34,514 Sorry. 917 00:38:34,562 --> 00:38:35,778 I will read that for you. 918 00:38:35,914 --> 00:38:40,226 As we experience God's greatest gift of grace, we share 919 00:38:40,298 --> 00:38:41,986 that grace with others in our life. 920 00:38:42,058 --> 00:38:43,154 Meaning this. 921 00:38:43,322 --> 00:38:46,562 The more you understand what God has done for you, the more you 922 00:38:46,586 --> 00:38:50,226 share that with other people, the more you understand the depth 923 00:38:50,258 --> 00:38:52,822 of God's Love, the more you share that with other people, the 924 00:38:52,846 --> 00:38:57,302 more you understand what God has given you, the more you give 925 00:38:57,326 --> 00:39:02,102 to others, the more that you understand God's forgiveness, the 926 00:39:02,126 --> 00:39:05,174 more you forgive others, the more you understand God's grace, 927 00:39:05,222 --> 00:39:06,690 the more grace you give to others. 928 00:39:07,150 --> 00:39:10,690 And so it's not trying harder, it's understanding Jesus more. 929 00:39:12,430 --> 00:39:13,030 It's not. 930 00:39:13,070 --> 00:39:14,390 It's not losing out. 931 00:39:14,430 --> 00:39:17,430 It's what I'm gaining and growing to be more and more like 932 00:39:17,470 --> 00:39:18,050 Christ. 933 00:39:19,170 --> 00:39:23,690 And so he starts with the challenge of being a grace giver. 934 00:39:23,770 --> 00:39:26,778 He ends with the reason why we should be grace givers. 935 00:39:26,874 --> 00:39:29,338 Because of the greatest gift that was given to us in Jesus Christ, 936 00:39:29,394 --> 00:39:32,470 folks, we have an awesome message to tell the world. 937 00:39:32,850 --> 00:39:37,910 We have an awesome message to go and be ambassadors for Christ. 938 00:39:38,210 --> 00:39:39,450 You say, well, what does that mean? 939 00:39:39,490 --> 00:39:41,550 That means I go pass out tracks, maybe. 940 00:39:42,610 --> 00:39:43,322 What does that mean? 941 00:39:43,346 --> 00:39:47,622 I go build a building in the darkest place in another continent, 942 00:39:47,686 --> 00:39:48,410 maybe. 943 00:39:49,230 --> 00:39:51,126 But it also might start here. 944 00:39:51,198 --> 00:39:53,170 Remember what we talked about last week? 945 00:39:53,470 --> 00:39:55,094 Acts, chapter one, verse eight. 946 00:39:55,182 --> 00:39:55,830 Where does it start? 947 00:39:55,870 --> 00:39:57,206 It starts in Jerusalem. 948 00:39:57,318 --> 00:39:58,982 It starts in my closest area. 949 00:39:59,086 --> 00:40:00,182 So therefore, what does that mean? 950 00:40:00,206 --> 00:40:05,530 That means, am I in my life being a giver, a grace giver. 951 00:40:07,150 --> 00:40:12,378 As every man, as every person purposes in his heart before God, 952 00:40:12,554 --> 00:40:19,066 as God has given to you, so we give back, stewards of God's grace. 953 00:40:19,178 --> 00:40:22,282 Stewards, you say, well, how can I give back? 954 00:40:22,306 --> 00:40:23,350 I don't have much. 955 00:40:25,170 --> 00:40:27,710 Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift. 956 00:40:28,210 --> 00:40:32,670 Even if you were, Even if you didn't have anything materially, 957 00:40:33,090 --> 00:40:35,306 you have the greatest gift. 958 00:40:35,338 --> 00:40:37,194 If you're a believer in Jesus Christ this morning, I hope that 959 00:40:37,202 --> 00:40:37,910 you are. 960 00:40:38,570 --> 00:40:40,690 You have the greatest gift ever given to you. 961 00:40:40,730 --> 00:40:42,590 You can share that gift with other people. 962 00:40:44,170 --> 00:40:48,866 But if we're honest with ourselves, most of us are bountifully 963 00:40:48,898 --> 00:40:51,110 blessed above and beyond our salvation. 964 00:40:51,770 --> 00:40:52,990 So what do we do? 965 00:40:53,370 --> 00:40:59,794 We look and pray for opportunities for God to guide us 966 00:40:59,882 --> 00:41:02,070 to where we can give to his kingdom. 967 00:41:03,460 --> 00:41:06,668 His kingdom might be, hey, we're trying to move forward in this 968 00:41:06,724 --> 00:41:08,652 project to reach these people for Christ. 969 00:41:08,756 --> 00:41:10,716 Unreached people in the 1040 window. 970 00:41:10,748 --> 00:41:12,876 Hey, that might be what our goal is. 971 00:41:12,948 --> 00:41:14,924 There's an unreached tribe in another land. 972 00:41:15,012 --> 00:41:17,516 Or it might be, hey, Middletown has a lot of people moving 973 00:41:17,548 --> 00:41:21,200 in and we need to reach people for the gospel here in Jerusalem. 974 00:41:22,580 --> 00:41:24,892 And so I want you to be praying. 975 00:41:24,956 --> 00:41:29,830 I am going to be praying about how God can lead me and the Spirit 976 00:41:29,910 --> 00:41:32,662 can guide me to a place of where I need to give. 977 00:41:32,686 --> 00:41:34,970 And I might need to give with that Agape. 978 00:41:35,630 --> 00:41:37,302 Remember what agape means? 979 00:41:37,486 --> 00:41:41,810 Sacrificial, not seeking my own self interest. 980 00:41:42,910 --> 00:41:43,814 This is hard. 981 00:41:43,902 --> 00:41:49,398 I mean, I know, I know the economy, I, I, I know, I know that 982 00:41:49,454 --> 00:41:51,942 sometimes it, it, it's, it's difficult. 983 00:41:52,086 --> 00:41:53,090 Trust me. 984 00:41:54,190 --> 00:41:59,150 I know what my flesh tells me when God puts upon my heart to help 985 00:41:59,190 --> 00:41:59,770 someone. 986 00:42:01,190 --> 00:42:05,822 Well, by the way, some of us have that supernatural gift of giving. 987 00:42:05,886 --> 00:42:06,930 Some of us don't. 988 00:42:08,630 --> 00:42:11,054 I don't have the supernatural gift of giving. 989 00:42:11,102 --> 00:42:13,182 That's not one of the things that God has poured out upon my life. 990 00:42:13,206 --> 00:42:16,750 And so I rationalize my lack of desire to give. 991 00:42:16,790 --> 00:42:18,766 I start saying, well, yeah, but look, I've got kids in my house. 992 00:42:18,838 --> 00:42:20,046 Look, I gotta take care of this. 993 00:42:20,118 --> 00:42:21,038 Look, I gotta do that. 994 00:42:21,094 --> 00:42:22,398 We all could have excuses. 995 00:42:22,494 --> 00:42:24,398 Now, some of you are supernaturally gifted in the gift 996 00:42:24,414 --> 00:42:24,734 of giving. 997 00:42:24,782 --> 00:42:27,390 You'd give someone the shirt off your back today. 998 00:42:27,430 --> 00:42:28,462 You'd be like, hey, you want a car? 999 00:42:28,486 --> 00:42:29,022 Here, take it. 1000 00:42:29,046 --> 00:42:30,606 You know, I, I love guys. 1001 00:42:30,638 --> 00:42:33,902 I, I, I, I'll come up to someone and I'll say, hey, I love 1002 00:42:33,926 --> 00:42:34,574 your shirt. 1003 00:42:34,702 --> 00:42:35,454 You want it? 1004 00:42:35,542 --> 00:42:37,438 And I was like, no, no, I don't want your shirt. 1005 00:42:37,454 --> 00:42:38,270 I don't want your shirt. 1006 00:42:38,350 --> 00:42:39,566 That, that's a giver, right? 1007 00:42:39,638 --> 00:42:40,810 Praise God for that. 1008 00:42:41,270 --> 00:42:44,942 But, but I would say, where, where can we all look into our own 1009 00:42:44,966 --> 00:42:48,184 life and say, lord, what do you want me to give for your kingdom? 1010 00:42:48,342 --> 00:42:50,404 How can I give as I go? 1011 00:42:50,572 --> 00:42:54,280 And we can use giving as the gospel. 1012 00:42:55,180 --> 00:42:57,828 And I encourage you to think about that as, as we move further. 1013 00:42:57,884 --> 00:43:00,980 Now, I'm gonna challenge us to come back next week, because next 1014 00:43:01,020 --> 00:43:06,644 week we're gonna talk about going and how we think, believe it 1015 00:43:06,652 --> 00:43:10,560 or not, how we think affects how we go. 1016 00:43:10,940 --> 00:43:14,572 And just as much as you can give the gospel by giving, by the 1017 00:43:14,596 --> 00:43:18,040 way, that you think can be a testament of the gospel as well. 1018 00:43:19,060 --> 00:43:21,484 And so we're going to talk about some deep topics coming up 1019 00:43:21,492 --> 00:43:24,028 in the next few weeks in Second Corinthians, chapter 10, about 1020 00:43:24,084 --> 00:43:28,460 how we can deal with thoughts that come into our mind and how we 1021 00:43:28,500 --> 00:43:31,452 allow those thoughts to dictate our lives. 1022 00:43:31,636 --> 00:43:34,684 And are we going to allow ourselves to have the word of God 1023 00:43:34,732 --> 00:43:35,708 dictate our thinking? 1024 00:43:35,804 --> 00:43:39,852 Are we going to allow our emotions or our culture or our pain 1025 00:43:39,916 --> 00:43:42,196 to dictate our feelings and our actions? 1026 00:43:42,228 --> 00:43:44,820 And so we're going to talk about that when we come back in this 1027 00:43:44,860 --> 00:43:48,880 series of, of going for ambassadors for Christ. 1028 00:43:49,500 --> 00:43:50,596 So guess what? 1029 00:43:50,748 --> 00:43:54,612 If you're a Christian this morning, you are qualified as an 1030 00:43:54,636 --> 00:43:58,852 ambassador, which means you got a responsibility, you got a Responsibility 1031 00:43:58,916 --> 00:44:01,200 to represent Christ wherever you go. 1032 00:44:01,900 --> 00:44:06,612 Not just at Middletown Baptist Church, but in Jerusalem, Judea, 1033 00:44:06,676 --> 00:44:08,978 Samaria, into the uttermost part of the earth. 1034 00:44:09,164 --> 00:44:11,970 And so I want you to go out now just as much as you are. 1035 00:44:12,270 --> 00:44:17,222 Hey, some of you grabbed the magnets that we had back there, and 1036 00:44:17,246 --> 00:44:19,270 some of you are going to put that in your car, maybe. 1037 00:44:19,430 --> 00:44:22,918 By the way, you are representing the Lord, but you're 1038 00:44:22,934 --> 00:44:24,358 also representing Middletown Baptist Church. 1039 00:44:24,374 --> 00:44:28,166 So make sure that you're careful about how you live publicly 1040 00:44:28,198 --> 00:44:29,078 if you're going to put your. 1041 00:44:29,134 --> 00:44:30,022 Put our name out there. 1042 00:44:30,046 --> 00:44:30,790 Okay? 1043 00:44:30,950 --> 00:44:31,270 But. 1044 00:44:31,310 --> 00:44:32,182 But I would say there's a. 1045 00:44:32,206 --> 00:44:33,894 There's a greater purpose, right? 1046 00:44:33,982 --> 00:44:38,014 So how I live my life in my workplace dictates who I trust in 1047 00:44:38,182 --> 00:44:41,530 how I love my wife dictates who I believe. 1048 00:44:42,710 --> 00:44:45,998 If I believe myself before God, I'm gonna act certain ways. 1049 00:44:46,094 --> 00:44:49,198 If I believe the world more than God, I'm gonna act certain ways. 1050 00:44:49,374 --> 00:44:51,806 So I would say in the bigger picture, yeah, you're representing 1051 00:44:51,838 --> 00:44:54,510 Middletown Baptist Church, but ultimately, how you live your life 1052 00:44:54,550 --> 00:44:56,730 represents who you are in Christ. 1053 00:44:57,510 --> 00:45:00,690 And that's the identity that we all should be striving to fulfill. 1054 00:45:00,830 --> 00:45:03,162 And so I'm gonna ask if you're able to this morning, every head 1055 00:45:03,186 --> 00:45:05,310 bowed, every eye closed as the music plays. 1056 00:45:06,450 --> 00:45:11,030 I do know that we've talked about a lot of concepts this morning, 1057 00:45:11,490 --> 00:45:14,890 but if we go back to that idea of being an ambassador, the question 1058 00:45:14,930 --> 00:45:16,058 is, is, am I walking? 1059 00:45:16,154 --> 00:45:19,226 God has already made me a new creation if I'm a believer this morning. 1060 00:45:19,378 --> 00:45:28,250 But am I walking in that new joy, that new faith, that new desire, 1061 00:45:28,330 --> 00:45:29,030 that new. 1062 00:45:30,640 --> 00:45:34,456 Am I willing to sow and be patient? 1063 00:45:34,568 --> 00:45:37,496 Because by the way, when we sow seeds, at least in my garden, 1064 00:45:37,528 --> 00:45:38,820 they don't come up right away. 1065 00:45:40,320 --> 00:45:44,040 And the truth is, is that sometimes when we sow the seed of 1066 00:45:44,080 --> 00:45:48,504 grace giving in our life, we may or may not see the result the 1067 00:45:48,512 --> 00:45:51,944 way that we expect it to come, in the timing that we expect, in 1068 00:45:51,952 --> 00:45:52,952 the way that we expect. 1069 00:45:53,056 --> 00:45:55,130 But the Bible doesn't say, hey, you know what? 1070 00:45:55,170 --> 00:45:57,002 If you give a thousand dollars, God's going to give you 1071 00:45:57,026 --> 00:45:57,706 2,000. 1072 00:45:57,858 --> 00:45:58,790 He might. 1073 00:45:59,650 --> 00:46:02,554 But you might give a thousand dollars and God gives you no financial 1074 00:46:02,722 --> 00:46:05,834 back, but he's going to give you fruit that means way more than 1075 00:46:06,002 --> 00:46:09,482 what our money system can provide, folks. 1076 00:46:09,546 --> 00:46:14,426 The greatest fruit that we can ever see in our life is the fruit 1077 00:46:14,458 --> 00:46:18,390 of people coming to Christ, furthering the kingdom of Jesus Christ. 1078 00:46:18,690 --> 00:46:20,866 That is the purpose, folks. 1079 00:46:20,898 --> 00:46:24,034 I believe in a prosperity gospel, but not the prosperity gospel 1080 00:46:24,082 --> 00:46:25,058 material blessings. 1081 00:46:25,154 --> 00:46:27,906 I believe in the prosperity of the kingdom of God. 1082 00:46:27,938 --> 00:46:30,050 I believe in the prosperity of the grace of God. 1083 00:46:30,130 --> 00:46:31,938 And yes, is God going to bless you financially? 1084 00:46:31,954 --> 00:46:34,050 He might choose to bless you financially. 1085 00:46:34,210 --> 00:46:38,962 Some of you in this room have been blessed beyond measure in the 1086 00:46:38,986 --> 00:46:39,910 finances. 1087 00:46:41,290 --> 00:46:42,066 True, true. 1088 00:46:42,098 --> 00:46:43,362 Question, what are you doing with it? 1089 00:46:43,466 --> 00:46:47,756 But secondly, maybe God has not blessed you with financial blessings, 1090 00:46:47,788 --> 00:46:52,000 but he's blessed you in many ways of service, many ways. 1091 00:46:53,220 --> 00:46:56,080 Are you stewarding that for the kingdom of God? 1092 00:46:56,580 --> 00:47:02,012 It's a convicting message this morning, but I pray that we all can 1093 00:47:02,196 --> 00:47:06,492 move forward as grace givers as we go as ambassadors of Christ. 1094 00:47:06,596 --> 00:47:08,956 If you have not trusted in Jesus Christ as your Savior. 1095 00:47:08,988 --> 00:47:11,484 We've talked a lot about the gospel this morning, but here's the 1096 00:47:11,492 --> 00:47:11,916 invitation. 1097 00:47:11,948 --> 00:47:13,120 The invitation is this. 1098 00:47:13,220 --> 00:47:16,120 The Bible says to believe in the name of Jesus Christ, not believing 1099 00:47:16,200 --> 00:47:20,152 in the existence of a God, but to believe that Jesus is the one 1100 00:47:20,256 --> 00:47:22,232 who can save you from your sins. 1101 00:47:22,376 --> 00:47:24,744 For all have sinned to come short of the glory of God for the 1102 00:47:24,752 --> 00:47:25,720 wages of sin is death. 1103 00:47:25,760 --> 00:47:28,680 But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 1104 00:47:28,760 --> 00:47:31,208 The gift is not he makes your life the better. 1105 00:47:31,264 --> 00:47:34,504 The gift is that he saves you and gives you everlasting life. 1106 00:47:34,672 --> 00:47:37,672 And so this morning, if you have been trusting in anything outside 1107 00:47:37,776 --> 00:47:42,882 of complete, complete salvation in Jesus Christ, you can 1108 00:47:42,906 --> 00:47:45,570 come forward and you can trust in him as your Savior today. 1109 00:47:45,610 --> 00:47:48,706 The Bible says that if you believe on the name of Jesus Christ, 1110 00:47:48,778 --> 00:47:50,034 ye will be saved. 1111 00:47:50,082 --> 00:47:51,282 You will be saved. 1112 00:47:51,426 --> 00:47:53,250 There's no if, ands or buts about that. 1113 00:47:53,290 --> 00:47:55,762 There's no hesitancy in God's grace. 1114 00:47:55,826 --> 00:47:57,362 God is desiring. 1115 00:47:57,426 --> 00:48:00,034 He was not willing that any should perish, but all should come 1116 00:48:00,042 --> 00:48:00,866 to repentance. 1117 00:48:00,978 --> 00:48:03,970 And all repentance means is I'm turning away from my way of doing 1118 00:48:04,010 --> 00:48:05,990 things and I'm turning to Christ. 1119 00:48:06,170 --> 00:48:07,982 I'm doing an about face. 1120 00:48:08,166 --> 00:48:10,430 So someone in this room might need that here this morning. 1121 00:48:10,470 --> 00:48:14,302 Someone might need to repent and come to Christ and trust in him 1122 00:48:14,326 --> 00:48:17,902 and him alone for salvation, for eternal life. 1123 00:48:18,086 --> 00:48:20,398 That be the case, we've got a few folks up here that are willing 1124 00:48:20,414 --> 00:48:23,742 to show you in the word of God what it means to know Jesus as your 1125 00:48:23,766 --> 00:48:24,014 Savior. 1126 00:48:24,062 --> 00:48:27,262 But if you've trusted in Jesus as your Savior, this morning is a 1127 00:48:27,286 --> 00:48:28,222 challenge for us. 1128 00:48:28,326 --> 00:48:29,726 How are we going to go? 1129 00:48:29,878 --> 00:48:34,792 How are we going to give, as verse 7 said, are we gonna do it 1130 00:48:34,896 --> 00:48:35,880 cheerfully? 1131 00:48:36,040 --> 00:48:41,180 Are we gonna do it in a place of bitterness and anger and frustration? 1132 00:48:41,600 --> 00:48:44,440 Are we gonna do it with trusting the sufficiency of Christ 1133 00:48:44,480 --> 00:48:47,640 or trusting in the sufficiency of anything else this morning. 1134 00:48:47,680 --> 00:48:50,840 I encourage you to trust in the sufficiency of Jesus Christ in 1135 00:48:50,880 --> 00:48:52,264 every area of your life. 1136 00:48:52,352 --> 00:48:54,808 Lord, I pray that you be in this time of invitation work in hearts. 1137 00:48:54,904 --> 00:48:58,248 I encourage you Please encourage us this morning as you've 1138 00:48:58,264 --> 00:49:02,440 encouraged us so many times in the grace of God, Lord, in in the 1139 00:49:02,480 --> 00:49:04,360 forgiveness that you've extended to us. 1140 00:49:04,400 --> 00:49:09,048 Lord, I pray that we can be encouraged and and equipped and engaged 1141 00:49:09,144 --> 00:49:12,232 to go and to proclaim the Gospel message by everything that 1142 00:49:12,256 --> 00:49:13,256 we do in our lives. 1143 00:49:13,408 --> 00:49:16,344 Lord, help us to give you all that we can for the cause of the 1144 00:49:16,352 --> 00:49:16,904 kingdom. 1145 00:49:17,032 --> 00:49:18,568 We ask all these things in Jesus name. 1146 00:49:18,624 --> 00:49:19,016 Amen. 1147 00:49:19,048 --> 00:49:22,020 As the music plays follows the Lord leads here this morning. 1148 00:49:22,480 --> 00:49:25,144 Thank you again for listening to the Middletown Baptist Church 1149 00:49:25,192 --> 00:49:25,864 podcast. 1150 00:49:25,992 --> 00:49:28,590 I I hope that this sermon has been a blessing for you. 1151 00:49:28,970 --> 00:49:31,266 If you would like to find out more information about our church 1152 00:49:31,298 --> 00:49:34,914 or this sermon, you can find us at middletownbaptistchurch.org 1153 00:49:35,042 --> 00:49:37,830 or find us on Facebook or YouTube. 1154 00:49:38,330 --> 00:49:42,786 You can also email me directly at Josh Massaroiddletownbaptistchurch 1155 00:49:42,818 --> 00:49:45,554 dot com if you've enjoyed this podcast. 1156 00:49:45,682 --> 00:49:50,310 Please subscribe and follow along for future podcasts and updates. 1157 00:49:50,650 --> 00:49:51,810 Thank you so much. 1158 00:49:51,930 --> 00:49:52,754 God Bless. 1159 00:49:52,882 --> 00:49:53,930 Have a wonderful day.