1 00:00:05,042 --> 00:00:06,333 Howdy, Pastor Mark here. 2 00:00:06,375 --> 00:00:09,708 I wanted to say thanks for tuning in and joining us for our sermon series. 3 00:00:09,792 --> 00:00:11,417 We're currently in the Book of Acts. 4 00:00:11,500 --> 00:00:14,500 We're actually going to take a chunk every year after Easter 5 00:00:14,583 --> 00:00:16,875 for the next number of years. 6 00:00:16,958 --> 00:00:19,500 And for those of you who pray for me or for us, 7 00:00:19,583 --> 00:00:23,583 those of you who give to the church, want to say thank you very, very much. 8 00:00:23,667 --> 00:00:25,625 For those of you who'd like to get connected 9 00:00:25,667 --> 00:00:27,917 and be part of the extended Mars Hill family, 10 00:00:28,000 --> 00:00:32,375 go to marshill.com/global, we'll sign you up for a "connect" account. 11 00:00:32,458 --> 00:00:34,333 That'll get you some free resources 12 00:00:34,375 --> 00:00:37,292 and allow you to know what's going on at Mars Hill. 13 00:00:37,333 --> 00:00:41,000 In addition you can also find the study guide for the "Acts" series. 14 00:00:41,083 --> 00:00:44,417 It was put together by a team right here at Mars Hill church. 15 00:00:44,500 --> 00:00:46,000 We've made it very inexpensive. 16 00:00:46,083 --> 00:00:48,917 Any of the proceeds come back to the church, not to me. 17 00:00:49,000 --> 00:00:51,500 And we'd love to have you do a deep study 18 00:00:51,583 --> 00:00:53,667 with us through the Book of Acts. 19 00:00:53,750 --> 00:00:55,708 So we love you, we appreciate you, thank you, 20 00:00:55,792 --> 00:00:58,083 and thanks for signing up for a global account. 21 00:01:04,667 --> 00:01:10,333 Jesus said, "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit 22 00:01:10,417 --> 00:01:12,667 "has come upon you 23 00:01:12,708 --> 00:01:16,958 "and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem 24 00:01:17,000 --> 00:01:21,833 and in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth." 25 00:01:24,417 --> 00:01:29,458 What does Jesus's mission look like here? 26 00:01:29,500 --> 00:01:34,375 What's his mission here? 27 00:01:34,458 --> 00:01:38,292 What does Jesus's mission look like here? 28 00:01:38,333 --> 00:01:43,292 What does Jesus's mission look like here? 29 00:01:43,333 --> 00:01:46,500 What is Jesus's mission here? 30 00:01:46,542 --> 00:01:49,167 How do I know what Jesus's mission is? 31 00:01:51,833 --> 00:01:53,250 All right, grab your wallet. 32 00:01:53,333 --> 00:01:55,167 Grab your wallet. 33 00:01:55,250 --> 00:01:58,083 Come on, man, pastor said, "Grab your wallet." Grab your wallet. 34 00:01:58,167 --> 00:02:00,333 Grab your wallet. Ladies, go in your purse. 35 00:02:00,417 --> 00:02:04,042 Men, go in your pocket or maybe in a purse but get your wallet. 36 00:02:04,125 --> 00:02:06,083 OK, get your wallet. Everybody hold your wallet. 37 00:02:06,167 --> 00:02:07,500 Seriously, get your wallet. 38 00:02:07,542 --> 00:02:09,958 What, oh, oh--get your wallet, get your Bible. 39 00:02:10,000 --> 00:02:11,458 Get your Bible, get your wallet. 40 00:02:11,500 --> 00:02:14,458 Get your wallet, get your Bible. Get your Bible, get your wallet. 41 00:02:14,500 --> 00:02:16,958 Get them both, OK? Here's what we're going to do: 42 00:02:17,000 --> 00:02:19,458 we're going to read the Bible while we hold our? 43 00:02:19,500 --> 00:02:20,958 Wallet. You kids are sharp. 44 00:02:21,000 --> 00:02:22,958 All right, we're going to read the Bible 45 00:02:23,000 --> 00:02:24,583 while we hold our wallet. 46 00:02:24,667 --> 00:02:26,000 You know why? 47 00:02:26,042 --> 00:02:30,500 Jesus says that most people are prone to worship God or money. 48 00:02:30,542 --> 00:02:33,000 How many of you have never really read the Bible 49 00:02:33,042 --> 00:02:35,000 while holding your wallet? 50 00:02:35,042 --> 00:02:37,167 I think it will be very clarifying, all right? 51 00:02:37,250 --> 00:02:40,167 We're going to pick a god here, and it's going to determine 52 00:02:40,250 --> 00:02:41,583 our budget, you ready? 53 00:02:41,667 --> 00:02:43,458 If you haven't picked up your wallet, 54 00:02:43,500 --> 00:02:44,833 you've already picked your god. 55 00:02:44,917 --> 00:02:46,583 You're keeping your god in your pocket. 56 00:02:46,667 --> 00:02:48,458 Get your god out of your pocket. 57 00:02:48,500 --> 00:02:50,292 Hold him in your hand, all right? 58 00:02:50,333 --> 00:02:51,667 And get your Bible. 59 00:02:51,750 --> 00:02:53,167 We'll learn about this other god. 60 00:02:53,250 --> 00:02:56,750 So in Acts chapter 4, verses 32, through chapter 5, verse 11, 61 00:02:56,833 --> 00:02:59,875 looking at what it means to be empowered by the Spirit 62 00:02:59,958 --> 00:03:01,333 to be generous. 63 00:03:01,417 --> 00:03:04,375 So we're going to read our Bible while we hold our wallet. 64 00:03:04,458 --> 00:03:06,875 Acts chapter 4, we're going to first look at generosity, 65 00:03:06,958 --> 00:03:08,667 verses 32 through 37. 66 00:03:08,750 --> 00:03:11,375 "Now the number of those who believed were of one heart 67 00:03:11,458 --> 00:03:14,583 "and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged 68 00:03:14,667 --> 00:03:17,292 "to him was his own, but they had everything in common. 69 00:03:17,333 --> 00:03:19,667 "And with great power the apostles were giving their 70 00:03:19,708 --> 00:03:22,583 "testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, 71 00:03:22,667 --> 00:03:25,167 "and great grace was upon them all. 72 00:03:25,208 --> 00:03:27,167 "There was not a needy person among them, 73 00:03:27,208 --> 00:03:30,167 "for as many as were owners of land or houses sold them 74 00:03:30,208 --> 00:03:32,958 "and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it 75 00:03:33,000 --> 00:03:35,667 "at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each 76 00:03:35,750 --> 00:03:37,750 "as they had need. 77 00:03:37,833 --> 00:03:41,167 Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas"-- 78 00:03:41,250 --> 00:03:44,667 Barney--"(which means son of encouragement), a Levite, 79 00:03:44,708 --> 00:03:47,833 "a native of Cyprus, sold a field that belonged to him 80 00:03:47,917 --> 00:03:51,542 and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet." 81 00:03:51,625 --> 00:03:53,542 So here's what we're going to deal today. 82 00:03:53,625 --> 00:03:55,542 We're going to deal with generosity and greed. 83 00:03:55,625 --> 00:03:57,042 We're in the book of Acts. 84 00:03:57,125 --> 00:03:59,375 We're looking at a couple of different case studies. 85 00:03:59,458 --> 00:04:01,167 I'll leave my wallet right there. 86 00:04:01,208 --> 00:04:04,333 Make sure no one can see my credit card number 'cause I know 87 00:04:04,417 --> 00:04:06,542 somebody online is going to do something terrible, OK. 88 00:04:06,625 --> 00:04:09,042 That being said, here is the big case study today. 89 00:04:09,125 --> 00:04:10,542 We're in the book of Acts. 90 00:04:10,625 --> 00:04:13,542 We're looking at generosity versus greed in this amazing 91 00:04:13,625 --> 00:04:17,542 historical case study. And so it begins with generosity 92 00:04:17,625 --> 00:04:21,000 on behalf of the church-- they're being very generous-- 93 00:04:21,042 --> 00:04:24,875 and an early church leader named Barnabas, Barney, 94 00:04:24,958 --> 00:04:27,583 the "son of encouragement." 95 00:04:27,667 --> 00:04:30,958 And so as we look at generosity, I've got six things for you 96 00:04:31,000 --> 00:04:33,792 I want to examine today from this section of God's word. 97 00:04:33,833 --> 00:04:36,667 And if you're new, I know you don't want me 98 00:04:36,750 --> 00:04:38,375 to talk about money. 99 00:04:38,458 --> 00:04:40,292 That's what we're going to do. 100 00:04:40,333 --> 00:04:43,250 It is for us, I think, perhaps along with sex, 101 00:04:43,333 --> 00:04:49,583 the most pernicious, pervasive idol in our entire culture. 102 00:04:49,667 --> 00:04:52,333 "Don't tell me what to do with my sexuality. 103 00:04:52,417 --> 00:04:55,167 "Don't tell me what to do with my finances. 104 00:04:55,250 --> 00:04:57,000 Those are mine." 105 00:04:57,042 --> 00:04:59,667 Whatever the Bible has to say, those are the two areas 106 00:04:59,750 --> 00:05:02,125 there's the greatest resistance. 107 00:05:02,167 --> 00:05:05,500 So we're just going to drive right over that today. 108 00:05:05,542 --> 00:05:08,875 We're going to look at what God's word has to say about 109 00:05:08,958 --> 00:05:12,250 issues of stewardship and greed versus generosity. 110 00:05:12,333 --> 00:05:15,083 And if you're new, I'm not just picking on you. 111 00:05:15,167 --> 00:05:17,083 We're going through the book of Acts, right? 112 00:05:17,167 --> 00:05:19,583 Those of you that have been here for a while, 113 00:05:19,667 --> 00:05:22,083 this is just where we find ourselves as we continue 114 00:05:22,167 --> 00:05:25,292 our study of God's word, and here we're seeing generosity from 115 00:05:25,333 --> 00:05:28,333 God's people and a leader named Barnabas who's mentioned 116 00:05:28,417 --> 00:05:32,042 elsewhere in the New Testament. And first we see that generosity 117 00:05:32,125 --> 00:05:35,167 is evidence of the Holy Spirit. 118 00:05:35,208 --> 00:05:39,083 One of the evidences that someone has met Jesus 119 00:05:39,167 --> 00:05:42,375 and received the Holy Spirit is that they have a transition 120 00:05:42,458 --> 00:05:45,542 in their view of all that is their possessions. 121 00:05:45,625 --> 00:05:49,000 We read of it this way in chapter 4 verse 31, 122 00:05:49,042 --> 00:05:51,083 "They were all filled with the Holy Spirit." 123 00:05:51,167 --> 00:05:53,542 So it says they were filled with the Holy Spirit 124 00:05:53,625 --> 00:05:55,167 and then they gave generously. 125 00:05:55,250 --> 00:05:57,500 Cause, effect. 126 00:05:57,542 --> 00:06:01,125 The Holy Spirit empowered them to be generous. 127 00:06:01,167 --> 00:06:03,667 In addition, we read in chapter 4, verse 33, 128 00:06:03,750 --> 00:06:06,000 that they had, quote, unquote, 129 00:06:06,042 --> 00:06:08,375 "great power." And when Luke uses the language 130 00:06:08,458 --> 00:06:12,500 of power, it's almost always in reference to the Holy Spirit. 131 00:06:12,542 --> 00:06:18,083 You and I are not inclined naturally toward generosity. 132 00:06:18,167 --> 00:06:23,375 Generosity is therefore not natural; it's supernatural. 133 00:06:23,458 --> 00:06:25,792 It's supernatural. 134 00:06:25,833 --> 00:06:30,375 God has to change us, connect us to Jesus, 135 00:06:30,458 --> 00:06:32,750 provide for us the person, the presence, 136 00:06:32,833 --> 00:06:36,667 the power of the Holy Spirit, and one of the things he births 137 00:06:36,708 --> 00:06:39,458 in us is generosity. 138 00:06:39,500 --> 00:06:42,875 Now, that means we're not just looking for ways we can take, 139 00:06:42,958 --> 00:06:46,083 we're looking for opportunities we can give. 140 00:06:46,167 --> 00:06:50,083 And it becomes a change because we know that God gives to us. 141 00:06:50,167 --> 00:06:52,250 We're grateful for the generosity of God, 142 00:06:52,333 --> 00:06:55,042 and then we're generous toward others 143 00:06:55,125 --> 00:06:57,083 because we want to mirror, reflect, image, 144 00:06:57,167 --> 00:07:00,833 worship this God who is so generous to us. 145 00:07:00,875 --> 00:07:04,167 We want his generosity to be shared with 146 00:07:04,250 --> 00:07:07,583 and showed to others, amen? 147 00:07:07,667 --> 00:07:09,667 So it really is a Holy Spirit thing. 148 00:07:09,750 --> 00:07:11,333 So right now, if you're like, 149 00:07:11,417 --> 00:07:13,542 "I don't want to talk about money," 150 00:07:13,625 --> 00:07:16,333 the Holy Spirit is trying not to just get the money 151 00:07:16,417 --> 00:07:17,875 out of your hands, 152 00:07:17,958 --> 00:07:20,375 he's trying to get the idol out of your heart. 153 00:07:20,458 --> 00:07:26,333 He's dealing with maybe the deep root issue in your soul, 154 00:07:26,417 --> 00:07:30,167 and that is that you're a lover of money. 155 00:07:30,208 --> 00:07:31,958 And that makes it hard for you 156 00:07:32,000 --> 00:07:35,583 to simultaneously be a lover of God. 157 00:07:35,667 --> 00:07:38,333 So generosity is evidence of the Holy Spirit. 158 00:07:38,417 --> 00:07:42,000 Generosity is also evidence of mission, right? 159 00:07:42,042 --> 00:07:45,375 We read this in chapter 4, verse 33, "With great power, 160 00:07:45,458 --> 00:07:48,542 "the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection 161 00:07:48,625 --> 00:07:50,667 of the Lord Jesus." 162 00:07:50,708 --> 00:07:53,667 Jesus is God, becomes a man, lives without sin, 163 00:07:53,750 --> 00:07:56,750 dies for our sin, rises for our salvation, 164 00:07:56,833 --> 00:08:00,042 ascends back into heaven. 165 00:08:00,125 --> 00:08:02,875 That's what we read early on in the book of Acts. 166 00:08:02,958 --> 00:08:05,833 He then sends the Holy Spirit to empower his people 167 00:08:05,917 --> 00:08:09,000 to continue his mission. And Mars Hill, that's us. 168 00:08:09,042 --> 00:08:13,000 It's the best mission in the history of the world. 169 00:08:13,042 --> 00:08:16,667 It's the only mission with eternal consequences, 170 00:08:16,708 --> 00:08:19,500 and praise God we get to be a part of it. 171 00:08:19,542 --> 00:08:22,583 And they can't stop talking about Jesus, and they want 172 00:08:22,667 --> 00:08:25,500 everyone to know that Jesus is alive. 173 00:08:25,542 --> 00:08:29,042 And so every sermon or sermon summary in Acts, 174 00:08:29,125 --> 00:08:31,792 it mentions the resurrection of Jesus: 175 00:08:31,833 --> 00:08:35,667 "Jesus is alive," "Jesus is alive," "Jesus is alive." 176 00:08:35,708 --> 00:08:39,167 And their generosity is to forward the message, 177 00:08:39,208 --> 00:08:42,667 the mission, the ministry of Jesus. 178 00:08:42,750 --> 00:08:45,292 It takes money for a company to move forward. 179 00:08:45,333 --> 00:08:47,833 It takes money for a family to move forward. 180 00:08:47,917 --> 00:08:51,167 It takes money for a ministry to move forward. 181 00:08:51,250 --> 00:08:53,667 And God's people, they immediately, because of 182 00:08:53,750 --> 00:08:55,375 the Holy Spirit in them, 183 00:08:55,458 --> 00:08:58,375 they have this desire to fund the mission 184 00:08:58,458 --> 00:09:01,542 of getting the message about the Messiah out. 185 00:09:01,625 --> 00:09:03,667 They just want it to go out. 186 00:09:03,708 --> 00:09:07,000 Mars Hill, this has to be our heart. 187 00:09:07,042 --> 00:09:11,542 We want as many people as possible to hear about Jesus. 188 00:09:11,625 --> 00:09:15,333 And we're privileged to live in an age of technology where 189 00:09:15,417 --> 00:09:19,042 all of a sudden we can post blogs and sermons and e-books 190 00:09:19,125 --> 00:09:23,500 and resources. And we can send broadly. We can give generously. 191 00:09:23,542 --> 00:09:25,500 We can impact globally. 192 00:09:25,542 --> 00:09:28,167 I mean, I don't know if you've really thought of this. 193 00:09:28,208 --> 00:09:29,875 To me it's fairly remarkable God's providence 194 00:09:29,958 --> 00:09:32,958 in our life together. 195 00:09:33,000 --> 00:09:34,667 God saved me at 19 in college. 196 00:09:34,750 --> 00:09:37,792 I was working on a communication degree before they had 197 00:09:37,833 --> 00:09:39,542 something called the Internet. 198 00:09:39,625 --> 00:09:41,167 You may have heard of that. 199 00:09:41,250 --> 00:09:43,667 And I got my communication degree, so PR, advertising, 200 00:09:43,708 --> 00:09:47,375 marketing, speech--I emphasized speech in my degree program. 201 00:09:47,458 --> 00:09:51,083 Graduate. We start a core group for Mars Hill Church 202 00:09:51,167 --> 00:09:52,500 and, lo and behold, 203 00:09:52,542 --> 00:09:54,167 something called the Internet goes public, 204 00:09:54,208 --> 00:09:57,167 and a lot of our people are working in a little startup 205 00:09:57,208 --> 00:09:58,875 you may have heard of called Microsoft. 206 00:09:58,958 --> 00:10:00,333 That's all the providence of God. 207 00:10:00,417 --> 00:10:05,208 And all of a sudden, this great wave rolls in, and just happens 208 00:10:05,292 --> 00:10:08,417 in the providence of God our little Mars Hill surfboard 209 00:10:08,500 --> 00:10:12,625 had paddled out, and we got to ride the wave. 210 00:10:12,667 --> 00:10:15,375 So we don't have a denomination behind us, a marketing firm, 211 00:10:15,458 --> 00:10:18,667 a large corporation, or organization 212 00:10:18,750 --> 00:10:20,833 that's sponsoring us. 213 00:10:20,875 --> 00:10:26,292 Much of what we have seen is, teach the Bible and send it out. 214 00:10:26,333 --> 00:10:28,000 That's not everything we do. 215 00:10:28,083 --> 00:10:31,292 It's the part I really like, but it's part of what we do. 216 00:10:31,333 --> 00:10:33,000 So, here's what I want to say: 217 00:10:33,083 --> 00:10:35,292 thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you. 218 00:10:35,333 --> 00:10:39,417 Thank you that for 17 years I get to open the Bible, teach it. 219 00:10:39,500 --> 00:10:42,333 You guys allow me to do that, and then you're generous 220 00:10:42,375 --> 00:10:45,125 to help use technology to get that out globally. 221 00:10:45,167 --> 00:10:46,833 It's amazing. 222 00:10:46,875 --> 00:10:48,792 And they got that. 223 00:10:48,833 --> 00:10:51,500 They're part of the mission by helping support those 224 00:10:51,583 --> 00:10:54,000 who are preaching the gospel. 225 00:10:54,083 --> 00:10:57,292 And I just--I know that when we get into the kingdom of God, 226 00:10:57,333 --> 00:11:00,500 there's going to be a huge party, and a lot of the people 227 00:11:00,542 --> 00:11:03,167 that have received resources and teaching and instruction, 228 00:11:03,250 --> 00:11:06,000 experienced salvation through the message of the Bible, 229 00:11:06,042 --> 00:11:08,292 are going to thank you for your generosity. 230 00:11:08,333 --> 00:11:09,958 I see it all the time. 231 00:11:10,000 --> 00:11:12,750 I've had, in the last week, I've had, 232 00:11:12,833 --> 00:11:16,042 I think it's 13 people come up to me separately and say, 233 00:11:16,125 --> 00:11:17,583 "I'm growing in Jesus," 234 00:11:17,667 --> 00:11:19,833 or, "I met Jesus. I download sermons. 235 00:11:19,917 --> 00:11:21,542 "Tell the people at Mars Hill, 236 00:11:21,625 --> 00:11:23,292 'Thanks for giving so much away.'" 237 00:11:23,333 --> 00:11:24,750 So, thank you. 238 00:11:24,833 --> 00:11:26,375 It's awesome. It's amazing. 239 00:11:26,458 --> 00:11:28,667 Some of those are soldiers in tents in Baghdad. 240 00:11:28,750 --> 00:11:30,292 Some of those are single moms. 241 00:11:30,333 --> 00:11:32,500 Some of those are people who are incarcerated. 242 00:11:32,542 --> 00:11:34,542 Some of those are people who are hospitalized. 243 00:11:34,625 --> 00:11:36,833 Some of those are bands that are on tour. 244 00:11:36,917 --> 00:11:39,167 Grace and I were having dinner the other night. 245 00:11:39,250 --> 00:11:41,500 A guy walks up to us, cool-looking young guy. 246 00:11:41,542 --> 00:11:43,667 He says, "Hey, thanks for putting stuff out there. 247 00:11:43,750 --> 00:11:46,667 I met Jesus. I'm growing in my faith. I'm on tour with--" 248 00:11:46,750 --> 00:11:49,167 named some of these huge bands that I won't name-drop, 249 00:11:49,250 --> 00:11:52,583 and he said, "and I'm on the road, so I listen to the teaching 250 00:11:52,667 --> 00:11:55,083 "at Mars Hill Church, and I feel like that's like 251 00:11:55,167 --> 00:11:56,500 a church home for me." 252 00:11:56,542 --> 00:11:57,875 Praise God! 253 00:11:57,958 --> 00:11:59,375 Look what we get to do: 254 00:11:59,458 --> 00:12:03,250 we get to learn about Jesus and then send it out to the world. 255 00:12:03,333 --> 00:12:05,500 And last year, over 15 million sermons were downloaded. 256 00:12:05,542 --> 00:12:08,167 I know it's not all about the preaching of God's word, 257 00:12:08,250 --> 00:12:10,750 but let me tell you, I love preaching God's word, 258 00:12:10,833 --> 00:12:13,500 I love preaching it here, and I just want to say, 259 00:12:13,542 --> 00:12:16,500 "Thank you for the generosity to help me get the news out 260 00:12:16,542 --> 00:12:20,833 about Jesus," 'cause I love what I do, so thank you. 261 00:12:23,042 --> 00:12:25,667 So, generosity is an evidence of the Holy Spirit, 262 00:12:25,708 --> 00:12:28,000 mission, and unity. 263 00:12:28,042 --> 00:12:32,000 It says in chapter 4, verse 32 that they were, quote, 264 00:12:32,042 --> 00:12:34,000 "of one heart and soul." 265 00:12:34,042 --> 00:12:36,083 Whole bunch of people, but they're one. 266 00:12:36,167 --> 00:12:40,292 Kind of like--not identical to but kind of like--the Father, 267 00:12:40,333 --> 00:12:44,250 Son, Holy Spirit: they're three persons but one God. 268 00:12:44,333 --> 00:12:48,000 Right, Mars Hill's a whole bunch of people but we're one church, 269 00:12:48,042 --> 00:12:50,333 we're one people. 270 00:12:50,417 --> 00:12:52,083 There is unity there. 271 00:12:52,167 --> 00:12:56,333 The greatest way to have unity is generosity. 272 00:12:56,417 --> 00:12:59,000 I've seen a lot of church fights, splits, 273 00:12:59,042 --> 00:13:02,250 and divisions between the takers and the takers. 274 00:13:02,333 --> 00:13:04,667 Not really had to mediate between the givers 275 00:13:04,750 --> 00:13:06,167 and the givers. 276 00:13:06,250 --> 00:13:07,583 Not really been an issue. 277 00:13:07,667 --> 00:13:10,583 "No, I would like to give." "No, I would like to give." 278 00:13:10,667 --> 00:13:12,292 "I will give." "I will give more." 279 00:13:12,333 --> 00:13:15,042 "I'll take care of it." "No, I'll take care of it." 280 00:13:15,125 --> 00:13:17,792 "I'll take care of you." "No, I'll take care of you." 281 00:13:17,833 --> 00:13:20,792 Oh, let me get in and break this up, all right, right? 282 00:13:20,833 --> 00:13:22,792 This is really going a bad place here. 283 00:13:22,833 --> 00:13:25,500 All this generosity, next thing you know we'll hug each other. 284 00:13:25,542 --> 00:13:27,250 This is just going the wrong direction. 285 00:13:27,333 --> 00:13:28,750 Generous people tend to get along. 286 00:13:28,833 --> 00:13:31,083 Generous people tend to build unity. 287 00:13:31,167 --> 00:13:34,000 In fact, I would tell you the people who are most unified 288 00:13:34,042 --> 00:13:38,042 at Mars Hill are also the most generous to Mars Hill. 289 00:13:38,125 --> 00:13:42,875 Because your treasure follows your heart, the Lord Jesus says. 290 00:13:42,958 --> 00:13:44,667 And so they are one. 291 00:13:44,750 --> 00:13:47,375 And what this doesn't mean is that they had uniformity. 292 00:13:47,458 --> 00:13:49,667 Unity and uniformity are different. 293 00:13:49,750 --> 00:13:52,375 Unity in our world is, OK, all the people 294 00:13:52,458 --> 00:13:53,833 of the same age over here. 295 00:13:53,917 --> 00:13:55,542 All the people the same race here. 296 00:13:55,625 --> 00:13:57,667 All the people the same socio-economic background here. 297 00:13:57,708 --> 00:13:59,792 All the people the same subculture or tribe here. 298 00:13:59,833 --> 00:14:01,958 And it's unity around uniformity. 299 00:14:02,000 --> 00:14:04,667 So, it's really "like attracts like," right? 300 00:14:04,708 --> 00:14:07,500 Christianity and our church, it's not about uniformity, 301 00:14:07,542 --> 00:14:08,875 everybody's the same. 302 00:14:08,958 --> 00:14:10,375 It's about unity. 303 00:14:10,458 --> 00:14:12,500 We all agree on who's most important. 304 00:14:12,542 --> 00:14:13,875 What's his name? 305 00:14:13,958 --> 00:14:15,292 Jesus. 306 00:14:15,333 --> 00:14:18,042 So, you need to know, if you walk into Mars Hill, 307 00:14:18,125 --> 00:14:20,250 we're different races, ages, men, women, young, old, black, 308 00:14:20,333 --> 00:14:23,542 white, rich, poor, Democrat, Republican, independent, 309 00:14:23,625 --> 00:14:26,083 anarchist--we're all here, right? 310 00:14:26,167 --> 00:14:28,083 The big goofy family that is Mars Hill. 311 00:14:28,167 --> 00:14:29,500 You walk in, you go, 312 00:14:29,542 --> 00:14:31,875 "What brought this crazy little team together?" 313 00:14:31,958 --> 00:14:35,000 'Cause it sure ain't the hobbies or the life stages 314 00:14:35,042 --> 00:14:37,083 or even the political ideology. 315 00:14:37,167 --> 00:14:39,667 The answer is, "Hey, Jesus is alive," 316 00:14:39,750 --> 00:14:41,667 and we're all pretty fired up about that. 317 00:14:41,708 --> 00:14:44,792 That's where the unity comes. And it doesn't require uniformity; 318 00:14:44,833 --> 00:14:47,500 it actually allows a great amount of diversity, 319 00:14:47,542 --> 00:14:50,667 but it provides us an opportunity for unity. 320 00:14:50,708 --> 00:14:53,250 That being said, this includes not only the people 321 00:14:53,333 --> 00:14:56,792 in our local churches but all of our local churches. 322 00:14:56,833 --> 00:14:58,292 There's great diversity. 323 00:14:58,333 --> 00:15:00,958 We've got a church in Sammamish, up on the plateau, 324 00:15:01,000 --> 00:15:02,958 lots of families, lots of kids, everybody's educated, 325 00:15:03,000 --> 00:15:05,167 got a good job, makes a ton of money. 326 00:15:05,208 --> 00:15:07,292 Go to Rainier Valley-- that's like a unicorn. 327 00:15:07,333 --> 00:15:09,875 They've heard of it but never seen it, right? 328 00:15:09,958 --> 00:15:12,083 It's not everybody's married, has a bunch of kids, 329 00:15:12,167 --> 00:15:14,875 went to college, got an MBA, makes a ton of money, 330 00:15:14,958 --> 00:15:18,500 lives in a big house, and has a retirement plan. 331 00:15:18,542 --> 00:15:20,667 That's not Rainier Valley. 332 00:15:20,708 --> 00:15:22,083 That's not Rainier Valley. 333 00:15:22,167 --> 00:15:23,792 That's not the University District. 334 00:15:23,833 --> 00:15:25,875 The University District is all college kids. 335 00:15:25,958 --> 00:15:28,750 Bellevue, a lot of families, young urban professionals. 336 00:15:28,833 --> 00:15:32,167 Jump down to Albuquerque, ton of Hispanics, right? 337 00:15:32,208 --> 00:15:35,375 Go over to Orange County, it's a whole milieu and mix. 338 00:15:35,458 --> 00:15:38,375 Go to Portland, they're all weird. 339 00:15:38,458 --> 00:15:41,875 They're weird. They're weird. 340 00:15:41,958 --> 00:15:43,375 No, I love Pastor Tim. 341 00:15:43,458 --> 00:15:46,583 Pastor Tim is like a brother to me. 342 00:15:46,667 --> 00:15:49,083 And he's in Portland, and they're doing great. 343 00:15:49,167 --> 00:15:51,833 And Mars Hill Portland, when you see this, I love you, 344 00:15:51,917 --> 00:15:54,667 you weird people. I love you, right? 345 00:15:54,708 --> 00:15:56,500 But Portland is a weird place. 346 00:15:56,542 --> 00:15:59,583 It is, as Pastor Dave says, it's what happens to a city 347 00:15:59,667 --> 00:16:03,792 when white people go unchecked. 348 00:16:03,833 --> 00:16:07,583 All of a sudden, you're like, wow, there's, like, 349 00:16:07,667 --> 00:16:12,833 a guy on a unicycle pedaling to power a blender so he can run 350 00:16:12,917 --> 00:16:14,792 a smoothie company, right? 351 00:16:14,833 --> 00:16:17,292 That's Portland, you know? 352 00:16:17,333 --> 00:16:19,333 It's just different. 353 00:16:19,417 --> 00:16:23,583 But this diversity allows us to have great unity even though 354 00:16:23,667 --> 00:16:26,083 we're different people, different cultures, 355 00:16:26,167 --> 00:16:27,875 different cities, different states, 356 00:16:27,958 --> 00:16:29,542 who knows, 357 00:16:29,625 --> 00:16:31,833 maybe one day, different nations--one Jesus. 358 00:16:31,917 --> 00:16:33,875 One Jesus. 359 00:16:33,958 --> 00:16:37,375 And we see that their generosity is a demonstration 360 00:16:37,458 --> 00:16:39,500 of their unity. 361 00:16:39,542 --> 00:16:42,583 It's a demonstration2 of their unity. 362 00:16:42,667 --> 00:16:48,583 It continues that generosity is also an evidence of love. 363 00:16:48,667 --> 00:16:50,667 It says in chapter 4, verse 34, 364 00:16:50,750 --> 00:16:54,375 "There was not a needy person among them." 365 00:16:54,458 --> 00:16:57,250 Now, things get really weird in the church when we 366 00:16:57,333 --> 00:16:59,458 try to organize the ministry of the Holy Spirit. 367 00:16:59,500 --> 00:17:01,542 It gets really weird. 368 00:17:01,625 --> 00:17:03,667 So, the Holy Spirit is convicting this person, 369 00:17:03,708 --> 00:17:05,833 "Go buy groceries for that single mom," 370 00:17:05,917 --> 00:17:08,083 and convicting this person, "Pay for high school camp 371 00:17:08,167 --> 00:17:11,167 for that kid 'cause their family can't afford it." 372 00:17:11,208 --> 00:17:14,375 And the Holy Spirit's convicting this, you know, 373 00:17:14,458 --> 00:17:17,667 later-in-life couple, "Take that extra car you don't really need 374 00:17:17,750 --> 00:17:21,500 "or use or drive, and give it to that college kid who's all on 375 00:17:21,542 --> 00:17:23,333 "their own as their family's abandoned them 376 00:17:23,417 --> 00:17:25,292 and they're new to Jesus," right? 377 00:17:25,333 --> 00:17:27,792 The Holy Spirit's just sending out little assignments 378 00:17:27,833 --> 00:17:29,583 to God's people. 379 00:17:29,667 --> 00:17:31,167 And they're obeying that: 380 00:17:31,208 --> 00:17:32,833 they're sharing, they're giving, they're generous 381 00:17:32,917 --> 00:17:35,583 so that nobody has needs. And it's not like they're calling 382 00:17:35,667 --> 00:17:37,792 the government, "Hey, God's people have needs again," 383 00:17:37,833 --> 00:17:39,583 'cause God's people are meeting the needs 384 00:17:39,667 --> 00:17:41,792 of God's people. 385 00:17:41,833 --> 00:17:44,083 It gets really weird when the church gets legalistic: 386 00:17:44,167 --> 00:17:45,875 it tries to organize this. 387 00:17:45,958 --> 00:17:49,167 But we want to encourage this and ask you, as the Holy Spirit 388 00:17:49,250 --> 00:17:51,667 puts people in front of you and opens your eyes 389 00:17:51,750 --> 00:17:53,083 and opens an opportunity, 390 00:17:53,167 --> 00:17:55,583 we would encourage you to avail yourself of that opportunity 391 00:17:55,667 --> 00:17:57,375 and share and be generous and give. 392 00:17:57,458 --> 00:17:59,583 Love is sometimes what we say-- "I love you." 393 00:17:59,667 --> 00:18:02,458 Love is sometimes what we do-- "I want to help you." 394 00:18:02,500 --> 00:18:05,792 Love is often what we give-- "This is for you." 395 00:18:05,833 --> 00:18:08,167 "This is for you." 396 00:18:08,250 --> 00:18:10,792 And here, love is demonstrated with generosity. 397 00:18:10,833 --> 00:18:12,500 I'll give you an example. 398 00:18:12,542 --> 00:18:16,000 Let's say, I meet a dad. I go to his house, and he says, 399 00:18:16,042 --> 00:18:17,500 "Man, I really love my family." 400 00:18:17,542 --> 00:18:18,875 I say, "That's great. 401 00:18:18,958 --> 00:18:21,375 I'm looking forward to meeting your wife, meeting your kids." 402 00:18:21,458 --> 00:18:22,792 I show up. 403 00:18:22,833 --> 00:18:25,542 Wife's got a beater car, kids don't have a winter coat, 404 00:18:25,625 --> 00:18:27,542 not a lot of food in the fridge. 405 00:18:27,625 --> 00:18:29,750 Dad's got a huge new truck, nice bass boat, 406 00:18:29,833 --> 00:18:32,042 some pretty sweet golf clubs, a few hunting rifles, 407 00:18:32,125 --> 00:18:33,667 and an ATV. 408 00:18:33,750 --> 00:18:35,458 And he says, "Hey, here's my family. 409 00:18:35,500 --> 00:18:36,833 I really love them." 410 00:18:36,917 --> 00:18:39,500 The answer is, "No, you don't, 411 00:18:39,542 --> 00:18:46,083 because your wallet reveals your priorities. 412 00:18:46,167 --> 00:18:49,083 And you've bought a lot of things for yourself, but you've 413 00:18:49,167 --> 00:18:51,875 not given generously to your family or those 414 00:18:51,958 --> 00:18:53,583 beyond your family. 415 00:18:53,667 --> 00:18:56,542 So you don't love them. 416 00:18:56,625 --> 00:19:02,042 "You may love the idea of loving them, but you don't love them." 417 00:19:02,125 --> 00:19:06,583 If you want to grow in love for someone, give. 418 00:19:06,667 --> 00:19:09,167 This is why givers make the best spouses, 419 00:19:09,250 --> 00:19:11,000 why givers make the best parents, 420 00:19:11,042 --> 00:19:12,958 why givers make the best friends, 421 00:19:13,000 --> 00:19:14,667 why givers make the best employees, 422 00:19:14,750 --> 00:19:17,167 why givers make the best church members. 423 00:19:17,250 --> 00:19:18,833 You know why? 424 00:19:18,917 --> 00:19:22,167 Because they love big and they love well. 425 00:19:22,250 --> 00:19:24,375 This is where it's not just about the giving; 426 00:19:24,458 --> 00:19:27,542 It's about God changing how you interact with everyone 427 00:19:27,625 --> 00:19:30,792 and everything else. 428 00:19:30,833 --> 00:19:34,667 And generosity is a demonstration of love. 429 00:19:34,708 --> 00:19:37,333 And I would say this as well: 430 00:19:37,417 --> 00:19:40,583 this includes our economic model at Mars Hill Church. 431 00:19:40,667 --> 00:19:42,875 So, let me explain this to you. 432 00:19:42,958 --> 00:19:45,375 We're one church across 14 locations, 433 00:19:45,458 --> 00:19:49,000 and we work as one centralized budget. 434 00:19:49,042 --> 00:19:51,083 And we made this decision with 435 00:19:51,167 --> 00:19:53,500 the executive elders and outside council. 436 00:19:53,542 --> 00:19:56,375 What we didn't want to have is lots of money goes into 437 00:19:56,458 --> 00:19:58,500 the rich church and they spend it all, 438 00:19:58,542 --> 00:20:00,667 and lots of money goes into the poor church 439 00:20:00,750 --> 00:20:02,667 and they don't have any to spend. 440 00:20:02,750 --> 00:20:06,667 In a family, you don't favor one kid over the other, right? 441 00:20:06,750 --> 00:20:08,083 Right? 442 00:20:08,167 --> 00:20:10,292 OK, this kid's barefoot, this kid gets sick Nikes. 443 00:20:10,333 --> 00:20:12,583 That's what my 7-year-old Gideon calls them, right? 444 00:20:12,667 --> 00:20:14,625 It's like, "No, that's not right." 445 00:20:14,667 --> 00:20:16,708 You don't have one kid, you know, 446 00:20:16,792 --> 00:20:19,375 living at a level that's very different than the other kids; 447 00:20:19,458 --> 00:20:23,917 you have some parity and equality across the family. 448 00:20:24,000 --> 00:20:27,875 So, the way we do it is, we have some of our churches that are 449 00:20:27,958 --> 00:20:29,875 more rich, affluent churches, right? 450 00:20:29,958 --> 00:20:34,625 Sammamish, Bellevue, Ballard, West Seattle, Shoreline, 451 00:20:34,667 --> 00:20:38,000 tend to have better, greater giving. 452 00:20:38,042 --> 00:20:40,667 Rainier Valley, lots of single moms, 453 00:20:40,750 --> 00:20:42,375 lots of first-generation immigrants, 454 00:20:42,458 --> 00:20:46,917 lots of first-generation converts, not a lot of dads. 455 00:20:47,000 --> 00:20:48,833 It's going to be poor. 456 00:20:48,875 --> 00:20:51,000 So is University District. 457 00:20:51,083 --> 00:20:52,917 They're college kids, a lot of them. 458 00:20:53,000 --> 00:20:55,083 There's some great families there as well. 459 00:20:55,167 --> 00:20:57,625 There are also places that we're starting new churches, 460 00:20:57,667 --> 00:20:59,333 which means, for the early years, 461 00:20:59,375 --> 00:21:01,458 they're not generating a lot of revenue. 462 00:21:01,500 --> 00:21:04,333 They're going to need some support. 463 00:21:04,417 --> 00:21:06,250 So what does that mean for us? 464 00:21:06,333 --> 00:21:08,667 It means the more affluent churches give to the more 465 00:21:08,750 --> 00:21:10,083 struggling churches. 466 00:21:10,167 --> 00:21:12,583 And what this allows us to do, it allows us 467 00:21:12,667 --> 00:21:14,792 to go start churches in places that people don't 468 00:21:14,833 --> 00:21:16,667 because it's not economically viable. 469 00:21:16,750 --> 00:21:19,333 Well, we want to make ends meet, but for us 470 00:21:19,417 --> 00:21:21,333 the most important thing is not, 471 00:21:21,417 --> 00:21:23,333 "How much money will we make on this?" 472 00:21:23,417 --> 00:21:25,542 The question is, "How many people can we reach 473 00:21:25,625 --> 00:21:26,958 through this?" 474 00:21:27,000 --> 00:21:30,375 'Cause we use money, but we love people. 475 00:21:30,458 --> 00:21:34,583 We don't love money and use people. 476 00:21:34,667 --> 00:21:37,792 We love people and use money. 477 00:21:37,833 --> 00:21:41,167 So, I'll give you some really cool examples. 478 00:21:41,250 --> 00:21:44,667 When we were over at Mars Hill Sammamish, 479 00:21:44,750 --> 00:21:46,583 telling them about Mars Hill Rainier Valley, 480 00:21:46,667 --> 00:21:48,042 and telling them, 481 00:21:48,125 --> 00:21:49,792 "You can't add a bunch more staff, 482 00:21:49,833 --> 00:21:51,542 "you're generating more revenue than you're spending, 483 00:21:51,625 --> 00:21:53,292 "you guys are generous and doing good. 484 00:21:53,333 --> 00:21:56,000 "But we're sending a lot of it to Rainier Valley because 485 00:21:56,042 --> 00:21:59,000 "a lot of these kids don't have dads and it's a struggling 486 00:21:59,042 --> 00:22:01,542 poor community, and we want to have a church there." 487 00:22:01,625 --> 00:22:04,167 They literally almost broke out with the wave. 488 00:22:04,250 --> 00:22:06,375 "Yay, we get to give our money away!" 489 00:22:06,458 --> 00:22:08,375 Have you ever done that? 490 00:22:08,458 --> 00:22:10,167 Have you ever writing your bills like, 491 00:22:10,250 --> 00:22:13,292 "Whoo-hoo-hoo-hoo, yes, yes, yes!" 492 00:22:13,333 --> 00:22:14,750 Right? 493 00:22:14,833 --> 00:22:17,542 How many of you writing your taxes every year, you're like, 494 00:22:17,625 --> 00:22:19,750 "Put on the music, whoo! 495 00:22:19,833 --> 00:22:21,583 "Give me a drink with an umbrella! 496 00:22:21,667 --> 00:22:24,667 I need to celebrate! Ah, it's tax day!" 497 00:22:24,708 --> 00:22:26,250 No, no. 498 00:22:26,333 --> 00:22:28,458 If so, call 9-1-1. 499 00:22:28,500 --> 00:22:32,333 You are not right, right? 500 00:22:32,417 --> 00:22:35,792 But God's people who have God's heart for God's mission 501 00:22:35,833 --> 00:22:38,792 give generously to God's people. 502 00:22:38,833 --> 00:22:40,250 And there's a joy there. 503 00:22:40,333 --> 00:22:41,667 There is a love there. 504 00:22:41,708 --> 00:22:44,042 There is a generosity there that is not natural-- 505 00:22:44,125 --> 00:22:46,375 it's supernatural. 506 00:22:46,458 --> 00:22:48,875 So, that's how we do it at Mars Hill Church. 507 00:22:48,958 --> 00:22:52,292 And I want to thank those of you who are generous that allow us 508 00:22:52,333 --> 00:22:55,875 to do the kind of ministry that we get to do in places like UDub 509 00:22:55,958 --> 00:22:58,083 and Rainier Valley, and also start new churches. 510 00:22:58,167 --> 00:23:00,542 It's a demonstration of love. 511 00:23:00,625 --> 00:23:04,500 In addition, generosity is an evidence of leadership. 512 00:23:04,542 --> 00:23:08,167 So, the church is generous but who's the guy who's named? 513 00:23:08,250 --> 00:23:11,583 Barnabas--Barney, son of encouragement. 514 00:23:11,667 --> 00:23:14,000 Tell me if this isn't weird: 515 00:23:14,042 --> 00:23:17,667 the Bible just told us about a guy's giving. 516 00:23:17,708 --> 00:23:21,333 How many of you would be not so excited if we told everyone 517 00:23:21,417 --> 00:23:24,083 about your giving? 518 00:23:24,167 --> 00:23:25,875 Like, if right now I said, "OK, 519 00:23:25,958 --> 00:23:28,583 "we've got 40 minutes, and now we're going to roll through 520 00:23:28,667 --> 00:23:31,083 "the people in the church, and we're going to look 521 00:23:31,167 --> 00:23:32,500 at all their giving." 522 00:23:32,542 --> 00:23:34,000 How would that go for you? 523 00:23:34,042 --> 00:23:37,167 How many of you right now you feel like you've got to go 524 00:23:37,250 --> 00:23:38,583 to the bathroom, right? 525 00:23:38,667 --> 00:23:41,792 You would get in your car and drive as fast as you can, 526 00:23:41,833 --> 00:23:43,167 as far as you're able. 527 00:23:43,250 --> 00:23:45,375 You'd say, "No, no, no, no, no, don't talk--" 528 00:23:45,458 --> 00:23:47,583 OK, we're not going to do that. Probably, OK? 529 00:23:47,667 --> 00:23:49,583 Let me just make it uncomfortable for you, 530 00:23:49,667 --> 00:23:51,083 but anyways. "Ha-ha, ha-ha, ha-ha--" 531 00:23:51,167 --> 00:23:52,500 Nervous laugh-- "ha-ha, ha-ha, ha-ha, 532 00:23:52,542 --> 00:23:54,500 don't tell them what I didn't give, OK?" 533 00:23:54,542 --> 00:23:56,667 Here's the deal. 534 00:23:56,750 --> 00:23:58,875 We know what Barnabas gave. 535 00:23:58,958 --> 00:24:00,333 Why? 536 00:24:00,417 --> 00:24:01,750 He's the leader. 537 00:24:01,833 --> 00:24:04,792 And part of a leader's duty is to set an example because 538 00:24:04,833 --> 00:24:07,792 if the leader isn't generous the people won't be generous. 539 00:24:07,833 --> 00:24:10,792 Do you know that we track the giving of all the elders 540 00:24:10,833 --> 00:24:12,167 at Mars Hill Church? 541 00:24:12,250 --> 00:24:14,833 You can't be a pastor--let's say somebody comes up and says, 542 00:24:14,917 --> 00:24:17,333 "I feel called to be a leader"--like a high leader. 543 00:24:17,417 --> 00:24:19,542 We're going to look at, "Well, do you give?" 544 00:24:19,625 --> 00:24:21,542 And if they don't give, the answer is? 545 00:24:21,625 --> 00:24:22,958 Not yet. Not yet. 546 00:24:23,000 --> 00:24:25,167 Because if you're not generous toward God's people, 547 00:24:25,208 --> 00:24:29,250 you have no right to lead God's people, right? 548 00:24:29,333 --> 00:24:31,375 If you're not generous toward God's people, 549 00:24:31,458 --> 00:24:34,583 you shouldn't have the right to lead God's people. 550 00:24:34,667 --> 00:24:36,292 Barnabas is a very generous man. 551 00:24:36,333 --> 00:24:39,500 In that day, your wealth was primarily tied to your land. 552 00:24:39,542 --> 00:24:42,375 You don't have investments and the kinds of portfolios 553 00:24:42,458 --> 00:24:43,875 that we do today. 554 00:24:43,958 --> 00:24:45,500 It was really about commodities. 555 00:24:45,542 --> 00:24:48,500 You own land, you own gold, you own silver, you own cows; 556 00:24:48,542 --> 00:24:50,042 you own stuff. 557 00:24:50,125 --> 00:24:52,542 And that was your inheritance you handed to your kids 558 00:24:52,625 --> 00:24:53,958 and your grandkids. 559 00:24:54,000 --> 00:24:55,458 And that's actually a good idea. 560 00:24:55,500 --> 00:24:57,667 Proverbs says that a wise man leaves an inheritance 561 00:24:57,708 --> 00:24:59,083 for his children's children. 562 00:24:59,167 --> 00:25:03,333 But Barnabas, the Holy Spirit convicts him. And I would ask 563 00:25:03,417 --> 00:25:05,667 what does the Holy Spirit convict you? 564 00:25:05,750 --> 00:25:07,083 Says, "You know what? 565 00:25:07,167 --> 00:25:10,292 "I want you to sell that land, and I want you to give 566 00:25:10,333 --> 00:25:11,667 all the money." 567 00:25:11,750 --> 00:25:13,083 What does Barnabas do? 568 00:25:13,167 --> 00:25:16,792 He sells the land, he gives all the money, and he goes on to be 569 00:25:16,833 --> 00:25:18,167 a leader in the church. 570 00:25:18,250 --> 00:25:20,667 You could read the rest of the Bible, in Acts, 571 00:25:20,750 --> 00:25:22,375 and he's mentioned a couple of times. 572 00:25:22,458 --> 00:25:23,792 He's a leader. 573 00:25:23,833 --> 00:25:26,292 Leaders need to be generous. Leaders have to be generous. 574 00:25:26,333 --> 00:25:28,500 If your leaders are takers not givers, Luke 6:40, 575 00:25:28,542 --> 00:25:30,667 the Lord Jesus says that when fully trained students 576 00:25:30,750 --> 00:25:32,167 become like their teacher. 577 00:25:32,208 --> 00:25:34,375 Greedy people train greedy people. 578 00:25:34,458 --> 00:25:36,250 Takers train takers. 579 00:25:36,333 --> 00:25:38,667 Generous people train generous people. 580 00:25:38,750 --> 00:25:41,583 It's modeling and showing more than it's requiring 581 00:25:41,667 --> 00:25:43,458 and demanding. 582 00:25:43,500 --> 00:25:45,333 And Barnabas--here's what's cool: 583 00:25:45,417 --> 00:25:47,167 he's called the "son of encouragement." 584 00:25:47,208 --> 00:25:50,583 One of the ways that he encouraged was through giving. 585 00:25:50,667 --> 00:25:53,375 How many of you like to give gifts, right? 586 00:25:53,458 --> 00:25:55,083 I married that girl. 587 00:25:55,167 --> 00:25:57,042 You know what we have in our house? 588 00:25:57,125 --> 00:25:59,167 Tons of gifts. 589 00:25:59,250 --> 00:26:03,833 We don't know who they're going to yet, but we're ready. 590 00:26:03,917 --> 00:26:08,667 We have boxes, bins, closets filled with gifts. 591 00:26:08,750 --> 00:26:11,667 Anybody comes over to our house, they're going to get a gift. 592 00:26:11,750 --> 00:26:13,875 I promise you, they're going to get a gift. 593 00:26:13,958 --> 00:26:15,375 Do you have this book? "No." 594 00:26:15,458 --> 00:26:16,792 You do now. 595 00:26:16,833 --> 00:26:18,792 Oh, you're pregnant? Perfect, I have a onesie. 596 00:26:18,833 --> 00:26:21,792 We have stuff everywhere. 597 00:26:21,833 --> 00:26:23,167 You know why? 598 00:26:23,250 --> 00:26:24,833 Grace is a giver. 599 00:26:24,917 --> 00:26:27,375 And that's one of the ways that she encourages. 600 00:26:27,458 --> 00:26:29,458 How many of you, your encouragement sometimes is, 601 00:26:29,500 --> 00:26:32,333 "I give you words, but sometimes I give you gifts?" 602 00:26:32,417 --> 00:26:34,083 See, 603 00:26:34,167 --> 00:26:37,542 Barnabas was an encourager, and I think he encouraged in part 604 00:26:37,625 --> 00:26:39,667 with his generosity. 605 00:26:39,750 --> 00:26:42,875 He was a really generous, joyful guy, and let me say that those 606 00:26:42,958 --> 00:26:44,792 two things go together. 607 00:26:44,833 --> 00:26:48,667 Generous people tend to be joyful people. 608 00:26:48,708 --> 00:26:50,875 Number 4--or 6. 609 00:26:50,958 --> 00:26:53,500 I'm going on vacation tomorrow; lower your expectations, 610 00:26:53,542 --> 00:26:56,500 numbers are hard. 611 00:26:56,542 --> 00:26:58,958 Generosity is evidence of trust. 612 00:26:59,000 --> 00:27:01,458 This is a little crazy to me, OK? 613 00:27:01,500 --> 00:27:04,333 So, Barney sells the land. 614 00:27:04,417 --> 00:27:05,958 I don't know what he gets. 615 00:27:06,000 --> 00:27:07,583 Let's say $600,000, right? 616 00:27:07,667 --> 00:27:10,792 So he gets a big old Santa sack and loads it up with, 617 00:27:10,833 --> 00:27:12,875 I don't know, mina, denari, whatever they've got. 618 00:27:12,958 --> 00:27:15,875 Now, here's Barney coming into church, 619 00:27:15,958 --> 00:27:20,167 walks up to the front, where does he drop the offering? 620 00:27:20,208 --> 00:27:21,792 Where does it say? 621 00:27:21,833 --> 00:27:23,542 Not a trick question. 622 00:27:23,625 --> 00:27:25,542 It's in your Bible, next to your wallet. 623 00:27:25,625 --> 00:27:27,250 What does it say? 624 00:27:27,333 --> 00:27:30,500 "At the apostles' feet." 625 00:27:30,542 --> 00:27:32,250 In front of everybody. 626 00:27:32,333 --> 00:27:36,250 Imagine if I did this right now. 627 00:27:36,333 --> 00:27:38,542 I said, "OK, we're going to collect our tithes 628 00:27:38,625 --> 00:27:39,958 "and offerings. 629 00:27:40,000 --> 00:27:42,292 "Just bring them up and put them right here, 630 00:27:42,333 --> 00:27:46,792 right around at my--actually, at my feet," right? 631 00:27:46,833 --> 00:27:48,792 You'd take a photo, put it on Instagram, 632 00:27:48,833 --> 00:27:51,292 and I would be picketed before I ended the sermon. 633 00:27:51,333 --> 00:27:53,500 OK, that's how it would go. 634 00:27:53,542 --> 00:27:55,667 Say, "Just stack it up and, if need be, 635 00:27:55,750 --> 00:27:58,458 "I'll look over the top, and I'll finish my last point 636 00:27:58,500 --> 00:28:01,333 over the pile of loot." 637 00:28:01,417 --> 00:28:03,667 It's pretty amazing. 638 00:28:03,750 --> 00:28:06,667 We're not going to do that either. 639 00:28:06,708 --> 00:28:09,875 But what does it illustrate? 640 00:28:09,958 --> 00:28:13,583 How much trust did they have in the leadership? 641 00:28:13,667 --> 00:28:16,500 That's a high trust. 642 00:28:16,542 --> 00:28:19,667 How many of you if you sold a rental home, a vacation home, 643 00:28:19,750 --> 00:28:21,375 a piece of commercial real estate, 644 00:28:21,458 --> 00:28:23,875 and you wanted to give it all to the church, 645 00:28:23,958 --> 00:28:25,375 you just showed up and said, 646 00:28:25,458 --> 00:28:26,875 "Hey, I trust you guys, whatever." 647 00:28:26,958 --> 00:28:28,292 You're like, "No, 648 00:28:28,333 --> 00:28:30,500 "no, no, I've got a lot of questions first. 649 00:28:30,542 --> 00:28:32,167 "Let me check. Where's the financial statement? 650 00:28:32,250 --> 00:28:33,583 "Let me meet the CFO. 651 00:28:33,667 --> 00:28:35,792 You know, how are things spent? What's the budget?" 652 00:28:35,833 --> 00:28:38,292 I mean, you're going to have a lot of questions. 653 00:28:38,333 --> 00:28:40,167 They trusted the leadership. 654 00:28:40,250 --> 00:28:42,458 So, let me say this: 655 00:28:42,500 --> 00:28:44,792 We would encourage God's people to be generous 656 00:28:44,833 --> 00:28:47,792 and good stewards. 657 00:28:47,833 --> 00:28:50,583 Give to churches--and here they're not giving to parachurch 658 00:28:50,667 --> 00:28:52,542 or a cause or something. 659 00:28:52,625 --> 00:28:54,500 They're giving to the church. 660 00:28:54,542 --> 00:28:56,167 It's the only institution Jesus made. 661 00:28:56,250 --> 00:28:58,833 It's the only one that'll be around when he comes back. 662 00:28:58,917 --> 00:29:00,750 Everything else has a life cycle. 663 00:29:00,833 --> 00:29:02,833 The church endures forever. 664 00:29:02,917 --> 00:29:04,500 They give to the church. 665 00:29:04,542 --> 00:29:07,875 He gives to the church, and they trust the leadership. 666 00:29:07,958 --> 00:29:09,958 You need to find--if you're at Mars Hill, 667 00:29:10,000 --> 00:29:11,458 we want to be trustworthy. 668 00:29:11,500 --> 00:29:14,667 If you're visiting, we want you to find a church where you could 669 00:29:14,708 --> 00:29:16,667 trust the leadership so you can give generously. 670 00:29:16,708 --> 00:29:19,667 OK, but this is where the church is young and they don't 671 00:29:19,708 --> 00:29:23,042 have even all the things that we have in place. Like, we're part of 672 00:29:23,125 --> 00:29:24,542 the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. 673 00:29:24,625 --> 00:29:25,958 It's an external gold standard. 674 00:29:26,000 --> 00:29:28,292 They look at all of our processes and procedures 675 00:29:28,333 --> 00:29:30,500 and payroll, and they give us, 676 00:29:30,542 --> 00:29:33,000 you know, passing-grade gold star. 677 00:29:33,042 --> 00:29:35,958 We have an external firm that audits our books and does 678 00:29:36,000 --> 00:29:39,375 a full thorough review and gives us a report. 679 00:29:39,458 --> 00:29:42,667 We also have an external board, not employees of the church, 680 00:29:42,708 --> 00:29:46,500 to whom we are accountable to, that do have legal jurisdiction 681 00:29:46,542 --> 00:29:50,667 and they're over us so that we're under authority, right? 682 00:29:50,708 --> 00:29:54,250 We've got a great CFO who's from Deloitte & Touche, 683 00:29:54,333 --> 00:29:55,667 a great accountant. 684 00:29:55,750 --> 00:29:58,375 You can pray for his wife as she's battling cancer. 685 00:29:58,458 --> 00:30:01,083 We have a great accounting department. 686 00:30:01,167 --> 00:30:04,500 Our executive pastor is world class. 687 00:30:04,542 --> 00:30:07,875 I mean, got his MBA and went to Harvard and ran a real estate 688 00:30:07,958 --> 00:30:11,833 empire for the Prince of Qatar as the CEO of 1,500 employees 689 00:30:11,875 --> 00:30:14,625 and $38 billion, OK? 690 00:30:14,667 --> 00:30:17,917 So, all that to say, we really want to be 691 00:30:18,000 --> 00:30:20,708 a trustworthy organization, amen? 692 00:30:20,792 --> 00:30:24,208 And we want you to trust that we're trying by God's grace to 693 00:30:24,292 --> 00:30:26,625 be good stewards so that you can be 694 00:30:26,667 --> 00:30:29,625 generous with a clear conscience, and we see that here. 695 00:30:29,667 --> 00:30:32,875 That they gave generously and they trusted wholeheartedly, 696 00:30:32,958 --> 00:30:36,167 and they knew that even though all of these things were not yet 697 00:30:36,250 --> 00:30:40,083 in place--all of these things were not yet in place-- 698 00:30:40,167 --> 00:30:43,500 they trusted the leadership, even though Judas who had been 699 00:30:43,583 --> 00:30:47,500 the CFO just hung himself after stealing. 700 00:30:47,542 --> 00:30:50,417 Apparently, they cleaned up their accounting department, 701 00:30:50,500 --> 00:30:52,833 and now they have a high degree of trust 702 00:30:52,875 --> 00:30:54,500 with their donor base, amen? 703 00:30:54,542 --> 00:30:58,583 So, all of that is generosity, generosity, generosity. 704 00:30:58,667 --> 00:31:04,833 And now, we have a tragic example of greed. 705 00:31:04,917 --> 00:31:06,833 So, grab your Bible, 706 00:31:06,917 --> 00:31:08,583 Acts chapter 5, verses 1 through 11. 707 00:31:08,667 --> 00:31:10,375 We'll read it together. 708 00:31:10,458 --> 00:31:13,750 "But"--all right, that's pretty indicative of where we're going, 709 00:31:13,833 --> 00:31:15,750 right? 710 00:31:15,833 --> 00:31:19,375 "A man named Ananias and his wife Sapphira," right? 711 00:31:19,458 --> 00:31:21,875 And be careful too, you guys that are new Christians-- 712 00:31:21,958 --> 00:31:24,083 you're like, "Oh, we're going to name our baby. 713 00:31:24,167 --> 00:31:25,875 Go to the concordance. I love 'Sapphira.'" 714 00:31:25,958 --> 00:31:27,875 No, no, no, look it up first, right? 715 00:31:27,958 --> 00:31:29,292 "Yeah, this is Judas. 716 00:31:29,333 --> 00:31:30,875 That's my other kid, Achan." 717 00:31:30,958 --> 00:31:33,458 Like, oh boy, OK, yeah. 718 00:31:33,500 --> 00:31:35,667 "But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, 719 00:31:35,750 --> 00:31:39,167 sold a piece of property"-- sounds eerily familiar, right? 720 00:31:39,250 --> 00:31:41,750 Hey, this is what Barney did-- 721 00:31:41,833 --> 00:31:44,833 "And with his wife's knowledge he kept back for himself some of 722 00:31:44,917 --> 00:31:48,083 "the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it 723 00:31:48,167 --> 00:31:49,667 "at the apostles' feet. 724 00:31:49,750 --> 00:31:52,167 "But Peter said, 'Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart 725 00:31:52,250 --> 00:31:55,083 "'to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself 726 00:31:55,167 --> 00:31:56,958 "'part of the proceeds of that land? 727 00:31:57,000 --> 00:32:00,417 "'While it remains unsold, did it not remain your own? 728 00:32:00,500 --> 00:32:04,542 "'And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? 729 00:32:04,625 --> 00:32:07,542 "'Why is it that you have contrived this deed 730 00:32:07,625 --> 00:32:09,167 "'in your heart? 731 00:32:09,250 --> 00:32:11,500 "You have not lied to man but to God.' 732 00:32:11,542 --> 00:32:13,083 "When Ananias heard these words, 733 00:32:13,167 --> 00:32:15,083 he fell down and he breathed his last." 734 00:32:15,167 --> 00:32:16,667 He died. 735 00:32:16,750 --> 00:32:18,958 Do you think that was an awkward offering, right? 736 00:32:19,000 --> 00:32:21,583 You're sitting next to Ananias, "Hey, how are you doing, yeah?" 737 00:32:21,667 --> 00:32:23,792 Grab the plate, hand it to him, he dies. 738 00:32:23,833 --> 00:32:26,500 "Whoo, bring it back, I got to put a little more 739 00:32:26,542 --> 00:32:27,875 "in there just in case. 740 00:32:27,958 --> 00:32:29,500 This is a scary day." 741 00:32:29,542 --> 00:32:31,500 "When Ananias heard these words, he fell down 742 00:32:31,542 --> 00:32:33,000 "and breathed his last. 743 00:32:33,042 --> 00:32:35,375 "And great fear came upon all who heard it. 744 00:32:35,458 --> 00:32:38,333 "The young men rose up and wrapped him 745 00:32:38,417 --> 00:32:40,083 and carried him out and buried him." 746 00:32:40,167 --> 00:32:42,875 All of a sudden, they had to have a burial ministry. 747 00:32:42,958 --> 00:32:45,375 What a weird day it is to be an usher. 748 00:32:45,458 --> 00:32:47,458 You're like, "OK, I'll hand out the flyers." 749 00:32:47,500 --> 00:32:48,833 He died. Who buries him? 750 00:32:48,917 --> 00:32:52,500 "I don't know, rock, paper, scissors, you," you know? 751 00:32:52,542 --> 00:32:53,875 He didn't tithe a lot. 752 00:32:53,958 --> 00:32:55,667 Did he tithe enough for a shovel? 753 00:32:55,750 --> 00:32:57,875 Like, you know, it's a--I shouldn't have said that. 754 00:32:57,958 --> 00:33:01,542 Verse 7--I shouldn't have said that. 755 00:33:01,625 --> 00:33:03,792 But it'll happen again, so I'd just--yeah, OK. 756 00:33:03,833 --> 00:33:07,167 Verse 7, "After an interval of about 3 hours, his wife came in." 757 00:33:07,208 --> 00:33:08,875 Here she comes, ladies. 758 00:33:08,958 --> 00:33:10,500 "Not knowing what had happened." 759 00:33:10,542 --> 00:33:12,000 So she couldn't text him. 760 00:33:12,042 --> 00:33:15,000 "And Peter said to her, 'Tell me whether you sold the land 761 00:33:15,042 --> 00:33:16,375 "for so much.' 762 00:33:16,458 --> 00:33:18,083 "And she said, 'Yes, for so much.' 763 00:33:18,167 --> 00:33:21,292 "But Peter said to her, 'How is it that you have agreed together 764 00:33:21,333 --> 00:33:23,000 "'to test the Spirit of the Lord? 765 00:33:23,042 --> 00:33:25,500 "'Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband 766 00:33:25,542 --> 00:33:28,000 "are at the door, and they will carry you out.' 767 00:33:28,042 --> 00:33:32,000 Immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last." 768 00:33:32,042 --> 00:33:34,667 Died. 769 00:33:34,750 --> 00:33:38,250 "When the young men came in they found her dead"-- 770 00:33:38,333 --> 00:33:41,375 the interns always get these jobs, by the way. 771 00:33:41,458 --> 00:33:43,042 It's the what men? 772 00:33:43,125 --> 00:33:45,458 Young men. 773 00:33:45,500 --> 00:33:48,583 "They carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 774 00:33:48,667 --> 00:33:51,583 "And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all 775 00:33:51,667 --> 00:33:53,083 who heard those things." 776 00:33:53,167 --> 00:33:56,083 How many of us reading that, we go, "Wow, that's harsh, right? 777 00:33:56,167 --> 00:33:57,500 "This is the New Testament. 778 00:33:57,542 --> 00:33:59,458 "I was thinking they learned their lesson, 779 00:33:59,500 --> 00:34:02,750 "they ran some Dave Ramsey Financial Peace classes, 780 00:34:02,833 --> 00:34:06,667 and the whole city got the gift of budgeting, amen, yay." 781 00:34:06,750 --> 00:34:09,500 They died. 782 00:34:09,542 --> 00:34:11,083 You know why it bothers us? 783 00:34:11,167 --> 00:34:13,583 I read the commentators on this, and they all have 784 00:34:13,667 --> 00:34:15,083 a little hard time with it. 785 00:34:15,167 --> 00:34:19,083 Here's why it bothers us: because we're not dead, OK? 786 00:34:19,167 --> 00:34:21,167 How many of you reading it, you're like, 787 00:34:21,250 --> 00:34:24,583 "Well, if God kills people who don't give enough, 788 00:34:24,667 --> 00:34:29,167 hmm, what am I doing here?" 789 00:34:29,250 --> 00:34:35,167 Like, if God kills bad stewards, we should all be dead. 790 00:34:35,250 --> 00:34:36,875 God gives grace. 791 00:34:36,958 --> 00:34:40,083 Sometimes we presume upon his grace and when he gives 792 00:34:40,167 --> 00:34:42,500 less grace to someone than we've received, 793 00:34:42,542 --> 00:34:46,375 it reminds us how much grace we have, amen? 794 00:34:46,458 --> 00:34:49,333 So, this is an opportunity in God's grace to get a renewing 795 00:34:49,417 --> 00:34:53,583 of the mind and a re-adjusting of our priorities. 796 00:34:53,667 --> 00:34:56,167 But they just died. 797 00:34:56,208 --> 00:34:59,000 Now, let me say two things that are not things 798 00:34:59,042 --> 00:35:02,833 I would assure you of but I'm thinking about. 799 00:35:02,875 --> 00:35:05,583 Number one, I wonder if Ananias and Sapphira were somehow 800 00:35:05,667 --> 00:35:08,000 leaders in the early church, 801 00:35:08,042 --> 00:35:10,792 in part because we hear about Barnabas--like, 802 00:35:10,833 --> 00:35:13,250 everybody in the church is not named except for Barnabas 803 00:35:13,333 --> 00:35:15,083 because he's a leader. 804 00:35:15,167 --> 00:35:17,750 And then, these two people are listed as, you know, 805 00:35:17,833 --> 00:35:20,667 doing the opposite of Barnabas and not giving the whole amount 806 00:35:20,708 --> 00:35:23,333 of the sold property. But I'm wondering if they're not leaders 807 00:35:23,417 --> 00:35:26,833 and if it's not comparing and contrasting the gifts of leaders 808 00:35:26,917 --> 00:35:30,500 and their generosity. And I say that in part because most of 809 00:35:30,542 --> 00:35:33,333 the time that the New Testament mentions someone by name, 810 00:35:33,417 --> 00:35:34,792 they're a leader, 811 00:35:34,833 --> 00:35:38,542 because the leader is held to a higher standard. 812 00:35:38,625 --> 00:35:40,500 Number two, I don't know how it worked, 813 00:35:40,542 --> 00:35:42,458 but I wonder if it wasn't like this. 814 00:35:42,500 --> 00:35:44,875 I wonder if they didn't have a piece of property 815 00:35:44,958 --> 00:35:47,875 they were going to sell, and they thought, Oh, I don't know, 816 00:35:47,958 --> 00:35:51,250 we'll just pick a number-- it'll bring in $800,000, 817 00:35:51,333 --> 00:35:53,333 fair market value, right? 818 00:35:53,417 --> 00:35:57,167 We Zillowed it, and it came up $800,000. 819 00:35:57,250 --> 00:36:00,750 And then it went to market, and I wonder if it wasn't a situation 820 00:36:00,833 --> 00:36:03,500 like it was some years ago where now there's bidding wars 821 00:36:03,542 --> 00:36:05,583 and competitive offers and escalator clauses, 822 00:36:05,667 --> 00:36:08,667 and now it goes for a million bucks. 823 00:36:08,750 --> 00:36:12,167 And Ananias and Sapphira are sitting at home going, 824 00:36:12,250 --> 00:36:14,875 "Well, we thought we'd give $800,000. 825 00:36:14,958 --> 00:36:18,667 "We got $1 million. That seems like a lot. 826 00:36:18,750 --> 00:36:24,500 Here's what we'll do: we'll keep $200,000." 827 00:36:24,542 --> 00:36:27,750 OK, let's just--let's be honest, right, 828 00:36:27,833 --> 00:36:30,458 while you're holding your wallet and your Bible, 829 00:36:30,500 --> 00:36:34,583 how many of us would be tempted to do the same thing? 830 00:36:34,667 --> 00:36:38,375 How many of us have done the same thing? 831 00:36:38,458 --> 00:36:41,083 How many of us have done it with less money 832 00:36:41,167 --> 00:36:43,583 but similar percentages? 833 00:36:43,667 --> 00:36:46,583 Now, some of you are like, "Man, he's really going after money." 834 00:36:46,667 --> 00:36:48,583 OK, if you've been at Mars Hill Church, 835 00:36:48,667 --> 00:36:50,833 I go after everything, right? 836 00:36:50,917 --> 00:36:52,583 Right? 837 00:36:52,667 --> 00:36:55,000 Like, we go after every--adultery? 838 00:36:55,042 --> 00:36:56,500 Going after it, right? 839 00:36:56,542 --> 00:36:59,458 Pride, lust, greed, covetousness, stealing, murder. 840 00:36:59,500 --> 00:37:02,458 I'm not super shy, right? 841 00:37:02,500 --> 00:37:04,000 We're talking about money today. 842 00:37:04,042 --> 00:37:06,833 We're going to go after it. 843 00:37:06,917 --> 00:37:09,875 I think this is why sometimes God ties our giving 844 00:37:09,958 --> 00:37:12,375 to a percentage. 845 00:37:12,458 --> 00:37:15,375 So it's, "OK, I'll give the Lord this much money," 846 00:37:15,458 --> 00:37:17,292 because if he increases your income, 847 00:37:17,333 --> 00:37:21,333 your giving should increase as well. 848 00:37:21,417 --> 00:37:25,667 Fact: the more you make, the less you give 849 00:37:25,708 --> 00:37:30,375 percentage-wise of gross or net income. 850 00:37:30,458 --> 00:37:36,000 Poor people give more as a percentage than rich people. 851 00:37:36,042 --> 00:37:37,667 And so, some people wrongly think, 852 00:37:37,750 --> 00:37:40,375 "Well, when I make more money, I will give more money," 853 00:37:40,458 --> 00:37:42,000 you may not. 854 00:37:42,042 --> 00:37:45,667 In fact, statistically, you probably will not. 855 00:37:45,750 --> 00:37:49,667 And so God likes to tie giving sometimes to percentages so that 856 00:37:49,750 --> 00:37:55,292 as our standard of income increases we first increase our 857 00:37:55,333 --> 00:38:01,250 standard of giving before we increase our standard of living. 858 00:38:01,333 --> 00:38:04,667 That being said, six things I want to examine about greed. 859 00:38:04,708 --> 00:38:08,375 Number one, greed is stealing. 860 00:38:08,458 --> 00:38:11,583 It's not yours; you can't keep it. 861 00:38:11,667 --> 00:38:14,000 It says in chapter 5, verse 2, quote, 862 00:38:14,042 --> 00:38:16,292 "He kept back for himself some of the proceeds 863 00:38:16,333 --> 00:38:18,083 and brought only a part of it." 864 00:38:18,167 --> 00:38:22,083 The word there is literally "to pilfer, to embezzle." 865 00:38:22,167 --> 00:38:24,667 I want you guys to hear this. 866 00:38:24,750 --> 00:38:27,958 If you are--whether you work for the church or a company or 867 00:38:28,000 --> 00:38:31,667 whatever it is, if you falsify the books, you're stealing. 868 00:38:31,750 --> 00:38:34,167 If you're paid to work a certain number of hours 869 00:38:34,250 --> 00:38:37,667 and you're loafing, you're stealing. 870 00:38:37,750 --> 00:38:42,292 If you are falsifying reimbursements to have 871 00:38:42,333 --> 00:38:45,750 the company or the church pay for things that they shouldn't, 872 00:38:45,833 --> 00:38:47,583 that's stealing. 873 00:38:47,667 --> 00:38:51,167 If you are taking things that belong to the organization 874 00:38:51,250 --> 00:38:54,500 home with you, it's stealing. 875 00:38:54,542 --> 00:38:56,667 The biggest problem that companies have today 876 00:38:56,750 --> 00:39:00,750 is not consumer theft-- it's employee theft. 877 00:39:00,833 --> 00:39:03,667 They can put a security guard out front to make sure that 878 00:39:03,750 --> 00:39:06,000 the customers don't steal, but it's the back door 879 00:39:06,042 --> 00:39:08,500 that the employees go out that's really the one 880 00:39:08,542 --> 00:39:10,500 that's troublesome. 881 00:39:10,542 --> 00:39:12,458 So as God's people, we need to say, 882 00:39:12,500 --> 00:39:14,500 "Man, they've made the Ten Commandments. 883 00:39:14,542 --> 00:39:17,167 "If something doesn't belong to me I shouldn't put my hands 884 00:39:17,250 --> 00:39:19,542 "on it, or if it doesn't belong to me, 885 00:39:19,625 --> 00:39:22,750 it's to pass through my hands, not remain in my hands." 886 00:39:22,833 --> 00:39:24,833 And they are guilty of stealing. 887 00:39:24,917 --> 00:39:27,292 And it's not that they weren't generous, but it's 888 00:39:27,333 --> 00:39:31,667 that they didn't give what the Holy Spirit told them to. 889 00:39:31,750 --> 00:39:34,000 They gave but not what he said. 890 00:39:34,042 --> 00:39:36,667 So, I don't want to tell you what to give. 891 00:39:36,708 --> 00:39:39,292 What I would tell you is, ask him what you're supposed 892 00:39:39,333 --> 00:39:42,000 to give, I don't know, and whatever that is, give that. 893 00:39:42,042 --> 00:39:46,083 But the Holy Spirit gave them some direction, 894 00:39:46,167 --> 00:39:48,042 "Sell it, give it." 895 00:39:48,125 --> 00:39:50,667 They sold it, gave part of it. 896 00:39:50,708 --> 00:39:54,833 Number two, greed is demonic. 897 00:39:54,917 --> 00:39:57,458 So, we say, "Well, you know, we view economics different, 898 00:39:57,500 --> 00:39:59,375 "we've got different perspectives, you know? 899 00:39:59,458 --> 00:40:01,583 "There's alternative economic lifestyles. 900 00:40:01,667 --> 00:40:04,125 We each got our way of seeing things." 901 00:40:04,167 --> 00:40:06,625 Here's what he says, Peter does, chapter 5, verse 3, 902 00:40:06,667 --> 00:40:09,292 "Why has Satan filled your heart?" 903 00:40:09,333 --> 00:40:11,667 Who's supposed to fill our heart, Mars Hill? 904 00:40:11,750 --> 00:40:13,583 Holy Spirit. 905 00:40:13,667 --> 00:40:16,333 "Don't be drunk with wine; be filled with the Holy Spirit"-- 906 00:40:16,375 --> 00:40:18,625 Ephesians 5--"be filled with the Holy Spirit." 907 00:40:18,667 --> 00:40:21,333 Their thoughts, their thinking, their motivations, 908 00:40:21,375 --> 00:40:25,000 their desires--they're demonic. 909 00:40:25,042 --> 00:40:27,875 The heart is the seat, sum, center of your identity. 910 00:40:27,958 --> 00:40:30,625 It's mentioned over 900 times in the Bible. 911 00:40:30,667 --> 00:40:33,000 The Bible says in Proverbs that your life 912 00:40:33,083 --> 00:40:34,917 comes out of your heart. 913 00:40:35,000 --> 00:40:41,667 So, your spending is revealing what you're ultimately loving. 914 00:40:44,500 --> 00:40:50,625 It says, "Why have you allowed Satan to fill your heart?" 915 00:40:50,667 --> 00:40:52,375 Sounds familiar. 916 00:40:52,458 --> 00:40:55,500 Who else comes to mind when you hear the words, 917 00:40:55,583 --> 00:40:58,000 "Satan entered their heart?" 918 00:40:58,042 --> 00:41:00,083 Who comes to mind, Mars Hill? 919 00:41:00,167 --> 00:41:02,500 Judas Iscariot. 920 00:41:02,542 --> 00:41:06,792 Jesus' ministry had some revenue. 921 00:41:06,833 --> 00:41:10,792 They had their first CFO; their Chief Financial Officer 922 00:41:10,833 --> 00:41:13,583 was Judas Iscariot. 923 00:41:13,667 --> 00:41:16,333 He had the money bag. 924 00:41:16,417 --> 00:41:20,750 He paid the bills, and he took in the tithes and offerings. 925 00:41:20,833 --> 00:41:23,667 And though he was with Jesus for 3 years, 926 00:41:23,708 --> 00:41:27,167 the Bible says he was stealing the whole time. 927 00:41:27,250 --> 00:41:29,292 Stealing from Jesus. 928 00:41:29,333 --> 00:41:31,792 It's horrible to steal. 929 00:41:31,833 --> 00:41:38,167 It's particularly horrible to steal from the church. 930 00:41:38,250 --> 00:41:42,750 Jesus is having a meal with his disciples. 931 00:41:42,833 --> 00:41:47,292 He looks at Judas and he says, 932 00:41:47,333 --> 00:41:51,958 "Satan has filled your heart." 933 00:41:52,000 --> 00:41:55,167 What does Judas then do? 934 00:41:55,208 --> 00:41:58,167 Betrays Jesus for 30 pieces of silver in fulfillment 935 00:41:58,250 --> 00:42:01,333 of the prophesy in Zachariah. 936 00:42:01,417 --> 00:42:08,167 When Satan fills your heart, you'll trade Jesus for money. 937 00:42:08,208 --> 00:42:11,042 That's exactly what Judas did. 938 00:42:11,125 --> 00:42:13,333 You can have Jesus or money. 939 00:42:13,417 --> 00:42:16,792 Judas said, "I'll take the money." 940 00:42:16,833 --> 00:42:22,000 Ananias and Sapphira knew the love of Jesus, and they 941 00:42:22,042 --> 00:42:27,250 could choose to walk with Jesus or keep their money. 942 00:42:27,333 --> 00:42:29,167 They tried to have both. 943 00:42:29,250 --> 00:42:32,875 See, in the first example, Judas is like some of you who would 944 00:42:32,958 --> 00:42:36,083 say, "I would give my life to Jesus, but I don't want it 945 00:42:36,167 --> 00:42:38,167 to affect my bottom line." 946 00:42:38,250 --> 00:42:40,792 Some of you are like Ananias and Sapphira who say, 947 00:42:40,833 --> 00:42:44,333 "I will be part of the church, and I will allow it to affect 948 00:42:44,417 --> 00:42:47,667 "some of my economics, but Jesus cannot control 949 00:42:47,708 --> 00:42:49,792 "all of my economics. 950 00:42:49,833 --> 00:42:53,167 "I'll try to find a way to negotiate with him. 951 00:42:53,250 --> 00:42:54,833 "OK, I'll give you a percentage, 952 00:42:54,917 --> 00:42:56,667 but not the full percentage you want." 953 00:42:56,708 --> 00:42:58,042 Here's the truth, guys. 954 00:42:58,125 --> 00:43:00,708 We don't negotiate with God; we obey him. 955 00:43:00,792 --> 00:43:03,083 Jesus is our treasure. 956 00:43:03,167 --> 00:43:05,458 He is invaluable. 957 00:43:05,500 --> 00:43:11,833 His grace is in no way comparable to wealth. 958 00:43:11,917 --> 00:43:14,500 It can't be purchased. That's why it's given. 959 00:43:14,542 --> 00:43:16,958 And it lasts forever. 960 00:43:17,000 --> 00:43:20,750 But people like Judas, if it's Jesus or money, 961 00:43:20,833 --> 00:43:23,167 they would forsake Jesus for more money. 962 00:43:23,250 --> 00:43:25,792 People like Ananias and Sapphira, 963 00:43:25,833 --> 00:43:30,000 they will try to get Jesus and money and strike a deal with God 964 00:43:30,042 --> 00:43:32,958 to where they can have both gods. 965 00:43:33,000 --> 00:43:34,958 And that's demonic, OK? 966 00:43:35,000 --> 00:43:37,458 And we live in a day, you need to know, 967 00:43:37,500 --> 00:43:39,292 that a lot of thinking is demonic. 968 00:43:39,333 --> 00:43:42,667 And that is, "Everyone owes me." 969 00:43:42,750 --> 00:43:45,583 That's demonic because, see, 970 00:43:45,667 --> 00:43:49,583 Satan is a taker, and God is a giver. 971 00:43:49,667 --> 00:43:54,167 Number three: Greed is lying. 972 00:43:54,250 --> 00:43:57,833 It says in chapter 5, verse 3, "Peter asked why did you, quote, 973 00:43:57,917 --> 00:44:00,042 'lie to the Holy Spirit?'" 974 00:44:00,125 --> 00:44:02,708 So, the Holy Spirit convicts you, convicts them, convicts me, 975 00:44:02,792 --> 00:44:06,542 convicts us of something that he wants us to do or give, 976 00:44:06,625 --> 00:44:11,458 and then we say, "We did it," and we didn't. We're lying. 977 00:44:11,500 --> 00:44:14,667 Then he says in verse 4, "You didn't just lie to men, 978 00:44:14,708 --> 00:44:17,500 but you lied to God." 979 00:44:17,542 --> 00:44:20,500 This is in my understanding the clearest declaration 980 00:44:20,542 --> 00:44:23,000 in the New Testament that the Holy Spirit is God. 981 00:44:23,042 --> 00:44:25,583 You've lied to the Holy Spirit, you've lied to God 982 00:44:25,667 --> 00:44:27,750 because the Holy Spirit is God. 983 00:44:27,833 --> 00:44:29,458 It's lying. 984 00:44:29,500 --> 00:44:34,292 Now, OK, here we go, if you were in church that day, 985 00:44:34,333 --> 00:44:38,792 and Ananias brings up the loot and drops it at the feet 986 00:44:38,833 --> 00:44:42,000 of the apostles, would it look like he was generous? 987 00:44:42,042 --> 00:44:43,750 Yes or no? 988 00:44:43,833 --> 00:44:46,333 That looks very generous. 989 00:44:46,417 --> 00:44:48,250 And he was lying. 990 00:44:48,333 --> 00:44:50,292 You can look generous and still be lying. 991 00:44:50,333 --> 00:44:52,458 And that's when you're giving for people's praises 992 00:44:52,500 --> 00:44:54,292 and not God's glory. 993 00:44:54,333 --> 00:44:56,167 You could be giving with your hands 994 00:44:56,250 --> 00:44:59,167 but not giving with your heart. 995 00:44:59,250 --> 00:45:03,000 And that was the story of Ananias and Sapphira. 996 00:45:03,042 --> 00:45:06,083 OK, before we just judge them and say, 997 00:45:06,167 --> 00:45:08,000 "Oh, I can't believe they did that," 998 00:45:08,042 --> 00:45:10,458 let's look at how we do that. 999 00:45:10,500 --> 00:45:13,083 If you were to go on social media today, 1000 00:45:13,167 --> 00:45:16,292 you would assume and presume that this is the most generous 1001 00:45:16,333 --> 00:45:20,167 generation of young people in the history of the country. 1002 00:45:20,250 --> 00:45:22,458 Because everybody's got a cause, right? 1003 00:45:22,500 --> 00:45:25,292 Everybody, I mean, everybody's got a cause. 1004 00:45:25,333 --> 00:45:27,292 Wave the--"I'm for this organization," 1005 00:45:27,333 --> 00:45:29,750 "I'm for this cause," "I'm for this movement," 1006 00:45:29,833 --> 00:45:32,583 "I'm—" Yes, and you need to give, and click here 1007 00:45:32,667 --> 00:45:36,542 and give to that. And everybody's waving a flag. 1008 00:45:36,625 --> 00:45:40,958 Statistically, they're giving very little, 1009 00:45:41,000 --> 00:45:45,083 and they're not giving for very long. 1010 00:45:45,167 --> 00:45:47,667 It's a bandwagon culture. 1011 00:45:47,750 --> 00:45:50,042 "Jump on and be one of us good people." 1012 00:45:50,125 --> 00:45:51,958 "Yeah, I'm one of the good people. 1013 00:45:52,000 --> 00:45:54,000 "I gave 5 bucks. I waved the flag. 1014 00:45:54,042 --> 00:45:55,792 "I put it on social media. 1015 00:45:55,833 --> 00:46:01,917 I can check the box of generosity and move on." 1016 00:46:02,000 --> 00:46:05,250 Why do we do that? 1017 00:46:05,333 --> 00:46:08,083 Because everybody's watching. 1018 00:46:08,167 --> 00:46:13,292 And it makes us look socially, civically minded and generous 1019 00:46:13,333 --> 00:46:19,458 and caring and compassionate. And that's Ananias and Sapphira. 1020 00:46:20,833 --> 00:46:23,000 And that's lying. 1021 00:46:23,042 --> 00:46:27,583 It's appearing to be giving when you're not. 1022 00:46:27,667 --> 00:46:30,458 Greed is also heart-revealing. 1023 00:46:30,500 --> 00:46:33,333 He says in Acts chapter 5, verse 4, 1024 00:46:33,417 --> 00:46:35,792 "Why is it that you have contrived this deed 1025 00:46:35,833 --> 00:46:37,458 in your heart?" 1026 00:46:37,500 --> 00:46:41,500 Before it's ever a problem in your finances, 1027 00:46:41,542 --> 00:46:45,542 it's a problem in your soul, OK? 1028 00:46:45,625 --> 00:46:48,542 And even as I teach this, I know the resistance. 1029 00:46:48,625 --> 00:46:53,083 Here I am, running into a stiff wind, right? 1030 00:46:53,167 --> 00:46:55,833 And you're not like, "Yes, tell me to be less greedy 1031 00:46:55,917 --> 00:46:59,167 and less me-centered and more generous in God's--" 1032 00:46:59,208 --> 00:47:01,208 "Yes, I was hoping that the megachurch pastor 1033 00:47:01,292 --> 00:47:02,833 "would talk about money today. 1034 00:47:02,917 --> 00:47:05,542 Thank you, Pastor Mark. God does answer prayer." 1035 00:47:05,625 --> 00:47:07,667 I know it's not that way. 1036 00:47:07,750 --> 00:47:09,250 But it's the heart. 1037 00:47:09,333 --> 00:47:12,167 Those of you who are generous and you're good stewards 1038 00:47:12,250 --> 00:47:13,833 and you're obeying the Holy Spirit, 1039 00:47:13,917 --> 00:47:15,792 what I'm saying doesn't bother you at all. 1040 00:47:15,833 --> 00:47:18,375 It actually makes you joyful. 1041 00:47:18,458 --> 00:47:22,375 If it bothers you, it's because there's a problem. 1042 00:47:22,458 --> 00:47:25,583 And it reveals our heart. 1043 00:47:25,667 --> 00:47:27,875 And here's the issue with money: 1044 00:47:27,958 --> 00:47:29,583 we have idols in our heart. 1045 00:47:29,667 --> 00:47:32,292 I think it was John Calvin said that the human heart 1046 00:47:32,333 --> 00:47:33,667 is an idol factory. 1047 00:47:33,750 --> 00:47:35,875 We try and find people and things to worship 1048 00:47:35,958 --> 00:47:37,292 rather than God. 1049 00:47:37,333 --> 00:47:39,292 And the money isn't what we worship. 1050 00:47:39,333 --> 00:47:42,042 The money is the means by which we worship our idol. 1051 00:47:42,125 --> 00:47:45,458 I'll give you some examples. So, let's say your God is comfort. 1052 00:47:45,500 --> 00:47:48,458 Will more money allow you to achieve your god of comfort? 1053 00:47:48,500 --> 00:47:49,833 Yes or no? 1054 00:47:49,917 --> 00:47:51,250 Totally. 1055 00:47:51,333 --> 00:47:53,667 Let's say your god, your idolatry, is status. 1056 00:47:53,708 --> 00:47:56,000 You want everyone to think you're very successful. 1057 00:47:56,042 --> 00:47:58,667 Will more money allow you to pursue that? 1058 00:47:58,750 --> 00:48:01,458 "Yes, I could buy these clothes, I could drive this car, 1059 00:48:01,500 --> 00:48:02,875 "I could use this technology, 1060 00:48:02,958 --> 00:48:04,667 "I could present myself in this way. 1061 00:48:04,750 --> 00:48:07,000 It shows how successful I am." 1062 00:48:07,042 --> 00:48:09,750 Let's say that your idol is beauty. 1063 00:48:09,833 --> 00:48:11,875 If you have more money, can you make yourself 1064 00:48:11,958 --> 00:48:13,583 appear more attractive? 1065 00:48:13,667 --> 00:48:15,167 Yes. 1066 00:48:15,250 --> 00:48:18,375 Let's say that your idol is your spouse's beauty. 1067 00:48:18,458 --> 00:48:22,167 We call them the trophy, OK? 1068 00:48:22,250 --> 00:48:26,792 If you generate more money, can you get a better trophy 1069 00:48:26,833 --> 00:48:30,583 or get your old trophy all dolled up? 1070 00:48:30,667 --> 00:48:32,167 Yes. 1071 00:48:32,250 --> 00:48:35,458 Yes. 1072 00:48:37,542 --> 00:48:42,583 We use money to feed our idols, 1073 00:48:42,667 --> 00:48:46,000 and that is a revelation of our heart. 1074 00:48:46,042 --> 00:48:49,083 Now, some of you will immediately be confused and you'll say this, 1075 00:48:49,167 --> 00:48:52,292 you'll say, "But I read a story in the news where somebody died. 1076 00:48:52,333 --> 00:48:54,083 "They lived in a dumpy old house. 1077 00:48:54,167 --> 00:48:55,583 "They drove a broken-down old car. 1078 00:48:55,667 --> 00:48:57,000 "They wore a threadbare sweater. 1079 00:48:57,042 --> 00:48:59,167 "They never turned on the heater, and they died 1080 00:48:59,250 --> 00:49:00,667 "and left $10 million. 1081 00:49:00,708 --> 00:49:02,042 What about them?" 1082 00:49:02,125 --> 00:49:04,583 Have you ever seen that story? Happens all the time. 1083 00:49:04,667 --> 00:49:07,083 You know what their idol was? Security. 1084 00:49:07,167 --> 00:49:09,792 So, they wouldn't spend a dime in case anything bad happens. 1085 00:49:09,833 --> 00:49:11,167 "That's OK. 1086 00:49:11,250 --> 00:49:13,667 I can get my money, and I'll be all right." 1087 00:49:13,750 --> 00:49:16,875 And it was feeding their idol of security. 1088 00:49:16,958 --> 00:49:19,292 It does reveal their heart. 1089 00:49:19,333 --> 00:49:21,167 Number five: Greed is contagious. 1090 00:49:21,250 --> 00:49:24,667 Acts 5:9, "You have agreed together to test 1091 00:49:24,750 --> 00:49:26,583 the Spirit of the Lord." 1092 00:49:26,667 --> 00:49:28,875 Ananias comes in, lies, dies. 1093 00:49:28,958 --> 00:49:31,167 Sapphira comes in, lies, dies. 1094 00:49:31,208 --> 00:49:33,667 They're co-conspirators; they're collaborators. 1095 00:49:33,750 --> 00:49:37,667 When people are thieving, they tend to do so in collusion, 1096 00:49:37,750 --> 00:49:39,083 right? 1097 00:49:39,167 --> 00:49:41,292 You're at work, trying to rip off your boss, 1098 00:49:41,333 --> 00:49:42,667 somebody's got to work with-- 1099 00:49:42,750 --> 00:49:44,667 "Say I was there," "Say you saw me," 1100 00:49:44,750 --> 00:49:46,667 "Say I didn't do it," "Cover for me," 1101 00:49:46,750 --> 00:49:49,375 "Punch me in," "Punch me out," whatever the case may be. 1102 00:49:49,458 --> 00:49:50,792 "Cover me." 1103 00:49:50,833 --> 00:49:54,000 Some of you ladies are going to read this and you'll say, "Well, 1104 00:49:54,042 --> 00:49:56,667 I thought the wife was supposed to submit to her husband?" 1105 00:49:56,750 --> 00:49:59,333 Ultimately, she's supposed to submit to the Lord, and if he's 1106 00:49:59,417 --> 00:50:01,542 stealing from the Lord, she should not follow him 1107 00:50:01,625 --> 00:50:02,917 to the grave. 1108 00:50:03,000 --> 00:50:05,125 "A prudent wife"--this is from the Lord, Genesis 2:18, 1109 00:50:05,167 --> 00:50:07,333 that the wife is supposed to be the helper. 1110 00:50:07,375 --> 00:50:10,083 Sapphira should have walked in and said, "My husband's a crook. 1111 00:50:10,167 --> 00:50:12,333 I can't find him, but he's been stealing," 1112 00:50:12,375 --> 00:50:15,417 and she would have been fine. 1113 00:50:15,500 --> 00:50:21,167 But as it was, he lied and died, and she lied and died. 1114 00:50:21,250 --> 00:50:23,417 She shouldn't have been following her husband 1115 00:50:23,500 --> 00:50:27,625 because he wasn't following Jesus. 1116 00:50:27,667 --> 00:50:29,500 And it's contagious. 1117 00:50:29,542 --> 00:50:32,500 So, let's say you grow up in a home where, let's say, 1118 00:50:32,542 --> 00:50:35,000 your dad is a hustler and a stealer. 1119 00:50:35,083 --> 00:50:37,375 Kids are going to pick that up. 1120 00:50:37,458 --> 00:50:40,875 Let's say you grow up in a home where mom and dad are generous. 1121 00:50:40,958 --> 00:50:42,625 Kids are going to pick that up. 1122 00:50:42,667 --> 00:50:44,833 Mom and dad are looking for opportunities to bless, 1123 00:50:44,875 --> 00:50:46,208 love, serve, give. 1124 00:50:46,292 --> 00:50:48,292 So are the kids. 1125 00:50:48,333 --> 00:50:50,792 If the kids are like their parents and their parents 1126 00:50:50,833 --> 00:50:53,208 are looking for ways to thieve, steal, use, manipulate, 1127 00:50:53,292 --> 00:50:55,500 they're going to grow up to be like that 1128 00:50:55,542 --> 00:50:59,000 because these issues are contagious. 1129 00:50:59,042 --> 00:51:03,167 Lastly, greed is damnable. 1130 00:51:03,208 --> 00:51:05,083 They both what? 1131 00:51:05,167 --> 00:51:08,000 Die. 1132 00:51:08,042 --> 00:51:10,875 There's no happy ending. 1133 00:51:10,958 --> 00:51:15,500 The whole church is just--nobody's blinking, 1134 00:51:15,542 --> 00:51:18,583 they're all looking at each other, like, "Wow!" 1135 00:51:18,667 --> 00:51:21,750 God cares a lot about stewardship. 1136 00:51:21,833 --> 00:51:24,500 It's damnable. 1137 00:51:24,542 --> 00:51:27,167 It's damnable. 1138 00:51:29,542 --> 00:51:31,167 What we're seeing here is the difference 1139 00:51:31,250 --> 00:51:32,875 between ownership and stewardship. 1140 00:51:32,958 --> 00:51:35,083 If I could close with that big idea. 1141 00:51:35,167 --> 00:51:41,375 Ownership leads to greed; stewardship leads to generosity. 1142 00:51:41,458 --> 00:51:46,500 Ownership leads to greed; stewardship leads to generosity. 1143 00:51:46,542 --> 00:51:52,000 Ownership and stewardship are major themes in the Bible. 1144 00:51:52,042 --> 00:51:53,792 The Bible actually has, I believe, 1145 00:51:53,833 --> 00:51:57,583 having studied it now for over 20 years, 3 major themes: 1146 00:51:57,667 --> 00:52:00,833 sin, suffering, stewardship. 1147 00:52:00,917 --> 00:52:03,583 I think those are the three main themes of the Bible. 1148 00:52:03,667 --> 00:52:06,958 And each of us is going to read the Bible, and certain themes 1149 00:52:07,000 --> 00:52:08,750 are going to jump out to us. 1150 00:52:08,833 --> 00:52:10,583 So, those are the people, the verses, 1151 00:52:10,667 --> 00:52:13,500 the stories that are going to sort of leap off the page, 1152 00:52:13,542 --> 00:52:15,667 and we're going to catch those most easily, OK? 1153 00:52:15,750 --> 00:52:18,667 So, how many of you are more, when you read the Bible, 1154 00:52:18,750 --> 00:52:20,083 you see all the sin? 1155 00:52:20,167 --> 00:52:22,583 "Do this, do not do that, here are the consequences. 1156 00:52:22,667 --> 00:52:25,042 You need to repent, or you're going to hell." 1157 00:52:25,125 --> 00:52:27,542 How many of you, you read the Bible, you're like, 1158 00:52:27,625 --> 00:52:29,042 "That jumps out. I get that. 1159 00:52:29,125 --> 00:52:30,458 That's what I see," OK? 1160 00:52:30,500 --> 00:52:32,167 Raise your hand. How many of you? 1161 00:52:32,250 --> 00:52:33,583 Do a little survey here. 1162 00:52:33,667 --> 00:52:35,083 Suffering. You go to the Bible. 1163 00:52:35,167 --> 00:52:37,667 People are hurting, people are sinned against, people are sick, 1164 00:52:37,708 --> 00:52:40,083 people are demonized, people are oppressed. 1165 00:52:40,167 --> 00:52:42,167 There's unjust laws, there's greed, 1166 00:52:42,250 --> 00:52:43,667 there's lack of generosity. 1167 00:52:43,750 --> 00:52:46,542 God cares for the widow, the orphan, the oppressed, 1168 00:52:46,625 --> 00:52:48,458 the hurting, the afflicted. 1169 00:52:48,500 --> 00:52:50,167 He weeps with those who weep. 1170 00:52:50,250 --> 00:52:51,958 He comforts those who are mourning. 1171 00:52:52,000 --> 00:52:53,333 How many of you, 1172 00:52:53,417 --> 00:52:56,333 you say, "Yeah, when I read the Bible, and I see Jesus, 1173 00:52:56,417 --> 00:52:57,833 "that really jumps out to me. 1174 00:52:57,917 --> 00:52:59,583 That's what jumps out to me," OK? 1175 00:52:59,667 --> 00:53:01,167 Be honest. 1176 00:53:01,208 --> 00:53:02,875 Stewardship. 1177 00:53:02,958 --> 00:53:05,083 God owns everything. 1178 00:53:05,167 --> 00:53:07,292 He wants a good return on investment. 1179 00:53:07,333 --> 00:53:12,583 Invest wisely, give generously, steward faithfully. 1180 00:53:12,667 --> 00:53:17,500 You gravitate toward Proverbs, which has a lot of this stuff. 1181 00:53:17,542 --> 00:53:20,375 You look at everybody in the Bible who's a leader 1182 00:53:20,458 --> 00:53:23,375 and a financier and a political leader and an investor. 1183 00:53:23,458 --> 00:53:26,375 And you go to Joseph and saving up for the rainy day. 1184 00:53:26,458 --> 00:53:28,500 And you go to guys like Nehemiah, 1185 00:53:28,542 --> 00:53:31,583 who raised a ton of money for massive ministry efforts. 1186 00:53:31,667 --> 00:53:34,500 And you gravitate toward Jesus' parables, 1187 00:53:34,542 --> 00:53:37,500 because 25% of Jesus' teaching 1188 00:53:37,542 --> 00:53:40,250 was on finances and stewardship, 1189 00:53:40,333 --> 00:53:42,875 and that includes a lot of his parables where he's talking 1190 00:53:42,958 --> 00:53:45,375 about business and return on investment. 1191 00:53:45,458 --> 00:53:47,250 How many of you are more stewardship? 1192 00:53:47,333 --> 00:53:49,750 When you open the Bible, you're like, "I get that. 1193 00:53:49,833 --> 00:53:52,750 "I'm trying to figure how to be a good leader, good financer, 1194 00:53:52,833 --> 00:53:54,167 good businessperson." 1195 00:53:54,208 --> 00:53:57,667 All three themes are in the Bible. 1196 00:53:57,708 --> 00:54:00,333 And it's not like one is good and one is bad. 1197 00:54:00,417 --> 00:54:02,208 I want you to see this. 1198 00:54:02,292 --> 00:54:04,042 OK, what do you think I am? 1199 00:54:04,125 --> 00:54:05,792 We'll just do this since we're here. 1200 00:54:05,833 --> 00:54:08,833 What do you think I am? Sins, suffering, stewardship? 1201 00:54:08,917 --> 00:54:11,500 Sin is the big one for me, OK? 1202 00:54:11,542 --> 00:54:16,750 And I tend to cause suffering by talking about sin, right? 1203 00:54:16,833 --> 00:54:19,375 No, I care about sin, and I want people to repent. 1204 00:54:19,458 --> 00:54:21,958 I care about suffering people, and I care about stewardship. 1205 00:54:22,000 --> 00:54:26,583 But my strength historically, I'm more like prophet-- 1206 00:54:26,667 --> 00:54:28,083 "Repent, repent, repent." 1207 00:54:28,167 --> 00:54:30,667 Would you agree with that, OK? 1208 00:54:30,750 --> 00:54:34,000 And here's what I've learned: 1209 00:54:34,042 --> 00:54:38,500 Those who understand stewardship help us love and care 1210 00:54:38,542 --> 00:54:41,667 for more people. 1211 00:54:41,708 --> 00:54:44,458 'Cause we're not wasting leaders and dollars and facilities 1212 00:54:44,500 --> 00:54:46,667 and technologies. 1213 00:54:46,708 --> 00:54:48,458 Those who understand stewardship, 1214 00:54:48,500 --> 00:54:52,583 they help us love and serve more hurting people, and they help us 1215 00:54:52,667 --> 00:54:57,167 get the word of God out further, farther, faster. 1216 00:54:57,208 --> 00:55:01,708 So, praise God for those who are skilled in stewardship. 1217 00:55:01,792 --> 00:55:04,250 It means we're not going to waste our energies 1218 00:55:04,333 --> 00:55:07,000 or our efforts or our dollars or our resources. 1219 00:55:07,042 --> 00:55:09,375 We want to get the best return on investment, 1220 00:55:09,458 --> 00:55:12,500 we want to love and help as many hurting people as possible, 1221 00:55:12,542 --> 00:55:16,083 and we want the message of Jesus to go out to as many people 1222 00:55:16,167 --> 00:55:17,583 as possible. 1223 00:55:17,667 --> 00:55:19,667 Do you see how this all works together? 1224 00:55:19,750 --> 00:55:22,833 That's why this issue in Acts 5 is so damnable. 1225 00:55:22,917 --> 00:55:26,792 That could have helped more people and reached more people 1226 00:55:26,833 --> 00:55:31,000 and, as it is, you're just lying and stealing. 1227 00:55:31,042 --> 00:55:34,625 It's about the mission, not just the money. 1228 00:55:35,833 --> 00:55:39,167 It's about the mission, not just the money. 1229 00:55:39,250 --> 00:55:41,792 That's the story of Acts chapter 5. 1230 00:55:41,833 --> 00:55:44,583 And here is ownership versus stewardship: 1231 00:55:44,667 --> 00:55:49,500 Ownership is, "It's mine. It's mine. 1232 00:55:49,542 --> 00:55:54,250 "I've earned it. I deserve it. 1233 00:55:54,333 --> 00:55:59,750 "I'm entitled to it, and I will consume it, and I will use it, 1234 00:55:59,833 --> 00:56:03,250 "and I will enjoy it, and I will spend it. 1235 00:56:03,333 --> 00:56:05,292 It's mine." 1236 00:56:05,333 --> 00:56:09,333 Stewardship is, "It's not mine." 1237 00:56:09,417 --> 00:56:11,875 You notice these are different? 1238 00:56:11,958 --> 00:56:15,250 "It's all his. 1239 00:56:15,333 --> 00:56:18,375 "I'm his. 1240 00:56:18,458 --> 00:56:21,583 "God doesn't give to me. 1241 00:56:21,667 --> 00:56:25,667 "God gives through me. 1242 00:56:25,750 --> 00:56:29,583 I'm not an owner. I'm a steward." 1243 00:56:29,667 --> 00:56:31,750 In the same way, if somebody dies, 1244 00:56:31,833 --> 00:56:34,167 they leave a will and then they give instructions 1245 00:56:34,208 --> 00:56:36,083 for the inheritance, 1246 00:56:36,167 --> 00:56:41,083 the executor of the will does not own the estate. 1247 00:56:41,167 --> 00:56:44,667 They are to oversee the disbursement of the estate 1248 00:56:44,750 --> 00:56:47,000 to those who receive the inheritance. 1249 00:56:47,042 --> 00:56:50,167 You and I, in the economy of God, we are not the recipients, 1250 00:56:50,250 --> 00:56:52,042 we are the distributors. 1251 00:56:52,125 --> 00:56:54,167 We're like the executors of the will. 1252 00:56:54,250 --> 00:56:56,375 And in the will, God is gracious and says, 1253 00:56:56,458 --> 00:56:58,000 "OK, you're the executor. 1254 00:56:58,042 --> 00:57:00,042 "I'm going to give these things to you. 1255 00:57:00,125 --> 00:57:02,542 The rest, I need you to pass on to them." 1256 00:57:02,625 --> 00:57:04,042 We're in that position. 1257 00:57:04,125 --> 00:57:06,042 That's what a steward is and does. 1258 00:57:06,125 --> 00:57:08,042 I'll tell you the difference between ownership thing 1259 00:57:08,125 --> 00:57:09,458 and the stewardship thing. 1260 00:57:09,500 --> 00:57:12,167 I was having a conversation not long ago with a guy, 1261 00:57:12,208 --> 00:57:13,667 new Christian, great Christian, you know. 1262 00:57:13,708 --> 00:57:15,833 Every time they find out you're a pastor, like, 1263 00:57:15,917 --> 00:57:17,250 "I've got a question." 1264 00:57:17,333 --> 00:57:18,958 You're like, OK, OK, here we go. 1265 00:57:19,000 --> 00:57:20,333 His question was, "Tithing. 1266 00:57:20,417 --> 00:57:21,833 What about tithing? What about tithing?" 1267 00:57:21,917 --> 00:57:24,333 I said, "Well, it's 10%. It's in the Old Testament." 1268 00:57:24,417 --> 00:57:27,500 And his basic question was, "Why does God get 10% of my money?" 1269 00:57:27,542 --> 00:57:30,000 I said, "Well, OK, let's look at it another way. 1270 00:57:30,042 --> 00:57:33,333 Why do you get 90% of his money?" 1271 00:57:34,667 --> 00:57:36,083 OK? 1272 00:57:36,167 --> 00:57:38,083 How many of you, you've realized, "Oh, yeah, 1273 00:57:38,167 --> 00:57:40,250 that's a different way to look at it." 1274 00:57:40,333 --> 00:57:42,667 If God came to you and said, "I own everything, 1275 00:57:42,750 --> 00:57:45,167 but I'm going to share some of it with you. 1276 00:57:45,250 --> 00:57:46,667 We're going to do a split." 1277 00:57:46,750 --> 00:57:48,875 You'd be, like, "Ah, what percentage do I get?" 1278 00:57:48,958 --> 00:57:51,500 And he said, "Ninety," you'd be, like, "Good deal. 1279 00:57:51,542 --> 00:57:54,500 Way better than the government. Good deal." 1280 00:57:54,542 --> 00:57:57,167 How many of you would love it if the government said, 1281 00:57:57,250 --> 00:57:58,583 "Ten percent flat tax. 1282 00:57:58,667 --> 00:58:01,458 "That covers your property taxes, covers your, you know, 1283 00:58:01,500 --> 00:58:03,792 "purchasing taxes, your sales taxes, 1284 00:58:03,833 --> 00:58:07,667 "it covers your death inheritance taxes, your FICA, 1285 00:58:07,750 --> 00:58:10,167 your Social Security"? You'd be, like, "10%!" 1286 00:58:10,250 --> 00:58:13,500 I can't do a back flip, but I would try, amen? 1287 00:58:13,542 --> 00:58:16,167 I would try really hard. 1288 00:58:16,250 --> 00:58:19,875 You understand then how generous God is. 1289 00:58:19,958 --> 00:58:22,625 That's stewardship mentality. 1290 00:58:23,750 --> 00:58:25,875 That's stewardship mentality. 1291 00:58:25,958 --> 00:58:29,167 So, let me close with this. 1292 00:58:29,250 --> 00:58:31,167 Here's what a preacher means when he says, 1293 00:58:31,208 --> 00:58:33,750 "And let me close with this": 1294 00:58:33,833 --> 00:58:38,875 Nothing. It just means you might not pay attention, OK? 1295 00:58:38,958 --> 00:58:40,542 So, is God like this-- 1296 00:58:40,625 --> 00:58:41,958 closed-handed? 1297 00:58:42,000 --> 00:58:43,792 "It's mine. It's all mine. 1298 00:58:43,833 --> 00:58:45,667 Give it to me. It's mine." 1299 00:58:45,750 --> 00:58:47,500 Is God like that? 1300 00:58:47,542 --> 00:58:49,792 Or is the God of the Bible like this: 1301 00:58:49,833 --> 00:58:52,292 "It's mine, and I like to share it with you. 1302 00:58:52,333 --> 00:58:54,875 "I'm like a dad who's really generous with his kids 1303 00:58:54,958 --> 00:58:56,792 "and loves to bless them. 1304 00:58:56,833 --> 00:58:59,750 "I'm a God who keeps his hands open 'cause I'm all about 1305 00:58:59,833 --> 00:59:02,542 sharing and loving and giving"? 1306 00:59:02,625 --> 00:59:04,958 See, this is where Christianity 1307 00:59:05,000 --> 00:59:06,667 is different than other religions. 1308 00:59:06,750 --> 00:59:10,292 Before God asks you to give anything, 1309 00:59:10,333 --> 00:59:14,375 God gives you everything. 1310 00:59:14,458 --> 00:59:16,375 That's amazing. 1311 00:59:16,458 --> 00:59:19,667 Our God is a giver, not a taker. 1312 00:59:19,750 --> 00:59:23,875 God does take. If you're new, and you're not a Christian, 1313 00:59:23,958 --> 00:59:26,958 OK, ready for the mind-blow. Ready? 1314 00:59:27,000 --> 00:59:30,000 So, you're here today, you say, "OK, I'm not a Christian. 1315 00:59:30,042 --> 00:59:32,458 "I want to come to Jesus and become a Christian. 1316 00:59:32,500 --> 00:59:34,083 What do I give him?" 1317 00:59:34,167 --> 00:59:35,792 What do you give him, Mars Hill? 1318 00:59:35,833 --> 00:59:37,250 What do they give him? 1319 00:59:37,333 --> 00:59:39,458 Sin. 1320 00:59:39,500 --> 00:59:42,083 Like, if I was going to ask for something, 1321 00:59:42,167 --> 00:59:44,083 I would not ask for that. 1322 00:59:44,167 --> 00:59:46,292 Like, if I was God with a Christmas list, 1323 00:59:46,333 --> 00:59:47,667 what do you want? 1324 00:59:47,750 --> 00:59:49,083 "Sin. 1325 00:59:49,167 --> 00:59:54,583 Everybody's sin. I want all the sin." 1326 00:59:54,667 --> 00:59:57,042 Right? 1327 00:59:57,125 --> 00:59:59,583 It's how we know we didn't make the Bible up. 1328 00:59:59,667 --> 01:00:01,542 Like, nobody made this up. 1329 01:00:01,625 --> 01:00:05,417 This is a God who's beyond our comprehension of kindness. 1330 01:00:05,500 --> 01:00:07,167 Here's what God says: 1331 01:00:07,250 --> 01:00:10,917 "Give me your sin. 1332 01:00:11,000 --> 01:00:13,208 "And I'll give you my 1333 01:00:13,292 --> 01:00:17,500 "salvation, forgiveness, righteousness, eternal life, 1334 01:00:17,583 --> 01:00:21,333 "love, adoption into my family, new nature, 1335 01:00:21,375 --> 01:00:23,875 and the Holy Spirit." 1336 01:00:23,958 --> 01:00:26,333 That's what I get? 1337 01:00:26,375 --> 01:00:27,708 It's not a fair deal. 1338 01:00:27,792 --> 01:00:30,875 No, that's a grace deal. 1339 01:00:30,958 --> 01:00:33,708 And Jesus goes to the cross and dies for your sin 1340 01:00:33,792 --> 01:00:36,708 and pays your debt to God. 1341 01:00:36,792 --> 01:00:39,375 And then, he invites you to be on mission with him-- 1342 01:00:39,458 --> 01:00:42,375 "Hey, there's a whole world of people out there that are still 1343 01:00:42,458 --> 01:00:44,583 "in their sin and they don't know their Savior. 1344 01:00:44,667 --> 01:00:46,000 Let's go get them." 1345 01:00:46,042 --> 01:00:48,083 You say, "Yeah, that'd be amazing. 1346 01:00:48,167 --> 01:00:50,625 "I'd love people to meet you, Jesus. 1347 01:00:50,667 --> 01:00:52,500 "After what you've done for me, 1348 01:00:52,542 --> 01:00:54,667 I want everyone to experience that." 1349 01:00:54,750 --> 01:00:56,083 Jesus says, "All right. 1350 01:00:56,167 --> 01:00:59,500 "If you're going to go with me, let me put some stuff 1351 01:00:59,542 --> 01:01:01,792 "in your hands. But don't hold it like this; 1352 01:01:01,833 --> 01:01:03,875 "hold it like this. 1353 01:01:03,958 --> 01:01:07,292 Don't just keep it; share it." 1354 01:01:07,333 --> 01:01:12,375 The Bible says that God loves a cheerful giver. 1355 01:01:12,458 --> 01:01:16,167 Do you know who is the most joyful person? 1356 01:01:16,208 --> 01:01:17,792 God. 1357 01:01:17,833 --> 01:01:20,583 Because no one's given more than God, 1358 01:01:20,667 --> 01:01:22,958 and no one's more joyful than God. 1359 01:01:23,000 --> 01:01:25,875 And when God's people get God's heart, 1360 01:01:25,958 --> 01:01:30,042 they become generous, 1361 01:01:30,125 --> 01:01:35,167 and they become joyful, and they experience the joy of giving, 1362 01:01:35,208 --> 01:01:38,500 and they get to see others experience grace through them, 1363 01:01:38,542 --> 01:01:41,500 and they're so glad that Jesus would share with them 1364 01:01:41,542 --> 01:01:45,792 this message and mission of generosity and salvation. 1365 01:01:45,833 --> 01:01:49,167 Mars Hill, it's the best life, and I want you to have joy. 1366 01:01:49,208 --> 01:01:51,875 And to have joy you need to have Jesus. 1367 01:01:51,958 --> 01:01:54,875 And if you have Jesus, you must be generous. 1368 01:01:54,958 --> 01:01:57,792 So, at this point, we're going to transition. 1369 01:01:57,833 --> 01:01:59,500 We always take Communion. 1370 01:01:59,542 --> 01:02:01,208 And Communion is where we remember 1371 01:02:01,292 --> 01:02:04,500 that God so loved the world he gave! 1372 01:02:04,542 --> 01:02:06,000 And who did he give us? 1373 01:02:06,042 --> 01:02:07,792 Gave us Jesus. 1374 01:02:07,833 --> 01:02:11,000 So, as we come to Communion, we remember we give God our sin, 1375 01:02:11,042 --> 01:02:13,167 and he gives us our Savior. 1376 01:02:13,250 --> 01:02:14,792 And when we take the bread, 1377 01:02:14,833 --> 01:02:16,875 it reminds us that Jesus gave his body. 1378 01:02:16,958 --> 01:02:19,542 When we take the drink, we remember that Jesus gave us 1379 01:02:19,625 --> 01:02:21,792 his blood for our sin. 1380 01:02:21,833 --> 01:02:23,667 That's a gift, amen? 1381 01:02:23,708 --> 01:02:25,583 And we remember that salvation is a gift. 1382 01:02:25,667 --> 01:02:28,250 We're also going to give of our tithes and offerings, 1383 01:02:28,333 --> 01:02:31,583 and as we are, let me just do a little wrap-up with you. 1384 01:02:31,667 --> 01:02:34,042 I'm going on vacation tomorrow, and a little church family 1385 01:02:34,125 --> 01:02:37,000 update: we just finished our fiscal year at the end of June. 1386 01:02:37,042 --> 01:02:39,333 Here's where we're at as we collect our offering: 1387 01:02:39,417 --> 01:02:41,250 We're in the summertime. 1388 01:02:41,333 --> 01:02:44,375 We're over 9,000 adults a week, over 2,000 kids a week. 1389 01:02:44,458 --> 01:02:50,167 About 11,500 a week, and about 36% of the entire church 1390 01:02:50,250 --> 01:02:52,833 is giving anything in the last year. 1391 01:02:52,917 --> 01:02:55,375 To those of you who have been generous and contributed, 1392 01:02:55,458 --> 01:02:56,792 thank you. 1393 01:02:56,833 --> 01:02:59,500 And for the rest, we invite you to do the same. 1394 01:02:59,542 --> 01:03:00,958 Here's where we're at: 1395 01:03:01,000 --> 01:03:02,958 Our giving and our expenses are basically identical, 1396 01:03:03,000 --> 01:03:05,375 so we're living within our proverbial means. 1397 01:03:05,458 --> 01:03:08,583 We don't have a ton of margin, but we are being good stewards 1398 01:03:08,667 --> 01:03:10,167 by God's grace and the leadership 1399 01:03:10,250 --> 01:03:12,583 of some people who are very good at these things. 1400 01:03:12,667 --> 01:03:15,583 Here's how we ended the fiscal year at the end of June: 1401 01:03:15,667 --> 01:03