WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.240 --> 00:00:02.200 Hey, everybody, we're the Bibble guys, and if you're just 2 00:00:02.240 --> 00:00:05.320 tuning in recently, just know that we are showing a 3 00:00:05.320 --> 00:00:07.120 little bit of reruns for a few months and then 4 00:00:07.120 --> 00:00:09.839 we'll be back bigger and better than ever on August 5 00:00:09.919 --> 00:00:13.519 thirty first, because behind the scenes we're taking a hiatus 6 00:00:13.519 --> 00:00:14.720 to do some very important things. 7 00:00:14.759 --> 00:00:18.399 Yeah, we're building building out a new studio and we've 8 00:00:18.399 --> 00:00:21.399 got some new structure. Super excited about it. So August 9 00:00:21.480 --> 00:00:24.399 thirty first, brand new content. But in the meantime, enjoy 10 00:00:24.440 --> 00:00:25.440 some of our greatest hits. 11 00:00:26.079 --> 00:00:29.640 Well, today we're talking about the difference between being generous 12 00:00:29.679 --> 00:00:30.679 and being stingy. 13 00:00:31.039 --> 00:00:33.280 Yeah. Man, this whole book, Paul is thrown out some 14 00:00:33.280 --> 00:00:35.640 big challenges and I think for many of us this 15 00:00:35.719 --> 00:00:38.240 is the toughest one. Well them anyways. So he's Chris 16 00:00:38.240 --> 00:00:52.320 and I'm Jeff, and we're the Bible guys. Okay, Chris, 17 00:00:52.399 --> 00:00:56.000 So I have a segment that's right in your wheelhouse. Yes, 18 00:00:56.119 --> 00:01:00.399 So I'm going to give you quotes from movies and 19 00:01:00.560 --> 00:01:03.640 you have to tell me what movie it's from. 20 00:01:03.960 --> 00:01:05.560 Just the movie, nothing, not the players. 21 00:01:05.840 --> 00:01:07.519 Well, you can do whatever you want, but the movie 22 00:01:07.599 --> 00:01:09.920 is the big part of it. Ok Just what movie 23 00:01:09.920 --> 00:01:11.400 it's from. I'm not going I'm not gonna give you 24 00:01:11.519 --> 00:01:11.920 much time. 25 00:01:12.200 --> 00:01:13.959 So have you read these through just now? 26 00:01:14.000 --> 00:01:15.799 Yeah? Yeah, I think you're going to know a few 27 00:01:15.799 --> 00:01:17.079 of them, and then a couple of them that might 28 00:01:17.120 --> 00:01:20.159 be more of a challenge. Oh, here we go, very 29 00:01:20.200 --> 00:01:20.599 very quick. 30 00:01:20.640 --> 00:01:21.400 I'm actually excited. 31 00:01:21.439 --> 00:01:22.319 As fast as you can. 32 00:01:22.640 --> 00:01:23.480 This is a speed thing. 33 00:01:23.840 --> 00:01:24.680 As fast as you can. 34 00:01:24.719 --> 00:01:25.319 Hear good. 35 00:01:25.920 --> 00:01:28.840 I will make him an offer he can't refuse, no, godfather, Yes, 36 00:01:28.879 --> 00:01:29.480 I knew that one. 37 00:01:29.519 --> 00:01:32.079 And by the way, it's the horse's head, right. 38 00:01:32.079 --> 00:01:32.920 That's right. 39 00:01:32.560 --> 00:01:33.439 That's that's great. 40 00:01:33.519 --> 00:01:34.680 Here's to looking at you, kid. 41 00:01:36.319 --> 00:01:39.640 It's the black and white movie with the airplane Casablanco. 42 00:01:39.959 --> 00:01:44.239 Okay, I've been to Casa Blanca. Sneak. We we ate 43 00:01:44.319 --> 00:01:47.120 in his cafe. That's right. 44 00:01:47.200 --> 00:01:47.599 That's right. 45 00:01:48.079 --> 00:01:50.120 You guys, give up or you're thirsty for more. 46 00:01:50.359 --> 00:01:54.319 Oh, I just saw this home alone, because I literally 47 00:01:54.439 --> 00:01:55.680 just saw it like two days ago. 48 00:01:56.159 --> 00:01:58.599 This one is easy. I think. Hello, my name is 49 00:01:58.599 --> 00:01:59.519 a Ningolatoya. 50 00:02:00.200 --> 00:02:04.719 My father prepared to die the Prince's pride, of course, Hello, 51 00:02:05.200 --> 00:02:05.799 my name. 52 00:02:05.680 --> 00:02:08.240 Is an It's such a funny character. 53 00:02:08.319 --> 00:02:10.840 That's so great. We just stopped saying that. 54 00:02:10.840 --> 00:02:12.919 That's right. I don't think that word means what you 55 00:02:12.919 --> 00:02:13.439 think it means. 56 00:02:14.240 --> 00:02:14.840 That's great. 57 00:02:15.840 --> 00:02:17.159 There's no crying in baseball. 58 00:02:17.479 --> 00:02:18.199 Oh jeez. 59 00:02:18.400 --> 00:02:21.319 Uh, tom anks in a league of their own. 60 00:02:21.560 --> 00:02:24.560 And after all, tomorrow is another day. 61 00:02:25.400 --> 00:02:31.000 After all, tomorrow is I know this. After all, after all, 62 00:02:31.240 --> 00:02:32.400 tomorrow is another day. 63 00:02:33.120 --> 00:02:33.680 I know this. 64 00:02:34.280 --> 00:02:42.120 It's an old movie. It's Clark Gable. 65 00:02:43.919 --> 00:02:44.599 Gone with the Wind. 66 00:02:44.639 --> 00:02:45.680 There you go, you nailed it. 67 00:02:47.680 --> 00:02:47.840 Job. 68 00:02:48.039 --> 00:02:50.280 Yes, a couple of those were layups for you, but 69 00:02:50.560 --> 00:02:53.280 that one was. I thought that would be the challenge 70 00:02:53.280 --> 00:02:58.120 for you. Yeah. Nice, nice, Yeah, it's how fun. Movie 71 00:02:58.159 --> 00:03:00.800 quotes are fun. Although I will say you either love 72 00:03:00.840 --> 00:03:04.560 or hate the Princess Bride, right, there's no neutravel neutral 73 00:03:04.560 --> 00:03:05.439 opinions about the Pride. 74 00:03:06.120 --> 00:03:07.400 Anybody who doesn't like it? 75 00:03:07.520 --> 00:03:10.520 Oh, man, my daughter hates it. Oh if we want 76 00:03:10.560 --> 00:03:13.479 to turn on? So we made. My daughter's boyfriend was 77 00:03:13.479 --> 00:03:15.680 over and he'd never seen it, and so Bonnie and 78 00:03:15.719 --> 00:03:17.800 I were like, oh, that's what we're watching tonight. And 79 00:03:18.000 --> 00:03:19.719 you know, so he's sitting there laughing at it. But bydie, 80 00:03:19.800 --> 00:03:23.680 I probably through the movie. We quoted, you know, oh 81 00:03:23.479 --> 00:03:25.840 sure the line, sure, yeah, but people either love it 82 00:03:25.919 --> 00:03:26.319 or hate it. 83 00:03:26.319 --> 00:03:27.039 It's so quotable. 84 00:03:27.360 --> 00:03:29.639 You know what I found that's also true with Avatar. 85 00:03:30.240 --> 00:03:30.960 Oh really Yeah. 86 00:03:31.039 --> 00:03:33.199 People either absolutely love it and think it's the best 87 00:03:33.199 --> 00:03:37.439 thing in the world, or they just absolutely can't stand it. 88 00:03:38.039 --> 00:03:40.680 And I've really run into a lot of people who 89 00:03:40.759 --> 00:03:41.800 just can't stand it. 90 00:03:41.919 --> 00:03:43.800 Wow, and I love it. 91 00:03:43.919 --> 00:03:45.479 I thought that the second movie, by the way, was 92 00:03:45.479 --> 00:03:45.879 really good. 93 00:03:45.960 --> 00:03:49.800 Well, I didn't even finish the first one. O. Yeah, 94 00:03:50.360 --> 00:03:51.879 well there is. I don't hate it. 95 00:03:51.919 --> 00:03:53.800 I just there's a difference between you and me. 96 00:03:53.879 --> 00:03:57.360 Yeah, I think so again amusement versus entertainment. 97 00:03:57.400 --> 00:03:59.280 Well, I was totally engrossed in the whole thing. 98 00:03:59.319 --> 00:04:02.280 Yeah, I thought it was fascinating. So amusement for me 99 00:04:02.319 --> 00:04:03.639 has turned my brain off. I don't have to think 100 00:04:03.639 --> 00:04:03.960 about it. 101 00:04:04.360 --> 00:04:07.800 Although pretty much the first movie was just Pocahontas and 102 00:04:08.360 --> 00:04:11.759 dances with wolves. Dances with wolves pretty much rolled up 103 00:04:11.759 --> 00:04:13.599 into alien sci fire. 104 00:04:13.680 --> 00:04:15.520 That's what it was. But it's okay. 105 00:04:15.599 --> 00:04:18.800 It was still good, well good anyways, very interesting us 106 00:04:18.800 --> 00:04:22.240 getting just a little glimpse into your vast treasury of 107 00:04:22.560 --> 00:04:28.160 a library. Yeah, movie quotes. Yeah, so we're going to 108 00:04:28.240 --> 00:04:31.759 read in second Grint is eight and this is I 109 00:04:31.800 --> 00:04:34.639 think very useful passage for Christians, as you're trying to 110 00:04:34.639 --> 00:04:39.240 think about balance in how you manage your resources and 111 00:04:39.920 --> 00:04:42.199 how do you live out a generous life, And this 112 00:04:42.240 --> 00:04:44.839 is one It's not the only passage where Paul talks 113 00:04:44.839 --> 00:04:48.600 about wealth and setting aside caring for others, but it's 114 00:04:48.639 --> 00:04:50.360 one of them and one of the key passages. And 115 00:04:50.360 --> 00:04:52.720 there's a couple of key phrases that most Christians have 116 00:04:52.759 --> 00:04:55.000 heard at one point or another. So sure, here we go. 117 00:04:55.160 --> 00:04:57.319 In sec Critias, chapter eight, we'll just start in verse one. 118 00:04:57.360 --> 00:04:59.199 It says, now I want you to know, dear brothers 119 00:04:59.240 --> 00:05:02.120 and sisters, what God in his kindness has done through 120 00:05:02.120 --> 00:05:05.600 the churches in Macedonia. They're being tested by many troubles, 121 00:05:05.800 --> 00:05:08.199 and they're very poor, but they are also filled with 122 00:05:08.240 --> 00:05:12.240 abundant joy, which has overflowed in rich generosity. For I 123 00:05:12.240 --> 00:05:14.839 can testify that they gave not only what they could afford, 124 00:05:14.879 --> 00:05:17.240 but far more than they did it of their own 125 00:05:17.319 --> 00:05:19.839 free will. They begged us again and again for the 126 00:05:19.879 --> 00:05:23.120 privilege of sharing in the gift for the believers in Jerusalem. 127 00:05:23.519 --> 00:05:25.680 They even did more than we had hoped for, For 128 00:05:25.720 --> 00:05:28.160 their first action was to give themselves to the Lord 129 00:05:28.199 --> 00:05:31.120 and to us, just as God wanted them to do. So, 130 00:05:31.399 --> 00:05:34.160 we have urged Titus, who encouraged your giving in the 131 00:05:34.160 --> 00:05:36.680 first place, to return to you and encourage you to 132 00:05:36.680 --> 00:05:39.319 finish this ministry at giving. Since you excel in so 133 00:05:39.399 --> 00:05:42.800 many ways in your faith, your gifted speakers, your knowledge, 134 00:05:42.839 --> 00:05:45.839 your enthusiasm, and your love from us, I want you 135 00:05:45.879 --> 00:05:48.800 to excel also in this gracious act of giving. I'm 136 00:05:48.839 --> 00:05:50.639 not commanding you to do this, but I am testing 137 00:05:50.639 --> 00:05:52.920 how genuine your love is by comparing it with the 138 00:05:52.920 --> 00:05:56.399 eagerness of the other churches. You know the grace of 139 00:05:56.439 --> 00:05:58.560 our Lord Jesus Christ, though he was rich, yet for 140 00:05:58.920 --> 00:06:02.000 your sakes he became so that by his poverty he 141 00:06:02.040 --> 00:06:05.519 could make you rich. Here's my advice. It would be 142 00:06:05.560 --> 00:06:07.720 good for you to finish what you started a year ago. 143 00:06:08.160 --> 00:06:10.079 Last year, you were the first who wanted to give, 144 00:06:10.120 --> 00:06:12.160 and you were the first to begin doing it. Now 145 00:06:12.199 --> 00:06:14.199 you should finish what you started. Let the eagerness you 146 00:06:14.199 --> 00:06:16.800 showed in the beginning be matched now by your giving. 147 00:06:17.240 --> 00:06:20.000 Give in proportion to what you have. Whatever you give 148 00:06:20.079 --> 00:06:22.600 is acceptable if you give it eagerly and give according 149 00:06:22.600 --> 00:06:24.560 to what you have, not what you don't have. Of course, 150 00:06:24.800 --> 00:06:27.399 I don't mean your giving should make life easy for 151 00:06:27.480 --> 00:06:30.000 others and hard for yourselves. I only mean that there 152 00:06:30.000 --> 00:06:33.360 should be some equality. Right Now, you have plenty and 153 00:06:33.399 --> 00:06:35.560 can help those who are in need. Later they will 154 00:06:35.560 --> 00:06:37.480 have plenty and can share with you when you need it. 155 00:06:37.680 --> 00:06:40.600 In this way things will be equal. As the scriptures say, 156 00:06:40.839 --> 00:06:42.920 those who gathered a lot had nothing left over, and 157 00:06:42.959 --> 00:06:45.920 those who gathered only little had enough. But thank God 158 00:06:46.000 --> 00:06:48.600 He's given Titus the same enthusiasm for you that I have. 159 00:06:49.199 --> 00:06:52.319 Titus welcomed our request that he visit you again. In fact, 160 00:06:52.519 --> 00:06:54.480 he himself was very eager to go and see you. 161 00:06:55.000 --> 00:06:57.639 We are also sending another brother with Titus. All the 162 00:06:57.720 --> 00:06:59.560 churches praise him as a preacher of the good news, 163 00:06:59.839 --> 00:07:02.680 appointed by the churches to company us as we take 164 00:07:02.720 --> 00:07:05.240 the offering to Jerusalem, a service that glorifies the Lord 165 00:07:05.279 --> 00:07:08.120 and shows our eagerness to help. We are traveling together 166 00:07:08.199 --> 00:07:10.480 to guard against any criticism for the way we're handling 167 00:07:10.519 --> 00:07:13.560 this generous gift. We're careful to be honorable before the Lord, 168 00:07:13.600 --> 00:07:15.240 but we also want everyone else to see that we 169 00:07:15.319 --> 00:07:18.160 are honorable. We're also sending with them another of our brothers, 170 00:07:18.199 --> 00:07:20.759 who has proven himself many times and has shown on 171 00:07:20.839 --> 00:07:23.439 many occasions, how eager he is, He's now even more 172 00:07:23.560 --> 00:07:26.759 enthusiastic because of his great confidence in you. If anyone 173 00:07:26.839 --> 00:07:29.560 asks about Titus, say that he's my partner who works 174 00:07:29.560 --> 00:07:31.600 with me to help you. And the brothers with him 175 00:07:31.959 --> 00:07:34.399 have been sent by the churches, and they bring honor 176 00:07:34.439 --> 00:07:37.040 to Christ. So show them your love and prove to 177 00:07:37.120 --> 00:07:41.399 all the churches that are boasting about you is justified. Yeah, 178 00:07:41.560 --> 00:07:43.959 well there you go. So he's sending Titus. I love. 179 00:07:44.600 --> 00:07:47.319 Let's cover this back end first. I love the fact 180 00:07:47.360 --> 00:07:50.480 that he's being very, very he's choosing to be accountable. 181 00:07:50.800 --> 00:07:52.199 I mean, he's Apostle Paul. He can do whatever he 182 00:07:52.199 --> 00:07:54.160 wants to do. Sure, but he chooses to say, Hey, 183 00:07:54.199 --> 00:07:56.959 we're traveling together so that nobody has any questions how 184 00:07:56.959 --> 00:08:00.439 we're using these resources. We're traveling together so that we're 185 00:08:00.519 --> 00:08:04.720 treating this gift from the people as a gift from God, 186 00:08:05.079 --> 00:08:07.480 and we're going to be as transparent and open and 187 00:08:07.839 --> 00:08:10.040 as protective of it as possible. And I think that 188 00:08:10.079 --> 00:08:14.079 there's something to be said for Christians to go above board. 189 00:08:14.680 --> 00:08:17.639 So you know, people's opinions of us don't matter, but 190 00:08:17.680 --> 00:08:20.920 they do matter, right they shouldn't We shouldn't do everything 191 00:08:20.920 --> 00:08:24.160 based on other people's opinions, but we should work hard 192 00:08:24.199 --> 00:08:26.399 to make sure that our good name and our reputation 193 00:08:26.639 --> 00:08:28.680 is good. A Book of Proverbs says that a good 194 00:08:28.720 --> 00:08:31.279 name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and 195 00:08:31.360 --> 00:08:33.240 so protecting your name is important. 196 00:08:33.559 --> 00:08:34.639 Yeah, that's awesome. 197 00:08:34.919 --> 00:08:39.440 And I think that all of these you know, tidbits, 198 00:08:39.480 --> 00:08:43.799 these little nuggets about about giving is pretty awesome. And 199 00:08:43.879 --> 00:08:45.879 you know, the thing that actually stands out to me, 200 00:08:46.360 --> 00:08:48.200 I mean, there's obviously a lot that stands up, but 201 00:08:48.600 --> 00:08:52.679 is that said that they begged us again and again 202 00:08:52.759 --> 00:08:55.360 for the privilege of sharing in the gift for all 203 00:08:55.360 --> 00:08:56.399 the believers in Jerusalem. 204 00:08:57.039 --> 00:08:59.559 They just said, please let us be a part of this. 205 00:08:59.559 --> 00:09:00.000 This blame. 206 00:09:00.679 --> 00:09:02.720 You know, when somebody goes out of their way and 207 00:09:02.759 --> 00:09:07.200 they just they want to give. It reminds me, honestly 208 00:09:07.240 --> 00:09:09.639 every time of my wife, because she is the gift 209 00:09:09.679 --> 00:09:12.120 of giving. It's when you take a spiritual test, you know, 210 00:09:12.200 --> 00:09:14.919 her gift of giving is up there, and man, she 211 00:09:15.399 --> 00:09:16.720 just absolutely loves it. 212 00:09:17.039 --> 00:09:19.480 And so I'll give you a quick little example. 213 00:09:19.559 --> 00:09:23.159 So Christmas just ended right, and and we ended up, 214 00:09:24.399 --> 00:09:26.320 you know, opening up everything under the tree and to 215 00:09:26.320 --> 00:09:29.000 be honest with you, it wasn't There wasn't a ton 216 00:09:29.360 --> 00:09:32.360 I mean, like we had enough obviously. It wasn't like 217 00:09:32.399 --> 00:09:34.279 you know, I remember Christmas is in the past where 218 00:09:34.279 --> 00:09:36.080 it was a lot, a lot bigger. 219 00:09:36.519 --> 00:09:38.600 When kids a little, their boxes tend to be bigger. 220 00:09:38.879 --> 00:09:39.879 Yes, yes, okay. 221 00:09:39.919 --> 00:09:45.039 Well, Liz had actually spent money sending gifts like to 222 00:09:45.120 --> 00:09:48.320 Ohio to all of our relatives, you know, just buying 223 00:09:48.320 --> 00:09:51.200 for people and doing for people. And and she came 224 00:09:51.240 --> 00:09:54.080 over to me at the end of the evening one 225 00:09:54.159 --> 00:09:56.360 night and she gave me a big kiss and she 226 00:09:56.399 --> 00:09:59.960 said thank you, And I said what she said, thank you, 227 00:10:00.000 --> 00:10:04.840 thank you for letting me buy for everyone, And she 228 00:10:05.360 --> 00:10:08.679 just got so much joy. And the fact that she 229 00:10:08.840 --> 00:10:11.320 was like, oh, it's like the best gift I could 230 00:10:11.360 --> 00:10:13.799 have given her was to let her spend all my 231 00:10:13.919 --> 00:10:18.440 money to give it away for everybody else, right, And 232 00:10:18.440 --> 00:10:20.519 it reminds me of It's like at least. 233 00:10:20.320 --> 00:10:22.919 Somebody enjoys it, right, right, right, It's like let me, 234 00:10:23.519 --> 00:10:25.879 I'm begging you, let us be a blessing. 235 00:10:26.519 --> 00:10:28.639 And you know, it's just great. 236 00:10:28.440 --> 00:10:32.279 You know. We I'm a part of an organization, the 237 00:10:32.320 --> 00:10:36.080 Timothy Initiative. I'm on the board and we plant churches 238 00:10:36.080 --> 00:10:39.799 all around the world. There's tens of thousands of church 239 00:10:39.840 --> 00:10:45.320 planters and in thirty something countries, and we needed to 240 00:10:45.399 --> 00:10:49.279 have a gathering of the top leaders in the world. 241 00:10:49.480 --> 00:10:51.840 We needed to get them all together. And for the 242 00:10:51.919 --> 00:10:54.440 last several years we've set a goal not just to 243 00:10:54.519 --> 00:10:57.399 fundraise from the US, but also the fundraise from the field, 244 00:10:57.679 --> 00:11:00.159 to invite all these new churches that were starting to 245 00:11:00.279 --> 00:11:05.559 also participate in this wonderful act of giving, to teach 246 00:11:05.600 --> 00:11:08.039 them to be generous. And so we set a goal 247 00:11:08.159 --> 00:11:10.399 and all that well, one of the poorest countries on 248 00:11:10.440 --> 00:11:12.840 the planet, maybe one of the bottom two or three 249 00:11:13.120 --> 00:11:15.679 in the world, is Nepal per household, one of the 250 00:11:15.679 --> 00:11:18.039 poorest countries in the world. And it was the Napali 251 00:11:18.200 --> 00:11:20.519 church leaders who stepped up and said, we want to 252 00:11:20.600 --> 00:11:24.879 fund this event in Dubai where we are a blessing 253 00:11:25.240 --> 00:11:28.000 to all the other nations in the world that are 254 00:11:28.000 --> 00:11:30.399 also trying to start churches. And so they raised a 255 00:11:30.399 --> 00:11:34.080 couple hundred thousand dollars among the Nepali people, which in 256 00:11:34.480 --> 00:11:38.399 America would be millions upon millions of dollars, right, and 257 00:11:38.600 --> 00:11:42.279 these people delighted in the fact that they could serve 258 00:11:42.960 --> 00:11:45.679 all these other church leaders and church planters around the 259 00:11:45.679 --> 00:11:48.240 world for the purpose of the whole purpose behind that 260 00:11:48.240 --> 00:11:50.559 meeting was to strategize on how to get a church 261 00:11:50.639 --> 00:11:53.559 in every for every people in every place. And they 262 00:11:53.639 --> 00:11:56.519 knew what it was and they knew the importance of it, 263 00:11:56.559 --> 00:11:59.039 and they said we and they kept pushing. So we 264 00:11:59.120 --> 00:12:01.080 kept saying no, well you these resources in other ways, 265 00:12:01.120 --> 00:12:03.039 and they were like, no, we want to help fund 266 00:12:03.080 --> 00:12:05.519 this event, and they delighted in it, and they kept 267 00:12:05.519 --> 00:12:07.759 pushing until finally they got their way and they were 268 00:12:07.799 --> 00:12:10.200 able to fund this. And so it was really neat 269 00:12:10.240 --> 00:12:14.759 because I sat right behind the Nepali delegation in this meeting, 270 00:12:15.399 --> 00:12:18.759 and there's people in all of their native dress all over, 271 00:12:19.000 --> 00:12:22.679 the Africans and the Asians, and so colorful, and the 272 00:12:22.720 --> 00:12:25.399 worship the worship band was like five or six different 273 00:12:25.519 --> 00:12:29.039 nations languages, and so they'd lead worship in different languages, 274 00:12:29.080 --> 00:12:32.679 and everybody's praying, everybody's celebrating in different ways. But the 275 00:12:32.759 --> 00:12:34.919 Nepalis were sitting right in front of me, and they 276 00:12:34.919 --> 00:12:38.200 were celebrating on a level that nobody else was even 277 00:12:38.240 --> 00:12:40.639 close to. It was a delight to watch. Well, it 278 00:12:40.720 --> 00:12:43.279 was because they were so invested. Oh yeah, and so 279 00:12:43.320 --> 00:12:46.360 they were delighted in it. And so he says, it's 280 00:12:46.360 --> 00:12:48.360 a privilege. I think sometimes we set the bar low 281 00:12:48.679 --> 00:12:50.720 for other Christians where we don't ask for a lot 282 00:12:50.960 --> 00:12:53.559 from them as far as volunteering or giving or whatever. 283 00:12:53.840 --> 00:12:56.840 And he's saying, it's a great privilege. And when these 284 00:12:56.919 --> 00:13:00.559 Macedonians were so poor realized we get to be a 285 00:13:00.600 --> 00:13:03.600 part of that. It's a privilege, then they jumped in 286 00:13:03.639 --> 00:13:04.960 and they got to be a part of what God 287 00:13:05.039 --> 00:13:06.759 was doing by set making some sacrifices. 288 00:13:06.919 --> 00:13:09.360 You know, I'm sure it was a difficult thing for 289 00:13:09.440 --> 00:13:12.720 you and the other leaders to you know, we we 290 00:13:13.200 --> 00:13:15.879 have more resources than they do. It would have been 291 00:13:15.960 --> 00:13:20.000 easier for us to you know, to write the check, 292 00:13:20.159 --> 00:13:23.399 write the check, gather resources ourselves and say, oh, we'll 293 00:13:23.440 --> 00:13:25.279 just take care of it, because obviously we have more 294 00:13:25.279 --> 00:13:27.919 than they do, and you know, much more than they do. 295 00:13:29.360 --> 00:13:32.399 But in order to say, listen, whether it's the widow 296 00:13:32.440 --> 00:13:35.559 with two mites, right, you know in the scripture that 297 00:13:35.720 --> 00:13:37.519 just you know, gives in the offering play, or whether 298 00:13:37.559 --> 00:13:41.159 it's the rich man who gives up his wealth, that 299 00:13:41.320 --> 00:13:44.600 isn't the point Jesus never talked about equal giving. He 300 00:13:44.639 --> 00:13:47.919 talked about equal sacrifice. He talked about equal you know, 301 00:13:49.360 --> 00:13:52.799 you know, just the attitude of giving of what you had. 302 00:13:53.399 --> 00:13:55.639 And you know, there's a note in here in my 303 00:13:55.679 --> 00:13:58.799 Life Application Study Bible that actually talks about it. 304 00:13:58.799 --> 00:13:59.720 Says, the topic of. 305 00:13:59.720 --> 00:14:03.279 Fun raising is not one to be avoided and one 306 00:14:03.320 --> 00:14:07.080 that should embarrass us. But fundraising efforts should be planned 307 00:14:07.080 --> 00:14:10.000 and conducted responsibly. Like Paul, we should be guided in 308 00:14:10.000 --> 00:14:11.919 these practices when it comes to raising money. And this 309 00:14:12.000 --> 00:14:13.919 is really what you guys were providing for the people 310 00:14:13.960 --> 00:14:17.799 to experience. So he says, as leaders, we need number one, 311 00:14:17.879 --> 00:14:21.039 be persistent, trusting God to provide, and then it lists 312 00:14:21.080 --> 00:14:24.600 all the different verses that we just covered. Provide information, 313 00:14:25.080 --> 00:14:28.120 show the definite purpose of the goal. Be dedicated to God, 314 00:14:28.519 --> 00:14:33.120 Be enthusiastic, be generous yourself. As leaders, have someone to 315 00:14:33.200 --> 00:14:36.600 keep things moving. Act with honesty and integrity before God 316 00:14:36.639 --> 00:14:39.960 and others. Be accountable, and then let people give willingly. 317 00:14:40.320 --> 00:14:40.919 Believe it or not. 318 00:14:41.519 --> 00:14:44.559 Every single principle that I just read through is in 319 00:14:44.919 --> 00:14:47.200 you can find in the passages that we just read, 320 00:14:47.600 --> 00:14:50.039 and then bleeding in the chapter number nine, which is 321 00:14:50.080 --> 00:14:54.240 really cool, because again Paul is modeling for us not 322 00:14:54.320 --> 00:14:58.519 only to give, but also what it means to inspire 323 00:14:58.559 --> 00:15:00.159 others to give as well. 324 00:15:00.240 --> 00:15:02.519 You know, there were traveling with us on that trip. 325 00:15:02.600 --> 00:15:07.000 There were ten men and women business people who could 326 00:15:07.039 --> 00:15:10.679 have funded that whole thing. Among them, probably from this 327 00:15:10.759 --> 00:15:14.000 month's extra money, right, some very wealthy business people that 328 00:15:14.039 --> 00:15:16.279 were with us on this trip. And one of the 329 00:15:16.320 --> 00:15:17.840 men came and said, I think I'm going to write 330 00:15:17.840 --> 00:15:21.000 a check back to the Nepalis and refund their money. 331 00:15:21.440 --> 00:15:23.879 And I said, look at how they're celebrating and their joy. 332 00:15:23.879 --> 00:15:27.440 Don't steal their joy. Instead, let's let us make sure 333 00:15:27.960 --> 00:15:30.759 that this is not a waste of their money, right, 334 00:15:30.799 --> 00:15:33.120 because what they were doing is they were investing. This 335 00:15:33.240 --> 00:15:36.360 was not just a vacation. This was not just a 336 00:15:36.440 --> 00:15:38.120 nice little get together where we're going to have some 337 00:15:38.200 --> 00:15:40.960 nice food in a beautiful environment. This was we are 338 00:15:41.000 --> 00:15:44.879 strategizing to move the Kingdom of God forward. And it's 339 00:15:45.039 --> 00:15:48.879 worth that investment. Our extreme sacrifice is worth it. And 340 00:15:48.919 --> 00:15:51.360 so I told the rest of these people, let's just 341 00:15:51.360 --> 00:15:54.759 make sure we don't waste their investment. Let's instead take 342 00:15:54.799 --> 00:15:58.720 this investment and multiply it twentyfold. One hundredfold and then 343 00:15:58.799 --> 00:16:00.879 it'll be worth it. Then we'll all celebrate. And so 344 00:16:00.919 --> 00:16:03.759 those businessmen quickly changed their opinion in their mind, and 345 00:16:03.840 --> 00:16:06.519 they did. They stepped up, and you know, we're partnering 346 00:16:06.559 --> 00:16:09.000 to plant tens of thousands churches together as a result 347 00:16:09.039 --> 00:16:11.519 of this. So it wasn't just a sacrifice for the 348 00:16:11.559 --> 00:16:15.720 sake of sacrificing. It was a sacrificial investment so that 349 00:16:15.759 --> 00:16:18.960 they would see a greater return. And then in that 350 00:16:19.399 --> 00:16:21.840 there's the joy of it, there's the privilege of it. 351 00:16:22.159 --> 00:16:26.679 There's the expectation that God's people would make sacrifices to 352 00:16:26.720 --> 00:16:31.039 move his kingdom forward. That's an expectation of Paul's writings. 353 00:16:31.279 --> 00:16:33.639 I think of the church in general, is that we 354 00:16:33.720 --> 00:16:36.320 would sacrifice in order to move God's kingdom forward. And 355 00:16:36.360 --> 00:16:38.039 when we talk about moving is king forward, that means 356 00:16:38.080 --> 00:16:41.080 so that everybody everywhere can hear the Gospel and experience 357 00:16:41.080 --> 00:16:41.799 the love of Jesus. 358 00:16:42.519 --> 00:16:46.440 That's incredible. Hey, let's talk about this verse and verse 359 00:16:46.559 --> 00:16:49.360 number nine. It says, you know, the generous grace of 360 00:16:49.360 --> 00:16:52.240 our Lord Jesus Christ, and it talks about Jesus himself 361 00:16:52.759 --> 00:16:55.360 and he says though he was rich, yet he for 362 00:16:55.480 --> 00:16:59.120 your sakes became poor so that by his poverty he 363 00:16:59.120 --> 00:17:00.360 could make you rich. 364 00:17:00.440 --> 00:17:02.240 Yeah, that's an interesting passage. 365 00:17:01.919 --> 00:17:04.880 Yeah, because you would think it faced value that he's 366 00:17:04.880 --> 00:17:08.880 talking about money. Yeah, right, you know, Jesus being rich and. 367 00:17:08.880 --> 00:17:09.839 Poor and everything else. 368 00:17:10.640 --> 00:17:12.440 But the life application study about But I'm just want 369 00:17:12.440 --> 00:17:15.279 to read the first couple of sentences on that notation. 370 00:17:15.720 --> 00:17:19.519 It says, the Gospels don't indicate that Jesus was any 371 00:17:19.920 --> 00:17:24.240 poorer than most first century Palestinians. Rather, Jesus became poor 372 00:17:24.279 --> 00:17:28.079 by giving up his rights as God and becoming human, 373 00:17:28.359 --> 00:17:32.480 and the incarnation God voluntarily became man and holy human 374 00:17:33.160 --> 00:17:37.240 person of Jesus of Nazareth. So the interpretation that of 375 00:17:37.279 --> 00:17:40.599 this verse about being rich and becoming poor isn't necessarily 376 00:17:40.640 --> 00:17:41.319 dollars or cents. 377 00:17:41.440 --> 00:17:44.200 Yeah, I think that traditionally within the Church, there's always 378 00:17:44.240 --> 00:17:46.799 been this passage and then the one where Jesus says, 379 00:17:47.039 --> 00:17:49.000 the son of Man doesn't have anywhere to lay his head, 380 00:17:49.200 --> 00:17:52.640 right right, those two passages, people have kind of taken 381 00:17:52.680 --> 00:17:55.039 it out of context and said, oh, Jesus was poor, 382 00:17:55.480 --> 00:17:57.920 and so his followers, his leaders, should also be poor. 383 00:17:58.359 --> 00:18:00.519 And I don't know that there's any evidence that Jesus 384 00:18:00.559 --> 00:18:03.480 was poor, he just wasn't a homeowner, right, there's a 385 00:18:03.480 --> 00:18:06.920 difference between those two things. And so he didn't at 386 00:18:07.039 --> 00:18:10.559 least during those three years of his ministry. So you know, 387 00:18:10.640 --> 00:18:12.799 we don't know. Prior to that, he would have probably 388 00:18:12.799 --> 00:18:17.720 inherited Joseph's family, you know, situation, whatever that would be. 389 00:18:18.039 --> 00:18:20.480 But as far as him traveling during the three years 390 00:18:20.519 --> 00:18:22.240 of his ministry, he didn't have a home. 391 00:18:22.559 --> 00:18:24.599 And by the way, he had a job. He was 392 00:18:24.640 --> 00:18:25.079 a carpenter. 393 00:18:25.200 --> 00:18:27.039 Yeah, that's right, right, that's right, so he can provide 394 00:18:27.079 --> 00:18:30.000 for himself if he needed to. All of those things 395 00:18:30.000 --> 00:18:33.519 in the first thirty years, it doesn't there's no demonstration 396 00:18:33.599 --> 00:18:35.799 that they were overly poor or any more poor than 397 00:18:35.839 --> 00:18:39.839 the first century of Palestinians. And then you know, Jesus 398 00:18:39.880 --> 00:18:43.480 had some friends that had significant resources. Peter was a 399 00:18:43.480 --> 00:18:45.880 business owner. We know where his home was. His home 400 00:18:45.960 --> 00:18:50.119 was fairly substantial. It wasn't a mansion, but he was okay, well, his. 401 00:18:50.119 --> 00:18:54.200