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Welcome to the Saints Church Glastonbury podcast! We are a local church network based in Alberta, Canada. We go to places no one wants to go and do things no one thought possible so that anyone and everyone can discover hope and life in Jesus.
This week, the sermon delves into the comfort and trust found in God's providence, emphasizing the spiritual freedom gained from releasing worldly worries and embracing a life of generosity and faith.
Verses:
- Luke 12
- Mark 24
- 1 Corinthians 1:27
- John 21
- Mark 12
- Luke 12:32
- Matthew 6:33
- Colossians 1:18
- Matthew 6:24
If you need PRAYER, Text or call 587-400-2010
If you would like to GIVE today to build the house of God, click here: www.saintschurch.ca/give
For more information and to stay connected, visit www.saintschurch.ca
★ Support this podcast ★
This week, the sermon delves into the comfort and trust found in God's providence, emphasizing the spiritual freedom gained from releasing worldly worries and embracing a life of generosity and faith.
Verses:
- Luke 12
- Mark 24
- 1 Corinthians 1:27
- John 21
- Mark 12
- Luke 12:32
- Matthew 6:33
- Colossians 1:18
- Matthew 6:24
If you need PRAYER, Text or call 587-400-2010
If you would like to GIVE today to build the house of God, click here: www.saintschurch.ca/give
For more information and to stay connected, visit www.saintschurch.ca
Creators & Guests
What is Saints Church Glastonbury?
A Modern Expression of a Timeless Tradition. A local church in the Glastonbury Neighbourhood of West Edmonton. Sr Pastor Brett Esslinger.
We are continuing our series. God, sex and Money all the things you don't talk about around the table. That's what they say at least. And we talked week one about forgiveness. Last week, Pastor DeAndre shared about decisions, and decisions around relationships, friendships. Today we're gonna take a whole different approach. Let's look at Luke 12 for six.
What is the price of five sparrows? Two copper coins? Yet God does not forget a single one of them, and the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid, you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows. Until this moment, I didn't know how much a sparrow cost. I don't know about you it's not something I traffic in, it's sparrows but it was a thing that they would buy at this time, in this moment, and they knew what the price of a sparrow was. It was two copper coins, it wasn't very much, it was just a little bit of money. And these are the words of Jesus. And what Jesus is trying to convey to us in this moment is that even the smallest thing, that's the smallest creature that might fit in the palm of your hand, god created it, he sees it, he loves it and he sustains it. Sparrow, doesn't worry, they don't live paycheck to paycheck Right, and the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid, you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows. That's good news, even though I feel like maybe I'm a little undervalued. You know, if it's only two copper coins per one, I don't know how many that's worth. But what Jesus is saying to you, the listeners here, and to the readers and listeners here today, is just three simple things God sees you, god knows you and God loves you. God sees you, god knows you and God loves you. Does anyone need to hear that today? God sees you, god knows you and God loves you. Continuing in Luke 12, verse 22, it says then, turning to His disciples, jesus said that is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life, whether you have enough food to eat or enough clothes to wear, for life is more than food and your body more than clothing. Look at the ravens. They don't plant or harvest or store food in barns, for God feeds them and you are far more valuable to Him than any birds. Well, thank God, finally, we're not compared to birds, because these red letters, these words of Jesus, jesus is simply saying God loves you and he wants to take care of you. God loves you and he wants to take care of you.
I have two boys, everett and Kingston. You know that. You see them running around here. They're nuts and crazy and awesome, and all those things all at one time.
When I see my sons, I want to take care of them, right. I said, dad, I want to provide, I want to give them a good life, I want to be there to help launch them and propel them into their dreams. I know that God has good thoughts about them and that the greatest calling in my life, the greatest call on any of our lives, is a call of stewardship, and one of my greatest joys is the privilege of stewarding the lives of my sons, and it brings me great joy to see them thrive and succeed and grow. That's also why, though, I have to discipline them Right, because if I don't well, you know it's chaos. Some of you haven't got the memo yet, but it will be better if you discipline. I'm just saying it will be better. It's not a bad thing, it's a God thing. Set them in the direction, show them the way that they should go. As a father, I take great joy in stewarding my sons' lives and providing for them.
Jesus, right here in this moment, in this portion of scripture, is talking about his dad and our dad, our heavenly father, our heavenly father, and when he looks at you, he loves you, he sees you, he knows you, he cares for you and he wants to see you step into the fullness of who he has created you to be, because we're reminded in Ephesians 2.10 that we are handcrafted, we are his masterpiece, we are his work of art. You are, he sees you, he loves you and he wants to take care of you. And he cares for you more than he cares for those sparrows and those ravens and whatever other bird you want to categorize as valuable, because they don't have to worry about a thing for a moment. Why is that? Because their heavenly Father always sustains them. There is a knowing in creation that the Father always sustains all things. So let's get really real for a moment, now that we know and we're reminded that God loves us, he sees us, he knows us, he sustains us, he holds our worlds together.
Let's be honest about the current situation. Inflation, that's a reality. Anyone Interest rates my God, I'm on a variable mortgage. Big mistake, please give today. Just kidding Just kidding, I mean anyways. Your income you go, man, I can't generate anymore. That's a reality. Like you, can only sell so many things in your house on Facebook Marketplace. Maybe you've got some insecurity in your life and I'm not talking about insecurity in terms of like who you are, but insecurity in just in like the world, like a lack of security in every single area around. I was trying to make three eyes In every single realm. That's a reality. You're just like man. There's just. This seems like a crazy time for us. This is the real reality of our situation that there are pressures on our lives and that there are very real financial pressures on our lives. But God sees you, he knows you, he loves you, he wants to sustain you and he wants to care for you. That's the reality of the situation.
In Luke 12, he says this words of Jesus. I'm sticking to the words of Jesus, so you can't say that Jesus doesn't talk about this. This is what Jesus is saying. Luke 12, can all your worries add a single moment to your life? All the worriers in the room? Better write that verse down. Like I can't sleep at night. Have you read Scripture recently? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life. Nobody could take a few away. It won't add a thing, but it will take a few away. And if I worry, sorry. And if worry can't accomplish a little thing like that, what's the use of worrying over bigger things? Words of Jesus. No surprise that in this day and age, in this moment of time that we live in a world that is riddled with anxiety and worry, right. And so Jesus, who literally spoke the world into existence to say why are you worrying so much? It can't add anything to you, it just takes things away from you. And if worry can't accomplish a little thing like that, what's the use of worrying over the bigger thing? So he might be sitting here thinking are you trying to tell me that I can overcome my worry? Yeah, that's what I'm trying to tell you and I'm going to give you the strategy, I'm going to give you the tools. The truth is, you may not like it, but it changes everything.
Continuing. Look at the lilies, verse 27. Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don't work or make their clothing. Yet Solomon and all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for the flowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow. He will certainly care for you.
I love this last line. Why do you have so little faith, oh Jesus? Why being so honest with me? Why do you have such little faith? That's why I love. I'm going to circle us back to the most vulnerable, the most real verse in all scripture in Mark 24. We talked about it a few weeks ago and the father instantly cried out I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief. Why do you have such little faith? Why don't you trust me? That's what he's asking. Why don't you trust me? Verse 29 and don't be concerned about what to eat and what to drink. Don't worry about such these things. These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers all over the world.
But your father already knows your needs. Someone needs to underline that in their Bible today. Your father already knows your needs. Yes, I had the opportunity to pray with the prayer team last couple of Sundays ago and a wonderful sister came up and she needed healing and I just said you know what? Jesus already knows exactly what you need. Let's just pray. And we prayed and I said can you just try anything out? Is there anything in your body you could try out Starts crying and moves her shoulder and she's healed right there, in that moment. Jesus already knows your needs. Before you need them, before you even say, your father already knows. Verse 31 seek the kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need. Okay, so I don't have to worry. And he's going to supply and he's going to provide. And he knows me and he knows my needs and he knows my doubts and he knows my insecurities and he's telling me I don't need to worry anymore. Wow, where is he going with this? Let's just keep going.
In 1 Corinthians 127. It says instead oh, there's another way. God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise, and he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and use them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. Now say with me In John 21, jesus shows up and makes the disciples breakfast in the on the beach. Praise God, brunch with Jesus on the beach after he's resurrected. My Lord, thank you. That's what I would say, except he made fish, and that's not my jam. Do you have anything else, lord? Can you like bacon? Is that a sausage? Eggs Anything? Fish, not my my thing, lord, you know my needs and that this does not fill it.
And he has this conversation with Peter and he pulled like he's going back with us as Peter, do you love me? And he says yeah, I love you. And he asked him again. He says Peter, do you love me? Peter goes yeah, I love you. And now Peter is getting offended because that's what you do. When Jesus asked you the same question three times, apparently, it's like, of course, one more time. He says Peter, do you love me? There's a yes. He says if you do, feed my sheep.
Now, that moment, right there, was meant to be a restorative moment. It's a restoration moment because three times Peter denied Jesus, but in that moment, three times, he declared his love and affection, his whole life, his heart, jesus. He was a restoration moment. He did it, just go. You know what you are? A sword.
In this moment today, he's speaking to us and he wants to give us an opportunity for a restoration moment. This is your restoration moment because, while we list off three eyes of inflation and income and insecurity, the reality of the situation. Here is also the reality of the situation. Here's the spiritual reality of the situation that there is a promise of God that he will love you, he will care for you, he will sustain you. That's reality. There's the provision from heaven. That's where I spoke about manna from heaven. That's the reality of God. Supernatural provision. That doesn't make sense in the principle. That's the reality.
We're going to talk about the principles Luke 12, verse 32. You still with me today? Okay, so don't be afraid, little flock, for it gives your father great happiness to give you the kingdom. Your heavenly father wants to give you the kingdom. That's, getting a kingdom is a lot better than getting like a little sparrow. He's like your heavenly father wants to give you a sparrow. It's like that's nice, but I don't know what to do with this. You want to give me a kingdom. Oh man, okay, let's go.
Jesus was speaking to a whole group of religious leaders and a lawyer was there and he saw that Jesus was answering really, really well the questions and he kind of wanted to entrap Jesus, like this type of lawyer wants to do. And Jesus, he asked Jesus a simple question. He says what's the most important commandment? And Jesus responds, mark 12. Jesus replied the most important commandment is this listen, oh, israel, the Lord, our God, is the one and only Lord, and you must hear. It is love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind and all your strength. Your soul is your mind, will in your motion, your heart is the seat of your soul, your spirit is there and your strength is all of your physical capacity. And then, flashing back to Luke 12. Jesus just drops this little right Right. Wherever your treasure is there, the desires of your heart will also be. So if I'm going to love the Lord, my God, with my whole heart, and if my greatest worry and anxiety is around my finances, then I have to understand that God has a plan, a purpose and a principle for me to operate in freedom in my finances. And he says just love me with your whole heart. And we know what our whole heart is. Because he says wherever your treasure is. And when we talk about treasure we talk about.
My boys are so funny. They call money Ching Ching. And I'm like I don't know where you got this. You did not get it from me, did not? But I mean, let's just put this in nine year old Kingston language. Wherever your Ching Ching is there, the desires of your heart will be also. Well, that's where your heart is. Your heart is where your money is. Let me, let me just just lay this straight out here. This is this where we're headed. This is where we're going.
My relationship with God has a direct impact on my view of money. Oh God, real quiet. We can clap, it's fine, we can cheer. Don't do it now. That's weird. But my relationship with God has a direct impact on my view of money. How I've you got impacts, how I see the natural world that we are in. So I've got three things. That is my perspective on God, which directly impacts my my perspective on money. Are you with me?
First thing Jesus is first in everything. I didn't come up with that, it's Colossians 118. It literally says so. He is first in everything. He is first in everything. In that passage he's talking about this is Paul. You know, if you think that the creation story only happens in Genesis one, you're missing it. All the good stuff. It's actually in Colossians one, when it talks about Jesus speaking the world into existence, say everything was created through him, by him and for him. And in that passage it says so he is first in everything. He's got authority over it because he made it. It's how I feel about my kids. That was a joke, it's fine, no one came with me. Jesus is first in everything. So how does that impact? That's my, that's my biblical worldview, that's my scriptural worldview. How does that impact my finances? I can tell you, I tied Tied. Why? Because he is first, so he gets the first and the best, because it's all his and he's entrusted it to me, with me, to manage. So he gets the first and he gets the best.
I don't know if people do this when they get married these days, but back in in the day, long time ago now, so long, when Desiree and I got married, we had to pick a life verse. Has anyone done this before? This is verse is going to define your whole life. I don't know that you know this at that time, but we did, and really the only purpose of it was to go on the front of your program. That was like what it was about. But this is what the marriage counselor did, you know. It's just like you need a life verse. Okay, well, we have a life verse.
Matthew 633 Seek first the kingdom of God's righteousness, and all these things shall be add on to you. That's our life. First, praise God, everyone goes. Oh yeah, that's so good. Let's read it in the nlt seek the kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. That begins to frame the way that I understand the kingdom of God. It begins to frame the way that I understand my life, because if I seek him first, he will give me everything that I need. So if my heart and my life is in order that he will give me everything that I need. He's going to take care of me, he's going to sustain me. Now let's be honest. Let's just let's just call a spade a spade.
Uh, for a large portion of my life, tithing was a struggle. Do you know why it was a struggle? I'm going to tell you, pastor Deandre. It was a struggle because I didn't make a decision about it, because I thought about it on a moment by moment cash flow basis. So I lived a lifestyle of tipping the Lord instead of tithing. I had to think about it because I gave him the last 10% instead of the first 10%. I gave him whatever was left, whatever I could afford, whatever I could muster up, I had to think about it. I had to, and so it was a struggle for me because I had to think about it.
Major transition happened in our lives when we we found a way to set it and forget it, where we could just automate our giving. It was automatic. Now Any anyone could do this. But for me, I made a decision one time. That was it. Before any of that money even comes into my, once I get the paycheck, it's gone immediately. I don't, I don't touch it. Why? Because I don't have any authority over it, because it's not mine, it's gone. You might say, well, I really like to give, I really like to put in, that's fine, whatever's gonna work. I'm just telling you what's working for me the moment. It was no longer a decision. The decision was already made. I had to learn to live on whatever was was left over. And the truth is I would rather live on the 90% with God in control than 100% with me in control. And if I have the audacity to put this bible verse on my wedding program and to declare this to be my life verse, I should probably practice a lifestyle where I depend on God for everything that I need I.
Second thing Jesus is my lord and king. He's calling right now. He's saying make a decision. It's time, because I know who I'm following and because I know who is in charge. I know who I am submitted to and therefore I know who's not in charge of me and I can tell you who's not in charge of me is money. See, what I believe about God determines how I live for God, and how I live for God is submitted Matthew 6, 24. No one can serve two masters, for you will hate one and love the other. You will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money. It's just not possible. Third thing this thing that I believe about God determines my decisions in my direction and how I live my life. This is this is probably maybe the most important thing that we need to get grips on. Third thing Jesus is my provider. He's got you Now. William booth, uh found of the salvation army.
He's been attributed this quote and it says you know, work like it all depends on you and pray like it all depends on God. That's probably a good way to go. You need to work hard. You need to work hard, love well, take care of other people, be generous and gesture. I love proverbs 11, 24, 25 In the. In the message, eugene Peterson there articulates it so beautifully the world of the generous gets larger and larger. The world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller. Why? Because we show our love and affection with our finances. When you give gifts at christmas time, you're using your money to show people that you love them. I give because he gave John 3, 16 for god. So loved the world he. So my relationship with god frames how I understand the world flippings 419. And the same god who takes care of me will supply All your needs from his glorious riches which has been given to us in christ jesus. See, I operate on kingdom economics, so when I pray your kingdom come, your will be done. I understand that I'm an active part of that and he may call me to use my finances to further that mission. So we talked about tithe for a moment. But one thing we downplay is offerings. Offerings is separate from our tithes. We pay our tithe, we honor the lord with our tithes as our finances, but offerings are these, over and above, kinds of things that you just give to take care of people when they're in need. It's like the over and above. When you give to a missionary, that's not a tithe, that's an offering. When you give to take care of someone's most like their most vulnerable needs, that's an offering, that's not a tithe. Most of us fall in in one of two categories we're either tithers who don't give offerings, or people who give offerings but we don't Tithe. He called us to both, but that doesn't mean we have a negative view of finances, that we have to live broke. In fact, my suggestion to you today I thought I could call the message this, but I thought it was too forward, I thought too broke not to tithe. Let's look at this in first Timothy 6, first 17 and 19 teach those who are rich in this world Not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who reached, who richly, gives us all we need for our enjoyment. You should underline that he gives you all you need for your enjoyment. He cares so much about you that he cares about your enjoyment. See, we can. We can slip into this broke mentality where I just, I'm just gonna give it all the way. I flashed back to David, where he says you know what obedience is better than sacrifice you? You cannot get into a situation where, uh god, I did something bad, so I'm just gonna empty my bank account and do it because I'm gonna pay like a penance and maybe that will make you love me. That's not how we operate. We operate out of obedience, we operate out of a principle of obedience. So so we tithe and then we are obedient to his leadings and his promptings and we give offerings. Tell them this is verse 18 tell them to use their money to do good Doesn't say tell them not to have money. It says tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. Come on, that's the posture Always being ready to share with others. By doing this, it will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future, so that they may experience true life. My friend jayvin chavez said it like this and I think I think he hit it on the nose when you give, it doesn't leave your life. It doesn't leave your life, it goes into your future. Because in 1 Corinthians 9, paul says think like a farmer. When a farmer is sowing a seed, he's not angry at the seed going to the ground. Ah, I'm losing all this seed Now he's planting the seed, and when the seed goes into the ground he says I'm going to sow the seed, I'm going to water the seed and then I'm going to see that seed again, but it's going to be a harvest. When you give, you're planting a seed and you're going to see a harvest, let's go to Malachi 3. This is really the place that you have to go to play in the plane, sort of verse 8. Should people cheat God? No, it's a bad idea. Yet you have cheated me. But you ask what do you mean? When did we ever cheat you? You have cheated me on the ties and offerings due to me. You're under a curse, for your whole nation's been cheating me. Bring all the ties into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my temple, and if you do, says the Lord of Heaven's army, I will open the windows of heaven for you. Let me just break this down before we get too far, so you don't get too nervous. The tithe is an incredible principle because we recognize that Jesus gave us the 100% ability to create wealth and to create and provide for our families. And while he has right to ask for everything he says, you know trust starts at 10. Do you trust me? Would you give me 10%? And when we live? This principle, by the way, exists, just like the principle of gravity exists. It just functions in the world. My favorite story about tithing is from non-Christian people. There's a very popular musician in a really big band and his mom was a really faithful follower of Jesus and she taught him from a young age to give and to tithe. And he started doing that later in life when his big band became really, really successful. And every time they were in a season where they gave 10%, things took off in an incredible direction. And every season when they drifted away from that principle, things didn't go as they anticipated. Now I'm not saying that this is a genie in the bottle type of thing. I think we have too much of that thought and belief going around. But what I am trying to suggest to you that this is a principle that just exists in the universe. It's even a principle that people who are not following Jesus can tap into, but there is a blessing for the believer. There's a blessing when we live in alignment with the principle of God and when it says you're under a curse. When we're living in the new covenant, we're trying to understand how that works. On the other side of the resurrection of Jesus is like this when I'm living in the principle of God, I stay right here and I stay in the blessing of God. But when I live outside of his principles, I take a step outside. That's like living under a curse, because I know what it is to be blessed, I know what it is to live in his provision, but if I step outside, oh, I'm feeling that he says if you do this, I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won't have enough room to take it in. Try it, put me to the test. This is one of the only times in scripture that God is saying just test me on this one, please test me on this one. Put me to the test, put me to work. Let me show you. Let me show you. Jesus is tempted by the devil and the devil tells Jesus the temp Wow, I'm so excited. The devil tells Jesus to do something, thereby testing God. He says I'm not going to do that. I'm not going to test God, are you crazy? But in this he says listen every other thing in your life, because, let's be honest, there's very few things in life that matter to us more than our ability to stay alive, and our ability to stay alive is directly connected to our finances. He says put me to the test. He says, if you do, your crops will be abundant, for I will guard them from insects and disease. He's guarding your income. Your grapes will not fall down from the vine before they arrive. You're not going to have these losses. Then all the nations will call you blessed, for your land will be such a delight. I want my life to be such a delight. I want other people to come into my house and be like man. Your house is such a delight. You're just living blessed. Yeah, I'm living blessed because I'm living according to the principle of God and I said earlier that this is a redemptive moment. There's an opportunity, because the truth is we're not talking about money, we're talking about our hearts. Money is the medium that allows us to pour out our full heart to God, because there's nothing else that we hold tighter to. He says bring your tithe into the storehouse. The storehouse is a local church, the place that you get spiritually fed. So what we're actually asking is this question, the same way that Jesus asked Peter on the beach. He says do you love me? Do you love me? Do you love me? Maybe a second question for us Do you trust me? Do you trust me? Do you trust me If you can care for a sparrow and a raven, that he can care for you and that you're worry in your anxiety? Things can shift when I step out of operating under my own strength, under my own strength, and I step into the blessing of God.