WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:22.260 Hi, and welcome to the Willow Ridge Church weekly podcast. 00:00:22.780 --> 00:00:25.880 This is where you can find audio for our current and past sermons. 00:00:26.100 --> 00:00:30.420 We hope that you enjoy this week's installment, and be sure to check back next week to hear 00:00:30.420 --> 00:00:31.260 the latest message. 00:00:31.680 --> 00:00:32.460 Thanks for listening. 00:00:44.900 --> 00:00:45.760 Good morning. 00:00:46.920 --> 00:00:49.440 Happy 4th of July weekend to you. 00:00:49.560 --> 00:00:51.300 Grateful that all of you are here. 00:00:51.560 --> 00:00:56.380 Before we get started, though, I want to take a moment and recognize some individuals 00:00:56.380 --> 00:00:57.000 that are here. 00:00:57.360 --> 00:01:03.660 So if you have or currently are serving in the military or one of our armed forces, would 00:01:03.660 --> 00:01:04.980 you mind please standing? 00:01:05.100 --> 00:01:06.740 That's both current and former. 00:01:08.960 --> 00:01:09.800 Thank you, guys. 00:01:09.880 --> 00:01:10.280 Thank you. 00:01:15.780 --> 00:01:19.400 You know, yesterday was a good day around the Bradbury house. 00:01:20.200 --> 00:01:24.720 We got to get up that morning and go operate in 115 degree heat and work a little bit in 00:01:24.720 --> 00:01:25.220 the backyard. 00:01:25.640 --> 00:01:30.120 And then got to eat some barbecue for lunch and got to eat some burgers for dinner and 00:01:30.120 --> 00:01:33.620 then capped off the night by blowing stuff up. 00:01:33.680 --> 00:01:34.600 You know, like that's what we do. 00:01:34.920 --> 00:01:37.140 And so around the 4th of July. 00:01:37.480 --> 00:01:39.320 And it was just a really good day. 00:01:39.440 --> 00:01:42.800 You know, when you got in bed late last night, we were just exhausted and thinking about all 00:01:42.800 --> 00:01:43.640 the fun that we had. 00:01:44.300 --> 00:01:49.860 And as we're thinking through that, it's also the reminder is that we have that opportunity. 00:01:50.000 --> 00:01:54.460 We can go to those celebrations and we have that freedom because of so many men and women 00:01:54.460 --> 00:02:01.000 who faithfully sacrificed many of them their lives, all of them time to serve and to do 00:02:01.000 --> 00:02:01.280 that. 00:02:01.380 --> 00:02:06.620 And so for all of you men and women here who did that, thank you so much for your sacrifice 00:02:06.620 --> 00:02:07.220 and what you did. 00:02:07.280 --> 00:02:14.100 But I also want to recognize for all of the spouses and the kids that sacrificed as well. 00:02:14.220 --> 00:02:14.580 Thank you. 00:02:14.660 --> 00:02:15.740 Thank you so much for that. 00:02:16.180 --> 00:02:21.400 And it really is, as we live in this country, as we talk about freedom, it really mirrors 00:02:21.400 --> 00:02:23.020 the story of the gospel, right? 00:02:23.120 --> 00:02:27.700 The sacrifice that Christ made so that we could experience the freedom that's found in him. 00:02:27.940 --> 00:02:30.580 And so I just want to thank you all for your service. 00:02:30.740 --> 00:02:33.620 And before we open up our scripture, let's go to the Lord in prayer. 00:02:35.400 --> 00:02:37.520 We come to you this morning, Lord, and we thank you. 00:02:38.460 --> 00:02:44.020 We thank you that as the freedom that we celebrate as a country, Lord, that you can take that and 00:02:44.020 --> 00:02:47.300 you can leverage that to remind us of the freedom that we have in Christ. 00:02:48.280 --> 00:02:53.000 Lord, I thank you for the many men and women, not only at this church, but all over our country 00:02:53.000 --> 00:02:59.440 who have sacrificed so much to go and serve and to protect, Lord, so that we could experience 00:02:59.440 --> 00:03:00.600 the freedom that we have. 00:03:01.440 --> 00:03:05.000 Lord, I pray for all of our soldiers that are, whether they're here with us, Lord, whether 00:03:05.000 --> 00:03:06.820 they're on foreign soil right now. 00:03:07.540 --> 00:03:11.800 Lord, I thank you for the work that they are doing, Lord, and how they are helping to fight 00:03:11.800 --> 00:03:13.940 for those who cannot fight for themselves. 00:03:14.960 --> 00:03:19.600 Lord, I pray that as we open your word this morning, I pray as there's an attitude of freedom 00:03:19.600 --> 00:03:25.720 in the air, both in the lost and the saved, we can be reminded of the freedom that we have 00:03:25.720 --> 00:03:32.600 in Christ that is found in him and in him alone, and it's not a freedom that's defined 00:03:32.600 --> 00:03:33.360 by borders. 00:03:34.280 --> 00:03:39.740 It's not a freedom that's defined by a government, Lord, but it is a freedom that lasts for all 00:03:39.740 --> 00:03:43.440 of eternity that is found in the King of kings and the Lord of lords. 00:03:44.320 --> 00:03:49.580 So, Lord, as we open up your word this morning, may that be what rings true from our mouth, 00:03:49.600 --> 00:03:51.700 and in our hearts, and with our lives. 00:03:52.340 --> 00:03:53.860 And it's in Jesus' name we pray. 00:03:54.360 --> 00:03:54.700 Amen. 00:03:55.480 --> 00:03:57.180 So glad that all of you are here with us. 00:03:57.500 --> 00:03:59.820 Thankful that all of you are joining us online. 00:04:00.000 --> 00:04:04.580 If you've got your Bibles, go ahead and open them up to Luke chapter 12, is where we are 00:04:04.580 --> 00:04:09.120 going to be this morning as we continue on in our study of the parables. 00:04:09.240 --> 00:04:13.860 Well, I know we got some visitors with us here today, and we may have some online with 00:04:13.860 --> 00:04:14.620 us as well. 00:04:14.740 --> 00:04:16.080 So, kind of a quick recap. 00:04:16.200 --> 00:04:19.880 What we've been doing this summer is we've been looking at parables, and parables are the 00:04:19.880 --> 00:04:21.960 stories that Jesus told. 00:04:22.200 --> 00:04:28.940 And Jesus told these stories for a reason, to teach a lesson, a biblical truth that he wanted 00:04:28.940 --> 00:04:31.100 to impart on his followers. 00:04:31.380 --> 00:04:35.820 And we've been asking ourselves three questions every single week as we go through this. 00:04:35.940 --> 00:04:38.940 The first question is, what does this parable teach me about God? 00:04:39.520 --> 00:04:42.460 The second question, what does this parable teach me about myself? 00:04:42.860 --> 00:04:47.920 And then the third one, what does this parable teach me about how I interact, or how I treat, 00:04:48.060 --> 00:04:49.700 or how I view others? 00:04:49.760 --> 00:04:54.660 And it's been really helpful to have these questions as we navigate through all of these. 00:04:54.940 --> 00:05:01.420 And today we find ourselves in Luke chapter 12, starting in verse 13, where Jesus is going 00:05:01.420 --> 00:05:07.720 to address an issue, a social issue of the time, which is a social issue today. 00:05:08.280 --> 00:05:15.700 Jesus is going to address an issue that transcends gender, it transcends socioeconomic, it transcends 00:05:15.700 --> 00:05:18.480 education, it transcends age. 00:05:19.200 --> 00:05:24.740 Jesus is going to deal with the heart by talking about money. 00:05:25.860 --> 00:05:28.520 And so we'll start reading in verse 13. 00:05:29.480 --> 00:05:36.760 Someone in the crowd said to him, teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me. 00:05:37.460 --> 00:05:43.540 But he said to him, man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you? 00:05:44.040 --> 00:05:50.960 And he said to them, take care and be on guard against all covetousness, for one's life does 00:05:50.960 --> 00:05:53.660 not consist in the abundance of his possessions. 00:05:54.400 --> 00:05:59.960 And he told them a parable saying, the land of a rich man produced plentifully. 00:06:00.360 --> 00:06:03.480 And he thought to himself, what shall I do? 00:06:03.560 --> 00:06:06.020 For I have nowhere to store my crops. 00:06:06.520 --> 00:06:08.980 And he said, I will do this. 00:06:09.380 --> 00:06:12.540 I will tear down my barns and build larger ones. 00:06:12.680 --> 00:06:16.420 And there I will store all my grain and my goods. 00:06:16.820 --> 00:06:22.420 And I will say to my soul, soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years. 00:06:22.860 --> 00:06:26.380 Relax, eat, drink, be merry. 00:06:27.140 --> 00:06:32.860 But God said to him, fool, this night your soul is required of you. 00:06:33.200 --> 00:06:37.180 And the things you have prepared, whose will they be? 00:06:37.820 --> 00:06:44.720 So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God. 00:06:45.240 --> 00:06:50.760 Jesus does a wonderful thing in his teaching, something that he often does in his ministry. 00:06:51.360 --> 00:06:56.280 He is asked a question and he turns it into a teachable moment. 00:06:57.060 --> 00:07:01.420 You see, Jesus doesn't ever really answer the question that is asked of him. 00:07:01.940 --> 00:07:08.400 And it wouldn't have been uncommon for this type of question to come to an individual like 00:07:08.400 --> 00:07:08.960 Jesus. 00:07:09.100 --> 00:07:10.580 And here's what I mean by that. 00:07:11.040 --> 00:07:14.440 Jesus was considered a teacher or a rabbi. 00:07:14.520 --> 00:07:20.700 And as the result of being a teacher or rabbi within their culture, people would come to 00:07:20.700 --> 00:07:22.460 them with ethical questions. 00:07:22.800 --> 00:07:24.600 People would come to them with problems. 00:07:24.820 --> 00:07:30.640 So it's almost like, hey, before the government is involved, we seek your counsel. 00:07:31.160 --> 00:07:37.080 And by doing so, we submit to the answer in which you will give. 00:07:37.780 --> 00:07:41.260 But Jesus doesn't answer the question at hand. 00:07:41.940 --> 00:07:46.260 In fact, in Scripture, we don't, Scripture doesn't even tell us a lot about the question. 00:07:46.780 --> 00:07:53.580 We have no background story about which brother is or isn't right, which brother is standing 00:07:53.580 --> 00:07:55.900 where he should and which one is not. 00:07:56.340 --> 00:07:59.780 But we do know it has to deal with an inheritance. 00:08:00.600 --> 00:08:02.780 It has to deal with money. 00:08:03.700 --> 00:08:10.240 And so Jesus, in his wisdom, even though he doesn't answer the question, he speaks to the 00:08:10.240 --> 00:08:12.040 motivation of the question. 00:08:12.040 --> 00:08:20.960 He begins to deal with the heart of those in the situation, but also those in the crowd. 00:08:21.540 --> 00:08:24.120 And Jesus begins to speak about money. 00:08:24.560 --> 00:08:28.660 Now, I want to say this, this morning as we get into this message, I'm going to talk about 00:08:28.660 --> 00:08:29.840 money a lot. 00:08:30.540 --> 00:08:34.820 And what I want you to think of when we, when I, when I mention money, when we, when we talk 00:08:34.820 --> 00:08:39.560 about money is this, that money for us today is going to represent value. 00:08:40.260 --> 00:08:44.100 So if you're a person in here today who says, you know, I really don't care about money. 00:08:44.880 --> 00:08:46.600 I'm content where I'm at. 00:08:46.880 --> 00:08:50.000 I'm, I'm satisfied at this stage in my life. 00:08:50.080 --> 00:08:52.240 I'm, I'm satisfied in the earnings. 00:08:52.660 --> 00:08:56.060 God has been good to me and I want to be a good steward of that. 00:08:56.420 --> 00:09:01.600 Then I'd ask you, as I say, money to move away from thinking solely on money. 00:09:01.600 --> 00:09:04.360 But let's all ask ourselves this question. 00:09:05.100 --> 00:09:09.740 What do we most value in our life? 00:09:10.460 --> 00:09:16.740 And for so many of us, if we want to find the trail of what we value, if we're honest 00:09:16.740 --> 00:09:21.780 with ourselves, if we're, if we're living in an authentic life, then we would say that 00:09:21.780 --> 00:09:26.900 what we do with our money often shows what we value with our hearts. 00:09:27.840 --> 00:09:32.920 Follow the, the trail of the checkbook for the two of us that maybe still have one of those, 00:09:32.960 --> 00:09:33.160 right? 00:09:33.680 --> 00:09:36.360 Follow the trail of the bank account. 00:09:36.640 --> 00:09:43.120 And what we will find is that where it will take us is oftentimes what we value with our 00:09:43.120 --> 00:09:43.400 heart. 00:09:44.040 --> 00:09:48.100 There, there's also something to kind of lay in some groundwork that I want us to understand 00:09:48.100 --> 00:09:53.240 because I know that many different men and women sitting here in this room or watching 00:09:53.240 --> 00:09:58.140 online or dealing with something that can feel like a weight, a burden that is holding us 00:09:58.140 --> 00:09:59.820 back, the burden of debt. 00:10:00.520 --> 00:10:06.780 And what I don't want us to do this morning is focus in on moments and laps of judgment, 00:10:07.300 --> 00:10:07.460 right? 00:10:07.540 --> 00:10:10.000 We've all had those in our life, right? 00:10:10.360 --> 00:10:12.780 Buyer's remorse, buyer's regret. 00:10:13.100 --> 00:10:20.060 We were online late one night and the infomercial came on and we decided for 95 payments of 99.99, 00:10:20.260 --> 00:10:21.780 like we had to have that. 00:10:22.220 --> 00:10:28.340 When I think about buyer's regret in my life, the biggest buyer's regret that I ever can remember 00:10:28.340 --> 00:10:32.760 making happened right after I got my first full-time job in ministry. 00:10:33.780 --> 00:10:37.440 It's given my salary, full, full-time salary was $21,000. 00:10:38.300 --> 00:10:45.620 And I just, when I got that first check, I was just amazed because I'd never seen that amount of money, 00:10:45.980 --> 00:10:46.100 right? 00:10:46.140 --> 00:10:48.320 It was 21,000 for the year, by the way, not for the week. 00:10:50.260 --> 00:10:53.060 I saw that check and I'd never seen anything like it. 00:10:53.700 --> 00:10:55.060 Never seen that much money. 00:10:56.220 --> 00:10:59.080 And I'll never forget, Aaron and I hadn't been married long. 00:10:59.160 --> 00:11:07.600 We bought this little townhome in Aiken and I walked outside and there sat my little Chevy S10. 00:11:08.740 --> 00:11:16.560 And that Chevy S10, little four-cylinder, five-speed, it cranked up every time you put the key in the 00:11:16.560 --> 00:11:20.820 ignition, it got wonderful gas mileage, but it had one flaw. 00:11:21.180 --> 00:11:23.820 You didn't know how far it would go until it cut off on you. 00:11:24.580 --> 00:11:30.360 And that morning, I remember cranking up to get ready to go to work and about midway there, clunk, clunk, clunk, clunk, clunk. 00:11:30.920 --> 00:11:31.720 It stopped. 00:11:32.540 --> 00:11:35.660 And I thought, no more, right? 00:11:36.200 --> 00:11:37.000 I'm rich. 00:11:37.420 --> 00:11:39.420 I'm making $21,000 a year. 00:11:40.240 --> 00:11:43.060 And so I took off and I went to a car dealership in Augusta. 00:11:43.840 --> 00:11:46.420 And sitting on the other side of the parking lot, I could see it. 00:11:47.180 --> 00:11:55.520 It was a nice, big, pretty, white, four-wheel drive with big tires, F-150. 00:11:56.380 --> 00:12:00.060 And I thought, it is God's will for me to have that, right? 00:12:00.700 --> 00:12:04.060 And so I bought it, drove it home, it had a full tank of gas. 00:12:04.060 --> 00:12:07.060 By the time I got from Augusta to Aiken, it had half a tank of gas. 00:12:07.800 --> 00:12:10.860 It got eight miles to the gallon. 00:12:12.480 --> 00:12:16.880 And after about six months, I realized, I can't afford this anymore, right? 00:12:17.400 --> 00:12:18.980 And so I had to trade it in. 00:12:19.040 --> 00:12:20.420 I was upside down on it. 00:12:20.460 --> 00:12:23.140 It was the worst financial decision that I'd ever made. 00:12:23.660 --> 00:12:29.520 And what we do oftentimes when we talk about pursuits is I find that my heart and people's 00:12:29.520 --> 00:12:30.880 heart go to stories like that. 00:12:31.120 --> 00:12:35.400 We go to momentary glimpses of lapse of judgment. 00:12:36.140 --> 00:12:40.700 And this morning, as we talk about what we, when we talk about money and what we value the 00:12:40.700 --> 00:12:46.420 most, I can find that in my life and in so many others' life, if we're not careful, that's 00:12:46.420 --> 00:12:52.640 the low-hanging fruit that we go to, the foolish mistake that we made one time or maybe a handful 00:12:52.640 --> 00:12:53.380 of times. 00:12:53.800 --> 00:12:59.740 I don't want us this morning to focus in on the exception of our heart, okay? 00:13:00.320 --> 00:13:06.840 What I want us to look at this morning is not the exception, but the pursuit of where we 00:13:06.840 --> 00:13:13.600 are, not in the one moment, but in the every day, with what defines us, with what wakes us 00:13:13.600 --> 00:13:16.500 up and what pushes us forward and going. 00:13:16.720 --> 00:13:17.740 So don't be like me. 00:13:18.580 --> 00:13:20.140 Don't go to the worst decision. 00:13:21.280 --> 00:13:26.880 Let's ask the Holy Spirit to begin to reveal our patterns of what we truly pursue. 00:13:27.600 --> 00:13:30.200 Here's the first thing I want us to understand about money is this. 00:13:31.020 --> 00:13:33.760 Money can be hazardous and helpful. 00:13:35.020 --> 00:13:36.280 And Scripture teaches that. 00:13:37.000 --> 00:13:38.900 That's not a Dave Ramsey teaching. 00:13:38.900 --> 00:13:44.660 It's what we can draw from as we study Scripture in the conversation about money. 00:13:45.420 --> 00:13:47.320 Pastor John Piper said this. 00:13:48.000 --> 00:13:52.740 He said, the movement of your money signifies the movement of your heart. 00:13:53.380 --> 00:13:56.440 Now, the first time I read that, I read that in a negative light. 00:13:57.060 --> 00:14:01.860 And I read it, the negative movement of your money signifies the negative movement of your 00:14:01.860 --> 00:14:02.920 heart, and that's true. 00:14:03.480 --> 00:14:07.540 But that phrase, that statement can also be read in a positive light. 00:14:07.540 --> 00:14:12.900 Because the positive movement of money signifies the positive movement of your heart. 00:14:13.420 --> 00:14:18.780 So money can be either viewed in a negative manner, or it can be viewed in a positive manner 00:14:18.780 --> 00:14:21.980 in how we use it and use it to glorify God. 00:14:22.260 --> 00:14:28.180 So money can be both hazardous, Scripture teaches us, but money can also be helpful, Scripture 00:14:28.180 --> 00:14:29.720 teaches us. 00:14:30.320 --> 00:14:31.640 1 Timothy 6.10 00:14:31.640 --> 00:14:36.220 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. 00:14:36.520 --> 00:14:41.640 It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves 00:14:41.640 --> 00:14:43.280 with many pains. 00:14:43.700 --> 00:14:48.740 You see, the issue that's being dealt with in 1 Timothy is not money. 00:14:49.500 --> 00:14:51.260 It's the love of money. 00:14:51.500 --> 00:14:53.380 It's the pursuit of money. 00:14:53.640 --> 00:15:00.360 In fact, this word of love for money, it is the word love that is used to describe a deep, 00:15:00.760 --> 00:15:02.880 close friendship or relationship. 00:15:02.880 --> 00:15:11.980 And this is this, that when you try to enter into a level of intimacy in relationship with 00:15:11.980 --> 00:15:20.440 money, you're never going to achieve the satisfaction that you long, and instead, it's going to push 00:15:20.440 --> 00:15:22.260 you down a path of destruction. 00:15:23.460 --> 00:15:31.420 You see, I can't pursue money and live in a healthy lifestyle the way I'm called to pursue my life. 00:15:32.500 --> 00:15:37.920 I can't pursue money in the same way that I pursue relationships with my kids. 00:15:38.760 --> 00:15:43.580 I can't pursue money the way that I pursue relationships with you. 00:15:44.360 --> 00:15:47.920 Because in that, it's my constant pursuit. 00:15:49.220 --> 00:15:52.160 It's never coming back toward. 00:15:52.900 --> 00:15:55.400 It's never pursuing me. 00:15:55.720 --> 00:16:00.580 It is continually setting before me that which I cannot fully obtain. 00:16:01.380 --> 00:16:05.440 And it begins to break down and break down and break down. 00:16:06.300 --> 00:16:07.840 But there's a positive to it as well. 00:16:08.600 --> 00:16:09.980 It does lead to destruction. 00:16:10.540 --> 00:16:18.320 But we see within Scripture how God begins to take and leverage and use the resources of His people. 00:16:18.600 --> 00:16:20.400 So we find this in Philippians. 00:16:20.600 --> 00:16:24.060 Now, Paul writes this letter to the church at Philippi. 00:16:24.360 --> 00:16:25.620 And Paul is a church planter. 00:16:26.060 --> 00:16:31.400 And one of the beautiful things that we see in Scripture that Paul did was Paul embraced that 00:16:31.400 --> 00:16:36.260 organizations don't plant churches, that individuals don't plant churches. 00:16:36.360 --> 00:16:42.180 And if you're not familiar what we mean by planting churches, that means starting a church where there is no church. 00:16:42.960 --> 00:16:47.020 What Paul understood was that churches plant churches. 00:16:47.460 --> 00:16:55.860 So that as Paul would go from this town to this town to this town, as the church would grow as he went and planted, 00:16:56.060 --> 00:17:02.480 the places he had previously been would fund the gospel work in the next town that he would be. 00:17:03.260 --> 00:17:08.400 And so in Philippians 1, verse 3 through 5, Paul writes this to the church at Philippi. 00:17:09.060 --> 00:17:12.260 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you. 00:17:13.060 --> 00:17:18.860 Always in every prayer of mine for you, all making my prayer with joy. 00:17:19.060 --> 00:17:20.220 And here's the reason. 00:17:20.720 --> 00:17:26.420 Because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. 00:17:26.420 --> 00:17:31.960 And that word partnership, it relays a financial partnership that's there. 00:17:32.720 --> 00:17:36.220 And Paul doesn't say from the time that I left until now. 00:17:36.620 --> 00:17:39.660 But Paul says from the first day until now. 00:17:40.120 --> 00:17:47.320 So if you go and you read Acts chapter 16, we begin to see the unfolding of this partnership that takes place as Paul comes into Philippi. 00:17:47.520 --> 00:17:50.300 And he meets, and I love this is what the gospel does. 00:17:50.520 --> 00:17:51.520 This is what God does. 00:17:51.860 --> 00:17:57.660 Paul walks in and his first convert that he meets is a woman named Lydia. 00:17:58.980 --> 00:18:03.080 Now women during that day would have been thinking, but would have been thought of as second class citizens. 00:18:03.880 --> 00:18:05.040 But Paul doesn't view her that way. 00:18:05.580 --> 00:18:08.180 He views her as a woman with an opportunity to hear the gospel. 00:18:08.660 --> 00:18:10.260 And he shares the gospel with her. 00:18:10.740 --> 00:18:14.300 And what we find out about Lydia is that she's a businesswoman. 00:18:14.960 --> 00:18:16.180 That she's wealthy. 00:18:16.760 --> 00:18:19.180 That she has resources and means. 00:18:19.820 --> 00:18:25.980 And church historians believe that the church of Philippi was started in that conversation with Paul and Lydia. 00:18:25.980 --> 00:18:28.020 And planted in her home. 00:18:28.600 --> 00:18:33.780 That she would open up not only to her family, but to her servants and to her friends and her neighbors. 00:18:34.060 --> 00:18:40.360 And so that in the founding of the church that was there, that Lydia, a woman who would be considered second class. 00:18:40.540 --> 00:18:42.760 But God says there is no second class gender. 00:18:43.760 --> 00:18:45.600 That God uses. 00:18:46.540 --> 00:18:49.240 And we see the partnership continue. 00:18:50.020 --> 00:18:54.800 And the partnership continues on and on from Philippi. 00:18:55.720 --> 00:19:00.400 Specifically, we know from Scripture that from Philippi, they planted the church at Thessalonica. 00:19:00.740 --> 00:19:03.420 And they planted the church at Corinth. 00:19:04.060 --> 00:19:05.340 The church. 00:19:06.120 --> 00:19:08.900 God using the church. 00:19:09.440 --> 00:19:13.820 God using money for the benefit of the resources. 00:19:14.640 --> 00:19:16.120 It's a reminder for us. 00:19:16.160 --> 00:19:17.180 And I want to challenge you. 00:19:17.820 --> 00:19:24.580 I know sometimes we get so used to the settings and the things that are around that we oftentimes don't pay attention to them. 00:19:25.260 --> 00:19:34.700 But as we walk out of here this morning to go to our homes or wherever we're going to go, we walk out and there's a map of the globe on this back wall. 00:19:35.340 --> 00:19:39.020 And as you walk out, you'll notice little crosses that are all over that wall. 00:19:39.520 --> 00:20:05.420 And if you go left and go down on either side of the wall, you'll see pictures of faces, some with names that introduces you to missionary and people who are having the opportunity to hear and see the gospel and to gather in churches and do all of the things that we get to do. 00:20:05.620 --> 00:20:06.380 Praise God. 00:20:06.920 --> 00:20:10.860 And it doesn't just happen because we send people and say, go figure it out. 00:20:11.400 --> 00:20:21.320 It happens because of a model here in Scripture where we go and the flock of this church sends their sacrifice and their tithes and their offerings. 00:20:21.480 --> 00:20:25.360 And so we say it's so valuable and important that the gospel is proclaimed. 00:20:25.620 --> 00:20:26.880 And so we fund these things. 00:20:27.020 --> 00:20:28.280 We partner in these things. 00:20:28.480 --> 00:20:31.120 And so, yes, God uses money for his glory. 00:20:32.520 --> 00:20:33.920 But there's the danger in it. 00:20:34.820 --> 00:20:37.380 And so we have to understand that we've been given this. 00:20:37.440 --> 00:20:40.380 And as stewards, we have to be careful of what we do with this. 00:20:41.320 --> 00:20:42.720 And so Jesus gives a warning. 00:20:43.440 --> 00:20:47.300 And he talks about the danger of hoarding. 00:20:48.640 --> 00:20:50.000 The danger of hoarding. 00:20:50.580 --> 00:20:51.820 Jesus gives him a warning. 00:20:51.960 --> 00:20:55.860 Take care and be on your guard against all covetousness. 00:20:56.040 --> 00:21:01.200 For one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions. 00:21:02.060 --> 00:21:03.940 There's a TV show that we like to watch. 00:21:04.000 --> 00:21:07.460 I think I've even referenced it in here before called Hoarders. 00:21:08.200 --> 00:21:11.620 And it's about people that have the struggle and they hoard things. 00:21:11.960 --> 00:21:18.880 And I don't mean like you walk into their house and they have a collection of a million records. 00:21:19.100 --> 00:21:22.300 I'm not talking about people that just have the stuff they collect. 00:21:22.300 --> 00:21:30.500 I'm talking they walk into their house and there's just trash upon trash that's just piled on top of each other. 00:21:30.780 --> 00:21:34.180 There's waste that's there and there's waste that's there and there's animals that are living in it. 00:21:34.380 --> 00:21:45.360 And the people, their health has declined as a result of their obsession with collecting all of the stuff that they view as stuff, that they view as treasure. 00:21:45.520 --> 00:21:47.360 But we look at it and see trash. 00:21:48.540 --> 00:21:51.140 Like they don't throw away, they don't throw away cans. 00:21:52.180 --> 00:21:54.120 They don't throw away old boxes of cereal. 00:21:54.600 --> 00:21:56.540 They keep all of these things. 00:21:56.800 --> 00:22:06.020 And then they bring in a medical professional that tries to help them see that at some point in time in their life, in every single one of them's life, there was a trauma that happened. 00:22:06.280 --> 00:22:08.060 There was a difficulty that was there. 00:22:08.260 --> 00:22:18.040 And so what they've tried to do since this trauma, whether it was abuse or sickness or loss, is they tried to fill that void with stuff. 00:22:19.040 --> 00:22:31.200 And what scripture teaches us is that since sin entered into the life of humans, that there's been a hole that's there. 00:22:32.240 --> 00:22:41.220 And what we try to do, maybe not to the extreme, but what we try to do is we try to fill it with stuff. 00:22:42.120 --> 00:22:51.880 And we're never going to be satisfied because it's only Jesus that brings us the satisfaction. 00:22:53.300 --> 00:22:54.960 And so Jesus is going to address this. 00:22:55.580 --> 00:23:10.000 And it's been the pattern and the pursuit of man, even to the point to when God's dealing with his largely nomadic people and he sets the law before him in Exodus, God has to address it. 00:23:10.800 --> 00:23:27.920 In Exodus 20, 17, God says, you shall not covet your neighbor's house, you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's. 00:23:27.920 --> 00:23:34.860 God sets it from the very beginning that this is the pattern of our life. 00:23:35.780 --> 00:23:37.240 I can only be happy. 00:23:38.340 --> 00:23:46.860 I can only be content if I have that, and if I have that, and if I have that. 00:23:47.660 --> 00:23:51.300 And we pursue, and we pursue, and we pursue. 00:23:52.140 --> 00:23:53.880 Look at the parable that Jesus teaches. 00:23:54.860 --> 00:23:58.620 The man didn't have a good crop and get rich. 00:23:59.620 --> 00:24:03.840 The man was rich and had a good crop. 00:24:04.840 --> 00:24:07.960 The man wasn't rich and then got an abundance. 00:24:08.480 --> 00:24:14.120 Scripture tells us that the man was rich, he had an abundance, and then he got even more. 00:24:14.740 --> 00:24:18.240 He had more than what he needed, and it still wasn't enough. 00:24:18.600 --> 00:24:24.140 It says that he even had barns that were built with everything pressed into the barns. 00:24:24.140 --> 00:24:27.020 And so he realized, I can't fit any more in there. 00:24:27.140 --> 00:24:27.960 So what does he do? 00:24:28.100 --> 00:24:38.220 He goes and he has all the barns torn down so that he can build even more barns, larger barns, bigger barns with more storage and with more space. 00:24:38.560 --> 00:24:38.760 Why? 00:24:38.980 --> 00:24:41.660 So that he could have his stuff. 00:24:42.560 --> 00:24:45.940 Stuff that he would never be able to use. 00:24:46.000 --> 00:24:46.640 All of it. 00:24:47.040 --> 00:24:51.000 He had more than enough, but he needed more. 00:24:52.100 --> 00:25:02.180 And in his day, custom and scripture taught him that not only was this not what God desired, but it was not what the community needed. 00:25:02.760 --> 00:25:10.040 You see, the tradition would have been for him that when he had an abundance, that there was something to do with the abundance. 00:25:10.980 --> 00:25:11.960 To give it away. 00:25:12.900 --> 00:25:14.360 To find others who didn't. 00:25:14.760 --> 00:25:18.540 And instead of storing it away, to give it away. 00:25:18.860 --> 00:25:27.320 And so the culture even set within him that he would not have a heart of greed, but instead to have a heart of generosity to think of others. 00:25:28.260 --> 00:25:36.760 And so it takes us back to another question that Jesus was asked in Matthew chapter 22, where a teacher of the law comes to Jesus. 00:25:37.140 --> 00:25:42.260 And he says, teacher, what is the greatest commandment in the law? 00:25:42.760 --> 00:25:49.680 And Jesus said to him, you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 00:25:49.940 --> 00:25:51.940 This is the great and first commandment. 00:25:52.240 --> 00:25:53.520 And the second is like it. 00:25:53.800 --> 00:25:56.960 You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 00:25:57.360 --> 00:26:02.920 On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets. 00:26:03.160 --> 00:26:10.880 You see, his selfish accumulation of possessions becomes in complete contrast with true discipleship. 00:26:11.280 --> 00:26:18.800 We can't have, I look out for me and me alone and still call ourselves disciples of God. 00:26:19.600 --> 00:26:22.180 It's not the heart of the gospel. 00:26:22.180 --> 00:26:29.380 Understand, we are not bringing into judgment the fact that this man was rich. 00:26:30.040 --> 00:26:35.140 God uses rich people for his name and for his glory all the time. 00:26:35.820 --> 00:26:40.860 We're not bringing into judgment the fact that this rich man had needs. 00:26:40.960 --> 00:26:45.160 More than likely because he was healthy, he had more people that he had to care for. 00:26:45.500 --> 00:26:53.680 He would have to care for his wife and his children and his extended family and his parents and his servants and the servants' families. 00:26:53.680 --> 00:26:56.980 You see, he'd had a wide range of people that he had to care for. 00:26:57.220 --> 00:27:00.200 It's not that he had needs that is the issue. 00:27:00.420 --> 00:27:06.100 But what we're looking at in here is the conflict and luxury over necessity. 00:27:06.100 --> 00:27:15.040 And he's not judged by his possession, but by his attitude toward those possessions. 00:27:16.040 --> 00:27:22.680 You see, because the craving of more within him would never be satisfied. 00:27:23.680 --> 00:27:26.500 Because what he needed was more of God. 00:27:27.620 --> 00:27:33.840 It even says that his attitude was eat, drink, and be merry. 00:27:34.500 --> 00:27:41.400 But God says, tonight, tonight will be your last. 00:27:42.440 --> 00:27:46.540 And we use the phrase all the time, we're not promised tomorrow. 00:27:48.160 --> 00:27:52.720 But the truth is, we're not promised our next breath. 00:27:53.680 --> 00:28:03.580 And when God calls that, in God's sovereignty, of who he is, 00:28:04.520 --> 00:28:09.400 what does the testimony of the fruit of our life look like? 00:28:11.100 --> 00:28:13.100 So Jesus gives a challenge to the people. 00:28:14.240 --> 00:28:16.720 And it's the challenge that we have today. 00:28:17.500 --> 00:28:19.200 And it's being rich toward God. 00:28:20.440 --> 00:28:21.560 Being rich toward God. 00:28:24.060 --> 00:28:27.940 This is not a message, and I hope this is where you're at with me this morning. 00:28:28.940 --> 00:28:33.280 This is not a message that's saying, you need to give more. 00:28:35.420 --> 00:28:38.060 This is not a message that deals with a percentage. 00:28:39.600 --> 00:28:42.120 This is not a message that deals with a portion. 00:28:43.720 --> 00:28:45.780 But this is a message that deals with the whole. 00:28:46.680 --> 00:28:47.720 The whole life. 00:28:48.800 --> 00:28:52.320 To recognize that all God has given me. 00:28:52.980 --> 00:28:56.300 That all I've obtained is his. 00:28:57.320 --> 00:28:58.440 Every part of it. 00:28:59.440 --> 00:29:01.220 From the car that I drive. 00:29:01.220 --> 00:29:03.460 To the house that I live in. 00:29:04.180 --> 00:29:06.280 To the money that's in my bank account. 00:29:06.420 --> 00:29:08.020 To the food that's in my pantry. 00:29:08.920 --> 00:29:10.160 That it's all his. 00:29:11.760 --> 00:29:14.560 And that I don't view anything as a portion. 00:29:15.900 --> 00:29:17.380 But what I view is, 00:29:18.520 --> 00:29:20.980 God, this is yours. 00:29:22.600 --> 00:29:23.740 Not some of it. 00:29:24.760 --> 00:29:25.740 But all of it. 00:29:26.960 --> 00:29:31.220 This isn't a message to make you feel guilty if you have wealth. 00:29:32.460 --> 00:29:35.640 It's not a message to make you feel bad if you live in a big home. 00:29:36.360 --> 00:29:37.360 Have a nice car. 00:29:38.360 --> 00:29:39.240 Have a new boat. 00:29:40.240 --> 00:29:41.380 Have a vacation home. 00:29:42.500 --> 00:29:44.360 It's not a message against any of that. 00:29:45.180 --> 00:29:46.640 It's asking the question, 00:29:47.220 --> 00:29:50.280 Is your pursuit found in those things? 00:29:51.460 --> 00:29:53.100 And that as we have them, 00:29:53.900 --> 00:29:55.200 as this is what's there, 00:29:55.340 --> 00:29:58.480 then what do we do with them? 00:29:59.520 --> 00:30:02.620 Do we obtain them for our glory or for his? 00:30:04.680 --> 00:30:05.720 Jesus says, 00:30:06.760 --> 00:30:08.120 So is the one, the fool, 00:30:08.700 --> 00:30:10.700 who lays up treasure for himself 00:30:10.700 --> 00:30:14.820 and is not rich toward God. 00:30:15.860 --> 00:30:16.540 Here's the thing. 00:30:16.600 --> 00:30:17.120 I don't want to say this. 00:30:17.200 --> 00:30:18.060 We got some students in here. 00:30:18.140 --> 00:30:20.040 We got some college students in here. 00:30:20.320 --> 00:30:21.700 And here's what I want to say, okay? 00:30:22.080 --> 00:30:24.340 My kids are in this service, right? 00:30:24.540 --> 00:30:26.020 So I'm going to look at my kids 00:30:26.020 --> 00:30:26.860 and I'm going to say this. 00:30:27.620 --> 00:30:29.500 Go make millions, all right? 00:30:30.300 --> 00:30:31.120 Go make them. 00:30:31.680 --> 00:30:33.740 Take care of mom and dad as we get old, right? 00:30:34.320 --> 00:30:35.140 Go make them. 00:30:35.920 --> 00:30:37.340 This isn't a message 00:30:37.340 --> 00:30:39.520 attacking at being successful. 00:30:40.980 --> 00:30:42.520 It's the message 00:30:42.520 --> 00:30:44.740 of what do you do with it? 00:30:45.680 --> 00:30:46.900 What do you do 00:30:46.900 --> 00:30:49.580 and what are you pursuing? 00:30:49.580 --> 00:30:51.820 So being rich toward God, 00:30:51.900 --> 00:30:53.280 what does that mean, right? 00:30:53.680 --> 00:30:55.080 It's all his anyways. 00:30:56.040 --> 00:30:57.820 Everything that's there, he created. 00:30:58.500 --> 00:31:00.020 So what does it mean 00:31:00.020 --> 00:31:02.360 to be rich toward God? 00:31:03.360 --> 00:31:04.960 I think it means to live in abundance. 00:31:06.640 --> 00:31:08.380 And the abundance we desire, though, 00:31:08.420 --> 00:31:10.160 is different than the abundance of the world. 00:31:11.160 --> 00:31:13.080 When you and I are rich toward God, 00:31:13.900 --> 00:31:15.520 the abundance that we desire 00:31:15.520 --> 00:31:17.300 is the abundance of knowing him 00:31:17.300 --> 00:31:21.420 more and fresh every single day. 00:31:22.360 --> 00:31:24.380 That the abundance that we desire 00:31:24.380 --> 00:31:26.660 is the abundance of obeying him 00:31:26.660 --> 00:31:28.820 in every aspect 00:31:28.820 --> 00:31:31.180 and of every detail of our life. 00:31:32.000 --> 00:31:34.000 That the abundance that we desire 00:31:34.000 --> 00:31:36.280 is the abundance of sacrifice. 00:31:37.480 --> 00:31:39.240 That, Lord, there is nothing that I have 00:31:39.240 --> 00:31:40.880 that is more precious to me 00:31:40.880 --> 00:31:42.640 than you, including my life. 00:31:44.400 --> 00:31:47.060 That the abundance that we desire 00:31:47.060 --> 00:31:50.240 is the abundance of sharing God. 00:31:51.300 --> 00:31:53.220 And I think there's an opportunity for us 00:31:53.220 --> 00:31:55.000 to live in abundance. 00:31:55.000 --> 00:31:58.840 But the question is this. 00:31:59.640 --> 00:32:00.940 Where are you placing 00:32:00.940 --> 00:32:03.320 the abundance of your life? 00:32:04.200 --> 00:32:06.120 In a barn that will burn, 00:32:07.000 --> 00:32:08.520 where mold will grow, 00:32:09.260 --> 00:32:10.740 where decay will come? 00:32:11.780 --> 00:32:15.400 Or do we store up in heaven 00:32:15.400 --> 00:32:18.180 where it cannot be destroyed, 00:32:18.960 --> 00:32:21.600 where it'll be for all of eternity? 00:32:22.540 --> 00:32:23.420 Would you pray with me? 00:32:25.000 --> 00:32:28.020 Lord, we come to you this morning. 00:32:30.300 --> 00:32:31.480 Lord, we thank you 00:32:31.480 --> 00:32:33.880 of the goodness 00:32:33.880 --> 00:32:36.160 and the richness of the gospel. 00:32:38.240 --> 00:32:38.920 Lord, I thank you. 00:32:39.140 --> 00:32:40.220 Lord, I want to say, 00:32:40.660 --> 00:32:42.680 I thank you so much for this church 00:32:42.680 --> 00:32:46.000 who faithfully gives. 00:32:47.240 --> 00:32:49.440 And as a result of that giving, Lord, 00:32:50.260 --> 00:32:51.600 we see ministry done 00:32:51.600 --> 00:32:53.740 all over Lexington, South Carolina, 00:32:53.860 --> 00:32:54.380 the U.S. 00:32:54.400 --> 00:32:55.560 and all over the world. 00:32:57.100 --> 00:32:58.140 I thank you that 00:32:58.140 --> 00:33:00.140 we're able to partner with 00:33:00.140 --> 00:33:01.300 and work with 00:33:01.300 --> 00:33:02.980 missionaries 00:33:02.980 --> 00:33:05.720 all over every continent. 00:33:07.080 --> 00:33:09.400 Lord, because of what you've done 00:33:09.400 --> 00:33:11.020 and what you've put into place 00:33:11.020 --> 00:33:13.660 in the hearts of faithful men and women. 00:33:15.280 --> 00:33:16.680 But, Lord, for my heart 00:33:16.680 --> 00:33:18.140 and for theirs. 00:33:20.320 --> 00:33:22.020 Lord, of what we can only 00:33:22.020 --> 00:33:24.360 be fully honest with 00:33:24.360 --> 00:33:25.800 between us to you 00:33:25.800 --> 00:33:28.700 is what do we value most. 00:33:30.300 --> 00:33:32.180 And if it's anything other than you, 00:33:33.180 --> 00:33:34.920 if it's any pursuit 00:33:34.920 --> 00:33:35.880 other than you, 00:33:37.280 --> 00:33:38.240 Lord, may we understand 00:33:38.240 --> 00:33:39.380 that we are desperately, 00:33:40.060 --> 00:33:40.840 desperately 00:33:40.840 --> 00:33:42.220 falling short. 00:33:45.440 --> 00:33:46.740 So, Lord, may we live 00:33:46.740 --> 00:33:47.260 in abundance 00:33:47.260 --> 00:33:48.580 of knowing you. 00:33:49.760 --> 00:33:50.700 Would we live 00:33:50.700 --> 00:33:51.340 in an abundance 00:33:51.340 --> 00:33:52.420 of obeying you, 00:33:53.300 --> 00:33:54.420 of sacrificing 00:33:54.420 --> 00:33:55.260 to you 00:33:55.260 --> 00:33:57.420 and of sharing you. 00:34:00.120 --> 00:34:01.220 Lord, the possessions 00:34:01.220 --> 00:34:02.220 we do have, 00:34:04.340 --> 00:34:05.840 may we not look 00:34:05.840 --> 00:34:06.400 at others 00:34:06.400 --> 00:34:06.960 and covet, 00:34:08.120 --> 00:34:09.420 but may we find 00:34:09.420 --> 00:34:10.280 satisfaction 00:34:10.280 --> 00:34:12.060 because it's not 00:34:12.060 --> 00:34:12.920 found in them 00:34:12.920 --> 00:34:13.860 but found in you. 00:34:15.660 --> 00:34:16.540 Lord, may we look 00:34:16.540 --> 00:34:17.320 at the homes 00:34:17.320 --> 00:34:18.880 that you've blessed us with 00:34:18.880 --> 00:34:21.500 as places 00:34:21.500 --> 00:34:24.360 to do ministry, 00:34:25.080 --> 00:34:26.240 to disciple. 00:34:27.840 --> 00:34:28.860 Lord, may we look 00:34:28.860 --> 00:34:29.540 at the cars 00:34:29.540 --> 00:34:30.500 that we have 00:34:30.500 --> 00:34:31.940 as means 00:34:31.940 --> 00:34:33.040 to move 00:34:33.040 --> 00:34:33.720 the gospel 00:34:33.720 --> 00:34:35.020 from place to place. 00:34:36.640 --> 00:34:37.620 Lord, could we look 00:34:37.620 --> 00:34:38.220 at the money 00:34:38.220 --> 00:34:39.240 that you've entrusted 00:34:39.240 --> 00:34:40.340 us with 00:34:40.340 --> 00:34:42.100 and view it 00:34:42.100 --> 00:34:42.600 as a way 00:34:42.600 --> 00:34:43.360 to be generous 00:34:43.360 --> 00:34:44.320 with others 00:34:44.320 --> 00:34:46.400 while being 00:34:46.400 --> 00:34:47.340 good stewards 00:34:47.340 --> 00:34:47.920 of what we're 00:34:47.920 --> 00:34:48.840 obligated to. 00:34:50.420 --> 00:34:51.460 Lord, may we look 00:34:51.460 --> 00:34:52.500 at our refrigerators 00:34:52.500 --> 00:34:53.180 and pantries 00:34:53.180 --> 00:34:54.020 that are filled 00:34:54.020 --> 00:34:54.880 with food 00:34:54.880 --> 00:34:56.080 and see them 00:34:56.080 --> 00:34:56.940 as an opportunity 00:34:56.940 --> 00:34:58.120 to bring others 00:34:58.120 --> 00:34:59.680 outside of faith 00:34:59.680 --> 00:35:01.080 into our home 00:35:01.080 --> 00:35:01.740 where we can 00:35:01.740 --> 00:35:02.520 break bread 00:35:02.520 --> 00:35:03.520 and share the gospel 00:35:03.520 --> 00:35:04.400 of Jesus Christ. 00:35:05.560 --> 00:35:06.600 Lord, may we not 00:35:06.600 --> 00:35:07.780 view our families 00:35:07.780 --> 00:35:09.160 as our possession 00:35:09.160 --> 00:35:10.380 of what we have, 00:35:10.760 --> 00:35:12.680 Lord, but as children 00:35:12.680 --> 00:35:13.380 who have been 00:35:13.380 --> 00:35:14.500 given to us 00:35:14.500 --> 00:35:15.160 and entrusted 00:35:15.160 --> 00:35:15.860 to us 00:35:15.860 --> 00:35:17.000 as an opportunity 00:35:17.000 --> 00:35:17.800 to continue 00:35:17.800 --> 00:35:18.960 to live out 00:35:18.960 --> 00:35:19.740 the legacy 00:35:19.740 --> 00:35:20.780 of the gospel 00:35:20.780 --> 00:35:21.660 that it will not 00:35:21.660 --> 00:35:23.220 stop with this generation 00:35:23.220 --> 00:35:24.300 but will continue 00:35:24.300 --> 00:35:25.180 from generation 00:35:25.180 --> 00:35:26.220 to generation 00:35:26.220 --> 00:35:27.220 to generation. 00:35:32.020 --> 00:35:32.980 Lord, thank you. 00:35:35.580 --> 00:35:37.120 Jesus, may it all 00:35:37.120 --> 00:35:39.220 be yours. 00:35:41.760 --> 00:35:42.880 In your name we pray. 00:35:42.880 --> 00:35:44.160 Amen. 00:35:44.160 --> 00:36:00.880 Thanks again for listening 00:36:00.880 --> 00:36:02.020 to the Willow Ridge Church 00:36:02.020 --> 00:36:03.000 weekly podcast. 00:36:03.320 --> 00:36:04.320 We hope that you enjoyed 00:36:04.320 --> 00:36:05.620 listening to this week's message. 00:36:06.020 --> 00:36:07.180 If you'd like to learn more 00:36:07.180 --> 00:36:08.020 about who we are 00:36:08.020 --> 00:36:09.620 or explore additional resources, 00:36:09.620 --> 00:36:11.120 visit us online 00:36:11.120 --> 00:36:14.680 at www.willowridgechurch.com 00:36:14.680 --> 00:36:15.900 or by searching 00:36:15.900 --> 00:36:16.900 for 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