Sacrifice

Today on Summit life with Jeannie Greer, is when we see how gracious God is when we see how he is inviting us to be a part of his plan and to leverage our golf grateful response to him. That's what creates joyful sustain life.

All God does not need your money what God wants is your heart God has your heart. Everything else calls us back to Summit life after Jeannie Greer. As always, I'm your host Molly bit events turned on late night TV and noticed that there are a lot of pastors out there who are using the Bible to manipulate their listeners into giving their promising financial blessing from God.

As a result that's not what we believe here because it's just not the heart behind true biblical generosity today. Pastor Jeannie set the record straight on our finances. He's describing what the Bible actually says about getting to God's mission. Pastor Jeannie titled this message 35 story of when the Israelites built with Tabernacle tabernacles, God will was a precursor to the temple which was the precursor to Jesus you contact Israel has just been delivered from political slavery in Egypt. Got some plagues deliver them from their slavery release of the Red Sea, where he destroys all of the Egyptian army that tried to kill them. He leads them with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night gives the man I am the wilderness. He gives them gushing water from a rock he has destroyed all their enemies is giving them safety and now he is preparing to take them into the promised land job regarding fiber for Moses said all the congregation of the people of Israel. This is the thing now that the Lord has commanded take from among you will contribution to the Lord whoever is of a generous heart, let him bring the Lord's contribution gold and silver, and bronze bluebird will tell you about one let go chair and I don't get to go chair.

He says it twice you go chair we want that verse 20 and all the congregation of the people of Israel departed from the presence of Moses and they came every one whose heart started him and everyone whose spirit moved him and brought the Lord's contribution so they came both men and women all who were of a willing heart brought roaches and earrings and signet rings are much also to build objects.

Every man, dedicating an offering of gold through the Lord mounted you several observations from those verses number one, they gave in response to the initiative of God given response initiative. God clearly God was leading them right in the whole Exodus was not their idea was his idea God was doing something through them, and now he was giving them an invitation to be a part of that and listen.

It's not like he needed their stuff to do what he wanted to do is think about it the hardest parts of this whole process it all by himself. The flags guess what is really been bald and I got that destroying the Egyptian army that it give the man when the middle of the desert plants God that he's in need. Now it's different. He is give them an invitation to be a part of what he's doing. I've explained to you Summit search that in the clearest ways we see the evidence of God moving in our church and we believe the God does not need us, but he has invited us to be a part of extending what he is doing in and through us. We are giving in response to the mission of God number two number two God use their stuff to build his tabernacle God use their stuff to build his tabernacle now. Dear God did need their stuff, but he chose to use their stuff in the building of his kingdom, saying that he chooses to use it, and gives us an invitation to participate is different than saying that God needs it to the work that God does on earth is always facilitated the gifts of his people.

So God is choosing to use their stuff in the building of his tabernacle number three.

Everyone had something to contribute.

Sometimes people don't have a lot will say to me like what I got to be involved and I can barely make ends meet, you know, and assumed I got my dear drive to church that got my guys tied you probably more tomato annual salary somebody says something like that to me. I know they haven't quite grasped gospel singer generosity yet God is not after you to be in ball because he needs your money because you do need your money or the rich person's money God's after your heart. That's why you should be involved.

We are not usually in charge of what God gives to us, but we are in charge of what we do with what God gives us. Which leads me to number four. You cannot give what you do not have. You cannot give what you do not have minutes for 24 everyone to make a contribution of silver or bronze brought it is the Lord's contribution and everyone who possess acacia wood, of any use of the work brought it. That implies me. There were some people silver did not acacia wood is a limitation wouldn't have silver so you should not feel guilty about not being able to get what you don't have that. I say this because I know some of you who were at one point in your life or you could give a lot of money but things have changed now and you can't. You shouldn't feel bad about that God determines the seasons of your life. You only responsible be faithful in the season that he has you with the little bitty bystander trying to please anybody you not trying to scare you set for yourself. You can't give what you don't have all your responsible for us to be faithful in the season, the God put you in right number five they gave in response to grace they gave in response to grace for grace and AC for small God deliver them from political slavery in Egypt. But perhaps even fresher on their mind, impossible to go back couple chapters you find this horrible thing they did we remember when Moses went up to the mountain get the 10 Commandments. How did Israel show their steadfast love and devotion to God. They got drawn through party got naked, made a golden calf and danced right inside your God writes, Moses comes down, opens up a tent will trash on God is about to break a break open on them. In Moses, plaintiff part of Jesus spans between God and people to know don't do that. Don't do that will destroy them. God relents and these people have a very real sense of chapter 35 that they really ought to be destroyed. They knew that God should have wiped them out. They have a very aware sense of how much grace God is shown to because they know they probably should not be there there overwhelmed God's grace in their lives.

Number six giving was both free and Spirit prompted giving was both free and Spirit prompted verse five levers of a generous heart, let him bring the Lord's contribution. Verse 21.

They came everyone whose heart stirred him everyone who spirit moved him. They came both men and women all who are of a willing heart brought an offering to God. Verse 29. All the men and women whose heart moved them to bring anything for the work of the Lord came and brought up free will offering to the Lord.

Now we hear those verses we hear freedom right no compulsion at all. Wherever Smart moves of most other type you give that whoever's heart moved and it was free, no compulsion, no reluctance but it also was this says this.

Look at verse 30 to 35 then Moses said to the people of Israel was very close to the Lord has called my name is allow these filled him with the spirit of God was skill of intelligence knowledge SHIP is inspired him to teach. September 30 six Moses call bezel out and every Krausman and whose mind the Lord had put skill everyone whose heart stirred him up to come to the work know what you see there the spirit of God had put these things in people's hearts that day. Then responded out of their hearts with you. See the spirit of God watches uses with our spirit so that he shows us individually what we are supposed to give to be a Christian means of the spirit of God is taken over possession of you and the Holy Spirit moves in you to show you specifically the role that you are that are to play in the mission of God right so all my role is for you as I'm not the Holy Spirit is simply to ask you as a believer have you asked the Holy Spirit what your role is in this process.

I can't tell you that Moses could tell him that I can't give you a command on but I can't say if you're a believer, the Holy Spirit is in you and you are to at least ask God all of it belongs to you, Holy Spirit, how I'm I supposed to be involved in this. You give from your heart. Now let me clarify. I am not saying that you only did it when you have a tingling moment in church and hearing about your neck stands up and you for your lunch money in a place because another place in the Bible for scrimmage. 62. Paul says that our giving ought to be disciplined and systematic because of the first of every week. You should set aside what you want to use for generosity. What I'm saying is that use what you should do is seek the Spirit's counsel on how much that should be for Veronica and I got in the season is we would is frequent like okay got here is what percentage you want to set aside you for generosity.

It's all yours spirit of God, I need you to put this on my heart. Number seven tell how long is this list that were almost rooms them to more number seven they gave publicly.

They gave publicly. The word translated in the MV in the ESV in verse five is a work is contribution in Hebrew is the word to her room, which means literally to raise up right in the old King James version. They called this the syllabus they heave offering to be gotcha you go. King Jimmy right there in front of you see it says that it's as they heave offering me what they did with this and they would bring it and ended last thing they do is they would heave it up and they gave publicly because it was a way of identifying with the people of God that we are part of this and we believe in it, and their faith would encourage somebody else to number eight. My favorite point. They had to hold a congregational meeting to tell them to stop giving chapter 36 verse five he said to Moses, the people bring much more than enough for doing the work of the Lord has commanded us to do. Moses gave the command and word was proclaimed throughout the Let no man or woman do anything more for the contribution for the sanctuary.

So the people were re-surrendering from bringing all they wanted to bring the nose like no matter God got out for seven for the material they have a sufficient all the work and more all this incredible giving was motivated listen, not by the perception of a need was motivated by the overflow of grateful hearts cannot tell you a very important lesson I have learned as a pastor I did not want to start a bathroom but I know now, the most generous offerings are not motivated by guilt, most generous offerings are always motivated by grace presenting God as a poor little God who needs our help and he is depending on us when I help will be them to save the world might create a little flurry of guilt giving, but I promise you it doesn't last is when we see how gracious God is, is when we see how he is inviting us to be a part of his plan and to leverage our stuff in grateful response to him.

That's what creates joyful sustained life long generosity.

God does not need your money what God wants is your heart God has your heart. Everything else falls. Falls in suit. Luke chapter 21 the disciples are standing around in the temple watching people. Given the offer and evidently there were some pretty rich people who drop it in some pretty big going in there pretty impressed. You could tell Jesus response to them. Luke 21 basis as is and I'll paraphrase guys you don't get it do you. You don't get it. I don't make their money not impressed with their money because these gifts even though their big they don't represent the hearts of his people that are putting them in, but that woman over there so that woman, the one who gave to Mike's which is about half of a penny when she gave represent her heart, and you guys should know by now that I can do more with her half a penny that all these religious people to do with all their gifts over Kim lifetimes.

John chapter 12 woman comes in to anoint Jesus feet with a very expensive alabaster flask of perfume. She's been a prostitute. But Jesus is reconciled to God and she is overwhelmed. Gratefulness to God's grace and Jesus as her Savior that she just begins to weep. She waits on his feet. She drives her tears with her hair.

She takes this expensive bottle of alabaster perfume and she busted and pours out at Jesus feet and all the religious people start shaking their heads going all my goodness what a waste. What a waste.

You realize what could've been done for the poor. If you taught the value that David told Jesus, shakes his head again I'll paraphrase what he says God you don't get it do you religious people never get gospel based generosity is religious people give one of two reasons. What they did because they think they're giving my God love them more.

Number two, they think they give because God needs it and sees a need or want anything to screw everyone you're giving does not make me love you more because salvation is a gift I gave to you because I purchased number. You could never purchase for yourself. It's all great. It's a gift I give, not because you earn it and I don't need your money gospel fuel generosity is when you give for neither of those two reasons. You give because your heart now belongs to God and you are overwhelmed at what he is done for you, and have the invitation he's given you to be a part of this plan in your heart rises up in you and says God I love you and I want to give this to you because you have my heart you're my God you are my treasure money is the way that we declare what we most love. It's the way we declare what we treasure what we most trust in what God does is it gives us an invitation to declare that he is our treasure. We are grateful to him and he is our trust, which is again why I told you.

Generosity is not something he needs from you that something he wants for you. God's primary purpose in generosity lesson is not to get the money out of our pockets it to get the idols out of our hearts, which is why giving you three questions that you want to consider during the season right three questions that you want to ask what is what you do with your money.

Show that you must love what is how you spend your money. What is it show the most love Jill have to exist. You can talk all day long how much you love Jesus but your pocketbook goes through the value second question, what does what you do with your money. Sure, the most trusted and opposite ever for any savings. What is what you know anybody show the most love and trust in you know what those are not questions about what God means there's a questions about what your heart was loves and trust. There's a questions about what I God is your daughter money is your God. That's the question God has for many of us. What does the trail of your money. Say about who your real God is. Is it money or is it God because your mouth can talk again all day long, but your spending your money.

Tell the truth about your heart years or more. What is what you do with your money reveal about what kingdom your servant was what you money reveal about what your serving as you can say I'm Jesus disciple, but if the trail of your money shows that you're building the kingdom for yourself, then is it really convincing that you're one of Jesus's disciples on the children. Money shows that you invest more in your kingdom and you doing God's here here's one more. What statement does your giving to God make about God's value to you.

The question that is being asked from Exodus 35 and 36 is this. If this is how they gave in response to what they had seen how much more should we give in response to what we have seen me very quickly take you no place in the New Testament where Paul takes the principles of we just learn and explain the sacred is not the point is this, whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give us he had decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion because God loves a cheerful giver, and God is able you see the make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times. You may abound in all the works he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way, to be generous in every way. The first thing that Paul does in this passage. What this is. Identify and deal with what is in my experience, the number one reason it keeps people from being generous fear. I know a lot of people who want to be generous, but the moment they start thinking about it. They get dominated by these fears of well what we can. Making ends meet one day.

Wi-Fi was my job.

One of the president and the Congress destroy our economy and so you hang onto it because that is your security the future you panic and pain.

It keeps you from being able to do what God is telling you to do with what is giving why why should you not panic because God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times. You may abound in all good works.

Yes it is true that when you when you give away your money is truly God gives you spiritual riches really does but you know it in every way also includes it easy also uses that as a means to multiply your financial capacity to give which means enriching your financial even more now. He is not talking you know you not talk about some dumb name that claimant's knees. It cities it. God bless you strategy right mess up all, doing stupid things and giving away money you will have what is talking about is God taking care of you when you honor him with your giving it when you give generously, even when it scares you talking about his analogy of a seed.

Here is fantastic. Most seeds you want to do things with you either eat it or you plan but if you plan it for for the ability to eat its so in times of drought, a lot of farmers have to make a difficult decision because sometimes a farmer will have enough seed that they really ought to use it to feed their family. If there's gonna be a drought but they know that they don't plant the seed now.

The monogamy will harvest anything for later so sometimes the farther a farmer has to step out on up. Women plant some see that he would really like to hold onto to do like to feed his family with it, hoping that there will be a harvest that column that will multiply what he's planted. This is the analogy, Paul uses forgiving is is you are planting it in faith and God treats it like a seed that multiplies and comes back to you. Some a church wasn't God's analogy, not mine. The great thing is that we God is never drought boy shows is a biblical giving always involves kind of fear. For years I thought of my Christian life somewhat like him when I was in was a kid and you have experience for your rod number you of the hill on your bike and you can see by the laws of the brakes don't work anymore. You feel you have right that moment that you fulfill all the time in your walk with Jesus 101 right direction, but that's about all I know right now I do not stop. I don't know what they're presuming I don't have any idea when you release control like that. That's when God begins to control use you for things you never thought possible. Nothing wrong with enjoy the fruit of your labor. Honestly.

But you realize that one of the primary reasons God multiplies your resources is to increase your capacity to be involved in his kingdom for some of you that have really been blessed. Here's my question for you, what would it look like for you to begin to think of your success and blessing. That way there's a story in Luke chapter 12 honestly scares me to death. Sometimes a man who was very wealthy did so much crop that his only problem was the barn she had to store all in one big enough. I am willing to do all his extra. That's an easy question is not friend that you are now, if you got so much that you can't yet so much crop that you All the barns what you do with it away was suspended. I was born to build bigger barns knowledge of him is is you fool tonight. Your soul is required of you as you thought that what I gave you was for you and what you did with it. Showed that you were not a part of my kingdom at all.

It was all about your key, you understand that the reason God gave some of you access methanol big barns.

Nothing wrong with enjoy that access but you realize the reason I gave it to you as you increase your ability to give it away and what you do with it shows where your heart is, why did God multiply and enrich the David did that for you, not just so you could molt something in human nature loves to horde. I notice I feel my keyboard. I have open bar is no immunity.

I'll take care of you in the future I'm increasing it right now but I want you to invest in a giveaway. Paul ends this passage like pole always and stuff a little bit for 50 thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift he ends this passage by pointing back to the primary motive in giving were overwhelmed by grace God has given us in inexpressible gift and in light of God's great gift.

Our heart should naturally just rise up to say God I love you inexpressible gift. Where would you be Jesus, not normally for you is this not a Jesus were leaving everything for his is not a just treasure business on Jesus you can trust is not a Jesus you could trust with the seed of faith that you give to him. That's where lifelong generosity comes from my friend Doug come from guilt done come from the columns when you are overwhelmed by the promises and the grace of God that creates and you joyful sustained lifelong sometimes God multiplies your resources increase your standard of living to increase your capacity for getting today's message as part of our teaching series called all in.

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