Participants: Pr. Dwight K. Nelson
Series Code: NP
Program Code: NP042509
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00:32 Praise the Lord. You may be seated.
00:37 Is our God awesome this Sabbath? 00:42 I got to raise in mercy and raise in truth 00:46 and teaches us in compassion. 00:49 We sing the song 00:50 that's became a favorite this semester. 00:55 It says mighty to save, from the uttermost, 00:59 our God reaches out, 01:01 saves us and delivers us from our sins 01:04 and brings us into right relationship with Him. 01:08 So we declare that today. 01:24 It's really focus on these words, 01:26 every one needs compassion, together. 01:30 Everyone needs compassion, love that's never failing 01:37 Let mercy 01:38 Let mercy fall on me 01:44 Everyone needs forgiveness 01:47 The kindness of a Savior 01:52 The hope of nations 02:00 Savior 02:02 Savior, He can move the mountains 02:08 My God is mighty to save 02:12 He is mighty to save 02:16 Forever Author of salvation 02:21 He rose and conquered the grave 02:25 Jesus conquered the grave 02:30 So take me. 02:31 So take me, as You find me 02:33 All my fears 02:35 All my fears and failures 02:38 Fill my life again. 02:40 Fill my life again 02:44 I give my life. 02:45 I give my life to follow 02:47 Everything I believe in 02:53 Now I surrender 02:58 I surrender 03:02 Savior 03:04 Savior, He can move the mountains 03:08 My God is mighty to save 03:12 He is mighty to save 03:16 Forever Author of salvation 03:21 He rose and conquered the grave 03:26 Jesus conquered the grave 03:29 Shine your light 03:31 And let the whole world see 03:35 We're singing for the glory 03:38 Of the risen King 03:42 Jesus, shine you light 03:44 And let the whole world see 03:47 We're singing for the glory 03:48 We're singing for the glory 03:51 Of the risen King 03:54 Savior 03:56 Savior, He can move the mountains 04:01 My God is mighty to save 04:05 He is mighty to save 04:09 Forever, Author of salvation 04:15 He rose and conquered the grave 04:18 Jesus conquered the grave 04:22 Savior, He can move the mountains 04:28 My God is mighty to save 04:31 He is mighty to save. 04:35 Forever, Author of salvation 04:40 He rose and conquered the grave 04:44 Jesus conquered the grave 04:48 Shine your light, and let the whole world see 04:54 We're singing for the glory 04:57 Of the risen King Jesus 05:00 Shine you light, and let the whole world see 05:06 We're singing for the glory 05:09 Of the risen King 05:13 Savior, He can move the mountains 05:19 My God is mighty to save 05:23 He is mighty to save 05:27 Forever, Author of salvation 05:33 He rose and conquered the grave 05:36 Jesus conquered the grave 05:49 I am seekin' for a city, Hallelujah 05:55 I am seekin' for a city! 05:58 Hallelujah 06:01 For a city into de Hebben 06:03 Hallelujah 06:07 For a city into de Hebben 06:09 Hallelujah 06:12 Lord I don't feel no-ways tired Childaren 06:19 Oh, glory Hallelujah! 06:24 For I hope to shout glory 06:27 when dis worl' is on fire Childaren 06:31 Oh, glory Hallelujah! 06:36 Dere's a better day a -comin', Hallelujah 06:41 Dere's a better day a-comin' 06:44 Hallelujah 06:47 When I leave dis worl' ob sorrow, 06:50 Hallelujah 06:53 For to jine de holy number 06:56 Hallelujah 06:59 Lord I don't feel no-ways tired Childaren 07:05 Oh, glory Hallelujah 07:11 For I hope to shout glory 07:14 when dis worl' is on fire Childaren 07:17 Oh, glory Hallelujah! 07:58 Amen. 08:00 Holy Father, they sing, hallelujah we join with them. 08:06 You've been a good God, You've gotten us 08:07 to this point in the journey, don't abandon us now. 08:12 Given the times, is there a word 08:16 You would yet share with us. 08:20 Jesus name we wait on You. 08:22 Amen. 08:26 Once upon a time there was a rich man 08:27 whose investments 08:33 were going very well. 08:37 Not the kind of word, you and I need to hear, 08:41 we who are very envious of that thought given 08:45 the not very well times of which you're living. 08:48 Although, I need to say this, 08:49 it is not a sin, it is not a sin to be rich. 08:55 Nor it is a sin to have a skill to invest wisely. 09:01 Although truth be known, 09:02 there is research now that indicates, 09:05 there is very little correlation 09:06 between having money or not having it and happiness. 09:11 Forbes magazine carried a piece, 09:13 describing that research. 09:16 A piece entitled, "Money doesn't buy happiness." 09:19 So let me read this to you, just a line or two from it. 09:23 It's official, money can't buy happiness. 09:26 We're all muttering under our breath, 09:28 yeah, but try me, please just try me, try me. 09:31 "It's official, money can't buy happiness. 09:33 Sure, if a person is handed $10," 09:35 listen to this, "the pleasure centers of his brain light up, 09:40 as if he were given, food, sex or drugs." 09:43 Ain't that something? 09:45 Can you believe it? Let's find out. 09:46 Let's just find out that 09:48 if pleasure center really lights up. 09:49 I have, here in my wallet. 09:52 I'm gonna double the $10, by the way. 09:54 I got a $20, right here. 09:58 All right! 09:59 First person that comes to get this $20, 10:05 actually I have two more, 10:07 because the people of First Church felt bad for me 10:08 and gave me a bunch. 10:10 I got two more. I can take two more. 10:12 But I want to pull the camera in on the brain 10:15 and look at the pleasure center. 10:22 All right, this was not staged okay, guys. 10:26 Do you have the camera on their brain? 10:29 All right, watch it. 10:31 All right, $20 think what happens 10:33 to your pleasure center when you, when you-- 10:37 please, you can keep it fella, 10:41 you can, you're the guy getting married in June, 10:42 you're gonna need it trust me. 10:45 You are really gonna need it. 10:47 Another $20. 10:49 Now you just lug it at, 10:50 the people in the First Church had mercy on me. 10:52 They said, all right Pastor, just in case you do this again 10:55 and I got some extras, all right. 10:57 So-- save the hugs, till later. 11:00 Save the hugs till later. 11:01 Thank you guys, give me a high-five, though. 11:03 Come on. All right. 11:06 The whole point is, ladies and gentlemen, when-- 11:10 nice job, guys. 11:15 When you receive money, 11:18 the pleasure center of your brain 11:20 that registers food, sex or drugs lights up. 11:24 But I have some bad news for you. 11:27 Hold on, now. 11:28 "That initial rush does not translate 11:32 into long term pleasure for most people." 11:35 All right? 11:36 Surveys have found, this is fascinating, 11:37 "Surveys have found virtually the same level of happiness 11:41 between the very rich individuals 11:44 on the Forbes 400 list." 11:45 And by the way, we talked about 11:46 Warren Buffett last week, you remember that? 11:48 He's on the Forbes 400, the richest man on earth, 11:50 $62 billion dollars worth. 11:54 But surveys-- now research shows, 11:55 that the "level of happiness between the richest people 12:00 and the Maasai herdsmen of East Africa" 12:03 and Karen and I were in the Maasai Mara, 12:05 the last year, is negligible. 12:08 They're just as happy as Warren Buffett. 12:11 So take that to the bank. 12:15 Lottery winners, watch this, "Lottery winner's 12:18 return to their previous level of happiness 12:20 after about five years." 12:23 You get millions, back after five years. 12:25 "Peter Ubel, professor in Medicine, 12:27 University of Michigan, just up the road, 12:28 the relation between money and happiness 12:30 is pretty, pretty, small." 12:32 One more. 12:34 "George Loewenstein, an economist 12:35 at Carnegie Mellon University, why doesn't wealth 12:38 bring us a constant sense of joy?" 12:39 Listen up. 12:40 "Part of the reason, that people are very good 12:42 at figuring out what to do with the money. 12:44 People, generally over-estimate 12:46 the amount of long-term pleasure, 12:47 they'll get from a given object." 12:50 Once up on a time, there was a rich man, 12:55 whose investments went, very, very well. 13:00 And Jesus told us this story 13:02 so that even when we're not doing very well, 13:05 we will do, very well, indeed. 13:10 Now this for your story hour, we'll call this story, 13:13 the parable of the rich fool. 13:18 I see you listen to this story hour, too. 13:20 Good. 13:22 It's target audience, university students. 13:27 Open your Bible with me please, 13:28 a very short parable with a very sharp point. 13:36 You got to read it. 13:37 You got to read it. Pull out your pew Bible. 13:38 If you didn't bring a Bible, grab the pew Bible. 13:40 It's the gospel of St. Luke Chapter 12. 13:42 Luke Chapter 12, I'm gonna be 13:45 in the today's New International Version. 13:47 If you don't have a Bible, please grab the pew Bible. 13:49 Those of you watching on television, grab your Bible. 13:51 This is one unforgettable story. 13:54 Luke Chapter 12, let's see 13:57 what the page number in the pew Bible, page 701. 14:01 Secret number four, 14:03 how to turn your surviving into thriving 14:07 in the midst of this economic meltdown. 14:09 Let's find out. 14:11 Secret number four, the final of the four secrets. 14:13 Luke Chapter 12, I got to turn this in here, 14:16 talking and not finding it. 14:17 Luke Chapter 12:16, 14:22 "And he" Jesus "told them this parable, 14:26 'The ground of a certain rich man 14:29 yielded an abundant harvest." 14:33 Ladies and gentlemen, the word is bumper. 14:35 Bumper, bumper crop. 14:39 I mean, there was his, big, green, shiny John-Deer, 14:44 just clawing up that grain 14:46 as fast as that combine could move. 14:49 I don't know, how this thing works, 14:51 but the grain goes inside that iron belly of that combine 14:54 and then it comes up a shoot, a snout. 14:57 And these trucks drive right under that shoot 15:00 and yellow gold, yellow grain piling up. 15:05 And as soon as that truck's down, 15:06 here comes another truck. 15:07 And another, and another, and that night, 15:09 after harvesting his entire land, 15:13 there were so many heaping rented trucks in his farm yard. 15:18 There would've been room for one more. 15:22 And so this farmer sits down at his tiny little desk, 15:25 and he pulls out his trusty adding machine. 15:33 He cannot, he cannot believe his eyes. 15:37 He recalculates, and recalculates. 15:39 He's discovered, he has more yellow grain 15:42 than he has silo space. 15:44 He's thinking to himself, hallelujah. 15:50 Like that's what Jesus has him saying right here. 15:52 Verse 17, "He thought to himself," mercy 15:56 "'What shall I do? 15:57 I have no place to store my crops.' 16:00 Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. 16:02 I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, 16:04 and there I will store my surplus grain.' 16:07 " And unbeknown to you and me, 16:09 Jesus has been carefully inserting into that parable, 16:12 the first person singular possessive pronoun, my, my, my. 16:17 What was it here? 16:18 My crops, my barns, my surplus grain, 16:22 and verse 19, myself. 16:26 Hey, wait a minute, rich man. 16:30 Who sent the rain? 16:32 Who gave you that sunshine? 16:34 Who had that cycle of light and dark? 16:36 Who gave you the wisdom? Who gave you the heartbeat? 16:37 Who gave you the lung to breathe, all that energy? 16:42 Come on, Mr. Rich man. 16:44 Can't you just-- Would it kill you? 16:46 Would it kill you to say thank you to God? 16:50 It'll kill you, not to. 16:56 And by the way, did u see that? 16:58 My, surplus grain. 17:01 Let me tell you something, 17:03 you'll never have a problem with room for surplus, 17:06 if you give your surplus away. 17:08 There's no problem, give it away. 17:11 Quit hanging on to that excess. 17:13 You don't need it, do you? 17:19 It never occurs to that rich man, 17:21 but they're poor people. 17:23 It doesn't occur to him that 17:24 he wouldn't have a storage problem, 17:26 were he not having a selfish problem. 17:28 Now, would he? 17:30 And so he says to himself this little, 17:32 he goes on verse 19, "And I'll say to myself" self, 17:36 here we go, "'You have plenty 17:39 of grain laid up for many years. 17:42 Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry." 17:47 Time out, time out, hey, is it a sin to eat? 17:50 Of course, it's not. Is it a sin to drink? 17:52 It is not, depending on what you drink. 17:54 Is it a sin to be merry? 17:56 It's not a sin to be merry. 17:57 The Bible says, a merry heart, does good, like a medicine. 18:02 The big difference is, you eat and drink to live, 18:08 not live to eat and drink. 18:11 And that's the difference, your focus. 18:17 Late that night, late that night, 18:20 for the umpteenth time he has rerun the numbers. 18:25 Oh, my! 18:27 The rich man crawls into bed beside his slumbering wife, 18:29 it doesn't get any better than this, 18:31 he's muttering to himself and he begins to hum. 18:36 If I were a rich man 18:41 and he drifts off, drifts off to a glorious sleep. 18:48 A sliver of moon light falls through that 18:51 open window across that contented continence. 18:57 The curtains hang motion less, and limp, 19:01 beside the open window when all of a sudden, stiffen. 19:06 And then begins to mysteriously tremble, 19:08 as the midnight wind sweeps into the darkness, 19:11 and as if riding on that wind, an unseen presence. 19:15 The towers over that bent and a voice in the dark speaks, 19:21 you fool, that's exactly 19:26 what Jesus has the voice saying, you fool. 19:30 Look at verse 20, 19:31 "This very night your life will be demanded from you. 19:35 Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?" 19:46 And with that pronouncement, 19:49 the man jerks up, clutches his chest, 19:51 and before he can awaken her, he's dead. 19:55 The end! 20:00 What a great way to wrap up the school, isn't it? 20:03 What is his point? 20:05 Let's let this master story teller make his point. 20:06 Look at this. 20:07 Where's that point, verse 21, Jesus says, 20:08 you want to know the point, 20:10 "This is how it will be with those who store up things 20:13 for themselves but are not rich toward God." 20:18 Listen ladies and gentlemen, we may not be able to exigent 20:20 every fine little detail of this parable 20:22 but it is not rocket science, 20:24 to suddenly conclude with only one reading that 20:26 whatever that this being rich toward God is, 20:29 it is utterly essential for life. 20:33 That point is so critical, we need to write it down 20:35 for the final study guide in this four secrets 20:38 to surviving the coming economic earthquake. 20:41 Secret number four, grab your study guide, please. 20:42 Ushers, let's get study guide in the overflow and here 20:45 and in the balcony. 20:46 Make sure everybody today gets a study guide. 20:49 You're gonna want this study guide, raise your hand. 20:50 It's secret number four. 20:52 And those who are watching right now, 20:55 we're delighted that you are. 20:56 You can have the same study guide, 20:58 I'm gonna put it on the screen right now. 20:59 You go to our website, there it is. 21:01 You see it at the bottom of that panel, 21:03 www.pmchurch.tv 21:08 You're looking for this series, "Four Secrets to Surviving 21:10 the Coming Economic Earthquake." 21:12 This is secret number four, 21:14 "Turn Your Surviving into Thriving." 21:18 And when you see that, 21:19 you see right underneath that a study guide, 21:21 you click there and you'll have the same study guide 21:23 and you can go through with us. 21:25 And by the, if you didn't get the first three secrets, 21:27 they're all sitting, right there in that website. 21:29 You can download them, to your iPod, 21:31 you want to watch them in your laptop 21:33 there they're for you in your leisure to pander, 21:35 four secrets for survival. 21:37 These are great secrets. 21:38 By the way, speaking of survival, I wish you were-- 21:40 this church is full, right to the back. 21:44 Thursday night, David Ramsey, Coast to Coast live. 21:47 We had my friend Dave on both screens 21:50 coming from Tulsa, Oklahoma 21:52 and all my, he spent an hour and a half 21:54 talking about the economic meltdown we're in 21:58 and where do we go from here. 21:59 I am very grateful. 22:00 Karen and I were sitting there, 22:02 you know, I'm so grateful he spoke a word of hope 22:04 in the midst of this very uncertain time. 22:08 But I need to tell you that as a follower 22:09 because he didn't deal with a lot of specifics, 22:11 he was dealing with generalities. 22:13 But as a follower-- Monday night, 22:15 and then next Monday night, two Monday nights 22:17 we're gonna have a seminar, right here, 22:20 you got two financial young, 22:22 skilled young adults, by the way. 22:24 Bryan von Dorpowski, Scott Schalk 22:25 and they will read out some specifics, 22:28 how to get out of debt and stay out, 22:30 just this two nights. 22:31 Then this fall, we're gonna give 22:33 the financial peace university with the, right here, 22:37 we'll give you the dates, this fall. 22:39 By the way, let me also point out to you that, 22:40 in today's bulletin, there is a brand new, 22:43 did you see this little insert faith and finance. 22:45 There is a brand new... 22:50 how to seminar, to get us through these times. 22:53 And we're gonna be offering that seminar as well. 22:55 I see one of the seminar authors here, Ed Reed. 22:57 And works out it about Ed, 22:59 we're gonna have that this fall as well. 23:02 All right, but right now, there's stuff we can do. 23:04 We're not gonna have to wait for this fall. 23:05 Secret number four, but jot down the point that 23:07 we didn't want to forget, would you? 23:09 Whatever it means, jot this down, 23:11 "Whatever it means this idea of being rich toward God" 23:15 make sure you put the quotation marks around it 23:17 because those are Jesus words. 23:20 "Whatever it means this idea of being rich toward God 23:22 must be utterly essential to life!" 23:28 Keep your pen, moving. 23:29 "Because if you're not," rich toward God, 23:32 "all that you have and all that you are will die with you." 23:35 That's the point. 23:37 Short little parable sharp, big, truth. 23:43 Which by the way, is Jesus advance point 23:44 that He slips into, the introduction. 23:47 We skipped the introduction. 23:48 But I want you to read that introduction. 23:49 Go back to verse 13, same chapter, 23:53 pretty little for the parable. 23:54 "Someone in the crowd," so He's teaching in this crowd. 23:56 "Someone in the crowd said to him, 'hey, teacher, 23:59 tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.'" 24:02 Will you? 24:04 You know what, there's nothing more pathetic 24:07 than a family that dissolves 24:08 into a food fight over inheritance. 24:13 Bring in the lawyers, let's go to probate court, 24:15 let's settle this once and for all. 24:17 Are you crazy? 24:19 There isn't enough there to make it 24:20 worth destroying your family. 24:24 Give it up. 24:27 You'll be fine. 24:29 And Jesus by the way, He's making that point. 24:31 He shoots back to this man, 24:33 not a great complementary word here. 24:34 Hey, man. 24:37 You "Who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?'" 24:40 That's verse 14, now comes verse 15. 24:42 Then Jesus turns to the crowd and he says, 24:44 "'Watch out! 24:45 Be on your guard against all kinds of greed, 24:48 life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.'" 24:53 By the way, once upon a time, there was a rich man 24:55 and boom he shoots in to the parable. 24:57 But I want to make sure that you get the kind of pre, 24:59 the kind of the sub-punch line that he gives before. 25:03 Jot it down please. How did he put it here? 25:06 "For a life does not consist 25:08 in an abundance of possessions." 25:12 Boy, how true? 25:13 In fact, I wrote the sermon yesterday, 25:15 pew research came out with a study. 25:18 National survey, cell phone and telephones, 25:21 finding out, how Americans are surviving this meltdown. 25:24 They are finding out that Americans 25:26 are settling now for less. 25:27 Stuff we have to have before, we don't have to have now. 25:34 We're not, we're not that-- we're pretty bright. 25:39 And that's what Jesus point. 25:41 Look, life does not consist 25:42 in the abundance and possessions. 25:44 There's something exponentially 25:46 more important than possessions. 25:49 And in fact, if we hadn't just parachuted 25:51 in to the middle of Luke's gospel, 25:52 we'd already know. 25:53 The readers already know. 25:55 But we just come diving into the middle of the gospel 25:57 and so we missed what Luke has already inserted. 26:01 And what is he inserted? 26:02 A single line in the Sermon on the Mount. 26:04 Mathew left it out completely. 26:06 Thank you, Dr. Luke, for remembering it. 26:09 He inserts it. 26:11 I want you to go back just a few pages to chapter 6, 26:13 Luke Chapter 6. 26:15 Luke's rendition of the Sermon on the Mount. 26:19 Luke's rendition of the Sermon on the Mount. 26:21 Verse 38. 26:23 All right, Mathew-- I mean Luke 6:38. 26:29 All right, Jesus speaking. 26:31 If you have a red letter Bible 26:32 they are to be just as red as that parable was red. 26:34 "Give Jesus says, and it will be given to you. 26:40 A good measure, pressed down, 26:41 shaken together and running over, 26:43 will be poured into your lap. 26:45 For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." 26:52 Now, I've to remind you, 26:53 incase you forgot that the ancients, 26:55 they'd wear this outer garment, 26:56 long outer garment that 26:57 would go all the way down to the feet. 26:59 The outer garment became their grocery bag, 27:01 or their suitcase. 27:03 Whenever they travel or went shopping, 27:04 because they're gonna reach down, 27:06 all the way down, grab the end 27:07 and pull it up like this 27:08 and now they have the grocery bag. 27:09 And when they're in that little village bazaar, 27:11 would you like some grain? 27:13 I sure would. They're holding the pocket. 27:15 The Greek word is for a bosom pocket. 27:17 They're holding the pocket and that merchant, 27:18 he's just poring that grain in and you could see it, 27:20 wow, wow, pressed down, 27:22 shaking together, wow, spilling over. 27:25 That's what Jesus is describing. 27:27 When you give, it'll come back to you the same way, 27:31 pressed down, pressing it way into down, 27:33 pressing together and poring over. 27:39 Give, He says, give and it'll be given to you. 27:44 By the way, I love the way Eugene Peterson-- 27:45 let's put this on the screen. 27:47 Eugene Peterson's, rendition in the message Bible. 27:51 Look how he translates this verse. 27:53 You'll have to fill it in. 27:54 Give-- Jesus speaking, 27:55 "Give away your life, you'll find life given back," 27:59 but not merely given back 28:01 "given back with bonus and blessing." 28:05 Giving, not getting, write that word in getting. 28:09 Giving, not getting, is the way, 28:12 generosity begets generosity. 28:17 I love that. 28:18 Generosity begets generosity. 28:20 Give and it'll be given to you. 28:24 I got to tell you, one of my favorite stories, 28:25 when I was a boy was the story of Elijah. 28:27 I grew up with Elijah my hero. 28:28 I mean, could there be 28:30 anybody greater than that prophet Elijah? 28:32 And you remember how his life story begins. 28:35 I mean, You think what it would be like. 28:37 You, going straight through, 28:38 right past the secret service, straight into the White House, 28:42 down the corridors, until you find 28:44 yourselves standing in the oval office 28:46 in front of president Obama. 28:49 And you look at the president and you say, mister president, 28:52 I'm here to tell you 28:54 that there will not be a drop of rain or dew, 28:56 until you hear from me again. 28:58 And you pivot on your heel 28:59 and you leave that building and you wisely go into hiding. 29:05 That is precisely, what Elijah did. 29:08 He goes into hiding. 29:11 God says, hey, little brook, little brook called Cherith. 29:16 Go to Cherith. I will take care of you. 29:20 Trust me. 29:22 So Elijah hides down by the waters that will diminish, 29:27 but he's down by the waters at the brook of Cherith 29:28 and you're not gonna believe this, 29:30 but I am telling you the gospel truth. 29:31 The next morning, when he awakens 29:33 and he looks up to that brassy blue heaven, 29:37 he sees, circling in a descending flight pattern, 29:42 a flock of raven, and inside their beaks, 29:45 they're all clutching food. 29:48 And he eats, and he drinks. 29:51 Apparently, it's true. 29:52 God will take care of you until the water runs out, 29:57 because Jesus says, the sun shines on the righteous 29:59 and the wicked. 30:00 You're not getting a pass. 30:01 If we're having a national drought, 30:03 if the economy is down, you get down, too. 30:05 God's people don't just say, well, I'm a believer, 30:08 so the economy doesn't affect me. 30:10 No, no, no, if it's raining, 30:12 it's raining everywhere buddy, and you're down, too. 30:16 And so God says, hey Elijah, you're out of water. 30:19 I suggest you go up to Jezebel, the queen, 30:21 go up to Jezebel's homeland. 30:23 She'll never think of looking for you there. 30:24 And provisional will be made for you. 30:26 You go, boy. 30:27 And Elijah goes and sure enough 30:28 as he gets to this village of Zarephath. 30:32 As he's coming up to the village, 30:33 he sees a little woman, turns out she's a widow 30:36 and she's picking up sticks. 30:39 She's looking for kindling. 30:40 Because, this is it, 30:41 this is going to be the last meal. 30:44 With that fire, little oil and flour 30:47 she and her son then will die. 30:49 Elijah spots her and says, yo mother, 30:54 you know what-- and she turns around 30:56 she can tell by the garb, he's a holy man. 30:58 You know what, I'm so thirsty, do you have any water for me? 31:04 Lord, she turns, precious commodity, 31:07 precious commodity. 31:08 Yo mother, I'm not only thirsty, 31:12 I'm so hungry, could you make some bread for me? 31:16 She looks back at him 31:17 and this is just his long stare. 31:19 And she says, no, sir. 31:22 I'm just getting some wood for our last meal. 31:26 My boy and I are now gonna starve to death. 31:29 Elijah looks into the face of that desperate woman 31:33 and he raises his index finger to heaven 31:35 and he says, as surely, as the Lord God of Israel is, 31:39 if You will give me some bread, 31:41 I promise You that little jug of oil, 31:44 and that jar of flour, will never run out, 31:47 until there's rain again. 31:51 And then I love this line, look at this, 31:52 I love the way the story ends. 31:54 1 Kings 17 and so "She went away 31:58 and did as Elijah had told her. 32:00 So there was food every day for Elijah 32:03 and for the woman and her family. 32:05 For the jar of flour was not used up 32:08 and the jug of oil did not run dry, 32:10 in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah." 32:16 Hallelujah. 32:18 Apparently, it's true. 32:19 God will take care of us. 32:27 Give and it will be given to you. 32:30 That's what the widow did. 32:33 "A good measure, pressed down, shaken together 32:34 and running over, will be poured into your lap. 32:37 For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." 32:40 That is precisely what the widow did. 32:42 She gave the all that she had, 32:43 and God gave it all back to her, 32:45 poured it in to her lap 32:46 until she could even hold it all. 32:49 Apparently-- would you jot this down? 32:53 "If you make God first, He will make it last." 33:02 `If you make God first, He will make it last. 33:08 I don't know how it works, 33:10 I mean, it's so counter-intuitive. 33:11 This little woman has just this left 33:13 and she gives it up, but she gets way more. 33:15 I don't know how it works. 33:17 I only know that Jesus promised it would work. 33:21 Let me read it to you from Peterson again. 33:23 "Give away your life 33:24 and you'll find life given back, 33:26 not merely given back, 33:28 but given back with bonus and blessing. 33:30 Giving, not getting, is the way, 33:32 generosity begets generosity." 33:35 You want to know the secret for turning 33:37 your economic surviving into economic thriving, 33:40 write it down right now, secret number four. 33:43 "When living becomes giving, surviving becomes thriving." 33:49 That's it. 33:50 Write it down, secret number four. 33:52 "When living becomes giving, surviving becomes thriving." 33:57 Keep writing. 33:58 "The happiest people on earth (rich or poor) are all givers." 34:04 Write it down. 34:05 And by the way, keep your pen moving. 34:06 "They're also the healthiest people on earth. 34:12 My friend, Larry Ulery, 34:13 who teaches here at the university. 34:16 Larry sent this to me and I want to pass it onto you. 34:18 You have it in your study guide. 34:19 This is good. 34:20 This is from what, Michigan Literacy Inc. 34:23 You'll have to fill in a line or two. 34:24 I'm quoting now. 34:25 "According to researchers at the Institute 34:27 for the Advancement of Health, doing regular volunteer work" 34:31 all right, giving up yourself, giving up yourself 34:34 "doing regular volunteer work increases life expectancy." 34:38 Write that one down. 34:39 It increases life expectancy. 34:42 "The research suggests that the feeling of 'warmth'" 34:45 those endorphins, "the feeling of 'warmth' 34:48 that results from helping others 34:50 can be attributed to the release 34:52 of endorphins in the brain. 34:53 Since nerve cells involved are connected 34:55 to parts of the body that fight infection," 34:57 jot this down, "doing good can help your immune system." 35:01 I'm still quoting. 35:02 Write it in, your immune system. 35:04 "Another study conducted at the University of California 35:07 Medical School in San Francisco, 35:08 found that volunteering 'seems to increase self esteem, 35:12 foster a sense of competence, 35:13 and fight off stress and depression.'" 35:16 Ladies and gentlemen, talk about thriving, 35:20 thriving instead of surviving. 35:22 You got it. 35:23 And it all comes, isn't this amazing? 35:26 It all comes to the one who's willing to give himself. 35:31 It all comes to the one 35:33 who's willing to give herself, to others. 35:39 Give and it will be given, unto you. 35:44 For generosity begets generosity. 35:52 That's why I was so proud of you yesterday. 35:55 Not yesterday, actually Thursday, to be in chapel 35:59 and to watch as our president invited, 36:01 46 young adults from Andrews University. 36:04 Come about at the pew, come to the front. 36:08 What's so special about them? 36:10 They're volunteering. Get this. 36:11 They're volunteering, to give a year 36:13 of their life in some foreign land 36:16 in the service of Christ Jesus himself. 36:19 They're gonna put a pause button, 36:21 hold everything, I'm gonna take this year away 36:25 and give of myself, for the sake of others. 36:29 I was so proud when I watch them come forward. 36:31 I want to tell you something, 36:32 you young adults who made that decision, 36:35 I want to tell you can trust Jesus. 36:37 He will make it up to you. 36:38 He will take that willingness 36:39 and I don't know how He's gonna do it, 36:41 but He will make it up to you. 36:46 Give and it will be given unto you. 36:52 Now, I haven't planned to do this, 36:55 because, we had that extra money 37:01 that was given to me between services. 37:04 I want the three people, who received money from me, 37:07 to answer this question. 37:08 Do you want to be healthy and do you want to live longer? 37:15 Do you want to be happy and do you want to be healthy? 37:18 Come back to me, come, come, come, come, come. 37:20 The three of you, come on, come, come. 37:27 All right. 37:29 All right. 37:32 You know what guys, Jesus is making a point. 37:40 No, no, no, we're gonna do it differently. 37:42 We're gonna do it differently. 37:43 Jesus is making a point. 37:44 When you give, 37:46 that's when those endorphins kick in, 37:48 that's when the immune system boosts, 37:50 that's when your heart finds happiness. 37:52 And I can tell by your three faces, 37:53 you want that more than anything else in the world. 37:56 And so I want three others, three others to come here, 38:00 and they're gonna give to you. 38:01 The first three that come here, 38:04 I want three others to come, only three, only three. 38:09 Okay, give, give, and give. 38:12 All right, you guys that got, go. 38:16 No, you stay here, stay here, stay, hey, hey, hey, you. 38:21 You guys go. 38:24 No, I want you to stay. 38:26 You feel healthier? 38:27 No. 38:30 You're supposed to say, but of course pastor, 38:32 I feel great. 38:34 I want to tell you something guys, I'm proud of you 38:35 because something happened inside, 38:36 you don't feel it right now but it happened. 38:41 And just because, just because it did happen, 38:45 you know, they gave me so much money, 38:47 in First Church that I got three more $20 bills 38:50 where those came from. 38:51 Now, I want you to take these. 38:53 I'm feeling healthy now. 38:54 Yeah, yeah. 38:56 You really feel healthy now, I know. 38:57 Thank you. 38:58 All right, thanks guys. God bless you guys. 39:08 There it is, ladies and gentlemen, 39:09 secret number four, "When living becomes giving, 39:13 surviving turns to thriving." 39:18 You got to give, you got to give. 39:22 Unless you think, that that giving 39:24 does not include the local church, 39:26 let this little pastor rise up his tiny voice 39:28 in an earnest appeal for you to support your local church 39:33 wherever it is, you're worshipping 39:35 right now it doesn't matter to me. 39:38 In fact, would you jot this down please? 39:39 "The only reason there is a local church 39:42 is because local Christians are local givers." 39:46 That's why. 39:47 If nobody at Pioneer gave, 39:48 there'd be no church on this campus. 39:50 Adios. 39:53 But because people give, we're here. 39:57 I want to tell you something, I bow before God Almighty 40:03 when I realize the kind of giving 40:06 that takes place in this university congregation, 40:09 this is not a wealthy congregation. 40:12 When I see men, when I see women, 40:14 when I see young adults, when I see teenagers, 40:16 when I see little children, 40:17 who are giving as an act of worship and devotion to God. 40:21 Not just return of tithe, 40:22 they're giving beyond the tithe. 40:23 When I see that, I bow down to God 40:25 and I say, God, it doesn't get any better than this. 40:28 It doesn't get any better than this. 40:31 In fact, the treasurer, the other day, our accountant, 40:34 shoved a tithe envelope in to my hands 40:36 and he said Dwight, I think you need to open this one? 40:37 And boy, it's kind of crunchy and full and I am thinking, 40:40 this is a gas, what is it? 40:42 So I got my letter opener 40:43 and slicked that tithe envelope, open 40:45 and I dumped out on to my desk, 40:47 a few beads, a couple of trinkets and four pennies 40:51 and then on the cover of the tithe envelope 40:53 in a childish scroll, for Jesus, for Jesus. 40:59 I want to tell you something, if you're young, 41:03 if you're young, 41:06 this is the perfect time, to start giving. 41:11 'Cause listen, you're young now, 41:14 but if you give, 41:15 you'll become a very old giver one day. 41:22 Give and it'll be given back to you. 41:24 But you have to start this. 41:26 You got to break the cycle of selfishness. 41:28 You got to say, I got to give. 41:30 I don't care how poor you are 41:31 or how rich you are you got to give. 41:34 Give and it will be given back to you. 41:36 Press down, it can't even keep it in that pocket. 41:40 I don't know how God is gonna make it up to you. 41:43 I just know that Jesus said, give 41:47 and it will be given back to you. 41:51 So you're here at Pioneer or wherever else you worship 41:54 I want you to experience the endorphin joy 41:58 that Jesus is describing, give. 42:01 You never have given before, who cares? 42:03 Start now. 42:05 It's about surviving and thriving 42:08 in the midst of this economic meltdown. 42:10 Start giving now. 42:11 Grab a fist full of tithe envelopes, 42:12 when you leave this place 42:13 and start putting money in it 42:15 and bring it back and bring it back. 42:17 Wherever you worship, bring it back 42:21 and God will make it up to you because as far as I know, 42:25 he's the biggest giver in the universe. 42:30 Come on say it out loud with me, John 3:16, 42:32 from the Old King James, "For God so loved the world, 42:38 that he gave his only begotten Son, 42:41 that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish, 42:46 but have everlasting life." 42:49 A century ago, these words were written. 42:52 I'll put it on the screen for you, 42:53 you have it in your study guide. 42:55 "Let us surrender ourselves a living sacrifice, 42:59 and give our all to Jesus. 43:03 It is His, we are His purchased possession. 43:07 Those who are recipients of His grace, 43:09 who contemplate the cross of Calvary, 43:12 will not question concerning the proportion to be given," 43:14 well, I don't want to give too much, you know. 43:16 No. 43:17 "But they will feel that the richest offering 43:18 is all too meager," 43:20 no matter what I give it's all too meager, 43:23 "all disproportionate to the great gift 43:26 of the only begotten Son of the infinite God." 43:30 Final sentence. 43:31 "Through self-denial, the poorest" 43:34 hit the pause button right there. 43:37 Because you know, how you and I think? 43:38 We think, giving is for those who really have it. 43:42 If I don't have it, I don't have to give. 43:44 Wrong, wrong, wrong. 43:46 Don't you want to live? Don't you want to live? 43:51 The poorest, the poorest woman 43:54 or man on this planet can give back to the one 43:59 who's already giving all to you. 44:01 Don't just say, I'm taking a pass 44:02 'cause I'm a student here and I just don't have much. 44:05 You got to see my school bill. 44:07 Who cares about your school bill? 44:08 What do you have in your pocket? 44:11 What do you have in your pocket? 44:14 I can take care of you, boy. I can take care of you, girl. 44:16 You know, that school bill, I already have a plan. 44:20 I just want to know, do you have a heart like Mine? 44:26 Would you be willing too become a giver? 44:29 Because if you are a giver, I'll bring it back to you. 44:34 I will take care of you. 44:37 Just ask the widow, the pagan widow of Zarephath. 44:43 I'll take it, I'll take care of you, lady. 44:48 Read that sentence again, "Through self-denial, 44:50 the poorest will find ways 44:53 of obtaining something to give back to God." 44:59 Ain't that some? 45:01 Wow. 45:02 How did that Forbes magazine headline read? 45:05 Money can't buy happiness, 45:06 but giving certainly will for there's no happier giver, 45:10 in the universe, than God himself. 45:14 Let me end with this, Madeline Johnston, 45:16 one of our church members, 45:18 she was telling the other day about their daughter, 45:20 Elizabeth, now lives out in LA. 45:22 But she was a little girl about three or four years old, 45:25 and she was given a memory verse. 45:26 Back when we were little you remember, 45:27 you had to learn these memory verses? 45:29 So she was given a memory verse, 2 Corinthians 9. 45:32 "God loveth a cheerful giver." 45:35 Yet to learn that one too, huh? 45:36 "God loveth a cheerful giver." 45:38 But you know how it is, with these children minds 45:41 they get the words turned around a bit 45:43 which is why all that week, 45:45 as Beth was rehearsing her memory verse, to herself, 45:49 and reciting it to her dollies, she kept repeating the words, 45:54 God is a lovely giver. 45:59 You know what that little girl got it wrong, 46:01 but she got it right. 46:03 God is a lovely, lovely giver. 46:11 Want to be like Him? 46:13 You'll be a lovely giver too. 46:15 The little you have, the little you've, 46:20 become a lovely cheerful giver. 46:24 "God is lovely cheerful giver." 46:27 And you know what, you'll be the same 46:30 and your surviving will turn to thriving, 46:32 because you know that you belong to somebody 46:35 in this universe who-- guess what? 46:37 Will take care of you. 46:41 Can we trust Him? Can we trust Him? 46:44 Yes, we can. 46:48 Can we trust Him? 46:49 Say it again with me, yes, we can. 46:52 Oh, yes, we can. And so we come now, is it? 46:57 The year is over. 46:59 The fourth part mini series has just ended. 47:02 But I can't walk away, I can't walk away 47:04 from this place without putting my heart on the record. 47:08 I mean, come on, this is the God 47:09 who gave everything for me. 47:12 I can't think of a more fitting time for me and you 47:15 to say back to Him, you know what 47:18 I'm gonna give it all back to You. 47:19 All that I am, all that I have, I give it back to You. 47:24 My treasure, my talents, my time, 47:28 I give it all back to You. 47:29 I want to be all Yours, Jesus. 47:31 I want to advance Your kingdom on earth 47:33 by being all Yours. 47:36 Don't you want to be all His? Hey, don't you? 47:41 I think we ought to respond. 47:45 Anyways I'd like to invite you to respond. 47:50 I want to start first with those 46 student missionaries, 47:52 if somewhere in this service. 47:57 How about saying on the eve of your going, 48:00 I'm giving it all back to You, Jesus. 48:02 Just take it away. 48:03 Would you get up out of the pew, 48:05 wherever you're sitting and just come to the front? 48:09 And I want to say to young adults, 48:11 who're are here and some of you are saying, 48:13 you know, I don't know that 48:14 I gonna even have a job this summer. 48:16 I was just talking with chaplain Japheth, 48:18 just before the service begin and he said Dwight, 48:20 you know what, if anybody wants to go 48:22 as a student missionary right now, we got space. 48:27 We got the means. 48:28 You can go. 48:31 I mean, I want to say to seniors 48:33 who're moving out of this place, 48:35 we've been so blessed 48:36 and lucky to have you God to go with you. 48:39 But I know, the graduations next week, 48:40 I can't think of better time 48:42 and putting yourselves on the line today. 48:44 I give my all back to Jesus. 48:47 I want to say to any young adult who is here, 48:49 would you like to, right now, say to Christ, 48:52 I give my all back to You? 48:56 If you're young adult and you would like to say that 48:57 in any of these categories or ones I didn't even think of, 49:00 would you stand on your feet 49:01 and just come right here to the front? 49:02 We're gonna end, to sing that two stanzas of that 49:05 beautiful hymn, "God Will Take Care of You." 49:07 Come on, come on. 49:08 You're in a seminary, come on. 49:10 You're young adult, come forward, 49:11 just step on everybody's toes 49:13 as you're moving down that aisle, 49:15 that pew come on up here. 49:18 I don't know which category you're in, 49:19 it doesn't matter to me. 49:21 But if you're a young adult and you'd like to say oh, 49:23 Jesus, I want to give it all to You. 49:25 I don't know what that even means, 49:26 but I want to be a giver, just like You are. 49:29 You're up in the balcony, 49:30 you're in the overflow right now. 49:31 Come on out of that overflow, come on in here. 49:34 Come down from the balcony. 49:35 Let's just take this moment, we began the New Year, 49:37 the school year with an elder call. 49:39 Let's just end it with this call of commitment. 49:41 If you're a young adult, 49:43 and you know you're a young adult, come on. 49:45 Are you in a choir? Come on. 49:48 Give your all, give your all. 49:50 Say Jesus, I give it all to You. 49:52 God bless you. God bless you. 49:56 You're not doing this for the church, 49:57 you're not doing this for the preacher, 49:59 you're just doing it, to Jesus. 50:03 Any others? 50:05 Give your all to Jesus, you take it. 50:08 Now, if you're an young adult just came forward saying, 50:10 I didn't thought about this idea 50:12 of being a student missionary before, 50:13 but now that you mentioned it Dwight, 50:14 I'm kind of curious about that. 50:16 I'd like to talk with, Chaplain J, about it, 50:19 Chaplain J is right there and he'd be waiting for you. 50:21 You just go right over to him and make a beeline to him 50:23 and he'll pull you aside and tell you what's up. 50:25 Any other young adults, God bless you, 50:27 coming down from the balcony? 50:28 God bless you. 50:30 You're a young adult, you know what a young adult is? 50:32 That's you. 50:35 You say Dwight, but what about everybody else, 50:37 everybody else is included in this appeal. 50:40 Come on, how about the rest of us. 50:43 Baby boomers? 50:45 Been accumulating stuff for a few years now. 50:50 How about letting go of some of that stuff? 50:52 Nobody is going out and having a garage sale tomorrow, 50:54 though we'd all benefit by one. 50:57 But just let it go, in your minds saying 50:59 I want to give it all back to God. 51:01 You've had a good career, have you? 51:02 God's given you some land may be, 51:04 God's given you some possessions at home, 51:06 lot of trinkets, lot of toys. 51:08 I'm gonna ask you to stand, I'm gonna ask you to stand 51:11 and say, I want to join these young adults 51:12 and give everything I have back to Jesus. 51:14 I don't know what that means, 51:15 but I'm gonna become a giver just like Jesus 51:17 and I'm gonna stand on my feet 51:18 and I'm saying Jesus, take this little me. 51:21 Just take this little me all that I have 51:23 and all that I am. 51:26 All that I have, all that I am I give it back to you. 51:31 You may not even be a baby boomer, 51:32 you may be a retiree, and you're looking 51:33 at fixed income and you're saying Dwight, 51:35 don't talk to me about giving on a fixed income. 51:37 No, I'm talking about fixed income. 51:40 You're unemployed right now 51:41 and you're watching on television. 51:42 The highest unemployment rate in the nation 51:44 is right here in Michigan, 18%. 51:46 You don't have a job you are saying Dwight, 51:48 how can I give, how can I give? 51:49 My friend, you make the commitment. 51:51 Give, Jesus said. You just give. 51:53 From what you have, you give and I'll give it back to you. 51:56 I don't know how He will give it back to you, 51:58 but He will take care of you. 52:00 Fixed income? No income? 52:02 He will take care of you. 52:06 That's the great news. 52:07 That's why we can survive this. 52:08 I've no idea where it's going. 52:09 Dave Ramsey, the other night, Thursday night, 52:11 Dave Ramsey said, I've no clue, 52:13 I've no idea where this is going. 52:16 But this much I know, ladies and gentlemen, 52:17 wherever this thing goes God is going with us. 52:20 What do you say to that? 52:22 Hallelujah and amen. 52:25 Oh, we respond to God. 52:27 We respond to God. 52:28 And now I want you to hear somebody singing 52:29 these words to you. 52:32 God will take care of you, through every day, 52:36 or all the way, He will take care of you. 52:40 God, will take care of you. 52:42 Somebody standing beside she is gonna read 52:44 those words right off of the screen. 52:45 Only two stanzas to this, 52:46 and you're gonna hear those words 52:47 as God himself saying, you boy, girl, 52:49 I'm telling you, I'll take care of you. 52:51 I will take care of you. 52:54 So proud of you, you just stay with Him. 52:57 Let's sing that together, shall we sing that 52:59 to the person beside you, who's singing it to you 53:01 and let's all go home with the good news, 53:03 He will take care of us. 53:19 Be not dismayed whate'er betide 53:25 God will take care of you 53:32 Beneath His wings of love abide 53:39 God will take care of you 53:45 God will take care of you 53:52 Through every day, o'er all the way 53:59 He will take care of you 54:07 God will take care of you 54:17 All you may need He will provide 54:24 God will take care of you 54:32 Nothing you ask will be denied 54:40 God will take care of you 54:47 God will take care of you 54:55 Through every day, o'er all the way 55:03 He will take care of you 55:13 God will take care of you 55:23 Oh, God, we receive those words as they were being-- 55:26 as if they were being sung directly to us. 55:29 Don't worry, don't be anxious, 55:33 I'm gonna take care of you. 55:35 I promise you. 55:38 I will take care of you. 55:42 And so Holy Father, for these who believe in 55:45 Your word have come forward. 55:48 Honor these decisions, seal it. 55:52 But then go forth to give and give and give 55:55 and give it back to them again and again and again. 55:59 We didn't stand because we want it back, 56:03 we stood because we want to give it back. 56:06 Take it Jesus, take it please. 56:11 And now to Him, who is able to do 56:13 immeasurable more than all we ask or imagine. 56:17 According to His power that it is work within us 56:20 to Him be glory in the church 56:22 at in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, 56:26 forever and ever, let all the people say, 56:30 amen and amen. 56:34 It's been a pleasure to be able to worship with you today. 56:37 I hope that the Spirit of Jesus has blessed your time 56:40 with us right here in the Pioneer Memorial Church 56:42 on the campus of Andrews University. 56:44 Do you know that around the world people join us 56:46 every week for this hour of worship? 56:47 We're always looking as a consequence 56:49 for new ways to bridge somehow to connect with these people 56:53 who come here to worship via the telecast. 56:55 One of the areas 56:56 that is quickly growing for us is our website. 56:59 We had more than a 140,000 visitors last year. 57:03 It's an incredible opportunity 57:04 that God has given us to expand His kingdom. 57:08 If you'd like to help partner with us 57:10 as we seek to spread the everlasting gospel 57:12 I would love to have you call our toll free number. 57:15 We've got very friendly operator standing 57:17 by here is the number 877-His-Will, 877 57:21 and then the two words His-Will, 57:23 one of the operators 57:25 will be happy to give you the details 57:26 of how you can partner with this global ministry. 57:29 If you prefer listen, you could do it all online 57:31 go to our website please www.pmchurch.tv 57:36 I'd be honored to have the privilege 57:37 of partnering with you as we seek to spread 57:39 the truth about God for this generation. 57:41 We are living in urgent times, 57:45 now more than ever we've got to go to the world 57:48 with the good news entrusted to us. 57:50 So once again here is that toll free number 57:52 877-His-Will. 57:54 Thank you in advance for your generosity 57:57 that blesses me and you grow this ministry. 58:00 I pray that the Spirit of Christ will abide with you 58:02 every step of the way and I hope you'll come back 58:05 again next time right here 58:07 as we continue our worship journey together. |
Revised 2015-07-13