[ "Baba Yetu" begins ]
00:00:17.48\00:00:36.16
>> Please bow your
heads with me in prayer.
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Father God, we come humbly bow
to the foot of the throne, just
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thanking You for another
wonderful Sabbath day, the last
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Sabbath day that we'll be in
these pews and this church and
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this way, Lord. We
ask that, in this month of
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April, as You have begun the
renovation of this church that
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You renovate our hearts, Lord,
that You change us, that You
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grow us, that You create in
us a new being through Your son
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Christ Jesus. And,
Lord, this morning we want
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to praise You. We
want to celebrate You.
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We want to honor and glorify You
this last Sabbath of this school
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year, Lord. We
thank You. We love You.
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In your son Jesus'
precious and holy name, we pray.
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Amen. [ "How Great Is Our God"
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begins ]
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Amen. You know,
our God is such a
00:10:06.20\00:10:10.17
wonderful and great God, and
as I'm looking out there in the
00:10:10.17\00:10:13.68
crowd, I'm seeing just a little
movement, but in this next song,
00:10:13.68\00:10:17.41
"He Reigns" -- it's a new
song -- I would love to see you
00:10:17.41\00:10:20.78
guys actually praise the Lord in
a way that says when I'm down,
00:10:20.78\00:10:24.45
when I'm having a hard time that
the Lord is there, and I have a
00:10:24.45\00:10:28.19
promise that no one else really
knows unless they know God.
00:10:28.19\00:10:31.66
And so this next song is a new
song, and it says we sing the
00:10:31.66\00:10:35.13
praises to our king, for He is
the king of kings, and he reigns
00:10:35.13\00:10:38.80
forever. Do you believe that?
00:10:38.80\00:10:40.74
>> Together: Amen. >>
Okay, well, will you sing
00:10:40.74\00:10:43.61
with me as we sing
this song, "He Reigns"?
00:10:43.61\00:10:46.21
[ "He Reigns" begins ]
00:10:46.21\00:10:48.18
All right, church. Here we go.
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We sing the praises.
00:11:01.56\00:11:02.99
Amen.
00:14:17.65\00:14:19.62
"He Reigns" one
more time. Let's hear it.
00:14:35.74\00:14:38.54
Amen, church, amen. [
"Oh, Draw Me, Lord" begins ]
00:15:47.24\00:15:53.62
[ "Lord Have Mercy" begins ]
00:18:12.35\00:18:14.52
At this time, I invite you
all to come forward before the
00:20:55.68\00:20:59.02
altar. This is
the time to lay your
00:20:59.02\00:21:01.29
burdens before the Lord.
So come forward as we ask the
00:21:01.29\00:21:04.46
Lord to have mercy
on our hearts and souls.
00:21:04.46\00:21:08.00
One more time,
sing "Lord, have mercy."
00:22:11.26\00:22:15.16
>> I want to pray with you.
Plunge into our teaching today.
00:22:55.37\00:22:58.14
Oh, God, we're
gonna be on our way too.
00:22:58.14\00:23:02.44
Just a few hours left.
You're gonna go with us.
00:23:02.44\00:23:08.75
That's what Joshua assured
us. Because of that, we're not
00:23:08.75\00:23:13.52
afraid whatever lies before
us. You'll be there by our side.
00:23:13.52\00:23:18.96
Open up our minds as we
think on this, these words, our
00:23:18.96\00:23:24.13
Lord Jesus himself. In
his name we pray, amen.
00:23:24.13\00:23:30.37
Have you ever had a conversation
with a very, very wealthy
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person? Oh!
00:23:35.04\00:23:37.65
My friend Taurus Montgomery --
he's not the very, very wealthy
00:23:37.65\00:23:40.58
person -- but he told
me about an interview.
00:23:40.58\00:23:42.75
He's a pastor of Our
Harbor of Hope church.
00:23:42.75\00:23:44.89
Sits on our pastoral staff.
He told me about an interview
00:23:44.89\00:23:48.22
with Abigail Disney.
She's the granddaughter of
00:23:48.22\00:23:52.86
Roy Disney, who's the brother of
Walt Disney, and the two of them
00:23:52.86\00:23:56.30
put together the
Walt Disney Company.
00:23:56.30\00:23:58.47
So she's an heiress
of that Disney fortune.
00:23:58.47\00:24:03.67
So, thecut.com is a website
that carried this interview just
00:24:03.71\00:24:10.88
about a month ago. Fascinating
because this is an exposé of a
very wealthy person sharing her
00:24:10.88\00:24:17.15
mind and heart. Now, we don't
know -- She was asked and she
wouldn't answer the question how
00:24:17.15\00:24:23.26
much she's worth now, but what
we do know is that she gave away
-- She's given away $70 million
00:24:23.26\00:24:29.30
since she turned 21. That's a
lot of money to just give away.
00:24:29.30\00:24:32.80
So you can imagine what's left.
Anyway, Sarah McVeigh does this
00:24:32.80\00:24:38.31
interview. It's powerful. Let me
just read a few lines. You can
check it out later.
00:24:38.31\00:24:42.01
The website's on your study
guide. You can investigate.
00:24:42.01\00:24:45.88
So, here's the opening question.
"Growing up, did you know you
00:24:45.88\00:24:50.65
were wealthy?" Answer, Abigail
-- "At least when I was young,
my parents were really showy
00:24:50.65\00:24:55.72
people. The money didn't really
change them until later.
Actually, they were really proud
00:24:55.72\00:25:00.80
of being humble people, an
oxymoron, I know. They wanted to
00:25:00.80\00:25:05.33
raise us with the sense that we
weren't any better than anyone
else." Well, good for you, mom
00:25:05.33\00:25:09.97
and dad. "Did you have a moment,
though --" So the interviewer is
kind of pushing into this.
00:25:09.97\00:25:14.58
"Did you have a moment in your
life when things started getting
lavish and you realized, 'Oh,
00:25:14.58\00:25:19.65
I'm super rich?'" Abigail --
"When I went out to college,
Michael Eisner came in
00:25:19.65\00:25:23.75
and reinvigorated the Disney
company, and then the stock
price, which was basically my
00:25:23.75\00:25:28.02
family's entire net worth, was
10 times more and then 20 times
and then 50 times what it had
00:25:28.02\00:25:32.53
been when I was growing up, so
all of a sudden we went from
being a comfortable
00:25:32.53\00:25:36.43
upper-middle-class people to
suddenly my dad has a private
00:25:36.43\00:25:42.90
jet. That's when I feel that my
dad really lost his way." So
we're listening in on this
00:25:42.90\00:25:48.08
wealthy person. "And that's
why I feel hyper-conscious about
00:25:48.08\00:25:52.35
what wealth does to people. I've
lived in one family as a child
and then I didn't even
00:25:52.35\00:25:57.49
recognize the family when I got
older." So, now, the interviewer
00:25:57.49\00:26:01.86
pushes in more. "Well, in what
ways did your dad change, other
00:26:01.86\00:26:05.66
than having a jet?" Now, she
replies. "Actually, having a jet
00:26:05.66\00:26:08.63
is a really big deal. If I were
queen of the world, I would pass
a law against private
00:26:08.63\00:26:13.00
jets because they enable you to
get around a certain reality.
You don't have to go through an
00:26:13.00\00:26:17.91
airport terminal. You don't have
to interact. You don't have to
00:26:17.91\00:26:21.98
be patient. You don't have to
be uncomfortable. These are the
00:26:21.98\00:26:25.75
things that remind us we are
human." "So when did you stop
riding the private jet?"
00:26:25.75\00:26:32.95
Okay. "Well, the moment for me
when I decided I couldn't fly in
00:26:32.95\00:26:36.52
the plane anymore was about 20
years ago. I had to fly out to
00:26:36.52\00:26:40.13
California for a meeting, but I
had to get back to New York by
the next morning for a
00:26:40.13\00:26:44.67
conference, and the guy who ran
our family's company put me on
00:26:44.67\00:26:48.00
the 737 alone." That's the
private jet -- a 737. We're not
talking just a little citation.
00:26:48.00\00:26:53.27
737 private jet. "He put me
on that alone. I flew across the
00:26:53.27\00:26:56.71
country overnight by myself on
that giant plane, and I was
sitting there thinking about the
00:26:56.71\00:27:01.18
carbon footprint and the number
of flight attendants and the
other pilot on call and what it
00:27:01.18\00:27:05.52
was costing, and I just wanted
to be sick by the way my parents
always made fun of the fact that
00:27:05.52\00:27:09.99
I thought it was terrible and
awful because they were very
comfortable in what they were
00:27:09.99\00:27:14.30
doing." Well, listen.
The interviewer shoots back.
00:27:14.30\00:27:17.23
"That's just the way it is with
rich people, isn't it?" "Well,
yeah, a lot of people go
00:27:17.23\00:27:22.07
back and forth between
these identities. My parents'
00:27:22.07\00:27:25.94
financial life changed in the
'80s, and I was an adult by
then, and I watched them kind of
00:27:25.94\00:27:30.91
relax into it. I think of it
as slouching into money." Hmm.
00:27:30.91\00:27:34.12
"They were in their 50s and they
liked the shortcuts that wealth
00:27:34.12\00:27:38.19
gave them. It's very hard to say
no to things like that, but what
ends up happening is you end up
00:27:38.19\00:27:43.02
being surrounded by people who
don't tell no ever. And as my
00:27:43.02\00:27:46.93
father's drinking problem grew,
he was surrounded by people who
wouldn't say, 'You have a
00:27:46.93\00:27:51.60
terrible drinking problem. You
need to get some help.'" Hmm.
00:27:51.60\00:27:59.21
"Is it hard to trust someone
who's interested in you for you
when you're not sure if maybe
00:27:59.21\00:28:03.98
it's your money they're
interested in?" "Oh, that's the
00:28:03.98\00:28:07.48
worst," Abigail Disney replies.
"And I've gotten a really good
radar about that now.
00:28:07.48\00:28:11.55
I can spot that a mile away
what's happening." And then she
ends the interview.
00:28:11.55\00:28:15.76
Listen to this. She ends the
interview with these words, and
00:28:15.76\00:28:19.79
you got to see these words.
Please put them on the screen
00:28:19.79\00:28:23.23
for us, please. These are
her words. At the end of the
00:28:23.26\00:28:26.87
interview, she says, "They
did a study at the Chronicle of
00:28:26.87\00:28:31.11
Philanthropy years ago where
they asked people who inherited
money, 'What amount of
00:28:31.11\00:28:34.74
money would you need
to feel totally secure?'
00:28:34.74\00:28:37.45
And every single one of them,
no matter what they had, named a
00:28:37.45\00:28:40.98
number that was roughly
twice what they had inherited."
00:28:40.98\00:28:45.52
Her conclusion -- "So that's
what you need to know about
00:28:45.52\00:28:49.32
money, right? If that
is your primary measure
00:28:49.32\00:28:52.53
of success or value in life,
then good luck with that because
00:28:52.53\00:28:56.60
it will never
feel good." End quote.
00:28:56.60\00:29:01.57
My, my, my, my, my. She ought to
know. I want you to write that
00:29:01.60\00:29:06.74
line down right now. Come
on. Write it down so we won't
00:29:06.74\00:29:09.21
forget it. Grab your study
guides. It's the last one in
00:29:09.21\00:29:12.18
this space for a while. Grab
your study guide. Pull it out.
00:29:12.18\00:29:15.38
Let's put the title
slide on the screen, please.
00:29:15.42\00:29:17.72
Those of you that are watching
right now on the television
00:29:17.72\00:29:20.49
somewhere or live
stream or you're right here.
00:29:20.49\00:29:22.76
You can do this all on
your smartphone right here.
00:29:22.76\00:29:25.16
There's our website there at the
bottom -- www.newperceptions.tv.
00:29:25.16\00:29:29.20
So we're wrapping up this
mini-series "How to survive the
00:29:29.20\00:29:32.00
coming economic
crisis." Title of this one --
00:29:32.00\00:29:34.27
"The New Wealth Formula."
You click onto that and you'll
00:29:34.27\00:29:37.11
have the study guide,
and we're ready to go.
00:29:37.11\00:29:39.44
So let's get Abigail
Disney down right now.
00:29:39.44\00:29:41.71
Let's make sure
we have it right.
00:29:41.71\00:29:43.55
Put it on the screen and
it's in your study guide.
00:29:43.55\00:29:46.11
And, ushers, that's right.
Thank you for making sure our
00:29:46.11\00:29:49.02
friends and worshipers
have those study guides.
00:29:49.02\00:29:51.55
You can do that, guys, while
we go ahead and start filling in
00:29:51.55\00:29:54.76
the first one.
Bless you. Thank you.
00:29:54.76\00:29:56.79
Okay. Let's do that again.
00:29:56.79\00:29:59.06
Abigail Disney. "So
that's what you need to know
00:29:59.06\00:30:01.66
about money, right? If
that is your primary measure
00:30:01.66\00:30:04.60
of success or value in life,
then good luck with that because
00:30:04.60\00:30:08.00
it will never feel good."
Which raises the question that
00:30:08.00\00:30:12.94
when does it start feeling good?
When will it ever feel good?
00:30:12.94\00:30:17.08
Good question. Let's
examine what could be a
00:30:17.08\00:30:20.18
new wealth formula.
Once upon a time, there was a
00:30:20.18\00:30:23.62
dusty, young teacher with
a bunch of other young-ish
00:30:23.62\00:30:27.19
followers, 12 of
them, as a matter of fact.
00:30:27.19\00:30:32.99
And he spoke words that are
so radical -- get this -- these
00:30:32.99\00:30:35.80
words are so radical that they
got left out of Matthew's sermon
00:30:35.80\00:30:38.80
on the mount.
Problem is, everybody thinks
00:30:38.80\00:30:40.94
that's the only sermon
on the mount in the gospels.
00:30:40.94\00:30:43.44
No, no, no, no.
Doctor Luke said, "I got a
00:30:43.44\00:30:45.57
version of the
sermon on the mount.
00:30:45.57\00:30:47.41
You need to hear this one."
But we don't go to that one.
00:30:47.41\00:30:50.11
We like Matthew. But
it's radical enough and
00:30:50.11\00:30:52.31
after hearing Abigail Disney, we
need to go to Luke, so open your
00:30:52.31\00:30:55.42
Bible to Luke's sermon on the
mount, and actually it's called
00:30:55.42\00:30:58.35
the sermon on the plain because
Luke says he came down from the
00:30:58.35\00:31:01.42
mountain and then
spoke these words.
00:31:01.42\00:31:03.29
Open your Bible to Luke
chapter 6, please, Luke 6.
00:31:03.29\00:31:07.00
Luke 6. Let's
pick it up in verse 20.
00:31:07.00\00:31:09.70
"Looking at his disciples, Jesus
said, 'Blessed are you who are
00:31:09.70\00:31:12.97
poor for yours is
the kingdom of God."
00:31:12.97\00:31:15.14
Matthew says poor in spirit.
Luke says it's the poor he's
00:31:15.14\00:31:18.14
blessing. "Blessed
are you who hunger now
00:31:18.14\00:31:20.44
for you will be satisfied.
Blessed are you who weep now for
00:31:20.44\00:31:23.55
you will laugh. Blessed
are you when people hate
00:31:23.55\00:31:26.15
you, when they exclude you and
insult you and reject your name
00:31:26.15\00:31:29.38
as evil because
of the son of man."
00:31:29.38\00:31:31.42
Verse 23. "Rejoice
in that day and leap
00:31:31.42\00:31:33.62
for joy because great
is your reward in heaven.
00:31:33.62\00:31:36.16
For that's how their
ancestors treated the prophets."
00:31:36.16\00:31:38.99
Now I have a few
"woes" I want to speak.
00:31:38.99\00:31:41.23
Oh, there are no "woes" in
Matthew, but Luke has them.
00:31:41.23\00:31:44.10
Here they come, verse 24.
"But woe to you who are rich for
00:31:44.10\00:31:47.57
you have already
received your comfort.
00:31:47.57\00:31:51.04
Woe to you who are well-fed
now for you will go hungry.
00:31:51.04\00:31:54.18
Woe to you who laugh now
for you will mourn and weep.
00:31:54.18\00:31:57.25
Woe to you --" verse 26 -- "when
everyone speaks well of you for
00:31:57.25\00:32:00.88
that is how their ancestors
treated the false prophets."
00:32:00.88\00:32:04.09
Wow.
00:32:04.09\00:32:05.19
During her interview, by the
way, Abigail Disney spoke this
00:32:05.22\00:32:08.22
line. We didn't read it. It's on
the screen right now. "Money is
morally neutral," she
00:32:08.22\00:32:12.36
says. "It does not, in and of
itself, make you a bad person."
00:32:12.36\00:32:17.17
And, of course, she's right.
Money doesn't make you a bad
00:32:17.17\00:32:21.17
person. I mean, Jesus pronounced
these woes. He is not somehow
00:32:21.17\00:32:25.01
indicating that if you have
money, you're evil. In fact, may
I remind you, Jesus
00:32:25.01\00:32:29.04
had numerous wealthy friends,
and he had a handful of wealthy
followers, disciples.
00:32:29.04\00:32:33.75
We're talking about Matthew,
the tax collector. We're talking
00:32:33.75\00:32:38.22
about Nicodemus. We're talking
about Joseph of Arimathea. We're
talking about possibly
00:32:38.22\00:32:44.19
Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. Money
didn't make them bad people.
00:32:44.19\00:32:49.30
He wouldn't say they're bad,
anymore than it makes you bad.
But Jesus is making a point.
00:32:49.30\00:32:54.74
We better get it. Let's put
Jesus right beside Abigail
Disney in your study
00:32:54.74\00:32:59.51
guide and on the screen. Here we
go. Abigail Disney says money is
00:32:59.51\00:33:03.78
morally neutral. But Jesus
says money is morally dangerous.
00:33:03.78\00:33:07.68
Write that down. That's the
point he's making. Woe to you
who have a lot of it,
00:33:07.68\00:33:12.35
Jesus intones, in Luke's
rendition. Be careful now.
00:33:12.35\00:33:14.79
Look out, whoa, whoa, whoa,
whoa. Whoa, you're getting --
00:33:14.79\00:33:17.83
that's a lot, that's a lot. Look
out. Paul comes along, a friend
00:33:17.83\00:33:22.96
of Jesus, almost as poor as
Jesus, and Paul makes this very
00:33:22.96\00:33:28.17
same point. 1
Timothy. 1 Timothy 6:9-10.
00:33:28.20\00:33:32.81
Paul writing, "Those who want
to get rich --" that's the key
00:33:32.81\00:33:36.01
word, "want." If
your whole goal in life is
00:33:36.01\00:33:38.41
"I'm taking this degree,
I'm gonna go out into this world
00:33:38.41\00:33:41.48
because my goal is
I'm gonna be wealthy.
00:33:41.48\00:33:43.79
I'm gonna be
wealthy before I'm done."
00:33:43.79\00:33:45.95
If that's your goal, listen up.
"Those who want to get rich fall
00:33:45.95\00:33:51.06
into temptation."
Let's say you fall to the
00:33:51.06\00:33:54.00
temptation, but you
do fall into temptation.
00:33:54.00\00:33:57.00
"And a trap and into many
foolish and harmful desires that
00:33:57.00\00:34:00.87
plunge people into
ruin" like Abigail's dad, "and
00:34:00.87\00:34:04.17
destruction." Why?
00:34:04.17\00:34:05.71
"For the love --" well, that's
the key word -- "the love of
00:34:05.71\00:34:09.08
money," not money. "The
love of money is a root of
00:34:09.08\00:34:12.01
all kinds of evil. Some
people, eager for money,
00:34:12.01\00:34:14.82
have wandered from the faith
and pierced themselves with many
00:34:14.82\00:34:18.29
griefs." Money is
morally dangerous.
00:34:18.29\00:34:21.09
Jesus makes the point.
Paul makes the same point.
00:34:21.09\00:34:24.16
Be careful. Whoa, whoa, whoa.
00:34:24.16\00:34:26.13
Slow down. Be on your guard.
00:34:26.13\00:34:29.23
And then Jesus goes
on in Luke's sermon.
00:34:29.23\00:34:32.60
Drop down to verse 37.
Jesus says, "Do not judge and
00:34:32.60\00:34:35.17
you will not be judged. Do
not condemn and you will not
00:34:35.17\00:34:37.84
be condemned.
Forgive and you will be
00:34:37.84\00:34:39.77
forgiven." Verse 38.
00:34:39.77\00:34:40.98
"Give and it
will be given to you.
00:34:40.98\00:34:42.78
A good measure, pressed down,
shaken together, running over,
00:34:42.78\00:34:45.68
poured into your lap. For
with the measure you use, it
00:34:45.68\00:34:49.82
will be measured to you."
Scribble that down, please.
00:34:49.82\00:34:53.66
"For with the measure you use,
it will be measured to you."
00:34:53.66\00:34:57.39
You ever seen kitchen measuring
cups? I thought about bringing
00:34:57.43\00:35:01.03
some, but I said, "Man,
everybody's seen measuring cups.
There's nothing fancy about
00:35:01.03\00:35:05.10
that." Get a one cup, get half
cup, one-third cup, you know all
00:35:05.10\00:35:08.47
that. Little quarter cup.
What Jesus is saying is, "Look
00:35:08.47\00:35:11.57
out. Whatever cup you choose
to dispense your life, that same
00:35:11.57\00:35:17.68
size cup will be used with God
dispensing His blessings."
Whatever measure you use, that's
00:35:17.68\00:35:22.48
what's gonna be used on you. You
know what? If you are harsh and
00:35:22.48\00:35:26.32
you judge the poor -- "You know
the problem with the poor,
expecting me to help them?
00:35:26.32\00:35:29.92
You know what? They're a bunch
of lazy bums, living off of
00:35:29.92\00:35:33.19
welfare. That's the problem with
them. That's the problem with
00:35:33.19\00:35:36.50
America today." You, sir, use
that kind of reasoning, guess
what. That kind of reasoning
00:35:36.50\00:35:40.54
will be turned right around and
it will judge you. Now you can
00:35:40.54\00:35:44.04
flip the coin over because it
works both ways. You want to be
hard on the wealthy.
00:35:44.04\00:35:47.34
"You know the problem with the
rich? They have no idea how the
00:35:47.34\00:35:50.81
rest of us live, looking out
only for themselves. Grumpy,
selfish misers, that's
00:35:50.81\00:35:54.62
what they are." How do you know?
You have pre-judged, and the
00:35:54.62\00:35:59.25
word for pre-judge is prejudice.
The poor pre-judge the rich and
the rich pre-judge the poor, and
00:35:59.25\00:36:06.53
the people in between pre-judge
everybody. [ Laughter ]
00:36:06.53\00:36:09.86
Isn't that how it works? Jesus
said, "Be very careful, sir.
00:36:09.86\00:36:13.40
You want that 1/4 measuring
cup for you to dispense your
00:36:13.40\00:36:17.21
goodies? That's what we'll do
with you, 1/4 measuring cup."
The measure you choose is the
00:36:17.21\00:36:21.74
measure we'll use. Criticism.
I'll tell you what, folks.
00:36:21.74\00:36:25.11
It never makes sense to
criticize. It makes no sense
00:36:25.11\00:36:28.88
because you have no idea how
that wealthy person is living.
You have no idea what that poor
00:36:28.88\00:36:33.39
person is experiencing. Lay off
of that. Critical people have
00:36:33.39\00:36:37.49
developed the skill of judging.
Usually it's their very own
00:36:37.49\00:36:40.86
fault. That's why they're so
acutely able to see it in
others. Like somebody once
00:36:40.86\00:36:45.97
quipped, "Before you criticize
someone, walk a mile in their
shoes. That way you'll be a mile
00:36:45.97\00:36:51.11
away and you'll have their
shoes." [ Laughter ] Right?
00:36:51.11\00:36:59.08
Criticism. I tell you
what. Forget criticism.
00:36:59.08\00:37:02.15
Just don't do it.
Don't do it. Mnh-mnh.
00:37:02.15\00:37:05.89
Ah, how should I treat people?
Sermon on the mount. Treat
others the way you wish to
00:37:05.89\00:37:10.13
be treated yourself. You
know what? If the world lived --
00:37:10.13\00:37:13.66
Seriously, if the world lived
by the golden rule, what a world
00:37:13.66\00:37:17.10
this would be. If the Church
lived by the golden rule, what a
world this would be.
00:37:17.10\00:37:21.50
Come on. Don't judge.
Throw that measuring cup away.
00:37:21.50\00:37:25.64
Let's read that one more time,
verse 38. "Give and it will be
00:37:25.64\00:37:30.25
given to you. A good measure,
pressed down, shaken together
00:37:30.25\00:37:33.45
and running over, will be poured
into your lap. For with the
measure you use, it
00:37:33.45\00:37:36.92
will be measured to you." You
remember that the -- You
remember this, don't you, that
00:37:36.92\00:37:41.79
when the ancients went shopping,
they were never asked, "Will it
be paper or plastic?"
00:37:41.79\00:37:46.86
No, they didn't have that.
00:37:46.86\00:37:49.16
When the ancients went grocery
shopping, you know what they
00:37:49.20\00:37:52.20
did? They took
their outer garment,
00:37:52.20\00:37:54.14
reached down to its
edges, pulled it up.
00:37:54.14\00:37:56.30
"Okay, all right, Mr. Merchant
Man, use that measuring cup
00:37:56.30\00:37:59.24
right there. Give
me five of those."
00:37:59.24\00:38:02.74
That's what Jesus is saying.
The word for bosom, in Greek, in
00:38:02.74\00:38:07.92
NIV, nicely
translates it as "lap."
00:38:07.92\00:38:09.48
It's just going into the bosom.
It's just getting bigger and
00:38:09.48\00:38:11.95
bigger and bigger and bigger.
And finally it's starting to --
00:38:11.95\00:38:14.46
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!
You got too much in here.
00:38:14.46\00:38:16.56
Look at it, spilling over.
How am I gonna get this home
00:38:16.56\00:38:18.83
now?"
00:38:18.83\00:38:19.93
That's what Jesus is describing.
Give and it will be given back
00:38:19.96\00:38:24.97
to you. Pressed down, filled
up. Ooh! In fact, I love the way
00:38:24.97\00:38:29.94
Eugene Peterson
said in "The Message."
00:38:29.94\00:38:32.34
Fill this in, will you?
So, he takes Jesus' words, does
00:38:32.37\00:38:35.31
a nice job of it.
"Give away your life."
00:38:35.31\00:38:37.38
That's what Jesus is saying.
You'll get your life back.
00:38:37.38\00:38:40.12
"You'll find life given back,
but not merely given back but
00:38:40.12\00:38:42.98
given back with
bonus and blessing.
00:38:42.98\00:38:44.85
Giving, not
getting, is the way."
00:38:44.85\00:38:47.49
And then the last line.
"Generosity begets generosity."
00:38:47.49\00:38:53.29
That's the line I wish
you'd go home with today.
00:38:53.29\00:38:55.36
In fact, let's
iso it on the screen.
00:38:55.36\00:38:57.03
Just iso it on
the screen, please.
00:38:57.03\00:38:58.63
Generosity begets generosity.
00:38:58.63\00:39:02.90
We use an expression today
called "Pay it forward." Isn't
00:39:02.94\00:39:06.11
that we'd say? We say pay it
forward. That's what he's
talking about. Generosity begets
00:39:06.11\00:39:11.68
generosity. I want you to
memorize that word. You know
00:39:11.68\00:39:14.08
why? Because God is huge on
generosity. Getting a little
00:39:14.08\00:39:17.25
writer's cramp right now, but
let met just run a bunch of them
by you. Look at these lines of
00:39:17.25\00:39:20.92
scripture. Psalm 37:26.
"The righteous are always --"
00:39:20.92\00:39:25.09
what's that word? Come on, write
it down. This isn't a hard exam.
00:39:25.09\00:39:28.66
You already know the answer.
Every blank is gonna have that
00:39:28.66\00:39:32.33
in it. Let's see. "The righteous
are always generous and lend
00:39:32.33\00:39:35.84
freely." Oh, by the way, "their
children will be a blessing."
Because guess what, mom and
00:39:35.84\00:39:40.68
dads. To be or mom and dads
right now. Children are experts
00:39:40.68\00:39:45.88
at picking up stinginess or
generosity and photocopying it
00:39:45.88\00:39:50.79
into their lives. So if you are
a stingy parent and they know,
if you're a generous parent,
00:39:50.79\00:39:56.99
they got it, they will photocopy
that into their lives. Man,
don't you want your
00:39:56.99\00:40:02.66
children to make a valuable
contribution to society? Be a
valuable member of the
00:40:02.66\00:40:06.97
church? Model generosity to
them. All right, here's another
00:40:06.97\00:40:10.57
one. Proverbs 11:25. "A generous
person will prosper. Whoever
refreshes others will be
00:40:10.57\00:40:16.34
refreshed." The little measuring
cup you use for others will be
00:40:16.34\00:40:20.65
what is used for you. See,
everybody's coming back to what
00:40:20.65\00:40:24.39
Jesus is teaching. Proverbs
19:17. Oh, boy, look at this.
"Whoever is generous to the poor
00:40:24.39\00:40:28.42
lends to" whom? Can you believe
that? When you give money to the
00:40:28.42\00:40:32.39
poor, you are lending money to
God. God says, "I need a loan. I
need to help these people.
00:40:32.39\00:40:37.00
Can I get a loan from you?
Good. You give to the poor.
00:40:37.00\00:40:40.20
I'll spot you." Whoever lends to
the poor -- gives to the poor is
00:40:40.20\00:40:47.61
lending to God. Wow. Be
generous, just like Jesus.
00:40:47.61\00:40:52.61
Here's another one. 2
Corinthians 9:6-7. "Remember
00:40:52.61\00:40:56.38
this." Paul writing now.
"Whoever sows sparingly --" tiny
little measuring cup, one
00:40:56.38\00:41:01.26
quarter -- "Whoever
sows sparingly will also reap
00:41:01.26\00:41:06.39
sparingly. Whoever sows
generously will also reap
00:41:06.39\00:41:09.03
generously. You will be enriched
in every way so you can be
00:41:09.06\00:41:12.33
generous on every occasion, and
through us your generosity will
00:41:12.33\00:41:15.70
result in thanksgiving
to God." Hallelujah.
00:41:15.70\00:41:18.01
Why does it result
in thanksgiving to God?
00:41:18.01\00:41:20.28
Because when you're generous,
when you pass it on, when you
00:41:20.28\00:41:23.28
pay it forward, that generosity
so blesses the person that that
00:41:23.28\00:41:26.48
person says, "Wow,
there must be a God.
00:41:26.48\00:41:28.62
Who would think
to do this for me?"
00:41:28.62\00:41:31.49
And, by the way, by your
generosity, you're saying
00:41:31.49\00:41:34.32
something about God.
The picture of God that that
00:41:34.32\00:41:37.16
person gets now because of your
generosity is "He must be a very
00:41:37.16\00:41:40.66
generous god." Guess what.
00:41:40.66\00:41:42.33
He is. Generosity
begets generosity.
00:41:42.33\00:41:47.30
Pay it forward. If
he's been generous with you,
00:41:47.30\00:41:50.34
be generous with the
world. Oh, here's another one.
00:41:50.34\00:41:53.94
2 Corinthians
8:2. Oh, by the way.
00:41:53.94\00:41:55.81
This one says the
poor can be generous.
00:41:55.81\00:41:57.88
Nah, can't be,
Dwight. Watch this.
00:41:57.88\00:41:59.75
2 Corinthians 8:2. "In
the midst of a very severe
00:41:59.75\00:42:02.32
trial --" we're talking about
the Christians in the little
00:42:02.32\00:42:05.22
town of Macedonia --
"their overflowing joy and their
00:42:05.22\00:42:08.92
extreme poverty welled
up in rich generosity."
00:42:08.92\00:42:13.76
Man! They made a very major,
major, major gift to the church
00:42:13.80\00:42:18.90
in Jerusalem, suffering from
a debilitating famine. They did
00:42:18.90\00:42:23.94
it. They had
nothing, but they did it. Wow.
00:42:23.94\00:42:27.98
How could they do that? One
more, one more. 2 Corinthians
00:42:27.98\00:42:31.95
9:15. Paul says, when he's done
talking about being generous, he
then writes this line.
00:42:31.95\00:42:36.89
"Thanks be to God for His
indescribable Gift." We were
talking about with the
00:42:36.89\00:42:45.09
kids just a moment ago. How
do you pay off that gift? You
00:42:45.09\00:42:49.13
can't. We're in debt forever.
But it's the happiest debt in
the universe because it saved
00:42:49.13\00:42:54.17
our lives. Generosity will
go on begetting generosity after
00:42:54.17\00:42:58.54
generosity after generosity
because of that original
00:42:58.54\00:43:05.45
generosity. My! They don't get
any better than this. Generosity
00:43:05.45\00:43:08.82
begets generosity. I got an
e-mail. I got an e-mail from a
friend of mine the other day.
00:43:08.82\00:43:12.32
Just a few weeks ago, actually.
"Hi, Pastor Dwight. Hope you're
00:43:12.32\00:43:16.09
doing well. As usual, I listened
to your sermon today when I'm
00:43:16.09\00:43:19.43
out on my run. Your message
about giving touches a nerve in
us --" so that was a few weeks
00:43:19.43\00:43:23.60
ago -- "it really resonated with
me, though, and while I'm sure
you received a lot of stories
00:43:23.60\00:43:27.87
like this, I want to share just
a couple examples of where this
has been really true in my life.
00:43:27.87\00:43:32.91
So, when we moved --" So, this
person is out of state. "When we
00:43:32.91\00:43:41.58
moved, we made a decision to
temporarily stop paying tithe.
You know, because both of us
00:43:41.58\00:43:48.02
didn't have a job. So why
would we return tithe now?
00:43:48.02\00:43:50.99
We'll wait. Well,
eventually we both have a job.
00:43:50.99\00:43:53.76
But guess what. We
forgot all about paying tithe."
00:43:53.76\00:43:56.60
That's what she's saying here.
"We forgot all about paying
00:43:56.60\00:44:00.20
tithe. And you know what? During
that time, something was off in
00:44:00.20\00:44:03.91
our lives. Our marriage went
through a time of testing that
we've never had before.
00:44:03.91\00:44:07.74
I'm not implying that because we
weren't tithing, God somehow
removed his blessings from us
00:44:07.74\00:44:12.48
because He continued to bless us
in many, many ways, but I think
there's something about being
00:44:12.48\00:44:17.35
dependent on and trusting God
that leads to good things in all
areas of our lives."
00:44:17.35\00:44:22.52
I think she got it. "So we moved
again. Now, in this move, we
00:44:22.52\00:44:32.10
said, 'Oh, we learned.' In this
move, we decided we're not gonna
00:44:32.10\00:44:36.30
take a break from tithing.
Things were still tight, but
somehow we managed to fit
00:44:36.30\00:44:40.11
tithing in. Our transition here
has been full of the same bumps
00:44:40.11\00:44:44.38
that any major move entails, but
somehow each time we paid tithe,
it's like renewing our
00:44:44.38\00:44:49.75
connection and commitment to
God. Then, last March --" listen
to this -- "last March, we
00:44:49.75\00:44:54.49
realized that because we've been
tithing, for some reason, there
was more money to give, and we
00:44:54.49\00:45:01.23
thought of a ministry. We called
a ministry leader. We said, 'We
00:45:01.23\00:45:05.13
want to make a gift.' He
said, "Really? How much?'
00:45:05.13\00:45:07.44
We told him the amount. He said,
'You know what? I was just
counting my numbers,
00:45:07.44\00:45:11.94
just going over them. That's the
amount exactly that we needed
for this mission.'"
00:45:11.94\00:45:18.35
Are you serious? She said,
"Brought us tears of joy to
think that in some way,
00:45:18.35\00:45:24.92
God used our small gift to make
a difference in other people's
00:45:24.92\00:45:29.39
lives. Long story short, I
completely agree that there is
00:45:29.39\00:45:33.76
power in giving. It's just
another opportunity to see God's
faithfulness in action."
00:45:33.76\00:45:38.10
You go. You go,
husband and wife. That's it.
00:45:38.10\00:45:42.30
By the way, did you notice? Did
you notice -- Not a word about,
"Hey, we got a windfall
00:45:42.30\00:45:47.01
from our grandparents' estate,
$10,000 in the mail." Nothing,
00:45:47.01\00:45:51.41
nothing like that. None of that.
They just kept going. But did
00:45:51.41\00:45:54.72
you catch the intangibles? I
jotted them down here. The
intangibles in that e-mail.
00:45:54.72\00:45:58.59
"We found new joy. Life is
growing better. Our marriage is
00:45:58.59\00:46:02.46
stronger. We have more resources
from which to give more than we
00:46:02.46\00:46:06.19
had before. There is something
about being dependent on and
trusting God that leads to good
00:46:06.19\00:46:11.17
things in all areas of our
lives." That e-mail has nailed
00:46:11.17\00:46:15.47
it on the head. That's Jesus'
point. You be generous, and
generosity will beget
00:46:15.47\00:46:23.58
generosity. Give and it will
be given to you. Pour it in.
00:46:23.58\00:46:27.42
Pour it in. You can't even
put a price tag on some of those
00:46:27.42\00:46:33.02
gifts. Where do you get a notion
like this, generosity begets
00:46:33.02\00:46:36.39
generosity? You know where we
got it? We got it from the
cross. One last time, put that
00:46:36.39\00:46:40.33
line please, on the screen, from
"Desire of Ages." "At the cross,
00:46:40.33\00:46:44.03
God's love for the sinner is
stronger than death. He will
spare nothing, however
00:46:44.03\00:46:47.34
dear.
00:46:47.34\00:46:48.40
Favor is heaped upon
favor, gift upon gift.
00:46:48.44\00:46:51.31
The whole treasury of heaven is
open to those He seeks to save."
00:46:51.31\00:46:57.65
That's the truth of Calvary.
You have access to everything we
00:46:57.68\00:47:02.65
own. Everything. Calvary
is God's paying it forward.
00:47:02.65\00:47:07.82
And if you've been blessed by
that paying forward, guess what.
It's not supposed to stop with
00:47:07.82\00:47:13.73
you. You just keep paying
it forward because generosity
00:47:13.73\00:47:17.87
begets generosity, and
generosity begets generosity.
That's how it works.
00:47:17.87\00:47:25.04
Starting right now. You're
heading out into the world,
conquer the world now
00:47:25.04\00:47:30.05
that you're finished with
Andrews University. Take this
00:47:30.05\00:47:34.42
with you. Generosity begets
generosity. If you will be a
generous human being, wherever
00:47:34.42\00:47:40.39
God places you, you will stand
out, and God will honor that
standing out. So, right now
00:47:40.39\00:47:47.40
we're getting ready to walk out
of this space. My. Moving out of
00:47:47.40\00:47:56.97
this sanctuary for three months.
And guess what. We're being
00:47:56.97\00:48:01.34
watched. Yeah, we're being
watched. You say, "What are you
talking about, we're being
00:48:01.34\00:48:06.15
watched?" 'Cause I got another
letter just two weeks ago. Got
to share this with you.
00:48:06.15\00:48:14.42
There's a prisoner in America.
And he's been watching. You.
00:48:14.42\00:48:19.89
Seeing you here. He's been
plugged in to this worship
service in the prison
00:48:19.89\00:48:28.04
every Sabbath afternoon. He
was born into an Adventist home.
00:48:28.04\00:48:33.84
He went to an Adventist academy.
He's been in prison for 16
00:48:33.84\00:48:40.82
years. He can't have access to
a computer. But he can watch TV.
00:48:40.82\00:48:46.52
And they get 3ABN in the prison
where he lives. He opens this
00:48:46.52\00:48:55.33
up. "May the Lord bless you and
keep each of you at Andrews
University through our
00:48:55.33\00:48:59.30
Lord Jesus Christ." Kind of
feels like he's a part of our
00:48:59.30\00:49:05.17
family here. "Being raised
Adventist has led me to
understand that we are all
00:49:05.17\00:49:10.35
children of God before anything
else currently. I'm working on
my 16th year of incarceration.
00:49:10.35\00:49:13.98
Along this path, God has been
the pillar of cloud by day and
00:49:13.98\00:49:18.49
the fire by night. God has been
the potter in rebuilding my
brokenness. He's always faithful
00:49:18.49\00:49:23.12
and has never left me wanting
more, except His presence." Wow.
00:49:23.12\00:49:29.76
He said, "By the way, I've been
watching," and he indicates this
00:49:29.76\00:49:34.64
in the letter. "I really loved
this talk that you guys are
having about renovate heart and
00:49:34.64\00:49:39.67
house. It's been fun to watch as
this thing proceeds, and
eventually He'll see this and
00:49:39.67\00:49:45.15
recognize Himself." He says,
"You know, as I watched that, I
said that reminds me of
00:49:45.15\00:49:50.95
being in academy. That's so
cool. Fix up this church, repair
00:49:50.95\00:49:58.09
the roof. I want to have a
part. I want to have a part.
00:49:58.09\00:50:04.23
I could go on and on about the
many blessings I receive in
watching the program, the
00:50:04.23\00:50:08.37
healing of not just my own heart
but the heart of many others
00:50:08.37\00:50:11.91
around. Watching Andrews reminds
me of my own academy days as a
00:50:11.91\00:50:15.58
cradle Adventist. I want to have
a part." So he put a check.
Except he can't write checks.
00:50:15.58\00:50:20.38
So the state which has
incarcerated him wrote the
00:50:20.38\00:50:24.59
check. And he stuck it into this
letter, and I got it two weeks
00:50:24.59\00:50:30.29
ago. Says at the top of the
check, "Rentovation." That's
00:50:30.29\00:50:34.40
close. [ Laughter ] "Rentovation
project. Pay to the order of
00:50:34.40\00:50:38.83
Pioneer Memorial Church," and
then the address. Issue date --
00:50:38.83\00:50:44.87
three weeks ago. The amount.
"I wish I could give more," he
00:50:44.87\00:50:50.35
says. The amount --
$3.53. $3.53. [ Applause ]
00:50:50.35\00:51:07.00
I don't know if they require you
to put a statement in if you're
giving money or what, but he put
00:51:07.00\00:51:11.07
a statement in. That $3.53
zeroed his account. He gave
00:51:11.07\00:51:21.51
everything he had. $3.53. You
know what? This check is worth
00:51:21.51\00:51:33.86
way more than $3.53. This check
is going to reap thousands of
00:51:33.86\00:51:42.06
dollars where his story is told,
like Mary Magdalene. Where the
story is told, it'll
00:51:42.06\00:51:47.80
be repeated. And generosity
begets generosity, and that's
00:51:47.80\00:51:52.61
how the kingdom of heaven
operates. Generosity of Calvary
poured out into our hearts.
00:51:52.61\00:51:57.95
You can't dam it up. Let it out.
And $3.53 later, he let it all
00:51:57.95\00:52:06.09
out. Wow. Thank you, Jesus.
00:52:06.09\00:52:11.13
This is what you meant.
Generosity begets generosity. No
private jet, no home of his
00:52:11.13\00:52:26.88
own. Just a prison cell
and believing God honors.
00:52:26.88\00:52:33.05
God honors his gift. And
Jesus said, "You give it to
00:52:33.08\00:52:39.82
me, boy. And I'll
give it back to you,
00:52:39.82\00:52:43.86
pressed down, shaken together,
overflowing your pockets because
00:52:43.86\00:52:50.00
you trust me." You know what?
00:52:50.00\00:52:53.27
You're so generous, I trust
you. Now, that's a friendship.
00:52:53.27\00:53:00.28
In jail, in prison. Generosity
begets generosity. So, today, we
00:53:00.31\00:53:10.69
say goodbye to this space -- 60
years, 3,000 consecutive -- how
many? 3,092 consecutive Sabbaths
00:53:10.69\00:53:17.99
since Valentine's Day 1959.
3,092 Sabbaths this church and
these pews have welcomed
00:53:17.99\00:53:24.73
worshipers from all over the
world, from every class. And
this has been our home.
00:53:24.73\00:53:32.57
And it'll be our home three
months from now, thanks to the
generosity of Andrews University
00:53:32.57\00:53:38.31
for letting us worship in the
H-back. The sanctuary will be
00:53:38.31\00:53:45.49
barred. Sabbath schools,
everything goes on. All the
00:53:45.49\00:53:48.09
children's Sabbath schools --
nothing is changing. "New
Perceptions" goes on. It just
00:53:48.09\00:53:54.86
has a whole new surrounding
for it. And our friend, he'll be
00:53:54.86\00:53:58.47
watching. [ Organ plays
] [ Congregation sings ]
00:54:01.37\00:54:10.91
>> We've been really blessed by
the financial support that comes
00:57:08.26\00:57:10.26
from our viewers, and we've
made a conscious decision not to
00:57:10.26\00:57:13.60
continually appeal
to you for that support.
00:57:13.60\00:57:16.63
The fact is, as everyone in the
industry will tell you, we're
00:57:16.63\00:57:19.80
needing to make constant
upgrades to our technology.
00:57:19.80\00:57:22.54
So if God has blessed you and
you'd like to further the work
00:57:22.54\00:57:25.24
of this ministry, we
invite you to partner with us.
00:57:25.24\00:57:27.58
Not a single penny of
your donation will go to me.
00:57:27.58\00:57:30.58
Every bit of your gift goes
to the mission of blessing your
00:57:30.58\00:57:34.05
community and our world.
You can donate on our website,
00:57:34.05\00:57:37.09
newperceptions.tv.
Or call the number.
00:57:37.09\00:57:40.19
You know the
number -- 877-HIS-WILL.
00:57:40.19\00:57:42.62
Again, that number is 877
-- the two words "HIS-WILL."
00:57:42.62\00:57:46.96
And may the God who has blessed
you continue to pour into your
00:57:46.96\00:57:49.53
life the gifts of
His joy and His hope.
00:57:49.53\00:57:52.60
Thank you. And
I'm looking forward to
00:57:52.60\00:57:54.77
seeing you, right
here, again, next time.
00:57:54.77\00:57:57.81
¤¤ ¤¤
00:58:01.88\00:58:21.86
¤¤
00:58:21.86\00:58:28.30