← ArchiveDucks in a RowSunday, August 27, 2017DateAugust 27, 2017Speaker—TextMatthew 19Passages in this sermonMatthew 190:47Genesis 4:430:18John 1937:01John 19:3037:14John 3:1639:58Ephesians 240:12TranscriptClick any line to jump there.0:00Music Music Music Music Music Music Music If you have0:28a copy of God's word please join me in the book of Matthew Matthew 19 this morning Matthew chapter 19 we have been journeying through a series called ducks in a row0:57a very cute which I was going for a cute series on how to have Christ centered priorities in our life and before we do that I want to brag on our church yesterday or last week I got a text from someone who went to Publix a local grocery store after church and I had mentioned I said look 80% of people in our nation will go to worship if you invite them1:26and if you tell them I will meet you at the door so they go to grocery store and they try this out and they message me after church they said look I went and invited this person and they said someone from your church just asked me the same thing keep reaching out keep inviting there are so many people in our neighborhoods and in the stories we visit that do not know Jesus and may we share the good news1:55and may we live as people who have Christ centered priorities and this morning we're going to look at what what a Christ centered economic is some of you are saying that's an adjective it's not a noun it's an ancient archaic noun okay so I can say that so Christ centered economic what does it look like to give for the glory of God I want to begin with a story Tim Keller in his book Prodigal God relates this2:24relates this about a story of self centered giving so there was a farmer and the farmer one day went out to his garden and he was a carrot farmer and he found the largest most beautiful carrot that he had ever grown and he looked at this carrot and he said this is a world record carrot there will never be a carrot like this on earth and he said this is what I want to do I love the king who I am2:54serving under I want to give this to the king and so he brings a carrot to the king he says king this is the greatest carrot I have ever grown and I will never grow another one like it and I want to give this to you and so he lays it down at the foot of the king's throne and he walks away and as he is exiting the throne room the king says wait don't go the king discerning his heart said this I see you are a faithful servant and I have a plot3:23of land right next door to yours and I want to give this land to you because I know you are a good and faithful servant a noble man in the court at this time hears what's going on and thinks to himself if this is what the king does for a carrot how much greater will the reward be for a good gift so the next day this noble man3:52brings a beautiful black stallion to the king this the noble man is a horse breeder and he says this is the best horse I have bred this is the greatest stallion in the kingdom and so he brings it to the king and he brings it to the throne of the king and says king this is a horse this is the best horse I have ever had in my stables I will give it to you and the king says thank you and allows the man4:22the man to leave the noble man gets to the back door and the king sensing again his heart says stop nobleman and the nobleman turns around and the king says you wonder why I did not give you more and the nobleman says well yes king I wonder the man who gave you a carrot received a reward and I get nothing and the king says this I want you to let these words penetrate your heart right now because there's a big difference the farmer4:52the farmer gave me a carrot but nobleman you gave yourself a horse there's a difference in the way that we give and when we give to the Lord are we giving ourselves something with hopes in return are we giving something to the risen king at your feet I lay me down let's read a familiar passage in Matthew chapter 19 you'll need5:20you'll need your bibles this is living truth to us so if you have a physical bible or if you have an electronic bible I encourage you to open them up today Matthew chapter 19 are we giving the king our gifts are we giving ourselves the gifts Matthew 19 beginning verse 16 so just then someone came up5:50came up and asked Jesus teacher now remember that word he said teacher what must I do to have eternal life why do you ask me what is good Jesus said to him there is only one who is good and if you want to enter eternal life keep the commandments and so a great follow up question was well which ones this is Jesus response Jesus answered6:20answered him do not murder do not commit adultery do not steal and do not bear false witness or lie honor your father and mother and all the parents said amen and love your neighbors as yourself and the young man told him I have kept all of these what do I still lack now circle that because Jesus says do these6:49these the young man says I've done all that and then he still understands but I lack something if you want to be perfect Jesus said to him sell your belongings and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven then come and follow me when the young man heard that he went away grieving because he had many possessions this morning may the Lord Jesus Christ root in our lives7:19lives an eternal desire to give everything to him let's pray father we ask that you would change our hearts Lord we have read your holy unfailing perfect word Lord the word that you have given us to know you not just as good words to live by but to know that you are the king of kings and lord of lords and lord father help us gracefully7:48gracefully submit to you today Lord help us be generous givers that we live in a way where everything that we have is yours to the glory of the father forever and ever amen and amen the first question I want us to ask is this when we look at this scripture the question should be could this man be me so just say that out loud could this8:18could this be me right could this be me now because sometimes we read God's word and we think well this is this is an ancient word and this is a rich young man and I'm not even a man I'm a female so I can just dismiss this but there are very specific parallels to our lives and we're about to get in deep and get to work so this is what we know about this man he is young he is rich he is8:47he is a ruler this is a man that we would want to marry our daughter this is the man you want your kid hanging out with he's churched he's seeking Jesus he's influential he's young he has money this is the man that people want to be so let me make sense of this right now let me rephrase it in a contemporary language this is a middle class baptist deacon who is a millennial who wanted to hear9:17to hear from Jesus so he journeyed to Israel make sense now let's unpack who this man is could this man be me one we know that he is he is young this man is a young man young in the ancient culture here meant 20 to 40 so 40 was the upper limit of being a young man so if you're 40 years old you're still young rejoice thank God for that not9:46not only is he young but we know that he went away sad why did he go away sad in verse 22 because he had many possessions so here is where we get into a messy situation who in here has many possessions many meaning two or more okay see the struggle now because we want10:16want this man to be we want this man to be Steph Curry right the best basketball player right now we want him to be rich and famous and awesome we want this man to be a CEO and so of course we can't be him and so Jesus of course would not ask us what he is asking of this man like we want this guy to be Mayweather who earned 100 million plus dollars last night in about an hour let that sink in 10010:44100 million dollars I would let anyone in the world beat me up for 100 million dollars I would I would even last around I don't care I know I'm going to lose I'm not trying to bring honor to my family right there's just I'm just going to let you let this not me just please go ahead and get it over with that's a lot of money but this man was11:14was not rich in his capacity more than likely he was part of the small middle class in ancient Israel now it's hitting home isn't it so he's young and he's part of the middle class so he has some but he's not so wealthy that people cannot relate he's also we know from Luke especially that he is a ruler now again we want him to be a Saudi prince we want him to be this oil baron who's come to Jesus and he is the world's most influential11:44influential person no he's more likely a leader in one of the local churches a synagogue so he's young he's middle class and he's influential in his church we also know that he's a seeker of Jesus Christ you say well pastor how do you know he's a seeker of Christ look at verse 16 the man came up and asked Jesus teacher what must I do to have eternal life so12:13so he's seeking Christ now is there anything wrong with being young the answer is no is there anything wrong being old no you should be thankful because God's been gracious to you is there anything wrong with being influential no is there anything wrong or spiritually depraved of being rich or wealthy or middle class no because you live in America so by the world standards you have much12:42much all of us and this man comes to Jesus and he says teacher now if you've been with us for several weeks you know in scripture that those who do not yet know Jesus call him teacher those who use the word teacher mean they have an inadequate understanding of who Jesus is in that moment it is not enough to call Jesus teacher now we should let that sink into our hearts because it's not enough for us to13:12to say well what would Jesus do a teacher is someone that gives good lessons it's not enough for us to say good teacher let me be like Jesus no we must say you are master which is a word of submission do you call him teacher or do you call him master we also see this about this young man he represents most of us in this room so13:41so pastor I couldn't believe you said that think about this this young man is seeking Jesus he is trying to live a good life and he deep down he knows that something is missing in his life and even more than that he wants purpose and he is in a place of comfort and safety and yet he comes to Jesus and says I want more like Jesus I got a good house14:11house and I have an awesome marriage and my kids they're really good and look I'm on a fast track to being retired when I'm 55 but Lord there's something more here this man is asking asking awesome questions and yet there's something more that he needs so we should ask is this us this morning could this be me now look at the question this young man asked what an awesome question by the way verse14:41verse 16 he says this teacher what must I listen to the language right it's intentional what must I do to have eternal life what an awesome fabulous question I wish people came up to me every day and ask a pastor what must I do to have eternal life that's a softball that's like I'm about to knock this out of the park if I can't15:11can't answer that I shouldn't be a preacher but look at the language he uses what must I do that's a question we ask isn't it we come to Jesus and say Jesus so I do we are in a me do part of our lives at our home we have a two and a half year old she is the baby so she has an15:41an older brother and she wants to do everything that she sees him do good or bad which means we have a lot of fights in our home we have a lot of discipline in our home we have a lot of spilled cups in our home we have a lot of accidents in our home why because me do I don't want you to pour the milk me do I don't need your help coming down the stairs me do but16:09but how often in our lives do we come to God and say God me do Jesus teacher me do tell me what I must do what me do notice Jesus has every opportunity to just crush this man me do false narrative and false religion and what does Jesus not do16:39do here look at the answer from Jesus he has every answer to just crush this guy in verse 17 he says why do you ask me about what is good now who is Jesus he is God right so I'm going to just say he is God does Jesus is he asking the question for informational purposes no he17:08he knows but he's asking the question to to peer into the heart of this man and so I just want to comfort you right now some of you have questions that you know God doesn't like some of you are me do people right life where we are me do people and here is the great patience of the Savior if you come to him with an incorrect view and honesty he will be patient and loving17:38loving and he will turn your heart so if you do not believe yet I want you to know you have a safe place here to ask questions of God we're not going to say how dare you not believe our God is greater than our unbelief if that wasn't the case I wouldn't be here because there was a time in my life where I didn't believe and God just laughed at my unbelief like pastor you're18:11the goodness of Jesus oh what a wonderful story is the cross of Jesus Christ but notice what this man notice what Jesus does do for the man so he does not crush him in that moment but he lets him evaluate himself by his standard so Jesus just throws him some bones I believe Jesus he doesn't use all the commandments so he gives him some commands I believe that he knows so18:41so this man is living a me do life look at verse 18 he says which commands Lord and Jesus answered okay don't murder he's like got it check nailed it do not commit adultery he's like that's awesome two for two do not steal he's like I haven't stolen anything this is perfect do not lie he's like look I'm an honest guy I don't lie he's honor your father and mother now this is a little shaky okay but19:10but he said you know obviously the man is thinking well I've honored them and he says love your neighbor as yourself and the young man says says what I have kept all these again Jesus doesn't say you liar he just lets the man think and the young man says but but Jesus there's something else Jesus has let19:40let him evaluate himself by his standards so let me just say this in our lives if you have come here today and you think I am good because of my standard you're not even good by your standard I don't even live up to the poor standard I set for myself and that's a way of God reminding me that I fall short there are times in my life where I am stuck in a spiritual terrible to mentality and then I say God I know you20:10you sent your son for me but me do and God says even me do you're not good by me do standards and oh how we fall short because that will not satisfy me do lives will never satisfy so let me kind of point this now to where we are going to spend the rest of our time me do mentalities have a lot of parallels with our finances20:39finances where do we live what nation are we in America right America what is the most influential nation in the world America which nation has more wealth than any nation in the world America we come by it naturally I thank God I live in America I thank God that he21:09he has blessed this nation and that he has given us his grace to be a light to the nations but we need to know by living in America we have natural tendencies and struggles he said well how do we know that okay let me give you an instance I was born a Mississippi State fan and I will die you can give up I will die a Mississippi State fan21:39fan but I naturally know this because I'm a Mississippi State fan I am inherently I have an inherent inferiority complex like every day of my life I think what is going to go wrong because something is going to go wrong that's just natural some some of you have grown up crimson fans and most of you naturally have a22:09a superiority complex so let me just say this winning as much as you do is not natural okay enjoy it it is not your God given birth right and it's not going to last for eternity enjoy it so just know you need to be humbled and you need to encourage those on the other22:38other end of the spectrum that struggle okay that's natural and so the same as with us who live in affluent societies we naturally struggle with wealth because society our western society teaches us we get identity and purpose in our bank accounts and in our careers so how do we live a life that honors christ and we're going to look at that today so I ask you what is23:08is your fortress what is your me do today what is that so let's look at a gospel centered economic this is what Jesus does he's now evaluated himself this man represents many of us he's living a me do life and Jesus says let's ignore the things you think you don't do well and let's really address the issue here's the issue verse 21 Jesus says if you want to be perfect what was the guy's question what23:37what must I do to have eternal life so Jesus knows that the question he's asking is not really the question he needs so some of us have come this morning with questions we think we have of God and those aren't the real questions the question is for him is God I built a fortress in my life and wealth is my God and Jesus says well let's talk about that commandment that's the first commandment by the way Jesus24:05Jesus said go sell your belongings and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven then come follow me listen to the cure for the man's epidemic if the altar call today was this if you want to be saved sell everything you have come to the altar and follow him how24:35how many of us would go away sad because we are not willing to leave with only Jesus that's a tough question isn't it that's a question I've been asking all week would I be because we just think well he's a king this is a sultan he has billions of dollars of course he can't no this is a middle class church dude but Lord that's me that's not good right so Lord if you ask me if25:05if Lord you ask me to and some of you are saying well he would never ask us that ah what if he did what if he did so how do we live a life that radically shaped by the gospel here's here's the struggle of this man Jesus asked him to do something that no Jewish law ask of people actually Jewish laws forbid Jesus asking the man to do something that Jewish law outlaws there25:34there in the Babylonian Talmud it said you could not give more than 20% to charity you have to look out for yourself so Jesus is doing something that tradition says is not okay church people pay attention to that Jesus is doing something that church tradition says is not okay I know we would never think like that anymore and Jesus says give everything Jesus knows26:03knows his struggle now I know what you are thinking here we go pastor is asking pastor here we go he is asking for money again here is the problem Jesus doesn't want to reach into your wallet God does not need your money how foolish of us to think God you know you God you're struggling right now let me give to you God wants to reach into our hearts not our wallets but here's our problem most of us have come in here26:33like this right and we say God you you just want my wallet and God says no but I'm gonna have to remove your wallet to get to your heart and how many of us and we don't want to admit this but we built a fortress and security in our wealth and I'm reminded constantly at funerals one day I'm gonna have nothing but Jesus Christ and him alone so how do we live out a Christ centered work ethic and you27:03and you say well I don't have a struggle with that yes you do 90% of Americans buy things they cannot afford us 83% of Americans do not have enough to cover emergency you know why that's a struggle because when we get in emergencies we are stressed out but God doesn't want you to be in debt to your eyeballs living a life where others think27:33think you're something God wants you to have no debt that way you can cast all your cares upon him because he cares for you the Bible says debt is foolish it doesn't say it's a sin but you know what I don't want to live a foolish life either that's just practical advice and 15% every eight times that Jesus speaks he's talking about money you know why because this is the way we live so how do we live Christ centered generous28:03generous lives we first is this money possessions and wealth will grip our hearts more than anything money wealth and possessions will grip our hearts more than anything why do I say that where do we live America what's the most prosperous nation in the world America where am I thankful that God has planted me and birthed me America but we need to know we have a natural desire to find security and strength in the stuff that28:33that we have that's why we call it possessions now let's unpack that word really quick the word possession has three meanings here's the word here's the meaning of the word possession it can mean a state of having or owning something so if you own something it's a possession it can mean an item of property you know what the third meaning of possession is okay here it is Merriam Webster's dictionary the state of being controlled by a demon or spirit now29:03now think about that how many we have a lot of possessions don't we and if they consume us they are spiritually unclean and they will lead us in paths of destruction so how can we live gospel centered generous lives we need to say daily God help me because I know my stuff has a tendency to possess me and or just consume our time if you have a house you have to keep it up if you have a house29:33house with grass guess what you have to do you have to mow it you you you fertilize the grass to make it green so it'll grow and you water the grass to make it green so it'll grow so you have to mow it and that's not ungodly it's just a cycle so be careful get up every day and say God I know my possessions want to possess me let me give them to you we have much our hearts should be possessed by Christ alone a30:01a second fundamental truth for our lives is this the Lord wants me to give from my first not my leftovers God wants us to give from our first not our leftovers you say well I don't see that here why should I listen Genesis 4 4 and Abel presented an offering some of the first of his flock and their fat portions and we know that the offering of Abel one first offering to God30:31God of the first fruits was accepted and Cain was not and Cain killed Abel because his offering was not accepted why because it was not from the first think about when you go out to dinner or when you invite people over to your house to eat who do you let go first the guest of honor we should be first givers first fruit to the Lord that will you commit31:01commit today to be a first fruit giver that's a spiritual principle God let me give to you first and then God I will trust you for everything else we see this also not only should we remind ourselves that our possessions will possess us not only do we need to say God I want to give of you first not last not God if there's something else at the end I'll give it to you but God I trust you so I will give to you first but giving is essential for spiritual31:31spiritual growth giving is essential for spiritual growth you say well how do you know that look at verse 22 the young man heard Jesus he went away grieving because he had many possessions this young man understood that giving is essential for the kingdom of God that's hard isn't it which means if I'm not giving like I should32:00should I'm not growing like I should and maybe the reason I don't give is because I don't understand the grace of God we're talking about tithing later don't worry we're getting there we're not talking about that yet but maybe I don't give because I am selfish giving is essential for spiritual growth if we are not giving we are not growing giving32:27giving is the vaccination to selfishness and idolatry in my life it's hard for my possessions to possess me when I give them away and that's a truth that has freed me up recently I remember my grandfather told my dad years ago he said son and I thought my dad was old and crotchety when he told me this I'm like yeah I get it dad you walked two miles in the snow in south Mississippi there snow there I get it32:57it his grandfather my grandfather told my dad son be careful your possessions will possess you I'm like what does he know and then I open up God's word I'm like ugh Jesus says that if I'm not giving I'm not growing spiritual growth is tied to my giving and my giving helps contentment when I give away it's easier for me to say God I'm content and I'm so content with who you have made me and created33:26created me to be God if you take everything if I gave everything today I will still say I can do all things in Christ who gives me strength because Lord you brought me in with nothing not even clothes God you're going to take me home with nothing and I will be content and we live in the most discontent nation in the world and we have the most stuff of any nation in the world God help33:56help us and lastly we should give intentionally consistently and abundantly we need to give consistently intentionally and abundantly you say well how do we know that what's the model prayer for Christ in our life he says this this is how you should pray God give us when our daily bread give us today we don't pray God when you get around to it right you could be hit or miss God34:26God just give me some bread no we expect God to be an intentional daily giver and God wants us to model the same so in the Old Testament a standard of giving was the tithe it was 10% it was actually more than that it was 10% of everything but those for who know Jesus Christ now tithing is not a place to stop it is a place to start you say tithing is that that's a lot 10%34:5510% what he could give us nothing and he's still God he's still good and so first I want you to know don't think if you are not giving consistently begin to pray now say God help me give consistently I only have a dollar I'll give a dollar consistently give intentionally and give purposely and for me the Bible standard of a tithe is not a stopping point because I don't want to ask God God35:25God show me the fewest the least I can give to you it's a starting point and so we've committed as a family we want that to be a start for us we want to give 10% of everything that God gives us we're going to give away and that's not always easy but that builds trust like nothing we have ever experienced and this church I want you know we give 10% of everything that's given to this church we give away we want to be a giving generous church not a self serving church are35:54are you a generous giving person the more we understand the grace of Jesus Christ the more generous you become the more you understand the grace of Jesus Christ the more generous you become are you a generous person that is a gospel economic I want to come full circle today with the question the man asked originally we never have an answer we don't have an answer for it in36:24in verse 16 Jesus someone comes up to him and asks teacher a word of a non disciple teacher what must I do to have eternal life and Jesus answer is just give it all away dude I know you have a lot of stuff but that's gonna be burned in the fire anyway and just give it away and he went away grieving but that's not the answer that36:54that Jesus gives us you say I don't have to give anything no the answer is found in John chapter 19 18 the question what must what must I do to have eternal life and here's the one word answer that Jesus gives us in John 19 30 it's the word in Greek to tell us die to tell us die and the word translated into English is37:24is this it is finished we come to Jesus and we say Jesus me do what must I do for eternal life and Jesus says here's what you must do it is finished the word tell us is a word that used in the religious world to mean a religious fulfillment we come to Jesus and say37:54and say Jesus what must we do and Jesus says you don't understand you can't I did what a beautiful truth that is to know that it is finished and we see that the young man went away grieving because he had much some of you are sad today because you have a lot and38:23and you are worried that Jesus is going to grab a hold of your pocket book Jesus doesn't care about your wallet that thing is going to be nothing sooner rather than later but but if you have built a fortress around your heart with your money and with your stuff and with your possessions Jesus will remove that to get to your heart and if you're grieving here today because you have a lot you're grieving not because you have much38:53much you're grieving because you don't want to let go and if you're grieving here today I pray that you would come to the altar and give that today because you have come in and you said teacher teach me something good and Jesus says no you don't understand I'm master submit to me are you a generous person you say of course I tithe you can tithe and not be generous because if you say Lord just show me the minimum I want to reach that bar and I will stop God39:23God says oh the and I firmly believe this if I sold everything today and gave everything away that I could stand before you and say I am so richly favored by God and I have no worldly possessions but it is finished maybe you're here today39:52today and you don't really understand what that means I want to share one verse and give you three truths John 3 16 says this for God so love you you say you know what I don't even love God I don't care he doesn't care right now he sent his son when we were enemies Ephesians 2 says that while we were dead in our trespasses and we were sons of disobedience we were holy terrorists that40:22that when we were sons of disobedience Christ loved us do you know him personally you say I don't believe in God but he loves you he died for you he sent his son to give you life and maybe you're here today and you say well I want that what does it look like I40:50I want you to know that the price has already been paid the gift of salvation in Jesus Christ has been given and if you will repent you will turn from yourself and submit to him he will give you new life today and would this be the day that you truly know God as master and not teacher and would this truly be the day today that you find everything you're looking Jesus41:20Jesus Christ let's pray father← Previous in Ducks in a RowSunday, August 20, 2017More sermons on Matthew →
