The Vancouver Sun has a suggested list of organizations Canadians can choose for Haiti Disaster Relief giving. The Canadian government will be matching gifts given to a number of these organizations. My number one suggestion is to give to those who already had staff on the ground in Haiti. If you had a relationship with an organization or orphanage before the earthquake in Haiti they will likely need your help now too.
Growth
Identity videos used on the weekend
I have had several inquiries about the videos used on the weekend in Part 3 of our series, Renew my Life Lord! This week we are exploring how to battle our spiritual amnesia by “remembering who you are and who’s you are.” You can watch the videos below.
The Challenge of Generosity
Here are the notes from Sunday’s message at Cityview in our series, The New Testament Challenge. The audio will be available later this week.
“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Luke 6:38
The Big Idea: Generosity relies on the abundance of God.
1. Jesus believes you can afford to be generous.
2. Jesus confronts us with an alternative economy.
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
24 “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money. Matthew 6:19-24 NIV
See Luke 18:18-33
22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 23 When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth. 24 Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!
Common Challenges to Generosity
A. “I’m not sure I have enough.”
“Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his posses- sions.” Luke 12:15
Generosity challenges our vision of success.
B. “I’m in too much debt.”
“The rich rule over the poor and the borrower is servant to the
lender.” Proverbs 22:7
Generosity challenges our addiction to stuff and lack of restraint.
C. “I’m not sure the other person deserves it.”
Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, 13 because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment! James 2:12-13
Generosity challenges our judgmental nature.
D. “I’m overwhelmed; there are just too many people with needs.”
What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. James 2:14-17
Generosity challenges us to act now.
E. “I don’t want to be part of the problem.”
“Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.” Galatians 6:1
Generosity challenges us to seek wisdom.
F. “I didn’t know.”
“They will answer, ‘Lord when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you.” Matthew 25:44
Generosity challenges us to see Jesus.
G. “I just need a little bit more.”
17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with every thing for our enjoyment. 18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. 1 Timothy 6:17-19
Generosity challenges our greed.
4. Beware the temptation to make godliness and generosity a formula for this world’s vision of success. Beware the temptation to make generosity another system of divine credit.
3 If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, 4 he is conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions 5 and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.
6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9 People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. 1 Timothy 6:3-10
5. Next Steps
A. __________ Enter the Kingdom of Jesus and His new economy of the Abundant Life.
B. __________ Memorize the verse. “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Luke 6:38
C. __________ Determine to give from what you have.
“Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.” Matthew 5:42
D. ___________________________________________
God’s Economy by Jonathon Wilson-Hartgrove
Author Jonathon Wilson-Hartgrove challenges people to enjoy the abundant life promised by Jesus Christ. Jonathon’s book , God’s Economy: Redefining the Health and Wealth Gospel, is not your typical Health and Wealth Gospel being flogged by many in the Church today. Rather, it is an attempt to express what Jonathon and others who are living in new monastic communities are experiencing as they take Jesus at His Word. Jonathon understands Jesus’ call into relationship with Him as a salvation that secures not only forgiveness of sin and eternal life but also a salvation that secures participation in an alternative economy so that the abundant life is lived now.
Each of the “tactics” of the alternative economy presented by Jonathon enliven me and make me nervous. Fortunately they are not Jonathon’s tactics, but Jesus’ commands to those who follow him. The alternative economy moves according to these commands:
Tactic 1: Subversive Service: How God’s Economy Slips In. “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.” Mark 9:35
Tactic 2: Eternal Investments: How God’s Children Plan Ahead. “Store up for yourselves treasure in heaven.” Matthew 6:20
Tactic 3: Economic Friendships: How Real Security Happens. “I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves.” Luke 16:9
Tactic 4: Relational Generosity: How We Share Good News. “Give to the one who asks you.” Mathew 5:42
Tactic 5: Gracious Politics: How to Live Under Occupation. “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.” Mark 12:17
I only completed my first reading of Jonathon’s book today. But, I heartedly recommend God’s Economy to anyone who has handled money, to anyone who has been troubled by their own selfishness and greed, to anyone who wonders if Jesus really means for us to live better on less, and to anyone who is committed to being a Acts 2 community with a group of Christians. God’s Economy is not really a how-to manual. It is a confessional work, full of stories and testimonies of others who have entered into a generous and abundant life with Jesus and sought out, sometimes painfully–, how to live by faith in the One who owns the cattle on a thousand hills.
Radical Love
Here are the notes from the New Testament Challenge Message at Cityview this weekend on Radical Love.
The Big Idea: Radical love flows from a gracious and just God.
“Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
Matthew 5:44-45
radical: 1) arising from or going to a root source
2) departing markedly from the norm or the culture
3) favouring or effecting fundamental or revolutionary changes
4) slang: wonderful
1. Jesus describes radical love as a product of knowing Him.
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciple, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35
“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command.” John 15:12-13
2. The Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5-7 is not another “law” from which we try to gain acceptance from God if we perfect it. Rather the Sermon on the Mount is descriptive of the lifestyle that flows from a person being transformed (blessed) by Jesus Christ. As Jesus concludes the message the nature of this life becomes more clear:
Ask the Father for good gifts… Matthew 7:7-12
Enter the narrow gate for life… Matthew 7:13-14
Good tree bears good fruit/entry into
the Kingdom of heaven via knowing Jesus Matthew 7:15-23
Wise builder puts Jesus words into practice Matthew 7:43-48
3. The Sermon on the Mount does give us insight on what hinders us from loving people radically.
A. Contempt for people, the bearers of God’s image. Matt 5:21-26
B. Lust, a desire to use people for selfish ends. Matt 5:27-30
C. Building throwaway relationships. Matt 5:31-32
D. Making throwaway promises, words. Matt 5:33-37
E. Vengeful justice-seeking. Matthew 5:38-42
F. Smallness, limiting love to those who love us. Matt 5 43-48
G. Desiring the applause of people over the applause of God. 6:1-18
H. Valuing financial security over the works of God. 6:19-24
I. Worrying over the stuff of earth over the kingdom of God. 6:25-
J. Using other people’s failure as reason to elevate ourselves. 7:1-6
4. Jesus creates a window for us to see examples of Radical love:
A. Seeks out a person who we have heart when we realize it.
B. Interacts with people with out using them for selfish pleasures.
C. Values people and seeks to maintain covenants even when tough.
D. Speaks clearly and sincerely about one’s intentions.
E. Gives people more good than they deserve.
F. Pursues the highest good possible even for enemies.
G. Doesn’t mind doing good without earthly recognition.
H. Treasures what is close to the heart of God and invests in that.
I. Trusts God with the details of life in order to realize God’s
Kingdom and righteousness.
J. Recognizes one’s own desperate need from God’s mercy and
grace and humbly participates in His healing and restorative work
in another person’s life.
5. Jesus is The Source for Radical Love:
10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
13 We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. 16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. 17 In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. 1 John 4:10-17
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