Sowing To The Spirit

Well, the Salvadis just got back from a vacation, and it was great.

So we're refreshed, refocused, and I'm raring to go.

But I had this privilege of coming back to preaching a sermon this morning on giving.

And it's a really interesting situation because I started asking myself,

when was the last time I preached on giving and I couldn't remember?

And so I just want to make sure you are all understanding why I'm preaching this sermon on giving.

In fact, let me begin by saying why I'm not preaching this sermon on giving.

I'm not preaching this sermon on giving because we're behind in our giving.

If you look at our budget, we've got this little kind of layout where our budgeted, projected giving should be

and where our actual giving is, and we're a little bit behind right now.

We're aware of it, but we're not concerned about it.

We've got some great godly people who are paying attention to these things.

But that's not why I'm preaching this sermon.

It may help.

Nor am I preaching this sermon because I don't think I get paid enough.

So start off the new year, hey, jingle, jingle, help us out a little bit more.

No, Jenny and I, Billy and his family, Matt and his family, Mary, you take care of us so well.

So I'm not preaching this because I think I need to get paid more.

So here's why I'm preaching this sermon.

It's the next in line.

We're committed here at Christ the King Church to preach expository sermons,

to preach through books of the Bible as a whole.

And so we preach a section at a time, typically through the book of Galatians.

And today I'm to preach Galatians 6, 6 through 10, which is about giving.

And so what this is about is the health of this particular body,

that we exercise a spiritual grace of giving.

So this is about how we use our money and resources, which brings me to this point.

Classically, there are two groups of people when it comes to money and the using of money.

There are the spenders and then there are the savers.

And so if you're familiar with the old Miller Lite commercials that say,

taste great or less filling,

when it comes to money, most people are like,

spend more or save more.

That's kind of how it boils down to.

But this morning, what I want you to see through this passage is,

it's not so much whether you're a spender or a saver,

it's if you're a sower of your money to the Spirit for the good of others.

And so this morning, the Spirit is going to be seeking to grow us in our giving.

And speaking of the Holy Spirit,

I'm not sure if you've been following the book of Galatians,

but the beginning of the book of Galatians, chapters 1 through 4,

Galatians 1 · chapter mention

it's primarily about the gospel.

Christ died on the cross.

This offering of salvation to all people,

and we receive this gift by faith alone in Christ alone.

There's nothing we can add to that to earn our salvation.

And so chapters 1 through 4 of Galatians is primarily about the gospel,

what God has done for us in Christ.

And then we turn a corner into chapter 5 and 6.

And so there's a big emphasis on the Holy Spirit in chapters 5 and 6.

And so what we see here is what Christ has done for us,

our freedom in the gospel,

we live out by walking by the Spirit.

The Spirit of God has come to dwell in each of us

so that we could live out the freedom accomplished by Christ.

And if you're wondering where all this is coming from,

this is actually prophesied in the Old Testament.

This is the age of the new covenant established by Jesus.

Jeremiah 31 and 33 point to this.

Ezekiel 36 point to this age of the Spirit.

Joel 2 talked about this outpouring of the Spirit.

Pentecost and Acts 2.

It's the fulfillment of what was predicted in Joel 2.

We now, because of what Christ has done,

we live in the power of the Spirit.

We live out the freedom accomplished by Christ

in the power of the Spirit.

And again, I just want to clarify something here.

When we talk about the Holy Spirit,

we're not talking about a what.

We're talking about a who.

Just as God the Father is a person,

and just as God the Son is a person,

God the Holy Spirit is a person.

So He's personally active in each of our lives as believers

to bring about God's purposes.

And when Jesus spoke about the Holy Spirit in John 16, 14,

He said of the Spirit,

He will glorify me.

So we can be assured of this,

that the person of the Holy Spirit comes and dwells in each one of us

so that ultimately we would glorify Christ with our lives.

Live out the freedom.

But I just want to make another observation for you too.

Do you remember who inspired people to write the Scriptures?

It was the Holy Spirit, 2 Peter 1.21.

The Holy Spirit moved men along to write down what God intended.

So here's how to think about walking by the Holy Spirit.

It's not some kind of mystical,

kind of trance-like state we get into.

It is rather being acted upon by the Holy Spirit,

trusting in Him.

The goal is to glorify Christ

according to the very words the Holy Spirit inspired authors to write.

So when we walk by the Holy Spirit,

when Galatians 5.16, we walk by the Spirit,

or 5.18, we are led by the Spirit,

or 5.26, we are to keep in step with the Spirit,

or Romans chapter 8, we are to set our minds on the Spirit.

Romans 8 · chapter mention

We are actually, in doing so,

seeking to exalt Christ by living according to His Word,

and it will be a blessing to all around us,

because it will fulfill the command to love your neighbor as yourself.

And so when we get into the end of Galatians 5,

we are told those who live by the Spirit,

keep in step with the Spirit.

If you've been born again by the Spirit,

you will live in the power of the Spirit.

And then what we see in the early in chapter 6,

are examples of keeping in step with the Spirit.

Gently restoring a brother or sister caught in a trespass,

it's keeping in step with the Spirit.

Bearing one another's burdens and fulfilling the law of Christ,

it's keeping in step with the Spirit.

Soberly, accurately seeing yourself in relationship to others,

you're not thinking of yourself more highly,

you don't think of something when you're not,

judgment's in coming, that's walking by the Spirit.

And so now, as we turn to chapter 6, verses 6 through 10,

which is a passage about giving,

it's a way we live out the Spirit.

It's a way we live out our freedom in Christ.

The Spirit is at work in each of us,

leading us to so generously for the good of others.

Now, if you look at this passage,

chapter 6, 6 through 10,

there's no mention of money.

You don't see the word money.

It's not in there.

You might go, Jerry Maguire,

show me the money.

Show me the money.

Here's what I can show you.

The word good.

Let the one who's taught the word

share all good things with the one who teaches.

Paul is not telling the congregation

to compliment the pastor on a good sermon.

I would welcome that.

But he's saying something more significant than that.

So that word good then shows up in verse 9 again.

And let us not grow weary in doing good.

Look at verse 10.

As we have opportunity to let us do good to everyone.

This good is the good of loving people materially

with your possessions and with your finances.

That's the good you're to share

with those who teach God's Word.

That's the good you're to do to everyone,

especially the household of faith.

Now if you've got a question

about the sowing and reaping,

which is in verse 7 and 8,

that metaphor, sowing and reaping,

is an agricultural metaphor,

planting and harvesting.

It's used all throughout the Bible.

But the only other place Paul uses it

is in 2 Corinthians 9.

And you know what that section is about?

Giving.

A cheerful giver.

So what I want to lay out at the beginning is

this passage,

6, 6 through 10,

is about giving generously

of what we have to others.

So if I were to boil it down to 11 words,

it would be this.

Sow your money

to the Spirit

for the good of others.

That's what God wants of us.

To sow our money,

sow our material possessions,

to sow them to the Spirit

for the good of others.

And so, let's unpack this.

And the way we're going to unpack this,

there are four moves in this passage.

First, in verse 6,

you see the command to give.

Second, in verses 7 and 8,

there's a warning related to giving.

And then in verse 9,

there's some encouragement

when it comes to giving

because we can all get a little weary

and want to give up.

And then in verse 10,

we have conclusion.

To give generously.

Sow.

Sow your money to the Spirit

for the good of others.

Now let's look at this command

a little bit more

in detail.

Verse 6.

Let the one who has taught the word

share all good things

with the one who teaches.

That word share is a command.

In the original language,

in the Greek language

that this is written in,

verse 6 starts emphatically

with the word koinonia.

Share.

It's emphatic.

Now that word,

we get the word koinonia from.

If you're familiar with Greek,

that means it can be translated

fellowship or partnership.

If you flip over

a couple books to your right

to the book of Philippians,

Paul uses that word quite a bit

with the Philippian church.

If you look at Philippians chapter 1,

Philippians 1:3–5

verses 3 through 5,

we read this.

I thank my God

in all my remembrance of you,

always in every prayer of mine

for you,

all making my prayer with joy

because of your koinonia

in the gospel

from the first day until now.

Now if you flip over

a couple more pages

in the book of Philippians

to chapter 4,

in verse 14,

he says,

yet it was kind of you

to koinonia my trouble,

to share my trouble.

And you Philippians yourselves

know that in the beginning

of the gospel,

when I left Macedonia,

no church entered

into koinonia with me

in giving and receiving,

except you only.

this command to share

is a command to partner,

to work together

to a particular end.

Notice who this command is to

in Galatians 6.

Let the one who's taught the word,

the one who's taught the word,

the one who receives God's word,

they are to share

all good things.

So all of you

who regularly benefit

from the preaching

of the word

on Sunday morning,

this is specifically

aimed at you.

Share all good things.

Share of your financial resources.

Share of your material possessions.

Partner.

With who?

Well, it's right there

in the text.

Let the one who's taught

the word share

all good things

with the one who teaches.

The preacher.

The person proclaiming the word.

And so what we have here

is a very interesting relationship

within the body of Christ.

We have a congregation

who is receiving

and benefiting

from the work,

from the word

that the preacher's preaching.

And corresponding to that,

the congregation

is sharing in all

their good possessions

to help that preacher

keep preaching faithfully.

Have you heard the phrase

sharing is caring?

It has all kinds of nuances

in this passage.

Now it's a little awkward

to talk about this.

It's pretty awkward

to preach about it.

But we have nothing

to be ashamed of

because this is the way

that God has designed it.

He's designed the body

to work together

for a reason.

It's right here

in Holy Rich.

So if you want to get

crass about it,

make sure you're

paying your pastor.

Make sure you're

freeing up his time

so that he can be

preaching the word.

In Christ the King Church,

you do that faithfully.

But I want to point

to something else

that may not be obvious.

It's why.

Now remember,

back in the day,

the Galatians,

if you remember the history

of what's going on here,

Paul is writing this letter

because there's been

some false teachers

that have gotten

into the Galatian churches

and they're preaching

a false doctrine

and it's resulting

in great discord

and confusion

and hurt

to the churches.

And so the reason

why Paul is saying this

to these churches

in Galatia,

hey, make sure

you're paying your pastor.

It's for the health

of the church

because there's this threat

of false doctrine.

And so when we read here,

you make sure

you must share

all good things

with the one

who is teaching the word,

those who receive the word.

It's the word

of the gospel

revealed in the Bible.

Ultimately,

this is incredibly pragmatic.

God is very concerned

about the health

of His church,

the doctrinal health

of His church.

And so He wants churches

to be freeing up

their preachers

to be able to invest

the sweetest time

of their weeks

in order to providing

faithful,

wholesome sermons

that feed the flock,

inform the flock,

so that the flock

lives in freedom.

I have a nephew.

His name is Benton.

We call him Biebs.

Biebs likes to pepper me

with questions

about what I do.

How long do you preach?

40 minutes.

How long does it take you

to prepare a 40-minute sermon?

15 to 20 hours?

When I think about

if I were holding down

a 40 to 50-hour job,

trying to prepare

a faithful sermon

for this congregation,

I can't tell you

the kind of gratitude

I have

to be able to have

my sweetest hours

of the week

freed up

to pour myself

into preparing sermons

to feed you all

so that you can live

in the good

of the freedom

of what Christ has done.

Ultimately,

behind this command

to share

and for us

to partner

is the health

of the church.

Sharing is caring.

Not just for me,

not just for the other pastors,

not just for you,

but for the health,

the spiritual health

of this congregation.

Sow your money

to the Spirit

for the good of others.

Now let me point you

to the warning

in verses 7 and 8.

We read,

Do not be deceived.

God is not mocked.

For whatever one sows,

that will he also reap.

Now when you initially

read that,

you're kind of like,

well this is coming

out of nowhere.

In fact,

if you're reading

out of the NIV,

the NIV makes

verse 6

its own paragraph

and then 7 through 10

its own paragraph.

It kind of disconnects it to.

But it's all related

because remember

in verse 6

we have this speaking

of sharing in good things

with the preacher.

And then in verses 9 and 10

we come back

to doing good

to everyone,

especially those

of the household of faith.

And so the sowing

and reaping,

don't mock God,

is in the middle of that.

It's got everything

to do with our giving.

And we learn

from verse 3

in Galatians 6

that it's already possible

to deceive yourself

as a Christian.

To think of yourself

more highly than you ought.

Well, it's very possible

to deceive yourself

when it comes

to your giving.

Don't be deceived.

God is not mocked.

Here's some ways

that we can deceive ourselves

when in terms of our giving.

One way is to say this.

It's to think,

I just have so little to give.

It really doesn't matter.

Nobody will notice

you're deceiving yourself.

Because God notices.

another version of this is,

I can't afford to give.

I don't have any money to give.

I don't have anything to give.

What we're about to read

is that you can't afford

not to give.

Another version of this

kind of deception

of ourselves

is this idea,

especially for younger folks,

it's, hey,

I'm just starting out.

I just got out of school.

I got all this debt.

When I get into

a better place

of financial health,

then I'll start giving.

The question is,

is that what God's word

calls you to?

And if you look at a passage

like Proverbs 3, 9 and 10,

we are to honor God

with our wealth,

to give him

of the first fruits

of what we receive.

Don't deceive.

Don't deceive yourself.

Even if it means

starting little,

start.

Another deception is this.

I'll give whatever is left

at the end of the month.

And again,

Proverbs 3, 9, 10

talks about

trusting the Lord,

honoring him with our wealth,

giving of our first fruit,

not leftovers.

others.

Another deception

is thinking,

hey, you know what?

God will provide

for this church.

They don't need me.

But what we're seeing here

is that God

has actually called

those who benefit

from the word,

the ministry of the word

of a particular church,

to commit to that

particular church

financially.

God is not mocked.

That word,

mocked,

in the original language,

carries the sense

of turning your nose

up to somebody.

When we dismiss God

in terms of our giving,

we're turning our nose

up to him.

Another way to say it is,

you're not taking God

seriously.

You're not taking

God seriously.

We must be taking

God seriously

because he has built

into this world

an undeniable principle

of sowing and reaping.

Don't be deceived.

God is not mocked.

For whatever one sows,

that will he also reap.

All throughout the Bible,

when we read about reaping,

read about harvesting,

oftentimes,

more often than not,

it has to do with

God's judgment.

Now, if you don't know

what sowing and reaping is,

it's another way of talking

about planting

and harvesting.

And what the principle is,

is what you plant,

you will harvest.

It's a cause and effect

relationship.

It's actions and consequences.

And generally speaking,

it's at work in all of our lives

because if you sow gossip,

you will reap discord.

If you sow junk food

into your body,

you will reap unhealth

of your body.

If you sow lies,

you will reap mistrust.

If you sow laziness,

you will reap

being unreliable.

So generally speaking,

this law of sowing and reaping

is a law of cause and effect

relationship.

But what I've been trying

to argue is this cause

and effect relationship,

Paul is specifically applying it

to our giving,

our generosity.

God is not mocked.

This principle of cause and effect,

of sowing and reaping,

is in effect right now

in your life.

If you are sowing your money

to greed,

you will reap

Ebenezer Scroogeism.

the isolation,

the misery

of being a humbug.

It's not what the Spirit

is seeking to do.

God is not mocked.

In verse 8,

Paul develops this

sowing and reaping

even more fully.

And he drills down

on the motivational level.

Do you remember in Galatians 5,

16 and 17,

Matt preached this

a couple weeks ago.

What essentially Paul says there

is that your person,

if you're a Christian,

your person

is an incarnate war zone

between the desires

of the flesh

and the desires

of the Spirit.

Because both simultaneously

indwell you.

The desires of the Spirit

oppose the desires

of the flesh

and vice versa.

The desires of the flesh

are marked by selfishness.

me.

The desires of the flesh

are relationally destructive.

If you were to raise a banner

over the desires of the flesh,

it wouldn't be

love your neighbor,

it would be

use your neighbor.

The desires of the Spirit

are not self-oriented,

but others-oriented.

Love your neighbor as yourself.

The desires of the Spirit

do not destroy relationships,

they strengthen relationships.

I mean,

if you look

at the fruit of the Spirit,

the majority of the fruit

of the Spirit

has to do with

one another.

Strengthening the body

of Christ.

If you were to raise

a banner over the desires

of the Spirit,

it would be

love your neighbor.

That's the picture

in 5, 16, and 17.

You are a war zone.

But that's not the picture

in verse 8.

The picture

that Paul paints

is that you,

Christian,

are a living field

waiting to be

sowed and harvested.

And there are

two furrows

in that field.

Do you know

what a furrow is?

You know when you're

driving out of the county

in May

and you see

those rows of corn

but they're just

rows of dirt?

That's a furrow.

And every Christian

you have two furrows

that every financial decision

you are planting

into one of those furrows.

A furrow of the flesh

and a furrow of the Spirit.

And when you put

a financial choice

into the furrow

of the flesh,

do you know

what from that flesh

you will reap?

Corruption.

rottenness.

How do you like that

for a harvest?

But if

by faith

you decide

to sow

your resources

into the furrow

of the Spirit,

do you know

what you reap

from the Spirit?

You will reap

eternal life.

Fruit of the Spirit.

It's future

too.

It's judgment.

you will reap.

The one who sows

to his own flesh

will from his flesh

reap corruption

but the one

who sows

to the Spirit

who is

walking by the Spirit

when it comes

to their finances.

Who are being led

by the Spirit

when they come

to their finances.

Who are keeping

in step with the Spirit

in their finances.

Who set their mind

on the Spirit

when it comes

to their finances.

That person

they're investing

in the Spirit

and doing good

to others.

That's what we're aiming

at Christ the King Church.

Trusting in the Spirit

sowing generously

to Him

for the good

of others.

what you do

with your money

reveals

who you are

ultimately trusting.

And if you've been

freed by Christ

you've been freed

from living

for cash.

Freed to live

for Christ.

So if you are

sowing to the Spirit

if you're

giving

to the support

of this church

if you're

giving

to help

everyone

you come

into contact

and need

especially

the household

of faith

what that

evidence is

is that

you belong

to God.

You've been

born again.

You've been

set free

and eternity

with God

awaits.

But it works

both ways.

If our sowing

to the Spirit

will from the Spirit

reap eternal life

then if we're

sowing to the flesh

from the flesh

we will reap

eternal corruption.

it evidences

who your ultimate

trust is

and whether

you've been

converted or not.

So this warning

is this

don't deceive

yourself

God's not

mocked

hey

he's going to

judge

someday.

This reaping

is an illusion

to judgment

that's why

God is not

mocked.

He sees

where you're

sowing.

He knows

who you're

ultimately

trusting.

That's why

when you

reap

it will

be just.

Our giving

matters to

God.

Martin Luther

talked about it

this way

every Christian

experiences

three conversions

the conversion

of his heart

the conversion

of his mind

and the conversion

of his wallet.

it evidences

who you

trust.

Who you're

living for.

So be

warned.

Sow your

money to

the spirit

not to

the flesh

for the

good of

others

not for

your own

gain.

Now

let's look

at some

encouragement.

Encouragement

in our

giving.

We see

this in

verse 9

and let us

not grow

weary of

doing good

for in due

season we

will reap

if we

do not

give up.

Don't

give up

in your

giving.

Don't

give up.

Now

sometimes

giving

faithfully

and sacrificially

gets wearying

and discouraging.

Here's

something that

I'm not

sure if

you face.

I know

I am

challenged

by this

from time

to time.

You're

giving

faithfully

you're

giving

sacrificially

and you

start looking

around and

you realize

that other

people with

the same

kind of

income as

you have

they're able

to do all

sorts of

fun stuff

but you're

not able to

do that

fun stuff

because

you're

giving

sacrificially

and so

what happens

as soon as

you start

looking around

you start

comparing

yourself to

others

and the

lifestyles

people are

living

and you

start to

go

fleshly.

comparison

can quickly

result in

envy

and covetousness

and in

gratitude

and in

discontent.

Weariness

discouragement

leads to

giving up.

I mean if

you've started

some kind of

exercise

regiment with

a new year

and you're

not seeing

the results

you're going

to get

discouraged

and you're

going to be

like forget

about it.

If you're

more aware

of what

you're giving

up than

what you're

giving to

you're going

to be

discouraged

and you're

going to

want to

give up.

You know

what you

need a

healthy dose

of?

Look where

Paul goes.

And let us

not grow

weary of

doing good.

Antidote

for in

due season

we will

reap

judgment.

Paul's

antidote

to

discouragement

to encourage

you is to

say

judgment's

coming.

Everybody's

going to

stand before

God someday.

He's going

to hold us

accountable to

what we do

with our

finances.

He's going

to hold us

accountable to

what we do

with what

he gives

us.

So Paul

says don't

grow weary

in doing

good.

Don't give

up on your

giving because

in due

season we

will reap.

And what we've

just talked

about this

reaping is

this harvesting

judgment.

You remember

the parable of

the talents

in Matthew

25?

A landowner

entrusts

servants,

three of

his servants

with some

money and

he leaves

and he

comes back

holds them

accountable

and two

of them get

a big return

one of them

just kind of

throws it in

the ground

and doesn't

get anything

for it.

And for

those who

invested their

talents wisely

do you remember

what the

master said

to them?

Well done

good and

faithful servant

enter the joy

of your master.

Could you

imagine this

someday?

If you're

growing weary

in your giving

imagine this

someday.

You're standing

before the

Lord and

he says

well done

good and

faithful giver.

Enter the

joy of your

master.

That will

help your

weariness.

That will

help your

discouragement.

It will put

strength in

your heart to

say I am

not going to

get sidetracked

by the

pleasures and

joys everybody

else is living

with their

extra money.

I'm going to

keep giving it

to what I know

is most important.

The advancement

of God's

word.

This due

season is

God's judgment

and it is

the antidote

for

discouragement.

At the

judgment God

will reward us.

We may see a

return now but

we'll definitely

see a reward

then.

That's what we

aim at.

So don't give

up in your

giving.

Be encouraged.

God's not

mocked.

You're

reward in

due time.

Keep giving.

And now the

conclusion.

Give generously.

Verse 10.

So then as we

have opportunity

let us do good

to everyone

especially to

those who are

of the household

of heaven.

There's the

do-gooding

again.

When Paul uses

the word so

then in verse

10 he's kind

of wrapping

this up.

He's bringing

it to a

close.

And as he

says as we

have opportunity

that's very

helpful because

that informs

us that we're

just not to go

give money to

everybody everywhere

as we have

opportunity.

As opportunities

present themselves.

Be generous.

Now I just want

to help you think

about something

right now.

This as we

have opportunity

is actually

a limited

window.

It's in

between where

we're at

right now

and when

we stand

before our

God to give

an account.

In this

in-between

time we

have a

window of

opportunity to

be generous.

And Paul

focuses our

generosity on

two groups of

people.

See in verse

10 he starts

by saying as

we have

opportunity let

us do good

to everyone.

That's

anyone.

Anyone who

comes to

you in

need.

Especially

non-Christians.

It includes

your extended

family.

If people are

coming to you

and they're

asking for some

kind of help

this passage

compels us to

help them

materially.

Now we've

got to be wise

and loving.

It's because

sometimes the

best thing for

you to do

for somebody

is not to

give them

cash.

So for

example we

have a policy

here at the

church.

We don't

hand cash to

people.

If someone

needs gas we

bring them

right over

here to the

station on the

corner and

fill them up.

If somebody

needs food we

bring them to

the grocery

store.

If someone

needs clothes

we bring them

to a clothes

store.

We go with

them and help

them meet their

material needs.

So we need to

exercise discretion

because when you

hand cash out

that can be

challenging for

some people.

But don't lose

sight of the

main point.

Because we've

been set free

by Christ and

we're walking

by the Spirit

we're to be

generous with

all people.

It's to mark

us.

So the first

group of people

here is everyone.

The second

group of people

is a subset of

the first.

especially those

of the household

of faith.

In New

Testament terms

a household

is a family.

And that word

especially think

of that as

prioritizing.

Do good to

everyone and

give priority to

your family of

faith.

Help everybody

but especially

your brothers and

sisters in Christ

which includes

your pastor.

as Christians

united together

as a family

walking by the

Spirit means

sowing to the

Spirit for the

good of one

another.

We have a

benevolence fund

as a church.

It literally

means a do

good fund to

the members of

our church.

But you

don't need to

wait for the

church to act

for you to do

good to others.

I want you

to notice that

this is not an

either or

proposition.

Either help

non-Christians

or help your

brothers and

sisters in Christ.

It's both

and.

Sow to the

Spirit for the

good of all

others but

prioritize your

brothers and

sisters in

Christ.

That's how

we're to live.

The conclusion

he draws is

be generous

to all.

So we've

seen the

command.

We've seen

the warning.

We've seen

some encouragement

and now the

conclusion.

Sow your money

to the Spirit

for the good

of others.

Now some

diagnostic

questions.

Have you

forgotten how

generous God

has been to

you?

have you

forgotten

that God

is the

giver of

all things?

He's the

greatest of

all givers

and he's

given the

greatest gift

at the

greatest expense

so that

you could

be in

relationship

with him.

Never

forget that.

That is a

tremendous

source of

joy in

your giving.

It's a

source of

gratitude.

gratitude.

God loves

a cheerful

giver.

Second

question.

How can

you get

these

categories of

sowing to

the flesh

and sowing to

the Spirit

on your

mind when

you're using

your debit

card?

So wouldn't

it be good

if you

cruise over

to some

kind of

store and

you're like

I got a

hankering to

buy something

and you're

about to

kind of

put your

credit card

through the

swiper thing

or the

click thing

and you're

like hmm

I wonder

is what I'm

about to do

is this

sowing to

my flesh

or sowing

to the

Spirit?

Now that's

maturity.

That's walking

by the Spirit.

That's growth.

That's taking

steps.

That's health.

One of the

ways you can

do that is

by just

simply memorizing

Galatians 6,

7, and 8.

Get it on

your mind

so that the

Spirit can

use it

in your

mind.

Directing

your steps.

Here's a

third diagnostic

question.

Have you

been presuming

have you

been presuming

on others

to be

financially

responsible

for the

gospel ministry

of this

church?

Have you

been assuming

other people

will take

care of it?

What would

you call

that?

If you

have been

what would

be a

wise and

good

next step?

of repentance

and faith.

For any

change to

take place,

it starts

with godly

sorrow,

godly

repentance.

Lasting

change only

happens when

it begins

with godly

repentance.

And so that

might just

mean for you

saying,

all right,

I haven't

been giving

as I ought,

I'll take

a step.

Now,

I was going

to include

some practical

steps.

If you'd

like some

practical steps,

please,

talk to

me after

the service.

But there's

one more

diagnostic

question that

I want to

ask.

Let's say

that you

have been

faithfully

giving and

sacrificially

giving here

at Christ

the King

Church.

And you're

tempted to

look around

you and

say,

huh,

I wonder

if they're

giving.

Huh,

I wonder

what they're

doing with

their money.

if you're

being tempted

out of

some kind

of position

of arrival

of what

other people

are giving,

let me just

redirect your

gaze to

the first

question.

Have you

forgotten

of what God

has done

for you?

What he's

given for

you?

we're all

going to

give an

account

someday.

So,

let's

sow

to the

Spirit.

Sow

what

means

we have

to the

Spirit

for the

good of

others

starting

with this

church

and moving

out.

God be

praised

and may

God be

exalted.

Let's pray.

God in

heaven,

we thank

you so

much for

the money

you've

entrusted

to us.

You do

say in

your word

that we're

to be

faithful with

a little

and then

you will

entrust us

more.

God,

would you

help us

to be

faithful,

to walk

by your

Spirit in

our generosity

with others.

God,

thank you so

much that we

as a people

can do this

together,

walking

together in

the power

of your

Spirit,

to be

generous

to all.

God,

thank you so

much for the

faithful givers

in this

congregation

already.

Would you

help us

to excel

still more?

God,

to give

freely and

sacrificially

to what you

are doing

for the glory

of your name

and the good

of others.

It's in Jesus'

name we pray.

Amen.