On Giving (1 Cor. 16) | The Sandhurst Podcast

Welcome to the Sandhurst Beyond Sunday podcast.

We want to equip the saints to think biblically about God, life, and culture so that our faith goes.

Beyond Sunday.

Beyond Sunday.

Well, today's Labor Day.

Labor Day.

Happy Labor Day.

Yes.

Everyone.

Yes, take a walk on the rail trail.

Very nice this morning.

Finally, we get some good weather.

Beautiful morning.

Yes.

Beautiful.

Yep.

Yep.

Yeah.

Tomorrow, um, Tuesday and Wednesday, last I checked, supposed to be low in the 60s.

Like uh the low is 66, is what I rain more rain?

Uh no.

We're going to the pool right after this.

Well, a little bit after this, actually.

Enjoy.

Do a little swimming around.

Yay.

But yeah, Michaela, you doing anything?

You worked today.

I did work today.

Thanks for laboring.

So the rest of the hang out in the coffee shop and hang out.

I know labor.

All right.

Uh, well, we had giving 1 Corinthians 16 and also um some things that came up this week, first week of life groups.

How'd it go?

Yeah, really good.

Uh so we kicked off uh kids on mission, life groups, the whole gang.

I mean, about 350 people.

So it's it's a it's a it's a big group.

And um we got a bunch of folks going through FPU, some other folks doing their own thing, you know, and and everybody, you know, the the leaders on the ground trusting them to do their their job and know what know what's in front of them and help their people.

And so far, so good.

It's it's it's good feedback.

So yeah, let's do it.

Well, life groups are essential to what we're trying to do as a church in terms of actually loving and obeying God and helping others do the same.

Like discipleship cannot happen in isolation.

And if all we do is attend a service, that's that's good.

And I don't want to devalue that, but it's it's limited.

Yeah.

I mean, for those who who um have had that both you know, the both hand experience, you know, we we think of the gathered worship service, you know, obviously focusing on truth and the and the groups on relationship, but the idea is between rows and circles.

Yeah, you know, and it's like you know, we come and we gather, which is awesome and wonderful and holy and beautiful, but to gather small, where you're just in a circle of people that you know week to week is just priceless.

Yeah.

Yeah, and um it's needed, and you don't oftentimes we don't know that we need it until we need it.

This is a rough week for our church.

Yeah.

Um one funeral last week, three this week coming up.

And um I've been really thankful that the people that I've talked to as these some of them unexpected and some of them expected crises have come up.

Um the feedback that I've been hearing is overwhelming gratitude for how the church has stepped up and been an encouragement, been a support, been present in this.

And and by when I say the church, I'm especially talking about, and they're especially talking about the people who are their people.

And that is what what we hope life groups will will cultivate in our church is those become your people.

And so when your own crisis hits, um you know what who to expect, or it doesn't have to be crisis, when your own joy, when your own move happens, or whatever it is that you know who's gonna show up, and that um you're prepared in that in that context, in that group to be one of those people for somebody else.

And so um I'm I'm a I'm a believer in life groups.

Yeah, because I think when you say the church, you're exactly right.

I think most people, when they say the church, the church did this, or the church cared for us, the church provided some help or whatever.

They typically mean the staff.

Yeah, the institution, right?

The the the thing, um, and uh and and the the professionals who work there.

Um, but you're absolutely right.

It does operate on that level, but it also operates on the level of just being a body, a family, a church family.

Yeah.

And so there's no substitute.

Um there was coming out of the we I was standing in the lobby at one point here after a large gathered worship service.

Uh, guy pulls me to the side, says, Hey, can we talk?

And as we're talking, he's relating some things.

And I know this guy because uh he's in our live group.

And it was really helpful for what he was asking me about to have that context.

Yeah.

And I mean, anybody can put me aside anytime, but this was especially meaningful and helpful because I know the story.

Yeah.

And so we're actually following up later.

And it's just to know the story and to be in context with other people, so vital in our world, especially with all its fracturing, with all of its uh less and less in person, more and more online, so important.

Yeah.

And this isn't really the uh the point of the podcast that we're doing today, but I mean, I just don't it it cannot be overstated the necessity of relationships.

In fact, uh I'm wearing our staff shirt right now.

Yeah.

And the staff shirt, if you can't see um on the front, it says very dear, and it has a like an actual deer, like a butt on it.

But it comes from 1 Thessalonians 2, verse 8, that says, We were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our lives as well.

1 Thessalonians 2:8

Not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives.

Here's why.

For you have become very dear to us.

They didn't start very dear, they started as strangers, but they became very dear to him.

And that's uh that's what happens in life groups.

And so uh we have started, but if you've thought, man, I didn't I didn't do it uh or didn't sign up or didn't register or didn't get myself in a group, it's not too late.

My group, at least, is always available, and you can find that on the website.

Yeah, or just show up this Wednesday.

Just show up at six o'clock and my group is available at the sanctuary, and we will get you plugged in.

I j I do think that's such a sign of health, though, in our church that I'm really grateful for that um that there's been such positive feedback of how the church has been stepping up in the crisis, or the story told yesterday in the sermon about um the the the guy who was like, Man, I joined one body repairs because I want to help.

And then five minutes later, somebody I'm talking to a lady who's going, I could use some help.

And and what I loved about it is what I said to her is we can help.

And there was no maybe on it.

There was no, oh, maybe I can uh kind of touch base this with some people.

Um there was no maybe on it.

There's a person in your head.

Oh, yeah, yeah.

Well, and there is a system to be able to be like, boom, uh, it's gonna happen.

Bang.

I love it.

Yep.

All right.

Uh well, we're in 1 Corinthians 16, the last chapter of the book.

You're technically gonna finish out the book next week, and then, but then uh the week after that, we're gonna do a little recap, which I'm very excited about.

Um but he's answering a question, and the question is about money.

How do we do this whole money thing uh as Christians?

We have a new Lord, we have a new identity.

Uh, this church in Corinth is about five years old, six yeah, six years old maybe, and they're going, How do we do this?

What do we do?

And Paul gives them some instruction, and so anytime we're gonna talk about the Bible, we should read the Bible.

Yes.

I'll read it.

What does it say?

What does it say?

That's a great starting place.

Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I directed the churches of Galatia, so do you also.

On the first day of every week, each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I come.

When I arrive, whomever you approve, I will send them with letters to carry your gift to Jerusalem.

And if it's fitting for me to go also, they'll go with me.

All right, those those are the verses.

Um first uh first thoughts.

Well, I love that it's concise.

Honestly, it is concise.

Uh you know, he he's just given some super practical instructions, and frankly, in just verse two, it's even more concise.

You know, and you you you drew that out on on Sunday, how for me first Corinthians 16 2 has been by itself a five-point guide for me to uh for my for my giving.

But otherwise that that's the main thing that jumps out to me is that it's literally all in a verse.

Yeah, it really is.

Um, and it's it's helpful.

It's it really is helpful.

And I think what I hoped to do last uh yesterday is before we even kind of looked at the nuts and bolts of it, to start with a portrait of what is a what does it look like when a church is just outrageously generous?

You look at Acts 4, you look at 2 Corinthians 8, these churches who were like eager, like desiring, like pleading to be able to give up to their ability and then beyond their ability um to share in the work.

And and and that is I think that is a compelling picture.

Um and and maybe maybe that's just a little bit of a me thing.

I think there there are people who stand out in my mind who I go, dang, they're just generous people.

And and I find it like inspiring.

Like it just does something in my heart, kind of makes my heart start pumping a little bit to to see that.

And um and when when I see it in scripture, I kind of long for it, and um, and then am really convinced that outrageous generosity doesn't just happen in a church, and it doesn't happen um by compelling speeches or compelling calls or a campaign.

It happens when people begin to understand the gospel of grace and the uh the greater generosity of God on their behalf.

And I and I know you uh mean this, but just to clarify for our listeners, when you say uh an outrageously generous church, you're not just mean putting it in the plate.

You mean as a lifestyle.

As a lifestyle.

You know, and some of the stories that you told about Harvey Junginer were just perfect, I thought, and demonstrating how this looks in real life, where you've where you give a uh a workman, a working man his paycheck with an extra$20 bill, paperclip to it, or you know, paying a guy that's out uh for for some sick leave, even when he's not there because he you know he needs it.

Just things like that.

Yes, from from the little things that happen in a family to a job to being a boss, um, to then the bigger things, like I shared on Sunday of the the family who's like, hey, we feel prompted by God to take what we were putting in our college savings for our kids.

That's right.

And we're gonna trust the Lord with that.

Yeah.

And give it.

We're gonna give it.

Um it it all matters and it's all inspiring to me.

Yep.

Um so uh if if you weren't here, let's just quick review what the text says and a quick little synopsis on it.

Um I'll I'll give the the bullet point.

Adam, you give your version of the synopsis since most people already heard mine.

Yeah.

All right.

On the first day.

That's the first one.

Yeah, on the first day.

That's what I got.

First day.

Any thoughts there?

Uh just um that you know, you said um that it's about I don't know if that was consistency or priority, but the way I see that is is is priority.

Now, um, you know, first day he's referring to the when you gather for for your worship.

Uh make sure you bring your offering to that gathering.

And so a couple things there.

He sees it as a part of their gathered worship.

Yeah, that that's what I drew out of it.

That is the first day because that's the that's the worship service day that he saw it as part of their worship.

And also I think there there is a little bit of uh of on on the first the priority, right?

The priority of first.

Yeah.

All right, so on the first day, each week.

Any thought there?

Consistency.

Consistency.

Yeah, so uh I don't think it's a sin to give monthly.

I think the principle there is regularity.

Yep.

So first day, worship.

Each week, consistency or regularity.

Um each one.

Each one.

Not just the rich people, literally each one of you.

And um, you know, I think that in context, this is probably talking to the post-bar mitzvah, right?

To the 12-year-olds and up.

Um, but you know, we had our kids start uh as soon as they had any uh giving uh or or earning money from us or or or any any money at all.

You know, we we had they had an envelope system with four envelopes, and one of those was giving, and that was on the priority.

So each one, and and you know, we have pictures of our kids putting their quarter in the plate, you know, from and and I think that's just important uh that if you have money, you recognize that it's all God's by getting part of it back.

Yeah.

Everyone.

And that's part of what makes it worship.

Yeah um worship involves giving back to God a portion of what he has already given to me.

That's that is the the exact message that I send to Sweet D each week.

Got the notification today about you gave to church of sandwich.

Uh and I text to Sweet D right away.

That exact statement, um, it is our privilege to give back to God a portion of what he's given to us.

This is worship.

And and we're blessed.

Amen.

All right.

So on the first day, uh each week, each one is to put aside and save.

Thoughts there?

Set aside.

So um it's not that doesn't have by itself.

You do it, you set it aside.

Yeah, you know, and it takes initiative, it takes planning.

Um, and so it's not something that you do by accident.

Oh, we've shown up at church.

Oh, what do I have in a few bucks in my wallet?

Or, oh my gosh, I saw this really compelling, you know, video about a child in Africa, which that's wonderful.

If you give to that, fantastic.

But our react our our giving shouldn't be uh reactionary um or or spontaneous.

It can be spontaneous, but whatever's spontaneous should be in addition to whatever you are setting aside.

It should be intentional.

Yeah, deliberate.

Yeah.

Yeah.

The In 2 Corinthians 9, Paul talks about some things that would be um I mean, on the surface, it's almost makes you feel uncomfortable because it it feels a little bit prosperity gospel in the sense that it God what he says is God gives seed to sowers.

Right.

And um to change the analogy a little bit, uh the the word that he uses there to um to to set aside and save, that word set aside means to appoint, just like Ephesians 4, God appointed some, he gave some, right, uh, some as apostles, some as prophets, some yeah, that so appointing some of my dollars to go in the direction of God's mission, to go in the direction of worship.

And it just makes sense that if you change the analogy and change it from like seeds to sowers to like bullets and for soldiers, that if God gave me a bunch of bullets and um and to the to the extent that I'm gonna shoot those bullets in the direction of advancing God's mission, it makes sense that God's going to entrust more bullets to those kind of people, not just people who are gonna be like, there's a dove.

Whatever.

Um so yeah, to put aside and to save, to be deliberate about it.

And I do think, you know, what you said about kind of the uh the emotional appeal, it's not it's not that it's bad to give based on emotion, but I do think there's a maturity that comes where I begin to be I give based on principle and regularity as worship, not not just when I'm emotionally stirred towards a person uh like a cause or something.

If you see a family in the grocery store and you can tell they could use a little help, you know, and you're moved to help them, that is fantastic.

But if you only ever give that way, what you're doing is you're giving yourself um a pass on accountability.

I'm just gonna find emotional moments when I moved and popcorn give.

Um then how do you know?

You know, it's it's it's really giving um out of your wealth, not according to your wealth.

And it's not, it's it's not really a sacrifice, it's just a knee-jerk.

And so I think this is a text that is is clearly instructing us to be thoughtful as you say, deliberate about giving.

Yep.

Um on the first day, each week, each one is to put aside and save as he may prosper.

Okay, that's where the NIV shines.

All right.

In keeping with his income, is that what you're saying?

So we we're remaining with the two words uh here, in keeping, right?

So in keeping.

So first day, every week, each one set aside in keeping.

So that's my five uh statements that and in in keeping, just meaning that uh the more you make, the more you give, right?

In keeping with your income.

And if you make just a little, you know, you you give a little, you give according to your wealth, not you don't give out of it, you give according to it.

And so um, God, uh, you know, what is a you know, and the the analogy that we've used before is if you make a thousand dollars a month and you give a hundred, okay, that you really feel it.

If you make a hundred thousand dollars a month and you give ten percent, ten thousand, that's a lot more, but you barely feel that.

You may not even feel that at all.

And so it takes as you get richer and have more, it takes a greater percentage of your income to be a sacrifice, which literally means it hurts.

It's a sacrifice, it costs you something.

And a lot of people give in such a way that it really doesn't cost them anything to their lifestyle, and that's uh uh to me an important distinction in Christian giving.

It's called to be a sacrifice.

Yeah, and this has been part of the um process for me.

We'll we'll get more into some some nuts and bolts, I think, in a little while.

But I was challenged by my parents to say, all right, as income increases, our percentage of giving increases as well as not not not just total dollars increases, but the percentage number increases.

So if I was giving 12% and a and a raise comes or whatever, then not only that then I don't keep giving 12%, but I'm gonna try to up the percentage as well.

And um and I I think that's a that's a good uh practice that's consistent with trying to give in keeping with your income more, as I'm just saying, as he may put it.

Because there's nothing wrong.

I mean, the Bible is full of rich people.

God doesn't the riches are not evil.

Um, you know, it is commonly misunderstood that the the the root of all the money is the root of all evil.

It is not, you know, the love of money is the root of all evil.

But um And he would say the love of money is the root of all sorts of evil.

Which is even different, which is different, yeah.

And and uh and so that there's no doubt that money has a lot of traps to it, and and Jesus is is is very honest about that.

Um but it is not evil, and there are rich people, and so it's not that you can't be rich, but it does require, I think, an added layer of vigilance and responsibility and deliberateness to make sure that um as your income grows, that uh you're not just uh giving yourself an automatic pass on the same degree of percentage of raising your your lifestyle because God is providing opportunities not just for you to indulge, but for you to be generous.

Yeah.

All right, so that's the text.

I guess to finish it out, I didn't really say anything about this on Sunday, but uh verse three says, When I arrive, whomever you may approve, I will send them with letters to carry your gift to Jerusalem.

And if it's fitting for me to go also, they'll go with me.

I I do appreciate that uh he goes from the appeal to the church to um to set aside, as he may prosper, to then the stewardship of what's given and the accountability with it that he's going, Hey, I want you I want you to choose somebody who you can know is gonna steward this well.

And um and I'm really grateful at Sandhurst that we have some people who are um very committed to the scriptures, yeah, who really love God and who are gifted with money.

I mean, they serve on our finance team, um, some of them are elders, and going, okay, we wanna it it's it's not uh the leadership's job to hit a certain number.

We're not we're not trying to like we don't have a a number that we're trying to shoot for.

I mean, we have to we have a budget and um and sometimes we gotta make hard decisions.

We've had to do that before.

Um if our expenses are exceeding our income in terms of giving.

But it's not our job to hit a budget, it's our job to just steward what's given to us from the Lord through the church.

And um and I'm grateful for the leadership that we have.

And in uh these verses, you know, you pointed out, I love this.

He says, When I arrive, I'll give you letters of introduction to the men you approve and send them with your gift to Jerusalem.

In other words, we'll count it together.

I will write, I Paul, send this amount with these men, right?

Yeah.

And he says, So there will be my letter of authority stating what they're taking, and they, not one, not one dude who changes the the the number on the way, you know, but a group will go and deliver.

And if it seems advisable, I will accompany it.

Like I'll go too, you know?

And we're all gonna do this above board, we're all gonna do this as a team, we're all gonna do this uh in in a way that honors the integrity of the process.

Yeah.

Yep.

All right.

So uh what he didn't talk about is tithing.

And I said that tithing is not a New Testament command.

Agree?

Disagree?

You know, obviously it is an old testament command, and I I do disagree with you on one thing.

All right.

Um you you said that you know, if you count up all the offerings in the Old Testament, it's about 30%.

Um it's actually pretty complex.

And there's a there's actually disagreement among Jewish scholars because it's 10% of this, and it's 10% of this once every three years, and it's 10% of of this, you know, kind of crops or these kind of animals, but not this.

And if you do this and that and whatnot.

Anyway, I think it it's somewhere between it's somewhere around 22%, I think.

Okay.

Is is a better figure.

But it's like a lot more than 10, you know?

And um and and so I do and I think it'd be uh helpful to break down that, you know, the phrase that is so familiar to us tithes and offerings.

Yeah, tithes and offerings.

What is typically made?

By that.

What it's typically meant is after you've given your 10%, if something comes along and you know, there is a Compassion International kid or there's a food drive, you give on above your tithe, you're above your 10%, and that's your offerings to God.

In Old Testament, your you know, your tithe was 10% of all your income, and your offerings were what you would take to Jerusalem once a year for the feast of the Passover, you know, the lamb.

Or uh if you had a burnt offering to cover a certain sin, or some other kind of occasional or you know, uh annual offering that was in addition to the the weekly tithe that you were giving to God, that was your offering.

Right.

Yeah.

And I do think that's helpful that but to to just kind of understand some some of the church world language, but we don't use that language at Sandhurst because uh we don't see the tithe as a New Testament obligation for believers.

And the reason I ask like, uh like, do you agree is because there there are some people who would disagree, but they um it's it's not a debatable issue on whether or not it's commanded.

It's not commanded in the New Testament.

The one thing that uh people will look to is being like, well, see, is when Jesus is um, I think it's Luke 6 16, um, when Jesus is condemning the Pharisees for their hypocrisy, he's he's he talks about how they've neg they've they've kept the tithe, but they've neglected the greater um priorities of justice and mercy.

Yeah.

And he says, you should have done one without without neglecting the other.

Right.

And so they would say, well, he said, he said you should have tithed.

And so that would be kind of the the point of Yeah.

And I don't see in that a biblical command to tithe.

No, no, no, not at all.

Yeah.

What he's saying is you've left out justice and mercy, and you should not have done that.

That is what he's saying.

So but so I I see the point.

And and I think the other um argument people will make for a New Testament tithe is Um in, you know, it's interesting, it's the same argument, but with two different conclusions.

The argument is if the Old Testament commanded a tenth, why in the New Testament would we who live under grace give less than the command?

And one person concludes, you know, um, therefore um we should tithe.

And another person says, therefore we are free not to tithe.

And it's it's a two different conclusions, same command, uh same you know, principle at work.

And but I I a hundred percent agree with what you said that it is a precedent, it is a starting point, and in the New Testament, it is not a law.

It is it it is a it is a it is a if you know if you if you're one of those people and you need that starting point, that is a great starting point.

Yeah, and and I'm really, really grateful.

It does get a little annoying to me because once you once you get rid of the percentage and then you bring it back to the heart and you bring it back to um, okay, well, uh to each one is to give as he is purposed in his heart to give.

That's 2 Corinthians 9, for God loves a cheerful giver.

I'm like, well, dad gum it, how much is that?

And but but the fact it shouldn't be a surprise at all to us that God would bring it back to the heart.

Yeah.

Um, so where there isn't a percentage, there are priorities.

And this is one of the things that if I if I could like get a a second swing at uh sermon yesterday, this is where I would have uh would have given a little bit more attention to give a little a few more details.

Okay.

But this is really helpful to us, uh, it's been helpful to me, and I hope that anyone listening will be able to really internalize this and I would even say memorize this.

Okay, yeah.

162, really helpful.

Um priorities in giving are these three big hoppers and then some sub points.

But priority number one is my immediate family, priority number two is my spiritual family, priority number three is the poor the poor and the vulnerable.

Okay.

Now I'm gonna what I didn't say on Sunday is why I set those priorities in the order that I did.

Because what what the Bible doesn't say, Paul's like Paul never says, Jesus never says, Hey, let me give you the five priorities in giving.

Uh so we I have, and I I learned this in the church I grew up at and um my parents, but we set the priorities based on the strength of the language around it.

Yeah.

Okay.

So priority one is your immediate family.

And specifically, that's from 1 Timothy 5, and it's specifically talking about widows and elderly parents, okay, who have who are in need.

And that's actually one of the questions that I got in response to Sunday is of somebody going, so you're saying we need like cut a check to our parents every month.

And so I wasn't trying to say that, I was trying to say um priority one is to make sure that our elderly parents are cared for.

Yeah, we're not talking about sending a bigger bassinet to your nephew's cousin, you know, who just you know, their their their toddler needs the next thing.

And so we're gonna this is about real need for immediate family and specifically for for parents, especially.

Yeah, food and shelter.

Yeah.

Honestly.

If you read 1 Timothy 5, that I think that becomes pretty clear.

The reason that's top priority is the strength of the language.

And he says, if you don't do that, you're worse than an unbeliever.

Yeah.

So that's that's about as strong as it gets.

That's about as strong as it gets.

Priority two is the spiritual family, and there's some subcategories under here.

And I this is where I hope we'll really be able to internalize.

Okay.

Um, underneath the spiritual family, first we have those who are shepherding my spiritual family.

Then those who are extending the spiritual family, then those who have need in my spiritual family, okay?

So those shepherding my spiritual family, those extending the spiritual family, those would be missionaries, and those who have need in the spiritual family.

All right.

The the reason that I separate those as different things, well, because they are different, and in that order is because for those who are shepherding my spiritual family, 1 Corinthians 9 and Galatians 6 both say, well, 1 Corinthians 9 says that the Lord has directed this.

Yeah.

So he's the the the strength of the language is that Jesus commanded this.

And and he's quoting Jesus going saying when Jesus said the the worker is worthy of his wages.

That's right.

So if you have a a staff in your church, they are the the the men, the women shepherding this body, and they uh should be paid by the body.

Yes.

Yes.

So we're I'm giving to my church and knowing that part of that is going to those who have invested in me spiritually.

Right.

Yeah.

Uh so then after those who are shepherding the spiritual family, it's those who are extending the spiritual family.

Philippians 4 says this is pleasing to the Lord.

Yeah.

All right.

And then the um the third one in the spiritual family is those who have need in the spiritual family.

And that is the word remember.

So you remember in Acts 15 when um uh when they have this, they have this council, yeah, and and when Paul recounts what happens at the council, he says, here's kind of what came out of that.

And one of those things he says, uh, and that we were told to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.

That's what he says.

So he says, remember.

So so if you just kind of follow the strength of language, uh priority one with elderly parents, if you don't do that, you're worse than an unbeliever.

Priority two, those shepherding the spiritual family.

Uh the Lord has directed this.

Priority three is uh those extending the spiritual family.

This is pleasing to the Lord.

That's right.

And then uh the next priority is those who have need in the spiritual family, and that is remember is what he says.

Remember.

So um you you could you could look at those, the the way of arranged those and say, well, I it's kind of see um I see I would maybe arrange them differently.

And I'd say, okay.

Like the the actual order isn't Bible.

The um the priorities in giving are in giving are Bible, but how you might arrange them, that's that's subjective based on the strength of language, but um you you could disagree with that.

Yeah.

The reason it's been helpful to me um is it has actually impacted the way Sweet D and I give.

Yeah.

Okay.

So we take priority one, um, our immediate family.

There's no one in our family who has um need.

So that's kind of a non-issue for us at this time in our life, but at some point maybe it will.

Yeah.

And so when it does become that, um, then I would probably I don't think that I would give depending on the severity of the need and how much my other siblings would be contributing.

Um, I don't think I'd give all my giving money to that, yeah.

Uh, but a significant portion, because I think that's priority one.

Okay.

Uh priority two is the spiritual family um and those shepherding the spiritual family.

So um our greatest kind of portion of our giving goes to the local church, our church.

Then those extending the spiritual family.

So Sweetie and I give to some missionaries.

Then the poor and the needy um in the spiritual family.

And so we have an account actually that just kind of automatically uh gets updated each month where we're just kind of ready to meet a need, actually specifically for um well for a specific need in particular that is important to us.

And so that just kind of always grows.

And whenever there's a chance to be able to contribute to that, we're ready.

And so we're just trying to let our giving actually reflect our priorities.

And then the last one being the poor and the vulnerable, um, we give to choice to make because that's um that's important to us too.

So this has actually been helpful to us in terms of our actual giving.

So we uh have almost an identical pattern.

Uh we give um I also my father's passed, but my mom is cared for, and so she's doing well.

And when there are times uh I've had to to step in and help with something, I've done that.

But by and large, on a monthly basis, she is self-sustaining.

So praise God for that.

Uh so then down that we we send uh our standard and and the lion share of our check to our local church, the Church of Sandhurst.

And um, and then our our third level, we have missionaries that we also give to.

This was, you know, what the Old Testament would call our offerings, you know, kind of outside of our tithe, if you will.

Uh, and we have several missionaries that we support.

We know them, we love them, and we are excited to partner and thankful for that.

And then we also have a fund that uh accrues.

And while we're not quite as focused as you are, we do um, we we're just looking for needs.

Heather works in the public school system, and so we can become aware of needs there and will oftentimes step in some in some way related to that.

We do also uh uh fund a local mission, you know, in terms of the the vulnerable, we st uh we support the the sparrows, uh that ministry.

And um uh and so uh Cookie Cawthon and their and their and their team.

So we we we feel like it's important to invest in our community and those who really have no voice.

We want to step in and help uh those who are looking after them, support and strengthen them.

Tell us briefly about the sparrows.

Yeah, so they have a a community center where it's it's it's slow, it's deliberate, but they take up to five women who are coming out of addiction, coming out of abuse, and possibly even out of trafficking.

And they uh they they they love on them, they heal them, they give them life skills, and they reintegrate them slowly back into society.

And it is a slow process, but that's why it works.

Um, and they only have, I think, five at a time, but their entire ministry is to rebuild the lives of these women who have been just terribly abused.

So we're we're so thankful that somebody devotes their life to to look because we we can't do it, and and but somebody needs to, and they do, and so we partner with them to do that and are so thankful.

Yeah.

Yeah.

All right, sweet.

Thanks for doing that.

Yeah.

The so for any anyone in our church who's listening, uh, this is a great opportunity to be able to um internalize this and potentially make some changes that would allow your faith to go beyond Sunday, let your giving reflect biblical priorities.

So let's say them one more time so that uh we can just kind of internalize them and memorize them.

I'm telling you this.

I I learned this.

Yeah, you give your five, I'll give my five.

Yeah.

And the priorities too.

Let's uh let's um let's let's make the same well not that out not how we apply the priorities, but let's just give like consistent priorities here.

Okay.

Um because I learned this, I think in high school, and it has continued to mark me.

I hope this will be one of those things that uh we learn and continues to shape the way we get.

Okay.

Uh immediate family.

That's priority one.

Don't do that more than an unbeliever.

After that, those shepherding my spiritual family, i.e., my local church.

I staff pastors given there.

Okay.

Next, after that, those extending the spiritual family, missionaries.

After that, the poor in my spiritual family, those who have need.

Now you could you could you give to your local church, to to church at Sandhurst and know that all three of those things are going to be captured within the way church at Sandhurst stewards our money?

Yes.

Um, but I should I should not give commentary because we're trying to review the priorities.

Uh immediate family, uh those shepherding my spiritual family, those extending the spiritual family, the poor and the spiritual family, and then the poor and the vulnerable, generally speaking.

Yeah.

And those are the priorities.

Those are the priorities.

And then again, 16 2.

Um, on the first day, each week, everyone set aside, in keeping, or as the Lord prospers.

Yeah.

And uh, and so that that deliberate nature of it uh to in order to structure it so that it's uh we're accountable to be doing it.

Yep.

All right, so let's just say that there's somebody in response to uh the teaching of God's word, and there's like, man, I got a lot to think about right now.

I've been just kind of thinking 10% slam bam, you know, there it goes.

And uh and they're thinking, let's say it's a a married person, I think I need to have a conversation with my spouse.

Uh I was I I thought the the coaching that Financial Peace University gave to couples in terms of like how to have a money conversation was super good.

Yeah.

But uh let's let's just speak into this a little bit because I think one of the great one of the greatest barriers that could come up in terms of actually making this go beyond Sunday, actually like changing the way we give, is the thought that man, if I'm gonna make any changes here, this is gonna this is gonna mean a conversation with my spouse.

And money conversations with my spouse are just awkward.

They're awkward or they're tense or they end in a fight, or they just don't end well.

And so let's see if we can give some do's and don'ts to how to have one of these conversations um with your spouse.

All right.

So let's pretend that we've got uh a person in the in the marriage who wants to give more, feels stirred uh to to give more, and then you have the other person who's very happy with what is currently being given and feels no prompting to kind of in their heart to give more.

Okay.

What are some do's and don'ts that come to your mind for how the person who wants to give more can have a conversation with the person who is happy with what they currently give?

So um this is where I'm gonna pull up uh a tool straight out of FPU week one.

Great, do it.

And it was super helpful.

They say, you know, obviously, oftentimes opposites attract in marriage and true in money in money discussions.

So typically in marriage, around money, you're gonna have somebody who's the nerd or the geek who does uh does a budget, likes to think in terms of structure.

Then you have sort of the free bird, the free spirit who's like, don't put that on me.

Let's just have fun and it's gonna work out fine.

Okay.

Let's just be generous.

Yeah, let's just be generous and and God'll provide, right?

You know, and so sort of freestyling.

And um, and so aside from God and giving, this is almost certainly almost every couple has has has a planner and a freestyler.

And so the thing about that is neither is inherently possible, they have both can have a good side and a bad side.

Yes.

Because the planner, and in our marriage, it's Heather, can either be planning because they're being responsible and thoughtful, or because they are being fearful and controlling and and putting their faith in the plan, not God.

Uh, the freestyler, the free bird, can be free because they just want to be generous and kind and easygoing and, you know, um, or they can be freestyling because they don't want accountability, they don't really want to plan, and uh they are either uh lazy or naive.

And so in our marriage, I'm the freestyler.

And uh we I was always like, we're fine.

But after a while, it it caused a lot of conflict.

And I realized we need more planning.

And so I think for, you know, you asked, like, how how how can a couple come together on this first thing would be to determine which one are you in the marriage?

I mean, obviously there's spectrum, you know, so it's not like way over here necessarily, but just like on which side do you tend to fall?

And which side does your spouse tend to fall?

And when in when you're doing your best work and you're truly being generous, what's the dark side to that in your own heart?

And I had to come to the fact that in my own heart, the dark side of my easygoingness was really a laziness and uh a fear of wanting to not be not inside I didn't want to be accountable, but I didn't want to be structured because um then that would be, I'd need to be accountable to the plan.

Maybe it felt like a joy killer to you.

Yes, precisely.

But that's not right.

That's not good.

And uh and I could look at Heather and say, oh, you know, she's just being too fearful and controlling, but really she wanted to be responsible with the resources that we had.

And so as the free bird, I could I came to her or could come to her in a best case scenario and say, hey, um, I know in the past, you know, you've been more of a planner and I've been more of a freestyler, but you know, I can see how there's some downsides to my way of doing it.

And maybe there are to yours, but that's not the topic now.

My, my, my, my, my deficiencies, I can see, are are harming the family and harming our ability to really know what are we doing and how we're giving, as well as how we're spending everything.

Because for me, every spending decision was black magic.

Like, can we do this or not?

I don't know.

And so I I can see the positive of your side.

Could we get together and have a conversation?

Would you work us out a budget?

So that's you know, the next thing.

If you're the freestyler, ask your spouse, would you make a budget?

We'll have a meeting and look at it together.

That would be a great first step.

Okay.

I I think that's that's really good.

And I thought everything uh FPU did in coaching was really good.

I do think this is a little bit different though, because we're not talking as much budgets as we are talking about like a more specific, or at least the the what I'm bringing up is more specific.

One person is going, I feel the desire to be more generous in the amount that we're giving.

Right.

But the the I'm pushing back here.

Okay.

Because that amount affects all the other things you spend.

You know, because you make a certain amount.

And if you say, I want to be generous and give more, the question is, well, how is it gonna impact all these other lines?

Yeah.

What's gonna give?

To say yes to more of this is to say no to more of that.

And so while it is a generosity and giving issue, it is a that quickly becomes a whole budget issue.

Yeah, what are you gonna say no to?

Because now you're gonna say yes to this.

Right.

So if there's a simple one-to-one, by generosity, I mean let's give another 50 bucks a month and we can just cut this.

Okay, fine, you're done.

But probably if you've been freestyling long enough, you need to look at more than just one-to-one.

You probably need to do look through the whole thing.

Yeah.

So you're saying it could it could be the nerd or the free bird that um that feels stirred to give more.

Yes.

And um maybe maybe that's just where I'm not really sure how to move forward with what you're saying in terms of my specific so chase that a little bit before.

Okay, all right.

Take a free bird, your nerd, and one of them wants to give more.

All right.

So let's just say um I'm the free bird, I want to give more.

And Heather's got a plan, and it works for her what we're giving, but I think we can give more.

And so my my my first step is to search my own heart.

Why do I want to do this?

And and and then ask God, God, where have I gotten it wrong before?

Where have I mishandled your finances?

And then own that before God.

So let's just say this I've I've been irresponsible in my spending with books or taking too many trips or not being thoughtful on vacations or whatever, not being think thoughtful about the overall budget.

I could go to my spouse, could go to Heather and say, Heather, as the free bird, um, I realize I would like us as a family to be more generous.

But I also know we can't just pull that money out of nowhere.

It has to come from somewhere.

And you're a planner and you're good at it.

Would you help us do that?

Would you consider that?

Would you be willing to help help our family give more if if I would be willing to submit to a better plan that would help us do that?

And then what if she goes, I don't want to give more?

Right.

In that case, that is uh you take a step back and say, okay, in that case, could we just start into the thing that we do agree on, which is our family would be better off financially with a budget and start with that.

And then because I can honestly see how how Heather might think there's no way we can give more because.

We're spending so much in all these other areas.

And so I can sympathize with that and say, you know, I hear you there.

Could we try a budget for a few months and see if we as a family couldn't free up some extra money to give?

And so I'm I'm so I'm not asking her to give more month one.

She may need some time to make sure that I'm actually going to follow the plan and actually free up the money.

And so if she says, no, I don't want to be more generous, I would say let's then let's do what we do, what we can agree on, which is we need to be better planners and see if in time uh we can't agree on a higher number for giving.

And then and let it go and and submit yourself to the process and pray.

Okay.

Yeah.

And vice versa, if you're the planner uh and and and your spouse is the free bird and you'd like to give more, um, you have to think, you know, what does the free bird want?

Freedom.

So, hey, um, I love the freedom I give you and that we have as a family.

Um, if we planned, I think we could give a little more.

Could we plan on your having this amount to spend however you want every month?

The rest of it we'll budget and send, like you said, to bullets to certain areas and see if we couldn't up our level of giving with some thought and planning.

Yeah.

But you still have your amount.

You can spend that as you like, but the rest of it, we're gonna plan uh plan and see if we can't be more generous as a family.

All right.

Um let me let me respond to that with three kind of uh dues that I would give the person who wants to give more, and three dues that I would give the person that is happy with what they currently give.

And then tell me how that kind of does that does that play nicely with what you're saying?

Yeah, or is that a little bit different?

Okay, so uh to the person who's going, man, I feel I feel like man, I saw I read 2 Corinthians 8, saw Acts 4, heard some stories, man, I'm gonna give more.

Here's what I would say to that person three dues.

First, speak up, second, shut up, third, follow up.

Okay, that would be my my dues for the person who wants to give more.

My dues for the person who's happy with what you give, I would say, um, first, speak up, second, pray up, and then follow up.

So the only difference between those two is the middle step.

Um the person who wants to give more after they speak up, they need to shut up.

And then the person who's happy with what they give after they speak up, they need to um to to pray up.

Okay, let me let me go a little bit deeper on these and then tell me tell me what you think.

Okay.

Um the person who wants to give more, first they need to speak up.

And the reason I think the person really needs to speak up is because I think it's possible that there's something stirring in them that they just don't want to talk about because previous conversations have just not gone like they wanted it to.

Yeah.

And uh so, but I think you need to speak up and um say, hey, I just want to share what God's stirring in me.

And then shut up, because uh, and by shut up, I mean give the give your spouse some space to be able to process a little bit, process uh the any fears, any excitement, any insecurities, anything like that.

G give them space that you may be excited about something, and you can't expect something that has been brewing in you to be initially exciting to the person.

Um so I'd say speak up, shut up, and then follow up to after there's there's been, I would say, you know, some days to be able to say, hey, we talked about this, this is kind of stirring in me.

Um, where are we at with this?

Yeah.

Um that's a little bit kind of nuts and bolts in terms of like making a spreadsheet than what you're saying.

But let me let me hash out some of the the dues for the person who is happy with what they give.

Let's say um the your spouse says, I feel stirred to give more.

Here's what you should do.

When I say speak up, here's what I mean.

Recognize the um the spirit of God probably working in them and just say thank you.

Like that that that's what if you're happy with what you give, but your spouse says, I want to give more, speak up can just say, I I am really happy that I'm married to someone who would bring a request like that to us, who wants to give more.

Thank you.

And then if you feel in you a sense of like, but I don't want to do that, and um, we're already saying no to all these other things, then we're gonna have to say no to more things because of what you want to give some time after you've spoken up and said thank you to pray up.

Lord, if this is what you want for our family, would you do something in my heart?

Give it some time, and then follow up and um and share with your spouse what's what God is doing in your heart.

And if if you're both not aligned, um, then I would say keep doing what you were doing.

That would be my advice.

Keep doing what you were doing unless you as the husband are convinced that it would be an obedience issue to you as the the leader of your home.

Outside of that, I would say keep doing with what you're doing.

Yeah, and I would I would encourage the one that wants to go forward with more generosity if the one if if if after the initial conversations, the time, the prayer, uh there's still no movement to be patient.

You know, be patient.

Be patient.

All right, so those were my three points.

Uh what are some similarities, differences in terms of what I said to what you were saying with kind of the free bird, the nerd, spreadsheet, th those sorts of things?

I think that's good.

I I I think I see the the overlap of being willing to search your own heart and your own um mistakes in the past, as well as uh what what you're hoping for and to give to to to raise the idea without being demanding.

Um I like to speak up on both sides.

And then for the person who is proposing it to then shut up to listen and to listen between the lines too, you know, for to try to understand what the person is feeling.

What are they feeling when I say this?

Um, you know, don't just think, well, well, you're just gripped by fear and we shouldn't be ruled by fear.

You know, don't need your, you know, and don't don't come at them if if there if there's some concern there.

Listen, feel what they feel and try to get in their heart, if you will, to to to and slow yourself down and your own enthusiasm to to to to to really account for for loving that person.

And a slight kind of aside, that that is one of the things that I learned from you early on when you were here in terms of listening to people is not to just understand what they're saying, but you're trying to listen to the point where you can begin to feel what they feel.

That that's you can't always get there.

Uh, but man, that's that's a great goal in terms of listening.

I'm not just understanding the points you're making.

Yeah.

I'm like feeling your heart.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

That's good listening.

Yeah.

And so to really grip, okay, they're not just saying no because of their own sin.

You know, they're saying no because there's real patterns that they're concerned about that are legitimate concerns.

Yeah.

And so you can really own that together with them.

That's part of the beauty of the process of and learning and and and building that unity in marriage so that by the time you go to forward together, you are, you aren't just agreeing on a number, you're agreeing on a lifestyle, you're agreeing on the the concerns that you share, the hopes that you have, and that that it's that it's that it's all shared, not just a number.

Which would be a really it would be a false victory if you just okay, yeah, I'll just throw that in and we'll just do that.

Boom.

It you to you'd really need to almost need to work through it.

If there's no pushback, that's almost a concern.

Like there should be there should be some give and take.

There should be some listening and giving and and understanding.

And and so there it's a real opportunity as as a couple to grow, honestly.

Yeah, it is.

And uh yeah, part part of maturity is learning to be able to talk about things that aren't always easy or may um be tense and be able to listen with humility and grace as you um voice what's happening in your heart.

And and and part of maturity.

Boy, speaking of maturity, I mean just be ready, you know, because when if you bring up, hey, I'd love for you to get I'd love for us to give more for that thing that has been a hot button for your spouse that hasn't come up like how much you spend on X, you know, and just be ready and and and uh and don't don't react.

That's what Will means by shut up, you know, listen and take it and just okay, I hear you.

And and and and this would be a wonderful opportunity to uncover some perhaps some uh conversations that have been needing to be had for a while.

Yeah.

Humility, grace, patience.

Yes, Lord, help Lord.

That's what we do.

We do it, we do it by faith.

Yeah.

All right, the um there's probably a lot of different what-ifs or what-abouts that we could chase with these, but I hope that for our church that these principles are really helpful.

The the first Corinthians 16, the worshipfulness of giving, giving, the regularity of giving, the um, the generosity of giving that isn't so much a percentage as much as it is my heart.

Hope that's helpful.

I hope the the priorities in giving in terms of immediate family, those shepherding the spiritual family, those extending the spiritual family, those who have need in the spiritual family, and then the poor and the vulnerable.

I hope that that helps us.

Um, but at the end of the day, the thing we are going to need most is not just principles and kind of uh, you know, speak up, shut up, follow up.

The thing we need most is a right view of God.

This is what we need most.

And that is why I wanted to finish the sermon, is why I want to finish now, just returning our eyes to the outrageous generosity of God.

When you think about the generosity of God, are there any passages that come to mind or any stories that come to mind that you're like, man, well, when I think about the generosity of God, my mind goes here.

Uh Philippians 2, you know, that Christ emptied himself of his glory and became um a servant and made himself obedient to death on a cross.

I mean, just to Yeah, just to interrupt, think about all the things that you say no to when you empty yourself of your right to exercise your godness.

Like if generosity is saying, I'm gonna be willing to say no to a lot of things so I can say yes, like an outrageous yes in these ways, that is Philippians two.

Emptying yourself of the right to exercise your godness.

That's saying no to a lot of things.

Yeah, yeah.

And no amount of sacrifice that I can offer can even begin to touch what God Himself has done.

So God is not calling us to do anything that he himself has not already done.

And so the pattern is there, the power is there, and and uh and the opportunity is there and and the provision.

So I just think, yeah.

So I'm Philippians 2 to me is the obvious one.

So many.

Um Philippians 2 is really foundational in terms of just living the Christian life.

I feel like I asked you a question last week, and if there was like a passage that came to your mind and you're like Philippians 2.

Yeah, and and that that says something about Philippians 2 and how relevant it is to understanding and living the Christian life in view of um God, not just duty.

Yeah, yeah.

Um man, the I don't I don't want to just repeat things from yesterday, but the the God who's rich in mercy, the God who's rich in kindness and love and grace, the image that just helped me so much is how often I stand in front of a an item thinking, I'm gonna buy that.

No, I'm not.

I go back and forth.

And in terms of God showing grace to his people, God is not in forgiveness and kindness and lavishing it on us.

He's not going, they're asking for a lot of that.

That would take a lot of grace to cover that sin.

You know, they've used a lot of grace this week.

We might need to give it some time, give it a little bit of a month.

No, God was well pleased, is well pleased to lavish his grace on us.

Yeah, where sin abounds, grace abounds all the more.

He's not stingy with his grace, he's not stingy with his kindness, he doesn't kind of withhold it from us, he doesn't use it as kind of a leverage, kind of well, I did this, so you know you need to do this.

It's he lavishes it on us.

And um, and I hope that that image uh will regardless, like like take take money out of it for a second to just see God's um the way he delights to lavish those things on us and not get not get stingy with it.

What we're blessed because of it.

Our God is outrageously generous.

Yeah, yeah.

And you know, it wasn't just for three days that Jesus uh suffered, you know, and and we talk about the passion of Christ, mainly meaning Good Friday, and these certain hours in which he was beaten and crucified.

But really, I mean, for Jesus, you know, uh in in Luke chapter two, when which is the traditional uh Christmas story, uh about halfway through the chapter around verse 20 or 21, it you know, it says that every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the feast of the Passover.

And and so Jesus would go and he understood by then that's when he got lost, if you will, and his parents came back, found him, didn't you know it had to be my father's house.

So he knows by then I'm the son of God.

And he's he knows by 12 like the whole nation is sacrificing these these lambs, and I am that lamb.

You know, so by 12 years old, he realizes that I am the sacrifice for this nation.

And and so his whole life, he's living this drama, if you will, of of of sacrifice and redemption, of payment and blood to cover the sins of people, and he is prep being prepared for that moment when he will himself become that sacrifice.

So I I I really think you know God grows things, he's patient, he works slowly, and to to think about the entire life of Christ as an offering to God for us is just um a wonderful and an incredible thought.

The generosity of God.

Yeah.

One last thing that came to my mind as you're talking, and we'll finish with this, is I think we all nobody wants to be fake, and part of part of out of that desire comes this well, if I'm not sincere about something, then I don't want to do it.

And so if I if I'm they can't be cheerful about cheerful about giving, they're not going to give because God loves a cheerful giver, and I'm not cheerful, so I'm not gonna give.

Or um, if I don't really want to, then it kind of feels insincere.

And I mentioned on Sunday that the the kind of duty that can turn into delight, but sometimes things start as duty.

Uh that that actually came from Romans 15, and I want to read that because I think um this captures both both delight and duty.

So Romans 15, he's mentioning the same contribution that he wants to take to the church in Jerusalem.

He actually mentioned mentions um Achaea, which is the region where Corinth is and uh in Macedonia.

But he says, But now I'm going to Jerusalem serving the saints.

For Macedonia, the church of Philippi is in Macedonia, and Achai, that's where Corinth is, have been pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem, which I love.

He's he's written to the to the saints in Corinth about this, about actually giving it.

And Romans 15 says, guess what?

They did it.

Yeah, it wasn't just instruction for them, they did something with it.

Okay.

That's right.

Um, Macedonian Achai have been pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem.

Yes, they were pleased to do so.

Does that sound delight?

Does that sound like delight or duty?

It sounds like delight.

It sounds like delight.

They were pleased to do so, and they are indebted to them.

For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual things, they are indebted to minister to them also in material things.

Therefore, when I finish this and have put my seal on this fruit of theirs, I will go on my way, uh, go on by way of you to Spain.

That part where he says, and I think NIV says it differently, uh, that uh the they sure they were indebted to minister to them in material things.

So on the one hand, they were pleased to do it, and on the on the other hand, they were indebted to it.

Or NIV says uh they owed it.

You owe it to them.

Right.

Well, does that sound like duty or delight?

That sounds like duty.

That sounds like duty.

So they were well pleased to, and you owe it to them.

So it's like it is okay if if sometimes if giving just feels like duty, it's I think it's okay.

And Paul's okay saying, hey, I'm glad you're well pleased to, but uh you you also owe it to them.

Yeah, yeah.

It's okay for obedience to feel like duty sometimes.

And sometimes my heart needs to catch up with my obedience, but my obedience cannot be um only uh reserved for the times when I'm just really feeling it.

Yeah, you know?

Yeah.

And and this may be true forgiving.

It is a cycle, like where you know, behavior impacts attitude, and attitude impacts behavior.

You know, and James Clear talks about this in atomic habits, and there's a lot of research on it that basically some people start with this rush of motivation and that helps form their habits.

And other people start with just the habits, and that then they see some progress and some positive results, and that begins to form their motivation.

And so um, if if you just wait until you're ready, you know, or are feeling it or whatever, then you're really pulling out half of the equation.

Yeah, I th I think a Bible verse for that is Jesus says, Um, where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Yeah.

Which we would tend to think, well, where my heart is, what I'm pleased to do, there my treasure will be.

But he says, No, where you where your treasure is where you put your treasure, your heart's gonna catch up with that.

That's right.

And um, so it is it's a it's it's a cycle.

Yeah.

So um, but I I did want to highlight that.

Uh it's duty and delight, sometimes it's gonna be one without the other, and that's okay.

Yep.

Keep going.

Keep going.

The generosity of God means that He has lavished on us uh grace upon grace, and when that grace is truly understood, then we will become people who look a lot like a 2 Corinthians 8 type people who are what were the words?

Um, rich, uh overflowing, joyful generosity.

That's right.

We'll we'll we'll begin to look more more like that when our eyes just get the grace of God.

So amen.

Um I want to pray for us and pray that we would get the grace of God because giving is um one of the ways that a gospel-gripped people abounds in the work of the Lord.

And so we need our hearts to be gripped.

So uh I'll pray for us, Father.

Uh we need our hearts to be gripped by your grace.

We need to be able to believe that you're not stingy about it, and that you don't kind of hold it above our heads and um try to shame us, but you lavish on us your mercy, your love, your grace, your kindness.

You are rich in those things and you delight to offer them freely.

And Lord, I pray that we would get it.

I pray that we'd be humbled by that, and I pray that as as we are gripped by that kind of grace, that what would get squeezed out of us is an outrageous generosity that's a lot like you, our father, that we would embrace and embody that family DNA and that that the church at Sandhurst that we would abound in the work of the Lord and our generosity and um for the conversations that may need to happen in terms of uh how to let our giving reflect our biblical priorities.

Lord, we ask for grace, we ask for humility, we ask for patience, and um we honor you in how we give and then how we plan our giving as well.

Um so change us, send us, help us.

In your name we pray.

Amen.

Amen.

All right, let's rock and roll.

Yep, let's give.