BAD HAPPENS - Francis Chan

well I I had a message all figured out and changed everything yesterday just because I I feel like it's it's hard to think about anything else other than what's happened in Haiti and I'm assuming that like me all those images that we saw whether on the television or the internet it affected us deeply the way that we thought the way that we live this week we're impacted by it it kind of puts all of our our problems in perspective but actually there's another group here that I want to address in a lot of this messages for you too there are probably a lot of you in this room that you were actually bothered that those images didn't bother you that much and as you see other people even crying and so distraught something in you was almost disturbed that you kind of went on with life as usual with a few thoughts here but you're able to kick it out of your mind I struggled with this because you know part of me is like man there are people right now and I can't get my mind around it i I've never had anything even remotely close to that happen to me where right now people are walking around the streets like just pulling bodies out of rubble and seeing pie I don't I don't get that I don't understand that and and and so that's that's frustrating but then there's this other side it's even more frustrated that and I'm just living life and I'm going on or I just want a few hours without thinking about them and and I see other people that are even more distraught and I go gosh I want to I want to be more like that I want to care more and you know I want you to understand that those who are givers and those who naturally or since they naturally supernaturally think about these other people that's only by the grace of God it's a gift from God today is not going to be hey you know these people are suffering so feel guilty and throw a couple bucks in the plate it's it's much bigger than that it's it's it's about our hearts and aren't there times when you see people that are such great givers and you go man I wish I was more like that but I think about myself too much still I'm still consumed with myself I can't even take my mind off of myself to think about these people that are struggling so much right now and it bothers you because something your heart is going this isn't right and and I want to address those things because really we got to understand it's it's what God does in us right it's the grace of God it's what he does and I was even thinking this morning are so grateful for just even changes in my own life because I have seen a change I think about just how greedy I was do you ever just think back to who you used to be and you're almost disgusted with yourself and I I remember as a little kid I used to steal from my dad I used to just steal money you know like I see some change on the table I would take it you know and I remember this one closet it the one jacket he would always wear he always kept change in the pocket so I would sneak in that closet grab you know handful of change throw it of mine and leave some so it's not so obvious I did this week after week and then finally he figured it out and but he didn't know who did it so he called all four of us kids and he says I'm gonna beat the heck out of all four of you unless one of you confesses and I said I didn't do it and all my brother and sister isn't like we didn't do it and I just I called his bluff and he didn't hit us so but I just think about me and that was that wasn't me you know night and I look of just just the greed that I had so much of my life for so long and and I think if God had just left me to myself how greedy and self-centered I'd be today but again it's the grace of God you start thanking God and go God thank you that I'm not that person anymore thank you that your spirit came into me and actually had an impact on my life and I see this progression I still see some and my prayer this morning was that when God I love it I love that you know how you've moved me to this point I go but I still see some greed in me I still see some self-centeredness and I want you to change that because I see people that are just awesome givers and I want to be that at the end of my life yeah I'll tell you okay right after this last service I was talking to a girl over here she she just got back from Haiti like two days she left Haiti two days before the earthquake and ah this is so awesome okay and here's one thing you know people she says you know I've had so many friends go man aren't you so glad you got out of there she goes no so that's killing me that I'm not there right now but something could I think that's okay it's like I'm dying to be back over there like that's that's the heart is not you know and there's some beautiful about that just the sincerity is she's crying like I don't wanna be here we think I'm glad I left I maybe I could have been useful over there and and maybe I could I could just I want to spend my life that way but she told me this story okay because I tell this other now I gotta tell the other story now okay what who cares okay let me tell you ah I'm totally confused okay I was telling the story okay I'll tell you those story okay I'm just gonna talk to myself for another 30 seconds okay but I was talking and you'll see later okay in the passage you know I'm trying to think of the flow my message but forget it now now I was talking about people who don't have a lot and they still give you know and I was talking about going over to these certain areas with children's Hunger Fund where you go when you pass out you know those gift packs and those food packs in this one family you know people will find out that you're coming and here are the poorest people and they just want to give right just want to give anything they can and and and it's in it's in it's it's embarrassing it's almost like I don't want you to do that you know like like a family all you're giving them is a box that you guys packed and you you know and you know what's in there is some rice some beans and canned goods some you know supplies for a little while and they get so they have such a heart of giving even though they have nothing and they'll slaughter their goat for you and they'll have a meal prepared as you hand on this box and it's almost embarrassing like you just won't go no no don't do that don't don't don't don't slaughter either your one possession not your go don't give it to me I don't wanna feel I don't like goat you know it's just it's just don't but but it's it's they just have this it's so beautiful you know where you just I don't even understand that but the gal that just got back from Haiti she was telling me she was ah when you told the story about that go she was I just started bawling because I just remember in port-au-prince you know last week and and and this this girl you know it was it was kind of rainy that day and you know we trudged into her place and and she goes we couldn't really communicate but she saw like the mud on my shoes and she she ways and back to the back of the house and she starts pumping water out of this this pump thing and she takes her my shoes off of me and I'm going no no no no and I can't communicate you guys but she's taken my shoes and taking a brush and she's you know cleaning off my shoes she was then she gets down on her knees and starts cleaning my feet and she goes I'm just so embarrassed like no no I came to serve you and yet you just want to give and it's because you know what it feels like to have this this woman cleaning your shoes and and and washing in between your feet and just wanting you to be so protected and so clean and just wanting to give she goes and she died in the earthquake and she was thrown in a mass grave with 7,000 other people but she's not just a number in there like everything's noticed by God and what a great thing what an amazing thing but she's telling me that story is just like oh this is just talking about the the misery this week of just going at I was on that street I saw this I saw that and her husband was there and he was telling me about medicine but that that heart of giving you know when you think of that gal that that washed her feet or whatever and she's just saying you know she's with the Lord now she's with the Lord now she's with God now and and the hope in that but isn't there you know when you hear that story of that gal and you picture her washing this American girls feet and just wanting to serve there's something beautiful and and I think it bothers some of us this isn't any just it's just in us we go I want to be like that girl I want to be a servant that's what I see in Jesus why is it that I I think about myself so much and what I can accumulate for myself why can't I do that why can't I be like that girl she doesn't have anything she's pumping water she's scrubbing the shoes she's giving whatever she can and that's the way she ended her life and she's with the Lord now and what an amazing amazing thought but as I as I as I prayed about what to talk about today like I said we can't get our mind around it right and but what I do is I try to think whenever I see someone in need I try to put myself in their shoes and go okay if I were him okay let's let's see that that crack addict there on the street what would I want someone to do for me what would I want you know someone's begging for money what would I want someone to do what I wanted and just throw me about that wouldn't be the best for me at one conversation I went so I try to think what would I do and so I'm trying to think about as well as I can people in Haiti right now let's say are our brothers and sisters the believers there in Haiti who I hear are walking through the streets singing hymns right now which blows my mind but I think what would I want my brothers and sisters in Simi Valley California to be doing for me and just try to put myself in that place and I think about the prayers that they would want me to pray and and and whatever I can do you know how to aid and I try to think okay what does God want me to do so those are some of the things I want to talk about today because you know what's really cool and the reason why I change this is everyone's talking about it I I have I've had people all week some of you who come to me and go what are we gonna do you know what's cornerstone how are we gonna respond and that's awesome I've had I've had people complete strangers come up to me that know who I they go hey you're that you're that pastor guy what what what can I do I've had unbelievers ask that hey what can I do and I think it's a really beautiful thing oh yeah that's awesome that people just there's something in you that goes I want to help even people who don't believe in God going I want to help and and here's the thing I was going to speak on Romans chapter one today Romans chapter one and one of the things that surprised it and we'll talk about that next week but one of the things that surprises me as I'm reading through Romans 1 not that I haven't read a bunch times but every time it hits me how bold God is with just saying look you know that I exist everyone knows that I exist they decide to suppress that truth you can be told your whole life that you're an accident and that you came from nowhere but you look around the world and you know that I exist you know there's a creator to all of this even though you suppress it even though you try to push it away you can look around and know and I was thinking you know all these people who care about Haiti and everything else to me that's proof that there's a creator because use the theory of evolution and explain why you care why is it that you care about these people according to natural selection survival of the fittest they're a bunch of losers who couldn't figure out how to build who couldn't figure out how to sustain their way of living so forget them let's evolve let's move on forget about them there's no room for that no but something in you when you see that you care could it be that Romans 2 is true and that God's actually written is law into our hearts which is love your neighbor as yourself and so when you see someone who's who's in need there's something about you some law in you that says I shouldn't just leave them alone in fact it bothers me when I can walk away I mean to me I go it's just another thing that points are the Creator why do I care so much why did some of you cry this week it doesn't make sense does it make more sense that there's a creator who cares and has made you in His image with a desire to give and that sometimes your greed even bothers you because what you longed to be is a giver and that's by the grace of God let me talk about what we've done already remember you guys we took an offering on December 20th just in case an emergency happened and we talked about how we wanted to give some money to those who were in India some of the widows and orphans from the massacre that took place of a lot of our Christian brothers and sisters a lot of pastors families that were left out in the jungle and we were able to take what you guys gave a hundred and twenty thousand dollars that week and I was over at Royal High School which is great and we're able to use about sixty thousand of that to build a couple of stories on this orphanage it's being built out there and I'll house about a hundred and fifty widows and orphans in that place and so that's huge that's awesome that's a sustainable thing and we're gonna yeah we're going to keep serving them and and then some of the other money is going to go directly to children's Hunger Fund to ship some some stuff over to the Dominican Republic in Haiti and what's amazing is the CHF they just finished training a bunch of leaders over there for this mercy network so they would know how to pass things out and not just you know throw supplies out there but also care for the people to pray over them love on them they have a whole training thing over there with the locals so that we don't getting in the you know it's just like let the let the locals care for themselves and let's just enable them equip them to do that and and their shipment of food packs arrived there on Wednesday so which has happen to arrive you know just in time for all of that but there's still more stuff to be done and so those are some of the money that you gave is going toward that and we're also in the process right now of just researching and looking at these different organizations that claim beginning because it's about us I'm very skeptical very skeptical of ministries and where's the money really go and so we're not just because I understand it need an urgency and believe me I'm mr. impatient so you know let's get it out there but there's also wisdom in going okay but how is this going to be sustained over time and what about two months from now when the world takes their mind off of that because something else happened how we're going to keep doing that and just being wise with my money your money God's money and just going okay I want it to go to the right places so pray for the Global Ministries team they've been you know researching all week looking and and it's just hard to trust nowadays isn't it and so you just go okay I want to find out who it is so what else am i saying I guess that's it just just just be praying for that and then just I guess in some ways I'm asking you to trust the elders of cornerstone in in finding those places and picking the right places I trust the guys immensely I look at their lives and go you know they're they're trustworthy this is not for them because I know some of you come here and you go around what what's he getting adds and how much is he gonna get how much is a guy gonna get and I don't I don't say this for any other reason than I know some of you are skeptical because I would be I just want you to know and I've shared this before I don't I don't take a dime of what you give okay none the offering I don't get paid by the church this is my volunteer ministry this is something I want to do I come and I give to the church I give to these needs I trust these elders that the money is going to go to the right place okay so I don't want you two up there you know if you're visiting or whatever thinking yeah but how much does that guy get I don't get paid by the church I could make money otherwise I sell drugs I do a lot of different things but um it's just but but I want you to feel comforted I make you feel more comfortable oh okay he's a drug dealer no um it's just you know I speak I write I do different things but um but I want you to just I just go you know today we don't have this one organization that's going to save everything and and I'm just saying you know what just trust the elders we're praying through it we're working through it be patient because we want to be wise with the money and then just just give and trust in that way let me change the subject stained with this topic of Haiti though I want to answer a question that probably is on some of your minds and definitely on a lot of the minds of your friends why would God let this happen God addresses this in the Bible similar things happen in Jesus's day we call them tragedies like okay why why why Haiti is there something they did who is that guy they Pat Robertson or whatever it said the other curse but you know is that it is there a curse on them and not on us because we're so holy here in America is that it you know what what's why why did this happen to him and why would God let it happen to them and Jesus was asked that question 2,000 years ago with some tragedies that happened in that day and he answers it and we're going to look at what Jesus said but let me just tell you right now some of you won't like his answer and Luke chapter 13 in verse 1 he talks about the situation where this this leader Pilate basically murders some people this is there was some present at that time the very time who told him him meaning Jesus if you read in context about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices and he answered them do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered in this way no I tell you but unless you repent you will all likewise perish so they're saying Jesus okay a Pilate he you know he sacrificed these guys he killed these guys okay why them okay were they worse than the other Galileans and so you know this was your way Almighty God because you're in control of everything so you slaughtered them because they were worse and God goes is not what you're thinking he goes because let me just tell you right now no that's not the answer but here's what I will say to you unless you repent you're gonna die like that too that's it well so there's another next next verse four it says okay or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem no I tell you but unless you repent you will all likewise perish so Jesus gives a the answer he says okay well well well here's more of a natural disasters where where the the tower were fell and it happened to crush those eighteen you know and he goes what are you thinking that that was God's wrath just on them those eighteen were the worst let me just put you at ease no that's not it but you better repent because the same thing could happen to you it's the only answer he gives but then he explains it further with a parable that might bug you even more right after that the next verse he tells him this parable he goes a man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard and he came seeking fruit on it he didn't find any and he said to the vine dresser look for three years I come seeking fruit from this fig tree and I find none cut it down why should I use up the ground and he answered him sir let it alone this year also let me dig around it put some manure on it and then if she would bear fruit next year well and good but if not you can cut it down so he says let me explain it further he goes it's like this guy who's looking at this tree gone why would I have this fig tree it isn't through figs why don't we just cut it down and burn trees no no no leave it alone please one more year I'm gonna do everything I can to make it bear fruit and then a year from now if doesn't bear fruit go ahead cut it down so his explanation in all this is okay yeah that's how her fell on those people but it could happen to you also and so you better repent or the same things gonna happen to you and then he used the analogy he goes he goes what's the point in having a tree that has no fruit he goes wouldn't the owner just want to chop it down and plant one that actually would bear fruit he goes so so if I if I do everything and then make it bear fruit then then maybe maybe if something will happen he goes but at some point I got to cut it down it's a waste of space see Jesus's words this whole point was you know what don't don't worry about them so much and why I did that use it as an opportunity to repent before the same thing happens to you use it an opportunity to say WOW am i a tree that's actually bearing fruit that that's not just taking up space but actually doing something on the earth is something good springing up from my life it's it's crazy to me because Jesus doesn't really explain his reason behind the tragedy right and that's what we're waiting for that God explained to me why that happened and it bothers us because he doesn't explain why all he does is say worry about yourself take just just think through your life because same thing could happen to you now when I first read that I don't know if it bothers you but it bothered me a little bit now I was able after a while to go now that is what he says and I can I I can get past it well I had a difficult time reading at first I thought no I get that I get that but that's because I grew up in a very very strange home okay my upbringing was very weird okay like when my dad told me to clean my room I did it is so weird whenever he told us to do something we just did it and then I notice I mean I didn't grow up in homes like that you grew up a home where where dad says clean your room you go no you clean it and then he does you know but but it's just it's one of those things where so I I understand okay authority and he tells you to do something I mean crazy crazy crazy things like if I said hey can I go to a friend's house and he says no I didn't ask him why not I just took it okay thank you Father you know and I just you know it's just I understood Authority you know so that's I understand it's weird but but so I look at a it's like that and it's still difficult for me but I go well I think he has certain rights as God to just say look this is um this is this is what's up this is uh it's see we don't like that explanation I was thinking about this as I was talking last service my five-year-old Ellie and I can talk about her because she won't remember and she she came home from school a couple months ago it was and she likes to tattle you you know some kids and that's just what they like to do and she's one of those just likes to say what everyone's doing wrong and and so I've kind of I haven't really addressed it that much you know because when you got four kids you just let things go and and and she uh she came home and she was all frustrated she goes you know I was telling mr. poor Tessie about how you know this kid was doing this and this and Miss poor Tessa he just looked at me and said Elly worry about yourself and she was expecting like some comfort I'm like well good good for her you know and she was just you know and then then later on like a week you know a few days later you know she was trying to tell on her little brother and I go Ellie worry about yourself she looks at me she goes you can't say that Dad only miss poor Tennessee can I said oh yeah you're right and I went and cleaned her room in it's just that that whole concept of wait you can't tell me to just worry about myself you see this this this answer that Jesus gives is a very difficult answer in our culture because most of you want to worship a God who is obligated to explain everything to you until it sits well with you you feel like you deserve and he's obligated to explain why and and I'm telling you that's just not how it works he doesn't have to you know in fact I love this I thought of this story you remember Jesus when he rose from the grave and I shared this a few weeks ago about Peter and where Jesus rises from the grave and he tells Peter at the resurrection he tells Peter he goes Peter look when you were young you had freedom you could go wherever you wanted when you're older someone's gonna take you by the hand and force you to go somewhere where you don't want to go remember I shared that and how it was it says that Jesus was showing Peter the type of death that he was going to die basically Peter someone's gonna grab you by the hand they're gonna kill you they're gonna torture you Jesus is prophesying and telling Peter this is the way that you're going to die now do you remember what Peter's response was to that it's it's it's somewhat humorous he looks at John remember that and here we have it in John John 21 when Peter saw John he said to Jesus Lord what about him and look what Jesus says if it is my will that he remain until I come what is that to you you follow me Peter worry about yourself that's crazy isn't that you don't like that answer do you you're like Peter you know Jesus just told you you're gonna get crucified you're gonna die like I you know just like I died you saw how Liz crucified someone's gonna do that to you and Peter's first thought is what about John you always loved him oh he's a beloved one what are you gonna do with him right tell me tell me how he's gonna die you know because if I'm going to get that he doesn't you know and and Jesus that answer that drives some of us nuts worry about yourself what if I want John to live forever what if I want him to live a nice little comfortable life are you are you telling me I can't do that he goes Peter you just follow me and so when I look at this whole situation we can spend our whole lives going God why this why this why this and God gives us an answer that we don't really like he says just worry about yourself right now okay why are you living so comfortably in Southern California just worry about that part and what did I put you on the earth to do you trust me I'm a fair god I got a lot of things going on I understand more than you and you just follow me and pretty pretty powerful and I want to remind you that this Jesus here that says what is that to you you just follow me that's who you're going to face at the end of your life it's a Jesus that's not like a lot of our dads it's a Jesus that doesn't really care about the American system and what is politically correct he has no regard for that he's the Creator and so for us to say no you must come under my system and tell me certain things and I believe you're obligated to tell me it just doesn't work see some people really believe it seems like they genuinely believe that on Judgment Day that Jesus is gonna stand trial and you get to question him for everything he did in your you know during your life and and when I read scripture I don't see that I see the opposite I see Judgment Day is for me and so then what I do is I live my life in light of that thinking not that at the end I get to judge God and tell him why I asked him why he did this this is this at the end of his at my life he's gonna say hey why you were down there and you saw this happen what what did you do you know if it's my will that he remains I come you know what what's that to you you you follow me and and that's what I want us to do today is really just look at our lives and say what should we do in light of this I mean Jesus's words were you know hey but that's how we're fell and crushed those people and he's as well use this as an opportunity for yourself because the same thing could happen to you I mean the nice thing about what happened in Haiti is you know we're in Southern California we don't to worry about earthquakes you know do you realize 16 years today Northridge earthquake someone just reminded me of that last service coincidence maybe here's what I want us to do I mean one we got to look at our lives and repent and go okay am i bearing fruit am I one of these trees that he wants on this planet and am I ready to go because life's crazy right no one woke up in Haiti that day going I think this is it as with every other tragedy and so every funeral we attended it's typically not all I knew this was coming it was just are you kidding me and so Jesus says use those opportunities to look at yourself and go well unless I repent those same things am I ready to face God but beyond that I thought okay what what do I want to what do I want to be you know an inscription who do we look at what's the right response and the right response I believe there's this church there are these churches in Macedonia that Paul talks about and when I read it and and again even when I was reading at first service you could just see everyone's face light up like wow what an awesome church what an awesome group of people and when I was reading it this week I go man that's who I want to be you know that that idea of the givers and I go gosh I would love to be that god I want that and gotta want Cornerstone to be that that is a great picture great model 2nd Corinthians chapter 8 starting in verse 1 it says he's running to the Corinthian church and kind of given them an example of this other church these other churches we want you to know brothers about the grace of God don't don't just skip over that phrase the grace of God why were these people such great givers because of the grace of God God made them that way left alone they'd be just as selfish as everyone else because by the grace of God about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia for in a severe test of affliction their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed and a wealth of generosity on their part for they gave according to their means as I can testify and beyond their means of their own accord begging us earnestly for the favour of taking part in the relief of the Saints okay you understand he goes cuz I got to tell you I got to just brag on these churches in Macedonia and and it's not really about them it's about the grace of God that's been given them a God just made them into awesome people he goes because you know that Paul was taking an offering for the the Jews in Jerusalem they're being at the believers in tourism they were being persecuted and and these churches in Macedonia hear about these churches in Macedonia it says that they are extremely poor so these were not rich churches they were in extreme poverty but in their extreme poverty they had so much joy ever meet people like that you ever go to a third-world country and see extreme and an abundance of joy it's weird but the two go together a lot of times and it says in their joy what they did was they go can we give hey can we give a little something it would be like you know some of these villages in Africa that I've been to for them to say hey we heard what happened in Haiti can we give the same mindset it's like well we're so joking with just and it says they gave according to their means he goes he goes Paul goes look look look all right I can tell you they gave according their means he goes actually I can testify they gave beyond their means they gave stuff where I felt guilty like no no no no you can't afford to give that you can't afford to give that don't don't cut your go don't give me that don't wash my feet don't don't do this he goes that's what they were doing they just they just gave and and and it gave beyond beyond their means of their own accord it wasn't like someone was guilting him to it you know he goes they were begging us they're gonna please just let us give let us help out I know we don't have much but can we please just give we want to help out we want to be a part of this relief of the Saints and I just read that pastor I go what an awesome group of people right see isn't there's something in your soul that just leaps and goes I wish I were that I want to be that I those Macedonians you think they regret it today 2,000 years later I think they're still pretty pleased you see because as Americans a lot of us would look at this and go oh that's stupid given beyond your means you know you should be thinking about yourself and that wasn't very prudent of them what are these poor people what's what they're gonna they're not gonna be able give a whole lot anyways and you know you should just give of your excess and what's left over and these guys gave beyond what they are able is so beautiful and that's where the story the goat was supposed to be inserted here and then and then the sermon would make sense but time I got too excited so let's move on to verse five next verse and this not as we expected one thing man I expect that you know I didn't want it I don't know you you almost don't want them to give but they're just begging and so you can give to it but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us accordingly we urged Titus that as he had started so he should compete complete among you this act of grace but as you excel in everything in faith and speech and knowledge and all earnestness and in our love for you see that you excel in this act of grace also I just love the way he just calls it an act of grace you know because so often when you go to church and talk about giving it's like this guilt thing and and and and even as I was praying about this week I go god I just don't want it to be that it's it's not about guilt it's about this grace of God you get to be a giver like you want to be a giver I think something in us just looks at those of you I mean you ever looked at a person who was just giving and joyful and go I don't ever want to be like her but what do you do when you see people that are stingy and and hoarding and just still trying to grab on to everything in accumulate you go I don't want to be like that there's something beautiful about this and it's the grace of God that you become like this but but notice what it says it says they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us it's talking about how they gave of themselves completely see what these people did was they surrendered themselves to Jesus Christ first they just said you know what God here's my whole life they really meant it you know we pray prayer and say that we give our lives to the Lord a lot of us didn't really mean that here people are saying you know what I'm dying to the old me everything I have is yours I surrender my whole life is yours you want me in Haiti right now you want me to lose my life I'm gonna lose everything it's yours because I I believe that you'll do what for my life they did that so they gave themselves first the first thing you got to do I'm not asking you if you're not a believer following Jesus Christ please please that is all this other stuff is secondary because the last thing I want you to do is throw a couple bucks in and make yourself feel better like you're a good person because there's there's inherently something much much deeper there that's just a little band-aid on a pretty massive wound and so the idea here is is give yourself first to the Lord first understand that God doesn't need anything from you okay it's not like God in Heaven's like oh I hope this person gets saved because then he'll give 10% and no I need it there's there's he doesn't need anything from you doesn't need anything from me he wasn't like up there in heaven going oh good Francis is born finally someone to fix the earth it's just if he does what he wants he doesn't he doesn't he sees the giver and so understand first that God gave his son for you okay you were gonna pay for your crimes and God gave his son for you he died on that cross for you okay he was paying for everything you did wrong so that you could have forgiveness he wants to give that to you and he rose from that grave and and then he says you know now put my spirit in you that'll change your heart so you can become you see those givers that you go man they seem happier they seem only got more joy even though they don't have a lot they just because I could make you into that I can take I could change that self-centered heart and make you actually care about other people like I created you for and it's some of your going man are you kidding me I've never been about other people it's always been about me and guys is know I can change that I can I can fix that in you and so understand first things first it's not about this outward act that's going to make you holy it's about you being changed from the inside out and becoming holy because it gave yourself to the Lord and then suddenly these fruit you know these these things come out these acts of service it's not like you do these things to earn anything you give yourself first the Lord like these people did and then by the will of God they became givers they became like Jesus and then in verse 8 if you go into the next verse it says I say this not as a command very important he's not commanding the Corinthians to give now to the believers in Jerusalem I said it's not as a command but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine for you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that though he was rich yet for your sake he became poor so that you by his poverty might become rich ok so first let's just make sure this is clear because I hear comments like this I might just say you can hear straight from my mouth I don't believe that you are required do you Christians in the room I don't believe you're required to give a certain amount of your income for my study of Scripture as I look through this especially when I look at the New Testament I don't believe that we're required to give this 10% and so those who give their 10% go oh good I did it and those who don't feel guilty all the time I don't believe that I don't believe it's commanded and I don't believe that that that we're commanding you to give here's here's what I do believe because I hear people say oh Francis thinks we should all live in poverty and give to those who are needed you know what I don't think you're required to do anything what I'm saying is the same thing Paul is saying here is you have this awesome example in Jesus who was rich was he pretty well-off he's doing all right in heaven and what he does is he became poor made himself nothing so that we all in this room could be rich right I mean why are you here today because someone left all of his riches came down and gave you a pretty awesome life we were seeing enough here I'm a friend of God and in that saying about you know Who am I that you're mindful of me and that you love me and I love brigh first of all and I just love as hard to spell gosh I'm just overwhelmed by this love of God that are you kidding me I am a friend of God I'm a err a fellow heir of all of his riches so he came down and he sacrificed and he made me rich and so as followers of Christ all I'm saying is that desire should be in US that's all I'm saying is it's not a command you gotta give I'm just saying cos it doesn't it prove to you that the Holy Spirit really is in your life that you actually have the same desire of Christ you go I saw what he did for me I'd love to empty myself and help these other people that it's the response of having given your life over to God in second Corinthians chapter 9 I think he says it real well if we go to chapter 9 there's a couple of verses verse six and seven his of the point is this here's here's the real point of it whoever so sparingly I mean so ever just gives a little bit will also reap sparingly whoever shows bountifully will also reap bountifully each one must give as he's decided in his heart not reluctantly or under compulsion for God loves a cheerful Giver okay why is it that we stop passing the plate here it's it's largely because of a passage like this where I didn't want anyone feeling guilty and going oh there's a play the guy next to me I saw what he put in it and because that's under compulsion or reluctant like I really don't want to give this but I'm gonna look really stupid next to that guy or my friends or why I just don't want any of that because what God is most concerned about is is the heart he loves a cheerful Giver so in your heart what should happen is have this desire where you're like Jesus you actually are like Jesus and thinking man I want to help other people and I couldn't wait to get to church because I thought through what I was going to give and I get to stick it in that box it's it's that that's that's all we want the rest there's no reward for that anyways easy you want to do it out of love you don't want to do it out of joy and that's the point is is to believe not that oh look at what a great person you are you gave all that money no it's more it's like no I'm just being a smart person because what the Bible says in the book that I try says if I give I sow bountifully I'm gonna reap bountifully that God's God's gonna bless me in this life and in the life to come and if he gives me more I get to give more it's not this health wealth thing where he'll give me more and then I can buy my mansion it's like wow I get to be even more of a giver and more of a giver and more of a giver that's the joy behind it so understand and that's why Paul says this isn't about a command it's not about you better do this or can go to hell unless you give 10% no it's about you giving yourself to the Lord first and saying I'd like to be like Jesus I want to be a Christ Christian and become like him and I was beautiful he left his riches and made my life wonderful I want to do the same thing for other people so God changed my heart and make me a giver and that's what this is about joyful giving going back to and let's finish up in in chapter 8 verse 10 and in this manner I give my judgment this benefits you who a year ago started not only to do this work but also to desire to do it so now finish doing it as well so that your readiness and desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what have you done what you've done for if the readiness is there it is acceptable according to what a person has not according to what he does not have does it tell you is it about the amount no because maybe you don't make a whole lot don't worry about it it's about your Reynes it's about your heart don't go yeah but man look at how little I make my percentages is just it's nothing you know go after the rich people God says no that's not about that if you only have a little you think God is disappointed in the Macedonian churches they're in extreme poverty and they gave beyond their means and guy goes you know what that's what I'm after is the readiness don't feel bad when I'm not a rich guy you don't waste your time with me it's like no God is concerned about your heart it goes on in verse 13 for I do not mean that others should be ease and we'll close with this I don't mean that others should be eased and you burdened but that as a matter of fairness or abundance at the present time should supply their need so their abundance may supply your need that there may be fairness as it is written whoever gathered much had nothing left over and whoever gathered little had no lack he says let me be very clear you guys he goes Corinthian church Richard Simi Valley cornerstone I am NOT saying that you should give everything and you live in poverty and you're struggling and and meanwhile you gave so much the people in Haiti are kicking back and life is easy for them I'm not saying that I'm not saying switch places he goes but what I'm asking for is fairness he goes fairness that your abundance at the present time should supply their need and there could come a day when their abundance will supply your need that there may be fairness now understand fairness God God's picture of fairness his idea of fairness is very different from what we call fairness in our country fairness to us is look you didn't create me I got here on my own and I worked my way up to where I worked hard for my money I pulled it off and so I should take care of me and if I get some left over that's fine you know I'll help but you know what this is mine and that's what's fair is I have every right to my money I have a right to store up and enjoy good things for myself because I'm the one that worked for it God's idea of fairness God thinks differently than you God says no actually I did make you you won't even breathing without me and I put you in Southern California where you had an opportunity to make some money and I gave you a brain that functions well so that you could make I gave you that I gave you that ability I gave you that family I gave you those things and so my idea of fairness is I put you in that situation and I put other people in lesser situations and I put them there and they're going to be in need and what I see is fair is that you take that abundance and you give to them that's my idea so then that there's equality as some of your Bibles say that there would be equality and someday maybe maybe they're gonna have more and then I want them to be fair and equal it out with you because it's just like it was written the Old Testament what was he written is that whoever gathered much had what stored up a bunch in their barn no whoever gathered much had nothing left over and whoever gathered little had no lack it's going back to the Exodus remember when God provided manna for them in the desert food miraculously showed up it wasn't there they didn't earn it God just put it there now some people were able to gather a bunch and other people for whatever reason couldn't gather a whole lot and so what God says okay what's fair is not hey you guys worked hard and gathered a bunch he goes what's fair is those of you who have a bunch look for people who don't have a whole lot and give it to the point where you have nothing left over and give it to the point where those who don't have a whole lot they don't lack anything because that's fair that's exactly what they talked about in the early church right there was no one in need because whoever had much they just gave it to those who heard it was just this just working there's a beautiful beautiful system but that's what God calls fairness and it may be different from what you were raised with or even taught in the church but I man don't take my word for it I make anything up here read it yourself read the simple you can read through 2nd Corinthians 8 the bottom line is that's where I want to be that's where I want to be and it's only by the grace of God that I can become like those Macedonians and I thank God that he's taking me to this point and now my prayer is God take me the rest away because haven't you tasted and seen that giving is good you know when you give and you know when I show you pictures hey look what we built here look people coming out of that hospital ah the people coming out of schools I'll get these kids they're fed now it's like wow this is good this is good there's a joy in giving this is the blessing we get is at the end of your life you're not the same selfish person that you were years ago you're not the same unforgiving person you were years ago you've become more and more like Christ and it's a good thing I would love to be in the shoes and the macedonians right now in you I've been having probably reaping a ton forever meanwhile there are millions and millions of people who have lived their lives for themselves who spent their lives that way who didn't take God's call to worry about themselves and to repent and I believe they regret having lived lives for themselves understand that's what this is always about because I don't want us to ever get to this point where you feel guilty if you like to have to give to God but from what I understand in Scripture is God gives us a new heart that makes us like the Macedonians that beg and that's what I love this week if some of you are just like come on you got to tell us you know who to give this to what and I'm like just give to the church that the elders were struggling right now we're working we're trying to figure out best way to give it just go for it but whatever you do do it out of joy do that a joy because God doesn't need our money it's just awesome serving him I love serving him I love teaching I love just you know even this morning go man I'm looking forward to teaching again like it's not a bummer to me it's just like me sometimes it is but you know but it's just I don't know what else I would do with myself in the same way with giving it's like I don't know what I would do just keep buying stuff for myself and here's what we're gonna do I'm gonna have the worship team come up and and I want to give you some time though just to pray for yourself because I want you to get the spirit of this thing okay if you don't want to give don't okay but if you want to become a giver pray for the grace of God in your life and I've been praying for this for you of praying this for you this week I go god i don't want maybe when i was earlier was just like let's see if we get a big offering it's not about that anymore you know what it's gonna come and go everything's gonna work out but more i just i want you to know the joy it's so good to follow god it's so good to be a giver and one day we're gonna see just how good it was that we did give so right now just just bow your heads and i want you to have a time like i had this morning where i just confessed to god and I just beg God for His grace in my life that I'd be less about me and more about him to start praying to him and ask that and if you need prayer there'll be people up by the prayer room maybe some of you never have had his spirit come into you you never gave your life to him and if that's you first things first let's get you forgiven by God let's get you in the right relationship with him let's have him put his spirit in you so you can become this person and if that's your desire and you want to get baptized today you can do that so anytime during the worship there'll be some pastors up here by their prayer room and just pray with them

Channel: venetable

Views: 34,586

Rating: 4.865633 out of 5

Keywords: Francis, Chan, BAD, HAPPENS

Id: cX6k2YFDN-s

Length: 56min 27sec (3387 seconds)

Published: Sun Jan 30 2011