1 00:00:00,800 --> 00:00:04,600 Speaker 1: Let us pray by him. Therefore, let us offer the 2 00:00:04,680 --> 00:00:09,360 Speaker 1: sacrifice of praise to God continually. That is the fruit 3 00:00:09,440 --> 00:00:14,200 Speaker 1: of our lips, giving thanks to his name. Hebrews thirteen fifteen. 4 00:00:15,880 --> 00:00:19,960 Speaker 1: Dear Lord, through your sacrifice on the Cross, you made 5 00:00:20,000 --> 00:00:24,080 Speaker 1: atonement for my sins and brought me forth into eternal 6 00:00:24,160 --> 00:00:27,720 Speaker 1: life with you. I surrendered my life to the one 7 00:00:27,720 --> 00:00:31,680 Speaker 1: who loves me more than any one ever will. You 8 00:00:31,760 --> 00:00:33,879 Speaker 1: have given me the honor of serving you in this 9 00:00:34,080 --> 00:00:38,720 Speaker 1: life as your ambassador. You have invested me with special 10 00:00:38,800 --> 00:00:42,880 Speaker 1: gifts and talents and positioned me among those who need 11 00:00:42,880 --> 00:00:47,280 Speaker 1: to hear my testimony of love Divine. The most holy 12 00:00:47,400 --> 00:00:51,760 Speaker 1: sacrifice I can bring in exchange for your sacrifice is 13 00:00:51,840 --> 00:00:55,720 Speaker 1: offering my thanks. I will render the fruit of my 14 00:00:55,880 --> 00:01:00,720 Speaker 1: lips as my sacrifice of praise. The blessed you have 15 00:01:00,760 --> 00:01:05,600 Speaker 1: granted me through Christ are so abundant and inexhaustible that 16 00:01:05,680 --> 00:01:10,080 Speaker 1: you can never be sufficiently praised for them. I will 17 00:01:10,120 --> 00:01:13,120 Speaker 1: lift up your name and honor all that you have 18 00:01:13,280 --> 00:01:16,160 Speaker 1: done for me to all those I meet along the 19 00:01:16,200 --> 00:01:20,600 Speaker 1: way in my life's journey. I was dead in sin, 20 00:01:21,480 --> 00:01:24,640 Speaker 1: and you gave me life through your son Jesus Christ. 21 00:01:25,240 --> 00:01:29,440 Speaker 1: And Drew me with chords of love into your eternal 22 00:01:29,560 --> 00:01:34,160 Speaker 1: kingdom of love. It is your desire that none should perish, 23 00:01:34,600 --> 00:01:36,640 Speaker 1: and have made a way of escape for all of 24 00:01:36,680 --> 00:01:41,360 Speaker 1: those who will receive your plan of salvation. Your goodness 25 00:01:41,800 --> 00:01:45,600 Speaker 1: leads us to repentance, and your goodness is what I 26 00:01:45,680 --> 00:01:52,640 Speaker 1: praise you for each day of my life. In Jesus name, Amen. 27 00:01:55,480 --> 00:01:58,760 Speaker 1: Thank you for listening to today's daily prayer for more 28 00:01:58,800 --> 00:02:02,920 Speaker 1: inspiration and an incredible message from our feature pastor stay 29 00:02:02,960 --> 00:02:05,200 Speaker 1: tuned to pray dot COM's Sunday service. 30 00:02:07,800 --> 00:02:11,200 Speaker 2: Are you in pain after walking, running, or even just standing. 31 00:02:11,560 --> 00:02:15,120 Speaker 2: It's not your feet, it's your shoes. This summer, switch 32 00:02:15,200 --> 00:02:20,120 Speaker 2: to Gediphi shoes with patentive versoshock technology, which aligns your body, 33 00:02:20,240 --> 00:02:26,239 Speaker 2: provides superior shock absorption and trampoline like energy return. 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This is cool. 44 00:03:13,040 --> 00:03:15,440 Speaker 4: He doesn't talk to the other rabbis, doesn't talk to 45 00:03:15,480 --> 00:03:19,639 Speaker 4: the professional religious people. Zooms in right on this tax 46 00:03:19,639 --> 00:03:22,560 Speaker 4: collector outcast that's sitting up in a tree, and he says, 47 00:03:22,760 --> 00:03:25,639 Speaker 4: we all know it, Zach Kiss, you'll come down for 48 00:03:25,800 --> 00:03:28,200 Speaker 4: I'm coming to your house today. The reason I think 49 00:03:28,240 --> 00:03:30,720 Speaker 4: the Holy Spirit inspires this to be in our text 50 00:03:30,800 --> 00:03:34,200 Speaker 4: is to remind us of how Jesus loves people who 51 00:03:34,240 --> 00:03:37,000 Speaker 4: are far from God much more than we do. 52 00:03:38,160 --> 00:03:38,560 Speaker 3: Today. 53 00:03:38,680 --> 00:03:44,480 Speaker 5: Today, Today, Today with Jeff Fines, pasta apologist and Bible teacher. 54 00:03:50,960 --> 00:03:54,040 Speaker 6: Hello and welcome. Thanks for joining us on Today with 55 00:03:54,160 --> 00:03:59,240 Speaker 6: Jeff Fines. We're kicking off a series called Generosity. Pastor 56 00:03:59,320 --> 00:04:02,920 Speaker 6: Jeff explore the power of giving of our time and 57 00:04:03,000 --> 00:04:06,760 Speaker 6: resources and the impact it can have on our communities. 58 00:04:07,080 --> 00:04:10,080 Speaker 6: Let's get into it now. Here's Pastor Jef to begin 59 00:04:10,360 --> 00:04:21,520 Speaker 6: today's message. 60 00:04:22,640 --> 00:04:23,719 Speaker 3: Luke Chapter nineteen. 61 00:04:23,800 --> 00:04:26,960 Speaker 4: Luke Chapter nineteen, the famous passage verse one know The 62 00:04:27,000 --> 00:04:30,160 Speaker 4: thing about pastors is they all have their favorite stories 63 00:04:30,160 --> 00:04:32,640 Speaker 4: and favorite illustrations, and you've got to really watch yourself 64 00:04:33,080 --> 00:04:36,400 Speaker 4: because you'll as you get older, you forget whether you've 65 00:04:36,400 --> 00:04:39,840 Speaker 4: told that story or illustration or not. And then you 66 00:04:39,880 --> 00:04:42,000 Speaker 4: get a little older and you don't care whether you've 67 00:04:42,000 --> 00:04:44,159 Speaker 4: told that story illustration because you like it. 68 00:04:44,440 --> 00:04:46,400 Speaker 3: But there are. 69 00:04:46,240 --> 00:04:49,599 Speaker 4: Some stories, illustrations, books that have impact on your life 70 00:04:49,640 --> 00:04:52,120 Speaker 4: as a pastor, and you just ever forget it, so it's. 71 00:04:52,000 --> 00:04:52,880 Speaker 3: Always coming back. 72 00:04:52,880 --> 00:04:57,000 Speaker 4: And one of my favorite, just little examples, and I 73 00:04:57,040 --> 00:04:59,840 Speaker 4: think it represents our condition of the West, is that 74 00:05:00,240 --> 00:05:04,440 Speaker 4: story about the Indian father and mother from India and 75 00:05:04,520 --> 00:05:07,719 Speaker 4: the little boy watches his father get up every morning. 76 00:05:07,800 --> 00:05:10,520 Speaker 3: This is so crucial, guys, and where we are right now. 77 00:05:10,680 --> 00:05:12,719 Speaker 4: He watches his father get up every morning, and his 78 00:05:12,800 --> 00:05:15,719 Speaker 4: father kneels before this mantle and there. 79 00:05:15,560 --> 00:05:17,040 Speaker 3: Are these two little statues. 80 00:05:17,040 --> 00:05:18,520 Speaker 4: And you know, if you know anything about Hinduism, you 81 00:05:18,600 --> 00:05:22,680 Speaker 4: usually have the statues are usually a mixture between between 82 00:05:22,960 --> 00:05:26,520 Speaker 4: a god and a man, or a man and an animal. Okay, 83 00:05:26,720 --> 00:05:28,919 Speaker 4: so that's usually represents I think there are three hundred 84 00:05:28,960 --> 00:05:32,240 Speaker 4: and thirty million gods in Hinduism alone, so it's hard 85 00:05:32,279 --> 00:05:32,640 Speaker 4: to keep. 86 00:05:32,600 --> 00:05:35,720 Speaker 3: Up with them. But this this little boy sees his father. 87 00:05:35,520 --> 00:05:37,279 Speaker 4: Every day get up in the early of the morning 88 00:05:37,320 --> 00:05:40,200 Speaker 4: and he kneels down and he prays and he speaks 89 00:05:40,200 --> 00:05:42,680 Speaker 4: to these idols, and then he goes off to work. 90 00:05:42,720 --> 00:05:45,480 Speaker 4: And on one occasion before the father was going on 91 00:05:45,480 --> 00:05:47,320 Speaker 4: a long business trip, the boy went to his father 92 00:05:47,400 --> 00:05:50,240 Speaker 4: and said, Dad, why do you kneel down and talk 93 00:05:50,320 --> 00:05:52,840 Speaker 4: to these statues and pray to them? They're just statues. 94 00:05:52,839 --> 00:05:56,440 Speaker 4: They're nothing. They can't see anything, they can't hear anything, 95 00:05:56,520 --> 00:05:58,800 Speaker 4: and they definitely don't have a sense of olition to 96 00:05:58,839 --> 00:06:01,839 Speaker 4: where they can actually accomplish anything. Of course, the father 97 00:06:02,160 --> 00:06:04,760 Speaker 4: smacks the boy on the head and says, that's blasphemy. 98 00:06:04,800 --> 00:06:06,960 Speaker 4: Don't you ever speak those words again in this house. 99 00:06:07,440 --> 00:06:09,719 Speaker 4: His father goes away, and then his father returns. And 100 00:06:09,760 --> 00:06:12,520 Speaker 4: when his father returns, he looks at the statues on 101 00:06:12,560 --> 00:06:15,599 Speaker 4: the mantle, and one of them has been crushed, and 102 00:06:15,640 --> 00:06:17,680 Speaker 4: there's a stick in the hand of the other one. 103 00:06:19,040 --> 00:06:21,560 Speaker 4: And the father comes to the son and says, what's 104 00:06:21,600 --> 00:06:26,240 Speaker 4: going on, Who has you know, desecrated our mantle, our 105 00:06:26,440 --> 00:06:30,800 Speaker 4: idols in our home, our gods. And the little boy said, well, 106 00:06:30,839 --> 00:06:33,720 Speaker 4: it's obvious, isn't it. The one statue got mad at 107 00:06:33,720 --> 00:06:37,120 Speaker 4: the other statue and smashed it, and the father, of course, says, 108 00:06:37,200 --> 00:06:40,320 Speaker 4: don't be silly. That statue can't see, can't hear. 109 00:06:40,400 --> 00:06:41,320 Speaker 3: Can't do anything. 110 00:06:41,720 --> 00:06:43,440 Speaker 4: And the little boy said, that's what I've been trying 111 00:06:43,440 --> 00:06:46,400 Speaker 4: to tell you, okay. So it's one of my favorite 112 00:06:46,440 --> 00:06:49,920 Speaker 4: illustrations because it reminds us that we. 113 00:06:49,880 --> 00:06:51,680 Speaker 3: All have idols. You know. 114 00:06:51,720 --> 00:06:54,200 Speaker 4: A book that really convicted me was a book written 115 00:06:54,200 --> 00:06:57,800 Speaker 4: by Tim Keller called Counterfeit Gods. And I'd never I'd 116 00:06:57,839 --> 00:07:00,359 Speaker 4: never thought that I had any idols. I mean, I'm not. 117 00:07:00,400 --> 00:07:03,400 Speaker 4: I don't live in a country like India, you know, 118 00:07:03,440 --> 00:07:06,000 Speaker 4: I'm not. I don't have these mantles and idols in 119 00:07:06,040 --> 00:07:11,280 Speaker 4: my house. And yet he reminds you that, oh yeah, man, 120 00:07:11,440 --> 00:07:15,280 Speaker 4: we all have idols. It's something we worship, something, And 121 00:07:15,320 --> 00:07:17,400 Speaker 4: then I like to read the reference. I often make 122 00:07:17,400 --> 00:07:19,480 Speaker 4: this to Ernest Becker's book, which has had a huge 123 00:07:19,520 --> 00:07:22,520 Speaker 4: impact on me, primarily because well he want to pull 124 00:07:22,600 --> 00:07:25,600 Speaker 4: zer Prize, but he also was a secular atheist, and 125 00:07:25,680 --> 00:07:28,040 Speaker 4: as a secular atheist, he tells us. 126 00:07:28,000 --> 00:07:29,600 Speaker 3: That America is in danger. 127 00:07:29,640 --> 00:07:32,440 Speaker 4: This is back in the seventies, because it's God is 128 00:07:32,520 --> 00:07:35,840 Speaker 4: quickly becoming sex, money, and power, and he says in 129 00:07:35,880 --> 00:07:40,040 Speaker 4: the book that man has to trust, serve, and worship something. 130 00:07:40,960 --> 00:07:41,800 Speaker 3: Of course, when I. 131 00:07:41,760 --> 00:07:43,440 Speaker 4: Was in seminary, you have to take a lot of 132 00:07:43,440 --> 00:07:47,800 Speaker 4: classes in philosophy to understand how thinking over tom has evolved, 133 00:07:48,080 --> 00:07:50,680 Speaker 4: and then had to contextualize the Christian message of the 134 00:07:50,720 --> 00:07:54,760 Speaker 4: Gospel into that kind of philosophical thinking. And one of 135 00:07:54,800 --> 00:07:57,440 Speaker 4: the men were forced to read is a guy named Frederic. 136 00:07:57,160 --> 00:07:59,760 Speaker 3: Nietzsche, and he wrote. 137 00:07:59,800 --> 00:08:02,040 Speaker 4: A long time ago that with the absence of God 138 00:08:03,040 --> 00:08:07,240 Speaker 4: growing in Western culture, that we would replace God. He 139 00:08:07,560 --> 00:08:10,600 Speaker 4: didn't get guess what out of the three Nietzsche said 140 00:08:10,600 --> 00:08:12,600 Speaker 4: the day would come when we would replace God not 141 00:08:12,720 --> 00:08:14,160 Speaker 4: with sex or power. 142 00:08:13,920 --> 00:08:17,520 Speaker 3: But with money. Let me read a quote. 143 00:08:18,160 --> 00:08:21,360 Speaker 4: What induces one man to use false weights, another to 144 00:08:21,360 --> 00:08:23,480 Speaker 4: set his house on fire after having insured it for 145 00:08:23,560 --> 00:08:26,360 Speaker 4: more than its value, while three fourths of our upper 146 00:08:26,360 --> 00:08:30,480 Speaker 4: class indulgent legalized fraud. What gives rise to all of this? 147 00:08:31,520 --> 00:08:34,320 Speaker 4: It is not real want, for their existence is by 148 00:08:34,360 --> 00:08:37,520 Speaker 4: no means precarious. But they are urged on day and 149 00:08:37,640 --> 00:08:40,520 Speaker 4: night by a terrible impatience at seeing their wealth pilot 150 00:08:40,640 --> 00:08:43,920 Speaker 4: so slowly, and by an equally terrible longing and love 151 00:08:43,960 --> 00:08:47,000 Speaker 4: for these heaps of gold. What was once done for 152 00:08:47,040 --> 00:08:49,320 Speaker 4: the love of God is now done for the love 153 00:08:49,320 --> 00:08:52,000 Speaker 4: of money, for the love of that which at present 154 00:08:52,000 --> 00:08:55,520 Speaker 4: affords us the highest feeling of power and a good conscience. 155 00:08:56,760 --> 00:08:57,360 Speaker 3: And so there have. 156 00:08:57,280 --> 00:09:01,640 Speaker 4: Been innumerable writers in our culture today who continue to 157 00:09:01,679 --> 00:09:05,720 Speaker 4: point out that the culture of greed has been eating 158 00:09:05,760 --> 00:09:09,800 Speaker 4: away at our souls and our country, so that now 159 00:09:09,840 --> 00:09:12,560 Speaker 4: we're on the verge of economic collapse. You know, that's 160 00:09:12,600 --> 00:09:15,800 Speaker 4: been a message for like thirty years now that what 161 00:09:15,880 --> 00:09:19,199 Speaker 4: would ruin us would actually not be sex or power, 162 00:09:19,600 --> 00:09:25,760 Speaker 4: but ultimately would be greed. And so now we're accused 163 00:09:25,800 --> 00:09:31,160 Speaker 4: of being thieves and gluttonists. Target and Walmart lose half 164 00:09:31,200 --> 00:09:33,640 Speaker 4: a billion dollars every year to theft. 165 00:09:34,840 --> 00:09:36,400 Speaker 3: Stay with me here for a moment, because. 166 00:09:36,240 --> 00:09:38,360 Speaker 4: I think you'll have your eyes open the way I 167 00:09:38,400 --> 00:09:41,319 Speaker 4: did this week and some of my research retaillers in 168 00:09:41,360 --> 00:09:45,520 Speaker 4: America lose one hundred billion dollars a year due to theft. 169 00:09:47,200 --> 00:09:49,520 Speaker 4: And this is often referred to as blue collar crime, 170 00:09:51,320 --> 00:09:53,120 Speaker 4: but that's not where the big crime is. 171 00:09:54,280 --> 00:09:58,240 Speaker 3: The big crime in this country is white collar criminal activity. 172 00:09:59,000 --> 00:10:02,400 Speaker 4: People who you already have what blue collar people think 173 00:10:02,480 --> 00:10:07,480 Speaker 4: they want will make them happy. Still more than blue 174 00:10:07,480 --> 00:10:11,280 Speaker 4: collar theft. They still even more. As a matter of fact, 175 00:10:11,400 --> 00:10:19,360 Speaker 4: according to Forbes, white collar theft happens when it happens, 176 00:10:19,600 --> 00:10:22,400 Speaker 4: it's committed by seven percent of it's committed by women. 177 00:10:22,440 --> 00:10:24,640 Speaker 4: Now I say that to show you how pure and 178 00:10:24,720 --> 00:10:28,119 Speaker 4: righteous women really are, because that's such a small percentage. 179 00:10:28,800 --> 00:10:33,920 Speaker 4: They're the smallest. Women usually don't do this, and there's 180 00:10:33,920 --> 00:10:37,120 Speaker 4: a reason for that. When it comes to white collar theft, 181 00:10:37,679 --> 00:10:44,440 Speaker 4: big theft, three fourths are white males. Sixty two percent 182 00:10:45,240 --> 00:10:49,320 Speaker 4: own their own homes and have a college degree. Ninety 183 00:10:49,320 --> 00:10:51,680 Speaker 4: four percent are unique to their families. In other words, 184 00:10:51,679 --> 00:10:54,720 Speaker 4: there's no criminal activities in their family. They've chosen, so 185 00:10:54,720 --> 00:10:56,800 Speaker 4: you can't say, well, it's hereditary they were tall that. No, 186 00:10:57,280 --> 00:11:00,560 Speaker 4: they did it in and of their own volition. One 187 00:11:00,600 --> 00:11:04,280 Speaker 4: third of white collar crime is from CEOs and executives 188 00:11:04,320 --> 00:11:08,240 Speaker 4: who have the highest salaries. So they have the big house, 189 00:11:08,280 --> 00:11:10,280 Speaker 4: in the big neighborhood and the big and they're still 190 00:11:10,840 --> 00:11:14,920 Speaker 4: it's not enough. One half of all corporate fraud is 191 00:11:14,960 --> 00:11:18,360 Speaker 4: from executive level positions. The guys are in charge of 192 00:11:18,480 --> 00:11:21,520 Speaker 4: making the biggest bonds. Now here's the question I have 193 00:11:21,640 --> 00:11:23,720 Speaker 4: for you. What do you think you would do if 194 00:11:23,760 --> 00:11:26,280 Speaker 4: you were in your CEO of a major corporation. You 195 00:11:26,400 --> 00:11:29,040 Speaker 4: got money, you kids go to private school, You're in 196 00:11:29,040 --> 00:11:32,000 Speaker 4: the best communities, you got the best cars. Would you 197 00:11:32,280 --> 00:11:34,320 Speaker 4: most of us think, oh, if I got there, I 198 00:11:34,360 --> 00:11:37,120 Speaker 4: would make I've arrived and I would be happy and content. 199 00:11:38,679 --> 00:11:39,400 Speaker 3: No, you wouldn't. 200 00:11:40,480 --> 00:11:43,480 Speaker 4: Chances are high that you would not say that. You 201 00:11:43,520 --> 00:11:46,120 Speaker 4: would be thinking like this, how can I get even more? 202 00:11:48,600 --> 00:11:50,760 Speaker 4: We in the West are addicted to money, and we 203 00:11:50,880 --> 00:11:54,040 Speaker 4: can't see it because greed is almost. 204 00:11:53,679 --> 00:11:55,319 Speaker 3: Impossible to see in your own life. 205 00:11:55,880 --> 00:12:01,240 Speaker 4: Because there are powerful psychological sociological dynamics at work, and 206 00:12:01,280 --> 00:12:03,559 Speaker 4: one of those is everybody lives in some kind of 207 00:12:03,559 --> 00:12:05,640 Speaker 4: an economic bracket. Everybody in the room, you're in some 208 00:12:05,720 --> 00:12:08,520 Speaker 4: kind of bracket. Here's the thing, though, you always want 209 00:12:08,559 --> 00:12:12,240 Speaker 4: to graduate to the bracket above yours. You're never content 210 00:12:12,280 --> 00:12:14,200 Speaker 4: whatever the bracket is, to stay where you are. 211 00:12:14,559 --> 00:12:17,199 Speaker 3: You want more so. Once you can afford to live 212 00:12:17,200 --> 00:12:18,920 Speaker 3: in these particular. 213 00:12:18,440 --> 00:12:20,800 Speaker 4: Neighborhoods and drive this car, and your kids go to 214 00:12:20,840 --> 00:12:24,360 Speaker 4: this particular school and participate in this kind of social life, 215 00:12:24,720 --> 00:12:27,320 Speaker 4: you find yourself surrounded by quite a number of people 216 00:12:27,360 --> 00:12:30,280 Speaker 4: who have more money and stuff than you do. So 217 00:12:30,880 --> 00:12:33,520 Speaker 4: you no longer compare yourself to the rest of the world, 218 00:12:34,040 --> 00:12:36,000 Speaker 4: because if you did, you'd realize how rich you are. 219 00:12:36,440 --> 00:12:39,360 Speaker 4: You compare yourself to those in your bracket, and you 220 00:12:39,400 --> 00:12:42,560 Speaker 4: always want to get to the bracket above. And you 221 00:12:42,600 --> 00:12:45,840 Speaker 4: can reason and think like that no matter how much 222 00:12:45,920 --> 00:12:49,760 Speaker 4: or how little you live or have. And as a result, 223 00:12:49,800 --> 00:12:52,440 Speaker 4: they tell us that most Americans define themselves as lower 224 00:12:52,480 --> 00:12:54,800 Speaker 4: to middle class. Only two percent of the entire population 225 00:12:54,880 --> 00:12:57,839 Speaker 4: consider themselves to be upper class. But the rest of 226 00:12:57,880 --> 00:13:00,680 Speaker 4: the world is not fooled. When some buy he visits 227 00:13:00,720 --> 00:13:04,280 Speaker 4: here from another part of the world, they are staggered 228 00:13:04,840 --> 00:13:07,439 Speaker 4: to see the level of materialistic comfort you and I, 229 00:13:07,480 --> 00:13:10,560 Speaker 4: the majority of Americans have come to view as a necessity. 230 00:13:11,280 --> 00:13:13,120 Speaker 3: Got to have it, can't live without it. 231 00:13:14,080 --> 00:13:19,400 Speaker 4: So the bottom line, the social analyzers of our day 232 00:13:20,320 --> 00:13:25,360 Speaker 4: tell us that Americans are just downright greedy. 233 00:13:25,520 --> 00:13:26,240 Speaker 3: That's our idol. 234 00:13:28,040 --> 00:13:30,360 Speaker 4: And Jesus talked much more about money than he did 235 00:13:30,400 --> 00:13:32,960 Speaker 4: about sex, So I never know that the money you 236 00:13:32,960 --> 00:13:35,120 Speaker 4: talk about the other one, and you talk about money, well, 237 00:13:35,160 --> 00:13:38,600 Speaker 4: that's because I'm scared of you. Everyone should begin with 238 00:13:38,640 --> 00:13:42,240 Speaker 4: a hypothesis. Everyone in America should begin with this hypothesis, 239 00:13:43,200 --> 00:13:44,920 Speaker 4: and that is this greed. 240 00:13:44,679 --> 00:13:45,760 Speaker 3: Could be a problem for me. 241 00:13:47,080 --> 00:13:49,600 Speaker 4: Now I'm going to jump right to the end as 242 00:13:49,600 --> 00:13:51,319 Speaker 4: if we were ending this message, and I want to 243 00:13:51,360 --> 00:13:53,640 Speaker 4: tell you the conclusion at which I've arrived in my 244 00:13:53,760 --> 00:13:59,080 Speaker 4: ministry years, and that's this greed surrenders to generosity at 245 00:13:59,080 --> 00:14:05,200 Speaker 4: the point of true convert Greed surrenders to generosity at 246 00:14:05,240 --> 00:14:07,640 Speaker 4: the point of true conversion. Go back to Luke nineteen 247 00:14:07,960 --> 00:14:10,559 Speaker 4: Let's let the Bible do the talking. Here. We're introduced 248 00:14:10,600 --> 00:14:12,520 Speaker 4: to a man by the name of zach Kius, and 249 00:14:12,600 --> 00:14:16,400 Speaker 4: let's say it together. Zach Kius was a wee little man, 250 00:14:17,520 --> 00:14:18,880 Speaker 4: and he's a tax collector. 251 00:14:18,920 --> 00:14:21,320 Speaker 3: He's actually, according to the text, a managing director of 252 00:14:21,360 --> 00:14:22,120 Speaker 3: the IRS. 253 00:14:22,360 --> 00:14:25,880 Speaker 4: In Luke nineteen one, Jesus enter Jericho was passing through 254 00:14:25,920 --> 00:14:28,240 Speaker 4: in a man by the name of zach Kius. He 255 00:14:28,360 --> 00:14:33,080 Speaker 4: was chief tax collector and was wealthy. He's climbed the ladder. 256 00:14:33,720 --> 00:14:35,560 Speaker 4: I don't know if you heard about the guy again. 257 00:14:35,600 --> 00:14:37,800 Speaker 4: One of my favorite illustrations. He had a guilty conscience 258 00:14:37,800 --> 00:14:39,920 Speaker 4: because he had cheated on his taxes the year before. 259 00:14:40,120 --> 00:14:42,640 Speaker 4: So he writes a letter of the RS and he says, 260 00:14:43,000 --> 00:14:45,320 Speaker 4: quote I have not been able to sleep because last 261 00:14:45,400 --> 00:14:47,880 Speaker 4: year when I filled out my tax return, I misrepresented 262 00:14:47,880 --> 00:14:50,480 Speaker 4: my income and closed this five hundred dollars. If I 263 00:14:50,480 --> 00:14:52,160 Speaker 4: still can't sleep, I'll send you the rest. 264 00:14:54,520 --> 00:14:56,920 Speaker 3: So zach Kius is the chief tax collector. He's the 265 00:14:56,960 --> 00:14:57,960 Speaker 3: guy of the rrs. 266 00:14:58,000 --> 00:15:01,000 Speaker 4: He receives the letters, and we're told that he lives 267 00:15:01,040 --> 00:15:03,400 Speaker 4: in the high rent district of Jericho. By the way, 268 00:15:03,400 --> 00:15:06,720 Speaker 4: that's where the wealthy lived during Jesus time. A couple 269 00:15:06,800 --> 00:15:07,760 Speaker 4: other things you need to know. 270 00:15:08,280 --> 00:15:10,520 Speaker 3: He's viewed as a trader to his people. 271 00:15:10,720 --> 00:15:15,920 Speaker 4: Because the Romans levied oppressive taxes to transfer the wealth 272 00:15:16,160 --> 00:15:17,720 Speaker 4: from the Jews to the Romans. 273 00:15:17,720 --> 00:15:19,560 Speaker 3: That's how they got you. They just taxed you to. 274 00:15:19,520 --> 00:15:22,800 Speaker 4: Death until everything you own they owned, and then they 275 00:15:22,880 --> 00:15:25,800 Speaker 4: kept you uneducated and in poverty to rule over you. 276 00:15:26,360 --> 00:15:30,160 Speaker 4: It's the Marxist way. Now, what's interesting is this is 277 00:15:30,200 --> 00:15:31,440 Speaker 4: the history of the Jewish people. 278 00:15:31,440 --> 00:15:33,440 Speaker 3: Almost from day one, the. 279 00:15:33,480 --> 00:15:37,560 Speaker 4: Jews have had a way of accruing wealth, only to 280 00:15:37,600 --> 00:15:40,440 Speaker 4: have it stolen. Nineteen thirty eight, the Jews were forced 281 00:15:41,040 --> 00:15:45,920 Speaker 4: to register their wealth so that the Nazis could systematically 282 00:15:46,360 --> 00:15:49,800 Speaker 4: steal it. In fact, non Jewish historians tell us that 283 00:15:49,840 --> 00:15:53,720 Speaker 4: the Jews unintittionally, of course, funded one third to one 284 00:15:53,800 --> 00:16:02,160 Speaker 4: half of the Holocaust twenty five billion dollars stolen from 285 00:16:02,160 --> 00:16:05,240 Speaker 4: the Jews. That would equal five hundred and twenty five 286 00:16:05,320 --> 00:16:07,200 Speaker 4: billion dollars in today's currency. 287 00:16:08,080 --> 00:16:08,560 Speaker 3: Now, in the. 288 00:16:08,520 --> 00:16:10,720 Speaker 4: Days of Jesus, the only wealthy people that lived in 289 00:16:10,760 --> 00:16:13,680 Speaker 4: Palestine were the Romans and their collaborators. 290 00:16:14,560 --> 00:16:16,880 Speaker 3: So Zachias is a collaborator. 291 00:16:17,320 --> 00:16:20,640 Speaker 4: He actually helps the Romans to steal the money from 292 00:16:20,720 --> 00:16:23,640 Speaker 4: his own people. So the way it worked in those 293 00:16:23,720 --> 00:16:26,920 Speaker 4: days is you would bid on tax collecting as a 294 00:16:27,000 --> 00:16:29,040 Speaker 4: Jewish person. You would go to the Romans and say, 295 00:16:29,320 --> 00:16:31,400 Speaker 4: I think I can get five thousand dollars a month 296 00:16:31,440 --> 00:16:33,760 Speaker 4: for Rome out of this out of my people, and 297 00:16:33,800 --> 00:16:36,040 Speaker 4: they would say, okay, you're the highest bidder. Anything you 298 00:16:36,080 --> 00:16:39,120 Speaker 4: get above and beyond you get to keep. So Zachias 299 00:16:39,160 --> 00:16:41,960 Speaker 4: could go and try to collect ten thousand, five thousand 300 00:16:42,000 --> 00:16:45,960 Speaker 4: belongs to him. These guys getting wealthy very quickly. In fact, 301 00:16:46,000 --> 00:16:47,760 Speaker 4: I go back, we read stories. 302 00:16:47,840 --> 00:16:48,000 Speaker 3: Now. 303 00:16:48,080 --> 00:16:49,480 Speaker 4: One of the things I did when I was in 304 00:16:49,560 --> 00:16:51,600 Speaker 4: Israel the last time is I got to attend the 305 00:16:51,760 --> 00:16:54,960 Speaker 4: Holocaust Museum, which is a museum like no other museum 306 00:16:55,000 --> 00:16:59,000 Speaker 4: in the world. When it comes to genocide, six levels, 307 00:16:59,080 --> 00:17:01,960 Speaker 4: six stories, and as you go through there, you start 308 00:17:02,000 --> 00:17:04,560 Speaker 4: to realize that there were many Jews who collaborated with 309 00:17:04,640 --> 00:17:08,720 Speaker 4: the Germans. Did you know that during the Holocaust to 310 00:17:08,800 --> 00:17:12,000 Speaker 4: turn in their own people and report business owners for 311 00:17:12,119 --> 00:17:14,920 Speaker 4: the sake of staying alive and getting wealthy, getting rich. 312 00:17:15,400 --> 00:17:17,879 Speaker 4: Books volumes are written about the lives of these people. 313 00:17:18,160 --> 00:17:18,800 Speaker 3: Of course, then you. 314 00:17:18,760 --> 00:17:21,080 Speaker 4: Have a guy like Oscar Schindler who puts his life 315 00:17:21,119 --> 00:17:23,000 Speaker 4: on the line to save people who don't even belong 316 00:17:23,040 --> 00:17:26,080 Speaker 4: to his own tribe. Zach Chius was one of those people, 317 00:17:26,080 --> 00:17:28,560 Speaker 4: which explains in verse three. He wanted to see who 318 00:17:28,640 --> 00:17:31,240 Speaker 4: Jesus was, but because he was short, he could not 319 00:17:31,280 --> 00:17:33,679 Speaker 4: see over the crowd, so he ran ahead and climbed 320 00:17:33,680 --> 00:17:37,480 Speaker 4: a sycamore fhig tree. Now here's my question, is, zach 321 00:17:37,520 --> 00:17:40,520 Speaker 4: kis why is it necessary to climb a tree? Just 322 00:17:40,520 --> 00:17:42,840 Speaker 4: just go through the crowd to the front, kneel down 323 00:17:42,840 --> 00:17:45,520 Speaker 4: and you can see everything. Well, you know the reason why, Right, 324 00:17:46,200 --> 00:17:48,240 Speaker 4: they would have knocked him around like a metal ball 325 00:17:48,240 --> 00:17:51,040 Speaker 4: in a pinball machine if they saw him. Oh, they're 326 00:17:51,080 --> 00:17:53,440 Speaker 4: not gonna let him take front row position. In order 327 00:17:53,480 --> 00:17:56,240 Speaker 4: to contextualize, think about this think about the Dodgers winning 328 00:17:56,240 --> 00:17:58,399 Speaker 4: the World Series and there's a parade and you go 329 00:17:58,480 --> 00:18:01,000 Speaker 4: to see it and a Giants fan comes all the 330 00:18:01,040 --> 00:18:02,960 Speaker 4: way through and tries to take front row position. 331 00:18:03,040 --> 00:18:05,600 Speaker 3: What are they gonna do to him? He's gonna get punished. 332 00:18:05,920 --> 00:18:09,960 Speaker 3: And so that's how they felt about zach Keias. So 333 00:18:10,080 --> 00:18:10,560 Speaker 3: what does he do? 334 00:18:10,720 --> 00:18:13,120 Speaker 4: The Bible tells us he climbs a tree. Now, this 335 00:18:13,200 --> 00:18:16,159 Speaker 4: is a pretty big deal in traditional cultures because in 336 00:18:16,200 --> 00:18:19,439 Speaker 4: traditional cultures it was not about freedom and rights. It 337 00:18:19,520 --> 00:18:23,280 Speaker 4: was about honor and dignity. A grown man would never 338 00:18:23,400 --> 00:18:26,760 Speaker 4: climb a tree. Ever, this story doesn't do it for 339 00:18:26,800 --> 00:18:30,680 Speaker 4: you and me because we don't get that. But Jesus' audience, man, 340 00:18:30,760 --> 00:18:33,160 Speaker 4: they get it. They understand this story. You would never 341 00:18:33,200 --> 00:18:33,439 Speaker 4: do that. 342 00:18:33,480 --> 00:18:35,600 Speaker 3: Folks. Let me contextualize it again for you. 343 00:18:36,000 --> 00:18:39,640 Speaker 4: That's like Donald Trump coming to town and Hillary Clinton 344 00:18:39,760 --> 00:18:44,800 Speaker 4: climbing a tree to see him. Okay, that's pretty good contextualization. 345 00:18:44,160 --> 00:18:45,960 Speaker 3: Isn't it. That's just not gonna happen. 346 00:18:46,000 --> 00:18:50,159 Speaker 4: So whatever's happening in zach Heias's life, whatever's happening in 347 00:18:50,200 --> 00:18:52,520 Speaker 4: his life, there's desperation. 348 00:18:53,920 --> 00:18:55,960 Speaker 3: Now, why is he desperate? Well, let's go again. 349 00:18:56,640 --> 00:18:59,119 Speaker 4: I wouldn't want anybody to sing a song about me 350 00:18:59,200 --> 00:19:02,399 Speaker 4: and say Jeff Vines was a wee little man, and 351 00:19:02,400 --> 00:19:03,560 Speaker 4: a wee little man was he? 352 00:19:03,840 --> 00:19:04,560 Speaker 3: I would not want. 353 00:19:04,640 --> 00:19:06,760 Speaker 4: I don't think any man would want a song written 354 00:19:06,760 --> 00:19:10,520 Speaker 4: about them with those words. You wonder what kind of 355 00:19:10,560 --> 00:19:15,960 Speaker 4: life zach Keius had. He was short, small? Did people 356 00:19:16,040 --> 00:19:18,879 Speaker 4: look down on him? Were they condescending to him? Was 357 00:19:18,920 --> 00:19:21,719 Speaker 4: he ridiculed, belittle bully for most of his life? And 358 00:19:21,760 --> 00:19:24,919 Speaker 4: did this drive him to prove that he maddened that 359 00:19:25,000 --> 00:19:27,240 Speaker 4: he was a big man, that he would show the 360 00:19:27,280 --> 00:19:30,800 Speaker 4: townspeople that he asked power, Because, man, if you want 361 00:19:30,840 --> 00:19:33,960 Speaker 4: to show the hometown crowd that you have power, being 362 00:19:34,000 --> 00:19:37,320 Speaker 4: a tax collectors would definitely do it, because when you 363 00:19:37,359 --> 00:19:39,320 Speaker 4: go to their door, you can say you owe me 364 00:19:39,400 --> 00:19:41,600 Speaker 4: what I say you owe me, and if you don't deliver, 365 00:19:42,359 --> 00:19:45,719 Speaker 4: the Roman guards will be here within the hour and 366 00:19:45,760 --> 00:19:47,639 Speaker 4: they'll punish you. 367 00:19:48,040 --> 00:19:50,160 Speaker 3: I have control over you. See how big I am? 368 00:19:50,200 --> 00:19:52,040 Speaker 3: I control whether you live or die. 369 00:19:53,119 --> 00:19:58,600 Speaker 4: The terrible hatred and jealousy and envy, this in all 370 00:19:58,640 --> 00:20:02,119 Speaker 4: of us is probably only matched by the greed that 371 00:20:02,240 --> 00:20:06,040 Speaker 4: is in all of us. Something happened to zak Kius, 372 00:20:06,080 --> 00:20:09,720 Speaker 4: and he felt like he was getting the ultimate retribution. 373 00:20:10,880 --> 00:20:15,560 Speaker 4: The problem is money had become his idol, and it 374 00:20:15,560 --> 00:20:18,800 Speaker 4: gives him that sense of power and his significance, and 375 00:20:18,840 --> 00:20:21,640 Speaker 4: he worships it because of what it can do for him. 376 00:20:21,720 --> 00:20:24,000 Speaker 4: But if you take away that position, and you take 377 00:20:24,040 --> 00:20:27,000 Speaker 4: away that money and power, he knows all he is 378 00:20:27,000 --> 00:20:30,440 Speaker 4: is a wee little man who's a scared little boy 379 00:20:30,520 --> 00:20:33,639 Speaker 4: on the inside that is afraid that if if he 380 00:20:33,680 --> 00:20:36,879 Speaker 4: doesn't have his money, he won't matter. That there's no power, 381 00:20:36,880 --> 00:20:40,680 Speaker 4: there's no significance, there's no reason for living. So I'm 382 00:20:40,720 --> 00:20:43,119 Speaker 4: suggesting to you that Jesus tells the story because of 383 00:20:43,160 --> 00:20:46,160 Speaker 4: the context, because it's just not working for zach Kius. 384 00:20:46,880 --> 00:20:48,240 Speaker 4: Even though he has all the money in the power, 385 00:20:48,320 --> 00:20:51,680 Speaker 4: it's not working. It never does. The death cloud still 386 00:20:51,680 --> 00:20:53,920 Speaker 4: hangs over him. He knows that he's not gonna be 387 00:20:53,920 --> 00:20:55,719 Speaker 4: able to take it with him, and he's strongly Jewish, 388 00:20:55,720 --> 00:20:57,600 Speaker 4: so he'd have a He would have a passion for 389 00:20:57,640 --> 00:21:00,800 Speaker 4: the rabbis and for their teaching and their extation of 390 00:21:00,840 --> 00:21:03,800 Speaker 4: what happens after we die. He probably has no friends 391 00:21:03,840 --> 00:21:05,439 Speaker 4: because he's betrayed everyone. 392 00:21:05,520 --> 00:21:06,200 Speaker 3: They hate him. 393 00:21:06,400 --> 00:21:09,400 Speaker 4: His own family would have rejected him. His own family 394 00:21:09,560 --> 00:21:11,760 Speaker 4: would have said, you're a trader to us. You're not 395 00:21:11,800 --> 00:21:13,000 Speaker 4: welcome in this home anymore. 396 00:21:13,119 --> 00:21:13,199 Speaker 3: Go. 397 00:21:13,440 --> 00:21:16,240 Speaker 4: If you ever watch The Chosen, you'll notice that Matthew's 398 00:21:16,320 --> 00:21:19,399 Speaker 4: relationship with his father is very strange because he's a 399 00:21:19,440 --> 00:21:22,520 Speaker 4: tax collector. He's betrayed his father and the people of 400 00:21:22,560 --> 00:21:27,120 Speaker 4: his nation, and so we're told, think about this. He 401 00:21:27,119 --> 00:21:30,320 Speaker 4: hears about this rabbi named Jesus, and the word on 402 00:21:30,359 --> 00:21:32,680 Speaker 4: the street about Jesus is he's a pretty big deal. 403 00:21:32,840 --> 00:21:36,440 Speaker 4: He might be the most important rabbi ever. And this 404 00:21:36,640 --> 00:21:40,240 Speaker 4: rabbi word on the street again is that he loves everybody, 405 00:21:40,359 --> 00:21:44,399 Speaker 4: prostitutes and tax collectors, that he's actually kind to strangers, 406 00:21:44,680 --> 00:21:47,560 Speaker 4: that he loves the unlovable, and that he actually eats 407 00:21:47,560 --> 00:21:53,000 Speaker 4: and has meals with sinners. So the drama Jesus comes along. 408 00:21:53,080 --> 00:21:55,160 Speaker 4: He's coming to town and there's a crowd of mainly 409 00:21:55,440 --> 00:21:59,600 Speaker 4: respectable religious people, all of whom will feel superior to 410 00:21:59,640 --> 00:22:04,520 Speaker 4: prosper and tax collectors. But instead of addressing them, giving 411 00:22:04,560 --> 00:22:08,880 Speaker 4: them his attention, this rabbi singles out the most notorious 412 00:22:08,920 --> 00:22:10,040 Speaker 4: center in the crowd. 413 00:22:10,640 --> 00:22:12,879 Speaker 3: Don't you love Jesus? Oh this is cool. 414 00:22:13,320 --> 00:22:15,720 Speaker 4: He doesn't talk to the other rabbis doesn't talk to 415 00:22:15,720 --> 00:22:20,400 Speaker 4: the professional religious people. Zooms in right on this tax collector, 416 00:22:20,480 --> 00:22:22,800 Speaker 4: outcast and sitting up in a tree, and he says, 417 00:22:23,000 --> 00:22:23,480 Speaker 4: we all know. 418 00:22:23,480 --> 00:22:26,600 Speaker 3: It, zach Chius, you'll come down, for I'm coming to 419 00:22:26,720 --> 00:22:30,400 Speaker 3: your house today. Right we sang that song? What would 420 00:22:30,400 --> 00:22:32,040 Speaker 3: that have done to Zachchius? 421 00:22:33,320 --> 00:22:37,600 Speaker 4: Suddenly, I think the reason Jesus tells this story is 422 00:22:37,640 --> 00:22:42,080 Speaker 4: because zach Chius. And this is not a parable by 423 00:22:42,080 --> 00:22:45,240 Speaker 4: the way, this is an actual historical happening. But the way, 424 00:22:45,520 --> 00:22:47,919 Speaker 4: the reason I think the Holy Spirit inspires this to 425 00:22:48,000 --> 00:22:52,680 Speaker 4: be in our text is to remind us of how 426 00:22:52,760 --> 00:22:56,840 Speaker 4: Jesus loves people who are far from God much more 427 00:22:56,880 --> 00:23:01,840 Speaker 4: than we do, and how Jesus was willing to choose 428 00:23:01,880 --> 00:23:06,320 Speaker 4: the least virtuous person to enter into a relationship and 429 00:23:06,400 --> 00:23:10,040 Speaker 4: to come to his house in order to teach zach 430 00:23:10,119 --> 00:23:13,919 Speaker 4: Kius that there's an acceptance and a belonging that comes 431 00:23:13,960 --> 00:23:19,320 Speaker 4: by grace, not through money, power, or position, whatever happens 432 00:23:19,320 --> 00:23:20,360 Speaker 4: in between the lines. 433 00:23:20,600 --> 00:23:22,160 Speaker 3: It works because. 434 00:23:22,080 --> 00:23:24,280 Speaker 4: Verse eight says zach Keius stood up and said to 435 00:23:24,320 --> 00:23:26,680 Speaker 4: the Lord, look, Lord, I hear, I hear, and now 436 00:23:26,720 --> 00:23:28,760 Speaker 4: I give half of my possessions to the poor. And 437 00:23:28,840 --> 00:23:31,200 Speaker 4: if I've cheated anybody out of anything, I won't pay 438 00:23:31,280 --> 00:23:34,119 Speaker 4: back four times the amount. Every time I read that, 439 00:23:34,160 --> 00:23:36,760 Speaker 4: I think, why would he do that? I mean, seriously, 440 00:23:36,760 --> 00:23:39,280 Speaker 4: why would he do that. We're not giving the details, 441 00:23:39,280 --> 00:23:42,520 Speaker 4: but what we do know is to give fifty percent 442 00:23:42,600 --> 00:23:45,600 Speaker 4: of the poor is far beyond the ten percent required 443 00:23:45,640 --> 00:23:50,760 Speaker 4: by the Mosaic law. He's off the charts generous. And 444 00:23:50,800 --> 00:23:52,680 Speaker 4: then he says, I'll give back four times what I 445 00:23:52,720 --> 00:23:55,320 Speaker 4: took from others. That's three hundred percent interest. That's far 446 00:23:55,400 --> 00:23:57,920 Speaker 4: beyond the one hundred percent that you're required to give back. 447 00:23:58,400 --> 00:24:01,159 Speaker 4: And of course when he says this, Jesus responds by saying, 448 00:24:01,600 --> 00:24:07,320 Speaker 4: today salvation has come to this house. Now, notice salvation 449 00:24:07,520 --> 00:24:09,960 Speaker 4: does not come to this house because he gave to 450 00:24:10,040 --> 00:24:12,760 Speaker 4: the poor and return what had been stolen that would 451 00:24:12,800 --> 00:24:16,120 Speaker 4: be worth salvation. Salvation had already come to the house 452 00:24:16,119 --> 00:24:21,280 Speaker 4: of Zachius, and his perspective on his money was proof 453 00:24:21,280 --> 00:24:24,919 Speaker 4: of that reality. You see where I'm going with this 454 00:24:25,160 --> 00:24:28,040 Speaker 4: money no longer controlled him. It wasn't his God. 455 00:24:28,080 --> 00:24:30,280 Speaker 3: He realized then, and there, I can live without this. 456 00:24:31,680 --> 00:24:35,240 Speaker 4: So Zacheus meets the real Savior, and as a result, 457 00:24:35,359 --> 00:24:40,280 Speaker 4: immediately he finds forgiveness and hope and belonging in security. 458 00:24:40,800 --> 00:24:43,480 Speaker 4: It's that famous line, why do you care what the 459 00:24:43,520 --> 00:24:45,439 Speaker 4: peasants think about you? When you have the love and 460 00:24:45,480 --> 00:24:50,439 Speaker 4: acceptance of the king. Suddenly everything he's always really wanted 461 00:24:50,520 --> 00:24:53,399 Speaker 4: happens in his relationship with Jesus. Doctor Tim Keller in 462 00:24:53,600 --> 00:24:57,119 Speaker 4: Counterfeit Gods says Zachias went from accruing wealth at the 463 00:24:57,160 --> 00:24:59,879 Speaker 4: expense of people around him to serving others at the 464 00:25:00,040 --> 00:25:05,880 Speaker 4: expensive as well. And you know why, because greed surrenders 465 00:25:05,960 --> 00:25:09,000 Speaker 4: to generosity at the point of true conversion. It's a 466 00:25:09,040 --> 00:25:15,320 Speaker 4: cause and effect. It happens because you've met Jesus. In 467 00:25:15,359 --> 00:25:18,280 Speaker 4: this story, I believe Jesus is describing a dynamic. 468 00:25:18,359 --> 00:25:19,160 Speaker 3: Not follow me here. 469 00:25:19,680 --> 00:25:23,159 Speaker 4: He's describing a dynamic that in my early ministry I 470 00:25:23,200 --> 00:25:26,120 Speaker 4: just kind of couldn't get my head around. But now 471 00:25:26,119 --> 00:25:29,520 Speaker 4: that I'm older and been around enough people, it's pretty 472 00:25:29,520 --> 00:25:33,760 Speaker 4: clear to me. Something happens to you when you meet. 473 00:25:33,600 --> 00:25:34,320 Speaker 3: The real Jesus. 474 00:25:36,359 --> 00:25:39,239 Speaker 4: That's why I've said a thousand times I gave up 475 00:25:39,280 --> 00:25:42,520 Speaker 4: manipulating and trying to coerce people to give a long 476 00:25:42,560 --> 00:25:45,399 Speaker 4: time ago. Now I'll still tell you about the needs, 477 00:25:45,400 --> 00:25:48,520 Speaker 4: but I know in my heart. Generosity is only going 478 00:25:48,600 --> 00:25:50,760 Speaker 4: to come when you've got a transformed heart. 479 00:25:54,359 --> 00:25:57,639 Speaker 6: You've been listening to Today with Jeff Fines, Thanks for 480 00:25:57,720 --> 00:26:00,439 Speaker 6: joining us. Next time we'll bring you the of this 481 00:26:00,520 --> 00:26:02,000 Speaker 6: message from Past to Jeff. 482 00:26:02,040 --> 00:26:05,640 Speaker 4: The person who has genuinely grasped what Jesus has done 483 00:26:05,680 --> 00:26:07,639 Speaker 4: for them does not ask what do I have to 484 00:26:07,640 --> 00:26:10,720 Speaker 4: give to be right with God? But ask the question, man, 485 00:26:11,440 --> 00:26:14,240 Speaker 4: what can I give away? In what areas of my life? 486 00:26:14,280 --> 00:26:18,280 Speaker 4: Can I downsize my home? My coffee, is, my movies, 487 00:26:18,280 --> 00:26:21,359 Speaker 4: all the non essentials? How can I downsize my luxuries 488 00:26:21,400 --> 00:26:24,439 Speaker 4: in order to invest in something that is greater. 489 00:26:25,040 --> 00:26:27,879 Speaker 6: You can listen to more messages like this. Just search 490 00:26:28,040 --> 00:26:32,080 Speaker 6: for Today with Jeff Findes. 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