FBCWest 421 | The Economy of the Kingdom
Recorded On: 10/18/2020
Bulletin
“God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and truth.”
“Heavenly Sunligh”
Praise and Worship
SCRIPTURE READING – Psalm 92”1 - 4
“Wonder”
“Gifts From God”
“Yes I Will”
“Goodness of God”
Giving of Selves and Our Offerings
OFFERTORY PRAYER
SPECIAL MUSIC – By Pru Hungate
Proclamation of the Word
Message by Pastor Joe
“The Life and Ministry of Jesus The Messiah”
“The Economy of the Kingdom”
PRAYER TIME / Time of Reflection
“Resurrecting”
Acknowledgements and Announcements
Benediction “Won’t Stop Now
Sermon Notes
Mark 12:41 – 44 Widow gave more than all else combined
John 12:20 – 36 Love your life you lose it, hate it and you keep it to eternal life
Scritpures
Transcript of Service
Today's message is entitled the economy.
Of the Kingdom.
It is different than the economy of the United States and other.
Early kingdoms
in the United States. $2 is worth more than $1.
$1000 is a lot more value than.
$1
and then $10,000 has even more value than a dollar, and that's how we kind of look at the economy is in value of things. And for those economists they also recognize that value of a dollar is worth less now than it was 2030 years ago. There's less buying power.
But the economy of the Kingdom is different.
Jesus, since he went to Jerusalem for that.
Final Passover Celebration which so many people called the triumphal entry, would spend each day teaching an observing in the temple court area and then would retire each day evening to Bethany and we see him again in the temple court area and taking a look at Mark Chapter 12 starting with verse 41 it says this.
And he sat down opposite the Treasury, and began observing how the people were putting money into the Treasury. And many rich people were putting large sums.
Now we read this and we.
Kind of used to our own practices and in our own practice, the offering plate is put passed by and people dropping money and a lot of times what we have is we have little envelope so you can put your check or put your cash in an open necessarily knows how much you're giving in and that's a good thing. And then there are others who will make people come by and place the offering in front and then go. And it's obvious that.
Who gives and who doesn't? And then there are others who practice putting the offering in a table.
Or you come in so you drop in your offering there in this instance what happened was that the Treasury, the offering was probably taking place in the Court of the women. There was the Court of the Gentiles that quarter the women quoted them in and then on into the more areas of the temple complex. And so the collection was not by taking offering plates in passing them around. There was these large.
Metal probably brass collection places, and since they didn't have paper money like we did, people placed in coins.
An it would be obvious how much you are placing in at least the number of coins, because as you put it in, it would clank and sound and whatever. And if you wanted to be real cute you would get your money converted to the lowest number of coins. So it does sound like you were putting in a whole lot of money.
And that would impress people because you were clanking in and the closest thing I can have for you too, is if you've ever gone to a bank where there is a coin machine and you dump the coins in the machine, it makes a lot of noise as it's separating in whatever that's kind of what's happening in temple. There's all this noise going on as people are pouring or coins into it, and so Jesus is observing all of this, and he's talking about that. There are many rich people were.
Putting in large sums of money.
Says
First 42 a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which amount to a cent.
So it's the least denomination of that. It's probably about 132nd of an area which would be about 15 minutes of work.
So it's very little money.
And she placed it and we don't know her name.
We just know her status. She's a poor widow.
And she puts into copper coins in our.
Culture the least expensive. The cheapest monetary value is a copper coin.
As Lincolns.
Head on it an on the back. It has the Lincoln Memorial now.
During World War Two, it was then made out of copper. For those of you who are history buff for couple years the Penny was made out of Steel.
Because with the war effort, copper was needed for other things, but we now gone back to the penny being copper. So we kind of can understand that this is the bare minimum monetary value of the time.
So she places these two copper coins which amount to ascent. So when you hear all the other clanging of the other offerings you with this would barely even be noticeable.
But notice what Jesus does. He says, calling his disciples to him, he said to them, truly, I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the Treasury.
Now I don't want you to notice something.
He didn't say she put in the same amount as everybody else that she didn't equal. Those who had been giving large sums of money. Jesus said when you take all the offering today.
And you total it up.
This widow gave more.
Then everyone else combined.
Now you and I would say I don't know Jesus, you know it.
There's not much you can do with two with a scent. There's a whole lot of money you can do. Things you can do with thousands of dollars and 10s of thousands of dollars. But Jesus, we're not talking about that economy. We're talking about the economy of the Kingdom and in the economy, the Kingdom. These two copper coins are worth more than all the contribution that day. But Jesus will tell us Why.
Or they all put in out of their surplus.
But she out of her poverty, put in all that she owned.
All she had to live on.
Jesus says that what makes her gift?
Sizable.
Is it she gave it not out of Sir plus but out of poverty she didn't give it out of what she.
Could leave.
Extra, but she gave it all.
We're never told what this woman's name is.
But this gift is recorded to remind us.
That the economy of the Kingdom is different than our economy.
The God is praising this person.
Because she gave all that she had.
Rather than from her Sir Plus.
Now.
To a great extent, this makes us all on equal footing.
Or you see.
I mean by.
Except for some strange miracle that I can't proceed.
I'll never have this amount of money.
That
The people that own Microsoft here.
Other people who own Amazon.
Or the people that own various.
Tech companies.
They have billions of dollars.
And yet, under the economy of the Kingdom, I can give more than them.
And you can give more than them because you give out of now what you have extra.
But all that you have.
Before I go on and comment more, I want you to also notice what it isn't set.
That there are so many times that you will hear TV evangelists and others who will say that you ought to give to God to get.
That if you simply give the God that he will give you in return notice, we never see that Jesus said, let's go give her some money or let's take her out of poverty. He.
Praises her.
But it does not necessarily change her life.
Because she gave everything to him because she loved God that much.
So I want to take a few other things besides money because they always say that the pastors love to talk about money and that's I'm talking about the economy. So I'm not saying write big checks, I'm saying.
Consider what it is that you have versus what it is that you get.
So I want to take a few things. First, passion.
Do you give?
All of your passion to God.
Or do you give it to sporting events?
I say that because.
I like sports I liked and I get all nervous when my team is behind and I get all excited when they go ahead and and I'm very.
Ostatic when they win and I'm.
I don't want to hear the news when they lose and so it's it's an emotional aspect.
But I would certainly hope that my passion is greater for God than for sports.
Do I give all that I have? That's my passion about him.
Or do I keep it?
What about talents? What about your ability to play music or to sing? Or did or draw or perform are or dance or whatever your talent might be?
Again, the economy of the Kingdom places us if you will.
Equal
or you see I cannot sing like Pavarotti.
But if I think to God.
All that I am and all that I have then my praise to God can be greater than Pavarotti. Pavarotti's.
Some of you don't know who that guy is.
So Katy Perry.
Most of you know her.
5th things reasonably well so eccentric, but whatever.
God doesn't say.
That person seems well and that person doesn't. So that person sits down and we let that person sing.
When you use your talents for God.
God then says.
Are you using it all?
Are you keeping back us a little bit? And to me one of the sad things about the church?
Is so many people who are famous in the secular music world today?
Got their start in church.
I mean, that's that.
Glad that we get to hear the benefit of their music and their talents.
It would have been much greater if while they were out doing the world's things.
They were on Sunday singing in a church choir or a band or whatever, giving their talent to God.
So in the economy of the Kingdom, there are no excuses. I only have this much.
There's a song that says.
If just a Cup of water is all I've given, then just a Cup of water is all that is required.
In the economy is not how great, how talented. How wealthy you are.
Is your commitment to God.
And his Kingdom.
This woman's gift.
Given almost 2000 years ago.
Still speaks.
Of her dedication to God.
That she was willing to give even in her poverty.
When in reality.
Again, I'm pointing three fingers back at me.
How we seem to be so reluctant to give out of our riches.
She's going to further talk about the economy of the Kingdom.
And if you turn in your bibles to John Chapter 12.
Starting with verse 30 I'm sorry 20.
Now there were some Greeks among those who were going up to the worship at the feast.
These then came to Phillip, who was from beseda of Galilee and began to ask him, saying, Sir, we wish to see Jesus.
So these Greeks are probably God fearers. They're probably not Jews, they are Gentiles, but they are God fears, which means that they've kind of adopted.
The religion of the Jews but yet worship God. And they came to Jerusalem, as the Jews did in celebration of Passover.
And whether they had heard about Jesus before they got there, I'm sure the talk of the town of Jerusalem is Jesus and what's happening and what he's teaching and how the religious leaders are upset with him and what's going to happen. And so whether they heard about Jesus before after they want to talk to him, they want to see him. And so they make their introduce introduction to fill up. Now probably the reason that they go to Phillip.
Is Phillips name is Greek?
So they think, well, he's probably sympathetic to their position, so they approached Phillip. Now Phillip. It says it says Phillip came in, told Andrew.
So I'm sure he's not saying well. What should I do? Should I make the introduction to the Greeks or not? I know Jesus has said that he's come to the lost tribe of Israel and then an he hasn't been all that.
A sympathetic to non Jews, although he has heels and he's done some things. So should we make these introductions or not? So I think he's getting advice from Andrew. Well, we should do so. Andrew being Andrew because Andrew is always one who kind of introduces people to Jesus. Kind of seems to say OK, and so they came and told Jesus and Jesus answered them saying.
Now it's interesting what Jesus is going to say.
He says this.
The hour has come for the son of man to be glorified.
Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone. But if it dies, it bears much fruit.
What he tells the Greeks is the same thing that he's told the Jews is the same thing that he sold the Samaritans. It is the same thing that he's told Sarah Phoenician woman. It is consistent that he is saying he came to be a suffering servant and he came to be glorified to glorify the son of Man, and that hour has come.
It's interesting the hour of his glorification is his crucifixion.
Most of us would think that that's the worst thing that could happen, but he's saying that is the hour of glorification, my crucifixion. And he's going to say why? Because he says that if a grain doesn't all the ground, and I it's basically worth it, just stays what it is, but if it dies and is buried, then it produces fruit, so he he's trying to explain to this agricultural community.
That
That's what happens when we eat or what other.
Feed might happen that when it.
Is buried an produces it produces ten 2100 fold and Jesus is saying that his death and burial is necessary for that production.
A fruit.
Let me give you a little secret.
His.
Death and burial has been so fruitful.
That those of you who believe in him.
Believe in him.
Because of that fruit.
Almost 2000 years, there were those his disciples, after seeing his death, burial, and Resurrection, truly believed who he was.
There were those.
Who were attached to the Apostles who came to say there were those on the.
Feast of.
Of.
Went out of my head out of the feast of Pentecost.
Or thousands.
Became believers and then another message more thousands became believers and through the centuries the church has grown. The Kingdom has grown because that Jesus died and was buried and Rose again. He produced fruit and the amazing thing is he will continue to bear fruit even today.
There will be those who come to faith in him because of his death and burial and Resurrection, and even when we think this world has gone to hell in a handbasket, there still will be those who come to faith because of him.
He has produced much fruit.
And on top of that, no, not only has he produced believers, but because he's produced believers, he's produced the fruit of the spirit within our.
Lives that, as it increases of love and faith and patience and kindness and endurance, and all the other.
Fruits of the spirit, though continue to grow in the believer.
But then he makes it personal.
He's talked about him. He talks now about our response.
First 25, he says he who loves his life loses it.
Jesus saying, if you love your life.
The result will be.
You'll lose it.
You see people.
Who will eat well?
Now eat the correct diet.
They'll exercise.
They'll do all the things that they can do to live longer.
And that might be. I tend to believe that you don't live any longer doing those things. I think you live better.
I mean, let's face it, if you're sickly it in bed and you live years and years, is nearly not as much fun issue if you live in, you're out doing things and accomplishing things and doing exciting things.
But
but I tend to think.
You don't necessarily live longer.
As I would say.
100 percent of the people who ate eat kale will die.
I choose kale because I'm allergic to it.
In the recorded.
Biblical history
only two people have not died.
And guess what, friends?
Bing with us.
You cannot keep that. What you cannot keep.
Your life has been given to you as a gift of God.
And if you choose to love it.
You cannot keep it.
But he says this.
And he who hates his life in this world will keep it. But he doesn't stop there.
To eternal life.
Now in our culture, hate is a very strong word. We kind of think of malice and those types in what Jesus is talking about. When you have a choice between one thing and the other.
When you choose the other, that's what you love, and that's what you hate.
Jesus saying, when you have the choice between choosing your life or something else.
And you hate your life.
So when you choose God over your life, you love God more than your life. When you choose your children over yourself, you love your children and hate yourself. The Scripture says, for instance, Esau he hated Jacob. He loved you, said it the other way, Jacob, I loved, but Esau hated.
Didn't mean that he wanted the ill will of esau and meant that when it came to blessings and always preference to Jacob.
So he's saying.
In the economy of the Kingdom.
Trying to hold on to this life.
Causes you to lose it.
A surrendering this life.
You will gain eternal life.
If anyone serves me.
He
has the option of following me.
Now what it says.
Says he must follow me.
It is not an option.
To follow Jesus, if you serve him.
And where I am there, my servant will be also.
Jesus during his ministry.
Would frequently say.
What I see the father doing that is what I do.
And in essence we, as his servants are supposed to be aware enough to say when we see Jesus doing something. That's where we're to be. That's where we're to serve. That's where we're to do what he does.
So Jesus.
In his teachings, will say things like.
When I was in prison, you visited me and when I was naked, you clothed me when I was hungry, you Fed me and when I was thirsty, you gave me water.
And he was aware when did we see you in all of these things? And he said, when you saw the least of these.
You served me.
We do what Jesus does.
We follow his example and we serve because that's why he came.
I can think of no better way to show love in your life versus hating your life as to taking your life.
A step down and say.
Your life is more important.
Your needs are more important. I will serve you.
And if Jesus
the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords can serve us, and we're going to see in a few weeks.
Who literally would get on his hands and knees and washed the feet of his disciples.
How can we say we follow him?
If we don't do what he does.
Again.
We have this idea.
That if we have this big ministrie that somehow God will be impressed.
Or they have all this money and we give all this money that somehow God will be impressed?
As Jesus said.
When you give out of your Sir Plus.
OK.
But when you give out of all that you have and all that you are.
Notice what happens.
If anyone serves me.
The father will honor him.
In the years.
That I have had the privilege.
Being your pastor and have serving.
There have been some really good days and there been some really bad days.
And there been sometimes when people have been very encouraging in my administry, and there been some days when pretty much people thought maybe you should. Maybe you're not even safe.
Enter.
And while in the human aspect it is nice when people appreciate what you do.
That's not why you serve. That's not why you do.
Because the opinions of men change very rapidly.
Ask Jesus.
He comes in one day.
Hosanna bless it is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
And a few days later, crucify him crucify him.
We have no King but Caesar.
So if you're over hoping to win a popularity contest.
It'll be short.
But when God honors you.
Is eternal.
And I can think nothing better.
Then they hear the words of honor.
Well done.
You good and faithful slave.
And a cherry on the top.
You gave all that you had.
Even out of your poverty.
Because you love me that much.
That my ministry was more important.
In your life.
My ministry was more important.
In your worth.
My ministry is more important than your self worth or the worth of others.
So while I do not believe.
That the Kingdom of Heaven is a great communist state in the Sky.
I do believe this.
That every single person who enters into the Kingdom.
Has the same ability to give all.
Whether it's two copperpoint coins?
Or the wealth of the world?
Again, the world.
Look at the.
Large gifts
and will praise the Givers.
The people who have talent of musicians and singing will talk about how wonderful that person is, and they'll put him in the center stage and give them all this glory and honor.
The person in the back.
Who can barely carry a pitch?
If they give all that they have.
God will reward.
The person who decides maybe?
I won't use my talent.
On the stage I use my talent making the passer look better on the camera, or maybe I'll use my talent so that the ban.
Plays and people can hear it and hear it better then maybe they sing in the people who do the words so we have the ability to know what the songs are because for some reason even though we may have something last week, we don't remember this week.
So there are people who are using their gifts.
So that might make it easier for all of us to worship the Lord.
And yeah, because you sit in the back, you may not feel notice.
But in the economy of the Kingdom.
Giving all that you have.
Will cause him to honor you.
But
if you're not in the Kingdom, it doesn't matter.
If you are not.
A fruit.
As a result of Jesus's death, burial, and resurrection.
And you can win by having all the toys and all the things, and you can be a philanthropist and give away billions of dollars.
You simply end up.
Like that rich man.
Who had it all?
The Lazareth
who had nothing.
Was a beggar.
With in paradise.
I encourage you.
To examine our lives.
To determine
are we following him?
Truly following him, not what some for what his word says.
And by following him doesn't mean we just read the words.
Means we do the work.
And that.
That fruit that he produced by his death, burial and resurrection.
Has been.
In placed in US.
So that we.
Upon our death and burial.
Will be resurrected.
I would still.
Rather be the poorest.
Person in heaven.
Then the richest man in Hell.
It is his grace.
His mercy.
His faithfulness.
It causes us to be there.
His death 2000 years ago is still producing fruit.
And all God's People said.