Managers of God’s Resources …

In Matthew 25:14-30 Jesus tells a parable about a wealthy landowner who entrusts His riches to His servants expecting them to invest those resources according to the landowners intentions while they await His return. The resources given by the landowner are extensive … as he gives today’s equivalent of millions of dollars to each.

Jesus tells this parable in the context of a sermon He was preaching about His certain return to the earth in the last days (Matthew 24-25 … “The Olivet Discourse.”). The implication is clear – Jesus was telling His disciples that He was leaving for a “long journey” (2,000 years now and counting) but one day would return. While we wait for His return, we are to invest His resources for His purposes.

What are His resources? Truly ALL THINGS … but generally these could be categorized in three areas: time, talent, treasure.

Is time truly the Lord’s? YES. Psalm 90 reflects on our relatively brief lives, yet God is eternal. Our days are numbered, Psalm 139 says, by the Lord of All Time. Whatever time we have is GIVEN US BY GOD, with the expectation that we would use those opportunities according to His purposes.

Is talent truly the Lord’s? YES. 1 Peter 4:10 indicates that we are each given a spiritual gift by the Lord to equip us for service and Psalm 139 tells us that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. Ephesians 2:10 even tells us that the Lord has prepared us for good works “that we should walk in them.” Whatever talent we have is GIVEN US BY GOD, with the expectation that we would use those skills according to His purposes.

Is treasure truly the Lord’s? YES. Psalm 50:10 lets us know that God has “the cattle on a thousand hills” and King David reminded us in the prayer of dedication over the resources to construct the Temple that truly all things are the Lord’s (1 Chronicles 29:10-16). So whatever treasure we have (money, possessions, etc.) is GIVEN US BY GOD, with the expectation that we use that stuff according to His purposes.

In His grace God has saved us and equipped us with opportunities, skills, and stuff. He wants us to use them as He intended, and one day we will give an account for how we stewarded His resources (2 Corinthians 5:10). It is my prayer that we would all hear “well done good and faithful servant” on that day.

How will you put to use what He has given you this week?

In God We Trust (Part 2) Sermon Questions, Audio & Video

On Sunday, March 19, 2023 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Matthew 25:14-30.  This message was part 2 in the “In God We Trust” sermon series.  Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion.  You will also find the audio and video of the message to listen to/watch, download or share.

Sermon Questions:

  1. Pray
  2. Read Matthew 25:14-30
  3. Take an inventory … enumerate the resources the Lord has entrusted to you: Time (opportunities), Talent (skills), and Treasure (stuff). Taking a look at those resources, would you consider yourself having been given 1 “talent” or several “talents”?
  4. Three observations were given … one about our past (do we need to repent for any previous misdealing with God’s provision?), one about our present (are we currently playing the “comparison game” with other believers?), and one about our future (what is our plan to invest His provision in the days ahead?)  Did anything in particular stand out to you as you evaluated your life in these ways?
  5. Like the “one talent” servant in the parable, we are also tempted to bury God’s blessing and not deploy it for His purposes.  Can you relate to this?  Do you have a sense that you have buried or squandered any of the Lord’s resources that He has entrusted to you?
  6. What are some specific ways you want to invest His blessing this week?
  7. What is one particular application you took away from this passage/message?

To access these questions in pdf format, click here.

 

To listen offline, click the link below:

In God We Trust #2 3.19.23

 

To listen online, use the media player below:

 

To watch the stream, use YouTube online:

 

In God We Trust (part 2) Sermon Preview

Every day there are a number of assets that I manage. It is actually quite a generous portfolio. These resources are not mine, but are mine to manage. What does this collection include?

*  I am not an investment banker, but this portfolio does include money.
*  I am not a real estate broker, but it does include property.
*  I am not an auto dealer, but it does include transportation.
*  I am not an event planner, but it does include time.
*  I am not famous, but it does include relational connection and influence.
*  I am not the most talented person around, but it does include gifts and skills.

Every day, I wake up on this planet, I tend to these resources, and attempt to steward them in the manner that their owner would desire. Hundreds of dollars and square feet, thousands of minutes and relationships, several skills and a few vehicles have all been entrusted to my care by their true owner.

This is not unique to me. You also manage a similar portfolio daily of resources that are owned by another.

Who is that Owner? Well, if you were at Wildwood last Sunday for the start of our new sermon series, you heard from 1 Chronicles 29:1-16 that Jesus Christ is the rightful Owner of All Things. This means that our salary, our stuff, our calendar, our skills, and our influence is not REALLY OURS … but are actually God’s. By His grace and mercy He has entrusted into our care some of His things, with the hope that we would manage it for His glory and honor.

Your time, talent, and treasure are actually His. Though He has entrusted different amounts to each of us, the objective is the same. So how can we be a good steward of His resources? We will look at that this Sunday morning at Wildwood in our 8:30, 9:45 and 11:00 sermon series in part 2 of our series – “In God we Trust: 3 Thoughts about God and Money.” Last week we saw that God owns it all. This week we will discuss our role as stewards of His portfolio.

See you Sunday … and bring friends!

In God We Trust (part 1) Sermon Audio, Video, and Questions

On Sunday, March 12, 2023 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a message based on 1 Chronicles 29:1-16.  This message was part 1 of the “In God We Trust” sermon series.  Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion.  You will also find the audio and video of the sermon to listen to/watch, download or share.

Sermon Questions:

  1. Pray
  2. Read 1 Chronicles 29:1-16
  3. Why do you think the subject of “my money” is so emotional for all of us?  Can you think of any examples when your emotions or anxieties were elevated as you were considering your resources?
  4. In 1 Chronicles 29:9, the people rejoiced at the opportunity to give.  Have you ever experienced this feeling when giving away your resources?  Describe that experience?  What led to you having this feeling of joy as you gave?
  5. In 1 Chronicles 29:10-16, David prays to God and declares that ALL David and Israel had were actually the Lord’s.  Personalize this statement for a moment.  Did you realize that all you have is actually on loan from God?  Take a brief inventory of all of the Lord’s resources He has entrusted to you in this season of your life.
  6. Take some time and pray and thank God for His provision He has given you to manage and steward at this time in your life.
  7. What are some ways you are challenged to alter the way you are handling God’s resources at this time in your life?
  8. Do you regularly give a percentage of your income away (as a reminder that ALL of the resources are ultimately the Lord’s)?  When did you develop this rhythm?  What led to you to begin giving?  If you are not giving, what is preventing you from practicing this act of worship today?
  9. Why is it easier to trust Christ with our souls than with our stuff?  Are you gently holding both with an open hand before Him today?
  10. What is one particular application you took away from this passage/message?

 

To access these questions in pdf format, click here.

 

To listen offline, click the link to download:

In God We Trust #1 3.12.23

 

To listen online, use the media player below:

 

 

To watch the stream, use YouTube online:

 

In God We Trust (part 1) Sermon Preview

Money is an emotional subject … isn’t it?  To be fair, not all aspects of money are emotional; after all, most of us don’t beak out into cold sweats when we drive by a bank, or when we submit an expense report at work, or when we attend a class on Macro-Economics at University. These things are common for us – simple everyday realities.

But we do understand money to be emotional in different contexts.  For instance, when someone approaches us at a busy intersection with a sign that says “Help Please,” our heart rate might quicken.  When we get a bill from the orthodontist about the cost of straightening a smile, we have an emotional reaction.  And when a Pastor says “the subject of today’s sermon is about money” … well, we might just decide this is a good week to sleep in and watch the church down the street on livestream.

Why is that?  Well the answer is simple.  Money isn’t the issue … it is MY MONEY that causes the anxiety to rise.  And the reason the busy intersection of money and religion cause such avoidance is that we approach the topic EXPECTING the Pastor to tell US what we SHOULD DO with OUR money.  This has the emotional appeal of an arranged marriage.

And so with that introduction, I want to let you know that for the next 3 weeks, I will be preaching at Wildwood Community Church about [drum roll please]  … YOUR MONEY*!  

Now, before you sleep in and tune out for the remainder of March, I want to share with you three reasons why you should pay attention to this new series:

  1. We WANT this input.  We really do.  We want to understand what the creator of the universe has to say about money.
  2. We NEED this input.  We really do.  Inside each of us is what the New Testament calls “the flesh” which is an insider agent who is exceptional at convincing us that our desires are the most important thing. Yet giving into the flesh financially does not lead to happiness and fulfillment … instead it leads to things like debt, idolatry, and lack of peace.  We need outside input about a better way.
  3. We CAN TRUST the input of Jesus on this topic.  Did you realize that Jesus never took up an offering … though He talked about financial matters often.  Jesus is not after our money, He is pursuing our hearts … but there is a peculiar connection between these two things. We often ignore the advice of people concerning our finances because we assume that they just want to take advantage of us in some way.  However, we CAN TRUST Jesus on this topic every time.  He actually wants something for us, not just from us on this issue.

So, if you don’t want to listen to ME about money – I get it.  But let’s both gather these next 3 Sundays to see what God says about the topic. We will be in a 3 part series entitled “In God We Trust:  3 Thoughts about God and Money.”  This week, we will look at 1 Chronicles 29 and see why the phrase “YOUR MONEY” is starred (*) above.  Looking forward to worshipping with you all Sunday morning at 8:30, 9:45, or 11:00.  See you there … and bring friends!

Baptism Sunday (March 5, 2023)!

On Sunday, March 5, 2023, at Wildwood Community Church, we celebrated the baptisms of 19 people.  Join us in praising God for His work in people’s lives!  Below you will find links to the video stream of the 3 worship services (NOTE: the 8:30 and 11:00 services only include the baptism portions, while the 9:45 service has the entire service).  You will also find a link to the audio of the sermon (which was only preached at the 8:30 service due to time constraints in the later two hours).  Also, you will find a link to only the baptism testimonies.

Video from the 8:30 Service (baptism portion):

 

Video from the 9:45 Service (full service):

 

Video from the 11:00 Service (baptism portion):

 

8:30 Sermon audio to listen to offline (click link):

Baptism Sunday 3.5.23

 

8:30 Sermon audio via online player:

Vimeo Channel with baptism testimonies only:

March 2023 Baptism Testimonies

Baptism Sunday: March 5, 2023 PREVIEW

On Sunday, March 5, 2023 at Wildwood Community Church, we will be celebrating the baptisms of 19 of our people!  We will gather in our 8:30, 9:45, and 11:00 worship service, sing praise to God, pray for our mission team that is going to serve in the Middle East over Spring Break, hear the testimonies and witness the water baptisms of 19 people, and even look at Acts 2:37-41 together.  I can’t wait for this Sunday!!!!

As is our tradition on baptism Sundays, we will not have our adult/college/student/elementary classes meet (only our early childhood – Pre-K and below will be meeting.)  The rest of us will be “all in” the worship center celebrating God’s faithfulness!  Hope to see you Sunday in one of our morning services.  See the graphic below to know who is being baptized in which service.

Mission: Brief (part 5) Sermon Audio, Video, & Questions

On Sunday, February 26, 2023 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on 2 Corinthians 4:7-15.  This message was part 5 in the “Mission: Brief” sermon series.  Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion.  You will also find sermon audio and video to listen to/watch, download or share.

Sermon Questions:

  1. Pray
  2. Read 2 Corinthians 4:7-15
  3. In what way is the gift of the Gospel a “treasure?”  In what way are our earthly lives like “jars of clay”?
  4. What do you treasure most?  Your “self” or your Savior?  What is the evidence of this in the manner you live your life?
  5. What are some examples you know in your own life or those close to you where people have walked with God through difficult times leading you and others to praise God for your seeing Him work through their experience?
  6. When you think of planning for “the future” how far ahead do you think?  To this lifetime only, or do you include eternity?  How does what Paul says in 4:14-15 encourage you invest in others for Christ today?
  7. What are some ways you can serve others in Jesus’ name THIS WEEK?
  8. What is one particular application you took away from this passage/message?

To access these questions in pdf format, click here.

 

To listen offline, click the link to download:

Mission: Brief #5 2.26.23

 

To listen online, use the media player below:

 

To watch the stream, use YouTube online:

 

Mission: Brief (Part 5) Sermon Preview

In a drawer in our kitchen sit a stack of clear plastic containers. Some are square, others are rectangles, and still others are circular. These “lidded” containers have grown in number over the years. Most were considered disposable by another, but have been kept by us for re-use.

They are basically worthless by themselves. If I tried to sell them on eBay, my guess is they would not even get an opening bid of $1 … for all of them. That said, they prove VERY USEFUL for my family. We store food inside them that ultimately is used to nourish our bodies. Their value is found NOT in what they are, but what is IN THEM.

I say this today, because in 2 Corinthians 4:7-15, the Apostle Paul says something quite striking. He compares our lives to plastic disposable lidded dishes. He indicates that (for the Christian) the most valuable thing in our lives IS NOT OUR LIVES. The most valuable thing about a Christian is CHRIST IN THEM THE HOPE OF GLORY.

God has placed His glorious gospel in our souls … a true treasure no doubt … even though our earthly lives are fragile and (in some sense) transient. In his words, “this treasure is found in earthen vessels.” Earthen vessels were the cheap tupperware of the ancient world. Paul’s point was clear … compared to God’s glory, our lives are not that spectacular – a mere container for His true treasure.

This is a perspective that is all but lost today. We live in an era that champions the individual human life above all else. The most important thing is WHAT I WANT. A post-enlightenment, post-modern perversion that sees the world as a hierarchy with ME on top. To people living in this world, enduring persecution and suffering and hardship for Jesus Christ so that others might come to know Christ is pure lunacy. Yet this is what Paul says our lives are all about!

Instead of seeing our comfort and desires as ultimate, Paul sees the glory of God as the true treasure … a treasure we should sacrifice all to both possess and share.

Human lives matter — for sure. We are created in the image of God and Jesus came to die for us! However, human lives are not ultimate. Your comfort is not ultimate. There is a greater Treasure designed to fill your bowl … and when this Treasure fills your heart, it nourishes for all time.

This Sunday at Wildwood Community Church in part 5 of our “Mission: Brief” sermon series, we will look at 2 Corinthians 4:7-15 together. Make plans to be with us in our 8:30, 9:45, or 11:00 … and bring friends!

Mission: Brief (part 4) Sermon Questions, Audio & Video

On Sunday, February 19, 2023 at Wildwood Community Church I preached a message on 2 Corinthians 4:1-6.  This message was part 4 of the “Mission: Brief” sermon series.  Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion.  You will also find the audio and video of the message to listen to/watch, download or share.

 

Sermon Questions:

  1. Pray
  2. Read 2 Corinthians 4:1-6
  3. How would you assess your current involvement in ministry/service to Jesus?  Are you serving?  Used to serve (but don’t currently)?  Never really served in Jesus’ name?
  4. What does Paul say in 4:1 that encourages you to “get in” or “stay in” the game?
  5. What examples have you seen (either friends, yourself, or public figures) where Christians have taken shortcuts or tampered with God’s Word in some way to be more “relevant” or to serve themselves in some way?
  6. The minds of the perishing are veiled to the truth.  How does this impact the way you criticize AND pray for the lost?
  7. Have you given yourself to Jesus as your LORD and Savior?  Tell the story of how God opened your eyes to see the truth of the Gospel (Acts 26:18).
  8. How can you serve others in Jesus name (in word and deed) this week?
  9. What is one particular application you took away from this passage/message?

To access these questions in pdf format, click here.

 

To listen offline, click the link to download:

Mission: Brief #4 2.19.23

 

To listen online, use media player below:

 

To watch the service use YouTube online: