Foundations of the faith, giving back to God

(to listen to a podcast of this sermon, please visit www.pacificviewbaptist.com and click on "sermons" from the menu on the left.)

Giving back to God
Mark 12:41-44, 2 Corinthians 8:2-7, Malachi 3:7-12


Intro… A Monk giving everything to God…a bit extreme…that’s not going to be most of us…

Text: Mark 12:41-44

First of all, I think it’s important that we all think about the title of today’s sermon...giving back to God.
• We give out of gratitude, gratefulness, acknowledging that God allows us to even have anything in the first place.
• Think about when someone does something incredible generous for you. Most of us want to give something back. “That was so kind, what can I ever do to pay you back?”

The money we give to God should come right off the top, the first check we write after getting paid.
• Why? God deserves our best, not the leftovers. I know that’s a huge step of faith, but that’s when God can really show you some crazy stuff.
• Proverbs 3:9-10
• Don’t just tithe when you’re rolling in dough….Mark 12:41b
• “I can tithe now, I’m covered, here’s a little for you God.” God wants/deserves our best.

Give with a cheerful heart, right attitude.
• How many of you have ever volunteered for something? If you show up with a bad attitude, it’s no fun for anyone.
• How could God be pleased if you are giving spitefully?
• 2 Cor. 9:7-8

Support your local church.
• “Think globally, act locally.”
• Pacific View is part of something bigger than ourselves. We support missionaries and our denomination is HUGE!

How much to give?
• Lev. 27:30 “Tithe” literally means 10%.
• 10%...a good place to start, but be careful!
• If you’re too concerned about the “gross/net” thing, then you are already heading in the wrong direction.

Does anyone want to share today on how God has blessed you because of tithing?
• God has all of us here today for a purpose…
• BTW, today’s message is really for our regulars...

God wants all of us, not just our money.
• Besides your money, what else can you give to God?
• 2 Corinthians 8:1-7

Still doubting? Check out Malachi 3:7-12
• Yes, God is asking you to actually test him in this area. Makes no sense, but go ahead and start tithing on what little you may have now.
• We have a tendency to be so tight with all our stuff...especially our money.
• In Matthew, Mark, and Luke 1 out of every 6 verses deals with money. Of the 29 parables Christ told, 16 deal with a person and his money.

Conclusion:
• An employee in the bill-collection dept. of a large store gives us important insight into the human nature:
• An oft repeated response from people who are delinquent in paying their bills: “I know you must have others who owe a lot more than I do. Stop bugging me!”
• Problem is, these people are missing the point entirely. Yes, there are others who owe more, however, what they owe isn’t the issue. Our records show that YOUR account is overdue!
• When it come to money issues, our tendency is to shift attention from ourselves by pointing the finger at others.
• “Yeah, well, I might not be tithing, but I’m sure everyone else is, and the church seems to be doing OK, they never have to beg and plead for money…”
• Thank God, we are doing fine in finance dept. year after year...but that’s only because people have taken it upon themselves to make sure they are tithing.
• Or you could be saying, “Hey at least I’m giving something and it’s better than those “pagans” who don’t go to church and never give anything.
• Well, guess what, the “pagans” are pointing at us and figure we’re just hypocrites anyways, cause they see us mess up…
• God isn’t fooled by any of us finger pointers. He’s seeing right into our hearts and minds.

God doesn’t need our money, just our heart, because God doesn’t operate on a money scale anyways.
• And once he has our hearts, we won’t have a problem giving back to him.

“The sooner we realize that no one owes more to God than we do, the more likely we are to receive his free forgiveness. He extends pardon only to those who humbly acknowledge that they are hopelessly in debt.

Remember today’s sermon title...Giving back to God.
• Psalm 50:7-12 He owns everything…
• I know this is a huge area of faith for all of us. I want God’s best for you and this is an important step in the right direction.

Feedback?
Any tithing/blessing stories?

Foundations of the faith, personal time with God.

(to listen to a podcast of this sermon, please visit www.pacificviewbaptist.com and click on "sermons" from the menu on the left.)

Foundations of the faith, personal time with God.
(Bible reading and prayer) Psalm 119:97-112

Intro… My dad and I getting very lost in the rainy woods…hot tomato soup when we got home.
• It could’ve all been prevented had we taken a compass reading from the start.
• Setting the moral compass…

Big Pic: In this world of craziness, we need personal time with God.
• This is a time to listen to God through the reading of his word and talk to God through prayer.

Text: Psalm 119:97-105

• How many of you have heard the phrase “quiet time?” It’s actually a good name…I want to talk to you this morning about being still and quiet before God
• Psalm 46:10 "Be still and know that I am God."

Good communication involves two things, what are they?
• Talking and listening.
• We usually have no problem talking to God.
• We need to learn how to listen to him better.
• One of the ways that happens best is through time in the Bible.

A few things consistent time in the bible will do for you:
V. 97 Teaches you to love the laws of God.
• “Love your law” It takes time to get to that place, but it’s key.
• As you mature in your faith, you learn that God’s laws are for our good, our protection.

v. 98-100 & 104a Makes you wiser/gain understanding.
• Talking the other day with a friend about college costs/our kids careers etc...that’ll all come later, but for now…
• Nothing thrills me more than to see my children developing a love for God. (Elijah’s quote, “New years resolution, read a book of the bible.)
• 3 John 4 We all need a child’s eagerness for the Bible.


v. 101-102, 104b & 110 Teaches you to hate what is wrong.
• May sound harsh, but that’s actually what happens.
• As someone matures in their faith, it’s great to hear them say, “You know I don’t even have a desire to do ____________ anymore.”

v. 103 Gives you a taste of the sweet things.
• Learn to crave the meat of the word and not just the milk…
1 Cor. 3:1-3, Heb. 5:11-14
• We’re all excited about Mo and Arielle’s baby…Babies are cute and all… but we need to grow past that stage.

v. 105 Guides and directs your life.
• The bible is our roadmap/direction for life.
• I can’t tell you that the bible addresses every single issue we face, but the more time you spend in God’s word, the more wisdom you’ll have when it come to making decisions that are not “black and white” spelled out directly in the bible.
• ...living together/sex before getting married… ”But the bible doesn’t say…” Yeah, but you should know better.

“The bible does not expressly condemn many things, including racial discrimination against certain races, killing abortion doctors as a means of fighting abortion, or smoking crack, yet few people would argue that these acts are morally justified.”
• When it comes to these “unspoken” issues in the Bible, we all need to pray about them and search the scriptures.
• If you do make a change, it needs to be because God is telling you to do this, not me.
• THAT’S THE KEY! Time in the word will do that for you. We need to hear from God!

v. 107-108 Gives us perspective when suffering.
• We’ll learn to praise God through it all.
• We all know that suffering is a part of life and that it’s going to happen.
• We need to seek God’s perspective when it does.

v. 109 Keeps us focused when we continually try to make a go of it on our own.
• We need to be able to get to the point where we can say, “I’ve prayed about it, read the scriptures etc. and Lord it’s in your hands from here. “
• Prayer Always pray about everything and trust God for the outcome. Don’t be surprised is God changes you through your time of prayer…
• Ideally you have the time to spend with God in the morning before things get crazy. A nice peaceful hour with God, no interruptions...right parents?
• Or maybe it’s more chaotic...
• Somehow, somewhere, we need to carve out quiet space for God. Your personal time with God may come in shorts bursts, or later in the day.
• There will be times when it’s long and uninterrupted and time where you have to squeeze it in. Yes, you want to give God your day from the start, but don’t forget to check in with him throughout the day.

v. 111 Gives you a rich heritage and joy in your heart.
• That’s something that only God can give you, real, lasting joy.
• Not only personal time with God, but also setting the example to your families, dad and mom….family prayer time, devotions, etc.

v. 112 Gives you a heart after God.
• God only wants our hearts...fully devoted to him. Once that happens, the choices we make will be obvious.
GOSPEL

Where, how to start?
• Get a translation you can understand. Take a free bible here...
• Psalms and Proverbs…NT
• Read entire books, follow the story, resist the temptation to “salad bar” your theology…
• Start small, 5-10 min. a day before you venture in to a BSF or Beth Moore study.
• Why not embark on your own quest to read through the bible this year?

Conclusion:
Ever wonder what would happen if we treated our Bible like we
treat our cell phone?
What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets?
What if we flipped through it several times a day?
What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it?
What if we used it to receive messages from the text?
What if we treated it like we couldn't live without it?
What if we gave it to Kids as gifts?
What if we used it when we traveled?
What if we used it in case of emergency?
This is something to make you go....hmm...where is my Bible?
Oh, and one more thing.
Unlike our cell phone, we don't have to worry about our Bible being
disconnected because Jesus already paid the bill.
Makes you stop and think 'where are my priorities? And no dropped calls!


Discussion/questions/thoughts etc.

Foundations of the faith, small groups

(to listen to a podcast of this sermon, please visit www.pacificviewbaptist.com and click on "sermons" from the menu on the left.)

“The social network, the importance of small groups.”

Intro…“The social network” FB, etc.
• I am now at 506 friends, kinda weird…
• Jesus had a social network too…crowds of followers demanding his attention, raw disciples needing to learn…
• We need to connect in life. As humans we need each other. This bonding or connection happens on many levels. Initially (hopefully) with your family, friends, teammates, roommates, boyfriends/girlfriends, new families, church families etc.

Big Picture: As Christians, we need to connect with each other for support, accountability and encouragement. The best way for that to happen is to meet in small groups.

Text: Mark 3:7-14
Jesus spent lots of time with many disciples. How many disciples did Jesus have? (He picked 12 to spend most of his time with,)
• Let’s get a perspective as to why Jesus needed to spend time with a smaller group of disciples. (see highlighted passages from Mark 1:32-3:20)
• He also spent time with a few…Mark 5:35-37, 9:2, 14:32-34.
• Even Jesus saw the value in small groups, trusting the future of Christianity to 12 men.
• So, we are talking connecting on a big scale (Sunday am), smaller scale (comm. Groups) and an even smaller scale 1-3 close friends.

Small groups are really about community, connecting and discipleship.
Actually getting to know some people at church. Having them pray for you, hold you accountable to your growth, getting connected.

Our small groups are:
• Discussion oriented (most of ‘em).
• Time oriented (usually between 1 1/2 to 2 hours, depending on how long you hang out…)
• A place to ask questions you can’t on Sunday am.
• A place to open up your life, be accountable. (I know it’s scary...but o-so good for you. And don’t worry it’s not like AA...)
• There’s normal people that attend these groups….
• A place to pray and be prayed for…
• A place where you will feel cared for/loved on and taken care of.
• As you get to know that group, it will become your “mini-church’.
• They will and should take care of you even before I hear about it!
• A place to grow deeper in your faith/discipleship…
• When you hear “discipleship” what come to mind?

As a church we exist to: Love God, love others and serve the world.
• One of the best ways to love others is through a small group.

Let’s take a look at some good verses on this subject of growing deeper in your faith:
Matthew 16:24-26
• To truly follow Jesus will require a level of sacrifice.
• What part of your pride do you need to let go in order to go deeper with God?

Luke 18:28-30
• Even to these extremes (if necessary) we should be willing to follow Christ.
• We need to follow Christ even if it means giving up those things that are so near and dear to our hearts.

Why should we have this type of dedication to Jesus?
• Because: 1 Peter 2:9
• But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God's instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for you. 1 Peter 2:9
• Look at these titles we get as Christians:
• Chosen people royal priesthood holy nation a people belonging to God
• We need to act like it!

I’m going to assume that no one is dragging you here kicking and screaming every week.
• So, if you are at all serious about your Christian faith, then you will take the next step which is getting connected to a small groups which is a form of discipleship.

Here’s what we’ve got for small groups for now.
• Tuesday evenings
• Wednesday evenings
• Other nights, more groups?
• OR You tell me what kind of small groups you’d be interested. If we find enough matches, we’ll organize new groups! Base ‘em on common interest.

What if I’m afraid to jump from Sunday’s into a possibly confrontational small group?
• Start on a “lower level.” Tech team, music, greeters…see bulletin.
• It’s great when you get to church and actually know some people…
• The challenge for every church (100 or 5000) is to get people in small groups.
• You will never be as connected to God, other Xians and this church…
• What happens if you don’t connect? We lose you…”I never really go to know anyone at that church.”

Theme for today? We want you to be able to connect with a smaller group of people outside of Sunday morning…so that you can grow deeper in your faith with God.

Conclusion:
• I’ve been fortunate enough to have been involved in “small groups” for over 30 years now…these groups have been instrumental in my walk with God.
• FB vs. real life…contact is kinda like the large church service vs. small groups.
• And as great as it is to have hundreds of “friends” on FB or at church, there is nothing like real time conversations.

Foundations of the faith, church attendance

Foundations of the faith, church attendance
Zechariah 7:8-14

(to listen to a podcast of this sermon, please visit www.pacificviewbaptist.com and click on "sermons" from the menu on the left.)

Intro… ”I don’t need church”, “The ocean is my church.” “I love Jesus but not the church.”
• If someone were to ask you why you go to church, what would be your answer…?
• Yes, all churches have problems…yet for the Christian who is truly committed to God, staying away from them is a form of self-righteousness.
• Some people are too full of pride to find a local body of Christ and learn to get along with everyone in that church.
• There is no way you can grow deeper in your faith unless you are involved in a community of faith.
• It’s like a family, sometimes gets along, sometimes doesn’t….
• We need each other for support, accountability etc.
• If we really want to get to know Jesus better, you must be deeply involved in the church.
• And remember, “the church” is the people, large or small group.
• Only if you are part of a community of believers seeking to resemble, love and serve Jesus will you ever get to know him and grow into his likeness.

• Big Pic: Being actively involved in the “church” is a sign of your commitment to God and shows a desire to grow deeper in your faith.

Text: Zechariah 7:8-14

Brief background to Zechariah:
• Zechariah is a OT prophet encouraged the people to finish the Temple.
• They had laid the foundation for the Temple in 536, but the work had stalled for about 15 years.
• Zechariah predicted more about the Messiah than any other prophet except Isaiah.
• This book is one of consolation and hope, beginning with a call to repentance and ending with prophecies concerning the return of Christ.

In chapter 7, he tells the people to move from ritual to reality in their worship of God.
• He does what all prophets do best, tell people things they don’t want to hear!

Let’s take a look at chapter 7…
• The people are asking, (v. 3) “Should we weep and fast as we have done for so many years?”
• Zechariah’s response…(v.4-6) ”Are you fasting and mourning for yourselves or for God?” IOW, do you have the right motives?
• Religion without obedience and justice is empty.
• These people’s ancestors had brought God’s wrath by hardening their hearts.
• And now the Israelites had lost their sincere desire for a loving relationship with God.
• That’s usually what messes up church life…when it becomes more about the programs and performance than a loving relationship with God and others.
• Now that the temple was being rebuilt, the people were questioning whether there was a need to observe these rituals.
• So, when we go to church, small groups, pray or fellowship with other Christians, are we doing it out of habit or routine?
• Or maybe for only what you can get out of it.
• An attitude of worship without a sincere desire to know and love God will lead to his anger and our ruin.
• Then Zechariah gives examples of healthy “church” life…what a gathered group of believers should be acting like…

V. 8-10 “And the word of the Lord came to Zechariah” (remember what I said last week about God’s revelation in the OT)
• Render true judgments (be careful how we judge others, always recognizing our own failures…)
• Show kindness and mercy to each other (that never gets old)
• Don’t oppress those in need (widows, fatherless, poor, etc.)
• Quit backstabbing each other (why is that so easy?)
• This is healthy church life!

Look at the contrast in those who are not acting godly to each other; v. 11-14
• Refusing to pay attention (to God)
• Turned a stubborn shoulder
• Stopped their ears that they might not hear
• Made their hearts diamond-hard (Chilean miners) lest they should hear the law and words of the Lord

And here is the consequence: (v. 12b-14)
• Great anger from the Lord (or what we tend to think of as the “OT God”….when actually that’s the eternal, timeless God.)
• God turning a deaf ear toward us! v. 13
• A scattered people…(just the opposite of what we need)
• A land left desolate
• Video clip of “The book of Eli”
• A land (or heart of group of people) left desolate


We come to church, we are the church, we gather with the church:
• Out of respect for God
• To worship him, be humbled before him and to hear what he has to say.
• To stay accountable to our brothers and sisters in Christ.
• To show what a healthy family should look like…showing kindness and mercy to each other, taking care of the poor.
• To stay nurtured, cared for, loved on.
• To keep us from being scattered and desolate.

Being around God’s people will also help us to:
• …listen to God, keep from being stubborn, open our ears and soften our hearts.
• … better hear the words of the Lord.

Conclusion:
• So whether it’s the surfer/ministry guy I read about at the beginning of the sermon or “Patrick” not wanting to go to church because they were talking about God’s judgment…
• It’s not up to me or any other pastor to tell you how many Sunday’s a year to be in church.
• What I can tell you is to be in church more often than not this year.
• I’d also like you to broaden your definition of church this year and realize the importance of gathering with other Christians under many different circumstances.

Q & A?

Communion intro