Investment in “Kingdom Jones” (2)
Luke 6:27-38
Principle one was “God is the
provider.”
2- Invest having in mind what you expect to find in
return.
Today’s passage is very
clear:
“Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down,
shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be
measured to you.” (Luke 6:38)
We read Paul is challenging
the church in
“Do not be deceived: God can not be mocked. A man
reaps what he sows.” (Galatians 6:7)
We often complain, “I don’t
feel loved in this church; I don’t like this congregation.”
Question. How much do you love people? Do you show love to someone
in this church? “A man reaps what he
sows.”
This is true not just
biblically, but also in the world. Whatever one sows, one will reap.
What is your measurement? How
do you measure things in your life?
“God can not be mocked.” If you hands are tight with the Lord, with your time,
with your money, with your love, with your compassion, what are you waiting in
return?
If you are person who always
has something to criticize about the church, what do you expect the outcome
will be?
If you invest in God, God
will bless you. This is His promise.
Does this mean if I put more
dollars in the plate, if I pledge more, God is going to drop dollars on my head?
No and Yes, God is not a bank.
It does not work that way. God wants us to be faithful in our tithing, be
faithful in our giving, be faithful in our dedication to His church, give
priority to Him and He will bless us. In today’s verse in Luke he says he gives
back “A good measure, pressed down,
shaken together and running over.”
Do you remember the verse
from Psalms I offered you on New
Year’s day?
“You crown the year with your bounty,
and
your carts overflow with abundance” (Ps.
65:11).
Overflow with abundance is
beyond dollars. It could mean spiritual blessings; it could mean satisfaction
in life that is beyond material goods.
I know people who believe in
this principle, act accordingly, and see results. And I know people who love
God but they have difficulty in practicing this principle.
3 -You have to invest at the beginning and not at the
end.
Imagine a farmer who says, “I
will sow tons of seed when I reap the crop.” But don’t seeds come before the
crop? How about the businessman who says that he will start building the
apartments whenever he collects 100% of the rent for the next two years?
I love the teenage boy who
trusted Jesus with two fish and five loaves of bread. He gave it from the beginning.
He trusted from the beginning. He did not save some. He gave it all, and it was
blessed.
Many of you believe in this
principle in the world economy but not in the church.
Many of you have difficulty
in giving your time and money to God fearing that you cannot have enough for
your family and business.
Tithing was
easy when our income was small. It is easy to give $10 out of 100.
Many of us have a problem in
giving $10,000 out of 100,000. “I give time to church when I can.” is often
being heard.
“For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
4. The fourth important principle is what Jesus said, “For where
your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matt. 6:21).
Where is your heart? Your
heart follows your treasure.
How can tune your heart
towards God?
You may come to church,
attend Bible study; you may serve in the church. But your heart may still be
away from God.
Nevertheless, here is a
simple principle: “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Are you excited that you are
in CACC? Do you have dreams about this church?
This is not Nerses’ church;
this is your church. This is your family.
Does your heart get excited
when you hear a sermon like this?
Are you excited to know about
a need in
Are you happy that Badveli
calls you and invites you to be part of the Bible study group?
Are you happy if someone asks
you for help to have a ride to the church?
Are you happy that Badveli is
calling you for choir practice?
Can you be happy if Gladys
asks you to help her in the church finances?
Can you be happy if Armenouhi our caretaker asks you to help her for cleaning?
Where is your heart? There is
your treasure.
5. Invest in God so that God will take the credit.
Glory be to Him and not to
me. This is investment in His Kingdom: “Kingdom Jones” (not Dow Jones),
Do not worry who takes the
credit, because the credit goes to God. Investing in God means to use what God
entrusted to us in the first place. Therefore,
we are giving back what we received. It is His and not mine.
I hope this principle stays
in our heart every time you do something for the Lord.
I heard a story about two
wicked and crooked brothers. One of them died and his brother came to the
pastor and asked if he could perform the funeral, and whether he could speak
good words about his brother. He promised
a juicy check for the church in
return.
The next day before the
funeral the juicy check was handed to the pastor. The pastor said in his words,
“This man who died is a wicked man, abused his family, was a hypocrite in the
church, but comparing to his brother, he is an angel.”
Wrong motive to give. We are
investing in God. Our purpose in giving is for the glory of our Lord.
Therefore, let me summarize
the 5 principles:
1 God is the provider
2-Invest having in mind what you expect in return.
3 -You have to invest at the beginning and not at the
end.
4- Your heart follows your treasure.
5- Invest in God so that God will take the credit.