Faithful People – 3

Faithful People – 3

Subject – Giving Ourselves Totally to the Lord

by Rick Welborne

2 Corinthians 8:1‑7 (NLT) 

1 Now I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters, what God in his kindness has done through the churches in Macedonia. 

2 They are being tested by many troubles, and they are very poor. But they are also filled with abundant joy, which has overflowed in rich generosity. 

3 For I can testify that they gave not only what they could afford, but far more. And they did it of their own free will. 

4 They begged us again and again for the privilege of sharing in the gift for the believers in Jerusalem. 

5 They even did more than we had hoped, for their first action was to give themselves to the Lord and to us, just as God wanted them to do. 

6 So we have urged Titus, who encouraged your giving in the first place, to return to you and encourage you to finish this ministry of giving. 

7 Since you excel in so many ways—in your faith, your gifted speakers, your knowledge, your enthusiasm, and your love from us—I want you to excel also in this gracious act of giving. 

–Today we want to continue this concept of faithfulness but maybe by taking it a little deeper.

–Pastor Rick, you are asking or the Word is asking us to give our tithe and offerings besides...how can we go deeper than that?

–Let me commend those of you who have listened to God’s Word and have responded by choosing to be faithful in your tithing and offerings (Missions and Bahamas) but there is more.

–The Macedonians first action was to give themselves to the Lord and to us, just as God wanted them to do. Just as God wanted them to do! To the Lord and to us!

–So what is our message about today...sacrificial faithfulness - being committed to giving our all to Jesus...not just our money...everything!

1. Our greatest example of extra-ordinary faithfulness and of giving our all was Jesus!

–We love to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and celebrate we should but we must understand Jesus gave us His all!

Romans 5:1‑11 (NLT) 

1 Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. 

2 Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory. 

3 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. 

4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. 

5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. 

6 When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. 

7 Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. 

8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. 

9 And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. 

10 For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. 

11 So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God. 

–Jesus was sacrificially faithful by giving His all...by giving His life. By giving His body to be broken, abused, and scorned by His enemies. 

–We celebrate Easter because of the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ...we celebrate the God-man who gave it all.

--It is hard to imagine that God has brought us into a place of “undeserved privilege.” What powerful words and what a powerful concept.

--Jesus, as our example, is showing us that as we witness to others and as we lead them to Christ, we are bringing them into a place of “undeserved privilege.”

--Along with this “undeserved privilege” we also receive Holy Spirit which I deem as “undeserved power.” We did not deserve Jesus but we received Him and now we do not deserve Holy Spirit and He is available.

--There’s more. We also receive “undeserved forgiveness” because when we were utterly helpless, Christ came at the right time and died for us. Who are we showing up for at the right time.

--We show up in people’s lives so they can find this “undeserved privilege, power, and forgiveness.” I can’t stop. We then lead them to His ‘undeserved love” and cleansed by His “undeserved blood.”

--We then come into one of the greatest experiences a human being can have and that is “undeserved friendship” with God. We have much to be thankful about with Jesus. 

2. If we will to be Christians, we must emulate Christ!

–Unless I am mistaken Christian means to be Christ-like...to be like Christ! To emulate, imitate, and follow Him all the way to the cross. 

–The purpose of Christ and the purpose of the Macedonians were to give themselves first to God to do what He wanted. Father, your will be done…not mine. 

–Some of you may think that all we are after here at Life Church is for you to pay your tithes and to give offerings on top of that...faithful to missions. Not true.

–The reality is that we want you to be Christ-like and be willing to lay yourselves down for the cause of Christ. And to lay down your life for your friends. 

–We understand that if you will give yourselves totally to Christ that He will have access to all you are and all you have, and all you hope to ever be. All I have belongs to Him…not just the tithe.

–To emulate Christ we must understand what He did:

John 10:14‑18 (NIV) 

14 "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me‑‑ 

15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father‑‑and I lay down my life for the sheep. 

16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. 

17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life‑‑only to take it up again. 

18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father." 

–To summarize...

--Jesus says I lay my life down for the sheep (those who follow Me). 15

–I lay my life down for those not in the pen yet...He says, “I must bring them in”. 16

–I lay My life down because by doing so...My Father loves Me! 17    Obedience

–I lay My life down of My own accord.  18   Willful obedience

–So if I am to emulate Christ...I should be willing to lay my life down for the sheep (the brothers). Pastor Rick, that is what Jesus did not us! Really?

1 John 3:16‑19 (NIV) 

16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. 

17 If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? 

18 Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. 

19 This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence... 

3. If we emulate Christ we will experience resurrection!

1 Corinthians 15:12‑21 (NLT) 

12 But tell me this—since we preach that Christ rose from the dead, why are some of you saying there will be no resurrection of the dead? 

13 For if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised either. 

14 And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless. 

15 And we apostles would all be lying about God—for we have said that God raised Christ from the grave. But that can’t be true if there is no resurrection of the dead. 

16 And if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised. 

17 And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins. 

18 In that case, all who have died believing in Christ are lost! 

19 And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world. 

20 But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died. 

21 So you see, just as death came into the world through a man, now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man. 

–I declare to you today...Jesus was born, He was crucified (laid down His life), and that He has been resurrected from the dead...He is alive!

–When we are willing to give ourselves (to lay down our lives for Christ and each other) we show that we are identifying with Christ in His death and resurrection.

Romans 6:1‑5 (NLT) 

1 Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? 

2 Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? 

3 Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? 

4 For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives. 

5 Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. 

–In other words...when we are willing to lay down our lives...we experience resurrection.

Matthew 10:38‑39 (NIV) 

38 and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 

39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

–Tommy Barnett - If we will do the usual...Jesus will do the extra-ordinary! 

4. The principle we have been trying to share with you has been that of resurrection!

John 12:24‑26 (NIV) 

24 I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. 

25 The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 

26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me. 

–If you try to hang on to your life you will lose it!

–If you try to hang on to YOUR dreams you will lose them!

–If you try to hang on to your finances you will lose them!

–If you lose your life in Christ...you will find it!  Resurrection!

–If you give your dreams to God...He will bring them to pass!  Resurrection!

–If you give your finances to God...He will bring blessings!  Resurrection!

Boundaries – 3

Boundaries – 3

Subject – The Development of Boundaries

by Rick Welborne

 Genesis 27:1-4 (NKJV)
¹  Now it came to pass, when Isaac was old and his eyes were so dim that he could not see, that he called Esau his older son and said to him, "My son." And he answered him, "Here I am."
²  Then he said, "Behold now, I am old. I do not know the day of my death.
³  Now therefore, please take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field and hunt game for me.
⁴  And make me savory food, such as I love, and bring it to me that I may eat, that my soul may bless you before I die." 

--Last Sunday we learned that boundaries show me where I end and someone else begins, what is my responsibility and what is not. Today we will look at how to build healthy boundaries.

Cloud and Townsend - Remember the old saying, “Insanity is genetic. You inherit it from your kids”? Well, boundaries aren’t inherited. They are built. To be the truth-telling, responsible, free, and loving people God wants us to be we need to learn limits from childhood on. Boundary development is an ongoing process, yet its most crucial stages are in our very early years, where our character is formed.  

--The role of a parent or grandparent is to build healthy boundaries for children. At the same time, it is a child’s job to push against those boundaries in a safe way. They will push!

--As we examine the process of building boundaries, I encourage you to ask yourself two questions: 

 1. How am I building boundaries with the people in my life? 2. How were boundaries built (or not built) in my life?  

1. Bonding and Boundaries

--Building good boundaries begins when we are babies. This is called Bonding. A close, safe, nurturing bond between a parent and a child is essential for development into a healthy, whole adult. 

--Bonding is the bedrock on which we build boundaries. When babies come into the world their first need is to know they are loved, protected and nurtured. 

--A person will feel insecure later in life if they do not feel secure at the beginning of life. Unfortunately, not all parents develop a loving bond with their babies and children. Through the prophet Isaiah, God asks:

Isaiah 49:15 (NKJV)
¹⁵  "Can a woman forget her nursing child, And not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, Yet I will not forget you. 

--The bond between mother and child should be strong. Parent and baby should bond. Yet that doesn’t always happen. There is a condition called FTT. The letters mean “Failure to Thrive.” 

--The causes are diverse and difficult to pin down but one reason is a lack of nurturing from a parent. Yet God says even if the parent-child bond is broken, His unconditional love never gives up. 

Cloud and Townsend - Our deepest need is to belong, to be in a relationship, to have a spiritual and emotional “home.” The very nature of God is to be in relationship. Love means relationship— the caring, committed connection of one individual to another. Like God, our most central need is to be connected. You can’t develop or set boundaries apart from supportive relationships with God and others. 

Don’t even try to start setting limits until you have entered into deep, abiding attachments with people who will love you no matter what. 

2. Separation and Boundaries

--After Bonding, the next step is Separating. During the first four months of life, mother and baby are one in the eyes of the baby. There is no distinction. Video

--During the second half of year one, the baby starts to separate and develop an identity. All that nurturing pays off. The little one feels secure enough to do some exploring. 

--They want to take the world in through their senses…especially their mouths. My son Joshua would put his middle finger in his mouth and the ring finger and index finger in his eyes. Other hand…in his belly button. 

--The separation phase is the time to begin building boundaries. As a child develops an identity over the next months and years he or she learns to use two powerful words: “No” and “Why?” 

--Parents don’t like these words. I couldn’t wait until the “No” phase passed with my kids (it happened last week). And as for “Why?” before you have kids you think you will try to patiently explain every reason why. 

--But when my kids asked “Why?” for what seemed like the four thousandth time, I said those dreaded seven last words: “Because I said so. I’m the dad.” 

 --Believe it or not, good boundaries depend on your children learning to say “No” and “Why?” Remember how I said a child’s job is to push against the boundaries? 

--That’s what they do when they use these two powerful words. How can this be good? For one thing, you want them to ask “Why?” when someone encourages them to do something out of bounds.

 --You want them to say “No” when someone tries to do something wrong with them or to them. As painful as it is at times, all those years of testing the limits helps a parent and child set and keep clear boundaries. 

--Boundaries can be so confining the child doesn’t learn how to safely explore and navigate through life. On the other hand, when parents set very loose or no boundaries, the kid terrorizes everyone around them.

--“No” is not a bad word. Even Jesus said, “Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,” and your ‘No,’ ‘No;’ anything beyond this comes from the evil one” (Matthew 5:37). 

Cloud and Townsend - Parents have two tasks associated with no. First, they need to help their child feel safe enough to say no, thereby encouraging his or her own boundaries. Though they certainly can’t make all the choices they’d like, young children should be able to have a no that is listened to. Informed parents won’t be insulted or enraged by their child’s resistance. They will help the child feel that his no is just as loveable as his yes. The second task facing parents of children is helping the child respect others’ boundaries. Children need to be able to not only give a no, but also take a no. 

--Think back to your own childhood. Did you receive the nurturing love of your parents? Did they give you a bedrock sense of security? Were they clear about boundaries? Were the boundaries too confining or too loose? 

--Did they hear your “No” and “Why?” and help you to develop your own boundaries? Or did they respond with hostility or withdraw their love? Did they teach you to hear other’s “No” and respect their boundaries? 

3. Isaac and Rebekah – Boundaries Crossed.

 --An excellent example of where this was done very badly is in the Bible. We can see what NOT to do in the family of Isaac and Rebekah. Isaac, the son of Abraham, favored their brawny, hairy older son Esau. 

--But his wife Rebekah doted on their softer, more sensitive younger boy Jacob. When old Isaac was blind and near death he wanted to bless his first born. In those days, they believed a blessing was more than a wish. 

--It had the power to determine a child’s future for good or ill. It was also the custom to give the first-born the most and the best and let the younger have the rest. 

 --Not if Rebekah had anything to say about it. When she hears her nearly blind husband Isaac send Esau out to prepare a meal for him, Rebekah quickly calls in Jacob, 

 Genesis 27:8-10 (NKJV)
⁸  Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to what I command you.
⁹  Go now to the flock and bring me from there two choice kids of the goats, and I will make savory food from them for your father, such as he loves.
¹⁰  Then you shall take it to your father, that he may eat it, and that he may bless you before his death."

--She’s not a bit concerned about lying to her sick husband or tricking her oldest son out of what’s coming to him. Maybe Rebekah has her reasons. Perhaps Esau caused her a lot of grief growing up. 

--Maybe she thinks the tradition of favoring the first born is unfair and ought to be changed. But instead of addressing it directly, she works up a scheme behind the scenes. 

--In this scene, Rebekah is what Cloud and Townsend call a Controller. She doesn’t acknowledge someone else’s rights. She can’t hear or respect someone else’s “No.” 

--Controllers won’t take “No” for an answer. There are two types of Controllers. One is Aggressive. They roll right over someone’s fences. They are sometimes verbally abusive, sometimes physically abusive. 

--But most of the time they simply aren’t aware that others even have boundaries. It’s as if they live in a world of yes. There’s no place for someone else’s no. 

--Rebekah is really the other type: a Manipulative Controller. They smoothly talk others out of their boundaries. They work behind the scenes and massage situations to get their way. 

--Through her actions, Rebekah is training Jacob to be this kind of Controller. For now, he is more what Cloud and Townsend call a Compliant. He goes along with his mother’s plan. 

--If a Controller can’t hear “No,” a Compliant can’t say, “No.” They go along with the crowd. They overcommit and say “Yes” to too many things and then secretly resent others.  

--Compliant people have fuzzy and indistinct boundaries; they “melt” into the demands and needs of other people. They are spineless. 

--They can’t stand alone, distinct from people who want something from them. Many compliant people realize too late that they’re in a dangerous or abusive relationship.  

--Compliant people are afraid to say “No” for various reasons. They fear rejection and punishment, anger and abandonment. They don’t want to hurt others’ feelings or appear to be selfish. 

--They may even have an overly critical conscience. Though he knows it’s not right, Jacob complies with his mother’s scheme. He doesn’t protest or expose the dishonesty. His only concern is getting caught. 

 Genesis 27:11-13 (NKJV)
¹¹  And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, "Look, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth-skinned man. 

¹²  Perhaps my father will feel me, and I shall seem to be a deceiver to him; and I shall bring a curse on myself and not a blessing."
¹³  But his mother said to him, "Let your curse be on me, my son; only obey my voice, and go, get them for me."

--Rebekah will soon regret those words. What part does father Isaac play in this family drama? He’s what might be called a Nonresponsive. 

--When it comes to the sibling rivalry that’s been brewing between the brothers for years, Isaac takes a very passive role. Nonresponsive people don’t hear the needs of others. They don’t want to get involved. 

--Esau, the eldest completes the set by being an Avoidant. He is the strong, silent, self-sufficient hunter. In this story you get the feeling that he is always out on his own. He doesn’t let others in or ask for support.  

Cloud and Townsend - Why is avoidance a boundary problem? At the heart of the struggle is a confusion of boundaries as walls. Boundaries are supposed to be able to “breathe,” to be like fences with a gate that can let the good in and the bad out. Individuals with walls for boundaries can let in neither bad nor good. No one touches them. 

 So to summarize: Compliants can’t say, “No”. Controllers can’t hear, “No”. Nonresponsives can’t say, “Yes”. Avoidants can’t hear, “Yes.” Which one are you? Where do the people in your family fall? 

 --What happened in this family? This is one time Jacob should have said, “No” to his mother. Yet pride convinces him he is better than Esau and fear makes him tremble at the thought of being caught. 

--So he puts on his brother’s coat, straps on the goatskin suit and carries the tasty meal into his father. Notice how many times he has the opportunity to tell the truth. 

Genesis 27:18-27 (NIV)
¹⁸  He went to his father and said, "My father." "Yes, my son," he answered. "Who is it?"
¹⁹  Jacob said to his father, "I am Esau your firstborn. I have done as you told me. Please sit up and eat some of my game so that you may give me your blessing."
²⁰  Isaac asked his son, "How did you find it so quickly, my son?" "The LORD your God gave me success," he replied.
²¹  Then Isaac said to Jacob, "Come near so I can touch you, my son, to know whether you really are my son Esau or not."
²²  Jacob went close to his father Isaac, who touched him and said, "The voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau."
²³  He did not recognize him, for his hands were hairy like those of his brother Esau; so he blessed him.
²⁴  "Are you really my son Esau?" he asked. "I am," he replied.
²⁵  Then he said, "My son, bring me some of your game to eat, so that I may give you my blessing." Jacob brought it to him and he ate; and he brought some wine and he drank.
²⁶  Then his father Isaac said to him, "Come here, my son, and kiss me."
²⁷  So he went to him and kissed him. When Isaac caught the smell of his clothes, he blessed him and said, "Ah, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field that the LORD has blessed. 

--Deception sealed with a kiss. Sound familiar. Boundaries crossed. People hurt. Jacob is barely out of his father’s tent when Esau arrives and the truth is revealed. Isaac shakes with fury about being fooled. 

--Esau rages at his runt brother who tricked him again. Jacob flees from the wrath of his bow and arrow wielding sibling and Rebekah, for her part in the whole charade, will never see the face of her beloved boy again. The curse did fall on her.

--There is always great hurt when boundaries are crossed. Relationships get destroyed.

Faithful People – 2

Faithful People – 2

Subject – Finding Joy in Faithful Giving

by Rick Welborne

2 Corinthians 9:6‑15 (NKJV) 

6 But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 

7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. 

8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. 

9 As it is written: "He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever." 

10 Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness, 

11 while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God. 

12 For the administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God, 

13 while, through the proof of this ministry, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal sharing with them and all men, 

14 and by their prayer for you, who long for you because of the exceeding grace of God in you. 

15 Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! 

–The last few weeks we have been speaking about resilient people...We saw definitely that if you were resilient, you were also faithful. It comes with the territory.

--Last week we spoke about Gideon and how he was not afraid to ask God some honest questions:

Judges 6:13 (NKJV) 

13 Gideon said to Him, "O my lord, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, 'Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt?' But now the LORD has forsaken us and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites." 

–I want so much to encourage you to cry out to God in your particular situation and to reverently and humbly ask God why has this happened and where is your miracle!

--The sooner we are honest with God and the sooner we are not afraid to ask Him serious questions; the sooner we will begin to see the miracles we are asking for. We have seen:

1. A woman who had Leukemia received her answer last week...no Leukemia!

2. A family member who was away from God and church reconciled.

3. People who felt like they could not afford to be faithful to God in the area of giving have stepped out in faith to trust God!

–What my purpose is today is to continue to challenge you to be extremely faithful to God especially in the area of giving. Why faithful in giving?

--Many times it is revealed to us that if a person will trust God with their finances, they will trust Him with their lives and with their families. 

–Because of where our world is economically how great would the testimony be to the world if God came thru in a great way with your finances?

Malachi 3:18 (NIV) 

18 And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.  

–When our President, the House, and the Congress cannot agree to help or take care of the middle class wouldn’t it be great if Life Church became a model for people to know that God can make that distinction?

–What a testimony to the world when God breaks through with healing in His wings! What a testimony when God comes and scatters our enemies for us!

Malachi 4:2-3 (NKJV)
²  But to you who fear My name The Sun of Righteousness shall arise With healing in His wings; And you shall go out And grow fat like stall-fed calves.
³  You shall trample the wicked, For they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet On the day that I do this," Says the LORD of hosts. 

–What a testimony when God comes and reconciles families...Just in the last couple of weeks I have had that testimony also! God is at work!

–Today let us look at this concept of faithfulness and obedience in the area of giving and see what the Lord is saying to us.

1. God loves a cheerful giver!

–Cheerful givers will sow a lot of seeds because they are not doing it because of what they will get back but for the joy of giving and their love for God and people. It really makes you feel good.

–Having worked on a farm, having sat on a tractor for endless hours and having been raised with parents who always had a garden...the more you plant the more you grow.

–Kids have it so hard with all their hi-tech toys...we spent most of our summers in the garden planting, weeding, watering, dusting (bugs), and picking the produce.

–Yes, we were paid...$1 or $2 a day for sun up to sundown work...then right before school our money was taken to buy our school clothes that was picked out by our parents.

–Though I was not (at that time) impressed with the process we never lacked for food.

–If God loves a cheerful giver...how does He feel about those who don’t give or those who give begrudgingly?  I think Malachi is pretty clear about that. Calls them a cheat!

–If God loves a cheerful giver...how does he feel about your faithfulness or lack of it to Him?

–God knows all about your tithes and offerings...matter of a fact He watched how people gave (widow’s mite) it wasn’t the amount...it was the obedience and sacrifice.

2. God will multiply a cheerful giver’s seed (finances)!

2Cor.9:10-11(NKJV)

10 Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness, 

11 while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, 

–He will multiply the seed (or finances) as we give faithfully and cheerfully!

Luke 9:11‑17 (NKJV) 

11 But when the multitudes knew it, they followed Him; and He received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who had need of healing. 

12 When the day began to wear away, the twelve came and said to Him, "Send the multitude away, that they may go into the surrounding towns and country, and lodge and get provisions; for we are in a deserted place here." 

13 But He said to them, "You give them something to eat." And they said, "We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless we go and buy food for all these people." 

14 For there were about five thousand men. Then He said to His disciples, "Make them sit down in groups of fifty." 

15 And they did so, and made them all sit down. 

16 Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the multitude. 

17 So they all ate and were filled, and twelve baskets of the leftover fragments were taken up by them. 

Video–Listen to the principle of multiplication...The Blessed Life - Robert Morris

3. God will receive a cheerful giver’s offering as worship!

–The program Life Church has to enhance our worship or used to have...the words to songs...my sermons...

is called “Easy Worship”

–I am convinced that “Easy Worship” is what many Christians want.

–It is so easy to sing...to lift our hands...to shout...to dance to the music...to do most of the things that we associate with worship.

–Do you just suppose God expects more from us than just the mechanics of worship...He expects us to give our total self to Him!

Romans 12:1 (NLT) 

1 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 

–Because of all He has done for you...give Him your bodies...your heart...your mind...Your past...your future...your careers...your finances!

2Cor.9:11-15 (NKJV)

11 while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God. 

12 For the administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God, 

13 while, through the proof of this ministry, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal sharing with them and all men, 

14 and by their prayer for you, who long for you because of the exceeding grace of God in you. 

15 Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! 

–This whole chapter has to do with the blessing of giving to God...

* Giving causes thanksgiving to God thru us...giving is worship.

* Giving meets needs but cheerful giving abounds in thanksgiving to God!

* As people receive the sacrifices we give cheerfully...they glorify (worship) God.

* Paul gets cheerful...15 Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! 

–What was God’s indescribable gift?

John 3:16 (NLT) 

16 “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 

–What was Jesus’ indescribable gift?

Hebrews 12:2 (NIV) 

2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 

--What is our indescribable gift?  

Revelation 17:14 (NKJV)
¹⁴  These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful."

--We are called, chosen, and faithful!  We are faithful people!

Boundaries - 2

Boundaries - 2

Subject – Our Lives are a Matter of Boundaries

by Rick Welborne

Proverbs 22:28 (NKJV)
²⁸  Do not remove the ancient landmark Which your fathers have set. 

Galatians 6:1-5 (NKJV)
¹  Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.
²  Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
³  For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
⁴  But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.
⁵  For each one shall bear his own load. 

--Last week we started this series on boundaries and I believe we have much to learn about having clear boundaries for ourselves and for those we deal with. Let’s jump in!

Cloud and Townsend – Boundaries define us. They define what is me and what is not me. A boundary shows me where I end and someone else begins, leading me to a sense of ownership.

--Knowing what I am to own and take responsibility for gives me freedom. If I know where my yard begins and ends, I am free to do with it what I like. Why our world is such a mess.

--People want freedom of speech as long as it what they want to hear. They set up artificial boundaries then get offended when people cross them. Why we need the Word of God to be our standard.

--Taking responsibility for my own life opens up many different options. However, if I do no not own my life, my choices and options become very limited. We let others own us.

--Think about this…how confusing would it be if someone told you to “guard this property diligently, because I will hold you responsible for what happens here” but they didn’t tell you the boundaries of the property.

--Or maybe they did not give you the authority or the means with which to protect the property. This would not only be confusing but it also could be very dangerous.

--This is exactly what happens to us emotionally and spiritually. God has designed a world where we all live “within” ourselves; that is, we inhabit our own souls, and we are responsible for the things that make up “us”. 

Proverbs 14:10 (NLT2)
¹⁰  Each heart knows its own bitterness, and no one else can fully share its joy. 

--In other words, we have to deal with what is in our soul, and boundaries help us define what that is. If we are not shown parameters, or are taught wrong parameters, we are in for much pain.

--The Bible tells us clearly what our parameters are and how to protect them, but often our family, or past relationships, confuse us about our parameters. 

--Think about it…many people have to deal with boundaries being set by parents who are unbelievers or immature believers, friends, or church. Again this is why God’s Word is so important.

--In addition, to showing us what we are responsible for, boundaries help us to define what is not our property and what we are not responsible for. We are not, for example, responsible for other people. 

--Nowhere are we commanded to be in control of others although we spend a lot of time and energy trying to get it. Some people live to control and manipulate others. 

1. I am responsible “to” you but I am not responsible “for” you. 

--We are responsible to others and for ourselves. Please explain, Pastor. Look at this verse that shows our responsibility “to” one another. 

Galatians 6:2 (NKJV)
²  Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

--We all see it when we notice others who have “burdens” that are too big to bear. They do not have enough strength, resources, or knowledge to carry these burdens, and they need help.

--As we deny ourselves to do for others what they cannot do for themselves we are showing the sacrificial love of Christ. This is exactly what Christ did for us.

--He did what we could not do for ourselves; He saved us. This is being responsible “to”. Thank God, He did what we could not do! Amen! On the other hand, listen to verse 5:

Galatians 6:5 (NKJV)
⁵  For each one shall bear his own load. 

--Everyone has responsibilities that only he or she can carry. These things are our own particular “load” that we need to take daily responsibility for and work out. 

--No one can do certain things for us. We have to take ownership of certain aspects of life that are our own “load”. The Greek words burden and load give us insight into the meaning of this text.

--The Greek word for burden means “excess burdens,” or burdens that are so heavy that they weigh us down. These burdens are like boulders. They can crush us. 

--We should not be expected to carry a boulder by ourselves! It would break our backs. We need help with the boulders—those times of crisis and tragedy in our lives. 

--In contrast, the Greek word for load means “cargo” or the burden of daily toil. This word describes the every day things we all need to do. These loads are like backpacks. Backpacks are possible to carry. 

--We are expected to carry our own. We are expected to deal with our own feelings, attitudes, and behaviors, as well as the responsibilities God has given to each one of us, even though it takes effort. Last week:

2 Thessalonians 3:10-13 (NLT2)
¹⁰  Even while we were with you, we gave you this command: “Those unwilling to work will not get to eat.”
¹¹  Yet we hear that some of you are living idle lives, refusing to work and meddling in other people’s business.
¹²  We command such people and urge them in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and work to earn their own living.
¹³  As for the rest of you, dear brothers and sisters, never get tired of doing good. 

--These verses give us an example of our daily loads…working is not a boulder, it is a backpack. Stop acting like being responsible and working is too hard. Get a life and get a job. Bear your own load. 

--Problems arise when people act as if their “boulders” are daily loads, and refuse help (drugs), or as if their “daily loads” are boulders they shouldn’t have to carry. The results of these two instances are either perpetual pain or irresponsibility. 

--Unless we want to stay in pain or become irresponsible, it is important to determine what “me” is, where my boundary of responsibility is and where someone else’s begin. 

2. Boundaries help us keep the good in and the bad out. 

--Boundaries help us to distinguish our property so that we can take care of it. We need to keep things that will nurture us inside our fences and keep things that will harm us outside. Fences protect our hearts.

Proverbs 4:23 (NKJV)
²³  Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life. 

--We need to protect our hearts by establishing boundaries or fences and in doing so you will guard your treasure (your pearls) so that people will not steal them. 

Matthew 7:6 (NLT2)
⁶  “Don’t waste what is holy on people who are unholy. Don’t throw your pearls to pigs! They will trample the pearls, then turn and attack you.

--What an analogy…people will cross lines to steal from you and if that is not bad enough, then, they will turn on you and attack you. Young ladies, be careful giving your treasure away…soon those who took it will attack.

Cloud and Townsend – Sometimes, we have bad on the inside and good on the outside. In these instances, we need to be able to open up our boundaries to let the good in and the bad out. In other words, our fences need gates in them. 

--Let’s say that I have some pain or sin inside, I need to open up and communicate this problem to God and to others so I can be healed. 

--Confessing pain and sin helps get the sin “out” so that it does not continue to poison me on the inside. 

James 5:16 (NLT2)
¹⁶  Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

--When the good is on the outside, we need to open our gates and “let it in”. Jesus shows us this in Rev. 3:20 when He says He stands and the door and knocks…we need to let Him in.

--God places good people in our lives who have wonderful things they want to give us and we need to open up to them and let those things in. Our pride often keeps us from being blessed. 

2 Corinthians 6:11-13 (NLT2)
¹¹  Oh, dear Corinthian friends! We have spoken honestly with you, and our hearts are open to you.
¹²  There is no lack of love on our part, but you have withheld your love from us.
¹³  I am asking you to respond as if you were my own children. Open your hearts to us!

--So often God sends people to deposit good things in our lives but we close the boundaries or we will not open the gates, therefore we live in a state of deprivation. 

Please understand this, boundaries are not walls. The Bible does not say that we are to be walled off from others; in fact, it says we are to be one with them. 

John 17:11 (NKJV)
¹¹  Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are.

--We are to be in community with them. But in every community, all members have their own space and property. Each has their own load. We often misunderstand this.

--The important thing is that the property lines must be permeable (able to let people in or keep them out). They must be strong enough to keep out unwanted danger. 

--Sadly, when people are abused while growing up, they reverse the functions of boundaries. They keep the bad in and the good out. Boundary lines get blurry and people tend to hold the pain inside.

--Many times people like this will not open up and let in support from the outside that could bring them healing. Mysteriously, people like this also allow others to dump their junk on them causing more pain to their soul.

--They must be willing to reverse the boundaries and understand they need fences strong enough to keep the bad out. They need gates in those fences to let the bad out inside of them and let the good in they desperately need. 

3. Our boundaries or fences need a gate.

--Many times we have said in this message that our fences, our boundaries, need a gate to keep bad out and to keep good in.

--Wow, whoever this gate is has to be strong, wise, discerning and has an important responsibility of managing this process of what is entering and exiting. 

John 10:7-10 (NIV)
⁷  Therefore Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep.
⁸  All who ever came before Me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them.
⁹  I am the gate; whoever enters through Me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture.
¹⁰  The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

--Jesus said I am the Gate! That is pretty emphatic. We have tried to manage this process and we have done a horrible job. We refuse to get the bad out and we refuse to let the good in. 

--Jesus said whoever came before me were thieves and robbers…who came before Him? Let’s be honest about who came before him…who was it? It was us. The devil influenced us but it was us.

--Lordship tells me I have to give ownership of my fences, my boundaries, and my yard to Jesus. He will make sure no one enters who shouldn’t and He allows in what and who needs to come in. God has limits Himself.

Cloud and Townsend – God also limits what He will allow in His yard. He confronts sin and allows consequences for behavior. He guards His house and will not allow evil things to go on there. He invites people in who will love him, and he lets His love flow outward to them at the same time. The “gates” of His boundaries open and close appropriately. 

--Pastor, I cannot control the gates of my life…it is impossible for me. Me too! I cannot control my gates either. You need and I need an advocate, a mediator, someone who can manage our gates. 

1 Timothy 2:3-6 (NKJV)
³  For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,
⁴  who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
⁵  For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus,
⁶  who gave Himself a ransom for all…

--Jesus is the Gate of our boundaries.