MIRACLE OFFERING SUNDAY (2)

Ready to Recieve?

Luke 11 ESV

1 Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” 2 And he said to them, “When you pray, say: “Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. 3 Give us each day our daily bread, 4 and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.” 5 And he said to them, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, 6 for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; 7 and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything’? 8 I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs. 9 And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 11 What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; 12 or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Matthew 25 ESV

1 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins…….

Matthew 25 ESV

13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour. 14 “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. 15 To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. 17 So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. 18 But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. 19 Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ 21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 22 And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.’ 23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 24 He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ 26 But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29 For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.

Title: “Ready to Recieve”

Prayer.

Mark 9:37 ESV

37 “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.”

i might begin todays message with a question: What if God poured out all his blessing on you in one GO. one time. one moment. A great question to ask would be this, would i, would you, would we be able to receive it?

What is God blessed you immeasurably more in a single day, a single moment all in one go?

Now we know that God works through seasons, through pimgrimage and such. But what if He did that - he poured out

he opened up the windows of heaven

The question today is…. would you be ready to recieve?

SO OFTEN WE FOCUS ON THE GIFT, THE PART THAT WE PLAY: BUT ARE WE ACTUALLY READY TO RECIEVE? TO WELCOME GODS PART, WHAT HE DOES….

Its kind of a challenging thought today:

Its often our immediate thought that we focus on the giving part. the part that we have to do, that we feel we should do, are encouraged in teh word to do.

But let me ask you again, If God poured out his immeasurably more blessing on you. would you be able to receive it?

When we give - what do we receive? and if we do recieve these things are we rady for God to give them to us?

HOW WE RECEIVE SOMEONE… Determines what to expect from that someone. isnt that right?

i mean think about JESUS: the ones who disregaded him, got nothing - the ones who honored him - received MUCH.

John 1:11 “11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.”

John 1:12 “12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,”

When we have hearts ready to recieve - we can have Godly expectation for God to move in our life. The properity gospel has skewed this truth, which so often happens in a generation. The gospel is not prosperity, its not proverty - its provision: correct, precise and reliant provision from on HIGH.

So Godly expectation is what FOLLOWS our hearts that are READY to RECEIVE.

WHAT SHOULD BE OUR EXPECTATIONS FOR RECEVING?

When we give, what do we reciece? What can we expect to reciece?

1.We receive joy

His joy was complete because he saw and did the work of His master.

Matthew 25:23 “23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’”

There is a completion or a finishing touch.. to the overall happiness in our lives as a result of our giving and working for God.

Now Joy is not happiness. Joy is something simply deeper: Joy is like happiness but with eternity baked into it. its deeper than whatever may or may not be going on around us. dont let your current happiness dictate your giving to God. Dont rob yourself of the joy that he wants to bring into your life.

JOY IN CHRIST IS LIKE HAPPINESS BUT WITH ETERNAL PURPOSE

GOD WANTS TO GIVE YOU A JOY THATS DEEPER, THATS GREATER - THATS HIS JOY.. IN YOU

John 3:29 “29 The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete.”

Philippians 2:2 “2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.”

1 John 1:4 “4 And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.”

2 John 12 “12 Though I have much to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink. Instead I hope to come to you and talk face to face, so that our joy may be complete.”

THERE IS SOMETHING TO THIS JOY AS A RESULT OF OUR GIVING BECAUSE WHEN WE GIVE - We recieve JOT.

Matthew 13:44 ESV

44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

read back to our text here but this is what we see given to the servants who had the correct perspective on the master and how he worked:

When we give, we can expect, that as part of that. we should recieve Joy back from God.

isnt that what paul talked about to the church? God loves a cheerful giver..

2 Corinthians 9:7 “7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

to give each what he has decided in his heart - because this is supposed to be an excercise of the heart. You will never experience more Joy than when you sacrifically give to the lord because of what it will do deep down inside of you.

WHEN WE GIVE, WE RECEIVE JOY. Its simple, its biblical… its true.

what else?

2.We receive purpose

(fulfilment, satisfaction, blessing).

Matthew 25:14 “14 “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property.”

Well done, Good and faithful servant.

You have been faithful.

arent those the words that we all want to hear one day? on that very day? You see any time we enter into something that God is He himself building and apart of, means that we are actually fulfilling our purpose as his servant.

Psalm 127:1 “1 Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.”

Our goal in this life is really simple: become what we are - Servants of the master - disciples of the one…..’

whens the last time you came around the truth that what you actually are, what we actually are and can claim - is that we are just servants of the master Jesus christ.

**you could talk about and wonder if this miracle offering today is for you… and i get that… you may have questions or you maybe questioing purpose in general. let me help you. it is nothing but an honor and a priviliege to serve and give towards whatever God is doing

and for you perhaps the thing you need to settle in your heart is - is God leading this. We believe God is the one giving us the vision for this - because its not about us - its about him - his purpose, our purpose is His purpose.

The Vision of our church for ten years now has been the same. one vision. “To build and exciting, vibrant, bible-based church whose focus is Jesus and mission is to welcome people home”

To build what God is building

To be faithful to his word as we do it

and to trust in the one who made it all possible..

so that MANY will come to know him as their lord and saviour

*** Thats why we give towards a miracle offering *** its to receive purpose into our lives!

3.We receive reward

Matthew 25:21 ESV

21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’

….

Matthew 25:28 ESV

28 So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents.

Matthew 25:29 ESV

29 For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.

everything we do for ourselves and this world fades away. whatever we do for Jesus will last forever. When we give to the Lord - our reward is certainly there. He promises it. He is faithful with it. Which means we can trust him.

HOW CAN WE EXPECT THAT?

God promises it? Hes not a liar, He hasnt failed anyone and he wont start with you!

Colossians 3:23–25 ESV

23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.

When we give: When we help: When we serve: When we go out of our way,when we sacrifice.

We recieve Joy

We recieve our purpose

… and surely as God is faithful: We can know tha today from the Lord himself: he will reward us!

Invitation: