Investment

Investing in God’s Kingdom

An investment is something that you do, give, acquire, with the goal that in time…the value of will increase. If you invest some money at a bank…or with CFR, you’re goal is that over time, that original investment will grow. If you invest in real estate, your hope is that the value of that property will grow. If you invest in stocks or etf’s or cryptocurrency, your goal is that those items will increase in value over time.

When you invest your time, you’re hoping that the value of your time will be expanded. If you coach little league baseball…you’re investing time and your skill and knowledge…placing those things into the athletic lives of little ones…hoping that, in some way, they will take the time and effort and knowledge you’re giving…and it will grow within them. Or you just hoping that the time you’re investing will translate into a fun experience for them…something memorable.

Investment

We can think about this on a number of levels. Family…parents and grandparents investing in their children and grandkids. Teachers…investing in their students. A CEO or manager investing in their employees. Friends investing in each other. People investing in people.

I want to make the argument that Jesus asks us to invest. In fact, I think that I can go a step further and say that being in Jesus’s Kingdom is a call to invest … a call to invest in other people…to give something you have…for the sake of another person. I think this is a picture of Kingdom.

If this is true...the question becomes, what kind of investment am I making? And why would I invest in someone else’s life in the first place?

Here’s where we see again, that Jesus’s Kingdom is something that turns the world on its head. Jesus’s ways are not like the world’s ways.

Investment

”A father gave his little girl two dollars and said, “You can do anything you want with one of the dollars, but the other dollar belongs to God.”

With joy she ran to the candy store. On the way she tripped and one dollar fell into the storm drain. She got up and said, “Well Lord, there goes Your dollar.”

We often think in terms of things being ours…money being ours....time being ours....and maybe not selfishly or in greed but we tend to hold things in this life close.

So I think if we start with Jesus…His view of what this Kingdom is…this new Kingdom that He calls the Kingdom of God…we can see more of what all of this means…we can see this through His eyes and through His heart.

And remember, we’re talking about investments.

In the book of John, chapter 17, we have the words of Jesus’ prayer before he is goes to the cross. And as I’ve said before, John 17 will give you a ton of insight into Jesus’ heart and purpose…His hope for us.

Jesus prays for His disciples. He prays that the Word…God’s truth…the Good News…that He gave to them, taught them, showed them, the truth that He died and rose for…He prayed that His investment in them would grow.

He says in John 17:18, “As you have sent me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.”

And then he prays, and this is recorded by John in 17:20, “I pray not only for these but also for those who believe in me through their word.”

Investment.

In our world when we invest money, there is some risk. And we know that and we are told that by bankers and brokers. We take a bit of risk hoping for a return on investment. Our hope for these monetary investments is founded on …possibly either the purpose beyond or the running record of the bank or company we’re investing in.

Risk and trust.

We take risk…and we place trust (of some amount)…into this investment…and our trust is based on something. A person’s word or the success of a company.

Jesus prays for those he has sent into the world…those he has invested in. Then He prays for the ones who will believe because of their word and their lives.

One person to 12…12 to more…more to many more...

It sounds like Jesus is not worried about risk here is He. He’s assuming that when God’s word…God’s truth....the Good News…when it goes out…it will not return empty. In fact that’s a promise we read in scripture. Jesus simply assumes that more will believe and then more will believe and then more will believe...

Isn’t it kind of neat that we’re in Jesus’ prayer. You all sitting here, and those of you online, you were all prayed for by Jesus himself. John 17:20.

He prayed that His original investment would not only be seen in you but that it would grow in you too. If we begin to look at all of Jesus’ references to the growth of the Kingdom, we see that this isn’t just an investment like we might make with our money…this is an investment with a promise.

Investment in the Kingdom equals growth.

Jesus talked about this in a parable of the mustard seed. This is recorded in Matthew 13:31-32

31 He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. 32 Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.”

Where is the risk? Not much risk when walking with God…I think the risk lies within us…that we need to let go of us to allow God to work through us. God’s plan is going to move forward. Information about Him is still moving out. It hasn’t stopped and won’t stop. God is changing hearts. It’s happening. The Kingdom is here and growing. People are turning to Him and away from the world. The risk…is in us.

How did Jesus put it? You are the salt of the earth. You ARE the light of the world. Matthew 5:13-16

He has given us His spirit…which goes beside us and before us…to help us and to guide us as we live day by day....as we interact with people day by day....as we invest in other people’s lives. And here’s the picture…

Paul writes in the book of Galatians 2:20 “…I no longer live but Christ lives in me...”

If you’re allowing Jesus to work through you…through the spirit He gave you…then who is doing the investing? Jesus is…through you.

When we allow Jesus to invest in us…and we willingly allow Him to grow in us…His spirit to grow in us what will we see?

Paul writes what grows in us…and he uses gardening terms…gardening is a lot like investing isn’t it? You plant one thing…tending the garden…hoping you’ll have a return greater than that one seed.

Paul writes that what grows in us is …and this is from Galatians 5:22 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self control.

As God grows in us…as God’s spirit directs us and guides us and changes us…changes our hearts to look more like His…this is what we see.

Now…How many of these things can be given away…shared…with someone else? All of them.

Investment. Jesus invested in you 1) so He could be with you forever…and 2) so you could be His light to others.....so that they might be with Him too. Investment.

You are the light of the world.

There’s a story that gives a great picture of this:

With The Sun There is no Darkness

This story is about a cave which lived under the ground, as caves have the habit of doing. It had spent its life in darkness. It heard a voice calling to it: “Come up into the light; come and see the sunshine.” The cave retorted: “I don’t know what you mean; there isn’t anything but darkness.” Finally the cave ventured forth and was surprised to see light everywhere. Looking up to the sun cave said: “Come with me and see the darkness.” The sun asked: “What is the darkness?” The cave replied: “Come and see.” And so one day the sun accepted the invitation. As it entered the cave it said: “Now show me your darkness.” But there was no darkness!

When we bring the truth of Jesus…invest it in others....share it, give it....we are giving them light.

Jesus invested in us…promised us that this investment will grow in us, change us…if we allow it to. And the investment he gave us isn’t meant for us to keep all to ourselves. We’re asked to re-invest it in the lives of others around us through His spirit…His spirit of love joy peace patience kindness goodness faithfulness gentleness and self control. Love others as you love yourself.

So have you allowed Jesus’ investment in you to grow? This investment will help you see your faults…your weaknesses…your strengths. Jesus’ investment in you will help your heart to change and become more like His…so that others will see you and maybe be drawn to the Spirit that is in you?

What was humanity’s original purpose on the planet? To reflect our Creators image…to give Him glory.

Las week we talked about the prophet Habakkuk. In one of God’s responses to him…after Habakkuk asked a question and kind of demanded an answer…God says that one day, His glory will fill the earth, like waters cover the sea.

Jesus died for you and me…and He didn’t just leave it there. It was for the purpose of His Kingdom growing and growing so that it will one day fill the earth…God’s glory filling the earth through us.

Investment…Jesus to the disciples. The disciples to others....others, to you and I …all through the ages....and now us to....who? I have no doubt that all of you are investing in other people right now whether you know it or not. God is blessing you so that you can bless others.

So last week I also asked you to begin thinking about that one person that you think God might be working with through you. I asked that you begin praying for that on person.

Praying for a person is investing in them…no doubt there. Begin praying too that God would show you how He might use you to invest in their lives.

You never know where God’s will might go when you submit to it.

What I’d like you to do right now is rather simple....

think through your life....who has invested in you?

Why invest in someone else? Because God invested in you. God love the world so much that He sent His son…why? so that no one would perish…but have eternal life.

There is an endgame. God’s goal is that no one would be apart from Him. You have the chance to show someone the option of eternal life with God.

I think that is an investment worth looking into.

Amen?

Let’s pray...