050313 Abraham
Abraham M3 Real Wealth
Keep structure simple
A wise man from China had a who horse ran away and his neighbors said, “What bad luck.” He says we don’t really know if it’s bad luck or good luck. Then one day the horse comes back with another stallion and all his neighbors say what "good luck." The man said, “We don’t if don’t if this is good or bad luck.” The next day the man's son was out riding his newly found horse and this new horse threw him, breaking his leg. Again, the neighbors came by and expressed their sorrow for the bad luck. But the man said, "We’d don’t whether this is good or bad luck.
Now there was a war going on in the land and the king ordered the conscription of all the young men, most of which were being killed in battle. But when the soldiers came to collect the man’s son, he was excused because of the broken leg, which probably saved the young man's life. The son ended up caring for his father into his old age.
Sometimes what seems like a “blessing” is a curse and sometimes what seems like a “curse” is a blessing.
This morning we’re going to be looking at a man who chooses what seems to be “blessing” but turns out to be curse. We’re going to be looking a man chooses what seems a “loss” but turns out to be a blessing.
We’re going look at character of kind of person who is chooses the road that leads to ultimate blessing.
If you have your Bibles please turn to Genesis 13:
Abram and Lot Separate
1 So Abram went up from Egypt to the Negev, with his wife and everything he had, and Lot went with him. 2 Abram had become very wealthy in livestock and in silver and gold.
3 From the Negev he went from place to place until he came to Bethel, to the place between Bethel and Ai where his tent had been earlier 4 and where he had first built an altar. There Abram called on the name of the LORD .
5 Now Lot, who was moving about with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents. 6 But the land could not support them while they stayed together, for their possessions were so great that they were not able to stay together. 7 And quarreling arose between Abram's herdsmen and the herdsmen of Lot. The Canaanites and Perizzites were also living in the land at that time.
8 So Abram said to Lot, "Let's not have any quarreling between you and me, or between your herdsmen and mine, for we are brothers. 9 Is not the whole land before you? Let's part company. If you go to the left, I'll go to the right; if you go to the right, I'll go to the left."
10 Lot looked up and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan was well watered, like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, toward Zoar. (This was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) 11 So Lot chose for himself the whole plain of the Jordan and set out toward the east. The two men parted company: 12 Abram lived in the land of Canaan, while Lot lived among the cities of the plain and pitched his tents near Sodom. 13 Now the men of Sodom were wicked and were sinning greatly against the LORD .
14 The LORD said to Abram after Lot had parted from him, "Lift up your eyes from where you are and look north and south, east and west. 15 All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever. 16 I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted. 17 Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land, for I am giving it to you."
18 So Abram moved his tents and went to live near the great trees of Mamre at Hebron, where he built an altar to the LORD .
The text begins by telling us that Abraham went up from Egypt and traveled north to the Negev with his wife and everything he had, and his nephew Lot.
From the Negev he went from the place to place until he came to Bethel and Ai where he and Sarah and Lot and their people had sent up camp earlier and where he had first built an altar. There Abram called on the name of the LORD.
Abraham and Sarah and Lot have come from Egypt. If you’ve read this text or been here the last couple of weeks you know that Abraham fails miserably in Egypt. In Egypt he senses that certain powerful men will be attracted with his beautiful wife Sarah. He sense that some may kill him to get to her. Afraid for his life, Abraham lies and says Sarah is my sister (a technical half-truth, but with the intent to mislead, which is a lie) and Sarah is taken in the Pharaoh’s harem as one of his wives. Because of his lie Abraham exposes his wife to possibility of being forced into an adulterous relationship with a stranger, real psychological and spiritual distress. And He endangers God’s plan to bless the world through his and Sarah’s future offspring, by giving his wife away.
Why does Abraham lie? Because he’s not trusting God to deliver him. He’s leaning on himself. But God intervenes. He sends a plague on pharaoh’s house and rescues Sarah and Abraham.
But as he comes out of Egypt into the Negev and then in between Bethel and Ai, which is interestingly the very last place he was following and obeying God. He builds an altar and worships and calls out to God.
Abraham’s attention is directed at God again.
There’s a huge contrast between his throwing himself on himself in Egypt in chapter 12 and his throwing himself on God in chapter as we’re about to see here in chapter 13.
It may well have been that Abraham was so grateful God’s merciful intervening to save him and Sarah in Egypt that he turns his heart back to God. The book of Romans in the New Testament part of the Bible tells us that it is God’s kindness that leads us to repentance.
This chapters shows us that we can change. There’s part of us will likely never change or at least not change much. If we are primarily energized primarily by people rather than by being alone or vice-verse that will likely not change much about us. If we tend to process things primary through our mind rather than through our emotions or vice-verse that part of us will likely not change much.
But we can change by learning to lean primarily on God, rather than ourselves.
Abraham learned to lean on God and so can we.
(Transition) When we become people who lean primarily on God we live with a sense of spiritual abundance.
When we live with a sense of spiritual abundance we will not be DRIVEN to accumulate material wealth, or power, or fame or series of groovy experiences.
And we see this Abraham.
Abraham and Lot come into Egypt…with much livestock: cattle, sheep (CHECK) etc., with considerable wealth, but as we see in vs. 6 the land did not have enough pasture and water to support them both…and Abraham and Lot’s people end up in conflict with each other.
So Abraham says to Lot, "Let's not have fighting between us, between your shepherds and my shepherds. After all, we're family. Look around. Isn't there plenty of land out there? Let's separate. If you go left, I'll go right; if you go right, I'll go left."
Lot looked. He saw the whole plain of the Jordan spread out, well watered (this was before GOD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah), like GOD's garden (like what he imagined the Garden of Eden was like), like Egypt, and stretching all the way to Zoar. 11Lot took the whole plain of the Jordan. Lot set out to the east.
If you go to place where Abraham and Lot were, you can see it’s a very dry part of Canaan, but if you can actually look out for about 30 kilometers because the land drops 3000 feet to the plain where the Jordan comes down into the dead sea and it’s green, fertile, it’s well watered and lush, and Lot looks at this and he sees that the whole plain of the Jordan is so rich and says that’s where I’m going to go!
The place there were they were in Canaan was quite dry and arid, but the part the Lot picked was the only place that was lush and well watered, the only place where he could he could become more wealthy because the rich pastures and waters would cause his livestock to flourish. It was the one place where there was significant possibility of growing his portfolio.
He moves just outside of Sodom. He thinks that this is the one place where I can get rich. He chose this. Lots ends living near Sodom and place, a wealthy community, but filled with wickedness and sin. Lot’s into a well to do neighborhood, but he ends us sinking spiritual manhole. Like parable of the Chinese man, what’s seems like a blessing becomes a curse for Lot and his family.
Abraham on the other hand chooses what seems like a loss, he takes the more arid, less fertile land, but it turns out to be a blessing.
In this patriarchal culture as the older, higher status male Abraham has the right to choose the land he wants, but he ends up dividing and the land and turning to lot and saying, “I’ll cut, You choice.”
Why? Is Abraham free to make such an unconventional choice? He has thrown himself on God and therefore have this sense spiritual abundance and because of this sense of spiritual abundance, he’s not driven to accumulate material wealth.
Lot on the other hand was NOT leaning on God with weight of being. If you don’t lean on God with weight of our being we’re NEED something else. It may be a lot of money, or a successful career, it maybe Mr. right or Ms. right, if may be approval of others, it may be pleasure—but we need something to the fill void within.
But if we lean on God and we experience the spiritual abundance from leaning on God, we are not desperate for others things.
Like Abraham, we’ll be free to give up certain things and rights…
Like Abraham, we’ll be free to give up certain things to stay in the will of God, we’ll be free to give up certain thing to generously bless others.
Here at this place between Bethel and Ai… Abraham as one commentator puts it has a choice. He realizes he cannot stay in the will of God by 1) remaining of Canaan, 2) continuing to grow his wealth, and 3) he have a relationship with Lot.
He can’t have 3; he can only choose 2. If chooses to remain where God has led him and if chooses best land, he loses Lot because Lot because is so ambitious, he’ll resent his uncle Abe choosing the best land. If choose to let Lot have the good land and chooses to move out of this region to a more rich fertile area, like the Tuscany wine country of Italy he keeps his relationship with Lot and he become rich, but leaves the place where God has led him, he loses the will of God.
He can only choose 2 so he chooses to give up material wealth to stay in the will of God and to stay in a relationship with his uncle AND he can make this choice, because he’s has this spiritual abundance that comes from leaning on God….
When God we lean on God, when God is our foundation, when God becomes our treasure, we will live with a greater sense of spiritual wealth and abundance…
Whether they have a lot or a little by humanly speaking, if we have a scarcity mentality… we’ll live tight fisted. Whether people by world standards have a lot or little, if they feel like they have abundance, they’re can give with open handed generosity.
When God is our foundation, we will have a sense of spiritual abundance and will become the kind of who give generously. We’ll even become the kind people willing to give up our rights, our way, access to “the best” (worldly standards) to stay in the will of God and to be able to bless people.
When God is our foundation we can freely out sense of spiritual abundance.
On the surface he seems like Abraham sacrifices his right to be best land to stay in the will of God and make stay at peace with nephew Lot and his people…
But what happens to Abraham when he does this… Look vs. 14…
14 The LORD said to Abram after Lot had parted from him, "Lift up your eyes from where you are and look north and south, east and west. 15 All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever. 16 I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted. 17 Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land, for I am giving it to you."
When Abraham gave Lot the best land God says, God comes to him and do a slow 360 degree turn and I’m give you this land forever. And you and your wife trying for a long time, I’m make your off spring as uncountable as the dust.
Jesus says when we give up something for his sake, he will repay us in this life and the life to come. Sometimes, it’s a small thing.
When I was working in Tokyo between undergrad and graduate school, I was leaving my home at 7:00 a.m. and coming home just after 11:00 a.m. I was working full time for Sony and teaching part time at a prep school. After being a poor student so long, it was heady time making good money. But felt I was dying spiritually. I felt I was supposed to not work weekends so I could invest more in my local church. As began to work less, I felt some water trickling back on parched soul. I gave us some income, but it came in riches far for valuable. When close friends wanted to know how I was really doing, I’d them my sense of well-being was inversely proportionate to my income.
Giving up a little, to gain a lot.
Another story…My friend James Peterson is a pastor friend of mine who ministers in South Dakota. He knows an elderly woman named Ruth. Ruth is old, frail, godly, spirited woman who loved to play piano. Several years ago Ruth called my friend James and said, “Pastor I would like youand your family to have my grand piano. I’m moving into a retirement center andI can’t take it with me.” She said when I was a little girl growing up in a pastor’s home I remember the day that someone gave our family a piano and the joy of music filled their home. Now, she I want our piano to go to a pastor’s home. James we’d love to have piano, but before we accept it will make sure you communicate with your family your intent to give us your piano. Ruth agreed to do this. The piano arrived in my friend’s home on February 7, 1997. It was an awesome moment. James had grown up in a musical family. Music was a particularly important to him--it was a creative outlet and the place where he most deeply connected with God. About a year and half after they had accepted the piano James received a telephonecall from Ruth’s son, Stan. Stan said, I want the piano. Stan didn’t play, his wife didn’t play, his children didn’t play. But, he said I want the piano. James, said I have a written letter explaining why Ruth wanted our family to have the piano. Eventually, Stan put pressure on his mom and came to James and said my mom now wants our family to have the piano. James went to see Ruth. At round picnic table, under an umbrella, James said, “Ruth, Stan has been calling me and asking for the grand piano.” Ruth said, I know. “Would you like the grand piano back?” Absolutely not. I gave that to your family--it is yours. I could never ask for it back.” At that moment James said he could have walked away with a clear conscience, but the Holy Spirit said, “Ask her if she would receive the grand piano from you as a gift.” So I did and she said, “Yes.” When James arrived home he called Stan when and arranged to have the piano picked up the next day, Saturday. The piano left our house on November 27, 1998. James stood ineffectual and powerless in front of my wife and children as I watched the piano movers take the piano away. The next morning was Sunday. Ruth came into the sanctuary and was crying.“Ruth,” I said, “Why are you crying?” And she said, “Stanley is dead.” “Whathappened?” he died of a massive heart attack. But, the piano was gone. The grief James felt for the loss of the piano was overwhelming. James dealt with his pain, I will not play anymore. His wife Jennifer prayed a lot. She prayed for a grand piano that they could afford. It had been six years since he played piano. On July 16 of last year, he was arrived early for a meeting with 2 elders and opened up a newspaper. He did something, he almost never did. He looked under the musical instrument ad section and saw listed, Grand Piano, $1000. After my meeting I went to look at it and the Holy Spirit nudged to buy it. James didn’t want to do it. The only thing he could remember was how I felt theday the grand piano left my house. He called his wife Jennifer and explained the situation. She’s said I want you to really like it. I want you to be happy with it. James said, I don’t know. It’s really old, that’s not good for a grand piano. Pretty banged up too. Probably need to put a thousand dollars into just to make it usable. But I think God wants us to buy it. So he wrote the check. On my way to back work Jennifer called me back. She said, “We just recieved aregistered letter from the FBI and I think there is a check in it, but I don’t want to open it up without you.” In 2000, Jennifer received a modest gift from her family and we invested in a company. The day the check was cashed the investment company seized by the FBI because it was illegal ponzy scheme. They hoped but did not expect any money to be returned. James got home they open it. The check was just the amount need to buy the grand piano and to cover the cost of it’s repairs. When in response to the call of God to give up something to be in the will of God, when we give up something to bless another person, it will come back to us.
Jesus said, if we seek first God’s Kingdom and his righteousness everything else we need will be added to us well, now and in the life to come…
If seek first the world, eventually get neither God nor the world… Lot choose wealth instead of God, short term he prospered, but his life ended in disaster.
But if seek God first, his rule, his righteousness, we get God and everything else.
As the wise Chinese man pointed out, life is full of paradoxes. “blessings can really be losses” and “losses can real blesses.”
If seek as happiness as goal of our life, it will elude us, and so will God, but we seek Jesus and his rule above all, if to lose our life for him, we’ll get him, joy and wealth everlasting.
Benediction:
17For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
2 Corinthians 4
Keep structure simple
A wise man from China had a who horse ran away and his neighbors said, “What bad luck.” He says we don’t really know if it’s bad luck or good luck. Then one day the horse comes back with another stallion and all his neighbors say what "good luck." The man said, “We don’t if don’t if this is good or bad luck.” The next day the man's son was out riding his newly found horse and this new horse threw him, breaking his leg. Again, the neighbors came by and expressed their sorrow for the bad luck. But the man said, "We’d don’t whether this is good or bad luck.
Now there was a war going on in the land and the king ordered the conscription of all the young men, most of which were being killed in battle. But when the soldiers came to collect the man’s son, he was excused because of the broken leg, which probably saved the young man's life. The son ended up caring for his father into his old age.
Sometimes what seems like a “blessing” is a curse and sometimes what seems like a “curse” is a blessing.
This morning we’re going to be looking at a man who chooses what seems to be “blessing” but turns out to be curse. We’re going to be looking a man chooses what seems a “loss” but turns out to be a blessing.
We’re going look at character of kind of person who is chooses the road that leads to ultimate blessing.
If you have your Bibles please turn to Genesis 13:
Abram and Lot Separate
1 So Abram went up from Egypt to the Negev, with his wife and everything he had, and Lot went with him. 2 Abram had become very wealthy in livestock and in silver and gold.
3 From the Negev he went from place to place until he came to Bethel, to the place between Bethel and Ai where his tent had been earlier 4 and where he had first built an altar. There Abram called on the name of the LORD .
5 Now Lot, who was moving about with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents. 6 But the land could not support them while they stayed together, for their possessions were so great that they were not able to stay together. 7 And quarreling arose between Abram's herdsmen and the herdsmen of Lot. The Canaanites and Perizzites were also living in the land at that time.
8 So Abram said to Lot, "Let's not have any quarreling between you and me, or between your herdsmen and mine, for we are brothers. 9 Is not the whole land before you? Let's part company. If you go to the left, I'll go to the right; if you go to the right, I'll go to the left."
10 Lot looked up and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan was well watered, like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, toward Zoar. (This was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) 11 So Lot chose for himself the whole plain of the Jordan and set out toward the east. The two men parted company: 12 Abram lived in the land of Canaan, while Lot lived among the cities of the plain and pitched his tents near Sodom. 13 Now the men of Sodom were wicked and were sinning greatly against the LORD .
14 The LORD said to Abram after Lot had parted from him, "Lift up your eyes from where you are and look north and south, east and west. 15 All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever. 16 I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted. 17 Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land, for I am giving it to you."
18 So Abram moved his tents and went to live near the great trees of Mamre at Hebron, where he built an altar to the LORD .
The text begins by telling us that Abraham went up from Egypt and traveled north to the Negev with his wife and everything he had, and his nephew Lot.
From the Negev he went from the place to place until he came to Bethel and Ai where he and Sarah and Lot and their people had sent up camp earlier and where he had first built an altar. There Abram called on the name of the LORD.
Abraham and Sarah and Lot have come from Egypt. If you’ve read this text or been here the last couple of weeks you know that Abraham fails miserably in Egypt. In Egypt he senses that certain powerful men will be attracted with his beautiful wife Sarah. He sense that some may kill him to get to her. Afraid for his life, Abraham lies and says Sarah is my sister (a technical half-truth, but with the intent to mislead, which is a lie) and Sarah is taken in the Pharaoh’s harem as one of his wives. Because of his lie Abraham exposes his wife to possibility of being forced into an adulterous relationship with a stranger, real psychological and spiritual distress. And He endangers God’s plan to bless the world through his and Sarah’s future offspring, by giving his wife away.
Why does Abraham lie? Because he’s not trusting God to deliver him. He’s leaning on himself. But God intervenes. He sends a plague on pharaoh’s house and rescues Sarah and Abraham.
But as he comes out of Egypt into the Negev and then in between Bethel and Ai, which is interestingly the very last place he was following and obeying God. He builds an altar and worships and calls out to God.
Abraham’s attention is directed at God again.
There’s a huge contrast between his throwing himself on himself in Egypt in chapter 12 and his throwing himself on God in chapter as we’re about to see here in chapter 13.
It may well have been that Abraham was so grateful God’s merciful intervening to save him and Sarah in Egypt that he turns his heart back to God. The book of Romans in the New Testament part of the Bible tells us that it is God’s kindness that leads us to repentance.
This chapters shows us that we can change. There’s part of us will likely never change or at least not change much. If we are primarily energized primarily by people rather than by being alone or vice-verse that will likely not change much about us. If we tend to process things primary through our mind rather than through our emotions or vice-verse that part of us will likely not change much.
But we can change by learning to lean primarily on God, rather than ourselves.
Abraham learned to lean on God and so can we.
(Transition) When we become people who lean primarily on God we live with a sense of spiritual abundance.
When we live with a sense of spiritual abundance we will not be DRIVEN to accumulate material wealth, or power, or fame or series of groovy experiences.
And we see this Abraham.
Abraham and Lot come into Egypt…with much livestock: cattle, sheep (CHECK) etc., with considerable wealth, but as we see in vs. 6 the land did not have enough pasture and water to support them both…and Abraham and Lot’s people end up in conflict with each other.
So Abraham says to Lot, "Let's not have fighting between us, between your shepherds and my shepherds. After all, we're family. Look around. Isn't there plenty of land out there? Let's separate. If you go left, I'll go right; if you go right, I'll go left."
Lot looked. He saw the whole plain of the Jordan spread out, well watered (this was before GOD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah), like GOD's garden (like what he imagined the Garden of Eden was like), like Egypt, and stretching all the way to Zoar. 11Lot took the whole plain of the Jordan. Lot set out to the east.
If you go to place where Abraham and Lot were, you can see it’s a very dry part of Canaan, but if you can actually look out for about 30 kilometers because the land drops 3000 feet to the plain where the Jordan comes down into the dead sea and it’s green, fertile, it’s well watered and lush, and Lot looks at this and he sees that the whole plain of the Jordan is so rich and says that’s where I’m going to go!
The place there were they were in Canaan was quite dry and arid, but the part the Lot picked was the only place that was lush and well watered, the only place where he could he could become more wealthy because the rich pastures and waters would cause his livestock to flourish. It was the one place where there was significant possibility of growing his portfolio.
He moves just outside of Sodom. He thinks that this is the one place where I can get rich. He chose this. Lots ends living near Sodom and place, a wealthy community, but filled with wickedness and sin. Lot’s into a well to do neighborhood, but he ends us sinking spiritual manhole. Like parable of the Chinese man, what’s seems like a blessing becomes a curse for Lot and his family.
Abraham on the other hand chooses what seems like a loss, he takes the more arid, less fertile land, but it turns out to be a blessing.
In this patriarchal culture as the older, higher status male Abraham has the right to choose the land he wants, but he ends up dividing and the land and turning to lot and saying, “I’ll cut, You choice.”
Why? Is Abraham free to make such an unconventional choice? He has thrown himself on God and therefore have this sense spiritual abundance and because of this sense of spiritual abundance, he’s not driven to accumulate material wealth.
Lot on the other hand was NOT leaning on God with weight of being. If you don’t lean on God with weight of our being we’re NEED something else. It may be a lot of money, or a successful career, it maybe Mr. right or Ms. right, if may be approval of others, it may be pleasure—but we need something to the fill void within.
But if we lean on God and we experience the spiritual abundance from leaning on God, we are not desperate for others things.
Like Abraham, we’ll be free to give up certain things and rights…
Like Abraham, we’ll be free to give up certain things to stay in the will of God, we’ll be free to give up certain thing to generously bless others.
Here at this place between Bethel and Ai… Abraham as one commentator puts it has a choice. He realizes he cannot stay in the will of God by 1) remaining of Canaan, 2) continuing to grow his wealth, and 3) he have a relationship with Lot.
He can’t have 3; he can only choose 2. If chooses to remain where God has led him and if chooses best land, he loses Lot because Lot because is so ambitious, he’ll resent his uncle Abe choosing the best land. If choose to let Lot have the good land and chooses to move out of this region to a more rich fertile area, like the Tuscany wine country of Italy he keeps his relationship with Lot and he become rich, but leaves the place where God has led him, he loses the will of God.
He can only choose 2 so he chooses to give up material wealth to stay in the will of God and to stay in a relationship with his uncle AND he can make this choice, because he’s has this spiritual abundance that comes from leaning on God….
When God we lean on God, when God is our foundation, when God becomes our treasure, we will live with a greater sense of spiritual wealth and abundance…
Whether they have a lot or a little by humanly speaking, if we have a scarcity mentality… we’ll live tight fisted. Whether people by world standards have a lot or little, if they feel like they have abundance, they’re can give with open handed generosity.
When God is our foundation, we will have a sense of spiritual abundance and will become the kind of who give generously. We’ll even become the kind people willing to give up our rights, our way, access to “the best” (worldly standards) to stay in the will of God and to be able to bless people.
When God is our foundation we can freely out sense of spiritual abundance.
On the surface he seems like Abraham sacrifices his right to be best land to stay in the will of God and make stay at peace with nephew Lot and his people…
But what happens to Abraham when he does this… Look vs. 14…
14 The LORD said to Abram after Lot had parted from him, "Lift up your eyes from where you are and look north and south, east and west. 15 All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever. 16 I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted. 17 Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land, for I am giving it to you."
When Abraham gave Lot the best land God says, God comes to him and do a slow 360 degree turn and I’m give you this land forever. And you and your wife trying for a long time, I’m make your off spring as uncountable as the dust.
Jesus says when we give up something for his sake, he will repay us in this life and the life to come. Sometimes, it’s a small thing.
When I was working in Tokyo between undergrad and graduate school, I was leaving my home at 7:00 a.m. and coming home just after 11:00 a.m. I was working full time for Sony and teaching part time at a prep school. After being a poor student so long, it was heady time making good money. But felt I was dying spiritually. I felt I was supposed to not work weekends so I could invest more in my local church. As began to work less, I felt some water trickling back on parched soul. I gave us some income, but it came in riches far for valuable. When close friends wanted to know how I was really doing, I’d them my sense of well-being was inversely proportionate to my income.
Giving up a little, to gain a lot.
Another story…My friend James Peterson is a pastor friend of mine who ministers in South Dakota. He knows an elderly woman named Ruth. Ruth is old, frail, godly, spirited woman who loved to play piano. Several years ago Ruth called my friend James and said, “Pastor I would like youand your family to have my grand piano. I’m moving into a retirement center andI can’t take it with me.” She said when I was a little girl growing up in a pastor’s home I remember the day that someone gave our family a piano and the joy of music filled their home. Now, she I want our piano to go to a pastor’s home. James we’d love to have piano, but before we accept it will make sure you communicate with your family your intent to give us your piano. Ruth agreed to do this. The piano arrived in my friend’s home on February 7, 1997. It was an awesome moment. James had grown up in a musical family. Music was a particularly important to him--it was a creative outlet and the place where he most deeply connected with God. About a year and half after they had accepted the piano James received a telephonecall from Ruth’s son, Stan. Stan said, I want the piano. Stan didn’t play, his wife didn’t play, his children didn’t play. But, he said I want the piano. James, said I have a written letter explaining why Ruth wanted our family to have the piano. Eventually, Stan put pressure on his mom and came to James and said my mom now wants our family to have the piano. James went to see Ruth. At round picnic table, under an umbrella, James said, “Ruth, Stan has been calling me and asking for the grand piano.” Ruth said, I know. “Would you like the grand piano back?” Absolutely not. I gave that to your family--it is yours. I could never ask for it back.” At that moment James said he could have walked away with a clear conscience, but the Holy Spirit said, “Ask her if she would receive the grand piano from you as a gift.” So I did and she said, “Yes.” When James arrived home he called Stan when and arranged to have the piano picked up the next day, Saturday. The piano left our house on November 27, 1998. James stood ineffectual and powerless in front of my wife and children as I watched the piano movers take the piano away. The next morning was Sunday. Ruth came into the sanctuary and was crying.“Ruth,” I said, “Why are you crying?” And she said, “Stanley is dead.” “Whathappened?” he died of a massive heart attack. But, the piano was gone. The grief James felt for the loss of the piano was overwhelming. James dealt with his pain, I will not play anymore. His wife Jennifer prayed a lot. She prayed for a grand piano that they could afford. It had been six years since he played piano. On July 16 of last year, he was arrived early for a meeting with 2 elders and opened up a newspaper. He did something, he almost never did. He looked under the musical instrument ad section and saw listed, Grand Piano, $1000. After my meeting I went to look at it and the Holy Spirit nudged to buy it. James didn’t want to do it. The only thing he could remember was how I felt theday the grand piano left my house. He called his wife Jennifer and explained the situation. She’s said I want you to really like it. I want you to be happy with it. James said, I don’t know. It’s really old, that’s not good for a grand piano. Pretty banged up too. Probably need to put a thousand dollars into just to make it usable. But I think God wants us to buy it. So he wrote the check. On my way to back work Jennifer called me back. She said, “We just recieved aregistered letter from the FBI and I think there is a check in it, but I don’t want to open it up without you.” In 2000, Jennifer received a modest gift from her family and we invested in a company. The day the check was cashed the investment company seized by the FBI because it was illegal ponzy scheme. They hoped but did not expect any money to be returned. James got home they open it. The check was just the amount need to buy the grand piano and to cover the cost of it’s repairs. When in response to the call of God to give up something to be in the will of God, when we give up something to bless another person, it will come back to us.
Jesus said, if we seek first God’s Kingdom and his righteousness everything else we need will be added to us well, now and in the life to come…
If seek first the world, eventually get neither God nor the world… Lot choose wealth instead of God, short term he prospered, but his life ended in disaster.
But if seek God first, his rule, his righteousness, we get God and everything else.
As the wise Chinese man pointed out, life is full of paradoxes. “blessings can really be losses” and “losses can real blesses.”
If seek as happiness as goal of our life, it will elude us, and so will God, but we seek Jesus and his rule above all, if to lose our life for him, we’ll get him, joy and wealth everlasting.
Benediction:
17For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
2 Corinthians 4
posted by Shigematsu at 10:57 AM
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