Til We Finish

Welcome to Mercy City Church, and thanks for listening to today's message. Mercy City is a church in Lincoln, Nebraska, that is committed to connecting people to the heart of God and the house of God. We can't wait to connect with you and hear more about your story. So make sure you fill out our online connection card that you can click in the description. Thanks again for listening and enjoy today's message.
Let's jump into this theme verse I want to read to you. In our series brick by brick, it says this So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners, to good day, everybody. We were once far from God, but now we're not we're close to God, through the person of Jesus. It goes on to say, your citizens along with God's holy people, your members of the family, your members of the family, God's family. Together we are his house built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the Cornerstone is Jesus Christ Himself. Listen, some of you might be here for just the weekend, you might be here for a short stay. Wherever you go, wherever God leads, you make sure that you find yourself in a Jesus church, Jesus, all the other stuff, okay, whatever, whatever. But it's got to be centered on Jesus, Okay, gotta be centered on Jesus. We are carefully joined together in him becoming a holy temple for the Lord. Through him, you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by His Spirit. And this is the beauty of what's been taking place in the life of our church over the last nine years is he's taken a bunch of misfits, a bunch of people who were far a bunch of people who were disconnected and through the person of Jesus have brought us together. In the Message Translation says that we're fit together brick by brick, to build a house that's a dwelling place for his presence. See, it's not the brick and mortar that we're talking about. It's the flesh, the heart, the soul, the spirit that has been talked about here, which is so significant as we come together, being built to establish a place where the presence of God can dwell so that more people just like you, just like your family, just like your loved ones, just like the ones that you're praying for right now. We'll be here next week,
can experience the presence of God, it happens through us, which is so exciting. Week number one of this series, we walked away with this thought on our minds.
God stir our hearts, whether it's for the first time for the first time in a long time, we ask God to help us identify these places of passion, the things that make us glad the things that make us mad things that make us said, last week, we walked away having identified some of those things that stir our hearts and realizing that while they stir our hearts what we've done most often as we've responded to them in the natural rather than in the Spirit, and so we've sewn into things naturally rather than spiritually. So we make a temporary impact or difference but not often in eternal impact or differences. So God, what could you do in us through us? That would matter for
for right.
Today, what I'm going to talk about is something a little bit different than normal yours because today happens to be Palm Sunday. And so if you're a churchgoer, typically you'll come into a church and people will be swatting you in the face with palm branches. And you know, like, come on, come on, kind of hit you in the backside, like come on, get into service, everybody want to praise the Lord, you know, and so we've never really done that. But we do typically go to this portion of Scripture.
You know, the one where Jesus makes his triumphant entry where, for the first time in Scripture, people that are not disciples, not close. followers of Jesus recognize Jesus were the outsiders, those who are disconnected afar, outsiders begin to see that he is the Messiah. They say, Oh, this is the one who has been prophesied of this is the one who's been spoken of in their natural responses. They take off the Bible says their outer garments, and they lay them on the path that he's riding the donkey on
says that they take those palm branches and they throw them down on the path that he's riding that donkey on.
What does this represent? You've heard me preach it over the years or if you haven't, you can go back and pick it up. That outer garment is a representative representation of our social status. And so they're saying you know what, the status that has gotten me to this point
If doesn't matter, in light of the revelation that you are the Messiah, I will lay down the social status, I will lay down my my spot in society, because it needs to be under the Lordship of Jesus. And then there's another group of people that maybe don't have a social status.
But they have a livelihood. See, they went, they harvested these palm branches, they were taking them to the market to be made into baskets and made into rugs and made into all kinds of different things. It was represented their livelihood, that they laid down, as they read as as the Spirit of God revealed, Jesus, the Messiah, their response was a social status. My livelihood, I'm laying it down to the Lordship of Jesus, I'm realizing that everything I have is from him. But we're not going to talk about that today.
We're not going to talk about that today. Here's what we're gonna really talk about, I feel like God really challenged me to take us in a different direction to continue on, in the direction we've been in in this series. And we'll open up our scriptures today to second Corinthians chapter number eight.
Where I want to simply challenge us
to take our next step toward the finish line.
Just simply take our next step toward the finish line. See, the reality is there are people in here you may be far from God right now. But many of us in years past or days past, we were far from God.
And it was because a group of people came together and took a next step toward the finish line.
That space was created for us to experience God more in his fullness. And that's what I want to challenge all of us with this morning as we move forward. Come on everybody. Let's pray. Father, we love you. We're so grateful for the wonderful opportunity we have today to be in your presence. We don't take it lightly. Lord, it's a big deal. And so we pray today that by the power of your Spirit, you lead us and guide us that you show us Jesus like we've never seen him before. Because we know it's upon revelation of who Jesus is. That you build an established church.
Not a building.
Not brick and mortar.
A people
flesh and blood.
spirit and soul.
Mind and Body. Build in us, God established in us, oh, God, would only UK. In Jesus mighty name. Amen. Amen. Amen. Come on, everybody. One more big hand clap for Jesus.
I know everybody in here is just excited to give their like Pastor Matt, we don't even want you to preach, we're just ready to give anybody ready to give. That's what I'm talking about. We are excited about today. It is always a monumental day in the life of our church. And I think that today actually has the potential to be one of the greatest days in the history in the life of our church. I really believe and I have been believing as we're leading into this week, because I've been praying that God is he's begun a work in us over the last nine years, 10 years now. But um, but I believe that today has the potential to be a pivotal moment where we don't just talk about being generous, we actually get to become generous. You see it, I'm saying, and I think that God wants to unlock some things in our lives personally. But I think that he wants to unlock our lives, also corporately, in the life of our church. And so I'm just so thrilled about the opportunity that we have today. And again, if you're here for the very first time, this offering is not for you to participate in. This is for you to be a beneficiary of okay, we want you to know that there are people in the life of our church, there are people in the kingdom, who love you so much that they will sacrificially give to create a space for you to come and be be grafted into be adopted into the family of God, so that you can dwell in His presence. And then as you choose, you can become a part however, you see fit but today, if it's, you know, you're within three weeks, maybe six weeks, maybe four weeks. It this this isn't necessarily for you just observe, and let's worship God together as we do this. Does that sound good? But let's dive into the Scripture shall we? Second Corinthians chapter number eight, this is the apostle Paul writing again to the church at Corinth and there was some stuff going on in this Corinthian church where you know, they just had gotten themselves kind of in a funk because I'm gonna say a funk. If you ever know somebody gets gets in a funk
In your life, brother, stop being so funky in your mess. You know what I'm saying? Like, come on, man, this is not a good look for you. That's where the Corinthian church have found themselves. Paul says this Now I want you to know dear brothers and sisters what God and His kindness has done through the churches in Macedonia. Remember, we taught over the last couple of weeks that those churches in Macedonia, they were in places of poverty, they were not well off. And they were not necessarily like the people you would go to if you needed a donation. Okay. But what happened is, they were inspired by the giving of the Corinthian church, so much so that they wanted to be a part of what God was doing. They said, We see what you're doing in the Corinthians. And we want to be a part of that too. So even in our lack, even in our poverty, we want to be able to be a part of that.
says this in verse two, they're being tested by many troubles, and they're very poor. But they are also filled with abundant joy which has overflowed and rich generosity. Generosity is above and beyond faithfulness is when you bring the time. Anjali talked about the time when you return to God, what's already his because you know, it came from him anyway, that is faithfulness. But when you go above and beyond that, that's when your heart shifts into this place of generosity. And we've been trying to teach this for years and years and years. Generosity only comes on the heels of faithfulness. So if we haven't started with faithfulness, it's time to start with faithfulness. Otherwise, we can never be considered generous, it doesn't matter what so and so says about you, they might think that you're being generous, but they have no understanding of the fact that you have not yet been faithful. I just don't want the enemy to steal from us anymore.
Verse number three says this For I can testify that they gave not only what they could afford, but far more they gave, and they did it of their own free will. They weren't bamboozled. They weren't manipulated, they weren't tricked into or forced to, they didn't have their own free will. That's another indicator of generosity when you do it of your own free will. In fact, it says they begged us again and again for the privilege of sharing the gift for the believers in Jerusalem. Imagine living a life where you like please let me give
like I cannot get to the gathering soon enough. I can't get there fast enough. This money. You ever heard the term this money is burning a hole in my pocket? Like I got a?
What if you did that when you when it came to giving? What if what if that was the case when it came to giving? That's what Paul's saying? These Macedonian believers whose lives were marked by poverty. Were so abundantly joyful about giving that they just beg please let us be a part please let us be a part in the Old Testament about Exodus 3435. Moses had to tell the people, Hey, stop bringing gifts we got too much. We can't receive any more. I can tell you from experience. I have never had to tell our church to stop giving yet okay. I just have, Hey, guys, listen, you're out. Given the vision that God's given us. We haven't been able to do that yet. I believe at times coming where that's going to be the case. I do believe that. Because I believe with all my heart that our church is going to be marked by radical generosity.
Verse number five says, They even did more than we had hoped for. For their first action, let me say, first action was to give themselves to the Lord. Because they gave themselves to the Lord. Remember that pump Sunday revelation as oh my gosh, I see that he's the Messiah. My first action is give myself to the Lord. But as a representation of what I'm giving to the Lord myself, I'm also going to make myself be in alignment to this revelation, down here, and I'm saying.
So,
we've urged Titus, who encouraged your giving in the first place to return to you and encourage you to finish this ministry of giving.
See that we're finished.
It means to see through to completion.
So apparently, there was something that had begun in the hearts of the Corinthians that was either on pause or standstill or on hold for whatever reason. Biblical scholars think that it's because they got themselves in a place of offense where they weren't happy with Paul's leadership.
For some of the things that he was preaching and teaching, which I'm sure you know, as we've read the scriptures over the last couple of weeks, you can see, because like I said, if I was to write a letter, like what Paul had written, we'd be in the newspaper today. Right? Because people don't like it if it's not warm and fuzzy and fluffy, and just like a pat on the seat and go, Hey, go be God yourself. No, I'm and this is saying, God, you be God.
I believe that you have given me everything that I have. And so whatever you say, do is what I'm going to do.
So he said to them, I want to urge you please, finish this ministry of giving.
And I have to.
Okay, Paul, you wanted to finish this give Ministry of giving for you.
But they were already ticked at him.
He's not, he's not encouraging them to finish the gift for him, because encouraging them and something that they weren't necessarily in agreement with right now, that would not be of benefit to him, would it?
Now he wanted to get something to them, he realized that them not finishing what God had put in their hearts, when they started, was not a great benefit to them.
So he could have washed his hands and separated himself and went and found people that could get on board and whose hearts were right. But he was so concerned with people drifting from the original mission, and the original intent of what God was doing, that he was bringing another challenge and said, I want you to finish this.
Please finish what you started. Because God honors finishing.
He says, you excel in many ways. I love this. You excel in many ways, your faith, gifted speakers, knowledge, enthusiasm, and love from us. I want you also to excel in this gracious act of giving you excel and these things, this, this, this, this, this. But this, you're not excelling in. I want you to excel in the way to excel is to finish what you started.
finish what you started, finish what you started.
I'm not commanding you to do this, but I am testing how genuine Your love is, but comparing it with the eagerness of the other churches.
Fall
brother, thank God, I only have to read the Bible. Again. I did not write this everybody.
I'm not commanding you to do this. But I am testing how genuine Your love is. So you're telling me that you love but I'm
but I'm not seeing your love. So what I'm gonna do is I'm going to test how genuine Your love is by comparing your eagerness
with other churches reminded me of this verse in Revelation chapter two, verse four says, But I have this complaint against you. You're doing all these sounds great, but I have this one complaint against you. You don't love me or each other as you first did.
He saying you started
but you're not finishing. And I'm calling you to a place of finishing.
Let's jump back to second Corinthians verse eight. You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus, though he was rich yet for your sakes he became poor, so that his poverty could make you rich. Here's my advice. It'd be good for you to finish what you started a year ago. Last year, you were the first to wanted to give and you were the first to begin doing it. Now you should finish there it is again. What you started let the eagerness you showed in the beginning be matched by your giving.
eagerness that you showed in the beginning. I'm pumped on the things of God God's doing something significant and powerful. Not ever seen people really on fire for the things of God really passionate for the things of God Man, I'm so connected to the life of my local church man. I want to see God do good things. Anybody ever seen somebody like that? And then next year you like where are they?
Two years where are the
three years where they had
four years I don't even know where they're at
five years why?
because you match eagerness buy your gift.
But don't get it twisted, everybody give in proportion to what you have. I don't want anybody to give today and go into debt.
Giving her preachers say for years, you can't outgive God, brother. That's manipulation. That's manipulation. You cannot give God and it sounds good on the surface. Like God's gonna bless you, oh, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, you gotta give it proportion to what you have.
You cannot actually give what you don't have.
It's called foolishness when you write a check that you can actually catch.
Give in proportion to what you have.
So if you don't hear anything else, I know that when people talk about money at church, we get mad at all that a preacher wants is my money.
The only reason I care whether you give or not, is because I believe with all my heart, the Scripture.
And I believe with all my heart, because I've seen it in our lives for the last 25 years. Since I've been saved, giving consistently, in the last 23 years that we've been married, when God calls us to give, and we and we are, and we arrive at that place, God always comes through. The only reason I care whether or not you give is because I want you to see God come through the way that we've seen God come through, I want your kids to see God come through the way that our kids are seeing God come through, I want you to be able to tell the stories of God's goodness to your kids, I want you to be able to tell the stories of God's goodness to your grandkids, I want you to tell the stories of God's goodness, to your neighbors and to your friends to your coworkers, God is good. That's the only reason I want you to give. And I only want you to give if God stir your heart to give.
Because contrary to what some popular preachers would say, you can't outgive God.
If God doesn't tell you to give it, then you've just out given him.
But you can also not give what God's asking you to. And that's also a bad thing. It's a bad day on either end.
Whatever you give,
is acceptable if you give it eagerly.
If that gift is burned a hole in your pocket, I gotta get this thing I gotta give it. Whatever you give, give it eagerly. Give it full of faith, give it with anticipation. Give it because you're ready to go give it
a give according to what you have, not what you don't of course, I don't mean you're given should be made easy.
For others, or heart or at heart for yourself. I only mean that there should be some equality in your gift.
Should be some eagerness and there should be some faith
should be a little bit nervous.
But you should be full of faith, full of anticipation. Like oh man, if God doesn't come through
that's how I'm feeling right now. I'm so pumped. We got to give on Friday. And I was so excited to give but I gotta be honest with you. I'm a little nervous too. Because if God doesn't come through,
if God doesn't show up, man,
I'm gonna be in trouble.
But thank God he is faithful. And he always comes through. He always meets us in a place where he speaks. And I believe today that there are some people who are eager some people who are full of faith, some people who are stirred to finish what God started. I was confident last year, I was bald last year, but I feel like this is like kind of waiting off just a little bit. I'm not as excited as I used to be. Well, where have you sewn?
Where have you sewn? Listen, I believe that you solely today is going to unlock faith that somebody is going to unlock faith. Maybe in kids that you don't have yet grandkids that you don't have yet. Maybe in your neighborhood, maybe in a city that we have not yet reached. It's going to unlock faith somewhere. You believe that today? Come on, man. I can Oh, I can't wait. Listen, here's what we're gonna do. This is what we do. Everybody got their heart for the house envelopes. If you don't have one, you can raise your hand a few minutes. Ask the ushers they'll get you what, but here's what we do. Okay, literally everybody who's ready to give will have the
People that gay Fridays are is Pastor Carrie and I, some of our staff, our board of directors, our directional team, our board of advisors gave on Friday and so they're all prepared in Seward in the chapel here to pray with people. Okay? We don't sow the seed flippantly, we don't just drop it in a bucket. No, we do intentionally. So we asked you to get out of your seat and bring it up. And we'll pray together trusting God that he'll show up and show off. And as you leave, we're gonna give you a token, it's a brick that says hard for the house 2024.
And you're gonna put it in a special place, maybe on the island or where you can put it but you'll put it somewhere may be able to see it. Like God, I remember the seed that I saw, and continue to stir faith in me. I'm here to finish what you started. On the side of me, this is the next step toward finishing what you started on the inside of it. We're gonna pray together and you're ready to pray. Come on, if you're ready to pray, would you stand up on your feet? Come on, and all of our rooms set up on your feet.
And we'll release it to the location that's appropriate. If you're praying with people you gave on Friday, come down and get ready to pray. And then we're gonna man this is supposed to be fun. Are y'all ready for this? You're ready for this. You're ready for this? If you need an envelope, you can find one of the ushers ushers be walking up and down. Yeah, hotel Jen, you're so fantastic in all of our rooms just hold the envelopes up. Somebody needs them again. If this is not for you don't participate. Let's just worship and observe okay. I believe that the faith that people are going to be stirred today. So God I pray that you do in us and through us today with all the You Can I declare in the name of Jesus that as we move forward as we step in faith, I pray God that we would finish the thing that you started on the inside of us in Jesus mighty name.
Amen.
Thanks again for listening to today's message. For more information on all that God's doing at Mercy city, or to share how the message has impacted your life. Visit us online at Mercy City DOT church or on social media.