In 1860 Milton Bradley introduced his first ever board game for his new company, the Milton Bradley company and the game was entitled The Checkered Game of Life. And so it looked like a checker board, but instead you would navigate through life and you would try to land on the good spaces and avoid the bad spaces. And so this introduced a new category of games in the 18 hundreds here in the US called parlor games. And so you would have different car. I mean, they're already playing cards. There's always things like checkers and chess and things already um out and about. But now you could have different games and interact there in a home with other people and you would always try to win and it was a lot of fun, but there was an interaction together. Well, about 100 years later in 1960 the game was reintroduced and given a new board and it was simply called the Game of Life. And there, the goal was simple to get the most stuff right to, to get the best job to, to buy the biggest house. And at the end of the game the person with the most money and the most stuff wins. Now it's a fun game to play. But my fear is that as Americans, we have adopted that game as our lives and we go through life and we think that the person with the best job with the biggest house with the newest car and the most stuff wins. The problem with that is that, that's a game you cannot win because if you get the thing or the stuff that you think you need, you're gonna realize that it doesn't satisfy the cravings of your soul. And at the same time, if you don't get the thing that you desire and that you want, you're left walking through life feeling like you're not enough. And in both cases, what happens is that you feel like you're losing that life. But what if, what if we recognize that we're playing the wrong game? What if there is a different game, a game that you actually have control over a game where everyone can win in a game that you can actually make the right choices right now. I believe there is such a game and it's simply called a generous life, a generous life. And so when you feel like you're losing the game of life and let's flip the game and let's, let's recognize what does God actually tell us is meaningful in life. Let's talk about it. Now, when you hear the word generosity, people naturally attribute that or connect it to money. And I get that saying the word money in church can be a trigger for some people. And so myself included, look, I ha I have, I've had some bad experiences growing up in a church with some things and, and, and I get it, but here's the reality is that you're having money conversations every single day. You know, you're looking at gas prices and food prices and what we have and what we don't have and what the future is gonna be and how much are student loans gonna be and you know how I ate out too much fast food last week or every day. I don't know. And, uh, whatever your conversations are, we're having these conversations, right? And so my heartbeat, I hope you hear this is that I don't want something from you. I actually want something for you. And that and what I want for you is to be able to actually have healthy, helpful, maybe even hopeful conversations because money is a great tool, but it's a horrible God because if, if you try to idolize this thing that you need enough or a certain amount or, or these things, you're gonna be left feeling one of two ways, you're gonna be left feeling like it didn't satisfy or you're gonna be left feeling like I am not good enough. And neither of which are healthy writer Howard Dayton actually noted back in 1973 that there's actually 2000, 350 scriptures that talk about money and our use of it. And in fact, there were 39 parables that Jesus shared in, in the New Testament. 11 of them, 11 of them actually had to deal with our finances. And so I'm, I'm not trying to trick anyone. You're not gonna hear me just like guilt anyone. You're not gonna hear any of that. Look, I've, I've been there like I've experienced things. I get it and we're all in the same boat here together. And so what I want to try to do is saying, hey, let's just have some helpful conversations, honest conversations and actually just say, look, God, what do you tell us? Because it actually, generosity goes so much beyond that. It actually infiltrates into every area of our life about how we spend our time, how we speak to each other, how we approach life and, and really, that's the heart of it. And so if you're taking notes, I want you to write this down. That generosity isn't an amount. It's a mindset, it's not an amount, it's a mindset. It's, it's an approach to life. It is not so much a destination as much as it is a direction in your life. It's not so much the finish line as it is the foundation of your life. And so today, we just want to ask some questions and just have a conversation together as we approach it and, and just think, ok, what is my mindset when it comes to money? And I ask you, what is your mindset when it comes to money? Let me give you a few options here. Ok? One of the mindsets you can have is one of greed, right? Another option could be guilt. Ok? There's a third option. We're gonna land on today of really one of gratitude. But then the last one is that if we're honest with ourselves, we're typically a mixture of all of them. And so it's, it's like an all of the above kind of situation, right? But see those first two answers are gonna get you into trouble because when your focus is one of greed, what what can I get? What can I get? The problem is is that you're never gonna have enough that you always need more. And what that leads to in, in, in, in the farthest angle if you go all the way over is gonna lead to when you, when you attach that with church. This is why people get really nervous when someone says money and church is because at least of what's called the prosperity gospel where someone stands up and says, you know, if you donate to this, you know, I'm gonna give you a blessed hanky and something throw back out there and it gets all funky. And so like, well, well, you're gonna be blessed, you're gonna do this when in reality, blessing is so much more deeper than, than just a financial situation. And, and so you think you need a certain amount or you think that God owes you? I prayed the prayer, I did the thing I had attendance. I stopped cussing. So God, you owe me. That's not the gospel though. Also, if you read scripture, some of the closest people, the most obedient faithful people in scripture experience the most extreme hardship. So how does that match up when you think about greed and the prosperity gospel? It doesn't. Now, that's one side. And I, and, and those faults are really like visible and why people have like a triggered reaction to that. But there's another side that people get to that that is less talked about. And the guilt side, which actually is what I would describe as the poverty gospel where they've had such bad experience. They then say, oh, well, then money is bad but it's not, it's not like there's a throw rug here. Ok. It would be weird if I simply go. I was like, ah, and I was like, afraid of this rug. It's like drugs are bad rugs are of the devil. And like I went through this and you look at me all weird why? It's just, it's just a thing. It's an object. The Bible actually doesn't say money is evil says the love of money is evil. And so what happens in response in the pendulum complete swing to the other side. What happens is people say, well, if having money is bad, therefore, I can't have anything. And what you get left with feeling is actually a feeling of guilt. And so you feel guilty behind anything and you feel guilty doing anything and you feel like you can't have. But yet when you study scripture, you realize that all throughout scripture, God has used resources and created the world for us to enjoy, right? What was Jesus first miracle turned water into wine at a party, right? I was just out of uh I just happened to be wedding weekend. So I officiated two weddings this weekend and like man, the families are just having a good old time, right? And it's great and like that was the, that was the, that was the setting of his first miracle, right? When God created the world created things that are beautiful and landscapes and mountains and oceans and sunrises and sunsets and all these things for us to enjoy. Why? Because He loves us and then he gives us a job and says, hey, Stuart this and you see in scripture, the the wealthiest person of all time Solomon scripture, right? You see people uh one of the disciples, Matthew tax collector. Well, you have people starting churches, a woman named Lydia helped start the church in Philippi and people using their resources to make a difference in this world. And so what you realize that no, you do not want the Prosperity Gospel. Right? Well, if I believe in Jesus, I'm gonna get something in return. God owes me. That's not healthy. At the same time, we don't need to be afraid of it either. Just because you buy something, just because you have something does not make it bad. Right? Is that we truly believe that everything comes from God. And then we realize that money is a tool and a resource. You know, the parable of the talents talks about what you do with what you have. We're gonna talk about that later in our series, but think about it this way it came. It's, it's God's not gonna judge you based on what you don't have. It's how you use what you do have, right? It'd be like in school and someone grades you for somebody else's test or someone else's abilities in the parable of the talents, multiple levels are given out and actually the blessing is given the same even though they're different amounts. Why? Because it's, it's what you do. It's, it's, it's your lot in life, it's your situation, it's your choices. And so you don't wanna have this pos uh prosperity viewpoint. You also don't have this poverty viewpoint. You don't want, we don't need to be EEO here in the church. Right? Whoa. Is me. I'll never have everything. Right. God. I've given up everything for you. No, you're just lazy. Ok. I get a job. You know what I'm saying? Like I, I know this is bad but I'm just saying like it's real, right? Like let's be, let's be real here. Ok? We have responsibility, we have choices. Both extremes are bad. So what does God actually say? He actually says to approach it from a place of gratitude. That would be what I would describe as the purpose. Gospel. It's not about prosperity, it's not about extreme poverty. It's about purpose and asking yourself what has God called me to do? You? See, gratitude is the gateway to generosity. It's a mindset that impacts your relationships, your conversations, and it does influence your pocketbook and your bank account, but it's not an amount. It's a mindset. Let me walk through some examples. So you can see this is just not the pastor talking here, but just walking through and we're just again, I'm not asking anything from you. I wanna share something for you and allow you to process this, right? Because I have to process it as well. And so let's walk through this here in scripture first. We have this guy Apostle Paul. He writes this in Colossians and this has nothing even to do with money. But I want you to see this theme of thanksgiving running throughout. He says, let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts. Wow, that sounds awesome to which indeed you were called into one body and be thankful. Next verse. Verse 16, let the word of Christ dwell in you richly teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. Wow, that sounds awesome. Says with what with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And then in case we miss those first two, verse 17 and whatever you do in word or indeed, it's inclusive of everything, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus with what giving thanks to the God, the father through him. So all three commands in those passages is followed up with and be thankful and be grateful right here or trick or treating with kiddos and uh you know, every house, right? Your kid goes up and if your parents you understand it, they come back and, and what do you as a parent say to your child after the kid comes back from a house with candy, did you say? Thank you. Do you know I didn't have to say anything immediately every parent in the room said, did you say thank you. Where do you think that comes from our parents and so on and right? I wonder, I wonder a little bit is God up and having a little bit like at every, every turn? Like and what do you say? Well, we understand that Children are greedy, little hooligans who are just meant to mess up our lives. But then those greedy little hooligans grow up and become parents. So that then they can boss. Little mini hooligans around. Right. It's so easy for us to turn around and say, did you say thank you? But in our own lives it's like what? I'm not greedy. It's impossible to see. Greed in the mirror. No one wakes up and goes, you know what I'm feeling? Kind of greedy today. I need some more greed in my life. You know, like it doesn't happen. We just kind of drift into it, don't we? We want to keep up with the Joneses and I don't know who the Joneses are, but apparently they got lots of stuff and they're fast. And so we have to keep up with them. I don't know what's going on, but we try to, right? And so, but yeah, guys, let's just pause, be thankful. Paul writes in second Corinthians chapter nine verses 11 and 12. He says, you will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion. And through us, your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This is a great picture. So when you are gen generous, you actually breed gratitude in other people. Ok? So gratitude is the result of generosity. Awesome. Except what's the very next verse says, this service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord's people, but also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. You see that process here, God is generous, which then leads us to be grateful. And when you're grateful, that's a gateway to then you be generous, which then leads to other people to be grateful. That's why things like pay it forward takes off because it truly is better to give than it is to receive. The most famous verse in the Bible, John 316 for God so loved the world that he felt no for God to love the world that he gave and he gave his son. The greatest gift of all is that our lives end up being the thank you card. We are not generous in order to earn God's love. God loves us within breeds generosity and frees us to love. Right? If you just won the lottery, you're not trying to nickel dime people, right? I just won the lottery. Right. Right. If you, um there's a, I love sports and um, and you know, there's tradition there where you get a hole in one, right? You gotta, you gotta buy drinks for the around. Why? Because you just had the greatest moment in your life apart from marriage and kids. Ok. Well, yeah, apart from marriage and kids, but if you've had that moment of had a hole in one in golf, it's an incredible feeling and there you can go into the clubhouse like, yeah, everyone gets something. Why? Because you're feeling great. You had this great moment. And so when you have these moments, when you receive things, it leads to people responding, he's like Yeah, I can give, I don't need anything today. And so this idea of being thankful and grateful reaches into every area of life. You go into the Old Testament. You have King David. King David writes this here in uh first chronicles 29 verse 14. He says, but who am I and who are my people that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you. And we have given you only what comes from your hand. David, the shepherd boy who becomes a king recognizes that everything is from God. When he had nothing out in the field, in the middle of nowhere or in a cave, when he was hiding for his life, to when he's a king building a temple for God, everything is from Him. He says this in Psalm 100 verse four and five. He says to enter his gates with Thanksgiving and his courts with praise, give thanks to him and bless his name for the Lord is good. His steadfast love endures forever and his faithfulness to all generations. This is overflow of thankfulness. Here's what I know to be true. It, we struggle, right? We're, if you think about those mindsets, greed, guilt, gratitude, we're typically a combination of all the above, right? But what I believe to be true that it's really hard to be both prideful and grateful at the same time because when you're grateful, it changes your mindset, it rewires your brain. There's a story in Luke chapter 18 when Jesus encounters a quote unquote worldly successful person. He's a rich, young ruler. He's got health. He's young, he's got power, right? He's, he's got morality. He's like, what commands must I keep Jesus to follow you? And he says, well, this is, he's like, hey, I've done all those things, Jesus knowing his heart then says this is when Jesus heard this, he said to the man. Now one thing you still lack so all that you have and distribute to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven, come and follow me verse 23. But when he heard these things, he became very sad for he was extremely rich. Now, pause for a second, there's some of us who can kind of relate to that in the sense of like, wow. J do you really need that Jesus? Like you're asking him to give up a lot? OK. But don't think about what he would have lost, think about what he would have gained. He could have an all access internship with the God who created the universe, who had fed the 5000 who walked on water, who healed dead people. You're saying you're giving that up for like some change here. And he noticed he didn't ask everybody this and you're gonna see this in another example. He doesn't ask everybody this. He asked this person that and because he knows that was his idol. We have different idols on our hearts, but that was his idol. And so he was sad. And so then verse 24 Jesus, seeing that he had become sad, said, how difficult is it for those who have wealth to enter the Kingdom of God? For it's easier for a camel to go through the eye of the needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God. Now, here in America, just being in America, we're in the top 4% in the world. We are rich, but whatever your situation is, we are. And I get that we have struggles and battles. Those are very real. Ok? I wanna recognize that it's not an amount but understand that we have this. And he said, it's hard because you don't think you need anything. And so then the disciples see this again. They're like uneducated fishermen or text. And so then they naturally, then they asked this verse in verse 26 is well, then who can be saved? Like if this guy is not getting in, what kind of hope do I have? You know? But here's the encouragement. Ok. He doesn't just challenge people. He ends with an encouragement. Jesus says, but what is impossible with man is possible with God? He says, don't miss it though. Everything is possible. Faith is possible because I am God and God can work into every heart, every relationship, every situation, another example. But this one a positive one. There's a tax collector, another guy who'd be seen as rich here named Zachaeus. And pe people hated Zachaeus because he was getting rich off the backs of his own people. And there's a crowd and Jesus was walking through and he gets super like, curious. And so he climbs a tree and it's interesting because sometimes, you know, you do feel like life has you up a tree, you know what I mean? And you just feel desperate. And so he's up this tree um because he's short and this is funnier to me because I am tall. I don't know why. Um Anyway, and then so he's up this tree and he's looking down and, and walking through a crowd, Jesus looks up and catches eye contact with him and knows who he is and says, hey, I'm coming to your house. So the person with the bad reputation with bad choices, someone who's ran away from God, someone who is hated by religious people, hated by unreligious people like, yeah, he's had worldly success. And so just this, I mean, talk about a short hot mess like it was just there and like he here and, and Zeus is, is up in this tree and he says, hey, I'm coming to your house. So notice what it says here it says. So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully for seven. And then when they saw it, so the crowd, they all grumbled and he has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner. They're like, wait a second, Jesus is hanging with that guy with him. That doesn't seem fair. And then Zacheaus stood and said to the Lord behold, Lord, half of my goods I give to the poor. And if defrauded anyone of anything, I will restore it fourfold, fourfold. You notice the order of that though, before Zachaeus ever did anything, Jesus said, I'm coming to your house. Then Zachaeus receives the Lord joyfully into his spirit and then responds what? In gratitude? He didn't do those things. And then Jesus said, ok, now you're good enough. No, he never deserved it. It was just a natural expression of receiving everything he needed in his soul. One more example that again, this one doesn't even have money. I want you to see this is well beyond outside the context of money. It's just a spirit and a mindset. Jesus is walking through the village in between, in between Jerusalem and Galilee. There's this group of these sick people who are lepers, horrible disease. Jesus heals them. 10 of them say go to the priests and you'll be clean, pretty crazy miracle, right? Sick their whole life, outcast by society. Miracle worker, rabbi, this guy Jesus come as you are healed, go present yourself to the priest. So 10 leave but only one comes back. We see this here in verse 15. Then one of them. When he saw that he was healed, turn back, praising God with a loud voice and he fell on his face at Jesus feet, giving him thanks. And now he's a Samaritan. Why is that included? Because of the 10? That was the least likely person to come back. And then Jesus answered him. We're not 10 cleansed. Where are the nine? And was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner. And he said to him, rise and go your way. Your faith has made you. Well, let me ask you something. What did that leper have to give nothing? And you know what Jesus said? That's enough. It is. He said, I'm not looking for a certain thing. I just, I want your praise. I want you to understand what you've received. So you see whether it's an Apostle Paul who's writing from prison. It's a king, David who was a shepherd and a king who had everything who had nothing from a tax collector to a leper. For someone who had everything and who had nothing. Who, someone who followed the rules, who broke all the rules, someone healthy and someone sick in all situations. There is a common thread throughout and that is simply gratitude, a spirit of humi humility and thankfulness because generosity isn't an amount. It's a mindset. I wanna close with this, with this thought here for, for us all. OK. Gratitude felt is not the same thing as gratitude expressed. It's the thought that counts when it comes to gift giving. I say it's a thought that counts. It doesn't, it doesn't count in gratitude. Right. Growing up, if you got a gift and your parents made you write. Thank you cards, right? It's great practice thinking about a thank you card and writing a thank you card is not the same thing. Ok, let's take money completely out of it for a second. When's the last time you expressed gratitude to your spouse for even a daily task and look, I get it. I'm searching for compliments as a husband. I'm one of those dudes, right? Like if I unload the dishwasher, I'm going to tell you about it. You know what I'm saying? Anyone with me, I get it. We're fishing. Ok? I'm not saying it's healthy, it's just real. Ok? But when's the last time your kid did something that you didn't point out. What was wrong that you, you, you said I'm proud of you. There was an interview with NFL coach recently talking about a player who all of a sudden is playing pretty well. And they asked him, I said, why do you think that is? He said, well, I looked on tape and he's got great skill. And I thought to myself, what would happen if someone just believed in him, right? What if we believed in our kids? What if you believed in your spouse? What if you expressed what you were grateful for. But what if we expressed what we were grateful for to God? I mean, he knows. Yeah. But do you know, do you express them? Do you just think about it or does your life reflect it? I just wanna get two questions here. You know, you talk about in school, doing some research. OK? Today, I just want you to do some research. OK? This is a little more painful but also easier. I want you to think in your life some research here and you ask the question. So if you get mad, you're only getting mad at you, ok? Like you can't get mad at me like this is you in your life. I want you to simply ask the question. What is your view of money in God? What story are you telling yourself? Because we all have a story we tell, don't we maybe grew up without it, maybe grew up with it, maybe grew up in a business partner betrayed and took everything. I don't know what your story is. But what is your view? Just ask the question? What is your view? What, what, what do you think about when you hear that word? When you think about God? What, what's your, where, where do you stand? Do you land and the greed side? Do you struggle on the guilt side? Like you don't have enough or you're not? I've made some bad decisions. And so now I'm recovering from that. I spent too much because I can't come back or can you land in the middle? And just so God, thank you. Because then the second question is just how can you practice gratitude this week? Even in the darkest situations, we can find a glimmer of light to be grateful for. If you're fighting a battle right now, maybe you can be grateful that you're, that's not done that you're not dead. If you're fighting a battle right now, maybe you can be grateful that you're not alone. If you're struggling right now, maybe you're grateful to even just be in church today that you got a relationship with your kids or your spouse or your friends. If you lost a loved one, uh, you know, this pastor do weddings and funerals and things. And I remember, um, you know, talking to someone one time when they lost their spouse for many years and, and it was this, I'm so sorry for your loss. He said, thank you. I said, how are you feeling? He said I am sad for the loss, but I've been so blessed for all those years I had with see that it's a mindset. What if collectively if we went into our week grateful and then not just felt it but actually expressed it. That is when the world takes notice and that's when things change. You pray with me dear God just thank you. We can't igive you God, there is nothing that we could do to deserve your grace, your love, your forgiveness. And so God, as we take this time to take communion, may we just reflect and be grateful that you tied on the cross for us and rose again. We got stressful situations and circumstances in our life and we just pause right now and thank you for who you are and what you've done. And then we pray Amen.