Breakthrough and Obedience - Prosperity With a Purpose Series, Bill Johnson Sermon | Bethel Church

0:00 This is the time to see some significant change and breakthrough. But I'm not interested in just seeing people want to be blessed. I want to see people that declare as Lord and will demonstrate with every fiber of their being the Lordship of Jesus. And from that, see what measure of blessing the Lord would entrust into our lives so that we can further demonstrate this is what happens under the Lordship of a good king.

0:25 Good morning. Still morning, right? Yep. Yep. Good. I've had a real anticipation for this particular series for very specifically for at least six months. I think maybe as much as eight months. And we're calling it Prosperity with a Purpose. And I feel like the Lord is going to release something over us in this particular season that is honestly is unprecedented. at least in our life in our life together the Lord's been teaching us things through the years I get so encouraged, so thrilled with just the level of generosity and servanthood that you, that we as a people have chosen to live by it's such an encouraging thing to me but I've had this conviction in my heart that the Lord was going to deposit something, release a grace for increase that we've never seen before in this measure. And so anyway, it's been on my heart for quite a while. I had an experience this spring. I actually had it twice. It may have been three times. I think it was three times, but it doesn't really matter. I have had different encounters with the Lord throughout my life. Specifically, I had a three-day period where the Lord really visited me in the night. And what preceded that was the fact that I would pray literally day and night and ask the Lord for more. And really what happened was I became so obsessed, if you will, with this one thing that God would touch me more deeply, more profoundly than I had ever experienced before. I would actually wake myself up in the night praying. I didn't wake up to pray.

2:22 Of course, I've done that before. But I would be praying while I was sleeping so forcefully it would wake me up. And of course, Song of Solomon says, though I sleep, yet my heart is awake. So we know that the spirit man doesn't sleep. And there are some times he becomes so energetic and so full of activity that we wake up in the process. Well, I had an experience this spring that I had never had before. This was brand new for me. I actually woke up twice, and I think it was three times, I woke up teaching what I'm going to talk to you about today. I actually woke up, I woke myself up because I was teaching. That's almost scary. I don't want to become that obsessed with the word that I wake myself up sleeping. When I go to bed, I like to sleep. I just want to sleep. I love prophetic dreams and all that, but I'm there to sleep. And so one comedian said, he says, when I go to bed, he says, I want to sleep.

3:20 He says, I don't want to go to bed and find out I have to build a go-kart with my landlord, you know. So that's my heart. So anyway, I woke up two or three times teaching what I'm going to share with you today. Last week, we started this particular series, Prosperity of the Purpose. We started it, and I talked to you about the mission, because it was a missions week for us, and it's a huge part of our life, part of our culture. is that we live with the conviction that the light shines the farthest, shines the brightest at home. It's not an option of far away or near. It's both at the same time. It's both and. And so we've made this commitment as a church family to make sure that we serve well here, serve each other well, but give ourselves to the nations. So we do that without apology and actually with great, great joy. But today what I'm going to talk to you about is I'm going to talk to you actually about the tithe.

4:16 The tithe. and I've got an approach on this subject that I want to share with you some of you I'm sure fully embrace the concept of tithe other people have been taught that it's a part of the Old Testament law and so what we're going to do is we're just going to kind of go through as much line upon line as I know how this is probably the only message you'll ever hear that I could have actually put on a PowerPoint me and PowerPoint don't get along I'm not that linear. I'm not that structured in my presentation. So I'm a little bit all over the wall, and hopefully we can add it together at the end and get something. But today I am going to go at this a little bit more systematic. Let's start with this one concept.

5:07 Because there is so much error in Christendom, on the subject of prosperity. In some circles it's a forbidden subject, in others it's resisted because people have made the mistake of equating spirituality with wealth or material goods, income, etc. It's a great deception to think that any of our lives could be measured spiritually by what we own, our income, etc. That's a great deception. but it can also be said that the Lord will often use natural things to reveal what he's doing in the spiritual. Paul taught this concept first the natural then the spiritual in Corinthians and there's this concept in scripture that basically says the Lord is the one who makes rich he's the one who adds prosperity but he adds no sorrow to it now think through this with me whenever blessing and increase is the result of pursuing something else it is blessed and it has no sorrow when prosperity is the result of pursuing prosperity it will always cost us blessing and increase is supposed to be the result of correct priorities. Seek first the kingdom of God. All these things will be added to you.

6:46 So the scripture teaches that there is a bounty, there is a blessing, but it's supposed to be because of pursuing kingdom values first and foremost. And then blessing comes as a result. The book of Proverbs is very important to me. It's very important to me always, but in this season, and especially on the series on Solomon that we did together, and now again in this context. And so Proverbs has these two truths that are kind of held in tension that are important for us today. One is it says, wisdom, understanding, is to be pursued instead of wealth. All right? Say this with me. Wisdom is to be pursued instead of wealth. All right? On the other hand, it says those who pursue wisdom will become wealthy. does your brain hurt yet those who pursue the wealth are going to have issues because it always comes at a price but those who pursue kingdom end up with a blessing that as long as they maintain the core value of the kingdom that blessing can increase and it will have no sorrow to it picture this some of this I'll be able to do a lot better in the next couple weeks but today I have a very specific subject. Picture with me like three foundations on this table.

8:13 One would be kingdom, the other would be political system, which is humanism, and the other would be the religious system. Religious system has a God as central in value, but he's impersonal powerless. There's no presence or relationship involved. Political system is humanism. Man is at the center. In the middle is kingdom. The kingdom of God has a king. its foundation is the absolute lordship of Jesus. When we come to Christ, there is no trial size. I remember years ago hearing people say, just try Jesus. Winky Pratt and he said it best. He says, you can't try Jesus. He's not on trial. We are. There's no trial size. You get in the mail that you taste of Jesus and say, oh yeah, this is good. Let's go for some more. It doesn't come that way. He's absolute Lord. And so when we build on the lordship of Jesus, we build something that does not have sorrow.

9:08 But when we build at the same time on, let's say the religious system, the religious system is not based on a relationship. It's based on performance. How many of you know the religious system still wants you to have a good family? The political system wants you to have a good family. Yes, all right. Kingdom wants you to have a good family. What's the difference? is when you establish that value and that priority on the lordship of Jesus, everything he adds has no sorrow. but when you build on these other ways of thinking these other values it looks the same but it's counterfeit and the problem is it will always cost you it doesn't take you know a rocket scientist to look around the world to read the magazines, the books and to find the people who have quote unquote made it economically and yet they're in constant absolute crisis as they're under third and fourth marriage and this crisis, that crisis addiction to this, addiction to that because they pursued one thing and got it but they had to pay a price to get it that's not the blessing of the Lord because the Lord blesses He adds a favor, a wealth, a richness of life that has no sorrow with it.

10:24 I want you to open your Bibles with me to a couple portions of Scripture. One is we're going to go right to the heart of the matter in Malachi chapter 3. And then I want you to go, if you will, to Luke chapter 16. Malachi 3, Luke 16. Malachi or Malachi, as some have called him, the Italian prophet. and I want you to look at two themes that you will find Old and New Testament first of all it's probably good just to make the statement right here now everyone that has ever been saved has only been saved through grace the law never saved anyone I can't take the time to take you through the scripture right now but it's true in the Old Testament. Abraham was considered righteous because of faith, and we'll make reference to him in a moment. All right. Malachi chapter 3, verse 8.

11:31 Will a man rob God? It's good. It's a nice mellow word here that's just meant to encourage us. All right. Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed me. But you say, in what way have we robbed you? in tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, for you have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And try me now in this, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such a blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devour for your sakes, so that he will not destroy the fruit of the ground, nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field, says the Lord of hosts. All right? Luke 16. I'm going to try to tie these two together, so make sure you see this in your own Bibles. Luke 16, verse 10.

12:34 He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much. And he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. Therefore, if you've not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust true riches? If you've not been faithful in what is another man's, who will give you what is your own? He then goes on to talk about not serving God and mammon. Mammon, it refers to money, but more specifically in this context, when he says you cannot serve God and mammon is referring to a spirit being that works to influence the economics of the nations of the world. Mammon is personified in this illustration. So if you don't know of a prevailing power or influence in a land, if you don't realize it's there, you won't live in opposite to it.

13:29 If you don't live in opposite to it, you will fall prey to its influence. It doesn't mean it controls, just means there's influence. All right. So here we have these two passages of Scripture. I love what Jack Taylor, I wrote this down here recently. Jack Taylor said, so you tithe, big deal, so you're not robbing God. my grandfather, I loved his approach he loved salt we'd sit at the dinner table, we'd go out to a restaurant and he'd take the salt shaker he liked a lot of salt on his food probably too much, but anyway I have followed his line of thinking a little bit he'd pour salt on his food and if it wasn't generous, he would put it down in frustration and he would just mutter, tither and finally I'm just a young kid I said grandpa what do you mean tither I asked him I said what do you mean tither he says ah it only gives what it has to Malachi says you've robbed God because you've withheld the tithe and the offering.

14:37 Okay, first and foremost, the tithe means 10%. It's not 8%, it's not 15%, it's 10%. The misconception has been that the tithe was given to us through the law. That is not true. The tithe was given to us through Abraham.

14:58 Abraham in Genesis 14. Abraham tithed to Melchizedek. The book of Hebrews describes Melchizedek as a type of Christ because as he is recorded in scripture he has no beginning and no end. So he is a prophetic picture of the coming Christ and Abraham tithed to Melchizedek. The scripture teaches that those who are born again are actually the descendants of Abraham. it's in the book of Romans, it's in Galatians, it's throughout the scripture, it's a fairly frequently developed thought that the apostle has, is that those who are descendants of Abraham are not just those who are born through that lineage, it's actually those who came into faith in Christ. Why?

15:57 Abraham's son was Isaac. Isaac was a child of promise. Isaac was a miracle child. It was impossible for him to be born. Abraham was like 100 years old. Sarah was like 90. And she conceived, brought forth a son. It was an extraordinary miracle. In the same way, everyone who is born again, who puts their faith in Christ, is born of the Spirit. And it's a prophetic prototype of the miracle of conversion. So here's Abraham. he introduces the concept of the tithe, not the law. Moses came 400 years after Abraham. When he introduces the concept of the tithe, he is ratifying what has already existed. Abraham did it. His descendants did it. It's in Genesis 28 as well. So Abraham took a tenth of his spoil, of his income, and gave it to Melchizedek to give on him.

16:54 So now we come to Malachi. Malachi. What is Malachi? Malachi is this amazing prophet that gives us something that is so filled with New Testament concept. It's in Malachi we have, and the hearts of the fathers will be restored to the children, the hearts of the children to their parents. It's this New Testament prophetic decree, and in it is the concept that has to do with financial economic breakthrough. In this passage in Malachi, he makes this statement. He says, test me now. I don't know any other area in the Bible where we have been given not only permission, but a command or invitation perhaps, an invitation to test God. I don't know any other area where it is not only permissible, it's encouraged to test God.

17:46 It's in the realm of finances. Test me in this. And then he says, and see if I will not open for you the windows of heaven, pour out a blessing until there's no more need. How many of you realize that when the Bible talks about open heavens, it is not just talking about more money. Open heavens actually has to do with the release of the realm of God's rule, that outpouring of the Spirit poured out upon his people. And yes, it includes income. Yes, it includes health. Yes, it includes emotional strength. It includes all these things, but it's an actual visitation of God. And here's the remarkable thing. Is Malachi links natural obedience, tithe offering, with outpouring, with open heavens. What does Luke do? Luke 16. Jesus says, if I don't know how to handle unrighteous mammon, if I don't know how to handle unrighteous mammon who will entrust true riches to me if I don't know how to handle unrighteous mammon, who will entrust true riches?

18:56 I used to think true riches meant more money. But when you think about it, that's not it at all. Nobody in this room is here for money. All of us are here because we have a hunger for true riches, the authentic, the real display of his presence, his power, using us the way we were created to be used. Significant impact on humanity, empowered by the Lord to do what's impossible for a normal human being to do. Amen? We're here for that. We're here for the true riches. But what does he do? Malachi says, here's the tithe and the offering. It's linked to spiritual breakthrough. What does Jesus say in Luke 16? He says, here's the use of unrighteous mammon. It is linked to spiritual breakthrough, true riches. Some have taken that to an extreme that's another error. And the error would be that you can buy things from God. How many remember the guy in the book of Acts that tried to buy the anointing from Peter? And Peter just rebuked the guy. You can't buy it, but it's that concept is frighteningly close to the truth. You can't buy it from God, but you also can't go where you want to go without generosity.

20:06 you can't buy it you know i've heard people take offerings you know if you give x amount of dollars then i'll prophesy over you or you'll have this breakthrough that no that's nonsense that's silly don't don't ever fall to that nonsense because it's it's just not the lord's there's it's it's not that way it's that never let anybody manipulate anyone i don't care if i stand up here and if i some manipulative, shut it down because it's never what the Lord is doing. The Lord is inviting us into a partnership where we see natural obedience bringing spiritual release. And so Malachi links natural obedience, tithe offering, with spiritual release. Jesus links the two together as well. And he says, if I don't know how to handle unrighteous mammon, how can I ever be entrusted with true riches. And then he goes on and he uses another point.

21:03 He says, if you don't know how to handle that which is another person's who will entrust you that which is your own? Are you thinking? Are you alive? Check your pulse. Yes. Think through this thought now. He says, if I don't know how to handle that which belongs to somebody else, how can I be entrusted with something that will become my own? Interesting, because the tithe is not mine.

21:34 Dick Joyce said it best. He said, the tithe is our rent payment for living on his planet, breathing his air. And you don't want to be evicted. I like that approach. It's my rent payment. The concept biblically is the tithe is actually not mine. And here's the crazy thing about every one of our lives, those who tithe, those who don't, is you never keep it. You never keep it. A devourer has legal access to tithes that are not given to where he says to give them. And so the devourer comes in so many different ways. the car breaks down, this happens, that happens. The point is, it's not the Lord cursing you. It's just when we disobey the word of the Lord, we step outside of the realm of safety and protection and we experience some of the things we were never meant to experience. Does that make sense to you? All right. So here's this interesting word that open heavens as a result of a tithe and offering and true riches being released. And not only that, things being released to us that God always intended us to have in and for ourselves.

22:44 Now that concept I'm going to deal with more in the next week or two. But this is where I'll head when I have more time. Paul said the Lord gives us bread to eat and seed to sow. Very important concept to have these two if you could just think about your economic life in fact it's true with the revelation that God gives you it's true with friendships, it's true with everything but here, let's just take money this was the context he said he said the Lord gives us bread to eat and seed to plant, seed to sow some of what is given to me is seed and seed is be planted for a future harvest for me to eat my seed is to destroy my future it's foolish to eat seed it's equally foolish to plant bread and I've planted bread it doesn't grow it just gets dirty and wet there's nothing good that happens from it what's the point is some of what the Lord provides we have this concept sometimes in the kingdom that everything we have we're supposed to give away that's just not always that's not always the truth the Lord will lead people into a season where everything is given and they are supported through supernatural supply But I remind you, Israel in the wilderness had to trust God entirely daily for daily provision, for water, for cooling in the heat, for heat in the cold, the clothes. They didn't have any place to buy clothes, so the clothes actually had to last for that 40-year period of time, which miraculously it did. It was all the miracles, catch this, all the miracles in the wilderness were to sustain them.

24:44 All the miracles in the promised land were to advance them. It was no longer miracles to sustain. It was miracles to position them for influence. And in this room, we have people that are in wilderness experience, daily trusting for supply. That's the only thing that you know. And then there are people that the Lord has brought you through that season of being without so now you can be entrusted with. remember what he said he said if i don't know how to handle unrighteous mammon and then he says how can i be if i don't know how to handle that which is another's how can i be entrusted with something that is my own where was god taking israel through a season where they own nothing into a season where they inherited and then could use that for kingdom advancement it.

25:42 What is the training for the promised land? It's going without. alright the Lord has always taken us to something I grew up thinking that the wilderness experience of the daily ongoing provision of the Lord, the miraculous supply was the ultimate in the Christian life, it's not it's training for the ultimate The ultimate is to be able to work wholeheartedly with both natural and supernatural realms. And this is what I hope to develop in a week or two. Natural supernatural realms so that we are positioned for advancement truly to serve society by shaping culture, by drawing from resources to help people that are in great need. It's the favor of the Lord that positions us to do those kinds of things.

26:42 So how does that relate to the disciples? well it's kind of a strange illustration example if you will the disciples left everything to follow Jesus yes? alright trust me they did and before he left what did he tell them? he said you know if you have two coats sell one and get a sword that's got to be one of the weirdest parts of the gospel. I don't know if you've thought much about that. Why would Jesus have them get a sword? Especially considering the fact they can't use it. I mean the one time they try to use it Peter brings it out, whacks off an ear Jesus has to put the ear back and then rebukes him because if you live by the sword you die by the sword that's not how you're supposed to live why would he have him own a sword? it's just like the Lord to teach you how to possess by owning something you have no use for he trained them without to know how to steward what they have, what they can be given.

27:49 The point isn't to position them for mansions on the hill. I'm not aiming at that. Although some will be given that because their role in society is from that hilltop mansion, so to speak, that will influence a segment of society none of the rest of us can touch. I'm telling you the truth. What the Lord does is he provides a bounty and a blessing for each of us to completely, totally fulfill our place and assignment in life. Not one better than the other. They're just all different. And to be able to fulfill that role with everything we need to do it well and to become the servant in that environment. I have a dream where this body of believers will be a people that own their own homes, live without any debt, and are constantly positioned to be able to resource what God is doing here and around the world. A people that live with that kind of kingdom value, that literally wake up in the morning to live as an influence through economy, through words, through practical service, to be able to impact the course of history as a group of servants. We are learning that. That doesn't come through a lottery mentality that just says someday everything will be different.

29:05 No, it's a process that we've said yes to. And that process starts with this here that says, Jesus Christ is Lord. Remember the foundations here? These three kingdoms, the religious system, political system, and the kingdom. The foundation of this kingdom is the kingdom has a king. And the concept is the lordship of Jesus. And anything we build on that, does this make sense to you? As we build on this lordship of Jesus, what do we build on that? Well, the development of family life, healthy business, healthy community, and we build and we build. As long as it stays true to the foundation, it will have no sorrow with it. But the moment we compromise and build on another foundation, we experience heartbreak. What's the point? Only that which is founded on this kingdom value can endure whether you live on Wall Street as a broker or you're in the Middle East suffering persecution and the threat daily of being martyred for your faith.

30:01 anything that's built on this core value of Jesus' absolute lordship can stand. But when we compromise this and we start building through the political system, through the manipulation of fearing man and that whole deal, the whole religious system where we try to gain power and persuasion over people, and we try to build family or business through these things, what happens as we start building things that are not transferable to the church in crisis in the Middle East? they're not transferable why? because they picked up values of another kingdom and one of the big complaints through the years and rightfully so is many of the teachings on money only have to do with North America well anytime we forget the foundation, the basics of our walk with Christ he is absolute Lord absolute Lord he comes to be God, there's no trial size I give myself completely to him that is the rock bottom basics of the gospel and as that anything that gets built on that how many of you know you're not facing the threat of dying today because you came here most of you anyway So what happens?

31:18 We're able to build through our life in God, healthy family, what it's like to live in community, to have successful businesses, to draw from those businesses, to impact the course of history. We have all these things we're able to build. And as long as we build on that one core value, anything we learn is transferable to any other culture. did I lose you or is that alright you alright there's this passage in Matthew 22 that is important for us verse 17 of Matthew 22 tell us therefore what do you think? is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Jesus perceived their wickedness and said why do you test me? you hypocrites Jesus just had a way with words show me the tax money so they brought him a denarius and he said to them whose image and inscription is this they said to them Caesar's.

32:24 And he said to them, render the word there is actually pay. Render therefore to Caesar's the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's. What is the subject? The subject is money. And Jesus teaches that part of what you have isn't yours. It belongs to Caesar. Give it to him. And part of what you have isn't yours. It belongs to God. Give it to him. the only concept that the Jew had to work with, with this idea that part of what I have actually belongs to God is the concept of the tithe. It is not a gift. It is a payment that gives honor to him that acknowledges, I believe that Jesus Christ is Lord. Some will ask, you know, do you tithe on the... the net or the gross?

33:18 What size of blessing do you want? I think there's only one answer, but I'll let you figure it out. So here we have this concept of tithes and offering. Here's what I find so fascinating for me in my own life. Is that this idea of being able to take something, I've shared this with you in the past, I know, but I heard years ago a little show on TV where they talked about, they said, it's hard to find a $20 bill in our country. Falling from heaven. It's hard to find, thanks. It's hard to find a $20 bill in our country that doesn't have traces of cocaine on it. The whole point is, is the money that's in our pockets, the money that is in our accounts have been used for some good things that were good, healthy, righteous, wonderful. Some things that were very corrupt and very bad. The whole point is, is no matter what it was used for when it was outside of my hands, it is now in my hands.

34:24 And as it being in my hands, I'm the general of an army and these are my soldiers. And I send them into battle. I commissioned them to establish a course for history to follow. I send them into battle that they might provoke and bring about change. It's amazing that something so temporal at one time in this bill's history, it was used for corruption, for bad things. Right now it's in my hands. I take that which has been called unrighteous mammon, I bring it into the kingdom, and I actually get to make a difference in the course of history and invest in people's lives. And it doesn't matter whether this is being used to buy clothing for my grandkids, or whether it's being used to support a missionary in Afghanistan. It doesn't matter. The whole point is it is seed that I have the privilege of sowing, and as it is planted, it has an effect on the world where it's planted and then it has an effect in my world.

35:20 It brings something back into my life that I couldn't have gotten any other way. So Abraham is actually the source of the tithe. It was not Moses. Abraham in Genesis 14 tithed to Melchizedek. His own son tithed in Genesis 28. The point being, Abraham is called the father of our faith. every believer is considered to be a descendant of Abraham alright, now a descendant of Abraham is one who is in this family by faith the Jews were arguing with Jesus on this concept of who really was a descendant of Abraham and Jesus made this statement in John 8, I think it's verse 39 it's in that area, left side of the page, about a third of the way down. Jesus makes a statement. He says, if you're descendants of Abraham, do the deeds of Abraham.

36:25 Live the life that he lived. Do what he did. and then he went on to say, but you guys are liars, and you're like your father, the deceiver, so in other words, he's saying, you're living like your father, the one who's really your father, not the one you claim to be your father, what's the point, is that if quote-unquote Abraham is our father, then the deeds of Abraham must be seen in and through our life, I don't mean they earn us something, I mean they are consistent with our confession. Our confession of faith. Do the deeds of Abraham. What were the deeds of Abraham? They were the expressions of trust and honor and abandonment to the will and the purposes of God. Do the deeds of Abraham. this is usually where I would start in a series like this last week we did missions I've got a target.

37:36 I don't even know how much this needs to be taught to you. I'm impressed week after week after week with the radical obedience of the people in this house. but I've got this dream this dream of every person being settled in their heart with who they are in God their place in society and their place of influence literally being successful in the assignment a friend of mine shared an illustration years ago How many of you remember when you weren't saved?

38:22 What did you do when the TV evangelist came on the TV? Did anybody change the channel? How many of you changed the channel? Yeah. How many of you remember right after you were born again and somebody would come on the TV preaching, it just sounded different than before you were saved? Does anybody remember that? The point, the friend of mine made says, after you're born again and that guy comes on TV and he starts Billy Graham comes on and starts talking about the love of God. I mean we just sit there listening. Why? Because the issue has been settled. Right? Does that make sense? The issue has been settled. I mean before many of you would change the channel as quick as you possibly could or you'd sit there and make fun of it. One of the two and maybe both on the same night. I don't know. But once the issue is settled, once the issue is settled, it's amazing how much different the subject sounds. The subject of the tithe is a joyful, inviting subject for those for whom the issue has been settled.

39:27 Amen. Amen. That was such a wonderful, wonderful point. Here's one of my deepest concerns in this subject. There's some teaching that's been going around quite a bit about what Jesus taught was under the law. and the reason for that is the death and resurrection of Christ marked the beginning of the New Testament.

40:28 But can you imagine the Father sending his son Jesus to teach us and have his teaching only applicable the last three years of the Old Testament's existence? Not very good stewardship, if you ask me. Are you thinking? Are you thinking with me? Here's the challenge. is it's vital for us to learn to recognize what ended at the cross, what was changed at the cross, and what made it through the cross, what is unchanged. And that's where wisdom, extreme wisdom is needed because all three realities exist. What changed, what ended at the cross? Animal sacrifice. There is no New Testament version of animal sacrifice. that's a safe one to say amen on it's not a trick point at all I'm not going to trick you there's just no New Testament version of animal sacrifice it ended at the cross, period what changed at the cross?

41:30 many things changed at the cross one is the Sabbath in the Old Testament it was a day in the New Testament it's a way of life a Sabbath rest is something we enter into not a day of the week but all seven days of the week. Does that mean we shouldn't take time to rest? No, no. I think that's a very valid principle. But the point is, the scripture says, there remains a rest to enter into. And he's referring to an approach, a way of life. What made it through the cross? Well, one of the things that made it through the cross unchanged is the Davidic worship, the worship style that David established in the Old Testament, where the people of God came before the presence of the 24 hours a day and worshiped. They would have 24 hour shifts every day and they would sing and minister to God. That pattern established in David's life was prophesied about in Amos chapter 9 that there was a day coming when God would rebuild that.

42:27 Acts chapter 15 is the time we see it rebuilt. And what's the point? The point is that worship ministry was the prophetic prototype of the New Testament church. It made it through the cross unchanged. So what about the tithe? Abraham initiated it. Ratified is correct by the law. Jesus came and taught the concept many times. And in one occasion, Matthew 22 said, when they were boasting in their ability to tithe even down to the herbs, he said, this you should have done without neglecting the rest. In other words, this isn't the most profound lesson for you to learn, but it's a good beginning place. Let me build on it. This isn't, you know, this isn't doctorate level Christianity. This is preschool. Get these, you settle, and I can do something. Right? So here's my concern, is that there are folks who believe that because Jesus ratified it, that was Old Testament. He was just referring to something that was established in the law.

43:35 I believe that's dangerous for several reasons. One is in the epistle of John. It says anyone who does not hold to the teachings of Christ, you're not even to associate with. What are the teachings of Christ? It's all those things that are in red letters. It's the red print. It's the stuff he said. That's what he said. That's what he taught. his teachings are timeless they were not given to humanity for a three year period before his death and resurrection they are timeless the words of Jesus and he invites us into this relationship where he says man you learn how to handle something that belongs to somebody else which is what in the jewish life the only thing that fits that category is the tithe you learn how to handle what belongs to someone else it qualifies you to have something that's yours that's fascinating to me because many people think that jesus never meant for you to have anything. He illustrates there, this is the training ground. Stewarding what belongs to someone else equips you, trains you, enables you to have something that is your own.

44:48 Having something that you're own, the goal isn't to build a materialistic empire. The goal is to be everything I'm supposed to be so that everything put in my hands is a useful tool to represent God in creativity, in excellence, in the ability to have impact on culture, on values, on the way people live, the way people think. And part of that is how we handle money. And the inability to succeed in this one area robs us from having a role in shaping the culture of upper echelons in economy. There is no discipling of nations without learning this one lesson. The Lord has summoned and called us to be able, not to be the know-it-alls. I don't like that idea. But I love the idea of anybody in this room being able to be used by God at any given time to bring the word of the Lord to the upper echelons of any part of this culture and this society.

45:50 To bring the word of the Lord, to bring that idea that I believe the Lord is releasing blueprints, creative ideas, things to his people. But it's in the context of a covenant people who have said, Yes, Jesus, you are Lord. It is all for you. whether I die in martyrdom or you cause me to be successful on Wall Street. It's all based on the lordship of Jesus and my life is not built out of what I own. It is built out of my devotion to the lordship. The centrality of Christ is being lord over my life. that life right there, that is transferable to any culture. You just take the different slices that are needed. That makes sense. I hope to develop that thought a little better in weeks to come, but you take any slice that is needed out of this lifestyle built on the foundation of the Lordship of Jesus. You take out whatever is needed to whatever culture, whatever group of people you're ministering to. Some people, all they need to know is how to endure because they're facing great, great opposition.

46:57 You know, the person who wakes up every day wondering if he's going to be alive at the end of the day, they really don't need to know. Their first priority is not to how to develop greater missions resource. They need to know how to experience the power of God in a way that gives them the grace to endure. And the power of God is for miracles and endurance. It's two sides of the same coin. And so you pull that out of that foundation of thought, of life, and you give it to that person that's facing that need. And yet you minister to somebody on Wall Street, and you bring yet a different word, but it's all based on the Lordship of Jesus. It links them, it ties them to the central truth. Jesus is Lord of all. The kingdom of God has a king, and his name is Jesus. And everything we do is for his honor, for his glory. This concept of the tithe is a covenantal promise.

47:52 The Lord has promised what he would do and he invites us. Put me to the test. I believe it's a critical season for us. I'm very encouraged. I'm very happy about it. But I've also got this sober-minded thing going on. I've never had such an experience in the middle of the night, waking up teaching with this burning thing of God in my soul that would wake me up just trying to lay down line after line, precept after precept. This concept that God has called us as a covenant people who demonstrate the lordship of Jesus with everything, not just in song, but in everything. Every part of my life, anywhere you slice it, it shouts, Jesus is Lord.

48:47 why don't you stand we'll pray together and then we've got a couple more weeks of this so I hope to really bring a good mess hope to mess you up really good in the next couple weeks now I really I'm really hoping that a spinoff of this will actually be creative ideas. We're going to end this series with a covenantal prayer.

49:25 And the Lord spoke to me in October of 2003. He woke me up. And it's one of the few times in my life I've had this kind of experience and encounter. And in this experience I asked him a question. He woke me up. I asked him a question out loud. I was in a hotel in Minneapolis, Minnesota. And I asked him a question out loud. And I instantly was put to sleep. It was like, I don't know how to describe it. I went from talking to him to instantly being asleep. And in that context, he spoke audibly. And he spoke, and I'll develop this more, but he spoke about the anointing for the cancellation debt, specifically the releasing of jubilee over the people of God. And I believe that this, I've sat on this thing, I've toyed with it a little bit, but I've mostly sat on it for 11 years. And I just have this burning conviction.

50:26 This is the time to see some significant change and breakthrough. But I tell you, I'm not interested in just seeing people want to be blessed. Because when the test starts, then people throw in the towel. I want to see people that declare his Lord and displays Lord and will demonstrate with every fiber of their being the Lordship of Jesus. And from that, see what measure of blessing the Lord would entrust into our lives so that we can further demonstrate this is what happens under the Lordship of a good king, of a perfect king. All right. Father, I pray for this grace for breakthrough and that you would actually unfold this whole deal into our lives in such a profound way that we see things working that never worked. And we would see release of blessing where we've never been blessed. That we would see breakthrough and favor come into our lives in places that we've ached for and longed for.

51:26 Lord, I do think that you're saying this is the season for this shift. So I'm just uniting my heart with what you've been breathing into mine. And I just say, Lord Jesus, let this be the hour of breakthrough. Let this be the season where the blueprints, the creative ideas, these things are released. But let them be released to a covenant people who can openly display your goodness, your kindness, and your power. I pray these things for the glory of God. Everybody said.