In the New Testament, we read how Christians were routinely persecuted. They were harassed, beaten, flogged, thrown in prison, or killed. Yet the Apostles suffering caused the leaders of the early church to rejoice. This is the paradox of sacrifice. We will focus on this paradox in a message titled, “Giving from the Heart: Paradox of Sacrifice.”
King Solomon ruled Israel from about 1,000 BC to around 960 BC. Do you remember what Solomon was known for? He was known for his wisdom. People came from all around to seek his wisdom. Solomon started off well but then something shifted. This shift is noted when the scripture says, “It took Solomon seven years to build the temple and thirteen years to build his house.” In that sentence is a shift that is easy to do if we are unaware.
Where do we invest our life? Do we invest in stuff that loses value over time? That is sold off for pennies on the dollar at the end of our life. What do we do with the talents God invests in us. Do we dig a hole in the ground and bury them or do we double their value? Will God say, “well done good and faithful steward?”
If we don’t build a strong financial foundation, we will struggle our whole lives. But once we build that foundation we find that we are able to give, save and live on the rest. In this message we will focus on how to build that foundation.
Sermon preached at Gold Canyon United Methodist Church in Gold Canyon, Arizona on February 3, 2019 by Rev. Fred A. Steinberg
Sermon preached at Gold Canyon United Methodist Church in Gold Canyon, Arizona on February 11, 2018 by Rev. Fred A. Steinberg
Sermon preached at Gold Canyon United Methodist Church in Gold Canyon, Arizona on February 4, 2018 by Rev. Fred A. Steinberg
Sermon preached at Gold Canyon United Methodist Church in Gold Canyon, Arizona on February 19, 2017 by Rev. Fred A. Steinberg
Sermon preached at Gold Canyon United Methodist Church in Gold Canyon, Arizona on February 7, 2016 by Rev. Fred Steinberg
