KIC Goal 5 - 100% Resourced
Matthew 10 v 9
“Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts— 10 no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep.
Phillippa mentioned this verse last week when she was talking about leadership and way that Jesus planned in advance for His disciples, but this week we have shifted our focus to KIC Lubowa Goal 5 – 100% resourced!
I start with this verse because resourcing can be found in different ways. In this verse Jesus is telling his disciples NOT to rely on their resources, but instead to rely on the goodness of those to whom they are reaching out.
However, in Acts Paul had a very different attitude
Acts 18v1-4
18 After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. 2 There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, 3 and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them. 4 Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks.
Paul could have relied on the generosity and welcome of Aquilla and focused 100% on his preaching work. But in this case, he did not choose this option, but rather kept the preaching to the Sabbath, and spent the week helping Aquila and Priscilla make tents, where – like all of us – he would also have opportunity to share, encourage and disciple as he went about his daily working life.
So, this is not going to be a sermon stating you must do this or that, but rather a challenge to come alongside the leadership of our church and say:
“This is not your church, or my church, but OUR church”.
“I am committed to it in every way as God has given me resources, gifts and talents, to build my spiritual family in KIC Lubowa and to reach out with the Love of God to friends and contacts.”
We can learn a lot from the early Church, which demonstrated a very radical, but totally practical way of Christian living:
Acts 4v32 - 35
Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid
it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.
The early church was Christ focused and this naturally led them to being community focused – the second greatest commandment, “Love your neighbour as yourself” (Matt 12v31). This trust and concern for each other enabled them to be sure that, as they cared for others, others would care for them, and ultimately God would take care of them all!
We are going to delve further into these thoughts, but first let us consider some MONEY
…. And after the money, to do some maths together – your favourite subject at school no doubt!!
So, first to the money….
On Friday I went to the bank and exchanged two 50,000 notes for 100, 1000 notes – here they are. At the end of the message I am going to give one to each of you and do not fear, this is not at the sacrifice of my offering, that has already been given – these are gifts from me to you. As a gift it comes with no ties, you can use it as you want…. To buy a little treat for yourself on the way home, to give to that lame person in town where you keep meaning to give something but never have money or change, to pass on to someone else for them to enjoy, to add it to your savings whether they be in a tin or in the bank, to place it under your pillow and bring it back to church next week for the offering….. whatever, it is your 1000….enjoy it
You will get it at the end!
Now to the maths…..anyone like maths? – Come on up and help me do some calculations.
Give the calculator
The total budget for KIC Lubowa for 2020 was: UGX 73,936,300
There are 52 weeks in a year so how much do we need per week?
UGX1,421,852
How many people in the congregation today?
???? 80
Not all see KIC Lubowa as their home church, which is fine as we welcome all! Perhaps ¾ of us see KIC Lubowa as our home church.
???? 60
So the total cost per week shared equally among the 60, would mean that each person would need to give?
???? 24,000 per week
Thanks for your help…..round of applause
Now, ?????24,0000 might seem a lot to you or a little to you, and of course we all have different financial circumstances, but the target is there for us as KIC LUBOWA to achieve our goal of BEING 100% RESOURCED
And there are some key Biblical principles, or patterns, which apply to us all, whether we have lots of Financial resources, or are basically living on the edge as far as finances are concerned:
All we have is from God
1 Chronicles 29 v 14 (David is speaking)
“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.
Tithing (a tenth) is a good target
Gen 28 v 20-22
20 Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear 21 so that I return safely to my father’s household, then the LORD will be my God 22 and this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God’s house, and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth.”
We all have something to give
Luke 21 v 1- 4 (The Message)
1-4 Just then he looked up and saw the rich people dropping offerings in the collection plate. Then he saw a poor widow put in two pennies. He said, “The plain truth is that this widow has given by far the largest offering today. All these others made offerings that they’ll never miss; she gave extravagantly what she couldn’t afford—she gave her all!”
God loves a Cheerful Giver
2 Cor 9 v 6-7
6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
So, the challenge for us all is how we apply these money principles to our own situations, and of course, even then, they are not fixed in stone as our own personal circumstances vary from day to day, week to week, month to month and year to year. God knows this and the challenge of these verses today is to reflect on these principles, consider our personal circumstances and to respond in an appropriate way.
With this in mind, let us think about the Parable of the Talents where a rich man gives to his servants different amounts of money before he goes away on a journey. I read from The Message version, as I love the parables even more when they read like a story:
Matthew 25:14–30
14-18 “It’s also like a man going off on an extended trip. He called his servants together and delegated responsibilities. To one he gave five thousand dollars, to another two thousand, to a third one thousand, depending on their abilities. Then he left. Right off, the first servant went to work and doubled his master’s investment. The second did the same. But the man with the single thousand dug a hole and carefully buried his master’s money.
19-21 “After a long absence, the master of those three servants came back and settled up with them. The one given five thousand dollars showed him how he had doubled his investment. His master commended him: ‘Good work! You did your job well. From now on be my partner.’
22-23 “The servant with the two thousand showed how he also had doubled his master’s investment. His master commended him: ‘Good work! You did your job well. From now on be my partner.’
24-25 “The servant given one thousand said, ‘Master, I know you have high standards and hate careless ways, that you demand the best and make no allowances for error. I was afraid I might disappoint you, so I found a good hiding place and secured your money. Here it is, safe and sound down to the last cent.’
26-27 “The master was furious. ‘That’s a terrible way to live! It’s criminal to live cautiously like that! If you knew I was after the best, why did you do less than the least? The least you could have done would have been to invest the sum with the bankers, where at least I would have gotten a little interest.
28-30 “‘Take the thousand and give it to the one who risked the most. And get rid of this “play-it-safe” who won’t go out on a limb. Throw him out into utter darkness.’
This story is helping us to understand the nature of the Kingdom of God. It is not just about the money that we have or don’t have, but about all that God has given us to work out His Kingdom purposes here on earth. Jesus came that we might have life, eternal life, and have it to the full, but he then left this earth to be once again with His heavenly father. As he left He said this:
Acts 1 v 7 – 9
7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
Jesus left the task of growing His Kingdom in the hands of His disciples, us - you and me! Of course, we are not alone in this task, as He also sent the Holy Spirit to come and empower us to be able to do these Kingdom growing tasks. He has also given us gifts and resources that we can use in this Kingdom growing task, BUT, just as in the parable of the Talents, it is up to us to use these resources as we choose.
And this is what we are all about at KIC Lubowa – it is our Mission Statement:
KIC Lubowa Mission Statement
“Accepted and transformed to bring God’s Kingdom into our world.”
Are we going to use the resources and talents that God has given us to make this happen, to ensure that KIC Lubowa reaches its Goal of being: 100% Resourced!
I am not a “stick” sort of person, where I scare, or force, people to do something – the carrot is for me, but the Bible, and Jesus speaking through the parables, does not mince its words concerning inactivity in the Kingdom of God….. burying our talent, not being prepared to welcome the bridegroom, not being ready or wanting to come into the bridal party… and others…. the parable we read ends:
Matthew 25 v 28 – 30 (The Message)
28-30 “‘Take the thousand and give it to the one who risked the most. And get rid of this “play-it-safe” who won’t go out on a limb. Throw him out into utter darkness.’
A sobering thought, but let us not finish on this point, but lift ourselves up again with the joy of giving and being a part of ensuring that KIC Lubowa reaches its 100% Resourced goal. Let the actions of the Macedonian believers be an example and challenge to us all:
2 Corinthians 8 v 1 - 5
And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. 2 In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. 3 For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4 they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people. 5 And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us.
Let me close with a prayer and then I will ask those who collected the offering to give you your gifts of UGX1,000 – enjoy it!
