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• Recognizing the reach of Jesus' grace into everyday life
• Communion ceremony and its significance
• The Last Supper of Jesus Christ and its meaning
• Remembrance and gratitude in the Eucharist
• Invitation to participate in communion for those who believe in Jesus as Lord, Savior, and life
• Celebration of God's goodness and provision through words of thanksgiving
• Availability of prayer after the service
• Showing gratitude and thankfulness to God
• Overcoming negative news and issues by turning to God
• Praying for individuals with health issues (Nell, Nana)
• Thanking God for medicine and science that help provide treatments and prescriptions
• Appreciating God's work in various areas of creation around the world
• Worshipping safely and freely without fear of persecution or judgment
• Using the church building for various purposes
• Praying for candidates in the upcoming election to have their hearts focused on people, not just gain
• Thanking Pastor Dave for leading the congregation through God's word
• Gratitude and generosity
• Overcoming adversity, including addiction and personal struggles
• The importance of community and support from a church family
• Thankfulness for God's presence and intervention in one person's life (a child who was previously unable to speak)
• Praise and worship, with specific references to the Trinity and Jesus' resurrection.
• Shall not fear, shall not faint, by His blood and in His name
• Praise to the Father, Son, and Spirit
• Invitation to worship and thanksgiving for leading it
• Inviting others to join for Thanksgiving meal
• Discussion of giving money to the church, including tithing and automatic giving
• Invitation to receive God's blessing
[0.00 --> 8.26] In the 9 a.m. service, when we announced that there was Cornerstone and launch, there was
[8.26 --> 10.00] a kid right behind me who says, woo-hoo!
[10.78 --> 14.56] And I had never seen a kid so excited to leave the service to go upstairs.
[14.90 --> 18.68] And so we praise the Lord for all the Cornerstone teachers and the excitement our kids have
[18.68 --> 19.14] for it.
[20.52 --> 23.82] If you're new to Hope or visiting today, I just want to say my name is Dave Gruden.
[24.20 --> 25.46] I'm one of the pastors here.
[26.02 --> 28.82] And I want to share just a bit about the sermon series we're in the middle of.
[28.82 --> 33.06] For the last few weeks, we've been preaching a series called Contrast Community.
[33.82 --> 38.16] And the focus of this series is looking at the distinctive ways the church is called to
[38.16 --> 42.60] live that are in contrast to the normal way of life in our city.
[43.10 --> 48.52] So we've looked at what it means to be a community of service in a culture of self-elevation, a
[48.52 --> 54.84] community of dependent prayer in a world of self-sufficiency, a community of rest in a world
[54.84 --> 56.08] of hurry and exhaustion.
[56.08 --> 60.52] And this morning, we're going to be looking at what it means to be a community of gratitude
[60.52 --> 65.40] and generosity in a world of greed and, I'd add, and entitlement.
[65.88 --> 68.74] So that's what we're going to talk about and read about.
[68.84 --> 71.66] And if you have your Bible, turn with me to Matthew chapter 6.
[72.28 --> 76.54] And we're going to listen to Jesus teach us about money and treasures and possessions.
[76.54 --> 81.98] I'm going to start in verse 19 of Matthew chapter 6.
[81.98 --> 111.96] Matthew chapter 6.
[111.98 --> 135.88] This is God's Word.
[135.88 --> 140.74] Well, I want to begin with a picture.
[140.96 --> 143.70] It's actually a comic that I saw not that long ago.
[144.14 --> 146.70] And I'll say just a few words about it once you see it.
[148.44 --> 152.50] So this is an artist's depiction of a young man living his life.
[152.60 --> 156.12] And you can see at the beginning, probably starting his career, what is he doing?
[156.18 --> 157.30] He's chasing after money.
[158.00 --> 159.22] And then you'll see he's middle-aged.
[159.28 --> 160.18] He's lost a bit of hair.
[160.24 --> 161.24] He's got some money now.
[161.28 --> 161.88] He's holding it.
[161.88 --> 163.18] But he's still chasing after money.
[163.26 --> 164.22] And then what's the third frame?
[165.10 --> 165.74] Game over.
[166.06 --> 166.64] Life's over.
[166.74 --> 168.58] And there you are, holding your money.
[169.18 --> 176.38] And I think the artist who made this comic communicates what he's trying to say in the face of that man in the third frame.
[176.44 --> 177.08] What do you see there?
[177.66 --> 179.22] What emotions do you think he's depicting?
[179.22 --> 180.22] Sadness?
[181.44 --> 181.88] Sadness?
[183.18 --> 184.64] Maybe even a sense of guilt?
[185.78 --> 186.22] Regret?
[186.84 --> 194.34] I think that face captures maybe what many people feel at the end of their lives when they realize what they've been chasing will fail them.
[194.86 --> 197.64] And they cannot take it with them.
[198.46 --> 200.82] I have an uncle who has repeated this phrase many times.
[200.92 --> 201.44] It's in my head.
[201.50 --> 205.50] But he says, you will never see a hearse towing a U-Haul trailer.
[206.30 --> 206.90] Do you get that?
[206.90 --> 211.80] A hearse is what the vehicle that takes a body and a casket away to a cemetery.
[212.06 --> 214.16] You'll never see that vehicle towing a U-Haul.
[214.54 --> 216.14] You cannot take your stuff with you.
[216.26 --> 217.76] You cannot take your money with you.
[218.06 --> 223.20] And what Jesus is saying, not only are these things impermanent, but they are terrible masters.
[224.06 --> 226.06] They are terrible idols to worship.
[226.20 --> 228.50] They will always fail us.
[228.50 --> 232.76] Now, this teaching comes to us from the Sermon on the Mount.
[232.98 --> 235.66] And there's many challenging teachings in the Sermon on the Mount.
[236.06 --> 241.06] But some have said this might be the hardest hitting for North American and Canadian people.
[241.14 --> 246.32] Not because of what Jesus says so much as where we are as we listen in our context.
[246.32 --> 261.08] I don't think I need to convince anyone that we live in a consumer society where it is normal to organize your life around the chasing of money and all that it gets you with technology and travel and toys.
[261.38 --> 264.72] That is a normal reason for living in North America.
[264.72 --> 267.62] It's sort of an acceptable way of organizing your life.
[268.64 --> 272.84] And to bring it one more level, I'd say many of us Christians, we swim well in these waters.
[273.76 --> 273.94] Right?
[274.18 --> 278.84] We have one foot in this sort of Canadian dream of making money and having all the luxuries of life.
[278.98 --> 281.68] And then this other foot that's trying to figure out what it means to follow Jesus.
[282.12 --> 287.40] And Jesus, I think, speaks very boldly and plainly in this passage.
[287.50 --> 287.70] Right?
[288.38 --> 292.58] He says what you treasure, what you value most deeply, that's where your heart really is.
[292.86 --> 294.30] That's where the worship really happens.
[294.72 --> 296.62] He says you can't serve two masters.