Using What You Have in Service to God: Lessons from 2 Kings 4

Join Reagan as he explores the story of the Shunammite woman from 2 Kings 4 and draws profound lessons about using what we have in service to God. Through engaging storytelling and biblical insights, Reagan illustrates the importance of focusing on our abilities and resources rather than what we lack. He emphasizes selflessness, faith, and the incredible ways God can multiply our efforts. A reflection on generosity, gratitude, and faith, this episode encourages viewers to use their gifts, no matter how small, in the service of others and God's glory.

00:00 Introduction: Imagine Your Spare Room
01:14 The Selfless Woman of Second Kings
02:02 Three Keys from the Spare Room
05:01 Generosity of the Macedonian Churches
12:28 Lessons from Mary of Bethany
16:28 The Shunammite Woman's Unexpected Blessing
24:48 The Miracle of Feeding the 5,000
34:55 Conclusion: Giving in Service to God

Transcript

Humor me for just a moment this morning. Please. I want you to imagine, will you do this for me? I want you to imagine that you're going to add a spare room onto your house or your apartment or whatever it is, where you're living. What would that room be? If you're gonna add on a room, would it be a man cave or a she shed?

Would it be an en suite bathroom for the master bedroom? Maybe it's a gaming room or a home theater. Maybe you're a practical person. And so it would serve more practical purposes. Maybe a cake kitchen or a sewing room, or a home office or a woodworking shop, or a nursery or a homeschool classroom, whatever it is.

Do you have that room in mind? Hey, I in fact, gimme a thumbs up. You say, okay, I kind of, I kind of know the room that I would add on if I was adding on to my house. Now be honest, I want you to raise your hand. Who here is thinking of a spare room? Where you are, the one who would be primarily benefited by that spare room.

Raise your hand if you say, yeah, the one I'm thinking of primarily would be beneficial to me. Well, that's okay. But I think it illustrates how special and how selfless the woman in Second Kings chapter four was in making a spare room for the prophet of God. So if you have your Bible with you. Would you turn with me to two kings, chapter four, two Kings, chapter four.

We'll begin reading in verse eight together here in just a second. As we think about for a few moments this morning, using what you have in God's service, I'm so grateful for the presence of all, especially those who are visiting, but we're, we're grateful for everyone that is here, both member and visitor alike.

And I pray that God is pleased with what we've done this morning and I have been praying and continue to. To pray that that the things I say this morning will be helpful to you as you strive to be more who God has called you to be. If you're there in two Kings, chapter four, what I'd like to do is go through this text and rather than reading it all at one time, let's read it bit by bit and make the points as we go and, and I have three keys.

See what I did there from the spare room, three keys from the spare room on how to use what we have. How to use what we've been given, as Josh talked about for a little bit earlier, how to use what we have in service to God. If you're there in two Kings, chapter four, begin reading with me in verse eight.

These this is during the days of Elisha, the Prophet, and Elisha is gonna have an interaction with a woman in Ham. So read with me beginning in verse eight of two Kings, chapter four. Now, it happened one day that Elisha went toum, where there are notable, where there was a notable woman and she persuaded him to eat some food.

I think all of us probably have somebody in our life like that. For me, it's my grandmother on my mom's side. You know, she's one of these people. Reagan, you could probably lose a few pounds, but you know, here's this giant cake I baked for your, for your being here, right? So she persuaded him to come and eat some food.

We have some people that we just can't say no to on that sort of thing. She's hospitable to the prophet of God. So it was as often as he passed by, he would turn in there and eat some food. She was probably a pretty good cook and she said to her husband, verse nine, look, now I know that this holy man of God who passes by us regularly, I, I know him.

Please let us make a small upper room on the wall and let us put a bed for him there in a table, in a chair, and a lamp stand. So it will be whenever he comes to us, he can turn in there. And it happened one day that he came there and turned in there to the upper room and lay down there. So the first thing that I want us to see from this lady, and if, if you'd like to mark your Bible there in two Kings, chapter four, we're gonna come back to this text a couple more times in our lesson this morning.

But the first thing that I think we see from her, a key from the spare room in terms of what we're supposed to be doing as Christians, is just use whatever you have in service to God. And I emphasize whatever you have, not what somebody else has, not what you think you ought to have or don't have, use whatever you have in service to God.

And that's exactly what this woman did as well. And why did she do that? What was her motivation for that? Well is because she was a, a notable woman. She was a good woman. She was a, a great woman. If you want to translate that word if you wanna translate that word literally. I don't think that's just talking about that she had lots of funds, lots of means, although certainly that might be part of it.

She was also someone who was a woman of God, and so she was gonna use what she had in God's service. If you look there in the New Testament to two, two Kings, chapter eight, I think we see the progression that should take place in every single one of us in regard to using what we have in service to God.

And second Kings second Corinthians, chapter eight and verse one. Second Corinthians chapter eight and verse one, Paul says to the brethren, in Corinth to, we're probably fairly well todo, moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia, that in great trial of affliction, the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded.

The riches of their liberality. These churches in Macedonia were very generous to needy, needy brethren, especially those who were going through a difficult time in Judea. I bear witness Paul says that according to their ability yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing, imploring us with much urgency that we should receive the gift and the fellowship for the ministering of the saint.

The service that we were rendering to needy saints, they, they begged us that they would receive that gift, and not only as we had hoped notice, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and then to us by the will of God. There was the progression. They first did what they gave themselves. They first gave themselves totally and fully to the Lord and to Paul and to what he was preaching.

And it was by that giving of themselves that they then gave what they had in service to God and others and, and so too for us, we should be giving ourselves to the Lord holy and fully. Everything I am is his anyway. So why Should't? I give myself to him and then give what I have in service to him and to others if I love him with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.

What does it mean to give of what I have is that not merely an imitation of him and his love for me. If you drop down there to verse nine of the same chapter for, you know, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes, he became poor, that you through his poverty might become rich.

Jesus gave quite literally himself. Everything that he was to us. And so we imitate him in giving everything that we have to God as well. Paul talks about this a lot. Again, Josh has set the table a little bit for us in one Timothy chapter six in thinking about who we are and the wealth that we have.

The apostle Paul writes to Timothy, and he says this regarding those who have means, he says, command those who are rich in this present age, not to be haughty. To trust into uncertain riches, but in the living God who gives richly all things to enjoy. Verse 18, let them, those who are rich in this present age, let us do good, that they may be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

Why do we have these blessings from God? Because he loves us. Josh kind of asked that question. That's the first thing I said. He loves us and he wants to bless us, but he gives us these things ultimately so that we might use those blessings in his service and in the service of others. May we all resolve that I am ready to give and I am willing to share with what I have.

We teach that to our children, right? That sharing is caring, that we're supposed to share the things that we have with others, and we need to have that same sort of mentality. And, and this woman in two Kings, chapter four, she was looking for a way to use her blessings in service of God and his prophet.

And so should we, we should ask ourselves the questions, what do I have? How can I serve? She didn't wait for somebody else to tell her what to do. She figured out something that she, she could do. She jumped in there. She made a difference, however small it might seem in the grand scheme of things. She was willing to do what she could with what she had.

And young people, I think, are especially tempted to not see what you have to give maybe immediately and. And paralleling with Josh in some ways is maybe a negative way and a negative thing in this way. Maybe we, we always jump to monetary things, right? We always say, well, what, what money do I have that I might give?

And certainly that's something to give. But when I think about young people, think about all that you have that you can use in God's service. You have minds. Minds that are sharp and malleable, you easily remember things and now is the time to use those minds to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord.

You are at an age where people are drawn to you and and follow you because people are looking for someone to follow at your age. People are looking for someone to follow. You, you should not underestimate both the ability you have to lead with those who are your age and older. But also don't underestimate your ability to encourage others that when old people who are older than you see the way that you are living after Christ, it is an encouragement to them, not just, well, the future of the church looks good.

It's an encouragement to them to to serve. In that same way, if someone who is young can do this, and I see them serving in this way. What excuse do I have at my age not to strive to do it as well. You have the ability to communicate and to communicate with your generation in a way. Older people can't.

You have the looks, you have the style, well, at least some of you think you do. Be an example in that, that what matters most. What has substance. Who you are and not, not just what you look like. And if you are willing to use those not as physically tangible things in service to God. If you find those things where you say, I can serve God in this way, using what you have in God's service, he can and will be pleased with you even if you don't have a lot of money to give to other people.

And that doesn't necessarily mean you say, all right, I, I gotta change my vocation. Reagan's saying I need to be a preacher. Well, maybe it, it could mean that, but use your blessings, whatever they are in service to God, and at any age, we should take a lesson from this woman and use whatever we have. But I'm afraid that sometimes our focus is not on what we do have.

Our focus is on what we don't have, and our focus is not on what we can do. Sometimes our focus is on what we can't do. Rather than what we do have and what we can do. And, and if sometimes we fall into this sort of trap, I want you to remember a character. I want you to remember Mary of Bethany. If you'll turn to Mark chapter 14.

This is also found in a couple of other places. There's another account that's very similar. That's probably not the same occasion, but Mark and John both. Matthew, mark and John all record this particular account that's found in Mark chapter 14. Mark chapter 14, beginning in verse three. This is just before Jesus' last week, before his crucifixion.

That week is beginning and we see in verse three that he stays where he often stayed when he went to Jerusalem and being in Bethany. At the house of Simon, the Tanner the leper. As he sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask, a very costly oil of Spikenard, and she broke the flask and poured it on his head.

Now, John tells us a couple of other things. This is Mary of Bethany who is doing this. That's Martha and Lazarus's sister, and it's not just that she poured it on his head. She, she poured it on his feet also, and, and she wiped it with, with her hair. Verse four, but there were some who were indignant among themselves and said, why was this fragrant oil wasted?

Again, John tells us, primarily it was Judas Ariat, who was most indignant about this because he wanted to take a little bit from the money box if perhaps they were to sell this verse five for it might have been sold for more than 300 denarii and given to the poor. And they criticized her sharply.

Maybe your translation says they scolded her. You shouldn't have done that, but Jesus said, let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for me, for you have the poor with you always. Whenever you wish, you may do them good, but me, you do not have always notice verse eight, please hear this, Jesus says.

She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint my body for burial. Assuredly I say to you, whenever this gospel is preached in the whole world, that this woman and what she has done will also be told as a memorial to her, and 2000 years later, I'm doing that very thing that Jesus promised Jesus says.

She has done what she could and Mary of Bethany, she did what she could. She did not do what she couldn't. That must be left up to God. What was it that Mary couldn't do on this occasion? Well, she couldn't save Jesus from the cross. She couldn't save him from what was before him. She couldn't adequately express her gratitude to him for what he had done in saving her.

She couldn't solve the problem of poverty. The poor you'll have with you always, Jesus said, and she certainly couldn't provide a sacrifice for sins and a death, burial and resurrection. But what she could do is anoint Jesus before the most difficult week of his physical life. She could express her love and devotion as best she knew.

How. And in this, she teaches us the same lesson as the Shunammite woman. Use whatever you have in service to God. Now, that's the main point this morning. If if, if you've got that and you're good with it, then that, I guess I could leave that here, but I think there are a couple of other things from that account back there in two Kings chapter four.

That are helpful to us and really putting this into practice and, and the first thing, again, builds upon what we see here with Mary. Focus on what you do have, not on what you don't. Turn back to two Kings chapter four, and keep reading with me if you would, in two Kings, chapter four and verse 12.

Then he, Elisha said to Gazi his servant, call this Shunammite woman. And when he called her, she stood before him and he, and he said to him, say now to her, look, you have been concerned for us with all this care. What can I do for you? Do you want me to speak on your behalf to the king or to the commander of the army?

She answered. I dwell among my own people. No, there's nothing you can do. I'm not looking for reciprocation on this deal. I am giving, expecting nothing in return. And while it's nice of you to offer something, it's always nice to offer. Like, you know, when you're in college and you go out to to, to lunch with your parents, when they come to visit you, it's always nice to say, Hey, I'll get my own today.

But you're really deep down hoping maybe they're gonna say, no, I've got it. I've got it right. It's always nice to offer and that's what she's saying. It's always nice to offer, but I dwell among my people. I don't need anything. And I, I think that was generally her attitude. But notice verse 14. So he said, what then is to be done for her?

And Gazi answered, actually, there is something. She has no son and her husband is old. What's this? She doesn't have a son. We don't even know anything about that until Gazi points it out. In fact, she doesn't say anything to Elisha about it. And here's my question, would you have guessed this, that she didn't have a son?

If you had never read this text before, if you'd never heard of this text before, that this woman who is working so fatefully to serve God and serve his prophet was barren. Now that's totally unexpected. That she found a way to serve God, even if it was not the expected way, because the plan in the ancient world to serve God and serve your community as a woman was to become a mother, but she wasn't, and she had no hope to be, and yet there was no pity party from her.

There was no, woe is me. What can I possibly do? She does what she can with what she has. Instead of being worried about what she doesn't, in fact, not having things can sometimes allow us to serve in, in different ways. I know we have some empty nesters and soon to be empty nesters in the congregation, you have an opportunity to be more active in your service to others without kids in the home.

You've been serving God and serving others as as you've been a parent, and that doesn't stop when they leave home. But you do have an opportunity to do more in his service in different ways. The reality is if we miss this, if we start focusing on what we don't have and can't do, any of us, any of us could become discouraged if that's where our focus is.

Robert Lindsay can attest to this, I don't have great organizational skills. That's not something that is a great strength in my life. I don't have a perfectly prioritized schedule to get everything done that I would like to or I. Or when I would like to sometimes I'm not great at managing those sorts of things and, and I really wish that I was, I, I work hard at it.

I try it, it's not my gift and I pray about it. I try and do better especially during tax season as I'm wading through a big stack of documents at two in the morning that I set aside knowing I would need them later. I say, Reagan, you gotta do better next year. It's just not my strength. That's not an excuse.

I need to do better and I'm gonna try and do better. But if I focus on that and I say I'm just, I'm just not very organized. And, and if I, if I saw how that impacted sometimes the way I try and serve other people, it would be very discouraging. And it's not one of these things that we ignore our faults, but what I do have, I have a heart for people.

I love people. And I have the ability not to organize things in my schedule like I'd like sometimes, but I do have the ability to organize thoughts and concepts in an understandable way and express those things to others. Hopefully, since I've been here 15 years trying to do that. And if we focus on what we don't have, we might miss what we do have.

Or what we might develop if given the chance. Anybody in here ever coached their kids in any sport. Raise your hand if you've coached your kids in any sport. Now. Lots of coaches in the room. Lots of would-be coaches on the sideline too. We all know that I coached five and 6-year-old co-ed soccer. A couple of different times and man, was I a fantastic coach at that.

Well really you just have to have one. I can't remember that kid's name. We had this one kid he scored all the goals except for just a couple the whole season and we won every game. I promise you it was not because of my coaching, but it's interesting. Five and 6-year-old coed soccer. A lot of times what you have is kids who have never played maybe any sport before, and so it's always interesting.

The first few practices is as you're teaching them some basic drills, you know, maybe stop the ball and then kick it back to the other person. A lot of them look maybe something kind of like this, oh, there's the hair flip. That's not bad. And then look at this kick,

and then she skips off. Right? Now you might look at that and I'll admit, there've been times where I've looked at some kids like that and say, bless her little heart. I hope she's pretty. 'cause she doesn't have an athletic bone in her body. Right? But that's not really true. How do I know? Well roll the tape.

The next tape. Well, maybe there are some things that she can do, and if she focused on her lack of soccer skills, maybe she would miss something else. Well, we're not five or six. We're not playing soccer, but I think the concept holds true for all of us, that we as those who love the Lord and are striving to do what he has called us to do.

We need to focus on what we do have and how we might use that in his service, not what we don't have. There are things that we can do and service we can provide in the kingdom. Let's use what we have in his service. And then the final thing that we see there in Two Kings, chapter four, is that God can take what you give.

Take what you're willing to give and make it so much more than what you have given. Keep reading there in verse 15 of two Kings, chapter four. So he said, call her. And when he had called her, she stood in the doorway. Isn't that awesome? He's actually in this little room that she's provided for him when he is doing all of these things and talking to his servant.

So she call, he calls her up and she stands in the doorway. This is his room. I've given you this room. I love that, don't you? That, that little detail. Then he said about this time next year, you shall embrace the son. And she said, no, my Lord, man of God, do not lie to your maid servant. Don't tease me. But the woman conceived and bore a son when the appointed time had come, of which Elisha had told her the room she intended for.

God's prophet becomes a room that is filled with the sun. A place where her son later in this same account is raised from the dead by Elisha pointing to Jesus in more ways than one. One of the miracles Jesus works recorded in Luke's chapter seven in verses 11 through 17, is raising a son from the dead in name, which is either the same place or very close to the same place where Elisha raised this son from the dead.

Which brings us to another miracle of Jesus that proves this point. Just pop quiz how many of Jesus's miracles that he performed. So not talking about the resurrection or things that happened along those lines, how many of Jesus's miracles which he performed are recorded in all four of the gospels? Do you know?

Hold up fingers. How many do you think are, are found in all four gospels? Six, four. One, only one. And it was the feeding of the 5,000. Turn to John chapter six, if you would. One of four places where we could read about this miracle in John chapter six, beginning in verse one. Read with me please.

After these things. Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberius, and a great multitude followed him because they saw his signs, which he performed on those who were diseased. And Jesus went up on the mountain and he sat with his disciples. Now, the Passover, the Feast of the Jews was near then Jesus lifted up his eyes and, and seeing a great multitude coming toward him.

He said to Philip. Where shall we buy bread that these may eat? Matthew tells us it was evening time in a deserted place. They couldn't just go to, you know, the seven 11 down the road. Where are we gonna find bread to feed all of these people? He asked Philip, but this, he said to test him for, he himself knew what he would do.

Philip answered him 200 denar worth of bread is not sufficient for them. That every one of them may have even a little. One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him, well, there is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many? Then Jesus said, make the people sit down.

Now, there was much grass in the place, so the men sat down and number about 5,000. Don't miss that detail, just the we talk, call it the feeding of the 5,000. That's just the men. It was likely more like 15,000, something along those lines that Jesus actually fed on this occasion, and Jesus took the loaves when he had given thanks.

He distributed them to the disciples and the disciples to those sitting down, and likewise the fish as much as they wanted. So when they were filled, he said to his disciples, gather up the fragments that remain so that nothing is lost. Therefore, they gathered them up and filled 12 baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which were left over by those who had eaten.

Then those men, when they had seen the sign, which Jesus did, said, this is truly the prophet who is to come into the world. Matthew, mark and Luke all mention the five loaves and the two fish that, that Jesus started with such a small amount, but it's not until John writes his gospel that we find out about the little boy.

I admire his face. I admire his willingness to give as a young person. Imagine the apostles asking, Hey, who down there has any food? Anybody have any food? And he raises his hand and says, yeah, my mama packed me lunch. My mama packed me supper. I've got some food. And he takes it to him. Buy those five loaves and two fish, 5,000 men plus women and children are fed.

What is that like? Now, I'm not here to rob you this, this morning, but I want you to look in your pockets. What do you, what do you have in your pockets this morning? What if you were to just take what you have on you? What, what would God be able to make from it that would be equivalent to, you know, having some loaves and a couple of pieces of fish and feeding 15, 20,000 people?

So, actually I don't have much in my pockets. All right, let's see what I've got. Let's see what I got here. There's a piece of lint from that. God could provide sweaters to everybody in here. I'm sure got a pen from that ink. I'm sure God could provide the ink to provide Bibles for everybody in here, right?

I've got some gum. Everybody's breath could be good when we leave here. If God were to be working, I've got a check in my pocket for the contribution. Well, that's real, isn't it? From this relatively small amount of money, God is supporting the preaching of the gospel here and around the world because faithful Christians everywhere are giving what they have, not just that this sums up their giving for the week or the year or whatever the case might be, but God is still working.

Powerful ways through Christians who are willing to give the 12 baskets that were taken up were just the fragments, the leftovers, and the reality is that Jesus could have provided food for all the world from those five loaves and two fish. But we know, of course, it's almost silly to point out LT or a check because God doesn't need anything.

He doesn't need anything to provide everything that everyone needs.

So I've got questions about this text. Don't you have questions? If that's the case, why did he start with five loaves and two fish at all? Why didn't Jesus just provide the bread and the food and everything that they needed? It is to prove this very point that God wants us to use what we have, and if we're willing to give what we have, God can make it so much more.

God wants us to have a little skin in the game. He wants us to be the vessels by which he accomplishes his work. And, and I'll be honest with you, I've got more questions about this text. Let me just hammer away a couple at you right quick. Where did the baskets come from? Do you ever think about that?

They didn't have any foods. They're not picnic baskets. Right? So where did the baskets come from? Well, it's interesting how many baskets were there? You see 12 baskets are filled with the fragments. How many apostles were there? 12 apostles. You know, baskets were used for all sorts of different things in the ancient world.

The ancient near east. We don't know for sure where these baskets came from, but it stands to reason 12 baskets. Each apostle had one. I think it's pretty likely that these were the apostles baskets, what we might call their backpacks. Their satchels that they would use in traveling. Because that's what they did in the ancient world.

They would use for transport of goods. They would often use baskets that looked something like this. What I imagined I tried to walk out of the house this morning with our laundry basket and Stephanie's like, eh, I don't know where that's going. Maybe that's not the best idea, but I tried to imagine dumping out our laundry basket right, with our clothes in it, and then filling that up with the fragments of the bread and the fish, the leftovers that were, that were there.

The apostles themselves. The apostles themselves fill these baskets and the leftovers. Why have all these leftovers? Why didn't everybody just eat enough until they were full? Because the leftovers in these baskets prove, prove to the apostles specifically, but also to everybody else, that this was not some cheap parlor trick with each person secretly taking out what they had already packed for themselves.

No. This was a miraculous banquet where everyone ate their fill with great abundance leftover. What'd they do with all those leftovers? I mean, they take out their stuff out of their baskets, if that's truly the case, and put all these leftovers in, well, I assume they ate them and gave to others. God provided for the apostles who had no bread to share.

Bread for days. I mean, a week later they're probably still eating on these leftovers. We're limited, but we're not limited by God. We're limited often on how big we can think, not on what God can do. Andrew brought the boy and praised Andrew for that, the bread and the fish. Then he asked the question, what are they among so many, Jesus, I've seen you do some amazing things, but what is this among all of these people?

It was beyond what Andrew could imagine, though. He stepped out there a little bit by faith, and it reminds me of Ephesians chapter three and verse 20, which says that God is able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all that we ask or even think. It's interesting thinking back to two Kings, chapter four, one more time, and two Kings.

Chapter four. Immediately preceding the story of the Shunammite woman, there is a story about a widow of one of the sons of the prophets who has fallen on desperate financial times and, and the financial times are so desperate that she has left a single jar of oil. That's all that she has besides her home that has any value.

And Elisha tells her that God will provide from that one jar of oil. And he tells her, go out. And you, you, you canvas the neighborhood, talk to your friends, talk to your neighbors, bring in all of the empty vessels from everywhere. And she does, and she keeps pouring the oil, and the oil just keeps coming out of this one jar.

Do you remember in that account when the oil ran out, when it stopped flowing? When they got to the last jar that she gathered, may I suggest humbly, keep gathering jars and God will keep providing oil. Keep doing what you can in service to God and others, and God will keep providing and God will keep giving the increase.

Use whatever you have in service to God. Focus on what you do have, not what you don't. God can take what you give and make it so much more than you can even imagine. Turn back to the New Testament one final time to where we really began in that section of the Bible in Second Corinthians, chapter nine, in Second Corinthians, chapter nine.

This final reading in the lesson will be yours if I can find it. Second Corinthians chapter nine. Begin reading with me. Verse six, two Corinthians chapter nine, beginning in verse six, and we'll read down through verse 11 together. But this I say, Paul says, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly nor of necessity. For God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you always having all sufficiency in all things may have an abundance for every good work. Paul says, it's not just about the needy brethren in Judea.

It's good you're giving money to that, but God's grace is sufficient to handle all sorts of things and services that might need to be rendered as it is written, he is dispersed abroad. He is given to the poor. His righteousness endures forever. Now. This is God's will, and this is Paul's blessing upon this people.

Now, may he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, for all generosity, which causes Thanksgiving through us to God, as he says in verse 15. Thanks be to God.

For his indescribable gift, God has indeed given us everything, and that includes the gift of his son. And if you're here this morning and you're not yet a Christian, there's no greater gift that has ever been offered. But you must accept it on the terms that God has laid forth in his word by coming forth in humble submission to repent of your sins.

Confess Jesus as the Christ be baptized into Christ. Rise to walk in newness of life, giving your life in service to him. And if you're already a Christian and you need our service as your brothers and sisters in Christ, we'll do whatever we can to help you. You'll come now where together we stand, and while we sing

Jesus.