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Want to Have More Money?

Posted by Derick Parfan on May 25, 2012 in Featured Sermons, Listen to God's Story, The Story of God

Most probably, you will answer my question in the title of this blog post, “Yes!” But if I will entitle this post Want to Give More Money?, only a handful will bother to take a look.

Money is a big issue. Giving is a bigger issue. When you talk about giving, you are touching the pocket of people’s hearts. I heard some Christians say that the reason they left their churches is because the pastor talks about money and tithing a lot.

Some people are confused. Some people don’t believe what the Bible teaches about it. Like many Christians, you are probably asking at least one of these questions:

What does the Bible teaches about money? Tithing? Giving?

Is “tithing” only for Israel in the Old Testament or is it still relevant to Christians today?

Are there instances in the Old Testament that people give beyond the “tithe”?

What do money and giving have to do with The Story of God or God’s redemptive plan?

How can we give more if life is so hard and we have less money?

If you are asking these questions and you want answers, click here (or the image thumbnail on the left) to read, listen, download or share the sermon God Gives Joy to Kingdom Givers, chapter 19 of The Story of God sermon series. Story guides and story graphics are also available for download.

If you want to listen to other sermons in this series, click here.

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Perfect?

Posted by Derick Parfan on May 15, 2012 in Featured Sermons, Listen to God's Story, The Story of God

King David. Goliath-killer. Brave warrior. A shepherd boy who became Israel’s finest king. A poet and musician. A worshiper. A man after God’s own heart.

King David. When we hear that name, we can easily paint a beautiful portrait of his character in the Bible. He was, after all, called “a man after God’s own heart.” He has a heart like the heart of God. His heart is close to the heart of God. He was so blessed by God. In last week’s story from 2 Samuel 7, we see God promising him something of eternal significance  – a dynasty, a kingdom, a throne, and blessings forever! I’m not sure if we can fully grasp all the implications of that promise.

So we see how much God had bestowed his favor on David. But does that mean that he’s perfect? That he was sinless? That he was a role model for our kids (and for us, too!) in every way? Can a faithful Bible teacher say with conviction, “Be like David!”?

I don’t think so. If that’s how we think of David or any Christian or your pastor who are blessed by God, accomplished a lot in the ministry, being effectively used by God for his kingdom, then we misunderstand how God works and how God chooses people. We then do not see the grace of God as clearly as the Bible teaches it.

Or maybe, we forget that David (like all other human characters in the Bible) was not perfect. He was far from perfect. He did some very bad things in his life. Remember Bathsheba?

Click here (or the image thumbnail on the left) to read, listen, download or share the sermon God Restores Repentant Sinners, chapter 18 of The Story of God sermon series. Story guides and story graphics are also available for download.

If you want to listen to other sermons in this series, click here.

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Sing God’s Story

Posted by Derick Parfan on April 28, 2012 in The Story of God
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A Homework for Our Hearts

Posted by Derick Parfan on February 18, 2012 in Digging for Diamonds
For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice,
the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.
(Hosea 6:6 ESV)

Jesus quoted the first half of this verse when he confronted the Pharisees. When they reviled him for eating with sinners and outcasts, he told them, “Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice’” (Matthew 9:13).

He gave them a homework. He told them to do some serious personal Bible study or discuss this Scripture in their small groups. And they need to ponder its implications.

Why? They know their Scripture but they don’t care to apply it. All they care about is their external display of their religion. As long as they were faithful in doing the externals like observing purification rituals and the offering of sacrifices, for them those were the things that matter.

For them, but not for God. Yes, he also desires that his people offer sacrifices and observe purification rituals. That is why he commanded it. But that is not the end he has in mind.

The language of Scripture is so strong as to make the impression that God doesn’t want any of those things, “I don’t want your sacrifices!” God wants to emphasize here that external religion is not the point. The external must point to the internal. Outward religion must be an overflow or an expression of the inward realities of the heart.

Knowing God and loving others should be the desires of those who offer sacrifices – or for today, those who go to church, those who preach God’s Word, those who pray in public, those who lead in worship, those who give their money to the church and to the poor, those who are active in church ministries, and those who are involved in missions.

If not, all outward displays of our religion are worthless. But if we do, the sacrifices we offer to God are a pleasing aroma, fully acceptable to him.

Most Pharisees didn’t get it. We Christians today are also having a hard time getting it.

So Jesus is giving us a homework.

Not to google the meaning of “I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.”

But to search our hearts with all honesty before God, repent of our hypocrisy, and ask that he renew our hearts so that we begin and continue to desire what his heart desires.

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Forever

Posted by Derick Parfan on May 10, 2012 in Featured Sermons, Listen to God's Story, The Story of God

Even if it’s expensive, it’s nice to have a hair rebond. Ask your wife. But after a few weeks, no one will probably notice that you had a rebond. Except probably your husband!

It’s nice to buy the latest phone or gadget. But after a few months, there will be a new model and the one you bought will already be outdated.

It’s nice to have a boyfriend. But after some time, there will be a break-up. It’s good to get married, but after some time your partner may leave you for another man or another woman. Even if that doesn’t happen, one of you will die first, and your married life is over.

It’s nice to own a house, a brand new car, or a lot of money, but sooner or later you will die and leave everything behind.

There are things that are good and make us happy, but we need to realize they won’t last. Your dad promised to give you money for a hair rebond or to buy a new phone…that’s good. Your husband promised you on your wedding day that he will stay faithful to you….that’s good.

But what if we know that God promises to give us something that is much better than everything we have now. They are much better because they will last forever – it won’t fade, it won’t get lost, you won’t regret it, you won’t cry in the end, no one can take it away from you. How about that?

Click here (or the image thumbnail on the left) to read, listen, download or share the sermon God Promises an Eternal Kingdom, chapter 17 of The Story of God sermon series. Story guides and story graphics are also available for download.

If you want to listen to other sermons in this series, click here.

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A Man After God’s Own Heart

Posted by Derick Parfan on May 2, 2012 in Featured Sermons, Listen to God's Story, The Story of God

God already rejected Saul’s kingship. He chose a man after his own heart to replace him.

“He chose David His servant and took him from the sheepfolds…to be shepherd…over Israel, His inheritance. He shepherded them with a pure heart and guided them with his skillful hands” (Psalm 78:70-72 HCSB).

Even though David was already anointed to replace Saul as king, he still waited for Saul’s death before sitting on the throne. God shows in the story of 2 Samuel 1-6 how he fulfills his promise to give them a king from the line of Judah (Gen. 49:10), a God-sent king who will rule and save them from their enemies.

The difference between Saul and David is not mainly about family line or military or leadership skills. The issue is the heart. David had pure heart. Saul’s heart was impure. He didn’t obey God. He was not faithful. He was overcome by jealousy, anger, at revenge.

David, however, became faithful to God. He obeyed God. He did not take matters into his own hands and refused to kill Saul.

So God is proving that his choice of David is the right one. He was “a man after [God’s] own heart” (1 Sam. 13:14 ESV). It reminds us that “the Lord looks on the heart” (1 Sam. 16:7 ESV).

We can see the heart of this man in the songs that he sings. Look at some of these songs which David used as prayers when his enemies (especially Saul) were chasing him: “I love you, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold” (Psa. 18:1-2 ESV). “O God, save me by your name, and vindicate me by your might” (Psa. 54:1 ESV). “O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water” (Psa. 63:1 ESV).

David really has “a pure heart” – he loves the Lord his King and Savior. How about you?

Click here (or the image thumbnail on the left) to read, listen, download or share the sermon God Turns Mourning into Dancing, chapter 16 of The Story of God sermon series. Story guides and story graphics are also available for download.

If you want to listen to other sermons in this series, click here.

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Just Like God’s Heart

Posted by Derick Parfan on April 25, 2012 in Take a Look, The Story of God

This song by Chris Tomlin captures the point of God’s story in the life of David.

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