JAN 8 2023 | Learning Curve S1E2

Sea Change Church · Learning Curve S1E2 · "Learning Curve" Pastor Adam Stadtmiller · January 8, 2023
Automated transcript. Not reviewed for accuracy.

Buenos dias church family. I'm Christina the assistant for pastor Adam and Andrea, and today's scripture reading is from Proverbs 3 5 through 10. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight do not be wise in your own eyes fear the lord and shun evil. This will bring Health to your body and nourishment to your bones honor the Lord with your wealth with the first fruits of all your crops. Then your barns will be filled to overflowing and your vaps will brim over with new wine the word of the Lord.

Right on Andrea said that I are Chris actually said I should get some glow sticks and we should hear you guys a dance and party during our intros. Hey, if you have your Bibles open up to Proverbs 3 5 and 10 little update about what God's doing with some of the finch you guys give we're really involved in the sports at La Jolla High School Pastor Harris coaching. I believe that JV team and the JV girls team actually won a 46 High School tournament yesterday and a brand new girl on his team won the yeah the whole thing. Yeah.

He was at 12 hours at a tournament yesterday Friday night. I was with a five of our high school students that are girls that are the starting five of your JV team there 14 in one right now, which is awesome. We'd be Patrick Henry on Friday night 37:35. So just a little update. We got a lot of parents that are here in the church that are involved in the football team to different things such a great way for kids not only their mental health, but also, you know spiritual health physical health. It's been awesome. So just so you know, as you are giving this is some of the way that we're we're partnering with like Fellowship of Christian athletes and things to bring a different on campus and to make a difference in the world so we will have a game Inviting you all to go see one of our games for the girls. You can cheer on your five kids six kids. Actually.

They go here they play on that team. You'll hear more about that. If you have your Bible, like I said, we're looking around the second week of the learning curve series and we're looking at Proverbs Proverbs is low-hanging fruit. It's pretty simple do this and this will happen do this and that will happen super low hanging fruit and maybe that's why I like it. It is simplistic. It's not the book of Romans, right? It's not this crazy theology that you just really hard to understand and figure out it's very simple. It's very practical.

It's about wisdom. I want to say something about wisdom. That's true. All wisdom is ancient. There is no such thing as new wisdom all wisdom is ancient and there will be no more wisdom given I believe I believe that there is nothing new Under the Sun and the world has been around long enough. To know what is wise and what is unwise we live in a time where new truth?

That people call truth or people's own personal truth. Sometimes younger than the invention of the mobile phone is given the same gravitas as wisdom. I want to say the wisdom is ancient and many people have gotten rid of the wisdom of the ages to live in the truth of the moment and I want to be someone who lives in The Proven truth.

The Bible is about wisdom The Book of Proverbs is about wisdom and it's very simplistic that it speaks to us. Now. I want to also begin. With the premise of this three-week series very quick. We always start the year with Proverbs just to give us some direction to give us some compass and some ballast for the year. Remember we Pastor Jim always says that you need sale when you're sailing you need some wind too. You need selling you need ballasts too much sale You're Gonna tip over too much ballast. You're not going to move Jim's the ballast. I'm the sale. We tend to work really well together. And so as we look at that, I want to say this God is always speaking. Let's just start with that.

God is always speaking. It might be silent for you in the moment. That doesn't mean God isn't speaking scriptures clear that the heavens are speaking that when the oceans Roar God is speaking God's always speaking at the moment the conversation might be at a pause between you and and him and understanding but even in that silence.

God is speaking. So let's begin with the premise the positive open premise that God is speaking and the question is what then is he saying? How do we then determine what God is saying in the midst of that speaking now? Here's my main point for today. Many people want to know what God is saying about the unknowns in their lives.

While failing to obey what God has told them about the known areas of their lives. Read that again. Many people want to know what God is saying or has to say about the unknowns in their lives. Should I go left here? Should I go right there? Should I go straight ahead. Should I stop pause whatever it would be. But at the same time they're simply failing to obey what God has already told them about the known areas of their lives. I'm a Believer to who you know when someone is faithful with little God gives more.

I wonder if God sometimes is not up in heaven saying I know you want to know the answer of these. You know 15 things right now, but I've told you 72 things that you know, I've told you stop this this isn't healthy for you do more of this, you know, you know, I've told you 72 things, but you're only doing 12 of them. Why should we give more wisdom? Why should we give more Direction when we can't even get the basics now, that's me thinking what I would say if I was God right? I'm not God thankfully and God has Grace and even when we're not listening God shows up sometimes and we're not obeying. He's a good and faithful God, but I believe the scripture is really clear that the more you obey what you know, you've heard they're more you'll hear of what you don't know.

And so that is the first thing is if God has spoken to you then let's do what you know, he has said the other premise that is true is this if God never were to speak to you individually through the Holy Spirit. Which I believe he will do that. Jesus didn't die on the cross. So God could be silent. He lives within you. We follow the Holy Spirit the all the Epistles and the scriptures say that he can give you wisdom knowledge understanding. We're meant to know this is a knowing relationship. But if God, never gave us any more knowing And all you had was the Bible to make your decisions by you have enough.

You actually have more than you could ever use to make all the right decisions with all the right timing. There is enough. God has spoken enough the fact that we have the Holy Spirit is amazing that God has done that but God has done enough in this moment to speak to us. And so the question the premise is God has always speaking. Let's if you're in this thought of like God's not speaking. God is hiding from me or whatever it is. Let's Stop that to begin that God has always speaking and number two. Let's discern and Define what he's saying first of all by just doing what we know. He's already told us.

There's three things. We're going to look at today that this scripture verses 5 through 10 in the proverb. Bring up and it is a passage of faithful action and divine promise. This is key Proverbs a lot is if then knowledge if you do this, then this will happen. Now this is problematic for some people because it's too simplistic and it's like well God doesn't always do that. And you know, he doesn't all if you do this, you can't, you know commit God to doing this and so it becomes problematic.

Especially when it comes to physical health, especially when it comes to tithing and God fulfilling his promises on the tithing end of it so it can become problematic and there's maybe some discussion and some theology there. But let me just preach what the Bible says today and the Bible in Proverbs. If you read Proverbs, it's just very cut and dry. If you do this, I'm going to do this. That's what the scripture says. And so that's what I'm going to teach today. Even understanding that some people have leveraged the truth of these scriptures for their own personal benefit widows have been cheated, you know for the benefit of people in the clergy, we understand all of that and that doesn't mean we have to throw out the baby with the bath water. So I believe that some of these ideas like if you died, I'll fill your barns the Bible's clear that it says that we're gonna get to that at the end just because people have overused that and they've taken advantage of people with that and they've made that the central premise more important than the cross oftentimes.

For people promised in them things. If you give even though that's been preached poorly. It doesn't mean we should under preach it and I feel that we have often times under preached because people have done something negative just because someone does something negative doesn't mean that we don't preach the entire Council of God's word. So we're going to talk about what those things are. There's three things that are in this versus five through 10. First is the if then if you acknowledge, you will have straight paths.

Street Hazard directional you will have a straight path. You won't be trying to get to Detroit and have to go to Belgium first to get there. It is straight to Detroit. Okay? Well, I think about who wants to go to Detroit Santa Barbara straight paths. So the first promise in this scripture is if you acknowledge God you will have a straight path that's directional if you want Direction in your life.

Number two is if you fear God, we're gonna talk about that again add some questions last week because that word is used again here in proverb. It was in proverb one about fearing God. What does that fear mean? If you fear God you'll be healthier. That if then says if you fear God you will have more Health in your body. I mean, you're gonna be perfectly healthy. No, does that mean you're never gonna get sick? No, that's not what it means. But it does mean you're gonna be healthier than you would have been by just fearing God. So there's a directional promise.

There's a health promise and there's a there's a provisional and I would say it borders Upon A Prosperity promise now, I know that's Yeah, no one likes that Prosperity Gospel where the this verse becomes more important than what Jesus does but if you are to take this scripture at its word, it actually says that if you tithe God will make you prosperous financially, that's exactly what it says. So we're gonna look at that. I'm not saying you're gonna you have to believe that I'm just telling you what I think the scripture says in this so we're gonna look at this action and promise go to verse 5 Love this in verse 5.

trust in the Lord with some of your heart Okay, he caught that one there. trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding. in all of your ways acknowledge Him and He will what here's the then and circle and now we're on God's side of the promise. He will make your paths straight. verses 5 through 10 our passages of your faithful action and God's Divine promise.

So the faithful action is what let's look at the faithful action here. The first thing it says trust in the Lord with all of your heart lean not on your own understanding. Let's talk about that understanding. We love understanding right the bible promises understanding it says God will give us understanding of where we are problem is is when we're leaning on our own understanding.

You see the understanding of God oftentimes won't make sense to you. Bible says also in Proverbs that there is a way that seems right to a man. But in the end it will lead to death. This idea of understanding. We think that if we can have understanding we can have peace right but in Philippians it says God wants to give you a peace what beyond your understanding.

In fact, we're not even called the lean on our own standing one of the sometimes when we're completely lost. We need to just say God understand that I believe that God can sort this out and I'm just going to understand that all I need to understand is how good God is here's what we do oftentimes in the morning many of us you wake up and you're day hits you in the face and you begin to try to work out the puzzle of your life, right? You begin to try to work out. How am I gonna do this? And it's weird that we stay we don't have peace we have anxiety or whatever we have until we actually understand meaning you don't know how you're gonna pay a bill you're all anxious and then a check comes in the mail and all of a sudden you're not anxious because you understand how you're going to pay it What God Says is when you're not leaning on your own understanding. How am I going to figure this out? Where am I going to go? When is this door gonna open how?

I do this. How do I do that? It says we begin to acknowledge God. And lean not on that understand God. I don't have to figure this out. That's how you say that in this problem as those problems. Come you say to God. I don't need to figure this out. I don't need to understand this. I understand that you have this figured out and I acknowledge you what is acknowledgment mean?

Acknowledge. It means remembering that God is with you. You can do this in all things. I want to Costco again. I know I know. I like Costco. I'm gonna go to Costco today made up my mind this morning. I got up. I said I want to be happy. It's a happy place for me. I'm gonna get a piece of I'm gonna get a piece of paper only Pizza. I'm gonna wipe the grease off it.

Okay gonna eat my beer eat somebody else to do that. Yeah. I can write the grease off your pizza and get a Coke and then I'm gonna walk through the aisle to look to my right look to my left and buy something. I don't need with all the unneeded things straight to the meat section. I'm gonna go by myself the some meat and then I'm gonna go to the fun little like you don't need the whole thing. Whatever.

Back my way out past the drinks and and do that whole thing. I want the other day. I was frustrated. Why were so many people at my Costco? my Costco was frustrated in the line was long for my pizza. And I decide I've been getting ready for this and I thought I just need to acknowledge the Lord like it says in all things right not just like in little things just acknowledge the Lord and I say God, I just want to acknowledge you that you're with me today. It's remembering that you were with me. And as I walk in here, you might have an assignment for me. You might have something you want me to do that is beyond what I want to do.

Are you might have something better than what I want to do. I was at the basketball game on I know I have a very small life. I understand. I'm trying to get different analogies. Don't have too many. I got skiing basketball hanging out with my family. That's about it and being a church. I drink coffee that what I say. Yes, see very small life.

and I was at the game and I I adequately cheer. Let's just say I cheer a lot coming out of my seat like yeah. Okay, like I do a fair amount of that but you don't want to be that parent that all the other parents and the other team hate right? You don't be that guy so you got to applaud for the other team and whatever but I remember is that walked in there. I I was so I was so amped on this game coming up because Patrick Henry a big deal and I said Lord, I need to acknowledge you because I just don't want to be I don't want to walk out with a win and look like an idiot and dishonor You by do, you know what I mean? Because I just don't want to be that parent. You know what I'm saying? I just had to acknowledge Him.

I had a conversation with another person. I it's acknowledging God. That's what it says here. Let's look at verse 5 again. Trust in the Lord lean not in your understanding. We talked about that. in all of your ways acknowledge Him And what will he do? He will make your paths straight. He will give you Direction in your life. You know what? He said to Abraham when he when he spoke to Abraham.

He says go to the place. Then I will show you. Thanks a lot. God head that way and where we going. I'll let you know when you get there. So much of my understanding comes in the rearview mirror. I look behind me like oh God, that's what you were doing. Because that's Faith. You see faith is more important to God than understanding.

You have to understand that. That God wants you to live in the unknown more than he wants to you to live in the known or else we wouldn't be saved by faith. We would be saved by knowing we are saved by faith in Jesus Christ and what he did you understanding the map is always secondary to God always secondary you understanding and knowing him is always primary.

Your understanding is penultimate to the thing that God wants you to know most of who he is. I was reading some about the medieval times and thinking about the different things that have changed our society and you look at different things that have changed our society penicillin that wasn't medieval penicillin change of society the internet changer Society the printing press the steam engine.

One of the most underrated changes to society that has ever happened is the plow. Here's a picture of the plow the iron plow. The invention of the iron plow changed Agriculture and increased and boosted production by 90% 90% population boom off the charts because we could feed more people. You know, what a plow does not only does it do a straight path.

There's a picture now. I'm going to show you what a plow does by the way. The plow has not really changed since its invention John Deere made a steel plow a little bit different but the plow you go to a farm in our age they still just use a plow. I mean it's on they look a little different but it just pause. What does it do? It makes a deep Furrow. It makes something that's straight in nature. It allows you to plan a seed and not have that seed when the rains come because of the furrows that it has to not be overcome by the the rain it allows it to be watered correctly.

It brings more production just the plow alone before this. They were doing it by hand before they even had a wooden plow and they were having to plow by hand and pull the rocks out the iron plow also made it easier. They didn't have to use two oxen. They could use a horse one horse could do the work of two oxen and horses or I think I believe it was four times.

Fast that plowing you could do more ground more area. This is what God wants to do your life. He wants to make your paths straight. Know where you're going or the way to get there in order to have a straight path. I know that sounds funky. You just have to know to do the right things meaning the things that he's already told you and not do the things that he's told you to stop doing. It says he will make your paths straight and you will get there. This is directional acknowledge Him. If you cannot invite God into what you're doing in the Moment Like Jesus like hey Jesus, I'm doing this thing right now. I'm gonna invite you to be here with me in this relationship in my sexuality in my finance if you cannot invite Jesus, With an open invitation with a vibrant invitation to please be a part of this you might want to rethink the things you're doing.

Because when you acknowledge Him and you can invite him that's always asking just invite me in. You walk into Costco. God come with me. You have a discussion with your kids about their grades. God come with me. You do your Finance you plan your week. God come with me acknowledge Him in all of his ways. He will make it like a plow 90% more production.

Twice as fast nine. Did you want production? He says that he will give you this is a directional promise number one. It's go number two fear. fear the lord go to verse 7 do not be wise in your own eyes. Fear the lord we're going to look at that right Circle fear. and shun evil Now that's the you part. That's the the verb that's the action now, let's look at the promise.

this you can Circle this will bring Health to your body and nourishment to your bones. This will be neurons. So God is saying that by having a reverent fear for God it'll actually make you healthier. It's interesting as you were to stud if you were to look at different studies about health that comes if a person is more optimistic, if a person smiles more these different things you can do bring Health the people they live longer. This is actually a Biblical promise, but this one isn't saying smile more be happier be more. Joyful. It's saying have a reverent fear of God. What does that mean?

It means that sometimes we have overdone it on the Huggy God Huggy Jesus thing now. We overdid it for about 2,000 years on the God is going to crush you. Okay sinners in the hand of an Angry God right? But there is a balance here. Jesus opened a way for us. It said you can boldly go Before the Throne of God. Now you can run to your father jump on his lap kiss him on the neck. Tell him how loving he is.

You still got to remember that he's King. You still got to remember that he is God and is the ultimate Supreme Being and who you're actually dealing with I'll give you an instance. I was at a Charismatic men's Retreat up in big I'm actually different Mammoth about 15 years ago, if charismatic meaning lots of worship tongue speaking all that kind of stuff right and some of you were like, yeah. It's amazing others like watch out. So nonetheless, I went to it. Like I'll try this out. I got hang out with all different types of Christians. I'll go to a Catholic thing. I'll just go check out Christians see what they're doing up to so I go to it.

Sitting there and worship in and people are a lot of movement, right? So they move a lot. You know what I'm saying movement and and all just men. and I'm on a couch there and I'm just worshiping the Lord all of a sudden I feel like God's presence, I'm like boom. That's awesome. Presence I'm lean into that. I'm Gonna Worship. You said I've got some more presents. I'm like a lot of presents God pretty soon pretty soon. I was like I feel like being crushed like I was like, oh God is Big you ever looked over a cliff?

And like you realize you're safe, but you're like looking over a cliff. And I was like wow now I wasn't. I wasn't afraid. but there was this it was like I saw how big God it was almost like you got, you know, you're in the in space you get detached and you're like, whoa, I'm floating through space. Now. I'm not connected anything. Uh, it felt so heavy the presence of God got so heavy on me. I actually jumped behind the cow. I'm not kidding. I jumped behind the couch and got into a little ball and I felt like I was being compressed to the ground because of God's presence.

And then I was like and I wasn't afraid but I was terrified. That makes sense. I ran outside. It was freezing. It was like 20 degrees. I'm outside like this better than that because that was tripped me out. Then. I thought I got to get back in there and I had to sum it up the courage to go back in and then it was different after that.

That experience showed me you have to have that club in your bag to use a golfing reference. You have to have that club in your bag of knowing who God is knowing that he's powerful knowing that if he decided he could snuff out this entire not just you. It's not about the entire one nice loving and graceful, but he can do that thing immediately and knowing how big and awesome our God is that's what it means by Reverend fear, but then also knowing that he's your dad.

It's like God is on my side. You know what I'm saying? It is have this reverent fear of God. The scripture says that if you have that you'll be healthier. You will actually live your life in a healthier way now. Maybe the health doesn't come from God going big more health for you being fairy does tell you maybe it's because when you fear God you make better decisions.

You have you know, if you you know, if you respect him with different areas of your body or however, you live your life. You just make better decisions because you do it because you fear God we want to we want to do things for God because we love him. But we also want to do things because we fear and respect him and so we step into that. It says it'll bring Health to your boat. So the first was this if you want Direction acknowledge Him, how's your acknowledgment?

Number two fear the lord have that in your bag just say God. You know what you are a big God, you're the god of the universe you're massive and then the final one. It's really interesting and probably the most abused. This scripture is probably the most abused scripture. I think that we've used it says this hope verse 9 honor the Lord with your wealth with the firstfruits of all of your crops.

Then Circle then. Your barns will be filled to overflowing. And your Vats will brim with new wine. So once it is honored circle the word honor. the Lord and then circle the word wealth And then Circle first fruits, let's talk about what it means. honor in this means to pay tribute If you look through Antiquity the carthinia carthinians at one time we're paying tribute to Rome.

They would pay money in order to as they would do it for safety. God doesn't ask say that but they would do it as a matter of respect. They would actually pay tribute. The Jews understand that this is a Jewish understanding. This is an ancient understanding that comes out of the Hebrew understanding of giving and tithing that starts, you know in the third chapter or fourth chapter of Genesis with Cain and Abel before tithing was actually initiated as tithing to the church, but there was a giving to God and to one thing that understand is that it says honor the Lord which means pay tribute to the Lord with what you're wealth.

That means your money. We can say well, you know, I gave my time here whatever. There's actually in this premise. We're gonna preach the word. It says that God there was a requirement in the Old Testament or requirement. If you did not do this as a Jew in the Old Testament before Christ, then you were be sinning. It would be a sin and actually there was a curse upon it there was an obligation why because before Jesus died on the cross we had a debt.

And one of the ways that we paid that debt which could never be paid but as we were waiting for it to be paid by Jesus God obligated the community to have to dive Financial wealth. Now when Jesus died on the cross he removed that obligation. There is nowhere in the New Testament that says you have to type it is no longer obligation. Jesus death on the cross would not have been sufficient. If it was you everything else is paid for except the type. Now, you still have to tie their God's gonna be mad God's not mad if you don't tithe you no longer have to type.

It is no longer required. Why because Jesus Paid everything. How could Jesus pay at all and then he still requires us to tithe. It doesn't make any sense. But at the same time God did not remove the blessing. Because one thing God wants to do is bless his children and he doesn't want us to be under obligation. So imagine if you have a child and you're like, hey, you want your child to hug you and you're like, hey, if you don't hug me right now, I'm gonna spank you and they're like great but who wants that hug? You know what I'm saying? What you want is you get home and your kids run to the door like when they were little and you know jump on you and they hug you and they say daddy or mommy or whatever. Like that's the hug you want the one of no obligation and so in the New Testament What you see and what I believe is happens is this the requirement is gone you don't have to do it. But if you choose to tie the blessing still exists upon the same terms. So I believe that the gold standard of tithing if you choose to do it is with financial tithing the original gold standard was 10% You don't have to do that. But that standard has a blessing to it that God still honors. Now for some people you're like, I've never tie them 48 years old. I'm at the height of my career. That's a big nut to crack. You know, I was 19 when I started tithing. I was we're gonna Domino's it wasn't that hard, you know, and my my discipler said start tithing I began to tie that that point and we've continued to do that and it was easier. One of the things I would say is God says test me in this I believe that all followers should consider tithing a some percent. It could be 0.5% point two five percent but some percent of your income you tie then it's always right up front. That is the original teaching and once again, you don't have to do this is no longer required but the blessing Remains the Same, I believe that if you tithe that you will end up if you're faithful with God that you will end up and this is where it gets dangerous, but I think the scripture says it that you will end up with more financial wealth before you die that if you don't tie it, I believe the Bible just says it God did not get rid of that blessing. So You can eat from that Buffet as much as you want or you can stay away from it at this point in my life. I'm to the point like I I'm Not Afraid not to type, but I won't.

Stop tithing because it's proven itself to me. I've never in my entire life known a person who dies. Regularly, I don't know what the percentage are. Whatever who has been left out in the cold by God. God is always provided and so I don't ever want to tithe because God promises he's going to give me more money. Like I think I'm past that I actually love I really do. I mean it I love giving my money away. I just it just becomes if you tithe you stop doing it because of this over then God's Gonna bless you and that's what I hate about that gospel when people preach like give to God he's gonna make you rich I actually believe that's true the problem the why that works is because it actually works because the scripture says it it's gonna happen when people over preach that God's Gonna judge that he's gonna judge when people do that but it is still the truth of the scripture and you'll get to a place where generosity is.

So awesome. It is so good to give things away. I mean, we believe I think the scripture was true you give your the first time up to 10% goes to the local Church community. The local church is the heart of God's work in the world. It was given to the local church. And then there was offerings to pay for everything else offerings for widows offerings for this offerings for that. So what we do personally is we tie 10% to the church and then anything above that we actually tied to the school. They don't call it a tithe, but we my wife and I have been giving to the foundation. We just blessed things. We love we bless things we want to care about and so we do that and not because we're going to get something back although God is More than proven that he gives me way more than I could have ever expected just because I love it. I just love to bless God and bless God with your Finance. It's cool. It's hard to get there. But once you do it, you will see that change. So let's finish with this three things acknowledge God he's gonna give you Direction.

Are you acknowledging God acknowledge Him and all that you do God you're here with me. When you go into wherever you go acknowledge Him fear the lord. Have a reverent respect if you haven't respected God enough say God. I haven't respected you. I've leaned on your cheap Grace. It's not cheap for you. You paid on the cross Jesus, but I've said I can do what I want.

And God will forgive me. That's cheap Grace Bond Dietrich. Bonhoeffer says God. I haven't feared you enough. Sometimes. I need to make decisions out of fear and reverent fear of an all-knowing God who is a also has judgment with mercy and Grace and number two onto the Lord with your financial wealth. That you will honor the Lord with your firstfruits says the first crops the first crops do they pick the best crops in the first crops. They give that to God and whatever is left over that could be whatever you decide Test the Lord in that and see what I was doing.

Acknowledgment straight paths fear brings health honor brings provision. Amen.