Giving God Your Heart Series

Text: Luke 18:18-27

Title: Give Your Heart!

Series: The Giving Church

Topic: Giving your heart!

Occasion: Burnside Christian Church,

Prop.: When you give your heart to God, be prepared for BIG THINGS to happen in your life!

Introduction: Good morning! It is so good to be back with you! At this time, our Jr. Church age kids are dismissed and please pass the attendance pads down the pew your in.

Giving! This month our focus turns to this exhausting topic! I introduced this topic by asking you which of these four areas is the hardest to give?

TIME TALENT MONEY HEART

Rethink on that question for a while. Today, we start where we need to start…with the most important part of this whole topic of giving. Today, we focus on GIVING YOUR HEART!

Please turn to Luke 18:18-30. This will be our text for today.

While you are turning there, I want to mention that next Sunday will be an opportunity for you to put into practice some of the things I have been speaking about this month. Next Sunday, we will be collecting your money, your time and your talents. There will be a table in the fellowship hall where we will collect: Clothing, canned goods, toys, and money for the benevolence team. These items will be given to those in need in our surrounding communities! Please come prepared to give!!!!

Luke 18:18-30. Are you there yet? This is what our text reads:

18 A certain ruler asked him, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

19 "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good—except God alone. 20 You know the commandments: ’You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.’ [a]"

21 "All these I have kept since I was a boy," he said.

22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

23 When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was very wealthy. 24 Jesus looked at him and said, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! 25 Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for the rich to enter the kingdom of God."

26 Those who heard this asked, "Who then can be saved?"

27 Jesus replied, "What is impossible with human beings is possible with God."

28 Peter said to him, "We have left all we had to follow you!"

29 "Truly I tell you," Jesus said to them, "no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God 30 will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come eternal life."

Upon reading our text, you might assume that this is a message on giving money. And you’d be wrong.

T.S.: I want to answer three questions in regards to giving your heart this morning.

What does it mean to give God your heart?

I. WHAT DO I MEAN BY GIVE YOUR HEART?

ANSWER: I mean sold out, would do anything you can for God’s kingdom, purposes and will!

A. The example of the Rich Young Ruler

--The Rich Young Ruler

All three gospels record Jesus’ encounter with this rich young man. His name is never given. His occupation is never given. But all three gospel writers mention that he is young (by the way, youth according to Philo, is suggested to include the period between 21 - 28), all three gospel writers mention that he was a Jew (for he had obediently followed the Law since he was a boy), and all three gospel writers mention that he was extremely wealthy. His question of how to inherit eternal life, indicates that he is a Pharisee…one who placed MUCH emphasis on following the Law to the letter! Did you catch it? What must IIIIII DO to inherit eternal life? How many good works must I perform?

It would not be out of line to suppose that this man was perhaps a member of the Sanhedrin. The Supreme Court of the day.

So in regards to SOME of his lifestyle, there was NO doubt that he was sold out for God!

But, you see, this rich young man was sold out for God in the areas where it was comfortable for him. He was obedient in the things that were easy for him!

In regards to the 10 commandments, Jesus lists 5 of the 10.

Don’t commit adultery

Do not murder