Well, you would have noticed, on the order of service, the title is The Forgotten Beatitude. The Forgotten Beatitude. And, of course, my text is found, verse 35, where I read in chapter 20 of the book of Acts, and particularly the words there in the middle where, and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that he said, it is more blessed to give than to receive. Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that he said, it is more blessed to give than to receive. But when did the Lord Jesus say those words? Remember the Beatitudes in the Sermon on the Mount? He said, blessed are the poor, blessed are those who mourn, blessed are the meek. But when did he say it is more blessed to give than to receive? Well, you can search the four Gospels and you will not find them. In fact, you can do a good search and you will not find them. So where did the apostle Paul get these words from? Remember, he wasn't around in the earthly ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ. Well, there can only be one answer. Remember right at the end of John's Gospel, chapter 21, verse 25, we have those wonderful words, there were many other things which Jesus did. the which, if they should be written, every one, I suppose, that even the world itself could not contain the books that were written. You know, that's a tremendous statement when you think of all that the Lord Jesus, if it was all recorded, what a wonderful wealth we would have, but we have sufficient in the word of God. So there were some things which were not recorded in those four gospels. blessed to give than to receive? Well, the answer must be this. that the apostles verbally said one to another in their early days of ministry, oh, remember the words of the Lord Jesus Christ? Do you remember what he said? It's more blessed to give than to receive. When the apostle Paul was converted, he picked these words up because now all Christians were using these words verbally. It's more blessed to give than to receive. And when the apostle Paul is saying farewell to those Ephesians elders, he says, it's more blessed to give than to receive. And Luke was there. And Luke wrote the words down and they became part of the inspired scripture. And we can read them tonight. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus that he said, it is more blessed to give than to receive. Now I've got three little observations I want to make. Number one, Jesus said these words. No one else could say words such as these. What is the nature? What is our nature? What is the nature of the sons and daughters of Adam? Do you know what one of the marks of our time is? Exactly what the Bible says, that men shall be lovers of themselves rather than of God. When you look at the works of the flesh in Galatians chapter five, you discover this, that man is full of selfish ambitions, envy, hatred, contentions, jealousies, hardly a spirit of wanting to be given instead of receiving. Remember the words of the Lord Jesus Christ. He said, out of the heart, proceed evil thoughts, thefts, covetousness, pride, deceit. Right at the beginning of Romans, the Apostle Paul talks about the fallen nature of men and women. Unrighteousness, maliciousness, full of envy, strife, evil-mindedness, and he goes on. and man it'd be rather easy to say that man would say it's more blessed to receive than to give in fact man is not capable of giving any good thing because man is such a selfish fallen creature why is gambling such a problem today. Do you know what it says to us? The Bible is right, that man is a fallen creature and he's greedy, he's covetousness, he's selfish and he's out for his own ends. Think of the nature of a child Now I don't know if you've ever come across these, but it's the 10 property laws of a toddler. You think about a two or three year old. The 10 property laws, here we go. If I like it, it's mine. Number two, if it's in my hand, it's mine. If I can take it from you, it's mine. And if I had it a little while ago, it's mine. If it's mine, it must never appear to be yours in any way. And if I'm building something, all the pieces are mine. And if it looks just like mine, it's mine. And if I saw it first, it's mine. And if you are playing with something and you put it down, it automatically becomes mine. Number 10. And if it's broken, it's yours. Isn't that the nature of a child? But that is our fallen nature, because we are sinful creatures. Perhaps you've heard this poem, more blessed to give than to receive. I wonder how many this great truth believe, for in this big selfish world today, people keep grabbing, but never give away. Why is the Dead Sea dead? Because it's always receiving and never giving and of course that is the nature of man. And why is it the mighty, the million and billionaires always want to avoid taxes? It's because they're greedy and covetous within and they do not want to give away what they have. Paul Getty was a famous billionaire. And in his mansion, for his visitors in their rooms, he installed, this is going back a few years by the way, pay phones, because he didn't want to pay for his visitors' phone calls. Now that is tight, but isn't it amazing? The rich young ruler came to the Lord Jesus Christ. He asked a great question. What must I do to inherit eternal life? Jesus said, so long it got. And it revealed his heart, a covetous heart. And he'd rather lose heaven than lose his possessions. And that's how the heart of man is. But yet the Lord Jesus Christ, though he said these words, do you know something? He lived them. He lived them. That's why these words are so wonderful. He came into this world to bless others. He could have stayed with the angels in all their purity and all their holiness. But he chose deliberately to come down into this sin-cursed world to live amongst rebellious men and women, filthy and crude about their sinful ways. And he lived amongst us. And he poured out his life to bless others. He made the blind to see, the lame to walk, the deaf to hear. He touched the leper and made him clean. He fed 5,000 when he saw a need. And with the words of life, he blessed men and women. And he came to bless us in such a wonderful way, to die on Calvary's cross in order that individuals like ourselves might know the blessedness of sins forgiven. Blessed is the man whose sin is covered. Thousands have come to know that wonderful assurance, all because Jesus Christ came and poured out his life to bless others. You think of the thousands that are around the throne tonight in glory, all blood brought, all because the Saviour came and loved his own and laid down his life, a ransom for many. What a blessing it is to be a child of God. Remember the words of the Lord Jesus Christ. It's more blessed to give than to receive. And how wonderfully he not only spoke those words, but he indeed practiced those words by going to Calvary's cross for such as ourselves. There's that lovely hymn. He came and kissed a guilty world with love. And that's the experience of the Christian. They stand amazed and wonder that the eternal Son of God, without beginning, without end, should come into time to bless people such as ourselves. So, the Lord Jesus Christ spoke these words. Now, the second thing I want to say is this. The Apostle Paul practiced these words. Now Paul here is speaking to the Ephesian elders. He's finished, he's going to pray with them. And he says, he's more blessed to give than to receive. The Apostle Paul gave of himself in order that that church at Ephesus You can think of other churches as well. He gave of himself to bring blessing, the blessing of the gospel to those churches. Christianity is not just about receiving, it's about giving. Now I want you to observe three things that the apostle Paul gave. Number one, he gave of his time. Look at verse 20. He says, And how I kept nothing back that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you and taught you publicly from house to house. Now he came to Ephesus and he brought them the gospel. Wherever it was, whether it was in the public place or whether he visited certain houses, he took with him the gospel in order to bless individuals and to teach individuals about the wonders of God's grace. It's interesting in verse 21, it says he testified to Jews and also to Greeks, Repentance towards God and faith towards the Lord Jesus Christ. In other words, anyone, whether Jew or Gentile, at any place, at any time, he was prepared to give them the gospel. If you look at verse 33 and 34, you'll notice this. I've coveted no one's silver or gold or apparel. Yes, you yourselves know that these hands have provided for my necessities and for those who were with me." In other words, he gave up his time freely. He wasn't a burden to that church. While he was more likely at Ephesus, he went into his trade as being a tent maker to earn his keep and the keep of others who were with him. He wanted to make sure that everyone understood that the gospel was a gospel of grace freely given by Almighty God. So he didn't charge. He offered the gospel freely. Sadly, we have in these past years entered into a movement of entertainment evangelism, where you have to go and pay to hear a musical item and then hear the gospel. We never charge. for the gospel it is the gospel of grace and that's one of the good things when you don't have a public collection on a sunday because the unconverted person thinks ah church money church money but vote the gospel is the gospel of grace and it's a great testimony to the unbeliever that the last thing in our minds is money because it's the gospel of grace so he gave of his time he gave of his time freely and he gave of his time to bless others do you ever stop and think how long does it take to run two church services on a sunday You say, well, we're just here for an hour, hour and a quarter. How long does it take? Well, someone has to open the doors, don't they? Someone has to make sure the heat's on, else someone will be in trouble. In the summer, make sure it's not too hot. Someone has to give out the hymn books. Someone has to produce the notice sheet. Someone has to prepare the sermon. And I'll tell you this, we don't just get in a pulpit, there's a lot of sweat and agony goes on before a sermon is produced. Someone has to choose the hymns. Someone has to practice the tunes. Someone does have to count the money and keep the books and pay the bills and everything financially kept in order, particularly in these days. And then some pray for the service. Others go and collect people to bring them to the service. There's a lot of work that goes on to produce a sermon and you'll all expect a cup of tea afterwards and someone's had to think about the cup of tea. But remember this, when we've all gone home, someone has to clear up as well. But the Bible says, Jesus said, it's more blessed to give than to receive. I heard a sermon by an American and he was speaking about the state of the American church. He used a very brilliant illustration. Quite challenging, so hold on to your seats. He said the trouble with us Christians is this. We behave like customers and not servers. We go into a restaurant, we sit down, everything is prepared for us. We eat a meal, we stand up, we go away and everything is cleared up after us. Christians shouldn't be customers. They should be servers. It was a very challenging sermon. And shall I tell you something? It's easy to do, isn't it? To let others do the serving for us so we behave like a customer. But Jesus said, it's more blessed to give than to receive. Paul gave his time that they might hear the gospel. What hours he must have spent, days, months, preaching the gospel. I wonder how much time do you invest in evangelism? We've got the greatest message in the world, the message that our world needs to hear. I wonder how much time we put into evangelism. Years ago, I used to do various weeks of evangelism, various places. Do you know something? The week before, I used to dread it. How am I going to do that? And I didn't want to go. But when we got there and got going, we learned this lesson. What a blessing it is to be involved in the work of evangelism because it's more blessed to give. than to receive. And there's so often things like that. We dread doing things, but when we've done them, what a blessing it has been to our souls. What a challenge of this. Are you a customer or are you a server? Now, I'm going to tell you something amazing now, and I'm sure it doesn't happen here. It is possible for you to go to a church to walk in to the service and walk out of the service without anyone speaking to you. Oh my dear friends, what a challenge that is. Do we make the visitor welcome? Do we make the lonely person who's perhaps not in one of the groups welcome? Do we go out of our way? Perhaps someone is under conviction. Someone is down. Do we get alongside them to encourage them and to help them? Jesus said, it's more a blessing to give than to receive. And what a blessing it is to help someone, whether to become a Christian or to help them on their pilgrim way. What a blessing. Apostle Paul gave of his time. Only one life will soon be passed. Only what's done for Christ will last. The second thing I want you to notice, he not only gave them his time, but he gave them the truth. The truth. Verse 27. For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God. Now that word shunned simply means to avoid declaring something. In other words, he gave them the truth. And nothing but the truth. He didn't duck any issues. He didn't soft-pedal any issues. He spoke to them as it is, the Word of God. He spoke to them the whole counsel of God. And he could say in verse 26, he says, Therefore I testify to you this day, I am innocent. of the blood of all men. He had given them the gospels, some had received it, some had rejected it, but he had a clear conscience because he knew he had performed his duty. Not only that, but he helped those who believed. Look at verse 32. He says, And now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of his grace which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. Now it's the word of God that builds us up as Christians. Why do we flounder? Why are we weak? Why do we stutter in our walk with the Lord? is because we're not building ourselves up and allowing the ministry of God's word to build us up in the word of God. How it'd be lovely to read of men and women, as Bunyan put it, who are valiant for the truth. There's a bit of a challenge in Isaiah when it says, truth is fallen in the street, but in Zechariah, Jerusalem, the church, should be known as the city of truth. Now many of us are very much aware of this. We have seen a tremendous decline in evangelicalism in our land. It's rather like the auction room. Do you know what the auction room's like? When the man's bought saying, go in, go in, gone. We've seen great truths dismissed. We haven't done what Paul did, but we have shunned some of the great issues of the day. And here is the apostle Paul counseling the Christians to allow the word of God Build you up in the truth. Now, avoiding some of the big doctrinal issues of the day, putting them under the carpet, will not help your Christian life. Now, I remember as a young Christian, throughout my Christian life, I've always been confronted with issues. And by God's grace and the help of others, I've got through them. And instead of, you know, not growing, I've grown. Because those great truths have become the conviction of my heart and of my soul. For instance, sooner or later you get confronted by the question of creation. Well, don't duck it. Read the scriptures. Read books about it. Have others help you on that great issue of creation. What about the Ten Commandments? Not much is said about the Ten Commandments these days. Don't duck it. Make sure you start thinking seriously what the Scriptures have to say. Penal substitution, propitiation, big words. But they're the heart of the Gospel. And yet people today are questioning them. The ministry of God, the Holy Spirit, election, predestination, Heaven? Hell? Is it eternal? Or is there annihilation? Don't doubt these issues, face them and ask your mind and discuss them. and search the scriptures, because they will build you up in the word of God. What is needed in our churches today is this, men and women with great scriptural convictions, that we might be valiant for the truth. So, he gave of his time, he gave them the truth. Hang on, one more thing. He gave them his tears. Verse 19. Serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears and trials which happened to me by the plotting of the Jews. Here was a man who wanted to bless others, but what did he get? persecution and so often that is the case you have a great desire to bless others but you'll find people who are against you as the old proverb don't bite the hand that feeds you and so often that has been the experience of christians who want to bless others there's been those who've turned against them but the apostle paul says had pressed on with many tears. And he had his disappointments. Mark turned from him and went home. Demas forsook him because he loved this present world. And those false teachers of Corinth persuaded that congregation to slander the apostle Paul. He knew what it was to shed tears. And shall I tell you something? If you want to bless others, there'll be times when there are tears. People who fall into sin. People who reject your ministry. People who reject your very person and even go to the depths of slander. Paul knew what it was, to shed tears. And in verses 22 and 23, he knew there was more to come. And you see that I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me, except the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying, chains and tribulations await me. But the apostle Paul knew this. It's more blessed to give. and to receive. There used to be an old chorus, there is joy, joy, joy in serving Jesus. Dread me you lose your joy, make sure you get it back as soon as you can. And the Apostle Paul could say wonderfully, verse 24, he says, but none of these things move me. Nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy. And the ministry which I receive from the Lord Jesus to testify to the gospel, the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. But there's something else we need to say under this heading of tears. Look at verse 31. for watch and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears. The Apostle Paul knew that after he departed that wolves, not literal wolves, but those who are wanting to destroy Christianity would try and get into that church. Even amongst themselves, there would be those who would teach wrong doctrine, and the church would be in great danger of being lost. And here the apostle Paul, he warns them. Now today, a warning ministry It's not very popular. Oh, you can't be critical. But for the Apostle Paul, a warning ministry was necessary. And it should be for us. And remember our history. Great churches have fallen. You could go to a church in Birmingham. 150 years ago, a mighty man of God John Angel James ministered the Word of God. He was a mighty man of God. But today, if you go there, the LGB are not only allowed into membership, but into leadership. Ladies and gentlemen, Great churches fall. That's why we need a warning ministry. We know that Ephesus, the Lord Jesus would rebuke them. You have left your first love, you're in danger. We too must heed the warning ministry of the word of God. History tells us that the modernist movement can flood through our land and churches fall. The charismatic movement sweeps through our land and churches fall. May we be those who stand for the truth of God. And it might mean tears. So the apostle Paul gave of his time, he gave of the truth, and he gave them his tears. Now the final thing I've got to say is this. Paul encourages the Ephesians that they must learn this beatitude. He tells the elders in verse 28 to look after the flock, to be good overseers, to shepherd the church of God. Verse 29, he says, watch out for the wolves and watch out for those inside who are promoting wrong doctrine. Verse 35, he begins by saying, I have shown you in every way by laboring like this that you must support the weak. And of course, always amongst God's people, you will find those who are struggling, struggling with assurance, struggling with the reading of scripture. Struggling to understand the great truths of dog. There's always that that element amongst us and is Encourage them these Ephesians help those who are weak spend time with them Encourage them in the scriptures do all you can to strengthen Their faith and remember it's more blessed to give Than to receive because as you give you Receive. This is a wonderful prescription. If you went to the doctors and got a prescription, you know it's there to make you better. So is this to make you a better Christian? It's more blessed to give than to receive, because as you give, you are blessed. And that's a wonderful principle. Perhaps you've heard this poem. You've heard of the man whom some folk thought mad? The more he gave, the more he had. I, like that madman, have proven it's true. What is willingly given comes back double to you. So don't be a grabber, but scatter abroad. There's real joy in giving as unto the Lord. Now that might be about financial giving, but it's the same principle about giving time, the truth, and tears. to others. And can I just say this? Perhaps some of you as I'm speaking say, I'm a bit weary as a Christian. It seems that my whole life has been giving, giving, giving, and I'm getting weary. Well, can this word come to you with freshness? It's more blessed to give than to receive. Some of you are young. Or make this a principle of your life. If you are a Christian, do all you can to bless others. Perhaps I'm speaking to someone who's a bit disheartened. A bit sorry for yourself. There's a bit of a sob sob. No one loves me. Or take this principle with freshness and challenge. It's more blessed to give. and to receive and there might be someone who is bitter and you're so inward looking about your own little kingdom well repent of that attitude And remember what the Lord Jesus Christ did. He came from glory, poured out His blood at Calvary's cross to save you, to redeem you, to take you to heaven. Love Him. Remember His words. It's more blessed to give than to receive. There used to be a little song we sung years ago. The more I surrender, To Jesus my Lord, the more of his fullness I know, the more I give him, the more he gives me. His grace and his peace he bestows. And it's true. It's true. We're going to sing in a minute Annie Johnson's Flint song, He Giveth More Grace. His love has no limits. His grace has no measure. His power has no boundary known unto men, for out of his infinite riches in Jesus he giveth and he giveth and he giveth again. What a wonderful Lord we have. And if that doesn't thrill your soul, and if that doesn't motivate you, oh, you need to ask some big questions in your heart tonight. But look again to Calvary's cross, see that life outpoured, see that blood which was shed, see those wounds that our Lord Jesus received, and think of your sin, your every sin. laid on our Lord Jesus Christ. And Jesus said, it is more blessed to give than to receive. Shall we pray?