Families that Follow Jesus, Week 5 - May 31, 2026

May 31, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: From Temples to Testimonies: Giving for God’s People

Jesus flipped the script on possessions—no longer building temples but building testimonies. In Luke 18, a rich young ruler clung to wealth while Jesus called him to abandon it for eternal treasure. New Testament giving isn’t about maintaining sacred spaces but advancing Christ’s mission through surrendered resources. Every dollar given fuels gospel impact across streets and nations. Families following Jesus trade earthly security for eternal significance. [37:17]

“Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. And come, follow me.” When he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. (Luke 18:22-23, ESV)

Reflection: What earthly possession or financial security might Jesus be asking you to release today to more fully join His mission? How does clinging to comfort hinder your family’s eternal impact?

Day 2: First Fruits, Full Trust: Honoring the Worthy King

Giving first fruits isn’t religious duty but relational devotion. Like reserving mornings for prayer and Sundays for worship, placing God first in finances declares His worth. Budgets become altars when “I trust You” precedes utility bills. This rhythm transforms obligation into celebration—not “I have to give” but “I get to invest in the King.” Every checkbook entry whispers, “You’re worthy.” [40:22]

Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine. (Proverbs 3:9-10, ESV)

Reflection: Where does your budget reveal competing loyalties? What practical step could align your family’s financial “first” with Christ’s supreme worth?

Day 3: Barns Overflowing: The Promise of Tested Faith

God dares us to test Him—not with half-hearted tips but firstfruit obedience. Like farmers trusting seed to soil, givers watch Heaven’s economy multiply what man’s math can’t. Chick-fil-A’s closed Sundays and overflowing drive-thrus prove: sacrificial obedience triggers divine provision. Our barns (retirement accounts, pantries, hearts) burst when we trade scarcity mindsets for faith-filled surrender. [50:55]

Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. (Malachi 3:10, ESV)

Reflection: What fear keeps your family from generous giving? How might stepping into “tested faith” dismantle that fear this week?

Day 4: Paid in Full: When God Covers the Cost

The repaired car with a “paid in full” receipt mirrors Heaven’s economy. While the world says “save for emergencies,” God says “sow into eternity.” Every act of giving—whether tithes or surprise blessings—invites divine intervention. Like the widow’s oil, resources stretch further when surrendered. Families discover: obedience unlocks backdoor blessings no accountant could predict. [49:16]

The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. (2 Corinthians 9:6-7, ESV)

Reflection: When has unexpected provision followed your obedience? Where might your family need to sow despite apparent lack?

Day 5: Eternal Investments: Storing Treasures Beyond Rust

Earthly portfolios fade—401(k)s crash, cars rust, markets fluctuate. But treasures stored in Heaven compound eternally. Jim Elliot’s martyrdom and Chick-fil-A’s closed Sundays prove: radical giving reshapes legacies. Families following Jesus ask not “What will this provide in 30 years?” but “How will this glorify God in 30,000 years?” Every gift becomes a eternal down payment. [53:35]

Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:19-21, ESV)

Reflection: What earthly treasure does your family need to “transfer” to Heaven’s account? How could redefining “security” around eternal realities change your spending this month?

Sermon Summary

Proverbs 3 says it straight: honor the Lord with possessions and with the firstfruits of all increase, so that barns are filled with plenty and vats overflow with new wine. That practice carries a promise. Jesus then sets the plumb line for the heart: where treasure is, there the heart will be also. So families that follow Jesus practice God-honoring giving for three reasons. First, giving advances the cause of Jesus Christ. Luke 18 puts a spotlight on the rich young ruler. He brings position, pride, and possessions to Jesus, and Jesus names the one thing he lacks. Sell it. Give it. Then come, follow. The shock lands because Old Testament obedience often yielded earthly accumulation to fund a place, the temple. But Jesus flips it. In the New Testament, God is not building a place; God is building a people. The glory does not sit in a building; it dwells in his people who carry the mission across the street and across the world. So giving in Christ’s church moves from funding a place to sacrificially advancing a cause.

Second, giving confesses that Jesus is worthy. Firstfruits say it out loud. The first and best part of the day, the first day of the week, and the first part of income go to him, not leftovers. He is worthy of trust, because he can do more with 90 or 80 or 70 percent than anyone can do with 100. He is worthy of thanks, so giving becomes glad worship, not grudging duty. The New Testament question is not how little can someone give and still be right with God, but how much can someone give because Christ is worthy of it all.

Third, giving opens hands to the Lord’s full blessing. The promise in Proverbs pictures overflowing barns and vats. Malachi throws open a live test: bring the whole tithe and see if God will not pour out blessing until there is no more need. Paul sharpens the edge: sow sparingly, reap sparingly; sow generously, reap generously; and God is able to make all grace abound. Wisdom also asks the hard question: what is the high cost of not having the favor of God resting on a life? Families that follow Jesus cannot outgive God. He knows how to send provision in surprising ways, and he knows how to stretch every dollar under his care. So families give to advance Christ’s mission, because Jesus is worthy, and in order not to miss a single blessing he intends to rain down.

Key Takeaways

1. Giving advances Christ’s mission New Testament giving moves the gospel, not mortar. God is building a people, not a place, and generosity becomes the fuel of that mission. Asking gross or net misses the point, because the right question is how much can be given for the cause of Christ. When treasure goes to Jesus, the heart follows him into the harvest. [37:17]
2. Firstfruits honor a worthy King First means first in day, week, and income, because Jesus is worthy of the best, not the leftovers. Firstfruits train desire, quiet fear, and declare trust before bills and worries start speaking. Offering the first is not about math; it is about allegiance. [40:22]
3. The New Testament flips possessions The rich young ruler shows how possessions can possess the heart. Old Testament accumulation funded the temple; New Testament abandonment frees disciples for the kingdom. Jesus names the attachment, not to take life, but to give a better one with treasure in heaven. [33:59]
4. Test God in generous trust Malachi gives an invitation almost nowhere else in Scripture gives: test God here. Open-handed sowing meets God’s open-handed abundance, and cheerful giving finds a cheerful God. The issue is not prosperity math but covenant faithfulness that God loves to honor. [45:24]
5. Aim for eternal returns Treasure stored in heaven outruns moth, rust, and market swings. The horizon is not thirty years but thirty thousand. Jim Elliot had it right: nothing given to Christ is ever lost, and everything hoarded apart from him cannot be kept. [53:35]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[26:41] - Families that follow Jesus
[27:38] - Practices that lead to promises
[31:24] - Reason 1: Advance Christ’s cause
[31:51] - Luke 18 rich young ruler introduced
[33:59] - One thing you still lack
[35:34] - Old Testament tithe and temple
[37:17] - New Testament: building a people
[38:35] - Not gross or net but how much
[39:27] - Reason 2: Jesus is worthy
[40:22] - Firstfruits of day, week, income
[44:27] - Reason 3: Receive the full blessing
[45:24] - Test me in this: Malachi 3
[49:33] - Chick-fil-A and surprising favor
[52:40] - Start giving and send it ahead

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Proverbs 3:9-10 (ESV)
Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.

Luke 18:18-23 (ESV)
And a ruler asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him... “You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’” And he said, “All these I have kept from my youth.” When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich.

Malachi 3:10 (ESV)
Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.

Observation questions

In Luke 18:22, Jesus tells the rich young ruler to “sell all that you have and distribute to the poor.” What does this reveal about the relationship between possessions and following Christ?
How does Proverbs 3:9-10 connect honoring God with “firstfruits” to the promise of blessing?
What specific invitation does Malachi 3:10 give believers regarding their giving?

Interpretation questions

Why might Jesus’ command to the rich young ruler (Luke 18:22) have been shocking in light of Old Testament practices like tithing and temple offerings?
The sermon contrasts Old Testament giving (funding a place) with New Testament giving (advancing a people). How does this shift change the motivation for generosity?
The example of Chick-fil-A closing on Sundays despite financial cost was used to illustrate trust in God’s provision [49:33]. How does this story reflect the principle of prioritizing God’s worthiness over worldly gain?

Application questions

What practical step could you take this week to prioritize giving God the “firstfruits” of your time, energy, or finances (e.g., budgeting first, scheduling prayer before work)?
If Jesus asked you to let go of one possession or financial security blanket to follow Him more fully, what might that be? How would you respond?
The sermon emphasized that “giving is not about math but allegiance” [40:22]. How could you shift your mindset from calculating “how much to give” to asking “how much can I give”?
Malachi 3:10 invites believers to “test God” in generosity. What fear or hesitation holds you back from trusting God with sacrificial giving, and how could you confront it?
The phrase “store up treasures in heaven” was linked to eternal impact over temporary security [53:35]. What is one way you could invest in eternal returns through your resources this month?

Sermon Clips

34s

#TreasureRevealsHeart

“And Jesus said to us, he said you know where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. In fact, what Jesus said is if you wanna know where you are spiritually, if you wanna know where you are actively in following Jesus, it's actually quite simple. Because our, how we spend our money both individually and as families and as a church is reflective of what we really believe. We can say many things but it demonstrates clearly where our heart truly is.”

26s

#GiveMoreNotLess

“And the question would be fine in the Old Testament, the question is wrong in the New Testament because the question is is how little can I get away with and still be right with God? That's Old Testament. The right the the the real question in the New Testament is not how little can I give but how much can I give? Because I'm not trying to acquire possessions, I'm trying to abandon possessions.”

23s

#SeekFirstKingdom

“So watch this. So in the New Testament, obedience to God doesn't lead to acquiring possessions. In the New Testament, Jesus flips that to abandoning possessions. He looks at the rich young ruler and says go sell everything you have, give it to the poor and you'll have treasures in heaven. He says seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be added unto you.”

29s

#TrustJesusWithFinances

“Jesus Christ is worthy of our trust, amen? Amen. He's he can be trusted and so when we give, what we're saying is Jesus, I trust you. As I give my of my finances, I'm saying I I believe you can do what you say you can do Jesus. I believe you can do far more with 90 or 80 or 70% than I could ever do with a 100%. I trust you Jesus, 100%.”

27s

#FirstDayForJesus

“I give him the first part of my week. This is the Lord's day. This is the first day. I'm I don't find excuses why not to come to church and fit church into my schedule if it works out. I give the Lord the first part of my week on the Lord's day as we gather together. Why? Because Jesus is worthy. When we gather, what you're saying this morning by being here is not check a box. What you're saying by being here is my Jesus is worthy.”

30s

#FaithOverProfit

“you know how much sense that makes from man's eyes? We are losing 1,000,000,000 with a b per year by not being open on Sunday and yet you've got a company that said, you know what? Even though it doesn't make any sense in God's eyes, we're gonna be in man's eyes, we're gonna be faithful in God's eyes. We're gonna honor the Lord with our possessions. We're gonna honor him with the first fruits of of giving the best of our of our week and see how God has not rained down his blessings upon that business.”

17s

#InvestForEternity

“Don't ask the question, what's my investment gonna do in thirty years? Ask what your investment's gonna do in thirty thousand years. Because every time you invest in the in the Lord's work, you send it on ahead to a place that moth and rust and the enemy can never get. It'll pay you for all eternity.”

27s

#BuildPeopleNotPlaces

“And primarily, Millbrook, the reason is is because in the New Testament, God is not trying to build a place. God is trying to build a people because the glory of God doesn't dwell in a place. Now the glory of God dwells in his temple which is our bodies. And now, we're not trying to bring the nations to behold his glory at a place. We are taking his people and we're taking his glory outside with the mission and the cause of Jesus Christ.”

20s

#FirstFruitsOverflow

“The promise is so that your barns will be filled with plenty, your vats will overflow with new wine. It's a picture of over flowing with the blessings of God. There's a promise here that if you commit as a family to honor God with your finances and give him the first fruits, he will rain down blessings upon your life.”

22s

#GiveToAdvanceMission

“It's about giving but giving for a purpose. Man, listen, families that follow Jesus, this is the positive part of it. As you give, you are advancing the cause of Jesus Christ across the street and across the world. That's how you honor the Lord with your possessions in 2026.”

24s

#DontMissGodsBlessings

“Question, have you ever thought about the fact that you might be missing out on the blessings of God as a result of this one area of your life? Like God has these incredible blessings he wants to pour out, he wants to rain down on your life but he can't because you're not testing him the way that scripture insist.”

20s

#PaidInFullByGrace

“And I got up to the counter and the man said, I said, hey, how much do I owe you? I'm go ahead and settle up. He said, oh no, that's been taken care of for you. Paid in full. You say, do you believe that do you believe that that God can do stuff like that? Listen, I've seen it over and over again.”

18s

#ChurchIsPrivilege

“But I I feel like the Lord saying this because it's so important in our lives. It's not that I have to, man. When I when I show up to the house of God, it's not because I have to, it's because I get to because my Jesus is worthy. I'm bringing in my first, I'm bringing my best.”

16s

#GiveHimYourBest

“My Jesus is worthy of giving the best of everything that I have. My money is just a small fraction of the fact that I give him the best of every part of my life. He's worthy of my thanks, he's worthy of my trust, he's worthy of it all.”

18s

#StepUpAndGive

“Who is gonna be those people in this generation to say, you step up and say, you know what? My Jesus is worthy and I wanna advance his calls by sacrificial giving. Man, I might not can sing. I might not can teach. I might not can preach. But you know what I can do? God's blessed me and I can give to make much of him”

16s

#MillbrookSteppedUp

“Millbrook has always been a church that has stepped up to answer the call of God. When Millbrook was meeting over in the chapel, there was a group of people that led the charge and said, you know what? We'll follow God and and advance God's mission in Aiken, South Carolina. That's how they moved into Kid City.”

26s

#BringYourFirstNotExcuses

“He's worthy of my thanks. And so when I show up on Sunday morning to give him the first part of my week, I bring the first part of my money and it's not like, oh man. it's offering time. Oh man, the preacher's talking about money. Oh, Could he talk about something else? By the way, do you know how easy it would have been to skip this passage this morning?”

28s

#GodRainsBlessings

“You can never out give this God ever. Whatever you give, when we give our first and our best, God promises to rain down his blessings on our life. I remember recently one of our cars broke down. Pastor's cars break down too, know what I'm saying? Our car broke down and we were out of town”

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Millbrook Aiken This sermon · AI assistant

How did Jesus redefine possessions versus Old Testament?

Why give sacrificially rather than minimally?

What blessings follow families who practice first fruits?

Families that Follow Jesus, Week 5 - May 31, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: From Temples to Testimonies: Giving for God’s People

Day 2: First Fruits, Full Trust: Honoring the Worthy King

Day 3: Barns Overflowing: The Promise of Tested Faith

Day 4: Paid in Full: When God Covers the Cost

Day 5: Eternal Investments: Storing Treasures Beyond Rust

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Families that Follow Jesus, Week 5 - May 31, 2026

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