Rhythms Rule - Week 3: “We Give to the Work”

Aug 16, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: From Clenched Fists to Open Hands: Releasing What We Grasp

Infants enter the world with clenched fists, a reflex signaling self-centeredness. Spiritual maturity requires loosening our grip on what we call "mine"—time, money, talents. Jesus transforms clenched fists into open hands, teaching that life isn’t about accumulation but generous stewardship. Open hands acknowledge God’s ownership, trusting Him to provide as we release control. True freedom comes when we hold blessings loosely, letting God redirect them for eternal purposes. [33:27]

“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 “mine” have you been clutching tightly this week? How might opening your hands to God’s ownership bring peace or purpose?

Day 2: Stewardship: Managing What God Owns

Stewardship isn’t a financial strategy—it’s a spiritual identity. Every resource, skill, and moment is a loan from God, meant to be invested in His kingdom work. Like farmers tending a landowner’s fields, we’re called to cultivate faithfulness, not ownership. The question shifts from “What should I do with mine?” to “How does God want His resources used?” This posture turns mundane tasks into eternal legacies. [39:11]

“As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.”
(1 Peter 4:10, ESV)

Reflection: Which of your “possessions” feel hardest to view as God’s? How might redefining ownership change your decisions today?

Day 3: Sacrifice: Giving Up Something You Love for Something More

Sacrifice isn’t loss—it’s trading temporary comforts for eternal impact. The early church sold properties not under compulsion, but because love for Jesus outweighed love for security. Like Barnabas surrendering his field, sacrifice creates ripples of encouragement. Every act of letting go—whether time, convenience, or wealth—declares Christ’s worthiness. God multiplies what we release, filling the gap with His presence. [01:02:12]

“Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.”
(Acts 4:36-37, ESV)

Reflection: What sacrifice have you avoided making out of fear? What deeper love might God be inviting you to cultivate through release?

Day 4: Consumer Christianity vs. Kingdom Partnership

Churches thrive when members ask “How can I build?” rather than “What can I get?” The Acts 4 community prioritized collective mission over personal comfort, creating a gravitational pull of grace. Consumerism drains spiritual vitality, while partnership ignites God’s power. Investing in others’ needs—through service, generosity, or presence—transforms spectators into co-laborers in Christ’s redemptive work. [56:17]

“Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common.”
(Acts 4:32, ESV)

Reflection: When have you approached church as a consumer rather than a contributor? What practical step could deepen your partnership this week?

Day 5: Where Your Treasure Is, There Your Heart Will Be

Money acts as a spiritual compass, pointing to our true master. Jesus warned that divided loyalty between God and wealth creates inner chaos. Regular, intentional giving recalibrates our affections, training our hearts to value eternal realities. Like Monopoly pieces returned to the box, earthly treasures fade—but investments in God’s kingdom outlast time. [50:43]

“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”
(Matthew 6:24, ESV)

Reflection: What does your spending this month reveal about your heart’s true allegiances? How might intentional giving reshape your desires?

Sermon Summary

The rhythm of giving to the work begins with the picture of a newborn’s clenched fists. The palmar grasp reflex becomes a living parable of spiritual immaturity, because every human heart learns the word “Mine” without being taught. Spiritual growth, then, looks like moving from clenched fists to open hands. When Jesus grabs a heart, he changes the grip.

Stewardship means that God’s people manage what actually belongs to God. God gives time, talent, and treasure to his people so he can give through his people. The big question of the Christian life is not, “God, what should be done with what is mine?” The big question is, “God, what should be done with what is yours?” The child of God works not for life, but from life, because giving is not a way to earn approval. Giving is love responding to the God who gave all in Christ.

Jesus’ words in Matthew 6 set the heart of the matter. Earthly treasure is fragile, because moth, rust, thieves, and time all prove that everything stored up here is temporary. Heavenly treasure lasts, so Jesus is not anti-treasure. Jesus cares about location, location, location. Eternity matters, and ultimate things deserve ultimate priority.

Jesus also ties treasure to the heart. Money is not just a tool people use. Money leaves a trail, and that trail leads to a throne. Jesus is not after money because he needs something funded. Jesus is after the heart, and the heart is often tethered to treasure. Mammon promises security, significance, and satisfaction, but only God can actually give those things.

Acts 4 shows Jesus’ vision put into practice through a generous church. The early followers of Jesus were “one heart and soul,” not through forced redistribution, but through Spirit-empowered, worshipful open hands. Consumer Christianity asks, “What does the church offer?” The Acts 4 question asks, “How can God use a person to build this people?”

The Acts 4 church made room for everyone to make a difference, everyone to embrace sacrifice, and every gift to have influence. Sacrifice means giving up something loved for something loved even more. Barnabas sold a field, brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet because generosity had already shaped the community around him. The call lands with open hands: this world is not home, money is not security, possessions are not identity, God is the true King, and God is the eternal treasure.

Key Takeaways

1. Jesus changes the grip A clenched fist is not only an infant reflex, it is a picture of the heart that says “mine” to everything God has entrusted. Spiritual maturity opens the hand because Christ has first opened the heart. The issue is not whether a person owns things, but whether things have quietly begun to own the person. [35:38]
2. Treasure always pulls the heart Jesus joins money and the heart because treasure has gravitational force. The heart does not stay neutral around what it funds, protects, and pursues. Giving toward God’s kingdom is not merely a financial act, it is a way of loosening the heart from earth and attaching it to eternal treasure. [48:49]
3. Mammon cannot keep its promises Money can promise security, significance, and satisfaction, but it cannot finally deliver any of them. Jesus names money as a rival master because the heart can serve it with worship-like devotion. The trail of spending leads to a throne, and that throne reveals whether God or mammon is ruling. [51:49]
4. Sacrifice carries the gospel forward The gospel has always moved along the lines of sacrifice, beginning with Christ giving his life. The early church gave up private comfort for the sake of a shared mission, and that same kind of sacrifice made room for others to hear of Jesus. Sacrifice is not loss for loss’s sake, but giving up something loved for something loved even more. [62:25]
5. Open hands receive God’s care Open-handed giving is not reckless denial of real needs, but trust that God is faithful with what belongs to him. A giving plan matters because generosity rarely grows by accident or emotional impulse alone. God’s people learn to begin where they are, hold things loosely, and trust that God always fills open hands.

## [67:41]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[31:51] - Rhythms Rule: Give to the Works
[33:01] - From Clenched Fists to Open Hands
[35:38] - When Jesus Changes the Grip
[36:35] - Stewardship and God’s Family Business
[40:45] - Working From Life, Not For Life
[42:35] - God Gives First and Best
[45:14] - Treasures on Earth and in Heaven
[48:49] - Where Treasure Leads the Heart
[51:11] - God or Money as Master
[55:23] - Consumer Christianity Versus Generous Church
[57:30] - One Heart and One Soul
[60:47] - Everyone Embraced Sacrifice
[63:42] - Barnabas and the Generosity Cycle
[67:09] - Planning to Give With Open Hands
[70:52] - It All Goes Back in the Box

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Matthew 6:19-24
“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. The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” [45:12]

Acts 4:32-37
“Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet.” [56:58]

1 Timothy 6:10
“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.” [52:51]

Observation questions

In Matthew 6:19-24, what contrasts does Jesus make between treasure on earth and treasure in heaven, and what reasons does he give for that contrast? [45:12]
In Matthew 6, what words or phrases connect treasure, heart, and masters together? How does Jesus describe that relationship? [48:49]
In Acts 4:32-37, what details show that the believers were “of one heart and soul,” and how did that unity affect the way they handled needs in the church? [57:30]
In Acts 4:34-37, what actions are repeated when people responded to needs, and what exactly did Barnabas do? [01:03:42]

Interpretation questions

Jesus says, “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” What does that suggest about the way giving shapes a person’s loves and loyalties over time? [50:12]
Jesus says a person cannot serve both God and money. Why does money make such a serious rival master, and what kinds of promises does it tend to make to the human heart? [51:49]
Acts 4 shows believers sharing freely, yet not by force. What does that reveal about the kind of generosity the Spirit produces in a church? [57:00]
Barnabas sold a field and laid the money at the apostles’ feet. What does that act show about trust, sacrifice, and the influence of a generous community on one person’s choices? [01:04:43]

Application questions

The human heart naturally says, “Mine.” Where is that grip strongest right now—time, money, possessions, comfort, or ability? What might open hands look like in that area this week? [35:22]
The big stewardship question is not, “What should be done with what is mine?” but, “What should be done with what is God’s?” How would that question change one financial decision or one calendar decision that needs to be made soon? [39:27]
Money leaves a trail, and that trail leads to a throne. If someone quietly followed the trail of recent spending, what would it say is most valued right now? What part of that feels encouraging, and what part feels exposing? [53:25]
This world is not home, money is not security, and possessions are not identity. Which one of those truths is hardest to believe in daily life, and why? [54:45]
Sacrifice is giving up something loved for something loved even more. What is one real sacrifice that may need to be embraced so that someone else can be served, encouraged, or helped? [01:02:16]
The early church asked, “How can God use a person to build this people?” What would it look like to ask that question before showing up to church, small group, or serving opportunities? [56:23]
Generosity usually grows through a plan, not just through occasional emotion. What simple plan could help cultivate open hands in this season—whether that means beginning to give, giving more consistently, reducing fear around money, or seeking wise counsel? [01:07:41]

Sermon Clips

37s

#JesusAfterYourHeart

“``Who joined those together? Well, Jesus did. Now listen, nobody will ever love you like Jesus loves you. Nobody. And Jesus has no budget to fund. He has no building he's trying to build. He's not after your money. Hear this. Jesus is not after your money. He's good. He's after your heart. But it just so happens that we tether our hearts to our money. So if God wants to get out our heart, guess what he's gonna tug on? The thing that our hearts are attached to.”

50s

#KingdomHearts

“And so here from Matthew six, I wanna summarize Jesus' vision here. This is a great reminder from Jesus. Here's the here's the summary. This world is not your home. Money is not your security. Possessions are not your identity. Jesus is our true king. God is our true treasure. As stewards, God gives to us. We have to recognize so that he can give through us. And so Jesus gives us a vision that we give from kingdom hearts, and with kingdom hearts in Matthew six, but also the book of Acts, we see the early followers of Jesus apply this. And so the second thing we're gonna see is we give through a generous church in Acts chapter four.”

44s

#HeartOfStewardship

“And so what we're talking about today is is the concept of stewardship. What is stewardship? As I said, a steward is a person who manages what belongs to someone else. From a biblical perspective, you might be able to find it this way. A steward invests whatever god gives to accomplish whatever God wants. In fact, this week on the podcast, we're gonna dig in a little bit further into this concept of stewardship and get get behind it. But the big question of the Christian life, listen. The big question of the Christian life is not, God, what do you want me to do with what's mine? The big question of the Christian life is, God, what do you want me to do with what is yours? That's the heart of stewardship.”

51s

#SacrificeForLove

“They laid it at the apostles' feet. And what happened? God blessed that community. Turns out, friends, God always puts great grace and great power on a sacrifice of God's people. So what is a sacrifice? Here's how we would define sacrifice. You can write this down. Sacrifice, it's giving up something you love for something you love even more. It's a sacrifice. In fact, let me ask this question. sacrifices had to happen for you to come to know God personally? Let's start with the first one. Jesus, he gave the ultimate sacrifice to die on the cross to bear your sins. Why did he do that? Here's why. Because he loved you more than his own life. That's why.”

68s

#TemporaryPossessions

“When our kids were little, one time we were playing the game of Monopoly, and one of my boys was just having a day. He was killing it. He was buying up the whole board, piling up a bunch of money, and the more he accumulated, the more obnoxious he got. We couldn't wait for the game to be over. We're gonna choke him out. Finally, when we got done with the game and he won and won big and had this big mountain stuff, I leaned over. And I said, hey, mister Rockefeller, here's the part of the game you didn't think about. And I grabbed all of his stuff and pulled it over. And I grabbed it all up and I threw it in the box and threw the lid on. I said, when it's all said and done, it all goes back in the box. And Jesus warning to us today, he's like, watch out for the gravitational pull of money and things because listen, one day it'll all be said and done. And if all you've done is accumulate for yourself things on earth, listen, it all goes back in the box.”

55s

#TimeTalentTreasure

“And what we were ultimately meant to do, listen, is where ultimate meaning comes from. Ultimate meaning won't come from your job. Ultimate meaning won't come from resources you accumulate. Ultimate meaning comes from doing our part as God's people to join him in his work in this world. So if you're a follower of Jesus, as a child of God, you've been adopted into God's family by faith in Jesus. And so congratulations, because if you've been adopted by faith in the Christ family, you join the family business. Here's the family business. It's redemption. It's bringing all things under the loving, wise, liberating rule of God through your time, your talent, and your treasure. In other words, all that God has given you. Time, talent, treasure has eternal value and meaning if it's in his hands.”

33s

#FollowTheTreasure

“So I wanna ask you a direct question, one that I ask myself. Here it is. How can I tell if I have a heart for god? How can you tell if you have a heart for God? Answer, follow the treasure. How do I know I have a heart for sports? I put money into sports. How do I know I have a heart for whatever? I put money into that thing. Turns out our money doesn't just follow what we love, it forms what we love.”

43s

#MoneyRevealsTheHeart

“And truth is, according to Jesus, money is all about heart. It is the revealer of our heart. It is it is all about heart. And so the gravitational pull of money and things, listen, it has an adverse effect on our heart. It can tie your heart to this world. It can tie your heart to this life. It can tie your affections affections to this world, your hopes to this world. It could tie your faith to this world. That's a gravitational pull, and Jesus is like, don't want you to get caught up in that. So God will use the treasure that we have called money to draw us into the greatest treasure of all, god himself.”

62s

#MissionOverComfort

“Think of the first Christ followers as we see here in Acts four. They sacrificed their own private lives so that they could be a community that would spread the message of Jesus to make its way around the world even to get to us here today. Why would they do that? Because they love Jesus. They love his church. They love his mission more than they love, their own personal preferences and comfort. Now think personally about your own life. How did you come to know Christ personally? Well, some Christ follower somewhere, sacrificing their own time, maybe even their own timidity to invite you to a place where you can encounter Jesus personally. Why would they do that? Here's why. Because they love you more than they love their own thing. They love god more than they love their own personal convenient little faith. And so, friends, the message of Christianity, the gospel of Jesus has always spread along the lines of sacrifice. We sit here today on the sacrifices of others as it has always been. God puts great grace and grace power”

61s

#GodGivesFirst

“Here's a question. Who's the most generous person you've ever known? Like, picture picture that for maybe it's a friend. Like, every time you go out for lunch, they always pay. Like, your money's no good here, kind of a friend. Or maybe it's a a parent. Every need, when you've had a legit need, always showing up to help with that need. Or maybe it's your spouse. You just watch them so generous with so many people, and you're like, wow. Well, I want you to think for a moment. Could it be the most generous person you've ever known? Is the person we so easily forget? God himself. God is the ultimate generous giver. Every breath you take, every heartbeat in your chest, every moment of life is a gift from an all generous God. So let's just take a moment and let's consider the astonishing generosity of God. God is the one who gives first and God gives best.”

42s

#GiveFromLove

“So listen friends, the work of God belongs to the people of God, not as a means of earning God's approval, but as an expression of our love to the God who approves of us in Christ. So everything we're gonna talk about today has nothing to do with earning brownie points with God. It has everything to do with expressing our love for God who gave all for us. And so Jesus has a vision in Matthew chapter six. And what we're gonna see in this vision is what it looks like to give. So, for your note check, I want you to write this down. First of all, we give with kingdom hearts. We're gonna see this in Matthew chapter six. We give with kingdom hearts.”

50s

#DiscipleshipOverFundraising

“In other words, Jesus commands us to give of our time, talent, treasure into the kingdom of heaven. Question is, what does that look like? Well, that's what the rest of the message is gonna be dealing with. But I do wanna say this, listen, before we get too much further, listen. We are living in an affordability crisis. If you agree, say amen. Amen. Now listen friends, to be completely honest with you, Jesus' original hearers, they had way less than you do. They had way less than I do. Way less. And so Jesus isn't about raising funds here. He is about raising disciples who have the heart of God. And since life is about priorities, don't you think ultimate things should be the ultimate priority? And that's what Jesus is saying.”

59s

#GenerosityCycle

“and he made a big sacrifice. In fact, follow the verbs. He sold the field that he owned. He brought that money, and he laid it at the apostles' feet. I don't know about you. I'm getting some, like, deja vu vibes right now. Does anybody get any deja vu vibes right here? Like, what where would he ever get such an idea to sell something and bring the proceeds and lay it to the church's disposal a little later? Why would he where did he get Oh, here's where he got it. He got it from the church community itself. Look at verses thirty four and thirty five. Do the math. Everyone gave her their time, talent, treasure. They made a difference as they could. And then everyone embraced sacrifice, however that looked. And he saw that, and it encouraged him. It influenced him to follow suit. And thus, the generosity cycle was born.”

40s

#BeLikeBarnabas

“The church community, make a difference as you can. Make a sacrifice as you can, and let that be an encouragement so that others can join. And together, we build the kind of church that God puts his hand on. It's an incredible thing. Someone encouraged were the apostles that they gave this guy a nickname, the name Barnabas, which means son of encouragement. Now here's the bottom line. Here's what we're trying to say. The Acts four community is the example of what every church is called to be, And Barnabas is an example of what every Christ follower is called to be.”

38s

#OpenHandsPrayer

“And why not pray a prayer like this? God, today, best I know how I'm opening up my hands. Forgive me for the times I've I've held on to things too tightly. Forgive me for the times where I've just walked through life saying mine. I realize today that you are my true treasure. I realize today that you own it all. In my heart of hearts, one day I wanna stand before you and hear, well done, good and faithful servant. So, Lord, today, whatever you've given me, I ask that you would show me how to give through me.”

28s

#SurrenderAllToJesus

“In fact, you can just pray this prayer and say, Jesus, you gave it all to me. That I have is from you, and I wanna give back to you. Not stuff, not things, but me, to give me. And so from my heart, I say you are my treasure. More than anything, I want you. So set my heart on your kingdom. Teach me to hold things loosely, and help me to hold tightly to you.”

43s

#CommonLifeInChrist

“This is an old Hebraic idiom that refers to oneness of life. In fact, verse 32 spells it out. The full numbers of full number of believers shared together more than just their possessions. They actually shared their lives together. The text implies that each person had their own homes, that each person had their own possessions, Each person had their own lives to live. Yet, what did they choose? They chose the common life in Christ above their own. In other words, they chose instead to place the health, the mission, the life of the church ahead of their own personal concerns and convenience.”

40s

#GatherGrowGive

“And as we've seen in the scriptures, God has a vision for the health of his people. And it looks like four rhythms, and we've been talking about these rhythms. The first rhythm that we saw is that we gather and worship. Why? Because we're worshipers. Identity precedes activity. Because we're worshipers, we gather and worship. But we also saw the rhythm last week that we grow in the word. Why would we do that? Because Jesus said his disciples abide in the word. That's why. Today, we're learning about the rhythm of giving to the work. The work of God belongs to the people of God.”

35s

#TreasuresInHeaven

“Notice in verse 20, Jesus turns it the other way. He says, but, don't do that, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven. Now the words lay up, that is the positive command. Jesus is making an imperative command. Lay up for yourselves treasures. So Jesus is not anti treasure at all. The key is location, location, location. Jesus said we should be laying up treasures for some, not on earth, instead in heaven.”

64s

#TransformedByGrace

“Now you have to understand something. I grew up unchurched. I didn't grow up around any of this stuff. I grew up in an irreligious home. I came to faith as a 22 year old death metal drummer, drug dealer. And when I grew up, grew up around Christians. And I was turned off by Christianity primarily because of the financial scandals of all of the, you know, televangelists that you would see on TV. In other words, I dismissed Jesus because of the hypocrisy and the greed of those who claim to represent him. Then, 09/26/1990, I heard the good news of Jesus in a way that I could understand and respond to. And listen, when Jesus took the throne of my heart, everything changed. grace and the generosity of God's loving Christ, the grace and the generosity of God's acceptance through Christ, the grace and the generosity of God's forgiveness through Christ literally changed my heart.”

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