Don’t Worry. Trust God!
Christmas is a most wonderful time of the year. And yet, Christmas is also a distracting time of the year. If we’re not careful, it can distract us from ultimate, eternal things. We might get so caught up in the consumeristic materialism of this world, that we become filled with anxiety over the shopping, the cooking, the family gatherings. So, Christmas is also a revealing time of the year. It tends to reveal our hearts. And Jesus is very interested in what’s going on with our hearts because our hearts follow our treasure.
This is what Jesus is doing in Luke 12:13-34. He exposes our hearts in relation to money and possessions, and then equips us to battle against the sins of covetousness and sinful anxiety. First, Jesus reminds us that we all covet. That is, we sinfully desire what we don’t have. Covetousness comes in many forms and it wears many masks. For the rich fool in vv.13-21, it wears the mask of fairness or justice. He is being cheated out of his inheritance, but Jesus shows him he has a greater problem – his heart. For the poor disciples in vv.22-31, it wears the mask of sinful anxiety.
Second, Jesus warns us of the dangers of covetousness. Our life is not measured in what we own (vv.15, 22). Yet, this is exactly what we do, isn’t it? We measure people’s worth by how much they have. Jesus reminds us the pursuit of money and possessions is a worthless pursuit. When we die, we can’t take it with us. So, how do we overcome covetousness and sinful anxiety?
Finally, Jesus equips us to overcome covetousness and sinful anxiety by seeking the kingdom. In other words, rather than pursuing money and possessions in this life, Jesus reorients our focus to seek the kingdom and treasure in heaven where thieves cannot come nor moths destroy (v.33). And how do we seek the kingdom? By being generous to God and others. This is the key to battling covetousness and materialism – generosity.
Seeking the kingdom reorients our perspective – from earthly to heavenly. It renews our thinking – from what we have is ours to what we have is God’s. And it reminds us that God is a gracious Father who seeks to give us something greater than we could obtain or keep for ourselves. So, be on your guard against covetousness. Don’t worry about what you need. Ask God. And be generous. That is how we seek the kingdom.
Listen to Sunday’s Sermon HERE.
Opportunities to Serve
(For Opportunities to Serve at High Pointe, click HERE)
Volunteering in nursery or children’s ministry is a great way to get to know others at High Pointe and to serve our parents on Sunday mornings and other church gatherings. Reach out to Erin at erin@highpointeaustin.org.
God has blessed each of us with unique gifts and talents, and at High Pointe, we believe serving is how we use those gifts to bless others and advance His kingdom.
Whether you have 30 minutes a week or several hours, there's a place for you to serve in our children's ministry, as greeters, with the hospitality team, media/tech support, building and grounds, safety, community outreach efforts, and through administrative support. Reach out to find out more today: info@highpointeaustin.org.
Resources of the Week
Eternal Perspective Ministries: A Helpful Website about Generosity
How to Give without Worrying by Randy Alcorn
Battling the Unbelief of Covetousness | A Sermon by John Piper
Life at High Pointe
Members’ Meeting | December 14
Members please plan to attend our December Member’s Meeting where we will be voting on the proposed constitution.
Christmas Eve Candlelight Service | December 24
Please join us at 5pm on December 24 for our Christmas Eve Service. There will be invitations available this Sunday to hand out to your neighbors, family, and friends. Come celebrate and reflect on the birth of our Savior. Please note that nursery will not be provided during the service.
High Pointe Christmas Missions Offering
During this Christmas season, High Pointe will be collecting a special Christmas Missions Offering. The goal is to raise $27,000 in support of IMB Middle East Partners, Ekklesia Afrika, and N. Africa Partners. For ways to give, please click here.
HPBC Christmas Card Exchange
To help our members exchange Christmas cards and save on postage, there is a box in the foyer where you may place your Christmas cards according to alphabetical order. Please check this box throughout the month.
Meaningful Membership Class | January 11
Join us for our next Meaningful Membership class to learn more about becoming a member of High Pointe Baptist Church. The class covers the following three areas: (1) What is the Church & Why Should I Join? (2) What does High Pointe Believe? (3) What You Need To Know About High Pointe? Register here.
Fall Life Classes | Sunday at 9AM
Life Classes are meant to equip High Pointe for life as a Christian. We encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity and join us! Click here to see our current Life Classes. Please note that we will be combining Life Classes for 3 weeks (11/30, 12/7, 12/14). This will be in the Livingston Room. No Youth or Children’s life classes. Childcare will still be available (8mo-PreK).
Sunday AM Preaching Schedule: Pray regularly for the ministry of the Word at High Pointe. Also, prepare for our gatherings by reading the sermon text, thinking it through, and asking questions about the text before Sunday. Here is our (tentative) preaching schedule designed to help you prepare for Sundays:
December 14 | Luke 12:35-48 | Will You Be Ready? | Pastor Juan Sanchez
December 21 | Luke 12:54-59 | Do You Know What Time It Is? | Pastor Juan Sanchez
December 28 | Isaiah | Pastor Robert Cline
January 4 | New Year’s Sermon | Pastor Robert Cline
January 11 | Habakkuk | Pastor Juan Sanchez
January 18 | Habakkuk | Pastor Juan Sanchez
January 25 | Habakkuk | Pastor Juan Sanchez
February 1 | Luke 13:1-9 | Unless You Repent, You Too Will Perish | Pastor Juan Sanchez
February 8 | Isaiah | Pastor Robert Cline
February 15 | Isaiah | Pastor Robert Cline
February 22 | Luke 13:10-17 | What is the Point of the Sabbath? | Pastor Juan Sanchez
Begin praying as you prepare to join us this Sunday at 10:00 a.m.
Gospel Partner of the Month: The P Family (High Pointe Members)
J.P. and E.P. recently relocated to begin language and cultural immersion as they pursue long-term work in their new city. They are navigating the challenges of joining a new team while adjusting to a small fellowship. Please pray for their consistency and perseverance in language acquisition, for deep and authentic friendships to develop, and for their children to thrive and find joy during this significant transition.
On-Call Pastor
To better care for you, High Pointe, we have an “on-call” pastor available for emergencies after office hours. To reach the on-call pastor, call 512-837-7725, extension 1.
