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Well, it finally feels like Spring weather: the sun is shining, rain showers are fairly consistent, flowers are blooming, and allergies are in full effect! ☀️🌧️💐🤧
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Let's continue in our weekly series as we explore what it means to be enriched to Enrich!
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Enriched to Enrich
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"You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God"
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Giving to the Given
In Matthew 25, Jesus tells a parable about a wealthy man who leaves on a journey, but before he departs, the master entrusts huge sums of money to three different servants. He expects each of them to invest the money they've been given to make him more.
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When the man returns, he asks his three servants what they did with the money. The first two servants doubled what he had given them, earning his praise. The third, however, (who'd been given the least amount of money) buried the treasure only to give it back when the master returned. This enraged the rich man. Out of his anger, he took the money from this last servant and gave it to the first servant.
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Jesus summed this parable up with these words...
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"For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away."
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When I was younger, this parable bothered me. It didn't seem fair nor loving. Why would the rich dude take the little bit of money from the third servant and give it to the first guy, who already had so much? It's not like the third servant stole the money! He returned it. So why get all bent out of shape, take the money away, and give it to the guy with the most?
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Think about it from the perspective of the wealthy man: Who would you entrust your wealth to? The one who can double it through wise investing? Or the one who does nothing with it and just gives it back?
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When God (the wealthiest being in all the universe) entrusts you (His servant) with His riches of talents, relationships, finances, time, and more, He wants you, as His steward, to use wisely invest them by generously giving them to others. In other words, you have been enriched to enrich others. And realize, the more you enrich those around you, the more God will keep enriching you so you can keep generously giving, allowing the cycle to continue.
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Join our Volunteer Teams
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Are you plugged in to volunteer? If not, we'd love to offer you up some opportunities to serve. We need volunteers in all areas: Cafe, Kids Creek, Worship, Hospitality, you name it! Our Mowing Team will especially need an extra set of hands; if you're up to helping out on a regular basis, please email [email protected].
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Camp Work Weekend
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Pine Lake Camps is inviting folks (18+) who want to volunteer to help out with various projects around their campground. This is a great opportunity to bond with others while spending some time on Pine Lake's gorgeous acreage! Sign up here, and don't forget to notify us as we are setting up a carpool with Darin Enderton and Nate Laun!
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Join a Growth Group
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Growth Groups are a vital part of our culture here at Riverwood! If you haven't connected to one of our groups yet, check out our offerings right here. And if you are interested in starting or co-leading a new Growth Group, please reach out to Jake Epley to get the ball rolling!
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Just For Fun
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We recently introduced a new song called 'By His Grace' during our Worship Gathering. If you want to hear more songs that we sing on Sundays, check out our Worship Gathering Catalogue on YouTube or Spofity! You may even follow Riverwood Worship on Instagram to see what we'll be singing on a given Sunday! 😊
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