We’ve been in a series in our church called “All In.” It was the theme for the Super Bowl winning Seattle Seahawks, “We’re all in.” Our times demand that we be “all in” for Jesus and His kingdom. From a practical and spiritual standpoint however, I’ve found the best way to be “all in” for God, is to understand He is “all in” for us. Look at 1 John 4:10, 18, 19: “This is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins…there is no fear in love. But, perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because He first loved us.” The Christian faith is more about letting God love us, than our loving Him. Once we know how much he loves us, it is hard not to love Him. Once we know He is “all in” for us, it is natural to be “all in” for Him.
How “all in” is God for us? Rom. 8:32 tells us, “He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all — how will He not also with Him give us all things.” God is “all in” for us. How does our “all in” response work? It is because the response for our lives is what brings transformation. Look at this parable of 2 sons:
Much like the Parable of the Prodigal Son, there is a story of a father and his two sons. The wealthy man summons his two sons and tells them before he dies he is going to grant each of them their inheritance. He tells them their inheritance is going to be a choice. They can choose which inheritance they want:
- Choice #1 – You may have one million dollars in cash.
- Choice #2 – You can have one shiny copper penny. If you take the penny, my Treasury Director will be instructed to double the contents of the penny every day until the end of the month.
After thinking about the choices all night the two boys made their decision. The first son chose the $1 million dollars. Immediately he sprang into action. He hired a team of the finest financial accounts and leased a beautiful office complex for them to work. They made the shrewdest and smartest investment a person could make. They game theorized, road tested, computer simulated and dissected every plausible choice. The market “swelled” and the profit making had begun.
Several days into the frantic activities the first son decided to visit his brother. His brother had chosen his father’s offer of the one penny. The first son observed the results.
Day 1 – 1¢
Day 2 – 2¢
Day 3 – 4¢
Day 4 – 8¢
Day 5 – 16¢
Day 6 – 32¢
Day 7 – 64¢
The second son’s nest egg had grown to less than $1 the first week. The first son then, went back to see how his 1 million dollar investment was doing. The market had a fall, but he still had a smart profit going.
He again checked on his brother at the end of the half-way point. At the end of day 15 his brother had $163.84.
By the end of 31 days, with the ups and downs of the market the first son made an astonishing 20% profit for the month. By the time he had paid his personnel, expenses, rent, commissions, taxes, and broker fees he found he about broke about even.
Almost in panic, he went to see how his brother was doing. By the end of week three he still had a modest gain, at $10,485.76. But, by the end of day 31 he had amassed over 1 billion pennies or a total of $10,737,418.24.
