Transcript: Christian Comedy: Pastor J's Financial Wisdom - Episode 1

Thank you. But I know one who really cares So one day at a time No matter what's from my way I'm not giving up for it No matter what others say With the Lord at my side I'm never alone I'm destined to win So step by step I'll take it One day at a time, one day at a time, one day at a time, one day at a time. One day at a time. Hi, my name is Pastor Jason LeBaron. Many people know me, though, better as Pastor Jay. You know, right out of seminary, I was given the opportunity to become the pastor of First Community Church. You know, from my time in seminary clear up until now, my dream has been to build a family worship center. A place where people can come and get help. Those that are having problems with addiction, those that are just a safe place for young people to come after school. Just a place to worship Jesus and to hear the gospel message. That's been my desire for a long, long time. And I've been working very hard trying to build the money and trying to do that, trying to get that prepared. And, you know, I was given an offer this week. And it's kind of an offer that most people would say it's an offer that you cannot refuse. Pastor Jay, Mrs. Worthington Gates is on line one Thank you, Ms. Jones Yes, Ms. Worthington Gates Yes, I hear you have a building project at your church Yes, we've been trying to build this family worship center for quite a while It's going to be kind of a safe place for kids to come after school, also for people that are struggling with addiction and different things. It's just going to be a place to come and to hear the gospel message that Jesus saves and that he loves them and that. How would you like me to donate $1 million? Say what? I said, how would you like me to donate $1 million to your Family Life Center project? Pardon me. Wait a second. Let me just get this right here. You want to donate $1 million to our Family Worship Center? Yes. Oh, my. I am absolutely shocked at this generosity. I only have one condition to my donation. Okay. Well, okay, what's the condition? I want the center to be called the Harrison Worthington Gates Memorial Center after my wonderful husband. Well, Ms. Gates, pardon me, but no disrespect. I mean, I'm sure your husband was a wonderful man and a great human being, but the Family Worship Center is about Jesus. It's not about man. I mean, as great a man as I'm sure he was, the Family Worship Center is about Jesus. It's about Him. And if it's not about Him, then I just, I don't know that I can make, I can build this worship center if it's not about Jesus. Well, Pastor Jay, that is my condition. If you want the million dollars, that is what it has to be. well Miss Gates can I Can I think about it a little bit and get back to you Sure, take all the time you need. Okay, well thank you. I'll get back to you as soon as I can. Um, thanks again for your offer and you have a very blessed day. Okay, goodbye. Goodbye. A million dollars. A million dollars. Wow. Oh my God. Oh my God. No. No. Won't work. What are you doing on the floor? Hi, there. Hello. Hi. How are you doing? How you been? Hello? Hello? Hi. Hello? Hello? Hi. Hello? Hello? Hello, you been running around the zoo, ya robbed a bank or something. Will you shut up? Shut up. Shut up. Shut up. Just, look at this. You did rob a bank. Shut up. Listen, I went to the ATM. I put my card in the slot. slot I press two zero point zero zero twenty dollars that's what I wanted so a twenty dollar bill came out that was fine but then another twenty came out and then another twenty came out and then another twenty came out and it wouldn't stop then fifty started coming out then two hundred started coming out and I couldn't get it to stop it was absolutely terrible twenty thousand dollars twenty grand what am I gonna do with twenty grand two options come to mine. One, you can keep it. Or two, you can give it back. Wow. You know, that's really good, Betty. That's some really good advice there. You know, I come here, I'm hoping that you can have a little bit of help for me here, and you come up with that. That's real helpful. Thanks. Let's be honest here, unless you look good in orange, you better take it back. Because, really, now what would Jesus do? Well, Jesus actually wouldn't have had an ATM card to begin with because Jesus didn't have a place to lay his head. You know, so, you know. I think you know what you have to do. Uh, yeah. Uh, take it back and shove it back in the machine? No, no, no. Okay, okay, okay. Well, I know, I know. Leave it on the doorstep with a note. Yeah, that's the way. Huh? Huh? No? Really? Really? Okay. Take it back to the bank and hope the cops aren't around to take me to prison. Good, good man. I'll hopefully see you later. Set free by the blood of the Lamb Set free by the great I Am Set free from my chains and my sins Set free, I'm born again Saul saved on the Damascus road Even though it is hurt to reap what he sowed Jesus said, why do you persecute me? Saul gave his life to Christ and he was set free Set free by the blood of the Lamb Set free by the great I Am Set free from my dreams and my sins. Set free I born again I was in bondage with sin until Jesus came and He took me in He washed my eyes, and He made me see, and now I know that I've been set free. Set free by the blood of the Lamb Set free by the great I Am Set free from my jingles and my sins Set free, I'm born again Set free by the blood of the Lamb Set free by the great I am Set free from a change in my sins Set free, I'm born again Set free, I'm born again Oh, my. Miss Worthington Gates residence? Yes, can I speak to Miss Worthington Gates, please? Please hold. Thank you. Hello. Hello, Ms. Gates. First off, I just wanted to tell you how very generous your offer was. Your generosity was just amazing to offer a million dollars to our building fund. I'm absolutely floored by your generosity. But? Well, I struggled all week. And I've come to the decision that I cannot accept your offer. this worship center must be about Jesus first and foremost. Wow. Do you realize I can buy anything I want? I can buy anyone I want? Well, yes, ma'am. I'm sure you can. You know what, Pastor Jay? I respect you. Pardon me? My name holds a lot of Paul. I can have what I want, but you stood up against me and said no. How would you like me to donate $20,000, no strings attached, to your Family Life Center? Really? Yes. Thank you. Thank you, Ms. Gates. I accept, of course. You do good with that worship center. And who knows, I may just stop by sometime at your church. Yes, ma'am, I will. I will, Ms. Gates. And I would love to see you anytime. We might just do that. Well, you have a very, very blessed day, ma'am. And thank you once again. Goodbye. Goodbye. Wow. Well, it's not a million, but it's a good start. You do supply. You know, it's interesting because many people believe the Bible says money is the root of all evil. But that is really not true. The Bible actually says in 1 Timothy 6 and verse 10, it says, For the love of money is the root of all evil. It's not money the root of all evil. It's the love of money is the root of all evil. And you know what? It reminds me of a couple characters in the Bible. Interesting man and woman in the Bible. They wanted to get a pat on the back, if you will. Their names were Ananias and Sapphira. Ananias and Sapphira got an idea. They had a piece of land they were trying to sell. And they finally sold the land and they got the money. And they kept some of the money for themselves Nothing wrong with that It was their lot They could do that But they brought some of the money to the church and they said We sold this land. And here's all of the money and we're giving it to the church. Well, what was Ananias and Sapphira's sin? Was it the fact that they didn't give all the money to the church? No, it really wasn't. Their sin was the fact that they lied about it. They said, here's all the money we have received and we're giving it to the church. God would have been pleased with them if they would have said, you know what, we sold the land and we want to give part of the money to the church. But it was the fact that they lied. They were greedy. They wanted to keep some of the money, but they also wanted that pat on the back. They wanted to have a little bit of notoriety for, oh, did you hear what Ananias and Sapphira did? It's all about greed. They wanted their cake and they wanted to eat it too, as the old adage used to say. They're having your cake and eat it too. They wanted to keep the money, keep a lot of the money, but yet they wanted to get the pat on the back like they had given it all away. And you know what? It's interesting because in Matthew chapter 8 and verse 36, Jesus says, What should it profit a man if he should gain the whole world and lose his own soul? Now, interestingly enough, about Ananias and Sapphira, Ananias and Sapphira, they had an interesting thing that happened. Ananias came to church and he gave the money and he did all this. And God struck Ananias dead. Straight there. Boom. As soon as he said, we gave all of it to God. God struck Ananias dead that fast. Now where was Sapphira at this time? That's an interesting note. Why was Sapphira not with him when he went to church? We don't understand that. But interestingly enough, the men took Ananias up and took him out and they buried him. And then Sapphira came into church later on. And they asked Sapphira. They went to her and they asked her about it. And they said, did you give all of the money to God? Now Ananias and Sapphira must have been planning this out long in advance. And what they had done was they got their story straight. And she said, yes, we gave every penny to God. God was very displeased and struck Sapphira dead that fast. What the whole idea of this is all about is about greed. What should it profit a man if he would gain the whole world but lose his own soul? That's kind of where I was at. For me to take the money for the family worship center that I want to build and take all that money and change it all up and make it about a man would completely corrupt that mission. It was all about Jesus to begin with, and whether I build it or whether I don't, that dream will be about Jesus. The Family Life Center, the Family Worship Center will all be about Jesus, or it won't be at all. I believe that God is going to bring forth my dream and give me that Family Worship Center. it may not be in my time but it will be in his time I've enjoyed being with you this time telling you a little bit about what went on with me this week and I'll be back with you again next time bringing you another interesting event that happened in my life Pastor Jay reminding you that we love you but remember God loves you and we'll see you next time, bye Sometimes life's a little hard to bear I feel like I'm all alone But I know one who really cares So a day at a time, no matter what's from my way I'm not giving up for it, no matter what others say With the Lord at my side, I'm never alone. I'm destined to win, so step by step I'll take it. One day at a time. One day at a time. One day at a time. One day at a time One day at a time