Introduction
Point To Drive Home With: Generosity is evidence of the Grace received.
- We are here this morning because of The Gospel of Jesus Christ. If it were not for the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ over 2,000 years ago, you and I would be doing something vastly different this morning and our world would be drastically different as well. Ever think about that?
- Because of The Gospel our life in this moment is very different from what it could've been.
- And when we think of The Gospel, we know that it causes change. When The Gospel is received, change happens. Our life is vastly different.
- Now, you may be sitting here this morning as a committed follower of Jesus Christ, or you may be young in your faith; taking the first steps, or you may be searching, wondering; not quite believing that its all true or not quite sure about it, or maybe you are here because someone has compelled you to be here and your just waiting for this all to be over.
- Let me clear for a moment, about The Gospel
- Romans 3:23- for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
- Romans 5: 8- But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we are sinners, Christ died for us.
- Romans 6:23- For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
- Romans 10:9- That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
- 2 Corinthians 5:17-Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come.
- So what does that new life look like?
- There is a lot to answer in that question but, I want to focus this morning on 1 significant mark of a Christian.
- The point I want you to drive home with is a generous nature; a generous character is the mark of a life-changed by The Gospel. Generosity is evidence of the Grace received.
- I want to look at ways that we, as followers of Christ, are to be generous, some principles of generosity, and then 3 reasons why generosity is a mark of Christian maturity.
- Our passage this morning is 2 Corinthians 8:1-5. You can go there and hold your place. We'll get there in a little bit.
- Disclaimer: I am not a very generous person--at least as not generous as I need to be. This is a lesson that I have been learning in recent months which is probably why I am preaching it. Its as much for me as it is for you.
Ways To Be Generous (not an exhaustive list-- in short, we are too be generous in ALL things)
2 Corinthians 8: 1-5- Principles of Generosity (Find some paper to write this down.)
- Generous In Grace
- The same grace that saved me, saves, you and will save others.
- If nothing else, we should be generous with grace. If not, we are subtly preaching a gospel of works.
- Our sole mission as a church is to preach The Gospel of Jesus Christ and to make disciples of all nations.
- We need to be generous with the words of salvation. Its not enough to just be an example by our actions, we need to speak the words of salvation.
- The man at Valley Forge was generous with me with the words of salvation.
- Jim Cymbala at Refuel Conference spoke very powerfully about the power of The Name of Jesus. We need to continually proclaim His name.
- Very simply, we need to live like Christ and we need to tell others about Christ. We need to be generous in grace.
- We complain about busyness and exhaustion. We speak of it as wrong yet we are.
- It's ok to be busy and exhausted when we are serving God. (ex. Fall Retreat, VBS)
- We only need to be concerned when we are busy and becoming exhausted with the wrong things.
- Remember this, being "busy for God" also means resting in God. We are commanded to "Be still and know that I am God."
- Use your spiritual gifts & talents immeasureably for God's glory.
- If you are a gifted administrator, use it to organize ministry for the church, if you are creative, use it to proclaim Him, if you are good with your hands, use it next week at Pine Valley.
- Use your talents and gifts in all aspects of life to honor Him with excellence, by using it to proclaim Him, and to connect with people who do not know Him. Your talents and gifts can put you in places where you can lead others to Christ. (School, Workplace, Community Activities)
- Don't just Tithe, be generous!
- Tithing: we preach it as the maximum, as a the key to a good financial wealth plan and we argue over details (Tithing vs. sacrificial giving; gross vs. net, etc.)
- All of our treasure is for God's Kingdom Work: Family & Church (2 foundations of God's plan)
- Tithing is good, if its a part of our generous giving and not just a means to be stingy.
- Honor God by generously & cheerfully giving to your family and to The Church. You'll see here in a moment the principle by which we do that.
Upcoming Opportunities: Halloween at The Haven, Pine Valley Work Day, Movie Night, Backpack Program (ROC & Wed. Night groups; Project Hope)
Ice Cream Social
(I am learning to be generous in patience especially, with the smaller things in life.)
Note: If we are generous in Grace, the others will follow.
- Generosity comes out of pain & poverty not wealth & ease (v. 2) (persecution led to poverty)
- circumstances of our life never define the spirit of generosity
- there are no excuses when it comes to the will of God
- Generosity stretches us to do more than what we (without God) are able to do (v. 3)
- It's a Kingdom privilege (v. 4)
- It's directed by the Lord, not man (v.5)
- It shows our trust in God.
- When we release what we have it shows we trust God to provide.
- I can freely give because I serve an infinite God.
- All of these things are necessary to be Christ-followers in this world only, not in heaven.
- I have so much more waiting for me in Heaven!
- When we are generous with all that we have we leave an eternal impact in our wake.
- We are called to be Salt & Light.
- Our community needs a lot of salt and a lot of light!
- Reaching Our Community--being challenged to be generous with our community.
- Scott Hafemann's commentary on this passage: By participating in the collection the Macedonians were not trying to pay their dues or make a wise financial investment. Instead, they were savoring and seeking the Kingdom of God. Only the greater treasures of the kingdom of God can free us from clinging to the competing treasures of this world. Only the deeper satisfaction that comes from spending ourselves for others can defeat the sinfully natural impulse to use others for our own ends. And giving up ourselves for others can take place only when our own security needs have already been met in Christ who spent Himself for us. Hence, rather than focusing merely on more effective ways to advertise the benefits and obligations of giving, we need to pray for the pouring out of God's Spirit on His people. Instead of bigger fund-raising campaigns, we need a bigger picture of God.
- Let this roll around in your soul.
- Examine yourself.
- Examine ourself.
- Understand this does not come naturally or out of our self-determination. Our heart must be changed by the work of The Holy Spirit.
- Help me to be generous, O Lord; help me to be generous.
- One more quote from Amy Carmichael: You can always give without loving, but you can never love without giving.