Generosity
April 21, 2013
Last winter, as we led up to Christmas I spoke about grace for a number of weeks. I’m still not certain we have a great understanding of grace because in some respects grace is illogical and counter-intuitive. We really don’t know what to do with grace. We love grace, but what do we do with it? When grace comes into our lives . . . it comes to forgive us, it comes to give us hope and a future and a plan.
For a lot of us, it’s like a gift we receive from a friend or family member that we don’t know what to do with. You know what I mean? We’ve all been there. We look at it, we smile at it, we say we love it, when we don’t, then we wonder what to do with it. So, we take it and put it away. Then when we find out they’re coming over . . . we hunt and find that item and we put it back on display.
A lot of us are that way with God’s gift of grace. God gave us this gift, we open it and we smile at it, and we really love it, but we don’t know what to do with it. We receive God’s blessings, His favor, His forgiveness, His mercy, but we don’t know what to do with it.
You see, grace is more than a doctrine or theological term, it’s more than words in a song, and it’s more than the prayer we say before a meal. Grace is much more than that. Grace is found in Jesus Christ. Jesus is the personification of grace. When we’re looking for grace, we don’t have to look for a gift, or a feeling, or a warm fuzzy. What we need to look for is Jesus Christ.
You see, John tells us 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. – John 1:17 So, anytime Jesus shows up, grace shows up with Him. Grace is one of the most amazing gifts God gives to us. When we look at grace, it’s one of God’s most generous gifts.
Remember our definition of grace and mercy?
Grace - You receive what you don't deserve.
Mercy - You don't receive what you deserve.
This all comes under the heading of God’s generosity. To be generous means freely giving more than is necessary or expected. That’s a pretty great description of what God does for us. He gives us more than is necessary and more than we really should ever expect.
Now for the past 2 weeks we’ve been talking about generosity. The first week I told you we don’t want to be Dead Sea Christ-followers. Those are people who receive fresh blessings from God, but don’t pass them on. Last week, I compared us to a rocket which takes off and fights the G-forces to move into space. And G-force stood for Greed force. We want to use God’s grace and generosity as our rocket booster and blast us off on a life of giving to others. I spoke more about money and the need to be giving in the church so that we can fulfill the mission God has set for this church to accomplish, for His glory.
This week, we’re going to shift away from the money aspect and I have to tell you other people really contributed to this message. Two weeks ago I asked this question on facebook ~
I'm preaching about generosity. Can you give me categories of ways to be generous, that is, we can be generous with our time, with our money, etc. Please give me some of your thoughts about ways to be generous. Thanks!!
Well, I received 49 comments, which was quite a number. To be honest, I’m still not sure what to do with this list. There were so many great responses. What was also really great about this was the fact that not all of the people who responded were Christians. So, we had lots of answers from lots of people.
What I decided to do this morning was to share some of the ways you and I could practice generosity. Then next week. I will have them listed for you, so you can take it with you. Now some were a little more obvious.
We can be generous with our words was a popular response. Now that can come in a few different ways ~ we can use our words to encourage one another. That’s a key thought in the Bible. We don’t go around seeking to discourage one another with our words, rather we seek to encourage and build up one another with our words. When we have the opportunity to extend a compliment to another person, be ready to do it, and offer the compliment with love, joy and a sincere smile.
We also use our words to instruct others to teach and to share God’s Word. We don’t throw God’s Word in the face of others, but we share His Word, the Bible with others, we share our stories and help them to see the transforming power of God at work.
On the same token, there’s something to be said for being silent and listening to others. We can listen to others when they are hurting. We can sit with a friend who is in need and sometimes the best help we can give is to keep our mouths shut and just be a presence for someone.
Speaking of being a presence for others, the use of our time was another popular response. We can use our time to serve God and to serve one another. You can serve by offering to teach others a craft or skill that you have that someone else may want to learn. You can teach sewing, knitting, quilting, cooking, another language, a sport, a musical instrument, or more. There are lots of ways to honor God and demonstrate His love through this.
Often times serving God and one another comes in the same breath. As we serve others we are also serving God. We have that ministry available at FBC through what I called M-25 Ministries. This ministry is patterned after Matthew 25:31-46, where Jesus states whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me (Matthew 25:40).
In other words, whatever you do for anyone, if you’re serving them, feeding them, giving them a drink, clothing them, or visiting them, you also did for Jesus. That’s the basis for the M-25 ministry. Pastor Doug heads it up, and frankly he doesn’t get enough business.
So, if you have a need, don’t be proud, talk to Pastor Doug, myself, or fill out one of the M-25 request forms on the table in the lobby and give it to one of us. Even if it’s help me change my light bulbs and smoke detector batteries to plumbing or electrical and more, we can and want to help. That’s another way for us to be generous with our time and with our spiritual gifts and talents, as we serve.
We also saw generosity practiced this past week with the events in Boston. There was a google spreadsheet on the Boston Globe website in which over 4,000 people put their personal information on the Internet offering their homes and more for those runners who were stranded with nowhere to go after the bombing. We have a way of doing that don’t we? When we learn of a disaster, especially when it’s close to home, we become the most amazing, generous people.
Another popular category of ways to practice generosity piggy backs a little on encouragement. It’s so simple too. It’s having a positive attitude, being generous in not judging others, being quick to smile at others, and offering hugs. I would also add being generous with a phone call or a card to someone in need. Sometimes we forget just how difficult the world can be to navigate. So, wherever we go be quick to smile, to give a friendly hug, when appropriate.
Along with that, and one of the more difficult ways to practice generosity, in my opinion, is to be patient with others. And I would add be patient with yourselves. Cut your self some slack and others, as well. It’s not always easy to be patient. But, it can really be a gift to others when they mess up, or are slower than we would like, but we give them the gift of patience.
Along with sharing our time was visiting people who are home bound or in nursing homes. One suggestion was sharing your pet with people in a nursing home or assisted living facility. I’m sure we’d be surprised at the reaction and smiles!
Another answer which occurred numerous times was the need to be generous with forgiveness. Ouch! That’s such an important gift to give to others. Whether we think they deserve it or not, we can set them free, as well as ourselves. We’ve talked about forgiveness on a number of occasions, but it’s still one of the most difficult things to do. Often times it’s a process we have to work through, but when we can do it, we’ve helped show Christ to the world, and we realize once again - - - what Jesus did for you and I.
Something we’re not really good at, because we don’t notice others very often is to notice others. Be generous with noticing how someone looks, how they respond to a “how are you.” Remember that they have children and ask about them, or their spouse, or something you knew was happening in their lives.
It’s also to be there for others. To give ourselves fully in the moment so that others know we are there for them and with them. When we’re with others, we focus on them. That means we don’t multi-task. We don’t watch television or text when someone is sharing something with us. Yes, there are times we need to respond to a text. But excuse yourself, apologize and then give your full attention to the person who needs it. It’s a great way to demonstrate God’s presence to someone who does not know Jesus. When we show that we are willing to be there for someone, you are being Jesus with skin on.
Maybe another way it to share your belongings with others. Possibly you share your clothes and they share theirs. Maybe you pass down your children’s clothes to someone who has a need. Or you donate them to Heaven’s Warehouse. Maybe you have stuff others can use to make life easier for them, or you can see they need help, so you just go out and offer to help. No payback necessary, because you already received it in their smile.
Awhile ago I showed a video of a teenage girl who died, and donated her organs; and a woman received her heart and the families met. Organ donation is a great way to be generous. It’s not something we like to think about, but if there is a way to live on after we die, that is a great way to keep someone alive. Along with that is donating our blood, if we can. Yes, the needle hurts. I won’t tell you differently, but to know that you’re helping others makes it worth it. Because you never know when you might be on the receiving end.
As we start to move toward an end for this morning – I’d like to think I’ve listed lots of ways for us to be generous. I know there are more ways. If you think of something facebook me or tell me. We can keep a huge list going, and maybe come up with new ones as well.
Paul said it so well in Romans 3 ~ 22 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile,
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
24 and all are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood — to be received by faith.
As one person wrote, "Unto him whom much is given, much shall be required." How generous has our Heavenly Father been to you and I? He only sent His Son for you and I, leaving the joy and perfection of heaven to come here. To live, to suffer and to die, but to live again and to heal and to offer hope. To be generous with His grace and love. That’s a gift, a generous gift we can most certainly pass on. Will you?
