Intro: What is it that will cause us as Christians, followers of Christ to give in a manner that glorifies God? It will not be capital campaigns, it will not be gimmicks. Instead it will be when we understand the depths of God’s character and His goal to spread His kingdom by seeking and saving that which was lost through His generous character placed in His children.
What should we discover in this 4 week study titled Generous? If we allow the Holy Spirit to infuse us with Christ’s truth and character we will learn that God is lavishly generous.
Why would we choose to focus on finances instead of the entire area of stewardship? With the debt crises as a nation and others that constantly come to us for help financially. It is clear there is a misunderstanding of financial stewardship. Most don’t struggle with what to do with talents or time.
2 Corinthians 9:11 “God will make you rich enough so that you can always be generous. Your generosity will produce thanksgiving to God because of us.”
I. Generosity is revealed in God’s character
A) God is generous in creation
Generous in creation God gave motion and order to the universe. In the beginning God spoke and everything began to move. God gave breath to Adam and Eve. As you travel through both Old and New Testaments you see the generous hand of God on every page.
B) God is generous in salvation (God is extremely generous toward us in Salvation!)
Ephesians 2.8-9 “For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God's gift— 9 not from works, so that no one can boast.”
Grace is God’s generosity towards those at war with Him. Salvation is God’s gift to His rebellious creation. Why do we celebrate Christmas? Because God himself was generous enough to come and die for people that spat on Him, beat Him, and rejected Him.
John 3.16 16 "For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.”
Have you noticed it didn’t say God so loved the world that He took. The Devil, Satan, the Accuser wants you to think that God does nothing but take. That is not true. He gives and gives and gives
C) God is generous in sanctification
Listen to what he does for us as His Church.
Ephesians 4:8 “He gave gifts to the people”
Ephesians 4.11 “And He personally gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers,”
Get this truth: God gifts us for the benefit of building up the body of Christ so that others can experience His generosity!
God Gives Gifts to us to 1) Edify or build up the body for the work of the ministry
2) Encourage the body for the work of the ministry
3) Enable the body for the work of the ministry & mission
Titus 2:14 “He gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for Himself a special people, eager to do good works.”
God’s generosity is not without a purpose or goal. Redemption buying back people sold into slavery. Cleansing from the stain of sin and empowering us to do good works.
It was the giving, the generosity of God towards us that redeems us. The result was suffering and death. Eager the words means to boil or enthusiastically devoted to.
So you must ask yourself what do you boil enthusiastically about? AR razorbacks, Carlisle Bison, hobbies, hangouts? God is generous toward us so that we will be generous toward others.
John Piper asks a question that we should all seriously ponder...
If you dropped dead right now, would you take with you a payload of pleasure in God or would you stand before him with a spiritual cavity where covetousness used to be? (Piper, John. Future Grace)
Vance Havner “We need an outbreak of holy heartburn, when hearers shall be doers, when congregations shall go out from meetings to do things for God.
Redemption means freedom from a life of wickedness and to a life of obedience and purity. Christ died to provide us this redemption. God is concerned about the life-styles of His people. He looks for eager obedience and active doing of good. A full understanding of these things leads inexorably to godly living. Conversely, ungodly living in a Christian is a clear sign that either he does not fully understand these things or he does not actually believe them. No change no Christ. Permanent enduring change comes only from the powerful presence of Jesus. You don’t change to be redeemed you change because you are redeemed.
God’s character is generous.
II. Generosity reveals God’s character in us
A) Revealing statistics
Wealth among Christians in the past century in US has greatly increased. However, generosity financially as a proportion of God’s blessing has remained static. During the great depression per capita giving was approximately 3.2% as of 1995 that percentage is still 3%. It seems that the church has accepted the miserly patterns of the world instead of the generous patterns of God.
Scripture is saturated with teaching on possessions. Stewardship is mentioned 3 times more than love, 7 times more than prayer, 8 times more than believe, 15% of God’s word 2172 verses have to do with possessions or treasures.
Why do you think that is?
What is the first step in moving from greed to generosity?
1) Relationship with God
2) Recognition God owns it all – This reveals a truth. If God owns it all then any financial decision we make is spiritual not merely financial.
3) Revelation that God is generous and we are called to be generous.
B) Revealing saints
Proverbs 20:11 “Even a young man is known by his actions— by whether his behavior is pure and upright.”
As saints – saved by the blood, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, sealed by the Holy Spirit and set apart from this world to witness unto God. As we were taught we are to witness what we have seen and heard God do. If God’s character is generous our character is to be generous as well. This should be the natural outworking of the Spirit that has been richly placed in us.
Our faith should affect our pocketbooks.
Martin Luther is credited with saying, “There are three conversions, head, heart, and wallet.
Why focus on the wallet. What about my time, and my talents?
Remember the words of Jesus. Matthew 6:21 “Where your treasure is so will your heart be.”
A man does not have to cry when he returns something he has borrowed. Our life is borrowed, out time is borrowed, our wealth is borrowed.
What about excuses, I don’t have to tithe, I give my time and talents. These underscore a misunderstanding of the Spirits work in the life of a saint.
C) Refreshing statutes
1) Personal (2 Cor 9.7)
Giving is determined by the heart. Cheerful generosity, gratitude for grace.
2) Proportionality vs Percentage
In the New Testament there is no percentage we are commanded to give. We are however called to give as God has prospered us.
10% for some is not a sacrifice for the kingdom. 1% for others is great sacrifice. I like to call New Testament giving grace giving.
3) Poor vs prosperity
Of the things talked about in both new and old testaments the poor are by far the most often collected for. (Acts 2:42-48, 4:32-35, 6:1-7, 11:27-20, 1 Cor 16:1-4, 2 Cor 8-9)
Why did the early church care for the poor? Because Christ did!
4) Support for Spiritual leaders
Luke 10.7, 1 Cor 9:1-18, 1 Tim 5.18, Gal 6.6,
5) Reject cultural principles
a) Debt b) Greed c) laziness (principle of work)
Conclusion: Generosity is not limited to or by a percentage. Generosity is conformed to the generous nature of Christ. Generosity is just like thanksgiving. These attitudes rise from a clear understanding of God’s character and our identity in Christ.
So how do we become generous?
5 Principles that lead to Generosity
1) Recognize God’s character is generous
2) Recognize the need for God’s character in us
3) Receive Christ’s transforming power
4) Release earthly treasures for heavenly treasure
5) Relax into genuine generosity -- we don’t give because we have to but because it keeps our possessions from possessing us.
I want to leave you with some thoughts. How do you think about the following?
1) A new facility – A building to be funded or a ministry to be realized
2) Helping families in need – Mooches to take from us or ministry opportunities to witness unto God
3) Your pastors – Employees to be paid or ministers to support
If you believe that any or all of your pastors are not fulfilling their biblical responsibilities suspend or stop their support.
