#5 Are You Generous

38 Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”

• Saw in an earlier message - its not all about money. In fact, in this particuar setting, Jesus is talking more about relationships and love than he is about money

• Being generous is more than just with money and things

• My time, my gifts, what God has given me, MYSELF

• Last week . .

• Feel like God prompted me to bring this message today

• Want to use a story most of us are familiar with to bring you as message for the church today

• In a hurting world

• Story is in Matt, Mark, & Luke in slightly differing wording

• Definitely the same story

• Today want to combine the accounts from Mark & Luke

Mark 5:21–30 NKJV

21 Now when Jesus had crossed over again by boat to the other side, a great multitude gathered to Him; and He was by the sea. 22 And behold, one of the rulers of the synagogue came, Jairus by name. And when he saw Him, he fell at His feet 23 and begged Him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter lies at the point of death. Come and lay Your hands on her, that she may be healed, and she will live.” 24 So Jesus went with him, and a great multitude followed Him and thronged Him. 25 Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, 26 and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse. 27 When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. 28 For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.” 29 Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction. 30 And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My clothes?”

•

Luke 8:45–47 (NKJV)

45 . . . When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, “Master, the multitudes throng and press You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’ ” 46 But Jesus said, “Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me.” 47 Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately.

•

Mark 5:34 NKJV

34 And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.”

•

Jesus had other things on his mind.

• VV 21-23

Jesus was with his church people.

• V22

• Jairus was a ruler of the synagogue

Jesus' attention was diverted

• V24

• lot of people around

• people who were demanding his attention

• Like we are in church

• Not condemning - if I were, I would be condemning Jesus

• simple fact is that we pay attention to those who ask for it and those we are familiar AND COMFORTABLE with

The woman had a deep need

• V25

• She had had for a long time

•

She had tried the world's remedies

• V26

• doctors

• medicines

• alcohol

• drugs

• nothing worked

• She got worse - depression can set in when there is no hope

She needed a connection for a healing

• VV27-28

• She went out of her way to get there

• Out of her comfort zone

• Didn't fit in

• Was "unclean"

• Poor (spent everything she owned)

• Yet she put herself out there

• There are those people who come to the church - they're the same

• She pushed through to touch him

• To connect

• to receive something (let that soak in a minute): she went out of her way to go to an uncomfortable place where she heard healing could occur so that she could CONNECT

The connection caused power to flow

• V30, 46

• No power would have transferred without the connection

• Repeat:

• What connection(s) are you making?

• How will YOUR power flow without connection?

• that power is dunamis

• same as in

Acts 1:8 NKJV

8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

• we have that power

• Her deep need and faith activated the power

• others were touching him undoubtedly

• some even had needs

• some wanted to receive something

• but her intentionality combined with her faith ACTIVATED the power that resided in Jesus

• comes from the HS

• Must walk in it

• Be aware of it

• Always be ready to allow it to flow

• Why our worship must be genuine and out of love and devotion

• Why our praise should be uninhibited and vocal

•

2 Corinthians 4:7 NKJV

7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.

#5 Are You Generous

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Am I Generous