Generosity

Stewarding Finances

Review:

-Money is a tool

-It amplifies your character

-Tithing is a 10th

-It’s first

-It’s pre-law

-When we give God provides seed to the Sower

Proverbs 11:24–28 NKJV

24 There is one who scatters, yet increases more; And there is one who withholds more than is right, But it leads to poverty. 25 The generous soul will be made rich, And he who waters will also be watered himself. 26 The people will curse him who withholds grain, But blessing will be on the head of him who sells it. 27 He who earnestly seeks good finds favor, But trouble will come to him who seeks evil. 28 He who trusts in his riches will fall, But the righteous will flourish like foliage.

Agrarian society:

Often time the Jesus uses sowing and reaping parables

To connect with the audience

But he’s not just speaking of a story to relate

He’s telling us the kingdom of heaven is like or the kingdom of heaven is

Genesis 8:22 NKJV

22 “While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, Cold and heat, Winter and summer, And day and night Shall not cease.”

Galatians 6 tell us that God will not be mocked that whatever a man sows, he reaps

What are you sowing?:

Most people see a harvest and what more harvest

As Christians we should want more seed

Seed in the ground ensures future harvest

What are you sowing?

You sow in anger you’ll reap anger

You sow strife

You sow joy

Today I want to talk about generosity

1. Everything is better when it’s seed in the ground

Every thing that God has given has the potential for increase in our lives

Sarah and I never balk at each other if one of us wants to give

We might pray about giving but the first answer is yes

We aren’t looking at is as a means to get more

We are looking at how can we be a blessing to everyone around us

Genesis 22:18 NKJV

18 In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”

Again it goes back to being obedient

Luke 16

So if you haven’t been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches

There will be things that God will not be able to show you are trust you with if you can’t be faithfull with what you have now

Trust only comes when it’s established

BEAU and HIS machete

John 12:1–6 NKJV

1 Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead. 2 There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him. 3 Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil. 4 But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, 5 “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” 6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.

Two hearts are on display here:

Mary

Denarii is plural for denari or a days wage

365 days a year minus 52 weeks a year and Jewish holidays

She took a years worth of wage

Think about how much you make in a year

Would that be a big deal to give it away

Extravagant generosity

weather it’s 30K or 300K giving a years salary is extravagant

This was the only anointing that Jesus recieved

While people mocked an beat him

He could still smell the fragrance of someone who honored him

Mark 14:8–9 NKJV

8 She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial. 9 Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.”

There’s legacy attached to generosity

2. The opposite of generosity is Selfishness

No one has to teach you how to be selfish:

95% of my kids arguments are about who’s is what

It’s mine!

We’re born selfish

Why we have to be born again

God has to teach us how to be generous

John 12:4–6 NKJV

4 But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, 5 “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” 6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.

Jesus knew he was going to dip into the funds

John 6:70 NKJV

70 Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?”

Judas:

I don’t think Jesus was doing this so sell out Judas

I think he was offering him an opportunity to change

If you don’t get this Judas, it’s going to bury you

He ends up selling his soul and selling out our savior for 30 pieces of silver

Some scholars would argue that he sold out Jesus half a years wages

He was angry with Mary for honouring Jesus with a years wages

Cause he was willing to betray him for half

What are you settling and selling out for?

We think we’re gaining things by holding onto stuff but God is asking us to Give it to Him

Deuteronomy 15:6–15 NKJV

6 For the Lord your God will bless you just as He promised you; you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow; you shall reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over you. 7 “If there is among you a poor man of your brethren, within any of the gates in your land which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart nor shut your hand from your poor brother, 8 but you shall open your hand wide to him and willingly lend him sufficient for his need, whatever he needs. 9 Beware lest there be a wicked thought in your heart, saying, ‘The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand,’ and your eye be evil against your poor brother and you give him nothing, and he cry out to the Lord against you, and it become sin among you. 10 You shall surely give to him, and your heart should not be grieved when you give to him, because for this thing the Lord your God will bless you in all your works and in all to which you put your hand. 11 For the poor will never cease from the land; therefore I command you, saying, ‘You shall open your hand wide to your brother, to your poor and your needy, in your land.’ 12 “If your brother, a Hebrew man, or a Hebrew woman, is sold to you and serves you six years, then in the seventh year you shall let him go free from you. 13 And when you send him away free from you, you shall not let him go away empty-handed; 14 you shall supply him liberally from your flock, from your threshing floor, and from your winepress. From what the Lord has blessed you with, you shall give to him. 15 You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God redeemed you; therefore I command you this thing today.

We were once slaves to all this stuff

3. We give and live generously Because it honors God

It’s not ours anyways

What can you give a God that has everything?

He doesn’t need your money but he requires your Worship

He requires your honor

Proverbs 3:9–10 NKJV

9 Honor the Lord with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase; 10 So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine.

So Again I ask what could you possibly give God?

We can give him ourselves

We can give him our heart

2 Corinthians 8:5 NKJV

5 And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God.

John 3:16–17 NKJV

16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.