As for Me Generosity
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Northside Church
As for me #6
Jamey Mills
9/17/23
NORTHSIDE…
Show a funny commercial…
Maybe Doritos or Darth Vader.
Good Morning… It’s always good to be with you guys. My name is Jamey and I’m the lead pastor here at Northside.
We had a great time at the Luau… got to see some serious talent on display at the Karaoke stage… I got to talk to all kinds of folks we haven’t met before and I saw several of you engaged in that too… it was a great event…
Ads are a funny thing…
I read several articles this week… suggesting that in 2005 the average American saw over 5k ads a day… in print, on clothing, billboards, tv, social media,
The same reports suggested that that number has more than doubled as of 2022…
That's nuts… 10k a day… if you sleep for about 7 hours, that is literally about one per minute.
As I dove into the studies, it sounded like these studies were put out by those who sell ad space… so take that for what it’s worth…
It says that women on average see more than 30% more than men.
That Meta… (FB and Insta) made over 115 Billion in ad sales in 2022. That YT made just under 30 billion in 2022.
The study suggests that ads that play on our emotions are more than twice as effective than those who appeal to our rational… deep thinking side.
Each one of them suggests what we need… what we want… and where it's found.
Studies that I found show that Ads work.
For every $1 they spend, they make anywhere from $2-$4 back.
Studies have also shown that Ads can have a negative impact.
Emotional buying…
The more ads we see, the more miserable we become.
The study reported that ads are often presented in such a way… that leads us to believe that real happiness or contentment in life can only be found if we have ______ or do__________. For a lot of us, it becomes a negative reminder of what we don’t have and of what we need to FIGHT to get.
And what it does is create this mindset of… to be happy I need to acquire… ______.
If I could have _____ I would be good.
The problem is… that’s not how God’s Kingdom works.
This is what Jesus says about it in the sermon on the mount…
Matthew 6:19–21 (NLT)
“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.
19 “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. 21 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.
Jesus points out major differences in earthly\heavenly treasure.
Earthly treasure doesn't last, it ages, it fades, and can be taken.
It is not and could not ever be enough. You’d think that we’d know that by now just looking at history… but it is a lie that has been used from the beginning… that runs off with our hearts and minds… and eventually… our values and decisions too.
Heavenly treasure… is different. It doesn’t age, fade, it can’t be taken from you.
Jesus reminds us that whatever it is that we treasure… whatever it is that you value or chase or long for… eventually… become the very desire of our heart.
Whatever… whoever… your treasure becomes the aim and intention the fixation of your heart… it becomes our agenda… it captures our attention. And we have to understand that treasure in heaven… is just different. It looks different… its found in different places… if you look for heavenly treasure in earthly places and with worldly principles… you will be disappointed.
It is absolutely part of the upside down Kingdom… the first shall be last… the weak shall be strong… what it looks like to be rich… means something else altogether.
Acts 20:35–38 (NLT)
And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
When he had finished speaking, he knelt and prayed with them. They all cried as they embraced and kissed him good-bye. They were sad most of all because he had said that they would never see him again. Then they escorted him down to the ship.
35 And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
36 When he had finished speaking, he knelt and prayed with them. 37 They all cried as they embraced and kissed him good-bye. 38 They were sad most of all because he had said that they would never see him again. Then they escorted him down to the ship.
That is a kingdom principal.
It is greater… to give than to get. That’s what Jesus taught.
That is one of the ways we store up treasure in heaven.
A common mindset is…
I will give more when I get more… The problem is… that's not what generosity is or means.
Generosity is not a rich or poor concept.
** I personally have and do struggle with this. Making more… has actually for me at least… made it harder…not easier.
“More money or more resources is not what makes you generous. It makes you more of what you already are. It doesn’t change who you are, it often reveals who you are at a higher level”.
Learning how to be generous when you have more, means learning to be generous with less…
The Bible is full of examples on both sides when it comes to generosity.
The rich young ruler… in Matt 19 asked what he had to do to inherit eternal life… and Jesus told him to keep the commands…which he claimed that He did and asked what else… and Jesus said… if you really want to be right with me… you want to know what the Kingdom is about… go and sell all that you have and give it to the poor… and it says the young man walked away… unwilling to part with it.
Luke 21:1–4 (NLT)
While Jesus was in the Temple, he watched the rich people dropping their gifts in the collection box. Then a poor widow came by and dropped in two small coins.
“I tell you the truth,” Jesus said, “this poor widow has given more than all the rest of them. For they have given a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she has.”
While Jesus was in the Temple, he watched the rich people dropping their gifts in the collection box. 2 Then a poor widow came by and dropped in two small coins.
3 “I tell you the truth,” Jesus said, “this poor widow has given more than all the rest of them. 4 For they have given a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she has.”
Zacheas was a wee little man… a traitor… a tax collector who weasled and stole from his own people… and when he came face to face with the reality of Jesus… not only did he correct his ways… it says that he gave back up to 4x what he took.
The barns… surplus… build bigger barns and instead of blessing others he lost it all.
God calls us to be faithful… to be good stewards to whatever He provides.
It’s not a rich or poor thing… generosity is not something we do… but a part of who we become… and grow into… in Christ.
Making the decision to be generous now will impact the other decisions you make.
One author suggested that most americans use this strategy… (SLIDE of Cycle)
We spend more than we make, we have no margin, which leads to what… I can’t give… because I can't afford it.
It leads to that “I’ll give more when I get more mindset”. And it’s often not a money problem, but a trusting other things more than we trust God problem.
A wanting other things more than we want God problem.
And it's such an easy thing to fall into… if you're like me… multiple times a week.
Generosity is a life giving… beautiful thing.
God is incredibly generous.
Work this out
The bible talks about how he lavishes His love on us… His love, His grace, His mercy… His blessings are abundant.
When we become and grow in our generosity… we are becoming more and more like Christ.
The bible has a lot to say about it.
Malachi 3:10 (NLT)
Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!
10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!
Literally talks about being generous in giving to the Church. The Church functions, provides ministries, provides help and support, to put it candidly… it is one of the things that allows the Church to move forward… to impact lives… to send missionaries… to provide staff and programs… to come beside local efforts… to build ministry partnerships…
And the truth is… the Church misses opportunities when we decide this doesn't apply to us. Ministries that can’t operate, missions not supported as much, staffing underpaid or not paid,
Tithing is something that God calls us to do… and if you’re at a church and say something like… I can’t give into what's going on because I don’t agree with it… It probably means you're at the wrong church.
it's one of the only places in scripture that I can think of where God says try me…
Tithe literally means 10%.
. Tithing 10% back to the church…
And through the years… a lot of people have said… no way that’s crazy. If I do that, I’d have to re-arrange my life and my priorities around God… I’m going to have to make some real changes and sacrifice… I’d have to look at my life and rearrange it not just around what I want, but on honoring and worshiping him.
And what if I told you… exactly. You get it.
Here is an important thing to consider… Do you honestly think God somehow needs your money?
Do you think somehow this is meeting a need in Him?
God knows the truth of it… and what it does in you.
God also calls us to care for those in need… we see it in Acts 2…
We also see it in James 1:22–27 (NLT)
But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.
If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless. Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.
22 But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. 23 For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. 24 You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. 25 But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.
26 If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless. 27 Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.
In Luke 10…
Jesus tells the story of the good Samaritan.
It’s a story about this Samaritan… who was an enemy of the Jews… found this Jewish man beaten and left for dead… two of his countrymen walked around him as he laid there…
But this samaritan didn't just say good luck… stay warm and eat well…
He upended his day.. Burdened his own donkey… cared for him… bandaged him… hauled him to the safety of a hotel, paid for it, paid the innkeeper to care for Him and then told him if it costs more, i will pay it.
Generosity is a heart thing. It is giving of me.
Of my time… of my resources… of my things and desires…
It involves sacrifice
It's not a “when I get more I will give” thing…
2 Corinthians 9:6–8 (NLT)
Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.
6 Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. 7 You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” 8 And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.
Not out of obligation… not out of guilt or shame… not looking to earn anything from the Lord… but simply to show Him and remind yourself all over again that you put Him first… that you are devoted to Him… that in your life is not God and ________ but that He stands alone…
We give cheerfully… of ourselves… of those things that God has given to us…
Realizing we are simply stewards of what belongs to Him.
I am not there… yet.
Generosity is a part of who we are. It’s not a money principle, it is a heart issue.
Its an alignment issue with the Lord and it starts right where we are.
And so where do we go from here… what can we do to begin to move in that direction…
Where do we go from here:
Pray
Plan
Understand it’s also about the work God is doing in you.
Commit to giving out of what is first and best instead of what is left.
Pray. Seek God. Ask for His help and honor Him. Look for the opportunities that He brings and follow where He leads.
Know for sure that generosity is not just financial. We have to get this… it is a heart thing. So pray that God would work on your heart.
Plan. Most people think that generosity is a spur of the moment thing… and maybe sometimes it is. But there is something to be said about planning for it. Making margin for it.
I know a few people who do things like this… I give 10% to the church and each month I set aside $50 and look for opportunities to be generous.
Or… every year I use my tax returns toward being generous.
Planning… sort of prepares our heart and opens our eyes… and allows us to give freely… cheerfully…
You also need to know that sometimes… your generosity wont be used the way you wish it was. I’m not saying that God calls us to be mindless with our generosity… but we need to understand that God’s work in us and blessing for us is not connected to the way others handle it. This is hard for me for some reason.
We need to know… that giving and generosity is as much or more about our heart and the work the Lord is doing on and in us…
All the way back in Genesis there is a piece of history where two brothers both bring an offering to God… one brought some of his crops… the other brought the first and best of this first born lambs…
Its says that God accepted one and rejected the other… I think because of the heart behind it. One… gace what was first and best… the other gave what was left.
How is that going for you.
Side note… Oct 1 we will be starting a new sermon series on the book of Genesis…
Generosity… is one of the ways we become more like Jesus.
God doesn’t need your money… but partners with us and His Church. The Church moves forward… and can provide ministries, opportunties, though it..
Generosity is the giving of you… and by design it involves sacrafice.
Generosity is part of the full and free life… that God has designed and that God desires for you.
Some fun facts…
Since its inception… Northside has given _____ to missions.
Northside currently supports missionaries in Laos, Papua new Guinea, Uganda, and Romania. Not to mentioned Options PRC and Love INC at the local level.
Right now… Northside has about 130 volunteers that give of themselves to make this all happen.
Since we started… Northside has baptized 42 people.