Kingdom Economy-Week 1

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Call up nancy for soaking service

Game night - nov 18th, 7-9pm

Shoeboxes due back next week!

We want to talk about Kingdom Economy, and what it means to look at our riches and our treasures the way God does.

This is a two part series, and it’s partially about tithing, but that’s not the focus. Main focus = honoring God’s priorities and values for our stuff.

2 Corinthians 9:6–11 NIV

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written: “They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever.” Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

“God Loves a Cheerful Giver”

We take this to mean, ‘god only wants us to give what we’re happy in our heart to give’. And for sure , it SOUNDS like that. but we need context.

Rewind, back to the Old Testament.

Moses was giving instructions to the israelites, and among all the instructions was instructions on cancelling debts.

But among that, he tells the israelites -

Deuteronomy 15:4–5 NIV

However, there need be no poor people among you, for in the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess as your inheritance, he will richly bless you, if only you fully obey the Lord your God and are careful to follow all these commands I am giving you today.

So Moses says, with these people, give freely! Be openhanded! (WICKED-YEAR FOR CANCELING DEBTS IS NEAR)

Then he drops this little gem.

Deuteronomy 15:10 NIV

Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to.

PAUL - Not saying, only give what you’re happy to. REMINDING -

God LOVES ON the people who are cheerful givers

It’s not about OUR hearts - it’s about GOD’s heart. GOD loves on the people who are cheerful givers.

God promises an abundance - to do more good works

2 Corinthians 9:8 NIV

And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

In all things at all times, having all that we need we, we will abound in.... what?

More stuff for ourselves?

Bigger bank accounts?

That 4 wheeler we’ve been eyeing the last couple years?

We will abound in more opportunities to do good works.

See,

The Kingdom’s Economy values other things than simply riches

And that’s what we miss about the basic point of generosity in the bible.

Luke 12:32–33 NIV

“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.

Jim elliot once said, He is no fool to give up what he can’t keep to gain what he can’t lose.

Our generosity needs to be both sacrificial and supernatural.

Because we have more than our bank accounts, or our mortgages, or our RRSP’s. We have a kingdom prepared for us.

INVITATION:

God’s blessings are available to absolutely every single one of us

Next week, we’ll talk about God’s specific approach to what generosity looks like in our lives. But this week, we needed to prepare our hearts, and spend the week thinking about, ‘what does it mean to be the kind of person that could give anything cheerfully?’.