ALL IN - Generosity
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Review ALL IN series. Purpose for the series: how our discipleship process is just beginning like it was for them…
Review where we are: Acts 2, after Upper Room Outpouring, after Peter’s first sermon, overview of the first days of the early church…
Review Last Week: The Awe of God
Immediately following the mention of the awe of God and the signs and wonders being done through the apostles are these verses:
44 And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common;
45 and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need.
In our pursuit of God’s plan of developing us as disciples that make disciples, it is imperative that we teach what the bible teaches, live how Jesus lived, and operate as God would have us to operate.
I am always careful to speak where the bible speaks and be silent where the bible is silent.
This is one of those topics that many preachers avoid and others weaponize…
It has been misused, abused, and manipulated to be something it is not for the benefit of wolves in sheep’s clothing, who look only to gain from the giving of the flock.
It is unfortunate that this topic has become so controversial, as it is a basic tenant of the faith in the early church…
I believe this topic is less about money and more about perspective…
It is less about dollars and more about paradigm…
A couple weeks ago in the discipleship path we are covering on Sunday nights and through the week with our partners, we talked about Zaccheus…
Zaccheus was a tax collector… And not only was he a tax collector, he was a CHIEF tax collector!
The portrayal of Matthew’s relationship with his family in The Chosen is a good example of the betrayal that was inherent in being a tax collector for Rome…
He was a man who favored money over his own people…
So when Jesus says he will eat at Zaccheus’ house, the people were furious!
How could Jesus eat with a man who has turned his back on his own people, even his own family that he might gain wealth?
2 And there was a man called by the name of Zaccheus; he was a chief tax collector and he was rich.
3 Zaccheus was trying to see who Jesus was, and was unable because of the crowd, for he was small in stature.
4 So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree in order to see Him, for He was about to pass through that way.
5 When Jesus came to the place, He looked up and said to him, “Zaccheus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house.”
6 And he hurried and came down and received Him gladly.
7 When they saw it, they all began to grumble, saying, “He has gone to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.”
They were outraged because Jesus did not require a show of repentance..
He didn’t rebuke Zaccheus for being the tax collector…
But when Zaccheus had an encounter with Jesus, his perspective changes…
How do I know that? Look what happens next:
8 Zaccheus stopped and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, half of my possessions I will give to the poor, and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will give back four times as much.”
Immediately, Zaccheus shifts from focusing on what he could gain to focusing on what he could give.
This is the shift of paradigm that takes place when someone genuinely meets Jesus and does what verse 6 says: “receives Him gladly”
There is a stark difference between this story and the story of the rich young ruler in Matt. 19.
16 And someone came to Him and said, “Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?”
17 And He said to him, “Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.”
18 Then he said to Him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not commit murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness;
19 Honor your father and mother; and You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
20 The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept; what am I still lacking?”
21 Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”
22 But when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property.
While Zaccheus received Jesus gladly, the rich young man went away grieving…
They both met Jesus on the road…
They both came to the same point of decision…
But one man started giving away what he had and the other held tight…
When it comes to this idea of generosity and giving, I could present a theological prose on the development of the tithe before the Law with Abraham and Melchizadec…
I could tell you about the promises of God to open the windows of heaven in Malachi…
I could preach that He will rebuke the devourer for your sake…
I could share the wisdom of Solomon, when he said Proverbs 3:9–10 “9 Honor the Lord from your wealth And from the first of all your produce; 10 So your barns will be filled with plenty And your vats will overflow with new wine.”
But this morning I want to stick to the teaching of Jesus to His disciples, because we grow disciples in here that embody Jesus out there…
If we are to embody Jesus, we must know what He teaches and He said…
38 “Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.”
I didn’t write the book, I just read what’s written…
This isn’t an Old Testament, out of context promise for someone else…
This is a promise to believers from Jesus…
Give and it shall be given unto you. By the same measure…
Take it or leave it, this is a promise from Jesus…
Paul reiterates this when he tells the church at Corinth:
6 Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
7 Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed;
In other words, don’t do it because I’m telling you what the bible says about it..
First you need to have an encounter with God and allow Him to deal with you like he did with Zaccheus or the rich young ruler.
We like to recite verse 6, but the sowing and reaping cannot be disconnected from the paradigm in verse 7…
We should give, but we must do it out of our passion for Him and His mission, but begrudgingly…
But if we can get our perspective right and see this for what it is… God is able…
He’s able to make grace about… He’s able to make sure you have all sufficiency in everything…
He’s able to cause an abundance to come to you for every good deed..
He’s able!
Here’s what I know about giving…
Our giving reveals our source…
Our giving reveals our source…
As believers, we don’t give because we are rich.. We don’t give because we have an abundance…
We give because it’s all His anyway.. The earth is His and the fullness thereof….
When we give, we are admitting that God is our source…
If our job is our source, and we lose our job, then the outcome is hopeless…
If our investments are our source and the market crashes, then the future is bleak…
If our own strength or strategy is our source then when we reach the end of ourselves, we find out we were lacking all along…
Look at the question the rich young ruler asks:
20 The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept; what am I still lacking?”
I’ve done all you’ve said.. I’ve kept the commandments…
But something is missing… I’ve got all the money I need, I own much land… But what am I lacking?
Jesus gets to the point of the issue and tells him to choose between his desire for money and his desire for God and he went away grieving…
He did not recognize God as his source…
24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.
Which is why Jesus says,
19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
20 “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal;
21 for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also…
You can tell where your heart is at when you look at your monthly bank statement.
You give to what you love…
You support what you believe…
Our giving reveals our source…
He is either provider or He is not… Who is he to you?
The other thing that is revealed by our giving is our commitment to the unity of the saints…
What follows the description of their giving in Acts 2 is a description of their unity:
44 And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common;
45 and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need.
46 Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart,
47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.
Day by day continuing with one mind… The same way they were in the upper room, now has flowed out into their daily life where they live this out together…
What we do in here should flow out into the life we live together day by day…
We don’t give for the recognition of man, we give out of gladness in our heart…
We don’t give just because we are supposed to, we give in recognition that God is our source and His promise is for those who give out of a cheerful heart, not obligation or coercion.
Today, I am not asking for a huge offering because we talked about it…
I’m simply teaching what Jesus taught, so we can be the disciples He called us to be…
I believe we can only succeed as believers, as a church, and as disciples if we follow the teachings of Jesus…
People get so caught up on the tithe and 10%, but I’ll be honest, I think 10% is a cop out…
Zaccheus gave half of everything, plus 4x what he extorted…
The rich young ruler was called to give everything…
Those in the early church were selling all they had to give…
Let me say it this way: If you’re looking for a standard in the tithe that you can just figure into your budget, you have missed the point of Jesus’ teachings…
He will call speak to you about what you’re supposed to give, but I know this, when God asks you to give, it will be enough to remind you that He is your provider…
Our giving reveals our source… and our giving reveals our unity…
Will we rely on him as our source?
Are you in unity with the family of believers?
Pray/Altar Call/Offering
