Responding with Generosity

Acts 11:27–30 CSB

27 In those days some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 One of them, named Agabus, stood up and predicted by the Spirit that there would be a severe famine throughout the Roman world. This took place during the reign of Claudius. 29 Each of the disciples, according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brothers and sisters who lived in Judea. 30 They did this, sending it to the elders by means of Barnabas and Saul.

Introduction:

Robert Kennedy famously (or infamously!) chose to never carry cash. Rather, he had a reputation of relying on his friends and entourage to fork over the dough when needs arose. Biographer Evan Thomas records that on one such occasion, Kennedy found himself at a church service with no money to put in the plate. He looked to his friend to put something in on his behalf. The friend reportedly place a single dollar into the plate, to which Kennedy chided, "Don’t you think I’d be more generous than that?”

Some of us can relate to Robert Kennedy. We like to say we are generous, but does our life truly show it?

Or are we more like Ebenezer Scrooge? We aren’t generous and we don’t care.

At this festive season of the year, Mr. Scrooge,” said the [one of the gentlemen], taking up a pen, “it is more than usually desirable that we should make some slight provision for the Poor and destitute, who suffer greatly at the present time. Many thousands are in want of common necessaries; hundreds of thousands are in want of common comforts, sir.” “Are there no prisons?” asked Scrooge. “Plenty of prisons,” said the gentleman, laying down the pen again. “And the Union workhouses?” demanded Scrooge. “Are they still in operation?” “They are. Still,” returned the gentleman, “I wish I could say they were not.” “The Treadmill and the Poor Law are in full vigour, then?” said Scrooge. “Both very busy, sir.” “Oh! I was afraid, from what you said at first, that something had occurred to stop them in their useful course,” said Scrooge. “I’m very glad to hear it.” “Under the impression that they scarcely furnish Christian cheer of mind or body to the multitude,” returned the gentleman, “a few of us are endeavouring to raise a fund to buy the Poor some meat and drink, and means of warmth. We choose this time, because it is a time, of all others, when Want is keenly felt, and Abundance rejoices. What shall I put you down for?” “Nothing!” Scrooge replied. “You wish to be anonymous?” “I wish to be left alone,” said Scrooge. “Since you ask me what I wish, gentlemen, that is my answer. I don’t make merry myself at Christmas and I can’t afford to make idle people merry. I help to support the establishments I have mentioned: they cost enough: and those who are badly off must go there.” “Many can’t go there; and many would rather die.” “If they would rather die,” said Scrooge, “they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population.”

A true believer in Jesus Christ should not be associated with either of these two.

Members of God’s kingdom should be characterized by overwhelming generosity.

John D. Barry; Douglas Mangum; Derek R. Brown; Michael S. Heiser; Miles Custis; Elliot Ritzema; Matthew M. Whitehead; Michael Grigoni; David Bomar

We should be the first ones to start to rally together a way to be generous to others.

As I think of this, I think I have seen much of this over the last several weeks. As Western NC, was hit so hard many SPRUNG into action and reached deep to help. This sermon couldn’t have come at a better time!

1. Generosity requires an attitude of looking outside our own needs. (vv. 27-28)

Acts 11:27–28 CSB

27 In those days some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 One of them, named Agabus, stood up and predicted by the Spirit that there would be a severe famine throughout the Roman world. This took place during the reign of Claudius.

For us to be truly generous people, we have to get off of “ourselves” and place our attention upon others.

This is also a Christian principle.

Philippians 2:4 CSB

4 Everyone should look not to his own interests, but rather to the interests of others.

In our text…

The church at Antioch is taking the focus of their own needs (which I am sure they had many) and focusing on the needs of the people in Jerusalem.

So what happens?

A prophet from Jerusalem, named Agabus (male - we don’t know a lot about him, he is mentioned here and at one other point in Acts), stands up and predicts by the Spirit of God that there will be an upcoming famine in Jerusalem.

Notice - it isn’t a hunch or a guess; God has directly revealed to Agabus that this was going to happen.

Famines are not something that we are really used to in America or in the 21st century, but it was something that people living at this time were familiar with.

Famines could be 1) Local or 2) Regional. They would start many times because of droughts, but sometimes could start as a result of wars.

Historically there was a grain shortage in Rome in AD 42 and AD 51. According to hints from Egyptian records and Josephus’ Antiquities, it seems that Judea felt the effects of the famine in 46 AD.

So what did this church in Antioch do? It looked OUTWARD instead of INWARD and began to ask “What can we do to help?”

This is an example of a BABY church helping the MOTHER church.

The Jerusalem church was the mother church of the NT church; and now this baby church is sending money back to the church that started them.

Churches are dying. I will tell you one reason churches die - they are too invested in looking internally instead of looking externally. We are too busy focusing on our WANTS than other churches’ NEEDS.

Every church should be growing to the point that they stop looking at their own needs - and start to look at the needs of the community around them and the church around the world.

Notice that this church in Acts is only around a year old - and they are already looking for ways they can send OUT money and be generous.

2. Generosity requires a “soul seeking” inventory. (vv. 29)

Acts 11:29 CSB

29 Each of the disciples, according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brothers and sisters who lived in Judea.

Notice that phrase “according to his ability.”

What does this mean? Each of the disciples went out, looked at what they had, and determined how much he/she could give.

They did an inventory.

ILLUSTRATION - When I worked at LifeWay, I hated inventory…

What does an inventory do? One simple thing - it shows you what you have.

When we see someone in need, as a Christian, we should look deep into our inventory and help as much as we possibly can.

And the number we can help is different for every single person! Some of you can give a lot and it not hurt you; some of you can only give a little and it will hurt you.

Galatians 6:10 (CSB)

10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us work for the good of all, especially for those who belong to the household of faith.

Your generosity may be more than just money. - TIME, TALENTS, TREASURE (The 3 Ts)

Illustration - Warren Buffett - Worth 146.3 billion dollars - Salary $100,000 - He says “money really has no hold over me. I am saving it for people to use it after me.”

Buffett is not a believer - if he can be that generous, can’t we be?

Watch lest prosperity destroy generosity.

Henry Ward Beecher

3. Generosity requires determination. (vv. 29)

Acts 11:29 CSB

29 Each of the disciples, according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brothers and sisters who lived in Judea.

Notice that word “determined” in vv. 29.

It means “having reached a decision, firmly resolved.”

As believers, we have to “firmly resolve” that we are going to be generous to others.

What do I mean by this?

1) It’s not going to be easy. Sometimes being generous is hard.

2) There will come times that you realize that people have wasted your gift. You worked hard to be generous and they blew it. It can easily give you a “stingy spirit” of “I will never help anyone ever again.”

You have to keep your determination that you are willing to help and you have to keep yourself open to opportunities.

4. Generosity requires wise administration. (vv. 30)

Acts 11:30 CSB

30 They did this, sending it to the elders by means of Barnabas and Saul.

Once they had the gifts, the church at Antioch made sure they used wisdom in sending the gifts.

They found the two most trusted men at the church - Barnabas and Saul to carry the gifts to Jerusalem.

This brings us to a very important lesson - when people give generously, we need to make sure we are being wise in our administration of how we handle people’s gifts.

As a church in the 21st century, there are things that we need to do to make sure we are wisely administering generosity. And I thank our finance committee who does a tremendous job of helping with checks and balances of people’s generosity!

BE GENEROUS TO OTHERS BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN THE TIME WILL COME WHEN YOU NEED OTHERS TO BE GENEROUS TO YOU

There were once two young men working their way through Leland Stanford University. Their funds got desperately low, and the idea came to one of them to engage Paderewski for a piano recital and devote the profits to their board and tuition. The great pianist's manager asked for a guarantee of two thousand dollars. The students, undaunted, proceeded to stage the concert. They worked hard, only to find that the concert had raised only sixteen hundred dollars. After the concert, the students sought the great artist and told him of their efforts and results. They gave him the entire sixteen hundred dollars, and accompanied it with a promissory note for four hundred dollars, explaining that they would earn the amount at the earliest possible moment and send the money to him. "No," replied Paderewski, "that won't do." Then tearing the note to shreds, he returned the money and said to them: "Now, take out of this sixteen hundred dollars all of your expenses, and keep for each of you 10 percent of the balance for your work, and let me have the rest." The years rolled by--years of fortune and destiny. Paderewski had become premier of Poland. The devastating war came, and Paderewski was striving with might and main to feed the starving thousands of his beloved Poland. There was only one man in the world who could help Paderewski and his people. Thousands of tons of food began to come into Poland for distribution by the Polish premier.

After the starving people were fed, Paderewski journeyed to Paris to thank Herbert Hoover for the relief sent him. "That's all right, Mr. Paderewski," was Mr. Hoover's reply. "Besides, you don't remember it, but you helped me once when I was a student at college and I was in a hole."