Generosity Funds the Faith

1. The generosity of George Friedrich Handel...

DONE - 2. The character of Scrooge and his hilarity in generosity following his encounters with the 3 spirits

DONE - 3. The “full measure of a man of Health and Wealth” - referencing or showing the statue on a slide with each body part named (each leg, each arm, head, two sides of the chest.

The illustration of the MAN! (Load this from Power Point once the message is exported)

Over the last 7 weeks, we have studied healthy living. The massive statue of a man was put together in pieces. Each piece was a representation of a critical aspect of healthy living. Starting from the ground up, it’s important that you know what each section represents.

Beginning from the ground up:

Week one is devoted to Leg 1 = the foundation of “Listening”.

Deuteronomy 6:5 ESV

5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

This is the theme verse of the series. It’s the beginning because it postures us in right relationship with the Lord and living. Before we presume to know what we must do to be “healthy and wealthy” in this life, we must listen! The ways of the world in all God’s prevenient grace would still lead us astray if we are not first starting with the Word of the Lord and his definitions of healthy living.

In the second week of the series, we added leg 2. This was the next foundational piece of the statue which represented the work of the Holy Spirit. Through the Spirit’s work, each member among the priesthood of believers is developed. Their gifts, their insights, their service; all of this is how God meets the needs of the body of Christ and reveals himself to those who don’t yet know him.

The third message clarified that healthy living necessitates the use of our bodies. Therefore, caring for our them and being commited to their discipline allows us to be used to the uttermost in work and fully embodied in our worship. We are not merely intellectual beings; to be embodied makes us fully human.

The fourth week of the series, Pastor Josh Allen taught us practical habits that allow us to care for failing bodies. Habits of exercise, rest, and nutrition impact the way we can serve. In the fifth week he addressed the growing trends of anxiety and re-focused us on the Scripture’s call to “be transformed by the renewal of our minds” and to pursue prayer, good sleep and a community of believers with whom we can share mental struggles when our minds are waning towards depression or anxiety.

In the sixth week, pastor Sean took us to Christ’s counsel to obey his teaching because it is in the obedience to his teaching that we actually can withstand the dark and terrifying times of weighty grief. If we are obedient to Jesus’ teachings, the house will still stand because it is built upon the rock of those teachings.

Last week, our seventh message in the series laid the groundwork for this week. Absolutely NOTHING in this life belongs to us. All things come from Christ and are used for Christ’s glory and our good.

That leads us to this week, the 8th and final message in our series on “Healthy Living” or “True Health and Wealth”.

With all of the other areas of a healthy and wealthy body accounted for… recognizing that all things in this life are given to us by God, the natural questions come...

What do we do with all of God’s stuff?

HOW do I use all of God’s goodness, supply, abundance, and availability since I am his steward and his abundant grace is my message?

The answer is simply this… live generously!

Transition from Introduction and Review

For many, the idea of generosity may come as an uncomfortable topic. Don’t squirm too much… but let me go ahead and make it plain. When the Bible speaks of generosity, it largely revolves around how we use our wealth or possessions. From the creation of heaven and earth to the recreation of heaven and earth… generosity is an undying theme about how we steward what WE (each one of us) has been given. So, the emphasis is heavy on the WHAT WE EACH have been given… so as to remove any inclination to brag about our prosperity or or whine about our poverty. God never condemns one who cannot give what another can give. Nor does he give all the same amount from which they can give.

Instead, God faithfully and consistently expects that his children GIVE GENEROUSLY from WHATEVER AMOUNT OR POSSESSIONS THEY HAVE!

Examining 2 Corinthians 9:6-15

2 Corinthians 9:6–15 ESV

6 The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. 9 As it is written, “He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.” 10 He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. 12 For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God. 13 By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission that comes from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others, 14 while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you. 15 Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!

The answer to question number 1. What do we do with all of God’s stuff, flows out of the passage we’ve just read.

We are called to sow generously.

The imagery of the farmer sowing seed is antiquated for most of us. In today’s economy, most will automatically associate what we see in “sowing” with terms of “financial giving”. In fact, if I poled you, I would be willing to bet that at least half to 2/3 of the room has already begin thinking in terms of money as opposed to “seed”.

But, for the moment, let’s keep with the analogy that Paul uses. It is appropriate for his initial audience, and the truths of his analogy are the precise reminder we need.

Recall that the Corinthians were not an easy congregation to work with though Paul’s love for them was unequaled. In chapter 8 verse 8-9, Paul posits this reminder with them: 8 “I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine. 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.”

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), 2 Co 8:8–9.

Paul was motivated by one thing... He wanted them to give because Christ was an ample example! Christ was RICH (beyond explanation or imagination!) but - for their sake he became poor, so that their poverty might become rich. He wouldn’t coerce them. He knew they had promised for over a year to send aid to the poverty stricken church in Jerusalem. Now, the time had come for them to follow through on that offering and they had two options - sow sparingly and get a sparse return or sow generously and watch what God does with the seeds they’ve sown!

Farmers aren’t at all sure of what their yield will be after planting. However, one thing is for sure, if little seed is spread, there can be no other consideration but that the harvest will be small. So, in all wisdom and with all good work ethic… SOW THOSE SEEDS!!

2. Paul reminded the Corinthians that their giving was to be done in a certain manner = with cheerfullness!

Two attitudes are off the table: No Reluctance ---- No Compulsion

The expectation… cheerfulness! JOY! w/ Mirth! Instead of coercion it’s gladness! Instead of arm twisting, it’s open handed offering with laughter.

If you need a powerful visual, I like the way Scrooge’s generosity is displayed with the kind of laughter expressed by Scrooge in the great Charles Dickens tale, “A Christmas Story.” The Mickey Mouse and McDuck version of 1983 captures a few magnificent moments of Scrooge having so great a change of heart that you’ve never seen a duck and a mouse get along so well!

Before Scrooge’s encounter with the three Spirits, Cratchet had requested another chunk of coal for his stove and received a royal chastisement; but after his visit with the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future, Scrooge gives with a mirth that is unparalleled! And the liberality of his generosity far extends beyond Bob Cratchet: He loads the pockets of those seeking charity for the poor, gives to the choir singing for alms, and he supports Bob’s family and saves Tiny Tim by making Bob his partner in business… and he does it all with extraordinary hilarity!

Paul wants our giving to look like this! Generosity isn’t a proper giving without such mirth!

Illustration??? Those who have given with such merriment in mine and my families life?

3. God makes ALL THE GRACE ABOUND!

The remarkable ability for generosity to extend so far beyond what the giver can expect is where we see our abilities suspended and we submit to God’s intervention.

The final passages of this section have oft been used by promoters of the prosperity gospel to ensure a givers confidence that once he gives, God will give more to the giver.

Read the section from verses 10-11 carefully. What does God promise to supply? (Seed/bread). And WHY does He supply it? (… to be generous in every way!) In this way, God alone will be met with thanksgiving! You notice 3 x’s in these final passages concerning the offering given by the Macedonians and Achaia to the church in Jerusalem, “thanksgiving to God”, “thanksgiving to God”, “they will glorify God”. God used the generosity of the church in Macedonia and he WILL USE the generosity of the church in Corinth so that the gospel of Christ is made known! He himself is the inexpressible gift! We need not get in the way of such a vision!

Transition to closing applications...

The Apostle Paul lead us through giving and support referencing the psalms to encourage both the giving and the manner of our giving. In fact, the most emphatic parts of this section focus on How we give generously! It hearkens back to another time with Christ was teaching his disciples about the nature/manner of our giving.

Matthew 6:1–4 ESV

1 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. 2 “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Note that giving will be seen. The most important part for us is who we care that sees us. IN this passage, Jesus is specifically speaking of giving that is done for the sake of helping the poor - it’s therefore instructed that we give so that God is aware of our giving, but not that those around us are made aware of our giving.

Paul encouraged the cheerful giving of the saints, Jesus tells us to give so that God himself is ready to reward that gift. In both instances, the attention returns our affections to God! WE ARE NOT THE FOCAL POINT.

However, we have numerous examples of those who DID GIVE and the church was well aware of their powerful and weighty gift. Remember Barnabas from Acts 4. He sold his land (everyone knew), he gave all the proceeds to the church (everyone knew).

So, how is he an example of Jesus’ caution and Paul’s encouragement? Barnabas was giving for the sake of impacting the kingdom, not impressing the King’s people!

All to often our comparison driven natures turn our offerings into competitions instead of celebrations! EACH OF US IS TO GIVE ABUNDANTLY, CHEERFULLY, AND WITHOUT RESTRAINT KNOWING THAT GOD HIMSELF WILL CONTINUE TO PLACE IN OUR HANDS EVERYTHING HE WANTS TO GO THROUGH OUR HANDS TO SERVE GOODNESS AND THE GOSPEL TO AL WHO ARE HUNGRY FOR IT!

Bring up praise team… prep Julie for a few chords from Handel’s Messiah…

Tell the church you want them to “Name that man!”

Tell the nuts and bolts of Handel’s back ground.

Be sure to tell of his extraordinary generosity in his poverty.

Be sure to explain his extraordinary generosity in his age of wealth.

But let Julie play the few lines to the Hallelujah chorus.

Closing

We have no idea how God will use our generosity today to fullfill the mandate of the Gospel to be preached to the entire world! What we do know, is we cannot take any wealth or health with us…you will never see a Uhaul next in line to a hearse! The only reasonable act of service is to act like our inexpressible gift, Jesus Christ - who himself became poor… that we might become rich!