Modelling A Life of Generosity

Luke 12:13-34

Luke 12:15 NLT

Then he said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.”

Luke 12:16–21 NLT

“A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. He said to himself, ‘What should I do? I don’t have room for all my crops.’ Then he said, ‘I know! I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods. And I’ll sit back and say to myself, “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!” ’ “But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?’ “Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.”

Jesus tells this story in the midst of a hand to mouth culture where the vast majority of the people were one bad harvest away from death.

This story sounds crazy in our culture of abundance, how much crazier would it have sounded to the people who heard it. Yet, it is preciesely what they needed to hear and what we need to hear too.

Luke includes this story of Jesus just as he begins to teach basically the same lesson as he did when he was on the mountain (SOTM, wk 1)

Don’t worry about being provided for, God will take care of you. Look at the ravens. Look at the lillies.

Luke 12:31 “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need.”

Jesus seems to be making the point that: 1) God is generous (he gives and provides) 2) We are selfish and take. 3) If we do not reform our hearts our desires will lead us away from God and his Kingdom.

Our God is a Loving and Generous God

Creation is an expression of the generous, creative love of God. (It was good)

This is not a given in the world of religions. Not in Bible times or in ours. This is a radical idea.

As humans, we are called to keep the party going and spread his goodness. Gen 1:28, 2:15

However, we find ourselves in a world of scarcity and struggle. What Happened?

Humans Choose Greed over Generosity.

In scripture, evil begins with an act of desire for what is not rightly ours and taking it for ourselves. Gen 3:6

See and Take becomes a theme throughout scripture. Humans see something they want and they take it.

Another theme is “I will give.” God is a giver who continues to give good gifts to his creation, his children.

In the OT, God continually combats human greed through his generosity and love toward humanity.

The people of Israel were given a gift and were supposed to use that gift to show the world God’s goodness and generosity. —They did not.

Israel (and humanity) continually rejected that generosity and, like the parable from earlier, attribute their success to themselves or to other gods.

Jesus: Generosity Incarnate

The story culminates in Jesus. The host himself comes to join the spoiled party.

He reminds the people (and us) that God is generous and that, in a world of scarcity and greed, we should trust him to set all things right.

Once again the generosity of God was met with greed and malice.

However, Jesus’ death becomes the ultimate expression of God’s love and generosity. His love can turn death into life, scarcity into abundance, and greed into generosity.

Jesus is taking us back to the garden. We aren’t there yet, but we are to live in faith and trust that abundance is the true reality and that scarcity is the anomoly.

Generosity was never meant to be motivated by guilt but by grace.

The Generous Spirit Makes Generous People! Eph 1:13-14

We now have the opportunity and responsibility to live like the real party has begun!

Baker Encyclopedia of Psychology and Counseling Greed and Generosity

Throughout the Bible generosity is seen as liberal giving without holding back. Generosity is the recognition that I will survive even in the face of unmet needs, that my heavenly Father looks after me even as he does the sparrows. Generosity recognizes that gathering more things can never fill the void that only God can fill. Generosity recognizes that doing goodness to others less fortunate is the way of the kingdom.

One of the most important ways that we can experience the abundance of God’s new creation is sharing with others and believing that there is enough.

Where Do We Start?

How do I model God’s generosity to my family, church family, coworkers, and others?

Everything through the lens of WORSHIP: We were made to Praise God from whom all blessing flow…

We become like what we love and we love what we worship.

If I look more like scrooge (McDuck) than I do Jesus I may not really love Jesus. It might be money?

Model a life of worship that reminds you daily of God’s generosity. Read it, pray it, sing it, speak it, hear it, do it.

In worship I remember that nothing I own is truly mine and that I have a responsibility to God and to others to use what I have well.

CULTIVATE HABITS: It’s actually pretty simple: Start small. If you aren’t generous in the small things you won’t be in the big things. You may think you would be, but I don’t know what to tell you other than you probably won’t/aren’t.

Open your time, your fridge, your talents, your car, your wallet to others in the small mundane routine of life and then when the big things come it will be easier to be generous.

Give to the mission of the church.

Our church is functionally broke. We depend on the giving of churches in other places.

The CU is currently our only mission. What if that could change?

What if we could afford to pay a minister, make rent, and have the abundance to give to missions and those in need?

Why couldn’t we?

TELL STORIES: Remind yourself and your family of God’s generosity. Remember that nothing you own is truly yours.

Tell stories of God’s generosity to you.

How has he provided for you? How did he use others to do it? TELL THE STORY!

Tell stories of God’s generosity to others.

Tell Stories of how has God used you/your family/your church to be generous to others?

CAUTION: This isn’t a blasting my own trumpet this is a humble example that should still make God the focal point, not me.

Yet, it is helpful for us, our kids, and those we lead to hear how God has been able to use us. To help us get excited about giving.

Conclusion

Summary:

Romans 12:1–2 NLT

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Final Thought:

The life you were created for starts with understanding that God is a God of generosity and that you are more valuable to him then a sparrow, a raven, or a lilly.

If he takes care of them, he will take care of you too! In Christ, You are free to live and free to love. To be the generous hands and feet of Jesus.

LET PEOPLE KNOW PRAYER IS AVAILABLE AND ENCOUNTER WITH GOD IS AN EXPECTATION.