Blessing

Intro

[Thank worship team]

Good morning Bethel Church, and good morning to our network of rural churches that are joining us live on YouTube. And if you are new here, I want to extend a special welcome to you. If you would, there are “Connect” cards in the seat in front of you. If you would fill that out there or at the Welcome Center outside of the sanctuary. We even have a free gift for you if you are new to Bethel. We would love to get in touch with you and discuss how to get connected to our church family.

Announcements:

Sophie

Richard

Frozen Meals - The care team is asking for volunteers to create frozen meals to store here at the church. We want these on hand so we can bring meals to those who may need it. For instance, when we are setting up a meal train for a family, often it takes a few days to get the first meal to them. But if we have meals on hand, myself or a member from the care team can quickly bring a meal over to a family.

Bibles - We got new bibles! About 80% of our old bibles were donated to FaHoCha bible camp, but we also have a few in the foyer for anyone to take. Grab one if you know of someone who could use it. If they do not get taken, we will donate what is left also to FaHoCha.

Today we will be continuing our study of The Generosity Factor. If you are reading out of the Bibles in front of you, our passage can be found on page 542. If you do not have a Bible, please stop by the Welcome Center and take one. It is our gift to you.

TRANS: Pray

Opening Hook

Alex and his Impression of Christianity

Sometimes, people’s impression of Christianity comes more from false teaching than good teaching.

A friend of mine grew up in Tanzania with almost nothing. There was government corruption and poverty. He actually does not know how old he is, He can only guess, because there are no records.

In such desperation, there is a pressing need to look for God for their daily bread. But in that desperation, false teaching is like a weed that overtakes the soil. My friend told me that, if you had a tv, many would watch sermons to find hope. But these pastors made the gospel to be a transaction, “If you give to my ministry, God will bless you. If you purchase this prayer shall, he will give you back 100 fold. If you become a monthly supporter, you will receive an unexpected check in the mail ——- IF you have enough faith.”

So these impoverished and desparate people go about giving what little they have to predatory preaching. And if those so-called “blessings” didn’t come, they were told they did not have enough faith. But if they gave just a little more, that would be a step toward having enough faith. You can see how this feels more like a scam than generosity.

Perhaps you have seen these false teachers. TV preachers like Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland, Bill Johnson, Mike Bickle, or Joel Osteen, to name a few. Beware, because here’s how their teachings miss the mark:

Missing The Mark

False teachers make God’s blessings a bargain.

False teachers make God’s blessings about stuff. “If you are generous, God will give you more.” Which, as we will see, is rooted in scripture. But there’s an insidious twisting that happens with these false teachers: they make generosity into a vending machine. They make *you* out to be the sovereign one, and if you are generous, God *must* give you what you want (which is most likely more stuff and good health).

If our motivation for being generous is what we will receive in return, it is not generosity, but dressed up selfishness.

But we must also acknowledge this: when we live in obedience to God, our lives are more satisfying and rich. Just because a teaching in scripture is abused, doesn’t mean we ought to avoid it. Rather, we must discover what the real teaching is, because when we do, we find something powerful about generous living.

TRANS: Let us discover what the scriptures really say today, and untangle it from false teaching:

Proverbs 11:24–26 ESV

24 One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. 25 Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered. 26 The people curse him who holds back grain, but a blessing is on the head of him who sells it.

The Blessings of Generosity

Generosity yields prosperity, stinginess brings want.

Proverbs 11:24-26

The proverbs teach wisdom. They show God’s blueprints for life and warn against foolishness. It is no surprise, then, that in seeking wisdom one must learn how to manage and be generous with money. Here we see the proverb express the one that gives freely is the one that grows all the richer.

What backwards thinking? How can you gain when you give? But that’s precisely what the proverb teachers.

You gain when you give.

And on the other hand, you want when you hoard.

The proverb is raising a very real issue about grain and economics:

Hoarding Grain

The paradox that generosity gains and [hoarding] negates is now put in terms of selling grain, presumably at normal market value versus hoarding it implicitly in starvation to drive up the price. As for the one who withholds (mōnēaʿ; see 1:15) refers to the trader who holds back from sale life’s subsistence, exploiting the need of others to advantage himself.1

1 Bruce K. Waltke, The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 1–15, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2004), 508.

The grain trader had larger stores at his disposal, which he presumably could hold back in times of shortage to raise the price. Huge grain pits are found at Gibeon and Megiddo.182 Amos 8:4–8 refers to this abuse in the sale of the vital grain.1

182 Five of the 14 occurrences of III bār are found in connection with Joseph’s prudent hoarding and sale of grain to the Egyptians and to his family in the famine.

1 Bruce K. Waltke, The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 1–15, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2004), 508.

Now notice what this proverb is saying. This proverb is not saying that only the one who gives freely grows all the richer, but the whole community. There is a mutual “watering” when one waters. And the blessing on this person’s head is because he sells his grain. He shares, he does not hoard. He is blessed because he is living to be a blessing to others.

Generosity is required for personal and communal prosperity.

Great Depression and the Self-Help Cooperative Movement

In the great depression, the farmers that survived were not the farmers that held on to all that they had, but those that shared what they had with other farmers. it was called the Self-Help Cooperative Movement. Farmers shared their tools, labor, and seeds with each other. The ones that opted out of this, suffered. The farmers that were generous, thrived.

TRANS: Generosity yields prosperity, stinginess brings want. So let us learn more about God’s blessings in generosity by turning over to the New Testament to 2 Corinthians 9:6-8 on page 984.

2 Corinthians 9:6–8 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.

Generous sowing leads to abundant reaping.

2 Corinthians 9:6-8

Now Paul is referring to a comment he made at the start of chapter 9. Apparently, Paul and this church in Corinth had been coordinating about a gift. Presumably, from this conversation, this church was arranging for funds to be sent to Paul so he can continue his ministry.

Paul is applying one of the laws of the universe to generosity: you reap what you sow. We see this principle also being taught by Paul in Galatians 6, but we see it in Jesus in Luke 6 38

Luke 6:38 ESV

38 give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”

But Paul does not say, “therefore, you must give this amount.” He simply says, “each one must give as he has decided in his heart.” And he goes on to describe this as not from guilt or greed, but joyfully.

But this is not a cop-out. Perhaps one could say, “ahh, yes, then I have decided in my heart to not give very much. This verse says I get to do that for myself.” In one sense, yes, but in another sense no. The joyful generosity flows from a changed heart from God, and from the understanding that if you want an abundant harvest, you must be abundantly generous.

When we grow in our faith, and we abide in Him who generously gave his only son for us, our hearts begin to imitate our generous God.

But here again, we must reject the prosperity Gospel. God is not a vending machine, God’s blessings are not a bargon. Pay close attention to the text.

2 Corinthians 9:8 ESV

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.

When you are generous, true generosity, Godly generosity, it is produced by God’s grace at work in you. It is not YOUR generosity so you get something in return from God. Rather, it is God enabling you with his grace to overcome your selfish nature. The prosperity Gospel undermines God’s sovereignty and elevates us as though we do not need his grace in order to do good works, but rather, God must reward us for the “impressive generosity” we do. How void of the gospel this message is!

One pastor said it like this:

2 Corinthians Interpretive Insights

Paul is describing God’s blessing not as the reward for generosity but as the basis for generosity. Barrett observes, “The sense of the verse seems to be that if men are willing to give, God will always make it possible for them to give.”1 God’s abundant blessing is not intended to produce ease, but it is intended to lead to “every good work.”

When God produces a heart of generosity in us, and we simply walk in obedience to that, we see an abundant harvest as the result. So give of your time, talent, or treasure from a heart of joy as God works in you.

TRANS: But Paul goes on, because generosity is also a reminder of something greater…

2 Corinthians 9:9–15 ESV

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!

Generosity is a reminder of your mission.

2 Corinthians 9:9-15

Paul cites Psalm 111:9 and makes an observation: God is the ultimate distributor. When we are generous, we are being used by God to carry out His purpose. And it is God’s righteousness that endures forever. This is about God’s reputation, His name, and His Kingdom. Generosity is not about us, it is about God.

But then Paul makes another observation. Some people are “sowers” and some people are “suppliers.” One is not better than the other, because each play an important role in the mission of disciple-making.

Notice what the people are “funding” here:

Helping the poor

The harvest of righteousness

Increased thanksgiving to God

The ministry of this service

The needs of God’s people [the saints]

Glorifying God

Paul was a traveling missionary who depended on the contributions of local churches. His reference to bread for food was literal: he needed his needs to be met so he could work to spread the gospel.

Notice how God has designed his church: some people are funders, and some people are preachers, some people are encouragers, prayers, suppliers, etc. And when the whole come together there is thanksgiving and glory being given to God.

Generosity reminds us of our mission. We serve a generous God who gave of his only son, and the mission is this: to spread the gospel to all the nations. In a very real sense, to evangelize is to be generous, because we are sharing the good news with the spiritually impoverished.

TRANS: Generosity yields prosperity, stinginess brings want, Generous sowing leads to abundant reaping, and generosity is a reminder of your mission.

Application

Beware of selfish motivations.

Notice even in this previous passage, and I wanted to mention it here. Paul says something that goes against our modern attitude towards money:

2 Corinthians 9:11 ESV

11 You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.

What is the purpose of enrichment? Generosity. In short, it’s not about us. It’s about God. When we approach generosity from what we can *get*, we miss the heart of generosity. Generosity is about obedience to Jesus. We share what we have because He first was generous with us.

African proverb from Elizabeth Elliot

Jesus was walking one day with His disciples and asked each one to pick up a stone to carry for Him. They all picked up a stone. Peter, rather a small one; John, a bigger one. Jesus led them to the top of a mountain and then He commanded the stones to be made bread. The disciples were by this time hungry, and so they were given permission to eat the bread in their hands. Of course, Peter didn’t have very much. John shared with him some of the bread that had been made from the stone he had carried.

On another occasion, the same Jesus took the same disciples for a walk and again asked them to pick up a stone to carry for Him. This time you can imagine that Peter picked up a bigger stone. But Jesus did not take them this time to the top of the mountain. He took them to the river. As they stood on the bank looking with questions in their minds to Him, He said, “Throw the stones into the river,” which they did at once in obedience to His command. Then they looked at Him, expectantly waiting for the miracle that would happen this time.

Nothing happened. They waited. They watched. Nothing happened. Jesus, with great compassion, looked on these disciples whom He loved and He said, “For whom did you carry the stone?”

“For whom did you carry the stone?”

When we are generous for what we will get out of it, we miss the point.

Here’s what to do. As you steward what you have: your time, your talent, and your treasure, be generous with an open hand. You may even need to pray as you are generous something like,

“Jesus, use what I can give for your Kingdom, even if I never see or know the result, I know that you can do abundantly more than I can imagine. And produce in me a heart of humility to consider others, not myself, as you considered me as you died for me on the cross.”

TRANS: Beware of selfish motivations, but second… Don’t Miss Out.

Don’t miss out on the blessing of generous living.

Proverbs—Wisdom that Works Christ Saves Tightfisted Sinners—And He’s Gracious

selfish people end up poor in every sense. And openhanded people get richer and richer in all the ways that count.

God designed us to feel a deep sense of satisfaction when we give. All of us have something to give: our time, our talent, or our treasure.

It is ironic. I am more worried about my budget when I am not generous than when I am generous. How can that be? Because when I am generous, I am trusting God with not just what I give but with all of what I have. And when I am in a state of trust, I just know that He will help me through it.

Ashley and I have been through times of great need, but we have seen God meet our needs time and time again right when we need it. And sometimes this is in the form of unexpected gifts, but sometimes it is in the form of unexpected opportunities.

When I live in obedience with what God gave me, I flourish. Or to use our word we’ve said a lot today, I am blessed.

2 Corinthians “Give to Get to Give” Is a Winning Formula of Reciprocity

“Give to get to give” is a winning formula of reciprocity

Testimony: A wealthy family had made a concerted effort to bless as many people and organizations as they could financially, but they just kept getting wealthier. At one point the wife expressed with genuine frustration: “Every time we give money away, we just seem to unexpectedly make more money!”

You see this is the fatal flaw of the prosperity gospel. Treating God like a vending machine — Making God’s blessings a bargain — God’s blessings are not about us. God’s primary purpose in blessing us is so we can be a blessing.

One scholar put it like this, “Blessing is not the destination, it is the conduit.” Meaning, we call ourselves “blessed” in how God uses us, not in what stuff we end up with. I can be blessed if I am poor if God is using me, I can be blessed if I am wealthy if God is using me. The amount is not the point, but the obedience to God and humility in His service.

I have heard testimony after testimony of increased peace, joy, somehow ending up with more only to be able to be even more generous. But even in times of scarcity, I know people who refused to stop being generous even after a job loss, and God came through for them time and time again.

If you have never tried being generous with what you have, try it. Do something according to what you have been given, not under compulsion, but with joy. And see what happens. When you live according to how God designed us, you flourish — or another word, you are blessed.

Conclusion: Experience the blessing of generous living.

Pray

Talk About It/Think About It

How does viewing everything we have as God’s change the way we think about generosity?

What kinds of “prosperity” might this proverb be describing beyond financial gain?

Why do we often focus more on what we might lose than what God might produce?

How does generosity help reorient us from self-focus to God’s mission?

Reflect on the African proverb, what lesson did Peter learn?

What are some subtle selfish motivations that can creep into generosity?

How does generous living cultivate joy, freedom, and trust in God?