Generosity

Introduction

Ask most business people, or financial planners and they will tell you that if you want to see what someone values, what someone believes, what someone cares about, look at their calendar and look at their bank account…

Did you know that around 1/3 or all of Jesus’ teachings talk about money many of which were directly tied into how we manage, spend, steward, and obsess about money.

We don’t talk about money a lot here, so if you are with us for the first time sorry.

But God does have a lot to say about our resources in the Bible. In fact, the bible mentions money, wealth, and possessions and how they impact people over 2000 times. And specifically teaches us how God wants us to steward those resources hundreds of times.

The Bible has a lot to say about money.

See…all the church cares about is your money.

Listen…God doesn’t need your money. He isn’t looking for a loan to keep the lights on in heaven.

Do we really think that the God who created everything that exists with a word really needs you to spot him some cash this week?

Then we do we talk about it, because God does (in the Bible). But if God doesn’t need our money then why is it mentioned so much in scripture.

Because God knows that for many of us our heart is attached to our wallets.

Jesus talking about God’s ability to provide makes an insightful statement about the human condition

Luke 12:34 “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Jesus is placing His finger on a reality that most of us know, but tend to ignore.

That our focus, our attention in life, our commitment. Our money, our time, all of it is given over to what we value the most.

If it is your house, then all of you money attention and time go to that, your job, your family. You significant other.

Jesus gives this proverb right after his well known command.

Luke 12:31 “But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.”

In this teaching Jesus says that God knows about all of your needs. You can trust Him, He has your back.

Because you can trust Him to provide for you, you can then turn you attention, turn you heart away from those things and focus on God’s Kingdom instead.

That is where you heart should be, not in what you can accumulate here in this life, but rather how you can impact God’s kingdom.

God doesn’t need your money, but He wants your heart.

And He knows that for many of us, our heart is attached to our money.

That is why God talks about money, because He wants to have your heart.

When we can allow God to change what we value, He knows He will have our heart.