Revolutionary Generosity

A Church in Carrolton Texas was able to wipe out the medical debt of 4,000 families in one day. That pastor of this church knew just how devastating medical debt could be from when he was a teen that had been in a hit and run accident. The medical bills were devastating and it was the support from the Church that made the difference.

Not just moral support but real dollars and cents…It made not only a physical difference in the life of this Pastor but it made a spiritual impact that He took so seriously that they took the money they would normally spend on advertising and a big Easter production and applied it to the medical bills of these 4,000 people. There were no hoops to jump through, no questionnaire to fill out…no one deciding if they “really” deserved it they just found out the need and met the need.

The sad thing is there are some that would say this was a waste of money…how many people could the advertisements brought to church? What repairs could have been done on the church building? How many missionaries could the church have supported with the 10 million Dollars they just gave a way?

Nothing wrong with any of these things and the Church should spend money on them. But Jesus also wants us to Love enough to care for those in our midst that may not be able to take care of themselves.

LYNN CHURCH TAKING CARE OF MOM AND I...

This Church in Carrolton Texas and Lynn Ind displayed a REVOLUTIONARY GENEROSITY. They understood that

It is impossible to be stingy with our resources and be part of the Jesus revolution.

This requires an understanding that dying to self even as a community of Faith is not simply a spiritual activity but also a physical and financial responsibility.

(NLT)

16 We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17 If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person?

Very few of us will be called to make the type of sacrifice the Jesus made for us…Yet John understands that the our finances are equal to our life…He understood many people would struggle with this.

(Crickett telling me to put money down on a friends school bill)We did not give out of our abundance…we gave our of our need...

18 Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. 19 Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God.

This is a Truly Revolutionary Concept…We will be Known by our actions. You do not tell people you are a Christian with only words…but it shows when our actions mimic the word of God…are we peacemakers, are we generous…Do we measure every thing we do next to the Mission God has given us?

This next verse is a bit of quick transition…it starts dealing with our guilt feelings and how to over come them.

20 Even if we feel guilty, God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything. 21 Dear friends, if we don’t feel guilty, we can come to God with bold confidence. 22 And we will receive from him whatever we ask because we obey him and do the things that please him.

21 Dear friends, if we don’t feel guilty, we can come to God with bold confidence. 22 And we will receive from him whatever we ask because we obey him and do the things that please him.

Revolutionary Generosity overcomes guilt

We can overcome the condemnation of the enemy if...as we look at our lives we can clearly see Revolutionary Generosity flowing from us.

Do you give freely of your time to those in need…do you give freely of your talents and abilities…do you give freely of your finances when God asks you?

Or Do you use all of these things as leverage to get what you want?

Even when we give of ourselves doubt and condemnation come but we know we are in His will if our life is rooted in Revolutionary Obedience which is shown in our generosity or lack thereof.

23 And this is his commandment: We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he commanded us.

24 Those who obey God’s commandments remain in fellowship with him, and he with them. And we know he lives in us because the Spirit he gave us lives in us.

Everything around us seems to scream whats mine is mine. We see more and more people taking a position against generosity.

We use arguments like if you don’t work you don’t eat. We even see arguments about telling people they are poor by choice and making that the majority reason people are in need.

We justify a lack of generosity with this. Yet this passage tells us that if we are not willing to be generous then the Love of God is not in us.

Our lack of generosity with each other...the body of Christ drains the love right from us.

This lack of generosity will lead not only to the demise of people in need but the demise of the Love of God in our lives.

Word of waring here...

It is important to make sure that giving to the people of God in need does not replace giving to those in our Christian community.(Church)

If we cannot be generous to those we say we hold the most important things in common with we are kidding ourselves to believe that we will care for those who are outside of our fellowship.

We do not do this to be seen or to gain favor but to be obedient.

I stopped making a spectacle of taking Care of a pastor in need during the holidays.....

Lynn Nazarene Church…I have shared it before but it

Generosity is not so we can feel good about what we are doing…Revolutionary Generosity is obedience to a commandment of God.

Choose Revolutionary Generosity

Revolutionary Generosity Leads to Revolutionary Peace

The Confidence we seek in our relationship with God will be there for us when we believe in the Name of Jesus for Salvation and allow ourselves to model the Love of Jesus by making the Revolutionary Choice to Love those in fellowship and those in need around us.

Revolutionary Peace does not come from personal or financial comfort. It comes from understanding and acting on God’s imperative principle of Generosity.

Revolutionary Peace does not come from personal or financial comfort. It comes from understanding and acting on God’s imperative principle of Generosity.

Bristow Offering....

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