Giving and Receiving (sermon2)

Think with me for a minuet. If you really needed help from someone who would you ask when there is no time for a no?

If if was an emergency and you needed to come up with money you didn’t have...

Or if you needed someone to come quick and watch your kids...

Or if your car broke down at 11 o’clock at night in a snowstorm and you needed a ride...

Or if your friend or family member need help moving tomorrow?

Or you need someone to pick you up from surgery?

Or your water stopped working and you cant afford a plumber?

Who would you call?

What would they say?

Would they be there right away?

I am lucky to have some people like that.Incredibly Generous gracious people i know

We know a few families/people (one of my best friends in seminairy was like this) - (one time he fixed my car in a snowstorm while I went to class)- Sort of people that would drop anything to give you a hand. The people you call at midnight

people here

ABUNDANT generosity.

AND its clear that giving gives them life. I was telling a friend about their generosity and he said, some people like that, they feel good by being generous… But I think there is more too it than that

I constantly see and RECIEVE ABUNDANT generosity from people who expect nothing in return. Its almost too much.

And it makes me think … How do you become that person? what does it take to become TRULY generous. That kind of love that SPLASHES over the sides

I think most of us WISH we could be generous like those people.

Wish we could be benefactors. Wish we could live the gospel like that, we wish we could be that sort of person.

But I don’t know about you, but my efforts in that direction are often half hearted and short lived.

“I hope someday I will be rich enough, I hope someday I will have enough time, I hope someday I will be in a position in my life that I can be generous”

Perhaps when I am getting enought sleep

Perhaps when...but then a year goes by and another year and I am right where I started, pinching pennies, hours, and energy

What step can we take to become that sort of person? A person whose faith is marked by a Generous spirit.

This fall we have been looking at spiritual practices and their counterparts, things that Christians have done for centuries to make room for God to work in their lives. Things like Praying and Acting, Feasting and Fasting.

This week we are looking at Giving and Recieving

TRANSITION:

The bible talks a lot about Giving and receiving....

But one of the most valuable sections of the bible on giving and receiving is in Paul's second letter to the Corinthians ch 8-9.

We aren't going to read all of it. But seriously take some time and READ IT this week. All of it and let it mess with you a little. wrestle with it a little. Because its pretty radical pretty amazing stuff.

It paints a beautiful picture of what it looks like to live according to the SUPERNATURAL generosity in the Love God Love others GOSPEL.

Background-

2 Corinthians is a Letter, written by a person named Paul. Paul is this really important early church leader who was the first we know of to introduce the Story of Jesus (the Gospel)(good news) to non Jewish people in the Roman world. One of the towns Paul did this in was called Corinth, and when Paul left town he left behind a community of Greek followers of Jesus. After leaving towns like Corinth Paul would keep in touch and help problem solve for these communities by sending letters, people, and occasionally visiting again.

Famine in Jerusalem - bad

Corinthians agreed to help, but now are signaling that they wont (for lots of reasons

After leaving towns Paul would keep in touch and help problem solve for these communities by sending letters, people, and occasionally visiting again.

8-9 are Paul’s attempt to get them to fulfil their promise.

One of the reasons Paul is writing to Corinthians is Fam

Paul addresses this need in kind of a backwards way..

Paul is their founding father, they owe him a lot. And if you are a all familiar with how these things tend to play out in the world you might expect him to...

Command

Demand

Shame

Manipulate

Offer them something

In order to get them to keep the promise they made, and you probably wouldnt blame Paul

But he does none of these things. And when people/pastors do its wrong.

But instead he focuses on this one word. A word he uses 10 times in these 2 chapters

PAUL does none of these things. And when people/pastors do its wrong. But instead he focuses on this one word. A word we use alot in church but less so in other places

GRACE - CHARIS

He says it 18 times in 2 Corinthians, 10 of those times are in chapters 8/9. CHARIS.

Instead of commanding, or twisting their arm, and demanding they live up to their commitment. He focuses relentlessly on

TRANS:

Instead of commanding, or twisting their arm, and demanding they live up to their commitment. He focuses relentlessly on

CHARIS

Background:

Charis

2 Stories of what χάρις looks like

Macedonians (8:1-7) walk through and explain...

...

Grace χάρις is like a community that gave to others when you would think they had nothing to give.

Paul’s question is, “How will you continue the story?”

Jesus (8:9) walk through and explain.

...

χάρις Grace is like a God who became poor to make us rich.

question is, “How will you continue the story?”

The question is implied; You have Recieved GRACE, what will you do with it?

Forget it?

Minimize it?

Hoard it?

Claim it as your own hard work?

Deny that it’s grace?

Will they stop it? Or will they continue the flow?

Here is Paul’s ask

Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means. 12 For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have.

Paul says GRACE is like the WAVE.

It’s like the wave, its coming your way, and you have to decide to stand or not.

Paul asks them Are you going to stop the χάρις wave? Or will you continue it.

Forget it?

Minimize it?

Hoard it?

Claim it as your own hard work?

Deny that it’s grace?

Will they stop it? Or will they continue the flow?

Paul says, IF, you share it, you will find GRACE abounds and increases.

here is Paul’s challenge to them.

The New International Version Chapter 8

11 Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means. 12 For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have.

It doesn't matter how much you give it matters that you give. Its about continuing the flow of χάρις Grace or not.

You have Recieved GRACE, what will you do with it?

It all ends up the same, When you have recieved GRACE. There is only one Choice, share it or stop it.

Paul says, IF, you share it, you will find GRACE abounds and increases.

Paul says if you do, you will find it’s like farming. 9:6-15

The New International Version Chapter 9

6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 9 As it is written:

“They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor;

their righteousness endures forever.” l

10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

12 This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. 13 Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. 14 And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. 15 Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

in 9:6 he writes.

Grace is like the WAVE. but instead of it starting strong and petering out when people get tired its the exact opposite. the more you participate in this cycle the bigger it gets. He talks about this in chapter 9.

The New International Version. (2011). (). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

The more you give the more you receive, the more you give, the more you receive.

This inst rocket science, we experience it in many aspects of our lives.

1. The more we put into our relationships the more we tend to get back from those people.

2. The more we put into our school work the better our grades get.

3. The more we put into work (sometimes) the better things go.

ect.

Grace is like that, Love is like that. The more we give the more we Get.

Then YOU will be the example

WARNING: Paul is NOT saying live recklessly, give foolishly, put your dollar in the envelope and God will send you two. I am not saying every dollar, hour, or skill you share will come back to you 2x. That is wrong, its manipulative and that kind of reasoning has been abused to buy a few people Mansions and Jets while stealing money in the name of Jesus. DONT MISS HEAR PAUL. He is not saying if you give to the church you will make more money.

It certainly wasnt true for Paul or for most people in the bible. Or for most Christians in world history. Giving and following Jesus doesnt often lead to more BUCKS.

BUT...

The more you connect your life to the GRACE WAVE, to giving and receiving the more you benefit from it. (in ways you could never predict) it changes you, it changes others, and it changes the world. PAUL Knows this. Paul doesn't want their money, he wants them, transformed. HE wants them to recieve the benefit of joining the cycle. To experience the JOY of being the sort of people who DEMAND to give even when they shouldnt.

It transforms you, your family, and your community

I don't know about you but I am the recipient of abundant grace.

What will I do w/ that gift?

We have,...

We are not called to give out of guilt, or obligation or manipulation. But in response to the abundant grace of God. It has been passed to us, what will we do with it?

If you are able to recognize the ways you ahve received Charis today, from your family, from your friends, from your spouse, from coworkers, and even strangers you are faced with the same question I am.

We have received grace, how will we continue that story?

What is ONE way I can pass on grace this week?

... One way to respond to that Grace we have recieved.

Month

Year

Time

Talent

Treasure

The elephant in the room: Pastors and churches who benefit from generosity encouraging generosity. Christians only ever talk about money. Abuses, and reality Recognize the GOD's ABUNDANCE and so GIVE ABUNDANTLY in all aspects of your life. RECOGNIZE WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN. Not grudgingly but generously What do we need to STOP?

I don't know where God is working on you....

Sit down (with family), pray write two lists.

Is he calling you to take a look at how you spend your money?

How What do we need to STOP?

How have we received yesterday (this last year)?

Your time?

New Job

New Car

How can we GIVE tomorrow?

1. Time

2. Talents

Your skills or talents?

3. Treasure

What do we need to CONTINUE?

As we finish up this sermon I want you to think of one way you might respond to what you have received and continue that Charis cycle....

Remember its not about paying people back its about participating in GRACE

What do we need to ADD?

WARNING: Paul is NOT saying live recklessly, give foolishly, put your dollar in the envelope and God will send you two. I am not saying every dollar, hour, or skill you share will come back to you 2x. That is wrong, its manipulative and that kind of reasoning has been abused to buy a few people Mansions and Jets while stealing money in the name of Jesus. DONT MISS HEAR PAUL. He is not saying if you give to the church you will make more money.

It certainly wasnt true for Paul or for most people in the bible. Or for most Christians in world history. Giving and following Jesus doesnt often lead to more BUCKS.

BUT...

The more you connect your life to the GRACE WAVE, to giving and receiving the more you benefit from it. (in ways you could never predict) it changes you, it changes others, and it changes the world. PAUL Knows this. Paul doesn't want their money, he wants them, transformed. HE wants them to recieve the benefit of joining the cycle. To experience the JOY of being the sort of people who DEMAND to give even when they shouldnt.

It transforms you, your family, and your community

LEts pray

I will never forget how I felt the first winter I spend here.

Snow over my head

a nearly 700 dollar heat bill for a month and a half at the parsonage.

Our church had been restricting our giving out to pay our bills

We stopped heating this building during the week to save on LP. I used to work with a space heater in my office to keep warm :)

Here I am fresh out of seminairy and I’m working at a church that is talking about closing.

It was a scary time. I remember thinking I better keep my eyes open for work around her in case things fall apart.

BUT you will be amazed what started to happen when we stopped looking so hard inside these walls and started taking opportunities out there. When we stopped focusing on our deficits and started looking for opportunities to serve.

Renew Kingdom Budget Will KKF Farm Jam Vitality Pathway The Gift Increased giving Kids around Healhty air New faces Excitement

When I tell my friends at other churches about what is going on here they cant believe it. Because they know me, and its got nothing to do with me :).

We are far from where God is calling us. There is more on the horizon. We are far from perfect. But This church in my opinion is an example of what happens when you enter into the cycle of GOD’s CHARIS. WHen you give and recieve togehter. When we stop worrying about if we will have enough, and start looking for ways to plant the seeds that God gives us.

Does it look like changes to our building maybe yes maybe no.

Snow over my head

When you stop eating the seeds and start looking for ways to plant them it changes your life.