Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Please turn with me to 2 Corinthians 9

Paul David Tripp says this in his book Redeeming Money: How God Reveals and Reorients Our Hearts:

it is impossible to think biblically about any sector of your life in isolation.

There is a way in which everything is connected to everything else.

Everything you say and do in areas of your life that seem totally disconnected issues from the thoughts and desires of the same heart.

Everything in your life is organized and connected by the foundational thoughts, desires, purposes, goals, interpretation, and worship of your heart.

You and I are always thinking something.

We are always wanting something.

We are always being ruled by something.

We are always disappointed by something.

We are always celebrating something.

We are always running after or running away from something.

We are always confused by something or trying to figure out something.

And the interconnectedness of it all means that nothing in our lives exists in isolation.

You can’t understand money if you don’t understand who you are, and money is one of the principal ways you demonstrate who you think you are.

There is no better indicator of the identity you have assigned to yourself than the way you use money.

You can’t understand money if you don’t understand who you are, and money is one of the principal ways you demonstrate who you think you are.

There is no better indicator of the identity you have assigned to yourself than the way you use money.

Why does one person proudly throw money around?

Why does another person use her money to buy all the cultural markers of success?

Why is that neighbor of yours so proudly vocal about his charity?

Why has yet another person never been able to stay out of debt?

Why does that couple quietly give away such a big portion of their income?

Why is your friend so gripped with money fears?

Why does she struggle with envy and embarrassment whenever she is around her wealthy friends?

Why does he try to hide the fact that he grew up in poverty?

Why did Jesus talk about this topic more than any other?

Why is money such a big deal?

Why are some of us never satisfied, even though we have so much money, and why are some of us content with so little?

The answer to all these questions is identity.

In a fundamental way, the drama of identity often plays out in the arena of money.

You and I again and again make clear who we think we are by the way we use our money.

So I want to get you to think biblically about identity so that you can live rightly when it comes to money.

Why is it important that we understand who we are biblically (our true identity) so we can learn to live generously and rightly when it comes to our money?

Why is it important for our covenant membership to understand why its important for Concord to have a Biblical culture of generosity?

Because...

A Biblical culture of generosity flows from Gospel submission and the grace it supplies.

If you say you have been redeemed; regenerated; brought from death to life by blood of Christ then you understand that God grace came at a heavy price…one that you and I couldn’t pay.

We were bought with a price.

Knowing that you and I should desire to give much because we’ve been given much.

We as a church should desire a Biblical culture of generosity because...

A Biblical culture of generosity flows from Gospel submission and the grace it supplies.

2 Cor 9:5-

There are 3 lessons that this text teach us about what it means to have a Biblical culture of generosity.

1. Necessary Generosity — Generosity is necessary for Christians.

Specifically, the Apostle Paul teaches us:

2 Cor 9:5

 A church marked by a culture of Biblical generosity is a church who has entered into covenant with God knowing that He has called you to live open handed by His call throughout the Scriptures.

And all who enter into this covenant with Christ’s local church commit "in advance" before God to give of their finances “ready” and faithfully, "as a willing gift."

This idea of “Necessary Generosity” is because we are command to give and that’s not something new.

God’s covenant people have always been commanded to give.

Hold your place but turn with me to the fifth book of the Bible in the OT

Deuteronomy chapter 15…where it talks about the command of God for His covenant people to a give a tithe and why.

A tithe is: (Miriam Webster)a tenth part of something paid as a voluntary contribution or as a tax especially for the support of a religious establishment; (dictionary.com)

one tenth of annual produce or earnings, formerly taken as a tax for the support of the Church and clergy.

deut 14:22

Our tithe as the people of God is not optional, it is what we are commanded to give, yet in Moses (the author) moves to something above the normative tithe (Love God) to something greater (loving people) through sacrificial giving; what we call generosity.

Paul reminds us that our generosity is necessary to both God and to His people, submitting to His commands, being obedient as His people.

Paul says that it’s so necessary in v. 5 that he “urges the brothers to go ahead” and to “arrange in advance…the gift you have promised...”

So maybe you are thinking or you would argue, “ haven’t promised this or agreed to giving anything, especially my hard earned money.”

And some of you would be correct you have made no commitment (and I’m not saying that is a good thing because you are called to commit), but this type of thinking is sinful for those of you who are Covenant Members of this church.

As covenant members you have promised both God and his people (this local body) that you would give generously of your time, talents and resources (money).

Let me turn up the dial on this Biblical truth, to speak of those of you who won’t commit to God’s local church, especially for the sake of being tied to it because you don’t want to give of your money.

As someone who belongs to God, or claims too, you have not found a grace-laden loop-hole, that absolves you from giving to the local church.

Instead you are deceived and are blinded to your sinful disobedience.

Not belonging to the local church is unbiblical, especially when you sit under the teaching of God’s word, and benefit from the fellowship of the people of God’s local church.

You are in sin.

I’m not trying to hurt feelings, I’m trying to teach you what the word of God says, and to help you see your disobedience, in hope that you would repent, and press into Christ’s sacrificial call to join the very body in which he died for.

To obediently serve that body, and to die to self, and to start to live open handed in necessary generosity by linking arms with those who make up that body, through the giving of you time, talents, and resources (money).

It is important that you know who we are, are who we are striving to be.

We are a church striving to be obedient to God’s Holy Scriptures and to produce a culture where living these Biblical truths are a part of the very fabric of the culture we create.

It’s the expectation, not the exception.

It’s the desire of every covenant members heart to press in deeper together, not hide and unplug.

No we want a culture that’s quite the opposite of how our deceitful hearts are wired, and how this fallen world has trained us to operate.

We want to live out Christ’s call so we would be known for being different from this world.

That’s why generosity is necessary, because...

A Biblical culture of generosity flows from Gospel submission and the grace it supplies.

The first lesson this text teaches is that we should live out a NECESSARY GENEROSITY as God’s people.

The second is that this should flesh out as...

2. Cheerful Generosity

The Apostle Paul explains:

2 Cor 9:6-8

A church marked by a culture of Biblical generosity is a church who understands that the giving of our time, talents, and resources is a heart issue.

God’s covenant people have been called, by the Scriptures, to give cheerfully.

Not “reluctantly or under compulsion", but cheerfully; "because God loves a cheerful giver."

Paul

Paul Tripp, in his book, talks about a well-known “power couple.”

He says this about them:

It really was true; they had it all.

but sadly “all” sometimes is not enough.

In one single act of arrogance, defiance, and rebellion, they lost it all.

There is no sadder moment in Scripture than the moment when Adam and Eve were driven out of the garden.

Their world was damaged, their union with one another was damaged, their relationship with God was damaged, and the damage passed down to subsequent generations is breathtaking.

I don’t know if you’ve ever thought about it, but that single act of disobedience provides volumes of insight into how we, too, get ourselves into trouble and turn God’s good things into bad things.

In fact, I think there are few stories in the Bible that provide more help for understanding our money problem than the story of the fall of Adam and Eve.

Rebellion is never “cheerful.”

It’s painful.

Listen to the Biblical account of our first parents...

But the LORD God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?”4