Sermon Tone Analysis

The subject of generosity can be really uncomfortable for some people.

They think if they dip their toe in the waters of generosity, they will get sucked in and drown.

The Bible has much to say about generosity — pointing out that it is one of the marks of spiritual maturity

It’s one thing to say you believe God to meet all your needs — it is another to actually put yourself in a scenario that actually demonstrates that truth.

Lifegiving is an opportunity - it is not an obligation.

People that have learned the blessing of generosity are actually thrilled to be able to further God’s kingdom

If you had 10,000 to give away, who would you give it to and why?

Can you think of a time someone was generous to you?

How did it make you feel?

How did you react?

Lifegiving generosity requires a “not mine” mind-set.

When we see ourselves as stewards, rather than owners, we realize that even our ability to earn money, buy things, and accumulate wealth are themselves blessings from God — Influence

VIDEO

Based on the teaching for this session, what would you say are keys to maintaining an attitude of generosity?

How did you feel about Peter’s Haas and his wife deciding to give away their nest egg?

Generosity is not only about giving money.

What is the easiest for you to be generous?

What is the main difficulty you might have with being generous?

How can we, as followers of Jesus, know the difference between giving what is possible, giving until it hurts, or giving until its gone?

LEARNING TOGETHER

Jesus had a lot to say about money - His teaching on the subject will help us to grow in the area of generosity, IF we live accordingly

What is the fatal flaw of earthly treasure?

What is the meaning of storing up treasures in heaven and how would you go about it in your life?

First, there is no ban on possessions in themselves; Scripture nowhere forbids private property.

Secondly, ‘saving for a rainy day’ is not forbidden to Christians, or for that matter a life assurance policy which is only a kind of saving by self-imposed compulsion.

On the contrary, Scripture praises the ant for storing in the summer the food it will need in the winter, and declares that the believer who makes no provision for his family is worse than an unbeliever.

Thirdly, we are not to despise, but rather to enjoy, the good things which our Creator has given us richly to enjoy.2

So neither having possessions, nor making provision for the future, nor enjoying the gifts of a good Creator are included in the ban on earthly treasure-storage.

What then?

What Jesus forbids his followers is the selfish accumulation of goods (NB ‘Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth’); extravagant and luxurious living; the hardheartedness which does not feel the colossal need of the world’s under-privileged people; the foolish fantasy that a person’s life consists in the abundance of his possessions; and the materialism which tethers our hearts to the earth.

How is the eye the lamp of the body?

Metaphor

The argument seems to go like this: just as our eye affects our whole body, so our ambition (where we fix our eyes and heart) affects our whole life.

Just as a seeing eye gives light to the body, so a noble and singleminded ambition to serve God and man adds meaning to life and throws light on everything we do.

Again, just as blindness leads to darkness, so an ignoble and selfish ambition (e.g. to lay up treasure for ourselves on earth) plunges us into moral darkness.

It makes us intolerant, inhuman, ruthless and deprives life of all ultimate significance.

It is all a question of vision.

If we have physical vision, we can see what we are doing and where we are going.

So too if we have spiritual vision, if our spiritual perspective is correctly adjusted, then our life is filled with purpose and drive.

But if our vision becomes clouded by the false gods of materialism, and we lose our sense of values, then our whole life is in darkness and we cannot see where we are going

What does this passage () tell us should be our motivation for giving?

SHARING TOGETHER

If someone asked you to describe “lifegiving” generosity, what would you say?

What should be our motivation to be generous?

What should NOT be our motivation to be generous?

How can we develop a more generous spirit?

With our material possessions

With our time

In relationship to other people

Devotions until we meet again:

Read the following passage and search your own heart about generosity

Read the following passage and search your own heart about generosity

Heb 12:1-2