The Gospel of Generosity: Loving the Master More Than Mammon

Text: 2 Corinthians 9:6-7

Theme: Christian stewardship centers not in how much we have, but how we got it and how we use it.

As a Christian, have you ever thought what kind of an epitaph you would want on your headstone? In a cemetery in Warwichshire, England, there is an epitaph which reads:

"Here lies a miser who lived for himself

And cared for nothing but gathering pelf (an old term for booty or loot)

Now, where he is, or how he fares

Nobody knows ... and nobody cares!"

Gleanings in Graveyards: A Collection of Curious Epitaphs 1861, Horatio Edward Norfolk

This is certainly not how any of us would like to be remembered. As a Christian there are probably lots of things we’d like to have people say about us once the Lord has called us home. Would one of those comments be, “He was radically generous!” or “She was generous to a fault”? Surely none of us wants to be remembered as a miser!

The topic of the message is generosity. I preached an introductory message a couple of weeks ago. In it we looked at the words of Jesus in his Sermon on the Mount when he compared the foolishness of hoarding earthly treasure verse the wisdom of accumulating heavenly treasure. I’d like to continue with the theme of generosity this morning and next Sunday. It’s been a long, long time since I’ve preached any messages specifically about financial stewardship. I’ve not really had to concern myself with doing so because you’ve always been such a generous congregation. But if I’m going to be faithful to the entirety of the biblical text, it’s a topic we do need to touch on from time-to-time.

Christian stewardship is not so much concerned with how much the believer gives to his church, but how the believer got his wealth, and how he uses the totality of his wealth. Sometimes we tend to assume that God is only concerned about the portion that we give to Him. Wrong! God is as equally concerned with what we do with what we keep.

So lets look at a passage where the Apostle Paul speaks to the Corinthian Christians about generosity.

I. GOD BLESSES CHRISTIANS WITH MONEY FOR THEM TO PASS IT ALONG TO THOSE WHO NEED IT

“He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.” (Ephesians 4:28, NIV)

1. most believers I know have no problem with the first clause of that verse

a. you’re not a thief and you do not rob from the work place (but if you do ... stop it!)

2. most believers I know have no problem with the second clause of that verse

a. just about everyone here this morning works and does something useful with their hands

3. it’s that third clause that so many believers wince at

a. here is the revolutionary biblical concept of earning money — we do it for the benefit of others!

b. for our families first, but also so that we might have something to share with those in need

4. it's easy — in concept — to say that the needs of others are important to us

a. it's harder to put into practice

ILLUS. John Wesley, the 19th century Methodist preacher said this about money, “Make all you can, save all you can, give all you can.” Most of you are familiar with that quote because you’ve heard me use it on any number of occasions. What you may not know is how Wesley came to that conviction. Wesley practiced what he preached, but it took an embarrassing incident to help him understand the importance of radical generosity.

It was the winter of 1730. Wesley was a successful professor at Oxford University. Having moved into a more spacious apartment he was redecorating with new furniture and fixtures. He had just returned from purchasing some paintings for his room when one of the chambermaids came to his door. It was bitterly cold that day, and he noticed she had nothing but a thin linen wrap to wear over her dress. He reached into his pocket, intending to give her money to go buy a coat with. He did not have enough to do so. He became convicted that he had spent his money solely on his own pleasure which left him nothing with which to help a truly needy person. He resolved never to let it happen again.

Wesley went on to limit his expenses so he would have more to give away. In 1731 Wesley’s income was £30 (a ‘Pound’ referring to the currency of Great Britain). £30 in 1731 would be the equivalent of about $64,000 in today’s American currency. That year he earned £30, and he lived on £28 — about $60,000 and gave away £2 — or about $4000. In 1732 his income doubled, but he continued to live on £28 a year, and gave the rest away. In 1733, his income went to £90 a year (about $192,000). Once again, he continued to live on £28, and gave away £62. In 1734 Wesley was making the princely sum of £120, or about $256,000 in today’s American currency. He was still living on £28 a year and gave away £92 — almost $200,000. Now that’s radical generosity!

Wesley preached that Christians should not merely tithe, but give away all extra income once the family had been provided for and one’s creditors paid. He believed that with increasing income, the Christian’s standard of giving should increase, not their standard of living. Wesley lived out the spirit of this morning’s text.

5. we’re amazed, but the story illustrates a point ... God calls Christians to a radical generosity that is the product of grace

A. THE LOVE OF MONEY REALLY IS THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL

ILLUS. In the Hollywood musical Hello Dolly Barbara Streisand plays the part of professional matchmaker Dolly Levi who sets out to catch herself a husband. She has her eyes set on Horace Vandergelder. In one of the lines from the movie, Dolly says to Horace, who is a wealthy businessman, “Money is like manure: If you spread it around, it does a world of good; but if you pile it up, it stinks to high heaven.”

1. the apostle Paul wrote in 1 Tim. 6:9 that the overwhelming desire for money can plunge the Christian into ruin and destruction

a. one of the richest men that ever lived discovered this — his name was Solomon — and he wrote:

“Whoever loves money will never have enough money; Whoever loves wealth will not be satisfied with it ...” (Ecclesiastes 5:10, NCV)

2. when it comes to money, material wealth and pelf, many believers need an attitude adjustment

ILLUS. Some years ago, McDonald's aired a commercial that I really liked. A father is in his front yard. In the background you see a young teenage boy pushing a lawn mower back and forth across the yard. The father is talking to the camera discussing his son. He says, "I gave my son a dollar the other day. He looked at me and said, "What's this? A tip?’"

The father continues, "So I took my dollar and went to McDonalds where I bought a double cheeseburger for 99 cents. When I got home I gave my son the penny."

"What's this?" my son asked.

"That's your allowance," I said. There is a brief pause and then the father smiles and leans toward the camera, "The boy needed an attitude adjustment."

3. our Heavenly Father can undoubtedly say the same thing about many of His earthly children

a. so many Christians trust Jesus with their soul

b. so many Christians don’t trust Jesus with their wallet or pocket book or checking account

1) they simply don’t believe 2 Cor. 9:8

“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” (2 Corinthians 9:8, NIV84)

c. some Christians say that they’re simply not “gifted” with the “spirit of generosity”

4. the bible says there can be no significant spiritual growth in your life unless you put your money, and your attitude toward it into God’s hands

a. the world will always measure a man by asking the question “What does a man own?

b. but our Savior measures His people by asking the question, “How much of what a man owns does he give away?”

ILLUS Unfortunately, too many believers have adopted the philosophy of Malcolm Forbes who once said, “He who dies with the most toys wins.”

c. some believers need an attitude adjustment when it comes to wealth!

B. THE LOVE OF GOD & OTHERS IS THE ROOT OF GENEROSITY

“This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. 13 Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men 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.” (2 Corinthians 9:12–14, NIV84)

ILLUS. The historical situation behind this text is drought and starvation. In the Book of Acts, in chapter eleven, a believer named Agabus foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world, and that it would take place during the reign of the Roman Emperor Claudius. Several Roman historians confirm that such a famine took place between A.D. 45-47, and that it was especially severe in the Middle East. One of the groups suffering the most were Christians. To help alleviate their suffering Paul is encouraging fellow believers in the churches he’s helped to establish over the years to come to the aid of their Christian brethren.

1. a radical generosity by many churches was the result, but especially by the churches in Macedonia

“And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. 2 Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. 3 For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4 they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints.” (2 Corinthians 8:1–4, NIV84)

2. the Apostle Paul now encourages the believers in the church at Corinth to follow suit, and God will richly bless them for doing so

a. by His grace God supplies seed to the sower

b. by His grace God supplies ... bread for food

c. by His grace God will supply and increase your store of seed

d. by His grace God will make you rich in every way

3. what happens when we practice radical generosity?

a. three reasons

1) 1st, to enlarge the harvest of your righteousness

2) 2nd, so that you can be generous on every occasion

3) 3rd, so that your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God

II. CHRISTIANS MUST GIVE AN ACCOUNT TO THE LORD FOR HOW THEY HAVE USED THEIR MONEY

ILLUS. It was Martin Luther who said, "There are three conversions a person needs to experience: The conversion of the head, the conversion of the heart, and the conversion of the pocketbook."

1. Christian stewardship is not so much a problem of the pocket book as it is a problem of the heart

a. keeping, is such a natural instinct, isn't it?

ILLUS. The love of money has turned many a believer into a spiritual Scrooge. In his book A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens says of Mr. Scrooge: Oh! But he was a tight-fisted hand at the grindstone, ... a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner! Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire; ... “

b. Scrooge was good at keeping what was his — and so are many who claim the name of Christ

1) but if you’re familiar with Dickens’ story, you know that by the end of the book that Scrooge has a conversion of some sort and becomes one of the most generous citizens of London, who “knew how to keep Christmas well”

A. KEEPING IS THE NATURAL INSTINCT, GIVING IS CHRIST-LIKE VIRTUE

1. what if the Bible read, "The Lord loveth a regretful giver?"

a. after all, my money wasn't earned to be given away to shiftless preachers, dubious missions programs, or to the so-called "unfortunates" in our community who probably brought their hardships on themselves anyway

2. what if the Bible read, "The Lord loveth a frugal giver."

a. doesn't the Bible teach us to make wise investment?

b. isn't the parable of the Prodigal Son an illustration of the sin of wasting money?

c. how can I make wise investments if I'm always giving my money away to the sick and the hungry and the uneducated and the homeless or the foreigner?

3. but the Bible does not teach us to be regretful or frugal givers

a. the Bible teaches us to be cheerful and abundant givers

“Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” (2 Corinthians 9:6–8, NIV84)

b. God is delighted with the person whose heart is in his gift

4. radical generosity comes from a heart that has been radically changed by God because of His radical love toward us in Christ

a. in vs. 7 Paul instructs the Corinthian believers to give based on a heart decision ... Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give

b. in vs. 8 he reminds the Corinthian believers that God’s abounding grace can’t be out done ... God is able to make all grace abound to you

1) the word abound in vs. 8 literally means to superabound in both quantity and quality

2) God’s grace is excessive and more than enough to spare

c. grace and radical generosity always go together, the former always producing the latter, and the latter always an indication of the former

d. over the years I’ve discovered that there are four motivations in Christian giving

1) 1st, some Christians give out of a sense of law and duty

a) their attitude is, “God is going to ‘get me’ if I don’t.”

2) 2nd, some Christians give out of a sense of loyalty and dedication

a) their attitude is, “This is my church, and I must help support it”

3) 3rd, some Christians give out of a sense of reciprocity

a) their attitude is, “If I give X-amount, God will bless me with X-amount.”

4) 4th, some Christians give out of a deep sense of love because of the grace they’ve received in Christ

a) their attitude is, “With all that Jesus has done for me, how can I do less then give him the first fruits of my life?”

4. like Ebenezer Scrooge believers have had a conversion that comes, not from three ghosts, but one Holy Spirit who converts us and changes us giving us a new heart that leads to a radical generosity that seeks to meet the needs of others through our liberality

ILLUS. Our early Puritan forefathers held the conviction that money is a social good, not a private possession. Its main purpose is the welfare of everyone in society, not the personal pleasure of the person who happens to have control over it. Money, they believed, exists “for the glory of God and the good of others.” One Puritan preacher told his congregation: “If a believer uses their wealth for God, and for charitable uses, there is no man that taketh a righter course.”

a. that’s a radical idea in 21st century America – but thoroughly Biblical

III. APPLICATION

1. how do we go about getting our hearts right in this matter of stewardship?

2. given that we want to be effective Christians, how can we become Christian stewards

3. consider these suggestions

A. 1st, ACKNOWLEDGE THAT GOD IS THE OWNER OF ALL THINGS

1. God really does “own it all”

a. the cattle are all His

b. the gold is His

c. the earth is His

d. we are His

“The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it;” (Psalm 24:1, NIV84)

1) this is not merely Hebrew poetic licence describing God’s creative benevolence, but the Psalmist teaching that God’s sovereignty and ownership extends to all things

2. none of us really earns money by our own cleverness and hard work

a. God is the One who gives us the energy and intelligence

b. He is the source of all our wealth

1) that means that everything we own is really His

c. this is where a theology of Biblical stewardship begins

1) if you do not accept this fundamental truth, you’ll never be a cheerful giver, or a good steward

2) you’ll forever be a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner!

B. 2nd, ACCEPT THAT YOU’VE BEEN BOUGHT WITH A PRICE AND YOU ARE NOT YOUR OWN

1. we are His by creation

2. if you are a Christian, you are His by redemption

“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:19–20, NIV84)

a. we are blood bought

b. our redemption cost God the death of His only begotten Son

3. the fundamental lesson for the Christian steward to understand is that stewardship is basic to our Christian life and growth

a. it is as important as praying

b. the same bible which teaches that "men ought always to pray" (Luke 18:1) also says, "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these ... ye have done it unto me" (Matt. 25:40)

c. the same bible what says, "By grace are ye saved" (Eph. 2:8) says of giving, "See that ye abound in this grace also" (2 Cor. 8:7)

C. 3rd, GIVING REVEALS YOUR ATTITUDE TOWARD BIBLICAL STEWARDSHIP

“The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:6–7, ESV)

ILLUS. Can I be honest with you this morning? There is a part of me — hopefully a very small part — that doesn’t care why you give as long as you do. If you give because you think that if you don’t God will “get you,” or if you give out of a loyalty to your church, or if you give because you think it obligates God to bless you, hey — I’m cool with that. We have a budget to meet. We have mission obligations that we’ve made.

1. I may not be overly concerned about your attitude in giving, but God is

a. in these verses Paul talks about the attitudes behind our giving

1) it’s to be done cheerfully — this is what God loves

2) it’s to be done bountifully — this is what the world needs

3) it’s to be done wholeheartedly — this is what you need

2. a Christian should never have to be coerced into giving, or pressured into giving, or strong-armed into giving

a. it should be a natural result of the grace we’ve been given, and the love that flows from God through us toward others

b. a Christian who gives cheerfully, bountifully, and wholeheartedly is a Christian whose heart has been captured by Calvary

God wants all Christians to be Christian stewards of that which we do not own, but which has been entrusted to us for our use. If you have made Christ Lord of your life, you will make Him Lord of your possessions as well as of your person. Being a good steward is basic to your Christian life and growth.

We become Christian stewards by a process of learning and by an act of the will. You do not "hope" to someday become generous; you choose to be. You do not "hope" to one day become a Christian steward; you choose to be.

The challenge from the Lord this morning is this:

1) Choose to honor God with your life

2) Choose to make Him Lord of your family treasury

3) Choose to begin today to give God gifts that are worthy of His love.