God Reward Generosity

Introduction

Robert Morris tells a story:

Joe had a problem, so he took it to his pastor. “Pastor, I’m having trouble tithing these days!” “What seems to be the hang up?” His pastor asked.

“Well, back when I made $50 a week, I tithed $5, which was easy. And when I made $500 a week, I tithed $50, which was okay. But now that I make $5,000 a week, I’m having a hard time. A $500 tithe is a lot of money! Will you pray for me, Pastor?”

“Sure,” said the pastor, “Father, please reduce Joe’s income back down to $500 a week so that he can honor You with the tithe.”

Would you describe yourself as generous? God is an extravagant giver! He ALWAYS rewards generosity when we give with the right heart.

Would you describe yourself as generous? God is an extravagant giver! He ALWAYS rewards generosity when we give with the right heart.

John 12:1–8 NIV

1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. 3 Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4 But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5 “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” 6 He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it. 7 “Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. 8 You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.”

What an amazing story! It is a contrast between two hearts. Mary had generous heart and Judas a selfish heart. (Message #1 - It’s all about the heart)

Deal with the SELFISH and GRIEVING heart = Develop a GENEROUS and GRATEFUL heart

A few questions arise from this passage of scripture:

1. Why did Mary do this? Why did she give such an extravagant, generous gift to the Lord? (300 denarii is the equivalent of an entire year’s wage).

2. Why did it bother Judas so much? It wasn’t his money!

Wherever you find generosity, you find selfishness battling for control!

1. The Enemy of Generosity

John 12:6 NIV

6 He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.

Judas didn’t care for the poor. He was a thief! He was probably following Jesus for what he thought Jesus could do for him.

As a member of the anti Roman Zealot Party, he was probably looking for a good position in the new kingdom Jesus would establish.

Judas didn’t care for the poor. He was a thief! He was probably following Jesus for what he thought Jesus could do for him. As a member of the anti Roman Zealot Party, he was probably looking for a good position in the new kingdom Jesus would establish.

Like many today - following Jesus out of the W.I.I.F.M. mentality!

The age old battle of God being generous and Satan being selfish.

This may be hard to hear, but even though you may be a Christian, it is much easier for us to operate more like Judas than Mary! We are selfish by nature. (No child has to be taught to be selfish - “It’s mine!)

As followers of Christ we are called to abandon everything and give all we have to the advancement of God’s Kingdom.

God desires to Confront our Weaknesses

Another Question?! Did Jesus know that Judas was a thief when He gave him that responsibility? Certainly!

This may be a startling revelation for many Christians, but we will always be tempted in the area of our weaknesses. God will also give you responsibility in the area of your weakness.

What?! Does God set us up to fail? No! He actually sets us up to succeed.

1 Corinthians 10:13 NIV

13 No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

2. The Extravagance of Generosity

John 12:3–5 NIV

3 Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4 But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5 “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.”

Question? What’s an extravagant gift to God? Before you answer, remember, God owns everything. All the wealth of Heaven and Earth are His.

Your car? House? $1,000,000?

There is only one gift you can give to God that would be considered extravagant - YOUR LIFE! If I give Him my life He might ask me to give him everything. When He has your HEART and LIFE none of that matters.

The expensive perfume didn’t matter as much to Mary as it did to Judas because Jesus had Mary’s heart! Why? (Jesus raises Lazarus - )

John 11:1–4 NIV

1 Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 (This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.) 3 So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.” 4 When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.”

John 11:17–22 NIV

17 On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. 18 Now Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, 19 and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. 20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home. 21 “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”

John 11:32–35 NIV

32 When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. 34 “Where have you laid him?” he asked. “Come and see, Lord,” they replied. 35 Jesus wept.

john 3

John 11:38–44 NIV

38 Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 39 “Take away the stone,” he said. “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” 40 Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” 41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.” 43 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”

Generosity comes from Gratitude!

The rest of Mary’s story

Luke 7:36–47 NIV

36 When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37 A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. 38 As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them. 39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.” 40 Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” “Tell me, teacher,” he said. 41 “Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.” “You have judged correctly,” Jesus said. 44 Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. 47 Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”

-47

Grateful People are Generous!

3. The Reward of Generosity

Hebrews 11:6 NIV

6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

He is a Rewarder!

The word “rewarder” comes from a Greek word that is only in the New Testament one time. It’s a five syllable word. Nearly every syllable means “to pay what is due.” Buy one syllable changes it, and it means:

“To reward with extravagance, to give more than what is due.”

It’s like if someone lost his wallet, and you returned it and instead of giving you a $50 reward, he gives you a $5,000 reward. You say, “Well there is only $50 in the wallet; this is way too much.”

But He’s not rewarding the amount you returned; he’s rewarding your honesty - the attitude of your heart!

God always rewards. He can not, not reward you. He is a rewarder!

Generosity gives not to be rewarded, but God always rewards generosity when we give with the right heart.

So, what is the Blessed Life? Build wealth?

Proverbs 10:15 NLT

15 The wealth of the rich is their fortress; the poverty of the poor is their destruction.

Prov

“He who dies with the most toys is still dead.”

“Another paradox is that wealth will make you more of what you are.” Dave Ramsey

God desires to bless you so that you can learn to be a generous, extravagant giver.

James 1:27 NIV

27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

(Extravagant Giving) “The most fun you’ll ever have with money” Dave Ramsey

A Jewish Story:

The old Rabbi said, "In olden days there were men who saw the face of God."

"Why don't they any more?" a young student asked.

"Because, nowadays no one stoops so low," he replied.

Mary stooped low listen to what happened:

Mark 14:8–9 NIV

8 She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. 9 Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”

Mark 14

The Greek definition of the word “blessed” comes from makários. This describes a believer as being in a position for receiving God’s provisions (favor) – as well as being an extension of his grace.

Learn to be generous because God has been generous with you!

Ephesians 2:4–6 NIV

4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,