That's Not Fair

God is Generous

Have you ever met someone that is really kind? What are a few ways that you know someone is kind when you sit down at the lunch table? I remember when I was in middle school- we would always sit down on the days that chicken fries were being made and everyone would be trying the hardest to get the more chicken fries from everyone else. People would buy ice cream for other people just to get more chicken fries. They were exchanging currency basically! I always thought that the people buying ice cream in order to get more chicken fries were being nice, they might have been, but in all reality- there were just rich and able to get what they wanted. The real nice people were the ones that gave- and expected nothing in return. They were literally giving people gogurt, chicken fries, ice cream money, because they heard that the other people at the table liked it or wanted some that day. That is one of the main points of this story- when Jesus says that the Kingdom of Heaven is LIKE- this story, he is saying that it does not matter how much time someone is able to give to God , what matters is that God invited them into the kingdom.

We are selfish

Here is the problem, we are often a lot more like the workers that got jealous or envious because we should get to eat pizza first because we were kind. We want to be rewarded for our good behavior. Everything else in society works this way, you work hard to get a good grade, you earn your spot on the starting five in basketball, you work… you earn, and it turns us into pretty selfish people sometimes in ways that God did not intend. It makes us focussed on our own lives. These workers were concerned with everything that everyone else was receiving rather than the fact that they were blessed to receive anything at all.

We serve a Giving God

John 3:16 ESV

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

1 John 5:11 ESV

And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

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Matthew 7:11 ESV

If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

Jesus gave his life for ours

We should strive to be like our God

Ephesians 5:1 ESV

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.

1 Peter 1:13–16 ESV

Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

1 Peter 13-16

Jesus gave his life for ours- We should be willing to give of our time and treasure for others

How can we do this?

You can serve with childrens ministry! There are children that need to see that you can be a CHristian even when you go into the difficult times. When family life is hard or when people are not being the nicest at school. They need to know that someone cares for them besides their parents.

Gloucester needs a new building so that they can have a nice place to do ministry, they need funds they need your help. We want to see more people invited to know Jesus! We want to help make the kingdom of God bigger, and although you may not benefit from the money that you can raise for that building, you can help others by being generous like God is with us- God doesnt receive anything in return, because God doesnt need anything.

Brainstorm with Your Small Group

The small group that raises the most money gets to pie me and your leaders in the face.