Radical Generosity with TIME

Good morning everyone! It it November and that means that that snow is coming…UGH! Anyway, I do appreciate the fact that Northern Illinois does have this evil time of year. I know that many times you do have to put up with the bad in order to appreciate the wonderful. I just want you all to know that is basically how I feel about winter around here. I have to put up with the evil of cold in order to appreciate the wonderful of LRBC. So, this is the time of year that I both want to get excited about serving others, but also that I have to kind of wrap my head around the cold and everything that means. So I am a very conflicted person this time of year. Anyway, today we are starting our brand new series called “Radical Generosity”. The reason that we called it Radical Generosity is because we have just spent months talking about being a true and full disciple of Christ. Well, I have to be honest, I feel like after most of what we read and studied over the summer and coming into fall here that we, I mean as believers, we should probably just be considered “radicals”. I mean, really, as believers we are called to do some pretty amazing things like trust and love and put others first. Let’s be honest that is all pretty much the opposite of all conventional psychology that is taught, right. I was actually having a great conversation with someone a couple of weeks ago and the topic of self-care came up. Now, some of you may disagree with what I am about to say, and thats ok, you’re entitled to be wrong if you want to be :) . Anyway, ha ha, the topic of self-care came up and actually I have to say I disagree with the concept of self-care, and Ill tell you why. Self-care is all about focusing on who? Self. No where is Scripture do we learn that we are to put ourselves above all else. Now, Scripture does talk about taking care of ourselves, right? I mean we learn that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. That means we should take care of our bodies and live a life worthy of God. That also means that we should attempt to maintain a certain level of health, whether that is emotional health, physical health, or most importantly spiritual health. Here’s the thing though, when I think about self-care, my focus is on me and what I need/want. When I think about my body being the temple of the Holy Spirit my focus in on God and what he wants. Do you see the difference. The outward actions may actually look pretty similar, but the focus is completely different. And well…that’s a pretty radical viewpoint to have if we are honest.

So this morning we are starting this brand new series and we are simply going to build onto what God has been showing us over the last few months anyway. This morning we are going to begin to look at how to be generous. The thing is though that generally speaking when you talk about being generous peoples mind automatically thinks about financially, right? And that is definitely important, but I actually think there is something else that is more important than financial generosity. Actually I think we would all agree that this is potentially more important than financial generosity and to prove it I want to tell you a story. Now this story will likely make you sad, and it should. I was heartbroken when I read this story this week. But I believe it will point us to the exact idea of radical generosity that I want to talk about this morning.

During the Second World War, Polish Priest Maximilian Kolbe was arrested by the German Gestapo for hiding Jews and Polish refugees from the Nazis. Now, this in and of itself it heroic, and should be honored as a man that placed the value of others about himself. Howevrer, it doesn’t end there. When three prisoners disappeared from the Auschwitz concentration camp, the deputy camp commander issued orders to pick ten men to be starved to death in order to deter further escape attempts. One of these ten, Franciszek Gajowniczek, began to cry out, “My wife! My children! I will never see them again!” At this point, Kolbe stepped forward, removed his cap, and said, “I am a Catholic Priest. Let me take his place. I am old. He has a wife and children.” Amazingly, the commander allowed the request.In the starvation cell, he celebrated Mass each day and sang hymns with his fellow prisoners. After two weeks of dehydration and starvation, only Kolbe remained alive. Because the cell was needed for other prisoners, he was given a lethal injection. Those present say he raised his left arm and calmly waited for the injection.

Maximilian Kolbe saw something that you and I need to be reminded of sometimes. That is the fact that God is in fact in control and is sovereign over all aspects of our lives, as well as the lives of others, and therefore we should look at our days as a gift from God to be used according to his purposes. So, this morning I would like us to take a look at Psalm 90. The reason I would like to look at this Psalm is that it will remind us of who God is and who we are. Let’s start off remembering that God is in fact sovereign...

God is Sovereign

This is a big statement and it is a word that I use rather frequently. Maybe it is a new word, maybe it is a common word. I do what to take a moment to make sure that we all actually know that this term means when applied to God.

God’s sovereignty is actually a natural consequence of His omniscience, omnipotence, and omnipresence.

In other words, when I talk about God’s sovereignty I mean that he controls the universe in both direct and indirect ways. You see, the term sovereignty means “a supreme ruler”, or possessing supreme or ultimate power. So, how do we actually get there? Why would we say that God is sovereign? well, lets take a look at Ps 90:1-4 and see that God is eternal

God is eternal (Ps. 90:1-4)

Look the first thing that jumps out as we read this passage is that God has been our dwelling place in all generations.

Before the earth was ever created YOU ARE GOD.

Do you realize what that is really saying? Before anything ever…you are our dwelling place. Actually a better term here would be refuge. You know the place that you go to feel safe and secure. You know the place where you realize you can relax and live. That before anything else ever was, you were. Not only did you exist, but you were a safe refuge and then it goes on to tell us that

You formed, or you gave birth to everything.

Think about that for a moment will you. Join me as we dwell on the fact that God is God from everlasting to everlasting, or from eternity past into eternity future. Do you truly grasp the mere existence of the God that we serve? Add to that…He literally holds authority over life and death.

God is eternal while man is not...

You see, as we continue looking at this passage, we will see that...

Man is fragile (Ps. 90:5-6)

Look, compared to the sovereignty of God, we are nothing…Actually the Psalmist here reminds us of the power and glory of God as he reflects on the frailty of man. Look as we are reminded that we are swept away into death. Grass is a fairly common picture of the frailty of man in the OT and we see that again here. Think about how grass is nothing. think about the heat of summer if you do not water your grass how the grass will grow in the morning, in the Spring, but then in the heat it will turn and die. Then new grass will simply regrow. I am reminded of growing up in Dallas when no one was allowed to have green grass in the summer unless you really spent time out watering your grass and were trying to keep it alive. that is the frailty of man. We look at each other as strong; but as far as God is concerned, we may be swept away by the waters of the flood

So when we realize how frail we really are, we are able to see that, in fact, our days are limited.

Man is Limited (Ps. 90:12)

Look this passage tells us straight up that we need to realize that our days are numbered so that we will be wise with those days. This is important, because when we come to the realization that we do not have an eternity to live the way we want to live, then we have to start making some decisions about how we will live. You know the most common response any husband will give when asked why they didn’t fix a certain thing, I’ll do it later. If Im honest, and Beth will tell you this, that is typically my response to fixing something around the house. There is a thing called a “honey do list” for a reason…We will do it later.

The problem with that thought is that there may not actually be a later. You see, our days are numbered...

Our time is limited(Ps. 90:5-10)

As we read these Scriptures we see more and more the distance between the Lord and man. The Lord is eternal and sovereign while man is weak and dependent. As I read through this passage I am weighed down with the frailty of man and the Psalmist does not seem to remind the reader that there is in fact hope. That the hope that we have comes int he atonement of sin through the person of Jesus Christ.

Now there is a tension that must be held here. I need to realize the frailty of myself and the fact that my time is limited. Well, actually, maybe a better was to think about this is to realize that I am not living on my time, but in fact living on God’s time. What do I mean by that?

Well, if you sinned, which you have, then you are in fact worthy of death. Right? We read that in Rom. 6:23

English Standard Version Chapter 6

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

So, if I am in fact worthy of death, then the life that I am currently living is a life that is not based on my worth, or sacrifice, but the worth and sacrifice of God. Look Paul tells us that right in Gal. 2:20

English Standard Version Chapter 2

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Paul tells us that the life we live, is not in fact our own life. We see in Psalms that our life is frail and that we are filled with sin that is left to your wrath. Therefor, if our lives are not our own. Then we must seek the wisdom to live a life worthy of the Gospel. Actually, James, Jesus’ brother reminds us in James 4

English Standard Version Chapter 4

13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— 14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”

You see, the time we are living, the days we are using are actually 100% in the hands of God. So, what do we do with that information? Well, the Psalmist tells us in vs 12 that we should go to God in prayer. First to ask him to reveal to us the brevity of life, and second to give us wisdom in how we should be living in our life. In other words, we should...

Spend your days wisely

We see that in Ephesians 5 also,

English Standard Version Chapter 5

15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18

It doesn’t stop there. When we look through the Scriptures we are told time after time that we should be using our time wisely and that we should be living a life that is worthy of the Lord. Paul says in Col. 1

English Standard Version Chapter 1

10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;

So what does it look like to live a life that is pleasing to the Lord? What does it look like to bear fruit in every good work? These are the questions that we really need to answer, and I would argue that the answer to those questions are the title of this series that we are looking at right now. I would argue that a life that is worthy of the Lord is a life that is showing a radical generosity. Specifically in relation to the realization that our days are limited then that radical generosity is exhibited with our time. When we are giving with our time and show others that we are not more worried about what we can get, but what we can give.

Did you know that you were actually created to be hardwired to do good to others. Now, those that do not know Christ don’t really understand how that works, but we understand that when we are pleasing to the Lord we are energized by him. Frankly that really leads us to the result of spending our days wisely according to the Psalmist, and that is when we live a life that is focused more on Christ than self then we will...

Be blessed by God

English Standard Version Psalm 90

17 Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us,

and establish the work of our hands upon us;

yes, establish the work of our hands!

Take it Home

So what does all of this mean? I mean that was a whole lot of reminders that we all acknowledge if we are honest. We all, or most of us here this morning and online would acknowledge that God is sovereign and eternal and our days are limited. I don’t know that I would hear anyone that said that they would disagree that we should live a life that is worthy of the Lord. Right?

But what about your day to day life? I mean, of course Sunday you are focused on church and living a life for the Lord and everyday I pray…but what about the rest of the week? What about while you are at work? Are you serving others with your time, or are you protecting your time so that you are able to get done what you would like to get done? Are you using a significant amount of time on things that are not Godly and not worthy of the Lord?

You see, Our culture elevates things that won’t last: money, power, fame, comfort, etc. By numbering our days we realize how few we actually have, we spend them wisely, and we live them out for God’s eternal purposes. Look I love what Pastor John Piper said in a sermon called “Boasting only in the Cross” He told about a a plaque that used to hang on his childhood home. This is what he says.

“Only one life, ‘twill soon be past. Only what’s done for Christ will last.” To the left, beside those words, was painted a green hill with two trees and a brown path that disappeared over the hill.

“How many times,” says Piper, “as a little boy, and then as a teenager with pimples and longings and anxieties, I looked at that brown path—my life—and wondered what would be over that hill. The message was clear. You get one pass at life. Only one. And the lasting measure of that life is Jesus Christ. I am 57 as I write these words, and that very plaque hangs today on the wall by our front door. I see it every time I leave home.” (John Piper, from the sermon “Boasting Only in the Cross”)

That is a thought we must all wrestle with as we walk day to day. Are we using our time in such a way that we are presenting a radical generosity. are we prepared to serve others at a moments notice? Are we prepared to serve various capacities at church when needed? Are we ready, as JFK says, are you ready and willing to ask not what others can do for you, what church can do for you, what your boss can do for you, what your spouse or family can do for you, but what you can do for them? Are you prepared to account for your time in-front of the Lord?

Ask not what others can do for you, but what you can do for others.

You have to be a wise steward of your time to live a life that counts. You must realize how few days you actually have. You must think about spending them wisely, and then, well, you actually have to do it. You must offer your days to God and ask him to bless them with eternal significance. You only have one life to live; don’t waste it.

Look I have a tasks for you all to do this week. This is a little bit of homework as we think through using our time for the Lord,a nd not for ourselves. Here is what I want you to do....

Keep a record of your activities for a week. Write down every hour of the day (as much as you can) and how you are using it. At the end of the week, look at the activities that need to change to use your days for God. This may mean adding activities or getting rid of activities. Ask God what he wants you to do in order to live a life of Radical Generosity with your time.