"Living Is for Giving"

Matthew 10:7-8 (NKJV)

1 Jesus called his twelve disciples together and gave them authority to cast out evil spirits and to heal every kind of disease and illness.

7 Go and announce to them that the Kingdom of Heaven is near.

8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons. Give as freely as you have received!

Dr. John W. Kinney, Dean & Professor of Theology & History at Virginia Union University’s School of Theology gave a lecture in 1998 he called “What and Why I Do Not Believe.”

In this lecture series, he talks about topics from the Christian faith that fly in the face of what colonialized versions of theology and Bible teaching have asserted about the nature of God.

It’s not so much that these corrupted versions were heretical; it was just that they STARTED at the wrong place!

He is not out to use His power to control; He uses His power, His living for giving.

“The giving God has imprinted all of creation[,] and the image of God in the living is giving.”

“The self-disclosive activities of God reveal that the nature of God is to give.”

John 3:16 (NKJV)

16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

John 1:4 (NLT)

4 The Word gave life to everything that was created

The nature of God is to give

“In giving for life, God establishes the authentic paradigm for powerful existence.”

Giving is the sustaining principle of creation and life

“Living is for giving.”

“In creating humans in the divine image, God calls us to life-giving responsibility. (Ge1:27-28a)

Made in the image of God, we are commanded to be fruitful and multiply

“’Be fruitful’ is the original command and you shall be known by your fruit.”

Humans are given life to give life in fruitful existence.

Giving life “for the purpose of fostering and furthering life.”

1 Jesus called his twelve disciples together and gave them authority to cast out evil spirits and to heal every kind of disease and illness.

7 Go and announce to them that the Kingdom of Heaven is near.

8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons. Give as freely as you have received!

Fruitfulness defined

Going into “empty, lifeless spaces” and bringing forth life through what we give

Offering light & life to people and places where “death & darkness” have taken over

Claiming and celebrating the image of God in all

Moving into “’dying’ communities, relationships, and people,” in order to release life and bring forth life

“Humans are given life to give life in fruitful existence.”

Guarding & cultivating the garden

“With the blessing of life comes the responsibility of guarding and cultivating the garden.”

“To guard the garden is to value, protect, and care for the life given…”

“To cultivate the garden is to work, invest and give oneself in such a way that life continues to come forth.”

The New King James Version Chapter 10

10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

7 Go and announce to them that the Kingdom of Heaven is near.

Have a message of life & hope

8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons.

Recognize the imago dei / value in all people & all kinds of people & people in all kinds of conditions

Go into the dark places where people are

8 ... Give as freely as you have received!

Use your living for giving!