Am I Generous

God’s Nature is generous.

He loves to give good gifts to His children.

Hebrews 13:16 (NKJV)

16 But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

Transition to Blessed Life

Ø Am I generous not Are YOU generous?

Ø True generosity, reflects who the Father is to you.

John 12 and Mark 1

Ø It’s a question we all need to ask ourselves from time to time

John 12:1-6 (NKJV)

1 Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead.

2 There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him.

3 Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.

4 Then one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, who would betray Him, said,

5 "Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?"

6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.

Transition to Blessed Life

John 12:17 (NKJV)

17 Therefore the people, who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of his tomb and raised him from the dead, bore witness.

Transition to Blessed Life

John 12:8 (NKJV)

8 For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always."

Transition to Blessed Life

Ø Why did she want to give such a generous gift to the Lord?

Ø And why did it bother Judas so much?

There are two hearts revealed in this passage:

- A generous heart and a selfish heart

The subject of giving revealed both hearts!

1. The Enemy of Generosity

Transition to Blessed Life

Ø This is the age-old battle of God being generous and Satan being selfish.

Selfishness promotes, protects, and provides for self.

This is what God does.

Selfishness takes the place of God!

Ø Have you ever heard a small child say the word “mine”?

Judas didn’t care about the poor!

That was his excuse. He knew Jesus was going to die soon and he was trying to save as much as

he could for himself!

Ø He sold Jesus for 30 pieces of silver! This is the oldest cover-up for selfishness that sounds so good.

“That should be sold and given to the poor!” (Religious/pious)

We say this about any house that is bigger than ours!

We say it about cars that are nicer than ours!

All of the disciples were looking for an earthly kingdom

 Where is the kingdom? When is the kingdom? Is it at this time?

Who is the greatest in the kingdom?

Why are we following the Lord?

 Is it really to abandon everything and give everything we have to the advancement of His Kingdom or is it for what we can get out of it?

 This is a brand of Christianity that is being preached!

Judas had the moneybox and was a thief. Who gave him this responsibility?

 Did Jesus know he was a thief when he gave him the moneybox?

- We are all tested in our areas of weakness

1 Corinthians 10:13

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who

will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also

make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

Transition to Blessed Life

Isn’t it amazing the parallel between Judas being a thief and Taking money that belonged to the Lord and God saying that we have robbed Him in Malachi 3?

Judas was taking money out of the offering box!

Would any of you take money out of the offering box?

Would any of you keep money that belonged in the offering box? Money is a bigger test in the Kingdom than what we think!

God is not only testing our hearts to see if we can handle more money,

He is testing our hearts to see if we can handle true riches!

The ability to love like he does, means we are generous with everything we have, time, talents and our treasure.

2. The Extravagance of Generosity

Transition to Blessed Life

 This was one year’s wages just poured out. (300 Denarii: Plural of Denarius)

 She poured one year’s salary on his feet!

Ø Did Jesus see it as a waste or was he looking at her heart?

 How much constitutes an extravagant gift? God owns it all!

 Gold streets, Diamond walls, Pearly gates, 1380 miles

 A guy snuck gold bricks into heaven. You brought asphalt?

Is there anything that we could give that would impress the owner of the universe?

2 Corinthians 8:2-7 (NKJV)

2 that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality.

3 For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing,

4 imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.

5 And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God.

6 So we urged Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also complete this grace in you as well.

7 But as you abound in everything--in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love for us--see that you abound in this grace also.

Transition to Blessed Life

There are 3 levels of giving:

Tithes, Offerings, and Extravagant Offerings! I said, “You don’t know! I just saw this today!”

When we see something, we don’t think anyone else knows it!

· Most people never even get to the first level. (5-7%)

- The first level is 10% of the gross undesignated!

You can’t designate it because it’s not yours!

· If you get to the first level, you will go to the second and third

- The reason is because the curse is removed And the windows of heaven are opened! There are many examples of extravagant giving in

scripture:

· David’s gift to the temple (21 billion)

· Solomon offered 1000 sacrifices

· The widow’s 2 mites

· Abraham offered his son

· God offered His Son

Where did she get this generous heart?

A generous heart stems from a grateful heart.

Remember, her brother had just been raised from the dead! (2 months)Mary probably had a different perspective of worldly possessions after seeing her brother raised from the dead!

· We should have a different perspective also after seeing our own lives raised from the dead!

The Reward of Generosity

Mark 14:8-9 (NKJV)

8 She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial.

9 Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her."

Transition to Blessed Life

· This was the only anointing for burial that His body received

Because they didn’t have time before the Sabbath began She came with an extravagant gift for the Lord And without thinking of a reward, but was rewarded! It will be a memorial to her wherever the

gospel is preached in the whole world!

· That’s happening today as I preach on this! I know that generosity gives not to be rewarded

· But God always rewards generosity! (Giving with the right heart)

- I’m sorry, but you’re going to be rewarded!

- God cannot, not reward you!

God is a rewarder!

Hebrews 11:6

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Transition to Blessed Life

This is the only time this word (rewarder) is used in the Bible

It’s actually a 5-syllable word in the Greek

- And when you dig down into this word, you find the nugget

- Most of the parts of this word mean to hire or to pay what is due

But the part that means to reward gives us the hint that we need

- It’s to reward with extravagance!

It’s like giving a reward for someone who returned your wallet

But giving them much more than what would be normal

- You’re rewarding the principle of honesty

- Not the amount that was in the wallet

- God is an extravagant rewarder!

Just look at how He rewards us with eternal life through His Son!

He wants to reward us when we fight through selfishness And become like He is, a generous, extravagant giver!

Generosity will reflect the heart of the giver. It is impossible for love to exist and generosity not to exist.

Because they both go together.

For God so loved He gave,

1 John 2:3-5 (NKJV)

3 Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.

4 He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

5 But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.

Transition to Blessed Life

Only two commands, Love God, Love neighbor, We love by living out of generosity.

Am I Generous? Do I Love?

Luke 6:27-36 (NKJV)

27 "But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,

28 bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.

29 To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either.

30 Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back.

31 And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.

32 But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who

love them.

33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.

34 And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back.

35 But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.

36 Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.

Transition to Blessed Life

Band stages:

Invitation/Ministry Time