MESSAGE: I WAS MADE FOR GENEROSITY

SERIES: I WAS MADE FOR THIS

Ps. Aaron Creasey

RECAP

I was made for his Plan

I was made for his Purpose

PASSAGE - LUKE 7

Luke 7:36–50 ESV

36 One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table. 37 And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, 38 and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” 40 And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.” 41 “A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” 44 Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. 46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. 47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” 48 And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49 Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” 50 And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

A MAN WITH EVERYTHING

AND A WOMAN WITH NOTHING

A MAN WITH EVERYTHING

Status

Money

House

Community

AND A WOMAN WITH NOTHING

ITS EASY TO SAY THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THEM IS WHAT THEY HAD IN THEIR HAND.

BUT ACTUALLY THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE IS HOW THEY HELD IT IN THEIR HEART

EVERYONE IS MEANT TO CARRY SOMETHING

BUT WE ARE ALL MEANT TO CARRY IT THE SAME WAY.

WHAT YOU WERE CALLED TO CARRY,

WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN

IS DIFFERENT THAN WHAT I HAVE BEEN GIVEN.

BUT WE ARE MEANT TO CARRY IT THE SAME WAY

WITH AN OPEN HAND

WE WERE MEANT TO BE GENEROUS

TITLE: YOU WERE MADE FOR GENEROSITY

PRAY

WE ARE GENEROUS BECAUSE HE WAS FIRST GENEROUS TO US!

I LOVE THINKING ABOUT THIS THOUGHT:

Everything that we have, comes from God.

Romans 11:36 ESV

36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

ALL THINGS COME FROM GOD

Colossians 1:16 ESV

16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.

THROUGH HIM AND FOR HIM! But it is our choice to live FOR him.

Anything that we have received has come from him, but here is the important part. It is made to go back to him!

ITS FROM HIM AND ITS FOR HIM

I love how PAUL puts it in Ephesians

Ephesians 3:7 (NLT)

7 By God’s grace and mighty power, I have been given the privilege of serving him by spreading this Good News.

GIVEN TO SERVE

GIVEN TO GIVE

THINGS ARE NOT BAD, BUT HOW WE HOLD THEM MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE.

Its not our nature to hold things well!

this is why generosity is a constant reminder

STORY

MICAH - Not wanting to let go of the shell.

Human nature tells us to close our hands when receive something of great value.

Kingdom Nature tells us to hold it with an open hand.

It may not be our nature

We were made to be generous

GENEROSITY IS NOT ABOUT FINANCES

Talking about generosity with TIME, THOUGHT LIFE, PRAYER LIFE, FINANCES, THINGS, THE WORDS THAT WE SPEAK,

ITS NOT IN OUR NATURE

HOW DO WE MAKE IT EASIER?

HOW DO WE MAKE A LIFE OF GENEROSITY ACHIEVABLE?

Pt One: Generosity Takes Our Ownership

Generosity REQUIRES ownership.

YOU CAN’T GIVE WHAT YOU DON’T HAVE

IF THATS YOUR TIME… IF THATS YOUR FINANCES… OR IF THAT IS WITH YOUR POSSESIONS

"I feel like God wants me to give a car away”

I cant now just give my neighbors car away. I DON’T OWN IT!

Same thing, if I feel led to give $1,000 to Berm

but I only have $100 I cant give it, because I don’t have it.

YOU CAN’T GIVE WHAT YOU DON’T HAVE

Finances is the easy target but this goes for all areas of your life.

ESPECIALLY TRUE FOR OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS.

ARE YOU GENEROUS WITH YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS

IF WE ARE TO TRULEY SHARE JESUS WITH THOSE AROUND US

WE NEED TO TRULEY OWN OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS.

What does it look like to own your Relationship with Jesus?

ACCEPTANCE WHERE YOU ARE AT

APPLICATION IN THE PRESENT

Reading, Praying, Worshiping.

VISION FOR THE FUTURE

This is what makes your relationship personal. TO have a personal revelation of who Jesus is for you personally.

FIGURE OUT HOW YOU WORK, AND WORK IT

Reading this book about trees from a forest somewhere oversees. I forget where.

Young Trees that are unable to get nutrients for themselves, from the sun.

Grab nutrients from trees around.

The other trees may keep them alive,

But when it comes time for them to grow into adult trees themselves

(so they can share nutrients with the trees around them)

They will do one of two things

They will sprout up fast and skinny causing them to rely on the trees around them, which then the shade from the trees that they are going to for help, ends up killing them from the lack of sunlight.

OR be unable to grow all together and eventually succumb to nature.

Such a great picture, of a life of spiritual ownership with Jesus.

A TREE CAN TRY TO SURVIVE WITHOUT THE SUN BUT SOONER OR LATER IT IS GOING TO NEED THE SUN

WE NEED THE SON - WE NEED OUR PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS

Philippians 2:12 ESV

12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,

We are called to Ownership of our faith

QUESTION:

Where is your ownership level at with your faith?

Is it something that you borrow or something that you have made your own?

What can you do to go Deeper with Jesus in this season?

OWNERSHIP COMES FROM REVELATION

REVELATION COMES FROM PERSONAL ENCOUNTER

Revelation is Less of what you have to do

And more about the revelation of what HE has done for you.

THATS WHY I LOVE THIS VERSE

Luke 7:41–43 ESV

41 “A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.”

I LOVE THIS, THE MONEYLENDER, DID THE SAME THING FOR BOTH PEOPLE

But one had a greater revelation because his debt was greater.

THEY WERE ONLY EXPERIANCING A GLMPSE OF THE MONEYLENDERS GRACE

GRACE EXTENDED SO FAR BEYOND THE 500 DENARII

IT DOESN’T MATTER THE AMOUNT

IT DOESN’T MATTER WHAT WE HAVE DONE

JESUS HAS FORGIVEN US

AND BECAUSE OF THIS FORGIVENESS

WE GET TO HAVE A PERSONAL REVELATION OF WHAT GOD HAS DONE FOR US

WHAT HAS GOD DONE IN YOUR LIFE?

NEED A GREATER REVELATION?

3 Quick Things if you’re lacking in revelation of the Power of Jesus

PRAYING - START ASKING WHAT HAS JESUS SAVED ME FROM? - ASK FOR GREATER REVELATION

READING - READ ABOUT WHO JESUS WAS (John) - ONE GREAT WAY TO GET TO KNOW SOMEONE IS READING THEIR BOOK

WORSHIPING - WORSHIP IS POWERFUL AND HAS A HUGE IMPACT. THE SPIRIT OF GOD MOVES IN WORSHIP IN A POWERFUL WAY.

And out of our revelation we get to take ownership of our faith.

I LOVE PAUL, HE OWNED HIS FAITH. MADE IT HIS OWN. WORKED ON IT..

Ephesians 3:8–9 (NLT)

8 Though I am the least deserving of all God’s people, he graciously gave me (THATS THE REVELATION) the privilege of telling the Gentiles about the endless treasures available to them in Christ.

9 I was chosen to explain to everyone this mysterious plan that God, the Creator of all things, had kept secret from the beginning.

I DON’T DESERVE IT

HE GAVE ME THE OPPORTUNITY - Humility with Spiritual ownership

So I GET TO POUR OUT.

JUST LIKE THE WOMAN FROM THE STORY

Same heart

Luke 7:37–38 ESV

37 And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, 38 and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment.

HAD A REVELATION OF WHO JESUS WAS TO HER

She was going after Jesus. She was taking things into her own hands.

REVELATION LEAD TO OWNERSHIP

I DON’T DESERVE IT

HE GAVE ME THE OPPORTUNITY

So I GET TO POUR OUT.

JESUS WAS NOT DEMANDING HER TO POUR IT OUT

BUT IT WAS BECAUSE OF HER OWN REVELATION OF JESUS

AND HOW SHE WAS HOLDING WHAT WAS IN HER HAND

THAT LEAD TO HER GENEROSITY

HOW ARE WE HOLDING THE THINGS THAT WE OWN?

TWO PITFALLS WHEN IT COMES TO OWNERSHIP THAT WE NEED TO BE AWARE OF:

Things Spiritual Ownership can Turn into if we are not careful

SUB POINT ONE: MATERIALISTIC OWNERSHIP

Material Ownership

GIVEN A CAR

Holding onto Car Tightly when it was time to give it away

MATERIAL Ownership looks like holding things that God has given you with a closed hand.

Holding His blessing for their life in your hand

We were made to be generous

YOU CAN SEE THIS WITH SIMON

Luke 7:44–46 ESV

44 Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. 46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment.

HOLDING ON TO THE MATERIAL

Rich Young Ruler

How do I get what you have? Give it all away

It was not about his possessions, it was about how he held his possessions!

IT WAS ABOUT HIS HEART

Its not about the things we have.

Its about how we are holding things in our heart.

Can lead to pride.

How do we stay out of this pit in our lives?

CONTINUE TO HAVE FRESH REVELATION

REMINDER HOW DO YOU HAVE FRESH REVELATION?

PRAYING - START ASKING WHAT HAS JESUS SAVED ME FROM? - ASK FOR GREATER REVELATION

READING - READ ABOUT WHO JESUS WAS (John)

WORSHIPING - WORSHIP IS POWERFUL AND IMPACT. THE SPIRIT OF GOD MOVES IN WORSHIP IN A POWERFUL WAY.

We never graduate from these things.

Second pitfall that we need to be aware of with Spiritual Ownership.

SUB POINT TWO: Spiritual Debt

Golf

Given Clubs, my response it to be grateful

What am I called to do? USE THEM

Ephesians 2:8–10 NLT

8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

John 3:16 ESV

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

IT IS A GIFT!

SO MANY OF US ARE WALKING AROUND WITH GOLF CLUBS

WITH THIS BEAUTIFUL LIFE AND RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS

FEELING LIKE WE ARE NOT WORTHY

(WHICH YOU WERE NOT) BUT HAVE BEEN MADE WORTHY THROUGH JESUS

FEELING LIKE WE ARE NOT GOOD ENOUGH

SO WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING TO BE GOOD ENOUGH

WE HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS GIFT

YOU CANT PAY FOR THE GIFT!

BUT YOU CAN USE THE GIFT.

Its time for us to stop waling around with our golf clubs

with our gift

and start using them

START HAVING OWNERSHIP OVER WHAT HAS BEEN GIVEN TO US

IN THIS MAGNIFICENT RELATIONSHIP.

“GOD I AM NOT ENOUGH

BUT YOU MADE ME ENOUGH

SO I AM GOING TO ACCEPT THAT”

ACCEPT THE REVELATION

ACCEPT THE GIFT

PRAY THAT YOU WOULD USE ME

What happens when we do this

Im going to end with this.

Ephesians 3:14–19 (ESV)

14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,

15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named,

16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you( GIVE YOU) to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,

17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith(HAVE A RELATIONSHIP)—that you, being rooted and grounded in love,

18 may have strength to comprehend (HAVE A REVELATION) with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,

19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, ( THE REVELATION) that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

WHEN WE ARE FILLED,

WE THEN GET TO POUR OUT TO THOSE AROUND US

WE WERE MADE TO BE GENEROUS THROUGH OWNERSHIP OF OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS

STAND

Flask of Perfume, would have been purchased with her “Sinful” wages.

Money that she would have earned being a prostitute.

Would have been the most valuable object she had

And she poured it out.

Onto the redeemer

Her whole past.

And we don’t want to go a Tuesday night without an opportunity to say yes to Jesus.