Generous Church, Generous Advance

Introduction

There once was a woman who had finished shopping and returned to her car. She found four men inside the car. She dropped her shopping bags, drew a handgun, and screamed, “I have a gun, and I know how to use it! Get out of the car.”

Those men did not wait for a second invitation; they got out and ran like crazy. The woman, somewhat shaken, loaded her shopping bags and then got into the car. But no matter how she tried, she could not get her key into the ignition. Then it dawned on her: her car was parked four or five spaces away!

She loaded her grocery bags into her own car and then drove to the police station to turn herself in. The desk sergeant to whom she told the story nearly fell off his chair laughing.

He pointed to the other end of the counter, where four men were reporting a carjacking by an old woman with thick glasses and curly white hair, less than five feet tall, and carrying a large handgun. No charges were filed. More often then we would care to admit, in a way, we can all relate to this woman. You see, she thought it was her car, that she had a right to defend it and use it for her own purposes. But in reality it belonged to someone else. How often do we think our lives and our finances belong to us?

Last Week

Last week Pastor Tim introduced us to our two week series on generosity. He helped us to see that when we consider generosity we have to start with

2 Corinthians 8:9 (ESV)

9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.

Today, we continue the conversation in 2 Corinthians 9, understanding that in order for us to walk away with appropriate understanding we need to use verse 15 as a lens to see the rest of the passage.

2 Corinthians 9:15 (ESV)

Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!

Big Idea: The generous grace of God compelled Jesus to die on the cross for us; in response to this eternal gift, we as believers should learn to be givers of generous grace.

Everything we are talking about today hinges on this verse. The preceeding verses are all understood with verse 15 as the lens we should use to view and understand generosity. Last week Tim introduced us to the fact that generosity is tied to Biblical stewardship - understanding all that I have, all that I own, my relationships, my opportunities, and all of my abilities have been entrusted to me by God and should be understood as assets in my life that I am to manage on God’s behalf.

Tim also helped us to understand that there are two keys that are connected to generosity.

There is a connection between Generosity and Joy

There is a connection between Generosity and Mission

The natural result of someone who has learned to be generous towards the kingdom and before God is a greater sense of joy and increased focus on the mission of God. I think we would all say that we could use a little more joy. I hope that most of us if not all would say “I want to be more focused on God’s mission.”

“I don’t want to live this life just for me and my desires, I want to give myself to something greater. I want God to take what I have, my possessions, my ability’s, relationships, all of it! And I want it to be used for His kingdom!”

I think this sentiment is gripping for many of us. We feel in our heart and in our mind that as children of the king this is right.

Why can we feel and know from the core of our being that this is right?????

Because we serve a God who is the ultimate giver.

In Genesis we see that God shaped and formed us out of dust and breathed breath into our lungs. He is the great giver of life.

When Adam and Eve sinned in the garden they brought sin into the world and separated us from God. But God was unwilling to leave us in our sin. John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

Not only did He give us His son, but He gave Him as a gift to conquer sin on our behalf. Romans 6:23 “23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Hebrews 2:9-10 “But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. 10 For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.”

In other words, Jesus, the perfect sacrifice had to die so that He could bring many sons to glory. Who are the sons, anyone who chooses to receive the free gift that He has given!!!

We serve a mighty and generous God!

So when we talk about knowing that it is right in our heart and in our soul to be generous towards God, that sense is there because it is our response of gratitude for the so many blessings that God has given us.

So the question is “Are you generous towards God?”

Do you look to utilize the possessions God has given you for His purposes?

Are your gifts and talents used in a ministry here at church or in a purposeful way to reach people around you?

How much of your time do you give to God?

Are you generous in how much you are giving financially?

It is easy to be gripped by the idea of giving everything to God. Its another to do it.

Generous Church

Today, as we study this passage we find that Paul is building to his final points on financial giving and what that should look like across the body of Christ. He is careful not to give a one size fits all prescription, but rather gives us some guidance on how to proceed well. Giving us several good tid-bits of advice to chew on in how we generously give to God. In the midst of this advice, we need to know that Paul is at the same time casting vision for the church of Corinth, to help them see the need for a financial gift in Jerusalem.

2 Corinthians 9:6 (ESV)

The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

Paul’s first point is simple. Those who work hard receive a greater profit than those who do not. But here he is talking about giving financially to the Lord. Sowing and reaping are terms that describe what a farmer does. The harder the farmer works to spread seed, water it, and weed it, the better the crop will produce. Similarly, the investor who puts large amounts of money in the bank will get back greater dividends than the one that puts little in the bank.

It is a principle of increase: We reap in measure what we sow.

Spiritually then, we need to recognize that there is a connection between how we are generous towards God and the spiritual fruit in our lives. The more that we learn to be generous towards God with everything we have, the more kingdom impact we will have on the people around us.

2 Corinthians 9:7 (ESV)

Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

Paul is clear that no one else should tell you how much to give. This is something that is between you and God. But Paul also addressees reluctance and compulsion. Meaning it is not a decision that is made on a whim but rather that you believe is appropriate and honoring to God. God’s desire is not for you to give your life savings while kicking and screaming or even bringing it up later as if God is somehow indebted to you. But rather, that you would take time to consider how much you are giving, why are you giving that amount, and starting with the question, “what is God asking me to give?”

Whatever the amount is doesn’t matter. What matters is that you are generous in spirit, desiring to give what you are able for the sake of God’s kingdom. Meaning that it doesn’t matter if you are only able to give a small gift. God is concerned about how you give based on the resources you He has given you. I think sometimes we get caught up in how much is realistic to give and we look at other people thinking they can give so much more. “I only have this small amount that really isn’t worth much.” But when we look at Jesus’ response we see a different line of thinking.

Mark 12:41-44 “41 And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. 42 And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. 43 And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. 44 For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.””

It doesn't matters how little or how much. What matters is your motive.

What is your motive for giving?

If your motive for giving is a sense of duty, you may have some legalistic ways of thinking.

If its because you believe God will give you greater blessing, perhaps your giving is a form of your selfishness.

If you give with reluctance, perhaps you lack a thankful attitude towards God.

If you give out of compulsion, you need to discern if it is the Spirit leading or you feeling guilty.

When we look at giving we need to come back to the open hands principle. I have shared this with you before and I learned from my time at Westwood Community Church in Minnesota. In their statement of belief they have this principle that says:

“With Open hands we gratefully receive from God all he wants to give, believing He gives abundantly, and with open hands we joyfully give it away.”

It is coming to a place where we move from recognizing that God will take care of us to trusting that He will take care of us. Its when we stop giving out of our surplus and we start giving freely with the love of Christ, using all our assets that He has graciously given to us.

God Loves a cheerful giver. A cheerful giver is someone who has learned how to live with open hands towards God. Someone who does not value their possessions, relationships, status, or ability’s above their relationship with God. It is an amazing place to be, God is leading and guiding all of His children to be more like Jesus. Jesus, who with open hands gave up His throne in heaven, to die on a cross, so that we might be made rich.

2 Corinthians 9:8–11 (ESV)

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. As it is written,

“He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.”

He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.

This is not a promise that if you give more money that God will make you financially rich. This is a promise that God has already graciously blessed you and He will continue to take care of you. The farmer waits for his harvest, but the believer who graciously gives back what they have received has both an immediate and long-term harvest.

- In verse 8, we see Gods Grace abound in us, having all sufficiency - that's everything I need - in all things, at all times you may abound in every good work. As we learn to freely give away, we will find our needs continuing to be met. God will do this so that in the midst of my learning to be generous, God responds meeting my needs so that I may continue to be fruitful for the kingdom. In other words, no matter how much you give, you cannot out give God. Because in the midst of your giving, He is giving.

In verses 10 and 11 God multiply’s our seed, increases our harvest of righteousness, and enriches us in every way so that we can be generous in every way! and through this process we will see God produce in us a thankfulness before Him. Understanding that He is the one who has provided all of it.

We are talking about a principle of immediacy - God will take care of my needs even when I am giving away my resources.

Transition:

I think that many of the Corinthians must have been a little hesitant. I think that Paul knew he had to cast vision well in order for them to answer the call. Answering a prompting from the Holy Spirit can sometimes be very difficult. We can find ourselves struggling and making excuses as we are not sure, we are hesitating because ultimately the call makes me feel uncomfortable.

Have you ever wrestled with something you felt God calling you to do?

I think many of us have and if we reflected on it we would feel the weight of that moment all over again. That moment when God asked something of me that I wasn’t willing to give it up. The situation I wasn’t quite willing to step into in the moment. Or those nights when you can’t sleep because you can’t stop thinking about it.

Its a process that helps us learn to die to self. Its uncomfortable and challenging. But when we learn to give the outcomes to God and lean into how He is calling and leading us to move there is a spiritual enriching that happens in my soul and in mind because I have taken another step of faith in trusting God..... Each time that we answer the call in these situations we grow in our confidence and learn how to greater depend on God instead of ourselves or the people around us.

I love that Paul quotes Psalm 112. This is a Psalm about a righteous man who is confident because He learned how to trust God with all that He has been given. It is a Psalm that exudes confidence and freedom, knowing that God is on the throne and will take care of those who obey Him.

Listen to confidence and trust in the Lord in Psalm 112:1-9

Psalm 112:1–9 (NLT)

Praise the Lord!

How joyful are those who fear the Lord and delight in obeying his commands. 2 Their children will be successful everywhere; an entire generation of godly people will be blessed. 3 They themselves will be wealthy, and their good deeds will last forever. 4 Light shines in the darkness for the godly. They are generous, compassionate, and righteous. 5 Good comes to those who lend money generously and conduct their business fairly. 6 Such people will not be overcome by evil. Those who are righteous will be long remembered. 7 They do not fear bad news; they confidently trust the Lord to care for them. 8 They are confident and fearless and can face their foes triumphantly. 9 They share freely and give generously to those in need. Their good deeds will be remembered forever. They will have influence and honor.

The author is forward looking, with a God honoring confidence that brings Joy and thankfulness to His heart. This is the type of confidence I want in the Lord. This is the type of faith that I want to have before God.

And if I want to start moving in that direction, I have to be in tune with the Holy Spirit. I have to be willing to part with anything God asks me to give away. I cannot have a great enough value on anything, that I wouldn't freely surrender it to God. If I want to move in that direction,

I need to start learning how to be generous with my time

I need to be intentional in my relationships

I need to learn to utilize my resources

And I need to learn how to be generous towards God with my money.

God did not intend for us to keep it all to ourselves, but to be known as givers of gracious gifts who serve a God who is most gracious.

God is on the throne, He is good, He is kind, and He has called us to be a people who play an integral role in the expansion of His kingdom.

Illustration:

I read a story this week about a wealthy Christian family. Each day this family would have a devotional time together. The father of the family would pray everyday, for the needs of the missionaries that his church supported. He would pray for physical and financial needs, resources and proper equipment. One morning after the father had concluded praying for these missionary’s, his little boy looked up at him and said “Dad, if I had your checkbook, I could answer your prayers.”

Personally, I don’t want to look back at my life, seeing that I only gave out of my abundance wishing I had given more.

But I also recognize that I have day-to-day expenses that need to be met in order for my family to be taken care of. The goal is not to impoverish myself but to learn how to live in moderation so that my heart can be set on giving to God generously, trusting that He will use it accordingly for His kingdom.

We should always start by asking ““God, what do you want me to give?”

Perhaps a second question, to help us start looking at numbers: “Of my day-to-day expenses - what is needed?”

Generous Advance

As believers, we don’t talk about financial giving in order to meet the bills of the church. We don’t give in order to boast about our generosity or righteousness. We turn to God and aim to be generous in His direction recognizing that there are great needs among believers, in our communities, and around the world. We are generous because we believe that God is the great giver, having given us life and opportunity to be in a personal relationship with Him and our sin forgiven out of His willingness to give us His son on the cross.

We give to God all that we are able to give because He has given us far more than we can ever give. It is a response of thankfulness and appreciation to God in an attempt to wrap our minds around the significance of the many gifts He has given us.

We give to God because we care about the advance of the gospel

In the remaining verse, we are going to look at what could happen if we learned to embrace these principles and become generous givers of grace. Remember, Paul is asking them to give to the church in Jerusalem that is struggling financially.

2 Corinthians 9:12–15 (ESV)

12 For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God. 13 By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission that comes from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others, 14 while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you. 15 Thanks be to God for His inexpressible gift!

He says You will meet their immediate needs which will result in thankfulness to God and them glorifying God. In other words, your gift to them will help them refocus their attention on the great giver.

Secondly, they are thankful that you have proven yourselves. Thankful that you are willing to put your money where your mouth is, that Jesus is Lord and all who make such a confession are working together for the advancement of the kingdom and the glory of God. Your gift will help confirm your confession of faith as it demonstrates that you are more concerned about God’s kingdom and His people then you are about comfort, luxury, or your financial goals. This in no way is an indication that your giving is tied to your salvation. We are saved by the grace of God through faith in His son. However, what Paul is saying is that these other brothers and sisters who are in need will know that you are genuine believers.

as a result, they will long for you in prayer! Because God has given you gracious blessings that you have chosen to use graciously towards others.

This is unifying for the body of Christ by helping the body on a global scale to feel a sense of partnership and blessing from one another in the name of Jesus. I believe that any church that generously gives, not just one or two people, but when a church of believers commits to being intentional about generosity, God does a work providing spiritual richness that blesses the body and its surrounding community. And that same spiritual richness propels the church in their desire for greater impact.

2 Corinthians 9:15 (ESV)

15 Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!

Marquis de Lafayette was a French officer who provided invaluable assistance to George Washington and the struggling American army. After the war was over, he returned to France and resumed his life as a farmer of many estates.

In 1783, the harvest was a terrible one, and there were many who suffered as a result. Lafayette’s farms were unaffected by the devastating crop failures.

One of his workers offered what seemed to be good advice to Lafayette, “The bad harvest has raised the price of wheat. This is the time to sell.” After thinking about the hungry peasants in the surrounding villages, Lafayette disagreed and said, “No, this is the time to give.”

Are we willing to give it all away, even when we will miss an opportunity for personal gain?

I think for many of us, it would be easy to say, we can step back our giving a little because the mortgage is finally paid off. But that is the same line of thinking we see from this opportunistic farm hand. Here at Grace, we need to consider that now is the time to give.

Now is the time to give, because we are out from under the mortgage and can put more of our money towards ministry.

Now is the time to give, because we have desperate needs in our community and we need to start thinking about how to step into them.

We need to see the opportunity that we as a body have to be generous and play a significant role in reaching as many as we can with the gospel of Christ.

BIG IDEA: The generous grace of God compelled Jesus to die on the cross for us; in response to this eternal gift, we as believers should learn to be givers of generous grace.