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gen·er·os·i·ty

gen·er·os·i·ty. n . 1 .  willingness and liberality in giving away one's money, time,  etc.;  magnanimity 2.  freedom from pettiness in character and mind 3.  a generous act 4.  abundance; plenty. Stats. Per Gallup, 84% of Christians gave money to a church or charity or both in 2013.

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gen·er·os·i·ty

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  1. gen·er·os·i·ty n. 1. willingness and liberality in giving away one's money, time, etc.; magnanimity 2. freedom from pettiness in character and mind 3. a generous act 4. abundance; plenty

  2. Stats • Per Gallup, 84% of Christians gave money to a church or charity or both in 2013. • Per Dave Ramsey, only 3% of Christians gave a tenth of their income to their church. • What does this divide say? • Christians understand the call to be generous. • Few do so significantly.

  3. Hurdles • Under-employed • Poor budgeting • Narrow margin • Lack of understanding • Lack of conviction • Lack of consistency • Lack of focus

  4. Goal To see more of us moving closer to living out a life of generosity that the Spirit of God has placed in our hearts.

  5. Generosity doesn’t work by itself

  6. Money and the Bible • Over 800 verses related to money topics. • At first glance, seems like a mixed message • Abraham, Solomon • Rich man like a camel trying to pass through the eye of a needle • But the more you read, the more you see trends develop.

  7. Wisdom’s Observations He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity. When goods increase, they increase who eat them, and what advantage has their owner but to see them with his eyes? Sweet is the sleep of a laborer, whether he eats little or much, but the full stomach of the rich will not let him sleep. Ecclesiastes 5:10-20 (ESV)

  8. Wisdom’s Observations There is a grievous evil that I have seen under the sun: riches were kept by their owner to his hurt, and those riches were lost in a bad venture. And he is father of a son, but he has nothing in his hand. As he came from his mother's womb he shall go again, naked as he came, and shall take nothing for his toil that he may carry away in his hand. This also is a grievous evil: just as he came, so shall he go, and what gain is there to him who toils for the wind? Moreover, all his days he eats in darkness in much vexation and sickness and anger.

  9. Wisdom’s Observations Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot. Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil—this is the gift of God. For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart.

  10. Boiling it down • What Solomon observed (and probably experienced) and reported, Jesus made clear in a single statement. • “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.Matthew 6:24 (ESV)

  11. Real Life Example “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. Revelation 3:15-17 (ESV) • Had their financial position slowly shifted their faith lives to that of complacency?

  12. Digging Deeper • Leviticus describes the O.T. sacrificial system • Compulsory • Sin Offering – sacrifice of bull or goat to cover sin • Guilt Offering – another animal sacrifice to absolve guilt • Voluntary • Burnt Offering – expressed one’s devotion • Grain Offering – expressed gratitude for God’s provision • Peace Offering – acknowledges goodness of God

  13. Learning from Sacrifice • Access to God required sacrifice. No getting around it. • Deeper fellowship with God required sacrifice.

  14. Learning from Sacrifice • Sacrifice isn’t perfunctory. It requires an engagement of the heart and soul. For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. Do good to Zion in your good pleasure; build up the walls of Jerusalem; then will you delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on your altar. Psalm 51:16-19 (ESV)

  15. Learning from Sacrifice • Sacrifice isn’t perfunctory. It requires an engagement of the heart and soul. “What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the Lord; I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of goats. Bring no more vain offerings; incense is an abomination to me. I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly. Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hates; they have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them.Isaiah 1:11-14 (ESV)

  16. Learning from Sacrifice • Sacrifice has a significant economic component. • Best. First. • David’s Census and Aftermath in 2 Samuel 24 But the king said to Araunah, “No, but I will buy it from you for a price. I will not offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God that cost me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. And David built there an altar to the LORD and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the LORD responded to the plea for the land, and the plague was averted from Israel. 2 Samuel 24:24-25 (ESV)

  17. But that’s the Law • …God, who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. 2 Corinthians 3:5-6 (ESV) • Before the Law was given, consider Abraham, who waited for the promise. We know his story. • Well, ok, but how about something New Testament?

  18. It’s the Law, and the Spirit • I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.Romans 12:1 (ESV)

  19. What’s the point to all this? God periodically tests every one of us for the singularity of our devotion through sacrifice. Every relationship, every possession, every dream will have to go to the alter from time to time. It probably won't be superficial, but will likely hurt. That’s the reality behind the word sacrifice. But it will demonstrate to you and others where your true love rests. Why is it all necessary? Good people left unchecked with good things over time will drift away from God and embrace those good things as idols in their heart.

  20. Sacrifice… I hope it’s worth it • Real life event of the Rich Young Ruler • Peter began to say to him, “See, we have left everything and followed you.” Mark 10:28 (ESV) • Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life.Mark 10:29-30 (ESV)

  21. My favorite money passage Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 (NASB) • Who is in the driver’s seat? • Purposed <<< I love this word!!!

  22. My favorite money passage And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. As the Scriptures say, “They share freely and give generously to the poor. Their good deeds will be remembered forever.” For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosityin you. 2 Corinthians 9:8-10 (NLT) • Who provides? • What is provided? • Tempered with James 4

  23. You mean there is more!? Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God. So two good things will result from this ministry of giving—the needs of the believers in Jerusalem will be met, and they will joyfully express their thanks to God.2 Corinthians 9:11-12 (NLT) • It doesn’t just stop with the giver and receiver, but most importantly ends in Thanksgiving to God.

  24. Let’s do this thing! • I believe the Spirit of God has placed a seed of generosity in every redeemed child of God. He wants our generosity to reflect His, and Sacrifice is they way to set it loose in our lives. Our generosity should result in Thanksgiving towards God. • I tried to use Scriptures such that the Spirit of the Lord, if needed, can plow up the fallow ground of our hearts, so the seed of generosity can burst forth in greater measure. • As a body… a spiritual family… can we pray for this to happen?

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