Sermon Notes: Generosity 101
Introduction:
Generosity, Money, Giving. This is one topic
that congregations do not enjoy hearing about AND one of the topics that
pastors do not like to preach or teach on. This is an area that I personally struggle
with. But before you stop listening, let
me share a secret about my feelings on this topic. As a pastor, I am not a fan of the way
giving, generosity, money has been taught in the church. Much (not all) of the curriculum or teaching
I have discovered focuses too much on guilt and shame to get results. Today’s passage shows us how generosity is
good news not bad news.
Give
(Vs. 14-18)
·
Vs. 14-Good to share in my troubles
o
The Greek word translated “share” emphasizes that participation.
Same root word used in Philippians 1:7. The basic translation, “fellowship,”
means a deep partnership of two going the
same direction.[1]
o
Paul had experienced many hardships (persecution,
currently in prison, in need, hungry-vs.12) Listen to Paul’s own words in 2
Corinthians 11:23-28- with
far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often
near death. 24 Five times I received at the hands of the Jews
the forty lashes less one. 25 Three times I was beaten with
rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was
adrift at sea; 26 on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers,
danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in
the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; 27 in
toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often
without food, in cold and exposure. 28 And, apart from other
things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches.
o
Why does Paul share this? Not for sympathy but to show how God used
others to come alongside of and help him.
o
Church, we need each other. However, in our culture we try to be
independent. It’s OK to ask for help. But we can’t help if we
don’t know about your need.
§ Often
we think people will just know that we need help. I don’t know about you, but I am sometimes so
self-focused that I miss the needs around me.
o
May the Holy Spirit empower us to live out
1 Corinthians 12:26- 26 If
one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice
together. May people see how we love one another at Hesston MB and want to know
why.
·
Vs. 15-The Philippians gave Paul aid when
other churches were not
·
Vs. 16-They even gave more than once
·
Vs. 17-18-Paul is grateful and thankful
for their gift.
o
Vs. 17-I struggled with the phrase-“credited
to your account”
§ Asked
some other pastors I trust and respect for input.
·
Byron Yawn-a financial term- acknowledgment
that the gift was received from Epaphroditus--not something that earns favor
from God (spiritual)-end of year giving statement
·
Paul Dunk-he's
seeking the fruit (evidence of the Spirit's work) that's revealed by their
generous giving. He says he seeks the fruit that increases to their credit (ESV)
- so what He's primarily interested in, is not the behaviour of giving - but
the virtue underneath the action. That is the encouraging
evidence of the Spirit's work he's most interested in.
o
Vs. 18-Fragrant offering, acceptable
sacrifice, pleasing to God
·
We hear offering and think “have to”
·
We hear sacrifice and think bad.
·
We hear pleasing to God and focus on us.
§ Does
this mean giving/generosity is forced or drudgery and giving a lot is how we
keep God happy with us? No. It’s a
reminder that our generosity or giving is a blessing to us and it blesses God.
§ Acts
20:35- ‘It is more blessed to
give than to receive.’
·
Not a passage to make you
feel guilty and pressure you to not be selfish. Instead to realize that by giving
God is working on our head, heart, and hands.
·
We give out of joy, delight, and gratitude
for what God has DONE
o
What has God DONE?
§ God
created.
§ God
provides.
§ God
restores, redeems, reconciles us.
§ God
loves.
§ Jesus
saves us.
§ Jesus
forgives us.
§ Jesus
takes our place (receives wrath, judgment, punishment) we deserve.
§ Jesus
defeats sin, death, Satan
§ Holy
Spirit gives gifts
§ Holy
Spirit empowers us to live
§ Holy
Spirit reminds us who God the Father and Jesus is
§ Holy
Spirit guides us to truth.
o
Three important conclusions regarding
giving and receiving: giving brings blessing to the one who receives the gift.
Giving brings blessing to God. Giving brings blessing to the one who gives the
gift. (David Jeremiah pg. 254, Count It All Joy)
Receive
(Vs. 19-20)
·
Vs. 19-my God—personal relationship. Do we talk about God as personal or
impersonal?
o
Psalm 18:2- The
Lord
is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take
refuge, my shield, and the horn of my
salvation, my stronghold.
·
Vs. 19-Will meet all your needs-God
provides
o
Are you in need?
§ Ask
God to provide. Are your needs not being
met? Ask the church for help.
o
Not according to what we do; according to
His glorious riches
§ We,
as Americans, hear riches and think stuff, money.
§ Our
brothers and sisters around the world hear riches and think about God,
relationship with Him.
·
When I was in Guatemala, one of the
principals of a school was talking about prosperity and we asked him to define
it, he explained prosperity this way: “The students realize they are blessed to
have a relationship, and hope in Christ, which brings a new outlook on life.
Even though they are not prospering materially, their souls are prospering
through the deepening of their knowledge and understanding of the Lord.
Moreover, they are able to live in victory through Christ’s death and
resurrection.This mindset, in spite of their circumstances, is powerful, and
brings sweeping changes within families and the community. We have seen the
prospering of one child’s soul bring his whole family to the saving knowledge
of Jesus Christ, prospering the soul of each member.
§ God
meeting our needs is so much bigger than just finances. The reward is given to
his saints through union with him[2]
o
God will supply all their needs (not their
wants, necessarily, but their needs) according to His riches (not theirs, but
His, which are better) …Not because He owes you a thing, but because He loves
you and is gracious beyond measure. (Matt Chandler, pg. 217, To Live is Christ,
To Die is Gain)
·
Vs. 20-God receives all the glory
o
Paul ends by reminding us and the
Philippians that it is not about praising Paul or church in Philippi or you or
me or even Hesston MB. It is all for
God’s glory.
o
Closes with doxology-praise
o
Psalm 115:1- Not to us, O
Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for
the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!
Closing:
·
Rather than give you an amount or
percentage for generosity, let me encourage you to ask God.
·
Abide-Remember verse from the parable
I taught two weeks ago: Son, you are always with me, and all
that is mine is yours. (Luke 15:31)
·
I firmly believe
that as we understand who God is and how good, great, awesome He is, remember
He is generous, gracious, gives abundantly, provides and
meets all our needs and comprehend how much He loves us, we
will become more generous and give abundantly out of joy, delight, and
gratitude.
·
Doxology-All for God’s
glory.
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