Becoming Generous

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=50 BGCOLOR="#333366" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>Becoming Generous</B></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=165 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="132" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 35 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id455.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="A Generous Sacrifice"><U><B><IMG SRC="007151d0.gif" border=0 width="21" height="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id457.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Whats In The Suitcases of Your Life?"><U><B><IMG SRC="008151d0.gif" border=0 width="21" height="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="20"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="35" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="20" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="13"></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="27"></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></B></div> <div> Previous/Next Sermon</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="www.stanbaker.org"><U><B>Home</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id2.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Biblical and Theological Studies"><U><B>Biblical and Theological Studies</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id3.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Church Ministry"><U><B>Church Ministry</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id15.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sermon Notes"><U>Sermon Notes</U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id4.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Links"><U><B>Links</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id5.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Personal"><U><B>Personal</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> www.stanbaker.org</div> <div> <A HREF="mailto:stan@stanbaker.org" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:stan@stanbaker.org"><U>stan@stanbaker.org</U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=430 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>"Becoming Generous," </B><A HREF="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passage=2Cor+8-9" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passag"><U><B>2 Corinthians 8-9</B></U></A></div> <div> <B>Berean Bible Church, June 6, 2004am</B></div> <bR> <div>      Prolific author Stephen King made a speech at the Vassar College commencement on May 20, 2001. He entitled it "Scaring You to Action" and told how two years earlier he had been lying in a ditch by a country road, seriously injured after being hit by a van as he walked beside the road in June 1999. "I had a Mastercard in my wallet, but when you're lying in the ditch with broken glass in your hair, no one accepts Mastercard." On that day and in the following months, he got a painful but important insight into many of life's simple truths: "We came in naked and broke. We may be dressed when we go out, but we're just as broke." Of all the power most Americans have, King said, "the greatest is undoubtedly the power of compassion, the ability to give. We have enormous resources in this country ... but they are only yours on loan, only yours to give for a short while ... I want you to consider making your lives one long gift to others, and why not? All you have is on loan anyway. All you want to get at the getting place, from the Maserati you may dream about to the retirement fund some broker will try to sell you on, none of that is real. All that lasts is what you pass on. The rest is smoke and mirrors." King invited the audience to imagine a typical American backyard, with mom, dad, and the kids enjoying a delicious barbecue next to their swimming pool. "And standing around that fence, looking in, are emaciated men and women, starving children. They are silent. They only watch." [Stephen King, "Scaring You To Action", Beliefnet.com, courtesy of Jerry DeLuca.].</div> <div>      We have been given so much. As Christians, we should show the rest of the world how to be generous. Of all the people in the world, we must excel in generosity (8:7). We have so much, not only in our possessions, but especially in Christ. We have received the abundance of grace; therefore we should be abundantly generous. We talk about "keeping up with the Jones's" in our accumulation of possessions. Instead, let's set the pace for the Jones's in our generosity.</div> <div>      We should be generous in the following areas: money and possessions; willingness to help others (this affects our time); helpful and encouraging words / listening; kind expressions of a positive attitude and respect towards others; forgiving others when they let you down; following the leadership of those who have authority over you; and obedience to Christ.</div> <div>      In 2 Corinthians 8-9, Paul challenged the Corinthians to go beyond their intentions to be generous and to and act on those intentions (8:6, 10-11; 9:3).</div> <div>      Here are four principles of generosity, to help us understand and practice generosity.</div> <bR> <div> <B>1. Generosity begins with a grateful and willing heart (2 Corinthians 8:2, 5, 9; 9:1-5, 7).</B></div> <div>      Last week, we learned that we give ourselves back to Jesus, because he has given us so much (8:5, 9)</div> <div>      To be generous is an act of obedience to the gospel (9:13). But obedience must be carried out cheerfully and willingly. This is because generosity is a response of appreciation for what we have received. Erwin McManus, a pastor in L.A., describes gratefulness this way: "Grateful people are thankful for what they have and demand little of others. They see the glass half full and are thankful for what they're given, since they expected nothing. A person who is ungrateful wonders who drank their other half" (Erwin McManus, <I>Leadership</I>, Spring 2000, "Broken People can Become Whole Disciples," p. 52.) Bitterness, unthankfulness and a lack of generosity are symptoms of a spiritual sickness, if not symptoms of the lack of spiritual life.</div> <div>      The motivation for giving  or being generous is not what I will get but what I have already received. It is <I>grace-driven</I>, not <I>get-driven</I>. Since we have received grace from God, we should be quick to give it to others, without waiting until we feel others have <I>deserved</I> it.</div> <bR> <div> <B>2. Generosity is an act of worship that brings honor to Christ (2 Corinthians 8:19, 9:11b-15).</B></div> <div>      This is why we give to God first, and we plan for it (for example, 1 Corinthians 16:2 says, "On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.")</div> <div>      Sales taxes are 7 or 8%. Interest charges are often 15%, give or take. We may complain a bit, we still willingly pay them when we buy stuff. What is so difficult about giving God, our creator, our sustainer, the first 10%? When we "pass the plate" at church, it is not just a means of paying the bills of the church, it is a corporate experience of worship, and it is reflective of our desire to see the work of God go forward, so that others can be worshipers of God along with us.</div> <bR> <div> <B>3. Generosity is based on what you have to give (2 Corinthians 8:11-15).</B>  </div> <div>      Give generously according to what <I>you have and can give</I>. That is what God asks of us. He is not asking you to go broke so others can be rich. He is concerned that everyone has enough. He gives to some more, so they can share. Others have less for a time, and need help. But even if you are poor, give what you can and keep a generous attitude. "Equality" here does mean we all have the same but that everyone has enough. You are not expected to give what you do not have. (Budgets and boundaries discussion to come.)</div> <bR> <div> <B>4. Generosity demonstrates confidence in the generous provision of God (2 Corinthians 9:6, 8-11).</B></div> <div>      Many people are afraid to give. They think if they give, they will end up with less than they want or need. Generosity demands faith and full confidence in the supply of the Lord. He will continue to provide so we can continue to be generous.</div> <div>      Do you have a "bucket-mentality" or a "well-mentality"? If someone asks for a drink of water, do you look in your bucket and say, this is all I have? In reality, what is in the bucket is not all there is, if we are willing to give. God will keep supplying the well so we can keep pouring out generously. Philippians 4:19 says, "And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus." Proverbs 11:24-25 says, "One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed."</div> <div>      In fact, we <I>have</I> to give, to keep us from depending on our wealth. It seems easier to "trust" when we have some money in the back, but who or what is it that we are trusting? Proverbs 18:10-11 says, "The name of the LORD is a strong tower; The righteous runs into it and is safe. A rich man's wealth is his strong city, and like a high wall ... <I>in his own imagination</I>." Money is <I>imaginary security</I>. 1 Timothy 6:17-19 says, "Command those who are rich in this present world <I>not to be arrogant</I> nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. <I>Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share</I>. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life."</div> <div>      Suze Orman, in her audio book <I>Financial Freedom</I> (CD disk 4, track 4), told of her vacation to Mexico. In a little plaza, she came across a parrot seller. He had many colorful parrots for sale; but the birds were not tied down, and they wouldn't fly away. She asked him, "Do they love you that much that they would sit here and let you sell them?" He told her that he had to train them to think that by holding on tightly to their perch, they would experience safety. He had to train them to forget that they could fly free, that they would be safest if they just hung on. We hold on tightly to our money and possessions as though it is our safety and our source of satisfaction. But holding on tightly keeps us from far greater blessings. </div> <div>      When you are generous is when you are financially most secure. Take the step of faith to become more generous. God will provide everything you need, and he will allow you to experience true joy. Go beyond good intentions and start today.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Questions for Thought and Discussion:</B></div> <div> 1. Paul reminds the Corinthians of a promise they have made (8:10-11). Is there something we need to be reminded of or a promise that we need to fulfill?</div> <bR> <div> 2. The word "munificient" means being characterized by great generosity. Can another use that word to describe you? What do you think a munificient person looks like? Whom do you know who is munificient?</div> <bR> <div> 3. Generosity begins with a grateful heart. What have you received for which you are grateful? What did you receive that you did not deserve?</div> <bR> <div> 4. When we receive a gift we often send a note of thanks. God has given us a gift and we receive benefits everyday from that gift. What can you do to "send a note of thanks" back to God?</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> copyright, 2004, Stanley Baker</div> <div> www.stanbaker.org</div> </td> </tr></table></body>