Embracing Generosity: Serving with Humility and Purpose
Summary
In our journey of church planting in Valley Ranch, Irving, we have been guided by a vision to reach the nations by engaging with our diverse neighbors. This vision was born from a desire to follow Jesus into unreached places, a journey that began over a decade ago. Our path has been marked by unexpected turns, including a significant season of burnout that taught us to surrender our plans to God’s will. Through conversations and discernment, we realized that God was calling us to Texas, a place rich with opportunities to minister to a diverse population. This calling was confirmed through various signs and the support of our community, particularly Eagle's View Church, which has been instrumental in our mission.
Reflecting on recent events, such as the Barneys and the memorial service for David Antweiler, we are reminded of the importance of serving others with our unique gifts. David’s life exemplified a generous spirit, using his circumstances to share the gospel with many. This aligns with our ongoing series on generosity, where we aim to be a church that gives more outside its walls than it keeps within. Generosity is not just about finances but involves giving our time and effort to serve others, which is a form of worship.
Romans 11 and 12 provide a foundation for understanding why we serve. Our service is a response to God’s grace, a way to express gratitude and adoration for all He has done. Paul’s writings remind us that everything we have is from God, sustained by His power, and intended for His glory. Therefore, our response should be one of sacrifice and service, offering our bodies as living sacrifices. This means actively seeking ways to serve others, using our unique gifts to contribute to the body of Christ.
Our attitude in serving should be one of humility, recognizing that our faith levels the playing field. Serving is not a burden but an opportunity to invest in God’s kingdom, which will outlast us. We are encouraged to use our unique abilities to serve both within and outside the church, understanding that while God desires our participation, He does not depend on it. Our service is a chance to join in His work and experience the joy that comes from giving.
Key Takeaways:
- Our journey to Valley Ranch was marked by a willingness to follow God’s call, even through unexpected challenges and burnout. This taught us to surrender our plans and trust in God’s providence, leading us to a place where we can minister to a diverse community. [03:25]
- Generosity is not limited to financial giving but encompasses our time and effort. Serving others is a form of worship, reflecting our gratitude for God’s grace. We are called to be living sacrifices, actively seeking ways to serve and glorify God. [16:05]
- Romans 11 and 12 emphasize that everything we have is from God and for His glory. Our response should be one of sacrifice and service, offering our bodies as living sacrifices and using our unique gifts to contribute to the body of Christ. [25:19]
- Our attitude in serving should be humble, recognizing that faith levels the playing field. Serving is an opportunity to invest in God’s kingdom, which will outlast us, and to experience the joy that comes from giving. [32:15]
- God desires our participation in His work, but He does not depend on it. Our service is a chance to join in His work and experience the joy that comes from giving. We are encouraged to use our unique abilities to serve both within and outside the church. [37:15]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:51] - Introduction to Valley Ranch
- [01:39] - The Call to Reach the Nations
- [02:22] - Journey Through Burnout
- [03:12] - Surrendering to God’s Will
- [04:08] - Praying for Clarity
- [05:18] - Confirmation of Calling
- [06:01] - Church Planting Strategy
- [07:44] - Reflection on Recent Events
- [08:28] - The Barneys Event
- [10:11] - Remembering David Antweiler
- [12:56] - Series on Generosity
- [14:15] - Worship Through Service
- [16:05] - Romans 11 and 12: Foundation for Service
- [25:19] - Sacrifice and Service
- [37:15] - Using Our Unique Gifts
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- Romans 11:33-36
- Romans 12:1-8
- Matthew 28:19-20
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Observation Questions:
1. What does Romans 11:33-36 reveal about God's nature and our understanding of His ways? How does this passage set the stage for the call to service in Romans 12? [21:53]
2. In Romans 12:1, Paul urges believers to offer their bodies as living sacrifices. What does this mean in the context of the sermon, and how is it different from the concept of a dead sacrifice? [27:10]
3. How does the sermon describe the role of Eagle's View Church in supporting the mission in Valley Ranch? What impact did their support have on the church planting efforts? [06:32]
4. Reflect on the story of David Antweiler shared in the sermon. How did his life exemplify the concept of living generously and serving others? [12:39]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. Romans 12:2 talks about not conforming to the patterns of this world. How does the sermon suggest we can transform our minds to better serve God and others? [26:56]
2. The sermon mentions the importance of using our unique gifts to serve the body of Christ. How does Romans 12:4-8 illustrate this concept, and why is it important for the church community? [37:48]
3. In what ways does the sermon suggest that serving others is an act of worship? How does this align with the biblical understanding of worship as described in Romans 12:1? [16:05]
4. The sermon highlights the idea that God desires our participation but does not depend on it. How does this perspective influence our motivation to serve within and outside the church? [37:15]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you felt called to serve in a specific way. How did you discern that calling, and what steps did you take to follow it? How can you apply this process to future opportunities to serve? [03:25]
2. The sermon emphasizes the importance of humility in service. How can you cultivate a humble attitude in your current roles, whether in church, work, or family life? [32:15]
3. Consider the unique gifts and abilities you possess. How can you use them to contribute to your church community or neighborhood this week? What specific action will you take? [37:15]
4. The sermon discusses the joy that comes from giving and serving. Can you recall a recent experience where serving others brought you joy? How can you seek out similar opportunities in the future? [33:08]
5. How does the concept of being a "living sacrifice" challenge your current lifestyle or priorities? What changes might you need to make to align more closely with this biblical call? [26:22]
6. Reflect on the story of David Antweiler and his impact on his community. What practical steps can you take to share your faith and serve others in your daily interactions? [12:39]
7. The sermon mentions the importance of investing in God's kingdom, which will outlast us. What is one long-term goal you can set to ensure your life and resources are contributing to this eternal purpose? [32:51]
Devotional
Day 1: Trusting God's Guidance Through Uncertainty
In the journey of church planting, the path is often filled with unexpected challenges and moments of burnout. These experiences teach the importance of surrendering personal plans to God's will, trusting that His providence will lead to the right place and purpose. The journey to Valley Ranch exemplifies this, as it was marked by a willingness to follow God's call, even when the path was unclear. This surrender led to a place where ministry to a diverse community became possible, highlighting the beauty of trusting in God's guidance. [03:25]
"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." (Jeremiah 29:11, ESV)
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you are currently facing uncertainty? How can you actively surrender this to God and trust in His guidance today?
Day 2: Generosity as a Form of Worship
Generosity extends beyond financial giving; it encompasses the giving of time and effort as a form of worship. This reflects gratitude for God's grace and calls believers to be living sacrifices, actively seeking ways to serve and glorify God. The call to generosity is a call to worship through service, recognizing that every act of giving is an expression of love and gratitude towards God. [16:05]
"Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." (2 Corinthians 9:7, ESV)
Reflection: Consider how you can use your time and talents to serve others this week. What specific action can you take today to demonstrate generosity as a form of worship?
Day 3: Living Sacrifices for God's Glory
Romans 11 and 12 emphasize that everything we have is from God and for His glory. This understanding calls for a response of sacrifice and service, offering our bodies as living sacrifices. Believers are encouraged to use their unique gifts to contribute to the body of Christ, recognizing that their service is a response to God's grace and a way to express gratitude and adoration for all He has done. [25:19]
"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)
Reflection: What unique gifts has God given you, and how can you use them to serve others in your community this week?
Day 4: Humility in Service
Serving others should be approached with humility, recognizing that faith levels the playing field. Service is not a burden but an opportunity to invest in God's kingdom, which will outlast us. It is a chance to experience the joy that comes from giving and to join in God's work, understanding that while God desires our participation, He does not depend on it. [32:15]
"Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves." (Philippians 2:3, ESV)
Reflection: Reflect on your attitude towards serving others. How can you cultivate a spirit of humility in your service today?
Day 5: Joining in God's Work
God desires our participation in His work, but He does not depend on it. Our service is a chance to join in His work and experience the joy that comes from giving. Believers are encouraged to use their unique abilities to serve both within and outside the church, understanding that their service is a way to invest in God's eternal kingdom. [37:15]
"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10, ESV)
Reflection: Identify one way you can use your unique abilities to serve someone outside of your church community this week. What steps can you take to make this happen?
Quotes
Through conversations and discernment, we realized that God was calling us to Texas, a place rich with opportunities to minister to a diverse population. This calling was confirmed through various signs and the support of our community, particularly Eagle's View Church, which has been instrumental in our mission. [00:03:40]
Our journey to Valley Ranch has been crazy. It started really with a desire long ago, over a decade ago now, to just follow Jesus into unreached places. We live right now in a time when the nations are flooding to us, and so that command in Matthew 28 where Jesus says, "Go Make Disciples of the Nations." [00:55:56]
One of the conversations that God used to anchor me and to hold me was a conversation with Bart. I just remember a distinct phone call with Bart, and then beyond that having Daniel Vaugh as a brother-in-law, just being able to talk with him through this really dark time in our lives. [00:58:56]
Generosity is something that we do not only with our finances, but today we want to talk about what we do with our lives. I'm so thankful for what Andrew Cheum said in our video that preceded me talking to you today. Andrew said this: we don't consider Eagles You Church giving to us but giving through us. [00:13:27]
Romans 11 and 12 emphasize that everything we have is from God and for His glory. Our response should be one of sacrifice and service, offering our bodies as living sacrifices and using our unique gifts to contribute to the body of Christ. [00:25:19]
Our attitude in serving should be humble, recognizing that faith levels the playing field. Serving is an opportunity to invest in God’s kingdom, which will outlast us, and to experience the joy that comes from giving. [00:32:15]
God desires our participation in His work, but He does not depend on it. Our service is a chance to join in His work and experience the joy that comes from giving. We are encouraged to use our unique abilities to serve both within and outside the church. [00:37:15]
The first thing I want us to see is what is the reason that we serve. Well, the only true reason that we can serve Christ is through adoration and recognition for what God has done. Now it's very important, the whole book of Romans just as Pastor Bart has been taking us through and helping us understand Grace in and Grace out. [00:16:05]
What Paul is saying is because of all that God has done for us, what we need to be doing is to give our bodies as a Living Sacrifice. Now the closest thing that I can understand this to be is the idea of your bed. Your bed every day is an altar. [00:28:06]
Serving is an opportunity for us to invest in what God is most, what's most dear to his heart. I was with a mentor of mine this past week, and he shared with me, "Randy, you know what is the most important thing is I give?" I said, "What is that?" He said, "It's the opportunity that I see that I am able to invest something into God's kingdom work that's going to be here when I'm gone." [00:32:15]
We use our own uniquenesses to serve the body of Christ, but there's a tension here and an understanding of what we could accomplish as we use our unique abilities to serve the body of Christ in the sense that God needs me. Well, here's the truth that I want to share with you: God wants you, but he doesn't need you. [00:37:15]
The body of Christ is best seen when it's active, not sedentary. We aren't called to be the body of Christ to sit in our lazy boys and do nothing because we're a body. It means that we're active, involved in what God wants us to do, what Christ's love has compelled us to do. [00:45:43]
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