Embracing Generosity: The Heart of Christian Faith
Summary
The sermon begins with a reading from 2 Corinthians 9:6-15, emphasizing the principle of sowing and reaping. The pastor encourages the congregation to give willingly and cheerfully, as God loves a cheerful giver. The scripture also highlights God's ability to provide abundance and blessings to those who give, enabling them to share abundantly in every good work. The pastor emphasizes that generosity not only meets the needs of others but also produces thanksgiving to God. The sermon then transitions to a reflection on the growth of the Christian church, from its humble beginnings with Jesus and his disciples to becoming the largest faith in the world.
The pastor discusses the two distinct elements that gave early Christians their power: the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the generosity of the early Christians. They freely shared the love, peace, mercy, and grace that God had given them with the rest of the world. This generosity caught the world off guard, as unconditional love made some people nervous. The pastor highlights that the early Christians were not only generous within their own community but also with people outside their fold, including strangers and even their enemies.
The pastor then discusses the struggles faced by the Christian church in Jerusalem. The church was poor and running out of resources, but they were determined to take care of both themselves and the needs of the community. To address the financial challenges, Paul traveled to various Christian churches in the Roman Empire, including Macedonia, to collect a collection. Despite their own struggles and persecution, the Macedonian community made a sacrificial gift that amazed Paul.
The pastor discusses the importance of the Christian church being distinct in its love and generosity. The pastor acknowledges that in the past, the church was known for its loving and generous nature, which attracted new members. However, the pastor laments that today, the church is losing its distinction. People outside the church often view Christians as hypocritical and condemning, rather than loving. The pastor emphasizes that if the church is not distinct in its love and giving, how will the world see Christ demonstrated?
The pastor concludes by addressing the congregation about the importance of giving to the church. They encourage the congregation to tithe, but acknowledges that not everyone may be at the 10% mark yet, and that's okay. They urge individuals to find the percentage that they are comfortable with and dedicate that gift. The pastor emphasizes that the more the congregation gives, the more the church can do both inside and outside its walls.
Key Takeaways:
- The principle of sowing and reaping is a key tenet of Christian faith. Those who give willingly and cheerfully will reap bountifully, as God loves a cheerful giver. This principle not only meets the needs of others but also produces thanksgiving to God. [12:45]
- The early Christians were empowered by two distinct elements: the Gospel of Jesus Christ and their generosity. They freely shared the love, peace, mercy, and grace that God had given them with the rest of the world, including strangers and even their enemies. This generosity set them apart from any other worshiping community. [22:30]
- Despite their own struggles and persecution, the early Christian communities, like the one in Macedonia, made sacrificial gifts that amazed Paul. This act of generosity is a testament to their faith and commitment to the teachings of Jesus Christ. [32:15]
- The Christian church must be distinct in its love and generosity. If the church is not distinct in its love and giving, the world will not see Christ demonstrated. The church must strive to be known for its loving and generous nature, which attracts new members. [42:45]
- Giving to the church is an important part of Christian faith. The more the congregation gives, the more the church can do both inside and outside its walls. It's not about reaching a certain percentage, but about finding a percentage that one is comfortable with and dedicating that gift. [52:30]
Study Guide
Bible Reading:
1. 2 Corinthians 9:6-15: "Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written: 'They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever.' Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!"
Observation Questions:
1. What does the passage from 2 Corinthians 9:6-15 say about the principle of sowing and reaping?
2. How does the passage describe the relationship between giving and receiving blessings from God?
3. What does the passage suggest about the impact of generosity on others and on the giver?
Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the principle of sowing and reaping apply to the concept of giving and generosity as described in 2 Corinthians 9:6-15?
2. What does it mean to be a "cheerful giver" and how does this relate to the blessings that God provides?
3. How does the generosity described in 2 Corinthians 9:6-15 result in thanksgiving to God?
Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your own giving habits. Are you giving sparingly or generously? How does this align with the principle of sowing and reaping as described in 2 Corinthians 9:6-15?
2. How can you become a more cheerful giver in your daily life? Think of specific actions you can take this week.
3. How can your generosity result in thanksgiving to God? Consider ways you can share your blessings with others, both within and outside your community.
4. Reflect on the current reputation of the Christian church. What specific actions can you take to help the church be known for its love and generosity?
5. What percentage of your income are you comfortable giving to the church or other charitable causes? How can you work towards increasing this percentage over time?
Devotional
Day 1: The Joy of Generous Giving
Generosity is a fundamental principle of the Christian faith. When we give willingly and cheerfully, we not only meet the needs of others but also produce thanksgiving to God. This act of giving is not just about the physical act, but the heart behind it. God loves a cheerful giver, and the blessings that come from this act of love are abundant. [12:45]
Proverbs 11:24-25 - "One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed."
Reflection: Reflect on your giving habits. Are you giving cheerfully and willingly, or out of obligation? How can you cultivate a heart of generosity in your daily life?
Day 2: The Power of Gospel and Generosity
The early Christians were empowered by two distinct elements: the Gospel of Jesus Christ and their generosity. They freely shared the love, peace, mercy, and grace that God had given them with the rest of the world, including strangers and even their enemies. This generosity set them apart from any other worshiping community. [22:30]
Acts 20:35 - "In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"
Reflection: How can you embody the generosity of the early Christians in your interactions with others today?
Day 3: Sacrificial Giving in Times of Struggle
Despite their own struggles and persecution, the early Christian communities, like the one in Macedonia, made sacrificial gifts that amazed Paul. This act of generosity is a testament to their faith and commitment to the teachings of Jesus Christ. [32:15]
2 Corinthians 8:2 - "In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity."
Reflection: Reflect on a time when you were in a difficult situation. How did you respond? Did you hold onto what you had, or were you able to give sacrificially?
Day 4: Distinct Love and Generosity of the Church
The Christian church must be distinct in its love and generosity. If the church is not distinct in its love and giving, the world will not see Christ demonstrated. The church must strive to be known for its loving and generous nature, which attracts new members. [42:45]
1 Peter 4:8-10 - "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms."
Reflection: How can you contribute to making your church distinct in its love and generosity? What specific actions can you take this week?
Day 5: The Importance of Giving to the Church
Giving to the church is an important part of Christian faith. The more the congregation gives, the more the church can do both inside and outside its walls. It's not about reaching a certain percentage, but about finding a percentage that one is comfortable with and dedicating that gift. [52:30]
Malachi 3:10 - "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it."
Reflection: Reflect on your current giving to the church. Is there room for growth? How can you adjust your giving to better support the work of the church?
Quotes
1. "If you were to go to people outside the Christian church, people who are not Christians and ask them to describe the Christian church as they see it, their understanding, love will not be the first word that they use to describe us. Sadly, it's hypocritical and condemning. People are far more familiar with what we're against rather than what we're for." #!!38:39!!#
2. "The average Christian in America does not give any percentage-wise any more to their Church than the average non-Christian gives to their favorite charity. It's about 2.1%. So Bara then did research not just on people who said they were Christians but people who said that they were active Christians... and it was still only about 2.8%, which is well short of the 10% tithe that scripture teaches." #!!40:00!!#
3. "Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." #!!29:08!!#
4. "You glorify God by your obedience to the confession of the gospel of Christ and by the generosity of your sharing with them and with all others." #!!29:47!!#
5. "However, doesn't matter how few how persecuted how alienated how isolated they may have been they had the power of Jesus Christ his birth his life his teachings his Parables his miracles and of course his death and Resurrection the god the power of the church is in the Gospel of Jesus Christ." #!!32:39!!#
6. "This caught the world off guard because you know the world isn't used to just unconditional love makes some people downright nervous what are you trying to sell me but there's power in that generosity of spirit anyone anyone period that wants to know the love of God through Jesus Christ had an open door to learn about it." #!!33:22!!#
7. "The early Christians didn't want to be the best Church in the community, they wanted to be the best church for the community." #!!35:24!!#
8. "If you sew sparingly, you're going to reap sparingly. But the one who sews bountifully will also reap bountifully." #!!36:36!!#
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