Living Generously: Aligning with God's Abundant Kingdom

 

Summary

Generosity is a profound principle that reflects the heart of God and the nature of His Kingdom. The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the Corinthians, emphasizes the concept of sowing and reaping, which is not merely about giving and receiving but about living a life marked by generosity. When we give generously—whether it be our money, time, or energy—we align ourselves with the Kingdom's reality and experience a richness of spirit and life. Conversely, a life characterized by hoarding and self-centeredness leads to spiritual poverty and regret.

Paul assures us that God is able to bless us abundantly, providing all that we need so that we may abound in every good work. This abundance is not about material possessions or status but about being equipped to do good. The stories of Ron and Sue, who used their lottery winnings to support families affected by a rare disease, and the tragic tale of their financial advisor, illustrate the stark contrast between a life of generosity and one of self-enrichment. The latter leads to destruction, while the former brings life and purpose.

Gordon Crosby's post-war community, the Church of the Savior, exemplifies radical generosity and obedience. Members were encouraged to tithe and give beyond their means, understanding that every act of generosity is a spiritual act that defeats the dark power money can have over us. Elizabeth L. Conor's reflections on this community reveal how exposure to the needs of the poor transforms our understanding of wealth and idols. Money, often seen as a source of power and security, can become an idol that we must dethrone to truly follow Jesus.

Today, we are invited to say goodbye to a little bit of money and time, not as a loss but as an act of sowing into God's Kingdom. In doing so, we participate in the story of a deeply generous God, where "mine" becomes "ours," and we share in His abundance.

Key Takeaways:

1. Generosity is a lifestyle that aligns us with the Kingdom of God, leading to a richness of spirit and life. It is not just about giving and receiving but about living with an open heart and hand. [01:32]

2. God's abundance equips us to abound in every good work, not in material possessions or status. Our focus should be on how we can use what we have to serve others and fulfill God's purposes. [02:34]

3. The story of Ron and Sue illustrates the power of using wealth for good, while their advisor's story warns of the destruction that comes from self-enrichment. Our choices about money reflect our values and priorities. [05:05]

4. The Church of the Savior demonstrates radical generosity and obedience, showing that financial giving is a spiritual act that can defeat the power money holds over us. [07:49]

5. Money can become an idol, promising power and security, but true peace and mercy come from God. We are called to dethrone money and trust in God's provision and generosity. [09:17]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [01:05] - Paul's Message on Generosity
- [01:32] - Living Generously
- [02:18] - God's Abundant Blessings
- [03:01] - Story of Ron and Sue
- [04:17] - The Financial Advisor's Downfall
- [05:38] - Gordon Crosby's Vision
- [06:12] - Radical Obedience and Generosity
- [07:06] - Elizabeth L. Conor's Reflections
- [07:49] - Generosity as a Spiritual Act
- [08:24] - Dethroning Money as an Idol
- [09:17] - Saying Goodbye to Money
- [09:52] - Sharing in God's Abundance
- [10:13] - Community Invitation
- [11:07] - Closing Remarks

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: Generosity and the Kingdom of God

Bible Reading:
- 2 Corinthians 9:6-8: "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."

Observation Questions:
1. What does Paul mean by "sowing" and "reaping" in the context of generosity? How does this relate to the way we live our lives? [01:15]
2. How does Paul describe God's ability to bless us? What is the purpose of this blessing according to the passage? [02:18]
3. In the sermon, what were the contrasting outcomes of the lives of Ron and Sue versus their financial advisor? [04:17]
4. How did the Church of the Savior practice radical generosity, and what impact did it have on its members? [06:12]

Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the principle of sowing and reaping challenge our natural tendencies towards hoarding and self-centeredness? [02:03]
2. What does it mean to "abound in every good work," and how does this differ from abounding in material possessions or status? [02:34]
3. How do the stories of Ron and Sue and their financial advisor illustrate the spiritual consequences of generosity versus self-enrichment? [05:05]
4. In what ways can money become an idol in our lives, and how does the sermon suggest we can dethrone it? [09:17]

Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your own life: Are there areas where you are sowing sparingly? How can you begin to sow more generously in those areas? [01:32]
2. Consider the resources you have—time, money, energy. How can you use these to serve others and fulfill God's purposes this week? [02:34]
3. Think about a time when you prioritized self-enrichment over generosity. What was the outcome, and how might you choose differently in the future? [05:05]
4. How can you practice radical generosity in your community, similar to the Church of the Savior? What steps can you take to start this week? [07:49]
5. Identify one way money might be acting as an idol in your life. What practical steps can you take to dethrone it and trust in God's provision? [09:17]
6. How can you shift your mindset from "mine" to "ours" in your daily interactions and decisions? What impact might this have on your relationships and community? [09:52]
7. What is one specific act of generosity you can commit to this week as a way of participating in God's Kingdom? [09:36]

Devotional

Day 1: Generosity Aligns with God's Kingdom
Generosity is more than an act of giving; it is a lifestyle that aligns us with the Kingdom of God. When we live generously, we open our hearts and hands, experiencing a richness of spirit and life that transcends material wealth. This alignment with God's Kingdom is not about the transaction of giving and receiving but about embodying a spirit of openness and abundance. By living generously, we reflect the heart of God and participate in His divine nature, which is marked by selflessness and love. [01:32]

"Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered." (Proverbs 11:25, ESV)

Reflection: Consider a recent opportunity you had to be generous. How did it make you feel, and how did it impact your relationship with God and others?


Day 2: God's Abundance Equips Us for Good Works
God's abundance is not measured by material possessions or status but by how we are equipped to do good works. This abundance allows us to serve others and fulfill God's purposes, focusing on the eternal rather than the temporal. When we understand that God's blessings are meant to empower us to abound in every good work, we shift our focus from accumulating wealth to using what we have for the greater good. This perspective helps us to see our resources as tools for service rather than ends in themselves. [02:34]

"And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work." (2 Corinthians 9:8, ESV)

Reflection: Identify one way you can use your resources this week to serve someone in need. How can this act of service reflect God's abundance in your life?


Day 3: Wealth Used for Good vs. Self-Enrichment
The story of Ron and Sue illustrates the transformative power of using wealth for good, while their advisor's downfall warns of the destruction that comes from self-enrichment. Our choices about money reflect our values and priorities, revealing whether we are aligned with God's Kingdom or pursuing our own interests. By choosing to use our resources for the benefit of others, we participate in a life of purpose and fulfillment, avoiding the spiritual poverty that comes from hoarding and self-centeredness. [05:05]

"Do not toil to acquire wealth; be discerning enough to desist. When your eyes light on it, it is gone, for suddenly it sprouts wings, flying like an eagle toward heaven." (Proverbs 23:4-5, ESV)

Reflection: Reflect on your financial priorities. Are there areas where you are focused on self-enrichment rather than using your resources for good? What changes can you make to align with God's values?


Day 4: Radical Generosity as a Spiritual Act
The Church of the Savior exemplifies radical generosity and obedience, demonstrating that financial giving is a spiritual act that can defeat the power money holds over us. By tithing and giving beyond their means, members of this community understood that generosity is a way to dethrone money as an idol and to trust in God's provision. This radical approach to giving challenges us to examine our own relationship with money and to consider how we can use it to serve God's purposes rather than our own. [07:49]

"Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine." (Proverbs 3:9-10, ESV)

Reflection: How can you practice radical generosity in your life today? What steps can you take to ensure that money does not become an idol in your life?


Day 5: Dethroning Money and Trusting in God's Provision
Money can become an idol, promising power and security, but true peace and mercy come from God. We are called to dethrone money and trust in God's provision and generosity. By doing so, we participate in the story of a deeply generous God, where "mine" becomes "ours," and we share in His abundance. This shift in perspective invites us to see money not as a source of security but as a tool for participating in God's Kingdom and sharing His love with others. [09:17]

"Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.'" (Hebrews 13:5, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways have you allowed money to become an idol in your life? How can you begin to trust more in God's provision and generosity today?

Quotes


"Whoever SWS sparingly will also reap sparingly and whoever SWS generously will also reap generously now you might think of sewing and reaping is giving and then receiving back sewing is a way of doing life and the idea is uh in a single word, generosity um to give money generously to give my time generously." [00:01:17]

"And God is able to bless you abundantly Paul keeps using this little word awe God is able to bless you uh uh totally with great abundance so that in all things at all times having all and he uses that word in his language Greek language three times consecutively all all all all times all things all that you need you will abound in what you will abound not in the things that our world tells you not you will abound in possessions you will abound in security you will abound in status you will abound in great clothes you will abound in every good work that's what we're made for." [00:02:11]

"Ron and Sue, who in I think 2008 thereabouts won the lottery you may be wondering is it biblical to play the lottery nany's Aunt asked when we were just early married is it okay to play the lottery because she played and won $110,000 and I said yes as long as you tithe to a young ministerial student that might be in your family anyway this couple played and won millions and millions of dollars and they said afterwards they knew that it was divine intervention and that God had a plan for them." [00:03:06]

"Ron the man that set up the foundation just shook his head uh as a result of all this and said how could you keep money for those from those poor dang kids that only have a year or two to live anybody who seeks to live in a way where their life is just about enriching themselves how can I get more is on a path that's going to lead to regret and destruction and a life that is not admirable and yet uh I can be prone to that." [00:04:52]

"Gordon Crosby was a um uh army chaplain and he came back to Washington after World War II and decided that the way of Jesus the story of Jesus involved more than just rules and regulations and so he began a community called Church of the savior that sought to follow a different kind of story in Washington DC a woman named Elizabeth L Conor became a part of it wrote a lot about the outer journey and the inner journey of following Jesus in Acts of radical obedience and discipleship and love and then inwardly in prayer and constantly experiencing his presence." [00:05:38]

"Part of what was really unique about this uh little Fellowship was the way that they would call everybody to really deep and radical obedience in our financial lives and part of what they talked about was tithing beginning with tithing the idea there is to give 10% um right off the top and then you want to grow in your ability but at least start by doing that." [00:06:21]

"People got such a vision for generosity sometimes the giving uh gets excessive and ecstatic and impulsive a diamond engagement ring dropped in the offering plate imagine that especially if there wasn't you know a fight in to breakup a silver service set appearing at the door a check for several thousand representing the total accumulated wealth of a young couple she said they would talk in their Fellowship about how Every Act of generosity is not just a financial but a spiritual act defeating the dark power that money wants to have in our lives." [00:07:12]

"As we become exposed to the poor and their needs the Rich Young Ruler the Widow and her might lose the story book quality of our childhood faith and become figures in the counterculture literature of a revolutionary leader the one whom we call savior the first commandment and all of the scriptures on the worship of Idols begin to lay be our own primitive selves some of us have looked into the face of our idols and and found that one of them is money." [00:07:57]

"Though we along with millions of other churchgoers are saying that Jesus saves we ask ourselves if we are not in practice acting as though it were money that saves ouch and then these remarkable words we say that money gives money power uh that money gives power money corrupts money talks like the Ancients with their mult calf we have endowed money with our own psychic energy given it arms and legs told ourselves that it can work for us more than this we enshrine it in a secret place give it a heart and a mind and the power to grant us peace and mercy." [00:08:43]

"So today in your story it is possible for you to Dethrone money remember one time Money Talks I'll not deny I heard it once it said goodbye so today say goodbye to a little bit of money say goodbye to a little bit of time but remember you're not losing it you are sewing it and when you do that generously you will reap generously because we live in the Kingdom of a deeply generous God and mine is not the key word anymore it's his and he gives and so it's ours and we share." [00:09:25]

"You have this story you have this day make it great hey if you enjoyed that video be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you don't miss any future teachings from John orberg here at become new my name is Tim and I'm a part of the team here this series is all about stories everybody has a story and everybody's story matters and we want to know about your story whether it's a story of com coming to Faith or a story of spiritual growth whatever it is we're here for you." [00:10:09]

"This is really a community to belong to and we're so glad that you're a part of it we'll catch you next time." [00:11:05]

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Transcript
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