Living Generously: Identity, Worship, and Trust in God

Today, we gathered to worship the God who is worthy of all praise, and to reflect on what it means to live a life marked by generosity. Drawing from Psalm 105, we are reminded that giving thanks and proclaiming God’s greatness is not conditional on our feelings or circumstances, but is a command and a privilege. We are called to seek the Lord and his strength continually, recognizing that sometimes our experience of God’s presence is unlocked by our faith-filled response—especially when we don’t feel like it.

We also celebrated the courage it takes for newcomers to step into a church community, affirming that belonging in God’s family is not based on qualifications, but on the grace of Jesus who adopts us as sons and daughters. Our desire is for everyone to belong, to hope in Jesus, to grow in their journey, and to become who God has called them to be. But we are not called to be mere consumers of church; rather, we are sent out as participants in God’s mission, bringing hope and light to the world.

Turning to the story of Jacob in Genesis 28, we see a man in the midst of personal failure and fear, yet God meets him with a promise of presence, protection, and blessing. Jacob’s encounter with God transforms his identity—from isolated and self-reliant to covered, blessed, and surrendered. His immediate response is worship and a vow to give a tenth of all he receives back to God. This story challenges us to consider: Is generosity something we do, or is it who we are?

Generosity, especially through tithing, is not about obligation or religious duty, but about identity and trust. Scripture teaches that tithing is a covenant of faith, a heart posture that acknowledges God’s ownership of everything. It is a practical way to keep our hearts free from the love of money, to fight covetousness, and to partner in God’s work on earth. The tithe is not the finish line, but the starting point—a tangible expression of trust and worship that shapes our hearts and priorities.

We are invited to test God’s faithfulness in this area, to see if he will not provide and bless as we step out in faith. Ultimately, our stewardship of resources is a powerful indicator of where our hearts truly are. As we remember Christ’s sacrifice in communion, we are called to surrender every part of our lives—including our finances—to the lordship of Jesus, trusting that he is sufficient and that nothing can separate us from his love.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Worship and Gratitude Are Acts of Faith, Not Feelings God’s command to give thanks and proclaim his greatness is not dependent on our emotional state or circumstances. Sometimes, the breakthrough in experiencing God’s presence and strength comes when we choose to worship and give thanks even when we don’t feel like it. Faith-filled obedience in praise can unlock a deeper awareness of God’s faithfulness and presence in our lives. [30:29]
• 2. God Meets Us in Our Mess, Not Our Perfection Jacob’s story reminds us that God’s presence and promises are not reserved for those who have it all together. Even in the midst of failure, fear, and brokenness, God pursues us, speaks identity over us, and invites us into relationship. There is no place too far or too dark for God’s love to reach and transform us. [52:11]
• 3. True Encounter with God Transforms Identity and Priorities A genuine encounter with God doesn’t just comfort us; it changes us. Jacob moved from seeing God as “the God of my fathers” to “my God,” and his first response was to worship and give. When God becomes personal, our posture shifts from ownership to stewardship, from self-preservation to blessing others, and from obligation to joyful surrender. [54:21]
• 4. Generosity Flows from Identity, Not Obligation Tithing and generosity are not merely religious duties, but natural overflows of a heart changed by God. The practice of giving the first tenth is a declaration that all we have belongs to God, and it is a safeguard against the love of money and covetousness. Our giving is a reflection of our trust in God’s provision and our desire to partner in his mission. [58:01]
• 5. Stewardship of Resources Reveals the True State of Our Hearts How we handle money is one of the most reliable external indicators of our spiritual health. Jesus taught that where our treasure is, there our heart will be also. Regular, sacrificial giving is both a test and a testimony of our faith, and it positions us to experience God’s sufficiency, grace, and provision in every season. [60:59]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [30:05] - Call to Worship and Psalm 105
• [30:52] - Seeking God’s Strength in All Circumstances
• [31:40] - Faith-Filled Worship and Surrender
• [33:15] - Building Community and Belonging
• [35:22] - Courage to Belong and Our Four Prayers
• [37:24] - Moving from Consumer to Participant
• [41:07] - Generosity and the Mission of the Church
• [44:24] - Vision Month: Stewarding Our Resources
• [45:04] - From Chore to Joy: The Heart of Generosity
• [47:53] - Is Generosity What I Do or Who I Am?
• [48:22] - Jacob’s Encounter: From Mess to Meeting God
• [53:49] - Identity Shift: From “Their God” to “My God”
• [56:01] - Tithing as Overflow of Encounter
• [58:01] - Generosity: Identity or Obligation?
• [60:04] - Keeping Free from the Love of Money
• [63:16] - The Biblical Foundation of Tithing
• [67:33] - The Tithe: Starting Point for Generosity
• [69:49] - Tithing Checks Our Motives
• [72:15] - Partnering in God’s Work and Sowing/ Reaping
• [76:19] - Responding in Worship and Surrender
• [78:40] - Communion and Reflection
• [87:37] - Invitation to Surrender and Prayer
• [89:37] - Closing and Next Steps

Bible Reading

Genesis 28:10-22 (NLT) — > 10 Meanwhile, Jacob left Beersheba and traveled toward Haran. 11 At sundown he arrived at a good place to set up camp and stopped there for the night. Jacob found a stone to rest his head against and lay down to sleep. 12 As he slept, he dreamed of a stairway that reached from the earth up to heaven. And he saw the angels of God going up and down the stairway. 13 At the top of the stairway stood the Lord, and he said, “I am the Lord, the God of your grandfather Abraham, and the God of your father, Isaac. The ground you are lying on belongs to you. I am giving it to you and your descendants. 14 Your descendants will be as numerous as the dust of the earth! They will spread out in all directions—to the west and the east, to the north and the south. And all the families of the earth will be blessed through you and your descendants. 15 What’s more, I am with you, and I will protect you wherever you go. One day I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have finished giving you everything I have promised you.”
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> 16 Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I wasn’t even aware of it!” 17 But he was also afraid and said, “What an awesome place this is! It is none other than the house of God, the very gateway to heaven!”
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> 18 The next morning Jacob got up very early. He took the stone he had rested his head against, and he set it upright as a memorial pillar. Then he poured olive oil over it. 19 He named that place Bethel (which means “house of God”), although it was previously called Luz.
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> 20 Then Jacob made this vow: “If God will indeed be with me and protect me on this journey, and if he will provide me with food and clothing, 21 and if I return safely to my father’s home, then the Lord will certainly be my God. 22 And this memorial pillar I have set up will become a place for worshiping God, and I will present to God a tenth of everything he gives me.”

Psalm 105:1-4 (NLT) — > 1 Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done.
> 2 Sing to him; yes, sing his praises. Tell everyone about his wonderful deeds.
> 3 Exult in his holy name; rejoice, you who worship the Lord.
> 4 Search for the Lord and for his strength; continually seek him.

Matthew 6:19-21, 33 (NLT) — > 19 “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. 21 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.
> ...
> 33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

Observation Questions

1. In Genesis 28, what is Jacob’s situation when God meets him, and what promises does God make to him? ([48:22])
2. According to Psalm 105, what are we commanded to do regardless of our feelings or circumstances? ([30:29])
3. What is Jacob’s immediate response after his encounter with God, and what does he vow to do? ([51:05])
4. In Matthew 6, what does Jesus say about the connection between our treasure and our hearts?

Interpretation Questions

1. Why do you think God chose to meet Jacob in the middle of his fear and failure, rather than after he had “cleaned up” his life? What does this reveal about God’s character? ([52:11])
2. The sermon said that worship and gratitude are acts of faith, not feelings. Why might it be important to choose gratitude and worship even when we don’t feel like it? ([30:29])
3. Jacob’s response to God’s promise was to worship and to give a tenth of all he received. What does this suggest about the relationship between encountering God and generosity? ([51:05])
4. The sermon described tithing and generosity as a matter of identity and trust, not just religious duty. How does this perspective challenge or affirm your understanding of giving? ([58:01])

Application Questions

1. The sermon challenged us to see worship and gratitude as acts of faith, not just responses to good circumstances. Can you think of a time when you chose to worship or give thanks even when you didn’t feel like it? What happened as a result? ([30:29])
2. Jacob met God in the middle of his mess, not after he had it all together. Is there an area of your life right now where you feel like you need to “clean up” before you can encounter God? What would it look like to invite God into that place today? ([52:11])
3. After encountering God, Jacob’s first response was to worship and to give. When you experience God’s presence or faithfulness, what is your natural response? Is generosity part of it? Why or why not? ([51:05])
4. The sermon asked, “Is generosity something I do, or is it who I am?” How would you honestly answer that question about yourself? What would it look like for generosity to become part of your identity? ([58:01])
5. The practice of tithing was described as a way to keep our hearts free from the love of money and to fight covetousness. Are there areas where you notice a struggle with wanting more, or with holding tightly to what you have? How might regular, intentional giving help address this? ([01:09:49])
6. Jesus said, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” If someone looked at your bank statement or budget, what would they say matters most to you? Is there anything you feel prompted to change? ([01:00:59])
7. The sermon invited us to “test God’s faithfulness” by stepping out in generosity. Is there a step of faith you sense God inviting you to take in your giving or stewardship? What would it look like to trust Him in this area this week? ([01:05:19])