Living Generously: Trusting God with Our Treasure
Summary
The sermon begins with the pastor sharing a personal story about his friend Russ, who decided to sell his property and donate all his belongings to gospel-driven charities. This act of generosity aligns with the sermon series' theme of living and giving generously. The pastor emphasizes the importance of understanding the two types of hearts when it comes to generosity and encourages the congregation to move their treasure, symbolizing their heart, towards God.
The pastor then discusses the importance of faith and trust in God's provision, using the example of Jesus' disciples who were sent out with nothing but a staff. This act of faith prepared them for their calling of healing and ministering to others. The pastor encourages the congregation to adopt a mindset of generous living and giving, trusting that God will provide for their needs. He also emphasizes the importance of investing in the kingdom and helping others find and follow Jesus.
The pastor introduces challenge cards, which represent a covenant between the individual and the Lord to take a step towards more generous living for the next 90 days. He expresses his desire to hear stories of how God provides during this time. The pastor also shares several stories of how the church's mission and vision are being fulfilled through the congregation's generosity, such as providing materials and support for prison ministry and helping a young lady struggling with addiction find new life.
The pastor addresses the issue of financial struggles and shares the story of a couple who made significant changes in their lives to achieve financial peace. He emphasizes that following practical tips can lead to financial blessings and reduce stress in marriages. The pastor also discusses two types of givers: those who live off everything and only give off what is left over, and those who understand that everything belongs to God and give off the top. He introduces the concept of the "treasure key," which he believes is the key to unlocking the treasure.
The pastor concludes the sermon by emphasizing the importance of being careful with spending during the Christmas season and reminding the congregation that the ultimate goal is not just to give more to the church, but to help broken people find and follow Jesus. He also discusses the importance of budgeting and managing debt, introducing the Debt Snowball Method as a resource to pay off debt effectively.
Key Takeaways:
- Generosity is not just about giving away material possessions, but also about moving our hearts towards God. This shift in focus allows us to trust in God's provision and live a life of faith. ([12:45])
- The act of giving is a test of faith and a way to prepare ourselves for our calling. By investing in the kingdom and helping others find and follow Jesus, we are fulfilling our mission as a church. ([24:30])
- Financial struggles can be overcome by making practical changes in our lives. Achieving financial peace can lead to blessings and reduce stress in marriages. ([36:50])
- Understanding that everything belongs to God can transform our giving. The "treasure key" concept emphasizes that where our treasure is, our heart will follow. ([48:20])
- Careful spending and effective debt management are crucial for financial freedom. The Debt Snowball Method is a practical resource for paying off debt effectively. ([59:10])
Study Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Matthew 6:21: "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
2. Mark 5: The chapter tells the story of Jesus healing a demon-possessed man, a woman with a bleeding issue, and raising Jairus' daughter from the dead.
3. Mark 6: The chapter tells the story of Jesus being rejected in his hometown and sending out his disciples to minister.
Observation Questions:
1. In Matthew 6:21, what does the term "treasure" refer to and how does it relate to the condition of the heart?
2. In Mark 5, what are the common elements in the three healing stories of Jesus?
3. In Mark 6, how did the disciples respond when Jesus sent them out to minister with nothing but a staff?
Interpretation Questions:
1. How does Matthew 6:21 relate to the concept of generosity and giving?
2. What do the healing stories in Mark 5 reveal about the nature of faith and trust in God's provision?
3. How does the disciples' response in Mark 6 reflect their faith and trust in God's provision?
Application Questions:
1. Reflecting on Matthew 6:21, what are some tangible ways you can move your "treasure" towards God this week?
2. Considering the healing stories in Mark 5, how can you demonstrate your faith and trust in God's provision in a challenging situation you are currently facing?
3. Inspired by the disciples' response in Mark 6, what is one step you can take this week to prepare yourself for your calling, even if it means stepping out in faith with minimal resources?
4. Reflecting on the concept of generosity, can you identify a specific opportunity to give generously this week, not just from your leftovers, but from the top?
5. Considering the importance of financial peace, what is one practical change you can make in your spending habits this week to move towards financial freedom?
Devotional
Day 1: Shifting Hearts Towards God
Generosity is not merely about giving away material possessions, but it's about shifting our hearts towards God. This shift in focus allows us to trust in God's provision and live a life of faith. [12:45]
Matthew 6:21 - "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
Reflection: What is one way you can shift your heart towards God today? How can you demonstrate your trust in His provision?
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Day 2: Preparing for Our Calling
The act of giving is a test of faith and a way to prepare ourselves for our calling. By investing in the kingdom and helping others find and follow Jesus, we are fulfilling our mission as a church. [24:30]
Luke 10:2 - "He told them, 'The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.'"
Reflection: How can you use your gifts and resources to invest in the kingdom and help others find and follow Jesus?
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Day 3: Achieving Financial Peace
Financial struggles can be overcome by making practical changes in our lives. Achieving financial peace can lead to blessings and reduce stress in marriages. [36:50]
Proverbs 22:7 - "The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender."
Reflection: What is one practical change you can make today to move towards financial peace?
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Day 4: Unlocking the Treasure Key
Understanding that everything belongs to God can transform our giving. The "treasure key" concept emphasizes that where our treasure is, our heart will follow. [48:20]
1 Chronicles 29:14 - "But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand."
Reflection: How can you apply the "treasure key" concept in your life? What does it mean for you to understand that everything belongs to God?
``
Day 5: Managing Debt and Spending Wisely
Careful spending and effective debt management are crucial for financial freedom. The Debt Snowball Method is a practical resource for paying off debt effectively. [59:10]
Proverbs 21:20 - "The wise store up choice food and olive oil, but fools gulp theirs down."
Reflection: What steps can you take today to manage your debt and spend wisely? How can the Debt Snowball Method help you achieve financial freedom?
Quotes
"He said, we took it all out and gave it all away and Steve, it was so liberating. So liberating." [33:29]
"When I started a couple of weeks ago, I said, hey, here's a key. The key is this, that we have to understand at the very front end that really there are two types of hearts and only two types of hearts." [34:56]
"My security was in those mutual funds. It was my treasure, and my eyes were on them. And I, what we want, what we want is our eyes to be on God. Waiting for Him to come through." [40:58]
"Jesus says here, don't miss this, Jesus says that your heart and my heart can be moved by relocating our treasure. That we can change our desires, what we desire, what we want, by relocating, placing our treasure somewhere. Simply put, my heart follows my treasure." [38:26]
"Your heart moves towards the treasure, towards what you are investing in now, and it grows now in a daily, practical trust of God, and that trust, my friend, blooms into a love for Him like you have never, ever known, and that's when it starts getting really good, and that's what God wants for you." [43:16]
"God's been providing for me for the last two weeks. He's provided all that I needed. The fact that I brought nothing, but he's provided. I believe that he will provide here." [49:38]
"When we believe we are responsible for meeting our needs, it will be irrational to give off the top. But when you and I begin believing that it's all God's, the rational thing is to give off the top and live on what is left and allow him to provide for us." [50:24]
"We sat down and we made an Excel spreadsheet of our financials, and it made us, there were words, sick to realize how much we were spending on eating out in Amazon. We noticed we were buying groceries for the week, but then was really wasting those and eating out anyways, just wasting a lot of money." [53:48]
"Here's the Debt Snowball Method, if you're not familiar with it. You write out what all your debt is, smallest to the very, very largest. You begin making the minimum payment on each one of those. And then, if you have a garage sale, have a garage sale, if you get a bonus, if you get a little overtime, whatever comes in a little extra, taxes, you take all that and you put it on the smallest debt." [57:18]
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