Transforming Lives Through Generosity and Stewardship
Summary
Legacy 25 is a vision for the future, focusing on transforming lives through generosity and stewardship. Over the past year, our efforts have impacted over 3,500 people, emphasizing that every number represents a person with a story. This transformation begins with individuals, like Julian, whose personal journey of faith has inspired his entire family. Our church's mission is to foster community transformation, starting with families and individuals, and this is made possible through your generosity.
Generosity is a challenge in our culture, which often lacks good financial management. Biblical stewardship teaches us that everything we have belongs to God, and we are merely stewards of His resources. Our lives, health, and finances are not our own; they are gifts from God, and we are called to manage them in ways that honor Him. God modeled generosity by giving His Son, Jesus, and provides us with guidance on financial stewardship through His Word.
Our goals for Legacy 25 include building a new orphanage and school in Uganda, supporting the Choose Life Fund, and enhancing student and children's ministries. These initiatives require significant generosity, but our church has already made great strides. We have purchased property and begun construction, with plans to welcome the first group of orphans in January. Your continued support and prayers are crucial to achieving these goals.
Financial stewardship involves asking different questions about our spending, recognizing the real costs, and understanding that every spending decision is a spiritual decision. We must develop self-control, as lacking it leaves us vulnerable to financial pitfalls. Creating a personal financial vision is essential, guiding us to live out God's plan for our lives rather than someone else's.
Building an "oh no" fund for emergencies, attacking consumer debt, and establishing a reserve fund for living expenses are practical steps toward financial peace. These actions align with God's desire for us to live in peace, free from the stress of financial burdens. By planning diligently, we can experience the blessings of God and avoid the pitfalls of hasty financial decisions.
Key Takeaways:
- Every Number Represents a Story: Each number in our outreach statistics represents a person whose life has been touched by our church's mission. This reminds us that our efforts are not just about numbers but about transforming lives through God's love and generosity. [04:31]
- Biblical Stewardship: Understanding that everything we have belongs to God is crucial. We are stewards of His resources, and our lives, health, and finances should be managed in ways that glorify Him. This perspective shifts our focus from ownership to stewardship. [08:29]
- The Real Cost of Spending: Every spending decision is a spiritual decision, impacting our hearts and our ability to be generous. By asking different questions and recognizing the true costs, we can align our financial choices with God's will for our lives. [09:37]
- Developing Self-Control: Self-control is essential for financial peace. Without it, we are vulnerable to financial pitfalls. By exercising self-control, we can train our money to work for us, rather than being controlled by it. [12:28]
- Creating a Personal Financial Vision: Having a clear financial vision helps us live out God's plan for our lives. By setting goals, building emergency funds, and eliminating debt, we can experience financial peace and freedom, aligning our lives with God's purpose. [19:33]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:45] - Introduction to Legacy 25
- [02:15] - Impact of Generosity
- [04:31] - Choose Life Fund
- [06:00] - Biblical Stewardship
- [08:29] - The Pretender's Trap
- [09:37] - Real Cost of Spending
- [12:28] - Importance of Self-Control
- [14:06] - Saying No to Say Yes
- [16:27] - Pray Before You Pay
- [19:33] - Personal Financial Vision
- [23:47] - Debt Snowball Strategy
- [25:45] - Financial Peace and God's Plan
- [27:05] - Planning vs. Haste
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide: Legacy 25
#### Bible Reading
1. Proverbs 12:9 - "Better to be a nobody and yet have a servant than pretend to be somebody and have no food."
2. Proverbs 25:28 - "Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control."
3. Matthew 6:21 - "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
#### Observation Questions
1. What are some of the specific goals mentioned in the Legacy 25 vision, and how do they reflect the church's mission of community transformation? [04:31]
2. How does the sermon describe the concept of biblical stewardship, and what are some examples given of how we can practice it in our daily lives? [08:29]
3. What is the significance of the "oh no" fund mentioned in the sermon, and how does it relate to financial peace? [19:33]
4. How does the sermon illustrate the real cost of spending and the importance of self-control in financial decisions? [09:37]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the story of Julian and his family illustrate the impact of individual transformation on community change? [04:31]
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that generosity is a challenge in our culture, and how can biblical stewardship help overcome these challenges? [08:29]
3. How does the sermon connect the concept of self-control with financial peace, and what biblical principles support this connection? [12:28]
4. What does the sermon suggest about the relationship between financial decisions and spiritual well-being, and how can prayer play a role in this process? [16:27]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your own financial habits. Are there areas where you might be acting like a "pretender," as described in the sermon? How can you begin to align your financial decisions with biblical stewardship? [08:29]
2. Consider the concept of the "oh no" fund. Do you have a financial safety net in place? If not, what steps can you take to start building one this month? [19:33]
3. Think about a recent spending decision you made. Did you consider it a spiritual decision? How might praying before making financial decisions change your approach to spending? [16:27]
4. Identify one area in your life where you struggle with self-control. What practical steps can you take to strengthen your self-control in this area, and how might this impact your financial peace? [12:28]
5. The sermon emphasizes the importance of having a personal financial vision. What is your current financial vision, and how does it align with God's plan for your life? What changes might you need to make to better align with this vision? [19:33]
6. How can you contribute to the Legacy 25 goals, such as the new orphanage and school in Uganda, through your generosity and prayers? What specific actions can you take to support these initiatives? [04:31]
7. Reflect on the statement, "Every spending decision is a spiritual decision." How can this perspective influence your daily financial choices and overall lifestyle? [09:37]
Devotional
I'm ready to provide the 5-day devotional based on the steps outlined. Here it is:
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Day 1: Every Life is a Story of Transformation
Description: Each number in our outreach statistics represents a person whose life has been touched by the church's mission. This perspective reminds us that our efforts are not just about numbers but about transforming lives through God's love and generosity. The story of Julian, whose personal journey of faith inspired his entire family, exemplifies this truth. As we engage in acts of generosity, we are participating in the unfolding stories of individuals, families, and communities. Our mission is to foster community transformation, starting with individuals, and this is made possible through the generosity of the congregation. [04:31]
Bible Passage: "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: Think of someone whose life you can impact through a simple act of generosity today. How can you be a part of their story of transformation?
Day 2: Stewardship as a Divine Responsibility
Description: Biblical stewardship teaches us that everything we have belongs to God, and we are merely stewards of His resources. Our lives, health, and finances are not our own; they are gifts from God, and we are called to manage them in ways that honor Him. This perspective shifts our focus from ownership to stewardship, encouraging us to use our resources wisely and for God's glory. God modeled generosity by giving His Son, Jesus, and provides us with guidance on financial stewardship through His Word. [08:29]
Bible Passage: "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace." (1 Peter 4:10, ESV)
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you can practice better stewardship? How can you start today to manage this area in a way that honors God?
Day 3: The Spiritual Impact of Financial Decisions
Description: Every spending decision is a spiritual decision, impacting our hearts and our ability to be generous. By asking different questions and recognizing the true costs, we can align our financial choices with God's will for our lives. This involves understanding the real cost of spending and developing a personal financial vision that guides us to live out God's plan for our lives rather than someone else's. Financial stewardship involves asking different questions about our spending, recognizing the real costs, and understanding that every spending decision is a spiritual decision. [09:37]
Bible Passage: "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: Consider a recent financial decision you made. How did it align with your spiritual values and God's will for your life?
Day 4: Cultivating Self-Control for Financial Peace
Description: Self-control is essential for financial peace. Without it, we are vulnerable to financial pitfalls. By exercising self-control, we can train our money to work for us, rather than being controlled by it. Building an "oh no" fund for emergencies, attacking consumer debt, and establishing a reserve fund for living expenses are practical steps toward financial peace. These actions align with God's desire for us to live in peace, free from the stress of financial burdens. [12:28]
Bible Passage: "A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls." (Proverbs 25:28, ESV)
Reflection: Identify one area where you struggle with self-control. What practical steps can you take today to begin exercising more discipline in this area?
Day 5: Crafting a Personal Financial Vision
Description: Having a clear financial vision helps us live out God's plan for our lives. By setting goals, building emergency funds, and eliminating debt, we can experience financial peace and freedom, aligning our lives with God's purpose. Creating a personal financial vision is essential, guiding us to live out God's plan for our lives rather than someone else's. This involves planning diligently to experience the blessings of God and avoid the pitfalls of hasty financial decisions. [19:33]
Bible Passage: "The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty." (Proverbs 21:5, ESV)
Reflection: What is one financial goal you can set today that aligns with God's purpose for your life? How will you take the first step toward achieving it?
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Quotes
I'm excited to talk about Legacy 25. You know, last week, we threw a bunch of numbers at you. You know, we talked about the Choose Life Fund, and I just found out this week that that Choose Life Fund, helping women choose life over abortion, helping people adopt, helping people who are foster parenting, we've been able to impact 300 families in the last year. I checked on what our outreach has done. It's touched outside the walls of this church over 3,500 people, and that's a really conservative number. It's really more than that. So we talked about a lot of numbers. We talked about how the church has grown, and the thing is, it's because every number is a person. You know, that numbers matter because every... You know, there's a whole book in the Bible called Numbers? I like Numbers Matter, because every number's a person, and every person has a story. [00:00:00] (52 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
The truth of the matter is America is full of pretenders. We're acting. Dave Ramsey says you need to act your wage, right? But we pretend. We don't act our wage. Proverbs 12 says it's better to be ordinary and work for a living than to act important and to do what? Starve in the process. I think that's worth an amen. Can I hear an amen to that? [00:08:31] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
Americans ask questions like how much is the down payment for this? How much will this cost me a month? We need to be asking questions about the real cost because we have forgotten about the real cost. And it's not just financial cost. It's the cost of the lost opportunity to be generous. [00:09:37] (17 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
Here's what we want to do. We want to say no to some good things so that we can say yes to the best things. Holy Spirit speaks to your heart and says, you ought to go on a mission trip, but I have to say no because I already said yes to other things. If I say no to those things, I can say yes to the better things. [00:14:06] (18 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
Most of America is living out a financial vision, but it's not their financial vision. And it's certainly not the Lord's financial vision. It's the salesman who talked you into buying it. It's the realtor who told you it'd be a good buy. It's somebody else's financial vision for your life. And just, let me ask you, if you go to work 40 or 50 hours a week, all the effort it takes, if you went to college, maybe to get a degree, to be able to work that job, is it really worth all that work and energy and passion to live out somebody else's vision for your life? [00:19:59] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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