Trust and Generosity: Embracing God's Provision

 

Summary

In today's message, we explored the profound theme of trust and generosity, drawing inspiration from the teachings of Jesus in Matthew 6. We began with a story from Fred Craddock about a struggling church in Oklahoma that learned the power of giving, even when resources seemed scarce. This narrative set the stage for a deeper exploration of how faith and trust in God can transform our approach to life's challenges, particularly the worry that often accompanies financial uncertainty.

Jesus' words in Matthew 6 remind us not to worry about our basic needs, as God provides for the birds and the flowers, and He will surely provide for us. This teaching challenges us to shift our focus from anxiety about material needs to seeking God's kingdom and righteousness. The call is to trust that God will meet our needs, just as He has promised.

We also discussed the importance of generosity, not as a transactional act expecting returns, but as a reflection of our trust in God's provision. The story of a traveler who gave his last piece of bread to a stranger, only to receive a miraculous pouch of endless provision, illustrates the principle that God meets our needs, not our greed. This aligns with the biblical teaching that giving should be done with a cheerful heart, trusting that God will bless us abundantly so that we can continue to do good works.

The sermon also addressed the practical aspects of giving within the church community, highlighting statistics on giving patterns and encouraging a shift towards greater generosity. The challenge is to commit to giving, regardless of our current level, and to trust that God will use our contributions to further His kingdom work.

In conclusion, we are called to live with open hands, trusting that God, our shepherd, will provide all we need. By committing to give, we partner with God in His mission to bless the world, transforming our communities with His love.

Key Takeaways:

1. Trust in God's Provision: Jesus teaches us not to worry about our basic needs, as God provides for the birds and flowers. This challenges us to trust that God will meet our needs, shifting our focus from anxiety to seeking His kingdom and righteousness. [42:41]

2. Generosity Reflects Trust: True generosity is not about expecting returns but about reflecting our trust in God's provision. The story of the traveler and the miraculous pouch illustrates that God meets our needs, not our greed, encouraging us to give with a cheerful heart. [48:09]

3. Commitment to Give: We are encouraged to commit to giving, regardless of our current level, trusting that God will use our contributions to further His kingdom work. This commitment is a reflection of our faith and trust in God's provision. [01:08:06]

4. Living with Open Hands: We are called to live with open hands, trusting that God, our shepherd, will provide all we need. By doing so, we partner with God in His mission to bless the world and transform our communities with His love. [01:03:09]

5. Generosity as a Spiritual Practice: Practicing generosity is a spiritual discipline that requires us to let go of our fears and trust in God's abundance. It is a reflection of our commitment to God and our willingness to be used by Him to bless others. [01:04:48]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:30] - Opening Prayer
- [01:15] - Fred Craddock's Story
- [05:00] - The Struggle of Worry
- [10:00] - Jesus' Teaching on Worry
- [15:00] - Trusting God's Provision
- [20:00] - The Power of Generosity
- [25:00] - Giving Without Expectation
- [30:00] - Church Giving Statistics
- [35:00] - The Challenge to Give
- [40:00] - Living with Open Hands
- [45:00] - Generosity as a Spiritual Practice
- [50:00] - Closing Prayer and Invitation to Pray

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: Trust and Generosity

Bible Reading:
- Matthew 6:25-34
- 2 Corinthians 9:6-8
- Psalm 23:1

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Observation Questions:

1. In Matthew 6, what examples does Jesus use to illustrate God's provision for our needs? [42:41]
2. How does the story of the traveler and the miraculous pouch relate to the concept of generosity in the sermon? [48:09]
3. What statistics were shared about giving patterns within the church community, and what challenge was presented to the congregation? [53:06]
4. How does the sermon describe the relationship between trust in God and the act of giving? [49:32]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. What does it mean to "seek first His kingdom and righteousness," and how might this shift our focus from worry to trust? [44:13]
2. How does the story of the Oklahoma church illustrate the principle of trusting God with our resources? [39:07]
3. In what ways does the sermon suggest that generosity is a reflection of our faith and trust in God's provision? [49:32]
4. How does the sermon challenge the idea of giving with the expectation of receiving something in return? [58:04]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when you worried about your basic needs. How can Jesus' teaching in Matthew 6 help you trust God more in similar situations? [42:41]
2. The sermon encourages living with "open hands." What practical steps can you take to practice generosity in your daily life? [01:03:09]
3. Consider the story of the traveler and the miraculous pouch. How can you give to others without expecting anything in return? [48:09]
4. How can you commit to giving, even if it's a small amount, and trust that God will use your contributions for His kingdom work? [01:08:06]
5. Identify one area in your life where you struggle to trust God's provision. What is one action you can take this week to surrender that area to Him? [45:21]
6. How can you encourage others in your community to embrace a lifestyle of generosity and trust in God's abundance? [01:04:48]
7. Reflect on the statement, "The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing." How can this truth transform your perspective on your current financial situation? [47:01]

Devotional

Day 1: Trusting in Divine Provision
In Matthew 6, Jesus teaches that we should not worry about our basic needs, as God provides for the birds and flowers. This teaching challenges us to shift our focus from anxiety about material needs to seeking God's kingdom and righteousness. Trusting in God's provision means believing that He will meet our needs, just as He has promised. This trust allows us to live with peace and assurance, knowing that our Heavenly Father is aware of our needs and is faithful to provide. [42:41]

"Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?" (Matthew 6:25, ESV)

Reflection: What is one specific worry about your material needs that you can surrender to God today, trusting in His provision?


Day 2: Generosity as a Reflection of Faith
True generosity is not about expecting returns but about reflecting our trust in God's provision. The story of the traveler who gave his last piece of bread to a stranger, only to receive a miraculous pouch of endless provision, illustrates that God meets our needs, not our greed. This aligns with the biblical teaching that giving should be done with a cheerful heart, trusting that God will bless us abundantly so that we can continue to do good works. [48:09]

"One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered." (Proverbs 11:24-25, ESV)

Reflection: Think of a recent opportunity to give generously. How can you approach similar opportunities with a heart that reflects trust in God's provision?


Day 3: Committing to Generosity
We are encouraged to commit to giving, regardless of our current level, trusting that God will use our contributions to further His kingdom work. This commitment is a reflection of our faith and trust in God's provision. By giving, we partner with God in His mission to bless the world and transform our communities with His love. This act of faith requires us to let go of our fears and trust in God's abundance. [01:08:06]

"Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." (2 Corinthians 9:7, ESV)

Reflection: What is one specific way you can commit to giving more generously this week, trusting that God will use your contributions for His kingdom?


Day 4: Living with Open Hands
We are called to live with open hands, trusting that God, our shepherd, will provide all we need. By doing so, we partner with God in His mission to bless the world and transform our communities with His love. Living with open hands means being willing to share what we have, knowing that God will continue to provide for us as we bless others. [01:03:09]

"Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God." (Hebrews 13:16, ESV)

Reflection: Is there something you are holding onto tightly that God is calling you to release? How can you practice living with open hands today?


Day 5: Generosity as a Spiritual Practice
Practicing generosity is a spiritual discipline that requires us to let go of our fears and trust in God's abundance. It is a reflection of our commitment to God and our willingness to be used by Him to bless others. As we practice generosity, we grow in our faith and become more aligned with God's heart for the world. [01:04:48]

"Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed." (Proverbs 19:17, ESV)

Reflection: How can you incorporate generosity as a regular spiritual practice in your life, and what steps can you take to start this practice today?

Quotes



Now, when Jesus was speaking to the people in Israel, he was doing so to listeners who were surviving on the very basics of life. And they call it subsistent living. Now, subsistent living means if you work that day, you eat that day. If you fish that day, you'll have enough to eat and maybe even some to sell. But if you do not catch anything. Then you probably will not eat anything fresh. [00:41:27] (25 seconds)


And if that's how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you? You have little faith. So don't worry saying, what shall we eat or what shall we drink or what shall we wear? For the pagans were not clothed. And God knows you need them. But seek first his kingdom, his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. [00:43:49] (32 seconds)


And I know it seems contradictory. I know that. If we don't have enough, why wouldn't we worry? Why wouldn't we worry? This innate desire to save, ourselves, to take care of our own needs, it is very strong. It's kind of rooted into our subconscious lizard brain, you know, that brain in the back that is just trying to survive. It's there. [00:44:28] (26 seconds)


But we pray that God will give us what we need today. Now, I know you may not be able to see that very first step of faith. If you're Indiana Jones fans, I love that Indiana Jones, the last crusade, he had to take a step of faith. He didn't see anything right, right in front of him, but there it was. It was there. That's faith. You have to take the first step, even though you may not be able to see where it's going to lead. [00:45:59] (25 seconds)


I mean, we say we believe in scripture, but do we live as if we believe what Psalm 23 says? And we all probably know this by heart. Do we believe whenever it says, the Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. And look in the NIV, the Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. Or the NLT, New Living Translation, has a really powerful statement. The Lord is my shepherd, I have all that I need. [00:47:01] (30 seconds)


The moral is that this particular bag spoke to the need, provided for the need, but not for the greed. I love that story. Because I think God also is looking for people who are willing to trust him with their needs. 2 Chronicles 16 .9 tells us that the eyes of the Lord are moving all over the earth, searching for those people whose hearts are fully committed to him. [00:49:32] (34 seconds)


Practicing letting go is very hard to do, especially for any generation whenever it comes to money. And oftentimes, we don't give because we don't feel like we have enough, or we don't want to lose what we do have. We'll give if there's a return, or a promise of a return. And this is interesting. You may not know this, but the government increased the threshold. [00:50:51] (28 seconds)


Giving has always been difficult. It's been a difficult act to do. It's been a difficult act to do. And before I share this next little bit of information, I need to tell you that God has taken care of us. Mitch and I have, you know, Mitch is our elder on staff, and we have both repented for not trusting that God was going to help us meet budget last year. But we met budget last year. It was amazing. [00:52:03] (25 seconds)


He says give because we are going to be, continue to be blessed in abundance so that, not because we can collect more stuff and things, but that we can abound in every good work. All this resources, time, money, everything that we have is meant to be a pass -through. God wants to bless the world, bless others, and he's looking for people to help him in that venture. [00:59:28] (23 seconds)


And regardless of how God has blessed you, we need to honor it and consider it a holy responsibility to bless others with what we need. We have been given. I see so many people in this church who do that, whether it's through just simple time with people, paying attention, writing cards, giving, cooking. Man, I see it all over the place here. [01:02:22] (21 seconds)


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Transcript
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