Living Generously: The Power of Love in Action

Welcome to everyone joining us today, whether you're here at the Smyrna Campus or connected online. As we conclude our series "Life Well Lived," we focus on the stewardship of life, emphasizing how love should be the driving force behind our actions. This series has been about living a life that reflects God's calling, so that when our time comes, those who speak of us can do so truthfully and with admiration. Today, we explore the theme "What's Love Got to Do With It?" and how love, as taught by God, should guide our lives.

We delve into 2 Corinthians 9, where Paul encourages the church in Corinth to support the Christians in Jerusalem who were suffering due to their faith. The Corinthians, living in a wealthy area, were called to be generous despite the materialism surrounding them. This message is relevant to us today, living in a culture of abundance. Paul outlines four essentials for a life well-lived: intention, trust, impact, and heart.

Intention is about planning to be generous, not just when it's convenient, but as a deliberate choice. Trust involves believing that God is able to provide for us as we give generously. Impact is about the difference our generosity makes in the world, particularly through the church, which is God's chosen instrument for change. Finally, heart is about aligning our passions with what Christ is passionate about—eternal things rather than temporary, worldly pursuits.

Generosity is not just about money; it's about giving our time, talents, and resources to further God's kingdom. It's about living a life that reflects God's love and grace, impacting others for eternity. As we live generously, we demonstrate our trust in God and our commitment to His mission. Let's strive to be a church known for its generosity and impact, both now and in the future.

**Key Takeaways:**

1. **Intention in Generosity:** Generosity begins with the intention to give, not just when it's convenient but as a deliberate choice. It's about planning to be generous and being ready to act on that intention. This requires a heart aligned with God's purposes, seeking to give as an act of worship and obedience. [31:20]

2. **Trust in God's Provision:** Trusting God means believing that He is able to provide for us as we give generously. It's about stepping out in faith, even when it seems challenging, and trusting that God will meet our needs. This trust is a testament to our faith and reliance on God's promises. [39:51]

3. **Impact Through Generosity:** Our generosity has the power to impact the world, particularly through the church. The church is God's chosen instrument for change, and our giving supports its mission to reach the lost and transform lives. This impact is eternal, affecting not just our community but the world. [45:24]

4. **Aligning Our Heart with Christ's Passion:** Our passions should align with what Christ is passionate about—eternal things rather than temporary, worldly pursuits. This means prioritizing our relationship with Jesus and His mission over materialistic desires. Our heart's alignment with Christ's passion is crucial for a life well-lived. [55:14]

5. **The Role of Love in a Life Well Lived:** Love is the foundation of a life well-lived. It motivates our generosity and guides our actions. God's love for us compels us to love others and give sacrificially, just as He gave His Son for us. Love is central to living a life that honors God and impacts others. [43:04]

**Youtube Chapters:**

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [22:33] - The Story of Two Brothers
- [24:20] - Context of 2 Corinthians 9
- [26:20] - Corinth and Materialism
- [27:17] - Generosity and Love
- [28:00] - The Greatest Commandments
- [31:20] - Intention in Generosity
- [32:18] - Motives Behind Generosity
- [33:02] - Recognition vs. True Giving
- [34:44] - Excuses for Not Giving
- [36:34] - Trust in God's Provision
- [39:03] - Principle of Sowing and Reaping
- [39:51] - Faith and Trust in Giving
- [41:53] - Biblical Perspective on Giving
- [45:24] - Impact Through Generosity
- [47:12] - Future Impact of the Church
- [55:14] - Aligning Heart with Christ's Passion
- [01:03:54] - Baptism and New Members
- [01:11:20] - Closing Prayer and Announcements

**Bible Study Discussion Guide: "What's Love Got to Do With It?"**

**Bible Reading:**
- 2 Corinthians 9:1-15

**Observation Questions:**
1. What was the context in which Paul wrote to the Corinthians about generosity? How does this relate to the situation of the Christians in Jerusalem? [24:20]
2. How does Paul use humor or sarcasm in his letter to the Corinthians to emphasize the importance of their commitment? [28:00]
3. What principle does Paul highlight in 2 Corinthians 9 regarding sowing and reaping, and how does it relate to generosity? [36:34]
4. How does Paul describe the impact of generosity on the church and the community? [45:24]

**Interpretation Questions:**
1. Why does Paul emphasize the intention behind generosity, and how does this reflect one's relationship with God? [31:20]
2. How does trust in God's provision challenge the Corinthians, and what does this reveal about their faith? [39:51]
3. In what ways does Paul suggest that the church's impact is eternal, and how does this align with God's mission? [45:24]
4. How does aligning one's heart with Christ's passion influence the way believers live their lives? [55:14]

**Application Questions:**
1. Reflect on your current intentions regarding generosity. Are there specific areas where you feel called to be more intentional in giving your time, talents, or resources? [31:20]
2. Consider a situation where trusting God with your resources feels challenging. What steps can you take to strengthen your faith in God's provision? [39:51]
3. Identify a way your local church is impacting the community. How can you contribute to this mission, either through volunteering or other forms of support? [45:24]
4. Think about your passions and interests. How can you align them more closely with what Christ is passionate about, focusing on eternal rather than temporary pursuits? [55:14]
5. Reflect on a recent act of generosity you witnessed or participated in. How did love play a role in that action, and what impact did it have on those involved? [43:04]
6. Evaluate your current priorities. Are there materialistic desires that might be hindering your ability to live a life well-lived according to God's calling? How can you address these? [26:20]
7. Consider the role of love in your daily interactions. How can you ensure that love is the driving force behind your actions, especially in challenging situations? [43:04]

I'm ready to provide the 5-day devotional based on the steps outlined. Here it is:

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Day 1: Intentional Generosity as Worship
Generosity is not merely a spontaneous act but a deliberate choice that reflects a heart aligned with God's purposes. It involves planning and preparing to give, even when it is not convenient. This intentionality transforms generosity into an act of worship and obedience, demonstrating a commitment to God's mission. By aligning our intentions with God's will, we can live a life that truly reflects His love and grace. [31:20]

2 Corinthians 9:7-8 (ESV): "Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 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."

Reflection: What specific steps can you take this week to plan and prepare for acts of generosity, making them a deliberate part of your worship?

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Day 2: Trusting God's Provision
Trusting in God's provision means believing that He will meet our needs as we give generously. This trust requires stepping out in faith, even when circumstances seem challenging. It is a testament to our reliance on God's promises and His ability to provide abundantly. By trusting in God, we can give freely and confidently, knowing that He is faithful to sustain us. [39:51]

2 Corinthians 9:10-11 (ESV): "He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God."

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you struggle to trust God's provision? How can you take a step of faith this week to trust Him more fully?

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Day 3: The Eternal Impact of Generosity
Generosity has the power to create a lasting impact, particularly through the church, which is God's chosen instrument for change. Our giving supports the church's mission to reach the lost and transform lives, making an eternal difference in the world. By living generously, we contribute to a legacy that extends beyond our immediate surroundings and into eternity. [45:24]

Matthew 6:19-21 (ESV): "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Reflection: How can you use your resources—time, talents, and finances—to support the church's mission and make an eternal impact this week?

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Day 4: Aligning Passions with Christ's Mission
Our passions should align with what Christ is passionate about—eternal things rather than temporary, worldly pursuits. This alignment requires prioritizing our relationship with Jesus and His mission over materialistic desires. By focusing on what truly matters, we can live a life that reflects Christ's love and purpose. [55:14]

Colossians 3:1-2 (ESV): "If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth."

Reflection: What worldly pursuits are distracting you from aligning your passions with Christ's mission? How can you refocus your priorities this week?

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Day 5: Love as the Foundation of a Life Well Lived
Love is the foundation of a life well-lived, motivating our generosity and guiding our actions. God's love for us compels us to love others and give sacrificially, just as He gave His Son for us. By making love central to our lives, we can honor God and impact others in meaningful ways. [43:04]

1 John 4:11-12 (ESV): "Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us."

Reflection: How can you demonstrate God's love to someone in your life today through a specific act of generosity or kindness?

Amen. Welcome again, everyone. We're so glad you're here with us today. Welcome to Smyrna Campus. We love you guys. Glad you're connected there and everyone that's connected with us online. We're so happy to have that connection with you as well.

We are finishing up today a series we've been doing called Life Well Lived. Every November here at Lakeshore, we do an emphasis on the stewardship of life, the different areas of our life that we need to be good stewards of to be pleasing to God, to have really a life that is a well-lived life. That's going to have the impact that God wants us to have. We're going to accomplish the things that God wants us to accomplish while we're here with the time that we've got on the earth as we prepare for the rest of our lives in eternity with Him.

I've loved this series. Last weekend, we did our 50th anniversary celebration. I want to thank everybody at the Smyrna Campus and at the Sanion Campus and every volunteer and staff that pitched in there to help make it a great celebration. Let's thank everybody for all the great work they did.

Well, today's message as we finish up this series is called What's Love Got to Do With It? If we're going to have a life that is well-lived, then love, the way God wants us to love, the teaching and example of love that He gives us has to be the driving force behind our lives.

That reminds me of these two brothers that were in a fairly small town, but they were notorious for how evil they were. They were known as being two of the worst people in town, though with their way of doing things, they had ended up being very wealthy. When one of the brothers died, the other brother went to the local pastor and asked him to do his brother's message for him at the funeral.

He said, "I just don't feel comfortable doing that. I mean, we know your reputation. We knew his reputation was not very good. I don't know what I would say." He said, "Well, I'll tell you what I'll do then. I'll give you some more insistence. I'll donate a million dollars to your church if you not only do the funeral, but I've got one stipulation. You have to say that my brother was a saint in the message."

He said, "I don't know how in the world I could do that. Our church needs the money. It'd be a great blessing, but I just don't see." So he said, "Let me think about it and pray about it." He went home and talked to his wife, and they prayed about it. He said, "You know what? I think God has revealed to me a way that I could do this."

So he went back to the guy and he said, "Okay, I'll do it. I need to get the million up front." So he got the million dollars. He deposited it. So the church had the money.

At the funeral service, while he was doing the message, he got up and he started talking. The packed church was curious about what he was going to say. He said, "This man was as evil as the devil himself. He cheated on his wife. He abused his family. He drank like a fish. He stole from the poor, never had a nice word to say about anyone. He was as vile and wicked a man as you could ever hope to meet. But compared to his brother, he was a saint."

You know, if Jesus doesn't come back first, all of us are going to have somebody speak at our funeral. Somebody is going to need to know what to say about us. How would they describe us? What things would they be able to say about our lives?

This whole series, if you missed any of them, you could go back and catch them on our YouTube channel. They are archived there. But every message in this series has been one element of how we live the kind of life that the preacher doesn't have to lie at our funeral. He doesn't have to make up stuff. He doesn't have to try to work around some way to say something good about us. Because we've lived out the life that God has called us to live.

When you think about the wise investment of life, you can look at a lot of different passages in scripture, a lot of different texts in the Bible. But one of my favorites is in the New Testament. If you'll be turning with me to 2 Corinthians chapter 9, we're going to go to several verses there in 2 Corinthians chapter 9.

I want to break it down a little bit. We're going to look at four essentials of having a life that at the end, people could say that person invested their lives well. They did what was most important. They really had the right faith. They really had the right focus in how they lived their lives. It was a life well-lived.

Before we dive in, I want to set the context for the verses we're going to be looking at. We'll be looking at verses 1 through 15 here of 2 Corinthians chapter 9. The Apostle Paul wrote this letter to the church at Corinth, to the Christians there. In that letter, he's encouraging them to help him out with a project that they had started the previous year.

The saints in Jerusalem, the Christians, those that had converted to Christianity there in Jerusalem, where the first church all got started, they were suffering greatly. They were being persecuted. Many of them had lost jobs because they were Jews who converted to Christianity. Their families many times would cut them off. Their bosses would not keep them employed. And so they were really struggling because of the sacrifices they had made to start living as Christ followers.

Paul was appealing to all the other churches to help out. They were taking up this special collection to help out those brothers and sisters there in Jerusalem. He had already mentioned it in the first letter that he wrote to Corinth. So he gave them like a year's notice. You know, we're going to be doing this. We want you to be part of this and participate in it.

Now, you have to know that the Corinthians were freshly redeemed people. In other words, this was a fairly new church. They had not been around for a long time. The Corinthians lived in Corinth, in the middle of a city, Corinth, that was the Mecca of wealth and finance in that time. So they were in a more wealthy area of that part of the world. They knew what it was to see materialism all around them.

Now the reason I bring that up is because we live in America. We live in the Nashville, Tennessee area, most of us, that are hearing the message today. There are others hearing online that live somewhere else. But the majority of us live in the Nashville, Tennessee area. And Nashville has for a little while now been deemed the "it" city. I mean, it's booming. They're building new stuff all the time. New houses. New apartments. New downtown high rises are popping up all the time.

If you've got a skyline picture from just ten years ago, it's changed radically in ten years with all the stuff that's been built down there. It is a Mecca of materialism. The entertainment industry is here. The healthcare industry is here. The education industry is big here. There's just so many things that are booming right now here in Nashville.

It's estimated that about 90 people a day are moving into the Nashville area. 90 a day. This is the Mecca of materialism. Not only that, or that many people moving here, but when you look at the homes that are already here and the homes that are being built, many of them are what we used to consider mansions. But now more and more people are building and living in homes like that all the time.

So we could relate, I think, to the people in Corinth. So what he's having to say here to them, I think could apply, should apply, I think it must apply to us in the culture we're living in today.

Now as I read this text to you, I'm going to lift out four statements about how God has called us, in the middle even of that kind of culture, to live with generosity. That's going to be a major part of a life well-lived. Is that we learn to live as generous people.

And we're going to talk about the title of the message: What's love got to do with it? Well, not only does He want us to be generous, but He wants us to have the right motivation for being generous. It's the way God loves us and how we want to be like God and love others.

Remember when Jesus was asked, "What are the greatest commandments?" He said these two: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength." And another one, equal to it in importance, is "Love your neighbor as yourself." So everything we do should be motivated by God's love for us and our desire to love like God loves.

And God so loved that He did what? He gave. He gave sacrificially. So if we're going to have a life well-lived that really represents our God very well, then we need to so love that we do what? That we give. That we're generous people ourselves.

So four things. The first one is this. As we read this passage, I want you to listen. I'm going to read the first five verses, and you see that it's about the intention of your life. The intention of your life.

It means, pick up with verse one: "There is no need for me to write to you about this service to the Lord's people." Now that's humor, tongue in cheek, and you miss it sometimes when you just read scripture too seriously. If there really was no need to write to them, why is he writing this letter? Right?

There is a need for Paul to write to them about this. Right? But he hasn't actually expected us to read to them. Him a little bit of humor, maybe a little sarcasm, to say, "There shouldn't be any need for me to write to you about this," but really there is, and he's going to talk about why as we read the next few verses here.

Okay, he says, "There is no need for me to write to you about this service to the Lord's people, for I know your eagerness to help, and I've been boasting about it to the Macedonians, telling them that since last year you and Achaia were ready to give." Corinth is a city in the province of Achaia, so you're talking about a bigger area here. So it's not just the church at Corinth, but the churches in that area.

He says, "Your enthusiasm has stirred most of them into action." So to get the context, in the first letter, Paul talks about how he's inviting them to help with this, and in the first letter, he says they committed to be part of this already, not just that they would be part of it, but they gave the indication, "We want to be generous givers in this project."

So Paul's been bragging about that to the churches in the Macedonian province that he's also telling about this effort to help out. Okay, so many of them have been stirred into action. But he said in verse 3, "I'm sending the brothers in order that our boasting about you in this matter should not prove hollow, but that you may be what? Ready, as I said you would be."

In order to be ready, you have to intend to do it, right? You have to intend to be generous to be ready when the time comes to be generous. So intention is one of the keys to this lifestyle of generosity.

Here's what he says could be a problem: "For if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we, not to say anything about you, would be ashamed of having been so confident." So I thought it necessary. He just said it wasn't necessary, but now he says, "So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to visit you in advance and finish the arrangements for the generous gift you had promised. Then it will be ready as a generous gift, not as one grudgingly given."

So remember, the motive matters; the intention behind your generosity matters. We all know that there are people that do generous things, but not with the right intentions. Oftentimes, people will do something generous because they know the recipient can do something back for them.

So I'm going to help you out. Yeah, I'm here for you, whatever you need, because you recognize that person can do something for you. Or that organization or that company can do something for you. So you're willing to be generous to them.

Sometimes generous people are generous because of the notoriety and the attention that they can get for it. All right, you get on television, you get good PR when they cover it on the news, you know, this big gift that you gave. And that's not always the intent when it happens. That's not always the desire behind it, but sometimes it is.

For some people, they just want to get the praise and the recognition for what they're doing. Even in the church, it can be that way. Churches know in order to raise money, if you put somebody's name on something, they're more likely to give to it.

If you look around Lakeshore, here's something you're going to notice. Do you see any plaques or names on anything? No, because that shouldn't be the intent behind why you give. You shouldn't be doing it for that kind of notoriety. It's a gift to the Lord that is, you're intending to give to the Lord. You're intending to give to the Lord. You're intending to do this to bring glory to God, to fulfill God's call on your life. That's why you do it.

And so it's not about recognition. I always joke all the time. I go to some other churches visiting sometimes, and I do church consulting and things like that. A lot of times the pastor will have his own parking place. You walk into the lobby, there's a big picture of the pastor in the lobby, you know, with his name on it and all that.

I'm not trying to tell them, you know, to tell you that those people are bad people. I'm not saying that. I'm saying it can give the indication that sometimes it could be more about the recognition of the personality than it is about the service to the Lord.

I've got my own parking place here too. If you want to check it out before you leave today, it's right beside the dumpster in the back. They don't have the sign up yet, but that's where I normally park on Sunday mornings. It's that little white car by the dumpster. You can see it any Sunday that you're here. It's my reserve spot. I'm always hoping it's not too hot and the wind's not blowing that direction.

But here's what I know about most of you that attend Lakeshore. I'm sure there's some exceptions, but the majority of you want to be generous people. I believe that. I believe that's really what you want in your heart. And you intend to be generous. That's the intent of your life.

I appreciate that. I understand how you can have the intent and still struggle with being able to follow through on what you intend to do. So what a lot of us do is we intend to do it, but we've got these things that have to happen first before we'll be able, we think, to be generous people.

I intend to be generous when I get out of school and get that better job. I intend to be generous when I get that promotion at work. I'll start being more generous. I intend to be generous when I win that lottery I keep buying those tickets for, right? Right.

We've all got these conditions on, "I intend to do it when this happens, or that happens, or I don't have this anymore, or I get the debts paid out, right? Then I can start being a generous person." But I want you to listen all the way through this message, because I know this is hard. I understand that.

He's going to give us an example here that throws those excuses out of the water. It blows them out of the water. It just takes them away completely. We could start being generous right now, but we have to start with intending to be a generous person. It starts with intention.

The second thing we're going to see in this passage is you have to be intent on doing it, but then it's about trust after that. It's about trust. Look at verse six. He gives a principle that, all the way through Scripture, Old Testament and New, this principle is the same. It's a principle that even people who don't know God and don't know anything about the Bible understand this principle and function on this principle in a lot of ways, even if they're not Christians at all.

Here's what it says: "Remember this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly. Whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give, here's where the heart comes in, each of you should give what you've decided where? In your heart to give."

There's intention, but it's intention from the right place, right? It's from the heart that you intend to be generous, okay? "Each of you should give what you've decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a what? A cheerful giver."

We've talked about that here at Lakeshore. The word cheerful is where we get the English word hilarious from. He wants this to be a fun, joy-filled thing that we're doing in our lives, and God is able. Who's able? Do you believe God's able? Do you really believe God is able? All right, that's the key to not only being, intending to be generous, but trusting that God is what? He's able, all right?

Here's what He's able to do. He's able to bless you abundantly so that you get wealthy and have a big house. Is that what He says there? No, let's read it together. Look at it. "God is able to bless you abundantly so that in all things, at all times, having all that you need, you'll abound in every good work."

Does that sound like being generous when to you? No, that sounds like being generous now, doesn't it? With wherever we are right now, we could be generous people, because we may not be able, but who is? God is able.

God is able to bless us so abundantly, so not just when certain things happen, not just when certain circumstances are going on, but so that in all things, at all times, having all that we need, we will abound in every good work. That's a whole bunch of "alls" there, all right? All the time, all the places, all the circumstances, we can still be what kind of people? Generous people. Because who's able? God is able.

As it's written, He says, He quotes from the Old Testament, from Malachi, "They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever." Then He continues. He wants us to understand how we can trust God.

Now, "He who supplies seed to the sower," remember the principle? If you sow abundantly, you reap how? If you sow sparingly, you reap, all right? But there's a supplier of the seed. Who's that? God, all right?

So He says, "Now, He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed. He will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way, okay?"

Again, people pull this out of context, and those health and wealth preachers say, "If you give first, then God's going to make you rich." That's not what He's saying here, all right? He's talking about this principle. "You'll be enriched in every way, okay? Listen, you've got to put the sow that in there. You sow, you reap, sow that, what? So that you can be generous when? On every occasion, and through us, your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God."

That's the key, friends. Do you believe you can trust God to do what God says He will do? You see, you're not trusting God when you only do when everything's in place that you want to have in place. That requires no faith. It requires no trust whatsoever.

If you look at your budget and say, "Oh, I've got this much I can give," and you just give that, that is not an act of faith. But when you say, "Oh, man, this will be a struggle, but I believe in this cause, and I want to support this need, and I'm going to step out and do this," that's when you're saying, "You know what? I trust God's promise that if I believe that He's leading me to do this, and I do it, He's going to take care of me in that process."

And that's not easy for us in the flesh, in a materialistic world that we live in. It's just not. Is there always something else you could buy? Yes. Is there always something else you can use the money for? Absolutely. Is there always another bill that's going to be coming? Sure there is. Is there always the risk that maybe your income will change, or you get laid off at your job, or is all that possible for all of us? Absolutely.

But who do we trust? That's what He's wanting us to do. Trust God. Sue Ann and I have always had this attitude, even in church work, but in her jobs and everything too. My wife Sue Ann and I, we've talked about this. We just talked about it the other day, how we've always had this attitude. Well, if something happened to the job we have right now, God is going to do it. He's going to do it. He's going to do it. He's going to do it. God's not going to get caught off guard by that.

He's already got something else in the works, something else already planned for. He knew that was going to be coming, and He knew we were being generous in the meantime, trying to trust Him like we're supposed to. We're not perfect at it, but we're trying to trust Him like we're supposed to, right?

So if we do that, we believe we can trust that God's got it no matter what happens next. God's still got it. So do you believe that about God? It's the only way we can live the generous lifestyle.

Now, we can talk about a lot of stuff with generosity, but it really boils down to trust. I want to give you a little biblical trivia, okay? You may have heard these before, but I just want to share it with you. The word "believe" in the Bible, it's a big word, right? We're told we've got to believe, right? You know how many times it appears in the Bible, in most English translations? About 272 times.

How about the word "pray"? Pretty big. You know how many times that's used? 371 times. What about the word "love"? That's a big word in the Bible, right? It appears 714 times. But you know the words "give" or "giving" appear in Scripture 2,162 times.

Why do you think it's in there so much? Because God's just trying to get your money? No, that's not it. God is trying to train us to trust Him, and He knows that that area is a huge indication of where our hearts are when it comes to trusting God, because that's really the hardest, right?

It's easy to say you trust God when you don't have to take risks or make sacrifices, but when it's calling on you to do that, that's where the faith gets tested. That's where the belief really becomes, is it real, or have I just been playing games? Am I really someone who trusts God, who believes in God?

This is an area where it's going to show up more than any other area of our lives. 16 out of Christ's 38 parables are about possessions and money. It's the second greatest theme in the entire Bible. One out of every 10 verses in the Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, are about this.

And I know if you're a guest here today, and you think, "Oh man, this church is talking about money." I'm not talking about money. If you attend very long, you're going to find out that's not the case, all right? But here's what you're also going to understand. We teach the Bible here, and in the Bible, all those verses talk about this.

And if we're just teaching the Bible, what are we going to be talking about sometimes? Giving, money, generosity, because it's in Scripture. And why is it in Scripture? Because it's about the intention of our lives, and it's about trusting God with those intentions of our lives.

And the area of finances and generosity is an area that will show, will demonstrate that level of trust we have for God. So come back even after November, and you'll see. We want you to keep coming. It's about intention. It's about trust. But the third thing, it's about impact as well.

God put the church on the earth to impact the people. The people that God loves, cares about, and wants to save. The church exists to fulfill the mission of God. And it's about impact. So we just celebrated 50 years as a church, and you know what everybody has said in the community that I invited to come and be a part of this that aren't always necessarily part of our church?

Every one of them said, "I can't be there," or something like that if they couldn't be here. "But I want to thank you and your church for all that you do in this community. I want to thank you for the impact that you've had in this community."

But friends, it's not just this community. It's the whole world that has been impacted by this church. It really has. And when you think about that, then you understand that that didn't just happen. Here's what had to take place in order for that to happen.

People from the very beginning and all the way through who were part of this church had to make a decision. That they were going to make a decision. That they were going to make an intentional choice to support this church. They were going to give regularly and consistently for the work of the kingdom of God that God called this church to do.

And they were going to sometimes even have to make sacrifices to make that happen, but they were willing to do it. That's the only way any church for 50 years has the impact that Lakeshore has had for 50 years. It can't happen any other way.

And so we owe a debt of gratitude to all those who over those 50 years have been willing to make that kind of impact. They understand that. And so we're going to make that kind of impact. They understood that's what it was going to take. And they've been willing to do it.

But here's the question. I wonder what they'll say about this church 50 years from now. In the next 50 years. When we're not here, that's the point. Some of us won't be here 50 years from now. I'm in that club. I won't be here 50 years from now. What are they going to say about this church 50 years from now?

Are they going to be talking about the generosity, the impact, the involvement in the community, the difference this church has made? A lot of churches in America have closed their doors during that 50-year time. They don't exist anymore during that same 50-year period.

And here's the real test of a church. If we had to close our doors today, would anybody in the community even notice? Would they be impacted by the absence of this church? Now, I think they would right now. The testimony is there; I think the impact has been there. But what about over the next years that come behind us here?

We should be cheerful givers because we understand why we're doing it. We understand the difference it's going to make. We understand lives are going to be changed. We understand marriages that are going to be healed. We understand people that are going to heal from divorce when marriages didn't work out.

We're going to understand the difference that it made as someone's life who was way off track and they finally came back through the witness of someone in this church that has cared for them and reached out to them, and they found their way back.

We will be giving because we understand the impact it can have for parents that are concerned about wayward children that are out there and aren't where they need to be, and they know the prayers are going up for their kids.

We'll be a church that hopefully we understand the impact of having our preschool and our grade school and our youth programs where kids are being introduced to Jesus and they're being raised up to know and follow Jesus and value His teaching in their lives.

They've been able to witness their parents and their grandparents praying and singing and honoring God with their own lives, and it's impacting the world forever. When we do those things, that's why it's worth some sacrifice. That's why it's worth some intentional planning to be the generous people God has called us to be.

That's why it's worth the time we need to invest in the ministry of the church, even as volunteers. You see, when we talk about being cheerful givers, the Bible makes it clear both in the Old Testament and the New Testament we should bring those gifts to the local house of worship. That's God's plan for the impact He wants the church to have.

There are a lot of other good things you can give to, absolutely. I don't deny that at all. Lots of other good causes out there. But friends, Jesus said, "I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it." That's the greatest place, the greatest place of impact you can ever invest in in your life.

Here's how God feels about the church. Here's how Jesus feels about the church. He told us, "Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved what? The church and gave Himself up for her." He gave up everything for the church. Is the church perfect? No. You know why? Because we're here. The church is made up of very flawed, very imperfect people.

If you're waiting to find the perfect church to give to, then you will never ever invest in the work of the kingdom in your lifetime because there's not one. The only way we could get all the problems out of this church is for all of us to quit, and then the church would have another problem, right? It wouldn't even exist anymore because we are the church.

But what God has chosen to do is use very imperfect ordinary people. He's infused us with the Holy Spirit. He's guiding us by His word and leading us into those ministry things that He's called us to do, the good work He prepared in advance for us to do, so that we can have the impact that He wants us to have.

Now think about it. There is no business out there that reclaims and refurbishes and redeems lives like the church. Education does not reclaim, refurbish, and redeem lives. Entertainment does not reclaim and refurbish and redeem lives. Sports do not reclaim and refurbish and redeem lives. Only the local church reclaims, refurbishes, and redeems lives.

And Jesus has only been about one thing since He went back to the Father, and that's the work of the church here on this earth. It's the only thing going that can call people out of darkness into light. That's why it's worth the intentional decision to invest in the impact that God wants the church to have with your time and your talent and your resources.

Now, if Lakeshore is your church, you should be bringing your gifts to this church. You should be bringing your time of service to this church. You should be bringing your prayerful support to this church. That doesn't mean you can't pray for other churches and encourage other churches, but if this is your church that you belong to, that you are a part of, then this is where you need to be doing that.

Because if everybody does that for their church that they're part of, then the churches will have the impact that God wants the churches to have. If this is your church, then that's where you need to be doing it. But friends, if your church is somewhere else and you're listening online and you have a church somewhere else that you're connected to, then that's where you need to be doing it.

Wherever you're connected to that body of Christ and the local church, God's got a plan for the church, and it's through the church He wants to impact the world for all eternity. And it happens through people who make up that church investing their time and their talent and resources.

And the final thing is this: it's about intention and trust. It's about impact, but it's about heart. That's really what it comes down to. It's about heart.

Here's a question for us all: Are you passionate about the things that Christ is passionate about? That's the question. You know what Christ wasn't passionate about? You know what Christ wasn't passionate about? The temporary things of this world. He wasn't passionate about those things.

And we tend to get passionate about temporary earthly things. That's not evil; it's just not the best thing. I have fun joking about sports with people. I'm a Georgia Bulldog fan, so we have fun with Tennessee Vol fans and other fans that we have here, you know, going back and forth on who beat who and all that kind of stuff.

But friends, there are people who are so passionate about their sports team, it's unbelievable. They'll sacrifice almost anything for that sports team while giving very little to the church in time and resources and investment.

Parents, I love it when you're passionate about your kids. You should be. But friends, when you're so passionate about your kids about the wrong things, you've missed the boat. They could end up with a Harvard degree and be lost forever if you're not passionate about the right things with your kids.

It's great that you want them to have a good education. It's great that you want them to have good clothes and a nice place to live in a good neighborhood. Nothing wrong with any of those things. But is the thing you're most passionate about making sure they know and follow Jesus in their lives? That's what matters more than anything else.

You may be passionate about your career. That's good. I love it when you can find a career that's in your wheelhouse of what you're passionate about. What a great thing! What a blessing to have that. Not everybody has that; maybe you don't. You're looking for that. That's not a bad thing.

But your career will not determine your eternity. Not even for a minute will your career determine your eternity. But your relationship with Jesus through His church will, through you, it will probably impact the eternity of your family that you have influence over and the friends that you have influence over.

Your career won't do that for you, but your relationship with Jesus will. What are you most passionate about in your lives? When you've got time with your family and your friends and you're just sitting around talking, what is it you get most excited about talking about? That tells you a lot about your passion, what you're really most passionate about.

We've got people here I know that are sacrificing greatly to support the work and the ministry of this church. Our leaders here do that. Our staff does that. We've got people that volunteers that give their time and their resources so sacrificially for the work of the kingdom of God here.

Friends, I can tell you this. I, as a pastor, have been with a lot of people on their deathbed, and not a one of them has ever regretted what they did for the Lord and His church. Not one. Any dollar they gave, any hour they gave, any investment in the kingdom, not one has ever regretted that on their deathbed.

Because at that time, you really realize what was most important with your passion of your life, what mattered more than anything else. And so he uses an example here for these Christians of how they can have impact and how the heart being in it really matters.

Let's look beginning here in verse 12. He says, "The service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord's people; it's also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you've proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ."

What needs to accompany our profession of faith? Our obedience. "And in their prayers for you, it says their hearts will go out for you because of the surpassing grace God has given you. Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift."

Back in chapter 8, he gave them this example leading into these instructions. Beginning in verse 1, he says, "Now brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God's given the Macedonian churches. In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testified they gave as much as they were able and even beyond their ability, entirely on their own."

They urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord's people. You know what Paul’s saying? He's saying when the Macedonian churches heard about what we're doing, they were going through a severe trial. They were going through drought and famine in their area, but they pleaded for the chance to be part of helping out their brothers and sisters in Jerusalem.

They didn't say, "Well, when we get through this, then we'll be generous. When we get all this worked out and we get to a better place, then we'll start being generous." Paul said these struggling Christians pleaded for the opportunity to be part of this.

And not only that, they exceeded, he said in verse 5, "Our expectations. They gave themselves first of all to the Lord and then by the will of God also to us." That's the key because that's where the heart is made right.

When you give yourselves first to the Lord, where He becomes first in your life and in my life, then here's the transformation that begins to happen. We begin to get joy out of being like Him, out of growing up to be like the One who redeemed us, called us out of darkness into His marvelous light.

We have such gratitude for what Jesus has done for us that we take great joy in being able to do something that He's asked us to do and empowered us to do and given us the ability to do. We just love being able to honor Jesus after the incredible indescribable gift that He's already given to us.

And that's why in chapter 9 and verse 7, he says, "You should give what you've decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."

What's love got to do with it? Everything. Everything when it comes to a life well-lived. It all boils down to love. The life well-lived is lived with a heart devoted to God, His church, His mission to reach the lost through the local church.

Maybe you are ready to give yourself to that high calling of your life. Let's pray together.

Father, we thank You that today we've been reminded of a key element to a life well-lived. While we've got life and breath in us here today, it's not too late for any of us to get to that place where we are living life the way You designed it to be lived.

And generosity will be a huge part of that, not just with our money, but with our time and our resources, our gifts and our abilities being given to You for the most important work on the face of the earth: the work of our lives and the work of the local church and helping people come to know and follow Jesus.

I pray for those that might need to make that step of commitment, that decision today to be part of that call on their lives. It's in Jesus' name that we pray. Amen.

We're going to stand and sing. As we do each service, we offer this time of invitation. Just come right up front while we're standing and singing if you have a decision you need to make today. Let's stand and sing together.

Amen. Amen. Everybody have a seat, please. You ladies stand up here with me, if you would. Come right up here. I know nobody likes to be in this spot. Well, some people do. Most people don't like to be in this spot. Just step right up here. Tell everybody your names, if you would.

Hi, mother. And Connie. So we've got a mom and a daughter here who both come today together to profess their faith in Christ and be baptized into Christ today. Amen.

Now, I know you ladies come believing this, but for our benefit, I'm going to ask you to repeat a profession of your faith in Jesus, okay? "I believe that Jesus is the Christ. He's the Son of the Living God, and we do accept Him as our Lord and Savior." Amen. God bless you. Welcome. Congratulations on your decision.

If you would, go back there with Tracy. She'll help show you where to get ready. We'll celebrate your baptisms here in just a moment, okay? All right. Amen. Come on up, guys.

Yeah. We have this family who comes today to make Lakeshore their church home. Tell everybody your names, if you would.

Yeah. John Paul. All right. Ashley Beasley. And Ashley. And your family, you've got... Chris. John Marshall's in the back. All right. Great. So they come with their children to make Lakeshore their church home, and we want to welcome you and our family here.

I know you've come as believers already, but for our benefit, again, if you would, repeat a profession. "I believe that Jesus is the Christ. I believe that Jesus is the Christ. He's the Son of the living God. He's the Son of the living God. And we do accept Him. And we do accept Him. As our Lord and Savior. As our Lord and Savior." Amen. God bless you. Welcome again.

I'm going to ask you, if you would, to hang around for a few minutes after the service. We want to get your info and get your pictures, okay? Thank you.

All right. God bless you. We also have some prayer requests today. Come on up, Karen. Here we go. I had to get started. There you go. You can come on up too. Yeah, come on up. Tell everybody your name. And tell us who you're on us. You wanted to give an update first for prayers we were already doing, right?

Yeah. Absolutely. Come on up, girl. Tell everybody your name. LaPree. Okay. Let's pray together.

Father, we just want to lift up these prayer requests to You. First of all, we give You praise and thanks for answering the prayers that have already been answered. We thank You for the protection that You've already provided. But we pray for continued healing and recovery where it's needed, Father. We know You're the great physician.

And not just the healing of the body, but Father, what You're doing to bring about transformative healing of the spirit of the inner person. And in these situations, we pray for Your continued glory to be revealed, even through the hard, challenging things that we face, that You can use to draw people closer to You. We ask it all in Jesus' name. Amen.

God bless you. Thank you. This time, Hugh's going to come and lead us in a time around the Lord's table. And then we'll celebrate these baptisms. Thank you.

Thank you. I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, for the forgiveness of your sins, and the gift of the Holy Spirit. Thank you.

Amen. Amen. We're so thankful to be able to celebrate those decisions today as God continues to grow His kingdom here at Lakeshore. We thank God for that. We thank you for being here today.

If this is your first time here, please be sure to stop by the information counter before you leave. We've got a gift bag we'd love to give you. Thank you for coming. If you'd like to celebrate and worship through the giving of offerings, we have offering boxes, one in the back of the auditorium, mounted on a post there, one in the hallway as you exit.

You can drop your offerings in the top slot of those boxes. You can also give online at lakeshorechristian.com. Just click on that Give tab. You can also scan the QR code in your church bulletin shell. It's got a QR code there. You scan that with your phone camera. It'll take you to that page to give online.

And, of course, you can always mail in your check or money to the office here at the church. Any way you do it, it supports the work in the ministry of the church, and it's a way to honor God and show God that He's first in your life. So thank you to all who give and support what God is doing here. We appreciate it so much.

Notice in your bulletins there's always an insert there as well with announcements of activities, things that are coming up here at Lakeshore. So each week, you can keep up with that. You can take these with you if you like. If these are still intact, we can recycle these. There's a basket on the counter at the information counter there. You can drop these covers in. You can take the announcements with you if you like.

Now, each week, we give you a sermon outline too, if you'd like to take notes. Some people love taking notes. I'm one of those people. If I go somewhere and there's a lesson, I like to take notes. So you can use that outline to take notes on. Some people also do it on the Bible app, the YouVersion Bible app. We have the outline on there as well.

So you can follow along with that when your phone or tablet is out. We also do a midweek podcast on Wednesdays at noon. I won't be having one this Wednesday because it's Thanksgiving week, and I'll be out of town a little bit there, but we'll be back soon.

But we are normally on Wednesdays live at noon doing a podcast that goes along with the message, and we will invite you to listen live if you can. But once it's posted, you can listen to it on most popular podcast platforms anytime after that.

We also, if we have your email address, and it's correct on our database. If it's not, you need to update it with us. But if it is, you'll get a five-day devotional emailed to you each week that goes along with the messages.

We start a new message series next week, our Advent series leading up to Christmas in celebration of that. We have a Christmas Eve candlelight service coming up, Christmas Eve night at 6 o'clock. We hope you'll plan to come for that.

By the way, that's a great service to invite some people to come who may not already have a church home, may be looking for a church home. Sometimes they're a little more comfortable attending something like that as their first time coming. So just look for family and friends, neighbors, and coworkers to invite to come along with you for that Christmas Eve candlelight service.

You know what date that's going to be on? Yeah, some of you caught it right away. December 24th is Christmas Eve. That's when that service is going to be at 6 o'clock that night. So you can keep up with all the other things that are going on here.

You know the Christmas tree that's out there from Youth for Christ? We're partnering with them to help out and bless some families and individuals this Christmas. If you haven't already done so, we've still got one more week to go get those ornaments, take them and get those items that are on that ornament and bring them back by next Sunday so that they can be wrapped and given out to the families that they're helping out there.

I saw a bunch of people bringing in gifts again today. Let's thank everybody for your generous hearts for doing that. This is going to bless so many people. Thank you.

And let's all stand together right now. We're going to close with a word of prayer. Oh, by the way, I did want to give you an update. Our normal person that is leading the praise team, Michael Scherer, on staff with us here, had his surgery this past week on his neck.

And the doctor said everything went better than expected on that. So we're so thankful for that. So he's probably listening online. Mike, we're praying for you. We love you. We're looking forward to when you can be back with us in person again.

He's going to be really sore for a little while yet, but he'll be back in action real soon. So keep him in your prayers if you would. Let's close with prayer.

Father, again, we thank You for Your generosity to us. It knows no limits that You were willing to give even to the point of giving us Your Son, Jesus, as the atoning sacrifice for our sins.

Father, we can never do enough to repay You for that. That's not even what it's about. What You want more than anything is our hearts, our hearts to be fully surrendered to You. We thank You for these who've come today, whose hearts are surrendered to You and for others who regularly are part of our church family.

Father, we just pray You will continue to help us to lift up Jesus to those who yet need to be saved, know Him, and follow Him. It's in His name we pray. Amen.

"We are finishing up today a series we've been doing called Life Well Lived. And every November here at Lakeshore, we do an emphasis on the stewardship of life, the different areas of our life that we need to be good stewards of to be pleasing to God, to have really a life that is a well-lived life. That's going to have the impact that God wants us to have. We're going to accomplish the things that God wants us to accomplish while we're here with the time that we've got on the earth as we prepare for the rest of our lives in eternity with him." [00:19:12] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


"Now as I read this text to you. I'm going to lift out four statements about. How God has called us. In the middle even of that kind of culture. To live with generosity. That that's part of what's going. That's going to be a major part. Of a life well lived. Is that we learn to live as generous people." [00:26:22] (25 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


"Remember when Jesus was asked. What are the greatest commandments. He said these two. Love the Lord your God with all your heart. Soul mind and strength. And another one. Equal to it in importance. Is love your neighbor. As yourself. So everything we do should be motivated. By God's love for us. And our desire. To love like God loves." [00:27:41] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


"So I thought it necessary. He just said it wasn't necessary, but now he says, so I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to visit you in advance and finish the arrangements for the generous gift you had what? Promised. Then it will be ready as a generous gift, not as one grudgingly given." [00:31:06] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


"Each of you should give what you've decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a what? A cheerful giver. We've talked about that here at Lakeshore. The word cheerful is where we get the English word hilarious from. He wants this to be a fun, joy-filled thing that we're doing in our lives, and God is able. Who's able?" [00:36:14] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


"God is able to bless you abundantly so that in all things, at all times, having all that you need, you'll abound in every good work. Does that sound like being generous when to you? No, that sounds like being generous now, doesn't it? With wherever we are right now, we could be generous people, because we may not be able, but who is? God is able." [00:37:23] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


"The church exists to fulfill the mission of God. And it's about impact. So we just celebrated 50 years as a church, and you know what everybody has said in the community that I invited to come and be a part of this that aren't always necessarily part of our church? Every one of them said, I can't be there or something like that if they couldn't be here. But I want to thank you and your church for all that you do in this community." [00:45:00] (25 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)