A Generous Life: November 6

November 6, 2022
Pastor Nate Levering

God owns what is already His. The money we have, included. The possessions we carry, included. So what is God doing in our hearts while we give back what is already His?

Pastor Nate ventured to say that a generous life engages our heart to trust. Consider a time when you were asked to stretch beyond what you thought possible and God showed up. How did He show up? How was His faithfulness displayed and how did you faith in Him grow? The apostle Paul, a disciple of Jesus in the New Testament, displays for us how to live a generous life. Not by a sense of guilt, but a plan.

So how do we start? What if we first considered others above ourselves? And you do, in so many ways, consider others. We see it and feel it and are often recipients of your generous heart. It seems to be, for Paul, the compass by which we should realign ourselves and our perception of giving.

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. (Philippians 2:3-4)

How much do I give? This is tough. Or maybe easy depending on how you look at it because it's simply between you and God. For some of us it's 5%, some 10%. Consider the faith of the widow, who knew what Jesus had to offer her and gave Him back everything.

Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on. (Mark 12: 41-44)

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. (2 Corinthians 9:6-8)

Living a generous life is not based on spontaneous, emotional giving. We are stewards over what God has given us.  
 
Where should I give? What does it look like to give to a place you can trust? Pastor Nate doesn't shy away from the present reality that many institutions, organizations and people lack transparency, which is seen, for better or worse as a breach of trust. Therefore, many people have a difficult time wanting to give or knowing who and where to give to. Understandable. So what would it look like to give to where you see God moving. What matters to you and what pulls at your soul to funnel generosity there? Awesome! Let us hear it. Celebrate those places!
 
Why should I give? We fully believe that God is active and here with us in the local church. The ministry of God is this world is through us.

Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! (2 Corinthians 9:10-15).

Through your generosity, through all of us, God's work and love for His people are shown. All of what we see and do and give engages us into a more intimate relationship with God. A generous life invests in our future, future. We are investing and laying up treasures in heaven. We see God work in new ways, trusting His hand to work over your life and through your life.