Generosity Series – Autumn 2023
Generous: The Beauty in Giving
Did you know that being generous is good for you? It’s true! Researchers are discovering and documenting the benefits that come as people engage in generous practices. Being generous has a measurable, positive impact on an individual’s body, mind, and spirit, as well as on wider society.
But sometimes we hold back on giving to others…why is that? Well our world today runs on a scare-city mindset. The world plugs into our fears and worries and tells us there isn’t enough to go around, and so we hoard what we have which weakens our neighbourhoods and communities. This series teaches us about God’s generous character and his promise that if we give, we will be blessed, and so will others!
This Sunday we will conclude our sermon series on generosity by considering two givers in our Bible: the widow who gave her last two coins to the temple treasury (Luke 20:45-21:4) and the little boy who gave his lunch to Jesus so he could feed a hungry crowd (John 6:1-14, see also Matthew 14:13-21; Mark 6:30-44 and Luke 9:10-17). In both cases we could say their giving had an “ouch.” Both gave all they had for Jesus’ use. How about us? Do we give what we won’t miss, or something we will miss, but are prepared to give Jesus anyway?
Here’s a good video re-cap of our teaching and God’s generosity as put together by The Bible Project. You can watch it here: http://https://bibleproject.com/explore/video/generosity/
There is a popular catch phrase within church circles that goes like this: “You were blessed to be a blessing.” The idea is that as God has poured money and gifts into your life, you should likewise pour out a portion of these to meet needs in the world. Yet how often is the pipeline to our faucet flowing freely, but the output from the spout a mere trickle? Where does the blockage occur? Sometimes it’s because we don’t even recognize what we’ve been given. It helps to stop and notice the abundance in our lives. We are loved by the creator of the universe and he shares his power with us, part of which is our financial gifts. Are we keeping that power entirely to satisfy our own needs and desires, or do we show our confidence and trust in God’s continual flow into our lives such that as it comes into our lives, a continual flow is also going out to be used and multiplied by God?
I hope you’ll join us as we consider this topic more deeply!
This Sunday we will continue our new sermon series on the topic of generosity. In particular we will be considering the role contentment plays in our ability to be generous and you’ll be asked to evaluate your own contentedness on a “Satisfaction Spectrum.” Contentment is an internal disposition, but the world tells us that contentment lies in external “things.” It is normal and natural to seek contentment and we are all tempted by the world around us to find that contentment in stuff, or an idealized kind of life, or achievement. Yet Paul tells us that true contentment lies elsewhere. In preparation for Sunday, ask yourself: how content am I? How does contentment differ from happiness and joy? Do I wish I was more content?
We get lots of messages in our culture today about what is important, what the “good life” is, and everything we need to do — and have– to achieve it. Still, so many of us remain unsatisfied, chasing after the next thing in search of fulfilment. But there is good news for us! God desires for us to have lives of contentment, freedom from worry and joy in abundance, and Jesus shows us the way there. As we learn how to find our contentment in God, and recognize his many blessings to us, we will also discover the beauty in giving. Our lives will be evidence that the good life is the generous life — a life through which the grace of God flows into the world.
As preparation for Sunday’s service, please watch this brief (7-minute) video about how some church members keep God’s generosity at the forefront of their daily living: