By the power of God toward us, we must strive to be generous in every way, knowing the Lord will enrich us in every way for it. Indeed, he already has! Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.
SERIES: Our 7 Shaping Virtues
TEXT: 2 Corinthians 9:10-15
TITLE: Generosity
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet
BIG IDEA: Mission generosity marks us because divine generosity has made us.
POINTS:
1. God Gives Generously To Us So We Can Be Generous Givers
2. Our Generosity To Others Magnifies Our Generous God
SERMON EXCERPTS:
”The gospel of Jesus Christ is an act of cosmic generosity. The cross is the pulpit of God’s love and the overflow of his grace and mercy to undeserving sinners. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). The demonstration of divine generosity continues because, “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32) As beneficiaries of such generosity, we now have every motivation and grace to be generous likewise with our time, money and talents on behalf of God’s people and for God’s mission.”
“Biblical generosity is not about the right season or the right reason. Generosity is always about the life-giving generosity of God in Jesus Christ. God is the ultimate generous giver! We can never lose sight of this…”
“It doesn’t matter how smart you are. It doesn’t matter how talented you are. It doesn’t matter how disciplined you are. It doesn’t matter how great your sacrifice is. It doesn’t matter what kind of advantages you had or didn’t have growing up. No matter how little or much you have—you have it because God supplies it.”
“…the point of verse 10 is that God gives us what we have so we can sow it back into His kingdom, where He uses it for His redemptive purposes.”
“Paul is not saying—God will bless you for all your generosity. You could translate 11a—You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way. God generously provides for you so you can generously pour into his kingdom.”
“Be it your time, talents, or money, don’t you dare underestimate grace-motivated generosity, especially toward your church. Resist rebuking someone for being “too generous” toward their church. Think twice, three times, no four times, about complaining when your pastors want to talk about being generous in every way. Why? Because Paul says, God’s glory is at stake! God uses your generosity to produce praises to the glory of his grace in Christ Jesus.”
ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
James 1:17
1 Corinthians 4:7
QUOTES:
C.S. Lewis - “We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”
Paul Barnett - “When we opt out of giving, we deny ourselves the honor of promoting God’s glory.”
APPLICATION:
I’m so grateful this is true of our church in many ways. But from the most generous to the least, we all have room to grow. So allow me to help you direct your growth in generosity:
Is there a ministry in the church that needs your talents?
Is there a brother or sister in your CG that needs your time?
Is there an unsaved neighbor or co-worker that needs your time?
Is there a giving opportunity that could use your money? Oh yeah, the April offering is next week!