Living Generously. Series

Lifestyle of generosity.

This material should be used in conjunction with Dr Harry Wendt’s “In Heavens Name, Why on Earth?” There are many quotes throughout the sermon of Dr Harry.

We Christian’s have a thing build into us by the Spirit of God, and this thing comes about due to the life change that occurs when we become believers. When the Holy Spirit impacts us, we want to tell others about Jesus, about how we have encountered God. I know that some of us are a bit fearful of doing this, I’ve been there myself, while others do it to such an extent that those hearing about it wish they would shut up for five minutes so they could get a word in edgeways about the rugby or the news or that the eggs have boiled dry and the saucepans caught fire and things are looking fairly grim in the kitchen.

What happens to us when we come to faith, is that we become part of ‘the priesthood’! Now I’m not talking about the robes and the dog collar, bless me father for I have sinned, type of priest, but about being part of this great body of all believers that is the church. All these odd, some odder than others, saved people joined together that comprise the earthly body of Christ, The Church. We priests are thankful for our salvation, and this leads to our living generous lives.

This was true for the nation of Israel, that it was God’s intention for them to be a priestly nation, being witnesses and magnates drawing other people to God. When God gathered the people together at Mount Sinai he said “The whole earth is mine, but you shall be for me a priestly kingdom and a holy nation.” (Exodus 19:5b-6) Then God made His covenant with the nation of Israel.

Peter echos those words, this to the Chistian Church in his first letter; “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” (1 Peter 2:9). An interesting thing about being Christian is that we have given Jesus Lordship over our lives. We realise that our life journeys do not end here, our stories change, we no longer miss the mark or at least try not to, and we are part of an eternal journey and as such we realise that we are temporary tenants here on earth, we are presented with the opportunity to devote our lives to the service of God and others. As we live lives thankful to God it leads to our living generously out of the overflow of abundance we receive.

Paul in 2 Corinthians 8:1-5 states it this way:

And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has 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 testify that 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. And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us.”

I can recall many times when people have blessed us out of their poverty in both Sri Lanka and Fiji. People with very little going without so that we who visited them would be fed and provided for. They saw it as service to God, hosting his representatives, and would not take “we are okay,” for an answer.

Harry Wendt in his book ‘In Heavens name Why on Earth,’ [Power Point] uses this picture as a description of life. The character on the lower left Harry has named Sylvester, I’m not sure why he chose Sylvester either. Now Sylvester wondering how all these things, government, education, provision-as in food, family, money that’s making and saving money, leisure activities and work all fit in his life and with his faith in God. Yip, I touched on this last week. He is wondering how he fits his Christian faith in with these things and Harry points out that he’s asking the wrong question. That the right question is “How do I fit these things into my Christianity?” He justifies this by mentioning Jesus words; “But strive first for the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Matthew 6:33. Jesus is telling the disciples not to worry about the things that we need, and that God will provide their needs. Earlier on Jesus had told the disciples “Worship the Lord your God and serve only Him.” (Matthew 4:10) Interestingly he also points out that God does not seek first place in our lives, he seeks the only place in our lives.