Genereous: Discovering The Generous Character Of God Series

Intro: What is it that will cause us as Christians, followers of Christ to give in a manner that glorifies God? It will not be capital campaigns, it will not be gimmicks. Instead it will be when we understand the depths of God’s character and His goal to spread His kingdom by seeking and saving that which was lost through His generous character placed in His children.

What should we discover in this 4 week study titled Generous? If we allow the Holy Spirit to infuse us with Christ’s truth and character we will learn that God is lavishly generous.

Why would we choose to focus on finances instead of the entire area of stewardship? With the debt crises as a nation and others that constantly come to us for help financially. It is clear there is a misunderstanding of financial stewardship. Most don’t struggle with what to do with talents or time.

2 Corinthians 9:11 “God will make you rich enough so that you can always be generous. Your generosity will produce thanksgiving to God because of us.”

I. Generosity is revealed in God’s character

A) God is generous in creation

Generous in creation God gave motion and order to the universe. In the beginning God spoke and everything began to move. God gave breath to Adam and Eve. As you travel through both Old and New Testaments you see the generous hand of God on every page.

B) God is generous in salvation (God is extremely generous toward us in Salvation!)

Ephesians 2.8-9 “For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God's gift— 9 not from works, so that no one can boast.”

Grace is God’s generosity towards those at war with Him. Salvation is God’s gift to His rebellious creation. Why do we celebrate Christmas? Because God himself was generous enough to come and die for people that spat on Him, beat Him, and rejected Him.

John 3.16 16 "For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.”

Have you noticed it didn’t say God so loved the world that He took. The Devil, Satan, the Accuser wants you to think that God does nothing but take. That is not true. He gives and gives and gives

C) God is generous in sanctification

Listen to what he does for us as His Church.

Ephesians 4:8 “He gave gifts to the people”

Ephesians 4.11 “And He personally gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers,”

Get this truth: God gifts us for the benefit of building up the body of Christ so that others can experience His generosity!

God Gives Gifts to us to 1) Edify or build up the body for the work of the ministry

2) Encourage the body for the work of the ministry

3) Enable the body for the work of the ministry & mission

Titus 2:14 “He gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for Himself a special people, eager to do good works.”

God’s generosity is not without a purpose or goal. Redemption buying back people sold into slavery. Cleansing from the stain of sin and empowering us to do good works.

It was the giving, the generosity of God towards us that redeems us. The result was suffering and death. Eager the words means to boil or enthusiastically devoted to.

So you must ask yourself what do you boil enthusiastically about? AR razorbacks, Carlisle Bison, hobbies, hangouts? God is generous toward us so that we will be generous toward others.

John Piper asks a question that we should all seriously ponder...

If you dropped dead right now, would you take with you a payload of pleasure in God or would you stand before him with a spiritual cavity where covetousness used to be? (Piper, John. Future Grace)

Vance Havner “We need an outbreak of holy heartburn, when hearers shall be doers, when congregations shall go out from meetings to do things for God.

Redemption means freedom from a life of wickedness and to a life of obedience and purity. Christ died to provide us this redemption. God is concerned about the life-styles of His people. He looks for eager obedience and active doing of good. A full understanding of these things leads inexorably to godly living. Conversely, ungodly living in a Christian is a clear sign that either he does not fully understand these things or he does not actually believe them. No change no Christ. Permanent enduring change comes only from the powerful presence of Jesus. You don’t change to be redeemed you change because you are redeemed.

God’s character is generous.