CULTIVATING A GENEROUS HEART - Overflowing Thanks to God
2 Corinthians 9:12-14 (p. 807) July 23, 2017
Introduction:
It took 18 people 10 days to construct…It involved a quarter of a million dominoes…and it set a Guinness World Record for the most dominoes toppled in the United States. (Watch)
SHOW DOMINO VIDEO
I believe when we cultivate a generous heart for Jesus we become a lot like these dominoes.
The Apostle Paul says, “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.”
In other words…when you gave, it not only helped those you intended to help…it became like a chain of dominoes in regards to people, thanking God, that you didn't know…It spurred others on to want to give of themselves.
[At a Starbucks in Cordora California one person paid for the order of the person behind them in the drive through…and then for the next 4 1/2 hours this pay it forward generosity continued until it was broken.]
I think this is exactly what happens when people give and sacrifice generously. Like dominoes of grace it topples forward and spurs others on to think about others…it’s an avalanch of joy… “It truly is more blessed to give than to receive” when you drive away with that stupid smile on your face anticipating what the person behind you will feel when they receive the gift…It’s better than the free cup of coffee you received.
It’s this attitude that is so Christlike and it’s this attitude that cultivates a generous heart…It’s this attitude that makes us cheerful givers…whether it’s our tithe…or a special gift for someone in need.
I. IF OBEDIENCE DOESN’T ACCOMPANY CONFESSION IT’S NOT THE GOSPEL
How would you feel if you were really hungry and someone came and told you “I’m going to bring you a wonderful meal…fried chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, banana cream pie…I’ll get it to you by this evening.
5 o’clock rolls around, then 6, and 7…nothing. The next day you see them and they say “Oh…I’m so sorry, I forgot all about it…I got really busy with other stuff.
I don’t care how godly you are, you’re going to feel disappointed and have some ill feelings toward the one who promised you something good and then didn’t deliver.
The Gospel isn’t Good News because God said I’m going to send my son as an atoning sacrifice for the sins of all mankind…He’ll die as the Lamb who takes away all your sin…and rise from the dead.
The Gospel is Good News because…He said He would do this…and then He did this!
Paul tells the Corinthians…who had made a promise…“prove yourselves…If you want others to praise God, then your obedience needs to accompany your confession of the Gospel of Christ and your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else.”
The truth is if obedience does not accompany our confession, it’s not the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Listen I understand we are all sinners who are only saved, “By grace, through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)
But grace isn’t received by us as sinners without a realization we need change…The New Testament describes our salvation in terms of a death, burial and resurrection, becoming new creations, old becoming new…Darkness becoming light…radical stuff…that goes way beyond just “saying some words” or doing something so I don’t go to Hell.
If we do that it’s like promising someone a great meal…and then forgetting all about doing it…and it puts us in the same category as the demons…Listen:
JAMES 2:14-24 (p. 848)
Abraham didn’t just say, “God, I trust you enough to walk up the mountain and sacrifice my son.” He walked up the mountain and raise the knife with a commitment to bring it down.”
It’s why what we as Christians do with our money is such a strong indicator of our faith. Money is important…it is loved by this world more than anything else and the child of God…the follower of Christ cannot say, “Jesus you are Lord and Savior…oh, except for my paycheck God.”
You cannot serve both God and money at the same time…Jesus' words…not mine.
“God loves a cheerful giver…and is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all you need you will abound in every good work.” (v. 7-8)
Confession becomes obedience when we live believing that…whether we are in Corinth or Gardenside.
Let me also emphasize that when we choose to live a life of cultivating a generous heart.
II. IT CONNECTS US WITH OTHERS THROUGH GRACE
Paul tells the Corinthians that when they complete their gift and help others, those “others” will thank God for them. Their hearts, will go out to them, because of “grace.”
Grace is truly “amazing” because it’s undeserved…grace is receiving a gift that meets your greatest need…and it’s never earned…it’s a gift.
[I’m not sure if I’ve shared this story with you or not, but when I was burned I spent almost 3 months in St. Joseph hospital on the 5th floor…I turned 11 in the hospital…3 months of salt water baths, skin graft surgery, antibiotics, recuperating. I read the Hardy Boys mysteries almost every day to keep my mind occupied. I lived through their adventures…The Tower Treasure, The House on the Cliff, The Secret of the Old Mill, The Shore Road Mystery…they took me away from the pain and the 20x30 room. They often used a boat on their adventures names “THE SLUETH.”
On the day before I got out of the hospital my mother helped me over to the window because dad wanted me to see something. He was circling St. Joseph Hospital pulling a boat similar to the one the Hardy boys used...He put a name on the back of it… “THE SLUETH.”
It’s hard for me even today to tell you how “grace filled” that undeserved gift was…it gave me hope for the future.]
The only reason for that gift was because I had a father who understood what I needed and gave it to me…I didn’t deserve it…I couldn’t earn it…all I could do was accept it and be thankful…It was a gift of grace.
Paul tells the Corinthians…God has given you a gift of surpassing grace…in reaction to their commitment to give to others…He’s reminding them of their salvation.
I think his point is this…when you've really experienced grace…it overflows into a desire to give grace to others in need. It connects you in prayer and praise. Jesus didn’t save us to be takers…He saved us to be givers…“sharing with them and everyone else.”
You see the truth is God doesn’t really need me or you…He doesn't need my money or talent or intellect…He’s OK without any of my resources…He’s rich enough, smart enough, and powerful enough on His own.
So why would He choose people like the Corinthians or Rick Burdette or you to partner with Him?
The simple answer is grace…but the more specific answer is it’s how He teaches us to be like His son Jesus…and it’s how He connects us to one another.
We are never more like God than when we sacrifice ourselves or something important to us for the needs of others.
The Corinthians are a lot like me. They had a past…according to 1 Corinthians 6:10 the church was filled with thieves, money lovers, drunks, liars and cheats…but Paul reminds them “But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ by His Spirit.” (1 Cor. 6:11)
They had been forgiven a lot! They had experienced much grace…they knew what they were before Christ and they needed to be reminded. They were dead to sin now…and alive for Christ and others.
I grew up in the midst of the Vietnam War, every Sunday names were read…it was part of my growing up…I love Vietnam Vets because of their sacrifice and how little they were honored at the time. It hurts my heart when I think about it.
In 1982 the Vietnam memorial was finally unveiled to honor these forgotten heroes. It’s striking in it’s black granite simplicity. Etched in this black stone wall, are the names of 58,286 Americans who died during the Vietnam War.
If you’ve been there it stirs deep emotions as mementos are left. As you , see older women etch names with pencil and paper. There are a lot of tears.
For 2 Vietnam Veterans - Robert Bedker and Willard D. Craig a visit to the wall is especially poignant, for they can walk up to this long black wall and fine their own names etched in the stone…because of a clerical error, both were mistakingly listed as killed in action, they were thought to be dead when really they are alive.
In my heart...and in yours as well, I believe we need to make the journey up the Hill to Golgotha every day. It’s a war memorial I need to visit. I never want to forget the cross.
I need to run my hand over the rugged bloodstained contours of the wood and with each visit I find my name etched in the grain…and I remember “I once was dead but now I’m alive.”
This truth connects me to others whose names are etched in that wood through grace! And reminds me why I should cultivate a generous heart.
Let’s pray.
