CULTIVATING A GENEROUS HEART - Thanks Be To God For His Indescribable Gift
2 Corinthians 9:15 (p. 807) July 30, 2017
Introduction:
My grandfather, Arthur Bach was born in the mountains of Eastern, KY in Breathitt County…He and his 3 brothers all became doctors…Dr. Bach came to Lexington about 90 years ago…He loved people and he loved caring for them as a physician…but he also loved farming. He bought 300 acres here in what we now know as Gardenside. The original farmhouse is still on the corner of Traveller and Parkers Mill.
My Grandfather died before I could meet him…He was only 59 when he had surgery for an ulcer and an aneurism burst. Sammy, my brother was only 2. But he had prepared to take care of my Mema, his four daughters (one of which was a special needs daughter). He left resources to pay for all his children’s first house.
As the farm had to be sold my parents were given the 3 acres and the house they would build on the Lane that ran down his farm. How amazing is that gift? Every time I mow it or plant tomatoes on it, I think I’m taking care of land my grandfather farmed. It does something to my soul to connect me to my grandfather…when I get to heaven I want to see Jesus first, then my dad, but Dr. Bach will be third…(I’m pretty sure he’ll be with my Mema).
So let me ask you how would you feel if one day somebody walked into your house, sat down with you and your family, picked up your mortgage papers and said, “I’ve paid this off for you…your mortgage is “Paid in full.”
Would you shout for joy? Run around the living room screaming like a lunatic? Kiss them on the lips. Yes! Yes! and Yes!
On the 4th of July this year in West Palm Beach Florida….Corporal Michael Leslie and his wife had this happen.
SHOW VIDEO
I watch this young man overcome with emotion…Gratitude and thankfulness simply pour from his heart for this indescribable gift. A weight has been lifted…Hope has been restored.
I believe this is exactly why the Apostle Paul ends this section of scripture in 2 Corinthians 9 with the words…THANKS be to God for His indescribable gift…because the truth is:
I. A GRATEFUL HEART IS A GIVING HEART
Remember Paul is encouraging the Corinthians to fulfill their earlier commitment to help hurting people with their giving…and now the time has come for the Corinthians to “put their money where their mouth is.” And he wants the Corinthians to consider God’s gift to them as they consider their gift to others.
I think Jesus had this same thought in mind when in the house of a Pharisee named Simon…all of a sudden a woman interrupts the dinner party…a woman with a sinful past. She brings a jar of perfume and many tears…while Jesus is at the table she breaks the bottle of perfume and pours it on his feet. It mingles with her tears and she wipes his feet clean with her hair…HER HAIR!!!
Simon the Pharisee watches this and says to himself “If Jesus were really a prophet he’d know what kind of trash this woman whose touching him is!” “She’s a sinner!”
Jesus then says, “Simon I’ve got something to tell you.” Simon says, “Tell me teacher.” Listen to what Jesus tells Simon:
LUKE 7:41-50 (p. 721)
Two people…one knows she’s a sinner…the other doesn’t believe he is…One loves a lot…one is stingy with his love.
Jesus makes it clear “I tell you her many sins have been forgiven as her great love has show. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”
Funny how we make the sins of pride, greed, and haughtiness so much less than other sins, huh?
Serious question folks…who was in more danger of hell…Simon or the woman?
Gratitude and pride cannot co-exist in the same heart.
No wonder God’s Word commands us “Above all else guard your heart for everything you do flows from it.” (Proverbs 4:23)
Everything you do…that’s an all inclusive statement. A Christ follower continually visits the cross…daily. Communion is a weekly reminder of God’s grace and His indescribable gift…but there’s not a day that goes by that I don’t remember that 17 years old rebellious pothead…who selfishly used and hurt others. I know I’m forgiven, but I remember the pig sty every single day. I know the Apostle Paul remembered holding the cloaks of those who stoned Stephen. I know he remembered the heart that breathed out hate and threats as he persecuted the church of Christ.
It’s the very reason Paul told the Corinthians:
1 CORINTHIANS 6:9-11 (p. 795)
Quite a list, huh? I’m sure the Corinthians couldn’t forget “that’s what some of them had been” until Jesus washed away their sins, set them apart for His Kingdom, and filled them with His Spirit…How’s that for an indescribable gift?
Way too many people who come to church have either forgotten how much they’ve been forgiven or think they didn’t need much forgiveness in the first place.
A grateful heart is always a giving heart…
Let me end today with an important thought.
II. UNLESS WE SHARE THIS GIFT WITH OTHERS THEY ARE LOST
It’s the supreme reason we tithe, sacrifice, and give…The Kingdom of God can only grow when we have an urgency for the souls who aren’t in it.
Frances Chan is one of my favorite authors and ministers. In His book Crazy Love he writes:
Are You Ready?
As a paster, I’m often called upon when life “vanishes like a mist.” One of the most powerful examples I’ve seen of this was Stan Gerlach, a successful businessman who was well known in the community. Stan was giving a eulogy at a memorial service when he decided to share the gospel. At the end of his message, Stan told the mourners, “You never know when God is going to take your life. At that moment, there’s nothing you can do about it. Are you ready?” Then Stan sat down, fell over, and died. His wife and sons tried to resuscitate him, but there was nothing they could do - just as Stan had said a few minutes earlier.
I’ll never forget receiving that phone call and heading over to the Gerlach house. Stan’s wife, Suzy, was just arriving home. She hugged me and cried. One of her sons, John, stepped out of the car weeping, He asked me, “Did you hear the story?” Did you hear? I’m so proud of him. My dad died doing what he loved doing most. He was telling people about Jesus.”
I was asked to share a word with everyone gathered. There were children, grandchildren, neighbors, and friends. I opened my Bible to Matthew 10:32-33: “Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men. I will disown him before my Father in heaven.”
I asked everyone to imagine what it must have felt like for Stan. One moment, he was at a memorial service saying to a crowd, “This is who Jesus is!” The next, he was before God hearing Jesus say, “This is who Stan Gerlach is!” One second he was confessing Jesus: a second later, Jesus was confessing him!
It happens that quickly. And it could happen to any of us. In the words of Stan Gerlach, “Are you ready?”
God gave the indescribable gift of His Son for the salvation of all mankind.
“For God so loved the world He gave His one and only son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His son into the world to condemn the world but to save the world through Him. Whoever believes in Him is not condemned but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only son.” (John 3:16-18)
How can we know this truth and say we passionately believe it without there being some urgency to share it? The answer?
Because the same thing that happened to the Corinthians with their initial pledge to give happens to us…Time goes by…the peripheral issues of everyday life press in on us…Satan schemes and places things in our lives that require our time, talent and treasure…Maybe we think “I’ll get back to passionately loving Jews and others after this season…this relationship…this project,” but it never seems to happen…and we wonder why our faith is lukewarm.
[Let me ask you a very, very hard question…suppose someone abducted your child or grandchild…I know it’s a horrible, horrible thought, but it happens all the time. More than 50,000 children and adolescents were taken by non-family members by physical force for at least an hour…7,000 children nationwide are missing for prolonged periods.
What would you do? Would you feel an urgency to get them back before they are lost forever? It’s a stupid question…If it were my child or grandchild I’d do anything to rescue them. I’d sacrifice all I had for their safe return…I’d never stop looking…ever…neither would you.
So what about spiritually lost children and grandchildren? What about those we love that have been abducted by the Evil One and are eternally lost. Is there an urgency to see them rescued and saved? Are you intentionally searching for them, calling them home, praying for their release?
You see, our children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews and neighbors and friends are lost without a Savior…eternally.
It’s why God gave His Son as an indescribable gift. And it’s why we give of ourselves to His Kingdom. There is no such thing as a “lukewarm” Christian…Lukewarm church attenders, sure, but not lukewarm Christians.
Lukewarm people probably drink and swear less than average…come to church, sometimes, have made a confession of belief sometime…but basically you can’t see any difference between them and an unbeliever.
As someone said, “they serve leftovers to a Holy God.” There is no urgency, no real commitment, no passionate sacrifice for lost children.
Heaven is forever…so is Hell.
Let’s pray.
