Generosity Changes Lives
What does living generously look like?
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good morning and welcome to c3 church um before i get started as i was praying in the first song and you have to know c3 is real church for real people uh as i was preparing in prayer this morning uh see if we can get the feedback thank you as i was preparing in prayer this morning for the message uh god put on my heart that someone here needs to to speak to to us to either to me or to to tony and we're available here for you if if you need prayer or if you need uh just uh the love of jesus christ but um i just want to reflect what god's put on my heart so if you need a prayer this morning if you need someone to speak with you if you need uh like i said someone to wrap their arms around you this morning don't be shy about it um like i said we're c3 church we're real church real people um carolee is here also rob is here so so if you need help they're standing in the back here please don't be shy go up speak with them we'll pray for you we'll love on you after the service will feed you so um so just like i said just be real with us we'll be real with you and we'll show you the love of christ so once again good morning and my name is ed i'll be providing the message today pastor jean and heather and sophie are off getting some much needed rest and so we're going to take a break from the rest of the story and before i begin i feel i need to pray for the people and the church in ukraine during these difficult times they're experiencing so so please bow your head with me father i just lift you up and praise you you are the lord of all nothing escapes your view nothing escapes your power lord we cry out for the people of ukraine and for your church in ukraine father they're in constant danger constant threats of death and violence and running out of food and resources lord i just ask that you bless them and keep them father that this war come to an end soon and that your church in ukraine be strengthened during this time of trial father you're the author of history and you write it however you will it lord please bring peace to ukraine lord bless its people as they endure these hardships and lord your will be done in your holy and powerful name amen all right as i said earlier we're going to take a short break from our journey through kings and the rest of the story and we're going to talk about generosity but before i get into today's message i want to share something with you um i want to share something interesting with my church family i was just in new york city to give a talk new york city is one of my favorite cities in the world it happens to be where my niece lives with those people who call themselves uh you know her parents you know whatever um so there she is and and i may be responsible for that big lollipop but you know how it goes no confession no case right so but anyway as i entered the venue to give my talk in new york i was given three choices that i found really interesting i was given a choice between a green yellow or red wristband does anyone know what these signify no no um they signify my state of covid contact all right so so the green means i'm okay to be approached we can handshake we can fist pump we can do all that kind of stuff right the yellow means you can approach me but don't touch me don't touch me and the red means don't even come close to me so i think i'm going to keep these for when my guests come over and visit me snowbirds no i'm just kidding all right so uh let's get so let's get back to my talk today on generosity i'm sure we've all heard the scripture the lord loves a cheerful giver second corinthians 9 6 and 7. usually it's from a pastor trying to separate the congregation from their money by using a little bit of bible guilt but at c3 church we look at the whole story or as gene says both sides of the coin this is usually this is scripture about paul urging the church in corinth to support the church in macedonia don't get me wrong giving is good but we always have to understand the context of scripture now we also have to remember that all generosity is not good here are some examples of givers in their generosity and these are all true stories all right the government is very generous with our time and often our money ever heard of acoustic kitty the u.s government spent five years training a cat to be a spy the cat would wear a listening device and follow suspects around collecting information for the government once the kitty was ready they took the cat out for a real world trial from the van filled with electronics and surveillance equipment the three-letter government agency agents watched acoustic kitty leave the van leave the sidewalk and promptly get hit by a taxi five years gone in five minutes and then there's billy bob harrell jr he was a pentecostal preacher who won 31 million dollars in the texas lottery in 1997. billy bob said the win was heaven sent he spent the next 20 months loaning out money to friends and family four months later 24 months after winning the lottery billy bob was broke there's another story gentleman was walking in a city park one really hot day when he saw a bunch of kids fighting over two popsicles since popsicles are about what a dollar a piece he bought 20 of them and handed them out to all the kids if only that's where the story ended sadly the gentleman's act of kindness was viewed with suspicion by an adult onlooker two police cars tracked him down and questioned him for the next three hours and then there's linda wolfe linda was married 23 times she married a convict a homeless man a musician a plumber one husband lasted three days and she married one guy three times and then there's frank colbert who married and divorced 27 times quote i've spent 10 thousand dollars on an uh psychiatrist trying to figure out why end quote his last marriage lasted six hours but on the other hand there's herbert and zalmyrah fisher who were married 86 years nine months in six day and 16 days only death did they part most of these are examples of generosity gone wrong the motivation may have been right but the outcome was not each of these thought they were being generous with their time their money and their love what if our generosity were well-placed well-meaning and heartfelt we tend to invest and be generous with what we love but what do we love i love ice cream if you know me that's my thing i'm very generous with this wonderful experience pastor dean loves pizza heather loves coffee and denny loves walking a lot although we enjoy things in this world we all have a greater love for jesus we're all ambassadors of christ his love unifies us heals us transforms us and allows us to be in this world as his servants god loves us and tells us so repeatedly reminding us when we forget centering us when we stray he loved us so much he sent jesus to us john 3 16. he loved us first first john 4 19. and we as christians have the capability to love first john 4 7. are we grateful thankful and generous with the gifts we've received or do we hold these gifts for ourselves and don't recognize the greater purpose god has for us scripture tells us that generosity is not just a good thing it's the core christian life a way of life it is a way to serve him and share in his mercy and love in proverbs 11 25 it says a generous person will prosper whoever refreshes others will be refreshed and so i think of generosity in three ways i think a generosity of time i think of generosity with money and i think of generosity with our love so let's first look at generosity of our time there was a young man from a poor family who was born in miami actually his family was from the bahamas and he was born while his family was on a business trip to miami he grew up in the bahamas and then moved to miami when he was about 15 into new york city when he was 16 years old the young man was handsome and well spoken but he had a secret wanting to be an actor he began to audition in various places but his secret kept coming up prohibiting him from working as an actor his secret was he could not read while working as a dishwasher an elderly jewish waiter understanding the man's secret sat with him every night helping him improve his reading by reading the newspaper with him the young man grew up to be the first african-american actor to win an academy award for best actor he also received two golden globe awards a british academy of film and television arts award and a grammy and do we know who his name was sidney pottier he has been quoted to say quote a good deed here a good deed there a good thought here a good comment there all added up to my career in one way or another quote an act of generosity by an elderly jewish waiter taking the time to embrace the young dishwasher bore incredible fruit how we use our time is essential to our faith let me tell you about jesus and his generosity with his time it's usually framed around the story of the daughter of jarius let's look at luke 8 40 through 54. so it was when jesus returned that the multitude welcomed him for they were all waiting for him and behold there came a man named jarius and he was the a ruler of the synagogue and he fell down at jesus feet and begged him to come to his house for he had an only daughter about 12 years of age and she was dying but as he went the multitude thronged him now a woman having a flow of blood for 12 years who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any came from behind and touched the border of his garment and immediately her flow of blood stopped and jesus said who touched me when all denied it peter and those with him said master the multitude throng and press you and you say who touched me but jesus said someone touched me for i perceived power going out for me now when the woman saw that she was not hidden she came trembling and falling down before him she declared to him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched him and how she was immediately healed and he said to her daughter be of good cheer your faith has made you well go in peace while he was still speaking someone came from the ruler of the synagogue's house saying to him your daughter is dead do not trouble the teacher but when jesus heard it he answered him saying do not be afraid only believe and she will be made well when he came into the house he prevented no one to go in except peter james and john and the father and the mother of the girl now all wept and mourned for her but he said do not weep she is not dead but sleeping and they ridiculed him knowing that she was dead but he put them all outside took her by the hand and called saying little girl arise then her spirit returned and she rose immediately jesus models for us generosity of time of the greatest magnitude time is not limited to the needs of one over another the common woman that could not be healed by physicians was as important as tending to the daughter of the ruler of the synagogue she touched the hem of his robe with total faith in him he felt and hurt her faith and she was healed the healing of jarius 12 year old 12 year old daughter was not ignored was not dismissed it was done on his time and his way fulfilling scripture of what was to come what do you think jarius was thinking as he watched jesus tend to the woman while his daughter was dying as a father i can only imagine the emotions and the heartache the father may have felt we can discuss this in bible study more on wednesday night you see our time on earth is one of the most valuable things the lord has given us our investment in time and others can be life-changing just as it was for the young actor i described earlier how we use our time is important ecclesiastes 3 1-8 tells us that there's a time for everything in psalm 90 12 tells us to number our days but what about when we're just wasting time i find the expression a waste of time a really interesting one you see i guess it's it's relative i remember someone telling me that they binged watched a tv show for hours and hours and then how upset they were to have to wait an extra 10 minutes for their child to come out of school which one was the waste of time i asked we have to remember that our time is a gift and sometimes god asks us to be patient as he works on his time there are many stories of patience in the bible the story of job the story of abraham and joseph are great stories in the bible that describe how we are to use our time be patient and trust in the lord but my favorite story is the story of simeon if you don't remember the story of simeon we can discuss this also in bible study in fact i think last wednesday we talked a little bit about simeon in bible study second how can we be generous with our money i'm going to offer you the most amazing deal so here's the deal i'm going to give you the talents and skills necessary to feed yourself clothe yourself care for your family and have ice cream anytime you want okay well the ice cream part is mine the deal is that all the money you make you get to keep 90 percent of it and i get 10 of it you just have to love me love my people and love my creation now how many of you would take that deal i certainly would and that's the deal that god gives us let's check it out matthew 6 25-33 that is why that is why i tell you not to worry about everyday life whether you have enough food and drink or enough clothes to wear isn't life more than food in your body more than clothing look at the birds they don't plant or harvest or store food in barns for your heavenly father feeds them and aren't you more valuable to him than they are can all your worries add a single moment to your life and why worry about your clothing look at the lilies of the field and how they grow they don't work or make their clothing yet solomon and all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are and if god cares so wonderfully for wildfires for our flowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow he will certainly care for you why do you have so little faith so don't worry about these things saying what will we eat what will we drink what will we wear these things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers but your heavenly father already knows all your needs seek the kingdom of god above all else and let and live righteously and he will give you everything you need we are all aware of the scripture versus untithing levitius 27 30. a tenth of the produce of the land whether grain or fruit is the lord's and is holy in proverbs 3 9 honor the lord with your wealth with the first fruits of all your crops i was once told that tithing is an old testament thing and that it's not relevant or required in the new testament since approximately 30 of the new testament or old testament scriptures in the new testament completes or fulfills the old testament why would we assume that the old testament is no longer relevant the old testament is as relevant in the new testament as it will as it is alone and points to jesus let's go back to the deal i offered it is the deal that jesus gives us as we go through life sometimes it's more about our perspective than it is about the money there's a great story in the bible about two debtors both are in debt and both are forgiven jesus asked his disciples which one loved the master more this is in luke 7 40 43 jesus answered him simon i have something to tell you tell me teacher he said two people owed money to a certain money lender one owed 500 to narai and the other 50. neither of them had the money to pay him back so he forgave the debts of both now which of them will love him more simon replied i suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven you have judged correctly jesus said i see myself as the 500 dinara got i owe the lord a debt that i cannot repay and the fact that he has provided me with my life today family friends and ice cream in my refrigerator i'm forever grateful ten percent in tithing is a small price to pay since you are also here today or in your living rooms you are all so grateful please do not get me wrong i'm not giving i'm not repaying god for the things i have or the experiences i'm giving god some of his money back because i'm thankful and grateful i'm doing this out of love so now i've explained the minimum but what about generosity we all know the lord is generous we've read that god blesses the generous proverbs 22 9 degeneres will themselves be blessed for they share their food with the poor a few months ago pastor gene talked about the generosity of this church our church c3 church we've all been generously supporting mission india and community partners such as southwest florida pregnancy resource center wings of shelter and collier county homeless coalition we're reaching the unreached people of the world loving pregnant mothers and their unborn children providing protection to women who are fleeing abuse and trafficking and addressing the many needs of the local homeless we're working towards opening c3 cafe beyond sundays this will give us an opportunity opportunity to create relationships with our neighbors and those who work in the immediate area and we're praying these relationships lead to a relationship with c3 church and ultimately with jesus christ our church will need to be generous with our time volunteering to staff prepare coffee and clean the cafe our church will need to be generous with money as expanding any ministry costs money and our church needs to be generous with our love there are a lot of cafes and coffee shops in naples but our love and generosity will make us different and third we need to be generous with our love god's loving kindness and generosity mercy and faithfulness begin in the old testament for example in isaiah 43 1-4 god's overwhelming mercy and love is shown but now this is what the lord says he who created you jacob he who forms you israel do not fear for i have redeemed you i have summoned you by my name you are mine waters pass through when you pass through the waters excuse me i will be with you and when you pass through the rivers sweep over you when you walk through the fire you will not be burned the flames will not set you ablaze for i am the lord your god the holy one of israel your savior i give egypt for your ransom cush and siba in your steed since you are precious and honored in my sight and because i love you i will give people in exchange for you nations in exchange for your life the new testament proclaims in the words of our lord jesus christ that we will be known for our love john 13 34 35 a new command i give you love one another as i loved you so you must love one another by this everyone will know that you are my disciples if you love one another in the christian faith with the scriptures that most of us have read a thousand times god gave us the most incredible gift the unmeasurable act of love in john 3 16. for god so loved the world that he gave his one and only son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life as believers we all know that god loves his creation including all of us and gave us his son to die for us as a symbol of that love it's hard for us to understand the deep love god has for each of us he loves us more than we will ever know the gift of love that the lord has given us is truly amazing i hope that each of you feel god's love every day and in all situations the lord of all things the creator of all things and the king of all loves you first john three and one see what great love the father has lavished on us that we should be called children of god and that is what we are and in romans 8 31-39 what then shall we say in response to these things if god is for us who can be against us he who did not spare his own son but gave him up for us all how will he not also along with him graciously give us all things who will bring any charge against those whom god has chosen it is god who justifies who then is the one who condemns no one christ jesus who died more than that who was raised to life is at the right hand of god and also interceding us who shall separate us from the love of christ shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword as it is written for your sake we face death all day long we're considered as sheep to be slaughtered no in all these things we're more than conquerors through him who loved us for i am convinced that neither death nor life neither angels nor demons neither the present nor the future nor any powers neither height nor depth or anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of god that is in christ jesus our lord the love i have for my three daughters and if you didn't know me i have three daughters and that's why i look well preserved i guess little hair on the back but the love i have for my three daughters truly has no boundaries they've done some really amazing things and they failed at others but i just love them if you have children or perhaps even grandchildren you understand do the ups and downs the heartbreaks and the accomplishments love is unconditional it grows but never fades love is through the end of time we cannot know the lord without it and he and we cannot honor him without loving his creation in all that is contained within john 5 12-17 this is my commandment that you love one another as i have loved you greater love has no one than this that someone lay down his life for his friends you are my friends if you do what i command you no longer do i call you servants for the servant does not know what the master what his master is doing but i've called you friends for all that i've heard from my father i have made known to you you did not choose me but i chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide so that whatever you ask the father in my name he may give it to you these things i command you so that you will love one another when i was in my 30s i met a couple that i can only describe as a mate they had been married for 30 plus years and had two adult children for the last 15 years or so the wife had been in a wheelchair paralyzed and in constant pain despite her pain she insisted every time i saw her that we hug her i can remember hugging her in the tears running down her face and onto my shirt because touching her was very painful her husband had recreated his life around her he had replaced the high brick walls in their living room and bedroom with glass so she could see out from her wheelchair he put an elevator in the house so that she could get to the car without the danger of steps spending time with them with them it was clear that they adored each other despite their circumstances the love that they had for each other overcame their situation i would often think what would it be like to live in constant pain and unable to perform basic life functions without help or what would it be like to live being the constant caregiver with them there was no imposition there was no burden there was only love at her funeral her husband was distraught he had lost the love of his life he was looking forward to seeing her again in heaven jesus is the love of our lives we're not a burden we are not a hardship he loves us god has given us time on earth he has given us financial resources and he gives us his never ending love what are we doing with these gifts do we complain and soak about where we are in life believe me i've heard it all for example our fathers did not spend enough time with us our heavenly father is with us constantly we do not have enough food to live on keep praying and reaching out to the church you have brothers and sisters who are generous he or she does not love me love them with the love of christ and understand that jesus's love is endless and boundless i know the pain is still there i know the hurt is still there jesus knows also in summary sometimes it does not take a lot to change someone's life reading a newspaper to them supporting your church and ministries and praying and providing unchanging love to those who need love generosity changes lives let me close close in prayer this past week was st patrick's day so i want to close with st patrick's prayer for protection now your heads with me christ with me christ before me christ behind me christ within me christ beneath me christ above me christ at my right christ at my left christ in the hearts of all that think of me christ in the mouth of all who speak to me i bind to myself today the strong power of the invocation of the holy trinity the creator of the elements the faith of the trinity in unity salvation is the lord's salvation is christ may thine salvation lord always be with us amen you