INTRODUCTION...THE GOSPEL ROOT OF GENEROSITY...

Many people think of spiritual disciplines as a way to earn God’s blessing. But the truth is—they’re about enjoying the blessing He’s already given us in Christ. Over the past few weeks, we’ve looked at two areas of discipleship: Hearing God’s Voice (Bible reading, reaping, memorizing, meditating) and Having God’s Ear(prayer, fasting). Today, we turn to the third habit: Belonging to God’s People—and within that, the spiritual habit of generosity.

— When most people hear “generosity,” they think about giving money. But God calls us to be generous with everything He’s entrusted to us: Our Time – the minutes and hours we can never get back. Our Talents – the skills, abilities, and spiritual gifts He has placed in us. Our Treasures – the resources and possessions under our care.

— Our model for generosity comes from 2 Corinthians 8:9:
“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ: Though he was rich, for your sake he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich.”

— Jesus left the riches of heaven, stepped into our poverty, and gave Himself so we could share in His eternal riches. We don’t give to impress God or others—we give because God has already been infinitely generous to us.

— We don’t have time to do a deep dive in any of these three areas but I hope to give a healthy overview of each with some helpful instructions on how to at least get started in being generous with our time, talents and treasures.

KEY THOUGHT:
"We live generously not to earn God’s favor, but because we already have His favor in Jesus."

1. GENEROSITY WITH OUR TIME… the STAGE God gives us…

Imagine for a moment that tomorrow morning, your bank deposits 86,400 dollars into your account. The only rule? You have to spend it all by the end of the day. No rollovers, no saving for later—whatever you don’t use is gone forever. Every morning, the same deposit happens again. Sounds amazing, right? The truth is, you already have something like that—only instead of dollars, you get seconds. God gives you 86,400 seconds every day, and when the day is over, they’re gone. The question is—how are you spending them?

Ephesians 5:15–16 – “Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk—not as unwise people but as wise—making the most of the time, because the days are evil.”
-- Time is one of the most precious gifts God gives us—and one of the easiest to waste. Money can be saved and spent later, but time only moves in one direction. Our days are a kind of “currency” that God gives us to spend for His purposes. Unlike money, time can’t be saved for later—it’s either invested or wasted.

Psalm 90:12 – “Teach us to number our days carefully so that we may develop wisdom in our hearts.”
-- Wise disciples recognize that time is “kingdom currency”. God calls us to spend it intentionally—on Him, on people, and on His mission.

—> Four practical ways to be generous with your time:

1. Prioritize time with God – Don’t give Him the leftovers of your schedule. Give Him the best part of your day in prayer and Scripture. That looks different for everyone…it needs to be a priority in your day

2. Prioritize what matters most. – We “calendar” what we care about. Consider Your Calling || Ask: What is God calling me to today? Not just future dreams, but current responsibilities. || Fulfill your present assignment for His glory. || Prioritize what matters most. Schedule the essentials (word, prayer, family, service) first, then let smaller tasks fill in the gaps. If these things matter, they should figuratively be on your calendar. These things don’t just happen, you have to be intentional about it. When we talk about living for the ONE, we have to orient our lives around the Great Commission and the Great Commandment.

3. Create Space for Others - Build margin into your life for interruptions that serve others. || Love often lives in the “unscheduled” moments.

4. Rest with purpose– It isn’t about all go and no stop. Rest is part of the time God has given you. It is God’s way of saying, “Trust Me enough to stop.” Rest isn’t laziness—it’s recharging so you can give more fully. Be sure that you make time to rest as you prioritize your life.

—> When we give our time away—to God, to our families, to our church—we’re saying, “Lord, my minutes are Yours, not mine.”

—> For Those Who’ve Wasted Time...
We all have regrets. David Mathis said: “Redeem your wasted days by letting them drive you to Jesus. Philippians 3:13–14—forget what lies behind, press forward in grace. Christ redeems time with mercy every morning."

Our time is the stage God gives us; our talents are the tools we use on that stage. So lets talk about our talents…

2. GENEROSITY WITH OUR TALENTS…the TOOLS we use…

I heard a story about a Stradivarius violin—one of the most valuable and beautiful instruments ever made. There are places that these violins, some worth millions of dollars, are kept and stored because of their great value. But, unlike a museum that keeps things locked in a glass case, they loan them out to gifted musicians so the world can hear its music. Someone said, “An instrument this beautiful isn’t meant to sit silent—it’s meant to be played.” When I think about the talents God has given us, that is how I feel…your God given talents are not meant to sit unused—they’re meant to be played for the glory of God!

1 Peter 4:10–11 tells us: “Just as each one has received a gift, use it to serve others, as good stewards of the varied grace of God. If anyone speaks, let it be as one who speaks God’s words; if anyone serves, let it be from the strength God provides, so that God may be glorified through Jesus Christ in everything. To him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.”

— There is no such thing as a gift-less Christian. God has placed talents—both natural abilities and Spirit-given gifts—into every believer’s life. In our next series on the Holy Spirit, we will spend some time on Spiritual gifts and how to identify and use them…but for now, know that these talents aren’t for self-promotion, but for kingdom building.

Romans 12:6–8 “According to the grace given to us, we have different gifts: If prophecy, use it according to the proportion of one’s faith; if service, use it in service; if teaching, in teaching; if exhorting, in exhortation; giving, with generosity; leading, with diligence; showing mercy, with cheerfulness.”

-- Paul teaches us that our gifts are different but all of them are essential. We need everyone to be using the talents God has given them to be the church God is calling us to be! Whether you’re skilled in teaching, encouraging, organizing, building, or leading, it’s all meant to point people to Jesus.

—> Three practical ways to be generous with your talents:

1. Discover your gifts through service – Don’t wait until you “feel ready.” Start serving and you’ll often discover your gifts along the way. You will discover what you are good at and what your passion is as you serve.

2. Use your gifts beyond the church walls – The workplace, community events, and even your hobbies can be platforms for gospel witness.

3. Celebrate others’ gifts – Instead of comparing or competing, rejoice when God uses someone else’s talents to bless the church.

—> Generosity with talents means asking, “How can I use what God gave me so others can see more of Him?”

3. GENEROSITY WITH OUR TREASURES…the RESOURCES we give back…

Two farmers received identical bags of seed. One farmer stored his seed in the barn, afraid to waste it. The other planted his seed generously across his fields. Months later, one had a barn full of rotting seed, and the other had fields overflowing with grain. That’s the difference between hoarding what God gives us and sowing it generously. What we hold onto eventually dies; what we release into God’s hands grows into something greater than we imagined.

2 COR 9:6–8 – “6 The point is this: The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each person should do as he has decided in his heart ​— ​not reluctantly or out of compulsion, since God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make every grace overflow to you, so that in every way, always having everything you need, you may excel in every good work. 9 As it is written: He distributed freely; he gave to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.10 Now the one who provides seed for the sower and bread for food will also provide and multiply your seed and increase the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be enriched in every way for all generosity, which produces thanksgiving to God through us. 12 For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. 13 Because of the proof provided by this ministry, they will glorify God for your obedient confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone. 14 And as they pray on your behalf, they will have deep affection for you because of the surpassing grace of God in you. 15 Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!”

— Our treasures—our money and possessions—are often the clearest indicator of what we truly value.

— Giving is both a DISCIPLINE and a JOY. It’s a DISCIPLINE because it requires intentionality and sacrifice. But it’s also a JOY because it frees us from the grip of materialism and allows us to invest in eternal things.
But we need to be aware of extremes.

Rejecting Two Extremes…
[1] The prosperity gospel – equating godliness with gain.
[2] Legalistic poverty – assuming sacrifice equals spirituality
Instead: practice wisdom, discernment, and cheerful sacrifice.

Five Truths for Godly Generosity in our Giving and Spending…
1. Money Is a Tool…Not evil in itself—only the love of money is dangerous
1 Tim. 6:10 “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil”
-- We are called to steward it for godly purposes, not just personal pleasure -- Jesus didn’t reject money—He redirected it toward eternal priorities.

2. How We Use Money Reveals Our Hearts…
Matthew 6:21 “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”
Phil. 2:4 “Everyone should look not to his own interests, but rather to the interests of others”
-- Generosity reflects faith and love; stinginess reveals fear or idolatry

3. Sacrifice Looks Different for Everyone…Not everyone gives the same amount—but we are all called to give sacrificially.
-- Ask yourself: “What am I willing to go without for the sake of others?”

4. Generosity Is a Means of Grace…Giving isn’t just obedience—it’s a channel of joy and spiritual vitality
Acts 20:35 “In every way I’ve shown you that it is necessary to help the weak by laboring like this and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, because he said,‘It is more blessed to give than to receive”
2 Cor. 9:11 “You will be enriched in every way for all generosity, which produces thanksgiving to God through us”

5. God Is the Most Cheerful Giver…He gives abundantly, joyfully, continually
James 1:17 “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, who does not change like shifting shadows”
-- We reflect His character when we give freely and joyfully.

—> Three practical ways to be generous with your treasures:

1. Give with purpose and with joy – 2 COR 9 emphasizes giving as a ‘decision in your heart’, ‘without reluctance’, ‘without compulsion’, ‘cheerfully’…make a decision, a sacrificial decision that is generous, and give with joy

2. Be ready for spontaneous generosity – Keep a margin in your budget so you can meet needs as God brings them to your attention. || times we were blessed by others generosity (service merchandise envelope for clothes)

3. Invest in eternal causes – giving to Creekside, Missions, mercy ministries, church planting—these are investments that will never lose value. Eternal investments…

— When we give freely, we’re declaring, “Everything I have is from God and for God.”

CONCLUSION: THE GOSPEL AS OUR MODEL OF GENEROSITY…

If you want to see the ultimate example of generosity, look at Jesus…

-- He gave His time—33 years on earth, living among us, teaching, healing, and serving…

-- He gave His talents—perfectly obeying the Father, performing miracles, proclaiming the good news…

-- He gave His treasures—not just money or possessions, but His very life on the cross, so we could be rich in grace.

— We are generous because God has been infinitely generous to us.
— Ask: What does generosity look like in my current financial season?

-- Money is not the enemy—it’s an opportunity
-- Use your finances to show Christ is your greatest treasure, not your bank account.

CHALLENGE FOR THIS WEEK…

1. Time: Give one block of time this week to something kingdom-focused that you would normally keep for yourself.

2. Talents: Offer one act of service using your gifts—inside or outside the church.

3. Treasures: Give one financial gift to bless someone or further the gospel.

— When we live generously with our time, talents, and treasures, we are not losing—we are investing in eternity.
-- Money is not the enemy—it’s an opportunity.
-- Use your finances to show Christ is your greatest treasure, not your bank account.

RESPOND, REFLECT & COMMUNION

I would like to give you a chance to respond to God…

-- What did God reveal about who he is to you today in our time in God’s word?
-- What did God reveal about what he has done or is doing in our time in God’s word?
-- What did you learn about who you are as we looked at these stories today?
-- What did you learn about what you are supposed to do?

—> Let's take a minute to thank Him, respond to Him, confess our sins to Him, examine our hearts before we take communion...

—> WHAT IS JESUS SAYING TO YOU TODAY?
—> WHAT IS JESUS ASKING YOU TO DO?