There are three things you can do with seed: consume it, store it, or sow it. Similarly, there are three things that we can do with money: spend it, save it, or give it. We need to do all three of these. We spend regularly on our needs and our wants. This is the easiest of the three. We save for big purchases and for rainy days, this one is a little harder. Finally, we can give, or as Paul puts it, “sow” our money. When we ‘sow’ our money, we invest it in productive work for the sake of others. This is, perhaps, the best use and yet it can be the hardest one to convince ourselves to do. In this sermon, we will look at some of the reasons why God calls us to be generous givers.
View SermonThe Joy of Giving Up
Prove It
Where we place our earthly treasure reveals something about what we value in our hearts. How we handle our money has a remarkably formative effect on our hearts, much more powerful than anything we say. For good or for ill. Think for a moment about your annual expenses. Where does your money go? What does it say about what you value? It is easy to make an idol out of money, or out of the things money can buy. Jesus provides us with a different way. Instead of seeking after more and more, Jesus seeks to give more and more.
View SermonLearning to Give Up
Some churches talk about money too much. But it is also a mistake to not talk about money at all. The Bible has lots to say about money and how we use it. Generosity is a heart issue and one that God cares deeply about. God is a generous God. “For God so loved the world, that he gave…” (John 3:16) Jesus gave up his life for us, as we respond to this gift we are called to give up our lives for him, acknowledging him as Lord over every part of our lives, including our wallets. We are made in God’s image—generosity is a part of who we were created to be. We will examine this over the next month by looking at chapters 8-9 of 2 Corinthians.
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