foundations: generosity matthew 6. generosity review ◦ infants= feed on the word ◦ living...

Foundations:Foundations:GenerosityGenerosityMatthew 6Matthew 6

GenerosityGenerosity

ReviewReview◦Infants= Feed on the WordInfants= Feed on the Word◦Living Stones= CommunityLiving Stones= Community◦Priesthood= Priesthood= Represent/SacrificeRepresent/Sacrifice◦Nation= Law of LoveNation= Law of Love◦Belonging to God= Great Belonging to God= Great WorthWorth◦Sojourner= Not My HomeSojourner= Not My Home


ReviewReview

◦Passions “war against your Passions “war against your soul”soul”

◦Keep you from becoming Keep you from becoming what God created you to bewhat God created you to be


What is Generosity?What is Generosity?


Foundational Truth:Foundational Truth:

◦Generosity is a mark of a Generosity is a mark of a follower of Christ and follower of Christ and engages my motives, faith engages my motives, faith and source of security, and source of security, resulting in unbelievable resulting in unbelievable freedomfreedom


““Be careful not to do your Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will them. If you do, you will have no reward from your have no reward from your Father in heaven”- vs. 1Father in heaven”- vs. 1

Giving to the Needy, Prayer, FastingGiving to the Needy, Prayer, Fasting

Righteous deeds bring reward?Righteous deeds bring reward?


“…“…let your light shine let your light shine before men, that they before men, that they may see your good deeds may see your good deeds and praise your Father in and praise your Father in heaven”- Matthew 5:16heaven”- Matthew 5:16

Contradiction?Contradiction?


"So "So when when you giveyou give to the to the needy, do not announce it with needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full”- received their reward in full”- vs. 2vs. 2


Jesus assumes that Jesus assumes that generosity will be a mgenerosity will be a markark of his followersof his followers

Has that been true Has that been true historically?historically?


Again- why is helping the Again- why is helping the poor and hurting so poor and hurting so intrinsic to the gospel?intrinsic to the gospel?


God goes Mr. T on a rich God goes Mr. T on a rich guyguy


And I'll say to myself, "You have And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”eat, drink and be merry.”

But God said to him, “You fool! But God said to him, “You fool! This very night your life will be This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who demanded from you. Then who will get what you have will get what you have prepared for yourself?”prepared for yourself?”


““This is how it will be with This is how it will be with anyone who stores up anyone who stores up things for himself but is not things for himself but is not rich toward God”- Luke rich toward God”- Luke 12:19-2112:19-21

Rich toward God?Rich toward God?


……do not announce it with do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be on the streets, to be honored by men.honored by men.

What makes them What makes them hypocrites?hypocrites?


Generosity is an attitude Generosity is an attitude that precedes and directs that precedes and directs actionaction

““Acts” of generosity with Acts” of generosity with wrong motives bring wrong motives bring condemnation, not condemnation, not commendationcommendation


God is as concerned with God is as concerned with our mour motivesotives as he is with as he is with our aour actionsctions


““But But whenwhen you give to the you give to the needy, do not let your left needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will what is done in secret, will reward you”- vs. 3-4 reward you”- vs. 3-4


God says, “Don’t even spend God says, “Don’t even spend time patting yourself on the time patting yourself on the back”back”

““that they may see your good that they may see your good works and works and glorify your Fatherglorify your Father in in heaven”heaven”


So God rewards his people So God rewards his people for doing what they ought for doing what they ought to do with what he gave to do with what he gave them to begin with…them to begin with…


What do I have that did not What do I have that did not come from God?come from God?


Then your Father, who Then your Father, who sees what is done in sees what is done in secret, will reward you”secret, will reward you”


How?How?


There is one who scatters, There is one who scatters, and yet increases all the and yet increases all the more, and there is one who more, and there is one who withholds what is justly due, withholds what is justly due, and yet it results only in and yet it results only in want. The generous man will want. The generous man will be prosperous, and he who be prosperous, and he who waters will himself be waters will himself be watered- Proverbs 11:24-25watered- Proverbs 11:24-25


"Do not store up for "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where rust destroy, and where thieves break in and thieves break in and steal”- vs. 19 steal”- vs. 19


The illusion of security +The illusion of security +

The object of faith =The object of faith =

IdolatryIdolatry


Why is it an illusion?Why is it an illusion?

How is the faith How is the faith misplaced?misplaced?


““But store up for yourselves But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your your treasure is, there your heart will be also”- vs. 20-21heart will be also”- vs. 20-21

How?How?


I will treasure, concern I will treasure, concern myself with and protect myself with and protect that which I care about that which I care about mostmost


One of the greatest One of the greatest indicators of the condition of indicators of the condition of my soul is my wmy soul is my walletallet

For where your treasure is, For where your treasure is, there your heart will be there your heart will be also…also…


Is it really that important?Is it really that important?


"Then the King will say to "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by you who are blessed by my Father; my Father; take your take your inheritanceinheritance, the kingdom , the kingdom prepared for you since the prepared for you since the creation of the world.”creation of the world.”


””For I was hungry and you For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat gave me something to eat ($($$)$)

I was thirsty and you gave me I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink something to drink (Labor/Time)(Labor/Time)

I was a stranger and you I was a stranger and you invited me in invited me in (Hospitality)(Hospitality)…”…”


” ” I needed clothes and you I needed clothes and you clothed me clothed me ($$ and Time)($$ and Time)

I was sick and you looked I was sick and you looked after me after me (Time/Concern)(Time/Concern)

I was in prison and you I was in prison and you came to visit me came to visit me (Time/Empathy/Mercy)(Time/Empathy/Mercy)…”…”


"Then the "Then the righteousrighteous will will answer him, 'Lord, when answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to and give you something to drink?’”drink?’”


““'When did we see you a 'When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’”and go to visit you?’”


"The King will reply, 'I tell "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you the truth, whatever you did for one of the you did for one of the least of these brothers of least of these brothers of mine, mine, you did for meyou did for me’”- ’”- Matthew 25:34-40Matthew 25:34-40


It is impossible to be right It is impossible to be right with God and not be with God and not be pulled towards generosity pulled towards generosity for peoplefor people


"The eye is the lamp of the "The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!”- vs. 22-great is that darkness!”- vs. 22-2323


Focusing on God and his Focusing on God and his priorities produce a soul priorities produce a soul at rest and a heart at at rest and a heart at peace= joypeace= joy


"No one can serve "No one can serve two two mastersmasters. Either he will hate . Either he will hate the one and love the other, the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. one and despise the other. You You cannotcannot serve both God serve both God and Money”- vs. 24and Money”- vs. 24


I can either serve money I can either serve money as my God or serve God as my God or serve God with His moneywith His money


Don’t Worry, Be Happy!Don’t Worry, Be Happy!


"Therefore I tell you, "Therefore I tell you, do not do not worryworry about your life, what you about your life, what you will will eat or drinkeat or drink; or about your ; or about your body, what you will body, what you will wearwear. Is . Is not life more important than not life more important than food, and the body more food, and the body more important than clothes?”important than clothes?”

Replacing money with God as Replacing money with God as my security and my Savior my security and my Savior produces enormous fproduces enormous freedomreedom


””Look at the birds of the air; Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more them. Are you not much more valuablevaluable than they?” than they?”

My value is found in God, not My value is found in God, not my house/car/bank account, my house/car/bank account, clothes or hobbiesclothes or hobbies


““Who of you by worrying can Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?”add a single hour to his life?”

Freedom from the illusion of Freedom from the illusion of ccontrolontrol


"And why do you worry "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of was dressed like one of these.” these.”


““If that is how God clothes If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe he not much more clothe you, you, O you of little faith?O you of little faith?” ”

Worry over material Worry over material possessions is a faith issuepossessions is a faith issue


““So do not worry, saying, 'What So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?‘ drink?' or 'What shall we wear?‘ For the For the paganspagans run after all run after all these things, and your heavenly these things, and your heavenly Father Father knows that you need knows that you need them.them.””

Pagans= Pagans= ethnos- spiritual ethnos- spiritual oorphansrphans


““But seek first But seek first his kingdomhis kingdom and and his righteousnesshis righteousness, , and all these things will and all these things will be given to you as well. be given to you as well.


His Kingdom- “Love your His Kingdom- “Love your neighbor as yourself”neighbor as yourself”

House, clothe, feed, visit in jailHouse, clothe, feed, visit in jail

His Righteousness- Christ-His Righteousness- Christ-likeness, evidenced in a likeness, evidenced in a generous spirit without need generous spirit without need for the praise of menfor the praise of men


““Therefore do not worry Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has itself. Each day has enough enough troubletrouble of its own- of its own- vs. 25-34vs. 25-34


TakeawaysTakeaways::

◦What are my “acts of What are my “acts of righteousness?”righteousness?”

◦Is my motive to glorify God and Is my motive to glorify God and help others or glorify self? help others or glorify self?

◦Do I need to repent?Do I need to repent?



◦ Is money a source of anxiety and Is money a source of anxiety and worry? If so, am I using worry? If so, am I using money/seeking money as a source money/seeking money as a source of security? A functional Savior?of security? A functional Savior?

◦ If so, am I willing to trust God as If so, am I willing to trust God as my security and Savior?my security and Savior?



◦In what areas do I need to In what areas do I need to practice generosity, starting practice generosity, starting today? today?

◦What conversations do I need What conversations do I need to have with my spouse/family to have with my spouse/family concerning money?concerning money?

foundations: generosity matthew 6. generosity review ◦ infants= feed on the word ◦ living...

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