Be Generous

Be Generous

Pastor Macky Sabayle

Ephesians 5:1-2

“Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love,
just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”

We’re living in desperate times. We are plagued with all sorts of depravities: diseases, destruction of homes and marriages, degrading of values, denial of God, the deification of self. We’re a generation that mocks traditional values and celebrates selfishness and entitlement. And if we are not careful, we will easily succumb to the system.

How must we live our lives today in the midst of all these?

Are we to go with the flow? Or are we to turn against the tide?

We are to imitate Christ.

Phil. 2:5

“Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus”

Generosity is a cornerstone in having a great life because the presence of or lack of generosity in our lives gives us a very clear peek into our soul, spiritual condition, and life!

“Generosity is not about what’s in your bank account—it’s about what’s in your heart.” (Jeremiah, Dr.  David)

Generosity is more than just giving out some money.

“Generous giving is not about doling out extra amounts of money. It is about reorienting the human heart in the direction of Christ so that we become transmitters of the same affection and care that Christ modeled in his time!” (Gordan McDonald)

We know that through the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks. It is also true that through the overflow of the heart, we will act in one way or another. And if goodness is present in our hearts, that goodness will manifest itself in a generous spirit, in the words we say, and in the way we treat others. The generous person gives others the benefit of the doubt and treats others with respect. She isn’t worried about what the act of giving may cost in terms of time or effort. She doesn’t wait to be asked and doesn’t expect anything in return.

“By nature, the concept of generosity is in direct conflict with the concept of self-preservation!” (Andy Stanley)

We’d all like a reputation for generosity our problem is that we’d all like to buy it cheap. Generosity goes against our very nature! But generosity is at the very nature of God.

John 3:16

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son…”

Jesus exemplified for us what it means to be generous and so considered great in the sight of God.

Phil. 2:5-9

5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 

6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 

7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 

8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross! 

9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 

God exalted Christ because He gave up Himself for others. That’s a great life. Having said these preliminaries about generosity, let us now go to our main passage and study the Biblical concept about Generosity.

2 Corinthians 8.

I. The Obstacles to Be Generous

You may be here thinking, “You know, Pastor, I’m not one of the big guys, one with big pockets, I don’t have much to give.” 

A. Generosity is not eliminated by your poverty. (v.1-2)

1 And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has 
given the Macedonian churches.
2 Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty
welled up in rich generosity. 

The Christians in Macedonia were at rock bottom poverty. On top of that, they had been persecuted. Their living and their goods had been taken from them. And while their standard of living had changed, their standard of life had not changed. 

Now your standard of living can change; just don’t let it get to your standard of life because Jesus said in Luke 12:15, 

“Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”

And you know, the pandemic may not be over soon (though we hope so), we may have other crises to come. That can change our standard of living but that cannot change our standard of life, Amen? Not if you have life in the Lord Jesus. 

These Christians in Macedonia continued to give despite their situation. They had joy in the midst of all of this. Here’s the formula: 

Great affliction, deep poverty, plus grace equals abounding joy and abounding liberality. 

Now, you want joy? A miserly man is a miserable man. I'm telling you. If you want joy, learn to give. These people gave out of a time of economic distress, not because they had plenty but because they had little. 

Well, you say, “I don’t have much.” Well, come up here and I want to ask you a question. If God cannot trust you with little, do you think He can trust you with much? You think about it. 

Now, if I were to ask you a question if you had a million dollars, what would you do with it? Oh, you say, “Well, man, I’d make a big offering.” 

Do you know the test of what you would do with a million pesos is what you do with what you have? Jesus said in Luke 16:10 ESV, 

“He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in that which is much.” 

As a matter of fact, if you’re not faithful with that which is least, you would even have more difficulty being faithful with that which is much because it would seem like you’re giving much more. Of course you wouldn’t proportionately, but listen, folks. Here’s the point. I want you to get it down in your heart and in your mind: Generosity is not eliminated by poverty.

Remember the widow in Mark 12:41-44?

43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others.
44 They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”

Everybody can give something. 

B. Generosity is not energized by some pressure. (v.3-4)

3 For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability.
Entirely on their own, 4 they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. 

Did you hear that? These brethren in poverty said, “Paul, please take this gift!” They didn’t have to be pressured to give. 

That’s one thing I’ve learned here in our church, we don’t pressure members to give. We will never twist your arm and tell you what you ought to give. We are never going to use some psychological manipulation. We’re not going to come and try to manipulate you to give. 

Giving that is not freely and joyfully is not generosity. 

Generosity means that you give out of your heart because you want to. And the preacher is not reduced to some sort of a beggar using gimmicks and tricks and pressures and all of these things, people having to be scolded and shamed and manipulated, threatened to give. These people begged Paul to take the gift.

Do you know why people get upset when you talk about giving, almost having a spasm? I’ll tell you why. Jesus makes it very plain. He says in Luke 12:34, 

“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” 

That’s the reason some people don’t like it in church. They want to get out of the church building, out where the treasure is. But brethren, if your treasure is God and his kingdom, your heart’s going to be here. Just all depends on where your treasure is. 

C. Generosity is not excused by your performance. (v.7)

But just as you excel in everything--in faith, in speech, in knowledge,
in complete earnestness and in your love for us --see that you also excel in this grace of giving. 

Somebody might say, “Look, I’m excused from giving because of my faith. I'll just trust God so other people can give.” Or, “I’m excused because of my speech: I preach and I teach and I sing.” Or, “My knowledge; I’m one of the people who pour knowledge into this church,” or “My diligence or my love.” Paul says, “That’s fine. All of these things are graces. That’s wonderful. Thank God that you have them.” 

But he says, “Now there’s another grace, it is the grace of giving. And there’s nothing you can do, there’s no performance that you can perform, that will excuse you from grace giving. Grace giving is not excused by performance. There is no service, whether it be faith, speech, knowledge, diligence, or love, that is a substitute for grace giving.

Having heard some of the potential obstacles to generosity, let us now come to the operation to be generous.

II. The Operation to Be Generous

How is it to operate at a practical level?

A. Generosity is motivated by your Love. (v.8)

Do you know why we want to give? 

I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. 

Love for whom? I think in the context, it’s their love for God and those in need.

5 And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God's will. 

“First” here refers not to time but priority. Of first priority to the Macedonian Christians was to present themselves as sacrifices to God as a demonstration of their love. Generous giving to others follows personal loving to God.

And do you know where that love comes from? Look in verse 9,

“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich,
yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.” 

In the light of Calvary, it’s nothing to ask. The person who gives is the person who’s been captured by Calvary. 

You talk to some people about giving, they have a nervous breakdown. The preacher’s called a beggar. Why do we give? Not to build a building; not to keep the church afloat; not, God forbid, for a tax deduction, though you ought to take those so you can give more; not for appearances, but because of Calvary’s love; because of Calvary’s love. That’s what Paul says. Look, he says, “Look, just prove your love, for you know the grace of our Lord Jesus, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor.” 

Ephesians 5:1-2

“Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love,
just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”

Give lovingly.

B. Generosity is marked by your Liberality. (v.2-3)

NKJV

2 that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality.
3 For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing,

2 Cor. 9:2

For I know your eagerness to help, and I have been boasting about it to the Macedonians, telling them
that since last year you in Achaia were ready to give; and your enthusiasm has stirred most of them to action.

The principle is simple: your willingness to give freely is more important than the amount you give. Give freely.

C. Generosity is measured by your Lot (v.12-14)

12 For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have. 

13 Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. 

He’s not trying to say, “If you’ve got a lot, then you have to carry the burden of those who don’t have much.” He’s not saying that at all. He’s just simply saying, “Let there be equal sacrifice. They may not be equal gifts.” Sometimes there’re people who have less who give more. 

14 At the present time your plenty will supply what they need,
so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality, 

The principle is this: if you give to others in need, while you are having enough, then, when tables turn, they will help you when you are in need.

The Bible’s rule is always…

“it is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35)

Now what’s he mean by that? He’s just simply saying, “Let’s just give according to God’s blessing, according to what you have.” 

Now some of you have providentially been blessed by, more than other people. Do you think you have more because you work more than other people or because you’re smarter than other people or because you’re more godly than other people or more honest than other people? No. Listen, I’m gonna tell you. Some of you have more because of grace. There are other people who love God just as much as you, just as smart as you, they work just as much as you do, and yet God has been so good to you! Now you give! 

Luke 12:48

“Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.” 

Give accordingly.

III. The Opportunity to Be Generous

What an incredible opportunity there is when we give by grace. Amen?

Look again v.3-4

3 For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 
4 they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. 

They understood giving as an opportunity, not just an obligation as Christians.

A. An Opportunity to ease the Stricken 

3 For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, 4 begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints—

During this time, a lot Christians in Jerusalem were suffering due to famine and extreme persecution. So in his third missionary journey, Paul had collected money for the impoverished believers in Jerusalem. The churches in Macedonia—Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea—had given money even though they were poor.

Brethren, when you are blessed with enough and have something to give, always take it as an opportunity to relieve the needs of others by being generous.

It is truly a blessing when we play as the hands and feet of God to help those in need.  

B. An Opportunity to enrich the Sower

2 Cor. 9:6

6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.
8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 

We may hesitate to give generously to God if we worry about having enough money left over to meet our own needs. But the Bible promises that God is able to meet our needs. The person who gives only a little will receive only a little in return. Don’t let a lack of faith keep you from giving freely and generously and from God to bless you abundantly.

10 Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply
and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 

11 You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion,
and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. 

God gives us resources to use and invest for Him. Paul uses the illustration of sower and seed to explain that the resources God gives us are not to be hidden, foolishly devoured, or thrown away. Instead, they should be cultivated in order to produce more crops. When we invest what God has given us in His work, He will provide us with even more to give in His service.

C. An Opportunity to exalt the Savior

2 Corinthians 9:12

12 This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. 

13 Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. 

What does it say? Very simple: when we are generous to the needy, we are glorifying God. 

Closing

And you know how Paul ends this chapter? 

1 Corinthians 9:14

14 And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. 

15 Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! 

What gift is Paul saying here? He is talking about the gift of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ! That’s the whole argument. He said over there in 2 Corinthians 8:9, 

“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.”

God has given us the greatest gift so that we can do the greatest act. Be generous.

Let us pray.

Sources:

• Jeremiah, Dr. David. A Life Beyond Amazing (p. 107). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.

• https://www.lwf.org/pdfs/THE-GRACE-OF-GIVING-TRANSCRIPT-2109.pdf