Rediscovering Generosity – Part 1

Jesus Tells Us How to Keep Our Money Safe 

Matthew 6:19–21 (ESV): 19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 

The terms Earth and Heaven represent two different dimensions 

Earth represents the visible, tangible physical world that is passing away, slowly dying.

1 John 2:17 (ESV): 17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. 

How Do I Conduct Business in Heaven? 

Matthew 6:21 (ESV): 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 

Revelation 3:20 (ESV): 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. 

What Does Access Mean? 

1.) My current motives, values, ethics, and priorities are subject to review and discussion. 

2.) Allow God to reset what is important to you based on what is important to Him. 

3.) Submit to a growing recognition that everything you have belongs to God. 

The Two-Masters Dilemma 

 Matthew 6:24 (ESV): 24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. 

Matthew 25:35–40 (ESV): 35 For I was hungry, and you gave me food, I was thirsty, and you gave me drink, I was a stranger, and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked, and you clothed me, I was sick, and you visited me, I was in prison, and you came to me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ 

Matthew 16:18 (ESV): 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 

Jesus loves the church as a man loves His wife: 

Ephesians 5:28–29 (ESV): 28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, 

Acts 9:4–5 (ESV): 4 And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” 5 And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 

1 Corinthians 9:3–4 (ESV): 3 This is my defense to those who would examine me. 4 Do we not have the right to eat and drink?  

1 Corinthians 9:7 (ESV): 7 Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit? Or who tends a flock without getting some of the milk? 

1 Corinthians 9:9–11 (ESV): 9 For it is written in the Law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain.” Is it for oxen that God is concerned? 10 Does he not certainly speak for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of sharing in the crop. 11 If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too much if we reap material things from you? 

1 Corinthians 9:13–14 (ESV): 13 Do you not know that those who are employed in the temple service get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the sacrificial offerings? 14 In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel. 

Nehemiah 1:3 (ESV): 3 And they said to me, “The remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in great trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire.”  

Nehemiah 4:6 (ESV): 6 So we built the wall. And all the wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.  

Matthew 6:25–33 (ESV): 25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.