The Benefactor – Part 2

Review

Review Definition:

• Benefactor: someone or something that provides help or an advantage: one that confers a benefit
• Literal Meaning (Latin): One who does good
• Our Definition: Someone who is blessed to be a blessing

You Are Blessed

If you are a believer, you’re blessed.

• Ephesians 1:3 (ESV): ³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,
  • In Christ, God has withheld nothing from us that can benefit us.
• Ephesians 2:5-6 (ESV): ⁴ But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, [consider the magnitude of mercy and love that has been extended to us] ⁵ even when we were dead in our trespasses [i.e. we were Zombies—that is our spiritual state apart from God], made us alive together with Christ [when Christ was resurrected, we all became alive with him—The resurrection extended life to all who would say yes to him—even before they were born]—by grace you have been saved—[This supernatural experience, this miracle is made possible by grace; grace makes up the difference between our best efforts and God’s Holy standard] ⁶ and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, [Christ is seated; and we’re in Him; so we’re seated—in heavenly places]
  • • • Matthew 6:19–20 (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.
        • Ephesians 1:20-21 (ESV): ²⁰ that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, ²¹ far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 

This spiritual wealth that God has secured for us has earthly implications:

• Ephesians 1:13-14: ¹³ In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, ¹⁴ who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.  
• Matthew 10:8 (NKJV): ⁸ Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.

Challenging The Common Understanding

The Excuses of The Disadvantaged

• • 2 Corinthians 8:1–4 (ESV): ¹ We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, ² for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. ³ For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, [because of the grace that was given them—the spiritual riches they knew they already had] of their own accord, ⁴ begging us earnestly [Because they gave out of a posture of abundance, not scarity—even though they were poor in the natural] for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints—
    • Luke 21:1–4 (ESV): ¹Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, ² and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. ³ And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. ⁴ For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”

The Excuses of The Advantaged

• • #1 – It’s God’s resources

• • • Psalm 24:1 (ESV): ¹ The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein,
  • #2 – The Lord’s been helping you all along
    • Psalm 124:1–8 (ESV): ¹ If it had not been the Lord who was on our side— let Israel now say— ² if it had not been the Lord who was on our side when people rose up against us, ³ then they would have swallowed us up alive, when their anger was kindled against us; ⁴ then the flood would have swept us away, the torrent would have gone over us; ⁵ then over us would have gone the raging waters. ⁶ Blessed be the Lord, who has not given us as prey to their teeth! ⁷ We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken, and we have escaped! ⁸ Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
    • Deuteronomy 8:11–18 (ESV): ¹¹ “Take care lest you forget the Lord your God by not keeping his commandments and his rules and his statutes, which I command you today, ¹² lest, when you have eaten and are full and have built good houses and live in them, ¹³ and when your herds and flocks multiply and your silver and gold is multiplied and all that you have is multiplied, ¹⁴ then your heart be lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, ¹⁵ who led you through the great and terrifying wilderness, with its fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty ground where there was no water, who brought you water out of the flinty rock, ¹⁶ who fed you in the wilderness with manna that your fathers did not know, that he might humble you and test you, to do you good in the end. ¹⁷ Beware lest you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.’ ¹⁸ You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day.
  • # 3 – God has a purpose for your prosperity that goes beyond your lifestyle interests
    • Esther 4:8–14 (ESV): ⁸ Mordecai also gave him a copy of the written decree issued in Susa for their destruction, that he might show it to Esther and explain it to her and command her to go to the king to beg his favor and plead with him on behalf of her people. ⁹ And Hathach went and told Esther what Mordecai had said. ¹⁰ Then Esther spoke to Hathach and commanded him to go to Mordecai and say, ¹¹ “All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that if any man or woman goes to the king inside the inner court without being called, there is but one law—to be put to death, except the one to whom the king holds out the golden scepter so that he may live. But as for me, I have not been called to come in to the king these thirty days.” ¹² And they told Mordecai what Esther had said. ¹³ Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not think to yourself that in the king’s palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews. ¹⁴ For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”
    • Esther 4:15–16 (ESV): ¹⁵ Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai, ¹⁶ “Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my young women will also fast as you do. Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish.”

The Secret

• Philippians 4:11–13 (ESV): ¹¹ Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. ¹² I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. ¹³ I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
• Philippians 4:13 (NKJV): ¹³ I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me