8/18/13 KINGDOM LIVING
The Blessings of Generosity
What is your approach to life?***Me, myself and I
***Jesus, Others, You (what a wonderful way to spell joy)
Kids Collect Pennies to Purchase New Fire Truck
Shortly after the tragedy of 9/11 came a wonderful story of giving. It came from a school in Columbia, South Carolina.
First, the historical perspective. Two years after the Civil War, with much of Columbia still in ruins, some of the bitterness over the conflict was put aside by a single gesture: New York firefighters set out to collect pennies to buy Columbia a firetruck.
On February 17, 1865, a devastating blaze devoured about one-third of the city. Columbia had lost most of its firefighting equipment during the Civil War and desperately used bucket brigades in their attempt to douse flames.
Not long after, New York City firemen, many of them former Union soldiers, raised $5,000—mostly in pennies—and put a hose-reel wagon on a steamship bound for Columbia, South Carolina. On the way, the ship sank, but instead of giving up, they took up another collection and sent a second hose-reel wagon.
So overwhelmed was former Confederate Colonel Samuel Melton that he made a promise on behalf of South Carolina’s capital city to return the kindness “should misfortune ever befall the Empire City.”
After 9/11, White Knoll principal Nancy Turner and her teachers were trying to find some tangible way their students could respond to the attacks. Eventually the decision was made to collect money to buy a fire truck.
Then Turner stumbled on records of New York’s gift. It was easy to get city leaders and the governor, Jim Hodges, to join in. Columbia’s fire chief was a New York native. The effort was named “South Carolina Remembers”. After 134 years, the day to remember came and the children of Columbia took it on themselves to honor that pledge.
They collected pennies at football games, held bake sales, and sold T-shirts in a drive to raise the $350,000 needed to replace one of the dozens of New York fire trucks destroyed in the 9/11 attacks.
The idea began from a lesson in giving. Donations poured in. One donor wrote: “When I was growing up in Columbia, Mama always said you need to return a kindness. I know she’d be as glad as I am to be part of this wonderful thank-you gesture.”
One of the most unforgettable donations came from Russell Siller of Rockville Centre, New York. Siller’s brother, Stephen, was part of the elite firefighter force Squad 1. He died that terrible day. Siller wrote: “At a time like this, when the whole nation is still mourning its loss, what a powerful and poetic message your efforts send to all of us. I am proud that New York’s bravest sent you a fire truck in your city’s time of need. … To think that you would honor a pledge made so many years ago! The new fire truck will become a symbol for your love for your country, and for New York’s bravest.”
Condensed from Building Adult Ministries, Christianity Today International. “A Kindness Returned-134 Years Later,” Building Adult Ministries (3-31-08); taken from an Associated Press story by Page Ivey
The blessings of generosity. It is not just an emotional response to a heart wrenching appeal. This is one of the most powerful principles God wants all to learn. I am reminded of:
II Corinthians 9:7 NLT
7 You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”
In His sermon expressing the foundation of His Kingdom, the constitution of the church, Jesus taught about something we all deal with - generosity and the temptation to be in love with stuff.
I want to challenge you with the blessings of generosity. What we allow to flow through our hands, what we keep, and how we look at caring for others will set the pace for where we go in life.
Jesus taught:
Matthew 6:1-34 NLT
1 Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. 2 When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get. 3 But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. 4 Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.
Learn the blessings of generosity, just don’t make a big deal about it. This goes to motivation. Why do you do what you do? Is it so others will be impressed? Is it to make people think you are a wonderful person?
God says to be generous and let Him take care of any rewards. God sees what you do. He will reward you in ways you couldn’t think of. Just be kind and forget it.
Generous is something we all can be. It may be with money, it may be with something we already own, it may be with time and talents. Many think “When I get rich, then I’ll do great things”. Don’t wait for that time, it probably won’t come. Use what you have now.
Generosity includes this simple concept: find a need, then heal it. Not every need is large and you can do something about it.
19 Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. 21 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.
Termites Eat Millions of Indian Rupees
It was an all-you-can-eat buffet at the bank. An army of termites munched through 10 million rupees ($222,000) in currency notes stored in a steel chest at a bank in Barabanki, said police in northern India. The bank manager discovered the damage when he opened the reinforced room in an old bank building.
Police officer Navneet Rana told The Associated Press, “It’s a matter of investigation how termites attacked bundles of currency notes stacked in a steel chest.” The money was put in the chest in January, 2011. In the past, termites had damaged bank furniture and documents. The police have registered a case of negligence against the bank officials.
Associated Press, “Termites eat millions of Indian rupees in bank” (4-22-11)
Some treasure lasts and gains value. Some simply fades away. People have lost billions of dollars in investments that were worthless. Things that seemed so valuable have lost their appeal.
Let’s come up with a list of things that had value at one time:
8 track, cassette tapes
dial telephones
vacuum tubes (radio, TV)
floppy disks for computers
?????
These things were all valuable and looked like a great investment. Now, they just sit and collect dust.
Store up treasure that will last, that won’t lose value. Eternity is the place to invest.
What will bring people to Jesus?
What will show God’s love and compassion for people?
What will bring honor to God?
This is where we want to invest. So many things people work so hard to collect fade away. Let me illustrate it with this golf club. I got it used for $5. I probably could have gotten it for less. New, it cost hundreds. Some time ago someone was all excited as they got this beautiful new club. Now, it’s considered worthless. Look at so many other toys people have to have that are now filling up storage sheds or landfills.
24 No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
25 That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? 27 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?
28 And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, 29 yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 30 And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? 31 “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ 32 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. 33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. 34 So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.
***No one can serve two masters.
Money, things – the master of many people. This is why people say the church shouldn’t talk about money. “That’s my money and I’m going to do whatever I want with it.” Money becomes the master and controls people. Jesus said we will either serve God or money. That is an amazingly accurate statement.
People place a high value on things. They place their trust and faith in it and look to it for security and happiness. If you have enough money, your future is guaranteed. They forget these words from the Bible. Luke 12:15, 20 NKJV
15 And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.”
20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’
Accumulating wealth takes over a person’s mind so they forget about doing things for God’s glory.
Let’s review 19-34.
Questions for discussion.
What does the Bible say about money, material possessions?
God owns it all.
Psalm 50:10-12 NKJV
10 For every beast of the forest is Mine, And the cattle on a thousand hills. 11 I know all the birds of the mountains, And the wild beasts of the field are Mine. 12 “If I were hungry, I would not tell you; For the world is Mine, and all its fullness.”
We are to manage what God gives us, use it for God’s purposes.
1 Corinthians 4:2 NKJV
2 Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.
How do we recognize His ownership?
Acknowledging His ownership. The tithe is the acknowledgment that it all belongs to God.
Malachi 3:10-11 NKJV
10 “Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this,” Says the LORD of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it. 11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,” Says the LORD of hosts;
The tithe is God’s revealed way to support the local church.
What does God’s ownership imply?
He owns everything. He gave it to us to use, to manage for Him, to receive benefit of having what we need in life.
God blesses generosity, generous living. Being a faithful steward builds up treasures in heaven. Nothing can take those away. It relieves us from the worry about things.
The Application
What am I going to do about things, money, generosity?
What am I going to do about the tithe?
