“The Boy who gave.”
John 6:1-14
Generous = Liberal in giving or sharing, unselfish. Free from meanness or smallness of mind or character, magnanimous. Large. Abundant. ample. Rich or strong in flavor. (We are called to be salt.) fertile and prolific.
Other words for generous = Open-handed. Fruitful.
The opposite = Selfish. Mean. Meager. Barren.
Johnny Hunt, “You’re never more like God than when you give.” For God so loved the world that HE GAVE.
You don’t have to be rich to be generous, you have to be generous to be generous.
2 Corinthians 1-15 READ
NOW AN EXAMPLE OF GENEROSITY and GIVING. AND A LOOK AT THE ATTITUDE THAT KEEPS FROM GIVING.
John 6:1-14 – Jesus feeding the 5000 a Boy, 5 loaves, 2 fish, and a whole lot of left overs.
So we see the picture of Generosity, but what attitude lies in Non-Generous people.
- Out of sight, out of mind.
Luke 9:13, “Now the day was ending, and the twelve came and said to Him, “Send the crowd away, that they may go into the surrounding village and countryside and find lodging and get something to eat, for here we are in a desolate place.”
There is a spirit of non-generous people of out of sight out of mind, not my monkeys not my circus.
Send them away, they can take care of themselves. Not my issue.
But the Bible says Jesus saw them and had compassion on them.
2. It cost too much.
Luke 9:13, “But He said to them, “You give them something to eat.” And they said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless perhaps we go and buy food for all these people.”
John 6:5-6, “Therefore Jesus, lifting up His eyes and seeing that a large crowd was coming to Him, said to Phillip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these may eat?” This He was saying to test him, for He Himself knew what He was intending to do. Phillip answered Him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, for everyone to receive a little.” (Denarii was about a day’s wage.)
TWO THINGS TO SEE HERE –
Jesus already had a plan to do something great, and was looking for obedience.
Man could already see how it was impossible and would cost too much.
3. Fear of giving out of what was for them.
Mark 6:37-39, “But He answered them, “You give them something to eat!” And they said to Him. “Shall we go and spend two hundred denarii on bread and give them something to eat?” And He said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go look!” And when they found out, they said, “Five loaves, and two fish.”
First you have to realize these disciples had food. They had withdrawn to a desolate place, so they would have had to have taken their own food too.
So many times the idea of giving bothers us because it feels like it takes from us. So many times when giving, we think about what we are giving up or losing, rather than what we are gaining.
NONE OF THEM KNEW IN THAT MOMENT THAT BY GIVING OF ALL THEY HAD, THAT WAS INTENDED FOR THEMSELVES, THEY WERE ACTUALLY ABOUT TO NOT ONLY EAT AND BE SATISFIED, BUT THEY WERE GOING TO GATHER 12 BASKETS OF LEFTOVERS.
QUESTION – Would you be willing to give your 5 little loaves and 2 fish, to get excessive amounts back? There giving would end up benefiting them and others for days, had they kept it they would’ve had enough for the moment, nothing for tomorrow, and never really felt satisfied.
THIS IS WHY YOU HEAR GENEROUS PEOPLE SAY, YOU CAN’T OUT GIVE GOD. They have already learned the lesson of Giving to God returns more than you ever really gave.
STATEMENT – “Ive never missed anything I’ve given away.”
SO NOW LETS LOOK AT GOD’S PRINCIPLES IN GIVING. (Generosity)
2 Corinthians 9:1-15
- GIVE LITTLE GET LITTLE, GIVE BIG GET BIG.
2 Corinthians 9:6, “Now this I say, he who sows sparingly, will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.”
Bountifully = Excessive, Generously.
LOOK AT WHAT COMPETES WITH YOUR GIVING BOUNTIFULLY.
2 Corinthians 9:5, “So I thought if necessary to urge the brethren that they would go on ahead to you and arrange beforehand your previously promised bountiful gift, so that the same would be ready as a bountiful gift and not affected by covetousness.”
Covetousness is what contends with your ability to give generously.
Covetousness = Eager or excessive desire especially for wealth or possessions.
2. GIVING IS A HEART ISSUE. (WHICH MEANS GENEROSITY IS A HEART PROBLEM OR A PRODUCT OF YOUR HEART.)
2 Corinthians 9:7, “Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
Giving is not a picture of your pocketbook, it is a picture of your heart.
Purposed = planned in advance. (Intentional)
Grudgingly = Reluctantly or unwilling. (Like prying it out of your hand.)
Compulsion = Coercion, constraint. An act performed impulsively, contrary to one’s will. Being made to do it. Forced. (Having to be begged or talked into. “I don’t normally do this.”) short lived.
LOOK AT THIS –
“FOR GOD LOVES A CHEERFUL GIVER.”
3. GOD IS THE SUPPLIER OF WHAT I HAVE AND CAN MAKE MUCH OUT OF WHAT I GIVE.
2 Corinthians 9:10, “Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.”
Generous people know that what I am giving, wasn’t mine anyway. God gave it to me. Im giving what He gave, and He can multiply what I give to do much.
4. GIVING ENRICHES ALL PARTS OF YOUR LIFE.
2 Corinthians 9:11, “You will be enriched in everything for all liberality,”
Is it possible you are struggling in another area of life, because you’re not being Generous in this area of your life?
5. GIVING CAUSES OTHERS TO GIVE THANKS TO GOD.
2 Corinthians 9:11, “Which through us is producing thanksgiving to God.For the ministry of this service is not only fully supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing through many thanksgiving to God.”
Your giving causes others to see the goodness to God, which in turn causes them to Praise and Give thanks to God!
YOU GIVE – NEEDS ARE MET – PEOPLE TURN THEIR EYES TO JESUS!
What if you looked at your wallet as an evangelism tool.
6. GIVING AND THE GOSPEL GO TOGETHER.
2 Corinthians 9:13, “Because of the proof given by this ministry, they will glorify God for your obedience to your confession of the gospel of Christ and for the liberality of your contribution to them and to all.”
7. THERE IS A WHY, TO GIVING.
You’ve heard it said, “If I understand the WHY I can deal with almost any HOW.”
Well in this – THE HOW IS GIVING.
THE WHY, Vs. 15, “Thanks be to God for His Indescribable gift!”
