Deeper Generosity
“ 6 And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. 7 Let your roots go down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.” —Colossians 2:6-7
“ 38 Give, and you will receive. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” —Luke 6:38
Big Idea: The deeper life is understanding that God has been generous with us, so that we can be generous with others.
“ 14 Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. 15 To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey.
16 The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. 17 So also, the one with two talents gained two more. 18 But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.
19 After a long time the master of the servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.’ 21 His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
22 The man with two talents also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two talents, see, I have gained two more.’ 23 His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness.’
24 Then the man who had received the one talent came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I know that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’
26 His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest…’ 30 Throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’” —Matthew 25:14-30
(1.) The deeper life starts by having a right view of God
(2.) The deeper life realizes that God has generously given us good gifts
“ 10 For we are God’s workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” —Ephesians 2:10
“ 27 All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is part of it.” —1 Corinthians 12:27
(3.) The deeper life comes as we put God’s generous gifts to good use
“ 10 Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. 11 If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.” —1 Peter 4:10-11