Fullness of Joy Part 2 - Joy and Generosity
Sunday September 17, 2023
Part 1 Review
- The Bible defines joy relationally - it is what we feel when we are with someone who is
- Joy is connected to the face and the voice. That”s why fullness of joy comes from His Presence (face, countenance) and voice.
- Joy is experienced in community.
- Capacity for Joy can be increased.
Part 2 - Joy and Generosity
- There are two key ways that generosity is expressed through our lives: giving, and serving.
- God loves a cheerful
- God loves a cheerful
1. Joy and generosity and profoundly
.
- Generous – readiness to give more of something, more than expected; something more plentiful than usual.
The origin of the word is ‘of
Generosity is ultimately what I GET TO be in on, not what I have to GIVE UP.
Generosity is both an attitude and a posture that we grow in as we mature in Christ.
In
Selfishness is rooted in the fearful mindset of
- Selfishness says, “someone else will go.” Generosity says “here I am, send me!”
But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. —Luke 6:35
- Message - “Live out this God-created identity the way our Father lives toward us,
Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.” —Luke 6:36b-37
- Jesus said “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35) Blessed -supremely blessed and happy.
2. God loves a
giver.
6 But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a
giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. —2 Corinthians 9:6-8
- Cheerful - cheerful, joyous, prompt, merry, one that is favorably disposed towards giving (posture).
- We are a generous community, and we express our generosity is in our giving. A generous community is a joyful community!
- God uses our giving more than we realize, both
The Blessing of Tithing - Malachi 3
Question – Do I have to tithe? /// Better question - “How
Question – What does God want me to give? /// Better question – What does God want to give
What is a Tithe? The word tithe means
> 10 Bring the
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; > 12 “And all nations will call you blessed, > For you will be a delightful land,”
Says the Lord of hosts. —Malachi 3:10-12
- The Hebrew word for test means “examine.” Be
Promises Connected to Tithing:
a. He will open the windows of heaven. Windows or floodgates is plural.
b. Overflow. “There will not be room enough to receive it.”
c. He will rebuke the devourer.
3. A joyful server - serve the Lord with gladness!
- At New Life, we emphasize Loving God, Growing Together, and
Serve the Lord with gladness; come before His presence with singing. —Psalm 100:2
- We are a generous
If you know these things, happy are you if you do them. —John 13:17
- He ways saying, “Serving is a mindset and attitude I want you to have.”
At New Life Church, we have a
As God’s kingdom grows, it’s our privilege to grow along with it - to grow as a church family, to grow in character, and to grow in grace.
Sign up Sunday link
- We are a generous community of cheerful givers. We sow into the nations. We sow into our community. We sow into the kingdom of God.
- We are generous community of joyful servers. Happy are you if you do these things!
