Bless Up: The Tale of Two Givers
Speaker: Pastor Josh Jansen
Read: 2 Corinthians 9:6-7, Matthew 19:16-22, Luke 21:1-4 ESV
Sermon Recap:
Fear can end up controlling us if we let it. It triples joy and ruins relationships. Often times, fear causes us to hoard the very things that God calls us to sow as ‘seed’ so God can bless it. When things get difficult or uncertain, we cling to things even more. Hoarding resources before sowing ‘seeds’ all always happen when we don’t trust God to provide. This is relatable because in life, thinly certain thing is that life is uncertain.
In Mathew 19:16-20 and Luke 2:1-4 we read about two givers. The first was a man who refused to sacrifice everything when Jesus asked him to. This story reveals 3 potential lifestyle pitfalls that can grip our soul.
1. A Lifestyle of Convenience - we pick and choose what commandments are convenient to follow
2. A Lifestyle of Idolatry - we hold on to anything other than God for security and purpose
3. A Lifestyle of Fear - we compare what we have to others, feel like we never have enough and live a stingy life.
The second giver was a widow who one have 2 coins. She gave all she have and Jesus told his disciples that she gave more than any one else. As a woman during this time, she had no status or wealth and probably would have been one of few women at the temple to give. But she did anyway.
Fear cripples God’s plan for us. The antidote to fear and uncertainty is to trust God with everything. Gospel centered generosity is possible because God owns it all anyway. Faith produces resolve, illogical and unreasonable generosity and confidence in God to be who He says he is.
Discussion Questions:
1. What challenges or provoked you in this message?
2. Has fear ever been a stumbling block to you living a generous life?
3. Have you ever found yourself operating in one of the three lifestyle pitfalls?
4. When reading the stories of the 2 givers, which do you identify more with?
5. How have you overcome areas of fear with faith in the past?
