AOD / Generosity
Church, you can grab a seat. As you guys are coming in and grabbing a seat, do me a favor: if you’ve got a Bible, turn to 2 Corinthians chapter 8. That is where we’re going to spend a chunk of our time upfront here.
If you’re a guest among us and you’re just joining us for the first time, my name is Shay Simon. I’m one of the pastors here at The Well, and you’ve caught us right in the middle of a five-week series we’re doing called The Anatomy of a Disciple. In this series, what we’re trying to do is investigate what a disciple of Jesus Christ actually is. What does the process of discipleship look like? What does spiritual growth or spiritual formation look like in the life of a Christian? How does that process take place? That is where we’ve been wrestling.
What we’ve seen the past two weeks is that when it comes to the process of spiritual formation—when it comes to you and I being conformed to the image of the Son as a disciple of Jesus—that process is always inside-out, never outside-in. Spiritual growth doesn’t start on the outside with externals, thinking, I guess the way I become more spiritual and mark myself as a mature follower of Christ is if I just start attending services more regularly, give more to the church, and cuss a little bit less. We’ve argued from the Scriptures that that is not how it works. If we are just committed to externals, moralities, and outward appearances of superficial Christianity, that is not spirituality; that is superficiality. That’s not heart transformation; that’s behavior modification. Jesus said the Pharisees were like whitewashed tombs because they looked clean on the outside, but on the inside was a crypt—a dead heart with no life. All those externals mean nothing apart from an inner reality.
The Inside-Out Process of Discipleship
Scripture shows us that discipleship starts in the heart: a humbly submitted heart that begins at the moment we recognize we are helpless apart from God’s grace. We are sinners undeserving of God’s mercy, completely unable to save ourselves or reconcile ourselves to a holy Father because of the sin in our lives. But in God’s unbelievable grace and mercy, He offered us Jesus Christ, the perfect sinless substitute who lived a life of righteousness, sacrificed Himself on the cross, conquered death, sin, and Satan, and rose to the right hand of the Father. When we understand He is our Savior, we put our trust in Him and not ourselves. That means removing ourselves from the throne and putting Christ in His rightful place. I am no longer the king of my universe; it’s His kingdom, He is the King, and He is my Savior. Out of submission to Him, I give my life to Him completely.
Because Jesus Christ is our King, the Holy Spirit births within us a desire to hear His voice over every other voice. I am no longer going to allow my mind and will to be conformed to what NPR, Fox News, or my Facebook timeline says—God help us, may we never be conformed to hot sports opinions on social media. I won’t be conformed to the latest university psychology textbook. I am going to listen to the Shepherd as His sheep and follow where He leads. Out of a humbly submitted heart, I allow my mind and will to be biblically formed by opening the Scriptures and asking, God, what do You mean by what You say? Show me who You are, what You’ve done for me, and what You want from my life.
We call this the Core. Spiritual formation begins in the center, not on the outside. But when you sit under the counsel of God’s Word and the Holy Spirit speaks to you, your values begin to shift. The mentality that once said “everything exists for me” shifts to understanding that everything exists for Him. In the next ring out, your choices are affected. Your decisions become Christ-centered rather than me-centered, revolving around His glory and His kingdom. Then, as your decisions are transformed, they spill over into the outer ring of compassions. Biblical compassions are birthed within you so that you no longer sit by as a passive spectator; you enter a broken world and point people to the hope found only in Jesus Christ.
Over the next few weeks, we are looking at these outer rings of choices and compassions. There are three primary categories that get transformed: generosity, morality, and relationships. Today, we are dealing with generosity. What does generosity look like in the heart of a believer?
A Snapshot of Sacrificial Generosity
We serve a God who is sacrificially generous. There is no greater gift ever given than Jesus Christ.
John 3:16 (NASB)
’For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
Through Christ, He has intentionally blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. As His image-bearers and disciples, we were created and saved to reflect that generosity.
In 2 Corinthians 8, the Apostle Paul writes to the Corinthians, encouraging them toward generosity for the Jerusalem church. Jerusalem was the epicenter of Christianity where Jesus ministered, died, rose, and ascended, and where the church was birthed. The gospel had fanned out to Corinth, but back in Jerusalem, severe persecution left the church struggling. Paul encouraged regional churches to help sustain gospel ministry there. In doing so, he held up the churches of Macedonia—Philippi, Berea, Thessalonica—as an example of what generosity looks like.
2 Corinthians 8:1-5 (NASB)
Now, brethren, we [wish to] make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia, that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality. For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, [they gave] of their own accord, begging us with much urging for the favor of participation in the support of the saints, and [this], not as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God.
Here are ten observations from this passage about what sacrificial generosity looks like in the life of a believer:
1. True Generosity Is a Visible Picture of God’s Grace
Verse 1 speaks of “the grace of God that has been given.” The Macedonian churches weren’t just throwing money at Jerusalem; their generosity was fueled by and modeled upon God’s grace. The grace of God took the gospel to them, unlocked their lives, and gave them new hope. As an extension of that grace, they gave back to sustain gospel ministry.
2. True Generosity Transcends Difficult Circumstances
Verse 2 says they gave “in a severe test of affliction.” These churches were experiencing horrific persecution and loss. They had every human reason to say, Paul, we’d love to help, but we’re under immense pressure right now. Ask us another time when our finances are better. But their generosity was not fair-weather. If they had waited for persecution to lighten up, they never would have given. Circumstances and afflictions are always present, but true generosity is not dictated by circumstances; it is tethered to the gospel of grace.
3. True Generosity Is Fueled with Abundant Joy
Joy, unlike happiness, transcends circumstances. These believers had every worldly reason to be unhappy about giving away what little they had, yet their giving was overflowing with joy because they were investing in something eternal. When you realize your temporal resources are building an eternal kingdom, it produces unquenchable joy.
4. True Generosity Is Not Hindered by Poverty
Verse 2 notes they gave out of “extreme poverty.” This wasn’t suburban poverty where things are tight and you buy generic cereal instead of name brands. These believers had lost homes, paychecks, family members, and even their lives for the gospel. They were bankrupt in worldly resources, yet they were generous because their giving was tethered to a submitted heart that recognized everything belongs to God.
5. True Generosity Is Liberal in Nature
Even in extreme poverty, they “overflowed in a wealth of generosity.” Though destitute in resources, they were rich in generosity. Christ’s overflowing generosity toward them fueled an overflow of giving back to others.
6. True Generosity Is Proportionate
Verse 3 tells us “they gave according to their means.” They gave in proportion to their ability. Scripture does not focus on people giving out of their wealth, but according to their wealth. It is not about how much you have; it is about what you do with what you have. In the Old Testament, the tithe (meaning a tenth) was a baseline, but the people gave far beyond that. In the New Testament, there is no set percentage commanded because the standard is no longer a legal minimum; the standard is the grace of God. Whether that is 1%, 10%, 50%, or 100%, the standard is whatever the Holy Spirit empowers you to give.
7. True Generosity Is Sacrificial
Paul testifies that they gave “beyond their means.” They gave until it hurt—yet it didn’t feel like a burden because it was fueled by joy. Their posture was: God has given us His Son and brought us from death to life. Why wouldn’t we want to invest everything back into advancing this gospel?
8. True Generosity Is Voluntary
They gave “of their own accord.” There was no compulsion, no manipulation, and no emotional guilt trips. When people are redeemed and motivated by grace rather than law, giving ceases to be a “have-to” and becomes a “get-to.”
9. True Generosity Is Holistic
Verse 5 says they did not give merely as expected: “they gave themselves.” Their giving wasn’t fragmented or compartmentalized into tossing some spare change at a need while keeping the rest of their lives separate. They recognized that life is short and all their assets belong to God, so they gave their entire lives over to His mission.
10. True Generosity Is an Act of Worship
Above all, “they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us.” The ultimate object of their generosity wasn’t Jerusalem; Jerusalem was the beneficiary. The ultimate object was Jesus Christ.
Colossians 3:17 (NASB)
Whatever you do in word or deed, [do] all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.
Romans 12:1 (NASB)
Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, [which is] your spiritual service of worship.
Every aspect of your generosity—your time, your treasures, and your talents—is an act of worship to God for who He is and what He has done.
Time, Treasures, and Talents
Scripture calls us to be sacrificially generous in three primary areas: our treasures, our time, and our talents.
Treasures
Before you can give your treasures away, you must settle the theology behind them: nothing you own belongs to you. Not your house, your car, your paycheck, or your family.
Psalms 50:10 (NASB)
’For every beast of the forest is Mine, The cattle on a thousand hills.
Colossians 1:16 (NASB)
For by Him all things were created, [both] in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities– all things have been created through Him and for Him.
In Luke 19, Jesus tells a parable showing that God’s possessions are put on loan to us. We are stewards called to invest these assets into His kingdom for eternal dividends. One day, Christ will return and we will give an account of what we did with what He entrusted to us. Did we use it to build His kingdom, or our own?
Hebrews 4:13 (NASB)
And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.
When you die, none of your stuff goes with you. Your family is going to sell your possessions or split them up. You enter eternity naked before God. What lasts are the dividends of your stewardship: the Word of God and the souls of people.
Look at how the early church viewed their possessions:
Acts 4:32-35 (NASB)
And the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul; and not one [of them] claimed that anything belonging to him was his own, but all things were common property to them. And with great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all. For there was not a needy person among them, for all who were owners of land or houses would sell them and bring the proceeds of the sales and lay them at the apostles’ feet, and they would be distributed to each as any had need.
What kind of people sell their houses and land to give the proceeds away? People who understand that none of it belonged to them in the first place, and that their time on earth is short.
Now, some college students might say, I’m broke. I can’t afford to pay attention. Unless you count cinder blocks in my apartment as assets, I have no treasures. But you do have time.
Time
We all have the exact same twenty-four hours in a day, and the human mortality rate is still hovering right around 100%. The question is how you are using the time God has given you.
Ephesians 5:15-16 (NASB)
Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil.
Look carefully at how you walk. If you don’t have money to give, you have time to pray. You can get on your face daily to intercede for the church, for lost friends, and for your campus. You have time to serve and volunteer within the church and across the community. You have time to go on mission trips. We have trips to Haiti, Costa Rica, Ukraine, and Thailand right in front of you. What are you doing this summer? As Jim Elliot famously said, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” Pouring your time into God’s kingdom is an eternal investment.
Talents
Every believer who puts faith in Christ has been uniquely wired and given spiritual gifts.
1 Peter 4:10 (NASB)
As each one has received a [special] gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
Some of you have incredible social personalities—you could make friends with a wall. What would it look like to use that gift to build bridges to the gospel instead of just building bridges to yourself? Some of you are gifted with hands-on skills like mechanics or construction; go use those skills to bless people. Some of you have sharp minds for business, math, and administration. I failed accounting four times in college—I’m in ministry today because I couldn’t pass accounting! But God gave those minds to some of you. You can teach financial stewardship classes or help local non-profits maximize their resources for the kingdom.
Overcoming the Barriers to Generosity
If we want to grow in these areas, we must identify the barriers holding us back.
When it comes to treasures, aside from pride and consumerism, the greatest barrier is debt. Scripture calls the borrower a slave to the lender. Debt shackles your hands so you are no longer free to be generous. During the first two-thirds of my marriage, we were severely shackled by debt. It started in college when I filled out a credit card application in the student union just to get a free t-shirt—which turned out to be the most expensive t-shirt of my life. I made foolish decisions, like dropping $1,500 on a credit card for a weekend trip with a girlfriend I dated for a month. We broke up at the airport, but the APR lasted for years. Fast forward: I married my wife, went to seminary full-time, and my wife worked as a schoolteacher, faithfully helping pay off credit card debt from an ex-girlfriend. That was an embarrassing season, but when we finally made our last debt payment before moving to California in 2009, next to the liberating grace of salvation, it was the most freeing feeling of my life. Getting out of debt freed us up to support missionaries, expand our home, and pursue adoption. Debt is a barrier you must fight.
When it comes to time, your biggest hurdles are laziness and overcommitment. Some of you waste precious hours on video games, pornography, fantasy football, and scrolling social media. You must reprioritize your calendar for the kingdom. Others are overcommitted, saying yes to so many good things that you have no room for the ultimate things. You have to learn to say no.
When it comes to talents, the barrier is often not knowing what your gifts are, or wasting them on yourself. You discover your gifts by trying things: try teaching, try serving, try administration, and see where God works. Don’t waste your God-given abilities building your own platform. Submit your gifts to King Jesus.
Moving from Choices to Compassion
When God transforms your choices, it inevitably spills over into biblical compassion. In Mark 6, when Jesus saw the hungry crowd of 5,000, His disciples wanted to send them away. But Scripture says Jesus had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd.
Mark 6:34 (NASB)
When Jesus went ashore, He saw a large crowd, and He felt compassion for them because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and He began to teach them many things.
The Greek word for compassion refers to your inner gut, your innards. Seeing their brokenness literally made Jesus sick to His stomach, compelling Him to step in and intentionally bless them. We are called to embody that same compassion across four arenas of life: where we live, where we work, where we play, and along the way.
- Where you live: Look at the elderly neighbor who can no longer maintain his yard, or the overburdened single mom in your apartment complex who needs someone to babysit so she can catch her breath. Use your time and resources to bless them and point them to Christ.
- Where you work or play: Look for coworkers under financial stress, or simply be the person who brings donuts and builds relational bridges to the gospel.
- Along the way: Step into the interruptions, the crises, and the injustices around you, offering good deeds coupled with the great news of Jesus Christ.
All of this is who God made you to be: sacrificially generous, intentionally blessing others, and pointing them to the gospel. If you are feeling convicted today, the answer is not behavior modification. Don’t just check a box by throwing money in an offering plate or signing up for a ministry out of guilt. Discipleship starts at the Core.
Get on your face before Jesus. Acknowledge that the greatest gift ever given is the life He purchased for you on the cross. Allow the Holy Spirit to wreck your heart with His grace, submit fully to His Word, and let Him transform your mind. As your mind is renewed, your choices will align with His kingdom, overflowing into compassions that bring the hope of Jesus Christ to a broken world.
Let’s pray.
Father, I am so thankful for the greatest gift ever given to humanity: Jesus Christ, who raised us from death to life through His finished work on the cross. May we never take that grace for granted. Wreck our hearts with this truth, transform us from the inside out, and turn us from consumers into givers of Your glorious gospel. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.