Generous / 2 Corinthians 8:1-9 / Acts 2:44-45, 4:32-35

Good to see you again this week, church. I am so glad to be with you. If you have a Bible with you, turn to Acts chapter 2 to start. That is where we are going to kick things off. Eventually, we are going to look at two more passages together, but we will begin in Acts 2.

If you are just joining us, we are officially just a few weeks away from landing the plane on this series we have been in for the better part of the fall on a Paradigm Shift. We have been looking at a picture of the church—the core foundations that define and mark Jesus Christ’s church. We have been tracing the early paradigm shifts that happened with the disciples following a righted view of Jesus, paired with a yieldedness to God’s Word and the purpose, power, and presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives. We have seen how the Lord flipped things upside down to create this countercultural movement known as the church.

We have looked at paradigm shifts concerning the Scriptures, the indwelling role of the Holy Spirit, and prayer—what it means to fall dependently on our faces before God. We have looked at what the gathered church looks like, what our scatterings mean as we herald the gospel through evangelism, and how we encounter suffering in this world.

The Distortion of Generosity

The next core shift in paradigm we need to look at is the issue of generosity. What does it look like to be a sacrificially generous people who swim counterculturally against a consumeristic, materialistic culture? How are we turned inside out so that we might be givers out of the grace we have received?

When you look at the narrative of Scripture, beginning back in Genesis, the idea of generosity was never foreign. It was part and parcel to the redeemed people of God. For those who had been rescued and ransomed, there was a natural sense of giving back out of what they had been given.

When we look at giving in the Old Testament, it gets really interesting. Most folks who have been around church for a while have heard giving narrowed down to the concept of tithing. The word “tithe” is simply an Old English word that means a tenth. Most of that concept is derived from the Old Testament law, where God commanded His people to give 10% of their produce and livestock every year to the Levites and the priests. This was known as the Lord’s tithe. Many people have taken that standard and carried it into the modern church as the baseline for giving, even though there is actually no command anywhere in the New Testament to give a specific percentage.

When you dive deeper into the Old Testament, you realize that 10% was just the starting line. There were actually two other mandatory tithes. In addition to the Lord’s tithe, there was the festival tithe, where God’s people gave an additional 10% each year to celebrate God’s redemption through various feasts and festivals marking their entrance into the Promised Land. On top of that, there was a poor tithe—a welfare tithe—collected every three years, which amounted to roughly another 3.3% annually to care for those in need.

When you factor in the Old Testament equation, God’s people gave a bare minimum of about 23.3% of their income every year. And that does not even include temple taxes or civic taxes. Giving was central, but it was always framed as giving out of what God had graciously provided. God gave them redemption, and their giving celebrated that redemption and cared for others within it.

Most people gave with joy, recognizing God’s faithfulness to redeem their lives. But just like in our culture, sin is pervasive. For many, giving was not a joyous thing. It felt like handing over hard-earned crops and land that they felt entitled to keep. That entitlement grates against our tendency to hoard and remain self-focused.

We see that sinful attitude addressed directly throughout the Gospels. In Matthew 6, Jesus called out the hypocrites who gave publicly only to be noticed and honored by men. In Luke 21, He addressed the rich who gave only out of their surplus rather than in sacrificial proportion to their wealth, contrasting them with the poor widow who gave everything she had. In Matthew 23, Jesus called out the Pharisees, describing them as whitewashed cups that look clean on the outside but are filled with greed on the inside. By the time we get to the early church, we see Ananias and Sapphira lying about their giving just to win favor. Over and over, sin contaminated humanity’s understanding of what it means to give.

A Radical New Paradigm

Then something happened. Right after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and following the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in Acts chapter 2, everything shifted. With a righted view of Jesus and the realization that He gave His life for them, a radical shift occurred in their paradigm toward generosity and how resources should be used for the glory of God and the good of others.

Look at this snapshot in Acts chapter 2:

Acts 2:44-45 (NASB)

And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; and they [began] selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need.

Imagine how completely countercultural that sounds today. What would compel a group of people to look at their property and possessions and say, “You know what? I don’t need this; you do. I’m going to sell it to take care of you. Whatever is mine is yours”?

You have to remember: in a culture where placing faith in Jesus made you an immediate minority facing intense persecution and loss of employment, this community could not survive unless they took care of one another.

Turn over two chapters to Acts 4, and look at verses 32 through 35:

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.

When modern readers hear that, they might think, “That sounds like socialism.” But what is the difference between these passages and modern socialism?

The difference is that none of this was coerced. None of it was government-mandated. This type of giving—where people willingly sold tracts of land and possessions they had spent years acquiring in order to provide for others—stemmed from a transformed heart. Something radical took place in this community that completely dismantled their old paradigm of ownership.

The Gospel Engine of Generosity

Why did they live like this? What compelled them?

We find the answer in 2 Corinthians chapter 8. Years have passed, the church has multiplied beyond Jerusalem into Judea, Samaria, Asia Minor, and Greece. Paul writes to the church in Corinth to encourage them in their giving, and he holds up the churches of Macedonia as an example:

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.

The Macedonian church was experiencing intense affliction and deep poverty. They were barely staying afloat. Yet when they heard that the saints in Jerusalem were suffering, they begged for the privilege to give. Paul says the only thing more generous than what they gave was the liberality and joy with which they gave it.

What compelled them? Look at verses 7 through 9:

2 Corinthians 8:7-9 (NASB)

But just as you abound in everything, in faith and utterance and knowledge and in all earnestness and in the love we inspired in you, [see] that you abound in this gracious work also. I am not speaking [this] as a command, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity of your love also. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.

Paul does not issue a heavy-handed command. Instead, he points to the reality of the gospel.

Here is the verse that provides the engine for our paradigm shift: “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.”

We find our joy in giving through both the model and the empowerment of our Savior, Jesus Christ. He gave His life so that we might live. Romans 5 paints this exact picture:

Romans 5:6-8 (NASB)

For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Jesus did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, and was obedient to the point of death on a cross. He gave generously and sacrificially so that you and I could live.

Paul says: you have tasted that grace. If anyone knows what it is like to receive everything from Someone who gave up everything for them, it is the church. That grace is what compelled the early believers to lay down their assets and say, “This isn’t mine anyway.” They wanted to see the church cared for, the gospel advanced, and the glory of God magnified.

Stewarding Treasures, Time, and Talents

If that is the biblical paradigm, how does it play out practically for us today? In what ways are we called to be generous? Scripturally, there are three primary areas God calls us to steward: our treasures, our time, and our talents.

1. Our Treasures

When we speak of treasures, we mean our monetary and material resources. Generosity with our treasures begins with a fundamental theological truth: you do not actually own anything you possess. Until you and I understand that every asset in our possession is on loan from God, we will never become truly generous.

Psalm 50 says that God owns the cattle on a thousand hills. Colossians 1 tells us that all things, visible and invisible, were created by Christ and exist for Christ. In Luke 19, Jesus tells the parable of the minas to show that everything we have has been entrusted to us to steward for His kingdom purposes until He returns. And Hebrews reminds us that we came into this world with nothing, and we will leave with nothing. It all belongs to Him.

God invites us to invest our temporary, earthly resources into the only two things that will last for eternity: the Word of God and the souls of men. In the New Testament, giving is not measured by a legalistic percentage; it is measured by grace. It is an overflow of the heart. In Galatians 6, Paul encourages believers to share all good things with those who teach them. In Romans 15, he writes that if Gentiles have shared in spiritual blessings, they ought to minister back in material blessings.

Consider how our culture views giving to secular institutions. A study of one thousand American universities showed that in a single year, alumni gave nearly ten billion dollars back to their schools—roughly the annual revenue of the entire NFL. At Princeton University, about 63% of living alumni give back annually to ensure their institution continues.

If people are that committed to supporting a university, how much more should the redeemed bride of Jesus Christ be committed to advancing the eternal gospel? Yet across the American church—and even right here at The Well—the average percentage of regular attendees who give financially is around 12%. When you understand the grace of Christ, that paradigm has to change.

2. Our Time

Some of you might say, “I would love to give financially, but I am completely broke right now.” While our financial situations vary, God has given every single one of us the exact same amount of time: twenty-four hours a day.

Paul writes in Ephesians 5:

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.

Living wisely means recognizing why we are here and making the most of the time we have been given. If you do not have substantial monetary wealth, perhaps your greatest asset right now is time.

Are you prioritizing your calendar to invest in eternal things? Maybe you have a block of time each day where you can get on your knees and intercede for this church, for your family, for your neighbors who are far from God, and for our city. Maybe you have time to serve practically within the church or volunteer with a ministry in the community. Maybe you cannot fully fund a mission trip, but you have the flexibility to actually go. As Moses prayed in Psalm 90, we must ask the Lord to teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

3. Our Talents

We are also called to steward our unique talents and 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.

Every believer indwelt by the Holy Spirit has been given spiritual gifts to build up the body of Christ. Do you know how God has wired you?

Maybe He has gifted you with teaching to build up the church in truth. Maybe your gift is serving behind the scenes, showing mercy, or extending hospitality. Some of you have personalities that easily connect with strangers—you can make friends with a wall! What would it look like to leverage that relational gift to point people to Jesus? Others of you have administrative, financial, or vocational skills that could bless church plants and ministries.

Whatever your gift is, do not hoard it or squander it. Give it away for God’s glory and the good of His people.

Identifying the Barriers

What keeps us from living generously with our treasure, time, and talents?

The chief barrier is our internal sin—the selfishness and consumerism that convinces us everything exists for our own comfort. Only Jesus can break that power. As we submit to His Word and yield to the Spirit, our affections change, our choices change, and our compassion grows.

There are also practical barriers we must address:

• For our treasures, the barrier is often debt. Debt shackles us and makes us slaves to the lender. For the first several years of my marriage, we were heavily burdened by debt. It all started for me in college when I signed up for a credit card just to get a free T-shirt. That turned out to be the most expensive shirt in human history. Later, in my fraternity days, I spent fifteen hundred dollars on a credit card for a weekend formal with a girl I had been dating for a month, only for us to break up the moment we landed back at the airport. I spent years paying off that debt—my wife was practically paying for my ex-girlfriend’s formal during my early seminary days! Next to salvation, one of the most liberating days of my life was in 2009 when we paid our final payment and became completely debt-free. Freedom from debt allows you to steward money for kingdom generosity rather than paying for past consumption.
• For our time, the barriers are laziness and overcommitment. On one hand, we can easily waste hours on social media, entertainment, and trivial pursuits. On the other hand, we can overcommit our schedules to good things at the expense of eternal things, lacking the courage to say “no” to the good so we can say “yes” to the best.
• For our talents, the barriers are misuse and ignorance. We either use our gifts strictly for personal gain, or we simply do not know what our gifts are. If you do not know your spiritual gift, start serving. Jump in, try different areas of ministry, and discover where God supernaturally works through you to bring joy to your heart and fruit to His church.

Moving from “Have To” to “Get To”

Christianity becomes truly joyful when a righted view of Jesus leads to a yielded life under God’s Word and Spirit. That shift changes our hearts, which changes our choices.

Generosity stops being a legalistic “have to” and becomes a joyful “get to.” You begin looking for intentional ways to be a blessing in the places you live, work, and play. You realize that God is using your time, your treasures, and your talents to make an eternal difference in the lives of others.

Let’s pray together toward that end.

Closing Prayer

Father, we confess that our hearts naturally gravitate toward our flesh, our selfishness, and a culture of consumerism that constantly tells us to hoard more for our own kingdoms. Your Word reminds us that living for ourselves is an empty pursuit that leads only to destruction.

Purge us of a consumer mindset. Change our affections from the inside out. May a deep understanding of the grace we have received in Jesus Christ produce an overflow of joyful, sacrificial generosity. Take the things You have entrusted to us—our treasures, our time, and our talents—and use them for the glory of Your name and the building up of Your church.

Do this work in our hearts and in this church family, we pray. In Jesus’ name, Amen.