Yesterday we had the privilege of receiving some good news!
We were reminded of God’s lavish generosity and then trained in how we respond to that as his family. I was challenged by the grace of Jesus and compelled to revisit conversations of how I’m responding to the generosity of Jesus. That’s the marks of a good sermon!
Remember- When we say we are disciples of Jesus, that means we follow his teachings and model for how to live our entire lives. Including how we spend the resources that have been entrusted to us. As you implement this practice in your life, in your home and within your community we want to give you two prayers and two practices for the journey ahead.
2 Prayers
A Prayer of Gratitude. Take some time and thank God for the things has entrusted you with. Let your mind explore all the time, talents, treasures he’s put in your care. Maybe even make a list in your journal, or see how many you can come up with around the dining room table.
A Prayer of Examination. Where do I/we have an unhealthy attachment to money, stuff, or experiences? Trace your financial anxiety down to it’s roots… Jesus told us how to get to the heart of this one. Slowly take the time to consider how many of your decisions are based on a scarcity mentality and not an abundant kingdom and generous king mentality. Repent as needed. Rejoice as you experience God’s forgiveness and presence as you repent.
2 Practices
Practice : We Give. This is pretty clear but I don’t want us to miss it.. When our hearts are gripped with the generosity of God our hands are freed up to respond with a generosity of our own. So as a community of disciples of Jesus we give generously. This is a priority not an afterthought. We steward these things back to God and this is a key part of us following Jesus. (Many scholars estimate Jesus spent 1/4 of his time discussing money either directly or indirectly AND he was talking to a people whose land was occupied by a foreign power, imagine what he’d say to one of the wealthiest cultures the world has ever seen!)
Practice: We Actively Remember. We are not living in the final act of the Story. We believe a lie that this world is all there is and that we only have one life to experience everything and so we better spend it all here. But we actively bring to mind the reality that the Bible tells us that there is another Act coming. There is a restored creation where sin, corruption, and anxiety has no home. It’s ruled by King Jesus and we ENJOY restored creation forever. In some mysterious way we can invest in that world today and Jesus promises that every investment made will return far more than the stock market ever could.
Remember
Giving is a practice that demonstrates alignment between our hearts and the priorities of God’s Kingdom. God’s expectation was generosity to the poor and through the local church. We are invited to participate in that ongoing work.
It’s been said that our bank accounts display what we really trust to bring joy, satisfaction, and give meaning to our lives. What if we were able to be a community of generosity in a world of self-serving stinginess? Imagine the good news that this sort of community would be in the East Valley? Let us join Jesus in praying “your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” And then let be obedient to do what He shows us in our patterns of generosity and giving.
This post is a collaboration from our Missio Mesa elders: Kevin Platt and Mike Zins