Advent Generosity

Psalm 37:21 - The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously

Psalm 112:5 - Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely, who conducts his affairs with justice.

Proverbs 11:25  - A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.

Proverbs 22:9  -  The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor.

II Corinthians 9:6  -  Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.

I Timothy 6:18  -  Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.

In these and other verses, God reminds us to be generous with the resources He has given us.  As followers of Christ, we are simply stewards of what God has entrusted to our care.  He is the owner and master.  We are simply the caretakers of all that He owns.

With that thought in mind, I want to thank the members of Hillcrest Baptist Church for being generous in the past year.  Over and over again, you have stepped up to help those in need or given to special needs in the church.  This month, we collect the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions, with the monies collected going to assist missionaries in over 120 countries.  We met several of those missionaries during our On Mission Celebration back in October.  This past Sunday, we started this offering with our luncheon and auction, which raised almost $900.  You were generous in your bidding, which assists our missionaries.  What really struck me was how generous you were with the gifts you gave for the auction.  There were gifts which were highly valuable, not just junk pulled off the shelf which you wanted to get out of your closet.  I also saw people being generous by giving away the presents you won in the auction, but knowing someone else would like to have it.  You were also generous in helping set up and clean up the fellowship hall so we could have this event.  Thank you for being generous as a church and as followers of Christ.  I am humbled and proud to be the pastor of such a giving group of servant.

 

During the Advent season, we are really told by the media to be selfish.  I read that of the people who braved Black Friday sales this year, over 70% were actually shopping for themselves, not someone else.  The commercials on TV encourage us to overextend ourselves by giving possessions, which we really can't afford to give.  We are told that this perfect gift will make someone's Christmas meaningful.  Our kids are told they need just the right toy or game for their Christmas to be fulfilling.  Of course, we all know that these things will leave us empty and the toys will break.  So when I speak of generosity, I am not speaking about shopping for Christmas presents.

 

Our generosity during this season should extend to giving of ourselves or giving that which is eternal.  Gift to help International missionaries share the Gospel will reap an eternal harvest.  Taking time to help someone who is in need will cost us time and energy, perhaps our two most valuable commodities during the month of December.  Making a gift with our own hands is another way of showing someone that we love them enough to invest time in them.  Spending time with our family instead of rushing around to a variety of parties and gatherings is a way to be generous to those we love the most.  Giving blood is a way to give the gift of life to someone we will never meet.  This Advent season, look for eternal ways to be generous, to touch others in Jesus' name.

II Corinthians 5:21 reminds us that "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.".  The most generous gift ever given was the gift of eternal life through Jesus' death and resurrection.  God made a decision to allow His only son to live among us.  Jesus was born as a vulnerable and helpless baby.  He was raised by faulty parents, just like us.  He ministered for three years and then was put to death.  But on the third day, He walked out of the tomb and now sits at the right hand of the Father.  John 1:12 reminds us that if we simply believe and receive Jesus, we will be given eternal life:  The best gift of all.  We are generous, not to earn Heaven, but in response to being given Heaven.  We don't deserve such a gift, but we have a generous God.  So remember to follow God's example this Advent Season.  Be people of generosity, not of stinginess.  Give, not to receive a blessing, but because you have already received so much.