Administration of Generosity

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19 September, 2021Pastor Mark SchultzAuthentic Generosity

Living Out Loud
LifeGroup Guide

In our world of conflicting arguments and competing narratives, of fake news & conspiracy theories…Whom do you trust?

I’ll trust a pilot to get me from A to B on time & in 1 piece. I’ll trust a Doctor, dentist, hair stylist once…sometimes I have no choice. But if I really have skin in the game…I want to know who I am dealing with. Trust is personal. Trust is hard to earn and easy to lose. 

So when Paul encourages the disciples of Jesus in Corinth to give generously toward helping people they’ve never met and from whom they are unlikely to receive a return, he wants to make sure they trust his motives and his mission. Trust is personal.

Paul assures the Corinthians they can rely on his integrity and those chosen to assist in his ministry. They can count on the gifts they give reaching the destination he has promised. They can trust Paul, because they’ve been entrusted by God with rich blessings, and an eternal promise.

Living generously is not a spur of the moment, spontaneous, off the cuff reactive impulse to a pressure situation. It’s a well-planned, wisely administered proactive lifestyle that arises out of the deep convictions you have about God’s love for you and his commission to demonstrate that love to others. The careful, transparent, spiritual administration of the grace of generosity is critical to seeing generosity flow where God wants it to have the most transforming influence. So join us for this deep lesson of discipleship as we explore the administration of generosity.

#3 in series: Authentic Generosity


2 CORINTHIANS 8:16-9:5

16 Thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same concern I have for you. 17 For Titus not only welcomed our appeal, but he is coming to you with much enthusiasm and on his own initiative. 18 And we are sending along with him the brother who is praised by all the churches for his service to the gospel. 19 What is more, he was chosen by the churches to accompany us as we carry the offering, which we administer in order to honor the Lord himself and to show our eagerness to help. 20 We want to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this liberal gift. 21 For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of man.

22 In addition, we are sending with them our brother who has often proved to us in many ways that he is zealous, and now even more so because of his great confidence in you. 23 As for Titus, he is my partner and co-worker among you; as for our brothers, they are representatives of the churches and an honor to Christ. 24 Therefore show these men the proof of your love and the reason for our pride in you, so that the churches can see it.

9:1 There is no need for me to write to you about this service to the Lord’s people. 2 For I know your eagerness to help, and I have been boasting about it to the Macedonians, telling them that since last year you in Achaia were ready to give; and your enthusiasm has stirred most of them to action. 3 But I am sending the brothers in order that our boasting about you in this matter should not prove hollow, but that you may be ready, as I said you would be. 4 For if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we—not to say anything about you—would be ashamed of having been so confident. 5 So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to visit you in advance and finish the arrangements for the generous gift you had promised. Then it will be ready as a generous gift, not as one grudgingly given.

We want to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this liberal gift. For we are taking great pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of man. 2 Corinthians 8:20-21

Transparency and trust enable the pipeline of generosity to flow freely and to bless the people for whom God intends it.

  1. Who is the most organised, efficient and dependable person in your family and how does their organisation give you confidence?
  2. Who do you trust most with your money?
  3. Generosity is proactive, not reactive. What steps can you take over this next month to grow and excel in the grace of giving? Share it with someone for accountability.

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Are you the total package? Do you have all the necessary components for success in life? IQ, EQ, PQ, SQ. CQ? IQ - the intelligence to comprehend ideas and process information. EQ - high self-awareness and ability to control your emotions in difficult situations. PQ - your ability to provide value in your position and be reliable. SQ - the social intelligence to read the emotions of others and interact accordingly and fit into the culture and environment around you. CQ - the cultural quotient - aware of and able to embrace differences in others. A good measure of these quotients in your life will provide a solid foundation for your future and lead to satisfaction in life…so they say.

The problem is as we measure those things, we always view them in comparison to others. Either we are superior than others, or lacking in comparison to others. Both responses are incorrect! Paul tells us that the only measure that leads to real contentment, transformation and fulfilment in life is the WQ and GQ. An awareness of these two quotients at work in your life and through your life becomes the very point at which you will discover the deepest satisfaction of generosity. We'll explore and unpack those quotients today.

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The 4WD “all-terrain” vehicle…It has become the car of the pandemic. Four of the top five “searched for” vehicles are in that category. If you have a good one for sale, second hand prices are up 30%. Designed to be taken off road, over obstacles & through terrain conventional vehicles can’t manage, 4WD’s give traction when other transport falters. They move when everything else stops.

Generosity is just like that. It creates momentum, traction, forward progress when everything else wants to slow you down, drag you back, put you back where it seems safe, secure, stable… and stuck.

Paul gives the Corinthian church the keys to the 4WD of discipleship: generosity. It’s not an owner’s manual of guidelines, rules & tips, but the power of God who enlists us in his work of transforming hearts and lives by the abundant gift of Jesus Christ working through us. Paul knows God’s abundance to us is only limited by his abundance through us and as we open our hands and hearts more widely, more freely and more generously, we find the Father refilling our lives and taking us on off-road adventures where there is an oversupply of joy, praise, thanksgiving & glory. It’s a life where we see the multiplication of generosity bringing exponential blessing to others.

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Inspiration of Generosity

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When the going gets tough, Australians step up! That's the finding of a survey conducted to ascertain the impact of crisis on the public's propensity to give. What it discovered was Australians are inspired to go above and beyond their normal giving in times of drought, bushfire and flood. But what about when crisis hits the whole community, like we are experiencing in these sustained pandemic times? When things get tight, giving seems unwise or even impossible.

That's what makes the giving of the Macedonian church even more inspiring. They were going through some tough times and Paul notes their “severe trial” and “extreme poverty.” They had almost nothing to spare. And yet, they begged Paul for the privilege of giving and gave generously, “even beyond their ability." What inspired their generosity even when they had nothing and were under pressure themselves? That's what we will explore today as we focus on 'The Inspiration of Generosity'. It's an attitude and posture that can help you "excel" in your giving too.

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Foundation of Generosity

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The beginning matters.

The foundation is important for any building project.

Buildings need a good foundation to stand the strain of the weight upon it and remain stable whatever stresses are applied to it. Relationships need a strong foundation of trust to grow strong and withstand the pressures of life. The early years of education are labelled as the foundation years,for what students learn in those years are critical as a base on which other learning is built.

It's no different with generosity.

The beginning matters.

The foundation is important.

Over the next four weeks we are going to explore what it means to embody Christ-like authentic generosity, one of the core values here at LifeWay, and it's crucial that we get the foundations right, so that what is built, is grounded, solid and able to support God's work in ever-expanding ways. The journey toward authentic generosity starts with the posture of the heart, God's heart that so loved the world and so loved you, that he gave. When you take hold of that, it will lead you on a journey of joyful transformation from which you will never look back.

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