A Generous Man
Proverbs 22.9
A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor.
We live in a time of great greed. Unfortunately our economy is based to a large degree on that. Less and less repair shops and more and more retail outlets are the venue of the day. If it breaks, we’ll buy another one. Possessions are a big thing with people. Guy in the Pond Store this past week- 75 fish- $500 one died.
What an example the LORD Jesus was while He was here on earth of being detached from possessions
There is tremendous freedom in being detached from material things. Freedom to give. Freedom from worry (man on the bus to Bombay). When you are free you can be generous. Greed prevents generosity from happening.
A generous man...
1. A generous man is a giver.
Church- the Kingdom of God. Godly generous people are seeking first God’s kingdom.
A generous man is like the widow who put those 2 very small coins into the temple treasury. She gave out of love for God and His Work. How are you doing in that area today? Do you tithe? Do you give cheerfully? Do you give regularly? Is it an act of worship?
A generous man is a man who is a fountain of goodness and pleasantness. He knows what is appropriate and becoming. He is kind and does what is right. He acknowledges His Creator as the Giver and he sees himself as a servant of His Master to carry out His will.
The needy- those who are without life’s necessities. Those who are low and weak and actually thin from the lack of food. There are not that many in our country but there are many around the world. There are many avenues to give to today. We should give where our money is going the furthest, so we need to do a little research before we give. For instance, how much is spent on advertising to keep the organization going ?
To those he loves a generous man will joyfully give. Paul, the apostle write to Timothy about providing for those in our own families. I Timothy 5.8 If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
the righteous give without sparing Proverbs 21.26 They give because they are following the example of their Father in heaven, they give because they are walking like Jesus walked. They give because they understand what we are looking at this morning.
2. A generous man lives life to the full.
Not in consumption but in sharing. Consumption is not living life to the full anyway- it is very selfish and me focused and narrow. It weighs us down. It overloads us with things we don’t even need! The generous man has a broad perspective. He has great views of life. His experiences are interesting though he seldom speaks of them. His interests are in others. He reflects Jesus Christ.
Do you know one of the reasons why there is such a degree of unhappiness and anger and bitterness today? It is because instead of givers people are grabbers. Consumable goods have become a god today. So many stores have been torn down to build bigger stores. The internet provides all kinds of buying opportunities as does the TV and other media as well. We have to navigate through this and it is a spiritual battle.
The generous man is looking to give not to get. He shares.
He is blessed.
The abundant life that Jesus told us He came to give (John 10.10) is not one where it is me focused- Jesus was the most other centered Person Who lived. He lived for others. He gave and gave and still gives. We are to imitate Him- be like Him.
There is a blessedness in giving. More than receiving A generous man lives under that blessing of God. There is a thrill to it. It is not all thrills but there is an excitement in giving- when we are told to give cheerfully - God loves a cheerful giver- the word for cheerful is hilarity- give in with deep joy and your joy will increase.
God rewards in wonderful ways
Internally
That does not mean there will not be times of financial pressure but that even in those times there will be a peace and a hope that holds our soul steady.
Externally
Give to the LORD the right way and He will bless you. Matthew 6.2 when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Eternally does not yet appear...
Matthew 6.19-20 Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.
3. A generous man is a blessing
Growing up- Aunt Dot East Meadow, Melville...Nana, Queens- boxes of food and things on Friday nights
Colorado- Ted Raybol
Kentucky- Michael Conover- I was the recipient of the LORD speaking to His heart a number of times. II Timothy1.16 May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains. 17 On the contrary, when he was in Rome, he searched hard for me until he found me. 18 May the Lord grant that he will find mercy from the Lord on that day! You know very well in how many ways he helped me in Ephesus. Both were brothers born for God’s servants when they were going through adversity.(Proverbs 17.17)
Olean- Jim & Jean Angell They used to buy groceries for people during the recession of the early 80's. They gave quietly.
Here- so many
Think of the times you have been a recipient of a gift from a generous person. What a blessing it was
All these people bring a pleasant sense to my soul. I want my life to do that to others. I want those feelings to rise in others hearts when they think of me, and then see them give God glory
4. A generous man will be richly rewarded.
He is storing up treasure in heaven as we said. I take this literally. I cannot explain. We’ll have to wait to see what the full meaning is but we can be and ought ton be connected to heaven by our investments there.
It will be with him for eternity- for eternity
I Timothy 6.17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.
Proverbs 19.17 He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and He will reward him for what he has done.
5. Be a generous person
Kill that old miser in you
Reckon the old man dead.
Give hilariously.
There is such a joy inside and outside when you give in the kingdom of God.
Be a giver.
Give Generously.
Be a giver.
Give Generously.
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