Generous Heart

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• By Rev. Devadosan Sugirtharaj
• Posted 10/11/2020
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Living Generously Sermon Series

Generous Heart

Mark 12:41-44

Rev Dr Devadosan Sugirtharaj

Introduction

• Last week, we medicated on the topic of Generous God. God is our cornerstone for our generosity as he is generous in our past, present and future. 
• Being generous means that we have a virtue of giving good things to God others freely and abundantly. Generosity is a moral orientation of a believer’s life. 
• If being generous has a motive of benefiting from it, it would a bargain, not generosity. The bible clearly teaches us that the tighter the grip we have on what we own, the more likely we are to constrict them.
• Today’s scripture reading reminds us to go back to understand the heart of generosity from Jesus’ perspective from the gospel.

Word Study

• Hebrew word: Give: Lebab: It means that the heart is not just an organ of the body but it is a centre for physical, emotional, intellectual and moral activities. 
• Greek word: Give: Kardia: It means that the heart is the centre of all reasoning, feelings and decision making. Kardia is considered an important place in human life and it controls or determines the whole life. 
• The bible clearly says that the heart affects every human thought, behaviour, actions, words and also spirituality. Giving heart to God means that we bring God as the ruler of the centre of physical, emotional, intellectual, moral, social and spiritual aspects of our lives. A generous heart means that the heart is centred on God and expresses his generosity in life.

Context of the text

• The context of the passage is that Jesus condemned the religious leaders who exploited the widows in the community. He wanted to teach them what true discipleship was and also about the generous hearts which is willing to give everything they have, even their livelihood, for the sake of God.

• We are called to have a generous heart as a generous heart knows how to give graciously. Mark.12:41-42
  • 41 Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much. 42 Then one poor widow came and threw in two [a]mites, which make a [b]quadrans.
  • Jesus saw the widow’s offering is actually greater than all the offerings made by the rich people. He explained that the value of the offering is best measured against the financial worth of the offerer but measured by the generosity of the heart towards God. Based on this, the widow’s offering was far more superior to the others. 
  • When we have a generous heart like this widow. we reflect the giving attitude of God and we do not hold anything for ourselves. Giving to God generously is an act of faith working through love. Otherwise, it becomes a hollow religion and has empty spiritual content. 
  • 2 Corinthians.9:6-8: 6 But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows [d]bountifully will also reap [e]bountifully. 7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of [f]necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.
  • 1 Timothy 617-19: 17 Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. 18 Let them do good, that they are rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, 19 storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life
  • Biblical Example: Elijah and Widow in Zarephath: 1 Kings 17:12-16: 12 So she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I do not have bread, only a handful of flour in a bin, and a little oil in a [a]jar; and see, I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die.” 13 And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said, but make me a small cake from it first, and bring it to me; and afterward make some for yourself and your son. 14 For thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until the day the Lord sends rain on the earth.’ ”15 So she went away and did according to the word of Elijah, and she and he and her household ate for many days. 16 The bin of flour was not used up, nor did the jar of oil run dry, according to the word of the Lord which He spoke by Elijah.
  • Sermon illustration: Charles Spurgeon and his wife were lived graciously in their lives. One day they decided to sell the eggs their chickens laid but refused to give away. As a result, some people labelled Spurgeons greedy. They accepted these harsh criticisms without defending themselves. When Mrs. Spurgeon died, the full story was revealed. All the profits from the sale of eggs went to support two elderly widows because they were unwilling to let their left hand know what the right hand was doing. They gave generously and silently and only God knew. They gave graciously.

2.We are called to have a generous heart as a generous heart knows how to live graciously. Mark.12:43-44

• 43 So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; 44 for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood.”
• Jesus saw that the difference between rich people and the poor widow is that they put in out of their abundance and she put in all that she had. Here Jesus showed the spirit of giving determines the spirit of trust in God. The widow had nothing in her hand but sent out by God’s promises as she trusted Him. The rich had everything but sent out by God with emptiness as they trust in their wealth than God.
• God does not need our money as heaven and earth belong to him. However, God invites us to show our generosity to his ministry and it is the measure of faith we have in him. The value of the gift determines the value of the giver. We can all please God with our giving as we trust God for everything and we know to live graciously.
• Isaiah 41:18: I will open rivers in desolate heights And fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water, And the dry land springs of water.
• Titus 1:15-16:15 To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure, but even their mind and conscience are defiled. 16 They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being [d]abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.
• Biblical Example: Ananias and Sapphira in Acts.5:1-3: But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession. 2 And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles’ feet. 3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself?
• Sermon Illustration:- A pastor had a farmer friend in his congregation and they were talking over the fence one day about trusting God by giving anything for God. The pastor asked the farmer, “Abe, if you had one hundred horses, would you give me fifty?” Abe said, “Certainly.” The pastor asked, “If you had one hundred cows, would you give me fifty?” Abe said, “Yes.” Then the pastor asked, “If you had two pigs, would you give me one?” Abe said, “Now cut that out, pastor; you know I have two pigs!” Sometimes we do not trust God and the result is that we do not live graciously. We are called to live by trusting God who can bless us always.

Conclusion

We are called to have generous hearts as our Lord has a generous heart. From Mark.12:41-44, Jesus taught us two important lessons in terms of a generous heart.

• We are called to have a generous heart as a generous heart knows how to give graciously. Mark.12:41-42
• We are called to have a generous heart as a generous heart knows how to live graciously. Mark.12:43-44

Questions for Discussion

1. In the passage of this widow’s giving, what do you learn about this widow’s sacrifice reveal something about her generous heart? If so, what?
2. How can you show to be faithful to God by giving generously? Are you commanded to give away all of your possessions? Why or why not?
3. What should prompt your generosity: the attitude of our hearts, or what we do with what we have? Is there a connection between the two, and if so, what is that connection?