The Blessed Life

The Blessed Life – Living with Open Hands

Acts 20:35 “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

Heartfelt giving changes you.

• Generosity: The joyful (willful) act of giving your time, talent, and resources in honor of Gods blessings.

Deut 8: 18 But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.

• Your relationship to material blessings can make or break you spiritually.
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Money has power.  For good or evil.

IF money is the focus we live for it will be evil, it God is the focus we live for it will be good.

One of the most important choices we make in becoming a follower of Jesus is to deal with the Lordship in our life, and there is a competition for who reigns.

Matthew 6: 19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.

 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also…..

The Heart of the Issue: Where Your Treasure Is

Notice what He didn’t say. “Where your heart is, your treasure will follow.”
He said the opposite.

• Your heart follows the priority of your treasure.
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That means what you prioritize with the treasure of your time, talent and resources will eventually shape:

• What you love
• What you worry about
• What you trust
• What you protect

This is why generosity isn’t about money it’s about alignment.

24“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

 

1 Tim 6: 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

• Money wants your devotion
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Matt 6:33-34  But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow,

John 12: 1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.

Gratitude Fuels Generosity

• Gratitude opens the heart
• Forgetfulness tightens it

2 Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him.

• Lazarus gave his time (testimony as well) (his presence said, “I was dead — now I’m alive”)
• Martha gave her talent(service)
• Mary gave her treasure and worship

3 Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

Luke 21: As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. 2 He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. 3 “Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. 4 All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”

True generosity feels costly — not convenient. Why? 

• Generosity that doesn’t cost you anything rarely changes you.

3 Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

Generosity Effects Others

Now the flip of generosity is greed.

4 But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5 “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.”

 

6 He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.

 

Treasure Reveals the Heart

The Contrast: Mary vs. Judas (Two Postures)

The blessed life is not about how much you give — it’s about where you chose to put your treasure

Trust Comes Before Blessing

Prov 3 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;

6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. g

7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil.

8 This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.

9 Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops;

10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.

Here’s a principle Jesus teaches again and again:

• God doesn’t bless what you keep He blesses what you release.
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Generosity is a trust test.

Give your first fruits. 

That’s why the Bible talks about first fruits.
Not because God needs your money —
but because your heart needs direction.

Do I give God and his kingdom my talent?  Purpose

Do I give God and his kingdom my share of the treasure.  Trust

• Generosity is love in motion.
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A Whole-Life Generosity Time, Talent, and Resources:

When you give freely, you declare:

“Money won’t be my master.”

More Blessed to Give Than Receive

Jesus didn’t say giving was easier. He said it was better.

Here’s the heart of the gospel.

God didn’t ask you to give first —He gave first.