CLEAR HEART

Clear Heart

Series: “The WHY Matters” part 2

Sunday, March 15, 2020

Dr. Chris Vaught, Sr. Pastor

How Generosity Helps Us Maintain a Clean Heart:

2 Methods of Generous Giving in the Scriptures:

• Tithing (Tithe means “tenth”)

• Free-WIll Offerings

1. God is our MODEL  for GENEROSITY

Matthew 6: 1-4—“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. Otherwise, you have no reward with your Father in heaven. 2 So whenever you give to the poor, don’t sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be applauded by people. Truly I tell you, they have their reward. 3 But when you give to the poor, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

1. 1. Jehovah TZEDAKAH = “THE LORD IS MY  RIGHTEOUSNESS.”

• Righteousness = RIGHT CONDUCT.

John 3:16— For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

1. 2. Giving is a SACRIFICIAL gift on behalf of OTHERS.

2. Generosity is one way we display the 2 Great Commandments

Matthew 22: 37-39, He (Jesus) said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. 38 This is the greatest and most important command. 39 The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself

1. 1. LOVE GOD – (TITHE)

1. 2. LOVE OTHERS – (OFFERINGS)

3. Generosity helps protect…

   1. Our HEART, our MIND and our DEVOTION

Matthew 6:19-24— “Don’t store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don’t break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light. … 24 “No one can serve two masters, since either he will hate one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

4. How Generosity Looked in the Early Church.

Philippians 4: 16-19—For even in Thessalonica you sent gifts for my need several times. 17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the profit that is increasing to your account. 18 But I have received everything in full, and I have an abundance. I am fully supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you provided—a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. 19 And my God will supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

2 Corinthians 9: 6-8—The point is this: The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each person should do as he has decided in his heart—not reluctantly or out of compulsion since God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make every grace overflow to you, so that in every way, always having everything you need, you may excel in every good work.

The Big Take-Away:

Here at CPC, one of our Code Values is…

“We will lead the way with EXCESSIVE GENEROSITY.”