Sermon on 25 September 2022 by Ps Justin
Mark 5:21-34 - “Jesus got into the boat again and went back to the other side of the lake, where a large crowd gathered around him on the shore. Then a leader of the local synagogue, whose name was Jairus, arrived. When he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet, pleading fervently with him. “My little daughter is dying,” he said. “Please come and lay your hands on her; heal her so she can live.” Jesus went with him, and all the people followed, crowding around him. A woman in the crowd had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding. She had suffered a great deal from many doctors, and over the years she had spent everything she had to pay them, but she had gotten no better. In fact, she had gotten worse. She had heard about Jesus, so she came up behind him through the crowd and touched his robe. For she thought to herself, “If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed.” Immediately the bleeding stopped, and she could feel in her body that she had been healed of her terrible condition. Jesus realized at once that healing power had gone out from him, so he turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my robe?” His disciples said to him, “Look at this crowd pressing around you. How can you ask, ‘Who touched me?’” But he kept on looking around to see who had done it. Then the frightened woman, trembling at the realization of what had happened to her, came and fell to her knees in front of him and told him what she had done. And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace. Your suffering is over.””
Generosity is activated by our awareness. I won’t be preaching a sermon on money. But money is definitely a part of generosity. Awareness is to purpose in your heart to be intentional to pay attention to our surroundings. Generosity can be done in a variety of ways, not just money. It is a way of life. It is more than merely money. Your generosity is activated by being intentional in identifying every opportunity to be generous. Every opportunity that the Lord puts in-front of you comes with responsibility. When there is an opportunity, we overlook the responsibility to be courageous and step up to be generous. We must take action. We are often not aware of the opportunities around us as there is no intention for us to purpose in our heart. The gospel of Christ is intentional. The first step towards generosity is our awareness. Generosity is about our everyday living. Every born again believer needs to live a generous life. We are called to be a blessing to the people and so that God will continue to bless us for us to be a blessing to other people.
1 Peter 3:9 - “Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will grant you his blessing.”
Awareness activated generosity in our thoughts. Have you ever thought about our thoughts? Are we generous in our thoughts? Or are we always negative about others, even strangers that we don’t know. Instead of giving the benefit of doubt, we comment on negative things. Let us be intentionally generous and aware. You are what you think. Awareness activated generosity in our words. If we are intentional in showing love, we want to be careful with our words. Be generous in edifying one another. Be generous when you are aware of a situation a brother or sister is going through. Be generous in our words and prayer. Awareness activates our generosity in money.
Proverbs 12:18 - “Some people make cutting remarks, but the words of the wise bring healing.”
2 Corinthians 9:6 - “Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop.”
Acts 20:35 - “And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’””
Awareness of our surroundings will activate our generosity in serving the needs of other people, especially of the same faith. We become a steward of the money God bestowed upon us. Generosity in giving money is not about how much we give. It is about how much you still have after you give.
Mark 12:41-44 - “Jesus sat down near the collection box in the Temple and watched as the crowds dropped in their money. Many rich people put in large amounts. Then a poor widow came and dropped in two small coins. Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions. For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.””
Being generous is not about how much you give in this story. When the rich put in money, it is because they had abundance. The poor woman put in all that she had. It’s not about how much you put in but how much you have left.
2 Corinthians 8:12 - “Whatever you give is acceptable if you give it eagerly. And give according to what you have, not what you don’t have.”
It is a cheerful and willing giving.
Awareness activates generosity in our time. Let us be generous in our time to pray for our brothers and sisters, to visit one another. Be purposeful so that we can experience the power of generosity in our lives. When you pay attention to someone, there is power of presence. We want to show that we are different from the world.
Awareness activates generosity in our belongings. When we are so aware of the needs of someone else, we will activate the heart of helping others.
Awareness activates generosity in many areas of our living. God supplies every area of our life.
2 Corinthians 9:8 - “And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.”
This is the power of being generous and being a blessing. It is more blessed to give than to receive. The grace of God will be upon all who are humble as God opposes the proud. Being generous is a reflection of our humble heart. You will always have enough when you have God’s grace.
2 Corinthians 9:10 - “For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you.”
If you bless someone, you will inherit a blessing that you will continue being a channel to bless others. God will increase the harvest of the fruit of righteousness.
Generosity is for everyone. We cannot say we cannot have time to be generous or that it is only for the rich. Anyone of us is to be generous as it is a way of life. We want to take a look at Jesus. He is incredibly awesome.
We want to take a look at Jesus’ generosity.
Mark 5:21-24 - “Jesus got into the boat again and went back to the other side of the lake, where a large crowd gathered around him on the shore. Then a leader of the local synagogue, whose name was Jairus, arrived. When he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet, pleading fervently with him. “My little daughter is dying,” he said. “Please come and lay your hands on her; heal her so she can live.” Jesus went with him, and all the people followed, crowding around him.”
Mark 5:25-29 - “A woman in the crowd had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding. She had suffered a great deal from many doctors, and over the years she had spent everything she had to pay them, but she had gotten no better. In fact, she had gotten worse. She had heard about Jesus, so she came up behind him through the crowd and touched his robe. For she thought to herself, “If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed.” Immediately the bleeding stopped, and she could feel in her body that she had been healed of her terrible condition.”
Mark 5:30-34 - “Jesus realized at once that healing power had gone out from him, so he turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my robe?” His disciples said to him, “Look at this crowd pressing around you. How can you ask, ‘Who touched me?’” But he kept on looking around to see who had done it. Then the frightened woman, trembling at the realization of what had happened to her, came and fell to her knees in front of him and told him what she had done. And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace. Your suffering is over.””
When you have so much faith, there is a powerful connection. This is an example of Jesus’ remarkable awareness. If you have faith like a mustard seed, and don’t doubt, you shall have what you ask when you pray. This is about a generous life in a variety of ways. Jesus showed us and considered the needs of others, and we should do the same.
Do we have the same level of awareness that Jesus has with this woman? Do we have the same awareness during family time? Are we being so sensitive to someone who comes to us and requests to buy something from them? If we are so sensitive, we will have a spirit-led awareness, which comes with responsibility. You won’t doubt but always want to help. Give attention to your spouse. Give time to your children. Be generous by returning a portion of your income to the needy or the ministry. How intentional are you? Generosity is activated by our awareness. Awareness activates generosity. We will not be able to be generous if we don’t have the ability to learn to be sensitive. We are called to be a blessing in every area of our lives. A simple prayer will change your life. God will supply all your needs so that you can be abounded in the work of the Lord. You need the help of the Lord. We need to pray. We are in the world but not of the world. The world belongs to the devil. Every morning, ask God to make you more generous. You cannot conform to the pattern of the world. Prayer aligns our heart with God’s heart. Have Holy Spirit driven awareness daily.
Romans 12:2 - “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”
Amen.
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