Freely Given - Part 2 [Notes]

November 26th, 2023

It can be easy to take what we have for granted and to hold on to it tightly. However, if we can begin to see that everything we are and have has been freely given to us by God, the more we'll be able to share our blessings and give freely to those around us. As we cultivate gratitude and generosity in our lives, we will also strengthen our relationship with God and others.

In this two-part series, "Freely Given," we'll unpack and apply the Biblical values of gratitude and generosity.

The earth and everything in it, the world and its inhabitants, belong to the Lord; for he laid its foundation on the seas and established it on the rivers.
– Psalm 24:1-2 (CSB)

“Stewardship is the voluntary and generous offering of God’s gifts of resources, time, talents, and treasures for the benefit and love of God and others.”
– Adele Calhoun, Spiritual Disciplines Handbook, pg. 224

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. Everyone should look not to his own interests, but rather to the interests of others.
– Philippians 2:3-4 (CSB)

“Generosity is paradoxical. Those who give, receive back in return. Giving money, volunteering, being relationally generous, being a generous neighbor and friend, and personally valuing the importance of being a generous person are all significantly, positively correlated with greater personal happiness, physical health, a stronger sense of purpose in life, avoidance of symptoms of depressions, and a greater interest in personal growth.”
– The Paradox of Generosity: Giving We Receive, Grasping We Lose

Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, because He said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
– Acts 20:35b (CSB)

Generosity is freely giving to others what God has freely given to us.

Individual generosity

Gratitude: God, thank you for the gift of life.
Generosity: God, please help me see who You’ve made me to be and how I can uniquely bless others with my life.

S.H.A.P.E.
S - Spiritual gifts
H - Heart
A - Abilities
P - Personality
E - Experiences

Just as each one has received a gift, use it to serve others, as good stewards of the varied grace of God. If anyone speaks, let it be as one who speaks God’s words; if anyone serves, let it be from the strength God provides, so that God may be glorified through Jesus Christ in everything. To Him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.
– 1 Peter 4:10-11 (CSB)

Generosity is freely giving to others what God has freely given to us.

Individual generosity
Financial and material generosity

Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in everything; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
– 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (CSB)

Gratitude: God, thank you for meeting my needs.
Generosity: God, please help me be more open-handed with my money and possessions when I see a need that I can help meet.

A generous person will be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor.
– Proverbs 22:9 (CSB)

Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained from the world.
– James 1:27 (CSB)

This is how we have come to know love: He laid down his life for us. We should also lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has this world’s goods and sees a fellow believer in need but withholds compassion from him—how does God’s love reside in him? Little children, let us not love in word or speech, but in action and in truth.
– 1 John 3:16-18 (CSB)

Generosity is freely giving to others what God has freely given to us.

Individual generosity
Financial and material generosity
Relational generosity

Gratitude: God, thank you for family and friends.
Generosity: God, please help me love others well, especially those who feel lonely, left out, or unloved.

Then little children were brought to Jesus for Him to place His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them. Jesus said, “Leave the little children alone, and don’t try to keep them from coming to Me, because the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” After placing His hands on them, He went on from there.
– Matthew 19:13-15 (CSB)

Generosity is freely giving to others what God has freely given to us.

Individual generosity
Financial and material generosity
Relational generosity
Emotional generosity

Gratitude: God, thank you for highs and lows.
Generosity: God, please help me celebrate with others on their mountaintops, and give comfort to them in their valleys.

Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep.
– Romans 12:15 (CSB)

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort. He comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction, through the comfort we ourselves receive from God.
– 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (CSB)

Generosity is freely giving to others what God has freely given to us.

Individual generosity
Financial and material generosity
Relational generosity
Emotional generosity
Spiritual generosity

Gratitude: God, thank you for Jesus.
Generosity: God, please help me share the good news of Jesus with the people You’ve placed in my life.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!
– 2 Corinthians 5:17 (CSB)

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God.” He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
– 2 Corinthians 5:20-21 (CSB)

Generosity is freely giving to others what God has freely given to us.

Individual generosity
Financial and material generosity
Relational generosity
Emotional generosity
Spiritual generosity

God, please help me see who You’ve made me to be and how I can uniquely bless others with my life.

God, please help me be more open-handed with my money and possessions when I see a need that I can help meet.

God, please help me love others well, especially those who feel lonely, left out, or unloved.

God, please help me celebrate with others on their mountaintops, and give comfort to them in their valleys.

God, please help me share the good news of Jesus with the people You’ve placed in my life.

Discussion Questions //

Share about a time, past or present, when someone was particularly generous to you – whether it be with their time, resources, etc.
In today’s message about generosity, Pastor Josh shared five prayers of generosity in response to the five blessings we covered last week. Take time to discuss each of them and what steps you could take to grow in these areas.
- God, please help me see who You’ve made me to be and how I can bless others with my life. – 1 Peter 4:10-11, S.H.A.P.E.
- God, please help me be more open-handed with my money and stuff when I see a need that I can help meet. – Proverbs 22:9, James 1:27, 1 John 3:16-18
- God, please help me love others well, especially those who feel lonely, left out, or unloved. – Matthew 19:13-15, Matthew 11:19
- God, please help me celebrate with others on their mountaintops, and give comfort to them in their valleys. – Romans 12:15, 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
- God, please help me share the good news of Jesus with the people You’ve placed in my life. – 2 Corinthians 5:16-21
What is one step that you can take this week to be more generous to others?
Close in prayer.

Worship Setlist //

Praise You Anywhere // Canvas and Clay // Homecoming // I Won't Forget

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Catch Up //

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