Matthew 6:1-4, 7:19-21, Mark 12:41-44

This is another one of my occasional sermons covering the six Key Drivers of the Texas Annual Conference…. The topic is timely, because we are entering into the season of giving—especially in our church….

First, let me identify a few things Extravagant Generosity is NOT:

Extravagant Generosity is NOT normal church giving—the church stewardship campaign….

• That sort of giving is simply doing as we should do…. For simply doing as we are obliged to do, the Bible says that we should consider ourselves unworthy servants--certainly nothing extravagant….

Extravagant Generosity is NOT about “giving ‘till it hurts.” I recall a TV preacher, Dr. Gene Scott, who held his TV audience captive—listening to the off-key choir sing Amazing Grace until he received $100K….

Extravagant Generosity is NOT giving with extravagance.

• Jesus condemned the hypocrites who blew trumpets when they gave at the synagogue, or in the street….

• OK, we don’t have trumpeters heralding our giving, but do you know of people who give with fanfare?

Extravagant Generosity is not giving out of abundance.

• Jesus said that the widow’s two copper coins were a greater gift than the gold given by the rich….

• Giving out of our abundance is simply giving extravagant gifts, not extravagant generosity.

Here are a few things Extravagant Generosity IS:

Extravagant Generosity is NOT giving out of abundance. Extravagant Generosity IS abundant giving.

• Abundant giving is as much about attitude as it is about amount….

• Abundant giving is as much about quality as it is quantity. The kids and their parents gave an entire day yesterday to prepare a thanksgiving meal for you today. I assure you, that an entire Saturday is a whole lot of something very valuable—time….

Extravagant Generosity is NOT giving with extravagance/fanfare. Extravagant Generosity is humble giving.

• You may say, “I am a humble giver. I don’t require recognition….”

• What about that thank you note…? Do you look for it; and if it doesn’t come...?

• I agree, it is a matter of courtesy/manners. But, what really bugs us? Don’t we want to be appreciated?

• Extravagant Generosity is the anonymous gift of something valuable that makes a difference….

Extravagant Generosity is NOT traditional stewardship. Extravagant Generosity IS Wesleyan stewardship. Protestantism’s embrace of the tithe didn’t occur until the 1800’s. John Wesley taught this about stewardship before tithing became the standard: earn all you can; save all you can; give all you can.

Earn all you can—know the value of time and money.

• Know what it is to work for what we need and want. Teach that to our children….

• Generosity means nothing if we are giving something that means nothing to us.

Save all you can—not a savings account, but self-denial.

• Wesley said conserve instead of consume…. This means frugal living—not self-indulgence.

• We live in a culture of consumption. We want things right now, and it has become easy to get them.

• Others think America is rich. We are over-extended and anxious. We become needy instead of rich….

• Jesus tells us to store up treasure in heaven, not on earth….

Give all you can—extravagant generosity—a response to the touch of God.

• Think of the kids from the Joyful Noise choir—Chris…Reggie….

• Without fanfare…we anonymously emptied our wallets into Reggie’s jar….

• Through you, God touched them….

• God is glorified. In a time when churches seem to get such negative exposure…you are a light….

Let me ask you, how did it make you feel to give to those children? I’m telling you it felt good to me—and to see how excited they were to go to the pizza place afterward…and to hear how excited they were after they counted the money…. Treasure in Heaven—its not just a theological concept….

That’s what Extravagant Generosity is all about. It is a response to Jesus’ love and it communicates that same love to those who need to feel it.

• Jesus didn’t come with fanfare. Even though he was one with God, he came to become a slave like us.

• He came to make a way to the Father—why?

• NOT because we deserve it—that’s not extravagant generosity.

• Jesus came because he loves us. His way is love….

• His love still moves through us to a world in great need….

Extravagant Generosity: the love of Jesus in us, moving us to give our lives—our time, our talent, an even our treasure to a word in need.