Joy in Giving All

'Gathering Courage"

John 19:28–42

At the Crucifixion of Christ, a man gathers the courage to provide a tomb for Jesus' body. In the world's darkest moment, a single person decided they were going to step up and do what no one else would do. This is the story of Joseph of Arimathea.

"Transformed by Generosity"

April 2, 2023 • Romans 12:1–2, Mark 11:1–11

Conforming to the pattern of this world means that it is all about us, all of the time. Transformation happens when we let God renew our minds in view of His generosity.

"Hilarious Generosity"

March 26, 2023 • Mark 12:41–44, 2 Corinthians 9:6–11

As humans, we ask questions like this: "How much does God want me to give?" This is a legalistic and moralistic thought. God desires our relationship with Him to be much more profound than that. When God's love captures us, we naturally respond by giving our entire life to Him. The question then changes to "Why wouldn't I give it all back to Him?" This truth is made clear by Jesus seeing the widow give her offering at the Temple. Though it was a small gift compared to others, it came from her heart. God loves a cheerful giver.

"Give What You've Got"

March 4, 2023 • John 6:1–13

Using the famous story of the 5000 being fed, we see Biblical truth clearly: God uses even the smallest things we could offer and multiplies them to bless others. A life of generosity believes that anything given with the right heart and intention can be used for God's glory. God loves multiplication. He multiplied the bread to feed everyone to the brim; ultimately, He would reveal that He was the "Bread of Life." Only Jesus can satisfy the deepest needs of our hearts.

"Jesus Loved You First"

March 12, 2023 • Luke 19:1–10

Using the famous story of Jesus and Zacchaeus, we see what our natural response to God's grace should be. Zacchaeus lived a life of thievery, lies, and oppression. Once he was set free, he decisively repented and showed an outpouring of generosity to anyone he had wronged. Like Zacchaeus, we all deserve death and punishment for our sins. However, Jesus extended unbelievable grace and mercy. Grace is getting what you do not deserve. Mercy is not getting what you deserve. Such is the beauty of the love of Christ.

"Where Generosity Begins"

March 5, 2023 • Genesis 3:1–13

Deep down, we all know it is more blessed to give than to receive. It is a universal truth that Jesus declares over us. To walk the path of generosity, we must remember where the path came from in the first place. The source and intention of our generosity are what matter most.

Cross Church Norman

Generosity - Sermon Series