SCARCITY or ABUNDANCE

…I would be more generous with my money (lotto)? I would be more generous with my time if just I had more of it? What if generosity was a way of life, not something we only wished for.

This week and next—some key principles to living a generous life, and what gets in the way of our God-given potential to live generously.

Today's Scripture lesson, Jesus and the disciples are faced with a big problem!

— Tired…crowds…remote place…and everyone's hungry.

Like the whole family showing up unexpectedly at grandmas house…

(S2)

Jesus’ generosity shows us that...

Generous living is a MULTIPLYING force when its focused on God’s mission and purpose

Just as Jesus multiplied a few fishes and loaves, our living generously is multiples for God’s kingdom…

Every follower of Jesus is called to a generous life in Christ.

Pray—Bibles

(S3)

When it comes to finances, time, and resources, most people operate from either of two perspectives

1. Scarcity mindset—”A pervasive feeling of never having enough”

Always behind—Jealousy of others—poor financial decisions—less productivity

2. Abundance— “a powerful state of believing that there is enough”

Greater ability to see and do more—long-term thinking—better short term decision-making

“To often Christians and churches are more prone to think in terms of scarcity than abundance. Focused on what we don’t have rather than thinking about what we could have through God’s abundant provision.” Rod K..

Living with a scarcity mentality

—The needs are too great—There will never have enough—My enough doesn't matter

FUMC—Finance

Living a generous life of abundance

— The mission is vital—I have all I need—I trust God for more

The reason for this series—looking at generosity and our future in a new way

Transparency—Endowment/Anchor vs. a Sail—Commitmnet to generosity

(S4)

Living into the abundance of God is...

Trusting Jesus to do MORE with what we have, to multiply our ministry to the world

Through Jesus’ generosity and our living generously we can be a multiplying force when we are focused on God’s mission and purpose. Jesus is the great multiplier of our generosity.

Jesus ministry of multiplication is seen in...

— His healing miracles—growing crowds...

— The extension of his true family (ch.8)…calling of the disciples

— His sending the disciples out (9:1-2)...Given the authority and power to heal

The exponential growth of Jesus’ ministry was always a part of Gods plan…It’s in the DNA of every follower of Jesus to multiply Jesus’ ministry to the world.

John 14:12, “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father.

Having a mindset of scarcity can holds us back—I don’t have enough, my enough doesn't matter, I’m not enough living can keep us from living generously.

Jesus generosity in his ministry to the disciples in four ways...

(S5)

10 When the apostles returned, they told Jesus everything they had done. Then he slipped quietly away with them toward the town of Bethsaida.

Most likely a detailed accounting (1:1)—they were probably pretty pumped!

Yet Jesus knew the disciples still had a lot to learn— apostles (being sent) are still disciples (students)

We see first that…

I. Jesus is GENEROUS with his TIME

Jesus takes them away…from the work to be with him...

They withdrew to a remote place near a town called Bethsaida (“house of fishing”)

A village on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee—Hometown of Philip, Andrew, and Peter—Where Jesus performed several miracles

Jesus was always taking time to teach his disciples both privately and publically. How personal those moments would have been.

Being generous with our time can multiply our ministry to the world?

Jail ministry—worship with our elderly—Love Inc

Scarcity says I don’t have time—Abundance says I will make time

Millennial's will commit to giving time (3-5 hrs per week)

Living generously with our TIME can be a MULTIPLYING force when its focused on God’s mission and purpose

(S6)

11 But the crowds found out where he was going, and they followed him. He welcomed them and taught them about the Kingdom of God, and he healed those who were sick.

Jesus offers his generosity to them three ways

— Hospitality (welcomes them)—The disciples response is to send them away (children)

—Teaching (Kingdom of God)— Their needs are more than physical

Mark 6:34 “Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.”

—Healing (prayer, presence)— His words brought comfort

The second way that Jesus is generous in his ministry...

II. Jesus is GENEROUS to the NEEDS of the people

The people were hungry for MORE than food…they needed Jesus

How are we generous in our welcome of others? Is seeking the lost our priority as a church? How are we sharing Jesus to meet the needs of people out there?

Scarcity says I’m not enough—Abundance says Jesus is all you need

Living generously by meeting the NEEDS of others can be a MULTIPLYING force when its focused on God’s mission and purpose.

(S7)

12 Late in the afternoon the twelve disciples came to him and said, “Send the crowds away to the nearby villages and farms, so they can find food and lodging for the night. There is nothing to eat here in this remote place.” 13 But Jesus said, “You feed them.” “But we have only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. “Or are you expecting us to go and buy enough food for this whole crowd?”

The disciples are not yet where Jesus wants them. They believe in Jesus, but their faith is shallow. Seeing things from only a human perspective, rather than an eternal one.

III. Jesus is GENEROUS to the NECESSITY of the disciples

For what lies ahead, they must go deeper in their faith, trust more, and grow more. Their problem, they didn’t yet see Jesus as the great multiplier, as the solution to the problem before them.

Our ministry is not just to the needs of the people, but to the needs of each other. Helping each other go deeper in faith. It means seeing Jesus as the solution and way to a more generous life.

The value of small groups—one on one conversation

Scarcity says I don’t need to grow with others—Abundance says its the only way I can grow

Living generously by meeting each others needs, can be a MULTIPLYING force when its focused on God’s mission and purpose

(S8)

16 Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he kept giving the bread and fish to the disciples so they could distribute it to the people. 17 They all ate as much as they wanted, and afterward, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftovers!

Jesus took what the disciples had…blessed them…and let them distribute the abundance…

The disciples didn’t yet see that through their generosity, Jesus would provide the needs of the people.

IV. Jesus is GENEROUS with God’s PROVISION

…not just enough, but more than enough to satisfy everyone.

Sacristy sees a problem—Abundance sees an opportunity

Imagine if we lived so generously that every problem became an opportunity to...

— be generous with our time—to meet the needs of people and each other—to provide blessing where it was needed.

— How we would be more welcoming and ready to teach and reach the lost, how it would deepen our own faith and multiply our ministry to this community and beyond.

The disciples see the problem…Jesus sees an opportunity to multiply his minsitry and reach thousands

(S9)

5+2 = SCARCITY

5+2+Jesus = ABUNDANCE

Living generously we become more a part of the solution by leading people to Jesus through our TIME, meeting the NEEDS of people, the NECESSITY of growing with each other, and by being generous with God’s provision.

Jesus said, “You feed them!”

By trusting Jesus to do MORE with what we have. Jesus is the common denominator. Jesus who is the great multiplier!

(S10)

Generous living is a MULTIPLYING force when its focused on God’s mission and purpose

Are we willing to trust Jesus with what we have

Do we pray for Jesus to bless what we give?

17 They all ate as much as they wanted, and afterward, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftovers.

(ESV) And they all ate and were satisfied.

Was the fish the only thing being multiplied?

III. CHALLENGE

How have you trusted God in times of sacristy? When praying for a miracle brought you to your knees?

How have you seen God multiply what you couldn't, and provide abundance where it seemed impossible?

How has learning to live generously taught you to trust Jesus more?

C. YOU

— application (Why does it matter?

— why creates urgency and fuels motivation

D. WE

— Inspiration (closing)

— landing the plane smoothly (whats my last line?)

IV. PRAYER

The disciples see the need of the gathered crowd as being hungry being hungry for food, which they most likely are. Jesus sees their need as much greater.

13 But Jesus said, “You feed them.”

(S5) —

1. We don’t think we are ENOUGH

— What almost kept me from ministry...

Spiritual gifts—How we are wired—God equips us

2. We don’t think we have the TIME

— Millennial willingness to give 3-5 hours per week serving the church

Time is the most precious gift we can give

Notice who its all about! WE! Jesus ministry multiplied because he took his eyes of himself.

Generous living is focusing more on others and less of ourselves. Your generosity of self and time multiplies the ministry of Jesus in the world through this church.

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