AFTER THE SERMON-The Heart of Generosity
We hope today’s message was encouraging and helpful. These notes are meant to help you remember and reflect on the message, help you go deeper into study on the subject, or to be used for a Bible/sermon group study. Enjoy!
Series: The Journey of Generosity
Sermon Title: The Heart of Generosity (Week 2)
Main Scripture: Matthew 6:19-21; Proverbs 4:23; Luke 6:45
Other scripture mentioned: Proverbs 27:20; 1 Timothy 6:6-10; 17-19; Philippians 4:10-20; Proverbs 11:21; Proverbs 11:24-25; Psalm 24:1; Matthew 6:24; 1 John 2:15-17
(If you’re going through this discussion with a community group this week consider taking the time to read or paraphrase through some of the provided scripture to catch everyone up!)
Overview:
Pastor Ryan continued our series and made the case that our hearts need stewarding in order to steward our finances. Who would have thought that our hearts would play a major role in how we manage, spend, and give of our finances? We know that a heart changed by Jesus is going to live like Jesus. We learned we have to guard our hearts or else sinful desires and the lust of this world will sabotage our hearts, which leads to sabotaging our finances. It’s hard to be generous if there are leaks in our hearts causing us to be wasteful and irresponsible with our God-given income. We waste money on the things of this world to make us happy. Pastor Ryan used the Bible to open our eyes about areas in our hearts that we need to guard. Ultimately, if we look to Jesus for a truly fulfilling life we will be full and so will our bank accounts and hands as we give!
Takeaways:
Learn how to manage your money before money manages your life.
When we steward our hearts well, we will manage our money well.
Proverbs 4:23 Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Living a generous life is more spiritual than we realize.
Good stewards of God’s resources are aware of our hearts' condition.
Gratitude turns the focus of your desires for more...onto enjoying what you already have. Gratitude develops contentment.
Broken hearts are expensive.
Look to Jesus for a truly fulfilling life.
Discussion:
What was one big takeaway for you from this message?
What did you sense the Holy Spirit was saying to you during this message?
What did we learn about the heart’s role in stewarding our finances?
What weakness of the heart stuck out to you? Can you think of any more week spots that Pastor Ryan didn’t mention?
What is contentment?
How does a relationship with Jesus actually satisfy us so we don’t have to buy happiness?
How does prioritizing God first change the rest of your spending?
Pray:
God, transform our hearts so we will be good stewards of the lives and resources you’ve given us. Help us to be grateful recipients of your provision and generosity. Help us to guard our hearts so we can be vessels of generosity. Show us areas in our hearts that need to be healed and patched up. Show us where we are being wasteful. We choose to lean into Jesus instead of things to make us happy. We choose to rely on you for our joy and security not the things of this world. We will be careful to be good stewards of what you have given us so we can be generous and show the world the generosity of your Kingdom.
We hoped you found this AFTER THE SERMON discussion helpful for your walk with Jesus. We pray you can find ways to apply it this week!