Known by our fruit: generosity John 4:7-15, 39-42 Carroll First UMC 8/5/2018

Known by our fruit: generosity

John 4:7-15, 39-42

Carroll First UMC 8/5/2018

              The fruit of the spirit is Generosity…

               Charles Dickens' “Christmas Carol” has an ungenerous character we all know… what is his name… scrooge.

               Dr. Seuss also has a book about a character that stole Christmas.  What was his name?  The Grinch.

Even in our culture in which the drive to get more, be more and have more is considered a valuable character trait, I have never heard anyone say that stinginess is good.

 Even in that culture stories like that of Eileen Taylor go viral. Eileen was an out of work Physicians assistant when someone in the drive-through line at heavenly donuts paid for her order. The next day she paid $12 for the order of the family behind her, who paid for the car behind them, and on and on until a total of 55 drivers paid it backward over the next 2 ½ hours.  Generosity is contagious.

Did you see the story not long ago about the Detroit man, James Robertson, who walked 21 miles and took 2 buses to get to his job? A 19-year-old college student raised $355,000 in a go fund me campaign and a dealership donated a new car. Generosity is contagious.

I grant you these stories make the news because they are unusual, but they warm everyone’s heart because at a basic level people know that generosity is good. Even non-Christians understand that Christians are to be generous, and rightly so they are quick to point out the hypocrisy of a supposed Christian who behaves selfishly.

Certainly, you would be hard-pressed to find a person who thinks “selfishness” is a fruit of the spirit. Paul writes, “The fruit of the spirit is Generosity.”

 The Bible says it over and over.

            “Do nothing from selfishness,” Paul wrote to the believers in Philippi (Philippians 2:3, NASB),

            Adding in his first letter to the Corinthians that love “seeks not its own way” (13:5, KJV).

            Christ Himself put this concept in the boldest of terms, proclaiming that “whoever desires to save (HOLD ON TO) his life will lose it, but whoever loses (GIVES AWAY) his life for My sake will find it” (Matthew 16:25) I think many people blow this verse off because they don’t understand it, frankly it sounds a little crazy, but to hear it in the context of selfishness and generosity changes the whole thing doesn’t it.

            The rich young ruler was told “Go sell all that you have and give the money to the poor” before he could be Jesus’ disciple. (Mark 10:21)

            Mary is affirmed for her generosity in using an expensive bottle of oil to anoint Jesus’ feet.

            God is described as a vineyard owner who is so generous that he pays everyone a whole days wages and asks the question, “Do you begrudge me my generosity?”

            The gospel itself is based on God’s generosity in “giving his only begotten son.”  The hymn says “What more could he give… oh, how he loves you, oh how he loves me, Oh how he loves you and me.”             

God’s generosity is the foundation… our generosity is the fruit of the Christian gospel.

 I am so grateful to be in a church that is very generous with money, and mission giving, community outreach and special needs. I am honored to be part of a church who practices generosity toward one another.  I have heard story after story of how you generously care for one another, how the food pantry is grateful for your generosity, how the school is grateful for your generosity. I have seen it as I have been able to help a couple folks with the special needs fund. I heard about it in the capital campaign. This is a very generous congregation in some wonderful concrete ways. I thank you, the community thanks you, and I believe God smiles as we pass God’s generosity on to others.  Giving generously and being part of a generous community makes us feel great, doesn’t it? Do you want to feel even better?

Let’s not make the mistake that some make when they think that generosity is only about money and stuff.  There is so much more to generosity than money. 

 Mother Theresa said, “Let us not be satisfied with just giving money. Money is not enough, money can be got, but they need your hearts to love them. So, spread your love everywhere you go.”

Let’s look at how Jesus practiced generous living in the story of the woman at the well… no money changed hands, but look at how Jesus was generous!

 First Jesus had a generous attitude toward the woman. Most Jews would pretend not to see the woman. Jesus had such a generous attitude he not only saw her, he treated her like a human being. He interacted with her. He didn’t judge her for being a Samaritan, for being married 7 times, for living with a man, or for not understanding what he was talking about.

To whom do you have the most difficulty having a generous attitude? People with different political ideas?  (Like the Samaritan woman?) People of a d different race? (Like the Samaritan women?) People with different religions? (Like the Samaritan woman?) Is it hard for you to have a generous attitude to the poor? (The Samaritan woman was not rich, after all, she had to get her own water.) Someone who lies to you? (Like the Samaritan woman?) 

In spite of all those strikes against her, Jesus showed an extraordinarily generous attitude.

To whom do you have the most difficulty havening a generous attitude? People who don’t dress like you do? Their hair is longer or more purple than yours? People who don’t speak English well? People whose kids misbehave? People who are here illegally? Someone whose hygiene is not up to your standards?  People with a negative attitude about the church?

When is it hardest for you to have a generous attitude? Jesus was always pushing the borders and he calls us to break down the borders and barriers that divide and have a generous attitude to people who are like us and unlike us.

Along the way, in their conversation, Jesus realized the Samaritan woman was thirsty… metaphorically speaking…and he offered help. Jesus said, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”

 Jesus showed her a generous heart, open to really hear the other person. This is going one step further than a generous attitude.  This requires you to generously invest your time and listen.

When God created humans, God was more generous with ears than God was with mouths. Does that say something to you?  But listening is not just with our ears, but it is also with our heart.

When we say “How ya doin' ” most people don’t really want to know. A generous heart really does want to know. Do you really… I mean REALLY generously listen to the people around you, or are you too busy planning your next words or your next chore, or how to get away from this person?

If you listen you will find almost everyone carrying some pain and some joy, (just like we do) you will find everyone has dreams and hopes (just like we do).  You’ll find that everyone has fears (just like we do.)  You’ll find that everyone has some emptiness…  (you guessed it just like we do.) 

Having a generous heart that really… I mean really connects with others is a fruit of God’s spirit living in us.

 A generous spirit, A generous heart, finally Jesus shows what generous love is.

When Jesus hears her hurts and discovers her thirst he invites her to something better.  He invites her into relationship with himself.  She doesn’t get it. He invites her again. She still doesn’t get it. He invites her again. She still doesn’t get it. He invites her again, and finally says I am the one.  I am the living water. I am the messiah you are expecting.

None of us are Jesus but we can all love others generously. What better way to love than to share the best thing we have: Jesus. Come with me to worship and meet the one who can heal your hurts, calm your fears, and lift your burdens. Come meet my friends and let us introduce the Jesus we know.  Come and see.

How many times do we invite… how many times did Jesus try to invite the woman? As many as it took. A generous attitude, a generous heart, a generous love never, never, never gives up.

 And do you know what happens next?  Generosity became contagious, just like the woman at the drive-through window. She shared a generous attitude, generous heart, and a generous love for her neighbors by saying, “Come and see the savior I met.  And they do.” 

The passage ends, “ Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.”  So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days.  And because of his words many more became believers.

They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.”

That is the way it is supposed to work. The generosity is contagious, the gospel is contagious, but we have to be generous enough to “infect” our friends neighbors and relatives.

Everyone says they want to see more people here for our wonderful worship services. The question is what are you doing about it?  Are you bearing the fruit, a generous attitude, a generous heart, and a generous love to your friends neighbors and relatives? Are we bearing the fruit of the spirit of generous attitude, a generous heart, and a generous love?  Are we the kind of church where ALL kinds of generosity are contagious? That is the kind of church I want to have.  I hope that is the kind of church you want to be.

What kind of church do you want to be?