Phil Inglis - March 3, 2019
Extravagant in Giving
I believe that frozen drinks (slurpees or slushies) are blessings from God and the best frozen drink is one that has been filled properly. A properly filled frozen drink is one that has been banged on the bench a few times so that the ice gets shaken and it settles down a bit so that the filler can add more. An even more properly filled frozen drink is one that has the dome-shaped cap put on first so that the cup can actually be filled over the top of the cup and into the dome. A frozen drink that has been pressed down, shaken up and filled to overflowing is brilliant! This is what I think about when I read how Jesus describes God’s blessing for those who are generous. He says, "Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap." For people who develop a generous spirit, God doesn't just give regular blessings, ordinary good times, he gives extraordinary and overflowing blessings. Jesus says, if you are generous you will get more back out of life than you expect, more out of life than you would think was reasonable. Too many of us however this doesn’t make sense. Our society is obsessed with wealth and possession. Advertisers pay money to try and convince us to purchase things. They imply that if we spend our money on ourselves, purchasing their product, then we will gain happiness and self-satisfaction. Advertising often encourages us to focus on ourselves and conclude that there is a lack of joy and happiness in our lives and if we truly want to find that self-satisfaction then we need to buy their product. What Jesus teaches is paradoxical, it runs completely opposite to this advertising culture, but it's the truth. If we give, if we become extravagant in our generosity then we will find the happiness and satisfaction we truly desire. Giving is selfless, it draws our attention away from our selves and focusses it on God and others.
Scripture References: Proverbs 21:26
From Series: "SELFless"
The first followers of Jesus were BOLD! join us for 4 messages exploring the impact of the early church.
