Title - Obedient Generosity- The Heart of Tithing

Gen Now Video

Main Idea - God is the giver of all good gifts and He calls us to a culture of Obedient Generosity

I. THE HEART OF TITHING: FIRST THINGS FIRST (John 3:16, Genesis 14:18-20)

- The Tithe is the first tenth of our income that belongs to the Lord

- Tithing is a Holy Act of Worship and God’s chosen Trademark of obedient generosity

- The amount of proportional giving God requires we give through the local church to provide for His house and Your house!

- Foundational and builds great lives and great churches- Two choices; Bring it or Cheat God

II. THE HEART OF TITHING RECOGNIZES GOD’S OWNERSHIP AND MY STEWARDSHIP (Psalm 24:1, Prov 3:5-10)

- Everything we have is on loan from God, even our ability to make a living (Deut. 8:18)

- Tithing means I gratefully give back to God what is already His!

Randy Alcorn- “Giving affirms Christ’s Lordship. It dethrones me and exalts Him!”

III. TITHING MOVES GOD’S HEART AND HIS HAND (Malachi 3:10)

- We bring and God opens; Tithing is God’s Window Latch

- God declares “Try it and Put Me to the Test!

- He will pour out a blessing we cannot contain!

Title: The Test

Text: John 6:2-5

Main Idea- Jesus is the Master of Quantity, He multiplies whatever we give to Him

I. JESUS FEEDS THE 5,000

- A great need and a great opportunity

- Jesus Tests His disciples

- One small boy offered what was in his hand

- Everyone was fed and satisfied

II. JESUS IS THE BREAD OF LIFE

III. JESUS GIVES US THE TEST

- Passing the Test is to enter Jesus’ Blessings

Four P’s that hold us back

- Past

- Paternalism

- Poverty spirit

- Prosperity

Jesus multiplies anything you give to Him

Title: MISFORTUNE

Text: John 5:1-9

Main Idea: Jesus is Lord Even of Misfortune

I. Jesus Heals the Parapalegic

- Jesus was unable to help himself

- Do you want o be healed/well?

- He heals even when we are the cause

- Trust and Obey - Take up your bed and walk

II. Jesus On Trial

III. Jesus Calls Us to Do His Work in a Hurting World

- His Ambassadors/Agents

- Judgmental hypocrites always have reasons not to participate or

celebrate

- Calling us to trust and obey

- To walk on shaky legs into the joy of His future

Title: Desperate Times

Text: John 4:43-54 (NIV)

Main Idea: These are desperate times

2 Facts About Jesus:

I. Jesus is compassionate towards you (John 4:43-48)

II. Jesus wants to do more than you expected (John 4:49-54)

Title: Jesus Turns Water Into Wine

Text: John 2:1-11

The 7 miracles of Jesus explain God (Jn 20:30-31)

I. God is the Master of Quality

II. Believe God for the Big Areas of Life

- Don’t relegate God to just the private and small areas of life

- God is a BIG God and His plan includes the IMPORTANT areas of life

III. Jesus Turns Ordinary into Extra-Ordinary (v. 4, 5-10)

- Find the Yes in the No

- Be willing to Participate and Obey

- Be willing to Let go, Trust Him and Do it

- He can save the best for last

IV. Jesus Uses Us to Explain God!

Title: Jesus - Believe in Me

Text: John 14:1, 20:30-31

John the Gospel of Belief written to Build our Faith and Strength in an Unbelieving World

I. The Power of Belief in A Doubting World

- Parable of Sower: Believe and Receive or Doubt and Be Without

- Belief in God; Reduces Stress, Responds better to Medical treatment,

- More Generous, Less Biased, Less likely to start a War, More Electable!

II. Believe in Jesus the I AM (Jn 4:25-26, Jn 1:14, 16-18)

- 7 I AM’s of Jesus-

- Jesus came to Explain God; Grace and Truth only realized through Jesus

- We have all received Grace upon Grace

III. Belief Takes Us into God’s Realm (Jn 14:12-14)

- God has prepared us to do greater works

- God works with our faith

- Praying and Believing in Jesus Name

Title: Jesus

Text: John 3:16

I. God’s Great Love for Us

II. God Reached out to Us Through His Son Jesus (1:1-5)

III. So We Can Have Eternal Life (1:12-13)

Title: I Get It Now

Text: Luke 9:51-62 (NIV)

Main Idea: Jesus’ invitation to follow is for all

Why we do what we do:

I. The Desire (9:57-58)

II. The Tension (9:59-60)

III. The Commitment (9:61-62)

Title: The Overcoming Church

Text: Acts 2

I. God’s Intentions for the Church in the World (Acts 2:1-4, 17,21)

- Christianity is Christ! Jesus is Lord, Savior, and Baptizer

- The Church Joyfully responds in worship, obedience and continually being filled with the Spirit

- Empowered Believers joining God’s Intentions and Movement in the world

II. God’s Intentions for the Church in Us, Devoted! (Acts 2:42-47) HAVE TO STEP UP TO GO UP!

- Teaching of the Word as People of the Book--“Persisting Obstinately”

- Fellowship sharing our unique relationship in God with fellow believers TEAM

- House to House breaking of bread

- Generous Hearts

- Devoted to Prayer

Title: The Church - God Presses the Reset Button

I. God’s Intentions (Gen 1:27-31)

- Made in His Image-A living Soul

- A life giving Relationship and Covenant

- His Agents given Authority, Purpose and Resources

- Adam makes a devastating choice (Rom 5:12)

- God’s Intentions for us never change!

II. Jesus Christ, The New Adam, Started A New Humanity (Rom 5:15, 17)

- God’s Abundant Grace through Jesus Christ resets everything the old Adam lost!

- Eph 2:12,13, 18 - New humanity Brought near by Christ and has Access to God!

- All the Promises are Yes and Amen in Christ Jesus!

III. I Will Build My Church (Mt 16:15-19)

- A Purposeful Church-Jesus will Build His Church to Reach the World!

- A Prevailing Church-The gates of hell will not prevail!

- A Powerful Church- Filled with the Spirit, Authority, Given Keys of the Kingdom