Last week, we prepared to enter into the new year with a new message series about the Biblical life principle that we reap what we sow, we harvest what we plant, we are what we think.  We were challenged to plant the things of God into our lives and allow Him to develop good roots within us which produce good fruits.

Galatians 6:7

Do not be deceived:

God cannot be mocked.

A man reaps what he sows.

Of course, we only want to be sowing the good stuff, the best stuff, the God stuff, the kingdom stuff.  First we plant it into our own lives, but we also want to be planting it out into the lives of all of those around us.  This morning, God is challenging us not on what type of soil we are, not on what we are planting, not on how well we’re cultivating it, but our attitude toward sowing.

Jesus came not just to give us life eternal someday in Heaven.  Jesus came to give us eternal life which begins here and now.  Jesus came to give us life abundant.  Jesus came to give us life to its full! 

This morning, we’re being challenged to have the same attitude toward planting that God has.  God is generous!

James 1:5

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.

Psalm 103:8-10

8 The Lord is compassionate and gracious,

    slow to anger, abounding in love.

9 He will not always accuse,

    nor will he harbor his anger forever;

10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve

    or repay us according to our iniquities.

God doesn’t treat us as our sins deserve or we would all be burning in hell right now.  No, instead, God is a generous god who patiently waits for us to receive His salvation.  Even while He is awaiting a response to His open invitation to His salvation, He generously loves us and gives us all things. 

Approximately 500 years before Jesus wrapped Himself in flesh, David had this same revelation about this generous attitude of God.  He said:

Psalm 27:13-14

13 I remain confident of this:

    I will see the goodness of the Lord

    in the land of the living.

14 Wait for the Lord;

    be strong and take heart

    and wait for the Lord.

Generosity has far more to do with the attitude with which we give and far less about the amount that we give.  We don’t give to get, we give because we have been given so much!  As Jesus said:

Matthew 10:8

Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.

Making clear that generosity is an attitude, we recall this time in the earthly life of Jesus:

Mark 12:41-44

41 Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. 42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.

43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44 They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”

Generosity is less about how much we give and far more about our motive and attitude while giving!  To reinforce this, not only did Jesus praise the widow who gave so little, he rebuked the religious people who were faithfully tithing on everything just as they were supposed to!

Luke 11:39-42

39 Then the Lord said to him, “Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. 40 You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? 41 But now as for what is inside you—be generous to the poor, and everything will be clean for you.

42 “Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the lat