(Part 3)
“Then the soldiers nailed him to the cross. They divided his clothes and threw dice to decide who would get each piece. It was nine o’clock in the morning when they crucified him. A sign announced the charge against him. It read, “The King of the Jews.” Two revolutionaries were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. The people passing by shouted abuse, shaking their heads in mockery. “Ha! Look at you now!” they yelled at him. “You said you were going to destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days. Well then, save yourself and come down from the cross!” The leading priests and teachers of religious law also mocked Jesus. “He saved others,” they scoffed, “but he can’t save himself! Let this Messiah, this King of Israel, come down from the cross so we can see it and believe him!” Even the men who were crucified with Jesus ridiculed him.-Mark 15:24-32
True generosity will always take you outside what’s comfortable. Jesus not only taught that, He lived it. Jesus didn’t just give, He gave until it hurt. Jesus was under no obligation to die for our sins, yet He took on our penalty and shame. He paid a great price and in doing so, did more than what was expected. Why?
“Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Himendured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”-Hebrews 12:2
He did it for the joy set before Him. What was this joy set before Him? What caused Him to endure the cross? You and I! Remember what Paul said about the churches in Macedonia: “they were filled with abundant joy, and that joy overflowed in rich generosity.” Jesus for the joy set before Him, overflowed in rich generosity towards us. He gave until it hurt because he felt the value of that which He was giving His life for was greater than that which He was holding. What are you holding on to?
Remember, Jesus gauges generosity not on what we have to give from, but rather what we have to give up. He laid down his life, so that we could have an eternal future with God. That is the heart of generosity.
The woman with the two mites didn’t give generously based on what she had. She only had two mites and no surplus. Her generosity was not calculated on what she possessed, it was calculated on everything she would be giving up when she released what she was holding on to. Courageous generosity means giving even when it frightens us. It is motivated by love and compassion, not compulsion or obedience.
It is when the joy of what is set before us is greater than what we are holding on to, we will learn what it means to give until it hurts.
Scott Burr
Dayspring Community Church
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