The Law or God's Love

When it comes to being generous, the real question isn't about duty—it's about the difference between what the law demands and what God's love compels us to do. An expert in the law once asked Jesus, "What must I do to inherit eternal life?" But notice how he asked it: "What is the least amount I can do?" He was testing Jesus, trying to find a loophole.

Jesus responded by asking him what the law says. The lawyer answered correctly: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind, and love your neighbor as yourself." Jesus said, "You have answered correctly. Do this and you will live."

But the lawyer wanted to justify himself. He asked, "And who is my neighbor?"

Here's what matters: our love for God is shown in how we love others. The word neighbor means someone you come in contact with—the people sitting by you at church, the people at the grocery store, at restaurants, everywhere you go. God has placed you here on purpose, not just to make you comfortable, but to challenge you to impact other people.

Generosity Sees What Others Walk Past

Jesus answered with the parable of the Good Samaritan. A man was attacked by robbers on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho. They stripped him, beat him, and left him half dead.

A priest came by and saw the man. He passed by on the other side. A Levite came and did the same—he passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was. When he saw him, he took pity on him.

Write this down: Generosity sees what others walk past.

God's love should move us from duty to action. The Samaritan was the only one who actually did something. Think about that. It took him being inconvenienced. It took him stopping. It took him noticing and caring.

There's a study that illustrates this perfectly. Seminary students were told to prepare a sermon on the Good Samaritan, and when they arrived for class, they were told the room had moved to another building across campus—they needed to hurry. The instructors had strategically placed someone who looked homeless and hurt on their path. Ninety percent of those students walked right past him. They were on their way to preach about the Good Samaritan and they didn't stop.

But when they did the same study without telling students they were running late—when people had time—63% of them stopped to help.

Here's the truth: If the devil can't make you bad, he'll make you busy. We get so caught up in our schedules, our lists, where we need to go next, that we don't have time to stop and help someone. We miss the people right in front of us.

Jesus walked slowly through the crowds. He had a massive to-do list, but he modeled something for us: we have to be willing to be inconvenienced. We have to be willing not just to see, but to act.

The Scripture says in Proverbs, "Do not withhold good from those who deserve it when it is in your power to help them." Help doesn't mean you have to solve everything. As Mother Teresa said, "Just because you can't do everything doesn't mean you shouldn't do something."

When you see somebody hurting, God has called you to respond. Not to think, "Oh, somebody else will do it." God is calling you.

Generosity Uses What You Already Have

Look at what the Good Samaritan did next. "He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'"

Write this down: Generosity uses what you already have.

Notice—he didn't say, "Well, if I had more money or more time, then I'd help." He took responsibility. He used what he had. He used his donkey. He used his resources. He used his time.

The fact that you see a need qualifies you. God wants you to be an encouragement to other people. Sometimes people just need your words, your prayer, your presence. When is the last time you paused and said to someone, "I'm concerned about what's going on in your life. Can I pray with you?"

This is how we use our lives in such a way that it lasts forever.

But too many of us think, "When my kids grow up, I'll have more time." Or "When I get more money, I'll be generous." Or "I've already paid my dues in ministry. I'm ready to retire from serving."

There is no retirement in the kingdom of God.

It doesn't matter how small you feel your contribution might be. If we all take responsibility for the people God puts in front of us—if we all look at them as opportunities to pray, encourage, and support them—everything changes.

There's a beautiful story about a boy on a beach throwing starfish back into the water. A man came upon him and said, "What are you doing? You'll never save all these starfish. It's too big of a project."

The boy picked up another starfish, threw it back in, and said, "I made a difference in that one."

You can't solve all the problems in the world. But when you see somebody in need, God put you there for a reason.

Generosity Is an Expression of Our Own Gratitude to God

We don't know why this man was robbed. Maybe he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Maybe he deserved it. We don't know. But he needed help, and someone stopped to help him.

Here's what I want you to understand: We are blessed when we give and love others, regardless of what they do with it.

Amy and I once met a young man working at a restaurant. We were eating there, and I asked him if he was coming to our youth conference. He said, "No, I can't afford it right now. I'm praying something works out."

Amy and I looked at each other. Why did we see this and hear this if not to help? We went back over to him and gave him money to go to the conference.

Now, here's where I got convicted: What if he doesn't actually go to the conference? What if he uses the money for something else? But Amy had to check me on that. One of her favorite verses is 1 Corinthians 15:58: "Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."

Your blessing is tied to your action, not what they do with it.

Now, wisdom matters. Don't give cash to an addict. Use discernment. But the principle stands: when you give, you open up a blessing. You are storing up treasures in heaven.

There's a story in Scripture about a woman who came to Jesus' house with a box of expensive perfume. She poured it all over his feet. The religious people were horrified. "What a waste! We could have fed the poor with that!"

But Jesus said something profound: "For those who have been forgiven much, love much."

When you realize the forgiveness of God—when you understand that he paid for your sin and you get to walk freely, you get to experience life and eternity with him—that realization makes you generous. The religious people missed what this woman saw: an opportunity to express her gratitude to God through giving.

We need to get to the place where we realize that when we give, we're showing how grateful we are for the grace of God.

From Success to Significance

This whole message started with one question: "How can I inherit eternal life?" It's about inheritance. He's asking, "How can I be an heir? How can I be a recipient of God's blessings?"

The word Jesus used is zoe—it doesn't just mean making it to heaven. As Jesus said, "I came that they may have life, and have it to the fullest." It's life here on earth and eternally.

To receive an inheritance, you have to be part of the bloodline. And that's exactly what Jesus did. His blood paid for it. You get to receive it as if you've always been part of God's family because he gives freely.

We named this series "Trust Fund" because a trust fund is similar to an inheritance—money set aside for your family with rules about when and how you can access it. I'm teaching you how to live with a spiritual trust fund. First, you can only receive it through Jesus Christ. And second, for those who know him, God is asking: What will you do to inherit my blessings?

Last week we learned how to honor God by putting him first. Today, I'm teaching you that your life should be an overflow—an expression of generosity in every way you can.

Listen to what Jesus said in Matthew 25. This is a heavy passage, but I want you to understand something crucial: you only make it to heaven through what Jesus has already done. But your life goes from success to significance through generosity.

When the Son of Man comes in his glory, with all the angels, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people from one another as a shepherd separates sheep from goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

Then the king will say to those on his right, "Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger and you invited me in. I needed clothes and you clothed me. I was sick and you looked after me. I was in prison and you came to visit me."

Then the righteous will answer, "Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you as a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?"

The king replied, "Truly, I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters, you did for me."

Then he will say to those on his left, "Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink. I was a stranger and you did not invite me in. I needed clothes and you didn't clothe me. I was sick and in prison and you didn't look after me."

They will answer, "Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger needing clothes or sick or in prison and not help you?"

He will reply, "Truly, I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me. Then you will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."

I read you that because I need to repent. I'm the one moving fast through life, accomplishing things, but I'm walking by needs and opportunities every single day.

When we first started Bayside, we lived in a neighborhood where a young boy—a middle schooler—was hit by a truck while crossing the street. He died. His family's house was in our neighborhood, and I drove by it several times a day. The church was less than a year old, and I remember praying in my office: "God, help us reach this city. Help Bayside be a church that represents you well."

And God said to me, "Randy, you're asking for people to come so you can pastor them and make a difference, but you pass by this family's house multiple times a week and you've never done one thing for them."

I felt convicted. I repented. I went to their house, told them I was a pastor, prayed with them, encouraged them, and helped however we could.

The Lord said, "Randy, you have opportunities all the time. Why don't you use them?"

I repent to you guys. It's easy to get busy and run fast. But I'm going to tell you right now: this church is always going to be about helping those who need help. You get a chance to do that every week when you come.

Here's the reality: we're all praying, "God, I'm in financial stress. God, I need your blessings. How can I inherit your life? How can I walk in your favor?"

We have to honor God first. We have to live a generous life, realizing that the people we see and the opportunities we have—our job is just to give. Because it is in giving that we also receive.

And then we manage what we have. Tonight we're going to learn all of that at our financial workshop.

An Invitation

I want to talk about something important. The only way to receive eternal life—to be an heir of God's blessings—is to be part of the bloodline. You have to be a son. You have to be a daughter.

If you've never asked Jesus to be your Lord and Savior—if you've never been adopted into God's family—it starts with recognizing who Jesus is and what he did. He died so that you could live.

If you've never surrendered your life to the lordship of Jesus Christ, I'm going to give you a chance to do that right now. When I count to three, put your hand up, and we're going to pray for you right where you are.

1, 2, 3.

All over the place. All of our campuses. Those online. Those in the jails.

Let's pray this prayer together:

Heavenly Father, thank you for your love. You love me so much that you gave. Thank you, Jesus, for what you did. You gave your life. You died so that I can live. I receive that today. Jesus, you are my Lord and my Savior. Amen.