BCIC Generosity Sample

Generosity

Realizing that all I have belongs to God and using it for His purposes

“But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.”

II CORINTHIANS 9:6

THE MOST BOUNTIFUL OFFERING

“And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: for all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.”

MARK 12:43–44

SPIRITUAL GIFT:

BIBLICAL CHARACTER ILLUSTRATED CURRICULUM

Illustrated in Scripture, Illustrated in Life

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“The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple” (Psalm 19:7b). Biblical character is illustrated in this curriculum through both artwork and lessons from the lives of people in God’s Word. We most often benefit from the positive examples of faithful men and women. “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope” (Romans 15:4). There were also people in the Bible who are representations of poor character, and we can learn from their lives as well. “Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted” (I Corinthians 10:6). We would be wise to learn from the testimonies God has given us in Scripture.

Illustrated in Life

“Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). Hearing the Word of God causes us to grow in faith. This curriculum offers many practical applications of God’s Word to everyday life. “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only” (James 1:22). As God enables us to act in faith, our lives as believers will illustrate His character to others.

The character of God is illustrated in Scripture. May it also be illustrated in our lives.

Character Quality Overview

What Is Generosity?

Read aloud and discuss what generosity means and how it applies to life.

The operational definition of generosity is “realizing that all I have belongs to God and using it for His purposes.” Not only does He have a special plan for your life, but He also has distinct purposes for the possessions He has given to you. Your belongings, talents, abilities, and time have all been created and given to you by God. He has chosen you to be His steward, one who attentively cares for and wisely uses the gifts entrusted to you. As a steward, you will be held accountable to develop your talents, invest your time, and utilize your possessions to fulfill God’s purposes. His purposes not only include providing for your needs through food, clothing, and shelter, but also reaching beyond to provide for others through you! God desires to actively involve you in His plan to meet others’ needs, spread His message of redemption, and edify the Body of Christ.

The opposite of generosity is stinginess. A stingy person is unwilling to give of himself or his possessions to meet the needs of others. Instead, he clings tightly to what he has in order to fulfill his own selfish desires. He does not fully grasp that God has and will provide for his needs, so he seeks to control

what is “his” and to decide when and how it is used. He doesn’t think to share with others or to ask, “How does God want me to use this item?” Instead, a stingy person claims ownership that is not really his as he exclaims, “That’s mine!” One who holds fast to what is his may justify his behavior as thriftiness, but a thrifty person saves to give or spend wisely when legitimate needs arise.

Generosity is an overflow of the love that God has bestowed on you. Jesus loved you first and demonstrated His love by giving. He offered Himself to meet the greatest need that you have: salvation from sin and death. A generous person is content to have basic needs met so that the money saved can be used for God’s purposes. Such giving expects nothing in return but is most rewarded when done in secret. You don’t need to have a lot of money to be generous. For example, you may offer your time and energy to do chores for the widow in your neighborhood. Be sensitive to the needs in your family, your church, and your community, and the Lord will direct you as you invest the resources you have for His pleasure. Remember Jesus’ words: “. . . It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).

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Just as God multiplies the farmer’s seeds to become a great harvest, so God will multiply the Gospel “seeds” we sow for His Kingdom. Selfishly clinging to our resources keeps us from experiencing the joy and blessing of giving.

Generosity in Scripture

As you read and study God’s Word, you will see Who He is! Be willing to be changed by Him so Christ can be seen through your life and others will glorify God.

The Character of God

We see examples of generosity in God’s character in the following ways:

• God is the One Who gives His people the power to gain wealth and does so to establish His covenant with them.

(See Deuteronomy 8:18.)

• God generously satisfies every living thing from His abundant supply.

(See Psalm 36:7–8, 145:16.)

• God bestows good gifts to His children, including the gift of the Holy Spirit upon salvation.

(See Luke 11:13, James 1:17.)

• Jesus offers rest to the laboring soul and trades His light load in exchange for heavy burdens.

(See Matthew 11:28–30.)

• Jesus gave sight to the blind and healing to many others with infirmities

(See Luke 7:21.)

• The Holy Spirit gives believers power to be Christ’s witnesses to all the world.

(See Acts 1:8.)

• The Holy Spirit bestows to every believer unique gifts with different purposes for ministering to others.

(See I Corinthians 12:4–11.)

GENEROSITY KEY VERSE

“But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which s oweth bo untifully shall reap also bountifully.” II CORINTHIANS 9:6

Generosity in My Life

Now let’s examine some ways God wants us to live out generosity daily.

• When I give to help the poor, what does God promise to do?

(See Psalm 41:1, Acts 20:35.)

• Having received freely from others, what should my response be?

(See Matthew 10:8.)

• From where did all my possessions come?

(See I Chronicles 29:14–16.)

• In light of God’s great grace toward me, in what ways may I minister grace to others?

(See I Peter 4:8–10.)

• What happens to people who greedily try to get rich quick?

(See Proverbs 28:22.)

• Why is it impossible to serve both God and wealth (mammon)?

(See Matthew 6:24.)

• What do I need to guard against when God entrusts riches to me?

(See I Timothy 6:17.)

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Sow Bountifully 4

Whenplanting a garden, the more seeds you plant, the more you will harvest. The same is true of God’s Kingdom. The more “seeds” of time, talent, and treasure you “sow” to the Lord’s work, the greater the harvest you can expect for His Kingdom. Instead of giving only a tithe (10%) to the church, give an extra offering to a missionary speaking one Sunday. Don’t just passively watch your younger siblings when your parents go out; do a special activity they enjoy to strengthen your relationships. Instead of giving used toys or clothing to a family in need, save to buy them a new item of good quality. Sow bountifully! “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver” (II Corinthians 9:7).

GENEROSITY

Realizing that all I have belongs to God and using it for His purposes

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INTRODUCTION

ENABLES ME TO

The Most Bountiful Offering

GOD

BIBLE STORY

The Most Bountiful Offering

As Jesus was teaching one day, He warned His hearers to beware of the scribes, scholars of the Law. The scribes loved the attention gained by wearing long robes, and they often chose the best seats in the synagogues. They prayed long prayers so others would view them as spiritually elite. Through deceptive schemes, these scribes obtained monetary gifts from the weak and vulnerable, such as widows. Jesus proclaimed that these scribes would receive greater condemnation. Finishing His teaching, Jesus sat down in the outer court of the Temple. In this court were thirteen wooden boxes with bronze funnels shaped like trumpets. They were the offering boxes, each

labeled with its unique purpose. Nine boxes were for the required Temple sacrifices as outlined in the Law, and the other four boxes were for voluntary offerings. People would drop coins into these funnels. As the coins fell into the metal funnels, they generated loud clinking noises, alerting everyone nearby of the gift that was given. As people gave their offerings that day, which giver would Jesus point out to His disciples? Why would He take note of this person? What would He say about that particular offering? Of those who gave offerings that day, who gave the most bountifully?

Let’s read the Bible story in Mark 12:41–44 and then discuss the following questions.

1. What did Jesus observe as He sat near the treasury in the Temple court? (See Mark 12:41.)

Is God aware of what you have and what you give to Him? What is one way God expects you to give to His purposes? (See Proverbs 3:9, Malachi 3:8–10.)

2. Who put a lot of money into the treasury? (See Mark 12:41.) What motives for giving did Jesus warn against? (See Matthew 6:2.)

What do you do in order to be praised by others? What is the right motive for giving? (See Philippians 2:3–4.)

3. Who else gave an offering that day? Was this person rich or poor? (See Mark 12:42.)

How can you sow bountifully even though you may only have little to give? (See Deuteronomy 15:11.)

4. How much did the widow give as her offering?

(See Mark 12:42.)

How do you decide when and how much to give for your offering? (See I Corinthians 16:1–2.)

5. What did Jesus point out to His disciples about the widow’s gift? Who had given more than her? (See Mark 12:43.)

Do you give bountifully or sparingly? What attitude does God love in a giver? (See II Corinthians 9:6–7.)

6. How much did the widow have after giving her offering? (See Mark 12:44.)

What could you do without so you can give more to God’s work? With what does He tell us to be content? (See I Timothy 6:8.)

7. Who gave a greater percentage of what they had—the widow or the others? (See Mark 12:44.)

What did Christ give to purchase salvation for you? (See I Peter 1:18–19.) How can you daily offer yourself to Him as a “living sacrifice”? (See Romans 12:1–2.)

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LESSON 4 Sow Bountifully

Revealing the character of Christ through the stories in His Word.

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Biblical Character Illustrated Curriculum

Discover this unique tool that uses the stories in Scripture to illuminate character qualities God wants to develop in the lives of His people. This curriculum contains multiple ways to teach character to kids and give them a vision for building character through faith in Christ!