Tag: generosity

First fruits.

Posted on by Wende Gonzales

Jesus told his disciples to gather around him. Then he said: I tell you that this poor widow has put in more than all the others. Everyone else gave what they didn’t need. But she is very poor and gave everything she had.
–Mark 12:43-44

First fruits.

When the first sheaves of grain ripened or the first grapes appeared on the vine, Israel was instructed to bring the first of the harvest as an offering to God. This wasn’t because God needed their produce. It was because the people needed to remember where every blessing had come from. It was a way of saying, “God, we trust you with what comes next.” It was a gesture about gratitude, belief, and placing God first in every season of life.

So when we skip ahead to Mark 12:41-44 to go with our theme “Fruit of the Spirit: Generosity,” the story is quite compelling. Surrounded by wealthy donors making impressive contributions, Jesus notices a widow who quietly places two small coins into the treasury. Her gift is tiny by every measurable standard, yet Jesus says she has given more than anyone else because her offering came from trust rather than surplus.

The point is not that God desires poverty or self-sacrifice. Rather, Jesus reveals that generosity is measured by love and faith, not by numbers on a ledger. She offers what she can because her life already belongs to God.

As we continue discovering the Fruit of the Spirit, we’ll see that generosity is much bigger than finances. It is generosity with our encouragement, our forgiveness, our patience, our hospitality, our time, our listening, and our compassion. It is choosing abundance over scarcity, believing there is enough grace to share because God has first been generous with us.

I look forward to worshipping with you in person or on YouTube this Sunday.

Brett

Pastor’s Notes 11/22/2024

Posted on by Wende Gonzales

“You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God”
2 Corinthians 9:11

As we prepare our hearts for Thanksgiving Sunday, we are reminded of the abundant blessings that surround us. Gratitude often comes easily when life is good—when we gather with loved ones, share meals, and recount the joys of the year. Yet, scripture invites us to go deeper, to recognize and give thanks for God’s presence not just in the joys but also through the brokenness, trial, and loss we experience in life.

The apostle Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 9:6-12 call us to a life of generous thanksgiving—what we might call “thankful living.” Paul reminds the Corinthian church that generosity is not only about giving material goods; it is about living with open hearts and hands, spreading blessings that glorify God and bring hope to others. This is the essence of a harvest rooted in faith: sowing seeds of kindness, grace, and support even when resources or strength feel scarce.

As we spread blessings, whether through acts of kindness, words of encouragement, or material gifts, we participate in a cycle of grace and gratitude that draws us closer to God and one another. This is a huge lesson Paul was hoping to teach when encouraging early followers of Jesus, like the Corinthian Church, to support the congregation in Jerusalem that was finding itself in need.

This Thanksgiving Sunday, let us gather as a church community to reflect on how we can embrace “thankful living.” Let us remember God’s faithfulness in every season, the joyful and the sorrowful, and commit ourselves to sowing seeds of generosity and hope in the lives of others. As we give thanks, may we see a harvest of gratitude spring up around us, glorifying God and drawing others into the blessing love we know in Christ. I look forward to worshipping with you on Sunday in person or on YouTube.

Brett