For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich. 2 Corinthians 8:9
“The preacher’s task is to point to the cross and help the congregation to see it as an expression of the generosity of Jesus. He suffered so that we could be redeemed and reconciled to God. He denied himself in order to lavish us with grace. His body was broken so that we could be made whole. Isn’t generosity an excellent way to describe the grace that comes to us through Jesus? Preaching that inspires generosity will be preaching that points people to the cross.”
Matt O’Reilly in “Preaching to Inspire Generosity” blog post dated 13 January 2016. This article came on my radar in a regular email I receive from Generous Church. If you do not receive them, you might want to visit their website.
I flew from Brisbane to Sydney today and thought prayerfully about my preaching there this weekend. I read this article and it gave me some fresh inspiration. Pastors, join me in pointing people to the cross to help them see what God’s generosity is all about! Lord Jesus, thank you for the generous example you set for us. Help us imitate you by the power of the Holy Spirit at work in us for the glory of God the Father. Amen.