Generosity Breaks Barriers

Gospel generosity breaks three barriers. 

First, it breaks the barrier of consumerism.

Consumerism is the belief that we become by taking, collecting, and accumulating. It's not really about the stuff (that's materialism), it's about the ceaseless appetite to consume more things. We see this barrier broken down in the life of Christ. Instead of remaining in the hallowed halls of heaven, the book of Philippians tells us that Jesus, "did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself" (Philippians 2:6b-7a). Jesus forgoes eternally grasping or holding on to divine commodities, powers, and luxuries, and he empties himself by generously giving himself. Jesus could do this because he knows that he is more than what he consumes. He could empty himself and still be himself.

Second, gospel generosity breaks the barrier of materialism. 

Materialism is the belief that we become through tasting, touching, seeing, hearing, and smelling. When we activate the senses, we are truly alive. But in Christ, we learn to see ourselves in the fullness of God's creative design. We are not merely physical beings. In the ancient Jewish consciousness, being fully human was about learning to, "love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might" (Deuteronomy 6:5).  Jesus adds "mind" to this picture in Matthew 22:27. Being human is very much about our bodies. But it's also about our hearts (passions and affections) ... it's about our minds (thoughts) ... it's about our souls (spirit). Therefore when we are entangled with materialism we are minimizing our nature and the humanity of others. We're belittling our design to the latest pair of shoes, jeans, bacon burger, and iPhone. We fail to nurture our hearts, minds, and souls in their fullness and wholeness. Giving is a celebration that people matter more than stuff. 

Thirdly, gospel generosity breaks the barrier of individualism.

Individualism is a way of understanding our identity in isolation; without the need of other people, whether family, friendship, or community. Christians in Macedonia and Achaia learned to construct a communal identity by centering Christ in their self-concept (see Romans 15:22-29). Their personal identity was so wrapped up in their brothers and sisters that they saw the need of Christians on the other side of the world as their need. They must have read Paul's first letter to Corinth when Paul said, If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together" (1 Corinthians 12:26 ). This was particularly potent when we consider that these were two Greek churches sending a gift to Hebrew churches; rich Christians sending money to poor Christians; progressives (modernists) to conservatives (moralists). Their generosity crosses worldly divisions of personhood. It broke down walls.

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Adapted from this week's sermon from Romans 15:22-29.