We Are Generous

When I think about the best people I've ever met, bar none, it's Christians. Christians are the best people I've ever known.

Throughout my life, I can look back and see people who have done incredible things for me—and every single one of them has been someone in Christ.

I remember when I was in Houston and that great ice storm hit a couple of years ago. I think you all got it up here, too. It shut Texas down because we weren't used to that kind of weather, especially that far south.

I woke up one morning, and it was 48 degrees in my house because the power was out. I bundled up in ski clothes and seven layers, immediately going into survival mode. I started rationing my kitchen—which, you can imagine, a single guy's kitchen isn't great. I thought, Okay, I can eat one apple a day and a bag of Doritos. Maybe I can last eight or nine days. I'll be fine. Sad, I know.

But only ten minutes later, I heard a loud honk. It was a brother in Christ, Chris Ball, in his big truck. He braved the icy roads to pick me up. Because of him, I got Whataburger, a hot meal, a hot shower, and a warm bed for the entire week. My power was out for three days, but I was cared for.

I remember living in Elk City when my alternator died as I was driving home. An elder there—Brother Dan Felton, who has since passed away—heard about my truck. He drove out, picked me up, bought me an alternator, and helped me install it. I can't teach you how to do that—I'm not good with cars—but he took care of it completely. That's just the kind of man he was.

I think about Denver, Colorado, when I was 20 years old. It was my first holiday away from family. I couldn't make it home for Thanksgiving because of work. Corey and Melody Sawyers invited me to their home. I was grateful, but I was also incredibly sad because my whole family was together back in Moore, and I wasn't there.

When I walked in, they said, Come on in! They hugged me and welcomed me. Then they said, Come to the kitchen. They opened the oven, and inside was my grandma's famous potato casserole. This dish is legendary in my family. I never thought I'd cry over potatoes—but I cried over potatoes that day.

Christians are the best people. I hope you can say the same in your own life.

The Early Church: A Generous People

For the past few weeks in this series, This Is Us, we've been asking who we are as the Choctaw Church of Christ. What are we really all about?

We've been basing this off Acts 2:42–47. When you read this passage, those early Christians sound like an amazing people. The way they treated one another, the way they lived together—you'd want to be among them. You'd say, These are the best people I've ever met.

So far, we've seen that:

• We are a people only because of Jesus.
• We are devoted—all in—on healthy teaching, God's Word.
• We are a family, not in name only, but in how we treat one another.

This morning, we come to a third truth: we are generous.

The early church was a generous people. They gave, they sacrificed, they went beyond what was expected to help each other in need. Jesus had blessed them, not so they would keep it for themselves, but so they would be a blessing.

Selling Possessions to Help Others

Notice Acts 2:45: "They were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need."

Some translations even say "property and possessions." This wasn't just a first-century garage sale. They weren't just selling knickknacks, old clothes, or patio furniture. They were selling land, homes, and real estate—things of tremendous value—all for the purpose of helping their brothers and sisters in Christ.

We see the same in Acts 4:32–35. No one claimed that what they owned was theirs alone. There wasn't a needy person among them. People who owned houses or land sold them, brought the proceeds, and laid them at the apostles' feet so they could be distributed as needed.

This was radical generosity. Not for profit. Not for recognition. But simply to meet needs.

And why were there so many needs? Remember, this was Pentecost. Devout Jews from all over the world had traveled to Jerusalem. Many had left homes, jobs, and businesses behind. Hospitality was already a Jewish custom, but the Christians extended it beyond the feast days. They housed, fed, and supported each other daily.

They went above and beyond. That's generosity.

Generosity Defined

One definition I love for generosity is this:
"A readiness to give more than is necessary or expected."

Isn't that exactly what these Christians did? They gave more than anyone required. They gave more than anyone expected. They gave up things of value, receiving nothing in return—except the joy of blessing someone else.

And notice what followed: "The Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved" (Acts 2:47).

People believed the gospel—but they also saw how these Christians lived. Generosity was attractive. Wouldn't you want to be part of a family like that? Wouldn't you want to know more about a God who could shape people into that kind of community?

A Generous God

Where did they learn this kind of generosity? From God Himself.

Our God is generous from beginning to end:

• Creation: He gave us a beautiful world, not just functional but enjoyable.
• Covenant: He blessed Abraham, not because Abraham deserved it, but because that's who God is.
• Freedom from slavery: He gave Israel deliverance, powerfully rescuing them from Egypt.
• The Law: He gave them guidance to live as His people.
• The Promised Land: He gave them a home flowing with milk and honey, and showed patience when they failed.

And most of all: He gave us Jesus. The most generous act in history was God giving His Son—enduring pain, rejection, and death for our sins. God gave everything for us.

Shouldn't we be willing to give in return?

Becoming a Generous People

So how do we live out generosity today?

1. Believe you are rich in Christ. True riches are not in money or possessions. They are in Jesus—salvation, forgiveness, eternal life. If we don't believe we're rich, we'll always feel like we don't have enough to give.
2. Be willing to let go. Giving always means losing something—time, money, energy. But we gain so much more in return. It is more blessed to give than to receive.
3. Look for needs. Needs are all around us—obvious ones, like people asking for help, and hidden ones, even within our church family. Some need financial help. Some need a meal. Some need an hour of your time. If we don't know each other, we'll miss these needs.
4. Make generosity a habit. It doesn't happen once a year. It has to become part of our way of life—weekly, daily. Just like we teach our children to give in worship, we must train ourselves to give regularly in time, service, and love.

The Challenge

So here's the challenge: this week, look for a need and fill it.

It doesn't have to be money. It might be a meal, a visit, an hour of help, or simply listening to someone. Do something for someone else—not for what you'll get in return, but for what you've already received in Jesus.

We are a generous people because our God is generous. Let's live it out together.