2 corinthians 8

October 28, 2024

IMPACT Promise Week 4: Teamwork

2 Corinthians 8.16-24

Each of us is called to make an IMPACT. And all of us can have IMPACT in different ways. Sharing our story. Serving in a ministry. Investing our financial resources in kingdom purposes. Loving our neighbor. All of the above.

Our greatest IMPACT is the one we make together. Serving alongside one another with an earnestness…a diligence…an eagerness…a zeal to reach the lost, expand the kingdom, and make Jesus more famous.

So what about you? What IMPACT are you having right now? What kind of IMPACT do you want to have  around the block and around the world?

It starts today…sign up to be a part of our IMPACT Promise and say “yes” to the LORD.

pro rege

This post is based on a sermon from our IMPACT Promise series. Download the podcast at: Central Christian Church Main Service, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X or Threads: @ccclancaster. You can also download our Central Christian app in the iTunes App Store.

October 21, 2024

IMPACT Promise Week 3: Finish What You Start

2 Corinthians 8.8-15

Why be generous? Because of Jesus. Though He was rich, yet for our sake He became poor, so that we through His poverty might become rich. That’s God’s grace. That’s the gospel.

Being generous is a heart attitude. Not really something that’s easy to teach. It starts with the recognition of God’s grace…His generosity towards us. Those forgiven much, love much. Those forgiven little, love little. Truth is…we’ve all been forgiven much. And when that sinks in, we will do a much better job of loving. Loving God and loving others. We will simply be more generous. We will have an IMPACT mindset.

Everything we have, we’ve been given. It’s been entrusted to us. It all belongs to God. We are managers of His resources. And one day we will have to give an account…have we been generous with His stuff? Have we been generous with the money, time, relationships, etc…with the life He’s entrusted to us?

Another way to ask that is…what kind of IMPACT are you having right now for the kingdom? What kind of IMPACT would you like to have? 

Let’s start today…sign up to be a part of our IMPACT Promise and say “yes” to the LORD.

pro rege

This post is based on a sermon from our IMPACT Promise series. Download the podcast at: Central Christian Church Main Service, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X or Threads: @ccclancaster. You can also download our Central Christian app in the iTunes App Store.

October 14, 2024

IMPACT Promise Week 2: The Overflow of Grace

2 Corinthians 8.1-7

Because of the grace of God they had received, the churches of Macedonia give generously and with great joy despite the desperate circumstances they are facing. Because of God’s grace.

That kind of generosity doesn’t come naturally for most folks. For most of us, even giving something may be a stretch. So, how do we get to this “generosity” thing? It starts by recognizing God’s grace in our own lives. That of course should lead us to offer ourselves to the LORD. His grace should motivate us to be all in! To have an IMPACT. And then, from there, showing grace to others…even in crazy, generous ways…is just the overflow of the grace the LORD has shown towards us.

There are lots of examples of generosity right here at Central…lots of folks having an IMPACT. Some of that’s through sharing their story. Some of that’s through serving. Some through giving. All of it through loving. All with the desire to be all in. To have an IMPACT.

So what about you? What IMPACT are you having right now? What kind of IMPACT do you want to have?

What would Central look like if everyone was as generous as you are? If everyone gave and served and shared and loved exactly like you, what IMPACT would that have, not only on Central, but around the block and around the world?

A simple start…sign up to be a part of our IMPACT Promise.

pro rege

This post is based on a sermon from our IMPACT Promise series. Download the podcast at: Central Christian Church Main Service, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X or Threads: @ccclancaster. You can also download our Central Christian app in the iTunes App Store.

January 15, 2018

When You… Week 2

2 Corinthians 8.1-15

Generosity is one of the defining characteristics of Christianity. Throughout church history, the care for the poor was a sign of the church. It won converts, it was a witness in itself of the power and provision of God. Because our Father is generous, He wants His kids to be generous too. The liberating joy of our salvation should loosen our grip on our earthly fortunes…our stuff…and free us up to give with unbridled generosity. We, as believers, should be the most generous folks on the planet!

But if we are going to be generous, we have to have a plan. For most of us, it starts with looking at our own hearts. We have to be willing to let go of our greed…we have to value people over things and be more satisfied with Jesus than our stuff. Giving can be a tough subject for some, and giving generously? Forget about it. I don’t know of anything that can put me on the defensive faster than someone wanting to mess with my stuff. And right there I see…my own greed. My own kingdom. I’ve got to protect it. But if we want to be generous givers, we have to give it up. We have to recognize that it all belongs to God anyway. We are managers of His resources. And we will have to give an account…have we been generous with His resources? Have we been generous with the money, time, relationships, etc…with the life He’s entrusted to us? Generosity affects more than giving away our material possessions…its an attitude that should be reflected in all of our life.

So what about you? Whose kingdom are you building? Whose stuff are you protecting? Yours or Jesus’? We cannot enjoy the kingdom unless we are submitted to the King, and we cannot submit to the King if we are still hanging on to our stuff. Are you mastered by the desire to get or give (Acts 20.35)? Do you trust God’s generosity enough to be generous yourself?

What would Central look like if everyone was as generous as you are? If everyone gave and served and prayed exactly like you, what impact would that have, not only on Central, but on this Valley and beyond?

Why not make generosity one of your spiritual disciplines this year?

Until next time…stay salty.

This post is based on a sermon from our When You… series. Download the podcast at: Central Christian Church Main Service, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter: @ccclancaster

March 7, 2016

Generosity

2 Corinthians 8.1-15

Two characters in the Gospel of Luke highlight for me two approaches to generosity…the Rich Young Ruler (Luke 18) and Zacchaeus (Luke 19). The Rich Young Ruler was well respected and generally a good guy. Zacchaeus was not…not either of them. While the Rich Young Ruler was likely a much loved leader in religious circles, Zacchaeus was a despised tax collector…and not just a tax collector, but a chief tax collector. Both had an encounter with Jesus…one became a generous giver and the other left very sad. Jesus changed everything. For Zacchaeus, Jesus’ gracious offer of salvation was Good News indeed, and he went from being a taker to a giver, from greedy to generous… But the Rich Young Ruler couldn’t stand to part with his stuff. His selfishness and greed just became more pronounced.

Generosity isn’t something we should shy away from…it’s actually one of the defining characteristics of Christianity. Throughout church history, the care for the poor was a sign of the church. It won converts, it was a witness in itself of the power and provision of God. Because our Father is generous, He wants His kids to be generous too. The liberating joy of our salvation should loosen our grip on our earthly fortunes…our stuff…and free us up to give with unbridled generosity. We, as believers, should be the most generous folks on the planet!

So whose kingdom are you building? Whose stuff are you protecting? Yours or Jesus’? We cannot enjoy the kingdom unless we are submitted to the King, and we cannot submit to the King if we are still hanging on to our stuff. Are you mastered by the desire to get or give (Acts 20.35)? Do you trust God’s generosity enough to be generous?

Until next time…stay salty.

“May we reflect the generous character of Jesus this week in any and every circumstance.”

This post is based on the sermon, Generosity. Download the podcast at: Central Christian Church Main Service, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter: @ccclancaster