Two years ago, we embarked on a journey at First Trinity to evaluate where we were as a congregation in terms of our relationship with Jesus. There was an in-depth spiritual life survey conducted by a professional survey company, which then generated a 100+ page report on the spiritual condition of our congregation.
One of the most interesting things to come from that report was The SEVEN. The SEVEN are seven practices that we know, from research, will help anyone grow in their relationship with God. As we worked at defining and clarifying the seven practices, we wanted a single adjective to describe each practice that tried to convey the bigger picture for that practice.
This weekend we begin a series on practice #7 of The SEVEN: Outrageous Generosity. Dictionary.com includes the following definitions for outrageous:
- Passing reasonable bounds.
- Highly unusual or unconventional; extravagant; remarkable.
God calls us to an outrageous generosity, one that passes reasonable bounds, is highly unusual or unconventional, extravagant, and remarkable. Why? Because He is outrageously generous and calls us to become more and more like Him!
Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! Luke 12:27-28
God provides for us in remarkable and extravagant ways. Beyond all of the earthly blessings like food, shelter, and family, He has gone one outrageous step further:
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28