Title: Real Life
Series: Growing Generosity
Readings: Mark 10:17-31 Preacher: Phil Swain
What does it really mean to live a full, abundant, real life? This week, in the final message of our Growing Generosity series, Phil explores Jesus’ encounter with the rich young man and what it teaches us about where true life is found. Real life isn’t about accumulating more but about following Jesus’ way of generosity, freedom, and grace — discovering that in giving, we receive, and in letting go, we find life that lasts. As we reflect on finding balance — between giving and self-care, service and rest, financial responsibility and faith-filled generosity — we’ll also be invited to consider how each of us can play our part in God’s mission. As part of this time of worship we will also be launching our new Growing Generosity brochure which celebrates the story of our church’s vision and inviting us to review our giving and serving as we continue shaping a vibrant, life-giving, and sustainable future together.
Sermon Text
Over the past few weeks we’ve been travelling through our Growing Generosity series. Two weeks ago, in Real Happiness, we heard Jesus say that blessing comes through Kingdom values. Last week, in Real Significance, we heard Jesus call us to be salt and light — to actually make a difference. Today we finish with Real Life — the invitation to live a full, abundant life that’s deeply connected to God’s purposes. And over all three weeks this promise from 2 Corinthians 9:8,11 has been sitting over us…: “God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work… You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion.”
This is the circle of grace: God blesses us, so that we can bless others, and in doing so we experience the fullness of life that being generous and giving can bring.
To begin, Let me show you a video on “generosity”. I have showed it here once before. I encourage you to watch the video and I want you to think about what you like and what you don’t like about it
We’ve seen that video before — a bit cheesy, yes, as if God is sitting there hoping for a slice. But it does name the approach that many of us take when it comes to giving. We look after our obligations first … mortgage, bills, life, personal spending … and if there’s anything left, we give that to God. The Bible flips that. It talks about first fruits — deciding our generosity alongside our other key commitments, not after them.
One of the main reasons we as a church are running these programs such as “Imagining Hope” and “Growing Generosity” is that we think that it is a good spiritual practice to once a year review our giving to God and the church. This is not a guilt thing – saying that you have to give more and more – but rather encouraging a culture of regularly reviewing our giving to God – just in the same way as we review our financial commitment to our mortgage, cars, etc. That is one of the advantages of direct giving or E-giving to the church, because it encourages to think about your giving upfront and not just give from what is left over.
Our reading from Mark 10 brings this all together.
A young man runs up to Jesus — literally runs — and falls on his knees, bursting with eagerness: “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Ok – let’s break this down a bit. What was the young man wanting? LIFE – real life – eternal life. I have taught you this before … in Greek there are two words for life: psyche, meaning our physical, breathing existence; and zoe, meaning the deep, spiritual, joy-filled life that makes us feel truly alive. Zoe is the life which Jesus talks about in John 10:10 when he says that he has come to bring life in all its fullness.
This man is hungry for zoe — for meaning, for purpose, for something that lasts beyond possessions or success. “What must I do to inherit zoe-life?”
Do you hear the problem in the man’s words? “What must I do to inherit eternal life”. You don’t do something to inherit — inheritance is received. Eternal life is gift, not achievement. Jesus could have corrected him, but instead he answers him on his own terms: “You know the commandments…”
The man says, “I’ve done all that.” So Jesus lovingly presses deeper: “Then sell what gets in the way and follow me.” The issue isn’t mainly money — it’s whether he will follow Jesus into a generous way of living. That for me is the point that Jesus is wanting to make … the issue isn’t his wealth, it’s whether he will actually follow Jesus into a generous way of living. You see, following Jesus would mean becoming like Jesus in all we do and say.
if the young man takes up that challenge of following Jesus, of course he is going to have to address the issue of where he is placing his hope in … his wealth or in Jesus. He would need to work out how to follow Jesus’ examples of generosity and compassion when it came to his wealth and helping others or in the words of the 2 Corinthians passage I quoted earlier – our most generous God gives us something we can then give away to bless others.
And this is the irony to the whole story. The young man walks away because he thinks Jesus is talking about money where Jesus is actually talking about the very thing the young man desired – LIFE, real life, Zoe life. And if he was willing to embrace the generous way of Jesus … he would have received LIFE!
At TUC, this invitation to follow Jesus generously connects directly with our Vision 2030 framework. Following Jesus is about embracing a life of discipleship and being a community that loves and supports and cares for each other. Following Jesus is also connected with our third pillar, the third key point that emerged out of the mission planning process … sustainability.
Yes, we want to encourage all of us in the church to support the work of God in and through this church with our time, our skills, and energy and our finances … but we want to do that sustainably.
This is where our mission planning language about sustainability really helps — because Jesus is not calling us to frantic, exhausting religion, but to a generous life that’s actually liveable. Have a listen to how we expressed it in one of our passion statements in the document that has come from our mission planning:
We will be a church that is sustainable—faithful with resources and kind to its people. We recognise the increasing pressures on time, energy, and finances in our world. Our strategy is to shape a church that is creative, efficient, and wise — able to do ministry that matters without exhausting those who serve. Sustainability is not just about surviving — it’s about thriving with enough capacity, joy, and freedom to serve Christ well into the future.
That’s what giving and serving should look like for a community of faith. It’s not endless busyness. It’s not over-commitment. It’s finding the right a balance between giving and receiving, of serving and resting, of generosity and grace. So, this morning I want to name some of those balances we’re all learning to hold.
In this Growing Generosity season we’re really asking about balance:
- How do I meet my financial obligations and invest in God’s work?
- How do I look after myself and look out for others?
- How do I serve in God’s mission and not burn out?
That’s what we mean by being “faithful with resources and kind to our people.
Last week I talked about some different ways that people financially give to the church … our regular offerings, directly giving to project or causes, supporting ideas like Thanksgiving Offering and making a long term difference through bequests.
If you would like more information on any of these or how to update your giving to the church there is information – there is a page on our website.
At the inspire events I also talked about generosity that flows out from the church to help others. As a lighthouse church we are to not just be here for others but for all people. Just like Jesus our hearts should be moved with compassion and so we give freely of ourselves to help those in need.
And today I am challenging us to find our place in serving the mission of God and to give generously of our time and energy in participating in the work of God. This church flourishes because of our volunteers – those who give of their time and skills in worship, in hospitality, in leadership, in creativity, in pastoral care and in service.
But to be a sustainable church we have to make sure we find the right balance. So again I look back to the three questions of before:
- How do I meet my financial obligations and invest in God’s work?
- How do I look after myself and look out for others?
- How do I serve in God’s mission and not burn out?
Real life, zoe life, grows when we hold these things in healthy tension — when our giving, our serving, our caring all flow from love, not from pressure.
So where does this leave us? Over these three weeks we’ve been reminding ourselves that God’s mission in this place depends on all of us — our gifts, our time, our resources. And today we’re invited to prayerfully consider how we each play our part.
The Growing Generosity brochure you received today unpacks the different ways of giving — regular giving, project giving, even bequests that bless future generations. Have a read and ask, “What is a faith-filled, sustainable level for me right now?”
After the service, up the back are sign-up sheets for ministry teams and serving opportunities. Have a read through them and if God is prompting you, write down your name and we will have a chat about how you can be part of God’s mission in that area.
But I want to be clear … this isn’t about pressure. I am not going to tell you to how much to give and I know I can’t force this church to become generous … nurturing a culture of generosity is something that happens within individuals, it is something that you choose and commit to do. But I am trying to encourage a culture of generosity in people’s lives and in the church not just because it benefits the church but rather because it is about us finding and experiencing life – real life. Francis of Assisi (whom I quoted heaps in sermon number 1) says “It is in giving of ourselves that we find life.”
I have experienced this. I know it to be true in my own life.
I gave a lot this week — time, energy, even money — but I walked away fuller, not emptier. That’s the mystery of the gospel. Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” That’s what generosity makes room for. That’s what I want for this church. That’s what I pray for you. Amen.