The Time Is Now: Controversial Generosity

October 4th, 2026/Seventh Day Adventist

Big Idea: Jesus wants your whole heart. Money included.

Story: Do you want to know who loves to talk about money in church? Can you guess? Generous givers!

Growing up, it was a common joke that guest preachers would preach on giving. Or preachers would get very nervous talking about money and being afraid that they are going to offend somebody.

I believe that we are seeing a real shift in this cultural moment, where people want to talk about real things. They don’t want the watered down gospel. I don’t want the preacher to skip over texts that are uncomfortable. Or avoid topics that might cause us to have to change our lives.

I have preached almost every hard passage you can think of, I have preached on hell, angels, gender roles, sanctity of life, and speaking in tongues. But the messages that I hear that impacted people the most are consistently the ones on money.

I remember when Jess and I were newlyweds. I would always give money to the church, but it was never a percentage or reoccurring. But together we made a decision that we were going to give 10% of everything we made, no matter what. And looking back over the last 16 years of our marriage, I can say that was one of the most wise and fruitful decisions we ever made. And to this day we have not neglected that commitment. As a result of God’s faithfulness, we have been able to increase that percentage over the years.

I say that as a testimony. Not because we are that good, but because He is. Not because we have unlocked some secret to generosity. Not because we have a spiritual gift of giving. But the testimony of my life is “God did it.”

The provision that came that allowed us to serve overseas, God did it.

The growth of our businesses so that we could purchase our first home, serve in the church, and faithfully give, God did it.

The time when our vehicle was stolen and God spoke to a man in a prayer meeting that he was supposed to give us his vehicle. God did it.

I could recount a hundred of these types of stories. Over and over, we have learned the lesson that you cannot outgive God.

Intro:

Here's the question I hear the most: “Why do churches talk about money? Shouldn't we just talk about Jesus?”

Okay. Let's talk about Jesus.

Because here's what I found in the Gospel of Luke. Jesus would not stop bringing up the subject of money. And every single time He did, it caused a scene.

1. One man got called a fool.
2. A room full of religious people laughed in His face.
3. A man who had kept the commandments since he was a boy became extremely sad.
4. And a whole town complained because of whose house He walked into.

Jesus was controversial about money then. And He still is today. So let's look at God's Word and see why He keeps pressing on it, and what He's actually after.

If you would, stand to your feet in honor of God's Word.

Passage: Luke 19:1–10

“He entered Jericho and was passing through. There was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. He was trying to see who Jesus was, but he was not able because of the crowd, since he was a short man. So running ahead, he climbed up a sycamore tree to see Jesus, since he was about to pass that way.

When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, ‘Zacchaeus, hurry and come down because today it is necessary for me to stay at your house.’ So he quickly came down and welcomed him joyfully.

All who saw it began to complain, ‘He's gone to stay with a sinful man.’

But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, ‘Look, I'll give half of my possessions to the poor, Lord. And if I have extorted anything from anyone, I'll pay back four times as much.’

‘Today salvation has come to this house,’ Jesus told him, ‘because he too is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost.’”

Pray: Jesus, help us hear You clearly. Give us courage to respond honestly. Amen. You may be seated.

Now, if you grew up in church, you cannot hear that story without hearing the song. [SING the first line or two of the Zacchaeus kids' song. Let the room join in.] And if you didn't grow up in church, I'm sorry for what just happened. You're one of us now.

Background:

Luke is writing so that people can be certain about Jesus. And from chapter 9 on, Jesus is on the road to Jerusalem. He knows what's waiting there. Jericho is the last stop before the cross.

And all along that road, Luke keeps showing us Jesus talking about money. Chapter 12. Chapter 16. Chapter 18. Rich person after rich person meets Jesus, and it does not go well. So by the time we get to Zacchaeus, we're expecting another sad ending. A chief tax collector got rich collecting for Rome and keeping extra for himself. If anybody's going to hold on, it's him.

But he doesn't. And to understand why that's such a big deal, we have to back up and meet the three who came before him.

Title: Today I want to preach to you from this thought: Controversial Generosity.

Jesus wants your whole heart. Money included.

1. STOP WAITING FOR MORE

Luke 12. A man interrupts Jesus and asks Him to make his brother split the inheritance. You can almost hear it: “Jesus, could You explain to my brother why I'm right?”

And Jesus says in verse 15, “Watch out and be on guard against all greed, because one's life is not in the abundance of his possessions.”

Then He tells a story about a rich man with a huge harvest whose only problem is storage. So he decides to tear down his barns and build bigger ones.

Luke 12:19–21 says, “Then I'll say to myself, ‘You have many goods stored up for many years. Take it easy; eat, drink, and enjoy yourself.’ But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life is demanded of you. And the things you have prepared—whose will they be?’ That's how it is with the one who stores up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”

Jesus doesn't condemn the harvest. He doesn't say it's wrong to have a good year. He condemns a man whose whole future was a conversation with himself, about himself. There's no God in the plan. There's no hungry neighbor in the plan. There’s no Kingdom generosity in his plan.

And catch this. He already had more. More didn't make him generous. More just gave him a bigger storage problem.

If you're not generous with a little, you won't be generous with a lot. You'll just have a bigger barn.

There is a concept that is prevalent in affluent cities. And that is “one day I will have enough that I can be a philanthropist.” For now, I have to leverage everything that I have so that one day I can be generous. I have to invest, I have to multiply, every penny matters.

Money can buy groceries. Money can buy stock. Money can buy investment properties. Money cannot promise you another morning.

Transition: I love what Jesus does next, because some of you aren't building barns. You're trying to make rent. He turns to His disciples and says:

Luke 12:32–34, “Don't be afraid, little flock, because your Father delights to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor… For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Hear the order. Before He asks them to release anything, He tells them what the Father delights to give. The kingdom is life with God as your King, now and forever. Generosity starts with a Father who is generous to us.

And then that last line. Your heart follows your treasure. Buy a ski pass and suddenly you care about snowfall like you work for the weather channel. You're checking conditions at dinner. You've got opinions about a storm system in Utah. Why? You invested, and your heart followed.

Jesus is telling us how to move our hearts. Put your treasure where the Father's heart is, and your heart will follow it there.

So many often think that if I show up on Sundays, serve, and fall at the altar in confession, then surely my heart is all in. But that is not what the Bible teaches. If you want to truly see where your faith lies, then go on a treasure hunt.

So what's your number? The one where you've told yourself, “When it gets there, I'll finally be okay. Then I'll be generous.”

If you're a student, it's “when I get a real job.”

If you're just starting out, it's “when the loans are gone.”

If you're raising kids, it's “when they're out of the house.”

If you're established, it's “when the portfolio hits that level.”

We can keep moving the number. We can spend a whole lifetime getting ready to trust God. Stop waiting for more. Start with what's in your hands.

Jesus wants your whole heart. Money included.

2. DECIDE WHO GETS THE FINAL WORD

Luke 16. Jesus has been teaching about a manager who has to give an account for somebody else's property. And then He says:

Luke 16:13, “No servant can serve two masters, since either he will hate one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

Jesus talks about money like it's a rival god. He doesn't say it's hard to serve both. He says you cannot. Now watch who's listening.

Luke 16:14–15, “The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, were listening to all these things and scoffing at him. And he told them, ‘You are the ones who justify yourselves in the sight of others, but God knows your hearts.’”

Who laughs at Him? The Pharisees. These were the most serious religious people of the day, the church people. They know the Bible better than anybody in town. They gave ten percent of everything. And Luke says there was another love running their lives.

So Jesus says four words that reach every one of us. “God knows your hearts.”

You can faithfully give 10%, while simultaneously worshiping the 90%.

He knows what I can explain away. He knows what I'm afraid of losing. He knows which voice I obey when the two of them disagree.

So how do you know who your master is? A master gets the final word.

“I'd make that right, but it would cost me.”

“I'd be honest, but we'd lose the deal.”

“I'd help, but every extra dollar is already spoken for.”

When money finishes the sentence, money is the master.

And giving doesn't automatically settle it. I can give every month and still use it to feel superior, to protect my reputation, to buy a little control. A generous reputation can hide a divided heart.

And Pinewood, this lands on us too. When somebody says, “Churches only want your money,” I'm not going to get defensive. Jesus said it harder than they do. In Luke 20, He condemns religious leaders who devour widows' houses and cover it up with long prayers.

So I have to hear this as your pastor. I cannot preach surrender to you while treating a successful campaign as the thing that will finally make me feel secure. A church can build bigger barns too. A building will never take the place of trusting Him.

So this week, think about one decision in front of you right now. At work. In your marriage. In your budget. And ask: who's getting the final word on this one?

Jesus wants your whole heart. Money included.

That can sound manageable. Until He puts His finger on something specific.

3. LET HIM TOUCH THE ONE THING

Luke 18. A ruler comes to Jesus asking about eternal life. Jesus brings up the commandments, and the man says, “I have kept all these from my youth.”

Luke 18:22–23, “When Jesus heard this, he told him, ‘You still lack one thing: Sell all you have and distribute it to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.’ After he heard this, he became extremely sad, because he was very rich.”

That is a real financial instruction. Things would be sold. Poor people would eat. His life would change.

But don't miss the last three words. “Come, follow me.” This is an invitation. Jesus wants this man. His wealth is just standing in the doorway.

Now let me be careful with the Word here. Jesus said this to one man. It is not a rule that everybody sells everything and gives it to Pinewood.

But I'm also not going to soften it until following Jesus never costs anybody anything. Because here's what He says to everybody:

Luke 14:33, “In the same way, therefore, every one of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple.”

Everything comes under His authority. That doesn’t mean you have to own nothing. It means nothing you own is off the table. A disciple is just someone who follows Jesus and learns from Him. And a disciple gives up the right to mark anything “off limits.”

And isn't this how He works? The man came with a spiritual question, and Jesus took the answer straight to the place where he felt safest.

We do the same thing. “Jesus, let's talk about my purpose.” And He starts talking about our honesty. “Jesus, help me grow.” And He puts His hand on the one thing we won't release. It's like going to the doctor for your shoulder and he starts pressing on your stomach. “Does this hurt?” That's not why I came in!

So what's your one thing?

Maybe it's an upgrade you postpone.

Maybe it's a habit you change.

Maybe it's an asset you always assumed you'd keep.

And for somebody in this room with real resources, obedience may be a gift that changes what's possible for this church.

Don't assume Jesus will only ask for what you won't miss. And don't assume the scariest number you can think of is automatically His voice either. We find out the way we find out anything from Him. Scripture open. Honest numbers. Prayer. Wise counsel.

The people listening asked the question you might be asking right now.

Luke 18:26–27, “Those who heard this asked, ‘Then who can be saved?’ He replied, ‘What is impossible with man is possible with God.’”

That's the hope. You can't pry your own fingers open. God can.

And right after this, Jesus pulls the Twelve aside and tells them what's waiting in Jerusalem. He will be mocked. He will be killed. On the third day He will rise.

The One who asks for everything is on His way to give everything.

Jesus wants your whole heart. Money included.

Hold on to that. Because I want to get practical for a minute.

HERE'S OUR PART

If you're new, here's what's going on. We have the chance to buy a permanent home for this church, and for the last few weeks we've been asking God what our part is.

Somebody's asking, “Why give to a building when poor people need help?” That's a fair question, and Jesus would want it asked. A building never cancels generosity to the poor. This property has to serve people. If we ever care more about protecting a facility than loving our neighbors, we need to come back and hear this sermon again.

Here's where we are. The purchase price is $3.3 million. We need about $1 million to close, renovate and move in. Churches and friends outside Pinewood have already given generously. Now it's our turn to pray about our part.

The commitment is over two years, above and beyond what you already give where that's possible. If you've never given before, don't let that phrase worry you. Just start. Not equal gifts. Equal obedience. And hear me: your belonging here has no minimum donation attached.

So here's what I'm asking you to do this week.

If you're new to all of this, keep it simple. Don't worry about what anybody else is giving. Ask Jesus, “What's one step for me?” and take that one. Any amount. Your heart will follow.

If Pinewood is home, take a commitment card with you. It's the card where you write what you plan to give toward the building over the next two years. Sit down with God. If you're married, sit down together. Write two numbers. Your Safe Number, the one you could do right now. And your Sacrifice Number, the one that would require something to change. Bring both to Jesus and ask Him which one is obedience.

And come Friday. Advance Commitment Night is this Friday, October 9.

If you're struggling to buy food or keep your housing, your step this week is different. Let us care for you. Tell us today.

But a card isn't where this starts. Something has to happen first. And for that, we go back to Jericho.

4. COME DOWN

Luke 19:5–6, “When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, ‘Zacchaeus, hurry and come down because today it is necessary for me to stay at your house.’ So he quickly came down and welcomed him joyfully.”

Picture it. The head of the local tax office, up a tree. That's a strange day in Jericho. And of course it's a sycamore tree. Because he wanted to seek Him more. I'm sorry. That one's free.

He's up there where he can watch Jesus from a safe distance. Close enough to see. Far enough to stay in control. And Jesus stops, looks up, and calls him by name.

Notice the order. Jesus called his name before Zacchaeus said one word about money. There was no donation required to get Jesus through the door. Grace came first. Generosity came running after it.

And look how concrete it gets. Verse 8, “Look, I'll give half of my possessions to the poor, Lord. And if I have extorted anything from anyone, I'll pay back four times as much.”

Hungry people get fed. Cheated people get paid back. It reaches his money and his relationships. A gift to a church can never make cheating somebody okay.

And then Jesus says it. When He says “Son of Man,” He’s talking about Himself. And “son of Abraham” means this man belongs in God’s family. “Today salvation has come to this house… For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost.”

Zacchaeus didn't buy salvation. Salvation walked into his house, and his hands came open.

Let me say that plainly, in case this is new to you. Every one of us has turned away from God and gone our own way. The Bible calls that sin, and it separates us from Him. We can’t fix it by being good, and we definitely can’t fix it by giving. So Jesus came to us. He died on the cross to take our sin, and He rose from the grave. Salvation means being forgiven and brought home to God, as a gift. That’s what walked into Zacchaeus’s house.

Now think about the people who lived around Zacchaeus. Imagine being someone he had cheated. And there's a knock at your door. And it's him. With four times what he took. His encounter with Jesus just reached your kitchen table. That's how far one surrendered life can go.

So put the last two side by side. Two rich men. Both met Jesus face to face. Both were invited.

One held on, and became extremely sad.

One came down, and welcomed Him joyfully.

The difference wasn't how much they had. It was what they did when Jesus called.

Jesus wants your whole heart. Money included.

CAN YOU SEE IT?

Imagine an ordinary Wednesday in Boulder, five years from now.

A teenager walks into that building because a friend kept inviting him. He stands at the back during worship. Eventually he starts listening. A leader learns his name and keeps showing up for him.

In another room, a little girl is learning a verse she'll remember twenty years later, on a day she desperately needs it.

Down the hall, a couple is finally telling each other the truth.

Somebody comes up out of the baptism water, and their family cannot stop smiling.

And someday a family will sit in that room and never know a single name of the people who made it possible. They won't know what somebody postponed, or sold, or quietly gave. They'll just hear the name of Jesus.

That's the knock on the door. That's how far a surrendered life can go.

COME DOWN

This is where all of it has been heading.

Before Zacchaeus gave anything, he had to do one thing. He had to come down out of the tree.

Some of us have been watching Jesus from the tree when it comes to this part of our lives. He can have Sunday. He can have our problems. But this one area, we keep up in the branches where we can manage it.

So in a moment I'm going to ask you to step out of your seat and come down here to the front. We call this the altar. It’s just a place to meet with Jesus, and someone will be here to pray with you. And I want you to know exactly why you're coming.

You are not coming to give money. There's no offering plate down here. Nobody is signing anything this morning.

You are not coming to impress anyone. Nobody's counting who moves.

You are coming to come down. You're coming to say one sentence to Jesus:

“Jesus, it's all Yours. What do You want me to do?”

That's it. That's the step. The rich ruler heard Jesus and stayed where he was. Zacchaeus heard Jesus and moved. Moving your feet this morning is how you tell Him, “I'm not holding on. I'm coming down.”

If money has been your security, and you're tired of waiting for a number to make you feel safe, come down.

If money has had the final word in a decision you're facing right now, come down.

If Jesus has put His finger on your one thing and you already know what it is, come down.

If you're afraid because there isn't enough, come down. Your Father delights to give you the kingdom. We'll pray with you, and we'll walk with you.

And if you have never trusted Jesus, come too. In a moment we are all going to pray one prayer out loud together, and that prayer is your first step.

He's looking up. He knows your name. And He's saying today. Would you stand. And if that's you, come.

Jesus wants your whole heart. Money included.

Invitation:

If you want to make a decision to follow Jesus. Then join me and everyone else in the building as we pray out loud together. It's not the prayer that saves you, but your faith, making Jesus Lord of your life. We don't let anyone go on the journey alone. If you have faith in Jesus, then let's join together as we pray…

Prayer of Salvation:

Jesus, I acknowledge that I need you

I confess that I have sinned against you

I believe that God raised you from the dead

And right now, by faith, I say “Jesus is Lord”

Thank you for forgiving me

By your grace I am saved

And by your power I am set free.