Lesson 9: How Much Do You Personally Give? Student Handout

Theme: Exploring the heart behind giving and understanding biblical generosity.

Key Scripture Passages:

• Matthew 6:1-4: “Do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret.”

• 2 Corinthians 9:7: “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion.”

• Mark 12:41-44 (The Widow’s Offering): “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others.”

Teaching Highlights:

1. The Heart Behind Giving:

   • Generosity in Scripture is motivated by love, obedience, and faith, not by compulsion or the desire for recognition.

   • The Widow’s Offering demonstrates that the value of a gift is not in its amount but in the sacrifice and intent behind it.

2. Critiquing Hyper-prosperity Theology:

   • Hyper-prosperity theology often equates the size of financial gifts with the level of faith or blessings received, distorting the biblical message of selfless giving.

   • True biblical generosity seeks to honor God, not to manipulate Him for material gain.

3. Biblical Prosperity in Context:

   • Generosity reflects the giver’s trust in God’s provision and their alignment with His purposes.

   • Rewards for giving are often spiritual and eternal rather than material or immediate.

Discussion Questions:

1. How does the Widow’s Offering challenge your view of generosity?

2. Why is it important to give without seeking recognition or reward?

3. Can you think of a time when sacrificial giving brought spiritual blessings?

Reflection and Application:

1. Reflect on Motives: Evaluate why you give and ask God to align your heart with His purposes.

2. Practice Sacrificial Giving: Identify one way to give sacrificially this week, whether financially, through time, or by serving someone in need.

3. Encourage Generosity: Share the joy of giving with someone else, encouraging them to embrace selfless generosity.

Memory Verse: 2 Corinthians 9:7 "Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion."

Session Objective:

By the end of this session, participants will:

1. Understand the biblical emphasis on the heart behind giving.

2. Identify the differences between biblical generosity and hyper-prosperity theology’s focus on transactions.

3. Commit to cultivating a spirit of joyful and sacrificial giving.