Open Hands If you're new to Lifepoint | Plain City, take 30 seconds to fill out our Guest Card Have a question about today's message? Ask it here! 2 Corinthians 8:10–15; 9:6–8 10 And in this matter I give my judgment: this benefits you, who a year ago started not only to do this work but also to desire to do it. 11 So now finish doing it as well, so that your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what you have. 12 For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. 13 For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness 14 your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness. 15 As it is written, “Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack.” 6 The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. (ESV) Series Recap People freed by grace are marked by generosity. We can open our hands because God has never closed His. Closed Hands Listen to Fear Fear tells us we do not have enough to give, enough left over, or enough for tomorrow. 2 Corinthians 8:12–15 measures generosity by what we have rather than what we lack. Fear closes our hands because it doubts the generosity of God’s hands. Open Hands Sow in Faith 2 Corinthians 9:6–7 describes generosity as sowing seed for a future harvest. Generosity is faith made visible because we release something valuable before seeing what God will do. This passage does not promise prosperity; it does call us to trust God with the outcome. Faith opens our hands today because it trusts God with tomorrow. VIDEO - Nick & Gracie Roberts: Full Hands Come From God’s Grace 2 Corinthians 9:8 answers fear by directing our attention to God’s unlimited ability. God provides sufficient grace so His people can abound in every good work. Everything in our hands was first placed there by God’s gracious hands. God gives generously so His people can live generously. Application What fear is keeping my hands closed? Have I trusted Jesus with my life? What do I need to place in God's hands today? What step of faith is God inviting me to take today? We can open our hands because God has never closed His. Interested in Baptism? Baptism