11. Blessed Through Generosity

FLASHBACK

What did you experience with God this week?
In the last few days, did you have the opportunity to share an experience with God with someone close to you that doesn’t know Jesus yet? Or could you pray for them or help them practically?
Do you need God‘s help in an area of your life?

■ Pray together: Give thanks for your experiences, ask God for help where you need it.

■ Pray together to learn new things about God and that your relationship with God deepens and gets stronger.

BIBLE STUDY

Elijah was in great despair because he was on the run from King Ahab, who reigned northern Israel roughly from 871 – 852 BC. So God sent Elijah to a widow in Zarephath, in the region of modern day Lebanon.

Read the passage silently. What words or phrases stick out?
One person reads the passage out loud.
One person retells the passage in his/her own words (Bibles closed).
If necessary, the others complement what was said (Bibles closed).

1 Kings 17:8-16

⁸Then the word of the Lord came to him:⁹“Go at once to Zarephath in the region of Sidon and stay there. I have directed a widow there to supply you with food.”¹⁰So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, “Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?”¹¹As she was going to get it, he called, “And bring me, please, a piece of bread.”

¹²“As surely as the Lord your God lives,” she replied, “I don’t have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die.”

¹³Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son.¹⁴For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land.’”

¹⁵She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family.¹⁶For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah.

Everyone by themselves:
- What words or phrases stick out now? Are there any differences to what you noticed before?
- Why do you feel drawn to those words or phrases?
- What can you learn about people?
- What could God be telling you?
Share in the group.

SPECIFIC QUESTIONS & ACTION STEPS

What can we learn about Godly principles of giving? Also read 2 Corinthians 9,6-8 and Luke 6,38.
Do you have faith that God is your provider and that you won’t be lacking anything if you trust him and act according to his plan (Psalms 23,1)? Do you doubt this in any way or do you realize acting more out of fear in some areas (regarding finances, work, relationships, etc)?
What principles do you live by when it comes to giving? What did you learn today and what would you like to change? Note down your 2-3 most important points and share them in the group.
Did you plan an evangelistic event or a project for students that need considerable financial resources? Or are there recurring expenses in your student movement that you’re part of (e.g. office rent)? Ask Jesus by yourself in prayer, how you can contribute to cover these financial needs (E.g.: donate yourself, ask in your network, organize a fundraiser, etc).

SCRIPTURE COMMENTS

Many people feel like they never have enough. But when we read about the widow, who was at the stage of using up the last of her resources, with no more food to eat, our argument that we first need to have enough for ourselves before we can start giving away, loses its validity.

At this moment, Elijah gives the woman an interesting promise: If she feeds him now, she will never ever run out of flour and oil again. But for the promise to become reality, she was first required to bake Elijah a small flat bread.

Jesus is challenging us to a very similar lifestyle: “Give, and it will be given to you” (Luke 6:38). This statement seems inconsistent with the principles of the world we live in. Here we learn: If you give something away, you’ll have less. But if we are connected to Jesus, we live in new dimensions. We’re not on our own anymore, but are connected to the giver of all good gifts, who loves to provide for us (James 1:17; 2 Corinthians 9:8; Psalms 23:1).

The widow experienced a miraculous multiplication of her flour and oil, because she trusted Elijah's promises and did as he told her, even though it probably didn’t appear reasonable to her at first. Likewise, we will experience God’s provision, if we are ready to give what God challenges us to give.

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