Generous with our Time | I Like Giving | Chris Jones

Message Text

Mark 5:24-34 (ESV)

And a great crowd followed him and thronged about him. And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.” And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my garments?” And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’” And he looked around to see who had done it. But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”

Message Notes

1. Complaining rarely accompanies generosity.

If we complain about our schedules, opportunities to be generous with our time will go away.

If people don’t ask us for help when they need it, maybe we have talked too much about how busy we are and they don’t want to bother us.

Jesus was always willing to be busy, always willing to be interrupted and He never complained.

2. People who are hurting take time.

Time is the most valuable asset we can share with someone.

Time cannot be replaced, yet it’s what Jesus gave the most of.

We need to slow down.

3. If you give someone your time, make sure your attention goes with it.

We have to learn the art of being present. Just because we are with someone doesn’t mean we are always paying attention.

Don’t make the mistake of looking past the miracle that’s right in front of us.

4. Time and attention can break superstitions.

People have all kinds of preconceived ideas about God and the church because they have never spent time with people who believe and attend.

Jesus proved to people over and over again that he was a loving savior by spending time with them and being present in their presence.

Scripture is proven true when we live it out.

Connect Group Questions

1. Would you describe your life as busy? Do you find yourself having trouble fitting in all the things you need or would like to do? What are some things going on that might prevent you from being as available as you’d like to be?

2. Looking back, when are some times you were very busy and might have missed opportunities to be generous with your attention because people didn’t want to bother you?

3. When people in your life are hurting, is it easy to spend the time with them that they need? Why or why not?

4. What does “the art of being present” look like to you?

5. When have you experienced that someone was with you (in your presence) but not WITH you (paying attention)? How did it feel? On the other side, have you ever felt like someone was really focused on you during your time together? How did that feel?

6. How can we prioritize our time in a way that makes us more available to the people who need us?

7. How do you struggle to be present in the moment? What are some practical ways we can make sure we are fully present and engaged when we’re with people?