Generosity That Gets Its Hands Dirty

Welcome back to the podcast! This week, we're continuing our series on generosity. Are you willing to get your hands dirty? Figure out what that meamns in this episode!

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Big Idea: Generosity isn’t just something you give. It’s something you live. When we serve others, we reflect the heart of Jesus.

• Opening Question:
• Who’s the most generous person you’ve ever met—not with money, but with their presence, their time, their service?
• Examples:
• Ken - oversees benevolence, goes over the top
• Mike and Emma - in their 80’s, pulling weeds at the church
• Clean team members - washing toilets for Jesus
• Some leadership philosophies say, ‘Don’t get your hands dirty—delegate the dirty work.’
• From The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli: Power and control define leadership. Servanthood is seen as weakness.
• So some have concluded that servants should stay at the lower levels
• And executives should rise to the top and STOP serving
• It doesn’t help the organization for them to get their hands dirty
• But Jesus didn’t climb some ladder and retreat from people. He stepped down from heaven. He picked up a towel. He washed feet. He gave his life.
• That’s generosity that gets its hands dirty. And that’s the kind of generosity Jesus calls us to.

Series Recap:

Generosity is giving to others through a selfless act without expecting anything in return. 

• Week 1: The Generosity of God
• He gives love, provision, guidance—overflowing.
• Our generosity starts as a response to His generosity.
• Week 2: Generous in Giving
• Financial generosity matters—it reflects the heart.
• But it’s not the whole picture.
• If we think generosity only happens when we write a check, we miss the life Jesus is calling us to.

Today’s focus: Generosity that takes action. That sees needs and serves. This is about serving others with the heart of Jesus.

Jesus Modeled Generous Servanthood

Matthew 20:25-28  25 But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. 26 But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. 28 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

• The disciples were arguing about status. Jesus reframed it.

“Whoever wants to be great must be a servant.”

• Jesus didn’t just talk about service—he embodied it.

“The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life.”

• He didn’t come to receive, but to give.
• He healed, fed, helped, taught.
• And ultimately, he gave his life on the cross.

That’s generosity:

• Giving to others
• Through a selfless act
• Expecting nothing in return

John 13:34 So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.

• Jesus washed his disciples’ feet.
• Then said: “Love each other as I have loved you.”
• Love like Jesus = getting your hands dirty.

1. Servanthood at Home

Ephesians 5:25 For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her…

• Husbands, love like Christ—who gave himself for the church.
• Real love isn’t just romantic feelings. It’s selfless action.

In the home:

• Serve your spouse: not out of duty, but delight.
• Kids learn by example—more than lectures.

Two key ways to train kids in servanthood:

1. Serving within the family:

• Chores aren’t just chores. They’re opportunities to shape the heart.
• Connect the dots: “This blesses your sibling / helps mom / supports our family.”

1. Serving with the family:

• Invite kids to serve alongside you.
• Our examples: serving on the clean team as a family.

Point: Home is the first place to practice generosity that gets its hands dirty.

2. Servanthood at Church

A. Formally: Serving through church roles

Acts 6:3 And so, brothers, select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will give them this responsibility.

• Church grew, needs increased. Apostles delegated.
• Serving was organized—but always about people, not just tasks.

Examples:

• Many Christian churches (esp megachurches): outsource serving opportunities
• I grew up in one of these churches
• My first job in high school: church custodian! (hated it)
• Mormon church: members do the work
• Don’t even pay pastors (bishops)
• Only paid staffer at the local level: custodian
• How we do it: 
• Hundreds of volunteers at all of our campuses
• Requires a lot of organization and team leadership
• Kids’ church, youth, coffee, welcome, worship, sound, media etc.
• How many paid custodians across 8 campuses: 0!
• Everyone has a chance to get their hands dirty!

B. Informally: Serving one another in everyday ways

• Galatians 5:13 For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.
• Again we see the connection → serving one another is an expression of “love one another”
• Roman 12:13 When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.
• This isn’t a program of the church → just what believers do
• See a need → act to help
• Ethiopian mom who opened her home to us
• Our example: Opening our home to a young couple
• Crazy story: After prepping this lesson I happened to listen to a podcast
• A guest mentioned the stat that 
• Baby boomers are house rich, bedrooms to spare
• Most young people will never be able to afford a home
• So I googled: The 3 markets with the highest share of excess bedrooms:
• #3 Salt Lake City, Utah (12%)
• #2 Colorado Springs, Colo. (12.1%)
• #1 Ogden, Utah (12.2%)
• 1 Peter 4:10 God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.
• 1 John 3:16-18 16 We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17 If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister[f] in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person? 18 Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.
• I know you’re starting to see this theme repeated about the nature of love
• We know what love is based on what Jesus did for us
• Says: that’s how we ought to love our brothers and sisters in Christ
• We ought to give up our lives for them
• That’s exactly what happens when you give up your time / energy / convenience / other priorities → to serve
• Final verse → talk is cheap (not generous)
• You can say you love each other all day long → but one thing will prove it
• Let’s show the truth by our actions

3. Servanthood in the World

• Galatians 6:10 Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.
• Especially believers - this is clear in the Bible
• You need to serve the family of faith
• But this verse includes “everyone” - people who are not part of the family of faith
• As the appropriate targets of our servanthood
• This is the heart of Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan, in Luke 10
• Tells story of a Jewish man who was robbed / beaten up / left for dead → on the side of the road
• Two Jewish religious leaders walked by / ignored him
• The one who stopped was not Jewish, but a Samaritan → very different / animosity
• He did some first aid on the guys wounds
• Transported him to a motel → paid for him to stay and get fed while he recuperated
• Luke 10:36-37 36 “Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked. 36 The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.” Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.”
• We serve the family of faith and the people around us.

Jesus said: “Go and do the same.”

Example:

• Tell a story from your life or community—like Sally helping neighbors or walking dogs.

Point:

• Generosity that gets its hands dirty doesn’t check someone’s beliefs first.
• It sees a need and responds with love.

TAKEAWAY: How Will You Get Your Hands Dirty?

Generosity that gets its hands dirty means:

• Serving at home
• Serving at church
• Serving in the world

All rooted in the example of Jesus—who gave everything for us.