Practicing The Way Week 7: Generosity | Nathan Hughes

Title: Practicing the Way — The Practice of Simplicity & Generosity
Main Texts: 1 Timothy 6:6–10; Luke 12:15; Mark 4:18–19; Matthew 19:23–24; Luke 11:39, 41
Big Idea: Greed is one of the most deceitful sins—it quietly damages our hearts and distorts our desires. The antidote is the practice of simplicity and generosity.

Key Points:

The Deceitfulness of Greed

Greed is rarely confessed. It’s easy to justify, often hidden beneath surface sins.

Paul warns: “The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil” (1 Timothy 6:10).

Greed traps us in the endless cycle of “more, more, more”, which never satisfies.

How Culture Feeds Greed

We live in an era of surveillance capitalism—algorithms constantly fuel discontent and desire.

Marketing sells feelings, not products: status, security, confidence, adventure.

The American Dream is built on the myth of more: “If I just had a little more, then I’d be happy.”

But in reality, the more we get, the more empty we often feel.

Jesus’ Warnings About Wealth

Luke 12:15 — “Be on your guard against all kinds of greed.”

Mark 4:18–19 — Wealth is not evil, but it’s deceitful. It chokes out spiritual life.

Matthew 19:23–24 — Jesus warned that wealth can make it very difficult to enter the kingdom.

Greed is a heart issue—not about income level, but about attachment and priority.

Money Isn’t Bad, but the Love of It Is

Wealth itself can be used for great good.

But when money becomes the goal, it corrupts our motives and relationships.

Pride, anxiety, contempt for others all increase when wealth becomes identity (TED Talk: Does Money Make You Mean?).

The Antidote: Simplicity and Generosity

Simplicity isn’t about poverty; it’s about intentionality.

Luke 11:41 — “Be generous to the poor, and everything will be clean for you.”

Generosity cleanses the heart by reminding us that we already have enough—and that life is found in giving, not hoarding.

Personal Story of Radical Generosity

The story of a family who gave sacrificially to meet tangible needs after a time of personal family crisis.

True generosity leaves a legacy—not just in stuff, but in lives transformed.

Final Challenge:
The kingdom of God runs counter to the myth of more. Live simply. Give generously. Find contentment—not in what you accumulate, but in what you release.