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Sermons PREACHED BY JOHN GAINES |
Seven Principles For Godly Giving
1. My text tonight in Matthew 6:1-4 (NKJV) "Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2 "Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 3 "But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 "that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.
2. That text speaks to the motivation behind giving. Giving should not be done for the purpose of receiving praise from men. When that is the motive, no reward should be expected from God. When we sound a trumpet to announce our gifts, we might get glory from men but that is the only reward we shall receive.
3. I would like to expand the study from this specific text to a general study on the subject of "Godly Giving." You may have heard more sermons than you want on the subject of giving. I suspect that you've heard plenty of lessons about the need to give to benefit the work of the church. That is obviously true. A church budget is simply a plan for the financial requirements for the work the church purposes to do during the year. Without income, the work cannot be done.
4. However, tonight I want to help you see that by joining our hearts, minds, and pocketbooks together, we can accomplish more than material things for the Lord.
5. We should know that GOD DOES NOT NEED OUR MONEY! He is God. We aren't doing Him a favor by giving in the first day of the week collection. The giving is designed to benefit us. The emphasis in this study is on the "grace" of giving -- what giving will do for us [2 Corinthians 8:7 (NKJV) But as you abound in everything; in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love for us; see that you abound in this grace also.] The context shows that the "grace" Paul is talking about is giving.
a. In 2 Corinthians 8-9, Paul wrote to the Christians in Corinth concerning a collection they had promised to take up to aid needy brethren in Judea.
b. Paul cited the example of the Macedonian Christians . . . people who were poor themselves, but who gave "beyond their power" [2 Corinthians 8:1-4].
c. A greater example to motive giving is the comparison with the gift of Christ for lost mankind. This is the supreme demonstration of giving [2 Corinthians 8:9 (NKJV) For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.]
6. Our giving should be done in the way that pleases God. Let us spend time tonight studying Seven Principles For Godly Giving:
I. GIVE AS PROOF OF OUR LOVE.
A. The Corinthians were told that giving would prove the sincerity of their love [2 Corinthians 8:8 (NKJV) I speak not by commandment, but I am testing the sincerity of your love by the diligence of others.] In v. 24 of this chapter, he described the money to be collected as "the proof of your love."
1. The Corinthians had promised to take the collection a year before, but had not done so [2 Corinthians 8:10].
2. Paul encouraged them to demonstrate their love by getting on with the performance of what they had promised [2 Corinthians 8:11].
B. Words of love not accompanied by deeds leave an empty feeling. It's like saying "Be warmed and filled" to a cold, hungry person but doing nothing to make that happen. Cf. James 2:16.
C. However, when we give because we love God and sincerely want to help, we feel good. "Don't give til it hurts; give til it feels good."
II. GIVE LIBERALLY.
A. 2 Corinthians 8:2 (NKJV) that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality. Liberality governs not only how much we give, but why we give.
B. The Greek word translated "liberality" there means singleness of heart, sincerity, purity of motive. We are to give with this trait [Romans 12:8 (NKJV) he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.]
1. A "liberal" giver does not give to receive the praise of men [Matthew 6:1-2].
2. A "liberal" giver is not like Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5 . . . he doesn't give with an ulterior motive.
III. GIVE BOUNTIFULLY.
A. The Old Testament contained specific instructions about the amount to be given. The tithe (10%) was the base standard to be given. Extra sacrifices and offerings came on top of this. The New Testament is different because it does not tell us how much we should give. Instead, it offers this principle in 2 Corinthians 9:6 (NKJV) But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
1. Farmers do not regret the expense of buying seed to plant an entire field. They know that unless they sow an adequate amount of seed, they cannot expect a full harvest.
2. Christians should give to the Lord bountifully and with confidence that they will reap what they sow [Galatians 6:7 (NKJV) Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.]
B. The Lord promises that giving to Him is a good investment [Luke 6:38 (NKJV) "Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you."]
1. The return promised is not limited to material things.
2. Those who seek first the kingdom of God will have the necessities of life provided [Matthew 6:33 (NKJV) "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.]
IV. GIVE OUR OWN SELVES.
A. Any person who has not given his SELF to Christ begrudges giving his MONEY to Him.
B. The man with Christ living in him realizes that everything really belongs to God.
1. 1 Corinthians 6:20 (NKJV) For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.
2. Galatians 2:20 (NKJV) "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
V. GIVE ACCORDING TO PLAN.
A. 2 Corinthians 9:7 (NKJV) So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, . . . . The NIV says, "Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give. . . ."
B. Good stewardship requires planned giving. God's part should come off the top; instead, many give a small portion of whatever residue is left after other obligations have been met.
1. Giving a planned part of our income to God should be second nature to us.
2. Making God take a back seat to other demands on our money is NOT seeking first the kingdom of God.
VI. GIVE VOLUNTARILY.
A. 2 Corinthians 9:7 (NKJV) So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.
B. We are not to give in order to obey a commandment, but because of our love for Christ [2 Corinthians 8:8 (NKJV) I speak not by commandment, but I am testing the sincerity of your love by the diligence of others.] People who approach giving with the attitude "How much do I have to give?" are missing the meaning of the grace of giving. The only kind of giving which pleases God is free-will offerings.
VII. GIVE THANKFULLY.
A. 2 Corinthians 9:11-12 (NKJV) while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God. 12 For the administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God,
B. God has blessed us with a great multitude of good things [James 1:17 (NKJV) Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
1. Count your blessings -- health, friends, family, ability to work, life itself
2. Christians have special blessings . . . spiritual blessings found only in Christ [Ephesians 1:3]. These include forgiveness of sins and the opportunity to be forever in the presence of God in heaven.
3. We should be thankful for these blessings [Colossians 3:15 (NKJV) And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.]
C. There are practical purposes to giving . . . paying the bills and making it possible for the gospel to be preached. However, foremost, giving is an act of worship wherein we express our gratitude to God [1 Corinthians 16:2 (NKJV) On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come.]
CONCLUSION
1. Scriptural giving is a grace we should strive to acquire and abound in.
2. The Lord's work will prosper if all of us follow these seven Scriptural principles on giving. And all of us will benefit . . . in greater measure than we give [Luke 6:38 (NKJV) "Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you."]
Copyright ©2002 by John Gaines. May be reproduced for non-commercial purposes provided this notice accompanies any use.
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LEONARD STREET CHURCH OF CHRIST |
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