Reaping: The Great Benefit of Sowing
1. Your account.
Philippians 4:15-19 Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning
of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated
with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only. For even in
Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity. Not because I
desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account.
But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus
the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a
sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God. But my God shall supply
all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Every promise in God's Word is conditional, and every requirement comes
with a reward. The area of giving is no different. There are definite
and tangible rewards for giving to God. There are solid principles in
this area that we can bank on.
We see in our opening passage several principles:
* the necessities of the ministry (somebody has to pay the bills -
nothing is free)
* it is not that God needs our money but that we need to give "that
may abound to our account". (Giving is like planting a seed - it grows
and benefits the one who planted it.)
* "God shall supply all your need" - notice that the supply is connected
with the giving. Because you are faithful to God, He will be faithful
to you.
We need to be aware of some basic principles here that any farmer or
gardener can tell you:
* You reap what you sow. (Plant tomatoes, you will reap tomatoes. What
you plant will grow.)
* You reap as you sow. (Plant small and you will reap small.)
* You reap after you sow. (First you must plant, then it grows, then
you reap.)
2. For your good.
Many of God's people suffer because their Pastors will not teach them
the necessity of giving - sowing to their account. We are becoming
wise in the things of the world. We start savings accounts, IRAs,
CDs, or investments, and we keep adding to them. Why? Because the
people at the bank educate us on the fact that you must put something
in to get something out, and that the more you put in, the more you
get out.
Why do pastors not do the same thing? Because somebody will complain
that all we talk about is money. I have noticed that all my bank talks
about is money, and people don't seem to mind. That is because we are
worldly minded - we are wise in the things of the world and not the
things of the kingdom.
Colossians 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things
on the earth.
Paul apologized to one church for wronging them by not talking about it:
2 Corinthians 12:13 For what is it wherein ye were inferior to
other churches, except it be that I myself was not burdensome to you?
forgive me this wrong.
3. The power of money
Money can be a very powerful and a very dangerous thing.
1 Timothy 6:9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a
snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in
destruction and perdition.
6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which
while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced
themselves through with many sorrows.
6:11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow
after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
Now this does not mean that there is virtue in being poor. On the
contrary. As we will see later in this message, God blesses and
prospers His people. It is not what a man possesses, but what
possesses a man that is the pitfall.
4. Prosperity ( I'm all for it!)
Just look at the promises of God's Word. God wants His people to prosper.
Job 36:11 If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in
prosperity, and their years in pleasures.
Psalms 35:27 ... Let the LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in the
prosperity of his servant.
3 John 1:2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper
and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.
Deuteronomy 8:18 But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is
he that giveth thee power to get wealth ...
That doesn't mean every Christian will be rich, but that our needs
are met.
Psalms 34:10 The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they
that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.
Psalms 23:1The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
: 2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me
beside the still waters. (deep)
Psalms 37:3 Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in
the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.
:4 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the
desires of thine heart.
:5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall
bring it to pass.
Note that when we pour ourselves on the Lord and make Him our
delight, He gives us our desires. Your desires
Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his
righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
5. Now is this prosperity just OT?
Hebrews 8:6 But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by
how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was
established upon better promises.
Hebrews 7:22 By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.
Matthew 7:11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto
your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven
give good things to them that ask him?
6. God's provision is a reward for faithfulness to Him!
Joshua 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth;
but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest
observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou
shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
Isaiah 1:19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of
the land:
2 Corinthians 9:6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall
reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also
bountifully.
:7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him
give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
:8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye,
always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good
work:
You see, God blesses us to the degree that we set ourselves up to be
blessed by our giving.
Philippians 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to
his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
7. A partnership
When we sow to the Kingdom of God, we become partners with God. (Did
you know that when you become partners with a millionaire, you get the
benefit of that million?) The Philippians had partnered themselves to
God by giving. And they gave sacrificially. Paul commended the
Corinthian church for as much:
2 Corinthians 8:3 For to their power, I bear record, yea, and
beyond their power they were willing of themselves;
8:4 Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the
gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.
As we keep ourselves partnered to Him, He will take care of our
necessities. But we need to learn to give out of our need. Now, if we
want to be legalistic about giving, we are only required to give as we
have ability, understanding that the tithe is required, and that we
are all able to give that. (10% is 10% and the tithe is equal giving
for everyone.)
Deuteronomy 16:17 Every man shall give as he is able, according
to the blessing of the LORD thy God which he hath given thee.
2 Corinthians 8:12 For if there be first a willing mind, it is
accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he
hath not.
But there are special blessings for sacrificial giving.
Notice David's desire to give:
1Chronicles 17:1 Now it came to pass, as David sat in his house, that
David said to Nathan the prophet, Lo, I dwell in an house of cedars,
but the ark of the covenant of the LORD remaineth under curtains.
And note these offerings:
Exodus 35:22 And they came, both men and women, as many as were
willing hearted, and brought bracelets, and earrings, and rings, and
tablets, all jewels of gold: and every man that offered offered an
offering of gold unto the LORD.
Exodus 36:5 And they spake unto Moses, saying, The people bring much
more than enough for the service of the work, which the LORD commanded
to make.
Numbers 7:3 And they brought their offering before the LORD, six
covered wagons, and twelve oxen; a wagon for two of the princes, and
for each one an ox: and they brought them before the tabernacle.
8. Sacrificial Giving
Consider the story of the widow Elijah was sent to: 1 Kings 17:9-16
God's concern here was for the widow. He could feed Elijah anywhere.
Had He not kept Elijah up at the brook with the birds bringing him
food? Couldn't God have just continued to do that? Sure! But God
saw a widow that needed some help for He sent Elijah to her house.
Notice what he required of her: She had to take her last bit of food
and first feed God's servant. Then if there was anything left, she and
her son could eat. (That's firstfruits giving. It is giving by faith -
giving in advance and trusting God for the needs.) Was there anything
left? Yes! Yes! Yes! The scripture says they ate many days from the
provision of God. God sent Elijah to increase her provision, but she
had to plant a seed in order to get it started. She had to give
sacrificially, and she became the beneficiary of her own giving. It
is true, you cannot outgive God.
2 Corinthians 9:6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall
reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also
bountifully.
Galatians 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever
a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Again, the widow that Jesus observed at the temple.
Luke 21:1-4 And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts
into the treasury. And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in
thither two mites. And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this
poor widow hath cast in more than they all: For all these have of their
abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury
hath cast in all the living that she had.
Can you imagine Jesus standing there at the offering plate watching
what everybody gave. That could be intimidating, couldn't it. But
not if you are giving as you should. Are you sowing just barely
enough to ease your conscience? Or are you blessing God with
everything you can.
9. The Best Kept Financial Secret In The World
Here is the key to financial freedom and financial security; here is
the key to solving your financial problems. It is not a get rich
scheme. It is simply a sound Biblical principle that works. Here it
is: The more you give to God, the more you will get back! He which
soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth
bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
This is the opposite of the world's view. They think we are fools for
supporting the church. Yet, look at the millions they pour into 'Save
the Whales', 'Ducks Unlimited', 'Save the Planet'. Who said idolatry
is dead? Saving the planet is okay, but I'm preparing to leave the
planet. I'm building an account in heaven where it can't be stolen,
inflated, or spoiled.
Listen to what Jesus promised us:
Mark 10:29-30 And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There
is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or
mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's,
but that he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and
brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with
persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.
Now, do we believe Jesus or don't we?
10. The Rewards
Note these promises of God's Word. See if He doesn't return your
investment with interest:
A. Proverbs 3:9 Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the
firstfruits of all thine increase:
3:10 So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses
shall burst out with new wine.
(A word about firstfruits giving: Leviticus 23:10 "Speak unto the
children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land
which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye
shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest:"
This was the law for Israel. When the fields produced the first signs
of a crop, they were to pick the first ripe grains and give them to
the Lord. The expectation and promise was that the Lord would then
bless them with a bountiful harvest. The essential matter is this -
Who is in charge? Who controls your bounty? Who controls your increase?
Who controls your possessions?)
B. Malachi 3:10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that
there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the
LORD of hosts,
How's that for a return?
Luke 6:38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed
down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your
bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be
measured to you again.
Heaped up, pressed down, shaken together, and running over! You can't
beat that deal anywhere.
Conclusion:
Will you become a partner with God?
It is for your benefit!
Personally, I don't care what you give. It's between you and God.
But, as your pastor, I must at least try to teach you the right way.
Anything else would be neglect.
God's Kingdom is more important than yours or mine or anyone else's.
Invest in it and you end up the winner.
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