The Missionary Offering

Matthew 6:19-21

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Introduction

Yesterday in the two messages of the morning we learned about how God is interested in our hearts this missions conference. If God has our hearts, the money part will take care of itself.

Missions giving is investing in eternity, it is giving to send the gospel around the world. It shows where your priorities are as a person. Are they only in the world and worldly possessions or are they in things that really matter and that will matter for all eternity?

Tonight, we are going to explain what a missions offering is, and what the Bible has to say about it. We will also talk about why we often call our missionary offering a faith promise offering and what that means.

Maybe you have never participated in faith promise missions giving before, this message is for you. I believe every Christians should participate in faith promise...because it is biblical.

Note: This is not self serving. This church already supports me, I am not asking for money for our ministry. I am asking for you to give to this church's missions program so you can support more missionaries and help send the gospel to more places around the world.

To begin, lets look at some biblical examples of missionary offerings that we can learn some principles from.

The missions offering is biblical

Example #1 - The Shunammite women

2 Kings 4:8-16

And it fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where was a great woman; and she constrained him to eat bread. And so it was, that as oft as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread. And she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of God, which passeth by us continually. Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick: and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither. And it fell on a day, that he came thither, and he turned into the chamber, and lay there. And he said to Gehazi his servant, Call this Shunammite. And when he had called her, she stood before him. And he said unto him, Say now unto her, Behold, thou hast been careful for us with all this care; what is to be done for thee? wouldest thou be spoken for to the king, or to the captain of the host? And she answered, I dwell among mine own people. And he said, What then is to be done for her? And Gehazi answered, Verily she hath no child, and her husband is old. And he said, Call her. And when he had called her, she stood in the door. And he said, About this season, according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a son. And she said, Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thine handmaid.

Explain: How she fed and housed Elisha when he traveled (traveling is not cheap). Men must eat and have a place to sleep.

Notice: Her financial help that was given to Elisha was not considered her tithe she gave to the temple.

Important: You cannot give biblically to missions until you have tithed. You should not give your tithe to missions, that should go to your church for the care of your church. Once you have tithed, giving begins.

Example: Paying someone what you owe them and then expecting a big thank you for the gift. Your tithe is not a gift, you are just returning what belongs to God.

Giving begins after our tithe. This woman gave to the ministry of Elisha by proving for his needs. In principle this is like our modern missionary offering.

Notice: God blessed this woman in a tremendous way (with a son) because of her generosity to God's work.

Example #2 - Mary, Martha and Lazarus

Luke 10:38

Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.

Mary, Martha, and Lazarus were siblings, and they knew Jesus and were friends with Jesus because they would often house and take care of Jesus and his disciples when they came through their town.

Explain: Jesus was a carpenter, he was not lazy, it was not that he did not want to work. However, during his earthly ministry his needs were met by others giving to his ministry and providing for his housing, food, and financial needs. Jesus in a sense was a supported missionary.

Note: Missionaries are not people that just don't want to work. They work very hard in the ministry but most left good jobs and careers. I personally did. I was an insurance agent for State Farm for four years before going into ministry and I took a tremendous financial cut when I did.

Example: Bevins Welder leaving his banking job.

It is often very uncomfortable for missionaries to live off of missions support because we would prefer to work and rely on ourselves, however, God's plan is that they that preach the gospel should live off the gospel. (1 Corinthians 9:14)

Example #3 - The Philippian church

Philippians 4:14-17

Notwithstanding ye have well done, that ye did communicate with my affliction. 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.

"communicate with my affliction" is referring to them helping Paul out financially. The church at Philippi gave a financial gift to help the ministry of Paul. It appears that they often did this.

Paul then tells them that the fruit of his ministry abounds to his account.

Example: Getting to heaven and having someone from Colombia come and thank you for sending the gospel.

Example: Winning the chief to the Lord in the unreached villages with a guy from my church. This church helped finance that trip. It took hotel stays, food, plane tickets, equipment, etc.

Without the missionary offering, those trips to the Amazon would not be possible...therefore God credits you with the fruit.

Isn't that amazing? Missions is really the best investment we can make.

This is the great part of missions giving, it lets you take part in the Lord's work around the world even though you can only be in one place at once.

Matthew 6:20

But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

You are literally laying up treasures in heaven through the missions offering.

2. The missions offering is necessary

Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Now the word both is the greek word TE and it means obviously "both" but in the sense of no only but also. We are to be witnesses to all these places not just one.

We can only do that through a missions program. We can only do that through a missions offering.

I can only be in one place at a time. So when I am in Colombia I can't physically be a witness in Africa. But I can send someone else there to be a witness with my missions offering. Which is what I do.

3. The missions offering is miraculous

2 Corinthians 8:1-5 Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves; Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.

The Bible says that the Macedonian Christians gave even in their deep poverty "beyond their power."

What they gave, they shouldn't have been able to give.

But God gave through them. God often will give more through us that he will give too us.

Example: When I was dirt poor in North Carolina and I more than I should have been able to give. It was amazing to see God build my faith through that process. Example: Lonnie giving me $100.

I am not saying that everyone should commit huge sums of money that they could never afford, but I am saying that there is a reason it is called faith promise missions. We ask God what He wants us to give. We then give that by faith trusting in Him to provide it.

You don't have to be rich to give to missions...even in deep poverty we can be channels of the grace of God.

Example: Lazaro at the Indian village and my people realizing how much they had.

Those that are say that they are not willing to make a monthly financial commitment to missions because they don't want to not be able to pay it. Then they go down to Verizon wireless and make a monthly financial commitment, and then go to the car dealer and make a monthly financial commitment. The reason you don't want to commit to giving to missions is because you don't want to. You don't see value in it.

Note: Some Christians say they would never make a commitment to give to missions giving because they don't believe in making monthly commitments like that. Then they go to Verizon, rent a house, get a car payment, sign up for a home phone and internet package, buy furniture on a payment plan, etc.

But they out of principle would never make a financial commitment to send the gospel.

The monthly commitment helps remind us what we promised to give and helps the church know what to expect and thereby plan on how many missionaries the church can support.

4. The missions offering is for us

God's plan is for his preachers to be taken care of by his people. However, if they do not take care of them. He is more than capable of taking care of them.

He fed Elisha with ravens

He paid the disciples taxes with money out of a fishes mouth

He owns the cattle on a thousand hills.

He is capable of providing for our needs in other ways...God takes care of us.

But the reality is, we need to give. Giving is good for us spiritually. I love to give.

Acts 20:35 I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

Giving should be a joy to us. And for many Christians it is a joy. Because God has their heart...they love to put their money where their heart is.

Example: Men who spend a ton of money on golf clubs and golfing fees do so with joy because they love to golf.

When we love God's work, when our heart is in heaven and for lost souls. It is a joy to give to missions.

And God blesses us for it. I am convinced that many of the financial blessings I have experienced in my life are a direct result of giving to missions for about 20 years now.

Conclusion

Wednesday we are going to take up the faith promise for the year. I would encourage you not to miss out. It is an exciting time for the church.

The missions offering is biblical and it is an important part of our Christian life.

Everyone should participate, and should participate as God leads you. Not out of emotion or obligation, but out of prayerful consideration of what the will of the Lord is for your life.