Giving, not keeping!
Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 1 viewNotes
Transcript
Read Matt 25:14-30
“It’s the economy, stupid”; slogan used by Bill Clinton in his 1992 political campaign against George Bush Sr. Since the country was going through a recession, voters swallowed the bait and elected Clinton.
No one can argue that the American economy is not in trouble. Now, the price of gas, food, housing, etc. is the actual excuse of many for not giving to God’s work. What was the excuse when the economy was good?
The real answer can be given by using the same phrase: “It’s the economy, stupid”, not the money’s economy, but the soul’s economy. The problem is spiritual, not monetary!//
Your giving is a reflection of your spiritual condition!
Why should I give to God?
Why should I give to God?
I want to be obedient to His Word.
I want to be obedient to His Word.
v. 19 tells about a master and His slaves (ὁ κύριος τῶν δούλων).
Slaves are supposed to obey any order given by their master.
If I have believed in Christ as my Lord, if I believe that the Bible is His Word, and that in His Word He commands me to give, my rational choice is to obey Him.
Giving to Him is acknowledging that He is the ruler of my life. If He says, “jump”, I can just only ask, “how high?”. When He says, “give”, I can only ask “how much?”
I want to show gratitude to Him.
I want to show gratitude to Him.
(v. 14 benefactor) Someone who does something for your welfare.
He did not give them His possessions, he entrusted them to them.
As a sinner, I deserve punishment, temporary and eternal (Hell); but God, in His mercy, not only made me His child, but He entrusted me with His riches.
By giving, I acknowledge that God is my benefactor: He’s entrusted me a place to live, a place to worship, a car to drive, cloth to wear, food to eat, and even money to spend. I do not deserve any of that! Giving to Him is a real way of saying “thank you, Lord, for your kindness!”
Deu 8:11-18
»Cuídate de no olvidar al Señor tu Dios dejando de guardar Sus mandamientos, Sus ordenanzas y Sus estatutos que yo te ordeno hoy; no sea que cuando hayas comido y te hayas saciado, y hayas construido buenas casas y habitado en ellas, y cuando tus vacas y tus ovejas se multipliquen, y tu plata y oro se multipliquen, y todo lo que tengas se multiplique, entonces tu corazón se enorgullezca, y te olvides del Señor tu Dios que te sacó de la tierra de Egipto de la casa de servidumbre. »Él te condujo a través del inmenso y terrible desierto, con sus serpientes abrasadoras y escorpiones, tierra sedienta donde no había agua; Él sacó para ti agua de la roca de pedernal. »En el desierto te alimentó con el maná que tus padres no habían conocido, para humillarte y probarte, y para finalmente hacerte bien. »No sea que digas en tu corazón: “Mi poder y la fuerza de mi mano me han producido esta riqueza”. »Pero acuérdate del Señor tu Dios, porque Él es el que te da poder para hacer riquezas, a fin de confirmar Su pacto, el cual juró a tus padres como en este día.
I want to acknowledge Him as the owner.
I want to acknowledge Him as the owner.
“The one who had received the five talents came up and brought five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you entrusted five talents to me. See, I have gained five more talents.’
When speaking about His kingdom, Jesus told His disciples that the kingdom of heaven
“ is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them." Mt 25:14
The Bible clearly teaches that all things have been made by Him, through Him, and for Him; and we are just administrators of His riches. The owner expects His stewards to be faithful and honest, not thieves.
It hurts to give when you have not realized those two truths.
It’s beneficial to me.
It’s beneficial to me.
“His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’
When I give, not only His kingdom is extended, those in need blest, but I also become the main beneficiary: God promises that I will receive even more:
“Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.”
The principle is simple: the more I sow, the more I harvest; the more I give, the more I get.
The generous man will be prosperous, And he who waters will himself be watered.
Where should I give?
Where should I give?
The church, first of all.
The church, first of all.
We may trace this giving to the offerings for the Tabernacle. When the people of Israel left Egypt, they did not have a place to worship God. Moses was given a command:
‘Take from among you a contribution to the Lord; whoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it as the Lord’s contribution: gold, silver, and bronze,
Then all whose hearts moved them, both men and women, came and brought brooches and earrings and signet rings and bracelets, all articles of gold; so did every man who presented an offering of gold to the Lord.
When the Temple was built, the people gave generously!
After the exile in Babylon, when the Temple needed to be rebuilt and maintained, God reminded the people:
“Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this,” says the Lord of hosts, “if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows.
This ministry needs more paid workers, the different ministries need funds, and this place of worship needs urgent maintenance. Not much can be accomplished if we do not give generously.
Missions.
Missions.
There are places where we cannot personally fulfill the Great Commission. Others can do it, but they need financial support. Paul received it, from several churches and individuals, when he went preaching in Asia Minor.
Sometimes, the church has been forced to suspend missionary support because the members are not giving as they should.
Those in need.
Those in need.
God commands us to help those in need, just as He helped us. We have a responsibility toward widows, orphans, homeless, hungry, sick, etc.
“Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give.
How will the church do it if the members are selfish and covetous?
How much should I give?
How much should I give?
Old Testament teaching.
Old Testament teaching.
Most Christians think that OT commands to give only 10%; but, if we carefully examine it, we find that God had commanded them to give three tithes:
The first one was for those in charge of the ministry (Levites):
‘Thus all the tithe of the land, of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord’s; it is holy to the Lord.
“To the sons of Levi, behold, I have given all the tithe in Israel for an inheritance, in return for their service which they perform, the service of the tent of meeting.
The second tithe was for the Lord’s Feast:
“You shall surely tithe all the produce from what you sow, which comes out of the field every year. “You shall eat in the presence of the Lord your God, at the place where He chooses to establish His name, the tithe of your grain, your new wine, your oil, and the firstborn of your herd and your flock, so that you may learn to fear the Lord your God always. “If the distance is so great for you that you are not able to bring the tithe, since the place where the Lord your God chooses to set His name is too far away from you when the Lord your God blesses you, then you shall exchange it for money, and bind the money in your hand and go to the place which the Lord your God chooses. “You may spend the money for whatever your heart desires: for oxen, or sheep, or wine, or strong drink, or whatever your heart desires; and there you shall eat in the presence of the Lord your God and rejoice, you and your household. “Also you shall not neglect the Levite who is in your town, for he has no portion or inheritance among you." Dt 14:22-27 (No slide)
A third tithe was for the poor:
“At the end of every third year you shall bring out all the tithe of your produce in that year, and shall deposit it in your town. “The Levite, because he has no portion or inheritance among you, and the alien, the orphan and the widow who are in your town, shall come and eat and be satisfied, in order that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do.
New Testament teaching.
New Testament teaching.
mat 25 20
“The one who had received the five talents came up and brought five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you entrusted five talents to me. See, I have gained five more talents.’
“Also the one who had received the two talents came up and said, ‘Master, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have gained two more talents.’
NT teaches that the practice in the Primitive church was to bring all the possessions to the apostles for the uses of the ministry:
And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need.
For there was not a needy person among them, for all who were owners of land or houses would sell them and bring the proceeds of the sales and lay them at the apostles’ feet, and they would be distributed to each as any had need.
We are God’s possession; He bought us with the blood of Christ.
In the NT is not a matter of 10%, it’s a matter of 100%.
If we understand this principle, our way of spending, giving, and administration will be revolutionized.
Conclusion: Do you want to be a blessing to others? Give! Do you want to experience God’s blessings? Give! Do you want to see the ministry grow? Give!