God is the Greatest Giver

[Introduction] When it comes to genuine generosity my mind wanders to the words of Jesus in the book of Acts. Where Christ says, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).

Blessings come when you and I choose to live opened-handed and give away our material goods to others for God’s glory.

In our new series Generous, we will be taking five weeks to grow in our understanding on generosity with our time, talents, and treasures. Our purpose of this series is by the end of it you all will all cultivate this practice of giving and become more blessed people.

[Announce text] Now, we turn our Bibles to a time when God was the greatest giver ever! So I invite you to turn to Genesis 22:1-19 on the time when God asks Abraham to sacrifice his son, Isaac.

[Scripture introduction] So far, in the book of Genesis, God calls Abraham to leave his homeland, Ur. The Lord promises to make him a great nation and bless others through him (Genesis 12:1-4) and this will be accomplish through his child Isaac that his wife Sarah conceived in her very old age. Right now, Abraham is well over a hundred years old by the time God calls him to the land of Moriah.

[Reannounce and read text] With this background in mind let us read Genesis 22:1-19 on when God asks Abraham to offer his son.

[Introduction] This story seems so odd read in isolation from the rest of the Bible. An old man walking up a mountain to kill his son. What kind of God would ask a father to do this? Indeed, it may be strange, but the Lord has his purpose.

As Abraham and Isaac are climbing the mount, I can imagine the conversation becoming more quiet the farther they go. Abraham’s mind is thinking about what he must do to his son and how God promise still must be fulfilled.

If you were Isaac what would you be thinking? There’s no lamb, and I am carrying all the twigs.

But instead of viewing the offering of Isaac from Abraham’s perspective. We should see it from God’s vantage point. Who is the real giver in the story.

Did you know that the Lord is the greatest giver? We see God’s generosity in these three separate ideas.

[Main point 1] The Lord models giving by providing us his only Son.

[Explanation] Abraham is instructed to offer this son (Isaac), while Abraham does not withhold his son (He fears the Lord). The Lord provides a ram as a substitute for the burnt offering. Saving Abraham from slaughtering his son. Oppositely, God loved the whole world (John 3:16) and gave his only Son and did not withhold him from us. God offered his Son and in doing so modeled true generosity. He did not withhold anything from us.

As Paul writes in the book of Romans concerning God’s model of giving. He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? (Romans 8:32).

Since God’s models generosity by giving his Son. We should aspire to live like him, not withhold God’s good from others.

[Illustration] Not to long ago, a group of Christians at this church knew about a need in our congregation. They heard about the their family car being totaled because of a deer collision. Rather than idling and waiting. Phone calls were made, cash was extended, and a car was purchased and given away. This church through their act of generosity modeled the giving of the Father of the Son. They held nothing back and blessed those who had less.

[Application] In our giving, we become more like God because God is the ultimate giver. What would it look like for you to give up the most precious person/thing in your life? I really like this quote from Chuck Swindoll.

You are never more like God, than when you give.

Unknown; Chuck Swindoll

Considering all giving is modeled after God. What else does it mean that God is the greatest giver? Well the truth is in this story is this...

[Main Point 2] The Lord gives us the means to give.

[Explanation] Even though in the story Abraham is making the sacrifice. It is God who provides him with everything to make it possible. The Lord provides his son (miracle child), the brush to the light the fire, the rocks to built the alter, and the ram for the burnt offering. Abraham’s generosity is only possible by God providing us with the means to give.

Think about this passage in from Deuteronomy 8:17-19 when the Lord reminds his people that all giving begins with him and is only possible because he graces us to collect it.

Beware lest you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.’ You shall remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day. Dt 8:17–18.

That helps us remember that everything we have is a gift from God. He is the real owner of it all.

As David wrote Psalm 24, he spoke about the Lord’s ownership. The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein, for he has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers. (Psalm 24:1-2).

[Illustration] At this time, I am requesting a $100 dollars from someone here. Does anyone want to provide me this currency? Thank you. Now…who does this dollar belong to now? You would say me. But’s that not true. It is God’s money. Jerry may have earned this dollar, but it all reality he gave me God’s money and now I get to choose what to do with it. (Return it back) In the end, it all belongs to God because he gives us the power to make wealth. None of it belongs to us.

The Lord gives us the means to give.

[Application] If you start telling yourself the truth that everything belong to God and he provides you the means to give. It’s become so much easier to give away God’s stuff.

Which leads us to our final through on why God is the most greatest giver. He is because..

[Main Point 3] The Lord gives us the opportunity/choice to give.

[Explanation] As Abraham made a decision to go the land of Moriah and give away his son. So too, we all have to make the choice and find the opportunities to be generous. The hike to generosity comes one-step-at-a-time. You get better at it the more you do it. When you think about making a choice to be generous. Think about your life in relationship to God. If you focus on God, you’ll always make the right choice.

As A.W. Tozer once said.

[Illustration]

The man or woman who is wholly or joyously surrendered to Christ can’t make a wrong choice—any choice will be the right one.

A. W. Tozer

As Christians we can only choose to give because God gave to us first. His love compels us to move up the mountain of generosity.

[Application] With that said, the choice is always up to us. We must believe and trust God (like Abraham) that in all our giving we will be more blessed to give than to receive. The person who chooses to let go, is more like God than the one who hold back.

[Conclusion] Throughout this week, I encourage everything to pray about being generous. Since God is the greatest giver our desire is to become more like him. To imitate his model, to remember that he provides the means to change lives and that he is giving us the opportunity and choice to make someone life better all for his glory.

Amen.

Let’s pray.