Reasons for Giving II

Stewardship Series: Reasons for Giving

Reason for Giving II

Proverbs 3:5-10

Theme: God gives us two reasons to give to Him.

Introduction: Stewardship is not just for two days a year but it is for a lifetime. It is the foundation of the Christian life by adjusting our hearts to true north. The foundation of our life is not built upon this world but upon the world to come. God calls us pilgrims and strangers in this world.

God shows us here in this passage we are to trust the Lord with everything. This word trust means total reliance. Can we totally rely on Him for our salvation? Can we totally rely on Him for our protection? Can we totally rely on Him to take care of our needs? Can we totally rely on Him to care for our children and grandchildren? The answer is yes. We can also rely on Him when we give to Him.

How many of you in here have ever been scammed? It is so frustrating to know you would give your hard-earned money to someone who would steal and lie to you.

Here in this passage, God shows us how to elevate our living to a life above this world.

The songwriter says: “This world is not my home, I’m just a passing through, my treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue.” Our lives are focused on the heavenlies Paul talks about.

Here in this passage God gives us the third reason for giving.

3. The command in Scripture

In verses 9-10, we are to honor God with our substance. This is what God provides and we are to honor Him with our time, our abilities, our possession, and our jobs. There is no such thing as spiritual and material in the Christian life. Dr Bob Jones, Sr. “There is no difference between the secular and the sacred for the Christian. All ground is holy ground.”

Everything comes from God and belongs to God.

If we don’t give faithfully to the Lord, we don’t really trust the Lord.

In the Old Testament Jews brought the Lord the firstlings of their flocks Ex. 3:1-2 and the first fruits of their field Lev. 23:9-14 and acknowledge His goodness and sovereignty.

God expects people who trust Him to give their very best, the first of everything. The first of our paycheck should go to God.

“If I had not tithed the first dollar, I made I would not have tithed the first million dollars I made. Tell your readers to train the children to tithe, and they will grow up to be faithful stewards of the Lord.” (John D. Rockefeller, Sr.)

Here in this passage as we are commanded to honor God with our substance. Tithing is commanded in the Scriptures.

Tithing speaks of our faith and our trust in God. It speaks of our obedience to the Lord. Both Old and New Testament commands giving to the Lord. Jesus tells us to tithe in

“Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.” (Matthew 23:23)

Some believers believe tithing is Old Testament law. To be sure a tithe was a tax, but it was the ground level, the bottom floor of giving. It is not the end but the beginning, the starting place of our giving.

“Tithe denoted the amount of the offering, firstfruits the nature of the offering. In Israel, tangible goods were the natural things to tithe. The same principle applied to money. The first 10 percent of God’s provision was returned to the Lord.” (Randy Alcorn).

God doesn’t need our money but we need to give.

Some people like to use the word “tithe” to denote all giving to God. The word itself means 10%. However, generous giving is beyond the tithe. It is called a freewill offering. If the tithe is the start, then God would have me to give an offering. The amount of the offering which God speaks to us is between you and God. It is my conviction the tithe is God’s command and should be the normal for the Christian.

“Give according to your income lest God makes your income according to your giving.” (Peter Marshall)

The new auditorium is a massive undertaking. Since the economy is skyrocket inflation, grocery prices out the window(I read this week that people are spending more on groceries today than they did thirty years ago). The average new car is $48,247 in CA and used car is $35,417.

Yet, nowhere in the Bible does God say we are not to give to Him during a bad economy. In fact, the churches in Macedonia gave Even in desperate time. We are not to give because the economy is good or is bad. We are to give because we love God. “If you take of your giving, God will take of your living.”

“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;” (2 Corinthians 8:1–3)

God gave them the grace to give because they were willing to give. The mark of their dedication and spiritual maturity is seen in their trusting God as they gave.

When a person honors God with giving, He will make sure their needs are met vv. 9-10

“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19)

The last reason for giving

4. The need of the gospel

This world is in great need of the gospel. The mission of the church is to reach the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ. As we give, we are giving with the underlying purpose of getting the gospel to the world.

If you think about the 400K people who live here in the high desert, many of them have never heard a gospel presentation. You cannot help but think of a young couple who had their first baby. They want to rear their baby properly and so they look to a church to provide spiritual truth. Perhaps dad “used” to go to church and mom has been trying to get them in church. Now they bring their baby for the first time. We want the nursery to be pristine and this is one of capital improvement projects. They come into the auditorium and hear the gospel and accept Christ.

Perhaps a neighbor who has a teenager who is in trouble more than out of trouble. They need help and someone brings the family to church. There the connection group leaders will make contact with mom, dad, and the kids. They will meet people their own age going through similar struggles. Then they hear the gospel and turn to Christ.

Or maybe a young widow who lost her husband to cancer or in a car accident. She is lonely, hurt, and looking for someone who genuinely cares. She comes to church and hears the gospel. She meets the Lord Jesus Christ as her Savior and her life is changed.

Or maybe there is a teenager who never went to church, who never heard the gospel, and they come for the very first time. He or she meets other teens and wants to know more about Jesus. Soon he accepts Christ and God eventually calls him into the ministry. Or calls her to serve as a missionary wife or she becomes a Christian school teacher.

The need of the gospel is everywhere and as we invest in ministry to God, we are investing in an institution with the greatest return. It is the expansion of God’s kingdom.

As we build this new auditorium, it will be a testimony the power and might of God. It will be a place where people can hear the gospel and lives can be changed. People 40 years ago gave, so that you could hear the gospel. Your life has been changed because someone was willing to give to get the gospel to not only their generation but to the next generation.

There are so many verses in the Scripture on spreading the gospel. As we give to our church, the underlying mission is spreading the gospel.

“Declare his glory among the heathen, His wonders among all people.” (Psalm 96:3)

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)

There are many causes you can give to, but when we give to get out the gospel, there are eternal dividends.

What is God speaking to you about? Is it tithing? Is it generous giving? May God help us to obey and see the spread of the gospel.