Blessed to Give

Adam Kilgas

Title: Blessed to Give

Introduction

Intro slide

- Adam Kilgas, Married to wonderful wife Jenny

- MDiv from Trinity and am currently planning to graduate this next summer.

- Pastoral Fellow at HPC

- It has been fun to get to know Pastor Isaac and has been very encouraging to here how this church has been growing in Christ like maturity.

- But seriously, thank you all for being part of this church. For making this a church that is able to welcome in people like me as we prepare for a future in pastoral ministry. In participating in my pastoral formation, you get to share in some of the ministry rewards that come from it.

Hook

Slide- Marriage 80/20

Prior to marriage, I heard a lot of marriage advice in preparation for healthy marriage.

One of the things that I heard was, if you give 80% in marriage and receive %20 then you are probably doing it balanced.

- Groceries, laundry, mowing the lawn, shoveling snow, kids to soccer practice, working grueling job to pay the bills. – add together all the things that you do…

- Reasons – 1.) wrong discernment of weight own vs their tasks. 2) Wrong discernment of total tasks done. 3) it is more blessed to give than receive.

- So even if we had perfect discernment – I am still aiming for 70/30

Intro

So, that is the scripture I want to expand and preach on for you this morning…. Acts 20:35

(6min) Slide- Acts 20:35

I was praying and thinking what God wanted for you all and my mind kept going back to this verse.

- Feel free to open your bible there, we will be spending most of our time in Acts 20.

- This is found in a narrative dialogue where Paul is addressing the church in Ephesians.

Read

Probing Question:

What does Paul in this verse when he says it is better to give than to receive?

Do you truly think it is better to give than receive? Do you truly believe that so that it affects how you live?

Is this principle true? – well yes, because Jesus said it.

- But is it universally true in all ways in all circumstances? And what does it mean by blessed?

Outline

These questions I hope to answer as we walk through this passage.

Slide- Outline

Quick outline follows the flow of the text.

- Paul is pointing to his example

- To encourage and direct the Ephesian Elders

- And supporting his argument with Christ’s words

Proposition (Thesis):

That is the flow of todays message, but ultimately, I want to remind you all that it is more blessed to give than receive. And hopefully inspire you to live according to that principle.

It is more blessed to give than to receive

Main 1: Paul’s Example

Text: In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way

This passage is found within a larger passage of Acts 20:17-37, where Paul lays out the example that he lived for the ephesians.

Slide – Read through Acts 20:17-37

Paul says “In All things I have shown you that by working hard in this way” – Paul is saying he has given a thorough examples

Slide pauls example

What are some of the things that Paul’s example laid out:

• “Did not shrink from declaring” (didn’t cower, wasn’t passive)

• Endured imprisonment and affliction (willingly heads towards suffering)

• Lived among them

• Taught and testified of repentance

• Counted his ministry as greater than his life

• Emotionally Invested (“admonished every one with tears”)

• Did not seek material gain

• Supported himself and those with him

This wasn’t easy for Paul – he shed tears for them.

Living a life of “It is better to give than to receive” isn’t an easier, more comfortable life. From pauls example we see that at the very least, that isn’t what “blessed” means here.

First aside

It doesn’t mean those in ministry shouldn’t get paid for their work – 1 Corinthians 9:14

- Paul never used his ministry as a mask to cover up greed. (X2)

- Paul is blessed in receiving financial gifts (Phil 4:10-17)

o Paul expresses thankfulness and joy

Illustration:

In seminary, they teach us it is good practice to have some sort of illustration, example for each point of the sermon. But I don’t know how to add an example onto that which paul has already given us with his life.

Application:

So far, we have seen how Paul has lived out “it is more blessed to give than to receive”

- It is work in others lives for their true good. Proclaiming the gospel to them. Encouraging others.

- Caring more about the ministry and our responsibility to love our neighbor than our own personal life.

- Pauls life wasn’t comfortable. Plush. But after reading the bible and his works, Paul seems to be a very happy man.

o Might be something to those that loose their life gain it?

Slide

Main 2: Applied to the Ephesian Elders

There are two main parts of this passage that I want to draw your attention to…

- Acts 20:17 --- Now from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called the elders of the church to come to him. 18 And when they came to him, he said to them:

- Mid Acts 20:35 -- “… we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus…”

This verse, who is the subject and who is the object of this verse. We need to look at the context.

- Short grammar lesson, because until I went back to seminary and learning Greek and Hebrew I forgot this stuff. I throw a ball. The subject = I the object = Ball

This is a universal principal, but not universally applied the same to all.

Text: we must help the weak (sick) and remember the words of the Lord Jesus

So, what am I trying to tell you about this.

Sub point 1:No absolute blessing for one side -

(NOT) Blessed are givers, not recievers. (X2)

The weak have no option but to receive. There may be some of you listening to this today that are in a weak spot. You don’t have much to give..

- Paul is speaking with the elders of the church (20:17-18)

- We should all strive to be in the spot where we can give of ourselves, like we should all desire to be mature enough to be elders of others.

Sub Point 2:This is applied to Church Leaders, specifically against averice.

- The ones that lead the flocks of God should focus on the needs of others, be more concerned with giving than receiving.

- So to any of you with any sort of ministry role – look at your responsibilities and know “it is more blessed to give than receive”

Sub Point 3:This special application of this general remark

- This is a universal prinicipal, but not universally applied the same to all of us.

- We are supposed to see from Paul’s example: that the act of giving spiritual blessings, when compared with the receiving of temporal gains, giving is more blessed than receiving.

Application:

- So we have already covered that it can be very good to be in the spot of receiving. But all throughout the bible, we are given countless examples that God greatly honors the small giving of those that don’t have much.

- This isn’t a competition of who can give more. If you need to receive, I want to humble come along side you. If in return, all you can give is a “thank you” that in itself is an encouragement that builds me up.

Lets not over complicate this. Its ok and good to receive when you need to receive. And small acts of giving often multiply

Illustration:

Slide – Micah Pictures

- I was preparing for this sermon this week, and as we neared the end of the day, my co-worker across the hall had their child join them because school wrapped up.

- I talked with him a little bit and then got back to work. Several minutes later, he walks over and gives me a picture he just drew of a dinasour and robot having a snowball fight.

o And I loved it and showed my appreciation and was just overjoyed that he would do that. And this big cute grin grows on his face.

- Another 10 minutes go by and he comes and gives me the second picture of a dolphin swimming by this treasure chest.

o Again I am so thankful and joyful at this present. And again, this little guy is just beaming with this enormous smile.

o My heart melts and I in turn want to give him something back. So I quick look around myself and all I have is a life saver mint. So I give it to him and he joyfully runs back to his mom showing her that he got a mint!

- It is more blessed to give than to receive, but it is pretty great receiving good gifts from gracious givers. And I was even more blessed in my soul when I gave back to that little dude my own thankfulness.

Lets understand the context Paul is teaching and not overcomplicate it in our own lives. God loves a joyful giver.

Slide – Christ spoken Prinicple

Main 3: Giving is greater than receiving

Text: how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

Sub point 1:Blessed “makarios” – being fortunate, happy because of circumstances, favored, fortunate, happy, privileged

- Privileged recipient of divine favor, blessing from proximity to God.

- Same as be-attitudes of sermon on the mount – blessed is the poor for they will inherit the kingdom of God – this is like the long lost cousin of the beatitudes.

Sub Point 2: Proverb not a Rule

- This example we have is specifically being applied to church leaders. But I would be remis if I didn’t challenge all of you too. This is still a universal concept that we can take to apply to ourselves in that way it is a proverb not a rule.

Sub Point 3: . it is better to produce than consume

- By re-wording it, we can see a lot of ways that this could apply to our lives.

- Is giving == producing and receiving == consume.

o Creating benefit for others or using the benefits for ourselves

- Thinking about it this way, I realize so many ways I am a consumer.

o Video games, movies, my time, resources, abilities

o I am a consumer, I want to experience good things. The American dream of a good life is the life of a consumer.

§ Passive income – to enjoy

- Instead lets try to be producers. How can we live our life in order to produce good, rather than be consumers.

Illustration idea: A couple weeks ago, my wife and I spent a weekend with my brother who lives in Eau Claire. We had a great time; however, there was still one little snag in the plans for our Saturday morning… my brother doesn’t drink coffee. Now overall, I am fine with this, I don’t drink coffee either. But my wife, she REALY enjoys a nice coffee in the morning to wake herself up. So Saturday morning, we wake up, and the first thing I do is head out the door, drive 8 minutes to the nearest starbucks, wait 10 minutes for them to make my order, and drive 8 minutes back to deliver the sugar cookie latte to my wife. Now just looking at that morning, I didn’t receive much myself. A slightly wet head because it was raining, a slightly lighter pocket for the cost. But the true “blessedness” I received from this giving really came true as we were driving back home late Saturday night… Jenny told me “thank you, thank you for getting that coffee, it made my morning really special.” At that moment, I felt like I would have battled a dragon in order to bring her that coffee in the morning. Everything I did was totally worth it and more.

- This should be the same way with God. We should be willing to serve and suffer for him, awaiting for him to tell us “well done good and faithful servant”

Sub Point 3: This takes long time of practice and discipline. – but it does self-support its own growth. It is good when you feel a shared joy when others show appreciation for your gift.

The receiving of thanks from my wife was only worth it, because my wife is so precious, important, valuable, and loved by me. I would not have felt the same way if I received the thanks from my brother if I spent 30 minutes of my morning picking up a coffee for him.

- Is God someone in your life that you love, cherish, value to the point that doing things for him are their own reward? Will a “thank you” from God outweigh all the costs you paid and suffering you endured to produce fruit for his kingdom?

Conclusion

- Look to Paul’s Example – how he lived for his ministry and not his own life.

- Understand this text is addressed to elders. It is ok to honestly and humbly recognize your position and its ok to be in a spot of receiving.

o But, if you are in a spot of ministry leadership. If God has given you some place to serve and love others, then it is more blessed to give. And give freely and joyfully.

- And Finally, Be producers not consumers. Enter into the long discipline of gradually making yourself more of a producer in this world than a consumer of it. That is what God called humanity to at the very beginning of creation. It is still true now.

And ultimately, I hate to simply add this at the end

- Jesus Exemplified this with his life – giving up his divinity to become human. Giving up his life for our salvation.