Some Overlooked Passages Regarding Giving

Intro:

Good evening.

We’ve come to our final sermon in our series on Acts of Worship.

This morning we talked about the cheerful giver.

Tonight, we want to look at some overlooked (or perhaps misunderstood) passages that deal with giving.

We have seven of these, so we want to jump right in.

1. Luke 12:48

Luke 12:48 NKJV

But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.

The first thing I want to notice tonight is that if we have been given MUCH, then much will be required of us.

Now what is the context of this verse?

It’s actually dealing with Jesus’ teaching about punishment:

In v. 40 that precedes this Jesus says “be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

He then teaches about a faithful servant that His Master puts him in charge of things He can entrust him with.

But in v. 45 and following, Jesus talks about an unfaithful servant and Jesus comes when the unfaithful servant least expects him.

Therefore, Jesus says that the unfaithful servant will be punished.

Then, in verses 47-48, Jesus teaches that the servant who KNEW His master’s will but didn’t obey will be beaten with many stripes, versus the servant who did NOT know would be beaten with few stripes.

That’s when Jesus says, “For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been comitted, of him they will ask the more.”

Does this apply to our material possessions? How could it not?!

So does this apply to our giving? Yes, I would say so!

Well, speaking of those who have much (compared to those who have less) …

2. Luke 21:1-4:

Luke 21:1–3 NKJV

And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites. So He said, “Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all;

Luke 21:4 NKJV

for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had.”

There is a tremendous lesson here in a woman that gave “two mites” — something akin to maybe putting in two pennies into the collection plate …

And the lesson is NOT in giving a little.

It’s actually a lesson in giving a LOT!

Why?

Because the widow gave ALL THAT SHE HAD!

(In other words, she gave not 5%, not 10%, not 20 or 30% — no, she gave 100% — Those two mites really were a LOT weren’t they?!)

They were a lot to her!

And the point to be made here is this:

This incident does NOT teach us to give a LITTLE.

It actually teaches us to give a LOT!

3. 2 Samuel 24:24

2 Samuel 24:24 NKJV

Then the king said to Araunah, “No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price; nor will I offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God with that which costs me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.

Let’s read this a little more in context, but the main point that we want to draw from here is this — Giving that is pleasing to God should COST us something — In other words, it should be SACRIFICIAL!

(Read with 2 Samuel 24:18—25).

These are the last verses of 2 Samuel before the Bible transitions to 1 Kings, and the book of 2 Samuel ends on a note showing the importance of making SACRIFICE when giving to the Lord.

I believe that it is wise for all of us to consider asking the question — What am I sacrificing — before determining what we are going to give to the Lord?

Let me offer a scenario and put some numbers to it:

Let’s say that we wanted to splurge — and I mean REALLY splurge — by having dinner at THE fanciest, black suit and tie, expensive restaurant in the DFW metroplex (I have no idea what restaurant that is — No intention of ever going to a place like that).

But let’s say that we do, and let’s say that we run up a $1000 bill at this restaurant — I don’t know if that would be a good estimate, maybe it’s more, but let’s just say it’s $1000.

Now, the night is over and our waiter who has served the meal faithfully comes by, and we hand him a tip of $5.

How is that waiter going to view us, considering a customary tip for a meal and doing the math and the percentages? (He’s not going to be very happy, is he? And rightfully so).

Now what if we make $1000 a week, and we say to God on Sunday, “Here you go, God — Here’s a $5 tip.”

Do the math, and figure out the percentage, and you tell me — Is God happy with that level of “sacrifice?”

4. Mark 7:6-13

I’m fairly confident that this section is not the first text we thinking of as it pertains to our giving.

But there is an important principle here.

Let’s read it.

Mark 7:6 NKJV

He answered and said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me.

Mark 7:7 NKJV

And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’

Mark 7:8 NKJV

For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men—the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do.”

Mark 7:9–10 NKJV

He said to them, “All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition. For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’

Mark 7:11–12 NKJV

But you say, ‘If a man says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban”—’ (that is, a gift to God), then you no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother,

Mark 7:13 NKJV

making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do.”

What is Jesus talking about?

He’s talking about how these people were stingy and selfish.

They were making excuses why they didn’t have to help their aging parents financially, and this was a direct violation of the principles of the law of Moses - Honor your father and mother.

In the New Testament, we read that if a man will not provide for those of his own, especially his own household (think very near kin [in ancient times, one’s parents would often live there in the same house]), then he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever or an infidel (1 Tim. 5:8).

If a person had the ability to provide for his parents, but just threw them out on the street — He was guilty of violating the commandment to “honor father and mother.”

What was happening in this case was they were making excuses why they couldn’t help their parent’s financially, saying, “Well, I have to give this money to the temple for my offering.”

Now, do you think that these people were giving LARGE amounts to the temple, and there just wasn’t enough leftover to help their parents?!

OR … Do you think it is much more likely that they were being stingy in their temple giving TOO … AND not helping their parents on top of that?!

I think Jesus’ harsh condemnation here gives us the likely answer!

The point being as it pertains to US?

Yes, we have an obligation to give to God ...

And we ALSO have an obligation to our families!

The one who is living in accordance to God’s will is going to make sure that NEITHER is neglected.

5. Prov. 3:9-10:

Proverbs 3:9 NKJV

Honor the Lord with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase;

This shows that the Lord should come first when it comes to our giving.

Matthew 6:33 - “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” applies as well.

When we are making our budgets, the first decision we need to make is - “Here’s what I’m prospering. What portion am I going to give to the Lord?”

Proverbs 3:10 NKJV

So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine.

4. This shows that living according to the Lord’s way, and GIVING according to the Lord’s way, results in His blessing us.

We shouldn’t take this TOO far and preach a “health and wealth gospel.”

But there is a general sense in which if we will trust the Lord and put Him first, He will take care of us.

Another verse that shows this same principle is found in Malachi 3:8–10 - “Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me, Even this whole nation. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try 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 such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it.”

Also, Luke 6:38 - Jesus says, “Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”

6. Matt. 6:3-4

This verse is an important principle in regard not to the AMOUNT we give, necessarily, or the idea of the “first fruits” that we just talked about, but in the ATTITUDE we have when we give.

This morning we looked at giving with a CHEERFUL attitude.

These verses are going to show us that we must not give with a HAUGHTY attitude.

Unfortunately, there are those sometimes with wealth who have an attitude of this:

“Look at how much I give!”

“I want a plaque with my name on it and this building named after me.”

Or, “Now, elders, don’t you know how much I give?” (And then proceeds to try to use their giving to pressure the elders).

That’s not right!

Matthew 6:3 NKJV

But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,

Matthew 6:4 NKJV

that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.

5. When we give (and maybe it’s a LARGE amount), may we never give those large amounts (or any amount) to be seen by men!

6. If we do, we already have our reward and we will not receive the reward of heaven unless we repent of that pride!

7. Finally, one more we want to look at tonight, also from the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6.

7. Matt. 6:19-20:

We know these verses well.

May we never forget them!

And that includes remembering these verses when it comes time to lay by in store as we have prospered for our offerings:

Matthew 6:19 NKJV

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal;

Matthew 6:20 NKJV

but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.

4. There will be many people, unfortunately, who will not find themselves in heaven one day, simply because they would not give up the sins of materialism.

5. Just think of the rich young ruler (Matt. 19:16ff).

6. Jesus told him to go and sell all he had, give to the poor, then come and follow Him.

7. The rich young ruler went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

8. No wonder Jesus after this said: “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of the needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” (Matt. 19:24)

Conclusion:

Tonight we have looked at 7 passages that I believe we tend to overlook when it comes to discussing our giving.

But I hope that we have gleaned a few things from this study that will help us in this vital area of our Christian walks.

(Give invitation).