Why Do We Give?

Summary: Giving is not forced, but comes from a gracious heart.

Key Verse (Matthew 6:21): Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.

JAB

RIGHT HOOK

Money related issues are the second most covered topic in the writings in the Bible, behind love.

Of the thirty-eight parables of Jesus in the Bible, sixteen of them deal with how to handle possessions; all told, 288 verses in the Gospels — one out of every ten — refer to money. Over two thousand Bible verses talk about our personal resources, compared with approximately 500 on prayer and fewer than 500 on faith. We can’t conclude from these statistics that Jesus’ heart was focused on money, but rather that he knew ours would be. (Tim Rolen, New Hope Community church, Clovis, CA. Jan 11, 2015)

Money is a something that everyone of us think about, stress about, and pray about.

Whether you are a Christian or not, money is one of the things we all have in common today.

When you think about money, do you feel secure because you have enough, or stress because you do not have enough.

ILLUSTRATION: What would you be willing to do to receive $10 million? In their 1991 book written by James Patterson and Peter Kim, they reveal some statistics concerning how far people in this country are willing to go for money.

According to Patterson and Kim’s research they found that of those surveyed…

(25%) Would abandon their entire family

(23%) Would become prostitutes for a week or more

(16%) Would give up their American citizenship

(16%) Would leave their spouses

(10%) Would withhold testimony and let a murderer go free

(7%) Would kill a stranger

(3%) Would put their children up for adoption (Pastor Bill Burnett, New Life Chapel Foursquare Church, Hesperia, CA. April 12, 2015)

I would imagine since 1991 the numbers would look worse.

The practical reason we do so is so that we can fund the work God has called us to do; however, there are some deeper reasons we take up our offering each week, and it has nothing to do with separating you from your money.

If you are here for the first time today, the subject of this message my fit into your stereotype of what church is all about; however, I want to assure you that the stereotype that all the church talks about money is not true at Living Way.

Today we are not presenting this subject to get something from you, but rather we are trying to do something for you by explaining the issues of offer or giving.

Today I am going to explain the deeper reasons we take up a weekly offering.

Defining Terms

TITHE: A tithe is 10% of your income, and it should be given to God faithfully.

Proverbs 3:9–10 NLT

Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce. Then he will fill your barns with grain, and your vats will overflow with good wine.

Malachi 3:8–10 NLT

“Should people cheat God? Yet you have cheated me! “But you ask, ‘What do you mean? When did we ever cheat you?’ “You have cheated me of the tithes and offerings due to me. You are under a curse, for your whole nation has been cheating me. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!

In the book of Malachi, God challenges His people to bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, promising blessings in return. A mother whispers to her son about how her family has always tithed, even when money was tight. She recounts how, in their lowest moments, a surprise provision or an unexpected blessing would come just as they needed it. This tithe was not merely a duty, but a lifeline to experiencing God’s faithfulness in their lives.

OFFERING: Offerings are something that you search your heart and decide to give beyond the tithe, but not in place of the tithe.

2 Corinthians 9:7 NLT

You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”

In 2 Corinthians 9:7, we learn that God loves a cheerful giver. One Sunday, an elderly woman gave more than she could afford, motivated by her heart's desire to help those in need. She had always faithfully paid her tithes, so her offering beyond the tithe was a true act of faith. This example illustrates how our offerings can express our love for God and our neighbors—showing that giving is often a joyful response to God’s generosity.

GIFT OFFERING: The one time over and above big give that God stirs you to give.

There was a young man who felt a stirring in his heart while attending a church service. The pastor spoke passionately about a mission trip that would bring hope to a struggling community. In a moment of impulse, the young man wrote a check beyond his plan, feeling a warmth and joy he hadn’t experienced before. It was a sacrificial gift that changed his life and the lives of many others. This story reminds us how sometimes God calls us to exceed our limits, like the widow who gave all she had, and the blessings that follow are immeasurable.

A student faced financial challenges, struggling to cover tuition fees. During a mission conference at her church, she felt the Holy Spirit nudging her to give her last $20 to support a missionary. She hesitated, fearing for her own needs but ultimately chose to give. A few days later, she received an anonymous donation covering her tuition. Her story reflects how God honors generosity, often surprising us with His provision, reminiscent of the rediscovery of the widow who gave sacrificially yet received her reward in unexpected ways.

Why We Give...

Giving is an Act of WORSHIP

Matthew 6:21 NLT

Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.

Our giving should be viewed as a part of our worship to the Lord. If we are just giving to mark off a line on our spiritual checklist, we are merely involved in charity and we are missing out on the great joy of being a cheerful giver. This idea of our giving being a part of our worship is expanded upon in 2 Corinthians 8-9 as the apostle Paul makes the following points.

Those who follow Jesus should excel in the grace of giving.

Giving is an expression of the love one has for Jesus.

God loves willing and cheerful givers.

A willingness to be generous in giving is more important than the amount given.

Our giving will result in praise and thanksgiving to God.

Our giving should be a natural response to God's gracious gift to mankind.

Biblical Principals for Giving

1 Corinthians 16:2 NLT

On the first day of each week, you should each put aside a portion of the money you have earned. Don’t wait until I get there and then try to collect it all at once.

Giving is to be PLANNED

If you find your finances often strapped at the end of the month, consider setting up a specific budget line for giving. Write down a percentage of your income that you plan to give away each month before other expenses. This proactive planning not only ensures that you are prioritizing your giving as part of your financial stewardship but also encourages you to look for ways to creatively manage your other expenses to make that percentage possible. Pray over your budget regularly, asking God for wisdom to balance your needs and your generosity.

Giving is to be PERSONAL

Giving should be personal. Giving is something that is inherently individualistic. It’s between you and God what you give. At the same time, the Bible makes it clear that every believer is to give: “each one of you.” Giving is not just a suggestion. God expects each of us to be givers.

Giving is to be PROPORTIONAL

Giving should be proportional. We are to give according to how God has blessed us. The believer is to set aside “a sum of money in keeping with his income.” Proportional giving means that the more God blesses us, the more we’re able to give. That’s grace giving! According to Malachi, the more you give, the more you are blessed. 1 Corinthians teaches that the more you’re blessed, the more you can give. Someone put it this way: “Give according to your income, lest God make your income according to your giving.” In the New Testament the command becomes a model as we’re urged to practice proportional giving.

CONCLUSION 

Our Story of Giving...

WRAP-UP CHALLENGE

Hey Summit Family, I just wanted to take a few minutes today to celebrate how God is moving in our midst and invite you into something important.

1. First, a reason to celebrate…

God is moving! We’re seeing hearts transformed, lives being changed, seeing 13 baptisms, 18-20 kids at vbs in echo bay, and moments where the presence of God is so tangible in our gatherings. But it’s not just in the room—it’s in the faithfulness of this house.

Let me give you one more example: our general giving is ahead of where it was this time last year, and we’re just shy of hitting our YTD budget target for 2025. That’s incredible.

So from all of us on the leadership team: thank you. Thank you for trusting God with your finances, thank you for being faithful to give back to Him, and thank you for partnering with what He’s doing here. It matters.

2. Now, an urgent prayer request…

Back on June 24, our voting members made a decision to move forward with repairing and restoring our parking lot. And right now—we are in the thick of making that happen. Maybe trying too hard on our own to make things happen.

We’re currently working with the bank to secure a loan to fund the project, but honestly—we’ve hit some bumps in the road. It’s taking longer than expected, and we’re facing some resistance.

But here’s what we know: God is our provider. This is not ours to control—it’s His. So we’re inviting our entire church to rally together in two ways:

First—PRAY.

This week, would you pray with us? Specifically, pray for a favourable response from the bank. Pray that all the approvals would come through, or at the very least a confirmation that we are pre-approved for our mortgage request. That way we can engage the contractors to get started quickly—so the project can be completed before the end of September, early October.

The timeline is very tight for this project to get completed this year, but God is able.

Let’s believe together that God will move and make a way.

Second—ask God how you can help.

Would you take a moment this week to ask: "God, what can I give?" "What can I do above and beyond my regular tithes to help move this forward?"

Today we talked about the Gift Offering, that offering that is painful in the natural, but that God has led you to give. Maybe this is for you.

Now—imagine this with me…

What if we didn’t have to borrow anything? What if God provided the full $300,000 needed for the project through the generosity of His people—through all of us?

It’s bold. But our God is able. He’s done it before, and we believe He can do it again.

If you have any questions or want to talk more about this, we are here. We are believing that this is just one more opportunity for God to show up and do what only He can do.

Thank you for being a church that prays. A church that gives. A church that believes.

We can’t wait to celebrate with you when God does what only He can do!