Getting more from Offering
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· 26 viewsGiving from a cheerful heart is a part of our worship
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God’s Offer leads to our offering
God’s Offer leads to our offering
God has always offered mercy and grace to the people, first to Israel then to all people who would come to Him through the blood of Christ.
God’s offering was costly it was the high price of His Son on the Cross
God’s offering was sacrificial; He did not hold back
God’s offering with complete, meaning that with it man could be reconciled to God and man to man too.
God’s offering in the O.T. demanded a tithe in return; in the N.T. the tithe was gone but the offering from a cheerful heart was there.
In the O.T. God commands a tithe; and in the N.T. we are implored to give as purposed in your heart.
Our assemblies on first day of week give us a good opportunity to give. Paul said this in Corinth and in Galatia
1 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I directed the churches of Galatia, so do you also. 2 On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I come.
Call it collection, call it offering, call it what you may, but it should not be confused with the O.T. command of tithe, though many may still call it that today, this is not that.
28 ‘Nevertheless, anything which a man sets apart to the Lord out of all that he has, of man or animal or of the fields of his own property, shall not be sold or redeemed. Anything devoted to destruction is most holy to the Lord. 29 ‘No one who may have been set apart among men shall be ransomed; he shall surely be put to death. 30 ‘Thus all the tithe of the land, of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord’s; it is holy to the Lord.
31 ‘If, therefore, a man wishes to redeem part of his tithe, he shall add to it one-fifth of it. 32 ‘For every tenth part of herd or flock, whatever passes under the rod, the tenth one shall be holy to the Lord.
Lev27:28-30
33 ‘He is not to be concerned whether it is good or bad, nor shall he exchange it; or if he does exchange it, then both it and its substitute shall become holy. It shall not be redeemed.’ ” 34 These are the commandments which the Lord commanded Moses for the sons of Israel at Mount Sinai.
Let
Many may have a misconception of this act of worship for the rest are otherwise spiritual acts of worship, acts of service.
In reality we have to be honest that the offering while not a popular subject and is a very personal decision on what you are willing give, it is a necessary evil (or in other words necessary thing) for the church to carry on it’s business and God’s message.
This form of worship maybe uncomfortable, it maybe difficult to engage with it with gladness. Especially if people give grudgingly instead of giving as purposed in their heart.
So let’s look at this act of worship in the assembly.
I. The Collection (offering) in our assemblies
I. The Collection (offering) in our assemblies
(Slide) The Early Church
The early church cared for one another
44 And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; 45 and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need.
Act2:44-45
As anyone might have need
32 And the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul; and not one of them claimed that anything belonging to him was his own, but all things were common property to them. 33 And with great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all.
32 And the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul; and not one of them claimed that anything belonging to him was his own, but all things were common property to them. 33 And with great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all. 34 For there was not a needy person among them, for all who were owners of land or houses would sell them and bring the proceeds of the sales 35 and lay them at the apostles’ feet, and they would be distributed to each as any had need.
Act4:32-33
34 For there was not a needy person among them, for all who were owners of land or houses would sell them and bring the proceeds of the sales 35 and lay them at the apostles’ feet, and they would be distributed to each as any had need.
the collection was used (distributed) to each as any had need.
The collection goes beyond our building and beyond our city limits at times, just as it did in the first century
27 Now at this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 One of them named Agabus stood up and began to indicate by the Spirit that there would certainly be a great famine all over the world. And this took place in the reign of Claudius.
29 And in the proportion that any of the disciples had means, each of them determined to send a contribution for the relief of the brethren living in Judea. 30 And this they did, sending it in charge of Barnabas and Saul to the elders.
Hey here is another example
25 but now, I am going to Jerusalem serving the saints. 26 For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem.
ROm15:25-26
I have to stop and say the early church saw a need and met it, you see a need and you meet it. You prove that time and time again here at Lockett. Thank you for your loving and giving heart.
(Slide) The Collection (offering) instituted
It was instituted to meet the needs of the saints (i.e. 1Cor16:1-2 as read before)
Example were given to show sacrificial giving
The Macedonians
1 Now, brethren, we wish to make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia, 2 that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality.
3 For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord, 4 begging us with much urging for the favor of participation in the support of the saints,
5 and this, not as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God.
Then the best example we have is Christ Himself.
7 But just as you abound in everything, in faith and utterance and knowledge and in all earnestness and in the love we inspired in you, see that you abound in this gracious work also. 8 I am not speaking this as a command, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity of your love also. 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.
God did not hold back in giving Jesus and Jesus did not hold back, He gave it all so we can become rich!
(Slide) So how much should we give?
2 On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I come.
Give as we may prosper, remember we have nothing without Christ for from God through Christ we have all things. So anything we have we are prosperous, so give from that!
We are to give with a willing mind
12 For if the readiness is present, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. 13 For this is not for the ease of others and for your affliction, but by way of equality—
2Cor8:12-13
Give willingly; give cheerfully
6 Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed;
These simple principles help guide us to give from a cheerful heart. When we give we are able to have the ready funds to meet the needs of the church and help meet the needs of others through benevolence
Using the Collection (offering)
1 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I directed the churches of Galatia, so do you also.
1 For it is superfluous for me to write to you about this ministry to the saints;
Collection for the body! To serve the body.
Yes it does provide for me, or other preachers, missionaries who carry His message. There are people who are dedicated and devoted to full time ministry work to the Lord.
6 Or do only Barnabas and I not have a right to refrain from working? 7 Who at any time serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat the fruit of it? Or who tends a flock and does not use the milk of the flock? 8 I am not speaking these things according to human judgment, am I? Or does not the Law also say these things?
9 For it is written in the Law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle the ox while he is threshing.” God is not concerned about oxen, is He? 10 Or is He speaking altogether for our sake? Yes, for our sake it was written, because the plowman ought to plow in hope, and the thresher to thresh in hope of sharing the crops. 11 If we sowed spiritual things in you, is it too much if we reap material things from you? 12 If others share the right over you, do we not more? Nevertheless, we did not use this right, but we endure all things so that we will cause no hindrance to the gospel of Christ.
9 For it is written in the Law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle the ox while he is threshing.” God is not concerned about oxen, is He? 10 Or is He speaking altogether for our sake? Yes, for our sake it was written, because the plowman ought to plow in hope, and the thresher to thresh in hope of sharing the crops.
1Cor9:9-
11 If we sowed spiritual things in you, is it too much if we reap material things from you? 12 If others share the right over you, do we not more? Nevertheless, we did not use this right, but we endure all things so that we will cause no hindrance to the gospel of Christ.
1Cor9:11-
13 Do you not know that those who perform sacred services eat the food of the temple, and those who attend regularly to the altar have their share from the altar? 14 So also the Lord directed those who proclaim the gospel to get their living from the gospel.
1Cor9:13-14
Paul turned down support in some instances and asked for support in other.
8 I robbed other churches by taking wages from them to serve you; 9 and when I was present with you and was in need, I was not a burden to anyone; for when the brethren came from Macedonia they fully supplied my need, and in everything I kept myself from being a burden to you, and will continue to do so.
So giving from a cheerful heart, from a purposed heart it provides the funds needed for the proper work of the church.
(insert slide text boxes saying: Evangelism; edification; benevolence)
The collection is not simply a means of raising funds. it is actually an opportunity to express grace, enhance, fellowship and to experience the joy and blessings that come from it.
So let’s look at getting more
II. Getting more out of the collection
II. Getting more out of the collection
(Slide) It is a grace, so understand the grace of giving.
As mentioned earlier it was manifested in the Macedonians (2Cor8:1-2)
It was a manifestation, of the and expression of the Corinthians giving from cheerful and joyful heart.
6 So we urged Titus that as he had previously made a beginning, so he would also complete in you this gracious work as well. 7 But just as you abound in everything, in faith and utterance and knowledge and in all earnestness and in the love we inspired in you, see that you abound in this gracious work also.
2
Christ’s humiliation is a demonstration of grace
9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.
God blesses those who give, even that they may give more (ref. 2Cor9:8-11)
When done properly, when done with a cheerful heart, when done with a purposed heart it is a demonstration, manifestation of God’s grace.
Now the time tonight is limited so I need to pick up the pace. I hope we all can learn the blessedness of giving.
1 How blessed is he who considers the helpless; The Lord will deliver him in a day of trouble. 2 The Lord will protect him and keep him alive, And he shall be called blessed upon the earth; And do not give him over to the desire of his enemies. 3 The Lord will sustain him upon his sickbed; In his illness, You restore him to health.
35 “In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
(Slide) and that blessedness includes God’s care, God’s provision
ISa58:
(Slide) you can look at Isa58:7-11
7 “Is it not to divide your bread with the hungry And bring the homeless poor into the house; When you see the naked, to cover him; And not to hide yourself from your own flesh? 8 “Then your light will break out like the dawn, And your recovery will speedily spring forth; And your righteousness will go before you; The glory of the Lord will be your rear guard. 9 “Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; You will cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’ If you remove the yoke from your midst, The pointing of the finger and speaking wickedness,
(Slide) you can look at Lk12:22-34
(Slide) You want to get more, want to experience the joy of giving?
(Slide) Give weekly to the Lord (1Cor16:1-2)
(Slide) Giving is more than money it is giving good (Gal6:10)
(Slide) Give more and reap more (2Cor9:10-11)
Oh there is more we could look at tonight, but let me wrap up with this.
(Slide) Our giving is an expression of grace
(Slide) Our giving enhances our fellowship
(Slide) Our giving helps us to experience joy
(Lead to invitation) - first comes giving your life to Christ; then knowing what you have in Christ it is giving back to Christ, so what are you giving today?