DOING WELL AND DOING GOOD

DOING WELL AND DOING GOOD 1 Chronicles 29:1-9 April 6, 2008 Given by: Pastor Rich Bersett [Index of Past Messages] Introduction Shortly before King David died he made a speech before the people of Israel that demonstrated the kind of man he was, and the kind of leader he was. In that speech, recorded in 1 Chronicles 28, he said, I had it in my heart to build a house as a place of rest for the ark of the covenant of the LORD, for the footstool of our God, and I made plans to build it. But God said to me, “You are not to build a house for my Name, because you are a warrior and have shed blood.” Whatever that meant to God as a reason that David could not build a Temple for God, that fact remained that, even though he desperately wanted to build it for God, he was disallowed to do it. That had to be a sad revelation to David—this king whose heart was filled with continual praise for God, whose personally written worship songs filled the book of Psalms, whose dedication and leadership brought Israel to where they were at that time: a mighty people living at peace in the homeland God had given them. I can imagine this was a very emotional speech. But that wasn’t all he had to say. In verses 5 and following, he tells the people the other part of what God told him: Of all my sons—and the LORD has given me many—he has chosen my son Solomon to sit on the throne of the kingdom of the LORD over Israel. He said to me: “Solomon your son is the one who will build my house and my courts, for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father. David then turned to his beloved son, Solomon, and charged him to dedicate himself fully to the LORD and his purposes, saying, …serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind… Consider now, for the LORD has chosen you to build a temple as a sanctuary. Be strong and do the work. [webmasters note: 1 Chronicles 28:9-10] David then gave to Solomon all the Temple plans that the Spirit of the Lord had given to him. David apparently showed no regret or sorrow that he would not be able to carry out the one thing he had always wanted to do for God. Remember, this is the man who with his army of 30,000 brought the Ark of the Covenant back to Jerusalem from the house of Abinadab, among great festivity and exuberant praise. David was the one person in all Israel who most wanted a house of repose for the Ark—to grant a permanent place of residence to the nomadic and transitory Tabernacle. From that triumphant day on David dreamed of providing God a glorious temple—and where else but Jerusalem? Like Moses who saw the Promised Land but was denied the privilege of leading the people into it, but turned that honor over to Joshua, David was not be permitted to fulfill his most cherished vision. Instead, Solomon gets that glorious assignment. What happens in that transition is a most selfless act of generosity on the part of David—one that inspires the entire nation. David hands over his prized life’s ambition to his son, giving him not only the plans, but virtually all his riches to help make it happen. We pick up at 1 Chronicles 29:1--here David is again addressing the Israelites in a huge meeting. Having just given the largest single donation in all the Bible to the building program and now he speaks. READ 1 CHRONICLES 29:1-5. David says of his gift, With all my resources I have provided for the temple of my God. (vs. 2) I now give my personal treasures for the temple of my God… (verse 3) This is true giving: he gave for the benefit of those who would come after him. Here is leadership. Renouncing the temptation to pout over his lost privilege of building the Temple himself, but celebrating the fact that it will be built, he is about to call on the Israelites to give a large and generous offering to this cause. Like the great leader he is, he makes his personal donation first. Estimates of the value of David’s contribution in modern equivalence range from 500 million to 20 billion dollars. Whichever estimate you choose, that’s a lot of money! Then he very simply asks, “Now, folks, what will you do?” Not unexpectedly, it is the leaders of the tribes and families, as well as the military commanders who step forward immediately and make sacrificial offerings. Let’s read about it. READ 1 CHRONICLES 29:6-9. This is one excited bunch of leaders getting enthusiastically on board for the greatest building program in all of Israeli history! Then look at the response of all the rest of the people who have witnessed the unselfish, enormously generous gift of their leaders: The people rejoiced at the willing response of their leaders, for they had given freely and wholeheartedly to the LORD. David the king also rejoiced greatly. Now, I want us to witness the prayer that David prays. READ 1 CHRONICLES 29:10-17 A Few Observations about Giving More than ten years ago, while this church family was renting facilities across highway 50, the Lord led us in no uncertain ways to purchase a piece of land around the corner and down a few short blocks on Ashland Avenue. I’ll abbreviate a really thrilling story to say that He blessed our efforts in purchasing that land, paying a short term loan off in record time. Since 1998 we’ve leased the land to farmers who’ve grown and sold corn and beans now for ten years. Ever since then we’ve waited and prayed for the Lord to show us what’s next. Nothing. For nine years questions would come, What are we going to do with the Ashland property? When are we going to build? What are our plans? How long are we going to wait? It was a frustrating season for many, especially for me, because it was left to our elders to keep answering the questions with the lame-sounding answer: We don’t know yet! We are seeking the Lord about the matter, but we don’t sense any leading at all. Finally, last year, something stirred. Suddenly there was the sure sense that it was time to make our future plans. We don’t know what God was doing during that long season while we waited and prayed, but we know, don’t we, that God is always active preparing hearts and circumstances while we pray and wait, often impatiently. As we shared in our congregational meeting at the beginning of this year, we are confident we now have His leading. We laid out a plan we call “Twenty-twenty,” so named because the goal is to be in our new facility in the year 2020. In order to get there in good order, and with minimal debt—perhaps even no loan at all—we have a short-term goal of first eliminating all our current debt, which is, of course, the loan on this property. The mid-range goal is to pay off all our debt not later than December, 2015—just seven and three-fourths years from now. That is going to be for us the first of at least two “First Chronicles 29” celebrations. It will be the day when we burn the mortgage on this property exactly two times more quickly than the thirty year mortgage calls for. Then, with this property and its anticipated 1.5 million dollar equity, and our budget freed up to begin building savings prior to building, we set our sights on 2020, just five years away. We believe that five years gives us sufficient time to sell this property and raise the additional funds to move into a new facility, largely if not completely, as a cash purchase. We do not, and can not, predict all the details, but we are confident of our next step. Our focus for now is the rapid pay-off of our existing mortgage, currently $400,000-plus. Pay that off in seven years? That seem impossible! Sure it does! But if our goals are not big enough to require the miraculous power of God, they are not worthy of God. Here’s what we see, as Ronald pointed out last week. If this church family will come together on this plan, in 1 Chronicles 9-fashion, it will happen. In addition to making our regular mortgage payments, as, by God’s grace, we have done for eight years, we are challenging this body to aggressively pay down the principle of that mortgage with extra gifts of very manageable size. As incredible as it sounds, if 60 of us give only $5 per week, dedicated to this freedom fund, 100% of which goes as extra payments on principal, we will have paid the mortgage off ahead of our goal of 2015. The reason that can happen is that every dollar we give toward that principal right now is actually worth nearly two dollars in terms of the interest saved. What I haven’t mentioned is how much faster that will happen as the church family grows and more people catch the vision and participate in the Freedom Fund drive. With every ten donors above 60, we cut the pay off by another month. Here’s the picture: from our current budget, mortgage payments are made. (After eight years of payments, already a larger chunk of our payment is going against principal.) In addition, every cent of our “Freedom Fund” collections will be paid to the bank every month, whittling away at the principle itself. How do we give more? I recommend you do what Charlotte and I are committing ourselves to. In addition to remaining faithful to our regular tithes and offerings to the church, we are cutting out one meal each per week, and giving the estimated $5 each of those meals would have cost to the Freedom Fund. We plan to lose a little weight in the process and even be healthier. I have a feeling that we’re going to have so much fun at this, we may cut two meals a week and double our donation. From there, who knows how many meals we’ll learn to give up! If we shrivel up and disappear, you’ll know we overcommitted! Here’s what I see. I see a 1 Chronicles 29 event occurring sometime before December, 2015, among this church family. I can almost hear the shout of praise and celebration when the Freedom Fund hits its goal of “freedom.” I hope you’ll get on board. Maybe you’re diabetic and can’t skip a meal. Think of another creative way to come up with the $2,000 over 7 years. Generous giving is the appropriate response of a grateful heart. Dietrich Bonhoeffer: “How can God entrust great things to one who will not thankfully receive from Him the little things?” What a powerful truth this is! It reminds me of what we are usually reminded of every year at Thanksgiving. We are to be a thankful people. “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thess. 5:18. I’ve personally decided to always cultivate anew the habit of giving thanks in everything—to intentionally notice the little blessings, and to gratefully honor the One who gives every good and perfect gift. Lord, give us eyes to see the small, giant blessings in our lives, and to have a heart of gratitude toward You. This is what the Israelite leaders were mindful of. David expressed the heart of the whole group: “Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.” Gratitude takes the “stew” out of stewardship. Generous giving is the united expression of devoted people. There was a wonderful sense of unity among God’s people on this event. Everyone was “on board” working for the common goal. That is a spectacular thing. It honors God; it blesses God’s people; it encourages sacrifice; it discourages selfishness; such offerings unite people in ways unequaled by anything else. Love offerings are right and good in every way. I’m expecting ours to build a whole new dimension into the unity we have as a church. This kind of unity occurs through such efforts, just as it did in Israel, when everyone realizes there is a part they can play, whether large or small. The beauty and genius of breaking it all down to just a five dollar a meal gift for each of us is that it is not too hard for anyone. Even if you can’t give $5 a week, you could give $3. Some can give much more, and will. I want you to participate, because I want you to feel the thrill of the pay-off. Everyone doing his part: not equal gifts but equal commitment! I read a story about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and Nobody! • There was an important job to be done, and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. • Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it. • Somebody got angry about that because it was Everybody’s job. • Everybody thought Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn’t do it. • It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done. • Now, here’s my last question: • Are you a part of the Everybody that is waiting on • Somebody to do what Anybody can do, but Nobody is doing it? • OR, Are you a Somebody who is doing what Everybody thought Anybody could do, but Nobody would have done, if you weren’t doing it? People give generously when their leaders give generously. It is hard to estimate the encouragement these Israelite leaders were to the people in their tribes, families and regiments as they dug deep into their accounts, their household treasures and their savings accounts to give lavishly to this great cause. I want to encourage our leaders. Lead! Lead through your generosity. Lead through your example. I once heard a preacher deliver a very powerful sermon on tithing. Toward the end of the message he said, “Now, I want you to know that I have not been able to get to the point in my growth where I myself tithe. But I am convinced it is what the Lord wants of you and me.” He then tried to close the sermon with a rousing challenge to people to tithe. But all the air had been let out of his balloon. Folks, people never rise above the level of their leaders. I challenge our elders, team leaders, Life Group leaders, our teachers and other servant leaders, Parents (you are leaders) GIVE gratefully, generously, cheerfully, sacrificially, excitedly, regularly. I urge you in Christ to get on board in a very tangible and magnanimous way in this Freedom Fund drive. What a perfect opportunity to stretch yourself into the joy of giving; and what a great opportunity to lead by example! You’ve been looking for a way to get more meaningfully involved in service to your church? Voila! The Freedom Fund! Generous giving results in God being glorified Joy: David said, “I have seen with joy how willingly your people who are here have given to you.” I don’t want a single to feel regret or feel left out when we celebrate the pay-off. I am expecting a great experience not only when we burn that mortgage, but even during the process. Some of you will come into some unexpected money, and you’ll joyfully contribute all or some of it to the FF. Others will sponsor a garage sale and give the proceeds. Some will tithe their economic stimulus check in June. Whatever the source that God gives you, give gratefully. Praise: There was a worship service like no other that occurred when this outpouring of sacrificial giving happened. It was really more like an explosion. Let’s expect that! Let’s work together as God’s people and then praise Him for what He does through us. Temple: Eventually, because of the outpouring of generous gifts, the temple was built. And God was glorified in that as well. In fact, despite its destruction and rebuilding the Temple in Jerusalem invited the worship of God’s people and emanated His praise for hundreds of generations. We are not building a Temple in 2020. We will erect a worship and training center that the community around us will recognize as the unified, sacrificial work of His people. In that building people will come to faith in Jesus, children will receive instruction in godly living, Christians will experience fellowship opportunities, youth will gather in the name of Christ, ministry will flow from that center to the community and the far reaches of the globe. In our culture, people have come to expect a building as the church’s center and place of identity. Sometimes I think that’s too bad, and I wish that even unbelievers could understand that the church is really God’s people serving people in His Name wherever they are. John walked around heaven in his Revelation vision and commented, “I saw no temple in the city.” One great day we will be there and we won’t miss having a building. But until then, buildings are where we meet and where we identify. We’ll meet there, and always understand that the church is God’s people, and buildings are there just to keep the weather out. Generous giving results when people recognize God as their provider “Who are we that we should be able to give as generously as this?” David asked rhetorically of the Lord. We’re nothing, and we have nothing to give, if it were not for God’s love and care. This was a free will offering, wherein people gave generously out of the abundance of what God had given them. David is almost beside himself as he keeps repeating this awesome truth—“It comes from Your hand!” Oh, church, we must continually remind ourselves that all that we handle is on loan to us from our gracious God. He judges our faith by the way we handle it all as His stewards. God is the giver of every good and perfect gift, and we are the beneficiaries. Those who do well must recognize God as their sole provider, and in His Name, do good.     [Back to Top]