Cast your bread upon the waters
Cast your bread upon the waters 11/4/07 a.m.
Ec. 11:1-2 Cast your bread upon the waters,
For you will find it after many days.
2 Give a serving to seven, and also to eight,
For you do not know what evil will be on the earth.
Charity or giving is here inculcated.
Bread—bread corn. As in the Lord’s prayer, all things needful for the body and soul.
Waters—image from the custom of sowing seed by casting it from boats into the overflowing waters of the Nile, or in any marshy ground. When the waters receded, the grain in the alluvial soil sprang up (Is 32:20). “Waters” express multitudes, so Ec 11:2; Rev 17:15; also the seemingly hopeless character of the recipients of the charity; but it shall prove at last to have been not thrown away (Is 49:4).[1]
1bread \ˈbred\ n
[ME breed, fr. OE brēad; akin to OHG brōt bread, OE brēowan to brew] bef. 12c
1 : a usu. baked and leavened food made of a mixture whose basic constituent is flour or meal
2 : food, sustenance 〈our daily bread〉
3 a : livelihood 〈earns his bread as a laborer〉
b slang : money — bready \ˈbre-dē\ adj —
Bread upon the waters: resources risked or charitable deeds performed without expectation of return
The scriptural way of giving
We are not only to do what is required, but do it as is commanded.
It is done to the Lord
Ro 14:6-87 For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. 8 For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.
Pr 19:177 He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord,
And He will pay back what he has given.
We are commanded to give to all
Is 32:2020 Blessed are you who sow beside all waters,
Who send out freely the feet of the ox and the donkey.
Dt 15:11 11 For the poor will never cease from the land; therefore I command you, saying, ‘You shall 6open (freely open) your hand wide to your brother, to your poor and your needy, in your land.’
Not only are commanded to give but we are commanded to give cheerfully, freely, and thoughtfully
Cheerfully
Dt 15:1010 You shall surely give to him, and your heart should not be grieved when you give to him, because for this thing the Lord your God will bless you in all your works and in all to which you put your hand.
Freely
2 Co 9:6-136 But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows 4bountifully (with blessings) will also reap 4bountifully(with blessings). 7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.
Thoughtfully
7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, -- Works of charity, like other good works, should be done with thought and design;
Heb 10:2424 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works,
The Christian gift of giving ought to be exercised as an act of worship with preparation, purpose, and joy.
The Godly way of giving
Lk 14:12-1412 Then He also said to him who invited Him, “When you give a dinner or a supper, do not ask your friends, your brothers, your relatives, nor rich neighbors, lest they also invite you back, and you be repaid. 13 But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. 14 And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”
To invite the outcasts of society (the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind)—people who could never repay you for your generosity—
Is to show that you are ministering to them for the Lord’s sake and not your own
Inviting the outcasts does not make the man righteous; it testifies that he is in a righteous standing before God.
This is shown by Jesus’ statement that the repayment would not come at the present time but at the resurrection of the righteous.[2]
Jesus knew that the host had invited his guests for two reasons:
(1) to pay them back because they had invited him to past feasts, or
(2) to put them under his debt so that they would invite him to future feasts.
Such hospitality was not an expression of love and grace but rather an evidence of pride and selfishness.
Our modern world is no different, and it is easy for God’s people to become more concerned about profit and loss than they are about sacrifice and service.
“What will I get out of it?” may easily become life’s most important question
In our Lord’s time, it was not considered proper to ask poor people and handicapped people to public banquets. (The women were not invited either!)
But Jesus commanded us to put these needy people at the top of our guest list
because they cannot pay us back.
Jesus does not prohibit us from entertaining family and friends, but He warns us against entertaining only family and friends exclusively and habitually.
Our motive for sharing must be the praise of God and not the applause of men.
What’s the use, it seems all my efforts have been worthless – I see no good results
Is 49:44 Then I said, ‘I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and in vain; Yet surely my just reward is with the Lord, And my work with my God.’ ”
“You can’t get your reward twice!”
Matt. 6:1–4 “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2 Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 3 But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.
Because they cannot pay us back and we don’t want anything in return, we are laying up treasures in heaven
Matt. 6:19-20 19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.
And becoming “rich toward God”
Luke 12:21 21 “So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”
Lk 6:32-3532 “But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back. 35 But love your enemies, do good, and lend, 8hoping (expecting) for nothing in return;
Jesus offers God’s perspective on the whole situation,
those who are repaid by people in this age will not be repaid by God in the next.
those who perform for the purpose of being repaid in this age will not be repaid by God.
Only those who give freely, expecting nothing in return, will receive from the God who gives freely.[3]
The results of Godly giving
If our hearts are right, God will see to it that we are properly rewarded
Heb 6:10 For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
Pr 19:1717 He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord,
And He will pay back what he has given.
Ga 6:9-109 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.
2 Co 9:10-13 10 Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, 7supply (will supply) and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness,
Lk 14:12-1412 Then He also said to him who invited Him, “When you give a dinner or a supper, do not ask your friends, your brothers, your relatives, nor rich neighbors, lest they also invite you back, and you be repaid. 13 But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. 14 And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”
Lk 6:35-3635 But love your enemies, do good, and lend, 8hoping (expecting) for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. 36 Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.
Godly giving brings praise, honor and thanksgiving to the Lord Almighty
2 Co 9:10-13 10 Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, 7supply (will supply) and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness, 11 while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God. 12 For the administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God, 13 while, through the proof of this ministry, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal sharing with them and all men,
When it comes to your giving do you do it cheerfully, freely, and thoughtfully
When you give, do you expect something in return?
Do you expect praise for your good deed or do you want the Lord to be praised?
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[1]Jamieson, Robert ; Fausset, A. R. ; Fausset, A. R. ; Brown, David ; Brown, David: A Commentary, Critical and Explanatory, on the Old and New Testaments. Oak Harbor, WA : Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997, S. Ec 11:1
6 freely open
4 with blessings
[2]Walvoord, John F. ; Zuck, Roy B. ; Dallas Theological Seminary: The Bible Knowledge Commentary : An Exposition of the Scriptures. Wheaton, IL : Victor Books, 1983-c1985, S. 2:242
8 expecting
[3]Black, Mark C.: Luke. Joplin, Mo. : College Press Pub., 1996 (College Press NIV Commentary), S. Lk 14:12
7 NU will supply
8 expecting
7 NU will supply