Power to Give (Giving until it Hurts)

Intro

VBS Announcement by Tina

Dominoes

About a year ago I had a weird youtube bing.

I watched a bunch of video on Dominoes falling over.

One Domino would hit the next and the next and the next and it would create a chain reaction affecting all the other dominos until the oceans of dominos began to fall over and reveal beautiful pictures. The crowd would ooh and ahh as this process was underway.

In the book of Acts its the story of God setting in motion his plan to grow the church. He starts by dropping his Holy Spirit upon the disciples in the upper room and Peter under the Dunamis power of the Holy Spirit preaches and sees over 3000 people saved and follow after Christ.

We begin to see God’s beautiful plan unfold and we see the stories and testimony of when human beings encounter the grace and love of God. We begin to see the church grow and expand.

BUT

When the Dominos fall and they don’t hit their intended target, it can throw off the whole show. It has the power to mess it all up.

The Story of Two Givers

We are going to see one man who gives until it hurts and we are going to see a couple who gives but only because they have a selfish motivation.

Selfless giving vs selfish giving

Sacrificial giving vs sacrilegious giving

BEFORE WE START!!!

I can see some of you squirming in your chair, why is this young guy talking about money?

Why is it weird for pastors to talk about money? Why do we always seem to have a knee jerk reaction to money talks?

Wallet Analogy

Place Wallet on the Center of the table

The wallet determines alot in life.

What kind of car you drive.

What kind of job you find.

What kind of clothes you wear

What kind of house you buy

Level of security

Safety (Live in certain neighborhoods

School your kids attend

The level of education you achieve.

It all ties back into your wallet.

Your life revolves around your wallet so you become enslaved by it, see what I mean

Giving until it hurts reveals the condition of our hearts.

Power to Give “Giving until it hurts”

The Gospel transformed the people’s thinking.

The Gospel transformed the people’s thinking.

Acts 4:32–37 ESV

Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

Acts 4:32

They had “one heart and one soul” and because of this their perspective on giving changed.

Private Property turned to God’s property.

How are you using God’s property?

How are you using God’s finances?

Do you have a perspective that takes the “right” away from yourself and gives it to God?

When we start asking these questions we are challenged to think about giving.

Leading by Example

A man named Barnabas is going to lead by example.

We have a new movement and Barnabas is going to set the tone.

He is going to give sacrificially.

Men let me say, there are few things more masculine than a generous man.

When a man works hard, comes home and is generous with his time, his energy and his money, he is functioning in Godly masculinity.

Why the men? Well because women tend to be more generous. Women understand feelings and usually feeling direct the pocketbook.

Barnabus -

The Value of Land in His context.

Ownership of Land was the principle source of wealth and social standing.(Peterson, PNTC) When he humbly places the proceeds at the apostles feet, he forgoes the usual social benefits of praise and public honour.

Barnabus was living counter culturally!

He is lifted up as the model disciple.

There was a man named Saul who we will meet in a couple of weeks. He went after Christians and even murdered them but then is radically converted. None of the disciples want to deal with him because they are scared but Barnabas steps up and again lays his life on the line to meet with Saul and walk with him in discipleship.

Barnabus’ testimony is meant to empower us today.

It shows us what it looks like to follow after Christ with EVERYTHING!

It reveals something about Barnabas’ heart.

The Story of Two Givers

We saw how Barnabas gave sacrificially but now the story turns and we see how another couple will give but their giving has the potential to jeopardize the entire movement of God.

After the Story of Barnabas we see a big butt!

Ananias and Sapphira

Acts 5:1–11 ESV

But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, and with his wife’s knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles’ feet. But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God.” When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard of it. The young men rose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him. After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. And Peter said to her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much.” And she said, “Yes, for so much.” But Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.” Immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. When the young men came in they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things.

They sell a piece of the land in order to contribute to the cause.

WHAT IS THE PROBLEM HERE?!

Why does God strike them dead? this is one of those bizarre stories in the BIble.

Why is God so mean?!

God reveals their heart

Acts 5:

Acts 5:3 ESV

But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land?

Place Wallet on the Center of the table

The wallet determines alot in life.

What kind of car you drive.

What kind of job you find.

What kind of clothes you wear

What kind of house you buy

Level of security

Safety (Live in certain neighborhoods

School your kids attend

The level of education you achieve.

It all ties back into your wallet.

Your life revolves around your wallet so you become enslaved by it, see what I mean -

If we find our security in home, car, job, pleasures, and experiences. then when the money begins to decline what happens? WE FREAK OUT!!

We spend more time trying to get it. We spend more energy trying to keep it and save it.

A Shocking Text

This is shocking because we have all done something worse.

This confronts our hearts and asks us “From which heart do you give?”

Two examples of giving from the same person

Going to the bar or restaurant with your friends

We tip well or buy drinks for everyone

We get into religious circles and we ask, “Is this fair?”

Giving with Strings attached

I’ll give to this project or that because that is where I have pull. I have control here so my money will go here. Then I can keep an eye on it, I can control it and I can take credit for it.

We tend to view giving as transactional.

- If I give x then I will receive Y

Gospel Giving is more like a “family duty” (Witherington)

My wife and I are not keeping tabs on my daughter Elsie.

When she turns 18 we are not going to give her a receipt for $200,000 and say, “we will take monthly payments, and you were afraid of student loans!”

My money is not transactional with my daughters and my family.

My wife had a medical issue come up and my first thought wasn’t, hmm what can I get out of this. It was, “My wife needs this”.

I AM COMMITTED TO MY WIFE AND SO THAT MEANS MY WALLET IS TOO!

I don’t give with expectation of receiving anything in return.

I AM COMMITTED TO THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST SO MY WALLET IS COMMITTED TO IT AS WELL.

It’s not transactional, it’s trusting

It’s not easy, its sacrificial

It’s not fair, its family

Barnabas gave because his family was hurting.

Giving until it Hurts is Supernatural

It is a result of a supernatural transformation that happens in the life of a believer.

Your willingness to give is a reflection of gospel transformation.

- If I give x then I will receive Y

Gospel Giving is more like a “family duty” (Witherington)

My wife and I are not keeping tabs on my daughter Elsie.

When she turns 18 we are not going to give her a receipt for $200,000 and say, “we will take monthly payments, and you were afraid of student loans!”

My money is not transactional with my daughters and my family.

My wife had a medical issue come up and my first thought wasn’t, hmm what can I get out of this. It was, “My wife needs this”.

I AM COMMITTED TO MY WIFE AND SO THAT MEANS MY WALLET IS TOO!

I don’t give with expectation of receiving anything in return.

I AM COMMITTED TO THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST SO MY WALLET IS COMMITTED TO IT AS WELL.

It’s not transactional, it’s trusting

It’s not easy, its sacrificial

It’s not fair, its family

It’s not

Barnabas gave because his family was hurting.

Why is this type of giving Vital?

It supernaturally breaks down barriers.

Galatians 3:28 ESV

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

The dunamis or power of the gospel is that it breaks down the barriers between you and God. it takes a broken, rebellious sinner and transforms them into a child of God. the gospel allows us to have the faith that binds us to God.

But the dunamis power of God is also meant to bind us to our brothers and sisters in Christ through the act of giving and sharing our wealth and life with others, no matter how great or how small.

Control will always be the pressure point

Ownership vs Stewardship

Unhealthy churches have a culture of ownership, healthy churches have a culture of stewardship

- If I give x then I will receive Y

Gospel Giving is more like a “family duty” (Witherington)

The Power of this gospel movement is jeopardized by our control.

My wife and I are not keeping tabs on my daughter Elsie.

Ownership- This is mine and if I like you I will give you some of what is mine

When she turns 18 we are not going to give her a receipt for $200,000 and say, “we will take monthly payments, and you were afraid of student loans!”

My money is not transactional with my daughters and my family.

My wife had a medical issue come up and my first thought wasn’t, hmm what can I get out of this. It was, “My wife needs this”.

I AM COMMITTED TO MY WIFE AND SO THAT MEANS MY WALLET IS TOO!

Stewardship- This is all God’s and I am going to manage his money to the best of my abilities

I don’t give with expectation of receiving anything in return.

I AM COMMITTED TO THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST SO MY WALLET IS COMMITTED TO IT AS WELL.

It’s not transactional, it’s trusting

We don’t hold a tight fist because it is not ours to hold

It’s not easy, its sacrificial

It’s not fair, its family

The Power of this gospel movement is jeopardized by our control.

Barnabas gave because his family was hurting.The Power of this gospel movement is jeopardized by our control.

Ananias and Sapphira sought to hold onto the social standing of the culture and simultaneously obtain the stature of “Giver” in the Christian community.

They wanted to look good. They wanted to look like everyone else in their giving while still holding onto their old life.

They didn’t lay their entire life down at the feet of the apostles or at the foot of the cross

They had dysfunctional Christianity.

Dysfunctional Christianity!

This is when you are trying to live two lives. You want to participate in the world and what it has to offer but you also want to look good in the church.

They were hypocrites!

They were full of satan rather than the spirit of God and their giving reflected it!

You cannot serve two masters.

In this story God wastes no time in nipping this dysfunction in the butt.

Ananias wanted to control his faith, he wanted to control how the world saw him.

He wanted his faith to fit nicely into his own idea of how life should be lived.

Giving Up Control is a Command for the Rich and Poor

Wealthy people, working class people, poor people, we are all in this together

We have one campus that is funding other campuses right now and hopefully over time we will see some balancing out but I doubt it will ever be an even split

We are all in this together and we all give until it hurts because we serve a Savior who gave until it hurt

My hope and goal is for this campus to be able to financially fund its own pastor, worship leader and even missional focuses. But that can’t happen unless all of us come together and fight for our family.

Three Challenges

Pray very intentionally about what it looks like to give to this family.

If you are not tithing, start tithing

We are taking a special offering for Rock Creek and Benevolence during Madelyns last song.

Special Offering (Buckets on Stage)