Called to Give

This morning, we turn our attention to giving. God calls us to give. Giving is an act of worship that takes shape in the following ways: financial giving, giving of time, giving of talents. Our focus today looks a financial giving to God. And specifically giving to God’s mission in the local church.

Today we turn our attention to giving. God calls us to give.

We start with our passage from Proverbs. Proverbs is a collection of instructions for living properly before God in reverence. It’s purpose, according to the introduction in chapter 1, is for “attaining wisdom and discipline; for understanding words of insight; for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair, for giving prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young… the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline” (, ).

How do we live in the fear of the Lord, with regard to our wealth? How do we honour the Lord with our wealth?

What follows is my sliding scale system whereby I will give you access to a spreadsheet with income vs expenditures, income broken down into gross and net and the perfect formula for establishing the proper, God honouring, Christ exalting percentage of giving that will allow you to feel good about yourselves, which you can then humbly share with others. Are you ready? Notepads out, ready to remember all these facts and figures? Okay, let’s begin.

The first thing we need to do is to pray. When you pray, begin by thanking God for his gifts. He is the source of everything. Confess the sins you’ve committed with regard to wealth, such as trusting in it, seeking it first, failing to use it well and properly. Hoarding wealth. Repent, promise, by the strength of the Holy Spirit, to change your attitude toward wealth. Decide in your heart what you will give and then give it, give it first. That’s what a first-fruit is. It is an act of trust, you’re saying to God, “You gave me this, I trust I will receive more, here’s the first and the best.” As you have received, give. Share with others as God has shared with you. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you a sharing heart.

God is concerned for your heart, which, according to John Calvin, is an idol factory. What that means is, our hearts are constantly coming up with new things to worship alongside of or in place of God. So, we need to examine our hearts, our motivations for things. We’ll come back to this in a minute or two.

It is tempting to consider verse 10 as a promise. If you give your first-fruits to the Lord, then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine. This is not a promise, that if you give, you will receive even more! It is a generality, based on God’s incredible wealth and generosity.

Do you think God will necessarily bless you because you’ve given Him a portion of what he’s given to you? Will God give you more if the only reason you’re giving is to get more? He might. He might not. He gives to the wicked and the righteous alike. Again, examine your heart. Why are you giving? Is it to glorify God? Is it to bless and encourage others?

Reality is, if our heart for giving comes out of a desire for more, for us, then God will not likely bless, though he does give to the wicked and the righteous alike. But if our desire is to gain for the blessings of others, then he may well give more.

The key is to check your heart, the Apostle Paul says this in “I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”

It is interesting, don’t you think, that the phrase, “I can do everything through him who gives me strength” comes in the context of learning contentedness. What does that tell you? It tells us that it isn’t easy to learn contentedness. It isn’t easy to have a proper heart toward wealth, money and things. In fact, it takes the supernatural power of Christ working in us! So pray, that God will teach contentedness and the proper attitude toward money.

Now we turn to a New Testament proverb or teaching concerning wealth. Like the teacher of proverbs, the Apostle Paul is teaching his young protégée, Timothy, his son in Christ, commandments concerning money. As most of this will reinforce what we’ve already learned, we’ll go quite quickly.

In verse 17, we hear a similar principle, those who are rich in this life, this present world, shall not be arrogant, nor put their hope in wealth. For wealth is uncertain. The world puts hope in wealth. The world deems the wealthy as being successful, blessed, etc. But all it takes is a storm, a disaster, an economic downturn, to erase all that has been done. If you put your hope in having wealth, accumulating wealth, then when your wealth goes away, where will your hope be? Instead, put your hope in God, who does not change, who does not go away.

God provides everything for our enjoyment. There seems to me to be two opposite perspectives on wealth. Either we pursue it above all else, including God. Or we pretend we don’t really enjoy what we have, as though it is somehow sinful to appreciate the gifts we’ve received from God. Neither is right. The first one might hoard it, and never enjoy it, or be so busy getting more that they don’t enjoy or use what they have. the second, might hardly care at all for the things they have, or feel so guilty, they can’t enjoy it.

God the Father, gives us gifts for us to appreciate, enjoy and glorify him. Yes, we can say, “I’m very blessed.” But let’s not link God’s blessings only to material wealth.

In our wealth, we are to do good. Use what God has given: Christ Jesus, the Holy Spirit, wealth, homes, etc. for good things. Don’t just enjoy it for yourself, share. Do good deeds, do what is right with what you have. Be rich in good deeds, be generous and willing to share with others.

When I look around this space, I know that there are gifts beyond comprehension that God has given to you. I know them because I see them when you give to the church. Again, I invite you to ask God what you can give. I know that many give beyond the church, to other organisations, other opportunities to bless other people. I encourage everyone to do the same. God does call us to serve and to give where you attend. Determine in your heart what to give and give it. God will guide you in this, trust him.

Doing this, which is really what God created us all to do, doing this, we will lay up treasure, and a firm foundation for the coming age, so that we may take hold of life that is really, truly life.

In other words, adopt the right attitude. Neither be cavalier, nor miserly. Seek God’s kingdom first, seek to honour God with all that you have, your intellect, your character, your passion, your desires all will be most found in him. Then look to the interests of others, then your own. Enjoy life, but not at the expense of your relationship with God, or with others. Learn to be content. Take the long view, don’t live just for today, but live as citizens of the eternal kingdom of God.

Our heart, our attitude ought to be the same as Jesus, in fact, we need Jesus’ heart, that’s the new heart God gives us. Jesus, who did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, held onto at all costs. Who loved the rich young ruler… because he is the ultimate rich young ruler, gave up his life, his riches, for the sake of the poor: all of humanity.

Ask God to give you Jesus’ heart, Jesus’ attitude. Then in that attitude consider your riches, go ahead, get more, but not for the sake of accumulating wealth, but for the sake of blessing others. After all, since everything we’ve received is from God, we’re really just giving back to God what is already his. Amen.