Finding Joy in Giving
Giving Month 2020 • Sermon • Submitted
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Introduction:
Introduction:
Joke — A mother gave her little girl a quarter and a dollar before church, “Put whichever one you want in the collection plate and keep the other for yourself,” she told the girl. When they were coming out of church, the mother asked her daughter which amount she had given. “Well,” said the little girl, “I was going to give the dollar, but just before the collection the man in the pulpit said that we should all be cheerful givers. I knew I’d be a lot more cheerful if I gave the quarter, so I did.”
But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever. Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;) Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God. For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God; Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men; And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you. Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.
Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
An Individual Process
An Individual Process
A Personal Matter
A Personal Matter
The Commitment
“Every man”
The
Each and every individual is to be a giver
This is not something that some people are gifted for, and others are not
Though their is a spiritual gift of giving, all disciples of Jesus Christ are commanded to give
Every one in this room falls into this category
Every one in this room is expected by God to be giving to the local church
Every one in this room has an obligation to fulfill, but there is a way by which we can fulfill it with joy
If you are not giving, you are neglecting a process to which God has called every individual — and you are missing out on a source of Christian Joy
A Principled Matter
A Principled Matter
Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
(An Individual Process)
An Inward Purpose
An Inward Purpose
A Conscious Arrangement
A Conscious Arrangement
“As he purposeth in his heart”
Word Studies in the New Testament Chapter 9
hath purposed.
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament based on Semantic Domains 30.84 προορίζω; προαιρέομαι
to come to a decision beforehand—‘to decide beforehand, to determine ahead of time, to decide upon ahead of time.’
Statement — this is why we can confidently encourage you to make a commitment, because that’s the Biblical model, you are supposed to decide beforehand.
“I have heard people say that they will not sign any pledge—not even to give a certain amount of money—because they might not be able to fulfill it. May I say to you, if you buy a house, or anything on which you are to make payments, they are certainly going to make you sign on the dotted line. I don’t know why people can sign up for everything else in life, but they are afraid to sign up with God. My friend, if you mean it, sign up with Him. Oh, how many folk have failed Him, but He is gracious. If we mean business with Him, He means business with us.” —J. Vernon McGee
A Completed Arrangement
A Completed Arrangement
“So let him give”
Make the decision, and then see it through
Make the commitment, and then trust God to enable you to keep it.
Go to your bank and set up automatic payments, go online and do the same. Be sure your intentions become actions.
Put yourself under a spiritual contract, purpose in your heart to be a giver, and then give.
The New International Greek Testament Commentary: The Second Epistle to the Corinthians 1. God’s Enrichment of the Giver (9:6–11)
“decide,” προῄρηται points to a settled decision to contribute a certain amount to the collection, whether on a regular basis (as in 1 Cor. 16:2) or in a single gift. The decision was to be private (τῇ καρδίᾳ, locative dative), not public, and the giving was to be purposeful, not impulsive.
(An Individual Process)
(An Inward Purpose)
An Improper Philosophy
An Improper Philosophy
The Wrong Mood
The Wrong Mood
“grudgingly”
If we cannot give joyfully (the Greek word gives us our English word hilarious), then we must open our hearts to the Lord and ask Him to grant us His grace. Certainly God can bless a gift that is given out of a sense of duty, but God cannot bless the giver unless his heart is right. Grace giving means that God blesses the giver as well as the gift, and that the giver is a blessing to others.
pain of mind or spirit, grief, sorrow, affliction
pain of mind or spirit, grief, sorrow, affliction
in this context — reluctantly
pain of mind or spirit, grief, sorrow, affliction
Arndt, W., Danker, F. W., & Bauer, W. (2000). A Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament and other early Christian literature (3rd ed., p. 604). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
“If we cannot give joyfully, then we must open our hearts to the Lord and ask Him to grant us His grace. Certainly God can bless a gift that is given out of a sense of duty, but God cannot bless the giver unless his heart is right. Grace giving means that God blesses the giver as well as the gift, and that the giver is a blessing to others.” — Wiersbe
Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, pp. 660–661). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
The Wrong Motive
The Wrong Motive
“of necessity”
necessity or constraint as inherent in the nature of things, necessity, pressure of any kind
necessity or constraint as inherent in the nature of things, necessity, pressure
constraint, necessity, pressure of any kind
compulsion, force
Statement — You should not be giving out of some idea that you have to, but out of the heartfelt desire — you want to.
The New American Commentary: 2 Corinthians 3. Divine Principles of Giving: Why the Corinthians Need to Give Generously (9:6–15)
Scripture assumes that what is crucial is the attitude of the one who gives, not the amount. God, who knows and appraises our hearts, values only those gifts that come as a free expression of the deepest part of our souls. Gifts given under some sense of external compulsion will always be halfhearted at best. That is why the amount makes no difference if it is given with a glad heart (8:12). But if it is given resentfully with a gloomy countenance, that attitude cancels any merit the gift might have no matter its amount.
Not sad givers, not mad givers, but glad givers!
He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed;
For he giveth of his bread to the poor.
(An Individual Process)
(An Inward Purpose)
(An Improper Philosophy)
An Impelling Principle
An Impelling Principle
“For God loveth a cheerful giver.”
Eliciting His Affection
Eliciting His Affection
“Loveth”
cherish, have affection for, love, delight in, to be fond of
“cheerful”
to be full of cheer, cheerful , glad, happy
one who gives gladly without reluctance
merry
Where we get our word “hilarious from”
“A man who gives to God cheerfully…[is like] the dear child, so pleased to give its Father what it can, places its little offering into the Father’s treasury, as much as possible unobserved of men, beholds the Father smile, and goes its way rejoicing.” — C.H. Spurgeon
A man who gives to God cheerfully has got beyond the serf-like, slavish spirit. The slave brings his pittance, which he is obliged to pay, and puts it down at the task-master’s feet, and goes his way in misery. But the dear child, so pleased to give its Father what it can, places its little offering into the Father’s treasury, as much as possible unobserved of men, beholds the Father smile, and goes its way rejoicing.
Spurgeon, C. H. (1868). A Cheerful Giver Beloved of God. In The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons (Vol. 14, p. 568). London: Passmore & Alabaster.
Emulating His Attributes
Emulating His Attributes
Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
6:23
Statement — God loves a cheerful giver because He Himself is a cheerful giver.
Conclusion:
Conclusion: