The Model and Motive for Giving
Notes
Transcript
Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.
Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children;
and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.
GOD the Father is our model for giving
Motives we learn: Disposition, compassion, and graciousness
GOD the Son is our model for giving
Motives we learn: Love and self-surrender
Motive we learn: Pleasing GOD the Father
GOD the Father is our model for giving
Paul gives instruction to imitate or follow God’s model. When Paul says “be”, it is the idea of becoming like GOD, and continuing in that status. More specifically he instructs that believers should imitate GOD like children who are cherished by GOD as their father. This contrasts their former Gentile status, in which they lived in ignorance of GOD. Thus, in order for GOD to be ones model, they must be his child and they must know something about how GOD gives.
Application: This is an important point. Because no one can imitate or follow what they have not seen or observed closely. See just like this mixed Church, we are extremely familiar with pattern which the world does things. In order to counter that pattern of thinking and behavior with respect to giving, we must spend time paying close attention to God’s giving. On the basis of being children of our parents, we became imitators of much of what our parents did. We don’t remember it, but we had to watch and listen to mama and daddy, how they talked, when they talked, etc.
Example: My 2 year old nephew, was sitting on my lap a couple months back. And he became intrigued with my watch. But he didn’t know how to get it off my wrist. It’s a unique mechanism. So I didn’t say nothing, I just pushed the buttons and my watch released. He got even more intrigued, grabbed it and tried to close it back. So I closed it back. He cleared his mind of everything else going on in the house, and was laser focused. After about 5 minutes of watching me open and close it over and over again, he started opening and closing it on my wrist, took it off mine, and put it on his, and did the same thing!! That’s how we must be!!
Motives we learn: Disposition, compassion, and graciousness
Well what is it, that you and I as children will observe and learn about GOD, our father, and how he gives? Eph 5:1 is an inferential clause, which means it goes back to Eph 4:32 where Paul instructs believers how GOD gave to his children. Where is giving in that verse? He says forgive!!! Not the other common terms for forgive. This one means to give as pardon. We get these terms from Old English and Germanic and Latin origins. Par means completely. Don or Donare means to give as a gift. It was used when a superior would completely give up desire to punish an offender, and give up the ill will against them. Without giving there is no forgiving. Paul says kind and tenderhearted, which means it’s God’s tendency and it came from a deep place in his heart.
Application: When we observe God’s model, our giving is a complete gift. It comes from a tendency and the gut of our souls!! We watch GOD over and over, and as we imitate him, we say my father is just inclined to give, and every time he gives, he does it from the bottom of his heart.
GOD the Son is our model for giving
But not only is the Father our model, Jesus, the Son too is our model for giving. Paul’s second instruction is everywhere they go, love should capture their behavior. What’s the model? Just as Christ loved them and gave up himself for them.
Motives we learn: Love and self-surrender
Application: Love and giving are inseparable. When we follow Christ’s model, it must be driven by love. Love itself is a strong affection which forfeits ones rights for the benefit of another. And in this case, because of love, Jesus gave up himself. In other words he was in self-surrender. See in order to do it from this place, we must benefited and recognized the benefit of what Christ did. That’s why Paul includes himself. And though society gives however they give, what distinguishes you and me is we do our giving because of what Christ gave FOR US!!! And starting place for following Christ’s model is the surrender of self!!!
Motive we learn: Pleasing GOD the Father
Paul furthers the point to remind them that when Christ gave himself for them, it was also to present himself to GOD acceptably.
Application: Pleasing GOD should be the purpose we give ourselves. Our aim should not be wrapped up in impressing others or ourselves. Others might benefit, but there will be times where folks aren’t impressed. Our aim should be does GOD accept me and what I have given up.