Consistently Give to Missions

Introduction: Maturing as a Christian believer requires actively engaging the Spiritual Disciplines. Giving generously for the work of ministry and missions is a Spiritual gift that grows with God’s grace and maturity.

Five of the Spiritual Disciplines:

Carving out time for reading God’s word Constantly praying to God. Consistent giving to missions and ministryCommitment to fellowship with other believers. Connecting others to Christ and His church.

Reasons and Resources for Missions

Scriptural reason for giving - Acts 1:8 - “8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”Shared work of ministry and missions is accomplished by believers who contribute to do more together than the ever be able to do individually. Strategic ministry and missions is accomplished through our giving. We impact congregation missions (our Jerusalem) through benevolence, widows and orphans support. We impact community missions (our Samaria) through community partners support. We impact our state and global missions (our Judea and Uttermost parts of the earth) through our education support and cooperative program contributions.

Give as an Example To Others of Ministry and Missions (9:1-4)

Be An Example of Inspirational Giving (9:1-2) - “1 Now concerning the ministry to the saints, it is unnecessary for me to write to you. 2 For I know your eagerness, and I brag about you to the Macedonians: "Achaia has been prepared since last year," and your zeal has stirred up most of them.”

2 Corinthians 8:1-5 (CSB) - “1 We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God granted to the churches of Macedonia:2 during a severe testing by affliction, their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed into the wealth of their generosity. 3 I testify that, on their own, according to their ability and beyond their ability, 4 they begged us insistently for the privilege of sharing in the ministry to the saints, 5 and not just as we had hoped. Instead, they gave themselves especially to the Lord, then to us by God's will.”

Galatians 2:10 (CSB) - “[They asked] only that we would remember the poor, which I made every effort to do.”

Galatians 6:10 (CSB) - “Therefore, as we have opportunity, we must work for the good of all, especially for those who belong to the household of faith.”

Note: Macedonia was a Roman province in the northern area of modern Greece. This was a gentile region, that had produced much Christian fruit.

Be An Example of Intentional Giving (9:3-5) - “3 But I sent the brothers so our boasting about you in the matter would not prove empty, and so you would be prepared just as I said.4 For if any Macedonians should come with me and find you unprepared, we, not to mention you, would be embarrassed in that situation. 5 Therefore I considered it necessary to urge the brothers to go on ahead to you and arrange in advance the generous gift you promised, so that it will be ready as a gift and not an extortion.”

1 Corinthians 16:1-2 (NIV) - “1 Now about the collection for the Lord’s people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do. 2 On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.”

2 Corinthians 8:24 (CSB) - “24 Therefore, before the churches, show them the proof of your love and of our boasting about you.”

Give Enthusiastically to Ministry and Missions (9:6-7)

Give Extravagantly (9:6) - “6 Remember this: the person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously will also reap generously.”

Psalm 41:1-3 (CSB) - “1 Happy is one who cares for the poor; the Lord will save him in a day of adversity. 2 The Lord will keep him and preserve him; he will be blessed in the land. You will not give him over to the desire of his enemies. 3 The Lord will sustain him on his sickbed; You will heal him on the bed where he lies.”

Ecclesiastes 11:1 (CSB) - “1 Send your bread on the surface of the waters, for after many days you may find it.”

Luke 6:38 (CSB) - “38 Give, and it will be given to you; a good measure-pressed down, shaken together, and running over-will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you."

Proverbs 19:17 (CSB) - “17 Kindness to the poor is a loan to the Lord, and He will give a reward to the lender.”

Galatians 6:7-9 (CSB) - “7 Don't be deceived: God is not mocked. For whatever a man sows he will also reap, 8 because the one who sows to his flesh will reap corruption from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit.9 So we must not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don't give up.”

Hebrews 6:10 (CSB) - “10 For God is not unjust; He will not forget your work and the love you showed for His name when you served the saints-and you continue to serve them.”

Give with Enthusisastically (9:7) - “7 Each person should do as he has decided in his heart-not out of regret or out of necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

Note: Do you day dream about how many people you can bless or about how many things you can buy?

1 Peter 4:8-11 (CSB) - “8 Above all, keep your love for one another at full strength, since love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Be hospitable to one another without complaining. 10 Based on the gift they have received, everyone should use it to serve others, as good managers of the varied grace of God.”

Exodus 25:1-2 (CSB) - “1 The Lord spoke to Moses: 2 "Tell the Israelites to take an offering for Me. You are to take My offering from everyone whose heart stirs him [to give].”

Proverbs 11:25 (CSB) - “25 A generous person will be enriched, and the one who gives a drink of water will receive water.”

Proverbs 22:9 (CSB) - “9 A generous person will be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor.”

Romans 12:8 (CSB) - “8 if exhorting, in exhortation; giving, with generosity; leading, with diligence; showing mercy, with cheerfulness.”

Give and You Will Be Enriched by the Master (9:8-11)

God Gives for the Work of Ministry (9:8-9) - “8 And God is able to make every grace overflow to you, so that in every way, always having everything you need, you may excel in every good work. 9 As it is written: He has scattered; He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever.”

Psalm 84:11 (CSB) - “11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield. The Lord gives grace and glory; He does not withhold the good from those who live with integrity.”

Philippians 4:18 - “17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that is increasing to your account. 18 But I have received everything in full, and I have an abundance. I am fully supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you provided-a fragrant offering, a welcome sacrifice, pleasing to God.”

God Gives for the Harvest (9:10-11) - “10 Now the One who provides seed for the sower and bread for food will provide and multiply your seed and increase the harvest of your righteousness, 11 as you are enriched in every way for all generosity, which produces thanksgiving to God through us.”

Proverbs 3:9 (CSB) - “9 Honor the Lord with your possessions and with the first produce of your entire harvest;”

Proverbs 11:18 (CSB) - “18 The wicked man earns an empty wage, but the one who sows righteousness, a true reward.”

1 Thessalonians 3:12 (CSB) - “12 And may the Lord cause you to increase and overflow with love for one another and for everyone, just as we also do for you.”