The Almost Forgotten Beatitude

Scripture: Acts 20:35

… remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

Introduction: In many Bibles, the words of Jesus are in red. Most of these are found in the Gospels, but there is a famous sentence from the lips of Christ that isn’t found in Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John; but years later, as the apostle Paul spoke to the Ephesian Church in Acts 20, he quoted this sentence. We could call it the almost-forgotten beatitude. There are many Beatitudes in the Bible (when a sentence begins with the words Blessed is … or Blessed are …). The word blessed occurs forty-two times in the Gospels. But only once in the Bible does the phrase “more blessed” occur. By reading this verse carefully, we can see that Jesus was really describing two blessings in life.

1) The Blessing of Receiving. “Receiving” is our primary job as human beings. It is very us-like. God created us as recipients. He is the Source, the Supply, the Great Giver, the Endless Provider who gives:

a) Universal Blessings. God causes the sun to shine and the rain to fall on the just and on the unjust. The world of nature and the entire cosmos was created for our pleasure. In Genesis 1, the Lord made the heavens and the earth for our use. He created the stars above our heads and the ground beneath our feet. He did it to provide a home for Adam and Eve, and for you and me. He gives us richly all things to enjoy.

b) Daily Blessings. He meets all our needs. “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” Jesus told us not to worry about our temporal needs for our heavenly Father knows we have need of all these things. He supplies all our needs out of the riches of His glory.

c) Spiritual Blessings. Ephesians 1:3 tells us to praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus who blesses us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. Second Peter tells us that God’s divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who has given us His very great and precious promises.

d) Eternal Blessings. The Lord has given us eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ (John 3:16). Our primary role in life is to be the recipient of God’s goodness and grace. What could be greater? What could be more wonderful than that? What could possibly be “more blessed?” Only one thing. Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

2) The Blessing of Giving. Why is it more blessed to give than to receive? When we receive, we are acting like ourselves; but when we give, we are acting like God. Receiving is us-like. Giving is Christlike. Having an attitude of giving allows us to move into the divine realm and do something that God Himself delights to do. In his book, None of These Diseases, Dr. S. I. McMillen discusses the life of John D. Rockefeller. As a young man, Rockefeller was strong and husky, and when he entered business he drove himself like a slave. He was a millionaire by age 33. By 43, he controlled the largest business in the world. At 53, he was the world’s richest man. But he developed a disease called alopecia. His hair fell out and his digestion was so bad he could only eat crackers and milk. Someone said: “An awful age was in his face. He was the oldest man I have ever seen.” One night, unable to sleep, Rockefeller realized he couldn’t take a thin dime into the next world. Everything was sand castles, doomed by the inevitable tide. Money was not a commodity to be hoarded, but something to be shared. The next morning, he lost no time transforming his money into blessings for others. He established the Rockefeller Foundation to channel his fortune to needed areas. He gave hundreds of millions to universities, hospitals, mission work, and underprivileged people. The focus of his life changed from getting to giving. The result is that he did not die at age 53; he lived to be 98. Whether or not Rockefeller was a born-again believer, he did discover one of the moral laws God placed in the universe: Giving is good for us. It enriches our lives.

3) Conclusion: He has blessed us with abundance, and from His hand we’ve received all we have. Now may He bless us by prompting our hearts to give all that is needed for His work, remembering the words the Lord Jesus Himself said: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

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[1]Morgan, R. J. (2007). Nelson's annual preacher's sourcebook : 2008 Edition (202). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.