Giving: 2022
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Introduction:
My name is Adam, I’m the preaching pastor here at Abide Church
Next week will continue series on Exodus.
Let’s pray:
Heavenly Father,
I thank you for a new day and a new year.
God, you are great and sovereign over all things. We give this year to you and trust your goodness.
We praise you because you are gracious, so we don’t have to prove ourselves to you.
Through you is grace upon grace.
I pray that this year would be marked by transformed lives. I pray transformation would come through the power of the gospel.
Increase our faith. Help us to believe better what is true about you, God.
Give us the boldness to speak the truth in love to one another daily.
Fill us with your Holy Spirit and grant us grace to renew our minds, take every thought captive, and wholeheartedly reject the lies of the world.
Give me words to speak this morning. Open our ears and our hearts to what you have to teach us this morning.
In Jesus name,
Amen
Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
Why am I talking about giving?
Why am I talking about giving?
Talking about money on the first Sunday of the year has become something of a tradition for us at Abide...
While it’s true that we are still slightly under budget, I’m not primarily talking about money because of a budget shortfall.
Truly, I’m talking about money because I want something for you, not something from you.
God is worthy of life, worship, and heart.
God makes the appeal that you give yourself to him.
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
Do you know what is competing against God for the top spot of worship?
Money.
[slide]
Most likely, money will be the number one competitor against God for your heart.
[slide]
3 Aspects to Giving
Motivation
Perspective
Timing
I want to cover 3 aspects to giving and then hit some practical FAQ.
Motivation
Motivation
The core motivation for generosity is the overflow of generosity we receive from God
We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part.
Grace —> Joy —> (overflowed) as Generosity
For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints— and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us.
What does this overflowing look like?
according and BEYOND their means… (what they had available)
of their own accord… because they WANTED to...
counted worthy to be givers...
As they gave themselves FIRST to God, that lead to a giving to the body...
But as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you—see that you excel in this act of grace also.
Grow in this generosity
I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.
What does love look like?
Look at Jesus...
He took what he had, and emptied himself… gave it away for the sake of others...
[slide]
Bad Motivations
Guilt
Status
Duty
Praise of man
Bad Motivations
Guilt (shame / penance / payment / owing God)
Status (in the church / earning God’s favor / feeling good about yourself)
Duty (this one’s more complicated / don’t do it because Pastor Adam said to / do give out of obedience to God)
Praise of man
Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
[slide]
The core motivation for generosity ought to be an overflow of joy.
Our core source of joy ought to be the generous grace we receive from God.
I want to change gears a little bit here and quote Jesus.
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Generosity Measures Your Heart Condition
Generosity Measures Your Heart Condition
You want to know how your heart is doing?
Look at your budget.
Look at your calendar.
Look at your goals.
Generosity Tunes Your Hear Condition
Generosity Tunes Your Hear Condition
You want to tune your heart to be closer to God this year?
Change your budget.
Change your calendar.
Change your goals.
Perspective
Perspective
Being eternally minded
Everyone wants to be part of something bigger than themselves, something that matters...
LT investments
And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.” ’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”
What will actually last eternally?
World of Warcraft / Minecraft Example
You feel amazing while you play, you have a rich and deep sense of accomplishment
But when you turn off the game, you spiral into depression because you haven’t really earned anything in reality, so you dive back into the game.
For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?
Paul wrote:
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
Timing
Timing
Should I give now or later? NOW
Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”
The actual amount of dollars given is less important than the sacrifice and generosity of the giver.
You will never be rich enough to be generous.
Study after study shows that as a general rule, the richer a person becomes, the less generous they become
Btw, you are already rich
You live in the richest country in the richest time the world has ever known.
That’s in terms of:
Real dollars
Standard of living
Economic freedom and economic mobility
Freedom of thought and religion
Safety from war and disease
As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.
And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
So what is one’s life according to Jesus? Read the gospel of John. I’ll give you the short version.
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,
Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
FAQ:
FAQ:
How much should I give?
How much should I give?
Wrong question. Should be, “How much can I give?”
Levin, be nice to your sister. How nice should I be?
The new testament picture is not one of give 10% and be done.
The new testament picture is one of,
“I was dead in my sin. I was purchased by Christ and given eternal life;
I’ve been blessed in Christ with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places;
I’ve giving my whole life to furthering the kingdom of God.”
Is recurring online giving less spiritual?
Is recurring online giving less spiritual?
No.
Recurring online giving is wise.
We put important payments on auto payment.
It doesn’t make the payment any less “real” or “sacrificial”
It helps keeps us accountable to follow through we something we believe in even when our faith is weak.
It helps the church plan and budget and thus be more effective in her mission.
It helps you set a benchmark for your generosity, so that you can grow.
Should I give to organizations or individuals other than my church?
Should I give to organizations or individuals other than my church?
Yes. Absolutely!
However, I think wisdom would dictate that you should be generous with your church first...
You are part of a family.
You are part of a missions organization.
You are part of a concerted effort to reach a certain group of people.
You should be prioritizing giving to your church before you give other places.
I don’t really give anything. Where do I start?
I don’t really give anything. Where do I start?
Start with motivation. Start with the gospel. Give what you can and strive to grow in your generosity every year.