Open Handed Giving

Small Groups

do you have income?

Why do you think God asks us to tithe?

Should we start now or wait until we are older/have a job.

OPENING

So I wanted to address what happened in Texas real quick. for those who don’t know there was a school at Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde, Texas. As of today 19 children and two teachers died, while 17 remain injured. This is truly a heartbreaking tragedy. I am angered, saddened, and confused as to how someone could do this. It is imperative that now more than ever we rise up and pray for our schools, I don’t care what political views there are on this, we need to pray for hope and peace in our schools and the lives of those affected by this.So we are going to take a moment and we are going to pray for the families affected. and if any of you want to pray please just speak up

So last week we started our series on giving.

We talked about giving through serving and what this looks like.

We also talked about the Fushigi and I realized I should have shown yall a pic of it

Show Picture

Tonight we are going to be continuing the series.

Tonight we are going to be talking about giving as far as tithes and offerings.

This message is going to be more of a teachy then a preachy, but there is a lot to learn and grow from with this.

Ask some students to share a time where they gave something valuable.

How many people play video games?

What is your preferred system?

Tell story when I sold my Xbox in order to help a new kid win some prizes.

Why Do We Give?

This is the big one. Why do we give? Why do preachers ask for money? Why do I ask you guys to support STL?

What reasons do you think we give?

So those are all good reasons. Let’s take a look at what scripture says!

Proverbs 3:9 NIV

Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops;

So what does this mean? Well let’s break it down

So the original audience for the bible were farmers, fisher-peoples, and generally laborers. That is why it is filled with analogies about those different things.

So what this verse is saying, honor the Lord with the first fruits of the harvest.

Now this was the farmers livelihood. their produce, and what God is asking is for the very first portion of the best of the best.

Sometimes we give God our leftovers. If we have loose change in our pocket we will give it, as long as I can still get my Baja Blast later.

Giving is good yes, but God desires the first portion. The firstfruits as you will.

Giving our very best demonstrates that God and not stuff has the first place in our lives.

How many of you have a job or make money with chores or whatever?

our firstfruits are the first 10% of the money we make.

Ask a student how much they get paid for chores

Genesis 4:2–7 (NIV)

Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.

Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”

So why does God look at Cain’s offering poorly.

Well let’s take a look at what they gave

Genesis 4:3–4 NIV

In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering,

Cain brought some fruit and it probably wasn't rotten, but it wasn't the best of the best. It was his leftovers

Able on the other-hand brought the best of the best, He knew that what he had to offer to the Lord wasn’t for the Lord’s benefit, but that he has called him to giving the first he has.

When we give God our leftovers we are saying that he doesn't deserve our best.

When in truth the only reason we have the ability to give is because of God.

Psalm 24:1–2 NIV

The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it on the seas and established it on the waters.

So we have established that we give because God has called us to it. And becuase it isnt ours to begin with.

We learend that he desires our first and best and not our leftovers

God Is Faithful To The Faithful

So let’s go back to that verse in Proverbs

Proverbs 3:9–10 NIV

Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.

God is faithful to those who are faithful. When you honor the Lord with your giving of your first and best you will be blessed.

Now I struggled with this growing up. I wanted to tithe but I was so afraid to give in order to get, rahter than giving becuase I simply wanted to honor the Lord.

Jenna and I can tell when we get behind on thites because we start to struggle financlly.

I’m not saying that giving will make you rich, but if you follow blessings in scripture and from veterne Christians they will tell you that God takes care of you.

Call up a student to be an example of close fisted giving

Slowly give them more and more money

It’s Not What, but Where

So I hear you saying, Jack I have bills and car payments and college to save up for. I need the cheesy gordita crunch from Taco Bell!

It isnt necicarilly how much we are giving, those who give millions Vs those who only give a little.

It depends on their heart

Mark 12:41–44 NIV

Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”

When we give, it is to be generous and not begrudgingly

Giving has to first come from the heart or else we become leftover givers

CLOSING

So Let’s recap

We give our first and best

We give because it’s God’s in the first place

It is impossible to give with a closed fist

Giving comes from the heart first

So next week we are going to be wrapping up our series on giving with these

Show STL Goal Card

We are going to be putting into practice what we have been learning.

I’ll explain more about it next week, but basically its a promise that you are going to give an amount over the year to STL.

So I want you guys to pray and seek the Lord about how much you feel like you should give.