Principled Generosity - Giving (Part 2)

Principled Generosity 1. God is not a beggar. Psalm 50:12 (ESV) If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and its fullness are mine. A. God does not beg because He owns the universe. Psalm 50:10–12 (ESV) 10For every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills. 11I know all the birds of the hills, and all that moves in the eld is mine. 12If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and its fullness are mine. B. God does not beg because He has no needs. Psalm 50:13 (ESV) Do I eat the esh of bulls or drink the blood of goats? C. God does not beg because even if He had needs, we are incapable of meeting them. 2 Chronicles 2:5–6 (ESV) The house that I [Solomon] am to build will be great, for our God is greater than all gods. 6But who is able to build him a house, since heaven, even highest heaven, cannot contain him? Who am I to build a house for him, except as a place to make offerings before him? Ways Ministries Make God Look Like a Beggar • gimmicky fundraisers • desperate pleas • twisting scripture Gimmicky Fundraisers •Often consumeristic •rely on generosity of non-Christians and non-churchgoers •can appear cowardly •usually insuf cient •not distinctively Christian fi https://prengersolutions.com/worst-fundraising-ideas-ever/. accessed 1 July 2022 Desperate pleas •time is running out •the debt-breaking anointing Twisting Scripture •The Day of Atonement offering •the magic Bible verse John 14:14 (ESV) If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it. Matthew 17:20 (ESV) He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.” The Magic Bible Verse John 14:14 (ESV) If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it. Matthew 17:20 (ESV) He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.” The Magic Bible Verse John 15:16 (ESV) You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. John 16:23 (ESV) In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. The Magic Bible Verse Psalm 37:4 (ESV) Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Luke 6:38 (ESV) give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.” 2. There is lots of money that God doesn’t want. A. Sordid gain Deuteronomy 23:18 (ESV) You shall not bring the fee of a prostitute or the wages of a dog into the house of the LORD your God in payment for any vow, for both of these are an abomination to the LORD your God. fi 1 Timothy 3:8 (ESV) Deacons likewise must be digni ed, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. B. Manipulation money Acts 8:18–20 (ESV) Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, 19saying, “Give me this power also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” 20But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! C. Life-Debt money 2 Kings 4:1, 7 (ESV) Now the wife of one of the sons of the prophets cried to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the Lord, but the creditor has come to take my two children to be his slaves.”She came and told the man of God, and he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debts, and you and your sons can live on the rest.” Proverbs 22:26–27 (ESV) Be not one of those who give pledges, who put up security for debts. 27If you have nothing with which to pay, why should your bed be taken from under you? D. Family Needs Money 1 Timothy 5:8 (ESV) But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. E. Aged-care money fi 1 Timothy 5:3–4 (ESV) Honor widows who are truly widows. 4But if a widow has children or grandchildren, let them rst learn to show godliness to their own household and to make some return to their parents, for this is pleasing in the sight of God. E. Aged-care money Mark 7:10–13 (ESV) For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ 11But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or his mother, “Whatever you would have gained from me is Corban” ’ (that is, given to God)— 12then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother, 13thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do.” F. Future/potential money 2 Corinthians 8:12 (ESV) For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. G. Reversal of fortune money 2 Corinthians 8:13–15 (ESV) For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness 14your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness. 15As it is written, “Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack.” H. Ma a “protection” money fi fl 2 Corinthians 9:5–7 (ESV) So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to go on ahead to you and arrange in advance for the gift you have promised, so that it may be ready as a willing gift, not as an exaction. 6The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly [lit. out of pain of mind/grief/sorrow/ af iction] or under compulsion [lit. a state of distress, calamity, or pressure], for God loves a cheerful giver. I. Other people’s money 2 Samuel 24:21–24 (ESV) 21And Araunah said, “Why has my lord the king come to his servant?” David said, “To buy the threshing oor from you, in order to build an altar to the LORD, that the plague may be averted from the people.” 22Then Araunah said to David, “Let my lord the king take and offer up what seems good to him. Here are the oxen for the burnt offering and the threshing sledges and the yokes of the oxen for the wood. 23All this, O king, Araunah gives to the king.” And Araunah said to the king, “May the LORD your God accept you.” 24But the king said to Araunah, “No, but I will buy it from you for a price. I will not offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God that cost me nothing.” So David bought the threshing oor and the oxen for fty shekels of silver. 3. God wants willing giving. A. Willing giving is pre-meditated giving that comes from an informed will. 2 Corinthians 9:7 (ESV) Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. fi fi Luke 14:28 (ESV) For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not rst sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Note: Jesus is using the gure of building a tower in the context of urging His disciples to follow Him. B. Willing giving is contrasted with reluctant or compelled giving. 2 Corinthians 9:7 (ESV) Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver C. Willing giving arises out of God’s moving of my will to give. Exodus 25:1–2 (ESV) The LORD said to Moses, 2“Speak to the people of Israel, that they take for me a contribution. From every man whose heart moves him you shall receive the contribution for me. C. Willing giving arises out of God’s moving of my will to give. Exodus 35:4–5 (ESV) Moses said to all the congregation of the people of Israel, “This is the thing that the Lord has commanded. 5Take from among you a contribution to the LORD. Whoever is of a generous heart, let him bring the LORD’s contribution: gold, silver, and bronze; C. Willing giving arises out of God’s moving of my will to give. Exodus 35:20–29 (ESV) 20Then all the congregation of the people of Israel departed from the presence of Moses. 21And they came, everyone whose heart stirred him, and everyone whose spirit moved him, and brought the LORD’s contribution to be used for the tent of meeting, and for all its service, and for the holy garments. 22So they came, both men and women. All who were of a willing heart brought brooches and earrings and signet rings and armlets, all sorts of gold objects, every man dedicating an offering of gold to the LORD. C. Willing giving arises out of God’s moving of my will to give. fi fi Exodus 35:20–29 (ESV) 23And every one who possessed blue or purple or scarlet yarns or ne linen or goats’ hair or tanned rams’ skins or goatskins brought them. 24Everyone who could make a contribution of silver or bronze brought it as the LORD’s contribution. And every one who possessed acacia wood of any use in the work brought it. 25And every skillful woman spun with her hands, and they all brought what they had spun in blue and purple and scarlet yarns and ne twined linen. 26All the women whose hearts stirred them to use their skill spun the goats’ hair. C. Willing giving arises out of God’s moving of my will to give. Exodus 35:20–29 (ESV) 28and spices and oil for the light, and for the anointing oil, and for the fragrant incense. 29All the men and women, the people of Israel, whose heart moved them to bring anything for the work that the LORD had commanded by Moses to be done brought it as a freewill offering to the LORD. D. God blesses willing giving. Proverbs 11:24 (ESV) One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. D. God blesses willing giving. fi 2 Corinthians 9:7–8 (ESV) Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all suf ciency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.