Do You Have to Give?
What does money have to do with following Jesus? I mean, do you really have to give in order to be a follower?
From my experience, there are two things that are true about money and the church.
- People don’t like it when it is preached. It makes them uncomfortable. Money is important – it is what our economy is based on. It is essential to our lives. People want to keep their money or at least have a ‘fair exchange’ for it. Of course, money may also be too important to people. Those who refuse to come to church because ‘all they want is my money’ probably have their god in their wallet!
- It is biblical. Clearly this passage talks about money. Many others talk about money as well. It is one of the things we are to be good stewards of. We have a responsibility to teach about it. We have a responsibility to respond to it. It is irresponsible to ignore the parts of God’s word we don’t like or make us uncomfortable.
The Bible Says…
For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord… 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. 2 Corinthians 8:3, 7 (ESV)
This scripture is part of a rather lengthy discussion about giving.
Specifically, it is about giving to the church in Jerusalem. That church had suffered much persecution and the people there were impoverished. They continued to be the center of the church as it spread in the Mediterranean world. The needs were great.
The churches that Paul had started in Macedonia were now taking collections to help the church there survive this time.
He talks about the grace of giving – and that is where we will start today.
Giving is Grace
Giving is the nature of God. Think about what he has given: Creation, Life temporal, Jesus, Life eternal, every good and perfect gift. Our very lives are witness to God’s giving grace.
Giving is one way we serve in the kingdom of God.
Some have the gift of giving. They have been supernaturally endowed to give generously. Sometimes, they’ve been entrusted with much wealth. But always, they give a very high proportion of their income.
All have the responsibility to give.
When we give there are three who benefit.
- God. It is pleasing to him. It doesn’t enrich him and he doesn’t need it but he enjoys seeing his children give generously.
- The recipient because it fills a need and gives help and encouragement. For the recipient it is practical but it is also spiritual because it becomes an answer to prayer.
- The One who gives. Giving brings joy and peace. It brings great spiritual growth. It bolsters your faith and is a strong declaration that we can depend on God.
Giving is an imitation of God.
Why give?
It is practical – it fills needs. Giving helps take care of local church needs, as well as global needs. Giving responds to the need for expressions of compassion for those suffering.
It is spiritual – it is a grace. An imitation of God is always spiritual. Consistent giving always leads to spiritual growth.
It is biblical. Three times in Exodus to Deuteronomy we read that no one is to appear before the Lord at the tabernacle empty handed! Giving has been an integral part of worship since the dawn of worship!
How much should you give?
Tithe, or ten percent of your income. This is always the first answer you will hear. While the Old Testament does not paint a crystal clear picture of how tithing is to be done, there are a couple of scriptures that remind us of how important it is.
The tithe is God’s – Leviticus 27:30 (ESV) Every tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the trees, is the LORD’s; it is holy to the LORD.
God invites a test with the tithe – Malachi 3:10 (ESV) Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.
Traditionally, tithing is considered the basic amount we should give.
Offerings – voluntary gifts above tithes.
In the New Testament, people sold property and gave all the proceeds to the church. In fact, the New Testament church held all things in common so no one had needs.
Giving to support the kingdom of God has always been a priority in terms of God’s Word.
Now, therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways. You have sown much, and harvested little. You eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm. And he who earns wages does so to put them into a bag with holes. “Thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways. Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house, that I may take pleasure in it and that I may be glorified, says the LORD. You looked for much, and behold, it came to little. And when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why? declares the LORD of hosts. Because of my house that lies in ruins, while each of you busies himself with his own house. Haggai 1:5-9 (ESV)
Give what God lays on your heart. It might be:
Tithe
Or, tithe plus regular gifts
Or, tithe plus special gifts.
Giving is proportional to income. It’s not the dollar amount necessarily. Some third world churches operate on annual budgets below $500! If you earn more, you give more, if you earn less, you give less.
What is the attitude of giving?
Joyful. We should give until it feels good.
Generous. So we can reflect the generosity of God.
Sacrificial. In remembrance of the sacrifice made for our lives.
Worshipful. Giving must never be thought of as paying the bills. Give from the heart.
Sincere. Don’t give for what you might get from God or to look good, or for tax purposes but because you simply want to.
Recent Comments