Sunday
Morning Bible Study
November 3, 2002
Giving
We are in the last chapter of King David’s life. There is a theme to this
chapter. It’s all about giving.
When it comes to the subject of “giving” and “church”, many of us get a
little suspicious. We kind of think that all a church is out for is your money.
Illustration
Shipwrecked
:1-5 David’s gifts
:1 not for man,
but for the LORD God
Lesson
Give
“to the Lord”
vs.9 they offered willingly to the LORD
We get too caught up in the human
perspective of things. We see the needs of the church for building rent,
salaries, missions, and expenses. We see
the pastor standing up front each week.
But that’s not what we are to be giving to.
God wants us in our hearts to be giving to
Him.
Why does God want us to give to Him? Is He
poor?
God is not poor. His church does not need
your money. God has ways of providing for His people.
(Psa 50:7-15 NLT) "O
my people, listen as I speak. Here are my charges
against you, O Israel: I am God, your God! {8} I have no complaint about your
sacrifices or the burnt offerings you constantly bring to my altar. {9} But I
want no more bulls from your barns; I want no more goats from your pens. {10} For all the animals of the forest are mine, and I own the cattle on a thousand hills.
{11} Every bird of the mountains and all the animals
of the field belong to me. {12} If I were hungry, I would not mention it to
you, for all the world is mine and everything in it. {13} I don't need the
bulls you sacrifice; I don't need the blood of goats. {14} What
I want instead is your true thanks to God; I want you to fulfill your vows to
the Most High. {15} Trust me in your times of trouble, and I will rescue you,
and you will give me glory."
God doesn’t need our money, He owns the universe!
He wants your heart more
than your money.
He simply wants to teach
us obedience and dependence upon Him.
God wants us to recognize
our need for Him, and to recognize that all that we have comes from Him, and so
we give back to Him from what He gives to us.
:2 I have prepared
with all my might for the house of my God
David was totally committed to building the
Temple.
David’s commitment involved his wallet. We’re
going to see some principles in giving in this chapter, but the point here is
that David’s commitment to the Lord didn’t stop short of his money.
In our current day, there is so much abuse in the church concerning money,
that some of us have gone the other way, where we don’t even want to hear
anyone talk about money. But if we’re not careful, our own hidden reasons can
be because we don’t want to part with our money.
Lesson
Prepare to give
(1 Cor 16:1-2 KJV) Now concerning the
collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia,
even so do ye. {2} Upon the first day of the week let
every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be
no gatherings when I come.
I don’t think that God wants us to be unprepared to give. I think it ought
to be thought out.
Illustration
Hymns and Offerings
One Sunday a pastor told his congregation that the church needed some extra
money and asked that the people to prayerfully consider next week giving a
little extra in the offering plate. He said that whoever gave the most would be
able to pick out three hymns. After the offering plates were passed, the pastor
glanced down and noticed that someone had placed a $1,000 bill in the offering.
He was so excited that he immediately shared his joy with his congregation and
said he’d like to personally thank the person who placed the money in the
plate. A very quiet, elderly, saintly lady all the way in the back shyly raised
her hand. The pastor asked her to come to the front. Slowly she made her way to
the pastor. He told her how wonderful it was that she gave so much and in
thanksgiving asked her to pick out three hymns. Her eyes brightened as she
looked over the congregation, pointed to the three handsomest men in the
building and said, “I’ll take him and him and him.”
Okay – bad joke. But the point I want to make is that giving should be
something that you take the time to think about. It ought to be something that
you pray over. It ought to be something that you talk and plan for.
My intention today is not to pass the offering plate. I am not trying to
send you some secret message that we are in desperate need of funds. We’re
actually doing pretty well right now financially.
My intention is to challenge you to consider that part of the Christian
walk that we often tend to avoid – giving.
:3 over and above all that I have prepared
Lesson
Give over and above
These were things that David was now giving “over and above” what he
already gave back in 1Chr. 22:14,
where he had already given 100,000 talents of gold and 1,000,000 talents of
silver!
Some of us who are kind of tight with our money, feel kind of nice when we
give our “tithe”, thinking that we’re covered for this month. But what if God
wants you to give to someone or something in addition?
(2 Cor
8:1-3 NLT) Now I want to tell you, dear friends, what God in his kindness
has done for the churches in Macedonia.
{2} Though they have been going through much trouble
and hard times, their wonderful joy and deep poverty have overflowed in rich
generosity. {3} For I can testify that they gave not only what they could afford
but far more. And they did it of their own free will.
I’m not just talking about giving to the church. I’m talking about giving
as a way of life.
Illustration
I remember the incredible, awesome feeling that came when
our first son was born. I had a hard time comprehending the love that I felt
for that little baby. As that little guy began to grow, my love just grew with
him. And then the second baby came along. I privately wondered if I’d be able
to love a second child. I wondered if I was going to have to take my love and
divide it up between the children.
But what I found is that God doubled my ability to love.
You may feel at times that you’ve just given and given and given of
yourself to people and don’t have anything else left to give. Maybe God wants
to stretch you a little and show you that He can help you love like He does.
:4 three thousand talents of gold …
In today’s values, David is giving another $858,600,000 in gold and $2,835,000
in silver.
:5 who then is willing to
consecrate his service
literally, “who is willing to fill his hand”
David turns to challenge the
leaders to give.
:6-9 The Leaders give
:6 offered willingly
You will see this phrase over and over in regards to proper giving.
Lesson
Give “willingly”
vs.17 I know also, my God,
that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in
uprightness. As for me, in the
uprightness of mine heart I have willingly offered all these things: and
now have I seen with joy thy people, which are present here, to offer willingly unto thee.
David is saying that God doesn’t give credit for gifts that are given for
impure motives, as an unwilling heart.
Sometimes our motives aren’t so pure when it comes to giving.
Illustration
It seems that some vandals had cut down six royal palms
along Miami’s Flagler
Street. Since the palms were very expensive, Dade
County authorities weren’t sure if
they could replace them very soon. But then someone donated six more and even
had them planted. The old ones had been about fifteen feet tall and provided a
nice foreground for a “Fly Delta” billboard. The new palms are thirty-five feet
tall—completely hiding the sign. The new donor: Eastern Airlines.
(2 Cor
9:7 KJV) Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful
giver.
purposeth – proaireomai – to bring forward, bring forth from
one’s stores – to prepare ahead of time!
grudgingly – lupe – sorrow, pain, grief, annoyance, affliction; here, it’s literally
“out of pain”.
necessity – anagke – necessity, feeling like “you have to”.
When these guys come on the TV and start their begging for money, and you
feel like you should call up and pledge, is it because you delight in the
Lord’s work and want to give, or is it because you feel guilty and don’t want
to be held responsible for God’s work to fail?
If you aren’t giving from a willing heart, don’t. Hold on to that money and
buy yourself lunch at McDonalds.
:7 of gold five thousand talents …
The leaders give: $1,431,000,000 in gold, $12,800,000 in gold coins, $40,500,000
in silver, 675 tons of brass, and 3,750 tons of iron.
:8 they with whom precious stones were found gave
them
It wasn’t those who didn’t have the precious stones that had to come up
with them. The precious stones came from those who had precious stones.
Lesson
Give what you have
Not what you don’t have.
I know a brother who once had an experience in a church where the preacher was
getting “words” from God on who would be giving such and such amounts of money.
The preacher told my friend that he was going to give $600. The problem was, he didn’t have it.
(1 Cor
16:2 KJV) Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in
store, as God hath prospered him,
that there be no gatherings when I come.
Our giving should be “as God prospers us”. I think that giving should be
proportional. This is one reason why I think the concept of tithing, giving a
tenth, is good. You give a percentage of what God gives to you.
Sometimes we go through tough times when we’re out of work or on
disability. God understands. He doesn’t expect you to keep giving at the same
level you did when you were working full time.
Don’t feel guilty because you can’t give big amounts of money.
(Luke 21:1-4 KJV) And he
looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury. {2} And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two
mites. {3} And he said, Of a truth I say unto you,
that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all: {4} For all these have of
their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath
cast in all the living that she had.
Jesus considered the widow the top “giver” of all the
people at the Temple that day. She
only gave two little coins, but she gave out of her poverty, she gave more
proportionally than any of the others.
:9 the people rejoiced,
Lesson
Give with joy
The poor church in Macedonia
(probably Philippi) was a giving church, and they did it
with joy. In fact, Paul’s letter to the church in Philippi
is characterized primarily by joy.
(2 Cor
8:1-2 KJV) Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God
bestowed on the churches of Macedonia;
{2} How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their
deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.
God loves it when our giving is done with the right attitude.
(2 Cor
9:7 KJV) Every man according as he purposeth in
his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
cheerful – hilaros – cheerful, joyous
If you can’t give joyfully, don’t.
:10-14 … David’s prayer
:12 Both riches and honour
come of thee,
Lesson
Recognize where it comes from
vs.14 for all things [come]
of thee, and of thine own have we given thee
He takes care of us – Because it
all comes from God, we don’t need to worry about our own needs if He
is prompting us to give. But it’s important that God is the one prompting us to
give, not some person trying to twist our our. He’ll take care of us just like He always
has.
In Corinth – the wealthy church
(2 Cor
9:6-10 KJV) But this I say, He which soweth
sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth
bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
God is gracious to people who are gracious to others.
{7} Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or
of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. {8}
And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all
sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:
Paul was encouraging the wealthy Corinthian church to give
to the poor saints in Jerusalem. To
answer their inevitable question, “Well if we give, who’s going to take care of
us?” The answer - God will.
{9} (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to
the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever. {10}
Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your
seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;)
The “sower” is the one who gives
out seed. God gives more “seed” to the one who “sows”.
With this, we again need to be careful of motive. Some people are motivated
to give because they are promised that God will make them rich if they give. That’s
a rotten way to give.
Illustration
At a church meeting a very wealthy man rose to tell the
rest of those present about his Christian faith. “I’m a millionaire,” he said,
“and I attribute it all to the rich blessings of God in my life. I remember
that turning point in my faith. I had just earned my first dollar and I went to
a church meeting that night. The speaker was a missionary who told about his
work. I knew that I only had a dollar bill and had to either give it all to
God’s work or nothing at all. So at that moment I decided to give my whole
dollar to God. I believe that God blessed that decision, and that is why I am a
rich man today.”
He finished and there was an awed silence at his testimony
as he moved toward his seat. As he sat down a little old lady sitting in the
same pew leaned over and said to him: “I dare you to do it again.”
We give only because we have learned that God has given us everything.
Lesson
Three kinds of givers
1. The one who needs to feel guilty before he gives.
They need someone to lay a guilt trip on them about the starving children
in India.
2. The one who needs to be convinced something is worthwhile before he
gives to it.
They need to be shown the architect’s plans and the promise of a good
return on the investment.
3. The one who is looking where to invest his funds
This is the kind of giver that God is.
(2 Chr 16:9 KJV) For
the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect
toward him.
God doesn’t need to be persuaded to give. He finds where He wants to invest and then
gives to that person.
This is the kind of giver God wants us to be, one like
Him.
Lesson
Be a receiver
For some of you, you don’t need to be challenged today in giving, you need to be challenged today in receiving.
You’re never going to understand anything about giving until you’ve been
touched with the greatest gift of all, Jesus Christ.
The Bible says,
(John 3:16 KJV) For God so loved the world, that he
gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not
perish, but have everlasting life.
There is no greater giver than Jesus.
(2 Cor 8:9 KJV) For ye know the grace of
our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became
poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.
Perhaps God is looking for you today, looking to invest in you.