Giving Matters
We are going to be looking at several scriptures. All of them will be used to answer the question: Why does giving matter? Before we answer that question, we need to do a quick examination why giving doesn’t matter to some. (click on the pic to listen to it
In a 2005 update on “Why People Do Not Give More,” The Barna Group’s director, George Barna, said this trend is influenced by the following factors:
- “Some people lack the motivation to give away their hard-earned money because the church has failed to provide a compelling vision for how the money will make a difference in the world.”
- “[Some] see their giving as leverage on the future. They withhold money from the church because they do not see a sufficient return on their investment.”
- “[Some] people … do not realize the church needs their money to be effective. Their church has done an inadequate job of asking for money, so people remain oblivious to the church’s expectations and potential.”
- “[Others] are ignorant of what the Bible teaches about our responsibility to apply God’s resources in ways that affect lives.”
- “The final category contains those who are just selfish. They figure they worked hard for their money and it’s theirs to use as they please. Their priorities revolve around their personal needs and desires.”
There are also some myths that many people believe which hinder our understanding of why giving matters.
- Myth #1 – You are giving to the church.
Malachi 3:10 reminds us that the church is just a storehouse. When We receive an offering, we invest the offering in the life of the church and the community.
- Myth #2 – You are giving to the pastor.
Your pastor and your staff are just the facilitator of the offerings received. If you look back to the OT you would discover that the tribe of Levi was responsible for the temple. The taking care of it. The things that happened in it. The other tribes gave a tenth to them so that they could solely focus on the temple. Our giving helps us to focus solely on the mission which is to make more and better disciples and helping the vision of seeing lives transformed.
- Myth #3 – You are giving back to God.
God needs nothing from us. The church in the first century never looked at their stuff – as their stuff. They knew it didn’t belong to them. That is why they could be so generous to each other and to the pagans around them. When you give you are giving to invest it back in others. When You give you are investing in making more and better disciples. When you give you are investing in lives being transformed.
Here are the Biblical truths of why giving matters.
Giving matters because it shows that we recognize He is truly the Lord of our lives.
- James 1:17 – Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.
We recognize Him as the Lord of our lives and our stuff. We need to be reminded that everything we have, our house, our cars, our jobs, our income, our clothes and the countless other stuff that we own was given to us by God. All of it. Every good thing comes down to us from God our Father. Everything.
Our stuff is not the problem. It is when we our stuff controls us emotionally and spiritually is when the problem begins. It is our longing for more stuff, more status, and more security that allows THEM (our stuff) to become Lord. That longing can never be satisfied. No – thing and No – one can satisfy those deep longing.
Look at children. Children like their stuff. You give them more of it – they get what? Spoiled. They get this sense that they are entitled to more stuff. And when they don’t get it what happens many times? They throw a temper tantrum.
How do you know if your stuff is the Lord of your life? When you sense that you are entitled to more. When you can give your resources freely, you are recognizing that He is truly Lord of your life.
Giving matters because we are blessed when we give.
- Acts 20:35: Remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” These are Jesus’ words.
Paul reminds us in I Corinthians 16:2, You can only give according to what you got! Look at what the verse says, “On the first day of each week, you should each put aside a portion of the money you have earned.”
There needs to be a plan to give. It is not rocket science. If you don’t have a plan then you will more than likely not give. When we don’t give – we miss the opportunity to be blessed.
Parents and grandparents, aunts, uncles, and anyone who likes children, we know the stuff we buy our children and grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and other kids at birthday time and Christmas, and Easter is only stuff. Why do we do it? Because we are the ones blessed! The excitement in their eye. The joy in their face makes our heart swell because we know we did the right thing. We are the one who is blessed. We know when those important dates happen and we plan accordingly.
Paul gives us a plan – “On the first day of each – set aside a portion of the money you have earned.” A portion begins at 10% (according to the scriptures).
Giving matters because when you freely give, you receive freely from God.
Jesus is speaking Luke 6:38, “Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.”
Proverbs 11:24 tells us, “Give freely and become more wealthy; be stingy and lose everything.”
Give AND you will receive. Give freely AND you become more wealthy.
click here to watch this 22 second clip
Everybody agrees that AND is better. As we learned last week, the generosity of the 1st century church changed the world AND history. They took care of the pagans who were abandoned and left to die AND gave freely of their resources to others.
AND means going the extra mile. AND means giving the extra dollar. We go the extra mile AND we give the extra dollar because of God’s generosity towards us. God’s generosity towards us changed us. God loves us AND sent His son. God freely gives to us AND will not let those who believe in Him perish.
In return
He tells us to go the first AND the second mile. He tells us to love our neighbor AND love our enemy. He tells us to give up everything AND you will get everything you need back. God knows when we do the AND you will receive an AND back.
Giving matters because we need to do it. We are a part of something much bigger.
- All throughout scripture (OT to NT) you read about giving, sacrifice, generosity, sharing, kindness to others, looking to the interest of others, and sharing with one another.
The 1st century was known for its generosity with all of their resources. They demonstrated that giving to others mattered. Giving to the church matters.
I asked this week why did it matter so much to them? They knew they were part of a much bigger story. They knew this story was not about them. They knew they were only a part of the story and what they gave to keep the story alive really mattered. It still matters today. We need to give because when we give we are playing our part in keeping God’s story moving forward and changing lives.
When we give we join in the millions of people before us who gave generously. They gave and lives have been transformed. They invested their resources and disciples have been made. They knew they were part of something much bigger than themselves. When you give an offering and/or tithe you are not giving to keep a church going. You are not giving to keep the lights on. You are not giving to keep a ministry going. You are a part something much bigger. You are giving to make more and better and disciples. You are giving to see lives transformed.
Now, make a commitment to be a part of a much bigger story . I challenge you to either
- Continue to give what you are presently giving.
- Increase your giving because you know AND is better.
- Join the millions before you and start giving.
It’s not rocket science.
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