Sermon Central
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A Call To Generous Giving
Contributed by Carolyn Malaika Foster-Brooks on Nov 28, 2017 (message contributor)
Summary: Have you ever witnessed a Christian becoming jealous because another Christian received a financial blessing and they didn’t? Everyone has a responsibility to be generous in their giving without expecting anything back and this sermon speaks about what th
It is sad that we cannot depend on each other like we used to and that times of trials and tribulation have become even harder for our brethern to depend on banks, finance companies, concerted services, the welfare office and even the pawn shops anymore!! So the question becomes one of desperation for a lot of people...WHERE DO I GO? AND WHO CAN I TURN TO???
The answer for the church is the same as it was in Jerusalem, it is in the church of today!
Thank God that one by one, we the church, can start today by giving back what does not belong to us anyway! Our tithes and our offerings!
GOD PROVIDES ALL THINGS AT ALL TIMES IN ORDER THAT WE MAY ABOUND IN EVERY GOOD WORK. 2 Corinthians 9:8 nlt. In other words, He blesses us that we may use those blessings to help others, not to better ourselves!
More important than the amount you give
( although 10% is required)is your motive for giving. Remember how Jesus commended the poor widow who gave only two small coins ("all she had to live on") rather than the rich, who "gave their gifts out of their wealth"? Luke 21:1-4
That is why we are reminded of 2 Corinthins 9:7 nlt- YOU MUST EACH MAKE UP YOUR OWN MIND AS TO HOW MUCH YOU SHOULD GIVE. DON’T GIVE RELUCTLANTLY OR IN RESPONSE TO PRESSURE. FOR GOD LOVES THE PERSON WHO GIVES CHEERFULLY.
As little or as much as some of us might have, when we learn to stop squeezing our pennies and dollars in our fists and open up to giving with gladness in our hearts, God is going to bless us in a miraculous way in which we cannot imagine!
No doubt, just as many of us are praying to God for help in our time of need, somebody else is praying too! So, if we all get on one accord, when praises go up....blesses will come down!
There was no welfare or other government relief in the first century. All the churches had were each other to rely on and that is all we have today...each other!
God gave us the best of what He had and that was His Son Jesus Christ who left His heavenly home, humbled himself by taking on the form of a human being, and died on the cross for our sins!
Our Lord’s ultimate sacrifice was a demonstration of His love, His obedience and His faith. Our faith can be measured by how well our life measures up to the standards set by Jesus.
Our motive and our purpose in giving to the church should be a demonstration of our love, our obedience and our faith in God’s promises to us!
CLOSING:
As I close, let’s go back to 2 Corinthians 9:8-15 and look at how we will be blessed for being cheerful givers:
(8)AND GOD WILL GENEROUSLY PROVIDE ALL YOU NEED. THEN YOU WILL ALWAYS HAVE EVERYTHING YOU NEED AND PLENTY LEFT OVER TO SHARE WITH OTHERS.
(9) AS THE SCRIPTURES SAY, "GODLY PEOPLE GIVE GENEROUSLY TO THE POOR. THEIR GOOD DEEDS WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN."
(10) FOR GOD IS THE ONE WHO GIVES SEED TO THE FARMER AND THEN BREAD TO EAT. IN THE SAME WAY, HE WILL GIVE YOU MANY OPPORTUNITIES TO DO GOOD, AND HE WILL PRODUCE A GREAT HARVEST OF GENEROSITY TO YOU.
(11) YES, YOU WILL BE ENRICHED SO THAT YOU CAN GIVE EVEN MORE GENEROUSLY. AND WHEN WE TAKE YOUR GIFTS TO THOSE WHO NEED THEM, THEY WILL BREAK OUT IN THANKSGIVING TO GOD.
