Deal Or No Deal: The Choice Is Yours - It's Not My Treasure, It's His!

Deal or No Deal: The Choice Is Yours

It’s Not My Treasure, It’s His!

Last week, we began a new sermon series entitled Deal or No Deal? The Choice is Yours! And I said that for the next six weeks, I wanted to talk about making the choice to obey God and not waiver from His ideal for your life in the following areas of your life: Your Time * Your Treasure * Your Temple * Your Testimony * Your Talents

Our theme verse for this series is a verse that summarizes this so clearly and profoundly:

I Corinthians 6:20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

There is even a more succinct verse that captures the same theme:

John 3:30 He must increase, but I must decrease.

This series is all about making a CHOICE on how to use this life of yours. And my prayer is that you make the choice to follow God’s Way – every time – and never consider an offer or temptation to compromise.

…Which leads me to our theme today: “It’s Not my Treasure…It’s His!” Today, we make our one singular choice to Follow God’s Way…with the resources that God has placed in our care. To be good stewards of those resources.

And I would like to reference a few things about giving that my Father also taught us as well - with regard to being good stewards of our treasure. And the point he made over and over and over again is the point that we make today: “It’s Not my Treasure…It’s His!”

On Sunday Evening, July 6, 2003, my Father preached a sermon entitled, “Stewardship is a Spiritual Matter” and I’d like to echo some familiar truths regarding Giving God our Treasure that have been proclaimed in the walls of this church since its inception. And these truths remain equally as powerful today.

I want to highlight five attitudes about giving.

Attitude #1 - We should give out of CONVICTION.

A conviction that our giving should be based on scripture!

“So I want you to consider making your life one long gift to others. And why not? All you have is on loan, anyway. All that lasts is what you pass on.” Jerry Falwell

Prov. 3:9 Honor the LORD with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase; 10 So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine.

Attitude #2 - We should give with CLARITY.

The bible is clear - not confusing - with regard to issue of Giving. We should know why we give to God and to know its purpose.

2Cor. 11:3 But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

“There is a “simplicity that is in Christ,” II Corinthians 11:3 provides an elementary infrastructure for all areas of obedient living including the giving of our time, talent treasure temple and testimony. The first tenth of all our increase is God’s. The first tenth is to be given on the first day of the week, Sunday. I Corinthians 16:2 says, On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come.” - Jerry Falwell

Attitude #3 - We should give out of our desire to CARE for the needy.

And if it takes a level of sacrifice to meet the needs of those around us, then scripture calls for us to do so.

“Sacrificial giving is that kind of giving which could affect one’s lifestyle. The churches of Macedonia who gave did just that. II Corinthians 8:1-2 says, Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia: 2 that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality.”

In addition, to your giving to the church, you give to those who have a need when the occasion arises.

Matthew 25:34-40 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ 37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’