Managing Money God's Way: Sharing Series

Managing Money God’s Way: Sharing

Scott Bayles, pastor

Blooming Grove Christian Church: 10/9/16

Most of us have probably heard the saying, “Money talks.” Someone once said, “If money talks, all it ever says to me is good-bye!” I heard a story recently though about some talking money.

A well-worn one dollar bill and a similarly distressed twenty dollar bill arrived at a Federal Reserve Bank to be retired. As they moved along the conveyor belt to be burned, they struck up a conversation. The twenty dollar bill reminisced about its travels all over the county. “I’ve had a pretty good life,” the twenty proclaimed. “I’ve been to Las Vegas and Atlantic City, the finest restaurants in New York, performances on Broadway, and even a cruise to the Caribbean.”

"Wow!" said the one dollar bill. "You’ve really had an exciting life!"

"So tell me," says the twenty, "where have you been throughout your lifetime?"

The one dollar bill replies, "Oh, I’ve been to the Methodist Church, the Baptist Church, the Lutheran Church..." The twenty dollar bill interrupts, "What’s a church?"

For the last couple of weeks we’ve been talking about how to manage money God’s way. Like I said before, the Bible has a lot to say about money! There are thousands of verses in the Bible about wealth and finances… literally thousands. In a sense, your checkbook is a little window into your soul. Few things test your faith and maturity more accurately than how you manage your money. In fact, I believe how you handle money is the litmus test of spiritual maturity because, as I pointed out a couple of weeks ago, Jesus said, “And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven?” (Luke 16:11 NLT).

In other words, God is watching me to see how I handle wealth (however much or little I have) in this life. If God can’t trust me with material wealth here on earth, then he won’t trust me with true spiritual riches in eternity. How we manage money really does matter and it has eternal consequences.

And, as I said before, there are only three things we can do with money—spend it, save it, or share it. We talked about spending money God’s way two weeks ago when we looked at the parable of the prodigal son. We talked about saving money last week when we looked at the story of Joseph. Today, I want to talk about sharing money God’s way. So let’s open our Bible to 2 Corinthians 9. Beginning in verse one, Paul writes:

I really don’t need to write to you about this ministry of giving for the believers in Jerusalem. For I know how eager you are to help, and I have been boasting to the churches in Macedonia that you in Greece were ready to send an offering a year ago… But I want it to be a willing gift, not one given grudgingly.

Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. As the Scriptures say, “They share freely and give generously to the poor. Their good deeds will be remembered forever.”

For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you. (2 Corinthians 9:1-10 NLT)

As I read this passage, I notice three principles of godly giving that I’d like to highlight for you today. First, this passage reveals that biblical sharing is purposeful.

• SHARING IS PURPOSEFUL

I heard a story once about a young farmer who made a promise to his pastor to give 10% of the profits from his farm to the church every year. Well, like most small farms, the first few years were a struggle. He only managed to make $1000 profit the first year. So at year’s end, he wrote a check to the church for $100. This continued year after year, and gradually the farm started to turn a more significant profit. He made $10,000, then $100,000 and finally one year he made $1,000,000. But he just couldn’t bring himself to write a check for $100,000 to the church—that’s just too much money, he thought. So he stopped by the pastor’s office, explained the situation and begged to be let out of the promise he had made. “This tithing business has to stop,” he said. “It was fine when my tithe was a $100 or $1000, but I can’t afford to give $100,000! You’ve got to do something, pastor!” The pastor looked at him for a moment, then dropped to his knees and began praying silently. Eventually the man said, “What are you doing? Are you praying that God will let me out of my promise?” The pastor replied, “No. I am praying for God to reduce your income so you can afford to tithe again!”