Disclaimer: The following sermon is offered for your edification and spiritual enlightenment. However, there may be some present… being immature in the faith… may find it offensive, and at times disruptive, to their comfort zone. Although seeded with much Scripture, and thoroughly prayed over, some Christians may conclude that this sermon is self-serving, and presented with an undo bias in favor of Grace And Glory Baptist Church. That being said, Any and All complaints for this sermon should be directed to its Author, the Holy Spirit, and NOT… I repeat…NOT … to the speaker,… the Right, Reverend, Bodacious.. yet, humble man of God… Doctor-Pastor-Teacher… William Noel (the Great). Thank you in advance for your cooperation!
Intro.
· Ill.: A college student had the following message on his answer machine in his dorm:
o If you are some one from the phone company, I’ve already sent the money.
o If this is one of my parents, please send money.
o If it’s my financial institution, you didn’t lend me enough money.
o If you’re a friend, you owe me money.
o If you are a female...I have plenty of money
· From US Department of Commerce
o Persons 65-74 donated the largest percentage of their income (3.1 percent)
o Those 18-24 the least (0.6 percent).
o Those with lower incomes gave a higher proportion of their income to charity than higher income individuals.
o Persons with household incomes of under $10,000 gave 2.8 percent of their total incomes, while those with incomes over $100,000 gave only 2.1 percent.
· The average annual contribution to the church was $715 per household (Ave. $59.58/month)
· In 1998, 70 percent of American households gave to a religious organization. The average annual household contribution was $1,075 (Ave. $89.50/month)
· Only 8% of adults tithe…but that’s up from 6% the previous year.
I. Opportunity To Sow, 38a
A. Opportunity is Created When Needs Arise
i. Gal. 6:9-10
ii. The Harvest Of Sin
1. Sow Sin, Reap Disappointment, Isa. 17:11
2. Sow Sin, Reap Lost Profits, Jer. 12:13
3. Sow Sin, Reap Judgment, Joel 3:12-13
B. Opportunity is Abused When Disobedience Abounds
i. Some people have needs, because they disobey scripture
1. Refusal To Withdraw, (God To Work) II Thes. 3:6-9
2. Refusal To Work, II Thes. 3:10-12
3. Refusal To Wait, Isa. 40:31 (But they that wait…)
4. Refusal To Tithe, Mal. 3:8-10
ii. Ill.: A man came into his pastor’s office, and shared that he was down to his last ten dollars, and didn’t know what to do. He has recently lost his job and was having difficulty finding a new one. His pastor told him to walk by faith, and tithe on what he had…. To put $1 (a tithe) in the offering, and see what God would do. The man, having nothing to lose, said that he would, and he did Before leaving, the pastor prayed this prayer with him, “Dear Lord, bless the faith of this dear brother, as he trust you with a tithe of all he has. Open the windows of heaven in his life and on his finances. In Jesus name, Amen!
The man left, and went into service and gave his tithe to the Lord. Later that week, this same man came into the pastor’s office, excited, because he had been offered a job, and it paid more than he was making at his old one. The pastor rejoiced with him, and reminded him to continue to tithe. The man replied, Pastor I would, but I’m behind on my bills and need to get caught up. As soon as I’m caught up, I’ll start tithing.
A few weeks went by, and the pastor noticed that this man and his family were absent from service, so he asked the assistant pastor if he knew why. “Pastor, he told me that he was taking his family on vacation to Disney Land. That they needed a break from all the stress they had been under from his new job. And that as soon as he paid the credit card bills from the vacation, he would start tithing.
A few more weeks went by and the pastor saw the man pull into the church parking lot…in a new car. Apparently, the shock showed on the pastor’s face, so the man told him what happened. ‘You see Pastor, now that I’m back at work we can afford to put our kids back in sports and private music lessons. And I didn’t want the old car to break down on my wife, so we got her this one. And pastor, you need to pray for that car dealership. They charged me for genuine Italian leather, and gave me some other junk. And, the payments… as soon as we get used to the new payments….I’ll start tithing.
The pastor had heard enough, and said…Brother, you’re right, we need to pray. “Dear God, You have been good to this brother and his family. You have given him a job, better than the last….and yet he’s too busy to work in the church. His children play sports, take private lessons… his family goes on vacation, and drives around the city in a car purchased with the tithes of the Lord. Dear God, just as You have opened the windows of heaven in this man’s life, I ask You to close the same. He has robbed you of Your tithe, I pray that you would rob him of his job. He has robbed you of Your offerings, I pray You would rob him of his car, vacation, and private lessons for his children. Teach this dear brother the costliness of playing with God’s money!”
II. Occasion To Reap, 38b ‘…the same measure…’
A. The Giver Determines The Quantity They Will Give, ‘For with the same…’
i. II Cor. 9:6-7 “But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
ii. Matt 6:1-4 (Left Hand-Right Hand)
B. The Giver Determines The Quantity They Will Receive, ‘it shall be …’
i. Sow Little…Reap Little///Sow Much…Reap Much!
ii. Ill.: Spoons, Cups and Buckets
Conc.
· Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
· How are your finances?
o Lean?
o Low?
o On Life Support?
· Remember, Solomon said that there is a time and a season for everything. Maybe you’re going through a ‘time’ because it’s just …your time!
· Maybe you’re going through a time because you’ve ignored the opportunities to give to others.
· Maybe you’re going through a time because you’re Reaping what you have Sown…all the way to the bank!
· Be not deceived, God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap…all the way to the bank!
