WBC- Hilarious givers 2 Cor 9:6-15. WBC 1.04.07am
I have a vision for us being a church of hilarious givers
= really an important area of our discipleship
- many are held back because of it
Because it’s all done in secret (or should be)
- so really tests where we are at with the one who sees what is done in secret
o does He see?
o Does He reward?
- Who am I living for? The audience of one
Hence it is often
THE TEST
The litmus test of the state of our soul. Our discipleship… obedience… faith…depth of devotion
- does He see… reward… require this of me? Nobody else will know
the litmus test of our conversion:
- " a man needs two conversions: one for his soul and one for his wallet"
So- test yourself this morning. See if you are "in shape", "in the faith"
- because it is simply assumed that IF you are a follower of Jesus- it will involve your money
o managing it. Giving it away. The Lord being Lord of it
THE REQUIREMENT
Here’s how the Bible puts it
- God gives us everything for our enjoyment
- He expects us to give back
o To Him
o To His work…. others
o To test… show … that we really - put Him #1
o Rely on Him
In the OT= 10% plus freewill offerings on top of that (lev 27:30)
- 10% was for the place of worship and God’s work there
o rituals…. Its beauty… its workers… for it to be a centre of rejoicing
NT? Is it the same?
- some would say it is. Principles certainly apply
- in OT God had to spell it out… give laws… as folks generally weren’t ’taught from within’ by the HS. Their hearts were different. Often hard. So - if you’re
o arguing over "10% net or gross"- you’ve probably missed the point! And your heart needs looking at
o irritated by the issue being brought up at all ("ruining my church service""- you’ve missed the point
" I bet if you are honest and look at your accounts you’ll find you haven’t even given 2%
" Because of where your heart is at with God. Be honest. Where is the love of God in your heart?
o Buy yourself a new camera… gadget… weekend away… but have no strategy for giving to God…..
…. You’re living in the OT and God needs to give you laws for you to do anything at all. But that’s not God’s desire for us… nor mine for us as a church
He… the NT… wants it to come out of
- generosity. Hilarity! Overflow! "I love the Lord and I love giving to Him!"
- gratitude. "praise be to God for His indescribable gift!". "I’m so grateful!"
o give as much as you can from a grateful heart
o If you can’t do it gratefully- don’t! Instead- look at your heart and relationship with God. First.
- Grace. 10% is a good yardstick
o But you give what He tells you! May ask you for more
o There are occasional times when you can’t- as He doesn’t want you in debt. But then you manage your money and PLAN to give
" God will bless you in whatever you prioritise:
" Being part of our debt-led culture
" Being wise and giving to Him first
- Discipleship
o This is not law- it’s devotion and discipleship. Intentionality. Making sure it happens
o (we try and forget- hoping, then, that God won’t blame us)
o 1 COr 16:2 "on the first day of the week"
o "in keeping with income"
What to give to?
- home, first. That’s the "temple" bit of the OT
o make sure their needs are met and more. It would be SO nice to have more than needed so can dream dreams rather than being budget-driven
- then-others. Keep asking ’who, Lord?"
o remember: you don’t give to what YOU want but what the Lord leads you to. It’s His money
THE REWARD
So- why give?
Because the Lord gave. So generously. It’s a sign of gratitude
- v12 "an expression of thanks to God"
- if you have ’nothing but praise’ for God- then it’s probably not praise at all. You just like singing!
So as not to be owned, mastered by anything
- Jesus must be Lord and number one
- The love of money must be kept in abeyance. Master the beast!
Because of the work of the Kingdom
- the Lord DOES own the ’cattle on a thousand hills’ (Ps 50)- but it’s through us and he can’t release the assets for the kingdom unless we do!
- The gates of hell may not stop His church- but I’m telling you- His people often do through lack of finances!
A desire to generate a secret history with God… a relationship with Him… treasures in heaven…. Credit to account
- and this is done through the praying, fasting and giving that He ALONE sees
- and He alone rewards
- Mt 6:4 "the Lord who sees what is done in secret will reward you"
Do you want the Lord’s reward? (or just man’s?)
- reward is not our aim, of course- but it is a by-product. Result
- there is nothing like being right with God! His favour!
Its’ sowing and reaping, really and, as it says in Micah- the Lord is not fooled
If you sow sparingly- you will reap sparingly
in your life. Heart
o becomes a self- perpetuating cycle of decline
but if you sow generously
- you will reap a "harvest of righteousness" (v10)
o joy!
o It IS more blessed to give than receive
- And you’ll reap for the KOG as well ("I played a part in that!")
Materially
Now I’m not preaching prosperity, here. Only works in USA!
But God is no persons debtor
- V8. "God is able to make all GRACE abound to you so that you have ALL that you need. And you abound in good deeds"
Do you have all that you need?
- some of that is an attitude of heart. Cf ’gleanings’- "I have enough"
o (Godliness with contentment is great gain- for we brought nothing into this world and we can take nothing out of it." 1 Tim 6:6)
- some of it is we put our money in wallets with holes in. There is just never enough to go around
o and the root of the problem is- we haven’t put God first with our money
" we think we can fool Him
" but then the car breaks down. The boiler goes. And all we’ve ’saved’ by not giving to God is swallowed up by wallets with holes in
o that’s because it’s not SAVING- it’s ROBBING
" Malachi 3:8 says if you don’t give God what is His you are robbing Him
God is able to bless materially, as well. He is no man’s debtor.
- it’s not a promise that it will be ’like for like’. Money for money. He doesn’t promise that
o but He does promise to reward and give our needs
o and that is OFTEN financially ("many houses both in this world and the next")
Malachi 3:10 3:10 God says 10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. 11 I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit," says the LORD Almighty. 12 "Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land," says the LORD Almighty.
Or, as it says in v11 here- you will be made rich in every way- so you can be generous
