Part 6 - Great Reasons for Being a Giver
Philippians 4:10-19
Sermon by Rick Crandall
(2007 Series - Giving to Grow)
McClendon Baptist Church - Oct. 14, 2007
*We are moving forward to a great finish for our Giving to Grow Campaign, and as we do, we are going to be talking a lot about money. That can be a sensitive subject in church. Alan Tison tells us that preaching about money brings out many emotions:
-Feelings of guilt -- (I wish I could give more.)
-Feelings of anxiety -- (I brought a friend today, and we are going to talk about money. They will never come back!)
-Feelings of inadequacy -- (We may feel like the widow giving a small portion. What difference does that make?) (1)
*Money is a sensitive subject, and I want to handle it in a sensitive way. At the same time though, I want to talk about money, because Jesus talked about money. We have to talk about money, because God’s Word talks about money. God’s Word is full of wisdom about money: How to get it and how to keep it from getting us. God’s Word shows us the right attitudes toward money, and the right things to do with our money.
1. One of the best things we can do with our money is to give it away. So be a giver -- first of all, because you will help spread joy to other people.
*Paul gave us a great example of this joy in vs. 10, when he told the Philippians, “I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again.”
*Here’s the background: In Acts 16, Paul and Silas were with the people of Philippi for only a short time. Great things happened while they were there. People were being saved. Then Paul and Silas were severely beaten and thrown into prison. Why? There was a young woman in that city, a slave able to tell fortunes, because she was possessed by a demon. Paul cast the demon out, and her owners became enraged when they realized they couldn’t make any more money off her fortune-telling.
*Then there was the wonderful story of how the jailer and his household got saved. While Paul and Silas were in jail, God sent a miraculous earthquake that loosed their chains and opened the prison doors. Thinking the prisoners had escaped, the jailer started to kill himself. But Paul stopped him just in the nick of time. The jailer rushed in and asked that most important question, “What must I do to be saved?” -- And they answered, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
*Now many years later, Paul was in prison again for preaching the gospel. But this time there was no miraculous earthquake to set him free. He was chained to a guard, waiting to plead his case to case to Caesar. Then one day he has a visitor – a man from Philippi, named Epaphroditus. He brought Paul a gift of much-needed money. And it gave great joy to Paul. This was not the first gift Paul had received from Philippi. Vs. 16 tells us that church helped him many times -- And it gave him great joy.
*I can’t tell you how many expressions of joy I have seen from people who were blessed by your giving. Here is one of my favorite examples from Christmas Giving last year:
*Dear McClendon Baptist Church,
I cannot thank you enough for your generous gifts of money this Christmas. Without going into details, they were surely in answer to prayer! I opened the envelopes and started crying I was so touched and relieved. Gregory, who is 4, assumed I was sad. He doesn’t quite comprehend tears of joy yet but he will.
We have been so blessed this year. I was baptized for the first time at 40 -- you’re never too old! The kids were baptized with me, which was very special. We’ve found a church home [at the Episcopal church] which has been my Mom’s church for over 20 years now.
*Gregory continues to have clear scans at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis. His last one was on December 14th. He has very few side effects from the chemo and we are grateful for his healing. At a glance, you would never know that he was ever sick. God is so good!
*We thank God for all his blessings, both seen and unseen. I believe we never fully know what God has done for us. Your generosity towards and prayers for my family have touched us. We cannot thank you enough.
Your friends in Christ,
Sarah, Gregory and Zoe
2. Be a giver, because you will help spread joy to other people. -- And because the Lord will give you the strength to give.
*Paul reminds us of this strength in vs. 11-13, where he said, “I am not saying these things because I have a need -- For I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
*Jesus Christ will give His strength to everyone who puts their trust in Him. As Paul prayed in Eph 3:14-16, “For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, -from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man.”
*God will give you the strength to be a giver. -- And it takes strength. As Alan Tison pointed out, “The Philippian church showed true generosity toward Paul. They were generous even when they knew they would not benefit personally. Their gift took some effort to collect and send to Paul. Epaphroditus had to travel to Rome to give him the gift. He had to visit a man locked-up in chains.”
-Giving takes strength. There are always reasons why we cannot give. But the Lord will give us the strength we need to give. (1)
*God gives all of His people the strength to give a tithe or 10 percent of their income. We know that because He tells us to tithe, and God is not going to ask us to do something we cannot do. You may be thinking, “There’s no way I can do that!” But God says, “Try me and see.” And I tell people that if you will make the commitment to tithe, God will make a way.
*But Giving to Grow is about more than our tithes. It’s a special commitment for 3 years, over and above our tithes, for a new building where many more children will come to know Jesus. God will give you the strength to make that commitment. “But what if something happens and I can’t keep my commitment?”
*Notice that the Philippians were not always able to give to Paul. In vs. 10, Paul said, “I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again; though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity.” Sometimes circumstances keep us from giving a special gift we want to give. If that happens any time during the three years, you can change your commitment. Just call the Church Office.
*This verse also reminds us that you don’t have to beat yourself up over the amount. Some of us can give a lot more than others, some of us less. God knows what you can do. He knows your circumstances better than anyone else -- even you. If you will ask Him, He will show you what to do, and He will give you the strength to do it.
*And of course we don’t want to be cheap about our giving. Brett Favre recently broke the NFL record for touchdown passes. Brett and his wife Deanna have overcome some tremendous obstacles, including Deanna’s battle with cancer and some serious problems in their marriage. But by the grace of God, they have overcome. Deanna finished her last radiation treatment in Feb. 2005 and has been cancer-free since.
*She once said that she cherishes three small, but very powerful words:
-“Faith: That God has an ultimate and good plan for my life.
-Hope: For my children, my marriage and my future.
-Love: For my family and friends, a blessing I will never take for granted.”
*Brett is a good husband, but as he dated his sweetheart in high school and college, he had a lot to learn. Once in college they had a big falling out. Deanna didn’t speak to Brett for a month, so he tried to woo her back -- with plastic roses. He gave her one rose when they went out to reconcile. On their next date he gave her another plastic rose.
*When she received the third rose Deanna said, “I guess this is the last one.”
-Brett asked, “Why do you say that?”
-She pointed to the plastic rose and replied, “Because the tag on it says three for 99¢.” (2)
*We don’t want to be cheap about our giving! -- Especially with our giving to God. Ask God to show you what to do, and He will give you the strength to do it. Then just like Paul, you will be able to say, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
3. Be a giver, because the Lord will give you the strength to give. -- And because you will help shoulder other people’s burdens.
*Paul reminds us of this in vs. 14, when he told the church at Philippi, “You have done well that you shared in my distress.” God wants to make us a channel of blessing. He wants to use us as an instrument of Jesus Christ to help other people. In Gal 6:2, God tells us to “bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” This dream of a Children’s Building will only become a reality when all of us do all we can to share the load.
*Dr. Henry Marissen told the story of a little boy who knocked on a man’s door, offering to sell him some little pictures for 10 cents each. The man asked him, "What are you going to do with the money?" And the little boy said, “I’m raising a million dollars for earthquake relief.”
*The man laughed and said: “A million dollars! -- Do you expect to raise it all by yourself?” “No,” the little boy said, “My brother is helping me.” (3)
*That little boy may have been off on his math, but he had great expectations, because he had someone to help him. God wants all of us to help carry the load, even when the goal seems impossible.
4. Be a giver, because you will help shoulder other people’s burdens. -- And because you may stand alone in the gap for others.
*Your gift may make all the difference in the world. This was certainly true for the Philippian gifts to Paul. As he said in vs. 15-16 (And this is so profound.), “Now you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me concerning giving and receiving but you only. For even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities.”
*“No church shared with me concerning giving and receiving but you only.” I can’t help but think: “What if the Philippians had not given to help Paul?”
-Your gift may be the only one that can meet the need.
5. Be a giver, because you may stand alone in the gap for others. -- And because you will get a harvest of spiritual fruit.
*Paul talked about this fruit in vs. 17, when he said, “I am not seeking the gift, but the fruit that will be abundantly added to your account.” This spiritual fruit is extremely important in our lives. Jesus made this clear to us many times.
*In Luke 13:6-9, the Lord told this parable:
-“A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, ‘Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?’
-But he answered and said to him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down.’”
*Spiritual fruit is exceedingly important in our lives. In Matt 21:18-19, just a few days before the cross, Jesus went back into Jerusalem. It was morning, He was hungry, and He saw a fig tree by the road. But when Jesus got to the tree, He found nothing on it but leaves. Then He said to the tree, “Let no fruit grow on you ever again.” -- And immediately the fig tree withered away.
*This was the only judgment miracle during the Lord’s three year ministry. Why did Jesus do that? Did He just get up on the wrong side of the bed? No, of course not. One of the main reasons why the Lord destroyed that tree was because He wanted us to know the importance of spiritual fruit.
*On the night before Jesus died on the cross He said:
1. I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.
2. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
3. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.
4. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
5. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
6. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.
7. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.
8. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. (John 15:1-8)
*Spiritual fruit is tremendously important in our lives -- But what is this fruit? It certainly includes doing all we can to help more people come to trust in Jesus as Savior and Lord. In Rom 1:13 Paul said, “Now I do not want you to be unaware brothers that I often planned to come to you . . . that I might have some fruit among you also, just as among the other Gentiles.”
*Spiritual fruit means people -- people who realize their need to be saved and give their hearts to the Lord. But spiritual fruit is also the new, righteous and holy life that we can live as believers, because we are born again, and the Holy Spirit is living in us. Here is part of Paul’s prayer for the Colossian Christians: “That you may have a walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work” (Col 1:10)
*Spiritual fruit is every good work we do as believers, but it’s also the money we give for the cause of Christ. So in vs. 17, Paul said, “I am not seeking the gift, but the fruit that will be abundantly added to your account.” Paul said that because he knew how important spiritual fruit is for every believer.
6. Be a giver, because you will get a harvest of spiritual fruit. -- And because the Lord will be pleased with your sacrifice.
*As Paul said in vs. 18, “Indeed I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Mr. Lovely the things which were sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God.” Our giving pleases God in big way -- Not because He needs our money. (It all belongs to Him anyway!) Our giving pleases God, because when we give, we are acting in a Godly way. God is a giver, and if you want to be like Him, you are going to have to be a giver too. So there are sacrifices for all believers to make.
*In Rom 12:1, Paul said, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” Here in Phil 4, our giving is a sacrifice. And if giving ever seems too much of a sacrifice to you, just start thinking about the Lord’s sacrifice for you. What about His sacrifice?
*Jesus left all the riches of Heaven to become a man. “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.” (2 Corin 8:9)
*While He was here, Jesus owned very little, but He often borrowed.
-He borrowed the stable he was born in.
-He borrowed the manger he was laid in.
-He borrowed a boat so He could preach to the crowd on the shore.
-He borrowed a boy’s lunch to feed the 5,000.
-He borrowed a donkey to ride into Jerusalem.
-He even borrowed the tomb in which he was buried. (1)
*Jesus left all the riches of Heaven for us. No one has ever sacrificed more than Jesus. He took all of the suffering for all of our sins when He died on the cross for us. No sacrifice we could ever make could measure up to what He has done for us -- But if we want to be like our living Lord, we must be willing to sacrifice our time and our money for Him.
7. Be a giver, because the Lord will be pleased with your sacrifice. -- And because God will see you trusting in His supply.
*When you give, you are putting your faith into action. You are exercising your faith that God will supply all of your needs -- And He will supply your needs! We know this because that is what He has promised to do. As Paul said in vs. 19, “My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” God will do amazing things when we trust Him to supply all our needs.
*Most of us have heard of Charles Stanley, pastor of First Baptist Church in Atlanta. Dr. Stanley tells the story of a time when their church needed two million dollars to relocate to a larger facility. The only problem was they didn’t have the money.
*One day, the board members told Dr. Stanley to get a loan from the bank because the deal sounded good. But Dr. Stanley told them that they needed divine direction, so they all packed up and took off for a state park for a time of prayer. All weekend they passionately prayed that God would give them direction and help them resolve the problem that they were facing. When they finally left the park, they still didn’t have any clear direction about how to purchase the building. But they were committed to waiting on God.
*A few days later, Dr. Stanley had a message to call a man He had never met. He lived in another state. The man said that he wanted to help Dr. Stanley’s ministry. Immediately, Dr. Stanley called him back, and the stranger said, “I have had you and your ministry on my mind the past several days. I notice that you never ask for money on the broadcast, and I was wondering if you have any needs.”
*Dr. Stanley explained the situation about the building and how they needed two million dollars to purchase it. The stranger said, “I think I can handle that.” And he gave that church two million dollars. (4)
*Now I am not saying that God is going to send us 2 million dollars from a stranger. -- But I am sure that He will supply all our needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus! So make up your mind to be a giver. Ask God to show you what to do, then trust him to lead you and supply your every need. He surely will, and great things will happen.
*The first and most important thing to give Him is your heart. You can do that right now as we go to the Lord in prayer.
1. Adapted from SermonCentral Sermon “True Generosity” by Alan Tison - Phil 4:14-19
2. Guideposts, October 2007, p.54 (Found in IOW - September 2007 #3) (IN OTHER WORDS... began in 1991 and is produced by Dr. Raymond McHenry, Senior Pastor of the Westgate Memorial Baptist Church in Beaumont, Texas. 6130 Barrington ~ Beaumont, Texas 77706 (800) 553-4697 www.iows.net)
3. Sermon: "Loaves and Fish," by Rev. Dr. Henry Marissen (Found in sermonillustrations.com email 08-04-02)
4. Keith Smith, “Anything Is Possible With Jesus” (Found online in sermonillustrations.com 01-18-04)
