“Financial Sacrifice”
Every Christian serious about a deeper walk with God and greater impact in our world must incorporate spiritual exercises as a way of life.
I.What is sacrifice?
Sacrifice is a willingness and sometimes even eagerness to give up something valuable for something or someone we deem more valuable.
When it comes to sacrifice -- if it doesn’t cost, it doesn’t count.
II.Why is such a sacrificial lifestyle necessary?
A. Sacrifice validates the true reality of our commitment
B. Sacrifice demonstrates the true reality of our faith.
C. Sacrifice demonstrates the depth of our love and gratitude.
D. Sacrifice exposes selfishness and complacency
E. Sacrifice brings true freedom and blessing
III. How do we practice regular sacrifice?
A. Dedicate your life to kingdom purposes
B. Invite God to search motives
C. Evaluate or establish your values
D. Transfer control / ownership to God
There are practical ways to transfer and ownership of the things we deem valuable to God. We transfer ownership, not responsibility. Stewardship not ownership. That way, God has free reign over not only our life but the things in our life.
•Family and people
We must continually trust God with the welfare of our family. Only He knows what is best and only He can bring it about.
We are only responsibility to listen and fulfill our God-given responsibility.
•Time
The only way to get a handle on effective use of time is to dedicate a portion of our time solely to God. Scripture calls that a Sabbath Rest and redeeming the time.
•Treasure
We value many things besides ourselves, our family and our time. Each one can be kept in its proper perspective by a corresponding Biblical exercise or discipline.
Money
Possessions
Pleasure
Power and prestige
God’s principles often run contrary to what the world values.
God emphasizes the value of…
…giving over getting
…owning nothing over owning everything
…suffering for eternal purpose over pursuing temporal pleasures
…humility over pride
Certain God-directed practices enable us to avoid the devastating pitfalls often associated with money, possessions, pleasure and power.
Scripture boldly addresses the issues related to money – perhaps more than many other subjects. Its mention would at least rank in the top ten most addressed topics of the Bible. Paul clearly warned of its destructive power.
We have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. 1 Timothy 6:7-10
Money is not the root of all evil but the LOVE OF MONEY. Only when money captures a primary position in our heart and life does it become a curse rather than a blessing. Jesus drew clear lines when it comes to money.
"No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth. Matthew 6:24
The only way to keep money from capturing our heart is to become steward rather than owners. We need to become conduits rather than consumers. We need to be motivated by grace not greed. The only way to do that is have a healthy habit of giving. To embrace giving as a lifestyle it is good to grasp the significance of such a lifestyle. Before we adopt any habit we need to first understand the benefits.
1.Sacrificial giving develops and demonstrates devotion to God.
You shall surely tithe all the produce from what you sow, which comes out of the field every year. And you shall eat in the presence of the LORD your God, at the place where He chooses to establish His name, the tithe of your grain, your new wine, your oil, and the first-born of your herd and your flock, in order that you may learn to fear the LORD your God always. Deut. 14:22-23
Honor the LORD from your wealth, and from the first of all your produce; Proverbs 3:9
Failure to give to God dishonors him. Giving to God is a first indication of repentance. A willingness to surrender my resources indicates a truly changed heart.
From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from My statutes, and have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you, says the LORD of hosts. But you say, ’How shall we return?’ Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you say, ’How have we robbed Thee?’ In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing Me, the whole nation of you! Mal 3:8-12
God calls for the first fruits as a demonstration of our absolute devotion to him. God views a failure to give what belongs to Him as stealing from Him. None of you would snatch a twenty out of the offering plate as it goes by. Yet we fail to realize that God views a failure to give to Him no differently. Also, failure to give of our best dishonors God.
’A son honors his father, and a servant his master. Then if I am a father, where is My honor? And if I am a master, where is My respect?’ says the LORD of hosts to you, O priests who despise My name. But you say, ’How have we despised Your name?’ "You are presenting defiled food upon My altar. But you say, ’How have we defiled You?’ In that you say, ’The table of the LORD is to be despised.’ "But when you present the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? And when you present the lame and sick, is it not evil? Why not offer it to your governor? Would he be pleased with you? Or would he receive you kindly?" says the LORD of hosts. "But now will you not entreat God’s favor, that He may be gracious to us? With such an offering on your part, will He receive any of you kindly?" says the LORD of hosts. "Oh that there were one among you who would shut the gates, that you might not uselessly kindle fire on My altar! I am not pleased with you," says the LORD of hosts, "nor will I accept an offering from you. Malachi 1:6-10
Failure to give to God communicates dishonor and robs God. Failure to give our best communicates dishonor and resists God.
Leftovers
Leftovers are such humble things; we would not serve them to a guest,
And yet we serve them to our Lord who deserves the very best.
We give to Him leftover time, stray minutes here and there,
Leftover cash we give to Him, such few coins as we can spare.
We give our youth unto the world, to hatred, lust and strife;
Then in declining years we give to Him the remnant of our life.
2.Sacrificial giving binds the heart to eternal concerns
"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Matthew 6:19-21
This treasure principle can be viewed two ways.
One, our heart directs our treasure.
Two, our treasure draws our heart.
Either way, our heart and our treasure are inseparably linked. The point is to be careful where you invest your treasure because it affects the heart. What happens when you invest in company stock? To invest merely for personal security or satisfaction, God calls foolish.
And He said to them, "Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.” And He told them a parable, saying, "The land of a certain rich man was very productive, and he began reasoning to himself, saying, ’What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?’ And he said, ’This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. ’And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry." But God said to him, ’You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?’ So is the man who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. Luke 12:15-21
3.Sacrificial giving releases the heart to fully serve God.
From the sad example of this wealthy young man Jesus taught a very important lesson.
Jesus said to him, "If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." But when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieved; for he was one who owned much property.
And Jesus said to His disciples, "Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. "And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." And when the disciples heard this, they were very astonished and said, "Then who can be saved?" And looking upon them Jesus said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." Matthew 19:21-26
The rich young ruler kept all the commandments except one. He did not love the Lord his God with all his heart.
"No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will hold to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. Matthew 6:24
Because our hearts are naturally self-centered and bent toward becoming self-sufficient they need to be disciplined and trained for selfless and interdependent function through sacrificial giving. Consistent sacrificial giving is the only way to develop a healthy selfless and submissive heart. Such faithful handling of earthly resources trains us to faithfully handle spiritual resources.
He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much. Therefore if you have not been faithful in the use of unrighteous wealth, who will entrust the true riches to you? And if you have not been faithful in the use of that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own? No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth. Lu 16:10-13
John Wesley had this to say about money.
“When I have any money, I get rid of it as quickly as possible, lest it find a way into my heart. “
4.Sacrificial eternal investment brings satisfying eternal reward now and later.
Even if there were no other benefits than the satisfaction of putting a smile on the face of God it would be enough.
But God clearly promises a multitude of rewards and benefits to those who sacrificially give to Him from a grateful heart.
Peter began to say to Him, "Behold, we have left everything and followed You." Jesus said, "Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel’s sake, but that he shall receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life. Mark 10:28-30
God invited the Israelites to test whether He would bless them for their faithful giving.
"Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this," says the LORD of hosts, "if I will not open for you the windows of heaven, and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows. "Then I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it may not destroy the fruits of the ground; nor will your vine in the field cast its grapes," says the LORD of hosts. "And all the nations will call you blessed, for you shall be a delightful land," says the LORD of hosts. Malachi 3:10-12
Jesus invited the people to give liberally
"Give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, they will pour into your lap. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return." Luke 6:38
Paul urged the Galatians to give to eternal things and wait for the eternal reward rather than investing in the fleshly.
Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh shall from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit shall from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary. Galatians 6:7-9
Solomon taught about the rewards of sacrificial giving.
Honor the LORD from your wealth, and from the first of all your produce;
So your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine. Proverbs 3:9-10
There is one who scatters, yet increases all the more, and there is one who withholds what is justly due, but it results only in want.
The generous man will be prosperous, and he who waters will himself be watered. Proverbs 11:24-25
Paul taught the Corinthians the blessing of generous giving.
Now this I say, he who sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly; and he who sows bountifully shall also reap bountifully. Let each one do just as he has purposed in his heart; not grudgingly or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed; as it is written,
"He scattered abroad, he gave to the poor, His righteousness abides forever."
Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food, will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness; you will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God. 2 Cor. 9:6-14
Reward may not always be monetary on this earth but God Himself assures the spiritual eternal blessing that comes from a heart of obedience and sacrificial devotion to Him. I know it seems illogical, but God instituted the principle of giving.
God laid out the means by which we can put a smile on His face and unlock the heavenly storehouse of blessing.
Testimony after testimony can be offered to God’s faithfulness to sacrificial giving.
Tithing Surprises
The Christian who tithes will be surprised:
(1) At the amount of money he has for the Lord’s work,
(2) At the deepening of his spiritual life in paying the tithe,
(3) At the ease in meeting his own obligation with the nine-tenths,
(4) At the ease in going from one-tenth to a larger percentage,
(5) At the preparation this gives to be a faithful and wise steward over the remaining 9/10ths
(6) At himself for not adopting the plan sooner!
You say I can’t afford to give. If you want a close walk with God, you can’t afford not to give. You can’t serve God and money. Your walk with God will never rise above your giving to God. Jesus said if one is not faithful in the investment in money, neither will he be faithful in spiritual matters.
"He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much. "If therefore you have not been faithful in the use of unrighteous mammon, who will entrust the true riches to you? "And if you have not been faithful in the use of that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own? Luke 16:10-12
The blessing cannot always be measured in earthly terms.
5.Sacrificial giving develops unity among believers
For this is not for the ease of others and for your affliction, but by way of equality— at this present time your abundance being a supply for their need, so that their abundance also may become a supply for your need, that there may be equality; as it is written, "HE WHO gathered MUCH DID NOT HAVE TOO MUCH, AND HE WHO gathered LITTLE HAD NO LACK." 2 Corinthians 8:13-15
6.Sacrificial giving reflects the giving nature of our Father
"But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men. "Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Luke 6:35-36
Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma. Ephesians 5:1-2
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 1 John 4:7-11
CONCLUSION
There are numerous issues and question yet to be addressed? How much? When? To whom? How often?
Today will you commit to establishing giving as a habitual demonstration of your love for God?
Will you become a steward rather than a master of your money?
Will you become a conduit rather than a consumer of your resources?
