January 17, 2010
Morning Worship
Text: 2 Corinthians 9:6-15
Subject: Providing Assistance for the Needy
Title: Giving For the Kingdom
As we all know from the news reports this week, the nation of Haiti is in turmoil from the magnitude 7 earthquake that hit on Tuesday of this week. A nation that is the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere, where the average annual earnings is $1,800.00. It is a nation that is plagued by government corruption – a nation also plagued by daily murder, rape, and other acts of violence on an hourly basis.
On the surface the official national religion of Haiti is Catholicism. Beneath the surface lies a dark religion that lurks as the true national religion of Haiti – Voodoo. In Haiti, voodoo coexists with Catholicism. In fact Voodoo incorporates Catholic prayer and ritual in its practices – not to the pleasure of the Roman Catholic church.
The Assemblies of God have two missionary families in Haiti. One of our missionaries is the son of Pastor David Lloyd of Calvary Assembly in Winfield, MO. As of the latest report we have received both missionary families are safe.
You’ve heard the president saying that he was pledging $150 billion to the relief effort. Unfortunately, in a country where corruption abounds you can rest assured that the amount that will go to the relief effort will be far less than that. Much of it will go into the pockets of corrupt government officials.
However, we have an opportunity to provide assistance through our Assemblies of God relief efforts in conjunction with Convoy of Hope. Our financial aid will provide food, clean water through filtration systems, and medical supplies to those in great need.
Above and beyond that, the doors are now wide open for the gospel of Jesus Christ to infiltrate the island nation like never before and it will be done through these relief efforts from church organizations. The walls have been literally broken down and the people of the voodoo religion can no longer trust their “spirits”, who could not provide them protection from devastation, but now may turn to a loving God who is at work through His people in providing for their needs.
At the end of the service today I will ask you to prayerfully and generously provide for this special need through your giving, so that the gospel may go forth in action and in truth.
2 Corinthians 9:6-15. (prayer)
Why do we give?
I. WE GIVE BECAUSE SOWING PRODUCES REAPING. 6Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously I want to begin by reminding you of one of the things that we talked about last week. For every promise and every biblical principle found in the bible there is a God-side and a man-side. In order for us to understand the man-side we need to get a deeper understanding of what the God-side is. In this case we are talking about giving – sowing seed. So let’s look at our responsibility in this. First, we are supposed to be like God. 2 Corinthians 3:17-18, 17Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. Second, If that is the case, then the way we sow should be the way that God sows. He gave His only Son and in doing so billions have come to Him as adopted sons and daughters. We also should be willing to give our best to further the kingdom of God if, in fact, we truly are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory. The God-side is that God gives to us – remember from last week? – God’s gives to us generously/liberally and richly and He gives freely. The man-side is that we should strive to be like Him in all areas of our lives including the way we give. Another aspect of the God side is that He has promised that if we give generously (the same way He did) we will sow generously. . 7Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. Look at the phrase, what he has decided in his heart… When we talk about the heart we mean the center of a man – what He is on the inside; the spirit of a man. So when we give our responsibility is not to give in order to satisfy self. Our giving should always be what we feel led in the spirit to give. …what he has decided… isn’t talking about a decision that has come from the mind or the psuche of a man. He has decided or purposed in his heart or in the spirit man (pneuma), so he is giving as he is led by the Spirit. If you are doing that then your giving will not be under compulsion of the flesh or outside pressure from someone else but is under the influence of the Spirit. Listen to me on this. The Holy Spirit will never ask you to give more than He is willing to give back. As a matter of fact, He will always give back more than you gave. It’s the Law of the Harvest. Mark 4:20, Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown.” Seed that is sown according to the Spirit is always sown on good soil and will produce great returns. 8And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 9As it is written: “He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.” Sow in the Spirit and 1) God is able to make all grace abound… That tells me that if you sow according to the flesh without being led by the Spirit then you hinder God’s work I your life. 2) You will have everything that you need. Philippians 4:19, And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. 3) Everything you do will prosper. …you will abound in every good work…. The word translated “abound” means, “to super abound” or “to be in excess”. Verse 9, As it is written: “He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.” If we are supposed to be like God, if we are supposed to give in accordance to the prompting of the Spirit, if we are to receive abundantly above what we have given, then we have to give the same way God gave… He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor…
II. WE GIVE BECAUSE GIVING GLORIFIES GOD. 10Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. In Matthew chapter 6 verses 28-33 Jesus said, 28“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. What did Paul say back in Philippians 4:19? And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. Jesus says that if you seek first the Kingdom of God all these things will be given to you. You don’t have to look far to find the kingdom. It is right here with you. It is within you. You are living in it right now. The kingdom of God is the reality that all the promises that God has given to those who trust Him are fulfilled in the cross, resurrection and ascension of Christ. If we are seeking His kingdom then we should be seeking the manifestations of all the promises in our lives. If we are seeking, then He will provide – all these things will be given to you as well. If that is the case, and God is supplying seed to the sower and bread for food, as we obediently sow the seed He supplies He will increase our store of seed and will enlarge our harvest. I have heard people say that when you sow your money that the return, the increase you receive may be in the form of spiritual blessings – that God increases your efforts that way. But let me ask a question. If a farmer goes to the seed company and buys seed corn to sow, what is it that comes up? Corn! If he plants beans he doesn’t reap a field of carrots. So, whatever we sow will be returned back to us. If we sow our time God will redeem our time. if we sow work, we will see the fruit of our labor. If we sow our money God will give you money back so that you can sow more. Verse 11 says, You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. Do you hear that? You will be made rich in every way. That is kingdom dynamics at work. God’s supernatural increase takes place on every level of our humanity, physical, emotional, spiritual… The purpose of God’s giving is so we can give back and begin a life cycle that will continue until He returns for His church. He gives – we give. People recognize the source and give God glory! He gives us more – we give more and people respond with thanksgiving. If, at some point, God gives you more and then you begin to hoard it a little, what do you think will happen? The cycle breaks until you come to your senses and begin giving again.
III. WE GIVE BECAUSE GIVING IS A SERVICE TO GOD. 12This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. 13Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. I want to look at one phrase in verse 13, Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves… How do you prove yourself? Jesus proved Himself by completing the redemptive work that He was sent to complete. But the kingdom work continues in His body – the church. It continues under the anointing of the Holy Spirit through the baptism in the Spirit. It continues in the power of the Spirit. It continues as we are led by the Spirit. James 2:14-18, 14What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 18But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. James gives us a clear message here. If we are the body of Christ then we need to act in the kingdom authority that is given us. Faith without works is dead. But, works without faith is foolishness. 14And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. 15Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! The word translated gift here comes from the root word that means a present that is a sacrifice. God’s gift to us was the ultimate sacrifice. How can we give back? How can we sow the grace that He has given us? By giving yourself.
Sometimes I think the church suffers from the little drummer boy syndrome. I have no gift to bring… to lay before the king… We don’t think we have anything to offer. The truth is, each one of you has a gift that only you can give. Yourself! In a nation where a person’s value is often equated to finances it may require that you give your finances. Isn’t that what God has blessed this nation with abundantly? So we come to decision time. We know there is great need in Haiti and we can do something about it. You know there is a great need in your neighborhood for the presentation of the gospel. You can change your street and your block. You can make a difference in your church by opening yourself up to receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit and operated in the gifts of the Spirit. But you have to sow before you can reap and you will reap according to how you sow.
As we prepare to take up a special offering today I want to invite you to ask the Holy Spirit what He would have you give. We want you to be led by the Spirit in this. Pastor Mike, I just can’t do this. I can’t afford it. Can you afford not to? At this point in your Christian walk can you afford not to sow according to the Spirit. Can you afford not to give according to what your spirit man – your heart – tells you? Can you afford to continue doing church the way you always have while your friends, neighbors and families move closer to destruction?
Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously…
