iMISSION (Part 2)
“iGive”
TEXT: Multiple
INTRO: Good morning we are in week 2 of our 3 week series called iMission. Why iMission? As I stated last week… “I” is not for the internet as some of you are thinking…. because the church is made up of who? People… the “I” is for individuals. We as the church or the Body of Christ according to 1 Corinthians are made up of many members but all one body. Scripture also tells us that when one rejoices, we are all to rejoice, likewise… when one suffers we all suffer. Everything we do affects the lives of the body. Individually.
YES, We have a corporate responsibility to live the iMission but more importantly we have a individual & person responsibility whether your 3 or 93 years old… we are to live out the iMission that Christ has given all of us.. We are to pray, to give, and to go! Last week we looked at “iPray” and WHAT IS PRAYER, WHY PRAY, & HOW TO PRAY. This morning we want to look at “iGive”
I. WHAT IS IGIVE?
As we have said before the “I” is individual. We do have a corporate responsibility to give, but more importantly as Christ followers we have an individual responsibility to give of our time, talents, abilities, resources, & yes even money.
The Bible is full of stories of people giving one in particular that we want to look at today is the incredible giving by the church of Philippi.
Phil 4:15-19
15 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. 16 For even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities. 17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account. 18 Indeed I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God. 19 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
The thing we see is that the church of Philippi was a generous church.
The church gave incredibly to further the ministry of the gospel through Paul the Apostle.
Paul tells us that out of all churches he has been to or established that this is the only one that had supported him the most.
Its funny to think that this was a church that was not rich or had tons of resources or money, but the people gave because they believed in the vision & mission through Paul of reaching people and sharing Christ to the known world.
-The Church in Jerusalem was the same way in its infancy
In Acts 2:44, 45
All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.
Friends we have great New Testament examples of the church giving to the work of God for 2 reasons:
So that the community of believers where never without. The Church went through very tough times. Many Devout Jews would not hire a converted Jew so there was no Work, then there was great persecution both from the Jewish faith & the Roman Empire. Also don't forget the great famine that happened later on & that the Gentile Church took up a huge offering to help their Jerusalem brothers & sisters.
So ministries where able to keep going and spreading the love of Jesus where it was desperately needed and the hardest to find. Case in point Paul and his 3 missionary journeys.
- Here at First AG we are committed to the Vision & Mission of reaching people through the giving of our time, talents, resources & money We give..to Home & World Missionaries, to our Servefest Outreaches. Let me tell you that we want to create a Benevolence fund so that we can do two things:
So We Can Help Our Fellow Christ Followers when there in trouble and there is an issue that they may need some help with.
So We Can Help People & Families In Our Community that may need a hand up not a hand out.
Right now we don't have the ability to help everyone… it really is on a case by case base. But here is the great news last week I had mentioned that scripture states, “You have not because you ask not.”
Mark Batterson, once said that, “the miracle is in your house.” In other words…. Provision is just a conversation away, a phone call away, an email away, a water cooler chat away. … See God owns everything, He owns it all…. God knows the people, and where ALL the resources are.
So we are asking Him to make the resources available to us so that we can continue, and move forward in the vision & mission he has called us too…. Again not only corporately but Individually.
-& By the way... church I am very excited to tell you that you gave 17 backpacks to “Backpack 4 Success” this last week to help needy students next door at North Salisbury Elementary… to give them a head start and help set them up for success this year in there classrooms. Please... continue to pray for the school its administration, teachers, & students that they would have a great year…
II. WHY DO WE GIVE?
There are so many passages found in the Old & New Testament about giving and how people have given incredibly to God and to the work of God, that In Gen 14: 18-20 you have a small passage that shows why we give. You have the story of Abram & Melchizedek …. Now before we read these verses you have to understand what just happened.
BACKGROUND: Abram later to be called Abraham… His nephew Lot and his family had been captured and taken prisoner by the 4 kings, Abram took 318 of his trained servants and went and rescued them. Now we come to this little passage in
Gen 14: 18-20 We READ...
“And Melchizedek, the king of Salem and a priest of God Most High, brought Abram some bread and wine. 19 Melchizedek blessed Abram with this blessing: “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. 20 And blessed be God Most High, who has defeated your enemies for you.” Then Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of all the goods he had recovered. 21 The king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give back my people who were captured. But you may keep for yourself all the goods you have recovered.” 22 Abram replied to the king of Sodom, “I solemnly swear to the Lord, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth,23 that I will not take so much as a single thread or sandal thong from what belongs to you. Otherwise you might say, ‘I am the one who made Abram rich.’ 24 I will accept only what my young warriors have already eaten, and I request that you give a fair share of the goods to my allies…”
See Abram gave a tithe…. 10% a 10th of what he had to Melchizedek… Abram recognized that this was the first priest of the most high and gave not because He had too, but because he wanted to. He wanted to thank his God, for delivering Lot and his family out of the hands of the 4 kings safely. He also gave this tithe as a way of showing respect to the God who has strengthen, provided, and given him everything.
Why do we Give? We give our tithe and our offerings…
Tithing is giving 10% of what we make… the bible calls it the first fruits we give of our first fruits. That mean we tithe off the gross not the net.
An Offering however is what we give above the tithe.
Our Giving is a sign of Worship, a show of respect, thankfulness and a willingness to give back to God and His work. We Give so that there is money, resources in the store house that can be used to further the work of the ministry. We don't want to Rob God in our giving… We are to give out of a heart that wants to bless Gods house and the Work that is done here we have an individual responsibility to Give.
Some people say well I cant afford to tithe or give offerings, I tell you, you cant afford not to tithe or give offering! Listen you cannot out give God, who gives you the ability to create or make the wealth, the pay check that you have received or the other resources such as your time, talents or abilities all are to be given to God .
III. HOW CAN I GIVE?
2Cor 9:1-15 tells us How we can give.
I really don’t need to write to you about this ministry of giving for the believers in Jerusalem. 2 For I know how eager you are to help, and I have been boasting to the churches in Macedonia that you in Greece were ready to send an offering a year ago. In fact, it was your enthusiasm that stirred up many of the Macedonian believers to begin giving. 3 But I am sending these brothers to be sure you really are ready, as I have been telling them, and that your money is all collected. I don’t want to be wrong in my boasting about you. 4 We would be embarrassed—not to mention your own embarrassment—if some Macedonian believers came with me and found that you weren’t ready after all I had told them! 5 So I thought I should send these brothers ahead of me to make sure the gift you promised is ready. But I want it to be a willing gift, not one given grudgingly.
6 Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. 7 You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” 8 And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. 9 As the Scriptures say, “They share freely and give generously to the poor. Their good deeds will be remembered forever.” 10 For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you. 11 Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God. 12 So two good things will result from this ministry of giving—the needs of the believers in Jerusalem will be met, and they will joyfully express their thanks to God. 13 As a result of your ministry, they will give glory to God. For your generosity to them and to all believers will prove that you are obedient to the Good News of Christ. 14 And they will pray for you with deep affection because of the overflowing grace God has given to you. 15 Thank God for this gift too wonderful for words!
- Our giving is to be done Willingly and not Grudgingly (vs. 5)
- Each of us must decide in our heart how much to give… this is not your tithe this is in your giving of offerings (vs. 7)
- We are to give Cheerfully, & as a result God’s generosity gives us all that we need & more to bless others (vs. 7b, 8)
- God will increase your resources to produce a great harvest of generosity in you. You will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous (vs. 10,11)
BOTTOM LINE: two good things will come out of giving: your giving will glorify God when its done in the right heart motive. Secondly it will help us keep the ministry moving forward in helping to meet needs of the community and the local body.
CLOSING: Last week I challenged you to join me over the next 3 weeks to embrace and live out the iMission. So I ask again here in week 2, will you live out the iMission with me & commit to being a giver. Not just of your money, but with your time, talents and other resources? Will you give not because you have to but because you want to, with the right heart motivation….
If so, will you stand with me and pray? This Morning lets make a commitment to give of our time, talents resources & yes even our Money to God and to the work of the ministry.
Lets PRAY...
