Taker or Giver: Which One Are You?
Series: Acts
Chuck Sligh
August 16, 2014
TEXT: Please turn in your Bibles to Acts 3.
INTRODUCTION
Illus. – We love “FaceTiming” (the Apple equivalent of Skyping) with our grandchildren, Keira and McCartney and their parents, Chris and our daughter-in-law, Sarah. Our grandkids are 3 and 1 with fairly short attention spans, so after talking a little with the grandkids, we’ll often talk with Chris or Sarah, while they keep the camera on the grandkids so that we can get our “grandkid cups” filled up for awhile.
One time, while Susan was talking with Sarah and I was just watching and listening, I observed Keira interacting with McCartney, whose nickname is McKK. McKK was sitting contently on his blanket while Keira was up and about. She’d run to her room and bring McKK a toy…and he’d take it. Then she’d run to the kitchen and grab a cracker for him…and he’d take it. Then she’d grab his pacifier and give it to him…and he’d take it. Every now and then she’d interrupt and say, “Mommy, McKK needs this or that,” and Sarah would say, “No, I think McKK’s just fine, Honey,” which seemed to satisfy her for awhile. But pretty soon, she was up looking for something else to give McKK. Back and forth and back and forth she went—One giving, the other taking.
The fact is that every one of you in this room this morning are primarily a giver or a taker. I’m not really talking just about money, though that’s included in what I’m talking about.
We’re all both givers and takers at various times. But ADDING what you give in service and financial support and SUBTRACTING what you receive from the preaching and teaching and ministry to you and your children, does the SUM show that you are a net giver, or a net receiver?
In our text, we have the story of two givers (Peter and John) and a receiver (the lame man). Let’s look at the characteristics of givers and see what we can learn from this passage.
I. FIRST, GIVERS ARE DOING THE RIGHT THINGS FOR GOD GO WORK THROUGH THEM. – Acts 3:1 – “Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.”
The custom in Jewish society was to go to the Temple at 3 PM every day to pray. Peter and John were where they should be, doing what they ought to do. It was while doing the right thing that God used them in such a wonderful way.
What if, at prayer time, they didn’t do what they should have been doing?
• This man would not have been miraculously healed and would have gone through the rest of his life a miserable cripple.
• Peter and John would not have been used by God in such a wonderful capacity.
• God would not have been glorified.
• This story would not even be in the Bible.
People all the time say, “I want God to use me.” Okay, then just start by doing the right things in your life. If you start by doing the right things, God has a way of bringing the right people together at the right time for the right reason for the right ministry to happen.
Have you ever noticed who it is who grows in the Lord and gets involved in ministry and are used by God? It’s those who hear sermons—but do more than just HEAR the Word; if their lives don’t line up with what they hear, they become DOERS of the Word. James 1:22 exhorts us, “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”
Now this will have a different application for each one of you. What might the Lord be pinpointing in your life that you should START doing, or that you should STOP doing in order for you to do the right thing? God help you to obey the Holy Spirit’s prompting, however He speaks to you.
II. SECOND, GIVERS LOVE PEOPLE – Acts 3:2-3 – “And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; 3 Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms.”
God uses people who love PEOPLE. Peter and John are headin’ to church, and they’re stopped outside the church house.
Wait a minute: God works in the CHURCH, right?—Well, not just there! God works wherever there are PEOPLE—whether they’re in church or not. John Henry Newman wrote these poetic words:
I sought to hear the voice of God and climbed the topmost steeple:
but God declared: “Go down again—I dwell among the people.”
God loves PEOPLE, and if you want God to use you, you’ve got to love people too. Some people love people IN THE AGGREGATE, but not INDIVIDUALLY. As Charlie Brown said, “I love mankind…it’s PEOPLE I can’t stand.” A lot of Christians love people in a THEORETICAL sense, not in a REAL sense.
GOD USES FOLKS WHO LOVE PEOPLE, and the reason is that HE loves people. He loves people more than a church’s policies, programs or procedures. Jesus didn’t die for those things—Jesus died for PEOPLE. This world will pass away, and the only thing that’ll remain will be PEOPLE.
So get involved with PEOPLE. Stop being wrapped up in “old number 1” and get wrapped up in PEOPLE. And along with your wise and prudent financial investments for your future on this earth; invest some of your money in PEOPLE for HEAVEN’S sake! Don’t live for THINGS; invest your life in PEOPLE.
God will bless you for it—and you’ll be used as a unique channel of blessing by God.
III. THIRD, GIVERS ARE ATTENTIVE TO NEEDS – Acts 3:4 – “And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us.”
Did Peter and John have needs of their own?—Absolutely. Givers don’t have fewer needs than others; they’ve just decided that it’s more blessed to give than to receive.
Givers don’t concentrate on themselves; they concentrate on OTHERS. Peter and John could have said, “We’d love to help, but we’re going to church to PRAY. Have a good day.”
I believe in prayer, but in times like this, let’s be honest—prayer is a copout. We talk about praying that God will do something for someone, when WE OUGHT TO DO IT FOR THEM if it’s in our power to do it!
James says, “If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, 16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?” (James 2:15-16)
James is saying that if we have the power to meet a need, we shouldn’t just PRAY about it; we should DO something about it.
Peter and John could have said, “We’re not going to church TO SERVE, but TO BE SERVED. Someone else can take care of this man.” Peter and John hadn’t even gotten to the foyer of the place of worship before they were accosted with somebody else’s need.
But they didn’t resent it. This man’s need was their focus, not their own needs. Some of you come to church not to contribute, not to give, not to serve, not to help, not to minister—but to consume, to receive, to be served. “Feed me, preacher! Give me a good sermon; let me sit back and sing; provide great K.I.D.S. Church classes for my kids; then let me go home.”
Well, think about this:
• Some of you took your babies or toddlers to the nursery (for which you have our eternal thanks!)—but the people you gave your baby to are giving over an hour of their time and energy so you can worship and hear God’s Word in here. – They do it to meet a “people need,” and I commend them for it.
• Some of you sent your children to K.I.D.S. Church, but folks are upstairs giving themselves and their time and their energy when they could be here receiving instead of giving to your kids. – They’re doing it to meet “people needs.”
• Sunday School teachers come week after week to meet “people needs.”
• As you walked in the door, an usher probably gave you a hearty handshake and handed you a bulletin. What you don’t realize is that he came early to help get things in order, fold bulletins, and help with last minute things here. Why?—To meet “people needs.”
Let me ask you a question—If everyone put in as much work as you did for today’s services, what kind of service would we have?
Folks, givers pay attention to people’s needs, and do what they can to meet those needs.
IV. FOURTH, GIVERS INSPIRE HOPE – Acts 3:4-5 – “And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. 5 And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.”
Do you know why people want to be around givers?—Because they think they’re going to get something, and they usually do. What they get is hope, encouragement, a kind word, a compliment, a smile. What they get is spiritual uplifting; verbal edification; a word of faith and hope.
Let me give you a little test: When you walk into a room, do you worry about what others are thinking about you, or do you ask yourself “What can I give here? Who can I help out? Who needs encouragement?”
How you answer that question is a true revealer of whether you are a giver or a taker. Jesus was around draining people all the time, but He never stopped giving Himself. Be a GIVER!—not a taker, or a complainer, or one who destroys hope by your words.
V. FIFTH, GIVERS GIVE WHAT THEY HAVE – Acts 3:6 – “Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.”
Illus. – This reminds me of the farmer who had two pigs. His farmer friend came over and looked at them and then asked, “Harry, if you had A HUNDRED pigs, would you give me one of them?”
Harry said, “Jim, you know I would.”
“Well,” said Jim, “If you had TWENTY pigs, would you give me one of them?”
“Why sure I would, Harry. Why I’d give you the shirt off my back.”
“Well, what if you had TEN pigs? Would you give me one of them?”
Harry eyed him warily, guessing where he was going, and said, “Yes, I would.”
“Well, then, would you just give me one if you had TWO pigs?”
Incensed, Harry said, “Now, Jim, you know good and well I’ve GOT two pigs!”
Isn’t it amazing how generous and big-hearted people are with what they DON’T have, while they can be downright STINGY with what we DO have! I’ve heard people say, “I’d give half of my money to God if I were a millionaire” who don’t give God ten percent of what they DO have.
You may not have much, but do you give of that which you DO have?—Or are you stingy with your time, your means, your abilities, your talents or your SELF?
• You may not be rich in financial terms, but you do have A HOME that you can use as a place to bring others to Jesus, or to use as a homegroup.
• You may not have any stocks and bonds in the bank, but you do have TIME TO PREPARE A MEAL for someone who is ill.
• You may not be loaded, but you do have A PHONE TO CALL SOMEONE YOU KNOW IS DISCOURAGED to encourage them and lift them up.
Don’t be worried about what you DON’T HAVE to use for God; just use what you DO have for God.
Besides, the most valuable things you have are infinitely more valuable than money or things!
• You have GOD to give to others.
• You have GOD’S MESSAGE of grace and mercy to share.
• You have GOD’S JOY to spread around.
• You have what finances you DO have to use as a channel of blessing to others.
Share these wonderful things with others!
VI. LAST, GIVERS ARE “GLORY REFLECTORS”, NOT “GLORY SPONGES.”
When the lame man was healed, verse 8 says he was “walking, and leaping, and praising God.” It may have been a temptation for Peter and John to take the glory for what happened.
But they quickly dispelled any such thought in verse 12 – “And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?” They said, “It wasn’t in OUR power or by any unique holiness in US by which this man was healed.” No, the healed man had the right idea when, as we was walking and leaping, he was PRAISING GOD! And Peter and John were quick to jump on the “glory to GOD” bandwagon too.
Are you serving God and others? If so, WHY are you doing it?; What is your motive?—To impress others? To get the pastor’s attention? To be looked admired? To be seen by others as a spiritual leader?
These are all wrong motives stemming from pride and a desire for self-promotion. True Christianity is selfless, behind-the-scenes, quiet service for God’s glory alone.
Jesus said, “Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ. 11 But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.” (Matthew 23:10-12)
God help us to abase ourselves and serve, and to serve diligently and to serve humbly—and let’s do it for GOD and HIS glory. And if someone lifts you up, graciously give God His glory and never forget that HE’S the Blesser; you’re only the CHANNEL through which the blessing flows.
CONCLUSION
In closing, let me say that it’s not wrong to be a taker. This man would not have been healed had he not received the gift of healing.
We come to church partly to RECEIVE from the ministry of others—preaching and teaching to know and serve God better; the giving of truth that ministers healing to our hearts, encouragement in our struggles, help in our times of need; songs of praise and worship that minister to our hearts; brethren who love and care for us.
But if you just receive, you’ll dry up and die spiritually.
Illus. – Various tributaries flow into the Dead Sea, but it has no outlets. So river salts bleached from the soil flow into the Dead Sea, have no way to flow out. Consequently, the it’s so salty, it’s lives up to its name: it’s LITERALLY DEAD. It’s 9.6 times as salty as the ocean, and thus cannot support life.
If this healed man never gave after receiving, he would never reached his potential for God. And neither will you. Are you a net giver or a net taker?
Being a giver is a great way to live: Marlo Thomas said, “The world in composed of takers and givers. The takers may eat better but the gives sleep better.” Be a GIVER to others for God’s glory!
