It is better to give than to receive. That is what Paul quoted Jesus as saying. It is more blessed to give than to receive. Today we will conclude our series on giving by talking about HOW we give. Last week, you’ll remember, that we said if you are in Christ Jesus, the question was not whether you give, but HOW you give. We are compelled by the love of Christ, but HOW?
I want to talk this morning about what I will call the giving triangle or triple giving. I thought about calling it the trinity of giving, but for some reason that didn’t resonate with me as much as triple giving did. Triple giving - Mind, body, and spirit. Knowledge, money, and time.
It’s interesting how often things show up in the Bible in threes. The number three is important in the Bible. In the first place, there are three Persons in the Holy Trinity: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Each member is equally God and no less God than the other Members of the Trinity. God is Three in Essence. God is three also in that He is omnipresent (present everywhere at the same time - SPIRIT), omnipotent (all powerful - BODY), and omniscient (all knowing - MIND), therefore three is seen as the number of divine perfection or holiness. God also knows the past, the present, and the future and He abides in all of these.
Three was also the number of major feast seasons for Israel in ancient times. There were three times of daily prayer. There was even a special sacrifice of animals that were three years old. Jesus was resurrected after three days and three nights and He said that if they destroyed this temple (meaning His body), He would be raised again in three days. His earthly ministry took place in roughly three years and that was the number of years of Jesus training of the disciples.
You see, three work together in all these examples as one essence. And I think we can say the this about HOW we give for Christ of our knowledge (Mind), our money (Body), and our time (Spirit). Are you giving all that you should? Are you giving all that you can?
Paul said in Romans 12:1 - “1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.”
And in 1 Peter 4:10 we read - “10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others.” And I want you to consider, this morning, Are you giving all that you can?
Now often times when we hear the word “giving” or especially “Christian giving” we think about tithing, or, in other words, we think about money. Now certainly tithing is a part of this, but keep in mind the triple giving concept - knowledge, money, and time and look at what it says in 1 Peter - Each of you should USE whatever gift you have received to serve others. You should give to others freely of the gift that has been GIVEN to you. That is why it was given to you. Paul says to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given FOR THE COMMON GOOD and he says SO THAT THE BODY OF CHRIST MAY BE BUILT UP.
You see at the very nature of fallen man are the sins of greed and selfishness. In Christ, we can spend our time giving to others freely from the gifts we were given … AND NOT keep score. And not keep score.
Some of us are very giving people, we are. We spend our days looking out for others, paying attention to the needs of others, anticipating what someone we love might need or want and jumping in when we can to fill that need.
You know I recently thought about this while I was driving. This is where I am tested the most. Where my patience is tried the most. … And, where I need the most practice, apparently, because everyone just seems to be in my way when I get behind the wheel. You ever feel that way?
It was when I was on highway 78, trying to get back to the office before a conference call started, and I was behind someone going, gosh, had to be 15 miles under the speed limit. No one in front of them, no reason, just didn’t have any place to be I guess. Have you ever been behind someone like that?
Probably for the first time, and I’m sure Janie doesn’t believe it, but I took a deep breath, backed off their bumper, well I guess so I could at least see their bumper, and drove slowly along with them. It really was less stressful, but I began to think that we treat each other the same way in many areas of life.
Peter says above all we should love each other deeply. Paul says this is not the way of life we have learned, in our anger DO NOT SIN, this gives the devil a foothold.
You see there are some drivers, and you can imagine this at the point where two lanes merge into one. Some drivers are only concerned about themselves. They have no awareness, or no care, at least, for the others. These are the ones who see the long line in one lane and zip up the other to get the the front and then get mad because no one is eager to let them in. They don’t plan ahead, they don’t pay attention, and they simple don’t care how their actions are effecting others.
Then there are those who pay attention and plan ahead, but get angry when everyone else isn’t as courteous as they are. You see they begin to think to highly of themselves and as much as they try to be patient and courteous, they begin to judge others and let anger set in.
Paul said “Do not think of yourself more highly the you ought. Be COMPLETELY humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love and this love MUST be sincere.” This doesn’t mean only when everyone else is doing what we expect them to do.
It says in Luke 6:37-38 - “37 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
Then, finally, there is the driver that plans ahead, even for those who don’t, remains courteous even though the first type of driver doesn’t deserve it. This helps the entire flow of traffic and makes the situation better for all those around him.
Now, I’m not going to tell you which driver I am, but I am striving to be the last one.
Most of us, I would imagine, live our lives like the middle driver. We look out for the needs of others, we accommodate … when it doesn’t cost us too much. We are generally giving, but out of what we can afford to give … and then there comes a time …
Have you ever felt taken advantage of? Not that you were, necessarily, maybe your were, but have you ever felt that way. You’re a giving person, you feel you sacrifice for others, and then others seem to expect it. They stop saying “thanks.” They’re angry when you don’t do what they’re used to. You feel no one ever returns the favor, no one appreciates it.
This is the second driver. You see, we give expecting something in return. Oh, it might be subtle, it might be subconscious, but its there. We want to be appreciated, we want to be needed, we want to be thanked. We should spend our days giving to others WITHOUT keeping score, for if we do, we will be blessed.
Proverbs 22:9 says this, “9 The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor.” The generous will themselves be blessed. We don’t need to search for it or demand it, the Word of God says it, I believe it, that settles it. The generous will be blessed!
Proverbs 28:26-27 says it a little stronger, “26 Those who trust in themselves are fools, but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe. 27 Those who give to the poor will lack nothing, but those who close their eyes to them receive many curses.”
Now looking a little deeper into this style of writing we can see why the Psalmist is saying here. Those who trust in themselves, those who close their eyes to the needs of others are fools and will receive many curses. BUT those who walk in wisdom, that is the wisdom of the Word of course, give to those in need and as a result will lack nothing and be kept safe.
This is the beauty behind God’s plan. You see we can be free to give of the gift we have freely received for the common good, without looking for something in return from our fellow man, without keeping score, because God has promised that the generous will themselves be blessed. The generous will lack for nothing. The generous will … be … kept … safe. We can stop worrying about it … if we are among the generous.
Are you among the generous? Proverbs 21:25-26 says this, “25 The craving of a sluggard will be the death of him, because his hands refuse to work. 26 All day long he craves for more, but the righteous give without sparing.” Are you among the sluggards or are you among the righteous?
You know its interesting. You might begin to think righteousness comes from giving. You might begin to think that righteousness comes from feeding the hungry or clothing the naked. But you’d be wrong! You’d be wrong.
Paul says our righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. Matthew says John came to show them the WAY OF RIGHTEOUSNESS and they did not believe him. Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness. In Philippians it says “and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith.” For our sake, Paul said, he made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that IN HIM we might become the righteousness of God.
You see, if you have put your faith in Christ, you are righteous and the righteous give without sparing! If you’ve put your faith Christ then you walk in wisdom and give to the poor and will lack nothing. If you give to the poor then you are generous and will be blessed.
Paul said to the Philippians, in 4:14-17 - 14 Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles. 15 Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; 16 for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid more than once when I was in need. 17 Not that I desire your gifts; what I desire is that more be credited to your account.”
And that is what I want for you today. Are you giving all that you can give? Of your knowledge … Of your money … Of your time?
Mark 12:41-44 - “41 Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. 42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents. 43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44 They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”
We don’t talk about tithing all that much. But what I desire is that more be credited to YOUR account. The Lord through Malachi says this in CH 3, “8 “Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me. “But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’ “In tithes and offerings. 9 You are under a curse—your whole nation—because you are robbing me. 10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, … and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.”
But it’s not just about tithes. It is about tithes, but not just about tithes. Are you giving all that you have to live on in terms of your time? Your energy? Your influence? Your teaching? Your study? Your efforts?
Paul says (2 Corinthians 9:6-8) - “6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”
When you stop to examine yourself… When you think about the giving triangle. Do you press forward without any awareness of those around you? Do you spend time doing the things you want to do, without considering what others need? Do you spend money without care for those who have nothing to eat? No way to get out of the cold? Do you zip ahead without noticing those around you and try to barge your way in at the last minute, frustrated with all those who stand in your way?
Or do you plan ahead, paying attention to those in need. Giving of yourself freely of all you have to live on? None of us deserve it. You know. None of us deserve to be treated with love and kindness and patience and selflessness. But that is how the righteous treat others. That is how the saved are compelled to act. Giving of what we have been given in accordance with our faith. With love, sincere, with devotion to one another, honoring others above ourselves, in harmony in the Gospel.
I didn’t get to a list of Spiritual gifts again today. I intended to, but you know, we can’t make a list from scripture to pick from. We can’t make a list of gifts to choose from. You see those things mentioned are examples of what Paul and Peter were saying. We see something that someone needs and we meet the need. If you can’t encourage, find them someone who can. If you can’t help financially, find another way to meet the need. This is how we work together to lift up the body.
Don’t keep what you have to yourself. Give it to others, Give freely of what you have been given. And we’ll close with the one part of triple giving we have not yet discussed. Your knowledge.
You have knowledge that is so precious and valuable … if you keep it to yourself, it could only be greedy and selfish. That is the knowledge of the Gospel of Grace. The Knowledge of Christ Jesus and His sacrifice for the sinner.
Paul said, “…my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace. … 26 Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of any of you. 27 For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God.”
Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Give of yourself fully, pouring yourself out like a drink offering. Practice triple giving. Give like the poor widow. Of your time, give fully … Of your money, give fully … And especially, of your knowledge of Christ, give fully.
Paul said his aim is to finish the task the Lord Jesus had given him, testifying to the good news of God’s grace…This is the whole will of God. IT really is that simple.
