Give and It will be Given
Introduction: You know that I am no “Prosperity preacher” and I am certainly no “name it claim it” preacher either, in fact, if you have been here long enough you ought to know that I very seldom preach about money. I make the same whether you give a little or a lot, so don't think I'm trying to squeeze more out of you than you can afford so I can line my pockets, with your money. But lately I have seen God bless those who give and I want to give glory to God for his kindness.
In fact last Sunday, we were standing around the sound booth before the fifth Sunday night singing, discussing what it would take to buy a better CD player and Pedro mention he could probably get a good one for around 120.00 or 150.00 about that time an older woman came in the door and asked to speak to the pastor and I walked out thinking I am going to have to send this woman to the Gospel Rescue Mission (where we send a portion of your tithes and offering to) and some of what I had in my pocket. But to my surprise she turned and said something like “I want to pay my tithes to God and I want to give you this” and with that she handed me 5 folded 20 dollar bills. I was speechless. It was the first time the doors were open on Sunday night and she came in on that particular day at that particular time, with an amount near what we needed for a CD player. But more amazing is this past Wednesday night, the same woman came back and gave what else was needed and said “Oh ya, I forgot my offering” and gave an extra 20 dollars. God works in wonderful ways!
But for most people it is hard for them to give, Adrian Rogers once said: “The most sensitive nerve in the whole body is the nerve that runs from the heart to the pocket book.” We had a woman that walks in off the street to pay her tithes and then comes back to pay more than her tithes. All I can say is “God Bless her”
What does God need money for anyway? It's all His. - the one who owns the sheep owns the wool. The one who owns the pond owns the fish. He not only owns the hills but he owns all the cattle on a thousand hills. God made you and he owns all you have as well. He made the gold and He made the silver and God made the precious stones and every other precious thing on the earth. So why does he need me to give? He gives you money as a test to see what you believe in, to see what you trust in, to see what is it that you love?
“Bring the whole tithe (10%) into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this” says the LORD almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.” -Malachi 3:10
Let's face it, anyone who would read and believe that verse would tithe. If someone says 'well that was old testament, we are living in the new testament now.' First off, its in Matthew 23:23, but statements like that tell me you are looking for a reason not to tithe. God bless those who look for a reason to give rather than to keep. God bless those who are looking for ways to bless someone rather than for ways to take away. Remember Lazarus went to heaven while the rich man went to hell, not because he was rich (there are lots of rich people who made it to heaven) but because he disregarded his fellow man; he refused to give. Proverbs 11:28 says “He who trusts in his riches shall fall...” Whats worse is that the opportunity to give presented itself daily, because Lazarus was at his gate begging every day. It wasn't as if he had to go through all the trouble of traveling a far away distance, Lazarus was as close to him as your driveway is to your house. He knew he was suffering and did nothing, the good Samaritan saw the same type of suffering and went far and above to give that man not only the help he needed but showed him love and kindness in doing so as well.
We are often afraid to give because of what we are losing. But what we learn through the Bible is that God rewards those who give. The theme for our message is found in Luke 6:38 “Give and it will be given unto 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.”
Transition: This morning, I want to show how it isn't how much you give, but your attitude in giving that matters. I want to share with you what we receive according to how we give. First,
If you want the Favor of God, Give cheerfully
Sow your resources cheerfully and you will reap God's favor. In Paul's second letter to the Corinthians, we not only read about the Macedonians giving above their means but how they did so cheerfully.
“In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord's people.” 2 Corinthians 8:2-4
The Macedonians were so excited to give to the work of Paul's ministry that he seemed almost embarrassed to take what they were offering because it was so large and they were so poor, but they pleaded with him to take it because they counted it as a privilege to share in the service of ministry. They didn't give because the apostle begged them to or because he commanded them to. They didn't need anyone to tell them they should give. It was the desire of their heart to give so they gave and it brought them overflowing joy. Its amazing how giving can bring joy. The world tells us we must hoard to be happy, but we see that its the exact opposite. Many Psychologists tell those who suffer with depression to get out and participate and give their time and service to the benefit of others.
In fact in the next chapter in verse 7 we read: “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.” -2 Cor. 9:7
So here we learn several things, first, How NOT to give: We shouldn't give grudgingly as if you wished you could avoid it, and therefore give as little as you could get away with. Giving pennies as if they were precious drops of blood and we shouldn't give because we feel we are being forced to give, like a robber with a gun in our back saying “hand over the loot” but we should give what we have decided is good to give and then give it cheerfully.
Why does God love a cheerful giver? He loves to see us cheerful in all the things that we do. We expect to be cheerful during our hobbies, and leisure times but we can be cheerful while we are working. It was only after God cursed Cain's labor by making it unfruitful did he say “My punishment is more than I can bear” up until then, he could work cheerfully. Fruitful labor is cheerful labor. Planting, growing, hoeing, and weeding a Garden may be a lot of work but there is something gratifying about getting to eat the fruit of your labor. The hope of a harvest makes us labor cheerfully. A spiritual harvest is no different than a physical harvest in the way we should labor. We should labor cheerfully.
“Do not become weary in doing good for at the proper time you will reap a harvest if you do not give up.” Gal. 6:9
But when all we are working for is just to pay the bills, we can feel like 'it is more than we can bear' but once you learn that it blesses you to bless others, it pleases you to please others, someone may be getting your money but you are the one that is getting the blessing, because it is more blessed to give than to receive. If you want God to look pleasantly on you then give cheerfully.
Another reason God loves a cheerful giver is because God, himself is a cheerful giver. We can relate to those most like ourselves. He gives cheerfully. He gave his own son, and what a gift that was! Nothing can compare to that gift. He gave you life, abundant life, and even eternal life. When he gives he gives in abundance and he gives to you cheerfully and wants you to give to others in the same way.
Transition: In short, if you want the favor of God then give cheerfully. Secondly,
If you want the Praise of God, Give sacrificially
Obedience is greater than sacrifice but we shouldn't undervalue sacrifice. Usually sacrifice is the result of obedience. Christ was obedient unto his own sacrifice of death on a cross. He gave it all physically for all of us. Have you ever heard “I'm too poor to tithe” We see a story in Mark about a poor woman who sacrificed all she had.
“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. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny...
We might have heard someone say “they are so poor, they don't have two nickels to rub together” Well this widow had two coins to rub together but put together they weren't worth even a fraction of a penny. This is, literally, all she had. Homeless people laying on the streets of New York City get more in their tin cups in one day than this woman had to her name.
Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything – all she had to live on.” Mark 12:41-44
Jesus made it a point to get all of his disciples together and point out that while the others were giving a lot, they weren't really sacrificing much, because they were wealthy. It wasn't that He disapproved of their offering, but her offering was greater than theirs because, while they could still go out from the temple and buy a new tunic or buy a new coat, or buy fresh produce from the marketplace, all she had to live on was now gone, because she gave everything she owned into the offering. What a sacrifice! What did she get in return? Well I am certain, after hearing that he cares for even the sparrow, that the Lord more than took care of her as well. But what is better than money is that she received the praise of God. If someone were to ask me “what is the meaning of life?” I might say “it is to hear 'well done, my good and faithful servant'” To receive the praise of our Lord is what we Christians live for. When we give sacrificially we will receive his praise. Our thoughts in giving should always be “what will God think of this offering?” not “what will my family, my pastor, my neighbor, or mr. & mrs. so and so think of my offering?”
I think it should embarrass us to hear of such a woman who gave all she had and yet we feel put upon to give 10% of what we have. I've read that Hindus give up to 1/3 of all their money to their phony gods and how many complain about giving a fraction of that amount to the One True God? One of these days we all are going to give account for our stewardship. Your standard of living may change but your standard of giving must not. God determines our stewardship based on what we have, not on what we don't have.
We might have at one time or another, imagined what we would do if we had a million dollars? “Oh man, I would give $100,000 to the church!” You know what the test is to see if you would do that? It is to give 10% of what you have right now. He who is faithful in that which is least is faithful in that which is much.
Ill. There was once a wealthy merchant that had prospered a great deal in business and he was known for his generosity. However he decided to build a house in the country and enlarge it and he laid out the plans to do it and it was costing him a great deal of money to get it all done. He was contacted by some charity collector and he said “I really can't afford to give anything; I just can't do it.” Afterward he felt convicted thinking he was becoming hardhearted. And that night, when his family went to bed, he sat by the fireplace meditating, and said to himself, “I really don't know if it was a good idea to build this house; it's costing more than I thought. Plus I'm going to have to furnish it.” He said to himself “Here I am prospering above all those around me but while I'm getting more, everything is costing more, my girls need more clothes and everything is on a more lavish scale, and yet I have been ignoring the Lord. I just don't feel right about all of this.”
As he was becoming drowsy thinking about all of this, when the door suddenly opened, and a very meek and lowly stranger came into the room. He stepped closer and said, “Sir, I have called upon you to ask your help for a society which sends the gospel to the lost overseas; You are wealthy; will you help me send them the word of life?” The merchant said, “I'm sorry, really, I am, but my expenses are so great that I just can't do it.” Then the lowly stranger said, “I understand you think that the work is too far away. Well then, I can let you know that there is a ragged school on the other side of the city, near your business, and it is about to shut down for good, can you tell me how much you are willing to give for them?” The merchant was a little aggravated to be asked again and he said “Quit bothering me! I told you I can't afford it right now!” The stranger brushed a tear from his eye and said “Well then, if you can't help the missionaries or the old school, can you at the very least, afford to give something to the Bible society?” “No,” he said, “I have told you I cannot do it, now go and leave me alone!”
At that moment the stranger began to change, his face began to glow and as he removed his hood his whole countenance began to shine brighter than ten thousand suns. His face was full of glory but he still had lines of grief, and He said, softly but sternly, “Five years ago that little daughter of yours, with the fair ringlets, was sick in a hospital bed and you prayed in the bitterness of your soul that the darling of your heart might not be taken from you. Who heard that prayer, and gave you back your child?” The merchant covered his face in shame. The stranger continued “Ten years ago, you were in great financial trouble. You couldn't pay your bills, you were stressed beyond grief because you were on the verge of bankruptcy; your hair seemed to be turning gray by the hour. And when all other businesses were failing all around you, your business was growing and thriving. Tell me, who did that for you?” The Merchant began to weep. The stranger said “Once more, fifteen years ago you felt the burden of your sins and you began to wear out the floor pacing back and forth saying “God have mercy on me a sinner!” “God forgive me!” you made many promises because your heart was overwhelmed with conviction. Who came and gave you the sweet peace of forgiveness and canceled all your sins and took all your iniquities upon Himself?” The merchant sobbing, heard the glorious stranger say “If you will never ask anything of Me again, I will never ask anything of you.” the merchant fell on his face and cried “Take it all, my blessed Lord; forgive my shameful ingratitude to You, and help me never in the future to deny you anything!”
No one knows whether it was a dream or not, but one thing is certain that man became one of the most prominent Christians in America and gave to the cause of Christ as few had ever done before him.
Think of it this way, God is saying “if I can NOT trust you with a little here on earth how can I trust you with more in heaven?” “How can I trust you with the true riches?” “If you can't manage your finances with a little you can't manage your finances with a lot.” Those who are not faithful in financial things won't be faithful in spiritual things.
Transition: If you want the praise from God then give sacrificially. Thirdly,
If you want the abundance of God, Give liberally
How many stories have we heard of somebody who was in need but they didn't dare steal from God, they continued to give and how many stories have we heard of how God brought to them an extra amount on their next check, or they got extra money in the mail or from a family member or as we heard here at our church where a certain bill was lower than expected that exceeded the amount that had already been given in faith.
In Washington, in 1997, Randy and Connie Dollar were struggling with their finances. They had a mountain of Credit card debt and had to close their small repair business down. While Connie was a Christian and wanted to give, even in their trials her husband Randy was not as enthusiastic. After much prayer he became a Christian in 2001 and together they agreed to believe Deuteronomy 8:18 that says God gives you the ability to produce wealth and Malachi 3:10 to test God and give and see if he doesn't pour out a blessing on you. They gave tithes to their church and supported other ministries and prayed for God to provide the expenses for a second business. A couple of friends offered them a check for $10,000.00 and they didn't know that Connie was praying for 9,000.00 and God gave more than what they needed plus the ability to pay their tithes off of it!
We see a similar story of abundant provision in the book of John.
“When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Phillip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat? He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. Phillip answered him, “eight months' wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!” Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, spoke up, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” -Jn 6:5-9
He asked where he could get some bread and there was only one person who was willing to give what they had and it was a little boy. He gave it willingly because Jesus wouldn't take it any other way, especially from a child. He had just enough lunch for himself, and barely that and yet he, like the widow and the Macedonians, was glad to give it. God's providence is amazing. This little boy was in the right place, at the right time on the right day with the right spirit of generosity. When the devil tempts you with thoughts of “what can you do for God?” its only because he is afraid of what God will do with you once you do for God. This little boys lunch was offered cheerfully, sacrificially, and liberally he gives it with ease. What amazing things happen when we transfer what's ours to Jesus. Notice what Jesus did with it. He multiplied it and fed thousands of hungry people. As the song goes “little is much when God is in it.” How many complain about the misery and suffering in the world? And if only they would offer what small amount they have to Christ what amazing things he could do with it! You never know how many Christ can reach with your loaves and fish.
But we do know that after the whole crowd was filled with the loaves and fish, there was 12 baskets left over. One for each to take back to the Lord. If you are a tither then you know that the worst kept secret in Christendom is that 'God Provides!' You know God blesses and continues to make things work out for you.
John Bunyan told a story of a man who unrolled a piece of cloth, he cut off a piece for the poor, and then he would cut more and a little more, the more he cut the longer it grew.
“There was a man, who some did count him mad
The more he gave away, the more he had.”
Conclusion:
Ill. Dr. David Jeremiah shared a story from his daily devotional this week about, Helen Palit is a silver-haired activist who founded and runs the non-profit organization 'Angel Harvest' in Los Angeles. It is a very interesting ministry she takes all of the leftover food that was catered in to these big parties for celebrities at the Grammys, the Emmys, the Oscars, big corporate parties, large weddings, the Governors ball, Hollywood parties, conventions, etc. and like Robin Hood she takes the leftover food out to soup kitchens, food pantries, shelters, and senior programs in L.A.
God provides left-overs and those who receive those left-overs have left-overs.
Through the prophet Malachi, God challenged Israel to test Him and see if He would not “open for [them] the windows of heaven and pour out for [them] such blessing that there [would] not be room enough to receive it” -Malachi 3:10
Jesus said: “Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.” Lk. 6:38 He also said that He came “...to give life and give it more abundantly.” -Jn.10:10 He told the woman at the well that “...everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst..” He called it living water. We see God not only gives, but he gives left-overs for us to share. Give and it will be given to you. Trust and Obey him and see what he will do for you.
