A church was getting ready to receive pledges to their building fund, when the pastor thought of an ingenious way to get everyone to pledge. He called in an electrician and wired the seats. Then when the collection time came the following Sunday, he announced to the congregation, “All pledges to the building fund will be made publicly in the worship service.”
Then he added, “All those who will pledge ten dollars per week, please stand.” At that moment a switch was thrown that sent the juice through the wires in the pews. The response was immediate – about half of the congregation jumped to their feet.
Then the pastor said, “All those who will pledge twenty dollars please stand.” One of the ushers raised the voltage, and a second, stronger shock caused more people to rise.
The whole process was repeated several more times. Each time the amount was raised and so was the voltage. The ushers had to work frantically to get all the names and pledges written down.
Later, after the service, the pastor and his staff were busy adding up the totals and congratulating themselves on the great success of the campaign – until the head usher appeared and announced that four people had stubbornly remained in their seats and were still there. They had been electrocuted. (James S. Hewett, Illustrations Unlimited, p. 459)
It seems that some people refuse to give no matter what. Now don’t worry; we’re not going do anything like that here, but I believe more people would give if they just knew how fun it is! There is a great benefit to giving not only to the recipients of the gift, but to the givers, as well. Generosity brings great joy to everyone!
At least that’s what the believers in the First Century church at Philippi discovered. They had supported the Apostle Paul in his missionary efforts. So Paul writes them a thank-you note, expressing his gratitude for their gifts. Only in the note, he does not tell them how much the gift helped him. No. He tells them how much their gift helped themselves!
If you have your Bibles, I invite you to turn with me to Paul’s note in Philippians 4, Philippians 4, where we discover the joy of giving.
Philippians 4:10-17 I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble. And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again. Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit. (ESV)
When the Philippian believers gave, there was “fruit that increased to THEIR credit”. And the same is true for everyone who gives. So…
GIVE AND BRING PRAISE TO GOD, first of all.
Give and increase God’s fame in the world. Give and cause people to rejoice in the Lord.
That’s what Paul did when he received a gift from the Philippian believers. In verse 10 he said, “I rejoiced greatly in the Lord”. Their gift made his day. It lifted his spirits. It caused him to praise God, even though he was sitting in prison.
And do you know? Your giving will do the same. Your generosity will cause people to rejoice in the Lord and bring glory to God.
Just last year (2015), Harvard professor Robert Putnam, criticized “organized religion” for being useless. His criticism reflected the attitude of many non-believers. Putman said, “The obvious fact is that over the last 30 years, most organized religion has focused on issues regarding sexual morality, such as abortion, gay marriage, all of those” without addressing in his mind “real needs” in the world.
However, an article in The Washington Post countered with the facts about what is really going on in the American Church. Rob Schwarzwalder and Pat Fagan, the writers of that article said, “Broadly speaking, American churches are incredibly generous to the needs of a hurting world.” Then they presented some stats to back up that claim:
In 2009, overseas relief and development supported by all American churches exceeded $13 billion.
That compares to $5 billion sent abroad by foundations in the same year, $6 billion from private and voluntary relief organizations apart from church support, and $9 billion donated internationally by corporations.
In 2012 alone, the evangelical relief group World Vision spent “roughly $2.8 billion annually to care for the poor,” which ranks World Vision about 12th within the G-20 nations in terms of overseas development assistance.
In addition, Christian groups such as Samaritan's Purse, Food for the Hungry, World Relief, and many others provide hundreds of millions of dollars in anti-poverty programs at home and abroad.
And don’t forget the countless hours that churches, ministries, and individual believers devote to helping the poor. They’re involved in clothes closets and food pantries all over the country. They do things like drive the elderly to medical appointments and care for abused women in their private homes. (Rob Schwarzwalder and Pat Fagan, “On conservative religious activism, the numbers speak for themselves,” The Washington Post, 5-13-15; www.PreachingToday.com)
The generosity of God’s people all over the world is powerful witness to the love of Christ. Their giving brings great honor and glory to the Savior they profess.
For example, Nijole Sadunaite is a Lithuanian Christian who was severely persecuted for her faith under Communism. She was arrested in 1974 for publishing underground reports of the persecution of Christians throughout the Soviet Union and was eventually exiled to Siberia.
After Nijole's suffering became known by various Christian organizations in the West, a large number of believers sent her many care packages while she was in exile. Although it was against the law, the Communist guards made her pay up to 45 rubles to receive those packages. Prisoners in exile received a starvation wage of 75 rubles per month for work they were required to do, 20 of which went to their housing. Even so, time after time, Nijole accepted those packages and paid for them. Then she re-packaged them and mailed them to Christians in other parts of the Soviet Union that she believed were suffering worse than she was.
The Communist guards and postal officials couldn’t understand it. Her kindness and sacrifice utterly dumbfounded them. On one occasion, some girls who were members of a Communist youth organization asked Nijole about her strange behavior. Nijole replied that she wanted to help her brothers and sisters in Christ who were suffering. Then the girls asked her, “If we were ever put in jail, and you learned of it, would you send us your care packages?” And Nijole replied, “Of course, if I knew your address.” (Amy Sherman, Sharing God's Heart for the Poor, Trinity Presbyterian Church, 2000, p. 16; www.PreachingToday.com)
Nijole Sadunaite’s sacrificial giving brought honor and glory to Christ. It intrigued non-believers and caused believers to rejoice in the Lord.
My dear friends, your generosity will do the same. Your sacrificial giving will give powerful credibility to the Savior you profess. So give and bring praise to God. More than that…
GIVE AND PARTICIPATE IN THE SPREAD OF THE GOSPEL.
Give and be a part of extending the good news of Jesus Christ around the world. Give and partner with those who proclaim the truth of God’s Word to a world in desperate need of him.
That’s how the Philippian believers partnered with Paul. Paul tells them in verse 14, “you SHARED my troubles,” and in verse 15, “No church entered into PARTNERSHIP with me… except you only.”
The words “shared” and “partnership” come from the same root word in the original Greek language. It’s the word koinonia, and it means to have things in common or to share together. These Philippian believers shared in Paul’s troubles. They shared in his victories, and they shared in his ministry.
The Philippian believers, through their giving, were just as much a part Paul’s ministry as he was! In other words, when Paul led somebody to Christ, they were a part of that. When Paul planted a church, they were a part of that. And when Paul stood before kings, they were a part of that too. Paul’s ministry was their ministry, because they had given to support that ministry.
In the same way, when you give to support someone’s ministry, you’re just as much a part of that ministry as they are. When you give to support the ministry of Faith Bible Church, you are just as much a part of this ministry as the preacher. When you give to support the spread of the gospel, you are just as much involved as the one sharing the gospel. Your giving allows you to be a part of transforming lives for eternity!
Roger Babson, years ago, said: $1.00 spent for lunch lasts five hours. $1.00 spent for a necktie lasts five weeks. $1.00 spent for a cap last five months. $1.00 spent for an auto lasts five years. $1.00 spent for a railroad lasts five decades. $1.00 spent in God’s services lasts for eternity. (Roger W. Babson)
A little girl, who loved the Lord, longed to share the message of salvation with those who had never heard it. So she contributed a penny to a missionary to help with the work of bringing the Gospel to the people of Burma. That small coin was all she had, but it was given from her heart.
The missionary in Burma was deeply touched by the child’s earnestness and decided he would do the most he could with the money. After careful thought, he purchased a Gospel tract and personally gave it to a young chieftain.
Apparently the missionary did not know that the tribal leader was illiterate. Even so, God gave the ruler a burning desire to know the meaning of the leaflet, and he traveled 250 miles to find someone who could translate it for him.
After he heard the Gospel message, it wasn’t long until the young chief came to faith in Christ. He returned to his people and told them what the Lord had done in his life. Later, he invited missionaries to come and preach to his entire village, and many tribesmen who heard the good news trusted Christ as their Savior. And it was all because of one dedicated penny and a little girl who gave all she had.
She will be rewarded in heaven just as much as those missionaries, because she shared in their ministry. She participated with them. She was one with them through the money she gave. It wasn’t a lot, but God used it anyway to bring many to Himself.
You too can be used of God in the same way! When you give, no matter how little it is, you share in spreading of the Gospel; you become a participant in God’s own generosity.
In the book God So Loved, He Gave, Justin L. Borger shares a story about Tammy, a homeless woman who lived under a bridge in downtown Chattanooga, Tennessee. After giving Tammy some basic hygiene supplies, Borger didn't hear from her for a few weeks – until she called and said that she had been raped. After Borger brought her to the hospital, Tammy started attending Borger's church. The church also started providing vouchers so she could buy food and other items.
But Borger said that created a problem: Tammy kept giving the vouchers to other people. Borger told her, “Tammy, you need to keep this for yourself. Otherwise you'll run out of food.” But living under the bridge meant living with other needy people, and it was unthinkable for her to receive a gift and then not share it with others. So with an incredulous stare she asked Borger, “Why can't I give some too?”
Borger writes: I found myself taken aback. Why shouldn't Tammy be allowed to give some of what she'd received? Wasn't that exactly what I was doing?
Borger paused for a moment. Then he gave her a very pragmatic answer: “We're giving this to you, not to everyone else you meet.” Yet, Borger recognized the deeper problem: to only receive and never give back is to be belittled – to be humiliated. Over time, Borger says he had begun to think of Tammy as a kind of pet project in which he was always the giver and she was always the recipient… But the good news is that God not only made us to be recipients of his grace but also participants in the movement of his own generosity. (Kelly M. Kapic, God So Loved, He Gave, Zondervan, 2010, pp. 147-148; www.PreachingToday.com)
Did you hear that? God not only made us to be recipients of His grace, but also participants in the movement of His own generosity. It’s an honor to give, a dishonor to only receive. So give and bring praise to God. Give and participate in the spread of the Gospel. And finally…
GIVE AND PROFIT FROM IT YOURSELF.
Give and experience the fruit of your generosity. Give and discover the benefits of your liberality.
That’s what happened to the Philippian believers. In verse 17, Paul told them I don’t seek your gift, “but I seek the fruit the increases to your account.” In other words, Paul says your giving doesn’t profit me as much as it profits you! Then Paul continues in verse 18…
Philippians 4:18-20 I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen. (ESV)
Their gift was pleasing to God, which not only brought praise to God; it resulted in the promise of God’s rich provision. They had supplied SOME of Paul’s needs. Now Paul tells them, “God will supply ALL of their needs.”
That’s what happened to the Philippian believers, and that same thing can happen to you when you give!
There are some who say, “I can’t afford to give. I have too many bills to pay, too many mouths to feed, too many needs.” Well, I say, “You can’t afford NOT to give, because God promises to supply every need of yours when you DO give.” You see, verse 19 is a promise for givers! It doesn’t apply to all Christians. It applies only to those who give.
A couple of years ago (2014), Brandon Cook was visiting his dying grandmother in a New Hampshire hospital with a Panera Bread café nearby. After that visit, he posted the following comment on Panera’s Facebook page:
“My grandmother is passing soon with cancer. I visited her the other day and she was telling me about how she really wanted soup, but not hospital soup because she said it tasted awful; she went on about how she would really like some clam chowder from Panera. Unfortunately, Panera only sells clam chowder on Friday. I called the manager, Sue, and told them the situation. I wasn't looking for anything special just a bowl of clam chowder. Without hesitation she said absolutely she would make her some clam chowder. When I went to pick it up they wound up giving me a box of cookies as well. It's not that big of a deal to most, but to my grandma it meant a lot. I really want to thank Sue and the rest of the staff from Panera in Nashua, NH, just for making my grandmother happy. Thank you so much!”
Within days that short post received more than 800,000 likes. More importantly, more than 35,000 people commented on that post, commending the restaurant for their generosity.
As a result, Panera's same-store sales increased 28 per cent the next quarter. The quarter after, same-store sales were up 34 per cent. Sure, there's no way of proving that this was all a direct result of the Facebook post, but the rapidly spreading goodwill generated by one person performing one act of kindness, amplified nearly a million times over, certainly had a significant effect. (Ted Coine and Mark Babbitt, A World Gone Social, American Management Association, 2014; www.PreachingToday.com)
It reminds me of the proverb in Ecclesiastes 11:1, which says, “Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days.” That’s the way life normally works: people who give usually receive back what they give, and often MORE than what they give.
Here in Philippians 4:19, that proverb becomes a promise. For the believer, this doesn’t USUALLY happen; it ALWAYS happens, because God promised it! My God WILL supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus, not OUT of His riches, but ACCORDING TO those riches!
It reminds me of an old story, probably fictional, about the former pro golfer Arnold Palmer, who once played a series of exhibition matches in Saudi Arabia. The king was so impressed that he proposed to give Palmer a gift. Palmer declined: “It really isn't necessary, Your Highness. I'm honored to have been invited.”
“I would be deeply upset,” replied the king, “if you would not allow me to give you a gift.”
Palmer thought for a moment and said, “All right. How about a golf club? That would be a beautiful memento of my visit to your country.”
The next day, delivered to Palmer's hotel, was the title to a golf club. Thousands of acres, trees, lakes, clubhouse, and so forth. (Brennan Manning, Lion and Lamb: The Relentless Tenderness of Jesus, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker, 1986, p. 165; www.PreachingToday.com)
The moral of the story is: In the presence of the King, don't expect small gifts. When we give, The King of the universe has promised to supply every need “ACCORDING TO HIS RICHES.”
So GIVE and bring praise to God. GIVE and participate in the spread of the Gospel. GIVE and profit from it yourself.
In her book, 9 Steps to Financial Freedom, Suze Orman writes about a time when she was in Mexico. There was a merchant who was selling parrots. They were not in cages, and they didn't fly away, which fascinated Orman.
She asked the merchant, “Do these birds just love you so much they have no desire to fly away?”
He laughed. “No” he said, “I train them to think their perches mean safety and security. When they come to think this, they naturally wrap their claws tightly around the perch and don't want to release it. They keep themselves confined, as if they've forgotten they know how to fly.”
“Was this hard to do?” she asked.
“With little birds it's very hard, sometimes even impossible,” he said. “It's easy with the large birds.”
In her book, Orman writes: Suddenly a lightbulb went off in my head. We are just like those poor parrots. We have been taught to clutch our money as tightly as we can, as if our money is the perch of our safety and security. Just like those parrots, we have all forgotten how free we really are – with or without the perch. The more afraid we are, the tighter we hold on, and the more we have trapped ourselves.
When Orman realized this, she asked the merchant how he would go about “unteaching” this behavior. “Easy,” he said, “You just show them how to release their grip, and then they can fly as free as they want.” (Suze Orman, 9 Steps to Financial Freedom, Three Rivers Press, 2000, p. 262; www.PreachingToday.com)
I urge you: When it comes to money, release your grip and find out how free you can be. Give and experience “the fruit that increases to your credit” (Philippians 4:17).
