DAVID SERIES: A MAN AFTER GOD'S OWN HEART - PART 18: I WILL NOT GIVE TO GOD ANYTHING THAT COSTS ME NOTHING!
2 Samuel 24:1-25 / 1 Chronicles 21: 13 David said to Gad, “I am in deep distress. Let me fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercy is very great; but do not let me fall into human hands.” 14 So the Lord sent a plague on Israel, and seventy thousand men of Israel fell dead. 15 And God sent an angel to destroy Jerusalem. But as the angel was doing so, the Lord saw it and relented concerning the disaster and said to the angel who was destroying the people, “Enough! Withdraw your hand.” The angel of the Lord was then standing at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. 16 David looked up and saw the angel of the Lord standing between heaven and earth, with a drawn sword in his hand extended over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell facedown. 17 David said to God, “Was it not I who ordered the fighting men to be counted? I, the shepherd, have sinned and done wrong. These are but sheep. What have they done? Lord my God, let your hand fall on me and my family, but do not let this plague remain on your people.” 18 Then the angel of the Lord ordered Gad to tell David to go up and build an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. 19 So David went up in obedience to the word that Gad had spoken in the name of the Lord. 20 While Araunah was threshing wheat, he turned and saw the angel; his four sons who were with him hid themselves. 21 Then David approached, and when Araunah looked and saw him, he left the threshing floor and bowed down before David with his face to the ground. 22 David said to him, “Let me have the site of your threshing floor so I can build an altar to the Lord, that the plague on the people may be stopped. Sell it to me at the full price.” 23 Araunah said to David, “Take it! Let my lord the king do whatever pleases him. Look, I will give the oxen for the burnt offerings, the threshing sledges for the wood, and the wheat for the grain offering. I will give all this.” 24 But King David replied to Araunah, “No, I insist on paying the full price. I will not take for the Lord what is yours, or sacrifice a burnt offering that costs me nothing.” 25 So David paid Araunah six hundred shekels of gold for the site. 26 David built an altar to the Lord there and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. He called on the Lord, and the Lord answered him with fire from heaven on the altar of burnt offering. 27 Then the Lord spoke to the angel, and he put his sword back into its sheath. 28 At that time, when David saw that the Lord had answered him on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite, he offered sacrifices there. 29 The tabernacle of the Lord, which Moses had made in the wilderness, and the altar of burnt offering were at that time on the high place at Gibeon. 30 But David could not go before it to inquire of God, because he was afraid of the sword of the angel of the Lord.
Intro: David: A Man…(Pt.19) I Will Not Give To God Anything That Costs Me Nothing!
Let’s Talk About Stealing: Meaning and Synonyms For Stealing:
To take another person's property without permission or legal right and without intending to return it. Extortion, burglary, defraud, misappropriate, cheat, embezzle, rob, swindle. Survey: 71% of pastors believe that church members have changed from stewards into consumers.” “According to the Barna Research Group (BRG), giving to churches dropped significantly last year, even by those identified as born-again Christians. The nationwide survey of 1,005 adults also found that although 32 percent of born-again believers claimed to tithe, a check of their household income revealed that only 12 percent actually did. 29% of adults surveyed in 1997 actually believe that Bible commands us to tithe.”
Three Kinds Of Stealers:
1. Simple Stealer: This is the common, ordinary thief - cds, cigarettes and batteries to bicycles, cars, bibles, hymnals, credit without paying, towels from hotels, etc. and the like. Why buy when you can just take! Shoplifting - The US Dept. of Commerce estimates that 35 million Americans engage in shoplifting every year. That’s one in every 50 shoppers. About 5 million get caught annually. Who pays for that? We all do because it make prices high to cover losses. Taking candy from a jar, change from a pop machine, or stealing from each other at home – parents. Know this: God knows about it. And there’s no statute of limitations with Him. Make it right! Proverbs 15:3 The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good. Most thieves look left and right, before and behind, to see if someone was watching, but they need to look up! Zacchaeus got saved and restored to everyone he had wronged 4 fold.
2. Sophisticated Stealer: Even Christians are guilty and don’t realize they are stealing. Employee Theft – We steal time, money and even efforts from employers. We falsify time sheets. WE falsify IRS filings. Employer Theft - business owners, bosses must listen. You must pay people what you own them when they work for you.
3. Spiritual Stealer: Malachi 3:8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Some Our new believers may not know they are stealing until God tells them, which is now! Malachi 3:9-11 9 For ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. 10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. 11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field. Don’t kill the messenger. This is God’s message. He’s in management, I’m just in sales!
WHAT ARE WE TO GIVE TO THE LORD?
1. Time. Our calendar belongs to God (Eph. 5:16).
2. Talents. Our bodies, energy and abilities (Rom. 12:1).
3. Treasure. Our money belongs to God. "See that you abound in giving money also" (2 Cor. 8:7).
LET’S TALK ABOUT GIVING – TITHE, OFFERINGS, SEED, PROJECT FUNDS (MATT 22)
I Do Not Believe Any Of Us Will Doubt Tithing, Offerings, Seed Faith, Project Giving Because They Are All Over The Bible. Luke 20:20-26: First, Jesus Taught The Believers Obligations To the State (23-25). Secondly, Jesus Taught The Believers Obligations To God (25).
WHY GIVE TITHE, OFFERINGS, SEED, PROJECT FUNDS
1. It Is A Command Of God: Deut. 12:11 Then to the place the Lord your God will choose as a dwelling for his Name - there you are to bring everything I command you: your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and special gifts, and all the choice possessions you have vowed to the Lord.
2. It Is Encouraged By The Lord Jesus Christ: (Matt. 23:23) "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices - mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law - justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.; (Luke 11:42) "Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone.
3. It Is A Symbol Of Our Devotion And Love To God - and, as such, it counteracts the hold of the world upon us (Gen. 28:16-22; Mal. 3:7; Mark 12:30 “strength”).
4. It Is A Declaration Of Our Faith In God To Supply Our Needs (Gen. 14:20-23) And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand." Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything. The king of Sodom said to Abram, "Give me the people and keep the goods for yourself." 22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, "I have raised my hand to the LORD, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, and have taken an oath 23 that I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the thong of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, ‘I made Abram rich.’
5. It Is An Acknowledgement That God Is The Source Of All We Have (I Chron. 29:11-14). This reality is basis of the New Testament concept of Stewardship.
6. It Is An Important Key To Blessing And Financial Stability: (Mal. 3:9-12) Note the curse on those who are not unfaithful in tithing (Mal. 3:9).
7. It Sets In Motion The Law Of Sowing And Reaping (Gal. 6:7) / Prov. 3:9-10) Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.).
8. Without Right Motivation It Can Become An Empty Form: (Luke 11:42) "Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone.
WHAT ARE THE SCRIPTURAL PRINCIPLES ABOUT GIVING?
1. We Are To Give Cheerfully: Of primary importance is our attitude in giving. We are to give cheerfully, in gratitude for all that God has given us, not because it is our duty or to impress others. 2 Corinthians 9:7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. There are three kinds of givers - the flint (Strike it and it sparks), the sponge (Squeeze it) and the honeycomb (Overflows with its own sweetness).
2. We Are To Give Secretively: Matthew 6:1 “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2 “Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 3 “But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 “that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly. Giving for everyone to see.
3. We Are To Give Systematically: 1 Corinthians 16:2 On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper. In Bible days people got paid weekly, or even daily and so they were instructed to give every Sunday. Nowadays many of us are paid monthly and so, perhaps, it is more appropriate for us to give monthly. The mechanics don’t really matter. What matters is that we decide, before God, how much we will give and then get on and give it systematically. If we give from what is left when we have paid our bills and had our fun we will give little and erratically, so we are to give systematically, from our income.
4. We Are To Give Proportionately: This is how much we should give? Scripture makes the principles quite clear. Deuteronomy 16:17 “Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD your God which He has given you. Acts 11:29 Then the disciples, each according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brethren dwelling in Judea. 2 Corinthians 8:12 For if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has, and not according to what he does not have. Abraham gave Mel 10%. Jacob promised God 10% (Gen 28:22) and it later became the OT standard under the Mosaic Law. It remains a good starting place for Christians. Can we reasonably give less under grace than Israel did under law?
5. We Are To Give Sacrificially: Speaking of the gifts of some rich men and a poor widow, Jesus said: Luke 21:4 “for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had.” David wanted to offer a sacrifice to stop a plague. The owner Araunah offered to give David the site and everything he needed for the sacrifice, but David would have nothing of it. “No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price; nor will I offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God with that which costs me nothing.” 2 Samuel 24:24 The principle set out in this verse applies much wider than financial giving. How much of our giving and service for God costs us anything significant – time, money, effort.
6. We Are To Give Responsibly: The Church has a responsibility to give to support God’s work – particularly full time Christian workers. As Jesus said: the worker deserves his wages Lk 10:7 Paul took this idea up in 1 Corinthians 9:14 The Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel. 1 Timothy 5:17 Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine. 18 For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer is worthy of his wages.” I wonder if we forget this teaching today, or if our emphasis is on our rights, rather than our responsibilities. I wonder how many of us would be willing to work for what many full time workers are paid.
7. We Are To Give Expectantly: Abraham gave Melchizedek 10% of the plunder. In return Melchizedek blessed Abraham. The same principle is true today. When we are faithful to the Lord with our abilities, energy, time, possessions and money we can expect to find God’s blessing poured out on us. Luke 6:38 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.” It is not that God will necessarily give us back more money than we give to his service, but that He will make us more joyful with the remainder! Luke 12:33 “Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys. Matthew 10:29 There is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel’s, 30 “who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time––houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions––and in the age to come, eternal life.
SOME KEY BENEFITS FOR MY LIFE:
1. Freedom From Materialism, Serve God Not Money!
2. Freedom To Draw Nearer To God, Nothing To Distract!
3. Freedom To Explore Deeper The Riches Of God
4. Strengthens My Faith
5. Investment For Eternity
6. Blesses Me In Return
7. It Makes Me Happy To Be Growing In Faith, Proving My Obedience
8. Needs Are Met In Jesus’ Name, Others Are Blessed.
9. Sense More Love From Others In Christ.
10. Grace Of God Flow Through Me.
A LOOK AT THE PASSAGE
1. A Man’s Sins Affect Others.
David sinned and 70,000 people died. Why? It was David that sinned so why would his sin cause the death of so many others? Somehow that doesn’t seem equitable or just. Even David acknowledged that it was his sin and he questioned why the Lord would punish the people.
2. Admit When You Sin.
David Says To God: “I have sinned greatly by doing this, Now, I beg you, take away the guilt of your servant. I have done a foolish thing.” This is one of the greatest kings in history begging God to take away his guilt. When Satan tempts and we yield, the ownership of sin lies with us.
3. God’s Grace Doesn’t Remove Our Need To Give.
When we turn to an OT event to talk about giving, right away there’s a challenge. We don’t do animal sacrifices anymore. Hebrews 10:1-4The law can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. By Law, David should have been killed more than one time. Instead, he received grace. David wrote: Psalm 103:10-12 He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
4. You Don’t Call Something A Sacrifice If It Doesn’t Cost You Anything.
That creates a problem for us people on this side of the cross, who live under God’s grace. Grace is free. We don’t earn it. All we have to do is show up. Romans 5:1-2aTherefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. Some people are under the impression that, because we’re no longer under the OT law, that our giving has been transferred to the “optional” category. No! Living under grace doesn’t remove the need for giving.
ABOUT DAVID AND ARAUNACH (ORNAN) – WHEN ORDINARY PEOPLE GIVE…
One Of The Most Well-Known Statements About Giving In The Bible Is Found In Our Text – I won’t make an offering to God that doesn’t cost me something. As great as David’s offering was, I don’t think it was the greatest act of giving in the passage. I believe it was what Ornan gave that was great! Think about it – David was king – if he wanted he could have taken the land. David was one of the wealthiest men alive at that time. Sure he bought it, but did it really cost him anything? Ornan on the other hand was a man just like you and me. He was a hard working family man who was making a living. He wasn’t poor, but he wasn’t necessarily rich either. When David told him he wanted his threshing floor, what did Ornan do? He gave it – and that’s the act of giving I want us to consider for a few minutes. So, with all that said, let’s consider 4 principles that ought to govern our giving. When Ordinary People Give…
1. It Should Be Done Out Of A Healthy Fear Of God.
1 Chronicles 21:16: And David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of the Lord standing between the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. 1 Chronicles 21:20: "And Ornan turned back, and saw the angel…" Can you imagine what must have run through his mind when he looked up and saw this angel? That angel was killing folk! He had already killed 70,000 and he would have killed Ornan too had God not stopped him! Try that out for fear! We hear a lot about having a fear of God and how we shouldn’t be afraid of God, but instead have a reverent awe of God. Well I agree that we ought to stand in reverent awe of God, but listen, we ought to fear Him too! I think a good healthy "being afraid" of God would do a lot of us a lot of good! It was certainly one of the driving motivations for Ornan! Can’t you hear him now? "Here, take what you want!" In Wednesday Night services, we hear testimonies of people who quit giving and then what God did that got them back to giving.
2. It Should Be Done Out Of Love And Respect For The King.
1 Chronicles 21:21 Tells Us That When King David Walked Up, Ornan Threw Himself On The Floor. David told him what he wanted, and Ornan told him to take it. I don’t know how much access the people had to King David, probably not much. I do know that David was a legend in his own time, and the people worshipped him. He was a great man of God, so when he showed up at Ornan’s place he gladly gave to him what he had. It was a great honor for him to give to his king. If Ornan was willing to give to his earthly king all he had, how much more should we be willing to give to our eternal heavenly King! God owns it all anyway. It belongs to Jesus by right, and He has made you a steward over your property and your money. It all belongs to Him, and by giving you express to Him that you have faith in His ability to continue to protect and provide for you and your family. Listen, if Jesus were to walk in to this sanctuary this morning, and he walked up to you and said, "Joe, I have this missionary and his wife and three kids over in Africa, and dozens more just like him all over the world. He’s doing a great work, but I don’t want him spending my time over there begging for money." Then Jesus says to you, "I want you to give me X amount of dollars every week to pay for him to be on the field." What would you say? I can’t afford it? Would you tell Jesus that you want to get some of your bills paid off first? Of course not! If Jesus walked up I’m telling you that except for the ones of you who would sleep through it, the whole house would be full of people laying prostrate on the floor giving it all to Jesus! Well Jesus is here this morning in the person of the Holy Spirit and He is saying it!
3. It Should Be Sacrificial.
1 Chronicles 21:23: Now, what did Ornan give? He gave him the threshing floor, the oxen for burnt offerings, his tools for firewood, the wheat for an offering, and then he said, "I give it all." That man gave to David all his property, his entire livelihood, and even his ability to make a living because the tools he needed would be firewood! Now that’s sacrificial! What would he have done? How would he have made a living? How would he work? What would he tell his wife? These are all good questions – but they were irrelevant in light of the need of the hour! When the king made his need and request known Ornan was compelled to give. When I think of our church’s commission to reach the world for Christ, to reach our nation for Christ, to reach our state for Christ, to reach our county for Christ, and to reach our city for Christ, and then I look at that map of our great big world with its 6 billion people, it compels me to say to you – we need to do more! We need to give more! We need to dig deeper and give sacrificially! How much should you give today? I think you should give it all. Illustration: Johnny And Famatta Nah
4. It Will Be Rewarded.
When Ornan gave the threshing floor and all the other stuff to David, David could have taken it. Ornan gave it and that was that, but David paid him for it and Ornan left there better off financially that day than when he got to work. Lest any of you think that I am promoting a health, wealth and prosperity type of giving this morning, I assure you I am not. Just because you give to God an offering does not mean that He is going to fill your bank account, but you will be rewarded. Ornan left there that day the recipient of great blessings. Yes, there was a financial blessing. He gave without thought of personal gain and yet he experienced personal gain. But there were also some other blessings as well. Let me show you something you may or may not have known.
2 Chronicles 3:1 "Then Solomon began to build the house of the Lord at Jerusalem in mount Moriah, where the Lord appeared unto David his father, in the place that David had prepared in the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite." If you were to go to Israel today and stand in the Jerusalem temple, you’d be standing on Ornan’s old property. Solomon built his great temple there; the Jews later built the second one there. King Herod renovated it later again, and Jesus ministered there. One day Jesus will sit on His throne on the old threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. Do you think that old wheat farmer knew how he was participating in the work of God when he said, "I give it all?" I don’t think he did any more than you or I know how far reaching every dollar we send on the field is, because you see, when we support some missionary we don’t even know and folk are saved as the result, we will enjoy eternal rewards because we took part in leading that soul to Christ. There was the blessing of knowing he served his king. Then of course there was the financial blessing. He was rewarded for his giving, and I believe God will reward you for your giving. He certainly has rewarded mine, and while you may not see it in the clothes I wear or the furniture in my house, I am confident each week as I give that God is meeting my needs, and because I trust that He will continue to do so, I give.
David was also rewarded that day and onwards: David was arguably the wealthiest & most powerful world leader of his time (Bill Gates or king of Saudi Arabia). David understood that God takes no pleasure in the man/woman who only gives what does not involve sacrifice. David refused to give God something which cost him nothing. Why? No sacrifice. David paid approximately $135,000 for this area of land (top dollar). God accepted David’s gift. Nation was restored. When Christ returns, He’ll sit on His throne in Jerusalem, at the temple...guess whose floor it was? Ornan’s..."I give it all." The blessings have eternal significance.
CONCLUSION
1. Some People Come To Church Only When It Is Convenient: They may get to sleep late, or had a bad week, or just wake up grumpy. Go to church. We should be faithful to our church, not on the basis of how we feel, but because it honors God to be in church.
2. Some People Serve Only When It Is Convenient: To serve God is almost always inconvenient. For instance, think about working in the nursery. You have to put up with a bunch of babies who aren’t even yours.
3. Some People Read The Bibles & Pray Only When It’s Convenient. Actually, there is no convenient time to read the Bible and pray! In the morning, in a hurry. In the afternoon, busy at work. In the evening, too tired. If you only pray and read your Bible when it’s convenient, you’ll never get around to it - Satan will make sure there is something pressing to keep you from it.
4. Some People Do Right Only When It Is Convenient. Jesus tells us in Matthew 18:15-17 that if a brother or sister has offended us, we should go to that person and try to resolve the issue and restore fellowship. Can I be honest with you? It’s not very convenient. In fact, I can always think of about a hundred reasons to put it off. But we should do it because it is right to do it.
5. Some Are Waiting To Be Saved When It Is Convenient. There’s a story in Acts 24 of a Roman governor named Felix who the Apostle Paul appeared before by the instigation of the chief priest to answer for false charges. Acts 24:24-25“And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla…he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. 25 And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.” There’s no record that Felix ever found a convenient time to deal with the matter of his soul.
6. Some People Give Only When It Is Convenient: David saw it as matter of showing his dedication to God by making sure his giving was A Sacrifice. How often do we give God our leftovers?! Have you ever been guilty of saying, “God, finances are tight right now, and it’s just not convenient to tithe this month. As soon as things return to normal, I’ll start giving to God.”
BLESSINGS UPON FINANCES: SACRIFICIAL GIVING TO MISSIONS
Matthew 25:14-30: Parable Of The Talents (10, 5, 2)
