WHAT GIVING PRODUCES
I remember hearing Pastor Rick Warren once talk about a time years ago when people had bumper stickers that read “honk if you love Jesus.” He once saw a bumper sticker with this message, “Tithe if you love Jesus, any idiot can honk.”
Imagine that today when you left the service you accidently left your wallet or purse on the pew and went home. After the service someone found it and took it home with them. During the week they gave you a call saying that they had found your wallet and that you could come in to get it. You would be relieved to know that, but what would happen when you arrived if they aid that they had helped themselves to the money that was in it. You would be angry! You would call it stealing. Just because you hold in your hands the resources of another person, that does not give you the right to help yourself to it. You cannot take what does not belong to you.
Likewise, everything we are and everything we own belongs to God. Just because we hold God’s resources in our hands does not mean that it belongs to us. It is God who makes the decision. God has told us in His word that at least 10% of it needs to be returned to Him to be set aside for the work and needs of the church. Unfortunately, what happens far too often is that we simply take what belongs to Him and use it for ourselves. Rationalize it however you like, but in the end it is stealing.
Today we are continuing our series on giving. Again, I know that giving can be a touchy subject for some. I think that is why Jesus talked so much about it, because He knew it was a struggle. It is our anniversary Sunday today, and latter during this message we are going to talking about pledges for the new building campaign. I want to assure you that no electricity will be involved. Instead, I just want to speak today about what giving produces. Giving produces great benefit, not only to the recipients of the gift, but to the givers as well. It blesses everyone.
That is what the believers in the church at Philippi discovered. They had supported Paul in his missionary efforts, so he writes them a thank-you note to them expressing his gratitude for their gifts.
Philippians 4:10-17 I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength. 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 again and again when I was in need. 17 Not that I am looking for a gift, but I am looking for what may be credited to your account.
In this scripture we see that giving produced three different things;
1. Giving Leads to PRAISE (vs. 10-13)
Paul says here that “I rejoice greatly in the Lord…” That was the fruit of the gift Paul received from the Philippian believers. It caused him to praise God, even though he was it a very difficult situation. That is what giving does. Generosity causes people to rejoice in the Lord and brings glory to God.
Last year, 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 only 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 lots of statistics to back up that claim.
I do not know the current numbers for Canada, but in 2009, overseas relief and development supported by American churches exceeded $13 billion. This was significantly higher than the money given for foundations and corporations. And that was just for relief and development overseas. That does not include all money supporting missionaries and planting churches.
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. They concluded the article saying “On conservative religious activism, the numbers speak for themselves.”
We read last week;
2 Cor 9:12 This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. 13 Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else.
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.
A while back I went and got my hair cut. While I was getting in cut the lady asked me what I did and I said that I was a pastor. She said that she was Sikh and had moved to Canada from the Punjab. I told her that I had visited there before, that I had been to Amritsar and seen the Golden Temple. I mentioned that one of the reasons I had visited was that we as a church were helping to build a school for Dalit children in Faridkot. She said that she lived near Faridkot and was very interested, saying she felt very sad for the plight of the Dalits. It led to a great conversation. A Sikh woman thankful for the work a local church was doing.
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…
2. Giving Leads to PARTNERSHIP (vs. 14-16)
When we give to support a person in ministry we not only support them but we enter into partnership with them and their ministry.
Phil 4:15 As you well know, when I first brought the Gospel to you and then went on my way, leaving Macedonia, only you Philippians became my partners in giving and receiving. No other church did this (Living Bible)
In giving to Paul they were entering into partnership with him. In sharing his troubles (vs 14) they were also shared in his successes (vs 15). 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 led someone to Christ. They were part of it. When Paul planted a church, they planted a church. They were a part of it. 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 this church you are just as much a part of this ministry as the pastors or missionaries or staff.
When Naomi and I first felt that God was calling us to leave pastoral ministry and join OM on the Doulos, it was difficult. I was leaving a paid ministry for something that meant we would have to raise our own support. Here is the PICTURE we used for our prayer cards. At first I felt really bad asking people to support us. It felt weird asking people for money. I remember one friend asked me how much I still needed to raise and I was hesitant to tell him because I did not want to be a burden for him. He said to me that it was an honour to give, because in doing so he was partnering with me in the work we would be doing.
One dollar spent for lunch lasts five hours. One dollar spent on a necktie lasts five weeks. One dollar spent for a cap last five months. One dollar spent for an auto lasts five years. One dollar spent for a railroad lasts five decades. One dollar 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, so 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.
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. So give and bring praise to God. Give and participate in the spread of the Gospel. And finally…
3. Giving Leads to PROFIT (vs. 17)
Paul rejoiced, not simply because of what their generosity meant in hi sown life, he rejoiced that they themselves would be blessed as a result of it. Paul says here “I am looking for what may be credited to your account.” Paul’s focus was not what they gave but the blessing they would get.
Philippians 4:18-19 I have received full payment and even more; I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. 19 And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
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!
I have heard people say before ‘I can’t afford to give. I have too many bills to pay, too many mouths to feed, too many needs.’ Well, I would ask you in response if you can really 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.
Back in 2014, Brandon Cook was visiting his dying grandmother in a New Hampshire hospital. There was a Panera Bread café nearby. After that visit, he posted the following comment on Panera’s Facebook page:
“My grandmother is dying of 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, New Hampshire, 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, that one Panera store had a sales increase of over 28 per cent the next quarter. The quarter after sales were still up over 34 per cent. There is no way of proving that this was all a direct result of the Facebook post, but the rapidly spreading goodwill generated by one person in response to one act of kindness, amplified nearly a million times over, certainly had a significant effect.
Notice that Paul’s words here are not just “I hope you are blessed…” He says it as a promise - 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 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. 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 “un-teaching” this behavior. “Easy,” he said, “You just show them how to release their grip, and then they can fly as free as they want.”
