The Always God
Part 8 - Always Giving
Good morning! Please turn in your Bibles to Luke 12. Today we bring our “Always God” series to a close. We’ve talked about how God always speaks. Always works. Always hears. Always pursues. Always restores. And this morning, as we observe communion together, I want us to look at how God always gives.
For about ten years now, I’ve been blessed to speak at LifeWay’s Centri-Kid camps in the summer. I am hoping that this year, for the first time, I can take a group of our own 3-6 graders with me. Centri-Kid is an incredibly gospel-centered week in the life of a kid. Every night, we share the gospel in a simple, straightforward way:
God rules. We sinned. God provided. Jesus Gives. We respond.
Now, I have to admit, at first I really struggled with “Jesus Gives.” Not theologically—I know Jesus’ death on the cross for our sins is absolutely the cornerstone of our faith. I know Jesus blood was shed for me.
My struggle was grammatically. I thought, “Shouldn’t it be “Jesus gave?” I mean, the cross was a once and for all event, right? We believe that it was completely sufficient for us. So the English major and editor in me wanted to call the Centri-Kid office and say, “we need to change this gospel presentation.”
But here’s the thing: Jesus giving His life for me is, without a doubt the greatest gift.
But it isn’t His only gift. And while his sacrifice for our sins was indeed a once and for all, never to be repeated, perfect sacrifice, three days later Jesus rose from the dead. And He lives today. He is seated at the right hand of God the Father. And He has never stopped giving.
So we are going to talk about that this morning, As we get ready for communion, I want us not just to look at the nature of our always giving God, but also the warnings He is always giving to those who aren’t saved; the peace He always gives to those who are saved, and the assurance He gives that you can know the difference.
So let’s pray, and we will get started.
[Pray]
We know from Scripture that God gives. James 1 tells us that “every good gift, and every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, in whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
This week I did a quick word search of every verse that talks about God giving something. There are almost 400 verses. Here’s just a few of the things God gives, according to scripture:
Food.
Prosperity.
Children.
The Sabbath.
The Law.
The Land (big one in the Old Testament. Over and over God gave the Israelites instructions for what to do when they entered the land God was giving them.
God gave Israel their enemies. And just as often, God gave Israel over to their enemies, so it went both ways.
Life
A new heart
Wisdom, rain, security, songs, understanding, counsel, power, strength.
Sleep! Psalm 127:2 says that God gives sleep to His beloved. I know a few Atlanta Braves fans are saying amen to that this morning.
God gives Victory. He gives favor.
He gives names to the stars, says Psalm 147. Food to the beasts of the field. Snow to the slopes of the mountains.
Every good and perfect gift! And that’s just the Old Testament.
In the new Testament, John says that God “gives the right to become children of God” to as many who would receive Him.
Jesus said “Come to Me all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
We could go on and on. Grace. Peace. Growth, wisdom, love, the Holy Spirit. Eternal life. But really, Paul summed it all up in his sermon in Acts 17:
25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.
So yes, God is always giving. But the gospel isn’t just about God giving gifts. The hard truth of the gospel is that God also gives plenty of warnings about the consequences of not trusting in Him. Let’s look now at Luke 12:
Verse 1 gives us the context and the audience for what Jesus is about to say:
12 In the meantime, when so many thousands of the people had gathered together that they were trampling one another, he began to say to his disciples first, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
This is probably the high point of Jesus’ ministry, or at least the peak of His public popularity. He’s fed multitudes, He’s healed diseases and cast out demons. In other words, He’s given and given, and now, Luke describes that there are so many thousands of people gathered together that they are trampling one another.
If this was a rock and roll band, then they’ve gone from playing arenas to stadiums at this point.
So look what Jesus does. He warns His disciples to beware of hypocrisy. It’s interesting that you see the word hype in hypocrisy. Jesus knows that there are a whole lot of people that are drawn to Him when things are exciting and cool. But he also knows the day is coming when following Jesus won’t be the popular thing to do. This same crowd that’s trampling over each other to get the free gifts from Jesus will soon be shouting “crucify Him” in front of Pilate.
So Jesus warns His disciples. Look at verses 2-4:
2 Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. 3 Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops. 4 “I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. 5 But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!
Well, that certainly took a turn! Jesus will go on to say that
8 “And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God, 9 but the one who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God.
Beloved, God is the giver of every good and perfect gift. But if all we chase after are the gifts, and we care nothing about a relationship with the Giver of those gifts, then we will face an eternity separate from Him. The Giver of everything we’ve been talking about has the authority to cast us into hell if we don’t give our lives to Him.
In the next verses, Jesus illustrates this point with the parable of the rich fool. Here’s the guy who received all the good gifts God poured out on him, but never acknowledged God’s rule in his life. When God blessed him with wealth and prosperity, all he could think to do was tear down his barns and build bigger ones. And one night, death comes for the man:
20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’
God always gives warnings. Don’t miss the warning at the end of this passage.
21 So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”
So let’s be clear: The giver of life and breath and everything gets your soul. All we’ve been given doesn’t really belong to us. God has given us plenty of warning in Scripture that this life is not all there is.
But in the very next verse, Jesus moves from Fear God to Fear Not. Because right after this stark warning comes an incredible promise of peace.
22 And he said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. 23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing.
Let these words wash over you. Remember he’s just told the story of the man who was obsessed with getting wealth and material goods and neglected his soul. Now Jesus says this:
24 Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! 25 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?[c] 26 If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? 27 Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin,[d] yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 28 But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! 29 And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. 30 For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31 Instead, seek his[e] kingdom, and these things will be added to you.
Friends, there is a lot of anxiety right now about money. I’ve probably seen more pictures of gas pumps on Facebook in the past couple of weeks than I have of family vacations. It seems that our world has been in a constant state of worry for almost two years now.
But God promises peace. Turn to Philippians 4. I want to point out what Paul says about both the peace of god… and the God of peace.
First: the peace of God. Philippians 4:6-7 says,
6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Then, in verses 8-9, he talks about the God of peace:
8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned[e] and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
This is the assurance we have from God. The peace of God will guard us, and the God of peace will guide us.
Jesus started this teaching to His disciples by giving them a warning: Fear God, because He has the authority to destroy both soul and body in hell.
But He ends the teaching by giving them assurance, and it goes right back to the God who always gives:
32 “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Before we receive communion together, I simply want to ask you, where is your treasure. I want to put up the kids camp Gospel presentation again, and remind you that Jesus gave His life for you, and He is still giving.
Now, we have an opportunity to respond to that gift.
[Invitation]
