Generosity is a form of worship.
As you will know if you’ve been here over the last few weeks, apart from last week when we focused on youth and children, we have been looking at Dr Harry Wendt’s material, “In Heavens Name Why on Earth.” This is the last week of the series, and the focus of this week is on our generosity being an act of worship. Money will be mentioned, and this material utilises a good number of Dr Harrys own words. I know that I just used the “M” word but relax I’m only going to discuss biblical stuff here. I’m tackling the idea of being generous as a type of worship, that in being grateful to God, we worship him with our time, talents and treasures.
Last time I spoke on this I mentioned how we, that the church is a priesthood of believers in the same way that the nation of Israel was to be a priesthood of believers. Why so that we can be witnesses and magnets that draw others to God. When God gave Israel his laws and decrees, he said this to them: Deuteronomy 4:6-8; “Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’ What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him? And what other nation is so great as to have such righteous decrees and laws as this body of laws I am setting before you today?”
Being that the sermon series is called about a ‘Lifestyle of Generosity’ here comes the bit on money.
Illustration 3D
Point one. This illustration shows; there are two hands in the illustration; the one on the left, Mary’s contains a Kiwi fruit, Mary grows Kiwi Fruit! The one on the right Mark’s, contains a wheelbarrow wheel. One day Mary gives Mark a wheelbarrow load of kiwifruit and in return he gives her a new wheelbarrow wheel. So what are they actually giving each other, Dr Harry answers this by saying, nothing! Now this might seem a bit odd but he explains it this way. Though Mary put effort into growing the kiwifruit, they come from and belong to God. Although Mark put the effort into making the wheel, the materials and skills he used come from and belong to God.”
So what they are exchanging is the effort that was used to grow the fruit and to make the wheel. Dr Harry states the Wheel, like all manufactured things could have a label, “Raw Materials property of God, fashioned by people using the knowledge and strength supplied by God.”
One day Mary might need a new wheel for the wheelbarrow but has no fruit due to the season or having sold it all, to buy it with. But what she does have through her previous efforts, is her service now stored in the form of money, this is a resource she can buy the wheel with.
Money itself is a neutral thing, “stored service.” Money is neither good nor bad. Paul writes to Timothy about it. 1 Timothy 6:6-10;
But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
In this passage we see that not money, but the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.
Paul also says this to the church in Corinth: “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31).
Dr Harry then addresses the matter of tithing, in this illustration about percentages.
Illustration 3E
The World’s Approach
Time, Talents and Treasure, he mentions that many are questioning how much of our time, talents and treasures should they give?
I introduced you to Sylvester a couple of weeks ago, Sylvester assumes as many do that those three T’s, his time, talents and treasures are all his, that after he has decided what to give to God of what is his, once he has given his fair share the rest is his to do what he pleases with it.
Jesus Approach to this is different to Sylvester's. As Christians we are to see generosity as an act of worship. That as we are generous, we are doing it out of an understanding that God has given us much, given us all we have.
We own nothing, God made and owns all things, including our beings: Exodus 19:5 says, “Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine.”
Haggai 2:8; “The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the Lord Almighty.”
1 Corinthians 4:7; “For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?”
So, Dr Harry states that Sylvester, should be asking, “How much of what I own belongs to God and how much do I truly need to keep and use for my own needs?”
Dr Harry mentions, Creation does not belong to us, Christians should not speak of Christian giving, but of Christian management and Christian distribution. This is a true definition of stewardship. The kingdom of God embraces all of life and the traditional division of life into spiritual and secular realms is incorrect. Remember God makes his sun to shine on bad and good people alike and gives rain to those who do good and to those who do evil. (Matthew 5:45).
In 2 Corinthians 8:1-5 we read that Paul has mentioned that the churches of Macedonia gave generously as an act of worship to support the needy in Jerusalem. He says this;
“And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. 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. And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us.”
I guess that about now you are thinking, so what is an Appropriate Offering? Great question. The Old Testament prophets made it quite clear that God could not be kept happy with shallow offers or by offering him animal sacrifices.
Illustration 3F
These words of scripture what God sees as appropriate.
Hosea 6:6?“For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgement of God rather than burnt offerings.”
Jesus made it clear in his ministry that he was of the same view; Matthew 9:13?“’I desire mercy, not sacrifice’ for I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Paul reminded Christians that their life was to be one of generosity as an act of worship to God; Romans 12:1-2 say this, “ Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.”
Jesus sacrificed himself for the whole world, for us. He summons us to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice, not to the flames but to him through service to others as we live our lives as an act of worship, generously.
The truth that comes from this series is that we are given, our skills, talents and provision by God so that we can live in relationship with Him, serving Him, through our service to others. We are not to ask the question, what is it others want? But what it is God would have us do for them? We are all to live productive God honouring lives giving of what we have this includes money as an act of worship. In recognising that money being stored service we are in a position to give some of this service to others.
The scriptures discuss the amount; the soldiers covenant gives soldiers an understanding of what to give. The challenge this week is what is it God would have you give through the part of his Church here at Tawa to bring life change to people and people to eternal life and to service in His Kingdom here on Earth. It is your place to determine what you will give back to God for the work of the Church; this is between the two of you.
Let’s pray
Our Father in Heaven,
Holy is your name,
Your Kingdom come,
Your will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven,
Give us this day our daily bread,
Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us,
Lead us not into temptation butt deliver us from evil,
For yours is the power and the glory for ever and ever!
Amen.
