We Give Because We Were Lost
10/24/99 Eccle. 11:1-6 Luke 15:1-10
Let’s suppose that instead of God being the loving and gracious God that He is, suppose God was like what a lot of people think. Many think God is an old grandfatherly figure sitting on a throne ready to zap us for doing wrong. Now what if this grandfatherly figure removes all shadow of a doubt about the existence of heaven and hell, by allowing us to come into a building and showing us those who are rejoicing in heaven. He then says, “if you go open that other door, you will see those who are suffering in hell.” When you go to open the door, your hand burns on the knob, and the screams from inside are unbearable so you immediately close the door.
You ask, “now God is there another door”. God says no. “You will be put in one or the other forever and ever.” You ask “ well God, how can I make sure I don’t end up in this place.” God says, “well I decided that anybody who will give me 90% of what they get in life, will go to heaven and those that don’t will go to hell.” 90% of what God? “90% of their love, 90% of their money, 90% of their time, and 90% of their talents.” But God is that asking too much? Not when I consider that I gave it all to them in the first place. What do they have, that was not made possible by something I gave to them.” “Well God, I guess a lot of people will go to hell then.” Yeah, they probably will, but they didn’t have to. Well how much are you willing to pay.” I’m not sure, but I don’t think its 90%. My friend how much would you be willing to pay to stay out of that hell? If it were me, I think I’d say, whatever it takes.
How many of you are glad our God is not that kind of a God. When it comes to giving there are usually three motivations for giving to the Lord. The weakest and the most frustrating of the motivations is fear. “If I don’t give, God is going to get me like He did Ananais and Sapphira. Ananias and his wife were a married couple who wanted to impress people with their giving, by lying about the kind of sacrifice they were making to give.
They went and sold a piece of property and agreed to split the money three ways. A little bit for Ananias, a little bit for Sapphira, and a little bit for the Lord. Now there was nothing wrong with that, because it was there property to sell. But they got to church and lied because they wanted people to think they were putting in more than they were. They are like people who shout amen every time the preacher mentions we need to tithe, but never get beyond the amen.
Annaias got to church early that day and wouldn’t even wait for his wife to get ready. He could barely wait for them to start to take up the offering. He told Peter, “ Brother we sold our land because of our love for God, and every penny of it is right here for the needs of the saints. Peter said, “ Brother Ananias, Satan has crept into your heart. You’re not lying to the church, but lying to God.” Ananias fell dead right there in the service and they took him out.
His wife was really late for church. She came three hours later. She was so late all the commotion about her husband’s death had died down and she didn’t know about it yet. Peter said, “Sister Ananias did you and your husband bring in all the money from that land you sold.” She said, “Brother Peter, it is a joy and privilege to give all that God has blessed us with back to you and the saints.” Peter said, “I cannot believe the two of you sat down together and deciding to lie about giving to the work of the Lord. Here come the men who just buried your husband, and now they got to back again to bury you.” She then immediately fell over dead.
The bible said, “Great fear seized the whole church.” Now don’t you know they had a record offering that next Sunday. People gave because they were afraid, not because they loved. The only problem with this kind of giving is that our God will still provide blessings in our lives even if we don’t give.
We then gradually lose our sense of fear that God is going to get me, and become comfortable giving very little or nothing at all. We wait until something bad happens and then think its because of us not giving. That may be true and it may not be true. God deals with us as individuals. God’s problem with Ananias and Sapphira was not what they gave, but lying to God about a love relationship with Him that really did not exist.
The second motivation for giving is that God promises blessings to those who give. Now I do not believe each time we give a tenth to God, we can expect a huge check in the mail. But the bible does teach that those who give, will receive special blessings from God.. God has no problem with making people rich. God has no problem with you having a lot of money. God simply wants to make sure the money does not have you.
In Malachi God promised the people if they tithed, He would give them a blessing they would not have room enough to store. He blessed Abraham, Jacob, Solomon and others with wealth. Jesus said, “Luke 6:38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."
There is nothing wrong with giving in order to receive something back. Our Old Testament lesson we were encouraged to sew seeds in the morning and in the evening so that we can get a return on our investment. Sometimes it is only in giving away that God begins to bless us. About five years ago, there was a Presbyterian Church that was flooded. We sent them a check for about $300. In sending that check, I prayed, Lord we’re sending this as a seed faith that you will bless us with a budget of $300,000 in return. Well, our budget is almost there. There are times when if you really need something, give away to somebody who is in worse shape than you are in and ask God for a miracle.
People like to quote the verse, “And my God shall supply all of your needs according to the riches in Christ Jesus.” But the only reason that verse is in the Bible is that a group of poor Christians in Macedonia, had sent money to take care of Paul’s needs while he was in prison. It was because they first gave, that Paul could give them the promise, “Look out, God is about to do something for you in meeting the needs you have because of the sacrifices you made in meeting my needs.”
Sometimes it is in our giving, that we free ourselves to truly grow in the Lord. You can pray all you want to and try to keep all the commandments, but if you’re not a good giver it will stunt your growth spiritually. There was a guy in the bible who asked Jesus, what did he need to do in order to get close to God. Jesus said, “sell what you have and give to the poor and you will have the life you’re seeking.” Jesus didn’t tell the man he had to give up all that he had, only to put his wealth in a form that He could readily give to those in need.
The third motivation for giving is the highest and most long lasting. It is giving out of a profound sense of gratification for what God has done for us. Jesus came into this world for the purpose of making a difference in our lives. The religious leaders of his day got very upset with him, because of the kind of people he spent his time with. Jesus was spending time with and talking to the bums, the prostitutes, the traitors, the ex-cons, and the people nobody wanted to be bothered with of his day. The good religious people sort of got ticked off by this. They said, “Man what’s your problem, instead of spending time with us, you running with sinners and welcoming and eating with them. You’re hanging with the wrong group of people.”
Jesus’ reply is like, “But fellows you don’t understand what I’m all about and what it is I’ve got to do. He says, This guy had a hundred sheep and lost one of them. He left the 99 in the open country and went after the one sheep until he found it. When he found it, he joyfully put it on his shoulders and went home. He called all of his neighbors together for a party and said rejoice with me, I have found my lost sheep. Now I tell you there is going to be more partying and jammin in heaven over heaven over one person who starts to live for God than over 99 who are already living for him.
Now you may think, well what’s one sheep out of a 100. Sheep were an important economic asset. Most clothing worn by ordinary people in Israel was made of wool. The skins of sheep were tanned and used as leather. Sheep were also the most desirable of sacrificial animals, and their meat was served at the feasts and banquets which was a rare and great treat in the life of the average person.
While shepherds in the first century had a typically low social status, all were familiar with the care with which a good shepherd guarded his flock. At night a shepherd carefully counted his sheep to make sure none was missing. If one was, normally the shepherd would not leave the others alone, but would find another person to watch them for him. Yet Jesus pictures this shepherd hurriedly leaving his flock to find the one sheep that was lost. Somehow the shepherd felt a terrible urgency, and when he found the sheep, he picked it up in his arms and brought it back to the fold rejoicing.
Jesus is trying to drive home the point, that people are lost and this concerns God. God makes an all out effort to go and search for this missing sheep in order to bring the sheep home. Now how is it that a sheep gets lost. There are five ways people become lost and each of us fits in one of the five forcing the shepherd to come looking for us.
1. The sheep is attracted by something out “in the wilderness,” away from the flock of the Shepherd. What the sheep sees is more attractive and appealing. It tempts and seduces the sheep, and the sheep desires to have it for more than what the shepherd appears to be offering. Who among us had not made the mistake of thinking that something Satan was offering looked light the right way to go, but in the end you discovered it came with a price you didn’t want to pay. We all know what Satan uses to turn our hearts away from the Lord. Sometimes we can’t wait for the Shepherd to find us.
2. The sheep is aimless, not paying attention to what is going on. It aimlessly wanders off, and while it is getting lost, the sheep does not know it is losing its way. The sheep is already lost when it discovers it is lost . This may better describe you. You were not out acting the fool like others, you just didn’t have God as a high priority in your life. You were lost thinking all was well. But one day you discovered that all was not well and that you needed Jesus at the center of your life and not where on the out ring.
3. The sheep refuses to heed the warnings of the shepherd and the example of the other sheep. You may have been the kind of person who just has to try it for yourself. You didn’t want anybody’s advice on how to run your life. You heard that this could happen to you, or that could happen to you, but you didn’t believe a word of it until it happened. Then you discovered that God only gave you rules because He loved you and wanted you to avoid the pitfalls others had made.
4. The sheep is not attached enough to the shepherd or to the other sheep. There is not the bond or union there should be. Therefore, the sheep stays off by himself, eating and resting and working alone until eventually the sheep wanders off without anyone knowing it, including himself. You may have been the kind of person who felt you didn’t really need anybody else to know God. You was going to be right with God without the church or anybody else. Your hope is in God knowing you want to be right, but on your terms, not the ones found in Scriptures. But then one day you discovered that not only did you need Jesus, you needed the church as well.
5. The sheep does not trust the shepherd. It does not think the shepherd will take care and see that there is satisfying food. It goes astray in search of greener pasture and more satisfying food. You may have been the kind of person who says, “Child I’m going to have a good time with my life. That religion stuff is for old folks who can’t do nothing any more and now they don’t want you to do what they use to do. But then you discovered, that everything that glitters is not gold. You put your trust in the wrong thing.
The thing about the lost sheep, was it did not start the process of returning home by itself. It could not, because its condition was too far gone by the time it realized the danger it was. In.
1. The shepherd went looking for the one that was lost. The shepherd left the ninety-nine to seek the one lost sheep. The ninety-nine were safe; they were already in the shepherd’s fold. But the one sheep was lost. It was the one that needed to be sought. It was this sheep that needed the attention of the shepherd and was to occupy the time, energy, and effort of the shepherd. As long as the sheep was lost, seeking it was the primary purpose and reason for the shepherd.
We say it each Sunday, our purpose is to bring people into a right relationship with God. We have the privilege of seeking after sheep who don’t even know they are lost. One day in heaven somebody is going to thank you for your giving, because God told them, you help to make possible the radio program “Another Perspective” which they accidentally heard one day and gave their lives to Christ.
2. The search was urgent. The shepherd went after that which was lost (Luke 15:4). He was gripped with concern. He went after the one lost sheep as though it was the only one. Note the shepherd’s dedication and commitment to seeking the lost. Sometimes God gives us a window of opportunity to help people get from one stage of their lives to another. Time does matter
We need to urgently invest in our young people. Looking at our congregation of youth I have discovered, if we can get our young girls from the Angelic Voices through High School without becoming sexually active, their chance of going to college dramatically increases. When we give, we are investing in the lives of others right now today. We don’t have the luxury of one day deciding to become a good giver. I have noticed, that the young people who tithed in our church as children, tithe today. Those who gave practically nothing as kids, do the same even after they get a job. There are only a few exceptions, but I have also found, parents who give poorly, have children who give poorly.
3. The shepherd kept on looking until he was able to say, “Praise God, there you are over there.”. He did not seek as though he had all the time in the word. He knew if he didn’t find the sheep, one of the wolves or lions certainly would. Nor did he give up, despite the difficulties that lay along the rocky hills and the ravines and the weariness of the long hours and the tediousness of running into dead end after dead end. He sought and kept on seeking until he found the lost sheep. He never slackened, never backed off, never gave up.
Not everything we try is going to work in reaching others, but we keep trying anyways, because we don’t know what the Lord is going to do. The Bible says to divide up what you have into seven portions and maybe even eight because you don’t know which one is going to succeed. Will our new TV program “A New Life Perspective” bring souls into the kingdom. Well that’s up to the Holy Spirit. We simply want to make the most of the opportunities God gives to us to find lost sheep. Our blessing is in being obedient to the leading of the Spirit. We are not to give up.
4. When the shepherd found the sheep, he embraced the sheep and threw it over his shoulders. He received it, with arms wide open. embracing it. rejoicing in heart. supporting and carrying it to his home. We say in our purpose statement we are here to provide opportunities to worship, fellowship and serve God in a loving and caring community. One of greatest compliments we can receive as a church, is that, that church is open to receiving all kinds of sinners. When God brings in a lost sheep, we can’t be worried about where the sheep has been. We do know where together in God we will all be headed.
It does not matter which of the five type of sheep we were. The reality is that we were lost and in great danger, but the great Shepherd came looking for us, and he kept on looking until he found us. How many of you are thankful that Jesus, the Shepherd thought enough of you to come looking for you? How man of you are grateful, that even though you did not know the full danger you were in, God felt you were worth coming after because He knew you were missing your rightful place in life.
The wolves and the lions were just waiting to rip you apart, piece by piece, limb by limb, but Jesus, the Shepherd came on the scene and said there will be no destruction of this life on this day. When you see yourself as that lost sheep, you don’t have a problem giving whatever amount of wool the shepherd asks for because you know where He has brought you from. You know he risked his life in order to save yours. You know Jesus didn’t have to do what he did, but He did it anyways.
When you made the decision to start living for God, all of heaven through a party on your behalf. God says, rejoice with me, because I’ve found another one. Can we consider it a joy and honor to do our part in saying thank you Lord. I want to equip the body of Christ to go forward and rescue more sheep. How much are you willing to give because of the fact that you once were lost, but now you’re found. Your future in eternity is secure. You’re not trying to purchase your salvation, but you are saying, God in profound appreciation for what you have done for me, I do this sacrifice as a demonstration of love and commitment to You.
If you’re not a tither today, do you think you could move up 3% or 4% in your investment in the lives of others including your own. If you’re tither today, could you perhaps think of giving an extra 1% or more. Every dream you have for your live comes with a part of you having to invest yourself in it. Pastor Toby and I have invested ourselves in you as a church because we believe in you and in what God wants to do in your lives.
If you looked at our giving over the past 10 and a half years, you will see that we have given almost $100,000 as investment in your lives, our lives, the lives of our youth here at Glenville New Life Community Church. That does not include money we give to family and other Christian groups. Many others of you have likewise given the same proportional amount based on your income, and some of you have exceeded our giving proportion wise. We give because we believe its what God would have us do and because we are thankful for the opportunity to invest in bringing lost sheep home. In reality we have not given to God anything more than God has given to us. The next time somebody asks you, why do you give your money to the church, be bold enough to say, “We give because we were lost and we are grateful.”
Luke 15:1 Now the tax collectors and "sinners" were all gathering around to hear him.
Luke 15:2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."
Luke 15:3 Then Jesus told them this parable:
Luke 15:4 "Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?
Luke 15:5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders
Luke 15:6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ’Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’
Luke 15:7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
Sermon Outline Pastor Rick
We Give Because We Were Lost 10/24/1999
Ecclesiastes 11:1-6 Luke 5:1-10
I. A Different Kind Of A God
A. No Denying The AfterLife
B. One Building With Two Doors
C. It Only Cost 90%
D. How Much Would You Pay
II. Motivations For Giving –Fear
A. Annanais & Sapphira
B. A Little For Me, For You, For God
C. The Big Lie Part I
D. An Untimely Death
E. The Big Lie Part II
F. The Big Offering Next Sunday
III. Motivation For Giving—The Return
A. Tenth & The Big Check
B. God, You, Money & Walth
C. God Promised Blessings Malachi 3:10
Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.
D. Jesus Promised Blessing Luke 6:38
Luke 6:38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."
E. Sewing Seeds In Morning & Night
F. Investment For $300,000
G. My God Will Supply Your Needs Phil: 4:19
And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
H. Not Giving Stunts Growth
IV. Motivation For Giving—Thank You Lord
A. Jesus Spending Time With The Wrong Crowd
B. Story Of A Fellow With 100 Sheep
C. The Value Of Sheep
D. The Hurry To Save The One
IV. The Sheep Which Was Lost—5 Ways To Get There
A. False Attraction
1. Cost Greater Than Anticipated
B. Wandering Aimlessly
1. Jesus Not High Priority.
C. Will Not Listen To The Rules.
1. I Know Best
2. God’s Rules For Love
D. Independent And On My Own
1. Who Needs Who
2. Jesus & The Church
F. Not Sure Of Who To Trust
1. All That Glitters
V. The Shepherd Goes On The Offensive
A. Left The Crowd For The One
B. Primary Purpose Is To Find
C. Another Perspective, Another Soul
D. The Urgency Of The Moment
E. Investment In The Young—Avoiding Pirgall
F. The Shepherd Kept Looking
G. The Wolves & The Lions
H. Not Everything Works
I. The Blessing in Obedience
J. The Shepherd Embraces The Sheep
K. Our purpose
L. That Church Receives All Kinds Of Sinners
VI. Choosing To Be Grateful
A. Remembering You Were Lost
B. Privilege Of Rescuing Others
C. What About Moving Up
D. 3%, 4%, or 1%
E. $100,000 Investment
F. Generosity Of Many
G. Investing In Lost Sheep.
