May 19, 2002
Big Idea: God ensures that generosity will be a mark of authentic biblical community by rewarding those who give.
INTRODUCTION
It’s been a very interesting week, hasn’t it? Since we were here last Sunday, the Cubs haven’t won a single game. (And they’ve had 6 tries!!) Star Wars, Episode Two was released in theatres coast to coast. And of all things, the President is being accused of knowing about September 11 before September 11.
Hopefully this isn’t true. I personally think it’s a bunch of political maneuvering, which is still pretty sad. But what an accusation. To say someone had key information that would save lives, then didn’t share it is a strong indictment.
I stand before you today with life-saving information. I can only say that because I get to share what God has revealed in the Bible concerning his Son Jesus. To have this information and not share it would be wrong. I must share it. And yet, not all of the news about following Jesus is easy on the ears. Some of what it takes to be a Christian is quite challenging – especially when we start sharing what the Bible has to say about money – specifically about giving it away. But again, to have this information and not share it, especially because it is life-changing, and life-saving information – to have this information and not share it would be wrong.
A lot of ministers don’t share it. They reason, “People don’t like to talk about money in church. It turns them off. Attendance will go down if you preach about money.” And yet, strangely enough, Jesus wasn’t afraid to talk about money. In fact, He saw our attitudes toward money as one of the key check points of our spiritual health. There is an element in which this topic is for mature audiences only. Because how we handle money is part of spiritual growth.
Our passage today from 2 Corinthians 9 talks about the law of sowing and reaping.
This concept is often misused to motivate people to give. The reasoning is that God wants you to be rich, and the way to get there is to give. Televangelists talk about sowing seed money. "Give to my ministry - sow that seed of faith - and God will bless you with riches and wealth!"
They forget that Jesus himself was poor, and misuse what the Bible says on this matter for their own gain.
And yet, through giving God transforms us.
Clearly the Bible does say that there are sometimes rewards for giving:
Deut. 15:10 (NLT) - 10Give freely without begrudging it, and the LORD your God will bless you in everything you do.
Pr. 19:17 - He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD,
and he will reward him for what he has done.
Mal 3:10 (NLT) - 10Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the LORD Almighty, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Let me prove it to you!
Jesus made a similar promise:
Luke 6:38 (NLT) 38If you give, you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full measure, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, and running over. Whatever measure you use in giving—large or small—it will be used to measure what is given back to you.”
Sort of like putting leaves into a bag – press them down to make more. That’s how much God wants to bless the generous giver.
Now let’s look at 2 Corinthians 9:
2 Corinthians 9:6-7 - 6Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. (TNIV)
There it is. The law of sowing and reaping.
You see, a farmer has a choice of how much seed to sow. If he doesn’t plant much seed, he won’t get much harvest. But the choice is his.
Similarly we have a choice regarding how much of our wealth to give away. The more generous we are in giving back to God, the greater the harvest.
TRANSITION: God ensures that generosity will be a mark of authentic biblical community by rewarding those who give.
I. FOUR QUALIFIERS CONCERNING THE REWARDS FOR GIVING
(The wording for these four qualifiers came from a sermon by Bob Russell)
The reward is…
1. Not always immediate
This is not a get-rich-quick scheme. God operates on His perfect timetable. Some of the rewards are reaped in this life. Some will be received in the life to come.
2. Not always given in dollar and cents
Yes, God promises to bless those who give, but maybe the blessing will come from washer or dryer or lasting longer. Or your car will be free from needing major repairs. Maybe your child will get a scholarship. These kinds of rewards are different from what many might interpret as being blessed with great wealth because of giving to God.
3. Not divorced from attitude
Verse 7 says, “Don’t bother to give reluctantly or under compulsion. God loves a cheeful giver.”
I like the old story about the guy who came to church with his family. As they were driving home afterwards he was complaining about everything. He said, “The music was too loud. The sermon was too long. The announcements were unclear. The building was hot. The people were unfriendly.” He went on & on, complaining about virtually everything. Finally, his very observant son said, “Dad, you’ve got to admit it wasn’t a bad show for just a dollar.” (www.sermoncentral.com)
When our attitude toward giving is sour and all our gifts are given grudgingly, we shouldn’t expect much of a reward from God.
In the Sermon on the Mount – Jesus pointed out that those who gave to the poor only to be seen had already received their reward in full (Mt. 6:2). So the reward is not divorced from attitude.
4. Not so we can stockpile riches
The rewards are not to make us rich for ourselves.
We are to be distribution centers, not wharehouses.
We are to be like funnels. Open to receive more from God to pass onto others. But when we shut off the valve, we limit what God wants to do through us.
Some teach give to get and keep.
We will see this morning the Bible says give to get and give again.
The reason God blesses us with more when we give is so that we can give more. It’s that simple.
TRANSITION: God ensures that generosity will be a mark of authentic biblical community by rewarding those who give. Let’s take a look at the…
II. SPIRITUAL REWARDS A GENEROUS GIVER WILL REAP
1. The assurance of God meeting your needs (v. 8)
8And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
God promises something that we don’t always believe. If we give generously, he will make sure our needs are taken care of.
Typically our biggest cause for concern over generously giving things away is our fear of the future. We’re afraid that if we give too much away we won’t be able to make ends meet. We’re afraid we’ll end up having too much month at the end of our money. Or maybe we fear that we’ll be miserable because we’ll always be wanting more.
Too often we are like the little boy whose mom gave him 2 quarters. One was for his Sunday School offering. The other was for an ice cream cone on the way home from Sunday School.
On his way to church he was flipping one quarter in the air and catching it on the way down. This happened 8 times or so when all of a sudden he missed catching it. It rolled down the storm sewer and was gone. The boy looked skyward and prayed, "Sorry, God." (www.sermoncentral.com)
Trust would have been giving the quarter and counting on God to still take care of the other details.
We sometimes have a hard time believing God will take care of the details if we give our hard-earned money away.
Why? God wants us to trust him. He wants us to depend on Him for everything – and to see that He is always good – all the time. Do you have a hard time with this?
I received an e-mail from Kathy Juresic this past week. (With her permission to read this) here is what she wrote:
“I’ve always had faith that God would take care of me but I think I have been testing it lately. For a couple of months the Holy Spirit has been prompting me to send money to someone. I’ve kind of mentally replied, ‘hey, yeah, great idea.’ But then I’ve done nothing. Your message a couple of weeks ago got me thinking that I really needed to give no matter how bad the check book looked at the time. So I decided I would send the money. Well a few days went by and I still hadn’t sent it. So I was mentally talking to the Holy Spirit and I said, ‘But Matthew didn’t mean me. Have you seen my checkbook?’ And He calmly replied, ‘God has seen your checkbook and he says it’s okay. You know he wouldn’t ask for you to give more than you can afford.’ It was so logical and yet I had never thought of it that way. So I sent the money.
I kid you not, the next day, I received a letter from the University of Illinois telling me that my deposit would be returned in full with no penalties (Doug decided he’ll stay home and attend College of DuPage). The day after that I received a letter from the IRS saying I had overpaid my income tax and a refund was due that would arrive in 6 to 8 weeks. Two days later, the check arrived from the IRS.
God is so awesome and amazing.
God saw what I couldn’t see. Walking more in faith than ever before!”
Kathy Juresic
Isn’t that a great story?
Amazing. But really it isn’t. God promises to meet our needs. We can trust him.
A second reward….
2. The inner satisfaction of spiritual growth (v. 8b-10)
…you will abound in every good work. 9As it is written:
“He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever.”
10Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.
Giving is an opportunity to grow.
Many of you are here this morning because you want spiritual growth. You are curious about how to feel closer to God, to experience Him at work in your life. Have you considered giving?
When Jesus met the rich young ruler the conversation went like this:
He said he wanted eternal life. He had kept all of God’s commandments since he was a boy. Jesus said, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven.” (Mt. 19:21)
Jesus didn’t shy away from bringing up money when someone asked him about spiritual maturity.
As we give:
We will abound in every good work – we become more effective in making an impact for Jesus
Our righteousness endures and enlarges in its influence – our impact spreads far and wide.
When God has our money, he has our hearts
Jesus said where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
ILLUS - In January of 1997 a mystery was solved that had baffled people for nearly a decade. Someone was giving away millions of dollars! The recipients didn’t know why the gifts came or how to ask for more. But still the money drizzled in, to universities, hospitals and service groups around the globe, paid in cashier’s checks and accompanied by word that the giver wished to remain anonymous.
The giver, it turns out, was Charles Feeney, a 66 year-old businessman from New Jersey. Forbes magazine had listed Feeney, the owner of a duty-free shop conglomerate, as one of the 400 richest Americans. But then it was discovered that Feeney’s wealth was only 1% of what Forbes thought it was. How could they be so far off in their projections? For years, Feeney had quietly been giving it away. Over $4 billion in all. Feeney is known as a “shabby:” dresser who flies coach, wears a $5 watch and doesn’t even own a house or a car.
The richest 1% of Americans give only 2% of their annual gross income to charity. And yet Charles Feeney managed to give away 99% of all he had without anyone knowing. (All above info on Charles Feeney from www.time.com)
What would possibly lead him to do that? Since he won’t give interviews, all we can figure is that he has a perspective on this life that few people have.
He must realize this world is not his home.
In Philippians the Bible urges us to set our hearts, our affections on things above – not on earthly things.
"He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose." Jim Elliot
A timeless hymn says: “Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.”
As we give, we become less and less attached to the things of earth – and we grow spiritually. Our perspective becomes more like God’s.
A third reward…
3. The security of being prepared for emergencies (v. 11)
11You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
“Rich” means “able to be generous”
Doesn’t mean able to have a lot of stuff
Able to live in luxury
Able to throw bigger parties, buy nicer clothes, have the newest car, travel to the most exotic places, or have more importance or influence.
Being made rich in every way – includes financially, b/c a financial gift is the context of the passage.
The rule is: Give to get to give again
From time to time we take up special offerings – sometimes these are for emergencies.
Last year we made an opportunity available to give to IDES after Sept. 11. Sept 16 we were given an opportunity to give – over $4000 collected.
On another occasion, Marilyn Bourn told us about a family in the preschool whose house burned down. We gave to them as well.
When we hear of an emergency – “Boy, I sure wish I could. But I can’t give and still meet my bills.”
But the rule is, God blesses us when we give so that we can give again. You’ll be made rich so that you can be generous on every occasion.
Would you like to have money to give to emergencies? Start being generous with what you have now. And you’ll be surprised how God will make things available through you when emergencies arise. Remember you are distribution center, not a warehouse.
A fourth reward…
4. The joy of seeing others praise God (v. 12-13)
12This 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. 13Because 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.
Paul reasons here, that when you give generously, people will praise God, not you. They will see it as God providing for their needs.
That’s why giving is a great witness for Christ.
If you are mature Christian, there is a deeper joy than giving to someone and having them thank you. The joy comes when they thank God.
ILLUS – A letter came to the Post Office bearing a child’s handwriting and was addressed to God. A postal worker, not knowing what to do, opened it, and read, “Dear God, my name is Jimmy, I am 6. My father is dead, my mother is having a hard time raising me and my sister, would you please send us $500? The employee was touched. He took up an impromptu offering, collected $300 and sent it to them. A few weeks later they received a second letter addressed to God thanking him for the money. But the boy ended with this request: “Next time please deliver the money directly to our home. If you send it to the Post Office, they deduct $200.”
There is a special joy when we give to people and they give God the credit, not us. They’ll praise God, not you. Which is the way we would want it.
The fifth and final reward…
5. The comfort of knowing others are praying for you. (v. 14)
14And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you.
On the surface, this may not seem like much of a reward. But again, to the mature believer, this is a precious reward like no other.
Being lifted up regularly in prayer means that our requests and our needs are being brought before God again and again. Maybe this is one of the reasons why God continues to meet the needs of the generous.
One of the ways we see this most:
Thanks letters from missionaries typically mention their prayers for us.
They care for us. They pray for us.
Someone who has an interesting story to share is Richard Seeman.
Rich Seeman testimony
TRANSITION: God ensures that generosity will be a mark of authentic biblical community by rewarding those who give.
CONCLUSION
Action steps
1. Some of you aren’t convinced this is anything other than a nice spin on greed…
Let God soften your heart
2. Some of you have made Jesus Lord, but trusting Him with your money is hard. You just need to let go of your fears and give.
Trust Him!
Taste and see – He is good!
Test me and see!!
3. Some of you have been generous for a long time – but maybe you’ve been missing out on the joy…
Let God put the joy back in your heart – ask him to do a wonder with your attitude this week.
