The Grace of Generosity
Moving Ahead Together, Part 4
September 26, 2004
NIV Acts 2:42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
There is no such thing in the Christian life as maintenance only movement - forward or backward. There is no way getting around that reality. The nature of saving faith is perseverance or persistence in the Christian life. Perseverance does not mean perfection but it does means to continue pursuing the Lord personally, relationally, and in righteousness. It follows that as a church or a community of faith we are not created for maintenance either, we are created for movement.
We see in this passage of Scripture some qualities that characterize the Christian life - a radical devotion to the Lord Jesus Christ and a radical devotion to community life, which I am describing in this series. This devotion, radical ness, or passion was evidenced by: had everything in common; selling possessions they gave to anyone as he had need. So what was happening was they so treasured Christ that it freed them from focusing on this life and freed them to freely give as people had needs. This is not isolated case. The Macedonian Christians who were experiencing extreme poverty and suffering pleaded with Paul to give. Paul tells us that this was the evidence of the grace of God working in their midst.
By contrast, nearly every study indicates that American Christians give 2-3% of their income. In 2001, Barna Research group published a report stating that among born again adults; there was a 44% rise in those who gave nothing in the last year. Compared to 1999, the mean per capita donation to churches dropped by 19% in 2000. 1/3 of born again Christians said they tithed in 2000, but a comparison of their actual giving and household incomes reveals that only 1/8 did so (Treasure Principle, p. 61).
Let’s read the text together.
We Must Support the Ministry of the Church
Throughout the NT, the giving that happened supported the church. There are three aspects of that support.
My giving supports ministry
NIV Philippians 1:3 I thank my God every time I remember you. 4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. Paul is saying that he thanks God for the church at Philippi for their partnership in the gospel – their giving supported the work of the gospel. It was regular and consistent – from the first day until his writing. When we give, we are partnering with the church in the ministry of the gospel.
My giving supports missions
Some of the money that Paul received was to support his ministry of evangelizing and establishing churches. Why we support missions at CCC. It has been a focus of the ministry of the church and we are working to make it a larger part of our budget. It is my goal for us to work towards giving 20% of our income to missions and then to increase that percentage yearly. It is also my goal for us to group with a couple of other churches to support missionaries. This will narrow their donor base so that when they come back they do not have to visit all kinds’ o churches or people all over the US but can focus on a few churches.
My giving supports benevolence
Romans 12:13 Share with God’s people who are in need. Much giving was for benevolence, for people that could not makes ends meet. Paul would make appeals, some over many months for financially strapped churches. In this passage of Acts, we see that people sold goods, land, and other property to meet the needs of those lacking.
We have incredible potential to expand our ministry and missions incredibly. We have the youth center that they will start meeting in starting in October. With you tithing your dividend of 919.84 that makes $91.98 each Alaskan resident that says CCC is home that will be used to make this building next door not a place of worship only but a youth center to train those kids to be history makers and world changers. Not only a training center but also a place where we can be open daily as a drop in center for the youth. And a place where we can have monthly outreaches and win kids to Christ. Is it worth giving $92 to see a place like that for our youth?
I know that there are some that do not give primarily to CCC but divert their money to other places. When you do that, you undermine the God ordained means by which God works through the world. God has ordained that the local church not Para church organizations as the means by which he advances the gospel or the kingdom. When we do not support the ministry of the local church, we are undermining it. I expect every person that says CCC is their home to tithe here.
We Must be Cultivate Generosity in our Hearts
I do not believe that tithing is a NT concept. I believe that NT the models or examples of giving in the NT is based on sacrificial giving and generous giving. If you are looking for a standard a goal then I believe that 10% is the starting point. It is the starting point for us. We give 10% to the church and then a certain percentage goes to missions and benevolence.
Examples of Generosity in ACTS:
ESV Acts 2:44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.
NIV Acts 4:32 All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. 33 With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. 34 There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35 and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need. 36 Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means Son of Encouragement), 37 sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.
So we see the early church selling possessions and belongings to meet needs in one instance and other instance they shared everything, sold land and houses. There is a pattern of sacrificial giving, of generosity and they did not feel about owning property or possessions when others could not make it. There was such freedom because they were not attached to this life. There was such freedom because they had such confidence in God for provision that they were not afraid that they would go without.
Warning against Living for this Life (Luke 12:32-34)
NIV Luke 12:32 "Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Sell your possessions. If a church leader said that today, we would leave the church and call it a cult. Randy Acorn in this little book tells the story of a young Christian who felt the Lord telling him to sell his house and give the money to God. He shared this with old believers in his small group and they talked him out of it! How said that as we mature, we become less risky and trust God less. They quenched the spirit moving in this guys life! Look at the motivation Jesus uses top sell your possessions – treasures in heaven. Jesus is saying make the best possible investment you can make – do not live for this life, sell your possessions and give to the poor and you will store up treasures in heaven that you will enjoy for eternity. It is right it; it is smart; it will last. Do you want to enjoy treasures here for 70 years or treasures in heaven for eternity? I.e. laser light.
Generosity flows from hearts that are set on heaven
We must Trust God to Provide for us
The issue of our giving boils down to faith. Do we trust God to provide or do we spit in his face and insult him by telling him we cannot afford to give or that we do not want to give. Let’s look at a couple of scriptures to build your confidence in God’s promises to provide for us.
God Multiplies What we Have
NIV Matthew 16:8 Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked, "You of little faith, why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread? 9 Do you still not understand? Don’t you remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? 10 Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered?
Jesus is teaching the disciples that he can take what little they have and multiply it to meet the need of the moment. There is a poverty mentality in America. That I do not have enough and will never have enough. Our culture breeds that attitude. Much of that influence comes from TV.
Promise of Sowing and Reaping (2 Cor 9:6-8)
NIV 2 Corinthians 9:6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And 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.
This promise tells us that if your give generously God is able to make all grace abound in your life so that in all things and at all times you will have all that you need. Circle those three alls. All means all. We have counseled many people who did not think they could tithe because they did not believe they could live ion the balance of their income. The issue is not that they can live on that income, the issue is do you believe God will make all grace abound in your life so that in all things, at all times, you will have all you need.
God’s Resources are Limitless (Phil 4:19)
NIV Philippians 4:19 And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
You can have confidence in the God of the universe whose resources are limitless. He promises to meet all you needs (see that word all again) according to the standard of his riches. His riches are infinite. That is a wise investment.
Closing illustration:
There was a high school freshman who ran track. With shoulder length brown hair, she looks like most runners her own age, thin, focused, intent on the race ahead. Undistracted, her face turned downward, she holds one hand at her right ear. In the other, she carries a tiny radio attached to a fanny pack. Nearby her father, speaks into a small transmitter. This ordinary girl sprints both the one hundred and two hundred meter dashes for her High School track team. It is her almost total blindness that makes her most extraordinary. How does she line up with a group of healthy, sighted teens and dash for a finish line she cannot see? By radio. Natalie runs with a single earpiece in her right ear. With her father’s voice coming through the tiny transmitter, she hears the course corrections he gives her from the sidelines. With nothing more than trust, and her father’s verbal directions, Natalie runs at full speed toward a goal she cannot see, with competitors she can only hear, over obstacles she can only imagine. Hers is a perfect picture of our race with Christ. For us, the Holy Spirit directs our race.
The Spirit is speaking to you today and you have the choice to respond and make all grace abound or to resist him and cut off grace in your finances. Some of you make good money and do not give regularly; grace is not abounding in your life. Imagine what God would do if you started to give 10%. Some of you are financially strapped and do not think you would survive finally if you started giving. God is withholding grace in your finances. Start today, step out today in faith, and see how God will make all grace abound in your life so that in all things at all times you will have all you need.
Some of you have always given 10% and God has made all grace abound so that in all things at all times, you have had all you need and then some. Maybe God is asking you start giving 12% or 15% or 20%. Maybe 10% is not sacrificial and God is asking you to be more generous and more sacrificial. Do you want more grace, more of God? What is he saying to you today?
