The Spirit of Giving
January 22, 2006
2 Corinthians 9:1-15
Intro: Have you ever met someone that had a hard time parting with their money? Someone who found it painful to pay money let alone give it? My Grandma used to say that my Grandpa was so tight that he squeaked when he walked.
One thing you’ll learn about the world and the people you pay money to is that they don’t care about how you pay, they just care that you do. Your credit card company doesn’t care if it is painful for you to pay your monthly bill. You electric company is not concerned that you write your check grudgingly. God is different: He is not just interested in what you give but in how you give it. He isn’t just concerned about the amount you give but the attitude in which you give it. God views giving as ministry (vv.1, 12-13): We usually don’t look at it that way but when we give it is actually a service to others and to God. It is an act of worship.
The Spirit in which we should give to God
1. Purposefully (vv.1-5)
a. We must prepare to give: That means we must make provisions, plan to give. The old saying "To fail to plan is to plan to fail" certainly proves true in giving. If you don’t prepare and plan to give, chances are you won’t.
Prov 3:9 says
9 Honor the LORD from your wealth And from the first of all your produce;
NASU
b. We must be ready to give: This portion of the Bible is written in order to make sure the Corinthians would be ready. Paul had previously given them instructions on what to do.
1 Cor 16:1-2
1 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I directed the churches of Galatia, so do you also.
2 On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I come.
NASU
Some say, “I’ll start giving like I should when I get a ‘round to it” (pass out round tuits)
2. Liberally (vv.5-6, 11,13) There are 2 aspects to giving liberally.
a. The first is giving generously (vv.5-6)
Paul wanted the Corinthians to give freely and not under a sense of obligation.
Wrong Motivations for Giving
1. Some give out of a sense of guilt. There are 2 kinds of givers in the church: Tippers and Tithers. Tippers are those who when an offering plate is passed in front of them they feel guilty so that drop in what they would give a waitress at a restaurant for service.
2. Some give as a payoff to avoid service.
3. Some give in order to be recognized.
ill. The American industrialist, Henry Ford, was once asked to donate money for the construction of a new medical facility. The billionaire made a pledge of $5,000.
The next day in the newspaper, the headline read, "Henry Ford contributes $50,000 to new hospital." The irate Ford was on the phone immediately to complain to the fund-raiser that he had been misunderstood.
The fund-raiser replied that they would print a retraction in the paper the following day to read, "Henry Ford reduces his donation by $45,000."
Realizing the poor publicity that would result, the industrialist agreed to make the $50,000 contribution under one condition…that above the entrance to the hospital was to be carved the biblical inscription: "I came among you and you took me in." (Bits & Pieces, March 3, 1994, pp. 1-2.) Ford truly had been taken in, which is an experience that should never happen in the context of Christian giving. David Owens @sermoncentral.com
4. Some give for what they will get in return.
Paul encourages believers to give generously. He applies the law of the harvest to giving which is we always reap what we sow, more than we sow, and later than we sow.
b. The second is giving genuinely (liberality) (vv.11,13) Liberal is not a popular term in Christian circles but when it comes to giving, God wants us to be liberal. The word liberality means genuineness, not having an ulterior motive, sincere, pure, simple.
3. Cheerfully (vv.7-8)
a. You must give willingly (not grudgingly)
The truth is, you don’t have to give. But I must warn that you are missing God’s mark and forfeiting a blessing of divine proportions.
b. You must give joyfully
ill. • I heard a story once about two wealthy Christians, a lawyer and a merchant, who traveled with a group that was going around the world. As they were visiting in Korea, they saw by the side of the road, a field in which a boy was pulling a crude plow and an old man held the plow handles and guided it. The lawyer was amused and took a snapshot of the scene.
He turned to the missionary, who served as their interpreter and guide, and he said, "That’s a curious picture. I suppose they are very poor." The guide replied, "Yes, that is the family of Chi Noue. When the place of worship was being built, they were eager to give something to it, but they had no money, so they sold their only ox and gave the money to the church. This spring, they are pulling the plow themselves."
The men were silent for several moments, then the businessman replied, "That must have been a real sacrifice." The guide said, "They do not call it that. They thought it was fortunate that they had an ox to sell." (unknown)
God is loving, finding joy, taking care of the cheerful giver. God is being gracious to the giver and supplying all their need (v.8)
Poem: I gave them to Him, All the things I’d valued so
Until I stood there empty-handed. Every glittering toy did go.
And I walked earth’s lonely highways In my rags and poverty;
Till I heard His voice entreating, "Lift your empty hands to Me."
Empty hands I lifted to Him, And He filled them with a store
Of His own transcendent riches Till my hands could hold no more.
And at last I comprehended, With my mind so slow and dull,
That God could not pour His riches Into hands already full. Mike Jeffress @sermoncentral.com
4. Expectantly (vv.9-15)
a. Expect God to enrich your life (vv.9-11)Your life will have a lasting effect (vv.9-10) (Ps 112)Your resources will be multiplied for more blessing (v.10) God who provides you the seed to sow and feeds you will multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness (v.10)
Matt 25:29
29 " For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away.
NASU
b. Expect God’s blessing to go beyond material blessings (v.11). God says you will be enriched in everyting. There are some things that money can’t buy. (ex. healthy marriage, strong family, spiritual wisdom,....etc.)
c. Expect God to be glorified in your life (vv.12-13) He will meet other’s needs through you (v.12) People are going to thank and glorify God because of your obedience (vv.12b-13)
d. Expect to make a lot of faithful friends (v.14) who will pray for you and love you.
Luke 16:9
9 "And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by means of the wealth of unrighteousness, so that when it fails, they will receive you into the eternal dwellings.
This scripture on the surface seems to state Jesus is telling us to buy our friends, but what He is actually saying is that we need to use our worldly wealth to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ so that when it fails, we will be welcomed into heaven by those whose lives were impacted by our generosity.
Conclusion: Giving purposefully, liberally, cheerfully and expectantly is the manner in which God gave His One and Only Son.
John 3:16
16 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
NASU
Gal 4:4-5
4 But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law,
5 so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!
ill. The story is told of a beggar in India who sat by the road begging for alms. As he held out his bowl, people passing by dropped a few grains of rice into it. This was his means of providing food for himself. Occasionally someone would drop a coin in his hands. One day he saw a procession coming down the road and he thought, "This is good. It looks as if a prince is coming. Surely he will give me a gold coin today." And it was indeed a prince. He stopped beside the beggar, who held out his bowl and waited eagerly to see what the prince would put in.
But, to his surprise, the prince asked, "Will you give me your rice?" The beggar answered, "I can’t do that; it’s all I have." Again the prince said, "I want your rice." Again, the beggar said, "No, I can’t give you my rice. I’ll starve." The prince made a third request for the rice. Slowly the beggar reached into his bowl, took out three grains of rice and put them in the hand of the prince. The prince then reached into a bag hanging at his belt and took out three nuggets of gold which he dropped into the beggar’s bowl. As the beggar looked at them he thought regretfully, "Why, oh why didn’t I turn my bowl upside-down in his hand?" Alan Smith @sermoncentral.com
