Why On Earth Does The Church Exist ? Sermon 4 & 5 Series

“Why On Earth Does The Church Exist ?” Part 4

I Corinthians 16:1-4

Tonight we come to the fourth in our series on “Why On Earth..........?”

Thus far we have given you three words....one in each prior message to help us in answering the question......so that we might define our purpose.

Do you remember the three words that we have looked at so far ?

1. Glorify 2. Gather 3. Go

The church exists to glorify God.....we exist as a body so that we might gather for instruction, for inspiration, for encouragement, and to worship.

The fourth word that we are going to look at tonight is “Give”. The church exists not only to glorify........gather........go.......but we exist to give !

Our purpose cannot be complete unless we are a giving people !

Someone has written “You Will Never Be Sorry:”

For telling the truth

For living a pure life

For your faith in Christ

For acknowledging your sins

For doing your best

For forgiving your enemies

For helping a fallen brother

For being honest in business

For standing by your principles

For bridling a slanderous tongue

For being courteous and kind

AND FINALLY, FOR MONEY GIVEN TO THE LORD’S WORK.

Have you ever said the words......”I spent to much or I spend to much money”.........now how many of you have ever said......”I give to much money to the Lord’s word !” I don’t know if it is possible to give to much to the Lord’s work because as you have probably heard said......”You can’t outgive God” Or perhaps we should stop giving when he stops giving to us !

Story

I think of a story I once read about the great composer/pianist Paderewski. Two young men were working their way through Stanford University. At one point their money was almost gone, so they decided to engage the great pianist for a concert and use the profits for board and tuition. Paderewski’s manager asked for a guarantee of $1,000.00. The students worked hard to promote the concert but they came up $400.00 short. After the concert, they went to the musician, gave him all the money they had raised, and promised to pay the $400.00 as soon as they could. It appeared their college days were over. What Paderewski did is a great lesson in giving. He told the boys to take out of the money they had raised their expenses, keep for each of them 10 percent for their schooling, and give him the rest. Years passed. Paderewski became Premier of Poland following WWI. Thousands of his countrymen were starving. Only one man could help, the head of the U.S. Food & Relief Bureau who at that time was Herbert Hoover. Paderewski’s appeal to him brought thousands of tons of food. Later Paderewski had the opportunity to meet the American statesman and personally thank him for his help. Hoover said to him, “That’s all right. Besides, you don’t remember, but you helped me once when I was a student in college.” Hoover had been one of the two young men that had got him to do the concert.

Anyone who has learned to give to God’s work has discovered that somewhere and somehow God returns what we give. No one has ever been sorry that they gave to God’s work.

Did you hear about the guy that was killed by a boomerang ? He was killed when he tried to throw it away ! Giving to God and his work has a boomerang effect......it always come back to us !

Someone once said....”When it comes to giving, some people stop at nothing !

In V.1 We read......”Now about the collection....” The word “collection” is a very interesting word........it comes from the greek word “logos” which speaks of words, and communication. The word “collection “ has embodied in it the ideal of saying something. The way we give.....what we give says something about us. Our giving can speak volumes about our love for God, and his work or it can show our selfishness and greed !

What does your giving say about you ? What does the churches offering say about us ? Would you say that a good measuring stick to measure our spiritual growth is our offerings ? If that is true, then how do we measure up ?

Tonight I want us to look at some principles concerning giving which helps us to define our purpose, and will help us fulfil God’s purpose for us !

I. The People Who Are To Give.

V.2 Notice that Paul is teaching to the Christian Corinthians the same thing he had taught to the believers in Galatia. So all churches are to be giving churches ! But every child of God, each member of every church is to be a contributor to the work of the church !........”let every one of you”