The churches of Christ Greet You (Romans 16:16)
INTRODUCTION:
1. We heard a song several years ago that said
a. "Thank you, for giving to the Lord.
b. I am a life that was changed."
2. The idea behind the song was
a. that this individual was brought to
the Lord
b. through the generosity of one who was
a Christian.
3. That's what we want to talk about in this lesson.
4. We have several examples recorded in the New Testament
a. of those who truly knew the meaning
of Christian giving.
b. One good example would be the church
in Jerusalem,
1. who had
all things common (Acts 2:44-46),
2. or
those in Macedonia who gave above their means
3. despite
their poverty ( 2 Cor. 8:1-5).
a. And there are also numerous
individual examples
b. such as Barnabas and Dorcas (Acts 4
& 9).
5. We don't believe that most people have been taught to give
properly;
a. too many give sparingly and
begrudgingly.
b. So, what we want to get out of this
lesson
c. is some motivation to give joyfully
and willingly.
I. God Loves and Rewards Those Who Give Cheerfully
1. First, We Are Motivated To Give Joyfully And Willingly
a. When We Realize That God Loves Those
Who Give Cheerfully,
b. And He Rewards Those Who Give
Cheerfully (2 Corinthians 9:6-11).
2. David wrote: "Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the
Lord will deliver
him in time of trouble" (Psalm 41:1).
3. There is no doubt that God is the one who has provided for us,
a. and therefore we should realize that
it is all His anyway,
b. and God can take care of us.
c. That is the entire point of Jesus'
teaching in Matthew 6:30-33 (Read).
d. Loved ones, you can't out-give God!
4. So let’s turn and read the exhortation Paul gave the church at
Corinth
(Read 2 Cor.
9:6-11).
a. But we should notice that verse 6 is
often misused
b. by the televangelist and such-like
today.
5. Many seek to motivate people to give more by saying
a. that this passage teaches that God
will pay them for what they give.
b. But, the context does not support
this amazing falsehood.
6. Verse 8 tells us that the reaping bountifully
a. that will result of our giving
cheerfully
b. will be so that we will have two
things:
1. First,
we will have all sufficiency,
2. or in
other words, what we NEED!
7. Second, so that we will have an abundance
a. for EVERY GOOD WORK!
b. Not an abundance to take care of
ourselves,
c. but an abundance to reach out further
to bring others to Christ.
8. And so in verses 10 and 11
a. Paul talks about God supplying and
multiplying the seed sown.
b. He's the one who supplied the seed in
the first place,
1. and He
is the one who multiplies the seed when it is sown.
2. God
blesses those who give with the opportunity to give more.
9. Here's the point.
a. We should be willing to give
cheerfully,
b. because the more we give,
c. the more God will give us the ability
to give.
10. We should realize though that this is not limited to money,
a. we could make the same application to
our time and abilities,
b. but the point remains the same.
1. Give to
God the best,
2. and He
will bless us to be even more useful in His service.
II. Our Giving Produces Glory To God
1. Second, We Are Motivated To Give Joyfully And Willingly
a. When We Realize That Our Giving
Produces Glory To God.
b. In the sermon on the mount Jesus said
"Let your light so shine before
men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father
which is in heaven" (Matthew 5:16).
2. Surely our giving produces the opportunity
a. for our light to shine in a greater
capacity to those around us.
b. Our giving provides the opportunity
1. to
reach the lost with the message of the Gospel, and
2. it also
indicates that God's grace has been active in our lives.
3. We must realize that to a great extent,
a. the only thing some people see of
Christianity is our lives.
b. Based upon your own personal
lifestyle,
1. and
your own personal generosity,
2. what is
our community seeing in Christianity?
4. Are they seeing a person who cares about their soul?
a. Are they seeing someone who's life
has been changed by Christ?
b. Or, are they seeing someone who is
self-centered, uncaring,
1. and not
interested in anything more than a social club?
2. Our
giving reflects a lot.
III. Some of the Good We Are Doing
1. Third, we are Under The Impression
a. That We Are More Likely To Give
Joyfully And Willingly
b. If We Have A Good View
c. Of Some Of The Good That We Are
Doing.
2. We read about a congregation where the elders had decided
a. that they would never discuss the
cost of a particular work
b. until they first decided whether or
not
c. it was a work they needed to pursue.
3. They would discuss a particular work,
a. decide whether or not they were going
to do it,
b. and then after they had decided they
would participate in this work
c. they would set out to find the funds
necessary.
4. The report we read said that the congregation always rose to
the occasion.
5. With this thought in mind, let us remind you
a. of a few things that YOU are doing
b. as a result of your generous giving.
6. Some of these will not be mentioned directly in the budget
a. because they fall into larger
categories.
b. But I want you to realize that we
don't give to a budget,
c. we give to the Lord, and He uses us
in His service.
7. How are we changing the world?
a. Because of you men are
b. preaching and teaching the Gospel
c. to many in this Spanish speaking
country.
8. World Bible School - Because of you, every single day
a. men, women, and children are studying
the Bible in Africa
b. through these excellent Bible
correspondence courses.
9. Because of you, students
a. are being taught the Bible in
Christian
colleges
b. so they will be better equipped to
teach
the Gospel when they graduate.
1.
Countless thousands may one day obey the Gospel
2.
as the result of the efforts of students you support.
10. Because of you, sermons, articles, and Bible outlines
a. are accessible to anyone in the world
who has access to a computer,
b. that's a potential field of billions
of souls.
1. Because
of you, Bible studies are being conducted daily
2. over
e-mail, throughout the world.
11. Because of you, good publications are being
a. sent to the homes of members and
non-members
of the congregation.
b. Because of you the church has a van
to pick up souls each week
1. and
carry them to activities
2. which
help to keep them interested in learning about Jesus.
12. Because of you, our young people
a. have the opportunity to grow to love
each other
b. as they play and study together .
13. Because of you, the citizens of your town and beyond
a. have access to the grace of God
b. through newspaper articles, tracts,
and television programs.
14. And we have not even taken into consideration
a. all of the ongoing regular activities
of the congregation,
b. such as Bible classes and worship
activities.
c. Because of your generosity God has
blessed us to do these things!
15. To His peopleof old, God said (READ Malachi 3:10-11).
a. Your cheerful giving is having an
impact
b. on our community, our state, our
country, and our world!
c. GOD WILL THEREFORE BLESS YOU!
CONCLUSION:
1. Most congregations of the Lord's church give very well,
a. but we hope we have challenged each
of
you
b. to consider your own giving,
1. to be
certain that you are giving as you have prospered,
2. and
doing so as a cheerful giver.
2. To a great extent, what kind of givers we are
a. depends upon what kind of recipients
we are!
b. Unless we receive the grace of God in
our lives,
c. we will be unlikely to give
gracefully to others.
3. With that thought in mind,
a. please remember a warning from the
apostle Paul:
"For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day
of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted
time; behold, now is the day of salvation" (2 Corinthians 6:2).
4. Christian, have you received the grace of God in vain?
a. Non-Christian, have you received the
grace of God at all?