Blessings of Following Christ
#4 – We Get to Handle God’s Money (Part 1)
2 Corinthians 9:6-11
November 11, 2007
NOTE: THE ME/WE/GOD/YOU/WE FORMAT USED IN MY MESSAGES IS BORROWED FROM ANDY STANLEY’S BOOK, "COMMUNICATING FOR A CHANGE."
Introduction
Today we’re going to talk about money. And let me tell you, I’m not comfortable doing that, for a couple reasons.
One, I don’t want to be accused of laying a guilt trip on anyone to increase their giving. That is certainly not my intention, and you can believe that that is not my motivation at all.
Two, I don’t want to give anyone the impression that the church is all about how much money we can squeeze out of people.
Unfortunately, the church around the world is seen that way, in large part because of what people see on television, with preachers talking about how without your money, they will have to limit or cancel their ministries around the world.
And while that is true for some ministries, I have to admit that I share the skepticism of those who wonder why that guy on TV with the mansion, planes, and really cool hair can’t give some of their own money to support their ministries.
I don’t want us to be viewed as a religious organization that’s only interested in your money.
That’s the main motivation behind why we use offering boxes in the back of the sanctuary instead of passing the plate for your tithes and offerings. We want guests to not have to worry about us wanting their money.
Besides, the boxes are more reflective of how offerings were received at the temple in the Bible than any idea of passing the plate. That’s not even in the Bible!
“Yeah, you need to pass the plate on Sundays, because that’s the way Jesus says to do it in Mark 17!”
Today I want to look at a passage that I think really forms the core of how giving should be viewed in the life of the Christian.
Next week I want to take a look at some questions that people ask about giving. There are all sorts of questions that come to mind when we talk about giving.
What about tithing? Actually, I’m going to address that one today, at least a little.
What about when we don’t have enough money to give?
Should we give when we don’t feel like it?
If I give like I should, will I become wealthy?
Or as people ask, “If I give, will it mean that I or a loved one can get into heaven?”
These are real questions that people wrestle with. And they can’t just be dismissed by a pastor or teacher.
So next week we’re going to look at some questions – questions that others have asked of me, and questions that I have asked as I have wrestled with this over the years.
Me: I didn’t get much teaching about giving as I was growing up.
About the main thing I can remember was when I was in second or third grade, we were given a box of little bitty envelopes with numbers on them.
We were supposed to put money in these and then put them in the offering baskets at church during the service.
I don’t remember them saying anything like, “Put ten percent of your allowance in the envelope and bring it to church,” or anything like that. They may have said it, but I was probably too busy looking at the cool envelope to hear it.
“They don’t give these envelopes to just anybody, you know. You need to be in second grade to get them. You first graders are too immature for these…”
It wasn’t until I had come to know Christ for myself and started attending a Bible-believing church that I started really hearing about this whole thing about giving.
And I don’t claim to have it all figured out even now. I’m walking through all this just like you, and I’m asking God to help me live a life of faith that allows me to implement what I do know.
So today I’m just going to share with you what I’ve found in Scripture about handling God’s money.
We: One thing I think I can say confidently is that all of us are conscious of the role that money plays in our lives.
We’re aware of what comes in and what goes out, and we keep close tabs on it because it doesn’t grow on trees and we need it to take care of the necessities of life.
Because for some reason, the electric company doesn’t care that you’re a nice person – they want money for the electricity you use.
When you fill your car with gas, they want real money for that. They don’t care if you’re struggling financially – they want money for that gas.
We have rent payments, mortgages, dental bills, professional wrestling on pay-per-view, and all sorts of stuff.
We’re acutely aware of the role money plays in our life.
Is anyone in here so wealthy that they don’t know what comes in and what goes out or even care? If so, the board and I would like to visit with you after the service!
God: It’s been said that the Bible talks more about money than even heaven and hell.
I haven’t counted it all, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it were true. And even if that particular statistic weren’t true, there is no denying that the Bible talks a lot about money and how to handle it.
Why is that, do you suppose? I personally think it’s because God knows our hearts, and He knows how we can be people who actually define ourselves by our money. He knows how much we count on it for security and even happiness.
And so throughout both Testaments, God has teachings about money – the attitudes we should have toward it and how to handle it.
The passage I want us to look at today really gives a solid foundation for how we should look at giving.
The context of this passage is a collection that Paul was going to receive to help others who were facing financial struggles.
But in these verses, Paul lays down some timeless principles that are in play regarding how we should view giving in general, and I want us to look at some of them.
We really don’t have time today to get through everything this passage teaches, but I want to highlight four or five principles that I believe will go a long way to helping us understand not just giving, but God’s role in our giving.
But before I do that, I want to give you the point that I want you to chew on and remember as we go along:
Giving is primarily a spiritual issue, not a financial issue.
Obviously we’re talking about money, so giving is a financial issue. But at its base, it’s a spiritual issue. I think you’ll see why that is as we get going through this passage of Scripture.
2 Corinthians 9:6-11 (p. 820) –
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. 9 As it is written:
"He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever."
10 Now 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. 11 You 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.
Some principles to keep in mind regarding how we give:
1. Giving generously results in great blessing. (vv. 6,10)
Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.
10 Now 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.
Let me say something very quickly and clearly. This passage does not teach that we should “give to get.”
We don’t give because we expect God to pay off like some heavenly slot machine, nor do we give so God is obligated to make us wealthy.
Those who teach that are in error, and have led many people astray, causing some to go into financial ruin because they gave out of an attitude that God owes them something. And that’s just not what Scripture says.
So what is this passage saying?
Paul is referencing something that farmers and gardeners would immediately understand – the size of the harvest depends on the size of the sowing.
Keeping more seeds in storage might appear to be wise, a way to ensure against future disasters. But the farmer who scattered his seed meagerly inevitably would have a small harvest. A farmer who refused to risk his grain on the next year’s harvest would lose.—Life Application Concise New Testament Commentary
The idea here is that we need to give in a way that shows we trust God to not only replenish the money we give, but also let us see a great harvest – whether it’s financial or otherwise.
The harvest that is reaped may not be financial. It might be something else – like seeing a new people group reached for Christ, or seeing people in our area find healing and wholeness in Christ through the ministries of the church because we were able to purchase materials that help people. And that, folks, is an investment that can continually reap rewards.
A harvest of righteousness, according to verse 10. And couldn’t we all use a harvest of that in our lives?
Giving generally results in great blessing.
2. Your giving should be a matter of conviction between you and God.
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.
I have found that people give best when they’re convinced in their own heart that it’s the right thing to do.
No amount of preaching or no amount of guilt trips by televangelists can take the place of having God just deal with you about giving in your own heart.
You need to be convinced that what you are giving is what God wants you to give. No more, no less.
3. God promises to meet our needs as we invest in His kingdom. (v. 8)
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 is probably one of the two toughest areas to deal with when discussing our giving.
The toughest is helping the wealthy see that they need to give according to their wealth.
The other is helping the rest of us see that God is able to take care of the everyday expenses that we all incur just by living.
Folks, I can relate to that. I’ll get more into it next week, but let me tell you that I’ve had to trust God’s Word here plenty of times when it looked like I wouldn’t make it to pay all the bills. But He’s been faithful to me – and He’ll be faithful to you as well.
4. God promises to make us able to be generous on all occasions. (v. 11)
11 You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion…
This is hard, because we all get appeals from worthy causes, in the mail, over the phone, or even here at church when we discuss needs that we’d like to invite you to be a part of. And quite frankly, few if any of us in this room can give to all of them. So what do we do?
My solution is to ask God which of these I should give to and support, and say no to everything else. I don’t necessarily think this verse is saying we should give to every worthy cause we come across.
My wife and I support some missionaries and a couple children with Compassion International.
These are the things that we believe God wants us to support, and we trust Him to provide so we can do that.
And so we are able to send money to these. God supplies so we can do that.
So don’t feel like you are required to give to everything that comes your way. Ask God to help you find those things that He wants you to support.
Here’s principle number five:
5. Our giving results in thanksgiving to God. (v. 11)
Why is that? Because as the funds are used to help people find Christ and live for Him, finding hope and healing for the here and now and hope for the hereafter, their spirits lift praise and thanks to God for the generosity of His people.
I’m thankful for the investment my church made in my life when I was a baby believer in Jesus.
They gave me materials that I could use to help me establish that relationship and live for Him, and help others do the same thing.
And now, because of their investment in me, others have found Christ and they can live for Him as well.
Can you see why I say that giving primarily a spiritual issue and not primarily a financial issue? It’s because of what this passage says about God in relation to our giving.
Let’s take a look now at the question of the tithe – giving 10% of your income.
Is that a requirement for the believer today? Isn’t it just an Old Testament command that doesn’t apply today?
The Wesleyan Church believes and teaches the tithe – that 10% of a person’s income should come to the church, and anything over that can be used for any other ministry or cause you see fit.
The basis of the tithe and really, all giving in the Old Testament was the idea that everything we have is a gift of God, and that He is really the owner of it.
Therefore, the tithe and offerings in the Old Testament weren’t seen as giving, they were seen as giving back. And folks, there’s a huge difference in attitude there that you’ve gotta catch if you want to get the right perspective on giving.
[Illustration: 30 one-dollar bills. This was demonstrated by Keith Loy, pastor of Celebrate Church in Sioux Falls, SD, and I used in unashamedly in this service... I had a small table in front of the pulpit, a small bag of candy, and 30 one-dollar bills)
How many of you, when you were growing up, had times when you had extra candy to share, maybe after Halloween or something?
Here’s how it usually went (parcel out the candy on the table): "One for you, two for me. One for you, three for me..." Right?
But here’s how God shares with us (take the 30 one-dollar bills in your hand and begin to parcel them out): "One for Me, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine for you (do this three times to really drive home the point)."
We’re not doing the sharing – God is doing the sharing. Do you see why I entitled this message “We Get to Handle God’s Money?”
So should we tithe on the gross or the net? I believe we should tithe on the gross, but I’ll let you decide that between you and God. I’m not going to be legalistic about that, but my opinion is that you should tithe on the gross.
And I also want to say that I think we’re supposed to tithe on income, not assets. Tithe on what comes in, not on what you have in terms of property. From what I can tell from Scripture, that is what God is asking.
You: Three ways I’d like to suggest you put this into practice in your life:
> If you are not yet able to give like you think God would like you to, then commit to starting next Sunday.
Start small. Maybe you look at tithing 10% and the blood drains from your face, and your heart falls into your stomach.
Then start with 5% or even 1%. But start, asking God to help you develop the kind of faith that trusts Him to fill the gaps you see at first.
> If you are already giving, but only giving after the bills are paid, start by writing the tithe check first – before the other bills are paid.
Let me tell you, that’s not always easy. But folks, when we trust God with the firstfruits, He promises to give us what we need to pay the rest.
And that may mean that some of your bills have to wait until your next paycheck. But I have found that while it’s not always easy to do that, it’s always been worth it because I know that God will come through one way or another.
> If you are already giving from the firstfruits, then ask God to bless with you even more to invest into His kingdom.
Ask Him to provide even more so that God’s work in this area and around the world can go forth without hindrance.
We: Our giving should not be thought of as an obligation, but rather as an opportunity to invest in His kingdom, and an opportunity to watch God work in your own life to increase your faith and receive the blessings that come from giving back to God.
Developing a lifestyle of giving – or giving back, as the case is in reality, develops our character in Christlikeness because we show that our life for Christ is more than just lip service.
The world looks around and sees countless lip-service Christians and not nearly enough Christians who actually live by faith and not by what they see in their checkbooks and bill piles.
Let’s show people that this group of people understands that God owns it all anyway that we’re going to handle His money in a way that impacts the Kingdom and brings Him glory.
It’s not easy – but God blesses it, and we’ll see God working in us and through us as we trust Him to take care of us while we invest in His kingdom.
Let’s pray.
