Two weeks we started our new series … ‘SACRIFICE’ … and we learned three principles about sacrifice – 1) Sacrifice requires love, 2) Sacrifice requires trust, and 3) Sacrifice requires obedience …
Sacrifice is NEVER easy, but God has asked us to sacrifice our time, our talents, and our treasures.
Last week we talked about RISK … we learned the 3 reasons why we should take risks for God … 1) God has a proven track record, 2) God has a powerful plan, and 3) God is a personal friend.
And because of that reason we are willing to RISK our time, our talents, and our treasures for Him!
Tonight, I want to continue our SACRIFICE series and talk about “Show Him the Money” – a discussion on tithes and offerings!
Before we get serious, let me share with you the TOP TEN SIGNS YOU KNOW YOU ARE POOR:
10. American Express calls and says: "Leave home without it!"
09. Your idea of a 7-course meal is taking a deep breath outside a restaurant.
08. You’re formulating a plan to rob the food bank.
07. You’ve rolled so many pennies, you’ve formed a psychic bond with Abe Lincoln.
06. You look at your roommate and see a large fried chicken in tennis shoes.
05. You finally clean your house, hoping to find change.
04. Your bologna has no first name.
03. You give blood everyday... just for the orange juice.
02. McDonald’s supplies you with all your kitchen condiments.
01. At communion you go back for seconds.
SOUND/VIDEO TEAM – Play Bobby Fujitsu video … it is in the powerpoint … make sure the volume is up and ready to go!
Money … it’s something we all need … it’s something that we all want … but is money our motivation for life … or does money help us discover our motivation!
The 5 Motivations for Giving (Jason Duncan):
1. Guilt – “have to give”
2. Responsibility – “ought to give”
3. Need – “want to give”
4. Thanksgiving – “can’t help it, so I give”
5. Worship – “it’s my nature to give”
Our goal in giving to God should be WORSHIP to Him … giving our tithe and our offerings should be natural … but why is it so unnatural?
Proverbs 3:9: “Honor God with everything you own; give him the first and the best” (MSG).
God does not ask for your leftovers – he asks for the FIRST or BEST of everything!!!
What is a tithe? It is the 1st ten percent of everything … for example, if you get a $100 as a gift or from work, then 10 bucks needs to be given to God!
What is an offering? It is anything above and beyond your tithe … you can give more money to missions (STL) or extra to MSO … or even help with paying for this building.
Over the next 3 Wednesdays all the money that is collected, unless marked MISSIONS, is going to be our FIRST FRUIT GIFT to Bethlehem Assembly. Then we will present a check to the church on Sunday, October 15 for whatever the amount we bring in is …
LISTEN … God wants us to SACRIFICE our treasures so the Kingdom can grow … isn’t this building amazing … it’s starting to come together … some of you can give $100 over the next 3 weeks … some of you may have been saving for a new gaming system or new sneakers or something else – God may speak to you and ask you to give to this project … some may be able to give $50 … but over the next 3 weeks we are asking you to give something to help with the expenses of this awesome building …
OUR GOAL - $1,500 … I think we can do this in 3 weeks!!!
I am also going to ask you to make a 3-year commitment to this building project … this project has cost about 3 million dollars … wow … that’s a lot of money … next week I am going to ask you to make a monthly commitment to help pay for this building … you can give $1 per month … $5 per month … $10 per month … whatever … JUST REMEMBER THIS IS ABOVE AND BEYOND YOUR TITHE … this is your offering!!!
I also want to mention SPEED THE LIGHT … STL is the way that this Student Ministry gives to missions … this helps spread God’s love throughout the world … we need to step up in this area.
On Wednesday, November 1 we are going to ask you to rise to a $50 challenge … what is a $50 challenge? It is our hope that on Nov. 1 every student, by how ever legal means possible, brings $50 to SACRIFICE to spread God’s love around the world!
Listen … I believe we are more than able to do this!!!
What if you can’t bring in $50 … bring in as close as possible … we understand that some are not going to be able to do this … but I think many of you can and will even bring MORE!!!
Mark 12:41-44: Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything-all she had to live on." (NIV)
What lessons can we learn from the widow?
1. Amount is NOT the issue.
2. Amount means nothing without the correct attitude.
3. Amount is multiplied when it is given to God!
Hey … whatever you give … God can and will always multiply it … it starts with your heart and attitude!
L. Kraft, head of the Kraft Cheese Corp., who had given approximately 25% of his enormous income to Christian causes for many years, said, “The only investment I ever made which has paid consistently increasing dividends is the money I have given to the Lord.”
J. D. Rockefeller said, “I never would have been able to tithe the first million dollars I ever made if I had not tithed my first salary, which was $1.50 per week.”
It’s time with honor God with the “first” and the “best” and SHOW HIM THE MONEY!!!
SOUND / VISUAL – Play “Money Rant” Video … it is in powerpoint … make sure volume is on and up!
2 Corinthians 9:6-7: “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (NIV)
