> This morning I want to invite you into a picture that’s captured my heart over the past year or two…it’s a moment in O.T. history in which the people of God… our spiritual fore parents... took up a similar season in their lives to provide for a place of worship and ministry. It was the original temple of God after Israel had entered the Promised Land. It’s described in 1 Chronicles 29 and it describes the way they GAVE toward that end.
If you’re a visitor… newcomer… we don’t talk much about money in this fellowship… to a fault.
• If this isn’t your church, you shouldn’t give unless the Spirit of God leads you to. Can we agree on that? Just enjoy an opportunity to learn more of what God teaches us about giving.
If you are a part of this fellowship… and might wonder… ‘Does this building endeavor mean we’re going to be talking about giving for months to come?’
> I have no sense that I’ll talk about giving again. My point this morning is to help us capture the right approach from the start.
For many the topic of giving is a bit new… don’t teach as much as we might because of the natural misconceptions…
• In all my years of serving as a spiritual leader… I can’t think of any one dynamic that has opened up a tangible change in people’s relationship with God more than that of decisions related to giving.
• This week I was approached by a young woman wanting to know how to sense God’s direction in regards to making a special offering to the Lord in this endeavor. I smiled because I knew a new level of faith was at hand… that an encounter with the living God would unfold. I didn’t have any interest in defining the amount she should give but simply in describing the attitude … the approach she could have. And that my heart this morning.
Acts 20:35 (Good News) "Remember the words the Lord Jesus Himself said, `There is more happiness in giving than in receiving.’" Do you really believe that? …that there’s more happiness in giving than in receiving? Happiness is based on living generously.
2 Cor. 8:7 “But just as you excel in everything--… see that you also excel in this grace of giving.”
We are by most accounts a generous nation…but a fact that has challenged me the past few years is the change through the generations. Most of what’s been built to provide for the spiritual and social needs of communities is the result of the generation which precedes most of us who are baby boomers or baby busters… the BUILDERS generation. The generosity … sacrifice… of that generation has waned. I believe it’s the result of both materialism… and manipulation… and our tendency towards sensationalism (= only grand generosity counts.)
> We’ve lost the glory of giving. We don’t often equate giving as something glorious… perhaps feel grumbling about.. guilty about… good about… but I want to walk us through a picture God gives us of GLORIOUS GIVING.
Several lessons God has for us…
[29:1] Then King David said to the whole assembly: "My son Solomon, the one whom God has chosen, is young and inexperienced.
To appreciate these words… we have to understand all that lies behind them. (1 Chron. 17:4-12 tells story). This had been David’s vision…. God had now called David to turn it over to his son Solomon. David had made a significant decision at this point… a decision to give beyond himself.
Our first lesson in glorious giving…
1. Give beyond ourselves. (An investing heart) – v. 1a
David not only “served his own generation” (Acts 13:36), which every child of God should do, but he also served generations to come. He provided the materials to build the temple; he organized the temple ministry; he wrote songs for the temple singers; and he even designed musical instruments for the Levites to play.
Dr. Tony Campolo tells about a sociological study in which fifty people over the age of ninety-five were asked one question: "If you could live your life over again, what would you do differently?" It was an open-ended question, and a multiplicity of answers came from these eldest of senior citizens. However, three answers constantly reemerged and dominated the results of the study. These three answers were:
. If I had it to do over again, I would reflect more.
. If I had it to do over again, I would risk more.
. If I had it to do over again, I would do more things that would live on after I am dead.
> Those who best understand what’s truly meaningful at the end of life tell us it’s about what we give beyond ourselves… towards that which will outlive us.
> We can’t grasp the significance of our giving until we’ve looked into the eyes of the next generation… and our community. I would encourage you in the next few weeks… look around… at the lives that will follow us into adulthood. Drive around … look at the west side of Los Angeles… whether you live here or not… you will live here 10 years from now… look at the misguided longings for love… meaning… that are captured and communicated all over the earth.
Soon after the completion of Disney World, someone said, "Isn’t it too bad that Walt Disney didn’t live to see this?"
> Mike Vance, creative director of Disney Studios, replied, "He did see it - that’s why it’s here."
(Haddon W. Robinson, "Leadership," 1993)
You can’t take it with you. Has anybody ever seen a hearse pulling a U-haul? But you can send it on ahead. You send it on ahead by investing it in people who are going there. Every time you give it is an eternal investment. Jesus said, Store up treasures in heaven. How do you do that? 1 Timothy tells us, "Give happily to those in need and always be ready to share whatever God has given you. By doing this you will be storing up real treasure for yourselves in heaven. It is the only safe investment for eternity." It’s a protected investment and it gets great rates. God says every time I give, it’s an investment into the future.
> Let’s give beyond ourselves. (An investing heart)
2. Give to the glory of God (A spiritual heart) – v. 1b
v. 1-b – “The task is great, because this palatial structure is not for man but for the Lord God.”
It’s not that a home isn’t valuable… but comparatively speaking… a house for temporal comfort and convenience doesn’t compare to investing in the glory of God.
> We need to lift our eyes from the merely physical dimension of comfort and convenience to that of the spiritual dimension.. to see a center of worship and ministry on the Westside… the least churched area of all L.A. county.
Like David… it can sober and stimulate our sense of what’s at hand… the highest honor possible… to honor God’s presence.
> Give to the glory of God (A spiritual heart)
3. Give generously… from what is personal (A sacrificial heart) – vs. 2-3
[2] With all my resources I have provided for the temple of my God… [3] Besides, in my devotion to the temple of my God I now give my personal treasures of gold and silver for the temple of my God, over and above everything I have provided for this holy temple… [5]… Now, who is willing to consecrate himself today to the Lord?"
[6] Then the leaders of families, the officers of the tribes of Israel, the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds, and the officials in charge of the king’s work gave willingly. [7] They gave toward the work on the temple of God five thousand talents and ten thousand darics of gold, ten thousand talents of silver, eighteen thousand talents of bronze and a hundred thousand talents of iron. [8] Any who had precious stones gave them to the treasury of the temple of the Lord
David pledged to give of his own personal resources 3,000 talents of gold (ca. 110 tons) from Ophir (cf. 1 Kings 9:28; 10:11; 22:48; 2 Chron. 8:18; 9:10; Isa. 13:12) 7,000 talents of… silver (ca. 260 tons). These amounts were over and above the large amounts he had already given.
29:5b-9. On the basis of his own commitment (vv. 2-5) David then urged the other leaders to participate in the giving, an invitation they gladly accepted. They willingly (cf. v. 9) contributed in all 5,000 talents of gold (ca. 190 tons), 10,000 darics of gold (ca. 185 pounds), 10,000 talents of silver (ca. 375 tons), 18,000 talents of bronze (ca. 675 tons), and 100,000 talents of iron (ca. 3,750 tons). In addition they gave precious stones as they were able.
What a powerful release of generosity… of generosity begetting generosity…
THIS IS OUR HERITAGE ! … and it challenges me in the best way.
We’ve felt there is a fitting principle in David leading the process… and so the elders who serve as the Church Council agreed begin wit ourselves. Over the past week or two, we have prayed about our contribution… as a special offering to establish this ministry center… and this morning we have each brought our part or pledge.
In that process I was struck by David’s emphasis on giving from what was personal… it involves that which costs us personally.
• This heart ran deep in David. We find at another point he wanted to build an altar to honor the Lord… and another figure of wealth offered to provide all that would be involved. David’s response has spoken to me for years… “I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing." 2 Samuel 24:24
• This same spirit of sacrificial giving filled the early church as well… “For I can testify that they gave not only what they could afford but far more. And they did it of their own free will.” [NLT] 2 Cor. 8:3
As Leah and I were praying about our own offering this week…I realized even though we were in a position through some family money to make a good contribution… the level of faith and sacrifice we wanted to experience just wasn’t there… and this led us to double what we had initially considered. Then it felt really personal…fun… opened up the door to having to trust God.
> Give generously… from what is personal (A sacrificial heart)
We’ll become more like God…the most generous and personal giver of all, who “loved the world so much that he GAVE… His only son for us.”
4. Give into faithful hands (A confident heart) – v. 8
[8] Any who had precious stones gave them to the treasury of the temple of the Lord in the custody of Jehiel the Gershonite. (Ya-Hee-ale the Gare-shu-nite)
This was a well-known figure among the Levites who had been given responsibility for the temple. The people could see how their gifts were handled.
Similarly Paul describes the giving in the early church…
2 Cor. 8:20-21
“By traveling together we will guard against any suspicion, for we are anxious that no one should find fault with the way we are handling this generous gift. [21] We are careful to be honorable before the Lord, but we also want everyone else to know we are honorable.” [NLT]
I believe, “Giving up control doesn’t’ mean giving up your conscience.”
> Give into faithful hands (A confident heart)
5. Give only from the heart (A joyful heart) – v. 9
[9] The people rejoiced at the willing response of their leaders, for they had given freely and wholeheartedly to the Lord.
Note those 3 words… willing.. freely… wholeheartedly.
> Unless it’s given freely… without compulsion… it won’t be wholehearted.
The word “whole hearted” comes from the Hebrew “shalom” = complete peace, joy, contentment. The giving God loves is that which is free and from the heart… and fills the giver with joy.
It is the source of joy. Jesus said, "There is more happiness in giving than in receiving." God has taught me to be a giver. It’s my nature to be selfish. God is teaching me to be a giver because it feels so good to give. God wants us to enjoy being a generous person. That happiest people in life are givers.
The word miserable comes from the root word "miser". The more I hold on to what I’ve got, the more miserable I become. It’s the person who is generous in his lifestyle that is happy.
• Karl Menninger said, "Giving is a good criterion of mental health. Generous people are rarely mentally ill."
• Jesus said, "Lose your life to find it. Give it away."
2 Corinthians 9:7 "For God loves a cheerful giver." The word in Greek is the word we get hilarious.
I know some people are getting excited about what they’re going to give. And God loves that kind of joy.
In the New Testament time, they got excited when they had the offering. In our services today in America, that’s the low point in the service. But it says they were hilarious when they gave. They were joyful givers because they wanted to be like Jesus.
> Give only from the heart (A joyful heart)
6. Give as a steward, not a supplier (A humble heart) – vs. 14, 16
[10] David praised the Lord in the presence of the whole assembly, saying,
"Praise be to you, O Lord, God of our father Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting.
[11] Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power
and the glory and the majesty and the splendor,
for everything in heaven and earth is yours.
Yours, O Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all.
[12] Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things.
In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all.
[13] Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name.
[14] "But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand… [16] O Lord our God, as for all this abundance that we have provided for building you a temple for your Holy Name, it comes from your hand, and all of it belongs to you.”
Giving is a part of living in covenant with God…. restoring my relationship as “manager” of all the earth. (i.e. stewards, caretakers, etc.)
The original mandate… “God created human beings…he made them male and female…blessed them, and said, ‘….I am putting you in charge..’ ” Gen. 1:27-28 (GN)
A steward is someone who manages or administers the property or affairs of someone else. The message of the Old and New Testaments is that human beings act as stewards of God for creation.
For those who follow Christ, achievement is not measured by how much one makes or how much one has. Rather it’s by how well possessions have been used with respect to their owner… God.
This can be a challenging reality. As one pastor put it,” If I were an executive in a corporation and handled company funds like I sometimes handle God’s money, I’d go to jail for embezzlement. That’s something to think about. God holds me (and you) responsible for the way I handle His money, and I must not take that responsibility lightly.” (John MacArthur, Jr., "Giving God’s Way")
This is where giving can become such a dynamic experience…
• Malachi 3… God says not only can we be robbing Him… but He dares us to bring our whole tithe into the storehouse… so He can show what He can provide for us as we trust Him.
• Those words from God put some electricity in the air.
• What strikes me as I face this dynamic is that I have the least opportunity to depend on God than any person in any time or place in human history.
> This fact leaves me vulnerable to becoming a functional atheist.
> That’s why the Lord’s word to me… “Am I your source of security?” is a word to guide our whole endeavor… and future.
We won’t find rest till we really know God provides.
My prayer is that each one of us will have a story to tell in this process.
> Give as a steward, not a supplier (A humble heart)
David continues … vv. 17 – 19
“I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity. All these things have I given willingly and with honest intent. And now I have seen with joy how willingly your people who are here have given to you. [18] O Lord, God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac and Israel, keep this desire in the hearts of your people forever, and keep their hearts loyal to you. [19] And give my son Solomon the wholehearted devotion to keep your commands, requirements and decrees and to do everything to build the palatial structure for which I have provided."
> Don’t let us lose this state… nor those who follow
And finally…v. 20
[20] “Then David said to the whole assembly, "Praise the Lord your God." So they all praised the Lord, the God of their fathers; they bowed low and fell prostrate before the Lord and the king.”
7. Give as a part of worship (A worshipful heart) – v. 20
The story is told around Washington about former presidential assistant Bill Moyers who has a strong Baptist heritage and is presently a popular political commentator. Moyers was giving thanks at a lunch with President Johnson. His prayer was interrupted by the President, who said, "Speak up, I can’t hear you." Muttered Moyers, "I wasn’t speaking to you, Mr. President."
> In the same way, our giving is about God… and to God… more than each other.
The Watchman Crusader once carried the true story of a well-known preacher who was making an appeal for funds before a large congregation. He asked the people to bring their gifts to the front of the church as an act of willing and cheerful liberality. Many came forward to present their offerings; among them was a little lame girl who hobbled along at the rear of the procession. Pulling a ring from her finger, she placed it on the table at the foot of the platform and then made her way back up the aisle. After the service an usher was sent to bring her into a side room where the preacher met her and said, "My dear, I saw what you did tonight. It was beautiful. But the response of the people has been so generous that we have more than enough to take care of our needs. We don’t feel right about keeping your treasured ring, so we’ve decided to give it back to you." To his surprise the little girl shook her head in refusal. With a look of rebuke in her eyes, she said, "Pastor, you don’t understand. I didn’t give my ring to you; I gave it to the Lord."
