Giving

Giving

Text: 2 Cor. 8-9

Introduction:

C. Spend more on cat food than we do on missions

Transition: I want you to notice 7 principles about giving from 2 Cor. 8-9

When the sheep are healthy, they will grow plenty of wool. When Christians are obedient, committed, and fed on the Word, they will give abundantly to the Lord’s work.
Giving is a sure investment, so abundant giving is a sure way to guarantee a big return

Material poverty dies not keep people from giving, spiritual poverty does.
Illus. Poverty and giving don’t seem to mix, but they do. Just as sodium and chlorine are lethal separately, joined together they make salt.
Illus. Widow at Zeraphath (1 Kings 17:9)
Illus. widow’s mite
Illus. Jackie’s (a single mother in our congregation) testimony about tithing even when she only made $5,000 one year.

"God loves a cheerful giver"
Didn’t have to shame them into giving. One thing I don’t want to do. I want you to give out of love, obedience, and trust, not by commandment or guilt.
illus. A rich businessman and an attorney took a trip to Korea. One morning they noticed a boy pulling a plow which was steered by an old man. They took a picture and later showed it to a missionary, remarking about the curious spectacle. "Yes," said the missionary, "it seems a very strange way to plow a field, but I happen to know the boy and old man well. They are very poor. However, when the little church was built here in the village, they wanted to contribute something. They had no money. They had no grain to spare and winter was coming on, so they sold their ox and gave the money to the church building fund, and now, minus the valuable animal, they have to pull the plow themselves." The men asked, "But what a stupendous sacrifice! Why did you allow it?" "They did not feel that way about it. They regarded it as a great joy that they had an ox to give to the Lord’s work."

pre-Mosaic Abraham and Jacob gave tithes (Gen. 14:18-20, 28:20-22)
Mosaic law people gave 23%: 2 annual tithes and one tri-annual tithe
Since Christ’s death we give in accordance to how God prospers us. Tithing is not a Law, but it is a principle that is still valid.

Illus. The church treasure resigned, so the church asked the local grain operator to take the position. He agreed under two conditions: (1) That no treasurer’s report be given for the year (2) That no questions be asked about finances for at least one year. The people were surprised, but agreed, knowing he was an honest man and that most of them did business with him. At the end of the year he gave this report: Church indebtedness-$288,000 paid in full; pastor’s salary: 8% increase; missions giving double; outstanding bills-none; cash balance $11,252. A shocked congregation immediately asked, "How did you do it?" "Most of you bring your grain to my elevator. Throughout the year I simply withheld ten percent on your behalf and gave it to the church in your name. You didn’t even miss it. See what could be done if we were willing to give at least a tithe?"
illus. of Rev. Kuykendal and H. Z. Duke who founded the Duke and Ayers Nickel Stores. Mr. Duke asked Rev. Kuykendal about tithing. "I preach it and teach it." "But, do you practice it?" Sadly, he had to say "No." He had 15 kids and only made $125 month. Mr. Duke asked him to start tithing under the condition that if he needed any money, he was to contact Mr. Duke and he would take care of any need. For a whole year Rev. Kuykendal practiced tithing and never needed to ask Mr. Duke for a dime. He then felt ashamed as he realized he had trusted Mr. Duke, why couldn’t he trust God?

Prov. 3:9-10 "Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase. So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine."
Prov. 11:24-25 "There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty. The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself."

Mal. 3:10 "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it."
Lu. 6:38 "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again."

2 Cor. 9:6-7 "But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver."

Giving is one of those "upside down" principles in Scripture which seem to go against "natural thinking.

Similar to above. Giving is really an investment with a sure return
T. L. Cuyler: "I never knew a child of God being bankrupted by his benevolence. What we keep, we may lose, but what we give to Christ we are sure to keep."

Conclusion: