Subject: GIVING
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Date: Thu, 22 Nov 2007 11:55:00 -0600

GIVING

Introduction

-It seems that we don’t hear very many lessons
on the topic of giving.

-A couple of reasons:

-1. Preachers sometimes feel
ackward presenting a lesson on giving because their salaries

come
from the contribution.

-Making a living
preaching the word is scriptural and so is the topic of giving..

-I Cor 9:
9-15

-vs 14 - “live of the
gospel” = to earn their living

-NAS - “So also the
Lord directed those who proclaim the gospel to get their

living from
the gospel.”

-2. Money is a sensitive topic and
some don’t like lessons aimed at their pocketbooks.  But,

before this lesson is over, I hope you’ll see that giving is more of an issue of
the heart.

-Yet, remember, giving is an act of
worship.  It is something that is commanded.

-Also
remember, the Lord’s Supper and giving are separate acts of worship.
Because we do them

together for convenience sake, I’m afraid we sometimes blend those together in
our minds.

-1 Cor 16: 1-2

-The saints in Judea
were in need and the other churches were helping them.

-Acts
11:27-30

-2 Cor 9:1-2  -
We find that the Christians in Corinth responded.

-superfluous - (Coll
Dict) - unnecessary or needless

-II Corinthians
8:1-13

-This is an extremely important passage when it
comes to the topic of giving.

-We know that Paul had commanded the other
churches to give when he commanded the     Corinthians to do
so (1 Cor 16:1).

-In 2 Cor 8, we find some information regarding
the response of the churches in Macedonia.

-Philippi,
Thessalonica, Berea and others

-Notice some unusual contrasts: (what we might
think unusual)

-vs 2 - great trial of affliction  -
abundance of joy

their deep poverty  - abounded unto riches
of their liberality

-vs 3 - great willingness

-vs 4 - prayed for Paul and those with him to
take the gift

-praying - (Vines) -
desire, beseech    (Beseech carries with it the idea of earnest
begging.)

-They wanted badly to
help those who were in need.

-vs 5 - “but first gave
their own selves to the Lord”

-Because they first
gave themselves to God, they were willing to give of their finances to
God.]

-Explain vs 1 - “grace of God bestowed on the
churches of Macedonia”

-Hopefully, we see by this passage that
giving isn’t as much a matter of the pocketbook as it is a matter of

the heart.

-Matt 22:37

-2 Cor 9:7

-purposeth - (Vines) -
“ to bring forth or forward” - can mean “to take by choice,

prefer,
purpose”

-We see that our giving
is something that is to involve thought - purpose.

-It is to be
planned.  It is a choice and hopefully it is a wise choice.

-We don’t put every
penny in the collection today and expect to buy groceries tomorrow.

-I Cor 16:2 - A Closer
Look

-When?  - Upon the first day of the
week

-It is not a part of
the Lord’s Supper but usually done immediately after for convenience.

-Lay by in
store

-lay - (Vines)- to lay up or store
up

-Store - (Vines) -
comes from the Greek word meaning “to amass or reserve” - in treasury

-Mark 12: 41-44 -
another great passage on giving

-There was a physical
treasury.  Now our treasury is in the form of a bank account.

-As God hath prospered
him

-Many misunderstand what is meant
by this phrase.

-When we think of the word
“prosper” we think of abundance and excess.

-In other words, we
get the idea of giving based upon our excess - what is left over.

-Think about that for
just a moment.  Should God get our leftovers?  A portion of
them?

-prospered - (Vines and Strongs) -
comes from two Greek words: 1. well  2. A way or journey

-as we do well along
the way  - as we earn income

-NIV - “each one of
you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his
income”

-In other words, our giving should
not be based upon what we have left when all is said and

done but on what we receive
in the first place.

-Most people consider
all other payments and then give to God.

-We should give to
God first and then consider other payments.

-Give
God what is right, not what is left.

-Scriptural
Pattern

-We are not told a specific amount to
give.

-2 Cor 9:7

-But, there is a pattern found through the
scriptures:

-Prior to the Law -
Gen 14:20     - tithe = tenth

-During the Law - Lev
27:30-32

-After the Law - No
set amount given.

-But, think about how
far more we are blessed to be under the Gospel.

-Should we then give
less?

-Summary and
Invitation

-Giving is an individual issue.  It is one
upon which you must decide.

-But, one factor we haven’t discussed yet is the
most important.

-2 Cor 8:9 (with vs 13)

-Think about how much God gave and how much
Jesus gave for you.

-Won’t you give in return?

-Most of all, won’t you give yourself to the
Lord?

-You do so initially by
obeying the Gospel - Believe (John 3:16, 8:24), Confess (Matt 10:32,

Rom 10:9), Repent (Luke
13:3,5; Acts 17:30), Be Baptized (Mark 16:16, Acts 2:38)

-Then, we continue to give
through faithful living (Rom 6:4, Eph 4:22-24).  However, if

you’ve quit giving
yourself to the Lord, come back to Him - confess your shortcomings,

repent of them and pray
for His forgiveness (1 John 1:7-9, Acts 8:22-24).

Date:  January 15, 2006

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