Sunday, July 3, 2016 - The Attitudes Toward Giving!
Pastor Roger C. Marcos
July 3, 2016
What Is Your Attitude Toward Giving?
God gives liberally; man divides it badly." - Adam Clarke
Believe it or not, our attitude toward giving can say a lot about you as a Christian. THE WAY WE THINK ABOUT GOD DETERMINES THE WAY WE THINK ABOUT MONEY.
Why, Who, Where, When, How, How Much
Giving Is A Positive Duty of the Christian!
Good morning! Sometimes, when people heard a sermon they have different feeling especially on giving issue. Don’t you know that the matter of giving reached the climax on the Cross and Died there. Without this giving shown by God, -CHURCH WILL STRUGGLE.
He gave everything-giving all that He has for you and me so that we can bless and support of our loving church here in Toronto. Amen! Our attendance each Sunday’s enough to convey God that we are truly trustworthy giver. Giving money to church is not stewardship, it is merely part of stewardship. Tho’ you can’t be a steward without giving of money.
The Swimmer Bargaining with God
Burt Reynolds starred in an old film entitled "The End". In the film he decides to commit suicide by swimming out as far as he can until he is exhausted and then just go under. But after going under he is looking at the surface from the underside and decides not to go through with it. As he breaks the surface of the water he screams, "I want to live! I want to live!" He then begins to try to swim to shore, but it is a very long way off. As he begins to swim he talks to God. He promises to obey all of the Ten Commandments, and then realizes he doesn't know what all of them are so he promises to learn them. Then, in his panic, he says, "Lord, if you get me out of this, I will give you 80% of everything I have." But time passes and he is still going strong, and besides he can just begin to see the shoreline. But as he continues to swim he feels his strength holding out and says, "Lord, if you help me to get to shore alive I will give you 10% of all my earnings." And, finally, he struggles to the place where he sees that he is just going to be able to make it to land and says, "Well, Lord, let's just forget about what I said before. I think I can make it from here on my own." Reynolds' attitude is reflective of the attitude of many people today. Giving to God or living for God are sometimes thought of as "paying our dues," or fulfilling an obligation. What should our attitude toward giving be? What is the proper way to give and think about giving? The first point we need to understand is: giving is an act of worship. It is an expression of gratitude to a faithful God for all His goodness to me. Giving is not just a response to a need in the church, it is a response of gratitude.
God doesn’t love you because of what you do, He loves you because of who He is.
Live to Love & Love to Give! No Person was honored for what he received He was honored for what He GAVE- Calvin Coolidge
I will speak today about “The ATTITUDE TOWARDS GIVING”
Text: Psalms 96:8-9 NKJV Give to the Lord the glory due His Name; Bring an OFFERING, and come into His courts. Oh, worship the Lord in the beauty of Holiness! Tremble before Him, all the earth.
The act of giving is a fellowship or partnership with God and His saints.
What Does God See Regarding Our Actions In Giving?
1 John 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.
It is my hope and prayer that the message on giving this morning will be one that will be absorbed into our hearts so that we will be more committed to put God first, even in this part of our life.
There are six questions to answer concerning “CHRISTIAN ATTITUDE TOWARDS GIVING”.
Why, Who, Where, When, How, How Much
1. Why God Want Me to Give? - giving is strengthen my Faith and reveals my spiritual maturity. Just as you excel in everything -in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness.. see that you also excel in the grace of giving. 2 Cor. 8:7
A. Not For God, But For His Work.
- Evangelism. Is the Spirit of NYCC. 1 Cor 9:13-14; Phil 4:10-19
- Benevolence. Rom 15:25-26; 2 Cor 8:1-13; 9:1-13.
- Self-Edification. Acts 20:28, 32; Col 2:6, 7
The work of the church is on-going. There is a work that always needs to be done, and we never know when special situations may arise.
2. Who Should Give?
1 COR. 16:2“Let each one of you.”--- Paul emphasized the personal responsibility of every member to give of his means to the Lord’s work.
It is the responsibility, duty, and privilege of EVERY Christian to give back unto the Lord.
The story is told of a little boy with a nickel in his hand, who was sitting in church beside a well dress, dignified lady. He watched the contribution plate being passed down the pews, and became alarmed as it got nearer, because the lady next to him made no effort to get any money out of her purse to give into the treasury. Just as the plate got to her, the boy handed her his coin and said, “Here, Ma’am, put in my nickel, and I’ll crawl under the bench.” The child had been taught about his individual responsibility of giving to the Lord.
Giving causes us to be the happiest people on earth --- who can deny it?
Who are happier--- the self-centered, selfish, or giving?
Acts 20:35 “......It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
3. Where Should We Give?
Primarily with the local congregation that we have chosen to be part of. Treasury of the Church. Then each ministry has budget for their own ministry work.
The work can’t be done in this place without money from the members. With each privilege comes an obligation. We have the privilege of being heirs to the eternal kingdom and we have an obligation to give to the local work.
4. When Should We Give?
1 Cor. 16:2 says: “On the first day of the week.”
That’s weekly, not weakly!
5. How Should We Give?
2 Corinthians 9:7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.
Purposed: Based upon our monthly income what have we purposed (planned) to give back to
God who provided what we have in the first place?
Not Grudgingly: “to give with reluctance”
Paul was amazed to see what sacrifices some Christians made to give for the Lord’s work when they themselves were suffering affliction. These Christians went beyond their power pled for the privilege to give, and went far beyond Paul’s expectation!
2 Corinthians 8:5 ..... they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God.
Not of Necessity: “what is required by social or legal compulsion.” In other words, some give because they feel that they have to rather than they WANT to!
Cheerfully: “willing and hearty”
1. Those that have this spirit in giving, God will bless both our labors and our abilities to do increased labor
What We Bring to God in Our Hands
Is a Reflection of What We Bring to God in Our Hearts!
2. With Liberality: “generosity, broad-mindedness”
3. Sacrificially: “giving up of one thing for the sake of another of higher value.
Represents our true love for Christ!
Mark 12:41-44 Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much. Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make quadrans. So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; "for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood."
6. How Much Should We Give?
Old Covenant.
Tithes - One tenth of seed, fruit, flocks, etc. (Mal 3:8; Num 18:20f).
Leviticus 27:30-32
New Covenant.
A. As we have been prospered:
2 Corinthians 9:5-6 Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren to go to you ahead of time, and prepare your generous gift beforehand, which you had previously promised, that it may be ready as a matter of generosity and not as a grudging obligation. But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
Malachi 3:7-8 Yet from the days of your fathers you have gone away from My ordinances and have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you," says the LORD of hosts. "But you said, 'In what way shall we return?' "Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, 'In what way have we robbed You?' In tithes and offerings.
I can’t tell you how much to give. But we all need to examine ourselves truthfully before God just as we do before we partake of the Lord’s Supper.
If you feel that you have not given back to God as he has prospered you, then be determined now to change that situation. Give to God so that His work can be fully accomplished in this local area.
If you feel that you have not given back to God as he has prospered you, then be determined now to change that situation. Give to God so that His work can be fully accomplished in this local area.
Is Christ Really FIRST In Our Life?