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Giving, Generosity and Faith Missions Sunday
Illus: Author Ron Blue in one of his books likes to tell the story of the time he was giving his daughter a gift, her name was Karen, she was 9 years old, and he gave her a choice. Did she want to go to a ballgame with him or did she want to receive $25 cash from him and the opportunity 4 hours with him in a local mall with the permission to buy anything she wanted with that $25. She selected the latter and on Saturday morning they headed to the mall together. Here was Karen, 9 years old with $25 in her pocket in a mall with millions of dollars of things to choose from. She went from store to store looking at everything, finding it terribly hard to decide. She went into a store that has all of these razzle dazzle kids stuff and she spent her $25 and they went home. The next day she came to Ron, her father crying. She was disheartened. Everything she had bought with that $25 was used up, broken, or no longer interesting. You ever felt that way? Anything you've really looked forward to and you've anticipated the time when you'll be able to get it and you did and it wasn't long afterward that it really wasn't that hot after all.[1]
Illus: Social psychologist today are talking about a new disease in the middle-class. They're calling it "affluenza" and it's a disease that afflicts children who grow up in families that have too much and because they have so much and can buy so much and can play with much pretty soon they become bored with it all and they turn to other far more illegitimate things[2]
Giving / Generosity and Faith can ‘Boredom Proof’ Kids. Invest / involve your lives with the lives of others…cannot be bored. But if you insulate yourself with things to amuse you, comfort you, become locked into a very ‘little’ world.
Bible says that with out a progressive vision people dwell carelessly.
Illus: Tea bag for mission’s story
My Dad used to say that "charity begins at home"…but it never really seemed to go past that.
2 Corinthians 8:1-9 1And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. 2Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. 3For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. 5And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God's will. 6So we urged Titus, since he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part. 7But just as you excel in everything--in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us[1] --see that you also excel in this grace of giving. 8I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. 9For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.
1/ Giving Giving what I have – Giving touches people and makes you feel good.
Malachi 1:6-7 Giving blind sheep - Giving leftovers.
Illus: Mattresses - Giving to Saint Vinnies…but not really giving generous after all I had finished with it…no longer useful…to give what is no longer useful to me is not generous, but it is giving.
I don’t really have to think abut it, it doesn’t really impact on me.
Illus: Remember as a kid collecting for charity. Remember a poor family who gathered e coin in the house, and the rich man who threw a coin at me from the balcony.
Declare: Giving touches people and makes you feel good. Giving is good! Keep giving.
2/ Generosity Giving what I need – Giving touches a community/city/nations and makes others feel good
2 Corinthians 9:11 You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
You don’t have to be rich to be generous. Generosity is proportional.
Mark 12:41 Sacrifice and faith – widow and copper coins 128th of a laborers daily wage. The Pharisee gave 2-3 years wages in one offering.
2 Corinthians 9:13 Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else.
2 Samuel 24:18-25 (To touch a nation)I will not give to God that which has cost me nothing
Declare: Generosity touches a community / city / nations and makes others feel good. Generosity is great! Keep giving.
3/ Faith Giving what I don’t have – This giving touches eternity and makes God feel good.
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
Illus: Dare to believe God for the impossible. The next step of impossible for you. Bible College not enough money…money in a compulsory super scheme… law change to allow me to access it for study…extra work away from home paid me a fortune.
Deut. 8:18 But remember the Lord your God for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth
Believe God for bonuses, promotion, inheritance, people paying you old debts…but don’t forget God!
Declare: Faith in giving what I don’t have touches eternity and makes God feel good. Faith is awe-inspiring! Heaven watches the person of faith! Keep giving.
4/ But If I Give? But if I give who will look after my needs?
Philippians 4
Howard Vanderwell said we are stewards of what God has given us and we will have to give an account…we are used to assessments at work on our performance so what about a quick check now.
“Number 1: Were you honest? Did you always deal honestly with the other people you were related to? Is what you earned, earned honestly? If it isn't, it isn't worth having. In all the work and the productivity that you've been engaged in, will everybody be able to say you were honest with them? Number 2: How well did you manage it? I gave it to you for the sake of being productive. I wanted you to work with it. How well did you manage? Did you make wise decisions? Did you squander it? Are you an impulsive buyer that threw it away? Did you buy stuff quickly on Saturday morning that by Sunday morning was…used up or no longer interesting? Number 3: How worth while was it? I mean, you're here to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. How much salting and lighting was accomplished by the way you used what I gave you? That's what He meant, of course, when He said, "seek first the Kingdom". It's the Kingdom that's eternal. It's the Kingdom of God that will make a difference in people's lives in this world and in the world to come. Or did you most of it for your comfort, for your own pleasure, for your own recreation?”[3]
Conclusion: Giving is good, Generosity is great and Faith for Missions . “He said, "seek first the Kingdom". It's the Kingdom that's eternal. It's the Kingdom of God that will make a difference in people's lives in this world and in the world to come.” (Vanderwell)
My Dad used to say that charity begins at home…but it never really appeared to go past that…I want my kids to know that I am committed to expressing my my love for others, my love for the nations and my love for eternity with generous and faith filled investments.
Suggested cell or personal study questions. 1/ Are you always 100% honest in your financial dealings? (Have you ever tried to cheat the taxman or received too much change from a store and not owned up to the error?) Share an example when you were tempted to be less than 100% honest but resisted the temptation. 2/ The Bible says that we are stewards of the finances and possessions that God gives us. What kind of steward are you of God's stuff? Are you an impulse buyer? 3/ How much of your resources are creating salt and light? 4/ Every person may struggle at times to keep their financial life and heart motivations focused on eternity, as a group pry for each member to have a great that loves people and uses things rather than loving things and using people. Pray for members to 'seek first the Kingdom'
[1] http://www.barnabasfoundation.com:8080/index.jsp?pageID=227 [2] Some of these points were inspired by Vanderwell, H. 1997, Real Giving, available from http://www.barnabasfoundation.com:8080/index.jsp?pageID=228 [3] http://www.barnabasfoundation.com:8080/index.jsp?pageID=227
©
2002-2006 John
B. N. Banton
All rights
reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible
Society.
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