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Giving as Worship | Worship – Part 6

Date written: June 27th, 2002
Scripture ref: 1 Corinthians 16:1-2

SUBJECT: Giving as Worship

TITLE: Giving as Worship | Worship – Part 6

PROPOSITION: To set forth four principles for giving that will help us understand better our giving in worship to God and will help us to understand how to give. These principles are: 1) The Principle of Grace–God gives to His creation; 2) The Principle of Gratitude–We should give from a thankful heart; 3) The Principle of Generosity–We must first give of ourselves; 4) The Principle of Egression–If we fail to give, we will lose what we already have.

OBJECTIVE: Each hearer should be able to state these basic principles of giving and how they relate to their life and worship.

AIM: I hope to encourage the brethren to examine their own giving and see if they can enhance their worship of God by giving Him more from their life.

INTRODUCTION:

1. Read: 1 Corinthians 16:1, 2 “Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come”

2. About the Text:

1) A collecting was being taken up for the poor in Jerusalem.

2) Paul was visiting various churches to gather these funds.

3) This example is the pattern for contributions in the church today.

4) The church has all sorts of work that she needs to accomplish.

5) This work requires finances of some sort.

6) These finances come from the giving of individuals who are members of the church.

3. Series on worship.

1) Last week we started discussing the five aspects of worship.

2) When studying the subject of giving to God’s work, we are studying about worship.

3) Giving to God praises and glorifies God.

4) The action in giving is simple–there is not much regulating it.

5) It is to be upon the first day of the week as given by Christians.

6) The attitude in giving, is much more complicated.

7) What is our attitude when we give to God–how can we help our attitude and thereby help our giving?

4. Ref. to S, T, P, O, and A.

DISCUSSION:

I.   The Principle of Grace–God gives to His creation.

1. He gives whether we want Him to give or not.

1) God gives to the unjust; Matthew 5:45 “That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.”

2) He gives to the ignorant; Acts 14:17 “Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.”

3) He gave the gift of His Son to His enemies; “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.” Romans 5:10.

2. He always gives us more than we can give to Him.

1) 2 Corinthians 9:8 ” And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.”

2) Proverbs 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.”

3) Paul wrote Timothy in 1 Timothy 6:17, “Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;”

3. He gives because he loves us.

1) As our heavenly Father he desires to give good things to His children. Matthew 7:9-11 “Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?”

2) John 3:16 “For God so LOVED the world . . . .”

3) 1 John 4:10 ” Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”

4. If there were no more reason to give than this, this reason should well up within our hearts and souls to spring forth the most abundant giving that we could possibly undertake, but there is more. Paul wrote to the Corinthians in 2 Corinthians 8:9 “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.”

II.  The Principle of Gratitude–We should give from a thankful heart.

1. Gratitude toward God is part of the Christian life.

1) 1 Thessalonians 5:18 “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”

2) Ephesians 5:20 “Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

2. When giving, we should have gratitude in our hearts.

1) 2 Corinthians 9:11-12 “Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God. For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God”

2) Gratitude is the foundation for cheerful giving. 2 Corinthians 9:7 “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.” Cheerful giving begins with gratitude.

3. One of the ways to show our gratitude is through our contribution to God.

1) When David completed gathering all of the materials for the temple, he had these words to say, ” Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name. But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee.” 1 Chronicles 29:13-14.

2) Paul wrote that giving was the “proof” of the love of the Corinthians. Is it not also the proof of our gratitude as well? Who do we love toward whom we are not first thankful? 2 Corinthians 8:24 “Wherefore shew ye to them, and before the churches, the proof of your love, and of our boasting on your behalf.”

3) Do we give in a way that says “thank you” to God?

III. The Principle of Generosity–We should give first of ourselves.

1. We should dedicate our lives to Christ.

1) Jesus demands that we give of ourselves wholeheartedly to Him. Matthew 16:24-26 “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”

2) This is what the brethren in Macedonia did before they gave. 2 Corinthians 8:1-5 “Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves; Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.”

2. We should recognize that everything we do is to be done for Christ.

1) Colossians 3:17 “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”

2) 1 Corinthians 10:31 “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”

3) Psalm 100:3 ” Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.”

3. In this way, when we give, we are giving what God already owns.

1) If we hold back from God, we are not holding anything back from him due to his lack, but are really holding back on glorifying Him. Notice the Psalmists words in Psalm 50:10-12 “For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof.” Notice the conclusion of this Psalm in verses 22, 23: “Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver. Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God.”

2) David acknowledged this principle in storing up offerings for the temple. 1 Chronicles 29:10-16 “Wherefore David blessed the LORD before all the congregation: and David said, Blessed be thou, LORD God of Israel our father, for ever and ever. Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all. Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all. Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name. But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee. For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding. O LORD our God, all this store that we have prepared to build thee an house for thine holy name cometh of thine hand, and is all thine own.”

4. Give God your whole life and you will naturally give him your pocketbook.

IV.  The Principle of Egression–If we fail to give, we will fail to prosper.

1. If we fail to give, we rob God. Malachi 3:8-10 “Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. 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.”

2. If we fail to give, our bags will have holes.

1) Book of Haggai was written to engage the people in building God’s temple instead of concentrating on their own physical concerns. It addresses their failure to give to God. Haggai 1:6 “Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes.”

2) 2 Corinthians 9:6 “But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.”

3. If we fail to give our best, then we will not honor God.

1) Again in Malachi’s day they thought that giving anything less than the best would be acceptable, but God says that this does not honor Him. Malachi 1:8 ” And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the LORD of hosts.”

2) Did God give anything less than the best for us? How then should we honor God in this regard?

CONCLUSION:

1. We must understand HOW to give and we must give to God. We have looked at four principles that should help us examine our giving.

1) The principle of Grace–God gives to his creation.

2) The principle of Gratitude–Giving comes from a thankful heart.

3) The principle of Generosity–Giving comes from an attitude of generosity.

4) The principle of Egression–if we fail to give, we will fail to prosper not only now, but eternally.

2. Invitation

1) If you are a Christian but have fallen away

a. You have failed to give yourself to God first.

b. Give yourself fully to him and he will give to you your salvation.

2) If you are not a Christian this morning . . .

a. God has given to you generously and freely.

b. Would you not give yourself to God today?

c. Heed the plan that it has for man