Sacrificial giving is one of the ways we can experience death to self. When we sacrificially give our time, we die to the priority of our schedule. When we serve sacrificially, we die to the need to be served. When we give sacrificially of our finances, we die to the notion of “me”, “my”, and “mine”.
Sacrificial giving from a sincere heart is a response to God’s grace, and it signals a desire to take up the cross of Christ.
Many see the responsibility of giving as a burden. How sad that is in light of Paul’s reminder that God loves a cheerful giver. Giving is actually a relational decision. In the process of making giving decisions, we really establish our agreement with God about stewardship. As we continually decide to give, we constantly affirm how much we value our relationship to God as His children. And as God’s stewards, giving decisions are simply a matter of thinking through how He wants us to allocate His money.
An amazing benefit of giving as stewards is that it releases us from the real burden of our own financial needs. As we learn to trust God through giving, we can live confidently on what is left because we know that God is taking care of that. Giving is a freeing experience as it connects us more closely to God relationally. The ultimate outcome is that those who give as stewards experience a sense of intimacy with God that all followers of Christ long for. Giving becomes worship. Giving becomes a way of saying thanks to God for His grace and promised provision. Giving becomes a deep part of our personal connection to God.
1. Who Should give? We all as believers should freely give what God has blessed us with.
2. Why should I give? You should give because God has first given to you, and we want to please him. Giving expresses our trust in God.
3. How should I give? You should give in accordance with biblical principles.
4. To whom should I give? The needy, Charities, Your Church, etc. When we give to the least, we are in fact giving to Jesus.
5. What will happen when I give? God will bless you with His results.
6. How is giving an act of obedience? Under the New Covenant, Jesus instructs his follower to give generously. Giving our all to Jesus is evidence of not just obedience, but our love for Him.
Wrong motives for giving:
1. Pride. If you give to be honored by men for your great generosity, you are giving for the wrong reason. Giving is to be done in secret before God. (Matthew 6:1-4)
2. Guilt. We should not give because we feel guilty about having so much.
3. Greed. Luke 6:38 “Give, and it will be given to you,” is wrongly used to motivate people to give so that they will get in return. Jesus is stating a principle that if you are a generous person, others will be generous toward you.
4. Pressure. Responding to high-pressure tactics of Church fund-raisers. We are not to give “under compulsion” (2 Corinthians 9:7)
5. Gimmicks. Example: We’ll send you a special prayer cloth, blessed by brother so-and-so.
6. Power. Money is power. Some people threaten to take their large gifts elsewhere if you don’t do what they want. It’s wrong to show preference to the wealthy. (James 2:1-9). It’s a sin to use your money to try to buy spiritual influence. (Acts 8:18-24)
7. Do not give blindly, give wisely, joyful hearts are generous.
Right motives for giving:
1. I give because God has given to me. God has given us everything (James 1:17). He gave His son to provide for our salvation. He blessed us with every spiritual blessing in Christ. He richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. (1 Timothy 6:17)
2. I want God to be glorified. God is glorified when we give from the right motives and in the right way. (2 Corinthians 9:13)
3. I want God to be my master. “You cannot serve God and mammon” (Matthew 6:24).
4. Giving proves the sincerity of your love.
Prayer: Thank you, God, that you see me. Help me to remember that I am working unto you and not unto man. Please grant me the perseverance to keep serving my family and friends in a way that is honoring you. In Jesus name, Amen.
Exercise:
1. Do you know and trust God?
2. Do you know the Character of God?
3. Do you trust God to navigate your giving decisions?
4. Do you trust God to be your provider?
Scripture Reference
Matthew 25:34-40 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes, and you clothed me, I was sick, and you looked after me, I was in prison, and you came to visit me.’
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you with a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
Psalms 112:5 Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely, who conduct their affairs with justice.
Colossians 3:23-24 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
Luke 6:38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”