OceanSide church of Christ

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HOW DO WE KNOW GIVING IS IMPORTANT?

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.    Many members of the church do not enjoy sermons on giving.

1.      They feel guilt.

2.      They feel anger.

3.      They feel sadness.

 

B.      What they fail to understand is that giving is extremely important.

 

C.     Someone might ask:  “How do we know giving is important?”  In this lesson, we will address the answer to this question.

 

I.                   JESUS DID IT

 

A.    Jesus is the ultimate giver.

1.      His gift was personal.

2.      His gift was sacrificial.

3.      His gift was not transactional.

 

B.      Jesus gave His life.

1.      John 10:11

 

I am the good shepherd:  the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

 

2.      Galatians 1:4

 

Who have himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father.

 

3.      II 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.

 

C.     If Jesus gave, then this makes giving important to us because we are to follow His example (I John 2:6).

 

He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

 

NOTE:  We can NEVER out give Jesus.

1.      The greatest price: the life of the divine Son of God

2.      The greatest number:  all humanity

3.      The greatest purchase:  redeem the souls of men from sin

 

 

 

II.                JESUS TAUGHT ABOUT IT

 

A.    Three things Jesus teaches about giving.

1.      The motive for giving (Matt. 6:1-4)

 

Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them:  otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.  Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men.  Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.  But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what they right hand doeth:  that thine alms may be seen in secret:  and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.

 

2.      The measure of giving (Mark 12:41-44)

 

And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury:  and many that were rich cast in much.  And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.  And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hat cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury:  for all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.

 

3.      The merriment of giving (Acts 20:35)

 

I have shewed you all things, how that so laboring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

 

B.      Jesus never wasted His time teaching about things that are unimportant.  His teaching about giving tells us that giving is definitely very important.

 

III.             JESUS COMMANDED IT

 

A.    Three verses:

1.      Matthew 5:42

 

Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

 

2.      Matthew 6:3

 

But when thou doest thine alms…

 

3.      Luke 6:38

 

Give, and it shall be given you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom.  For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

 

B.      Let’s couple these verses with one other found in I John 5:3.

 

For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments:  and his commandments are not grievous.

 

1.      We often focus on the first part of the verse, but look at the last part.  His commands are not “grievous.”

a.      Strong (926):  weighty, burdensome

b.      Thayer:  heavy in weight, burdensome, severe, cruel unsparing

c.       Vine:  heavy, burdensome

2.      For some reason, we have a battle when it comes to giving. 

a.      We act as if giving is a heavy burden.

b.      If we are commanded to give, and if God’s commands are not weighty, then giving should not be considered a burden.

c.       If it is, then we have a heart problem that needs to be cared for.

 

C.     QUESTION:  Are there any commands of God that are unimportant?  If Jesus commands us to give, then it is an important matter.

 

IV.             JESUS WATCHED OTHERS DO IT

 

A.    Mark 12:41

 

And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury…

 

B.      If giving is not important, why did Jesus watch as people cast money into the treasury?  He watched because he knew:

1.      Giving is an act of love.

2.      Giving is an act of selflessness.

3.      Giving is an act of obedience.

4.      Giving is an act of imitation.

5.      Giving is an act of sacrifice.

6.      Giving is an act of generosity.

7.      Giving is an act of thanksgiving.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.    Since Jesus is so actively involved in the subject of giving, we know it is important.

 

B.      We need to

1.      Follow Jesus’ example (I Pet. 2:21)

2.      Learn and apply Jesus’ teachings (Matt. 7:24-25)

3.      Obey Jesus’ commands (Heb. 5:9)

4.      Be aware that Jesus is watching (Heb. 4:13).

 

C.     Remember, too:  “God loveth a cheerful giver” (II Cor. 9:7).