8/8/2019 WISE - Giving

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Giving!

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Today’s topic is one of the three seemingly verboten subjects for Christians in

the 21st century – giving! The other two are sex and power.

Time, possessions and money

Every person has in differing quantities time, possessions and money. These

things in and of themselves are not evil. The whole Christian community is one

that is to reflect the Holy Trinity. The Church is to be a community where the

strongest members support the weakest members. This applies not only to the

local church, but also to the universal Church and therefore has a national and

international context as well. Too often, even as Christian Disciples we are found

turning a blind eye to the suffering of others where the bare necessities of life

are in sparse existence. Too often we gather possessions and people, instead of 

giving up our time and money generously to help the poor and needy of both our

world and local communities.

Spiritual Growth Indicator

Perhaps the greatest indicator of spiritual growth in the Christian Disciple

concerns their financial giving. Paul writing to the Corinthians commands that

giving be done whole-heartedly and cheerfully (2 Corinthians 9v7). For the

Christian Disciple, it is not so much how much is given, but how much is left

after giving. God looks beyond the amount that is given to the motive behind the

giving. All our money and possessions belong to God anyway, so giving is to be

in response to this. Giving is to be done out of love for God. Paul offers in 1

Corinthians 16v2 a three-point system for giving: regularly, methodically and

proportionately.

Failure to give back to God's work what He has given the Christian Disciple in

the first place, robs God (Malachi 3v8). The reason it robs is because the giving

cannot be used to support those who are working for God. As a result of giving,

the Christian Disciple will be blessed (Malachi 3v10) and have their needs

satisfied (Philippians 4v19).

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Old Testament

Remember in the Old Testament, Widows were important to God, because

  justice is important to God. God is a God of justice and mercy. In the Old

Testament, under the Law of Moses, God commanded provision for those who

were widows, oppressed or uncared for. The Apostles would have known about

God caring for the widows and in Jesus teaching about justice for the poor and

the oppressed. We know this because if you remember from Acts 2 and 4,

people were selling and sharing possessions and ensuring that people within the

Christian community were being looked after and cared for. This included

making sure that everyone got fed, particularly those who had no family to care

for them. And it’s not just for those in the church - but all in the community

where you live.

New Testament

The New Testament church made sure that giving was done and that the poor,

the oppressed, the lonely and the widows were taken care of. People working

fulltime for the Lord, were given recompense by others for their efforts. People

gave. Paul in Romans 12v6-8 places giving as a spiritual gift! I wonder how

many people have asked for that gift? Perhaps its the least asked for gift, afterall its not one of the supposedly spectacular ones!

How are you doing?

How is your giving? How does your church give and care for those in need, in

your community? The get out clause as it were these days, is that it would not

be good stewardship to give to that person or that cause. After all, they say,

 ‘Didn’t Jesus say in Matthew 7v6: “Don’t waste what is holy on people who are

unholy. Don’t throw your pearls to pigs! They will trample the pearls, then turn

and attack you'". Of course when they say that, they are totally missing both the

point and context of what Jesus actually meant. God gave everything so that you

and I may have life and life in abundance. So by giving, you are reflecting that.

This Christmas, give generously to those in need, just as God gave and gives

generously, and gave His Son as a ransom for sin.