Giving with Open Hands
What happens when we are generous? When our generosity signals our readiness and expectation for God to move?
When I was growing up our family went to church every time the doors were open. One of the things I’m most thankful for that my parents did really well was that they taught me and my sister not just to love God, but to love his church, too.
They always showed up at church every time the doors were open and they were always a part of serving and helping and doing the things that just have to get done in order for the church to be the church.
And part of that for them was giving. Being generous!
My parents worked extremely hard for what they had and every Sunday when the baskets were passed my dad put a check in the offering basket.
Every Sunday.
They gave with open hands trusting God.
These days we give online. And by the way, I think that’s great. I think setting up online recurring giving is a wonderful way to give. But parents, don’t forget to tell your kids that you give and impress upon them the importance of this spiritual discipline.
A Generous World
We live in a world that to be honest, is fairly generous. We could talk about the greed in our culture and the way we all spend more than we should to impress people that we don’t know with things we don’t need and may not even really want.
But on the positive side, the country we live in is very generous.
Any time there is a hurricane, a tornado, or any kind of natural disaster, people give to help those in need and to relive the suffering of others.
Any time someone is sick and the family needs financial assistance the GoFundMe page is posted and people start giving because they genuinely care and want to help others.
Our local organizations that help those in need… I’m sure they could always use more funds, but they are funded on a regular basis by the generosity of good people who want to help.
And when it comes to those kinds of needs, people rarely ask, “How much should I give?”, they ask, “How much do you need?” And then we do as much as we can to help.
But when it comes to church, that is the question we often ask: How much should I give?
How Much Should I Give to Church?
When it comes to that question, what we often want is a formula. A quick answer. A percentage.
Some people say: Give a tithe = %10.
Some say give More.
Other people say give What You Can.
Some preachers say they need a new Private Jet for ministry and you should give to that. ?
But seriously, how much should we give? Specifically, how much should we give to God and to His church?
To answer that question I want to go to an unlikely place in scripture.
Most of the time when we talk about giving we’ll turn to the Old Testament and talk about the idea of the Tithe. The Israelites were commanded to give the first 10%, the first fruits of their labor, back to God. By doing this they demonstrated their faith in God, their dependance on God, and their trust that God would provide for them.
Or we turn to the words of Jesus who said, “Where your treasure is, there your heart is also.“
And there are other verses that help us think about how much we should give.
But I want you to hear something the Apostle Paul once wrote to a church in the ancient city of Philippi some 2000 years ago. This is a church Paul started. After leaving Philippi he writes them a letter and listen to what he says near the end of this letter.
Giving Generously toward Kingdom Causes
As you know, you Philippians were the only ones who GAVE me FINANCIAL help when I first brought you the Good News and then traveled on from Macedonia. No other church did this. Even when I was in Thessalonica you SENT HELP MORE THAN ONCE. I don’t say this because I want a gift from you. Rather, I want you to RECEIVE a REWARD for your kindness.
At the moment I have all I need—and more! I am GENEROUSLY SUPPLIED with the GIFTS you sent me with Epaphroditus. They are a SWEET-SMELLING SACRIFICE that is acceptable and pleasing to God. And this same God who takes care of me will SUPPLY ALL your NEEDS from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4.15-19
Ok, why are we reading the end of this letter Paul wrote some 2000 years ago? Well, believe it or not…
You are here today in part because of their generosity!
Paul is thanking these early Christians for giving generous financial gifts to him and to his ministry so that he could continue to preach the Good News about Jesus. And they gave to Paul for this purpose more than once!
Why did they give?
Because they wanted to be a part of spreading the message of Jesus. They wanted to partner with Paul to share the hope that they now have. They believed so deeply in the saving love of God revealed through Jesus at the cross that they wanted everyone everywhere to hear about it, believe it, and be changed by the gospel just like they had been!
And they didn’t just fund the mission, they over-funded the mission. They gave to Paul more than once and they gave so much that he said… I am GENEROUSLY SUPPLIED with the GIFTS you sent me…
They didn’t ask, (with a drab voice) Paul… how much do you need this time? Just tell us, what’s it going to take to pay for the trip, or to pay for the new church plant, or to pay for whatever it is you’re doing over there.
No… they gave, or maybe a better word is that they INVESTED, in the mission because they understood that their generosity signaled their readiness and expectation for God to move!
The God who Provides
And Paul said in response to their generous giving…
And this same God who takes care of me will SUPPLY ALL your NEEDS from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.
In other words, you have given generously to the mission of God because you trust God to provide for you.
If we are worried that God will not take care of us, we will not give generously.
But, if we trust God to provide for us, then we can give freely and generously to his church.
Financial Gifts that Bear Spiritual Fruit
All of this is so important to understand and to wrap our hearts and minds around… but this may be the most important part of what Paul said.
Did you hear it? Don’t miss this…
Paul was thanking them for the gift they gave but not just for the generous financial gift, but for the FRUIT that would come from it.
In verse 17, Paul says…
17 I don’t say this because I want a gift from you. Rather, I want you to RECEIVE a REWARD for your kindness.
Another translation says it this way…
17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the FRUIT that increases to your credit. – ESV
Just think about that for a moment!
Every baptism that resulted from Paul’s preaching and ministry was credited to them!
Every time someone turned from sin and toward Jesus it was credited to them!
Every time someone confessed Jesus as Lord, it was credited to them!
Every man who became a better husband, every father who became a better father, every woman who became a better wife and mother, every son and daughter who became a better child…
All the FRUIT of Paul’s ministry was traced back to the generous financial gifts given by the Philippians and in God’s economy, they were accountable, they were credited, for the fruit!
Most of them never saw the difference they made in other people’s lives through their generosity. Most of them would never know this side of heaven the fruit that came from their gifts, but you and I are sitting here today in part BECAUSE they GAVE!!
Your Generosity Also Bears Spiritual Fruit!
Now, bring this same mindset forward 2000 years.
In our day, in our context, the gifts we give are going to bear fruit for nations and generations.
We’re not just paying off debt, we’re investing in the kingdom of God!
We’re not just funding missions, we’re changing lives.
We’re not just updating and upgrading our facility, our house, we’re creating a safe and welcoming space where more people can have an encounter with Jesus.
Who will be on the receiving end of your generosity?
You may never see the difference you make in other people’s lives through your generosity. Most of you will never know this side of heaven the fruit that comes from your gifts, but there will be people sitting in church 50 years from now in part BECAUSE you GAVE just like you’re sitting here today because those that came before you gave!
The Real Power of Your Generosity
You see, when you give your generosity signals your readiness and expectation for God to move!
So how much should you give?
I can’t answer that question for you. That’s a question that is between you and God. What I would challenge all of us to think about is that we can’t all commit to give an equal amount, but we can commit to equally sacrifice.
Perhaps the only way to really answer the “How much should you give?” question is to start by answering this question:
How much of an investment do you want to make in God’s church?
In changing people’s lives? In spreading the gospel, the Good News of the great love of God revealed on the cross?
And to answer that question, I want to offer you:
THREE GUIDING QUESTIONS
1// WHY do you want to give?
Specifically, why do you want to give to God’s church? If you don’t know your why you probably won’t give or you won’t give very much. The Philippians gave generously over and over again because they wanted people everywhere to have their lives changed by Jesus. What about you?
2// WHAT do you want to give in faith?
Don’t just think about what you can give from your abundance, or what you should do given your income, but what you want to give in faith? You might even think about making a faith pledge. An amount that you want to give but you really don’t know how you’re going to give unless God steps in and helps. And then see what happens. Here’s one thing I’ve learned over the years… If it makes sense on paper, it probably doesn’t require faith.
3// Is PRAYER a part of my EQUATION?
You should pray before, during, and after you make this decision. But pray for the faith to be generous and give, with open hands and a humble heart. It’s so easy for us to become prideful even when we give. (Look how much I gave). Pray about what God wants you to give. Then ask God to multiply your gift. Ask Him to do abundantly more, SOMETHING BIGGER, than you could ask, dream, or imagine.
The Temptation & The Flip Side
When you think about “how much” you give and what you’re planning to give, you might think that if you gave less you could DRIVE nicer, newer cars. You could live in a nicer home or do those updates and repairs you’ve been putting off. You could take better vacations. You could even invest and save more for retirement.
But here’s the flip side of all that…
You’ve probably got very nice vehicles that take care of all your family transportation needs. You live in a beautiful home and one day, you’ll get to those updates and projects you want to do. Your family vacations have always been perfect and you’ve made memories that will last a lifetime. While your retirement may or may not be where you wish it was (who’s is?) you know that God will take care of you. He always has.
And because giving to God’s church has been a matter of first importance, your faith has grown and your family has been blessed. You have everything you need, and you get to be a part of God’s work in this world.
When You Give
When you give…
Your generosity signals your readiness and expectation for God to move!
And I don’t know about you, but I want to see God move!
I love hearing stories and telling stories and being a part of stories where God is changing lives. I love thinking about how future generations will come to know about the great love of God revealed in Jesus at the cross through us because of our generosity!
And we may never fully know this side of heaven the difference we’ve made in this world for Christ, but every dollar we give is bearing FRUIT in other peoples lives and God credits that to our account.
Is there a better investment we could possibly make?
If you trace the generosity of God’s people all the way through scripture, from the Old Testament all the way through the new, what you’ll find is that every time people gave in faith God moved in a mighty way!
It’s my prayer that God would move again in our day as we give in faith.
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