The Grace of Giving
The Grace of Giving
INTRODUCTION Lesson prepared for Christmas week, 1958.
1 Corinthians 8:7, "Therefore, as ye abound in everything, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also." The context shows that he is speaking of giving.
It is Christmastime which brings its joys and problems of Christmas cards and gifts.
Christmas is rightly a time of giving. Commercialization has almost ruined Christmas with stores advertising gifts, etc. To many children the spirit of Christmas is lost for the attitude is to receive gifts instead of giving and honouring the Saviour on His birthday. The first Christmas was marked by giving. God the Father gave the Gift of His only begotten Son to this world. In celebration and commemoration of this it is good for us to give, but we ought to remember that "It is more blessed to give than to receive," Acts 20:35. In the Christmas story we have the wise men giving expensive gifts to Jesus.
I. WHAT THE WISE MEN GAVE- Matthew 2:1. In the story of the wise men we find a beautiful progression of faith:
Seeking. They saw the star in the sky and departed following it.
Finding. They went to Jerusalem enquiring of Herod where the Baby was.
Worshipping. They fall on their knees before the Saviour in worship.
Giving. After worship, or as a part of their worship, they gave their gifts.
The gifts that the wise men gave are very interesting:
Gold. A fitting gift and tribute to a King. Jesus was King of kings.
Frankincense. A yellow substance used in incense. This would have been given as an acknowledgment of His divinity.
Myrrh. Used in perfuming ointments from a bitter herb. This was given as a tribute to the suffering Saviour. See Mark 15:23, myrrh mixed with wine.
We may not be able to give gold, frankincense and myrrh, but what can we give?
WHAT WE OUGHT TO GIVE
Our bodies. Romans 12:1. "I beseech you therefore. brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice. . ." The Macedonians gave themselves to God, 2 Corinthians 8:5. "... they. . . first gave their own selves to the Lord."
Ourselves wholly to the things of God. 1 Timothy 4:15, "Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly (completely) to them."
Give attendance to the reading of the Word. 1 Timothy 4:13, "Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine."
Give earnest heed to what we have heard. Hebrews 2:1. "Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard"
Give ourselves continually to prayer. Acts 6:4, “But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the Word"
Give thanks for everything. 1 Thessalonians 5:18, "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
Give money to the Lord. 2 Corinthians 8:2-4. The Macedonians out of their deep poverty gave liberally to the Lord, and Paul accepted the gift as an act of fellowship.
HOW ARE WE TO GIVE TO THE LORD?
Systematically. 1 Corinthians 16:2, "Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him."
Not only giving at Christmas time but every week of the year. Be businesslike in your giving and God will reward your honesty and scrupulousness.
Individually. 1 Corinthians 16:2, "... let every one of you lay by him in store. . ." Not only the head of the home, but mother and the children, too.
Giving is not only for the rich. It is for the poor, too. The only difference will be in the size and quality of the gift.
Mrs. Hsi in China, a very poor peasant, ate less in order to save a bit of food in order to give to the Lord and the Lord abundantly blessed her spiritually.
Proportionately. 1 Corinthians 16:2, o... as God hath prospered. . . " In the Old Testament, under the law, they gave a tithe - one-tenth of their income.
The tithe, Leviticus 27:30, was holy unto the Lord, and did not belong to the person.
We are not under law today. We are not forced to give a tithe of all that we receive. But we are under grace which is a covenant of love. Which is stronger, the power of law or the power of love? It seems to me that love is greater, and that we ought to give the tithes plus offerings.
Personally we give our testimony that since 1940 (18 years) we have faithfully tithed and God has blessed us spiritually and economically.
R. G. Letourneau gave 10%; then as God prospered him he increased the gift to 20%, and later even much higher.
God gives abundantly to those who give to Him. Prove God daily in this matter.
Cheerfully. 2 Corinthians 9:7, "... for God loveth a cheerful giver." "There’s that collection plate again! Do I have to give something again?" This is the wrong attitude. We ought to count it a great privilege and joy to be able to give something back to Him who gave so much for us. God loves the one that gives willingly and cheerfully. We like to receive gifts that have been cheerfully given to us-not grudgingly.
Give as Christ gave. He gave everything that He had, even life itself.
Let us abound in the splendid grace of giving.
Sacrificially. 2 Corinthians 8:2, they gave out of their deep poverty.
The widow gave two mites which was all her living.
God measures gifts by how much is left, not by how much we give.
God sees the heart of the giver rather than the size of the gift. Let us with gladsome hearts of love give to the Saviour.
THE REWARDS OF GIVING .
Php 4:18, "... the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God." Our gifts, though small, surely delight the heart of the Father in heaven.
Blessings follow generous giving to the Lord. The Father gives to us in return. The blessing is not necessarily material abundance, though it very often is.
Acts 20:35, "It is more blessed to give than to receive."
Matthew 6:20, "But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven." This is a command.
Malachi 3:10, "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." This is God’s solemn promise.
We have faithfully tithed and when we have been in need the Lord has abundantly given to us. For example, when Mrs. Douglas was ill in August, 1958.
TO WHOM SHOULD WE GIVE
Give to the poor and needy, to the orphans and widows, James 1:27; Matthew 5:42.
Give for the needs of the church and worship.
Give for the furtherance of the Gospel.
CONCLUSION .
Inadequate giving is evidence of inadequate teaching or of inadequate spiritual life.
REVIEW QUESTIONS
Give the fourfold progression of faith in the story of the wise men.
What 3 gifts did the wise men give Jesus?
What should we give the Lord before giving our money? Two Scriptures.
True or false: "The Lord expects the rich to give their money and the poor to give themselves." Explain the reason for your answer.
List 5 ways that we are to give.
If it is true that we are not under law, then isn’t it advisable to give as the needs are presented? Explain.
Some Christians seem to be more generous than others. Does this mean that they have the gift of giving? Explain.
List 3 rewards of giving mentioned in Php 4:18.
Prove that giving is not optional.
What is the New Testament storehouse? (Malachi 3:10)