1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:07,000 find that image revealed to us, and it's through the Word of God that the Holy Spirit stamps 2 00:00:07,000 --> 00:00:09,280 that image of Christ in our lives. 3 00:00:09,280 --> 00:00:16,160 So let's turn together to 1 Corinthians 16. 4 00:00:16,160 --> 00:00:21,920 We're nearing the conclusion of our study in this New Testament epistle. 5 00:00:21,920 --> 00:00:30,160 Today we deal with a very practical issue regarding the offering. 6 00:00:30,160 --> 00:00:34,480 This is another area that apparently Paul had been asked about, for we notice that he 7 00:00:34,480 --> 00:00:39,840 begins this chapter with a familiar phrase that he has used before in the epistle, when 8 00:00:39,840 --> 00:00:46,040 he came to one of the main questions that the Corinthian church had asked him about. 9 00:00:46,040 --> 00:00:48,000 And that phrase is, now about. 10 00:00:48,000 --> 00:00:53,800 So Paul has gone down his list, he comes to the last question, and it deals with the offering 11 00:00:53,800 --> 00:00:55,280 which they were to be taking. 12 00:00:55,280 --> 00:01:00,720 And he says, now about the collection for God's people. 13 00:01:00,720 --> 00:01:04,800 Do what I told the Galatian churches to do. 14 00:01:04,800 --> 00:01:12,540 On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping 15 00:01:12,540 --> 00:01:19,840 with his income, saving it up so that when I come no collections will have to be made. 16 00:01:19,840 --> 00:01:25,920 Then when I arrive, I will give letters of introduction to the men you approve and send 17 00:01:25,920 --> 00:01:29,360 them with your gift to Jerusalem. 18 00:01:29,360 --> 00:01:35,500 If it seems advisable for me to go also, they will accompany me. 19 00:01:35,500 --> 00:01:44,160 One of the most sensitive issues to many people is the matter of their giving, their stewardship. 20 00:01:44,160 --> 00:01:51,680 And that's understandable because finances are by their very nature private, and to talk 21 00:01:51,680 --> 00:01:57,720 about them can be discomforting at times and always revealing. 22 00:01:57,720 --> 00:02:03,700 Because how a person spends his money tells you a great deal about him. 23 00:02:03,700 --> 00:02:08,200 Somebody has said that money doesn't make a fool out of anybody, it just shows him up. 24 00:02:08,200 --> 00:02:10,480 Well, that's the nature of money. 25 00:02:10,480 --> 00:02:16,600 It reveals what we are, the way that we use it, that is, reveals what we are. 26 00:02:16,600 --> 00:02:19,520 The New Testament speaks a lot about money. 27 00:02:19,520 --> 00:02:26,660 In fact, someone has calculated that two out of every three parables that Jesus told dealt 28 00:02:26,660 --> 00:02:31,240 in some respect with money, two-thirds of them. 29 00:02:31,240 --> 00:02:36,200 Whether the proper use of it or how it is often misused. 30 00:02:36,200 --> 00:02:42,880 The question that is suggested by our text implies that Paul had taught them on a prior 31 00:02:42,880 --> 00:02:46,600 occasion about this offering. 32 00:02:46,600 --> 00:02:51,160 They had known about it and now they had some questions that came to their minds regarding 33 00:02:51,160 --> 00:02:52,160 it. 34 00:02:52,160 --> 00:02:57,800 And so he writes to reinforce what he has already said to them. 35 00:02:57,800 --> 00:03:04,720 Paul gave similar instructions to the Galatians and to the Macedonians, as is clear from other 36 00:03:04,720 --> 00:03:09,880 places in the Word of God, as we'll see in a few minutes. 37 00:03:09,880 --> 00:03:16,200 All of us need to consider what the Bible teaches regarding our giving. 38 00:03:16,200 --> 00:03:24,760 We are approached frequently, if we have a mailbox, to give for various causes. 39 00:03:24,760 --> 00:03:28,200 We are approached to give by mass mailings. 40 00:03:28,200 --> 00:03:33,880 We are approached to give through the media and often from the pulpit as well. 41 00:03:33,880 --> 00:03:36,920 How are we to give? 42 00:03:36,920 --> 00:03:42,960 And what principles should guide us so that we give wisely and so that God is pleased 43 00:03:42,960 --> 00:03:44,480 with the way that we give? 44 00:03:44,480 --> 00:03:48,680 Well, if we look in our text today, we'll find some answers to these questions. 45 00:03:48,680 --> 00:03:52,280 Let's notice first of all the problem that is in view here. 46 00:03:52,280 --> 00:03:54,880 Why was an offering necessary? 47 00:03:54,880 --> 00:04:01,480 Well it was necessary because there were saints in Jerusalem, believers in the city of Jerusalem, 48 00:04:01,480 --> 00:04:03,800 who were impoverished. 49 00:04:03,800 --> 00:04:07,480 Why they were impoverished, we are not certain. 50 00:04:07,480 --> 00:04:12,640 Probably it was because of persecution that came to them because of their faith. 51 00:04:12,640 --> 00:04:19,720 That persecution then caused them to lose their jobs or in some way to be impoverished 52 00:04:19,720 --> 00:04:23,080 so that they did not have enough money to live on. 53 00:04:23,080 --> 00:04:27,880 And the apostle felt a great burden while he was ministering out among the Gentiles 54 00:04:27,880 --> 00:04:34,960 primarily that they should help the Jerusalem saints who were primarily Jewish in this time 55 00:04:34,960 --> 00:04:35,960 of their need. 56 00:04:35,960 --> 00:04:43,200 If you turn back a few pages to Romans chapter 15, we have another word about this. 57 00:04:43,200 --> 00:04:49,120 Romans was written after 1 and 2 Corinthians 2 for that matter. 58 00:04:49,120 --> 00:04:54,880 In Romans chapter 15, which by the way was probably written from Corinth, the apostle 59 00:04:54,880 --> 00:04:58,360 says this beginning in verse 25. 60 00:04:58,360 --> 00:05:02,160 Here he's talking about his plans to visit them in the future. 61 00:05:02,160 --> 00:05:10,160 But in verse 25 he says, Now, however, I am on my way to Jerusalem in the service of the 62 00:05:10,160 --> 00:05:11,920 saints there. 63 00:05:11,920 --> 00:05:20,000 For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make contribution for the poor among the saints 64 00:05:20,000 --> 00:05:22,360 in Jerusalem. 65 00:05:22,360 --> 00:05:26,080 Macedonia was the area around Thessalonica. 66 00:05:26,080 --> 00:05:29,520 Achaia was the area around Corinth. 67 00:05:29,520 --> 00:05:34,720 So the apostle says that churches in both of those areas were participating in what 68 00:05:34,720 --> 00:05:41,480 he calls a contribution to the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. 69 00:05:41,480 --> 00:05:47,240 Now the reason that Paul wrote ahead to the Corinthians was so that there would not be 70 00:05:47,240 --> 00:05:53,400 a frantic drive once he arrived there. 71 00:05:53,400 --> 00:05:58,000 I think that we can learn a couple of things from what is said in our text and also in 72 00:05:58,000 --> 00:06:01,480 Romans chapter 15. 73 00:06:01,480 --> 00:06:07,440 One application I would draw is this, that our primary social concern for the poor is 74 00:06:07,440 --> 00:06:10,240 not to the world in general. 75 00:06:10,240 --> 00:06:16,520 I recognize that that runs against the grain of some very well-meaning, socially-minded 76 00:06:16,520 --> 00:06:19,400 believers in our day. 77 00:06:19,400 --> 00:06:25,420 But the primary concern among Christians for the poor is not to the world in general. 78 00:06:25,420 --> 00:06:29,400 We have a secondary responsibility to them. 79 00:06:29,400 --> 00:06:34,600 But almost every reference in the Bible in which it speaks about our ministry to the 80 00:06:34,600 --> 00:06:41,720 poor refers to our ministry to the poor among the people of God. 81 00:06:41,720 --> 00:06:43,880 That is to be our primary concern. 82 00:06:43,880 --> 00:06:48,280 Frankly, I am a little tired of the guilt trip that some people try to put on us as 83 00:06:48,280 --> 00:06:51,160 Christians because there are poor people in the world. 84 00:06:51,160 --> 00:06:54,800 The Bible says there always will be poor people in the world. 85 00:06:54,800 --> 00:06:58,040 Poverty will never be conquered. 86 00:06:58,040 --> 00:07:03,060 We are to have a primary concern for the poor and the impoverished among the people of God 87 00:07:03,060 --> 00:07:06,320 and minister to them to meet their needs. 88 00:07:06,320 --> 00:07:12,400 Sometimes their needs cannot be measured in terms of dollars and cents. 89 00:07:12,400 --> 00:07:18,200 Sometimes needs are greater in other ways, for example, in advice and counsel on how 90 00:07:18,200 --> 00:07:23,080 to spend money and to live on a budget, etc. 91 00:07:23,080 --> 00:07:29,040 But among God's people we are to have a primary concern to minister to those who are impoverished, 92 00:07:29,040 --> 00:07:35,040 whether it be because of the loss of a job, which is very prominent right now in our society, 93 00:07:35,040 --> 00:07:39,640 or whether it be because of persecution that a person is impoverished. 94 00:07:39,640 --> 00:07:41,560 Whatever we are to be concerned. 95 00:07:41,560 --> 00:07:45,120 Sometimes it's ill health that causes people to be impoverished for at least a period of 96 00:07:45,120 --> 00:07:46,120 time. 97 00:07:46,120 --> 00:07:52,320 And we as God's people have a responsibility to minister to one another. 98 00:07:52,320 --> 00:07:55,160 And a secondary application I would draw is this. 99 00:07:55,160 --> 00:08:03,680 We should watch out for people who are habitually pleading for money in an emergency. 100 00:08:03,680 --> 00:08:07,320 Now I have moved three times in the last two years and consequently I've gotten off some 101 00:08:07,320 --> 00:08:08,680 mailing lists. 102 00:08:08,680 --> 00:08:12,840 There are some advantages to moving frequently and that's one of them. 103 00:08:12,840 --> 00:08:16,080 For a period of time there I was getting a letter from a certain Christian organization 104 00:08:16,080 --> 00:08:18,960 that was always in an emergency. 105 00:08:18,960 --> 00:08:23,880 It would come in the form of something like a mail gram or a telegram and it would say 106 00:08:23,880 --> 00:08:30,400 that unless we hear from you by such and such a date, we're going off the air in your area. 107 00:08:30,400 --> 00:08:34,720 There was always this pleading pushing because of an emergency, a frantic drive to raise 108 00:08:34,720 --> 00:08:35,720 money. 109 00:08:35,720 --> 00:08:43,880 Now occasionally, I suppose any organization may come up against an emergency. 110 00:08:43,880 --> 00:08:47,520 But when that happens habitually it means that there are problems somewhere. 111 00:08:47,520 --> 00:08:53,880 It may not be a spiritual problem, maybe a lack of common sense and decent administration 112 00:08:53,880 --> 00:08:55,440 within that organization. 113 00:08:55,440 --> 00:09:01,640 It may not be a spiritual problem, but there's a problem somewhere if an organization habitually 114 00:09:01,640 --> 00:09:06,200 is frantically trying to raise money for its ministry. 115 00:09:06,200 --> 00:09:11,040 So watch out for that kind of an appeal and investigate it very carefully before you invest 116 00:09:11,040 --> 00:09:15,320 the money that God wants to give through you to people and to organizations. 117 00:09:15,320 --> 00:09:18,320 Be wise in that way. 118 00:09:18,320 --> 00:09:23,040 Somewhere down the road those organizations and people that habitually raise money in 119 00:09:23,040 --> 00:09:27,320 a crisis surrounding you are going to run out of people who will give because people 120 00:09:27,320 --> 00:09:31,120 are going to wise up to that kind of fundraising. 121 00:09:31,120 --> 00:09:37,360 The problem before us here is that Paul was in a very carefully planned way trying to 122 00:09:37,360 --> 00:09:41,940 raise an offering for the needy saints in Jerusalem. 123 00:09:41,940 --> 00:09:43,480 That's the problem. 124 00:09:43,480 --> 00:09:48,680 Now as he addresses that problem he gives us some principles to follow in our giving. 125 00:09:48,680 --> 00:09:56,240 It is important for us folks to learn what God's principles of stewardship are. 126 00:09:56,240 --> 00:09:58,160 Because stewardship is a part of life. 127 00:09:58,160 --> 00:10:00,440 We are all involved in that. 128 00:10:00,440 --> 00:10:04,520 From the moment that we begin to receive an allowance from our parents we have some kind 129 00:10:04,520 --> 00:10:05,520 of an income. 130 00:10:05,520 --> 00:10:12,680 And we need to learn even at that young tender age how to return a portion of that as a faithful 131 00:10:12,680 --> 00:10:16,040 steward to our God. 132 00:10:16,040 --> 00:10:20,920 I'd like for you to notice with me some of the principles regarding giving as we find 133 00:10:20,920 --> 00:10:23,320 them in our text today. 134 00:10:23,320 --> 00:10:30,200 The first principle is one that is woven throughout the language here and is sort of an assumption. 135 00:10:30,200 --> 00:10:37,320 And it is this, that giving is recognition of God's ownership. 136 00:10:37,320 --> 00:10:41,720 So often we have the idea that what I earn is mine and out of what is mine I'm going 137 00:10:41,720 --> 00:10:45,280 to give a little bit to God. 138 00:10:45,280 --> 00:10:50,680 When we approach stewardship from that standpoint it shows that we have not discovered the first 139 00:10:50,680 --> 00:10:52,640 principle regarding our giving. 140 00:10:52,640 --> 00:10:56,780 And that is that everything we have belongs to God anyway. 141 00:10:56,780 --> 00:10:59,960 He is the one who prospers us. 142 00:10:59,960 --> 00:11:05,440 All we have is committed to us as a stewardship. 143 00:11:05,440 --> 00:11:07,180 The Bible calls us stewards. 144 00:11:07,180 --> 00:11:08,520 What is a steward? 145 00:11:08,520 --> 00:11:14,840 It is one who is responsible for somebody else's property. 146 00:11:14,840 --> 00:11:20,360 The income that I get, the ways that God prospers me, all of that amounts to a stewardship which 147 00:11:20,360 --> 00:11:23,000 God commits to me. 148 00:11:23,000 --> 00:11:28,000 Now there are three basic ways in which God is pleased to prosper us. 149 00:11:28,000 --> 00:11:31,720 One is by working to earn money. 150 00:11:31,720 --> 00:11:36,280 That seems to be the least favorable way for us to prosper, but it's certainly the most 151 00:11:36,280 --> 00:11:41,000 important one and the one that most of us will know in life. 152 00:11:41,000 --> 00:11:44,600 God expects for us to follow a work ethic. 153 00:11:44,600 --> 00:11:50,000 Get rich quick schemes are not of God and we ought to stay completely away from that 154 00:11:50,000 --> 00:11:52,560 kind of thing. 155 00:11:52,560 --> 00:11:59,840 One way in which God prospers us is that we earn money, as Smith Barney says we should. 156 00:11:59,840 --> 00:12:02,140 We work to earn. 157 00:12:02,140 --> 00:12:05,900 And then there's a second way that God prospers us is through investments. 158 00:12:05,900 --> 00:12:08,240 We invest money to earn. 159 00:12:08,240 --> 00:12:11,640 Now we need to be wise in doing that. 160 00:12:11,640 --> 00:12:20,040 These days of varying interest rates and varying ways of investing, we need to be wise in the 161 00:12:20,040 --> 00:12:24,000 way we invest our money to get the best return off of it. 162 00:12:24,000 --> 00:12:26,840 God prospers us through our investments. 163 00:12:26,840 --> 00:12:30,520 And then the third way in which God prospers us is through gifts. 164 00:12:30,520 --> 00:12:33,960 We receive gifts or inheritances from people. 165 00:12:33,960 --> 00:12:36,320 And that is a way in which God does prosper us. 166 00:12:36,320 --> 00:12:41,980 And we're responsible, whether it comes to us as salary or as a dividend, often investment, 167 00:12:41,980 --> 00:12:43,600 or by a gift. 168 00:12:43,600 --> 00:12:46,000 We are responsible for what God gives to us. 169 00:12:46,000 --> 00:12:48,920 That's His way of prospering us. 170 00:12:48,920 --> 00:12:55,640 And then the way that we give back to God shows that we understand who the owner really 171 00:12:55,640 --> 00:12:57,500 is. 172 00:12:57,500 --> 00:13:06,000 If we are miserly and frugal in our returning to God, if we are sparing, then it shows that 173 00:13:06,000 --> 00:13:09,920 we have not understood that all of it belongs to God anyway. 174 00:13:09,920 --> 00:13:17,320 You see, God gives us prosperity for several reasons, among them so that our needs can 175 00:13:17,320 --> 00:13:19,440 be met. 176 00:13:19,440 --> 00:13:26,960 God is concerned that we have clothing and food and a roof over our heads. 177 00:13:26,960 --> 00:13:31,380 And God will supply our basic needs as we are faithful in giving to Him. 178 00:13:31,380 --> 00:13:34,360 God prospers us so that we can have our needs met. 179 00:13:34,360 --> 00:13:42,600 Secondly, He prospers us to prove our character. 180 00:13:42,600 --> 00:13:46,280 Riches are a worse trial than poverty. 181 00:13:46,280 --> 00:13:47,280 Did you know that? 182 00:13:47,280 --> 00:13:50,520 You probably, some of you would like to try the other side of it and just see if that 183 00:13:50,520 --> 00:13:51,960 is true. 184 00:13:51,960 --> 00:13:54,520 You've had enough testing of poverty, maybe. 185 00:13:54,520 --> 00:13:59,960 But you see, riches prove our character more than poverty does. 186 00:13:59,960 --> 00:14:03,480 How do we handle money? 187 00:14:03,480 --> 00:14:08,800 And then God prospers us, thirdly, to provide direction for our lives. 188 00:14:08,800 --> 00:14:14,760 There are times when God gives us guidance through giving us an abundance or perhaps 189 00:14:14,760 --> 00:14:17,480 withholding from us prosperity. 190 00:14:17,480 --> 00:14:22,720 So that's another reason that God prospers us, to provide direction. 191 00:14:22,720 --> 00:14:27,720 He prospers us, fourthly, to provide for His ministry among His people and His work on 192 00:14:27,720 --> 00:14:29,320 the earth. 193 00:14:29,320 --> 00:14:34,760 And finally, He prospers us so that we can share with those who have need. 194 00:14:34,760 --> 00:14:45,120 Now the unfortunate thing is that too often we are so overly committed to what God prospers 195 00:14:45,120 --> 00:14:53,240 us that we are unable to have anything left to give to those who have need. 196 00:14:53,240 --> 00:15:00,240 If we are so far in debt that we do not have money left over to help others, then somewhere 197 00:15:00,240 --> 00:15:02,400 along the way we have missed God's best. 198 00:15:02,400 --> 00:15:04,640 And we need to correct that. 199 00:15:04,640 --> 00:15:09,320 Because one of the reasons that God prospers us is so that we will have some set aside 200 00:15:09,320 --> 00:15:12,420 to help those who have need. 201 00:15:12,420 --> 00:15:15,120 God never gives us money to make us worry. 202 00:15:15,120 --> 00:15:19,360 It is not God's will that we be anxious. 203 00:15:19,360 --> 00:15:24,520 God doesn't give us money to corrupt us. 204 00:15:24,520 --> 00:15:29,560 If money is serving right now to undermine our spiritual lives, it is not of God. 205 00:15:29,560 --> 00:15:33,040 God didn't give us prosperity to accomplish that. 206 00:15:33,040 --> 00:15:36,960 God doesn't give us money to build our ego. 207 00:15:36,960 --> 00:15:39,240 God doesn't want to make us proud. 208 00:15:39,240 --> 00:15:45,800 He doesn't give money to us to satisfy our every desire or greed, nor does He give us 209 00:15:45,800 --> 00:15:48,560 money to hoard. 210 00:15:48,560 --> 00:15:54,860 We are to save, but there is a difference between saving and hoarding up money. 211 00:15:54,860 --> 00:16:01,320 If you would like to have some information on proper principles of the use of money, 212 00:16:01,320 --> 00:16:08,020 I would encourage you to look up the books of Larry Burkett, a very fine series of Bible 213 00:16:08,020 --> 00:16:13,280 studies in one book that he has, and another one is a text, I suppose, that goes along 214 00:16:13,280 --> 00:16:16,040 with the Bible study that you can get. 215 00:16:16,040 --> 00:16:19,320 I can't remember the name of the book right now. 216 00:16:19,320 --> 00:16:23,600 It is called Something Finances and Changing Times, but you can find those in the Christian 217 00:16:23,600 --> 00:16:24,600 bookstore. 218 00:16:24,600 --> 00:16:29,220 I would encourage you to get that material by Larry Burkett. 219 00:16:29,220 --> 00:16:34,760 So giving is a recognition of God's ownership. 220 00:16:34,760 --> 00:16:40,520 When I return to the Lord a portion of that which He gives to me, I am saying, I recognize, 221 00:16:40,520 --> 00:16:48,000 Father, that You own it all, and as a symbol of my recognition of that fact, I am returning 222 00:16:48,000 --> 00:16:51,840 this gift to You out of gratefulness. 223 00:16:51,840 --> 00:16:54,880 Principle number two is clear in our text. 224 00:16:54,880 --> 00:17:00,300 He says, on the first day of every week, you should do thus and so. 225 00:17:00,300 --> 00:17:04,400 That tells us that giving is to be systematic. 226 00:17:04,400 --> 00:17:08,160 It is to be regular and thoughtful. 227 00:17:08,160 --> 00:17:10,620 It is to be planned. 228 00:17:10,620 --> 00:17:13,600 It is not to be haphazard. 229 00:17:13,600 --> 00:17:18,760 It is not to be occasional, but it is to be given regularly on the first day of every 230 00:17:18,760 --> 00:17:19,760 week. 231 00:17:19,760 --> 00:17:25,340 Now, it was very logical for Paul to say this, because in those days, normally a person got 232 00:17:25,340 --> 00:17:30,020 paid at the end of every day for his labor of that day. 233 00:17:30,020 --> 00:17:34,880 And so on the first day of the week, he would figure how much he was going to give God out 234 00:17:34,880 --> 00:17:36,360 of that last week's salary. 235 00:17:36,360 --> 00:17:41,160 In our day, the people get paid every two weeks, sometimes every month. 236 00:17:41,160 --> 00:17:43,200 There are others who are on a commission. 237 00:17:43,200 --> 00:17:49,640 And I believe the principle is that every time that we are prospered by God, when our 238 00:17:49,640 --> 00:17:53,960 salary comes in or that check comes in for our commission, whatever it is, that at that 239 00:17:53,960 --> 00:18:00,000 point then we are to figure what we are going to give God and do it systematically and regularly. 240 00:18:00,000 --> 00:18:04,840 Never saying, well, I'll put it off this month and I'll give twice as much next month, 241 00:18:04,840 --> 00:18:09,240 because the problem is that that never happens. 242 00:18:09,240 --> 00:18:11,440 Once we get behind, it's very difficult to get caught up. 243 00:18:11,440 --> 00:18:13,840 And so just giving regularly is the best way to do it. 244 00:18:13,840 --> 00:18:16,720 Now, why on the first day of every week? 245 00:18:16,720 --> 00:18:23,080 Well, he's indicating here that that was the day when the saints met. 246 00:18:23,080 --> 00:18:28,900 The saints no longer met on the Sabbath, because that was a part of the old covenant. 247 00:18:28,900 --> 00:18:32,200 They met on the first day of the week, because that was the day when our Lord rose from the 248 00:18:32,200 --> 00:18:33,200 dead. 249 00:18:33,200 --> 00:18:35,760 And probably they met in the evening. 250 00:18:35,760 --> 00:18:41,920 The Roman government did not have Sunday Blue Laws. 251 00:18:41,920 --> 00:18:44,760 Everything that went right on is scheduled on Sunday, the first day of the week. 252 00:18:44,760 --> 00:18:47,960 That meant nothing to the government of the Roman Empire. 253 00:18:47,960 --> 00:18:52,000 So consequently, the Christians worked on Sunday. 254 00:18:52,000 --> 00:18:57,840 But they would gather probably on Sunday evening for a time of communion and fellowship and 255 00:18:57,840 --> 00:19:00,760 teaching and prayer and sharing together. 256 00:19:00,760 --> 00:19:05,280 And it was at that time that they were to bring what they had collected that week as 257 00:19:05,280 --> 00:19:08,160 an offering for the Lord. 258 00:19:08,160 --> 00:19:11,860 Principle number three is also clear in our text, where he says, on this first day of 259 00:19:11,860 --> 00:19:17,320 every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money. 260 00:19:17,320 --> 00:19:23,740 The third principle is that giving is to be universal and individual. 261 00:19:23,740 --> 00:19:30,280 In other words, each and all have a part in giving. 262 00:19:30,280 --> 00:19:35,800 It's the responsibility of every Christian, for we are all stewards in some respect. 263 00:19:35,800 --> 00:19:39,960 It's not talking here to just the wealthy. 264 00:19:39,960 --> 00:19:46,940 It's not talking to just the leaders or the teachers, nor is it talking only to the adults 265 00:19:46,940 --> 00:19:51,660 or just to the married or to the career people. 266 00:19:51,660 --> 00:19:57,520 He's talking here to all of us, whether we be children who receive an allowance or students 267 00:19:57,520 --> 00:20:03,400 who work their way through college or young marrieds who are struggling to get it all 268 00:20:03,400 --> 00:20:07,000 together, to lay a foundation, a financial foundation for the marriage. 269 00:20:07,000 --> 00:20:11,160 All of us have a responsibility in stewardship. 270 00:20:11,160 --> 00:20:14,440 Let every one of you do this, says the New Testament. 271 00:20:14,440 --> 00:20:15,760 We are all prospered by God. 272 00:20:15,760 --> 00:20:16,760 Let me ask you a question. 273 00:20:16,760 --> 00:20:21,880 What are you doing in terms of your own stewardship? 274 00:20:21,880 --> 00:20:22,880 You say, well, I don't get very much. 275 00:20:22,880 --> 00:20:25,120 Do you get anything? 276 00:20:25,120 --> 00:20:30,480 If you get something, God has prospered you that something. 277 00:20:30,480 --> 00:20:38,280 And recognizing that he is the owner of that, you should return a portion of that to him. 278 00:20:38,280 --> 00:20:45,160 Let every one of you do this, he says, irregardless of age or sex or marital status, every one 279 00:20:45,160 --> 00:20:48,560 of you. 280 00:20:48,560 --> 00:20:54,800 Principle number four, giving is to be a continual practice. 281 00:20:54,800 --> 00:21:03,000 He says this in the tense of the verb, each one of you should set aside a sum of money. 282 00:21:03,000 --> 00:21:09,040 Literally he says, let him continually put storing up. 283 00:21:09,040 --> 00:21:14,120 That doesn't make a lot of sense in the English, but the point of it in the original language 284 00:21:14,120 --> 00:21:19,360 as Paul wrote it was, that it was a continual process, the storing up to give. 285 00:21:19,360 --> 00:21:24,600 Paul was going to come and take this special offering they were setting aside for the poor 286 00:21:24,600 --> 00:21:26,720 saints in Jerusalem. 287 00:21:26,720 --> 00:21:32,360 And the implication is that even after that offering was to be received and distributed, 288 00:21:32,360 --> 00:21:33,960 that they would keep on doing this. 289 00:21:33,960 --> 00:21:38,480 It was to be a habit of their life, a continual practice. 290 00:21:38,480 --> 00:21:39,480 Is it that way with you? 291 00:21:39,480 --> 00:21:44,760 You know, there are some people who get under conviction about giving every now and then, 292 00:21:44,760 --> 00:21:48,800 and so they'll write out a check for a certain amount of money to sab their conscience, and 293 00:21:48,800 --> 00:21:51,400 they say, now, I'm going to get back to it. 294 00:21:51,400 --> 00:21:54,640 And for two or three weeks everything's just fine because they're determined they're going 295 00:21:54,640 --> 00:21:58,040 to do it, and then pretty soon they begin to slack off. 296 00:21:58,040 --> 00:22:02,160 The bills come in for electricity during that cold month of January, and the gas bill's 297 00:22:02,160 --> 00:22:03,640 high and all the rest. 298 00:22:03,640 --> 00:22:05,120 Food's getting more costly. 299 00:22:05,120 --> 00:22:10,000 They say, well, I just can't give it this month. 300 00:22:10,000 --> 00:22:12,520 That isn't God's plan at all. 301 00:22:12,520 --> 00:22:17,920 The very first thing we should do with the increase that God gives us is to determine 302 00:22:17,920 --> 00:22:23,800 the amount we're going to give to God, and then care for the rest of our bills after 303 00:22:23,800 --> 00:22:25,920 that. 304 00:22:25,920 --> 00:22:31,980 What we owe God is by far more important than what we may owe the gas company or any other 305 00:22:31,980 --> 00:22:34,160 debtor that we have. 306 00:22:34,160 --> 00:22:35,780 There should not be a conflict. 307 00:22:35,780 --> 00:22:41,920 If we are managing our finances the way that God intends for us to manage them, then we're 308 00:22:41,920 --> 00:22:45,560 going to have enough money to care for all of our obligations. 309 00:22:45,560 --> 00:22:52,440 But our first obligation is to God, and it's a continual obligation that we have to Him. 310 00:22:52,440 --> 00:22:54,960 Principle number five in our text. 311 00:22:54,960 --> 00:22:57,560 Giving is to be proportionate. 312 00:22:57,560 --> 00:23:03,000 He says, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, 313 00:23:03,000 --> 00:23:04,000 leaving it up. 314 00:23:04,000 --> 00:23:12,760 In other words, the more we prosper, the more we are expected to give. 315 00:23:12,760 --> 00:23:18,760 Charles Swindoll said, the measure of God's blessing to us is the measure of our giving 316 00:23:18,760 --> 00:23:19,760 to Him. 317 00:23:19,760 --> 00:23:26,520 In other words, the more that God is pleased to pour out to us, the more that we ought 318 00:23:26,520 --> 00:23:28,840 to be pleased to pour out to Him. 319 00:23:28,840 --> 00:23:31,400 Our giving is to be proportionate. 320 00:23:31,400 --> 00:23:35,680 It is to be in keeping with our income. 321 00:23:35,680 --> 00:23:42,800 Now personally, I believe that this exceeds the thumb rule of tithing. 322 00:23:42,800 --> 00:23:47,040 There are some people who are very strong on tithing, and frankly I am not. 323 00:23:47,040 --> 00:23:48,040 I used to be. 324 00:23:48,040 --> 00:23:53,400 In fact, I used to preach storehouse tithing, which is a good Southern Baptist way to support 325 00:23:53,400 --> 00:23:55,600 a church ministry. 326 00:23:55,600 --> 00:24:01,160 And you better do that in the South, I suppose, if you're in that kind of an orientation. 327 00:24:01,160 --> 00:24:06,480 But now, backing away from that situation and after studying through it a few years 328 00:24:06,480 --> 00:24:12,880 on this matter of stewardship, I do not believe that storehouse tithing is God's method. 329 00:24:12,880 --> 00:24:17,440 I believe that our responsibility in this age is greater than that which the Jews had 330 00:24:17,440 --> 00:24:19,720 in the Old Testament. 331 00:24:19,720 --> 00:24:26,640 In fact, the concept that the Jews gave 10 percent to the Lord is not really correct. 332 00:24:26,640 --> 00:24:32,560 Because you see, there were several tithes which the Jews were to give in ancient Israel. 333 00:24:32,560 --> 00:24:36,080 And this was not only for the support of the temple, but it was for the support of the 334 00:24:36,080 --> 00:24:39,360 government of Israel as well. 335 00:24:39,360 --> 00:24:46,360 Actually, their annual giving to the temple and to the government amounted to about 23 336 00:24:46,360 --> 00:24:50,700 to 25 percent of their total income. 337 00:24:50,700 --> 00:24:55,680 So the idea that they gave just 10 percent is not really correct anyway. 338 00:24:55,680 --> 00:25:01,200 I believe that any person who would do less under grace, and what the Jews were required 339 00:25:01,200 --> 00:25:06,400 to do under law, is a disgrace to grace. 340 00:25:06,400 --> 00:25:14,160 God has been so bountiful to us in this age in establishing with us a covenant based upon 341 00:25:14,160 --> 00:25:21,160 the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, and he cares for us in such marvelous ways that 342 00:25:21,160 --> 00:25:27,840 our giving to him should be well above that which was expected from the Jews of old. 343 00:25:27,840 --> 00:25:33,600 But there is a principle here, and that is that giving is to be proportionate. 344 00:25:33,600 --> 00:25:39,320 I don't think that the best thing to do is to sit down and to say, well, I got $1,200 345 00:25:39,320 --> 00:25:42,560 this last month, 10 percent of that, and calculate it that way. 346 00:25:42,560 --> 00:25:47,440 In fact, some writers say to get out of the habit of 10 percent, figure 9 percent, or 347 00:25:47,440 --> 00:25:54,040 11 percent, to stop figuring 10 percent. 348 00:25:54,040 --> 00:25:58,720 Let me share with you what I'm talking about when I say that proportionate giving is not 349 00:25:58,720 --> 00:26:01,600 exactly the same thing as tithing. 350 00:26:01,600 --> 00:26:06,160 Let's suppose here's a man who earns $10,000. 351 00:26:06,160 --> 00:26:10,720 A tithe of his income amounts to $1,000. 352 00:26:10,720 --> 00:26:14,040 That means he has $9,000 left over. 353 00:26:14,040 --> 00:26:17,000 Here's a man who earns $100,000. 354 00:26:17,000 --> 00:26:19,160 A tithe of his income is $10,000. 355 00:26:19,160 --> 00:26:22,640 That means he can live on $90,000. 356 00:26:22,640 --> 00:26:27,920 Here's a man who lives on $9,000, and here's a man who lives on $90,000. 357 00:26:27,920 --> 00:26:31,680 It seems to me that illustrates the principle of the tithe. 358 00:26:31,680 --> 00:26:33,160 Proportionate giving is something different. 359 00:26:33,160 --> 00:26:41,120 The man who earns $10,000 determines what portion he will give to God out of his $10,000. 360 00:26:41,120 --> 00:26:44,440 He may say that I have to live in order to supply for the needs of my family. 361 00:26:44,440 --> 00:26:47,280 I have to have $9,500. 362 00:26:47,280 --> 00:26:49,800 Here's the rent and here's all the rest. 363 00:26:49,800 --> 00:26:53,120 This is the basic, and God knows that. 364 00:26:53,120 --> 00:26:57,400 So he gives proportionately according as he can according to his income. 365 00:26:57,400 --> 00:27:00,240 But here's a man who earns $100,000. 366 00:27:00,240 --> 00:27:03,760 He doesn't need $90,000 to live on. 367 00:27:03,760 --> 00:27:08,840 He should be responsible to live on a budget just as much as the man who earns $10,000. 368 00:27:08,840 --> 00:27:14,400 He will have more expenses undoubtedly because of his job and other things associated with 369 00:27:14,400 --> 00:27:16,520 his life. 370 00:27:16,520 --> 00:27:23,400 But because he earns that amount of money, it does not liberate him to live a free lifestyle. 371 00:27:23,400 --> 00:27:30,280 He is to have a restrained, sensible lifestyle, a godly lifestyle that enables him probably 372 00:27:30,280 --> 00:27:35,180 to give much more than just $10,000 to the work of the Lord. 373 00:27:35,180 --> 00:27:40,000 He may be able to give 50% of his income to the Lord's work and live well on the other 374 00:27:40,000 --> 00:27:41,000 $50,000. 375 00:27:41,000 --> 00:27:44,000 Do you understand what I'm saying? 376 00:27:44,000 --> 00:27:51,360 The more that God gives to us, the more we are responsible to return to him. 377 00:27:51,360 --> 00:27:55,880 And it means much more than just a tithe. 378 00:27:55,880 --> 00:28:01,240 Some people, I think tithe basically to soothe their conscience and they feel, well, I've 379 00:28:01,240 --> 00:28:05,360 bought God off for another month because I've given my 10%. 380 00:28:05,360 --> 00:28:10,120 Well, it just doesn't work that way. 381 00:28:10,120 --> 00:28:15,840 There's a sixth principle that I see here regarding our stewardship, and it is that 382 00:28:15,840 --> 00:28:22,800 the giving of our lives should be generous. 383 00:28:22,800 --> 00:28:29,040 He says in the last part of verse 2, do all of this so that when I come, no collections 384 00:28:29,040 --> 00:28:31,560 will have to be made. 385 00:28:31,560 --> 00:28:36,520 Paul wanted them to give generously so that when he would come, there wouldn't be a need 386 00:28:36,520 --> 00:28:41,960 for a last-minute offering to make up the amount that was needed for the Jewish believers. 387 00:28:41,960 --> 00:28:48,200 What is suggested here is that our attitude should not be, how much do I have to give 388 00:28:48,200 --> 00:28:50,240 God to get by? 389 00:28:50,240 --> 00:28:57,640 Rather, our attitude should be, how much can I give God to honor him? 390 00:28:57,640 --> 00:29:01,440 There are some people who think that if they don't give a certain amount of money, that 391 00:29:01,440 --> 00:29:04,160 God is going to get out the spanking stick. 392 00:29:04,160 --> 00:29:10,560 Well, in fact, if we're not faithful stewards, God may discipline us, but it's not the amount 393 00:29:10,560 --> 00:29:14,680 that counts, it's the attitude that counts. 394 00:29:14,680 --> 00:29:18,080 It's the attitude at the heart. 395 00:29:18,080 --> 00:29:24,760 A person may give 10 or 20 or even 30% of his income, but if he gives it regretfully, 396 00:29:24,760 --> 00:29:28,880 begrudgingly, God is not pleased with that. 397 00:29:28,880 --> 00:29:32,640 It is not the amount that counts, it's the attitude. 398 00:29:32,640 --> 00:29:35,920 Yet, we are to be generous. 399 00:29:35,920 --> 00:29:39,360 We have Paul's words in his first epistle of the Corinthians here, but turn over a few 400 00:29:39,360 --> 00:29:43,080 pages to the second letter to the Corinthians. 401 00:29:43,080 --> 00:29:46,680 Notice what he says in chapter 8 verse 1. 402 00:29:46,680 --> 00:29:53,440 Apparently, the Corinthians were slow in obeying the principles he laid out for them that we've 403 00:29:53,440 --> 00:29:55,840 just been studying. 404 00:29:55,840 --> 00:30:02,120 So a little bit later, he writes this next letter to them and he says, and now, brothers, 405 00:30:02,120 --> 00:30:08,440 chapter 8 verse 1, we want you to know about the grace of God, the grace rather that God 406 00:30:08,440 --> 00:30:12,920 has given the Macedonian churches. 407 00:30:12,920 --> 00:30:21,400 Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in 408 00:30:21,400 --> 00:30:24,800 rich generosity. 409 00:30:24,800 --> 00:30:26,120 He says, you think you've got problems? 410 00:30:26,120 --> 00:30:28,900 Let me tell you about the Macedonians. 411 00:30:28,900 --> 00:30:32,900 He says they were under severe trial. 412 00:30:32,900 --> 00:30:42,000 They were in extreme poverty and yet their overflowing joy caused them to be rich and 413 00:30:42,000 --> 00:30:43,000 generous. 414 00:30:43,000 --> 00:30:51,920 Verse 3, for I testify that they gave as much as they were able and even beyond their ability, 415 00:30:51,920 --> 00:30:58,440 entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this 416 00:30:58,440 --> 00:30:59,920 service to the saints. 417 00:30:59,920 --> 00:31:00,920 Can you imagine that? 418 00:31:00,920 --> 00:31:05,760 Paul said, now look folks, you've got problems here in Macedonia. 419 00:31:05,760 --> 00:31:06,760 You better not give this much. 420 00:31:06,760 --> 00:31:11,840 They said, oh Paul, please, please take this money. 421 00:31:11,840 --> 00:31:16,760 That's a different way to receive an offering, isn't it? 422 00:31:16,760 --> 00:31:24,760 And he says, and they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord 423 00:31:24,760 --> 00:31:27,900 and then to us in keeping with God's will. 424 00:31:27,900 --> 00:31:34,240 What was it that caused the Macedonians to be so sacrificial and generous in their giving? 425 00:31:34,240 --> 00:31:38,280 Well, they first had given themselves to the Lord. 426 00:31:38,280 --> 00:31:42,420 They said, Lord, everything that we have is yours. 427 00:31:42,420 --> 00:31:44,000 You are the owner. 428 00:31:44,000 --> 00:31:46,480 We are the stewards of it. 429 00:31:46,480 --> 00:31:50,860 We give you ourselves. 430 00:31:50,860 --> 00:31:55,480 And that surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ in their lives caused them to give 431 00:31:55,480 --> 00:31:58,320 generously in this offering. 432 00:31:58,320 --> 00:32:03,140 So he says, we urged Titus, since he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion 433 00:32:03,140 --> 00:32:06,080 this act of grace on your part. 434 00:32:06,080 --> 00:32:10,320 But just as you excel in everything—in faith, speech, knowledge, complete earnestness, and 435 00:32:10,320 --> 00:32:16,940 in your love for us—see that you also excel in this grace of giving. 436 00:32:16,940 --> 00:32:17,940 Giving is a grace. 437 00:32:17,940 --> 00:32:26,480 He says, I'm not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing 438 00:32:26,480 --> 00:32:29,440 it with the earnestness of others. 439 00:32:29,440 --> 00:32:34,440 Paul is doing a little arm twisting here in the sense that he says, now, I'm going to 440 00:32:34,440 --> 00:32:39,000 compare your love and your earnestness with that of the Macedonians. 441 00:32:39,000 --> 00:32:40,360 Was that an illegitimate thing to do? 442 00:32:40,360 --> 00:32:42,560 I don't think so. 443 00:32:42,560 --> 00:32:45,840 He's simply saying, you know the Macedonians and all the trouble they've had, I want to 444 00:32:45,840 --> 00:32:47,260 tell you about them. 445 00:32:47,260 --> 00:32:51,920 They gave themselves to the Lord, and then they gave an offering that far exceeded anything 446 00:32:51,920 --> 00:32:53,840 that we imagined that they would do. 447 00:32:53,840 --> 00:32:59,080 He says, I want you to follow their example. 448 00:32:59,080 --> 00:33:01,640 And that's the example we ought to follow, too. 449 00:33:01,640 --> 00:33:06,480 In chapter 9, he talks a little bit more about this idea of sacrificial and generous giving. 450 00:33:06,480 --> 00:33:15,440 He says in verse 6, remember this, whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and 451 00:33:15,440 --> 00:33:22,120 whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 452 00:33:22,120 --> 00:33:23,120 Very simple principle. 453 00:33:23,120 --> 00:33:29,480 Every farmer understands this, and so should every steward of God's money. 454 00:33:29,480 --> 00:33:37,320 Those that sow sparingly will have little return, but those that sow bountifully will 455 00:33:37,320 --> 00:33:40,640 reap much. 456 00:33:40,640 --> 00:33:48,920 We sow in this life, we reap when we stand before the Lord. 457 00:33:48,920 --> 00:33:54,640 How much are you sowing for the harvest, then? 458 00:33:54,640 --> 00:33:59,920 He goes on to say, each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give. 459 00:33:59,920 --> 00:34:03,840 He doesn't say every man should give a tithe. 460 00:34:03,840 --> 00:34:06,700 He could have said that if he wanted to, but he didn't. 461 00:34:06,700 --> 00:34:13,040 He said every man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly 462 00:34:13,040 --> 00:34:19,840 or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 463 00:34:19,840 --> 00:34:27,320 The most joyous, happy part of our whole service together should be the offering. 464 00:34:27,320 --> 00:34:29,800 That's the time we're able to share with others. 465 00:34:29,800 --> 00:34:32,560 It should be a hilarious time. 466 00:34:32,560 --> 00:34:38,200 Just because the joy bubbles up in our hearts, here we can give something to God out of all 467 00:34:38,200 --> 00:34:40,800 the prosperity he's given to us. 468 00:34:40,800 --> 00:34:43,200 What a great privilege it is to give. 469 00:34:43,200 --> 00:34:44,200 What a joy. 470 00:34:44,200 --> 00:34:47,000 And how right to be generous. 471 00:34:47,000 --> 00:34:51,400 And then there's a seventh and final principle that we'll see. 472 00:34:51,400 --> 00:34:55,840 Keep your finger here in 2 Corinthians 8, but go back for a moment to 1 Corinthians 473 00:34:55,840 --> 00:35:03,720 16, and look at verse 3. 474 00:35:03,720 --> 00:35:10,000 He says, then when I arrive, I will give letters of introduction to the men you approve, and 475 00:35:10,000 --> 00:35:13,760 send them with your gift to Jerusalem. 476 00:35:13,760 --> 00:35:17,000 If it seems advisable for me to go also, they will accompany me. 477 00:35:17,000 --> 00:35:21,000 At this point, Paul wasn't sure if that was the right thing for him to go on, but he was 478 00:35:21,000 --> 00:35:22,800 overseeing the collection of the gift. 479 00:35:22,800 --> 00:35:28,360 Later, of course, he did go with those who took the offering to the Jerusalem saints. 480 00:35:28,360 --> 00:35:29,360 What is Paul saying here? 481 00:35:29,360 --> 00:35:34,480 I think he's giving us this principle that our giving needs to be sensitive. 482 00:35:34,480 --> 00:35:39,680 It needs to be sensitive in the sense to whom we give. 483 00:35:39,680 --> 00:35:47,720 Paul was overly concerned, but not too concerned, that the offering should be handled in the 484 00:35:47,720 --> 00:35:48,720 right way. 485 00:35:48,720 --> 00:36:00,120 Now, I want you to go back to 2 Corinthians for a moment, and look in verse 18. 486 00:36:00,120 --> 00:36:02,520 He talks about Titus in verses 16 and 17. 487 00:36:02,520 --> 00:36:09,440 In verse 18 of 2 Corinthians 8, he says, And we are sending along with him the brother 488 00:36:09,440 --> 00:36:14,080 who is praised by all the churches for his service to the gospel. 489 00:36:14,080 --> 00:36:21,880 What is more, he was chosen by the churches to accompany us as we carry the offering which 490 00:36:21,880 --> 00:36:27,400 we administer in order to honor the Lord himself and to show our eagerness to help. 491 00:36:27,400 --> 00:36:34,040 We want to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this liberal gift, for we are 492 00:36:34,040 --> 00:36:40,280 taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord, but also in the eyes 493 00:36:40,280 --> 00:36:41,280 of men. 494 00:36:41,280 --> 00:36:44,200 Do you see what he's saying there? 495 00:36:44,200 --> 00:36:52,640 He's saying that we need to be sensitive in the way that God's money is used. 496 00:36:52,640 --> 00:36:55,160 The Lord knows that we are using it the right way. 497 00:36:55,160 --> 00:37:00,800 He's saying people need to know that we are using it the right way, too. 498 00:37:00,800 --> 00:37:08,760 The way that we expend God's money as a church, as a body of believers, is very, very important. 499 00:37:08,760 --> 00:37:12,060 So be sensitive to whom you give your money. 500 00:37:12,060 --> 00:37:17,280 Do not give to a local church that does not spend God's money wisely. 501 00:37:17,280 --> 00:37:22,640 Do not give to a local church that is off-base doctrinally, that does not teach the truth 502 00:37:22,640 --> 00:37:23,640 of God's word. 503 00:37:23,640 --> 00:37:25,260 Be sensitive to whom you give. 504 00:37:25,260 --> 00:37:30,360 Do not give to an organization that cannot account for its finances. 505 00:37:30,360 --> 00:37:36,200 Find out how much is going to overhead when you give to an organization. 506 00:37:36,200 --> 00:37:40,680 I know of organizations that right now today that are raising money to feed hungry people 507 00:37:40,680 --> 00:37:46,440 in other lands, and anywhere from 60 to 75 percent of every dollar given goes to their 508 00:37:46,440 --> 00:37:50,320 overhead in their office. 509 00:37:50,320 --> 00:37:56,640 Only 25 to maybe 40 cents out of every dollar ever gets over there to buy food for hungry 510 00:37:56,640 --> 00:37:58,680 people. 511 00:37:58,680 --> 00:38:01,920 I wouldn't give them a dime. 512 00:38:01,920 --> 00:38:04,120 Be sensitive to whom you give. 513 00:38:04,120 --> 00:38:09,560 Make sure that the money is being disseminated and expended in a way that honors God. 514 00:38:09,560 --> 00:38:14,360 But I think he's also saying that we should be sensitive to needs here, not just to whom 515 00:38:14,360 --> 00:38:17,920 we give, but we should be sensitive to needs. 516 00:38:17,920 --> 00:38:20,120 The early church, you see, had a real problem here. 517 00:38:20,120 --> 00:38:27,020 The Jewish saints in Jerusalem were in a severe trial, and the apostle is out here raising 518 00:38:27,020 --> 00:38:32,760 money among the Gentile churches to meet a genuine need, and it's going to be expended 519 00:38:32,760 --> 00:38:34,200 in the right way. 520 00:38:34,200 --> 00:38:39,200 And so he's saying here in essence, our giving is to be with a sensitive heart. 521 00:38:39,200 --> 00:38:46,760 We should have responsive hearts, glad and ready to meet a need, giving carefully. 522 00:38:46,760 --> 00:38:51,800 Folks, giving is investing with God. 523 00:38:51,800 --> 00:38:54,680 That's what it is. 524 00:38:54,680 --> 00:39:00,240 You're not giving to a stock brokerage firm to buy stock on the stock exchange. 525 00:39:00,240 --> 00:39:02,780 You are giving to God for his work. 526 00:39:02,780 --> 00:39:06,900 You are investing in the lives of people. 527 00:39:06,900 --> 00:39:12,400 And I can't imagine anything more fulfilling and exciting than that. 528 00:39:12,400 --> 00:39:17,280 The reason is that when we stand before the Lord in heaven, he is not going to care how 529 00:39:17,280 --> 00:39:22,360 much we earn in our dividends in the stock market the last year. 530 00:39:22,360 --> 00:39:28,400 One of the concerns will be the lives that we have impacted for his glory through our 531 00:39:28,400 --> 00:39:30,580 giving. 532 00:39:30,580 --> 00:39:37,600 Giving is investing with God, and it yields eternal dividends and interest. 533 00:39:37,600 --> 00:39:43,680 Through our giving, God reveals how we can handle spiritual things. 534 00:39:43,680 --> 00:39:48,320 One of the principles of God's word is that if a person is faithful in little, he'll 535 00:39:48,320 --> 00:39:53,520 be faithful also in that which is more important. 536 00:39:53,520 --> 00:39:58,160 And he includes money as one of the little things. 537 00:39:58,160 --> 00:40:01,400 Can you handle the big things? 538 00:40:01,400 --> 00:40:08,080 Some of you are preparing to be missionaries and pastors, workers of the Lord, in full-time 539 00:40:08,080 --> 00:40:10,960 service as we call it. 540 00:40:10,960 --> 00:40:15,560 Others of you are preparing for other places of service for Jesus Christ out there in the 541 00:40:15,560 --> 00:40:18,940 secular world. 542 00:40:18,940 --> 00:40:25,400 Can you handle spiritual responsibility in the years to come? 543 00:40:25,400 --> 00:40:30,240 You will prove that you can by the way that you use your money, for he that is faithful 544 00:40:30,240 --> 00:40:35,400 in the little things will also be faithful in the big things. 545 00:40:35,400 --> 00:40:42,400 Dr. George Truitt was the far-famed pastor of the First Baptist Church in Dallas for 546 00:40:42,400 --> 00:40:43,880 nearly half a century. 547 00:40:43,880 --> 00:40:48,020 He went to be with the Lord back in the 40s. 548 00:40:48,020 --> 00:40:54,160 The story is told about one occasion when Dr. Truitt was entertained by a wealthy oil 549 00:40:54,160 --> 00:40:57,500 man in Texas. 550 00:40:57,500 --> 00:41:01,040 After dinner, they went up to the roof of the house where there was a bit of a breeze 551 00:41:01,040 --> 00:41:07,760 and those hot Texas oil fields in order to relax a little bit. 552 00:41:07,760 --> 00:41:17,320 Up there on the roof of the house, the wealthy Texan pointed to a huge field of oil derricks 553 00:41:17,320 --> 00:41:22,760 and he said, Dr. Truitt, that's all mine. 554 00:41:22,760 --> 00:41:30,240 I came to this country 25 years ago penniless and now I own the oil derricks as far as you 555 00:41:30,240 --> 00:41:32,040 can see in that direction. 556 00:41:32,040 --> 00:41:41,040 Then he turned to the opposite direction and he said, you see those fields of grain over 557 00:41:41,040 --> 00:41:42,040 there? 558 00:41:42,040 --> 00:41:50,880 He said, I own everything that you can see as far as you can see in that direction. 559 00:41:50,880 --> 00:41:55,720 Then he pointed to the next direction and he said, you see those herds of cattle? 560 00:41:55,720 --> 00:41:58,280 It's all mine. 561 00:41:58,280 --> 00:42:03,880 Everything you can see in that direction is all mine. 562 00:42:03,880 --> 00:42:11,160 And finally he turned in another direction where there was a wooded area and he said, 563 00:42:11,160 --> 00:42:12,640 that's all mine. 564 00:42:12,640 --> 00:42:17,160 As far as you can see in that direction, all of that timber is mine. 565 00:42:17,160 --> 00:42:21,120 I came to this country 25 years ago penniless. 566 00:42:21,120 --> 00:42:23,520 I've worked hard and I've saved. 567 00:42:23,520 --> 00:42:30,040 I've invested well and now I own everything that you can see in that direction, in that 568 00:42:30,040 --> 00:42:33,920 direction, in that direction, and in that direction. 569 00:42:33,920 --> 00:42:39,920 And then he paused expecting that Dr. Truitt would commend him. 570 00:42:39,920 --> 00:42:42,920 But to his astonishment nothing came. 571 00:42:42,920 --> 00:42:50,520 And then Dr. Truitt said to him, my friend, how much do you own in that direction? 572 00:42:50,520 --> 00:42:58,320 That's the question I've got for you today. 573 00:42:58,320 --> 00:43:03,880 Let's pray. 574 00:43:03,880 --> 00:43:11,280 I pray, Father, that every one of us who are children of God here today would recognize 575 00:43:11,280 --> 00:43:13,520 his responsibility of stewardship. 576 00:43:13,520 --> 00:43:18,680 Help me to realize that. 577 00:43:18,680 --> 00:43:26,280 You are the owner of all that we have, of our very lives for that matter. 578 00:43:26,280 --> 00:43:35,400 Wherein we have lived selfishly as poor stewards, forgive us. 579 00:43:35,400 --> 00:43:40,000 And help us to follow the principles of stewardship as laid out in your words so that we can also 580 00:43:40,000 --> 00:43:47,680 know the attendant blessings that come with obedience. 581 00:43:47,680 --> 00:43:54,760 Deliver us from petty excuses as to why we may have failed at this point. 582 00:43:54,760 --> 00:44:00,280 Help us to be honest with ourselves and with you. 583 00:44:00,280 --> 00:44:11,200 And determine within our hearts the steps we need to take to be good stewards. 584 00:44:11,200 --> 00:44:16,800 And Father, I pray for some friend who may be here who's lost and not saved, who maybe 585 00:44:16,800 --> 00:44:23,480 has good investments in every direction he can point to accept up. 586 00:44:23,480 --> 00:44:31,080 Help him to see that today that is his greatest urgency and priority, to be right with you. 587 00:44:31,080 --> 00:44:53,960 In Jesus' name I pray, amen.