WEBVTT 00:00:06.290 --> 00:00:09.330 One of the reasons we can be grateful is that 00:00:09.330 --> 00:00:11.570 Christmas is just about a month away. Isn't that 00:00:11.570 --> 00:00:15.509 exciting? Especially to boys and girls. One of 00:00:15.509 --> 00:00:19.230 my favorite events around Christmas is the televising 00:00:19.230 --> 00:00:24.269 of Dickens' Christmas Carol. That story of Ebenezer 00:00:24.269 --> 00:00:29.489 Scrooge, the miser who through a series of nighttime 00:00:29.489 --> 00:00:33.670 visitations learns the value of generosity. And 00:00:33.670 --> 00:00:38.090 one of my favorite scenes is that one after the 00:00:38.090 --> 00:00:42.270 night time of visitations. When he goes to the 00:00:42.270 --> 00:00:44.570 window and throws it open and there's a young 00:00:44.570 --> 00:00:48.409 boy outside and he asks the young boy to go down 00:00:48.409 --> 00:00:50.429 around the corner to the market and bring home 00:00:50.429 --> 00:00:54.009 the biggest goose they have there. And the little 00:00:54.009 --> 00:00:56.350 boy recognizes who it is that is talking with 00:00:56.350 --> 00:00:59.869 him and his eyes get big and he even offers a 00:00:59.869 --> 00:01:03.740 tip. to the little boy and he runs off with excitement 00:01:03.740 --> 00:01:07.340 because the generosity of this man who had been 00:01:07.340 --> 00:01:11.700 a miser. His whole life changes when he understands 00:01:11.700 --> 00:01:15.719 the importance of being generous. For the first 00:01:15.719 --> 00:01:20.659 time, perhaps, he experiences joy. It is possible 00:01:20.659 --> 00:01:23.480 to give, though, without being generous, isn't 00:01:23.480 --> 00:01:27.680 it? It's possible to give and instead of being 00:01:27.680 --> 00:01:31.269 happy about it, be absolutely miserable. Ask 00:01:31.269 --> 00:01:35.290 the little boy who is asked to share his candy 00:01:35.290 --> 00:01:39.609 bar with his sister. He gives, but he's miserable. 00:01:41.030 --> 00:01:44.489 Or ask the taxpayer who sends off his check on 00:01:44.489 --> 00:01:48.150 April the 15th. He gives, but it's not with a 00:01:48.150 --> 00:01:52.129 great deal of delight. Or perhaps ask the company 00:01:52.129 --> 00:01:56.189 employee who must reduce his benefits in order 00:01:56.189 --> 00:01:59.379 for the company to survive. as has happened in 00:01:59.379 --> 00:02:03.620 our area in recent days. He gives back, but there's 00:02:03.620 --> 00:02:08.479 not a great deal of happiness in it. Joy, you 00:02:08.479 --> 00:02:11.099 see, depends upon one's attitude about what is 00:02:11.099 --> 00:02:14.819 given away. The attitude that the Bible talks 00:02:14.819 --> 00:02:18.979 about in connection with our giving is the attitude 00:02:18.979 --> 00:02:22.819 of generosity. When we learn to be generous, 00:02:23.199 --> 00:02:26.599 we will learn to be happy. Our text today in 00:02:26.599 --> 00:02:31.099 Proverbs chapter 11 deals with the way that we 00:02:31.099 --> 00:02:33.180 give. You know the Bible has a great deal to 00:02:33.180 --> 00:02:36.819 say about money and our attitude toward it and 00:02:36.819 --> 00:02:41.300 about our attitude about giving. In Proverbs 00:02:41.300 --> 00:02:47.680 11 verse 24 we read, One man gives freely, yet 00:02:47.680 --> 00:02:52.900 gains even more. Another withholds unduly, but 00:02:52.900 --> 00:02:56.789 comes to poverty. A generous man will prosper. 00:02:57.770 --> 00:03:04.030 He who refreshes others will himself be refreshed." 00:03:04.030 --> 00:03:09.990 One's attitude toward giving and his practice 00:03:09.990 --> 00:03:16.849 of giving measures his spiritual growth and it 00:03:16.849 --> 00:03:19.650 also determines his future blessings by the grace 00:03:19.650 --> 00:03:25.199 of God. We show what we are by what we do with 00:03:25.199 --> 00:03:29.680 what we have. In the text that is before us today 00:03:29.680 --> 00:03:32.939 from the book of Proverbs, we see two principles. 00:03:34.699 --> 00:03:38.520 They're contrasting principles. The first one 00:03:38.520 --> 00:03:42.120 is that the generous giver will enjoy prosperity. 00:03:43.699 --> 00:03:46.340 The second principle is that the greedy keeper 00:03:46.340 --> 00:03:51.419 will endure poverty. Let's think about those 00:03:51.419 --> 00:03:54.639 principles this morning. The first thing we have 00:03:54.639 --> 00:03:57.240 to do though is to define prosperity in that 00:03:57.240 --> 00:04:00.800 first principle. The generous giver will enjoy 00:04:00.800 --> 00:04:06.060 prosperity. Prosperity does not necessarily mean 00:04:06.060 --> 00:04:10.319 material things. Sometimes it means things that 00:04:10.319 --> 00:04:15.919 are better. For example, spiritual riches or 00:04:15.919 --> 00:04:20.689 rewards of character. or the pleasure of God. 00:04:22.290 --> 00:04:26.769 God's smile is much more prosperity than mere 00:04:26.769 --> 00:04:33.269 finances. In the latter part of the 17th century, 00:04:33.389 --> 00:04:35.949 there was a German preacher by the name of August 00:04:35.949 --> 00:04:39.490 Frank who founded an orphanage to help homeless 00:04:39.490 --> 00:04:43.230 children. He desperately needed funds to carry 00:04:43.230 --> 00:04:48.029 on his own ministry. But one day, A destitute 00:04:48.029 --> 00:04:51.829 Christian widow came to his door begging for 00:04:51.829 --> 00:04:56.529 some money. Because of his own financial straits, 00:04:56.889 --> 00:04:59.110 he did not feel that he could give her anything. 00:05:01.149 --> 00:05:06.269 Disheartened, she began to weep. Pastor Frank 00:05:06.269 --> 00:05:08.730 was moved by her tears and asked her to wait 00:05:08.730 --> 00:05:12.129 at the door while he went to his room to pray. 00:05:13.889 --> 00:05:17.850 After seeking the guidance of God, He returned 00:05:17.850 --> 00:05:21.290 to the door with the gold coin, the one gold 00:05:21.290 --> 00:05:25.870 coin that he had, and he gave it to her, trusting 00:05:25.870 --> 00:05:30.649 the Lord then to meet his own needs. It was two 00:05:30.649 --> 00:05:35.089 mornings later that the widow returned with a 00:05:35.089 --> 00:05:39.449 letter of thanks. She explained to him in the 00:05:39.449 --> 00:05:42.730 letter that because of his generosity she had 00:05:42.730 --> 00:05:47.420 asked the Lord to shower the orphanage with gifts. 00:05:48.899 --> 00:05:51.860 It was that same day that Pastor Frank received 00:05:51.860 --> 00:05:57.000 in the mail, 12 times, over 12 times as much 00:05:57.000 --> 00:06:03.420 as he had given to that widow lady. The generous 00:06:03.420 --> 00:06:06.720 giver will enjoy prosperity. It doesn't always 00:06:06.720 --> 00:06:12.319 mean material prosperity. But it doesn't rule 00:06:12.319 --> 00:06:16.500 out material prosperity either. Now in saying 00:06:16.500 --> 00:06:19.319 that I am not proclaiming this morning a prosperity 00:06:19.319 --> 00:06:23.379 gospel. There are people today who are teaching 00:06:23.379 --> 00:06:26.540 a false gospel that God always wants his people 00:06:26.540 --> 00:06:30.680 to be healthy and wealthy. Actually, the New 00:06:30.680 --> 00:06:34.379 Testament comes much closer to teaching a gospel 00:06:34.379 --> 00:06:40.870 of adversity than prosperity. But the fact is 00:06:40.870 --> 00:06:44.709 that God does choose at times to reward generous 00:06:44.709 --> 00:06:50.730 givers even with material prosperity. Now I recognize 00:06:50.730 --> 00:06:53.009 that these verses are from the Old Testament 00:06:53.009 --> 00:06:56.350 that we look at this morning, that they are promises 00:06:56.350 --> 00:07:02.170 focused upon Israel. I recognize that obedience 00:07:02.170 --> 00:07:05.189 in Israel resulted in material blessings. That 00:07:05.189 --> 00:07:10.860 was the promise of God. I also realize that these 00:07:10.860 --> 00:07:13.920 promises were part of a specific historical covenant 00:07:13.920 --> 00:07:19.680 with Israel. I further recognize that the New 00:07:19.680 --> 00:07:22.939 Testament emphasis is different than the Old 00:07:22.939 --> 00:07:27.759 Testament. The New Testament emphasizes the future, 00:07:28.459 --> 00:07:32.579 not the here and now. The New Testament emphasizes 00:07:32.579 --> 00:07:37.100 the heavenly, not the earthly. The New Testament 00:07:37.100 --> 00:07:39.839 emphasizes the spiritual and not the material. 00:07:39.920 --> 00:07:43.699 I know all of that. But I'm also aware of the 00:07:43.699 --> 00:07:46.220 fact that this principle, this general principle, 00:07:46.339 --> 00:07:50.339 is still true. That the generous giver will enjoy 00:07:50.339 --> 00:07:55.220 prosperity. We see that even in the New Testament. 00:07:57.120 --> 00:07:59.639 For example, turn with me to the Gospel of Luke 00:07:59.639 --> 00:08:02.480 and the words of Jesus in the sixth chapter. 00:08:03.560 --> 00:08:07.519 where the larger context actually is that of 00:08:07.519 --> 00:08:14.040 finances. And Jesus says to us, give, this is 00:08:14.040 --> 00:08:19.540 verse 38 of Luke 6, give and it will be given 00:08:19.540 --> 00:08:26.060 to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken 00:08:26.060 --> 00:08:29.360 together and running over, will be poured into 00:08:29.360 --> 00:08:33.659 your lap. For with the measure you use, It will 00:08:33.659 --> 00:08:37.639 be measured to you Jesus says if you get a quarter 00:08:37.639 --> 00:08:41.500 of a cup and You use that to measure out your 00:08:41.500 --> 00:08:45.000 giving Then that which is returned to you will 00:08:45.000 --> 00:08:49.639 be with a quarter of a cup But if you get a five 00:08:49.639 --> 00:08:52.460 gallon bucket and you use that to measure out 00:08:52.460 --> 00:08:55.340 to others That which is returned to you will 00:08:55.340 --> 00:09:00.539 be returned in five gallon buckets Jesus says 00:09:00.539 --> 00:09:04.929 give And it will be given to you. I recognize 00:09:04.929 --> 00:09:07.570 that that means more than finances, but who are 00:09:07.570 --> 00:09:09.549 we to rule it out? Especially when that's in 00:09:09.549 --> 00:09:13.649 the broader context of this chapter. When you 00:09:13.649 --> 00:09:17.629 and I give and give generously, God promises 00:09:17.629 --> 00:09:21.149 to meet our needs. And His smile will be upon 00:09:21.149 --> 00:09:26.450 our lives. Is that not prosperity? Turn with 00:09:26.450 --> 00:09:31.870 me to 2 Corinthians chapter 9. Where we'll begin 00:09:31.870 --> 00:09:34.669 with the first verse and the paragraph is a bit 00:09:34.669 --> 00:09:38.769 longer, but I urge you to follow with me In your 00:09:38.769 --> 00:09:41.450 copy of the Bible as we read these words 2nd 00:09:41.450 --> 00:09:46.809 Corinthians chapter 9 Paul says there's no need 00:09:46.809 --> 00:09:50.049 for me to write to you about this service to 00:09:50.049 --> 00:09:54.850 the Saints He's talking about an offering that 00:09:54.850 --> 00:09:57.789 the people in Corinth had promised to give many 00:09:57.789 --> 00:10:01.600 months before this toward the needs of the suffering 00:10:01.600 --> 00:10:05.279 believers in Jerusalem. Paul says there's no 00:10:05.279 --> 00:10:07.840 need for me to write to you about this for I 00:10:07.840 --> 00:10:12.200 know your eagerness to help and I've been boasting 00:10:12.200 --> 00:10:15.200 about it to the Macedonians telling them that 00:10:15.200 --> 00:10:19.399 since last year you and Achaia were ready to 00:10:19.399 --> 00:10:23.259 give and your enthusiasm has stirred most of 00:10:23.259 --> 00:10:27.000 them to action. Paul is saying I have bragged 00:10:27.000 --> 00:10:30.139 about you and your willingness to give generously 00:10:30.139 --> 00:10:33.019 to these people that I'm ministering to now. 00:10:34.500 --> 00:10:37.120 And because they saw your example, many of them 00:10:37.120 --> 00:10:40.799 decided to follow it. It goes on to say, but 00:10:40.799 --> 00:10:45.220 I am sending the brothers in order that our boasting 00:10:45.220 --> 00:10:48.240 about you in this manner should not prove hollow, 00:10:49.100 --> 00:10:51.279 but that you may be ready as I said you would 00:10:51.279 --> 00:10:55.919 be. For if any Macedonians come with me and find 00:10:55.919 --> 00:10:59.960 you unprepared, We, not to say anything about 00:10:59.960 --> 00:11:03.559 you, would be ashamed of having been so confident. 00:11:04.639 --> 00:11:07.100 So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers 00:11:07.100 --> 00:11:10.240 to visit you in advance and finish the arrangements 00:11:10.240 --> 00:11:13.980 for the generous gift you had promised. Then 00:11:13.980 --> 00:11:16.799 it will be ready as a generous gift and not as 00:11:16.799 --> 00:11:21.419 one grudgingly given. Remember this, whoever 00:11:21.419 --> 00:11:25.440 sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and 00:11:25.440 --> 00:11:29.129 whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 00:11:30.210 --> 00:11:33.610 Each man should give what he has decided in his 00:11:33.610 --> 00:11:36.429 heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, 00:11:36.549 --> 00:11:40.370 for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able 00:11:40.370 --> 00:11:45.250 to make all grace abound to you, so that in all 00:11:45.250 --> 00:11:48.889 things, at all times, having all that you need, 00:11:49.690 --> 00:11:52.870 you will abound in every good work. As it is 00:11:52.870 --> 00:11:55.269 written, he has scattered abroad his gifts to 00:11:55.269 --> 00:11:57.990 the poor, his righteousness endures forever. 00:11:59.230 --> 00:12:01.870 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread 00:12:01.870 --> 00:12:07.389 for food will also supply and increase your store 00:12:07.389 --> 00:12:12.009 of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your 00:12:12.009 --> 00:12:16.009 righteousness. You will be made rich in every 00:12:16.009 --> 00:12:19.490 way so that you can be generous on every occasion. 00:12:20.099 --> 00:12:23.360 And through us, your generosity will result in 00:12:23.360 --> 00:12:25.539 thanksgiving to God. Don't miss what he says 00:12:25.539 --> 00:12:29.240 in his paragraph. He is saying that when you 00:12:29.240 --> 00:12:32.460 and I give generously to God, when we give with 00:12:32.460 --> 00:12:36.379 a cheerful and joyful heart, God commits himself 00:12:36.379 --> 00:12:40.919 to meet our needs and will increase our ability 00:12:40.919 --> 00:12:46.360 to give for two reasons. For the glory of God 00:12:46.360 --> 00:12:50.500 and so that there will be an increase in what 00:12:50.500 --> 00:12:55.299 he calls the harvest of our righteousness. These 00:12:55.299 --> 00:12:57.820 are wonderful promises, not from the Old Testament, 00:12:58.159 --> 00:13:02.679 from the New Testament, about God's faithfulness 00:13:02.679 --> 00:13:06.879 to those who give generously. The generous giver 00:13:06.879 --> 00:13:11.580 will enjoy prosperity. Proverbs 22 verse 9 says, 00:13:12.000 --> 00:13:16.379 A generous man will himself be blessed, for he 00:13:16.379 --> 00:13:21.899 shares his food. with the poor. This builds on 00:13:21.899 --> 00:13:24.120 another principle found in Proverbs, the third 00:13:24.120 --> 00:13:26.600 chapter, and I would like you to turn back there 00:13:26.600 --> 00:13:31.299 with me. For in Proverbs 3, verse 9, we have 00:13:31.299 --> 00:13:35.279 this principle regarding our money. He says, 00:13:35.419 --> 00:13:39.539 honor the Lord with your wealth. How do we do 00:13:39.539 --> 00:13:43.620 that? With the first fruits of all your crops. 00:13:44.860 --> 00:13:48.039 Then your barns will be filled overflowing and 00:13:48.039 --> 00:13:51.019 your vats will brim over with new wine. Yes, 00:13:51.019 --> 00:13:55.039 I know this is Israel. But is there not a principle 00:13:55.039 --> 00:13:58.679 that supersedes time and dispensations? I think 00:13:58.679 --> 00:14:03.460 there is. He says that we are to honor the Lord 00:14:03.460 --> 00:14:07.200 by bringing to Him the first fruits of our increase. 00:14:08.360 --> 00:14:12.080 Here it's in agricultural terms. What is the 00:14:12.080 --> 00:14:15.090 first fruits? What does that mean? Well, that's 00:14:15.090 --> 00:14:18.809 Old Testament language for the tithe. The giving 00:14:18.809 --> 00:14:23.070 of the 10 % off the top of our increase to God. 00:14:23.830 --> 00:14:26.049 That's how we honor the Lord with our finances. 00:14:27.350 --> 00:14:30.250 Randy Alcorn in his very fine book entitled Money, 00:14:30.350 --> 00:14:34.110 Possessions, and Eternity writes, tithing is 00:14:34.110 --> 00:14:36.610 intended to train us to put God first in our 00:14:36.610 --> 00:14:40.590 lives. Because the giving of the 10 % represents 00:14:40.590 --> 00:14:44.330 the other 90%, Tithing symbolizes the giving 00:14:44.330 --> 00:14:48.610 of our whole lives to God. Tithing gives us perspective. 00:14:49.370 --> 00:14:52.289 It reminds us that all we are and all we have 00:14:52.289 --> 00:14:57.090 is from another, a higher one. It is a tribute 00:14:57.090 --> 00:15:01.549 we pay to God. Tithing is not some token or tip 00:15:01.549 --> 00:15:04.490 for good service mindlessly thrown down on the 00:15:04.490 --> 00:15:08.409 table after a meal, but a meaningful, symbolic 00:15:08.409 --> 00:15:11.600 expression of our dependence upon the Lord. and 00:15:11.600 --> 00:15:15.120 our gratitude to Him for all that He is and all 00:15:15.120 --> 00:15:19.159 that He's given us. He goes on to say, as we 00:15:19.159 --> 00:15:21.980 have seen the people of Israel's per capita payment 00:15:21.980 --> 00:15:26.360 of tithes amounted to 23 % of their income, yet 00:15:26.360 --> 00:15:29.480 Christianity Today reports that the per capita 00:15:29.480 --> 00:15:32.980 giving of church members in America is approximately 00:15:32.980 --> 00:15:38.519 2 .5 % of their income. This is a revealing statistic, 00:15:38.600 --> 00:15:41.549 he writes. in that it demonstrates, apparently, 00:15:41.690 --> 00:15:44.090 that the law was ten times more effective than 00:15:44.090 --> 00:15:47.730 grace. Or to put it another way, when it comes 00:15:47.730 --> 00:15:50.789 to giving, people were ten times more responsive 00:15:50.789 --> 00:15:53.629 to the law of Moses than they appear to be to 00:15:53.629 --> 00:15:56.889 the grace of Christ. Obviously, something is 00:15:56.889 --> 00:16:00.190 terribly wrong. When we as New Testament believers, 00:16:00.330 --> 00:16:02.889 especially those living in a far more affluent 00:16:02.889 --> 00:16:06.370 society than ancient Israel, give at a level 00:16:06.370 --> 00:16:09.600 that is only a small fraction, of that of the 00:16:09.600 --> 00:16:12.460 Old Testament believers. We must take a careful 00:16:12.460 --> 00:16:15.759 look at our concept of grace giving. To most 00:16:15.759 --> 00:16:18.620 people the term grace giving simply means give 00:16:18.620 --> 00:16:21.860 what you feel like. The problem is most Christians 00:16:21.860 --> 00:16:27.539 apparently just don't feel like giving. The principle 00:16:27.539 --> 00:16:30.299 of God's word is that we bring the first fruits 00:16:30.299 --> 00:16:35.120 to God. And God promises that He will bless us. 00:16:35.600 --> 00:16:39.350 And our giving is beyond that. The gifts in the 00:16:39.350 --> 00:16:42.110 Old Testament language were what were brought 00:16:42.110 --> 00:16:47.409 to God beyond the tithe. God promises to bless 00:16:47.409 --> 00:16:51.230 the generous giver. He compares the generous 00:16:51.230 --> 00:16:55.490 giver to a farmer. He says the farmer who sows 00:16:55.490 --> 00:16:59.970 sparingly will sow reap. And the farmer who sows 00:16:59.970 --> 00:17:03.769 abundantly and richly will reap in the same manner. 00:17:05.230 --> 00:17:08.529 The hand that gives is the hand that gathers. 00:17:10.309 --> 00:17:14.029 You and I really are not giving to God until 00:17:14.029 --> 00:17:20.630 we enjoy it. The generous giver will enjoy prosperity 00:17:20.630 --> 00:17:24.750 by God's goodness and grace. The second principle 00:17:24.750 --> 00:17:27.329 that he gives us in our text in Proverbs 11 is 00:17:27.329 --> 00:17:31.910 more sobering than the first. For it says that 00:17:31.910 --> 00:17:36.819 the greedy keeper will endure poverty. Now again, 00:17:37.700 --> 00:17:41.599 this is a general principle. All of us know exceptions 00:17:41.599 --> 00:17:46.859 because we are aware of wealthy misers. And once 00:17:46.859 --> 00:17:51.420 again, we must define the terms here more broadly 00:17:51.420 --> 00:17:58.099 than just material things. Poverty here embraces 00:17:58.099 --> 00:18:03.210 not only poverty of riches, But the poverty of 00:18:03.210 --> 00:18:05.990 soul, the shriveling of soul that comes from 00:18:05.990 --> 00:18:11.009 miserliness, it embraces the nagging of fear 00:18:11.009 --> 00:18:14.470 that many have that they're going to lose what 00:18:14.470 --> 00:18:18.730 they're keeping and hoarding. Poverty refers 00:18:18.730 --> 00:18:22.250 to a miserable life. Have you ever noticed that 00:18:22.250 --> 00:18:25.069 the first five letters of the word miserable 00:18:25.069 --> 00:18:32.589 spell miser? There's a reason for that. An article 00:18:32.589 --> 00:18:34.869 in a San Francisco newspaper reported that a 00:18:34.869 --> 00:18:39.789 young man once found five dollars on the street. 00:18:41.309 --> 00:18:43.690 And having found it, he resolved that from that 00:18:43.690 --> 00:18:46.349 time onward he would never lift his eyes from 00:18:46.349 --> 00:18:49.869 the street while he was walking. The paper went 00:18:49.869 --> 00:18:52.890 on to say that over the years he accumulated, 00:18:52.910 --> 00:19:01.490 among other things, 29 ,516 buttons. 54 ,172 00:19:01.490 --> 00:19:07.529 pins, 12 cents, a bent back, and a miserly disposition. 00:19:09.009 --> 00:19:12.190 But he also lost something, the paper said. The 00:19:12.190 --> 00:19:14.789 glory of the sunlight, the radiance of the stars, 00:19:15.029 --> 00:19:18.269 the smiles of his friends, and the freshness 00:19:18.269 --> 00:19:23.329 of the blue skies. When we walk through life 00:19:23.329 --> 00:19:27.259 looking down for what we can get out of it, We 00:19:27.259 --> 00:19:31.920 are the losers. The greedy keeper will endure 00:19:31.920 --> 00:19:35.400 poverty. That's why Jesus warned in Luke 12 verse 00:19:35.400 --> 00:19:41.259 15, watch out! Be on guard against all kinds 00:19:41.259 --> 00:19:45.740 of greed. A man's life does not consist in the 00:19:45.740 --> 00:19:51.180 abundance of his possessions. Greed is the opposite 00:19:51.180 --> 00:19:57.319 of generosity. Generosity is giving unselfishly, 00:19:57.619 --> 00:20:02.579 greed is keeping for oneself. Greed knows no 00:20:02.579 --> 00:20:07.259 point when it says, I am satisfied. It's illustrated 00:20:07.259 --> 00:20:09.859 in the story of a man who was godly, who had 00:20:09.859 --> 00:20:13.420 very few possessions, but who enjoyed the friendship 00:20:13.420 --> 00:20:19.019 of a man who was a millionaire. His friend, the 00:20:19.019 --> 00:20:21.980 millionaire, was consumed with gathering wealth. 00:20:22.440 --> 00:20:25.380 and had little time to attend to the needs of 00:20:25.380 --> 00:20:28.140 others or even to the needs of his own soul. 00:20:30.380 --> 00:20:32.680 On one occasion, the joyful Christian said to 00:20:32.680 --> 00:20:37.700 him, you know Bob, I'm richer than you are. I 00:20:37.700 --> 00:20:43.619 have as much money as I want and you don't. There's 00:20:43.619 --> 00:20:48.440 something to be said there. Greed knows no limitations. 00:20:50.039 --> 00:20:53.779 Greed is a natural expression. of our human nature 00:20:53.779 --> 00:20:57.440 apart from God. Turn to 1 Corinthians chapter 00:20:57.440 --> 00:21:04.259 6. I want you to notice a list of things. And 00:21:04.259 --> 00:21:07.099 I want you to notice what accompanies greed in 00:21:07.099 --> 00:21:12.559 this text. 1 Corinthians 6 verse 9. Do you not 00:21:12.559 --> 00:21:15.559 know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom 00:21:15.559 --> 00:21:20.259 of God? Do not be deceived. Neither the sexually 00:21:20.259 --> 00:21:26.230 immoral Nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor male 00:21:26.230 --> 00:21:31.609 prostitutes, nor homosexual offenders, nor thieves, 00:21:33.109 --> 00:21:39.150 nor the greedy, nor drunkards or slanderers or 00:21:39.150 --> 00:21:44.019 swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. Some 00:21:44.019 --> 00:21:46.359 of us are very keen at pointing to certain parts 00:21:46.359 --> 00:21:48.619 of that list and saying, look what is not in 00:21:48.619 --> 00:21:51.200 the kingdom of God. I say to you, look what else 00:21:51.200 --> 00:21:57.559 is not in the kingdom of God. Turn with me to 00:21:57.559 --> 00:22:06.920 Colossians chapter 3, verse 5. Writing to believers, 00:22:07.339 --> 00:22:10.119 the apostle says, put to death therefore whatever 00:22:10.119 --> 00:22:16.619 belongs to your earthly nature, sexual immorality, 00:22:17.380 --> 00:22:22.819 impurity, lust. Of course, we know those things 00:22:22.819 --> 00:22:26.059 don't belong as a part of a Christian's experience. 00:22:27.339 --> 00:22:34.380 Evil desires and greed, he says, which is idolatry. 00:22:35.759 --> 00:22:40.079 Do you notice those last three words? Greed is 00:22:40.079 --> 00:22:46.539 the New Testament equivalent to idolatry. We 00:22:46.539 --> 00:22:49.079 can point our fingers at others who have idols 00:22:49.079 --> 00:22:55.180 in their churches or in their temples, but we 00:22:55.180 --> 00:22:58.099 must examine our own heart for the idol that 00:22:58.099 --> 00:23:05.980 is most common of all, the idol of greed. The 00:23:05.980 --> 00:23:10.650 greedy keeper will endure poverty. Greed is not 00:23:10.650 --> 00:23:13.849 only a natural part of the human sinful nature 00:23:13.849 --> 00:23:17.390 and brings God's judgment, it is a cause too 00:23:17.390 --> 00:23:21.349 of relational problems. Proverbs 28 verse 25 00:23:21.349 --> 00:23:25.690 says, a greedy man stirs up dissension. James 00:23:25.690 --> 00:23:28.210 builds on that in James chapter 4 and he says, 00:23:28.430 --> 00:23:31.150 what is the source of the strife, the dissension, 00:23:31.230 --> 00:23:35.450 and the wars among you? He goes on to say, is 00:23:35.450 --> 00:23:44.940 it not greed? and envy and jealousy. Greed guarantees 00:23:44.940 --> 00:23:50.319 eventual loss. Proverbs 28 verse 22 says, a stingy 00:23:50.319 --> 00:23:53.960 man is eager to get rich and is unaware that 00:23:53.960 --> 00:23:58.480 poverty awaits him. There's nothing that feeds 00:23:58.480 --> 00:24:06.980 greed more in our society than gambling. Gambling 00:24:06.980 --> 00:24:11.140 is an evidence of greed in a person's life. Wanting 00:24:11.140 --> 00:24:16.000 something for nothing. Wanting to gain at the 00:24:16.000 --> 00:24:21.500 loss of others. A man who gives himself to that 00:24:21.500 --> 00:24:26.299 is a stingy man. Eager to get rich and is unaware 00:24:26.299 --> 00:24:30.000 that poverty awaits him. You mark it down. The 00:24:30.000 --> 00:24:37.289 greedy keeper will endure poverty. how we feel 00:24:37.289 --> 00:24:39.630 about giving and how we practice it measures 00:24:39.630 --> 00:24:44.069 what we are spiritually. And it also determines 00:24:44.069 --> 00:24:50.210 our blessings. When we give generously, it brings 00:24:50.210 --> 00:24:54.250 us joy. Why is that? Let me suggest two reasons 00:24:54.250 --> 00:24:57.970 why generous giving brings joy. In the first 00:24:57.970 --> 00:25:01.690 place, it pleases God. And whenever we do what 00:25:01.690 --> 00:25:04.430 pleases God, the Holy Spirit fills our life with 00:25:04.430 --> 00:25:07.170 His fruit, and the fruit of the Spirit is love, 00:25:07.369 --> 00:25:14.150 joy, and so on. Generous giving pleases God, 00:25:14.230 --> 00:25:17.349 therefore it will naturally produce joy in our 00:25:17.349 --> 00:25:21.210 lives. Secondly, it produces joy because of what 00:25:21.210 --> 00:25:25.309 it benefits to us. You say, wait a minute, that 00:25:25.309 --> 00:25:28.700 sounds selfish. It may sound that way, but the 00:25:28.700 --> 00:25:32.099 Bible talks about it. One of the reasons you 00:25:32.099 --> 00:25:35.299 and I can enjoy being generous is because in 00:25:35.299 --> 00:25:40.759 the end, it comes back to us. Do you believe 00:25:40.759 --> 00:25:46.779 that? I want you to turn with me to 1 Timothy 00:25:46.779 --> 00:25:51.559 chapter 6. Have you ever had an experience where 00:25:51.559 --> 00:25:54.539 a verse just seemed to appear in the text? It's 00:25:54.539 --> 00:25:56.539 been there all along, but suddenly you've seen 00:25:56.539 --> 00:26:01.039 it. You say, where has that been? I had that 00:26:01.039 --> 00:26:04.380 experience this week in looking at 1 Timothy 00:26:04.380 --> 00:26:09.220 chapter 6. It begins in verse 17 by saying, command 00:26:09.220 --> 00:26:12.279 those who are rich in this present world not 00:26:12.279 --> 00:26:14.400 to be arrogant. Now immediately most of us say, 00:26:14.500 --> 00:26:18.240 well that doesn't include me, I'm not rich. Notice 00:26:18.240 --> 00:26:22.240 he doesn't say rich in this church. He says, 00:26:22.380 --> 00:26:24.500 in this present world, if you compare yourself, 00:26:24.519 --> 00:26:27.400 my friend, to the world today, you are fabulously 00:26:27.400 --> 00:26:31.700 wealthy. Fabulously wealthy. The poorest among 00:26:31.700 --> 00:26:35.119 us. Someone who is actually on welfare among 00:26:35.119 --> 00:26:38.519 us is fabulously wealthy compared to the rest 00:26:38.519 --> 00:26:40.640 of the world. Most of the rest of the world. 00:26:42.640 --> 00:26:45.220 Command those who are rich in this present world 00:26:45.220 --> 00:26:48.720 not to be arrogant or to put their hope in wealth, 00:26:48.859 --> 00:26:52.259 which is so uncertain. but to put their hope 00:26:52.259 --> 00:26:56.420 in God who richly provides us with everything 00:26:56.420 --> 00:27:00.660 for our enjoyment. Command them to do good and 00:27:00.660 --> 00:27:05.059 to be rich in good deeds and to be generous and 00:27:05.059 --> 00:27:08.279 willing to share." Now verse 19 is what just 00:27:08.279 --> 00:27:13.660 appeared in my text, in my eyes. In this way, 00:27:14.660 --> 00:27:19.809 they will lay up treasure for themselves as a 00:27:19.809 --> 00:27:24.309 firm foundation for the coming age so that they 00:27:24.309 --> 00:27:27.369 may take hold of the life that is truly life. 00:27:28.710 --> 00:27:31.150 One of the reasons that generous giving produces 00:27:31.150 --> 00:27:34.650 joy is because of what it brings back to us. 00:27:35.289 --> 00:27:38.710 Not merely in this life, but in what he calls 00:27:38.710 --> 00:27:43.829 here the coming age. Some of us get all excited 00:27:43.829 --> 00:27:47.329 about getting ready for retirement. And we ought 00:27:47.329 --> 00:27:50.609 to prepare for retirement. We ought to lay up 00:27:50.609 --> 00:27:54.730 for that period in our lives when we no longer 00:27:54.730 --> 00:27:57.990 are employed full -time. That's being a good 00:27:57.990 --> 00:28:02.289 steward. We get excited about laying up for retirement. 00:28:03.750 --> 00:28:07.269 Some of us who are in the baby boomer, age one, 00:28:07.309 --> 00:28:09.089 if there's going to be anything left when we 00:28:09.089 --> 00:28:13.549 get there to retire, but we ought to prepare 00:28:13.549 --> 00:28:17.390 nonetheless. This verse goes beyond that he says 00:28:17.390 --> 00:28:19.990 if you don't prepare for what comes after retirement 00:28:19.990 --> 00:28:25.269 You're in trouble What's that the coming age? 00:28:26.349 --> 00:28:29.509 The coming age the kingdom of the Lord Jesus 00:28:29.509 --> 00:28:33.349 Christ How do we lay a foundation for what is 00:28:33.349 --> 00:28:38.210 coming in the kingdom? He tells us be rich in 00:28:38.210 --> 00:28:44.119 good deeds be generous and willing to share The 00:28:44.119 --> 00:28:49.539 generous giver enjoys happiness and prosperity, 00:28:51.279 --> 00:28:55.019 not just in this age, but in the coming kingdom 00:28:55.019 --> 00:29:00.480 of Jesus Christ. There's no better time to honestly 00:29:00.480 --> 00:29:03.200 examine our attitude and our practice about giving 00:29:03.200 --> 00:29:08.700 than today. There's no better time to bring into 00:29:08.700 --> 00:29:11.259 alignment with God's Word and God's principles 00:29:13.460 --> 00:29:19.519 than today. The story is told in a legend about 00:29:19.519 --> 00:29:23.000 some farmers who decided when they harvested 00:29:23.000 --> 00:29:25.839 the potatoes that instead of planting the big 00:29:25.839 --> 00:29:28.539 ones and eating the small ones, they would reverse 00:29:28.539 --> 00:29:32.079 that. The big ones look much better. And so they 00:29:32.079 --> 00:29:35.619 decided to eat the big ones and to keep the small 00:29:35.619 --> 00:29:39.400 potatoes for the coming season. And they did 00:29:39.400 --> 00:29:42.779 that. And the next year they did the same thing. 00:29:43.279 --> 00:29:46.000 And the year after that they did the same thing. 00:29:46.960 --> 00:29:49.220 And several years down the road they began to 00:29:49.220 --> 00:29:51.779 realize that their potatoes each year were getting 00:29:51.779 --> 00:29:55.539 smaller and smaller and smaller until finally 00:29:55.539 --> 00:29:59.559 they came in the size of marbles. Why was that? 00:30:00.640 --> 00:30:02.799 Because they kept for themselves the biggest 00:30:02.799 --> 00:30:07.039 and the best. Decided to plant the smallest. 00:30:09.299 --> 00:30:11.220 And the result of that was their own poverty. 00:30:16.700 --> 00:30:22.440 We can enjoy We can enjoy being generous in our 00:30:22.440 --> 00:30:26.880 giving Because God never shortchanges a person 00:30:26.880 --> 00:30:37.140 who gives like he gives Let's pray Where does 00:30:37.140 --> 00:30:40.640 this message today strike your heart? What is 00:30:40.640 --> 00:30:43.319 the Holy Spirit saying regarding your attitude 00:30:43.319 --> 00:30:49.240 about giving? your practice of giving. Our study 00:30:49.240 --> 00:30:52.079 of Proverbs is very practical. It addresses the 00:30:52.079 --> 00:30:56.299 real issues of life. One of the real issues of 00:30:56.299 --> 00:31:04.460 life is our giving. The generous giver enjoys 00:31:04.460 --> 00:31:09.619 prosperity. The greedy keeper certainly faces 00:31:09.619 --> 00:31:18.880 poverty of soul, at least. What do you need to 00:31:18.880 --> 00:31:23.759 tell the Lord? What commitment do you need to 00:31:23.759 --> 00:31:26.240 make today to be obedient to His Word in your 00:31:26.240 --> 00:31:29.380 life? God, help us to be not just hearers of 00:31:29.380 --> 00:31:33.160 the Word, but doers, so that we can enter into 00:31:33.160 --> 00:31:37.220 the blessing that He wants to bring to our lives. 00:31:41.019 --> 00:31:44.380 Father, I give thanks to you in Jesus' name. 00:31:46.600 --> 00:31:51.500 For the joy that comes by your promise to generous 00:31:51.500 --> 00:31:55.859 givers, there are many in this auditorium who 00:31:55.859 --> 00:32:01.500 understand exactly what that joy means. But there 00:32:01.500 --> 00:32:03.279 are others who have not yet entered into that 00:32:03.279 --> 00:32:07.380 joy. Oh, that by your spirit you would move their 00:32:07.380 --> 00:32:11.059 hearts to be responsive and positive and obedient. 00:32:12.400 --> 00:32:14.740 Oh, that they might experience the joy you want 00:32:14.740 --> 00:32:20.579 them to know. Father, all of us struggle with 00:32:20.579 --> 00:32:25.460 greed. Deliver us from being misers and keeping 00:32:25.460 --> 00:32:30.599 for ourselves. Teach us what it means to lay 00:32:30.599 --> 00:32:39.839 up for the coming kingdom. In Jesus' name, amen.