Rev. David Holwick ZK Questions People Ask topical series
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey
November 24, 2002
2 Corinthians 9:6-15
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I. The reason for this season.
A. Keep the economy rolling!
1) National Public Radio reported this week that government
experts say we have $1.3 trillion in savings stashed away.
2) Spend it! All of it! Or Christmas won't be merry!
B. How much will we invest in God's work?
1) Meeting of finance committee.
2) Discussion of tithing, pledges, fundraising, loans.
C. It is an issue that concerns Christians.
1) Many ask me what God expects of them financially.
2) (They want me to give them an easier answer than God has!)
II. Giving doesn't come easy to us.
A. It is human nature to want to conserve what we have.
1) Even better, get a little more.
B. For most of us, generosity requires a miracle.
1) The reformer Martin Luther said,
"There are three conversions necessary:
the conversion of the heart, the mind and the wallet."*
Of these three, it may well be that we find the conversion
of the wallet the most difficult.
#19812
C. How can we motivate generosity?
1) Church "challenges" don't work for many people.
2) Key - it relates to your relationship to Jesus.
a) Spiritual giving requires a faith commitment.
III. Spiritual motivations we can use to encourage giving.
A. You give because you've been conned.
1) Some of our best giving is unintended.
The story is told of a small church whose treasurer resigned.
No one else in the church wanted the position.
Finally they asked the local grain elevator manager.
He agreed to be treasurer under two conditions:
...that no treasurer's report would be given for the 1st year,
...and that no questions be asked about finances during that
year.
The people were surprised but finally agreed since most of them
did business with him and he was a trusted man.
At the end of the year he gave his report:
The church indebtedness of $228,000 has been paid off.
The minister's salary had been increased by 8%.
The Mission budget had been paid 200%.
There were no outstanding bills.
There was a cash balance of $11,252!
Immediately the shocked congregation asked, "How did you do it?
Where did the money come from?"
He quietly answered: "Most of you bring your grain to my
elevator.
Throughout the year I simply withheld ten percent on your
behalf and gave it to the church in your name.
You didn't even miss it!"
"Do you see what we could do for the Lord if we were all willing
to give at least the tithe to God, who really owns it?"
#4722
2) I give twice to one phone appeal because they sent a dunning
letter and I got confused.
B. You give, or God will get you.
1) Fear and guilt are powerful motivators.
2) Some Biblical support, but tacky.
C. You give because you feel guilty.
1) This can be very effective in the short term.
Presbyterian pastor Nathan Lewis writes about the interesting
relationship of Benjamin Franklin and evangelist George Whitefield.
Franklin marveled at the fruit produced through Whitefield's preaching:
"It was wonderful to see the change soon made in the manners of
our inhabitants... one could not walk through the town in an evening
without hearing psalms sung in different families of every street."
Franklin was impressed with Whitefield's ability to move the masses
to give to the mission of establishing an orphanage in Georgia.
Although Franklin disagreed with the details and resolved not to give,
he found himself melting as Whitefield preached:
"I had in my pocket a handful of copper money, three or four silver
dollars, and five Spanish gold coins [pistoles].
As he proceeded I began to soften, and concluded to give the coppers.
Another stroke of his oratory made me ashamed of that, and determined
me to give the silver;
and he finished so admirably, that I emptied my pocket wholly into
the collector's dish, gold and all."
Franklin agreed to print copies of Whitefield's sermons and journals.
He attended as many of Whitefield's preaching events as he was able.
But he never accepted what was at the core of that preaching - Jesus.
Franklin himself wrote in his journal that Whitefield prayed for his
conversion, but never had the satisfaction of believing that his
prayers were heard.
Benjamin Franklin marveled at the transformation of lives through the
preaching of the Gospel.
He gave to charitable causes flowing from the preaching of the Gospel.
But he never embraced Christ as his only hope in this life and the
next.
He enjoyed an intimate relationship with one of the greatest preachers
in all history, yet never embraced Jesus.
Benjamin Franklin gave to an orphanage, he gave to a preacher, but he
never really gave to God.
#22725
D. You give, then God gives back even more.
1) Example of one of our church families ten days ago.
The husband was out of work.
Bills were due.
Called me to ask if deacons' fund could help them...
Tough to swallow pride, but they knew church would help.
Twenty minutes later he calls back.
The church money is not needed, because they just opened
their mail.
A few weeks previously their vehicle had been damaged.
They sent it into their insurance company.
Then they forgot about it...
Lo and behold, the settlement check was just what they
needed.
God is good!
2) Valid principle, but can be self-serving as a motivation.
a) We should not give BECAUSE we'll get back more.
b) We give, and know God will take care of us.
E. You give, because you are thankful to God.
1) Gratitude is best motivation.
2) It arises out of a genuine relationship with God.
3) As a pastor, I don't want to preach sermons where I ask
you to up your giving "x" percent from where it is now.
I want you to be fully committed to Jesus Christ.
In my experience, those who are committed will give
consistently to support God's work.
IV. Principles of giving from Paul's letters to the Corinthians.
A. Give your heart first. 2 Cor 8:5
1) Excel in giving. 8:7
2) Jesus is your example. 8:9
B. Give deliberately. (purpose in your heart) 9:7a
1) Regularly. 1 Cor 16:2
a) Weekly collections.
b) Habitual.
Rockefeller on tithing:
Most people know that the Rockefeller Foundation is one
of the largest charities in the world.
But many think it started because John D. Rockefeller
was concerned about his image.
He had raked in millions (with some questions about his
ethics) and now he figured he should give back.
The truth is that Rockefeller practiced charity since
childhood.
He did it Baptist-style: he tithed every dollar.
In his own words:
"Yes, I tithe, and I would like to tell you how it all
came about.
I had to begin work as a small boy to help support
my mother.
My first wages amounted to $1.50 per week.
The first week after I went to work, I took the $1.50
home to my mother.
She held the money in her lap and explained to me that
she would be happy if I would give a tenth to the
Lord.
"I did, and from that week until this day I have tithed
every dollar God has entrusted to me.
And I want to say, if I had not tithed the first dollar
I made, I would not have tithed the first million
dollars I made.
Train the children to tithe, and they will grow up to
be faithful stewards of the Lord."
#21507
2) Proportional to income. 16:2
a) 8:12 - according to what one has, not what you don't.
b) Old Testament standard - tithe.
c) New Test. standard - according to God's grace to you.
C. Give generously. 2 Cor 9:6
1) Don't skimp on God.
a) It should cost you something.
b) King David - 2 Samuel 24:24
David wanted to get the groundwork ready for the Temple.
(He himself couldn't build it because of blood on his
hands.)
David found the perfect location at a hilltop winnowing
platform.
The owner, Araunah, was honored to be picked and
offered to give it to the king for free.
But the king replied to Araunah, "No, I insist on
paying you for it.
I will not sacrifice to the LORD my God burnt offerings
that cost me nothing."
2) Give in every area of life. 9:8
a) (abound in every good work)
b) Goes hand-in-hand with all-round provision.
3) Give without expecting something in return.
D. Give with proper attitude. 9:7 b
1) Not grudgingly, but cheerfully.
a) If you can't feel good about what you give God's work,
give nothing.
2) It's best when you give something of yourself.
In December 1983, 11-year-old Trevor Ferrell saw a TV
news report on Philadelphia's inner-city homeless.
The young boy couldn't believe people actually lived on
the streets.
When he questioned his parents, Frank and Janet reluctantly
agreed to broaden their son's sheltered horizons -- and
their own.
They left their home in an exclusive suburb and drove
downtown.
One block past city hall, they spotted an emaciated figure
crumpled on a sidewalk grate.
While his parents watched a bit apprehensively, Trevor got
out of the car and approached the man.
"Sir," he said, "here's a blanket for you."
The man stared up at Trevor at first.
Then, he softly said, "Thank you, God bless you."
That encounter altered the Ferrells' lives forever.
Night after night they drove downtown, trying in small ways
to help the street people.
They emptied their home of extra blankets, clothing, and
dozens of peanut-butter sandwiches.
When others learned what they were doing, someone donated
a van and volunteers started helping.
Young Trevor found himself explaining what they were doing
to the local media, then to the nation.
Pat Robertson, Merv Griffin, Mother Teresa, Ronald Reagan
all wanted to meet the small boy with the big mission.
He told them simply,
"It's Jesus inside of me that makes me want to do this."
#731
E. Give knowing that God gives more. 9:10
1) He provides us with daily bread and a mansion in glory.
2) He makes us rich, so we can afford to be generous.
V. Investing in giving results in thanksgiving. 9:11
A. Our gifts are an investment in the kingdom of God.
1) Every toy you buy this season will break.
My dad had an iron tractor that lasted thirty years.
I broke it in one day.
2) What you invest for God will not break or rust or disappear.
B. How many thank God because of you?
1) They will pray for you.
C. God gives us the ultimate - salvation through Jesus. 9:15
*Original says "purse"
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SOURCES FOR ILLUSTRATIONS USED IN THIS SERMON:
# 731 "To Make A Difference ... Do Something!" by Charles Colson,
in "Faith - International Bible Society", April 1989, page 10.
# 4722 "Ignorant Tithing," from sermon by Rev. Scott Bennett, Hickman
Baptist Church, Texas, August 11, 1999.
http://members.truepath.com/bro_scott/11aug99.html
#19812 "The Three Conversions," by Martin Luther, found in Rev. Brett
Blair's Illustrations by Email, www.sermonillustrations.com,
September 9, 2001.
#21507 "Rockefeller On Tithing," from Gerald Rodgers Collection.
(no further source information)
#22725 "Ben Franklin Meets George Whitefield," by Rev. Nathan Lewis,
Evergreen Explorer, Presbyterian Church, Beaverton, Oregon;
http://www.evergreenpca.com/epc1097.htm; October 1997.
These and 20,000 others are part of a database that can be downloaded,
absolutely free, at http://www.holwick.com/database.html
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