Enduring Principles of Giving

0:58The towels are there, but they're not organized. They're not easy to get to. Last month we paused our series through the book of 1 Corinthians to tackle the subject of generosity, which is something that we've never done before here at New Life, at least not at this level. We're doing some spiritual remodeling, so to speak, with respect to our theology of generosity. We've taken a lot of things down over the past seven weeks, and maybe for you, there's a lot of people that are going to be a Of things laying on the floor of your heart and your mind. And so this morning we're wrapping up the series, Generous God, Generous People, but just like a home renovation, the work isn't done until all of the hardware is back on the walls, all of the hooks are back on the walls. And so, what I want to do this morning, today, is to give you some hooks to hang the things that we've learned over the past six weeks and then today as well.

1:57And if you miss any of the messages in the series, let me remind you: you can subscribe to the podcast, you can go online, on the internet, and you can listen to the rest of those sermons. I would highly encourage you to do so because this has been a life-changing series, I think, for many people in the room, and myself included. And so, the hooks that I want to give you this morning are what I'm going to call four enduring principles of giving. Four enduring principles of giving. They're on the screen.

2:24God's people reap what they sow. God loves a cheerful giver. God enriches us to enable generosity. And God is glorified through generosity. So, let's start with this first enduring principle of giving. God's people reap what they sow. Take a look at verse 6, chapter 9. Paul is very straightforward with us here. We don't have to wonder what his point is. He says, the point is this. Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly. Whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

3:04Well, this obviously is a farming analogy. What he's saying is that in farming, not every seed that you plant is going to grow and produce fruit. So, as a farmer, if you want to have a great yield, a really great crop in any given year, you've got to throw out a lot of seed. You've got to sow bountifully because not all the seeds are going to grow and sprout and produce fruit. And so, what Paul is doing is he's using this picture to teach spiritual truth. If we want to reap bountifully, that is a large spiritual harvest, then what we have to do is sow bountifully. And in this context, sowing bountifully would mean giving generously.

3:51As we saw last week, Paul is reminding the Corinthians about the commitment they made the previous year to send financial aid to the Jewish Christians who were living in Judea. They were nearly destitute because of persecution and a famine that had hit. And so, what Paul is telling them, what he's reminding the Corinthians and teaching us today, is: look, if you want to make a real impact in this life, and if you want to store up lots of treasure in heaven, there is one way to do that, and that is to sow bountifully. You've got to give generously.

4:30Look at what Jesus taught in Luke chapter 6. He said, Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. You know, when you come back from the grocery store with a box of cereal and you open it up and it's like half empty, they're after me, lucky charms! Why did this happen? Why, when you open this brand new box of cereal, is it half full?

5:10Well, it's because in transit, the box gets shaken down, it gets pressed with all the other stuff, and so all of the product is now only occupying half of the bag. It was full when they poured it in there, but look at what Jesus is telling us. Jesus is telling us that if we give generously, if we sow bountifully, we're not going to end up with a half-empty bag. No, he tells us that we're going to end up with a bag that was filled to the top, pressed down, shaken together, so all of it gets compacted down, then refilled until the point that it's overflowing.

5:48That's what God promises those who sow bountifully, who give generously. Remember, friends, it was Jesus Himself who said, store up treasure. For yourselves in heaven. Store up for yourselves treasure in heaven. God is not against a holy self-interest. God simply doesn't want us making investments in this world that will not last. God is against foolishness, foolish investments. He's not against a holy self-interest. He commands it. And one way that we store up treasure in heaven is to sow bountifully, to give generously, to expand God's kingdom here on this earth. And so that's the first enduring principle of giving. God's people reap what we sow.

6:44Second principle: God loves a cheerful giver. Take a look at verse 7. Here in this verse, Paul qualifies what he just taught. He wants us to sow bountifully, to give generously, but he also wants us to give cheerfully because cheerful giving is the kind of giving that honors God. So even if we give generously, we aren't honoring God if we do so reluctantly or under compulsion. That's what he says in verse 7. Giving that is reluctant or under compulsion does not honor God. So what do those words mean?

7:23Well, reluctant means a state of unhappiness marked by regret. State of unhappiness marked by regret. So if we are regret-filled givers, then our giving does not honor God. And under compulsion, that phrase means an obligation of a compelling nature. An obligation of a compelling nature. So if we're giving because we feel forced to give, if we feel coerced into it in some way, then that giving also does not honor God. Well, friends, unfortunately, a lot of giving, even by Christians, is done reluctantly or under compulsion.

8:13We give, but shortly after we give, we regret it. Or we give, but the only reason that we gave is because we felt forced to give. Now, listen, as we've said all throughout this series, giving is a spiritual discipline, just like reading the word, just like prayer, just like fasting. And disciplines, by definition, are not easy. They're hard, but they do produce great spiritual fruit. So I don't want you to think that every time you give, you're going to feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

8:54That's just not reality. Sometimes parting with your money, your resources, your time, That's not fun. It's hard. It's going to hurt a little bit. It's going to be a sacrifice. So, the question then is: what's the secret? If the kind of giving that honors God is not reluctant or under compulsion, if the kind of giving that honors God is cheerful giving, that can be painful at the time, what is the secret? How can we become cheerful givers?

9:29Well, friends, the key is found at the beginning of verse 7. Take a look at the beginning of verse 7. We may have missed this. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart. Do you see that? God connects cheerful giving, giving that is not done reluctantly, that is not done under compulsion. God connects cheerful giving to decision, to thoughtful, prayerful decision. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart. Now, let's go back to the context here of 2 Corinthians 9.

10:20See, Paul didn't just show up one day and say to these believers who were gathered for worship: friends, there are some brothers and sisters in Judea. Who are in great need. So, in just a moment here, we're going to pass the offering plates. You need to get out your wallets and we're going to give. It wasn't like that at all. No, a whole year ago, a year ago, Paul let them know about the need of these Judean believers. They considered their need, they thought and they prayed about it, and they made a conscious decision to give. They each made a conscious decision to give a certain amount. So many believers never make thoughtful, prayerful decisions about giving.

11:10It is spontaneous, it's impulsive. We just give in response to however we're feeling in the moment. Or we give only we kind of do a quick mental calculation. You know, how much have I spent this week going out to eat, buying coffee? Have I spent too much? If so, I better not give anything. If I haven't spent as much, maybe I could put something in the basket. It's spontaneous, it's impulsive. It's not thoughtful or prayerful. And friends, that kind of giving is rarely cheerful.

11:45You might give something, you might even give generously. But you may have given because you felt obligated. Or you may give something and then regret it just a few minutes later because you didn't consider your father. Financial position before you put something in. See, Paul teaches that the key to cheerful giving is making it a decision, a thoughtful, prayerful decision. So when one of the pastors stands up here and invites you to worship through giving, you don't feel any pressure at all. Why would you? You've already thought about your financial position. You've already prayed and searched the word.

12:32You are prepared to give. You're just waiting for the moment to arrive. And after you give, you don't feel any regret because giving wasn't some spur-of-the-moment off-the-cuff decision. It was thoughtful, it was prayerful, and because it was thoughtful and prayerful, you can be a cheerful giver. So that's the second enduring principle: God loves a cheerful giver. Third enduring principle: God enriches us to enable generosity. In verse 8, Paul addresses this universal human fear. What if I give, and because I gave, I don't have enough? I don't have enough to support myself. I don't have enough to support my family. Look at what Paul writes in verse 8.

13:34And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things, at all times, you may abound in every good work. Now I want you to focus on the three words at the beginning of that verse. God is able. God is able. The answer to every fear about money and the things that money can buy, whether it's food or shelter or clothing or anything else, the answer to every fear is these three words. God is able.

14:14God is able. And specifically, God is able to ensure that we have, look at the verse, all sufficiency in all things at all times. All, all, all. God will make sure that we have all we need. Why? Look at the end of the verse again. Why does he ensure that we have all that we need? So that you may abound in every good work. In other words, God will always make sure that our needs are taken care of so that we can make sure that the needs of others are taken care of. Care of.

15:03You remember Psalm 112, which Pastor Beau read at the beginning of the worship service today? That's what Paul quotes in verse 9. He quotes Psalm 112 to show that this is what the godly and righteous person does. He or she distributes to the poor, gives freely, abounds in every good work. And just in case Paul didn't drive his point home in verses 8 and 9 with the quotation of Psalm 112, he follows it up with verse 10. Take a look at verse 10.

15:38He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. Isn't that remarkable? Remember earlier that Paul taught that we will reap what we sow. If we sow bountifully, we will reap bountifully. And here in verse 10, Paul is saying that God is the one who supplies the seed for sowing, but not only does he supply the seed, he actually multiplies it to increase the harvest of our righteousness. What a generous God. What a good father.

16:30Our generous father says, My children, if you sow a lot, you will reap a lot. Now, here, let me fill your hands with seeds. And whenever you run out of those seeds, just come back to me and open your hands again, and I'll fill your hands with more seeds. He not only supplies the seed, he multiplies it to increase the harvest of our righteousness. But even then, he's still not finished. Look at what he writes in verse 11: You will be enriched in every way, to be generous in every way.

17:13You'll be enriched in every way to be generous in every way. Now, let's pause for a minute and let's ask the question: what does it mean to be rich? What does it mean to be rich? See, most of us have grown up in the wealthiest country in the world, in the wealthiest time of this country's history. So, our definition of what it means to be rich is skewed. When we think about someone who's rich, we think of somebody who owns multiple homes, fancy cars, goes on exotic and exclusive vacations.

17:53But, friends, that's not accurate. To be rich simply means you have an abundance. You have more than what you need to live on. A huge portion of the world lives on less than a dollar a day. Even more people in the world live on less than $2 per day. Rich does not mean multiple homes and fancy cars and exotic vacations. Rich just means you have more than you need. It means that you have an abundance. And by that definition, nearly all of us, if not all of us, are rich. We have more money than we need to live. We have more resources than we need to live. We have more time than we need to do what is necessary to live. We're rich.

18:42And what Paul is saying in verse 11 is that God has enriched us in every way, money and resources and time, so that we can be generous in every way with our money, our resources, and our time. You see, prosperity theology teaches that money and stuff are ends in and of themselves. That God exists to give us a luxurious lifestyle so that we can enjoy our life here on this earth, and that's the end. But Paul teaches that God enriches us so that we are enabled to bless others, to be generous. With what we've been given.

19:33So that's the third principle of giving. God enriches us to enable generosity. Fourth and final enduring principle: God is glorified through our generosity. God is glorified through our generosity. In verses 11 through 13, Paul explains that when he and the rest of the delegation deliver the Corinthians' financial gift to the Judean believers, their generosity will produce thanksgiving to God. Not only will it supply their needs, as he says in verse 12, but it will overflow with thanksgiving to God.

20:20And then in verse 13, he says that the Judeans will glorify God because of the Corinthians' generosity. So why exactly would the Corinthians' generosity result in so much thanksgiving, so much praise to God from these Jewish believers? Three reasons. First, because the gift is proof of God's provision. The gift is proof of God's provision. Remember, earlier in the text, Paul wrote, God is able. He's able. And he's not just able to provide for the Corinthians to whom he was writing, he is able to provide for all of his children everywhere. Remember, all sufficiency in all things at all times. That applied in Corinth, but it also applied in Judea. It applies in America, but it also applies in Africa. God is able, all sufficiency in all things at all times. Look on the screen at James chapter 1.

21:29He says, Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. See, the Corinthians' generous gift was proof of God's provision that he is able to bring all sufficiency in all things at all times for everyone. Second, these Jewish believers thank God because the gift is proof of the Corinthians' love. The gift is proof of the Corinthians' love. We have to remember: this is the first century.

22:17There's no phones, no internet. Travel is difficult. The Corinthians had probably never met any of these Jewish believers that they were helping out, and they probably would never. Never meet them in their lifetime. And moreover, we can't forget that many Jewish believers weren't exactly welcoming to the Gentiles who came to faith in Jesus at first. They got a very cold reception from most of the Jews. And yet, these Gentile believers say, we're going to generously provide for these Judean Christians, for our brothers and sisters in the faith, in spite of the fact that we don't know them and in spite of the fact that they may not have received us with open arms.

23:10Their gift was proof of the Corinthians and beyond that, the Gentiles' love for their brothers and sisters. And then, third, they thank God for the Corinthians' generosity because it was proof of their gospel confession. Their generosity was proof of their gospel confession. Paul notes that the primary reason the Corinthians are willing to give generously is the generous grace of God that they've received. God's grace, as Paul writes in verse 15, is an inexpressible gift, a gift of infinite value. And the only appropriate response to that kind of God and that kind of gospel is living. A generous life.

24:03The very fact that they were willing to be generous shows that they weren't just confessing with their mouth that Jesus was Lord, but that they genuinely believed in their hearts that He was Lord. Friends, this is the very place that we began our series six weeks ago. We began in Luke 1 and 2 by meditating on the inexpressible gift of the grace of God. In spite of our sin and rebellion, God chose to save us by generously giving up His only begotten Son, Jesus.

24:41Jesus laid down His rights and His privileges as the Son of God. He took on flesh, He lived a sinless life, He went to the cross and gave up His life. He died, was buried, and rose again for you and me. Jesus was under no compulsion to lay down His life. He did not lay down His life reluctantly, He didn't regret it when He did it. No, He laid down His life cheerfully, as the author of Hebrews says, for the joy that was set before Him.

25:22Jesus is the ultimate, cheerful giver. Church, the only Appropriate response to a God who would so generously give up His only begotten Son and to the Son who had cheerfully laid down His life on our behalf is to live a life marked by generosity. We are not where we need to be as individual believers or as a church, but by the grace of God, we are making progress together. And some recent events in the life of our church together is evidence of that truth. Take a look at this video.

26:07Only the grace of God can motivate us to give generously in those kinds of ways. If you're here today and you're not yet a believer in Jesus Christ, then one of the things that you need to understand is that there's no firm foundation for giving and living generously apart from the gospel. There is no real motivation for parting with your money, your resources, or your time for the good of others. And so I want to urge you today, if you find yourself in that position, not to walk away from today or this series just resolving to try harder to be a more generous person. Because I can tell you that the trials of life and the deceitfulness of the human heart is going to prevent you from becoming the generous person that you are. Are even resolving to be.

27:03Instead, I urge you to receive the free gift of salvation that comes from Jesus Christ alone, who generously laid down his life and rose again for you. It is only through faith in Christ that we can have the lasting power and motivation to be the generous givers that God calls us to be. And, church, those of us who are already believers, I pray that this series has been an encouragement and a challenge to you. I know that it has been to me. And I hope that this is just the beginning, that this is not the end of us thinking and praying about generosity, but this is the beginning. And so I want to challenge us to pray and to work together to be the kind of generous people that a generous God commands us to be. Let's pray.

28:03Our gracious and generous Father, we thank you for giving your only begotten Son for us, for showing us what perfect generosity looks like and for calling us to that kind of generosity personally. Help us to turn away from our worldliness. And increase, multiply our seed for sowing, so that we might reap an abundant harvest. In Christ's name we pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to the sermon audio from New Life Baptist Church in College Station, Texas. For more information or to support our ministry, visit us online at newlifecs.net.