SACRIFICIAL GIVING

PROCLAMATION

“As Jesus looked up, He saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury.  He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins.  ‘Truly I tell you,’ He said, ‘this poor widow has put in more than all the others.  All these people gave gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all that she had to live on.’ ”  Luke 21”1-4 (NIV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words are from the gospel, the good news regarding Jesus, The Christ, which were spoken by Christ according to Luke, the physician.  While He was in the temple in Jerusalem, Jesus observed the people as they gave their gifts to the temple treasury.  He made no comment about the gifts of the rich as they gave.  However, He was impressed by the gift of a poor widow who put in two coins.  He commented to His disciples about her because she gave all that she had. (Luke 21:1-4)  Her gift was a sacrificial gift.  The remainder of chapter twenty-one of The Bible Book of Luke presents the future destruction of the temple and the signs of the end of times. (Luke 21:5-36)

 

APPLICATION

In The Bible we are taught to give.  “… Remember the words of The Lord Jesus, how He said, it is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35)  We are to give to support the poor and weak.  He that gives and blesses others will himself also be blessed. (Proverbs 11:25)  As you give, so shall it be given unto you. (Luke 6:38)  He that gives sparingly will receive sparingly; and he that gives bountifully will also receive bountifully. (2 Corinthians 9:6)  We are to give to help the less fortunate, and to support of the church and the kingdom building efforts here on earth.  The real issue is not the amount which we give, but rather proportionately how much of what we have do we keep for ourselves.  To be really generous, we should “give until it hurts.”  Giving a little when we have a lot is not as impressive as giving a lot when we only have a little.  Giving out of our excess is good, but it is more pleasing to The Lord God when we step out on faith and give sacrificially.  While we are living under grace and not under the tithing system, giving one tenth of our increase is a good indication of where our giving should start.  All gifts to the church above the tithe are considered freewill offerings.  Not giving to the church at all is considered robbery. (Malachi 3:8)  Not sharing our blessing with others will result in negative outcomes for us. (Luke 12:16-21 and Luke 16:19-31)  Give, and give generously.

IT PAYS TO BE GENEROUS TO GOD'S PEOPLE

Proclamation:

“So Abram said to Lot, ‘Let’s not have any quarreling between you and me, or between your herders and mine, for we are close relatives.  Is not the whole land before you?  Let’s part company.  If you go to the left, I’ll go to the right; if you go to the right, I’ll go to the left.’  Lot looked around and saw the whole plain of the Jordan toward Zoar was well watered, like the garden of The Lord … So Lot chose for himself the whole plain of the Jordan and set out toward the east.”  Genesis 13:8-11 (NIV)

Explanation:

These are the words of God which were written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  After Abram left his father’s household and country, he went to the land of Canaan near Bethel where he pitched his tent and built an alter. (Genesis 12:4-8)  In order to avoid the famine in the land, Abram went down to Egypt for a while where he lied and said that his wife Sarai was his sister so that the Egyptians would not kill him and take her. (Genesis 12:10-20)  He returned to Bethel with more than he had when he left, and his herds and Lot’s herds were so large that the land could not support them both. (Genesis 13:1-6)  When quarreling started between Abram’s herders and Lot’s herders, Abram told Lot to choose the part of the land that he wanted, and he would take the other side.  Abram was generous and let Lot have the best part of his land.  After Lot left, The Lord spoke to Abram and blessed him saying that all of the land that he could see, in all directions, would be his. (Genesis 13:14-18)

Application:

All separations are not bad.  Sometimes it is better to separate yourself from some people in order to keep the peace.  The children of God are to be peacemakers. (Matthew 5:9)  It is also good to be generous when you give to God’s people.  The Bible says, “Give, and it shall be given unto you.” (Luke 6:38)  By giving, we shall receive; and as we give, so shall we receive.  The Bible also says that the generous person will be made rich, and he that blesses others will himself also be blessed. (Proverbs 11:25)  By giving generously to God’s people, we will be blessed.