"THE PRINCIPLES OF PROPER GIVING!"

Written and preached by David P. Nolte

2 CORINTHIANS 9:6-9


An artist was commissioned to paint a picture representing a dying church. He worked on the project for several months and finally the unveiling was at hand. Everyone thought the picture would depict a decrepit, rundown, ramshackle building with broken windows, weeds in the yard and litter cluttering up the property. But when the picture was displayed, everyone was stunned. The artist had painted a beautiful building with well kept grounds. One person said, "I thought you were going to represent the concept of a dying church." The artist invited everyone to step closer. He pointed through the windows and indicated the Lord's Treasury. It was dusty and covered with cobwebs. He explained, "The church with cobwebs in its treasury is a dying church." Without the giver, there is no giving; without the giving, no ministries; without ministries, no fulfillment of mission; without fulfillment of mission, the church grows stagnant and dies. Paul has pointed out some principles of proper giving which will stimulate life and growth in any congregation. What are the principles that characterize a vital. Church?
  1. THE PRINCIPLE OF PLENTIFUL GIVING: V6:
    1. See the correlation between sowing and reaping.
      1. Little sown produces little at harvest.
      2. Consider your own garden; sow one seed, and if it grows, you'll reap a small harvest. If you envisioned growing enough beans to can a whole year's eating. Forget it. You'd be doing good to get one plateful. Sow a whole packet of seeds and your produce will multiply.
    2. This principle holds true in every area of life:
      1. Consider what we call the "secular" part of life: marriage, job, school, athletics. Little invested, little dividend in return.
      2. Consider what we call the "spiritual" aspects of life: worship, fellowship, prayer, Bible study, and even the dread "G-Word" Giving.
    3. Perhaps you know what the initials "GIGO" stand for; if you don't they are computer jargon for "Garbage In, Garbage Out." A computer only puts out what has first been put in. Let's adapt that to "LILO," "Little In, Little Out;" or more positively: "MIMO," "Much In, Much Out." Let me say again,
      1. The "littleness" or "muchness" of our giving isn't determined only by what we give, it is measured by what we keep.
      2. Recall the Macedonian Christians who, though extremely poor themselves, gave so that Paul said of them "that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality. For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability they gave of their own accord,..." 2 Corinthians 8:2-3 .
    4. In a school for blind children, down in the southern states, a little girl was considered by all who knew her to be too dull and stupid to learn anything. A visiting lady felt sorry for her and asked the teacher if there was anything she could do for that little girl. The teacher thought and said, "Well, she's always wanted a whole dollar and has never had one. Would that be too much for you to give her?" The kind lady smiled and gave the little girl a silver dollar which she received gratefully. Every day she dreamed of how she would spend her coin. Sometimes she hid it in her special place; sometimes she kept it with her; sometimes she entrusted it to the care of her teacher. One day there came a visiting missionary. He told the children how he was going to go to Africa to tell children there about Jesus. This little girl told her teacher she wanted to give her dollar to the Missionary. The teacher tried to dissuade her, saying that giving half of it would be enough, but the little blind girl said, "I have never been able to give Jesus anything before; I want to give it all." That's plenteous giving. That's the first principle of proper giving. But what's the second principle?
  1. THE PRINCIPLE OF PLANNED GIVING: V7:
    1. When Paul spoke of giving, he spoke of systematic, deliberate, purposeful giving.
    2. Here's what the Bible says about planning our giving:
      1. "But when you present the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? And when you present the lame and sick, is it not evil? Why not offer it to your governor? Would he be pleased with you? Or would he receive you kindly?" says the LORD of hosts. ... "But cursed be the swindler who has a male in his flock, and vows it, but sacrifices a blemished animal to the Lord, for I am a great King," says the LORD of hosts, "and My name is feared among the nations." Malachi 1:8, 14 . Plan to give your best, not your castaways or culls.
      2. "Honor the LORD from your wealth, And from the first of all your produce; So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine." Proverbs 3:9-10 . Plan to give off the top, the firsts, not what is left over, if there is anything left over.
      3. "Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I directed the churches of Galatia, so do you also. On the first day of every week let each one of you put aside and save, as he may prosper, that no collections be made when I come." 1 Corinthians 16:1-2 . Plan to set aside a proportionate amount on a regular basis. Let the proportion be in keeping with your income.
    3. Paul does not preclude or forbid spontaneous, on the spur of the moment giving, but as guides our regular stewardship, planning is the key. This kind of giving demands discipline, self-denial, and determination to render to God that which is His.
    4. One little girl represents this kind of planned giving. The congregation wanted to build a new building. The members were asked to pray about it, to consider their giving and see if they could increase it a little. The little girl wanted to participate, too. The next day her mother looked out the window and saw her walking out of the yard pulling her wagon. She wasn't to leave the property without permission, so Mom went out to check. She discovered that her daughter had found a brick in the backyard and was taking it to the preacher to help start the new building. The preacher used that brick as an object lesson in his sermon and in short order others were moved to give sacrificially and the building was erected promptly.
  1. THE PRINCIPLE OF PLEASANT GIVING: V7:
    1. The Greek word for "Cheerful" is "Hilaros" from which we get the word "hilarious." It would be a misapplication of the word to say that Paul wants us to giggle like fools when we give an offering. He is, however, saying our giving ought to be degrouched. Nobody gives an acceptable offering with a scowl or with resentment. Vine says that the word "signifies that readiness of mind, that joyousness, which is prompt to do anything."
    2. Israel was frequently guilty of coming to worship grudgingly. To them God said, "You also say, 'My, how tiresome it is!' And you disdainfully sniff at it," says the LORD of hosts, "and you bring what was taken by robbery, and what is lame or sick; so you bring the offering! Should I receive that from your hand?" says the LORD. Malachi 1:13 .
    3. The key to giving cheerfully is to keep certain things straight:
      1. Keep straight who owns it all. The psalmist makes that point clear: "The earth is the LORD 's, and all it contains, The world, and those who dwell in it." Psalms 24:1 .
      2. Keep straight what is truly of value. Jesus leaves no doubt about that: "For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? For what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" Mark 8:36-37 .
      3. Keep straight proper priorities. Again, we are given no room for ambiguity here: "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you." Matthew 6:33 .
      4. Keep straight what will perish and what will last. John testifies: "Do not love the world, nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. And the world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God abides forever." 1 John 2:15-17 .
    4. A man once knelt with his pastor and committed himself to God to give a certain percentage of his income as long as he lived. From his first week's pay he gave$10.00 to the Lord. His paycheck grew and he was giving $15.00 per week. Then as his income prospered, his tithe amounted to more and more. Before long he was giving $100.00 per week, and then $500.00 per week. He called his pastor and said, "Please come see me." The pastor did, and the man said, "Do you remember the promise I made several years ago? How can I get released from it? When I made the promise, my tithe was only $10.00. Now my tithe is over $500.00. I can't afford to give away money like that." The pastor said, "I'm afraid I can't give you any way to be released from a commitment to God. But there is something I can do. We can kneel down and ask God to shrink your income so you can afford to give $10.00 again."
There is a major difference between Jesus' way and the world's way. The world says, "Get all you can, in any way you can, and keep what you get." Jesus says, "Give and it will be given to you." He says, "It is more blessed to give than to receive." The world says, "Hoard it, store it, bank it, grasp it." Jesus says, "Lay up treasures in heaven by laying them down on earth." The world says, "Use it first for you and donate left-overs." Jesus says, "Give the first and best to God." You know, there are 3 kinds of givers: The flint, the sponge and the honeycomb. You have to keep hitting the flint, and then all you get is sparks and chips; you have to squeeze the sponge, and the more pressure you apply, the more you get. But the honeycomb just oozes out its inner goodness, overflowing with sweetness. Which kind of giver are you? How you give shows a lot about your relationship to the world, and more importantly, to Jesus. As if He stood right before you today, decide what you will give Him - and let it be your best.
 
Stories from various unknown sources; one's I've used and modified through the years


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