Paul wrote to Timothy, "Instruct those who are rich in this present
world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches,
but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. Instruct them
to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share,
storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future,
so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed." 1
Timothy 6:17-19
. Jesus gave this instruction, "freely you received, freely give." Matthew
10:8. He made this promise, "Give, and it will be given to you;
good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, they will pour
into your lap. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you
in return." Luke 6:38.
And these words revealed to us by Paul, "remember
the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, 'It is more blessed
to give than to receive.'"Acts
20:35. Those words have been called, "The Forgotten Beatitude."
Speaking strictly from an utilitarian perspective, most would say, "It
is more blessed to receive than to give." Jesus spoke from a purely altruistic
perspective. I ask this morning, trying to consider Jesus' viewpoint, "Why
is it more blessed to give than to receive?" Why do we need to give?
GIVING KEEPS OUR HEARTS IN
THE RIGHT PLACE:
Jesus words couldn't be more clear on this issue: "Do not lay up for yourselves
treasures upon earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break
in and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither
moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for
where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Matthew
6:19-21. Note:
Jesus is not discouraging thrift or repudiating saving. He just forbids
hoarding, burying our stuff and piling up more and more.
He establishes the proper priority to keep our perspective straight: the
heavenly above the earthly.
He links our hearts and treasures and tells us how to keep our hearts in
the right place.
How can we tell if our hearts are in the wrong place? How can we discover
if our hearts are too much in the world? Here are 6 clues. Our hearts
are too much in the wrong world if:
We love money and our chief resolve is to get rich.
We envy our neighbors and covet what they have.
We are discontented when we consider our own lot.
We cling selfishly and tenaciously to what we call our own.
We put our trust in, and base our security on, our material possessions.
We betray conscience, vitiate integrity, and compromise morals to gain
more.
The simple, inescapable fact is, we are interested in, think about, and
keep our hearts in touch with that in which we invest.
Money has a magnetic power to draw our hearts wherever it goes.
As a sunflower turns to face the sun, our hearts incline to where we place
our money.
Those who invest little in the church, God, and eternity have little interest
in those things.
Let one invest in this and that and he will take pains to see how the investment
fares:
If in stocks, Dow Jones ups and downs are of great interest.
If in recreation, equipment and enjoyment are of great interest.
If in church, then our hearts will be connected to missions, evangelism,
worship, Bible Study. and the life of the congregation become major concerns.
At a missionary rally, the missionary was appealing for special funds for
a work in Africa. At the close of the service, folk were urged to come
forward, place their offering in the treasury and depart. Many came, including
one little girl. She placed in the offering a ring she had been given by
her aunt. As the deacons were counting the offering, her Daddy, one of
the men, recognized the ring. He called her in and said, "Honey, this is
your special ring. Why don't you take it back and let me give you some
money for the offering?" The little girl firmly said, "Daddy, the missionary
asked us to give something important, so I gave the ring. And anyway, you
can't give it back. I didn't give it to you; I gave it to Jesus." Her heart
was in the right place, wouldn't you agree? It is more blessed to give
than to receive because it keeps our hearts in the right place. But there
is another reason:
GIVING BENEFITS OTHERS WHO
ARE IN NEED:
"Now He 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;
you will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us
is producing thanksgiving to God. For the ministry of this service is not
only fully supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing through
many thanksgivings to God." 2
Corinthians 9:10-12.
The giving of benevolent gifts "supplies the needs of the saints," Paul
said.
The Christians in Judea were in famine; Christians from Macedonia and Achaia
were stepping up to meet those needs. There is a truth that we ought not
miss: You can give without loving, but you can't love without giving. Giving
is as natural a byproduct of love as smoke is of fire.
Daily we receive requests; some of them are legitimate, some rip-offs.
None of us can give to every request; but we can help where we can help
"And let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap
if we do not grow weary. So then, while we have opportunity, let us do
good to all men, and especially to those who are of the household of the
faith." Galatians 6:10.
"This is pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father,
to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained
by the world." James 1:27.
"If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food,
and one of you says to them, 'Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,' and
yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is
that?" James 2:15-16.
"But whoever has the world's goods, and beholds his brother in need and
closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? Little
children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth." 1
John 3:17-18.
An elderly man was known for his generosity and good will. He had helped
people for as long as folk could remember. Now, at 73, he was still giving.
Seeing him help a family with several small children, one of his neighbors
said, "You're getting older. You shouldn't give away your last dime." He
said, "Friend, God will take care of me. I couldn't let those youngsters
go hungry, now, could I?" His giving benefitted those in need. It is more
blessed to give than to receive because it does that. And there is yet
another reason:
GIVING GLORIFIES GOD:
Look again at those words of Paul to Corinth: "For the ministry of this
service is not only fully supplying the needs of the saints, but is also
overflowing through many thanksgivings to God." 2
Corinthians 9:10-12.
The giving of benevolent gifts "overflows through many thanksgivings to
God," Paul said.
Why do you give? Why do many people give?
Some give to get credit in the eyes of men; to glorify themselves. To such,
Jesus speaks. "Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be
noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in
heaven." Matthew 6:1.
Some give to appease their conscience or to fulfill a sense of "I have
to give! It's my duty!" To such, Paul speaks: "Let each one do just as
he has purposed in his heart; not grudgingly or under compulsion; for God
loves a cheerful giver." 2
Corinthians 9:7.
Some give just to pay the bills. That is mechanical, mundane and unworthy.
Some give to purchase salvation. But to such, the Bible speaks: "For by
grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it
is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast." Ephesians
2:8-9.
Some give to obligate God or to manipulate Him. I heard of a preacher
once who told a man that if he'd tithe, he'd have more money as a result.
The man tithed with that motive, did not have more money as a result and
sued the preacher. His motive was wrong.
We ought to give with God in mind, and with a view to honoring and glorifying
Him in our giving. "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.
An African Christian earned money by making and selling a special kind
of bean bread. She always had been conscientious in her tithing, but after
a severe foot injury her income ceased. It was weeks before she could work
again. She assured the missionary that when she could work, she would give
1/3 of her income instead of just the tithe. The missionary was surprised
when, after just a week back at work, she arrived at the mission with her
offering. She brought a shilling. The missionary said, "Have you been able
to make 3 shillings already?" She said, "Do you think I would give my Lord
the last of the 3? This is the first one and it belongs to Him; the other
2 I make will be for me." She knew how to glorify God in her giving.
It is more blessed to give than to receive. God doesn't need our stuff,
but we need to give. We need to give to live. We need to give to love.
We need to give to cht the shackles of monetary bondage. We need to give
to keep our hearts in the right place. We need to give to benefit those
in need. We need to give to glorify God. We need to give. He seeks not
the possessions, but the possessor; not the gift but the giver; not the
donation, but the donor; not just yours, but you. God gives you a chance
to invest in what will be untouched by any of the ups and downs of this
world's economy. He puts it out of reach of grasping hands. He pays back,
with interest, what you invest in His work. You will never out-give God.
You can shovel in and keep shoveling in. You will find that God shovels
back and keeps shoveling back. And the blessing is: He has a bigger shovel.
Why not begin your giving today by giving self? Then, all you call yours
will naturally follow. Give your affection to Him. Give your loyalty to
Him. Give your heart to Him. Give your life to Him. If you do, you will
find that, indeed, it is more blessed to give than to receive. We need
to give, and the giving starts with surrender. What will you surrender
to Him today?