How Should We Then Give?
A Sermon by Dr. Neil Chadwick
This is a sermon most conscientious pastors preach reluctantly. It's a topic that arouses controversy and deals with a matter most people believe is their own private business. No, I'm not going to speak about sex. After all, that once private matter has become all too public. Rather, I want to talk about your money and how to give it.
Wesley then went on to preach three main points: "Gain all you can; Save all you can; Give all you can." Concerning his first point, he said, "Gain all you can by honest industry. Use all possible diligence in your calling. Lose no time. That wherein you are placed, if you follow it in earnest, will leave you no leisure for silly, unprofitable diversions. You have always something better to do, something that will profit you, more or less. Do it as soon as possible: no delay! No putting off from day to day, or from hour to hour! Never leave anything till tomorrow, which you can do today. And do it as well as possible. Do not sleep or yawn over it: put your whole strength to the work. Spare no pains. Let nothing be done by halves, or in a slight and careless manner." Wesley went on to say, "We ought . . . not to gain money at the expense of life, nor at the expense of our health. We must preserve, at all events, the spirit of an healthful mind. Therefore we may not engage or continue in any sinful trade, any that is contrary to the law of God, or of our country. We are to gain all we can without hurting our neighbour. We cannot devour the increase of his lands, and perhaps the lands and houses themselves, by gaming, by overgrown bills, or by requiring or taking such interest as even the laws of our country forbid. Neither may we gain by hurting our neighbour in his body. Therefore we may not sell anything which tends to impair health."
1. How should we give? We should give intentionally.
The church has often fallen in line and made use of the same tactics. We utilize lesser motives such as guilt, fear and sympathy, often trying to get people to give more money by appealing to their emotions.
By the way, using a farming analogy, intentionality means placing good seed in good ground under good conditions. That means we don't play the lottery hoping for winnings which we can then give to the Lord; we don't throw seed to the wind by responding to every tear jerking story or heart wrenching picture flashed before our eyes on screen or magazine. At the risk of being judged as self-serving, it seems clear that the "store-house" referred to in Malachi 3 means the local church, not the local post office. It also means that we do this intentional giving with regularity, as Paul says, "on the first day of the week." Even as we don't give "impulsively", we don't give "compulsively"; that is to say, we don't give "under compulsion" (the word "anagke" means "constraint"). No one has the right to impose on us for giving. Recently a member of our church showed me a letter in which he was being told to send money to the writer of the letter, a minister. Already the member had told this minister that he would not be sending money because his Pastor had advised him against doing that, to which the soliciting minister said, "You don't have to do what your Pastor says." And you know what? He is right! Yes, there's value in seeking wise counsel from trusted advisors, but "intentionality" means that you decide to give to God based on your relationship with Him, your devotion, your gratitude, and your desire to participate in the promotion of the Gospel and the healing of souls. How should we give? We should give intentionally. However, does that mean there is no emotion involved at all? Of course not, because Paul also wrote that we should give joyfully. 2. How should we give? We should give cheerfully. Perhaps it's already been pointed out to you that the word used here, "God loves a cheerful giver," is the word from which comes our word, "hilariously." In other words, give at least with a smile on your face, rather than with the attitude, "Oh, this is so hard, what a burden it is to give." Later on we'll talk about the "wave offering" mentioned in the Old Testament. I used to think that referred to the man who, every time the offering bag passed, put his money in the bag and then, with a tear in his eye, waved good-bye as his money disappeared down the pew. When Paul gave his now famous farewell speech to the Ephesus elders, he said, "In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: `It is more blessed to give than to receive.'" (Acts 20:35) Actually the word "makarios" means "supremely blessed." We are often giving thanks for the blessings we have received, but that joy is minor compared to the blessing of giving. How should we give? We should give cheerfully. 3. How should we give? We should give confidently. To look at it from the other side, we should not be worried or insecure about what will happen to the money we have given. At the beginning of the church (Acts 6), the Apostles wisely coached the church to choose trustworthy men to administer the funds that were being received. We now call them Deacons, and it seems logical that if the men chosen were considered trustworthy to serve, then they would be trusted in their service. Later on, Paul collected offerings from the Gentile believers in Greece to be taken to minister to the impoverished Jewish Christians in Jerusalem. He then had the churches choose delegates to accompany him in order to make this presentation. (II Corinthians 8:17-19 - "chosen by the churches to accompany us as we carry the offering....") When these believers in Greece sent this money, they didn't dictate how much of the money should go to widows, and how much to orphans. Neither did they send others to check up on them. Why? Because the surviving Deacons at Jerusalem, "Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch" (Acts 6:5), were men chosen because they were "known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom." (Acts 6:3) In our culture, where money is power, there is the temptation to view our offerings in the same way the world views its investments. When you purchase stock, you have the right to go to stockholder meetings and determine the direction for the company. The wealthier you are the more say you have. Unfortunately, this same attitude follows many people to church. "Because I give in the offering every week, I have the right to influence the direction and decisions of the church." That may be good democratic policy, but it's not sound doctrine. Many years ago Watchman Nee's writings helped me understand this when he pointed out that when the Old Testament worshippers brought their animals as offerings, the animals were killed. In other words, when the offering was consecrated to the Lord, it became separated from the giver - the giver had no more power over that gift. Even the IRS understands this principle. When you give to a tax-exempt, non-profit organization, you surrender all control over that money. Does that mean that if you designate an offering to missions, the Deacons are not bound to send that money to missionaries? While we have made this agreement among ourselves, and are morally bound by that agreement, it's not legally binding. Why? Because, the IRS says, if you retain control over the money, then it cannot be considered given at all. So what are you to do? Give confidently, trusting in those who have been carefully and prayerfully selected. It's understood that this is a touchy subject because there have been reports of abuse. In India, for example, we learned that some Pastors have taken this much too far - they teach their people that it is a sin for anyone other than the Pastor to touch the money that comes into the church. The people lay their rupees on the table and the Pastor picks them up and slides the money right into his pocket. In reaction to such abuses, let's not go to the other extreme of acting in a way that exhibits lack of confidence in those we have chosen. On the other side, and equally wrong, are those situations where leaders treat the funds as if they belong to them. That seems to be at least part of the reason Uzza was struck down when he tried to steady the Ark borne on the ox-cart - he treated it as if it were his own. (I Chronicles 13:9,10) How should we give? We should give confidently. 4. How should we give? We should give liberally. To underscore this point, we only have to go to the Old Testament account of the building of the Tabernacle and there find a great example of liberality in giving.
The point of the story is that the people brought more than expected; they gave with such liberality that an order had to go out, "No man or woman is to make anything else as an offering for the sanctuary." And so the people were restrained from bringing more. (Exodus 36:6) But tucked away in this passage is a reference to the "wave" offering. (The same words are found previously in Exodus 29:24 - "thou shalt wave How should we give? Give generously, understanding that the more seed we sow, the greater the harvest. Which leads to our final point,
5. How should we give? We should give selfishly.
This no doubt comes as a surprise to many. That's the last thing you would expect to hear because, after all, we have been constantly told that we are supposed to be "selfless", not "selfish." But the law of sowing and reaping says that we should give much, expecting much in return - the more we wisely sow, the more abundantly we will reap.
And, as Jesus said in His Sermon on the Mount, we do not store up for ourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But we store up for ourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. (Matthew 6:19,20)
The truth is, giving to God results in unsurpassed blessings, some of which may involve the development of our character which in turn makes it more likely that we will be able to receive, earn, and manage larger amounts of money. But while one result at times may be increased wealth, that is not the first result.
When people generously give to God, are there blessings that come in return? Oh yes, but they are far more valuable than gold or silver. The blessing of "love that is shed abroad in our hearts;" the blessing of "peace that passeth all understanding;" the blessing of "joy in the Holy Ghost;" the blessing of knowing that we're under the watchful care of a loving Heavenly Father.
To say that we are giving selfishly is simply to acknowledge that there is hope - we expectantly give, being assured that there will be a wonderful return.
How should we give? We should give selfishly.
We began by listening to John Wesley say, "Gain all you can; Save all you can; Give all you can."
Then we went on to learn "how" we should give:
It's even good to work for a high grade in "Selfish Giving" as long as the desire is for spiritual blessings, blessings which will automatically be passed on to everyone around us.
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