MAXIMIZE your Giving: Contribute!

Over the last several weeks we have been learning about maximizing what God has given us for His glory and purposes. We have learned about maximizing our faith by doing things to see God’s will accomplished in our context and we have learned about making the most of our prayer lives by appreciating what God has done to allow us access to His infinite supply of wisdom and power. Today we are going to learn how to maximize our giving. A sermon on giving to the church is one of the most difficult to sit through and most tedious to prepare for in any community of believers. However, passages associated with giving and finances are among the most prolific in the Scriptures and must be addressed by any Bible believing church. With that said, let me immediately set your minds at ease by getting me off the hook. First, in no way am I made aware of who gives or how much any one individual or family has given to this church.  Second, I will be using the Bible. In other words, the ideas, principles, and message you will hear are not from my own mind but from the mind of God. This means two things. On the one hand you can rest easy, knowing that I am not targeting any one person in this room with this message. However, on the other hand, whatever challenges or convictions you may or may not receive will most certainly be from God by means of His Word and through the Holy Spirit. In other words, my agenda (as it is every week) is to preach the Word. God’s agenda may be to instruct, challenge, and correct as necessary. Therefore, without further ado, let us take a close look at a profound series of verses from 2 Corinthians 9:6-8.

I. PRINCIPLE #1: GODLY GIVERS GIVE AND RECEIVE PROPORTIONALLY-9:6

In giving, the harvest is always in view. In order to illustrate this, Paul asks the Corinthians church to consider a farmer. Although Corinth was not known as a primarily agrarian region, ancient societies like Rome in Paul’s day had closer ties to farming than the West does today. Their familiarity with the field came also with familiarity with common-sense growing principles. Therefore, the image of a farmer sowing seed in the field, harvesting, and bearing his produce to the marketplace would have been a no brainer for the original audience.

With this in mind, Paul presents two scenarios for the church’s evaluation. First, Paul simply states, “he who sows sparingly, will also reap sparingly” (9:6). In other words, if a farmer only puts a few seeds in the ground, he is only going to yield a small crop.  To sow sparingly means to sow a limited or even negligible quantity of seed.

On the flip-side, in scenario #2 we learn that “he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully” (9:6). The word “bountifully” actually means “blessing” or “benefit,” suggesting here that those who put lots of seed in the ground are going to take in a huge blessing come time for the harvest. Such sowing involves great giving and a great reward. These two scenarios work together to give Paul’s first principle for giving, “godly givers give and receive proportionally.”

If you are getting lost in the fields, consider this modern day analogy. In our world of 401K’s, IRA’s, Stocks, etc. we grow wealth by the same general principle that the farmers of ancient Rome did. The more you invest in these different assets or ventures, the more you are going to receive. Giving to anything always takes into consideration the return. The farmer does not plant seed and then walk away, saying, “Well, I’ll never see that again.” Although it is out of sight and given away to the ground, he knows he will someday see the harvest. Similarly, not one contributes to their IRA thinking, “well there is more money gone.” Instead they have the big picture in mind, knowing that one day there are going to harvest a big return. Though this might seem overly obvious, people fail to recognize that this same phenomenon exists in the practice of giving to the work of God.

However, how do we know Paul is talking about money and giving to the church? At the beginning of this chapter, Paul mentions an anticipated gift. This gift would be used for the ministry of spreading the gospel message and was expected to be big, “So I thought it necessary to urge the brethren that they would go on ahead to you and arrange beforehand your previously promised bountiful gift, so that the same would be ready as a bountiful gift and not affected by covetousness” (9:5). Therefore, in order to encourage the biggest and best financial gift possible, Paul gives these three principles to the church in hopes that its members would apply them whenever they go to give to God. 

Studies reveal that the average church attendee gives 2.56% of their income. That is not a whole lot of seed going in the ground. That is not a whole lot invested. What this church (or any church for that matter) is going to experience at the end of this year, next year, and ten years down the line is going to be a direct reflection of what is given today. If everyone gave the same percent you did to your church, could the church expect great things? Godly givers give and receive proportionally. The more we invest, the more God will accomplish.

II. PRINCIPLE #2: GODLY GIVERS GIVE WITH INTEGRITY AND CHEER-9:7

The second principle Paul gives concerning gifts involves integrity and cheer. Though Paul desired a “bountiful gift” (9:5) (i.e. a big check), what was more important to Paul was an honest and willing heart. Honesty in giving begins with being honest with oneself. People ought not give out of compulsion, obligation, manipulation, or guilt. Instead, they must give in compliance with the will of God in their lives. They should not give more because their proverbial arm is being twisted. They should not give less because they are holding back and lacking faith for God to provide.

But how much should people give? Exactly as much as God wants them to and in keeping with the Spirit’s leading in their lives.

With that said, the Bible does provide some guidelines for godly giving elsewhere. The Old Testament is clear that a tithe (that is 10% of one’s income) is an acceptable gift to God (see Gen. 14:20; Lev. 27:30-33; Num. 18:28-29; Deut. 12:11). But wait, you say, if tithing is such a big deal in the church today, why didn’t Jesus have much to say about it. I thought we were free from the Law?

The New Testament confirms that Jesus came to fulfill the law, not to dismiss it (Matt. 5:17-19). Also, tithing is addressed by Christ in the New Testament, though not as you might expect.

Matthew 23:23-“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law; justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these (tithes) are the things you should have done without neglecting the others.”

In this verse, Jesus addresses tithing as something so understood that it’s almost unworthy of a mention. Perhaps Jesus did not discuss giving as much as we would expect because most Jews of His day gave far more than 10% already! We are free from the law, yes; but we have been called to live by the higher standard of grace. A tithe was considered a starting point not an end goal. If anger was taught to be on the same level of murder and lust equal to adultery in Jesus’ eyes (raising the bar in these areas), does it not stand to reason that the tithe is now considered a base-level command—a minimum expectation.

“I never would have been able to tithe the first million dollars I ever made if I had not tithed my first salary, which was $1.50 per week.” –J.D. Rockefeller

Under the grace that we enjoy, the average, modern-day Christian gives only 2.5 percent of his or her income (not even a tithe). In Money, Possession, and Eternity, Randy Alcorn writes, “When we as  New Testament believers, living in a far more affluent society than ancient Israel, give only a fraction of that given by the poorest Old Testament believers, we surely must reevaluate our concept of …giving….”

Not only must a believer give with integrity, he or she must give cheerfully, “God loves a cheerful giver” (9:7). Motives play absolutely no role in the farming analogy Paul used earlier. It does not matter what kind of attitude the farmer had while he was sowing seed. If he sows good seed and has good weather, he will reap a harvest whether he is working for profit, pleasure, or pride. It makes no difference how he plans to use the money that he earns; the harvest will probably come just the same.

This is not so with giving in the church. Motives matter to God. As one commentator says, we must not be “sad givers” who cry as they see the money leaving their hands or “mad givers” who give because they feel like they have to. Instead, believers ought to be “glad givers” who cheerfully share what they have because all that they have is a demonstration of God’s grace. God loves a cheerful giver.

Ask yourself these questions. How much do you give? Is it consistent with God’s will as expressed in His Word and according to His leadership in your life? Also, How do you give? Is it with great joy for your Creator and eagerness to participate with Him, or is it grudgingly? Godly givers give with integrity and cheer.

“Giving should be an outward, material expression of a deep, spiritual commitment…an indication of a willing and obedient heart.” –Larry Burkett

III. PRINCIPLE #3: GODLY GIVERS GIVE OUT OF ABUNDANCE AND BLESSING-9:8

The third and final principle in these few verses reflects Paul’s understanding of God’s grace. Ultimately, Christians can only dispense of what they have received. All that the believer has received is a gift from God, who is capable of making every grace available to the believer at all times. The universals of this verse are incredible. First, “God is able to make ALL grace abound to you” (9:8). Every grace of God is available to the believer. This speaks not only to the grace afforded to the believer at salvation, but the grace that is afforded to the believer for their everyday needs. This first set of universals reveals that potentiality of God’s giving capacity to the godly giver.

The second “all” statement comes next, “so that ALWAYS having ALL sufficiency in EVERYTHING…” (9:8). Here, Paul communicates that the Christian who practices godly giving will have what he or she needs when he or she needs it. This does not mean that God awards giving with wealth and material possessions. Instead, it means that God blesses those who give with what they need to do what He’s called them to! No one who gives to the Lord in a godly way is lacking anything to do all that God desires for them.

Finally, Paul concludes by saying, “you may have an abundance for EVERY good deed.” God’s grace seen in the time, talents, and treasure He has bestowed on His people do not exist for the benefit of those who already have much. Instead, they are to be used to do good works for others. In other words, the reason God has been so generous with us is so that we might be generous with others for His kingdom-building work!

Our church is all about doing the best work that there is, seeing souls saved by Jesus Christ! God’s grace will provide all that is necessary for us to be effective in seeing this happen in our city. However, we have some needs that need to be addressed in order for this good work to be made manifest.

The good news is this—we have all of the money necessary to do all that God has called us to do in making this place a place where people can come to know Christ, grow in Christ, and show Christ to the world. There is just one problem. It is still in our pockets!

So What?

Godly givers will always give and receive proportionally, give with integrity and cheer, and give for good. What do we do in response to a message like this? Malachi 3:10 might have an answer.

“’Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows.’”

This week’s task is simple. The next time you go to give, test God! That’s right! (Don’t worry, the Bible gives permission.)  Test God and see how He will bless you and this church because of your godly gifts. If you have not been tithing, I challenge to test God by beginning to give a tithe. If you have been faithfully tithing, I challenge you to test God by giving an offering. If you have been giving an offering, I invite you to test God by giving even more so that we can do more for the cause of Christ in our context! Crystal Spring Baptist Church must not only be a church of maximum faith and prayer; it must also be a place that maximizes its giving. Let us test God and wait for Him to pour out His blessing on us until it overflows!