“Victorious Christian Giving”

1 Corinthians 16

1 Corinthians 16:1-3Now 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.

And when I arrive, whomever you may approve, I shall send them with letters to carry your gift to Jerusalem;

VICTORIOUS GIVING It’s A Stewardship

Psalm 24:1 “The earth is the Lord's, and all it contains, The world, and those who dwell in it.”

Population¹ GNI² Energy³Mortality*0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

300

43,560 8,164

7

1500

691 460

85

South AsiaUS

¹ Population in millions.² Gross National Income per capita.³ Energy use (kg of oil / capita)d* Mortality rates under-5 per 1,000

Source: WHO, 2007 - http://devdata.worldbank.org/query/

VICTORIOUS GIVING It’s a Stewardship. It is biblically Normative to Give.

16:1-2 Now about the collection for God's people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do:

On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income…

Prov. 29:7 The righteous is concerned for the rights of the poor, The wicked does not understand such concern.

Christians give 2.5% in the US• Chuck Swindol, Aug 21-23

A Case for Joyful Generosity

“Most people don’t realize how the rest of the world is absolutely staggered by our wealth; and especially our attitudes that we’re just ‘barely making’ it. We really believe that we just ‘need a little more’. -George Verwer, Operation Mobilization

% Disposable Income Spent on Food

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

US USSR Java India

Source: Ron Sider, “Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger”

VICTORIOUS GIVING It’s A Stewardship. It is Normative to Give. God’s Grace is the Basis for Giving

2 Cor. 8:9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.

VICTORIOUS GIVING It’s A Stewardship. It is biblically Normative to Give. God’s Grace is the Basis for Giving Done Cheerfully.

2 Cor. 9:7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

1 Cor. 16:2 …let each one of you put aside and save, as he may prosper…

VICTORIOUS GIVING It’s A Stewardship. It is biblically Normative to Give. God’s Grace is the Basis for Giving Done Cheerfully.

Exodus 35:5 Take a sacred offering for the Lord. Let those with generous hearts present the following gifts to the Lord: gold, silver, and bronze… So the whole community of Israel left Moses and returned to their tents.

Exodus 35:20f All whose hearts were stirred and whose spirits were moved came and brought their sacred offerings to the Lord…Both men and women came, all whose hearts were willing. They brought to the Lord their offerings of gold—brooches, earrings, rings from their fingers, and necklaces…

They went to Moses and reported, “The people have given more than enough materials to complete the job the Lord has commanded us to do!” Exodus 36:5

VICTORIOUS GIVING It’s A Stewardship. It is biblically Normative to Give. God’s Grace is the Basis for Giving Done Cheerfully.

Resentful

Thankful

Hoard

Give

VICTORIOUS GIVING It’s A Stewardship. It is biblically Normative to Give. God’s Grace is the Basis for Giving Done Cheerfully.

Depression

• WWI generation: 1%• Boomers: 5%• Gen. X..: 15%

One [reason] is an increasing individualism, a rampant individualism, in which we tend to regard ourselves like children regard themselves as I’m all there is, and depression is, I believe, a disorder of individual failure, an individual helplessness, and if you think you’re all there is, you’re set up for it.Martin Seligman Forum on Depression 8/16/2002

VICTORIOUS GIVING It’s A Stewardship. It is biblically Normative to Give. God’s Grace is the Basis for Giving Done Cheerfully.

United States of America is the richest and most powerful country in the world with half the world’s billionaires. True _______ False ________?

(Forbes March 27, 2006, U.S. Dept. Education Web site) The US has the highest rate of significant mental illness among all countries studied, using a comparable method. -True _______ False ________?

(see WHO Survey, JAMA 291(21): 2581-2590, June 2, 2004)

VICTORIOUS GIVING It’s A Stewardship. It is biblically Normative to Give. God’s Grace is the Basis for Giving Done Cheerfully. An Act of Love.

2 Cor. 8:8 I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others.

1 John 3:18 “Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.”

VICTORIOUS GIVING It’s A Stewardship. It is biblically Normative to Give. God’s Grace is the Basis for Giving Done Cheerfully. An Act of Love.

VICTORIOUS GIVING It’s A Stewardship. It is Normative to Give. God’s Grace is the Basis for Giving Done Cheerfully. An Act of Love. Deliberate, Consistent.

1 Cor. 16:2 On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income

VICTORIOUS GIVING It’s A Stewardship. It is Normative to Give. God’s Grace is the Basis for Giving Done Cheerfully. An Act of Love. Deliberate, Consistent. All Are Able.

2 Cor. 8:1-3 And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. [2] Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. [3] For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own,

Mt.12:41 And He sat down opposite the treasury, and began observing how the people were putting money into the treasury; and many rich people were putting in large sums.

Mt.12:41ff A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which amount to a cent. Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury; for they all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on.”

VICTORIOUS GIVING It’s A Stewardship. It is Normative to Give. God’s Grace is the Basis for Giving Done Cheerfully. An Act of Love. Deliberate, Consistent. All Are Able. An Area of Sanctification.

Luke 9:24

"For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.”

2 Cor. 9:6-8

Now this I say, he who sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly; and he who sows bountifully shall also reap bountifully…

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed

"In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.' " Acts 20:35

An Area of Sanctification

1 Tim. 6:17-19 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.

Join the Missions Prayer Breakfast! How can God use your spare change?

Principles of Giving It’s A Stewardship. (Ps.24:1) It is Normative to Give. (1Co.9; 2Co.8-9) God’s Grace is the Basis for Giving

(2Cor.8:9) Done Cheerfully. (2Cor.9:7) An Act of Love. (2Cor.8:8b) Deliberate, Consistent. (1Cor.16:2; 9:5,7) All Are Able. (2Cor.8:1-3) An Area of Sanctification. (Lk.9:24;

2Cor.9:6-8; 1 Tim.6:17-19)