May 11, 2003 Pm — Stephen Fenton

Grace as the Source of Generous Giving

We want to do that and we want to say clearly what our attitude toward it is and and we will be encouraging people to get this series of messages especially if they're new to us so they'll understand what our attitudes are toward giving.

And the freedom in Christ that we have even in the area of giving and so it's a thrill to be able to do that. And we spoke as we started chapter 8 about the fact that like everything else we're learning everything else giving comes from grace.

Not the other way around grace does not come from giving. It's as we give we're expressing the grace that is in our lives. In fact it's not us giving just like any other good thing in our lives we're learning that Jesus is everything to us.

And now this we depend on him. He acts through us and so the good things that come out of us are him and we give him the glory for them. So it is with giving. It is not us that gives. Is Christ who gives through us.

It is a grace. Grace never comes from man. Grace is never something that originates with us. Grace is not something that we can create by our activity. It comes from heaven through us. That is so sweet.

And the freedom of that brings and the promise. The implications of it are wonderful. Because if God is the one behind giving then God will direct us in that giving. He will free us in that giving to be generous he will pour out his generosity through us.

Great things will be done. Paul says and I brothers who want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches comes from grace. It shows itself an urgent desire. They pleaded to be involved in giving.

Giving as an Expression of Submission to the Lord

A good sign that God is involved in the giving process is a happy giver see this in chapter 9. But an urgent giver to a pleading giver someone who longs to express themselves and allow Jesus to express himself through them.

Those who are also in this place first of all give themselves to the Lord and then to those in leadership. And we see this in verse 5. Paul says they give themselves first to the Lord and then to us. There's a sweetness about giving that expresses a submission of the whole heart first to the Lord and then to those who lead.

That's why in the early church and Acts chapter 4 you see the Lord's people laying their gifts at the Apostles feet so that then the Apostles would then and then as he continues on he he speaks of the need to excel and he says to them as as he urges them admonishes and not commands them but just spurring them on to good things.

He says just as you excel and everything in faith and speech and knowledge and complete earnestness and in your love for us. See also that you excel in this grace of giving again I say it's not a command.

We shouldn't read it in those terms. Indeed the very next phrase in verse 8 is to say that I am not commanding you. It's an admonishment. It's spurring one another on to good deeds. It's an encouragement to let Jesus loose in their lives in the area of giving.

And the word excel is very clear in its meanings and it means to exceed the fixed mark or measure exceed the six marker measure. And we've said this for two weeks and it's important to say it again because this will become a teaching tool for new people.

Giving Under Grace Rather Than the Old Testament Tithe

We do not and will not urge people to tithe in this church because tithing is part of the Old Testament law. We are not under law we are under grace principle of the Old Testament was a burden. It was designed as a burden in order to make people aware that no matter what they did there was a burden of which they fell short meant to show them that somebody else had to come along and do better in every area.

Whether it was in their tithing or whether it was in keeping every other part or any other part of the law it was meant to be given to them as a means by which they would say they needed a savior. So Jesus has come and he has given to God everything that God expects from us glorious Romans chapter 8.

The first part of that chapter speaks of the fact that that the law is fully satisfied in us not through us but in us because of the Lord Jesus and what he has done. What the law was not able to do because it was weakened by the flesh God did by sending his son in the likeness of human flesh in order to condemn sin and sinful man.

So in Christ we are set free. Jesus has done all that God requires has given that all that God has asked for and in us he just pours out that generosity of his soul. It is not about a tithe. It never will be.

We go back to the tithe. We're going back to the Old Testament. We're not in the Old Testament hallelujah. We're in the new. We're not under law. We're under grace. Paul says the standard is not a ten percent standard in the New Testament.

He says exceed the mark. Let the Lord Jesus show his generosity. And he speaks of that next. I am NOT commanding you but I am. I want you to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others of others.

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. Beautiful verse. There is the heart of giving.

It is Jesus heart. It is the Father's heart is the Spirit's heart Jesus gave of himself. The Father gave us. Jesus's spirit pours out himself himself in order that we might be blessed. And it is that same spirit that gives within us not yours and mine.

God’s Generosity in Christ

We make fun of the Scottish anyone of Scottish blood because of their meanness. But you know the truth is we're all mean. Truth is we'll get a hold of things. We want to keep them as our own. The truth is when we get a hold of things we claim them as our possessions.

But when you come to Christ you give yourself and you give everything to him. And out of that he gets for his own glory. He pours out his generosity. I love I love what it says in Romans chapter 8 about this generosity of God.

And say anybody got the New Living Translation. Because I really like what it says. Anybody carrying the New Living Translation tonight. Is that what you got there. Carol let me read Romans 8. I have to look real close to prove my age.

He says in Romans chapter 8 if I can see it when I find this what can we say about such wonderful things as these. Now we've this first and second coming speaks about the generosity of the Lord Jesus who made himself poor that we might be rich.

But listen. This is not just the Lord Jesus. Listen. Since God if God is for us who can be against us. Since God did not spare even his own son but gives him up for us all. Won't God who give us Christ also give us everything else.

It's not a lovely phrase. Won't God who give us Christ also give us everything else. God is a God of absolute generosity. I mean that he's going to give you the Ferrari that you've always wish you could drive.

You don't need a Ferrari. I don't need a Ferrari. I might like one. We don't need one. We need his provision. We need the things to feed our families. We need the blessings that we can share with others.

And it gives everything. Everything we need. Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own. Will God know. This is a generosity of God. He is the one who has given us right standing him. Here's what God has given us.

He's given us right standing with himself. Who then will condemn us. Well Christ Jesus. No. For he is the one who died for us. That's what he did. He gives himself. That's the gift he gives. He died for us and was raised to life for us and is sitting at the highest place of honor next to God pleading for us.

That's what Jesus has given. That's what Paul is speaking about this generosity of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is where giving comes from. Can anything separate us from Christ's love. Does it mean. He no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity or are persecuted or are hungry or cold or in danger or threatened with death.

Even as the scriptures say for your sake we are killed every day. We are being slaughtered like sheep. No. Despite all these things overwhelming victory is ours through Christ who loved us. And I'm convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love.

Death can't. And life can't. The angels can't and the demons can't. Our fears for today our worries about tomorrow and even the powers of hell can't keep God's love away. Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean.

Nothing in all creation will never be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. That is the generosity of God. And out of that generosity he gives through us as he pours out his love into and through our lives.

The standard of the New Testament. That's everything. Did God just give us 10 of his son. We give us everything. And isn't it true that he has given us everything. Will he not also give us all things.

Not so that we can use them but so that we can pour out blessings so that he can pour out blessings through us. Paul continues as he says in chapter 8. Here's my advice about this. He gives them some advice.

Giving According to Willingness and Means

And the first thing he says that God asks us to give not outside of our means but within our means. As he urges the church to give. He says for this if the willingness is there and that is so important that's where it has to come from.

Willing full heart. If the willingness is there the gift is acceptable according to what one has not according to what he does not have. Do not feel guilty because today you can't give. Do not feel guilty because today you were not able to pour out generosity because it's just not there.

Your time will come and God will bless you. And when your time comes then allow the Lord Jesus just to pour out of you. And that's what Paul goes on to say that his desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard-pressed but that there might be equality at the present time.

Your plenty will supply what they need so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. You will have your turn when you do allow the Lord Jesus. In other words Paul says don't let let the flesh determine what you give.

Do not let a standard whether it's old or new determine what you give. Let Jesus flow through you in generosity even as he has given himself. So he will give himself through you. And when you can when it's there when God has given it to you give it away.

The Ukrainian Bible Project and the Promise of Generosity

This is such a strange principle and I'm I don't know if the church really lives it in many places in our generation. I've met one or two who do who really honestly believe that they cannot give God who really try to be generous and to be joyful and who as they give cannot keep this with the Lord.

The Ukrainian team as I mentioned last week has seen this illustrated. They've been getting money in for Bibles. They're still getting money. And they told me yesterday Kevin told us this morning there's still money coming in for Bibles.

They started by saying that they would give a certain amount. Now they've gone way over that amount because somebody else has given it. Many other people have been involved and the money is still coming in.

You can't you start with the Lord. You say the Lord I'm going to do this Lord. You've given me this desire to be generous and the Lord just comes right back and says well here's my generous. It's a challenge there and it's an exciting promise.

Transparency and Shared Administration of Church Funds

Let the Lord Jesus be generous. See what happens last part of this chapter. It's taken up in a whole section where Paul outlines the men who are coming to carry the gift to Jerusalem. This was a gift that was needed because of the famine.

And he outlines the three men and their spiritual credibility who are coming to carry the gift. Reason he's doing that it's because of the need to be transparent. So he says in the middle of this latter section of chapter 8 for we are taking pins to do what is right not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of men.

It is so important that the church be transparent in their giving. It's so important that people are able to see every penny of how we spend it. It's so important that we be willing to show the world what our finances are.

Because it's transparency and because we want to give glory to God that he has been good to us and he is pouring out his generosity through us. Then we move into chapter 9 and he says there is no need for me to write to you about this service to the Saints.

For I know your eagerness to help. In other words Paul saying I don't have to drive you. And this is an interesting thing given our generation. I don't have to get into fundraising events. I mean if some people in our generation we're reading this they're saying well Paul's kind of got this wrong because we do need to drive people.

We do need to challenge them. We do need to send them. How many mission societies how many causes do you get mail from. Every week you ask you for more money. And this is a constant thing. And in the church it's become an epidemic.

And I know my mailbox because I'm the pastor and because I also have to use the box of the church get is stuffed with letters from various groups and organizations most of the time asking for money. Paul says about this thing there's no need for me to write to you about this service to the Saints.

For I know your eagerness to help. When grace giving is an active expression when people are full of the Lord when they surrender themselves to Jesus when they're yielding to the leadership when there is a need that is presented and is clear people want to.

They are eager to. They are ready to give. We do not need to cajole them. That's the best kind of giving. And Paul says this is the way it's happening here. I don't need to write to you and tell you about your eager.

You're ready. And I have been boasting about it. He says to the Macedonians telling them that since last year in a care you were ready to give and your enthusiasm has stirred most of them to action. You want people to give then allow Lord Jesus to create enthusiasm in your heart.

That enthusiasm to give will stir others. Unquestionably you don't have to make people give. You don't have to write them letters to make them feel guilty. We don't have to do that if if we have given ourselves to Jesus if the promise of generosity is in our souls if he has poured out his generosity upon us then he will pour it out through us.

And our delightful attitude will stir others to action. So he continues on to urge them in that area. And then he says but I am sending the brothers in order that are boasting about you in this manner should not prove hollow but that you may be ready as I said you would be.

For if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared not to say anything about you would be ashamed of having. I would be ashamed of having been so confident. So I thought it was necessary to urge the brothers to visit you in advance and to finish the arrangements for this generous gift that you had promised.

Then it will be ready as a generous gift not as one grudgingly given. It's interesting that the gift needed to be administrated. We've already spoken about the fact of the transparency he was sending men.

He was outlining their credibility. He said they were coming in order to take this gift. But it also needed to be administrated. And if he spoke about that there's a simple little principle and it and it's very important it's important that not just one person administrate the gift.

Now Paul could clearly have taken that responsibility. Who wouldn't trust Paul. Who wouldn't trust Paul with their giving. Everybody who knew him would but he doesn't even involve himself in this group.

He gives the responsibility to others and to more than one. It is amazing to me that still it happens today that in some churches only one person administrate for giving of the Lord's people. There are some pastors who take that responsibility upon themselves and then distribute the funds.

That is atrocious. It is not biblical. It is a temptation to sin. And unfortunately men have fallen into that sin again and again. Even our treasurer the one we have must not be the only one who administrates our funds.

It is so important if we're going to be transparent that we also administrate the gift liberally. And we do it through leadership. We do it through numbers that more than one person sits down and decides where the funds need to go and how they're going to be distributed.

And that's why we have and that's why you've invested leadership in in some men who sit down and when there is need talk about it. That's why then when when they see that need and the Lord leads they distribute it.

So that's so important. And it's important not just that it's invested in one person. We have six people who together will sit down and sometimes more depending on where we feel the money needs to go.

Others will be involved in the process. We're transparent about it because we publish every year our finances. But we've also got to be careful not to invest that task in just one person. Anytime you go to church or hear of an organization where just one person has got control of the funds don't put your money there.

That is a non-biblical practice. Paul sent more than one person who would then administrate this gift. And it's so important. And then as he comes back to this whole theme of generosity and it's there in this book it's constantly there.

Sowing Generously and Giving Cheerfully

He says. Remember this whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly. Here is a principle that Paul is laying down. Here's the ground rules. Here is the rule of thumb for the New Testament. It's not the 10th.

Nothing to do with the 10th. It's generosity. Listen. Whoever so sparingly will reap sparingly. Whoever so generously will reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart. To give heart.

Issue. Not reluctantly. Second thing or under compulsion. But thirdly as a cheerful giver. For God loves a cheerful giver. I don't know how we need to express that. I I think because it's a heart thing we can just do it in our hearts.

But I encourage you last week as we give to the to the benevolence of it which we haven't done yet. Tonight we will in a minute to give with generosity and to give with a grin on your face. And I urge you to do that again tonight to be generous.

Issue. Okay. Okay. And to give generously and to give with a grin on your face. God loves a cheerful giver. You know how does that. How does that balance out with what the Lord Jesus did. How does that balance out with how the Lord Jesus gives himself to keep your.

Because I mean it's Jesus who's giving in us. Right. We've just we've expressed that so clearly. It's Jesus working us. Just go with me in the Matthew. Remember a few years ago we were at the Lord's table with our with our people in Marguerite.

And I'll not ever forget that that particular time around the Lord's table. In the Matthew's gospel you read the story of the Lord's table. I want to find there we are. And this is partway through the meal and it's part of the whole expression of the of the cross and what was coming.

And Jesus knew what was coming. Jesus knew that here was the moment of God's greatest generosity to the world. For he was about to give his life. But how could it be a happy thing when he knew that he was going to die.

How could it be yet. Look at what it says in Matthew 26. And in verse 26. Listen to these words while they were eating. This is the institution of the Lord's Supper. Jesus took bread give thanks and broke it and give it to his disciples saying take and eat.

This is my body. He'd give thanks. And we had a missionary who was retired and her name is Jean. And she stood up in our in in the time of our celebration of the Lord's Supper. And she read that little verse and she pointed out to us as we were about to eat.

You know he'd give thanks even here he was a happy giver. He knew he was going to die. He knew that his body was about to be broken but he rejoiced and he'd give thanks. I'm just a matter of saying thank you Lord for the food like we do.

This wasn't grace. This was a whole other kind of grace. This is the generosity of God. This is a willingness of Jesus to die. This is a heart which is saying thank you Lord for the plan of the cross.

Yes Lord I'm committed. Now my friends take this bread and remember it's a symbol the happy giver. He still wants to be a happy giver. He still wants to be a generous giver. And even as he gave himself so he wants us to give first ourselves to him submitting ourselves to leadership and then allowing him to give through us even going to the cross.

Christ’s Joyful Sacrifice and the Travail of His Soul

You know it says also in Isaiah that Jesus rejoiced when he saw the results of his work. In Isaiah 53 it says he rejoiced to see the travail of his soul. This is such a contradiction in such a sacrifice when such a burden was being asked and being placed upon his shoulders when such a thing was asked of him when God asked him for so much.

And yet in Isaiah 53 it says as the Holy Spirit saw through the eyes of the Prophet it says he rejoiced at the travel of his soul. He rejoiced because he looked and he saw you and he saw me and he saw the results of his work.

We were the travel we were the trouble we were the struggle of his soul. He looked and he saw down through the years that through his work you would be born again. And he rejoiced even there he was a happy giver.

It's awesome. It's staggering. It's hard to believe. Yet he gives thanks before he went to the cross and the apart and the prophets saw that even through the cross and into his suffering he rejoiced in the travel of his soul.

Sometimes I think when we give we feel the burden of our giving. And sometimes God will ask us to give much not just money but sometimes time our effort our lives. Sometimes he'll ask us to give away good career.

He'll ask us to give away a good financial foundation. He'll ask us to give away a good home. He'll ask us to go on to the mission field deepest darkest Canada or somewhere like it. He'll ask us to stop making piles of money.

We were just so impressed with Diane when we knew where this lady had come from and what she'd given up. And we we always have been. She's given it all away. And she's living by faith depending on the goodness of the Lord through his people.

She is well trained she is intelligent. She could be making a fortune in the skills that she has. She could be living high on the hog rich in every sense. She's not. Lord asked her give it all away. Maybe he asked you to do the same something.

This is such a heavy burden. It's hard. It's so hard to go and do this is there are days I get I get down on on my circumstances and begin to feel sorry for myself. You have days like that. Don't you feel sorry for.

No I wish we have. We're struggling with our car right now. Oh that way. I wish I had enough money just to go buy a new one. It's just so hard. Lord. Why is it so difficult. Why is it so difficult. I'm sure you've had days like that too.

Everybody struggles. Why is it. Why does it always have to be so hard in the ministry when we always have to struggle all the time such a burden to give. He rejoiced at the trial of a soul even as he thought about the cross he broke looked up and said thank you God.

But I'm gonna die. I mean that is craziness. But that is the generosity of God's heart for God's who loved the world that he did. And only so is there anywhere anywhere at all in the scripture where it seems to us or it seems to the world as they witnessed it that it was a burden for God to give not.

So at the baptism of the Lord Jesus Christ heavens were ripped open and the voice from heaven. Kim said this is my beloved son. And he is absolutely fabulous burdening to me. He was a joyful giver. What do you think.

The Joy of God’s Greatest Gift

That Christmas thing is all about glory to God in the highest on whom and peace to men on earth on whom his favor rests. The Bible says that the heavens erupted with joy. The glory of God shone around heaven parted because they give the greatest sacrifice of all.

They were given the privilege of giving more than anybody could ever hope to give on earth. They were given the joy of giving away their greatest treasure. He who has given us all things he was given as Christ.

Will he not freely give us all things. Absolutely. And when he gave us Christ he gave us Christ with joy. And we gives Christ to any single soul today. Wait look lady saved this weekend that it through the church and also through the ministry of fat fishing man.

There's joy. The Bible says what does it say when he gives a gift of salvation. The heavens the angels. What rejoice. God's not looking up there looking down from up there now. Well I don't think she deserves that.

I mean if that's what we're doing we've said nothing. But all of us heavens rejoiced. Once again God looks from heaven to say no hallelujah another opportunity to give. This is the principle of the New Testament.

Remember this. Whoever so sparingly will also reap sparingly. Whoever so generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he's decided in his heart to give not reluctantly or under compulsion joyfully.

Richness Measured by Grace, Salvation, and Spiritual Blessing

For God loves a cheerful giver. This is the way God is. Look at your lives. We need to be celebrating what God has given us. Look around you if you've got hope in your hands. The Bible says that every child is a gift.

My children but their mother lobster today and just because I stopped at a quarter after 12 this morning I got some time and Chad Nancy and mom and dad and we got together and our children served the meal and they tied it up after the meal.

And they generously give. How rich is that. How what kind of man and women are we when we've got kids like that. We're rich. I have the four greatest kids in the world. And some of you'll want to argue with that about your kids.

They are such rich rich rich blessings to us. God is so good. That's that's the way God is gives generously. You know what he goes on to say. And it's about the important things. It's so awful to me that people turn this into a crass statement of you know grabbing money from the Lord.

This is what says next. And God is able to make all grace abound to you. Look at how many times the word all is in this so that in all things at all times having all you need you will bind in every good work as it is written.

He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor. His righteousness endures forever. Now he who supplies seed to the sower bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.

You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion and through us. Your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. It horrifies me that I've heard people use this and say she.

This means God wants us all to be so financially secure so rich to have everything we need. We who walk into church every week with our health. We who sit down at our tables to eat better than anybody else in the world.

We who are given the gift of a child or children often so that our quivers are full. We who are given the security of a country where there is stability in government. We who are blessed with the spiritual blessing of salvation.

We who are given the church. We who are given the spirit. We are wanting more money. Are you kidding me. Is that what God is about. Is he about the sense. Is he about that God give us Jesus. God give us the blessings of the spirit.

God give us the power of the church in the ministry of the gospel the keys of the kingdom. The celebration of not money but the celebration of money we can put in the spiritual bank. Tell people about the freedom that comes in Christ.

Those who teach wealth health and prosperity have missed the point and turn God into some sort of cosmic money lender. It is such a destruction of something so beautiful and generous. He gave us Jesus.

That's where his heart lies. He gave us salvation. That's where his heart lies. He gave us hope. That's where his heart lies. He gives us his spirit. He gives us the richness of his presence. Every single Sunday some of us found every week is a man.

What a great day. We thought. Last Sunday was a great day to every week we celebrate that God has been with the likes of us. Every week the band is in awe that somehow somewhere in it all we signed it okay because God was with us.

That is such richness. And it is so not about how much money is in our bank accounts. He will make us rich so rich in every way in the soul so that we can pour it out. But he is. That's why he acts generosity of his soul.

Everyday Generosity in Practical Acts of Love

Every day we can pour I love. And every day we can pour our generosity. Every day we can pour I respect. Every day we can pour I dignity. Every day we can give a gift. It doesn't have to be money. And it's not a pipe money.

When money comes make sure that it's not tainted by greed. Make sure as you receive it you don't take it as your own because you belong to the Lord. And everything you have doesn't just then let the Spirit of Jesus direct you but what he wants you to do with his money when that happens.

But long before that pour out your generosity of heart. When was the last time you hug somebody. That's a gift gift. When was the last time you went and spent time sitting with someone in hospital who is sick.

That's a gift that means so much. It is a rich gift. We Kevin I talked about this. Kevin I talked about this week as we went to see a lady who was sick spent three or four minutes whether and yet she was just delighted.

And as she spoke to us she spoke about a visit that Kathy had had. Kathy had only been able to be there about five minutes. Kathy said that she felt rushed. She felt she wasn't able to spend much time with her.

But that girl was overwhelmed because that day she discovered that she was having hallucinations with with her drugs. And she was so confused and upset. And Kathy noticed it pointed it out to the nurses.

And for the first time in days this girl got some relief. She was overwhelmed with that generosity. And it can't be thought. Well it's just like two minutes I could hardly be there and so much to her.

Do you see what I'm the point that I'm trying to make. Does it make sense. As he showed us his heart. It's in your heart. God is able to make all grace. See that's where it is. It's about grace. It's about the heart applying to you.

So that in all things at all times having all that you need you will abide in every good work not just in money and every good work. Oh yeah. Thank you for the generosity of your soul. Oh God continue to let your grace abide to us so that in turn we can pass it on to other whether it's an area of finance or in the area of a kiss.

And we lift up a crying child and send some of our clothes to unpay for a Bible us to give. As we visit someone in hospital we spend time helping someone move as we direct our care or give our vehicle to be used for your glory.

Whatever it is whatever way you've blessed us help us to grin all over our faces as you flow through us for your glory.