The life of Jesus is characterized by giving. In fact if you think about it, he was always giving something to others. He was giving bread to the hungry, sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, freedom to those in bondage, comfort to the hurting and the list could go on and on. Finally he gave his precious life as a sacrifice for your sin and mine. God is still giving to you and I every day that it our privilege to breath and move. God says in Rom. 8:29 that believers are predestined to be conformed to the image of Christ, which means friends at Sauble Christian Fellowship - God is at work on and in you to make you a giver like Jesus was. True believers are givers by nature. Friendship, comfort, finances, talents, encouragement - these are the things that ought to flow freely from the life of true believers. Let’s look at 1 Cor. 16: , and while you are turning there let me make you a promise. If you will really listen this morning and pay attention and apply the two verses of scripture we are going to centre our talk on this morning - your finances will not be the same a year from now as they are today. God will do something special in your life that will absolutely amaze you!
So let’s begin in 1 Cor. 16: at verse 1.
Now, concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye.
2. Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no collections when I come. And when I come, whomever you may approve by your letters, then will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem, and if it is fitting for me to go also, they will go with me.
Notice vs. 2
“On the first day of the week let every one of you put aside or lay in store as GOD hath prospered him, that there be no collections when I come.”
In that simple verse of scripture is one of the primary steps to be a good manager of your money and of being a good steward of all the things God has given you. I want us to see something in this passage, and then I want to add another passage to this and then I’ll repeat this: “If you apply the truths in these two passages of scripture, something dramatic will happen to your finances and to every other area of your life.”
Well, the first thing Paul is saying here is this: God’s plan for giving involves a very specific purpose. Now if you’ll notice he is specific about, a church in a specific location. Then he says, “Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order or directed the churches of Galatia, so do you also. Then in vs. 3 he speaks of carrying a gift to Jerusalem.
Now in Jerusalem they were having a very difficult time financially because of a famine and 2nd, because of the explosive growth of the church. Many of the Christians were out of work and unable to get jobs due to persecution. Historians tell us that in the time of Passover there could be as many as 2 million people in or right around Jerusalem.
The Christians were in dire need at this point in time. So the first and primary reason for giving is to supply the needs of the body of Christ, and this is what Paul is concerned about here. He was concerned about legitimate needs. You may recall, Paul told the Thessalonians, “If you don’t work, you don’t eat.” He was not condoning any kind of sloth or laziness but he was concerned about genuine needs. So the first purpose for giving is to meet the needs of those in the church.
The second purpose for giving is to care of those who are preaching and ministering the gospel. In Phil. 4:10 Paul rejoiced how the Philippians were giving toward his needs and of course you read a little further on there that Paul promises the Philippians, His God will supply all their needs as a result. Not only will he supply them, He’ll do it according to His riches in glory, by Christ Jesus. In 1 Cor. 9:11 Paul says to the Corinthians “If we sowed spiritual things among you, is it too much if we receive material things from you?” Then too in 1 Tim. Paul tells Timothy, 5:17, “Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honour, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.” So, the second reason for giving is to provide for those who preach and teach the word of God.
The third reason is to carry on the work of the church, missions, evangelism, discipleship and corporate fellowship. Now remember, at the time Paul was writing this, because of the persecution, there were no church buildings. Christians had to meet in homes or at times in secret places to avoid persecution.
There were no buildings for the first 200 years of the N.T. church.
So the 3 reasons for giving were:
(1.) to meet the needs of the body of Christ
(2.) to provide for those who laboured in teaching and preaching
(3.) for the on-going administrative work of the church.
So the first thing we’ve addressed from 1Cor.16 here is the purpose of giving.
Now lets look at verse 2 again, “Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay aside and save, as God has prospered him, that there be no collections when I come.”
Notice God’s plan for giving involves a period of time. He says, “Upon the first day of every week.” Now some of you are saying, “Wait a minute Pastor, it doesn’t really matter when you give!” He says on the first day of every week. WHY? Remember that the Jews celebrated the Sabbath on Saturday. When Jesus rose from the dead on a Sunday morning something happened to those who were His followers. Look with me at John 20 and here is where it seems to have begun, but we’ll see it many other places in the N.T. vs. 19. Then the same day at evening (the same day he rose from the dead), being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst of them and said, “Peace be still!” So they are meeting on the first day of the week. Then look at vs. 26, and see that 8 days later, which would be a Sunday again, they are meeting. Then in the 20th Chapter of Acts in vs. 7 Paul is preaching and he says, “And on the first day of the week when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them. . . “
So early in the N.T. church, Christians began to meet on Sundays, the first day of the week. A clear pattern was established. Back to our text.
1Cor. 16:2. “On the first day of every week” God’s plan for giving is that you and I give systematically not once at the end of the year, not once a month but systematically on the first day of every week. Some of you are getting a little defensive about now and among the sheep I sense there is the odd “But, but, but” on a few tongues! Hang in there with me and let’s look at 4 reasons.
(1.) God intended your weekly giving to be part of your experience of worship, and it starts well before you come to church. You take your tithes and offerings. You make sure the children have theirs. You pray as individuals or as families over those gifts. Lay hands on them and pray before you ever get to church. Teach your children you’re going to the storehouse where
God receives what you’ve layed in store for Him.
(2nd) He intended for us to systematically be reminded of our dependence on Him and that every good and perfect gift comes from Him.
(3rdly) He intended for us to systematically be reminded that He is the source of all we have every day - all week long - not just on Sunday
(4thly) God intended us to be good stewards of what we have and He knows that a systematic bringing of tithes and offerings to Him on the first day of every week would require and show that we are good stewards or managers of the resources he has given.
So God didn’t just say, “On the first day of every week,” as a suggestion or one of many options. He meant what He said and He said what He meant, and our God is faithful one hundred percent!
Notice he didn’t leave it at, “On the first day.” He said, “…of every week.” There are no unimportant words in this bible friends. The Greek language is the most precise, exacting language there is. Dr. Penner who taught me Greek at Tyndale Seminary in Toronto told us as students that learning Greek was analogous to a mother porcupine experiencing a “Breach Birth!” I’m sure God ordained that most of the N.T. would be written in Greek because it is so precise and the meanings are so clear.
Paul says, “On the first day of every week” and here’s what he means: If you miss a Sunday you don’t go out and spend the money on yourself. You say, “O Pastor Tim, I would never do that!” Lots of folks do! They don’t come to church - they don’t give. What’s he say, “On the first day of every, NOT some, NOT most, NOT a few, NOT every other….He says, “On the first day of EVERY WEEK.” The commands of scripture all follow a very simple, easy to understand plan. That is, - God’s will is never left hazy or fuzzy and in need of us to clear up what the meaning is. In today’s text we see God’s clear purpose and His clear plan. So…when you and I come to the house of the Lord every Sunday, we are to come having pre-planned, having prepared our tithes and offerings. If we miss a Sunday. you bring it along the following week and add it that week’s offering. That is the way God intended us to give, ….not ’cause Pastor Tim says so, but because His directions are so clear in His instruction book. - the bible.
The reason God set His plan up in such a systematic way is primarily for our benefit. He wants us to have a weekly pattern of discipline in our giving.
Now let’s move on to the 3rd phrase in verse 2 of our text. He said, “On the first day of every week let each one of you.” He didn’t say, some of you; a few of you; just moms; or just dads; He said, “Each one of you.” Again, let me remind you all of these words are in the text for a God ordained, God designed reason. He said, “Each week,” and “Each one.” What are you doing moms and dads when you give it all? You are depriving your children out of the privilege of learning the joyful lessons of obedience and blessing by letting each one give on the first day of the week. Every child should be taught the principle of gratitude and giving before they learn to count! I remember my parents teaching me as a very young child to give an offering. Once I was old enough to earn an allowance, I was expected to tithe from that and later still from the money I made on my paper route. Jackie and I in turn, taught our children the same thing. When they were little we would put our offerings in the envelope and they would have their coins and we would pray together over our offerings before we ever got to the church. Then the first act of reverent, joyful worship for us when we got to church was to go over to the collection box and put in our tithes and offerings. My parents always gave more than a 10% tithe and so have Jackie and I. And we have always experienced abundant blessing as a result. I feel sorry for the believer who doesn’t feel he can afford to tithe. God says, “Sow sparingly and you’ll reap sparingly, sow bountifully and you’ll reap bountifully.”
You remember Mark 12 when Jesus was at the entrance door to the temple where people entering would put their tithes and offerings in the treasury box. Look with me at verse 41, “And Jesus sat down opposite the treasury, (remember that word) and watched how the people put money in the treasury, and many rich people were putting in rather large sums, but there came a certain poor widow and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing (mites were like our pennies, and were worth about a half a penny each. It was the smallest value coin you could get in that day.) This is such an important lesson that in vs. 43 we see Jesus calls his disciples to Him for one of those special teaching moments, then he says, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all they who have put money into the treasury;” WHY? “For they have put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her want put in ALL that she had, even all her living.”
Some of you are developing a nervous twitch. You’re asking, :Pastor, are you saying that I need to give everything?” No! I’m not, but if the Holy Spirit is nudging you to give liberally, you had better do it, ’cause He could take it all from you in a moment if He wanted to.
1st, the purpose is clear
2nd the plan is clear
3rd, it is to be personal
Well, we see in our text we are to lay aside or save or store depending on what translation you are using….and where are each of us to put that money on the first day of every week? Earlier I asked you to remember a word from the story in Mark 12. There is says Jesus sat by the _______________. (treasury) The Greek word for treasury is “thisauridszo” It is the same word from which we get our English word, Thesaurus. A treasury of words. The treasury Jesus was referring to was a collection box that sat at the entrance to the temple, or synagogue. When people would come in to worship they would put their money in as their first act of worship. It was after all, their firstfruits offering. As the NT church began to suffer persecution and they began to meet in private homes or secret places the collection box was kept by a trusted disciple who had responsibility for the treasury box or the collection box. The bible tells us the on the first day of each week each one is to lay in store and that saving is for the storehouse. Turn with me if you will to Mal.3 and we’ll begin at verse 10, where he says, “Bring all the tithe or the whole tithe to the storehouse. that there may be food in My house, and test me now in this says the Lord, if I will not open to you the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it. Vs. 11: “I’ll rebuke the devourer for your sakes and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before her time in the field, ” saith the Lord of hosts. (He uses His battle name because he does battle for you when you obey Him.)
Notice what He says in vs.8 of Mal.3. “Will a man rob God? Yet, you are robbing me. But you say, “How are we robbing you?” God gives them a very simple answer in vs. 9, “In tithes and offerings.” God goes on to say that because they are robbing Him, they are under a curse. Let me ask you Sauble Christian Fellowship friend - are you under a curse?
Prov.26:2 says, “The curse causeless shall not come.” Deut.11:26 says, “See I am setting before you this day a blessing and a curse. The blessing if you obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today; the curse if you disobey the commands of the Lord your God….” Friends, we for our own good and God’s glory we need to obey Him when He says, “On the first day of every week let each one of you lay in store as the Lord has prospered Him.”
The next question that begs to be asked here is “HOW MUCH?” Some argue that the tithe is an OT teaching and that we don’t need to give 10% now that we are in the NT era, and under grace. Paul’s instruction said, “Lay in store as the Lord has prospered you.” That sounds to me like a percentage of sorts. In the NIV it reads, “Each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up…..” He also said he wanted them to do that so the needs could be met in a timely fashion and there would be no need for a special offering to be taken when he got there.
What really is an OT tithe anyway? Well, it started with 10% of all firstfruits, and the very word, firstfruits meant God first, before the Roman tax man, before the bills, before the payments. God was to get the firstfruits of all your increase and this went into the treasury weekly, and was for the ministry of the priests and the temple. A further 10% was to be saved and given at the time of Religious Festivals, and this money went to support and promote the nation of Israel. Then every 3rd year there was an additional 10% that was to be deducted and given to the poor. So the OT saints who were obedient to Levitical law were actually tithing at a rate of 23%!
Jump over now to Matt.23 and look with me at the most scathing denouncement Jesus ever made at any time to anyone about anything. Here we see Jesus AFLAME with righteous, godly anger. In vs. 23 Speaking to the Pharisees, Jesus says, “Woe to you (That was a curse to them) Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and you have omitted the weightier matters of the law, - judgement, mercy, faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the others undone..”
Notice Jesus did not say they should stop tithing. He said they ought to have the right heart attitude in other areas of judgement, mercy, and faith along with their tithes and offerings. Let’s look at the NT church. At the time Luke was writing the Acts of the apostles, there was an incredible explosion of growth taking place in the fledgling Christian Church. Thousands were being saved and many of them were Jews, who were very familiar with and accustomed to tithing already. They had been taught that from their earliest years on. Acts 2:44 says, “And they who believed had all things common; and sold their possessions and goods and parted them to all men, as every man had need.“
Can you imagine Peter getting up to preach on tithing in the early church when these committed believers were already giving everything they had. Tithing was old hat, ….beginners stuff to them. If Peter had preached on a 10% tithe, the givings would have gone way down! So friend here today, if you’re not tithing - what’s your problem. Do you not believe God’s word? Or, do you think you know better than God when you reason in your mind that you can not afford to tithe. Listen, according to the Holy Scriptures and the promises of God - YOU CAN NOT AFFORD NOT TO TITHE IF YOU WANT TO CHOSE BLESSING FOR YOUR LIFE.
God says on the first day of the week - that’s Sundays
Let every single one of us - No exceptions!
Lay by, Save, Store up to bring - How Much?
As the Lord has prospered him.
What have you got that the Lord has not given you or allowed you to get?
Count your blessings and look at what God has done and then try to tell me it is too much to give God one thin dime out of every dollar????
In two powerful, instructive scriptures we see God’s plan that never fails - always works and will produce for you more than you will ever be able to produce, no matter how hard you work at it! His plan always works, He never fails - God guarantees His work and the bank of Heaven which He controls, stands behind it! God makes it very simple. He never complicates things. We are the ones who complicates things. God said to Adam and Eve, it’s all yours but this one tree, don’t touch it. Very, very simple wouldn’t you agree? But the same enemy that whispers in your ear, “You can’t afford to tithe. You can afford to give those special offerings,” is the same enemy that whispered into Eves ear, “Do your own thing….God’s holding you back…..go ahead please yourself.” And Eve listened to Satan and things got real complicated and she and Adam brought themselves under a curse for disobedience and the world is still reeling from the shock of that tragic first sin. The devil hates the plain and simple truth of God’s plan. His plan is:
“On the first day, of every week, let each one of you lay by in store as the Lord has prospered him.” THAT’S THE PLAN
Now for the second scripture! What determines God’s response, and the size of His response to what you give?
Let’s look at 2 Cor.9:6 “But this I say, He who sows sparingly shall reap also sparingly, but he who sows bountifully will reap also bountifully.” Vs. 7, “Let each man do just as he has purposed in his heart, not with a grudging spirit - (I wish I didn’t have to give this) or of necessity, ( I have to do this); for God loves the cheerful giver. Vs.8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always, having all sufficiency, in all things may abound in every good work.”
So there you have it. In 1 Cor. 16:1-2 and 2 Cor.9:6, God’s whole plan for your giving.
If you sow sparingly, how will you reap? _______________________
Some of you have felt the sting of that truth in your lives. It’s never too late with the Lord for repentance and a major attitude adjustment that will usher us into his blessing and break the curse on our lives.
If you sow bountifully, how will you reap? ___________________________
Now I know some of you have really had some wonderful experiences with this truth just within this past year. You have felt the effect of 2 Cor. 9:8 as ALL grace has abounded toward you, touching not only your finances, but your relationships, your family, your joy, your peace. You know that you’ll ALWAYS have ALL SUFFICIENCY at ALL TIMES, and not only that, you’ll ABOUND with enough to be even more of a blessing to the Lord’s work and others.
It comes down to the square root of choices friends. What kind of a steward are you?
What will you do with these scripture truths friends. Ever promise does have a premise and we must respond to God’s instruction if we are to receive His rich blessing.
I challenge you to line up your life and your attitude with the truths of these two scriptures and then watch God pour it on!
Many of you here today have staked your entire eternal future on the promise that if your repent of sin and believe in Jesus you’ll spend eternity in Heaven with Him. You have never seen either Jesus or Heaven, but you have exercised believing faith and you are sure that someday that faith will be rewarded with a heavenly home forevermore. Well friends the good news is, not all the promises of God are for the sweet bye and bye.
If you will believe in God’s plan for giving, practice it, on the first day of every week as the Lord prospers you, and if you will give bountifully, it will come back to you from the loving Heavenly Father who asks you today as he did in Mal. 3 - PROVE ME IN THIS. TEST ME. CHECK IT OUT. SEE IF I AM TELLING YOU THE TRUTH.
I want to ask you to make a commitment this morning friends. Will you join me for the next seven days in a special time of meditation on these two key scriptures. Would you consider writing out on a card or sheet 1 Cor.16:1&2 and 2 Cor.9:6 and add the reading of them to your daily devotions. Would you meditate on these two verses with an open heart and say, “God what does this mean in my life?”
If you’ll take God at His word - believe Him - obey Him and put Him to the test I guarantee, you’ll have some kind of wonderful testimony!!!