John D. Rockerfeller at 55 years of age was dying. He lived on crackers and milk. He had a terrible blood disease that rendered him very weak. He reported that he could sleep no more than 1 hour at a time in spite of the finest medical care that money could buy. For 5 years now he had lived that way – in agony and pain. His stomach was badly ulcerated and his multiplied millions could not help him. He knew he was dying. Because he knew his death was immanent, he decided to do something he had never done before. He began to take a course of action, to which he attributes his miraculous turn around in health.
John D. Rockerfeller, lived another 35 years in much better health than he had when he began taking this important action – the action he started when he was on the brink of death. What was it that John D. Rockerfeller decided to do?
In Luke 6:38 Jesus gives us a very clear, very simple formula for receiving his blessings. There are millions of people struggling and in great need in our society and maybe your here today and you’re one of them! You’re not sure what to do. Here Jesus gives a very simple solution. (Read from overhead together)
“Give and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.” NKJV
John D. Rockerfeller began to give away much of his fortune and the principle of blessing from God’s word, kicked in, and Rockerfeller began to find new joy and such significantly improved health that he lived another 35 years. There are many people today who have needs and they’re wondering why God has not met those needs. Well God has placed all the answers we need in this life in this book (Wave the Bible around) and there is nothing too complex or hidden for us to understand. On the contrary, God has made it VERY PLAIN and EXTREMELY SIMPLE. In this simple verse we see God’s formula for blessing. Here’s the thing I want you to encourage you to do. – (I can tell some of you are already getting edgy!)
Your struggling with the very idea that Pastor Tim is about to speak on the subject of money. Your thinking, “Do you have to preach on giving? Well forgive me, but hang in there with me, because the real truth is: I am jealous for God’s richest blessing in your life, and what we are looking at today is inextricably tied to his personal blessing for you and your life.
Now don’t get hung up, especially with this verse, that the only thing you have to give is money. There is so much more covered in this verse than just money.
If a person has an ON-GOING need in ANY area of their life (are you listening?) If a person has an ON-GOING need in ANY area of their life, more than likely they have a SPRIRITUAL problem! What is God’s answer to receiving His blessing in the areas of our need? Let’s look carefully at this verse to see what He’s saying. God has made is simple enough for a young child to understand.
The first word in the verse is the key word. “GIVE”. The first step in God’s formula for blessing is not an option. It is a prerequisite – a requirement. It is, in the Greek language – a present tense imperative – which means a command! – YOU GIVE! Because it is in the present tense, the implication is, it is not something you do once and that is behind you, or even that you do once in a while. It is an on-going action of the present. While you live – you give! Jesus intends it to be a part of His prescribed healthy lifestyle.
Notice what Jesus leaves out here. He says, “Give and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”
We look at that and say, “He forgot something!” He forgot to tell us WHAT to give. NO HE DID’NT. He deliberately left that out. The reason Jesus did not say, “Give money, or give time, or give this or that” is because you and I would have limited what we do in response to this verse to only those things. So….. when Jesus says, “Give” what does He mean? Well it depends on what your area of need is. If your need is LOVE – then give it. If your need is TIME – then give it. If your need is money – then give it. If your need is friendship – then give it. He says, “Give and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be poured into your lap. Why would Jesus make a statement like that? Here’s the reason! It’s because God desires to bless His children. He is a loving Creator who desires to freely give His obedient children all things to enjoy. All through scripture we see the nature of God unfolding as one who is generous and delights to bless those who follow and obey Him. He does not always indiscriminately give out His blessing. Remember, every promise has a premise!
God will bless us when it is for our benefit and His glory, not when He knows it will harm us. He always has our best in mind.
So He says, “So…. you want to be blessed. It starts with giving!” Now if He had given us a long complicated series of meticulous moves we needed to follow to find His blessing, we probably would have studied arduously, searched and pursued the plan with great passion, but He didn’t do it that way. Instead, He made it incredibly simple. He said, “GIVE.” Simple enough for the simplest among us…. even me…. to understand.
Now, why did Jesus begin with this word, “GIVE?” First of all God knows you and I are born into the world with this problem! A baby wants what it wants, when it wants it. And friends we all know the baby wants it _______________ (Now!!!) That’s right! We are born with a covetous spirit. And followers of Jesus Christ must win the victory over this covetous spirit. It is interesting that of all those sins listed different places throughout the bible, covetousness is mentioned in almost every list. It is part of our fallen nature. That desire to hold on, to accumulate, to have what God knows is unnecessary or not good for me. That desire to hoard, to keep, to build up my security on something I keep – something I control.
One of the reasons God starts His formula for blessing with this word “GIVE,” is because He wants to overcome this old problem of covetousness that all of us must deal with. The best way to find out if you are covetous or not is to see how you respond when the Lord moves on your heart to give something. It may be your time, your talents, your abilities. All of us can think of many different reasons why we don’t have time to serve the Lord. When pressed hard for time, Martin Luther got up 2 hours earlier to GIVE extra time to the Lord, so the many things that pressed in on him would get done in time. He was in sync with God’s formula.
A second reason Jesus begins with the word “GIVE” is: Our giving, no matter what it is, is a good barometer of our spirituality. A person who is manipulating and controlling and wants to hold on, — it says something about who is the boss in their life. It says something about who is the Lord in their life. But, a person who is ready and willing to give at the bidding of Christ, understands what Lordship is all about. So…it is a good barometer of where our priorities are. Where are your priorities? Is it on amassing wealth? Is it on yourself and your world or is it on walking in obedience to Jesus Christ? Is our first priority, obedience to Christ, whenever and however He calls?
When Jesus begins with, “Give and it shall be given to you,” He has something definite in mind and it is for OUR BENEFIT! Our usefulness before God depends on our willingness to be giving people. How can you be a servant of the Lord if you are unwilling to give encouragement to others? God is saying the way you get your needs met is to meet the needs of others.
You may be sitting here this morning and saying, “But, Pastor Tim, I don’t have anything to give!” Wait a minute – God intended this verse for you just as much as the next guy. Every one of us has something to give in every culture and circumstance in the world, and especially in our blessed Canadian culture. When you and I are obedient to give what we can – God assumes full responsibility for meeting the need in our own lives. God also knows that when we give our of our little, out of our want and sometimes out of almost nothing, – that is how He stretches our faith and friends, – our faith stretching pleases Him. “For without faith it is impossible to please God” – Hebrews 11:6. So when we are challenged by the Holy Spirit to give and we reason, “God, how will I be able to pay my bills – you know how tight things are!” But we give anyway – we give a little, out of our little – God sees our exercise of faith and it pleases Him and He says, “Give, and I’ll give unto you!” The whole process is designed by God to help us grow up spiritually. Giving is a mark of spiritual maturity.
When we are obedient two things happen:
1.) God is free to reveal His power to meet our needs
2.) God has the opportunity to prove His long-term faithfulness to us as he leads us into more maturity in Him.
If you think about it, what we have said so far is so simple it is available to everyone, from a child to an elderly senior. Give – give whatever you have and it will be given back to you.
Tell me here today friends – what is your greatest need? Is it companionship? Would you consider being a companion to someone who is lonely and watch God meet your need?
Is it friendship? Prov. 18:24 says, “He who would have friends must show himself friendly.”
One who needs comfort, should look for opportunities to comfort others. One who needs money should be willing to give money to help others.
So…..God has given us a formula for the meeting of our needs that is so simple, so clear that anyone, anywhere, in any culture, at any time, in any language, can easily understand, and the first word in that same formula is the main KEY and the first step in seeing our needs met and that word is ? _______________(Give!) Very good! It is that simple.
Now let’s look at the verse again. Notice Jesus could not have made it any easier for us. He says, “Give and IT;” What is the IT? Whatever you need! Give what you need, because IT – whatever you give, is coming back to you. What does the text say here? Give and it MAY come back to you? No! Give, and it MIGHT come back to you? No! Give and perhaps….possibly…..
hopefully it will come back to you? NO! Jesus says, “IT WILL BE GIVEN BACK TO YOU.”
Now, how many of you know that a promise is only as good as the capacity of the person who made the promise to keep it. So… I look Dean Cober square in the eye and say, “Dean, right after the service I’m going to go get a briefcase out of my trunk and I’m going to give you one million dollars.” (Don’t get too excited Dean!!) Now friends, are you tracking with me who is making this promise to Dean? ____________ That’s right – me! Do you see it – JESUS is the one who said, “Give and it shall be given unto you.” Dean will be disappointed with me, but Jesus has never ever let anyone who truly believes Him down.
Look with me at John 5:30, “I can do nothing on my own initiative, rather as I hear, I judge, and my judgement is just because I do not seek my own will, but the will of the Father who sent me.” What Jesus is saying in this passage is this: What He was saying in His day, when He walked on earth, was exactly what the Father told Him to say. Notice the authority of Almighty GOD is now behind these words of our text, “Give and it shall be given unto you.” Are you tracking with me? Who is omnipotent? Who does Jesus know that has all the power necessary to do what He says, ____ (God!)? Who does Jesus know is omniscient and knows every detail of every situation in your life? ________
And who is omnipresent — is everywhere at all times and therefore with you today? __________
Friends at Rosebank this morning, when Jesus says to you by His word, “Give and it shall be given unto you,” your obedience dictates that Almighty God in his omnipotent power must move the mighty forces of heaven into action to back up that promise. The integrity of His Son, who spoke the words of promise to you, is at stake.
Some of you are nervous again! You’re thinking, “Danger, danger – God doesn’t HAVE TO do anything. What if the motive is wrong? What if you give ’cause you’re greedy to get? Good point! Let me just say for your sake, this promise assumes, and so am I that you are giving out of an obedient heart, because you are responding to God, not because you have your good in mind. The bible tells us God loves the cheerful giver.
When Jesus says, “Give and it shall be given unto you,” you and I have no legitimate reason for doubting what He says. Some of you are thinking, do you mean that I am to believe that if I give, Jesus will give back to me? Friends, that is not the main issue.
The main issue is DO YOU BELIEVE THE WORD OF GOD? When you read it – do YOU believe it? It is Jesus Christ who made this promise to you, and He didn’t say, “If you give a certain thing. He inferred, no matter what it is, time, comfort, love, friendship, encouragement, money, talents — He said you give and what will happen? It will be _______________________________________(given back to you!)
Think about the needs in your life right now. How do you intend to get those needs met? What is God’s method of getting the need met? God knows your heart and He knows that the best way for you to get your needs met is to give out of your need and He will give back to you in that area. That matures us, edifies us, builds us up and conforms us more to the image of His dear Son — who gave up everything for us according to Philippians 2. “Wherefore God has highly exalted Him and given Him a name that is above every other name, that at His name every knee should bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
Jesus set the example for us as He walked upon the earth. He was a gentle shepherd. “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” He delights to meet the needs of His sheep. He has always promised to provide for His people but He showed too that He often requires us to respond to Him with simple obedience. He doesn’t often impose His special blessing without requiring some action on our part. To the man with the withered hand, he said, “Stretch it out”, to the sick of the palsy he said, “Get up – take your bed and walk”. He says to you and me this morning, “If you want to be blessed, then you must take some initiative and begin to GIVE.
Now we have covered 1/4 of the first sentence in Luke 6:30, now let’s move on. How does Jesus promise to give IT, – whatever your need is — back to you. “GOOD MEASURE, PRESSED DOWN AND SHAKEN TOGETHER AND RUNNING OVER SHALL MEN GIVE INTO YOUR BOSOM”. In Jesus’ day men and women would go to market with an outer garment that served like an apron and men would measure out grain or vegetables into your lap or bosom. That is where that terminology comes from. (Illustration time)
If God was in the cereal business, the top would be bulging on the box and when you opened it, it would overflow the top. God gives a full measure. Then He shakes it down. He doesn’t just shake it down, the scriptures say then, He PRESSES IT DOWN, then He pours more in and repeats the process. Some of you know Lloyd Fretz. I remember going to buy a bushel of concord grapes from his Dad in Vineland. He would put the grapes in the bushel, and then give it a shake and there’d be room for more. Well God gives back to you that way — until it is overflowing! That is God’s way of saying whatever you give to Him, you could never press it down enough, you could never shake it together enough, you can’t ever give God more than He’s going to give back to you!
Now here’s what I want us to see this morning and the Lord knows my heart. I pray that you will never, never forget it. May the Holy Spirit take a brand from the fire of God’s word and stamp it clearly on your heart and mind this morning.
My friends it is absolutely foolish to keep to yourself, what — when you give to God is going to be multiplied full measure, pressed down, shaken together and abounding back to you! That is foolish! And for someone to withhold his or her tithe (one dollar out of ten) and say, “Well I don’t know Pastor, I’m so broke I just can’t afford to give God anything right now.” Do you mean to say that God is a liar? “No”, you say, “I know God is no liar”. Then why if you have a need, don’t you give that which you need to God? Friends, we need to do that because God says, “Give and I’ll give back to you — full measure — pressed down — shaken together and overflowing.” He promised He would do that for YOU!
Tell me church — have I been telling you the truth so far? _________ Some of you here this morning are still a little sceptical, a little jaded. You don’t want to head too far down the path on this verse that you’ve read many times before. You don’t want to get too close to those who are out of balance and teaching a prosperity gospel. The name it and claim it or blab it and grab it group. You say, Pastor, further on in that verse it says something that disturbs me. It says in the KJV – men will give into your bosom. The NIV says “They” will give to you. Well okay then. You want to know who THEY are. How many of you would like me to tell you who THEY are this morning?
I don’t know! What I do know is that God is the one who has made the promise and do you care who He uses or how He goes about honouring His great promise to you! God is saying you just trust and obey. His blessing will come back to you in such an infinite variety of ways, you could never imagine what ways God will use to give back to you. What does the apostle Paul say? Eph. 3:20, “But God is able to do even exceedingly abundantly above what you are able to think or imagine”. You and I cannot figure it out. God is full of surprises but no disappointments. “The blessing of the Lord maketh rich and addeth no sorrow” Prov. 10:22
God says, “You give — and I’ll give. The way I give is full measure, pressed down, shaken, pressed down, shaken, pressed down, shaken, and when it is overflowing THEY will pour it right into your lap.” Now any child can understand that — it is so simple.
When you give out of your need or your abundance with a motive of obedience, God is going to honour His word if it takes moving heaven and earth to see that you receive back much more than you gave Him. He always tells the truth and He has the power to provide for His promise.
So, I want to say again as lovingly and caringly as possible and I hope I’m not misunderstood. If you have an on-going legitimate need in your life that is not being met — you have a spiritual problem.
You say, “But Pastor Tim. I am giving and I have been giving for years!” My question for you is: “Do you want more? Then give more. Give and it shall be given unto you.”
What Jesus is really saying is, “Giving is profitable”. You say wait a minute, you’re on that materialistic path again that we don’t like. Well if you have a problem it is with the words of Jesus, not mine. Jesus said, give and it will be given unto you. If you are here today and you are still fussing over a tithe for instance: You say, “Well I give some, but this tithe business is O.T. and the law and now I’m under grace so I don’t need to give a tenth. I’ll just put a little in each Sunday and that’ll be okay with God.”
Well God says, okay then! Michael or Gabriel or whoever, turn off the tap. The quickest path to barrenness and need in any area of our lives — finances included, is to keep back more than we ought. The quickest path to God’s glorious provision for our areas of need is to give. When we do, we place ourselves under the spout where the glory comes out. “Hey Gabriel — turn it ON!”
The truth is my friends, if you ever discipline yourself to begin tithing consistently; if you will place your trust in God, — pray over your tithes and offering and give in obedience, you’ll never stop with just the O.T. tithe. You’ll learn you can’t out give God.
I wish it was not a breach of other scriptures to share many personal examples from our own life of how we’ve seen God prove Himself faithful in this. Jackie & I have seen God pour out His blessing on us in multiplied measure after He as called us to give with abandon to Him at times. He has called us to break out and give hilariously at times, (God loves the cheerful giver II Cor. 9:7) and every time He has abundantly given back!
God will always do exactly what He says. If you wait to figure it out and reason, “Well, if I give this, how’s He gonna do that?” you can just forget it. You might as well put your Holy resources back in your holey pockets. Prov. 11:24 LB, “It is possible to give away and become richer! It is possible to hold on too tightly and lose everything. Yes the liberal man shall be rich! By watering others, he waters himself”. There you are — under the spout!
Forget Nike’, God says – just do it! You give and I will give back to you my way and you’re going to like it! The bank of heaven guarantees it.
There is no investment you can offer anyone that touches or even comes close to this promise God gives. No one has ever given in any area of their lives from a willing, obedient heart that God has not given back to in good measure, pressed down, shaken together and overflowing. No risk! No one has ever invested in the Lord’s work and lost.
I had a wonderful childhood in a wonderful home. My parents were never wealthy by any means, but they were givers. I know that they gave up to 50% of their annual income some years to the Lord’s work and they were always blessed with abundance, which is enough for all their needs, and some left over to bless others. Their pattern of obedience is just one of the reasons why their 4 kids, their wives, their 10 grandchildren, all made decisions to follow Jesus Christ. You can never be sure of all the areas God will bless you in, when you obey His word, but rest assured of this, “Obedience always brings blessing!”
Sometimes someone may misuse your money, but you can’t lose. Some of you have given to churches that let you down. That’s okay, – God will take care of you and deal with them. We need to teach our children early that part of maturing in Christ is to give. Today, parents who just give, give and give to their children do them a great disservice. We need to teach our children to give from a willing obedient heart and see them lay hold of God’s promises for their provision.
I wonder as we draw to an end here today, do you believe the Word of God? You say, “Yes Pastor I believe”. Well do you? If you struggle with the biblical principle of tithing I wonder. Tithing is where beginners start, on the path to God’s blessing. The N.T. and the teaching of Jesus always raised the bar from the O.T. Tithing is just entry-level stuff. It is when you begin to give offerings above your tithe that God’s multiplication blessings really begin to come back to you.
Isn’t it amazing that people go to church week after week, year after year and drop in a $5 bill and say, “Well, I did my part. That’s enough”. All you’re doing is shutting off the channel of God’s blessing to your life. My friend, why would you live all your life cheating yourself out of the blessings God intended for you?
I think there are 3 reasons:
1. One is unbelief! If you don’t practice it you don’t believe it.
2. Fear! Suppose I lose my job. Suppose the car breaks down. Suppose my health goes. Fear will cripple you — faith will prompt you to give obediently and God will care for your needs.
3. Plain old covetousness. God calls us stewards. We don’t really own a thing. It is all God’s. We want to keep, hoard and hang onto God’s resources and God won’t bless that. The key to making a little, or a lot, — is giving.
Step #3 “For with the same measure you give, it will be measured back to you again.”
This last sentence of today’s text is critically important for us to understand friends. God says — please notice — that you have the privilege of setting the tone on what kind of blessing you’ll receive. God say, “I’m going to use the same measure you do!” Give a little and you’ll get a little, give a lot and you’ll get a lot! You decide. He will bless whatever we give, but if you want a lot of blessing — you give a lot. You only have a little to start — give it and God will give more. Give of the more and God will multiply it, more and more and more.
God’s promise of return whether it’s money, love, acceptance, friendship is that to the degree you give He will bless that much and multiply that much back to you. You set the standard.
What need to you have in your life here this morning? Are you willing to line up with God’s plan for meeting your needs? Let’s get absolutely honest before Almighty God this morning friends. What has God been doing for you since before you were born? Giving! Who gave you your first breath and holds your next breath — GOD! As a matter of fact, who has allowed you to get things, accumulate and gain whatever you have today? GOD! And who could give you your last breath before today is over? ___________
Why on earth when God has given us all that we have would we quibble about giving to Him? Why, when every heartbeat is a gift from Him would we squawk about giving time to the Lord for His work? Suppose He said, “O, okay – by the same measure – you’re out of time”
We don’t have one thing we did not receive from Almighty God. How ungrateful we must appear before God at times, when we consider all He’s already given and on top of that He gives us this promise to take what He’s already given us and as we give it to Him — time, love, money, encouragement, He promises to multiply it back to us to the extreme, in keeping with His character.
There are only three reasons here this morning you won’t give:
1. You don’t believe Him
2. You’re full of fear
3. You’re plain and simple, covetous
My friends, you need to ask God to forgive you for that. Acknowledge your ungrateful heart and repent of the sin of ingratitude and tell Jesus today that everything you have, everything you are and everything you ever will have is His. Begin to give joyfully, hilariously and watch Him bless you. Amen!