Trinity Baptist Church

Who Owns Your Life?

How to Make Your Money Go a Long, Long Way

2 Corinthians 9:12-15

 

The story is told of three tightwads who visited a certain church for the first time. Not wanting to give any money, they deliberately came late so they could skip the offering. They were shocked to discover that in this church the offering came after the sermon. Not knowing what else to do, when the offering was announced, one of them fainted and the other two carried him out.

 

If the truth were told, that’s how many Christians feel about the whole subject of giving. They would like to avoid it if they could.

 

But it’s hard to avoid thinking about money … even in church. We spend most of our life trying to make money and the rest of our life trying to spend it. So it’s not surprising that the Bible is filled with stories about money—how to make it, how to spend it, how to save it, and how to give it away.

 

In fact, in the first three gospels, Matthew, Mark and Luke, one verse out of every six has to do with money, either directly or indirectly. In 16 out of 38 parables Jesus told, money is involved.

 

What it means is this: You can’t read the Bible very long without realizing that what you do with your money is very important. The way you use the money God gives you is an acid test of your spiritual life. A man can say many things but the way he spends his money tells the truth about his heart.

For three weeks now we’ve been talking about money.  I’ve tried to share with you a little about the needs we are experiencing as a church and lay that alongside some good, solid Biblical teaching and then trust God to speak to hearts and take care of the needs.  And I’m happy to report things are looking good financially. 

 

In addition to great designated giving, budget giving has increased as well.  In fact, it’s always amazing to me that any church anywhere with any size budget is able to keep operating.  When you think about the fact that we depend entirely on voluntary giving and oftentimes you will see very little in tangible return on the investment. 

 

And yet for hundreds of years, the promise of God has been realized as Christians have taken God at His Word and continued to give to ministry causes around the world. 

 

I said last week if we were to ask the average church member to tell us the main subject regarding giving and the main scripture passage that supports it, most would name tithing and Malachi, chapter 3.  But as New Testament Christians, we need to understand the requirement of God is not the tithe, but grace giving and the primary passage that addresses that subject is 2 Corinthians 8-9. 

 

So what about the tithe?  Is it just to be forgotten about and discarded as an Old Testament practice much like the Sabbath and no longer binding?  Well, before we return to 2 Corinthians 9 and see the results of generous giving, let’s think about the tithe.

 

 

For those who don’t know, the word tithe comes from the Old Testament. It’s a Hebrew word that literally means a “tenth.” When you tithe, you are giving ten percent of your income. For instance, a tithe of $1000 would be $100. A tithe of $537 would be $53.70, and so on. A tithe is ten percent of whatever you make.

 

If you read the Bible, you soon discover that tithing began very early in the Old Testament.  Most people think it originated with the Jews.  But it actually began much earlier as Abraham tithed to a man named Melchizedek who was the King of Salem.  He was actually a forerunner of Christ Himself as we discover in the book of Hebrews.    

 

Certainly the tithe was a very prominent part of Jewish life.  Not only was it a religious practice, it was actually a form of taxation by which the people of Israel could support the nation and especially care for the Levites who served as priests.

 

And surprisingly, when you come into the New Testament, you discover that there is no verse that says to Christians, “You must tithe.” Nor is there a verse which says, “Do not tithe.” It is neither required nor forbidden.

 

Why, then, do so many churches stress tithing? What is the proper understanding of tithing regarding New Testament theology and practice?  I think it is best seen as a guideline or starting point for giving. 

 

 

 

Just as the Sabbath provided a day of rest and was replaced by first-day-of-the-week worship, the tithe provides an example of what God expects in the way of giving.   The truth is going to church only on Sunday in no way expresses the fullness of our worship.  Every day is holy to the Lord and we are to live and worship in that realization. 

 

In the same way, giving a tithe doesn’t relieve us of the responsibility of honoring God with everything we have and regarding it as a provision from God for which He will hold us accountable. 

 

So the tithe is an extremely useful guideline for giving. It’s easy to compute. And it’s a good place to begin. But please keep in mind that Christian giving goes far beyond the tithe, just as grace goes far beyond the law.  After all, why would we ever be satisfied giving less under grace than the law required? 

 

So let me give a personal suggestion to those who may struggle in this area. It’s possible that you are so over committed financially that giving ten percent isn’t feasible for you right now.

 

Let me remind you of two things: 

 

First, it is one of the unexplained mysteries of serving God that 90% of the money of a tither will go farther than 100% of the money of a non-tither.  You can’t explain it.  I can’t convince you it is true.  It is one of those things that you just have to experience for yourself.  But God sees to it that the faithful, sacrificial giving of His children is honored and blessed.

After all, in regard to the tithe, it is God who invites us to put Him to the test and see if He won’t open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing to big to receive. 

 

Second, remember that God will evaluate our stewardship.  In one of the clearest parables available to us He makes it a point to say that He is returning one day to receive a report on what He’s given to us to invest in His work. 

 

So with those two things in mind, why not set a goal of moving toward the tithe? If you only give 2% right now, why not ask God to help you give an additional 1% each month until you reach 10%. If you started now, you would be tithing by the end of the year.

 

And if you are a strict tither, why not consider increasing your giving to the area of grace giving?  You will be amazed at how rewarding it is to give graciously and generously and cheerfully to the work of the Lord! 

 

With that we return to 2 Corinthians 9. I want to reread the text in its entirety, then we’ll focus on the closing verses. 

 

2 Corinthians 9:6-15

 

Last week we looked at “The Principle”.  It is found in verses 6-8.  As we sow, we reap.  Those verses have to do primarily with how and with how much we sow.  And Paul makes the point that we reap in proportion to what we’ve sown.  Therefore, we should sow personally, deliberately, voluntarily and cheerfully. 

 

And when we do, we can expect that God will supply everything we need to do what He has called us to do.  He takes personal responsibility for the “supply” side of the principle. 

 

In fact, verses 10-11 provide this wonderful promise that God as we become generous givers God will bless us so that we can be a blessing to others. 

 

Then beginning in verse 12, Paul expands on this promise by providing his hearers with four great results of generous Christian giving.

 

 

Verse 12a

 

Your giving, Paul says, is fully supplying the needs of the saints. That makes sense. When you give, you help someone out.

 

Do you see the little word “service?” It’s a Greek word used mostly to describe priests who served in the temple. It means “official, public, religious ritual.” We get the English word liturgy from it.

 

But Paul used that word to describe what happens when you give to meet needs. It’s a ministry just as sacred as the Old Testament priesthood. When you give to help others, you please God just as much as the man who stands and preaches or the missionaries who serve or the teachers who teach. Giving is one ministry everyone can share.

 

 

That’s reason enough to give until the day you die. Most of us have a bit of built-in selfishness as part of our basic nature. In a day of high prices, unemployment and much uncertainty it’s easy to focus all your energy on building up your net worth and forgetting about people.

 

But when you give money to a worthy cause or cook a meal for a friend or give a bag of groceries or anonymously slip a twenty dollar bill in an envelope and mail it or mow the yard of a friend, when you move to meet the real needs around you, you are doing exactly what God expects—you are supplying the needs of the saints.

 

That’s only the first result. The second is listed at the end of verse 12.

 

 

Verse 12b

 

Paul makes this point three different times in as many verses.

 

In verse 11, he says their giving will result in “thanksgiving to God”.  Then in verse 12 he talks about how there will be many thanksgivings (plural) to God, and finally in verse 13 he mentions those who will “glorify” God because of their giving. 

 

I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve been the recipient of thanks on behalf of the church because of what those of you who give have provided for someone. 

 

And very often, people will say something like,

“I thank God for all you have done. We just don’t know what we would have done without you.  God used you to help us out when we really needed help.”

 

That’s what Paul is saying in these verses.  Our giving not only meets physical needs, it also causes a great chorus of thanksgiving to rise up before the throne of God. When we give to help others, they know we do it in the name of Jesus of Nazareth who went about doing good.  Listen:  that’s why folks come to the church to get help.  They know that’s what churches are supposed to do. 

 

And hopefully, when we are faithful to do what we’re supposed to do they glorify God who made our giving possible.  And if they don’t, I’m not going to worry about it.  God can certainly take care of their lack of thankfulness just as He can and will bless our generosity.

 

Verse 13 introduces us to the third great result of generous giving.

 

 

Verse 13

 

Notice that he mentions the “proof of this ministry”.  Have you ever seen one of those bumper stickers that say “If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?” That’s a very sobering thought.

 

What evidence could you bring from your life that would guarantee you a jail term for being a Christian?  Paul says your checkbook will be Exhibit A. It will either argue for you or against you. You show me your checkbook and I’ll show you something profound about your faith—or lack of it.

 

Paul told the Corinthians their giving would prove the reality of their faith in God.  Suppose we looked at your checkbook for the last year or two. What stories would it tell about your Christian commitment?

 

A lot of people don’t like to hear that.  After all, they say, there’s more to being a Christian than giving money or food or clothes. True. And some have more to give and others can hardly give anything. True again. Finally, we argue, giving is a private matter between the individual and the Lord. Still true.

 

But all those points, as good as they are, do not allow you to evade the force of this verse. Your giving proves or disproves the genuineness of your Christianity. Why? Because giving is at the very heart of our faith.

 

A stingy Christian is a contradiction in terms. Whatever we have of any value was given us by God and he gave it to us so that we might share it with others.

 

So how is your giving these days?  How long has it been since you evaluated your giving in light of what God has given you?  How long since you’ve sought the Lord’s direction in your giving? 

 

Those are extremely pertinent questions because your giving either proves or disproves the genuineness of your faith.

 

Then verse 14 brings us to the final result of generous giving.

 

 

Verse 14

 

Many people never realize this invaluable link between their giving and the prayer support they receive.  But Paul says it quite clearly.

 

Those whom you have helped are not only going to be blessed and praise God and not only will you prove you are a genuine Christian, but you will be the beneficiary of their prayers on your behalf. 

 

When the Corinthians gave to help the poor saints in Jerusalem, a spiritual bond was formed. Chains of love forged through sacrificial giving linked the wealthy Christians in Greece with the poor Christians in Judea.

 

And Paul says as a result of that the saints in Jerusalem would put the Corinthians on their prayer list. Why? Because they would be so grateful for the gift that met their need.

 

Is that not an encouragement to be a generous giver?  Give to the needy. They will love you, they will yearn to see you, they will pray for you.

 

That’s true, isn’t it? Is that true, Malawi missionaries?  Do you pray for those who give to help you to be blessed by God?  You better! 

 

If someone gives you money or a nice gift, you find it easy to pray for them. It’s a fact of human nature. It’s easy for me to care for you when you demonstrate in a practical way that you love me.

 

Now I want to make one extremely important observation at this point.  Please note they do not pray because of the gift, but because of the love that motivated the gift. That’s what Paul means when he refers to the “exceeding grace God has given you.”

 

When the marvelous grace of God works in your life prompting you to give to others, the people on the receiving end pray for you because they sense the love that was behind the gift.

 

I don’t know how you feel about that, but it excites me. I just can’t get on enough prayer lists. I’m always delighted to hear that someone is praying for me. That’s the final result of generous giving.

 

So what does generous giving do?  It meets needs, glorifies God, demonstrates your faith and gains prayer partners.  All these blessings flow to the believer who decides to become a regular, generous giver.

 

So let me leave you with two questions to help you evaluate your giving: 

 

Is my giving regular or haphazard?

 

Is my giving generous or stingy?

Christianity is a giving religion. Paul certainly thought so. When he reached the end of all he wanted to say about giving, his mind went back to the greatest gift of all, the gift of God’s Son.

 

In verse 15, Paul calls Jesus “God’s indescribable gift.”

 

I think he means to say something like this. If I were to go to the bank and withdraw all my money and give it away, and if I were to sell my car and give the money to the poor, and if I were to give the clothes off my back and the food off my table to world missions, if I were to give everything I had and then gave myself as someone’s slave I still wouldn’t have given as much as God did when he gave his only begotten Son.

 

God can never owe me anything. I can never out give him. When I come to the end of all my giving and begin to pat myself on the back for being such a wonderful, generous person, God compels me to look to the cross and see the bleeding Son of God. Then I realize I know nothing of what real giving is.

 

Jesus is God’s indescribable gift. Anything I do pales in significance by comparison. Therefore, I will not hold back, I will not be stingy. I will be a generous giver. If God really did so love the world that he gave his only begotten Son, then I will follow him and give whatever I can. I can do no less.

 

If you’ve got very many years on you, you will probably know what I’m talking about when I mention Jarman Shoes. 

 

The company was founded in 1924 by James Franklin Jarman and William Hatch Wemyss.  It eventually became the General Shoe Company or Genesco and is still in operation today producing brands like Dockers Footwear.. 

 

It grew to prominence in the 1950’s under the leadership of Maxey Jarman, the son of one of the co-founders.  He took a company from 75 employees to 75,000, making Genesco the world’s largest apparel company in the late 60’s.

 

Maxey Jarman passed away in the fall of 1980 at the age of 76 and after his death a long-time friend and work associate, Fred Smith, compiled his memoirs. 

He said of Jarman when reverses came, Maxey maintained a tremendous spiritual resiliency and kept contributing energetically, without bitterness, to many Christian causes. He was a man who rose to the very top in business, yet was uncompromising in his spiritual commitments.

 

He went to church twice on Sundays and to Wednesday night prayer meetings. He read four chapters every day and five on Sunday to get him through the Bible once a year (over sixty times). He more than tithed, and he prayed daily. He taught two Bible classes, held most of the lay positions in his church, and served many other Christian organizations including Christianity Today and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. As part of his discipline, he slept five and half hours a night.

 

Maxey was never one to make pious remarks such as “Bless you, brother,” or volunteer to pray for you as a way of terminating the conversation.

If he said, “I’ll pray for you,” that meant you went on a list. He had a daily, weekly, and monthly prayer list. He also kept a personal list of qualities for spiritual maturity he was praying about and developing in his own life.

 

If you were to ask what satisfied Maxey most in all his accomplishments, I think it was the people he had helped develop by providing them opportunity. Once he told me, “It’s not the plants we have built, but the people we have helped develop that makes me the proudest.”

 

Money to Maxey was a means, not an end. It’s hard to think of Maxey without thinking of money because he handled so much of it. He was “afraid” of accumulating personal wealth. He talked about money’s deception and the evils it brought to those obsessed by it. He proved his conviction by giving millions to Christian causes.

 

There were three facets to his giving that stand out to me: First, he gave currently. He didn’t save up or wait for occasions. Second, he gave a very large percentage of his income. Tithing was much too little for him to give. Therefore, his personal fortune was always much less than it could have been. He gave it away. Third, Maxey believed in giving anonymously.

 

Fred Smith said, “As close as we were, he never told me of a single gift he ever made, even though I know he offered as much as a million dollars to start a Bible school.  He combined the wealth of the rich and the spirit of the widow’s mite without trumpets blowing or the left hand telling the right what a great giver they belonged to.”

 

At one point in the company’s career, he suffered a series of financial reversals and found himself in a crunch.  But it was during that time he gave a check for $13,000 to help Youth for Christ with a project they were undertaking. It was the last of his mother’s estate, which he had completely given away, just as he had given his inheritance from his father’s estate to start the Jarman Foundation for Christian causes.

 

During the darkest days of that financial crisis, Fred asked him if he had ever thought of the millions he had given away. His answer was, “Of course I have, but remember, I didn’t lose a penny I gave away. I only lost what I kept.”

 

Perhaps he was familiar with this little poem:

“Go give to the needy, Sweet Charity’s bread,

For giving is living, the angel said.

"But must I keep giving again and again?”

My peevish and pitiless curt answer ran.

"Oh no,” said the angel, piercing me through

“Just give till the Master stops giving to you.”

 

Let’s pray.

 

Lord Jesus, teach us that we only keep what we give away. We have tried so hard to hoard things, only to have them slip through our fingers.  We have tried stinginess, Lord, and it didn’t work.  Teach us to be generous.  We thank you that we have everything we need … and more besides. Open our eyes to see what you are doing in the world. Save us from spending our lives building castles of sand.  Help us to give as you did, bleeding, dying for us.

 

Amen.