The Bible and Giving

1. INTRODUCTION:
   
   
1. THE BIBLE: THIS IS GOD’S WORD FROM HIM THAT MAN MAY KNOW HOW TO PLEASE HIM.
2. GIVING: THAT GOD FROM THE BEGINNING TO THE CLOSING OF THE BIBLE HAS ALWAYS PAINTED A CONTINUING PICTURE OF GIVING FOR MAN.
3. STUDY WITH ME FOR THE NEXT FEW MINUTES THESE INSPIRING FACTS ON GIVING FROM GOD.
   
   
2. DISCUSSION:
   
   
1. THE BIBLE ITSELF IS A GIFT OF GOD.

John 1:1-2 = In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God."  John 1:14 = "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth."

2 Timothy 3:16-17 = "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works."

2. IN THE BEGINNING [CREATION]:
1. God gave us the world. Genesis 1:1 = "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth."
2. God gave man life.

Genesis 1:27 = "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them."

Genesis 2:7 = "And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and 
breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul."

3. God gave man dominion over every other creature. Genesis 1:26 = "And God said, Let 
   us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth."
4. Nothing really belongs to man: it all is given by God for man to use. 
   1 Timothy 6:7-8 = "For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we 
   can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content."

Comment: Have you ever wondered how much interest we should pay to God for the use of His
things?

3. GOD GAVE MAN A HOME IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN:

Genesis 2:8-9 = "And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed. And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil."  Genesis 2:15 = "And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it."

4. WHEN MAN SINNED, GOD HAVE HIM A PROMISE OF A REDEEMER:

Genesis 3:15 = "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel."

5. ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS MAN EVER DID WAS TO OFFER A SACRIFICE TO GOD.

Genesis 4:3-4 = "And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:"

6. WHEN THE WORLD WAS SO WICKED – GOD GAVE A PLAN WHERE BY MAN COULD ESCAPE DESTRUCTION.

Genesis 6:5-22 = "And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God. And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and
without with pitch. And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of: The length of  the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits. A window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it. And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die. But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons' wives with thee. And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female. Of fowls after their  kind, and of cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the earth after his kind, 
two of every sort shall come unto thee, to keep them alive. And take thou unto thee of  all food that is eaten, and thou shalt gather it to thee; and it shall be for food for thee, and for them. Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he."

7. THE FIRST THING NOAH DID AFTER LEAVING THE ARK WAS TO OFFER A SACRIFICE UNTO GOD.

Genesis 8:20 = "And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean 
beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar."

8. AFTER THE FLOOD GOD GAVE MAN THE PROMISE THAT HE WOULD NEVER 
   AGAIN DESTROY THE WORLD WITH WATER.

Genesis 9:13 = "I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant 
between me and the earth."

9. MAN GAVE GOD A TENTH UNDER THE PATRIARCHAL PERIOD.
1. Abraham gave a tenth to Melchizadek. Genesis 14:17-20 = "And the king of Sodom 
   went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that were with him, at the valley of Shaveh, which is the king's dale. And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all."
2. Jacob promised the Lord a tenth. Genesis 28:22 = "And this stone, which I have set 
   for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee."
10. GOD GAVE THE LAW OF MOSES:
1. Which was given as a school mater in preparation for another gift, Christ. 
   Galatians 3:24 = "Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith."
2. The law of Moses was to last until Christ came. Galatians 3:16-19 = "Now to Abraham 
   and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise. Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator."
3. It was under this law that God commanded the Jews to give a tithe.

Leviticus 27:30-32 = "And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD's: it is holy unto the LORD. And if a man will at all redeem ought of his tithes, he shall add thereto the fifth part thereof. And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the LORD."

Malachi 3:8-9 = "Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation."

Comment: Thus, the Old Testament begins and ends with Giving.

11. THE GOSPELS CENTER AROUND THE SUBJECT OF GIVING.
1. God gave His Son to the world.

Matthew 1:21 = "And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name 
JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins."

John 3:16 = "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

2. Christ taught the world:
1. "…It is more blessed to give than to receive." = Acts 20:35.
2. They would have to give themselves. Matthew 16:24 = "Then said Jesus unto his
   disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me."
3. Some at the poor widow gave much. Mark 12:41-44 = "And Jesus sat over 
   against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the 
   treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living."
3. Christ gave his life.

John 10:18 = "No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father."

Matthew 26:28 = "For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins."

4. Joseph of Arimathaea gave his own tomb for the body of Christ. Matthew 27:60 = "And 
   laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed."
5. Two women named Mary gave of their sleep and time on the first day of the week to go to
   Christ’s tomb to be near His body. Matthew 28:1 = "In the end of the sabbath, as it 
   began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre."
12. THE BOOK OF ACTS IS A CONSTANT ILLUSTRATION OF GIVING.
1. Christ gave the Holy Spirit as He had promised.

Acts 1:4-5 = "And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence."

Acts 2:1-4 = "And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance."

2. The members of the Jerusalem church gave of their possessions.

Acts 2:45 = "And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need."

3. The church gave to look after the needs of widows Acts 6:1-6 = "And in those days, 
   when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of 
   the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration. Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word. And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch: Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them."
4. Stephen gave his life. Acts 7:59-60 = "And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, 
   and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep."
5. Every act of the apostles was an act of giving. Example: Look at all the apostle Paul gave 
   in the service of Christ.
13. ALL THE LETTERS TO INDIVIDUALS AND CHURCHES WERE WRITTEN TELLING
    THEM HOW TO GIVE THEIR LIVES TO THE LORD AND SPECIFIED THE GIVING OF
    ONE’S MEANS TO THE CHURCH.

Romans 12:1 = "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service."

1 Corinthians 16:1-2 = "Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given 
order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. 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 gatherings when I come."

2 Corinthians 8:1-7 = "Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves; Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God. Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also finish in you the same grace also. Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also."

2 Corinthians 9:7 = "Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver."

14. THE BOOK OF REVELATION CLOSES WITH THE PROMISE OF GOD’S NEW
    HEAVENLY HOME.

Revelation 21:6-7 = "And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son."

Comment: Thus, the New Testament begins and ends with teaching concerning giving.

3. CONCLUSION:
   
   
1. GIVING HAS ALWAYS BEEN AN IMPORTANT PART IN MANIFESTING OUR LOVE,
   DEVOTION AND APPRECIATION TO GOD.
2. GOD HAS GIVEN MAN MUCH FOR HIM TO USE IN LIFE AND NONE OF IT IS OUR
   OWN.

1 Timothy 6:7-8 = "For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry
nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content."

3. ISN’T IT ABOUT TIME WE ALL TOOK ACCOUNT OF HOW MUCH WE OWE THE 
   LORD FOR ALL THAT HE HAS BLESSED US WITH IN HIS GIVING AND RETURN 
   HIS IT WITH INTEREST.

I John 4:19 = "We love him, because he first loved us."

4. BEGIN TODAY IN GIVING YOURSELF TO THE LORD IN HUMBLE OBEDIENCE.

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