How Do I Give Joyfully?
1 Corinthians 16:1-4; 2 Corinthians 8-9
There is no way around it. Giving is tough. Parting with hard earned money that could easily be used for tangible and desirous items, investments, or other ventures is not easy. However, there is no way around this issue: Giving of our money (to say nothing of our entire lives) is essential to the maturation process of every follower of Jesus Christ. Giving is God ordained way of supporting and caring for the local church, as well as a continual thermometer of our trust and faith in God’s ability to provide. But not just any kind of giving will do, since God desires and loves the cheerful giver.
This last Sunday we looked at the topic of giving from 1 Corinthians 16:1-4, where Paul answered questions about the desire to give to another church in need. We started here and moved to 2 Corinthians 8 & 9, which was written months later but dealt with the same issue, which largely dealt with following through with what they had committed to give. Based on these texts, we looked at 6 principles of giving that if practiced, would lead to joyful and cheerful giving:
1. Be clear on the purpose of giving (1)
God’s purpose in giving is to help provide for the health and ministry of the church. God did not give a magic well filled with money to the church, but gave people who would use their resources to care for the mission, ministry, and ministers of the church
2. Be clear on the freedom in giving (2)
Giving is to be done freely, as each one determines, and is not done to meet a standard set by the church or Scripture. We give as an act of worship, give sacrificially, give willingly, and we always seek to give more, but we do not give based on something fixed or set for everyone to attain to.
3. Be clear about the preparation for giving (2-4; 2 Cor. 9:1-5)
Desiring to give is good, but failure to plan replaces desire with disappointment. To truly be faithful in giving, we must match desire with planning, preparation, and execution. Weekly setting aside was the antidote to sporadic giving that would lead to failure.
4. Be clear on the holistic nature of giving (2 Cor. 8:1-7)
Giving is like any other act of grace or discipline of grace: it should grow. As we mature in our dependency, trust, and faith in all of who God is, we should see tangible growth in our desire and ability to give regularly.
5. Be clear on our dependency in giving (2 Cor. 9:6-11)
We ultimately give TO THE LORD, but entrust that giving to FAITHFUL LEADERS. Giving to God’s church means we voluntarily give up our rights to demand where our money goes, trusting God’s leadership through faithful leaders He has placed over us.
6. Be clear about the gospel’s role in giving (2 Cor. 9:12-15)
The gospel is the ultimate motive, reason, and goal in our giving. We give from our profession of the gospel by giving: thankfully, with a desire to see God glorified, to be submissive and obedient to the Lordship of Jesus, and to be dependent on God’s grace in all things.
