The past two weeks we have been in a series called Scoreboard, looking at
the different behaviors that a growing Christ follower should be living out. So far, we’ve
talked about Intentional to help others find faith in God and Relational with other Christ
followers. We need both.
Card to Self-Evaluate: Am I thriving? Am I growing? Do I need significant improvement?
Third Marker: Generous – Give to God first.
This week’s subject is so important because it is one of the most accurate reflections of
someone’s heart and faith. So many of us say we are all-in on following Christ and yet this
is the area that we hold back. Because it takes the most faith.
Genesis 4:3-5
When they grew up, Abel became a shepherd, while Cain cultivated the ground.
3When
it was time for the harvest, Cain presented some of his crops as a gift to the Lord.
4Abel also brought a gift—the best portions of the firstborn lambs from his flock.
The Lord accepted Abel and his gift,
5 but he did not accept Cain and his gift. This made
Cain very angry, and he looked dejected.
Both gifts reflect how each brother feels about God. Both love God.
Cain gave a generic gift out of obligation. He just grabbed some crops
from his harvest and brought them to God.
Sign of a Growing Christ Follower: I give at least the first 10% back to God.
First Fruit: first of the harvest are brought to the temple and dedicated to God because
that is actually his according to the Bible
Abel gave the best portions of his first born of his flock. His first fruits.
You think this is about an amount. It’s not about how much you give. It’s about
how you view your finances. Do you remember where your money come from? It’s not
about how much you give. It’s about how much you love God demonstrated in how you
give. It’s about the priority of God in your life.
Our gifts reflect our love for Christ. Abel gave the very first portion of his flock. Cain
waited until he looked at all that he had and then decided what he would give God. So
who demonstrated a deeper love for God? The guy who gave as his first priority.
The guy who gave to God first, not the guy who gave out of his leftovers.
Do you give God your first fruits or your leftovers?
Jesus talks about this first fruits and tithing concept centuries later.
Luke 11:39-42 Then Jesus said to him, “You Pharisees are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the
dish, but inside you are filthy- full of greed and wickedness! 40 Fools! Didn’t God make the
inside as well as the outside? 41 So clean the inside by giving gifts to the poor, and you will
be clean all over.
42 “What sorrow awaits you Pharisees! For you are careful to tithe even
the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore justice and the love of God.”
You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things.
In the Bible, the first fruits, or the tithe is the spiritual obedience of giving our first to God.
He commands us to, so it is his. God gives us everything and then asks for the first 10% as a step of faith to acknowledge that
we trust him enough to live on 90% of what he gave us. That’s minimal obedience.
My response to this issue of generosity reveals my heart. It’s a reflection of my faith.
John Piper: the love of money is a condition of the heart that feels more security, more pleasure, and
more hope in earthly possessions than it does in the faithfulness of God.
I find more stability, more pleasure, and more meaning in the security of my
money than in the goodness of God. We don’t like having to put ourselves in a place
where God has to show up to take care of us. It forces me to depend on God. But it also
forces me to live within my means. And that’s hard for us to do.
Credit Card Debt: 43% of Americans/ 80% have any kind of debt (house, car, s. loans)
We are spending more money than we have. And then because
we have overspent, we aren’t tithing because we can’t afford to. So not only are we living
way above our means, but we are using God’s portions to cover the difference.
Mark 12:41-44 41 Jesus sat down near the collection box in the Temple and watched as the crowds
dropped in their money. Many rich people put in large amounts.
42Then a poor widow
came and dropped in two small coins.
43 Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I tell
you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making
contributions.
44 For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has
given everything she had to live on.”
We think it’s about the amount, but it’s not. They gave a tiny part of their surplus. It’s not
your leftover after you’ve done everything else you want to do with what God has given
you. God wants your first fruits.
What we do behind closed doors reveals our true faith. Giving to God doesn’t give us
an outward reward. Some of us display to the world that we are all in but behind closed
doors God sees that you aren’t being as generous as he has called you to be.
And he wants to use your treasure to change hundreds of lives around you
Grace Church Offering: Their generosity blessed hundreds of lives today
Sign of a Growing Christ Follower: I leverage my money to be a blessing to others.
Where we put our money demonstrates where we put our heart.
We give so that we can help bring families together for free town events. So that we can
help pay scholarships for students to go to Bible college. So that we can support
missionaries and church planters all over the world. So that we can help hundreds of
families enter the foster care system to care for the orphans in our zip codes. So that we
can feed you if you are having a hard month.
The only way we can do that is because there are people in our church that have
decided to put God first give him the first fruits that belong to him.
2 Corinthians 9:10-11 10 For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same
way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of
generosity in you.
11 Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be
generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God.
Sign of a Growing Christ Follower: I manage all of my assets in a Godly way.
If I’m going to be live a Godly life, I have to manage my money in a Godly way.
Because that is a reflection of the priorities of my heart. That’s a step of obedience. If I am
truly growing closer to Christ, I am becoming more generous. And I can’t do that if I’m not
giving at least the bare minimum that he asks for.
Application
What you are choosing to give God and not give God are a reflection of your heart.
How can you leverage your money to be a blessing to others?
Are you giving God your first fruits or your leftovers?
Next Step: Start Giving; Give to obedience; Give generously
Generosity unlocks a heart of greed. Generosity unlocks a heart of doubt. And also,
generosity can be used by God to impact lives, feed the poor, everyone in this room has
enough to be generous.
Give to God first. He’ll take care of you. Because he put you in this
church family, and we are here for you.