Love and Giving: The Practice

Study Notes

Lives Compelled by Love -- Love and Giving: The Practice

1 Cor. 16:1-4; 2 Cor. 8-9

     Today, we are going to consider how financial stewardship is a natural part of our discipleship.  For the last two weeks, we’ve seen that, when we place our faith in the one who died for us, we discover that, as Pastor Chuck said last Sunday, we begin to have a “desire” to give to the work of God in this world.  As the Apostle Paul said in 2 Cor 5:14, when we experience that Jesus died for us, then what compels or directs our lives is the love of Christ.  And, one part of our lives compelled by Christ’s love is our financial giving.

     Even though that is true, I am nonetheless aware of the fact that talking about money makes some church people uncomfortable.  “Why”, you might ask.  Well, some churchgoers have more debts than income and wonder, “How can I respond right now to a message about financial giving?  I have no money.”  Maybe even more than that, people become fidgety about sermons on giving because they have concerns about how churches and non-profit organizations spend money.”

     Maybe you’ve heard the story of a long-time church member who always criticized the annual church budget.  He went to the microphone at the annual congregational meeting and said, "We're spending far too much money on things we don't need!  Like these chandeliers that are listed in the budget.  They're way too expensive.  I've asked a lot of people and haven't spoken to a one who likes them.  And, I've heard that no one in our church can play them. And, what we need around here is some more lights!”

     So, although I know that giving is not the most popular sermon topic, I still feel it is very important for me as your Sr. Pastor to let you know that the consistent message of the Bible is that a part of your growth in Christ is learning how God would have you utilize whatever financial resources the Lord has entrusted to you.

      The Bible provides some very practical teaching about how we should engage in giving in 1 Cor 16 and 2 Cor 8-9.  This will be the 3^rd message in a row about stewardship.  In the 1^st, I looked at the picture of what love-compelled giving looks like, i.e., like the way a group of poor churches in Macedonia gave. Then, last week, Pastor Chuck spoke of the perspective the Bible provides about giving as he focused on two words: 1) the desire to give that knowing Jesus should produce and 2) the equality within the family that should characterize a church as we give to meet the needs of our brothers and sisters in Christ.   

     Today, I’ll seek to boil down the Bible’s teaching in 1 & 2 Corinthians about how we actually practice financial stewardship.  Let’s look today at Practical Principles for Generous and Joy-Filled Stewardship.

1. Pattern – Develop a way of life of giving that is consistent with the life of Jesus. You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ… (2 Cor 8:9).

     When Jesus called people to repent of our sins and then believe in him as Savior, he most often described the life that this launches is one of “following”, following Jesus.  It’s thereby clear that, when we become Christians we are not to go back to the same way of life we were living before we came to know him.  In other words, when you place your faith in Jesus, you are born again in such a way that you begin to have a new way of life, one that includes how you use your time, talents, and treasures.  All that you are and have should now bring glory to God.  The way we use our money is a part of that new way of life.  What does it look like?

     Our new way of life starts with ongoing, intentional commitments of all that we are and have to the Lord.   Note again the testimony of the poor church people in Macedonia:  In the midst of their extreme poverty, the Macedonian churches gave themselves first to the Lord… (2 Cor 8:2,5).  I encourage you to do the same.  When it comes to your financial giving, start where the Macedonians did, i.e., take time to remember what Jesus did for you when he gave his life for your sins. Then, in response, pray, “Lord you gave all for me. Today, I recommit all I am and have to you.”   

     This is what Henri Nouwen called “the discipline of gratitude”, in his book, The Return of the Prodigal Son.  He wrote,  “Take care never to forget that all we have is a gracious gift  of God, undeserved and unearned; that we never forget that God is the source of every good and perfect gift, and those gifts are to be used for his glory and the extension of his kingdom; that we never forget that with blessing comes responsibility, i.e., the obligation of faithful obedience.” 

     Do that, and then ask, “Lord, how would you have me to give to your work?”

     For us to be faithful in our giving, I’ve found that most of us need to develop a habit or rhythm in our stewardship.  Note how the Bible encourages that in 1 Cor 16:2 – “On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money…” I know that not everyone can develop that same pattern.  Some of you have incomes that you receive irregularly – as is the case for real estate agents, musicians and actors, etc. For those whose income is like that, you may have to develop a different rhythm or pattern.   Perhaps you can develop a pattern of setting aside a portion of what comes in when it actually does come in.  However, most people can establish some kind of regularity in giving.  We all needs patterns of life in our discipleship – including matters like prayer, personal devotions and giving. 

     The point is that regular giving encourages faithfulness.  It also enables your church to plan for ministry. This kind of consistent giving also should help mitigate in a church what may feel at times like unending begging and appeals.  Note the "so that" in 1 Cor 16:4:  "so that when I come no appeals will have to be made."

     And, as I mentioned to you in my message two weeks ago, developing a way of life like this will be a powerful testimony to your friends, children and grandchildren of how real and life-changing your experience of Jesus is.  It will be a practical demonstration of how following Jesus changes every part of your life.  When people see that God has touched your pocketbook, they’ll know he has touched your heart.

2. Prioritized – Give first to and through your local church family; then, as God prompts. Be generous on every occasion, and then through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God (2 Cor 9:11).

     There is a theological truth that undergirds the whole of the teaching about stewardship in our passages today.  If you don’t grasp it, you’ll miss much of what the Bible says about giving. The truth is this: When we come to faith in Jesus, we are necessarily made a part of God’s global and eternal family.  We belong to one another.  Therefore, when one part of God’s family is hurting or lacking, the rest of the family will hurt too.  More than that, family members should help the family members who are hurting.  That’s what good families do.  Right?

     So, back in the 1^st C, when the brothers and sisters in Jerusalem hurt, then their brothers and sisters in Macedonia felt their pain and gave sacrificially to help.  And, the Apostle Paul insisted, the local church family located in Corinth should have done the same.  I believe that, for us, the same principle applies.  When we hear of our brothers and sisters being persecuted or in need around the world, we should seek God in prayer to determine how we might stand with them and support them.  And, I’m convinced that this same principle has application to us as a local church family caring for one another. 

     However, as you know, the needs that arise both in our local church family and in our global church family are often enormous.  On our own, we find it hard to know which things we should prioritize in our giving.  But, the pattern of the Scriptures is that the local church family should seek God together to prioritize how what is given should be used.  We do that here at LAC as I spoke about two weeks ago.  Notice today how Paul put it in 2 Cor 9:11: “Through us, your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.”

     So, based on this and on the larger teaching of Scripture, your local church family should be the first-focus of your financial giving.  The work of God should happen primarily through our local churches who seek God together and then prioritize the ministries the Lord would have us support together at this time.

      But, listen carefully: When I say, “Give first to the local church family…”, I do not mean that there is no place for you to give to other ministries or to individuals that go beyond what the church family has identified as priorities.  But, that should be second-level stewardship after you have given to your local church family.

3. Proportionate – Give generously but always in keeping with God’s provision. Give according to your means (2 Cor 8:11b).

     See also 1 Cor 9:2, “Set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income.”  And again, in 2 Cor 8:12 – “Your gift is acceptable according to what you have, not to what you do not have.”

     You may know that in many, many churches throughout history, God has provided for his work through a discipline we call tithing.  That, of course, facilitates proportionate giving. Based on many OT texts, followers of Jesus have dedicated 10% of their income to God's work.  Some ask, “On the gross or on the net?”  I must confess that I’m not sure.  I think this kind of question is to be determined in relationship with God.  In fact, this might be something that you should talk and pray about with your small group.   

     You can read about tithing in OT passages like Leviticus 27:30ff. and Malachi 3.  When we come to the NT days, some Christians seemed to feel that 10% was too little.  They felt that all they had belonged to God.  So, in places like the early chapters of Acts, we have Christians bringing everything they owned to the church.  That never seemed to work out well in the long run and by the 2nd C, you begin to see a pattern of tithing re‑developing.

      Now, in my opinion, 10% is best used as a guideline in your giving.  For people who are newer to church life, the teaching about tithing sometimes seems overwhelming.  But those who have engaged in the discipline for a long time speak almost unanimously of the practicality and blessing of that discipline of tithing. 

     And, let me add this: Sometimes, you may find yourself in situations in which have few financial resources that you can give – even though you may have the desire.  What I have learned over the years is that, even in those times, you may find a way to give something. That’s what the poor Macedonians did.  That’s what the widow did whom Jesus commended in Luke 21:1-3 -- “Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, and he saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites.  So, he said, ‘Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all…’”

     But, I know there may be times when you may find you don’t even have a mite.  All you have is debt.  Because of the two messages Pastor Chuck and I have given on stewardship, I’ve had three people in our church come to me about what to do in those times.  I’ll boil those three talks into one so that you won’t know whom those persons might be.  Being currently in debt or in bankruptcy, they said, “These messages about giving have touched me deeply. But, right now, at best, I can only give something like a widow’s mite.  But, as Pastor Chuck said last Sunday, I have a deep desire to give.  Do you think the Lord would be pleased if, in this season, my giving would largely be my service?”  I told them, “Yes! Absolutely, yes!”

     Those talks led me to ask our pastors and church leaders where our greatest opportunities for giving through service now are.  And, the answer I’ve gotten is that we have many places to serve in our church family. But, if you really want to make a difference here at LAC now, the greatest opportunity may be in the discipleship of our children and students.  So, if you sense in your heart that deep desire to give but you cannot give financially right now, please go to the table in our lobby after the service today.  We will have people there who will be able to tell you a variety of ways that you may give through serving.

     I hope the point is clear: We should give generously and sacrificially in ways proportionate to our resources.

4. Perceptive – Be wise about how the gift is used and distributed. We want to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this generous gift (2 Cor 8:20-21).

     The Bible teaches that donors should take care that the money we give is wisely and properly distributed. The Apostle Paul called the churches to select trusted people to accompany those who carried the gift and to hold one another accountable for how the gift is used.   This, of course, is the beauty of giving to a local church.  Churches can still err, of course, but each member has a much better opportunity to check on the proper use and distribution of funds than we do with much of our other giving.  I’ll simply say that the Bible’s teaching about keeping a close watch on how the money given is used is wise.  To do otherwise is pure foolishness as history has so frequently documented.

     So, the various churches who gave to the relief fund chose a man named Titus to accompany Paul to make sure that all was done in an honorable fashion.  Why‑‑ because Paul was dishonest?  No, because distribution of money has always been a matter that draws people’s criticism.  Paul’s words in 2 Cor 8:21 are words to the wise – “We are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of people.”

     That is what we are seeking to do here at LAC too.

5. Purposeful – Be guided by careful and prayerful consideration. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give (2 Cor 9:7).

        The phrase, “decided in your heart", implies careful deliberation.  In other words, good stewardship involves more than simply pulling a bill out of the wallet when the plate is passed.  Christian giving isn't impulsive or casual.  It's a matter of thoughtful prayer and, as my first point said, of giving ourselves first to the Lord.  We need God’s wisdom for giving just like we need his wisdom for every other area of our lives.  We certainly have the ability to squander the resources God entrusts to us.  So, wise Christian stewards should prayerfully consider "in our hearts" how God would have his resources to be stewarded.  Once we have done that, then we should give.  Joyfully, willingly and generously give.  Then we will see how God does what he does, i.e., takes temporary things like money and uses them for his glory.   

     We saw it last week in our church services, didn’t we?  42 years ago, we sent out Malcom and Barbara Collins to an unreached people group in Kenya.  We as a church family have given financially to them and their ministry for 42 years!  They came home with the testimony of a people who have come to Jesus and now have the Bible in their own language.  Malcom told me, “Now that the Bible is in their language, people are coming in significant numbers to Jesus out of Islam.”  And, he wept!  And we rejoiced.   

     That and so many other things are a part of what happens when we give to and through our local church family. If we all will learn apply these biblical principles to our giving and to teach them to future generations, we’ll have many more of those stories.  And, the Sr. Pastor at LAC may never have to send out another letter or email reminding people to give.  We will have all we need to do what God has called us to do. 

     And, it will all be – to God’s glory alone.

Chinese Study Notes

為愛所激勵的生命---愛與奉獻：實踐

林前 16:1-4; 林後 8-9

    

            今天我們要一起思考，作個好的財物管家為什麼是作主門徒自然的一部分。上兩周，我們已經看到，當我們相信那位替我們死的主時，我們就會“渴望”給與，如恰克牧師所說，這就是參與神在這世界的工作了。使徒保羅在林後5：14節說，當我們經驗到耶穌為我們死的時候，基督的愛就激勵並引導我們的生命，而這樣生命的一部分就是我們的財物奉獻。

            儘管這一點合乎聖經真理，但我還是注意到一個事實，就是一些會友對談論錢很不舒服。你可能會問為什麼----這也許因為有一些來教會的人入不敷出，他們會說：“我沒錢，如何做到財物奉獻？”也許有人對有關奉獻的講道很不以為然，因為他們更關心教會或非營利機構是如何花錢的。

            我知道奉獻不是一個受歡迎的講道主題，但作為你們的主任牧師，我覺得有必要讓你們瞭解，聖經持續告訴我們，如何管理好神交給你的財物資源是你在基督裡成長的一部分。

            在林前16章和林後8-9章，聖經都給出了實踐性的教導，讓我們知道如何參與奉獻。今天是有關作神管家的第三篇講道。在第一篇裡，我們看見了“被愛所激勵之奉獻”的畫卷，就是馬其頓貧窮教會的榜樣；恰克牧師上周又從聖經的奉獻觀出發，集中在這兩個詞：1）渴望去給，知道主必供應；2）在家中平均原則，讓我們教會大家庭可以照顧到主裡弟兄姊妹的需要。

            今天我要深化聖經中林前、林後兩卷書關於如何實踐財物職責的教導。以下是作一個慷慨而喜樂管家的實踐性原則。

1. 模式– 發現一條奉獻的生命之路，與耶穌的生命相符：你們知道我們主耶穌基督的恩典… (林後8:9).

            當耶穌呼召人悔改、相信、接受他作救主時，他稱這種開始的新生命為“跟隨”，即跟隨主。很清楚，當我們成為基督徒時，不是回頭走老路，而是重生、開始一個新生命，包括如何使用你的時間、恩賜和財富。你的所是與你的所有都應該榮耀神。我們使用金錢的方式就是新生命的一部分----那應該是怎樣的呢？

            我們的新生命之路開始於一種甘心的委身，將自己和所擁有的獻給主。我們再次留意馬其頓的貧窮信徒：在患難的極大考驗中…首先把自己獻給了主(林後8：2，5).我鼓勵你們也如此。當你們奉獻財物時，從效法馬其頓教會開始，要思想耶穌如何為你的罪付上生命代價的，然後以禱告來回應：“主，你將一切給了我；今天我願將我自己和我的所有都奉獻給你”。

            這就是亨利諾文所說的“感恩的操練”。在他的書《浪子歸來》中，他寫道：“絕不要忘了我們所有的一切都是神豐富的恩典，是我們不配得、不配有的；我們不要忘了神是一切好處和美善之源。我們的所得是為了他的榮耀和他國度的擴展；不要忘了祝福也帶來責任---即忠心順服的責任。”

            你當如此行，並要問主：“主，你要我如何為你的工作奉獻呢？”

            對我們來說，就是要在奉獻上忠心。我已經發現我們中大多數人需要養成一個好管家的習慣和節奏。林前16：2節說：“每週的頭一天，應當從中拿出一些積蓄起來…”，我知道並不是每個人都能有這種模式。你們中有人的收入不規律，比如房地產經紀人、音樂人、演員等等，那你需要開發另一種節奏和模式，比如收入一到就立即存留一些；但大多數人可以有一種規律的奉獻模式。在我們生命操練中需要一些模式，包括禱告、靈修和奉獻的模式。

            重點是，規律的奉獻會讓我們更加忠心，並能幫助教會做好事工計畫；這種持續的給與也可以減少人的誤解，比如“怎麼教會總是不停地要啊？”林前16：4節，保羅說把奉獻準備好了，“免得我來的時候才開始收集”。

            就像兩周前我對你們講的，發展這種生活模式就是給你的朋友、子女、孫輩一個有力的見證，你對耶穌的經歷是何等真實，以致帶出了生命的改變。當人們看見你觸摸自己的支票本時，就知道其實神已經觸摸了你的心。

2. 優先順序 –首先要給你的地方教會，然後按照神的帶領奉獻。 在一切事上都得以富足，以致十分慷慨，就藉著我們生出對神的感謝之心 (林後 9:11)

            有一種神學理論支持今天我們所講的有關管家的主題，如果你沒有掌握它，就不會理解聖經中許多有關奉獻的教導。這就是：我們信耶穌時，也一定在參與神的普世、永恆的家的建設。我們彼此相屬，所以若是家中一部分受了傷或有缺乏，其它的部分也感同身受。所以，家庭成員要彼此幫助支持，這才是一個好的家，對麼？

            回到一世紀，當耶路撒冷的弟兄姊妹受損了，他們在馬其頓的弟兄姊妹就感到了疼痛，並以犧牲的精神給與幫助，所以保羅堅持要哥林多的地方教會也如此做。我相信我們一樣可以應用此原則，即當我們聽到世界上哪裡有弟兄姊妹受逼迫、有需要時，我們應該在禱告中尋求神的帶領，即如何站在他們身邊支持他們；我也確信，同樣的原則也適用於地方教會中弟兄姊妹相互的照顧。

            不過，我們也知道，不管是地方教會還是普世大家庭，都有太多的需要。我們常常不知道如何排優先順序。但聖經的模式是：地方教會當一起尋求神，排好使用奉獻的優先順序。我們教會就是像兩周前我說的那樣在做這樣的事。注意保羅在林後9：11節說的：“藉著我們，你們的慷慨就生出對神的感謝之心”。

            根據這點，也是根據聖經的上下文，你的地方教會之家應該是你做奉獻時首先要考慮的。神的工作首先是藉著尋求神的地方教會，然後要照神的帶領，排出此時此刻神要我們奉獻支持的優先順序。

            但請仔細聽：當我說“首先給你的地方教會之家”，並不是說你不能支持其它的事工和個人，而是說要按照教會定的優先順序；通常你應該先給你的地方教會，你所要支持的其它事工應是第二位的。

3. 成比例 – 慷慨地給與，但總要照著神的供應. 以你們所擁有的完成 (林後 8:11b).

我們看林前16:2, “如果充裕，就應當從中拿出一些積蓄起來…”  再看林後 8:12 – “照著他所擁有的蒙悅納，並不是照著他所沒有的蒙悅納…”

            從歷史上可見，神在許許多多的教會藉著信徒“十一奉獻”的操練開展他的工作。這就是按比例的給與。根據聖經的教導，神的百姓當把收入的10%獻給神。今天有人問：“應該是稅前還是稅後的收入啊？”這個我不知道，我想這答案應該取決於你與神的關係怎樣；你應該與你的小組一起談論和為此禱告。

            你可以從舊約利未記27：30節和瑪拉基第三章讀到有關“十一奉獻”的經文。在新約時代，一些信徒覺得10%太少了，他們覺得自己是屬於神的，於是就像使徒行傳描寫的初期教會，他們把自己的一切都給了教會。但到二世紀，這種作法似乎不可行、不能持久了，於是又發展了新的奉獻模式。

            我覺得十一奉獻是對你奉獻的一個指引。對初信者，講十一奉獻也許會讓他無所適從；但對那些在十一奉獻上長久操練的信徒都會一致認為，這是切實有效的，是蒙福的。

            我想加一句：有時你可能覺得山窮水盡，就算想給，但苦於財物資源實在有限。我多年來所學到的是，就算在這樣處境中，還是要找一個方式給出些什麼，就像貧窮的馬其頓人做的；也像耶穌在路加福音21：1-3節提到的那個寡婦所為：耶穌抬頭觀看，見富有的人把他們的奉獻投入奉獻箱裡，又見一個窮寡婦投進兩個小錢。於是他說：“我確實地告訴你們：這窮寡婦所投的，比所有的人更多”。

            我也知道有人可能真是除了有債，一無所有。在恰克牧師和我講了管家的主題後，我們教會有三個人找我談了他們負債或破產的處境，（大家不用猜是誰）他們說：“這些關於奉獻的教導深深觸動了我，但現在我也只能給出寡婦的二個小錢。你覺得主會悅納嗎？微薄的奉獻也能算作我的服事麼？”我說：“當然，絕對是的！”

            談話後，我問牧師和教會領袖，我們藉著服事來奉獻的最大機會在哪裡？答案是，去服事我們的教會大家庭。如果我們真想讓我們教會改變，就從娃娃抓起，讓孩子們和學生們成為門徒。所以，如果你心裡渴望給與，但無法做財物奉獻，聚會後可以去走廊的桌子那裡，我們有人可以告訴你許多方式讓你能透過服事來奉獻。

            我盼望你們能很清楚這一點：我們應該照著我們的能力，以合適的比例慷慨並竭力奉獻。

4. 有智慧力 –要有智慧使用、分配奉獻. 我們這樣謹慎對待奉獻，免得有人在我們所經手的這豐厚之事上挑剔我們(2 Cor 8:20-21).

            聖經要奉獻者關注錢是如何被合宜使用、適當分配的。使徒保羅讓教會選擇可信任的人與送奉獻的人同行，可以彼此監督最好地使用錢。這是地方教會奉獻的榜樣。教會當然會犯錯，但每一個人都有機會檢查金錢的分配是否妥當。聖經教導謹慎使用錢財是非常智慧的。不照此行，就導致歷史上愚蠢的事件不勝枚舉。

            於是，那些奉獻救災錢財的教會推舉提多與保羅同行，確保奉獻被最好地使用。為什麼？難道保羅不忠心嗎？不是，因為分配錢財是最容易讓人挑剔的了，所以保羅在林後8：21給了我們智慧的忠告：“因為我們不僅要敬重主看為美善的事，也要敬重人看為美善的事”。

            這也是我們教會要努力做到的。

5. 有目的 –要仔細考慮，認真禱告，求神帶領： 每個人要照著心裡預先定好的給與(林後 9:7).

            短語“心裡預定”指的是仔細思考，換句話說，好管家不是等奉獻盤一到就趕緊掏出支票去寫。基督徒的給與不是隨機或感情用事的。我們需要神給我們智慧，正如我們在生命中其它事上需要神的引導。我們要有能力去分配神交托我們的資源。好的基督徒管家要認真禱告，“照著心裡預定好的”，懂得如何回應神託付我們的。一旦認定，就慷慨、甘心情願、充滿喜樂地給與；這樣我們就會看見神如何去做他的部分，即為他的榮耀而使用地上暫時的東西，比如錢財。

            我們都參與了上周教會的聚會吧？42年前，我們差派馬科姆和芭芭拉去肯亞宣教。我們教會在42年間不間斷地支持他們和他們的事工。他們回來報告了那裡的人信主的見證，特別是他們有了自己語言的聖經。馬科姆告訴我：“現在，聖經已經翻譯成他們的語言，有許許多多的人離開伊斯蘭教歸向耶穌！”他感動地哭了，我們充滿了喜樂！

            當我們把奉獻給與地方教會，或藉著地方教會奉獻時，我們看見了許多類似這樣的事發生。如果我們能應用這些有關奉獻的聖經原則，並教導給我們的下一代，我們就會看見更多這樣的故事。我作為教會的主任牧師從不給信徒寄信或電郵提醒大家奉獻，因為我們都知道如何回應神呼召我們去做的。

            而這所有的一切都是單單為著神的榮耀。

榮耀歸給神！

Greg Waybright 博士

主任牧師