Facts About Sacrificial Giving You Should Know

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Anchor Scripture: 2 Cor 9:1-15

INTRODUCTION

What are the major reasons why people give very little to the work of the Lord? Sometimes we are afraid to give to the Lord because we think there would not be enough for our needs. true is it? We are often so selfish that we would like to spend for ourselves alone. What does the bible teach us about giving? How can we know how much to give? In this post, we shall discuss what apostle Paul taught the Corinthian church about giving. I trust that at the end of this lesson, you will see the need for selfless and sacrificial giving. 

What is Sacrificial Giving?

A Sacrificial giving is a giving that costs you something. It is a kind of giving that has value. It is not a normal church offering or Seed-faith. Sacrificial giving is not about the gift but more about the cost. If it is not your best, then it is not yet a Sacrifice. You can't give God trash and call it a sacrificial gift.  It is called sacrificial giving when it is a treasure. If your gift won't be beneficial to the Kingdom of God, then it is not sacrificial. If it can't benefit or add real value to God or the one it is given to, it is not a Sacrificial gift. One authentic proof of a sacrificial gift is that it is always a precious gift.

THE CHURCH IN MACEDONIA GAVE

The Christians in Jerusalem needed money, Paul had planned to visit them, therefore he encouraged the Christian church to contribute towards that by telling them the way the church in Macedonia gave to the Lord’s work. What were the Macedonian Christians experiencing at that time? 2 Cor 8:2. How much did these Christians give? Verse 3 of the scriptures throw light on that. What did the Macedonian Christians do with their gift? We can find that in verse 4 of the same scripture above. The Macedonian church gave because God was at work in their hearts. They were poor themselves but gave more than what was expected of them. They pleaded with Paul to take their money and use it to help their fellow Christians. Why did they give so freely? Check verse 5 of that scripture above. Paul advised the Corinthian Christians to follow the example of the Macedonian Christians.

JESUS GAVE

Jesus was rich but why was He willing to become poor? Vs 9. Jesus for the love He has towards us, gave all for our spiritual blessings. When we think of this great love, let us be willing to give to others.

Jesus Christ didn't give us His left-over, He gave us His very best. He gave His precious life on the cross to save us from sin and destruction. He gave the only one life He had to redeem us from the wrath to come. That's quite a big sacrifice. That's giving that costs. 

Anything worth giving is worth giving well. Don't give your left-over and expect God to give you His treasures. Don't give to people anything that you wouldn't want someone to give to you. 

Learn to give your best. Giving doesn't make anyone poor. It is stinginess and greed that make people poor. The more you give, the bigger you become. 

THE CORINTHIANS WERE ENCOURAGED TO GIVE

What does Chapter 9:6 teach concerning giving? What did Paul say our attitude towards giving should be? Chapter 9:7. Paul told them that God would bless them if they give as He taught them. Paul did not forget to remind them of the greatest gift we have from God, which is Jesus Christ, vs 15. No one can outgive God. He gave us His only beloved son. That should also be our attitude in giving. We should learn to give our very best and all. When it is painful to give, that's when it becomes sacrificial giving. When everything around you tells you not to give, that's the best time to give. The best time to give is when things are hard. Because stars shine when the sky is dark. Those that sow in tears shall reap in joy. When you feel like crying because you are about to give the only thing that makes you happy, relax and smile because that's when your breakthrough begins. Do you put money in the offering box because you love the Lord or because people expect you to do so? Think about the money you gave last two or three weeks, are you giving as much as you should? Does your giving make you happy as giving did to the Macedonian Christians? What changes do you need to make in your giving after Now?

The Giving that Costs

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

THE CRITICISM OF JUDAS- MARK 14:5, JOHN 12:4-6

Judas was one of the twelve disciples of Jesus who knew the power of healing the sick and casting out demons. He liked other Jews looked for a Messiah who would set up a kingdom on earth and as the treasurer among the disciples, Judas expected to be the minister for finance in the new kingdom ( John 12:6). It may be that love of money had convicted Judas and others of their lack of love. A sinner is expected to confess his sins and ask God for forgiveness, this was what Judas failed to do. Child of God, what is your own state of life? Are you another Judas? Check your life.

THE WOMAN’S COSTLY GIFT

Who is this woman? Find out who she is in John 12:1-3 and John 11:2.

What motivated her to give such a precious and costly gift? We can recall that the Lord had been a blessing to her by bringing back her brother Lazarus to life ( John 11:1-45). And therefore, no amount of gift to the Lord from her would be too much. What was the estimated cost of that ointment of Spikenard?  Anyone who truly knows what the Lord has done for him, no amount of money, time, or anything would be too much to give to God. When one needs to be compelled to give, he has not understood the depth of God's love for his life. Every grateful heart will be eager to give. Nothing expresses the sincerity of our love for the Lord like giving. We can't love Him much and give Him less. How big or small your love for God is will determine the quality of your giving to the Lord. When people give trash to God, it's an indication that their heart towards God is very small. 

CONCLUSION

Our sincere love for our Lord Jesus Christ will cost us something. The best way to express our love and appreciation for the Lord’s kindness is by giving back to Him. Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice Isaac his only beloved son is a typical example. Do we sometimes allow money to come between us and the Lord? Are we tempted to hold back our offerings, services, and tithes from the Lord? The truth I that those who truly love the Lord do not find it difficult to pay tithes or give offerings. Before we condemn Judas, let us examine our own lives properly.

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