1 Corinthians 16:1

Now concerning the collection for the saints, I have given order to the churches of Galatia; even so, do you. Upon the first day of the week, let every one of you lay up by him in store, as God has prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come. And when I come, whomsoever you shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality to Jerusalem. And if it be meet that I go also, they shall go with me.

Father, we ask for your wisdom and direction as we study now your word. We thank you that you have revealed yourself to us in your word, your nature, and your will. You desire that we would know you and that we would know how to walk in such a way that is glorifying and honoring to you. That's what we desire to do. So we pray that you would speak to us this morning and give us insight into your word. Transform our thinking, we pray. We ask in Jesus' name, and all God's people agreed, saying, Amen. You can be seated.

One of the most oft-talked-about topics in the Bible is the issue of money and possessions. Interestingly, it tends to be one of the least discussed topics in many Bible-teaching evangelical churches in America. There are many different reasons why it may be one of the least talked-about topics. It tends to be somewhat uncomfortable to talk about it, but the Bible talks about it. In fact, more than 40% of Jesus' parables in the Gospels deal with money or possessions. One-tenth of the New Testament is aimed directly at the subject of money. There are 2,350 verses on money, possessions, wealth, and giving in the Bible. Now, considering those numbers,

One might conclude that God is obsessed with money. The reality is, God is not obsessed with money, but He knows we are. Therefore, He talks quite a bit about it. However, He does not address the topic of giving or possessions so much because He is seeking to raise money, but rather because He is seeking to raise us, His children.

You see, God knows that people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. That's exactly what Paul says in 1 Timothy 6, verse 9: those who desire to be rich fall into a temptation and a snare, and many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. God is a good and loving Father. Like we who are parents, or those who have been parents and whose kids have grown and moved on, He desires that we would not be trapped, that we would not be tempted, and that we would not be ruined and destroyed. In the same way, our God in heaven feels that towards us.

He tells us things like what Jesus said in Mark 4, verse 19: riches are deceitful. As Paul says in 1 Timothy 6, verse 10, the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. The richness of possession and the desire for such riches can quickly become an idol. Jesus said, "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also," in Matthew 6, verse 21. The desire for possession often possesses the desirer and often proves the words of Jesus to be true. He said in Mark 10, "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

Now, in quoting a verse like that or considering what Jesus said in Mark 10, we can sometimes find ourselves responding in the same way that Jesus' disciples did. In the next verse, they asked, "Who then can be saved?" However, we know by looking in this nation and throughout the world that there are many wealthy individuals who are righteous in Christ. So with God, it is possible, and He brings us into His kingdom.

But oftentimes, in bringing us into His kingdom, we recognize that there is a very clear difference between what is valued in His kingdom and what is valued in ours. Interestingly, the topic of money, riches, and wealth has been at the forefront in our nation for a long time, but especially in the last several years.

In the last three years, many Americans have lost a significant percentage of their wealth in this economic downturn, which has touched just about everybody in our country in some way or another. Over the last several years, an animosity has developed towards those who are perceived to be rich and those who are perceived to be wealthy. This animosity has, at times, almost boiled over into civil unrest in our nation.

If you look around the world today, there is all kinds of civil unrest, and a lot of it is tied in some way to the issue of wealth and possession. For the last six weeks, protesters have overtaken Zuccotti Park in New York City and the financial district in what has come to be called the Occupy Wall Street protests. These protests have extended beyond New York City and the financial district to many other cities throughout our nation and into several other countries.

The protesters are fed up with the social and economic inequality that they see, corporate greed, and the power and influence of some corporations. These protests are reminiscent of those that took place at the end of 2008 when the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) was signed. Remember that? Then, a few months later, in early 2009, the $787 billion stimulus package was passed. The protests taking place right now are no different from those that occurred then.

What these protests reveal is that clearly money is on our minds. A lot of people are thinking about it. There is an apparent inequality, a disparity between the wealthy 1% and the 99% who are not as wealthy, but quite rich, really, that live in our nation. What to do about this disparity is the topic of much debate on TV and in the news, and there are many people discussing this issue.

Sadly, wealth is often viewed in our nation through one of two lenses. The first lens is prosperity theology, which says that God loves rich people more than He loves poor people, as evidenced by the great blessings that they have. Some people see the world and our nation through that lens.

Then there's another lens, poverty theology, which claims that God loves poor people more than rich people, who are vilified as greedy thieves. There is a lot of vilification of those who are wealthy going on in our nation today, which amazes me when we begin to consider—and often fail to recognize—that while we may not be as wealthy as others in our nation, we still sit among the wealthiest 10% in the world.

A family of four making $50,000 a year, which is the average income for Escondido, happens to be the lowest income city in North County. However, a family of four making $50,000 a year has 11 times more wealth than the typical person in the world. Americans, who make up only 2.5% of the world’s population, hold 40% of the world's wealth.

Three billion humans, nearly half of the world’s population, live on less than $2.50 a day. That’s less than a typical cup of coffee at Starbucks, and that represents half the world’s population. So, at the very least, we have to recognize that we are incredibly rich. We have great wealth.

There’s a lot of talk right now about the 1% and the 99%. But when we’re honest, we recognize that we, the 99%, are actually the 9.9% of the world who spend more on weight loss every year—$60 billion—than is the GDP, the gross domestic product, of 125 of the 190 nations in the world. We spend more on weight loss than 125 nations have annually as their gross domestic product. That’s phenomenal.

Additionally, we spend $20 billion a year on our pets and $40 billion a year on cosmetics.

This should put things into perspective. Numbers like that should really cause us to question, is it reality to get angry at the 1%? So what does all this mean? I think it's certain that we need to reevaluate our metrics by which we establish what is rich and what is poor.

But more than that, we need to ask ourselves, what are we going to do with what we have? Especially in light of what Paul said to Timothy in 1 Timothy 6, verse 7: "For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain that we can carry nothing out." Just as Job said in the Old Testament, "Naked I came into this world, naked shall I go out. Blessed be the name of the Lord." We brought nothing in, and we will bring nothing out.

During this life, for one reason or another, we have been blessed like no other people in history. We have the world's wealth, and with that wealth comes an awesome responsibility. The Christian, the person who studies the Word of God, recognizes that what we have comes by the providence of God.

We have several sayings in our nation that say something to the contrary. We say things like, "I pulled myself up by my own bootstraps," or "I've been the captain of my own destiny." We often think, "I am this entrepreneur. Look what I have built for myself." But the reality is that the person born in the United States of America today, and for many decades before this, just by means of being born here, sits among the 9.9% of the wealthiest people in the world.

Before you ever got an education, before you ever developed your personality, and went out and did anything for yourself, and built a great resume, and made all kinds of wealth and retirement packages, you, just by the fact that you were born here, are among the 9.9% wealthiest in the world. Ultimately, all that came from God.

In James 1, verse 17, James speaks to this when he says, "Every good and perfect gift comes from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, from God." The very ability that we have to earn wealth comes directly from God. Notice what God said to His people Israel in Deuteronomy 8, verse 17: "Beware, lest you say in your heart..."

My power and my might, of my hand, have gotten this wealth for me. You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you the power or the ability to get wealth. The fact that we were born here is of God. The fact that we have the ability to earn and the opportunity to do so comes from the Lord.

Just as with the talents and the gifts that we've been given from God, we shall give an account of how we have used what He has given to us. We've been given unprecedented wealth and extraordinary opportunity in this great nation to use that wealth and to grow as we have. However, to spend it on greed and to hoard what we've been given is, at least, irresponsible and, at worst, could be called wickedness.

So how do we deal with greed? This is what is being identified and pointed at in our nation today. When the protesters went out against TARP and the stimulus package, they were calling for certain changes to take place, highlighting the issue of greed. How do we deal with greed? Should we deal with it in protest? Should we rise up? Should there be a forced redistribution of wealth, as some are suggesting?

I submit to you that the best way to deal with greed is threefold. First, we need to repent of it in our own hearts. Second, we must recognize that what we have is not our own, but God's. Third, we should resolve to give sacrificially.

Let's look at these points. First, we need to repent of greed. Greed is an intense, selfish desire for something, especially wealth, power, or possessions. We are very good at identifying greed in others; it's easy to see, especially in those wealthy individuals.

Several months ago, my wife and I were visiting our friends David and Ingle Oguzik in Santa Barbara, and we took a ride through the Hope Ranch area. The beautiful, extravagant homes there made it very easy to look around and say, "Look at all this stuff that they have. They're so greedy."

And then, just last month, we were in San Francisco visiting Daniel and Lunfusco, who live in Mill Valley. Driving around Mill Valley, which is one of the wealthiest areas in the entire nation, it's easy to look at the incalculable riches and say, "Oh, just look at this terrible greed. They are hoarding it." However, we fail to identify the greed in our own hearts. This presumes, first, that they are greedy in their position, and then it further goes a step further by saying, "Those rich people need to give me what they have. I would do so much better with it if I had that." Really?

I have had the opportunity to meet a number of fairly wealthy people in my life, and many times, they are just as amazed at their wealth as anyone else. They can hardly believe that they have what they have. When I was 15 or 16 years old, I worked at the Castle Creek Country Club, which is up the freeway here. One of the members who came out there every single day to play golf was in his late 30s or early 40s. He was kind of a goofy guy, but he seemed to live a pretty easy life, playing golf every afternoon.

One day, I talked with him, and it turned out that he was the inventor of the Super Soaker water gun. He came up with the idea one day while sitting in his front yard on a hot day, watching some kids squirt each other with seltzer bottles. He thought, "That would be a great idea." Next thing you know, he became a multimillionaire, completely blown away by the fact that he had achieved that. Many people like him, who have wealth, sometimes do not even recognize just how wealthy they are, which is very true of us who sit here this morning.

Even those who are considered to be at the poverty level in our nation still sit in the 9.9% of the wealthiest people in the world. So, when we get angry or feel put out by the fact that someone has something we do not—whether it be wealth, power, position, or possessions—it is an indication of the greed that is in our own hearts. Greed is the root.

Covetousness is a significant issue. Therefore, if you find yourself coveting what other people have, it has grown out of the manure of greed. That's a lovely thought, isn't it? It comes from within our own hearts.

How do we deal with this greed? We need to repent of it. Repentance involves a change of thinking, a change of mind, which results in a change of action. What does this change of thinking look like?

Secondly, we need to recognize God as the owner. We must change the way we think about our possessions and realize that, in fact, they are His. God is the owner of all that I am and all that I have. He has allowed me to be a manager or a steward of what I hold. The Scriptures are replete with evidence of this truth.

In Deuteronomy 10:14, we read, "Behold, the heaven of heavens is the Lord's, the earth also and all that is therein." In Psalm 24, David recognized this when he said in verse 1, "The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, the world and they that dwell therein." In Psalm 50:12, God says, "If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world is mine and the fullness thereof." In Psalm 89:11, the psalmist states, "The heavens are yours, the earth also is yours; for the world and the fullness thereof, you have made it; you created it; it is yours."

The sooner we confess that, the better. It's all yours, Lord. In Haggai 2, God says, "The silver is mine, the gold is mine." This is specifically speaking about the silver and gold in the temple contextually, but it is not an over-extrapolation to say that the silver and gold of everything in this world belongs to God.

Interestingly, there are many people today saying, "You need to buy silver, you need to buy gold." If you do, and I'm not going to tell you whether or not you should or shouldn't, I personally don't know that it's the best investment at the moment. But if you do, recognize that whatever you buy is ultimately God's.

is actually God's. You won't take anything with you. In 1 Corinthians chapter 10, verse 26, Paul quotes David from Psalm 24 when he says, "For the earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof." Now, if everything belongs to God, then all that we have is actually His; therefore, we are stewards of His goods. A steward is a manager of another's property. The Bible makes it very clear that one day we will give account for our stewardship. Our stewardship will be rewarded, or our stewardship will be reproved.

In Matthew chapter 25, verses 14 through 30, Jesus tells a parable of the kingdom of heaven. He says that the kingdom of heaven is like a man who was a master over a region. He called three of His servants to Himself. He was going away and gave to one of His servants five talents. To another, He gave two, and to another, He gave one. Then He departed. These servants used those talents, which are a measure, a monetary measure of goods, while their master was gone. When He came again, He squared accounts with them.

He who had five talents had increased to ten, and he who had two had increased to four. However, he who had one had buried his talent but returned to his master what his master had given him. There we see the accounting: those who gained from five to ten and from two to four were rewarded and brought into the master's kingdom, given a greater responsibility and a greater reward. But he who had hidden his talent was reproved for his wickedness and for not using what God had given him in a way that was glorifying and honoring to his master.

Our stewardship in this life will be rewarded or reproved, and this is not just for the Christian; this is for all humanity. We have been given great riches, and we are responsible for those things before God. Our stewardship extends well beyond our finances and our money because God has entrusted to every single one of us time. Time is one of the resources He has given to us, which tends to be our most valued asset. He has given to every single one of us.

Certain giftings and talents, and beyond that, He has given us treasure. We are entrusted with time, talents, and treasure. The question is, how do we use those? How do we account for that in such a way that brings Him glory?

Our treasure is more than money. Husbands, the Bible says that your wife is a treasure from the Lord. How are you stewarding that which God has gifted you with? Parents, the Bible says that children are a gift, a heritage from the Lord, a treasure from Him. How are you stewarding what God has given you in the time that you have with your children?

Christian, the Bible says that the gospel is a treasure that you have been given from God. How are you stewarding that treasure He has given to you today? You see, when we think of the idea of stewardship, oftentimes we just zero in on money. It's much bigger than that. It's all-inclusive. It's holistic for our lives. The whole of our lives is involved in this.

For the Christian, it goes a step further because the Bible says we are not our own. We've been bought with a price in 1 Corinthians 6. He is our Master. You may say, "Well, if He's made us stewards over all these things, what is He looking for?" Is He looking for a 100% return on investment like we see in the parable of the talents? I suggest that that's not what He's looking for. In fact, He tells us very clearly what He's looking for in 1 Corinthians 4, verse 2.

Moreover, it is required in stewards that a man be found faithful. Are we faithfully using, not abusing, not hoarding, that which God has given to us for His glory, for His purpose? The faithfulness of the stewards spoken of in 1 Corinthians 4, verse 2, is contextually about their stewardship of the gospel, but it extends into every aspect of our lives.

Now, what does God do when He identifies faithfulness among His stewards? In Luke chapter 16, verses 10 through 12, it seems that Jesus implies there that God rewards the faithful steward in this life with added resources.

To be responsible over what God has given us, we must steward it in a faithful manner. Those who do so will find an increase in what God has entrusted to them, enabling them to be good stewards. When we identify the greed in this world and feel bothered by it, the first thing we need to do is repent of the greed that resides in our own hearts. We often look at what others have and think, "I should have that!" This covetousness is birthed out of greed.

Repenting involves a change of mind. The first thing we need to change our minds about is that what we have is not ours; it is His. This realization should lead to a change of action. We should resolve to give sacrificially. Greed is the root of covetousness, and covetousness is the foundation upon which theft grows.

Let me read to you what Paul says about theft in Ephesians 4, verse 28: "Let him who steals, steal no more, but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that has need." Another translation reads, "If you're a thief, quit stealing." It's pretty simple. It goes on to say, "Get a job and do what is good, and then you can give generously to those who are in need." I love the simplicity of that.

Greed produces covetousness, which brings forth theft. If you are a thief, it indicates that you are covetous in your heart, which has grown out of greed. If that describes you, repent by stopping what you have been doing, get a job, and give to those who are in need.

Sociologists and social scientists believe that theft is caused by inequality in society. They argue that theft could be completely removed if we had a more egalitarian society, a more equal society. If we were able to redistribute everything, including wealth, and give everybody what they need, we could address the root causes of theft.

The same footing would do away with this theft. When I hear things such as that, I wonder if any of them have ever in their lives observed toddlers. Most people who buy into that are college students who haven't actually lived in reality.

If you give five identical balloons to five toddlers—same color, same size, same string—you're not going to have five happy toddlers that are thankful for their balloons. You're going to have five toddlers trying to steal from the other four to get their balloons. They're not pleased with their balloon alone; they seek to take the balloons of those who are pleased with their balloons. It's the nature of man.

What does the Bible say? James chapter 4, verse 1 states, "From where do wars and fights come from? Do they not come from your own lusts in your members, in your body, that war in your body? You lust and you have not. You kill and desire to have but you cannot attain. You fight and you war, yet you have not because you ask not. And you ask and receive not because you ask amiss, that you may spend it upon your lusts."

Jesus said in Mark's Gospel, Mark chapter 7, verse 21, "For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, theft, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within." They are not the product of society; they are the product of a wicked heart.

The heart of man, as stated in Jeremiah 17, verse 9, is desperately wicked. All of this comes forth from the heart: greed, which leads to covetousness, which leads to theft. We should recognize and identify the greed in our own hearts that is seen when we look at what other people have—their position, their possessions, their power—and we say, "I should have that." That's greed.

We repent of that by recognizing that what we have is not ours but God's. We repent of that.

By acting on that recognition and resolving to give sacrificially, we can cut out the root of greed. I suggest that one of the best ways to do this is to give. Giving is a Christian responsibility and privilege, much like prayer, worship, and fellowship. It is the responsibility of the Christian.

Now, I recognize that in teaching this, it can come across as rather self-seeking. However, I want you to understand that I am only speaking forth what God has revealed in His Word. I believe that God has revealed this in His Word because He knows something about us and about the makeup of this world, having created it. He recognizes that if we do what He says, we will actually experience the greatest amount of joy.

We are going to be finishing the book of 1 Corinthians in just a couple of weeks, and then we will be doing a series on joy. One of the messages I have been working on is the joy of giving. We are going to test whether it is really true what Jesus said: that it is more blessed to give than to receive. Is it really true that the most joy and satisfaction come when we extend ourselves to others? Is that really true? Because that is what the Bible says.

God wants more joy for us than we ever want for ourselves. We see this in our own children. Those who have children know that they often think joy and happiness will be found in certain things. However, we recognize, through experience, that it is really not in those things. It is difficult in our immaturity because we become so focused on something and think, "If I just had this, I would be happy."

Why is it that in the wealthiest nation in the world, we have the most depressed people? At least this might indicate that the thought, "If I just had that, I would be happy," is actually not true. It is a challenging thing to consider. Paul said to Timothy in 1 Timothy 6, verse 17, "Charge those that are rich," and that would be us.

In this world, we must not be high-minded. That is, we should not think, "I have gained this for myself. I'm the captain of my own ship. I pulled myself up by my own bootstraps." I don't even know what that means, but it's interesting. I would think you'd be pulling yourself down, but whatever. You can explain it to me; you understand it.

We are instructed to charge those who are rich that they be not high-minded, nor should they trust in uncertain riches. If anything, the last three years have proven to us that riches are uncertain and cannot be trusted. So, what ought we to trust in? Well, the answer is in the living God, who gives us all things richly to enjoy. It is not sinful to enjoy what God has given to us, but it becomes a sin when we seek enjoyment only in those things.

The steward who is over the affairs of his master experiences joy in partaking of what his master has, but ultimately for the good of his master. Therefore, we cannot be high-minded in our riches, nor should we trust in uncertain riches. Instead, we must trust in the living God who has given us these things richly to enjoy.

What more should we do? In verse 18 of 1 Timothy chapter 6, it states that the rich should do good, be rich in good works, ready to distribute, and willing to share what they have. Now, consider verse 19: they are laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

We are rich, but we cannot be proud or boastful of our riches, nor should we trust in them, for they are given to us by God to manage. He has allowed us to enjoy those things that He has entrusted to us, but ultimately for His glory. We are to be rich in good works and ready and willing to share with those who have not. By doing so, we are literally paying it forward. This is what the Bible teaches: making deposits in the bank of eternal life, eternal securities, if you will, and laying up treasures in heaven where moth and rust do not destroy and where thieves cannot come in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

There your heart will be also. In Genesis 12, verse 2, God speaks to Abraham, that great man of faith who followed God faithfully. He said, "Abraham, I am going to make you a great nation, and I will bless you." Our nation has experienced blessing from the Lord. "I will make your name great," and why? "You shall be a blessing." You see, we have been blessed to be a blessing. Therefore, we need to plan to give, prepare to give, and practice giving.

How? Well, we finally come, with two and a half minutes left, to 1 Corinthians chapter 16. I tried. Now, concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given word or given order to the churches of Galatia, even so I do for you. Upon the first day of the week, let every one of you lay up by him in store, as God has prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come. This lays out perfectly the who, what, when, where, why, and how of giving in a very concise manner. There's a lot in just these two verses, especially verse 2. It provides a very well-rounded how-to on giving.

He says in verse 1, "Now concerning the collection." The phrase "now concerning" indicates that Paul is answering a question that the Corinthians brought to him in another letter they had written. Much of 1 Corinthians consists of answers to questions they asked, and this is the last one that he will address.

Now concerning the collection of the saints: the collection of the saints could literally be considered as the receiving of offerings for the church. The collection for the saints, for the church, is for those who are in need within the church, which is the context here in the passage. However, offerings extend beyond giving to those who are needy within the body of Christ. They also extend into the area of supporting the work of the ministry for the building up of the body and the evangelization of the lost. Furthermore, it extends beyond the preaching of the gospel into the social responsibilities of the church.

A collection, Paul says, is for the work of the church. He goes on in verse 2 to talk about, or there in verse 1 to discuss the where. To the churches of Galatia, he says, "I've already spoken this, and now I speak it to you." The church of Corinth was in the region of Macedonia, and there was another group of churches in Galatia. All of these churches Paul planted.

Paul states that he is giving a general rule for all the churches where he has ministered. Then he lays out the when. In verse 2, he mentions that it should be done upon the first day of the week. This implies that giving for the work of the church is a general rule for all the body of Christ, and it is to be something that takes place regularly and with frequency. The phrase "upon the first day of the week" speaks of regularity and frequency.

Now, some may say, "Well, I'm only paid once a month, or I'm only paid twice a month, so I can't really do that religiously every week." That's fine, but the issue has more to do with regularity and frequency. Is giving—not just financially, but also of your time and talents—a regular part of your life? Or have you said, "Well, I gave a pretty good amount ten years ago"? The issue here is regularity. Is it a habit in our lives?

You see, you can tell an awful lot about an individual by looking at their checkbook and their calendar. How do they use their goods? How do they use their time? That will tell you a lot about that person. What does our checkbook—though that was kind of 20th century—what does our online bank statement say about us? What does our calendar tell others about who we are and how we live? Is there a regularity and frequency to the giving of our time, talents, and treasure in the work of the Lord, in the kingdom of God?

So, he gives us the when, and then he gives us the who. Upon the first day of the week, let every one of you—every member within the body—give of their time, talents, and treasures. No one is excluded. The old, the young, the rich, and the poor, we all have a responsibility to give.

What ought they do? Well, upon the first day of the week, let every one of you lay up by him in store. This could also be said as setting aside a portion. Every one of us should come prepared to give, having planned to do so. Therefore, we, individually or as husband and wife, need to decide before we ever come together as the body of Christ how we are going to give and what we're going to give of our time, our talents, and our treasure. That's the biblical principle.

Now, most people who don't give do so because they never plan to do so. There have been many groups that have shown statistically what is given by the evangelical church in America. It has been statistically proven, especially over the last almost 30 years since Barna and others started to do this in the 1980s, that 30% of the church gives. This 30% gives, on average, 2% of their income, which is an interesting thing to consider, especially as we reflect on what our calendar and our bank statements say about who we are.

People often ask, "How much should I give?" In Genesis chapter 14, Abraham gave a tithe of all that he had received to the Lord. A tithe means 10%. Some in the church will say, "Well, that's under the law." However, that was actually 430 years before the law was given. They might ask, "What about the law? I thought the tithe was the law." The tithe did prescribe a 10%, but when you really balance it out and see what the nation of Israel was to give, it actually averaged out to 23% a year. So you decide: do you want Abraham's method or Moses'?

Then they say, "Well, we're not under the old covenant. What about the new covenant?" Jesus does speak about the tithe in Matthew 23, verse 23, where he says to the scribes and Pharisees, the religious leaders of his day, "You hypocrites! You are careful to tithe on the tiniest income of your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law: justice, mercy, and faith." The church will say, "See, we don't need to tithe; we just need to do justice, mercy, and faith." But notice what Jesus goes on to say: "Yes, you should tithe, but do not neglect the more important things."

You see, we can't just give to the church and expect that to mean we're Christians. Some people do that.

The tithe should be a representation of our heart for God, expressed in our love, justice, and mercy that we show to others. However, to neglect one in favor of the other, as Jesus says, is not the way. The ultimate question about how much to give is between you and God. We need to do so willingly and cheerfully.

Let me read to you what Paul says in 2 Corinthians 9, verse 6. "Remember this: a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop, but the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. You must each decide in your own heart how much to give, and don't give reluctantly or respond to pressure, for God loves a person who gives cheerfully."

Before God, in the stillness of our own hearts, we should come before Him and ask, "Lord, how ought I to give?" Only give as you can give cheerfully. If you can't give cheerfully, don't give it, because it won't be honoring and worshipful to Him. Ultimately, it is worship to God.

We have the when: upon the first day of the week. We have the who: every one of you. We have the what: plan to give, lay up in store. And how? As God has prospered you, in other words, from your abundance.

The first thing we need to note is that God has prospered us. We've already considered that everything we have is from Him. Yet, many people live their Christian experience saying things like, "Someday I'll give as soon as I get a raise, as soon as I get that inheritance, as soon as I'm out of debt, or when I finally win the lottery." Such a mindset fails to recognize all that God has already blessed us with. It overlooks the fact that what we have is not our own; we have been bought with a price. Whether we recognize it or not, we are already the wealthy.

The second thing we need to recognize is that we must give in proportion to what God has given us. This is not just about how much we bring in or how much we take home, but in proportion to what we recognize.

God has given to us in Christ. The reality is that the more we see of the greatness of God's gift, the more we are willing to give. Our giving should not be out of obligation or law, but rather out of love.

In Luke chapter 7, Jesus looks upon a woman who came and gave her all, pouring it out upon Him as He is seated at a Pharisee's house, Simon the Pharisee. He says to Simon, "To whom little is forgiven, the same loves little." The implication in watching this woman pour out her all is that those who are forgiven much love much, and they express it in their devotion and what they give of their time, talents, and treasure.

A person who is a Christian and follows hard after God recognizes the greatness of the gift that God has given to them and says, "Lord, I will give you my all, whatever it is you call for: time, talents, or treasure." Some may say, "Well, I'll give money; I don't mind giving money, but let the other people do that work thing."

What does our calendar say about our lives as Christians? What does our checkbook say? Everyone, on the first day of the week, should lay up in store and plan to give as God has prospered them. Finally, why? So that there be no gatherings when I come, in other words, that there be no lack.

There was a young professional who made a promise to God as he was getting ready to begin his career: "God, I will give you 10% of my income." He quickly rose in his career field and was making $10,000 a month, giving $1,000 a month to the work of the Lord, to his church. However, over a period of time, he soon found that he was making $50,000 a month. That 10% seemed a little large, so he went to his pastor and asked, "Is there anything, pastor, that you can do to clear me of my promise?"

Said, "Well, come, let's pray." His pastor laid his hand on him and said, "Lord, bring back his income to $10,000 a month."

What is my life? The way I spend what God has given me—my time, my talents, my energy, my treasure—what does it say about my devotion to God? God, I don't in any way say this to compel You to do anything more than what You're currently doing. We're not going to take another offering, at least not until the third service, but we do need to recognize that if we are those who have been bought with a price, and we recognize that God owns all that we have and all that we are, then it will change the way in which we live. It will be a bright shining light to the world in which we live.

Ultimately, God is seeking not to raise money, but to raise children. He is the most giving Father that ever could be. He spared not His only Son, loved us so much that He gave His only begotten Son, that we might be His prized treasure. It's challenging when we consider it in that context. Amen?

Let's stand and pray together. Amen. Father, I thank You for Your Word. It is convicting. It is challenging. But, Lord, would You work these things in our lives? Help us to have, as we've been looking at over the last several weeks in chapter 15, that mindset towards eternity and not so steadily hold on to this life which is soon to pass. Work in us, You will and to do Your good pleasure. We ask in Jesus's name. Amen. Thank You.