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Introduction:
(1 Cor 4:2) "Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found
faithful." One of the most enduring qualities of a Christian
steward is a giving lifestyle. Giving is a lifestyle. What are the marks
of a giver? The giving lifestyle is:
I.
MARKED BY A CLEAR PURPOSE (V.6)
The Christian steward has a purpose (expound)
A.
Every Action Of A Believer Is A Seed (v.6a)
·
Giving
is not an Expenditure it is an Investment.
(Illus: giving is not a debit that you owe giving it is a seed that you
sow). Every action is a seed I sow. Examples: words (good or bad); deeds
(kindness, prayer, witness) is a seed that I’m sowing.
·
As
you give you are sowing, not scattering
seed. (Illus: a farmer sows with a purpose; he doesn’t sow the seed and
forget about it; he sows the seeds and expects a harvest). The Bible
teaches that when we give we are sowing seed on purpose; in good soil, and
we can expect God to provide the increase.
B.
The More Seed You Sow The Bigger The Harvest. (v.6b)
·
The
more seed that I sow the bigger the harvest of blessings.
·
Your
blessings are in peroration to your giving. (Illus: giving comes back to
you -(Luke
6:38
) "Give, and it shall be given
unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running
over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye
mete withal it shall be measured to you again.")
II.
MARKED BY A CHEERFUL PERSPECTIVE
(V.7)
A.
Giving Is A Choice
·
“As
he purposeth in his heart” = he makes up his own mind; I don’t make up
your mind for you, you make up your own mind to give.
·
“Not
grudgingly”, = out of grief or sorrow. (Illus: give till it hurts? -
faces at offering time like going for a root canal).
·
“Or
of necessity” = pressure. Giving is a choice and the blessing come from
me making that choice.
B.
Giving Is A Challenge
“God
loveth a cheerful giver” = hilarious. How can my giving be hilarious? Two ways:
·
By
understanding Biblical Stewardship – All I have is His; I’m the
caretaker and giving back to the One who gave all to me brings
cheerfulness (cheerful perspective).
·
There
will be a harvest! (Lk.6:38) A giver is cheerful because he has let go of
this world and taken hold of another world. His source is God not the
stock market, or the Federal Reserve etc. (Phil
4:19
) "But my God shall
supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ
Jesus."
III.
MARKED BY A CONSTANT PEACEFULNESS (VV.8-11)
Givers are not mastered by depression, doubt, or fear. Here is why you
ought to give:
A.
God Is Able (v.8)
·
“All
grace” = the sum of all the blessing of God that comes into our
lives undeservedly. God is able to make (put into action) all grace:
·
“Abound
toward you” = not just a little grace, not just amazing grace, but
abounding grace!
·
“Always”
= not sometimes, but every time have “all
sufficiency” = all that you need so you may:
·
“Abound
in every good work” = have abundance to do good. God is not blessing
you to sit around and look at what you have; God is giving so that He can
develop in you the character needed to reach out to a lost and hurting
world that need your ministry so that you can bless them!
B.
God Is Abundant
(v.10)
God
will put seed into the hand of somebody that He knows He can trust to
plant that seed. (Illus: a farmer doesn’t put seed in a jar just to look
at…the seed’s no good unless it’s planted in the ground). So why
should God pour seed into the hand of somebody who is a tight wad? Why
should God pour out blessings on someone who is not going to share it? Why
should God give a song to someone who is not going to sing it? Why should
God give a message to someone who is not going to preach it? (Illus:
others are blessed by the overflow…but the only way to turn the spicket
on is to give!)
So
a giver is a person with a clear purpose, a cheerful perspective, and
constant peacefulness. (Read what’s on back page of Bible) May God teach
us to give!
Conclusion:
You cannot give what you do not have. Do you have Jesus? Are you
following Him?
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