February 15, 2015
A few years ago there was a frequent and popular criticism of the church, namely, that the church was always asking for money. In response to that criticism, some churches scaled back the offering. They decided not to pass the offering plate during worship services, but instead, to put an offering box of some kind in the church building and encourage only members and regular attenders to give. I can understand that response to criticism.
Here at TBC, we did it differently. We decided long ago (about 15 years ago) that we will ground our offering in the teaching from the Bible. Each Sunday, before the offering, we would read a passage in the Bible that teaches the importance of giving. In fact, we would emphasize that giving is a very important part of worship. We did this, not to get more money, but because it was the biblical thing to do.
Our informal theme verse for this is II Corinthians 9:6-8. “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”
Cheerful, faithful, generous, sacrificial giving is very good for us and very honoring to God. It is one of the ways we put our faith into action and discover that God really does give us what we need to abound in every good work (the good works He wants us to do). Giving is NOT a way to get something from our Heavenly Father, but it is a way to say, “we LOVE You.” It is a way to say, “we TRUST You.” It is a way to say, “We want Your Kingdom to come, Your will to be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
It is my observation from I Corinthians that this attitude about giving has been a part of the church since its very beginning. We give, not so that others will see and praise us, but so that we can put our love for God into action. We give because the Father first loved us. We give because we love one another. We give because we are challenged to “lay up for ourselves treasures in heaven.” We give because the Father gave us His Son to be our Savior.
As we think about giving today, can you see how giving has grown in your life? No, do not compare with others. Do not think about the amount of your giving. Instead look into your heart. Do you see cheerful, generous giving there? Can you look back on your life and notice how God has taught you about giving? What is the next step for you in this important part of your spiritual life? What needs is God calling you to meet? Where can you be more generous?
Your pastor,
Dude Garrett
