God's Plan for Giving, Part 2 B

Giving is not a matter of what you have is a matter of the heart. It's a matter of the sacrifice that you desire to render toward God.

In verse seven.

Therefore, as you abound in everything faith utterance knowledge diligence love abound in this.

Also, when you give to God will abound in the same sense to you about the pastor can teach on wiki eternal matters like the consequences of sin and many people will find their minds, wondering.

But if he starts talking about an everyday issue like money. Specifically, offering it to the Lord. Well that's a whole different story. Indeed your ears probably perk up when you hear someone talking about giving away what you worked hard to earn but with the right biblical understanding giving to the Lord can be a joyous act of worship.

John MacArthur helps you better grasp that truth today as he continues his study titled God's plan for giving and with that, let's get to the lesson here is John MacArthur now in second grade.

In chapter 9 will look at it now, but will look at later. It tells us that if you give if you so sprightly. Reeves barely so badly read bountifully if you so bountifully you read bountifully if you give, not grudgingly, or necessity, but because God is a cheerful giver. You give freely, God will supply your needs.

God will make everything occur increased to you. You have all sufficiency so that he'll fulfill up everything you need, physically and spiritually giving Obama and someone want to set a good you member the rich young ruler Matthew 1921, came to Jesus and Jesus said go so all you have given the poor and then you can come in all you people revisit remote that they say well you have to give your money will you be a Christian. No, I don't think that's what it's saying.

In fact, I think God blesses some of us who've invested with him or learn about. I mean, I feel like I have so much and I know many of you to and I need to be a more conscientious tort of all time. But Jesus wasn't saying you gotta give your money away to be a Christian what he was saying was your money is standing between you and me was a slave one time was a tremendous Christian to give a great testimony to his master's master can one day and said you know whatever you got. I want your such peace and joy and contentment. I can't believe it. What is it, how can I get this, he says, go to the hospital on your whites to come down here work in the mud with the rest of us slaves and you have what you talking about. He said I could never do that. I'm the master you're the slave I'm the householder I can do that I would not beneath my dignity and he walked off in a huff and back couple months later and said III can't resist asking again.

What is it you have and how can I have this lease as I told you go put your white suit on, cannot work in the mud with us you have any was furious again and walked off. Finally, in desperation, he came back to the slave and he said I don't care what it takes. I've got to do it, I'll do anything. He says go put on your white suit and come down. We do that, he said yes he said you don't have two point you knew it was standing between a man in Christ pride, self, and he put the issue right where was. That's all Jesus is saying until you detach from your money you're separated from God. You cancer but artless conference went over to giving is to be sacrificial giving is to be sacrificial.

It isn't the amount that's just what it cost you to give it Mark 1241 90, you're already running ahead of Mark 1241, Jesus sat opposite the treasury areas sit in the place or by span taxes. These Watsons in the court of the women. The temple treasury hey Justina, it's an imperfect verb which means you continue to sit there and he continued to be whole. People came people came people came and he saw the people cast the money into the treasury. And many that were rich cast in much you watch the rich people come in and really throw it in these little trumpet shape deals are on the wall 13 him around the temple treasury are all drop in their taxes. No, he was watching he kept watching and there came a certain poor widow and she threw in two mites, which makes a farthing friends two mites. A might is 1/8 of a cent in a farthing is 1/4 of a cent, 287 sent here came a poor widow and she had the smallest coin, there was a copper might elect Tom about 1/8 of a cent, and she had two of those that made up before the Romans penny wasn't enough to buy a lunch for a priest is a what good is that I mean it is 100 years old.

Somebody also there.

Just don't put the stuff in here. These two little copper leftists dropped in what's what's the deal. He called on him, his disciples and he called his men away that is my chance to teach. He taught right off the living illustrations of life and one of the principles I learned about discipling people. Is this discipleship occurs best in the application of the principles of truth to the living of life. In other words, to send a bunch of people down in a room and I'll try to disciple and doesn't really get at what you gotta do is apply biblical wisdom to the flow of life.

This is what Jesus did with his disciples. They walked through the world and he taught them off of what he saw happening. He solve their problems with spiritual solutions.

That's discipling joy because his disciples and said, I say unto you, the poor widow has cast more in then all they who have cast into the treasury say wait a minute that's no big deal for all they did cast in of their abundance, but she of her wants did cast in all that she had even all were living.

So how did he know that knew everything. She only had need of a penny less that she gave while this is not very significant and will do much.

There was significant because she gave everything, friends, and you can't give any more than everything, but the point that Jesus is making is this that that is sacrifice and that is the essence of giving and the ultimate sacrifice to be given everything the least money was the greatest gift was a teach about giving business teams were the ties no it teaches it were to give sacrificially and maybe that means everything we have certainly it means more than were giving now when I say that for myself as well. In Hebrews 1316 it says, but to do good and to share is to share your money, your possessions, don't forget listen for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. What pleases God and giving his sacrifice. Sacrifice Philippians 418. Paul just received a lot of money from the Philippians he was thankful he said I have all and abound. I'm full, having received of Aphrodite is the things which were sent from you sacrifice, acceptable, well pleasing to God. Know what will happen in return. My God shall supply what all your needs according to his riches. You gave sacrificially you invested with God, he will supply all your needs according to his riches in principle number three. Giving is not a matter of what you have. People are safe.

I only had more I would give you more as net read about a farmer who preacher came to see the pharmacist later farmer. He says if you had $200.

Would you give 100 of it to the Lord.

He said I would, is if you had two cows would you give one of them to the Lord. He said I would use if you had two pigs would you give one of them to the Lord.

He said now that isn't fair. You know I have two pigs Diablo Luke 1610 and let me show you this principle in the word of God is and how much you have it when we all done that heavily.

If I had moral I wish I could give more. I was able its proportionate giving. You may give more an amount but you may not give more in proportion and disproportionate God is after.

In Luke 1610 we have this introduced to us, he that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much. And he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. If you are not giving sacrificially what you have. You wouldn't give sacrificially we had more right. That's what he saying what's a tremendous principle in Luke 1610. You see it's illustrated so beautifully in second Corinthians 8, the Macedonians gave an offering to the Christians Jerusalem and it says in verse two of segment DMZ Macedonians how that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty bounded to the riches of their liberality.

He says deep poverty abounded to liberality. In other words, they didn't have much, but boy did they ever give liberal and a course in verse five he said that's because they first gave what themselves. They first gave themselves. Giving is not a matter of what you have is a matter of the heart. It's a matter of the sacrifice that you desire to render toward God. In verse seven. Therefore, as you abounded everything faith utterance knowledge diligence love abound in this also.

When you give to God, you will abound in the same sense that you abounded no spiritual commodity principle for giving affects spiritual riches stay right there. Luke 16.

This is one of the most sobering statements in regard to giving anywhere in the Scripture Luke 1611 if therefore you have not been faithful in the unrighteous money and money is righteous is it monies just neutral who will commit to your trust.

The riches was that ever potent.

If you can handle money, which is earthly riches. You think God's going to give you spiritual riches to handle. I was and what I'm saying if you don't handle money wisely. You will never be given spiritual responsibility.

That's what he said. Verse 12.

If you have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own. Here's the idea here. Father has a son he wants to give the estate to the son is the firstborn is the heir to the estate. Father wants to find out whether the kids go to manage the estate properly. So I give them X number of dollars. It is in the zone and he watches how the kid uses the money not for the money sake but as a measurement of the young man's character.

If the young man doesn't use the money properly. He's disinherited and to get somebody else to run his estate.

That's essentially what's happened and the application to us is simply this, God commits into your hands a trust. The money that you have is not yours. It's his gave it if you do not handle that money wisely. Then God sees by evidence that you do not handle riches properly. The world's richest.

He will never give you true riches that is spiritual responsibility may be withheld from those who cannot handle finances and I know men personally close to me that I've known for many years and there are many others of an addition of that who have moved right out of the ministry altogether.

God has totally removed all of their spiritual responsibility because they reached the place really could not handle money, listen giving is a matter of affecting spiritual riches. If you want God to give you responsibility in spiritual things real responsibility that you prove that you can handle the world's goods. Number five.

This is so important giving amounts are personally determined and for this you look at Luke 19 and this is a story that I remember so vividly from when I was a little kid. Member the story about the guy in the tree name Zakia's.

Everybody remembers it.

One of the funny stories in the Bible, humorous, Jesus entered and passed through Jericho and behold, there was a man name Zakia Sue was a chief among the tax collectors which of course made them like the kiss of death.

Everybody avoided any was rich. Any course he was rich because he could exact any amount of taxes that he wanted and he sought to see Jesus who he was. He wanted to find out about this person he heard about. There was a big crowd and he was short little stature so he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree seem free was to pass that way in areas hang up that sycamore tree when Jesus came to the place he looked up and saw him, and said unto him, Zakia.

Well if you didn't fall out of the tree was only because he had a pretty good seat. I mean, how did Jesus know his name Zakia season make haste, and come down for today I must abide at thy house, and he made haste which made me fell out of the tree. I don't know he came down and received him joyfully couldn't believe it.

Couldn't believe. Well I went home and they had a wonderful time and all the people said Jesus he's going to go meet with sinners and Zakia's got straightened out, stood, and said unto the Lord. Behold, Lord. The half of my goods I give to the poor in that terrific gave 10% know what 50% half everything the man had like Jesus and no one always requires attempt in the system that we have of my friend, you may keep the rest. All the Lord are restricted to giving to attend how ridiculous Zakia is a blessing you say please be not troubled as we have everything he has and if I've taken anything from anybody by false accusation. I'll return in 400% all terrific.

You see the point here is giving is spontaneously done out of love and gratitude nonlaw.

You see it's all in the example is Jesus Christ, who gave himself segment is 89. He's our example he gave himself he was rich for our sakes became poor, that we through his poverty might be made rich and there's a pattern your rich become poor, that others might be rich. Macedonians were already poor and they became destitute. Make somebody else rich seems to be individually determined this between you and God out of a thankful heart. That's all God's is in fact the Bible just says that God expects a willing heart segment is a talks about a willing heart. I want to go a step further. Number six giving is also to be in response to need. I just mention this is true, that giving is to be spontaneous and voluntary, just pouring out of a loving, thankful heart, but giving also in the New Testament is to be in response to need. For example, in acts 243 to 47 there were Christians remember at the time of Pentecost that had need. And it says there that they were selling and parting with things and were holding things in common other words they were sharing their goods with those who had need. And your memory chapter 4 how they were selling land and taking the money and giving it to the apostles for the apostles to give to the needy. It tells about how Barnabas did that and then now Ananias the fire publicly said they were giving to the poor and kept back some and they died got executed and for the light of the Holy Spirit, but next to next for next five we see illustrations of how they gave to meet needs. The apostle Paul collected and offering dignity all over the area of the of the churches in the Gentile world to take to the needy poor Saints in Jerusalem and X11.

It tells us there was a famine in the saints collected money to take to this people who were in the famine X11 27 to 30, and there's no percent require. It was simply what the need was if a man comes along with the need to meet his need. If you give the Lord you get out of the wellspring of joy and gratitude and love in your heart so giving was to be in response to need yes, we could say well we have many needs, and you may give all we can say look, we have a missionary needs money or we need a new building or we want to expand your we want at some some staff to our church wanted to have some some more ministries with you people, and we need to support them etc. etc. and you can respond to those needs. Equally, as well as to the love and thanks in your own heart are number seven giving is to demonstrate love, not law giving is to demonstrate love, not law. Second Corinthians 8, Emma skip along nobody or look at second Corinthians, 889. Love, not law, not a system of law that your under I speak not by commandment and you get that this is not a legal system. This is not a prescription for percentage. I speak not of a commandment, but by occasion of the earnestness of others and approve the sincerity of your what of your love. I'm telling you all of this information about giving, which dominates this chapter, not by way of a command but simply as a test of your love will that's that's good is it giving a test of your for you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ as though it was rich. For your sake he became poor, that you through his poverty might be rich. You know the pattern.

You know the example.

Love gives everything I am not giving you a commandment. I am not degenerating this whole thing into legalism. I am telling you prove your love demonstrate your love. Look at verse 12 for if there be first a willing mine. Paul says a song about giving all God wants is a willing mind. Someone who wants to give verse seven of chapter 9. Every man according as he purposes in his own heart, so let him get is to demonstrate love, not grudgingly, not necessity. Not legalism but love and when you put a prescription on giving you give people a law to abide by, rather than love and you wrap them number eight giving is to be planned giving is to be planned. First Corinthians 16 one now here was Paul's plan to give it to the churches in Galatia.

All of them. He gave it to the Corinthian church here. This is my plan. He says in verse one for taking the offering verse two upon the first day of the week. Let every one of you lay by him and store every Christian say well I don't give money. I give my talent.

Why don't give money. I give my time more I give my my mind my thoughts my ideas known doesn't teach a stewardship of your money know every one of you. You lay by and store weekly preparing in your heart you lay in store as God has prospered. That means proportionately on a percentage basis that there be no gatherings.

When I come what he saying is this, you need a church budget you have available money to meet needs as they arise not always banging away for special monies for special offerings were special thing turn every day every week's calendar, and as you do give and give and give you buildup a resource and not only that you teach yourself the meaning of stewardship on a continuous basis. You're not just responding to emotional needs, giving then is to be done systematically.

It is to be done proportionately is to be done faithfully as you purpose in your heart.

The word purpose for my petal and prop means to choose before hand you are to set it aside before hand plan, pray, prepare and give, not haphazardly and not in response to emotional appeals, number nine and just briefly giving is to be generous.

This is a New Testament principle in second Corinthians chapter 8 verse two he says their deep poverty abounded of the riches of their liberality. They were poor but they gave generously chapter 9 verses five and six will notice the word bounty and again the word bounty and again in verse six bountifully bountifully now that word means liberally. Generosity is the idea giving us to be generous, sacrificial in Philippians chapter 4, the apostle Paul was so grateful for the generosity of the Philippian church.

She says I rejoice greatly, that now at the last your care of me as forest again and you are mindful of me not to. I need things he says the Lord meets my needs, but I'm so thankful for what you've given me.

He says in return for what you've given me and this leads us to the last point my God shall supply all what your need according to his riches. That's 10 giving generously results in blessing also to the Philippians because you've given so generously to me.

God will supply all your needs. All of yes all of looking at second Corinthians 9. Look at verse six you so bountifully you reap bountifully in verse eight says, and God is able to make all grace abound toward you that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work. Verse 10 says you'll have bread for your food, your seed will multiply the fruit of your righteousness will increase. Verse 11 you will be enriched in everything to all bountifulness. See you so bountifully will reap bountifully. There are the principal.

No wonder our Lord Jesus said, is recorded in acts 2035 is better to give than to receive love and these are the principles of giving and the Scripture and the blessing attendant upon can be experienced in the life of every faithful steward must her father. We know the least trues are for us from you for our blessing. Thank you for nail down in our hearts, a commitment to these truths make them part of us teachers to release the worldly investments in the lay up treasure with you, teach us to find a balance between preparing for the future and saving doing those things. The Bible does talk about and investing with you. It would be sacrificial toward you.

May we enable spirit of God totally control our lives because we serve you not accomplish your work through the gifts of your saints. Price that's John MacArthur he's chancellor of the Masters University in seminary. His current study here on grace to you offers a thorough practical look at how you can honor God with your finances. It's titled God's plan for giving John today you stressed how important it is to make a priority out of laying up treasure in heaven. But let me ask you this.

There are people who experience financial difficulties long periods of money trouble. How would you counsel that believer who wants to support God's work, but is also struggling to make ends meet. Well I would say there are times in our lives exigencies and in our lives when we may have just enough resources to survive. I think the Lord understands that III think I would still give it might be a lot smaller than you would want to do but again the Bible says if we so sparingly we reap sparingly, if we so bountifully we reap bountifully so I still think it's our responsibility as believers to give when we come together as Paul says to the Corinthians.

On the first day of the week when you come together you now take the offering, so that you not to take one when I arrive so I I think giving is an act of worship.

Giving is a part of worship. And again it it may be a lot less than you would wish because of the challenges that you're facing. But I still think the stewardship and the responsibility to give as a regular part of worship is is something that every believer should do.

I think it leaves your conscience if you give something it even though it's not what you would what you would want to give but I would backup from that and say you have to be careful that you're not in that situation because you have spend money you didn't have right and that's what so many people do they run the credit cards to the max and then they're bound to make payment set up 20% interest rate and that eats up whatever discretionary money they might have.

So look at yourself in a position where basically the one to hold you in debt controls your life and therefore controls your giving the lesson I heard from you. Years ago I was beginning my own family.

You should give to the Lord first and then out of what you have left side what's discretionary you don't save your giving to the Lord, to the last yeah and again don't borrow money at 20% to buy something of a 20% on and on and on and on because you never ever pay the principal off save money and spend the money you save and don't buy things you don't have the money to buy and then the are you become a debtor in the, the one who holds your debt owns you know even owns and controls your stewardship. That's an important principle to remember. Thanks John and friend, if you want help honoring the Lord with your finances, let me recommend a book written by John in the Masters University faculty. It's called think biblically it will show you how to cultivate a biblical mindset on government science, economics, and more to order think biblically contact us today.

Call 855 grace or go to our website TTY.org, think biblically, cost $13.50 and shipping is free. This book will help you cut through the secular worldviews that saturate our culture and you can apply God's truth to the most talked about moral, political, and ethical issues today. Read an excerpt from the book and place your order@tty.org or call 855 grace also friend. We sometimes hear from people who want to know about the different ways they can support Grace to you. There are ways to give to this ministry through estate planning that will allow you to play a key role in making grace to use verse by verse Bible teaching available for generations to come. For more information on legacy giving visit TTY.org or call 855 grace in her website one more time. TTY.org now for John MacArthur in the entire grace to you staff on Phil Johnson encouraging you to be here tomorrow when John looks at crucial truths. You need to remember the next time the offering plate comes around, it's another 30 minutes of unleashing God's true one verse at a time on grace to you