What We Give God (and Others) Is Measured More Ways Than One

Series: Things Jesus Wants Us To Know

Part 21 - What We Give God (and Others) Is Measured More Ways Than One

INTRO: We have been in the Book of Luke on Sunday Mornings since March the 4^th. That has been five and one-half months. A long time for myself for sure! So, in a few weeks we will be done with the Book of Luke, but not done with the Lord. No I am not planning another series on the Lord's words to us at this time. We will not however nor should we ever be done with Jesus our Lord.

Today, I want to warn you that I am going to preach about money. I am certain that I have never preached a message this long about money. Did I say long? I meant basically for the entire message. Don't get excited, I am just going to let you see what Jesus had to say about money. Actually He dealt with it much more than we would expect. He did not preach about it every Sabbath though. But He did deal with it when the time dictated. That is what I will do today, look at What Jesus Wants Us To Know. So, I ask you to listen with an open mind. Don't assume I am going to beg for money. Don't expect to get lambasted for not giving to the Lord's work. Just listen to what we can learn from God's Word.

Actually, if you have been listening or attending and listening, you might object that three weeks ago, I preached about money when I preached form Luke 18. Well not really that message was about salvation an eternal life that we could all attain if we would but ask the Lord. The problem the rich ruler faced was his riches stood between him and the eternal life he was seeking. The scripture said he was very rich. This man was so close to salvation, yet he let money or his love for money interfere with the right choice.

You might also complain that the very next week I preached about Zacchaeus found in chapter 19. Zacchaeus gave away half of his wealth to the poor. "Hey," you might say, "All that did not escape me. You were asking for half my money." No, I would tell you. Not so! That message was also about salvation, in fact the title was Jesus Came To Seek And Save All The Lost That Would Believe. You see it was all Zacchaeus' idea to do that. You see Zacchaeus was somewhat of a crook until he met Jesus face to face and Jesus changed him completely. Do you really believe in Jesus?

"Okay, okay but, I remember last week and I know I heard you say we need to pay our taxes. That 's money right?" To you I would say that last week's message came from Luke 20. It dealt with a couple of questions that some conniving religious men asked Christ to try and trip Him up. One of their questions asked if it was lawful to pay tribute or taxes to Caesar. Christ responded that we need to give to Caesar the things which are Caesar's (that would be taxes), and to God the thing which are God's.

Okay that brings us to today. Yes, I am going to preach about money. How can I help but do so when I use the first four verses as my text.

Let's read from…

Luke 21:1 - 4

^{1And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury.
^{2And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites.
^{3And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all:
^{4For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.

Okay, this brings me to a question…
How important is our money to God?
Okay, I know the rumors! False rumors by the way.

False rumor #1: God's church wants your money

I tell you that a church worth the title of church wants you -- All of you. Your salvation, your happiness, your life blessed and led by the Holy Spirit in obedience to Jesus Christ our Lord.
When churches begin to seek people for membership or attendance because of their financial status, they are wrong. They are unworthy of the calling they have. That calling is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ to a world heading to certain doom without the Lord.

False rumor #2: God's preachers want your money

I know the preachers on TV often, way too often beg for and reach for others finances. I know many times their motives are questionable.
I know even some preachers in local churches, may desire and reach for others finances. I know many times their motives are questionable.
Let me tell you that 1 Timothy 3, Titus 1, and 1 Peter 5 all teach that leaders in the church should not be after money.
Interestingly, I can even find a situation that looks like one of God's prophets, Elijah, was greedy for other's things.

Let me read it to you
1 Kings 17:8 - 14 ⁸And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying,
^{9Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.
^{10So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.
^{11And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand.
^{12And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.
^{13And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son.
Of all the nerve. How could he do this? How could he ask for her last little bit of food?

Oh yeah. Let me read the rest of the story…
^{14For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth.

So, let me say this…If the preacher, any preacher is after other's money, they are not the preacher God wants them to be.

False rumor #3: God's coffers - wherever they may be - wants your dollars

Honestly, it is easy to fall into this. Wouldn't it be nice if everyone just sent his or her money to us. Then we could do with it what God wants for our work. Oops did I say our work. I meant God's. I think you get the idea.
When we convert our mission to money gathering instead of soul reaching, we are off the mark.

Okay, I want to start to answer the question about how important our money is to God.
First, let's see what was Jesus' reaction to other's money…
We can see…
He praised selfless giving - Luke 21:1-4

This widow woman gave all to God - Jesus liked that, I have to be honest.
She did something right
She had the right attitude

She gave God what He wanted form her - ALL OF HER [PERIOD]. Not all of her money. Not all of her finances. Not all of anything worth worldly values, but ALL OF HER!!!!!
I know this is looking ahead, but could that be what God wants for each of us?
Could God want all of us too? I am not going to give that away this early in the message. You will have to wait and see!

We also see that…
He (Jesus) ignored showy, …ostentatious, …egotistical, …self-righteous money givers found in the same verses as this Lady.

Even though their money amounts were large
Even though their money amounts were noteworthy in many people's eyes
They were not worth of comment except to say…they had given out of their abundance. In other words they had given from their surplus. They did not have to go hungry.
They did not even have to miss a meal at all.
They did not have to sell anything to do this
They did not have to even miss a nail filing appointment or experience any hardship at all!!!!!!!
Well, one might say, "If God and His Son do not appreciate what I give Him, then I wont.
Let me tell you, it is not about God appreciating, nor God requiring, it is not about the amount in dollars and cents, it IS about our love for Him.

He knows our love.
He knows our reasons.
He knows our heart.
AND He knows our need!!!! Do you need Him?

We can also see in the scripture…
Confronted selfish cheaters - Matt. 21-13

Matthew 21:12 - 13 ¹²And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,
^{13And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.

These men were cheating the poor people who in their desire to please God had to change their money out to buy animals for sacrifices.
Jesus ran them out and revealed them for what they truly were.

And He…
Pointed out the inconsistencies of letting money rule our lives

Luke 16:13 No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon [money].

Paul tells us in:

1 Timothy 6:10
^{10For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

So we can see how Jesus felt about money. But…
What does God's Word teach us about giving?

Give according to your ability - Some TV evangelists want us to give 'til it hurts

Deuteronomy 16:17 Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which he hath given thee.
Give quietly without being showy or noticed
Matthew 6:3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:

Give freely without ideas of gain - Some TV evangelists want us to give to get back from God
Matthew 10:8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.
Give with liberality - generously
Romans 12:8 he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. - NKJV

Give with regularity - this reminds us of the blessings of God
1 Corinthians 16:2 Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.
Give cheerfully - the scripture says it all!
2 Corinthians 9:6 - 7 ⁶But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
^{7Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.}

Okay, as I close down, we saw that Jesus was vocal about this little poor widow lady who gave all she had. Wasn't He concerned about here going hungry? No, HE new she would be taken care of.
What I think thrilled Jesus is she gave all she had to give. Not her money, HER!
That is what would thrill Jesus about us, if we would give ourselves completely to Him.
Have you been holding out on Jesus? Don't grab your wallet! Look into your heart.
I hope you understand my goal was not to get you to give more money. My goal was to share with you how Christ feels about our giving our all.
Most feel that giving to God IS important. The thought I leave you with, IS THERE SOMETHING MMORE IMPORTANT TO GOD THAN OUR MONEY?

Have you given the Lord the one thing He wants from you?
You. That is what He wants.
Y…O…U

Gary Marcum - New Beginnings Church - 081907am}}}}}}}}}}}}