“WHAT DO YOU HAVE THAT YOU DID NOT RECEIVE?”
Stewardship Sunday
11-12-06
Ken Peterson
Phil. 4:10-20
INTRODUCTION
This being our stewardship Sunday, here’s a story I found of a church facing some big financial crisis. In the town was a wealthy man who occasionally showed up at church, but had never been known for his generosity to the church. So they decided to send a couple of elders to visit him in light of their crisis. As these men sat down with the man one afternoon, they explained the need and asked if he might, in light of his substantial resources, be able to help them out.
“I see,” the man said, “so you have it all figured out? But, did you know I have a widowed mother who has no other means of support but me?” “No,” they responded. “And, did you know that I have a sister who was left by a drunken husband with five children and no means to provide for them?” Now, feeling rather embarrassed, they again said they did not know that. He continued, “And did you know that I also have a brother who is a cripple due to an automobile accident and can never work another day to support his wife and family?” By now, feeling rather mortified, they admitted they didn’t know. Then, he concluded with a triumphant note in his voice, “I’ve never given any of them a cent so why should I give anything to you?”
Surely there is no one here like that! But stewardship is a serious issue. And I’m glad, at the session’s request, to specifically address this each year at this time. But I can assure you this morning, this isn’t a “hang-onto-your-wallet” sermon. I don’t believe the church should ever be manipulative or gimmicky concerning money. We try to follow Paul’s instructions in 2 Cor 9:7:
Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
We don’t ask for your pledge in order to determine our budget for next year. Our budget is what is called a “faith budget” in which the session determines what it will take to cover the church expenses for the year plus the outreach ministries the Lord has laid upon our hearts to support. This is not tied to what is pledged, for, because of our “secret pledge system,” no one but God knows what you’ve decided to give for the next year. We trust God to move people’s hearts to give what is needed. And, year after year, He is faithful.
However, the Bible has A LOT to say about money and the stewardship of the resources God has blessed us with. Remember that Jesus spoke more about the topic of money than any other single subject. If He considered it that important, certainly we need to listen carefully to all the Bible teaches us on this important subject.
GOD IS THE SOURCE
The starting place of Christian stewardship is realization that God is the source of all we have. My title comes from a series of rhetorical questions Paul asks the Corinthians– What do you have that you did not receive? (1 Cor. 1:7). In Moses’ great last sermon given to the nation of Israel before they go into the land God promised them, there is this warning, that when they prosper
and build fine houses and have lots of possessions,
You may say to yourself, "My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me." But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth....(Deut. 8:17-18)
As the Psalmist reminds us, The earth is the Lord’s and fullness thereof (Ps. 24). And, in 1 Tim. 6:7, it reminds us,
We brought nothing into the world, so we can take nothing out of it.
So, the bottom line of stewardship is that absolutely everything we have and claim as “mine” really belongs to God. Hence the idea of Christian stewardship. A steward is one who handles the money and other resources of the owner on behalf of the owner. Jesus has several parables along that line. Just this basic realization that my car is not really my car, my home is not really my home, and my money is not really my money, can totally shift the center of gravity in our living. Knowing from our heart that it all belongs to the Lord changes everything.
John Wesley, the 18th century founder of Methodism, was informed one day that his house had burned to the ground. Wesley’s reaction was, “The Lord’s house burned. One less responsibility for me!” Throughout his life, he carried his earthly possessions lightly.
The apostle Paul, in our text reflects this same freedom as he writes,
I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.(Phil 4:11b-13)
Remember, Paul is writing from prison. Paul’s contentment is rooted in God– not the things of this world. And, God is his security, his source of supply. He reflects that confidence in the 19th verse when he writes,
And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
Now that is quite a promise. Note the phrase, “according to.” If I promise to meet all your needs according to my riches, that would be nice. But, if anything too major comes up, my riches can be quickly exhausted. So my promise would give you some assurance, but probably not a lot. However, if the richest man in the world, Bill Gates, gave you that promise, you’d really have something. I don’t think any of us can imagine any material needs we could have that his billions could not cover. But, the promise we have is even better than that. “The glorious riches in Christ Jesus” are absolutely unlimited. He owns everything in the universe. He created it all and upholds it with His word of power (Col.1:16-17). But, His riches also include peace, joy, health, and eternal life– none of which can be bought.
We love a promise like this, and it can give wonderful peace and assurance to our lives in troubling times. However, it doesn’t apply to everyone, nor even every believer. Notice first, “my God.” He is talking about a personal relationship with God, so it applies only to Christians who have chosen God as their Lord and Savior. But, not even all Christians are in on this promise. There is a premise to this promise. It is dependent upon our being generous with God in our giving to others.
GENEROUS GIVING
The Philippian church was not a wealthy congregation. But listen to what Paul writes:
Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles. 15 Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; 16 for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid again and again when I was in need. 17 Not that I am looking for a gift, but I am looking for what may be credited to your account. 18 I have received full payment and even more; I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. 19 And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. (Phil 4:14-19)
That wonderful promise comes out of a context of their faithful, even sacrificial giving. They are clearly being faithful to God and His call in their giving.
Notice also, Paul talks about what they give as “credited to their account.” The Greek word used here is a banking term– literally meaning to accumulate interest on their behalf. And God pays good interest. Jesus mentions getting back 100 times as much (Mk. 10:30) as just one example. If we think in terms of money, then $1,000 becomes $100,000. That’s pretty spectacular! That’s 10,000% interest. Of course, there is no exact formulas in how God rewards us– but everywhere Jesus talks about it, it is beyond our human ability to even reckon. God is exceedingly generous. He won’t even lose track of a cup of water given in His name (Mk. 9:41). And that is what Paul is most thrilled about. By sending him money, they are participating in the ministry of Paul 800 miles away– partnering with him.
Do you remember the large mission team of about 30 young people who visited our church this last July and we sang “The Blessing Song” over them? They came to do work on the reservation with Mission to the World. There were Koreans from a Korean Presbyterian church in New Jersey and others from Vancouver, Washington. Well, did you know they left us with a blessing? They left us a note thanking us for allowing them to worship here– enclosing $100 for our ministry! Now, realize, each of these young people had made a considerable financial commitment to come and serve the Lord in doing VBS and working on projects on the reservation. Yet, they also gave us a substantial gift. Such generous hearts bless us in their eagerness to find more ways to give, don’t they?
HOW DOES GOD ASK US TO GIVE?
God asks us to give to Him first– the firstfruits. Often we are tempted to wait and see what we have left before we decide what to give to the Lord. Then, after we’ve done all we wanted to do, after we’ve satisfied ourselves and our appetites and are sure we have enough, after all that, we begin to think of how much of the leftovers we will give to God.
In the Old Testament, when the exiles were allowed to return to Israel from Babylon, they were all anxious to get their homes built and crops planted. But the House of the Lord was in ruins. And things weren’t working very well– the crops were not producing like they should. Through the prophet Haggai, God told them that because they weren’t putting His House first but busy with their own affairs, You earn wages only to put them in a purse with holes in it (Hag. 1:6).
Have you ever felt that your wallet or purse had holes in it? I believe God honors us when we honor Him first– give Him His due first, and then care for our own needs. It is a practical, financial expression of Jesus’ promise in Mtt. 6:33, ...seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Just the other day, someone shared with me about how much better things are going since they started making the first check each month their tithe check. She offered, before when they waited until everything else was taken care of, they sometimes didn’t have enough left for a tithe. Now there always seems to be enough left to cover everything.
There is also a bottom line minimum God asks us to give– the tithe which is 10% of our net income. You may ask, “Isn’t that part of the Old Testament law?” Yes, it is, but it is not confined to the law. It predates it. Abraham tithed (Gen. 14:20). And Jesus affirmed the tithe in Mtt. 23:23. What we see in the New Testament is, by the grace of God, people going way beyond giving a tenth. The tithe was simply not sufficient– but never done away with. The principle is proportional giving– To whom much is given, much is required (Lk. 12:48). A number of years ago, I wrote a one page paper explaining tithing. Copies are on the table by the office, a blue sheet, if you’d like more information about tithing.
I know this may seem radical if you aren’t in the habit of tithing. But the Church has always understood that this is the clear teaching of Scripture– it is God’s plan. It is not a matter of feeling you can afford it. It is a matter of trust in God. He has attached a wonderful promise that I’ve heard personally affirmed by countless believers,
Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. (Mal 3:10)
This is the only time in the Bible God invites us to actually test Him. I have yet to find the person who has tested God by tithing and found Him to fail.
Randy is the husband of Polly’s cousin who lives in Cleveland. He was a vice president in charge of a branch bank. Due to a merger, his job was eliminated. They had just built a new house. He spent months in an unsuccessful job search. Being Christians, they kept trusting the Lord through all this and continued their practice of tithing. Then, when they received their final paycheck from the severance pay from his bank job, his wife asked, “Do we tithe this check too?” And without hesitation, Randy replied, “Of course.” It was their last money to live on– but Randy insisted they still put God first and tithing was only putting faith into practice. Within a week, a man whom he’d never talked to about employment, called to ask if he would manage a factory for him. The only contact this man had with Randy was once meeting with him regarding a loan from the bank. He was so impressed with Randy, he resolved to try to get him into his company.
It is common in the church to make some distinction between tithes and offerings. The tithe is our 10%– the starting line that God asks us to give. That belongs to the Lord. Offerings are what we give beyond that. When it’s time for the offering, I sometimes say, as many pastors do, “We will now receive your tithes and offerings.” Brian, from Ontario, Canada tells of his five-year-old son who was proud of the fact that he had graduated from bow ties to a necktie, just like Dad’s. But that Sunday morning, with his hand clutching his little necktie, he heard a panicked whisper, “Dad, why did the pastor say they’re going to collect the ties and offering?”
Here’s an amazing thing. A research project in 2004 estimated that for about $70-$80 billion a year, the essential human needs around the world in third world countries could be met with projects for clean water and sanitation, prenatal and infant and maternal care, basic education, immunizations, and long-term development efforts to help overcome the poverty conditions that now kill and maim so many children and adults. Now that may not sound like good news. But, if the church members just in the United States would all increase their giving to a tithe, there would be an estimated additional $86 billion available for such mission projects– more than enough.
Do you ever wonder, when you see the starving children of Darfur in refugee camps, or other heart-wrenching suffering, “Why doesn’t God do something?” But, to a large degree, He has. Maybe it is we who are not heeding God’s call. He has placed incredible resources in our hands. Never in the history of the world has there been the wealth that we have accumulated. I’m afraid we will have a lot to answer for when we stand before God.
CONCLUSION
I want to close with that rhetorical Scriptural question that is our sermon’s title: What do you have that you did not receive? Everything we have and are is a gift to us from God. But He has given us some basic operating principles to protect us in the midst of all His generous giving, namely, learning to be content with what we have and returning to Him 10% of all we gain. It is God’s plan to provide for the ministries of the church and care for many of the needs of others– spreading His love and care to the world.
But, it is also extremely important for our own well-being. In our materialistic age, the temptations to greed and covetousness are ever before us. And, there seems to be a magnetic pull on our hearts toward anxiety, no matter how much we have. As your pastor, I want you to understand that the foundation of overcoming all this is trust in God. And, one of the first steps in putting that trust into practice and ordering our priorities right is in returning to the Lord the tenth He has asked of us. Make that the cornerstone of your financial planning and you’ll be amazed at how well God takes care of us.
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“WHAT DO YOU HAVE THAT YOU DID NOT RECEIVE?”
– 1 Cor. 1:7
For Further Study and Reflection on Sermon for 11-12-06
Phil. 4:10-20
1. Giving is a requirement for the Christian. But the attitude behind it is important. 2 Cor 9:7 tells us, Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
If someone told you they give, but not with a cheerful heart and asked you how their attitude could be changed, what would you tell them? List several ideas.
2. Deut. 8:17-18:
You may say to yourself, "My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me." But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth....
1 Tim. 6:7,
We brought nothing into the world, so we can take nothing out of it.
How do these verses bring us up short and help us straighten out our priorities?
3. Some of the 1st words toddlers speak are: “yes,” “no,” and “mine.” Children grabbing other kids’ toys or clutching their own, we consider marks of immaturity. A person who is generous and giving we consider to be mature. Why?
What traits does a generous person have?
4. Can you share about a time when you gave away something that was precious to you? How did you feel? What happened? (You may also use an example from someone you know)
5. Have you been on the receiving end of a generous gift? Tell about it and it’s effect on you.
6. What reasons (or excuses) do people give for not tithing?
Are these legitimate?
Do they represent a lack of trust in God?
And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. (Phil 4:19)
7. Phil 4:11b-13: I [Paul] have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
Paul says he’s learned a “secret.”
What might help us learn the same secret?
8. Do you have ideas on teaching children to tithe?
9. Did the statistics saying that all the basic needs of the 3rd world could be met if all U.S. Christians just increased their giving to a tithe surprise you? Discuss.