Motivation in Giving

Matthew 6:1-4 >>

1″Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. 2When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth; they have received all the reward they will ever get. 3But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. 4Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.”

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1. In giving, I must have the right motivation and not show it off publicly. Instead, doing it in private means that only God will see and He will reward me Himself. I don’t need praise from people when I give.

2. The motivation I need to have when giving is to benefit the person and to bring glory to God and to obey and honor Him and His Word, not to make myself feel good about myself, or anything like that.

Benefit of Giving

Proverbs 20:4, 22:8-9, 11:24-25, 21:26, 22:16, 28:27

Proverbs 20:4 >> Those too lazy to plow in the right season will have no food at the harvest.

Proverbs 22:8-9 >> 8 Those who plant injustice will harvest disaster, and their reign of terror will come to an end. 9 Blessed are those who are generous, because they feed the poor.

Proverbs 11:24-25 >> The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.

Proverbs 21:26 >> Some people are always greedy for more, but the godly love to give!

Proverbs 22:16 >> A person who gets ahead by oppressing the poor or by showering gifts on the rich will end in poverty.

Proverbs 28:27 >> Whoever gives to the poor will lack nothing, but those who close their eyes to poverty will be cursed.

Proverbs 11:24 >>Give freely and become wealthier; be stingy and lose everything.

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1. Some benefits of giving from the verses above: – will have food at harvest (when plow in the right season) – will be blessed because they feed the poor – will prosper (those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed) – will lack nothing (those who give to the poor) – will become wealthier (those who give freely)

2. I want to learn to FREELY give attention, forgiveness, smile, testimony, money, energy, and my time to other people, and NOT demand payback from what I have given.

What Can Prevent Me From Giving: Greed/Self-Indulgence

1 Timothy 6:6-12 >> 6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9 People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. 11 But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. Paul’s Charge to Timothy

1 Timothy 17-19 >> 17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.

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1. Advice given about money is not to make it your god. Characteristics of people who love money are that some have “wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs (v.10).”

2. Instead, God wants me to pursue “righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness (v.11).”

3. Those with money should “be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.”

Giving = Serving

Matthew 25:31-40 >>

31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. 34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ 37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ 40 “The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’

Proverbs 11:25 >> A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.

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1. According to Jesus, “the least of these brothers of mine,” are people who people don’t care much for. They may be those who are marginalized for whatever reason or not as “priviledged” materially, or in outward appearance. I care about these people because they deserve just as much care and love as everyone else.
2. Right now, I’m most concerned about living in GOd’s will and hearing and obeying His voice (following Him).

I like this line from today’s lesson: “A PERSON WHO IS THEIR OWN SERVANT CANNOT POSSIBLY BE A SERVANT OF THE LORD.” I want to be a servant of the Lord.

Characteristic of Love: Generosity

Luke 19

Zacchaeus the Tax Collector 1Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. 4So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. 5When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” 6So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. 7All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a ’sinner.’ ” 8But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” 9Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”

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1. The change in character most evident in Zaccheus’ life after he met with Christ and repented was generosity. Before he was disliked and known to be greedy, but now he wanted to give back 4x the amount of how much he cheated people out of.

2. Some characteristics/bad habits I can improve on are patience, organization, cleanliness and timeliness. But these characteristics have become better ever sinec I’ve started following Christ.