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.

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.

Compassion Requires Sacrifice

Mark 6:30-37
Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand
30The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. 31Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

32So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. 33But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. 34When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.

35By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. “This is a remote place,” they said, “and it’s already very late. 36Send the people away so they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.”

37But he answered, “You give them something to eat.”
They said to him, “That would take eight months of a man’s wages[a]! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?”

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1. Jesus had compassion on the people because they were like sheep without a shepherd. That’s why He began to teach them. Jesus also wanted to care for their physical beings, too, by feeding them. The disciples’ reaction to feeding the five thousand was asking how that was possible with their limited resources. They didn’t realize that God owns an infinite amount of resources!

2. I think God also wants me to have compassion on “spiritually abandoned” people (like sheep without a shepherd) and care for them too.

3. Upon seeing people I see in my day to day life, I do have compassion on people but not enough. I want to take more action.

Having a Character of Christ: Humble Heart

Matthew 11:29-30,
29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Philippians 2:5-11
5Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
6Who, being in very nature[a] God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature[b] of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

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1. Characteristics of Christ that are most evident in the verses above are humility, submission, trust and a desire to do the Father’s will.
2. Faithfulness requires humility because it’s submitting your own want and will to fulfill the will of another-in this case God.
3. My attitude in being faithful to God’s commands are that I need more disciplin. I am good sometimes and okay other times.  I still want to improve in this area and I believe the Holy Spirit will help me.

Learn to Have Humility Like Jesus (3)

John 13:12-17
When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 13″You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
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1. The idea of ministering to eachother means that through our actions, we show the message of God, which is love. We convey it to others. Our lives should reflect the One who sends the message, and the message of love should be conveyed through us. Jesus Himself washed his follower’s feet. He was their teacher yet He humbled Himself to do this to show the message from the One who sent Him. We should also do likewise, and consider it a priviledge to be entrusted as messengers of God’s love.

2. There are some conflicts I’m facing with others. To practice humbleness like Christ did, I should focus on being kind and loving, rather than things like what’s “rightfully mine” according to the world’s standards. Instead, I should not feel entitled to special treatment and just show God’s love, and I believe God will be able to use me and give me His peace and joy when I surrender my circumstances and the way I respond to them into His hands.

Learn to Have Humblness Like Jesus (2)

John 13:1-7
Ephesians 4:2

John 13
Jesus Washes His Disciples’ Feet
1It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.[a]

2The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus. 3Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

6He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

7Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”

Ephesians 4:2
2Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

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1. Jesus set a great example of humility when he washed his disciples’ feet. Even though He is Lord of all Lords, He honored those below him, normal human beings (his followers really!), by washing their feet. That’s what servants do! So in the world’s eyes this can be seen as something that’s below him to do, but He did it as if it were an honor.
2. I can learn put into practice this mindset of loving and serving others, as Jesus demonstrated in the verses above.
3. Some circumstances make it difficult for me to serve others, like when I think they’re trying to show off or know everything or are being bratty, or think they’re better than everyone else or me. Or…if I’m feeling stressed or are being treated badly it can be hard for me to serve others.
3. Yet despite that, I want to keep my focus on doing the best I can to please and honor the Lord, even if it means denying my own rights, all for the sake of Christ.