Hymn: I GAVE MY LIFE FOR THEE…
CENTRAL THOUGHT
It is more blessed to give than to
receive.
TEXT: 2 COR. 8:1-5; LUKE.6:38, 21:1-4
INTRODUCTION:
To give is to pass something into someone’s hand or care
or to hand over something as a present to someone. One
may give something to someone in anticipation of a return
of something else while others may give out of love and
concern without expecting anything from the person to
whom he/she has giving such thing. Giving is like a seed
sowed which must germinate in due season, however the
quality of the fruit a seed brings forth is determined by the
quality of the seed. Since failure to give does not attract any
reward, it is proper that we develop the right attitude
towards giving to enable us get the right reward from the
great rewarder and giver of all good things. This is what
this lesson tries to highlight.
LESSON OBJECTIVES
The objectives of this study are:
1.) To understand the starting point of giving.
2.) To discuss some ways in which God demonstrates
giving.
3.) To explain some ways the Bible describes giving.
BIBLE TRUTH
QUESTION 1) WHAT IS THE STARTING POINT OF
CHRISTIAN GIVING?
The starting point of Christian giving is to give oneself
totally to the Lord. Giving is an act of grace which
represents one of the forms of worship and show of
gratitude, when it is done by first offering oneself as a
sacrifice to the Lord. This is self-denial which will give
Christ a first place in one’s life. Many people give without
the right motive and as such the attract the wrath of God
instead of his blessings to themselves. If we truly give
ourselves to Christ and allow him have absolute control
over our lives, we will give him the best that we have and
not that which is worthless. Some people like to give things
that are of no value to them to God, it is not proper to give
as offering to the Lord, Moneys that Bus conductors/drivers
and traders or even banks have rejected. Such giving
reveals a lack of knowledge of whom God is to the
individual and how he should be appreciated. We should
solemnly make a fresh – surrender of ourselves and all we
have on to the Lord Jesus Christ, sanctifying our contributions to God’s honor by First giving ourselves to
God.
QUESTION 2) DISCUSS SOME WAYS IN WHICH
GOD DEMONSTRATES GIVING AND THE
CHALLENGES DISPOSED TO US.
Sacrificially, John. 3:16; Rom. 8:32:
God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son.
It pleased God to give Jesus for us. He gave him up to
suffer and die for us. It is so wonderful that God should so
love such a sinful world as to give his only begotten son,
not one out of so many. Only himself (God) could do such
a thing and this is real sacrifice that is beyond human
comprehension. Because of this unique gift of God, we
now have life in abundance. Therefore, in appreciation of
this, we should Also be willing to give our all freely to him.
Unconditionally, Matt. 5:44-48:
It is human to give to people one hopes to receive from
again. They could even borrow to give in such a situation.
But when given to a person that cannot reciprocate or give
for a course that we are not certain they will pay us back
immediately or later, we become very reluctant to give.
This is not supposed to be so. The Scriptures enjoin us to
give when the person cannot give back to us and then our
reward will be great. We must give unconditionally
because we are children of God who gives liberally to all
irrespective of their attitude to him.
Faithfully and consistently, Gal. 6:9; 2 Tim.
2:13; James. 1:17: God gives always and liberally to all men. We should give
regularly without hesitation as the Lord empowers us.
Faithfulness and consistency is the nature of God. He
cannot change and has never changed, even while we are
unfaithful in honoring and worshiping him yet, he blesses
us daily.
The Bible enjoins us to sow always as we cannot tell which
side will do well in which will not.
QUESTION 3) HOW DOES THE BIBLE DESCRIBE
GIVING?
Giving is described in different ways in the Bible;
however, three of these are herein Examined; namely;
Scattering and withholding prov. 11:24.; Giving and
receiving Luke. 6:38 as well as sowing and reaping 2 Cor.
9:6.
The Bible says in Prov. 11:24. “There is that scattereth, and
yet increaseth; And there is that withholdeth more than is
meet, but it tendeth to poverty”. From this passage, we can
understand that giving does not make us to become poor
because every giving we do faithfully as unto God has a
corresponding increase. When we fail to give, we become
like a farmer who failed to plant a seed during planting
season, such a farmer cannot expect any harvest when those
that sowed are reaping.
Luke 6:38 says “…. The same measure that you mete
withal it shall be measured to you again”. In other words,
we must receive whatever we give out to others back in one
way or another either here on earth or in the world to come. Lastly 2 Cor.9:6 (NIV) makes us understand that we
receive according to how we give. If we give generously,
then we will be sure to receive generously as well but if we
give sparingly, we will also receive sparingly. Sowing and
reaping is a general principle that holds true in the physical
as well as in the spiritual (Gen. 8:22). Before harvest there
must be a period of planting. God has giving the power of
increase and multiplicity to the seed (Gen. 1:11), so we
should be mindful of the kind of seed we sow in life. The
quality of harvest depends on the one who gives the
increase. (2 Cor. 9:10; 1 Cor. 3:6-7).
DAILY LIVING APPLICATION
God’s promise to you is “if you sow generously you will
reap generously”. When you make giving to God your first
priority, you don’t have to fear. Jesus said, “put God’s
work first and do what he wants. Then the other things will
be yours as well”. (Matt 6:33). “a And he looked up, and
saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury. And
he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two
mites. And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor
widow hath cast in more than they all: For 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
(LUKE. 21:1 -4).
The widow gave out of her poverty, the same way the
Macedonian Christians were eager to make contribution to
the saints in Jerusalem even in their poverty. Believers
should not be tied to their possession. There are many in the household of faith who need to be taken care of. The
rich among us should see the riches as being from God and
selflessly minister to the need of the church and the poor in
the fold.
MEMORY VERSE:
GALATIANS 6:7
“Be not deceived, God is not mocked; for whatsoever a
men soweth, that shall he also reap.”
DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE
Monday: Giving starts with the individual.
2 Cor. 8:5; Rom. 12:1-2
Tuesday: Give sacrificially.
John. 3:16; Rom. 8:32
Wednesday: Give in love.
1 John. 4:9-10; Matt. 5:44-48
Thursday: Principle of sowing and reaping.
2 Cor. 9:6; Gal. 6:7
Friday: Give willingly and generously.
Prov. 11:24; Luke. 6:38
Saturday: Principle of watering.
Prov. 11.25; 19:27