Pastor Sam Crosby
San Saba’s First Baptist Church
December 3, 2019
Preachers are sometimes characterized as always asking for money. A church member once requested that he be allowed to speak at his pastor’s funeral. The pastor was flattered but a bit confused over the request. The man went on to say that he had already chosen his text for the service. Interested, the pastor asked what verse he had picked. The man responded, “Luke 16:22, which says, ‘The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side.’”
Surprisingly, the Bible is filled with instructions about money and the need to be a good steward over what God has entrusted you. Pastor R.G. Lee once commented, “Some people say that we preachers talk too much about money. But note: that the three subjects about which Jesus spoke most were wealth, hypocrisy, and the Kingdom of God; that 3 of the 10 Commandments deal with money; that 16 of the 38 parables in the New Testament deal with money or stewardship; that one verse of every six in the gospels deals with stewardship; that the great question is not: How much do we give? But rather, ‘How much do we keep for ourselves?”
On this Giving Tuesday, please consider these truths:
One, everything you have belongs to God. You are not an owner but a caretaker. Every breath belongs to God. Every day belongs to God. Your family and children belong to God. Your houses, possessions and wealth all belong to God. The godly man, Job, understood this principle when he lost everything he had. He states, “I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!” (Job 1:21, NLT). God uses us as channels to bless others.
Two, God blesses those who give. Even the smallest gifts are remembered and blessed by the Father. Jesus said, “And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward” (Matthew 10:42). The God who sees every bird that falls to the ground also sees every act of kindness performed by people. The greater the generosity, the greater the blessing from God. Jesus declared, “Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back” (Luke 6:38, NLT).
Three, it honors the Lord when we give cheerfully. The attitude with which we give is as important, if not more important, than the gift. The Bible says, “So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver” (II Cor. 9:7, NKJV). Give with thanks for what you have and happy to bless others.