Elements of Worship: Contribution
Acts 20:35
Introduction.
One emotional event for Paul is recorded in Acts 20, meeting Ephesian elders.
Even some elders would fall away due to persecution.
Paul gave them some warnings, reminding them of their duties/responsibilities.
He ended his speech saying it was more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:34f).
Paul was willing to give up many things for others and the Lord.
We, too, give much to our loved ones—life consists of giving!
We give things to people we love, why not to Christ and the church He died for?
Paul wrote to Corinth he would come to take a contribution, and on what day it was to be collected (1 Cor 16:1-2).
The Beauty and Characteristics of Giving.
Body.
The Beauty of Giving.
It is as much a part of being a Christian as living a good, moral life.
Two ideas concerning giving in Acts 20:35.
If it is more blessed to give, then our attitudes and actions are just little bit closer to what God wants of us.
If we do not give, are we less blessed? Aren’t we a little further away from what God wants of us?
Oftentimes, we seldom ask for favors because we do not wish to feel “less than” the person that we are asking a favor from.
“You think you’re better than me?!”
This is a matter of pride.
Sometimes we do not pray because we do not want to ask for anything.
Prayer reminds us of our dependence on God.
We feel lesser in some way, but this is a reflection of reality.
This dependence reminds us that we are always less than God.
When we give, we want to be better than we would be otherwise.
– We want to be more like God.
God is always shown to be giving to others.
God gave to man in the Garden of Eden.
God gave the Law to the Israelites (also manna and victories).
God is better than us, in part because He is always giving both physical and spiritual blessings.
Jesus is also recorded as giving in His personal ministry.
He healed the sick and fed the hungry.
He gave up the riches of heaven for us and became poor (2 Cor. 8:9).
And ultimately, He gave up His life for us (Tit. 2:14).
Being selfish is not God’s will.
Illustration: A Christmas Carol.
Even in OT, generosity is commanded (Deut. 15:7-11).
Reminds me of Paul’s words, to be a cheerful giver (2 Cor. 9:7).
If we want to be better, to be more like God (Eph. 5:1), we will be generous.
The Biblical Characteristics of Giving.
Give on the basis of our ability to give.
Early Christians gave according to their ability to Judean Christians (Acts 11:28f).
Elders have no right today to dictate what a family should give.
That said, Barnabas sold land and gave the money to the church (Acts 4:36-37).
So then how much should we give?
In OT, it was 10% of what they had, a tithe—typical in ancient world.
More flexibility is given in NT.
It is directly linked to our own spiritual growth and development.
You decide your own ability based on your soul, spirit, and your income.
Widow is praised for giving more as a percentage than the rich (Mark 12:41-44).
Illustration: missionary in 1885 receiving $8/mo from churches.
Do not give grudgingly or of necessity (2 Cor 9:7).
We are typically not happy to pay bills or taxes, but its expected of us.
Do we think that giving is expected, therefore we must do it and are not happy about it?
We do not have the right attitude—we should be glad to give!
Illustration: comparing giving to God to giving to your children.
Recall, it is more blessed to give than to receive!
Conclusion.
Paradox in giving (2 Cor. 9:6)—strange to think this way, but it is true.
All that we have in death is what we have given away.
There is one thing even more valuable than all your money and possessions: your soul.
Jesus said, “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his soul?” (Matt. 16:26).
Give your life, heart, soul to God today—He will protect you and save you.