This Sunday at Church I want to encourage you to do the following: Give Financially to the Church.
We have been blogging for several months now on how one can practically do something meaningful at church every Sunday as a member of the church even if we are not leaders and pastors. Among what we have posted about one means of serving God is giving financially to the church and through the church. People can get funny about money; I trust readers of this blog have seen how over the years I have called out those who have used bad theology to manipulate people to give and that my intention is not self-serving. There is a role of giving that we can serve God in the church!
Here’s a passage that stood out to me that led to this application. Hear 1 Corinthians 16:2: “On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I come.”
In the context Paul here is talking about “collection for the saints,” according to verse 1. Paul is talking about collecting offering to support God’s work. Specifically its to help the church in Jerusalem as stated in verse 3. That was a church that was more poor. This collection of offering is a regular practice with other churches as well since in verse 1 Paul said “as I directed the churches of Galatia, so do you also.” Today the collection of financially offerings in the church is used to do various things and support various ministries both locally and in other places. We can make a difference on Sunday through the means of giving financially!
How are we to give?
First off according to 1 Corinthians 16:2 Sunday at church is an opportune time to give for it says: “On the first day of every week…” Consider your giving as part of your corporate worship of God! Don’t lose sight of that. Giving for other motivation short of worship of God will produce bitterness/regrets or we stop giving. Worst still is when we give thinking we can earn favor with God; that’s not how it works. God’s grace is so abundant through Christ who died for us to save us from hell, why would we have a wrong view of God and insult his love and grace?
Secondly be deliberate on giving before you go to church; the verse goes on to say “each one of you is to put aside and save…” Plan to set money aside to give to God on Sunday. You might have heard the saying that whoever doesn’t plan, plan to fail. How much more so is that true with money, since we have so much responsibility and bills. Set it aside that money you want to give to God as the first thing you do when you get money. If you haven’t done this before, start small. Start small and be faithful.
Thirdly see this is something you are called by God to do. Don’t forget how Paul in 1 Corinthians 16:2: “On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save.” Did you catch that? “each one of you.”
Fourthly I think 1 Corinthians 16:2 also give us the principle of not thinking how little you can give but how much you can give. Notice Paul said “each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper.” Did you notice Paul said “as he may prosper” and not “as he may give so long as he don’t become poor”? Don’t think “I’ll give to God so long as it doesn’t hurt me.” I think that might not be the most worshipful attitude to have. Instead consider God’s grace already in providing for you financially; consider how much he’s prospered you for the purpose that you can worship Him by giving! I know its hard with bills and responsibility; I know because I’m a pastor who makes below the average pastor salary! Still having traveled around the world with the military and ministry, I believe living in America I am the 1%. I give from an attitude of being blessed and an outlook that I’ve prospered, not to get more money from God, but from a true heart of thanksgiving and worship of God!
Fifthly give faithfully. Note the verse said “On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save…” Why? Paul says in 1 Corinthians 16:2: “so that no collections be made when I come.” Sometimes when we give generously the best way to give it is not one lump sum, where its harder for us to give at the moment, but over time, incrementally. If you want to give to God generously (and He’s given you so much generously, from physical life to eternal life and everything in between) the biggest principle is to give faithfully over the long haul. That’s the tried and true way. Be like the turtle than the rabbit.
Let the Gospel move you to give.
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Very well said. Giving (not just to the church) is very important to Jesus. He commands us to give.
Blessings this Sunday and every day.
Thanks for this good message about the opportunity to support the church and the work of the Lord! Many pastors approach giving the wrong way, by bludgeoning and coercing congregants with sermons referencing the Old Testament tithe. We endured such a message a couple of weeks ago. Pastors need to stop hammering their sheep over the head and twisting their arms and present the Sunday offering for what it is, a joyous OPPORTUNITY to share in the ministries of the church through which souls will be saved and Christians will be discipled in the Lord. I’m genuinely looking forward to dropping a check in the offering bucket at church later this morning. What a joy and a blessing to be able to be part of the church’s ministries! The sad thing is that I had to learn to develop this attitude of joyful giving on my own and ignore previous and current pastors’ arm-twisting. As I write this, I’m also very mindful of the difficult and sacrificial work that pastors do in leading their congregations. They need our support. We can offer our prayers, financial giving, words of thanks and encouragement, assisting at church, and actually applying their exhortations and admonitions from the Word to our lives. I’m so grateful to be able to be a member of our church! I’m grateful for all of our pastors in the faith who lead their congregations and even take the time to share the Gospel and disciple believers on the internet! Thanks Pastor Jimmy!
I agree that unfortunately many pastors have taught in a wrong way giving. Even pastors who should know better! Have a blessed Sunday today, what is the pastor preaching on these days?
Today our pastor started a new series on the apostle Paul. The message was about Paul’s amazing conversion. He had fantastic theological knowledge and thought he was zealously defending the true faith. So many examples of that kind of misdirected and deadly religious zeal throughout history. What are you preaching on today?
“Whoever doesn’t plan, plan to fail” is an awesome phrase I’ve never heard! Thank you for diligently explaining this and exhorting us through Scripture, my friend.
Aww I’m glad to hear that! What has your church and pastor been teaching on by the way?
Reblogged this on a simple man of God and commented:
And notice how much this does NOT say to give …
Daniel
We should support the church we attend with prayer and finances. This I believe.
I had to rescue this comment from my spam filter on the blog, glad I checked since you definitely are not spamming! Thank you for your comment!
Amen.
Thank you, Jim. As Bereans, knowing the Word and our faithfulness to it, we should not have to be told to give. It is part of our sacrificial living for Christ and HIs church. If a pastor is preaching the whole counsel of God, He will at some time bring tithing and support of the pastor to our attention. Paul speaks of this support in one of his letters. Their calling is not a volunteer position. A few years ago a former pastor had to leave his church and find a paying job because he and his family had to live in the church. They could not afford to pay him. Blessings as you continue to preach and prepare for your extra work. Have a blessed week.
Your points are well taken. For believers who are new to corporate worship, this discussion is very beneficial for them as well as any with questions about sharing out bounty with the church.
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