B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH The Year To

B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH Turn in your Bibles to Luke 12:22-34

B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH Seven Reasons to Preach on Giving Luke 12:22-34

B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH Someone Asked With all the family heartache and issues in and out of the church—why would you preach a series on money or giving?

B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH Reasons to Preach on Giving and Money #1 Because Jesus did.

B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH Matthew 6:24 “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon [money].” “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon [money].” Q: What happens in a family when someone is trying to serve both?

B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH Matthew 19:24 King Jesus said, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.” “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.”

B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH Jesus Expects Christians know – Jesus said (on many occasions) “Give...” “Give...”

B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH Exam Luke 12:22-23

B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH Luke 12:22-28 summary Generous, sacrificial giving is only possible when someone is NOT consumed with money and trusts in God’s ability to care for the physical needs of His people.

B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH Reasons to Preach on Giving and Money #2 Money issues are the #1 or #2 reason for the vast majority of all marriages ending in divorce.

B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH Fact Christians know they are supposed to be generous givers, and a failure to give to the church and other needs brings stress, conviction, and tension into the house, Christians know they are supposed to be generous givers, and a failure to give to the church and other needs brings stress, conviction, and tension into the house, all of which can be reduced when households begin to give consistently a portion of their income to the Lord and the needs of others. all of which can be reduced when households begin to give consistently a portion of their income to the Lord and the needs of others.

B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH Reasons to Preach on Giving and Money #3 Giving in a generous, sacrificial, and faithful manner makes me more like Christ which is God’s will for all Christians.

B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH Romans 8:29 “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.” “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.” – Selfish, greedy Christians are NOT being conformed to the image of the ultimate Giver.

B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH The Gospel Matthew 20:28 Matthew 20:28 – “Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.”

B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH Failure to Give Hypocrisy Hypocrisy Lack of Gratitude Lack of Gratitude Selfishness Selfishness

B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH Sanctification Becoming a giving person is a part of the Holy Spirit’s sanctifying work in my life; it is part of discipleship.

B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH Reasons to Preach on Giving and Money #4 Giving helps me become CONTENT.

B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH Content Content Defined Content Defined – Fully Satisfied

B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH Content Philippians 4:11 “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.” “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.” 1 Timothy 6:6 “But godliness with contentment is great gain.” “But godliness with contentment is great gain.”

B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH Contentment Giving away money helps people learn how to be content with what God has or has NOT provided.

B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH Giving away money is an antidote to covetousness or the god of materialism.

B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH Question: Why is contentment a family harmony issue?

B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH Reasons to Preach on Giving and Money #5 Giving consistently keeps me tied and committed to the church, which is GREAT for marriage and family.

B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH Someone says, “How’s that?” Luke 12:34

B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH Luke 12:34 “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Giving to the church that Christ died for helps keep my heart in the right place.

B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH Who says? “Yes, we have been consistently sacrificially giving to the work of the Lord through Berean but haven’t darkened the doors of the church in years.”

B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH FACT (in my opinion) The reason families are so struggling and marriages are failing is that individuals, couples, and families are not building their lives around the church that Christ loved and gave His life for. The reason families are so struggling and marriages are failing is that individuals, couples, and families are not building their lives around the church that Christ loved and gave His life for. Marrying someone outside the body of Christ is sure to bring heartache into your life. Marrying someone outside the body of Christ is sure to bring heartache into your life.

B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH Reasons to Preach on Giving and Money #6 Sacrificial, generous giving OPENS the windows of heaven and protects the family from the devourer.

B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH Luke 12:31 Generous, sacrificial, consistent, faithful giving helps me to Generous, sacrificial, consistent, faithful giving helps me to – Seek first the Kingdom of God and have God add all these things unto me. Families need God’s blessing today as much as they ever have, and this blessing should never be presumed upon.

B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH Promises of Blessing are presented in the Word of God as conditional promises: if we do this, God will do this.

B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH Word of Caution We are NOT talking about a prosperity gospel which obligates God to give you a BMW, three cars, a swimming pool, etc.

B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH Yet Jesus said, Luke 6:38 Luke 6:38 – “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. – For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.”

B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH The Conditional Promises of Malachi 3:6-10

B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH Malachi 3:6 Malachi 3:6 Malachi 3:6 – “For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.” I am a spiritual descendent of Abraham in the New Covenant; therefore, my giving is not under obligation to the Mosaic law but in obedience to the commandment of King Jesus. I am a spiritual descendent of Abraham in the New Covenant; therefore, my giving is not under obligation to the Mosaic law but in obedience to the commandment of King Jesus.

B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH Old vs. New Old Covenant Old Covenant – “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse” New Covenant New Covenant – Don’t neglect tithing – Give – “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.”

B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH Question: Why would anyone think God is OK with those in the New Covenant being selfish, greedy people?

B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH Malachi 3:10 “Give [Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house,] and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” “Give [Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house,] and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”

B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH The Blessing of Contentment Q: How important is this blessing from God?

B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH Divine Contentment Proverbs 30:8-9 “Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? “Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.” or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.”

B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH B EREAN B APTIST C HURCH Results of Giving Earthly Blessing Earthly Blessing Heavenly Reward Heavenly Reward