Invariably when preacher begins to preach on giving, many think he wants more money, but that's not the case The responsibility to preach about giving, is like preaching about any other act of worship or anything else Giving is a part of worship just as much as observance of the Lord's supper, singing, praying, or teaching It will help all of us if we would think about our giving as part of our worship to God and not just "getting into our pocketbooks“ GIVING AS WORSHIP

Thayer: To kiss the hand to (towards) one, in token of reverence -- by kneeling or prostration to do homage (to one) or make obeisance Webster: Extravagant respect or admiration for or devotion to an object of esteem. Reverence: profound adoring - awed respect - a gesture of respect - Homage: ceremony by which one acknowledges himself the vassal of a Lord - Obeisance: movement of the body made in token of respect or submission - to bow (Acts 10:25,26) Worship, then, is a feeling of respect or reverence, a frame of heart or mind, an attitude that is expressed in various acts or movements of the body Lk 14:10 GIVING AS WORSHIP

CHRISTIANS ARE STEWARDS OF GOD'S PROPERTY – Man possesses nothing in the absolute sense; all belongs to God 1Chron 29:11-14; The earth is the Lord's Psa.24:1 God gives the power to get wealth Deut.8:11, 17,18 – As stewards we are accountable to God Matt.25:14-30; Rom.12:1; 1Cor.4:1,2; 1Pet.4:10 GIVING AS WORSHIP

MOTIVE FOR GIVING DETERMINS IF IT IS WORSHIP – One can give to a particular cause, even to the treasury of the Lord's church and it not be worship! – Love for God should prompt our giving Acts 17:24; Jas.1:17; Rom.5:8; Jhn.3:16 – Love for Christ a motivating force 2Cor.8:8,9; Acts 5:1-11 – Cheerful heart motivates 2Cor.9:6,7 Not grudging or Necessity GIVING AS WORSHIP

GIVING IS A COMMAND (ORDER) OF GOD 1Cor.16:1,2 – WHEN: Upon the first day of the week Mk.16:9; Acts 2:1-42; Acts 20:7 – WHY: necessary for church to do its work 1Cor.16:1,2; 2Cor.9:5 There are other times when, acting as an individual Christian one may give to support the cause of Christ Prov.19:17; Gal.6:6; Heb.13:2 However, we must not omit our responsibility in sharing in the collective work of the church GIVING AS WORSHIP

WORD STUDY 1Cor 16:1,2 “COLLECTION” (LOGIA) – YOUNGS: Gathering – VINES: Akin to Lego, to collect is used in 1Cor 16:1,2 in the latter verse, A.V. “gathering” R.V. “Collections” as in verse one – THAYER: A collection of money gathered for the relief of the poor “ORDER” (DIATASSO) – VINES: To appoint, arrange, charge, give orders to (same as command #1 - set in order) – THAYER: Arrange, appoint, ordain, prescribe, give order

WORD STUDY 1Cor 16:1,2 “LAY BY HIM” – ARNDT and GINGRICH: Put something aside “STORE” (THESAURIZO) – YOUNGS: To treasure up – VINES: To lay up, store up, is rendered “in store” (Lit. ‘storing), with a view to help a special case of need – THAYER: To gather and lay up, to heap up, store up. Same word in Matt 6:19

WORD STUDY 1Cor 16:1,2 “PROSPERED” – VINES: “To help on one’s way; metaphorically, to prosper, be prospered - 1Cor 16:2. Literally ‘in whatever he may be prospered” i.e., in material things; the continuous tense suggest the successive circumstances of varying prosperity as week follows week.” – MATTHEW HENRY: “As he has been prospered, namely, by divine providence, as God has been pleased to bless and succeed his labours and business “GATHERINGS” (LOGIA) – YOUNGS: Laying aside, collection – VINES: (see collections)

WORD STUDY 2Cor 9:7 “ACCORDING AS” – WEBSTER: (a prepositional phrase which means in conformity with) “PURPOSETH” – VINES: “To bring forth or forward, in the middle voice, to take by choice.” – THAYER: “To bring forward, bring forth from one’s own store; to bring forth for one’s self, to choose for one’s self before another i.e. to prefer” – MATTHEW HENRY: points out that this indicates that giving is done with thought and design, not by accident.

WHO MUST DO THE GIVING? – "Every one of you" 1Cor.16:2; 2Cor.8:5, 8 – Wrong attitudes toward giving "Let wealthy do the giving," Mk.12:41-44 "Too many bills this month so cut Lord out" Matt.6:33 "Out of town this week so no need to give" Eph.4:16 GIVING AS WORSHIP

HOW MUCH MUST THE CHRISTIAN GIVE? – "As God has prospered him" 1Cor.16:2 (proportional to our income) Malachi said offer it to your governor Mal.1:8 – The N. T. makes a distinction between giving "sparingly" and “bountifully" 2Cor.9:6,7 – The Jews were required to give a tenth (tithe), now remember what the Lord said about our righteousness exceeding the righteousness of Scribes and Pharisees Matt.5:20 – Must not use liberty of Gospel as a release from sacrificial giving, lest we be found robbing God Mal.3:8 GIVING AS WORSHIP

"Giving is not God's way of raising money; it is God's way of raising children!" Robert Harkrider We cannot buy our way into heaven but we can be so stingy as to not be allowed in. We must give as prospered because in judgment we will prosper as we have given Lk.6:38 Tombstone: "What I spent I used; What I saved I lost; What I gave, I have!" GIVING AS WORSHIP