1. Giving

2. Characteristics of N.T. giving
Regularly - First day of the week I Corinthians 16:1-2
Individually - I Corinthians 16:1-2
"As God hath prospered” I Corinthians 16:2
Purposefully, not haphazardly I Corinthians 16:2

3. Cheerfully - II Corinthians 9:7
Readily - II Corinthians 8:12
Bountifully - II Corinthians 9:6
Planned - II Corinthians 9:1-2
Purposed - II Corinthians 9:7

4. I. God’s ownership

5. Illustration – The foolish farmer Lk. 12:16-19
16] And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:
[17] And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?

6. [18] And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
[19] And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.

7. 1. Heaven and earth
Deut. 10:14
[14] Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens is the LORD's thy God, the earth also, with all that therein is.

8. Ps. 24:1
[1] The earth is the LORD's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.

9. Gen. 1:1 - all belongs to God because he created all things
[1] In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

10. 2. Every beast is his
Ps. 50:10
[10] For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills.

11. 3. Silver and gold belong to Him
Haggai 2:8
[8] The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the LORD of hosts.

12. 4. All souls belong to Him Ezek. 18:4
[4] Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.

13. 5. By purchase, all Christians belong to Him
1 Cor. 6:19-20
[19] What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
[20] For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

14. II. The Christian’s stewardship

15. Illustration – The rich man in account of Lazarus – Lk. 16:19-21
[19] There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
[20] And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,

16. [21] And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.

17. Christians are stewards or caretakers of that which belongs to God
We must be faithful as stewards

18. 1 Cor. 4:2
[2] Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

19. Gal. 6:2 – in suffering
[2] Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

20. Gal.2:9-10 – in service
9 and when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.

21. 10 They desired only that we should remember the poor, the very thing which I also was eager to do.

22. 1 Cor. 16:1-2 – in finance
[1] Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye.

23. [2] Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.

24. III. The basis of giving is love and dedication to God

25. Rom. 12:1-2
[1] I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

26. [2] And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

27. Lk. 16:13-15 – we cannot serve God and mammon (money)
[13] No servant 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.

28. [14] And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him.

29. [15] And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.

30. 2 Cor. 8:8-9 – giving is proof of “the sincerity” of our love
[8] I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.

31. [9] For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.

32. 2 Cor. 8:12 – giving is to be voluntary & not out from force
12 For if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has, and not according to what he does not have.

33. V. Characteristics of New Testament Giving

34. Regularly - First day of the week I Corinthians 16:1-2
Individually - I Corinthians 16:1-2
"As God hath prospered” I Corinthians 16:2
Purposefully, not haphazardly I Corinthians 16:2

35. Cheerfully - II Corinthians 9:7
Readily - II Corinthians 8:12
Bountifully - II Corinthians 9:6
Planned - II Corinthians 9:1-2
Purposed - II Corinthians 9:7

36. Conclusion The church is engaged in the greatest mission under heaven
Money is necessary to carry out this great work of spreading the gospel
We need to give as prospered because this is well pleasing to God

37. 2 Cor. 9:7
7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.