Jesus tells two stories about giving. You all will remember them when you start reading. Luke 19:1-10 is the story of Zacchaeus. How much did Zacchaeus say he was going to give?
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Jesus makes an interesting (frightening? scary?) comment about Zacchaeus’s gift/pledge in Luke 19:9. Is there really a connection between our salvation and our giving? What do you think? ______________________________________________________________
The second story is told in Luke 21:1-4. How much did the widow give?
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The IRS says that less than half of all Americans contribute to any kind of religious institution. Of those who do give, the average giving is 2.55% of gross income. How much do you give? Sorry, I just had to ask.
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Well, we still haven’t answered the big question. I suppose we could beat around this bush a while longer but I just can’t find a “thus says the Lord” on this subject anywhere in scripture. Most authors end up saying it isn’t so much the quantity that counts but rather the quality of giving that counts. Or they say the amount isn’t so important as the attitude with which it is given. I personally think that’s a cop-out but I do agree that attitude is important and it is definitely addressed in scripture. Take a look at these passages:
Math 23:23 __________________________________________________________
Luke 19:1-10 _________________________________________________________
Luke 21:1-4 __________________________________________________________
2 Cor 9:7 ____________________________________________________________
2 Cor 8:1-5___________________________________________________________
2 Cor 8:9 ____________________________________________________________
Ex 35:4-5 ____________________________________________________________
Ex 35:21-22 __________________________________________________________
Ex 35:29 ____________________________________________________________
Ex 36:5-7 ___________________________________________________________
Deut 16:10 _________________________________________________________
Deut 16:17 _________________________________________________________
1 Chron 29:9-10 _____________________________________________________
So, how would you describe your attitude toward giving? ______________________
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Maybe it would help to remember that you aren’t giving away your money. You are giving away HIS money. But if I’m not giving away my own money, why am I so stingy about it?
Ouch!!!!
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Luke 19:1-10 And He entered and was passing through Jericho. 2 And behold, there was a man called by the name of Zaccheus; and he was a chief tax-gatherer, and he was rich. 3 And he was trying to see who Jesus was, and he was unable because of the crowd, for he was small in stature. 4 And he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree in order to see Him, for He was about to pass through that way. 5 And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and said to him, “Zaccheus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house.” 6 And he hurried and came down, and received Him gladly. 7 And when they saw it, they all began to grumble, saying, “He has gone to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” 8 And Zaccheus stopped and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, half of my possessions I will give to the poor, and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will give back four times as much.” 9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” NASB
Luke 21:1-4 And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury. 2 And He saw a certain poor widow putting in two small copper coins. 3 And He said, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all of them; 4 for they all out of their surplus put into the offering; but she out of her poverty put in all that she had to live on. ” NASB
Matt 23:23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others. NASB
2 Cor 9:6-9 Now this I say, he who sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly; and he who sows bountifully shall also reap bountifully. 7 Let each one do just as he has purposed in his heart; not grudgingly or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed; 9 as it is written,”He scattered abroad, he gave to the poor, His righteousness abides forever.” NASB
2 Cor 8:1-5 Now, brethren, we wish to make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia, 2 that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality. 3 For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability they gave of their own accord, 4 begging us with much entreaty for the favor of participation in the support of the saints, 5 and this, not as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God. NASB
2 Cor 8:9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich. NASB
Ex 35:4-5 And Moses spoke to all the congregation of the sons of Israel, saying, “This is the thing which the Lord has commanded, saying, 5 ‘Take from among you a contribution to the Lord; whoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it as the Lord’s contribution: gold, silver, and bronze, NASB
Ex 35:21-29 And everyone whose heart stirred him and everyone whose spirit moved him came and brought the Lord’s contribution for the work of the tent of meeting and for all its service and for the holy garments. 22 Then all whose hearts moved them, both men and women, came and brought brooches and earrings and signet rings and bracelets, all articles of gold; so did every man who presented an offering of gold to the Lord. 23 And every man, who had in his possession blue and purple and scarlet material and fine linen and goats’ hair and rams’ skins dyed red and porpoise skins, brought them. 24 Everyone who could make a contribution of silver and bronze brought the Lord’s contribution; and every man, who had in his possession acacia wood for any work of the service, brought it. 25 And all the skilled women spun with their hands, and brought what they had spun, in blue and purple and scarlet material and in fine linen. 26 And all the women whose heart stirred with a skill spun the goats’ hair. 27 And the rulers brought the onyx stones and the stones for setting for the ephod and for the breastpiece; 28 and the spice and the oil for the light and for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense. 29 The Israelites, all the men and women, whose heart moved them to bring material for all the work, which the Lord had commanded through Moses to be done, brought a freewill offering to the Lord. NASB
Ex 36:5-7 and they said to Moses, “The people are bringing much more than enough for the construction work which the Lord commanded us to perform.” 6 So Moses issued a command, and a proclamation was circulated throughout the camp, saying, “Let neither man nor woman any longer perform work for the contributions of the sanctuary.” Thus the people were restrained from bringing any more. 7 For the material they had was sufficient and more than enough for all the work, to perform it. NASB
Deut 16:10 Then you shall celebrate the Feast of Weeks to the Lord your God with a tribute of a freewill offering of your hand, which you shall give just as the Lord your God blesses you; NASB
Deut 16:17 Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord your God which He has given you. NASB
1 Chron 29:9-10 Then the people rejoiced because they had offered so willingly, for they made their offering to the Lord with a whole heart, and King David also rejoiced greatly. 10 So David blessed the Lord in the sight of all the assembly; and David said, “Blessed art Thou, O Lord God of Israel our father, forever and ever. NASB