Tenth - good giving
Water cooler conversation:
What was your biggest win this week? What was your biggest challenge?
Who would play you in the movie of your life?
Unpack the Message:
1 Corinthians 16:1-4 provides Paul's instructions to the churches regarding their gifts and offerings to the Lord. He wants God's people to understand that giving is an act of worship. When we prayerfully consider all He has given to us, we demonstrate gratitude and honor toward God through our generosity.
In 2 Corinthians 8:1-12, Paul once again broaches the subject of giving. Despite having very little, the Macedonian churches were so committed to giving to the Lord that they wanted to expand their giving outside their own churches.
Good giving relies on God's grace. When talking about the Macedonian church, Paul says their joy and poverty welled up in generous giving (2 Corinthians 8:2). Why? Because joy and happiness are not synonymous. Happiness is dependent on our circumstances. Joy is based on who God is and what He has done for us, leading us to be generous people. We can give freely to others because of what God has freely given to us.
Good giving regularly gives according to what we have. When we reduce tithing to a rule rather than an opportunity, we abandon what good giving is all about. Good giving isn't based on obligation but love. We give according to what we have, and we begin by saying, "God, everything I have comes from You. What do you want me to give?" The tithe (tenth) is an excellent place to start. Good giving is generous giving because it is based on giving what we do have, not what we don't have.
Good giving will reinforce unity. Paul is speaking to the Macedonian, Galatian, and Corinthian churches, all united to support the church in Jerusalem. Giving united them in one common goal to spread the gospel. Theirs wasn't a competition; it was a mission.
Good giving reveals your love. Good giving isn't about the amount; it's about the heart. God Himself gave sacrificially. He gave His only Son who came to earth as a helpless child (John 3:16). The generosity of His followers funded Jesus' earthly ministry - he had nothing of His own. Giving reveals the reality of our love (Matthew 6:21).
Discuss Pastor Christian's statement, "Good giving is generous giving because it is based on giving what we do have, not on what we don't have."
Should Christians tithe while trying to pay off debt?
Should you include your church tithe on your tax returns?
Do Christians have to tithe off gifts like a bonus at work or birthday money?
Giving reminds us that we are to be good managers of what God has blessed us with. What happens when we act like "owners" instead of "managers"?
Should you be able to designate where your tithe goes when you give to the church?
Make a Move:
Good giving isn’t based on obligation but on love. We give according to what we have and we begin by saying, “God, everything I have comes from You. What do you want me to give?”
Prayer Prompt:
God, I acknowledge that every good thing in my life if because of your blessings over me. Help me to see my resources as Yours to do with as You will. May I rely on You to meet my needs and may I be a good giver, someone whose life is marked by generosity because you have been so abundantly generous with me. Amen