Preacher: Pastor Tim Redfield
Text: 1 Chronicles 29:1-9
Theme: Godly Giving is Contagious
Are you truly satisfied? Do you have enough to be happy? I suppose you might be thinking, “Well, that depends on what you are talking about.” In many situations in life, we convince ourselves that we need a little bit more in order to be happy. Even if a person has thousands of dollars in the bank, they want a little bit more. There is always something else that they can buy. Money doesn’t buy happiness because there is always a desire for more. Think about time. We feel like there are not enough hours in the day to get our tasks done. We want just a little more time. But then we would just find more projects to fill that time. We even wish that we had more energy to get our tasks done. We grab that extra cup of coffee to get a little boost of energy. What about relationships? If we have more friends will we feel more loved?
In so many areas of our life, we feel like we’re just a little bit short. It seems to be our default human condition. We’re never quite satisfied. We want a little bit more. Part of the problem is the focus on ourselves. By looking at the example of David and the Israelites today, we see that a focus on Godly Giving is a path to true satisfaction and happiness. When we give back to God with our time, talents and treasures and when we have a joyful attitude, it can be contagious in the family of God.
Part 1: Watch your heart for the proper attitude
It is interesting to think about the amount of money that David and the Israelites gave in this section. According to the information in my study Bible, it says that between David and the Israelite leaders, they gave 270 metric tons of gold. By the conversion numbers I found on a quick internet search, that came to around 18 billion dollars of gold. That is a huge amount of money. That is 3 times more than the amount of money that was spent to build SoFi Stadium in California for the LA Rams and LA Chargers. While you will find different estimates when you search for the cost of the temple, the point is that it was a large amount of wealth that the people put into that building. They wanted to give to the Lord.
We look at that huge amount of money and think that we could never give that much. We sometimes think that our resources aren’t enough or our wealth is scarce. That is not the way that King David thought. David wanted to give to the work of the Lord. He said, “With all my resources I have provided for the temple of my God… in my devotion to the temple of my God I now give my personal treasures of gold and silver for the temple of my God, over and above everything I have provided for this holy temple” (1 Chronicles 29:2,3). He then urged the people to give. He said, “Now, who is willing to consecrate themselves to the Lord today?” (1 Chronicles 29). The first response to his words is that the other leaders gave willingly to the project.
The temptation the devil puts in front of us is to make us think that we are not able to give. We look at those big gifts and we know that we can’t do something like that. We live in a culture which tries to push us to keep striving for more and more and therefore it is hard to be content with the blessings that we do have. We feel like we never have enough. First we feel like we don’t have enough money. Then we feel like we don’t even have enough time or ability to help with the work of the Lord. Our culture makes us extremely busy. We’re running to this event and that event. We struggle with many things going on. We are searching for one more thing to make us happy. We need more time to work to get the money to make that happen. Then next temptation is that God is getting in the way. “How am I supposed to give him an hour a week for worship when I need that time for work or other important events?”
The thought is that it hurts us to give to the Lord or to others. Generosity seems to be painful. This is when giving loses its joy. Is this thought tempting us? Ask yourself: how hard is it for you to give your money away? If it is hard and painful to give your money away – to anyone – you are living with an attitude of scarcity. We think we need a little bit more. We need that extra ten dollars for this or that. The devil has convinced us that we are a little bit short.
God wants to completely change our mindset. He wants to free us from the attitude of always being short. In our second lesson today it said, “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously” (2 Corinthians 9:6). We can see this idea in business. Sometimes you have to take a big risk to get a big reward. There are times when an investor backs a company or product without knowing for sure if it will be successful. Then when it becomes a huge success, they get a huge return on their investment. That takes trust on the part of the investor. God says that it is the same with him. He who gives, receives, He who sows generously, will reap generously.
Getting out of that scarcity mentality comes down to trust. Is God good for it? Can I count on him? 2 Corinthians 9:8 said, “And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” The devil wants us to have the “just a little bit more” disease. In contrast, think about how many times Paul uses the word “all” or “every”. “And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” We don’t have a God of “just a little bit more.” We have a God who gives us “all.” God is not a God of scarcity. He is a God of abundance.
God’s abundance starts with grace. When we hear grace, we think about Jesus. God’s grace is his undeserved love for us in Jesus. How much of that love is there? God describes it like a flood – it’s abounding and overflowing. Romans 8:32 says, “Indeed, he who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all – how will he not also graciously give us all these things along with him?” God’s grace helps us to get past the “I need a little more” mentality.
With God, we don’t need a little bit more. We have it all! In chapter 8 of 2 Corinthians, Paul wrote, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that although he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that through his poverty you might become rich.” Everyone who goes through life thinking that they don’t have enough is missing the big picture. Jesus has died for you. Jesus has forgiven you. Jesus saved you. Jesus loves you. You are rich – right now! We have a God of abundance!
Being rich isn’t about a number. You can have all the money in the world, but still be poor. Being rich is an attitude. It is the gift of God’s grace. You have something that the richest people in the world don’t have. You have God’s peace in your heart. Your worth isn’t determined by your bank account. It’s determined by Jesus blood. Your freedom isn’t a result of your constant struggling. It is the result of Jesus’ forgiveness. You are rich! You will leave church today without a single dollar more in your pocket. You’ll leave without a single hour more in your day. But you are not short. You have what you need the most. You are overflowing with the love of God!
Part 2: Through Jesus we give willingly and with joy
Sometimes people talk about different perspectives in life. The old question goes: are you a glass half-empty or glass half-full kind of person? When it comes to our faith, neither option is the right one. Our glass is full! When the scarcity ideas comes into our mind, we think about our God. He is able to make grace overflow to you. Because of him, I am rich. God has blessed us with abundance.
God’s abundance doesn’t stop with us. God has given us these blessings because he has a purpose for us. He wants to make us a blessing to others. The blessings don’t end when they get to us. God’s blessings are not meant to come to you and stop. He’s got a much bigger purpose for you than that! Isn’t that what we want to hear? We want a purpose in our lives. God gives that to us. You exist to be a blessing for others. God wants his abundance to flow through you.
Have you ever heard of “seed money”? It’s money that is used to start something bigger. You might put “seed money” into your child’s college account – and hope it grows. God’s blessings to us are like “seed money.” The money and time and possessions and talents that God has given you are seed money to sow generously. He doesn’t want us to keep our blessings to ourselves any more than a farmer keeps his seeds to himself. He gives us blessings to plant them so that they grow and flourish and bless even more people with God’s abundance.
Think about our attitude. 2 Corinthians 9:7 says, “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” Giving is connected to our heart. It is a decision that reflects faith in Jesus. This is why we don’t tell you a specific amount to give. As you decide, ask yourself: Do I have a God of abundance or scarcity? Do I have a God who leaves me a little short or gives me all?
The people of Israel were encouraged by their leaders. 1 Chronicles 29:9 said, “The people rejoiced at the willing response of their leaders, for they had given freely and wholeheartedly to the Lord.” They could see that their leaders had been blessed by God and were giving back to the Lord. We don’t personally proclaim the amount we give to the Lord but as a group, we can see when we accomplish a big financial goal. We can see that in our budget and in our special projects. It shows that God has blessed us when we accomplish those projects.
Jesus accomplished more than anyone in the history of the world. But even with all those things that Jesus did, look at how he carries himself. He finds time for it all. He is not too busy to help others. He finds time for prayer and meditation and even naps. He had the same 24 hour days that we have. He only lived 33 years. But he had enough time. We are not living in scarcity. God has given us exactly the right amount of time to serve him. God has given us exactly the right amount of money to serve him. God has given us exactly the right amount of talents to serve him. Don’t wish for more. Rejoice in what he has given you.
Conclusion
Even though it might seem like we always need more for ourselves in order to be happy, that is not the best way of thinking. Even though it might feel like we need more money or time or energy or love, we already have an abundance from our God. True happiness is not found in having a little bit more. True happiness is found in the fact that we have been satisfied through Jesus and his cross. We have enough. We don’t need more. This abundance of blessing makes us generous. Our generosity is motivated by the greatest love. Jesus gave us the greatest blessing. His love overflows to us. He has forgiven all of our sins. We are all forgiven. We gather together and praise our Savior. This generosity motivated by God’s grace is contagious among us.