A Heart For Giving
Opening:
Helen Ash had a dream to help others in Knoxville, TN. She asked her sister Ellen for help - They started a ministry focused on feeding the poor & elderly.
The Ash sisters went through a difficult season where the need increased but they weren’t sure if they would be able to meet that rise of need.
They received an unexpected gift of $20,000 to continue their ministry.
That gift at the right time sparked the work that they had been doing in a marvelous way.
When God’s Hand is on a Church and a Church is on the move, it takes generous givers to be able to make God’s work happen in the way He wants it to.
Sermon Key Points:
In Acts 4, the Church is in a similar position as the Ash sisters.
The disciples have a vision that was given to them by Jesus Christ to go and make disciples, and to baptize them in the name of Father, Son and the Holy Spirit.
In Acts 2, the Church grows by 3000 and in Acts 4, the Church grew by 4000.
This early Church is a church on the move. Progressive is also a church on the move. (growing churches)
God is at work in Progressive! We ought to praise the Lord that God is at work in Progressive.
When God’s Hand is on a Church and a Church is on the move, it takes generous givers to be able to make God’s work happen in the way He wants it to.
Here a few principles from God’s Word on how to have a heart for giving:
Giving is not just we do; it is who we are.
God lifts up Joseph’s (also known as Barnabas) name in the Scripture because he was so generous.
Barnabas was so motivated to give because understood his joy was to come alongside the work of the church and that his relationship with God calls him to give.
Giving requires to go beyond the norm.
It is a good thing to do something extra for the Lord when He does so much for us! (Exodus 36 - Moses building a tabernacle; 1 Chronicles 29 - David is building a temple)
Our income does not need to change; our attitude needs to change.
Sometimes what God puts in your hand is meant for His work. But we can easily get trapped with us and never get to where God wants it to be.
Giving from the heart can spark the beginning of something great.
What motivates you to give?
We give because it all belongs to God. God is the owner of everything we have. (Psalms 24, Leviticus 25:23)
So when we give, we are not giving - we are really returning.
God is the One who has given to each of us everything we have.
Every time you give to Progressive, you are sparking some work that God wants to do!
You don’t give to God last, you give to God first - He is the source & sustainer of everything that you have. Giving this way is how you honor Him.
