The Piggy Bank

Good morning and welcome in. Today we’re going to take a look at a passage of scripture but before we do that I wanted to tell you a little story.

Many years ago my wife, Andrew and I got up early to attend a church service. Someone had given me a King James Bible on a street corner that I had been studying for a year and I thought it would be great to worship with others who believed the same things.

Eventually during the service it came time for the offering plate to be passed around. I looked inside my wallet and the only thing that I had inside was $40. I had absolutely nothing in our checking and savings accounts and if I put this in the offering plate I would be completely broke. We were supposed to go visit some people in southern Minnesota and all that I had was the tank of gas in my car. That day I decided to joyfully give everything that I had and prayed to God for the rest.

The next day we left on our long trip but just before we got to our final destination we stopped at a dollar store where they sold used clothing and other items. After taking a little walk around the store my wife found a little piggy bank on a shelf. She happened to spy what looked like a dollar bill inside. I figured we might as well buy it because the bill inside would pay for the purchase.

Later that day when we finally managed to get the dollar bill out of the bank, we realized it wasn’t a dollar bill at all, It was two $20 bills……. the exact amount that I given to God in the offering plate just one day early earlier.

Mark 12:41-44

⁴¹ And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much.

⁴² And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.

⁴³ And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury:

⁴⁴ For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.

There have been so many amazing things that God has done in my life that I don’t know if I could even mention them all. I’m not telling you this story today to show you that I’m some righteous person but to illustrate to you the righteousness of God when we are faithful with the things that he gives us. I’ve seen the rewards from Him happen in my life.

To somebody who is wealthy and has a lot of money $40 may not seem like much of an offering but to be completely honest with you it’s a lot when you’re flat broke. The poor are blessed by God. To give everything you have requires a lot of faith. It’s not the size of the gift but the attitude of the heart when it’s given. Whether somebody has a million dollars or somebody has $100 it still requires the same amount of faith to cheerfully give it all up for God.

Whatever you give to God’s work you need to remember that it has to be done with a cheerful heart. God is not forcing us to give money, He wants us to give gifts out of the abundance that He has already blessed us with. Any gifts presented to God must be done with a thankful heart for the grace that He has provided for us at the cross. A penny is worth more to God than $100 as long as it’s done with a thankful heart.

(Remember that before giving an offering to God, He wants you to to first be reconciled with others that you have wronged. That is first.)

The Apostle Paul didn’t want to be associated with any kind of covetness or greed. If the church was truly going to give to the things of God, he wanted it to be done when he wasn’t even there. He wanted it to be done according to their own free will.

2 Cor 9:1-8

1 For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you:

² For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath provoked very many.

³ Yet have I sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this behalf; that, as I said, ye may be ready:

⁴ Lest haply if they of Macedonia come with me, and find you unprepared, we (that we say not, ye) should be ashamed in this same confident boasting.

⁵ Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they would go before unto you, and make up beforehand your bounty, whereof ye had notice before, that the same might be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not as of covetousness.

⁶ But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.

⁷ Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

⁸ And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

I attended a church service one year when they passed the offering plate around but then five minutes later they yelled on the microphone that they didn’t get enough money. They instructed the crowd that they needed to give more. Remarkably they sent the offering plate out a third time in order to get the money that they wanted. In that situation it was no longer a gift.

Those are the kinds of things that the Apostle Paul didn’t want to be associated with. He preached for free.

1 Cor 9:18

¹⁸ What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.

The Lord has ordained that those who preach the gospel can make a living from the gospel. The priests in the Old Testament survived by the offerings that were brought to the temple, but many today abuse this verse as simply a way to hide their own covetness. There wasn’t a bone of covetousness in the Apostle Paul and he was content in whatever state he was in.

Phil 4:10-19

¹⁰ But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity.

¹¹ Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

¹² I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

¹³ I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

¹⁴ Notwithstanding ye have well done, that ye did communicate with my affliction.

¹⁵ Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only.

¹⁶ For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity.

¹⁷ Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account.

¹⁸ But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God.

¹⁹ But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

God is the greatest giver that there is. If and when you give to God, think about what Jesus died and paid for at the cross for all of us and give not only with a thankful heart but as an expression of appreciation to Him for all that he does each and every day.

Thank God for the precious gift of His Son Jesus.

Let’s think about those things for today and Lord willing I’ll talk to you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye-bye everybody.❤

tlkjbc.wordpress.com