Good morning and welcome in everybody. Today, we are 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 there was an elderly woman who needed some help preparing some wood for the winter. She had bought a large semi trailer of wood which had been delivered and stacked up in her driveway. She couldn’t do any of the work herself, so over the next few days we cut up and prepared all of her firewood. We didn’t do it with the intention of receiving anything at all, we just wanted to help her out for the sake of the Gospel of Christ Jesus. But a few days later she asked me to stop by, and showed me something that she had out in the barn. She had a gas powered hydraulic splitter that she said had been sitting out there for a while, and asked if we would please take it. I explained that she didn’t owe us anything at all, and she understood that, but she just wanted to do something nice for us. Over the last fifteen years, that splitter has probably split close to 300 cord of wood, and it is still running this winter.
This reminds me of the Christian Life.
The Apostle Paul preached God’s Word, not for the purpose of making money, but to help lead people on the path of salvation. His actions were motivated out of a love of the truth, and He gave his Spiritual knowledge freely unto others. But when he gave to others, sometimes people wanted to give back to him which he gladly received. He knew that when they gave to the things of God, God was going to bless their sacrifice.
Philippians 4 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.
Whenever you plant seed in your garden, you will receive back according to how much that you have sown. When people give a financial gift to the things of God, God is capable of multiplying the seed that they have sown many times over.
2 Corinthians 9 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: ⁹ (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever. ¹⁰ Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;)
When the Apostle Paul gave so freely of his time and energy to the education of the church, the right thing to do was to give back to him. Those who have sown unto you Spiritual things, are worthy of reaping back your carnal things, whatever they may be.
1 Corinthians 9 ⁷ Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? ⁸ Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also? ⁹ For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? ¹⁰ Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. ¹¹ If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? ¹² If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ. ¹³ Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar? ¹⁴ Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.
The Apostle Paul spent his life preaching and teaching the things of God, and whether he had things or not, it didn’t prevent him from doing what he knew needed to be done. The laborers for the Lord are few, and to help Paul, was to help the Lord Jesus.
“And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” Matthew 25:40
Before giving to the things of God you need to first reconcile with a brother that you have wronged, and if you have wronged somebody else, you will know it in your conscience and memory. Before bringing any gift to the church, you must first repent and be reconciled to a brother.
Matthew 5 ²³ Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; ²⁴ Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
When you give to others in the name of Jesus, God is going to bless that. The Apostle Paul gave his Spiritual knowledge freely to the church, and those who gave to his ministry became partakers of his blessing. Look at how much time that Paul had invested in the things of God, how much are they worth to you? It doesn’t matter what you give, it matters why you give, and many of the blessings of God are found through….
……Giving and Receiving
Let’s think about these things for right now. We can be found on your web browser by searching, tlkjbc where you can find our diaries distributed through various platforms. We are not associated, nor affiliated with any other religious groups. You can get our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com or I suppose that you could find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods. Peace to you all, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody.❤️
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