The Offering And Collection

15 And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

God authorizes through the use of examples.

Acts 20:7 ESV

7 On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight.

God authorizes through the use of implication.

Colossians 3:16 ESV

16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

God authorizes through the use of expedience.

Hebrews 13:17 ESV

17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.

The authority we find from God for giving today is found in our text for our lesson today.

Paul, inspired by God, gives details of how God authorizes the church to give and collect.

1 Corinthians 16:1–2 ESV

1 Now concerning the collection for the saints: as I directed the churches of Galatia, so you also are to do. 2 On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come.

Several notable things are mentioned here and authorized by way of direct statement.

The collection was to be taken up, by the church, on the first day of of the week.

Not Saturday, Monday, Wednesday, etc…

The collection was to be taken up, by the church, “every” first day of the week.

Not once a month, twice a month, but every single Sunday the church is to offer to collect from its members.

Saints are to put aside from that which he has prospered and store it up until Sunday when it is to be collected by the local church.

In other words, we “give to God” as soon as we prosper for God.

Saints are to give from that which they prospered.

Once you financially prosper you put something aside to give and on the first day of the week give it to those collecting it.

Summary

This is how God has authorized the saints and the local church to give and collect as part of worship each Sunday.

Is this all God has to say on the subject…no it is not.

Let’s take a moment and examine…

The Principles Of Giving

Giving Is From God.

What we give is simply what we have been made stewards of from God, it all belongs to Him.

Psalm 89:11 ESV

11 The heavens are yours; the earth also is yours; the world and all that is in it, you have founded them.

1 Chronicles 29:14 (ESV)

14 “But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able thus to offer willingly? For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you.

This is why God asked Job in Job 41:11…

Job 41:11 ESV

11 Who has first given to me, that I should repay him? Whatever is under the whole heaven is mine.

When we put aside from that which we have prospered let us never forget that we are not giving what was every “truly ours” but only giving back that which is God’s to begin with.

We also find that…

Giving Is Of The First Fruits.

By that I mean we are to give back to God what is his “first” before we use that financial gain for anything else.

In the Law of Moses the tithe was not based on the first of the “best” but rather just the first.

Leviticus 27:33 ESV

33 One shall not differentiate between good or bad, neither shall he make a substitute for it; and if he does substitute for it, then both it and the substitute shall be holy; it shall not be redeemed.”

This principle certainly is carried over under the new covenant in the Law of Christ.

Luke 10:27 ESV

27 And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”

It is important to also remember that…

Giving Reminds Us Of God’s Mercy.

Our giving should make us reflect on the blessings of God, his mercy, and let us rejoice in that knowledge.

Deuteronomy 26:10–11 ESV

10 And behold, now I bring the first of the fruit of the ground, which you, O Lord, have given me.’ And you shall set it down before the Lord your God and worship before the Lord your God. 11 And you shall rejoice in all the good that the Lord your God has given to you and to your house, you, and the Levite, and the sojourner who is among you.

2 Corinthians 9:7 ESV

7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

God has made us stewards of all that which we have of his (1 Corinthians 4:2) and as such we should find great joy in giving back to him who has blessed so by placing us in charge of so much.

Fourthly we find the principle that…

Giving Allows God To Abundantly Give Back.

God has been clear throughout his word, if we are unwilling to give to him he will not provide for us as he would otherwise.

Matthew 6:33 ESV

33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

2 Corinthians 9:10–11 ESV

10 He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.

Malachi 3:8–10 ESV

8 Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions. 9 You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. 10 Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.

This isn’t the “health and wealth” false doctrine this is simply God saying “put me to the test and see if I i will not provide you with abundantly.”

Lastly, we find…

Giving Supports The Church.

It is there to be used to support the work of the local church.

1 Corinthians 16:3–4 ESV

3 And when I arrive, I will send those whom you accredit by letter to carry your gift to Jerusalem. 4 If it seems advisable that I should go also, they will accompany me.

1 Timothy 5:17–18 ESV

17 Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. 18 For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer deserves his wages.”

1 Corinthians 9:14 ESV

14 In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel.

Galatians 6:10 ESV

10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

1 Timothy 6:18 (ESV)

18 They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share

Summary

Conclusion

Invitation

Isaiah 59:1–2 ESV

1 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; 2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.

Philippians 2:6–7 ESV

6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.

Romans 10:17 ESV

17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

Hebrews 11:6 ESV

6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

Acts 17:30 ESV

30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,

Matthew 10:32 NKJV

32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.

2 Thessalonians 1:8 ESV

8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

1 Corinthians 15:1–4 ESV

1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,

Romans 6:3–5 ESV

3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.

1 John 1:7 ESV

7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

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