The Gift of Giving
Wednesday Night Spiritual Gifts • Sermon • Submitted
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Lesson 7
Lesson 7
Do you respond immediately to the presence of a need by saying, “What can I do? How can I help solve this need? You may have the gift of giving.
3 General statements about giving
We are to give, regardless of our situation in life.
All of us are commanded to give, and to do so liberally.
Giving is not limited to money. A gift may be one of material resources, time, talent, energy, or creativity. The gift, however, will be the one that has value and which produces or conveys a material benefit.
The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
What does it mean to sow sparingly? To sow bountifully? How can a person know whether his gift is sparing or bountiful?
Why does Paul use a metaphor of planting and harvesting on the topic of giving? How is giving similar to gardening?
Characteristics of the Gift of Giving
The person with a gift of giving has a keen ability to make wise investments and purchases in order to have more money to give. They seek to save and to invest in order to have more to give.
“For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
Explain this principle in your own words. Why does God bless those who have abundance in the context of this parable? Why does He take away from those who don’t invest what He has given?
2. The person with the gift of giving has a desire to give quietly, not calling attention to himself/herself.
“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.
“Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
What does it mean to do charitable deeds “before men”? Why does God not reward those deeds?
What does it mean to not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing? How is this done?
3. Those with this gift often do not respond to great pressure to give or to ardent appeals by professional fund-raisers.
Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.
4. The person with the gift of giving is usually eager to motivate others to give.
5. The person with the gift of giving often has an ability to see financial and material needs that others overlook.
6. The person with the gift of giving often judges others on the bases of their giving.
“One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own?
How does a person’s faithfulness in little things indicate what he’ll do with important things?
7. The person with the gift of giving rejoices when his giving is an answer to someone else’s prayer.
8. The person with the gift of giving relies upon the wise counsel of his spouse.
9. The person with the gift of giving desires to give gifts of high quality.
10. Persons with the gift of giving take joy in being a part of the ministry of the person to whom they have given.
Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
Words of Caution to the Giver
They must never become so overly concerned with material goods that they neglect the spiritual dimension of their lives.
They must never attempt to control the ministry or life of another person through their gifts.
They must never pressure others to give as generously as they do.
They must never become stingy to their own families.
They must always remember to be thankful for what they receive.
Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay.
What gifts has the Lord given you, both spiritually and materially? How can you demonstrate your gratitude for those gifts?
The Behaviors of the Godly Giver
Thrifty: They will spend their money wisely, not wasting resources that could otherwise be used for ministry purposes.
Resourceful: They will find a way to meet a need, either through their own giving or by motivating the giving of others.
Contented: They will be content with what they have.
Punctual: They recognize that it is better to meet a need quickly than to allow it to grow into an even greater need that will require even greater resources.
Tolerant: They demonstrate a “give and take” in areas where others find it difficult to be flexible.
Cautious: They carefully research their investments and the ministries to which they give so that they are certain to use their resources wisely.
Thankful: They appreciate what they have and are grateful when they are used by God to meet a need.
As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.
What might cause a wealthy person to become haughty? How does this attitude demonstrate faulty thinking, according to these verses?
Good works do not bring salvation, so what was Paul referring to when he said, “that they may lay hold on eternal life”? How is godly giving a way of holding onto things of eternity?
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Give real-life examples of when you’ve seen this principle at work. Why does a person’s treasure influence his or her heart?
Where is your treasure? What do you value most in life? How is this influencing your daily decisions and actions?
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