Christian Life Principles - Part 2
Christian Life Principles • Sermon • Submitted
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Last week we started a series to on Christian Life Principles. We looked at Webster’s Dictionary’s definition of the word principle as: a comprehensive and fundamental law, doctrine, or assumption; a rule or code of conduct.
The first principle we looked at was the principle of laying down our lives for others the same way Jesus laid His life down for us.
Today we are going to look at the principle of giving. As we’ll see today, giving encompasses much more than finances!
27 “But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. 28 Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also. 30 Give to anyone who asks; and when things are taken away from you, don’t try to get them back. 31 Do to others as you would like them to do to you.
32 “If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? Even sinners love those who love them! 33 And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you get credit? Even sinners do that much! 34 And if you lend money only to those who can repay you, why should you get credit? Even sinners will lend to other sinners for a full return.
35 “Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked. 36 You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.
The Principle of Giving Is Not a Formula!
The Principle of Giving Is Not a Formula!
As we can see here, giving not only involves finances but giving is much more. We must give grace to those who really do not deserve it. Give love to your enemies. Give good things to those who hate you. Give time to pray for those who hate you.
Then it gets more intense! If someone slaps you on the cheek, give him the other one! What!? If someone demands, not asks, but demands your coat give him your shirt also. Give to anyone who asks and when things are taken, give up and don’t try to get them back?
Love, do good, lend to your enemies. This is a part of giving that we normally don’t talk about but it’s a big part of the principle of giving. It’s actually going the extra mile in the giving of ourselves.
37 “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven.
Our Attitudes Have To Line Up!
Our Attitudes Have To Line Up!
Now let’s check our attitudes! Have we ever been judgmental? Condemning? Unforgiving? When we have those attitudes towards other, we have stopped giving!
You and I must always check our hearts when it comes to how we give of ourselves to those that frankly would be much easier to judge.
Why is this important, because it has to do with representing Jesus and His mercy to a dying world.
38 Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.”
What Are WE Giving Here?
What Are WE Giving Here?
Now we’ve all used this verse of scripture concerning financial giving. But if we look at the whole context of these verses it would kind of seem out of place to put a script right here about finances.
We’ve been looking at all the scriptures prior to this verse and they all have to do with loving the unlovable, giving to those who actually are taking things from you. Not judging, forgiving, blessing, well, you know all that we’ve looked at so far.
So that being said, could this verse be the icing on the cake?
Let’s look at in context
Give (love to your enemies, good doings to those who hate you, prayer to those who hurt you, forgiveness to those who hurt you, your coat and shirt, no judgement) and you will receive (your reward from heaven, you won’t be judged, you’ll be forgiven, and you won’t be condemned)
And all of these things that you have given will come back to you pressed down, shaken together to make room for more and running over and poured on you.
You will be rewarded! You will be filled with compassion! You will not be judged or condemned and you will be forgiven.
So here’s what is promised for giving of our finances.
8 “Will a man rob God?
Yet you have robbed Me!
But you say,
‘In what way have we robbed You?’
In tithes and offerings.
9 You are cursed with a curse,
For you have robbed Me,
Even this whole nation.
10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse,
That there may be food in My house,
And try Me now in this,”
Says the Lord of hosts,
“If I will not open for you the windows of heaven
And pour out for you such blessing
That there will not be room enough to receive it.
11 “And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes,
So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground,
Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,”
Says the Lord of hosts;
12 And all nations will call you blessed,
For you will be a delightful land,”
Says the Lord of hosts.
Obedience In Giving Finances Brings Blessing!
Obedience In Giving Finances Brings Blessing!
We can never out give God! Whether in the way we keep our attitude right or in our obedience to God’s financial plan with tithes and offerings the principle of giving is the only way to live a strong Christian life