Transforming Work and Finances - GIVING

This week we looked at Matthew 6.1-4 and the motives for giving and then we briefly looked at the practice of giving by trying to answer the question 'should Christians tithe?'

MOTIVES FOR GIVING

Whenever you read the New Testament passages on giving the motivation for giving is far more important than the amount one gives (though that isn’t unimportant). Internal motivation is everything (not external law - see 1 Corinthians 13.3, Isaiah 64.4). In Matthew 6.1-4 Jesus looks at 3 things that can motive our giving

(1) Give seeking the praise of men - PRIDE (vs1-2) We want others to think well of us and therefore we give and make sure others see. At the bottom of this is pride (to be known as a ‘good Christians’). This is something we ALL struggle with. The result? Our reward is people’s praise and the judgement of God.

(2) Give seeking to congratulate oneself - GUILT/PRIDE (vs3) Not only do we not tell others, there is a sense we don’t even tell ourselves - our left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing. We give and then we forget about it. We don’t dwell on it. We don’t use our previous giving to make ourselves feel good. Why do we do this? Because there is nagging sense of inadequacy and guilt which we want to be rid of…so we give not wanting others to know, but just so our own conscience is at ease.

(3) Give seeking the reward of your father - GRACE (vs3) All that matters is that he knows and he is pleased and he will reward us. His love overwhelms us and is enough for us. What is the reward? (a) seeing the need met (the hungry fed etc) and (b) hearing his voice say ‘well done good and faithful servant you were faithful with what I gave you.” (Matthew 25.21/23)

Grace is the motivation for giving - see 1 Corinthians 8.9. Paul does not say “there is a law that says you must give and if you don’t you’re a bad Christian (guilt) and if you do you’re a good Christian (pride).” He says, let me tell you about how Jesus became poor for you…..so you could come into a relationship with your heavenly father and be richer than you ever imagined! Understanding your status as a child of God (by grace) is the key. Grace humbles us out of pride and heals our guilt and sets us free to give joyfully, willingly and sacrificially (2 Corinthians 8.12, 9.7). You’ll be able to give in secret, you’ll be able to forget (and not dwell on it, not compare yourself to others and not feel guilty).

THE PRACTICE OF GIVING - Should Christians Tithe?

In this passage, giving is assumed but the tithe is not mentioned. And the church is not mentioned either, it is giving to the poor. Why was the Tithe given?
(1 )To care for the Levites and the Priests (Numbers 18.21ff)
(2) To care for the poor (Dent 26.12ff). But the tithe was part of a large system of economics for God’s people which included
      - Harvesting of fields (Deut 24.19, Ruth 2.2)
      - 7th year cancel of debts (Deut 15)
      - 50th year redistribution of land/people (year of jubilee – Lev 25)
(3) To honor, acknowledge and thank God (Lev 27, Deut 26) - it was all his anyway and therefore you gave your firstfruits back to him as “holy to the Lord”

In fact, if you added all the tithes together in the Old Testament it would come to about 18-23% of your income (not including extra free-will offerings). The tithe is only mentioned in the New Testament when Jesus critiques the Pharisee’s legalistic obedience of it (Matthew 23.23 and Luke 11.42). Jesus is interested in the heart and the spirit of the law not the letter of the law. The tithe can be helpful for us as it encourages us to give (a) regularly (b) proportionally (c) to the people of God and to the poor. And for many people the 10% of your income might be a good place to start, but it is a terrible place to finish. The standard for NT giving is not the 10th but the Cross!

(A) Giving in debt (or as a student)? - Mark 12.41-44 may help you. If you can’t give when you have a little you won’t give when you have a lot (the heart is the issue not circumstances - Proverbs 4.23). And if you have any disposable income which you spend on yourself for pleasure (which is fine) you have money to give

(B) Giving and motives - should I wait till my motives are perfect? No just get on with it, deal with your motives and heart issues as they arise. Ask God to change your heart. The key thing is that you recognise it and allow God to change you

(C) Giving and the church/poor - which do I give to? Give to whatever you decide is right in your heart (2 Corinthians 9.7) but the scriptures seems to imply that it is good to give to both. But give to the church because you say “I belong here…I want to commit to the vision.” Don’t give because you say “I feel I should.” Often people have said “Give 10% to the church and give extra elsewhere.” That seems like a healthy principle.

Reflection and ApplicationPlease feel free to answer the questions that are most appropriate to your group and leave other questions out

(1) Read Matthew 6.1-4
(2) What 2 things does Jesus say not to do and why?
(3) What are the 2 rewards on offer?
(4) Why are our motives the most important thing when it comes to giving (see 1 Corinthians 13.3 and Proverbs 4.23)?
(5) In what ways do we do our acts of righteousness (including giving) to (a) impress people and (b) impress ourselves?
(6) How does understanding your identity as a child of God (by grace) help you give from the right motives (see also 2 Corinthians 8.9, 8.12, 9.7)
(7) How should Christians view the tithe? How can it be a helpful principle for us? How can it be unhelpful?
(8) If the New Testament never tell us to ‘tithe’ how are we to decide how much to give and what to give to?
(9) What is the one thing you want to take away and apply from Matthew 6.1-4?
(10) What questions have been raised that you’d like to pursue further?
(11) Are there people or projects you give to within or outside the group?
(12) Pray that God would raise up in all of us a generous spirit in response to his generosity to us.