South Molton Baptist Church

Sermons

Giving In A Recession

SUNDAY 10th March 2009 - Andy Jarvis

GE 22:1-14

Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, "Abraham!"
"Here I am," he replied.
Then God said, "Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about."
Early the next morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. He said to his servants, "Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you."
Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, "Father?"
"Yes, my son?" Abraham replied.
"The fire and wood are here," Isaac said, "but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?"
Abraham answered, "God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." And the two of them went on together.
When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!"
"Here I am," he replied.
"Do not lay a hand on the boy," he said. "Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son."
Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide.

EX 15:22-27

Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea and they went into the Desert of Shur. For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water. When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter. (That is why the place is called Marah.) So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, "What are we to drink?"
Then Moses cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a piece of wood. He threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. There the LORD made a decree and a law for them, and there he tested them. He said, "If you listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, who heals you." Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and they camped there near the water.

EX 16:2-8, 11-31

In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The Israelites said to them, "If only we had died by the LORD's hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death."
Then the LORD said to Moses, "I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions. On the sixth day they are to prepare what they bring in, and that is to be twice as much as they gather on the other days."
So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, "In the evening you will know that it was the LORD who brought you out of Egypt, and in the morning you will see the glory of the LORD, because he has heard your grumbling against him. Who are we, that you should grumble against us?" Moses also said, "You will know that it was the LORD when he gives you meat to eat in the evening and all the bread you want in the morning, because he has heard your grumbling against him. Who are we? You are not grumbling against us, but against the LORD."
The LORD said to Moses, "I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites. Tell them, `At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God.' "
That evening quail came and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost on the ground appeared on the desert floor. When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, "What is it?" For they did not know what it was.
Moses said to them, "It is the bread the LORD has given you to eat. This is what the LORD has commanded: `Each one is to gather as much as he needs. Take an omer for each person you have in your tent.' "
The Israelites did as they were told; some gathered much, some little. And when they measured it by the omer, he who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little. Each one gathered as much as he needed.
Then Moses said to them, "No one is to keep any of it until morning." However, some of them paid no attention to Moses; they kept part of it until morning, but it was full of maggots and began to smell. So Moses was angry with them.
Each morning everyone gathered as much as he needed, and when the sun grew hot, it melted away. On the sixth day, they gathered twice as much--two omers for each person--and the leaders of the community came and reported this to Moses. He said to them, "This is what the LORD commanded: `Tomorrow is to be a day of rest, a holy Sabbath to the LORD. So bake what you want to bake and boil what you want to boil. Save whatever is left and keep it until morning.' " So they saved it until morning, as Moses commanded, and it did not stink or get maggots in it. "Eat it today," Moses said, "because today is a Sabbath to the LORD. You will not find any of it on the ground today. Six days you are to gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will not be any."
Nevertheless, some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather it, but they found none. Then the LORD said to Moses, "How long will you refuse to keep my commands and my instructions? Bear in mind that the LORD has given you the Sabbath; that is why on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. Everyone is to stay where he is on the seventh day; no one is to go out." So the people rested on the seventh day.
The people of Israel called the bread manna. It was white like coriander seed and tasted like wafers made with honey.

Giving: Can we trust God in a time of recession?

Three kinds of giver:

The Altruist – gives in order to meet a need
The Warm-Glow Giver – gives because it makes him/her feel good
The Social-Pressure Giver – gives because s/he feels, under the weight of those around them that it is the right thing to do.

So what happens to giving during a recession?

For an altruist, the need is greater and so the giving will often be greater.
For the warm-glow giver, the increased need is less relevant because the need that is being met is the giver’s need.
The social pressure giver is more likely to give less, because in a recession, the pressure of the recession, will outweigh the pressure to give.

How do we explain that during the recession, March’s Red Nose Day broke its fundraising record?

With a perceived great need, the altruists gave more.
With a sense that a small gift really could make a life-changing difference (mosquito nets conquering malaria), the warm-glow givers were encouraged to give and the fact that events were on television and everywhere in the locality meant that the social pressure to give was significant.

What about Christians? What kind of givers are we?

Something of all three! There’s a social pressure – the bag/plate. There’s a need and there’s a warm glow in that giving to certain causes makes us feel better than others. But what actually motivates the Christian to give?

1. A command

Luke 6:38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."
Num 18 The people were commanded to provide for the Levites who were to serve in the temple.
NU 18:21 “I give to the Levites all the tithes in Israel as their inheritance in return for the work they do while serving at the Tent of Meeting.”
Isa 58:6-7 ISA 58:6 "Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?
Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter, when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not turn away from your own flesh & blood?
Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rearguard.
Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.
"If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness and your night will become like noonday.

2. An example

2Cor 8:9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.

3. A gifting

The believers gave to each other…
AC 4:32-37 All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need. Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means Son of Encouragement), sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles' feet.
Rom 12:8 …if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously;
Giving is a spiritual action that we are all required to do "So when you give to the needy… but it is also a specific gift given to some for the benefit of others, a gift of humility of heart and generosity of spirit, evident in Barnabus, Titus and the Macedonian church (2 Cor 8:9).

4. A response to God’s generosity and a sense of what belongs to God

As Christians we believe that all things belong to God and that what we have comes from Him and is ours to steward responsibly. It is/should be easier to give when we realize that our giving comes from what we too have received.

Why has giving to the church during the recession in 2009 been better than last year?

God’s commands do not change.
Needs are more evident.
God prompts us to give.
God provides for us to give, which means that our response to His generous giving is generous.
Eternal rewards encourage giving.
MT 6:1-4 "Be careful not to do your `acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
"So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 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. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Can we trust God to provide? Can we give and trust God to take care of us?

Recession provides Christians with a real opportunity to be ‘in the world but not of it.’

God calls us to give of the ‘firstfruits’. See Gen 4:3-7 Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.
Then the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it."

EX 23:19 "Bring the best of the firstfruits of your soil to the house of the LORD your God.

Giving is about firstfruits, a budget priority, not a grudge-it priority from what’s left after we have maintained our preferred lifestyle. Reducing our giving to maintain our lifestyle is a breach of trust rather like Ananias and Sapphira. Or even the hoarders of Manna in Ex 16:19-20 who found that it stank and became riddled with maggots.

How is the recession affecting us?

Curiously for some, it has been good news or at least not the bad news we assumed.
Wage levels in many professions are protected and although we are receiving less interest on our savings, many of us have seen a significant fall in our mortgage payments.
Because of the weak pound, exports of livestock are booming and with many farmers already out of business, those who survive are actually getting very good prices for the meat they produce.
Business is good for ‘Chipboard’ Norbord with lots of agency workers at present on top of the usual staff (that after 5 members of staff were made redundant at the beginning of March). As people are not buying and selling property, they are spending money doing up the ones they live in.
But of course business is not good for everyone:
Workers at South Molton Recycle have had to take a pay cut to prevent redundancies and prices for recyclable materials are very low.
Although 13 businesses opened in the town in the six months to February, 19 closed.
Building work has been mothballed and building firms who provided supporting trades; plumbing, bricklaying, electricians, tillers, painters & decorators don’t have enough work for their staff.
At least three men in the church have had their hours cut or are short of work and all of them have families to support. Please don’t suffer in silence. If you have a need, please tell me or one of the deacons. We may not be able to prevent hardship but we do want to prevent crisis.

Can we trust God?

Two weeks ago we heard about Simon having to face the sack at the same time as baby Alia arrived. God provided.
Blake shared his need of work and he was successful at interview for a job at the hospital this week.
Earlier in the year we spent some time praying for jobs for Warren and for Julie Clark. Warren has a job but Julie is still looking. Helen and I aren’t affected by the recession, but Gee has been (only 12 hrs/week). Several times in first year of marriage the money ran out, but God provided through Mum. Unexpected bill for £90.67. Cheque for £5K. Helen gave up her job to support ministry and within 24 hrs, couple paid our mortgage and another couple child-minded our children at a reasonable rate.
What do we learn about God from what we see and experience?
Well, that’s the problem. We let our experiences determine God, while abandoning what His word tells us. Can we trust God?

What does the Bible say? What is God like?

Gen 41:33-40 God initiates a plan to save Jacob and his family as well as the Egyptians during 7 years of famine, through Joseph.
Ex 13:19-22 God himself comes to save Israel and leads them by fire and cloud when there is no way.
Ex 14:10-14 As the Egyptian army approaches a fleeing people with the sea facing them, God reassures ‘Don’t be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today.’
Ex 15:22-27 God sweetens bitter water at Marah.
Ex 16 God provides manna and quail to a starving and thirsty people in the desert.
Ex 17:1-7, Num 20:1-11 God provides water from rocks.
God provides; the Judges, Abraham’s ram, the Promised Land, Boaz for Ruth & Naomi, feeds Elijah with ravens and a widow with a non-emptying flour jar and oil jug, the widow’s oil to feed her and her sons and pay her debts.

God provides during famine and drought, from unexpected sources!

Proverbs 3:5-6 ‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.’

Can you trust God in recession? You can’t afford not to.

ISA 58:11 The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.
Luke 6:38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."
Isa 58 "Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen…Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter, when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not turn away from your own flesh & blood?
Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.