WHY AND WHAT DO WE GIVE?
“Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift” 2 Cor. 9:15
A believer labors not to accrue personal wealth or possessions, but to steward God's resources well and model Jesus to our brothers, sisters, and community. Giving shouldn’t be about earning brownie points with God, or done out of obligation. It’s out of a natural response from receiving Gods Grace that a Christian worships God with his time, treasures (finances) and talents.
In the new heavens and new earth that God is preparing for us, there will be constant and abundant giving between all. When we pray “Your kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10) it is only natural that we begin living with kingdom cultures now. “For God so loved the world that He gave…” (John 3:16) - If our Fathers love motivates Him to give, it is only natural for the Christian to be generous as well.
Our work is an effort to serve our Father in all things, and one of the primary ways we serve God is by cheerfully giving God our “first-fruits” (2 Corinthians 9:7; Proverbs 3:9). We call our members to give, of their Time, their Talents and their Treasures. This should not be done from a heart of obligation, but rather a heart gladly sacrificing for the sake of the gospel, because Jesus sacrificially gave His life for us (2 Cor. 8:9), and all we have is His. The actual amount isn’t as important as the heart that gives it, but often the amount is an indicator of the grace within our hearts. You can give a lot with a little heart behind it (Acts 5:1-11), a little with a lot of heart (Mark 12:41-44), a lot with a lot of heart (Acts 4:36,37), or a little without a lot of heart! Worshipful giving of our Time, Treasures, and talents is a response of God’s Grace not our guilt!
Pray about how you can serve and what you can give, and study what the Scriptures say about money (such as the example of the Macedonians in 2 Cor 8, Paul’s instructions on giving in 2 Cor 9:6-15, or Jesus’ teaching about money in Matt 6:1-4; 19-34; 23:23). The biblical pattern is for regular, generous giving, flowing from a love for God and a love for people (1 Jn. 3:16-19).
We thank all of those who have given in so many ways to The House Newcastle and pray that God will give us the grace as a church to exemplify His giving heart!