How to Give Into God’s Kingdom
Matthew 6:1-4
Sept 1, 2019 AM
Pastor Craig Ledbetter
Bible Baptist Church, Ballincollig, Cork, Ireland
I. Introduction (Matthew 6:1-4)
A. What if I told you there was a way for you to invest a penny, a Euro, a hundred Euros and it return to you a 30x, or 60x or even a 100x return on your investment?
1. Buy gold?
2. Invest in Property?
3. What could give you such a payback?
B. Just giving your money away to truly poor people!
1. Investing your life in someone who can never pay you back
2. Giving your time, your money to meet someone else’s need
C. Jesus now speaks right at our heart, and our wallet
D. We all love to RECEIVE money out of nowhere
E. But almost none of us love to GIVE money away
F. Jesus changes all that!
G. By talking about our money, and commanding us to give it away!
II. Background
A. The Meaning of ‘Alms’
1. Anything given with no strings attached to relieve the poor
a. Like giving away money, food, or clothing
2. Usually called ‘charity’ today – such a negative word
3. Alms actually means, Mercy giving – kindness driven giving to people in need
4. Jesus honours people who show mercy, compassion (Mat 5:7) Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
5. It is a gift given…
a. Freely given from your own heart – not forced on you
b. At your own expense and loss – not making others give and you be eased
c. As a righteous act – a godly action, caring about OTHERS. It actually counts not toward your salvation – that is a free gift from God – but counts towards rewards in heaven!
B. Jesus is going to Answer a couple of important questions about giving
1. What does ‘Giving’ look like? Or what SHOULD it look like?
2. When should a Christian give money, and to who?
3. Why give to people who cannot ever give back?
C. Be ready to let go of your wallets this morning!
III. Message
A. Alms-Giving is Expected of us (Matthew 6:1,2)
1. “When thou doest thine alms…” When you give out of kindness… Not ‘IF’
2. The Law of God expected God’s people to care about other people – especially people in need
a. Psa 37:23-26 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand. I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed.
b. Prov 19:17 He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.
c. Pro 21:25,26 The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour. He coveteth greedily all the day long: but the righteous giveth and spareth not.
d. Ps 41:1 Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble.
3. Jesus did not change that expectation when He came
a. Giving is part of the Christ-like life still today
b. How many people did Jesus just walk up to and give of Himself to?
c. Almost all
d. Lepers, cripples, blind, poor, dying, and even the dead!
e. Jesus gave to them everything He had
f. He expects us to do the same!
4. Jesus expects Alms-giving of us too (Luke 12:29-34)
a. Luk 12:29 And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.
b. Luk 12:30 For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.
c. Luk 12:31 But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things [NEEDS] shall be added unto you.
d. Luk 12:32 Fear not, little flock [THAT’S US]; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
e. Luk 12:33 Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.
f. Luk 12:34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
5. This goes against all the modern Western emphasis
a. On retirements, and pensions and hoarding, and investments
b. Not that they are all wrong
c. but They are supposed to be supposed to be only AFTER we have a heart and lifestyle of GIVING our money away!
6. Not giving away all your money on a whim (1Timothy 5:8)
a. 1Tim 5:8 But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.
b. You are responsible for taking care of your family, not the Government
c. You are responsible for paying every bill you generate
d. You are responsible for tithing to God
e. You are responsible for paying the taxes you owe
f. After all that, OTHERS come next!
g. LAST comes YOURSELF! What YOU want – Xbox, newer car, bigger phone
h. But this is God’s order of the Christian’s best life – Kingdom Life
B. Who are the “others” – the recipients of our alms-giving?
1. Not giving to your friends and well-off neighbours
2. Not to the slothful, or lazy – those who are poor by choice – and they exist
a. 2Th 3:10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.
b. Prov 19:15 Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger.
3. But to people who are truly poor
a. Give to those in a bad way, with no way to pay their bills
b. Give to those that cannot work
c. People who can never pay you back for your kindness!
d. People who sometimes include your neighbours, family, strangers – it didn’t matter then and it ought not matter now
e. Lev 25:35 And if thy brother be waxen poor, and fallen in decay with thee; then thou shalt relieve him: yea, though he be a stranger, or a sojourner; that he may live with thee.
f. Lev 19:10 And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather every grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger: I am the LORD your God.
g. Deut 15:7-10 If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother: But thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need, in that which he wanteth. Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release [HE WILL BE OUT OF DEBT SOON], is at hand; and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him nought; and he cry unto the LORD against thee, and it be sin unto thee. Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for this thing the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto.
h. Luke 14:12-14 Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee. But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.
C. Alms-Giving Must be Unnoticed – Done in Secret (Matthew 6:1-3)
1. Christians live very publically
a. We don’t go to church in secret
b. We don’t baptize in secret
c. We don’t keep our beliefs secret
d. We do most everything publicly and honestly and out in the open
2. But we are to be Secret in our Praying (6:6), Fasting (6:17,18) and GIVING (6:3,4)
a. That means…
1) No one should know how much you give
2) No one should see how much you give
b. But it IS important to see and know that you DO give
1) Important for your children to see you give money that YOU wanted to spend on yourself and on them, and instead spend it on someone poorer than you
2) It is important for other Christians to see believers give away their money with joy and gladness
c. But we are never boastful about it! And never draw attention to it
d. Example:
1) A guy wants to show his wife he loves her so gets her flowers and then says,
2) “So… what do you think? Am I not the man?”
3) “You must wonder how you got to be so lucky to marry ME!”
4) It would be a whole lot better if the husband just bought some flowers and then placed them on the bedroom vanity, or on the dinner table and let your wife notice and ASK who brought them!
3. More about this in a few minutes
D. Giving Will Always Expose Your Heart (Matthew 6:2)
1. Hearing or seeing someone in need will expose your heart
a. Whether you have one or not
b. And Whether GOD has your heart, or the devil does!
2. Make sure you are nothing like the religious are (same as politicians today)
a. Who only give to be seen – only do kind things to be noticed
b. Who sound a trumpet – make an announcement when they give something away (I hate watching politicians announce the giving away of more money that was NOT THEIRS to give away)!
1) Did you know that Ireland will SPEND €76.3 Billion this year?
2) Of which 21 Billion is for social protection
a) 236 million for this social programme
b) 70 million for that programme
c) That’s 1/3rd of all money spent goes to “take care” of people
3) And 10 is to keep paying for debt that comes from taking care of everybody!
c. They seek glory and honour and praise for the fact that they are giving something away!
3. Why NOT be that way?
a. Because God knows you did not give to help anybody – you only gave to get praise
b. Because you have your reward then, and it will fade fast
c. Because you are proving yourself to be a hypocrite – a fraud – only an actor – not the real thing
E. Test yourself…
1. Do you regularly give to people, especially poor people without any strings attached?
2. Do you have to be asked to give your money away? Begged? Bribed?
3. Do you grumble when money and needs are mentioned around you?
4. Have you actually given ANYTHING away recently that YOU really wanted to keep and spend on yourself? Gave it away without regret?
5. Do you only give away unwanted things and money that you already did not need? Pocket-money?
6. Do you look at poor people as a bother to you?
7. Do you only give when you get a tax-break for it?
8. Do you expect other people to care, but not you?
9. Do you expect the government to take care of the needs of the poor instead of you?
10. I imagine most of you in this room did not actually even try and answer these questions – because we would be ashamed!
F. This is how you and I actually GIVE into the Kingdom of God
1. Giving into an invisible kingdom
2. Not a tax, or a debt, but a gift
3. Investing in an eternal kingdom (Mat 6:19,20) Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
G. The Blessings and Benefits of Giving Money Away
1. Jesus says there is a reward – a payback – a return on YOUR personal investment in others – especially investing in the poor
2. And the world knows this but won’t live by it!
a. “No one has ever become poor by giving.” ― Anne Frank, who smuggled Jews
b. “No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.” ― Charles Dickens, author of A Christmas Carol
c. “There is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up.”
d. “You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you.” ― John Bunyan, 17th Century English Baptist Preacher and Writer of Pilgrim’s Progress
3. You won’t lack – God promises this!
a. Prov 28:27 He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack: but he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse.
b. You probably will never be rich, but you won’t lack anything good
c. Luk 6:38 Give [TO THE POOR], and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
4. You will be happier
a. Act 20:35 I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.
5. You will be more like Jesus – which is the greatest goal
a. 2Co 8:9 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.
6. You will be investing in heaven’s economy
a. Matt 19:21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
b. Matt 6:19-21 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
c. All that you give away will be waiting there for you to spend for all eternity!
H. The Way to Give – What Giving Looks Like
1. Give Simply (Romans 12:8)
a. “…Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity”
b. No debaing, arguing, excusing, or expecting anything back
c. Just give money, clothes, your best of yourself away without any fanfare
1) Never look back
2) Never think of all the times you gave and they never said thank you
3) Never keep record of all the times you gave
4) Just go up to someone and give them what you can
d. Every Christian here should be constantly giving our money away
e. Simply, and regularly!
2. Invisibly (Matthew 6:3)
a. With no one watching
b. With you not ever letting everyone know
c. Figure a way to get some money to someone, or someone’s need met without anybosy knowing it came from you!
3. And yet Give Evidently
a. We are to give in secret
b. But everyone ought to know we are giving because the bills get paid, and people get ministered to, the poor get the Gospel, and the help they need
c. Act 2:44,45 And all that believed were together, and had all things common; And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.
d. Act 4:32-37 And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.
e. Act 4:33 And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.
f. Act 4:34 Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,
g. Act 4:35 And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.
h. Act 4:36 And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus,
i. Act 4:37 Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles' feet.
4. Give Compassionately (Romans 15:25-27)
a. We ought to just love to come together to give and meet needs of others
b. Rom 15:25 But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints.
c. Rom 15:26 For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem.
d. Rom 15:27 It hath pleased them verily; and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things.
5. Give Obediently (2Cor 9:7) Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give.
a. Purposefully – purpose in your heart and mind and WALLET to give money away
b. Even when you don’t want to give, give anyway – that’s how you invest and save!
c. It is BEST to make sure you always have money to give away
d. A mark of a man or woman’s maturity and character to give because Christ said to
e. Immature babies cry over money, and selfishness and what they want to HAVE
f. Happy Christians love to give away their money – I WILL SAY IT AGAIN!
6. Cheerfully (2Cor 9:7) Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
a. Not a miser, stingy, skinflint, cheapskate, moneygrubber, tightwad!
b. Not sad, or disappointed about not getting to keep your money
c. But Cheerful – but thrilled! Excited to give away!
7. Contentedly
a. Heb 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
b. Mat 6:25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
c. Mat 6:31-33 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
8. As to Jesus (Matthew 25:31-45)
I. In Summary… Live to Give
1. Spend and be spent, becoming broke – is a great way to live!
a. We usually only live to get – happiest when we receive something
b. In our culture, we find it hard to transition to be givers
c. But NO one ever lived by only getting – life begins when you give things away
d. Paul said in 2Co 12:15, And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.
2. Start giving right away
a. Stop wishing you could give, and just look around and give something away
b. Start with honouring God first with your tithe
3. Get a job so that you have something to give – not so that you can afford a bigger screen TV
a. Eph 4:28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.
4. SAVE your money so that you have some to give away when needed
a. People spend up all their income and then complain that they have no money to give
5. Tithe first – learn to give out of the 90% you have left and God will honour that obedient faith
a. Giving is what we do AFTER we have paid our tithe to our local church
b. If you only just gave
your money away, and never took care of your church…
then Bible believing churches will continue to close, and only more poor people
who need to hear the Gospel – instead of just have your kindness!
6. Trust God to take good care of your needs AFTER you have taken care of others (Php 4:19) But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
IV. Conclusion
A. Alms-giving is more than how we care for the poor
B. It is a Christian powerfully acting in the Kingdom of God, and affecting this world for good
1. Because we not only show Christ’s compassion and care
2. And because we not only meet needs
3. But because we act in the power of the kingdom of God and show the Gospel in our lives
4. And it opens great doors for the Gospel to be preached
C. Alms giving is expected of us
1. We all naturally love to RECEIVE money out of nowhere
2. But almost none of us love to GIVE money away
D. So, here is the question…
E. Do YOU live to give, or
mainly just TAKE?
Don’t stay a BABY – a taker. Become a GIVER!
F. It is a question of the heart
1. When a person gets born again, their HEART changes – it has to!
2. If your heart has not changed, and is still only focused on yourself, then are you really a Christian? Christ-like?
3. But if your heart has changed, then:
a. Your wallet opens easier
b. Your eyes notice people’s needs more
c. Your ears are open to people’s sorrows
d. Your shoulders don’t mind carrying other people’s burdens
e. And your home will be a place that welcomes people who can never repay you
G. Jesus can change the hardest heart! If only we wanted Him to change OURS!