scripture reading philippians 1:3-11. why pray? why pay? why give to the church? why give to christ...
TRANSCRIPT
Scripture ReadingScripture Reading
Philippians 1:3-11Philippians 1:3-11
Why Pray? Why Pray?
Why Pay?Why Pay?
Why give to the church?Why give to the church?
Why give to Christ and his Why give to Christ and his work in this world?work in this world?
Why Give to the Church?Why Give to the Church?
GUILTGUILT
““I need to pay for my sins.”I need to pay for my sins.”
PAYMENT PLANPAYMENT PLAN
Why Give to the Church?Why Give to the Church?
FEARFEAR
““If I don’t give, God won’t love If I don’t give, God won’t love me.”me.”
BUYING ETERNAL LIFEBUYING ETERNAL LIFE
Why Give to the Church?Why Give to the Church?
MEMBERSHIP DUESMEMBERSHIP DUES
““Every club has it’s membership Every club has it’s membership dues, it’s the price for services dues, it’s the price for services
rendered”rendered”
FORMULA:FORMULA:Operating Cost / # Members = Operating Cost / # Members =
Dues Dues
Why Give to the Church?Why Give to the Church?
GLORYGLORY
““If I give, I will look good.”If I give, I will look good.”Ananias and Sapphira – Acts 5Ananias and Sapphira – Acts 5
IT IS EXPECTEDIT IS EXPECTED““I need to keep up with I need to keep up with
the Jones’ and the the Jones’ and the VanderSma’s”VanderSma’s”
Why Give to the Church?Why Give to the Church?
HABITHABIT
““I have always given to the I have always given to the church.”church.”
DANGER:DANGER:$10 in 2006 is not equal $10 in 2006 is not equal
to $10 in 1976to $10 in 1976
Why Give to the Church?Why Give to the Church?
OBEDIENCEOBEDIENCE
““The Bible prescribes giving The Bible prescribes giving 10% to the church.”10% to the church.”
DANGER:DANGER:Dead Legalism – your Dead Legalism – your
heart not in it.heart not in it.
Why Give to the Church?Why Give to the Church?
THANKFULNESSTHANKFULNESS
““I give to the church I give to the church
as a token of my thankfulness as a token of my thankfulness
for what he has done for me.”for what he has done for me.”
Why Give to the Church?Why Give to the Church?
ACKNOWLEDGING IT’S ACKNOWLEDGING IT’S GODSGODS
““I give to the church I give to the church
to remind myself that all that I to remind myself that all that I have is God’s.”have is God’s.”
Why Give to the Church?Why Give to the Church?
FOR THE FUN OF ITFOR THE FUN OF IT
““It’s a blast to give to the church.”It’s a blast to give to the church.”
““Each man should give what he has decided Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under
compulsion, compulsion, for God loves a cheerful for God loves a cheerful giver.”giver.”
2 Corinthians 9:7 2 Corinthians 9:7
Why Give to the Church?Why Give to the Church?
PARTNERING WITH GODPARTNERING WITH GOD
““I know of no better investment I know of no better investment than to put my money than to put my money
where God is working in the where God is working in the world.”world.”
Why Give to the Church?Why Give to the Church?
4In all my prayers for all of you, 4In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy I always pray with joy
5because of your partnership in the 5because of your partnership in the gospel gospel
from the first day until now, from the first day until now, 6being confident of this, 6being confident of this,
that he who began a good work in you that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. until the day of Christ Jesus.
Philippians 1:4-6Philippians 1:4-6
Why Give to the Church?Why Give to the Church?
““In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to teach until the day he was taken up to
heaven,” Acts 1:1-2heaven,” Acts 1:1-2
““But you will receive power when the But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in
all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." of the earth."
Acts 1:8Acts 1:8
Why Give to the Church?Why Give to the Church?
Christ is still at work in this Christ is still at work in this world through his body - the world through his body - the
church.church.
The Spirit-ledThe Spirit-led
Imperfect churchImperfect church
Why Give to the Church?Why Give to the Church?
If you were to invest,If you were to invest,
what would you be looking for?what would you be looking for?
- A partner who can deliverA partner who can deliver- a product you can believe ina product you can believe in
- a market that needs the a market that needs the productproduct
Why Give to the Church?Why Give to the Church?
How do you look at your giving How do you look at your giving to the Ottewell church?to the Ottewell church?
Membership dues?Membership dues?
oror
Investing in what God is doing?Investing in what God is doing?
Why Give to the Church?Why Give to the Church?
God is working in and through God is working in and through usus
training us to be fully training us to be fully devoted followers of Christdevoted followers of Christ
passing on our faith to our passing on our faith to our childrenchildren
welcoming in people who are welcoming in people who are looking for hope and meaning looking for hope and meaning
in their livesin their lives
Why Give to the Church?Why Give to the Church?
God is working in and through God is working in and through usus
drawing us closer to Christdrawing us closer to Christ encouraging us to use our encouraging us to use our
gifts and talents in his servicegifts and talents in his service seeking to meet the needs of seeking to meet the needs of
the people around usthe people around us
Why Give to the Church?Why Give to the Church?
We asked this morning:We asked this morning:
““Why give to the church?”Why give to the church?”
I would have all of us ask I would have all of us ask ourselves:ourselves:
““Why do I give to the church?”Why do I give to the church?”
Why Give to the Church?Why Give to the Church?
God in his WordGod in his Word
invites us to invites us to
partner with Him partner with Him
in what He is doing in what He is doing
in the world today.in the world today.