1 Corinthians 16:1-3 (KJV)
Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye.
Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.
And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem.
Before the Apostle Paul ended his First Epistle to the church at Corinth, he gave them a brief lesson in giving.
Paul, as he traveled to the various churches he had established in previous journeys, was collecting an offering to be given to the saints at Jerusalem.
Christianity had begun in and around Jerusalem. But Christianity had also suffered much in and around Jerusalem.
The Jews had turned their hatred for Jesus into an intense hatred for his followers. They, therefore, found themselves in need. Paul, who was planning to return to Jerusalem at the end of this journey, was preparing to take an offering back to these saints.
We find in these three short verses, several lessons about Christian giving:
*I. GIVING SHOULD BE AN ACT OF WORSHIP
1 Corinthians 16:1-2 (KJV)
Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye.
Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.
They were to give “upon the first day of the week,”
Which is the Lord's Day.
It is not an accident that Paul went straight from Chapter 15 and the message about the victory through the resurrection of Christ, to speaking about giving.
When we give in the church, we are performing an act of Worship.
We include the passing of the offering plate in the services as a portion of our worship to the Lord.
Notice the term, “the first day of the week.”
I am frequently asked me about the Seventh Day Adventists, and more recently, about the Messianic Jewish places of worship. One of their key doctrines is that worship on Sunday (the first day of the week) is really the worship of the Devil.
The Jews worshipped God on the Seventh Day of the Week, which is Saturday.
We worship on Sunday for some very specific Bible reasons:
A. Jesus rose from the dead on the first day of the week.[1]
B. The resurrected Christ met with the Apostles on the first day of the week.[2]
C. The Holy Spirit filled the believers as they were gathered together on the first day of the week.[3]
D. The churches Paul started in Acts met on the first day of the week.[4]
E. Paul commanded the believers in all the churches to meet on the first day of the week to give their offerings.[5]
When we come together on the first day of the week, bringing with us our offerings, we are doing so as an act of worship.
*II. GIVING SHOULD BE SYSTEMATIC (PLANNED).
1 Corinthians 16:2 (KJV)
Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.
That is suggested by the fact they were to give on the first day of the week.
Paul contacted them ahead of time so when he got there they would be ready to give the offering he planned to receive.
The same is true of all our giving to the Lord. It ought to be
· Planned,
· Prayed about, and
· Set aside for the Lord's day
The place I have trouble doing this is when I go to pastors' meetings. The meetings cost the church that hosts it money, and they always take an offering.
But I seem to forget to take money for that offering more than I remember it.
Since I am not prepared like I should be, I have to scrounge around (usually in my wife's purse) to come up with an offering to give.
That is never as good, because I am not prepared spiritually to give as worship, and because I can't give what God wants, but what I happen to have.
Just “throwing a dollar” in the offering plate isn't that same as systematic, planned, and prayed for giving.
*III. GIVING SHOULD BE INDIVIDUAL
1 Corinthians 16:1-3 (KJV)
Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye.
Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.
"Let every one of you..."
Giving is something that every Christian should be involved in. It is not for the ones who can afford it, it is for every one.
A. If a Christian does not give, they aren't fully worshipping God
Giving is part of the worship experience.
B. If a Christian does not give, he misses the opportunity to be blessed of God
The Bible says "Give and it shall be given to you again. good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over...”[6]
I want every Christian to give so every Christian can be blessed of God.
C. If a Christian does not give, there is a portion of the work of God that cannot be accomplished
God has designed that the church accomplishes its work through the tithes and offerings of the people in the church. If some do not give, then the church cannot do all it ought for the Lord.
Every one of you includes our children.
Have you ever considered as a parent that you ought to teach your children to tithe off their income (whether it be allowances or whatever) regularly?
We had our boys fill out envelops just like we do, and they got a statement back at the end of the year from the church just like we do. We didn't want them to have to learn to tithe after they are out on their own.
We want tithing to be just what they do with their income.
*IV. GIVING SHOULD BE THROUGH THE LOCAL CHURCH
1 Corinthians 16:1 (KJV)
Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye.
"As I have given order to the churches..."
While there are certain times when we might want to give an extra gift of charity outside of the local church[7]most Christian giving ought to be done through the church.
For several reasons:
A. That is what Paul taught.
B. It creates a more organized and united effort in giving.
C. It helps to teach that the very first gift we give should be the tithe to the church.
D. It ensures that our giving dollar will be used well.[8]
*V. GIVING SHOULD BE HANDLED HONESTLY
1 Corinthians 16:3 (KJV)
And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem.
While Paul was personally overseeing the collection, he also asked the churches to appoint representatives to go with him with the collection.
It served a couple of purposes:
A. It took the load off the back of the Apostle.
He had plenty to do without having to handle all the finances too.
B. It made sure no one could accuse him of misusing the money.
All of it got to where it was given to go.
Conclusion
Our giving is an important part of our relationship to Christ.
You can always tell where a person's heart is by their giving. Jesus said, where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
So people who give sparingly, or irregularly, have hearts that aren't really into the things of God.
But one of the ways to increase your love for the things of God is to give more to them.
Where is your heart these days?
[1]John 20:1 (KJV)
The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.
[2]John 20:19 (KJV)
Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
[3]Acts 2:1 (KJV)
And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. (Pentecost means 50 days. It took place 50 days after the Sabbath after Passover)
[4]Acts 20:7 (KJV)
And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.
[5]1 Corinthians 16:2 (KJV)
Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.
[6]Luke 6:38 (KJV)
Give, 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.
[7]My family might sometimes give to a local cause like the Special Olympics program.
[8]The local church supports only missions causes we have personally become acquainted with and we are sure will use the money right. (Unlike the United Way, a Televangelist or whatever).