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Pastor Rob Carlson: 
"Our God Is a Giving God" 
series: Believing - Building - Belonging
Sunday, May 9, 2004 

INSET
* He gives us life and breath (Acts 17:25).
* We labor but He gives the increase (I Cor. 3:7).
* He did not spare His own Son, but freely gave Him up for us all (Rom. 8:32)
* He gives the kingdom of heaven as a free gift to those who come to Him through faith in Jesus Christ (Luke 12:32).
* He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (I Cor. 15:57)
* He gives us our daily bread (Math. 6:11).
* He gives wisdom to those who ask for it without wavering (James 1:5)
* He gives His angels charge over you (Ps. 91:11)
* He gives rest to those who are weary and heavy laden (Matt. 11:28)
* He gave His life as a ransom for many (Matt. 20:28)
* He gives abilities, talents, gifts to everyone (I Peter 4:11)
* He gives living water so that those who drink will thirst no more (John 4:14)
* He gives food that endures to eternal life (John 6:27)
* He gives another Comforter...the Holy Spirit (John 14:16)
* He gives us His peace (John 14:27)
* He gives repentance and forgiveness of sins (Acts 5:31)
* He gives us an inheritance with the saints by the Word of His grace (Acts 20:32)
* He gives you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation so that you can know Him better (Eph. 1:17)
* He will give us the crown of life if we overcome (Rev. 2:10) 

1. IT IS GOD'S NATURE TO GIVE. 

Ps. 145:8-9: The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.  

Ps. 145:15,16: The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.  

James 1:16-17: Don't be deceived, my dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." 

Matthew 7:11: If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! 

Luke 12:32: Do not be afraid little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. 

2. GOD WANTS ME TO BE LIKE HIM. 

Full Circle Obedience 

• God--John 3:16: For God so loved the world that He gave...  
• Jesus--Matt 20:28: ...just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.  
• Us-John 17:18: As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 
  John 15:10-If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. 
• Example: Paul-I Cor. 11:1-Follow my example as I follow the example of Christ. I Tim. 4:6-8. Spent. 

3. I AM NO MORE LIKE GOD THAN WHEN I GIVE. 

Ask God what he would have you to do. 

4. GOD COMMANDS HIS PEOPLE TO GIVE. 

A. Our motivation to give comes from the Father's giving love directed to us. 
But God also commands His people to give. In the OT, God commanded His people to: 

• Ex. 23:19: Bring the best of the firstfruits of your soil to the house of the Lord your God. 
• Proverbs 3:9,10: Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine. 
• Lev. 27:31: A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord. 

B. We are to bring His tithe into His house in obedience to His Word. 

God's Ingredients to Grow His People & Finance His Church:
Tithe First
* Tithing=the training wheels for giving.
* Mal. 3:10: Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this, says the Lord Almighty, and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.

Offerings Second
* Missions (don't tithe to missions, if everyone did there would be no church, ask the missionaries)
* BBB Campaign
* Other

Stir in Generosity and Sacrifice
* 2 Cor-"excel in the grace of giving"; "they gave more than they were able"
* Generosity and Sacrifice-To be like Jesus 

The command to give is not just in the OT, neither is tithing just in the OT. Jesus fully endorses tithing.
* Luke 11:42: Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter (justice and love) without leaving the former undone (tithing). 
Neither God's nature nor His command has changed. Jesus says:
* 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. 

C. The command to give is not just in the OT, neither is tithing just in the OT. 

Luke 11:42--Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter (justice and love) without leaving the former undone (tithing). 

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.

Small Group Discussion Questions: 

*Scripture is quoted from the New International Version unless otherwise noted.
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