IntroductionThank you for picking up this booklet outlining what we believe about biblical stewardship, giving, tithing, and the topics that pertain to those. You may be wondering why we have produced a tool specifically for this topic. As God has blessed our church with new families, guests, and an influx of new voices, the question of what tithing is has become one of the most frequently asked of our pastors and leadership staff. We believe that this topic is vitally important to the spiritual health of a follower of Jesus Christ. To that end, we want to equip you with answers to the questions that you may have.

In addition, one of the aspects of wor-ship, and the Christian life in general, that is most often misunderstood or misconstrued is the topic of giving. It frequently falls prey to the temptation to make the discussion about how the church spends money, why preachers talk so much about money, and other things of that nature. The tragedy when those digressions occur is that it takes a conversation of paramount impor-tance with regard to spiritual health and turns it into fodder for squabbles and pettiness.

To that end, it is my personal hope that this resource elevates the conversation of giving, tithing, and stewardship to where it rightfully belongs: in the realm of worship. How we handle that which God has entrusted us with is as much a part of our spiritual act of worship as prayer, Scripture memory, evangelism,

and numerous other facets of disciple-ship. Our stewardship reflects what we believe and understand about God and His character.

It is our goal that this tool be a combi-nation of doctrinal statement, biblical survey, and practical insight. Like all of our teaching here at First Baptist Con-cord, we want this to be deeply based in the Word of God rightly divided, with the goal of God’s Word transforming the practical, daily way that each of us live our lives. So, we would encourage you as you read on to:• Prayerfully ask God, through the power of His Holy Spirit, to speak to and prompt your heart as you read and contemplate.• Journal as you study. Write down things God brings to mind. Take notes and date them so that you can trace how God was at work in you.• Ask questions. If there are aspects that you would like further insight on or do not understand the manner in which they were communicated, our pastors would love to help you in any way we can. That’s why we’re here.• Commit to transformation. As God prompts you, commit yourself to obedi-ence. There is tremendous intimacy with God to be had when we are obedient in following Him, which is our greatest desire for all our Concord family.

Thank you again for investing your time in this resource and investigating what it means to be a biblical steward. I’m praying that as a result, you will never be the same.

ContentsSession 1What is Biblical Stewardship? 2 Session 2 Blessed to Be a Blessing 10

Session 3Tithing and Giving 17

Session 4 Giving as a Spiritual Discipline 25

Giving Tools 34

2

IntroductionAs we begin this brief look at what the Bible says about giving, these first two sessions will connect the act of giving with what has become known as the Great Commandment. In Matthew 22:36-40, upon being questioned by one of the Pharisees, an authority in the Law, on was what the greatest of all God’s commandments, Jesus answered:

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:37-40)

What Jesus was explaining was that everything that we do under the heading of faithfulness to God must ultimately meet these two qualifications. Every area of our Christian pilgrimage is defined, influenced, and shaped by our love for God and our love for others. Without question, this absolutely includes the way we manage our money. To that end, these first two sessions will examine how loving God and loving others influences our giving and tithing. During this session we will look at the first part of the tandem: how our love for God affects our stewardship.

Any ideas we may have about giving and/or tithing must begin with a sound understanding of what biblical stewardship means. Understanding biblical stewardship is what prevents the discussion of giving from turning into nothing more than a plea for money. For many, though, the term “biblical stewardship” is unfamiliar or unclear. As the church, then, it is incumbent upon us to help those whose care God is entrusting to us make sense of terminology that may be foreign or nebulous to them.

Taking our model for communicating concepts from Jesus himself, we can best understand what biblical stewardship is from a parable, which is a story that Jesus told. Jesus was a master storyteller. He frequently used common, everyday occurrences and objects to demonstrate truths about Himself and the kingdom of God. There is no evidence of loftiness or a desire to impress others with His superior intellect in these stories. Rather, Jesus talked about farming, agriculture, normal business interactions, and other scenarios that His audience could readily identify with.

In one of the better-known parables, Jesus describes a financial interaction to illustrate the importance of stewardship. The parable is recorded in multiple Gospel accounts, but we will focus on the manner in which Matthew recorded it, found in Matthew 25:14-30.

Session 1What is Biblical Stewardship?Matthew 25:14-30

3

Biblical BackgroundChapters 23 – 25 in Matthew’s Gospel contain the final long section of Jesus’ teaching before His betrayal. The latter part of these chapters, between Matthew 24:36 – 25:46, contains a collection of parables. The parables all deal with some manner of watchfulness, all of which is tied to the fact that no one, except God the Father, knows the time of Christ’s return.

In the four parables, Christ’s return is portrayed as coming unexpectedly, then sooner than expected, then later than expected, and finally covers the preparation that should be in place whenever the return of Christ occurs. In His parables, Jesus addresses every possible scenario because, as He tells His disciples, not even He knew the time of His return.

In the passage we will focus on in this session, we look at the fourth parable, called the Parable of the Talents. In his assessment of the Parable of the Talents, scholar Craig Blomberg notes, “the fourth parable then explores more fully what that preparation involves – good stewardship of all God has committed to us.”

The TextThe first two verses of the passage set up the situation for the doctrinal teaching. Even as Jesus lays the groundwork for His parable, we are still able to identify several

important truths that aid us in our understanding of biblical stewardship.

“For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.” (Matthew 25:14-15)

First, the opening of the verses sets the purpose for the story: describing the kingdom of heaven. From the outset of the parable, those hearing Jesus’ voice are notified to expect grander significance represented by the characters and action of the story. Jesus refers to his going away, represented by the man, as well as the entrusting of his property to his servants. This brings us to our second truth, specifically that the parable has to do with servants taking care of property that is not their own. Recognizing where ownership resides in the parable is critical for its understanding. Third, the servants do not receive the same amount from their master. Rather, what they are entrusted with is determined by their ability to manage the resources to which they were entrusted.

“He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and

4

hid his master’s money.” (Matthew 25:15 – 17)

These three verses set in contrast the two responses to stewardship opportunities. Most notably, the first servant mentioned, the one with five talents, is described as going “at once” to increase the money his master entrusted to him. The second servant is described as “so also,” referring to the manner in which he went about his labor. These first two servants, understanding the desires of their master, waste no time in doing what they know their master would have done himself, had he not left for his journey.

The third servant, on the other hand, did nothing. He dug a hole in the ground and buried the money. He refused to carry out the commission that his master had called him to. He had taken the trust of his master, represented by the significant amount of money placed in his care, and spurned it with his unfaithfulness.

It would be fitting to mention a word or two here about the nature of stewardship. Because stewardship is effectively using what has been entrusted to you, then the trajectory of stewardship must align with what the master would do with his own property. The first two servants did what their master would have done, had he not left on his journey, by investing the money for a high return. The third servant did the opposite. Stewardship includes doing what the owner of the entrusted

entity would have done with it if he had not loaned it out. Biblical stewardship, then, means leveraging what Christ has entrusted to the believer to further the cause of Christ in the world.

As the parable continues, it is clear that there will be an account given by the servants when their master returns. From the beginning of the parable, with the announcing of the master’s imminent journey, there is also the inherent expectation of a return. A journey without a return is simply leaving. Like the other three parables that precede this one in Matthew, the return of the master occurs. The experience of the servants at his return contrast as strongly as the servants’ response to their stewardship opportunity.

“Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’” (Matthew 25:19-23)

5

This group of passages details the experience of the first two servants at the return of their master. Interestingly, Jesus gives the exact same response to each of the first two servants. The amount they gave to their master was not the significant detail. Ten talents and four talents were treated the same. What is the cause of the equal treatment? The master commended his faithful servants according to their ability, not the amount of money they returned. Noted scholar Craig Blomberg notes “those who have been good stewards of all the time, material resources, and abilities God has given them (and not just with a tenth of these) can expect commendation, happiness, and eternal life from God.”

Unfortunately, the third servant does not share the same experience when the master returns. In an alarmingly stark contrast, the tone of parable changes drastically in the face of the servant’s unfaithfulness.

“He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’ But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have

received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents.” (Matthew 25:24-28)

The account of the master dealing with the unfaithful servant is as long as the account of the master’s dealings with the two faithful servants combined. This passage, honestly, is a bit difficult to wrap one’s mind around as coming from the lips of Jesus. These five verses are an excellent example of why it is important not to make the Bible say something it does not say. Let’s examine the exchange.

First, the servant begins by passively blaming the master for his lack of effort – not completely unlike Adam blaming God for giving him Eve, who tempted him to sin in Genesis 3. The servant paints his master as a harsh taskmaster, devoid of mercy or understanding. This sentiment was a popular view of God at the time of Jesus. It has also remained intact among many Christians today. Because of his characterization of his master, the servant was afraid of disappointing his master by losing his money. Rather than take a risk in being faithful, the servant buried the money and settled for simply returning to the master that which he had been given. The servant failed to understand that the master’s primary interest was in his faithful stewardship.

Second, the master rebukes the servant’s laziness. The expectation on all three servants was that they proceed,

Session 1

6

as the master would have done. This is why Jesus emphasizes the immediacy of their initiative when they receive the five and two talents respectively. The servant failed to act in the way that his master modeled out of his fear.

Third, the response of the master should not be seen as either a denial or a confirmation of the servant’s characterization of him. Due to the harsh nature of the servant’s depiction of his master, it is natural for the reader of the text to attempt to infer that, as if the depiction is true. The text, though, never does so. Rather, the master simply states that, even if the depiction were true, the servant would still be lazy and slothful because the servant did not employ the even course of least risk –putting the master’s money in the bank. Since not even the smallest step toward faithfulness was taken, the servant’s talent is taken from him and given to a faithful servant. However, this was not the direst of punishments for the unfaithful servant.

“For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. Bur from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 25:29-30)

The greater punishment is the wicked servant being cast out. Again, it is important to remember that this parable

is being told in conjunction with Jesus’ explaining the kingdom of heaven and His teaching on the end times in Matthew 24. Those who demonstrate faithfulness with regard to what God has entrusted to them will be blessed with growth and increased responsibility. However, those who shun God-ordained opportunities for stewardship will have that which they currently have taken away.

There is a danger, in reading this parable, of believing that it teaches some sort of works righteousness. In other words, if someone gives a lot of money to God then they can buy their way into heaven. Nothing could be further from the truth. In its context, this parable demonstrates that when the master calls his servants, those who love the master and engage in his purpose shall ultimately be deemed as faithful, sharing in the master’s joy. Those who misunderstand the master, refusing the master’s commission, will be cast out. Either way, the response to stewardship opportunities is an outward sign of the servant’s understanding and relationship with his master.

The Text in LifeThere is much to be digested in this passage. Stewardship is the current upon which the parable ebbs and flows. For our purposes in studying what biblical stewardship means, there are a handful of lessons to be gleaned. First of all, stewardship is not exclusively about money. That may seem odd for some of us who have been around church for a while and, thus, become

7

accustomed to stewardship being used synonymously with giving. However, biblical stewardship refers to everything that God has entrusted to His people. That list includes effectively stewarding our family, friendships, relationships, jobs and work environments, home, influence, skills, time, talents, and so on. Unequivocally, stewardship also means using the money and resources God has allowed in our lives for His purposes as well. Financial stewardship, though, does not remove the call of God on the believer’s life to steward the other areas of life as well. In short, God desires to use every part of our lives for His glory in the world. Nothing is to be held back from Him.

Second, blessing is tied to being effective stewards of what God has blessed us with. We must be careful with such a statement because at no time do we want to confuse monetary blessing with the blessing taught in this parable. There are some strains of theology that teach that giving of our resources will absolutely result in personal financial prosperity. The simple truth is that such teaching cannot be substantiated with a responsible understanding of the Bible. The blessing that is realized by the faithful believer who stewards his or her life well takes numerous forms. At the core of all of those forms, though, is the blessing of increased intimacy and awareness of the glory of God. When the believer opens his or her life to what God wants to do in and through them, there is unsurpassable joy to be experienced that exceeds monetary value.

Third, biblical stewardship is predicated on understanding that all we are and have belongs to God. Our intellect, training, experience, ability to earn a wage, our jobs, families, strength, competency, and everything else is a gift from God. From time to time, it can be easy to believe the lie that we are self-made and have earned everything we have achieved. This is a dangerous form of prideful arrogance that can blind us to the blessings of God. When we are blinded to the blessings of God, it is impossible to have a spirit of gratitude toward God. The spirit of gratitude is the soil that biblical stewardship is nourished in and sprouts from.

Fourth, biblical stewardship is an act of love toward God. Because that is true, even our giving and tithing can go toward fulfilling the Great Commandment as we love God with all of our heart, soul and mind. Without love for God, biblical stewardship is impossible. That is not to say that charity and the donation of resources is impossible. Biblical stewardship, however, is only possible when the implanted Word of God in us (James 1:21) first produces the fruit of salvation within us.

The greatest fear for most Christians in talking about money is that their words would be perceived as nothing other than a veiled attempt to guilt people into giving. Such a manipulative concept is the antonym of biblical stewardship. Biblical stewardship, instead, is the manifesting of the believer’s love of and gratitude to God

Session 1

8

Questions to Consider1. In your own words, why is it

important to understand that stewardship is not restricted to only how we use our money?

2. Describe a time in your life in which you were keenly aware of an increased sense of gratitude in your spirit toward God. How did it change your attitude?

3. How often do you think about what God’s purpose is for you specifically? How do your home, work, or school environments shape that understanding?

4. Why do you think it is signifi-cant that Jesus rewards the five-talent servant and the two-talent servant equally in the parable? What does that show about the heart of God?

5. What areas of your life currently are the easiest for you to practice stewardship in? Which areas require the most discipline?

6. What ways would you recommend to help culti-vate a gracious spirit?

7. Write a brief definition of biblical stewardship in your own words.

in ways that serve to advance God’s purpose in the world as faithful servants. Doing so is as much a blessing for the steward as the beneficiary, leading to a life blessed by intimacy with God.

What’s NextIn our next session, we’re going to look at how our biblical stewardship is to be focused. If you’ve ever wondered if there was a biblical precedent for the aim of our biblical stewardship, you’ll find answers in the life of Abram and the challenge to the church as a result.

How does biblical stewardship help believers not only love God, but also love their neighbors as themselves? Let’s find out.

9

Notes

10

IntroductionIn the first session, biblical stewardship was explained as one way in which believers live out the Great Commandment. When believers understand the depth of the gift of grace they have received through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, their love for God deepens. That love for God is manifested in many ways, including how the believer handles money and resources. The first part of the Great Commandment, loving God with all of our heart, soul, and mind, encompasses every area of our lives.

This second session focuses on the latter part of the Great Commandment as recorded in Matthew’s Gospel, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” When we exercise biblical stewardship, it is not only an act of love toward God. Rather, God has designed the Body of Christ, that is to say the Church, to edify others through its stewardship.

When we look at the whole biblical narrative, we realize that this was always a part of God’s plan for His people, going all the way back to Abraham. In Genesis 12, when God first calls Abraham (then Abram) to be the father of His chosen people, God makes it explicitly clear that blessing was to be a part of the function of His people.

“Now the Lord said to Abram, ‘Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land

that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” (Genesis 12:1-3)

The people of God are blessed to be a blessing to others. In other words, God’s people are to steward their blessings. The logical next question is “How has God blessed me to be a blessing to others?” The answers to that question will be as different as the people who answer them. However, one of the areas of commonality for believers is in the area of money and resources. As God has blessed us in this area of life, we are to leverage that blessing to bless others.

The Scripture is full of examples of this happening. The example we look at this week occurs in Paul’s second biblical letter to the Corinthian church. Paul is in the midst of teaching the Corinthian believers about the blessings of generous giving when he explains the significance of blessing others.

Biblical BackgroundPaul’s relationship with the church in Corinth was perhaps his most contentious and difficult relationship with any church. The city of Corinth was extremely affluent due to its geographic location along multiple major trade routes. As a result, the city was a conglomeration of various cultural and

Session 2Blessed to Be a Blessing2 Corinthians 9:10-15

11

religious expressions. The cosmopolitan environment had led to a sexually promiscuous environment in which immorality was widely practiced in a wide variety of ways. The city of Corinth was actually known in the ancient near eastern world for its sexual debasement. “To Corinthianize” was a satirical, slanderous phrase used throughout the region to describe engaging any type of perversion. Such was the background for this struggling congregation.

The letter titled 2 Corinthians in the New Testament is actually the fourth correspondence between Paul and the Corinthian church. Two of the letters were lost, but are referenced in 1 and 2 Corinthians. Behind 1 and 2 Corinthians there was a second visit from Paul to Corinth, which apparently led to considerable resentment and hostility toward the apostle. This visit was followed by a severe letter, which we do not have, addressing several of the sinful issues in the congregation that must be addressed.

The writing of 2 Corinthians, then, finds Paul facing a number of issues within the church. Some of the issues are residual problems addressed in 1 Corinthians, particularly the division and dissension within the Corinthian church. There also remained the matter of some Corinthians’ ongoing engagement in various forms of immorality.

Still other issues that Paul faced were the result of his previous visit to Corinth. Inferences in 2 Corinthians

indicate that Paul endured a personal attack of some sort during his second visit. The Corinthian church had not followed through on disciplining the offender. Paul’s qualification to be an apostle had been called into question with greater severity. His weaknesses in personal appearance, presence, and speaking were highlighted by opponents within the Corinthian church.

Finally, there are problems that are peculiar to this letter. The first of these problems was a rift between Paul and the Corinthians over Paul’s refusal to accept financial support from the Corinthians. This would have been perceived as a breach of social etiquette on the part of the Corinthians. It made them look bad for Paul not to accept their support. The second problem was the arrival of certain false apostles in Corinth that were perverting Paul’s biblical teaching of the Gospel.

The third unique problem is the one our passage deals with most specifically: the ceasing of the collection for the church in Jerusalem. The church in Jerusalem, due to their persecution among their Jewish countrymen, was extremely destitute. Paul’s ongoing effort among the churches he started was a collection of money to help sustain the oppressed Jerusalem church. The Jerusalem church absolutely depended on the generosity of the other churches for their survival.

The TextPaul is in the middle of his teaching section on generous giving. In the

12

believing Him to be good and generous, and therefore is generous as God is generous, God is actually the one who provides the material resources to enable increased generosity. Increased generosity requires increased faith, but also experiences increased provision. Notice that these blessings from God are never said to make the Corinthians rich. There is no sense in Scripture that God’s blessings are to be hoarded. Rather, God’s blessings are to be employed, leveraged, and stewarded to bless others as the Holy Spirit makes the believer aware of the needs around him or her.

The word “righteousness” that closes out this verse is the same word that Paul uses in quoting Psalm 112. The point in duplicating that word is to drive home the fact that the generosity of which he speaks, as it is extended to bless others, is a deeper act than merely giving money. It is volitionally and joyfully choosing to move, both in attitude and action, toward Christlikeness in the way generosity is demonstrated. Doing so is a spiritual act that is empowered by the Holy Spirit indwelling the believer.

“You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. For the ministry this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God.”(2 Corinthians 9:11-12)

previous verses, Paul has written of the power of God to make all grace and sufficiency abound to those who give with joy and exuberance. In those verses is included the familiar passage, “…for God loves a cheerful giver.” (vs. 7c). Immediately prior to our passage, Paul cites Psalm 112:9 as a way of affirming that when believers give, they are actually participating in a divine act. It is a divine act because it reflects the character of God in His relationship with His people. God gives love, grace, and mercy lavishly to His people, even at the cost of His own Son. That being so, generous and joyful giving is evidence in the believer’s life of being conformed to the image of Christ. Paul takes that principle and applies it directly to the matter at hand for the Corinthians.

“He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.” (2 Corinthians 9:10)

This verse actually reinforces, and almost repeats, the contents of verse 8. Paul connects the power of God to provide the essentials for life to the point that the recipient of God’s gifts can give generously within the Corinthian context. God, who supplies seed for the sower and bread for food, is demonstrated to be of limitless supply and willingness in distribution. In this verse, in conjunction with verse 8, there is a spiraling pattern at work of faith-give-provision. When the believer takes God at His word,

13

In verse 11, Paul repeats the phrase, “in every way,” to connect the objects of those prepositional phrases. Specifically, Paul is connecting the enriching of the Corinthian people to the purpose of their being enriched, i.e. to be generous. The blessing of God exists to bless others. The byproduct of blessing others has both horizontal and vertical ramifications. Horizontally, the generosity of the Corinthians materially meets the dire needs of their Jerusalem brothers and sisters, “supplying the needs of the saints.” Vertically, though, the more significant impact is that the praises of God are multiplied. The exact inner workings of the praise building is explained in the next verses.

“By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission flowing from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and all others, while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you. Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:13 – 15)

Paul is laying out a beautiful picture of the body of Christ at work in his explanation. When the believers in Jerusalem approve of the service, they complete a bookend of the ministry of the offering, of sorts. What must not be overlooked in this passage is that a predominantly Gentile congregation is being asked to sacrificially give to support a Jewish congregation that once

held a summit to decide if they were even going to acknowledge that Gentiles could be Christ-followers (Acts 15).

The offering is about so much more than the money. It is about the unifying of the body of Christ in spite of numerous earthly factors that would argue for refusing to give. The racial distinction between Jews and Gentiles was the most profound factor. Aside from that, the Corinthians did not know the Jerusalemites. There was no personal connection at all. In addition, Paul, with whom the Corinthians were obviously not in agreement on a variety of matters, was the one asking for the sacrificial gift. Finally, the expectation of giving to an oppressed congregation only emphasizes the reality that the Corinthian church was enduring its own share of persecution, albeit not as severe as Jerusalem. The reasons for the offering not being honored were myriad.

On the other hand, the embracing of the offering by both the Corinthians and the Jerusalemites serves as an outward confirmation of the character of Christ taking root in both places. The church in Jerusalem, realizing the overcoming of all the factors listed above, would glorify God because of the evidence of Christian maturity through the Corinthians’ generous submission to how God was leading them.

Receiving the loving sacrifice from the Corinthian church would forge deep bonds between the two congregations, knitting their hearts together. The

Session 2

14

language of longing in their prayers for the Corinthians is graphic in nature, to depict the heartfelt appreciation and love that bound the two churches to one another. The Corinthians were financially blessed, at least at this point in their history, and leveraged that to bless those that were in need, just as God intended. The result was the unification of the body of Christ across ethnic, geographic, and socio-economic barriers, yielding the collective praise of God. This is the potential power of blessing others because we have been blessed.

The Text in LifeWhen we talk about being blessed to be a blessing to others, it requires some rewiring in our default thinking. The default way of thinking in our culture seems to be that the blessing is to bless ourselves by hoarding the resources. Biblically though, we must come to the conclusion that God blesses us so that we might serve as a conduit of His blessing to others. How we apply that biblical understanding to our lives has several applications.

First, we understand the importance of giving to the church. Please don’t read that statement as a self-serving one. Instead of being self-serving, it is fortified by numerous biblical texts, including the one that is the focus of this session. Paul was collecting an offering to help sustain the church in Jerusalem so that the work of the Gospel could and would continue there. He goes out of his way in describing this offering

effort in other letters so as to show the desperation of the Jerusalem church. Giving to their local church is the way believers provide for and sustain the Gospel ministries of that local church, in accordance with the direction in which God is leading that church. In other words, giving to the local church is a major way in which believers and attenders enable the local church to collectively be a blessing to others.

Second, generosity leads to unity and worship. Paul is careful to emphasize that the impact that generous giving has on a church body strengthens the relationships of that body both horizontally (with one another) and vertically (with God). Why do you think that is? It is because generous gifting grows out of selfless devotion to the work of the Gospel. When our acts of worship are generated from selfless devotion to God, the unity with others and the intimacy of worshiping God increase dramatically. If we are freed from intently focusing on our own interests and advancement, every relationship we have deepens.

Third, giving generously requires planning and preparation. Paul’s purpose in writing this section of the letter was to give advance notice to the Corinthians that the men collecting the offering for the Jerusalem church were on their way to Corinth. Paul had told the men of the Corinthians’ generosity, according to his earlier experiences with them. The advance notice is so the Corinthians are prepared to deliver

15

Session 2

on their earlier pledge to assist the Jerusalem church. Likewise for us, generous giving requires planning and preparation. Preparation includes prayer regarding what God is calling each of us to give. It also means giving in such a way that we are good stewards of our fiscal responsibilities. Biblical giving is not a knee-jerk reaction of throwing whatever is in our pockets in a plate. Rather, biblical giving is engaging God first and allowing our relationship with Him to guide and shape our giving. This honors the Lord because giving begins with Him and has Him as its central focus.

Fourth, biblical generosity is critical for healthy spiritual growth. In writing this passage to the Corinthian church, and to us, Paul begins by pointing out that God is active in the believer’s life to enable them to give generously in the first place. Then when the recipient of God’s blessing is faithful in generous giving, the recipient experiences the provision of God in his or her life. This pattern shouldn’t be viewed as an algebraic equation to calculate how to ensure God’s lavish financial blessing. Rather, it demonstrates that where we are faithful, God is exceedingly more so. Therefore, when we are faithful to bless others with our blessing, withholding nothing in our lives from faithfulness to God, we humbly place ourselves in a position to experience the faithfulness of God and we are transformed.

What’s NextBecause giving to the local church is the biblical model for how believers cooperate to resource the Body of Christ to fulfill the Great Commision of Christ, it is important that we understand the different types of giving.

In our next session, we look at the biblical teaching on tithing and giving. Are they different? Why does it matter? What about the differences in the Old Testament and New Testament? Let’s find out.

16

Questions to Consider1. When you think of being

blessed to be a blessing, what immediate contexts come to your mind? Why do you think those particular ones came to mind?

2. How much thought and planning do you invest in how you give? How would you like to see that change?

3. How would you explain the importance of pursuing God in prayer before you decide what to give? How have you seen this difference in your own life?

4. If you were to paraphrase, “you will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way,” in your own words, what would be the main idea(s) that you want to make sure you emphasize? How would you say it?

5. Read Philippians 2. How does Christ serve as the model for what Paul is saying?

6. Describe a time in your life when God unexpectedly provided for you or your family through another person. How did that affect your faith? How did you notice your prayer life change after that experience?

17

Notes

18

Session 3

IntroductionIn the first two sessions, we laid the groundwork for a biblical understanding of stewardship and giving. Most notably, these concepts do not have money as their initial focus. Stewardship and giving are much broader than merely money. However, money has been what these terms have been historically tied to most often. Instead, stewardship and giving have at their core the understanding that God is the gracious giver and provider of every blessing. James tells us this in his letter.

“Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” (James 1:16-17)

Being that God is the giver of every blessing in our lives, stewardship is the response of gratitude in which we leverage those blessings to show our love for God by furthering his purposes on the earth and by sharing our blessings to bless others. Those blessings can include our time, talents, passions, influence, friendships, families, jobs, and a host of other things that are intended and beneficial for demonstrating our love for God. One of the areas that absolutely makes that list is how we demonstrate biblical stewardship with our money and resources.

In this lesson, we’re going to look at what the Bible has to say about tithing and giving financially. Transparently, in many contexts, even discussing money and its connection with our faith can make some feel uncomfortable. However, we must have conversations about biblical financial stewardship because the Bible does so frequently. During His earthly ministry, Jesus Himself discussed what to do with money more than He discussed heaven, hell, or His own second coming. This is an exceptionally big deal. In fact, it is such an important part of discipleship that we want to make absolutely certain that we discuss biblical giving with specificity and practicality.

To that end, this session will seek to answer three questions: 1) What is tithing? 2) What is the New Testament teaching on tithing? and 3) What is the difference between tithing and giving/offering? In order to answer these questions fully, we’ll be looking at biblical passages that span the entire counsel of the Bible.

What is Tithing?The short answer to this question is that tithing means giving the first tenth of one’s income to his or her local church. For the sake of clarity, it is 10% of the gross, in today’s language. The importance of the tithe is repeatedly taught throughout the Old Testament, but because it is such an important part of the lives of God’s people, it is helpful to understand how it developed in the Old Testament.

Tithing and Giving(multiple texts)

19

The first mention of the tithe in the Bible is in Genesis 14:18-20. In this passage, Abram, shortly after being called by God to be the father of a new nation in Genesis 12, has just finished a battle against an alliance of marauding kings. In their conquest, the kings had taken Abram’s nephew, Lot, and all his possessions. Abram joins forces with the plundered kings to go after their oppressors and is victorious through the provision of God. When he returns from battle, one of the plundered kings, the king of Sodom, offers Abram a victor’s reward. Abram refuses the spoils, acknowledging the favor of God as the source of victory.

Instead of accepting the spoils of victory from the king of Sodom, Abram offers something. In an encounter with a mysterious priest named Melchizedek, identified as a priest of the LORD, GOD Most High, the following takes place.

“And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.) And he blessed him and said, ‘Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!’ And Abram gave him a tenth of everything.” (Genesis 14:18-20)

There are some significant aspects of this passage. First, Melchizedek is identified as a priest of God hundreds

of years before the Levitical priesthood was even established. In fact, Abram was the great grandfather of Levi, whose lineage the priesthood was reserved for. At this point in history, Abram has been promised by God that he would be the father of a great nation, but he still had no children. Second, the fact that Melchizedek blesses Abram, according to cultural custom, affirms that Melichizedek is the greater of the two. Further, by offering a tithe to Melchizedek, Abram submits to Melchizedek as a sign of respect and reverence. Third, in acknowledging the favor of God on him, Abram’s tithe is an act of grateful worship.

Abram’s encounter with Melchizedek, who reappears in the letter to the Hebrews, sets the precedent that tithing is motivated by gratitude as a form of worshiping God. We see that precedent formally become law as Moses leads the people of Israel to enter into a covenant with God at Mount Horeb/Sinai.

Although the most memorable event during the Israelites’ time at Mount Sinai was the receiving of the Ten Commandments, there was considerably more interaction between God and His people, through the agency of Moses, during that time. Part of the instruction they received in terms of how to live in covenant fellowship with God had to do with their money and resources. Among other places, we see this in Leviticus 27:30-32 as the book of Leviticus comes to a close.

20

“Every tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the trees, is the LORD’s; it is holy to the LORD. If a man wishes to redeem some of his tithe, he shall add a fifth to it. And every tithe of herds and flocks, every tenth animal of all that pass under the herdsman’s staff, shall be holy to the LORD…. These are the commandments that the LORD commanded Moses for the people of Israel on Mount Sinai.” (Leviticus 27:30-32, 34)

From these verses, we learn a couple of significant things about tithing. First and foremost, it is a command from God for His covenant people as a measure of faithfulness in living in fellowship with Him. This is not a suggestion or a moral teaching; it is a command. The text says so specifically. Second, the people were to tithe based on what God blessed them with. It is an act of gratitude that instills the discipline of worship. It repeatedly, regularly, and purposefully places the people in a position of trusting God for their provision.

It is interesting to note in these verses that, because the Israelite people at this point in their history were nomadic and agrarian in their lifestyle, their tithes took the form of the blessings that would be associated with nomads and farmers. The only mention of money was if Israelites wanted to redeem part of their tithe of their fruit produce. In that case, they were actually to add a fifth to their tithe. In other words, if they gave fruit from the land, they were to give

10%. If they wanted to give money and keep the fruit, they were to give 12%.

From reading further into the Old Testament statutes, we know that the priests were not to work in the fields because their occupation was to serve as intermediaries between God and the people. The tithes that were given were to sustain the priests as they devoted themselves to the work of God in the temple or tent of meeting, depending on the point in history. To put it in contemporary vernacular, the tithes went to sustain the ministry of the church in the nation of Israel.

The next question that we address deals with the place of the tithe under the new covenant in Jesus’ blood. If the tithe was a stipulation of the covenant relationship between God and His people in the Old Testament, then how does the inauguration of a new covenant change the biblical mandate to tithe? This is the focus of our next section.

What is the Old Testament Teaching on Tithing?Much changed when Jesus inaugurated the new covenant in His blood, through His death, burial, and resurrection. The Old Testament prophesies to this in many places, but perhaps none more clearly as the prophet Jeremiah.

“Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not

21

Session 3

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.” (Matthew 5:17-18)

The coming of Jesus was the fulfillment of the prophecy in Jeremiah we read earlier, and so many others. He did not come to eradicate the Law and Prophets or to render them meaningless. Rather, He came to fulfill them in the most glorious possible way. The sacrifices that were offered daily by the Levitical priests in the Old Testament were fulfilled by one final, perfect sacrifice in Christ on the cross. The ability of the people of God to live in covenant relationship with God, which was fraught with futility due to their lack of faithfulness and holiness in the Old Testament, was fulfilled when Christ took our sinfulness on Himself and gave us His righteousness. Likewise, the commandment to tithe in the Old Testament is fulfilled in the new covenant by the model of Christ given to us. The apostle Paul describes it this way.

“Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming

like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the LORD. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD; I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. (Jeremiah 31:31-34)

When Jeremiah writes that the law will be written on the hearts of God’s people, it refers to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit that believers experience at the point of salvation. The Holy Spirit’s role in part is to lead believers into righteousness and convict them of wrongdoing. This is a sign of the new covenant. That is important to understand when we consider the New Testament teaching on tithing because there is a temptation among some believers to believe that the new covenant renders the teaching of the old covenant invalid. Nothing could be further from the truth. Both covenants have God as their author and their guarantor. When Jesus described His work and ministry in relationship to the Mosaic Law, He did so in this way:

22

obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:5-8)

Christ emptied Himself of all the riches of heaven to become a sacrifice for us, while we were still enemies of God. Paul directs us to have the same mind in us that was in Christ Jesus. As that pertains to tithing and giving, God is not interested merely in the check we put in the offering plate, what we give online, or whatever the avenue we choose to do so. God wants all of us - every facet, gift, passion, ability, thought, act, deed, relationship, and opportunity. He redeemed us for His purposes. Tithing is one way in which we gratefully and joyfully participate in His purposes as His children. This is what the New Testament says about tithing.

What is the Difference Between Tithing and Giving/Offering?

One of the challenges we face is the terminology we use when we communicate about biblical stewardship. Sometimes, we can fall into a habit of using terms interchangeably that were not intended to be used interchangeably. The terms this most frequently applies to are tithing and giving. These are related, but different activities. In addition, other terms can be used interchangeably with “giving,” such as “offering” or “generosity.” Because we want to be as clear as possible as to what the Bible teaches about stewardship, we want to take a moment to define these

terms and their proper understanding.

While we have already defined tithing, it should be pointed out for the sake of answering this particular question, that from a New Testament perspective, tithing represents the essential minimum for faithful, biblical stewardship. Pastor James MacDonald offers a helpful distinction between tithing and giving when he says that giving the first tenth of all God has given you is the on-ramp to the highway of generosity. Sadly, we can frequently perceive tithing as the finish line in our biblical stewardship. Such a practice does not reflect the character or model of Jesus.

Giving or offering refers to that which believers give that is beyond the tithe. Pastor and Southern Baptist Convention President Ronnie Floyd explains generous giving, saying, “generosity is a lifestyle that gives freely and lives openhandedly. Generosity is the amount beyond the first tenth you give to your church.” The spiritual significance of giving is that it wars against our natural proclivity toward greed. Greed is grounded in our desire to control our own lives, environments, and comfort. Greed is idolatry and prevents God’s people from the blessing of the depth of intimacy with Him that He desires.

Pragmatically speaking, tithing and giving serve different functions in the life of the church. Tithes are intended to sustain the ministry of the local church as it seeks to follow God in fulfilling the Great Commission and

23

Session 3

So what’s the problem in this passage? Why is God so angry? His people, Israel, were doing all of the activity of worship, but were turning a deaf ear and a cold heart to God. They were tithing and offering in abundance, yet their activity did not reflect a humility of worship toward God. They had worship services, and even extra festivals and services. They were religiously busy. But they treated God like a check box to be crossed off in mindless, heartless obligation. This empty ritual is never the desire of God.

When we talk about tithing and giving at First Baptist Concord, our greatest desire is that our Concord family hears the conversation in the context of lives that are surrendered to God and lived openhandedly for His glorious purpose. That is real life with Jesus.

What’s NextHaving defined the practices of tithing and giving, one of the most significant challenges we face is preventing those practices from becoming nothing more than an outward act.

In our last session, we’re going to examine the spiritual impact that biblical giving has on the believer.

the Great Commandment. Giving or offerings beyond the tithe are gifts toward particular areas of passion or interest. But, it bears mentioning again, that giving/offerings are beyond or after the tithe is given.

ConclusionWhatever the form of giving, all of the believer’s giving is predicated on understanding the depth of what Jesus Christ gave for him or her to provide the forgiveness and freedom that the believer is helpless to provide. Any giving to the work of God that does not start at the intersection of gratitude and worship for the cross of Christ is woefully short of God’s desire. We know this because God is infinitely more concerned about the posture and motivation of our giving than the amount of our giving. In a passage that is difficult to read, Isaiah reminds us of this.

“What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? Says the LORD; I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of goats. When you come to appear before me, who has required of you this trampling of my courts? Bring no more vain offerings; incense is an abomination to me. New moon and Sabbath and the calling of convocations – I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly. Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hates; they have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them.” (Isaiah 1:11-14)

24

Questions to Consider1. What was most helpful part of

this session for the way you look at biblical stewardship? Why?

2. To what degree does your current giving align with the biblical teaching presented in this session? How would you like to see that change in the next six months? What steps can you begin putting into place this week to move toward that goal?

3. For many who have never given before, a tithe can mean a significant adjustment in multiple areas of life. If you’ve never given before, what are some practical steps you can put in place to move toward tithing? Make sure to include realistic timelines.

4. Why do you think it is so important to have an appropriate spirit of gratitude toward God in place as a part of our biblical stewardship?

5. How would you explain the difference between tithing and giving/offering in your own words? Give an example of each.

6. What impact on materialism has giving had in your life to this point? Give an example of the change you’ve experienced.

25

Notes

26

Session 4

IntroductionThus far, we have looked at the biblical foundation for stewardship, the commission of using our blessing for the sake of blessing others, and the definitions and expressions of tithing and giving. The hope behind exploring these topics is that our approach to biblical stewardship, both personally and collectively, elevates it from the position of a burdensome task to a realization of it as a worshipful act of love and gratitude toward God. The temptation to reduce giving to a checkbox, perfunctory act is very real. However, as we emphasized at the close of the last session, God is much more interested in the spiritual condition of the soul of the giver than in the amount or shape of the gift.

It would be fitting to offer an inclusive word at this point to emphasize that this applies to every possible avenue of giving. It applies to the way we give our time, offer ourselves in service, leverage the influence of relationships, demonstrate our ethic in how we work at our jobs, and utilize the talents and abilities God has endowed us with for His glory. Biblical stewardship applies to each of these things and many more. However, our primary focus in this resource has to do with biblical stewardship’s influence on how we use our money and resources for God’s glory.

In our final session, then, we want to focus on giving as a spiritual discipline.

As is always helpful, let’s make sure to define the terms we’ll be using throughout this session. By giving, we mean all forms of financial giving, whether tithing or offering. Spiritual disciplines refer to those practices in which the believer engages in order to place them in a position of openness to God. The purpose of spiritual disciplines is to create in the believer’s life the structures of a life that reflects Christ’s likeness. Classical spiritual disciplines include prayer, fasting, Scripture memory, corporate and personal worship, and biblical giving. Through the implementation of spiritual disciplines, the believer’s faith grows deeper roots, stretching to new levels of trust and intimacy with God. The spiritual disciplines gradually erode the grip of sinful vices that inhibit the believer’s growth in his or her relationship with Christ.

The Problem We Don’t SeeWhen we combine these two concepts, giving as a spiritual discipline is a structured way in which the believer reminds himself or herself of not only the need for and dependence in God, but does so in such a way as to release the grip of a particular vice. So what would be the vice that giving addresses? Greed. That might seem like an odd response, particularly if a person does not view himself or herself as particularly greedy. Pastor and author Tim Keller, in his book Counterfeit Gods, speaks to the nefarious nature of greed: “But nobody thinks they are greedy…. Greed hides

Giving as a Spiritual DisciplineMatthew 6:19-33

27

itself from the victim. The money god’s modus operandi includes blindness to your own heart…. The counterfeit god of money uses powerful sociological and psychological dynamics.”

In other words, greed is all but impossible to detect in our own lives because of the nature of the sin. It is based on the comparison of possessions between ourselves and those around us. We call it “keeping up with the Joneses.” That comparison provides a vehicle of justification that is so powerful that it inoculates us against the conviction of the sin. Keller, then, warns, “If greed hides itself so deeply, no one should be confident that it is not a problem for them.” Pastor Ronnie Floyd offers a helpful contrast in character between greed and generosity: “Greed is an insatiable desire for more. Greed is about grasping, craving, acquiring, and hoarding, while generosity is about giving, charity, blessing, and handing.”

Ultimately, greed subverts the believer’s ability to freely worship God because the primacy of worship that is intended only for God becomes gradually warped into focusing on acquisition, self-provision, and personal ownership. Giving, then systematically re-orients the believer to a proper priority of worship by focusing on giving, God’s provision, and personal stewardship of that which God owns.

The SolutionAs we consider the danger of residual greed that shapes the way we view our possessions, our security, and

even our relationship with God, it is critical that we apply biblical truth and teaching to the matter. There are some extremely familiar passages in which Jesus addressed the problem. However, these verses are frequently batted about in conversation out of context or as a verbal club to wield conviction and guilt on others. Honestly, that is a significant reason why so many who attend church are hesitant to discuss money in conjunction with their faith.

As we read through the words of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount, we find a familiar verse that actually functions as a type of hinge between two other larger passages. The larger passages address the significant issues at war in the context of greed vs. generosity, while the hinge verse summarizes and clarifies both problem and solution. Here is the hinge verse:

“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” (Matthew 6:24)

This verse is quite familiar, particularly in conversations about tithing in the church. In a concise way, it identifies the problem. Only one thing can be most important in a person’s life – God or something else. If the “something else” takes the place of priority, the word for that is idolatry. So, a better way of stating the problem might be: “only one thing can be most important in a person’s life – God or gods.”

28

likely has in mind are comprised of lavish oriental garments and precious jewels or metals. All such treasure was easily susceptible to the corrosive forces in the hot, sandy climate of Palestine. Keeping precious belongings in a condition that would maintain or increase their value would have been a significant challenge.

For those items that did escape the erosion of value, there was still the ever-present problem of theft. We know from a variety of Jesus’ parables and teaching that theft was a common problem in the region. Consider, for instance, the parable of the Good Samaritan. Jesus’ parables contained object lessons and details of life that were easily understood so that the lessons to be learned from the parables were communicated. While the severity of the beating that the robbed traveler sustained would have been a shocking detail, the fact that he was robbed by marauding bandits would not have been.

Jesus’ point in these verses has an extremely pragmatic, as well as spiritual, flavor. Why would a person dedicate their life, energy, talent, and sum total of their effort attaining something that deteriorates and loses value? It is the very definition of what it means to waste a life. Instead, the wise investment is to place treasure in a place that it can never deteriorate and where the value is the greatest. Heavenly treasure does not face even the slightest possibility of a decrease in value or being stolen.

The strong language in the verse underscores the tremendous importance of making the correct choice. The word “masters” employed by Jesus has the connotation of a slave master who required absolute and total allegiance. Scholar Craig Blomberg notes that “love” and “hate” in Semitic thought are often equivalent to “choose” or “not choose.” Still the mutual exclusivity of the two masters should not be diluted. Only one is going to be most important and be the fundamental basis on which major life decisions of the individual are made.

This hinge verse, then, serves to both summarize the preceding collection of verses and also preview the coming section of verses. To see the entire body of Scripture at work together, let’s examine the two larger parts. The section of Scripture that comes before the hinge verse is found in Matthew 6:19 – 23.

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasure on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart is also.” (Matthew 6:19-21)

In this section of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus is warning His followers against the obsession with accumulating earthly wealth. In doing so, He reminds His followers of the temporal nature of such a task. The treasures He most

29

Session 4

an illustration contrasting light and darkness. In doing so, he chooses to use the eye as the center of the illustration.

“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!” (Matthew 6:22-23)

The eyes represent the appreciation of right or wrong, or in this case, light or dark. It hearkens the reader back to Genesis 3:6, which details Eve’s temptation. The fatal moment leading up to her taking the fruit refers to her seeing the tree as good for food, the tree being a delight to the eyes, and that it was desirable. The eyes are instruments of desire. Much like money, desire is not inherently good or bad. It is the object of one’s desire that determines the virtue or detriment of desire. The same is true in Jesus’ example here. If the eyes are good, or desire that which is good, there is light. If they eyes desire that which is bad or sinful, darkness fills the body. This leads to our hinge verse that man cannot choose God and gods — it is one or the other.

The second major section of Scripture associated with the hinge verse is that which follows in Matthew 6:25-34. This passage of Scripture deals with the daily consequence of choosing to serve money over God – namely, anxiety. When one chooses money over God as the most important thing in life, a disturbing thing happens — insatiability

The spiritual treasure that Jesus speaks of here could be defined, per Blomberg, as “everything that believers can take with them beyond the grave – e.g., holiness of character, obedience to all of God’s commandments, souls won for Christ, and disciples nurtured in the faith. In this context, however, storing up treasures focuses particularly on the compassionate use of material resources to meet others’ physical and spiritual needs, in keeping with the priorities of God’s kingdom.”

Jesus closes out this first section by warning of the potential effect of riches. Because of the subversive power of greed and its tendency of rooting itself in the souls of humanity, we must be ever vigilant to guard what we equate as true treasure, for whatever we esteem to be precious and of greatest value will lead and direct our paths and decisions.

A quick word should be mentioned here regarding wealth. This passage should not be misconstrued as meaning that being rich is inherently sinful. It is not. There is nothing wrong with having wealth so long as the person possesses the wealth. The point at which the wealth possesses the person marks the moment of sinfulness. Those who are blessed with wealth, which comparing us to the rest of the world, would be all of us, must let their wealth express their love and devotion for God.

To make the gravity of the situation clear, Jesus completes this section leading up to the hinge verse with

30

replaces contentment. Anxiety is the product of insatiability. Insatiability is the condition of feeling as though, for all one’s possessions, there is never quite enough to bring lasting happiness or contentment. In that case, anxiety creeps in because if one cannot be happy or content in spite of considerable possessions, they begin to worry about never having enough.

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? ...Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all theses things and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:25, 31-33)

Anxiety is based on scarcity or shortage. That is a familiar problem when we feel as though we are solely responsible for meeting all the needs in our life. But, as Jesus points out, God, who is loving toward His children, knows full well what the needs of His children are. Not only does He know the needs, He is limitlessly capable of meeting every single one.

More significantly, when a person chooses God as the most important priority in their life, the contentment that

comes to the disciple’s heart satiates the insatiable. It fulfills the desire that only the love of God is capable of filling in the first place. It brings wholeness and contentment, not desire and anxiety.

ConclusionThe reason this is the last lesson in the series is that it addresses the aspect of biblical stewardship that is most important. Biblical stewardship, regularly practiced, frees our relationship with God from the hindrances associated with greed. It consistently reorients us to a position in which we learn to trust God’s provision, experience His bountiful blessing, and witness what He can do with the relatively small amount we sacrificially give to Him. In other words, living openhandedly allows us to participate with God in His redemptive plan in the world – not from a spectator’s perspective, but as a child laboring with a Father. Sure, the Father is going to do the overwhelming bulk of the work, but the child participates. In so doing, the child learns the way of the Father, the strength of the Father, and the very nature of the Father to an exceedingly greater depth than watching from a distance could ever provide. That is exactly what we long for in every member of our Concord family.

When we talk about real life with Jesus, we mean that we want everyone that we have the opportunity to impact in any way to be challenged and blessed by not settling for a list of do’s and don’ts and the safety of just being near to a

31

Session 4

Questions to Consider1. Where does the choice

between God and money bear most heavily in your life?

2. How prevalent do you think the problem of greed is in your circle of friends? What signs would you say would indicate a struggle with greed? What about in your own life?

3. How often would you say you have conversations with people who are anxious about their money or possessions?

4. What are some ways in which you regularly store up treasure in heaven? Is it a significant priority in your life? How would you like to see that change in the next year?

5. How have you noticed giving affecting the joy in your life? Give a specific example.

6. What are some ways that moth and rust destroy in our culture today? In other words, what are some ways our culture emphasizes the temporality of earthly wealth?

7. How often do you think about the amounts in your bank accounts? How much time a day would you say you spend thinking about it and analyzing it? What about a week?

religious experience. We want people caught up in the majesty and power of the living God as He sweeps across our world. Real life cannot happen by choosing money over God, and being saddled with burdensome anxiety. Real life only happens when we give everything to God, trusting Him to be the provider that He demonstrates Himself to be all throughout His Word.

32

Notes

33

Notes

34

Notes

35

Tools

More financial tools to assist you with stewardship, tithing and giving are available on our website at fbconcord.org/blessed.

36

At First Baptist Concord, our mission is helping one another trade checklist faith for real life with Jesus.

Our core values, which drive everything we do as a church body, are:• Passionate Influence• Biblical Truth• Missional Living• Authentic Relationships• Thriving Families

Our path, which helps us fulfill our mission, has four elements:• Worship• Connect• Life Groups• Training

For more information about our church or for help finding a class, Bible study, life group, information about a specific ministry or a place to serve, etc., email connect@fbconcord.org or call (865) 966-9791.

Sunday School classes: fbconcord.org/sundayschool

Life Groups: fbconcord.org/lifegroups