Why Did Jesus Ask Him To Give

Matthew 19:16-22; Mark 10: 17-22; Luke 18:18-23

In this familiar passage of scripture Jesus encountered a young rich man who asked how to obtain eternal life. Jesus initially gave the expected Jewish response. The man should keep the commandments. The man replied that he had done so. Maybe he knew this was not enough. Maybe that was what prompted his inquiry. We don't know. What we do know is that Jesus declared the insufficiency of the man's efforts and challenged the man to give sacrificially. Jesus' response baffled His disciples and still baffles believers today. Why did Jesus ask the man to give sacrificially? We often discuss the impediment that material wealth presents to our pursuit of God, but I believe the passage reveals more.

• Mark states that Jesus looked on the man and loved him. Jesus' request seems directly connected to His love for the man.

• Jesus saw the man's need. The man desired eternal life but was found lacking. Jesus did not request that the man give because of Jesus' need but rather as a result of the man's own need. The man needed to give to obtain the fullness of his goal. Jesus explains in John 17:3 that eternal life is our coming to know the Father (the only true God) and the Son. As we grow in that knowledge we discover that the Father and the Son are sacrificial givers.

• Giving is an integral part of God's redemptive plan for believers. It is a requisite component of discipleship. Notice that Jesus instructs the man to give "and come, follow me." More than simply saving us from the penalty of sin, God want us to grow. He is conforming believers into His image.

• Jesus wanted to bless the man. Jesus spoke from an eternal perspective. Our actions on earth have eternal consequences. Our giving on earth reserves treasure for us in heaven. Jesus encouraged the man to trade temporary earthly possessions for eternal treasure. Through his giving the man wouldn't lose, he would gain.

How transforming would it be if we could help people realize that God's plan for our sacrificial giving flows from the fact that He loves us, that He knows what we need, that He is revealing Himself to us and conforming us into His image and that our giving is intended to bless us.

Prayer Request

More Than The Gift’s presence on the internet has been facilitated by my use of Apple products. Over the past 2 years years the web message has reached:

53 States or U. S. Territories
93 Countries Outside of the U.S.A.
6 Continents

My prayer is that God uses the information to change perceptions, hearts and behaviors. While I’ve received over 20,000 hits, I’m aware most viewers pass by too quickly to grasp the distinctiveness of the message. However, on average, every other day someone chooses to spend an hour or more reviewing my sites, considering what God has given to me to share. I thank God for each seed planted but especially for those that take root and grow. I can’t express how humbled I am that God allows me to participate in His plan to draw us closer to Him and closer to each other.

The immediate hurdle before me is this: midyear Apple will cease support of the primary software I use to create my website and post my podcasts, iWeb. I don’t fully understand what this will mean other than knowing that my process for communicating my messages is about to change drastically. I know other software tools exist, but the great benefit of the Apple tools were their simplicity. Their ease of use and seamless integration allows me to focus on content rather than technical issues. All of the Apple products were linked so I’ve never had to worry about coding/upload/import issues. I’ll spend the next few months planning and praying about the transition. I have no doubt that God will get the glory. I don’t ask that He protect my comfort zone. I simply ask that I remain in His will. Please join me in prayer.

Your Brother In Christ,

Larry

The Three W's of Acceptable Giving

By now it should be clear that I believe the modern church suffers from a lack of a comprehensive discussion regarding God's purposes and plans for our giving. Yet, from a practical standpoint, I am aware that people also suffer from communication overload. The more we are bombarded with messaging the harder it becomes to discern that which is important from that which is simply media hype. Understanding God's purposes and plans for our giving is important but I understand the crowded context in which that message battles for attention. Today, I offer at bite-sized message for sharing and personal consumption.

Some of us wonder what makes offerings acceptable to God. For ease of reference let me suggest that acceptable offerings are characterized by "3 W's": Willingness, Worship and Worth.

Willingness

God seeks a voluntary yielding of our gifts. 2 Corinthians 8:12 states that our offerings can be accepted if there is first a willing mind. Whether the willingness is our inward desire to give or simply our desire to obey God's call for us to give, each represents a willingness. Each honors God and is honored by Him.

Worship

Sacrificial giving was intended as a part of our worship, not as a separate act. Matthew 2:10&11 illustrates it best. The Wise Men came to worship Jesus and as a part of doing so they opened their treasures to the Lord. The altar was intended as both a place of worship and sacrifice.

Worth

For our gifts to matter to God they must first matter to us. In 1 Chronicles 21:24 King David declares " I will not ... sacrifice a burnt offering that costs me nothing." The Old Testament traditions of temple sacrifice required that the animal offered be an animal that the giver owned rather than a wild animal. The term sacrifice symbolized that the offerer gave up something, "sacrificed" something of worth to them.

The Gift of Worship

The Christmas season offers a great context to consider our offertory giving. On Christmas Day we celebrate God's gift to mankind. However, in addition to the gift of His son, God granted another gift. He extended the opportunity for us to recognize who Jesus is and respond to Him. In the biblical record we see this gift received by the shepherds, by Simeon and the Magi. Each responded in their our way; the shepherds responded with witness, Simeon with praise and the Magi with worship.

The response of the Magi seems particularly instructive in respect to our giving. The Magi's acknowledgement of who Jesus is led them to extend themselves in worship. They extended themselves beyond the point of personal convenience. Their worship extended beyond simply verbal expression. They extended their physical selves and their physical possessions. They saw a connection between their worship and their giving. Their giving was an extension of their worship, not a separate activity. Their giving flowed from their worship.

This year, let Christmas remind each of us of that wonderful connection. Let us extend our offertory giving beyond the content of the gift. Give more than the gift. Give worship!

Internet Reach Update

Internet Reach - As of 11/14/11, our internet message has been received in:

52 States or U. S. Territories

93 Countries Outside of the U.S.A.

6 Continents

Praise God!

Praise Report

I apologize for my absence. Over the summer, God granted me opportunities to teach the More Than The Gift message at both my current church (Wheaton Bible Church) and my former church (Second Baptist Church of Wheaton). Each opportunity was a multi-week series. I've been busy formatting the material into modules suitable for bible classes. I believe that God uniquely blessed each session . I want to thank Elder Mel Preiss for inviting me to teach the Covenant Class at WBC. They have posted portions of the lessons on the Internet. I also want to thank Pastor Kevin Williams for inviting me to share again at SBC. The More Than The Gift Ministry was birth at SBC and this message is uniquely theirs. Please pray with me that the seeds planted will bear fruit.

I believe that these types of opportunities will increase in the future and that God is preparing me for the next phase of this ministry effort.

Your Brother In Christ

Praise Report - Book Signing

Thank you for your prayers. God's presence was evident during the book signing. Hearts were stirred, books were sold and God was glorified. The agent for the other author even asked if I would join them at their future events. I believe we are entering a new season for the ministry. I expect new doors to open, but please pray that I exhibit spiritual discernment to distinguish between the call of God and the call of man. This is about Him not me.

Monday's Meditation - March 21, 2001 - The Giver's Stewardship (Repost)

Jesus begins the parable regarding an unjust steward ( Luke 16) with a master telling his servant that the servant must give an account of his stewardship. Like that servant , a day of reckoning will come for each of us. On that day, our deeds will declare our allegiance and answer Jesus’ implied question: Whose steward are you?

In today’s episode, we continue to affirm the importance of what the gift reveals, even though God is actually interested in more than the gift itself.

I invite you to receive Monday’s Meditation as “food for thought “ for the week, then let it become “fuel for action” for the weekend and beyond.

The full audio podcast is available on my website: morethanthegift.net and the iTunes Store. Links are provided in the "Additional Resources" section of this blog.

After listening to the podcast in the iTunes Store, I encourage you to offer a review and to send an invitation to a friend or loved one to listen also.


Use this blog for your comments, questions and testimonies regarding the episode.

Keep praying with me!

Monday's Meditation - March 14, 2011 - The Giver's Understanding of God's Ownership

Genesis records that God entrusted mankind with stewardship of the earth. The trap that mankind falls into over an over again is that we (like Nebuchadnezzar) confuse stewardship with ownership. Whatever dominion God allows us to experience represents delegated authority not a transfer of title. That which we seemingly obtained through our efforts still belongs to God. Failing to reconcile the issue of true ownership leads to confusion in our relationship with the Lord and our response to Him. When we fail to acknowledge God’s ownership, we tend to behave like we are out of our minds.

In today’s episode, we continue to affirm the importance of what the gift reveals, even though God is actually interested in more than the gift itself.

I invite you to receive Monday’s Meditation as “food for thought “ for the week, then let it become “fuel for action” for the weekend and beyond.

The full audio podcast is available on my website: morethanthegift.net and the iTunes Store. Links are provided in the "Additional Resources" section of this blog.

After listening to the podcast in the iTunes Store, I encourage you to offer a review and to send an invitation to a friend or loved one to listen also.


Use this blog for your comments, questions and testimonies regarding the episode.


Keep praying with me!

Monday's Meditation - March 7, 2011 - The Giver's Gratitude

Ten lepers stood by the side of the road, at a distance, calling in a loud voice to Jesus for mercy and grace. Ten lepers demonstrated their faith by following Jesus’ instruction that they behave as if they were healed even before their healing visibly manifested itself. Ten lepers received a miracle and yet only one returned to acknowledge his healing. Only one threw himself at Jesus’ feet. Only one used his loud voice to render praise and thanksgiving. Seeing this, Jesus asked his disciples “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?” This biblical story reminds me that each day, each one of us should consider whether we are more like the "one" or more like the "nine"?

In today’s episode, we continue to affirm the importance of what the gift reveals, even though God is actually interested in more than the gift itself.

I invite you to receive Monday’s Meditation as “food for thought “ for the week, then let it become “fuel for action” for the weekend and beyond.

The full audio podcast is available on my website: morethanthegift.net and the iTunes Store. Links are provided in the "Additional Resources" section of this blog.

After listening to the podcast in the iTunes Store, I encourage you to offer a review and to send an invitation to a friend or loved one to listen also.


Use this blog for your comments, questions and testimonies regarding the episode.


Keep praying with me!

Internet Bible Study - March 2011 - Ritual or Relationship

Two reference scriptures are used to illustrate Jesus’ view of giving in the context of relationships. In His comments Jesus both affirms the value of giving and emphasizes the priority of nurturing relationships. The focus of the relationship building about which Jesus spoke is our human relationships. The discussion explores how the scripture intertwines the nurturing of our human relationships with the nurturing of our spiritual relationship with the Father.
Reference Scripture:
Matthew 23:23 (you have neglected the more important matters – justice,mercy)
Matthew 5: 21 – 24 (first go and be reconciled with your brother)
Supporting Scriptures:
2 Corinthians 9: 1&2, 12 – 15 (affect of Corinthian giving on others)
John 17: 1 – 3 (This is eternal life)
Matthew 22: 35 – 40 (1st & 2nd commandment love God , love neighbor)
1 John 4: 7&8; 12 – 20 (love one another, love comes from God)
John 13: 34 – 35 ( by this shall all men know you are my disciples)
John 17: 20 – 22 (Jesus’ prayer for our oneness)
2 Corinthians 9:7 (each man should give what he has decided in his heart)



Click on the link to the Internet Bible Study (located in he right margin of this blog) to review the full text of the lesson.



Don't study alone. This is the worldwide web. Invite a family member, friend, someone from another state or another country to join you.



Ask questions! Make comments! Let's create a worldwide conversation.

Monday's Meditation -February 21, 2011 - The Gift and The Giver's Faith

There is a big difference between talking about faith and applying it. If God gave a college class in faith, it would be entitled "Applied Faith" rather than "Faith Theory". God wants faith working in every aspect of our relationship, even in our giving. As Hebrews 11: 6&7 remind us: without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.

In today's podcast episode we continue to examine why I believe that even though God gives us scriptural instruction to give offertory gifts, He is actually interested in more than the gift itself.

Receive Monday's Meditation as "food for thought" for the week, then let it become "fuel for action" for the weekend and beyond!

The full podcast is available on my website: morethanthegift.net and the iTunes Store. Links are provided in the "Additional Resources" section of this blog.

After listening to the podcast in the iTunes Store, I encourage you to offer a review and to send an invitation to a friend or loved one to listen also.

Use this blog for your comments, questions and testimonies regarding the episode.


Keep praying with us!

Monday's Meditation - February 14, 2001 - God's Interest In More Than The Giver's Hand

God is spirit. He has no temporal needs. God is the creator, sustainer and owner of all things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible. His ownership has not diminished with time. His wealth is immeasurable. Yet, He still asks for our gifts. What could God possibly be seeking from us?

In today's podcast episode we continue to examine why I believe that even though God gives us scriptural instruction to give offertory gifts, He is actually interested in more than the gift itself

Receive Monday's Meditation as "food for thought" for the week, then let it become "fuel for action" for the weekend and beyond!

The full audio podcast is available on my website and the iTunes Store. Links are provided in the "Additional Resources" section of this blog.

After listening to the podcast in the iTunes Store, I encourage you to offer a review and to send an invitation to a friend or loved one to listen also.

Use this blog for your comments, questions and testimonies regarding the episode.


Keep praying with us!

Monday's Meditation - February 7, 2011 - God's Interest In The Giver's Relationship With Others

It is interesting to note that God often assesses our giving by first assessing the condition of our human relationships. While we focus on our gift, He chooses to examine how we are treating one another. Even the earliest scriptural account of giving (the story of Cain & Abel) speaks not only to the issue of the acceptability of Cain’s offering but also to issues involving Cain’s relationship with God and Cain’s relationship with Abel. How revealing it is that in a story about giving, Cain asks the eternal question: “Am I my brother’s keeper?” The fact is that while we may desire for our giving to be viewed and judged as an independent spiritual activity, God refuses to do so and He purposefully keeps Cain’s question ever before us even while we give.

In today’s podcast episode, we continue to examine why I believe that even though God gives us scriptural instructions to give offertory gifts, He is actually interested in more than the gift itself.

Receive Monday’s Meditation as “food for thought “ for the week, then let it become “fuel for action” for the weekend and beyond.

The full audio podcast is available on my website and the iTunes Store. Links are provided in the "Additional Resources" section of this blog.

After listening to the podcast in the iTunes Store, I encourage you to offer a review and to send an invitation to a friend or loved one to listen also.

Use this blog for your comments, questions and testimonies regarding the episode.


Keep praying with us!

Internet Bible Study - February 2011 - God's Plan In Action

While the workers and work of the ministry are beneficiaries of the tangible substance of offertory giving, its full impact is intended by God to be more far reaching. The benefit is intended to be reciprocal. An examination of the Biblical account of Elijah and the widow of Zarephath demonstrates how God uses giving to establish a relationship of mutual benefit between His ministry and the recipients of ministry efforts.

Reference Scripture:
1 Kings 17: 1 – 23 ( Elijah and the widow)
Supporting Scriptures:
Luke 12: 15 – 21 (Rich fool)
Luke 10: 1 – 9 ( Jesus send the 72, take no purse, eat what they give you)

Click on the link to the Internet Bible Study to review the full text of the lesson. The link is contained in the "Additional Resources" section of this blog.

Don't study alone. This is the worldwide web. Invite a family member, friend, someone from another state or another country to join you.

Monday's Meditation - January 24, 2010 - God's Interest In The Giver's Willingness

A new podcast has been published to the More Than The Gift website and iTunes Store:

The Giver's Willingness

Abraham had waited 25 years for the fulfillment of God’s promise and then (when Abraham was 100 years old) the fulfillment came. Sarah bore her only child, Abraham’s son, Abraham’s heir. Isaac was a source of great joy and hope for Abraham. Isaac was a symbol of God’s faithfulness and promises of blessing. So, I can’t imagine the thoughts Abraham had and emotions he felt when God requested that he offer Isaac’s life as a burnt offering. In spite of what he may have felt, Abraham’s response was amazing. Abraham exhibited no hesitancy. He did not question, barter or argue with God. He arose early the next morning and began his journey to the appointed place of sacrifice. Abraham exhibited great faith. On the third day, Abraham instructed his servants to stay with the donkeys while he and Isaac journeyed to the appointed place of worship. Before leaving them Abraham spoke words of faith, stating that both he and Isaac would return to them. The writer of Hebrews explains that Abraham was convinced that even if he sacrificed Isaac unto the Lord, God could raise Isaac from the dead. Abraham prepared to offer Isaac’s life not knowing that Isaac’s life was not the offering that God was really seeking. At the appointed time God provided Abraham with a substitute object of sacrifice, a ram in the bush. Why was a substitute acceptable? Why was a sacrifice of lesser value sufficient? It was acceptable because more than the tangible object of Abraham’s giving, the offering God was seeking was Abraham’s willingness to withhold nothing from Him. In raising the knife of sacrifice to offer his son, Abraham demonstrated to himself and us his unrestrained willingness to give his all to the Lord. No object of sacrifice was greater than the gift he had already given.

As always, I invite you to receive Monday’s Meditation as “food for thought “ for the week, then let it become “fuel for action” for the weekend and beyond.

The full audio podcast is available on my website: morethanthegift.net and the iTunes Store. Links are provided in the "Additional Resources" section of this blog. if you don't have iTunes on your computer, a link is provided below to download the iTunes software.

After listening to the podcast in the iTunes Store, I encourage you to offer a review and to send an invitation to a friend or loved one to listen also.


Use this blog for your comments, questions and testimonies regarding the episode.

Praise Report

I found a work-around for the brochure link. Access to the down-loadable brochures is available again. Praise God! Thanks for your prayers!

Larry

Prayer Request

The spiritual battle continues. I recently discovered that the link to the "Brochures" is broken. The link allowed visitors to download and print a written summary of each podcast message formatted as a tri-fold brochure. The brochures were great as class handouts, church bulletin stuffers or foyer pickup literature. There were 20 different brochures available. I solicit your prayer that I find a way around this problem.

Larry

Monday's Meditation Podcasts - God's Interest In The Giver

God had rejected his offering. Cain responded with anger and depression. What amazes me about God’s counsel to Cain is found in what God did not say. Have you ever noticed that God didn’t say anything specifically about Cain’s offering? Have you ever wondered why?

In today’s episode we begin to examine why I believe that even though God gives us scriptural instructions to give offertory gifts, He is actually interested in much more than the gift itself.

The podcast is available on my website: www.morethanthegift.net and at the iTunes Store. Links are provided in the right margin of this site to give immediate access to either site.

Receive Monday’s Meditation as “food for thought” for the week and then let it become “fuel for action” for the weekend and beyond.

Praise Report

Thanks for the prayers. My link to iTunes is functional again. Praise God! Apple instruction to republish the podcasts to a new page. It worked. I’ve noticed that during to period of forced silence, God brought many new visitors to my pages. Last week I experienced the single highest day of traffic I can remember. Since I wasn’t posting new material this was clearly His activity (not mine). In response to this, I felt led to start the year off fresh with a foundational Internet Bible Study on “God Plan for the Financial Support of His Ministry”. There are many new eyes that have not seen this material before.

The podcast episodes can be found on my website: morethanthegift.net or in the iTunes Store under the title "More Than the Gift". I refer to this series of as "Monday's Meditations". With the reactivation of the iTunes podcast, I now I feel led to repost the individual episodes one at a time over a 20 week period rather than reposting them all at the same time. While listening to my first episode again, I was reminded that I promised to publish a 4th component to the series. During the next 20 weeks, I will work on that material. God’s activity is evident, I’m ready to follow His lead.

Yours In Christ,
Larry