November 25th, 2018
2 Chronicles 31:2-7
Hebrews 7:1-10
Matthew 6:19-24
Giving for a disciple is out of gratitude, not obligation.
Giving for a disciple is an attitude of gratitude of response to God for what God has first given.
The attitude of response for a disciple, is to give in a free willed loving response to a gracious and loving God, who gave and gives graciously and mercifully to you.
When we give in worship, we will say a prayer following the offering.
From our Lutheran Book of Worship the prayer goes:
Merciful Father, we offer with joy and thanksgiving what you have first given us–our selves, our time, and our possessions, signs of your gracious love. Receive them for the sake of him who offered himself for us, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
From Power Surge
“In a membership–driven church, the offering is analogous to the payment of dues, a fee for services received.”
“In a discipleship church, the offering is symbolic of the giving of one’s self to the God who loves us with an everlasting love. It is not done begrudgingly, but with “joy and thanksgiving.”For disciples, giving should be as natural as receiving.”
Giving is giving of monies, time, service, prayer, worship, Bible reading. It is all of that and more. Giving for a disciple, is giving of meaningful kind words, in public and private. Giving is speaking abundantly positive about the church, the congregation you attend and the members and even the pastor.
Giving is not out of obligation. It is not paying dues. It is not giving of words that reflect poorly upon the church, the congregation, its members or its pastor. Giving for a disciple is opposite of what others might be considered non-Christian like behavior.
Here is the thing folks.
Non-Christians and Non-Church goers, know how disciples act, if they are truly responding to God and following Christ.
Non-Christians understand there is Daily Prayer, Weekly Worship, Bible Reading, Service, Spiritual Friendships and Giving.
From Power Surge
“Once again we are faced with the need to challenge and change the culture of the church. A membership-driven culture is characterized by an entitlement mentality. A discipleship-driven culture is characterized by a generosity rooted in the generosity of God.”
Here at First, we are no longer going to ask for pledges. We are not asking that the pledge cards be sent back in and we make a budget.
We want you to make a giving plan of attitude of response to God. Then fill out our pledge cards and seal them up. Put your address on the envelope and a stamp on the envelope.
Then during the month of December and January, there will be a basket that pledge cards can be placed in. We will pray over these pledge cards weekly. The Monday following our annual meeting, we will send these pledge cards back to you.
Once you get your pledge cards back, you can do what you wish with them. You can put them in the garbage can or you can hang them up on your refrigeration to remind yourself of your giving attitude towards God. This pledge, is between you and between God.
From Power Surge
“First, we are continually reminded of who the giver of all our abundance really is. God is the creator of all we are and have. Practicing the tithe reminds us of our total dependence upon God. It keeps us focused on generosity and makes us co givers with God as our gifts are used by the body of Christ to bring blessing to others. Second, tithing has the capacity to put the things of this world into perspective. There is nothing inherently wrong with wealth or possessions. As the writer of 1 Timothy reminds us, it is not money, but “the love of money” that is “a root of all kinds of evil” (6:10). Jesus reminds us that no one can serve God and wealth (Matthew 6:24).Disciples by definition serve God. Tithing is an ongoing reminder of where our loyalties belong. It keeps us focused with our attention fixed on what is finally important. And it gives clarity to Jesus’ teaching: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consume and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matthew 6:19–21). The disciple’s heart belongs with God. Tithing as a spiritual discipline helps keep it there.”
Folks, we give thanks for those that gave and those that wanted to give. We give thanks to God. We can all work towards tithing. We may not be able to tithe today but because of God, we can.
We put in multiple forms of electronic giving to help us give regularly and towards tithing. To help us to respond to God.
If you need help setting up electronic giving, see any of the council members.
Give at http://give.flcssc.org
Text give at 402-557-0882
Give in Daily Prayer
Give in Weekly Worship
Give in Bible Reading
Give in Service
Give in Spiritual Friendship.
Give back to God with an attitude of gratitude.
Give in a loving free willed response
to
a Gracious and Loving God.