"All In With My Resources" - 22m:30s

Scott McFarland
09/30/18 - Sun AM Worship

Scripture Reading:  Acts 4:32-37

Giving that Costs

But the king said to Araunah, “No, but I will buy it from you for a price. I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God that cost me nothing.”—II Sam. 24:24a

The story is told that one day a beggar by the roadside asked for alms from Alexander the Great as he passed by. The man was poor and wretched and had no claim upon the ruler, no right even to lift a solicitous hand. Yet the Emperor threw him several gold coins. A courtier was astonished at his generosity and commented, "Sir, copper coins would adequately meet a beggar's need. Why give him gold?" Alexander responded in royal fashion, "Copper coins would suit the beggar's need, but gold coins suit Alexander's giving."**

Giving is a part of our life as Christians.  The biblical principle is that we have been given all we have—even life itself—so we give to return our thanks to the God who has blessed us so much.  But, there are different kinds of giving and givers. Certain types of giving cost the giver…other kinds do not. If someone as wealthy as Bill Gates drops $50,000 into a bucket for charity, it probably didn’t bother him much to give it.  If someone like you or I drop $50,000 into the offering plate, chances are we’re going to feel it (if we even had that much to give!). What God is most interested in is not the amount, but our heart and our sacrifice in giving. David told Araunah that he would not buy the piece of land where God’s temple was going to be built for nothing.  David wanted to sacrifice in his gift. The widow who dropped the small copper coins into the offering plate sacrificed in her gift. Sacrificial giving—giving that costs—reveals a generous heart. This is the heart that God desires. The beauty of sacrificial giving is that anyone can do it. It’s not related at all to an amount, but to where we place our priorities.  This morning, we’ll look at how the early church gave, as we look at our lesson entitled “ALL IN with My Resources.”

**Story taken from http://www.sermonillustrations.com/a-z/g/generosity.htm

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