It’s getting to be that time of year again. Christmas decorations have started going up in department stores, and it won’t be long until we begin to see those red Salvation Army kettles outside the local grocery store.
Those kettles started back in 1891 when Salvation Army Captain Joseph McFee was trying to find a way to help the poor and needy in his community. He felt the burden to provide a free Christmas dinner to those in need, approximately one thousand people. The one hurdle he ran into, as it is with most good ideas, was how he was going to pay for the meal.
As he lay awake pondering this idea, he remembered his days as a sailor in Liverpool, England. He recalled that at the place where the boats came in at Stage Landing that sat a large, iron kettle. “Simpson’s Pot,” as it was known, was a place where those passing by could drop a few coins in order to help the poor and poverty-stricken.
McFee went on to place a similar pot at the Oakland Ferry Landing along with a sign that read, “Keep the Pot Boiling.” Before long he had the money he needed for the Christmas dinner. Within a few years the idea spread across the country resulting in 150,000 Christmas dinners for those in need. Today, the Salvation Army assists more than four-and-a-half million people over the Christmas and Thanksgiving seasons.
The Salvation Army, while a holiness denomination, was founded on this idea of caring for those in need. From the outset they took seriously scripture’s mandate to help the poor, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.” (Luke 3:11), “Whoever gives to the poor will not want, but he who hides his eyes will get many a curse.” (Proverbs 28:27), and “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35). Their emphasis on this matter is what they’re most known for today.
While I could spend quite a bit of time on this topic over many weeks, as we conclude our series on money, I want us to look at one passage in particular. We looked at it during our journey through Acts, but I want to take some time to look more closely at one passage in particular.
Towards the end of Acts 20, we find Paul, having received word that he was to be arrested in Jerusalem, saying his goodbyes to the church in Ephesus. He gives them many words of advice, the kind of things you’d say if you truly believed you’d never see a group of people again. However, what’s interesting is how he both begins and ends the exchange.
It’s often stated by scholars that you can tell the most important ideas and stories in ancient writings by how often they’re repeated. With a limited area in which to write, authors in the first century had to be selective about what they wrote. Therefore, if a story is retold multiple times, it’s a good indication that the author determined it to be of high importance. Likewise in our modern conversations, if something is important, we’ll likely repeat ourselves.
At beginning of Paul’s conversation with the leaders in Ephesus, he points to his own actions and how he carried out ministry as an example for them for them moving forward. He goes on to give details and direction, explaining to them all that is about to happen. When he finishes the conversation in Acts 20:32-35, he once again points to his own ministry as their example.
At the heart of Paul’s closing statement is the relationship between the church and material goods. We’ve been speaking on this topic the last few weeks. Over the course of his ministry Paul demonstrated his detachment from material gain. He openly spoke out against others that would use the gospel message as a “mask to cover up greed.” (1 Thess 2:5). He spoke repeatedly that while those preaching the gospel should receive their living from the gospel, he chose to work by the labor of his own hands as to not be a burden on the churches he was growing (1 Corinthians 9:14-15).
Throughout his letters Paul urges those that work hard to not indulge themselves but to give assistance to those in need and to share in their burdens (Rom 15:1; 1 Thess 5:14; Eph 4:28; Gal 6:2). This is the same message he is sharing with the church in Ephesus as he reminds them of the words of Jesus, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35).
by Philips Augustijn Immenraet
The reason he’s emphasizing this is that this condition of greed is a universal human problem. There is not a human that has walked this earth that has not been tempted with greed. Jesus was offered the kingdoms of the world. If he, being both God and man, was faced with this issue, no human, not even leaders of the church, are immune. This extreme greed is a real problem within our country, from the top down, even in churches.
And here in his final words to the church in Ephesus, Paul gives them the solution. He confronts them with the problem, gives his ministry as an example, and relates to them the words of Jesus, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” In a roundabout way he is telling them that many of the world’s problems will be fixed if we could just live by this simple statement
The truth is, while it is better to give than to receive, each of us must receive. We cannot give anything unless we have first received it. We come into this world with nothing and everything we have, even if we worked for it, has been given to us. This model of sacrificial giving is counter to our culture. Society tells us, “He who dies with the most toys wins,” but Jesus tells us that it is better to give and there are numerous reasons why this is true.
First and foremost giving submits to God’s lordship. As we discussed a few weeks ago, God tells us to give him 10%. However, all of it belongs to him, every good and perfect gift. Through generously and sacrificially giving what he has given us we acknowledge that he is God. We acknowledge that he is in control and not ourselves. Even those in the church who have fully devoted their lives to God can attest to the fact the last fortress of the heart protects the wallet. We may surrender everything else to him but there’s something about our money that, even though we’ve turned everything else over, we hold on to that one thing. Even when we come to the point where we are willing to surrender our finances to God, we constantly struggle with the temptation to rebuild that Fortress around our money. We try to keep it from God. However in surrendering all of it and giving as he has commanded, we acknowledge that he is Lord of every part of our lives, including money.
Next giving shows our trust in God’s provision. We all believe that God will take care of our needs. However, we can become so caught up in providing for our own needs and stashing away a nest egg for ourselves that we don’t allow God to care for us. Through our giving and providing for other people we allow ourselves to trust in God. In so doing we open ourselves up to His blessings and allow him to bless us. When demonstrate our trust in him by allowing ourselves to be in a place where we may not be able to provide for ourselves. I’m not saying to be irresponsible, but when we follow God’s leading and give as he has directed us, we place our trust in him.
I heard a story of a professor. He didn’t make a ton of money, and he hated pulling onto campus every morning in his old beater car. He’d been saving money for quite some time to buy a new, or at least new to him, car. However, sitting in church one day listening to a missionary speaker, he felt God telling him that he’d been saving that money, not for a new car, but for this missionary. He wrestled and argued with God. Ultimately he said to God, “My car is on its last leg. I don’t know how much longer I can keep driving it. I’ll give the money to the missionary, but you have to keep my car running until I can get a new one.”
After that day, he waited in dread for the day when his car would finally stop working and leave him stranded on the side of the road. To his surprise, as the mileage continued to grow, he didn’t have any more problems with the car. As the months and years ticked on and he continued to save for a new car, he began to get anxious for his old car to finally die. However, God continued to ask him for his car money, and he continued to make the same deal with God.
One day, he pulled onto campus on four bald tires. They were so worn that the belts were beginning to show. He thought to himself, “Today is the day this old car finally dies.” He walked into class confident that he would be out buying a new car that afternoon. To his surprise, he came out that afternoon to find four new tires on his car with a note from his students explaining what they had done. It’s a difficult position to be in to rely on somebody else, but it is when we surrender our ability to care for our own needs and instead trust in God to provide for us God will truly bless us.
When we give we are not only trusting in God’s provision, but we are testifying to His power. An audit of tax returns shows that Christians are among the most generous people in this country, and Nazarene even more so. I have heard stories of IRS going over tax returns and flagging a return for audit due to the amount given to charity organizations. Upon investigation they discover that the person is a Nazarene and therefore don’t cancel the audit.
Even secular observers have noticed how generous Christians are with their money. Surely they must be wondering how somebody can give so generously. Our willingness to give is a testament to our faith and trust in God. The words may not come out of their mouths, but they have to think, even if they don’t believe, that there must be something to this whole God thing if people are willing to give so much of themselves.
Finally, giving in a right spirit is an act of worship to God. 2 Corinthians 9:7 states that God loves a cheerful giver, and that should be our attitude each time we have the opportunity to give, whether it’s to the church, the orphans and widows, or those in need of food and clothing. Paul repeatedly praises those that give of themselves for the work of the gospel. Likewise, as Christians, nothing in this world should give us greater joy than to please our heavenly father. Just as much as a song on our lips, our giving with a right attitude is an act of worship before our God.
