Hilarious Giving

Sunday Worship

8:45 AM SERVICE 10:00 AM Sunday School & Adult EdUCATION 11:00 AM SERVICE

by: Pastor Eibel

11/03/2022

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Good morning, and a most blessed Thursday to you.


Did Jesus ever laugh?  You know, there's not one verse in all of the New Testament that ever tells us that Jesus laughed. But I like argument that's a theologian R. C. Sproul made. He maintained that based upon Ecclesiastes, where it talks about certain things being appropriate at certain times, one of which the Scripture mentions his laughter. He maintained that since Jesus always did that which was appropriate, well then certainly, he would have laughed. I think that's a strong argument.


One thing we do know for sure, is that Jesus loves a certain thing that's hilarious.


2 Corinthians 9

The point is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.


That’s certainly a harvest principle every farmer knows. The more seed that you cast, the greater the potential harvest.


Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 

 

That Greek word translated as “cheerful” we get the word “hilarious” from it. In other words, when it comes to giving, God loves it when there is joy, delight, and happiness.


I think of a true story I heard from a fellow pastor. As the offering plate was being passed one Sunday morning, the ushers were a bit bewildered as they noticed one gentleman helped himself to the money in the plate to make change for the bill he wanted to put in the plate.  Not quite hilarious giving. God wants hilarious giving, where we delight and we are filled with joy in doing so. 


Then notice the promise in verse 8.

And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work.


How then does God bless our giving? We see in Scripture that God can bless it a couple of ways.


2 Corinthians 9:13

13 Through the testing of this ministry you glorify God by your obedience to the confession of the gospel of Christ and by the generosity of your sharing with them and with all others,


That ministry was a special offering to help those suffering Christians in Jerusalem.  So this was a spiritual blessing.  As they gave, there was a spiritual blessing.  Sometimes it's both a spiritual and material blessing.  


2 Corinthians 9:10

10 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.


Here we see there's a blessing that's both material and spiritual. So as we give with hilarity; as we give cheerfully delighting in the giving; as we faithfully give, how then will God bless?  He will bless perhaps spiritually; perhaps materially; perhaps both. That's up to him. But he will absolutely bless. 


What's the motive for our hilarious giving?  The motive is the gospel; the great gift that is ours through the cross and the empty tomb. How rich God has made us, as he lavishes us in his grace; the richness of knowing that our sins are forgiven and that heaven awaits… that we've been claimed in the waters of baptism.


This Sunday is Response Sunday.  My prayer is that there will be hilarious, hilarious giving.  My prayer is that if you've never tithed, giving that 10% of all that the Lord gives you, that you will begin that this year.  Or that you will grow toward it. It's absolutely true you can't out give God. His promise in Malachi 3:10

10 Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in my house, and thus put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts; see if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you an overflowing blessing.


Take him up on that divine dare.  Because you see when there is hilarious giving in a congregation, we can really do some really serious things.


Let’s pray.  Gracious Heavenly Father, we give you thanks for this time in your Word. Your Word is truth. Thank you Lord for the blessings that you pour out upon us. Lord, we don't give to get… but we also know of your promise, that you promise to bless our giving. Sometimes that blessing is spiritual. Sometimes it's material. Sometimes it's both.  But you have promised to bless indeed. And so Father, be Lord over all of our Lives… including our time, talent, and our treasurer.  Bring forth from us hilarity in our giving, so that by your grace as a people of God, we can do even more serious things. In Jesus’ name. Amen.


God bless you!  Encourage someone!   

Pastor Eibel

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Good morning, and a most blessed Thursday to you.


Did Jesus ever laugh?  You know, there's not one verse in all of the New Testament that ever tells us that Jesus laughed. But I like argument that's a theologian R. C. Sproul made. He maintained that based upon Ecclesiastes, where it talks about certain things being appropriate at certain times, one of which the Scripture mentions his laughter. He maintained that since Jesus always did that which was appropriate, well then certainly, he would have laughed. I think that's a strong argument.


One thing we do know for sure, is that Jesus loves a certain thing that's hilarious.


2 Corinthians 9

The point is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.


That’s certainly a harvest principle every farmer knows. The more seed that you cast, the greater the potential harvest.


Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 

 

That Greek word translated as “cheerful” we get the word “hilarious” from it. In other words, when it comes to giving, God loves it when there is joy, delight, and happiness.


I think of a true story I heard from a fellow pastor. As the offering plate was being passed one Sunday morning, the ushers were a bit bewildered as they noticed one gentleman helped himself to the money in the plate to make change for the bill he wanted to put in the plate.  Not quite hilarious giving. God wants hilarious giving, where we delight and we are filled with joy in doing so. 


Then notice the promise in verse 8.

And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work.


How then does God bless our giving? We see in Scripture that God can bless it a couple of ways.


2 Corinthians 9:13

13 Through the testing of this ministry you glorify God by your obedience to the confession of the gospel of Christ and by the generosity of your sharing with them and with all others,


That ministry was a special offering to help those suffering Christians in Jerusalem.  So this was a spiritual blessing.  As they gave, there was a spiritual blessing.  Sometimes it's both a spiritual and material blessing.  


2 Corinthians 9:10

10 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.


Here we see there's a blessing that's both material and spiritual. So as we give with hilarity; as we give cheerfully delighting in the giving; as we faithfully give, how then will God bless?  He will bless perhaps spiritually; perhaps materially; perhaps both. That's up to him. But he will absolutely bless. 


What's the motive for our hilarious giving?  The motive is the gospel; the great gift that is ours through the cross and the empty tomb. How rich God has made us, as he lavishes us in his grace; the richness of knowing that our sins are forgiven and that heaven awaits… that we've been claimed in the waters of baptism.


This Sunday is Response Sunday.  My prayer is that there will be hilarious, hilarious giving.  My prayer is that if you've never tithed, giving that 10% of all that the Lord gives you, that you will begin that this year.  Or that you will grow toward it. It's absolutely true you can't out give God. His promise in Malachi 3:10

10 Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in my house, and thus put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts; see if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you an overflowing blessing.


Take him up on that divine dare.  Because you see when there is hilarious giving in a congregation, we can really do some really serious things.


Let’s pray.  Gracious Heavenly Father, we give you thanks for this time in your Word. Your Word is truth. Thank you Lord for the blessings that you pour out upon us. Lord, we don't give to get… but we also know of your promise, that you promise to bless our giving. Sometimes that blessing is spiritual. Sometimes it's material. Sometimes it's both.  But you have promised to bless indeed. And so Father, be Lord over all of our Lives… including our time, talent, and our treasurer.  Bring forth from us hilarity in our giving, so that by your grace as a people of God, we can do even more serious things. In Jesus’ name. Amen.


God bless you!  Encourage someone!   

Pastor Eibel

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