11/19/2023 Midtown Church Elk Grove

Is It Truly Better to Give Than Receive?

Biblical Background: God is More Gracious & Generous Than We Know!

Deuteronomy 12:29-32

The Lord your God will cut off before you the nations you are about to invade and dispossess. But when you have driven them out and settled in their land, and after they have been destroyed before you, be careful not to be ensnared by inquiring about their gods, saying, “How do these nations serve their gods? We will do the same.” You must not worship the Lord your God in their way, because in worshiping their gods, they do all kinds of detestable things the Lord hates. They even burn their sons and daughters in the fire as sacrifices to their gods.

See that you do all I command you; do not add to it or take away from it.

Our generosity should be connected to the ultimate sacrifice.

“If everyone gave how I gave, would the church be okay?”

Let’s Reframe Why We Give

 1.) Guilty & Dying

Romans 3:23 – for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Romans 6:23 – For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

2.) A Gift for Your Funeral

Romans 5:6-8

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Humans caused a divine problem, so it took a divine human to fix it.

3.) Dying to Live!

How do I surrender my life to Christ? Count,Repent, Confess, Believe

Mark 8:34-36

Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?

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Mark 6:12

They went out and preached that people should repent.

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Romans 10:9-10

Final Thought: Giving From Victory

Psalm 112:1-9

Blessed are those who fear the Lord,
    who find great delight in his commands.

Their children will be mighty in the land;
    the generation of the upright will be blessed.
Wealth and riches are in their houses,
    and their righteousness endures forever.
Even in darkness light dawns for the upright,
    for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous.
Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely,
    who conduct their affairs with justice.