WEBVTT 00:00:00.680 --> 00:00:04.639 I wonder when I say the word giving what comes to mind. 00:00:05.820 --> 00:00:09.400 Maybe you think of giving someone a hand with whatever it is they're doing. 00:00:10.060 --> 00:00:13.740 Maybe you think of giving your young people lifts to all their various events. 00:00:14.740 --> 00:00:18.379 Maybe you think of giving money to people who are fundraising for charity. 00:00:18.699 --> 00:00:22.039 Or maybe you think of giving presents to loved ones. 00:00:23.359 --> 00:00:29.379 For me, I definitely go straight to thinking about giving and receiving presents at birthdays and Christmases. 00:00:30.620 --> 00:00:35.079 And I was thinking about some of the gifts I've given and received over the years. 00:00:37.020 --> 00:00:41.359 I wonder what the best or most memorable gift you've ever received was. 00:00:42.500 --> 00:00:46.219 For me, it was my 21st birthday present from my parents. 00:00:47.159 --> 00:00:50.799 Mum and Dad got me tickets to go and see Les Mis on the West End. 00:00:51.000 --> 00:00:55.719 So Dad packed Mum and I off to go off to London to see the show. 00:00:55.900 --> 00:00:57.320 We had a ride on the London Eye. 00:00:57.420 --> 00:00:59.340 We had breakfast on the South Bank. 00:00:59.340 --> 00:01:01.560 We had lunch with some of my family in London. 00:01:02.140 --> 00:01:03.100 It was an amazing time. 00:01:04.299 --> 00:01:06.240 One of my favourite experiences. 00:01:06.780 --> 00:01:09.079 Because my parents had got it so spot on. 00:01:10.100 --> 00:01:11.939 They know me so well. 00:01:12.260 --> 00:01:14.060 Almost definitely better than I know myself. 00:01:14.060 --> 00:01:19.900 That they ticked all the boxes in getting the best 21st birthday present for me. 00:01:20.939 --> 00:01:25.260 And it wasn't so much just about the show, amazing as that was. 00:01:25.680 --> 00:01:27.600 But it was about the time. 00:01:28.439 --> 00:01:31.900 It was about the relationship and the joy that that present bought me. 00:01:31.900 --> 00:01:34.280 So hold that thought for a minute. 00:01:34.700 --> 00:01:38.240 And let's take a look at what David has to say in this morning's reading. 00:01:38.239 --> 00:01:42.359 He starts by appealing to the assemblies. 00:01:42.359 --> 00:01:50.299 Saying his son Solomon, who is young and inexperienced, has been given the task for rebuilding this temple. 00:01:50.719 --> 00:01:52.319 And that's a huge task. 00:01:52.319 --> 00:01:56.839 David tells the people what he's given out of his duty. 00:01:57.119 --> 00:02:01.319 All the materials that he's provided in his kingship for rebuilding the temple. 00:02:02.339 --> 00:02:05.379 But then he says, do you know, I've given all of this. 00:02:05.959 --> 00:02:09.699 But now I'm so passionate about the Lord that I'm going to give even more. 00:02:10.699 --> 00:02:12.819 And I'm not giving out of my duty anymore. 00:02:13.359 --> 00:02:16.439 But out of my passion and my desire to give to God. 00:02:16.439 --> 00:02:25.460 I might be wrong, but I'm guessing for a man, a king, who is so often called the man after God's own heart. 00:02:25.740 --> 00:02:32.419 Who wrote so many of the poems in the book of Psalms, professing his intimacy with God. 00:02:32.979 --> 00:02:39.520 I guess that his desire and his passion to give to the Lord came from that intimate relationship that he had with him. 00:02:39.520 --> 00:02:50.939 And bearing in mind all that God had given him, I guess that it felt like only a tiny sacrifice to give some of all of that to the Lord. 00:02:54.540 --> 00:03:03.219 David's example of giving led other people, the family leaders, the tribe officers, the commanders and the officials in charge of the king's work to also give. 00:03:03.219 --> 00:03:11.080 And we see that the people celebrated greatly because of the wholehearted and free giving that they were seeing for the Lord. 00:03:12.000 --> 00:03:15.240 And then David does what David does oh so well. 00:03:15.460 --> 00:03:22.699 And he says this beautifully poetic prayer, which is where I started getting really excited about this passage. 00:03:23.579 --> 00:03:27.199 Because he calls on the Lord appealing to who he is. 00:03:27.680 --> 00:03:31.800 The Lord, the God, the Father of Israel from everlasting to everlasting. 00:03:31.800 --> 00:03:40.960 And in acknowledging that all things in heaven and earth belong to God, David gives us this beautiful insight into giving. 00:03:42.260 --> 00:03:46.360 He reminds us that everything we have comes from God. 00:03:47.140 --> 00:03:48.620 Wealth and honour come from you. 00:03:48.700 --> 00:03:50.140 In your hands is strength and power. 00:03:50.620 --> 00:03:52.720 Everything comes from you. 00:03:52.980 --> 00:03:55.780 And we have given only what comes from your hands. 00:03:55.780 --> 00:04:05.060 In youth, we've been following along with the sermon series that you guys have been looking at here in adult church. 00:04:05.620 --> 00:04:12.420 And a few weeks back we were chatting about this term spiritual disciplines and what spiritual discipline really means. 00:04:13.360 --> 00:04:17.680 A few of us felt that it feels like a bit of a set of rules that we have to follow. 00:04:17.839 --> 00:04:18.920 A bit strict. 00:04:19.060 --> 00:04:20.579 And we weren't sure we liked it. 00:04:20.579 --> 00:04:26.060 So we googled that term spiritual disciplines and found this definition that we really liked. 00:04:27.620 --> 00:04:32.779 It says spiritual disciplines are practices that by design can lead to life transformation. 00:04:33.959 --> 00:04:39.620 Their purpose is to aid spiritual growth as disciples of Christ and deepen our relationship with God. 00:04:40.219 --> 00:04:42.939 They are like training exercises for the spiritual life. 00:04:44.099 --> 00:04:44.759 I'll read that again. 00:04:44.759 --> 00:05:03.740 And I don't know about you, but that's something that I really want to get on board with. 00:05:03.740 --> 00:05:08.980 And that being said then, giving is one of our spiritual disciplines. 00:05:09.300 --> 00:05:16.280 One of our training exercises that can lead us in our spiritual growth and help us to go deeper in our relationship with God. 00:05:17.900 --> 00:05:21.819 And because my dad has always said that every good sermon has three points, 00:05:21.960 --> 00:05:27.060 I've got three points or three principles of giving for us this morning. 00:05:29.000 --> 00:05:30.460 Proverbs 3 verse 9. 00:05:30.459 --> 00:05:46.139 So my first principle for us this morning is that we should always give from our first fruits. 00:05:48.060 --> 00:05:53.699 I'm not sure about you, but when I hear the word giving being talked about in the faith and church context, 00:05:53.919 --> 00:05:57.159 I automatically think of tithing and giving money to charity. 00:05:57.160 --> 00:06:01.660 And that's great because that is part of what giving is. 00:06:03.480 --> 00:06:06.040 But it's so much more than that. 00:06:06.439 --> 00:06:14.400 It's about giving finances, of course, but it's about giving time, giving hospitality, giving services and giving ourselves. 00:06:15.240 --> 00:06:20.340 It's about giving to friends and family, but also giving to strangers and giving to God. 00:06:20.339 --> 00:06:27.199 This proverb, to honour the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruits of your crops. 00:06:27.539 --> 00:06:30.979 I love that language, to honour the Lord with your wealth. 00:06:31.560 --> 00:06:36.819 The inference is that in giving some of all we have, it's not just about obeying a command. 00:06:37.539 --> 00:06:40.219 But in this way, when we give, we worship God. 00:06:40.459 --> 00:06:41.379 We bless him. 00:06:41.779 --> 00:06:42.620 We honour him. 00:06:42.620 --> 00:06:52.199 In our passage this morning, David shares his revelation with us, that everything that we have comes from God. 00:06:52.939 --> 00:06:55.600 And everything we give returns to his hands. 00:06:56.280 --> 00:06:58.280 He says, wealth and honour come from you. 00:06:59.040 --> 00:07:00.300 Everything comes from you. 00:07:00.540 --> 00:07:02.879 And we have given only what comes from your hand. 00:07:02.879 --> 00:07:13.719 I think when we share in David's revelation here, when we come to the realisation that everything we have ultimately belongs to God, 00:07:13.800 --> 00:07:15.379 our perspective on giving changes. 00:07:16.379 --> 00:07:19.500 It becomes less a question of giving, but of stewardship. 00:07:20.339 --> 00:07:23.860 I have X, Y, Z, so what am I going to do with it? 00:07:24.300 --> 00:07:25.639 How do I give from my finances? 00:07:25.800 --> 00:07:29.060 How do I give from my skills and gifts or my time? 00:07:29.060 --> 00:07:33.920 How can we honour him with the first fruits of all we have? 00:07:35.280 --> 00:07:42.980 And I think that leads nicely to our second principle, that in our giving, we should reflect the way that God has given to us. 00:07:45.519 --> 00:07:47.699 And how has God given to us? 00:07:48.560 --> 00:07:52.360 Well, one of our great go-to Bible verses, John 3, 16, says, 00:07:52.360 --> 00:07:59.900 God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, so that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 00:08:02.460 --> 00:08:05.040 God so loved the world that he gave. 00:08:06.960 --> 00:08:08.480 He gave us everything. 00:08:08.680 --> 00:08:09.500 He gave himself. 00:08:10.740 --> 00:08:11.879 He gave his life. 00:08:12.139 --> 00:08:15.280 So that we could have an everlasting relationship with him. 00:08:15.279 --> 00:08:22.119 And if this is the way that God has given to us, are we willing to give our everything for him? 00:08:23.819 --> 00:08:27.439 We know that the night before Jesus died, he spent the night in prayer. 00:08:28.379 --> 00:08:32.379 In his distress about the suffering that he was about to endure for us, he prayed, 00:08:32.620 --> 00:08:34.439 not my will, but yours be done. 00:08:35.199 --> 00:08:40.519 And in spending time in prayer, Jesus was able to surrender himself to God's will. 00:08:41.240 --> 00:08:43.899 And he gave all of himself to the Lord's purposes. 00:08:46.139 --> 00:08:51.159 Likewise, we see when we look at the passage this morning that David's giving was also covered in prayer. 00:08:53.959 --> 00:08:57.819 Verse 10 tells us that David praised the Lord in the presence of the assemblies. 00:08:59.199 --> 00:09:03.600 His prayer didn't focus on his own giving, but the one who he was giving to. 00:09:04.980 --> 00:09:08.059 What does it look like for our giving to be covered in prayer? 00:09:08.059 --> 00:09:15.639 I want to reiterate here that giving isn't just about money. 00:09:16.279 --> 00:09:19.479 Giving is about all the things that we have, all the things that we are. 00:09:20.939 --> 00:09:22.559 Romans 12, 1 says, 00:09:22.559 --> 00:09:35.599 True and proper worship isn't just about turning up to church on a Sunday morning and tithing our 10%. 00:09:35.600 --> 00:09:36.899 We know that. 00:09:37.340 --> 00:09:39.279 We've heard that hundreds of times. 00:09:40.360 --> 00:09:46.860 Worship that God delights in is when we give ourselves in sacrifice and service to him. 00:09:47.240 --> 00:09:49.159 When we put others above ourselves. 00:09:49.820 --> 00:09:51.600 When we live and surrender to him. 00:09:52.139 --> 00:09:54.000 That blesses his heart. 00:09:54.000 --> 00:10:04.399 When Jesus sent out the 12 disciples in Matthew 10, he gave them instructions as he sent them on their way. 00:10:05.080 --> 00:10:09.460 He told them to go and proclaim that the kingdom of heaven has come near. 00:10:09.639 --> 00:10:13.320 To heal the sick, to raise the dead, to cleanse the leper, to cast out demons. 00:10:13.840 --> 00:10:16.000 And then he said those famous words. 00:10:16.000 --> 00:10:18.960 Freely you have received. 00:10:19.340 --> 00:10:20.399 Now freely give. 00:10:21.519 --> 00:10:25.019 And I love the message version of those words. 00:10:25.399 --> 00:10:27.279 You have been treated generously. 00:10:27.879 --> 00:10:29.519 So now live generously. 00:10:31.720 --> 00:10:39.580 Jesus tells his disciples that as we have received so freely from God, so should our lifestyles reflect that. 00:10:40.500 --> 00:10:42.700 Shouldn't that be such a joy for us? 00:10:42.700 --> 00:10:48.320 You might see where I'm going with that final principle. 00:10:49.040 --> 00:10:53.120 And that's that giving should be a joyful, cheerful experience for us. 00:10:55.400 --> 00:11:00.980 You may be familiar with the verse in Corinthians that says, God loves a cheerful giver. 00:11:02.040 --> 00:11:05.980 And the line that follows is that, and God is able to bless you abundantly. 00:11:05.980 --> 00:11:11.040 So that in all things, at all times, having all you need, you will abound in good work. 00:11:11.039 --> 00:11:17.819 Why shouldn't we give cheerfully when God blesses our giving so abundantly? 00:11:19.179 --> 00:11:21.759 Psalm 23 says, the Lord is my shepherd. 00:11:21.980 --> 00:11:23.799 I lack nothing. 00:11:25.360 --> 00:11:31.839 Psalm 84, no good thing does he withhold from the one whose way of life is blameless before him. 00:11:32.599 --> 00:11:35.299 John 10, the enemy comes only to steal, kill and destroy. 00:11:35.379 --> 00:11:39.039 But I have come that you might have life and life in abundance. 00:11:39.039 --> 00:11:40.000 Abundance. 00:11:40.459 --> 00:11:42.959 He is the God of abundance. 00:11:45.759 --> 00:11:50.939 Now, don't hear what I'm not saying, because I'm not saying that we should give because then God blesses us. 00:11:51.099 --> 00:11:57.299 But how amazing is it that we worship a God who never stops blessing, who never stops giving to us? 00:11:57.299 --> 00:12:06.039 We read that David gave first from his duty as king, but then his passions overflowed in his devotion to the Lord. 00:12:06.039 --> 00:12:15.339 And he tells the assembly that he is also given from his personal treasure over and above everything else he's already given. 00:12:15.340 --> 00:12:26.580 The passage then states that the people rejoice greatly in the response to the response of their leaders who have been stirred to give in response to David's challenge. 00:12:26.899 --> 00:12:31.680 His challenge where he asks, who is willing to consecrate themselves to the Lord? 00:12:31.679 --> 00:12:36.500 Who else is willing to dedicate themselves to the Lord in their giving today? 00:12:38.679 --> 00:12:44.579 The people celebrated because they recognised that their leaders had given freely and wholeheartedly to the Lord. 00:12:45.079 --> 00:12:48.019 And David the king also rejoiced greatly. 00:12:48.019 --> 00:12:58.659 Because when we give freely and wholeheartedly in honour of the Lord, it gets to be a joyful experience for everyone involved. 00:13:02.120 --> 00:13:07.399 Just like David gave from his passions, we also get to give from our passions too. 00:13:08.600 --> 00:13:11.199 God has given us those passions to serve him. 00:13:12.340 --> 00:13:16.960 So we can serve him through them by giving ourselves and using them. 00:13:18.019 --> 00:13:19.019 God has given us a lot of time. 00:13:19.019 --> 00:13:20.740 Do you love to sing? 00:13:21.340 --> 00:13:23.879 Maybe you could sing in the worship group. 00:13:23.980 --> 00:13:25.639 Maybe you could give in that way. 00:13:27.519 --> 00:13:29.679 Maybe you're passionate about coffee. 00:13:30.079 --> 00:13:35.240 I'm sure there's someone who would love for you to take them out for a coffee and give them time to chat. 00:13:36.079 --> 00:13:37.299 Maybe you love cooking. 00:13:37.860 --> 00:13:47.360 I can't tell you how blessed I felt every time someone's invited me for a meal or boxed me up a bit of what they've been cooking so that I don't have to cook sometimes. 00:13:48.019 --> 00:13:49.919 And that's not a ploy for you all to feed me. 00:13:50.000 --> 00:13:55.980 But just to show you how simple giving really can be because we can overcomplicate it. 00:13:57.279 --> 00:13:59.419 But we've been given passions for a reason. 00:14:00.019 --> 00:14:10.740 We are loving, giving beings because we're created in the image of the one who is love and who gave himself so that we could experience full, abundant life. 00:14:10.740 --> 00:14:16.980 So there are my three principles for us this morning. 00:14:17.720 --> 00:14:20.419 That we should always give from our first fruits. 00:14:21.240 --> 00:14:26.299 That our giving should always reflect the one who gave himself for us. 00:14:26.980 --> 00:14:30.740 And that our giving should be a joyful, cheerful experience. 00:14:30.740 --> 00:14:41.860 And thinking back to that 21st birthday present, I think it checked all of those boxes because it was the time that they gave me. 00:14:42.000 --> 00:14:44.860 It was the giving of themselves an investment for me. 00:14:45.120 --> 00:14:47.820 And it was the joy that that gift gave me. 00:14:47.879 --> 00:14:54.180 And still does when I think back to it because godly giving has lasting effects for everyone involved. 00:14:54.179 --> 00:15:03.839 So I suppose my challenge for us this morning, myself included, is what does our giving look like this morning? 00:15:05.439 --> 00:15:08.079 Are we giving from the first fruits of all we have? 00:15:08.699 --> 00:15:14.120 Because you know, when we give 10% of our 100%, we're still left with 90% for ourselves. 00:15:14.120 --> 00:15:21.759 Does our giving reflect the one who gave himself for us so that we could know that full, abundant life? 00:15:22.519 --> 00:15:24.600 And does it bring joy?