THE SPIRITUALITY OF GIVING

Thanksgiving,

Forgiving,

Alms giving.

God's nature is giving.

Give cheerfully.

Seek the Giver of all gifts.

 

NOTES taken @ homily given by Rev Fr Bobby Emprayil
~7 March 2023, Church of Christ the King

GROWING DAILY INTO GOD'S LIKENESS

Luke 6:37-38

Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven;  give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap, for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.

• The Lord wants that we should be more and more like him.  
• We should grow everyday to the fullness of Christ.  
• Because on the last day when we are supposed to stand in front of God, our Father is going to look at each one of us as a nature of His Son, whether Jesus is formed in us or not.

St Paul said "my beloved children, how much am I in pain until Christ is formed in me. Gal 4:19)

GIVE AND IT WILL BE GIVEN TO YOU

Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap, for the measure you give will be the measure you get back. (Luke 6:38)

• There is a lot of importance given to giving. 
• Because giving is the nature of God.

 

 

GIVING IS THE NATURE OF GOD

• God forgives according to our sins.  Because of God's compassion, we are alive.  
• In spite of all our sins, even today, we are alive.   We still breath because of the mercy of God.  
• God is not someone who punishes each time we sin.  God's nature is mercy and compassion.  
• In Jesus the nature of God is revealed completely.  In Him, God is revealed. 
  
• Col 1:15 he is the image of the invisible God. 
  
• John 14:9 Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.
  
• The nature of God is giving.

  

1    GOD GAVE HIS SON

• The greatest expression of His love: John 3:16 He gave His only son.
• If He has given His only Son, will he not give everything in Jesus.
• Daniel 9:9 To you, Lord, belongs mercy and compassion.
• But to us, what belongs is our sinfulness.

2     JESUS GAVE US HIS FATHER

• Jesus is our Father's only son and He gave His Father to us, so we have a Father. 
• In Jesus we became children of God.

3    HE GAVE US HIS MOTHER

• Jesus gave us his mother, so we have a mother in heaven.  
• John 19:27 "Then he said to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” 

4    HE GAVE US THE KINGDOM

• Heaven belongs to Jesus because He is the only Son. 
• He is the owner. Everything belonged to Him and He gave it to us.  
• Mat 3:2 Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near
• Now we become heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven.

5    HE GAVE HIS HIS BODY

• Mat 26:26 “Take, eat; this is my body.” 
• Jesus gave His body so that we are able to eat him and have life.
  

6    HE GAVE US HIS BLOOD

• Mat 26:27 this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.  
• 1 Peter 1:18-19 ou know that you were ransomed from the futile conduct inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish.
• Because of His blood we can come out of family bondages. 

7    HE GAVE US HIS LIFE

• He gave His life, so that we can share in His divine nature
• He had to die to give His life to us, and He told us - Take my life.
  
• We can have his life, the divine life.

9    HE GAVE US HIS SPIRIT

• He gave His spirit, the Holy Spirit, so that we can be led by the Holy spirit not the worldly spirit - the evil spirits of darkness - making us yearn and desire complete control, jealousy and anger, pride and greed, licentiousness and gluttony.  
• But now because Jesus died so that we can receive His Holy Spirit.
• The ultimate reason why Jesus died is so we can receive His Spirit.

 

GOD'S NATURE IS GIVING

God's nature is giving.  God is equal to giving.

 

PUT ON CHRIST

• Phil 2:5 Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus.  
• St Paul is telling us that we should have the nature of the same mind of Christ.
• He is telling us that we should put on Christ.

• Phil 2:3-4 Do nothing from selfish ambition or empty conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests but to the interests of others.
• That we should have the same nature of Jesus. 

OVERCOME OUR HUMAN NATURE BY GIVING

• But human nature basically is to receive.  Desiring to receive.  Always concerned with "how can I get", "how will I get".  Preoccupied with "I want this, I want that".  
• Scripture reminds us we should over come this nature by giving.

IT IS MORE BLESSED TO GIVE THAN TO RECEIVE

• That's why Paul reminds us It is more blessed to give than to receive.  
• Acts 20:35 "In all this I have given you an example that by such work we must support the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, for he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
• We should be people concerned about giving. 
• Constantly examining, "Have I sufficiently given today?"
• If we die tonight and not having given away sufficiently, we will be responsible. 

ALL THAT IS WITH US IS ENTRUSTED TO US BY THE LORD

• He is the owner, we are just the stewards.  
• Whether He asks, I should give.
•  The nature of God is to give. 

 

 

WHAT WE SHOULD BE GIVING

1     THANKSGIVING

• Give thanks in all circumstances
• 1 Thes 5:18 - Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 
• In all circumstances - even when suffering comes, sickness comes, difficulties come - give thanks!  Jesus taught that.
• Thanksgiving in the midst of suffering, this is the Eucharist.
  
• Scripture reminds us that the Lord wants it that we should be people who give thanks sufficiently
  

• Praise is the language of heaven
  
• Heb 13:15Through him, then, let us continually offer a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name.
• Praise is the expression that I seek the Kingdom.  
• Praise is the language of heaven.  The angels are praising
• When we praise here on earth, we are proclaiming that
  
• we do not belong here on earth, 
• we belong to the heavenly kingdom
  

• Praise and salvation
• Col 3:2  Set your minds on the things that are above, not on the things that are on earth
  
• So we need to praise continually
• Psalm 50:23 Those who bring thanksgiving as their sacrifice honor me to those who go the right way,    I will show the salvation of God.”
• Anyone who is bringing thanks giving as a sacrifice, to him salvation will be given.
• It is of utmost importance to constantly praise God.
  

• Surrendering ownership by praising God constantly
  
• When we praise God
• we surrender ownership to Him, 
• we acknowledge nothing is ours
• we acknowledge that everything belongs to the Lord.  
• Praise is the most beautiful of expression of surrendering ownership to God.
• Nothing is ours, we are here dealing with things that are entrusted to us, lent to us.

• Using according to His plan what is entrusted to us
• 1 Cor 4:7 - What do you have that you did not receive? And if you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive?
• God has entrusted the things to us so that we can use them according to His plan 
• Wisdom 15:8    With misspent toil, these workers form a futile god from the same clay—these mortals who were made of earth a short time before and after a little while go to the earth from which all mortals are taken, when the time comes to return the souls that were borrowed.
• What which is lent to us, we need to return. We are merely stewards, caretakers. 
• Luke 12:42  And the Lord said, “Who, then, is the faithful and prudent manager whom his master will put in charge of his slaves, to give them their allowance of food at the proper time?
• Much is entrusted to us, it is to be shared.

• Surrendering to God everything, in every moment
• At the basis of spirituality lies in this rule, the fundamental rule: surrender to God everything, in every moment.  
• And do this by giving thanks, by continually give thanks.

• Overcoming the evil spirits by thanksgiving
  
• In the absence of thanksgiving, the opposite will take control.  
• The opposite of thanksgiving is complaining.  
• Complaining is the nature of the devil - constantly complains.  He will teach us to complain, make us complain.  
  
• If a person is not trained in thanksgiving, the person is trained in complaining.  
• He will complain about everything, in everything he finds fault.  
• The way to overcome this is in thanksgiving, spend sufficient time in thanksgiving.

•  Lack of thanksgiving
• At the root of many problems is this - lack of thanksgiving.  
• Having received so many blessings from God, and not thanking Him enough is a serious sin
• Taking blessings for granted is a grave sin.

• Thanksgiving and salvation
• When we thank sufficiently for our blessings, salvation comes. 
• There is deliverance, our souls will be saved.
•  We do not have a permanent citizen ship on this earth, our citizenship is in heaven, so we should continually offer sacrifice of thanks., it is a proclamation we belong there.

 

 

2    FORGIVING

• The nature of God is mercy.
• We have received mercy and compassion. We have received forgiveness 
  
• What we have received, we give freely, without condition.
  

• Giving mercy - forgiving
  
• Mat 18:23-35 The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant tells us the consequences of not giving freely what we have received from God freely
  
• In the Gospel story, this man was owing a thousand talents (1 talent is more than 15 years of labour)
• His servant was in turn owing him 100 dinaris.  This is equivalent to 100 day's work (1 dinari = 1 day's wages.)
• In comparison, this man was owing the Lord 10,000 talents. This is equivalent to over 60,000 dinaries.  (1 talent = more than 15 years of wages.) 
• The Lord has forgiven this man and cancelled his debt worth over 60,000 Dinaries.  But this man did not offer forgiveness to his servant who owed him 100 Dinaries.  Because of his lack of mercy, the cancellation of the debt is revoked
  
• Matthew 18:33 Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?
  

• If we do not forgive freely just as we have received mercy freely
• If we do not forgive our brother or sister from our heart, the Scripture clearly says, in James 2:13 For judgment will be without mercy to anyone who has shown no mercy.
• If we do not forgive unconditionally, do not expect forgiveness.  
• Our sins can find us out.  Disaster can strike.  Divine mercy will stop operating
  
• Sirach 28:2- Forgive your neighbor the wrong he has done and then your sins will be pardoned when you pray. 

• Harbouring anger
• If we harbour anger against another man, yet seek for healing from the Lord.  Can we seek healing from the Lord when we have anger inside?
• Sirach 28:3 Does anyone harbor anger against another and expect healing from the Lord?

• Be careful not to become agents of the evil one
  
• Do not judge others.  Do not condemn others.   
• Forgive and you will be forgiven
  
• Each time we speak evil against someone, we become agents of the evil one, become the evil instrument.  
• Always find good in others.  
• If sin is there, ask pardon from the Lord.  Show mercy to the person.  
• It is the evil spirits that is making the person angry, proud etc.  If we do not see the evil one, then we will attribute the negatives to the person, we will keep on accusing and hating the person when it is in fact the work of the evil one.  
• So we should fight the work of the evil one and have mercy on the person.  
• Hate sin, do not hate the sinner.  

 

3    ALMS-GIVING

• Use our money for the glory of God
  
• Remember the poor.  
• Remember the ministry of the word of God and use our money for the glory of God.  
• Prov 19:17 Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord and will be repaid in full.
  

• we cannot outgive God
  
• Anyone who is generous to the poor he is lending to the Lord himself, and he will be repaid.  
• We cannot out-give God. Whatever we give to the poor, much more will be returned to us by the Lord.  
• We cannot make the Lord indebted to us.  
• Whatever we give will be returned more.  
  

• Honouring our Creator
• Prov 14:31 Those who are generous to the needy honor his maker.  If we are generous to the needy, we are honouring our creator.  
• Psalm 41:1 Blessed are those who consider the poor; the Lord delivers them in the day of trouble.  The Lord protects him and keeps him alive.  The Lord will not give the person up to the will of his enemy.  The person who has consideration of the poor will be protected from hands of the evil one.  The Lord will sustain him on his sick bed.  In his illness, the Lord will heal all infirmities if we have consideration of the sick person
  
• It is more blessed to give than to receive.
• Sirach 17:22 One’s almsgiving is like a signet ring with the Lord, and he will keep a person’s kindness like the apple of his eye.  
• A person's arm giving will not be something that will be forgotten by the Lord. 
• Sirach 29:9-10 Help the poor for the commandment’s sake, and in their need do not send them away empty-handed. Lose your silver for the sake of a brother or a friend, and do not let it rust under a stone and be lost.  ay up your treasure according to the commandments of the Most High and it will profit you more than gold.  Store up almsgiving in your treasury, and it will rescue you from every disaster;better than a stout shield and a sturdy spear, it will fight for you against the enemy.
  

• Our alms-giving fights for us
• If we are ready to give, our alms giving will fight for us and against our enemy, more than a mighty shield.
• Sirach 35:9-13 The sacrifice of the righteous is acceptable and it will never be forgotten.  Be generous when you worship the Lord, and do not skimp the first fruits of your hands.  With every gift show a cheerful face and dedicate your tithe with gladness.  Give to the Most High as he has given to you and as generously as you can afford.  For the Lord is the one who repays, and he will repay you sevenfold.
  
• Sirach 40:17 kindness is like a garden of blessings, and almsgiving endures forever.
  

• Alms giving is remembered
• Tobit 4:6-10 To all those who practice righteousness, give alms according to your circumstances, my son, and do not turn your face away from anyone who is poor. Then the face of God will not be turned away from you. Act according to what you have, my son. If you have much, give alms from it; if you have little, give alms in accordance with what you have. Do not be afraid, my son, to give alms. You will be laying up a good treasure for yourself against a day of need. For almsgiving delivers from death and keeps you from going into the darkness. Indeed, almsgiving, for all who practice it, is an excellent offering in the presence of the Most High.
  

• It is better to give alms than to store up gold
• Tobit 12:8  Prayer with fidelity is good, and almsgiving with righteousness is better than wealth with injustice. It is better to give alms than to lay up gold,
  

• Alms-giving cleanses us
• Alms giving delivers from death, purges many sins.  Those who perform deeds of charity with righteousness will have fulness of life. 
• Luke 11:41  So give as alms those things that are within and then everything will be clean for you.
• Jesus said, if we start giving alms, inside of ourselves will be cleansed and purged, we will be pure. 

 

 

JESUS TAUGHT ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF GIVING

 

Give cheerfully
2 Cor 9:6  The point is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not regretfully or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 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. 
 

Seek the Giver of the gifts
Phil 4:17  Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the profit that accumulates to your account.
 

Protection
The person who is giving sufficiently will not be afflicted by the spirit of greed.  
A person who is sufficiently giving will be protected from affliction, 

especially the spirit of pride and greed.  
The spirit of love for money will not affect him.  
God's blessings will make him rich and he will not have sorrow.   

Prov 10:22 he blessing of the Lord makes rich,and toil adds nothing to it.

Thanksgiving

Forgiving

Alms-giving

God's nature is giving.