One Thing You Won’t Say In Heaven
Finishing Well, part 4 of 5
When you get to heaven there will be a number of things you won’t say. You won’t have to say, “I am sorry for my sin”, or “God has a wonderful plan for my life”, or finally, “I gave God too much”. If we say one thing in heaven (with respect to finances) it will be this; “I wish I gave God more!” In this message we will talk about the power of giving to the work of God and to the world. And how by doing so will store up treasure in heaven and conversely how being miserly or cheap towards God will produce sadness in heaven for not giving more to Him. We will examine how giving to God produces eternal rewards that we can never have taken from us, can never be destroyed and will never fade but will instead will last forever.
Download the notes.*In heaven, you won’t say ___“I gave too much to God”___.
I) The inner issues of giving to God
The story of the rich young man
“Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, ‘Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?’ ‘Why do you ask me about what is good?’ Jesus replied. ‘There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments.’… ‘All these I have kept,’ the young man said, ‘What do I still lack?’ Jesus answered, ‘If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.’ When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.”
(Matthew 19:16-17, 20-22, NIV)
*Giving to God is the ultimate __indicator__ of our heart.
“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
(Matthew 6:21, NIV)
II) The importance of giving to God
Jesus on putting God first above everything
“Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.’”
(Matthew 19:23-24, NIV)
“You cannot serve both God and money.”
(Matthew 6:24, NIV)
* Sacrificial values in the Bible:
1) “Faith” is mentioned __246__ times.
2) “Hope” is mentioned __185__ times.
3) “Love” is mentioned __733__ times.
4) “Giving” is mentioned __2285__ times.
“You already excel… in faith, knowledge, enthusiasm and love. Now add generosity to your virtues.”
(2 Corinthians 8:7, JB)
III) The investment of giving to God
How giving to God benefits us
“Peter answered him, ‘We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?’ Jesus said to them, ‘I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.”
(Matthew 19:27-29, NIV)
“… receive a hundred times as much in this present age…”
(Mark 10:30a, NIV)
*Four huge “giving to God” dividends
Dividend #1) Giving to God ___jumpstarts___ our joy.
“[Jesus said], There is more happiness in giving than in receiving.”
(Acts 20:35, TEV)
Dividend #2) Giving to God ___measures___ our maturity.
“Your giving proves the reality of your faith…”
(2 Corinthians 9:13, JB)
Dividend #3) Giving to God ___rewards___ our resolve.
“[Jesus]: If you give, you will receive… whatever measure you use in giving— large or small— it will be used to measure what is given back to you.”
(Luke 6:38, NLT)
Dividend #4) Giving to God ___grows___ our godliness.
“Everything we have has come from You, Lord…we can only give You what is Yours already!”
(1 Chronicles 29:14, LB)
IV) What will you say in heaven?
“If you are untrustworthy with worldly wealth, who will trust you will the true riches of heaven?”
(Luke 16:11, NLT)
“Every one must make up his own mind as to how much he should give. Don’t force anyone to give more than he really wants to, for God loves a cheerful giver. God is able to make it up to you by giving you everything you need and more so that there will not only be enough for your own needs but plenty left over to give joyfully to others.”
(2 Corinthians 9:7-8, LB)
“Lord, what do You want to do through me to accomplish Your will for Lakeshore?”