Sowing and Reaping (part four of “Dynamic Duos”)

2 Corinthians 9:1  ¹There is no need for me to write to you about this service to the saints. ²For I know your eagerness to help, and I have been boasting about it to the Macedonians, telling them that since last year you in Achaia were ready to give; and your enthusiasm has stirred most of them to action. ³But I am sending the brothers in order that our boasting about you in this matter should not prove hollow, but that you may be ready, as I said you would be. ⁴For if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we—not to say anything about you—would be ashamed of having been so confident. ⁵So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to visit you in advance and finish the arrangements for the generous gift you had promised. Then it will be ready as a generous gift, not as one grudgingly given.

 ⁶Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. ⁸And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. ⁹As it is written:
   "He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever." ¹⁰Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. ¹¹You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

2 Corinthians 8:7

But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.

"Who Owns Your French Fries". It is the story of a man who buys his little boy some french fries. Then the father does what all fathers do, he reaches over and takes one french fry to taste it. The little boy slaps his father’s hand and says, "Don’t touch my french fries." The father thinks that his son is selfish. The father knows that he bought the french fries and they belong to him. The father knows that his son belongs to him. The father could get angry and never buy his son another french fry again to teach his son a lesson, or the father could "bury" his son in french fries. The father thinks, "Why is my son selfish, I have given him a whole package of french fries; I just want one french fry." God has given us money, when He asks for a tithe, people figuratively slap His hand and say, "Keep Your hands off my money."

1) Principles of Sowing and Reaping

a) You reap what you sow.

If you desire to be loved, you must first love. (sow love)

If you desire forgiveness, you must first forgive others. (sow forgiveness)

If you desire mercy, then you must first show mercy.

If you desire to be blessed financially, you must first be willing to bless God financially.

Leviticus 27:30 says, 'A tithe (ten percent of your income) of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the LORD; it is holy to the LORD.”

The principle of the tithe is introduced in the Old Testament.

Some people often say, “Tithing is an Old Testament Law, not a New Testament Law.”

Yes, tithing is an Old Testament Principle. But, like many other things in the Old Testament, the New Testament takes Biblical Principles to another level.

If you study the New Testament, you will find that Jesus constantly teaches that we are to be 100% committed to God.

So, while the OT says that 10% belongs to the Lord, the NT teaches that 100% belongs to the Lord – totally commitment – love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength.

So, the tithe represents the foundation of giving.

When you hear the terms “Tithes and Offerings,” that represents the foundation (what God requires), and the Offerings represent the Higher Level of giving.

b) You reap more than you sow.

Many years ago, Chinese farmers theorized that they could eat their big potatoes and use the small ones for seed. Consequently, they ate the big potatoes and planted the small potatoes. As a result of this practice over the years, nature eventually reduced the size of all the potatoes they harvested to marbles. A new understanding of the law of life came to them. They learned through this bitter experience that they could not have the best things of life for themselves and use their leftovers for seed. The law of life decreed that the harvest would reflect the planting!

Even my son, at a young age recently learned that tithing works. He began to tithe, and within a month, he received a college scholarship and an extra $ 600 from the IRS on his income tax return.

c) You reap in a later season than you sow.

2) The Practice of Sowing and Reaping

A farmer always has a plan. He knows what to sow, how to sow it and when to sow it. He’s got a plan. He knows that if he does not have an effective plan to sow, then he will not reap.

Likewise, you’ve got to have a plan. When it comes to giving, you’ve got to have a plan.

The Bible gives you and me a plan for giving.

a) Give prayerfully. Ask God what you are to give. Talk to God about your finances. First and foremost – give yourself fully to God. And when you become fully committed to Him, you will be a giver.

b) Give strategically.

Not too long ago, a man was telling me, “Pastor Randy, I want to tithe, but as soon as I get paid, the money is gone – I have too many bills.” I said, “So, you are telling me that your strategy is to pay bills before you pay God? What you are telling me is that your bills (your possessions) come first and God comes after that. Is this your strategy?” He said, “Well, I really don’t have a plan.”

Here’s a principle to live by: If you fail to plan effectively, then your plan will fail.

I am amazed how so many people live life without a financial budget. Some people don’t like the “B” word. Budget.  When you do not have a budget, then you are tempted to splurge on something meaningless or foolish. But when you have a budget and God is number one on your budget, then when you are tempted to buy that 55” flat screen TV that is on sale, you can say with confidence, “It’s not in the budget.”

c) Give generously. Question: Does God give you His best? Do you give God your best? Enough said.

d) Give cheerfully. Have the right attitude.

Husbands, when Valentine’s Day comes around, do you give your wife flowers and chocolates because you have to or because you love her? Hopefully, it’s because you love her, right?

So, when you give to God (who you love!) do you give because you have to or because you love Him? Give cheerfully, not reluctantly.

You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving.

A few days ago, our daily Devotional asked the question: Which zone are you in?

The Challenge Zone – where serving God is a sacrifice.

The Comfort Zone – where you serve God when it is convenient.

The Coasting Zone – where you rely on serving God in the past.

This also applies to our tithing and giving.

3) The Produce of Sowing and Reaping

2 Corinthians 9:8  ⁸And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. ⁹As it is written:
   "He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever." ¹⁰Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. ¹¹You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

Seven Ways Sowers Will Reap

a) God gives you His grace  (v. 8) “And God is able to make all grace abound to you”

b) God gives you His provision (v. 8) “having all that you need”

c) God’s Work will abound through you (v. 8) “ you will abound in every good work.”

God’s work!! When you give, you make God's work abound all around the world.

d) Your store of seed will increase. (v. 10)

It does not say that you will be a millionaire if you tithe.

Some people take this out of context and preach what is often referred to a Prosperity Gospel.

I do not believe in the Prosperity Gospel, nor do I believe in the Poverty Gospel.

e) Your righteousness will enlarge. (v.10)

Many people have the tendency to categorize people in two ways: Rich or poor.

I believe we must throw that type of categorizing out the window.

Because there some rich people who are righteous and some rich people who are unrighteous. (Ex: Abraham was rich and righteous, Zaacheus – before he was saved – was rich and unrighteous.)

Ex: There are some people who are poor but righteous – they give and give and give (The widow who gave the two mites.

Then, there are poor people who are unrighteous. They spend what little money they have on booze and cigarettes. Or they get involved in the lottery or a get rich quick scheme and can’t even pay their tithes. Poor and unrighteous.

So, Jesus didn’t categorize people as rich or poor. He catagorized people as righteous or unrighteous.

f) Your generosity will make a difference. (v. 11) “You can be generous on every occasion.”

You have a character.

When it comes to giving, your character will either reveal that you are generous or stingy.

g) Your gratefulness to God will be evident (v.11) “will result in thanksgiving to God”

When I give, it is about saying, “Lord, you have been so good to me.  I want to be good to you.”

Closing: Giving is worship. In fact, the word “worship” comes from the word “worth-ship” – expressing to God what He is worth to you. So I ask you the question, what is God worth to you?