First United Methodist Church
Thursday, September 09, 2010
Sharing the Love of Jesus Christ
 Giving The most famous sermon on Stewardship by John Wesley, our “founder of Methodism”, is Sermon 50, The Use of Money”[1] In the sermon, Wesley outlines his three rules for being faithful stewards of God’s blessings: (1) Gain all you can; (2) Save all you can; (3) Give all you can.
Wesley elaborated in great detail on each of these points:
1. Gain All You Can
• We ought to gain all we can gain…without paying more for it than it is worth
(be diligent in your spending) • Cautioned that “we ought not gain money at the expense of life, nor
(which is in effect the same thing) at the expense of our health." 2. Save All You Can
Wesley directed the congregation to save all they can in stating: “Do not throw the precious talent into the sea…Do not throw it away in idle expenses, which is just the same as throwing it into the sea. Expend no part of it merely to gratify the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eye, or the pride of life.”
Let’s take a closer look at the last sentence of the quote:
• Desire of the flesh—e.g., elegant living or living beyond what is needed
• Desire of the eye—e.g., buying things that are beyond what is sufficient or
necessary • Pride of life—e.g., spending on items to “gain the admiration or praise of
men”. Wesley said…rather than seeking approval from others, “be content with the honor that comes from God.” In essence, he was stating that we should use our God-given wisdom in determining how to use the money that God has entrusted us with.
3. Give All You Can
In the sermon, Wesley emphasized that:
• When God created us, he entrusted certain things (such as money) for only a season; and,
• We should employ our resources…in such a manner that it may be a holy sacrifice, acceptable through Jesus Christ.
Another highlight of his sermon was that the right use of money is a God-given talent, an “excellent gift of God, answering the noblest ends”. Listen to how Wesley outlines what the Church can do with the tithes of members: "In the hands of His (God’s) children, it is food for the hungry, drink for the thirsty, raiment (clothing) for the naked: It gives to the traveler and the stranger where to lay his head. By it we may supply the place of an husband to the widow, and of a father to the fatherless. We may be a defense for the oppressed, a means of health to the sick, of ease to them that are in pain; it may be as eyes to the blind, as feet to the lame; yea, a lifter up from the gates of death!”
Essentially, we are financing tools for bringing people to Christ…we are His hands & feet.
 Matthew 6:19-24
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.
In this passage, Jesus is encouraging us to approach money with caution—ensuring that we do not place money and our possessions ahead of Him
Luke 6:38
Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
Although the primary focus of this teaching of Jesus was on judging others, the passage can be applied to our giving as well. However, as you will see in the next passage, we must give with the right heart.
Luke 21:1-4
While Jesus was in the
In this scripture, Jesus was admiring generous and sacrificial giving. As believers, we should consider increasing our giving—whether of money, time, or talents-to a point beyond convenience or safety. But keep in mind, when we go to such a point after seeking God’s will through prayer, we find great confidence in knowing that His will is perfect and He will provide for our every true need!
 We find the origin of the “God First” concept in Exodus 13:1-2:
The Lord said to Moses, “Consecrate to me every firstborn male. The first offspring of every womb among the Israelites belongs to me, whether man or animal.”
The word “consecrate” means to sacrifice or to consider something as belonging to God. So, in effect, God is saying “the First belongs to me”.
Exodus 13:12-13
...you are to give over to the Lord the first offspring of every womb. All the firstborn males of your livestock belong to the Lord. Redeem with a lamb every firstborn donkey, but if you do not redeem it, break its neck. Redeem every firstborn among your sons.
This passage commands that the firstborn be sacrificed or redeemed. It is a picture of what was to come with Jesus, God’s firstborn, which had to be sacrificed for us, the unclean. Jesus is God’s tithe. God gave first, with faith, before we ever believed—not knowing if we would respond or not.
Exodus 23:19
Bring the best of the firstfruits of your soil to the house of the Lord your God
Genesis 4:3-5
In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor.
This passage is essentially the origin of tithing (which was some 2,500 years before the Law). Note that Cain only brought some, whereas Abel brought the firstborn and was blessed by God.
Leviticus 27:30
A tithe 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 first portion that we spend is considered to be the firstfruits…thus it is possible to be giving 10% and still not be tithing. As we saw in the Genesis passage, God makes our firstfruit offerings holy. Only the first portion has the power to redeem—empowering God to bless the rest.
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