Giving | When You Give . . .

𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗠 𝗨𝗣

• What is your daily routine or regimen? What happens when you don’t get to do your routine?

• Do you have any habits or things you do on a regular basis that have positive effects on your life? Share one with the group. 

• What do you want to be known for? Tell us one thing you regularly do in light of it.

𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗗

“𝘉𝘦𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮, 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘯𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘍𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯.” 𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗪 𝟲:𝟭

(Read also 𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗪 𝟲:𝟮–𝟰.)

Spiritual disciplines are attitudes and practices which strengthen our relationship with God and bring us to a place where we experience the different aspects of His grace in Christ. These are an essential part of our walk with Him and a response to His love. We are to practice these regularly and consistently—learning from Jesus and making these rhythms of grace part of our lives. These disciplines can be done individually and as a church community. 

As seen in Scripture, traditions and practices are prevalent in Jewish culture. They observed a lot of dos and don’ts. However, many somehow missed the crucial part of these practices—having a right heart and attitude before God. In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught the crowds about the right heart and manner to do these things. Today, let’s look at what Jesus said about the act of giving. 

𝟭. 𝗪𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘆.

“𝘛𝘩𝘶𝘴, 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘺 . . .” 𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗪 𝟲:𝟮

When Jesus was talking to the crowds about these practices, He knew that the practice of giving was already ingrained in their culture and was expected of them. Their giving also was specifically to the needy—usually pertaining to the widows, orphans, and foreigners. God wanted His people to care for and uplift those in need. As God has provided for us and met our needs, we can also be a channel of His grace and mercy. It is not just about giving money, but caring for the needy by serving them. In what ways have you served those in need?

𝟮. 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗲 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘆, 𝘄𝗲 𝗱𝗼 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗱𝗼 𝘀𝗼 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀.

“𝘛𝘩𝘶𝘴, 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘺, 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘰 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘮𝘱𝘦𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘺𝘱𝘰𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘥𝘰 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘺𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘰𝘨𝘶𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘵𝘴, 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘣𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴. 𝘛𝘳𝘶𝘭𝘺, 𝘐 𝘴𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥.” 𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗪 𝟲:𝟮

Since giving to the needy was regularly done in their culture, there may have been a temptation for some Jews to put their actions on display. It was as if they were hoping to be praised and approved by others. As disciples, giving to the needy is not about simply adhering to the law or being known for our obedience, but about extending God’s love to others (Leviticus 19:18). Jesus said hypocrites who sound their trumpets when they give have received their reward. What do you think was their reward? Why do you think Jesus said this?

𝟯. 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗲 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘆, 𝘄𝗲 𝗱𝗼 𝗶𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿. 

“𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘺, 𝘥𝘰 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘭𝘦𝘧𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘴𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘣𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘍𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶.” 𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗪 𝟲:𝟯–𝟰

The Jews had a perspective of an unapproachable, holy God. But Jesus introduced another aspect of God that was revolutionary to them—a relational father. For us today, we have been adopted into God’s family through Jesus’ work on the cross. God is unlike men who are pleased simply with a superficial adherence to the law. When we give to those in need, we can also rest in the knowledge that 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘍𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵 sees how we give. It is not about the place where we give, but whether our hearts are set to simply be seen or to truly obey and please God. Our generosity also enables others to experience Him because through it we reflect who our Father is. Why is it important to practice spiritual disciplines with the right heart?

𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗟𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡

• Matthew 6:3 encourages us to have the right heart when we give to those in need. What action steps will you take this week in light of this? Are there things you need to start or stop doing?

• Reflect and ask God to search your heart about your motivation for giving. Pray for your giving to be an overflow of your love and devotion to God.

• Who among the people in your close proximity are in need today (relative, neighbor, classmate, coworker, employee)? In what way can you extend God’s compassion to them?

𝗣𝗥𝗔𝗬𝗘𝗥

• Thank God that we can experience His grace more and more as we get to know Him through spiritual disciplines. 

• Ask God to give you a heart of compassion for those in need. Pray that your motivation in giving would be to extend His grace and experience Him more in your life. 

• Pray for those who are in need in your close proximity. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you present the gospel to them as you serve and care for them.