My Pulpit Message Notes: GIVING WITH JOYFUL GRATITUDE

GIVING WITH JOYFUL GRATITUDE

My Pulpit Message Notes are transcribed from the sermon preached at the Nairobi Baptist Church (NBC) Ngong Road on Sunday, 21st May, 2023. Preacher - Professor Mumo wa Kisau. Scripture: 1 Chronicles 29:1-22 . Topic: Giving with Joyful Gratitude

When we come to give, how do we do it? David in 1 Chronicles 29:1-22 gives us an example of how to give. They are borrowing from Moses, when Moses in the Exodus asked people to give to build the Tabernacle, there they gave and gave until Moses said, it is enough, don’t give any more.

We look forward to a time of giving until we are told that is enough because that is what happened during the time of Moses and David when they were collecting money to build the Temple/house of God.

1. Purposeful Giving.

2. Prepared Giving.

3. Praiseful Giving.

Purposeful Giving.

They gave with purpose. The purpose here was to build the house of the LORD. David was an old man and was about to depart and recline with his ancestors and Solomon had just become king. He was a young man, not experienced.

David said to the people, please let us support this young man and give to the treasury. The national treasury had given. In 1 Chronicles 28 we see the national treasury gave, but it was not enough. David’s own personal giving we see in 1 Chronicles 29:4

“three thousand talents of gold (gold of Ophir) and seven thousand talents of refined silver, for the overlaying of the walls of the buildings.”

And he said this he had given willingly.

Then he asked the people, who is willing to give? And the people and leaders of the homes gave as households. They planned how to give because they could see the need of giving. Purposeful giving, strategic planning, strategic budget. As they gave they were prepared to give.

Prepared Giving

1 Chronicles 29:5

“for the gold work and the silver work, and for all the work to be done by the craftsmen. Now, who is willing to consecrate themselves to the Lord today?”

When you go to 2 Corinthians 8, Paul is describing a church and he says that they gave more than they had. And he says that they first gave themselves to the LORD. So the first item is to be willing to give myself to the LORD. No wonder the song Take my life and let it be, consecrated Lord to Thee…’ then “Take my silver and my gold….

If we are going to rejoice in joyful giving, giving with gratitude, the first item is to be prepared. Ask the LORD, to take your life. Jesus told His disciples, if you follow me you are going to have much more. There are people who think by giving you become poor. No.

Paul tried to explain in 2 Corinthians, he says, the ones who have, when they gave they did not become poor. The ones who were poor did not become poorer. Those in Acts 20:35 Paul says, I give you an example so that you may give and help others because it is more blessed to give than to receive.

When I give I am blessed. It is like a tube bringing water. If there is an airlock we must remove the airlock. Many times we have airlocks so that we cannot give sacrificially because there is an airlock and we can remove it. And this is preparedness, willingness first of all to give ourselves to the LORD to become His. Take my life and let it be, take my will and let it be Yours.

1 Chronicles 29:17 NKJV “I know also, my God, that You test the heart and have pleasure in uprightness.” In our giving to be joyful giving we must be upright. We must ask God to help us.

God can use anything. As we come to give and serve God can use anything. He used a donkey. We need to prepare ourselves. Purposeful giving, prepared giving results in joyful giving.

Praiseful Giving

9 “Then the people rejoiced, for they had offered willingly, because with a loyal heart they had offered willingly to the Lord; and King David also rejoiced greatly.”

2 Corinthians 9:7 says, The Lord loves a cheerful giver.

When you give whatever it is, you give it and you rejoice. The people rejoiced when they gave.

Even David sang a Psalm singing to the LORD. And then lastly David prayed and said, please God, would you care for my son Solomon, so that Solomon will be able to serve these people wholeheartedly. So that Solomon will be able to use the resources we have given for the purpose for which we have given. Also would you help Solomon to be upright and keep your commandments, your testimonies so that he may perform all the statutes.

So it is not just giving joyously, giving purposefully, or prepared to give, but David also prayed to God for all of us like Solomon, to help the people to have an attitude of giving and with upright heart.

Upright heart becomes a key thing for David. David goes beyond the giving to the person. He prays that you and I as we give to the service of the LORD that our hearts with Him will be right so that when He comes for us we will be ready and we’ll say hallelujah.

The Bible says what we give, we reap here now, we get something out of what we give, but even when we go to heaven, it says, the work, what we do will follow us, that is rejoicing. When we give to the LORD we get interest because we are investing in the kingdom, but when we go to Him we will withdraw the investment together with the interest, that will be the balance. Nothing is lost when we give to the work LORD and no wonder therefore we are being encouraged to rejoice as we give sacrificially to the LORD.

And like the Israelites, after they gave they threw a party with dancing and eating and drinking. The made merry with their king, senior pastor, the elders and leaders of the people. They were happy because they had given willingly.

Purposeful giving, prepared giving, praiseful giving results in celebration. May the LORD enable you and I as we give ourselves and our resources. David here says what we give belongs to the LORD, He has given you and I, not because I am clever than anybody else, but He has given me favour to be able to give the resources that I have.

When I give, he says,

“But who am I, and who are my people, That we should be able to offer so willingly as this? For all things come from You, And of Your own we have given You.” (1 Chronicles 29:14.)

And only we are giving part of it to do the work of God, to enable other people to rejoice in the LORD as we are rejoicing as we go west, as we do the work we are going to be doing here, as we settle other churches the LORD has given us.