Scripture Reading Philippians 1:3-11. Why Pray? Why Pay? Why give to the church? Why give to Christ and his work in this world?

Scripture ReadingScripture Reading

Philippians 1:3-11Philippians 1:3-11

Why Pray? Why Pray?

Why Pay?Why Pay?

Why give to the church?Why give to the church?

Why give to Christ and his Why give to Christ and his work in this world?work in this world?

Why Give to the Church?Why Give to the Church?

GUILTGUILT

““I need to pay for my sins.”I need to pay for my sins.”

PAYMENT PLANPAYMENT PLAN


FEARFEAR

““If I don’t give, God won’t love If I don’t give, God won’t love me.”me.”

BUYING ETERNAL LIFEBUYING ETERNAL LIFE


MEMBERSHIP DUESMEMBERSHIP DUES

““Every club has it’s membership Every club has it’s membership dues, it’s the price for services dues, it’s the price for services

rendered”rendered”

FORMULA:FORMULA:Operating Cost / # Members = Operating Cost / # Members =

Dues Dues


GLORYGLORY

““If I give, I will look good.”If I give, I will look good.”Ananias and Sapphira – Acts 5Ananias and Sapphira – Acts 5

IT IS EXPECTEDIT IS EXPECTED““I need to keep up with I need to keep up with

the Jones’ and the the Jones’ and the VanderSma’s”VanderSma’s”


HABITHABIT

““I have always given to the I have always given to the church.”church.”

DANGER:DANGER:$10 in 2006 is not equal $10 in 2006 is not equal

to $10 in 1976to $10 in 1976


OBEDIENCEOBEDIENCE

““The Bible prescribes giving The Bible prescribes giving 10% to the church.”10% to the church.”

DANGER:DANGER:Dead Legalism – your Dead Legalism – your

heart not in it.heart not in it.


THANKFULNESSTHANKFULNESS

““I give to the church I give to the church

as a token of my thankfulness as a token of my thankfulness

for what he has done for me.”for what he has done for me.”


ACKNOWLEDGING IT’S ACKNOWLEDGING IT’S GODSGODS

““I give to the church I give to the church

to remind myself that all that I to remind myself that all that I have is God’s.”have is God’s.”


FOR THE FUN OF ITFOR THE FUN OF IT

““It’s a blast to give to the church.”It’s a blast to give to the church.”

““Each man should give what he has decided Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under

compulsion, compulsion, for God loves a cheerful for God loves a cheerful giver.”giver.”

2 Corinthians 9:7 2 Corinthians 9:7


PARTNERING WITH GODPARTNERING WITH GOD

““I know of no better investment I know of no better investment than to put my money than to put my money

where God is working in the where God is working in the world.”world.”


4In all my prayers for all of you, 4In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy I always pray with joy

5because of your partnership in the 5because of your partnership in the gospel gospel

from the first day until now, from the first day until now, 6being confident of this, 6being confident of this,

that he who began a good work in you that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. until the day of Christ Jesus.

Philippians 1:4-6Philippians 1:4-6


““In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to teach until the day he was taken up to

heaven,” Acts 1:1-2heaven,” Acts 1:1-2

““But you will receive power when the But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in

all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." of the earth."

Acts 1:8Acts 1:8


Christ is still at work in this Christ is still at work in this world through his body - the world through his body - the

church.church.

The Spirit-ledThe Spirit-led

Imperfect churchImperfect church


If you were to invest,If you were to invest,

what would you be looking for?what would you be looking for?

- A partner who can deliverA partner who can deliver- a product you can believe ina product you can believe in

- a market that needs the a market that needs the productproduct


How do you look at your giving How do you look at your giving to the Ottewell church?to the Ottewell church?

Membership dues?Membership dues?

oror

Investing in what God is doing?Investing in what God is doing?


God is working in and through God is working in and through usus

training us to be fully training us to be fully devoted followers of Christdevoted followers of Christ

passing on our faith to our passing on our faith to our childrenchildren

welcoming in people who are welcoming in people who are looking for hope and meaning looking for hope and meaning

in their livesin their lives


God is working in and through God is working in and through usus

drawing us closer to Christdrawing us closer to Christ encouraging us to use our encouraging us to use our

gifts and talents in his servicegifts and talents in his service seeking to meet the needs of seeking to meet the needs of

the people around usthe people around us


We asked this morning:We asked this morning:

““Why give to the church?”Why give to the church?”

I would have all of us ask I would have all of us ask ourselves:ourselves:

““Why do I give to the church?”Why do I give to the church?”


God in his WordGod in his Word

invites us to invites us to

partner with Him partner with Him

in what He is doing in what He is doing

in the world today.in the world today.

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Scripture Reading Philippians 1:3-11. Why Pray? Why Pay? Why give to the church? Why give to Christ and his work in this world?