Text: 2 Samuel 24:18-25
Memory verse:
““Gather My saints together to Me, Those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice.””
Psalms 50:5 NKJV
God is the perfect example of a sacrificial giver. He sacrificed His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, because of love. Imagine what it caused Him. He suffered pain, deprivation and loneliness to see His only begotten Son given out and subjected to such cruelty in the hands of men. Not because He couldn’t protect His Son or deliver Him but because He loved man and death was the only option for salvation. He willingly gave out His only begotten Son. Imagine the wailing and tears in heaven as Jesus was led to Calvary like a robber, to be crucified! Music and dancing in heaven would have stopped! Even the earth protested, as there were earthquakes and darkness on the earth as Jesus gave up the ghost! What a cost! You see, salvation is cheap for man but very costly for God. So, grace is not cheap. It costs man nothing to receive but costed God everything to give (John 3:16; 2 Cor 5:21). Thank You, Jesus!
Sacrificial giving is part and parcel of the Christian worship. No one can amount to anything with God without sacrifice. The giving that is sacrificial must be that which is given without any strings attached to it. It must not be given by compulsion, intimidation or threat but willingly and cheerfully. ““Speak to the children of Israel, that they bring Me an offering. From everyone who gives it willingly with his heart you shall take My offering.” (Exo 25:2).
“So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.” (II Cor 9:7).
Such giving must be motivated by love. Look at it again. “For God so loved the world that He gave..,”. Love propelled Him to give. Likewise, love motivated Solomon to offer one thousand burnt offerings to God, far above what anyone had ever done (1 Kings 3:3-4).
In addition, giving is not sacrificial, unless it costed you something. Some people give to God like giving alms to beggars. No. Sacrificial giving must take something out of you and must give you a sense of pain, sometimes, even tears, yet it must be joyfully given. That is, giving with tears of joy. “Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy.” (Psa 126:5).
Sacrificial giving must not be cheap but costly to the giver. David gave us an insight into what sacrificial giving really means when he insisted to pay for the piece of land which Araunah was ready to gift him. “… “No, I will pay you for it. I will not offer to the LORD my God sacrifices that have cost me nothing.” And he bought the threshing place and the oxen for fifty pieces of silver.” (2 Sam 24:24 GNT).
Friends, giving is not not an obsolete doctrine but it remains a foundation of the Christian faith. It is a spiritual sacrifice, because, today, we don’t burn offering on the altar, but we give in faith and in the name of the Lord. Jesus commended the widow who gave sacrificially (Mark 12:43). Paul, also, referenced the giving of the Macedonian believers, describing thus: “For I can testify that they gave not only what they could afford, but far more. And they did it of their own free will.” (2 Cor 8:3 NLT).
As sacrificial giving is uncommon, so does it place the giver in a unique position before God. God is still calling His children to make agreements with Him today through sacrificial giving (Psa 50:5). May the Lord give you understanding in Jesus name.
Prayer points
1. Father, thank You for giving sacrificially to save me and please, help me to follow Your footsteps in Jesus name.
2. Father, let me never miss out of the great privilege of making agreement with You through sacrificial giving in Jesus name.
Today’s declarations
1. Anytime I give sacrificially, I am following God’s footsteps and attracting His uncommon favour.
2. Unless it costs me something, my giving is not sacrificial and sacrificial givers sow in tears but reap in joy.
Contact: pastor@thf.org.ng