Deuteronomy 15: 4-15
Background
We do know that giving is exactly what God expects of us. It is a reflection of who He is and how He works. He gives to us so that we can give to others. And it is through giving that we draw close to God. When we give generously out of the abundance God gives to us, we are blessed by a close sense of his presence. This is the rhythm.
Homework: This week ask God to reveal to you a blessings in your life that you can share with a person He points out too you.
We often are hesitant to give because it seems like an act that is one side, a deed that is a one-time thing, not connected to anything else in our life.
But I see in the Scripture that there is follow through to the action of giving, there is a motion to it: Blessing, giving, blessing.
I believe Giving is an act of worship and a part of a larger path that God has for us.
Main Focus
Background of the text. “Moses speaks to people of Israel the expectations of the Lord on how they will act as a nation under God.
The motion of giving is a follow through action from what has been given to us. We see the ground from which we are to act in verse 6, “When the Lord you God has blessed you, as he promised you; and in verse 7, the land that the Lord your God is giving you,
God is the creator and sustainer of life.
-We are not owners but stewards
-Natan - In the Biblical Hebrew, encompasses an especially broad concept whose fundamental meaning is not give or make a gift but rather “extend the hand” in order to place an object at a specific place or to give it over to another person.
God has extended His hand full of blessing to us for us to possess-therefore, we can have an attitude of graciousness because of the grace extended to us.
There will come a time when there will be someone with a need around you. You are to complete the motion of the blessings given to you by giving yourself.
-Moses gives them warning about not following through, about stopping in verse 7, “Do not be hard-hearted or tight-fisted toward your needy neighbor, but open your hand (to give) and meet the need.”
Verse 9, “…do not entertain a mean thought, viewing them with hostility or give nothing-for your neighbor might cry out to the Lord against you, and you will incur guilt. (A reference to when the Israelites called out to God because of being oppressed in Egypt; a call to remember.)
Verse10, “Give liberally and ungrudgingly and God will bless you in all your work.”
Here is the cycle and the motion of giving that is up to us to complete. God has committed to His part, we must follow through with ours.
1. God is abundant, therefore we can be generous
2. Acting as stewards, we are to give with generosity
3. God will bless you in your work
Conclusion: Implications of the Motion of Giving
Physically holding on to things forever is not what God intended. Verse 4 relates to us that the land God has given to us is for us to occupy and not own. We are only passing through this world. He is the rightful owner.
Socially, we are to treat the poor, and our neighbor as our own relatives. We are to look after one another, yes, we are our brother and sister’s keeper,
Spiritually – Verse 9, “…your neighbor might cry out to the Lord against you.” The assumption of these texts is that social transactions in Israel are never between two parties, but always take place in the presence of God.
Verse 15, “Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord redeemed you.” Amnesia can lead you to selfishly think it is all about you. Amnesia permits the creditors to imagine. “My power and the might of my own hand have gotten me this wealth.” (8:17).
It is not so, we are all God’s people and he loves us without conditions or worldly definitions. We simply are to take the resources and gifts God has given and use them make God visible in the world.
Homework-- What are we tight-fisted about? What causes us to respond with fear? Resistance? Resentment? Indifference? Ask God to help open our heart.
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