Giving Teaching

We want to give EXTRAVAGANTLY to a mission that is very close to God’s heart: THE PREACHING OF HIS GOOD NEWS.

The Bible says in Romans 10:13-15

For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”
How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?
And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!”

How Shall They Preach Unless They Are Sent?

In the life of Jesus there are two great stories, both regarding the generosity of women that encapsulate the heart of God in giving.

The first is from Matthew 26:7-16

a woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table. But when His disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? For this fragrant oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor.”
But when Jesus was aware of it, He said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me. For you have the poor with you always, but Me you do not have always. For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My burial. Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.”
Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him to you?” And they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver. So from that time he sought opportunity to betray Him.

The second is from Luke 21:1-6

And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites. So He said, “Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had.”
Then, as some spoke of the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and donations, He said, “These things which you see—the days will come in which not one stone shall be left upon another that shall not be thrown down.”

Notice, that it is not the quantity of giving, but the state of your heart in giving.

The woman who gave a lot, and the woman who gave a little, gave from THEIR HEARTS.  When we give from our excess, it is not giving from our heart.

The Disciples were amazed with the stones and donations that were temporary.  Jesus was amazed with giving that was eternal.  The giving that impresses Jesus is from the heart, for the winning of souls.

Notice, that it was THIS sort of giving that pushed Judas over the edge.

We want to give extravagantly as a small group to send preachers throughout the world and join God in this simple way:

And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!”