Title: What Kinds of Thanksgiving Should We Give to God?
The Bible repeatedly teaches us that if we do not know how to give thanks to God, it is a sin betraying God and there is no greater sin than this. Today we will learn about thanksgiving and what kinds of thanksgivings we should give to God.
- Thanksgiving with our heart
The first type of thanksgiving is to give thanks to God with our hearts. No matter how much money we give, if it was not offered with the heart of understating, God does not regard our offering (Psalms 49:20).
In Luke 12:16-21, there comes a foolish rich man. Out of his business, he earned and gained profits which he thinks it is enough to last for generations after him. The rich man misunderstood that he earned all of them by himself. He thought it all came because of his ability and out of his talent. He did not understand that it was God who provided him heaven and earth, air and land, rain and cloud, and sun and wind. Without any of them, his farming business could not be so successful, but he did not understand that. He did not understand God who protected his business and God who opened a highway for him. Most of all, he did not understand God who loves him.
In this parable, it does not say whether he gave God a tithe or an offering but even if he had given to God according to his custom, what Jesus says is that God would not regard and receive his tithes and offerings because there is no heart of understanding : that is the heart of thanksgiving.
- Thanksgiving with our body
One day, one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to a meal. Jesus did not decline and went there. According to Jewish custom, when a guest comes to your house, the owner should prepare water for Jesus for washing the guest’s hands and feet. However, this Pharisee did not prepare washing water for Jesus and as being God, Jesus knew what was going on in the heart of the Pharisee.
Then, one of the prostitutes came to that house and kneeled before Jesus, dropping tears and started washing His feet with her hair. The Pharisee thought this could be a wonderful chance to test Jesus: If Jesus is a spiritual man like prophet or seer, He would have noticed that she is a sinner, thus He would cast her out immediately. However, Jesus did not act as he expected.
Jesus explained because she loved much, her sins are forgiven (Luke 7:44-48). To stand behind Jesus signifies the humble expression “I am not worthy to face Jesus”, to soak Jesus’ feet with tears signifies the thought of thanksgiving without a gap, to wash Jesus’ feet with her hair signifies the attitude of serving and dedication, and to pour out the alabaster oil signifies the desperation of her faith that He is the only One who can save me. We should offer God the offering of our body as well. Let’s serve Him with our bodies, let’s serve His church with our time, let’s serve His people with our energy and money.
- Thanksgiving with our money
The third type of thanksgiving to give thanks to God with our money. What God cares is not whether how big or small our offering is. However, Matthew 6:21 says that where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. So, it is certain our thanksgiving and thankful heart should be expressed with money.
Jesus said in Mark 12:42-44, two small copper coins that a poor widow offered was considered the greatest offering. So, no matter how big or small, the offerings we offer to God with our thankful heart, God will receive it.
In today’s main scripture, financial condition of the church in Jerusalem was not doing good. So, Apostle Paul sent Timothy to the churches in Macedonia and asked to gather offerings to help the church in Jerusalem. The amount gathered was much greater than what Apostle Paul expected, so Apostle Paul thanked the churches in Macedonia once again for their serving heart (2 Corinthians 8:1-5).
The definition of the offerings the churches in Macedonia made was they gave themselves to the Lord: they gave their entire being to God. Among the offerings we give out of our thankful heart, there are three kinds of offerings :-
The first type is the offering within our ability which perhaps we feel easy to give
The second type is the offering that goes up to the limit of our ability which perhaps we feel not so comfortable to give
And the third type is the offering that goes beyond our ability which perhaps we feel too hard to give
Churches in Ephesus, in Thessalonica, and in Berea gave the offerings that was beyond their ability and out of their thankful heart and willingness by faith. And this was the result of having and living with the heart filled with gratefulness. 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 says that God loves a cheerful giver and he who sows sparingly shall reap sparingly and he who sows bountifully shall reap bountifully.
Just like the churches in Macedonia who received praises from Apostle Paul because of their heartful offerings, we pray that we may receive praises from God for the heartful offerings we bring to God.
Conclusion
Offering is to lay up treasures in heaven
Our founding pastor, Rev Abraham Park said, if he was preaching this sermon with the intention to take money out of your pockets, then he deserves God’s wrath and curse. However, this difficult topic is being brought up today because the Bible says that when we bring the true offerings, that is to lay up treasures in heaven for ourselves (Matthew 6:20).
Please remember that there are three kinds of thanksgiving: with our heart, with our body, and with our money. We hope and pray that we may give God the true thanksgiving with our hearts, with our bodies and with our money.
The Lord's Covenant Church Malaysia 