Lesson Four • Giving
Patrick Bicknell
The topic of giving has become one of those topics that preachers and churches have either used as a way to manipulate their people so that they can get more money, or they avoid it altogether because they do not want to be lumped in with those that take advantage of their people. This is also a topic that many people believe only deals with money, or only involves the adults of the church. I want to talk about how giving is much more than how much money we give to the church. It is not just about putting money in an offering bucket or going online and donating to a church. Giving is a direct reflection of our relationship with God and we are going to see how Paul talks about giving in the book of Galatians.
Read Galatians 6:6.
1. In verse 6, who is Paul talking about that is “taught?” Who is the one who “teaches?”
2. Do you think it is important to financially support a pastor and church? Why or why not?
In this verse, Paul says to “share all good things” with the one who teaches. He is referring here to giving financially to your church so that the burden of making money is taken off the pastor so they can focus on studying the Word and devoting their time to preaching and teaching the things of God. However, I want to look at the deeper meaning of giving.
Read Galatians 6:7-8.
3. What does the phrase “you will reap what you sow” mean?
4. What does “God is not mocked” mean?
5. Why might Paul be saying this after talking about giving?
6. When we give to the church does it mean we are sowing to the Spirit or to the flesh?
The idea of sowing and reaping has to do with farming or planting seeds. One of the best phrases I have heard about this is, “An apple seed doesn’t produce oranges.” It is very simple but gets the point across. The “seeds” that we plant in our life will produce spiritual fruits that we will see. If we are being stingy and ungenerous with our time, money, and blessings, then we will reap the fruits of corruption and sin. However, if we sow seeds of generosity with our time, money, and blessings, then we will reap the Fruit of the Spirit which is ___________________________________.
7. How does all of this relate to you as a student?
8. What do you have to give to the church?
9. Have you ever thought about what you might be able to give to the church?
Read Galatians 6:9-10.
Finishing up this passage of Scripture, Paul gives us a beautiful encouragement of how we should not grow weary of doing good. This is one of my favorite verses of Scripture because the truth is, that sometimes even when we are doing what we are supposed to be doing we can begin to become weary or tired of it. Paul says do not stop, for in due time we will reap from those seeds we plant.
10. When was the time that you got tired of helping people out?
11. How did you recover from that? Or have you ever recovered from it?
12. How does verse 9 encourage you to continue serving the Lord and being generous in how you give?
There is one last passage of Scripture that I love to look at any time I get to teach on the topic of giving.
Read Mark 12:41-44.
13. What is more important when it comes to giving, the amount we give or the heart behind our giving?
The beauty of this last story is that there were people before this poor widow who were giving more money than her. Jesus said what she gave was more than them all; because it was not about the amount she gave, but the fact that she trusted completely in the Lord. Even though she gave her last cent, He would still provide, care, and love her. As students you can give a lot to the church, whether it is time, money, or prayer.
Read Galatians 6:6.
1. In verse 6, who is Paul talking about that is “taught?” Who is the one who “teaches?”
2. Do you think it is important to financially support a pastor and church? Why or why not?
In this verse, Paul says to “share all good things” with the one who teaches. He is referring here to giving financially to your church so that the burden of making money is taken off the pastor so they can focus on studying the Word and devoting their time to preaching and teaching the things of God. However, I want to look at the deeper meaning of giving.
Read Galatians 6:7-8.
3. What does the phrase “you will reap what you sow” mean?
4. What does “God is not mocked” mean?
5. Why might Paul be saying this after talking about giving?
6. When we give to the church does it mean we are sowing to the Spirit or to the flesh?
The idea of sowing and reaping has to do with farming or planting seeds. One of the best phrases I have heard about this is, “An apple seed doesn’t produce oranges.” It is very simple but gets the point across. The “seeds” that we plant in our life will produce spiritual fruits that we will see. If we are being stingy and ungenerous with our time, money, and blessings, then we will reap the fruits of corruption and sin. However, if we sow seeds of generosity with our time, money, and blessings, then we will reap the Fruit of the Spirit which is ___________________________________.
7. How does all of this relate to you as a student?
8. What do you have to give to the church?
9. Have you ever thought about what you might be able to give to the church?
Read Galatians 6:9-10.
Finishing up this passage of Scripture, Paul gives us a beautiful encouragement of how we should not grow weary of doing good. This is one of my favorite verses of Scripture because the truth is, that sometimes even when we are doing what we are supposed to be doing we can begin to become weary or tired of it. Paul says do not stop, for in due time we will reap from those seeds we plant.
10. When was the time that you got tired of helping people out?
11. How did you recover from that? Or have you ever recovered from it?
12. How does verse 9 encourage you to continue serving the Lord and being generous in how you give?
There is one last passage of Scripture that I love to look at any time I get to teach on the topic of giving.
Read Mark 12:41-44.
13. What is more important when it comes to giving, the amount we give or the heart behind our giving?
The beauty of this last story is that there were people before this poor widow who were giving more money than her. Jesus said what she gave was more than them all; because it was not about the amount she gave, but the fact that she trusted completely in the Lord. Even though she gave her last cent, He would still provide, care, and love her. As students you can give a lot to the church, whether it is time, money, or prayer.