Financial Contribution as Worship

Our Financial Contribution as Worship

 

In last week’s essay on worship from the heart that pleases God, I did not include our giving in the worship service. This was not an oversight, nor because I don’t consider the offering as worship; it was about the space I had. Today we will look at giving as worship.

The following is an adapted version of: “Bible Verses to Help Make the Offering a More Meaningful Part of the Worship Service,” by Rob Chewning. michiganintouch.com.

Our offerings are an act of worship. The worship offering provides believers the opportunity to respond in gratitude to the grace, love, and mercy of God and to put their faith and trust in the Lord into action. The offering to God each Sunday is an act of worship just like participating in the sacrifice of Christ at the Lord’s Supper, singing the hymns, hearing the sermon, and engaging in prayer. The following verses will help you to see this:

Psalm 96:7-8 –“Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength! Ascribe to the LORD the glory due His name; bring an offering, and come into His courts!”

Psalm 116:12-14 – “What shall I render to the LORD for all His benefits to me?  I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD, I will pay my vows to the LORD in the presence of all His people.”

Proverbs 3:9 – “Honour the LORD with your wealth and with the first fruits of all your produce.”

Proverbs 11:24 – “One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.”

Matthew 5:23-24 – “So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.”

Luke 6:38 – “Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”

Luke 12:15 – “And He said to them, ‘Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.’”

Luke 12:48b – “Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.”

Luke 16:11 – “If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth (money), who will entrust to you the true riches?”

Luke 21:1-4 – “Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. And he said, ‘Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.’”

Acts 4:32-35 – “Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common … and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.”

Acts 20:35b – [Jesus said,] “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

Romans 12:13 – “Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.”

1 Corinthians 16:2 – “On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come.”

2 Corinthians 8:7 – “But as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you—see that you excel in this act of grace also.”

2 Corinthians 8:12-13 – “For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that they may be fairness.”

2 Corinthians 9:6-8 – “The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.”

2 Corinthians 9:11-12 – “You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. For the ministry of this service (giving) is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God.”

2 Corinthians 9:15 – “Thanks be to God for His inexpressible gift!”

Galatians 6:9-10 – “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.”

 

David Carr