New Covenant Giving

1. LESSON: New Covenant Giving

• Most churches, Christian workers and pastors live off people’s giving. When we give, our money goes to help others and help the Good News about Jesus to go out to more people.
• In tNCC, the money given by all of you goes towards paying for the rental of this Wisma TA, the electricity and water bills, lunch etc. It also goes towards supporting missionaries and workers all over the world — Cambodia, North Africa, Indonesia, East Malaysia etc.
• It’s important to understand why we give and how we should give.
• Under the Old Covenant, people gave by law. God gave this law, the tithe, to provide for the Levites, one of the 12 tribes of Israel that serve God and did not have land of their own.

• Tithe: a 10^th of agricultural produce or the 10^th animal in a herd (Lev 27:30-34)

New Covenant

• Under the New Covenant, we are not under the Law, so we no longer have to give by law (because we HAVE to).
• However many Christians still give out of 2 wrong reasons:
  • Insurance: God will punish me if I do not give
  • Investment: God will bless me if I give
• What is the right attitude in giving?
  • Know our Source of Blessing
    • In Jesus, we have everything that we need. On the cross, He took our poverty and gave us His ample supply!
    • He has more than enough for us, so we don’t have to be afraid of not having enough.
    • 2 Cor 8:9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.
  • Because we are already blessed, we can bless others
    • We don’t give so we can receive.
    • We give because we have already received from Jesus.
    • Matt 10:8 Freely you have received; freely give.
  • Give from the Heart
    • 2 Cor 9:7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.
    • Give generously. Give happily. Give joyfully.
    • True giving comes from a happy heart, and it gives us a happy heart.
    • The more we give, the happier we become.
    • That’s why in tNCC, we don’t pass around offering bags every service to ask you to give money. We just provide boxes around the halls so that you are free to give whenever and however much you wish.
• How can I give?
  • I can give my time, money, gifts
  • When we serve in ministry, we are giving our time.
  • When we give part of our allowance, ang pow money, birthday money, we are giving our money.
  • We can also give things, e.g. toys, clothes, food, to those who don’t have as much as we do.
  • Christmas is coming up. Instead of just looking for what toys or presents we want to receive, let’s think about what we can give and how we can bless those who are less fortunate than us!

2. Suggested Activities

• Song: God Loves A Cheerful Giver
• Discuss ways the class can come up with a giving project
• Close in prayer