More Blessed to Give
Category: Grace
Key Passage: Acts 20:35
Speaker: Paul Chisgar
Date: September 3, 2019
Turn in your Bibles, if you would, to Acts chapter 20, Acts chapter 20 in God’s Word. I have a desire for us, for me too, not just to hear it tonight, but let us put it into practice. If we are not careful, we will hear it, and it will kind of just slip by, and we do not put it into practice. So pray, God help us all to do this, included.
In Acts chapter 20, we will just read one verse. It is very familiar, but I feel like the Lord has us focus on it tonight. Acts 20.
Apostle Paul is speaking to a group of Christians, the church at Ephesus, for the last time. It is a very old, sweet time. It is his last words to this church that God had used correctly in there, this church, in the start of the ministry. He is giving us some last words of advice when he sees them.
Acts 20, verse 35. Let us stand, if you would, please. Acts 20, verse 35. Let us see what God inspired him to say to these Christians, his last words to them. Acts 20, verse 35, God’s Word. It says, “I have showed you all things, how that so laboring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
That phrase there: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” A lot of times we think about that around offering time, and that is true, but he is not just talking about finances. In fact, he just mentions supporting the weak. It is the principle overall; yes, it includes finances, but overall, it is more blessed to give than to receive. It is a great principle. Let us just focus on that a little bit tonight.
Let us go to the Lord in prayer as we get started. Father, Lord, show me how You want to put this together. Lord, I do ask that You would make it stick in our hearts, that we will not just remember, but we will put it into practice. Help me, help us all to be focused on giving instead of just receiving. Lord, we will thank You for what You do. Father, we are asking for this in the name of Jesus. We are asking in faith. Amen.
There is a blessing in receiving. If someone becomes your friend, there is a blessing there. You receive a friend; that is a good thing. There is a blessing in receiving love. If someone truly loves you, that is a good thing. It is a blessing. The Bible does not say it is not a blessing to receive. It is a blessing to receive.
But here is a problem: so often, when I receive a lot and continually, or maybe just my flesh takes over, when I begin to focus just on the receiving, there becomes a problem. A couple of problems can happen.
One thing: you cannot control the receiving. You cannot make someone be your friend. If I am focused on receiving friendship, well, nobody likes me, nobody befriends me. You get stuck focusing on the receiving. You cannot control that. You cannot make someone love you. You cannot do that. The honest truth is we have a pretty tough time making ourselves have joy. I understand the Bible talks about rejoicing in the Lord always, but you cannot control the receiving. You cannot make someone be thoughtful of you. You cannot do that. I want you to be thoughtful of me? All right, good luck on that. They will be thoughtful of you, but not in the way you want them to be thoughtful of you. You cannot do that.
So if I am focused on the receiving, I am going to be on a roller coaster ride. People turn on a dime. Sometimes they are going to be friendly and nice to you and make you happy, and sometimes they are not. If I am focused on the receiving, some days your husband is going to be pretty good, and some days he is not, and vice versa. If I am focused on the receiving, I am going to have a tough time rejoicing in the Lord always. I am going to have a tough time following the principle where Paul said over there in Philippians 4, “I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content.” You are not going to be able to be content in whatever state if you are focused on the receiving, and you are putting yourself at the feet of others. Others are changing on a dime.
I have told this story before, and it comes to my mind. We were at a Nashville Sounds ballgame years and years ago. Some of you have heard me tell this story. It was just our family, just the four of us. We had just gotten general admission tickets, the cheapest tickets available. It was a weeknight, not many people there. We got over in right field. Nobody was in our section besides maybe a group of five or six guys. They were a little ways from us—I do not know, maybe more—but just a group of men; they were all drinking. And that right fielder out there, they were giving him what for! They were just the whole time, just haggling him: “You’ll never make it to the majors! You’ll be stuck in the minors! You stink! You’re sorry!” They were just giving him a hard time.
I never forget somebody cracked up a pop fly out there into his section, and he had to run. He just had to run. All he had, and he dove. In mid-air, he caught that ball, and he landed, and he held on to the ball. Those guys turned on a dime: “You’re the best! You’re the greatest! You’re better than the major leagues!” I do not know what was going on in my life, but the Lord just kind of permanently put that in my mind: If you are going to trust in people, they turn that quick.
If you get focused on receiving, you are putting yourself in others’ hands, and you are going to be on a roller coaster ride—good sometimes, bad sometimes. There is a problem. If I get focused on receiving, I am putting myself in the hands of others. If I focus on receiving, it leads to selfishness. Another problem there: I get my eyes on myself. What am I getting? What do I need? What am I receiving? My eyes are supposed to be on the Lord Jesus Christ. That will keep in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on whom? Stayed on the Lord.
If I am not careful—now, there is a blessing in receiving, but there is also a little danger because I can get stuck on this thing of receiving, and I am focusing on it. What is the old song we used to sing in Sunday school? Many of you probably know it: J-O-Y, J-O-Y, this is what it means. Jesus first, ourselves last, and others in between, and joy.
When I get my eyes off of receiving—if I get my eyes on receiving, it is a blessing. It is a blessing. The Bible does not say it is not a blessing to receive. But if I am not careful, I will get stuck on receiving. I am putting myself in the hands of everyone else and where they are, what they are giving to me. Then, not only that, but it leads to selfishness. Selfish people are never happy. You just will not find a happy, selfish person.
And then the third problem with that is I am missing the greater blessing. That is why it is more blessed. Receiving is a blessing, but it is more blessed to give than to receive. So if I get focused on the receiving, I am missing out on the greater blessing. I am settling for a little bit lower blessing of receiving, and I cannot control that. It leads me to get selfish, and selfish people are never happy. I have my eyes off of Jesus; there is no peace there. And then I am missing the greater blessing of giving.
I worked for a man who was my foreman at a job in Florida. He went to, I think, a Southern Baptist Church; a good man, though. He said they had a fundraiser at Christmas. They sold Christmas trees. He said, “We had a lot left over. We had been off on Christmas break, coming back to work, and everybody was kind of like, ‘Hey, how was your Christmas?’” He said the best thing about his whole Christmas—by far—was when all those Christmas trees were sold, and they had a bunch left over. He loaded them up in his truck and just went to the poorest section of town he could find and gave out Christmas trees. He said, “Man, I had a time of my life.” He came back to work and said, “By far the best thing about my Christmas, I just got to go and give out Christmas trees. I loved it.” I hope you tap into the joy of giving. It is more blessed to give than to receive.
There are so many things about it. Here is another blessing about giving. Look over in Luke 6, in verse 38. You know this verse. It is often used when talking about money. It does apply there also, but actually, the context is not about money. It is the truth of the Word of God, and it applies to money too. But notice this, Luke 6:38, if you would. Just to show you, it is not really about money per se. Verse 37: “Judge not, that ye be not judged: condemn not, that ye be not condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven.” That is the context. Now here is the verse, here is the truth: “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, shall men give into your bosom.” For the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
How many of you have ever picked a hamper full of green beans, maybe? All the older people have, you know. We used to go to the pick-your-own sometimes with Granny Lee and a hamper full of green beans. That hamper—you do not think it is just a basket, you know. I do not think that is big. You start filling that up with the green beans; it gets big. After a while, us boys, we were not just picking green beans; we were picking the whole plant and pulling it out of the ground, uprooting it, and putting the whole thing in there, getting some dirt in there too, trying to fill that up. We thought we had it full, and Granny would come over there, turn that basket, and do like that, and push it down: “It is not full! Got to fill it up! Got to get my money’s worth!” We had to go back to picking. Man, she would fill that thing full, pressed down, shaken together, and running over. That is how God says He gives back to you when you give. I see, so when I am focused on receiving, I do not get the blessing that God gives the givers.
Now let me give a word of caution. If I am giving and my only sole purpose is to get back, that is not true giving; that is loaning. There is a difference there. But here is the right thing to do: Just look, say, “Hey, man, the blessing, the greatest blessing is in giving,” and I am just going to focus on giving. Let us put it into shoe leather here. Just go be a friend. Stop worrying about, “Well, they are not befriending me; I do not have a friend.” Do not worry about it; just go be a friend. Stop worrying about somebody complimenting you or whatever, and just go encourage and compliment somebody else. That is the key. Just focus. “Well, I wish somebody would cheer me up.” Quit all that; just go cheer somebody else. That is the key. Just focus and get good at this thing of giving. I want to be a giver. I would like to encourage somebody. I would like to help somebody up. That ought to be our attitude: just focused on, “Can I give joy to someone else?” Say, “Boy, I wish somebody would give me some joy.” God might give you joy if you give out some joy. God gives the givers. By the way, He says, “Men shall be given into your bosom,” but God is the one that oversees that promise in Luke 6:38. The key is to stop worrying about who is giving to you and start giving.
It is more blessed to give. Just go try to cheer someone up. Let me tell you what: You are having a downtime? “Well, I just need some encouragement; I cannot get on top of the side.” All right, call somebody that needs some encouragement and give to them for a while. That will do more for you. If that does not work, make you some cookies. Men, go buy some cookies. Stop by the store and buy some sugar-free candy, and take those cookies and that sugar-free candy and go to a nursing home and just go in there and encourage those people. We used to have services at the nursing home; one day we are going to get started back. I have told our people, and it is always true: You go to be a blessing to those people at the nursing home, and I promise you, you will be the one that gets the greatest blessing. It is always true.
It is more blessed to give than to receive. You know who gets the most out of church fellowship? Those that come to church fellowship—I am talking about shaking hands before and after the service—those that give the most. Those that just say, “I just want to be a blessing.” When you go to a family reunion or you are around somebody at work, do not go saying, “Well, I hope so-and-so is nice today.” I am just going there being nice to people. Just going there loving people, encouraging people, helping people, and praying for someone. It is more blessed to give than to receive.
Can I say this? Teach your kids to be givers. If we are not careful, our children will just get used to receiving, receiving, receiving. Teach them to give out, give to others. This is a little thing, but I liked it. Building C, usually Brother Marlin and Brother Kevin are over there, and they open all that up. They are both on vacation, and the door was locked. What a shame! Jim and Ms. Terry came to teach Sunday school, and their building was locked. The gym director called me, and I was over here getting ready for Sunday school. I said, “We will get the key over there to you.” He said, “I sent Cooper across the parking lot; we will meet up.” It is just a little thing, but I like that they are teaching their son to work and to give out. They had to go; no big deal. But these are the little things, day in and day out, that you teach your children: “Hey, look, you just do not always receive; you give out.” That is a good thing.
It is very interesting. I think it is later on in my notes. A man whose children were already born, I believe, was at a large church with a Christian school—a large, large ministry, a great ministry. Some of those who graduated went into the world and served the Lord, and some did not. One of his daughters married a guy who grew up at that church for years and years and years. He asked his son-in-law one day, “You have seen so many classes graduate. You have been around here forever. Tell me, do you see a difference between those young people who graduate and serve God, stay in church, live for the Lord, raising their family for God, and those who are going to the world?” The guy thought about it. He had grown up seeing many over the years. He said, “You know, if I remember right, all those young people who were involved in the bus ministry—helping, not just writing, but helping, working, bringing kids in, teaching kids, singing with kids, and loving on kids—those are the ones who turn out right.” He said those not involved seemed like they… He just said, “I am amazed when I think that through, and it seems like that is always true.” There is something about us giving out, not just receiving all the time. He says, “It is more blessed to give.”
Can I just say it this way? Stop waiting to receive from somebody and just start giving.
I just say, “I just want to give out.” The most miserable people in the world are those that are sitting around waiting to receive from somebody: “Nobody loves me. Nobody is good to me.” I understand. Maybe you are in a tough spot. I understand. But can He help you? Okay, just start giving. Just give. Give a smile to somebody. Send an encouraging note to someone. Give a compliment to someone. Talk about their life to someone. Just focus on them. I like to be a blessing. Go with an attitude: “I like to be a blessing to somebody.” What is the song we used to sing? “Make Me a Blessing.” I want to be a blessing.
We must be careful. If we are not watching, we will fall into the trap of focusing on receiving. God has been so good. We receive so many blessings. We live in a wonderful country. Our economy is better than it has been in a good while. Our economy has been up, and people are buying things and going places and taking vacations. All this is happening, and if we are not careful, we will get stuck on receiving, and we miss it. We are stuck in a rut. No, it is more blessed to give. It is a good thing to receive. I do not mind receiving. If I am not careful, if I receive too often—it is amazing for preachers or teachers or people in front of people—if you receive a lot of compliments, if you are not careful, after a while, you will get focused on that, and that is a mistake. The devil is setting you up. It is more blessed to give than to receive. Satan just loves to get us stuck in this: “Well, who is giving to me?”
Isn’t it amazing, Apostle Paul? He loved these people. It is his last words to these people. Of all the things he could have said, he could have said so many things. But some of the last words he says to these Ephesus Christians, he says, “Do not forget what Jesus said.” By the way, Jesus is the one who originated that. He said, “Do not forget what Jesus said: It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
God is the greatest giver there ever was. He gave you the greatest gift anybody ever gave. He gave His best: His Son, God in shoe leather. He went through poverty so He could be rich. He is the greatest giver. Every good thing you ever receive is from God.
I think about all the blessings He gives us, all of us, just the multitudes daily. It is always giving. He is the greatest giver there ever was. We did not even have sense enough to come to Him for salvation, and He sent His Spirit drawing us. Then He gave us salvation; once we are His child, He gives us forgiveness, mercy, and compassion every single day. He is the greatest giver, God.
It is interesting over there in Peter when he talks about those stages of growth. You get up to the top—what is it? Brotherly love, charity, brotherly love. You become godly. You kind of forget about the receiving; that is kind of good, but that is not the big deal. I like to give. That is Christ-like right there. That is godly right there. That is brotherly love right there—just on the giving. Jesus said it. Paul had gotten it. Paul said, “Hey, folks, do not forget about that: more blessed to you.”
Let us just go everywhere all week long. Go home. You want to have a good marriage? Go home and just give. Just focus on the giving. You want to have a good workplace, a good work environment? You cannot control all that. Just go to work and give. You want to have good friendships? You cannot control that, but just go and try to be a friend to people. Make it a way of life: “I like to give.”
In some ways, we can line up everybody: one line over here for givers, and one line for takers—receivers, takers. Sometimes we are all in both lines. It would be good if we said, “I like to just stay over here and focus on that giving.” It is more blessed to give.
Let us bow our heads, if you would, please. If you said, “Preacher, I like to work at this thing. I like it to become a way of life for me just to be a giver, and I like to focus on that. I like to be a giver. God spoke to my heart about this thing of just giving.” If that spoke to your heart tonight, slip up your hand. That is me. God spoke to my heart about that. Me too. Me too. Oh, God bless you. God bless you. That is wonderful. Many, many hands. Thank you so very much. Many, many hands. Thank you so much. Put your hands down.
When God sees us giving out joy and love and peace to other people, God is the wisest investor there ever was. God says that is a good investment. I think I will give him a little more love, a little more peace, a little more joy. That ought to be the life of a Christian: what we get from God, not for us, but for others. That is God’s plan. Let us ask the Lord tonight to help us to be givers. Let us all stand, if you would please. We will have a word of prayer.
Lord, help me. I do not want to just hear this; I want to put it into practice. Be a big giver. Everywhere we go, let us be a giver. Give it out to people. Father, thank You. What an example You are. It is amazing. I come to You so often just wanting and needing from You, and You give. You are so good about giving. You give everything. If I am not careful, Lord, I will be spoiled rotten. Lord, help us to take what You give us and help us to give to others: salvation, a smile, joy, love. Father, help us to be Christians who are just givers. Everywhere we go, people will know that person right there, they are a giver, always giving out what others need. Help us to be like that, a little conduit that You can flow through. Father, we will thank You for what You do. Bless Your invitation. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
The workplace is such an amazing thing. They will know pretty quick. They will know. The world will know. It is amazing. “So-and-so is a Christian, but he is kind of always wanting to receive.” Or they will know, “I like to be around so-and-so. I know they are Christian. They might witness to you, but they are givers. Man, they are always encouraging. They always have a smile. They always have a compliment. They let me talk to them about my needs.” Givers are the best soul orders in the workplace. God uses and works through givers. We have to be givers. We have to be givers.
A former pastor had a goal: he would just try to leave somebody happier when he was with them. He was pretty good at winning people over, not just to us, but just making them happier. I remember him telling a story about a waitress who was rude—she brought his food and threw it on the table. When it was all done, he gave her a good tip. She came up, and I remember right, she started crying. She said, “Why did you give me a good tip? I do not deserve it.” He said, “You are not a bad lady; you are just having a rough day.” She started crying; I cannot remember if her boyfriend or something had left her. It was a sad story. Before he left, she got saved. That is just a good practice. Just give everywhere you go. Go to the bank; try to leave that teller a little bit happier. Go to the gas station; do not go in there and be a grouch. Just try to leave them a bit happier. We try as a family; we have tried over the years to work at that. Just make it a way of life: Give. It is more blessed to give than to receive. God uses givers, and it is a good thing. Work at that, and let us try to put that into practice this way: Just give everywhere we go—everywhere. Home, first place, and then elsewhere, be a giver. Amen.
I am so glad you are here in church tonight, and I am looking forward to Wednesday night. This weekend, be praying that God will bless the service underneath the tent. God is moving, and it is more than just service outside. We need those hats that have fans on them, and spray bottles too. Be praying, and be inviting and working for that, and then dinner on the grounds. Now, we do want to receive a little bit on the dinner on the grounds. It is a blessing to receive, but we will try to give out too. And then baptismal service. Let us be ready for that, excited about that, looking forward to it.
Original File: Sunday PM Pastor Paul Chisgar