A converted heart will be evidenced by a converted wallet. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

APRIL OFFERING 2022
TEXT: 2 Corinthians 9:6-11
TITLE: True New Testament Giving
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet
BIG IDEA: A converted heart will be evidenced by a converted wallet.

POINTS:
1. Two Types of Givers
2. One Generous God

SERMON EXCERPTS:
”Whether it’s regular tithe, Fifth Sunday or the April offering, we know generous giving is never about a budget goal—It’s about grateful hearts for the gospel and a passionate desire to see the gospel mission advanced through the local church.”

“If you want to know what God expects from His people as it relates to giving, look no further than 2 Corinthians 8 & 9. At the heart of Paul’s instruction isn’t a percentage or amount but an attitude, an attitude of GENEROSITY.”

“Generosity is the fruit of faith in God, that He is able to sufficiently supply for one’s needs and contentment in how He supplies for those needs. Generous, cheerful, faith-filled giving. That’s the NT focus and if that’s you today, thank God today by saying: I get the joy of giving…God gets all the glory in the giving!”

“If God never gave you another good thing in this life, salvation in Jesus would still be enough to be the basis and motivation for every penny you give in grateful worship for what He has done for you in Christ.”

“God generously gives to us, not so we can live our best lives now, but so we can generously give to His mission.”

QUOTES:
John Piper - “To give sparingly is to give from a heart that deep inside wants to hold back. There are enough external constraints and pressures to make us give something. But the real feeling of our heart is not to think how much can we give, but how much can we keep”

ESV Study Bible - “God will provide for the Corinthian's needs so that they can continue generously meeting others' needs and giving resources to advance the gospel”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Luke 21:1-4
Acts 8:1-15
Psalm 37:25
Philippians 4:19

APPLICATION:
The point is not to Give all your money to the April offering because it’s sinful to spend money on yourself. The point is God wants us to view His generosity toward us not primarily for our sole benefit and enjoyment, but for His redemptive purposes.

In light of 2 Corinthians 9:6-11, from the poorest to the wealthiest in the room, would you prayerfully consider how God is calling you to give on the last Sunday of April from a generous, cheerful, faith-filled heart for the sake of our gospel mission together and the pleasure and glory of God.

In 2 Corinthians 8-9, we find the Apostle Paul spurring on the church in Corinth to participate in a sacrificial offering for the suffering saints in Jerusalem. After pointing out the grace-filled example of the Macedonian churches (2 Corinthians 8:1-15), Paul encourages the Corinthians saying:

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 9:6-8

What are the marks of God-glorifying NT giving? According to Paul, generosity, intentionality, cheerfulness (joy), and faith. Of course, none of those characteristics matter if they are not ultimately rooted in Paul’s final words to them:

Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!—2 Corinthians 9:15

God-exalting giving begins here—God has given us life, hope, and joy in Jesus Christ. We don’t give to get grace. We give because we have received grace abundantly. Or, in the words of Randy Alcorn, “As thunder follows lightning, giving follows grace.”

This means giving is worship.

As much as praying, singing, and serving is worship, gospel-motivated giving is worship because it’s a response of the heart to God’s gift of salvation in Christ. That’s what the April offering is about: WORSHIP. God-exalting praise with our pocketbooks.

As you prepare to give this Sunday, we pray your heart is overflowing with gratitude for Jesus Christ. We pray you give generously because you have received generously. We pray your heart is filled with faith and joy as you are intentional about what you give to advance the name of Jesus here in Tucson and Santa Cruz, Bolivia.  We pray you give with the words of Paul echoing in your soul—Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!

 As you prepare your heart to give this Sunday, here are a few practical instructions to prepare you:

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You can give in person on Sunday, via text, or on the church website HERE.

HOW TO GIVE:

• By check, writing “April Offering” in the memo

• By text to 84321 with the amount and fund tag (Ex. $25 2021apriloffering)

• Online, selecting “2021 April offering” from the drop-down menu

• With cash put in a giving envelope marked with “2021 April Offering”

However and whatever you choose to give, we thank you. But above all—Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!