The following provides suggested answers to the Message Based Discussion Questions following the outline provided to the message presented on August 18, 2013. The answers are suggested to stimulate thinking, not to  end thinking.

How do I know what to give?

1)      Five hindrances to giving

a)        Lack of understanding God

b)       Lack of understanding about giving

c)        Lack of discerning distractions

d)       Lack of understanding previous teaching about tithing

e)        Lack of understanding grace giving

2)      Law giving

a)        Tithing – three tithes

i)         Supporting the Levitical worship ministry Num. 18:21-24

ii)       Supporting the festivals and sacrifices Deut. 12:5-7

iii)      Support for the poor every 3^rd years Deut. 14:28-29

b)       Store-house giving Malachi 3:8-10

c)        New Testament lack of support. Matt. 23:23; Luke 11:42; 18:9-12; Heb. 7:4-10

d)       Old Testament lack of support Gen. 14:17-20; 28:20-22

3)      Five reasons a Spirit-filled Christian will give

a)        He loves the Lord   Matt. 6:19-21; 1 Tim. 6:17-18.

b)       He loves others   1 Jn. 3:17

c)        When what he can sees does not matter   Matt. 6:1-4

d)       Because giving more results in receiving more   Luke 6:38

e)        Because by work he can give more   Eph. 4:28

4)      Grace giving

a)       From the Spirit Gal. 5:18;  Acts 4:32-35

b)       Deliberately  1 Cor. 16:1-2

c)       Privately

d)     Determining the amount proportionately

5)      Grace giving of 2 Cor. 8

a)       Gives even in poverty 2 Cor. 8:1-2

b)       Looks for the opportunity to give 2 Cor. 8:3-4

c)       Commits first to the Lord 2 Cor. 8:5.

d)       Abounds in giving 2 Cor. 8:6-7

e)       Proves your love 2 Cor. 8:8

f)        Follows Jesus’ pattern 2 Cor. 8:9

g)       Can include a pledge 2 Cor. 8:10-11

h)       Willingly gives to the Lord 2 Cor. 8:12

i)         Shares for the sake of others 2 Cor. 8:13-15

6)      Grace giving:  2 Cor. 9

a)        Sows in trust of a return 2 Cor. 9:6

b)       Gives from the heart 2 Cor. 9:7a.

c)        Gives cheerfully 2 Cor. 9:7b

d)       Trusts God’s provision 2 Cor. 9:8-11

e)        Multiples worship 2 Cor. 9:12

f)        Gives glory to God 2 Cor. 9:13

g)       Creates bonds between believers in thanks to God 2 Cor. 9:14

h)       Reminds us of God’s indescribable gift 2 Cor. 9:15

7)      Hindrances to Grace Giving

a)       Giving is measurable

b)       Measuring obedience

c)       Pastors think they can convict people

d)       People do not want to feel bad

e)       People want things

f)       Tax deductions

8)      Grace giving warning Jam. 5: 1-5

9)      Grace giving living Titus 2:11-14

When Jesus is your focus, grace giving happens.

Take your eyes off of Jesus, and miss the blessing.

Message Based Discussion Questions

1)      How were you taught about giving when growing up?

a)      I was given a bank and told how to save to give to the Lord.

Digging Deeper: 

2)      What did the widow give in the treasury (Luke 21:1-4)? _two mites (a penny)_ What point was Jesus making?

a)      It is not how much we give, but how much we have left over that matters.

b)      What we give suggests if we have given ourselves to the Lord and how much we trust Him.

c)      What we give shows where our heart is.

d)     What we give is measured in heavenly terms, not human terms.

3)      In the passage of Luke 21:1-4, who was it that Jesus was talking about and to? _the widow__ and _disciples__. Why do you suppose Jesus did not say anything about how the Pharisees were not good stewards of the money, because of the wickedness of the temple worship?

a)      No matter how good the system is, if man has his hand on it, it will not be perfect.

b)      The temple was God’s established system and God would bless the individual people who gave, regardless of how the gift was given.

c)      People should do what they can to rectify the system, although the widow would not have had a strong voice at that time.

d)     Purify the system, but trust God to multiply what is given to accomplish His will, even if there is wickedness.

e)      Know that if you give to the established system, God will bless you.  Do not give to a corrupt system, if a better holy system is available.

4)      Read 1 Tim. 6:17-18. It says, “God gives us richly to _enjoy___. What do you suppose is the best way to enjoy what He gives (cf. 1 Tim. 6:18)?

a)      Be Spirit-filled and be led by Jesus.

b)      “Give more than what you might be willing to spare” C.S. Lewis

c)      Be willing to look for opportunities to give for the sake of others.

d)     Do not be a miser or frugal to the point of destroying the fun of life.

Making application from the message: 

5)      How will you put the principles of “grace giving” into practice? What is the most important perspective?

a)      I need to be so committed to Jesus that the things of this world do not matter.

b)      The most important perspective is to see the invisible reality of Jesus as being more real than what I think I need is not important.

6)      How would you disciple someone who asks you how much to give?

a)      I would give them this outline and slowly walk through it.

b)      I would not rush through it until he could walk through it to me.

c)      I would emphasize Grace giving, not a specific amount that would put him under Law.

7)      How then should our living be affected by our giving?

a)      We will be joyful in all things, because our trust is in Him instead of in the world

b)      We will be a fragrance to others, because we are a blessing to so many.