FREE WILL OFFERINGS

1. I recently saw an interesting web page on the Internet.

2. It said “send in a free will offering of $55 and you get a free book.”

3. I don’t know about you, but a “free will offering”

4. Saying an offering is “free will” and then specifying an amount is contradictory.

IT IS NOT UNCOMMON TO HEAR ABOUT FREE WILL OFFERINGS BECAUSE THIS TYPE OF OFFERING IS FOUND THROUGHOUT THE BIBLE.

1) This evening we want to study free will offerings in some detail.

2) Our references will be drawn from both testaments.

3) We begin with the death of Jesus.

4) Christ’s death on the cross can be viewed as an “offering” (sacrifice/gift/contribution).

5) Jesus’ death may also be classified as a free will offering.

6) Mk. 10:45 says that Jesus came to “give His life” for many.

7) We also remember Mt. 26:53. Jesus could have called legions of angels to stop His cross experience.

8) Jesus willingly contributed His life for our sins so we can be saved.

9) Moments ago we heard a reading from Acts 11:27-30.

a) Verse 29 will be read again – READ.

b) This is a very exact and revealing text.

c) Christians sent money to others.

d) Christians “determined” to do this on their own.

e) That is, this was a free will offering.

f) God’s people chose (1) if they wanted to help, and (2) how much they wanted to send.

10) A reference which goes along with this passage is Rom. 15:26-27, and these verses will also be read.

11) Towards the end of Romans Paul said the offering in Acts 11 “pleased” those who sent it.

12) There have been times in life when we have been practically forced to make a contribution.

13) Some of times when we have given money, it was nearly forced from our hands.

a) My parents sometimes remind me of my Boy Scout years.

b) In fact, this was done just a few days ago.

c) I used to sell a lot of things, and I was a persistent salesman.

d) One winter day I was out selling.

e) I went to one of many houses, knocked on the door, and gave her my best sales pitch.

f) She said “no,” so I went off to what I thought was the next house.

g) Where I was the doors looked like they were to something like a duplex.

h) It wasn’t a duplex. I got a “no” at the front door and ended up at this lady’s back door.

i) I knocked on her read door, she came to see me again, and I got a sale the second time.

14) I have little doubt that the lady of the house felt compelled to buy when I bothered her twice.

15) Those described in Rom. 15 were not compelled – READ verses 26-27.

16) God’s people were “pleased to give.” It made them happy.

17) Christians wanted to make a free will offering and they did.

18) Throughout the Old Testament we read about free will offerings.

19) Additional passages that refer to this type of giving include Num. 15:3; Deut. 12:6; 16:10.

20) Most of us are familiar with the tabernacle—a portable worship center.

a) The tabernacle had to be built (constructed).

b) We know that every building project requires funds, and the tabernacle was no exception.

c) Somehow this place of service to God had to be paid for.

d) The way the cost is met is worthy of study.

e) I want to back to where this is described, Ex. 35.

f) We will draw from both Ex. 35 and 36.

21) The story of the tabernacle really starts in Ex. 25:9.

22) God told Moses that heaven had a plan for a tabernacle.

23) Moses was to make the tabernacle according to the pattern—no deviations.

24) If you have found Ex. 35, let’s read verses 5-9 – READ.

25) Several things were needed for the tabernacle. Did the people respond?

26) We now turn to the next chapter, Ex. 36:3, 5-6 – READ.

27) Under the Old Testament free will offerings were made.

28) In this case, so much was brought the people had to be told to discontinue giving.

29) I have had people tell me, “free will offerings will not work. You need something more.”

30) “Try our latest and greatest fundraiser for the church.”

31) God says that free will offerings do work. They worked under the Old Testament.

32) We also find that they were successful in New Testament times.

33) When someone rejects relying upon free will offerings, they really repudiate God’s plan.

34) We can tell people this, but many are still skeptical.

35) People press the issue and say, “Free will offerings will not allow a church to function.”

36) Let’s compare this idea with the New Testament record.

37) Matthew 4:20 says that Jesus called two fishermen and these men left their nets.

38) Question: Did these men make a free will offering in relation to their spiritual life?

39) They did. Was their free will offering large or small?

40) To leave behind a business (and here it seems a successful business) is a pretty big step.

41) What was the basis for the free will offering from these fishermen? Christ.

42) Today, what is the basis for a free will offering in religion? Christ.

43) A doubter might say, “This was just one example. You can’t find another.

44) Let’s see….what about Matthew 9:9?

45) Here Matthew tells a story about himself.

46) He reveals how he was a tax collector.

47) He had his own shop. He was in a business that generated a steady stream of revenue.

48) Jesus said “follow me.” What did Matthew do? He immediately followed the Lord.

49) Did Matthew give a free will offering? Yes. Was it a little or a lot?

50) Cynics might say, “Well, you have cited a few examples, but they are only a few.”

51) List bunches of examples if you think free will offerings will really work.

a) We can meet this challenge as well.

b) What did Jesus say in Mt. 16:24?

c) He said we are to take up our cross and follow Him.

d) What does the word “cross” in Mt. 16 represent?

e) Is it a life of ease and luxury or a life of pain and hardship?

f) In Biblical terms, a cross is a way of suffering.

g) It is a way of expressing sacrifice to God no matter what the cost.

h) Is this way of life offering a contribution (sacrifice) to God?

i) It is, and it is a free will offering.

52) Everyone who takes up the cross of Christ pledges a life of free will offerings.

53) We give freely because God has freely given to us.

a) Mt. 10:8 says people like the apostles had “freely received.” Therefore, they “gave freely.”

b) Rom. 3:24 further says we are “justified freely by God’s grace.”

c) In Rom. 8:32 those in Christ “freely receive all things.”

d) 1 Cor. 2:12 refers to spiritual knowledge which is “freely given.”

54) Because God has been a free-will giver, such is now our obligation as His people.

55) Some of the greatest Bible characters understood and applied this principle.

a) David said (Ps. 37:26) essentially said the righteous are always generous.

b) Righteous people give (Prov. 21:26).

c) On the other hand, we find people who are not good at free will giving.

d) Stated another way, there are those who are stingy when it comes to giving.

e) If God’s will is that we be free will givers, His plan certainly does not approve of tightfistedness.

56) As I was leaving worship on Wednesday night LONG ago, I stopped and asked the preacher a question.

57) I wanted to know where a verse was.

58) It was one of those times when I knew what the verse said, but couldn’t quote it or quickly find it.

59) It was a passage that something about spending and being spent.

60) It turned out that I had to find it on my own; what I was looking for was 2 Cor. 12:15.

a) Towards the end of Second Corinthians Paul said something that struck me long ago.

b) He told the Corinthians, “I will spend and be spent for you.”

61) Paul was ready to make his life a free will offering to God and others.

62) He said, “here I am, and I am at your disposal, you help spend my life.”

63) This is exactly the kind of mindset that God wants His people to have.

64) In mature Christians, this is exactly the kind of attitude we find.

65) At times we see Bible reference regarding babes in the faith.

66) Some of the Corinthians, for example, were spiritually immature.

67) When we are grow up in the faith, we will have a life of free will offerings.

a) A sign of apostasy and error is a lack of free will offerings.

b) We know this because of 2 Tim. 3:1-2.

c) God promised (foretold) that perilous times would come.

d) People would be “lovers of self” and “lovers of money.”

e) If a person is a love of self and money, are they going to be a free will giver? No.

68) I want to close with a few verses from Acts 9.

69) A very limited number of people are mentioned in the book of Acts.

70) It seems that if you were mentioned in this book, there was something special about you.

71) One special person was Dorcas.

72) From what is said, she made numerous free will offerings with and throughout her life.

73) Her life was dedicated to God.

74) For more than 2,000 years what she gave has been read by millions of people.

75) Acts 9:36-39 – READ.

76) Our free will offerings follow us into eternity.

77) Whether our offerings are dollars and cents, our time, using our hands to make something…They all count.

78) One of the greatest things that can ever be said about a Christian is,

79) “His/her life was a constant source of good to and for others.”

80) We can live a life like Dorcas or we can try to hold on to what we have.

81) The choice is ours.

82) If we are a Christian, is our life one of continual free-will offerings?