on takeaways from today's sermon

Sermon Note

Date:  16 September 2007

Title:   Giving that Counts

Text:   Nehemiah 10:32 - 39

Introduction

• Giving our best instead of our leftovers
• Not "anyhow giving" but "giving that counts"
• 1st part of Nehemiah 10 - the signatories
• 3 Conversion - Heart, Mind, Pocket

A. Giving from Your Heart (v32a; 39b)

"We also placed ourselves under obligation..." -> choice

                                                                    Act of service

- Understanding who our God is will lead us to give (Neh. 9:6a, 7, 8, 15, 20, 22)

Wrong thinking: -  God zaps those who don't give

                        - "Cheerful giver" - if not cheerful, don't give

 

B. Giving of Your Best (v35-37) - To give our all

To "...bring the first.."

Mark 12:41 - 44.          2 Cor. 5:9.             2 Cor. 9:7  

Wrong thinking  - (Can't remember the first point)

                       - God only takes our biggest offering in His sight/into His accounts

C. Giving to Our God (v32-39)

"... for the service of the house of our God."

Wrong thinking   Giving to only a human institution

                         Church is spiritual; so no need to give earthly possessions

Conclusion

No church* is perfect; but each church has its own giftings. Let each and every church bring in their talents for the extension of the Kingdom of Heaven.

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* local church. Hmm, but to extend it further, each and everyone of the body of Christ is a holy temple in which the Holy Spirit resides. So you and I are also "churches", are we not? :p