Why Christ Commands Us To Give (part 1)

Luke, the physician, and a close companion of the apostle Paul, wrote these precious words of our Lord Jesus, "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal, it shall be measured to you again." (Luke 6.38).

THIS IS NOT OPTIONAL; THIS IS A COMMAND. Christ is not just asking us to give money. He is asking us to give of our life, of our time, of our talents and skills, and of our treasures.

Gleaning from Luke chapter 6, here are several reasons WHY WE GIVE:

WE GIVE BECAUSE WE ARE RECIPIENTS OF HIS MERCY.

"Be ye therefore merciful, as Your Father is merciful." (Luke 6.36).

Jeremiah, the prophet, wept and proclaimed, "It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is Thy faithfulness." (Lamentations 3.22, 23).

When we received Jesus as Lord and Savior, "according to His mercy He saved us." (Titus 3.5). NOT BY WORKS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS WHICH WE HAVE DONE, BUT ACCORDING TO HIS MERCY. WOW! THAT IS GOD'S GRACE IN ACTION. Now that we are saved, we can now "present our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, and acceptable unto God, which is our reasonable service." (Romans 12.1).

WHY GIVE? We give because we have received God's mercy.