A.God loves a cheerful giver (2Cor. 9:7), but what should you give?Does God want you to give only money, or are there other things to give cheerfully?
B.Let us consider an event from Acts 3:1-11 where we will see the example of Peter, who had no money but gave of what he had.
II.PETER GAVE WHAT HE HAD
A.Peter and John encountered a lame man at the gate of the temple (Acts 3:1-3).
1.These apostles had come to the temple at the ninth hour (3 P.M.), which was the hour of prayer.
2.They were entering the temple at the gate called Beautiful.
a.The Jewish historian Josephus described this gate as being seventy-five feet high, sixty feet wide, made of brass, and adorned with plates of silver and gold.
b.Presumably, this gate was on the east side of the temple structure facing the altar.It was called Beautiful because it was more ornate than any of the other gates to the temple.
3.Sitting at this gate was a man who was born without the ability to walk.
a.This man was begging alms (gifts of charity) of the worshipers entering the temple.
b.He did this every day, so the people who came daily had become familiar with him.
B.In the name of the Lord Jesus, Peter gave this man the ability to walk (Acts 3:4-11).
1.The lame man expected gifts of money, silver, and gold, but Peter and John had none to give.
2.However, Peter used the healing power bestowed on him by Christ through the Holy Spirit, and the man was able to walk for the first time in his life.
3.Notice a few details about this miracle.
a.It was done in an open, public place.Many people were there to witness it.
b.It was instant and immediate.There was no delay in the effects.
c.The lame man was healed completely.He did not walk with a limp or a crutch, but instead he was walking and leaping.
d.This was no hoax, for the people had seen this lame man many times before.They knew that he had never walked before, but now they saw him leaping by the power of Christ.
e.These details comprise a valid miracle of God.Today, there are many who claim to have the power to heal miraculously, but no one is demonstrating power as Peter did on this occasion.In truth, men no longer have such gifts, although God’s power remains unchanged (1Cor. 13:8-13).
C.Consider what Peter gave on this occasion.
1.The physical gift was the ability to walk, which the lame man had never enjoyed before.
2.In addition, the lame man certainly received many other non-physical gifts.
a.The man now had the hope of becoming much more than a beggar.
b.He received faith, which is evident by his reaction of praising God in the temple.
c.He received love through the goodwill of Peter, John, and, most of all, the Lord.They cared for him and acted to help him.
3.Not only did the lame man receive gifts through Peter, but also many people who were present in the temple received an opportunity to hear the gospel of Christ and be saved (Acts 3:12-26).
III.WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO GIVE?
A.You may not have many things, but you can give from what you do have.
1.Notice again what Peter said to the lame man, "I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene—walk!”
2.This is the attitude that we must have: "What I do have I give to you.”
a.Like Peter, we may not have silver and gold to give.Unlike Peter, we certainly do not have the power to give anyone miraculous healing.Nevertheless, we all have something to give.
b.God does not expect more from us than we are able to give.Notice 2Corinthians 8:12 – "For if the readiness is present, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have.”
B.Therefore, give of what you do have to God and others.
1.You have talents and abilities, so give of them.
a.The early church was endowed with an abundance of spiritual gifts from which they gave to one another.
i.These gifts are described in 1Corinthians 12:4-11, and their purpose is given in 1Corinthians 14:26 – "Let all things be done for edification.”
ii.These gifts are also described in Ephesians 4:7-11, and their purpose is given in verses 12 and 16 – "…for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ…from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.”
b.We do not have those miraculous spiritual gifts, but we can still accomplish the same purposes by the natural abilities that God has given to us.
i.We all have different measures of the natural talents and abilities to teach, encourage, lead, comfort, help, correct, work, pray, etc.
ii.In these ways and through the word of God, we all can contribute to the edification of the Lord’s church by helping the individual members grow and persevere.
2.You also have resources, so give of them.
a.If God has prospered you with money and material blessings, then you have a reasonable responsibility to give a portion of them for those who have needs and for the work of the gospel (1Cor. 9:14; 16:2; 2Cor. 8:-9; Eph. 4:28; Phil. 4:14-18).
b.You may not have much money, but you can always give an offering that is pleasing to God regardless of how small it is.
i.In Luke 21:1-4, Jesus noticed a widow whose offering was smaller than others, but He said that she gave more than all because she gave all she had.
ii.God does not require us to give away everything we own, but He does value our offerings by the cost to us and not by comparing them to others.
3.One thing all of us can give is time.
a.None of us knows how long we will live, so in this sense we all have an equal amount of time to give (Prov. 27:1; Jas. 4:13-15).
b.Our time is filled with opportunities to give of ourselves, so let us do so.
i.Jesus said, "We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work” (John 9:4).
ii.Notice Galatians 6:10 – "So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.”
iii.Certainly, you should always be "making the most of your time, because the days are evil” (Eph. 5:16)
c.It is good to pray for opportunities to make godly use our time (Col. 4:2-3).
d.Notice that the apostles found opportunity to give of their time at the hour of prayer.Being at the place of worship at the appropriate times is a good opportunity to give of our time.
IV.CONCLUSION
A.Anyone who is inclined to be a giver is given the assurance that God will abundantly supply him with blessings to give.Notice 2Corinthians 9:8-11:
"And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed; as it is written, ‘He scattered abroad, He gave to the poor, His righteousness endures forever.’Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness; you will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God.”
B.Therefore, let us give of what we do have, knowing that "he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully” (2Cor. 9:6).
