“Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.”
Luke 6:38 New Living Translation
My prayer is that when we finish reading this, the Holy Spirit will speak to our hearts to help us realize the many ways we can give because of who Christ is in us. I am also praying that He would help us to recognize and act on the opportunities in the way we give and what we give.
There is an unfortunate reality and lie from the enemy that influences the way some Christians give. Some believe that one needs a lot of money to be in a position to give to others. As a result, they have closed their hearts to what the Holy Spirit is saying to them concerning the many different ways they can give. The eventual consequence will be that this Christian will gradually become spiritually callous and unresponsive to the Word and voice of God. This puts them in a position of forfeiting the many blessings from God and to be used by God to express His love through them in the many ways they can give.
The context of what Jesus said in Luke 6:38 is Luke’s account of Jesus’ sermon on the mount which begins in verse seventeen of chapter six and ends in verse forty-nine. If your Bible is in paragraph form and has paragraph topic headings, it might have a heading that says “Judging Others” or “Do not Judge Others” which begins with verse thirty-seven and ends with verse forty-two.
What does Jesus say about giving and receiving in Luke 6:38 that have to do with judging, condemning and forgiving? A lot, but I am not going to deal with how giving relates to those three topics in this message. What I am going to do is take this verse out of its context to help us see an aspect of the spiritual principle of giving that also applies to judging, condemning and forgiving. Here is a hint or a “teaser”. If a person finds it easy to judge, condemn and not forgive others, they will usually find it difficult and be reluctant to give to others.
Jesus said in Luke 6:38 NIV, “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Can you find where Jesus specifically refers to money in this verse or in the context of the verses before and after? Even when we read this verse by itself or out of its context, does it mention tell us what we “give” can only be money? Therefore, if Jesus was NOT specifically referring to what we give is only being money, what then was He referring to? What we give can be many other things than just money.
The Apostle Paul writing to the Corinthian congregation in 2 Corinthians 9:10-11, told them concerning their giving the following. 10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
In the verses prior in the context (2 Corinthians 8:1 to 9:15) we read Paul was referring to a special offering the Corinthian congregation was going to give. Even though the offering was a monetary gift, it is important not to overlook what Paul said in verse eleven, he tells the church the result of their giving, “You will be made rich in every way“.
It is so easy for some to narrow their understanding to believe what Jesus and Paul is referring to in these verses (Luke 6:38, and 2 Corinthians 9:10-11) is only about money. What we “give” and how we can “be made rich in every way” refers and applies to many more things than just money. When we learn to give of ourselves, our comfort, our time and much, much more, then we will truly be available and not limited to be used by God to give to others around us.
Being “made rich in every way” happens because we have learned that to “give”, is first out of obedience to how and what God is telling us to give, then putting the needs of others before our own, and finally not giving only for our own blessing or benefit.
If we selfishly look at “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap…“, we would incorrectly believe that we give to get back more for ourselves. When we learn the spiritual principle of giving and experience the blessing of giving, we realize that God gives us more to be able to have more to give to others and not to keep for ourselves. Paul explains this truth in verse eleven, the result of being “made rich…”, “…so that you can be generous on every occasion”.
If being made “rich“ only applies to money, then I can only be “generous“ if I have a lot of money. But Paul clarifies “…made rich…” with “…in every way…”. Do you recognize the many ways God has made you rich in Christ Jesus “…so that you can be generous on every occasion”? Do you recognize what has God given you “…so that you can be generous on every occasion” to be able to give what you have received from Him to others?
How much of what we have received from God, of which we can be generous and give to others, requires a great deal money? Look at the following verses in Romans 12:6-8 and try to determine if giving or doing these things requires money. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. 7 If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; 8 if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.
A very good example of “You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion…” which did not require money is found in Acts 3:1-6, 3 One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer — at three in the afternoon. 2 Now a man crippled from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. 4 Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” 5 So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.
6 Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”
Peter gave to the crippled man the most valuable possession he had, Jesus. Just like with Peter, it is my prayer that the Holy Spirit would help us to recognize who Christ is in us and the many opportunities we have to give what God has given us to give to others.
Pastor John
