And we move from a wonderful chapter of the evidence and the application of the resurrection of Christ and of ourselves to what we do on Resurrection day, on Sundays, on the Lord’s day and as Paul calls it ‘the first day of every week’.
“Now about the collection for the Lord’s people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do. 2 On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made. 3 Then, when I arrive, I will give letters of introduction to the men you approve and send them with your gift to Jerusalem. 4 If it seems advisable for me to go also, they will accompany me.” (1 Corinthians 16 v 1-4)
How do we move from the heights of Resurrection to that of giving money?
What does Paul expect to happen in our church services on Sunday? Is it in alignment with what is happening in 2025? He had already told the Galatian churches to do this.
- Giving should involve a focus on the poor. This was the collection for the mission in Jerusalem. Whether individuals should be giving restrictively to the poor or they give to the Church and collectively the amount is sent to the poor that may not be as important as to make sure that the Church members all put God first for His mission whether to the poor in the city and town they’re in and beyond to the nations of the world.
- Giving is for everyone. “Each one of you …” The rich and the poor. Those who have much and those who have little. In fact personally I have found it is those who have the least who give the most proportionally.
- Give proportionally. The beauty of the tithe (10%) is that it is proportionate to what we have. We give in keeping with our income.
- Giving should be planned. Don’t wait for the collection and see what’s in your pocket. Get ahead. Fill in a standing order form and/or set money aside before you spend it.
- Giving needs to be entrusted to those who count it, bank it, administrate it, send it and then ultimately use it.
Are you ready to give this Sunday?
There are so many initiatives for giving. Here’s one that is still going well and has been a blessing to so many since it was created in 2014.
Missions Paul 