GIVING is a grace… not a law. Not like under the Old Testament Law.
Old Testament:
   a.) Genesis 14:20  b.) Genesis 28:22  c.) Leviticus 27:30 d.) Numbers 28:25-27 e.)
        Deut. 12:17 f.) Deut. 14:22-24 g.) Deut. 24:18-19 h.) Mal. 3:8, 10 i.) Luke 18:12; j.)
        Hebrews 7:4-9
New Testament: Tithing is not a command… WHY? Answer is found in GRACE!
1. Giving is a grace not a law. It is tough to try and legalize grace!
    A. Two things happen:
         1.) Joy is taken out of the grace.
         2.) Guilt comes back with the ‘law’.
    B. 2 Cor. 9:7 “Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not
        reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
        1.) “Each man” = PERSONAL/PRIVATE/INTIMATE/POWERFUL almost secretive
              attitude. (Hypocrisy destroys this grace) Not the way to grow in grace! (Matt.
              6:1-4).
        2.) “what he has decided in his heart” No external decision/ pressure/ threats/ guilt
        3.) “to give” This is a voluntary – no force/ JUST LET HIM GIVE! Enjoy!
              (Matt. 6:3 “don’t let your right hand know what left… is doing”)
              (Acts 20:35 “more blessed to give than receive..”)
        4.) “not reluctantly or under compulsion” Giving should be motivated by GRACE
              not the budget, or bills, buses, or programs or missions, or ministers. One
              motive beats all others… GRACE!
        5.) “for God loves a cheerful giver” The result of growing grace is growing in giving
              as well. When a need is presented… grace will respond.
2. There are two power principles (and some promises) mentioned in the word on the
     grace of giving.
    A. Power principle #1 = 2 Cor. 9:6
         1.) Paul speaks of life in general, not just money. Sow generously reap
              generously/Sow sparingly etc…
         2.) Sow a smile/ get 12 back…
         3.) Idea = not to divorce this grace from others… GROW IN GRACE = all of life!
         4.) Result of Holy Spirit in life (create Christ in us).
         5.) Proverbs 18:24 People reflect what we give out… snobbish/grouchy/fearful
              /avoidance = come back to us. Friendly/generous/helpful/openhanded/joyful
              /smile = comes back.         
    B.  Promises made: 2 Cor. 9:8, 10.
         1.) Food to eat
         2.) Multiply your seed which is sown
         3.) Increase the fruits of your righteousness (Make you a better person)
         4.) “Money is NOT THE ISSUE, for it is little more than a measure stick into your
               value system. It is one of the chief indicators of HOW YOU THINK – OF
               YOUR PRIORITIES.”   
         5.) IMPORTANT: “GROW IN GRACE AND YOU WILL CHANGE IN ATTITUDE
              AND DEVELOPMENT.”
    C. Power Principle #2: Luke 6:38
         1.) “Give and you will get” – Does not say “Give in order to get”
         2.) Summarizes previous 37 verses
               a.) Note: Vss. 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 35, 36, 37…
         3.) We have taught SOWING, GIVING… but not REAPING.
               a.) Yet reaping is as important to sowing as sowing is to reaping. This is a
                     lesson on GROWING IN GRACE, NOT GREED. It’s a lesson on the
                     HEART not the WALLET.
         4.) Conclusion is simple: Luke 6:38  “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.”
               a.) If you want good things to come into your life… what we need to do?
               b.) Want people to visit/call/send cards to you… what we need to do?
         5.) Wherever you are in this Grace… begin to GROW!
         6.) Giving 1%, 5%, 10%, 15%? Wonderful!!! GROW
         7.) 2 Cor. 8:7 “But since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in 
              knowledge,in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in 
              you—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.”
2. Extra – Key Words in 2 Corinthians 8-9
    A. Key Words
         1.) “Grace” (8:1, 6, 9), 2.) “Gift” (8:4), 3.) “Gave” (8:5), 4.) “Gathered” (8:15), 5.)
              “Care” (8:16), 6.) “Abundance” (8:20), 7.) “Bounty” (9:5), 8.) “Bountifully” (9:6),
              9.) “Give” (9:7), 10.) “Grace” (9:8,14), 11.) “Multiply” 12.) “Giving” (9:11), 13.)
              “Liberal” (9:13), 14.) “Unspeakable gift” (9:15).
    B. Key Thought: “GIVING IS A GRACE NOT A LAW”
    C. Key Person: JESUS IS OUR LAW AND EXAMPLE… HE GOVERNS OUR
        ACTIONS, (Eph. 4:13-14)

* “THE SECRET OF GRACE IS IN ITS GROWING. (Like Leaven)(As a young plant)(It’s the nature of grace to grow.)(No limit or law on how much saturation, or growth.)(“It is for the sheer joy of it, the feeling of fulfillment, the fruit that is just natural to it.”)
* Orange trees bear oranges – joyfully/willingly/ gladly – Not their TASK – it is their NATURE – THE MORE THEY GROW, THE LARGER THEIR CAPACITY. They have no goals, no programs, FOR IT IS “FRUIT-BEARING” NOT WORK-DOING.”
* John 15:1-8
* Charles Hodge “Use your imagination. Imagine a cornstalk. COMMAND this cornstalk to make corn. It cannot! A CORN STALK CANNOT MAKE CORN! Only God can make corn. He bears corn on a cornstalk. This is fruit – not works. It is INTAKE not OUTPUT. A cornstalk of itself, cannot manufacture corn. A cornstalk will produce in direct proportion to what it has brought in. This is a simple LAW of nature – INTAKE DETERMINES OUTPUT. The cornstalk brings in to put out. A cornstalk needs soil, water, sun and minerals. The more the better. You do not blame the cornstalk during a drought. No farmer is angered with a cornstalk during bad conditions. The cornstalk is at the mercy of intake. Put it in and nature will put it out. So simple!” (“Amazing Grace”, 20^th Century Christian Foundation, pg. 61).

1. COLOSSIANS – GROW IN GRACE
    (Apply what has been learned!)
    A. Vs. 1-4 “Raised with Christ” –
         1.) “Set” New focus/goals/aim
         2.) “For you died” (attended your own funeral) – Hidden in Christ – BOXES
    B. Paul reasons this way, YOU HAVE DIED TO SIN… RAISED UP WITH CHRIST…
        NOW SEEK/SET YOUR HEARTS (DESIRES) ON THINGS ETERNAL. YOU
        MUST PLOW THE GROUND BEFORE YOU PLANT THE SEED. MUST WEED
        AS PLANT GROWS!
        1.) Notice the BALANCE in Paul’s reasoning vs. 5-9
        2.) “Put to death” – An encouragement to keep on doing what was done at
              new birth!
    C. How does this phrase make since here… “INTAKE DETERMINES OUTPUT”.
         1.) Conversion is not MORAL REFORMATION (based on will power) IT IS
              SPIRITUAL REGENERATION.
                a.) Luke 3:15-17; John 3:3-5; 7:37-39; Titus 3:5-7 cf NIV and KJV
    E. Vs. 12-15 – (Put on) the new ways
          1.) cf. Philippians 2:12f; 2 Peter 3:18 “But grow in grace and knowledge”
                (“IN-TAKE DETERMINES OUT-PUT”)

2. GALATIANS – GROW IN GRACE
     A. Galatians 5:22-24
          1.) Paul did not say, ‘Grow in church attendance’, ‘grow in taking the Lord’s
               Supper’, ‘grow in adding more busses’, ‘grow by adding more elders or
               deacons’, ‘grow in having a larger number in Bible study’, or ‘grow in meeting
               you budget’… On and on we go with a list of DOING THINGS (none of which
               are wrong within themselves nor should be opposed or discouraged). THESE
               ARE NOT GRACES so much as they are duties and jobs, and organizations,
               AND THE RESULTS OF GROWING IN GRACE.
     B. The forgotten FIRST COMMAND (and second) Love God/Love others as self.
          1.) Division is not the product of growing in grace… it is the result of growing in
                pride!
          2.) Teach the truth of baptism and Lord’s Supper – but these can be done w/o
                growing in grace.
     C. 2 Peter 3:18 “But grow in grace and knowledge”

3. PETER  – “GROW IN GRACE”
    A. Graceless Simon – the worst disciple
         1.) Said/did wrong thing (foot in mouth)
         2.) If Simon can make it… anyone can make it.
    B. Simon was converted
         1.) First gospel sermon – Acts 2:14-40
         2.) Cornelius – Acts 10
         3.) Simon grew in grace and knowledge of the Lord.
     C. 2 Peter 1:3-10 Read
     D. Is this the same Peter
         1.) Luke 5:8 “Get away from me Lord, for you don’t know how many sins I’ve
              really got.”
         2.) Matthew 17:4 “Let’s build three tabernacles, one for you, one for Moses and
              one for Elijah.”
         3.) Matthew 16:22 “No Lord, you are not going to the cross!”
         4.) John 18 “I don’t know the man!!!”
     E. YES, this is the same man… but NOT the same man….
          1.) He grew and grew and grew and grew in grace….
     F. Peter’s encouragement, “Grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior
        Jesus Christ…”
Conclusions:
Grace as opposed to law/works… simply enables and promotes the growth which many leaders are seeking in their congregations. The problem seems to be in the way leaders and preachers are going about trying to get their congregation to grow.
Grace is a motivator, liberator, and encourager… whereas law/works (check-list system) and the resulting efforts at ‘perfect performance’ and guilt for failure…does not promote growth. Growth will come as Christians grow in grace…. the results will be with joy, and love, and will be the natural fruit of the Spirit who lives within each and every Christian… This in turn will promote unity in the body of Christ.