Confronting the Spirit of Lack – Part 4

This statement can best viewed if we break it up in three different parts. The larger text must be viewed in light of the first phrase which sets the stage for the whole.

I. GOD’S ABOUNDING GRACE ABUNDANTLY SUPPLIES. “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you.” Because of what is packed into this phrase, one could never completely expound it. Notice the sequence of power-packed ideas:

GOD IS ABLE. Just to mention the name “God” is fraught with more theological and experiential realities than one could ever comprehend. However, the writer goes on to speak of God’s ability. Too often, I’m afraid, we are trapped by what we consider to be the realities of living in a material world. It is easy to lose track of the idea of the transcendent power of the living God when it relates to our material resources. It brings back the scenario of Darius mournfully but hopefully crying by the den of lions into which he had Daniel cast the night before. “Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions” (Daniel 6:20)? If it would not be begging the question too much, is our God able to save us from the gaping jaws of debt and lack? Certainly He is. Our text proclaims it.

TO MAKE ALL GRACE. Again, this phrase could actually be divided into smaller bites but space doesn’t permit it. The grace of God is a profound idea that few of us can comprehend. It speaks of God’s matchless supply as compared to our meager contribution to the supply of our needs. That we have anything or can earn anything at all is a work of His grace.

I realize that the realities of life require us to labor for our subsistence. Our labors fall into one of three progressively objective categories:

1. survival
2. sufficiency
3. surplus (as in tearing down our barns and building larger barns).

Our giving has less to do with the per cent we give as it does with the per cent left over after we give, i.e., the widows mite: “And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living” (Mark 12:42-44).

It is difficult to comprehend what is meant by “all grace.” This idea is offered in only one other location in the scripture, “But the God of ALL GRACE, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you” (1 Peter 5:10). Here it speaks of the ultimate victory one can experience over adversity through the enabling power of God. The grace spoken of in these two locations seems to be of a greater character, extent, and supply than the mention of grace in other locations.

There is one other scripture that might help to shed light on this discussion: “And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all. Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need” (Acts 4:32-35).

If one studies this passage to any limited extent, he cannot help but see that there is a quality of spiritual life that may be characterized as “living under the mantle of great grace.” It is in living under this mantle one is enabled to do GREAT GIVING. In such case one is able to give far more with far greater satisfaction than he might otherwise experience.

HIS ABOUNDING GRACE. “To make all grace abound toward you.” We should not lose sight that we are still speaking of God’s ability released by the character of our giving. The mind can little conceive what is meant by the abundance proffered by God’s “all grace.” It seems it is typified in Malachi regarding tithing: “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

It is typified in New Testament teachings by the words of 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). If that is true, is it possible that the supply of God is limited by how much we give? Then all grace is governed by and geared to the extent of our giving.

II. THE CHARACTER OF GOD’S SUPPLY. Of particular note at this point is the progression of terms Paul used to describe the character of God’s supply: “that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things.” I have puzzled a bit on how to describe what Paul said in this phrase, i.e., “always,” “all sufficiency,” “all things.” The only way I can think of to describe what his intent was is as a progression of quantitative absolutes. “Always” means “continually” and “from now on.” “All sufficiency” speaks of “absolutely no lack.” “All things” means just what it says: “all things” or “everything without exception.”

This phrase is one of the most assertive verses concerning the quantitative results of giving in the Bible. It is comprehensive enough to be totally specific and general enough to make it all inclusive. It brings to mind the following verse from Ephesians: “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us” (Ephesians 3:20). This verse is a succession of superlatives speaking of the gracious power of God working in us whereas our text speaks of the gracious power of God working for us.

III. THE OBJECTIVE OF GOD’S SUPPLY. Paul said it well in the remainder of his statement in today’s text: “That you…..may abound to every good work.” He seems to imply that the binding or loosing of every good work in and through our lives is determined by the extent that we are willing to put our faith on the line in our life of giving.

In preparing my thoughts for this message, I decided to characterize giving in three basic views: (Obviously, there are always exceptions to every rule but these satisfy me.)

1. Giving out of obedience, i.e., tithing. This is one’s first step in the life of giving. God has given this step as the kindergarten in the life of giving. Jesus said, “These things ought ye to have done.” In the early stages, tithing can seem to be more of a labor than a blessing. Continued obedience eventually produces the blessings commensurate to the acts of obedience.
2. Giving out of abundance. Many people when abundantly blessed with financial resources enjoy giving above the tithe to specific human needs or ministries. Their giving tends to be limited to the extent of their abundance and ebbs and flows to the extent God blesses them materially.
3. Giving as a ministry. This takes a person into a whole new realm that a relative few want to go into. To give on this level may be described as follows:

   • One ceases to see his resources as his own but as belonging to the Father. • He chooses progressively to live on less and to give more. • As such, he will constantly seek worthy causes in which to invest the Father’s money. • Because he will inevitable experience an increase of finances, he will rise to greater levels of obedience. • He understands and practices what it means in the following statement by Jesus: “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much better than they” (Matthew 6:24-26).

It is quite obvious that not all of us are willing to go to such extents in our life of giving. To fail to do so is not necessarily a result of rebellion or even of unbelief. It is a matter of growth and progression in ideas, values, and understanding of ministry. It is a realization and appreciation of the life of faith.

One thing that is certain, we cannot out-give God. It is also true that our God is able and will not fail His children. Jeff