You Can’t Out Give God

“ Then Peter said in reply, “See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.” – Matthew 19:27-30

Have you ever thought about the difference between a sacrifice and an investment? A sacrifice suggests that you are giving up something while an investment should return something to you, even if it’s small. We invest time in our children, so they make good decisions. We invest money to send them to college. While paying for college can seem like a sacrifice, it is really an investment. 

We serve a God who gives and gives and gives. He leads the way for us. No matter what we give, God gives more. He demonstrated the extent of His giving by giving His Son, Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 9: 6-8 says this: “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” Verse 11 says, “You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.”

According to Jesus’ words to His disciples, our reward is eternal life and, oh, 100 times our investment. Simply put, you can’t out-give God. 

No matter what we give to God…monetary gifts, talents and abilities, time…we can’t out give God.

Charles Spurgeon said it this way: “God has a way of giving by the cartloads to those who give away by shovelfuls.”

Discussion Questions:

1. Why do you think a spiritually-motivated and Bible-focused generosity movement is needed in the world today?
2. Do you believe giving 100% of yourself to God is the most important step in learning to become a generous person?
3. List some of the available time, talents, treasure, and things that God has given you. What is a way that some of these things could be used for the Lord and for others?
4. Do you believe you can’t out give God? Can you recall a time when you experienced God’s crazy math and saw the Lord provide in unexpected ways?