PRACTICAL GENEROSITY

GOING TO THE TEMPLE OF GOD WITH AN EMPTY HAND IS NOT GOOD!

God Himself revealed that this attitude is what He wants His children to have.

Exo_23:15  Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the month Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and none shall appear before me empty:) 


The feast of unleavened bread is a shadow and we are done with shadows.  Surely we in the N.T. are not to celebrate Jewish feasts.

But the principle that God wants every one to go in front of Him, with something in their hands is a good principle which is not hard to do, and we can surely gladly do it.

He repeated the principle here two more times for the children of Israel:

Exo_34:20  But the firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb: and if thou redeem him not, then shalt thou break his neck. All the firstborn of thy sons thou shalt redeem. And none shall appear before me empty. 

Deu_16:16  Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the LORD empty: 

Again, offering an ass or a goat is past. That is not for us.
But going in with other believers to worship God with something in your hand to give away is a good practice which we can surely do.

LOOK AT THESE VERSES AND BE TAUGHT OF THE LORD:

2 Corinthians 8:14-15  But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality:  (15)  As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack.

1. Paul used an Old Testament principle to teach a New Testament practice
2. Paul encouraged those who are in abundance to supply the needs of those who are in want

What do we do then?

Every day of worship, we are actually coming before the Lord in a special way as a congregation.  We bring our tithes, offerings, love gifts, special giving, food, acceptable service, and we can surely give something extra.

1. Let us ask our brethren and our visitors if they have something to give, if they don't have anything, then let us give them something so that NONE SHALL APPEAR BEFORE THE LORD EMPTY
2. Let us prepare our own somethings when we appear before the LORD as a congregation with gladness.
3. Each time after God's word is expounded, will be the time of bringing all these somethings in front.

What do we bring?

1Co_14:26  How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying. 

1 Corinthians 16:2  Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.

So it is either money, goods, something that will benefit others unto edification

Who are the beneficiaries?

Whoever has a lack, that there may be equality.