My Giving Journey

My Giving Journey · Luke 16:1-13 · October 25, 2026

Why does God want me to give? (It’s about more than money)

What do you do? Every follower of Jesus holds a seat at the table of a very old, worldwide organization that cares for people from birth to death and is funded entirely by people who have received its care. That organization is the global church, and its CEO is Jesus Christ.

This message kicks off My Giving Journey, a new series about generosity. God is generous with His people throughout Scripture and with us now. “God so loved the world that he gave” (John 3:16). He wants us to learn generosity from Him, because the stuff we accumulate doesn’t really belong to us.

In Luke 16, Jesus tells of a dishonest manager who uses his master’s wealth to make friends. The lesson: “Use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends” (Luke 16:9). “Worldly resources” and “money” here translate one word, mammon: our money and stuff. “You cannot serve both God and money” (Luke 16:13). So Jesus calls us to steward our mammon wisely, not be controlled by it. The first step on this journey is a big one: saying, “I trust You, God,” and giving something we’ve never given before.

Why God wants us to give, and what He asks for

1. We give out of trust: our time. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not depend on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5). Paul urges us to make “the best use of the time” (Ephesians 5:15–16). This year God challenged the pastor to tithe his time with three days of prayer and fasting each month, and it has made a difference in everything else.

2. We give out of humility: our gifts and talents. David prayed, “Everything we have has come from you, and we give you only what you first gave us” (1 Chronicles 29:14). “Every good and perfect gift is from above” (James 1:17). “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others” (1 Peter 4:10). As the parable of the talents shows (Matthew 25:14–30), don’t bury what God has given you.

3. We give out of acknowledgement: our prayer. Acknowledgement is recognition plus action, like declaring with our mouths that Jesus is Lord (Romans 10:9–10). Prayer doesn’t have to be eloquent. “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done” (Philippians 4:6).

4. We give out of response: our worship. When Paul thought of all God had done, he said, “I fall to my knees” (Ephesians 3:14), praying that from God’s “glorious, unlimited resources” we would be strengthened. Offering ourselves as living sacrifices is our “spiritual act of worship” (Romans 12:1).

5. We give out of obedience: our mammon. “To obey is better than sacrifice” (1 Samuel 15:22). “Do not merely listen to the word… Do what it says” (James 1:22). Too many are trapped chasing more money and stuff, when God says to seek Him first. As newlyweds earning almost nothing, the pastor and his wife obeyed God’s call to tithe, and the very next day a card arrived with an unexpected gift. They have given ever since. “One gives freely, yet grows all the richer” (Proverbs 11:24).

Consumer or priest?

A consumer focuses on personal tastes: the lighting, the songs, the chairs. A priest runs into God’s presence, gives all they can, and leads others there too. Serve, give, bring. That’s what we’re made for. Whatever stage you’re at, the first step is the same: “Whatever you give is acceptable if you give it eagerly” (2 Corinthians 8:12). God, I trust You.

Life Group questions

Getting to Know You

  1. Do you recall a time you were given a gift especially meaningful to you? What made that gift unique or memorable?

Diggin’ Deeper

  1. First Peter 4:10–11 teaches us to use our gifts and abilities to serve others. What is one gift, talent, or ability God has given you that you could use more to bless someone else?
  2. If someone looked at how you spend your money, time, and energy, what might they learn about what matters most to you?
  3. Read Matthew 25:14-30. What motivated each of the servants in this story? What was the fruit of their actions?
  4. We can give out of love, gratitude, and obedience rather than simply out of obligation. What helps you keep a generous heart and remember that everything you have comes from God?

Keepin’ It Real

  1. What is God asking you to give? What is motivating you to give?
  2. A consumer asks, “What can I get?” while a priest asks, “How can I serve and bless others?” Which mindset do you find yourself leaning toward most often, and what is one practical way you could shift toward serving others this week?

Scripture references

Luke 16:1–13 · Hebrews 12:1–2 · John 3:16 · 2 Corinthians 8:12 · Proverbs 3:5 · Ephesians 5:15–16 · 1 Chronicles 29:14 · James 1:17 · 1 Peter 4:10–11 · Matthew 25:14–30 · Psalm 32:5 · Romans 10:9–10 · Philippians 4:6–7 · 1 Thessalonians 5:17 · Luke 22:19 · Ephesians 3:14–19 · Romans 12:1 · Luke 19:40 · 1 Samuel 15:22 · Joshua 1:8 · James 1:22 · Matthew 6:33 · Proverbs 11:24 · Numbers 6:24–26

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