Acts 20:35 - It Is More Blessed To Give Than To Receive.
Acts 20:35 (ESV) In all things I have shown
you that by working hard in this way we must
help the weak and remember the words of the Lord
Jesus, how he himself said, It is more blessed
to give than to receive.
INTRODUCTION
This is a rare instance of a saying of Jesus
not found in the canonical Gospels. [NIV SB]
These words of Jesus are not recorded in the
Gospels. Obviously, not all of Jesus' words were
written down (John 21:25); this saying may have been
passed on orally through the apostles. [Life
Application SB]
COMMENTARY PEARLS
The Blessing of Serving
When you were a kid and your birthday or
Christmas was approaching, you mostly thought about
the gifts you would get. But as you got older,
you started thinking less about what you would
get and more about what you would give.
Your outlook changes because you mature.
And you discover there is joy in giving.
In the same way, when we first become
Christians, we want all that God had for us, and so we
should. We go to church to learn, to take in, and
that is great.
But as the years pass, we realize that
God wants to work through us as well. As a
result, we want to give more than receive. Of
course, we must always take in before we can give
out. But at the same time, we discover the joy of
giving, the joy of serving.
The beautiful fringe benefit is that when
we give, the Lord gives back to us. Jesus said,
Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return
to you in full - pressed down, shaken together
to make room for more, running over, and poured
into your lap. The amount you give will determine
the amount you get back (Luke 6:38 NLT).
Why not commit yourself afresh to this
blessed responsibility and privilege?
Have you lived your life well so far? Or
are you squandering it in an elusive search for
happiness and forgetting God in the process? Instead
of finding happiness, maybe youre finding
misery. Thats because we find true happiness in
knowing God through Jesus Christ. We dont find it
in anything on this earth.
We will find the true happiness that we
seek in a relationship with God. The happy life
is the life with God. So dont settle for
some cheap imitation this world offers. Pursue
the real thing. [Greg Laurie from Harvest
Ministries; https://www.harvestdaily.com]
Try The Back Door
The oft-used front door to happiness is
the one described by the advertising companies:
acquire and aspire to drive faster, dress trendier,
and drink more. Happiness depends on what you
hang in your closet, park in your garage, deposit
in your bank account, experience in your
bedroom, wear on your wedding finger, or serve at
your dining table. It's wide, this front door to
happiness.
Yet for all its promise it fails to
deliver.
After all, we've all seen happy peasants
and miserable millionaires, right?
There is another option. It requires no
credit card, monthly mortgage, or stroke of lottery
fortune. It demands no airline tickets or hotel
reservations. Age, ethnicity, and gender are not factors.
You don't have to change jobs, change
cities, change looks, or change neighborhoods.
But you might need to change doors.
The motto on the front door says
"Happiness happens when you get." The sign on the
lesser-used back door counters "Happiness happens when
you give."
Try the back door. [You Can Count On God
by Max Lucado]
COMMENTARY
"It is more blessed to give than to
receive:" it seems they were words often used to his
disciples. The opinion of the children of this world,
is contrary to this; they are afraid of giving,
unless in hope of getting. Clear gain, is with them
the most blessed thing that can be; but Christ
tell us what is more blessed, more excellent. It
makes us more like to God, who gives to all, and
receives from none; and to the Lord Jesus, who went
about doing good. This mind was in Christ Jesus,
may it be in us also. [Matthew Henry
Commentary]
Generosity
Our tendency as human beings is to want
to get something. We enjoy it greatly when we
are given something. But God's Word teaches us
that it is better to give than to get. When we
get something, we only get the gift, but when we
give something, we get joy! God is a giver, and
if we truly desire to be like Him, then it is
important that we develop the habit of generosity.
There are many ways to give. We can give
help, encouragement, compliments, and material or
financial gifts. We can also give mercy and
forgiveness freely as God has given it to as. Most good
things don't happen accidentally. We can purpose to
do them, or "do them on purpose." Make a plan
to give something today and every day. Be
large-hearted, generous, abundant, and do more than you
have to. Purpose to be a blessing everywhere you
go, and you will find yourself being more
blessed in many ways!
Father, teach me to be a generous person
at all times. Make me aware of the needs of
others, and help me be willing to meet those needs.
[My Time with God by Joyce Meyer]
Generosity Leads to Joy
Do you want to be known as a joyful
person? I dont mean someone who is always happy.
Thats just not possible. I mean someone who has
the joy of the Lord, whose hope is not shaken by
lifes ups and downs. A joyful person sees God at
work, even in their trials.
This is how you become a joyful person:
Jesus said in Acts 20:35, There is more
happiness in giving than in receiving (GNT).
Ive always loved this verse because
its so honest. Does Jesus say theres no
happiness in receiving? No. There is happiness in
receiving. But Jesus says theres more happiness in
giving.
Thats the exact opposite of the way
the world thinks. Most of the world thinks
theres more happiness in getting. The more you get,
the happier youll be. But Jesus doesnt
think like the world. He knows you are most like
him when you are giving - and that giving
produces joy.
When people visit Saddleback Church, they
notice its a joyful church. Do you know why?
Because its a generous church. People love to
give! And when youre generous, it results in
joy. It feels good to give.
God wants us as individuals and churches
to be more generous, because it makes us more
like him. He uses our giving to bless others.
And, in turn, he uses our generosity to bless
us.
Do you want your family to be more
joyful? Then be more generous as a family. Do you
want to be a more joyful person? Then be more
generous as a person.
Your joy will be a light to those around
you who do not know Jesus. Your generosity will
be a blessing. [Daily Devotional by Rick
Warren: https://pastorrick.com/devotional/]
ONE LINERS
The one who gives is actually twice blessed.
The world around you is a little better for
the kindness, and the givers heart is blessed
within. Alda Ellis
Our most valuable possessions are those
which can be shared without lessening; those which
when they are shared, multiply. Our least
valuable possessions are those which when divided are
diminished. Hugh Prather
Random Acts of Kindness: The opportunity to
bless others is a gift from God that makes us at
once human and divine. [www.adventist.org]
Live simply that others may simply live.
[source unknown]
LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY
Matthew 25:31-46 - The Parable of The Sheep
and Goats; The Final Judgment.
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2021/20210524-1002.html
YOUR COMMENTS
If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in
hearing from you. Thanks in advance and let's keep
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred
Gibbs
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
https://abible.com/links/
