17/05/2026
Sunday school session by bro Akanimo Nse-Abasi
Topic:
The New Testament Examples of Sacrificial Givers
Texts:
Luke 21:1–4
Acts 4:34–37
2 Corinthians 8:3–4
Introduction
Giving is an important aspect of Christian worship and service to God. The early disciples did not only worship with words; they worshipped with their possessions, opportunities, time, and resources.
In many places today, giving has been misunderstood. Some see giving only as an obligation, while others connect it only to prosperity and material blessings. But the New Testament presents giving as an expression of faith, love, gratitude, and commitment to God.
The New Testament Teaches that giving is viewed as:
An act of worship
A duty of every Christian
A spiritual sacrifice
A means of supporting the Lord’s work
An expression of love toward brethren and humanity
The New Testament repeatedly shows that God is not impressed merely by the amount given. He is concerned about:
The heart of the giver
The willingness behind the gift
The sacrifice involved
The faith demonstrated through giving
Many Christians today live in difficult economic situations. Some struggle with school fees, rent, transportation, feeding, Health Challenge and family responsibilities. Yet the New Testament examples teach that sacrificial giving is not limited to rich people. In fact, some of the greatest examples of giving came from poor believers.
PART ONE
THE WIDOW WHO GAVE EVERYTHING
Luke 21:1–4
Jesus sat near the treasury watching people give. Wealthy people dropped large amounts into the offering box. Then a poor widow came and dropped two mites the smallest coins in circulation.
Human eyes would likely ignore her gift. Some may even laugh at how little she gave. But Jesus stopped and called attention to her offering.
He said she gave more than all the others.
Why?
Because the rich gave from abundance, but she gave from her poverty.
Lessons from the Widow
1. God Measures Sacrifice, Not Appearance
Many people judge giving by amount. God judges by sacrifice.
A wealthy man may give ₦500,000 and not feel it at all. Another Christian may give ₦2,000 and deny himself food or comfort to support the Lord’s work. Before God, the second may have given more sacrificially.
Example
A Christian sister in a local congregation may be selling food by the roadside. Her daily profit may be very small, yet every Sunday she faithfully contributes to support the church.
At the same time, another member earning a high salary may give casually without thought or sacrifice.
The widow reminds Christians that heaven does not calculate giving the way humans do.
2. True Giving Is Rooted in Trust
The widow gave “all the living that she had.”
This means she trusted God completely.
Sacrificial giving is impossible without faith. Many Christians struggle to give because fear controls them:
“What if I don’t have enough?”
“What if emergencies come?”
“What about tomorrow?”
The widow believed God would care for her.
The New Testament church survives and grows because faithful Christians trust God enough to support His work consistently.
Congregations are able to:
preach the gospel,
support evangelism,
help needy saints,
print teaching materials,
conduct gospel meetings,
and maintain places of worship,
because faithful members sacrifice.
3. Small Gifts Are Never Small Before God
Some Christians stop giving because they think:
“I don’t earn much.”
“My contribution cannot help.”
“Only rich members matter.”
But Jesus honored the smallest visible gift in the entire temple that day.
Inspirational Example
In many congregations within the Churches of Christ, some of the most faithful contributors are:
widows,
elderly members,
students,
low-income workers,
and struggling families.
They may not give the largest amount, but they often give with the greatest sincerity.
PART TWO
The Early Church That Shared Sacrificially
Text: Acts 4:34–37
The early church displayed extraordinary love and unity.
The Bible says there was no needy person among them because Christians willingly sold possessions to help brethren in need.
This was not forced communism. The giving was voluntary and motivated by love.
Barnabas sold land and brought the money to the apostles.
Lessons from the Early Church
1. Christianity Produces Compassion
The early Christians did not ignore suffering among brethren.
Today, many people claim to love God but are indifferent when fellow Christians suffer.
The early church understood: Faith without practical love is incomplete.
2. Possessions Are Tools for God’s Work
The early Christians understood that what they owned belonged ultimately to God.
Many Christians today struggle with materialism. Society teaches:
protect yourself first,
accumulate endlessly,
never sacrifice comfort.
But the New Testament teaches stewardship.
Everything we possess:
money,
property,
cars,
skills,
business,
education,
should be available for God’s glory.
The church treasury should only be used for authorized New Testament works:
evangelism,
edification,
and benevolence toward needy saints.
The early church used resources responsibly for spiritual purposes.
3. Unity Is Proven Through Sacrifice
The unity of the early church was not just emotional talk.
It was visible in how they cared for one another.
A congregation may sing beautifully and preach sound doctrine, but if members do not care for each other, something important is missing.
Inspirational Example
In many faithful congregations, members quietly contribute:
to hospital bills,
school support,
funeral assistance,
transportation for evangelism,
feeding during gospel meetings,
and helping aged Christians.
These acts continue the spirit of Acts chapter 4.
PART THREE
The Macedonian Churches — Giving Beyond Ability
Text: 2 Corinthians 8:3 –4
The churches of Macedonia were not rich congregations.
Paul says they experienced:
deep poverty,
affliction,
hardship.
Yet they begged for the opportunity to give.
This is one of the greatest examples of Christian sacrifice in the entire Bible.
Lessons from the Macedonians
1. Poverty Is Not an Excuse for Selfishness
The Macedonians were poor, yet generous.
Today many people say:
“When I become rich, I will support the church.”
“When life becomes easier, I will give.”
But generosity is not produced by wealth alone. It is produced by the heart.
Some wealthy Christians give very little. Some poor Christians give sacrificially.
2. They Saw Giving as a Privilege
Paul says they begged him to allow them to participate.
Imagine Christians begging for the opportunity to give.
Today many churches struggle because members must constantly be pressured before giving.
The Macedonians understood that giving was fellowship in God’s work.
Supporting:
evangelists,
mission work,
gospel campaigns,
Bible teaching,
needy saints,
is not a burden. It is a privilege.
3. They First Gave Themselves to the Lord
This is the secret behind sacrificial giving.
A person who truly belongs to God will naturally use resources for God.
The problem is not always money. Sometimes the problem is lack of surrender.
Practical Reflection
A Christian who spends heavily on luxury but gives little to the Lord’s work reveals misplaced priorities.
The Macedonians teach Christians to place God first.
1. Sacrificial Giving Includes More Than Money
Christians can give:
time,
energy,
hospitality,
encouragement,
transportation,
skills,
teaching,
visitation,
and service.
Some members may not have much money but can support the church greatly through faithful labor.
2. Young Christians Must Learn Giving Early
Many young people wait until adulthood before learning generosity.
But Christian parents and congregations should teach children:
to contribute,
to support the church,
and to develop sacrificial hearts.
A child who learns faithful giving early often becomes a faithful servant later in life.
3. Giving Reveals Spiritual Priorities
Matthew 6:21 - Jesus said:
“Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
How Christians spend money often reveals what they value most.
Some spend freely on:
fashion,
entertainment,
gadgets,
luxury,
but struggle to support gospel work.
Sacrificial giving forces Christians to examine priorities honestly.
4. The Church Needs Faithful Givers to Function
Without faithful giving:
evangelism weakens,
mission work suffers,
needy saints go unaided,
gospel meetings reduce,
church growth slows.
The New Testament church advanced because Christians sacrificed.
The Story of the Poor Christian Farmer
A poor Christian farmer had very little income. Every harvest season, he carefully separated a portion for the Lord before using the rest for himself.
Someone asked him:
“Why do you still give when you barely have enough?”
He replied:
“I can never become poor by giving to God, but I can become spiritually poor by refusing to.”
That reflects the spirit of the widow and the Macedonians.
Another Powerful Illustration
Congregational Sacrifice for Evangelism
In many places, small congregations with limited income have supported evangelists and planted churches in villages and communities.
Some members:
trek long distances,
deny themselves luxuries,
contribute little by little,
and volunteer time,
just to ensure the gospel spreads.
These Christians may never become famous, but heaven records their sacrifices.
Warnings Against Wrong Attitudes
1. Giving for Recognition
Jesus condemned public-show giving.
Christians should never give just to impress people or gain influence.
2. Giving Leftovers Only
God deserves first priority, not leftovers after every other expense.
3. Neglecting the Lord’s Work While Pursuing Material Wealth
Some Christians become spiritually weak because all energy is focused on money-making while God’s work receives little attention and suffer.
SUMMARY
The widow gave from trust.
The early church gave from love.
The Macedonians gave from joy despite poverty.
These examples prove that sacrificial giving is not about wealth but about devotion.
The New Testament Teaches us to:
giving willingly,
giving regularly,
giving cheerfully,
giving sacrificially,
and using contributions for authorized works of the church.
The greatest question is not:
“How much do I have?”
The greatest question is:
“How much of my heart belongs to God?”
Final Challenge Questions
If every member gave like me, how strong would the congregation be?
Do I give God my best or my leftovers?
Am I supporting the spread of the gospel sacrificially?
Does my giving reflect trust in God?
Have I first given myself completely to the Lord?
Closing Exhortation
“Brethren, the New Testament church was built by sacrificial Christians. The gospel spread because believers loved God more than possessions. May we never allow material things to weaken our commitment to Christ. Let us give with faith like the widow, with love like the early church, and with joy like the Macedonians.”
