Dr. Ron Sumners
February 7, 2010
This year, 2010, is a National Census year. From that census all sorts of valuable information will be gained. The census becomes a guide to business as it projects goods and services for the future, government agencies, educational institutions, religious denominations; all of them benefit from the census.
The background of the story in our scripture, telling of David’s purchase of a site to build an altar, was a census. David took a census of Israel. Afterwards, his own conscience condemned him and the prophet of God condemned him. What was so sinful about taking a census? It isn’t clear at first, but it becomes so with a little investigation.
In Exodus 30:11-16, God commanded that a census be taken. From that information a tax was imposed to support the Temple. Several times (Numbers 1 & 26) God commanded a census be taken to illustrate a point He wanted the people to understand. In fact, the name of the Old Testament book “Numbers” refers to the census that God demanded.
David’s census was taken to find out how many fighting men there might be at his disposal. As his army grew, so did his own estimation of himself and so did his dreams of conquest. The census was for David’s glory, not for God’s. So, the census was a challenge to God, Himself.
David did not anticipate such strong reaction to his plan. Joab, the military commander, advised against the census. The people saw it as a violation of their freedom and of their covenant with God.
It was God that made David king, a position where the temptation to love power would arise. The victories in war that David had experienced through God’s blessing were a further factor in the temptation.
When God creates a man free and places him in a position of responsibility and privilege, there is a sense in which man is tempted. This is not so the man may sin but that he may learn to humbly depend upon God’s grace.
This is where all of us are, in places of privilege and responsibility. In such places we are not protected by power and wealth, but by trust in the Lord. And when we forget the Lord, we lose His blessing.
An epidemic broke out as a result of David’s sin. Our sins do affect others. The most terrible demonstrations of that is war. War is the greatest social illness of modern times. So often it is ignited by some sin on the part of a privileged person; a Fidel Castro, Muammar Gaddafi or Saddam Hussein or Osama Ben Laden. David recognized his guilt and asked for forgiveness.
Here the greatness of the man comes into full view. He could admit the error of his way. He could confess his sin and move on. He never allowed his sin to become a permanent ball and chain. He accepted God’s forgiveness.
David’s acceptance of his sin brought him to Ornanís threshing floor. A threshing floor was a flat area of rock or pounded earth in a place exposed to the wind. At harvest time the stalks of grain were laid out on the floor and then beaten with a flail or tramped upon by animals, until the ripe grain was freed from the stalk. The grain was then tossed into the air for the wind to blow the chaff away.
The importance of this site is made clear later. It was the ground upon which the Temple would be built. So, this story becomes one of the most important in the Old Testament. David left his son, Solomon, not only a kingdom but also a holy place for the worship of God. What we have is a description of how the most holy place in all of Israel was selected. The story centers on a man’s sin and God’s grace.
When Ornan learned that David wanted this place to build an altar, he was prepared to give it to the king, along with the animals and the fuel for the sacrifice. He was ready to do anything he could to stop the epidemic. He urged the gift upon David.
David’s response once more illustrates a grand quality in his character. He said, “I will not offer to the Lord my God sacrifices that cost me nothing.”
There is no finer statement on stewardship in all scripture. David would not express his gratitude to God for relief from the epidemic at another man’s expense. He did not propose to let someone else carry the burden of sacrifice while we went through the motions.
I pray to God that we develop more Christians with this attitude!
There are names on church rolls all across this country, including this church, of people who have never acquired such an attitude. They are perfectly willing for someone else to carry the financial load of proclaiming the Gospel. They are always ready to receive the church’s ministry provided someone else pays the bill.
Offerings to the Lord are important, not only because of what they do for God, but because of what they do for us. In sacrifice we recognize anew that all we have and are belongs to God. In the act of giving we dedicate our possessions and ourselves to God.
The epidemic wasn’t ended by David’s prayer but by the Lord’s mercy. That is the prior element, otherwise we conceive of prayer as some kind of magic.
This is a good time to examine our own giving!
Sacrifice calls for you and I to get personally involved. David said what we must say, “I will not offer the Lord my God, and sacrifices that cost me nothing.” When was the last time you offered God something that really cost you in terms of time, talent or finances? When did you last sacrifice a personal pleasure or indulgence to give to the Lord? When did you last go out of your way and risk getting involved with ministry to others?
One of the most meaningful things we did when I was at Vestavia Hills Baptist Church was to adopt a refugee family from Viet Nam. Many had serious reservations, but the Lord helped us overcome all the problems.
Refugees from tyranny continue to offer us an opportunity for compassion. Could we adopt a family? If we wanted to!
The North American Mission Board has families who are cleared and waiting for someone to sponsor them. Here is a sacrifice which costs something and is acceptable to God. This is the kind of evangelism that characterized Jesus’ ministry. He not only preached to people, He helped them.
Many of you have traveled overseas. You know that world hunger is a major issue. Our International Mission Board is doing everything funds will allow to be done to help. Every cent given to world hunger goes for that purpose. Nothing is taken out for administration. These funds are distributed by your Baptist representatives so they provide relief and an opportunity for witness.
Our efforts not only provide good food in emergency situations, but better seed and fertilizer so farmers can grow more grain. Better farming methods and population control programs are an important part of these efforts.
What Americans spend for liquor and the grain used to produce it would feed every hungry person in the world, so we don’t need to say that it is an impossible job. Can we do anything? Here are several ideas.
Skip a meal a week and give the cost of that meal to world hunger.
Give up soft drinks and snacks for a week and give the cost to world hunger.
Put your pocket change in a container every day and give that amount to world hunger.
Have a meatless day of the week and give what you would have spent on that meat to world hunger. An eight dollar roast would mean enough rice to feed a family for a week.
We can help! Sacrifices that cost us something are pleasing to the Lord. It isn’t what sacrifice does for the Lord; it is what it does for us that counts.
Bread for me is a material question, but bread for my brother is a spiritual issue.
The matter of sacrifice raises a very probing question for us. Is it possible for affluent people to sacrifice? You may not think of yourself as affluent, but compared to the world, all of us present today is affluent!
Most give out of surplus. It very seldom affects our lifestyle. Our giving does not stop us from purchasing $50,000 automobiles or building a new house, not because we need it but simply because we are financially able to do it, or take a vacation that costs more than a year’s wages in most of the world! None of these are bad things. I’m not condemning them. I’m simply asking,
“Do we know how to sacrifice?”
It is said that a biographer determines the real values of his subject by examining the check stubs of that person. We give our money to the things that are important to us. If you don’t give at all or you give out of your surplus, you can claim your love for God and the church all the day long, but your check stubs will speak the truth about what you really worship.
Affluent Christians must develop a simpler lifestyle in order to give a sacrifice that costs them something.
Chrysostom, the great preacher said, “God has invested capital with you. It is not your property but a loan by Him, made to give you opportunity to exercise mercy on those who are in need.” Affluent Christians need to take a new look at the Biblical principle of sacrifice.
At every level of our society a hunger for acquiring things reigns. We are not only ruled by our possessions, but we have a single-minded drive to get more. There is no wrong in admiring what we have. There is no wrong in ambition, if we temper these attitudes with love and come to understand our blessings as God’s way of enabling us to share.
Jesus said that the area of our possessions is most dangerous for a Christian. ”You cannot serve God and Mammon.” (Matt.6:24) Poverty is painful, but wealth is dangerous. Where greed rules, there is no gratitude. Where things are first, God is second at best! Where pride dwells, forgiveness has no place.
What value is there in sacrifice?
David discovered that it opened his heart to the mercies of God.
It shows our love for God.
It is visible evidence of our love for others.
It creates the spiritual atmosphere for God to make possible abundant life.
Sacrifice helps us to discover one of the best kept secrets of Scripture: It is more blessed to give than to receive!
What about you? When did you last give an offering to God that cost you anything?
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