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The Grace Of GivingDuring calving season a farmer came home quite excited and announced, “One of our cows had two calves. I think we should give one to the Lord.” After discussion, the family wanted to know which calf was going to be the Lord’s. The farmer said, “When the time comes to sell them, I’ll know which one is the Lord’s.” A few days later the farmer came back to the house looking dejected and announced, “The Lord’s calf just died.” The church of Jesus Christ is the most generous of all institutions that have ever existed in all of time and throughout the world. When trouble strikes it is the church that is the on the front lines of helping others. Just recently we have witnessed this with the terror attacks of 9/11, the Tsunami in southeast Asia, and the Hurricane relief in New Orleans – not to mention, drought and famine in Africa, and the AIDS epidemic in Haiti. Millions upon millions of dollars have been sent to people around the world, no matter their race, no matter their faith. Offerings given by Christians, through concerned originations like ones we work with. Samaritans Purse, whom help with disaster relief around the world. Or Compassion International who sponsors impoverished children around the world to bring them out of the cycle of poverty they live in. Why is the church so generous? Why is the church always on the cutting edge of giving to help others? Why are Christians the most generous people in the world? In our continuing studies of 2 Corinthians we have come to a portion of text that seems to have little application for today. It is personal and pointed to some problems in the church of Corinth. It seems that they had not lived up to their commitments in giving to those in need. So today as we consider the entire chapter I would like to consider the reasons why and how come Christians are the most giving of all peoples. As we consider these motivations for giving, we will see – we give by -- grace. READ THE TEXT. 2 CORINTHIANS 8:1-9 I love teaching through the scriptures, because it forces me and you to deal with sections of the bible that we might normally skim over. Chapters 8&9 in 2 Corinthians are those type of chapters, they both deal with giving and they both are very personal. But as we consider chapter 8 today we will see how God speaks to us from the issues in Corinth. How their giving needed to be grace giving. When we speak about Grace normally we are talking about the Grace of God. Who when men and women were far from him, separated by sin, God in Grace, gave Jesus as the propitiation for our sins. That is grace, unearned, unmerited favor that God gives all who come to him. But here in this chapter, Paul speaks about another side of grace, the grace of giving. In fact there is no chapter in the bible where the word Grace appears more then this chapter. Why is that, he's not speaking about the grace in relation to salvation? Well, reality is that grace is what we extend to others whenever give, be that financially, emotionally, or practically – when we serve God – we do it by gracing others. Gal 5:13-14 You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." All the law of God is summarized in that powerful statement to “serve one another in love”, that is the grace of giving, that is what Paul speaks to the Corinthian church about, that is what God would speak to us about today. The first century church was known for how they graced one another. Acts 2:44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. It was an exciting time, God was moving powerfully, miracles, signs and wonders were the norm and the church supported one another in practical ways. Some would equate that with Communism, but really as we will see today it was a far cry from Communism. Where Communistic philosophy says, “whatever is yours belongs to everyone.” What the church was living by was quite different, their leading was from the Lord. Their model was God, and giving was inspired by the Holy Spirit, which works the same today. Not “what's yours belongs to everyone”, but “Godly living -- leads to generous giving.” The background for this section. -- It seems Paul was taking a special "relief offering" for the poor Christians in Judea. There was a drought in and around Jerusalem and the believers there were struggling in daily provisions, while the churches in Asia Minor, Greece, and Rome were doing ok. So Paul takes offerings to help those who are going through tough times. At the heart of all giving is the words of our Lord. Acts 20:35.... 'It is more blessed to give than to receive." That's the entire Christian principle of giving, we know what God has done, that he given all and we understand that true blessings comes as we give. So Paul's motivation is not only to assist the poor, but to strengthen the believers as they learn God's principle of giving. But the Corinthians were not doing their part – a year before they had made promises, but now they flaked out. What caused them to not follow through? It wasn't that they were low on funds, but it was their low spiritual level. 1 Cor 3:1 Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly — mere infants in Christ. Its been said that giving reveals the maturity level of a believer. When a church is not spiritual, it will not be generous. So Paul takes his appeal to the Corinthians to the highest spiritual level and teaches them that giving is an act of grace. Grace, because giving is truly a ministry that helps others, and giving must be motivated from the grace of God. Thats the wonderful thing about when believers enter into the grace of giving, when they really believe that giving is more blessed than receiving – that is when we are growing in the Spirit. So lets consider the evidence of grace motivated giving.
Paul uses the Macedonian churches as an example, he tells how they were having problems yet they still gave generously. They didn't let their circumstances affect how they gave. Notice Paul's words, “severe trials”, “extreme poverty”, yet obedience led to - “overflowing joy” and “rich generosity.” We don't know what caused their problems, it may be because of their faith in Jesus they may have lost their jobs and couldn't find work. Be that as it may, they gave in spite of their circumstances. Their giving was with joy and generosity! That reminds me of Israel when they were building the temple. 1 Chron 29:7-9 They gave toward the work on the temple of God five thousand talents and ten thousand darics of gold, ten thousand talents of silver, eighteen thousand talents of bronze and a hundred thousand talents of iron. Any who had precious stones gave them to the treasury of the temple of the LORD in the custody of Jehiel the Gershonite. The people rejoiced at the willing response of their leaders, for they had given freely and wholeheartedly to the LORD... So generous were the offerings that they had to tell the people - enough!!! Awesome, that's the grace of giving. The Macedonian churches gave that way, so Paul uses them as an example of those who have graced others. When you experience the grace of God in your life, you will not use difficult circumstances as an excuse for not giving. Rather as believers in God we move out in faith – in whatever endeavor God has for us. Grace giving means giving - in spite of circumstances.
The Macedonian churches gave entirely on their own, they actually pleaded with Paul for the privilege of giving to the needy. Is it possible to give generously but not give enthusiastically? The story is told of Henry Ford, was once asked to donate money for the construction of a new medical facility. The billionaire pledged to donate $5,000. The next day in the newspaper, the headline read, “Henry Ford contributes $50,000 to the local hospital.” Irate about the misprint, Ford was on the phone immediately to complain to the fund-raiser that he had been misunderstood. The fund-raiser replied that they would print a retraction in the paper the following day to read, “Henry Ford reduces his donation by $45,000.” Realizing the poor publicity that would result, the industrialist agreed to the $50,000 contribution in return for placing above the entrance to the hospital the inscription: “I came among you and you took me in.” "The preacher says: “Give until it hurts," but some of us say, "it hurts to even think about giving!" That's where the grace of giving takes over - like the Macedonians needed no prompting, and actually begged to be included in the offering- that what happens when God is prompting our lives. When God prompts you there is no pressure to give, you give because you have experienced the grace of God. See, grace not only frees us from our sins, but it frees us from ourselves, our need to hold back – whether holding back love, service or offerings. Warren Weirsby said. “The grace of God will open your heart and your hand. Then all your giving is not the result of cold calculation,-- but of warmhearted jubilation!” Grace giving means giving (1) In spite of circumstances (2) Giving enthusiastically. 3. WE GIVE AS JESUS GAVE -- V5-9 Jesus Christ is always the example for believers to follow, whether in service, suffering, sacrifice, or giving. Like Jesus - the Macedonian Christians gave themselves to first to God - than to others. When we give ourselves to first God, he reveals grace to us all the more. One of the greatest promises in the scripture. James 4:8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Come to God, and he will come to you. When you draw near to him, it will be impossible not love your neighbor. Jesus Christ gave himself for us / he died so that we might not live for ourselves, but for him and then for others. The Macedonians' giving was, like Jesus who gave himself, and was motivated by love. Does a brother or sister in the church bug you? Come near to God, and grace will overcome those thorns in any relationship. Do you have a strained relationship with someone you should be close to? Come near to God, and he will come near to you. The Corinthian church was blessed with many spiritual gifts, but as they focused on the gifts of the Spirit they neglected the graces of the Spirit. So Paul contrasts them to the Macedonians were poor financially, but rich in generosity. The Corinthians were rich in spiritual gifts, but lax in giving - even what they had promised. I think the Corinthians may have been like people who think “ministry” is a substitute for giving. I've had people say to me, “I clean the church, or I teach Sunday School, so I don't give financially!” That's not an explanation - it's an excuse! Like God's gifts are by grace, our giving is an act of grace. No one is obligated to give anything, but like our model, Jesus - we give by grace. So Paul says to the Corinthians: “Since you are so gifted from God, you ought to want to give even more!” I like Paul's approach he does not order or guilt them into giving, but he contrasts their attitude to a healthy one. The Macedonians who. (1) Gave in spite of their circumstances. (2) Gave enthusiastically. (3) And give like Jesus gave. Look at V9 this is really the heart of this entire section. 2 Cor 8:9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich. You know about the grace of Jesus, that he left the riches of heaven and took on the form of a man. To go from heaven to earth would be like moving from Beverly Hills to Gabbs Nevada. He became poor, as he laid down his life that we might become rich, inheriting the riches of heaven. What does it mean to give like Jesus gave? 1. HE GAVE SACRIFICIALLY. (V9). Jesus was not wealthy in earthly measurements, but he rich in his person. He is eternal God, rich in his possessions. Rich in his position as King of kings and Lord of lords. And rich in power, for he can do anything. Yet in spite of having all these riches - he became poor. From his birth in Bethlehem, Jesus united himself to mankind as he took a body of flesh and blood. He left the glories of heaven to become a servant. He laid aside all and did not even have a place to lay his head. When his poverty was complete he willingly laid down his life and was made sin for us. Why did He do it? That we might become rich! Because all of us were impoverished, totally bankrupt, slaves to sin, when Jesus died for us. Now we share in his riches as we trust in him and become children of God. Rom 8:17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs — heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. The Macedonian churches, gave like Jesus--sacrificially. The second way Jesus gave, was.
There is a huge difference between promises and performance. The Corinthians had promised to take up a special collection for those in Judea, but they didn't follow through. So Paul emphasizes willingness- because grace giving - must come from a willing heart. Through the years I have seen some awful appeals for money. Guys telling me how the ministry will shut down without my money, I've been scolded even though I gave, I've been shamed when I did my part, I've felt threatened, and manipulated - into giving. It was Mark Twain, who said that he was so sickened by the long appeal to give - that he not only did not give what he planned to give, but he took a few bills out of the offering plate! That is not what Paul was like at all. Rather he gives us the heart of new testament giving is just this principle, giving willingly. 2 Cor 9:7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. Give willfully, give cheerfully, that is how Jesus gave. He willingly when to the cross to poor out his great love. First we are willing then we act. If you are willing but do nothing, you are like the man James speaks about you look into a mirror and forgets what they look like. When the religious leaders questioned Jesus about his authority, he asked them about John the Baptist. “Was he from God?” But those guys refused to answer because they were worried about the people. So Jesus told them a parable. -- About a man who had two sons and how he went to the first and said, 'Son, go and work today in the vineyard.' But the son, must have been a teenager, because he said, "'I will not ,' but then later he changed his mind and went. The the father went to his other son and said the same thing. He answered, “no problem pop's, I'll do it”, but he never went and did it. So Jesus asked those religious leaders. Matt 23:31 "Which of the two did what his father wanted?" Willingness and obedience go together, but the Corinthians didn't obey. Our example is Jesus who was not only willing to take the cross, -- he completed his task. Heb 12:2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Look to Jesus, to his willingness, his endurance, and we will not only be willing, but you will obey all that God reveals. What does giving like Jesus look like? I read about a man who went to a church picnic, and only brings a dry bologna sandwich. He sat all alone and began to eat his sandwich, when a grandmother and her family come up and sit by him. They had a wonderful picnic basket full of home made fried chicken, whole-wheat bread, potato salad, and a couple of huge, juicy apple pies. As they were getting ready to sit down to their feast, the grandmother leaned over to the man and said: “Why don’t we just put yours and ours all together, and all share this meal?” That’s exactly what God does—as he takes our poor rags and gives us his riches. Understand, God sees, not just the amount we give but the willing heart we give with. It seemed a strange thing for Jesus to do, he was watching the offering box. When a poor widow put in a half a penny. Many wealthy people had put in a lot more that day but Jesus recorded her as giving the most. For she gave in spite of her circumstances, she gave enthusiastically, she gave like Jesus gave, sacrificially, and willingly.
The bible never suggests that the rich become poor so that the poor might become rich. As we said that is communism. But Paul saw an "equality" in the whole procedure, help who you can today because there may come a time that they will need to help you. So Paul points us to how God worked in the past in the miracle of manna. You recall how Israel were in the wilderness without bread, when God sent bread from heaven. Manna, each day they gathered what they needed, if they tried to hoard the manna, they couldn't because it would rot and get maggots. So the lesson is: Gather what you need, share what you can, don't hoard - but seek God and in faith- give as he leads you. We give in faith -we give by faith. Maybe God has laid some cause on your heart, it might be to sponsor a child, or help with a tragedy, or to support the local ministry, or help a needy family. You look at your budget and pray, then as you are led by God, you give in faith. And God always honors faith. See, Paul never lays down any mathematical formula, because grace giving is not limited by a tithe or 10 percent. Grace giving is systematic, but it is not legalistic. Grace giving is not satisfied with some minimum, its about faith and its about obedience. Luke 6:38 (Jesus said) Give , and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." Just a few last thoughts from the balance of the chapter. Paul turns from a profound spiritual principle to practical counsel. While it is true that grace giving means giving by faith, it does not mean we give foolishly. When you give, make sure that what you give is managed - honestly, faithfully, and goes where you think it is going. Paul had practical ways he made sure that the people knew they could trust him with the offerings. So we can learn from this text that even in a local church today, the people who handle the funds must possess certain qualifications. Three qualities found in everyone serving in ministry – no matter the ministry.
Titus, had a heart to serve, and where he served was in the gathering and distribution of the offerings. The church secretary is not just a position to hold– it is a ministry where God is served.
Paul mentions some unknown brother, we don't know who he is but we can see - he had a desire to share the Gospel. No matter where you serve in the church from cleaning the toilets to counting the offerings, it must be about doing the work of God, seeing the gospel go out into all the world. Isn't that is the goal of all of our giving, to help practically so the gospel might go out spiritually. I've talked with some pastors who told me horror stories about how the board of elders were so tightfisted, they couldn't do the work of the church. Those people do not have a burden for lost souls. When we had our Vacation Bible School, we didn't spend cart-blanc, but we spent knowing every cent is an investment in God's kingdom.
Some people give to receive recognition, Jesus said, when you give, don't brag about it, don't let one hand know what the other is doing- or the recognition you receive will be your reward. But as you give anonymously, God knows – and he will reward you according to how we honor God with our giving.
2 Cor 8:20-21 NLT By traveling together we will guard against any suspicion, for we are anxious that no one should find fault with the way we are handling this generous gift. We are careful to be honorable before the Lord, but we also want everyone else to know we are honorable. Everything the church does, must be above board, and honest. Every offering given to the Lord must accounted for and used to glorify God. No extravagance, no ministry mansions, no church BMW's. When we handle the offering here, there is accountability built into our system of accounting. We have multiple people count the money, we have simple checks and cross checks to make sure we avoid even the appearance of wrong doing. Our bookkeeping is simple but we know exactly where every penny given to this church goes. We have a new accounting program, and currently need some help with setting it in place. Do you have the skills to serve in that place? The final quality for ministry.
Titus not only had a heart for ministry but he was a good "team member." He is called a "Partner" and "fellow helper." Titus was like anyone serving in the church, whatever our involvement it is to work within the vision of the church, and toward the mission of the church. Grace giving is an exciting adventure! When we give by grace, through faith, just like we were saved - we experience freedom from things. Instead of things possessing you, you control them; you became a conduit for what God wants to do. You no longer measure life on the basis of money or possessions. Because if money is the test of success, then Jesus was a failure, because though he was rich, he became poor. · Grace giving enriches you as you enrich others. · Grace giving makes you more like Jesus Christ. · Grace giving is: In spite of our circumstances, it is enthusiastic, it is like Jesus gave, and grace giving is an exercise in faith. PRAY, INVITE, BENEDICTION, PRAY. Series: 2 Corinthians -Through the Bible |
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