The Qualities of a Giver

Introduction

Good morning and welcome!

Thank you for your prayers. After a week of feeling under the weather and losing my voice, I’m glad to report that I’m feeling human again. [Yay!]

A father took his young son out for a hamburger and, as he watched the young man eat, decided that he wanted a french fry. He reached over to grab a bite and asked, “Mind if I have one of these?”

His son looked at him sternly and said “No! Those are mine!” he clearly did not want to share even a single french fry.

The father had three thoughts that came to mind:

1. He doesn't understand where french-fries come from.

2. He doesn't realize that I could take all those fries from him or bury him in fries.

3. He doesn't know I can get my own fries and don't need his.

There are some spiritual lessons to be taken from events like these:

1. We often fail to see where our things come from, not recognizing the true source.

2. We frequently think that we're in full control of our possessions, forgetting the sovereignty of God.

3. We think that what we have is actually our own, missing the fact that everything is God's and that we need Him but He doesn't need us.

I’m sure that we can all think of incidents like this with our children and we want to see our children understand these things. God desires that we be willing to see that He is our source, that He is sovereign, and that He doesn't really need anything from us. He really does loves us and he desires to see a generosity within us and a willingness to give.

Giving is the essence of God Himself, for giving is a pure expression of love. John 3:16 says "For God so loved the world that He gave." Giving is right at the core of God's character, and when we give, we reflect that character.

2 Corinthians 8:1–6 CSB

1 We want you to know, brothers and sisters, about the grace of God that was given to the churches of Macedonia: 2 During a severe trial brought about by affliction, their abundant joy and their extreme poverty overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. 3 I can testify that, according to their ability and even beyond their ability, of their own accord, 4 they begged us earnestly for the privilege of sharing in the ministry to the saints, 5 and not just as we had hoped. Instead, they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us by God’s will. 6 So we urged Titus that just as he had begun, so he should also complete among you this act of grace.

[pray]

I. We Let Our Circumstances Interrupt Our Joy

We have been trained by the world to panic when we are in the trial. Jesus knew this when he told his disciples...

Matthew 6:25–34 CSB

25 “Therefore I tell you: Don’t worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Consider the birds of the sky: They don’t sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they? 27 Can any of you add one moment to his life span by worrying? 28 And why do you worry about clothes? Observe how the wildflowers of the field grow: They don’t labor or spin thread. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was adorned like one of these. 30 If that’s how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, won’t he do much more for you—you of little faith? 31 So don’t worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you. 34 Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

How often do we spend our time worrying about the worst case scenario? I know that I do. If I give myself over to worry, I will be imagining scenarios where we don’t have money for groceries or rent. However, I have lived through some pretty troublesome situations, financially speaking, and God has never failed to supply every need for our family. I will say that we don’t get all our wants, but our needs are completely in his hands.

Principle: God always supplies all our needs when we depend on him, but he may not give into our wants.

I could very easily find myself wallowing in despair, by imagining the worst case. But Jesus told us “Don’t worry!” So we choose not to worry, but to spend our lives in ministry work—doing the work of the kingdom.

II. The Macedonians Gave Inexplicably

Of course Paul wrote this letter to the Corinthians. It is the third letter that we know of, though we only have two of those letters recorded in our scriptures today. Paul tells the Corinthian church about the believers of Macedonia and how God granted them grace.

2 Corinthians 8:2 CSB

2 During a severe trial brought about by affliction, their abundant joy and their extreme poverty overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part.

We know that the Macedonians experienced severe difficulty. In fact Paul says that they experienced a severe trial of affliction. This trial was likely the result of their faith in Christ and political oppression against Christians that put them in extreme poverty.

ἡ κατὰ βάθους πτωχεία = “reached down into the extremest depths of poverty.”

The phrase used here compares them to the poorest of beggars, with no steady source of income and it literally says they “reached down into the extremest depths of poverty.” These believers were at rock bottom, in today’s language. YET, they gave… and they gave abundantly, overflowing with rich generosity, which was magnified by their extreme poverty.

Paul uses their example to teach us how to give. He says that they gave...

1. They Gave Sacrificially

The Macedonians did not hoard what they had, rather they gave generously, “according to their ability.”

2 Corinthians 8:2–3 CSB

2 During a severe trial brought about by affliction, their abundant joy and their extreme poverty overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. 3 I can testify that, according to their ability and even beyond their ability, of their own accord,

The Macedonians were poor; yet they were able to sacrifice. Their poverty did not lessen their generosity but actually magnified it. Somehow, even in their sparse circumstances they found a way to give. They weren't able to do much, but they gave all they could. and then some.

2. They Gave Supernaturally

Paul said that the Macedonians gave not only “according to their ability,” but “even beyond their ability.”

2 Corinthians 8:3 CSB

3 I can testify that, according to their ability and even beyond their ability, of their own accord,

They gave "beyond their ability" because their giving came from a supernatural source. It was empowered and magnified by God. The fact is, you don't have to possess large sums of money to be a large giver. God's Spirit makes it possible for you to give far beyond your natural ability.

3. They Gave Joyfully

The Bible says that the Macedonian believers gave out of "their abundance of joy...".

2 Corinthians 8:2 CSB

2 During a severe trial brought about by affliction, their abundant joy and their extreme poverty overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part.

No computer could analyze this amazing formula: great affliction and deep poverty plus grace = abundant joy and abounding liberality!

[Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 655.]

As 2 Corinthians 9 reminds us...

2 Corinthians 9:7–8 CSB

7 Each person should do as he has decided in his heart—not reluctantly or out of compulsion, since God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make every grace overflow to you, so that in every way, always having everything you need, you may excel in every good work.

God’s grace is directly connected with giving.

Principle: When we fail to see giving as a grace it becomes a burden instead of a blessing.

There is no compulsion to give here, rather God’s desire for us is that we can give freely to his work, not for our own benefit, but that we might be able to accomplish his work with excellence.

4. They Gave Willingly

Paul wrote that the Macedonians gave willingly… “of their own accord”

2 Corinthians 8:3 CSB

3 I can testify that, according to their ability and even beyond their ability, of their own accord,

The believers of Macedonia "gave of their own accord. “They weren't forced into giving and they didn't wait to be asked. They saw a need and responded voluntarily. They weren't drafted-they enlisted.

This is a really important distinction. We should always be looking about to see what God is doing and join with that work eagerly, giving willingly and generously to support the work.

5. They Gave Eagerly

Paul indicated that the Macedonians were enthusiastic in their giving, indicating that they begged for the opportunity to give...

2 Corinthians 8:4 CSB

4 they begged us earnestly for the privilege of sharing in the ministry to the saints,

Read the full account and you'll see that it was the people, not the pastor, begging to support the saints. They were eager to give because to them was a privilege. Perhaps they remembered the word of the Lord, "It is more blessed to give than to receive."

This act of giving was not the result of coercion, it was voluntary, spontaneous and enthusiastic.

6. They Gave Unexpectedly

The Macedonians were in such a poor state that Paul’s team was not expecting their gifts. It was a pleasant surprise to him that they gave. It was inspiring that those who could not be expected to give would rise to the occasion and give beyond their means.

2 Corinthians 8:5 CSB

5 and not just as we had hoped. Instead, they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us by God’s will.

Paul wrote that they gave "not as we had expected." Paul implies his own reluctance to encourage the Macedonians to contribute since he knew of their desperate poverty. "Grace giving" always has an element of the un- expected.

7. They Gave Personally

This was not a group vote to disburse church funds to Paul’s ministry team. This was a collection where each one decided to dig deep into their own personal resources, being obedient to God’s will.

2 Corinthians 8:5–6 CSB

5 and not just as we had hoped. Instead, they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us by God’s will. 6 So we urged Titus that just as he had begun, so he should also complete among you this act of grace.

The Macedonians "first gave themselves to the Lord..." They knew that God wanted them before He wanted their gifts, and their giving financially to others was preceded by their giving of themselves. Bus also, they gave to Paul’s ministry, because they knew it was God’s will.

Principle: Give! Not out of a sense of duty, but out of a desire to please the One who gave Himself for you.

III. Jesus Knows Our Needs Are Temporary

Jesus knew how fickle treasure could be. It is not easy to come into money, and those who have money understand that it can sometimes cause more trouble than it is worth.

Matthew 6:19–21 CSB

19 “Don’t store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don’t break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

I love this last verse. Jesus knew what we considered to be treasure. He also knew that we might be spiritually confused and place value on the right things.

Psalm 37:4–5 CSB

4 Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires. 5 Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act,

Jesus is telling us in that verse not to set our hearts on earthly treasure, but to allow God to change our hearts so that our heart’s desires align with his. This happens when we 1) Commit our ways to align with God’s ways, and when we 2) trust in him to act in a way that is designed to meet the needs of his purpose.

Let’s understand that our real treasure is in our relationship to Christ and in the salvation that he has given to us. Therefore, let’s set our hearts on the things that God wants to accomplish in this world and invest in that rather than all of the things that we chase after.

We have experienced such grace by God’s hand in our lives. When we truly understand that all that we have is by his hand, it is not so easy to use our difficult circumstances to steal our joy at giving. We have an opportunity to experience this joy by giving sacrificially to help others around us, to advance the work that the church is accomplishing. More than just giving of our financial resources, we have time and investment of our other personal resources that we are able to give as well. We are also able to invest in spiritual resources by praying for these efforts and encouraging their accomplishment in many different ways.

IV. Excel in Giving

Paul began to extract a lesson learned from the actions of the Macedonians so that the Corinthians could learn from it (just as we can learn as well).

2 Corinthians 8:7–8 CSB

7 Now as you excel in everything—in faith, speech, knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love for us—excel also in this act of grace. 8 I am not saying this as a command. Rather, by means of the diligence of others, I am testing the genuineness of your love.

He says, “excel also in this act of grace.” He says, “giving is an act of grace.” Paul encourages us toward the grace-filled act of giving.

Jesus told us that we can either invest in the things that we have here or in the kingdom of Christ...

Matthew 6:19–20 CSB

19 “Don’t store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don’t break in and steal.

How do we store up these treasures in heaven?

We give sacrificially to the ministry of the church and others that advance the kingdom of Christ.

We give sacrificially in service in the ways that Jesus taught us.

We pray and support these ministries by encouraging them and promoting good works.

Conclusion

We’re going to come back to this passage next week and explore some of the themes that Paul detailed in the following passages.

Meanwhile, I want for us to take some time to reflect on what these verses mean for us.

I have to report to you that we are not keeping up in our tithes and offerings. We are currently making ends meet by drawing upon our contingency funds. We realize that the economy is really tough right now for everyone. We know that your expenses have gone up. So have the church expenses in almost every area, just like you have experienced in so many ways in your own homes.

While I have every confidence that God will meet all of our needs, I am going to make a big ask of you this morning. I would ask you to prayerfully consider your gift as we enter into this series on money and giving over the next several weeks.

Let’s enter into a time of reflection as you consider how you might respond today.

1. You might decide to respond by giving.

2. But you also might have some questions and want to know more about this Jesus Christ and the salvation that he freely offers to us.

3. You may also want to know more about becoming a member of this church or

4. Maybe you want to follow Christ’s command to be scripturally baptized, publicly proclaiming to all that you are a follower of Jesus Christ.

5. Finally you may want to come to the altar to pray or to have someone pray for you.

Any of those are appropriate responses during this time of reflection.

We’ll close this time by receiving the offering, your worshipful act of giving to the work that Jesus Christ is accomplishing through this church.

[offering]