Chapel 6/24

The Principal of Giving

Today we are going to start with our passage and then discuss

So, if you want to turn in your Bibles to 2nd Corinthians 9

Last week we were in 8,

I talked about how living connected to God, truly believing in His good character allows us to Trust there is enough and there will be enough

It helps us to embrace the mystery of how the world works and how God works, not feeling like we have to control everything

Because of this, we can not fear failure, that gets a new name, process,

It’s all a process, of what is happening, or what God is accomplishing in the world and in and through us

This then makes us others focused, selfless, compassionate, merciful, empathetic

It allows us to become joyful generous givers

Let’s now listen to what Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 9, verses 6-10

New Living Translation Chapter 9

6 Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. 7 You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” 8 And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. 9 As the Scriptures say,

“They share freely and give generously to the poor.

Their good deeds will be remembered forever.”

10 For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you.

Paul starts with the analogy of a farmer, who before the invention of sprinkler systems was completely dependent on God for his harvest

Even now, drought can happen and drastically affect a harvest

So, obviously, in regards to farming, you can only yield a harvest from what you’ve planted, trusting Him to provide the rain necessary for its growth

If a farmer sows generously, then he will have the opportunity to reap generously, but if he sows sparingly, doesn’t plant a lot of seeds, then he will reap sparingly

Paul says in verse 10 that it is God who even provides the seed for the farmer which results in the bread he eats

Even the seed is from God and so the bi-product of the seed is then from God, it all starts with God

With this in mind, our giving should be affected

What we have in terms of money is from God, “how?” you might ask

The life you have is from Him, being born here is from Him, the brain and/or abilities you have are from Him, the opportunity is from Him, so naturally the benefits are from Him

And since this is all from Him, and we trust Him to provide tomorrow, we can give it back to Him

But Paul, in using the farmer gives us a Connected Worldview principal and one that doesn’t translate into a Separated Worldview mentality

Why would I give away my money? I’ve worked hard for it, I’ve earned it. I may need it tomorrow. I want to get things with it. It’s my money, that’s all Separated from God and others

Connected, it’s God’s money, there’s enough for me today and God will provide more tomorrow. I don’t need to hoard it, I can give it away

The Mystery is what God is doing, in us and for others

When we loosen our grip on money, and that is a process for sure, God transforms us

According to verse 7, through prayer, we decide how much to give away, not out of guilt or compulsion, but willingly

When we know what God can do with that money, how it can help people, feed people, clothe people, introduce them to Jesus, if our heart truly love others, we become cheerful givers

In return, in this display of trust, Paul continues in verse 8 and says that God, who loves a cheerful giver, He will generously provide all you need.

He continues, “Then you will always have everything you need and plenty to share with others.”

So the scarcity and certainty that we try to control in the Separated Worldview, is covered by God when we trust Him and live Connected to Him

Not only will we be more than taken care of, He gives us extra because He knows we can be trusted with what He’s given us

He knows we will continue to give generously back to Him and the causes He cares about.

It is God taking care of His world and the people in it through the people in it, do you see that?

We get to partner with Him in the stewardship and care of His creation

Now listen to verses 11-15

New Living Translation Chapter 9

11 Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God. 12 So two good things will result from this ministry of giving—the needs of the believers in Jerusalem will be met, and they will joyfully express their thanks to God.

13 As a result of your ministry, they will give glory to God. For your generosity to them and to all believers will prove that you are obedient to the Good News of Christ. 14 And they will pray for you with deep affection because of the overflowing grace God has given to you. 15 Thank God for this gift too wonderful for words!

We will be enriched in every way, we will become better people, leave a legacy of generosity and impact on others

Paul lists two good things that come from this work that God does in us and through us

The first is the needs of others will be met, again we are partners with God to care for His creation, people

The people receiving your generosity will joyfully express their thanks to God

Now if you’re after credit or doing it so you look good to others, then your motivation is messed up and you’re not living connected to God but separated

You are trying to be known for what you have, what you do, and what others think of you

Your actually not a cheerful giver, but a selfish taker, doing it for your own gain

Paul says in verse 13, As a result of your ministry, he calls it their ministry

Some of us may never go on a “missions trip” go to another country and share the love of God with others

but by giving you are a partner with those who do

Some may never personally deliver clothes and food to extremely poor people, but through giving you partner with those who do

But these actions do have an affect on those who are watching, not that we are doing it for their eyes

But people see that we live differently, not according to the same system or rules as them

Not fearful, not controlling, but trusting God, not anxious but at peace, confident and content, not selfish but selfless, not self-focused but others focused, loving God first and loving others

This proves that we have truly believed the Good News and have become followers of Jesus, because this was His life, generously given away for You and me.

If our God is a generous God, given us this world and all we have, if our Savior is a generous savior giving us everything, even His life, then shouldn’t His followers also be generous??

God in His love, mercy and compassion gave us the greatest gift of all time, a way to leave the Separated Worldview and return to the Connected Worldview through Jesus

He tells us to change our minds, to repent, to see the better way, connected to Him and trusting Him,

and then calls us to live a better life, the one He’s always desired for us to live, doing for Him the things He’s always desired for us to do.

Listen to Ephesians 2 verses 1-10 as I close

Ephesians 2:1–10 (ESV)

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Father, thank You