Helping Others

A study on II Corinthians

Helping Others

II Cor. 8:1-9

Theme: God reveals the heart of believers to help others.

Introduction: Perhaps you have been bombarded with recent requests for financial help of Christian organizations. Tuesday was national giving day which was started in 2012 by a YMCA in NYC. There is no doubt God wants us to be a help and blessing to others. This includes finances as well.

Here in this passage there were Christians who were struggling in Judea. A relief offering was being raised and the churches Macedonia wanted to give towards it. Paul knew that giving had multiple benefits. Besides giving to the needy, the church is unified and God is pleased by our obedience in giving. Paul saw the Gentiles as “debtors to the Jews and the special collection was one way to pay that debt.

The Corinthian church was wealthy and he wanted to lift the giving appeal to the high level of giving by grace. Giving here is truly a ministry of fellowship that helps others and the motivation must be from God’s grace.

There are three principles in giving to others.

I. We give in spite of circumstances vv. 1-2

A. The heart of the giving

1. The Macedonian churches wanted to do something to help the poor Christians struggling in Judea.

2. God has been gracious to them in spite of the struggles, they had a heart to be a blessing and help to others.

3. This relief offering was a missionary gift.

4. Believers of all people should have a heart for giving.

B. The difficulties of the givers v.2

1. It was not just affliction but a great trial of affliction.

2. They were in deep poverty which means destitution-which describes a beggar who has absolutely nothing and has little hope of getting anything.

3. Perhaps they were struggling because they were believers or because they had lost their jobs or economic situations they could not change.

4. The governments has threatened for years to take away tax exemption for giving to the church. We should give even if that happens.

5. They not only gave but gave with abundant joy and liberality.

6. When you have experienced the grace of God in your life, you will not use difficult circumstances as an excuse for not giving.

II. We give enthusiastically vv. 3-4

A. Their willingness v.3

1. It is possible to give generously but not enthusiastically.

2. The Macedonians needed no prompting or reminding as the Corinthians believers did vv. 10

3. They wanted to be a part of the offering v.4-to the point of begging to help.

B. Their ministry v. 4

1. Their giving was voluntary and spontaneous without pressure to give.

2. They gave because they wanted to give because they have experienced God’s grace.

3. Grace not only frees from our sins through Christ, but frees us from ourselves.

4. They enthusiastically say this giving as a ministry.

III. We give like Jesus vv. 5-9

A. Surrendered to God v.5

1. Giving of ourselves to God is the starting place.

2. If we give ourselves to God, we will little problem giving our substance to God.

3. It is impossible to love God and ignore the needs of others.

B. Proof of our love vv. 6-8

1. They were motivated by love.

2. What a rebuke to the Corinthians who were so enriched with spiritual blessings.

3. They were so consumed with the gifts of the spirit that they were blind to the graces of the Spirit.

4. The spiritual gift is not a substitute or an excuse for not giving: I teach SS class, so I don’t have to give. I heard about one preacher who went to a struggling church and the agreement was that during his tenure in the beginning , he would not have to tithe because that was a part of his salary. Wrong decision because when the church grew and became much larger, he still did not tithe.

5. Paul was teaching the Corinthians that the attitude of the Macedonians reflect those who love Christ.

C. Sacrifice of Christ v.9

1. Jesus was rich in His person because He was God. He is rich in His possessions as King of Kings and He is rich in power, for He can do anything.

2. Yet, He became poor means He gave all unto His Father.

3. He became poor when He died on the cross.

4. So that we can be rich in Him.

5. Since this is true, how can we refuse to give for others?

Conclusion: What a privilege God gives us to help others. Just as He gave to help us.