Grace Giving

Intro: Little Johnny was sitting in church between his father and mother: The offering plate comes by, and he asks, “Wouldn’t it be cheaper just to buy a season ticket?”

When the preacher starts talking about giving, church people start guarding their wallets. But I want to talk about grace giving, which I believe is Biblical giving. Though I believe we ought to tithe (10% of Gross), it is truly the manner in which we give that pleases God. There are no other chapters in the N.T. that touches on the subject of giving as 2 Cor. 8-9. Paul uses the Greek noun charis 10x in these 2 chapters. It is most often traslated “grace” (God’s grace 4x, Man’s graciousness 4x {generosity})

Paul is taking up a special offering for the poor church in Jerusalem, the churches of Macedonia has given graciously and He now asks the Corinthians to give graciously as they had earlier pledged.

CPS: In these chapters we can see the manners in which we must give.

I. Give Willingly (2 Cor. 8:3-4, 8, 12)

Grace giving is willful giving. Willful giving means you are ready and eager to give.

Those in Macedonia gave according to their ability while some gave beyond their ability. They gave in proportion to what they had, not a portion of what they had. However it is their manner of giving that is so intriguing! They gave willingly (3) and eagerly (4,8, 12)

There are 3 reasons to give, 1. You have to (law), 2. You ought to (obligation), 3. You want to (grace). Grace giving is the giving that pleases God.

They saw it as such a privilege they begged Paul to let them contribute to the offering!

ILL: If the deacons announced this morning during the time of offering, that we will not be passing around the offering plate, what would you do? Some would secretly double fist pump, but willful giving would see that as a missed privilege and give anyway!

God has given us so much, all things, He hasn't held back at all , including His Only begotten Son’s life. It is a privilege to give back.

Paul writes to the Corinthians “I’m not commanding you to this, but I am testing how genuine your love is. In context it is the love for God that leads us to give!

If you want to know where a man’s heart is, you need to look no further than his attitude as he opens his checkbook to give.

Grace giving is willful giving.

II. Give Sacrificially (2 Cor. 8:1-3, 5, 9)

Grace giving is Sacrificial giving. Sacrificial giving means you give up something for the sake of another.

ILL: Like in baseball you lay down a bunt or hit a fly ball that will put you out but allows a base runner to advance.

The Macedonian Church was struggling and poor yet they they did not count the cost when it came to giving. They gave as God lead them even though it was a sacrifice for them to give what they gave.

Again, they gave in Proportion to what they had, though it wasn’t much they gave it anyway and some gave all that they had. 2 Corinthians 8:3 “For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord,”

God gives us common sense, but common sense is often the enemy of sacrificial giving.

ILL: There has been times when commonsense told me not to give so much, there are things that we need. But then God says “ give it all.” There have been times when Hope and I have sensed God’s leading to give sacrificially and drained our checking account and the majority of our savings, we found ourselves with little money but we had joy in our hearts and were blessed beyond measure because we were obedient and we learned first hand that you can’t out give God.

The Bible gives plenty examples of Sacrificial giving. The young lad’s lunch (John 6:8) The widow’s mite (Mark 12:41-44) But none is as important as God’s own example. 2 Cor. 8:9, Jesus gave up the riches of heaven to cloak Himself in humanity, not having the comforts of even earth, came and died so that we can be saved. He gave His all without hesitation and since His grace is so great… perhaps ours needs to be too!

Grace giving is Sacrificially giving.

III. Give Generously (2 Cor 9:5-6)

Grace giving is generous giving! To give generously means to give freely more than is necessary or expected.

The apostle urges the Corinthians to give bountifully. Bountiful/Bountifully is used 4 times in these 2 verses, it is the Greek eulogia noun meaning generously or large amount.

ILL: I read a story about a beggar who asks for alms from Alexander the Great as he passed by. The man was poor and wretched and had no claim on the ruler, no right even to lift a solicitous hand. Yet the Emperor threw him several gold coins. A courtier was astonished at his generosity and commented, “Sir, copper coins would adequately meet a beggar’s need. why give him gold?” Alexander responded in royal fashion, “Copper coins would suit the beggar’s need, but gold coins suit Alexander’s giving. What could be said about your giving?

As Alexander gave generously to a beggar how much more should we Christians give to God, for the sake of ministry? Much more!

The Apostle Paul used an agricultural illustration that they was easily understood. While sowing your field you don’t sow sparingly, you bountifully if you want a good crop!

This does not teach us to give so that we can get something in return, its about the manner of giving. However, it does teach us something about God’s faithfulness. YOU CAN”T OUT GIVE GOD!

ILL: When I was first saved, I wanted so badly to give a tithe off of my gross salary, but things were tight and took all we had to et through the month. So, I began to give what I could praying that I will soon be able to give more. The more I gave the more money I made, which enabled me to give more and more and more! I sowed bountifully and God increased it bountifully so that I could give bountifully.

We expect to tip a waiter/waitress 15-20% and at times give them more according to how good their service was. But when it is suggested to give God 10% many of us are aghast. Yet God has done so much more than than taking our order and filling our drink, He gives us life breath and all things!

Some people have a hard time letting go their money, They have to tell their left hand to pry open their right hand so their offering can make it into the offering plate. That is giving grudgingly, Paul warns us of such covertness (5). Be free and unselfish in your giving!

Grace giving is generous giving

IV. Give Cheerfully (2 Cor. 9:7-12)

Grace giving is cheerful giving. The New Testament doesn’t speak about the proper amount of to give, but it is plain about the motives behind what we give. We do not give grudgingly (5) but Cheerfully.

Cheerful is the Greek Adj. hilaros (Hil-ar-ros) it means happy.

ILL: A mother wanted to teach her daughter a moral lesson. She gave the little girl a quarter and a dollar for church and said, “Put whichever one you want in the collection plate and keep the other for yourself.” When they were coming out of church, the mother asked her daughter which amount she had given. “Well,” said the little girl, “I was going to give the dollar, but just before the collection,the man in the pulpit said that we should all be cheerful givers. I knew I’d be a lot more cheerful if I gave the quarter, so I did.

Paul is not saying we give what makes us happy, but that we are happy to give. Giving to God ought to be a source of great joy since we have experienced the Grace of God.

Notice, it isn’t the amount given that draws God’d pleasure.... its the attitude, He loves a cheerful giver.

In Gen. 4:3-5 why did God accept Able’s offering and not Cain’s? Cain gave an offering of what he grew, but Able brought the firstlings and their fat portions. Able gave God the best part and the only way to give the best part is your offering is motivated by love and it makes you happy to give to the Lord. But, make no bones about it, when you give cheerfully you give plentifully!

Grace giving is cheerful giving and we can be cheerful knowing the grace of God and His faithfulness to provide for all of our needs… including our greatest..... forgiveness of sin!

Conclusion: