Being Cheerful

On the surface, this sermon could make people think that I am against people being cheerful. Well, for the record, I am not against being cheerful. Not in the slightest. However, there is a church, here in Huntsville, that after they play their worship set, the pastor comes and makes announcements then says, Church, we get to give. Then the whole church starts cheering and whistling, almost like you would cheer for your favorite team doing something good. It is toned down but it is a room full of cheers. So, I am visiting this church and my preacher brain kicks in. So, I have a bit more knowledge of what is going on. Somewhere in time the pastor told this church 2 Corinthians 9:7 “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” And, it is true, God loves a cheerful giver. However, I sat there thinking, what if I didn’t have a preacher brain and the pastor got up and said, Church, we get to give and then there is this cheer. I think I would sit there confused.

However, here is what bothers me the most about something like that. To me, it seems inauthentic. It seems fake. In fact, it goes contrary to what that particular scripture seems to be saying in the first place. For immediate context, there are two churches: one in Macedonia and the other in Achaia (Akia). In chapter 8 Paul is commending the the Macedonian church for their generosity. In verses 1 and 2 Paul writes We want you to know brothers and sisters about the grace of God that has been granted to the churches for the severe ordeal of affliction, their abundant joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity. The Jewish-Christians in Jerusalem had fallen into poverty due to a famine. Paul is raising money and he is going to some of the churches that he started that have a history of generosity. His appealing is using a Greek word for Grace. Grace is the word that is used in chapters 8-9 at least 10 times translated in various forms. It is translated to describe collection, privilege, generous undertaking. Generous acts, thanks, and blessing are a few of the ways Grace is used. He appeals to the Macedonian church first in chapter 8 but then the Achaian church in chapter 9. And he does something here. He pits them against each other. In 9:2 I know your eagerness, which is the subject of my boasting about you to the people of Macedonia, saying Achaia has been ready since last year. And your Zeal stirred up most of them.

Do you see what he did there? He is basically saying, you guys are so awesome. I was bragging about you in Macedonia. Your generosity got them excited. But, that is not all. He said, but hey I am sending some people because while I boasted you up, I need to make sure I said the right thing! I might have some Macedonians with me and if you don’t live up to your end of the deal, I might look bad.

Do you all see what he is doing here? Paul was motivating both churches to raise money. But, for Paul, this wasn’t only about the money. I mean it is kind of. He does write the proverbial statement that the one who sows sparingly will reap sparingly and the one who sows bountifully will reap bountifully. But, he is setting a frame here. In 2 Corinthians 8:9 he writes, “For you know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus the Messiah, that even though he was rich, for your sake, he became poor so that through his poverty, you might become rich”. In other words, Paul is telling the story of the Gospel through financial metaphors. Jesus gave up his glorious honor, or wealth, and lowered himself to die. So, as he writes in verse 7, each of us must give as you have made up in your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

So, Paul pits them against each other but then grounds it saying don’t give under compulsion. Give as you have made up your mind. Give, as the Lord has led you because God loves a cheerful giver. Paul was asking for people to be his partners not his patrons. He wanted people to share in the gospel with him. However, his focus isn’t on money. His focus is on grace. As already mentioned, between chapters 8 and 9, Grace is used at least 10 times in various forms. He trusts that the Corinthian believers would be transformed if they could really “get” grace. Because an authentic awareness of grace leads one to be a glad, rather than a grudging, giver who celebrates when everyone has enough.

See, my issue is not people being cheerful. I mean we could get Stephen to play some up beat cheer music like at the ball field and we could all start to cheer over giving? However, I think we would all agree that it would be inauthentic. I mean, while we love our sports, we are Presbyterian! And Paul is challenging us to give our authentic self, as God leads, not under compulsion or reluctantly, but as God leads.

As God leads….hmmm. That is part of the mystery in our text in Genesis. In Genesis 14 Abram, later Abraham, is returning home after a victorious battle. He is the winner. Then out of nowhere a king shows up, who is also a Priest. His name is Melchizedeck of Salem. So, there is some Hebrew trickery here. Melchizedek means king of righteousness and he is considered the founder of the royal priesthood. This king brings Abram win and bread. These were considered luxurious. But, the text also says he was a priest of God Most High. Then he goes on and says Blessed be Abram by God most high, creator of heaven and earth. This God of the most high gave all your enemies in your hands. So, we have a king and a priest. But, then Abram gave him a tenth of everything. Abram tithed to this priest, before there were any tithing laws in place. perhaps modeling support for the priesthood or giving Melchizedek a tithe of the spoils of war traditionally owed to a king in the ancient Near East.

Just so you know, this text has puzzled scholars. Part of what is puzzling is that no one can really understand why Abram gave a tenth of everything. One commentator suggest, like I just mentioned, that it was customary to give a tithe of the spoils of war. Another thinks that generosity is not what motivates Abram but a desire to have nothing more to do with Sodom. One suggestion is that Abram was recently still a nomad. He had just settled at Hebron and Melchizedek was the king of the nearest large city, Salem, so he was creating an ally.

Here is the thing. I don’t know why Abram gave a tenth of his money either. Here is what I do know, he gave as God led him. This was the same message that Paul was writing to both the church in Macedonia and Achia. There was a famine and he said give as you have made up your mind. God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance!

Friends, these texts are not completely about money. Like last week, I recognize that it is in there so there is something about money, but there is more to these passages. One thing that comes from both is that God blesses us. Melchizedek reminded Abram that God Most High blessed Abram and Paul tells us that God is able to provide us all with every blessing in abundance. And you know what, this church is so blessed. I mean I can’t tell you how privileged I am to serve this church. We are blessed with some of the best thinkers that challenge me. We are blessed with talents that engage us. We are blessed with resources! Friends, all those blessings came from God!

But, I come back to where I began. I don’t like it when people manipulate God’s blessings to sway people to give. No, God wants us to give of our authentic selves. Give as you have made up your mind, not under compulsion. This is not limited to resources. If you didn’t know. We have a nominating committee that will begin looking for officers for next year. We have a need for Sunday School teachers. We have a need for people to do stuff.

Friends, I love each of you. I am having so much fun getting to know all of you, learning your personalities and talents. I am glad to serve God together with you. We have a lot of work to do. So, let's join together and give our authentic selves as God is leading you to give. Friends, God wants you to give your authentic self. And, while you are doing that, remember to be a cheerful giver!

God loves you!

Amen