Grace Given Generosity: Sharing Joy, Love, And Unity 2 Corinthians 8:1-15

Background – The Offering for the Saints in Jerusalem.

Acts 11:27-30 makes mention of a prophet from Jerusalem named Agabus who went to Antioch and foretold by the Spirit that there was going to be a great famine over all the world during the days of Emperor Claudius (AD 41-54).  The famine was particularly hard-hit in Judea and prompted an initial relief effort from the church in Antioch (a church with many gentiles).  Even after the famine, there remained an ongoing need among the believers in Jerusalem.  What we know from the historical context in the New Testament is that the church’s poverty persisted because of persecution (leading to a loss of property and jobs), a large influx of poor converts (including widows, as in Acts 8), and the depletion of resources from their early communal sharing of goods (Acts 2:44-45; 4:32-35).

Paul’s motivation to organize collections among the Gentile churches came out of a meeting he had with the Jerusalem Apostles, where unity between Gentile and Jewish churches was affirmed.  We learn of this meeting in Galatians 2:1-10 (ESV) (excerpted key verses for brevity):

"[1] Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. [2] I went up because of a revelation and set before them... the gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles... [9] and when James and Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. [10] Only, they asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do."

When Peter, James, and John asked Paul to remember the poor, this was very likely a direct reference to the poor in Jerusalem.  Paul was eager to do this.  So after his Second Missionary Journey, Paul organized another trip, this time to collect funds from the Gentile churches in support of the church in Jerusalem.

Paul’s letters to the churches in Corinth, Galatia, and Rome detail how the collection was organized and carried out.  The motivating factors for Gentile support of Jewish Christians was to relieve a material need, express gratitude for spiritual blessings, to promote equality, and to foster church unity (Rom 15:25-33; 1 Corinthians 16:1-4; Gal 2:10).  You might wonder why God allowed a severe famine to afflict the known world at that time and while there are probably other reasons, we can see how God used this hardship as a work of grace within the churches.  The Jerusalem church was humbled by their need and the willingness of Gentile Christians to support them.  The Gentiles were given the opportunity to give back to the Jewish church material blessings as a way to say thank you for the spiritual blessings that came from the Jews.  The leadership within the churches were able to show unity and agreement while promoting brotherly love.  And real life opportunity to show sacrifice and grace motivated by the example of our Savior bore fruit to unite the churches.

In our passage today, we want to look at how God’s grace inspires sacrificial and joyful generosity among believers, fostering unity and equality across the church as an expression of love and faith:

1 We make known to you, brethren, the grace of God that has been given among the churches in Macedonia, 2 that in the presence of a great ordeal of affliction, their abundance of joy combined with the extreme depth of their poverty, overflowed into the riches of their generosity.  3 I testify that according to their ability, and beyond [contrary to] their ability, by their own choice, 4 with many appeals they begged us for the favor of taking part in the service to the saints, 5 and not as we expected but they gave themselves first to the Lord then to us in accord with the will of God . 

6 And so we urged Titus, that just as he previously began this work with you, in the same way he should also complete this act of grace with you.  7 Yet, just as you excel in everything, in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all diligence and in the love we have inspired in you, so also excel in this act of grace.  8 I am not saying this as a command but as a means of proving the genuineness of your love in light of the eagerness of others. 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that for your sake he became poor even though he was rich, in order that by his poverty you might become rich.  10 And I give my judgment in this matter , for this is fitting in your case since you were the first not only to act but also to desire to act starting last year.  11 And now, finish doing it, in order that just as the eagerness to desire it was present, so also there will be the completion according to what you have.  12 For if the eagerness is present the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have.  13 For I do not mean that others should be relieved, but you should be burdened.  Rather, there should be equality.  14 At this present time your abundance can be a supply for those who are lacking, so that their abundance may also supply your need, so there should be equality 15 just as it is written, The person who had much did not have too much and the ones having little did not have too little.

God’s Grace Leads To Joy And Generosity (vv.1,2)

God is given credit for the remarkable generosity of the Macedonian churches.  They were experiencing a great ordeal of suffering and yet had an abundance of joy in the midst of extreme (bathos - all the way to the bottom) poverty.  But God’s grace had overflowed into great riches of generosity from them.

The Macedonians did not hold back, but like the poor widow in Luke 21:1-4 who gave out of her poverty and put in everything she had into the offering, the Macedonians gave more than expected out of their poverty.  In fact, they gave even more than seemed possible, prudent and viable.

Paul is not trying to create competition here between the churches but wants the Corinthians to know of the love and eagerness in Macedonia to help with a project the Corinthian church started more than a year earlier.

Generosity Beyond Means (vv. 3,4,5)

The Macedonian churches begged for the opportunity to participate in giving to the ministry for the saints by first giving themselves to the Lord, then to Paul and his companions.  They did this in accord with the will of God.  “They first gave themselves to the Lord and then to us”.  This is gratitude – thankfulness for all that God has done for them.  This is giving back to God in recognition of the price He paid to make us his own (John 3:16).  It is also recognition of what we owe to one another.  God loves His people, and we should value and love them as well.

It is possible to be wealthy in a material sense, but spiritually impoverished,  The church in Laodicea (Rev. 3) points this out.  Someone has said, it is possible to give your money without giving yourself to God, but it is not possible to give yourself to God without giving your money.  This is why they Macedonians first gave themselves to God.  They kept nothing back and instead entrusted themselves to His care and grace and gave themselves plus all that they had to serve God’s people when they were in great need.

This kind of joy and generosity will only come from the Spirit of God within us and the model we have for an example is the grace found in Jesus our Lord.  That as verse 9 says, “9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that for your sake he became poor even though he was rich, in order that by his poverty you might become rich.”

The churches in Macedonia were willing to give an abundant amount even though they were already in extreme poverty.  Giving to the needs of others is how they wanted to express their thankfulness to God for all He has done for them.  They first gave themselves to the Lord, then to the service of God’s people.  What is striking here is the willingness to care for others at the word of Paul (they only knew of the suffering in Jerusalem because Paul told them).  They did this out of love for the Lord, and concern for those who in the family of God who were suffering.

Completing The Gift with Love and Equity (vv. 6-15)

The church in Corinth was the first church to express a desire to help the saints in Jerusalem and to begin putting aside funds for them.  This was more than just simply giving aid to the poor.  For Paul, it was a spiritual matter, an opportunity for brothers and sisters to show one another the grace and love of God.  It was a way to unite in fellowship and service.

But it seems the enthusiasm within the Corinthian church was waning.  This is understandable when we consider the spiritual and relationship struggles going on in the church.  Titus was present when the Corinthians expressed the desire to begin this project.  So, Paul wants Titus to return and to encourage them to finish what they had started.

No where does Paul mention the amount given by the Macedonians, or any other group for that matter.  The amount is not what is important.  What excites Paul is the eagerness and joy expressed by those who are giving.  For the Corinthians, their desire to help and there having started to save had become encouragement for others.  It created eagerness in the other churches to help as well.  So much so, that the Macedonians were begging Paul to participate as much as they did.

But the proof of genuine love is not in the desire, nor in the planning, but in the completion of what you have set your heart to do.  Paul is not asking the Corinthians to be like the Macedonians and give themselves into poverty.  Nor is he setting up a competition to see who can give the most.  But he is asking them to give with eagerness what they are able.  What matters is the attitude in giving, not the amount.

Paul does not desire for anyone to go into poverty, but to share what we have with those who are in need so that, whether Gentile or Jew, there is equity, unity, and love between one another.

Amen.