GRACE GIVING II

The Promised Gift

2 Corinthians 9:15 LSB

Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!

what is this verse talking about?

what do we use this verse for?

Keep these questions in your mind as we go through this sermon

The Corinthian church were the instigators of the promise to give to the church in Jerusalem

Corinth is in the state of Achaia

but something happened and they had stopped collecting

Paul had just told them about the extremely poor people in Macedonia and how they were overjoyed to give above and beyond their means

so Paul had to remind the people of the joy it was to generously give to the needy

Paul sent this letter to Corinth with these instructions on the ministry of grace giving

V 1 its Superfluous I don’t need to tell you

2 Corinthians 9:1 LEB

For it is unnecessary for me to write to you concerning the ministry to the saints,

but I’m just going to remind you

V 2

Achaia the whole state

the Corinthian people are the ones who stirred up all of these churches

Paul went around and told of their love and generosity

V 3

so Paul sent ahead some men to encourage and help thes people to be ready for when Paul and people from other churches to gather the gifts

V4

I or you want to be ashamed in front of the Macedonians who are traveling with me

V5

the gift here is called a blessing to others

2 Corinthians 9:5 LEB

Therefore I considered it necessary to urge the brothers that they should go on ahead to you and make arrangements in advance for your generous gift that was promised previously, so this would be prepared as a generous gift and not as grudgingly granted.

this generous gift is a blessing

You have promised this gift

will this gift be a blessing to them

or will this gift be a begrudging obligation

Sowing And Reaping

blessing or begrudging

Paul is going to give us rules for giving

Do we want a blessing we have to give a blessing

Galatians 6:7–10 LSB

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.

sow to the Spirit

we need to be in prayer on what the Holy Spirit wants us to give and to who

But we have to obey with joy in what blessings/ generosity God will give back to us

Proverbs 19:17 LSB

He who is gracious to a poor man lends to Yahweh, And He will repay him for his bountiful deed.

We cant out give God

V 7

there is no percentage

there is no rule

it is what the Holy Spirit lays on our heart to give

what is set into our minds to give

Galatians 5:18 LSB

But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.

we saw last time that we are not under the law but live by the Spirit

we no longer have the tithe over us and have to abide by this law that was given to the Israelite nation

If we have the attitude that God owns everything

If we have the attitude that God gave us this to give away

then we will be able to give cheerfully

V 8

Because you are a good Fed Ex man and cheerfully deliver all of your packages

God can trust you with more

God knows you are not going to keep for yourself what He trusted with you to pass on

we sow generosity we get more to be generous with

this is not a investment scheme

this is not a trial that we put on God

we should not have the attitude that God will bless us because we are generous

we want to be generous because of our love for God and our brother in Christ

and God allows His love to flow through us

remember in church as a child your parents gave you money so that you could put it in the offering?

How Good is God that He gives us so that we can give to others

What an

Indescribable Gift

V 10-14

God wants you to have the blessing of giving

you get to supply the saints with their needs

then they thank God for you

they are saying something like

“I’m so thankful for Frank because he was so generous with his stuff That he gave to me what I needed”.

and it was God that Gave it to me in the first place

V 14

Paul is getting pretty exited about telling us how Good God id

then he Burst fourth with this

V 15

The Gift of God’s generosity through you to others

so it starts with the attitude of I want to be generous to others

The ask the Holy Spirit to guide you

what do I have to give

show me a need

trust in God

then deliver what you have to the needed one

then look for another need that God has given to you to deliver

in the mean time these people are so grateful to God because of you

and the cycle continues

BUT THIS OPPORTUNITY OF A LIFETIME STARTS WITH YOUR FIRST STEP