Speed the Light

Purpose

The purpose of Speed the Light is to give so others can speed the light of the gospel to a world in darkness. Speed the Light engages, teaches, and disciples our youth in God’s mission to reach the lost! This is accomplished by creating a heart of missional generosity in students for the world’s needs and our missionaries’ needs. Students are challenged to sacrificially give to missions, reach the lost in their own area, and pray for missionaries around the globe. Funds raised through STL go to help missionaries travel faster, preach clearer, and be heard louder in order for all to know Jesus.

That does not happen without teaching students about generosity. 2 Corinthians 9:6-15 says this about generosity...

2 Corinthians 9:6–15 NIV

6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 9 As it is written: “They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever.” 10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. 12 This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. 13 Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. 14 And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. 15 Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

Many of you have heard this concept of sowing connected with money. In some places and in some ministries around the world it had hurt too many believers. Televangelists will get on TV and talk about you sowing a seed of funds to their ministry so God can bless them.

Televangelists going on TV saying that they need a new plane because the one they have is not good enough, or how the preacher needs a new car because they need another, so a sowing of the congregation needs to happen.

This infamous teaching comes from here. This is one of the divisive scriptures in the Bible, but here it is, so what should we do with it? Ignore it, abuse it, or apply it properly.

In the grace of God Christians are rewarded in three ways for generosity:

The givers are enriched

The receivers’ needs are met

God, the Source of all blessing, is praised

9:6–7. Why should the Corinthians give generously? (v. 5) Paul gave two reasons.

(1) A principle holds true in both the natural and the spiritual spheres: the size of a harvest corresponds to the scope of the sowing (cf. Prov. 11:24–26). A man may enjoy all his grain by eating it, or he may “lose” some of it by sowing it and later reaping a bountiful harvest. A spiritual harvest, of course, may differ in kind from the seed sown. Material seed may reap a spiritual harvest (2 Cor. 9:9; cf. 1 Cor. 9:11).

(2) Another reason for giving generously is that God loves generosity. God prizes not the size of the gift (cf. Acts 11:29; 1 Cor. 16:2), but the giver’s sincerity (not reluctantly), spontaneity (not under compulsion), and joyful willingness (a cheerful giver).

9:8. Ultimately Christians can dispense only what they have received, whether material (Acts 14:17) or spiritual (Rom. 5:17). The good work is done through God’s enabling (cf. Phil. 1:6). Regardless of how desperate one’s circumstances, a person who wants to give can do so in dependence on God (cf. Phil. 4:11–13; e.g., the widow of Zarephath, 1 Kings 17:9–16; and the Macedonians, 2 Cor. 8:1–3). Once again Paul sounded the note that man’s inability, by contrast, showcases God’s work (4:7). This verse is full of words indicating inclusiveness in God’s enabling: all grace … in all things at all times, having all that you need … in every good work. In the words “all things,” “all times,” and “all … you need,” the Greek heaps three words one after the other: panti pantote pasan. God is indeed sufficient! His “every” grace abounds so that believers can abound “in every good work.”

9:9–10. The abounding grace mentioned in verse 8 refers to more than provision for one’s needs of the moment. Charity reaps an eternal reward (cf. Prov. 19:17; Matt. 25:40). A person who “fears the Lord” (Ps. 112:1) and gives gifts to the poor (from Ps. 112:9, which Paul quoted) will be vindicated on the last day (cf. Matt. 6:1). Practical righteousness endures forever not only through the deeds but in the doer as he is progressively transformed into Christlikeness (2 Cor. 3:18). Ultimately a believer’s reward is the culmination of the process (Phil. 3:14, 21). The One who supplies what is needed is God alone (Phil. 2:13). God (who supplies seed … and bread) enlarges the harvest (rewards or blessings) that results from righteous, generous living. The riches of righteousness are inestimable (cf. 6:10).

9:11–13. The more one gives to others, the more he is enriched, and thus he can be generous on every occasion. Such a generous spirit toward others results in more and more people giving thanksgiving to God.

One expression of this generosity was the contribution to the Jerusalem saints, administered by Paul. Not only would this service (vv. 12–13; cf. 8:4; 9:1) meet the pressing needs of Jerusalem Christians but it would also overflow in many expressions of thanks to God and bring praise to God. The Corinthian participation in this charitable gesture would demonstrate the reality of their confession and the vitality of their spiritual lives.

9:14–15. Because the Corinthians sent material aid, they reaped the intercessory prayers of the Jerusalem Christians who in praising God invoked His blessings on their Corinthian brethren. This spirit of selflessness is a consequence of God’s surpassing grace (cf. “grace” in 8:1, 9; 9:8) supremely expressed in the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ (8:9). This section on giving concludes (9:15) where it began (8:1), with the grace of God. Thanks in 9:15 is the word charis (“grace, favor”). Believers are to bestow “favor” on God because of His favors bestowed on them. His greatest gift (dōrea) is eternal salvation, spiritual riches, through His rich Son who became poor (8:9). Such a gift is indescribable (anekdiēgētō, “unable to recount or tell fully,” used only here in the NT). Those who have benefited from such a spiritual gift (stemming from God’s grace) should not hesitate to benefit others with material gifts. The Corinthians finished this work and sent a gift to Jerusalem (Rom. 15:26).

What Speed the Light Does

Speed the Light, like BGMC is teach our children and teenagers the importance of being, not only faithful givers, but extravagant givers.

An extravagant giver is not defined by wealth, but by the proportion of giving relative to one’s means. Anyone in a church can be an extravagant giver, regardless of their financial status, because true generosity is measured by how much is left after giving, not by the total amount donated. Jesus himself illustrated this principle through the story of a poor widow who gave two small coins, which he declared was more significant than the larger gifts of the wealthy because she gave everything she had. Extravagant giving is more than a monetary transaction; it’s a lifestyle that encompasses giving of money, time, talents, and resources entrusted to an individual. The biblical perspective encourages cheerful giving, with the understanding that God is the ultimate source of provision and will continue to bless those who give generously.

An extravagant giver...

… does not wait for perfect circumstances or opportunities to come around to give and bless others

… remembers that when they give they are showing love to Jesus

… is on mission, sharing God’s love in every situation

… displays God’s heart for those in need, meeting physical and spiritual needs

… uses their uniquely equipped gifts to serve and build God’s kingdom

… takes a stand against injustice and fights for freedom

… doesn’t limit worship to music, but lives a life that honors God in every way

… is a voice for the voiceless, having God’s heart for the suffering

… allows the Holy Spirit to cultivate His fruit in their lives showing the world God’s character

… approaches God’s throne in prayer to receive His help and guidance

So, do you see yourself as an extravagant giver? Do you consider yourself a person who gives everything to God for God? Is the purpose of your life to make Him Lord, and serve Him and His Kingdom?

Are you allowing God’s word to guide you toward His purpose or your own?

When Jesus came to earth He came as fully God and fully man because He had to become the perfect sacrifice for our salvation to be possible, but too many people who call themselves Christian do not make Jesus fully Lord or fully God. God becomes an after thought, and we hope and pray to get our own way, or worse yet, actively reject the purposes God has created us for, so we can go though life under our own strength and ability.

Others put God on hold, waiting for that perfect opportunity or change in circumstance to come around. How many people die and have gone to hell because you and I did not fully make Him Lord? How many souls are we going to have to account for in front of the judgement throne?

I’m not just talking about money here today, though our Speed the Light Offering is about to be taken up, rather, I want to ask you, Are you living your life for God and His Mission, against God and His mission, or despite God and His mission?

If you don’t know how to answer that question I have good news. Christ gave us a thermometer.

Matthew 6:21 NIV

21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

In our society, and in Christ’s society, how people spent their money, or where they focused their talents, or most prized possessions showed where a person’s heart was.

What are the treasures in your life? What does that say about your heart? Does your heart align with the Character of the Lord?

Your heart follows your treasure. More than just an indicator of your heart’s desires, how you spend your or invest your treasure actually influences where your heart goes.

Speed the light is all about getting the Word of God and gospel message to people that need it. It is an amazing ministry with great impact, but how well does your life speed the light?

Imagine our church if each of us would remove the impediments of the light and make sure that it can speed out to those who need to hear about Christ and be saved? Imagine your family unhindered by unholy filters.

Our treasure either aligns with God, or does not, but when it does not it hinders the light being spread. When our treasure aligns with Him, however, nothing can stop the light.