MISSIONS WORK & THE CHURCH- 2 Corinthians 8:1-6

Missions work specifically, and caring for others generally, are some of the responsibilities of the church. We have heard a fascinating conversation between Ms. Joni and Ms. Lottie Moon, a lady who loved missions and worked to support the spread of the Gospel.

We will see a glimpse at how the early church handled these issues, not only to help brothers and sisters in need, but to aid in the spread of the Gospel.

The churches were teaming up to help other churches.

I. God’s Grace is the foundation for Missions- 8:1

This point is the most significant point of the sermon. It is from God’s work, first in salvation, and then in sanctification, and then in ministering to others.

“The liberality of of the Corinthians was due to the operation of the grace of God.” Charles Hodge

We have learned a little bit about Lottie Moon, but the pattern stays the same. God saved her and then motivated her to work with the Chinese people.

Other Baptist missionaries, like William Carey and Adoniram Judson, also experienced the incredible grace of God and then were spurred into missionary efforts. We could talk of others as well.

My point is that God saves us and changes us, and then we are moved to share this with others, all by the grace of God, as Paul himself describes in the previous letter to the Corinthians.

1 Corinthians 15:10 NASB95

10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.

But this brings us to our second point of consideration…

II. Challenges do not negate Our Giving- 8:2

One of the remarkable aspects of the Macedonian churches was that their giving was not negated by the challenges of life. What kind of challenges did they face?

8:2, “These afflictions were either those which they shared in common with their fellow-citizens, arising out of their social condition, or they were peculiar to them as Christians, arising from persecution.” Charles Hodge

We see the many times challenges, both internal and external, afflict God’s people. We have the flesh, the world, and the devil, all actively fighting against us.

We have the challenges that stem from living life in a fallen and imperfect world as well.

And yet, the goodness of God in saving our souls moves us toward sharing this abundance with others, both in sharing the Gospel as well as ministering to physical needs.

Lottie Moon faced many challenges, did she not? Leaving her home, learning an entirely new language and culture?

As a church, and as individual members, we need to remember our giving is not dependent on our challenges, but is offered in spite of them.

But this is inherently connected to our third point, that…

III. Proportionate giving is the Guide- 8:3-4

“…that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord…”

Proportionate giving is the guide. There are some that God blesses with financial abundance, and there are others whom God blesses with other abundance, such as talents.

You cannot give what you do not have. The question is, are you giving what you can?

There are changes we can make in our lives to make sure we are using our time, talents, and possessions to minister to others. Do we need to make some changes?

You see, all of this, the grace of God, the challenges we face, and the proportionate giving, all are helped or hindered by spiritual growth.

IV. Spiritual Growth is the impetus of giving- 8:5-6

They were concerned not primarily with helping in physical needs, or even gospel needs, but in growing in the Lord first.

Two historical movements can be used to demonstrate the necessity of spiritual growth as the impetus for giving.

The Social Gospel, a 20th-century movement, primarily in the US, moved the church to meet the social needs of people, at its best on par with the Gospel needs, and at worst over Gospel needs.

The Social Gospel Movement focused on meeting physical needs, ensuring equality in society, and seeking fair wages for workers.

A similar and yet more present example is found in the Social Justice movement. Now, I understand that is a broad term extending well past the borders of the church, but it has affected the church deeply.

These two movements are not unhelpful in the sense that they do help the physical needs to others. However, they fall short because they do not stem from Christian growth. They may be loosely based on Christian truth (and to be honest, some times not even that!). But at the heart of it, they leave off the spiritual needs of people, which are far greater than the physical needs.

“They gave themselves to the Lord.”

Can that be said of you?

Lottie Moon said,

“Why should we not…do something that will prove that we are really in earnest in claiming to be followers of him who, though he was rich, for our sake became poor?” Lottie Moon, 15 September, 1887, Tungchow

Believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ

Live and grow in the Gospel of Jesus Christ

Give as you are able for the Gospel of Jesus Christ