Show Your Eagerness

Introduction

Today, there are many people out there that believe (and would want us to believe) that the church should take care of all the social ills of the world.

This is often one of the passage people point to. does call for God’s people to be generous. To care for the needs of God’s people.

If you have your Bibles, turn with me to 2 Corinthians chapter 8 and we’ll begin with verse 1

2 Corinthians 8:1–6 NIV84

1 And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. 2 Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. 3 For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4 they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. 5 And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God’s will. 6 So we urged Titus, since he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part.

2 Corinthians 8:1–5 NIV84

1 And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. 2 Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. 3 For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4 they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. 5 And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God’s will.

2 Corinthians 8:1-7

2 Corinthians 8:1–7 NIV84

1 And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. 2 Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. 3 For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4 they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. 5 And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God’s will. 6 So we urged Titus, since he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part. 7 But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.

2 Corinthians 8:1-

2 Corinthians 8:1-5

Example of Generosity!

Paul wants to encourage the church at Corinth to be a generous church. So he tells them about the gift the Macedonian churches gave.

They gave in the mist of sever trials.

They overflowed with Joy.

They gave even when they were poor.

They gave generously.

They out did themselves.

Giving was their idea.

In fact, they begged to give.

They gave out of their relationship with the Lord!

QUESTION: Why do you give when you give?

Finish Well

2 Corinthians 8:6-

2 Corinthians 8:6–7 NIV84

6 So we urged Titus, since he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part. 7 But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.

Apparently, the church at Corinth had been involved in the past with giving to the other churches.

So Paul urged Titus to encourage the Corinthians to finish their act of grace.

Paul says that the Corinthian church excelled in “everything.”

Excelling in faith.

Excelling in speech.

Excelling in knowledge.

Excelling earnestness.

Excelling in love

QUESTION: How do you excel?

NOW excel in giving!

QUESTION: Do you excel in giving?

2 Corinthians 8:8–9 NIV84

8 I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.

2 Corinthians

The key giving comes from sincere love.

We give because Christ gave so much for us!

2 Corinthians 8:10-15

2 Corinthians 8:10–15 NIV84

10 And here is my advice about what is best for you in this matter: Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so. 11 Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means. 12 For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have. 13 Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. 14 At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality, 15 as it is written: “He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little.”

Help Not Hurt

Paul’s Advice

Paul’s advice is that the Corinthians finish well. They were the first to give the previous year—and the first to even have a desire to give.

Give what you can

It’s not about giving more than you have. It’s about giving what you can!

Out of love, those who have give to those who don’t have.

So What?

We learn we should be generous people.

We can give even when we are struggling.

Giving out of love increases our joy!

Giving cares for those less fortunate.

Our giving comes out of our love for Jesus, and because of what Jesus has done for us!

In all we do we want to finish well!