2 Corinthians 8

Macedonia -

-Roman provice in Northern part of modern Geece

Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea

-Macedonia was not a wealthy province.

-Wars and plundering caused heavy poverty there.

I. Sacrificial Giving is Motivated by God’s Grace Vs 1-2

“-want you to know brothers about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia...”

-It is the grace of God in the hearts of the people that moved them to give...

-As God’s sacrificial gift of Jesus Christ was poured into their hearts, it overflowed from the wallet.

-Sometimes people give for different reasons.

-Give for tax purposes

-Some give out of kindness

-for recognition

-philanthropy

-appearances

-NOT THE CHRISTIANS AT MACIDONIA....Their giving was a direct result of the Grace of God in their lives.

-Just as God had served them through sacrificial giving they sought to serve others with sacrificial giving.

II. SACRIFICAL GIVING IS NOT STIFLED BY CIRCUMSTANCES Vs 2

Look at the circumstances though which the macidonian churches gave sacifically

-IN A SEVERE TEST OF AFFLICATION

Severe (great)- inteded to communcate a harsh situation.

-litterally means much or many....extreme

Affllciation - litereally means “pressure”

-It is the word used when describing the process of wine making in the crushing of grapes

Acts 17:5–8 ESV

But the Jews were jealous, and taking some wicked men of the rabble, they formed a mob, set the city in an uproar, and attacked the house of Jason, seeking to bring them out to the crowd. And when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also, and Jason has received them, and they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.” And the people and the city authorities were disturbed when they heard these things.

describes an angey mob in Macedonia

1 Thessalonians 1:6 ESV

And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit,

1 Thess. 2:14-15

1 Thessalonians 2:14–15 ESV

For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews, who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out, and displease God and oppose all mankind

2 Thessalonians 1:4 ESV

Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring.

Philippians 1:29 ESV

For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake,

BUt even in theif affliction…they had an abundance of joy

-abundance- means a surplus

-describing joy that is overflowing form their souls

-They did not give to please anyone

-or to obey a rule or religious standard

-They didnt give begrudgingly

-No reluctancy in their giving

-no pressures put on them to give abondantly....

-BUT OUT OF THEIR JOY....THEY GAVE

-THIS IS A VOLONTERRY ACTIONS…A FREE DECISION TO GIVE GLADLY AND GENEROUSLY....

III. SACRIFICAL GIVING IS NOT STALLED BY POVERTY VS 2A

-Not just any poverty....EXTREEMe POVERTY

-”extreme” (deep)…literally means “according to the depth”

-One person wrote that a coesponding expression in english would be something liek “extremely deep”

-PLEASE HEAR ME....THIS IS NOT MODERN DAY POVERTY.

-We have a poverty line that I know has to be hard to live near....vey difficult…so I am not trying to belittle the poverty crisis in the US....but many who fit the govenments definition of poverty in the US have TVs and Cell Phones…an roof over their head…etc

-Many who fit the ancient definition of poverty would have been “dirt poor”

YET SOMEONE THE MATH WORKS OUT..

GOD GRACE + AFFLICTION + JOY + POVERTY = “a wealth of generosity on their part”

IV SACRIFICAL GIVING IS DIFFERENT FROM PERSON TO PERSON vs 3-4

FOR THEY GAVE ACCORDING TO THEIR MEANS.....AND BEYOND THEIR MEANS

.....OF THEIR OWN ACCORD.....AND THEY WOULDNT TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER...