Sermon Tone Analysis

2 CORINTHIANS 8:5

THE SECRET OF GREAT GIVING

 

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.

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iving is not the most welcomed subject for a sermon.

No doubt the majority of professing Christians resents such discussions, relegating sermons on giving to the realm of caricature.

I can count on one hand the number of messages I have heard which provided instructions for giving.

I have heard messages pleading for generosity in giving and messages which reminded hearers of obligations to underwrite the advance of missionary enterprise, but I have heard few messages instructing Christians in the manner of giving or defining great giving.

All of us would appreciate a reputation for generosity.

I believe it fair to say that as a congregation we would enjoy a reputation for generosity.

By the same token, I doubt that many of us can name more than a handful of congregations which are generally viewed as great in giving.

I wonder if we know the secret of great giving?

If we know the secret of great giving we will be able to advance the cause of Christ even as we move toward being an encouragement to others.

Join me in study of one verse found in Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians.

The Macedonians Were Great In Giving — The text establishes that the Macedonians were great in their giving.

Moreover, their greatness was unrelated to their personal portfolios.

Paul commended these saints for their generosity even though they were impoverished.

You no doubt recall the verses which precede the verse under consideration today.

Now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches.

Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.

For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability.

Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints [*2 Corinthians 8:1-4*].

Paul spoke of the generosity of the Macedonians as a grace which they received from God.

This was a grace which allowed them to ignore severe trial and extreme poverty as they prepared to give.

Furthermore, the grace they had received so infected these impoverished saints with overflowing joy that it welled up in rich generosity permitting them to give beyond their ability—they gave as much as they were able … and then they gave some more.

The Macedonian believers seem to have viewed the act of giving as a privilege and they also saw their giving as a service to the saints of God.

Such attitudes are humbling, as is such generous giving.

We are uncomfortable in the presence of such giving.

Giving which originates within human determination will always find an excuse to “watch out for number one.”

Such giving always calculates ability, all the while focusing on the immediate situation and paying careful consideration to future anticipated or planned needs.

Such giving may be commended by other people since it appears thoughtful and demonstrates such precision.

Giving originating within the human determination is described by care and caution for the “self.”

Giving which is obligatory is, however, giving which is grudging.

Giving which is commanded by law is giving which rises to a particular demand and deems itself worthy of praise.

Great giving always finds its origin in grace and is subject to grace.

Great giving recognises the infinite grace of God and confesses that no one can outgive God.

Great giving seeks neither to commend the giver to God nor to obtain merit, rather the gift is given in recognition of grace already received.

Great giving always focuses outward refusing to permit the giver to become self-centred.

Great giving is compassionate, rejecting as unworthy every thought of personal comfort which conflicts with the needs of others.

All the while great giving accepts responsibility for a larger world than that immediately apparent.

Great giving is determined by the size of the giver’s heart and not by the size of the gifts given.

Great giving is a demonstration of trust in the giver’s relationship to Him who gives freely out of the infinite abundance of His grace.

Great giving is less concerned with personal comfort than with demonstration of faith in the unseen God.

Above all else, great giving seeks to honour God and to glorify Him.

Great giving is that giving which points to divine transformation in the life of the one giving.

By these criteria, we have some way to go before we can lay claim to being great givers.

Yet, the example of the Macedonians ever stands to challenge us in our giving, pointing us toward the worthy and noble goal of great giving.

The Macedonians Surprised the Apostle — One of the pleasant aspects of great giving is that it is so unexpected.

The Macedonians surprised the Apostle—Paul expected one response to his plea … and he witnessed another.

A minister is human and to a degree his actions in the pulpit reflect his human condition.

Consequently, when he prepares to receive an offering from a congregation the minister will quite naturally consider how best to present the plea.

The words of the appeal will be carefully crafted and the worship thoughtfully presented.

That minister will take care to insure that the gifts are received at a propitious time, that the appeal is carefully phrased to speak to the deepest senses of duty and to the love for Christ so that the congregation is motivated to give generously.

I suppose that Paul was in a similar situation when he brought an appeal for relief of the poor saints in Jerusalem.

Moreover, I would think that the Apostle did not expect much of these Macedonian saints in light of their own grinding poverty.

A great evangelist of another era built a school in the American South many years ago.

That school, a bastion of fundamental Christianity, has been the source of great blessing to the churches of our Lord since its founding.

You might suppose that the school had rich benefactors, that wealthy individuals provided rich gifts for that work.

The first president of the school, that southern evangelist, stated that the school was built on the nickels and dimes of common people.

It was the pin money, the butter and egg money of farm women, the small gifts of labouring men, which built that institution which has blessed so many.

I praise God that I have known some wealthy men and women who were deeply in love with the Master and who were a source of blessing to the cause of Christ.

I thank God that there have been and that there are people of wealth who are generous toward the work of Christ.

However, when the books of Heaven are opened and the final accounting is provided it will be discovered that it was common men and women who were the main foundation for the advance of the Kingdom of God.

The multiplied small gifts of common people are the building blocks of the work of God in the advance of His Kingdom.

That is widely true throughout the Kingdom of God, and it is likewise no doubt true in this place.

The work dependent upon the gifts of one individual or a few is a work which is always in imminent peril of falling into ruin.

Should those few generous donors become disenchanted the work is imperilled.

The work built upon a diversity of gifts and which involves as many as possible to share in the task is a work which has broad foundations and which enjoys inherent stability.

Impoverished people surprise us because we so often think in worldly terms and not as God thinks.

It is God’s delight to accomplish much with little so that He might have the glory.

The Macedonians Gave Themselves First To The Lord — What can a poor man do when confronted by the challenge to provide for the work of God?  What can a poor woman do when challenged to honour God?

There are people who have been a rich blessing to others who laboured in obscurity and toiled in the shadows and few knew of their labours.

That mother on social assistance cannot give great gifts.

Her little pension is already attached to care for her family and she hasn’t the ability to do any great deeds as the world counts greatness.

That man who is unemployed or who holds a job which provides a modest salary is unable to provide great gifts which make the world sit up and take notice.

What can such people do?

You may recall an incident Jesus used to teach His disciples a needed lesson about giving?

The account is in *MARK 12:41-44*.

Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury.

Many rich people threw in large amounts.

But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny.

Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others.

They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”

That poor widow received the commendation of the Lord of Glory, not for the size of her gift but for the greatness of her heart.

That poor widow was a living demonstration of the action which seizes the attention of the Living God—she loved God deeply.

The Macedonian saints gave themselves first to the Lord.

They made a commitment which would change every aspect of their service; they gave themselves first to the Lord.

What would happen if a church—one congregation of the Lord’s people—were to actually practise what the Macedonians modelled?

What would it be if we were that church?

What would result if for one month, or if even for one week, the membership of this congregation were to determine that we would give ourselves first to the Lord?

            “Ah, Lord God, here are the funds which You have entrusted to my oversight.

How would You have me distribute those funds?

Where would You have me invest these moneys?”

“Ah, Master, here is my life and the strength of my hands.

How shall I serve You this day?

Where would you have me labour for You today?”

We would soon set aside the thought of the need for advancing self and rather every opportunity for personal advancement would become instead an opportunity to advance the cause of Christ and He would have the first and final say in all such matters.

Gone would be the thought that we needed to care for our personal comfort, and in the place of all such perishing considerations would be a renewed concern to bring everlasting glory to the Eternal God.

We would weigh our actions in light of eternity and invest time in considering how to win others to the Faith.

What power would be seen within our community!