Excelling in Generosity

What is Our Standard?

We often rob ourselves of reaching our potential by making fallible people, fallible groups, and fallible ideas our standard of excellence. No one or group of people should be our standard God should be our standard. As it pertains to Charity, Love, Discipleship, our example should be Jesus. We rob ourselves of ascending to greater heights when we base our making it off of what others have done. Comparison robs you of greatness, we live in a world where everything is compared, Apple vs. Android, Lebron vs. Jordan, Tom Brady vs. Joe Montana, Beyonce vs. Janet, Persil vs. Tide. We live in a world of comparison, but I will go out on a limb and say, we rob ourselves of God directed greatness when we measure ourselves up to someone or something else.

In , Paul begins with a new subject, and in the body of this letter he exclaims that Christ should be our pattern. Nonetheless, Paul writing this letter commends the churches of Macedonia in their efforts of giving. It wasn’t just that they were following a command but they were freely willing beyond their ability. Ability is a personal word, my ability and your ability might be different but the ability to go beyond my ability depends on my standard.

Here we are in Macedonia, a Roman Province at the time, in which Philippi is the chief city. Paul is writing this letter to the church at Corinth but used the Macedonia churches as an example. The culture of this area is quite peculiar. Society is women driven, the conversion of Lydia and the Philippian jailer happened here, the driving out of demons happened here. Historically Macedonia was home to churches, that may not have had a lot but were generous in what they had. states “For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem, then in verse 27 it states “yes they were pleased to do so, and they are indebted to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual things, they are indebted to minister to them also in material things.

Sacrificial giving happens when we have an example. The greatest sacrifice is Jesus, who laid down his life, but one sacrifice that we can make as people of God today is one that helps those who are less fortunate. Our brothers and sisters in poverty, or in prison. God expects us to help one another. Christians should be a people that are generous.

Excellence is the Standard

“Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia”

Moreover indicates that a new subject is about to be talked about. In the previous chapter Paul directs them toward a mind of repentance, and their acceptance of Titus. Considering those factors now we move to talking about grace and generosity.

Grace is bestowed when sacrifice is prioritized. It is understood that the Grace of God is the only reason we are able to do what we are able to do.

Essentially Paul is about to make a request, but like any effective leader he teaches the power of sacrificial giving and grace before he ask for money.

“that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality”.

Remember the location of the Macedonian churches, this is located in a roman province. Persecution is high, discouragement is high, nonetheless they found a way to be generous despite the external obstacles the enemy was hurdling at them.

And if persecution was not enough, they are in a place of poverty right now.

The trial is described as being “great” which refers to the fact that the number of trials is a large number, quantifying the fact that all though they had a lot to be frustrated about they found the ability to do more than their ability. God knows that faithfulness has to be illustrated! This is why we go through trial or people around us go through trial but one of the most powerful things we can witness is someone to be generous in a place of limited resources.

“and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality”. God grace takes up the slack, when our heart is in the right place, God can allow our actions to follow. Poverty abounded, because liberality prevailed.

They were in a state of being deficient because they were counting on places like the Church at Corinth to help them. Nonetheless even though that help had become shaky, they still were about to provide for the poor!

“their deep poverty” - Down to depth poverty, essentially this church had reached ROCK BOTTOM! Instead of allowing circumstances to inhibit their generosity they became demonstrators of God’s grace by remaining faithful.

This is the power of Grace, that you have the ability to depend on God to a place where the blessings still come in a place of despair and deficiency.

Verse 3 states “For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing,

Generosity has to come from a place of love, and free will. Generosity is not forced: it is inspired! It is easy to see how affluence can influence generosity, but when you are at your end, when things seem dark and trials seem never ending can I be generous?

When no one is listening to me, can I lend a ear to someone else?

When I’m struggling, can I still be a blessing to someone else?

Ability in verse 3 means potential for functioning in some way, power, might, strength, force and capability.

I have the potential to stretch far beyond my ability when my power, might and strength come from God. He is an unmoveable force, that gives me the capability to do great things.

“My Grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness”

Think about what you have done or can do when you alone depend on God, now think about what we all are capable of if we all depend on God. I know some stretching, some sacrifice seems hard to grasp but Paul also writes in “but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

Man does not set my standard, man is not my standard. My standard of excellence is based on the example of Christ. Who gave his life so that I could worship freely, so that I could be excited to serve!

“They were freely willing” - this was of their own accord, a voluntary opportunity to bless someone else. There was no coercion involved, they make this decision on their own,

They had a sense of urgency because they understood the power of fellowship and ministry. We have no problem working, when we know the power. People devote their lives to research, data, inventions because the vision that has been etched in their mind is so powerful that they give their life to the development of this commitment.

When we understand the power of the Gospel, we remain generous because we will begin to do whatever it takes to ensure that all people in our community and abroad witness that power and are added to the church.

The overarching them is the fact that it begins with surrender! You can’t give what God has given you to manage until you give yourself. When you belong to God you begin to look for opportunities to be generous instead of opportunities to be shrewd.

“but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God” - There is no way you can be of true service, heart attached to the mission of the church unless you are first connected to God. It’s not that we can’t or we do not want to, when we are not plugged in to our source we do not get the power we need to be as generous as God intends.

This journey takes faith- We want manna moments, and a Canaan destination, but a Egyptian mindset, and refusal to journey through the wilderness. This is about liberality, this is about freedom beyond circumstance. Circumstances should stop the intentions of the heart!

Will all this stated, “Titus is summoned” urged in this text means to be appointed to to be present where the speaker is.

The example of Grace is surrounding this church - Why is Titus mentioned? Well it’s by grace the reason he is there.

The second letter to the Corinthians, in chapter 12 verse 18 - Paul writes: I urged Titus, and sent our brother with him. Did Titus advantage of you? Did we not walk in the same spirit? Did we not walk in the same steps?

Not only did they remain a good example - “But thanks be to God who puts the same earnest care for you into the heart of Titus. For he only accepted the exhortation, but being more diligent, he went to you of his own accord”

God provides an example so that we can abound!

God wants us to be in abundance verse 7 - “But as you abound in everything — in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love for us — see that you abound in grace also.

Grace - or a beneficent disposition toward someone, favor, grace, help or goodwill! God loves those who are cheerful in contribution! Because of our cheerfulness God is able to make all grace abound toward us, that we always have all sufficiency in all things, that there is an abundance for EVERY GOOD WORK!