Sermon Tone Analysis
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*Title: I have something to give*
*Text: 2 Cor.
8:5*
* *
*NJKJ: *And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God.
* *
*The Message: *This was totally spontaneous, entirely their own idea, and caught us completely off guard.
What explains it was that they had first given themselves unreservedly to God and to us.
The other giving simply flowed out of the purposes of God working in their lives.
* *
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*Antithesis*: Most people think that they don’t have anything to give.
They say that I am poor I don’t have any money.
I am stretched and strapped.
I have nothing left.
*Thesis*: But fact of the matter is we all have something to give if we would just sacrifice.
Sacrifice means to give up some cherished or desired object, idea or person for the sake of something else.
For example, maybe I need to stop working so much so I can spend more time with my kids.
Maybe I need to stop partying so much so I can perform better on my job.
Maybe I need to stop being everyone’s mother Teresa and take care of myself.
Maybe I should stop buying the latest trends that end up on the shelf and give the money to people who can really use it.
That’s sacrifice!
*Relative Question*: What do I have to give?
If we all look within ourselves, we can all see how we all got something to give.
It maybe time, money or talent but I have something to give!
Apostle Paul is writing to the church of Corinth defending his apostleship from false teachers.
He was accused of using the ministry money to enrich himself.
This caused the church at Corinth to stop giving to the ministry.
He was writing to clear his name and encouraging them to return their commitment in giving to the poor.
In chapters 8&9, Paul discusses the proper giving procedures for the believer on the how and why they ought to give.
He uses the Macedonian churches as a model.
We learn from Paul how giving is connected to our spirituality.
This is a wake up call for people who think they are a spiritual giant but are more of a midget in Christ because they don’t give what they are able.
The Spirit of God has to touch your heart to be a godly giver.
Mat.
6:21 tells us that were your treasure is, there you will find you heart.
I don’t know about you but I don’t want my heart to be at the BMW dealer.
I don’t want heart to be at Neimans or Macy’s I want my heart to be with God that is why I have to give right.
Macedonia was area in Paul’s time under Rome rule north of Greece which was once a country land known for its gold, silver and trade.
After the Roman invasion the churches were left barren.
The Macedonia churches were Thessalonica, Philippi and Berea.
If these churches were a model for giving to the poor, how were they able to give money when they were so poor?
The answer is in verse 1 of our passage.
The text says that the “/grace of God was bestowed…/” on them.
*Point*: /In order to be a giver, you first have to be a receiver, as receiver of God’s grace/.
It is a gift.
Grace is a gift to the believer.
Grace is God’s favor toward a believer.
It is God’s blessings despite an individual’s imperfection.
It is unmerited.
You can not earn it.
God just does it.
Grace comes to those in need and humbly approach God.
Grace is the essence of the believer’s ability to give because there is no good thing in us that would want for us to give.
Every good and perfect gift comes from God.
That is grace!
I have good news for somebody today!
Grace is available for you!
The churches of Macedonia had qualities that affirm and confirm the grace in your life.
The church of Thessalonica was known for their suffering.
The church of Philippi was known for being loving and thoughtful to the saints.
The church at Berea was known for being open to God’s word.
Therefore, if you have been through some stuff, have been thoughtful and loving to people and remained open to the Word, God is saying Grace in available for you today!
It is made perfect in your weakness.
You have to be a receiver before you can be the giver God wants you to be.
Next, *the Macedonia gave sacrificially*.
v. 2
They gave during great trials, hard times and a state of poverty.
This challenges believers today because we let our suffering hinder us from giving.
The Macedonians did not take on the stance of a welfare recipient trying to get over.
They had joy in the midst of pain and gave the little they had to bless somebody in need.
They did what Jesus did.
Out of his pain He somebody like me got blessed.
The Macedonians ran on empty to fulfill a need.
That is sacrificial giving.
Give what you have as long it from the heart.
This reminds me of the widow in Luke 21, when you give your all, Jesus takes notices!
When you give, Jesus is watching.
I ask you what do you want him to see?
*They gave voluntarily*.
v. 3
They did not need a preacher to call a blessing line.
The Macedonians giving was an inward response to an outward need.
They did it because it was in them to do.
We don’t give the way we should because it is not in us.
This is why we need his grace.
*They gave more that they could afford to give*.
v.
3
They stretched in their giving.
They are an example of going deep in your pockets and going the extra mile for a cause.
They did it because the ministry need was bigger than their immediate need.
*They gave enthusiastically with readiness*.
v.4
They were looking for an opportunity to give.
This challenges us as believers today because we are so busy looking on how we can receive a financial blessing instead of looking to be a financial blessing.
*Transition*: The Macedonians gives us a model on how to give.
But how they got so fanatical about giving is found in our highlight verse tonight.
It makes all the abovementioned characteristics possible to give in a godly way.
In order to give the way God wants us to give have to do what he Macedonia did in verse 5.
I.
/Give yourself to the Lord first/.
The Macedonians gave themselves first the Lord.
There are a lot of believers today who have not wholeheartedly given themselves to the Lord.
They come to church every Sunday and Tuesday.
But still haven’t given them selves to the Lord.
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