You Are What You Sow
2 Corinthians • Sermon • Submitted
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· 37 viewsOur Generous God Sows Generous children for His Glory.
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Big Idea: Our Generous God Sows Generous Children for His Glory.
What do you want them to know?
Why do you want them to know?
What do you want them to do?
Why do you want them to do?
ME
It’s good to be back, surprised to be back, as my two weeks break from sharing God’s truth is cut short by one week. I really want to once again thank Rev. Tim McCoy from CBOQ to share with us an encouraging message from on Phillip’s encounter with Ethiopian Eunuch. I love his big idea, “where you are is why you there.” It’s especially daunting since where most of us are, except for the small faithful team of A/V and Ben leading worship, you are there, in your home, in your living room, in your basement, in your studies watching this. It is a bit surreal the whole thing. And I don’t know about you, but I’ve been deliberately tune out as much of the noise outside of the weekly, except daily press from our Prime Minister, our Premier, and various Chief Medical of Health Officers. I especially tune out what’s happening financially though you can’t escape it. For this message I decided to take a deep breath and look at some of what the financial market is saying, and pulled a few quotes for some hope, like this one from:
Warren Buffet says, “If you stick around long enough, you'll see everything in markets,” “And it may have taken me to 89 years of age to throw this one into the experience, but the markets, if you have to be open second by second, they react to news in a big time way.” This is him explaining about the reason for our market which, brace yourself, looks like this: I pulled it from Financial post
(show slide) and our Looney (show slide)
Or this quote:
“If a country does a good job with testing and ‘shut down’ then within 6-10 weeks they should see very few cases and be able to open back up.” That’s Bill Gates, who strikes a more hopeful tone, and if you haven’t watch it yet, dig up his TED talk on Pandemic. Truly scary stuff.
Tim Cook of Apple even quotes Abraham Lincoln, arguably the best US President (he abolished slavery, after all), by saying "The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew, and act anew." as he encourags his employees and shuts down all of the Apple Stores by March 27 except in China, ironically.
This was reported on CBC: Out-of-work Canadians filed 500,000 applications for employment insurance and financial assistance this week alone, up from 27,000 the same week last year.
"I know people are anxious to get the help they deserve, and our government is working as fast as possible to support them," Prime Minister Justin Trudeau responds to this issue.
Wh
In other words, you don’t know what and who to believe.
WE
How about more locally? How are you dealing with this unprecedented times?
Are you gripped with fear? Do you have to change your ways? How much social distancing are your practicing? Are you wearing a mask whereever you go? Do you have a plan for the possibility even after two weeks beyond March Break is over, you will still be taking care of your kids? Are you afraid the anvil will drop on Monday they need to temporarily let go of you? Are you looking for a job? Are you worried about your investments, or waiting for it to hit rock bottom and buy in this once in a lifetime opportunity? For those who are young it might not be a problem to wait for your RRSP to bounce back, but those who need to withdraw from it pretty soon, are you worried how much little there’s left? For those who have a fixed mortgage, will you be able to make your next payment?
statistics on stock market?
Sure, the Bible tells to not worry about anything, what you will eat or wear, but it’s only human for us to be caught in the tension between faith and doubt, hope and despair.
So which brings us to a good point you may be asking, why are you preaching about the G word. No, I am not talking about God, since every message is about God, but GIVING, or GENEROSITY. Truth be told, it was part of the three part series on money and the contribution to the saints message within Paul’s letter to the church of Corinth. So if you are joining us for the first time, I am definitely not trying to pull a fast one on anyone. We are at , so let’s open your bible to there, and let’s learn from God’s word perhaps not everything is doom and gloom, if we set our eyes and heart in the right place!
GOD
I. God has two Principles for Giving Generously (6-7)
I. God has two Principles for Giving Generously (6-7)
6 The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
English Standard Version Chapter 9
6 The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
The point of what is this? the point of Paul’s collection to the saints. If you remember, we’ve been talking about Paul tiptoeing last time to remind the church of Corinth they are one year behind schedule in collecting a relief fund for the church of Jerusalem. He even goes about it in unconventional ways by sending Titus who is most willing to go and two other brothers to everything so when he arrives with the church of Macedonia, he can be ready to take it himself to Jerusalem. We also remember, his relationship with the Corinthians, while mended, are still on eggshell status, he loves them and forgives them, but even as we will see in future messages into chapter 10 not everything is rosy, so he goes about asking for them to fulfill their giving in a very Chinese way, being indirect! But if I were to summarize his belief in one sentence, it will be this:
Our Generous God Sows Generous Children for His Glory.
A. What you sow is what you reap
a. What you sow is what you reap
How does he do that? He reminds the Corinthians first:
6 The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
2 Corinthians 9:
The first principle is a principle of cause and effect:
What you sow is what you reap. Notice the word bountifully, which Paul may be alluding to , written by the wisest king on earth, Solomon:
9 Whoever has a bountiful eye will be blessed,
for he shares his bread with the poor.
Putting it together, Paul is saying if you are generous in your collection to the saints of Jerusalem, you will be blessed. Elsewhere, Solomon says:
24 One gives freely, yet grows all the richer;
another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.
25 Whoever brings blessing will be enriched,
and one who waters will himself be watered.
In other words, this principle Paul is saying is not new. You reap what you sow. This is of course the language of farming, and I love how David Garland explains it in his commentary on 2 Corinthians:
The New American Commentary: 2 Corinthians 3. Divine Principles of Giving: Why the Corinthians Need to Give Generously (9:6–15)
No farmer considers sowing as a loss of seed because the harvest will provide the seed for the next season. Consequently, no sower begrudges the seed he casts upon the ground or tries to scrimp by with sowing as little as possible. He willingly sows all that he can and trusts that God will bless the sowing with a bountiful harvest. If the farmer, for some reason, stints on the sowing, he will cheat himself of that harvest. The more he sows, the greater the harvest he will reap and the more he will have for sowing for the next harvest.
In fact I recommend his commentary just for his comments on this chapter! Why do we need to sow, i.e. give generously, because you are investing into your future! And that investment multiplies. One seed becomes one plant, with many fruits, or many crops, each within it more seeds to become more crops. But in times of scarcity, our tendency is to hold back, which God is saying, according to this principle, you are only robbing yourself of a more bountiful future! It’s so counter-intuitive to our fears and greed, it has to be from God!
The second principle is one of attitude:
B. Cheerful giving
7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
Quick note the words “must give” is not in original Greek, but added by English translators for clarity. The forcefulness of must give would betray Paul’s intention to not be overtly imposing on the Corinthians.
b. Joyful giving
There are two not principles: Not reluctant or under compulsion, as if you were giving because there’s a gun to your head. There’s a freedom to give but like many freedoms in our faith, because there’s freedom, there’s willingness. As for reluctance, it reminds me of a friend who attended membership class with me at my old church, and the pastor was explaining at the time before or after tax at the membership meeting, and he was talking about the principle of tithing, to give 10% of what you have. My friend’s hand shot up and ask, “now 10%, is that before or after tax?”
reaping of giving
must give not in original greek
She’s an accountant.
But no, we give freely because we can freely give.
But we also give cheerfully. I was telling Shannon about this the other day, and she said she heard the original Greek word is hilarios, from which we get hillarious! She’s right, though I don’t think God loves a hillarious giver makes much sense, but the original word means merry, cheerful like daylight and songs, a message, and only later was it use to mean benevolent. I conjure in my twisted mind Maria from the Sound of Music dancing and twirling upon the Melhwig with a basket as she throws her offering a little to the left, a little to the right… you know, come to think of it, it is pretty hillarious! But this concept of cheerfulness in giving is also rooted in the Proverbs. Take a look again at Proverbs 22:8.
cheerful defined, God loves
hilaros = only used merry, cheerful like daylight and songs, a message, later use can have a sense of benevolent
Whoever sows injustice will reap calamity,
and the rod of his fury will fail.
LXX
Now Paul would not have read the Masoretic Text only, from which we get our translation in the majority of English bibles, but he would have read also from the Seputagint, abbreviated LXX, if you open the LXX of , more recent English translation of the LXX from 2007 by theOxford University Press, you would find this little gem:
He who sows what is cheap will reap what is bad
and will complete the impact of his deeds.
8a God blesses a cheerful and generous man,
but he will bring to an end the vanity of his deeds.
Peter Balla is his entry on the commentary says this: Paul takes motifs from both parts. The MT reads, “He who sows injustice will reap calamity, and the rod of his fury will fail,” but the LXX has a further clause: “God blesses the cheerful and giving man, and he will end the futility of his deeds” (my translation).
All in all, God loves a hillarious, cheerful, and free giver! Question is, are you one?
Our second point:
II. God is the source and result of Giving Generously (8-10)
II. God is the source and result of Giving Generously (8-10)
reaping of giving
II. Source of giving or Spiritually rich (8-10)
II. Source of giving or Spiritually rich (8-10)
Our second point:
English Standard Version Chapter 9
8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. 9 As it is written,
“He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever.”
10 He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.
8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. 9 As it is written,
“He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever.”
10 He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.
2 Corinthians 9:8-10 All God, who gives all (four alls)
One can’t help but notice all the Alls in verse 8 alone. Does this not remind you of Ephesians who says God is for all, through all, and in all? Except here he’s talking about his limitless in kind of grace for all circumstances, all possibilities, every moment, and yes, even in a pandemic (maybe especially in a pandemic)! Because of the first four words in verse 8: AND GOD IS ABLE! He is the source of all wealth and blessing and goodness!
Here I want to explore briefly about Wealth in the Bible:
Wealth may be a sign of blessing from God who is creator and ruler, all things belong to him () or cause of God's wrath. We are stewards.
There are stern warnings against wealth through greed to oppress the poor, trickery, treachery (betrayal), corruption (unethical, unjust, like bribery), arrogance (, , , , , , )
stern warnings against wealth through greed to oppress the poor, trickery, treachery (betrayal), corruption (unethical, unjust, like bribery), arrogance (, , , , , , )
In Psalm rich is practically identical with wicked and poor is synonymous with righteousness, faithful and godly
Faithfulness in the use of riches bring spiritual reward ()
Wealth also bring dangers (discount the source , ), trusting it (), covetousness () cf. spiritual contentment (6:8)
Rich are denounced because of its potential for evil, whereas the poor are blessed ( cf. 6:20)
“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Jesus ()
9 Whoever has a bountiful eye will be blessed,
for he shares his bread with the poor.
In other words, the Bible talks a lot about wealth and money, and so does Jesus. Verse 9 begins:
Has distributed freely is too mechanical (too Amazon distribution center), He has scatters in ample amounts
Isaiah 55:10
He has distributed freely in ESV sounds too mechanical (like the Amazon distribution center), many translation goes more in the line of
They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor;
their righteousness endures forever.”
9
Except in this case they have
The New International Version. (2011). (). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
9 He has distributed freely; he has given to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever;
his horn is exalted in honor.
He has distributed freely in ESV sounds too mechanical (like the Amazon distribution center), many translation goes more in the line of
They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor;
their righteousness endures forever.”
Regardless of he or they, it’s not talking about God if you look at (which may be why the NIV translates it to they so it won’t confuse the readers). As a whole, a blessed man who is generous. He is described as able to scatter his gifts which sounds like he has a lot of gifst, but NOT because he is wealthy but because again, the source, God is wealthy! And because he cares for the poor (which again Garland is wonderful here: the rich don’t care to give to the poor, because they can only return with praise, which in Greco-Roman culture is worthless). Ouch! Because He freely scatters what God gives him first, his right eousness will be recognized as someone who is close to a righteous God who looks after the poor.
He who sows what is cheap will reap what is bad
and will complete the impact of his deeds.
8a God blesses a cheerful and generous man,
but he will bring to an end the vanity of his deeds.
Verse 10 comes rom Isaiah 55:10:
10 “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
Not only God is the source of wealth, God increases and multiplies the wealth as the Supplier of continuous sowing! And whatever God supplies, he blesses, and whatever he blesses he multiplies, and increases. This should take us back to the fleeing Jews in Exodus whole grumbled for food and God provided through Moses bread called manna and quail for meat! Or the Son of God in Galilee who took his disciples and other followers up the hill beside of the Sea of Galilee where hungry and weary multitude were blessed with five barley loaves of bread and two fish, and scattered them generously until everyone was filled, filling twelve baskets with fragments. Supply, multiply, increase, these are not the actions of a stingy God but a son who knows his father’s generous heart!
God increases and multiplies
So I can’t explain it, because it’s unexplainable. Do I dare try it, to give when I have so little left? Maybe there’s hesitation. But by faith, Paul reminds the Corinthians if you know the source, you don’t need to worry about the outcome. How might we open our hearts to the possibility of the impossible?
Jesus feeding the 5000 as an example
Finally:
III. Giving Generously results in Thanksgiving and Glorifying God (11-15)
III. Giving Generously results in Thanksgiving and Glorifying God (11-15)
English Standard Version Chapter 9
11 You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. 12 For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God. 13 By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission that comes from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others, 14 while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you. 15 Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!
11 You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. 12 For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God.
11 You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. 12 For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God. 13 By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission that comes from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others, 14 while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you. 15 Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!
enriched (not like uranimum) made rich… TO BE GENEROUS… yet God gets the thanksgiving ! Not us!
enriched (not like uranimum) made rich… TO BE GENEROUS… yet God gets the thanksgiving ! Not us!
“Enriched” is an awkward translation here because it reminds me of (enriching uranimum) but the verb is to be made rich… TO BE GENEROUS… yet God gets the thanksgiving ! Not us! I want to hone in on a few words here: every way. Giving our money is only one way to be generous. We can also be generous with our time to spend calling our parents or grandparents during this time of isolation and social distancing. Or buy groceries for your neighbour and drop them in front of their house. Be creative! We can be generous with our words to encourage and compliment others. And all this points back to God who deserves every thanks for doing this through us.. we are conduits, in fellowship with God and his way an his heart, just like Moses or Jesus, but we are also recipients! More on that later. Verse 12 talks about the word service, which is also a Greco-Roman cultural way of gaining honour by the rich by serving the common good. You see this all the time with philantropist and millionaires giving and donating to worthy and world changing cause and the honour and fame goes of course to the name of so and so’s foundation, but we do it for His fame and his glory! He does the work through us, and he is glorified by us and others, especially those whose voice are not heard! Paul already alluded to this in an earlier part of the letter:
15 For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.
through us.. we are conduits, partnership language, but we are also recipients!
So the twin benefits of our generosity is the demand is met and God is placed center in every participants’ life! What a privilege and honour to serve something, or someone higher than yourself!
define service for honour and how the rich still does that for common good, but we do it for God’s honour! He is glorified!
many (expression of thanks) to God in NIV
many (expression of thanks) to God in NIV
15 For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.
2 Corinthians 4:15
13 By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission that comes from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others, 14 while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you. 15 Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!
“Approval” in the ESV is a misleading translation, as if the church of Jerusalem needed to be grateful in order for them to glorify God, etc. etc. All other English translations as well as the most common Greek meaning refer to the “proof provided” or simply “to prove,” not so much incumbent on the Jerusalem’s acceptance, but the fact the Corinthian church gets this ready obediently, tangibly, expediently, judiciously, will result in two things:
A. Confession of the gospel that “Jesus is Lord,” they will see you as true brother and sisters of the faith who bear the same spiritual heritage as children of God, renounced the old ways of paganism and idolatry, washed by the blood of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ who died for our sins, subject and submit all other things under Jesus, which the Jerusalem church has also done in their own ways.
B. Fellowship is Forged: I want to add to Tim’s pithy saying: where you are is why you are there. It’s this: where you give is who you will pray for. At the very least, the churches of Jerusalem and Corinth are bound financially, but more than that, they are bound in prayer and genuine love. The walls between the Jews and the Gentiles which was the stumbling block of in the Jerusalem Council will finally be abolished! Circumcision or non-circumcision truly does not matter when you have works expressed through love! They share the same Father, same spirit, same hope, same Lord. They will no longer be known by their differences but by their unity!
intercession and generosity
Paul burst out at the sight of this vision with the words,
Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!
inexpressible (only ESV) or indescribable… mountains of Iceland, lights at the Atlanta Botanical Garden, Shannon coming down the aisle
YOU
YOU
Offering
So how will we respond knowing the principles of generosity, the source of generosity, and the thanksgiving and glory that it brings God? What are some tangible ways you can respond to God:
A. Hoarding vs. Food bank
food bank
food bank
Now I know none of you bought mountain loads of toilet papers from Costco, or clear out the whole aisle of water and can good, BUT IF YOU DID, may I suggest now that sanity has been restored, you would take some of those items to the local food bank. Just google york region and you will see because of the heavy hoarding in the past few weeks of panic buying, the food bank may not be able to sustain its service. I just heard on the radio this morning if everyone gives $5 every 3 months, it will be able to sustain all food banks’ need for 3 months! Yes, $150 million of food is being distributed to over 5 million people every quarter.
Tim Card with “Have a meal on Jesus!”
I also started this a while ago. You might be more creative than me. But I went to Tim Hortons and paid $50 to get five $10 Tim Cards, and ask for five gift card sleeves. I used to write a whole verse on it like but then I realize maybe it should be something simpler, so I write down, “Have a meal on Jesus” so that on the rare occasion I drive by a highway entrance or exit, or the man who always sat next to my local Food Basics, I can give him a card, and pray with him.
Support Local Business and Pray for them
Also a spur of the Spirit thing, I was at Shannon’s workplace to work so she wouldn’t need to take TTC back and forth, and went to the A & W for breakfast take out, when I got my food and went across the street to take out some cash, and planned to head back to her church. But suddenly I felt a nudge to go back to A & W and ask if I could pray for them. And talk to them about their troubling business. Just to listen about their worries. Did the same later with the Ramen place in the evening, gave them a big tip, listen to how their business was, how they want to pay their workers as long as possible, and ask if I can pray for their restaurant and workers.
Faithful Offering
I alway joke about offering does not just to my salary, but it also helps us to continue ministry. One new reality is to shift to our new online environment for small groups, prayer meetings, and Sunday school which is about to resume shortly after this message. I’d be willing to give so while social distancing is the norm, spiritual closeness, generous encouragement and earnest prayer, and spiritual nourishment can still be maintained, if not, even raised to a new level! So you are giving not only to things, heck our building has been paid! You are giving to people, to continue God’s ministry and support the community of MCBC in this time of need.
Those are my four challenges. Four application.
WE
Vision of 9:13-14
I like to leave us today with the vision from , may it encourage us to sow generously and reap the glory, and honour, and thanksgiving our gracious and Generously God truly deserves.
12 Sow for yourselves righteousness;
reap steadfast love;
break up your fallow ground,
for it is the time to seek the Lord,
that he may come and rain righteousness upon you.
Amen!