Selfless Sacrifice

Timothy R Partridge

The Power of Giving - Selfless Sacrifice • Sermon • Submitted 4 years ago

2 Corinthians 8:1–5

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Grace

What is grace, it is a steadfast love, mercy, pardon, compassion, favor shown to someone by someone greater than themselves;

Paul starts this area by sharing that because of God’s grace the churches of Macedonia - which included the church of Philippi, Thessalonica and Berea - Paul visited these churches on his second and third missionary journeys (Acts 16 & 20);

During this time period these churches - the people themselves - had suffered great hardship at the hands of others (Acts 18:17), some feel they were in poverty but still gave with joy;

They gave liberally, even in their poverty, to make certain that the church of Jerusalem’s needs could be helped.

Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible: Complete and Unabridged in One Volume 2 Corinthians 8:1–6

The Christians in these parts met with ill treatment, which had reduced them to deep poverty; yet, as they had abundance of joy in the midst of tribulation, they abounded in their liberality; they gave out of a little, trusting in God to provide for them, and make it up to them.

Selfless

They gave of themselves freely, they were not coerced or belittled, they just gave of themselves;

But why some might ask, they did it to minister to others in need;

So what does it mean to minister, simply put it mean to serve others in an area of need, be it salvation, prayer, listening or financial, to someone else’s need before your own;

V. 2 tells that they gave while in great trail of affliction and their deep poverty;

They sacrificed in order to minister to others, many people in the church today won’t sacrifice their seat much less their service or finances.

How or Why?

Some may be wondering how and why did they give so freely to minster to others;

The answer for both how and why are the same - look at v. 5 - “they first gave themselves to the Lord...”;

Now look at the rest of the sentence in v. 5, “…and then to us by the will of God.”;

The key to The Power of Giving is wrapped up in the power of surrender to Jesus Christ;