The Blessed Life: The Grace Filled Life Is A Life That Gives

In 2013 Abigail signed up to go on a mission trip to Lesotho Africa.

At the time, we were a 1 income family, I worked at FedEx and Noemi worked caring for our home and the kids. We had very little extra money, much of what we earned went to support for our needs.

The trip, if I remember was over $5000 and we didn’t have the money. Abi raised some of it, but there many people & the church we went to gave $ to send a 16 year old young lady on a mission trip with a small group of others to share the Gospel with the Basotho people of Lesotho Africa.

This tripped birthed a passion for missions in Abi’s life which grows stronger every day. Abi was able to bless the people she came in contact with, yet I think she would she was more blessed by this missions experience and it has been an anchor in her life in hard times.

But without the generous financial giving by God’s people, she would have not been able to go. She would not have been blessed by God on this trip, her faith would not have grown, there would be know anchor of faith to hold on to, and the people of Lesotho would not have been blessed by this young lady from America loving on them. (Show Pic)

The grace filled life is a life that gives.

Open your Bibles to 2 Corinthians 8

I. Background

Why is Paul writing these 2 chapters on giving to the Corinthian church?

A. The Church in Jerusalem were facing immense issues.

1. Persecution -Rome & Jews

2. Poverty

B. Paul was aware of the issues and started a collection for the saints in Jerusalem.

1. Years earlier, he told the Corinthians

1 Corinthians 16:1–4 ESV

Now concerning the collection for the saints: as I directed the churches of Galatia, so you also are to do. On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come. And when I arrive, I will send those whom you accredit by letter to carry your gift to Jerusalem. If it seems advisable that I should go also, they will accompany me.

a. Paul’s goal were to help the Jerusalem Church

b. He also wanted to show a unified church. Gentiles helping Jews, Paul told the the church in Rome the Gentiles are indebted to them

Romans 15:26–27 ESV

For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem. For they were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessings, they ought also to be of service to them in material blessings.

3. As time passed several factors happened that caused the church at Corinth to lose focus on the collection

a. Years have passed

b. There was a group known as the Judaizers who taught Jesus + the law is what saves you and they were causing the Corinthian Church to question Paul’s Apostleship. 2 Corinthians is actually a defense of Paul’s Apostleship and Gospel compared to the false apostles and their message.

c. The Corinthian Church started a collection for this group of false teachers.

This is what is going on when Paul writes 2 Corinthians 8-9, Paul wants to encourage and pass on principles of giving to the Corinthian church. What we discover is giving is anchored in grace, the word grace is mentioned 10 times in this chapter. It is found at the beginning of Chapter 8 and the end of Chapter 9.

The reason is because the Grace filled life is a life that gives.

So what I want to do is draw out principles from these 2 chapters and hopefully cause us to begin to build a bridge to the Holy Spirit inspired words of Paul and let the Word of God examine our hearts, our lives and our giving.

II. Principles to Live By

A. The Grace Filled Giver Gives In Spite of Circumstances

2 Corinthians 8:1–2 ESV

We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part.

The churches is this region were going through severe tests and experiencing extreme poverty this phrase describes someone who has absolutely nothing and has no hope of getting anything.

Yet Paul says let me tell you about these hermanos from Macedonia, no tienan nada, but they are joyfully and generously giving.

When you have experienced the grace of God in your life, you will not use difficult circumstances as an excuse not to give. A grace filled life gives, a penny, a quarter. a dollar, five dollars a grace filled life gives.

B. The Grace Filled Giver Gives What They Can and Sometimes Beyond

2 Corinthians 8:3 ESV

For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord,

I am not coming up here and give you a legalistic number, saying you have to give this amount or you are not pleasing God. Paul says they gave according to what they could and sometimes beyond what they could.

God doesn’t want you to go into debt with your giving, I remember there were months when Nomi and I were younger, we wanted to give all we could but we were living on 1 income and needed almost all of it to live. Many times what we gave was so minimal we felt bad because we were taught God wants a certain percentage.

God desires for you to give according to your means and sometimes beyond your means. For someone who is just getting by that may be $20 a month, for a millionaire, that may mean they give 10’s of thousands, but both are pleasing to God and are being obedient, because both are giving according to their means.

Look at what Paul says a few verses down

2 Corinthians 8:12 ESV

For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have.

2 Corinthians 9:7 ESV

Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

C. The Grace Filled Giver Has the Desire to Give

2 Corinthians 8:4–5 ESV

begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints— and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us.

Paul’ tell us the hermanos at Macedonia, gave on their own accord. He then tells us that they begged for the favor or privilege to give. That word here favor is actually the word grace and they were begging Paul for the honor to take part in the opportunity to give because the grace filled life has the desire to give back.

As God pours grace in our lives we in turn give our lives back to God and grow in our faith, in the way we talk, in knowledge, in love. we must also grow in the area of giving.

The church at Corinth was a wealthy church, not only financially, but spiritually. Paul is saying if the churches of Macedonia, who are suffering can give, how much more can you, church of Corinth.

2 Corinthians 8:7 ESV

But as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you—see that you excel in this act of grace also.

excel in the act of grace of giving also.

D. The Grace Filled Giver’s Motivation To Give Is Love

Paul urges the Corinthian church to give, by first using the example of those who are struggling and are extremely poor.

Now Paul uses an example of someone who is rich, Jesus himself.

2 Corinthians 8:8–9 ESV

I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.

Jesus who was rich, in heaven, living in glory. Took on flesh, became a man, subjected himself to live in the confines of this world, he was hungry, poor, had no place to lay his head, judged, mistreated, beat, spit on, nailed to a cross. He was rich yet for your sake he became poor, he took your place on the cross, he took your sin, God’s judgement and God’s wrath poured out on Jesus, for your sake, so you by his poverty may become rich in Christ.

In Love, God gave his son, in love Jesus came and

Hebrews 12:2 ESV

looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

The joy set before him he endured the cross, knowing He would save many, out of love and joy Jesus willing gave himself.

As followers of Jesus love should be our motivation as we give.

2 Corinthians 8:24 ESV

So give proof before the churches of your love and of our boasting about you to these men.

E. The Grace Filled Giver Does Not Lose Heart

2 Corinthians 8:10–11 ESV

And in this matter I give my judgment: this benefits you, who a year ago started not only to do this work but also to desire to do it. So now finish doing it as well, so that your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what you have.

Several factors that we discussed caused the Corinthians to lose focus on their desire to give. Paul said do not lose focus finish doing it will. When our focus is on the grace God provides us, we do not lose focus on the act of grace known as giving.

F. The Grace Filled Giver Recognizes There is a Reason When God Gives Us In Abundance.

2 Corinthians 8:13–15 ESV

For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness. As it is written, “Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack.”

God’s wealth in the Corinthian church, is for the purpose of helping the Jerusalem through this difficult time. there may come a time when situations are reversed and they do for you what you did for them.

This is God’s grace working in the lives of his church, for a purpose. When God is blessing are lives with financial blessing and abundance, our first reaction shouldn’t be on the 72 inch TV, Playstation 5, or whatever your mind goes to. We should first ask, what purpose does God have for this abundance in my life.

G. The Grace Filled Giver Recognizes Our Giving Brings Glory To God.

2 Corinthians 8:19 ESV

And not only that, but he has been appointed by the churches to travel with us as we carry out this act of grace that is being ministered by us, for the glory of the Lord himself and to show our good will.

2 Corinthians 9:13 ESV

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,

H. The Grace Filled Giver Gives To Trustworthy Churches and Ministries

2 Corinthians 8:20–23 ESV

We take this course so that no one should blame us about this generous gift that is being administered by us, for we aim at what is honorable not only in the Lord’s sight but also in the sight of man. And with them we are sending our brother whom we have often tested and found earnest in many matters, but who is now more earnest than ever because of his great confidence in you. As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker for your benefit. And as for our brothers, they are messengers of the churches, the glory of Christ.

G. The Grace Filled Giver’s Passion For Giving Will Influence Others

2 Corinthians 9:1–5 ESV

Now it is superfluous for me to write to you about the ministry for the saints, for I know your readiness, of which I boast about you to the people of Macedonia, saying that Achaia has been ready since last year. And your zeal has stirred up most of them. But I am sending the brothers so that our boasting about you may not prove empty in this matter, so that you may be ready, as I said you would be. Otherwise, if some Macedonians come with me and find that you are not ready, we would be humiliated—to say nothing of you—for being so confident. So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to go on ahead to you and arrange in advance for the gift you have promised, so that it may be ready as a willing gift, not as an exaction.

Paul shared about the Corinthian churches desire to give to the need to hurches of Macedonia and the Macedonians were stirred to give. When Corith started losing focus Paul shared with them the passion of the Macedonians to give in hopes they would become passionate again.

This is not competition, but when you see growth in the lives of other believers, we should desire for God to work and grow in us also.

H. The Grace Filled Giver Understands the Principle of Sowing and Reaping

2 Corinthians 9:6–11 ESV

The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 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. As it is written, “He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.” 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. You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.

Paul uses the harvest metaphor to describe our giving. Paul isn’t saying here that you should give to get. He also is’t saying the more you give the more you will get.

Paul is saying we must trust God when give. Just like the farmer when he plants his seed in the ground, works and cares for the ground has to put trust that the process will lead to an harvest.

When we give we are putting trust in God to use our giving for his Glory and for the good of our fellow man. We are also trusting to God to care for our needs and watch over us.

God works in mysterious ways and provides in an abundance of ways, your giving works miracles in peoples lives and your giving works miracles in your life. The principle of sowing in reaping isn’t about giving to get, the principle is about giving and trusting God to accomplish his purpose for your gift and trusting God to accomplish his purpose in your life and supply your needs. Trusting him even when it seems like he is not there, do you think it is hard for the people in Jerusalem to trust God, when they are struggling, YES!

God will provide. He sees and in his timing God will make all grace abound.

I. The Grace Filled Giver Recognizes God Loves A Cheerful Giver

J. The Grace Filled Giver is Grateful

2 Corinthians 9:11 ESV

You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.

K. The Grace Filled Giver Unifies the Church

2 Corinthians 9:14 ESV

while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you.

L. The Grace Filled Giver Gives Because of The Grace Of God At Work in Their Life

2 Corinthians 9:14–15 ESV

while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you. Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!