2 Corinthians 8 & 9
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2 Corinthians 8 & 9
2 Corinthians 8 & 9
1 Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia:
2 that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality.
3 For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing,
4 imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.
Let’s begin with a little bit of background to this section of the letter, the 1st 7 chapters were basically an expression of Paul joy and gratitude for the Corinthians and their positive response to a difficult letter. Here in chapter 8 there is a transition and he switches to the topic of charitable Christian giving. This theme actually carries through both chapter’s 8&9. Now if you’re a pastor like me, who simply teaches through the Word of God, verse by verse and page by page, then a section like this is a dream come true if you really want to hammer the people on giving, you might want to break these chapters up into like a 6 week sermon series, but I don’t want to do that.
Somebody tell me what that old expression means, “You’re preaching to the choir!” See that’s really what I think I’d be doing here in this church if I were to dissect every aspect of giving that we find in these chapters and the opportunities they offer for jumping off points to everything else the Bible says about giving, and tithing.
You guys know that we have been digging into this book and we’ve been averaging about a half chapter per week, so this could easily be broken into 4 Sundays, but if you guys will allow me a little liberty, I’d like to give you a little history on the Jerusalem church, a little history on our church, and then I think we can breeze right through both of these chapters, with me still being respectful of your time.
Let pray and we will see how far we get.
In the first 4 verses that I read Paul is talking about a gift, this grace that he talks about being bestowed on the churches, giving according to ability and beyond…all that only makes sense if we use the Bible to explain the Bible. Paul is talking about a collection he has been receiving for the church in Jerusalem. So he is the history lesson. The birth of the church occurred in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost that you can about in Acts 2. Prior to this we read about Judaism, worship in the Tabernacles and in the Temple, but then Jesus comes on the scene to fulfill the Old Covenant and He did that on the cross and through His resurrection and then prior to ascending back into Heaven He gives the great commission and tells the Apostles to go into all of the world and make disciples.
In Acts chapter two we read about Peter, the Apostle that was so much of a coward that he denied even knowing Jesus prior to Him going to the cross....now just a little while later He is full of the Holy Spirit, bold as he is now empowered from the Spirit of God, preaches this incredible sermon, I won’t read it all this morning, but it is important that we are aware of the result of that sermon.
37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?”
38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”
40 And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.”
41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.
42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.
43 Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.
44 Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common,
45 and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.
46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart,
47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.
3,000 souls and the church was doing all the right things continuing steadfastly in the Word of God, in fellowship, the breaking of bread or communion and praying together, and in our last verse there we read that the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved. That was a lot to deal with. They combined resources to talk care of each other. But if I sell all my stuff and you sell all of your stuff, pretty soon, we’re out of stuff.
The church was growing in size, but also in poverty. To make matters worse they began suffering incredible persecution, we see just a taste of that a few chapters ahead in Acts, picking up and the end of chapter 7, concerning the story of Stephen who was the very first Deacon, we read. Acts 7:54-57
54 When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth.
55 But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God,
56 and said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”
57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord;
58 and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.
59 And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
60 Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
1 Now Saul was consenting to his death. At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.
2 And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.
3 As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.
4 Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word.
They were scattered, so even the support they were receiving from one another diminished, and as you guys know there remained division between Jews and Gentiles in the early church, and Paul saw this great need as a great opportunity for the Gentile churches to minister to the church in Jerusalem and let the Lord use that to heal some of that mess. So he began receiving these offerings from the churches.
Principles of giving.
In the Old testament they had the title, 10 zucchinis you give one
8 “Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings.
9 You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me, Even this whole nation.
10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this,” Says the Lord of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it.
11 “And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,” Says the Lord of hosts;
2 On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come.
7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.
So this section starts with Paul talking about the churches in Macedonia. 2 Cor 8:1-4
1 Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia:
2 that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality.
3 For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing,
4 imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.
5 And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God.
6 So we urged Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also complete this grace in you as well.
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 this grace also.
8 I speak not by commandment, but I am testing the sincerity of your love by the diligence of others.
9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.
10 And in this I give advice: It is to your advantage not only to be doing what you began and were desiring to do a year ago;
11 but now you also must complete the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to desire it, so there also may be a completion out of what you have.
12 For if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has, and not according to what he does not have.
13 For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened;
14 but by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may supply their lack, that their abundance also may supply your lack—that there may be equality.
15 As it is written, “He who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack.”
16 But thanks be to God who puts the same earnest care for you into the heart of Titus.
17 For he not only accepted the exhortation, but being more diligent, he went to you of his own accord.
18 And we have sent with him the brother whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches,
19 and not only that, but who was also chosen by the churches to travel with us with this gift, which is administered by us to the glory of the Lord Himself and to show your ready mind,
20 avoiding this: that anyone should blame us in this lavish gift which is administered by us—
21 providing honorable things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.
22 And we have sent with them our brother whom we have often proved diligent in many things, but now much more diligent, because of the great confidence which we have in you.
23 If anyone inquires about Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker concerning you. Or if our brethren are inquired about, they are messengers of the churches, the glory of Christ.
24 Therefore show to them, and before the churches the proof of your love and of our boasting on your behalf.
In chapter 9 Paul begins this section on how to administer this gift. And in this chapter we are going to find these principles
You’ll find more abundance in giving than in keeping, because giving bears its own harvest in season.
God loves it when His people give freely and cheerfully, but disdains begrudging gifts.
There are no needs that you have which God cannot supply. Giving bless others, but also stretches our faith to greater trust in God.
One of the qualities of Godliness is the value of helping others over hoarding possessions.
1 Now concerning the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you;
2 for I know your willingness, about which I boast of you to the Macedonians, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal has stirred up the majority.
3 Yet I have sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this respect, that, as I said, you may be ready;
4 lest if some Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we (not to mention you!) should be ashamed of this confident boasting.
5 Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren to go to you ahead of time, and prepare your generous gift beforehand, which you had previously promised, that it may be ready as a matter of generosity and not as a grudging obligation.
6 But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.
8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.
9 As it is written: “He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever.”
10 Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness,
11 while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God.
12 For the administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God,
13 while, through the proof of this ministry, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal sharing with them and all men,
14 and by their prayer for you, who long for you because of the exceeding grace of God in you.
15 Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!