You Have The Grace To Give

You Have The Grace To Give

Text: 2 Corinthian 8:1-15

Introduction

The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Seven: The Grace of Giving—Part 1 (2 Corinthians 8)

Unfortunately, the Corinthians were not doing their part. Like many people, they had made promises, but they failed to keep them. In fact, an entire year had been wasted (2 Cor. 8:10). What was the cause of this serious delay? The low spiritual level of the church. When a church is not spiritual, it is not generous.

Paul wanted the corinthian church to understand and eventually operate under a particular grace God had bestowed upon the Macedonians. They will eventually learn that God had also provided this grace to them also.

Sometimes we estimate the amount of grace God or the type of grace He has placed on us by what we are currently doing for Him.

The works of believers that speak the loudest are those that have stepped outside the norm and truly required great faith.

If we have been given GREAT GRACE (which we have), it is our duty to walk forward with GREAT FAITH.

It is very possible that a church is operating in lesser compacity than they should when compared to the amount of grace given to them.

1) The Conditions Surrounding Their Giving

Verses 1-2

Affliction, extreme poverty, beyond their ability.

Grace would not be grace without weak human conditions.

These condition is where grace thrives.

They afflictions and poverty could have been caused by their Christian faith; lost their job, not excepted in the trade guilds...

This paints the picture of real life:

You know the Biblical principal but you feel the condition from your circumstances.

It is real Christian living to experience this.

However, will you allow your circumstances to rob you or your faith to bless you.

Their “deep poverty” (rock bottom) did not hinder their giving.

Notice what attribute that was mixed into their circumstances; JOY.

Great affliction & deep poverty + grace = abundant joy and abounding liberality.

Circumstances are NEVER ENCOURAGING.

Abundant living includes giving in light of God’s grace in your life; Grace giving.

2) The Passion Surrounding Their Giving

VERSES 3-4

Illustration: The preacher says I should give until it hurts,” said a miserly church member, “But for me, it huts just to think about giving!”

The Macedonian churches needed NO PROMPTING.

They begged to be included!The Bible Exposition Commentary (Chapter Seven: The Grace of Giving—Part 1 (2 Corinthians 8))

Their giving was voluntary and spontaneous. It was of grace, not pressure. They gave because they wanted to give and because they had experienced the grace of God. Grace not only frees us from our sins, but it frees us from ourselves. The grace of God will open your heart and your hand. Your giving is not the result of cold calculation, but of warmhearted jubilation! Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 655.

3) The Motivation Surrounding Their Giving

VERSES 5-9

The order of giving makes a huge impact on the testimony of your giving.

Giving ourselves to God provides less problem within us to give our substance to God.

Giving ourselves to God provides less problem within us to give to others.

Giving ourselves first is like greasing a rusty door hinge. It is much easier to walk through.

Opening our heart will lead to opening our hands.

Love — a great motivator (vv7-8)

“abounding in this grace also”

Grace giving is the testing ground of your love.

The Corinthians were wrapped up in the gifts of the Spirit, but neglected the graces of the Holy Spirit.

Sacrifice

Christ became poor.

Christ makes us rich.

How can we avoid giving to others when following Jesus’ example?

It is IMPOSSIBLE to love God and ignore the needs of others.

4) The Willingness Of Their Giving

VERSES 10-12

If the willing is sincere and in the will of God, then there must be “a performance also” (2 Cor. 8:11; Phil. 2:12–13). Paul did not say that willing was a substitute for doing, because it is not. But if our giving is motivated by grace, we will give willingly, and not because we have been forced to give. Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 656–657.

God sees the “heart gift” and not the “hand gift.” If the heart wanted to give more, but was unable to do so, God sees it and records it accordingly. But if the hand gives more than the heart wants to give, God records what is in the heart, no matter how big the offering in the hand might be. Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 657.

God sees, not the portion, but the proportion. If we could have given more, and did not, God notes it. If we wanted to give more, and could not, God also notes that. When we give willingly, according to what we have, we are practicing grace giving. Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 657.

Grace giving is a matter of faith: we obey God and believe that He will meet our needs as we help to meet the needs of others. As the Jews gathered the manna each day, so we must depend on God to “give us this day our daily bread” (Matt. 6:11). Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 657.

Grace giving is an exciting adventure! When you learn to give “by grace, through faith” (just the way you were saved—Eph. 2:8–9), you start to experience a wonderful liberation from things and from circumstances. Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 659.