Being Good Stewards Of God's Riches Series

[You may listen to this audio sermon with slides at https://youtu.be/WKGuElPEJHg

Earlier audio sermons are available at https://tinyurl.com/KTCC-EnglishService. Thank you.]

2 Cor 8:16-9:5 Being Good Stewards of God’s Riches

God is our Creator and He owns everything. We are stewards of all that He has given, and that includes our time, talents and our treasure (wealth).

• We are called to use the resources God has given for His work and His glory.

• Paul has been telling the Gentile churches about the needs of their fellow saints in Jerusalem. They were in poverty, ostracised economically and went through a famine.

• Paul has been encouraging the churches to take up a collection for them.

This is a good thing, not only because it is a charitable act but because it allows the Gentile churches to show their support for their Jewish comrades in Jerusalem, from which they first received the Gospel.

• It would be an act of unity and love, as well as a chance for them to honour God through their giving. They could show their love for God through their giving.

• Which was what they did. Last week’s passage shared by Lester gave us many good principles about giving. The Macedonian churches set a good example.

If everything comes from God, then it makes sense that we give and bless those who are in need, because we do not own anything in the first place.

• Eccl 5:15 “As he came from his mother’s womb he shall go again, naked as he came, and shall take nothing for his toil that he may carry away in his hand.”

• We brought nothing into the world and we are taking nothing out.

• And if we can take nothing with us, then we want to INVEST what we have in the things of God, that which has eternal significance.

• We use what we have FROM God, FOR God, TO FULFIL His purpose and will.

That’s why I have entitled the sermon “Being Good Stewards of God’s Riches.”

• As good stewards, we give. And as good stewards, we guard the collection and make sure it goes to its intended recipients - for the needs of His church.

• In today’s text, Paul takes steps to make sure that the collection is taken care of.

We saw the remarkable testimony of the Macedonian churches last week.

• They gave, not just willingly and with joy and sacrificially, even in their afflictions.

• Paul highlighted their example to encourage the Corinthians, who were a little slower in responding to the call for the collection.

The Macedonians gave beyond their means - “in a severe test of affliction” and out of their “extreme poverty”. (8:2)

• They were facing affliction of their own and also poor to some sense, but they gave. They have reasons NOT to give, but they gave.

• And on their own accord. Paul says they were “begging us earnestly for the favour of taking part in the relief of the saints.” (8:4)

The tribulation did not diminish their joy nor did their poverty impede their generosity.

• The afflicted can still be joyful and the poor can still be generous in giving. This is the grace of God.

• We have the poor giving to the poorer ones in Jerusalem, people whom they do not know. We see their HEART in giving. We see their MOTIVATION to give.

NURTURE A HEART THAT GIVES

It is never about the size of the gift. Paul made no mention of it throughout his talk about the collection.

• But tells us of their attitudes instead. They gave with joy and generosity, giving beyond their means, and wanting earnestly to play a part.

• It’s all about the HEART of the givers because that’s what matters. Their love for God was revealed in their love for people.

Jesus taught us the same when He highlighted to His disciples the offering of a poor widow, who offered two small copper coins into the treasury (Mk 12:42-44, Lk 21:2-4).

• The rich put in large sums of money but Jesus’ eyes were on this widow because He saw her heart – one of love, sacrificial love.

• She gave out of her poverty and “put in everything she had, all she had to live on.” (Mk 12:44)

• It’s never about the size of our gifts. It is about our love for God.

• The WHY we give is more important than the WHAT we give.

SEIZE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE

Paul said in 8:4-5a that the Macedonians were “begging us earnestly for the favour of taking part in the relief of the saints – and this, not as we expected…”

• Paul might have seen their affliction and poverty and did not want to push them too hard but they said, “Please, let us give!”