Blessed With Abundance

Blessed With Abundance

lanny smith

2021 Summer Series / Stewardship; Giving; Generosity / 2 Corinthians 8:3–15

• [VIDEO]

• Current giving statistics.

• Context: Paul is talking to the Corinthian church about the practical matter of sending financial support to the Jerusalem church.

• He offers the example of the churches in Macedonia to encourage the Greek church be generous.

• In the process, he teaches us the true motivation for being financially generous.

Because We Want To

2 Corinthians 8:3 NLT

3 For I can testify that they gave not only what they could afford, but far more. And they did it of their own free will.

• Trying guilt or manipulate or frighten folks into giving nearly always has the opposite effect.

• giving is a sacrifice

• sacre = sacred. ficeo = “to make.” Literally, a sacrifice is “to make something sacred or holy.”

Remember Who We’re Giving To

2 Corinthians 8:5 NLT

5 They even did more than we had hoped, for their first action was to give themselves to the Lord and to us, just as God wanted them to do.

• It’s easy to limit our vision of giving to whether or not we completely approve of the way the money is spent. (Cause that’s what it’s used for!)

• At the same time, we have to balance that concern with the knowledge that God is true owner of the gifts we give. Do we trust him to direct how those gifts will be used?

Generosity With Excellence

• As we chose to give to God, let’s do so with excellence.

2 Corinthians 8:6–7 NLT

6 So we have urged Titus, who encouraged your giving in the first place, to return to you and encourage you to finish this ministry of giving. 7 Since you excel in so many ways—in your faith, your gifted speakers, your knowledge, your enthusiasm, and your love from us—I want you to excel also in this gracious act of giving.

Romans 12:8 NLT

8 If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.

Follow Jesus’ Example

• There are many ideas about how to give and how much.

• Do we tithe (10%)? Is it on the net or the gross?

• Is this a “law?”

• Here’s Paul’s advice:

2 Corinthians 8:9 NLT

9 You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich.

Philippians 2:6–8 NLT

6 Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. 7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, 8 he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

• Measure your desire to give against Jesus’ desire to give himself.

• And then,

Follow Through

2 Corinthians 8:10–12 NLT

10 Here is my advice: It would be good for you to finish what you started a year ago. Last year you were the first who wanted to give, and you were the first to begin doing it. 11 Now you should finish what you started. Let the eagerness you showed in the beginning be matched now by your giving. Give in proportion to what you have. 12 Whatever you give is acceptable if you give it eagerly. And give according to what you have, not what you don’t have.

• Paul is immensely practice here.

• Give eagerly and acceptably, some sacrifice is good but not to the point of impoverishing yourself.

• Lose the guilt, put your feet on the path:

• Chose to give willingly.

• Give yourself to God.

• Be excellent in your giving.

• Jesus is your metric.

• Do it!