Purpose: To describe the result of proper giving.
Aim: I want the listener to see giving as a reflection of the Gospel.
INTRODUCTION: A man was struggling to pay his bills on time. One day he received a letter from one of his creditors demanding that he immediately pay what he owed. He sat down and wrote a letter back and said, "Dear Sir, Every month I take all the bills I have and put them on the table, shuffle them, and I pay the first six bills on top. Now, if I have any more trouble out of you, next month you'll be out of the shuffle entirely."
The sad thing is that many Christians have shuffled God right out of their giving. They pay for their own needs and desires with little thought of how God wants them to use the money He has given them.
Paul wrote chapter 8 of Second Corinthians to lay out 9 guidelines for what it means to give to God. In chapter 9 he is showing us that there are many wonderful rewards and joys when we give like God wants us to give. Look back at 2 Corinthians 8:10: "I give my opinion in this matter, for this is to your advantage, who were the first to begin a year ago not only to do this, but also to desire to do it " (NAS)
Paul is now giving us some of those advantages.
REVIEW:
Vs.1-11 I. What Happens When We Practice God Centered Giving?
Vs.1-5 A. God centered giving encourages others to give "your zeal has stirred up most of them"
Vs. 1-2 1. We must decide to give "I know your readiness"
Vs.3-5 2. We must plan to give "arrange beforehand your previously promised bountiful gift"
Vs.6-11 B. God centered giving will bring God's blessing
Vs.6 1. When we give generously "he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully"
Vs.7 2. When we give with the right motive "not grudgingly or under compulsion"
LESSON:
Vs.8 3. When we trust God's promises "God is able"
Notice what God is able to do: "... make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed" (2 Corinthians 9:8, NAS)
"It might be profitable here to notice Paul's use of the concept of abundance as he wrote this letter. He opened the letter with abundant suffering that was matched by abundant comfort (2 Cor. 1:5). He also mentioned abundant grace (2 Cor. 4:15) and abundant joy and liberality (2 Cor. 8:2). Because of God's abundant grace, we can abound always in every good work (2 Cor. 9:8). The apostle saw the Christian life as one of abundance, for Jesus Christ can make us adequate for every situation." [1]
Often we don't give to God because we are afraid that we won't have enough left to take care of our future needs. Paul encouraged the Christians in Philippi to give generously because: "...God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19, NAS)
So the only question that remains is: Do we believe that? "Trust in the LORD forever, For in GOD the LORD, we have an everlasting Rock" (Isaiah 26:4, NAS) "and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform. " (Romans 4:21, NAS)
Jesus Himself said: Matthew 6:31--33, "Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?' For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (NAS)
Vs.9-11 4. When we value the eternal "righteousness endures"
[Vs.9] Paul is quoting from Psalm 112 where a righteous man is described as someone who lives without fearing others and who gives generously.
Notice the contrast between giving temporary things to the poor and this man's righteousness which is permanent. This is true because when we give to other believers we are actually giving to God. "For the tithe of the sons of Israel, which they offer as an offering to the LORD, I have given to the Levites for an inheritance..." (Numbers 18:24, NAS)
God wants us to use temporary riches to purchase eternal rewards.
God gives primarily to the givers.
[Vs.10-11] God gives material things to us for two main reasons: to take care of our daily needs ("bread for food"), and to give to others ("seed to the sower"). Some seeds are ground into flour; some seeds are used to plant another crop.
What do we normally do when God blesses us with more money than we need? Don't we usually look for something to buy for ourselves? Doesn't that reveal that we are more interested in temporary pleasure than we are in eternal rewards?
God wants to enrich us so that we can have more spiritual blessings and more of the joy of giving.
The Sowing Principle:
We reap IF we sow
We reap WHAT we sow
We reap MORE than we sow
We reap LATER than we sow
We should think of money in terms of how it can be used to serve the God who gave it to us. Hosea 10:12, Sow with a view to righteousness, reap in accordance with kindness; break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the LORD until He comes to rain righteousness on you. (NAS)
We need to stop thinking of money as a big deal. Jesus considers money to be a "little thing" compared to eternal things. "He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much. Therefore if you have not been faithful in the use of unrighteous wealth, who will entrust the true riches to you? And if you have not been faithful in the use of that which is another's, who will give you that which is your own? " (Luke 16:10--12, NAS).
One pastor is quoted as saying:
"I have never known a generous person to complain about how much money it takes to run a church. Poor givers gripe about how much it takes; generous givers express concern that they don't do more.
I have never known a family who tithed for any length of time who quit.
I have never known a generous family that was not generally happy.
I have never known a stingy, miserly family that was not generally unhappy about many things.
I have never known a person who was critical of most things, mad about many things, who was generous.
I have come to believe that most people who feel we talk too much about money, never really want to talk about money at all. Generous people enjoy talking about it.
I have come to believe that there is a direct connection that exists between a person's faith and a person's generosity. Those who give generously tend to become more faithful; and the reverse is true in both instances."
Do we really want great blessings from God? On the other hand, if God gives to us so that we can give to others what are we if we don't give it away? God says we are thieves! Malachi 3:8 Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you say, 'How have we robbed You?' In tithes and offerings. (NAS)
Paul told Timothy to teach Christians: 1 Timothy 6:18 ...to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, (NAS)
The last phrase in verse 11 ("thanksgiving to God") serves as an introduction to what Paul is going to talk about in verses 12-15.
Vs.12-15 II. What does God Centered Giving do to the Church?
In verses 6-11 the focus is on the individual believer. In verses 12-15 the focus shifts to local groups of believers, or churches. The pronouns in the verses 6-11 are "he" "each one" "you" then in verse 12 Paul starts talking about "the saints" "many" and "they."
Vs.12a A. Believers will have their needs met "fully supplying the needs"
Notice what Paul said about this in 2 Corinthians 8:14 at this present time your abundance being a supply for their need, so that their abundance also may become a supply for your need, that there may be equality; (NAS)
Vs.12b-13 B. Believers will praise God more "they will glorify God"
In vs.13 Paul links the Gospel with generous giving. The same Greek word that is used for God's grace in salvation is used for a believers' giving to God. Proper giving to God reflects how God has given to us.
When we give the way God wants us to give, others will notice that we have been changed by the Gospel. Matthew 5:16 Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. (NAS)
Hebrews 13:15--16 Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name. And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. (NAS)
We should be so changed by the Gospel that others not only notice the change, but they sense that God is the One who has done the work. In our text we see Gentiles sacrificing to help Jews. As a rule these two groups hated each other, but Christ made a huge change.
Paul explained how Jews and Gentiles could get along: Ephesians 2:13--19 But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one ...so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity. ... for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household, (NAS)
Paul was careful to use the word "proof" to describe what glorifies God. Good intentions are not enough. Remember, the offering from Corinth hadn't actually happened yet.
How many people are praising God because of your generosity?
Vs.14a C. Believers will pray for each other more "prayer on your behalf"
What a joy to know that other believers are praying for us, and when we give to other Christians it reminds them to pray for us. Which is more valuable, a little more money in our pocket or more prayers on our behalf?
Paul was constantly praying to God and thanking Him for other believers. 1 Corinthians 1:4 I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus, (NAS)
2 Thessalonians 1:11 To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power, (NAS)
Vs.14b D. Believers will love each other more "they...yearn for your"
When someone sacrifices in order to meet your needs, then you can't help but long for an opportunity to be a blessing to them. Galatians 6:10 So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith. (NAS)
Vs.15 E. Believers will rejoice in the Gospel more "indescribable gift"
(Jeremiah 22:16, NAS) "He pled the cause of the afflicted and needy; then it was well. Is not that what it means to know Me?" Declares the LORD"
Paul is exploding in praise to God for his gift of salvation. All of our giving pales in comparison to God's gift to us.
2 Corinthians 8:9 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 through His poverty might become rich. (NAS) By the way, it is heartbreaking to hear preachers say that Jesus died to make us financially rich. This is a frontal assault on God's gift of forgiveness which is SO much more valuable than mere money. Jesus didn't need to die in order to give us money, but He did have to die in order to provide the payment for our sin.
Romans 8:32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? (NAS)
Maybe you have never really felt the desire to give freely and generously to God because you have never given yourself to God and received His "indescribable gift."
The indescribable gift is JESUS. This is why, 2 Corinthians 4:5--6 we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, "Light shall shine out of darkness," is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. (NAS)
Have you run to Jesus for deliverance from your sinful condition? Has Jesus rescued you from the hell that you deserve? If so, then these words from the Bible will thrill your heart: Ephesians 1:3--4 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.... (NAS)
When we love Christ because He loved us then we will want to give as much as we can to Him.
"God directed giving means depending on the undeserved gifts of God in order to give to God."
How could that possibly be called a sacrifice?
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