2 Corinthians 9:6-15
6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 9 As it is written: "He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever." 10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. 12 This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. 13 Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. 14 And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. 15 Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!
“More Than Enough”
This year’s stewardship drive is going to be a little different. More than ever, we will be focusing on how great God is and telling stories about all the ways God is at work. For this, I’m going to need some help from you all during worship. You… are getting homework, and I really… REALLY need your help with this.
Next week is going to be “Giving Stories Sunday.” I want to hear from you about giving. How did you learn about giving? Why do you give? When has your gift made a difference for someone? When did someone else’s gift make a difference for you? How has God blessed you with more than enough? So, stop by my office… put it down on a note and put it in my box… send me an e-mail… share your giving story. You will not be asked to get up in front of everyone and the story can be anonymous if you want… but I’m hoping there is at least a few of you willing to help by sharing your giving stories.
In two weeks, we will have our “Celebration Sunday.” Have you seen someone with a huge talent or have you used a talent yourself that has yielded an amazing harvest? What ministry in your eyes is one worth celebrating? Again… drop by… write me a note… or send me an e-mail. You will not be asked to get up and read it and it can be anonymous.
Finally, I will need 3 guys and 1 gal to volunteer for a very short drama in three weeks. This is when we will celebrate our “Commitment Sunday.” That is where we are going and I hope you will take some time to help make these worship services very special. Now, it’s time for us to switch gears and focus on where we are.
Last week, we talked a great deal about the economy… about how we are stressed out and concerned. How… more than ever… we are looking to material wealth for our comfort and support. Today, we are going to try our very best to look at scripture and see what words God might have for an anxious people… during an anxious time. But before we do, I’d like to share with you the story of Farmer Joe!
Farmer Joe decided his injuries from the accident were serious enough to take the trucking company (responsible for the accident) to court. In court, the trucking company’s fancy lawyer was questioning farmer Joe. "Didn’t you say, at the scene of the accident, ’I’m fine’?," questioned the lawyer.
Farmer Joe responded, "Well I’ll tell you what happened. I had just loaded my favorite mule Bessie into the..."
"I didn’t ask for any details," the lawyer interrupted, "just answer the question. Did you not say, at the scene of the accident, ’I’m fine’!"
Farmer Joe said, "Well I had just got Bessie into the trailer and I was driving down the road..."
The lawyer interrupted again and said, "Judge, I am trying to establish the fact that, at the scene of the accident, this man told the Highway Patrolman on the scene that he was just fine. Now several weeks after the accident he is trying to sue my client. I believe he is a fraud. Please tell him to simply answer the question."
By this time the Judge was fairly interested in Farmer Joe’s answer and said to the lawyer, "I’d like to hear what he has to say about his favorite mule Bessie."
Joe thanked the Judge and proceeded, "Well as I was saying, I had just loaded Bessie, my favorite mule, into the trailer and was driving her down the highway when this huge semi-truck and trailer ran the stop sign and smacked my truck right in the side. I was thrown into one ditch and Bessie was thrown into the other. I was hurting real bad and didn’t want to move. However, I could hear ole Bessie moaning and groaning. I knew she was in terrible shape just by her groans. We were both in terrible shape.
Shortly after the accident a Highway Patrolman came on the scene. He could hear Bessie moaning and groaning so he went over to her. After he looked at her he took out his gun and shot her between the eyes. Then the Patrolman came across the road with his gun in his hand and looked at me. He said, "Your mule was in such bad shape I had to shoot her. How are you feeling?"
It was then that I said, "I’m fine."
How many of us are “fine” today? How many of us need God’s word during the “fine” times!
8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
What does this verse imply about what will happen during the very good times? God promises that you are going to have all that you need. What does this verse imply about what will happen during the very bad times? God promises that you are going to have all that you need. So… let me stop ever so briefly and focus on this: who gives you all that you need. God! And he doesn’t just give you enough… we find time and again… we have more than enough! Isn’t that what our tight clothes are telling us… God has given us more than enough! Now, here is an interesting endnote to this verse… during good times and bad… when we step out… when we use our resources for God… what does God promise? God promises we will abound in every good work.
Sneaking back the tiniest of bits to verse 6 we read, “6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.”
We could talk to several of our farmers here in the congregation, and I bet not a single one of them says they plant seeds just for the fun of it. Sure it might be fun to get out there after a long winter and get back into the fields they have grown to love… but they don’t just plant seeds for the fun of it… they are thinking about the harvest to come every step along the way. Every field they seed is done deliberately… with eyes on the great harvest to come.
Why should it be any different for us? I think we need to be like good farmers. When we are sowing our seeds… we need to keep the harvest in mind. We have to know that God will make our efforts increase and the harvest will be huge. Paul says, “if you sow sparingly you will reap [sparingly], and if you sow generously you will reap [generously].” Every action you take will have an impact on the future and we need to do
It is a very important question to ask… because there is one more farming truth that I want to remind us all of. It is a very simple one, one that any farmer could teach us.
You will always harvest way more than you sow. Experts let us know that it takes less than half a bushel of corn to plant an acre, really… one bushel will plant 2.5 acres. Now, on average… a farmer can expect about 170 bushels per acre. That means for every bushel of seed planted, he’ll see a return of over 400 bushels. For every single seed planted, he’ll get 400 back. “If you sow sparingly you will reap [sparingly], and if you sow generously you will reap [generously].”
But here is the problem… we get that… we can agree with that… but how many of you are STILL scared of our tough economic times? Scripture says one thing, but wisdom tells us something entirely different. Wisdom tells us that in a famine area a starvation victim who gives her last bite of food to a child does not automatically receive more food; she only dies more quickly. Wisdom tells us that the senior citizen who contributes beyond his means to a disaster fund does not receive any increase in pension. Wisdom tells us that just because we give all that we have there is NO guarantee that we will be taken care of.
Oprah is not going to give us all free cars! You and I are NOT going to win the lottery! Some wealthy person is not going to come by and say, I see you have a mountain of debt… here’s a check to pay it all off! So, when the market crashes and we see our investments shrink… when bills pile up and bank accounts run dry… when times are so tough that everyone… even the wealthy are worried… the question pops up: “Can I really trust God?” Even in this time scripture reminds us:
9"He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever."
Does God’s righteousness ever run out? Do God’s gifts ever run out? No!
10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.
Let me ask this… who gave you everything you have in the first place? Who will give you everything you receive in the future? Verse 10 reminds us that… not only will God give us what we need but he will increase your store and enlarge your harvest.
You know, I see investment firm commercials all the time that have that little fine print at the end that states past performance does not guarantee future gains! I am glad that that is not how our God works! Our God says… look at my track record! I guarantee that I will not only give you enough… but that I will give you MORE than enough.
11 You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
This year, our congregation is kicking off yet another stewardship drive where our ministry continues to grow, the church’s financial need continues to grow… and times are tough… we are worried. Some of you are giving all that you can. Some of you are giving more than you should. And during tough economic times, with the world in crisis and our lives so unsure… I’m sure we are all beginning to think ENOUGH! And that is understandable. Thankfully for us though, we have a God who doesn’t know the meaning of enough when he is bestowing his gifts upon us! “You will be made rich in every way so that you CAN be generous on EVERY occasion.”
So here is God’s word for all of us during harsh economic times. God will continue to be God. God will continue to act like God. God will forever give as God is able to give, and bless as only God is able to bless. We need to trust in God. We need to put our faith into God… and know that the harvest we reap will be based on the seed we sow.
