CAN YOU BE BOTH? It’s telling that the Macedonians were poor and generous.
- 2 Corinthians 8:1-2.
- Verse 2 gives us a striking statement. Paul shares with us that the Macedonians were extremely poor and richly generous. Those aren’t two phrases that we normally put together.
- If you’re here this morning and struggle financially or just don’t have as much money as many do, it’s easy to feel as though you have nothing to offer financially.
- Yet here Paul doesn’t brag on some millionaire giver. Instead, he holds up these Macedonians who were sacrificially giving.
- That should be an encouragement that having modest means doesn’t mean that you have nothing to share that God finds praiseworthy.
- This is actually not as unusual as you might think.
- It may surprise you, but studies have found that poor people are more generous (based on a percentage of their income given to charity) than rich people are.
- This seems counter-intuitive. The rich are more likely to have spare resources. The rich have so much more. The poor don’t have much to spare.
- Yet it’s true.
HOW COULD A PERSON GIVE JOYFULLY IN POVERTY? It felt good to share a struggling friend’s burden.
- 2 Corinthians 8:2, 4.
- This situation was not giving to an institution. They were giving to their brothers and sisters in Christ.
- Verse 2 speaks of their sacrificial generosity. Verse 4 is powerful. They weren’t just willing if needed – they “urgently pleaded.” Not only that, but they were doing it “to the saints” – that is, their brothers and sisters in Christ.
- This is an important idea. We are far more willing to sacrifice when we are doing it for those we love, for those who mean a lot to us.
- Part of our problem today is the disconnection we have within our society. We don’t know each other’s problems and struggles so that we might share in them. Even within a given church, we don’t know what’s going in people’s lives so that we might help them along the way.
AN ENCOURAGING TRUTH ON GOD'S MATH: God doesn’t assess our gift only by the amount of money but also by the amount of sacrifice.
- Luke 16:10; Luke 21:1-4.
- Of course, my thoughts immediately go to the widow’s mite. In that story, Jesus indicates that it’s just the dollar amount that impresses God, but the amount of sacrifice. The poor widow putting in her last two coins gave a great offering because it was all she had. It was not just an offering but also an expression of trust in God to provide for her. In all that, it was pleasing to God – a sweet-smelling aroma.
- The other night I was about to head into my daughter’s middle school basketball game. A student approached who I know and asked if I would pay for him to get in. I know the family situation is a mess and this kid is out of the house most evenings just looking for a calmer place to be. I told him no problem and gave him the $3 to get in.
- Now, let’s be honest: that was a good thing for me to do, but it was not exactly a sacrifice. I’m not going to miss that $3. So I shouldn’t get a whole lot of credit from God for that, even though I should have done it.
- Giving when it’s a sacrifice is more impressive to God.
- Years ago, when our family stepped out to do a church plant, I saw a great sacrifice. We started with nothing but trust that God would provide. As some early donations came in from some friends, I was explaining to my elementary-school children about how God was going to provide for us and take care of us (which He did). I talked about the mission and vision God had called us to. One of my kids ran back into the house (we were in the back yard) and came back a moment later. “This is all the money I have,” he said, handing me 8 quarters, “and I want to give it to the church.”
- Certainly he had parents who were watching out for him having a place to live and food to eat, but there is still a beauty to God in someone giving all they have.
- One lie that many of us tell ourselves is that we would be overly generous if only we had the resources. I don’t think that’s true.
- Luke 16:10 speaks of the one who can be trusted with little also being trustworthy with much.
- It’s not really a money issue. It’s a heart issue. All that money wouldn’t somehow give us a generous heart. We would find ways to spend that money on our elevated lifestyle.
WHERE THAT LEADS: The obstacle is not your wallet but your willingness.
- 2 Corinthians 8:12.
- Verse 12 speaks directly to this point. If the willingness is there, then what we offer is judged by God not according to what you have, not what you don’t have. In other words, God doesn’t compare your gift to those giving so much more. Instead, He evaluates your gift by what resources you had.
- This is greatly liberating for those who have modest means. Don’t worry that you have a ton of money to give. Don’t worry that you aren’t wealthy. Don’t worry that you can’t singlehandedly handle someone’s needs. Be generous with what you have and leave the larger results to God.
HOW TO PURSUE IT: Invest in what you believe in.
- Matthew 6:19-21.
- I will come back to the word “invest” throughout this sermon series. The word “give” is not a bad word, but I prefer to speak of “investing” when we give to the Kingdom. Why? Because when we give to the Kingdom, it’s not money that is gone forever. Rather, we are investing in something that we believe will return dividends.
- In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus spoke “storing up for yourselves treasures in heaven.” That gets to the idea I’m speaking of.
- This is also part of creating the enthusiasm that makes this sustainable. It’s so much easier to give generously when we give to something we find compelling. It’s less of an arduous grind and more like a sailboat with full sails.
- So think about what you really have a passion for. Think of what you want to see happen. I hope it has to do with Jesus’ Kingdom. There are obviously a wide variety of opportunities. I’m personally of the belief that what God does in and through the local church is such a thing.
- It’s worth remembering for a moment what v. 2 about the Macedonians’ “overflowing joy.” This was giving that brought them joy.
