AMC, 04.09.2022
Theme: Indescribable Gift
Text: 2 Corinthians 9:1-15
The Lord is good and his love endures forever.
Happy Teachers’ Day!
St. Paul Having discussed in chapter 8, the principles of Christian giving, Now, he shares the promises that we can claim if we are faithful in our giving to God. He emphasizes giving generously, giving bountifully, and giving the indescribable gift. The true Christian life is connected with giving the self, the sources, and giving the priceless gift of salvation to all.
1. GIVE GENEROUSLY (2 Corinthians 9:1-11):
Naturally, we are tempted and more enthusiastic about getting, receiving, and retaining than giving. Paul remembered the words of our Lord Jesus Christ related to giving and recorded in his preaching saying, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ (Acts 20:35).
Solomon says, “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.” The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Paul exhorted the Church at Corinth to excel in giving to God (2 Corinthians 8:7).
Generously means Openhandedly, bigheartedly, kindly to the needy, to the missions, and to God and for his ministry. “The opportunity of a lifetime must be seized within the lifetime of the opportunity.” (Leonard Ravenhill).
God looks not at the quantity given, but at the quality of the giver! It is not HOW MUCH we give, but HOW we give! All giving should be "want to" not "have to!" (Austin Precepts).
The Christian gift of giving ought to be exercised as an act of worship with preparation, purpose, and joy. Giving that is reluctant or forced is not pleasing to God, "for God loves a cheerful giver” (Believers study Bible). Many are giving sorrowfully, they are induced to give by regard to public opinion, or by the stress of conscience (Hodge).
If the giving comes from a committed and happy heart, it also gives a happy heart which lengthens our life. God does not want a "percentage" of our hearts but he wants our whole hearts (1Kings 8:61, 2Kings 20:3, 1Chronicles 28:9).
A young man met Jesus and wanted to enter into the Kingdom of God. But he turned sorrowfully because he was asked to sell everything and give it to the poor. He would have given him bountifully and a hundredfold as per he promised (Matthew 19:21-22, 28-30). We know that God is not a debtor of any one (1 Chronicle 29:12-18).
Barclay says of this ancient Greek word autarkeia: “By it, they meant complete self-sufficiency. They meant a frame of mind which was completely independent of all outward things, and which carried the secret of happiness within itself. Contentment never comes from the possession of external things.” With this contentment, we can be the richest people in the world. A man might have the wealth of the richest man in the world, yet lack contentment. But if we have this contentment, it really does make us better off than the wealthiest people who don’t have it. (2 Corinthians 9) (Austin Precepts).
In Ghana, at the offering people dance as a part of African culture in religious, and spiritual worship. While music is played people bring offerings to the altar by dancing. The offering could go on for a long time because they are dancing all the way down the aisle. Interestingly, it's the only time in the service when they smile, when they're giving their money! (Brian Bell). Attitude is honored, and rewarded.
2. GIVE BOUNTIFULLY (2 Corinthians 9:7-12)
This is the secret to prosperity and success. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a CHEERFUL GIVER (2 Corinthians 9:6-7). ‘When a generous believer gives by faith and trust in God, with a desire to produce the greatest possible blessing, that person will receive that kind of a harvest of blessing (Proverbs 3:9, 10; 28:27; Malachi 3:10). God gives a return on the amount one invests with Him. (John MacArthur).
Precept Austin: Purposed (proaireo) means to decide ahead of time and thus means that each individual should make a pre-determination to give in contrast to giving by impulse or even worse under a sense of guilt or coercion! Purposed is in a perfect tense indicating the decision was made at the point in time in the past and is still in the person's mind and heart. Purposed is also in the middle voice, indicating each person initiates the action energized by the Spirit giving them the desire (Philippines 2:13), and then they participate in the act or process of giving.
A farmer sowing seed may feel he loses seed as it falls from his hand to the ground. He sows with weeping but the Psalmist ends the verse they will reap with joy (Psalm 126:5). The same way we may feel we are losing when we give. But the harvest brings joy. In the field of God, there is no draught, no locusts eating, no worms eating but gives a hundredfold return.
Think of a farmer who planted only a few seeds because he wanted to “hold on” to as many seeds as he could, he would have more seeds in his barn after sowing season. But at the harvest, he understands that the seeds in the barn could not multiply but the sown seeds. So dear friends don’t hold on but give bountifully to God and his causes.
“This harvest should be understood both in terms of the spiritual reward of eternal life and also referring to the earthly blessings with which God honours the beneficent. Not only in heaven does God reward the well-doing of the godly, but in this world as well” (Enduring).
He further says that “sow with blessing” and to reap bountifully means to “reap with blessing.” (Warren Wiersbe). Mathew Henry: ‘Money bestowed in charity, may to the carnal mind seem thrown away, but when given from proper principles, it is the seed sown, from which a valuable increase may be expected. It should be given carefully.’
‘2 Corinthians 8th & 9th Chapters explain giving as a Christian grace, a blessing, not as a legal obligation that burdens people. If giving is difficult for a Christian, then there is something wrong with his heart! (Warren Wiersbe).
3. GIVE INDESCRIBABLY (2 Corinthians 9:13-15)
The word indescribable was not existing in the Greek world. Paul coined this word in order to say that no one can fully describe the qualities, characters, and love of Christ. This is the extreme gift one can give to others in the name of God. Share the way of the Salvation, share the love of God, and the hope of eternal life available in Christ.
Gift (2 Corinthians 9:11): dorea (from didomi = to give) refers to a free gift and emphasizes the gratuitous character of the gift. Dorea describes that which is given or transferred freely by one person to another. It is something bestowed freely, without price or compensation (John 4:10; Acts 2:38; Acts 8:20; Acts 10:45; Acts 11:17; Romans. 5:15,17; Ephesians 3:7, 4:7; Hebrews 6:4).
Though the gift is basically about Salvation which means the Gift is Jesus Christ. God gave everything except Christ to save the world. But couldn’t. Therefore, he gave his only begotten SON. God is the greatest giver. Christ is the gift beyond description (John 3:16).
According to Enduring Word Commentary, the ancient Greek word used by Paul for “indescribable (anekdiegetos)” is not found in any ancient writing before this time. (Enduring Word). ‘While it is possible to give without loving, it is not possible to love without giving.’ (John MacArthur).
“God can pour on the blessings in astonishing ways so that you’re ready for anything and everything, more than just ready to do what needs to be done. As one psalmist puts it, He throws caution to the winds, giving to the needy in reckless abandon. His right-living, right-giving ways never run out, never wear out. This most generous God who gives seed to the farmer that becomes bread for your meals is more than extravagant with you. He gives you something you can then give away, which grows into full-formed lives, robust in God, wealthy in every way so that you can be generous in every way, producing with us great praise to God.” (MSG: 2 Corinthians 9:8).
2 Corinthians 9:8 talks about God's ability to continually give material provisions to supply all of our material needs, even to the point of overflowing. Clearly, this is an "all-inclusive" passage. We can easily say my God is sufficient (Philippians 4:19). He is my shepherd and I shall not want (Psalm 23:1).
‘Paul resorted to hyperbole, using a form of the word pas (all) five times in verse 8. God's gracious giving has no limits; it is off the scale. Since giving naturally seems to result in having less, not more, it takes faith to believe that giving will open up God's blessing. Christians must believe that what God has promised to do He is able to do.’ (Mac Arthur).
‘Now godliness with contentment is great gain.’ (1 Timothy 6:6). God gives a special gift to the giving heart: ‘always all contentment in all things.’ That is a lot of all! When we live and act without contentment, we are trying to fill needs in our lives. It might be the need to be “somebody,” the need to feel secure or cared for, or the need to have excitement and newness in our lives. Most people try to fulfill these needs with material things, but they can only really be met by a spiritual relationship with the God who made us.
