2 CORINTHIANS SERIES
Charity
2 CORINTHIANS 8:1-24
2corandmore
PERSON FROM CONGREGATION READS 2 CORINTHIANS 8:1-24
“We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, 2 for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. 3 For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, 4 begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints— 5 and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us. 6 Accordingly, we urged Titus that as he had started, so he should complete among you this act of grace. 7 But as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you—see that you excel in this act of grace also. 8 I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine. 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 by His poverty might become rich. 10 And in this matter I give my judgment: this benefits you, who a year ago started not only to do this work but also to desire to do it. 11 So now finish doing it as well, so that your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what you have. 12 For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. 13 For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness 14 your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness. 15 As it is written, “Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack.” 16 But thanks be to God, Who put into the heart of Titus the same earnest care I have for you. 17 For he not only accepted our appeal, but being himself very earnest he is going to you of his own accord. 18 With him we are sending the brother who is famous among all the churches for his preaching of the gospel. 19 And not only that, but he has been appointed by the churches to travel with us as we carry out this act of grace that is being ministered by us, for the glory of the Lord Himself and to show our good will. 20 We take this course so that no one should blame us about this generous gift that is being administered by us, 21 for we aim at what is honorable not only in the Lord's sight but also in the sight of man. 22 And with them we are sending our brother whom we have often tested and found earnest in many matters, but who is now more earnest than ever because of his great confidence in you. 23 As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker for your benefit. And as for our brothers, they are messengers of the churches, the glory of Christ. 24 So give proof before the churches of your love and of our boasting about you to these men.”
INTRODUCTION… https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charity_(name)
Today we are going to be talking about “charity,” money, and giving which made me wonder about some of the more famous charities in the United States and around the world. I did some digging.
* Charity Clark is the current Vermont Attorney General.
* Charity Adams Earley, who died in 2002 was the first African-American woman to become an officer in the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps.
* Charity Lamb was the first woman convicted of murder in Oregon Territory in 1854; although I feel like she killed her husband for good reasons.
* Baroness May Doris Charity Taylor was an English physician who became the first woman prison warden in England in 1945.
* Charity Akoshiwo Tornyewonya Zormelo who died in 1945 was the first woman from English-speaking West Africa to earn a BS degree.
I found as I was looking that there are not a lot of women named Charity since it is not all that popular of a name. It peaked in 1880-1898 and then again in 1973-1986, but Charity is always beat out by Faith and Hope.
Interesting… “charity” is not all that popular.
After my research, I realized there are not many famous charities out there, so we should probably just get to the passage. We are going to be focusing on verses 1-9 in 2 Corinthians 8. As I mentioned before, in 2 Corinthians we are catching only half of an ongoing conversation between the Apostle Paul and the believers in Corinth. This chapter shows that in many ways. He begins referencing something that we need to understand before we can apply the passage properly.
TRANSITION
What is the Apostle Paul describing?
SITUATION
The Apostle Paul is describing a large collection of money for the church in Jerusalem. In 2 Corinthians 8 he calls it “relief of the saints” (verse 4). This collection is not mentioned much in the Book of Acts, but is indicated by Paul to Governor Felix in Acts 24:
READ ACTS 24:17 (ESV)
Now after several years I came to bring alms to my nation and to present offerings.
Paul has already mentioned this collection to the Corinthians once in 1 Corinthians 16:
READ 1 CORINTHIANS 16:1-4 (ESV)
Now concerning the collection for the saints: as I directed the churches of Galatia, so you also are to do. 2 On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come. 3 And when I arrive, I will send those whom you accredit by letter to carry your gift to Jerusalem. 4 If it seems advisable that I should go also, they will accompany me.
As the Apostle Paul was travelling, he was organizing this for the church in Jerusalem and collecting money to take there. Why was the collection needed?
There was great poverty in Jerusalem. The believers in Jerusalem had been experiencing severe economic hardship. Acts 11 describes a severe famine in Judea. Not only that, there was persecution in which there was loss of jobs and property (Hebrews 10:34). The Jerusalem church had tried to meet all the needs (Acts 2:44–45; Acts 4:32–35), but their efforts needed help. We find out from Galatians 2 that when Paul was in Jerusalem for a meeting with the other Apostles, they asked him to please remember the poor:
READ GALATIANS 2:10 (ESV)
Only, they asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.
After this meeting with the Apostles, the Apostle Paul organized the collection across his mission field as he traveled. He went to Macedonia, Achaia, Galatia, and Asia collecting money as he ministered to the people. 2 Corinthians 8 is Paul explaining that he is sending Titus to collect the funds they have been storing. The last part of 2 Corinthians 8 Paul relates to them how carefully he has arranged the transport of all the money (2 Corinthians 8:18–21). He doesn’t want any accusations that he misused the funds. Representatives from the contributing churches accompanied this gift all the way to Jerusalem (Acts 20:4). He eventually delivered the collection to Jerusalem (Acts 21:17–20), where the church leaders received it with thanksgiving, though it came at a time when Paul himself was arrested.
So that is what is going on behind the scenes. Paul is collecting funds for believers in Jerusalem who have been persecuted and were in need. He is reminding the Corinthians that they are collecting it.
TRANSITION
2 Corinthians 8 and 9 are two chapters dedicated to this delivery of funds to Jerusalem. In the first part of 2 Corinthians 8, on which we will focus, Paul encourages the Corinthians in their charitable giving. He reflects on the generosity of the churches in Macedonia as a pattern that the Corinthians should follow. These were neighboring churches to the north which Paul had started in the Roman province of Macedonia and included Philippi, Thessalonica and Berea. That same pattern is also what we should follow. As believers in Jesus, we pattern the way we live after the Bible… this includes how we treat our money.
In the first part of 2 Corinthians 8, Paul lays out Biblical principles for giving generously, cultivating a heart that gives well, motivations for giving, faith and money, and proper attitudes about giving. He talks about:
Giving no matter the circumstances
Giving with joy
Giving voluntarily
Giving because of grace
GIVE NO MATTER THE CIRCUMSTANCES (verses 2-4)
RE-READ 2 CORINTHIANS 8:2-4 (ESV)
“for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. 3 For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, 4 begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints”
Paul mentions the Macedonian churches focusing on the fact that they gave no matter their circumstances. Paul knows that Christians were giving into the fund for Jerusalem and they were doing so even if the circumstances weren’t favorable… in fact… he says that the conditions were not favorable, but they gave anyway.
He first mentions “a severe test of affliction.” The word there means “pressure,” “persecution,” and “tribulation.” Acts 16 records for us that Christians in this area were seen as troublemakers because they weren't idol worshippers and would not buy or sell idols. Paul and Silas were beaten and imprisoned. Christians who spoke about Christ were considered disloyal to Rome and the emperor and were jailed. The ongoing reality for Christians was mob violence, riots against them, beatings, imprisonment, legal accusations and charges, social ostracism, and loss of business and money. Yet, in the midst of all of this, the members of the churches in Macedonia gave towards Jerusalem.
Paul also mentions “extreme poverty.” The word “poverty” is not used a lot in the New Testament (5x), but when it is used it means poor to the point of begging. Not only were the Christians persecuted in economic ways, much of the poverty came to these believers because the Roman government had taken over the gold and silver mines in Macedonia. They also taxed the copper and iron smelting industry. They lived in difficult days because the government was soaking up all the money and claiming the resources.
Paul tells the Corinthians that they gave in spite of their severe persecution and poverty. John the Baptist teaches us the same Truth. In Luke 3, he is preaching to the crowds and getting their hearts right before God. He said:
READ LUKE 3:11 (ESV)
“And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.”
John the Baptist did not teach us to be charitable out of the abundance and overflow of what we have, but to give of what we have. His example only mentions “two tunics,” not a closet-full. His teaching was the same with food.
Charity as the Bible teaches it means giving no matter the circumstances.
GIVE WITH JOY (verse 2)
RE-READ 2 CORINTHIANS 8:2 (ESV)
“for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part.
Paul mentions the Macedonian churches focusing on the fact that they gave with joy. The feeling and emotion Paul associates with charity is joy. There are many positive and negative motivators for giving and being charitable:
* Compassion and Empathy, because you are moved by the suffering or need of others
* Religious Duty, because the Bible says to give so you do it
* Gratitude, meaning we give out of thankfulness for what we have received
* Legacy and Influence meaning you want to be known for being generous
* Hope for Change, meaning charity helps build a better future for individuals or groups
* Manage Emotions, meaning giving helps people manage feelings of guilt
I don’t really know how to explain joy, but I know it when I see it and I know it when I feel it. Joy is often intangible because it is a feeling, but it is a feeling not dependent on circumstances as are most emotions. Joy is a transcendent state that impacts us physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. It is what the Magi felt when they saw the star (Matthew 2:10). According to Jesus, it is what the Gospel does inside us (Matthew 13:20, 13:44). According to Jesus, it is the atmosphere of Heaven (Matthew 25:23). It was what the women felt as they raced to tell the disciples that Jesus rose from the dead (Matthew 28:8).
It is also the transcendent state that was the motivation and the result for the Christians to give to the work of God in Jerusalem. That was true for them. Paul wanted it to be true for the Corinthians. I want it to be true for each of us. As we think about charity, we should focus on joy.
Join: Charity means joining with others to meet real needs.
Others: Charity is outward-focused, moving us to see, value, and care for others above self-interest.
Yield: Yield to the will of God with our finances.
Charity as the Bible teaches it is generated by joy and produces joy.
GIVE VOLUNTARILY (verse 3)
RE-READ 2 CORINTHIANS 8:3 (ESV)
For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord,
Paul mentions the Macedonian churches focusing on the fact that they gave voluntarily according to their means. We will see this emphasis repeated next week when we cover 2 Corinthians 9:
READ 2 CORINTHIANS 9:7 (ESV)
“Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
Paul did not steal the money from the Corinthians. He did not take it, extort it, lie for it, or send them a bill. The Apostle Paul shared with them the need of the churches in Jerusalem and allowed the Holy Spirit to do His work.
These believers gave according to their ability and capability. God does not expect us to give what we don’t have. He expects us to give of what we have. That’s all God asks is that we give according to our ability. Giving is to be proportionate. They gave whatever they were capable of giving. God expects us to give out of what we have, earn, and possess.
We should not forget Jesus’ words in Mark 12:
READ MARK 12:42-43 (ESV)
“And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. And He called His disciples to Him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box.”
Charity as the Bible teaches is does not require us to give more than we are able, but it is still required.
GIVE BECAUSE OF GRACE (verses 5-9)
RE-READ 2 CORINTHIANS 8:5-9
“and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us. 6 Accordingly, we urged Titus that as he had started, so he should complete among you this act of grace. 7 But as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you—see that you excel in this act of grace also. 8 I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine. 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 by His poverty might become rich.”
Paul encourages the Corinthian church to give because of grace. In 2 Corinthians 8-9, as Paul is speaking about this collection for Jerusalem, he uses the word “grace” 7 times. Over and over again he talks about charity, giving, tithing, and offerings with the word “grace.”
The money itself was seen as grace in Paul’s eyes (8:1)
Thrice the entire act of collecting money was called “an act of grace” (8:6, 8:9, 8:19)
The blessings God would give to the Corinthians because of their charity was grace (9:8)
I cannot help but see that the Apostle Paul is pleading with the Corinthians to give to Jerusalem out of grace:
* Give because they are thankful for the grace given to them by Christ.
* Give because the money collected will be seen as gracious by fellow believers
* Give because God will give grace back to us because of the giving
Charity as the Bible teaches is all about grace to us and from us.
TRANSITION
I’d like to conclude with a summary and a challenge.
SUMMARY
The Apostle Paul uses the charity of the Macedonian churches to impress on the Corinthians their need to be generous in their giving. The pattern he sets up for them is the same for us. Christian giving is never by command or pressure, but rather is about joy and grace. When the grace of Jesus Christ captures our heart, and when we yield ourselves to Him in times of plenty and in times of trial, the joy of giving is a reality, spiritual discipline, and way of life.
Paul wanted the Corinthians to excel at giving.
I want you to excel at giving.
CHALLENGE: THE "FIRST FRUITS" CHALLENGE
I would like to challenge all of us to excel in the grace of giving if that is not something you are already doing. It might be that you are new to church or new to this church and you have not heard about giving, charity, tithing, or offerings before.
I would like to challenge you with a “FIRST FRUITS” challenge which is a term based off of farming terms where we place God as a priority in our money over other concerns:
I challenge you to commit to giving to God first when it comes to your paychecks. Set aside your giving that you have prayerfully decided to give the moment you receive the paycheck. Give charitably to God first as you are able even before paying bills.
I challenge you to pray on your financial priorities and your financial stresses. Pray for a heart of faith to trust in God's provision and align financial decisions with faith. If you are already giving on a regular basis, can you increase it?
I also challenge you to automate the process of giving. Almost every bank has bill pay services for free. All you have to do is add the church as a payee and set the amount. The bank will send your tithe. Set it up automatic, recurring, and according to what you can give. We now have giving online which makes it easy and consistent.
CONCLUSION
I started this sermon by saying that “charity is not all that popular.” It may not be popular, but when we give as the Bible commands to give, it is rooted in joy and grace and we step into fully living out the faith in Jesus Christ that we profess.
PRAYER
INVITATION
RE-READ 2 CORINTHIANS 8:9 (ESV)
“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 by His poverty might become rich.”
The Apostle Paul makes a play on words in 2 Corinthians 8:9 by sharing that Jesus Christ left Heaven and emptied Himself and made Himself a poor human being so that He could save us. In Him, because of Him, and by Him, we can be adopted into the Kingdom of God making our souls eternally rich in God. If your poor soul still belongs to you, will you please consider giving it over willingly to Jesus Christ who wants to give you a relationship with God for eternity?
