2 CORINTHIANS SERIES
Charity: Part Deux
2 CORINTHIANS 9:1-15
#2corandmore
PERSON FROM CONGREGATION READS 2 CORINTHIANS 9:1-15
Now it is superfluous for me to write to you about the ministry for the saints, 2 for I know your readiness, of which I boast about you to the people of Macedonia, saying that Achaia has been ready since last year. And your zeal has stirred up most of them. 3 But I am sending the brothers so that our boasting about you may not prove empty in this matter, so that you may be ready, as I said you would be. 4 Otherwise, if some Macedonians come with me and find that you are not ready, we would be humiliated—to say nothing of you—for being so confident. 5 So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to go on ahead to you and arrange in advance for the gift you have promised, so that it may be ready as a willing gift, not as an exaction. 6 The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, 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 having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. 9 As it is written, “He has distributed freely, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever.” 10 He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. 12 For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God. 13 By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission that comes from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others, 14 while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you. 15 Thanks be to God for His inexpressible gift!
INTRODUCTION… blog.charitywatch.org/some-of-the-worst-charities-in-america-2024/
Today we are going to continue (from last week) talking about “charity,” money, and giving which made me wonder about some of the more infamous charities in the United States. I did some reading with CharityWatch about charities that might not be the best… I guess I was looking up the worst because I am a pessimist. I also happen to think that donations and charity is a fertile place to manipulate folks and take advantage of willingness to do good.
* Front Range Equine Rescue is a Florida-based charity which spends donations on overhead spending and keeps the rest. They get an F rating according to CharityWatch due to the amount of assets the charity holds in reserve which means they could continue to operate for 7.3 years without raising another penny of revenue. Basically, they get your money and don’t help any horses. On a related note, Dreamchaser PMU Horse Rescue and Rehabilitation, a Missouri-based charity, is no better and also gets an F rating.
* Committee For Missing Children, a Georgia-based charity, spent only 9% of its cash expenses on its programs and a whopping 91% on overhead. I imagine this means they don’t find a lot of children.
* Feed The Children is a charity whose former leader appears on CharityWatch’s Charity Hall of Shame for the numerous scandals that took place under his leadership. Feed the Children, according to CharityWatch, is the “Most Outrageous Charity in America.” While the charity is now operated by different management, its financial efficiency has not improved earning it a D rating because it keeps 59% of donations and uses marketing firms where board members have controlling interests.
* For The Troops, a California-based charity, spent only 36% of its cash budget on its programs and the remaining 64% on overhead. That means they are paying themselves to do good work. They earn an F rating from CharityWatch.
I found that there are a lot of ways charities can appear solid and working for the good of others when in fact they are just lining their own pockets. As I continued my digging, I noted that in the “Hall of Shame” was a group that I used to do ministry with and for… Angel Food Ministries run by the Wingo family of Georgia. They used their church and ministry to steal and launder money, buy cars, and fraudulently buy a plane.
Interestingly… “charity” is easy to manipulate.
The Apostle Paul thought that as well which is why 2 Corinthians 8-9 shares how Paul and others are above-board full-of-integrity when dealing with the large collection for the church in Jerusalem.
TRANSITION / REMINDER OF LAST SERMON
In chapters 8-9 of 2 Corinthians, the Apostle Paul is describing a large collection of money for the church in Jerusalem which is undergoing a famine and severe persecution. We covered 2 Corinthians 8 last week in which he calls the collection “relief of the saints” (8:4). 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.
2 Corinthians 8 and 9 are two chapters dedicated to this delivery of funds to Jerusalem where Paul talks specifically about being charitable, giving to God, and priorities of money with people of faith. As I was reading and praying over 2 Corinthians 9, which is our focus this week, I marveled at all the ways that I could twist this passage of Scripture and preach it in ways that it did not mean to the Corinthians and does not mean for us. “Charity” is easy to manipulate. This morning let’s talk about what 2 Corinthians 9 DOES NOT teach us and what it DOES teach us.
WHAT DOES 2 CORINTHIANS 9 NOT TEACH US?
2 Corinthians 9 can be teached and preached in ways that miss Paul’s main intent and veer off in ways that are not true and can be manipulative. This chapter is about generosity, giving, and financial priorities. Yes, it is! What does 2 Corinthians 9 NOT teach us?
2 CORINTHIANS 9 DOES NOT TEACH US: “If you give money, God will make you rich”
The Apostle Paul says in this chapter:
RE-READ 2 CORINTHIANS 9:6-8 (ESV)
“The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, 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 having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.”
It might make sense to see that if we sow bountifully with God that He will give our money back even more. It is a mis-reading and a mis-interpretation of this passage to see it that way. The Apostle Paul does not say if we give, tithe, and are charitable that God will give us money. He does say that if we sow and give that God will supply what we need so we can keep on being generous. He’s not talking about building personal wealth, but serving in a way based on grace.
Giving to God sometimes is treated as a business investment with guaranteed return. In this passage, the Apostle Paul is speaking of spiritual fruit such as thanksgiving to God, unity in the body of Christ, and provision for others as the return we get. God is not a cosmic vending machine or a divine hedge fund.
2 CORINTHIANS 9 DOES NOT TEACH US: “If you don’t give, you’re a bad Christian”
I personally struggle with this interpretation because I tend to believe it in my mind even though I know it is not completely true in my heart. We think we have to give and if we don’t give, we are bad Christians or not a Christian at all. Paul explicitly says in verse 7 that money should be given “not reluctantly or under compulsion” and so our motivation matters. All of these verses can be used to pressure people to give… but such teaching is directly contradicting Paul’s expressed point.
We talked last week that in 2 Corinthians 8, Paul ties the charitable giving of believers to the grace of God. Because we have been given grace, we then give back to God. Not giving does not make you a bad Christian, it maybe makes you an ungrateful one, but it doesn’t mean you do not believe in Jesus or are less of a Christian than others. Even what I just said is a little sticky because it sounds manipulative.
2 CORINTHIANS 9 DOES NOT TEACH US: “Be generous in all kinds of ways”
I want to tell you that while money is in view in this passage, the principle is broader, meaning that charity and generosity comes in all forms such as giving time, sharing hospitality, finding resources, and having a heart of compassion. I want to share with you that the Apostle Paul envisions a lifestyle of generosity that glorifies God in many ways, but not just in offering plate moment.
And yet… the whole context of the passage is… money. Yes, believers are to give of ourselves in many ways, but Paul is in fact talking about the giving of our money. In verse 13, he is talking about “the contribution.” The center of the passage is about how Paul doesn’t want to get there and then be embarrassed that they didn’t collect money when they said they would. The passage is about… money. It is about how discipleship and Lordship to Christ for a person of faith reaches even to our money because there is no part of our lives where Jesus doesn’t get a say.
2 CORINTHIANS 9 DOES NOT TEACH US: “This is about your personal blessing”
Because we are Americans, we are by culture very individualistic in our thinking and in our actions. We think everything has to do with us personally and individually. Paul is not writing to the church in Corinth for certain particular individuals to excel in giving (8:7). Paul is not writing to them that if some of them are generous then those particular individuals will be blessed and get a spiritual bonus. Paul writes letters to individuals such as 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus, and Philemon. This is not one of those letters.
The whole passage is deeply communal. 2 Corinthians is written to the whole church. Paul frames generosity as a way the whole church together embodies God’s grace together and blesses others together in a joint effort.
TRANSITION
In summary, it is easy to mis-preach, mis-teach, and mis-represent charity, giving, tithing, and offerings in 2 Corinthians 9. Overall, 2 Corinthians 9 can easily be turned into manipulation. Manipulation takes the form of passive-aggressive pressure, promises of wealth, and perhaps the well-placed guilt-trip. The wrong ways twist 2 Corinthians 9 into manipulation. The right ways of interpreting and preaching 2 Corinthians focus us and lift us up as a Church family. This morning we’ve talked about what 2 Corinthians 9 DOES NOT teach us, but what DOES this passage teach us?
WHAT DOES 2 CORINTHIANS 9 TEACH US?
2 CORINTHIANS 9 DOES TEACH US: “Generosity flows from grace”
The Apostle Paul emphasizes that charitable giving is a response to God’s lavish grace. 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. Please give because we are thankful for the grace God Almighty has given to us and we want to see that grace extended to others. God’s generosity in Christ to us is the source and motivator for our generosity.
2 CORINTHIANS 9 DOES TEACH US: “God supplies what we need to give”
RE-READ 2 CORINTHIANS 9:11 (ESV)
“You will be enriched in every way TO BE generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.”
Another way to translate 9:11 is “God enriches us in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion.”
ILLUSTRATION… Dave Ramsey
Dave Ramsey, Christian financial guru says: “Live like no one else so you can give like no one else.”
The point isn’t prosperity for luxury, but provision for ministry to others. God equips His people to be generous so we can give to His work.
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. The Corinthian believers then gave according to their ability and capability. God did not expect them to give what they didn’t have, but expected them to give of what He gave them. That’s all God commands... that we give according to our ability given to us by Him. 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.
Charity as the Bible commands does not require us to give more than we are able, but to give according to how God has blessed us. Please give from what God has given you so that the work of God… to help people find and follow Jesus… might be done.
2 CORINTHIANS 9 DOES TEACH US: “Generosity meets real needs”
RE-READ 2 CORINTHIANS 9:12 (ESV)
“For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God.”
As I read over verse 12, I noticed two emphases made. The first was on how charity should meet actual needs. The Apostle Paul was not collecting from the churches in Macedonia and Achaia and Asia for the church in Jerusalem for no reason. There was need on the ground in Jerusalem for which they would help.
Paul frames giving as practical help for others in this verse. This is not an abstract idea of sharing “thoughts and prayers” for people, which is appropriate, but he is focusing on food on the table and clothes on their backs. He is focused on relief for struggling brothers and sisters who are being persecuted for their faith.
ILLUSTRATION… Elders Meeting Last Week (p)
This exact topic came up last week in our elders meeting last Sunday. We were discussing the millions of dollars that the new sanctuary would require. That is a lot of money. As we discussed, we also spoke about the needs of our community… the real people with real needs… that must remain our focus if we are to continue the work of Christ in our community. The real actual needs matter.
Charity from the people of God is not an abstract idea… or rather… should not be, but should be directed to help real problems of real people. Please give so that we can continue to provide water, lights, food, clothes, gas money, groceries, supplies for teachers, school supplies for students, household goods for released prisoners, and anyone else God brings across our path.
2 CORINTHIANS 9 DOES TEACH US: “Generosity produces thanksgiving to God”
RE-READ 2 CORINTHIANS 9:12 (ESV)
“For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God.”
As I read over verse 12, I noticed two emphases made. The first was on how charity should meet actual needs. The second is that generosity produces thanksgiving to God. I do not know why, but giving produces a heart of thanksgiving. Generosity produces joy in us. The Apostle Paul says specifically in verse 123 that generosity is worship that results in “many expressions of thanks to God” (9:12).
The key word in this idea is the word “overflowing.” This word means what you think it means. When we give to God, the thankfulness we feel and the goodness in our souls superabounds, will be in excess, excels, and will be enough and enough to spare. This same word is used once in 2 Corinthians 8 and once in 2 Corinthians 9 and shows us that the overflowing spiritual blessings of generosity, charity, and having money in its proper place in our lives is not a small blessing, but an abounding abundant one.
Charity as the Bible describes comes from a heart of thankfulness and produces even greater thankfulness in us. Please give with a thankful heart knowing that God will do a work in your heart with even more thankfulness.
2 CORINTHIANS 9 DOES TEACH US: “Cheerful giving honors God”
RE-READ 2 CORINTHIANS 9:13 (ESV)
“By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission that comes from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others”
Yes, God loves a cheerful giver (9:7), but He also loves to get honor and glory from His people as we reflect His character. Everything we do reflects our God. Everything we do reflects our Savior. As representatives of Jesus Christ in this world, in this country, in this state, in this county, and in this community… everything we do reflects our God and should honor Him. That includes what we do with our money and how generous we are.
The Bible tells us elsewhere:
READ PROVERBS 14:31 (ESV)
“Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors Him.”
READ 1 CORINTHIANS 10:31 (ESV)
“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”
READ COLOSSIANS 3:17 (ESV)
“And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the Name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”
READ HEBREWS 13:18 (ESV)
“Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a clear conscience, desiring to act honorably in all things.”
Charity as the Bible teaches is all about honoring God. Please give because we are seeking to represent God Almighty, Jesus Christ our Savior, and the Holy Spirit our Comforter well to those who do not know Him. We honor God with our charity.
SUMMARY
What does 2 Corinthians 9 teach us?
“Generosity flows from grace”
“God supplies what we need to give”
“Generosity meets real needs”
“Generosity produces thanksgiving to God”
“Cheerful giving honors God”
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 easy to manipulate.” It may be easy to manipulate, but that doesn’t mean the people of God are not called to love, give, and share with our money. We put our money where our faith is.
PRAYER
INVITATION
RE-READ 2 CORINTHIANS 9:13 (ESV)
“By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission that comes from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others…”
In this verse, the Apostle Paul mentions “submission that comes from your confession of the gospel of Christ.” A believer in Jesus Christ is someone who has submitted themselves to Jesus and confessed Him as Lord and Savior. It requires submission. It requires faith. It requires confession. If you are ready to do that today, I invite you forward.
