GRACE GIVING
II Corinthians 8:1-15
INTRODUCTION: This portion of Scripture describes the grace giver. The grace giver gives with Christ Jesus in mind. Every gift that Christ Jesus has given us has been a gift of Grace. We deserve nothing any better. Nothing that He gave us did we deserve. When we get to the place that we give as Jesus did, then we certainly are doing well?
The grace giver also gives with heaven in mind. When one has heaven in mind, it will affect his attitude towards the things of the earth. The giver will not at all mind turning lose the earthly to gain the heavenly.
In this study, may we look at the character of the grace giver; then, let us look at the charity of the grace giver. Thirdly, let us look at the continuing of the grace giver.
I. THE CHARACTER OF THE GRACE GIVER. (Vv. 1-6).
Paul is complementing the giving practices of the Macedonians as he encourages the Corinthians to give. The northern part of Greece was called Macedonia, the southern part was called Achaia; Corinth was in Achaia. The Macedonians who were the northern neighbors of Corinth were very generous in their giving to the ministries that Paul was involved in. They gave this way though they were very poor. The Lord gives this as an example in His Word to show that a person does not have to be wealthy to exercise faith promise giving.
A. They Gave Out Of Their Poverty. (Vv. 1-2a).
The poverty of the Macedonians is confirmed historically after the land of Alexander the Great was conquered by the Romans. This land was several hundred years earlier the home of Alexander the Great, with all of its wealth. During the time of Paul a people wealthier than what they were in Alexander’s day occupied it. But their wealth was of a different kind. It had a people who were materially poor, but who were rich in God’s grace.
Verse number two describes this kind of giving: "How that in a great trial of afflictions the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality".
It is wonderful that the church at Macedonia did not allow their afflictions to affect in a negative way their giving.
B. They Gave With A Liberality. (V. 2b).
The word "liberality" means openhearted generosity. The described generosity here is of the sacrificial kind. It was with joy that they made their gifts unto the Lord; they did it sacrificially. Paul witnessed this willingness, by Macedonia in their giving in the manner in which they did.
Paul gave this church as an example to challenge the church at Corinth to give; we too should also give. Our giving should not be determined by our bank accounts, but by God?s riches in glory. He has far more than we have. This becomes the basis of "Faith Promise Giving". This also is the highest level of giving. It is given prayerfully believing that God is directing your giving, while trusting God to provide the gift.
C. They Gave Beyond Their Ability. (Vv. 3-4).
This was not careless giving, it was faith giving. The Macedonia Church did not know exactly where their gifts were going to come from, but they would know Whom the gifts were coming from. As we support the ministries of the Bible Baptist Church, we shall do it as a faith ministry. To operate by faith may have the appearances of doing so foolishly. It is as someone said, "You never test the resources of God until you attempt the impossible". Many modern day testimonies abound as to the way God blesses when one gives by faith.
The story of the poor widow illustrates sacrificial giving. She gave everything that she owned. She was beggarly poor. God used her as an example of total sacrifice, as illustrated in Mark 12.
12:41 And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much.
12:42 And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.
12:43 And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury:
12:44 For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.
D. They Gave Very Unselfishly. (Vv. 5-6).
The Macedonians "first gave their own selves to the Lord," First things first; God wants you first. Do just as the Macedonians did. When a person absolutely gives himself to the Lord, then God has all that that one has including all of his potential. Grace giving is a kind of giving that must require God for it to truly be grace giving. God by His Spirit directs the gift. It is the highest form of unselfish giving. It is a kind of giving that surrenders the gift with absolutely no strings attached. It is a kind of giving that can give even if the gift is undeserved. After all, when Christ gave Himself to us, not one of us deserved it. God gave Himself proving that His love is an unselfish love. Grace giving requires the same kind of love. In our next section, we will consider the love or the CHARITY of the grace giver.
II. THE CHARITY OF THE GRACE GIVER (Vv.7-9)
Paul commended those things that he could kindly say about the church at Corinth, such as their abounding in "faith, utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence". He also complemented their love that they had for Paul and his ministry. But he still wanted them to have the same giving spirit, as did the churches in Macedonia. It seemed that the church at Corinth did not have a giving spirit. This could be for many reasons, with the biggest being that they had become accustomed to having things and may have been reluctant to give up those things which could be bought with money.
Paul challenges their giving by telling them that they could mature beyond where they were, and in doing so prove the sincerity of their love.
A. Charity Or Love Expressed. (Vv. 7,8).
There is a very practical way of demonstrating or proving your love. Paul told the church at Corinth that they could prove their love by their giving. Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it. He expressed this love as He gave Himself on the cross. In the 8th verse of our text, Paul tells how Jesus who was rich became poor. This giving involved what Christ did on the cross; this was the way that He expressed His love.
Our giving to the church proves our love for Christ and His church. Our love for missions is proven as we support missions in a financial way. Our love for anything is expressed by our giving. You give to what you love. You support what you love. This church has faithfully demonstrated this truth for over fifty years.
B. Charity Or Love"s Example. (Vv. 9).
Notice the greatness of this verse pertaining to Christ.
"For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye though his poverty might be rich."
The Creator God of the universe, and Creator of all that there is, voluntarily gave up His all becoming poor. He demonstrated that He was willing to make Himself poor that we might be rich. Such love! There is no greater example of grace giving than this. His example is our challenge.
May we be challenged, by the death, the burial, and the resurrection of Christ Jesus. May His total sacrifice, be a challenge for us to willingly sacrifice for the things that God loves. God loves our Church, the souls of men, and our mission program. When you give to these, you will certainly be proving you love in a very practical way. 2 Cor. 8:24)
III. THE CONTINUING OF THE GRACE GIVER. (Vv. 10-15).
The giving that is described in these verses, beginning in verse 10, is based upon what possession that one has. Paul is speaking to the Corinthians, being mindful that they had not followed through with what they had already committed. It seems that he recognizes that they do not have the same sacrificial spirit that the churches in Macedonia had. He is telling them that they do not have to give to the extent that they will deprive themselves.
Their immaturity in their giving must be addressed. That is what Paul is doing. This provides us with the lesson that not everyone will give as the Macedonians gave, but should be encouraged to give at whatever level they will. In the next chapter Paul will encourage the Corinthians further by saying that the person that sows sparingly will also reap that way, and the person that sows bountifully will then reap that way. Hopefully, when one starts giving and begins to prove God, seeing the way He blesses, he will get to the place that he will by faith give what he does not even have. When the giver gets to that place, he is then practicing the highest level of giving.
A. The Grace Giver Will Continue If He Has A Will To. (Vv. 10-12)
Verse 12, says that, ?there be first a willing mind?. Every consistent and continuing giver must first have a willing mind. He must be willing to give to whatever need that there is, for the giving to continue.
B. The Grace Giver Will Continue If He Sees A ?Want?. (Vv.13-15)
The giver needs to clearly see where the want or the need is. If he does not see the need, he will not likely give with the commitment that is needed. As your Pastor, I have been patiently laying the ground work for the purpose of letting you know that as we support the ministries of the Bible Baptist Church, we are supporting something of infinitely more value than "Sam Walton" or "Donald Trump" enterprises. When you support the ministries here, you are plugging into something that will offer eternal dividends, and benefits. When you help our missionaries, you are having a part in spreading the gospel throughout the world. When you are helping retire the debt on this new edifice, you are having a part in paying for a wonderful light house that will be shining as a bright light in dark places until the Lord comes to take up His own.
