"thanks Be To God For His Indescribable Gift"

“THANKS BE TO GOD…” (Outline)

October 2, 2022 – Pentecost 17 – 2 CORINTHIANS 9:10-15

INTRO: “Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” What an inspirational verse for believers in every age. How does one describe an indescribable gift? Our second reading (1 Timothy 1:15) states: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”. God’s gift to sinners is his Son, our Savior Jesus Christ. Indescribable gift. Love. Mercy. We thank God for his precious Gift to us. For sinners. "And everything you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him" (COLOSSIANS 3:17). “THANKS BE TO GOD…” I. Increased harvest. II. Generous service.

I. GOD’S INCREASED HARVEST OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

A. Verse 10. The Lord uses an easily understood earthly example to explain spiritual truth.

1. The Creator of the heavens and the earth provides “seed to the sower”.

2. From this seed the Lord provides “bread for food”. God multiplies this seed for more sowing.

3. “…and will increase the harvest of your righteousness.” Much more than earthly seed.

a. Righteousness is spiritual. b. Seed, food = spiritual. c. Seed of God’s Word planted.

4. All of this planting…growing…increase is God’s work alone. Word planted and faith grows.

B. Verse 11. “You will be made rich in every way…” Emphasis again is on spiritual wealth of believers.

1. Rich in every way yields generosity in every way (more on this later).

2. Generosity in every way leads to thanksgiving to God. Faith yields thankful, generous living.

C. Believers in Corinth blessed by the Lord. Indescribable gift of faith…Savior…rich in every way.

D. We are not righteous in ourselves in any way. “…and all our righteous acts are like a filthy cloth…” (Isaiah 64:6). An increase of righteousness is growth in our Christian faith. God’s gift of faith sown in our hearts produces eternal blessings. We grow in divine wisdom. We grow in a better understanding of God’s indescribable gift. We believe that Christ, alone, is the only One righteous. "…Christ also suffered once for sins in our place, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring us to God. He was put to death in flesh but was made alive in spirit…" (1 PETER 3:18). Indescribable gift. Christ the righteous One died for the unrighteous. Sinners. His life, death, and resurrection is the sacrifice needed to pay for our sins. Our unrighteousness. Jesus brings us, who once were far off, to God. We are God’s own children.

E. Take an honest, close look at your life. What do we see? We see the truth confessed by the Apostle Paul: “the worst sinner”. “I was a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a violent man.” Our sinful nature speaks out against the Lord. Blasphemy. Too often our anger shows itself. It can lead to hatred. Scripture describes hatred as murder. Violent. Thanks be to God who has opened our ears to hear and hearts to believe his truth. Truth that saves us from all our sins. “…be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own, which comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness that comes from God by faith” (PHILIPPIANS 3:9). Righteousness comes from God through Christ. Indescribable gift!

F. The Lord clearly states: “You will be made rich in every way…” We would have to agree our lives are truly blessed with an abundance of God’s love. We have more than enough to enjoy our lives. We are given spiritual blessings to enjoy eternal life. Thanks be to God. We are sinners who deserve eternal punishment. Our perfect, loving heavenly Father does not treat his children as they deserve. "Listen, my dear brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom, which he promised to those who love him?” (JAMES 2:5). Rich in faith. Heirs of heaven. Thanks be to God.

“THANKS BE TO GOD…” The Holy Spirit gives us faith to believe in Christ’s saving work.

II. OUR GENEROUS SERVICE OF SHARING AND CARING

A. Verse 12. “…administration of this service…” The Corinthian believers collected an offering (service).

1. This collection was destined for needy believers in Jerusalem. Believers who were lacking

2. The management of this act of love produced overflowing prayers of thanksgiving.

B. Verse 13. Others noticed this act of generous love of believers (Corinth) for believers (Jerusalem).

1. People recognized the love the believers had for Christ. Seen and shown in love for others.

2. This Christian love resulted in generous sharing and caring for those in need.

C. Verse 15. Jerusalem believers prayed for Corinthian believers. Separated by thousands of miles.

1. God’s grace is extraordinary by itself. Combined with generosity even more extra-ordinary.