The Grace Of Giving: Understanding Ourselves Series

THE GRACE OF GIVING: UNDERSTANDING OURSELVES

2 Corinthians 9:6-15 {NIV}

Part 3 of the series: The Grace of Giving: God-Given Principles for Understanding Your Money (2 Corinthians 8-9)

Sermon Objective: Giving is not something we do it is something we are. It is a way of life for the Christian that understands God’s grace. It is the heart of the saint that makes his giving pleasing and beneficial.

6Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 9As it is written: "He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever." 10Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

12This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. 13Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. 14And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. 15Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

OPENING:

We are ending our three part series this morning on stewardship called “The Grace of Giving” from 2 Corinthians 8 & 9. We have looked at the passage from a perspective of discovery:

• Week #1: Gave us an understanding of God (2 Corinthians 8:1-9)

• Week #2: Gave us an understanding of Community (2 Corinthians 8:10 – 9:5)

• Week #3: Gives us an understanding of Ourselves (2 Corinthians 9:6-15).

So let’s play a game … let’s play “Sermon Jeopardy”. I will give you an answer (from the last two week’s sermons) and you give the question. Are you ready?

Answer #1: “It’s not really about money. It’s really about character, community, and Christlikeness.”

Question #1: What’s the underlying spiritual truth we’ve been discovering this month.

Answer #2: “And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God’s will.” (2 Corinthians 8:5)

Question #2: What is the Bible verse we have used as the key for the sermon series?

Answer #3: God is a giver too. And a lot can be told about God by what and how He gives.

Question #3: What is our model for sacrificial and faithful giving?

Answer #4: Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

Question #4: What is the core issue most Christians struggle with?

This was written to the Corinthians at an earlier time but they still struggled with this core issue.

So how’d you do? Did you make it to the final “Sermon Jeopardy” round? I hope so. But more than that I hope you have surrendered and settled the Lordship issues in your own life and lifestyle.

Today we will attempt to bring this home … to make the applications of Lordship and stewardship even more personal.

Just as much can be understood about God by what and how he gives, so much can be understood about you by what and how you give.

A woman gave her son Billy 2 dollars. One was for his Sunday School offering. The other was for an ice cream cone on the way home from church. Billy was playing with one of the dollars when a gust of wind snatched it from his hands and took it away. He could not retrieve it.

Billy looked skyward and began his prayer with, "Sorry, God. I lost your money."...

Much can be told about you by what and how you give.

So what does faithful giving really tell us about ourselves? Paul makes it pretty clear:

1. YOUR GIVING SHOWS YOUR DESIRE TO BRING IN A SPIRITUAL HARVEST (9:6-11)

6Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 9As it is written: "He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever." 10Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.