STUDY THEME: EXCELLENCE IN GIVING: THE GRACE OF GIVING. 12-07-03.
“WHY I GIVE.” 2 CORINTHIANS 8: 1-24.
2 CORINTHIANS 8: 1-5, 7-9, 10-12, 13-15; 8:24.
PLEASE OPEN YOUR BIBLE T0 2 CORINTHIANS 8.
When the Jewish Council met in Jerusalem to discuss Paul’s missionary preaching in Acts 15, they approved his message. They also urged Paul to remember the poor as part of his ministry. The Jerusalem Church was the mother church to which other churches owed a debt. The Gentile Christians’ giving to the Jewish Christians would foster unity among believers. The grace of God moved Paul to be committed to meeting the physical needs as well as the spiritual needs of God’s people.
The question asked in today’s lesson is “Why should I give.’ Ps. 24:1 gives one good reason: “The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it.” Again in Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning God created---.” This ownership has never been transferred to man.
Giving is at the heart of the Christian life. But why should we give? No passage in the N.T. more clearly outlines the proper motives for giving than the 8th chapter in Paul’s letter to the Corinthians.
In Malachi 3: 8-10 God asks, “Will a man rob God? Yet you do rob Me. But you ask, ‘How do we rob You? In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing Me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house. Test Me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.”
In Genesis 4 we have Cain and Abel bringing a portion of their increase as an offering to God. Dr. B.H. Carroll recognized in Abel’s offering the sin-offering and the stewardship-offering. Dr. Moffatt says, ‘It was by faith that Abel offered a richer sacrifice than Cain did, and thus won from God the record of being just on the score of what he gave.’
In the days of the Patriarchs Genesis 14 shows Abraham offering the tenth to God. The tithe which God demanded through Moses at Mt. Sinai was the fundamental tithe. It expressed the abiding principle of God’s ownership and man’s stewardship.
Jesus mentioned the tithe three times: in Luke 11:42, Matt. 23:23 and Luke 18: 11,12. Jesus taught by precept. In Luke 6:38 He said, “Give, and it shall be given to you, good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, shall they give into your bosom. For with what measure you mete it shall be measured to you again.” Jesus taught by example. His whole life was a life of giving. Never man gave like this Man.
Paul reminds us in Acts 20:35 “Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” The Negro preacher was not wrong when he said, “It is more better to give than to get.”
In today’s lesson Paul is collecting an offering from the churches in Greece to alleviate the distressed conditions of the Christians in Jerusalem. He used the giving of the Macedonian churches as an example for the Corinthians. He asked the Corinthians to add the grace of giving to their other graces. He asked them to give in keeping with the principle of equality. He wanted them to demonstrate their love by giving. The focal scriptures will show us how to achieve the intended Life Impact in today’s lesson. The purpose of the Life Impact is to help us demonstrate our commitment to God through giving. “Why I give,” is a study of what Paul told the Corinthian Christians about giving to help others. Giving demonstrates one’s commitment to God.
PLEASE READ 2 CORINTHIANS 8: 1-5.
A famine had taken place in Palestine, and many of the Jewish believers, many of the early Christians in Jerusalem and Judea and other parts of Palestine were suffering. We also know from Acts 6: 1-7 that the church had many dependent widows to feed. There was a real depression prevailing all over that land. Naturally in such a time the world cares for it’s own. In those days especially there would be very little provision made, very little concern shown, regarding those who had trusted the Lord Jesus Christ.
But just as soon as their plight reaches the apostle laboring in a distant land, he says, “Now here is the opportunity for the Christians among whom I am working to show how true their fellowship is with their brethren over there in Judea. We also know from Acts 6: 1-7 that the church had many widows to feed.
The offering was to be a cooperative effort of a number of churches. As such it provides a biblical basis for our Cooperative Program. Autonomous Churches voluntarily cooperating to meet needs. Of course the greatest need of every person is to hear the good news, believe, and be saved. Many people have not yet heard. Our offerings can help meet this desperate need.
You will notice that the apostle Paul had already brought this matter before the Corinthians when he went through there the year before. He said, “What can you do?” “Well,” they said, “We will give something; we will do our best.” Now he has been up in Macedonia laboring, and he is coming back through Corinth on his way to Jerusalem, and so writes and practically says, “I hope you are prepared to keep the pledge you made a year ago.”
`These Corinthians had made a pledge, and the apostle says, in Vs. 11, “Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as “there was a willingness to will, so there may be a performance also of that which you have.”
In his letter to the Church at Corinth Paul moved from writing about his joy in being reconciled to the Corinthian believers to the subject of giving. In vs. 1 Paul wanted the Corinthian believers to know of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia.
God had poured out His grace on the Macedonian believers not only in saving them but also in inspiring in them a gracious spirit. The churches of Macedonia started by Paul were in Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea. Paul wrote 2 Corinthians from Macedonia, therefore, he could observe what was happening in the area and in the churches.
Economically speaking, the Macedonian churches were in no condition to do much giving. They were going through a severe testing by affliction. They were experiencing deep poverty. Deep carries the idea of “rock bottom” or the lowest stage of poverty. The Phillips translation says that they were “down to their last penny.” Rogers explained that “although the area of Macedonia, which included Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea, had at one time been rich, the Romans had taken possession of the gold and silver mines and the country was like a lacerated and disjointed animal.
Paul could testify to what he was about to report, for he had seen and experienced it with his own eyes. What the Macedonians did was an action they chose on their own. He did not tell them what to do, nor did anyone else. They embraced the privilege that the opportunity to give provided. In one sense they gave according to their ability. Bt in another sense their giving was beyond their ability.
The Macedonians knew that it was God’s will for them to give money to the Jerusalem believers. Paul must have felt comfortable using the Macedonians as an example of giving. He was not bragging on them so much as giving testimony to the extravagant grace of God in their lives.
Vs. 2-5 give the amazing characteristics of the giving of the Macedonians. First of all, they gave under circumstances that made giving difficult. The churches in Macedonia were experiencing a great trial of affliction. This probably referred to persecution. Paul had been persecuted in each city, and the persecution continued after he left.
The churches were also experiencing deep or abject poverty. This poverty could have been connected with the persecution, which often included job loss and confiscation of property.
Grace is used in vs. 1 to describe the grace “given” to the Macedonians by God. It is interesting that Paul understands that God’s grace does not lighten the Macedonians’ afflictions nor remove their deep poverty. Indeed it opens their hearts and their purse strings to others.
Under such circumstances most people would not be giving what little they had, but the Macedonians had the abundance of their joy. Joy in the midst of trouble is a N.T. theme. This kind of joy is independent of outward circumstances. When the Macedonians’ joy and their poverty came together, the result was the riches of their liberality.
The Macedonians’ giving was not only generous but also sacrificial. They gave beyond their power or ability. They were like the widow in Mark 12:41-44 who gave all she had. “And they did this voluntarily, even eagerly. Each man was to do according as he hath purposed in his heart” Each one is to determine “in his heart,” what is to be the measure of his liberality.
John Bunyan wrote:
A man there was, tho’ some did count him mad,
The more he cast away, the more he had;
He that bestowest his goods upon the poor,
Shall have as much again, and ten times more.
The first part of Vs. 4 shows that they gave not only freely but also eagerly. The words praying us and with much entreaty show their eagerness to do their part in the offering. “They begged us insistently for the privilege of sharing in the ministry to the saints.
In Vs. 5, How did the Macedonians do more than Paul had hoped? They first gave their own selves to the Lord. This is a crucial point in Christian giving. Not only do our possessions come from and belong to God, but also we ourselves come from and belong tog Hi. The first step, and the most important step, in giving is to give ourselves to God. This total commitment is renewed and expressed when we obey a challenge to do God’s will in some specific ay. Giving money is not a substituted for but is an expression of our total commitment.
PLEASE READ 2 CORINTHIANS 8: 7-9.
Turning from the example of the Macedonian churches, Paul, in Vs. 6, told of sending Titus to Corinth to finish their part in the offering. Titus was Paul’s troubleshooter in dealing with the Corinthians. He had been the one who negotiated the reconciliation between Paul and the Corinthians. In both vs. 6 & 7 their giving is again called a grace.
Paul assumed the best about the Corinthians when he wrote that they excelled in everything. Then Paul listed some specific graces in which they excelled: faith…utterance…knowledge… all diligence and love for Paul. Paul was reminding the Corinthian believers of some of the areas of which they had boasted, and he was urging them to add giving to their list of graces.
Paul did not issue an order or a
commandment that they give. But he admitted that he was seeking to
motivate them by the forwardness or diligence of other. He told them
of the giving of the Macedonian churches in order to challenge them
to prove the sincerity of their love. “I am not ordering you to
do this. I am simply testing how real your love is by comparing it
with the concern that others have shown. Freewill giving is to be
“according to their ability.” God’s people are not
to give out of compulsion, manipulation, or intimidation.
The
ultimate example of giving was not the remarkable Macedonians but the
Lord Jesus Himself. Paul reminded the Corinthians that they knew the
grace of our lord Jesus Christ. The words he was rich refer to
glory that the eternal Son of God knew as the Prince of heaven before
His descent to earth when the Word became flesh.
As the second person of the Trinity, Christ is as rich as God is rich. He owns everything, and possesses all power, authority, sovereignty, glory, honor, and majesty. Yet he became poor when He became a human being who lived a life of service to others and laid down His sinless life for the sins of the world.
Paul reminded his readers that Jesus did this for your sakes. Why did the Prince of heaven lay aside His robes of eternal glory and take up the robe of human flesh, humble service, and sacrificial death? He did it that we through his poverty might be rich. They became rich through the sacrifice and impoverishment of Christ (Phil. 2:5-8). They became rich in salvation, forgiveness, joy, peace, glory, honor, and majesty. They became joint heirs with Christ.
The coming, life, and death of Jesus is the way of salvation: and when we are saved, He also becomes our model for life. He was rich. He gave up His wealth and became poor so we who are poor might become rich.
PLEASE READ 2 CORINTHIANS 8: 10-12.
The apostle would not command them as to what to do, but he did give them his considered opinion. He believed his opinion or judgment on the matter would be profitable to them and in their best interests. Paul came to this counsel on the basis of the way they first responded to the idea of giving about a year ago. At that time, they began to do something that came from their deep desire and eager willingness to participate in the collection. Some translations of parts of Vs. 10 give this emphasis: “Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so. Such a translation indicates that these Corinthians were the first ones to respond to Paul’s appeal for gifts for Jerusalem. Paul would never beg for himself, but he had no shame about pleading most earnestly for others when occasion arose.
The specific advice Paul offered was to perform or complete the task of collecting and making read their offering. He suggested that they complete their task of preparing an offering with the same eagerness or willingness that they had when they first desired to participate.
They needed this reminder since they likely had stopped the process due to the influence of the false teachers who probably accused Paul of being a huckster who would keep the money for himself.
Vs. 12 contains the relationship between the attitude of eagerness in giving and the amount of the gift. Since God looks on the heart, he knows the attitude and motivation for giving. Where there is an eagerness to give, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have. I have seen poor Christians apologize for their gift to some Christian cause because their gift seemed so small. Paul’s principle here seems to say that God measures the size of a person’s gift by what he or she has left, not just the size or amount of the gift. This principle highlights proportionate giving that comes from the heart.
Whatever one has is he resource out of which he is to give. The implication is that if one has much, he can give much; if he has little, he can give only a little. Not according to what he does not have. Believers do not need to go in debt to give, nor lower themselves to a poverty level. God never asks believes to impoverish themselves in order to give a greater amount.
PLEASE READ 2 CORINTHIANS 8: 13-15.
In these verses Paul seemed to anticipate an objection that could be raised or possibly was raised among the Corinthians concerning the wisdom of giving to the Jerusalem Christians. Was Paul advocating that the Corinthians assume a level of giving that would result in financial difficulty for them and ease for the Macedonians. No!
Paul’s plea concerned the question of equality. What kind of giving would be fair for both the Corinthians and the Macedonians? The apostle assured the Corinthians that he was not asking them to give in such a manner that it would be a relief for the Macedonians but a hardship for them.
Pal was not asking that the Corinthians give in such a way that their giving complemented the Macedonians’ giving and thus resulted in an equal economic status. David Garland explained Paul’s meaning in this way. “Paul is not talking about the purpose for their giving—to create equality—but the ground of their giving---from equality.” The apostle assumed that there was a basic equality among all believers. They are all one family, the family of God, whether Jews or Gentiles. The Father provides for all His children. He often provides for some through other members of the family.
Therefore, Paul called for proportionate giving according to the blessings of God. He also called
For equality to be the basis of giving so that no one will hoard God’s material blessings and so each one will have enough. John Calvin said, “There must be such an equality that nobody starves and nobody hordes his abundance at another’s expense.
Vs. 13-14 are a further discussion of the principle of equality. Each person or church was to give proportionately according to their resources. At that time the Corinthian Christians had a surplus and the Jerusalem Christians had a need. It was possible that the day would come when the economic situation would be reversed. At that time the Jerusalem church would help the Corinthian church because of this basic principle of equality.
Paul’s teaching here does not mean that Christians should give out of the surplus that is left over after they spend all they want. The principle is that God often blesses believers financially with more than they need. They must understand that he blessed them so they could have more to give to the needy. Paul instructed the Ephesian Christians in Eph., 4:28 that a person ‘must do honest work with his own hands, so that he has something to share with anyone in need.”
In Vs. 15 Paul quoted Ex. 16:18 as a biblical principle for the question of equality. God fed the Israelites with manna. Those who gathered more than they needed found out that they could not hoard any leftovers after meeting their needs. Those who did not gather enough found out that they always had enough to meet their daily needs. God met the needs of both groups equally. By gathering only enough for one day, the people learned to trust. By gathering only enough for one day, the people learned to trust the Lord to supply their daily bread. It also taught the folly of trying to keep more than enough to meet their needs.
Paul wanted all Christians of his day to have their needs met. He did not want the more affluent believers to hoard God’s material blessings greedily for themselves. As Paul used it, the quotation raises two crucial questions in Christian stewardship. What is enough for our own needs? What should we give to others? Paul interpreted the story from Exodus as teaching that one can share and still have enough.
Thee is a close relation between gratitude, contentment, compassion, and generosity. Each of us should be grateful to God for His blessings. We should be content with what He has entrusted to us. We should have compassion on those in need. Gratitude, contentment, and compassion added together equal generosity.
The emphasis upon giving from equality in vs. 13-15 focuses on several important truths:
Christian giving is not designed to create a hardship on the giver and ease on the recipient but an equality of resources for both.
God blesses Christians financially, not that they might have more than they actually need, but that they might share with those who have less than they need.
God wants His family members to look after each other, which is one of the ways He plans to meet the financial needs many Christians have.
PLEASE READ 2 CORINTHIANS 8: 24.
Paul would not touch a penny of the offering being gathered. Rather, he sent Titus and two other Christian brothers to Corinth to help them get their offering ready. These brothers were messengers of the churches in Macedonia. They were men of unquestioned integrity and were to administer the offering. Paul wanted to insure that no one could question that the money was handled honestly. Paul urged the Corinthians to have their offering collected and ready. By doing that the Macedonian visitors would see the proof of their love. The Corinthian offering would be physical evidence that the Corinthians really did love the brothers in Jerusalem. Also their preparedness would substantiate Paul’s boasting to the Macedonians about the Corinthians eagerness to give. When the messengers went back tot heir churches in Macedonia, they would report on the good work of the Corinthians.
Paul used the gracious giving of the poor Macedonians as an example to the Corinthians. He also used the eagerness and the prompt response of the Corinthians as an example to the Macedonians.
Christians must not boast of their giving, but the Lord will use exemplary giving to challenge others to give. Although giving is not always an indication of love, love does manifest itself in giving to help others.
Vs. 24 emphasizes these truths:
Exemplary giving by one church is a witness to other churches.
Churches, like individuals, show their love by the way they give.
Those who give must not boast of their giving, but others should rejoice and give thanks to God for giving that magnifies His love.
From Paul’s instructions to the Corinthian Christians, believes today are challenged to give because giving is a privilege, an expression of God’s grace, a realization of equality among all believers, and an opportunity to be a good example. Paul’s challenge can help believers experience the life impact of this study, which is to help us demonstrate our commitment to God through giving.
One helping ministry in our denomination is the Annuity Board’s “Adopt an Annuitant’ Program.” Through this ministry we can help provide needed funds for retired Baptist ministers or their mates whose retirement income is less than adequate.
NEXT SUNDAY FROM 2 CORINTHIANS 9 WE LEARN HOW TO GIVE.
A.V. DAUGHERTY http://theweeks.org/av/ 12-07-03