The Ministry Of Giving (2 Corinthians 8:1-24)
Rev. William L. Barron, January 24, 2021Part of the Morning Worship at North Greenville Church series, preached at a Sunday Morning service
Giving is an evidence of faith. We learn this very clearly in the Book of James. Generosity is accompanied by fellowship and unity. The Corinthian Christians were giving sacrificially to the saints in Jerusalem. They held no distinctions between Jewish and Gentile Christians. They were oppressed yet abundant in giving. They expressed their love through giving. We should do likewise, expressing thankfulness for God's many blessings to us. Giving becomes a privilege. Giving is an act of grace in the heart. Paul mentions grace eight times in this chapter. There is great richness in salvation graces. Christ became poor, so that we can become rich. We must be careful not to place too much faith in our own honesty. We need people looking over our shoulder. We must be honest before God, and also before other people. We must avoid even the appearance of evil. Our giving is a matter of the heart; we must show integrity in our giving. The Lord provides, not money or wealth. We must distinguish between merely obedient giving and love/thankful giving. This is sometimes a struggle in our weakness. It is a privilege to give.
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2 Corinthians 8 (Listen)
8:1 We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, 2 for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. 3 For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, 4 begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints—5 and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us. 6 Accordingly, we urged Titus that as he had started, so he should complete among you this act of grace. 7 But as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you—see that you excel in this act of grace also.
8 I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine. 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich. 10 And in this matter I give my judgment: this benefits you, who a year ago started not only to do this work but also to desire to do it. 11 So now finish doing it as well, so that your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what you have. 12 For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. 13 For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness 14 your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness. 15 As it is written, “Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack.”
16 But thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same earnest care I have for you. 17 For he not only accepted our appeal, but being himself very earnest he is going to you of his own accord. 18 With him we are sending the brother who is famous among all the churches for his preaching of the gospel. 19 And not only that, but he has been appointed by the churches to travel with us as we carry out this act of grace that is being ministered by us, for the glory of the Lord himself and to show our good will. 20 We take this course so that no one should blame us about this generous gift that is being administered by us, 21 for we aim at what is honorable not only in the Lord’s sight but also in the sight of man. 22 And with them we are sending our brother whom we have often tested and found earnest in many matters, but who is now more earnest than ever because of his great confidence in you. 23 As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker for your benefit. And as for our brothers, they are messengers of the churches, the glory of Christ. 24 So give proof before the churches of your love and of our boasting about you to these men.
(ESV)