Sermon Tone Analysis

*“Stewardship: The Generous Church”*

*2 Corinthians 8-9*

 

This morning, we complete our mini-series on the nature of the church.

Today, we will be addressing the issue of stewardship in giving for the local church.

It is inevitable that at the mention of stewardship, people strangely hear but one thing: “Here we go.

The pastor is going to ask us to give more money to the church.”

Am I right?

Let me suggest to you that this understanding is incredibly short-sighted.

Let me challenge you to flip that thought on its head.

First, it is ultimately not for the benefit */of the pastor/* that the church members give more money.

I hope to show you that generosity is actually for */your/* benefit.

Also, we need to reprogram our minds.

We have been conditioned into thinking that we work to accumulate possessions for ourselves (even our children).

We have been brought up focusing on retirement plans and inheritances.

And yet we have not come to the realization that everything that we think that /we earn for us /is actually God’s provision for his purposes.

And we’ll zero on in this in the moments to come.

We need to revisit Paul’s words in Romans 11:36 “36 For from him and through him and to him are all things.

To him be glory forever.”

At the conclusion of Paul’s thoughts regarding God’s election of his people and his pondering God’s wisdom and knowledge, Paul concludes that all things come from God, through him, and that all things are for him.

And in this, God is glorified.

Let’s keep this verse in mind as we launch into this subject of God’s resources.

And we’re going to do this by looking at 2 Corinthians 8 and 9. Please turn there in your Bibles.

No, we will not cover two chapters exhaustively.

But what I want to look at these rich chapters and extract some timeless principles that will help us understand what it means to be generous followers of Jesus Christ.

And because I know that you desire to be good students of the Bible and you know that we need to continually interpret God’s Word in its context, let me say at the outset that this section does NOT specifically refer to regular weekly giving within the church.

However, Paul interjects rich, glorious and timeless theological truths that he will apply to a specific situation.

And these same truths will prove to be invaluable to us as we consider the bigger picture when it comes to our finances.

So, what is going on in 2 Corinthians 8 and 9? What is the context from which we will glean insight into our resources?

We actually need to recall Paul’s previous letter to the church of Corinth.

In 1 Corinthians 16, Paul makes mention of a combined effort for a collection for the saints in Jerusalem.

He indicates that the churches of Galatia were also contributing.

Paul also says that he will visit the Corinthians after passing through Macedonia.

And it appears as though the Macedonians would be joining the effort of the collection.

In 2 Corinthians 8 and 9, Paul proceeds to speak of his experience in Macedonia and the response that was received regarding the collection.

And throughout the section, he will use them as an example to spur on the Corinthians for their part.

He will also refer to their desire to begin the collection and the need to complete it.

And how this will reflect their hearts.

And yet Paul’s primary motivation will be theological.

This is why we can extract from this rich text these timeless principles that serve as our motivation to be generous as well.

We find the first point in verses 1-6 of chapter 8. Let’s read this portion of the text.

*READ.

*The first point is “*Generosity Reveals Grace.”

*Let me point out that we need to notice how many times that grace is mentioned in these chapters as well.

Paul begins by introducing the generosity of the Macedonians in verse 1.

But he does this by drawing primary attention to the grace of God.

Now watch the effect of the grace of God in the lives of the churches in Macedonia.

It is demonstrated with the introduction of the word “for” in verse 2. “for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity…” * *Wait.

What?

Paul had visited Macedonia and could testify their dire situation.

They found themselves suffering persecution from the surrounding culture because of Jesus Christ.

And in the midst of the suffering, they were abounding in joy.

Doesn’t this characterize us all?

This is our first response in affliction… joy.

This was most certainly the grace that Paul was speaking about because this is not the human response to suffering.

It is because God had invaded their lives and provided for them the fruit of joy.

Notice what happens next.

Paul says that their extreme poverty had overflowed in a wealth of generosity.

Again… what?

We don’t know what this means.

And I don’t mean to minimize anybody’s financial struggles.

But we will likely never face the poverty issue to the same magnitude as these folks.

In fact, R. Kent Hughes tells us that “‎The word Paul uses for “their extreme poverty” is the word from which we derive the English word /bathysphere/—the ship we use to probe the depths of the ocean—a Jacques Cousteau kind of word.”

Their poverty was extreme.

And yet they did not hoard anything that they did have.

It actually translated into a wealth of generosity.

It may not have been a significant quantitative amount, but it demonstrated a wealth of generosity.

Again, this is not normal.

When we struggle financially, is our first thought how much more we can give?

This was caused by the grace of God that had been given among the churches of Macedonia.

There is no other accounting for it.

But let’s press it home even more by looking at verse 3. “For”.

This is an elaboration on their generosity.

“For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and /beyond their means/.”

Not only did they give according to their means, they exceeded their means.

Someone has said that sacrificial giving means that you give until it hurts.

And then give a little more.

That’s what the Macedonians were doing.

These folks were not coerced, manipulated, or forced to do this either.

The text says that they did this on their own accord.

Not only that, they were begging… earnestly… for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints.

I can’t remember the last time that I was in a severe test of affliction and extremely impoverished where I gave beyond my means, */begging /*to give more.

How about you?

Why is this?

Why would people do such a radical thing?

Look at verse 5.

They had given themselves first to the Lord.

When we realize that are lives are not our own, we will also acknowledge that our possessions are not our own.

Think about this.

Paul had written previously in 1 Corinthians that those who have trusted in Christ and have the Holy Spirit residing within them are not their own.

They have been bought with a price.

The Macedonians got it.

They understood the grace that they had received in their salvation and the grace that motivated them to give beyond their means.

When you give God the whole of who you are, the parts should be easier to give.

They also understood that when they gave in this manner, they were participating in something much greater than their daily lives.

They were involved in assisting God’s people in Jerusalem.

And they considered this a great privilege to which there was also tremendous benefit.

I will likely revisit this at the end.

But when we think through our own level of giving for the cause of Jesus Christ, I hope that we will come to the realization that God uses us and our resources to increase his kingdom.

And when are completely invested in this mission, there is tremendous blessing.

But we don’t naturally think of this as the great privilege that it is.