Finish what You Started
Notes
Transcript
2 Corinthians: From Cheap to Generous
2 Corinthians 8:1-15
1. Introduction – In chapters 8-9 we really come to the heart of 2 Corinthians. Yes, this letter is a defense of Paul’s ministry…
a. Paul defends the content of his ministry and his conduct as a minister of the new covenant.
i. It’s a letter about reconciliation. After a rocky period in their relationship, Paul and the Corinthians have come to a good place.
1. Paul’s severe letter was successful in bringing the Corinthians to repentance and wanting to reconcile with their spiritual father.
b. But now – as we make our way into chapter 8 and continuing in to chapter 9, the subject matter changes abruptly.
i. And Paul beings to write about giving. It’s a topic he wrote about at the end of 1 Corinthians. What’s important to understand is Paul isn’t talking about regular Christian giving – what we call tithing – he’s talking about a specific collection that was being take up…a collection for the saints in Jerusalem.
c. However – even though Paul is writing about a specific collection that was being taken up at that time…the principles written about here still apply to us today – to our relationship with and attitude towards our possessions.
i. We’re going to tackle another lengthy passage today – 8:1-15.
1. And in this section, we’ll see a very tactful way that the apostle Paul asks the Corinthians for money.
a. He doesn’t beg, he doesn’t plead. He doesn’t get them to call the number at the bottom on the screen…he doesn’t make a money back guarantee.
ii. Paul appeals to the Corinthians by showing them the generosity of other churches.
1. He appeals to them by showing them the generosity of Jesus.
a. And he appeals to them by showing them that giving is really an act of grace.
i. Hear God’s Word – 2 Corinthians 8:1-15.
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.”
2. The Jerusalem Collection –
2. The Jerusalem Collection –
Before we look at how Paul appealed to the Corinthians and the tactful way, he does so…
a. First we need to figure out what he’s about talking here. He writes of the Macedonians being eager to give and take part in the relief of the saints…what’s he talking about?
i. What relief effort? Eager to give to what cause?
1. What Paul is writing about here is what came to be known as the Jerusalem collection.
a. Though Paul didn’t ask or receive any personal payment from the church he planted and pastored – he did ask each Gentile church to give money towards helping out the church in Jerusalem – which had fallen on hard times.
b. This collection started about 10 years prior to Paul writing 2 Corinthians – so the collection started in about the mid 40’s and Paul wrote 2 Corinthians in the mid 50’s.
i. This Jerusalem collection was started when Paul and Barnabas made a pact with the leaders of the Jerusalem church – Peter, James and John.
1. The pact worked like this – Peter, James and John would stay in Jerusalem and minister to the people there,
a. While Paul and Barnabas…and Paul’s other missionary partners – would ministry to the rest of the world.
ii. However, there was a condition put on this agreement – Peter, James, John wanted Paul and his partners to remember the poor in Jerusalem – that is, they wanted Paul to take up a collection from the Gentile churches for the poor Christians in Jerusalem.
1. Why the Jerusalem church was so poor isn’t really know. Some speculate that it was because of a severe famine…or maybe from economic persecution that took place.
a. Or maybe it was a case of a mother church depleting its resources in order to send missionaries out to start church elsewhere.
iii. Either way – the church had fallen on hard times, and it relied on the support of other churches in order to keep going.
c. So Paul, on his various missionary journeys – kept his end of the agreement. He went on to evangelize most of the known world at that time – and along the way he got the church he planted to collect money that would be brought back for the Christians in Jerusalem.
i. It was a collection he previously instructed the Corinthians to participate in – see 1 Cor. 16:1-4.
1. In that passage, Paul lays out a plan for them – each member setting aside something on the first day of the week – that way when Paul came to Corinth, the collection was already made and it could be sent on to Jerusalem.
a. And according to the passage we read this morning – it seemed that the Corinthians were eager to help and started make arrangements for this collection.
ii. But after their falling out with Paul…after the false teachers arrived in town and most likely took that money for themselves…the Corinthians eagerness to help subsided…and the collection stopped.
1. So here in 2 Corinthians – after Paul’s severe letter, after their repentance…after reconciling their relationship…Paul writes for them to finish what they started.
a. And in order to encourage them to be generous – Paul lays out in this chapter 2 examples of generosity.
i. He cites the Macedonians and he uses the example of Jesus’ generous gift…which they had received.
3. The Macedonians
3. The Macedonians
– Notice that Paul doesn’t coerce the Corinthians to participate in this collection – in fact, he goes out of his way to tell them he is not giving them a command.
a. But in order to encourage them to be generous – he holds up the churches of Macedonia as an example.
i. These would be the churches in Philippi, in Thessalonica, and in Berea.
1. Why does Paul hold up these churches as examples? Well, it’s a well-known fact of history that the areas of Macedonia and Achaia (where Corinth was located) were political rivals.
a. One wouldn’t want to be outdone by your rival. But I don’t think that’s why Paul mentions the Macedonians here.
b. He does so because even in their…and did you notice the words Paul used – in their extreme poverty – they were still generous.
i. In fact, it looks from the text that Paul wasn’t even going to ask them to participate in this collection because of their extreme poverty – but look at v.4, I’ll put in on the screen again…begging us earnestly for the favour of taking part.
1. Think about it…extreme poverty…dirt poor…they barely had 2 pennies to rub together…but there they were, begging Paul for the opportunity to give.
ii. Paul writes that they gave what they could…and then gave a little bit more.
1. They had little, but whatever it is they did have, they held it with an open hand…and even in their extreme poverty they came from them an overflowing wealth of generosity.
c. The Corinthians on the other had were rich. They lived in a wealth city with wealthy citizens.
i. They had exceedingly, abundantly more than the Macedonians…but they were cheap and tight fisted with their possessions.
1. They had started out well, but lost interest in the collection and their money went elsewhere.
a. Paul encourages them to finish what they started. He encourages them along the way.
i. The Corinthian church was a talented bunch – they had a lot going for them.
ii. They excelled in faith, speech, knowledge and earnestness…now Paul is encouraging them to excel in generosity too.
1. The Macedonians served as an example to the Corinthians that even with very little – it is possible to be generous. Out of poverty came great generosity.
a. Imagine what the Corinthians could give to Jerusalem collection…if only they changed from being cheapskates to being generous.
d. Is there an example we can look to of this happening? Has a cheapskate ever become generous?
i. Think of Zacchaeus – he was a rip off artist…a cheat…a tax collector who cheated people out of their money in order to get rich.
1. But after an encounter with Jesus – Zacchaeus gave away 50% of his wealth to the poor…and with the other 50% he vowed to make restitution of 4 times the amount he extorted from other people.
a. Right there is an example of a cheapskate becoming a willing and generous giver because of an encounter with Jesus.
ii. And through Paul’s ministry, the Corinthians had also had an encounter with this same Jesus – and when that happens it changes our relationship with our possessions.
1. Generosity is a sign of a life that has truly be changed by Jesus.
4. Jesus
4. Jesus
– And speaking of Jesus – in the second half of this section Paul holds us Jesus as another example of a generous giver.
a. The Macedonians gave out of their poverty, while Jesus gave out of his riches.
i. Paul has a fuller explanation in Philippians 2 of all that Jesus gave up in coming to earth…
1. Who being God – humbled himself and come to earth to die on a cross so that humanity could be saved.
ii. Citing this example – Paul says Jesus – who was rich beyond rich…not talking material possessions here…he is God – you don’t get any richer and fuller than that!
1. But instead of simply hanging out and chillin’ in the Godhead for all eternity – Jesus came to earth…born into a humble situation…spent his first night in a manger…
a. He lived a humble existence… not rich…but not destitute either…he died a criminal’s death on the cross…and Paul explains right here why Jesus did all of this…
i. So that you might become rich.
iii. Now hear me on this…he’s not talking about bones in the bank. He’s not talking about having lots of money and stuff…
1. Jesus came so that we might have life and life to the fullest…spiritually rich by accepting salvation through his sacrifice.
a. And since the Corinthians had received the gift that Jesus offers the world…by grace they had received salvation…and now, Paul says, that grace is to have an impact on their relationship with their possessions.
b. Paul lays before them 2 examples of generosity…One gave out of their poverty…the other out of his riches.
i. The Corinthians were somewhere in the middle – not poor like the Macedonians and obviously nowhere near as rich as Jesus.
1. But given the examples before them – the Corinthians were being encouraged to follow suit and give generously to the cause.
5. Characteristics
5. Characteristics
– This passage is more than a history lesson. It’s more than an infomercial for the Jerusalem collection…
a. Paul is trying to instill key Christian characteristics in this church.
i. What is Paul trying to teach them??? He is attempting to show the Corinthians that generosity is a key Christian characteristic.
1. And not simply generosity…but a willing and eager generosity. He used the example of the Macedonians and even though they were experiencing extreme poverty – they pleaded with Paul to participate in the collection for Jerusalem.
ii. There is a willingness in Christians to be generous with what they have. Notice I said willingness, not recklessness.
1. Not just blindly and random tossing money around…but a willingness to do whatever we can.
b. Earlier this week we sent out some correspondence about an opportunity we have as a church to ease the financial burden of someone in our community.
i. I won’t go in to great detail on the specifics of the situation – but its not a coincidence that I am preaching a sermon on this passage the very same week that the need went out.
1. God wants to remind his people that we are to be generous with what we have and we are to be eager to help whenever we can.
ii. I’m not going to stand here and beg you for money…but after hearing a sermon on generosity…I think we should all take a long hard look at how we can contribute to this need.
1. God’s people are to be willingly generous…like the Macedonians…eagerly giving what we can.
iii. It’s not a burden to give – over and over again in this passage Paul uses this word – grace. Giving is an act of grace.
c. And secondly, Paul wanted to teach the Corinthians about equality.
i. Not a forced equality…that’s communism…but as a matter of fairness, churches helping out other churches.
1. Christians helping out other Christians…not so one is burdened and the other is eased…but so each one has what they need.
ii. And to drive his point home – Paul uses an example from the Exodus. While the people of Israel were making their way from Egypt to the Promised Land – God fed them with manna from heaven.
1. Each family was to collect what they needed for their household to each. Collect a certain amount for each person…no more – no less…
a. If there were a lot of people or if you had only a few…collect only what was needed for the day.
i. If much was gathered…nothing was left over…they had what they needed.
1. If only a little was gathered for a smaller family – there was no lack…the needs were met either way.
iii. Paul writes that there should be equality amongst churches as well. One church or individual helping out another in their time of need…
1. So that when the tables were turned – there will be those who can return the favour…return the grace.
6. Conclusion – So…did it work? Paul advised the Corinthians to finish what they started…he advised them to finishing collecting for the Jerusalem saints so it can be sent on to them…
a. He laid out some examples before them of generosity…Did this letter and these examples have their desired affect?
i. Look at Romans 15:26.
26 For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem.
1. Macedonai contributed…we knew that from 2 Corinthians…but Paul writes here in Romans when talking about the Jerusalem collection that the churches of Achaia participated as well.
a. Corinth was in Achaia…did it work??? Yes it did!
b. Paul laid out incentives for the Corinthians to give…and the Corinthians proved their faith and salvation by becoming a while church of Zacchaeus’s.
i. We don’t know the sum total of what they gave – but we do know that a cheapskate church was transformed into a group of willing and generous givers.