The Blessing Of
Giving
Book of 2
Corinthians Chapter 9
Why does God call on
us to give?
We can give God
nothing that we did not first get from Him!
God can just have a
thought and it will materialize.
Let's think of it
this way at first:
We already know that
the love of money is behind all the evil in this world with Satan
pushing this thought.
1Ti 6:10 For
the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted
after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through
with many sorrows.
So the root of evil
is selfishness, God expects us to be the opposite of that, the secret
to defeating selfishness is giving!
Let's look at
nature:
The Sun exists to
give light, and heat, and even life itself.
The Seas give life
along with many other things.
The Earth gives life
and is always giving.
Why should we defy
what God has created?
God has given us a
purpose in life and God measures us according to that purpose!
2Co 9:7 Every
man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not
grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
This is the theme of
our lesson today.
We must never forget
"receiving" is truly a blessing when we have a need for
sure, but the "giver" gets an even greater blessing!
Act 20:35 I
have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support
the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said,
"It is more blessed to give than to receive".
Jesus would not have
said this so many times if it were no true!
When we hate to give
then we can see our own selfishness, which goes back to the root of
all evil!
Let's begin:
*****2Co 9:1
For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for
me to write to you:
2Co 9:2 For I
know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to them
of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath
provoked very many.
2Co 9:3 Yet have I sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this behalf; that, as I said, ye may be ready:
2Co 9:4 Lest haply if they of Macedonia come with me, and find you unprepared, we (that we say not, ye) should be ashamed in this same confident boasting.
2Co 9:5 Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they would go before unto you, and make up beforehand your bounty, whereof ye had notice before, that the same might be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not as of covetousness.
2Co 9:3 Yet have I sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this behalf; that, as I said, ye may be ready:
2Co 9:4 Lest haply if they of Macedonia come with me, and find you unprepared, we (that we say not, ye) should be ashamed in this same confident boasting.
2Co 9:5 Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they would go before unto you, and make up beforehand your bounty, whereof ye had notice before, that the same might be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not as of covetousness.
It should be very
plain, God expects His people to be givers!
At my place of
worship, we call these things love offerings. These Scriptures are
not referring to the "tithe" which God expects from every
child of God who has an income.
We must always to
willing to give to needy saints but by no means exclusively to them
we are to still help the lost and needy too if we are able!
If the church only
helped Christians we would not be following in the will of God!
If we helped only
the lost we would not be showing love for our brothers and sisters in
Christ!
Give it to Jesus and
let Him put it where He knows it needs to go!
**After all God
"gave" His Son in payment for "our" sin for He
had none Himself!
**Christ came to
this earth to "give" of Himself!
**Those who give to
please God should never be caught unprepared "to give"!
These people of
Corinth understood these things but it was now time to show proof of
their love and to make the collections.
"Being
unprepared to give" to a giver can be embarrassing to him and
cause him shame!
In today's world
almost no one carries much money on them at all for many reasons and
we need to be aware of the time of collection so we can be prepared.
Paul had plans to
return to Corinth when the Macedonians arrived at his location.
We can be sure that
none of those who traveled with Titus where of Macedonia!
And we should
understand from these words of Paul that he had never had negative
things to say about this church at Corinth and had in fact boasted of
their zeal to do right by the Word of God, including the zeal to give
to those who had great needs.
Heb 3:14 For
we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our
confidence stedfast unto the end;
Jesus Christ gave
everything He had, including His life that we could be saved if we
only believed. The name of Christ and the name Christian then means
"sacrificial giving"!
So being prepared
shows the love of Christ and does not show covetousness.
Sadly we if we are
honest, most of us "including myself" rarely give all that
we are able to give!
But in reverse we
many times spend more than we are able "including myself"
for things that we really do not even need!
As long as people
are homeless and people starving in this world we need to consider
ways to help, if possible.
As long as there are
diseases that could wipe out an entire population we need to consider
ways to help, if possible.
As long as there are
disasters in this world such as tornadoes, hurricanes, typhoons,
earthquakes, and any the many other such things, we need to consider
ways we can help, if possible.
When the Church
shows covetousness we are showing cold-hearted worldliness!
We sometimes forget
this basic rule of thumb in the Word of God.
*****2Co 9:6
But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly;
and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
2Co 9:7 Every
man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not
grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
God gives us the
example to two different Christians:
1) One who sows
sparingly.
2) The other who
sows bountifully.
First: the seed that
is sown, has been selected and stored from a previous bounty that God
had already provided, just for the purpose of sowing. All his needs
had been met and he is prepared to sow again when the proper time
comes.
Second: Not many
farmers cast seed one at a time or "sparingly" but usually
with an open handful "bountifully". They are hopeful for a
fruitful harvest every time they sow!
Third: the seed is
sown on an empty field, a bare field in want of growth. (Those in
want, especially those of faith)
Fourth: then the
seed is covered where the sower has faith, hope, and patience that
the harvest will be bountiful. (He sows these things in private and
his good deeds may not be noticed till some time passes.
What does God say to
each individual?
Pro 3:9 Honour
the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine
increase:
And why should we do
this?
Pro 3:10 So
shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst
out with new wine.
We must first give
"the tithe" which are the first fruits of what God has
already provided. God will then bless this giving and our barns will
be full and our vineyards blessed. "By the way new wine, is the
freshest of fresh grape juice", which relates to continuously
providing, even though our barns are already full.
It is from this
plenty, that is far above our needs, that giving to others in need
comes from but God also says to give till it hurts a little from time
to time and what does God say about these things?
God loves a cheerful
giver!
We can see these are
two different things!
The giver who
pleases God deliberately is a reflection of God's love.
The Lord Jesus
Christ hated the shame of the cross but He cheerfully gave Himself
for our sin, because He has no sin.
Heb 12:2
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; "who
for the joy that was set before him endured the cross",
despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne
of God.
To be a Christian
says "I want to be like Christ". Jesus Christ was a
"Cheerful Giver" of all He had.
God does not give us
a fixed sum to give for charity.
God does look at the
quality or the nature of our giving.
1) Is it of our own
free will.
2) Does it cause an
uneasiness in our mind.(grudgingly)(out of sorrow)(reluctance)
3) Did we give out
of necessity. (Were we coaxed into giving by outside means)
4) God must actually
see a "Cheerful giver" for God to be pleased!
And what is God
reward?
*****2Co 9:8
And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always
having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:
2Co 9:9 (As it
is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his
righteousness remaineth for ever.
There is no greater
blessing than this in the days we have on this earth before our
physical death!
Salvation is the
free "grace" of God. It cannot be bought, earned, or won!
When we are not
"cheerful givers" we are out of the order of God's "system
of grace" which revolves around the Cross of Jesus Christ!
God loves what makes
people happy and the spirit of love shown to others is one the
sources of His happiness.
Those who live just
for themselves first become wretched and then they become poor in
many things of this life.
If we do not believe
that God is able then we are saying the God is no longer the Creator
who spoke and all things became reality!
After we have shown
"faith", God shows us His grace.
After we know "hope"
God shows us His peace.
After we know
"charity" God makes all His "grace" abound
towards us!
All three are
required but which is the greatest after salvation?
1Co 13:13 And
now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of
these is charity.
Any other thoughts
of the "Hope" of God are just childish reactions!
1Co 13:11 When
I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought
as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
So who provides that
seed for the sower to begin with?
*****2Co 9:10
Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for
your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of
your righteousness;)
2Co 9:11 Being
enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through
us thanksgiving to God.
Isaiah said it this
way:
Isa 55:10 For
as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not
thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud,
that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:
It is the Lord
provides the seed for the sower!
It is the Lord who
blesses the seed from the sower!
It is the Lord who
provides all our needs!
So the first motive
for being a "cheerful giver" is to obtain the "grace"
and the "blessings of God", not out of duty, but out of
love.
We should understand
that word "ministereth" as a "promise" of God.
God will provide
bread for our own food!
God will multiply
our own seed so we can sow!
God will increase
the fruit of our own righteousness!
And these things
will be continuous!
Notice, these are
not only spiritual blessings(that will last forever) but also
material blessings(to use in this life).
God encourages us
all to be "cheerful givers" with these promises!
God will more than
return what the giver gives!
The truth is that
each believer will receive so that he can give so leaves no excuse
for hoarding the gifts of God!
The truth is each
and every believer becomes "a channel" through which God
sends His blessings!
Again this is God's
plan and He only asks us all to be a part of His plan and not make
our own plans!
Isa 55:8 For
my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,
saith the LORD.
Isa 55:9 For
as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than
your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Simply put, "we
cannot out-give God"!
Eph 3:20 Now
unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we
ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
Eph 3:21 Unto
him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world
without end. Amen.
What is the truth of
the "Gospel"?
*****2Co 9:12
For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of
the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God;
Being a"cheerful
giver" not only makes up the deficiencies of those in need, it
relieves their needs and furnishes them with hope under sorrowful
circumstances!
But that is not all:
**It means that we
all can enter into the throne room of God to give thanks to God for
His "Grace"!
**It also means we
are fools to think God will not look harshly upon selfishness!
In fact Jesus said
these words to a rich young man one day:
Mat 19:21
Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou
hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven:
and come and follow me.
The point being,
Jesus was perfect because He gave every thing He had, including His
life for each and everyone of us!
None of us can be
perfect in this life but this rich young man was foolish and it led
to his many sorrows:
Mat 19:22 But
when the young man heard that saying, "he went away sorrowful":
for he had great possessions.
We should all
clearly understand God knows we are nothing but dirt and He had great
pity upon us all but a "cheerful giver" will still receive
the "praise of God"!
There are still
other reasons for being a "cheerful giver".
*****2Co 9:13
Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for
your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your
liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men;
What is the truth of
salvation?
The salvation of the
Lord is then:
1) Full
2) Finished
3) Free
4) Cannot Fail
5) And is Forever
We will never
understand the "Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ" until we
become subjected to the "Gospel"!
We must willingly
submit ourselves to the entire "Gospel" and not in bits and
pieces!
***So then a
"cheerful giver" proves his loyalty to the "Gospel"!
A "cheerful
giver" will give and give and keep on giving until the Lord
returns!
***And yet another
object of "giving" is for the world to "glorify God"!
The "Gospel"
is the truth and comes with a binding authority higher than any of
this earth.
The "Gospel"
reveals the only method of salvation, one which man could never even
have conceived.
The "Gospel"
prescribes the only rule for practical living.
The "Gospel"
is God's love letter to His greatest creation, mankind!
The "Gospel"
makes us aware that the gifts of God, our resources, are to be used
to carry this "Gospel" throughout this world!
***This includes our
time, our influence, and our money!
But there is still
more:
*****2Co 9:14
And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding
grace of God in you.
**Being a "cheerful
giver" will enhance our prayer life!
Giving stirs up
great prayers, great love, and great fellowship among all God's
people!
No other results can
be greater than these as we all serve the Lord
Eph 1:15
Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and
love unto all the saints,
Eph 1:16 Cease
not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;
In fact how can we
not be "cheerful givers'?
*****2Co 9:15
Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.
***The greatest gift
ever given to this world is the gift of God's only begotten Son!
Joh 3:16 For
God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting
life.
Joh 3:17 For
God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that
the world through him might be saved.
How can we not give
back things "that are not required" but things that we can
"cheerfully give" to make sure that this world has the
opportunity to hear this wonderful message of God?
I assure you that
these Scriptures are as much for me as they are for anyone else!
I have felt ashamed
in my own selfishness!
Questions?
Let's Pray that we
all can become "cheerful givers" for the cause of Christ!