Exemplary Giving - 25

Well, as we move into second Corinthians chapter 8 we are coming to a brand-new topic leaving the themes of rebuke and repentance behind the apostle Paul now turns to the subject of Christian giving, which is I'm sure you know a touchy subject among some people in our day, but is clearly a very important part of a Christ honoring life. Jesus Christ himself probably talk more about giving and about the way we view and handle our material possessions than any other subject. Of all the things that he touched upon. So here in chapter 8, the focus is upon a special project offering being raised over a period of more than a year among the Gentile churches for the poor Saints in Jerusalem.

Paul is taking up once again the same collection that he referred to in the first printing epistle when he said in chapter 16 now concerning the collection for the saints is I've given instructions to the churches of Galatia. Even so, do you in the first day of the week let every one of you lay aside as God has prospered that there be no gatherings.

When I come. And when I come. Whomsoever I shall appoint will go with me to carry the gift to Jerusalem, and so forth.

So now were back to that same subject.

Once again, several months after the writing of first Corinthians, and Paul gives us first of all, in verses one through five.

A notable example exemplary churches in verse one exemplary performance in verses two and three exemplary desire. Verse four exemplary dedication in verse five exemplary churches. Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia, Paul begins with an unapologetic disclosure, I want to make this known to you. I want to make known to you the level of the giving of these other churches giving. On the one hand it is to be something that we do privately unto the Lord, not to be seen of men, not for the purpose of getting honor and glory to ourselves, as Jesus taught in the sermon on the Mount.

We should give in such a way that our right hand doesn't know what our left hand is doing. Obviously a figure of speech that's impossible to carry out literally, but the concept is clearly there. We are to do it in such a way that we don't draw attention unto ourselves and yet against that we have this example of Paul unapologetic Lake drawing attention to the Corinthian church of what the Macedonian churches were doing in their way of giving. So on the one hand, it's not to be done for glory and attention to ourselves. On the other hand, it is appropriate to use the giving of exemplary Christians as a model as a stimulus as a prod if I could use that word to others to learn to give likewise some beginning with his unapologetic disclosure, Paul mentions a trio of strong churches as far as we can tell the churches of Philippi and Thessalonica and Berea. The three churches established in Macedonia, northern Greece were strong in every way and they are singled out here as being particularly strong in the area of their giving. And this in spite of the fact that they lived in a very impoverished area. Paul refers to their poverty. He makes some passing allusion as to one of the reasons for their poverty when he talks about their affliction, but what he doesn't go into is something that we can only know from history and that is that this particular part of the Roman Empire was especially torn by war's there seem to be a lot of warfare going back and forth across that part of the world and it had taken its toll upon the people who lived there. Plus the fact that they were under especially oppressive Roman taxes. This is something that not everybody knows it's rather interesting. I had forgotten myself until reminded again this week in my studies, but in the Roman Empire. The various territories of that vast empire were divided up and part of them were under the control of the Roman Senate and part of them were under the control of the Roman Emperor and the Senate taxed more heavily than the Emperor did in those parts of the Empire that work under the control of the Senate had more odious taxation than those that were under the Senate. In fact, I read that later on so impoverished was Macedonia and so much were they struggling with the taxes of the Senate that their territory was actually moved out from the control of the Senate and under the control of the Emperor in order to decrease the level of their taxation. Imagine that. Kind of like I suppose upper New York State wanted to be removed from the city to escape the governing authority with which they are not in agreement for Northern California or some other place that actually happened in Macedonia.

They were they were transferred under the jurisdiction of the Emperor because of their heavy taxation. So this was a very impoverished territory. But in spite of this, these exemplary churches turned in a in a an amazingly exemplary performance when it came to their giving. Verse two that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality, for I bear witness that, according to their ability yes and beyond their ability. They were freely willing.

Great difficulties that Paul alludes to hear in passing, without giving details, but not only the taxes but in addition to that the persecution that had come to Christians, and especially in that particular part of the world.

Paul experienced more than usual persecutions when he was in Macedonia so why would we think of the Macedonian churches would escape that persecution. Obviously they shared it and they couldn't leave like Paul did to get away from it. They had to stay there and live under it and so between oppressive taxation and especially heavy persecution they were really struggling with their difficulties. Great difficulties and yet these difficulties did not deter them in their Christ honoring giving which was amazing in its its magnitude and we are told that there were a couple of things that came together here in their giving number one there great joy in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy.

What a contrast great trials great affliction, great taxes, great persecution and accompanied with great joy. How did they do that. How did they manage to come up with that response to this kind of difficulty. The answer is only by the grace of God. This is an unusual response, but this is a uniquely Christian response. Nobody but genuine believing dedicated Christians could respond to trials in this way was such great joy. It is a remarkable response but there great joy was also coupled with this deep poverty that we've already talked about in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty, not just surface poverty not just a little bit of poverty deep poverty down to the depth is the Greek word deep poverty from the circumstances that I've already described these two things somehow amazingly inexplicably these two things combined to produce their liberality while was right. While great joy combined with deep poverty produced rich liberality.

That's exactly the way Paul expresses that he that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of the liberality see how these two ideas are combined and seen as in some way producing the liberality that Paul is describing here that doesn't make sense to us.

It certainly doesn't make sense to the unconverted person and even Christians have to struggle to understand how can that be how can that be, but that's what is and we need to understand and give God glory, for it there joy coupled with their deep poverty produced rich liberality as they were willing to give number one according to their ability which wouldn't of been very much a proportionate response to this special offering. This was not for the upkeep of their own ministry of their own churches, but this was beyond giving when they responded to the special offering for the Saints in Jerusalem.

They could've said why we are as poor as they are. We are as needy as they are, why aren't you collecting something for us instead of collecting from us to send to them. That wasn't their attitude at all. They gave according to their ability.

A proportionate response that would of necessity have been considered small, but more than that they gave beyond their ability.

A disproportionate response.

Their response rather than being small, which is the only thing that anyone could've expected which is the only thing that Paul thought was even possible. They manage somehow to produce a different result, they managed to give a large gift. How did they do it again. It seems like an impossibility doesn't.

How does one give beyond his ability is challenging enough to faithfully give according to our ability to be obedient to be Christ honoring to be generous to give. According to our ability as God has blessed us with resources to give in proportion to that. But how does one give beyond his ability. The answer to. That's in the opening verse brother we make known to you the grace of God bestowed upon the churches of Macedonia. How does one give beyond his ability by the grace of God and only by the grace of God. What is grace what is God's grace is God's enablement at the point of our need and we generally talk about that in terms of salvation it we are helpless, blind, spiritually dead, what hope is us. Therefore us in salvation but the grace of God to the rescue God's grace comes and does for us and in us that which we cannot do for ourselves and does that work within us that brings us to life and brings us to repentance and brings us to faith. It's all by the enabling grace of God doing what otherwise is impossible. Will Paul implies that same grace to their giving. How does one how do many.

How do three churches out of these congregations give beyond their ability.

The grace of God I make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia and so exemplary churches turned in an exemplary performance because of we note in verse for their exemplary desire, imploring us as Paul, with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the Saints. The language of verse four.

Almost sounds to me like Paul intended to skip over these Gentile churches in this offering. I've asked the churches of Galatia to participate. We know for churches there. I have already called upon the church at Corinth to participate in. Paul was traveling through Macedonia and I'm not even sure because we don't have the details of how they became aware of the offering, but it sounds like Paul is saying I intended to just skip you because of your poverty but you said no, no, no, don't overlook us. Don't omit us.leave us out of this opportunity they begged to be allowed to participate in this extra project offering above their local responsibilities to their churches. Isn't that amazing these impoverished Saints of God. This is certainly unusual. It wasn't Paul who was begging for money. It was the churches that were begging for the opportunity to give you find that today. 45. Either of those things today. Many times I've heard churches there just always out for money.

They just always begging for money really shouldn't be shouldn't have to shouldn't have to. Christians are responding the way they ought to preachers ministries, churches, missionaries wouldn't have to beg for money. The Christians would be begging for the opportunity to give. But isn't that a foreign idea in our day and time. In America they the wealthiest society anywhere in the world. On average in America that has been so blessed by God. We can seem to give ourselves to get in a mindset that to whom much is given, much shall be required and we ought to be giving generously and regularly without anybody begging for us to do so and so they were begging to be allowed to participate in this tangible active ministry. That's what Paul calls it that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the Saints. They understood that their giving to the impoverished Saints in Jerusalem was inactive ministering to them.

We sometimes think of ministry only in terms of teaching the word or something like that.

No is a whole lot more involved and our giving is properly understood ministry. It is an active ministry to those to whom we give in so they begged to be allowed to participate in this tangible active ministry and they begged to be allowed to participate in the significant active fellowship to receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the Saints the fellowship. The partnership they didn't want to be left out. This special offering for the Saints in Jerusalem was being collected in many Gentile churches in it was inactive. All of these churches, as it were coming together, holding their hands together and saying we are partners together to relieve this need. Among our beloved brethren in Jerusalem who never met, for the most part, but they knew that they were brothers in Christ, and they knew of the need they wanted to participate and they wanted to do it in partnership it's a joint effort its church by church by church by church. This is not an individual appeal to individual people to give directly to the Saints but no through your church, church by church partnership in this gift to the Saints and the Macedonian churches said don't leave us out where Christians to know we were partners to we want a way to express our partnership in this matter.

Can you fault their desire. It's amazing isn't it. Exemplary churches producing an exemplary performance because of their exemplary desire, which is based upon their exemplary dedication verse five and not only as we had hoped. Not only did they implore us with much urgency that we should receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the Saints not only as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and then to us by the will of God is something going on in the life of these churches that was beyond Paul's expectation. He really didn't even expect them to participate and if so not much but they had to beg him for the privilege of being able to participate let us join you in this let us do it to. They were saying. And Paul said that's unusual enough. I really didn't even expect that.

But there's something beyond that which they did that, I had no no expectation of, and there is some unusual active Christian commitment. Again, it's not spelled out in detail, but it obviously has to do with their renewed dedication to the Lord in their renewed dedication to the to the apostle Paul.

They gave of themselves in an unusual act of commitment of dedication of surrender of willing sacrifice, not simply of their material resources, but if their whole lives. It's Romans 12 one. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice wholly acceptable under God which is your reasonable service or something like that going on here. They gave not only as we hope, with a first gave themselves to the Lord and then to us by the will of God.

And so there is a passing reference here to their renewed dedication to the Lord. But there is also interestingly, a reference to their renewed dedication to the apostle Paul who was Paul. What does he represent and how does he figure into someone's dedication to the Lord. Paul of course was an apostle of Jesus Christ. Paul is a missionary would preach the gospel in Macedonia and therefore was the church planter who was used by God to bring these churches into existence to preach the gospel by which many of them were brought to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul hazarded a special function as an apostle of Christ in this first century and the apostolic age. He has an oversight function over Gentile churches that really doesn't have any counterpart today.

It seems very clear from Scripture that there are no apostles today.

They passed off the scene so we don't have exactly the same thing but what we have is clearly the one who represented the visible churches of the Lord Jesus Christ in their organizational structure, and these people understood that if they were going to give themselves to the Lord. The only practical way to do that was to give themselves to the human authority that God had placed in a leadership position in their churches.

They gave themselves to the Lord by giving themselves in special dedication to the apostle Paul. This is quite amazing and very instructive. Jeffrey Wilson one of the commentators that I find very helpful little too little of paperback volumes. I would encourage you to get them published by Banner of truth Jeffrey Wilson is a British writer and he has comments on more than half of the books of the New Testament. Not all of them but he said at this point the secret of their generosity was their unreserved commitment to Christ and to his apostle. The secret of their generosity was there unreserved commitment to Christ and to his apostle is that the reason why giving is such a difficult subject among Christians today is it that our giving seems to be approached with difficulty because our overall level of commitment is so poor that that are our giving performance is weak because our dedication to Christ is weak. Could that be part of the answer may be, all of the answer in the underlying enablement of that enable them to do all this and I've already touched on it, but I come back to it here before relieve this first point this notable example in verses one through five.

The underlying enablement of it all is the grace of God which was given to them. As mentioned in verse one. That's how it's possible for people to give beyond their ability. That's how it's possible for people to dedicate themselves to the Lord in such a fashion. The grace of God who is able to make us able the grace of God that can enable his people to do the impossible. Sometimes were looking for great miracles. God show me your miraculous power touch me and heal me. I know you're able look course he is. And sometimes he does.

How about a little more practical area way you want me to go here but here I go. Lord perform a miracle enable me to give more.

I can't do it of myself, but you are able, you can perform that miracle in my life. How many people even prayed that way. How many people even desire that, yes, yes, enable me to give beyond liability. I don't know if I would pray about that. Why not why wouldn't you want that blessing from God that miraculous gracious supernatural enabling of God in your life. Why wouldn't she desire so moving from a notable example we come to a friendly exhortation verses six through rate. Paul is being very warm and friendly and lighthearted here I think because it's a touchy subject. He could be far more heavy-handed, but is not friendly exhortation friendly exhortation to complete the project. Verse six to complete their development. Verse seven to demonstrate their love verse eight, first of all, to complete the project. Verse six so we urged Titus that ASCII had begun so he would also complete this grace in you as well to complete the project, which it already been introduced to them and started among them a year ago that we read in verse 10, remember, and to this I give notice it is to your advantage not only to do what you began and were desiring to do a year ago. Titus had been there before. In fact, if he been there a year ago and it's impossible to be completely dogmatic about these dates and relationships. But if he been there a year ago sent by the apostle Paul to inaugurate this project to announce to them. This collection among the Gentile churches for the beleaguered Saints in Jerusalem, an ongoing project to get them started in the project and other details do unfold in this in the next chapter and how they were supposed into Chapter 16 of first Corinthians 1st Corinthians, rather than second Corinthians, how they would be laying beside aside week by week so they could be putting together a substantial amount when the time was up. When the year was over, and probably therefore this means that Titus had done this before the first Corinthian epistle.

It even been written because of if Titus inaugurated a year ago and Paul makes reference to it in first Corinthians 16. Where was already in place detect.

He reminds them out supposed to be done. Titus clearly had been there before the first Corinthian epistle had been written. So Titus had been there before. About a year before and had introduced the project that is in view here and now Paul says I need to send Titus back to bring it to completion. Titus is about worn out from travel is been there. Then back to Paul.

Been there again and just got back to Paul with the report of their response to the first Corinthian epistle in Paul's rebuke of them and calling upon them to repentance the comes back to report to Paul that had a good result. Now he comes back again is going to come back again and send them again 1/3 time to complete this project. When I send him what Paul is saying is I'm sending him to collect the money that you have received that you have collected. He's going to complete the project at that time Paul will Titus rather will bring it to completion again.

Paul refers to this terms of grace, so we urged Titus that ASCII had begun so he would also complete this grace in you as well. What grace the grace of giving the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia, how they gave beyond their ability. That grace, that's the grace were talking about Titus is going to come and complete this grace and so we see that giving which is very much a physical matter is in the mind of Paul and therefore the mind of God, a spiritual activity. It's all bound up when it's done properly. It's all bound up with the grace of God, and it is an organized activity. We have a man in the plan. The mantis Titus and the plan is let each of you laying by human store, week by week as God has prospered that there be no gatherings.

When I come out real. What should I say a real Monday organizational physical church business kind of deal. Some people act like this sort of thing is just beneath them to get involved in such Monday madness. We just skip all that we rise above all that to the glorious riches of God's grace in Christ Jesus, and the blessings of salvation.

Well this is part of God's grace to come back down to earth and get involved in the only way it's possible to get involved in a tangible part of an earthly activity that has been inaugurated and carried out by the organizational procedures of the church and the man that God appoints to lead the church and that's the way it's done, and Titus is coming now to complete this organizational response to the needs of the saints in Jerusalem friendly organization number one for them to complete the project, which they have begun a friendly exhortation, I should say number two to complete their development for seven but as you abound in every thing. Nothing is going to give a list of gifts and manifestations of the work of God in their heart that is very encouraging faith.

They had exemplary faith genuine saving faith speech. They were gifted they were church that was gifted the area speech. Apparently they had a good number of people that were able to publicly minister God's word. So they were gifted in speech knowledge.

They had a lot of Bible knowledge in their church. A lot of people with a good understanding of Scripture's diligence. They showed a commendable level of energy and diligence and faithfulness to the tasks that were involved in their church and in serving the Lord and in your love. Don't leave this out. They were exemplary in their love to Paul. He says to us so that would be Paul and Titus and his missionary team.

He said you're really abounding in all of these areas, but but but there's one area where you are lagging behind in see that you abound in this grace also there is grace see that you abound in this grace also in your giving you out to be as up bounding and giving as you are in knowledge and in speech and in your diligence in other areas and in your love, which is very important. You should be abounding in this as well. In other words, in spite of the fact that up until this time they had what obviously beak can be described as commendable spiritual development your abounding in faith, speech, knowledge, diligence love that's very commendable. There is nevertheless significant room for improvement.

Here is an area where your what you're not abounding your giving is not abounding its minimal it's really little weak lesson not to be from a church that was not impoverished from a church that was not in a depressed area from a church that had a reputation that the Corinthian area had a reputation for being a very wealthy, economically prosperous part of the Roman Empire and that's where they were. And here they are the people who are abundantly blessed financially, who are being stingy just in their giving. And you know what I've observed that's more common today than you would think that's more common today than not to be. Why is it that so many times the Christians who been blessed with the most are the stingy assist in their giving. Why is that why should that be should not be in. That's what Paul is saying here.

This is an area where you need to grow and develop. This is an area where you are lagging behind. I call this a friendly hug exhortation, but is really getting down to where the rubber meets the road. Doesn't it might even feel a little bit abrasive to some people it might seem like Paul is taking some sandpaper and is rubbing a sore spot on their arm or leg or something. But here's a place for improvement, giving Paul is telling us that as Christians we should grow in the area of giving.

Just like we should grow in all areas of spiritual development were talking about growing in grace and knowledge faith speech knowledge diligence love were talking about growing in grace and knowledge that includes growing in her giving we should be growing in that area as well. And how's that possible by God's grace. How is it possible to grow in faith by God's grace, how's it possible to grow in our ability to speak to communicate the word of God by the grace of God because it possible to grow in our knowledge of God's word will obviously only as the Holy Spirit enlightens our minds and enables us to enlarge our understanding. It's all the spiritual work of God. It's all by grace. How is it possible for us to grow in our diligence and grow in our love only by the grace of God operating in our lives, how is it possible for us to grow in the area of giving same way grace of God operating in our lives. Yes, the enablement is from God. It's a matter of grace, but notice this. This is very important. The desire needs to come from you, but as you abound in everything in faith and speech and knowledge in all diligence in your love for us. Here it is.

You see that you abound in this grace. Also, even though this is going to require the grace of God to enable you to do it. It comes as a response to a desiring heart reaching out to God and saying God give me this enablement.

Give me grace in this area.

Help me to grow and develop it in this area comes from a heart of desire, and so a friendly organization or exhortation number one to complete the project number two to complete their development as Christians number three to demonstrate their love verse eight I speak not by commandment but I'm testing the sincerity of your love by the diligence of others. This is not exactly a commando Paul as an apostle could have commanded them, but he doesn't he doesn't. I'm not saying that this is your duty. You don't have the same responsibility here you as you half to supporting your own local church there. There are priorities here. Some things are clear duties New Testament duties other things are more in the area of of optional. It's not a duty, it's beyond duty giving but that's how we grow in this grace of giving. We have to get beyond mere duties we have to get beyond what is required of the exact minimal that's required.

We've got to get beyond that for going to grow in this grace is not a command but it is a test is a test. Paul says in verse eight of the sincerity of your love. Are you one of these people that says oh how I love Jesus, prove it by your giving heart failure.

One of these people is as. Oh how I love you a lot. Love the brother and I love everybody prove it by your giving lighted note of her to say that the test is a just empty words or is a real and how do you know how do you know if your giving is generous or not, and Paul interestingly says you can know by comparing it to the giving of others who are exemplary. When you compare your giving the Macedonian giving yours fall short. That's how you can know that it's pretty weak. Otherwise you might have thought it was fine. You, my thought was generous, he thought it might've thought it was a lot, but it's not how do we know comparative there's yours is pathetic, compared to the that tells me that we do need objective standards to evaluate our giving the Texas into a whole other area that I'm going into today, but it is too easy to deceive ourselves, and our giving is an amazing how big a $20 bill looks when the offering plate is going by and how small the $20 bill looks at a restaurant same $20 bill looks so so small we need some objective ways of evaluating how were doing in this particular case, Paul said, I am evaluating your giving against that of the Macedonians and I can see yours is pretty pathetic need to step it up friendly exhortation step it up. Demonstrate your love by your giving. We are inclined to say when it comes to giving her giving more more than were doing now more than we think we can work will inclined to say I can't because now there a lot of different things that follow because you fill in the blank. But in my situation that that's good enough for others that I can't because what Paul is teaching us is to say, I can because because of what because of God because of who he is because of his power, his ability to stop saying I can't because of this and this and this. Your circumstances are as bad as the Macedonians they didn't say I can't because of taxes I can't because of persecution. I can't because of poverty. They said I can because God is a great God and he will enable me to do that. That's the way we should view it and so we learn that generous giving is an evidence of the grace of God at work in our hearts we learned furthermore that the determination to give generously is an attitude that calls forth God's enabling grace to enable us to give more abundantly. Shall I say that again our determination to give generously is an attitude that calls forth God's enabling grace to enable us to give more abundantly.

We learn in this section of the giving is a privilege to be able to give to have for the purposes for which to get to be able to enter in to a worthwhile giving project that's a privilege we learn the giving is a spiritual activity. Jesus taught the same. What did he say in the sermon on the Mount to lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust corrupt and thieves break through and steal, but rather lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven.

How do you take dollars and get them to heaven.

Obviously there is a spiritual link giving is a spiritual activity lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven. Remember what Jesus said in the parable of the unjust steward.

He said to his disciples make to yourselves friends of the mailman money of unrighteousness that when you fail, they may receive you into their everlasting habitation. How do you do that Howdy, how do you transfer your money to heaven which has a benefit up there.

He tells us here use it for the work of the gospel use it for the salvation of souls. Use it to have an influence upon people who will meet you in heaven, and receive you into heaven someday. Use it for that purpose, and you've turned physical resources into spiritual riches giving as a spiritual activity and giving finally is related to spiritual health, poor spiritual health hinders giving good spiritual health promotes giving but giving promotes improved spiritual health. Something you can do to improve something you can do to develop as you abound in faith speech knowledge diligence love see that you abound in this grace. Also, you can do something here that contributes to the improvement of your own spiritual health. While they we ought to go back to rebuke and confession that's easier than giving but here we are in second Corinthians 8, shall we pray father, may your words speak to our hearts today. They are love for Jesus grow as a result of your speaking to us from heaven. We ask it in Christ's name. Amen