<< Previous | Index | Next >>"THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS" Becoming A Cheerful Giver (9:6-15) INTRODUCTION 1. In the NT, Jesus and His apostles call us to a high standard of "giving"... a. The teaching of Jesus - Lk 6:30,34-36; 14:12-14 b. The example of Paul - Ac 20:33-35; Ga 2:9-10 c. The teaching of Paul - Ga 6:9-10; Ep 4:28; 1Ti 6:17-19 2. The NT is also filled with notable examples of liberal giving... a. Churches in Jerusalem, Antioch, Macedonia, etc. b. Individuals like Barnabas, Dorcas, etc. 3. Today, however, it is common for people to give "sparingly", and even then, it is often "begrudgingly"... a. But Jesus said it is more blessed to give than to receive - Ac 20:35 b. I.e., giving can be a joyful experience, even when one is poor himself - cf. 2Co 8:1-5 4. What is the secret to giving joyfully and willingly? I.e., how can we truly become "cheerful givers"? a. In 2Co 9:6-15 Paul discusses the matter of giving to help needy Christians b. In this passage, we find several principles and truths which, when kept in mind, can help us become "cheerful givers". [The first principle to remember is...] I. GOD "LOVES" A CHEERFUL GIVER (2Co 9:7) A. SINCE THIS IS TRUE... 1. A "cheerful giver" can rest assured that God will watch over him and provide for his own needs! 2. Note how God cares for the one who gives to others... a. As David taught in Ps 41:1-3 b. As the LORD spoke through Isaiah in Isa 58:6-11 B. SINCE THIS IS TRUE... 1. One who gives in service to God need not worry - Mt 6:30-33 2. For "God loves a cheerful giver", and watches over those He loves! - cf. Lk 12:6-7 [Understanding this principle should certainly encourage us to give more cheerfully! Here is another principle to keep in mind...] II. GOD PROVIDES SEED FOR THE SOWER (2Co 9:6,8-11a) A. VERSE 6 IS OFTEN MISUSED... 1. By those who teach "the gospel of health and wealth" 2. Who seek to motivate people to give (sow) more by saying this passage teaches they will receive (reap) more 3. Implying that if you give more so you can have more for your own consumption! B. THE CONTEXT TEACHES OTHERWISE... 1. What's the purpose of reaping "bountifully"? a. Look carefully at verse 8... 1) To have all sufficiency (what you need), yes... 2) But then to "have an abundance for EVERY GOOD WORK"! -- I.e., not to spend the abundance on one's self, but to help others! b. Now consider verse 9... 1) This quotation is from Ps 112:9; yet note the context - Ps 112:5-9 2) Paul uses this verse to further confirm that the abundance would be for every good work (not self- consumption)! 2. And so in verses 10 and 11... a. Paul prays that God will supply and multiply the seed sown 1) Supply the seed to SOW to begin with 2) And multiply (REAP bountifully) the seed b. Why? 1) To increase the fruits of their righteousness (to increase their good works!) 2) To be enriched in everything "FOR ALL LIBERALITY" (so they can give even more to others!) C. HERE IS THE POINT... 1. We ought to be willing to give cheerfully... a. Because the more we give... b. ...the more God will enable us to give! 2. Now bear in mind that giving is not limited to money a. It may be that God may empower us to give, not financially, but in other ways b. Such as with our talents, time, etc. 3. But the point remains the same... a. The more we give ourselves to others in the service of God b. The more He will bless us to be even more useful! [Indeed, the ability to give (because we have been materially blessed) is a gift from God, one that should be used liberally (Ro 12:6-8). Knowing that those who give liberally will be blessed to give even more should help us become "cheerful givers"! Here is something else that ought to encourage us...] III. GIVING PRODUCES THANKSGIVING & GLORY TO GOD (2Co 9:11b-15) A. OFFERED BY THOSE WHOSE NEEDS ARE BEING MET... 1. Not only thanking God, that their own needs were supplied 2. But also glorifying God, because of His grace at work in the lives of the givers a. Note that "cheerful giving" is an indication the grace of God has been active in one's life b. This is point stressed by Paul repeatedly - cf. 2 Col 9:8, 14; 8:1-2,6-7 -- Thus the people we help will be moved to thank God and praise Him for His working in our lives! B. SHOULDN'T THIS HELP US TO GIVE MORE CHEERFULLY? 1. For what disciple is there who does not want to give glory and thanksgiving to God? 2. Like any good work, we can bring glory to God by our giving! - cf. Mt 5:16 [Another thing to remember to be a "cheerful giver" is that...] IV. GIVING INCREASES AFFECTION (2Co 9:14) A. ESPECIALLY WHEN GIVING TO HELP YOUR BRETHREN... 1. They understand that your giving is a sign of God's grace in you 2. And this causes them to love you and long for you even more 3. As a case in point, consider Paul and the Philippians - Php 1: 3-8 B. BUT IT CAN ALSO HAVE THE SAME AFFECT AMONG NON-CHRISTIANS... 1. They see the truth of what you teach by your example a. We teach a gospel concerning One Who became poor, that we might become rich - cf. 2Co 8:9 b. Who would believe such a story? Perhaps those who have seen it illustrated in the lives of His disciples, that's who! - e.g. 2Co 8:1-2 2. They may be more receptive to the gospel when they hear it, even though they may first ridicule you - cf. 1Pe 2:12 [One last point I wish to glean from our text as to how we can become "cheerful givers"...] V. PURPOSEFUL GIVING LEADS TO CHEERFUL GIVING (2Co 9:7) A. PLANNING ONE'S GIVING IS KEY TO GIVING CHEERFULLY... 1. They are less likely to give "grudgingly or of necessity" a. Because they have already set aside what they want to give b. They are not caught off guard when someone asks them to give 2. This is how Paul instructed the Corinthians in their giving a. To lay by in store on the first day of the week - 1Co 16: 1-4 b. To prepare their gift beforehand, so when it was time to give, the resources were ready - cf. 2Co 9:5 3. An early Christian apologist, Aristides, wrote of how even slaves were able to give cheerfully through purposeful planning: "And if there is any that is a slave or a poor man, they fast two or three days and what they were going to set before themselves they send to them (Christians in prison), considering themselves to give good cheer even as they were called to give good cheer." (Apology 15) -- So plan your giving if you wish to give cheerfully! B. A PRACTICAL SUGGESTION FOR PLANNED GIVING... 1. Plan your giving to help needy people the same way we plan our giving to provide for the collection for the saints 2. As you prosper, set so much aside for "individual benevolence" a. E.g., start a separate account into which you put aside a certain amount each pay period c. E.g., or send that amount to some charitable organization -- However you plan your giving, it is much easier to give when you are PREPARED to give! CONCLUSION 1. In our text, then, we find the key to "Becoming A Cheerful Giver"; it involves keeping in mind that... a. God loves a cheerful giver b. God provides seed for the sower c. Giving provides thanksgiving and glory to God d. Giving increases affection between giver and recipient e. Giving becomes one of generosity when it is planned 2. I hope that I have challenged your thinking in regards to your own giving, and how we can become "cheerful givers" 3. To a great extent, what kind of givers we are depends upon what kind of recipients we are! a. For unless we receive the grace of God in our own lives, we will be unlikely to give gracefully to others b. With that thought in mind, please remember this warning: We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For He says: "In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you." Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. (2Co 6:1-2) Have we received the grace of God "in vain"? Have you received the grace of God "at all"? - cf. Ac 22:16<< Previous | Index | Next >>
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