Grace In Giving vs. Giving To Grace

May 3, 2009 Preacher: Randy Smith Series: Growing in Grace-Building Project

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 8:1– 9:15

Transcript

Grace In Giving vs. Giving To Grace

II Corinthians 8:1-9:15
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Pastor Randy Smith


 

As we approach our final week before collection Sunday, it's been one incredible journey for us as a church family. I believe the Lord has used the opportunity before us for much good. To achieve the success we've enjoyed it has been necessary to put aside our petty differences, commit ourselves to prayer and reexamine our priorities. I admit oftentimes the road to attain these victories is difficult, but by faith we believe our labor and discomfort in the journey is not in vain and when it is all said and done we will reap an even greater harvest of blessings.

I suppose there are a million ways you could conduct a building program, but as a church it has been our desire (as always) to operate according to the principles of Scripture. As God's sheep we are not only commanded to follow His voice, but also foolish if we try any other tactics despite the softer sell and false promises of a greater return.

So while there is still much to be accomplished in our project, today we celebrate. Today we reach the final sermon in a series specifically devoted to this endeavor. Thanks to the sufficiency of Scripture we have heard from the heart of God. For the past six weeks I believe we have revealed every major detail as to how Scripture speaks to our situation.

First we said that God will always accomplish His purposes. We have the confidence that when God wants to do something, His will, will never be thwarted. Then in the second sermon I presented four priorities of a building project. Again, using the book of Ezra, I said we must prioritize: purity, the Bible, obedience and worship. In the third sermon I shared with you three expectations. I mentioned that all building projects contained in the Bible are met with: opposition, dissatisfaction and joy. Then a week later I presented five more principles all centered on the word "need": the need to be unified, the need to be organized, the need to encourage, the need to get people involved, and the need to seek and praise God.

Two weeks ago we sought to glean some financial principles that applied to building the Tabernacle. We learned that Moses in speaking to the Israelites stated the reason to build and the resources that would be required. The people sought the Lord, and God moved their hearts to respond favorably. They responded so well that the people actually brought more than what was necessary.

Last week we examined another major building project in the Old Testament - the construction of the first Temple. In that account we saw King David express the need for the project and then publicly proclaim the amount that he was contributing followed by the exhortation for the people to join him in the sacrifice. Again, as a result of God moving the hearts of His people, the Israelites had sufficient resources to complete the construction. And even before the construction was complete, we learned that aspects of the financial drive resulted in much encouragement, joy and praise.

Today, as we conclude our series and prepare for the Lord's Table we will study two chapters that deal with raising money better than any place in the entire Bible. In this particular situation, the Apostle Paul needed God to move the hearts of the Gentile churches to send financial aid to the churches in Israel. The text is spoken to the Corinthians, but the Macedonians are held out as an example of exemplary giving.

So we need to ask, what was so special about them? Why was God so pleased with these Macedonians? What principles from Scripture can we apply to our lives today?

I've got eight points and about two minutes to devote to each point. That could be my greatest challenge!

1. GOD IS PLEASED WHEN YOUR GIVING IS A RESPONSE TO HIM

Number one: God is pleased when your giving is a response to Him.

If there is one thing that I cannot overstress it is that God is not into specific amounts. We learned last week that King David pleased the Lord by giving away billions (1 Chron. 29:2-5), but the poor widow also pleased the Lord by giving away a cent (Mk. 12:42). This is why we have not divided our total needs with the giving units in the congregation and established a monetary suggestion for everyone. God is pleased when your giving is a response to Him. God is pleased when you ask Him how much He would have you give of His money back to His causes all for the praise of His glory. And when hearts respond to God's call, we will never lack God's resources. We will all give different amounts, but the sacrificial response from our heart is what brings our Lord the most pleasure.

So you may be wondering, "How does God move my heart to give sacrificially"? Look at verse 1 of chapter 8. Immediately Paul reveals the impetus behind the Macedonians generosity: "Now, brethren, we wish to make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia" (2 Cor. 8:1). What prompted the Macedonians? It was the grace of God!

Jerry Bridges in his excellent book Transforming Grace spoke to this situation: "What was the secret of such an outpouring of generosity? We have no reason to believe the Macedonians as a people were more inclined to be generous in their giving to the needs of others. Consider, for example, that in the United States, one of the most affluent nations in history, our giving to charitable and religious causes averages one or two percent of our income. Paul said the Macedonians' secret was the grace of God (verse 1). Here is another occasion where Paul uses grace to mean a working of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers. The sense is not that of God's unmerited favor considered as the source of blessing, but rather the working of His Spirit as a concrete expression of that favor."

Our consultant, Stephen Anderson basically said the same thing: "Ultimately it is not fancy words or pretty materials that will make your campaign a success, it is the movement of the Holy Spirit in people's lives exhorting them to step out to make the appropriate faith response. By teaching on biblical stewardship principles and bathing the campaign in personal and corporate prayer, our desire can be brought into alignment with God's desire."

Is this all mystical? I mean if all generous giving is a result of God's grace, has our whole building campaign been unnecessary? Absolutely not! In 8:1-2 and 9:2 Paul boasted about the personal testimony of the givers. In 8:7 and 11 Paul gave a direct exhortation to contribute. In 9:14 prayer was offered for the Corinthians. And throughout most of chapters 8 and 9 we see Paul making wise leadership decisions (2 Cor. 8:6, 18-20, 22; 9:3-5). God uses means to accomplish His purposes. But we must understand that none of His purposes will be accomplished in our hearts apart from His grace. Giving sacrificially and giving generously to the Lord is a supernatural work prompted by grace.

And how do we get this outpouring of grace in our personal lives? The end of verse 5 of chapter 8 tells us: "They first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God." They surrendered themselves to the Lord. They gave Him first place in their hearts. They were filled with the Holy Spirit. And God moved their hearts appropriately. This beloved, is grace in action. No wonder Paul called the collection in verses 6 and 7 a "gracious work." And no wonder Paul ends this section in 9:14 where he began: "While they also, by prayer on your behalf, yearn for you because of the surpassing grace of God in you."

God honoring giving is grace from beginning to end. We will see that with the remaining seven points.

2. GOD IS PLEASED WHEN YOUR GIVING TRANSCENDS YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES

Number two: God is pleased when your giving transcends your circumstances.

I suppose we can find several reasons why we can exclude ourselves from generous giving. "I don't have what my neighbors have." "I have young children to support." "I'm living paycheck to paycheck." "The economy is horrible." "I'm having health problems, car problems, self-esteem problems…"

The Macedonian church was ridiculed, plundered by the Romans, ravaged by wars and imprisoned and beaten for their faith (see Ac. 17:5-8; Phil. 1:29; 1 Thes, 1:6; 2:14-15; 2 Thes. 1:4). They were severely persecuted. Look at 8:2. They were "in a great ordeal of affliction." They were extremely poor. 8:2 again: Their economic status is identified as "deep poverty." Yet verse 2 ends by stating that their position was not an excuse but rather that they "overflowed in the wealth of their liberality."

One author said, "Devout Christians do not wait until they have more money; they give despite their poverty, like the poor widow [Jesus spoke about…because] giving is not a matter of how much one possesses but is an expression of an unselfish and loving heart. The Macedonians refusal to allow their poverty to stifle their generosity made them a model of Christian giving" (John MacArthur, 2 Corinthians, p. 279).

So another indication of God's grace is that our circumstances do not affect our generosity.

3. GOD IS PLEASED WHEN YOUR GIVING RESULTS IN JOY

Number three: God is pleased when your giving results in joy.

Again verse 2 tells us this church had a "great ordeal of affliction" and was in "deep poverty." Normally that is not the recipe for happiness. Yet sandwiched in between those two phrases Paul said they had an "abundance of joy." Now if we leave it there we can say that this is a general truth for Christian living. Our joy is a fruit of the Spirit and not related to events. We know as Christians our joy transcends our circumstances. But what is so interesting here is that their joy is primarily related to the "wealth of their liberality." They were happy because they were able to give so much.

Rather than making excuses for their inability to be generous, they gave liberally. And their liberal giving did not result in grief but rather their abundance of joy. We have seen this over and over in our study. There can be no doubt that God blesses sacrificial givers.

Let's go a little deeper. Is it just about making us happy or does God have something to gain in our joy? As we talk about pleasing God, let me ask you: Is God pleased when we present to Him our leftovers? No! Is God pleased if we make a substantial donation yet do it with reluctance? No again! What pleases the Lord? Look at chapter 9 verse 7: "Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."

God wants your joy more than you want it yourself. So He has built this in such a way that our joy and His glory are on one train going in one direction whereby everybody wins. A happy Christian brings God much glory because a happy Christians shows the world that God truly is a Good Shepherd (Jn. 10:11, 14).

4. GOD IS PLEASED WHEN YOU GIVE EAGERLY

Number four: God is pleased when you give eagerly.

Remember those folks who were building the Tabernacle? Remember despite being told that the funds were sufficient "the people were restrained from bringing any more" (Ex. 36:6)? A passion to give, a zeal to give, an eagerness to give honors God because it magnifies His worth.

We know this is true. Mother's Day is right around the corner. Moms, what would bring you the greatest pleasure? Is it not the child that put something together and just can't wait to deliver the present? You know what I'm talking about. For weeks the kid can't keep his or her mouth closed. So many comments come in every day that the identification of the present is usually revealed. And then the big day arrives and that son or daughter stands before you in excitement, face aglow, heart thumping, waiting for your reaction and the long anticipated praise. The desire to give! My friends, God is no different. He is greatly pleased when we give eagerly.

In chapter 8, verse 4 Paul says this Macedonian church was "begging us with much urging for the favor of participation in the support of the saints." It appears Paul was reluctant to ask too much of this poor church. Yet they wanted to give and even "begged" for their money to be taken.

Time prevents me from elaboration but throughout these two chapters we see the giving of money associated with terms like "desire" (8:10 and 11) and "earnestness" (8:16) and "zeal" (9:2).

Another indication of God's grace is when we view our giving as a privilege and not as an obligation. And praise God that I have witnessed this eagerness to be a part of this project in so many of you!

5. GOD IS PLEASED WHEN YOU GIVE ACCORDING TO YOUR ABILITY

Number five: God is pleased when we give according to our ability.

As 8:12 teaches, a person can give only "according to what a person has." All of us will give different amounts, but it should be proportionate as to how we have received from God. This is how the Macedonians responded. Verse 3, "For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord."

We have already covered this concept in detail so I'll leave it at that.

6. GOD IS PLEASED TO REWARD YOUR GIVING

Number 6: God is pleased to reward your giving.

Again, we have spoken about this in detail, but let me direct your attention to 9:6-10. "Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed; as it is written, 'He scattered abroad, He gave to the poor, His righteousness endures forever.' Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness."

Mark it beloved, almost every section in the Bible that speaks about money also includes a section that speaks about God's rewards for those who obey. Conclusion? We disregard this topic of giving in our reading and preaching only to our own loss.

God gives us grace to believe that His Word is true and that He can be trusted to keep His promises to reward the generous giver.

7. GOD IS PLEASED WHEN WE FOLLOW THE EXAMPLE OF CHRIST

Number seven: God is pleased when we follow the example of Christ.

We can hardly call ourselves Christians if we care not to act like Christ. And acting like Christ is the greatest indicator that we love Him and truly believe He is the Person we wish to become. So if we believe this premise to be true (which it is!), we need to ask the age old question: What would Jesus do? What kind of giver was Jesus, the One who was filled with grace (Jn. 1:17; Gal 6:18; Phil. 4:23; 1 Tim. 1:14)?

Right in the middle of this section pertaining to giving Paul tells us. Chapter 8, verse 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 through His poverty might become rich."

How can forget that it was His supreme act of giving that purchased our salvation? The self-giving of Christ was grace at its purest level - giving the best He had for the betterment of others. He was willing to translate His spiritual riches to spiritual poverty - born as a man and death on a cross (Phil. 2:8) - in order to grant us "every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places" (Eph. 1:3). As Paul tells these Corinthians, this ultimate gift that they have received should somehow impact the way they give.

God's grace makes us sacrificial givers like Christ.

8. GOD IS PLEASED BECAUSE OUR GIVING GLORIFIES HIM

Finally number 8. It comes as a fitting conclusion. God is pleased because, as we have made so clear, our grace giving brings Him glory.

It is all over this section, but let me just read a few verses at the end of chapter 9. 9:11, "[The collection produced] thanksgiving to God." 9:12, "[It overflowed] through many thanksgivings to God." 9:13, "[Others will] glorify God for [your] obedience." 9:14, "Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!"

After all I showed you from the Bible, how can we deny that responding to God's grace through sacrificial giving to Him brings Him great glory?

So what have we learned?

  • God is pleased when your giving is a response to Him
  • God is pleased when your giving transcends your circumstances
  • God is pleased when your giving results in joy
  • God is pleased when you give eagerly
  • God is pleased when you give according to your ability
  • God is pleased to reward your giving
  • God is pleased when we follow the example of Christ
  • God is pleased because our giving glorifies Him

This sermon was about grace giving. The title of the sermon reflects this question: Do we view our offerings as simply giving to Grace (Tabernacle) or do we understand the principle of grace in giving? Rightly understanding this principle directly affects our joy and God's glory.

 

More in Growing in Grace-Building Project

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April 19, 2009

When God Moves Hearts

April 5, 2009

Lessons From The Book of Ezra - Part Four