"Grace Giving"
2 Corinthians 8:1-5 (NASB)

Note: Although this sermon is has a lot of Greek mixed in it, I do not go through every word during my sermon.  These Greek references are only that, references for me to use if it strengthens the message.  Plus it is helpful if someone has questions about what I said after the sermon.
 

Introduction: In our text this morning, Paul is changing his subject from Christian living and ministry to Christian giving. Today when we hear about giving it is often, if not always, presented as a duty of every Christian to give a tithe. And when we hear that the preacher is going to preach from the book of Malachi we automatically think about only thing...giving your tithe to God's warehouse, and stop stealing from God by not tithing. In fact, most Christians if asked for Scripture references about tithing would probably only refer you to the book of Malachi. I am convinced that most churches' approach to tithing is based upon a theology that believes the Church is now Israel or has replaced Israel. As a result it is easy to take the next step to apply "parts" of the Old Testament laws about tithing to New Testament believers. This tends to be a "pick-and-chose" type of theology that allows you to apply the parts you want, but ignore or spiritualize the others (for example, the Israelites were actually required to tithe much more than 10%, but somewhere in the mid-20%). With all this said, this is not an anti-tithing sermon but as Christians, under the dispensation of grace, we are not under the Law but grace. And as such, we need to follow those New Testament principles of giving. Paul in these next two chapters gives us the most extended and complete section on Christian giving. And that our giving is based upon grace (the word "grace" is used 10 times in these two chapters). The subject of these next two chapters is grace giving.
 

I. Christian Giving Is The Outgrowth Of God's Grace (v.1).
1. It is the foundation of all Christian giving (v.1a).

A. The source of all Christian giving is found in the Grace of God.

1) "we wish to make known to you the grace of God"

A) "make known,"gnorizo {gno-rid'-zo: v, indic, pres, act, 1per, pl}; to make known, reveal, to become known.
B) "grace," charis {khar'-ece: n, acc, f, sg}; grace, God's unmerited favor, the divine influence upon the heart.

2) Charles Ryrie in his book, "So Great Salvation," shares four important facts about the grace of God.

A) Grace in unmerited favor.

- This means that God's grace is undeserved on the part of the recipient.

-- Romans 3:10-12, "as it is written, 'There is none righteous, not even one; There is none who understands, There is none who seeks for God; All have turned aside, together they have become useless; There is none who does good, There is not even one.'" (NASB)
-- Romans 3:23, "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," (NASB)

- It is unearned and unearnable.

-- Romans 3:24, "being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;" (NASB)
-- Romans 6:23, "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (NASB)

B) Grace is not cheap.

- Grace is expensive.
- It is free to the recipient but costly to the donor.

-- The only way a person could say that grace is cheap is if the particular benefit costs the donor very little.
-- Some people may insult grace, reject it, trample on it, or disgrace it, but that does not lower its infinite value.

- It cost our Lord Jesus Christ His life.

-- John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life." (NASB)

C) It is not easy to believe someone who offers grace.

- This is because we are trained from childhood that our acceptance is based upon performance (i.e., a merit system).
- It is not easy to believe someone who says that they will do something good for us that we do not deserve.

-- Jesus revealed this when speaking to the woman at the well in John 4:10, "Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water."" (NASB)
-- John 12:40 "He [i.e., Satan] has blinded their eyes, and He hardened their heart; lest they see with their eyes, and perceive with their heart, and be converted, and I heal them." (NASB)

D) Grace that is received changes one's life and behavior.

- 2 Corinthians 5:17, "Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come." (NASB)
- Ephesians 4:22-24, "that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth." (NASB)

B. Without a good understanding of grace, we can never really give to please the Lord.

1) Grace brings a new understanding and desire to please the Lord.
2) Believers are under grace and not the law, and likewise so is our giving.

A. The Macedonia churches were an example of grace giving.
B. They had experienced God's life-changing grace upon their hearts and they expressed it in their generosity to help other Christians in Jerusalem.

Application: The Old Testament demanded that the Israelites tithe, but the New Testament goes way beyond the Law; it deals with the heart. When a person accepts the greatest gift ever given to man, there is created in them a new heart, a new desire to please the One who saved them from their hopelessness. We are no longer under obligation or compulsion, but are now under God's divine influence in our hearts. Christian giving is an act or worship, and it is the outward expression of God's grace upon our hearts. Warren Wiersbe says, "Grace not only frees us from our sins, but it frees us from ourselves. The grace of God will open your heart and your hand"
 

II. Christian Giving Is Based Upon Ability (vv.2-3a).
1. It isn't solely based upon physical conditions (v.2a).

A. The Macedonian churches gave generously even though they were facing severe persecution.

1) "great," polus {pol-oos': adj, dat, f, sg}; many, much, large, great.
2) "ordeal," dokime {dok-ee-may': n, dat, f, sg}; test, trustiness, experience, proof, trial.
3) "affliction," thlipsis {thlip'-sis: n, gen, f, sg}; a pressing, pressing together, pressure, of suffering brought on by outward circumstances, affliction, oppression, trouble.

B. Not only had they given in the midst of trials, they did it with an abundance of joy.

1) "abundance," perisseia {per-is-si'-ah: n, nom, f, sg}; superabundance, surplus, fulness, an overflowing.
2) "joy," chara {khar-ah': n, gen, f, sg}; joy, gladness, delight.

Application: Only the grace of God could bring out the best of people during times of trouble.  And not only can God's grace bring out our best, it can also bring out a joy and gladness that we could never experience elsewhere. The great thing about God's grace is that it isn't based upon what we possess, but upon the love that God showed us through His Son Jesus Christ. Romans 8:35-39, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written, 'For Thy sake we are being put to death all day long; We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.' But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (NASB)

2. It isn't solely based upon economic conditions (v.2b).

A. The Macedonian churches gave generously even though they were facing severe poverty.

1) "deep," bathos {bath'-os: n, gen, neut, sg}; depth, deep.
2) "poverty," ptocheia {pto-khi'-ah: n, nom, f, sg}; destitution, beggary, poverty.
3) They literally had hit "rock bottom," and couldn't get any lower.

B. Not only had they given in the midst of their poverty, they did so with liberality.

1) "overflowed," perisseuo {per-is-syoo'-o: v, indic, aor, act, 3 per, sg}; of things provided for in abundance, cause to increase, to cause to abound.
2) "wealth," ploutos {ploo'-tos: n, acc, neut, sg}; riches, wealth, abundance of external possessions.
3) "liberality," aplotes {hap-lot'-ace: n, gen, f, sg}; liberality, bountifulness, generosity.
4) They probably didn't give a large sums of money, but rather God regarded it (and so did Paul) a larger gift because they had so little.

A) Notice that God's view of giving and the amount is often different than ours.
B) Christ speaking about the widow's mite, "for they all out of their surplus put into the offering; but she out of her poverty put in all that she had to live on." (Luke 21:4: NASB)

3. It is based upon the ability to give (v.3a)

A. The Macedonian churches gave according to their ability.

1) "according to," kata {kat-ah': prep, gen}; according to, after, by.
2) "ability," dunamis {doo'-nam-is: n, acc, f, sg}; strength, ability, power.

B. They gave to their utmost ability.

III. Christian Giving Is A Matter Of The Heart (vv.-3b-5).
1. It is based upon a person's own free will (v.3b)

A. The Macedonian churches not only gave according to their ability, they gave above their ability.

1) "beyond," para {par-ah'; prep, acc}; beyond, more than.
2) "ability," dunamis {doo'-nam-is: n, acc, f, sg}; strength, ability, power.

B. They also gave freely.

1) "of their own accord," authairetos {ow-thah'-ee-ret-os: adj, nom, m, pl}; of one's own free will, acting spontaneously or voluntarily, of one's own accord.
2) They did not wait to be asked, but gave on their own initiative.

Application: I was once in a church once, where we would announce various needs of the church from the pulpit, and in the bulletin; but we would not get any response. So I would have people come up to me and tell me that I needed to personally call individuals to get them to respond.  When Christians allow the grace of God to work in their hearts, they don't need people to personally call them; they respond to the need on their own initiative because of the influence of God's grace upon their heart. I'm afraid the reason why most people don't respond to various needs of the Church is because they have not ever responded to God's grace. Christians should not have to be begged or shamed into responding to the needs of other Christians; responding should be the natural response of a believer.

2. It considers it a privilege to give (v.4).

A. Not only did the Macedonian churches give freely, they also considered it a privilege  to give (v.4a).

1) They begged Paul for the privilege to give.

A) "begging," deomai {deh'-om-ahee: v, part, pres, mid/pass, dep, nom, m, pl}; to desire, make request, pray, ask, make petition, plead.
B) "much," polus {pol-oos': adj, gen, f, sg}; many, much, large, great
C) "entreaty,"paraklesis {par-ak'-lay-sis: n, gen, f, sg}; of calling someone to oneself, appeal, entreaty, a strong and persistent request.
D) "favor," charis {khar'-ece: n, acc, f, sg}; grace, kindness, gift, favor, helpfulness.

B. They also considered it a ministry to be able to help others in need (v.4b).

1) "participation," koinonia {koy-nohn-ee'-ah: n, acc, f, sg}; fellowship, joint participation,  as a relationship characterized by sharing in common fellowship, a close mutual relationship.
2) "support," diakonia {dee-ak-on-ee'-ah: n, gen, f, sg}; service, ministry, the role or position of one serving God in a special way.
3) "saints," agios {hag'-ee-os: adj, pron, acc, m, pl}; most holy thing, holy, set apart for God's purpose, dedicated, sacred.

Application: When was the last time you begged someone for the opportunity to give? I remember when I first began preaching. Since I had full-time employment, I would often turn down churches that wanted to pay me for preaching. I thought that I was doing something good, after all I didn't need the money. One day a Christian friend told me that I should not turn down churches that offered me money for preaching because I was robbing them of the privilege of being able to give. When the Lord lays it on your heart to give to someone or some ministry, think of it as a privilege, an honor to have the opportunity to do so. Likewise, if someone offers you a gift, don't rob them of that privilege either. God's grace produces ministering hearts.

3. It seeks the will of God first (v.5).

A. The Macedonian churches gave far beyond what Paul ever thought, and they even surprised him by their great desire to participate (v.5a).

1) "not," ou {oo: part, neg}; no, not (can denote a strong emphasis or contrast).
2) "expected," elpizo {el-pid'-zo: v, indic, aor, act, 1 per, pl}; to hope for, trust, desire.

B. The reason for their generous giving was found in the fact that they gave themselves first to the Lord, so that they were then able to give to others (v.5b).

1) "first," protos {pro'-ton: adj, adv, ord}; first in time or place, first, before anything else.
2) "gave," didomi {did'-o-mee: v, indic, aor, act, 3 per, pl}; to give, to bestow, commit.
3) "themselves," eautou{heh-ow-too': n, pron, acc, m, 3 per, pl}; yourselves, themselves.
4) "Lord," kurios {koo'-ree-os: n, dat, m, sg}; Lord, Master, sovereign.
5) "will of," thelema {thel'-ay-mah: n, gen, neut, sg}; will, choice, inclination, desire, design, purpose, what is willed.
6) "God," Theos {theh'-os: n, gen, m, sg}; the supreme divine being, the true, living, and personal God.

Application: Matthew 6:33, "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you." (NASB). Christ told His disciples that they needed to seek God's will first and foremost, and then those earthly things that they were worried about would be taken care of. The Macedonian churches practiced this principle; they had very little, but they sought the Lord's will first and were able to give and know that He would take care of their needs. Grace giving doesn't mean blind giving. Before we give to anyone or any ministry, we should always seek the Lord's will first. And this means that we should be willing to over ride our own wills when necessary.
 

Truths To Live By:

1. God's grace is the foundation of all New Testament giving.

2. Christian giving is based upon your ability to give.

A. Our giving It isn't solely based upon our present physical or economic conditions.
B. It is based upon the our utmost ability to give.

3. Christian giving comes freely from a grace filled heart.

A. It is the nature outward response of a Christian (a part of their new nature).
B. It looks for opportunities, and considers it a privilege to give.
C. It never gives blindly, but always seeks the will of God first.