Transcript

There was once a young pastor, fresh out of the seminary, and he thought it would help him in his career if he first took a job as a policeman for several months.

He passed the physical examination and then took the oral examination to ascertain his alertness of mind and his ability to act quickly and wisely in an emergency.

Among other questions, he was asked, “What would you do to disperse a frenzied crowd?” He thought for a moment and then said, “I would take up a collection.”

Paul is continuing to instruct the Corinthians about the collection that was being taken up for the poor saints in Jerusalem. And by this instruction we learn about God’s will for how the Church is to give today under grace.

2 Corinthians 9:1-5:

“For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you:

“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.

“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:

“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.

“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.”

Paul wrote “For as touching” or concerning, “the ministering” or the service, “to the saints,” or the poor saints in Jersualem, Paul said that it was “superfluous for me to write to you” or it was not necessary for him to write to them about it.

There was no need for Paul to go into great detail about the collection for the saints in Jerusalem because it was not a new issue to the Corinthian church.

And Paul wrote that “For I know the forwardness of your mind” The Corinthians had shown a “forwardness” or eagerness, a readiness from the outset to participate in the collection for those in Jerusalem.

Paul had boasted about the willingness of the Corinthians to the churches of Macedonia. He told them “that Achaia was ready a year ago.”

Achaia was the region in the southern part of Greece and Corinth was located there. Macedonia was in the northern part of Greece.

Paul wrote that Achaia, or the Corinthian church, “was ready” or had been prepared to contribute to the offering for a year. There was no question about their willingness to give.

And their eagerness to give had an effect on others. “And your zeal hath provoked very many,” Paul said. It was the example of the original zeal by the Corinthians that provoked or stirred up the Macedonian believers to give so sacrificially to the need. Their eagerness to give was contagious and it encouraged many other believers to contribute.

But their enthusiasm a year ago had faded, and the Corinthians had not followed through and carried out their original intentions, and they needed further encouragement to fulfill their promise. So while it was superfluous for Paul to write them about the collection, he still had to do so.

And further, Paul wrote, “Yet have I sent the brethren,” in verse 3. “The brethren” refers to the end of chapter 8 where Paul wrote of Titus and two unnamed brothers in Christ.

These men had been sent ahead before Paul arrived, to give them this letter of 2 Corinthians and to encourage the church to make good on their pledge.

They were to do so, “lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this behalf.” Paul had boasted to the Macedonians of the great eagerness of the Corinthians to give.

Paul wanted this advance delegation to collect the promised offering, so that the apostle’s repeated and confident boast and praise of the Corinthians not be unfounded or just an empty boast.

Paul added, “that, as I said, ye may be ready.” Paul desired them to be ready and prepared. The mission of the three brethren was to finish the collection that the Corinthians promised to give and to do so by the time that Paul got there.

As another nudge, Paul wrote in verse 4 that he planned to bring some Macedonian believers with him to Corinth. In Acts 20, we learn that he did so. Paul did not want his Macedonian companions to find the Corinthians unprepared when they arrived.

These Macedonians had been motivated to give by the zeal of the Corinthians. It would have been a disappointment for them to find that the Corinthians didn’t give toward the collection after all.

And also if they didn’t complete their collection in time, Paul wrote that “we (that we say not, ye) should be ashamed in this same confident boasting.”

It would have embarrassing to the Apostle Paul if, after boasting confidently in the Corinthians, that he bring some of the Macedonians to Corinth and find that the church had actually done nothing about the collection for those in Jerusalem.

Also, it would further appear to these Macedonians that Paul was not truthful in what he had said about the Corinthians. Thus, Paul’s reputation was at stake.

So Paul said in verse 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.”

Paul again explained why Titus and his two companions were sent to Corinth before he got there. It was for the purpose that they “make up beforehand your bounty,” or prepare your generous gift beforehand, or make arrangements in advance for their bountiful gift, “whereof ye had notice before,” or which you had previously promised.

And this was so “that the same might be ready,” that the collection might be ready for when Paul arrived.

This offering was to be collected and made ready “as a matter of bounty.” Paul desired that this collection be a manifestation of their bounty or their generosity, given by their own free will, “and not as of covetousness.”

Paul made it clear that this collection was not an act of covetousness on his part. It was not something he desired to extort or wring out of them. Paul didn’t want it given in grudging obligation to him, but as a voluntary and generous gift for the good of others.

Paul said that these three men who were sent only came to oversee and expedite the offering, not to force them to give. Paul’s only desire was that those who wished to give be given the opportunity to do so based on their previous promise and eager pledge to help.

2 Corinthians 9:6-10:

“But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.

“Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

“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: (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever.

“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;).”

It’s been said that “There are 3 kinds of givers: the flint, the sponge, and the honeycomb.

To get anything out of the flint, you have got to hammer it. Then you only get chips and sparks. To get water out of the sponge, you have got to squeeze it. The more you squeeze, the more you get. But the honeycomb simply overflows with sweetness.

“When a person understands what God has done for them, you don’t have to hammer or squeeze them to give and you don’t need ten collections. They understand He is a great God.” Being like the honeycomb is how giving is to be under grace.

It’s understanding the greatness of God and of His grace toward us. It’s a response of the heart, an overflow of gratitude and love, giving because God has given to us and done so much for us.

Paul has just spoken of a bountiful gift in verse 5, and now he elaborates on the benefits of bountiful giving. In verse 6, Paul wrote, “But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.”

Paul uses a farming analogy to explain grace giving. “He who sows sparingly,” refers to a farmer who plants few seeds. If a farmer sows sparingly in the spring, then he will reap sparingly in the fall. But a generous sowing of seed reaps a generous harvest.

One thing we know for certain that this does not imply or teach is that the more money we give, the more money and wealth or material blessings we will receive in return.

Rather, the meaning is spiritual here. The lesson which Paul is urging upon the Corinthians at this point is that to give is to sow.

When we sow, what is given is not lost, but, like the seed sown by the farmer, contrary to all appearances it possesses the potency of life and increase through God.

A farmer sowing seed may feel he loses his seed as goes into the ground, and it may appear that we are losing something when we give.

But just as the farmer gives the seed in anticipation of a future harvest, so we are to give with the same heart, knowing by faith that there is great gain in giving to the Lord.

One way we reap from our sowing and giving, is that we experience the blessing and reality in this life of Acts 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.”

As we give, we will discover that spiritual blessing in our life of giving to others in need and the fulfillment and joy we receive from helping others and showing Christ’s love.

Also, like a seed is sown in the spring and reaped later in the fall, our sowing and giving has a future blessing and aspect to it as well. We reap spiritual blessings not only in this life from giving, but also in the life to come. Giving is an investment in our eternal future; it produces the yield of eternal rewards.

Paul told the Corinthians earlier in this letter that at the judgment seat of Christ, each member of the Body of Christ will stand before the Lord to “receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.”

At that day, Christ will richly reward those who give to and invest in His work and His cause in this world. And as it’s been said, “God is a good bookkeeper; He will settle all accounts, and He pays big dividends.”

If the Corinthians sowed bountifully or generously from what they have in contributing to the collection for the poor saints in Jerusalem, Paul encouraged them that they would reap bountifully and be richly rewarded with spiritual, eternal rewards from the Lord at the Judgment Seat.

But as far as our sowing and giving according to what we have, Paul added in verse 7, “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give.”

Paul adds a convicting point when he says “every man,” or every person. Giving is for each one. Every believer should be a giver.

But by grace, it is left up to each believer to give what they decide, determine, and purpose in their heart to give. Each one is to give thoughtfully and with purpose.

It is for each person to evaluate their income and needs, taking into consideration the needs of others and the work of Christ in this world, and then to make a determination within their personal relationship with the Lord, and to then give with a willing heart.

God is concerned with how we give, more so than how much we give.

Thus, Paul adds, we are to give “not grudgingly, or of necessity.” Grudgingly means with inward grief, sadness, or pain. In other words, we can give and not be happy about it. But God does not want us to give with reluctance or remorse or complaint.

“Of necessity” means by compulsion. This refers to external pressure and coercion. Believers are not to give based on fear, the strict demands of others, manipulation, or under the duress and pressure of emotional appeals. We are not to give because we have to, but because we want to.

And as, Paul wrote, “for God loveth a cheerful giver.”

God loves a cheerful and merry giver. The word, “cheerful” is translated from a Greek word that gives us our word, “hilarious.” Thus, it means that God loves a hilarious giver.

As hilarious givers, it’s been said that “God desires our giving to generate the same exuberant joy in our hearts as a…hearty laugh.”

God doesn’t want us to give grudgingly, but with joy from a cheerful heart. He doesn’t want us to give “of necessity,” but willingly with all our heart. It’s been said that “The issue is not the amount of the gift but the size of the giver’s heart.”

God delights in and loves a cheerful giver because it reflects His heart and it is to give as He gives: cheerfully. God is a cheerful Giver. His heart is infinitely huge. He gives freely, generously, deliberately, and cheerfully, not out of compulsion or any remorse.

As the believer imitates Him and we too give cheerfully, we manifest His graciousness and goodness to the world.

Through requirements of tithes, percentages, and set amounts, the joy has been taken out of giving in the church, and it is more about the drudgery of the law than the joy of grace.

It is a joy to give in response to the grace of God and our freedom in Christ, to give to others out of love, and to support a ministry that we fully back, believe in, and partner with, as it makes the truth known and reaches out to others.

Paul next wrote of a promise for our giving under grace, “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.”

Paul says that “God is able.” God is able in all ways and He has infinite ability to give. God is the One from Whom everything we have comes. Ultimately, believers dispense only what they have received from His hand by grace.

In 1 Corinthians 16:2, Paul reminded the Corinthians that they were to give “as God hath prospered him.” Paul told the Corinthians here that “God is able to make all grace abound toward you.”

This “grace” refers to the grace of God’s ability to supply our material and financial needs.

Paul was addressing a potential worry among the Corinthians that they might hold back in their giving because they were anxious that they will not have enough for themselves.

But Paul says that as they gave, God was able to give and supply their needs so that they would not only have a sufficiency or contentment ourselves in all things, but even that they would be able to “abound to every good work.” And in this context “every good work” means to share what we have with others and to give to the Lord.

As Philippians 4:19 says, “But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

Thus, in grace giving, Paul is saying that God gives grace to the giver, so the giver can give grace to others. Grace flows into our lives from God so that we can give grace out.

Paul then quoted Psalm 112:9 in verse 9. The subject of Psalm 112 is “Blessed is the man who fears the LORD.” The words of verse 9 read like an epitaph of this man.

This man “hath dispersed abroad,” the Psalm says, which refers to the act of sowing seed. Like casting and sowing seed generously, this God-fearing man generously sowed deeds of kindness to others. And among his deeds of kindness, “he hath given to the poor.”

As a result of his benevolence, “his righteousness remaineth forever.” The man lost nothing by giving. He only gained. It has eternal value. The man’s righteousness in doing what is good, kind, and generous toward others would be remembered and would endure forever. God would remember it, reward it, and it would remain for eternity.

Thus, our generosity of heart, righteous living, and sacrificial giving to those in need has permanent, eternal benefits; it will endure and be remembered forever. By grace, God will recognize and reward those who bestow grace on others.

In verse 10, Paul added, “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;).”

Paul used words from Isaiah (40:10) and Hosea (10:12) to apply the truths of verses 8 and 9 to the Corinthians. It demonstrates God’s work through the giving of the Corinthians.

Following the metaphor, God is the One Who supplies seed to the sower because He created all the earth’s vegetation and crops. He provides the grain that provides the bread for food.

The farmer sows the seed and then reaps the harvest, which in turn multiplies the seed sown and provides more seed for sowing in an increasing, ever-expanding cycle.

The “sower” is the believer who gives. The metaphor shows that our ability to help others is dependent on the God Who supplies all our needs.

And like the God-fearing man who dispersed seed, so as we generously cast and sow deeds of kindness and give to others, God will work through our efforts and “multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness.”

Like the farmer who does not reap the exact amount of seed he sows, but far more proportionately, God can “multiply your seed sown,” or greatly multiply the results through the believer’s sowing and giving and give more abundant, plentiful, manifold spiritual results and far-reaching blessings of others being touched, encouraged, and helped beyond what we would ever expect or imagine.

And like a bountiful harvest, God can “increase the fruits of your righteousness,” a righteousness like the man in verse 9, whose “righteousness remaineth forever,” as we are richly rewarded and our kindness, righteous life, and generosity is remembered forever.

2 Corinthians 9:12-15:

“Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God.

“For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God;

“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; And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you. Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.”

Paul wanted the Corinthians to see that God had prospered and blessed them, and that they were being “enriched in every thing” for a purpose: “to all bountifulness.”

They were enriched materially so that they could be generous and be bountiful givers.

The verse teaches the cyclical process of giving. First, God had GIVEN to the Corinthians. Second, the Corinthians were then going to GIVE to the poor saints in Jerusalem. Third, when it was received, those saints in turn would GIVE thanks back to God, from Whom the supply originated.

Paul and those traveling with him would carry their offering to Jerusalem, and their generosity would be administered “through us,” Paul said. And then this would cause and result in “thanksgiving to God” by those who had been in need.

Paul stated, “For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God.”

The Corinthians’ donation would not only meet the needs of the saints in Jerusalem and cause them to thank God, but this verse shows that it would cause many other people to thank God too.

Paul viewed the benefit of their gift as being “abundant,” or abounding, overflowing, and spilling over onto others who would give praise and thanksgiving to God for the generosity of the Corinthians. Their gift would result in a great chorus of praise to God.

It was important for the Corinthians to know and note that they were giving more than money for food and necessities; they were giving people a reason to thank God. That added a dimension and a layer that gave their gift great meaning. And we have this same opportunity through our giving.

Paul added in verse 13 that “Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God,” or “While, through the proof of this ministry,” in proving the sincerity of their love by giving and gathering this collection.

Paul said that by this ministry of giving there would be even more benefits that would result from it. The saints in Jerusalem would glorify God “for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ.”

Paul said that it would be a definite proof to the saints in Jerusalem and the many others who heard about it and thanked God for it, that there really had been a work of Christ in the lives of these Gentiles in far off Corinth.

By their heart of love and grace, and their “liberal distribution unto them,” it would demonstrate that these people of Corinth had truly subjected themselves to the gospel and it showed the remarkable difference and change that God’s grace had made in their lives.

And that is not all! Paul said, “And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you.”

The return on their investment also included the blessing that the saints in Jerusalem would be careful to pray for the saints in Corinth, and there would be a connection and strong ties of affection from that point on.

And the saints in Jerusalem would long for the Corinthians because of the exceeding grace of God in you, which their distribution demonstrated.

As the Apostle Paul reached the end of his section on Christian giving, he stopped to think of the greatest Giver of all: God. He also stops to consider the greatest gift of all: His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 9:15 is the supreme illustration of the principles and truths that Paul has been relating in 2 Corinthians 8 and 9.

With an open and willing heart, God gave, and He gave sacrificially, deliberately, and freely. He proved the sincerity of His great love and care for those in need.

And it is God’s grace in giving the unspeakable gift of His Son to provide for our salvation that is the highest and truest motivation for giving today under grace.

“Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift.”