Transcript

Two businessmen were flying to an overseas conference. The small plane they were in developed engine problems, and they had to crash land on a deserted island.

One of the men then began to cry, stating that he would never get to see his kids grow up and never tell his wife how much he loved her. But the other man just leaned against a palm tree and fell asleep.

After a while, his friend woke him and confronted him, asking, “How can you sleep? Don’t you care that we are going to die on this island?”

At this, the calm companion replied, “I am not worried at all. I make a million dollars every year at my job, and I always faithfully give a large percentage to my church. My pastor will find me!”

In this message for our series, “Right on the Money,” we will begin looking at Paul’s instruction for the Church, the Body of Christ, under grace, regarding giving.

It is in Paul’s letters that we find what God’s will is for how we should give today.

2 Corinthians 8:1-5:

“Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia;

“How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves;

“Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.”

2 Corinthians, chapters 8 and 9, are two of the most important chapters on biblical giving. And these two chapters are saturated and permeated with grace. Paul mentions the grace of God repeatedly. And it is the grace of God that is the basis for giving today.

Paul begins here by calling attention to “the churches of Macedonia.” They are not named here, but we know these churches to include Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea.

Paul established churches in these cities in Macedonia in northern Greece during his second apostolic journey. And Paul was writing this epistle of 2 Corinthians from Macedonia during his third apostolic journey (2:13).

On this third apostolic journey, one of its major ministries was the taking up of a special collection “for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem,” as Paul wrote in Romans 15:26.

The saints in Jerusalem were poor and in need due to a famine, persecution, and having sold all their goods in anticipation of the coming Kingdom on earth. The prophesied Kingdom was put on hold when Israel was temporarily set aside in unbelief. When God’s program changed to the Gentiles, those who’d sold all their goods were left impoverished.

So Paul was in Macedonia on his third apostolic journey as he wrote this letter, he is on his way to Corinth, and he is writing about his experience with the churches of Macedonia on this journey concerning their giving to the poor saints at Jerusalem.

And Paul wrote, “brethren, we do you to wit” which means we make known to you, or we want to tell you about.

The use of the word “brethren” reminds us that the ministry of giving is a ministry of believers. It is the responsibility of the family of God to support the work of God.

And Paul wanted the Corinthian “brethren” to know the way in which the grace of God had manifested itself and was evident among the churches of Macedonia.

Those in Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea had experienced the grace of God in salvation. Paul and his co-laborers had proclaimed the gospel of grace to them, and they believed it and were saved from all their sins.

Now that they were saved, the grace of God was at work in their life as it touched their hearts and motivated them. And the grace that impacted their lives manifested itself in generosity toward the poor saints in Jerusalem. By grace, they had given help, just as God, by His grace, helps us.

Paul began his appeal to the Corinthians to give by graciously referring to the good example of other churches rather than commanding the Corinthian church. And Paul said in verse 2, “How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.”

The Macedonian believers were both poor and persecuted. Though they were in a great trial of affliction and though they were in deep poverty, the churches of Macedonia still gave, and gave generously.

The Thessalonians were one of the churches of Macedonia, and Paul had written them concerning their affliction, “And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost” (1 Thes. 1:6). Out of their great affliction and depth of poverty came abundant joy and a wealth of liberality or generosity.

These churches gave with great “joy,” not grudgingly. They gave out of an overflow of God’s grace and their gratitude for it.

They did not allow their difficult circumstances to keep them from giving. They were in a great trial of affliction, but they still gave. They did not use that as an excuse not to give.

They were not wealthy. They did not have much money at all. They were not just poor, but in “deep poverty,” yet they still gave and gave sacrificially.

Their poverty no more impeded their generosity than their affliction diminished their abundant joy in Christ.

The paradox of the Christian life was evident among these Macedonian believers: in a trial of affliction, they had abundant joy. In their deep poverty, they gave generously.

These kinds of things are due to faith in the Lord and the grace of God and the Holy Spirit at work in one’s heart.

The giving by the Macedonians reminds you of the widow’s mite, who also gave sacrificially out of her poverty.

As Mark 12:41-44 says,

“And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.

“And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury:

“For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.”

Like that widow’s giving was praised by Christ and it touched the heart of God so the giving of the Macedonian churches was also praiseworthy. Thus, the Spirit led Paul to write of it in the inspired pages of God’s Word for us to learn from their example under grace and to understand what grace-giving is all about.

The term “liberality” in verse 2 means generosity that is free of any hypocrisy or self-serving motive. Paul did not mention the size of their gift. It was their attitude of joy and sacrifice that was the more important thing for us to know.

And their giving was motivated by and manifested the grace of God at work in their hearts. And that is how we are to give today, motivated by the grace of God, in gratitude for His kindness and goodness toward us, desiring to help others like God helped us.
In verse 3, Paul wrote, “For to their power [or ability], I bear record, yea, and beyond their power [or ability] they were willing of themselves.”

This is important. The Macedonian believers gave “to their power,” or according to their ability, NOT according to a standard of a fixed amount. God sets no fixed amount or percentage for us under grace. All is left to grace. A fixed amount was what the law required with the tithe. Today, we give as we are able.

And Paul added that he bore witness that these believers also gave “beyond their power” or ability. And again, it’s not about a fixed number. It’s all about grace and freedom, and it’s left up to each person.

The Macedonian believers gave in proportion to what they had, but in proportions that were sacrificial. Their giving was beyond what would be reasonably expected from such poor congregations. They gave more generously than their limited means and their difficult circumstances might have warranted.

For example, say a person had only $100. He is not and cannot be expected to contribute $1000. $100 is the limit of his ability, and anything out of that $100 is according to his ability. But giving a large amount of that $100 is to give beyond their ability in a proportion that is sacrificial.

That’s what the Macedonian believers did: they gave according to their ability and beyond it, sacrificially, beyond what one might expect.

But Paul said that “they were willing of themselves.” They wanted to do this. When the need of the poor saints in Jerusalem was presented to them by the Apostle Paul, these saints gave willingly and spontaneously, without having to be pressured or coaxed.

And the poor saints in Macedonia sacrificially gave to the poor saints in Jerusalem.

Having received and been shown grace from God as needy sinners, they desired to extend grace to those in need in Jerusalem. And they jumped at the chance.

Grace giving is not mandatory but voluntary. It is not a matter of compulsion but of being made aware of a need, seeing that need, and meeting it. It stems from the heart.

It is the genuine expression of a soul that has been impacted by grace and wants to show grace.

No one had to force the Macedonians to give. They gave of their own initiative. They gave because they wanted to and were motivated to contribute to the cause of Christ.

They both sacrificially AND willingly gave to the believers in Jerusalem of their own accord, of their own free will. Unlike the tithe under the law, which was commanded and had consequences and curses if Israel did not, we give by grace from a willing heart.

I find the next verse to be funny. “Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.”

The Macedonian churches actually begged Paul to take their money! That’s not how we usually think of giving. Usually, it’s the other way around, and a church or ministry is the one that begs when it comes to giving.

But these believers begged Paul for the privilege to give their money and help other believers in need. They viewed giving as a privilege, not an obligation.

The Macedonian churches themselves were in financial need, but they insisted that Paul accept their gift to the Jerusalem saints, and they would not take “no” for an answer.

This implies that Paul had, in some way, resisted or been reluctant to receive their generous gift, knowing their economic condition firsthand.

Or Paul had not pressed them to contribute, in consideration of the fact that their own needs were so great that it rightly exempted them from participation. Either way, the Macedonian saints implored and pleaded with Paul to take their gift.

They pleaded with Paul to take it that they might “take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.” There is grace and kindness in this.

The Macedonian churches wanted to share in the grace and fellowship of relieving the saints in Jerusalem of their need. These churches were willing channels of God’s blessing, care, and provision to other believers in Christ.

This phrase further teaches us that giving is a ministry, and it is also a “fellowship” with other believers. It is a partnership in ministry.

Paul added in verse 5, “And this they did, not as we hoped.” “Not as we hoped” means not as we expected. Paul is saying, “And this they did,” or that these Macedonian believers gave their generous gift, “not as we hoped,” or a gift which went far beyond our hopes and expectations.

And not only had they given this generous donation, which went beyond their expectations, Paul said they also “first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.”

The Macedonians consecrated and gave themselves and all they had to the Lord first; then they gave from their, or really His, resources. The foundation of giving under grace lies in giving oneself to the Lord first.

Concerning this passage, one commentator put it well, “In giving, the real issue isn’t giving money. It is giving ourselves to the Lord. If we really give ourselves to the Lord, then the right kind of material giving will naturally follow.”

When believers give themselves to the Lord, their hearts open toward others in need.

Because the mind of Christ is to love, to care, and to humbly serve and put others and their needs first. Giving and meeting the needs of others is to be like the Savior.

When we give ourselves to the Lord, giving our time, talents, and treasures to others is the natural outflow from hearts in communion and fellowship with the Greatest Giver of all.

We do not have to be convinced or coerced. We give freely, like Christ, with an open heart and open hands to care for others and meet needs.

In giving themselves to the Lord, the Macedonian churches also gave themselves “unto us by the will of God,” Paul wrote.

This means these churches gave themselves to Paul and his co-workers and submitted to their direction regarding the contribution to be made, which was the will of God.

2 Corinthians 8:6-9:

“Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also finish in you the same grace also.

“Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also.

“I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love. For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.”

Verse 6 turns now to address the opportunity to give by the Corinthians.

Paul is on his way to Corinth, and Titus had been sent ahead to the Corinthians with this letter of 2 Corinthians. In the past, when Titus visited and ministered among the Corinthians, he told them about the collection that was being gathered and of the opportunity for them to contribute as well.

Now that Titus came back to Corinth with this letter, he was instructed “that as he had begun, so he would also finish in you the same grace also,” or see to it that they followed through on their good intentions and to finish their collection for the Jerusalem saints.

In verse 7, Paul complimented the Corinthians and pointed out to them that they abounded in spiritual gifts and graces as an assembly.

Some had the spiritual gift of “faith” in the church, which gave believers boldness and courage to serve; others had gifts of “utterance,” or speech, such a tongues and prophecy. Some also had the gift of “knowledge” in grasping divine truths and how to apply them. Paul wrote of these gifts that were still in effect at that time in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10.

The Corinthians were also blessed with diligence or earnestness in the things they decided and set out to do. And they even abounded in their love towards him, Paul wrote.

Among all these gifts and graces that they abounded and excelled in, now Paul wanted them to “abound in this grace also” or the matter of giving and the collection for the saints in Jerusalem.

Then Paul added, “I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others.” Paul means that he was not commanding or ordering them to give or dictating what they should do. Giving is not something that is commanded under grace, unlike under the law. Giving is by grace today and is something to be done out of one’s free will.

Instead of commanding, Paul wanted the “forwardness” or earnestness and diligence of others to influence them, meaning the churches of Macedonia.

Paul wanted the example of the churches of Macedonia to inspire the Corinthian church as they finished their collection, so that they might too give by the grace of God, willingly, eagerly, and sacrificially.

And Paul also wanted the Corinthians to “prove the sincerity of your love.”

In Malachi, when Israel was not giving their tithes and was cursed for it, God told Israel to “prove Me” (3:10), or to test and see that if they did obey and tithe, how God would show His faithfulness to His covenant promises and reward them with material blessing.

Under law, God called on Israel to “prove Me.” Under grace, it’s the opposite, God is proving us. God has beyond a doubt proved the sincerity of His love for us through the giving of His own Son that we might be saved. Now the Corinthians were being called on, as well as the whole Church, to prove the sincerity of our love through giving.

The motivation to give today does not stem from an external command. Rather, it is about a response of the heart to willingly show love to those in need and to give to the Lord’s work out of our love for Him and others.

Then Paul reached for their hearts and reminded the Corinthians what Christ has done for us, “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.”

Christ is the supreme example of One Who gave and gave sacrificially.

Within the splendors of heaven, the eternal Son was rich, rich in His Person, rich in His position, and rich in His power and glory.

Yet for our sakes, He became poor. He left His throne in heaven to come to this world, to take on flesh, to become a servant, to be made sin for us on the Cross, and to die for us.

He did this “that ye through His poverty might be rich,” or that we might be be rich through salvation. In Him we are saved from our sins, redeemed, sealed, and we will live with Him in the glories of heaven eternally, blessed with all spiritual blessings.

He became what we are (poor), so that we could become what He is (rich), that is, so we might be spiritually and eternally rich in Him.

This grace is to reach for our hearts. If He gave so much for us in our great need, how can we refuse to give to others in their need? Gratitude to Him for His sacrificial grace in saving us from our sins is the supreme motive for giving under grace.

2 Corinthians 8:10-14:

“And herein I give my advice: for this is expedient for you, who have begun before, not only to do, but also to be forward a year ago. Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have.

“For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not. For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened:

“But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality.”

A year earlier, the collection for the poor saints in Jerusalem had started but then for whatever reason it stopped. Paul’s inspired, practical “advice,” not a command, was for the Corinthians to follow through on their original commitment, and to prove the genuineness of their love by doing so.

Paul added that “this is expedient for you,” or to their advantage. And this pointed the Corinthians to the Judgment Seat of Christ when believers will be rewarded with eternal rewards for the grace and love they show to others in the life. Giving to the Lord and to others now is an investment in eternity.

Paul wanted them to make good on what they had started and complete the collection that they had shown a readiness to do initially.

And Paul stated, “so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have.” They should give according to the means they currently possessed as a church and not delay it by an excuse that if they waited a little longer they might have more to give.

Paul added, “For if there be first a willing mind,” or an eagerness and willingness to give. Giving under grace is about a willing mind and should not stem from guilt or compliance to outside pressure or a legalistic system or requirement.

A willing mind is the first and main thing. The test of generosity in giving is not our wealth but our willingness. In the ministry of giving today, God is most concerned with the heart and attitude of the individual, not the amount.

Our giving “is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.” Whatever one has is the resource out of which he should give. We are only expected to give from what we have, not from what we do not have.

We are to give as Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 16:2 about this same collection, “let every one of you lay by him in store, AS GOD HATH PROSPERED HIM.”

And God does not specify what the proportion is that should be given from what we have. There are no set amounts or percentages given by God under grace.

God graciously leaves it up to each person individually as to how much they should contribute to the Lord’s work from how He has prospered them.

We are just taught to give willingly, from the heart, according to what we have. That is grace giving.

In verse 13, Paul stated that his purpose in all this was not to put the Corinthians under a financial strain. It was not that the Jerusalem saints should be “eased” and the Corinthian church be “burdened” or impoverished.

Rather, Paul wrote, “But by an equality.” “Equality” here does not mean that everyone should have the same amount of material possessions or any such notion. Rather, it refers to equal care and relief from destitution or lack of necessities.

Paul told the Corinthians that, at that present time, they had “abundance” and were in a position to help the Jerusalem saints, but in the future their fortunes may be reversed, and they may be in “want” and would need relief from them.

The Lord’s will is that whenever a need exists in one area among believers, then there should be a flow of funds from other areas to those in need.

That it’s about a willingness, with no set amount or percentage, left up to each person, for the purpose of helping those in need, shows that giving today is all about GRACE.