Welcome to another episode of Hope for Today. I’m so glad you’re joining us to study God’s Word and learn how we can live for Him.
Last week, we examined “The Heart of Giving.” This was the first of several lessons examining different aspects of giving. Jesus is quoted in Acts as saying, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” This is directly opposite our human nature, but if Jesus said it, this is how we want to live.
Turn to II Corinthians 8, Bible teacher J Mark will expound on “Achieving Excellence in Giving.”
At Heralds of Hope, we uphold the value of organizational excellence, a principle deeply rooted in biblical teachings. I find excellence challenging, and I’ve come to understand that my values significantly influence my quest for excellence. The more a task aligns with my values, the more I can excel and complete it on time.
As a child, I sometimes rushed through a task to check it off my list of chores. My parents would gently remind me that any job is worth doing right. They wanted me to learn the joy and satisfaction of doing a job well. This principle applies to all aspects of our lives, including giving and serving others, and it brings a sense of fulfillment and contentment.
Under the Law of Moses, God demanded the best animals as sacrifices. In Colossians Three, after listing qualities we are to put on, Paul twice says, “Whatever you do in speech or action, do it in the name of Jesus with excellence.” No area of my life is exempt.
Last week, we began a study on the subject of giving. My teaching was titled The Heart of Giving. Today’s teaching is Achieving Excellence in Giving, from Second Corinthians 8:8 to 15.
8 I speak not by commandment, but I am testing the sincerity of your love by the diligence of others.
9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes, He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.
10 And in this, I give advice: It is to your advantage not only to do what you began and were desiring to do a year ago.
11 but now you also must complete the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to desire it, so there also may be a completion out of what you have.
12 For if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has and not according to what he does not have.
13 For I do not mean that others should be eased, and you burdened.
14 but by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may supply their lack, that their abundance also may supply your lack—that there may be equality.
15 As it is written, “He who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack.”
Paul’s instruction provides the STEPS you and I can take to achieve excellence in giving.
The First STEP (to achieve excellence in giving) is,
Find the Pattern
If you want to pursue excellence, where do you begin? You begin by finding a pattern to follow. That can be a plan on paper or someone skilled in their field. Paul points the Corinthian Believers and us to Jesus as a pattern for excellence in giving.
In verse one of this chapter, Paul told the Corinthians about the grace God had bestowed on the churches of Macedonia. He was talking about the gift they collected for the Jerusalem church. Verse nine begins with a similar phrase: “You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.” This is the gift of our salvation.
Paul then shows us the pattern of excellence in giving. “…though he [Jesus] was rich [in every way], yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.”
Jesus is the creator and sustainer of all things. He is God in the flesh. He is all-powerful, all-knowing, everywhere present, and eternal in existence. He owns and controls everything.
Yet, for our sake, He became poor. Philippians chapter two tells us that even though He was equal with God, He didn’t insist on holding on to that equality. Instead, He voluntarily emptied Himself of His divine privilege and took on human form. Not only that, but he became obedient to the point of death, even the degrading death of the cross. And He did this for us as His enemies – so we could become His brothers. What a fantastic gift!
Through His poverty, you and I are made rich. We are made heirs of God together with Christ! In my previous teaching on giving, I said that one of the primary motivations that reveals the heart of giving is a dedication to God. That is what we see exemplified in Jesus’ life.
His was an act of self-devotion. He gave Himself to the Father. Instead of thinking about Himself, He was thinking about you and me. The Macedonian Believers understood and embraced the gift of God through Jesus. That’s why they could give even beyond their ability.
If we are serious about achieving excellence in giving, we must meditate more deeply on Jesus’s pattern. I John 3:16 and 17 say, “By this, we know love because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?
How can I obey this command to lay down my life for my brother if I’m not willing to open my heart to help meet his financial needs? Too often, I grasp tightly what God has given me. I think of all kinds of logical reasons, even Scriptural ones, for not opening my hands or my wallet to meet the need. I find this text to be deeply convicting.
The first step to achieving excellence in giving is to find the pattern, Jesus Christ.
The Next STEP (to achieve excellence in giving) is,
Follow the Procedure
In verse eight, Paul writes that he is testing the sincerity of their love through the diligence of others. He was holding up the example of the Macedonian Believers as a pattern for the Corinthians to follow.
Paul challenged the Corinthians to finish what they had started. It seems that they had been the first to commit to raising funds for the needs in Jerusalem, but they hadn’t followed through. Paul says, “It will benefit you to finish the work you promised to do.” They had been quick to pledge and slow to fulfill. Someone once said, “The smallest, good deed is better than the greatest intention.”
Once, I was with a group of men, and we talked about some of Heralds of Hope’s financial needs. One of the men said, “If I had a million dollars, I’d donate it to the ministry.” Another man quickly said, “What about the 20 dollars in your pocket?” You and I may have made a similar statement at some point. It’s easy to deal with what is theoretical but much more costly to deal with reality.
Paul said their giving should be based on what they had. He challenged the Corinthians with the example of the Macedonians, who had given beyond their ability. But he also pointed out that the acceptability of their gift was based on what they had, not what they didn’t have.
If you and I want to achieve excellence in giving, we must first find the pattern, Jesus’ example, and then follow the procedure, moving from intention to action.
The Final STEP (to achieve excellence in giving) is,
Fulfill the Purpose
Look at verses 13 and 14. “For I do not mean that others should be eased, and you burdened; but by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may supply their lack, that their abundance also may supply your lack—that there may be equality.”
To achieve excellence in giving, you must know why you’re doing it. The purpose, according to the text, is equality. But what does it mean? It is a “likeness in condition or proportion.” It is the state of being equal but also includes the element of justice. Greek scholars point out that this isn’t necessarily equality of condition but equality growing out of Christian relationships.
Paul encourages the Corinthians and us to realize that roles could someday be reversed. Instead of being the givers, we could be the ones in need. It’s helpful to remember Jesus’ words: “Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. With the same measure you use, it will be measured back to you.”
What does equality look like? When someone’s priorities differ from mine, they may live in poverty. I would never buy a new car, but I don’t want to drive a rusty beater. Someone else may be content to drive a rusty junker even though they could afford something much more likable.
When true poverty exists, it doesn’t necessarily reflect a person’s character, motivation, or choices. Things happen beyond our control that can leave us in great need. Jesus said we will always have the poor with us to learn how to achieve excellence in giving.
Paul closes this section by quoting a loose paraphrase of Exodus 16:16 and 17, in which Moses instructed the people about gathering manna: “He who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack.”
Much of the modern church has lost this concept of caring for our brothers and sisters. I commend churches with programs in place to assist their brothers and sisters in the event of catastrophic losses. Seeing God’s people’s generosity in response to human suffering is encouraging.
Do you want to achieve excellence in giving? This teaching from Second Corinthians chapter eight offers clear steps to follow in reaching that goal. First, find the pattern—His name is Jesus. Then, follow the procedure—don’t just talk about giving; do it! And give generously. Finally, fulfill the purpose—give to relieve your brother’s burden, knowing that someday, most likely, the circumstances will be reversed.
Together, let’s take these steps that lead us along the path to achieving excellence in giving.
Thanks, J Mark, for sharing these three steps to help us in our giving. Three steps which are not very specific, but they are specific enough to provide action on our part. I especially felt this on his second point: following the procedure. He didn’t give us the specifics of when or a recommendation of how much, and of course, how he could. Since this teaching will be heard in many areas, some of us may make one a day, and the next might be 100 in one day. 100 what you ask? It doesn’t matter if it is 1 or 100 of anything. It is up to us to give, and it is to our benefit if we have a procedure in place, a normal for us. There are many ways to go about it. It is essential to find a way that works for you, follow it, and do it. So may we be doers of the Word and not hearers only.
Please get in touch with us if you have questions about today’s teaching or want to hear it again. Here is how you can reach us: The best way is via email, and our email is [email protected]. You can also contact us on our website, heraldsofhope.org. We would love to hear from you, so feel free to contact us however it is easiest for you.
Thanks again for joining us on Hope for Today. We encourage you to live out the things you learned today. Until next time, be faithful, and let’s do our best to live out Jesus’s teaching from Acts, where he said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
*This episode is an exposition by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with an opening and closing by Arlin Horst.
