Thanks again for joining us on Hope for Today. Today is the final lesson on giving. Chapters 8 and 9 in II Corinthians teach us many things about giving. Our first lesson was “The Heart of Giving,” and today’s lesson is titled “The Graces of Giving.” I mention the first one since it is similar to this one. Both address our motives and the reasons we give. We encourage you to think with us about the thoughts and motives behind your actions. Be sensitive to God speaking to you through His Word, have a soft heart, and allow His Spirit to change you for the better. Good things happen when the child of God opens the Word of God and is changed by the Spirit of God.
Let’s study II Corinthians 9 with Bible teacher J Mark. He teaches us three specific things to remember as we give.
Our Scripture portion today addresses an essential subject for every follower of Jesus: stewardship. Jesus had much to say about money and possessions when he was on earth. However, statistics reveal that not many churches provide regular teaching on stewardship. So, today, there’s a need to teach this subject.
Let us turn to II Corinthians 9:1-15 for our Scripture reading. Here is God’s Word to us.
1Now, concerning the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you;
2 for I know your willingness, about which I boast of you to the Macedonians, that Achaia was ready a year ago, and your zeal has stirred up the majority.
3 Yet I have sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this respect, that, as I said, you may be ready.
4 lest if some Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we (not to mention you!) should be ashamed of this confident boasting.
5 Therefore, I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren to go to you ahead of time and prepare your generous gift, which you had previously promised, so that it may be ready as a matter of generosity and not as a grudging obligation.
6 But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.
8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.
9 As it is written: “He has dispersed abroad; He has given to the poor;
His righteousness endures forever.”
10 Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness,
11 while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God.
12 For the administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints but also abounds through many thanksgivings to God.
13 While, through the proof of this ministry, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the gospel of Christ and for your liberal sharing with them and all men,
14 and by their prayer for you, who long for you because of the exceeding grace of God in you.
15 Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!
Here, we discover three GRACES of giving that should be every Christian’s experience. Our title is “The Graces of Giving.”
The First Grace is,
Give Generously
Paul begins with the law of sowing and reaping. In his day, seeds were scattered by hand. Farmers use modern equipment to plant seeds today, but the principle remains the same. The harvest is in direct proportion to the number of seeds planted.
The word translated sparingly means stingy. If you are stingy with your seed, you will have a poor harvest. But if you sow generously, you will have a bountiful harvest.
Verses eight to eleven of our text expand on the idea of sowing generously. One of the first questions you may ask is how I know if I’m giving generously. That is a fair question. An essential starting point is a tithe, or 10 percent of my income.
In Genesis 14, Abraham paid tithes long before the law was given! Under the law, the tithe was an obligation; it was required. Shouldn’t we, under grace, be able to do above what the law requires? Jesus Himself taught that principle in the Sermon on the Mount.
We could focus our entire teaching on the tithe principle. But let’s agree that the minimum tithe is ten percent. “How do I know if I’m giving generously?” If the levy is ten percent, generous giving must exceed that minimum.
In verse eight, God is our example of giving. “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…” Can you see the generosity of God? Notice the words, all, and abound. God can make ALL grace abound. The key word is able. But whether He does or not depends on us. Too often, we don’t allow Him to demonstrate His super-abounding grace! One reason we fail to give generously is that we do not understand the generosity of God toward us.
The Israelites were commanded to tithe so that “you may learn to fear the Lord your God always.” That’s Deuteronomy 14:23. Every Christian needs to understand the fear of the Lord. When we don’t fear Him, we put our interests and ideas ahead of His. This leads to a focus on the material, and like the Israelites of old, we fall into idolatry.
God is no cheat! He rewards those who serve Him with a pure heart. Jesus Himself gave us the principle in Mark 4:24. The measure we use to give to others, that same measure will be used to provide for us. If we want God to bless us, we must be generous with others.
There is no law or rule to guide generosity. Rules are for those who want to do the bare minimum. Generosity requires an understanding that God can meet my basic needs if I obey Him. Verse ten of our text refers to that. Generosity requires a sensitivity to the Holy Spirit. He will guide each Christian to do what He wants.
My level of generosity, your level of generosity, shows where our hearts are. Let us strive to develop this grace of giving generously.
The Second Grace is,
Give Purposefully
“Everyone should give as he purposes in his heart.” As believers, the Holy Spirit guides our hearts and decision-making capabilities. Purpose shows intention: it demonstrates discipline. Giving haphazardly can lead us to the point where we say, “If we give, OK; if we don’t give, that’s OK, too.” Purpose shows we’ve given careful thought to our giving. And well, we should since it is required of us stewards that we be found faithful.
How do we develop this grace of giving purposefully? Notice verse twelve. Paul says the “administration of this gift” supplies the needs of the saints. The service of this gift supplies a specific need. The more information people have about a particular need, the more likely they will give generously. And that’s the way it should be. We can’t provide purposefully if we don’t know what the needs are. Experience shows that a structured plan for giving provides the best results. That’s not to say spontaneous giving is never suitable, but we must be careful about appeals designed primarily to move our emotions.
People enjoy giving to specific needs because they can see the difference their gifts make. It helps them connect with the recipient and gives them particular items to praise the Lord! Paul says your purposeful giving motivates many thanksgivings to God! I find it a great joy to know that God has used me to meet a specific need in someone else’s life.
Another aspect of Paul’s command to give purposefully acknowledges we have many choices. How do we decide which organizations or ministries to support? What is the purpose of your giving, and what do you want it to accomplish? I believe the Bible outlines some specific purposes for giving.
God established the tithe in the Old Testament for three primary purposes. First, the tithe supported the priests and Levites. The New Testament teaches us that those who “preach the gospel should live of the gospel” (1 Corinthians 9:15). The local church should support them to perform the church’s work. This can include the pastor, staff, missionaries, and evangelists.
Second, the tithe was gathered to feed the widows and orphans of the Hebrew society. Paul clarifies in Galatians 6:10 that we are to do good, especially to those in the household of faith, to care for our people first. Finally, a tithe was given to feed the poor, non-Jewish people in the Hebrew community. The first half of Galatians 6:10 says we are to do good to all mankind. That would be those in the local community but outside the church.
The biblical principle is that our tithe belongs to our local church. Giving to other ministries should be offerings above that. We should be cautious about donating to secular groups or causes.
The second grace of giving is to give purposefully. Be systematic, disciplined, and careful.
The Final Grace is,
Give Cheerfully
In verse seven, Paul says each one is to give, not out of distress or sorrowfulness, not by compulsion. Instead, he says, “Give cheerfully.”
In verses thirteen and fourteen, Paul speaks of the effects of cheerful giving. First, God is glorified because this kind of giving can only come from a heart that has been redeemed! Liberality is a characteristic of God. We humans are, by nature, selfish and miserly. So, cheerful giving is a mark of transformation at the core of who we are.
According to verse fourteen, cheerful giving motivates prayer and develops relationships. Look at what Paul said. Your gift recipients pray for you and “long after you.” Those words express an intense desire. Those who receive the gift want you to understand how much they appreciate the gift and you! When my wife gives me a gift, I like it. But I appreciate her much more than the gift. The gift is simply a tangible expression of something intangible: her love for me!
Paul closes this text by saying, “Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift.” I believe Paul is referring to the graces of giving as “God’s unspeakable gift.”
Learning the graces of giving will bring unspeakable joy into your life. Let’s ask the Lord to teach us to give generously, purposefully, and cheerfully. As we obey the Holy Spirit’s direction for our giving, we will lay up treasure in Heaven.
Those are three very practical areas that influence how we give. Wasn’t the third point interesting? We are supposed to give cheerfully. That was not usually one of the things I thought about while giving. I can do better at being a cheerful giver and holding my possessions with open hands because I am only a steward of what God has given me. Thanks, J Mark, for sharing these three practical steps with us; learning from God’s Word is a blessing. Please continue to seek God and talk with others who love Him as you put what you hear into your daily life.
This was our last lesson on giving if you would like to hear any of them again. Please let us know. Here is how you can contact us. The best way is via email; our email is [email protected]. You can also connect with us on our website under the connect tab. The website is heraldsofhope.org. And of course, you can write to us. Our address is Hope for Today, Box 3 Breezewood, PA 15533. 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, and we encourage you to join us again next week. Until then, be faithful and do your best to give generously, purposefully, and cheerfully. God Bless.
