God Loves A Cheerful Giver

WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:07.000 I'm in. So in Glatian six hundred and ten, another one of Paul's 2 00:00:07.040 --> 00:00:11.710 epistles, he writes so then, as we have opportunity, let us good, 3 00:00:11.949 --> 00:00:18.350 do good to everyone, especially those who are of the household of faith. 4 00:00:19.670 --> 00:00:25.780 And here in Second Corinthians he focuses on are doing good within the household 5 00:00:25.780 --> 00:00:31.140 of faith. The ministry is, he puts it in verse or Chapter Nine, 6 00:00:31.179 --> 00:00:37.250 Verse One, a Ministry for the saints, a Diaconeus, sounds like 7 00:00:37.369 --> 00:00:46.130 Deacon Saints. This is the Minister Christians for other Christians and, as we 8 00:00:46.210 --> 00:00:50.200 explored last time, there are offices in the church, officers who are called 9 00:00:50.280 --> 00:00:55.320 deacons. But we all have this responsibility and in ministry we all have a 10 00:00:55.439 --> 00:01:00.640 responsibility of mercy and sharing for the needs of others, and that's what Paul 11 00:01:00.679 --> 00:01:06.510 addresses here, this doing good, this sharing of gifts, this ministry for 12 00:01:06.750 --> 00:01:11.510 the saints within the household of God. He speaks to it in this very 13 00:01:11.549 --> 00:01:19.459 particular time and situation. To put it in a contemporary terms, imagine a 14 00:01:19.500 --> 00:01:27.500 situation where Paul was writing from California to us here in Tucson about a gift 15 00:01:27.620 --> 00:01:36.010 we've been preparing for the saints in Texas it's a similar situation here. Paul 16 00:01:36.129 --> 00:01:42.329 is riding Um Macedonia to the saints in a Chaia and a particular city called 17 00:01:42.409 --> 00:01:48.120 Corinth about a gift that both the Macedonians and the Achaeans, or the Corinthians, 18 00:01:48.159 --> 00:01:53.879 are putting together for Jerusalem. Christians that are elsewhere, Paul says, 19 00:01:53.879 --> 00:01:59.040 in Romans, Fifteen, twenty, six, Fordonia and Akia have been pleased 20 00:01:59.159 --> 00:02:05.790 to make some contribution for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem, and this, 21 00:02:05.950 --> 00:02:09.710 of course, continues today. I'm even within our own denomination. We 22 00:02:09.789 --> 00:02:15.550 are blessed, we personally have been blessed in this local church by the gifts 23 00:02:15.590 --> 00:02:19.500 of others, people who don't know us, people who have never met us, 24 00:02:19.539 --> 00:02:23.020 people have never seen and yet they pray for us, they give to 25 00:02:23.139 --> 00:02:28.219 us and they share with us, and we likewise have had opportunities to share 26 00:02:28.259 --> 00:02:31.090 with others that we know and love because they are of the household of faith, 27 00:02:31.129 --> 00:02:38.330 even though there is distance between us. The particular, the very particular 28 00:02:38.409 --> 00:02:43.370 context in which Paul is speaking, I find is interesting. He's been bagging 29 00:02:43.409 --> 00:02:46.560 about the Corinthians, he says, for for more the year. They've been 30 00:02:46.639 --> 00:02:53.080 prepared with this gift and he's been telling this to the Macedonians. The Macedonians 31 00:02:53.120 --> 00:02:57.719 have been inspired by the action of the Corinthians. They have been their own 32 00:02:57.879 --> 00:03:00.629 heart. It's have been inspired by others, and that's important because, as 33 00:03:00.669 --> 00:03:05.949 we're going to see, the Ministry of Christ's mercy in the Church has this 34 00:03:06.069 --> 00:03:12.939 kind of round effect, this ripple effect, this systemic effect. Happens in 35 00:03:13.060 --> 00:03:15.340 one part of the body, is has effects on other parts of the body. 36 00:03:16.020 --> 00:03:22.580 So the Corinthians being zealous and excited and giving a to give generously to 37 00:03:22.659 --> 00:03:29.449 the churches and the Christians in Jerusalem is being little contagious. And the Macedonians, 38 00:03:29.530 --> 00:03:35.810 he says, have been zealous in that because of them. But he's 39 00:03:35.849 --> 00:03:40.090 sending some brothers ahead to just make sure that all is as he thought it 40 00:03:40.169 --> 00:03:44.639 would be, as he says it would be, and it is a reminder 41 00:03:44.759 --> 00:03:49.560 that Paul is a human being and that people are human beings and he wants 42 00:03:49.639 --> 00:03:53.639 to confirm them in their good works and encourage them on their way. And 43 00:03:53.840 --> 00:03:59.669 so he sends these brothers ahead because, he says the concern he has is 44 00:03:59.750 --> 00:04:05.310 that he gets to Corinth perhaps with some Macedonians and toe and the Corinthians aren't 45 00:04:05.349 --> 00:04:11.740 ready. This, he says, would be humiliating for him, not to 46 00:04:11.860 --> 00:04:16.139 mention for you, right, if the if the church has this reputation for 47 00:04:16.259 --> 00:04:21.060 being this great, giving, Generous Church and then you finally show up and 48 00:04:21.779 --> 00:04:27.329 not so much, it would not only be humiliating, but it would it 49 00:04:27.610 --> 00:04:32.129 would it would be shaming to the cause of Christ, because it was out 50 00:04:32.170 --> 00:04:35.370 of that cause that they were promising these things, out of that gift, 51 00:04:35.889 --> 00:04:41.720 that things were being prepared. And so he says in Verse Five, I 52 00:04:41.759 --> 00:04:47.120 thought it necessary to urge brothers to go ahead and Ara. I'm going to 53 00:04:47.199 --> 00:05:25.370 go ahead and turn this off just because. So testing okay, I've never 54 00:05:25.449 --> 00:05:30.129 held a mic and preached before, so I won't have my I don't know. 55 00:05:30.170 --> 00:05:39.639 Will find out how it goes. So let's see, right. So 56 00:05:39.720 --> 00:05:44.160 I was reading verse six or verse five. Paul decides to send these brothers 57 00:05:44.199 --> 00:05:49.230 out to to prepare, to to get things ready, and to do so 58 00:05:49.350 --> 00:05:55.110 so that the gift would be ready, as promised, as a willing gift, 59 00:05:56.029 --> 00:06:00.069 not as an exaction, and it's from that point that he then gets 60 00:06:00.110 --> 00:06:08.980 into the particulars about how it is we are to give what is this Ministry 61 00:06:09.220 --> 00:06:13.860 for? The Saints Ministry, from brother to brother, from sister to sister, 62 00:06:13.980 --> 00:06:16.300 from Church to Church. What is that supposed to look like in the 63 00:06:16.459 --> 00:06:21.009 church? How does it function? Where does it come from? What happens 64 00:06:21.050 --> 00:06:25.810 when it happens? And this, of course, is very relevant for us 65 00:06:25.810 --> 00:06:30.490 because we still have needs in our churches today. We still have gifts in 66 00:06:30.649 --> 00:06:34.839 our churches today to support one another, to lift one another up, and 67 00:06:34.959 --> 00:06:40.360 so it's this that we have in verses six through fifteen, and explanation on 68 00:06:40.759 --> 00:06:45.800 the how of our giving. And what we see is that Paul calls us 69 00:06:45.839 --> 00:06:49.350 to what we might call a grace based giving, or, to put it 70 00:06:49.430 --> 00:06:55.670 another way, not all giving is the same. Paul says in verse five 71 00:06:55.910 --> 00:06:59.829 that he wants the gift to be given willingly and not as an exaction. 72 00:07:00.990 --> 00:07:04.139 You know the difference, right, one is Voluntaryan one is forced. Kids, 73 00:07:05.339 --> 00:07:09.579 have you ever had the opportunity to share with a brother and sister, 74 00:07:09.660 --> 00:07:12.660 a brother or sister, and you say here, would you like some of 75 00:07:12.740 --> 00:07:15.620 my Legos, or here, would you like a one of my cookies? 76 00:07:15.699 --> 00:07:19.449 And it's shared willingly from your heart? That feels good right, it's give 77 00:07:19.529 --> 00:07:26.490 it. It's a free giving that you give that's very different kind of giving. 78 00:07:26.529 --> 00:07:30.759 Then, when your parent turns to you and says give your brother your 79 00:07:30.839 --> 00:07:38.360 toys right, give your sister your cookie, that giving is an exaction you 80 00:07:38.399 --> 00:07:44.509 are being compelled to give, you are being forced to give. Now, 81 00:07:44.790 --> 00:07:46.990 the right thing to do in that moment is to honor your father and your 82 00:07:47.029 --> 00:07:51.389 mother and to give your cookie, to share your toys and to do so 83 00:07:51.709 --> 00:07:58.740 as willingly as you possibly can. But you know the difference right the you 84 00:07:58.860 --> 00:08:03.860 know the difference between being told or compelled to do something and being able to 85 00:08:03.939 --> 00:08:09.139 do something freely. Now what's really interesting is that, because of the Gospel 86 00:08:09.220 --> 00:08:13.490 of God, he enables both of those things together to happen together. He 87 00:08:13.930 --> 00:08:18.529 tells us to do good, he puts a duty upon us, he compels 88 00:08:18.610 --> 00:08:24.329 us by his law to obey but at the same time, by his spirit, 89 00:08:24.689 --> 00:08:28.000 he changes our hearts so that we aren't grumpy about it, so that 90 00:08:28.120 --> 00:08:31.759 we do it in a way that is, as he says later, cheerful. 91 00:08:35.600 --> 00:08:43.149 To explain this and to frame this, he says to us, he 92 00:08:43.230 --> 00:08:48.509 gives this instruction. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, 93 00:08:48.549 --> 00:08:54.230 not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a your full giver. 94 00:08:56.500 --> 00:09:00.139 So, when thinking about how we give, the Apostle Paul tells us to 95 00:09:00.220 --> 00:09:03.940 think about what's going on in our hearts. Right, am I doing this 96 00:09:05.899 --> 00:09:09.259 and I'm doing it with a closed hand and I really don't want to do 97 00:09:09.379 --> 00:09:13.730 it, or am I doing it readily, willingly as I have decided to 98 00:09:13.809 --> 00:09:20.090 give? This is important when we think about the question about how much do 99 00:09:20.250 --> 00:09:24.600 we give within the context of the Church? Are really anywhere else in life, 100 00:09:24.879 --> 00:09:28.000 but here we're focused on the church. It is, as the scriptures 101 00:09:28.039 --> 00:09:35.519 say, as you have decided in your heart. Now some of you will 102 00:09:35.799 --> 00:09:39.710 say, I want something more specific than that, I want an exact amount 103 00:09:39.870 --> 00:09:46.029 or a percentage or something. Well, you are free to give yourself a 104 00:09:46.149 --> 00:09:48.909 percentage and exact amount and once you decide on that, that is what you 105 00:09:48.990 --> 00:09:56.340 ought to give. Some people want that because they want to excuse themselves from 106 00:09:56.340 --> 00:10:01.940 giving more than they should or more than they can. Other people want an 107 00:10:01.980 --> 00:10:05.340 exact amount so that they feel like so that they can excuse themselves as a 108 00:10:05.379 --> 00:10:11.769 well, I could never give that much. God simply says give as you 109 00:10:11.009 --> 00:10:16.850 have decided in your heart. Well, how do you make that decision? 110 00:10:18.649 --> 00:10:20.879 Will you make it based on some of the things that are said here, 111 00:10:22.000 --> 00:10:28.799 and so we'll go ahead and and go forward. As we go forward, 112 00:10:28.840 --> 00:10:33.559 let's continue to think about the ways, in the different ways to give and 113 00:10:33.720 --> 00:10:41.830 what it looks like not to give freely. Sometimes people give and even very 114 00:10:41.509 --> 00:10:46.629 what are what feel like either to them or two others as very large amounts. 115 00:10:46.669 --> 00:10:50.299 It's all relative, but a lot of times we don't give that in 116 00:10:50.340 --> 00:10:54.779 the right Ray. We give it to perhaps to prove something to ourselves or 117 00:10:54.860 --> 00:10:58.500 to others. Perhaps we do it to earn something. Perhaps there are voices 118 00:10:58.580 --> 00:11:03.850 as we give. Even outwardly it might look very free, but inwardly there's 119 00:11:03.850 --> 00:11:09.129 things whispering in our heart that's not fair, or you're going to regret this, 120 00:11:09.210 --> 00:11:13.409 or you're not going to your you're not going to get the thing that 121 00:11:13.490 --> 00:11:18.799 you want. Or maybe you give it but you put others under compulsion. 122 00:11:18.840 --> 00:11:22.360 As we've been studying first Corinthians in our men's Bible study, one of the 123 00:11:22.480 --> 00:11:28.399 things that we've learned is how there was the system in this world in which 124 00:11:28.440 --> 00:11:33.710 Paul lived and of patrons and clients. The patrons would give gifts, very 125 00:11:33.830 --> 00:11:37.830 generous gifts, and there was no expectation that the clients would pay them back 126 00:11:39.110 --> 00:11:45.190 financially. They probably never could, but there was a debt. You'd have 127 00:11:45.269 --> 00:11:48.059 to uphold the honor of your patron. You'd have to show up when he 128 00:11:48.179 --> 00:11:52.139 asked, you'd have to be there. There was a kind of give and 129 00:11:52.259 --> 00:11:58.940 take re Lationship, their loyalty that was expected. It may not the the 130 00:11:58.139 --> 00:12:03.730 the expectation of what comes back may not always be financial. It might be 131 00:12:03.850 --> 00:12:09.250 something else. Paul wants Christians to be giving in another way, not as 132 00:12:09.370 --> 00:12:16.600 though there are tenzero strings attached to that gift. And a great example of 133 00:12:16.679 --> 00:12:22.080 this it are the Macedonians. If you turn back, you'll, I think, 134 00:12:22.480 --> 00:12:26.000 as the Corinthians were inspired or this. The Macedonians were inspired by the 135 00:12:26.080 --> 00:12:30.230 Corinthians. I think we can be inspired by the Macedonians. Listen, and 136 00:12:30.470 --> 00:12:35.669 this is just the previous chapter, Chapter Eight. We're going to look at 137 00:12:35.750 --> 00:12:43.379 versus one through four. We want you to know, brothers, about the 138 00:12:43.460 --> 00:12:48.860 grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for, 139 00:12:50.100 --> 00:12:56.539 in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty 140 00:12:58.100 --> 00:13:03.090 have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. Notice what he says. 141 00:13:03.169 --> 00:13:13.399 They're he said. He doesn't say out of giantormous bank accounts. There 142 00:13:13.519 --> 00:13:18.759 has been an overflowing of wealth. He says out of a severe a test 143 00:13:18.919 --> 00:13:24.759 of affliction, or in a severe test of affliction, and from an abundance 144 00:13:24.840 --> 00:13:31.509 of joy and extreme poverty, has overflowed a wealth of generosity on their part. 145 00:13:31.750 --> 00:13:37.750 You see, generosity is not necessarily measured in dollars. It's not measured 146 00:13:37.950 --> 00:13:46.100 in dollars here. It's there are almost no dollars. They are extremely poor, 147 00:13:46.340 --> 00:13:56.210 he says, extremely afflicted, but full of joy, and that has 148 00:13:56.250 --> 00:13:58.970 a full overflowed in a generosity on their part, for they gave according to 149 00:14:00.049 --> 00:14:03.610 their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means of their accord, 150 00:14:05.490 --> 00:14:11.480 begging US earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the 151 00:14:11.600 --> 00:14:22.200 saints. Here you have these very, very poor Christians begging for the opportunity 152 00:14:22.480 --> 00:14:30.590 to give to other saints who are in need. Perhaps you've seen this, 153 00:14:30.750 --> 00:14:35.789 or test are a seen this among others yourselves and have been put to shame 154 00:14:35.870 --> 00:14:41.740 or have been inspired at those who, out of their meager resources, have 155 00:14:41.899 --> 00:14:46.700 given so much and with so much joy where does that come from? That's 156 00:14:46.740 --> 00:14:52.610 what Paul's talking about here. Where that comes well, that's what it looks 157 00:14:52.649 --> 00:14:58.330 like. That's what it looks like to give cheerfully, to give rejoicingly, 158 00:14:58.370 --> 00:15:03.529 to give with the needs of others in mind. So where does it come 159 00:15:03.570 --> 00:15:07.159 from? Well, to help press this point and to help teach us of 160 00:15:07.240 --> 00:15:11.320 these things, Paul gives us a proverb, a very familiar proverb, but 161 00:15:11.440 --> 00:15:18.399 he puts this Gospel twist on it. So the proverb is in verse six 162 00:15:18.480 --> 00:15:20.549 and he says the point is this. Right, that's always helpful to hear 163 00:15:20.629 --> 00:15:26.549 from preacher. Right, the point is this. Whoever so sparingly will also 164 00:15:26.669 --> 00:15:33.070 reap sparingly, and whoever sow's bountifully will also reap bountifully. So you know 165 00:15:33.309 --> 00:15:37.860 this proverb right you? You reap what you sow. If you work hard, 166 00:15:37.779 --> 00:15:43.259 there's payoff. If you're lazy, there's also payoff, but it's not 167 00:15:43.299 --> 00:15:46.539 a very good one. If you plant one apple tree, you're going to 168 00:15:46.700 --> 00:15:50.970 get one tree full of apples, if all goes well. If you plant 169 00:15:52.009 --> 00:15:56.289 a hundred apple trees, you're going to get a hundred apple trees full of 170 00:15:56.409 --> 00:16:06.519 apples. If all goes well, you reap what you sow now, unfortunately, 171 00:16:07.879 --> 00:16:11.759 sorry. The question then, is, what is it that these Christians 172 00:16:11.960 --> 00:16:18.710 reap when they sow their generosity, when they give these collections of money for 173 00:16:18.830 --> 00:16:25.710 the poor in Jerusalem? What is it they're reaping? Now there are these 174 00:16:25.909 --> 00:16:30.269 devils in the world who will tell you that what you get is money. 175 00:16:32.509 --> 00:16:36.259 So you give a little bit of money and you will get money back, 176 00:16:36.740 --> 00:16:38.940 and this is a great deal, they tell you, because if you give 177 00:16:40.059 --> 00:16:44.460 to the church and you give to x and Xperson's ministry, then you're going 178 00:16:44.460 --> 00:16:48.409 to get all of this money in return and God is going to take care 179 00:16:48.450 --> 00:16:52.610 of you, and they put it in all kinds of Christian language. But 180 00:16:52.769 --> 00:16:59.809 this is not true. This is a deception that if you give, God 181 00:17:00.049 --> 00:17:04.279 will make you rich. That's not giving, not giving as Paul describes it. 182 00:17:04.400 --> 00:17:08.799 That's giving with the hope of a return. That's an investment, right, 183 00:17:08.880 --> 00:17:17.390 and investment to increase your bank accounts. But the people that claim these 184 00:17:17.430 --> 00:17:21.269 things, they miss the point because of their own greed and because their ignorance 185 00:17:21.349 --> 00:17:23.589 of the word of God. You don't have to look very far to see 186 00:17:23.670 --> 00:17:30.220 what Paul is talking about. He's not saying give me money to the church 187 00:17:30.380 --> 00:17:34.619 so that you can become wealthy. What is the harvest, right? What 188 00:17:34.859 --> 00:17:42.660 is it that you will reap bountifully? Let's read Verse Eight. And God 189 00:17:42.740 --> 00:17:48.450 is able to make all grace abound to you, all grace about to you. 190 00:17:48.490 --> 00:17:51.329 I want you to as we read these verses, I want you to 191 00:17:51.490 --> 00:17:55.930 notice the I'm going to use the word excessive, but I don't mean that 192 00:17:56.049 --> 00:18:00.160 in a bad way, this kind of overflowing, abundant kind of language where 193 00:18:00.200 --> 00:18:03.519 it's like all every abounding. Okay, look for those as we read. 194 00:18:03.279 --> 00:18:07.599 What is the harvest again? What is the harvest that we get? And 195 00:18:07.759 --> 00:18:11.559 God is able to make all grace abound to you so that, having sufficiency 196 00:18:11.680 --> 00:18:15.309 in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. 197 00:18:15.789 --> 00:18:21.150 Paul says, you will have sufficiency in all things at all times, and 198 00:18:21.230 --> 00:18:26.500 the scriptures tell us that what sufficiency is is food and clothing. God will 199 00:18:26.539 --> 00:18:30.460 take care of you, he will provide for your basic needs. You don't 200 00:18:30.500 --> 00:18:38.940 need to worry about that. Ever, the abounding part is what in every 201 00:18:40.019 --> 00:18:44.410 good work, in all grace. Let's read on in verse ten, He 202 00:18:44.529 --> 00:18:49.690 who supplies seed to the SOWER and bread for food will supply and multiply your 203 00:18:49.730 --> 00:18:55.130 seed for sewing, so that's all the sewing part. And increase the harvest 204 00:18:55.250 --> 00:19:02.400 of what your righteousness, it says. The abundance is not money, it's 205 00:19:02.599 --> 00:19:06.440 righteousness. Okay, so that's verse eight. That's verse ten, now eleven. 206 00:19:06.799 --> 00:19:10.589 You will be enriched, he says it, and it every way, 207 00:19:11.150 --> 00:19:17.109 to be generous, in every way which, through us, will produce a 208 00:19:17.269 --> 00:19:21.470 Thanksgiving of God. You hear all this agricultural language, like sewing and reaping 209 00:19:21.589 --> 00:19:25.259 and producing. Right. What is the thing that they will be enriched with? 210 00:19:26.700 --> 00:19:30.500 More generosity. You so generosity. What are you going to get? 211 00:19:30.940 --> 00:19:37.890 Generosity? And he what does he say? Also which will also produce thanks 212 00:19:38.089 --> 00:19:44.970 giving to God. This is the harvest. Righteousness, generosity, grace, 213 00:19:45.289 --> 00:19:48.569 these kind of things, and we can keep going verse twelve, just one 214 00:19:48.690 --> 00:19:53.240 by one here, for the Ministry of the service is not only supplying the 215 00:19:53.400 --> 00:19:59.759 needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God. There 216 00:19:59.839 --> 00:20:06.559 it is again, thanksgivings to God. The harvest is praise, the harvest 217 00:20:06.599 --> 00:20:10.670 is thanksgiving. Yes, the needs of the saints are going to be taken 218 00:20:10.710 --> 00:20:15.309 care of, and that's great, but what's really great is the harvest of 219 00:20:15.509 --> 00:20:21.940 Thanksgiving, this joy of praise, the people standing up and giving thanks to 220 00:20:22.059 --> 00:20:26.980 God for their work among them. And if you'd think Paul hadn't covered it 221 00:20:26.019 --> 00:20:30.460 yet enough, he can. He keeps going. In verse thirteen, he 222 00:20:30.700 --> 00:20:37.450 says by their approval of this service they will glorify God. And continuing to 223 00:20:37.529 --> 00:20:41.410 then of the verse and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all 224 00:20:41.450 --> 00:20:45.970 the others. I'm sorry, let me read the whole thing. They will 225 00:20:45.970 --> 00:20:51.839 glorify God. Why? Because of your submission that comes from the from Your 226 00:20:51.920 --> 00:20:56.519 Confession of the Gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them 227 00:20:56.720 --> 00:21:00.799 and for all others, while they long for you and pray for you, 228 00:21:02.000 --> 00:21:08.670 because of the surpassing grace of God upon you. So, when we look 229 00:21:08.710 --> 00:21:14.910 at this and we think, well, what good will come from me giving 230 00:21:15.150 --> 00:21:19.299 generously, even if it's very little perhaps in the eyes of others, if 231 00:21:19.339 --> 00:21:23.220 it's generous and from my heart, that's right. What that's the part that 232 00:21:23.380 --> 00:21:27.619 matters. If this is giving freely and generously and cheerfully from my heart, 233 00:21:27.940 --> 00:21:32.779 be it smaller big, in the eyes of the world, what good is 234 00:21:32.819 --> 00:21:37.730 it? Well, one good is that it takes care of the needs of 235 00:21:37.769 --> 00:21:41.369 the saints. That's certainly good. That's important. As we considered last time, 236 00:21:41.369 --> 00:21:45.609 we're called to love one another. But what Paul emphasizes here is while 237 00:21:45.690 --> 00:21:52.880 that's good, there's this whole other thing that happens Thanksgiving to God in us, 238 00:21:53.480 --> 00:21:59.319 in others, the prude prod the production of more grace, the production 239 00:21:59.400 --> 00:22:06.950 of more righteousness. Paul can hardly contain himself at the end of this passage, 240 00:22:06.990 --> 00:22:10.349 after talking about all this thanksgiving. You says in verse the Fifteen. 241 00:22:10.950 --> 00:22:15.579 Thanks be to God for this inexpressible gift. He's just so excited. II 242 00:22:15.619 --> 00:22:19.900 did not just about the money right there. We don't know how much they 243 00:22:21.019 --> 00:22:26.700 gave it never says look at this amazing amount of money. In fact, 244 00:22:26.740 --> 00:22:32.170 the amazing amount of money that's or or the when the amount is talked about, 245 00:22:32.170 --> 00:22:37.329 it's talked about in relation to the Macedonian's poverty, not the Corinthians wealth. 246 00:22:37.650 --> 00:22:41.490 Right, it's not this amount, it's of money, it's the it's 247 00:22:41.569 --> 00:22:47.079 what's in their heart. And when Paul sees what's in their heart and what's 248 00:22:47.119 --> 00:22:49.240 at work among the people of God and what's a work in the churches, 249 00:22:49.519 --> 00:22:56.200 he is excited and thankful and he leads them in this praise. Thanks be 250 00:22:56.359 --> 00:23:07.069 to God for this inexpressible gift. So that's the harvests that's produced, and 251 00:23:07.230 --> 00:23:11.309 that's why I call the people that would teach us sort of money making scheme 252 00:23:11.430 --> 00:23:17.619 here devil's because it's contrary to the word of God. It's contrary to the 253 00:23:17.819 --> 00:23:22.140 very clear teaching of the word of God. This harvest is not about making 254 00:23:22.259 --> 00:23:26.970 more money or enriching ourselves in this world. It's about giving praise and glory 255 00:23:27.089 --> 00:23:32.329 to God. Ever, almost every single verse in this passage says it. 256 00:23:36.809 --> 00:23:38.690 Well, where does all this come from? Because this is the other major 257 00:23:38.809 --> 00:23:44.359 point Paul makes here and will end with this point. Where does this overflowing, 258 00:23:44.400 --> 00:23:48.599 abundant general pocity come from, when we know ourselves not to be so 259 00:23:48.480 --> 00:23:53.960 overflowing, generous, cheerful people all the time? Where does that come from? 260 00:23:55.119 --> 00:23:56.750 How is it? What is the source of that? And on this 261 00:23:56.990 --> 00:24:03.509 Paul is very clear. Look particularly at verses eight, nine and ten. 262 00:24:06.589 --> 00:24:11.660 He says in Verse Eight and God is able to make all grace abound to 263 00:24:11.779 --> 00:24:15.900 you, so that, having sufficiency in all things at all times, you 264 00:24:17.259 --> 00:24:22.180 may abound in every work. So where does that sufficiency come from God. 265 00:24:23.059 --> 00:24:26.890 Where does that abundance come from? God? Where does that generosity come from? 266 00:24:27.170 --> 00:24:32.490 It's God, God who is able to make grace abound in you. 267 00:24:33.289 --> 00:24:37.170 Now when we're talking about grace, we're talking about gifts, we're talking about 268 00:24:37.210 --> 00:24:42.599 generosity, we're talking about God giving something to us that we did not deserve. 269 00:24:42.920 --> 00:24:48.920 And he quotes Psalm one hundred and twelve, verse nine here to really 270 00:24:48.079 --> 00:24:53.710 press this point. In verse nine, he says he has distributed freely, 271 00:24:55.309 --> 00:25:03.029 he has given to the poor. His righteousness endures forever. Paul's not talking 272 00:25:03.069 --> 00:25:08.740 about the Macedonians here, he's not talking about Corinth here, he's talking about 273 00:25:08.779 --> 00:25:19.539 God through his son, Jesus Christ. His righteousness endures forever because he is 274 00:25:19.740 --> 00:25:25.930 the righteous one, because he is the wealthy one, because he is the 275 00:25:26.130 --> 00:25:32.730 holy one, the perfect one who has all things. Jesus says that all 276 00:25:33.009 --> 00:25:37.160 that he has is all. All he has all that the father is given 277 00:25:37.160 --> 00:25:41.240 him. He has everything that the father has. He is God himself and 278 00:25:41.519 --> 00:25:48.319 from his divinity and from his and from his accomplishment of fulfilling the law on 279 00:25:48.440 --> 00:25:56.269 our behalf, he he is this generous king who can now distribute gifts to 280 00:25:56.470 --> 00:26:03.109 us, to distribute freely, and so this is the gift of God. 281 00:26:03.390 --> 00:26:08.619 Right God doesn't come to us and say, well, you know, I've 282 00:26:08.660 --> 00:26:11.259 looked at how you've set up your life and I think you can be really 283 00:26:11.259 --> 00:26:15.900 valuable to my organization. I think you have real gifts that you can offer 284 00:26:17.019 --> 00:26:18.250 and you can come in and you can be a part of our team for 285 00:26:18.289 --> 00:26:22.130 a little while and we'll see how it goes and if you do well, 286 00:26:22.289 --> 00:26:26.569 perhaps you can advance. It's not what he says. He says you're a 287 00:26:26.650 --> 00:26:33.599 dirty, rotten sinner who is a debt or to me. You've disobeyed me, 288 00:26:33.799 --> 00:26:37.400 you've ruined your life, you've ruined the life of all the people around 289 00:26:37.519 --> 00:26:42.480 you, and now I'm going to give you a gift beyond your wildest dreams. 290 00:26:45.119 --> 00:26:49.390 I am going to give to you everlasting life. I am going to 291 00:26:49.630 --> 00:26:55.589 put you among a people that will love you forever. I will put my 292 00:26:55.869 --> 00:27:02.019 love upon you and satisfy everything that you could ever need and, on the 293 00:27:02.059 --> 00:27:06.420 basis of my righteousness, which endures forever, I will then be at work 294 00:27:06.700 --> 00:27:11.059 in you, producing righteousness in you, so that you will no longer be 295 00:27:11.940 --> 00:27:15.410 a dirty, rotten sinner, but instead you will be this holy one, 296 00:27:15.970 --> 00:27:23.329 this sanctified one, for me, and you will be generous to others as 297 00:27:23.490 --> 00:27:29.410 I have been generous to you. And you know what I'm able to do? 298 00:27:29.569 --> 00:27:37.640 It I god, says. God is able to make all grace abound 299 00:27:37.720 --> 00:27:41.400 to you. He's able to take people who are turned in on themselves and 300 00:27:41.519 --> 00:27:47.549 attach every kind of string to their gift and are bound by the chains of 301 00:27:47.630 --> 00:27:51.309 their sins and their pride and their need to take care of everything for themselves, 302 00:27:51.869 --> 00:27:55.670 and he snips all those chords and he breaks all those chains and he 303 00:27:55.829 --> 00:28:00.299 releases us into the freedom of generosity, to cheerfulness, to joy. Whether 304 00:28:00.380 --> 00:28:03.420 we've got a little or a lot, it doesn't matter. We're okay and 305 00:28:03.500 --> 00:28:08.140 we're fine in Christ. That's what God does when he gives to us the 306 00:28:08.500 --> 00:28:15.569 gift of his son on the Cross. And so that's why he says in 307 00:28:15.609 --> 00:28:26.839 verse ten, He who supplies seed to the SOWER and bread for food will 308 00:28:27.000 --> 00:28:34.920 supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. 309 00:28:37.599 --> 00:28:40.839 You See, God is saying, not only am I going to take care 310 00:28:40.920 --> 00:28:45.710 of your your needs in this world, and not only am I going to 311 00:28:45.789 --> 00:28:49.109 take care of your needs your bodily needs in the next world as well, 312 00:28:49.269 --> 00:28:53.150 in the age to come. But I'm also going to take care of your 313 00:28:53.269 --> 00:28:59.619 hearts, this heart problem that you have, this endem and enmity that you 314 00:28:59.700 --> 00:29:03.779 have between me and you, and this enmity that you have between you and 315 00:29:03.900 --> 00:29:07.980 your brothers and sisters. I'm going to take care of all of that so 316 00:29:08.140 --> 00:29:17.930 that you will increase in this harvest, this harvest of righteousness. God's gift 317 00:29:18.250 --> 00:29:22.450 to us is a gift that changes us at it empowers us and it moves 318 00:29:22.490 --> 00:29:29.160 our hearts to give gifts to others who then, as it turns out, 319 00:29:29.200 --> 00:29:37.359 are supplied by God through us and we are supplied by God through them, 320 00:29:37.880 --> 00:29:41.309 and everybody links arms and raises their voices to God and says, with Paul, 321 00:29:41.589 --> 00:29:48.309 thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift. This is not about US 322 00:29:48.430 --> 00:29:52.180 scrambling around and judging each other and trying to figure out who's giving what and 323 00:29:52.460 --> 00:29:56.420 how all that kind of stuff, and being worried and under compulsion. It's 324 00:29:56.420 --> 00:30:02.380 about US relaxing into the grace of God, knowing that we're going to be 325 00:30:02.700 --> 00:30:07.730 just fine because of all that he has given us, and then sharing what 326 00:30:07.890 --> 00:30:15.009 we have without worry, without stress, with cheer and joyfulness, knowing who 327 00:30:15.049 --> 00:30:21.640 he is, knowing what he's done and what he is doing even now among 328 00:30:21.759 --> 00:30:26.359 us. And so this is what God teaches us in this chapter. Chapter 329 00:30:26.400 --> 00:30:30.759 he teaches us that in the church, the meeting of each other's needs is 330 00:30:30.960 --> 00:30:36.990 a good thing and it's a god thing. It's a good thing because the 331 00:30:37.430 --> 00:30:44.150 ministry from the saints for the saints results in a Thanksgiving and a praise to 332 00:30:44.309 --> 00:30:47.710 God, who is the giver of all of these gifts in the first place, 333 00:30:47.990 --> 00:30:53.019 who empowers these gifts and puts them to good use. The source of 334 00:30:53.140 --> 00:30:59.059 our gifts and the strength of our gifts, in both our clothes and our 335 00:30:59.140 --> 00:31:03.890 food and in our hearts, is the Gift of God in the Gospel of 336 00:31:04.009 --> 00:31:08.970 his son. Praise be to God. So let's pray