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Good morning my friends.
Let’s begin today by thinking about one word. . . GENEROSITY.
Who’s the most generous person you’ve ever had the privilege of knowing?
What do you think motivated their generosity?
What impact did their generosity have on you and others?
Now I know that often when we heard the word GENEROSITY we think of money, but I invite us to widen our scope today. . .
Who do you know who is very generous with their time, always willing to help someone else, even when it’s inconvenient for them?
Who do you know who uses their talents and abilities to serve others, without asking for anything in return, especially specialized talents?
My brother Ted, who died of a brain tumor last February, may have been the most generous person I’ve known. He loved helping others, and he found an amazing array of ways to do so. His generosity touched so many different people in so many different ways. His celebration of life service took almost 2 hours, primarily because, so many people asked for a few moments to just share how his generosity of friendship, time, talents, encouragement, and yes discreet financial help, made such a profound difference in their lives. What a legacy!
Today let’s read together 2 Corinthians 8. Paul is both commending and urging a significant financial generosity from the Christians in the city of Corinth, in response to great hardship facing the Christians in Jerusalem. In fact Paul was gathering financial help from all the churches he had helped to start.
Part of the reason Christians were suffering so much in Jerusalem was overt persecution. Some had evidently lost their jobs because their employers did not want any followers of Jesus working in their business. Others had been expelled from their housing by either family or landlords who didn’t want Christians there. In our day this is happening in many parts of the world, especially radical Muslim or Communist nations.
Look at vs 1,2 “…we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty, welled up in rich generosity.” Using the example of some churches in Macedonia, Paul calls us to realize GENEROSITY is actually a work of God! The phrase “the grace God has given” shows us that God changes a person from the normal selfishness we are all born with, to a person who thinks generously and gives of himself or herself with great joy.
When a person’s generosity expects thanks or expects payment or generosity in return, that’s not authentic, “God’s grace” generosity. That’s manipulative generosity. We all know what that feels like, don’t we?
Do you see Paul also tells us the Christians in Macedonia were suffering “severe trial…and extreme poverty…”, and yet in their deep suffering, they poured out generosity for those in great need in Jerusalem. I’ve seen that in rural, extremely poor Haiti and other places I’ve visited around the world, maybe you have too. It’s a remarkable evidence of the deep heart work of the Holy Spirit of God, when a person, who is in great need, gives generously of what little they have, putting themselves in even greater need! They are trusting their need to God who they are confident knows their need better than they do! (Matt. 6:8)
Do you see what Paul writes in vs. 4 “…they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints.”? We understand when Paul uses the word “saint” he is referring to a person who was a depraved sinner, but is saved by the power of Jesus Christ and has been greatly changed by the Holy Spirit. 2 Corinthians 5:17 is like a banner verse over their lives… “Therefore if anyone is in Christ they are a new creation, the old has gone and the new has come. All this is from God…”
Paul points out, these radically transformed people in Macedonia, were begging Paul for the opportunity to help the persecuted fellow Christians in Jerusalem. You’ve probably heard some very generous person say something like “please let me help. Please don’t rob me of the privilege, the joy, of helping the person in need.”
Paul helps us see the root of this attitude of generosity, when he writes “…they gave themselves first to the Lord, and then to us, in keeping with God’s will.” (vs. 5) That’s one of the secrets of generosity isn’t it my friend? A generous person is giving to God first… in fact they are giving BACK to God, for whatever they are giving, they would be quick to tell you, they know they have RECEIVED that from God Himself as His generous gift to them! Time comes from God, we can’t produce it or stretch it. So when we give generously of our time, we’re giving what God generously gave to us, right?
We understand from many Scriptures, that all we have… everything we have, comes from a very generous God who loves us, so when we share it with others, we’re like a channel, flowing to others what God has poured out upon us!
Have you also found my friends that the ultimate person of GENEROSITY is God Himself! Just look around, where-ever you are, and start counting the evidences of the generosity of God to you! The beauty of God’s creation, the wonder of friends who love you, the amazement of family, the miracle of transformed people of God, the ability God gave you to think, to read & write and speak and understand, the ability to work, and of course the remarkable ability to LOVE! It all flows from this one great attribute of God... “For God so loved the world that He gave. . .” You recognize that as the beginning of John 3:16 of course, and it’s a wonderful description of one of the greatest attributes of God, His GENEROSITY!
Do you notice what Paul says in vs. 7 “…just as you excel in everything – in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us – see that you also excel in this grace of giving.” (GENEROSITY) Do you hear Paul celebrating who these Corinthian Christians have become, and how many wonderful character traits are the evidence of God’s great work in their lives? And now Paul urges them to add generosity to that list! In fact to excel in generosity. What would look like my friends, if each of us EXCELLED in GENEROSITY!
May I point out one more thing in this great chapter? verse 9 says “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that you, through His poverty might become rich.” Remember what it says in Philippians 2:6-11? The descent of Jesus from His glory and majesty in heaven, to be born in a stable in Bethlehem, and take on the role of a servant to humanity, provided the means by which He could become our Savior, as He became our atonement sacrifice, dying for our sins at the hands of humanity, who He had created, but who rejected God.
Paul calls us to follow Jesus’ example, humbling ourselves to serve others, by allowing the love of Jesus, the generosity of Jesus to flow through us, to anyone who is in a place in life where they can’t do it alone, they need the generous help of God, flowed to them through the life of someone who is ‘walking with Jesus’! Do you see the privilege we have my friends of being the generous hands, feet, smile, and even wallet of Jesus, as He helps those who He knows need the help of God THROUGH His humble, generous people! Now ponder that a moment.
Let’s summarize with this:
1. Generosity is a work of God in hearts and minds, that are normally selfish and self-serving.
2. Generosity flows out of gratitude to God for His love and generosity to us.
3. Generosity realizes all I have and all I am is God’s work in me, and to refuse to share it is hoarding and prideful and a disruption in the flow God intends when He blesses us.
4. Generosity brings great joy to the giver…it really is more blessed to give than to receive!
5. Generosity points people to Jesus…, that’s the ultimate purpose of our lives.
6. Generosity partners you with God, for as He sees needs in our world, He looks for those through whom He can flow HIS resources, His blessings in the time of need.
Finally… here’s a great Old Testament verse that fits… “The eyes of the LORD roam to and fro, across the whole earth, looking to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him.” (2 Chronicles 16:9.)
Now think about how that fits with Generosity. God strengthens the person who wants to be generous but has great need or pain themselves! God strengthens the person who is in great need when they receive HIS provision through the generosity of one of His people.
Oh my friends, I invite all of us to pursue the great privilege of being one of God’s channels of blessing, by growing our generous hearts and learning to be really alert to needs around us and God’s desire to meet that need THROUGH us, His people! Have a great and generous day my friends…
Click to read today’s chapter: 2 Corinthians 8. (At the top you can choose a different translation.)
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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