"But just as you all abound in everything, in faith and utterance and in all earnestness and in the love we inspired in you, see that you abound in this gracious work also!" (II Corinthians 8:7)
In last week's lesson, on II Corinthians 7:12-16, the apostle Paul continued to look back and "mull over" the "severe letter" (the so-called "lost epistle") that he had written to the Corinthians, before writing his first epistle to them--a letter admonishing them for their sinful ways that he felt "made them sorrowful" to the point that it might have damaged his relationship with them! But, after learning from Titus, who hae carried the letter to them, that they had actually responded well to his instructions, expressed their love and longing for him, and realized that his letter had produced in them "a godly sorrow that led to repentance without regret," he had second thoughts about it, and was comforted when he saw that it all worked for something good in their lives!
And so, he began this passage by restating the reason for writing the letter in the first place! He "didn't write the letter for the sake of the offender" (the ringleader in the church who stirred up the trouble), "nor for the offender (speaking of himself), but that they might realize for themselves, in the sight of God, how much they cared for him"! And when they responded to him the way they did, it gave him, being the very humble and people-centered person that he was, great comfort!
And so now, with the relationship re-affirmed, he felt free to reassert with them the mission that he was pursuing with all the other churches--raising funds to meet the needs of the poor saints in the church of Jerusalem!
From its birth on the day of Pentecost, the Jerusalem church had to cope with the "extreme poverty" of its members, many of whom were Hellenistic Jews who had come to Jerusalem at the time of the Pentecost, were converted and chose to remain there, but with no place to stay, losing their jobs and being ostracized by their families because of their conversion to Christianity, and becoming the outcast of the Jewish society! And so the Jerusalem church made a noble effort to meet the needs of these people, and Paul endeavored to seek help from the Corinthian and other churches to help make that happen!
Paul had earlier made reference to this need in I Corinthians 16:1-4, where he wrote, "Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I directed the churches of Galatia, so do you also! On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I come. When I arrive, whomever you may approve, I will send them with letters to carry your gifts to Jerusalem; and if it is fitting for me to go also, they will go with me!" That effort had apparently been held up, however, because of his falling out with the Corinthians, but now that the relationship had been restored, Paul took the occasion to reassert his call for them to give!
And so he picks it up in this passage, using the churches of Macedonia as examples of what it means to give! He "made it known to them that it was "the grace of God" that motivated the generosity of the Macedonian churches! Constable wrote that they "manifested the grace of God"! They gave help just as God gives help! Manifesting God's grace! (Interestingly, the word "grace" is used 10 times in chapters 8-9, more than in any other two chapters in the New Testament! And it refers to "God's enablement"! Adrian Rogers wrote that "God's grace gave them both the desire and the power to do the will of God"! God said to Paul, in II Corinthians 12:9, that "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness...! And it makes us want to sing, "Grace, grace, God's grace, grace that is greater than all our sin..." Or, "He giveth more grace when the burdens are greater, He sendeth more strength when the labors increase..."!)
Paul was making reference to the churches in Phillipi, Thessalonica, and Berea which were located in the province of Macedonia, which was basically an impoverished province in the northern region of Greece, a province that had been ravished by many wars and even then was being plundered by Roman authority and commerce! And yet, verse 2 says, "that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their wealth of poverty they overflowed in the wealth of their liberality!" The Amplified Version puts it this way: "For in the midst of an ordeal of severe tribulation, their abundance of joy and their depth of poverty together have overflowed in a wealth of lavish generosity!"
MacArthur writes that "the Macedonian believers were rich in their single-minded, selfless generosity to God and to others"! Wow! And he further notes that three elements characterized their giving:
George Sweeting wrote: For the Macedonian churches, giving was not a burden but a blessing! Not something to be avoided, but a privilege to be desired!" Reflecting what Paul noted in verse 4, how they even "begged him with much urging for the favor of participation in the support of the saints"! And even more importantly (in verse 5) that "they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us, by the will of the Lord"! Reminding us of Romans 12:1, where Paul wrote, "Therefore, I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service..."! (Steve Cole notes that underlying the concept of Biblical giving is that you have submitted to the Lordship of Jesus Christ; and committed to furthering His work through His people"1 And MacArthur writes that "the supreme act of worship is not giving money, attending church, or singing hymns, but giving ones self!")
Plummer writes that "the abundance of joy is a strange thing to be found in much testing of affliction! But few things were more characteristic of the Corinthians in the Apostolic Age than their exuberant joy! This abiding and conspicuous effort of 'the good tidings' was one of the leading causes of the gospel's rapid success! It's missionary power was then--and is still, where it exists--very great! Those who witness great joy in people whose lives are full of trouble are led to think that such people are in possession of something which is well worth having!"
Constable write: "Their poverty no more impeded their generosity than their tribulation diminished their joy!"
The Corinthians were clearly imitators of Paul who had just written in 6:10, that "as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing yet possessing all things"!
The Bible is filled with verses on giving! Here are just a few more:
And it should be a natural response to God who has given to us His "indescribable gift"!
Makes you want to sing! "Give of the best to the Master...!"
'
Or maybe, "How can I give thanks for the things that You have done for me--things so undeserved yet you give to prove your love for me...!"
Or, how bout, "I surrender all... All to Thee, my blessed Savior, I surrender all!"
May God be with you and give you an "abundance of joy" as your heart overflows in response to "the wealth of generosity" that He has bestowed on us, and that we have the privilege of sharing with others!
Til we meet again!
Lowell
In last week's lesson, on II Corinthians 7:12-16, the apostle Paul continued to look back and "mull over" the "severe letter" (the so-called "lost epistle") that he had written to the Corinthians, before writing his first epistle to them--a letter admonishing them for their sinful ways that he felt "made them sorrowful" to the point that it might have damaged his relationship with them! But, after learning from Titus, who hae carried the letter to them, that they had actually responded well to his instructions, expressed their love and longing for him, and realized that his letter had produced in them "a godly sorrow that led to repentance without regret," he had second thoughts about it, and was comforted when he saw that it all worked for something good in their lives!
And so, he began this passage by restating the reason for writing the letter in the first place! He "didn't write the letter for the sake of the offender" (the ringleader in the church who stirred up the trouble), "nor for the offender (speaking of himself), but that they might realize for themselves, in the sight of God, how much they cared for him"! And when they responded to him the way they did, it gave him, being the very humble and people-centered person that he was, great comfort!
And so now, with the relationship re-affirmed, he felt free to reassert with them the mission that he was pursuing with all the other churches--raising funds to meet the needs of the poor saints in the church of Jerusalem!
From its birth on the day of Pentecost, the Jerusalem church had to cope with the "extreme poverty" of its members, many of whom were Hellenistic Jews who had come to Jerusalem at the time of the Pentecost, were converted and chose to remain there, but with no place to stay, losing their jobs and being ostracized by their families because of their conversion to Christianity, and becoming the outcast of the Jewish society! And so the Jerusalem church made a noble effort to meet the needs of these people, and Paul endeavored to seek help from the Corinthian and other churches to help make that happen!
Paul had earlier made reference to this need in I Corinthians 16:1-4, where he wrote, "Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I directed the churches of Galatia, so do you also! On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I come. When I arrive, whomever you may approve, I will send them with letters to carry your gifts to Jerusalem; and if it is fitting for me to go also, they will go with me!" That effort had apparently been held up, however, because of his falling out with the Corinthians, but now that the relationship had been restored, Paul took the occasion to reassert his call for them to give!
And so he picks it up in this passage, using the churches of Macedonia as examples of what it means to give! He "made it known to them that it was "the grace of God" that motivated the generosity of the Macedonian churches! Constable wrote that they "manifested the grace of God"! They gave help just as God gives help! Manifesting God's grace! (Interestingly, the word "grace" is used 10 times in chapters 8-9, more than in any other two chapters in the New Testament! And it refers to "God's enablement"! Adrian Rogers wrote that "God's grace gave them both the desire and the power to do the will of God"! God said to Paul, in II Corinthians 12:9, that "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness...! And it makes us want to sing, "Grace, grace, God's grace, grace that is greater than all our sin..." Or, "He giveth more grace when the burdens are greater, He sendeth more strength when the labors increase..."!)
Paul was making reference to the churches in Phillipi, Thessalonica, and Berea which were located in the province of Macedonia, which was basically an impoverished province in the northern region of Greece, a province that had been ravished by many wars and even then was being plundered by Roman authority and commerce! And yet, verse 2 says, "that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their wealth of poverty they overflowed in the wealth of their liberality!" The Amplified Version puts it this way: "For in the midst of an ordeal of severe tribulation, their abundance of joy and their depth of poverty together have overflowed in a wealth of lavish generosity!"
MacArthur writes that "the Macedonian believers were rich in their single-minded, selfless generosity to God and to others"! Wow! And he further notes that three elements characterized their giving:
- They gave "according to their ability"! Based on what they had, with no fixed amount, or percentage placed on it!
- They gave "beyond their ability"! Giving sacrificially!
- They gave "of their own accord"! Not out of compulsion, or manipulation, or intimidation! But voluntary! As they chose! Believing that God would take care of all their needs!
George Sweeting wrote: For the Macedonian churches, giving was not a burden but a blessing! Not something to be avoided, but a privilege to be desired!" Reflecting what Paul noted in verse 4, how they even "begged him with much urging for the favor of participation in the support of the saints"! And even more importantly (in verse 5) that "they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us, by the will of the Lord"! Reminding us of Romans 12:1, where Paul wrote, "Therefore, I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service..."! (Steve Cole notes that underlying the concept of Biblical giving is that you have submitted to the Lordship of Jesus Christ; and committed to furthering His work through His people"1 And MacArthur writes that "the supreme act of worship is not giving money, attending church, or singing hymns, but giving ones self!")
Plummer writes that "the abundance of joy is a strange thing to be found in much testing of affliction! But few things were more characteristic of the Corinthians in the Apostolic Age than their exuberant joy! This abiding and conspicuous effort of 'the good tidings' was one of the leading causes of the gospel's rapid success! It's missionary power was then--and is still, where it exists--very great! Those who witness great joy in people whose lives are full of trouble are led to think that such people are in possession of something which is well worth having!"
Constable write: "Their poverty no more impeded their generosity than their tribulation diminished their joy!"
The Corinthians were clearly imitators of Paul who had just written in 6:10, that "as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing yet possessing all things"!
The Bible is filled with verses on giving! Here are just a few more:
- The writer of Acts said (in 20:35) "...to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He himself said, 'It is better to give than to receive!
- Jesus said to those who followed Him, in Luke 6:38, "Give, and it will be given to you! They will pour into your lap a good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over! For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return!"
- The writer of Acts wrote (in Acts 20:35) to "remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, 'It is better to give than to receive"!
- II Corinthians 9:6-7 says, "Now this I say, 'he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully shall also reap bountifully. Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver!
- James 1:17 says, "Every good and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning!"
- And David wrote, in II Samuel 24:24. "...For I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God which cost me nothing!"
-
And it should be a natural response to God who has given to us His "indescribable gift"!
Makes you want to sing! "Give of the best to the Master...!"
'
Or maybe, "How can I give thanks for the things that You have done for me--things so undeserved yet you give to prove your love for me...!"
Or, how bout, "I surrender all... All to Thee, my blessed Savior, I surrender all!"
May God be with you and give you an "abundance of joy" as your heart overflows in response to "the wealth of generosity" that He has bestowed on us, and that we have the privilege of sharing with others!
Til we meet again!
Lowell
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