"Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness!" (II Corinthians 9:10)
In last week's lesson (on verses 1-9), the apostle Paul, after noting to the Corinthians that it was "superfluous" (or totally unnecessary!) for him to write to them anything more about giving, since "they were so ready to give, and he had even boasted about it to the Macedonians," proceeded nevertheless to write more about giving anyway! And he even "thought it necessary" to send Titus and two "brothers" from the Macedonian churches ahead to Corinth to arrange the collection and have it ready for him before he arrived--so he wouldn't be "embarassed, or see them put to shame" if he found them unprepared, or perhaps no longer as willing to give as they had promised!
And, as a further motivation (but without any intent to try to manipulate them!), he wrote that "he who sows sparingly would also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully would also sow bountifully"! And that "each one must follow through in doing just as he had purposed in his heart--not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver"! And he left them with that wonderful promise (in verse 8) that "God is able to make all grace abound to you so that always having all sufficiency in everything you may have an abundance for every good deed"! Then ending with a reference to Psalm 112:9, where the Psalmist wrote: "He (speaking of God) scattered abroad, He gave to the poor, His righteousness endures forever!"
And that set the scene for our lesson last night (on verses 10-15)--our fifth lesson on this subject--with Paul making reference to Isaiah 44:10, where Isaiah prophesies that "just as the Lord sends snow and water to replenish the earth, and seed to the sower, and bread to the eater (to satisfy the physical needs of people), so the Word which goes forth from His mouth will not return void but will accomplish the purpose for which it is sent"!
Similarly, the prophet Hosea prophesied this to God's people, Israel: "Sow with a view to righteousness, reap in accordance with kindness; break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the Lord until He comes to rain righteousness on you!" But then, in verses13-15: "You have plowed in wickedness; you have reaped injustice...thus it will be done to you at Bethel because of your wickedness! At dawn the king of Israel will be completely cut off!"
And with this as the setting, Paul charges the Corinthians that it's time for them to "sow righteousness and seek the Lord, and to be imitators of Christ, and (as Rod emphasized last night) to "walk in His way"! And, more specifically, to "prove" the genuineness of their faith through the act, or "ministry" (as Paul calls it), of giving! And all for the purpose of showing thanksgiving to Christ, and bringing glory to God! (II Corinthians 10:13 says, "whatever you do, do all to the glory of God"!)
And so, in verse 10, Paul writes that "He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness,"--so that (verse 11, in ESV, says) "you will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way (in your giving!) which through us will produce thanksgiving (and bring glory!) to God"!
And he goes on in verses 12-14, "For the ministry of this service (the collection!) is not only fully supplying the needs of the saints, but is overflowing through many thanksgivings to God. Because of the proof given by this ministry, they will glorify God for your obedience to your confession of the gospel of Christ and for the liberality of your contribution to them and to all, while they also, by prayer on your behalf, yearn for you because of the surpassing grace of God in you!" And we are reminded (from 8:1) that the generosity of the churches of Macedonia was also motivated by God's grace"!
MacArthur notes that this "ministry of giving" provided the Corinthians an important opportunity for them to test (and affirm!) the genuineness of their faith! And Swindoll adds that "we are never more like God than when we give"! But Paul puts it all into it proper context by summarizing his discourse on the believers' act of giving, by comparing it with what God did in giving Jesus Christ, "His indescribable gift"! And there's obviously no comparison! We can't outgive God!
And so the goal of raising funds for the poverty-stricken saints in the church of Jerusalem was accomplished, bringing thanksgiving and glory to God! But as Rod pointed out last night, the larger goal which the apostle Paul may have had in mind for the Corinthians' giving was "to bring them into walking in the ways of the Lord"!
And the question was raised: what does it mean to "walk in God's ways"? The Bible has lots to say about it!
"O God, You are my God, and I will ever praise You!
O God, You are my God, and I will ever praise You!
And I will see you in the morning, and I will learn to walk in Your ways,
And step by step You'll lead me, and I will follow You all of my days!"
May that be our song, and our "walk," and our prayer!
And may our giving--though trivial as it is, in comparison with His "infinite gift" to us--produce "a harvest of righteousness" and bring glory to God!
Til we meet again!
Lowell
In last week's lesson (on verses 1-9), the apostle Paul, after noting to the Corinthians that it was "superfluous" (or totally unnecessary!) for him to write to them anything more about giving, since "they were so ready to give, and he had even boasted about it to the Macedonians," proceeded nevertheless to write more about giving anyway! And he even "thought it necessary" to send Titus and two "brothers" from the Macedonian churches ahead to Corinth to arrange the collection and have it ready for him before he arrived--so he wouldn't be "embarassed, or see them put to shame" if he found them unprepared, or perhaps no longer as willing to give as they had promised!
And, as a further motivation (but without any intent to try to manipulate them!), he wrote that "he who sows sparingly would also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully would also sow bountifully"! And that "each one must follow through in doing just as he had purposed in his heart--not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver"! And he left them with that wonderful promise (in verse 8) that "God is able to make all grace abound to you so that always having all sufficiency in everything you may have an abundance for every good deed"! Then ending with a reference to Psalm 112:9, where the Psalmist wrote: "He (speaking of God) scattered abroad, He gave to the poor, His righteousness endures forever!"
And that set the scene for our lesson last night (on verses 10-15)--our fifth lesson on this subject--with Paul making reference to Isaiah 44:10, where Isaiah prophesies that "just as the Lord sends snow and water to replenish the earth, and seed to the sower, and bread to the eater (to satisfy the physical needs of people), so the Word which goes forth from His mouth will not return void but will accomplish the purpose for which it is sent"!
Similarly, the prophet Hosea prophesied this to God's people, Israel: "Sow with a view to righteousness, reap in accordance with kindness; break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the Lord until He comes to rain righteousness on you!" But then, in verses13-15: "You have plowed in wickedness; you have reaped injustice...thus it will be done to you at Bethel because of your wickedness! At dawn the king of Israel will be completely cut off!"
And with this as the setting, Paul charges the Corinthians that it's time for them to "sow righteousness and seek the Lord, and to be imitators of Christ, and (as Rod emphasized last night) to "walk in His way"! And, more specifically, to "prove" the genuineness of their faith through the act, or "ministry" (as Paul calls it), of giving! And all for the purpose of showing thanksgiving to Christ, and bringing glory to God! (II Corinthians 10:13 says, "whatever you do, do all to the glory of God"!)
And so, in verse 10, Paul writes that "He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness,"--so that (verse 11, in ESV, says) "you will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way (in your giving!) which through us will produce thanksgiving (and bring glory!) to God"!
And he goes on in verses 12-14, "For the ministry of this service (the collection!) is not only fully supplying the needs of the saints, but is overflowing through many thanksgivings to God. Because of the proof given by this ministry, they will glorify God for your obedience to your confession of the gospel of Christ and for the liberality of your contribution to them and to all, while they also, by prayer on your behalf, yearn for you because of the surpassing grace of God in you!" And we are reminded (from 8:1) that the generosity of the churches of Macedonia was also motivated by God's grace"!
MacArthur notes that this "ministry of giving" provided the Corinthians an important opportunity for them to test (and affirm!) the genuineness of their faith! And Swindoll adds that "we are never more like God than when we give"! But Paul puts it all into it proper context by summarizing his discourse on the believers' act of giving, by comparing it with what God did in giving Jesus Christ, "His indescribable gift"! And there's obviously no comparison! We can't outgive God!
And so the goal of raising funds for the poverty-stricken saints in the church of Jerusalem was accomplished, bringing thanksgiving and glory to God! But as Rod pointed out last night, the larger goal which the apostle Paul may have had in mind for the Corinthians' giving was "to bring them into walking in the ways of the Lord"!
And the question was raised: what does it mean to "walk in God's ways"? The Bible has lots to say about it!
- Psalm 128:1 says, "How blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, and walks in His ways!"
- Romans 6:4 says, "...So as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life!"
- Ephesians 2:10 says, "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God has prepared for them beforehand, so that we would walk in them!"
- Ephesians 5:2 challenges us to "walk in love, just as Christ also loved and gave Himself up for us, as an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma"! And, in verse 8, "For you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light!"
- David's last words to Solomon, in I Kings 2:1-4, "Be strong, therefore, and show yourself a man. Keep the charge of the Lord your God, to walk in His ways and to keep His statutes"... (then quoting words he received from the Lord): "If your sons are careful of their way, to walk before Me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, you will not lack a man on the throne of God!"
- I John 1:7 says, "But if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin!"
- And of course, John 14: 6, where Jesus says, "I am the way...!"
"O God, You are my God, and I will ever praise You!
O God, You are my God, and I will ever praise You!
And I will see you in the morning, and I will learn to walk in Your ways,
And step by step You'll lead me, and I will follow You all of my days!"
May that be our song, and our "walk," and our prayer!
And may our giving--though trivial as it is, in comparison with His "infinite gift" to us--produce "a harvest of righteousness" and bring glory to God!
Til we meet again!
Lowell
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