2 Corinthians 8:1-7

                                                                     2 Corinthians 8:1-7

We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part.  For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints—and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us.  Accordingly, we urged Titus that as he had started, so he should complete among you this act of grace.  But as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you—see that you excel in this act of grace also.

 

Those who have experienced the grace of God in the various circumstances of life will usually be the first to demonstrate that same grace in the lives of other people.  The relationships that we have with our Lord will impact the way we relate with one another.  God is faithful to use the body of Christ in the lives of each other to bring about the character of Christ in all of us.  The church in Macedonia is a clear example of this process.

 

GENEROSITY SPRINGS FROM SUFFERING:  We tend to assume that generosity flows from prosperity.  However, prosperity is far more likely to produce pride, greed, and a desire for more wealth.  Those who suffer persecution and see the provision of God through the experiences of poverty are far more likely to be truly generous.  They might not have the means to give as much as the wealthy, but the percentage of their giving far exceeds the wealthy.  This was the case of the poor widow Jesus observed giving all she had.  Generosity is not determined by the size of the gift, but by the means of the giver.  The church in Macedonia was greatly persecuted for their faith.  It is certain that many of them lost their livelihood, their homes, and the protection of their families.  Yet, God sustained them, protected them, and provided for them in a way that allowed them to demonstrate generosity in an unprecedented way.  If we will be faithful to focus on the grace, we have experienced from God, it will spur us on to a life of generosity.

 

GENEROSITY STARTS WITH CONSECRATION: This generosity in the face of suffering is the direct result of a life that was first consecrated to the Lord.  When we truly experience the forgiveness of our sin by a holy God due to no merit of our own, it changes our lives.  We have no choice to respond to such love and grace but to give ourselves over to the Lord who have Himself for us and to love the body of Christ that has also been bought by His precious blood.  A decision to love God and others may invite suffering in a sin cursed world but it will provide a peace that does not depend on circumstances.  When we respond to forgiveness through faith with consecration to the Lord, it will produce generosity in our lives.

 

GENEROSITY SPREADS TO OTHERS: Paul uses the example of the church in Macedonia to challenge the believers in Corinth to demonstrate the same level of faithfulness.  Corinth was a far more prosperous area of the world and experienced less persecution due to the plurality of a multi-cultural port city.  However, the church faced more temptation to form alliances with the world and be under the influence of false teachers.  This reality required the church to be vigilant and they excelled in faith, knowledge, and in communication and defense of the Word of God.  They were likely great students of the Word and had strong apologetics.  However, Paul wants to make sure that they didn’t lag in generosity.  He wants the generosity of the Macedonian church to spread to the church all around the globe, even to us.

 

APPLICATION: Don’t allow either poverty or wealth to become a hindrance to generosity.  Allow our experiences of God’s grace in abundance or scarcity to overflow into a loving and giving heart.  Constantly remember the grace of God in the forgiveness of sin we have experienced and be motivated to love God and others because of it.  Share testimonies of God’s provision and the joy of giving so the body of Christ can be motivated to enjoy the same privilege. 

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