The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. As it is written,

 

    “He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor;

        his righteousness endures forever.”

   

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. You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God. By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission that comes from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others, while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you. Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!—2 Corinthians 9:615

Introduction

This is the eighth sermon in a nine-week series called “Fill These Cities: 25 x ’25.” If you are just joining us and trying to make sense of what this is all about, perhaps the best way to catch up would be to listen to the first sermon of this series called “The 25 x ’25 Story,” which summarized the last five years and then set the stage for the next 10 years. God has burdened our hearts with four big things: (1) strengthen the core at Bethlehem by digging deeper into our priorities so we can shine brighter and farther, (2) build a permanent facility for our South Campus for the full-time flourishing of our priorities there, (3) plant 25 new churches, and (4) engage 25 unengaged people groups by 2025.

Last week we prayerfully asked what the Lord was doing in the hearts of our people for the cause of missions and 78 new people stepped forward because of a new stirring in their hearts and a desire to discern what the Lord has for them. Of the 78 new people, 22 of them are praying about the part they can play in engaging 25 unengaged people groups. These numbers are world-changing numbers. Look at this picture from the 80+ people who came to my house for missions at the manse.

A picture is worth a thousand words, right. What does this call to mind? It calls Romans 10:14–15:

How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”

I didn’t know if people wanted me taking pictures of their feet, so I took a picture of their shoes. Dream with me for a moment. Where will those feet (shoes) go? God is going to use them. And what a gospel he has given them to share! As Spurgeon said: We could all share the gospel better but we could not share a better gospel.

I want to pray for all those shoes and all those decisions that are being made about the future and all of those unengaged people group cards we held up last week. And I want to pray for us today as we think about the call for financial obedience. Counting the cost to reach these peoples will certainly involve a financial cost. So let’s pray together. [Pray.]

My Prayer for Today’s Message

I want everyone on alert. At the end of this sermon I am going to ask everyone to hold up their dot and we are going to pray over all of them a prayer of consecration. We are moving toward that moment. Therefore, I will tell you what my prayer is for this message to bring you to that moment: I am asking that God would completely change the way everyone here thinks and feels about giving. I am not apologizing for preaching on money today. I am really excited to preach this message. And I know people can get all nervous when we talk about money, let me say something up front as clearly and forcefully as I can: As your pastor, I am not after your money, I am after your joy.

Here is what I mean. I am part of a new gym that just started up in Shoreview. There was an open house Saturday and the owner shared the vision for the gym to change the way we think about fitness from something you have to do to something you love to do. That is exactly the goal of the apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 8¬–9.

You can see it clearly at the very outset of our passage. Look at verse 7:

Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

Two kinds of giving reflect two different kinds of hearts: duty-driven giving and heart-felt giving. The essential difference boils down to “have to” and “love to.” The duty-driven giver feels reluctant or under compulsion from the outside. He has a heart with high levels of “have to” and very low levels of “want to.” The heart-felt giver has a heart with high levels of “love to.” 

Paul doesn’t want any reluctant giving because that would not glorify God. Giving is about God and God loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:7). That is why I don’t want anyone to give because of some pressure-packed appeal that comes with a campaign. I don’t want giving to be a campaign thing, but a God thing. Giving is not a financial transaction—it is a spiritual transformation. Another way to say it is that Christian giving is grace on display. Why? What is the point?

The Main Point:
The Point of All Giving Is to Gladly Point to God’s Glorious Generosity

Let’s go to the last verse to find the main point. The main point of this passage and the main point of these two chapters and the main point of the universe: We exist to glorify God by enjoying him forever. Paul says it in just eight words: Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift (v. 15). The point of all giving is to gladly point to God’s glorious generosity.

Have you ever put together a puzzle? Some puzzles are more difficult than others, especially depending upon the number of puzzle pieces, but there is always something so satisfying about completing the puzzle by putting the last piece in. There is something so satisfying to me about the last piece of the puzzle that Paul gives us in verse 15: “Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!”

He puts in the final puzzle piece that completes the picture when he says, “Grace be to God.” The ESV translates it as “Thanks be to God,” but the word thanks is not Paul’s normal word for thanks. Here, he uses the word for grace. This word choice is a masterful last move. I say that it completes the picture because Paul started with the description of grace coming down. God’s grace came from God, covered the Corinthians, and carried the Corinthians, and now everyone is giving the credit to God. They gave by the grace of God, and now they are giving all the credit to the grace of God. Paul’s masterful way of saying that all the credit goes to the grace of God is this phrase: “Grace be to God.”

Notice that Paul says, “Grace be to God for his inexpressible gift!” What gift is he talking about? There are many references to grace in 2 Corinthians 8–9. Some refer to the grace that inspired the Macedonians’ cheerful giving, and some refer to the Corinthians’ giving (which is an act of grace), but the clearest and most indescribable is the grace of 2 Corinthians 8:9, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Why end on the note of the indescribable gift of Christ? The giving of Christ is the gift above all other gifts, which inspires all other gifts. Praise for God’s inexpressible gift is the point of all giving. Only one gift can have preeminence. The praise of God’s glorious grace is the point of all giving because all giving is a display of God’s glorious grace. The point of all giving is to point to the generosity of God.

I don’t want to be bad pointers here. J.I. Packer says that a comic strip he enjoyed has a mother with a bawling baby on her lap and someone asks, “What’s wrong with your baby?” The mother replied, “Oh, he is teething.” And your husband (sitting on a bench in the background with open-mouthed agony matching that of the baby)? She replied, “Oh, he’s tithing” (Packer, Weakness Is the Way, p. 60). We would be really bad pointers if that is what people saw or how we felt about giving.

I am afraid that this approach (reluctant giving) flows from a false idea about money in general. Society sees each person’s money as his own possession to do with whatever he or she pleases (Packer, Weakness is the Way, p. 74). Scripture sees a person’s money as God’s possession—he is not an owner, but a steward, and must minister with the money in a way that pleases and glorifies God. The money that is ours to manage is not ours, but God’s. This is the meaning of the word “steward” or “stewardship.” A steward is not an owner or a master, but a manager for a master. Christian giving is ministry with God’s money (Packer, Weakness is the Way, p. 74).

Bill Gates is richest person on the planet. He is worth 75 billion. He is 60 years old this year. 85% of the world’s population makes less than $200 a month. Bill Gates makes about $290 per second. If he was a country, he would be the 37th richest country on earth. We talk about something being worth our time. He earns about $114.16 per second, so it would not be worth his time to pick up a $100 bill if he dropped it on the ground (if that cost him 3 seconds, that time would be worth $342). If he lived to be 90, he would have to spend 6 million dollars a day to use up all his wealth. He could give everyone in the world $10 and still have 2.26 billion left (See savingadvice.com). But today the population of the world is 7.5 billion, so he could only give $10 and have none left.

But God gives to all people life and breath and everything else. There is no comparison. But that is not even the fullest measure of God’s generosity. The fullest, most glorious expression of God’s generosity is the inexpressible gift of Christ. God spared no expense to save us—he didn’t even spare his own Son, but gave himself.

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.—2 Corinthians 8:9

That gift that changes everything and causes the transformation that is at the root of all giving. All our giving is a blood-bought grace because it flows from the inexpressible, unsearchable gift of Christ in the gospel. Jesus paid it all.

Remember that this is a spiritual transformation—not some financial transaction. What transformation are we talking about? It is sometimes said that Martin Luther spoke of three types of conversions: head, heart, and wallet. The conversion of the mind that embraces gospel truth, the conversion of the heart that embraces Jesus as Savior and Master, and the conversion of the wallet or purse that lays one’s money at the feet of the Lord Jesus. Giving up financial control is one of the last barriers to experiencing true Christian liberty. Giving up the financial steering wheel can be the hardest of all. So here is what I want to do. I want to prove it to you. I gave you the main point. Now this is the one supporting point. In all of 2 Corinthians 8–9, Paul supports that main point by showing that all glad giving is by God’s grace and for God’s glory.

Supporting Point: Glad Giving Is by His Grace and for His Glory

In 2 Corinthians 8–9, Paul testifies that Christian giving is (1) glad-hearted giving (2) flowing from grace already given (3) so that God is given all the glory. Christian giving is no mere financial transaction. It is not a reluctant agreement to part with our money because of the power of a pressure-packed appeal. It is not a financial transaction; it is a spiritual transformation. The point of this transformation is to point to the glorious power of grace and the extravagant generosity of God. So we are going to take a tour through 2 Corinthians 8–9 so that you can see God’s grace at work.

Paul has given us 39 verses in these two chapters, and he makes sure that the first five verses and the last five verses fit together perfectly. For example, there are five repeated words or phrases joining 8:1–5 and 9:12–15.

Here, I have modified a chart from Murray Harris’ book The Second Epistle to the Corinthians (p. 647).

The Grace of God (ἡ χάρις τοῦ θεοῦ) 8:1; 9:14

Test/Prove/Approve (δοκιμή) 8:2; 9:13

Abundance/Overflow (περισσεύω) 8:2; 9:12 (also 8:7, twice; 9:8, twice)

Generosity (ἁπλότης) 8:2; 9:13 (also 9:11)

Relief/Service (διακονία) 8:4; 9:12–13 (also 9:1)

1. The Flow of Grace: 2 Corinthians 8:1–6

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.

2. The Proof of Grace: 2 Corinthians 8:8–9

 I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.

The word “test” or “prove” is one of the lynchpin terms in this section (8:2, 8, 24 and 9:13). It means “testing in order to form a judgment or conclusion.” A person’s claim is tested and approved (if they pass the test) or disproved (if they fail the test).

The Macedonian church had a severe “test” of affliction (8:2). They passed the test and became a paradigm of giving: (1) God’s grace came down (8:1), (2) abundant joy welled up (8:2), and (3) a wealth of generosity flowed forth (8:2). Now Paul tells the Corinthians that it is their turn to take the test (8:8). They should excel in giving so that they can prove that their love is genuine (8:7-8). Giving is the proof (8:8) of knowing gospel grace (8:9). Paul says that generosity gives proof of “your confession of the gospel of Christ” (9:13).

I want to give a name now to this type of giving: gospel-drenched generosity. I invite you to picture it with me. Think about being out in the rain in a hard down pour—what happens to you? You get drenched. You walk inside the house, and you are dripping wet. You have to work hard to not get water everywhere you walk. That is the kind of giving I am talking about. gospel-drenched giving means you are so drenched from the downpour of gospel grace that you are dripping wet with generosity.

Sam Houston (1793–1863) was a colorful soldier and politician and is best known for his role of bringing Texas into the United States. He surprised everyone when he became a Christian. He surprised everyone even more when after his baptism he said he wanted to pay half the local minister’s salary. When someone asked him why, he responded, “My pocketbook was baptized, too.” The conversion of our wallets should be included in our conversion to Christ. Generosity tests whether or not we know the grace of Christ.

Therefore, if Christians represent Christ, then Christian giving will reflect Christ’s giving. When the chance to give comes, can you imagine Christ closing his heart and giving nothing? Preposterous. Look at what he gave in 2 Corinthians 8:9. “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.” Sacrificial giving (8:8) flows from the sacrifice of Christ (8:9). Therefore, a call to believe the gospel and a call to give cannot be separated. If our pocketbooks took the witness stand, would they say?

3. Grace More Glorious Than Manna (2 Corinthians 8:15)

Look at the grace there in v.15. Paul quotes something about the manna in Exodus 16:18. As it is written, “Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack.”

Paul just spoke in the context about how God gave more material possessions to some in order to give to others. In the Exodus story, some people tried to hoard more and God did not physically allow it—the stored manna would spoil and become infested with worms. God could do that with our money. He could force us to give. Why doesn’t he? Why put a system in place where He gives to some so that they give to others? Answer: In the new covenant God pours out grace to change our hearts so that we want to give—we don’t have to be forced. Grace looks more glorious when it shows God’s power to provide material wealth and change hearts so that his people don’t worship it, but worship him and join him as givers.

God gives abundant material blessings and then God gives grace to change the heart. This grace changes the heart so that his children become cheerful givers, not stingy hoarders. Good works like giving do not earn grace—they are grace. Listen to Paul Barnett (from The Second Epistle to the Corinthians, NICNT, p. 439):

It is one thing for God’s power to provide amply what is needed to his servants, but perhaps a greater outpouring of divine power is needed to impel those servants to overflow in generosity to others, as witnessed by the resistance of the Corinthians to be open-handed to others. There are few evidences of God’s power so impelling as the transformation from tightfisted meanness to openhanded generosity. 

4. Surpassing Grace/Many Thanksgivings to God 

You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God. By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission that comes from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others, while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you.—2 Corinthians 9:11–14

Conclusion

1. Why Do I Need Money?—I Have a Daddy

My daughter once spoke to me about giving and she said that she wanted to give all of her money to the church. I told her about tithing and said she did not have to give everything. She then said to me, “Why do I need money, I have a Daddy.” It was a piercing reminder to me. Money was not her security—I was. In the same way, money is not our security—our Father is.

Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”—Hebrews 13:5 

2. Earthly Currency in Eternal Perspective

I have heard Randy Alcorn use an illustration about confederate currency that puts earthly goods into eternal perspective. Imagine you are living at the end of the Civil War. You are a Northerner, but you have been living in the South and have accumulated a sizeable amount of Confederate currency. Suppose that you have insider information that the North is about to win the war. What will you do with all your Confederate currency? There is really only one answer. Immediately exchange the confederate currency for U.S. currency. United States currency is the only money that will have any value in the days to come after the war. Keep only enough confederate money to meet your short-term needs until the war ends.

In the same way, Christians have insider information that Christ is going to return and bring an end to this present age. All of earth’s currency will become worthless once earthly life is over, either at death or when Christ returns, which both could happen at any time. (See illustration from Randy Alcorn in “Dethroning Money to Treasure Christ Above All,” in The Fame of God’s Name: Essays in Honor of John Piper, p. 319.)

3. Instructions for Filling Out the Dot

God loves cheerful givers gripped by the gospel. The number that I care about most is the number of Bethlehem families who gave, not the total amount some gave. Even if it is two pennies, the goal is 100% participation. We would like all of Bethlehem members and regular attenders to be cheerful givers who are gripped by the gospel and believe that it is more blessed to give than to receive. If we are looking at the hill of the next decade of spreading, and we go to charge the hill, I really want people charging with us.

As your pastor, I am after your joy (2 Corinthians 1:24), not your money. I want God to pour out grace upon this church in this call to give. We are pleading for grace to come down, joy to come up, and generosity to pour out. I love the way Randy Alcorn puts it in the Treasure Principle: "As thunder follows lightning, giving follows grace."

I want these cards to be saturated in prayer over the next seven days. Here is what I believe will happen with all of my heart. This is a worship moment—a grace moment—a discipleship moment. Christ puts his finger on everything and says, “Mine.” He will do that with a monthly portion of your income in the first line to fill in. He will put his finger on a number and say that is what I want in that box.

Do not think to yourself, “Oh, this is what I think I can give.” We are asking God for an outpouring of grace to give, not willpower or leaning on our own assessment. I don’t want this to be a campaign thing, but a God thing.

So don’t stop short with what you think. Do what the Macedonians did:

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. So I am calling you to consider the path of generosity in prayer—moving further along the path is growing in joy.

Give yourselves to the Lord in prayer. Let him put his finger on a number and then trust him. Don’t quench the Spirit. Then fill it in. Then in the second box he will put his finger on our assets. For some it may mean amounts in our bank account, but for others of us it will be something in our basement (baseball cards, china set) our garage (boat, extra vehicle), or wherever. We are owners of nothing and stewards of everything. He will surely put his finger on some of it and say, “I want that for this.”

Look to him! Don’t take your eyes off of him when he prompts your heart to give. Remember his promise in 2 Corinthians 9:8 “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.”

 

Sermon Discussion Questions

Outline

1. The Main Point: The Point of All Giving is to Gladly Point to God’s Glorious Generosity (v. 15)
2. The Supporting Point: Soundings from 2 Corinthians 8–9
• The Flow of Grace (2 Corinthians 8:1–6)
• The Proof of Grace (2 Corinthians 8:8–9)
• Grace Greater than Manna (2 Corinthians 8:15)
• Surpassing Grace/Many Thanksgivings (2 Corinthians 9:11–14)

Discussion Questions

• How does glad giving point to God’s glorious generosity?
• How does 2 Corinthians 8:1–6 support that point?
• How does 2 Corinthians 8:8–9 support that point?
• How does 2 Corinthians 8:15 support that point?
• How does 2 Corinthians 9:11–14 support that point?

Application Questions

• Do you believe that God is able to make all grace abound to you so you can give what he calls you to give as you pray and obey?
• Do you believe that you can put financial security to death if you are called to find your security in your Father?
• In terms of trusting God’s word in respect to God’s ability as the giver of all grace and the multiplier of the planting and the harvesting, what are some next steps for you? Spend some time praying about these things. 

Prayer Focus 

Pray for a grace to trust in the Lord with all of your heart and to obey him as he calls you to give in a way that gladly points to his glorious generosity.