LISTEN
This sermon was preached by Andy Brownlee at the CCM Heatons site of Christ Church Manchester on Sunday 7th November 2021.
BIBLE VERSES
This sermon was based on 2 Corinthians 8:1-9.
Encouragement to Give Generously
1We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, 2for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. 3For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, 4begging us earnestly for the favorof taking part in the relief of the saints— 5and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us. 6Accordingly, we urged Titus that as he had started, so he should complete among you this act of grace. 7But 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.
8 I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine. 9For 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.
KEY POINTS
Context
• Famine had hit Judea, area where Jerusalem was
• Believers there found themselves in extreme poverty
• Paul, tells his churches about this, churches start giving money to help
• Tells Corinthians: Macedonians, poor, giving loads, going without things to give more, incredibly generous.
• Wants them to do the same
Generosity flows from Grace
• One of the reasons we can resist the flow of grace in our lives is because we slowly start to believe that: ‘my money is mine. I earned it.’
• What we have is not ours it’s God’s, entrusted to you.
• We start with Grace, we don’t start by looking around and comparing ourselves to one another.
Generosity comes from Joy
• Despite extreme poverty in 1st century Macedonia, they were generous.
• Joy is found in allowing grace to flow through us to others.
• Generosity comes from Joy. When we’re Generous it can bring joy too.
Generosity reveals Love
• He’s [Paul] saying to the Corinthians you’re a great church, your doing great things, your full of faith and knowledge and earnestness and love, I’m not commanding you but I’m just saying show your love by your generosity.
• Generosity reveals love and we see no clearer example of love in all history than Jesus coming into this world to die on the cross.
• They gave themselves first of all to God, that’s why they gave so generously, they’d given their hearts to God above all else.
References:
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