2 Corinthians 8:1-6 says...
Today's verses are 2 Corinthians 8:1-6, which read,
v.1, 2 - Now, brethren, we wish to make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia, that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality.
The churches of Macedonia would have been the churches at Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea. In the midst of great affliction to the message of the gospel in these areas for Christians and churches to stand for Christ and also in the midst of great poverty among them, they still were able to give to the cause of helping those Christians back in Jerusalem that were in even greater affliction and poverty. Paul uses words that signify the extremeness of the matter at hand with "great, abundance, deep, and liberality."
When we think of persecution and opposition for the gospel of God and then add in deep poverty we usually don't think of abundance of joy and overflowing liberality as results of those situations. But because of the grace of God, our conditions can result in very different outcomes because God is the supplier of all of our needs. Paul is telling the Christians in Corinth, "Look at what God is doing through the churches in Macedonia even in the state they are in."
v.3-5 - For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord, begging us with much urgency for the favor of participation in the support of the saints, and this, not as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God.
Paul and his companions looked around and assessed that this region was impoverished and therefore much in the way of the support of the saints in Jerusalem would not come from them. Paul was ever so wrong. They were begging him to have the opportunity to help someone else in need when they heard of it.
They were a people who gave as a part of who they were. Paul experienced this as they gave of themselves fully to God and also to the care of Paul and his companions. Because of that conversion to Christ, the Christians in the Macedonian churches turned their eyes from themselves and outwardly toward others.
Paul gives us three principles of giving to a specific need. This is a different talk than regular giving to the Lord's work through the local church. The first principle is that they gave according to their ability so their giving was proportionate. The second principle is that they gave beyond that ability so their giving was sacrificial. The third principle is that they gave of their own accord so their giving was voluntary. God touched their hearts to help in this matter and they obeyed that leading. The result was the evidence of the grace of God and great joy.
v.6 - So we urged Titus that as he had previously made a beginning, so he would also complete in you this gracious work as well.
Paul is telling the Christians in Corinth to continue to collect for the saints in Jerusalem. Titus was to be encouraged by this report of the Macedonian churches to share with them to see them experience the grace of God too. Maybe the sorrowful letter sent by Paul slowed down this process and Titus was to bring encouragement after the repentance to continue on with this collection for those suffering in Jerusalem. The sorrow that led to repentance was to lead to spiritual action.
It is easy to get into a spiritual slump. It is dangerous to get into a spiritual slump. A spiritual slump leaves you vulnerable to sinful activities and influences but it also turns your eyes upon yourself instead of on God and others. Therefore we become selfish in the spiritual slump and maybe that is a sign that we are in one. Where are your eyes?
"Lord, sometimes we need to see those less fortunate giving in portion more than we are giving to see where are eyes are truly focused. Sometimes we need to see the smiling faces of those kids in an improvised nation to recognize our long faces in the land of plenty to know that we are missing something essential here. May we turn our eyes again to You and experience Your grace as we follow Your lead. Amen."
Pastor Adam
v.1, 2 - Now, brethren, we wish to make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia, that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality.
The churches of Macedonia would have been the churches at Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea. In the midst of great affliction to the message of the gospel in these areas for Christians and churches to stand for Christ and also in the midst of great poverty among them, they still were able to give to the cause of helping those Christians back in Jerusalem that were in even greater affliction and poverty. Paul uses words that signify the extremeness of the matter at hand with "great, abundance, deep, and liberality."
When we think of persecution and opposition for the gospel of God and then add in deep poverty we usually don't think of abundance of joy and overflowing liberality as results of those situations. But because of the grace of God, our conditions can result in very different outcomes because God is the supplier of all of our needs. Paul is telling the Christians in Corinth, "Look at what God is doing through the churches in Macedonia even in the state they are in."
v.3-5 - For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord, begging us with much urgency for the favor of participation in the support of the saints, and this, not as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God.
Paul and his companions looked around and assessed that this region was impoverished and therefore much in the way of the support of the saints in Jerusalem would not come from them. Paul was ever so wrong. They were begging him to have the opportunity to help someone else in need when they heard of it.
They were a people who gave as a part of who they were. Paul experienced this as they gave of themselves fully to God and also to the care of Paul and his companions. Because of that conversion to Christ, the Christians in the Macedonian churches turned their eyes from themselves and outwardly toward others.
Paul gives us three principles of giving to a specific need. This is a different talk than regular giving to the Lord's work through the local church. The first principle is that they gave according to their ability so their giving was proportionate. The second principle is that they gave beyond that ability so their giving was sacrificial. The third principle is that they gave of their own accord so their giving was voluntary. God touched their hearts to help in this matter and they obeyed that leading. The result was the evidence of the grace of God and great joy.
v.6 - So we urged Titus that as he had previously made a beginning, so he would also complete in you this gracious work as well.
Paul is telling the Christians in Corinth to continue to collect for the saints in Jerusalem. Titus was to be encouraged by this report of the Macedonian churches to share with them to see them experience the grace of God too. Maybe the sorrowful letter sent by Paul slowed down this process and Titus was to bring encouragement after the repentance to continue on with this collection for those suffering in Jerusalem. The sorrow that led to repentance was to lead to spiritual action.
It is easy to get into a spiritual slump. It is dangerous to get into a spiritual slump. A spiritual slump leaves you vulnerable to sinful activities and influences but it also turns your eyes upon yourself instead of on God and others. Therefore we become selfish in the spiritual slump and maybe that is a sign that we are in one. Where are your eyes?
"Lord, sometimes we need to see those less fortunate giving in portion more than we are giving to see where are eyes are truly focused. Sometimes we need to see the smiling faces of those kids in an improvised nation to recognize our long faces in the land of plenty to know that we are missing something essential here. May we turn our eyes again to You and experience Your grace as we follow Your lead. Amen."
Pastor Adam
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