When the Level of our Generosity Reflects the Generosity of Jesus...

Yesterday, we continued to unpack the timeless principle that the level of our generosity is reflected by the results. We discovered that the more generous we are in investing in God’s kingdom mission, the more generous He will be in providing us resources to further invest in God’s kingdom mission. When we reflect are generous we fulfil the divine expectation that we have to reflect Christ’s generosity by our generosity. And in the same way today, our heartfelt and joyous response of generosity reveals the reality of our relationship with Christ as we reflect Christ through our generosity. This is the case because the depth of our relationship with Christ and the level of our generosity is reflected in the results. Paul then reveals for us a timeless result that occurs when our generosity is reflected in the results, beginning in 2 Corinthians 9:11. Let’s look at it together:

you will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God. For the ministry of this service is not only fully supplying the needs of the saints, but is also 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. Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!

In these verses, we see Paul explain to the members to the church at Corinth a second reason why God graciously provides for us in a way that all of our needs are adequately met. The phrase all liberality, which we looked at last week, literally means a “no strings attached” attitude toward generosity. Paul’s point here is that God generously provides for us so that we can reflect His generosity by investing our treasure with “no strings attached”, with no expectation for reciprocation. And when we reflect God’s generosity in such a way, the result is a response of thanksgiving, or an attitude of gratitude from others. Paul then explains that this attitude of gratitude flows from a response of those in need having their pressing and profound needs met by those who reflect God’s generosity by generously investing in order to meet those needs. The generosity of the churches when it came to the famine relief fund for Jerusalem was causing all involved to consistently and repeatedly express an attitude of gratitude toward God.

And it was this attitude of gratitude by all involved that revealed the second result that occurs when our generosity reflects Christ's generosity: they will glorify God. Now when Paul uses the word glory here, this word literally means to influence one’s opinion so as to enhance one’s reputation. As a result of the generosity of the early church when it came to the Jerusalem famine relief fund, people’s opinions were influenced in a way that resulted in God’s reputation being enhanced. In verses 13-14, we see three ways that the early churches generosity resulted in God’s reputation being enhanced.

First, God’s reputation was enhanced as a result of the early churches obedience to the confession of the gospel of Christ. In other words, God’s reputation was enhanced because the early churches generosity served as an expression of their allegiance to following Christ. They did not just talk the talk when it came to being a follower of Jesus; they walked the walk. They actually took following Jesus seriously enough that they reflected His character and His conduct through their generosity.

Second, God’s reputation was enhanced as a result of the early churches liberality, or “no strings attached” attitude when it came to their generosity to meet the needs of the church at Jerusalem. There was no expectation for reciprocation; the early church simply loved and served their needs through their generosity. And in the same way today, God’s reputation is enhanced when we generously invest our treasure in God’s kingdom mission in a way that demonstrates our allegiance to Christ and His mission that is genuine, authentic, and without strings attached.

Third, God’s reputation was enhanced as the members of the church at Jerusalem expressed their strong desire for God to continue to be active and at work in the lives of these early churches through prayer. They yearned; they had a strong desire to partner with these churches as a result of their generous investment in their lives. And as Paul wrote this letter, he could not help but stop to express thanks for God’s gracious activity that he had the privilege to experience and witness. Because when our level of generosity is such that it results in the reflection of God’s generosity, God’s reputation is enhanced and God’s kingdom mission is advanced.

So what do the results of your life say about the level of your generosity? Does the level of your generosity result in God continuing to provide us the resources to further invest in God’s kingdom mission? What does your level of generosity reveal when it comes to the depth of your relationship with Christ? Does the level of your generosity result in the opinions of others being influenced in a way that God’s reputation is enhanced and God’s kingdom mission is advanced?