As followers of Jesus, we are to be generous because Jesus is generous...

This week we are looking at a section of a letter that a man named Paul wrote to early followers of Jesus in a church that was located in a city and a culture that was remarkably similar to American culture today. And it is in this section of this letter that we will discover that the issue of money and giving is not a new question. The issue of money and how Christians are to interact with money have been around since the church was born. And it is in this section of this letter that we see Paul address the question of the motives that are to drive the why and the how we are to invest the money that we are given through giving.

Yesterday, we saw Paul confront the reality that while other churches were following Paul’s instructions to invest their treasure to meet the needs of the church in Jerusalem, whose members were suffering at the hands of a famine, the church at Corinth was failing to follow through on their commitment.

So, while the wealthy church at Corinth was dragging their feet when it came to following through on their commitment, the persecuted and poor churches of northern Greece dove in head first in order to be a part of God’s activity in the world. And as a result of his experience with these churches in Northern Greece, Paul was provoked to respond. We see his response revealed for us in 2 Corinthians 8:6-7:

So we urged Titus that as he had previously made a beginning, so he would also complete in you this gracious work as well. But just as you abound in everything, in faith and utterance and knowledge and in all earnestness and in the love we inspired in you, see that you abound in this gracious work also.

After experiencing God’s activity in the lives of these northern churches, Paul responded by sending Titus, who was partner of Paul’s who also planted a church on the island of Crete to Corinth in order to encourage the church to finish and follow through on the commitment that they had previously made when it came to participating in the famine relief fund for the church at Jerusalem.

Paul explained to the members of the church that just as they have excelled in their confident trust in God; just as they excelled in what they comprehended and grasped about the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel; just as they excelled in what they said when it came to doctrine and theology; they were to excel when it came to being a part of God’s activity through this famine relief fund.

You see, while the church at Corinth seemed to have their head, their mouth, and their heart engaged when it came to following Jesus, their hands were disengaged. While they excelled in many areas of what it means to follow Jesus, they were not excelling when it came to their generosity.

Now a natural question that could arise at this point is “well Dave, why is generosity important when it comes to following Jesus? And does God really expect us to be generous? I mean, so what if I do not normally give; does that really matter? And why should I be generous and give when it comes to the church? I mean, this is why I feel like churches are just interested in my money.”

If these are the questions or objections that you have of have heard others have when it comes to the subject and generosity, I just want to let you know that these are fair questions to be asking. And as Paul continues in this letter, we see Paul answer these questions and reveal for us a timeless truth when it comes to generosity and giving, beginning in 2 Corinthians 8:8:

I am not speaking this as a command, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity of your love also. 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 through His poverty might become rich.

Paul explains to the church at Corinth the he is not commanding the church to finish and follow through on the commitment that they had previously made when it came to participating in the famine relief fund for the church at Jerusalem. Instead of giving an authoritative directive, Paul explains that their response to his call for them to finish what they started would be “proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity of your love also.” To which we go “huh”? I mean what does that mean?

When Paul uses the word prove here, he is explaining that he will draw a conclusion based on their response to Titus’ encouragement to finish what they started. The conclusion that Paul will draw will be in regard to the churches earnest and diligent commitment when it came to their relationship with Jesus and His people who form the church.

In other words, Paul had seen the diligent commitment that the northern churches of Greece demonstrated when it came to following Jesus and being a part of God’s kingdom mission in the world. Paul had seen their sincerity or their genuine and authentic love for Jesus that drove and motivated their attitude of gratitude and actions of generosity. Paul had seen that the churches of Philippi and Thessalonica reveal and reflect Christ by how they loved and served those both near and far. Now, Paul would be able to draw a conclusion as to how committed the church at Corinth is when it comes to following Jesus and being a part of His activity in the world. Paul will see what genuinely drove their relationship with Jesus and His church. Was it gratitude and generosity, or is it something else?

Now a natural pushback that you may be having at this point is “well Dave, what does my generosity have to do with the genuineness or depth of my relationship with Jesus”? Paul provides the reason why our generosity, or lack of generosity, is a barometer as to the depth and sincerity of our relationship with Jesus in verse 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 through His poverty might become rich.” And it is here we see Paul reveal for us a timeless truth when it comes to generosity. And that timeless truth is this: As followers of Jesus, we are to be generous because Jesus is generous. Jesus Christ was and is rich. He is the hands of creation. He owns everything. Jesus Christ is rich spiritually, relationally, and materially.

And Jesus is generous. Paul explains that Jesus is so generous that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor. Now when Paul uses the word poor here, this word literally means to become poor as a beggar. Jesus entered into humanity and grew up in a blue collar home of a carpenter. During Jesus ministry He was homeless, relying on the support of others for food and shelter. Jesus left the riches of the glory and majesty of Heaven to live the life of a beggar on earth.

Paul then explains that the reason that Jesus left the riches of Heaven for the life of a beggar on earth was so that you through His poverty we might become rich. Jesus entered into humanity to live as a beggar and allowed Himself to be treated as though He lived our selfish and sinful lives by dying the worst death possible by crucifixion so that God the Father could treat us as though we lived Jesus perfect life and bless us with the riches that come from the forgiveness of sin and the relationship with God that we were created for in Heaven.

And Jesus generosity had “no strings attached”; Jesus willingly became poor in order to provide us the opportunity to experience the riches of the life that we were created and called to live. I mean what did Jesus get out of the crucifixion? How did Jesus entry into humanity benefit Him?

And the churches of Philippi and Thessalonica in northern Greece got this reality. Their generosity flowed from an attitude of gratitude for what Jesus had done to rescue them from their selfishness and rebellion. Their generosity flowed from a response of love and a desire to reflect the love of Christ to the church at Jerusalem and the world. Paul saw this response to who Jesus was and what He had done for these churches as confirmation of the firm commitment that they had to Jesus and His kingdom mission.

And in the same way today, Jesus’ generous willingness to leave the riches of the glory of Heaven to live a beggar’s life and die an excruciating death should drive us to live a life that is motivated by love and that reveals and reflects His generosity. As followers of Jesus, we are to be generous because Jesus is generous.

Friday, we will see Paul then conclude this section of the letter by challenging the church at Corinth to respond to this reality in the midst of the present situation at the church in Jerusalem…