September 11, 2023
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in 2 Corinthians? Here’s today’s reading:
2 Corinthians 8 (NIV)
The Collection for the Lord’s People
1 And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. 2 In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. 3 For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own,…..Continue Reading
2 Cor 8:1-4, guys, have to confess, it is very hard for me to follow this Chaper.
Paul commended Macedonians because, of all people, they needed charitable help, but they insisted on giving through the apostles.
A saint spoke to me about a church, where some assert they cannot give at all, because of bils to pay. My counsel, 1. If they have crushing bills, they are operating outside of God’s plan for financial resonsibility. They need help.
2. Do you want to tithe, and can I show you how?
3. Let me see your wallet, refrigerator, and check book. I have known saints with crushing debt, were serious about getting right, and took counsel.
4. If you cannot tithe, give God 2.4 hours a day. Not praying, reading, or attending service. Give 2.4 hours labor, at the church, cleaning, painting, cutting grass, anything to relieve the financial burden on the church plant.
5. Remember the widow’s mite.
6. Remember Anninias and Saphirra, they likely had bills to pay too.
7. And now I would add: remember the Macedonians!
Guys, not sure I’d be a good counselor. Peace to your homes, -gy
Paul in writing to this church at Corinth was sharing how the Macedonian churches were giving. First their persons and then gifts of money even when they couldn`t afford any of it. They even gave above that. He was reminding the Corinthian church how they gave at first about a year before. He also praised them in what they were doing right. 2 Cor. 8;7 [ Therefore, as ye abound in everything, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also.] This would be the test of their sincerity. Also he gave the example of Jesus Christ how He that was rich became poor, that ye through poverty might become rich. Paul was stating how other churches gave to help them and that latter this church could help other churches. So in the churches all the needs would be met. As far as giving Jesus in the book of Mark gave the example of the widow`s mite where she gave everything she had. Mark 12;42-44 while others gave out of their abundance. God bless us as we consider all these things. How as a body in Christ can we help each other to walk closer to Him and each other and therefore be a stronger and unified body to reach the lost for Christ. Are there health needs, are there physical needs and limits, are there limited financial means, are there spiritual needs, are there emotional needs. Or anything else that one would have a need for. God is a God of comfort but He uses people to comfort each other. Melodye was encouraged the other day by just a simple phone call by a sister in the Lord. Thanks Wendy for doing that. God bless us as we desire to follow the Lord.
Giving can always be sensitive subject in churches. The worldly mentality that “the church just want’s your money” is a rampant one. But giving should be personal and sacrificial. When looking up some notes on this chapter I read that Paul was using the Greek word charis here to describe giving and that the use of this word tells us a few important things about the way we should give to back to God:
1. The ability to give and the heart to give is a free gift from God.
2. Our giving should be like God’s giving of grace to us: giving freely, generously, because we want to give.
3. Our giving, like God’s grace to us, should be offered without expectation of payment in return.
I found these things all a really great way to look at giving and I pray I will keep them in my heart and mind whenever I give!
2 Corinthians 6 – 8; Judges 1
2 Corinthians 8- Paul talks about the Macedonian churches and the sacrificial giving even though they were poor. Giving was a privilege and they weren’t looking for anything in return, they had been Blessed by God’s Grace. That’s the kind of giving God wants from us don’t give grudgingly or it means nothing. Give from the heart.
For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened; 14 but by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may supply their lack, that their abundance also may supply your lack—that there may be equality. 15 As it is written, “He who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack.”
This is a good “heart” motive for the sharing of money, or other material blessings, with others. As others have suggested, giving of your time as well.
Its funny that we come to this passage here. I was recently convicted about tithing in Malachi “Do you rob God? Bring all the tithes into the storehouses, and see what I will do” (my paraphrase). On paper, things have been tight, so we (I) had not been tithing for a while. I told Steve that I was convicted. He has always said, “tithe”, even from the beginning of our marriage when our electric bill was astronomical! I would say, “but…the math” and he would say, “tithe” and I would. God provided in ways that I could not have foreseen. It is funny how even now that we are better off financially than we were back then, that I forgot to trust God rather than the math I do every month! God’s word is living and active….
2 Corinthians 8
Before Paul encourages the Corinthians to give generously, he lets them know what other Macedonian churches have done as well as what they have done in the past. Paul was raising funds in the Gentile world to supply for the church in Jerusalem that was struggling. And the best way to give is as Paul says here, is to give ourselves to God first as we give financially. When God has our heart, then we will give not only the right amount but also in the right way. Jesus is also a good model for giving in the way that He gave Himself for us selflessly. And if we have established a good pattern of giving, what better example is there then to say continue to do so. We should be both eager to give as well as recognizing that our giving is according to our means. To me that is the beauty of the tithe, that everyone is effected equally in the sacrifice they make.
And yet how important integrity is in how giving is managed by the receiver. There should be complete openness in what is received and how it is spent. It is wise to do what is necessary to avoid criticism, especially in light of how things have been mismanaged even by other churches and nonprofits. Many people involved in the process is a good way to enhance accountability. And as Paul is sending them along to Corinth for that purpose, he asks the Corinthians to take care of them.
2 Corinthians 8
Paul is appealing to the Corintians to give what they can to the people who are in need. The goal was to have equality in what people have so that those who have much don’t have too much and those who have little don’t have too little.