Gtcotr/ss110126
As many of you know, I just returned from a mission trip to East Africa where our Church operates a spiritually motivated humanitarian relief effort, sharing the Gospel and providing food, education, and medical needs to hundreds of children who would not otherwise receive these essentials. Our missions and ministry outreach there during the past 5 years has been nothing less than transformational.
I want to personally thank each one who has prayed and especially those who have given and continue to give financial support to this work of our Church. This morning I want to give you a Biblical basis for what we do as a Church and share with you some of the benefits you personally receive as a result which are simply too wonderful for words.
It seems when the Apostle Paul preached at Churches in various countries, he encouraged them to give money to foreign missions. One of the projects dear to Paul’s heart was the needs of the poor believers in the mother Church at Jerusalem. The Church there had exhausted its financial resources, were being persecuted, and could barely keep the doors open.
1 Corinthians 16 NLT
1 ¶ Now regarding your question about the money being collected for God’s people in Jerusalem. You should follow the same procedure I gave to the churches in Galatia.
2 On the first day of each week, you should each put aside a portion of the money you have earned. Don’t wait until I get there and then try to collect it all at once.
While Paul was visiting Corinth, he wrote this to the Church in Rome:
Romans 15 NLT
26 For you see, the believers in Macedonia and Achaia have eagerly taken up an offering for the poor among the believers in Jerusalem.
27 They were glad to do this because they feel they owe a real debt to them. Since the Gentiles received the spiritual blessings of the Good News from the believers in Jerusalem, they feel the least they can do in return is to help them financially.
Everywhere Paul went he talked about how the Church in Corinth planned to give to the poor Believers in Jerusalem because they owed them a real debt. However, planning wasn’t enough. About a year later, Paul wrote to the Corinthian Church a second time. And he had a lot to say about it …
2 Corinthians 8 NLT
1 ¶ Now I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters, what God in his kindness has done through the churches in Macedonia.
Northern Greece: Philippi; Thessalonica; Berea
2 They are being tested by many troubles, and they are very poor. But they are also filled with abundant joy, which has overflowed in rich generosity.
3 For I can testify that they gave not only what they could afford, but far more. And they did it of their own free will.
4 They begged us again and again for the privilege of sharing in the gift for the believers in Jerusalem.
5 They even did more than we had hoped, for their first action was to give themselves to the Lord and to us, just as God wanted them to do.
6 So we have urged Titus, who encouraged your giving in the first place, to return to you and encourage you to finish this ministry of giving.
7 ¶ Since you excel in so many ways — in your faith, your gifted speakers, your knowledge, your enthusiasm, and your love from us — I want you to excel also in this gracious act of giving.
8 I am not commanding you to do this. But I am testing how genuine your love is by comparing it with the eagerness of the other churches.
9 You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich.
10 Here is my advice: It would be good for you to finish what you started a year ago. Last year you were the first who wanted to give, and you were the first to begin doing it.
11 Now you should finish what you started. Let the eagerness you showed in the beginning be matched now by your giving. Give in proportion to what you have.
12 Whatever you give is acceptable if you give it eagerly. And give according to what you have, not what you don’t have.
13 Of course, I don’t mean your giving should make life easy for others and hard for yourselves. I only mean that there should be some equality.
14 Right now you have plenty and can help those who are in need. Later, they will have plenty and can share with you when you need it. In this way, things will be equal.
15 As the Scriptures say, “Those who gathered a lot had nothing left over, and those who gathered only a little had enough.”
16 ¶ But thank God! He has given Titus the same enthusiasm for you that I have.
17 Titus welcomed our request that he visit you again. In fact, he himself was very eager to go and see you.
18 We are also sending another brother with Titus. All the churches praise him as a preacher of the Good News.
19 He was appointed by the churches to accompany us as we take the offering to Jerusalem — a service that glorifies the Lord and shows our eagerness to help.
20 We are traveling together to guard against any criticism for the way we are handling this generous gift.
This is why we encourage everyone: “Come with us and see what your money is doing.”
21 We are careful to be honorable before the Lord, but we also want everyone else to see that we are honorable.
22 We are also sending with them another of our brothers who has proven himself many times and has shown on many occasions how eager he is. He is now even more enthusiastic because of his great confidence in you.
23 If anyone asks about Titus, say that he is my partner who works with me to help you. And the brothers with him have been sent by the churches, and they bring honor to Christ.
24 So show them your love, and prove to all the churches that our boasting about you is justified.
2 Corinthians 9 NLT
1 ¶ I really don’t need to write to you about this ministry of giving for the believers in Jerusalem.
2 For I know how eager you are to help, and I have been boasting to the churches in Macedonia that you in Greece were ready to send an offering a year ago. In fact, it was your enthusiasm that stirred up many of the Macedonian believers to begin giving.
Your enthusiasm stirs up many other believers to begin giving.
3 But I am sending these brothers to be sure you really are ready, as I have been telling them, and that your money is all collected. I don’t want to be wrong in my boasting about you.
4 We would be embarrassed — not to mention your own embarrassment — if some Macedonian believers came with me and found that you weren’t ready after all I had told them!
5 So I thought I should send these brothers ahead of me to make sure the gift you promised is ready. But I want it to be a willing gift, not one given grudgingly.
6 ¶ Remember this — a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop.
7 You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”
8 And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.
9 As the Scriptures say, “They share freely and give generously to the poor. Their good deeds will be remembered forever.”
10 For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you.
11 Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God.
12 So two good things will result from this ministry of giving — the needs of the believers in Jerusalem will be met, and they will joyfully express their thanks to God.
13 As a result of your ministry, they will give glory to God. For your generosity to them and to all believers will prove that you are obedient to the Good News of Christ.
14 And they will pray for you with deep affection because of the overflowing grace God has given to you.
15 Thank God for this gift too wonderful for words!
3 Benefits Too Wonderful for Words
The privilege of doing something for Jesus.
2 Corinthians 8:4 – They begged us for the privilege of sharing …
Matthew 25 – “I was hungry …”
They will pray for you with deep affection.
2 Corinthians 9:14 – for the grace God has given you.
V.9 – Your good deeds will be remembered forever …
God will generously provide all your needs.
2 Corinthians 9:8 – everything and plenty left over to share …
Philippians 4:13 – My God will supply all your need …
Proverbs 19:17 – Give to the poor and the Lord will repay.
Again I thank you, but that pales in comparison to how much they and God appreciate you. You have a ministry of giving … just do it with joy!
Paul was not one bit embarrassed about receiving offerings to help continue spreading the Good News and meeting needs.
Romans 15 NLT
24 I am planning to go to Spain, and when I do, I will stop off in Rome. And after I have enjoyed your fellowship for a little while, you can provide for my journey.
