Charitable Giving – 2 Corinthians 8:1-15

A November 2013 poll called Connected to Give found that, “The more important religion is to a person, the more likely that person is to give to a charity of any kind, [and that] among Americans who claim a religious affiliation, 65 percent give to charity. Among those who do not identify a religious creed, 56 percent make charitable gifts. About 75 percent of people who frequently attend religious services gave to congregations, and 60 percent gave to religious charities or nonreligious ones. By comparison, fewer than half of people who said they didn’t attend faith services regularly supported any charity, even a even secular one.”

From the very beginning of the Christian faith the issue of charitable giving was a big one.

We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints—and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us. Accordingly, we urged Titus that as he had started, so he should complete among you this act of grace. But as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you—see that you excel in this act of grace also.

I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine. 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 by his poverty might become rich. And in this matter I give my judgment: this benefits you, who a year ago started not only to do this work but also to desire to do it. So now finish doing it as well, so that your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what you have. For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness. As it is written, “Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack.” (2 Corinthians 8:1-15 ESV)

There are some in the congregation of Corinth who oppose Paul, but there are some who have turned their hearts back toward him (and undoubtedly there are some who are undecided).  So why talk about his pet project here, the offering he is collecting from his mostly Gentile churches for the Jewish believers in Jerusalem? Because the Corinthians promised to give, are suggesting they won’t now (no doubt under the influence of these bad leaders) and because it is eminently consistent with the gospel and the role Jerusalem had with bringing it to the world.

Paul appeals to the entire congregation to finish the offering they said they were going to join in on when it was first mentioned to them.  This offering is to help the suffering believers in Jerusalem and thereabouts.  Besides keeping their word the Corinthians would also be following the example of the churches of Macedonia (Philippi, Berea, Thessalonica) who despite a region-wide economic depression gave themselves to the Lord and then to Paul out of their poverty and joy.

And if they need another example, there is Jesus himself, who gave up the riches of heaven and took on human nature and its poverty in order to make mankind spiritually rich.  So they should give, and not something they don’t have, because God doesn’t expect that, and not to make the saints in Judea rich while they become poor (can you hear the criticism of the false leaders?), but to share from their abundance now and receive from Judea’s abundance when needed.  Like God’s gift of manna in the wilderness, He can meet our needs no matter how much we gather so that no one lacks what they need.

Perhaps we have not obligated ourselves to give to anyone, but the attitude of joy in giving that comes from realizing the richness God in Christ has given us should motivate our giving.

Discussion Questions for Small Groups

1. What gift (spiritual, emotional, mental, etc.) do you believe you are bringing to this meeting? (In other words, what do you think you are bringing that will, or may, contribute to the encouragement of the group?)
2. As you look at the group, what gift do you believe the others in your group bring to the group?
3. What gifts did Paul think the Corinthian congregation excelled in and what gift, or act of grace, did he want them to also excel in?
4. What has been your journey in the grace of giving?
5. What excuses do you find yourself using for not giving and do you feel they are valid?
6. What would first giving yourself to the Lord do to affect your giving?