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2 Cor 8 9 Study B. Consider the following principles of giving. Which of the Sermon Notes by Rev Steve Webster St Michael’s North Carlton following do you associate with your current practice of giving? Keeping it Real 3 types of giversgivers: There are three kinds of givers--the flintflint, the Studies in 2 Corinthians spongesponge, and the honeycombhoneycomb. To get anything out of a flint you must hammer it. And then you get only chips and sparks. # 13 When dealing with money To get water out of a sponge you must squeeze it, and the 2 Corinthians 8.1 - 9.15 more you use pressure, the more you will get. But the honeycomb just overflows with its own sweetness. Introduction When having to give a sermon on money could be forgiven for feeling a C. Discussion QuestionsQuestions: bit like the vicar in this picture… i. Someone once said: “Do your giving while you're living so Whenever the topic of money comes up you knowing where it's going.” What tensions and in church, inevitably some are upset. considerations are there when thinking about leaving a When you preach what you really think legacy for your loved ones, preparing for retirement, and about the church and money, it may giving for the mission of the church now? well be your last sermon! ii. Paul’s displays a philosophy of equality in economics in the The church, like the rest of society, has collection process in the Gentile provinces, and his now come into the 21st century teaching on generous giving. Paul seemed to believe that regarding the collection, as is seen on Christ’s return and the consummation of the Kingdom was this cartoon… Today’s sermon is one I’ve imminent. He taught that immediate needs for spreading wanted to preach for some the Gospel were of primary concern, and one should be contented with the meeting of simple daily needs. How Many churches, like others in the community, are facing financial should we view his teaching in the light of the delay of challenges. Many of those who are Christ’s return? How should we prioritize saving for future new to church, or new to generations in our own families or for the long-term local Christianity may not yet know how church needs? How does the “Western” capitalist view of financial commitments fit with a wealth-generation and political democracy sit with Paul’s commitment to follow Christ. ethic of unity and support for poorer churches? What tensions must we deal with when applying Paul’s teaching How can we help our Church to on being content with basic needs for the sake of others to grow? How will we fund the many our culture and setting today? initiatives that will be put before us as visionary opportunities? How will we demonstrate a distinctive difference to the infantile fascination It’s those credit checks that 12 with materialism and wealth1 in keep slowing everything much of our society? These materials are produced by St. Michael’s Anglican Church North Carlton, Victoria, Australia. www.stmichaelsnc.org.au Church budgets can create a bit of Conclusion heat at times, just as the cartoon Learning to be content in the knowledge that Christ here depicts. has given us everything we need for life and godliness Money Matters (2 Peter 1:3) is a life-long process of conversion to We know that money makes the become a generous Christian. Paul sums up the world go ‘round. We know too theology that must become the basis of our generosity that it’s the love of money, not in 2 Corinthians 8:9 saying, Christ was “rich, yet for money itself that is the root of all our sake became poorpoor, so that through his poverty we evil. But in the end, many of us would become rich”. love it! It gets a grip on us. How Going Further can we thoroughly convert our Here are some further thoughts and questions to generate attitudes to this captivating commodity? As one writer puts it, “The trouble is that too many people are spending money they haven't yet discussion on the topic of generosity: earned for things they don't need to impress people they don't like.” A. Consider the following principles relating to money: Unknown • It teaches the principle of giving to the church community Someone once asked a Texan from Dallas how much money regularly (1 Cor. 16:2) Howard Hughes left. The answer went like this, "He left it • It teaches us to give to the needy (Romans 12:13) all!" That's the amount each of us will, isn't it? Zig Ziglar • It teaches that God looks at the intention and not at the A clever poet put the conundrum about money like this: “He amount (Mark 12:42-44) always said he would retire when he’d made a million clear/ • It teaches us to give according to our means, not to And so he toiled into the dusk/ From day to day, from year produce hardship (2 Cor. 8:11-13) to year/At last he put his ledgers up/And laid his stock reports aside/But • It teaches us that God will supply our needs more than when he started out to live/He found he had ALREADY DIED!” we can imagine (2 Cor. 9:7-11) anonymous • It teaches us to be wary of its corruptible nature (1 Tim. 6:10) The matter of giving and the church is well described by the Sunday • School class where the Junior Sunday School Teacher asked her eight It teaches us to give in proportion to our faith in God (Romans 12:3-8) eager 10-year-olds if they would give $1,000,000 to the missionaries. "YES!" they all screamed!! "Would you give $1,000?" Again they shouted • It teaches us to give without others seeing us and so "YES!" "How about $100?" "Oh, YES we would!" they all agreed!! "Would rewarding us (Matt. 6:3) you give just a dollar to the missionaries?" she asked. The boys exclaimed • It teaches us to give joyfully (2 Cor. 9:7) "YES!" just as before except for Johnnie. "Johnnie," the teacher said as she • It teaches us to give like God gave to us; unsparingly (2 noticed the boy clutching his pocket, "why didn't you say 'YES' this time?" Cor. 9:6-15) "Well," he stammered, "I actually HAVE a dollar.” 2 11 “And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God How should we view our money in relation to the church? has given the Macedonian churches. Out of the most severe trial, their How much should each individual Christian give to the overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich church and to Christian ministry in general? What principles generosity.” (2 Cor 8:1-2 NIV) from the Bible should we follow? When we look to the letters in the New Testament that address these 2 Corinthians chapters 8 and 9 are helpful. Macedonians we see evidence of this joy that is generated by the Spirit 2 Corinthians chapters 8 and 9 of God. 10 years earlier than these events in the Second Letter to the Corinthians, In Philippians we read: the Apostles Paul and Barnabas made an agreement with the Apostles of the Jerusalem church. They agreed that James, John and Peter would “Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue evangelize the people of a Jewish background, while Paul and Barnabas with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that would go to the Gentiles. A condition attached to this agreement was through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will that Paul and Barnabas should ‘remember the poor’ (1 Cor. 16:1; Rom. overflow on account of me.” (Philippians1:25-26 NIV) 15:26; Gal. 2:9-10). This reference to “the poor” meant that they should In 1 Thessalonians we read: remember to look after the Christian churches in Jerusalem that were suffering from a great famine. Paul established a collection to be taken. “You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe The churches of Galatia, Asia, Macedonia, and Achaia were to be suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the contributors to the needs of the famine stricken church in Jerusalem. 1 It Holy Spirit. And so you became a model to all the believers in will be helpful to note that Philippi and Thessalonica are among the Macedonia and Achaia. The Lord's message rang out from you not Macedonian Christians that Paul commends as churches that gave out of only in Macedonia and Achaia-- your faith in God has become their poverty (2 Cor. 8:1-4). known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it…” (1 Thessalonians 1:6-8 NIV) Just one year before writing this letter, the Christians in Corinth had begun to put aside money for the collection, but they had become slack How interesting to read Philippians 2 with this knowledge about the in this duty. Listen to 2 Corinthians 8:10-11: “10 And here is my advice Macedonian Christians in mind. We know that Paul had taught them about what is best for you in this matter: Last year you were the first not well about the nature of their Lord and Saviour who “being in very only to give but also to have the desire to do so.
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