Good Stewards — 2 Corinthians 8

0:08 Good morning. Alright, open your Bibles to first Corinthians 15. Now, this time I brought an adapter and everything so it it we should be able to get the PowerPoint going today. Yes, there we go. Alright.

0:29 Okay, very good. Very good. Now, last last weekend, I was in Toronto and Jeremy came with me and as we were going, we were in a blizzard the whole way but during that time, we were talking and it's interesting to get his perspective. He was saying that he believes that god is bringing a revival in the assemblies and if it's going to happen, it's going to happen with the young people. So I'm glad there's a lot of young people here this morning because today's study is very important for you to understand this principle.

1:02 Right? And that is that we are stewards of God's money. It took me forever to understand this reality that it's not my money, it's god's money, and it's our job to just be stewards of it to handle it correctly and appropriately. So, I'm praying that god will help you to understand these principles today especially the young people because I think the older have a good grasp of this already. So, let let's let's take a look at this and before we do, let's pray.

1:31 Father, we are so grateful for the lord Jesus. Thank you that you allow us to worship him. How wonderful to sing to you as we did just a while ago. Thank you that we have the joy of the lord that we're saved by grace. How blessed we are to be believers.

1:48 Oh lord, as we look into this subject, we ask for the guidance of the Holy Spirit. May the Holy Spirit make it real to us. May we practice what the the scriptures teach and we pray this in Christ name. Amen. Amen.

2:03 In in in many of my travels, one of the things that have impacted me most is to see young people committed to the lord Jesus but committed to to this reality which we're going to consider today. There was a young couple I stayed with in New Jersey. I was doing some some teaching there, and she was a doctor and he he was some kind of a computer guy. You know, they both have their doctorates and their masters and all that. And so I go to their home and they have a just a modest home and just a, you know, decent car and everything he talked about was whatever god gives us, it's all for the lord and I was like, wow.

2:44 There were barely 30 and had a huge amount of money. Could've bought anything they wanted and and they were just humble and they will go to the meeting and just commit and serve and they were involved in everything and and I'm like, wow. I was impressed. I said, lord, how how neat to see young people catching the vision that it's about Jesus. It's not about us.

3:08 And so, today, let's consider this. We're going to start with first Corinthians chapter 16. So, go there. First Corinthians 16, and let's read the first two verses. First Corinthians 16 verse one and two.

3:25 Now, concerning the collection for the saints, as I directed the churches of Galatia, so do you also. On the first day of every week, let each one of you put aside and save as he may prosper, that no collection be made when I come. Alright. So let's consider this how simple it is but how instructive. Number one, as you notice the text, it says systematically, they gave systematic or they're supposed to give systematically on the first day of every week.

4:06 So, every week, we are to systematically notice the next one individually. Let each one of you next, do what? Put aside and save. So, you can see then that the scriptures are teaching us that on the first day of the week, every Sunday, each one of us are supposed to set aside something of what god has given us. Notice, you put aside and you saved it.

4:32 That means that it was intentional. You were thinking about it. This is how much you gave me, lord and how much should I give you? It doesn't matter if you earn $40 or you own 500 or you earn 500. Whatever it is that the lord gave you, you should say, alright, lord, one every day of the week, each one of me, that means if I made $40, I have to give you something.

4:57 I I'm going to put it aside and I'm going to save it. Remember the lady put two mites in. So, it's not about how much, it's that you're going to honor the lord with this. And then notice next that it was proportionally as he may prosper. So, naturally, if you made $2.00 in a week, you're going to give more than the guy that made $200 right?

5:19 As he may prosper. God's not going to demand of you to give a thousand if you only made $200 and so he's very in second Corinth 12, according to what a man has. In other words, what you've made, how much you have. Next, you notice that it was privately that no collection be made when I come, when I come. So, we can see here then in this instruction that in the first day of the week, each one of us, according to, you set aside something, you save it, as you may, as you prosper, and then it's done private, it's between you and the lord, how much you're going to put in the offering.

5:59 Now, Chuck Swindle what he says here, in these verses, we see no pressure, no announcement, no public attention, and no manipulative techniques. How different from the way things are today? It was understood that the Corinthians would make giving a regular part of their weekly worship. Now, I know you're going to come with a question, what if I get paid every two weeks? Well, then divide it up, right?

6:24 One week, this much, the next week, that much. Whatever you want, double it up, whatever you made in two weeks, that give. It it kind of gives us a lot of flexibility but the last thing a young person thinks of, well, I wanna serve god and I'm reading my Bible and I'm doing this and that but the last person we think of is or thing that we think of is, how much should I give to the lord? So, think about that. It's it's a responsibility that you have to give to the lord, to think about it, set aside, and save, and do it and do it.

7:19 You can't read this section without having this in mind. So think about that because I know what you're thinking, especially the the young people. Well, I only made $20 this week. Great affliction, deep poverty. So, I would consider that you're pretty poor.

7:33 If you only made $20 this week, great affliction, deep poverty. They were going through trials and tribulation. They're having trouble and at the same time, they were poor. They didn't have a lot. So, having said that, let's read the text.

7:48 Second Corinthians eight, we're going to read verse one through eight. Now, brethren, we wish to make known to you the grace of god which has been given in the churches of of Macedonia. That in a great ordeal of affliction, their abundance of joy, and their deep poverty. Now notice it doesn't just say that they were poor, but it was deep poverty. They were really poor if you wanna put it that way.

8:15 Overflowed in the wealth of their liberality. For I testify that according to their ability and beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord. Begging us with much entreaty for the favor of participation in the support of the saints. And this, not as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of god. Consequently, we urge Titus that as he had previously made a beginning, so he would also complete in you this gracious work as well.

8:53 But just as you abound in everything, in faith, in utterance, and knowledge, and in our earnestness, and in the love we inspired in you, see that you also abound in this gracious work also. And I am not speaking this as a command but as proving through the earnestness of others, the sincerity of your love also, of your love also. Alright, so these people then, the Macedonian Christians, the so just so you can get your bearings in where the church of the Philippians were, the the Thessalon Ananika Church, first Thessalonians, the Berean Church, all of that area. That's what he's talking about. These people in that area, he's telling the Corinthian people that were in Greece, the the Macedonians, all of those churches, they're in great affliction right now and they're in deep poverty but notice several things.

9:53 They're full of joy. They're full of joy. So, you don't need to have a lot of money to be full of joy as a believer. Amen? Right?

10:02 So, they were having afflictions, troubles, and and super poor and yet they were full of joy. Next thing that we notice here is in verse two, that they were very generous. Now, you would think that the opposite should be true. If they're going through trouble and they're deep, they're in deep poverty, why in the world would they be... How can it be possible to be generous when that's your circumstance?

10:27 And yet the scriptures say that this is a reality, that they were very generous. Liberality means they were free to give. They were free to give. They were given freely. Notice that they gave voluntarily out of their own accord.

10:45 Nobody went and twisted their arm. You know, how much you're giving today? Because I know some churches that they make them give their w twos. See how much they have, and they crank out 10%. You like that?

10:57 I know churches that do that. That's not biblical. It's not biblical. So they gave voluntarily out of their own accord. It was in them.

11:29 And yet, that is the way these people were looking at it. Next, they gave willingly. Verse five, why did they give willingly? Because first, they first gave themselves to the lord. Now, that's a secret.

11:44 They had given themselves to the lord and consequently, they gave willingly to the lord because the lord is very generous and when you give yourself to him and and you're growing in him and you're full of his joy, well, then, you're willingly ready to give. When we give ourselves fully to the lord, we want to give our time, our talents, and our treasure to Jesus. This is so encouraging, isn't it, as you read this? Wow. Alright.

12:15 Now, here's a question. Are you generous? These churches had many gifts. Now, this is the Corinthian church now. The ones around the area, Church of Ikea and and Corinth had many gifts and were using all of them.

12:29 However, they were weak in the area of giving and we know that the Corinth were flourishing financially. They had plenty of resources yet their giving was not generous. Now, we know by studying history and look at looking at Corinth at this time that ships from all over the world were bringing goods there and consequently, it was very prosperous. There was all kinds of business going on and they had a lot of money. Up north of them where Macedonia was where the the peep...

12:59 The people that he's referring to, they were extremely poor. It was the the complete opposite and yet notice that the opposite is also true, that the poor people were generous and the rich people were not. It's interesting. Now, he says in in in verses seven, you bind in everything in faith and utterance and knowledge and in all earnestness and in the love we inspired of you. So so in other words, these people had tremendous faith, the Corinthian church and utterance means that they were great at speaking the word.

13:35 They can teach. They they were good preachers and they had a lot of knowledge, a lot of knowledge of truth, and and a lot of zeal, a lot of earnestness, and and a lot of love. They they they loved each other. They they were great in all of these areas, but there was one area where where they were not good. Now, see that you abound in this giving gracious work also.

13:57 Let me let me pray and paraphrase this for you. But you are not very generous and this needs to be true too or maybe I should put as well. They weren't very generous. Alright. Now, let's continue.

14:12 Here's the question. Are you generous? Now, this is also from Charles Wendell. I forgot to put that that's from him but it's from him. Perhaps, you are committed to Bible study and you devote yourself to prayer, to evangelism, and serving others, wonderful but are you also consistent in your giving?

14:33 If your checkbook only shows payments to department stores and credit cards, this may be an indication that your spiritual life is out of balance. Now, then he goes on and he says, let's look at the example of Jesus. Verse nine, a lot of us love this verse. It's all about giving by the way. This verse is squeezed in to the whole context of giving.

15:00 For you know the grace of our lord Jesus Christ that though he was rich, yet for your sake, he became poor that you through his poverty might become rich. In other words, he had everything and yet he gave it all up. Why? So that he can enrich us. His giving ended up blessing us.

15:20 We are enriched. We are blessed. We have everything in Christ. Why? Because he was willing to give it up so that we can be blessed.

15:28 In other words, better to give than to receive. Doesn't it say that in Acts? That's right. And so Jesus then is the ultimate example of giving. Now, in his case, he didn't have to give money.

15:42 He had to give himself completely but it's within the context of giving money. Of being generous. Okay. Now, 401 K versus 401 H. 401 H is your heaven, right?

15:59 The heavenly one. Alright? So we give to enrich others. Now, the four zero one k is meant to help you so you can have money so that when you retire, you have something to draw upon. Right?

16:14 Where are my financial guys? That's what a four zero one K is meant to be. 401 h is the same thing, but it has... You you you collect the the results later. But whenever we give is to enrich others, to bless others.

16:33 You have to look at it that way as well. Now, look at Matthew six twenty. Lay up for yourself treasures in heaven. That's where four one h come from. Where neither moth nor rust destroys.

16:45 Now, watch this. Neither inflation nor global recession causes it to lose value. So, in other words, when you're putting when you're investing of your money for the lord, when you're giving voluntarily, freely with joy, liberally, when you give to god, then nothing's gonna touch that. You're gonna be credited in heaven. Your heavenly bank is gonna have plenty for you when you get there.

17:12 In other words, there's gonna be rewards waiting for you. There's gonna be a result and that many times we invest money in many different avenues and we can lose it all. That's what I call the moth and the rust. Inflation, recessions, and all that. But when you invest in heaven, there nothing causes it to lose its value.

17:48 First of all, it's not a command. Verse eight, second Corinthians eight eight. Notice what it says, I am not speaking this as a command. So God is not gonna make you do it. It's not a command.

18:03 It's gotta come from your heart. It's gotta be voluntary. Next, it's a privilege. That's how you have to look at it. It's like, oh, no.

18:13 Yeah. Here comes the bag or or there's the bed... The, you know, the thing back there. It's a sacrifice. Let's go to Philippians.

18:20 Check it out. Philippians real quick. Four, we're going to read a couple of verses. Verse 16, Philippians four sixteen. For even in Thessalonica, you sent a gift more than once for my needs.

18:39 Not that I seek the gift itself, but I seek for the profit which increases to your account. But I received everything in full and have an abundance. I am amply supplied having received from Apophroditis what you have sent, a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God. And my God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Every time you give, it's a sacrifice.

19:14 That's all there is to it. Why? Because you made a certain amount of money. Let's just say you made a thousand dollars. Well, you say, okay, lord, I wanna give, let's just say, 10% because the New Testament doesn't say you have to give 10%.

19:27 Is it you were saved by grace, we give by grace. We give as the lord prompts us to. Doesn't give a number but let's just put 10% because it sounds good. It's in the Old Testament, right? Alright, lord.

19:39 10%. That's a $100. You can buy a lot of tacos with $100 So, yes, it's a sacrifice. It's a sacrifice. Yes.

19:54 It's always a sacrifice. Next, it pleases god at the same time. It says right there in the text, well pleasing to god. So, god is pleased with it when you do that. Next, it it god supplies your needs when you give.

20:14 Verse 19, am I got you supply all your needs? Notice all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. The one thing that I've understood is when you give, you you're never going to not be able to make your bills. In fact, there was this couple that we led to Christ in Michigan and we're doing the discipleship and we got to the subject of giving and here's our first thing. Well, wait a minute.

20:40 Right now, we're barely making it. They weren't very good at discipline with their money. We're barely making it. In fact, sometimes we're we're we're in deficit and you're asking me or us, it was a couple, to to take money gift to god, then we won't make our bills. I said, that's where you're wrong.

20:59 That's where you're wrong. When you give to god, all of a sudden, you're gonna see that you will make your bills. I don't know how it works but god supernaturally works it out. God is never gonna cut you short when you give to him. You because he's he's generous with us and he's gracious and he wants you to trust him and and you you're gonna understand that he will supply your needs.

21:22 Amen? That's right. He'll supply. Right now, god credits soul save to your account. Philippians, there there you go.

21:30 Four zero one H. Is there any soul's credit to your account? You better believe it. So, when Paul was preaching the gospel and the Philippian church sends him an offering, he says, you know what? It's credited to your account.

21:45 Every soul saved is credited to your account and every time you support a missionary or the work or the work here where people have gotten saved through the work or whatever. God will credit it to your account. So, how is your account looking? Okay. Now, let's continue.

22:17 Chapter six. First Timothy six. I I I love these kind of subject because it's the kind of subject that nobody falls asleep on you and you don't have to ask people to drink coffee before we start the meetings. I drank coffee before but that's just because I needed my holy water. Alright.

22:39 First Timothy six seventeen. Let's let's read it. All the way to 19. Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. Instruct them to do good and to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share.

23:10 Store up store up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future. So that they may take hold of that which is life indeed. Alright. So, don't fix your hope on riches but on god. You don't have to be rich for this to be true because you can be poor and you're thinking, man, if I had the money, then, I'd be alright.

23:31 No. We fix our hope on god, not on riches. Amen? Yes, sir. Alright.

23:36 He richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. Isn't that great of god? That he supplies us. He gives us what we need so that we can enjoy life. We can enjoy food in our home and and and things that just god is so generous and so gracious.

23:53 Be rich in good works. This applies to all of us across the board. Storing up treasures. There you go. In heaven.

24:00 Matthew six twenty. Next, this is life indeed. This is life indeed. When you are generous, when when when you are fixing your hope on god, not on riches, knowing that he supplies everything, when you're rich in good works, when you're storing up treasures in heaven, this is life. Now, I'm going to read to you a quote from our devotion from yesterday and it just blew me away.

24:28 It says, the devil talking to Jesus tempting, talking to Jesus up in, I'm sorry, taking Jesus up into a high mountain, showed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, Luke four five. And here's a commentary. Actor Jim Carey said, I wish that everyone could get rich and famous and have everything they ever dreamed of so they could know that it's not the answer. Wow. Listen to what else he says.

25:00 Not not this... Not Carrie. No... Notice, it took only a moment of time for the devil to show Jesus the world's glory. Yet so many are enticed by the passing pleasure of this world in a futile attempt to experience lasting inner joy.

25:19 As famous comedian Russell Brand admitted, drugs and alcohol are not my problem. Reality is my problem. Drugs and alcohol are are are my solution to fill up a hole inside of me. Will you keep trying to fill that hole your own way? Or are you willing to be made whole in God's way?

25:43 And this is from Brian Cretney. I was just blown away by that. Even rich guys, famous, they got out. They said, look, that's not the answer. I thought it was.

25:54 What is life indeed? Being generous, living the life of Christ, rejoicing in him. Now, real quick. We're almost done here. Deuteronomy fifteen seven to 10.

26:07 You shall not harden your heart nor close your hand from the poor brother, but you shall freely open your heart to him. You shall give generously to him, and your heart shall not be grieved. I like that. I like that. What what when you do give, you just, you're not gonna be all grieved.

26:28 Oh, man. This guy's poor and I had to give a $100. God, then don't give it. Don't give it. What what does this show us this verse?

26:39 What does it show you? Shows you god's heart that he is generous. It shows you also that in his overall plan, he allowed for rich people to to be to exist and poor people and the people in between. If you go on to read that chapter, it's gonna show you that you're always gonna have the poor amongst you. But when there is a poor person and they have a need, give em.

27:03 Give em. Give em money. Proverbs are all over the place. You will help support. God will bless him but he who withheld his hand that god is gonna take withhold his hand from him as well.

27:15 So, god's heart is a generous heart. Would you agree with that? Look how generous he is when he gave us Jesus. He gave it all to us and he wants us to be generous and so, open your hand, he's saying, quit holding on to those bucks. Open it up.

27:47 May the lord make us like like himself, right? To be generous people, to be generous people. Father, thank you so much for these verses that we have considered today about giving. Lord, help us to every week, set something apart according to how you prosper us. Help us, Lord, to invest in heaven, to to to support the poor and the missionaries.

28:15 Because when souls get saved, you you credit that salvation to us too because we sent money for that to be possible. Lord, help us to open our hand to be like you, to be gracious and giving. We pray this in Jesus name. Amen.