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*The Reward of Generosity*
*2Corinthians 9:6-15 December 28, 2003*
* *
*Scripture Reading:* Responsive Reading #636 Hymnal
* *
*Introduction:*
The Magi have set the tone of our Christmas celebrations for centuries by the gifts they had planned ahead to give to Christ.
(What they received in return from God for their gifts of possessions, devotion and sacrifice was a personal relationship with God who communicated to them in a dream to give them protection and direction.)
Giving to the Lord’s work has been a part of true religion ever since Cain killed Abel over the whole thing.
Noah offered sacrifice to God as did Abraham and all true believers after him.
Lev.
27:30 commands in OT terms the presentation of a tithe to the Lord on all things.
/“"‘A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the LORD; it is holy to the LORD.”
(Leviticus 27:30 NIVUS)/
We continue this morning in the NT on the apostle Paul’s teaching to the Corinthian church in 2Cor.
9:6-15 on the subject of generosity – still a part of true religion.
This is the third, and the last, in the series on giving in 2Cor.
8-9 where we also learned about the call to generosity and the ethics of generosity.
We found there were some things we needed to understand about our call to be generous towards the Lord’s work, and we learned about what safeguards we might look for when we do give to the Lord’s work.
Now, this morning, we will learn about the rewards in store for us because of our obedience in giving to the Lord’s work.
The first message was about our ability and responsibility to give.
The second was about accountability on the part of those through whom we give.
But this one is the best news of all – that God rewards his servants who give.
Giving is not easy for most people.
For them it came hard and they don’t give it up easily.
It is easy to make excuses when it doesn’t seem that your giving will benefit you directly.
It’s like ---
Giving Now
Generosity; Giving; Money; Money, tithing; Stewardship; Stewardship of Money; Stinginess
2 Corinthians 8:1-15
/A preacher paid a visit to a farmer and asked, "If you had two hundred dollars, would you give one hundred dollars to the Lord?/
/"Sure would," said the farmer./
/"If you had two cows, would you give one cow to the Lord?"/
/"Yeah, I would."/
/"If you had two pigs, would you give one of them to the Lord?"/
/The farmer replied, "That's not fair.
You know I have two pigs."/
/There is no other time for giving but now.
It will never be easy./
à Citation: Kent Hughes, /Preaching Today/ #205
/ILLUS: Personal testimony on giving ---/
/My wife and her family taught me about giving.
In fact, being married is a big lesson on giving all by itself./
Marriage: Great Way to Die
Dying to self; Giving; Marriage; Self-Centeredness; Self-Denial; Self-Sacrifice; Selfishness
Acts 20:35; Romans 12:1; 2 Corinthians 8:9; Galatians 2:20
/In Holy Land: A Suburban Memoir, author D. J. Waldie observes that the biggest drawback to living alone is having nobody to forgive.
It is not that you don't get certain things—companionship, intimacy, somebody to share the chores—it is that you can't give to them.
You are deprived of a great opportunity: to learn to love your neighbor (or wife) as yourself.
This was a radical notion in Christ's time; it is radical now.
It will always be radical because it is the hardest way, the most illogical way, the 'unfairest' way—and the only way that can grant us the peace that passes all understanding./
/In a way I can see only dimly, marriage is causing me to be freer with my time, my money, my affections.
It is changing my heart, one molecule at a time, from stone to flesh.
Day by day, hour by hour, minute by minute, it is giving me the opportunity to die to myself.
And that, as Saint Francis said, is the only way to waken to eternal life./
à Citation: Heather King, /Context/ (February 15, 1999); references D. J. Waldie, /Holy Land: A Suburban Memoir/ (Norton, 1996)
Indeed, learning how to give is one of life’s greatest rewards – and these rewards come from the Lord himself.
*Big Question:*
/What rewards might we expect in concert with God’s call to generosity toward his work?/
We will be rewarded in time with probably more than we ever gave.
We will be rewarded with a greater capacity to give when we give with a greater capacity of heart.
We will be rewarded with the grace of multiplied righteousness that results in multiplied thanksgiving to God.
We will be rewarded with the increase of praise to God through the gospel as we increase its witness by our giving.
We will be rewarded by the goodwill of others in prayer for us because of our goodwill in giving.
We will be rewarded with the fullness of God’s gift of Christ when we give as he gave.
*I.
Cycle One*
* A.
Narrative* (v.
6)
Agricultural theme~/harvest
Eventually
* B.
Implication*
We will be rewarded in time with probably more than we ever gave.
* C.
Illustration*
This illustration is proof that our reward for giving is not always financial.
Who Gives Most?
Contentment; Generosity; Giving; Greed; Money; Poor; Riches; Stinginess; Wealth
Luke 6:20; Luke 21:1-4; 2 Corinthians 9:6-15
/Poorer Americans give a greater percentage of their income to charity.
In 1998, those who:/
/earned under $10,000 gave 5.2 percent,/
/earned $10,000 to $19,999 gave 3.3 percent,/
/earned $75,000 to $99,999 gave only 1.6 percent./
à Citation: "The New Philanthropy," /Time/ (July 24, 2000); submitted by Jerry De Luca, Montreal West, Canada
Our reward may be in the form of blessings, those intangible benefits that are priceless.
Blessing Boomerang
Blessings; Giving; Ministry; Money; Prayer; Prayer, answers to; Service
Luke 6:27-38; 2 Corinthians 9:6-15
/I grew up in a rough Boston housing project called Columbia Point in a family of nine children.
Although I'd been a hardworking student, paying for college seemed impossible.
But my mother's favorite expression was "Pray, and the Lord will make a way somehow."
I viewed that as good advice for other people.
But when I decided to go to college and seminary because I believed the Lord had a call on my life, I had no other choice!/
/I packed for college and even went to orientation, but still didn't have any money.
I'd have to pack up my belongings and make the hundred-mile trip back home.
But an heir to a corporate fortune heard about my plight and paid for my college and seminary education.
After I graduated, I went to my benefactor's office to thank him for all he had done for me and asked him what I could do to pay him back./
/Imagine my saying to a multimillionaire, "What can I do to repay you?"
The man responded, "Help somebody."
I've spent the last 20 years in the ministry with that goal in mind.
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