Sermon Tone Analysis

Macedonia -

-Roman provice in Northern part of modern Geece

Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea

-Macedonia was not a wealthy province.

-Wars and plundering caused heavy poverty there.

I. Sacrificial Giving is Motivated by God’s Grace Vs 1-2

“-want you to know brothers about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia...”

-It is the grace of God in the hearts of the people that moved them to give...

-As God’s sacrificial gift of Jesus Christ was poured into their hearts, it overflowed from the wallet.

-Sometimes people give for different reasons.

-Give for tax purposes

-Some give out of kindness

-for recognition

-philanthropy

-appearances

-NOT THE CHRISTIANS AT MACIDONIA....Their giving was a direct result of the Grace of God in their lives.

-Just as God had served them through sacrificial giving they sought to serve others with sacrificial giving.

II.

SACRIFICAL GIVING IS NOT STIFLED BY CIRCUMSTANCES Vs 2

Look at the circumstances though which the macidonian churches gave sacifically

-IN A SEVERE TEST OF AFFLICATION

Severe (great)- inteded to communcate a harsh situation.

-litterally means much or many....extreme

Affllciation - litereally means “pressure”

-It is the word used when describing the process of wine making in the crushing of grapes

describes an angey mob in Macedonia

1 Thess.

2:14-15

BUt even in theif affliction…they had an abundance of joy

-abundance- means a surplus

-describing joy that is overflowing form their souls

-They did not give to please anyone

-or to obey a rule or religious standard

-They didnt give begrudgingly

-No reluctancy in their giving

-no pressures put on them to give abondantly....

-BUT OUT OF THEIR JOY....THEY GAVE

-THIS IS A VOLONTERRY ACTIONS…A FREE DECISION TO GIVE GLADLY AND GENEROUSLY....

III.

SACRIFICAL GIVING IS NOT STALLED BY POVERTY VS 2A

-Not just any poverty....EXTREEMe POVERTY

-”extreme” (deep)…literally means “according to the depth”

-One person wrote that a coesponding expression in english would be something liek “extremely deep”

-PLEASE HEAR ME....THIS IS NOT MODERN DAY POVERTY.

-We have a poverty line that I know has to be hard to live near....vey difficult…so I am not trying to belittle the poverty crisis in the US....but many who fit the govenments definition of poverty in the US have TVs and Cell Phones…an roof over their head…etc

-Many who fit the ancient definition of poverty would have been “dirt poor”

YET SOMEONE THE MATH WORKS OUT..

GOD GRACE + AFFLICTION + JOY + POVERTY = “a wealth of generosity on their part”

IV SACRIFICAL GIVING IS DIFFERENT FROM PERSON TO PERSON vs 3-4

FOR THEY GAVE ACCORDING TO THEIR MEANS.....AND BEYOND THEIR MEANS

.....OF THEIR OWN ACCORD.....AND THEY WOULDNT TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER...